"It's quite a beautiful day isn't it my lady?"
"Yes. It is quite, but it is a shame that you have to be in it." I said as I aligned my mallet to the ball making sure that it would directly into the hoop, and I smirked as it did, and Alexander and the others gave me a round of applause.
"It's been a while since I've play this game. I wonder if I'll be half as good as you my lady."
"I doubt that you will be my lord, but don't be too hard on your self when you don't." I said smiling until he hit the ball and it went through two hoops and my smile fell.
The spectators erupted into cheers as he smirked and I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
Okay.
No more going easy on him.
We hit balls into hoops after hoops being at each other's necks for this was a stiff competition.
Everyone could feel the tension from where they were sitting and were at the edge of their seat.
"What say you my lady? Let's make a deal shall we?" asked Alexander as I was about to hit my final ball breaking me out of the zone, and if looks could kill he would have died a hundred times already, but I was quite curious to hear the nonsense that he was about to spew.
"I'm listening."
"What do you say to that whomever wins they are granted one wish that the loser has to fulfil?" he asked, and I weighed my options deciding that this wasn't so bad.
"So when I win I can wish for you to leave me alone and fall off the face of the Earth right?"
"If you when yes. A gentleman's word is his law my lady." he said, and I nodded.
"Okay. I agree, but just remember, no take backs."
"But of course my lady. I can assure you that I am a man of my word. I do not do 'take backs'.
"Good. Now be quiet. You are ruining my focus." I said as I lined up my mallet with the ball concentrating a hard as I could for I wanted to score two hoops and I did, "yes! Ha ha! In your face Lord Alexander! Now make like a magician and disappear!"
"Now now my lady. I haven't had my turn as yet now have I?" he asked smirking cockily, "my lady would please step aside. I have a game to win."
"Good luck beating me my lord."
"Thank you, but I don't need luck." he said, as he swung the mallet hitting the ball hard and it went into not one, nor two, but three hoops, and I felt my knees go weak and I fell to the floor.
"No. No!"
"Yes my lady. Now about my wish." he said giving me a hand to take, but I just furiously hit it away getting to my feet by my self.
"You! You dratted man! You tricked me!"
"Dratted? Adelia I cannot believe that such a fowl mouth is coming from such pretty lips. We might have to do something about that." he said in all seriousness as he stepped closer to me.
"You are a dratted man, for you knew my weakness is winning, and you used that against me for your personal gain. The deal is off, for I am not a genie that grants wishes nor am I a man of my word."
"You are not a man Adelia." he called after me as I walked away, and I stopped to turn around and yelled.
"Exactly!"
"I will see you tomorrow my lady for you will be fulfilling my wish."
"I will not be doing such thing." I said refusing, but with a mother like mine did I really have a choice.
The next day I was bathed, and clothed and fed, then was sat down in the sitting room waiting for Alexander.
"My lady you look radiant as usual." he said placing a kiss on my hand and I scoffed as I wiped it off.
"What do you want Alexander? Name your price."
"I know not of which this 'price' that you do so speak of, for my wish from you holds no monetary value, but of that of sentiment." he said charmingly, and I rolled my eyes.
"Oh God were you always like this, or did they brain wash you in the Americas?"
"I have always been like this my lady. Don't you remember our days spent under the fig tree?" he asked, and I shook my head pretending not to.
"No I am afraid I do not my lord. Perhaps it was another maiden?"
"Oh do not play that game with me Adelia. It was you, and it has always been you my sweet flower." he said trying too hold me, but I just stepped away and hugged myself.
"You do not get to call me that Alexander. We have grown. Times have change. Feelings have faded."
"Well my love for you is still here Adelia, and it is not going anywhere. Tell me please. What is it that I have done to make you hate me so? Please tell me so that I will spend the rest of my life and my next lives trying to make it up to you my lady." he begged, and I turned away not wanting to get into those emotions that I had spent years suppressing, and trying to forget.
"What is it that you wish my lord?"
He sighed as he came to realize that I was not going to give him a reason anytime soon, "very well then. My wish from you is that we spend the afternoon together under the fig tree like we usually did. May it be granted."
"Yes. It shall, but do know that after this I owe you not a thing."
"But of course my lady. I will just have to try harder to make you love me again." he said allowing me to walk first and we were off for a pickney under the fig tree just like what we did when we were children.