SMITTEN

I'm sorry, it took me a while to update this. Something came up and it ruined my writing schedule. :( I'll be trying to update as much as I can this November. But I'll be more consistent once December sets in. Thank you all for the support for me and all the characters of Smitten! I'm loving the story as the chapters go on. I hope you do, too! Keep safe and love lots everyone! :* :* :*

**************************************

"That's impossible! He could not be interested in me," Rosalia shook her head vigorously in denial as she let out a self-depreciating laugh. 

She and Lady Aisha were strolling down the Castle's open fields the next morning because she was looking for something to do. 

That day is the day of the week when merchants from outside the Castle could come in to sell their goods. 

They were just talking about some things when Lady Aisha asked her what she would feel if Lord Emilio proposed to her. 

Lord Emilio has been in the Castle way longer than she was. She admitted that she had a crush on him when she first stepped foot in the Castle. But he was always aloof and sometimes scolded her when she even made a small mistake. 

She even thought that he's gay since he doesn't have a fiancé or a rumored woman.

She immediately went to a nearby booth to check on  just to deviate from the topic. 

"I'm just asking, what if?" Lady Aisha chuckled as she went to her side and continued to tease her. 

She even coiled her arms around her and lie on her shoulder, making her feel uncomfortable.

They were both outside, wearing an ordinary looking gown and cloak, so they could blend in well. 

True enough, nobody noticed that she was with the King's new wife. 

"It's very unlikely. But Lord Emilio's not bad. If only he would try to smile a little often," she thought out loud. 

Just then, someone spoke from behind her and spoke to her, "How frequently?"

Rosalia's eyes widened in response. She immediately turned back to see who it was. To her horror, he was the person whom they are talking about.

"Lord Emilio!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "What are you doing here, my lord?"

As far as she knew, he and the King were supposed to go to a nearby village as their agenda for today. 

He never left the King's side unless necessary. 'Has he heard about what I just said?'

She was about to make up an excuse, so they could leave immediately, when Lady Aisha spoke up.

"I will just check out something over there for the King," she pointed to a nearby cart.

Then she added, "You can both stay here. I don't mind. Lord Emilio's swordsman could be with me. Rosalia hasn't made a choice about what to buy yet."

Then she immediately went off, singing and hopping as if something good happened, "La la la la la."

Rosalia gulped as she felt a drop of sweat fall from her forehead. She knew it was not because it was hot at that time of the day, since there were clouds that were covering the sun, giving them a cool shade.

Now it was only her and Lord Emilio. She bit her lips as she felt uncomfortable.

She was used to talking with him in the Castle, together with the other Castle servants, with him lording over them. 

"Forgive my rudeness, my lord," she quickly bowed to him.

With Lord Emilio's domineering and harsh attitude, she knew he would get mad if he indeed heard of her remarks about him.

She even dared to think of the possibility that he would have affection for someone like her.

She slowly peeked at him. But as she did so, she immediately bowed her head, her face red as two ripe apples. He was intently staring at her! 

She could hear her heart pounding like horses in her chest. He has never gazed at her like that!

Somehow, that kind of gaze made her feel womanly. 

Was Lady Aisha telling the truth?

She was pondering on these things when Lord Emilio finally spoke up, "Why haven't you made a choice yet?"

Rosalia lifted her head with furrowed eyebrows. Then she directed her eyes to where he was pointing.

Indeed, she was looking for a new barrette to put on her hair. Her previous one was broken, and she wanted to have a new one. 

But they were all beautiful, so she couldn't make a choice. 

"I think this would look good on you," Lord Emilio said, which surprised Rosalia.

He picked up a small pink barrette with a golden butterfly in the middle.

To her astonishment, he put it on her vermilion wavy hair, making Rosalia froze on her feet.

With their nearness, she could smell his natural angelic scent and feel the warmth that was emanating from his body.

She looked up at him and since she was a little smaller than him, all she could see was his chiseled jaw and his perfectly shaped coral lips.

Rosalia felt like the butterfly in her hair was swirling in her stomach.

She has never been as near to a man like this before.

"There," he uttered as a corner of his lips curled up.

Indeed, she was right. He was way more strikingly handsome when he smiled.

He glanced towards her, awakening her from a dreamy spell.

She immediately scuffled backward in embarrassment as she scrambled onto the barrette in her hair.

She admits she also wanted this design. But it was too expensive.

Rosalia was about to return it to the table when she saw that Lord Emilio was already paying for it, making her jaw drop.

"I would just pay it with my next month's salary, my lord," she said in a low voice as they went towards Lady Aisha.

She felt guilty of not uttering a word of refusal when he was already giving groats for payment. But she felt elated for wearing such an exquisite barrette on her hair.

It was the most gorgeous barrette she ever had.

She tried to hold on to it again, and she felt the butterfly design as if it was sitting gently on her hair.

"Don't mention it. Consider it as my gift to you for your devotion to your service," he answered her with his usual cold tone. But she noticed a slight difference in it. Like it has a tint of warmth in between his words.

It made her feel somehow comfortable that she asked, "Why did you choose this specific design for me, my lord?"

There were a lot of beautiful embellishments in the other barrettes like flowers, crowns, and ribbons. 

'Could it be because he likes butterflies, or he thought I like butterflies?'

She glanced to her left side as Lord Emilio was walking behind her.

It didn't take him long to respond. "Butterflies are proof that one can go through a season of darkness and could still come out beautiful."

He then darted his gaze at her, making Rosalia stop from walking.

'Does he know about what I just went through? Was he talking about me?'

Her tail puffed up in an unconscious response. 

She scurried to where Lady Aisha was, thinking that it would relieve her anxious feelings at that moment. 

Lady Aisha was also checking out a cart a few blocks away from them. She was busy reading a book, so she didn't notice them as they approached her. 

She could feel Lord Emilio following her behind her back. But instead of slowing down, she even hastened to get to Lady Aisha. 

She could remember her mother's words to her. "Do not let anyone know which clan we are from. Especially from those who are in the Castle."

She has been keeping that for a decade now. 

She bowed down to Lady Aisha as soon as she saw her.

"You're back already?" she asked in surprise. Then she darted her attention to Lord Emilio who bowed down to her. 

Lady Aisha closed the book that she was holding and paid for it from her purse. Then she faced them properly.

"Do you have to go somewhere else, my lady? The King told me to accompany you whenever you go out of the Towers," Lord Emilio said to inform them both why he was there. 

Lady Aisha nodded and pointed to a stall which was a little far from where they were. "Those sells herbal plants, right? I just want to see it."

The three of them went to the store where Lady Aisha wanted to go. As they did so, Lady Aisha whispered to her, "What went wrong?"

She seemed to be sincere as she asked that, so she answered immediately, "I don't want him to know me."

To that, Lady Aisha responded, "Then don't." 

Rosalia was stunned, making her glanced back at her. She was expecting her to say "open up to him". Or "he isn't who you think he is."

Lady Aisha continued on, "I've been there. It's really hard to trust. And no one's forcing you, too. But give him a chance to show his affection for you, and give yourself a chance too. If you don't want to open up your inner self yet, then don't. I'm doing the same for the King. And I think everything's going well, somehow."

Rosalia nodded as it made sense to her. But was Lord Emilio really into her? And was she into him. She wasn't really sure. All she knows was she liked that Lord Emilio bought her a barrette as a gift. And she liked the barrette too. 

*************************************

Pain changes people. It makes them trusts less,

Overthink more, and shuts people out.