Potions, Power and Pain

Chapter 21

Whenever Reena felt sad, or mad, there was one thing that always made her happy: shopping.

She believed that it was important to always find the best in every situation, and when it came to her parent's death, the only good thing she could think of was the considerably large inheritance she had received and now had access to.

She did not go shopping regularly, therefore when she did, she went all out. Reena ordered a carriage to come pick her up and drop her in the main shopping district of the Earthly Kingdom. It was centred around a massive combination of a statue and fountain of the old Queen Akiva and sprawled out from there. Any and every kind of store you could imagine existed in the shopping district. Nearly every building in the entire Earthly Kingdom was covered with some kind of vine, flower or moss which made the architecture all that more exquisite.

Reena spent hours in the perfumery, testing out every scent and buying a few of her favourites. She proceeded to head to the makeup store and stocked up on her most-liked products as well as buying newly released ones. She treated herself to expensive dresses and robes, with intricate designs and details, ornate sleeves, gorgeous embroidery, and shiny embellishments. She bought herself rich and luscious fabrics which she deposited at her preferred tailor to custom order even more gowns. Naturally, she stopped by her jeweller and picked out numerous necklaces, rings, bracelets, and earrings. Last but not least she visited the bookstore, which she browsed for hours and selected a few new reads.

Reena had spent so long in the bookstore that once she stepped outside, she realised that it had begun to rain. Not wanting her new purchases to get ruined, she quickly ran to a nearby restaurant. It looked awfully packed, but surely there must have been a small table for her to sit down at.

She approached one of the faeries by the reception, but before she was even able to utter a word he explained "We are full, there is not a single free table. I am afraid you will either have to leave or wait in line." He pointed to the corner near the door, where five other faeries were already waiting.

"Are you sure? I am alone, so it would just a table for one, is there really nowhere I could just sit down?" Reena pleaded.

"No. I have already told you there is no-" the faery stopped in the middle of his sentence, now gawking at whomever was currently standing behind Reena.

She felt someone stand close behind her, and a hand touch her lower back. "Actually, she is with me," a familiar voice drawled, "So I trust that you have an extra special table for us."

"Uhm, yes. Of course. Absolutely," the waiter stammered, "It is such an honour to meet you, Your Royal Highness Prince Rowan. I will find you a table right this second."

Reena abruptly turned around, forcing Rowan to remove his hand from where it had rested on her lower back. "What do you think you are doing?" She demanded. They were standing so close that his tall body towered over her, and she could vividly see his mesmerising green and grey eyes. His dark hair was soaked from the rain, yet that somehow made him even more attractive.

"I am helping you, saving you from the rain," Rowan said with a cocky grin.

"Once again, I did not ask for your help." Reena countered.

"But once again you need it. So please just stop being stubborn again."

"I am not being stubborn."

"I don't know, that kind of sounds like something a stubborn person would say," Rowan continued, his smile only growing.

At that moment the waiter appeared again. "Your table is ready now." He said ushering them to a private dining room at the very back of the restaurant. The faeries who had been waiting in the corner muttered in protest, but immediately stopped once they realised who the room was being given to.

Before Reena could object, Rowan swooped down and stole all of the shopping bags from her hands, as he winked at her. For some odd reason, that sent butterflies straight to Reena's stomach.