Love and War

9: Jonah

Jonah's POV:
I step off the carriage while Landon and Anastasia speak to Mr. Miller.

I look around at the small village before us. The houses were small and they had gardens next to them full of vegetables. Kids were playing in the mud and in the trees around us, their parents watching or chatting by their front porches.

I had never seen this place. It was so serene. They didn't seem to have much but it still felt nice being here. Even the weather, the sun was shining but it wasn't too hot. Now I saw why Maddox traveled and why he wanted out of that palace. It was suffocating and so large for no reason.

Here it may be small but they were all together. A family. Something I noticed I've never really had.

Well at least not a functional family.

A tap on my shoulder tore me away from my thoughts as I saw Landon motion for me to follow him. The carriage from before was already leaving so Anastasia lowered her hood once again a small smile on her lips.

We followed her towards the houses. The people all smiled at her, I guess she's been here before.

A young man with silver hair and a young woman with short auburn hair and a small pregnant belly came to greet us. They smiled happily and hugged Anastasia. She returned the embrace. "Anastasia. It's wonderful to see you again."

"Yes, it's great to see you too. Wow, Elise how far along are you?"

Elise the woman with auburn hair rubbed her belly. It was small she probably wasn't too far along. "About 3 months." She glanced at her husband and back to Anastasia. "It's triplets."

Anastasia raised her eyebrows and she smiled. "Congratulations. That's a lot of babies..."

They laughed. "Sure is. Well anyways let's get you guys settled in. Friends of yours?"

Friends is a bit too much...

Anastasia nodded without looking back at us and the woman led us to a small house.

It was nice and had a small couch. In the back a spacious kitchen and a small table to eat in front of that. To our right, there were 2 bedrooms, and to the left a bathroom.

I turned to the woman. "Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome. Anastasia will be staying with me so you 2 can get comfortable, if you need anything just holler."

The woman left and Anastasia stood there for a second before turning to me. "To your liking?"

I nodded. "It's nice, now leave so we could rest."

"Wow so rude. Maybe I should stay a bit longer." She said plopping down on the couch. She was clearly amused by the anger shown on my face. "You were so annoying on the carriage ride maybe I should return the favor."

Landon disappeared into his bedroom not wanting to spend any more time with either of us by the looks of it.

I was done with her.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She glared at me and scowled. I continued pushing her out despite her fighting me and slammed the door in her face. "I don't want to see you here again unless I call for you Mouse Girl, understood?"

I heard her stomp her feet and the door blew open.

I couldn't help the smirk that grew on my face when I saw the anger on hers. I knew Mouse Girl hit a nerve every time I said it but it's not my fault she looks like one.

"Do. Not. Call. Me. Mouse. Girl."

"Or what?"

In an instant, she pulled out her dagger and pointed it at my neck. The tip of it softly grazed it. I inhaled sharply and watched her smirk triumphantly.

But like I said I do not lose.

So I grabbed her wrist and before she could block me I turned her around and pointed the dagger at her neck. With her back to my chest and one of my arms around her body the other holding the knife and her wrist it was my turn to smile triumphantly.

She kept pushing and struggling against my hold but I wasn't letting go yet. "The more you struggle the worse it'll be darling."

She stopped. "You're a pain in my ass." She looked up at me her face mere inches away. "And don't call me darling."

"Oh, I don't think you're in any position to make demands."

A second passed and I just stared into those determined brown eyes.

I snaked my hand up her body to her neck and wrapped my hand around it squeezing only enough that it wouldn't hurt her. With my other hand, I threw the dagger across the room and wrapped it around her body keeping her in place. Her breathing picked up and her minty breath fanned my face. In this position, her face was forced upwards to look at mine. I licked my lips and her eyes flickered from my eyes to my lips and back.

The door swung open and an elderly woman walked inside. She glared at me and pulled Anastasia to her. I reluctantly let go.

"How dare you? This is Anastasia and she will be treated with respect in this village!" She started scolding me like a child and behind her was Anastasia who mimicked her every move. She did it from behind the woman so she wouldn't be spotted. I tried not to laugh because I didn't want to offend the woman any more than I probably already did. "I don't know who you think you are but you will not threaten her!"

Anastasia continued mimicking her until the end of her lecture. She stifled her giggles with the back of her hand.

"I am very sorry ma'am. This will not happen again."

She turned to Anastasia who straightened up like a soldier. "Hi, grandma."

Oh, so this was her grandmother.

"Anastasia. I know you well enough that I know this man must've been reacting to something you said or did."

Now it was my turn to mimic the woman and tease Anastasia. The woman lectured her on controlling her attitude and impulses while Anastasia glared at me a couple of times. I recognized that look enough to know that what I was doing was bothering her.

Perfect.

The woman smiled and sighed. "I hope this doesn't happen again. Anyways, come with me, Anna. You and your friend have to get ready for the festival later tonight." She said to me. I nodded and they left. But not before Anastasia sent me a vulgar gesture from behind her back.

I laughed and shut the door.

***
"If you don't want to go you aren't needed. Landon and I will have fun on our own." Anastasia said linking her arm with Landon's who just smiled at her.

"Landon can't dance so I don't know what fun you are going to have with him."

"Yeah, I have two left feet."

"That doesn't matter. Nobody said there were rules for dancing." She told him. She leaned in to whisper something in his ear and they glanced at me and burst into laughter.

Huh. Gossiping about me too.

I rolled my eyes and stood up from the couch. "You know what maybe I will go." She gave me a bewildered look.

I know my presence at the festival will bother her so I'll go.

"So indecisive," Landon mumbled. Anastasia and him laughed making me roll my eyes. "I guess that's why he pays me to make most of his decisions."

Anastasia laughed and I glared at him. "I advise you to shut up if you want me to keep paying you." He was getting too comfortable.

He nodded and shut up. I turned to Anastasia. "See you at the festival sweetheart."

She huffed at the nickname and stomped out of the house. Landon laughed through his nose and gave me a knowing look.

"What?"

"Nothing." He simply said with a little smile.

***