ALL NOVEL Chapter 6 – a young maiden finding love (2)
{Freya Pov}
“I was not always like… this, you know?” they gestured to themselves.
I straightened my back and took a deep breath that smelt of seriousness.
They continued “my kind needs to ‘awaken’ to become one of us, it can happen at birth or later in life. But something interesting about us is that we are unique, both as a whole and as individuals, but we are a peculiar race, you probably will not find two identical ones among us, even if they are related, so, if you were not born awakened it is likely that you will awaken later, if you get lucky or work hard.”
They took a sip “Me for example, I was completely normal, born to normal human parents, a average human without extraordinary abilities, then, I awakened and was dropped here by I do not know who, and I doubt I can go back to being human”
My eyes widened “so anyone can become one of your kind!? and why are you being so…open?”
Scarlet “no? Not anyone, but it can happen if another one of my kind wants it, like adoption, or if you work hard enough, but as I said, we are rare, quite rare, and I kinda explained it badly, it is more complicated than just ‘ bam, you became one of us’. i am being open about this because i find it appropriate, i probably would not do it if it was another person. But enough about me, what about you?”
I was taken by surprise “what do you mean me?” i noticed their sneaky attempt to change subjects but we will come back to it later
They took a sip and casually said “it is common for people to have fire hair? Glowing heads? Have their chest glows like they are about to spit fire? I am not from the region, as I said, so everything is new to me”
I touched my warm chest, looked down and it really was glowing! I seen it happen to mom a few times but I am not sure why it happened.
“Well, it's because my mom is a fire elemental and my dad is a light elemental, and I am both, we are not that rare, but not that common either, it's common for elementals or mages to have certain characteristics such as metal or rock scales, hair made of water or fire, extra parts made of wind like tails or horns etc”
‘if they don't know anything from the region, I can teach things to them, and get to know each other while doing it, maybe go on a date or two with a excuse of showing them around, sounds like a good idea, and there is that dinner next week too, they seem to be friends with aunt Ma, they can come too, get to know the family and all that shit, fufufu I am a genius’ i felt my heart beating slowly but strong followed by warmth from the idea of doing it, but i could feel it was coming from me, and i don’t understand why.
as i looked at them I could feel them smiling for some reason.
But they suddenly brought their hands together and silk started to come from their fingers, quickly forming a tall stool they handed to me saying “sit, to rest your legs” I didn't even have time to process what happened.
I took the stool while trying to understand what they did and sat on it, but they again handed another thing to me interrupting my thoughts, a bag that smelled like fresh cupcakes, that thing was the size of my head.
They said as they gave it to me “you must be hungry, eat some, I sliced it into smaller pieces and the paper is edible”
I was unsure on how to feel, like, what kind of being of pure chaos and evil bakes a nice warm cupcake for you and delivers it with a smile full of warmth? they can’t be bad if they do this, right?
I was hungry, so I opened the bag and took a slice of cupcake before i ate it in a single bite, it essentially melted in my mouth but that thing is damn good! Like really good.
But despite me trying to not do a embarrassing display I must have made a stupid face because they said “I appreciate that you liked it, they are my first attempt at ###### cupcakes” again with their alien words, I am not even sure it is a language as it feels, I don't mean sound, I really mean feel like nonsense, like if nonsense was a language and they were fluent in it, but it at least keeps things interesting, they are nonsensical but still nice to the ear somehow, like a music you don’t understand but still enjoys.
I couldn't help but take more slices and eat it, the which they watched while emanating warm emotions, I couldn't pinpoint what exactly, just that it was positive and warm.
They suddenly said “I can give you more cupcakes, if you want more, or for your friends and family, so do not be modest, I made quite a few”
I simply nodded with a mouth full of cupcake, but I gulped it down “sorry, elementals, specially light or fire ones eat more than normal, so I probably will take one or two for my family… okey maybe four or five” they only responded with a warm “I see” I could feel they were thinking silly things like “i will spoil my partner like no tomorrow, i will win them through their stomach!” but i didn’t call them out on that.
