"It's not my fault for not knowing who tried to surprise me just now." Mila huffed out a breath seeing that ZH deserved it anyway for not trying to use a different method to get her attention. "Why are you here anyway?" Mila saw him more clearly as he stood up straight, looking at the girl who was growing day by day.
ZH did not want Mila to be shown or seen by any men who would want to remove her mask to see what she looked like underneath. "Is it bad if I want to see you again?" ZH got closer to see Mila had grown just a bit. "You really have grown." He had a teasing smile which he had a hint of curiosity of how she looked like without the mask and her hair in the way of her left side of the face. He wondered if it may have been the poison that happened almost three years ago that may be the reason Mila changed her hairstyle to cover her face.
"No need to start this type of conversation. I've had my time to grow, and I'm not even halfway there yet." Mila didn't want to start complimenting him either, but she had to admit that his long hair had grown past his waist with his height a bit taller this time. 'I can tell he got more handsome over the years that we've been apart.' Mila thought which ZH got closer to her face, making her cheeks turn red to see how close he was to her.
"Are you thinking about how well I have grown?" ZH teased her making Mila start walking away from him and get as far away from him as possible.
'This man!!!!!' Mila hurried along the streets with ZH following behind her closely, not knowing what he had in mind. 'What does this man have on his mind?! He is always unpredictable!!!!' She thought, knowing how cunning he could be, but he would never do anything to hurt her.
"You're not going to tell me how much you missed me?" He couldn't help but smile once he saw her ears turning red to see that she was shy and stubborn to admit it.
"There's no need when actions speak more than words." Mila was at least almost at his shoulder height. "By the way, how have you been for the last few years? It's been a while since we've last spoken." Looking up time him, ZH could tell that she was curious about him and with what he had been up to.
"I've been fine. How have you been? Why have you changed your hairstyle?" Both faced each other once they stood on a bridge looking down to the market streets in Pearlrest town. ZH tried to move her hair back behind her ear, but she stopped him, flinching away not wanting to let him see her face now.
"It's nothing. Thank you for your concern." Mila turned away which had ZH a bit disappointed that she would avoid him, not allowing him to see her face after being so far apart from one another for almost three years. Mila continued walking with ZH as they walked until the night sky came. "I think this ends our time together." Mila smiled looking up to him. They had reached the tavern that Mila was currently staying at for the time being. Mila did not know if ZH had a place to stay since he was in another kingdom, and she had no idea if he just arrived today.
"Are you worried about me?" ZH couldn't help but see how Mila was growing up to be more beautiful as she grew older.
'Like hell I'll admit that!!!' Mila did not want to admit or say anything. "Go and rest. I don't want to be lectured by anyone and getting blamed that it was my fault for not sleeping early enough." Mila was about to go in when ZH held her hand.
"Will you allow me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" ZH didn't want to part from her and Mila didn't understand why he wanted to stick with her.
'What is wrong with you?!?!?' Mila thought and felt her face turning red to see how he held her hand with such warmth. "You don't have to!"
"I want to." ZH said calmly and took her by the hand and dragged her inside. "Ladies first." He allowed Mila to go ahead into her temporary room which a question immediately came into mind.
Mila stood shocked since she didn't even tell ZH where her room was to begin with. "H-How did you know where my room?" She questioned and looked to him angrily. 'Have you been spying on me?!' The question ran through her head, being unsure if he was spying on her secretly without her consent.
"I have my ways." ZH was obviously lying which Mila wanted to kick him again at his crotch again to teach him a lesson. "Come on!" He dragged her and locked the bedroom door. Mila saw that Cotton and Net were likely hanging out with the others, possibly eating. "Go ahead and lay down on the bed." ZH laid down first and patted the bed for Mila to lay on.
'This!!!!!' Feeling her eyebrow twitch, she removed her cloak. Then, putting her hairpin with her cloak along with putting her mask down. Her hair still hid her scar as she laid down onto the bed, hoping that ZH would not see her scar. "Don't bother me." Mila didn't understand why she would allow him to sleep in the same bed as her.
"I won't, strange woman." ZH said, laying down beside her in the same bed. Watching Mila slowly fall asleep, he couldn't help but kiss her head. He didn't want to move her hair out of her face since she seemed like she didn't want anyone to see her left side of the face. He respected her, so he didn't want to push her to tell him. "Goodnight, my love." Leaving through the window, ZH wanted to settle some matters with the Mana Hunters who chased after Mila.
