All my fantasies of a scarred war hero or a burned face was shattered.
To describe his face in one word it would be: Ethereal.
Perhaps even that word would be an understatement to his beauty.
His eyes, which had the color of clouds on a stormy weather, showed nothing but tenderness of a sunny sky. Silver hair that shimmers like the moonlight and bronze skin.
He had the face even gods envy, one that causes empires to fall.
If it wasn't for the fact that Azriel had navy blue hair and Len had silver, I would have thought he's the male lead.
Is it even possible for a nameless character to be so handsome? I doubt that Azriel could fight his beauty!
"Ah! My son!"
A lady in her mid-thirties approached us. Len was about to pull his hood up when I grabbed his hand and stopped him, my eyes glued to his face as I try to engrave his face on my mind.
I heard the boy cry and his mother's hand searching the boy for any injuries, hurriedly and full of worry. Seeing that the boy had none, she hugged him tightly. "Oh, dear."
I turned to look at the boy's mother, my hand still gripping on Len's wrist.
She stood up, bowing her head and thanking fervently. We exchanged a few words, and she walked away, stealing a few peeks at Len as she did.
"Sienna...?" He looked at me with a mixture of amusement and confusion. Len's eyes glazed over the people around us. They all had a burning gaze, mine included.
"Everyone's staring."
"Let them."
It's not every day that they can see the goddess' masterpiece!
Len let out a 'huh' with his eyes bent and his lips curled up.
I feel faint.
If the goddess ever decides to kill me on this spot, I don't think I would resent her.
"Be careful." Len said as he caught me stumbling backwards. "I knew it. I'm sorry." I didn't know what he was talking about until he put his hood back on.
I glared at the stupid hood that doesn't follow the laws of physics.
We rolled over a slope, and he rides Jaya moderately fast, yet his hood doesn't come off. But now, he saves me from dying for the second time and it falls off?!
It ain't even windy!
Make it make sense, goddamn.
"Stop joking." My hands reached out to his cloak, untying it.
"Huh- Sienna-"
I yanked the cloak off of him, revealing a dumbfounded Len. He wore a white shirt that tightly hugged his muscles and fitted black pants.
"Sienna, they'll get scared."
SCARED?!
WHAT DO YOU MEAN SCARED?!
"Len, really, I really, really like you, but stop. Are you joking or do you genuinely think that your face is scary?"
"...Joking?"
Oh my god he genuinely believes his face is scary.
"Your looks can kill thousands of men!"
Len blinked, "I know."
"Not in that way! I mean, they look at you and think to themselves 'why was I not born like him', wallow in resentment and kill themselves! That kind!"
Len continued to look at me with confusion, so I turned my head to a stranger who was busy looking at him. "Right?!?!"
"Ah- Ye-yes..."
"You heard that?"
"Sienna..." Len covered his face with his hand. I could see a tinge of pink on his cheeks.
...
Who told him that he was scary in the first place?!
"Anyways... Don't wear your cloak. It's annoying not to see people's expression."
"...Hmm. I understand." He took the cloak from my hand. "I'll carry it."
The air between us suddenly became awkward. In the spur of a moment, I blurted, "I want to eat."
Len smiled. "Alright."
We visited the food stalls one by one.
Critiquing its taste and rating it, fully eliminating the awkwardness from earlier.
After eating until our stomachs were stuffed, we decided to check the other specialty stalls.
As expected of Miyerko, they had a lot of products made from seashells and pearls.
However, since it was products sold in small stalls and not renowned jewelry stores, most of them were not high-grade pearls, lacking luster and had blemishes. There were some that could be considered B grade pearls which were the ones I bought at a reasonable low price.
I bought six woven bracelets with seashells on them in varying colors, each one for Len's friends... co-workers? I guess?
I also bought some safety charms made with seashells for the children.
Now that I think about it, I should buy one for Kia too.
I chose a beaded pearl bracelet for her. "I'll get these." I handed her seven of the bracelets which she happily packed in a paper bag.
Two stalls away, there was a middle-aged woman selling rings and earrings.
The shining rings reminded me of someone: Blondie.
