The awkward silence stretched between them, warm and thick in the morning air.
Maria, acutely aware that she had been the one to cause it, felt her cheeks burn. She needed to redirect—to find something, anything, to shift the conversation away from her embarrassing confession.
Her eyes landed on the throne Cassius had brought.
"What is that?" She asked, perhaps a little too quickly, pointing at the fancy chair. "I mean—I know what it is, obviously. But why did you bring a throne or a chair for our date?"
Cassius blinked, then seemed to shake himself back to his usual confident self. He walked over to the throne, running his hand along the carved armrest with obvious pride.
"Well, my dear Maria..." He announced. "..."this is actually your transportation for today."
"No horses, no carriages, none of that. Just this throne."
He gestured at it as if it were the newest edition of a luxury vehicle, while Maria stared at him in utter disbelief.
