104: Away from you

Away from you

"Good morning,"2

Egon greeted Adela as she emerged from the tent. He was wearing a long, loose-fitting blue garment that reached his ankles along with sandals. What caught her attention the most, however, was the absence of gloves on his hands.

"...I want to find Arkin and continue on my way," she said.

Stepping aside, Egon revealed the source of the enticing aroma that had awakened her at sunrise. Whatever Egon had hunted, it was already cooked and sizzling over a narrow charcoal grill.

"Sit. We're having breakfast together,"

Although her hunger pangs were intense, the sight of Arkin's favorite food only served to strengthen her resolve to find him. Tearing her eyes away from the tantalizing meat and directing her attention upward, she met Egon's gaze with defiance.

"I don't recall agreeing to have breakfast plans with you."

"Do you always wake up this irritable?"

"No," she replied curtly, her tone conveying her annoyance.

His aloof demeanor towards their interactions in the tent left her disconcerted, lacking the motivation to feign indifference.

"I won't engage in an argument with you. Just ensure your old friend takes me to Arkin,"

Egon surveyed their surroundings before locking eyes with her once more. "You know, one thing that has intrigued me about the desert is the insignificance of coins and gold here,"

Adela patiently waited for him to reveal his reasoning.

"In this place, favors hold true value. When you do something for someone, they reciprocate with something of equal worth."

"...So, what are you getting at?" 

Egon's eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. "Well, you want me to call my friend, and in return, I ask that you share breakfast with me," he proposed with a sly smile.

Adela theatrically settled herself on a conveniently positioned rock next to the grill finding unexpected comfort on its smooth surface. Egon extended a leaf encasing one of the sizzling pieces of meat, expertly skewered on what seemed to be a twig. The aroma made her mouth water, but a sharp hiss escaped her lips as the scalding meat burnt her tongue before she could indulge in a bite.

With a swift motion, Egon snatched the leaf from her hand and glared as if he had been the one burned. He put on a dramatic display of blowing on the meat, then skillfully removed it from the twig using his thumb and index finger, bringing it closer to Adela's mouth.

She maintained a fixed, unimpressed gaze on him, but her stomach's audible growling only served to widen his smug smile.

"I have all day," he remarked.

She reached for the leaf, but he pulled his hand back.

"How old are you?!" she exclaimed incredulously.

"I'm at an age where I can eat without burning my mouth. Now open up," 

When she parted her lips, he gently placed the succulent piece of meat inside. His eyes lingered there for a moment, but the taste that filled her mouth was exquisite and distracting, the meat that was seasoned and cooked to perfection was undoubtedly one of the most delightful bites Lady de Lanark had ever experienced.

Egon then returned the leaf to her, and they continued to savor their meal in comfortable silence.

"It suits you," Egon commented as Adela washed her hands with some water from the bag she had brought outside. His gaze followed the full-length white cloak draped over her body. It came to a stop at the brooch he had positioned on the shoulder, gathering the fabric in a draped effect.

She assumed it was an opal but the unusually green hue made her uncertain. It mattered little to her now for she had no desire to engage in pleasantries about jewelry.

"We've had breakfast, it's time to return the favor," she said, preparing to rinse her hands a second time.

His hands intercepted hers, halting her. "Stop wasting water. This is the desert, not the Archduchy,"

Glaring at him, Adela vehemently rejected any further scolding from the man who had exhibited an overbearing attitude since their arrival. She despised the way he treated her as if she were ignorant and vulnerable, even though she reluctantly admitted to feeling that way in his presence.

"Does your father know you're here?" Egon suddenly inquired.

Taken aback by the question, Adela replied vaguely, "He must have received news from the border by now."

"So it was the Archduchess who asked you to go after your brother," he deduced.

"Is it so implausible that I went of my own accord?"

"It's not. But in times like these, wouldn't you allow your brother to follow his heart?"

Egon's words struck a chord, but she was not receptive to his deep understanding of her. Could she have made similar insightful assumptions about him if their roles were reversed? She doubted it.

"I went after him because I feared for Mother in more ways than one. Your assumption is correct... We can never return to a peaceful time when your uncle was not a part of our lives. But I can at least prevent her from becoming even more miserable."

"She will be happy again," he murmured.

Adela tried to grasp the feeling that had drawn her to Arkin a day ago, but it continued to elude her.

"I can't believe I lost his trail," she lamented.

He took the water bag from her hand, when his fingers grazed hers, a shot of electricity went up her arm.

"...Your father has made arrangements for situations like this... Ones he deliberately concealed from your mother," he spoke in a soothing voice.

"Again with this?" she sighed in exasperation. "Doesn't he have faith in anyone around him?"

"But isn't your presence here without notifying him a reflection of the same lack of faith?" 

"I'm too angry to have faith in him right now," 

"I don't think you are. I think you understand why he made the choices he did."

His imposing presence, once again attempting to dissect her inner self, was unbearable.

"I suggest you refrain from analyzing someone whom you perceive as an illness... Or mortality..."

Egon's warm gaze suddenly faltered.

"You're misconstruing my words... Who knows how you've managed to distort my intentions and arrive at such a conclusion," 

"Do not bother explaining yourself to me," she retorted, turning her head away and scanning their surroundings, wondering if the eyes he had mentioned were observing them now.

Perhaps I can call upon them myself without relying on him.

As she took a step sideways, he firmly grasped her elbow. "Regarding what I said yesterday..."

"It doesn't matter. I'm leaving now," 

"No. I brought you here, and I will take you back,"

She forcefully pulled her arm away. "Stop wasting your time on me. I want to be away from you as soon as possible!"

"Hngh!"

Her head jerked back as she heard a cry of pain that she could identify no matter the circumstances.

pqdm.com