Chapter 3

After the breakfast, the mother and sons' came to the town by carriage.

During the ride Luke stared at the passing trees and remembered what happened on his last life during this day.

----

Going to the tailor shop with his mother and brother, Luke was tired of the tailors of hovering around him, raising his arms, suddenly wrapping their arms on his waist and being poked by their needles.

Seeing his brother being idle on the sofa irked him very much.

"Mother why don't you have a new suit pants made for Vasile," Luke smiled, "after all it seems that he grew a few centimeters longer the last we came here."

Vasile spluttered frightened at the prospect of being poked and moved without his will, " I did not!"

"I see what you mean Luke," Duchess Elizabetha noted eyes scanning her son up and down, hand raising to call for another set of tailors.

Vasile's scream of "Mother!" can be heard in the background, Luke meanwhile looked like the cat got the canary, satisfied at his brother's prolonged suffering unlike him who only needed a new set of waistcoat and jacket.

When the other tailors and seamstress arrived, they quickly ushered Vasile up another stand blabbering and wildly attempting to dislodged their hands on him.

The final result is him breathing hard, cheeks enflamed from exerting himself, standing still so he won't be pricked by the pointy and dangerous looking needle on the tailors' hands. Threat pouring out from them in waves

Vasile gulped, the needles appeared like a murder weapon in his eyes.

"Why brother dearest, did you or did you not screamed for all to hear how you're taller than me now." Luke drawled amusement clear in his voice, arms again raised along with his chin stretching up.

While the pose did look painful and stiff, he clearly enjoyed his brother's misery at his side.

Scowling at him Vasile yelled, "I did not!".

"Now now lying is unbecoming dear," Duchess Elizabetha chuckled behind her hands, clearly teasing.

Face blushing from anger Vasile ranted that "no I didn't lied mother!" to "Luke clearly wants me to suffer" and back again to him pleading that he "don't need to have another pants made!".

A sudden thought came to the duchess when she read the booklet the seamstress handed her earlier.

"Vasile dear since you grew, you need a new set of bottom clothes and not only pants," She exclaimed and proceeded to list don the clothes she want made.

"I want seven training shorts, make them sturdy, five outdoor shorts, five pajama short for summer and another seven for long pajamas suited for winter, 7 fitted slacks for outdoor uses, two derby pants, three soft pants use for lounging. Use cotton for the pajamas and shorts used inside the house, linen for the derby pants and training shorts and wool for the winter clothes. As for the colors, use the same palette as the last time, no need to change."

After the long stream of orders, which made Vasile's face pale more and more and on the other hand Luke brightened like the sun, Duchess Elizabetha put down the booklet and picked up the teacup set in front of her, moistening her throat.

After having been measured, poked and played at like doll, Luke stepped down the raised platform, full of appreciation.

While on the other hand Vasile looked like he was trying to murder him with his glare.

Not wanting to be retaliated against with, Luke asked, "mother I saw a dessert shop near here, may I go see it?"

"You may," Duchess Elizabetha nodded.

He quickly left the room, his brother's scowling stare, a fiery gaze behind him burns his back.

----

Getting out of the shop and stepping on the cobbled streets, he walked to his right and carefully avoiding passerby and carriages, made his way to the dessert store.

The store was made of red bricks with white lining, plants and flowers littering the small space for outdoor eating sheltered with a bulky umbrellas giving the seats and tables cover from the bright light and heat giving the whole area a fairytale esque look to it.

The stores was called 'Sweet Treat' and by the overly ambiance of the place it was clearly catered for female patrons instead of their counterpart.

Still this is the only sweet shop nearby where he can rest, Luke regarded the shop in front of him.

Pushing the door open and hearing the bell tinkle, the owner looked up from the counter, Luke meanwhile gazed at the seats full of women and ladies chattering about latest affairs, fashion and whatnot.

Hm, eating outside would be more agreeable, the hubbub of the crowds as a background noise is much more soothing, than the gossiping mass inside.

Stopping at the display counter, he surveyed the contents.

Looking carefully at each dessert, he pointed at each one he wanted, "two chocolate eclairs, a hazelnut and almond muffin and ham salad sandwich with cheese shred inside please."

The owner surprised at the selection from the stern faced boy shook his head and carefully but swiftly carried out the orders, "what kind of tea would you like to drink, sir?"

"Darjeeling black tea would do," Luke affirmed hands going inside the pocket to get his purse, "if you could take that outside, I would like to eat there instead."

"Certainly sir," The owner confirmed, the tea and desert would be out in a moment".

Luke nodded at him and may his way outside, going to the nearest vacant table, an overhead umbrella giving him shade from the sun. The green shrubbery and white painted fence giving the small space a garden like feeling.

He observed his surroundings while waiting for his food.

A couple loudly fighting by the fountain.

A man getting dragged around by his child while his wife amusedly stared behind them.

A patrolling night helping a merchant to get to his destination by the looks of the map spread in front of their faces and the pointing from left to right.

The whole town was buzzling with energy but Luke can still feel the gazes of everyone going through their activities, attention lingering on the bright haired youth sitting by elegantly on the front of the shop.

A few minutes in waiting the owner, a middle age woman, now that Luke clearly gazed at her, went out the store and walk up to him, hands pushing a trolley full of food and the tea set colored in blue.

"Thank you," Luke gently thanked her.

Putting down the desserts and tea, the owner swiftly bowed and left to go back inside the store, once in a while looking trough the glass window outside to see if the young boy, clearly a noble, is enjoying his food.

Picking up the fork, Luke quickly took a bite out of the eclairs he was waiting patiently for, the bittersweet flavor of the dark chocolate glazed topping and the rich chocolate cream filling quickly flooded his mouth and with airy creamy bread, that one bite was simply heavenly.

Giving a hum of appreciation Luke then popped a forkful of the muffin wanting to know if it also tasted and appreciating the nutty taste of the hazelnut mixed with couple with the light and fluffy texture of the bread and the sudden crunch of the mixed nuts sprinkled in at the top.

Proceeding to savor the scrumptious treats, Luke gave all his attention on the small delicacies laid out in front of him, never giving notice to the stares he's getting oblivious on the fact that everybody is gazing at him while he hit.

Not minding his surroundings, Luke in the middle of putting another forkful of eclairs in his mouth suddenly flinched in surprise when the someone abruptly sat down on the seat in next to him.

Laying the fork on the saucer, he turned at the person who startled him, eyes going wide when he saw them fully.

"Well hello there, Luke, fancy meeting you here," Montes Anderson sneered mouth fully smirking with his eyes flashing cruelly.

His friends behind him all laugh mockingly.

Luke wished he ate inside even with all the girls and ladies mindless gossiping surrounds him, it would be better than meeting Montes and his band of follower.