Esme's POV
Did I actually feel intimidated by this guy? Or did my throat get dry after travelling so far up and down his frame with my eyes?
"Uh… are you here for bread?" I might give it to him for free. "I can heat it up if you wan—"
"You."
"Huh?"
His voice had a taunting edge and was softer than I imagined, like a young man in his twenties; and not a seasoned warlord that returned to his hometown as I made up in my head.
"Sorry, I didn't get that—"
"I am here for you, my lady. If you offer bread, I'd gladly take it."
My heart was melting and I hadn't even seen his face yet. He would gladly take the bread I would give him? No sense of danger, I see.
Wait. From his neck upwards, I hadn't made sense of it. Something was off yet I felt no fear towards him. My head lowered as I switched off my fawning. Could it be a threat? Wrong bakery shop.
"You are not here to buy bread then?" It was more of a statement, "then what do you want?"
He was possibly a rich noble, and likely the one staring at my image. I might've pulled a charming noble with one painting, but it's an odd one so I'd pass. I might just do better.
Also, were those silver-plated nails on his hands instead of fingernails or claws? Was he human? Werewolf? Half-Beast Elf?
"Could I take you for a walk?"
"I am on duty," I deadpanned, walking out of the counter to send him off. "Why do you expect—"
TING…
I was by a school of fishes, around a lake. I blinked, feeling the surface of a tree against my back.
"What—! How did I get here…"
"Lady Esmeralda."
My head snapped to my back. He was here. I took in his full form, still unable to understand what his face looked like. He spoke with a mouth I couldn't see, and watched me closely with eyes I didn't know if he had. It was just a blank space when I tried thinking of his face.
"Why am I here? This is kidnapping. Did I tell you I wanted to come with you?"
These weren't the questions to ask, but I felt like I knew what those answers were.
"You walked to me after I asked."
"Yes, but you should wait for a direct answer, like a 'yes, sweep me off my feet, o stranger!' or 'no, I'm busy as you should be able to see if you had eyes but so far I see, you don't even have a face.' before taking me away!"
Why did I scold him? Why wasn't I rightfully terrified of this young man that could use magic, without chanting spells and seemed nothing like werewolves, humans or elves? He just felt different.
"My apologies, my lady. After our mating, I'd repay my haughtiness with my life if you will."
I nodded. Good response. I'd just accept that. What were my options anyway? I walked towards him till my ankle twisted as I forced myself to a halt.
"After the mating?!"
Had he lost his mind? I grabbed the pin holding my hair together and pointed at him. A shiver ran down my spine when I saw I grabbed the wooden spoon that was somehow on my hair.
"Oh Goddess…" I stepped away from him. What calamity befell me at the dawn of my nineteenth year?
"My lady, It's—"
"Enough!" I said sharply. "You are one of those broken fools who survives on how pleased their Mistress is with them, aren't you? So why frustrate me?" The spoon in my hand broke in two.
He was quiet, and he had better be. "Take me back this instant. Or I'd order you to stab yourself with those nails. You wouldn't refuse…" my words didn't leave my mouth completely before I returned to the store.
"I thought it was a wonderful joke."
I glanced to my side, expecting to see him but there was no one there but a silver hair pin, very different from the one I had. More intricately designed, if I'd be honest.
"He quoted what I said on my birthday. Did he watch Uncle and I then? Creepy." Multiple shivers ran down my spine till I felt warmer. I sighed, gulping down a cup of water. I snatched the pin from the counter, but the weight of it made me stare.
Could it be… real silver? I raised it above my head. "I'm rich!"
"We are rich!"
I froze, hearing him chuckle. Levine finally dropped by. I quickly looked around to be sure that creep was gone, before hiding the pin in a cupboard.
"Ah, angel. I heard about the painting but it was totally surprising to see it for real. You looked like an iris after conquering a war."
I grimaced, turning to him. His new height and style already pissed me off, but why did he still see me as battle ready while everyone saw me looking delicate?
"Is that your compliment?"
"Well, with your fists clenched like that, I am guessing I should rephrase it."
I kept my fists behind my back and forced a smile. "It's alright if that's what you think. I didn't expect much from you anyway." I straightened my face and returned behind the counter.
He sat at its top. "The painting came earlier than your birthday, though. Why is that?"
I already planned not to tell him about those brothers till everything's settled so I shrugged. "My Uncle is getting busier. Perhaps, I wouldn't be having a nice party for my transition to adulthood."
"No, you deserve one. I would plan one for you then."
I took out the cookies I had heated up, expecting him to drop by today. "Oh my, so heroic." I pushed them to him and propped my head with my elbow. "Today's slow."
"Well, it's a work day. The butcher's daughter even came by today so that's something. I assume she bought a lot."
I nodded, looking back at the order she came with. My head slowly raised up. How did he know she stopped by? I pulled the plate away from him.
The butcher's daughter always referred to him as 'gentleman' but she didn't fawn over him as she's betrothed. Was he the one she saw staring at my painting or had it been that brother?
"Did you see someone watching my painting outside? It has been bothering me."
There was a short silence before he shook his head. "No one was outside except me. Did you see someone?" his brows raised. "A man? What did he look like?"
He sounded annoyed and he should be, because I also felt infuriated when I realized the brother I met today was not stable in the head.
"Looked rich, slightly muscular, wearing foreign clothes, tall I guess." The last part was the most important description. "They dropped a hair pin, a silver one."
"Did you get a secret admirer all of a sudden?" he forced a chuckle.
Or maybe I had one all the while but he's a creepy brother from hell? I left the plate and shrugged. "I'd just regift the pin to the unfortunate lady you'd betrothed."
"Just keep it with you then."
I huffed. Did he think the gift was a bad one? It was real silver. I yawned, boredom aching me. "Your loss then."
He only smiled.
"My Uncle has been in pain recently." He said suddenly.
I raised my head. Was that new?
"Would you believe he wanted to enroll me in the royal warrior's training without asking me?"
"Why are you surprised?" I shrugged. "He'd trained you for a while. He obviously wants more for you." I kept my head on the counter, searching the drawers for any leftover snacks my Uncle forgot.
"Why do you say that? It would mean I'd leave this town, and maybe till forever."
"You will be duly missed." I said dryly. My hand reached a wrapped pastry and I pulled it out immediately. "I found—"
When I looked at him, he wore a frown. It wasn't always I got to see him pissed, and even rarely at me. I kept the wrapped pastry away. "I meant…"
"I heard you loud and clear, Esme. I will be duly missed." He looked away, ignoring the plate of snacks.
That might've been insensitive, because just like me, he wouldn't want to easily leave the town he grew up in. "I'm sorry for that, Levine. Don't mind."
"Are you trying to cope or what?"
Cope? Now, that was a stretch but I'd let him have it. "Perhaps, my cat ran away last week and my uncle is too busy for me. I might be trying to cope."
Saying it out, it seemed I had reasons to want to cope. My nineteenth birthday came, and nothing remained the same as I had feared.
The knot in my stomach loosened to reveal a path I didn't know if I could ever be ready for.