a petal of love, for you | event
Few moments has passed since she has drawn the cute cherry flower on the table cloth and without her noticing, an unknown yet familiar figure appeared right behind the chair at her table, a towering man stood still, eyes fixated on her, as if he was assuring she was the one he was looking for. Before anything happened, he spoke few words, with a tone that slightly made Sakura alert, but not in a negative way –she just wasn’t sure how to properly deal with that situation. But one thing was for sure: she didn’t lose her smile.
“Shall I offer you some tea, mister Jeritza?” she gestured with her hand the chair in front of him, hoping he would sit with her and share the time being. “It’s a bit awkward, I know it, but with this little opportunity, I just hoped to find someone like me, with the same interests and passions..” she paused for a moment, actually pondering about the person she had in front of her: she didn’t know much about the knight, yet she has always been quite curious about his background and his role in the academy. He definitely was a mysterious person, but Sakura wasn’t intimidated by the aura he emitted, on the contrary, she has always been quite fascinated by the mystery hovering around his figure. Plus, they apparently had the same interests, which in Sakura’s mind sounded quite outstanding, but still.. she wanted to believe that something good was hiding inside that enigmatic man.
While she still was lost in her thoughts, a vivacious maid approached their table with an enthusiastic attitude, bowing to both partner and then addressing directly to Sakura.
“Would you like something to drink miss?”
Caught off guard, she exchanged a quick glance with her newly acquired partner, then shifted back to the cute maid. “I’d like some tea!” she took a moment to reply, thinking about a flavour he might like as well, even though she couldn’t possibly know it, if not by chance. “Maybe something with fruity flavour.. How about a honeyed-fruit blend?” and she turned toward Jeritza, quizzically looking at him as to wonder if he would like the same scent or if he preferred something different.
I wonder what he actually might like, she thought to herself, waiting for him to reply and imagining how this quite curious encounter would develop.
Tea? Jeritza followed Sakura’s gesture toward the chair and considered it for a moment. He didn’t recall any mention of a tea party, but truthfully he hadn’t been particularly thorough with his examination of the form he had been told to fill out either. An order was an order, and participation in the monastery’s many social and - in Jeritza’s opinion - frivolous events was just part of his penance. It ultimately didn’t matter what he felt, or how uncomfortable he was without a sword in hand, but at least tea was one of the more tolerable affairs. The expectation for words could be filled by preparation and drink, and once the pot was empty, it was reasonable to leave. Expectations, rules, and a time limit. That was that.
After a beat of silence, Jeritza pulled out the chair to sit, though without quite settling. Back straight, vigilant eyes flickering toward exits and mapping routes of escape, framed him in the mold of a soldier on patrol, not the noble that he was enjoying a pastime nobles were expected to enjoy. His partner, on the other hand, seemed right at home. Her smile was soft, her eyes gentle, her voice full of compassion and empathy. Awkward was perhaps an understatement, but as she spoke, Jeritza found his shoulders relaxing just a little.
One of the servants in the room approached their table and Jeritza was more than content to let Sakura take the lead. He was not, however, expecting her to glance toward him with a question about his preference.
“Ah...” The servant was now looking at him expectantly too. “That blend sounds fine.” And with their order taken, she smiled politely and left to prepare a tray. Jeritza looked back at Sakura.
“What did you mean... ‘to find someone like you?’ Do you believe in that woman’s matchmaking?” That woman being, of course, Micaiah. The others who had their hands in the organization of the event had hardly crossed into his sphere of awareness.