Th_omas

" How about we help each other?" He says and I look up at him, eyes still wet from the tears streaming down my cheeks, heart freshly broken from the public humiliation and betrayal that was Lucas's breakup. I can faintly make out the first droppings of snow floating magically under the light of the street lamps. It's that time of the year, a time for wool coats, a time for relaxing, none of which I'll be doing. "I'm an orphan with a wicked aunt and a boyfriend who left her because she has nothing to her name, how could I possibly help you?" I say another sob escaping my lips. "Marry me" he replies and my eyes widen in anger. Is he mocking me?. I look into the eyes of this stranger and see he's dead serious. "I need a wife, you need a home, marry me and you'll have all you want". I nod.

A Snowy Marriage (A Christmas agreement)

The bartender who takes tye trouble to prepare it is a young guy, not much older than I am. He has that handsome clean face that would make you look twice at each and everything he does, and I almost wonder why almost everyone here seems to be some sort of eye candy or the other.

It's not fair that I should have to deal with such while I am trying to keep my head straight for these games.

I can see him methodically mix and shake and a couple of other things that I do not know anything about, and so I just set my eyes to following each and every one of his movements. If It can be poisoned right in front of me, then I think I really deserve it, as it would just prove how stupid and incompetent I really was. It would prove to me, and to everyone else here, that I was truly a stupid little girl who was playing at something bigger than she could possibly ever imagine.

At times his rythm would speed up, other times it would slow down, other times it will stop so completely and he'd just shake the liquids in the bottle swirling them, and at the end, a very delightful pink and lemon liquid came tumbling out and paired with ice I'm sure it will be nice.

I grab them, and make to turn when I noticed the shaking in the guys hands. He's scared for some reason and a deep pit forms in my belly. Could he still have poisoned the drinks while I put such a close watch on him?.

I choose not to believe that and I make my way back to my first target. Well I do not consider her a target, as much as someone that is critical to my plan, but yes she is a target all the same.

I have been informed of the sort of power that she holds. Her family basically controls all the trade routes along the French coastline. Although I do not understand the intricacies of those rules, I know what they mean. It means that each and every good no matter how small, and no matter how large, has to pay a premium to her family. That means a lot more money than I could ever imagine, as the shock of it simply sent me dreamy eyed. They would be making a fortune from just taxes and tariffs on those borders alone, not to talk of the many other businesses they would have elsewhere.

I swallow as I walk up to her and stretch out the drink in my second hand, as I don't even know what sort of a gesture to call it. I know I tried my best with this first attempt to do this. I don't think people like her take kindly to strangers, and unless you just want to simply be dismissed, you best bug off.

What surprises me the most though is the look in her eyes. It is fear, but it is marked by utter disgust, and it's the type that makes me cringe.

Chapter 67