As soon as Lira and I got to the corridor, we heard the bustle of activity from below. Mixed voices clashed in a cacophony of laughter and cheerful shouts. Goddess, how loud does one have to be while eating their breakfast?
The wooden staircase creaked as we descended to the ground floor, an abundance of sunshine pouring in like curtains that split as we passed through, maneuvering our way into some kind of foyer.
The building was not that big, mostly made up of stone as it was, it didn't look dull either. Just opposite of the door, a tapestry hung—a black outline of a raven soaring upwards toward a crescent moon against a background of deep violet. The place appeared well taken care of, not a speck of dust on any surface whatsoever. The grey brick walls were slick and shiny, a few ornaments hanging here and there. It really wasn't what I expected from a group of mercenaries. Perhaps they had hired someone to clean or whatever.
But then again, I didn't know much of the world. My knowledge came from the books in the royal libraries, or things my companions during class and trainings told me. I would not lie if I said I was dying to see much of what awaited me outside the palace, if only I hadn't accidentally bumped into an orc. How embarrassing.
The dining hall was not hard to find, what with all the noise going around. The scene that met us when we got there was filled with warmth and liveliness. I could count eleven people, sharing one long table and eating together as though they were the closest friends in the entire kingdom.
They were so absorbed in their conversation that I didn't think it was right to intrude in that situation. Thankfully, Ashton took notice of us not longer than five seconds that we were standing there.
"Oh it's you! Finally!" He rose from his chair and basically jogged toward us. "My apologies, I'm an idiot sometimes. Uh, can I ask for your names?"
"I am Rose—" I cleared my throat. "Rosie."
"Lirajane." Lira's face was blank.
And, just as my eyes slid to the group at the table once more, I saw him look my way at the same time. At last, I got to see his face clearly. There was a swell of relief in my chest when I saw that he seemed nothing like a prince at all. Not what I would expect from Kairo, at least.
He had this rugged way about him, a boyishness despite that heavily built body. Broad shoulders, corded biceps, a very, very defined jaw… and a smirk that was aware that I was noticing all this. One front side of his short black hair was swept back as if he was annoyed by it but wasn't sure if he should get rid of it, while the other side fell down to his brows, making it appear like it wasn't like that on purpose.
"You're drooling," Lira muttered underneath her breath.
I blinked, shifting to her. "I am not."
I turned to Ashton, throwing my head to the handsome man's direction. "Is that him, your captain?"
"Yup," he said, "don't worry, he's not really that scary. So come on, join us for breakfast."
"As much as we want to, we cannot," I replied.
At that, I saw everyone's heads twist to our direction. The talking died down, and the clatters of spoons and forks against plates gradually died down. It seemed like they had been expecting us to eat breakfast together with them, as well. For a group of mercenaries, they were such welcoming hosts.
"Why is that?" He finally spoke. The captain, I meant. His voice was rich, deep, cool and… lovely. It was like a peaceful rainy night, with the occasional boom of thunder that was the type to be comforting rather than frightening.
I stepped forward, my stomach feeling weird. I never had a problem with crowds, not ever. I was an expert in wooing our subjects, and my parents would run to me to appease the people whenever a crisis would arise. With a few word from me, the people's panic would cease and calm would befall them in no time. This was certainly a strange moment.
"While we are most thankful for your kindness for allowing us to stay here, and before that, for saving our lives, my friend and I regret telling you that we must go." I brought my hands in front of my skirt, lowering my chin. "It is because we must leave in haste, knowing there are people who are pursuing us."
The people at the table locked eyes with one another, as though they were communicating telepathically. Their expressions told me that they were somehow worried about something. Was it true then, that they had told the royal guards about us? But seeing the same neutral look on the captain's face made me think otherwise.
"Rosie, right?" he asked, drinking from his mug.
"That is right."
"These people pursuing you, are they bad people?"
My brows met. "Excuse me?"
He put down his mug. "Can you come to me, Rosie? I think it's odd that we're talking this far from each other. That's probably why you can't hear me."
A rumble of chuckles erupted from the table and I felt my cheeks grow hot.
"Of course," I said, trying to look unfazed.
As I got closer, I saw that there were a few women among these big-bodied people. They were a variety of shapes and sizes, really. And they wore clothing that were suitable for warriors. Not the expensive metallic armors and chainmail our knights would wear, no. It was of thick leathers and bandoliers and belts and straps and animal hides and many more. To me, they chose to dress like that so they could move lighter and faster when facing down monsters.
The captain was prettier when I arrived near him. He had brows that weren't overly arched, not too thick and not too bushy. And those cheekbones, they could cut with that sharpness—
"Like what you see?"
The blatant question came from a woman that sat to his left, since the captain was situated right at the end.
She had red hair like flames, shorter than Lira's, the ends touching her jaws. She was small and wore fitted leather that accentuated her tiny waist where a sword's holster was strapped on. The woman had intense features, and I could immediately tell that she wasn't fond of me.
Everyone had laughed when she asked me, further making my cheeks heat up.
I raised my chin, composing myself. "Well, it is never wrong to appreciate beauty."
Another round of laughter echoed within the dining hall, along with some "Ooohhs".
"Haha! This girl's got guts. The captain sure is a looker."
"That's really not surprising, is it?"
"She has a point."
The woman flicked her head away. Meanwhile, the captain seemed caught off guard, his perfect brows perked up.
"Don't mind Eury," he said, "she doesn't bite. Sometimes."
"Sometimes," I repeated, stealing a glance at the clearly fuming woman. Did she not like me taking in the image of him?
"Yes," the captain waved a hand, "now, we've swerved from the real matter at hand. I asked you earlier, are the—"
"I heard you," I said, "and it doesn't matter. It's more complicated than that. My friend and I just have to leave."
There's a glint in his eyes. But it wasn't a glint of starlight and jewels. Instead, it was of intrigue and curiosity. As though what I said had drawn his interest. And that couldn't be good.
He got to his feet, towering over me like a castle. "All right, I understand."
"You do?"
"Mmm." He was tightening the leather straps tied in crisscrosses on his forearm. "But sorry to say this, dear Rosie. You can't leave."