Normal POV
All the students of Westcrow were running helter-skelter, and not just the juniors rushing to do their project but also all students preparing for the midterm test. The final semester otherwise known as the Promotional semester was the term that determined whether or not you got to pass into the next year if not you would stay back and repeat the year.
Amidst all the madness, Bella and Maelyn were snuggled in a corner of the library searching for any form of aid or material to use. They selected two books 'Modern Alchemy' and 'Fundamentals of Alchemy' these books were written by the greatest minds in alchemy known to man and focused greatly on the more medicinal part of alchemy which Bella and maelyn wished to focus on. They figured most students in an attempt to impress would go for the flashy and explosive alchemy experiments but they decided to go for another topic.
They agreed to meet at maelyn's house the following weekend to further discuss and experiment on the project.
Bella's POV
I got to maelyn's house sometime around noon, I brought the books and all the ingredients I could gather and went in, the maids welcomed me and told me maelyn was still preparing things upstairs.
"Oh, are you one of Mae's friends?"A woman said she was the wife of Count Park, Countess Park.
"Yes, My name is Bella Swift, daughter of Count Swift it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance" I greeted, she had a very gentle and peaceful look she looked far too young even to be a mother I was about to go over to her when I heard maelyn's voice from upstairs.
"Bella I'm all ready up here!"
I curtsied to the countess and went upstairs, "Hey maelyn sorry I'm late"
"Not at all"
"Um, I don't want to seem rude but wasn't the way you called for me in front of your mother a bit rude?"I asked
"My STEPmother, you mean"She harshly replied
"Oh my, you both look so alike"
"I'm not the only blue-haired, light-skinned girl in the whole world, like how both you and Liam have white hair but you guys aren't blood-related"
I refrained from asking any further questions for fear of angering her more than I already did.
We went up to her study room, the room was huge and full of books piled up on the table.
"This was everything I could find on medicinal alchemy, we've got our work cut out for us but with a little elbow grease I'm sure we can push through"
I dropped my bag on the sofa and took off my shoes to properly relax, I went over to the table and took a book with me.
I sat on the sofa and began scanning through its contents to see if there was anything I could find for my presentation.
"Ah nutritional supplements, this takes me back," I said
"Huh? How so?" Maelyn asked
"I was so malnourished when I was little and struggled to keep food down for a while so I'd always be fed these supplements. . . .they tasted gross though, so this is how they're made," I said in awe
"Well that's not a bad idea we could do a presentation on the importance of nutritional supplements and bring some physical examples, although the herbs and other ingredients needed might be naturally sourced but isn't something I think I have lying around," Maelyn said
"Oh don't worry, I know a place where we can get all sorts of herbs, I could get them this weekend"
"Wow, you do? You seem to have a knack for herbology" Maelyn giggled
"Y-yeah, I've dabbled in one or two tonics here and there," Bella said, I awkwardly averted Maelyn's gaze
Normal POV
Bella left the house early Saturday morning so she could get the first and freshest pick of the herbs they needed, she took a carriage to the market where the herbs and other things were sold.
This market happened to be near Porthone[Port-hone], the harbor town of Hyperion where most of the major sea trade started, Count Swift also had a huge hand in Porthone as he engaged mainly in trade.
"My Lady we're here," One of her Knights said, he held his hand out and helped Bella out of the carriage, the port market was too crowded for carriages to pass through so Bella would have to walk the rest of the way.
She got out of the carriage and walked through the market, she went to each stall and shop where the herbs were sold, and as expected she got the best picks.
She spotted the next ingredient she needed and eagerly skipped towards it leaving her knights behind for a split second,
"My Lady watch out!!!" The Knights yelled, A large wooden crate was about to fall on Bella, but before she even noticed it her Knights rushed to her and pulled her back into their arms, bella fell back causing them all to fall to the ground.
"What was that?! You could have hurt our Young miss!" One of the Knights yelled at the man who appeared to be the one to have dropped the crate.
