░8░ Just Friends

"Just for once, make yourself appear like this when it's only the two of us," Damon said tightly gripping her hand that was soft enough to let him caress his face

"If I knew better, you already thought I'm a noble. Let me make it clear to you again, El. I'm a commoner. If you want I could introduce you to my family later on," Iris suggested the idea for him to stop confusing her as a noble. Even if she's the only one misunderstanding the situation. He didn’t even said anything about her being a noble but she’s assuming. She’s assuming because that was what Mary had thought of her before

'I did imagine her as a noble earlier but as time passed by after observing her, I already knew she's born a commoner. From the way, she acted as if she’s like a boy and the way she chased the thief earlier –she’s actually fearless. Those actions of hers surprises me even more'

Damon thought who was now chuckling in front of her

"It's never funny, I'm saying to you that I'm a -----" Iris hasn't finished herself speaking when Damon immediately put one of his fingers to her mouth and smiled brightly

"I get it you're a commoner, so would you mind standing up and helping me from our position?" Damon said with his sincere voice. Eyeing Iris and the way she was on top of him. That’s the only moment Iris recognized what kind of position they were in. that made her blush and immediately stood from her position

She calmed herself first then afterward, she began helping Damon stand from being laid on the grasses

"As a reward for always catching me, I want to meet your family one day. That’s be my request," Damon said truthfully after standing and fixing his posture. There, he started looking back at Iris who was now seriously looking at him

"Well if you insist then I’m fine with it, I'll invite you when we have free time with each other," Iris said seriously sighing afterward. That gesture made Damon confused but just shrugged the thought of it

'What's more important is for us to get the hell out of here before it gets dawn'

Damon thought looking at the usual exit of the place. Iris also looked around until she saw where she was earlier and found that the sticky feeling she felt earlier moving up her foot was only a snail

'So it was only a snail after all! I'm just glad it was a snail rather than a snake'

Iris thought calmly after breathing and looking at the place she stood earlier

Damon, on the other hand, after thinking of ways to get out of the place, he immediately took Iris hand and led the way. That move of her only made her secretly blush for a second. Yet, she decided to shrug the thought, only focusing her mind on escaping the place with Damon.

But after walking ahead, they saw a wounded little bird in their way. Damon was about to walk past it but Iris held him back. She held him back tightly gripping his hands, signifying him to take the bird to treat later

Damon sighed with her sudden actions. However, knowing who Iris was for a few hours already, he knows how well she’s a stubborn lady. He knows how she firmly believes in her principles, and he knows that she’ll never easily back away from challenges. From knowing everything he had to know about Iris’ attitudes, he picked the wounded little bird and gently held it to Iris. She was now caressing the bird in her free hand as they walked outside of the place. She gently put the bird towards her open little pocket for it to rest.

Damon walked ahead of Iris and past the large tree in the place. Iris was about to walk past of it, until she looked at the tree. There, she saw names carved

'Dam and Luc was here' those were the words she saw. After being led out of the place she was surprised that there were people who came to the forest of wild beasts. She’s surprised because the forest seemed dangerous enough. All she could do is sigh and shake her head for a second. Though she knew that the carving of the names were old. Again, Iris sighed after being led there knowing she trust Damon. If she didn't trust him, she wouldn't be able to escape the forest alone. Besides, she thought that he's a gorgeous gentleman anyways

Damon looked back at Iris seeing her saw the carved names in the large tree. That only made him secretly smile

'At least for a while she already knew my real nickname that was carved in the tree with Lucius'

With that thought, he griped on her hand tightly. Gaining her attention, she looked back at the beaming face of Damon. The way she’s looking at him unexpectedly made her blush. She just saw his unbendingly gorgeous features, many times of the current day - his pale skin, red hair, and deep blue eyes

She never thought that he's a disguised noble Is she thought then he would have just walked away from making the dough, Furthermore, the way he talked is like one of the commoners’ accent so she thought that he’s not a noble. She thought that he’s a commoner who’s living alone.

Thinking about that made her heart hurt a little. Knowing he never had any family to begin with. Yet, little did she know of the truth.

'I'm just thankful I met this man today. We’ve become closer as time passed by. Besides I'm also eager for the day he'll be able to meet my family'

Iris thought making her blush for the last words she thought

'Surely my family will be shocked for the first time. Who wouldn’t? – I’ll be taking home a guy and introducing him to them instead of Mary!’

