The next morning Blaine woke up to the sunlight through his window and a soft melody on the wind. He couldn't make out if it was humming or singing, but the song was unmistakeable, and the tune sounded so beautiful. Blaine quickly got dressed and went downstairs to find his mother in the den and his father walking out the door on his way to work. "Mother, I'm going to go for a walk among the trees out back, if that's okay?"
"Just don't forget that my sister is coming to visit."
"Of course, mother. I'll be back before then." He smiled at her and slipped out the back door, following the sound of the voice. He walked rather far into the trees, where the trees became the forest, there he saw a young man, with brown coiffed hair and pale skin. Based on his clothes he was a noble. As Blaine approached, he stepped on a twig which halted the man's singing and made him turn to Blaine. "I'm sorry for disturbing you," Blaine began, "but I heard singing and felt the need to find out where it was coming from. It was so gentle and honest that it pulled at my very soul." Immediately Blaine regretted his honesty in the last statement.
"It was a song that my mother used to sing to me when I was a boy, do you know it?"
"My mother sang it to me as well." Blaine told him.
"You know, for a peasant, you don't dress too shabby."
"Thank you, M'lord, but not all of us are dressed in rags and tattered clothing."
"Oh, no, sorry for being so frivolous, but I've never left the center circle, or, when I have, I haven't met a commoner before." The man said.
"Ah, then allow me to introduce myself, Blaine of the Anderson's, at your service, M'lord." Blaine bowed at the waist, then returned to full statue again before the man spoke.
"I've heard of you, Jasmine talks of no one else."
"I apologize, I never intended to be discussed by the nobility."
"She is rather taken with you, you know. She keeps referring to you as 'future husband.'" There was a slight smirk on the man's face.
"Yes, well," Blaine rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, "I still haven't decided."
The man was shocked. "You have members of the nobility begging for you hand and you don't take it? Why?"
"I have a silly idea of marrying for love, not for status." Blaine told the man honestly.
"You're an odd duck, aren't you?"
"M'lord?"
"Anyone else would jump at the chance to be noble, yet you won't. Definitely interesting." The man said as he took a step closer and eyed Blaine. "Well then perhaps I can help you find a bride? What is your type?" It came off with a snide undertone, though, Blaine wasn't sure if he intended to be snide, or he really didn't know how to talk to people who weren't nobles.
"Thank you, M'lord, for the offer, however I think I will have to decline. Love is not something another can find for you it is something that you must find for yourself. My type isn't much of a type, just someone kind who loves me for me. That's all I ever need in life."
At the sound of horses in the distance, the man took a step back. "Ah, right on cue. Farwell, Blaine of the Anderson's."
"Farwell, M'lord." Blaine bowed again as the other man retreated until he was out of sight.
As Blaine walked home, he was rather confused. Are all nobility like that? He asked himself. No, they can't be, I've met Jasmine and a few others, but maybe that's just an act. He said he knew Jasmine, perhaps he is one of the suiters she rejected. That would explain is apparent distain for me. That's got to be it then, he is mad that Jasmine is waiting for me, but—oh no, I told him I wasn't interested in Jasmine. Not in so many words, but I did. What if he tells her? That would create quite the issue. Curse my honesty! With that final thought, he took a deep breath, then walked through the back door of his house again.
