"So baking is different... Can you still learn it or do you not like sweets?" Calder asked with a shaky voice. "I don't get many chances to make or eat sweets or baked goods. Besides you can make food taste sweet and experiment with lots of ingredients. I also found I was too clumsy when I'm baking." Lady Syria admitted. "Cute!" Calder thought as he covered his mouth with his free hand. He didn't want his thoughts slipping past his lips.
"Y-y-y-you don't have to change. My brother doesn't have much of a sweet tooth and barely eats to begin with. That's why we eat together or else he skips his meals. So if you can stir his appetite then I bet you can stir his heart. What man can resist a homemade meal from a beautiful lady?" Calder said assuredly as he felt his face blaze with heat. ".... Did you not just," Lady Syria started to ask but Calder quickly interrupted.
"Do you like the outdoors? When I found you sleeping in the egg swing you looked like you were enjoying yourself." Calder asked. "Yes. I love the outdoors. I like sleeping outside in the cool breeze, the sun shine and the smell of grass." Lady Syria said with a small sigh. "Or after it rains. The smell outside is so clean and pure." Calder added. "I never smelt it." Lady Syria said in a small voice. Calder rolled back and looked at Lady Syria's face.
She looked ashamed and embarrassed. "I guess that makes sense. A young lady of the Trent family would be inside polishing her skills. Unless you were mostly inside mastering your cooking skills, I know what's it's like when you get absorbed in something that can ignite your passion. For me it's reading a good book." Calder said awkwardly and in a slight panic.
Lady Syria batted her long eyelashes. "I didn't go outside much. So when I started too I found out that I enjoyed it." Lady Syria said with a business like smile. Calder saw that it was a touchy subject and he needed to change the flow of the conversation before she shut down completely. "Do you have a favourite flower?" Calder asked quickly. "W-wait... no. No, I don't really like flowers." Lady Syria replied.
"Do you have a favourite animal?" Calder asked. "No, not really." Lady Syria replied promptly. "Favorite season?" Calder asked with slight desperation. "Oh! I love fall!" Lady Syria shouted happily. "Me too!" Calder shouted back. "So many colourful leaves, more variety of fruits and vegetables. The weather is not too hot or too cold and there's more activities to do outside." Calder ranted happily.
"I know right! The Harvest festival happens around that time too! I always wanted to participate in the festival but I can't bake to save my life. I always admired all the baked goods everyone makes and I'm dying to try the food stalls too!" Lady Syria said happily in one single breath. "Why not enjoy yourself this Sunday? We'll take a bucket load of money and just eat until we are ready to burst and if your worried about the intake then we can dance with everyone in the square." Calder shouted enthusiastically with sparkling eyes.
"Do you think we can?!" Lady Syria yelled excitedly as she leaned towards Calder's face. "Of course! I never been to a coronation festival so I'm hoping there are some games that we can try." Calder said as he flashed a charming smile. Lady Syria blinked a few times. She didn't realize how close their faces were. They were practically a breath away. Her eyes looked downwards and she gulped. She found herself staring at Calder's lips.
Even though they looked cracked and pale they still looked soft and inviting. "Syria..." Calder whispered calling her attention to his eyes. Lady Syria let out a small shudder, his eyes reflected the same unknown feeling she had seen before. Calder raised his hand and brushed Lady Syria's cheek gently. "I, I shouldn't have done all of that to you. I should have asked your permission when it comes to your lessons in seduction." He whispered apologetically. Lady Syria pulled back and the atmosphere between them dissolved.
"Was that really your first kiss?" Lady Syria asked after she cleared her throat. "Yes." Calder replied. "Then why was it so good?" Lady Syria asked. Just as Calder opened his mouth there was a knock on the door. "Sorry I just wanted to let you know that dinner will be ready in another hour." Rutley announced into the room.
There was no reply and Rutley opened the door and sticking his head inside. "I said your meal will be done in... oh." He said then paused. He blinked a few times and looked at the two for a few seconds. Then he started to smirk. Calder grabbed a pillow from behind and threw it at his face.
Rutley caught the pillow, smiling like a fool. "Sorry to interrupt." Rutley said as he backed back into the hallway. "Don't mind me. I won't bother you again." He said as he closed the door. "Sorry about that." Calder groaned. "Rutley has been with me since we were small. We grew up together so he feels comfortable to, cough, sorry." Calder continued as he tried to settle himself back against the pillows.
"Everyone around you treats you so dearly." Lady Syria said with a weary smile. "Not everyone. Just the ones who take the time to get to know me. It's hard to get close to people when you have a face like mine, I scare practically everyone." Calder said with a smile but his eyes reflected the pain and sadness he felt. "There's nothing wrong with your face." Lady Syria said in a small voice. Calder felt his heart skip a beat but he didn't want to get carried away.
"Thank you for your kind words but I know how I look. I even make small children cry." Calder said in a sad tone. "You like children?" Lady Syria asked. "Love them. They are so small, soft, cute and honest. They never sugar coat anything and will give you their opinion whether you like it or not. They have the sweetest laughs, small hands and smell so sweet." Calder said with a sigh. "Not many let me hold them but when I do get a chance I cuddle them until they get sick of me." Calder continued with sad smile.
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