Deafening Silence | ✔️

01. Homesick and Sick of Home

 Karim had stopped the carriage, containing a certain Mr. Ambrose holding me, sleeping in his arms, just like how we were when we went to the inn. Mr. Ambrose was extremely uncomfortable with his family, so he was very unhappy that we had stayed as long as we had. I woke up, and was about to leave the carriage when Mr. Ambrose grabbed my arm unexpectedly. 'Mr. Ambrose? What seems to be the matter, sir?'

He sighed and hung his head, something I never expected him to do. He was showing me his weakness. 'Mr- I mean Ms. Linton, my family has never been perfect. I mean, on then day of our arrival my father didn't even want to see me. As much as I want to be, I'm not either. We have had... experiences, both in the past and now, that have led to us forming a bond I never expected or even wanted to form. But as much as I didn't want it then, I want it now.' I felt like a horse ran straight into me, and then sent me flying into a very hard wall. I stayed there motionless as I took it all in. My dear lord! Have I gone mad, or did Mr. Ambrose just... confess he had feelings for me? And then the worst possible thing happened. Karim stuck his head inside. 

'Sahib we have.......' The big man looked at us his mouth agape at the sight in front of him, a blushing Mr. Ambrose and a stunned Lilly Linton. I cleared my throat, but not trusting my voice, I cleared it a couple more times before speaking.

 'Karim, can you... go check if everything is okay for us to enter? Mr. Ambrose and I certainly have a LOT to speak about.' Without saying anything he stumbled out, still reeling from what he just experienced. 'Mr. Ambrose- wait, may I call you Rikkard?' He nodded before I continued. 'I... I don't know what to say. I mean, this isn't asking me to dance or kissing me while we were pretending to be husband and wife, but I won't lie, I'm overjoyed that... that... that you agree with how I feel too.' I said the last part so timidly, quite a bit of his cool and stony appearance came back, only this time, his eyes were shining. He pulled back into him by pulling the hand he had never let go of, and I crashed into the planes of his muscly chest. He held me so tight and so close, that I almost lost my breath. He loosened his hold on me, but not  by too much, and he kissed the top of my head.

'Let's go inside, shall we?' I nodded my head and went out the carriage but not before I heard him mumble something else, something that made my heart pound. 'My little Ifrit. My beautiful Ifrit, I shall make you my lady.' And thus began the beginning of our courtship.