He shrugged lightly. “Perhaps I wished to.”
The carriage lurched into motion, wheels rumbling over the stone road. Arianna stared out the window, watching the castle shrink behind them. She did not trust her voice, nor the fluttering storm in her chest.
Ian studied her quietly. “Are ye displeased?” he asked at last.
She shook her head quickly. “Nay.”
“Then what troubles ye?” he asked.
She kept her gaze fixed on the passing hills. “I daenae ken what to think,” she admitted.
“Ye neednae think so hard, Arianna.”
She glanced at him briefly. “Easy for ye to say.”
“Aye, perhaps.” He did not push further, and for that she was grateful.
Soon, the carriage entered the village, and the air changed at once. Laughter and music drifted through the open window, mingled with the scent of roasted meats and sweet pastries. Villagers filled the streets, their faces bright with excitement.
Colorful banners hung between cottages, fluttering in the breeze. Children darted through the crowd, their cheeks flushed and eyes wide. The square ahead teemed with life.
The carriage slowed and finally stopped near the edge of the village green. Ian stepped down first and turned to help her, his hand firm and steady.
“Come,” he said quietly.
Arianna stepped onto the packed earth and looked around in wonder. “Oh,” she breathed. “It’s grand.”
At the center of the square, the travelling troupe had erected small stages and tents striped in bold reds and golds. A juggler tossed bright wooden pins high into the air, drawing cheers from a ring of children. Nearby, a fire twirler sent a plume of flame skyward, gasps rising from the watching crowd.
Arianna clasped her hands together. “Ian, look!” she exclaimed, pointing toward a group of card players performing quick tricks. A jester in motley skipped between them, bells chiming at his ankles as he bowed dramatically to giggling children.
Ian watched her more than the spectacle. “I thought it might please ye,” he said.
She turned to him, eyes shining. “It does.”
A troupe of musicians struck up a lively tune, fiddles and drums filling the square with rhythm. A pair of acrobats flipped and twisted upon a small platform, landing with graceful precision. The villagers clapped and whistled, their earlier labors forgotten.
A child tugged at Arianna’s sleeve, pointing toward a painted wagon where a fortune teller beckoned dramatically. “She says she can see the future,” the child whispered in awe.
Arianna laughed softly. “I think I prefer to discover mine as it comes.”
Ian arched a brow. “A wise choice.” She smiled at him, her earlier nerves easing beneath the bright sun and shared delight.
They wandered slowly through the square, pausing at each display. Ian purchased a honeyed pastry from a vendor and handed it to her without comment.
“Ye’re spoilin’ me,” she teased.
“Aye,” he replied easily. “I am.”
She took a bite, sweetness melting on her tongue, and felt laughter bubble up unbidden.
A fire dancer spun in widening circles, flames tracing brilliant arcs against the daylight. The heat brushed Arianna’s cheeks as she watched, enthralled.
“They’re fearless,” she murmured.
Ian’s gaze shifted to her. “Fear can be mastered,” he said quietly. She met his eyes, understanding flickering between them.
A troupe leader called for volunteers from the crowd, and children scrambled forward eagerly. The square rang with applause and joyful noise. For a moment, Arianna forgot everything but the bright wonder of the day.
