stormy weather (dreamnotfound)

chapter 4 - relief

When I turned around, I immediately stopped talking and slapped my hand over my mouth. The same man who sat beside Fiona yesterday, was leaning against the corner of the building, hands in his leather pockets. He showed no reaction, simply glared at me blankly like I wasn't there.

I shakily took a few steps towards him. "Hi," I breathed.

He didn't reply, instead continued to stare right through me. I shifted awkwardly under his olive gaze. If looks could kill, I'd be dead right now.

"Can I help you?" he said finally, shifting so his back was against the stone wall.

"Uh, no, I was just leaving." I muttered, pointing towards the gate.

He crossed his arms. "Alright, go ahead."

I nodded and pushed my chin down to my neck, locking my gaze on the ground as I started to walk away. By the time I reached the stairs, the smell of smoke shocked my nose and I whipped back around, thinking the palace was on fire or something absurd.

Instead, I was met with the same sight I left with, except this time he was holding a lighter, pulling a cigarette up to his lips as he breathed out a poisonous cloud. His face instantly relaxed and he leaned farther against the wall. The leather jacket he wore flowed softly in the unexpected gust of wind, and he held the cigarette in-between his lips and flipped his collar up. His cold stare was locked on the bushes that laid in front of him, completely unaware of my existence.

I drew in a sharp breath and stomped back over to him, about to tell him that it was bad for him, but the wrong words came out.

"Can I have one?"

He slightly jumped at my words, more shocked from the question than my presence. I stood with my hand on my hip, holding my other hand out, sudden adrenaline shooting through my limbs.

"You don't seem like the type to smoke," he muttered, flicking the end off of his cigarette in the other direction.

"I don't, I just- need one." My words jumbled together, my mouth moving faster than my brain could stop it. He shrugged, pulling the packet out from his pocket and tossing the lighter to me. I barely caught it, fumbling around with it in my hands, and an amused smile started to tug at his lips.

He handed me one and I lit it, my entire mentality screaming at me to put it down. The voices in my head started to fight against each other, the angel on my shoulder attempting to convince me to listen. My whole life my parents always warned me about things like this, saying 'a prince should never get involved in such complications'. I interally rolled my eyes as I recalled their lectures, and I tried to control my trembling hand as I brought it up to my mouth.

-

The sun was hidden behind scattered clouds as it set, leaving dusty streaks on the sky. A cool spring breeze drifted through my hair, sending pieces flying around and messing with my usual formal appearance. The crown on my head started to slip as I relaxed my posture, giving up on my usual maintained stance. I lost track of time a long time ago, feeling like it had been minutes but maybe it had been hours. No words had been said, no glances had been exchanged, we had solely stood in silence, leaning against the walls of the somber manor.

He had sat down a while ago, one leg stretched out on the concrete, the other holding a fresh cigarette between his fingers. I was standing with both hands in my pockets, watching the shadows come to life in the forest that lay in front of the castle. He shuffled next to me and stood up, dusting off his jacket and leaning against the wall again. He tapped the cigarette on his chin in thought, and I raised an eyebrow in an attempt to get him to talk.