A crown of flames

Chapter 5

I slowly turn around to see a man standing next  to me.

He was standing to my right so i couldn't make examine his face but i could make out a sly amused expression.

"Not even a rat can squash your appetite for dessert"he says in a playful tone.

"I'm impressed" he adds as if seeing my horrified face.

I regain my senses as i glare at the man and and his audacity.

That was basically a confession.

Servants gossip but it can't have gone around that quickly,so unless he was directly involved he can't know already.

"It takes a lot more then a a mere dead animal to put me off anything, so whoever is trying should get the hint and give up"I say not breaking my glare.

He grabs a plate and moves to the left but the light catches his face so i could properly see him.

I was not prepared.

He was hovering over me, if i had to guess his height i'd say no less than 6"2.5, his body lean even through the thick white uniform he seemed to be wearing , arms strong but not huge but it was his face that blew me away.

Hair so dark it put Alana's to shame,it seems to have originally been short but was growing towards his shoulders,thick dark brows and blue-green eyes that had me rooted to the spot trying to recognise where i sensed the familiarity.

A straight sharp nose followed with soft looking lips of otherworldly perfection and to top it all of a jawline that seemed to be carved out by god himself.

He seemed more or less my age ,maybe a year or two older.

His clothes were defiantly a uniform , white and silver with some coloured badges at the side of his chest.

That's weird,the guards earlier wore a blue and silver uniform.

As if noticing me staring his smirk grew,but his mouth is where the playfulness ended,his eyes seemed to shine with wickedness and intelligence and something else i couldn't decipher.

"Is that a challenge?"he replied in a mock threatening voice.

It took me a second to remember what i'd said to him before but thoughts of his beauty disappeared as i realised he just confirmed he was behind the rats head.

I meet his eyes and say "Take it how you please but if you have nothing better to do than stick rats in people's food then be my guest, your life must suck"I sigh "Move out of my way before i call a guard i want to enjoy some dessert before i go to bed"

I had no intention of telling the Jeremiah till tomorrow of course but he doesn't need to know that. I jerked my self away from him as i grabbed the plate from his hands.

Turning my back towards him , i took two cookies and almost left to my room,but deciding against giving him the satisfaction of seeing me leave(i did get there first after all) i pulled out the chair and sat at the table and looked him in the eye in challenge.

His grin automatically went from amused to intimidating.

He didn't look away for one moment as i ate bite after bite,we just sat there, two stubborn people in a staring competition refusing to break away.

So we were just sat there for minutes , me scowling at him , him smiling at me.

When i finished the cookies i stayed sat in my seat for a moment but then he sat down and brought his own plate.

Hell no.

Before he served him self, i snatched the bowl of cookies from his reach and got up towards the bin.

He needs to learn a lesson or two about depriving people of their food.

I turn to dump the plate into the bin but he grabs me by the wrists and snatches the plate away from me.

"Greedy girl"He tuts "Why don't you want to share" He frowns.

"I don't share anything with assholes who try poison me"

He scoffs "If i tried to poison you , you would not be standing here right now"

"You underestimate me servant , and i happen to be Princess Alana's guest , so she thanks you in advance for saving her the trouble of finding out who tampered with my food , i suggest you start packing your bags,you will be long gone by morning after i inform the guards"

"You know , that's twice you've threatened to turn me into the guards but you haven't done so yet, dare i suggest you're bluffing"He says with a raised eyebrow. He pauses and then

"Servant?he repeated,looking offended.

The audacity,he didn't even budge at my threat.

I seized the opportunity of his distraction and grabbed the cookies and managed to shove them in the bin.

His smile had FINALLY faded and he opened his mouth to say something again but i got there first.

I handed him the empty plate and said "I'm tired , please wash these plates before you retire to your rooms servant and Good night"

The look of anger of his face made my heart race with excitement.

"You're a fool Elide" He said as i start to walk away and this time his threatening tone was anything but mocking.

i walked towards the door of the kitchen and gave a smile that was anything but sweet in return.

I consider giving him the middle finger but
come to the conclusion he's taken too much pettiness out of me tonight.

I walk through the corridor with the lovely memory of his glare to smile at .

I wonder if he washed that dish.

It wasn't until i reach my bedroom door that i realise.

He knew my name.