"From today onwards your name will be Arla. If someone asks for your name you will say, Arla, which means a free woman." Silja said with a soft smile on her lips.
On the other hand, the girl was still looking with a blank expression on her face.
"Come on say it," Mira encouraged Arla.
"A..ar.." she stammered.
"Arla," Silja repeated.
"A.. Arla." she repeated behind but one thing that Silja noticed was that the girl has happiness in her eyes.
It was just like before for her. Gwen has sold her for pearls and now for her Silja was her master and she will do whatever Silja will say without much thought.
Silja told her that her name was Arla and she accepted it as an order.
But Silja wasn't in a hurry. Slavery was something that was in her bones. She couldn't change her overnight. Silja believed that girl must have gone through many hard situations which have broken her core to the point that she would never believe in someone. Nor will she be able to put her trust in someone, in the end, to be broken.
But she will be fine, Silja will not let her down.
After that she let the girl go again in her quarters while she instructed Mira to keep an eye on her. To see that no one bullied her and she received proper treatment from everyone.
Soon Brandon came to visit her.
"Is everything alright princess?" He asked.
"Yes, I just wanted to meet you. Take a seat," Silja gestured at the chair in front of her.
"How have you been since coming here?" Silja asked after he settled in his chair.
"I'm fine, how about you? Are your wounds healed?" He asked.
"They are much better now," Silja said with a smile.
"So, I heard you have gone out to visit the city," She inquired.
"Yes, not much far, just in a nearby market and checked some entrances and exits," Bran replied and Silja's smile broadened.
"You will never change will you?" Silja asked, shaking her head.
"Well we are on foreign land, all the exit plans should be ready. Who knows might need you to run away from the wedding," Bran raised his eyebrows as he joked.
"That situation will never come, I will make sure of it," Silja replied glaring at him.
"Let's hope," Just like Mira Bran has bad feelings about all this plan.
Not that he didn't believe in her but it was actually that he believed in her.
He believed that the woman sitting in front of him has a unique charm in her that will attract anyone to herself.
No matter how much she tries to be neutral and stay away from the prince in order to get rejected by him, she might not be successful.
She was like a light, shining brightly. It doesn't matter how much darkness is around her, moths will find their way to her because of her shine.
Silja looked at the man and the look in his eyes was so dark that she couldn't look for long.
"Now that you've covered all the exits, why don't you come with me tommorow for a visit," she changed the topic.
"You want to go out?" Bran asked.
"Yes, there is nothing to do here before the actual ceremony starts so why not put the free time to good use," She shrugged her shoulders.
"Alright, tomorrow morning then?" Bran agreed and Silja nodded her head. She was dying to get a few fresh breaths away from this closed chamber.
Next morning.
Silja arrived at the nearby market which was the biggest market in the city.
The shops were big well as small stalls were on the street.
Everything was organized in a way that looked clean. Small merchants have set their stalls on the side footing road.
"Here, my lady.. this is just a new collection we just received yesterday."
Silja could hear some vendors trying to attract customers.
"Pretty organized," Silja commented as they walked in the street. She was dressed as a commoner and with her were Mira and Brandon.
She didn't want to attract much attention.
"It is, but after all, it is a capital city," Brandon replied.
"Well, almost all the towns we passed from Rockshire to here were pretty good," Silja said. She has noticed these things. Although they didn't pass through many cities during their journey from Rockshire to Northcrest, she noticed that all the cities were mostly flourishing and in pretty good condition. But she also received the bad taste of those people on the way.
As they passed through Silja kept her eyes wide open taking everything.
One of the stalls was full of people.
as some customers went away after purchasing the stall vendor turned towards Silja who was looking at his stall.
"Would you like to taste this delicacy, my lady," the vendor asked. It was morning and many ladies and men were arguing and buying things from the stalls. One of the vendors asked her to try a dessert that he was selling.
Silja looked at small white balls floating in thick syrup in a pot. Another pot contained the same syrup and balls but these balls were brownish in color.
Silja could feel her mouth-watering at sight. Well, they really looked like Delicias by just looking at them.
"I don't charge for trying this sweet dessert," the seller's words were nothing more than temptation. With the surgery scent that was floating in the air, Silja found herself nodding her head.
"My lady…." Mira immediately objected. Well, the girl was worried that the food would be poisoned or something. Shyw worry to much.
"It's alright," Silja reassured her with a smile.
On the other hand, the seller took a small bawl which was made from the tree leaves and added two white balls in it before handing it to Silja.
"They called sweet white pearls," the man said the name of the desert.
Silja took a small bite and instantly her mouth was filled with a soft sweetness.
The texture was smooth and delicate, it melted in her mouth.
"This is yummy.." Silja couldn't help but exclaim. She offered Mira and Brandon to try it.
Mira also took a bite but Brandon decided to pass.
"They are yummy.." Mira also agreed. After that, they tasted the black balls which they called black pearls.
"You seem to be here for the bridal ceremony," the vendor asked.
"Ohh yes," Silja said and took the bowl.
She took a bite from the black ball which was also super sweet but the taste was very different from the previous one.
The dessert had a rosy scent in it which was amazing.
"I have never tried something like this," Silja confessed.
"That's because these are desserts from the far countries, you won't find anyone selling this on this land," the seller said.
"A few years ago I went to travel to the south of the South, far away. In a different land with different cultures and traditions. It was there when I learned how to make this dessert," he shared a story.
Silja was fascinated. How beautiful and exciting it would be to travel all the counties and places so far. She thought.
She and Mira ate the sweet dessert to their heart's content.
Silja took out a small pouch to pay the money when suddenly someone pushed her and snatched the pouch from her hand.
Silja tried to fight back but he pushed her and ran away.
"My lady .." Mira helped Silja become stabilized.
Brandon, who was drinking water from the other shop, saw the attacker and ran behind him. He was momentarily distracted and this happened.
"Bran no…" Silja yelled but the man didn't hear her and he also disappeared into the busy street.
This novel is a contracted work with W e b n o v e l . c o m. If you're not reading ' Mistress of enchanting dragon ' on W e b n o v e l, it has been stolen. It's very heartbreaking to see pirates profiting from my hard work.. Please support the original author,(Dream_blue98).