ARTHUR LEYWIN POV:
"Is it necessary that we have to travel this far just for a cup of tea?" I looked at Caera questioningly as I leapt off the carriage. Lending her my hand, she got off, holding mine.
She merely smirked, a distant...longing visible on her face as she looked at the massive structure in front of us. "Let's go, Grey." She said without looking at me, her eyes still fixed to the building. Without any reply, I walked forward with her, hand-in-hand.
'Isn't this too big, and...too early to celebrate?' I thought inwardly. Regis laughed. 'Maybe she just needed a reason to take you on a date.'
I rolled my eyes and kept walking.
As we entered through the large sized double-door, a middle-aged woman in a maid uniform quickly walked over to us and greeted in a polite tone.
"Welcome, Lady Caera Denoir", she said as she bowed, before turning to me and flashing a courteous smile. She guided us through the halls, while I noticed several heads turning to our direction on our way. "Why are they all...looking at us?" I whispered to Caera. She took a side glance at my face before it went lower. "I told you to wear something nice, yet you wouldn't listen to me." She chided.
I simply shrugged. "I'm not a big fan of dressing up. My uncle said that if I dress poshly, I tend to gain a lot of attention." My tone carrying a hint of pride and arrogance, but I obviously meant it as a joke.
Caera's eyebrow rose up questioningly as she eyed me. "Your "uncle" huh? Do you perhaps mean that old man with white beard and pot belly that carries around a bottle of wine in his coat pocket and calls himself your uncle?" I was a little flustered at her direct words, more so by the tone she had used. All of a sudden, I felt a little embarrassed, more so than the unwanted attention I was gaining from Nobles for the lack of proper clothing. "Y-Yeah, that's the one. Uncle Al."
She gave a thoughtful nod. "Well, he's not wrong." She flashed a smirk while eyeing me up and down, from the side, making me blush.
Coughing, I changed the topic. "This place is good. Lots of private rooms. I bet you are a usual here, from the way the maid seems to know you..." I said as I looked around the lavishly decorated interior. There were several paintings and series of glass sculptures placed around the large hall, depicting scenes of what I assumed to be from some sort of a romance novel. An extensive indoor garden was laid out at the centre of the large hall, while a series of skylights formed a central atrium to let the natural light inside. Caera's voice drifted me back to my own self, as I turned around to meet her gaze, while we walked forward.
"You're right. I usually come to this place with my mentor, after our training session. We have our own private room that we can use, which are dedicated to the Scythes." She spoke in melancholic tone. I glanced over her soft features, before speaking out. "This looks like the place she would come to." Caera's ruby eyes widened as she abruptly stopped on her tracks, while I did the same, though forcibly, as our arms were interlocked. Turning to look at her face, I saw glimpses of emotions springing up to her soft surface. Shock, being the prominent one, followed by fear and nervousness. I could bet that I saw her face relax even, as if a heavy weight has been lifted off of her chest.
And, she spoke with a low tone that could have very well passed as a whisper. "So, you know who my mentor is...", it was more of a confirmation than a question.
I didn't answer her right away, though, as I already figured that she had known. Then, I felt her arm grip tighten as she coiled herself close to me, pulling me as if to squeeze the information out of me. As I was about to speak, the maid stopped walking, as she unlocked an expensive looking door, gesturing for us to enter. "Please."
We entered out private room, as the maid left us with a silent bow. I looked around the luxurious room, which had no windows but was covered by runes on every wall and the ceiling, that kept the space fresh, and breezy even...as if we were outdoors. The room was spacious enough for two, as a set of large wooden furniture sat at the heart which were placed at the ground that was sunken to few feet down from the floor level. Lots of plants decorated the sides, giving a very natural vibe to such a closed room.
Without wasting a beat, I sat down on one of the comfortable couches. I resisted the urge to simply lift my legs and place it over the table that was set at the centre of the furniture set. My gaze shifted to see Caera, who I realised was still standing next to the entrance, her eyes shooting daggers at me. I was momentarily confused about whether it was because of my manners...or the fact that I didn't answer her question.
