Abiona gazed at Prudence as they walked through the horse farm. She would rather let Prudence stay at her house than send her back at nightfall. "Let's head home first. I passed by your house earlier, so I informed your mother of you coming along to my house," said Abiona, although she had hoped Prudence to come to her house to attend the dining.
"Okay," said Prudence.
She genuinely wanted to congratulate Abiona's father, but waiting for the dining party made her sceptical. Abi was her childhood friend, and they have lived at each other's house on different occasions. But that would have been possible today if there was no grand event at that house.
They made their way to the carriage, in which Abiona had arrived here. After they settled, the carriage advanced.
Prudence wanted to give her wishes to her beloved uncle, but she felt there would be eyes on him today. Although she knew he wouldn't care, she would feel bad if people talked about him because of her lower status. "We should stop by my house. Let me get cleaned. I have been working in the stable." Prudence looked down at her clothes, which had not stained a lot today.
She was not ashamed of her living status. She had a rather happy life, however it was, and did not wish for anything more. Abiona was a kind, yet smart girl. She never let her friend feel less and carefully deviated the comments from outsiders.
"Sure," said Abiona and opened the slit window, getting the coachman's attention. "Take the ride to ink road. We are stopping by Lady Prudence's house"
"Yes, milady" The coachman redirected the route of the horses.
Prudence was free with demanding from Abiona. They were not related by blood, but the bond was nothing less than a family. The bond these two girls shared was stronger than families, and their parents had similar thoughts about it. It only made them close enough to ask anything from each other and sharing shamelessly.
"Abi, I should congratulate you as well," Prudence said, bringing her eyes away from the window to look at her friend. "I have seen you working actively, promoting for your father"
Abiona did a curtsy bow, stealing her eyes, "Thank you milady"
A smile rose on Prudence's lips. "You should try to grow up Abi, you must learn to take a compliment now." It was not like Prudence wanted it. She liked her Abi, just as proud as she was. But sometimes Abiona lacked confidence and Prudence wanted her to own up for her best qualities and wear them with pride. If only someone would bring them out of her, she thought.
"Aye, you know it's only with people close to me, Prudence." Abiona smacked Prudence's hand lightly. The girl was outgoing and had many contacts. She did not exactly lack confidence with others.
Prudence was a doting person with the few close people she had in her life, and it never failed to bring a grin to Abiona's face. She knew whoever gets her friend as their partner would be lucky. Abiona said, "I find praises and compliments formal. Close people shouldn't share formalities"
Prudence was still looking at her friend who had averted her gaze and said, "It is only fair to shower pleasant words on people close to us than waste them on fake compliments for an unknown person"
"That is true," Abiona said, finally meeting her friend's eyes and saw Prudence smile. "Alright madam, I will try"
Prudence went back to watching the streets. In a few minutes, the carriage parked itself in front of a small house that looked old and yet neatly kept. The street was wet with someone having thrown dirty water outside, and the carriage was almost stuck between the foot walks. Both the girls stepped down and walked through the tiny yard which stretched in front of the house.
Prudence knocked on the door which said ' Warrier's ' and a fair lady opened the door, offering a smile to her daughter.
The lady had blonde hair in contrast to Prudence's red hair, but they shared the eye colour. Pearl had ocean blue eyes, while the Lady had a dull shade of blue adorning her youthful face.
The Lady's eyes shifted from her daughter to Abiona and she beamed, "Abi dear, thank god you stopped by again. I had prepared something as good wishes for your father's achievement"
Prudence left her mother with Abiona. She did not want to be late reaching Abiona's house and have to travel back during dark.
It did not take her long as she had only three dresses and the rest of her cupboard was filled with skirts and shirts for daily use. Prudence wore a pink dress that looked plain with puffed sleeves and stepped out of the one-bedroom into the living room, where the kitchen counter was attached in one corner.
