When I arrived back at the house Tori was sitting at the table with my father. They had their backs towards the entrance of the kitchen. They were looking at something however I couldn't quite make out what it was. I inched a little closer and notice the paper. I knew then that it had to be what Tori was working on in the forest when he happened to stumble upon the last place that I had to myself.
A smirk stretched across my face when I thought about how hideous it must have been. When I finished putting away the herbs that I collected. I walked over to the table where they were sitting and peered over my fathers shoulder.
I was wrong ..... his panting was amazing. The stroke lines were smooth. The different hues he used must have been expensive. There is no other way his painting could look so realistic. It felt like I was back in my secret place sitting in the middle of the lavender flowers watching a pure white bunny nibbling on a plant. The enjoyment that I recently felt over the thought of his picture looking terrible quickly fail from my face without even leaving any residue behind.
"look Nomi it's as if the rabbit will start hopping away after it done eating." I clenched the side of my paints slightly with my fist.
"Tori brought this gift for you." "A gift I said with a questioning tone. "You are my betrothed, you don't think I would show up to your home empty handed. I would have given it to you last night but it didn't feel like the appropriate time when I found you asleep in a tree. Do you happen to do that often? Cause arguments and then fall asleep in a tree unattended? There was that arrogant smirk of his again. I wish I could wipe it off.
I looked over at my father and could see the hurt and embarrassed from last night lingering still on his face. How dare Tori bring that up.
With my father still sitting there I decided to choose my words carefully. I quickly changed the subject. "Where did you happen to find this unusual painting?" I could tell that my use of the word unusual bothered him. His arrogant smirk had slithered away.
"I picked it up in Tagon from a merchant when we stopped there to let the horses have water." A merchant in Tagon . . . . . I wonder why he lied?
No one would pick up art from Tagon. Yes, their streets are known for being filed with stalls of merchants and shops trying to sell their stuff. I'd over hear the girls talking about the different adornments the would find. They had adornments for your hair, fingers, wrist, and your ears. They would also talk about the food you could buy. Their favorite must be the chicken on a stick that you could eat while walking. That's all they would talk about eating.
Out of all the talk I've heard about Tagon I've never once heard anyone mention art. If he was going to lie about that he could have at least pick Dekarta. They'er known for their pottery and art work. Dekarta Is the place to go for a painting. Dekarta is about a half of day ride there and back from Tagon. I forced out a thank you to him and retuned to the kitchen to start preparing for lunch. I assumed he and his mother would be coming over since he was still here.
He took ahold of the opportunity to mock me in front of my father without any hesitation. I will have no mercy and do the same. There is always a reason behind a lie.