Ashes of Cinder

7

Heart thrumming against your chest, you stuffed your balled fists into the pockets of your trousers.  Strolling through the streets with a bag that swung into your leg at every stride, you were now on your way to return the umbrella to the strange man...Blaise Wellington. You weren't sure what to think of this - only that your mind was in scatters and you had no idea what to do once you got there. Were you even welcomed there?

The sky in a cloudy gray, you shivered at the cool air. The transition from summer to fall was beginning, as the leaves that were falling colored into shades of golden, red, and brown. You thought it was beautiful and you believed this upcoming season was better than the prior. There was something magical about harvest season and the sight of it gave you hope for the future.

Passing dark and looming buildings that contained miscellaneous shops that ranged from selling furniture to clothing, you continued your walk. The closer you got to your destination, the more you couldn't cover your nerves. Sweat slicked over your palms and laid on your forehead. Ignoring the temperature, your body was feeling hot underneath the clothing. Lastly, your legs were shaky as you made your way over.

The corner section of the large shopping district finally made an appearance and there it was, a standing shop besides the tailor shop you had been to. Small, dainty, and warm looking, your feelings were otherwise when you saw it.

Thoughts ran through your head at the speed of light. What were you going to say to him? How long were going to stay there for? Would he answer any questions you have?

You neared it and the glassy window that you took notice was just the same as the last time you were here. A train, a doll, a teddy bear, and an unlit candle filled the surface of the brown wood inside the store. They were the ones that piqued your interest the most, leading you to see the young man behind the window.

Instead of running away like last time, you summoned your courage and took a step into the place that haunted your dreams.

The whistle of chimes greeted you and the door behind you slammed shut, the cold evaporating alongside it. Though it was daytime, light barely reached the room - the only beacon of light coming through was from the window up at front. Therefore, candles were lit in the back of the area, filling the air with its aroma.

Focusing your gaze on the interesting artifacts laying on a large shelf, you noticed an immense amount of stuff animals. There was bears, tigers, sheep, dogs, giraffes - all the animals that existed in this world could've been on that shelf. Dark, reflecting eyes appeared from all of them in a cute, but creepy way. They all had exquisite details on them, reminding you of the bear you saw up front. The toys here were remarkable.

On the other side were dolls, variating in size, race, hair, and clothing. Wooden figurines of soldiers or nutcrackers stood next to them, having been carved finely. Train tracks crossed the floors with a small machine that went through them in a cycle. There was other toys too...toys that you didn't even know the names of, but they caught your [e/c] eyes just as much.

"Welcome to my humble, little shop...." A voice startled you and you whirled to face eyes that seemed to be glowing in the dark. "...[Y/N]."

He was wearing something different for once. Donning a white blouse tucked into tan pants, the clothing framed him well. Of course, he couldn't go anywhere without his top hat, so it rested on his head like it belonged there. Heat filled your cheeks as you couldn't help but admire his looks. He looked so...princely.

"Hello Blaise," you responded meekly, fiddling your fingers on the handle of your bag.

Your cap was snatched from your head and a female you were once again. He twirled the cap around with his pointer finger and gave you a Cheshire smile. "I can't have this covering your pretty, pretty locks, can I?"