Emiyn shifted uncomfortably as he joustled the box of sweets in his hands. He had gone early in the morning to the market in Sulburi where they were notorious for selling some of the finest teas and sweets and had returned with a decorated box full of various candies wrapped in colorful papers. Emiyn wasn’t completely accustomed to Oban sweets but he had recognized several that his mother often had on the table nestled in her little sitting area in the suite of rooms where she lived in the oban manor. He just hoped that the present was to her liking considering all of the finery she had grown accustomed to since becoming the noble’s mistress twenty years ago. It was still strange for Emiyn to imagine his mother whom he hadn’t seen since birth...if that even counted. She was often dressed up in elegant silk dresses with her hair curled and held back with golden pins and jewels. It was obvious why Vrys had taken to his mother and even Emiyn couldn’t deny that she was truly beautiful. When he was younger he couldn’t help resenting her for missing out on his childhood and leaving his grandparents alone for so long. Now he was slowly warming up to her and he had to admit that leaving with the merchants in the near future would not make either him or his mother happy, hence why he had purchased the box of candies. At least I won’t have to deal with this household much longer. Even if his mother was happy with her lover the rest of his relatives were not the most pleasant people to deal with. Still, Emiyn kept such things to himself as he focused on his mother’s happiness. Speaking of which I should finally venture inside. Taking a deep breath to ease his twisting heart, Emiyn slowly raised a hand and knocked at the door. “Mother?” His soft voice carried through the empty hall of the left wing of the manor as he waited on his mother to respond. The doorway was even ornate with golden embellishments swirling up along the frame. When his mother finally opened the door, Emiyn was immediately hit with the aroma of floral perfumes and scented oils. It was like he had walked into a garden in the middle of spring, full of flowers and all of the scents that their delicate petals carried. It was lovely if not a bit overwhelming to his senses.

“Emiyn!” His mother smiled, her painted lips curving upwards with delight. “I was wondering where you had gone. Is that for me?” She asked as she noticed the box, her smile only brightening even more as he handed it to her. Her slender fingers curled around the box as she claimed her prize and allowed him to follow her inside. The sitting room was ivory with even more golden embellishments and teal curtains that swayed in the afternoon breeze.

“Yes, I was in the market this morning and thought I would surprise you.” Emiyn smiled as his mother set the candies on a table and pulled out a chair for him. “Thank you.” He sat down and watched as she carefully sat across from him, her manners and poise obvious from years of dealing with nobility.

“I should be thanking you.” Teased his mother lightly as she opened the box and plucked out one of the candies. “You should try this one, it’s really good.” She pushed it towards him before choosing another one for herself. “Though I’m worried. You brought me candies so does that mean you have something on your mind?” As usual she was direct and to the point which made Emiyn shift uncomfortably in his seat. His mother noticed the movement but kept her mouth closed as she waited for him to reply. Even she knew better than to push him for answers when he seemed to be struggling with something.

“Nothing that we need to worry about at the moment. Let’s just enjoy these sweets for now.” He replied with a small smile. He would break the news eventually but for now he just wanted to enjoy the afternoon with his mother in peace. After all there was no point in stressing her out when they still had time before his trip overseas. “So this one is spicy yet sweet?” Holding up the candy he diverted his mother’s attention so that they could spend the next few hours just talking about various things while trying out all the different sweets he had bought for them to both enjoy.

[767]