Chapter 99 - Meeting Allies

Abigail pov

I sighed as I looked in the direction where my father disappeared. I still did not know why he was so against my being a knight when he had accepted it easily in the starting.

"Abigail, i am ready" came the voice of Isabella and soon i heard Nickolas footsteps too.

"Oh.. Isabella! I apologise but me and Abigail were going out from some personal work. I will take you next time." he replied apologetically to Isabella who felt embarrassed.

"Aah, I understand brother…"

"Oh, Nick, I have invited Isabella too." I cut Isabella as I looked at Nickolas.

"You did? I mean.. You invited Isabella to come with us?" He was looking visibly surprised when I told that I even felt awkward for a minute.

"Then.. shall we go?" I asked and they both nodded.

After sitting in the carriage I took a breath of relief. The journey to town was beautiful. We passed through meadows, small houses and a lot of kids were playing there.

Stopping in a bustling area where everyone was busy with one thing or other. We walked in a lane that stopped in front of a tea house. It was a building painted with light colors. When we entered there were a lot of people sitting in the open area. Sipping the tea and talking generally, there were nobles and nouveau riche commoners too. 

We did not garner any special attention when we entered there except a few eyes who looked at us intently.

We climbed through stairs and reached a quieter area. There was a private room but it was too silent.

"Privacy is good here. You will not know who the person is in the nearby private room and what he is talking about." explained Nickolas.

He walked to a room where reserved was writing in bold letters and opened the door.

"This room is always reserved for me. If any of you want to come here or bring friends. You can bring them here directly and tell them it is your tea house." he offered with a smile.

My curious eyes looked at everything as if a kid was trying to get as much as he could learn. The room was just like the meeting room of modern times. With a large table in the middle and seats all around. Small painting covering the walls. It was minimalistic. But at the same gives a classy vibe with the gold border and brown and golden walls.

We all sat and soon three staff entered with various types of snacks and tea in their hands.

"So tell me, what else do you want to do?"  asked Nickolas as he made the tea personally.

"Brother, Isabella wanted to go and see her father's store. How is it working now? And I have promised Beth that I will meet her son and daughter in law. They were getting married soon so she wanted me to give my blessings to them.'' I did not know if the excuse was lame, but that is the only thing that came to mind.

"Blessings? But you are younger to them, Abi? Why would they need your blessings?" asked Nick and even Isabella looked at me with curiosity, 

"Well, Beth took me as her daughter so she was very happy when I told her I would like to meet her family.. Hehe.. what can i say! She insisted and I could not deny" my awkward reply made them silent and they just nodded.

If they were even thinking of asking me any further questions, I buried my head in eating the snacks that they did not get a chance to do so. While my eyes just stayed at the window to see how much time had passed.

"Brother, I think you should go and show Isabella around. So that we all could go and have shopping together later.`` Nickolas looked at Isabella who was biting her lips.

"If it did not disturb you too much." she replied silently and Nickolas laughed. 

"Why would that be. And Abi is seriously want to get rid of us." he said half jokingly but his eyes were damn serious.

But I was also shameless enough to ignore him and sip my tea silently.

When they both left I called the maid to infirm her to send Beth in directly when they came.

After a few minutes Beth finally entered and two young boys and girls followed her. They all were looking two conscious of the things around them. Walking as if even their steps would dirty the floor. They stood in front of me,

I suddenly felt like a rich bloodsucking woman villain of old movies. The way I was sitting luxuriously in the leather chair in front of such a large table and all 5 of them were standing in front of me bowing their heads.

"My lady" they all wished in chorus to me.

"Hello there. If you do not mind, can you all sit and then give me your introductions first." they all looked at me shocked like i have asked them to sign the papers of their house to me.

"How can we sit in front of you?" asked a boy, shaking his head.

"And that also in these chairs. They would get dirty." said the girl standing beside him.

The other boy looked at them and rolled his eyes. "They are just chairs, even if it got dirtied it could be cleaned."

"Yes, and we are here to talk with our future boss. We should listen to her." 

The couple on the left side is timid one, while the couple on the right side is sharp and blunt. 

"Well they are right. And we have to do a long conversation but i did not have much time so it is better that you sit and we start right away. Beth why don't you make tea for everyone." i said as i passed the plates of snacks which are still mostly filled.

They all looked at me hesitantly then at each other and finally sat down.