True to his word, Leovold started the new day by sending me a note. The sun was barely in the sky when I heard a knock at my door and I yawned, trying to escape from a tangle of blankets. It took me several seconds before I rose but by that time an envelope had been slipped under my door. Shaking my head I moved to the door kneeling to grab the envelope before I straightened, grabbing the doorknob in one hand. But as I cracked open the door I found no one there and I blinked before I glanced at the envelope in my hand, the only evidence that anyone had been there.
"I doubt that was Leovold. He would have just barged in...probably." I muttered to myself as I turned the envelope over to find my name neatly written on one side. "Huh it is from the elf. He must be trying to get me on his side." I whispered as I carefully opened it to find a single piece of paper. After a quick scan I grinned a little surprised by his words.
Miss Serla, I will be waiting for you to join me for lunch at exactly noon today in my office. Do not worry about work since I had made plans for several of my associates to work in place of you today. Please knock on my door at the time provided and I will begin my quest, no that is not the right word. My promise of convincing you to work for me instead will commence today.
Sincerely, Leovold Emissary of Trest.
Shaking my head I slipped the note back into the envelope and after setting it on my desk I started to plan what I was going to wear. Since I only had three outfits in total I ended up choosing the only one I hadn't actually worn since I arrived in Paliano.
A few minutes later I gazed down at myself, admiring the blue and white knee high dress with short sleeves my parents had gifted me before I had left my hometown. But I grimaced at the black boots which I also had never worn before as they almost immediately rubbed my heels. But I decided to ignore it thinking that it was a small price to pay to look nice.
"Maybe this will impress even that elf." I whispered to myself as I quickly headed outside only to pause when my hand on the doorknob when I realized I didn't need to work today. At least for the morning anyway so I wandered the halls of the city.
Eventually I started the walk back to Leovold's office, trying to ignore the pain in both my heels and the slight burning sensation in my left heel. I came to his door with a full minute to spare and when I lightly knocked he called out. "Come in."
With a tiny smile on my face I opened the door to find the elf standing at his desk and I grinned once I saw a large plate covered over. Stepping through the doorway I closed the door behind me. "Good morning, Leovold." I told him and he smiled at me, his eyes travelling the length of my body which made my cheeks burn. "I thought you promised you wouldn't try to get me to work for you for a full day."
"That is true but I invited you to have lunch with me for another reason altogether." Leovold explained, waving his hand towards a chair and I tilted my head at him.
"Then this isn't about working for you?" I asked puzzled and Leovold chuckled, waving towards the chair again. I quickly moving towards the seat and he grinned as I sat only to frown when I winced. "That's nice to know."
"Are you feeling alright, Serla?" Leovold asked and I blinked up at him. "You seem to get wincing. Have you hurt yourself?"
"My boots are a bit tight." I replied and he stepped over to me, kneeling at my side. "Um what are you doing?" I asked but he didn't answer instead he reached for my left boot and with a quick tug he slipped it off. Immediately I grimaced at the same time as the elf when I saw the dark spots darkening my socks at the heel. "Is that...blood?"
"You are bleeding. I'll call Ayse." Leovold told me, setting the boot down beside my chair. I went to stand but he shook his head and I sighed, standing put as he quickly moved towards the door. He left the room as I stared at his back and once the door clicked shut behind him I let out a breath, silently hoping the wound on my heel wasn't so bad that I needed a healer.
Leovold returned a short time later with another elf in a long white flowing dress and I blinked as she moved towards me, looking directly at me with pale blue eyes. "At least this time it isn't a cold." She commented and I raised an eyebrow at Leovold who closed the door behind him. "Now let me see your heel." Sher ordered and I raised my foot still staring at the elf until she sighed.
"This is Ayse, Paliano's most experienced healer." Leovold explained as Ayse knelt in front of me and with a pull she yanked the sock off. I bit my lower lip when I saw the blood on my heel, the skin peeling from a small tear in the skin. "That looks very painful." He said as I hissed, being as still as I could while Ayse examined the wound. With a shake of her head she took a pouch from a hidden pocket on her dress.
"Hold still." She advised and I did so even when she pressed a white cream against the scrape, making me whimper. Covering the wound took several long and painful seconds before the heel was fully coated. "Keep your weight off the injury and keep it clean." Ayse told me and I nodded as she carefully unrolled a length of bandage from the same pouch.
"Ayse knows what she is talking about." Leovold told me and Ayse looked up at her fellow elf for a moment without blinking. Returning her attention to my heel she gently bandaged it and with a snort she returned the extra bandage back into her pouch. "Thank you for your help." He said and she nodded, straightening before she adjusted her dress. Once she set a small pouch on the table she turned to Leovold.
"Any time, Leovold. Now if I am no longer needed I will be on my way. I will send you my bill." Ayse told him, waiting for Leovold to open the door for her. Once she was gone Leovold leant against the door for a moment, shaking his head with a tiny smile before he turned to me.
"She is a great healer but a cold person too." Leovold pointed out and I nodded, looking down at my expertly bandaged wound. "Now shall we start on lunch?" He asked and I grinned, cheeks burning as my stomach growled. "I believe someone is hungry." He teased as he walked back towards the table.
"I guess you could say that." I replied with a casula shrug, staring with both eyebrows raised he grabbed the end of the tablecloth. With an quick tug he removed it and I blinked at the snadwiches and fruit set out on the plate. "Wow."
