The Caged Princess(Book 1)

Chapter - 12

The weather had become warmer. Nadia didn't need to have a jacket but she carried one out of habit anyway. She looked in the the direction of the West Wells island. At this time she would have already been at school. Were her homeroom teachers asking about her? Were Eva and Emi wondering if she was okay? Was anyone? Probably not. She was as good as dead in this world. She had been like that for a long time. She had no allies in this rotten piece of land. Until now she had just accepted it as fate.

Falcon waved at her from inside the orchard. His sleeves were folded even higher up his arms and he had unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt. His hair wipped around his face with the wind. Nadia straightened her own stiff hair awkwardly.

"I didn't know you could grow fruits at this time of the year."

"Usually you cant. But her trees bear fruits around the year. Nothing she sows ever dies. Apples, Pears and Oranges. Even the tea farm. I have never seen a plant die in Minerva's care." Nadia replied grudgingly. She was the one who took care of them but Minerva had magic in her hands. She could grow a ripe and healthy plant out of any soil and in any weather. If it weren't for the landowner family down the hill, she could have had her own brand by now.

She had grown up watching Minerva working the fields and she had eventually followed suit. She had never asked Nadia to help but she hadn't refused when Nadia had proven she could take care of the work too. Nadia believed even if she didn't have a talent for anything, she was at her best around plants and trees. She could tell the soil type by sight and smell and if it was suitable for plantation.

"Do you enjoy being around plants, Miss?"

Nadia gasped. Was he a mind reader as well? She wouldn't be surprised. Was there anything this guy did not know how to do?

"Yes. I can read your mind." Falcon said lazily.

Nadia stopped in her tracks. Was it possible? with the technological advances it wasn't a far reach and if he was from a more advanced country--

"Because you are such an open book miss. Everything is on your face." he gave her a loop sided grin and walked further into the orchard.

Again, Nadia consciously flattened her wayward hair and followed behind him. Was that how he was? Smiles and teases?

She looked around, Minerva had only grown dwarf trees. She used to say tall ones take up too much nutrients from the soil and with their limited land they couldn't afford that. She tried imprinting every tree, every shrub, every smell into her memory. Was this her last time? She felt maudlin at the thought.

She caught up to Falcon . He had an apple in his hand and was brushing it on his sleeve. Yes. Be my guest. Pluck fruits from someone else's property and not ask them. Some manners . With a pang Nadia corrected herself, No, not my property either.

Falcon exclaimed, "For all she is worth, I have to admit, such fine fruits."

He glanced at Nadia, "Do you think she would make a fuss if we took some for our journey?"

Nadia raised her eyebrows,"You don't look like the type for asking permissions."

"Preposterous! I am hurt, miss. Do I look so uncivilized?"

"I have noticed, your civility only shows when I am concerned." Nadia meant it as a joke. But Falcon 's smile faltered a bit. An split second later he had it back on his face like nothing had happened.

He took another huge bite and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Since she had met him, Nadia had been either crying or screaming at him, she was the rash and uncivilized one. Uneasy silence hung in the air. Nadia searched desperately for a change of subject. Her lack of human conversations with anyone her age was stinging her. Just say something interesting about yourself. Something. Anything.