Roots and Oxygen

Chapter 60 - Insecure Confidence

Sage quietly peeked into the living room, hoping nobody would see him, so he had a chance to locate Taro's family without the entire room watching him. He spotted Taro first, standing by the window with the daylight on his golden hair. He was the only one in the room wearing purple, and the only one with arms crossed firmly over his chest. Sage could tell by his tense posture that he was talking in a serious manner.

He spoke to a woman who stood next to him. She was shorted than Taro with straight blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore light blue jeans and a red jumper with a white stripe down each arm. From her side profile, Sage could tell that Taro had her thin nose and cut jawline. He couldn't compare their smiles because her expression was an anxious one, or one that was annoyed, or one that was worried.

Someone suddenly noticed him and leapt off the chair by the bookcase. All the other guards quickly stood up to bow. Sage visibly gulped and moved his gaze when Taro's mother made eye contact with him. Don't just stand there, move! Sage forced himself to walk through the room. Make eye contact, don't be rude! Sage locked eyes with Taro's mother. Her green eyes were lighter than Taro's, and in the daylight, they were captivating.

She bowed lowly and said, "Your Royal Highness, it's an honour."

Taro watched her blankly and turned to watch his stepfather bow lowly too. He was a short man with brown shoulder length wavy hair. When he lifted his head, Sage's gaze was drawn to a scar on his forehead above his brow. "Your Royal Highness," he said as if Sage's presence had solved all his life's problems. He grabbed Sage's hand and shook it enthusiastically.

Taro had started to smirk at their reactions. "Sage this is my stepdad, Nyerien. And this is-"

"Nyerien is short for Aloe Nyeriensis because I'm an Aloe Vera plant," Taro's stepdad said proudly.

Sage smiled. "Taro has told me once before. Very interesting name."

"And this is my mother, Jessenia short for Jessenia Pothos if we're talking like that." Taro eyed his stepdad with a raised brow.

Sage smiled as warmly as he could. "Nyerian, Jessenia, it's lovely to meet you both. I wish it could've been under calmer circumstances."

"Please Sir, call me Jesse," Taro's mother replied, matching Sage's warm smile.

Sage suddenly realised that she was anxious because she was meeting him. Maybe she wanted to make a good impression on me too? Sage then looked around. "I thought Mrs Beecham was driving you."

"She did, Sir. She's in the kitchen, helping to make breakfast."

"You don't have to call me Sir," Sage said, and Taro scoffed.

"I had to for ages," he complained.

"Taro, you followed the rules for like half a day," Sage scoffed. "I'm going to say hello to Mrs Beecham." He turned and left them standing by the window.

Before he left, he heard Jesse whisper, "I see why you've changed your tune about royalty. He doesn't let you walk all over him."

"I've not changed my tune about Royalty," Taro hissed. "Just him."

Sage smiled all the way to the kitchen and to where he heard a familiar voice. He saw curly ginger hair and the familiar Greenthenor branded waterproof jacket. Katie's mother was helping cook the eggs, but she saw him first and quickly bowed.

Mrs Beecham turned quickly. "Oh Sage," she said quietly in a pitiful voice, hurrying to him with arms out wide. They hugged tightly, something that was rare between them. "I'm sorry to throw royal etiquette out the window, but I've been so worried about you!"