That thought made her chuckle a bit. Damon, on the other hand, looked back curiously on Iris. He’s curious on what she’s thinking but shrugged the thought. He knew they were already near the exit to the forest. As soon as they were already out of the forest, they were now again inside the market. Damon went in first followed by Iris. Still their hands were intertwined after seeing the market with a beam on their faces.

The two, later on, looked at their hands intertwined surprised at each other. Immediately, they removed their hands from each other facing each other’s back.

'What the?! I almost jumped out of the place after seeing how our hands get intertwined'

Damon thought covering his lower half of the face. He definitely blushing for the first time. Yet, Iris did the same thing. She was covering her face while her heart was beating faster again. The sight of their hands being intertwined made her feel that emotions, ‘again’

Both of them calmed down for a while. Damon was about to face Iris when he heard a familiar name. A very familiar and annoying name

'What was Monique doing in here?'

He thought looking at the place he heard of the name being said. Only to find the Princess inside the market with her court lady. They were entering the jewelry shop. With the sudden knowledge, he immediately took Iris' hand. Then, he led her the opposite way where his fiancée was

After then, they were led to a fountain where kids are making wishes by throwing coins in the water. Both of them breathed hard after running. Then, Damon breaks his hold on Iris' hands making them thirsty for water instead

"What's your problem earlier, El! By now, we should go back at Loughes bakeshop or else Selby will punish both of us!" Iris exclaimed to her breath. Yet, it only made Damon chuckle in between his rbeathe

"Alright, alright honestly I thought I just saw the person I'm indebted with. So, I thought running would be a good choice before paying my loan afterward," Damon said lying in front of Iris. He knew well that nobles can't interact with commoners unless it was business-related. So he faked his identity just to have fun and thrill for the first time. Iris was his fun, she was the one making him relax from the abnormality of his life

"Okay, I understand. Let's just rest for a bit then and we'll be good to go afterward," Iris said seriously sitting at the seat of the fountain. Calming herself as Damon did the same thing

"After this, we'll be cleaning the bakery. You should probably start baking tomorrow," Iris reminded him as he nodded in response thinking of ways to escape the duchy again and bake like a commoner. Iris kept the wounded little bird in her pocket. She'll be aiding the little bird’s broken wings after going to the shop

"Alright, Let's now go,"

***

"Your highness, Princess Monique, this is the finest jewelry shop in here," the princess' maid said bowing respectfully while Monique immediately entered the shop. She was thinking of some presents to Damon being her partner at her upcoming birthday next month

"Let's enter, open the door," Monique commanded the maid. Without hesitation, the maid respectfully does what she was asked of - no other emotion was visible

'If brother Wilhelm didn't remind me of giving him space then I would probably be at the Maxwell by now - taking care of him, if he's that sick'

Monique thought sighing after entering the shop

"Oh, Your highness we are very grateful and honored that you have entered our shop today," the owner of the shop - having one eyeglass on his eyes - said happily beaming at the sight of a royal member entering his shop today

"Anyways, have you had an opal blue bracelet for guys?" Monique asked the owner directly never giving a damn about his gratitude - for her being inside the shop. Ever since she was a kid she's already spoiled. She'll have everything she wanted even though she hadn't had those at first. She'll easily find ways to get them just like what her father did to the throne

"O-oh absolutely yes, your highness, we have some of those but let me show you a specialized and customized bracelet we created. Only one was created through it," the owner said being assisted by his assistant in the shop

Afterward, a box came and was shown in front of Monique placed on the transparent table. Monique opened it without hesitation - only to see a phoenix design made out of blue-colored opal. With the sight of it, she immediately grinned thinking that it was the perfect gift to give Damon. It was the perfect color to match his eyes

"Perfect"

***

"You two were already late. Good thing Damon had someone delivered the ingredients before it got destroyed with your unnecessary touring around the market," Selby said to the two who were silent for a reason. They were only bowing to him looking at their feet

"Just don't repeat this, besides this was the first time you were late like this Iris and you, you better do your job properly or else your salary will be cut," Selby said to the both of them especially pointing his finger at Damon

"Yes, we understood we just had something to give back at the market earlier after getting the stolen item from the thief" Damon explained making Selby sigh at the reason of the two

'So they had reasons after all. No wonder'

Selby thought understanding the two. He wasn’t surprise about thieves and anything because he’s used to it in the market.

"Next time if you two are late again, expect a salary decrease. Got it?" Selby said reminding them of the salary that made them pause for their breathing

"Understood boss," the two said together making Selby laughed. Then he went near to where they were. He was gently patting both of their shoulders as they eyed Selby with a beaming smile

"It would've been great if you two are just friends, alright?"