The Deck of Destiny - A Caraval Oneshot Collection

Doughnuts and New Beginnings

Setting: pre-Caraval, during the month Julian arrived on Trisda.

"Falling For The Sailor"
1/5

It was a beautiful day on Trisda. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, the birds were chirping, and Scarlett decided it a good day to stop at her favourite cafe.

The bells on the door rang when she stepped inside and the owner greeted her warmly, considering she was a regular customer.

"Scarlett, it's so good to see you! What can I get for you, hun?" Eva Lynn asked.

"It's nice to see you too, Ms. Lynn. Just a chocolate glazed doughnut with a coffee, please," Scarlett answered with a smile.

"Coming right up, go ahead and have a seat."

As Scarlett waited on her order, she heard the bells on the door ring a few times.

"Well if it isn't the colour named girl without a life," Riley sneered at Scarlett, a girl from her old school.

"It's nice to see you too, Riley," Scarlett said through gritted teeth.

"Sitting all alone? What a shame," Riley mockingly frowned.

Scarlett's cheeks flushed red until a handsome young man rushed over to her table.

"So sorry I'm late, love. Thanks for waiting up, is this your friend?" The mysterious man asked, taking a seat at her table.

Scarlett was taken by surprise, but he raised his eyebrows as if urging her to go along with it.

"Just a... old school friend," Scarlett said awkwardly, referring to Riley.

"I- well... um, sorry to bother you." Riley began twirling her hair at the man who sat with Scarlett before leaving to sit at a different table.

"Why did you do that?" Scarlett asked quietly, trying to look everywhere but at him. She was engaged, and it would be inappropriate to have such an outing with a different man.

"I don't like bullies," he shrugged before adding, "and you're quite pretty."

If Scarlett wasn't blushing before, she was now.

"Thank you, but I'm engaged."

"Ah, let me guess. An arranged marriage to some guy you've never met before?" The boy raised his eyebrows and to her surprise, he was right.

"How did you..." Scarlett trailed off.

"Your dress looks expensive and you have that look in your eye."

"What look in my eye?" She asked self consciously.

"I'm Julian." He extended his hand, avoiding the question skillfully. She remembered who he was now, the sailor.

"Scarlett." She wouldn't have shook his hand if she wasn't so drawn to him, but she was, so she did.

He paused.

"The mayor's daughter?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"Of course not, I just didn't expect-"

"One chocolate glazed doughnut and a coffee for my favourite customer." Eva set down Scarlett's order on the table, winking at Scarlett before she left, "Cute guy," she whispered in her ear.

Julian smirked. Scarlett inhaled sharply.

She quickly took a sip from her coffee, not caring if she burned her tongue; anything was better than looking at his smug expression.

"Did you grow up here?" Julian asked, picking up her doughnut and taking a bite of it.

"Did you just take a bite of my doughnut?"

"I would've taken the coffee, but you're drinking it."

And to think she thought him a gentleman.

"I think we're done here. I shouldn't even be sitting with another man, let alone conversing with one," Scarlett huffed, setting down her half-full coffee on the table along with a few coins.

"Wait!" He grabbed onto her wrist, gently tugging her back. "I'm sorry, but I do want to get to know you better."

This time she paused. But she was engaged.

"Meet me at the Rue Docks at midnight if you're concerned about someone seeing us. I just have a feeling we're going to be friends," he attempted to convince her.

Friends. Not lovers. They could be friends, right?

"Fine," she responded against her better judgment. "I'll see you at midnight."

A/N
I might just turn this into a mini series, but it may only be three parts. I'll try to make it as long as I can.