Under The Maple Tree

5] Lost

The next 15 days, I collected the supplies I needed and worked day and night to finish my incomplete art works. I made a few improvements to the older ones and gave them finishing touches.

A week before the festival...
I was helping mother in the kitchen with some chores and somebody knocked on the door.
"Grace, Somebody's at the door." I called out.
Grace came running down and opened the door.
"It's Florian." Grace answered back.
After a minute she came into the kitchen followed by Florian.
"Hello, Mrs. Browne" he doffed his hat.
"You get more and more lovely each passing day."
"Why, thank you my boy. You sure are a sweet talker, Now tell me what do you want?" Mother said while putting the sauce pan on the stove.
Florian chuckled and scratched his head embarrassingly. I tried to suppress my laugh from the corner of the kitchen, While grace stood nearby swooning over him.
"Mayor Smith has asked me to come to the capital with him tomorrow. I will be helping him with the advertisement for the upcoming festival."
Mother nodded her head and encouraged him to go on.
"So I was thinking If I could take Ria with me?" He asked hesitantly, lowering his voice.
I smiled ear to ear, already excited to go to the capital. Internally, I was praying desperately to God that mother would agree to let me go. She looked at me for a moment and then turned to him again.
"Hmm... Alright. You can take her, but make sure you never leave her alone. Her sense of direction is as good as a potato."
"Do not worry Mrs. Browne. I'll keep her beside me all the time. He flashed a flirtatious smile at me.
"Can I go too?" Grace cried launching herself at mother.
"Pleassseee....?"
"No!" Mother declared and Grace left the room sulking.

Soon, the morning light hit the ground and I got ready to leave for the capital. Me and Florian got into the wagon and started our journey followed by Mayor smith in his carriage.

It was early morning. The clip clop of the horses and the warm spring breeze lulled me into sleep and when we arrived, Florian woke me up. 

Our wagon stopped in front of the Advertising Office. Mayor Smith got out of his carriage and gestured us to follow him. As we entered through the glass door, our ears got bombarded by the hustle and bustle of the agency employees. The entire office was busy with papers and typewriters.
A man in a black suite came towards us or more precisely, towards Mayor Smith.
"It is a pleasure to see you again Mr. Smith." He greeted loudly.
Mayor Smith shook hands with the man.
"Likewise...Sir Jones." He smiled and greeted back.
"Who do we have here? Never seen these faces before." Sir Jones squinted his eyes looking at me and Florian.
"Ah. Allow me to introduce them. This young lad is Florian, a very mature and hard working young man from Summerstown." Florian took a step forward and shook hands.
"And this young lady, is his companion for today. Miss Gloria."
I smiled at him and he gave a firm nod in acknowledgement. 

Sir Jones, Mayor Smith and Florian soon got indulged in their conversation about the spring festival and plans for advertisement. While me being myself, got bored sooner than I thought I would be.

I stared out of the Glass door for several minutes sighing occasionally. The conversation was getting dull by each passing minute. But before I'd collapse out of boredom, I spotted a small cart on the opposite side of the road selling Candy floss.
At that moment, those colourful clouds of sugar seemed more interesting than anything else to me. So I pushed the door open and sprinted towards it.
The man who was pushing the cart moved faster than I anticipated. I followed him through the crowd. One turn, then a few steps and another turn and finally caught up to him.
I bought a pink coloured candy floss, gave him the money and turned around to return.
My feet faltered when I struggled to move and questioned myself about what direction I should go.
I realized that I was lost on a street filled with unknown faces. I stopped a lady and asked her for directions.
"Excuse me, my lady. Do you know where the main Advertising Office is?"

"My apologies miss. I don't know." She answered and hurried along the crowd.
I sighed and asked someone else.

"Go straight and turn right from the yellow building." The man said motioning his hand.

"Thank you very much, Sir." I said and quickly ran towards the building.

.~~

After looking for several minutes, I still couldn't find my way back. I cursed and blamed myself for the stupidity. The street was getting more and more crowded as I roamed my eyes around, to see a few luxurious carriages and tall buildings.
I knew that eventually Florian will come for me, but what if he couldn't find me. I feared the thought.
I sat on a nearby bench almost on the verge of a break down, when a man who seemed to be in his 20s approached me.
"Excuse me, Miss. Are you perhaps lost? Do you need any help?" He asked politely and I looked up.

He had a genuine smile plastered on his face. His dark blue eyes dripped with a childish innocence.
"Oh...I..I.." I was perplexed by this stranger's kindness. Should I ask for his help? No matter how innocent he looked, one should never judge a book by its cover.
He was wearing a navy blue coat which suited his wheat coloured skin. A faint smell of mint hit my nostrils when he moved a little closer.

"Trust me miss. I will not do any harm to you." He said as if reading my mind.

"I'd be most grateful, sir, If you could please tell me where the main Advertising office is." I pleaded, now standing up.

He widened his eyes, as if realized something. "I am actually going there myself. I can escort you."
"Only if you allow me to." He quickly added.

"Thank you for your kindness. Sir...." I paused.

"Arden." He said walking beside me. "My name is Arden Frost."

Why did the name sound familiar? I thought to myself but quickly shrugged the feeling aside and introduced myself.

"Nice to meet you, Sir Frost. I am Gloria Browne." I said politely.

"Is this the first time you've come to the capital, miss Browne?" He glimpsed at me.

"Yes. I came here with my friend, but somehow got lost. Not a fortunate first visit I'd say." I said disappointed.

"I'd rather call it a fortunate one." He smiled and I looked at him, confusion evident in my eyes.
"Otherwise how would I get to meet such a breathtakingly beautiful lady." He flirted. "...and a chance to become her knight in shining armour."

I blushed internally and ignored his comment.

"There it is." He pointed at the office building and I saw a blurred figure coming towards me.

"Ria..." Florian called out and came running at me. He stopped, without a second thought he embraced me tightly and I froze in place.
"Where were you? I was so worried." He was panting.
"How could you be so careless Ria." Then he became silent and released me hastily at the next moment. I was taken aback by his sudden act of intimacy.

I never saw him so tensed before. Sweat dripping off his forehead and ragged breathing, I could tell he was worried and might be looking for me for at least half an hour or possibly more.
All of this I could understand, but the new found blush on his cheeks was a mystery to me.

"I'm sorry." That's all I could say.

"And you are?" Florian asked the man standing beside me.

"Oh. This is Sir Arden Frost. He helped me get back here." I intruded.

"We are eternally grateful. Sir." He said and Arden nodded his head.

..~~

Me, Florian and Sir Arden went inside
the office building.

"Here you are young man!" Mayor Smith addressed Florian, who was now a few steps ahead of me and Arden.
"Meet Sir Edmund Frost. He is the eldest son and heir to Marques Frost."