How to court a storm | 𝘈𝘯 𝘐𝘴𝘦𝘬𝘢𝘪 𝘕𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭

(14)

To say it's awkward would be an understatement.

I whip a fan out, placing it in front of my face as I walk behind the two before me. It's the last place I'd like to be, but I keep silent, not having any plans to be the one to cut this little walk short.

Felix does the same, rubbing his hair away from his face. There's a quiet frustration to his expression, but there's no move to voice it.

As the moon shines bright, a gentle breeze rustles through the trees, giving a little cool air to the otherwise warm night. It'd be perfect for a stroll alone, if only not for my two guests. They begin to engage in a lively conversation, their words floating in the air around me. Their discussion fails to capture my interest, leaving me disinterested and detached from their words.

I walk in silence, my gaze fixed on the path ahead, pretending not to notice Prince Alister's occasional glances in my direction. What is he looking at? His eyes, overly watchful, meet mine, and I give him a frown in hopes of pointing out I can see him staring, but he thinks nothing of it. He merely breaks the silence with a question that catches me off guard.

"Are you uncomfortable?" His voice carries in the wind. I look at him, perplexed, wondering what might have given him such an impression.

With a dismissive gesture towards my high-heeled shoes, I let out a small sigh. No wonder he keeps looking in my direction. I'm walking a little far behind them, and he must think it's because of the shoes.

"It's not discomfort, just impracticality," I reply in a bored and disinterested tone. My response carries a hint of indifference, as if I am merely stating a fact rather than engaging in conversation.

Alister's brows furrow slightly, and there's a flicker of understanding in his eyes. He recognizes my lack of interest in his presence, and perhaps my disdain for the expectations placed upon me as a prince's company. But he remains composed, not allowing my indifference to deter him.

"I see," he says simply, his voice betraying no offense or frustration. "Well, it is said that beauty often requires sacrifices, even if they come in the form of discomfort."

I give him a sidelong glance, an unspoken acknowledgment of his words. It's true that as a noblewoman, I am expected to adhere to certain standards of elegance and refinement, no matter if they clash with my personal preferences. But in all honesty, I very much like them. They
are merely uncomfortable now because this body is not used to wearing them. Back at the manor, there is nothing higher than two inch heels. Rather boring by my tastes. Something I had Six fix almost immediately.

Silence settles once again, broken only by the faint sounds of our footsteps and the rustling of leaves underfoot. I am lost in my own thoughts, my mind drifting to a place far removed from the present company. Alister continues to stare for a moment, senses my detachment but luckily chooses not to push further.

Felix's voice breaks the silence once again, his curiosity evident in his tone as he remarks on my choice of footwear. "I've never seen you wear such high shoes before either." he comments, his voice tinged with genuine surprise.

I turn my gaze towards him, a flicker of disregard evident in my eyes, as I flutter my fan with a deliberate grace. For goodness sake, why are they both so interested in something so minuscule? And quite frankly, boring. Are they just trying to include me in their conversations?

It's not the first time I've been around the two of them, and in the past, they done everything they could to overlook my presence. Whilst the prince rarely glanced my way, Felix has always looked at me with something akin to disgust and distaste.