"It's alright, the box was really heavy, I hope you weren't hurt too, mister?" Bella asked
"Ah, thank you miss I wasn't, I'm sorry my body hasn't been feeling as strong as it normally does, got me a bad case of Sea flu," The man said
"Sea flu? What's that?" Bella asked
"You seem to be a noble lady so I'm sure you've never had or heard of Sea flu but it happens to us sailors that gotta be out on the sea for a long time, it starts as regular sea sickness but becomes a lot worse like a bad flu you only get every damn time you go out on the water"
"That must be awful, falling sick every time you go out to do the jobs that earn you a living," Bella said
"To be honest though, the minute we get on land and get some proper rest and some good old home food we feel good, haha I must say a good cold glass of lemonade hits the spot but fruit don't stay for long here at the harbor" The man laughs
Bella thought for a minute before saying goodbye to the sailor and went off to the other stalls before calling it a day and heading back home.
Later in the evening, the family was sat at the dining table having dinner together,
"How's school been lately?" James asked
"School's been good, Maelyn and I are working on a project together" Bella replied
"Oh? Count Park's daughter? That's nice, what's it about?" James asked
"We've decided to do a presentation on nutritional supplements under medicinal Alchemy"
"That's an interesting topic, I'm sure you'll ace it," James said
"Yeah, I hope so. . . . .Hey dad? You're into sea trade, right? Have you ever heard of Sea flu?" Bella asked
"Hm? Yes actually, I've had it only once though when I had to be out at sea for a long time worst feeling ever" James replied
"Oh I remember, you'd always come back home complaining of body aches and a sour gum," Theresa said
"And I was one of the lucky ones, some of my men had Sea flu so bad the gum pains would lead to bleeding and even teeth loss, some got so bad they had to be rushed to the hospital, I went to the ministry of health for this but because the port deals with international trade they always try to brush it off as a sickness gotten from outside Hyperian borders and thus in their minds none of their business. . . .Lazy bastards," James said
Bella sat at her seat picking at her seat ashe she thought more on what she had been hearing.
Liam's POV
"Hurry up already" Ezra yelled, she had agreed to follow me to the blacksmith since she lost a bet to Alissa and me.
"Alright alright, why do you have to be so fast?, "I asked barely catching my breath
"And why do you have to be so slow?" She taunted
We made our quick stop at the blacksmith and stopped at a nearby park to relax afterward, it was an exceptionally hot day and I had to take off the jacket I was wearing but Ezra was far worse.
"Jeez being able to retain heat is cool during the colder part of the year but it's a pain in the ass during summer" She panted, I took my handkerchief from my pocket and without even thinking wiped her forehead
"HEY! the hell are you doing?"She yelled,
"I was just wiping your sweat"
"Well I didn't ask you to, plus those talons of yours are scraping me"
"Haha very funny, you know you're pretty cute when you're all fired up and sarcastic," I said, she turned to me as if she were trying to kill me with her stare,
"And you'd look a lot hotter if you didn't look like you had a giant stick up your ass" She winked, casually placing a hand on my shoulder "But you ain't a bad-looking guy on a normal day if I'm being honest"
"Oh. . . .um. . .I am? Wow, that's" I lost control of my words as stumbled on every comprehensive phrase I tried to make.
"Awww someone's shy~" Ezra teased
"Will you stop it? I don't want to make a fool of myself" I said, muffling my words in my shoulder as I avoided her teasing gaze
"Okay, Okay calm down I'm just pulling you're leg. . . .or am I?"
"Ezra West!"
"Fine! I'll let you be, who would have thought Liam Hart would be so weak in the knees to a few compliments about his looks?" She said
"Well it's not every day I have a girl like you walk up to me and just bombard me with compliments"
"A girl like me?" She asked
"I mean that in terms of the way you always tease me"
". . . . . .Oh yeah! Haha! I can't help it can I?" She laughed, she then looked at me for a second before putting her hand over my shoulder, "How about to make up for my teasing I treat you to some dessert?"
"Dessert? In the afternoon?"
"Hey! I thought I took that stick out of your ass, come on there's no better time for a cold treat, especially in this weather" She said already dragging me by my sleeves.
I looked down at her attempt to drag me and smiled, i released myself from her grip and stood beside her, holding out my elbow
"Shall we?"
". . . . .Yeah I'm not doing that"
"What happened to not having a stick up your ass?"
"Oooh using my own tricks against me i see, you've bested me and for that i must submit" She said, she quickly linked her elbow in mine as she cheerily led me to the dessert cafe, our elbows entwined the whole way there.