Villainess From the Stars

10. Smiles in the Stone

The days had passed by quickly as Pop walked with her by his side.

He would often lift her up in his arms so she could see into a willowcant's nest. A bird only native to their area with rainbow-colored eggs that shimmered in the light of a new day.

He taught her how to forage the food that would be found on their table each day, supplemented with food from their own small garden at the back of the estate.

When the day came that she asked why they never ate meat, he took her out into the forest with a bow and arrow.

They sat until an animal came into the woods. It looked much like the stags that she remembered from before, but it was much leaner with longer legs that made it stand majestically in the forest. She found herself frozen, unable even to lift the bow.

Instinctively Vienna knew she'd never be able to kill to eat, and it wasn't just that it was something with how the beast looked her in the eye. Once she had dropped the weapon to the ground and walked toward the creature, it bowed its head down toward her so she could place her hand on its nose.

"Hello."

Her fingertips trembled, and her heart felt full, like how it did when she lay beneath the old one soaking in the sun through its leaves. As her finger stroked the soft nose before her, she looked into the stag's eyes, and the forest reflected within them. She held her breath as if afraid its movement would frighten the majestic being before her.

The stag backed away before sprinting off without a backward glance.

Vienna had often wondered if she felt things stronger because of what she was - a Starlight Soul. She briefly wondered this again but then shook her head. Vienna knew what 'gift' she had asked when she was inserted into this world - and it wasn't to be an empath. Something else was going on.

Even lost in her thoughts, Vienna could feel the warm, reassuring presence of her father as he joined her.

"Pop?"

"Yes, my little flower?"

She smiled as he still called her his 'little' flower.

She tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

Her eyes wandered over his features, and she wondered if perhaps she had some heritage other than Terran.

Her father was a good height but sometimes she got a distinct feeling that either he was slouching or somehow hiding how tall he really was but she wasn't sure exactly how and also no matter what he seemed almost like a giant in comparison to her little frame.

"Am I... I mean... are we...?"

"Excuse me, Duke and Miss Vienna."

Vienna turned and gave a sour look toward Frey, who had just interrupted her.

Frey had a talent for arriving at the most irritating times.

Even if she still was his friend, it was annoying.

His features had turned more tan while he worked more with his element, living with the land. His frame was bulkier than before as he had taken on the heavy lifting jobs for Ezzie, as they were expecting a little one soon.

He was so frustratingly adorable with his stupid grin as he wiped the sweat from his brow, his hair turning light green to match the foliage.

"What is it, Frey?"

Frey nodded toward her father in respect, "Sir Roark has arrived and is waiting in your study. He mentioned wishing to see lil' V as well." He boldly flashed a grin down at her and winked a striking jade-colored eye at her.

She tsked at him and shook her head. Vienna could feel her braids flopping on either side of her head as she rolled her eyes at Frey.

Once they arrived at the study, they found Roark with his hands behind his back, standing with the office door and the one window in his peripherals.

"Hello, Sir Roark!"

Vienna smiled brighter when she saw the barest sign of a twitch at the corner of his lips.

"What brings you here, Tarin?"

"Can I not come and visit an old friend?" His lips were crooked, and Vienna thought perhaps he was just out of practice with smiling.

A new goal popped into her mind.

His lapis lazuli eyes met hers at that moment as if anticipating trouble and so she shot him a disarmingly bright smile immediately. She could have sworn Roark's eyes almost sparkled.

"I had some spare time and thought I would come for a visit." He bent on his knee before Vienna. "How's your education been coming along?"

Vienna rocked back on her heels. "Pop has been teaching me!"

Sir Roark's eyes glanced at her father before giving her his attention. "What about your tutors?"

"Oh, they stopped trying ages ago..." She shrugged. "They weren't good, and almost all the ladies wanted to marry Pop."

His ridge-like brows furrowed. "How long ago did they give up? I thought you still had a tutor here by the name of Frey Rhodon."

"He was the nicest, but he only stayed around to marry Ezzie. We still have fun discussions sometimes. All the others just gave me books to read or asked me questions about Pop." She sighed. She pretended to count down with her fingers to figure out how much time had passed since the last tutor left. "I was seven and a half, I think? Yep, that's when I scared off the last lady. She was quite a piece of work."

"You didn't tell me anything, little flower." Her father spoke worriedly from behind her.

"Pop, you broke the wrist of that one rude one who was yanking me just a little too roughly. I thought I should take care of the mean lady."

Roark leaned forward with an almost conspirative whisper. "Does this have anything to do with Lady Marguerite's new fashionable haircut?"

Vienna giggled. "Is that how she played it?" Leaning in just as conspiratively, "I wonder what she will tell a future husband when it doesn't ever go back."

"Vienna!"

She didn't have to turn around to know her Pop was trying to stop himself from laughing out loud.

"Pop, I didn't do anything too bad. All I did was put a little pigment dye I found into all of Lady Marguerite's special hair products."

Then the most glorious thing happened in the whole wide world: a loud rumble shook the stones of the house as laughter burst from Sir Roark. An enormous smile stretched his mouth wide, causing his incisors to glint brightly in the light. He leaned against the fireplace as if the usually stern Ôkren had to gather up the chuckles that had spilled out before he could speak again.

"You have a rather wonderful smile, Sir Roark."