The Humble Noble Wanderer 39 The Game

"Dear Leo..." she wrote, "I didn't mean to..."

'No, no,' she thought, 'I can't start it like that.'

At the desk in her room, Rachel worked on writing a note. She sat down in a wooden chair that was handcrafted in Sodom. She crumpled the letter and threw it into the trash can. She wasn't sorry about wasting paper. She wasn't sorry about trying to help Leo. She was sorry that her Father made everything so awkward.

The fact that she was writing an apology didn't mean she was sorry. Her Father put her in a bad position, and she decided she would write her way out.

Rachel looked to her right, out the window. She stared long and hard at the clouds, hoping for some inspiration from the Supreme Fairy. Of course, she didn't believe in the Supreme Fairy, or she would have become the next Deborah and gotten married when she was younger, about five years ago. No, she sat there pondering, using her time to untangle a situation her Father created.

'I'll hand the letter to him when he gets back,' she thought.

She closed the envelope as she had finished writing what she wanted to say, but it didn't feel enough to Rachel. She wanted something more concrete to make sure Leo didn't misunderstand what her intentions were. She wanted him to think they were pure hearted, and in retrospect, they were becoming more pure by the day.

At first, she just enjoyed the idea of marrying Leo to anger her mother; but as she got to know him, she wondered why he was so melancholy, yet at the same time so kind. She had met many men who chased after he for her beauty, but she hadn't met someone like Leo, someone who appreciated her for the things she did, not what she didn't do. She didn't create herself to be so beautiful. She didn't ask for beauty, but Leo didn't care. In fact, Leo only seemed to care about her as much as she was helping him... But, there were times when Leo seemed to look at her wistfully, with a tender gaze.

But, he would turn away once he started to look at her so tenderly.

She didn't know what to think of the broken Blackcloth. At times, he would have night terrors. It's then that she began to hold his hand while he was sleeping. At times he would hold anger in his eyes, and anger so deep even she could tell. It was a bitter gaze.

But, thankfully, he never looked at her with that gaze.

She found herself intrigued yet at the same time sympathetic. She found herself falling in love with someone she had known for only six months.

But, maybe it was the six months that changed her heart.

Meanwhile, Leo and Lappidoth played a game of chess. Lappidoth looked meaningfully into Leo's eyes and said, "What do you think of Rachel?"

Leo jumped his knight above his p.a.w.ns and positioned it to attack: he said, "I'm thankful for her company."

"You know what I mean," Lappidoth said as he moved his p.a.w.n to capture Leo's bishop.

Leo was silent.

But then he said, "Do you know who I am? What I've done? What I've failed to do?"

Lappidoth scratched his chin and said, "No, I don't."

But then he said, "But the man I've observed for the past two months... Surely he is worthy of my daughter... And I think it will be good for the two of you."

"Sir," Leo said, "I-I'm not worthy... And besides, you want her to marry a Blackcloth? You want her to bear that shame."

Leo stopped playing the game. He looked Lappidoth straight in the eyes and didn't waver; he wanted to cut through Lappidoth's intentions with his gaze, whether they be good, or bad.

Lappidoth didn't waver either: he looked Leo dead in the eyes and sighed. Then, he said, "Check."

Leo scattered the pieces of the chess board onto the ground with a swift wave of his arm. People pa.s.sing by looked for a second at Leo's outburst.

Lappidoth watched the pieces fall onto the groun and said, "If you're trying to make me hate you... you're not doing a very good job."
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Lappidoth started chuckling, while Leo looked in amazement.

Leo calmed down, then said, "I'm not worthy."

Leo tried to stand on his own, but to his annoyance, he couldn't. He sighed and lamented at how weak he had become again with his head cast down.

"Even if she loves you?" Lappidoth said.

Shock covered Leo's face while he said, "Does she?"

"I don't know," Lappidoth said, "But wouldn't it be worth trying. You never know what could happen."

The clouds rolled on, while Leo tried to comprehend the love Lappidoth showed him in that moment.