"Are you going to stand there and drink your tea?", I asked with a smile. She kept glaring at me for a few more seconds before she heaved a long sigh as her shoulders slumped. Taking her steps down the sunken floor, she reached the furniture, as she looked around where to settle.
It didn't take her long, as she walked right towards where I was—and sat next to me. Her eyes locked onto mine, as she repeated her question once again. "So, you know who my mentor is?"
Sighing, I casually nodded, while taking in her every reaction. With a teasing smile, I spoke "Are you...surprised?"
Her answer came immediately.
"No. I'm not."—she paused with a thoughtful gaze, while her eyes still fixed on mine—"It—was obvious that you both knew each other..."—her gaze suddenly left mine as her voice become more of a mumble—"I just have to find out how—and when? I hate her at times like this when she doesn't tell me the full truth"
It was my turn to be surprised. I had half-thought that Seris would've told her something; a hint even, about my identity, but it seemed otherwise now. 'Why didn't she? Is she really trying to protect me?' I thought inwardly. While to Caera, I said. "Oh, you shouldn't hate her that much 'cause she saved my life. And...she didn't tell you about me?" I asked to confirm.
"No. She had told me that I should ask you myself." She answered without hesitation; while she shifted her eyes back to mine as she slowly closed in on our distance.
I held my breath, as she neared.
Her face stopped barely a few inches away from mine, as her ruby eyes shone like two red moons, when she gave me a look...which I thought to be of an equivalent of the "puppy eyes"...that clearly said "pleaseeee, tell me everythingg!
I instinctively shoved her face away with my hand and averted my gaze in slight panic. For some reasons I felt nervous having her so close to me, especially, her face to mine. "That—was very rude of you; touching a lady like that!", she complained in response, yet her tone nothing more than a teasing. She let out an audible huff, that was very well 'unladylike', but I didn't tell her that...
With a bitter smile, I spoke "You must know that even men, can have their own secrets." I said while pointing my finger to myself.
She looked at me, dumbfounded. "You're right. A guy can keep a secret or two. But you! You-You're a walking bundle of mystery covered in so much secrecy that I can't even see your true form." she stated as a matter-of-factly.
I stifled a laugh at her comment. "Is that how I seem to you?"
"Mhmm", she nodded heavily to emphasise her previous statement, before going silent. Then, her voice rung, this time with a sudden seriousness that didn't carry a single ounce of playfulness. "If you think I'm going to let you be, you're gravely mistaken, Grey." My eyes widened at her statement. But her face grimaced and her eyes lost focus, as if she wasn't paying attention to me anymore.
She went silent for a few seconds in thoughtfulness, before she spoke in a dreadful tone, as if she was in pain.
"I know my blood wants to take me back but that won't stop—"
She froze, as her distant eyes widened in shock.
My eyes opened wide to match hers, before I voiced my question. "Wait. What do you mean??"
She was panic stricken.
Her face started sweating profusely, but I didn't take my eyes off of her. I felt like I was somewhere close to the truth; the truth about why she has been acting strangely. 'The Denoir's want her back? Which means they lost their interest in me. Then why didn't she tell me the good news?' I pondered inwardly, while I asked the more obvious question on the outside. "What exactly did your adoptive parents tell you?" my tone was soft, not to make her panic...more than she already was.
It took a few minutes for Caera to fully calm down. To my surprise, she answered my question with another question. "I'll tell you...Grey. But you should tell me something in return."
My body stiffened. 'Wait, where is she going with this?', I questioned with a mental sigh.
'Just hear her out, first', Regis spoke out of the blue. Nodding inwardly, I waited for Caera to make a move.
We were sitting close, our legs touching the other, as we sat slightly tilted to look at each other.
Even the position in itself wasn't...sitting well with me, I was nervous, but I persevered. "Why do you need me to do that?"
