章節 76: Daisy
All eyes were onto the royal siblings. Kiva waved her hands to the crowd, nudging her brother on the side to do the same.
"Smile." Kiva was smiling with her gritted teeth. "Don't scare them with your grumpy face."
"I'm happy and smiling." Ziloh tipped his head to the side and women cheered for his small gesture. "See."
"Hah, hah…" The side of Kiva's lips quivered. "Whatever."
They were stalling around the central square, visiting selected shops as the crowd followed them.
On her peripheral view, Kiva saw a middle-aged woman, selling flowers on the side of the street.
Kiva stopped by and looked at the colorful display. Fresh flowers were crammed in chipped pots, others in rusted thin cans, water dripping down on the floor.
"Daisies would suit Lady Kiva." The vendor gabbed a stem of white daisy and offered it to Kiva.
"Thank you," Kiva took the offer and waved the daisy under her nose--- she could barely smell its sweet floral scent. "How much for this?" she rummaged through her small sling bag.
"Oh no," The vendor backed a step. "It's a gift."
"Then…" Kiva hauled coins on her palm and handed it to the flower vendor. "I'll buy something for the princess…I think…" she leaned in to get a better look. "She would like this," she pointed at the red camelia.
Seeing that the vendor was still refusing her payment, Kiva pulled the vendor's hand, and rammed the payment onto the vendor's open palm.
Too much for her one hand, the flower vendor cupped both of her hands and stared at the pile of golden coins on her palms--- as if seeing that much money for the first time.
The flower vendor pocketed the generous payment, and instead of giving a stem of camelia, she strolled her whole cart towards Kiva.
"I only need one." Kiva was taken aback.
"Lady Kiva paid me so much, it's more than enough for the whole cart."
"No, no, no, no." Kiva shook her head profusely. "Sell it to others." Kiva wondered how beautiful things such as these could be so cheap. "You should charge more for these."
"If I do that, I won't be able to sell any." The flower vendor smiled bitterly. "My family won't be able to eat for the day."
"Well, you're not gonna worry about that anymore…" Kiva trimmed the stem and tucked the flower onto her right ear. "You'll sell more starting today."[TD1] she leaned in and whispered onto the vendor's ear. "Is it possible to make a necklace made out of flowers?" she stole a side glance at her brother. "as colorful as you can make it."
"Yes of course, Lady Kiva." The flower vendor beamed from the idea. "I can make one for you."
After five minutes of trimming and threading flowers into a thin string, a necklace was made. It was a beautiful combination of yellow, orange, and red. Anyone who wears it would surely stand out from the crowd--- as if the royal siblings needed more attention.
Ziloh was entertaining a group of women, his back onto Kiva.
Sometimes, her useless brother could be of use too.
Kiva smiled devilishly as she slowly creeped behind his brother, she tipped on her toes and hooked the flower necklace on Ziloh.
Ziloh turned around and stared down at her. "What is this,"
"Just be obedient and listen to me for once!" Kiva bit her lower lip, trying to suppress a laugh. "It looks nice, right?"
The women nodded enthusiastically, their eyes twinkling, they circled around Ziloh, admiring his new accessory.
The flower vendor insisted for Kiva to have the whole cart. "Lady Kiva, these are not much, but please accept them."
"No, no, no." But Kiva was more persistent with her refusal--- the vendor would offer once, and Kiva would refuse thrice.
The vendor, realizing she would not win against Lady Kiva, finally conceded in defeat. "Then…please accept this, Lady Kiva." The flower vendor took a can of camelia and gave it to Kiva. "I hope the princess will like them."
"I'm sure she will," Kiva was about to ask his brother to carry the can for her when she saw him suddenly beside her, studying the flowers. "What are you doing?"
"Since you're being generous," Ziloh took something small, it fit perfectly on his hand. "I'll take this."
"Hey… you have to pay for that!" Kiva's brow's furrowed. "Is that even a flower?" she snickered. Surely, Ziloh doesn't have an eye for things. Kiva did not notice that small thing was even there in the first place. In contrast to others, this one was on a soaked brown cardboard, with only a thin stem and a tiny black bud peeking out of the soil.
"It's not yet her time to bloom, that is a black cat Dahlia." The vendor explained. "It will only bloom once winter comes and snow falls."
"Perfect." Ziloh took it and scurried away.
"HEY! YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT! IDIOT!" Kiva, screaming her throat out in public was a not so royal thing to do, seeing that the crowd's eyes widened in shock, she took a deep breath and smiled to assure the crowd. "My brother," she addressed the crowd. "As generous as always."
"How much was that?" Kiva asked the vendor.
"No, you paid me enough, my lady." The vendor said. "Enough to put food on the table for a week."
Mumbling not so good words about Ziloh under her breath, Kiva blessed the kind vendor. "You don't have to worry about food from now own," she stood uptight and put an arm on her hip. "Take my word for it."
"Thank you, my lady." The flower vendor was bowing to her. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Kiva waved her hand gracefully. "Don't be bothered."
"Surely, the kingdom won't fall as long as the royals reign."
"Hmmmm," Kiva muffled a laugh. "I think I…agree with you on that."
