Parisa sat nestled on a makeshift seat of hay beside Kuro's stall. The horse had been lying down when she entered about an hour ago. Since then, he'd been standing, demanding her attention either by making noise or pushing his snout against the side of her head. Now, she sat with one hand holding open the book and the other resting on Kuro's nose.
"You're quite the horse, Kuro." she said as she glanced at him before focusing on the book. It was the same one she'd taken from the library while Xavier wasn't looking. She'd been reading it off and on since two days ago. The pages offered her comfort every night after the baron left her room. The heroine was her personal savior by allowing Parisa to tag along on her exciting adventures. They were things she knew she'd never have the chance to do as a bought mistress; she was a slave under the guise as a 'lady' and nothing made that more clear than the glare's she now received by maids who served her ladyship and Maria.
- Well, you're a step up from where you started.
The voice cooed in her mind. Parisa couldn't stop the grin that twitched at the corner of her mouth. It wasn't wrong. While he occupation stayed the same, she now received beautiful clothes, a personal room, a maid, a knight, things she only dreamed about before. She was grateful for that much, at least.
- And, you're learning to read.
It reminded her.
- Though it's slow going.
She pursed her lips. True to his word, Xavier had started teaching her the alphabet of the common language. Before she could even lean words, she had to understand the letters that made them up so, for two hours every morning, he would stand over her and help her with her reading and writing. Cordelia had been quite surprised, though she had said nothing to Parisa about it.
Parisa said and ran her hands over the words in the book. The heroine was beautiful and intelligent. She was brave and kind.
"Doesn't she seem a little too good, Kuro." she asked the horse, meeting his deep brown eyes. She head up the book, making sure to save her spot. "I mean, she's loved by everyone, even when she breaks the rules and goes off on her own. She saves the entire kingdom basically on her own." Parisa leaned her head on Kuro's snout and he snorted. "Right? It's everything a fictional story should be. And you know what else? She even gets the guy at the end of the day." She closed her eyes, frowning now. "So romantic."
"Rather, it sounds highly fictional."someone spoke.
"Yes, exactly-" Parisa jolted up, eyes flying open. She looked into the smiling face of a handsome young man dressed in dark blue and grey riding gear. The first thing Parisa noticed about him was his auburn hair, a darker shade than Xavier's. There was something about it that tickled the back of her mind. The second thing she noticed was his eyes focused on the book in her lap.
"For a worker of the estate, you have interesting reading tastes." the young man said, a grin lighting his features and giving him a boyish charm. He couldn't be more than a year or two older than Parisa.
- Who is this?
She'd met all of the stable hands since she'd visited the horses most every day since coming to the estate, but she'd never run into this man. Surely, she would have remembered such a meeting with his cocky attitude and fine looks.
The man assessed Parisa and how she pulled further away from him, hugging the book to her chest now. As if a measly novel could save her life from any threat. He laughed.
"I don't believe this is how your courageous heroine, Armelia would act."
Parisa didn't move. She glowered at him and then let her eyes travel down to the sword hanging at his side. She glanced to the stable entrance where she knew Xavier would be. Perhaps, if she were fast enough, she could get to him.
"There's really no need for that." the man said and he took a step near her. She flinched and tried to take another step back only to have her back hit to wooden door to Kuro's stall.
"I-I don't know who you are, but stay away." she said, her voice trembling with every word. She sounded more like a child trying to play at being in command rather than someone with any real power.
- Who are you kidding,
She thought, her inner voice growing more bitter with every word.
- You have never held any power.
- I wouldn't go that far.
The voice interrupted.
"It's quite clear you don't know who I am." the man's voice drew her from her internal dialogue. He was still grinning, his dark eyes shimmering with amusement. There was nothing hostile about his stance or features, though, which set Parisa further on edge. Silent wrath could be worse than obvious wrath.
The man walked towards Parisa with an outstretched hand.
"No, don't-"
"Hello, Kuro. How are you today, my friend?"