"Are you going really going to by yourself?" Hearing a woman behind him, ZH smirked and saw how it had been awhile since he last saw her. Seeing her true blue hair and lime green eyes.
"Of course, I won't let them go that easily when they messed with something of mines. No, more like they are trying to steal it from me." ZH went ahead and left going to the Mana Hunters.
"Tsk, your quite sweet when it's only to the people you really love or your special someone." The woman looked to the tavern where Mila was sound asleep. "You probably don't know how much he treasures you." The woman sighed, feeling a bit jealous, but one cannot change their heart.
***
"She's already asleep." Sara saw Mila sound asleep in bed while Emmett saw the same thing. They were glad that she was sound asleep and not outside. "I'm glad that she isn't in danger." Sara sighed, feeling Emmett hug her close.
"It's okay. We are almost at the end of the year. When all of this is over, then we can finally have a wedding." Emmett smiled, kissing the side of Sara's cheek.
"You really can't wait." Sara laid her head against his chest, they had been through so much to be together. "Are you sure that you won't regret marrying a maid like me? After all, I don't possess anything special within me. I don't want to ruin your image as a knight." Sara did not know if Emmett's reputation would be good when they get married since he held mana while she held nothing.
"I chose you. There was no other woman who is more beautiful than my fiancé right now. Besides, you can say that we already have a child in some way." Emmett was talking about Mila being considered as one of their own children, even though she was not related to them by blood. They saw Mila like t heir child who they had been raising for almost her entire life. Emmett hugging Sara closer to his chest, allowing them both to feel each other's heart beat for one another.
"You silly man. Since when were you able to say such sweet words." Sara turned around to see how he had grown more and more mushy at his words.
"I only become like this since I am with the woman I love. You are the only one that I love in my heart. Do not think that I will let anyone harm you and our family. I will take care of everyone from harms way no matter what." Emmett kissed Sara on the lips, making it uncalled-for which Sara did not think he would steal another kiss.
"You idiot!" Sara blushed, hitting his shoulder lightly at the same time and went back down to join Thelma and Tim eating below in the tavern. Emmett saw Mila one more time and left to join the rest that were downstairs.
Cotton noticed the two couple returning from upstairs with no clue what had happened, but she could see Sara's face was slightly red with her ears. [Where did those two go?] Cotton said, looking to see how the young engaged couple were quite relived returning from the room that they were temporarily staying in.
[Maybe just checking on the young miss or love-making.] Net said, knowing how they loved Mila like their own child, never wanting any harm to be done. Cotton and Net continued eating with the platter of food places before them.
[...] Cotton did not think about it until she thought of 'love-making' which made her turn red. [EEEEHHHH!!!!!!!!] She did not think that such a thing would occur since most humans tend to get married then do those stuff.
[Relax, it's completely normal in this world. Humans can do as they please as long as there is consent from both sides.] Net started to teach and tell Cotton about humans and how they would usually behave or be like.
***
"Leo!" Luce called out running to Leo who was waiting for her at the market, not knowing what trouble she was bringing to him. Leo saw a group of men chasing Luce who was clearly out of breath. "Leo! Leo!"
'This woman!' Leo took out his sword, making sure that they didn't get killed. He only had them all knocked unconscious and had Elmer, his Four Eye Caracal handle the rest with his smoke to blind them temporarily.
Leo hugged Luce in his arms and kept her from any incoming men that were chasing after her. Seeing that they were all unconscious, none of them got up from the ground or floor they laid on. [They are all unconscious, Lord Leo.] Elmer informed Leo who nodded. Elmer tend to be the most focused and was the oldest out of the rest of his beasts who followed him.
"You can leave now. Thank you." Leo had Elmer return to rest while he turned to face Luce, he was about to rant or lecture her again with her unnecessary actions. "What did you do this time?" Luce gasped unsure of how to explain it to him since every time they met, she was always in some sort of trouble following after her. "Luce, you've been like this every single time we meet. When will you not bring trouble to me." Leo did not know what ran through the woman's head, he wondered how he even took interest in her.
"Umm... well. I wanted to..." Luce fiddled with her fingers unsure of how to tell Leo about the whole situation or her plan.
"Luce..." Leo was getting impatient and wanted a clear and honest explanation this time. He did not want to continue to save her if she kept causing trouble for him unknowingly.
