𝙎𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 (𝙔𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚!𝙈.𝙎𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙓𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧)

Chapter 12

A week had passed by as my bond with Merrik grew further. My mother's illness seemed to have gotten better as she was acting like herself with every passing days. Merrik and her had gotten along fairly well, but I was still cautious over the people he meets, especially Ella.

I brushed through her hair gently, admiring her sleeping form while I smiled. "Once this is all over you'll be free, Ella." I said in assurance, stroking her skin as I leaned in and peck her cheek.

The door creaked open from behind, making me turn around in a bolt to see my mother peeking her head inside with a small beam. "Good morning, mother." I greet with a slight bow of my head. "You seem doing well, (y/n)." she said softly, coming to a halt beside me with her eyes glanced down on Ella.

My fingertips pushed the strand of her hair between her shut eyes, watching her intently with care. "I'm glad you're doing fine yourself, mother." I turned to face her while she nod her head in agreement, "Merrik is quite a gentleman as well," she nudged my shoulder, her narrowing gaze making me feel on edge.

"Have you...ever asked if he's an eligible man?" she winked as I gasp with a hand touching my unsealed lips. "Mother! Are you really reconsidering to marry? That's quite a preposterous idea in our situation right now."

She sighed with a frown, letting her shoulders fall back and with a hand clenching on my left shoulder. "How silly you are, (y/n)! I'm not talking about me, but you!" she laughed and shook her head lightly. My eyes went wide with a fluster, tilting my head to the ground and suspire. "I don't think Merrik feels that way for me, mother. A girl like me? Oh, please." I smiled while I cradled Ella's cheek.

The thought of Merrik ever finding a serene love towards me was something I wish had walls that I cannot break. He made my life into a terror, a fright. If only she knew, if only I could tell.

She clenched on my forearm and tugged me closer, "You know, I fell in love with a pirate before (y/n). He was also from Blackrum. He was a hunk, I dare say!" she giggled to herself as if she were a youngster like me, putting a strand of hair back with a cheeky grin.

"But things came to an end...until I met your father, (y/n). You're both a blessing from the stars." she added, squeezing my cheek to lighten the mood while I groaned quietly from her painful pinch.

I stepped back and rubbed my cheek while I rolled my eyes. "I'll leave you with Ella now, mother. The bakery is doing well with Merrik by my side! Isn't that great?" I questioned, my face lighting up with victory. She nod her head and pat my head while smoothening the baby hairs that stood. "You've done well, (y/n)," she complimented as I excused myself to fetch Merrik.

I turned to my heels and touched the silver doorknob and twist it open, stepping an inch of my shoe out of Ella's room. "(Y/n)!" I heard my mother call out my name from behind, making me pause. I turned around as I saw her hold three carnival tickets with a cheeky grin.

She went closer towards me and placed it beneath my palms, "You three deserve some fun outside and I heard the circus would be open tonight! Wouldn't that be great?" se inched closer while I nod my head and took it, fidgeting on the tickets with contemplation. I gazed back up and hugged her tight, "Thank you, mother. I must go now." I muttered through her ear and left.

Merrik and I walked on the same road quietly without questions. "Merrik, is it true that you were from Blackrum?" I finally uttered out a word, feeling dubious over asking a simple question.

To be living under the same roof with him with little to know about Merrik other than him being a fish tailed man was something I couldn't let go for I wanted to know more of him as to avoid getting crushed by my curiosity.

"Yes, (y/n). My mother was from Blackrum while my father is from Kieshfah," he answered with an explanation, turning to look at me with his emerald eyes. "Or as you all call it, Norkloe." he said with a sly smirk. I nod my head and clenched on the weaved basket of pastries tightly, looking down at the tickets that sat beside the warm bread.

"Do you still remember them?" I query, tilting my head up to his eye level. He turned away with a puzzled look and seemingly a labyrinth mind while he tapped his finger to his chin. Moments passed by as he shook his head no, "All my life as a mortal had been swept away after thousands of years, which includes everyone I knew back then." he finally spoke with a slight chuckle and a sense of melancholy.

"Then...will you forget me?" the words came out of my mouth like a freed bird as I inched back with my fingertips touching my quivering lips, feeling awkward over my question. "Shall we go in?" he asked, pushing the door to the bakery open as I heard the chiming bells.

I let out the breath I held and nod my head, going inside the bakery with what I had said to be shrugged off.

Jack greeted me with a morning pun as always, with his shining smile and my groaning moans getting in the way.

I stayed at the counter for a while, leaning close while I watched Merrik sweep the floor and Jack behind him dusting the shelves above the mirror. I stretched my arms up and began to walk towards the storage room, pushing the sleeves of my dress up.

I went inside and gazed my eyes around, reading each teared paper of the sack as I began to pull the big sack of nuts out of the doorway. "Can anyone of you help me out here?" I yelled in a plea, tilting my head back to look at them with beads of sweats coming down at the side of my forehead.

"I'll help you, (y/n)!" they answered in unison as they both exchanged looks. Merrik cleared his throat and forced himself to smile, pushing the broom towards Jack. "It's fine, I can help (y/n). You seem too frail to even lift one." Merrik chuckled to himself, but Jack was far from being pleased by his insult as he clenched the handle of the brush tightly with a scornful gaze.

The tension of both of them gave me the shiver as I called for Merrik's attention. "May you?" I beckoned him over to the sack of nuts while Jack's scowl followed his movement.

I went towards Jack and pat his rigid shoulders, pushing it back down to appear more relaxed. "Don't mind him,. Jack. He's just joking around. You look like a baby with that pouting face." I joked while Jack brushed my arms off of him with a glare, "He's been quite a pesk lately, (y/n). Especially when I'm around you," he mumbled while he sweep the floor, darting his eyes back up at me. "I don't trust him around you." he added with a warning tone.

Before I could even let out a word, Merrik called my name softly from behind. "May you help me, (y/n)?" he asked while he held the scooper up with a little wave. I turned back to Jack and smiled, going back to Merrik's side with a sigh.

"Aren't you a silly thing, you don't even know how to scoop out nuts." I joked and touched his hand, "It's probably because he's just some rich man without common sense because all his life he was drowned with luxuries and butlers." Jack said in quite a mumble, but was enough to be heard from the both of us.

Merrik looked up with a snarl and intertwined his hand around mine. Both of the men eyed each other down across the room as I gulped, unable to think of what to do.