Remembering the dinner next week I asked “if I am not mistaken you became friends with Ma’am, what's your opinion on her? and her oldest pups?”
They tapped their chin “my opinion on them? Well, I never expected to see real ##### people, but they are definitely cute, specially the children, Koma did not talk but had a lot to say, Mako is quite curious about things, Ta’nya likes to act like what they think an adult is, which is cute, and Lala only thought about the cupcakes, she seemed more round than her siblings though, they all seemed nice”
i was getting more and more curious about these nonsensical words so i asked “you keep saying nonsensical words from time to time, like ‘real ‘‘nonsense’’ people’, what does it mean this time?”
they shrugged “i am speaking normally, but in that case i said real ##### people, ##### is the animal, the quadruped half canine half feline animal, that likes to laugh with a ‘hiehiehie’”
i hummed “i think you are referring to Hayans?” they just shrugged again “probably?”
as i looked at them my eyes landed on the book on the counter and i couldn’t help but take a double take.
i pointed to the book “do you like this…kind of ‘book’?”
they looked at it “i like reading, but history books in particular? not exactly”
my brain froze trying to process what they said “history book? that… its not, a history book, well, the people in it did exist, but it is not a history book”
they smiled asking with innocence and curiosity “how is that the case?”
fuck! i was not expecting to have to explain this kind of stuff, i started feeling heat on my cheeks like i was about to spit fire, and I badly wanted to melt into a pool of lava right about now, they asked with an innocent and hard to refuse way, i need to explain it..
i coughed in my hand and scratched the back of my head and with some reluctance i said “it’s a… ‘spicy’ book, like really ‘spicy’, it is actually fanfiction about a real royal couple”
Do they think I am weird for knowing it? They think I am a indecent woman?
i looked at them to see their reaction but it was not what i was expecting.
their reaction was not to cough, ask about what i meant, or stutter like an innocent young maiden.
instead, their horns uncoiled like live snakes and wrapped around their head with the tips moving to the back of their head and pointing up, forming a horn crown, revealing their triangular ears that were a deeper shade of black(blushing perhaps?), i kept staring, maybe a bit too much and too intensely, but i noticed i might seem like a pervert as i noticed their ears getting darker so i looked away and fixed my hair, but still, its interesting right? does that happen every time they get embarrassed? or are they doing it on purpose like scratching your cheek or crossing your arms? And how is that fair? I am all embarrassed but they just do a horn thingy and blush(maybe) cutely? How is that fair
the fog on their face trembled a bit but didn’t reveal their face, they then took a sip of tea speaking as if nothing happened, with a casual and playful tone “that explains the weird looks the merchant and his customers were giving me, i only bought random books with interesting titles, like ‘the slime and the maiden’ that i am assuming is about a maiden that tames a slime, ‘demon maidens 101’ which i am assuming is some biology book on demons and a few others, but as the people kept giving me suspicious glances i have a vague idea as to why”
i choked on my tea and it spilled through my nose.
“yeah… about them… they are all… ‘spicy’ books, i will come tomorrow and give you a few real history books, some about fantasy stories, maybe some less.. ‘spicy’ romances”
Fuck! I just exposed myself didn't I? How do I explain how I know them?
And again, why are they not acting like they were caught with an armful of erotic books? They are far too calm about it!
scarlet acted like a puppy when you say ‘park’ or ‘treat’ but spoke calmly “that seems like a good idea”
I fidgeted on my seat a bit before i said “say, what do you think about me teaching you about common things? showing you around? like the best restaurants and shops, get you to know the city.”
they answered with a teasing tone and i could feel them wiggling their eyebrows “i would appreciate it, quite a bit~” I am seeing that they will tease me quite a bit, if they keep doing it I might have a heart attack as my heart keeps doing somersaults.
i need to concentrate, to not make a stupid move or say something by accident, concentration now!
