Chapter 26

They must look like two fools standing holding the door but not getting inside the carriage.

"I held it open for you to go inside, Rose. Forget what you know from the brothel. You are not there anymore. Not all but some men would hold a door open for you. Your response is to thank them and get inside as you are to do now," Zayne explained. 

"I see. Thank you," Rose answered, letting go of the door. It was good to learn that there was a kind gesture done by men. 

While she needed to be careful still, Rose hoped to meet more kind men. Her memories shouldn't be filled by men being cruel. Rose did not love the constant feeling of looking over her shoulder because she did not trust anyone. She shouldn't live that way forever. 

Zayne waited for her to be seated and then entered to sit on the opposite side, closing the door afterwards.

The carriage moved right away so Rose wouldn't worry about taking too long to go. Zayne glanced at a small bag she managed to get a hold of. He spotted an apple at the top which meant she had stored the fruits brought to her. Now she reminded him of another animal.

Rose inspected the inside of the carriage. It was far better just as Zayne said. If she had one of her own, she could get far away from this town. 

She tried not to pay attention to Zayne's attention at first, but she had to know what he was thinking."Is there something you want to know?" Rose asked. 

"I am wondering how long you might last on your own. You know nothing of the world so it might be easy for someone to fool you. I saw you paying attention to the churches so you must be planning to stay at one. Just because it is a church does not mean there isn't danger," Zayne warned Rose.

While good people were going there for shelter there were also bad people going there to hide.

"We've had a big incident with a church where they were abusing the people who came to them for help. Those people had no way to go and the priest knew it so they did as they liked. I don't mean to ruin your plans since it is a bit too late for you to think of going somewhere else but you should be careful with where you want to stay," Zayne said, worried they might take advantage of her innocence.

"I am aware that no matter where I go I cannot fully trust anyone but right now, a church is the only place I can think of hiding. I don't have money to keep running forever so I am hoping a church would figure out a way for me to travel to a church in another town," Rose said, trying to be positive that they would.

She didn't know where else to go if not a church. Running around in the mountains would not be a good idea. 

"The camp that we have now, it was given to me to use during my stay by your king. I know it is for him to keep an eye on us so I bought another home that I will use when I want to be out of his sight. I don't have any servants there," Zayne said, leaving it for her to catch on.

"You are offering for me to go there and act as your maid? You have been kind thus far but to be alone with you," Rose answered, lowering her head as she didn't want to meet his eyes.

"You still do not trust me. I know that. Though you have shared your plans to go to the church with me. There must be a little trust you hold in me to believe that I won't tell anyone where you are going. I gave you a room and we are alone in the carriage," Zayne pointed out.

"If I wanted to trouble you, it could have happened already. You are not my kind of woman Rose and I never had to force myself upon a woman."

Rose partially believed that since he was handsome and as a general, many would flock to him. Still, she had witnessed men with great positions who already had women wishing to be with them pushing themselves on women who did not want their attention. Those with power couldn't take rejection.

"I don't expect a simple woman from a brothel to be a woman you find yourself liking," Rose replied.

"Don't think little of yourself. You are not my kind of woman because you come with many problems like the brothel owner being obsessed with you. I like to avoid headaches and your life seems like it would cause many," Zayne better explained.

He didn't believe Rose did not know the soldier he saw trying to run after her. 

"I am hardly at the home that I bought since my soldiers are at the camp we just left. Since I came to this land, I have been in that home twice so you would be alone to clean at your own pace. I would pay you and maybe one day you might be able to buy a carriage of your own," Zayne said, trying to convince her.

Rose laughed as she could never see herself owning a carriage. "Many would find it strange that I have a carriage."

"People are going to talk regardless. Are you going to live all your life thinking about what they have to say?"

"It is not that. I want to avoid the attention. I want nothing more than to live a quiet life. To go unnoticed," Rose said, hoping that this kind of life awaited her.

Unfortunately, Zayne killed what little hope she had for that life.

"It will never happen. Even as you sit here in a dress that lacks vibrant colours, you stand out. Unless you plan to cover your face for the rest of your life, you will always receive unwanted attention. It is part of how you kept my attention since you ran into me," Zayne confessed.

No one could ever say that Rose wasn't a beautiful woman. They might turn to mock her background since they could not deny her beauty. 

"Oh," Rose looked away from Zayne. "Then, I should find something to cover my face with."

"I didn't mean for you to take what I said seriously. Instead, consider my offer. Do you want to work alone in the other house or run to a church? I can send you notice of my arrival so you may go somewhere else if you fear us being alone," Zayne proposed.

It felt wrong to let her go out in this cruel world all alone.