章節 16: Precious Time

"Isn't that what we're doing?" Valerio asked softly.

Leonor's smile was nervous but it was a smile nonetheless. She folded her hands in her lap in an effort to sit still even though she didn't feel like doing so. Being around Valerio was energizing for some strange reason.

"I suppose you're right," she said. "Though I don't understand why. I'm the daughter of a noble but I have very little to offer someone in terms of friendship."

Valerio was undoing his cloak and trying on the other one when Leonor said she didn't have much to offer. He paused in his actions and turned fully towards the lady. His unique red eyes seemed full of an emotion Leonor couldn't quite place.

"Commoners have friends without strings attached," he explained to her. "It isn't about how we can benefit from one another. Only that we like one another enough to spend our precious time together."

"Precious time…" Leonor echoed, trailing off as she thought about the concept of time.

She had never placed any value on time because it felt meaningless since her mother passed away. Things moved painfully slowly. She wanted to be an adult and take over for her father so that she would have freedom. Perhaps if she proved herself enough, he might be kinder to her.

A slightly less optimistic part of her heart told her that he would always be the same.

"Isn't time precious?" he asked her. "None of us know when it will run out. We have to spend it wisely."

Leonor thought what he said was significant, but he brushed it off as if his comment was of little importance. Yet for the following years she would take his words to heart and they would guide her decisions.

"I can't argue with that," Leonor admitted. "That's the scariest thing about life, isn't it?"

Valerio smiled and shook his head.

"It makes me want to be more spontaneous," he admitted.

Leonor was in disbelief. The man who had somehow avoided guards to see her wanted to be more spontaneous. She had never known anyone more spontaneous than him. It made her worried that he would gravely hurt himself in the future if he wasn't more careful with his time that he deemed to be precious.

However, the thought came and went as Valerio pulled the cloak up to his neck and pulled his long hair out of it.

"How do I look?" he asked. "This is the nicest one I've ever had before. It's not a hand me down either."

Leonor's sky blue eyes admired him openly since he gave her permission. She thought he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen but she couldn't say it out loud after he declared they were going to be friends.

"I think it suits you," she said. "Please wear it well. My maid assured me that it will be good for someone who works outside."

"I'll do my best," he promised, knowing he would cherish it forever. Even on a hot day, he knew he would still want to wear it if he could.

However, with the warmth in Leonor's room and a small fire crackling in the fireplace, he decided to remove the cloak and place it on the chair sitting next to the one she was occupying. He would put it back on when he left and had to bear the cold again. He wouldn't tell her that he would be walking back to the township since those he usually caught a wagon ride with were long gone.

She admired as his hair fell back down once the cloak was removed.

"I know you're only here to check on me, but would you like to stay for some tea?" she asked, innocently. She was unaware that if she were a few years older the implication of tea with someone she was fond of at night meant far more than she meant at that moment. "I can request some before my maid leaves for the evening."

The warm room made Valerio want to stay forever. At the orphanage, he often slept fully dressed because of how cold it could be if they ran out of wood. They were far from destitute and not starving, but with so many children relying on them, they often had to pick and choose which was most important. Feeding everyone took top priority. Luckily, Burien didn't get below freezing even in winter.

"I would love to," Valerio responded. "Though I suppose I will have to hide in your wardrobe again if your maid has to come into your room."

Leonor smiled. She hadn't thought that far ahead and he caught her.

"I suppose you're right," she said.

Since she would have to go to the hallway to find Francia, Leonor started to stand and Valerio was immediately at her side. He helped her up, muttering that he wished she didn't stand at all.

When she was at the door, he slipped back into a hiding spot he thought that he wouldn't mind getting used to.

After tea was placed on the table for Leonor, she realized that there was only one porcelain glass and she didn't know what she could do. Hearing that Valerio was leaving her armoire and walking towards her, she seemed alarmed as she looked up at him.

"I didn't think it through thoroughly," she admitted. "Francia only brought one teacup."

Simultaneously, they said "you should have it" to each other. It caused them both to laugh.

"You really should have it," Leonor said. "You worked in the cold today and I already had tea."

"I shouldn't accept something that was brought for you," Valerio argued in return. "You've given me so much this evening."

For a moment they were at a stalemate, staring at one another as they thought of what to do.

"What if we… share?" Leonor suggested quietly. "If neither of us will take it, it's going to go to waste otherwise."

The tea was already poured by Francia who double checked to make sure Leonor didn't need anything else before she would depart. As it waited for the two to finish being too polite with one another, it steamed less than when it was freshly poured.

It wasn't the response Valerio was expecting. An indirect kiss with her. She had no idea what she was suggesting and he found it endearing.

It also occured to him that, despite being a noble lady, Leonor was far less selfish than he could have ever imagined. He thought she was shy from first impression but she could be rather stubborn as well.

"I accept," Valerio said and took a seat across from her. "But only if you divulge a secret about yourself."

Leonor's eyes widened, but she sunk further in her chair and let out a light sigh. It seemed he was insistent on making things difficult for her.