She looked up at me, her face full of emotions. "It's—because, what I'm about to say. I think it will change everything." She finished abruptly.
Letting out a sigh, I picked it up. "And what would be changing, exactly?" My eyes never left hers, making her feel more conscious, but she spoke again. "Everything, Grey. Everything that we are doing. The academy, our ascents,....us..." Her voice became a murmur as she ended it; and her face lowered. Just as I was about to question her words, she spoke again. "Don't get me wrong, okay? It's just that I never really had any friends—or a real family. I grew up with no one to trust. The closest that anyone had ever gotten to me was my brother Sevren, till he disappeared in the Relictombs."—she paused her soft speech as she lifted her eyes to meet mine while her hands gripped the fabric of her clothing tightly—"but...it all changed when I met you, Grey. Don't ask me how and why, because...even I'm not capable of understanding what it all means to me. I-If you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly good at—relationships, or people, even. No matter how many lessons I had taken, it isn't something that can be taught. It needs experience—Wait what am I even saying now?" she paused and slightly shook her head in a confused frown.
To clear her thought, I guessed.
A soft chuckle escaped my mouth despite the heavy underlying tone of her words, making her eyes stare fixedly at me. Lifting my hands to the front in defence, I spoke quickly. "Wa-Wait, it's not what you think it is. I'm not laughing at what you said. I—just thought you—looked cute, when you spoke like that at the end."
It was very out of line, but I knew it would do more good than bad, at this stage.
Her eyes widened at my words as her pupils trembled ever so slightly. She studied my face carefully to see the truth behind the words I just uttered.
Feeling bad for the way I had reacted to her words, I tried to console her and to let her know that I understood the true meaning behind those words.
After all, it was the truth...
I have been there, lived the same.
A sudden sense of melancholy filled my innards, while my mind played the life's work of King Grey and Arthur. Shaking my head immediately to scatter those weighing thoughts away, I took a deep breath to calm myself, before looking back at Caera.
Looking at her intently, I spoke in a soft tone. "I get it Caera. You may not believe me when I say it, but I actually understand where you're coming from. I was once an or—" I stopped midsentence as I realised...just what I was about to tell her.
I froze, before my body slightly shivered.
'Why the hell did I almost blurt out my most kept secret to...Caera?' I questioned in disbelief. I knew I wanted her to understand, but this was too much. Caera's face looked confused, "When you were a, what? Or...? I don't understand" she shook her head.
I calmed my raging heart down and let out a sigh, as I knew it wasn't going to be easy. "Can we at least order something?" I asked, to change the current mood for the better. She shook her head. "No need. It's already done. Our food will arrive soon." I looked at her in a daze. "Food? I thought we came for a cup of tea." She smiled smugly as she spoke, "You think I would take you to such a big place and only get you a cup of tea? Although the tea here is quite famous, due to the many varieties they offer, the place has lots of rare and expensive foods. Just wait till the order arrives." I simply nodded in return.
'At least you don't have to worry about choosing what food to eat when you go on a date with her.' Regis mocked me, trying to cheer me up. I simply shook my head in dismissal, already having lost all of my strength to give a comeback.
Caera was still gazing at me, I noticed. Her face, still nervous as a few pearls of sweat rolled down her soft cheeks. She then noticed my gaze on her, immediately darting away hers. A soft blush bloomed on her face, and I let out a small cough following that.
I was still nervous, yet I pushed it back.
"Are you okay?", I asked her with a slight worry. Even now I wasn't able to fully understand her actions, behind those words. But I didn't want to pry more till I was sure that she was okay.
She nodded her head softly. "Mhmm, I'm—okay."
Nodding back wordlessly, I continued from where she left off. "You trust me, right?" I asked in a positive tone. She looked at me with an unreadable face, before nodding. 'At least she didn't hesitate', I thought inwardly—feeling quite happy to have earned someone's,—her—trust to this extent.