Blondie seemed to love rings. He wore two rings on his right finger, one on his left, and once, I caught a glimpse of a ring hanging from his necklace.
...I should buy one for him as an apology.
I got closer and picked a simple, chic ring.
The band was thick and had engravings, it holds a pearl that had a yellow shimmer.
I handed the ring to the old woman when an earring caught my eyes.
Dangling earrings that had a small round, pink gem and long, drop amethyst.
It would suit Len.
I hadn't bought a gift for Len because I wanted his to be somewhat special just like what he is to me.
He is my first friend in this world, after all.
My hand was about to reach out to the earring when I realized that I haven't checked if Len had his ears pierced.
I subtly gazed at his ears to see, my hands hovering over the earrings. Unfortunately, he had none.
"You have nice eyes, young lady!" Sensing my interest, the old woman put her 'saleswoman' hats on. "That one is specially crafted. The pink gem, albeit tiny, is authentic Vesari, straight from Yuin!"
Vesari is a special gem in Rosenlite. Most people hold the belief that because it only grows in Yuin and even has the same color as the eyes of the noble and holy Verena, it has healing properties.
I smiled at her, "I'll just get the ring-"
Before I could continue, I saw Len taking the earring. I glanced at him, wondering what he was thinking, when he suddenly took the earring to his right earlobe, piercing it.
!!!
"Len!"
My eyes widened in shock, meanwhile, Len didn't even wince in pain, in fact there was no change in his expression. Not even a tiny bit.
What the fuck?!
Oh my god!
"Are you okay?!"
I must have forgotten that I hated blood, because, right at that moment, I reached out to him with trembling hands.
"Does it hurt?" I gulped as I asked, tiptoeing to get a better view.
"No." Len bent his knees to somehow reach my eye level.
I touched his earlobes and examined it.
Luckily, there wasn't any blood. I sighed in relief.
Actually, it wasn't only that there was no blood. There was no sign of a freshly pierced earlobes, as if it had been pierced a long time already.
But I clearly saw it.
His earlobes were not pierced.
"Does it suit me?"
"Y-Yeah... Purple suits you."
The earrings gave Len a touch of playfulness to his otherwise, godly and icy appearance. Once again, my vision is never wrong when it comes to art, or maybe everything.
"Purple... huh..." I heard Len murmur to himself.
I shifted my head back to the old woman who was smiling at us with a weird smile. I pursed my lips and handed her the money. "I'll get both."
"Wait, Sienna, I'll pay for it." He said, intercepting my hand.
"What? It's a gift." I hurriedly gave the money to the old woman.
"But-"
Seeing that I had successfully paid for it, Len grimaced.
???
Wait, so not paying for things is more painful for you than piercing your ears?!
Len took out a whole pouch and forced my hand to hold it.
"That earring only costs half a silver coin! Take it back."
He took a step back. "I earn more money than you."
What does that have to do with anything?!
Unexpectedly, a distant tune began to sound and people, as if tranced, began walking to the source.
"Oh~ The flower dance must be starting soon."
Lightbulb moment!
I swiftly placed the pouch in Len's pocket and without waiting for any reaction, I grabbed his arm, dragging him. Reaching the place where people had gathered to dance, I turned to face Len. I placed his right hand on my waist.
"You're a knight, so, surely you can dance, right?" I asked, my eyes brimming with cheekiness.
Len could only laugh, taking my hand in his.
We followed the people's lead in dancing. As we danced, flower petal began to get thrown in the air by the children.
"Dancing is not a requirement to be knight."
"Oh, I wouldn't know. You're amazing at this."
"I've been dancing since I was a child so I would hope that I am."
Len took my hand and raised it; I twirled and placed my right hand back on his shoulder.
"So, we have an expert?"
He smirked. "Isn't the expert you?"
I laughed and he did so as well.
As we danced, the earring swayed along, glistening under the sun. The lively yet gentle tune paired with the falling flower petal and Len's tender eyes made it feel like I was watching a movie.
I wish it was so I could pause and engrave the scene in my mind to paint later.
At the same time, I'm glad that it isn't a movie, because that eyes, that sweet and soft eyes are directed at me.
To be continued.