Lyonis looked up from tying his boot and noticed that Cordelia had started walking away. Her dismissive attitude should've hinted to him that she was not interested. However, under the hard exterior the woman put on, he noticed a subtle shyness in the way she averted her gaze and the redness that had crept over her ears. He couldn't help but think how cute her nonchalant attitude was.
There was something mysterious about the witch. He had never met one before and wanted to know more about her. Cordelia's hard exterior seemed like a defense mechanism. It was as if she was hiding or protecting herself from something.
Even the fact the locals had reacted with such shock to her magical display told him that Cordelia had not shown more of herself to those around her, despite her obvious popularity.
What else was she hiding? He wanted to know more. Her light grey-green eyes looked at him with such concern and the comforting feeling that washed over him when she magically fixed his ankle was as intriguing as it was intoxicating. He couldn't help but feel drawn to her.
"Agis! I'll be back shortly. I want the rest of the stuff unloaded by the time I return." He yelled up over the deck of the ship. Agis popped his head over and glared at him before looking out over the street. He already knew what his commander was up to. The witch had already walked halfway down the cobblestone street. Her long legs carried her quickly away.
"Commander, we have work to do, and I don't think she wants to be bothered!" But Agis's words fell on deaf ears as Lyonis trotted away. The man shook his head in irritation and got back to work.
At this rate, they would be there all night unloading. All Agis wanted to do was eat a decent meal and fall asleep in an actual bed.
…
Lyonis jogged silently up beside the tall woman. As he approached her, he noticed how the men and women around her made a path as she walked by them. They offered her kind greetings and gave respectful nods to her as she passed. Some even waved and thanked her.
Quietly, he slowed to a brisk walk and strode beside her, matching her pace. She glanced sideways up at it, peeking out from beneath her large flat-brimmed hat, and jumped slightly at his sudden appearance.
The space between her graceful brows furrowed on her porcelain face, and a pinkish hue developed over her cheek and ears. She turned away from his gaze, the top half of her face hiding beneath the felted black fabric, and kept walking. He could see she was mulling over what to say to him to deter him from joining her. She chewed silently on the inside of her lips and then opened her mouth as if to say something.
But before she could say anything, Lyonis spoke, "Cordelia, please allow me to escort you to your destination."
"Sir…"
He interrupted her again. He did not like being called 'sir', especially by a beautiful woman like Cordelia. "Please, call me Lyonis, Cordelia."
"... Lyonis." An annoyed tinge freckled over his name as it left her lips. He smiled; despite her aggravated tone, he still enjoyed seeing his name leave her full lips. "Lyonis… that is not necessary. I'm sure you are very busy. It would be irresponsible for you to leave your crew while they are busy working."
"It would be irresponsible of me to allow a lady - who has just saved my life, mind you - to walk all by her lonesome in this busy city while carrying a heavy basket." Her lips pursed slightly at his dismissive remark. "Cordelia…" Lyonis softened his voice, "What type of man would I be if I didn't at least offer to escort his savior safely home? My honor as a man would be tainted. Please… humor me and allow me this simple pleasure."
He held out his hand, motioning her to hand him the basket tucked in the crook of her arm. She paused for a moment, not saying a word. He could feel her trying to come up with an excuse that would deter him and send him away.
After a moment of mulling over her thoughts, she sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping slightly in defeat, and placed the handle of the basket into his outstretched hand in front of her. He noticed she was careful their skin didn't come into contact.
Lyonis moved the basket into his other arm and offered Cordelia his forearm. Which she immediately pretended to ignore. She clutched one of her wrists with her other hand before resting them gracefully in front of her hips. He chuckled to himself. Her slight dismissive attitude and gracefulness masked an underlying awkwardness. It was cute and mesmerizing, it made him want to tease her.
"Well then, Cordelia. Please, lead the way. Where are you off to this fine evening?"
He noticed as the men and woman they passed along the street followed them with their eyes, whispering to one another. Cordelia ignored it, but he could tell the Witch of Ville Marais had eyes on her everywhere she went.
"I was just taking a stroll around town. A beautiful evening like this would be wasted staying indoors."
"Indeed. This is my first time in Ville Marais, and it is a beautiful place." Lyonis had so many questions, but he figured they could wait until Cordelia was more comfortable with him around.
"Welcome to our city. I hope you enjoy your time here." An awkward silence fell between them.
They walked a few blocks without saying a single word to one another. Occasionally, Cordelia was greeted by a passing local, and they shared pleasantries. Lyonis couldn't help but feel the locals were a bit too nosey. They glared at him whenever Cordelia was stopped. A few elderly men even whispered in her ears, asking if she was being bothered. Lyonis smiled to himself. The community seemed to treasure this woman. Of course, they would be wary of a strange man.