“and… we will have dinner at my house next week, Ma’am and her family will come, and my parents and brother will be there too. Do you… want to come too? they would be delighted… i am inviting you so you can meet the locals, know a bit about culture and all that sh-stuff”
i waited their answers, but i asked myself “i am going too fast?” “will they refuse or something is forcing them to accept?”
strangely enough they didn’t seem surprised, they just smiled and emitted more positive and warm emotions before saying “if you guys are okay with it then please come pick me up next week, i would love to go”
“are you sure?” they said “yes”
I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding in, then a silence came over us, a comfortable one.
We just drank tea and I ate cupcakes for a few minutes, they seemed to be distracted and focused on something, it was all written on their face that it was silly things, obviously.
But as the silence stretches on I noticed a sound coming from the plaza.
I looked outside the shop and it was raining, I don't even know when it started, but the silence, the warm tea and delicious cupcakes was relaxing and comfortable, a little too comfortable in fact.
I came here for answers, and I won't leave without some.
I gathered some courage, it was hard and my palms started to get sweaty but after opening my mouth to speak but not say anything a few times the words finally came out of my mouth, I needed to be blunt and straight to the point.
“So, we talked quite a bit… what do you think of…this… we being each other's missing whole, being THE one for each other and all that? Do you feel something? Want to have a billion babies? Maybe… do you feel this will happen and work out? So you feel forced to do it?”
Until now they didn't touch the cupcakes, and this time was no different, they were simply drinking tea, so as they took a sip they answered my question with a quite casual and somewhat amused tone.
“i want to make a few things clear, I did feel some things, hints to be exact, like the hint when we first met and when you entered earlier, but outside that? I felt no other outside force, I would have known with the various senses and instincts I have, so there is no foul play.” they gave a pause for me to process it.
“i do feel certain… things, towards you, but they come from what I am, not some other force or factor, as I said, if something were influencing me then it would be able influence all beings on this planet at once and do anything, but I detected no suspicious things, even the hints I received did not touch me, I just felt something tried to give them to me, and I felt no suspicious things on you either, so I am certain that there is something happy to see us together, but it is not trying to for us, if we do not get together it is okay, a little bad but still okay, and if we get together, good”
I relaxed on my seat a little, very considerative of them, but they continued, seeing I was following along “if it happens it happens, it will work out as based on what I saw until now you are exactly my type, and you seem to be comfortable with the idea too” was I? Am I getting too comfortable with them? When it started?
I felt my chest and cheeks hearing up but I managed to throw a joke “your type? What that would be exactly?”
“I did not know until today, but once I saw you I knew you were ‘my type’” they are strangely smooth sometimes.
“So what? You find me attractive, so what? There are many beautiful people around”
They poured more tea to themselves “that is not what I said, remember when I said I have various senses and instincts?”
I nodded “ I can ‘see’ and ‘sense’ far beyond physical appearance, and I liked what I saw” why are they this sharp at random times!
They continued with a voice that was almost melting me on my seat “what I think about finding my other half? The one? I could not be more happy, remember when I said my kind lives outside universes or come from other universes?”
I nodded thinking where they might take this.
“Do you have any idea how lucky you have to be to find your soulmate between an entire world of people, between various galaxies, among an entire universe, between uncountable universes? You literally have to find a person in the middle of infinite others.You have to be quite lucky to find them. so if you were in my shoes, would you let that opportunity go without a fight?”
If they put it like that… but the enormity of it finally hit me like a dragon; out of infinite worlds, infinite universes, among all conceivable kinds of people they chose me? I admit, I felt some pride and like my luck increased 1000 fold.
I said “we can take it slowly, we have plenty of time”
They said calmly “yes, I will live for some time and the average person I saw are a few thousand years old, we have plenty of time indeed”