The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

An Attractive Offer

I awoke to the sun hitting my face through the large window situated in the eastern-facing wall. For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was, but then the events of last night came flooding back and I remembered. It seemed Lord Braeden and I needed to have a little chat.

Slowly, I got up out of the immensely comfortable bed and stretched. The maids had laid out a simple, dark green gown for me. And although I didn't want to wear it, I couldn't very well wear Isabelle's mother's wedding gown around all day. Hesitantly, I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror after I'd brushed my tangled mess of hair. I supposed I didn't look too bad.

I left the room and stood in the quiet corridor for a moment. It didn't sound like anyone in the house was awake yet, so I decided to go back to the magnificent library. Making my way back there, I took a few wrong turns here and there, but I eventually made it. I entered quietly, just in case Braeden was having an early morning read. But there wasn't anyone in the library, so I began to explore.

The shelves were packed full of books on every subject under the sun: philosophy, science, astrology, fiction, biographies, and even human anatomy. I flipped through a couple of them but eventually made my way over to the section containing my favorite type of books: history. As I rounded the corner of a bookshelf, my head smacked straight into something hard. After recovering quickly, I opened my eyes and saw that what I'd run into was a man's chest... Miles. I groaned inwardly to myself and looked up into his grey eyes, trying to look as innocent as possible. The expression on his face, though, I was not expecting. It was... could it possibly be...surprise? As soon as I'd seen it, however, the look was gone and all sense of emotion washed completely off his ruggedly handsome face.

"Lady Tabatha," he said, bowing his head slightly. "I did not realize you'd spent the night here last evening. What a lovely surprise." I got the feeling that this man didn't like me very much. But it wasn't as though I cared for him all that much either. I just wanted to know why he didn't like me.

"Sir," I said, still a little unsure as to what to call him—Sir Miles just didn't sound right, "is there something that I have done to offend you in some way?" He seemed to ponder this for a moment.

"No, not exactly," he replied slowly.

"Then why do you treat me as such? Or is that just your... charming personality?" I asked him, crossing my arms over my chest. He thought on this as well for a moment.

"It is very difficult to explain," he replied, looking at me in a way that made me think there was something bigger than me going on here. Again, I got the impression that he was searching for something in my eyes by the way that he looked at me so intently. We stood like that—staring into each other's eyes; studying one another—for quite a while. When I could bear the silence no longer, I spoke up.

"Do you enjoy history books, sir?" I asked. He nodded slowly.

"As a matter of fact, I do. And you don't have to keep calling me 'sir'. Miles will do just fine," he said, stepping back a couple of paces from me. I was glad to have my own personal space back, but I felt strangely empty when his gaze was gone from mine.

"Very well... Miles." It felt slightly strange to call a noble by his first name, especially when I barely knew him at all.

"What sorts of history do you like, Lady Tabatha?" he asked, clasping his hands behind his back in a very regal manner.

"All sorts. And you don't have to call me 'lady'," I replied shortly, giving him a taste of his own medicine. "I assure you, I am not one. Tabatha will do just fine." I could've sworn that I saw him smirking slightly, but the smile disappeared quickly. I couldn't help but think that this man showed about as much emotion as you'd expect from a cow!