A girl in disguise. An heir in hunt. A world divided.
Iris Lavera is born into the civilization of the least respected ones. The lineage where it's predicted to birth a curse. A low born who will be the downfall of an entire nation if left alive.
...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
It caused me immense disdain to even look at him. With two more presence in the cabin, I was forced to iron the vivid displeasure on my face, my dignity perishing further as I bowed to him while I inwardly squirmed with frustration and despise at how ambitious his existence was.
It wasn't his fault for what we went through.
But neither was it arguable that he, indeed is the reason.
I struggled to picture some kind of guilt and remorse for what happened because of him, but failed in a manner that's miserable to its core. His face wasn't made for emotions as such. And his physique wasn't tailored to showcase an ounce of vulnerability. My ever-vibrant imagination gave up attempting to bring this man to his knees- so I made myself stand taller.
It's what I could do.
I refused to entertain him with my anxious delusions, but I was contemplating on just what might get me across these highborn's astute stares.
And I stitched on a single word out of the mess in my mind.
Flattery.
"I suspect he is about to recite his admiration and love for us, thinking it might help get him on our good books" the slightly younger one on the left who had earlier smiled at me pitched, the tip of his tongue darts out over the side of his teeth as if in evaluation "Sorry to disappoint, we don't own that kind of journal"
I don't let the horror I felt reflect me. I return his casual smile that seems to look ages older than he was. And that's when I notice his clothes- a flaming shade of rust and red. A ventims seal.
Wiping the surprise away I shift to General Slantis, the only person who seemed humane among us. And certainly, he was the only one that could be considered a human too-
When he speaks it decapitates the tension momentarily.
"Mister Kasper here doesn't need to flatter anyone, his intellectual strategies and wit play during the chess match we had and trails today is enough to consider him as a very worthy individual" he picks up a glass of drink from the table and nods at me with a gratified gesture. "Never thought we might be meeting again in such- " he stared at his prince, fishing for a word to finish his sentence "-odd circumstance"
Then he chugs in the whole half of what's left on his glass and walked toward me. He wore rings, lost of them. Bold and thick, intimidating so if he were to punch someone he might live the rest of their life with its imprint. But even when he came and stood beside me with his arms crossed, I couldn't explain the nauseating nerves I felt towards the man in gloves who hadn't spoken a single word to me. Yet.
Remarked? Yes.
My injuries seem to not have impressed him much.
"You need to understand" his voice wasn't much different than the night at the tavern, though it seemed much considerate towards who he spoke to as of now. But unfavorable to his tone was the stubborn and spearing gaze he projected at the heir "I can be the perfect mentor to him, haven't I always been one to train the Founds Ace every year? What changed?"
