Burned

Chapter 2-Burned (edited)

Edited 5/7/17, please bear with me during this editing process. 

Chapter 2

The Market!  It was the perfect place to go today! The weather was perfect and I was well in need of a new bracelet.  The market was no were near the size of the one in Italia, but it was nice.  The styles of clothing and jewelry was very different compared to what I had back home. I noticed that a lot of people here dressed in darker, rich, colors.  

I walked up the stairs and into my bed chambers. I called for Melodey. She came out of the bathroom holding the towels I had discarded the previous evening. She seemed to know what I was after and gestured to the tanned purse hanging on the bed post. I shot her a kind smile before I made my way out to the front gates of the castle. 

"Good Morning Miss.Price" The guards greeted me at the gate. 

"Good Morning" I smiled back as they let me out. 

I walked down the short dirt path leading to town.  It was wonderful scenery,  orchards in the distance and farmers crops next to me. If I gazed far enough and long enough I could just make out the path of the winding mountains that encircled the Kingdom of Althea. 

My eyes were torn away from the distant mountains as the sounds of the busy market flooded my ears.  There was lots of merchants set up with all different things at the stands.  I approached a merchant that sold leather hand bags. I admired the beautiful handwork and the unique patterns that were sown into the bags exteriors.  

"Hello."  I smiled to the man that was running the shop. His eyes barely glanced up at me as he continued to haggle the prices up with the current customer he was dealing with. 

"Are you going to buy something? or just dally around all morning." The old grouch of a man spat. 

"I sure hope you do not speak to all prospecting customers like that, not to mention a Lady." I scoffed and titled my nose in the air at his products. There was no way I was going to buy a bag from that rude old man.  

I directed my attention to the other vendors attending the market today. I ran my fingers across rich fabrics of beautiful dresses and the cool touch of gemstones on the newly made necklaces. I was eyeing up a uniquely designed necklace that held emeralds in its twisted black metal when I felt eyes on my back.

"Well, if it isn't Lady Ashlyn. Out for a morning stroll?" Niles spoke up from behind me. 

I turned to face him and his piercing blue eyes met my violet ones. His cheeks were slightly red as if he had ran into the market and his soft looking brown hair looked slightly disheveled. He rested a hand on his sword hilt and the other on his hip. 

"What's it to you?" I pursed my lips and took in his strong stature. 

"No need to get defensive m'lady. I am just admiring the beautiful things on display today." He spoke softly, stepping closer to me and sweeping his eyes over me once again. 

Now that we were both standing I could see he was much taller than I. He towered over my small stature. He always seemed to be wearing a playful smirk on his face. It was quite unsettling.

"By beautiful things, you better mean the gowns." I narrowed my eyes at him, not liking the way he raked his eyes over my body as if I was something for sale.

He lowered his head and whispered into my ear, "And, what if I mean you?" 

"I am not something one sits back and admires, Niles. I am not something you can buy at the market. I am not something that you, or anyone, will ever own." I grabbed his collar and pulled his ear down to me so I would make sure my point got across.