Parisa jerked back and looked between the man and the black steed who seemed completely comfortable with the stranger petting him so casually. This from the horse who gave even the stable hands trouble.
"How?"
The man looked down at Parisa, his head cocked slightly to the side. "I see you're the one who's been spending so much time with my horse. I should thank you since his temperament has become more manageable as of late."
Parisa's thoughts turned over in her head a mile of minute. She could practically feel the steam leaking from her ears.
"You? Your horse? Kuro is…"
The man laughed and extended his hand to her. She took it, unable to process anything at the moment. He bent slight and brought her hand up and placed a gentle kiss on her skin, bringing heat to the surface where his lips met.
"My name is Benjamin Astri, son of Baron Astri and heir to the barony." He looked up at her from where he kissed her hand. The breathe in Parisa's throat caught. "And you, dear lady, are Parisa, mistress to my father."
Parisa was at a loss for words. The longer the silence between them drew out, the more Benjamin's amusement seemed to grow. The heat she'd felt in the back of her hand where he'd kissed had traveled to her face. She could only imagine how miserable she looked in front of this young heir.
- Why did I have to run into him here?
His eyes found her book once more.
"You have interesting reading choices, my lady."
"Parisa!" she said, and flinched at how loud her voice was. Benjamin's eyes grew wide. She looked away, unable to meet them.
"Please, my lord. Parisa works just fine." how could she allow this person of true nobility call someone like her a lady? Cordelia and Xavier and the other workers were different, but this man? He was the real thing and she was a mere imitation. She was a fake dealt a hand of false beauty.
Benjamin's eyes narrowed and she shrunk under such scrutinization. Finally, he regained his smile and released her hand.
"Parisa, then." he said and she nodded. "My statement still stands. Can you actually read that?" he nodded to the book she'd taken from the library. She glanced down at the cover. Parisa had lied to Xavier when he'd asked. Could she do the same to the young lord? Surely he'd wonder why she'd have taken it from the library if she said she couldn't read it. Perhaps he'd even have her punished for endangering the book by taking it from the safe confines of the library. She shuddered to think of what punishment entailed here for a purchased mistress when hired staff already looked so decrepit.
"Y-yes, my lord." she said, her voice small. "I can read it." she glanced at Benjamin through her lashes. He studied her with a thoughtful look, his smile gone but his features not scary in the least. She found her body relaxing at the sight.
"Interesting. Not many nobility read the eastern tongue."
"I…had a strange upbringing." she said, pushing a strand of silvery hair behind her ear. Pairs didn't want to elaborate, it would only mean lying and the more of those she told, the more complicated it would be to keep her previous life hidden.
"So it would seem."
Silence stretched between them once more.
"Is-is there anything else, my lord?"
"Ben." he said and she couldn't stop herself from looking up.
"Pardon?"
- I misheard, right?
The young lord was smiling once more, his fiery locks seeming to give his features a light that even the sun couldn't mimic.
"Call me Ben, Parisa."
Parisa blanked at the request, though the young lord wasn't phased in the least. He moved around her and began preparing Kuro for riding. It was when he'd finally put the saddle on the horse did she break from the trance.
"I couldn't possibly, my lord!" she said and Ben simply tossed a look over his shoulder as he secured the reins on the horse.
"Why not?"
"I-you-I'm below your station. For me to be informal with you, my lord-"
"I know who you are, Parisa." Ben hoisted himself up and onto his horse. Parisa craned her neck back to look up at the young lord who still wore his carefree smile. His hair and eyes were so much like his father and yet everything else about his was wholly different. She lowered her gaze, unable to keep from looking at him for too long. It was like looking at the sun. "If you're enjoying Armelia's adventure, I recommend you looking into The Great Escape of Ozelias."
Parisa opened her mouth but no words came out and Ben didn't have anything more to say. He kicked the sides of Kuro and the horse happily moved to the stables entrance. She heard the distant voices of Xavier and Ben as they spoke.