His Empress

3

Izeiah's Pov

"Ivan, I didn't take you for a baker." I stated as I lowered my eyes and faced the table full of apples again. I swallowed the words that wanted to escape my mouth for last year have taught me to listen more to what my head says, not the beating organ that reflects my deepest truths and fiercest desires.

Damn, I could be a poet.

"I wasn't.. until an hour ago atleast." He replied and picked up the green apples. I watched in confusion as I quickly turned my head towards the apple I'm holding, which was red in colour. One so vibrant, it mirrors the blood flowing in my vessels. It certainly wasn't green as the one he chose. I squinted and watched him through the slit of my eyes; he who was carefully choosing the green apples, which to me were identical down to its stem, didn't bother to turn his head again nor give an explanation.

"Ivan, you told me that red apples were the sweetest. Why are you picking up the green apples instead?" I furrowed my eyebrows as I questioned him. He chuckled as he tossed another one of those apples into his tray.

"Not everyone likes the same thing." he muttered. Ivan picked up one last apple before taking his leave. I looked at my pile of red apples. I pouted and puffed up my cheeks as I gazed at the apples suspiciously. 3 seconds passed and I finally decided.

Because I will always like the same thing—
no doubt about it.

---

"There is something different about this apple pie.... I can't explain it. Mmmh.." I commented as I took another bite while protecting the pie from the hungry wolves surrounding me and gazing in hatred. Before these wolves can even ask for a bite, Green arrived.

"Who was your baking partner?"

"Carter... no one told me his full name." I sadly answered as the prospects of seeking him out for baked goods during out of school hours, died.

"Ohh, do you mean Carter Wales? His family has a chain of bakeries. Naturally, as son of a baker, his baking skills should be better than average if not excellent." My ears pricked up at the mention of bakeries. Bakeries = Food = Chain = Resources = Unlimited Sweets

The math is simple if you keep it simple ;)

Now, who said x can't find his y?!?

"Anyways, I'm here to deliver news from Hina. She reported that someone has set their sights on the clan." He announced. Green nodded at Blue who stood up immediately and left. No one was surprised by his reaction knowing that Blue leads a lot of gangs and was primarily the one who arranges missions and identifies threats against the clan. He is paid handsomely on top of that too hence why most of us suspect that he must be the richest out of the group, which was also a major reason why we often hang at his place and why we like getting gifts from him. He's very generous.

On the other hand, Green is just like the rest of us. We are given most of the dangerous missions that are needed to be executed for the benefit of the clan. Sometimes we are dispatched in groups, trios, duos, or alone. I prefer going to missions alone as it makes things easier. Considering the significant risks associated with our missions, we are also paid quite good. The pay for one of our missions, even divided between several people, is enough to live luxuriously for a few months.

Consequently, as soon as Blue left, some of the wolves stood up and followed him. There's a high probability that they're interested in the sudden news as dealing with heavy threats directed towards the clan receives the highest payment. Some of them must have ran out of spending money as instead of wolves, they now resemble hyenas that haven't eaten for awhile. I'm currently leading a mission, so I decided not to partake in the fight.