Viena and the Black Mirror

[ 16 ] - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐄𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐡

      Her skin was like gold, shimmering a bronze-ish almond hue with flecks of treasure scattered across her body like freckles. When her honey eyes squinted with mirth and her dark curls bounced as she laughed, he knew she was the most beautiful woman Edric ever laid eyes on.

The solstice festival was a twice a year occasion, this one being in June, yet never in his life had he seen her attend the solstice ball. It was like he would lose a piece of himself if he didn't find the opportunity to talk to her, let alone ask her to dance.

"You've been staring at that woman for eons. Go speak to her, why don't you," Ethan spoke up. The helm he wore covered his amused expression.

Ethan Hart is Edric's personal guard. He followed him around everywhere and always stood by his side like an imposing giant. It's unfortunate for Edric how much taller Ethan was despite being the same age.

When Edric reached the age of fourteen, his parents assigned him a nameless personal guard, per their request. He loathed every second. Disappearing from the armored woman became a game to him, to see how long he could avoid her without getting caught. Ethan never joined him in these games, and Edric found they were spending less and less time with each other.

It was another day of escaping his guard, and she was becoming more exasperated as the days went by. The plan was to get her to quit, to give up on trying to follow him. But that ended up becoming the issue. No one was there when Edric wandered too far into the village. No one was there when a group of rugged boys decided he would be their next victim.

When he came back to the castle bloody and bruised, his parents were furious. They would have forced him into his room for months if Ethan hadn't stepped in to be his guard. He trained for months on end just to get accepted into the position at such a young age.

Edric was incredibly grateful to Ethan. However, it did not mean he would listen to everything he said.

Every time he even thought about going to speak to the golden woman, he felt sick with anxiety. Throwing up at the solstice ball was not something he planned on doing.

Edric huffed. "I'm not sure I should, Captain." He returned his eyes to where she stood, joking with a friend she hadn't left the side of.

Ethan jabbed his shoulder. The rough metal dug harshly against the unprotected material of his wine colored robes. Ethan laughed as Edric whined.

"I'm not the captain yet, you child."

Edric folded his arms over his chest, allowing the silver circlet to dip above his eyebrows. "I am not in any way, shape or form, childish."

"Oh yeah? Where are your muscles? You're as scrawny as you were when you were ten." He poked Edric's bony arm hidden beneath his long cape sleeves.

"I'm just not a masochist who trains every day for eight hours. You know, like a psycho." He held his head up, pointing his nose like a typical snob.

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Is that supposed to be insulting?"

"Interpret it however you like, Ethan."

Ethan threw his head back in exasperation, rolling his shoulders as he readjusted his hold on the sharpened halberd.

"Would it calm your nerves if I went with you? There are two ladies down there, after all. It'd be rude to take one friend from the other if you do end up asking her to dance."

Edric gaped in suspicion. "Is this your way of saying you fancy the other girl?"

Ethan choked, covering his mouth as he coughed. This drew the attention of a few other guards who stood stationed around the ballroom. "I don't know! I just don't want you to be rude by accident."