Maidenhood

Date 5: Octavian

I spent the rest of the day catatonic.

I was so upset by the way I had been tricked into a date. What if he had asked me something more dangerous? Or something more risked for me and my health?! I scolded myself, needing to think before engage my mouth or my limbs into actions. Of course, crying now would not solve anything and I will not give him the opportunity to that bastard to call me 'coward'.

So, I decided to sabotage this date.

The part of my brain that played fair was against it. The other part, wasn't. The only thing that both sides decided was that I should dress up nicely, as he did asked that of me and it was very little about it. Crap, I'm trapped.

~oOo~

The next morning, I woke up feeling anxious.

I dressed up nicely, with the dress of my bad date with Apollo. I was hoping that the bad luck of the dress will help me once more and save me from the embarrassment. I went out to have breakfast, when I saw who I wanted to avoid standing there, at the entrance of my cave, with a basket on his hand and a nervous smile.

"Good morning, Miss Dare. Care to join me?" Octavian offered me his forearm to grab. I looked at it for a second before relenting and grabbing it. "Don't worry, we will skip the pavilion and directly to the beach..." Apparently, my wariness and apprehension was very easy to read. I followed him until he chose a stop and pulled out a blanket onto the sand.

"Thank you." I thanked him, sitting down. He kept pulling things out if the basket, but I wasn't paying too much attention. Very rude of me.

"Would you like jam or marmalade?" His question made me look at his direction, only to see he had pulled out my favorite breakfast out of there: toasts with either jam or marmalade, along with green tea and a small bowl of fruit. I couldn't help but to stare at him.

"M-mermelade..." I whispered and I saw him, humming to himself, while spreading orange marmalade on top of a toast. "How- how did you know these were my favorites?" I stuttered, completely surprised while he handed the toast to me.

"One of the best things of being left alone is that you pay attention." I blushed a little by that, before biting the toast. It was really good. "However, that's not good to know fully a person, but the habits of said person."

"So, you think you had me figured out by watching my eating habits?" I asked, frowning. I didn't know if that was good or not. He simply smiled and nodded. "I'll judge that!" I announced, giving him the opportunity of showing it. I saw him taking a deep breath and start talking.

"You like healthy food, because you fight for the nature. Your protests are known by everyone here. But you don't like to waste food and you eat all of it even if you're full because you don't wanna be called 'spoiled' or 'ungrateful'. You rather eat surrounded by people than alone, which tells me you're either always alone or you're a social people, I'm inclined towards the first. You also like to eat meat and hate missing a meal because you don't wanna be called 'air-headed Barbie'. How am I doing so far?"

To say my mouth was truly and well hang would be the truth.

I blinked a couple of times to shake the surprise from me and looked at him. He was eating a croissant, still looking at me with a hint of worry. His hand was wrapped around a portable cup of coffee that was slightly hot. His clothes were a simple pair of jeans and a grey shirt.

"V-very accurate." I cleaned my throat, not willing to stutter again. He smiled and sipped his coffee, but I could see him relaxing. "May I try yours?"  I swear I could see him tense, but nodded at me, before I did my best try. "You're eating a croissant, something not a lot of people without culture will do, so that means you know the world or you want to travel it. The coffee in your hand tells me you crave social contact and warmness of people. Plus, it's a very common drink, so you desperately want to be one of the crowd, rather than who they see...?"

I could feel a smirk leaving my lips when he hung his mouth, half-croissant midway to his mouth.

"Very impressive, Rachel." He praised me, making me blush a little. "Guess your impression of the dumb rich girl is only to placate Daddy dear..." I scowled, but kept quiet. "Why are you still around that?"

"I'm still a minor, Octavian." I said, with emphasis on the word 'minor'. Something flashed in his eyes and a spark of enlightenment reached my brain. Octavian was nineteen and I was still sixteen. Not that age mattered- have you seen the way Apollo behaves and he's like eons old? -but something was making sense about his way of behaving. "Wow, I haven't thought of that..."

"Haven't thought of what?" He repeated, and I could see how he was pretending he didn't hear that last statement of mine.

"The way you see the world." I saw him frown his brows, in confusion. "Though I don't condone genocide, your point of view was from someone elder, not us..."

"Are you calling me an 'old man'?" He faked shock and that made me laugh. Part of me was glad that he was choosing that to focus on. "I resent that, Dare! I'm not old enough to- to- to drink! Ha! See?" I started to laugh louder, holding my sides in pain.

"You- you are closer than me!" I replied in pants, watching him pout. I decided to put all the questions on hold and enjoy this breakfast.

Who knows? Maybe it will be the last I'll have...

----

Hello, boys and girls!

Today's update has a bittersweet taste to me. I'll just jump to the important bits cause there are no news regarding my personal life and such, so the news about the stories it is!

Today, with both a heavy and ecstatic heart, I announce the ENDING (I wrote it in caps so there are no misunderstandings between us, but I'll say it again, ENDING) of THREE (again, THREE) of my stories. It is sad for me, but don't worry. I won't quit writing. Here's why:

1) I still have Sis/Bro! Your Shadow is Hot! and Quest: Matchmade to post and finish.

2) I have embarked myself in two collaborations (none of them will appear in my profile, sorry), so I'll be busy for a while.

3) If you keep looking down, I left you a link to my newest poll! So, please vote there (vote will only count from there or my poll in FanFiction, so please no comments about it)

h t t p s : / / docs. google. com / forms/d/1ADdVNJSUbqXV7HtTRIW1B1zc5ZshdTh_FySStiv4tGA

Anyway! Here are the chapters today!

Rise of Ouranos (ReWrite) (former collab with LordNitro): 3 chapters! These are the last chapters, so I first want to thank LordNitro for starting this story with me (hope it reached your expectations) and you all for sticking through this rewrite. THANK YOU!

Maidenhood (adopted from TheColorofBoom): 4 chapters! These are the last chapters as well, so I want to thank TheColorofBoom for letting me take over  (hope it reached your expectations) and you all for sticking through this rewrite. THANK YOU!

Sis/Bro! Your Shadow is Hot!: 1 chapter!

Masked Hearts (former collab with ReeReeWithAngst): 2 chapters! The last two chapters of this story and I want to thank ReeReeWithAngst for joining me in this collab and you for reading it. THANK YOU!

Quest: Matchmade (former collab with ReeReeWithAngst): 1 chapter!

ALSO! I'll be posting a late special chapter to my girl iamlillyherondale for her birthday. Happy birthday, sweetie! I hope you like it!

I'll just loaded with info, so have a nice weekend!
xoxo, SilverHuntresses