Aaryah could see the tears forming at the brim of the woman's eyes before the tears started rolling down her face as the baby was snatched from her arms. Her long, dark hair was in a messy bun as she stood hopelessly watching the whole saga unfold; her skin seemed to be really red due to the fact that she had a bit of a struggle with her husband before releasing her baby.
Aaryah felt so bad and wished they didn't have to separate a mother from her child, but there was nothing she could do as she had no choice but to follow her master's orders.
The baby's cry filled the air; she was screaming at the top of her lungs. Aaryah just couldn't fathom how the baby would be feeling. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach, which made her sick.
She had caught a glimpse of her husband willingly handing the baby over to the guards after successfully prying the baby from her mother's arms. He had a straight face and no direct expression on his face, unlike the mother, who just stood there hopelessly, with tears rolling down her face. So there was no easy way for her to know how he really felt about the situation. She just knew that even though he had given the baby to Hurburn, he still would have felt a sense of guilt.
"Aaryah, " someone called out, snapping her out of her thoughts.
That was Hurburn; he had called her out to get her attention to the guards who had been standing beside her with the baby in his arms. He was kind of having a difficult time handling a crying baby.
" OOH…uhm, I…I.."
" I am sorry ", she blurted out as she hurriedly took the baby from the guard into her arms.
"Could you help me with the…uhm ", she said to the guards.
Pointing to a piece of clothing on a horse.
" Thank you", she said, as she swung her arms gently from left to right, attempting to rock the baby in her arms.
Aaryah held the baby tightly close to her chest as she tied the piece of clothing across her shoulder so that the baby could have free hands to hold on to her rein while on the horse; she just made sure the baby was comfortable and really safe right there in her arms.
She smiled as she saw the baby was already fast asleep in her arms.
" Come on ", Hurburn yelled out, still on his horse, signalling that he was leaving already.
" Alright, I am coming ", she said quietly, as she rolled her eyes.
She walked towards her horse and mounted it gently, looking at the baby, ensuring she was still asleep.
She held on firmly to her reins as she wore a smile; she rode on to keep her pace with Hurburn, who was already ahead of her.
" Sir Hurburn", she called out as she got close to him. He looked like he was in his own thoughts.
He turned to her.
" Sir Hurburn, what do we do with her?" She asked; she wanted to know what the next step with the baby was
" Well, I have no idea for now, but I should be able to make a great amount of money from her", Hurburn answered.
" That's the reason I took her in the first place", he continued.
" But sir...."
" Aaryah, you have no reason to ask me such questions", he interrupted her.
" Now ride on", he continued.
' Well, you don't have to be that grumpy, ' she said quietly as she rode on ahead of Huburn but still maintaining a good distance with him.
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"EEYAH "
" EEYAH" Aaryah heard Huburn's voice from afar off just before he rode up ahead.
As they rode up into the estate, Aaryah heaved a sigh of relief.
"Finallyyy", She said as she began to see a very large building coming into view. She looked down at the baby in her arms, and her lips curved up into a smile.
They had travelled a long distance and had stayed really long riding, so they were all worn out. Unlike their previous routines of claims. They had really gone farther for the baby, and they had to return that day without resting.
They had only rested a bit when the log had obstructed their paths, which actually seemed weird, but Aaryah had just shrugged it off.
Well, they are back now.
She carefully adjusted herself, and she held on to the rein firmly as she rode on. She looked ahead, and she could see Hurburn dismounting his horse and walking hurriedly into his villa with a guard behind him.
As soon as she got to the entrance, she had a second look at the baby strapped on her chest and then dismounted the horse carefully.
"Bye, baby," She said as she gently brushed the horse's mane with her hands.
The stable boy who had come out earlier to help Hurburn with his horse also came for her horse.
She walked into the mansion, and as she walked down the hallway, the hallway seemed really busy as everyone was going about their own activities. There were lots of doors on each side of the hallway with fewer guards posted at some of the doors.
She continued walking down the hallway and then climbed up the first flight of stairs, walked down the hallway and then walked a little distance before she pushed a door open and walked in.
As she walked in, she wore a smile on her face.
Aaryah's room was like Quarter the size of Hurburn's room; it still had a large space. Right in the corner of the room was a medium-sized bed with a floral patterned sheet laid on it, and right beside it was a small desk and a chair. The walls were painted with a greyish colour shade. At the other end of her room was a small wooden closet, with a few clothes hung in it.
Aaryah gently loosened the piece of clothing with one hand while she held the baby with the other; then she carried the baby in her arms, rocking her gently as she laid her gently on the floral sheeted bed.
'What's next?' She thought as she kissed the baby on her forehead.
Since she had been on the journey, she had been wondering what Hurburn's intention towards the baby would be. She just couldn't seem to wrap her head around the reason why Hurburn would collect a baby as collateral.
She knew Hurburn would go the extra mile when it comes to claiming his money, but at least he should have claimed something else instead of a baby who had just stayed a few months with her parents.
" She is just a kid ", she said as she looked at the baby sleeping peacefully on her bed.
She just hoped that everything would be fine with the baby.