She saw her friend holding a box in her hand, which contained some sweet dish her mother had made. Abiona talked with the older Lady in the room, a little embarrassed, and it wasn't hard to tell that Prudence's mother had complimented the girl. Abiona saw Prudence was ready and said, "Thank you, Aunt Elizabeth, I will give your wished to my father. We must leave since Prudence won't be attending the party"
Elizabeth looked at her daughter, puzzled. "You should attend the dining, Pearl. Stay at Abiona's tonight"
Prudence was wearing her footwear, and she did not respond till she was done. Elizabeth stood in front of her daughter and Prudence hugged her mother as a goodbye. "I will think about it, mama. I don't want to be the one with a missing poster around the town"
"Pearl! Mind your thoughts." Elizabeth warned her daughter with wide eyes, "You can go missing wherever you want after my soul rests with the god. Till then, go find yourself a nice suitor who will give you a better place for living and nothing to work for. There won't be a better opportunity than such gatherings"
Elizabeth Warrier was a proud mother. She was well aware of how Prudence worked day and night to keep both their lives happy.
The lack of a father had made her daughter strong, she had raised her right and kind. But now Elizabeth wanted her to find peace with someone who would pamper Prudence and not let her work in stables and around the house.
Unlike her mother, Prudence wasn't taken aback by her mother's usual indirect mentions of death. She simply rolled her eyes and opened the door. "Your act is getting old, but you are not. You are fit enough to be talking about departure. And please mama, I like to work. I don't want to get myself a suitor in haste," she signalled Abiona, who was silently listening to the conversation, to step out.
Abiona was quiet, not meddling with the mother and daughter who acted more like friends. It had surprised her when she had just befriended Prudence, how both the Warriers communicated despite their relation, but now it was a normal thing for her. They had an odd sense of humour, that the mother and the daughter agreed upon.
Abiona went out first and Prudence turned around to kiss her mother on her cheek, when she pulled back to see her mother smile and she returned the smile to say, "I would rather be a sprinter like you mama, then have a man who loves me only for first few years of marriage and rest of my life goes down in bickering"
The last thing she wanted was to leave her loving mother alone, with no one to take care of her and spend time with her husband, who might just act to be loving her.
Elizabeth's eyes softened at her daughter's words. She pulled Prudence's cheeks, which had the girl yelp in pain. "Don't dream about being single like your mother, Pearl. Give someone a chance to take care of you for once, darling."
"Ouch, mama!" Prudence tried to get herself out of her mother's grip, but Elizabeth stretched her daughter's cheeks as if they were dough. After they were plum red, she let go of them. Prudence was quick to retreat away from her mother. She stepped outside the house, before walking away she turned to her mother, "I will stay at Abiona's place today then, have your dinner on time and don't sit here for the night building a dream world which I don't wish to fulfil yet"
A smile appeared on Elizabeth's lips, watching her Pearl consider her words. "Enjoy the night, Ladies. And Pearl, be careful not to offend any person we can't afford to stand against, control your uncontrolled offending," said Elizabeth.
Prudence waved her hand while back facing her mother and a faint smile lingered on her face. Her mother knew Prudence had the habit of standing up for her close ones, sometimes unnecessarily.
Abiona giddily waved her hand at Elizabeth, "Thank you, Aunt Elizabeth, don't worry, I will help Prudence find a good suitor tonight"
"Sure darling, give excellent lessons to your friend about it. Make sure she behaves, " Elizabeth said, and it had Prudence roll her eyes, hurrying Abiona to enter inside the carriage before the conversation extended. This was a small colony, and the houses were close by enough for voices to travel through the walls.
Abiona was more than happy. She had heard the conversation. Prudence was attending the dining party, and it had Abiona excited.
She stepped inside the carriage, followed by Prudence, and briefly squeezed her friend before opening the small slit in front of the carriage compartment. "Let's leave for our house."
The reins whacked, and the horses trotted towards Abiona's mansion where people had started to gather for the dining party. People and the Night creatures, both human and the one with red eyes.