Arm to arm, the two escort each other back to the gazebo. Though they prolonged their walk, considering both bared many questions, Barry and Annaliese soon found themselves strolling through the gardens.
"I heard about ma's death," was the first thing he mentioned.
"Yeah, you hear about Emmeline?" Annaliese asked, her eyes darting towards him.
He gave a slight shake of the head, while muttering, "Nope."
"Oh, didn't really expect you to…yeah, she um…she left when she turned seventeen." A pit of grief emerged in Annaliese, just the memory of her sister made her eyes sting. "She was bitter towards me 'cause I let you leave that night."
"And you two didn't have any faith in me that I'd make it out alive?" Barry asked.
"I had a little, but seems I shouldn't have."
"Hey, I did make it out alive."
"I think you're using 'make it out' in a different content."
Reply with only a shrug, he shot a pore towards her with a widing grin. "And what about you, you became a maid for Logan. You told me you would wather get raped by bandits and killed by a banshee then be in the likes of him…and it didn't even have to be in that ordew."
Annaliese released a sigh to reveal her aggravation. Her hand was altering into her fist, that hung behind the skirting of her uniform, and although she appeared on the verge of hauling it towards her brother for the comment, she restrained herself. "That was a long time ago," she corrected, her hand now relaxing. "Besides, I don't know if I really want to listen to Reaver's man servant."
After a minute glare, Barry came to a halt, yet Annaliese continued to walk, leaving him behind.
A fresh smile lingered onto his face, while a chortle stumbled from his lips. He trailed close behind, with his chocolate brown boots scuffling against the stones. "Ah you awe still a pwude, that's how I'm certain it's you," harassed Barry.
She kept herself positioned forward, with her face aiming straight, though she roused her finger high above head. After a timid moment, her brother encountered with her middle finger. And Annaliese felt a smile creep across her face, while her body begun to quiver with glee as she heard a muffle chuckles from behind.
With Annaliese leading front and Barry only inches behind, in a diminutive amount of time the two were stationed on the outskirts of the gazebo.
Reaver and Logan had already been seated across from each other, communicating with a cup of tea in their grasps, though it was Logan who was hasty and took heed of Annaliese and Barry. He aroused from the chair, and moved towards the one nearest to his, then casted it outwards. He looked back to Annaliese, giving her a fleeting pore that indicated for her to come and to Barry's wonder, she obeyed.
With a puzzled expression for his sister's obedient behavior, Barry took the seat across from her, closest to Reaver. And he altered even more baffled when catching his master poring straight to Annaliese. "Did you not speak of having second sister, my dear Hatch?" questioned the businessman.
"Emmeline," Annaliese replied for Barry, while flashing a stare to Logan.
"You do yield such exotic names," Reaver chimed and glared back to Barry. "Yet yours is drab, why is that?"
"Ouw parents thought long, unique names would bwing them a highew statues," this time Barry answered. "They thought of the idea aftew they had me."
"Well they're not wrong." Their heads spun to Reaver, watching a smirk form on his face as they knew he was referring to himself.
Even though each of the three took thrive in dealing with his vanity, they could not help but agree.
"It is a beautiful name," Annaliese heard Logan's voice say, making her eyes wander towards him to see his face aiming straight towards her.
Assuming his statement was directed to her, Annaliese tried to restrain the blush she sensed that was appearing on her cheeks. A faint smile escaped from her control, turning her cheeks even more of a burning red and had her fling her head to the side, cowering away from Logan's view. She could feel the tension of his eyes gazing at her expanding, making her tremble and squirm in her seat, attracting , attracting the unwanted attention of Barry's and Reaver's.
In hopes to redeem her humiliation, Annaliese looked to Logan and while on the verge of sipping her tea, she said, "Thank you…but your name does contradict their point."
She caught a glimpse of what must have been a smile and a chuckle under his breath, consoling her to do the same. A new sense of emotion seemed currently to be replacing Annaliese's loath and spite into fondness and affection. Since her first encounter of the man, she had felt herself lorning her stubborn, indecent behavior.
"Considering we are lurking on the topic of siblings, what has become of your sister, your majesty?" asked Reaver, ceasing Annaliese and Logan's conversation of exchanging glances.
"Rose has been out venturing the world, and involving herself in sword training with father's old solider companion," Logan answered.
Letting a scoff come from a mouth, Reaver begun to rapidly shake his head. "You do use the word 'solider' quite loosely, wouldn't you agree?"
"You don't like…Walter?" Annaliese questioned, flinging her head towards Logan for another time. "Right…that's his name?"
Logan only nodded and Reaver prolonged on. "Yes, that retched, torpid lackey to the old kingdom," he shuddered.
"And why do you hate him?" she asked.
"An enthralling tale, my dear girl, for a completely different moment," was all he retorted.
"Now that is a gweat tale," Barry announced.
"Which we are no speaking of," repeated Reaver. "You know, your majesty, I am hosting a secret party in two more weeks, perhaps you and your morbid minx would love to a companion me."
Though she was miffed and sensed a sully pore emerging across her face, Annaliese responded with only a hasty eye – roll. It was Logan who cared to give a verbal reply, "What time would you want us?"
Annaliese shifted her head towards him.
"It begins at six," answered Reaver.
"Then we shall be there." Logan's head darted away from Annaliese's glare, sensing her eyes resting upon him.
Minutes were tainted with tension, before she turned away to Barry. With her fury straying from her, she found herself saying, "If it's because I will have time to spend with my brother, then I'll go." And took a swift sip of her tea, avoiding Logan.
Hello everyone!
I just want to say if you don't see another chapter up in the month, it's because I abandoned this story. I kind of learned that it's crap, lol! When you get that one review saying it needs work on you think, 'oh okay' and try to be good about it, but then you get a second one and you think, 'hmm, okay time to stop, I'm obviously not getting anywhere'. Normally I write for the fun of it(not trying to be a real writer here) and when I post my intentions are not to have a beta, so if people think I need it than obviously not worthy of being posted.
So sorry if I never finish this and someone actually enjoyed it….But most are probably screaming with happiness to be rid of this crap!