After another block, Cordelia spoke first, breaking the silence between them, "What brings you to Ville Marais, Lyonis?"
He couldn't tell if she was genuinely curious or if she was only being polite, but he still answered her, happy that she was finally acknowledging him. "My crew and I are developing viable trade routes for our home country."
"Where are you from? I don't think I've ever heard a language like yours before…" Cordelia's voice was soft but confident. It reminded Lyonis of sun-ripened grapes, and he wondered if she tasted just as sweet.
"We come from a country called Gresas, from across the great sea. It is a beautiful place with crystal blue waters, rich culture, and delicious food." Lyonis remembered his home fondly, part of him missed the familiar surroundings, but there was something much more appealing about traveling the world. Lyonis felt claustrophobic when he stayed in a place for too long.
"You must miss your home," Cordelia replied softly with a hint of sadness in her voice. Lyonis looked down at her. Her gaze was still fixed forward. He could barely make out her delicate chin and lips from under her hat.
"Ah. In some ways, I do. But traveling the world is much more exciting. I get to see so many new things and meet so many different people…." He tilted his head ever so slightly to try and catch a peek at the woman hiding under the black hat. "Like you, for instance…"
A deep sigh escaped Cordelia's lips as they walked along. Lyonis was slightly confused by the woman who seemed so forlorn over their simple conversation. He felt like he might've said too much. Maybe Agis was right. Maybe, he was bothering her...
"I am nothing noteworthy, Lyonis. I feel as if you see me for more than what I am."
"Well… I'm not so sure about that. It seems to me like you are the only one who thinks that way." Lyonis rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around. People along the street followed them with their eyes as the pair walked past them. "Everyone can't seem to take their eyes off you."
"I believe they are looking at you, sir."
"Lyonis…" he corrected her in a stern but joking tone.
Cordelia sighed, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "I mean… Lyonis."
The pair of them passed a vast open garden with a large fountain and ornate statute of a woman in the middle. People meandered through the meticulously cared-for lawn, and couples sat on blankets in the grass. Elderly people sat on benches overlooking the ocean. The sun had been busy making its descent into the horizon. Rays of golden sunlight cascaded over the city, and lanterns along the street were being relit by patrons and city workers. A trumpet player could be heard playing from across the city. Its melodious sound bounced off surrounding buildings.
Across the opposite side of the garden was an impressively large gothic cathedral. Half of the building was still under construction, but the other side was pristine white. It had towering flying buttresses that jettisoned towards the sky. Each was capped with gold, and a golden sun icon atop each pillar glowed orange in the sunset. Long thin windows showcased ornate stained glass artwork depicting biblical stories and icons.
As they walked past the edge of the large garden on the cobblestone street along the water Lyonis noticed a man clothed in a white and gold robe standing atop a simple wooden box. Around his neck hung an oversized golden sun strung with a gold chain. He had a small crowd around him, and he was speaking at a loud level so that his voice echoed across the garden.
"...and the sky shall open into golden fields for those who have followed the path He has lit…" The thin blonde-haired man glanced over at the pair, and his piercing blue eyes met Lyonis. A scowl crawled across his face in disgust as his eyes cast over Cordelia. She paid the man on the box no mind and continued walking as if he were invisible.
"You! Stranger!" The man called out to Lyonis, who glanced his way as they walked near. He pointed a threatening finger at Cordelia. "Be warned! The woman you stand beside is no human! She is a witch, a DEMON! Sent here to disrupt our sacred lord's prosperous intentions. She will trick and deceive you! Seduce you! Turn your soul black and doom you to damnation!"
The crowd whispered amongst themselves. Fear glazing over their eyes as they looked at her.
Cordelia sighed in exasperation at the comment but said nothing and kept walking. It seemed to Lyonis that this was a frequent occurrence for her. He felt bad.
This woman had saved his life and had asked for nothing in return. Not even his thanks. If she were truly a devil like the priest had said, she could have easily influenced him and asked for anything as compensation. She could've even ignored the event entirely, and Lyonis would've been gravely injured or possibly even killed.
He had seen various types of religious churches in his travels. It was a common tactic to use fear and confusion to control the population. Any outsider, no matter how good, innocent, or well-intended, was chastised and turned into villains in the name of power and control.
"Ah. Seduce me, you say?!" Lyonis looked over at Cordelia with shock in his eyes.
"YES! Do not fall pra…." Before the man could say another word, Lyonis reached down to gently slip his hand into Cordelia's.
