They first walked around, checking different shops, when Elisabeth caught sight of something, her favourite dessert. They walked through the crowd of people and she said excitedly: "Come on! Hurry up Devy! You'll get to eat the most delicious dessert you've ever tasted. Ever!"
After waiting in the long row, they finally got to buy two Malby, a dessert made of rice and thick milk and some ingredients. And god, how unappetizing it tasted in David's tongue, it was rice and milk, and he hated the both.
From the first day he started to live in the tower, the only dish he would get for lunch and dinner alike is rice soup, which is made of rice, water, some salt, and dirt. For breakfast, he would get cold milk and dry bread. So eating this incredibly delicious dessert_ as Elise never stopped to call it_ feels like he never got out of that tower, but of course he ate it without any complaints.
After they finished eating, they walked around the shops, and a specific bracelet in one of the shops got Elisabeth's attention.
"Are you siblings? But you don't look similar. A couple perhaps? That pair of bracelets is called 'Love Bracelet' it is said whe_" before the shopkeeper finished his sentence, Elisabeth said in a high tone: "We are not couples! I am still eight!"
"Oh, friends then. I have a Friendship Bracelet pair too." he said unfazed with the little girl's attitude, and went on with his story. "It is said, if you wear the 'Friendship Bracelet' and see the fireworks together in the spring festival, your friendship will last forever." He winked at them.
The 'Friendship Bracelet' pair, which was none other than the one he called 'Love Bracelet' just a minute ago, was 1 Kurus each, which is pretty expensive for a mere pair of bracelets made of black cotton and copper strings with no complicated design nor beautiful jewels adorned. It would roughly cost thirty Paras both utmost (forty Paras=one Kurus).
The shopkeeper's eyes twinkled when he saw the little girl take out two Kurus from her pocket. He snatched the two silver coins, kissed them, and then tossed them in his pocket. David didn't quite understand why she liked that bracelet, it was so ordinary in his eyes.
They moved from the line of shops into the dance square where dozens of people were dancing and singing. "Come on, Devy! Let's dance!" she urged the boy into the dance circle and started to sway and move in a commoners folklore dance. The poor boy didn't know what to do or how to move so he watched the men dancing carefully and did the same as them. And for the first time in years, he smiled.
Elisabeth, seeing the smiling face of David she has never seen before, laughed happily. And the two kids had the funniest time they have ever had in a long, long time.
When it was time for the last show to begin, they went to a high hill to have a better look at the sky. Elisabeth was still taking her breath when she heard lewd voices from behind one of the trees.
Her eyes widened when she saw a woman and man sharing a deep, passionate kiss. The man's hands roamed on the woman's body earning moans from his partner. Elisabeth snapped her gaze away to look at David, who was also looking at the couple.
"D-Don't look!" she covered his eyes with both her hands and pushed him away from there. When she thought they were safe, she removed her hands and sighed. 'How embarrassing!' she thought.
"What that?" she heard him ask, making her cheeks flush. She gathered her thoughts and decided it was still early for him to know about these things, and so she replied in a serious tone: "You are still too young for this kind of stuff." As if she wasn't four years younger than him.
Meeting his intense demanding gaze, she gulped. Sometimes, he would be very domineering, as if he wasn't the boy who didn't even know how to form a proper question just a moment ago.
"Fine, fine, it's called a kiss. Something couples do to express their love to each other." She said in a defeated voice.
"Couples?" he tilted his head. He heard the word before from the shopkeeper but he didn't understand its meaning. And judging by Elise's beet red face back then, he deduced it was an improper word to say.
"Two people who share love and affection for each other and decide to stay by each other's side as partners." She answered only to get another question. "Partners?"
Elisabeth, being the quick-tempered little girl she was, ran out of patience.
"If you accepted mister Jura's treatment and rehabilitation sessions, you would have been able to talk and understand better than you do now. I mean, you only started to walk properly a few months ago!" she scolded, gaining an apologetic look from him.
"Scared." The blond boy said in a low, trembling voice. He recalls the said mister Jura's rehabilitation sessions. He attended once that was the first and the last one, and he had nightmares for a long time after that.
"I know it's scary, but_aagh never mind."
She took out the pair of 'Friendship Bracelet' and gave him one. "Here, put this on your wrist."
"Me!" he said surprised, he thought she bought it for herself since he didn't understand most of what the shopkeeper said.
"Take it, it's a gift. And don't lose it like the boots." She said, taking his hand and putting the accessory in his palm.
Seeing the Bracelet in his palm, the madam's voice suddenly jumped in his head.
[Who would gift a freak like you? Even your father doesn't want you!]
Actually, the madam wasn't lying or bluffing when she said the last sentence. To his father, the duke, David's existence was annoying, more like an eyesore, and he was accustomed to be treated like a wild animal. But spending time with Elise made him somehow forget what he truly is, until the madam's words a couple of days ago snapped him back to reality.
He was a freak, a wild beast, and Elise knows about it. So why would she still keep visiting him, while even his father didn't? It was so confusing to the little boy.
When he still didn't put it on, Elisabeth stretched her hands and tied the bracelet on his wrist, thinking he might not know how to do that. Once finished, she lifted her hand to show him hers, and they matched.
The bracelets were very simple, designed as a braid. One of them, had a braid made of strings of copper and thin black threads, giving it a shiny look. While the other one, had a braid of black cotton strings and thin threads of copper, making it look manly.
David looked intensely at the accessory, and finally voiced the question itching in his mind. "Gift, why?" he asked. When Elisabeth tilted her head, he added to clarify: "I...I... beast...so why?" Hearing this, the little girl's innocent face hardened.
It wasn't the first time he feels that way about himself: savage, wild, and undeserving. He always distances himself because he believes he might hurt people any moment he loses control over himself. So how could Elise be so nice to someone as dangerous as him!
"You're really stupid David. Who are you calling a beast? You are my best friend! so don't you dare call my best friend a beast!" she said, furious at his words.
"And I gifted you because...well, you are so dear to me, and I wanted to give you something that reminds you of the time we spent together." She said with a hint of red on her cheeks. At her words, David became emotional and started to cry and she joined him soon, breaking in a fit of sobs and cries while hugging each other, not paying any attention to the fireworks she so eagerly wanted to show him.
"We've arrived, Milord." the coachman's voice snapped David back to reality. They were at the gates of the Krams' residence in the capital.
He jumped off the carriage and walked toward the doors. He entered the mansion to be greeted by a row of maids and servants.
"Good evening, Milord. Welcome back. " Greeted the butler then hurriedly went on to remove his master's coat. He was quite nervous since it was his first time serving the Master without Jackson in the vicinity.
"Good evening, Charles. Has Jack returned yet?" asked David in a surprisingly normal voice, a total opposite to his usual cold one.
"Not yet, Milord." Answered the butler with a bowed head.
"I want him up in my study room as soon as he arrives." The lord ordered while climbing the stairs up to his office.
"Yes, Milord."
"Ah, and prepare me a bath at nine. Pick up a presentable suit along with a matching coat. Tell the coachman to get ready, we'll be going at half past nine back to the royal palace."