31 Unexpected Kiss

Isadora was gleaming with joy as she stepped out. The air was alive with the intoxicating aroma of spices, freshly baked bread, and the earthy scent of produce. She couldn't wait to taste the delicacies that poked her senses.

She took a quick glance at the streets. The cobblestone pathways wound through a maze of timber-framed buildings, their facades adorned with colorful banners and signs that swayed gently in the breeze.

As she helped her lady off the carriage, she realized the most important thing.

Money! Both of them didn't have any money!

"Milady, we~"

Her words were cut short as she was grabbed from behind. She unconsciously grabbed the rough finger that was hooked to the neckline of her dress.

"What are you doing?" Jessamyn asked.

Seeing the panic on her lady's face, Isadora turned to see who it was.

"Bernard…" Isadora pouted.

"Hmm?" Bernard hummed and looked at Isadora.

They were standing so close with Bernard towering over her. The warmth of his finger brushing against her back combined with his gentle eyes caused a stir in Isadora's delicate heart. Like clockwork, Isadora's cheeks blushed.

"Let go of me," she struggled, but she couldn't.

Bernard's face lit up with an amused smile. It only angered Isadora. She struggled harder.

 Jessamyn moved closer, to try and help Isadora. Jaylene, the insolent bird, now sat on her bun and started to caw. "Let's go, Mynah. Mango! Mango!" It screeched.

Jessamyn waved her arms frantically to shoo off the bird but it remained on her head. She regretted her decision to use the bird.

 "I am keeping her," Bernard said and turned, still holding Isadora's collar.

Isadora looked at his face as a surge of warmth passed all over her. She stopped struggling and ended up staring at his face.

Again… How is he this handsome?

And did he just say that he is keeping me?

Keep me? Keep me as in… Keep me as… What did he mean by that?

"Sir, you will not keep her," Jessamyn said. She wanted to get angry, but seeing Isadora's face getting redder, she didn't know whether she should worry for Isadora or not.

Why does it look like Isadora prefers to stay with him?

"Keep me?" Isadora asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes. You'll be with me while your lady goes around and gets what she needs," Bernard said.

Wulfhart did put him in charge of looking after Isadora and asked him not to let her get out of his sight. He would do that. Also, he wanted to bring her to his mother. His mother had a stall of spices in the market.

"But I want to go with my lady!" Isadora protested. Why should she go with him?

Bernard looked at her with amusement. Her face was not flushed anymore and there was a frown line between her eyebrows.

Not minding her protest, Bernard dragged her and walked. He didn't mind her struggle for he didn't sense fear from her.

Jessamyn tried to shoo away the bird from her head but the bird refused to leave. Everyone looked at her weirdly with the screeching bird shouting non-stop.

Stalls and booths lined the street, their awnings fluttering in the breeze as vendors hawked their goods with raucous enthusiasm. Merchants called out their wares in a melodic chorus, enticing passersby with promises of quality and value. Baskets overflowed with ripe fruits and vegetables, while barrels brimmed with fragrant herbs and spices.

With the bird sitting on her head shrieking for mangoes, Jessamyn chased Bernard, dodging the children darting through the throng, their laughter ringing out like bells as they chased each other between stalls and around market carts, and followed the figure whose head was above the rest of them.

"I want to go to the fabric shops," she shouted. She didn't care for the spices.

Bernard was not stopping. Jessamyn let out a deep breath as the distance between her and Bernard widened. She wondered if she should give up chasing Bernard. Isadora was not even fighting anymore.

"Milady!"

Jessamyn's ears perked up hearing Isadora's voice. She stood on her tiptoes to look at Isadora; She was grinning widely, holding something in her hand.

"Catch!"

Jessamyn saw a leather pouch flying toward her. She jumped and caught it. She smirked hearing the clinking of the coins.

Isadora got me money to spend!

Bernard looked at Isadora, displeased. Jessamyn pushed through the crowd to get to Isadora but she saw Isadora clinging to Bernard's collar and pulling him down. 

"Run, Milady!" Isadora shouted. "I'll handle him!"

And then, Isadora did the unthinkable. She kissed Bernard's cheek.

Jessamyn was stunned.

"Run!" Isadora waved her hand at Jessamyn.

Jessamyn blinked, unable to process what she was seeing. Bernard was frozen as a statue and little Isadora was grinning ear to ear.

I think Isadora is fine…

Jessamyn chuckled. "Be safe, Isadora!"

"Run, Milady!" Isadora shouted again, holding Bernard's collar tighter.

Jessamyn didn't hesitate anymore. Isadora seemed to have a hold on the situation—she didn't run away from Bernard even if she could.

Dodging and weaving through the crowd, Jessamyn's movements were swift and sure, her senses attuned to every shift in the tide of bodies as she escaped.

She checked whether Bernard was chasing her. He was not. She glared at the people looking at her strangely. Surely, she was not the only one dressed nicely. Most of them were.

Why are they staring at me? Ah, right!

 They might not have seen an elegantly dressed lady with a bird perched on the top of her head, but could they not stare?

"Shut up, idiotic JayJay!" she gritted her teeth and slapped the bird off her head. But no matter how many times she drove it off, it returned to her head.

She didn't bother anymore.

She walked, aimlessly, trying to find fabric shops and reached what seemed like a dead end. The narrow street was blocked by a horse cart loading a set of bamboo baskets filled with something. She looked around to see not many people around.

As she was about to turn thinking she was lost, one of the baskets toppled. The lid rolled away and Jessamyn's heart raced seeing what was inside.

An infant!

She blinked her eyes and looked at the men loading the baskets. They stared at her and then at the basket on the ground.

"Leave!" One of the men said.

The other one pulled out a machete from his waist. "Idiot! We cannot let her leave! She saw!"

Jessamyn let out a deep breath. What were the chances she happened upon kidnappers? She just wanted to buy some strings for embroidery!

"Danger! Danger!" Jaylene shouted. "Jerry! Danger!!! Sword!!!"

Jessamyn hoped that the belligerent bird would attack the kidnappers or at least distract them but that bird that refused to leave her alone for more than an hour left her alone and flew away.

What a useless bird!

Jessamyn gritted her teeth. Her hands instinctively reached for her trusted leather bag of weapons. She cussed under her breath, realizing she didn't have it anymore.

The man brandishing the machete swung it with an evil grin. "Accept your fate, woman. You're at the wrong place at the wrong time. Stop, I'll make it easier for you…"

Jessamyn cleared her throat.

She needed to make a choice. She could run away to save her life. She might even succeed. But, that poor child… What if he was not the only one? What if there were more in those other baskets? They would escape with the children before she returned with the authorities.

Jessamyn slowly retreated, hoping to find some weapon to defend herself. She looked around. She couldn't even find a stick.

The other man picked up the basket and loaded it on the cart. The man with the blade gripped his blade tighter and raised his arm to slash her.

Jessamyn took a deep breath.

Here goes nothing…