Chapter 59 - To The Fair

Just as she was about to push herself up to her feet, she felt something crawling on her wrists. She stroked it with her thumb and a frown tugged at her face, ''Vines...?" They felt like ordinary vines to touch but how could they move like this.

As the vines tightened on her hands, Esme struggled to move. The vines slowly captured her legs, binding her to the place. 

Esme frowned and she pursed her lips while attempting to move. ''Leo....'' She called out to the white tiger when she was reminded that he was there with her. The vines tightened around her wrist, ''Leo...Al-'' 

Her chest heaved up and down as she sat up on the bed.

She blinked slowly as she tilted her head to the side, ''When did you come back?" She asked as she found Aleister sitting beside her on the bed. 

''What happened?' He asked instead of answering her question.

He raised his hand towards her face and just as she was about to back away from his touch, he placed his other hand on her shoulder while placing the back of his hand on her forehead. 

Esme blinked as he retracted his hand from her forehead, ''I am not sick.''

Aleister quietly glanced at her. When he stepped inside the room, she was quivering on the bed while Leo was standing near her head, trying to wake her up. ''Did you have a nightmare?"

Esme glanced at the ceiling blankly, ''Perhaps,'' Her brows tugged together, ''I can not remember it. I was just... alone somewhere.''

The small frown on his face got deeper as he looked at her listless face, ''Good thing that you called my name so intimately,'' He said in a teasing voice. 

Esme snapped out of her daze, ''What did I call you?"

''Al?" The corner of his lips tugged up. 

''You must have misheard it,'' Esme shook her head. 

''Do you think I am lying?" He leaned closer to her.

She pressed her back against the headrest. He did not look like he was lying...''I was in deep sleep. I don't remember,'' She hesitantly averted her gaze as she glanced at Leo who was standing near her head, ''You...look good,'' An awkward smile made its way to her lips. 

Leo's concerned expressions were replaced by sheer disdain. Crafty woman, are you using me as a shield to walk out of your shame?

Esme was certain that she saw him rolling his eyes at her before he turned around and strutted out of the room elegantly. 

She slowly tilted her head to the side to look at the man who was still looking at her quietly. 

After Leo was gone, both of them were left alone in the room. 

Esme tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her hair.

''But I don't mind when you call me like that,'' he said all of a sudden, surprising her. 

Esme's lips parted slightly but just as she was about to say something, he spoke up, ''Let's go,'' He stood up from the bed. 

She glanced at his outstretched hand, ''Where are we going this time?" She paused for a moment before adding, ''I will not go with you if you don't tell me,'' She averted her gaze. 

He chuckled. 

She looked at his hand that was still extended towards her before looking at the genuine smile on his usually stoic face. The corner of her lips tugged up slightly and she placed her palm in his before getting off the bed, ''I am serious.''

He would never tell her anything when they went somewhere and then she would be the one to be shocked. 

''We are going to the fair.''

She tilted her head, ''The fair in the Capital City?" As he nodded, she raised an eyebrow, ''Why will we go there?" Did he perhaps get some new clue?

''Why? You only want to go there with gardener?" 

The corner of her lips twitched, ''Did you eavesdrop on us?" Many days hhavepassed since the day Keith Reiner had asked her to go to the fair with him and she had agreed because she thought she could know more about the workings of the castle from him. 

''I was passing by and happened to hear it,'' Aleister cleared his throat. 

''But the fair should have ended days ago...'' 

''It has not,'' He did not explain any further and she did not ask how.

Esme nodded, ''Let's go then...'' She paused for a moment as she looked at herself, ''...But not like this.''

Later that evening. 

On the busy streets of the Capital City, two men garnered the most attention when they arrived at the entrance gates of the fair.

One of the men was tall and muscular in the black clothes he was wearing. He looked like a rich aristocrat with a small silver mask on his face. Despite his mask, his aura and looks were extraordinary.

While the other man looked like a delicate youth in his white brocade. 

"There was no need for us to come here like this," Aleister mumbled near her ear. 

Esme placed her palm on her ear which felt itchy at the contact of his warm breath on her skin, "T-There was..." She whispered, "Your face attracts attention. And if someone recognizes you, there will be a commotion."

"Are you worried about me?"

She averted her gaze, "I am worried that the crowd will bury me here," She slowly fixed the hooded scarf which had restrained her long hair.

While the crowd initially thought they were two aristocrat brothers but their assumption wavered when they noticed their interaction. Certain wild thoughts started flying in their minds.

Finding everyone's gazes on them, Esme grabbed his hand and walked faster towards the less crowded street.

The fair in the Visteria was glorious. Small shops and kerbside stalls were found on either side of the streets. 

There was a large ground behind the shops with carousels. 

While she was in a hurry to avoid everyone's attention, Aleister was taking small footsteps lazily, letting himself being dragged by her. 

As they stepped away from the crowd, Esme sighed and slowed down her pace, "Why did you bring me here?"