Chapter Nineteen – Nothing To Lose
Esme's POV
I assumed a sleep would make me feel better. It did. But seeing Eidrin by the door reminded me of what happened.
What were the chances I'd see—Eidrin also met him but left before they spoke at length—the oldest disciple of the Goddess.
The Disciple granted to Eindrigin was the Disciple of Melancholy, which was the very first augurated by the Goddess herself. The others were later inaugurated by the first Duchess of Melancholy.
She was also the balance between all Disciples. Greatly revered. But her current heir was a young man who disliked meat, but would follow a random stranger to eat roast?
It greatly underwhelmed the whole thing. He would even unabashedly suffocate me to death because I killed a deer? Too emotional. Reckless.
It made me livid, and I never wanted to meet him again. "We will return home today, Eidrin. You didn't catch anything yesterday, did you?"
There was a heavy silence before he nodded and kept his head down. This would disappoint him, but for the safety of him and Sora, we should leave before that Duke pieced together who we were.
"Well, that means I kept my promise." Even if it hadn't been a fair hunting ground, also because of that Duke. "We can do other things at home."
"Should we use the carriage or go to my room?"
I relaxed inside the sheets. "We can go to your room." In seconds, the environment changed and I was on Eidrin's bed. The darkness felt comforting and familiar.
I was tired of seeing trees. The chase of that young deer messed with my perception of a forest. Why did it act abnormally? It wasn't my first time hunting, so had that Duke done something to the deer?
Eidrin walked towards me and I stopped thinking about the deer or that Duke. This was supposed to help him feel better but ended in a warning.
"We can still paint—"
"I am sorry I didn't protect you, Mistress."
"No, no," I dismissed immediately. There was no one to blame but that one. "There wasn't supposed to be any threat, at least not one I couldn't handle."
That was exactly what he was. Something I couldn't handle, and I wouldn't want any brother to either. It wasn't about who was more powerful but that they had nothing to lose.
Blessed by the Moon Grace and existed to protect her children. How they answered that duty was of no business to anyone. They could do anything. I glanced at Eidrin. I wouldn't want him or his brothers to be faced with such people.
There was once a tale of one who let it rain over his region for days because his younger sister, the Queen, died. She loved the rain.
No other Disciple stopped him, nor the King, who would take a new Queen the next month. Smaller villages in his region suffered floods and had to be displaced and start afresh in a bigger town.
No one appreciated his actions, not even his dead sister. There had been no punishment either. Those Disciples were revered to almost godhood.
"Or, how about I try to paint you?" The idea popped into my head. I brushed his long hair behind his ears. His head still hung low. "I'm not great at painting, but I will do my best."
He brought his hands away from his back and held them in front of him. He nodded at my words. Did this mean we were friends now? Did he open up?
"We can do it when you're ready." I sat up and held his hands. "For now, I'd stop by my house and keep things in order before my Uncle returns."
He would be back either this evening or tomorrow. Levine likely stayed away since I displeased him, but if he was around, he'd pay a visit again within three days. I had to keep up with this double life.
"Can you stay for one more hour?"
His eyes were dark blue and felt like the skies on a full moon night. I never noticed them closely before. I looked away, nodding. It wasn't like I wanted to leave the comfort of his bed at the moment. Let us both get what we want.
"I'd stay." I rested my back on the bed's head. "You should rest too. Sora said you searched for me for a long time in the forest because I was hard to find."
I hadn't known Sora's feather would affect him. Hence it was impressive of me to have teleported again to the place I knew was safe while in panic. Though I couldn't replicate it again when Sora asked.
"I will rest."
He was most agreeable.
Suddenly, his head fell on me, on my lap covered with the bed sheets. Was he trying to sleep on his bed? Did he want me to leave? My jaw slowly dropped as I realized I'd been hoodwinked. He got close enough to lay on me.
I threw my head back, stifling a chuckle. "Sanya, don't you think he acts like Denim?"
"He might've been part of her creation." She found it humorous too.
"Highly likely." He didn't show his emotions clearly, but was still comforting. And of course, disobedient, as I clearly told him I wouldn't let him do this. I closed my eyes. Today was already eventful. I would let him be.
Sleep took me while I was in Eidrin's room. It would be hard not to sleep when you couldn't tell if it was day or night. A cool breeze let itself in and out of the room as I coiled in bed.
"Show yourself. You're not Ruby, are you?"
Likely the knight he asked to be with me. I heard the breeze rush in noisily, then a foot landed by my side. I turned to the other side, squinting my eyes because they hadn't adjusted to the brightness.
"My name is Ritch, my Mistress. I am the first Knight of the Second's Order." He bowed, the large ruby necklace on his bare chest flashing at me.
The type the village girls swooned over because of his clean looks: dark-colored short hair, tall and slightly muscular, with coloured eyes.
Those were the basic features to get many ladies' proposals around here. Levine was lucky to finally grow into them.
I groaned as I stretched my body out of the bed. He looked up in disbelief but calmly stepped away. Did he expect me to thank him for noisily moving around my window while I slept? Everywhere was cold too.
"Did Ruby ask you to guard me? I will be going to the market for goods now. Will you come?"
He forced a smile and nodded. Was that supposed to be a 'no'? I sighed and took my legs out of the bed. "Hmm?" I grabbed the material I was wearing.
"Satin night dress—" I shrieked and grabbed the sheet I had abandoned a second ago.
Ritch nearly stumbled on his feet as he scampered backwards. "I-It's alright, Mistress. I will… um… wait outside for you to dress up."
He was a conservative one, wasn't he? Inasmuch as I didn't expect to be in a light material like this, it outlined my breasts, not necessarily revealing them.
"Eidrin, this kindness is a little unnecessary." No wonder I nearly froze at night, coupled with Ritch's chilly presence. It was unlike Ruby's wind.
Did all the Knights of the Princes also share their birth element? I stretched again before leaving the bed to change to heavier clothes.
Walking outside my room, I found the window had a black mark on it. That was Levine's sign to show that something happened—and likely not good.
"Ritch, please get two baskets ready. We'll be heading to the market soon."
"Yes, Mistress."