PETER PUSHED me out of the kitchen just as the cook threw a wine bottle at us. I heard a shatter and an aggravated grunt. I looked behind us to find him bent down to pick up the broken pieces of glass. “We should help him!” I exclaimed, pulling away from Peter. He caught my sleeve just as I had taken one step. “He does this all the time, Hana. He doesn’t need any help.” “No, but maybe he wants it.” I broke free from his grasp, disgusted that he was being so unkind as to not want to help this man, no matter how gruff he might have been. Peter stalked off to our table, grumbling something about paying for the meal. I bent down to pick up a few of the larger pieces of glass. “What’s your name, girl?” he said, pointing at me. “I am Hana.” The cook nodded. “I’m Seymour, the cook.” I remained silent and crouched, still picking up shards of the green-tinted bottle. “You’re a silent one, aren’t you?” “Not usually. I’m just ashamed of my beau for not wanting to help you.” “Ahh, well. There ain’t nothing you can do about it now,” I nodded, standing to place the sharp fragments into the wastebasket. “Where’s a broom?” He pointed to a closet. I followed his gaze, mine landing on a broken wooden door. I gulped, pain triggering once again. “Thank you,” I said. I took a step toward the closet, glancing nervously at Peter. He was still sitting there. His eyes cautiously met mine. After a few seconds, he pulled them away from me, and instead looked down at his palms. I continued on my way to the closet. Bringing the broom back with me, I swept the remaining pieces of glass off the floor. The cook nodded abruptly, in means of thanks, and left back to the kitchens. I turned around and walked back to Peter. “So you didn’t desert me, eh?” I said as I approached him. “Why would I?” I gave him a knowing look. “Hana,” he warned. I giggled. “Yeah, alright, I would have.” he laughed too. I grinned in return. “How much was it?” “What is it?” “The price of the meal.” “Oh, it didn’t cost us anything. That man over there…” he nodded at a figure in a dark cloak, the hood over his face as though he didn’t want to be seen. “Paid for us.” “How nice!” I exclaimed. “How much did it cost him?” “About eighty Rona.” My jaw was agape. I had never even seen that many Rona in my life! That person must be rich! I surmised. “I know, right?” Peter said, laughing at my surprised face. I shook my head in unbelief. “That’s impossible! I haven’t even seen that much Rona in one place in my whole life!” He laughed again. “Let’s go!” I stood, gathering my cape. Peter did the same. He held his arm out. I took it, grinning like mad. We sauntered out of the eatery. “What do you want to do now?” Peter asked on the carriage we had hired. I leaned on his shoulder. “Mmm… I don’t have a preference. You choose.” “Okay…” he grinned and shrugged my head off his shoulder. I smiled as he leaned into me. Peter gently held my face in his fingers as he pressed his lips against mine. My eyes closed, and that odd sensation washed over me again. Outside, the tall dark figure was following us, as though making sure of something. Although he kept many paces between him and the carriage we were in, I caught a glance of him ducking behind a person as my eyes flickered open, giving a break from the joyous darkness. Pulling away from Peter, I wondered who the hooded figure might be. It can’t be Zarola, she wouldn’t wear something that drab. It could be Bert. Who else? “Let’s go to the square,” Peter provided. I nodded, still bewildered at the dark figure. I decided to forget about him for a little while. Peter stuck his head out the window and ordered the driver to take us to the square instead of Wildwood. I hopped out of the carriage, Peter right behind me. The square was filled with people hawking items, trying to get others to buy their goods. “Watches, jewelry!” one woman behind a large wooden table said. “Necklaces!” another offered. I smiled sympathetically at both of them. “I’m sorry, I don’t have enough.” They glared at me, pulling their goods away, and trying someone else. “Hana, you don’t have enough money to be buying things!” “Says who?” “Hm… let’s see… your mother, your father, Frida, me, and your younger siblings.” I glared at him. “It’s not very polite to criticize others for how much money they have, Prince Vigilius.” Peter rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
Read ^ first! ---------------------------------------------------------------- “I thought you would know better than this, Peter Gaoler! Contradicting your belle.” “I’m sorry,” he said. His face looked so pathetic, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “Of course, I forgive you!” I smiled. Peter smiled back and wrapped his arms around me. Suddenly, his eyes snapped around. “Oh, it’s you.” he sneered. I followed his gaze, landing on Bert. “Hello,” Bert greeted us, scowling at Peter. My grin turned wider. “Hello,” Peter glowered. “Hello, now goodbye.” he walked towards the center of the square where a stone fountain stood, sprouting water. “You’ll have to excuse Peter, he needs to blow off some steam.” I said, coming up with an excuse for him. “That’s fine, I feel the exact same way about him.” Bert finally smiled. I smiled back. “What brings you here? Don’t they have you working week-ends?” “They do, I’m just done with all my chores.” “That’s nice,” I said boringly. I couldn’t think of any other things to say. Bert nodded in return, rocking on his heels. We stood in silence for a while, glancing up from the ground occasionally. What felt like hours later, Peter came back, a new curiosity in his eyes. “Elbert, right?” he asked. “That’s right,” Bert answered. “Hm. I think I may have misjudged you. Start again?” Peter held out his hand for Bert to shake. Bert seemed suspicious of Peter, so grasped his fingers lightly. He brings their hands up once, and back down again promptly after. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Oh. My. GOODNESS! I AM SERIOUS THIS STORY IS GETTING MORE AND MORE UNPREDICTABLE! I'm sooo happy to be writing this story, I'm at a hundred pages (including chapter 19, which I'm going to post directly after this one). I want to thank you for reading this far, and listening to all my rantings :P You peoples are awesome, tell me any theories, I would absolutely LOVE to hear them! Also, ask me any questions you want, I may answer very vaguely because it probably has something to do with chapter 19, or something coming in the future. -OREO