"Great. Tell me if I'm wrong on my assumptions." I started. "Your adoptive parents doesn't want you to spy on me anymore. Which means, they're asking you to go back to the Estate. Since I don't need the Denoir's protection, you actually don't have to put yourself on the line for me." Caera suddenly opened her mouth to speak out, but I gestured her to stop, before I continued. "But...you can't do that, since...I'm your only friend and that you don't want to leave the academy and keep going on ascents. Am I right?"
Her eyes suddenly twinkled like stars as she flashed a bright smiled in approval. "You're completely right. I—was afraid...that you would just ask me to leave..." she studied my reaction to her words, while I nodded shallowly, showing her that I'm listening to her words. "...do you have any plan for this? I wanted to ask you about your past so that—I can use it to gain more time—to stay and help you—by any means possible. I-It's obvious that there's a lot you're hiding from me, which, I'm fine with, for now. But...your lack of trust is simply too hurtful, Grey" she said with a painful expression, that looked as fake as my backstory as Alacryan Grey.
"Sure. So you want me to tell you about my past so you can blackmail me about it and keep me from leaving?" I said deadpan, while on the inside I wanted to laugh at her little act. It was obvious that she wanted to know about my relationship with Seris, to potentially use it to gain her parent's approval. Shaking away those thoughts, I focused back on her.
She looked cutely in response, unperturbed by my harsh words, probably seeing through my true intent, and spoke with a dismissing tone. "No, not at all. If I can get my adoptive parents off my back, I can stay here at the academy and help you with your ascents. You seem to be searching for something, no?"
I laughed out loud at her tenacity. Shaking my head, I replied. "It's okay, Caera, really. I have Regis with me, so I can manage." My companion grumbled inside me, which I ignored.
Caera's face froze as she fell into thoughts. But she quickly recovered, before narrowing her scarlet eyes at me. "Do you really want your friend, your companion, your partner-in-crime to be imprisoned inside her own house? Have some heart, will you? I even saved you from those Grandbehl leeches and their tortures. I'd expect you to do the same for me, but you aren't a gentleman I thought you were." She spat out with fake anger as she crossed her arms in front of her, before giving a little nudge on my thighs with hers.
I shook my head as a throaty chuckle escaped my mouth. "You didn't save me, Caera. Seris did." I said as a matter of fact. 'Besides, I've never needed any help', I thought inwardly.
Her face snapped back to me as she glared at me with much fervour. It was the first time I had used her mentor's name, and that too, casually.
"Scythe. Seris." She said with a slight emphasis on her title.
"Nah, it's just Seris for me." I retorted immediately with a straight face.
Her face gained colour as she gritted her teeth. "I—didn't know you two were that...close", she said with a surprisingly soft tone.
"We aren't actually. It's just that, she had saved my life twice...counting the incident you just mentioned. So, we should be able to call each other at least that, shouldn't we?"
She remained silent and thoughtful for a while, before her shoulders slumped. "So where did you meet her?" she slid the question so casually, I almost answered that 'I met her in the battlefield just as I was about to die at the hands of an Alacryan retainer'.
I snorted and shook my head. "I'm not that easy." I said mockingly. She huffed but stayed silent.
Just as I was about to speak, a soft knock resounded from the door, followed by the voice of a woman. It was the food that was somehow ordered in advance, without my knowledge whatsoever.
I couldn't complain as a series of trays entered the room; its pleasant smell enveloped the entirety, as my stomach grumbled to its calling. Caera looked at my bright face as she chuckled. "Please eat, Grey. This is all for you." She said with a warm smile and nudged my arm.
My heart fluttered for a second, before going back to normal as I focused on the food that was now placed in front of me.
Just as I was about to dive in, I froze, as a sudden mental voice stopped me. 'You have such a beautiful woman sitting right next to you inside a completely empty, private room...and you get the urge to EAT—some damn FOOD?'
[To be continued.]