;; Nasrin Cavendish ;;
âI donât care if itâs a great folly,â she told him with an almost childish stubbornness, nevertheless walking along with him. Neither he nor her father was going to stop her from doing what she was determined to do. In her resolve she did not particularly find it irritating that her hand was tucked into the crook of his armâŠor something like that. But then he told her that he would accompany her on her search if she wished it, and Nasrin blinked, genuinely surprised by his suggestion. âYou? Come with me?â She had expected him to prattle on about the dangers of attempting to leave the area with the war going on and for him to try and stop her. Instead, he volunteered to come along.
Thatâs crazy, she thought in her mind, but she knew that she was even more so. She didnât know how to fight, only knowing the effect of herbs and poisons. If she were to be attacked on her journey, she would be defenseless as a blind baby (apart from assaulting attacker with verbal insults).
Nasrin took a deep breath the moment they were outsideâthe fresh air, laced with pleasing aromas of a variety of flora, were a comfort for her wound-up mind. If only there werenât the palace walls to block the rest of the world out! The gardens were beautiful and filled with life, but it would never compare to the wild and unrestrained forest. This was nothing but a replica in a gilded cage, but Nasrin had to make do with thisâif she closed her eyes and remained still, she would think she could feel it here tooâthe beating of the land, the sigh of the wind, the flow of the water, the soundless song of the animals. If she tried hard enough, she could think that she was home again.
The Dornishman even went as far as to suggest that he could go look for her mother himself if she would give him directions. Nasrin looked up at him and shook her head disbelievingly. âNine years is a while. You probably wouldnât be able to find her with whatever description I give you. Besidesâthey need you here, at court,â she said dryly. âWho will be here to protect Princess Adelaide and Prince Raban?â Lionel would want them out of the way if he wanted to repress an uprising if he were to take the Iron Throneâand out of the way as inâŠdeath. âItâs your job to protect them, not me,â she glanced at him a bit sharply, as one would use while reminding a straying child of its duties.
âWhat are you doing?â she questioned as he strayed to the pond. She followed, a smile briefly crossing her face as she looked down at the beautiful fish gliding around in the water, but he instead reached out and plucked a pretty water lily from the water. She flushed slightly as he tucked the flower into her hair, eyes darting about nervously as if she was worried that someone might see her not slapping a man for once, but remaining still and allowing him to put a flower in her hair.
Nasrin haltingly touched the flower in her hair gently, as if it would combust the moment she made contact with its silky petals. âYouâve messed up my hair,â she frowned, but there was not even a hint of resentment in her voice. What was this strangeness? She couldnât quite explain it, but she wasâŠhappy. Why? It was strange and she couldnât figure it outâif any other flirty man had the gall to attempt to tuck a flower in her hair, she would have yanked it out and perhaps thrown it back in his face. Because she hated womanizers, hated flirts too.
But wasnât he both?
âŠShe didnât know anymore.
âI donât care if itâs a great folly,â she told him with an almost childish stubbornness, nevertheless walking along with him. Neither he nor her father was going to stop her from doing what she was determined to do. In her resolve she did not particularly find it irritating that her hand was tucked into the crook of his armâŠor something like that. But then he told her that he would accompany her on her search if she wished it, and Nasrin blinked, genuinely surprised by his suggestion. âYou? Come with me?â She had expected him to prattle on about the dangers of attempting to leave the area with the war going on and for him to try and stop her. Instead, he volunteered to come along.
Thatâs crazy, she thought in her mind, but she knew that she was even more so. She didnât know how to fight, only knowing the effect of herbs and poisons. If she were to be attacked on her journey, she would be defenseless as a blind baby (apart from assaulting attacker with verbal insults).
Nasrin took a deep breath the moment they were outsideâthe fresh air, laced with pleasing aromas of a variety of flora, were a comfort for her wound-up mind. If only there werenât the palace walls to block the rest of the world out! The gardens were beautiful and filled with life, but it would never compare to the wild and unrestrained forest. This was nothing but a replica in a gilded cage, but Nasrin had to make do with thisâif she closed her eyes and remained still, she would think she could feel it here tooâthe beating of the land, the sigh of the wind, the flow of the water, the soundless song of the animals. If she tried hard enough, she could think that she was home again.
The Dornishman even went as far as to suggest that he could go look for her mother himself if she would give him directions. Nasrin looked up at him and shook her head disbelievingly. âNine years is a while. You probably wouldnât be able to find her with whatever description I give you. Besidesâthey need you here, at court,â she said dryly. âWho will be here to protect Princess Adelaide and Prince Raban?â Lionel would want them out of the way if he wanted to repress an uprising if he were to take the Iron Throneâand out of the way as inâŠdeath. âItâs your job to protect them, not me,â she glanced at him a bit sharply, as one would use while reminding a straying child of its duties.
âWhat are you doing?â she questioned as he strayed to the pond. She followed, a smile briefly crossing her face as she looked down at the beautiful fish gliding around in the water, but he instead reached out and plucked a pretty water lily from the water. She flushed slightly as he tucked the flower into her hair, eyes darting about nervously as if she was worried that someone might see her not slapping a man for once, but remaining still and allowing him to put a flower in her hair.
Nasrin haltingly touched the flower in her hair gently, as if it would combust the moment she made contact with its silky petals. âYouâve messed up my hair,â she frowned, but there was not even a hint of resentment in her voice. What was this strangeness? She couldnât quite explain it, but she wasâŠhappy. Why? It was strange and she couldnât figure it outâif any other flirty man had the gall to attempt to tuck a flower in her hair, she would have yanked it out and perhaps thrown it back in his face. Because she hated womanizers, hated flirts too.
But wasnât he both?
âŠShe didnât know anymore.