He brought her delicate knuckles to his lips and laid a tender kiss on her skin. He had half expected her to pull her hand away in shock and disgust, but to his surprise and joy, she let him play his little game.
He turned his eyes to stare threateningly at the man clad in white.
"I hope you aren't lying, good sir. To be seduced by such a woman…. Would be a great honor." He glanced down at Cordelia, and she looked up at him with a subtle mixture of shock, embarrassment, and a little bit of humor. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. The sudden words and intimate touch had stopped Cordelia in her tracks.
"I look forward to feeling her influence over me."
He kissed her hand again and left his lips there. Her light grey-green eyes sparkled in the sunlight up at him for a moment before she diverted her gaze. Lyonis found himself wishing he could read her mind.
…
Cordelia froze, unable to wrap her mind around what was happening. When she had noticed the priest standing on his box, going on about whatever thing he was talking about, she had resigned herself to deal with the priest as she always had.
By ignoring him.
But obviously, that plan had been tossed right into the sea. Lyonis's sudden display of affection and taunting words took the wind out of her lungs. Cordelia had never really feared the church. They had tried and failed in the past to turn the community against her.
Fortunately for her, many of the locals had resented the church for moving into their city, trying to encourage them to adopt their gospel and force them into the congregation.
Newcomers into the city, however, were more easily influenced. They were the ones who flocked to the church daily and were the reason the church had grown in power over the years. There had been palpable tension between the native population and supporters of the church. But for the most part, things were civil. The divided sides generally just ignored one another.
Cordelia looked deeply into Lyonis's mischievous amber eyes. He smiled slightly up at her, his soft lips still pressed gently against her knuckles. His touch was so light and gentle that it felt as if he was treating her like a cloud that would slip through his fingers at any moment. Heat blossomed through her chest and rose to the tip of her head. The gentle and intimate action made her head spin. So many new sensations in one day. She felt like she was going crazy.
Gasps and heated whispers could be heard from the group surrounding the priest. Coming back to her senses, Cordelia sighed and carefully lifted her palm from Lyonis's fingers. She turned to face the man on the box, who had anger and disgust written clear as day across his face.
"Good evening, Father Croix. I apologize for interrupting your sermon. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening." She nodded respectfully to him before walking briskly away. Lyonis followed close behind her like a smitten puppy.
She could hear Father Croix return to his preaching with a new-found passion. Her gut twisted uncomfortably. She had never given much thought to angry or disrespectful words thrown at her by members of the church. This was nothing new to her, and she had been subjected to far worse in her lifetime. It was not what he was saying that made her gut twist. It was what was going to happen when rumors about Lyonis and her spread.
She felt Lyonis's eyes on her, and a silence fell between them once more. And after a while, she heard him groan, "I feel like I did something terrible just now…."
"Well… you certainly gave them something to talk about." Cordelia didn't mean to, but the words escaped her lips heavy with sarcasm and annoyance. She paused and pinched the bridge of her nose in between her eyes, massaging the tension from between her brows. She tried to calm her voice before she spoke again. "They say lots of things, Lyonis. And while I appreciate you defending me back there. It wasn't necessary. They will use anything and everything to make me out to be the demon they think I am."
"That's absolutely disgusting behavior from a church and a man of the cloth." She could tell he was angry. But she couldn't place why he was so angry for someone he had just met. It didn't make any sense to her. It had only been an hour since they met, and already this man was getting emotional in her defense.
"Who knows Lyonis… Maybe they're right." She shrugged and gazed off down the street, her heart suddenly feeling very heavy, "Maybe I am a demon."
"I will make my own assumptions about people. I do not need anyone to tell me what I do not know." She felt him look down at her again. "From what I can tell, you are a good person. Demons do not save random strangers."
Cordelia didn't know about that. She had done terrible things in the past. Even if she had done them out of self-defense or out of survival, it did not discount that they were still terrible things. She was trying every day to make amends for the things she had done. There were times when she truly felt like a demon. She felt like she was running from it every day.
"I appreciate your kind words, Lyonis." She glanced up at him, their eyes meeting for a moment.
...
Soon they had reached the front door of the apothecary. She flicked her wrist, and the oil lamps hanging from her building flickered to life. Inside, the store glowed as the space filled with light. She noticed Benoni staring at her from the top balcony. His eyes were glued to the man next to her. She sighed again. He was going to give her an earful for sure.
"An apothecary? That suits you, Cordelia." Lyonis looked up and down the building as they approached. The front door swung open, and she stepped inside, turning to usher Lyonis inside.
"Please come inside, Lyonis. Let me pour you a cup of tea before you return."