"I think this is enough for two don't you think?" He asked, a tiny smiling on his lips when he noticed all of my attention focused on the lunch he'd provided.
"Uh...yeah it's great." I answered and he gave me a tiny nod, picking up the plate before he moved towards me. "I can stand you know." I pointed out and he chuckled, kneeling beside me.
"Not with that injury. Ayse did tell you to keep your weight off it didn't she?" He asked and after a lengthly pause I nodded slightly. "Then I guess you have no choice." He told me, giving me a smile that actually made me smile back.
"I guess not." I whispered, unable to tear my eyes away as he handed me a plate from somewhere behind him. Where he'd kept it until now was anyone's guess.
An hour or so later...
"Now that was a meal. Thanks for inviting me to have lunch with you, Leovold." I sighed, leaning back in my chair. Wiping his mouth with a hankerchief, Leovold leant back in his own chair a grin curling his lips as he stared at me. More like studied me as his gaze moved from my face further down and then back again, his eyes resting directly at eye level. "What did I say about looking me in the face?" I said trying to keep a faint blush from my cheeks. He just kept smiling at me and I ended up focusing my attention instead on the boot sitting on the floor.
One of a pair that had caused me nothing but trouble since I had started wearing them. Leovold must have noticed me glaring at the offending footwear because I suddenly found him kneeling beside me and with that same smug smile he picked up the boots, tossing them almost casually behind him where they flew out of the open window.
"Leovold, what are you doing?" I complained, rising from the chair only to grimace from the throbbing pain in my injured heel. Sitting again I narrowed my eyes as he chuckled, rising to stand over me. "That was my only pair of boots."
"Serla, if they cause you pain they should be destroyed. Besides I will provide you with a much more comfortable pair once your heel has healed." Leovold assured me and I sighed, chewing my bottom lip as he knelt again. "Now how is your heel?" He asked, gently lifting my foot before I could protest.
"It still hurts if that's what you're asking." I muttered, raising an eyebrow at him when he lifted it onto his knee. "Leovold, it'll be fine when I've rested it." I told him as he poked at my toes earning a light giggle before he rested my heel back on the floor.
"Yes but you will still need help getting back to your room. So since I want you to come and work for me the least I can do is offer my assistance." Leovold pointed out as he slipped the pouch into his pocket and I blinked at him, silent until he coughed. Shaking my head I started to rise and he nodded, moving quickly to offer a hand. I took it the moment my heel started to ache and he gently wrapped an arm around my shoulders to keep me steady.
A little unsure about his intentions I still allowed the elf to guide me outside into the corridor even taking me as far as my own room. But I paused at the door moving to open the door until he took the key I produced from my pocket, slipping it from my outstretched fingers into the lock. I tilted my head as I heard a light click then he slipped them into his pocket, guiding me into the room before I could react.
I allowed him to help me inside but after he helped me onto the bed he moved back to the door and I stared as he closed the door behind him, locking the door before he pocketed the key. "Why did you lock the door?" I asked, watching him with a raised eyebrow as he returned to my bed. "I thought you were only going to have lunch with me and then take me back to my room."
"I offered my assistance but I didn't say how far that extends." Leovold whispered, taking a seat beside me and I moved to one side keeping by distance. "Is something troubling you?"
"You managed to sneak into my room by telling me you wanted to assist me? That's pretty clever, Leovold." I admitted and he smiled, showing all of his teeth as he shifted closer to me. "Now what are you doing? Like I said I only have a injury on my heel." I explained, my attention now on his hand as it slowly made its way towards my left hand. When his fingers lightly brushed my hand I pulled my hand back like it had been shocked, unable to ignore the warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. Or the gold eyes staring into mine.
"Serla, I know you're unsure about my intentions but I do want you to work for me and I am confident you won't refuse once you see the contract." Leovold started, taking something from his pocket and I groaned as he produced a scroll.
"Are you kidding me? What happened to waiting a day before you pestered me again?" I snapped as I rose from the bed, keeping most of my weight on my right leg. Which caused me to stumble more than once as I headed for the door. "Do I have to kick you out again?"
"Serla, be reasonable. I just want to help you. Give me a chance." Leovold sighed, setting the scroll down and once he did it started to unravel. I bit back a giggle as he narrowed his eyes at it, moving to grab it before it ended up on the floor. Shaking my head I moved towards him to help and together we managed to roll the scroll back up.
"Alright I'll take a look but I'm not promising anything, elf." I warned as I took a seat beside him on the bed. Gathering up the scroll I started to read only to pause halfway and Leovold smiled when I raised my head, one eyebrow raised. "How much are you paying me to work for you?"
"Exactly what it says there." Leovold pointed out, brushing his fingers over the pay part of the scroll. "Though you are worth far more." He added and I couldn't help a faint blush.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Leovold." I answered, returning my attention to the contract though now I had a tiny smile on my face. "Hmm this doesn't seem so bad. Maybe I will take you up on your offer."
"Really?" Leovold asked and I giggled when he coughed, waving his hand in front of his chest. "If that's what you really want I won't stand in your way."
"On one condition. The next time we decide to spend some quality time together it's on my terms." I told him, my whole face heating up when I realized just what I'd suggested.
Though judging from the smile Leovold gave me straight afterwards I don't think he minded agreeing to it even a tiny bit.