The Raven's Curse

Chapter Fourteen

It was a warm evening spring, summer should be around soon. And the fact that it was a Saturday made the day seemed more peaceful. Arthur sat at the iron garden table and chairs in the courtyard, having tea while reading good literature. It had been a while since he got to do those leisure activities he so loved. He had Mr.Martin made him tea and requested one of the maids to bring him a plate of butter biscuits. He didn't need any music to go with everything, he only needed the whispers the of winds and the orchestra of little insects and birds.

"Mind if I join you?" a lady asked.

Arthur looked up from his book and smiled at the lady, Lady (f/n). "No, not at all." 

(F/n) occupied the other iron chair, she brought a book with her.

"Do have some biscuits and tea." he offered.

"Thank you." she said as she poured herself a cup and added a teaspoon of sugar. She opened her book and munched on a piece biscuit. They enjoyed the calm athmosphere.

"This Jane Eyre book, it's lovely." her eyes were still on the book.

"Mhmm.. Charlotte was great. But her sister, Emily was remarkable. She wrote Wuthering Heights, I'll lend it to you later." he was still reading.

"Was it a romance novel?"

"It's more of a tragedy novel." his eyes still scanning the words. "But yes, still could be catagorised as a romance novel."

"Interesting."she mused.

"I know right."

"Yes that's right, I do wonder when will I get the chance to read other genres besides romance. Journey to the Centre of the Earth sounds nice."

Arthur was still reading, but his mind went somewhere else. He got the slighest feeling where this conversation was heading to. (F/n) took his silence as a green light to continue.

"Why is it I get this feeling, well more of a theory, that your lending a romance novel has to do with you knowing about about my strong principle?" 

He sighed. There was no use denying it anymore. (F/n) was a smart person, ofcourse she'll notice his plans sooner or later. In this case, it was sooner. He gave her a weary smile and put down his book. (F/n) did the same.

"You got me there." he surrendered. But only in this plan A, there were 25 more alphabets he could use and think of later. "You're angry about it, aren't you?"

"No, it's alright. You're not the first one who tried to convince me the existence of love."  yet he was the first to have reached this far in one plan. Quite sneaky in her opinion, but she was not going to admit all of those infront of him. "(Y/n) tried many times and in different ways, but I will still hold on to my principle."

"You're quite brutal in this matter yet compromising in others. I had this question that lingered in my mind for some time. Mind if I ask you something? And I want an honest answer, promise me that." he wanted to make sure she was comfortable in the subject.

"I'm an open person. Just ask anything that bothers you and I promise to always be honest with you in this matter." she smiled politely, he might just ask what the others had asked, why didn't she believe in love?

"Have you dated before?"

That was unexpected. (F/n) hesitated for moment. Honestly she wasn't ready for this one. Nobody asked before. They all assumed people like her had never entered the dating life and made deductions based on other people's unsuccesfull relationships. She didn't mind, it was better for them to think it that way.