chapter 20-The secrets of Plough Kingdom part 2
It was already morning and the sun was about to rise when Sophia came down the stairs with a candle in her right hand, still in her night dress only to see Rhydian still reading the picture books by the kitchen table of the cottage they were renting. For a moment Sophia stood still at the foot of the stairs, staring profoundly at him. His silky wavy Black hair of shoulder length, his dark brown nearly black eyes shining in the flickering light of his candle, his beautiful pale skin, his clean shaven long chin and lips as pink as edible pink roses looked all the more alluring with the view of the sun about to rise from the window behind him and the with the candle light beside him. He wasn't that tall, a meter and seventy or seventy-one at most, well built and the perfect height for the one meter and fifty-four Sophia.
Rhydian feeling ger presence lifted his head to look at her and smiled. "Come here lass, I found an interesting lead pointing to where the author is." he indicated to the chair beside him. "look at this last picture book, title is 'a peaceful home' the story is happier and lighter than his previous books and the place described in the book is the remote village of Konvalinka that is found between the closed Konvalinka mountain ranges, a village isolated from the rest of civilization and the only way to get in is through the mountains. Looks like we will need to rent a few horses... about three, one for Prince Yusha and Lady Kristina, one for Maquis Helio and Marchioness Melody and one for you and me." said he and Sophia nodded her approval while blushing.
'I didn't know he was this handsome... When did he become so alluring? I hope I look good, I mean I just woke up...his lips looks sweet and tasty... Ahhhhh Sophiaaaaa think pure thoughts only I need to prepare breakfast. That's it eggs and bread and tea it is for today, now I'm feeling hungry, I hope he won't hear my stomach growl...how unladylike and embarrassing' Thought Sophia. Rhydian who was observing all her facial expressions chuckled and gently brushed her cheek with his finger which made her jump. He swiftly put a lock of her hair behind her ears and leaned forward "what were you thinking of so seriously that you had to make those funny facial expressions and double slap yourself?" he asked in a soft low voice which sent Shophia flying. She fell of her chair while still blushing and blurted out while stuttering "I-I was thinking of the me-menu for today's breakfast of course an-and I am very hungry and was thinking how unladylike it would be if you heard my stomach gr-growl." and without any warning her stomach did growl aloud which made her froze and her pale yellow face became as red as a tomato.
"My my... no need to be so embarrassed, it is human nature afterall. You do not have to worry about being what society portrays as 'ladylike' in front of me, there's nothing wrong in being human. Now I am hungry too so let's prepare a real feast, All the while you ate Leisenburgian food and Western Kingdom's as well whenever I do the cooking and even when you do the cooking you make Leiden Empire's formal foods. Don't you miss the home food you grew up eating or something? I mean since your mother is from Qing Qiu Kingdom and ten miles plum blossom forest... if I remember correctly she is the daughter of The duke of the ten miles plum blossom forest array or something... anyway you get my point." said Rhydian.
"That's right Oh how I miss the street foods, Qing Qiu is a neighborhood kingdom, and I do miss plum blossom desserts and of course spicy street foods of Leiden and Qing Qiu are the same, we always eat very spicy foods, spicy rice skewers, spicy rice cakes, spicy beef noodle soups, wonton, dumplings, cabbage dumplings, dim sums, blackbean noodles, lotus roots stir fried in salt and red chilly flakes drizzled with honey and so much more... anyway one can't have those for breakfast. I'd like somple simple fried eggs with bread and black tea so let's make this for everyone." said Sophia with sparkly eyes.
Rhydian chuckled and nodded so they proceeded with the menu Sophia had decided on and Sophia definitely needed some extra balck pepper on her eggs as usual.
"So when do we go to that village?" asked Prince Yusha while eating his eggs. "well it would be good to set out right after lunch so we give time for anyone who has to call you know, the children who were once the author's students." said Rhydian.
About an hour after breakfast someone did call. It was a young man who was well dressed but appeared flustered. He was led to the drawing room of the cottage and was hesitant. He suddenly went pale when asked about what the readings at the rose mansion were like.