Sneaking a look from side to side, expecting the awe expressions from the crowd, but she saw an empty street instead.
A mile away from her was where the crowd is, tailing Ziloh.
"HEY! WAIT FOR ME!" Kiva hurriedly bid goodbye to the flower vendor and scurried towards her brother. "HEY! I'M A ROYAL TOO!"
Kiva did not like the idea that Ziloh was more popular than her, it did not make sense to her--- she did not want to lose on anything against her brother. She was finally able to chase after the crowd and was stamping her feet beside her brother. "You owe me twenty-five rigs."
"No." Ziloh studied the small bud closely, as if willing it to bloom. "You would have paid the same even if I did not take this. Mine was free."
It was true, Kiva would have, but she did not expect Ziloh to benefit from it. "You owe me fifteen rigs."
"No."
"Not fair!"
Ziloh messed up Kiva's hair. "I'll buy you dessert instead."
"Who are you kidding." Kiva winkled her nose, there was no brain pies in here to satisfy her taste. "YOU…YOU…"
Kiva suddenly heard a squeal from the crowd.
Kiva glared at Ziloh then smiled at the people following them. "Oh hi! How was your day?" she was wondering since when the crowd of women doubled in number.
"Our day is complete now!" A woman with a bob blonde hair giggled. "We saw Lord Ziloh after all." The others looked at each other as if children excited for having candy.
Kiva blocked in her mind what the woman was saying, she was not interested to hear compliments about her brother, especially about his look and on how hot he was. Blah. Blah. Blah. "Hah, whatever." She was swinging the can of flowers on her arm when she suddenly swiveled to the left and marched towards a glass wall. She pressed her hand and forehead onto the glass----various kinds of pastries were displayed inside.
Mr. Baker waved at Kiva, she waved back in reply.
"I can buy you a strawberry shortcake." Ziloh said beside Kiva. "A whole cake of it." he smirked.
Kiva ignored the teasing and grabbed Ziloh's wrist, "You said you'll buy me desserts." she was pulling him towards the store.
Now that she was in town, might as well bring home more presents for Ali.
"Don't take back your word." Kiva warned Ziloh.
The door chimed as they entered.
There were buns topped with meat floss, pizza bread, garlic bread, sausage bread, and many more. Kiva passed by the savory section and went straight to the counter where a long glass refrigerator displayed a wide array of sweet pastries. There were mini carrot and chestnut cake, honey marmalade rolls, cupcakes, and various types of fruit tarts. "What's the most expensive one out of all of here?" Kiva pointed the row of display in front of her. "A taste fit for our princess, my best friend."
"Oh," Mr. Baker, who was inside the counter, nodded in understanding. "The princess herself may like our signature lemon almond tarts." He was rubbing his chin, having a hard time recommending only one. "Or maybe our white chocolate pistachio cupcakes." He slid open the glass refrigerator, took one, and offered it to Kiva. "Freshly baked."
Kiva took a bite and knew it tasted sweet, but it was not to her taste--- a royal's taste. She would have to trust Mr. Baker on this one. "Okay," she gulped down the dessert without savoring it. "Give me three..." thinking Ziloh would be the one to pay for it, she wanted to add more "…No, actually make it a dozen."
Ziloh snickered beside her.
While placing the order in a box, Mr. Baker confessed bashfully. "These are actually called the princess' orb, rumor has it her eyes are green like moss. Is it true?"
"Hmmm, yes, yes, she has green eyes, like an emerald." Kiva crossed her hands on her chess and tapped on her foot, waiting for Ziloh to pay for her.
Ziloh paid Mr. Baker, laughing to himself.
"Oh, no. If this are for the princess, I could give it for free."
Ziloh began to pull away his payment when Kiva shoved it to Mr. Baker. "No, we insist. Al…the princess would have it that way too."
"Oh, of course." Mr. Baker said. "I just wanted to give her a gift for her upcoming ceremony… then please allow me to add these..."
Mr. Baker ended up adding a dozen fruit tarts from their order for free.
Ziloh only paid twenty-four rigs for the cupcakes, which did not sit right with Kiva, it felt like she lost.
With a box full of bread on one hand and the pot of flowers on the other, Kiva decided to keep it somewhere for safekeeping--- she had to return for the other box of tarts for Ziloh refused to help her, his focus was only on his tiny plant.
Kiva's nostrils become wider and wider from frustration.
Finally, Ziloh lowered the paper flowerpot at his side. "Alyssa doesn't want people talking about love for sweets."
As if someone poured a bucket of cold water on her, Kiva's anger was put off. "Of course!" she pretended that she knew this. "A royal does not like sweets!" she said more to herself.
"Alyssa hates people spreading rumors about her."
"Of course! Who would want that!" Kiva was panicking inside.
"But her loving sweets is a fact and not a rumor…"
"Yes, of course, everybody knows that." Kiva bit her lip. 'Because of you.' she reminded herself.
"Spreading someone's truth is much worse than rumor." Ziloh was genuinely smiling now, and the crowd liked the view.
Kiva did not.
-- 收到的禮物 
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票