I watched silently as the situation escalated. I listened as Nora tried her hardest to defend me to no avail. Her words fell on deaf ears as my character assassination carried on. I thought she would resign to our fate and ask to return home until the word "foreigner" escaped someone's lips. This one word was a dagger to her heart. I knew more than anyone how sad she felt when people called me an outsider or said I didn't belong. To Nora, I would always belong, even if it was to her alone. Although I don't really care about my own reputation, I didn't want to see her cry. Sighing, I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Her trembling ceased as she turned to look at me. I gave her a gentle smile and stepped in front of her. No one could bully her as long as I was around.
"Is this how Viscount Janequin raises his son, to pick on young, seemingly unprotected women?"
"So you do know who I am. How long did it take you to come up with this ploy?" I could hear the ridicule in his voice as his amber eyes stared into my blue ones.
I ignored his words. "Nora apologized to you wholeheartedly and instead of accepting her words like a gentleman, you attempted to use her in hopes of coercing me…" I stared at the crowd who had gathered around. "And the rest of you…are you even fit to wipe the dirt from beneath my shoes? Yet, you have the audacity to use those lips to utter a single word against me. If I had the mind I would have you and your entire families whipped in the streets for seven days straight!"
I ignored the cowering crowd and turned back to Symounde who remained quiet all this time. I walked forward so my words were barely audible to anyone else but us. "It is understandable for you to be upset with me for bumping into you. As a man with your looks and background, I am sure there are many women attempting to become your bedmate. For my mishap, I sincerely apologize. My thoughts were elsewhere and I had not been careful. However, your over reaction and revolting personality is entirely your own doing."
SMACK
With my last word, I slapped him squarely on his cheek, leaving a red imprint of my hand on his handsome face.
"YOU!!" one of his servants shouted.
"In the future, I hope that Your Honorable Symounde will take a spade for a spade and not think so highly of himself." After I said my peace, I pulled Nora through the crowd and headed back towards our home. Regardless of my initial reason for heading out today, this situation had completely ruined my mood. I would rather go take a look at the books left by Sir Travers.
Nearby a man wearing a cloak watched as the entire scene unfolded. Initially, he came to this kingdom in search for someone when a peculiar feeling took over him. It was as if his blood was screaming with excitement. The man walked quickly towards the sensation when he saw a young woman walk directly into the chest of a young man. She fell to the ground and the hood that once hid her beauty slipped off her head. His cold heart warmed at the sight of the young woman in front of him. He finally found her. After years of searching and searching, there she stood (rather sat) unaware of her own identity. He wanted to move closer but decided against it. He glanced at the sun above and hissed. Pulling the cloak tighter around himself he stepped into the shadows and watched as his betrothed was harassed by feeble humans. It took everything in him not to slaughter everyone within the entire square. Instead, he watched silently from the cover of a pastry shop.
His face darkened as he listened to the disgusting things coming out of the crowd's mouth and especially that frail looking man. If only could rip him apart limb from limb and lay his heart at the feet of his future wife. A smile spread across the man's face so beautiful it could destroy a nation. Feeling his incisors lengthen, he willed himself to calm down. After slowly rubbing his tongue against them, they began to retract. He wanted to save her from the taunts of these people but understood now was not the time to reveal himself, especially since she has yet to recover her memories or powers. As the man thought of ways to save her, Florin's voice rang out. The sound of her voice startled the man and his mind became completely empty of everything except for her. The confidence and undeniable dominance she casted over her persecutors were nothing short of awe inspiring. Even the troublesome young blonde was rendered speechless. But it was when he saw the young woman slap the man that he realized how amazing she truly was. He laughed heartily. 'Soon my beloved, we will never be apart again.'
I continued to pull Nora through the crowd, ignoring everything around me. I didn't even see if that scoundrel had left yet. My only thought was to get Nora away from these people before they thought of using her as my scapegoat. Although people may not know my name or where I came from, most people around here knew I was from a noble family. Today was not my first day out in public and usually I was surrounded by guards or other attendants—all of whom wore clothes with our family crescent etched into them, so I travelled freely without the disturbance of annoying people. Even still I would wear my hooded cape as I hated the sun. It bothered me that these people would be swayed so easily when they thought a bigger fish stood beside them. They may not have had the guts to target me outright but they for sure would take it out on Nora. That's just how fickle people were. They changed with the wind. I had to hurry and get Nora outside the mob for her own safety.
Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't hear Nora calling my name. It wasn't until she flicked me in my forehead that I realized I had spaced out again. "My Lady," she sighed, "I thought the incident just now would remind you to stay focused. What's with you today? I thought we were heading home; how did we end up at this pastry shop?"
"Huh?" I looked around. "Pastry shop? Hmm….I wonder," I replied absentmindedly.
She sighed again and shook her head. "Since we are here, let's go inside and grab something. Your parents will return home tomorrow night. It would make them happy to receive something from you."
"Mm," I responded. We walked up to the entrance and saw the number of customers inside through the glass door. I hesitated before opening the door. I really didn't want to deal with another crowd today.
"My Lady, why don't you take a seat here in the shade, and I will go in and place the order."
Nora really did know me best. I gave her a grateful smile and headed towards one of the benches. Although the sun was still shining brightly, the bench sat inward enough to where it didn't bother me much. However, just as I was about to take my seat, a person wearing a crimson colored cape rushed quickly past me. The person's arm grazed my shoulder and immediately, my blood felt as if it was burning. My breath quickened as I felt the sweat gathered on my forehead. I leaned over a rail and attempted to regain my composure. My heart was beating so fast that I felt it would leap out of my chest. I felt nauseous but for some reason excited at the same time. 'Is this the force that lured me outside?' After I few seconds, which felt like a lifetime, I was finally able to catch my breath. However, when I looked up, that person was gone. I looked around the shop and didn't catch the robe again. I was just about to give up when I heard a horse's frantic cry.
I turned around to see a person having what appeared to be a standoff between a horse and its carriage. The strange person was wearing a crimson cape. The horse continued to whimper as it faced the man. The old man behind the reigns was completely confused as he watched his horse act in such a way. It was as if the horse went into shock. It refused to take one hoof forward or backward. Taking the chance to investigate further, I called out to the mysterious person.
"Hey! Wait!" I yelled. However, when the person turned to face me, it was my turn to go into shock. I stared into the face of a beautiful man with pale skin and blue eyes that looked like mine! A small smile escaped his thin lips and before I could take another step forward, he was gone! I blinked several times thinking I had to be hallucinating. It was as if he vanished right before my eyes! With his disappearance, the horse seemed to regain its wits and trotted off as well, leaving no evidence of the scene that just occurred. I stood there dumbfounded, trying to wrap my head around what I had just seen.