Chapter 282 As free as a bird
After dinner, those who wished stayed behind and engaged in a couple of games and karaoke.
Scarlet and Esong left the table after he whispered something to Adler who took charge of Justin immediately.
Under the scathing gaze of an angry Emory, he led her outside, holding her hand tightly just in case she tried to run away.
"Are we escaping from something?" She asked him, in between laughter.
He looked back at her and said with a smile on his face, "Yes and no, I want to give you your Christmas gift."
"Ooh, and I got you nothing." She joked.
He was leading her in the direction of the private elevator which led to the roof of the castle.
"Don't be scared, I won't bite." He chuckled when he noticed that slight frown on her face that had cause a crinkle on her nose.
"If you dare to bite me I will bite you back, and that's a promise." She said seriously.
"Come here." He tugged her body towards his and hugged her from the back, making sure that his face was bent down and laying in the crook of her neck.
She closed her eyes and clenched her hands tightly, willing herself not to touch his hair or kiss his face.
The previous day, Carolyn had asked her if Esong had made any spontaneous declaration of love to her. Apparently Markay had done that for her, many times over. She had smiled and changed the topic. That contract was still in existence and neither one of them had mentioned erasing it and simply being together as a married couple. She could however confidently say now that the anger and grudges he had against her had vanished.
But it did not erase the same old fears and questions she had before he left for winter. What exactly is it that they were doing? Should she even care since their relationship was temporary because of what she was and who he was?
"You are quiet, and you are still frowning. What is it? Have I done something that made you unhappy?" He asked this question slowly with his hands tight around her waist and the long draws of his breath against her soft neck.
She turned her head away from him and asked. "Who said that I am unhappy? Have you done something for which I should be unhappy?"
"You are responding to my question with a question, Scarlet, you told me that christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. And that we should laugh and be merry but you are not merry. Tell me what I can do to make you smile today?"
"I smiled all through dinner." She said.
"Because you were required to." He answered.
She sighed and pointed at the doors of the elevator. "We have arrived at our destination and we should get off. I am quite eager to see that gift which you got me."
He raised his head and gave her a look that said, 'this is not over.'
Again, he took her by the hand and led her to the roof of the castle. There were a few spots on the roof where one could stand and have a whole view of almost the entire city.
They stood in one of those spots, with her at the front and him at the back just as they had been standing in the elevator.
It was a beautiful view from where they were, one of a brightly lit city filled with lights. From where they were, she could see at least two billboards. One was playing miss Du Fyne's old nutrient solution advert while another showed a family of five celebrating christmas.
"Do you want to go with me to that concert?" He asked her when he noticed how keenly she was looking at it. She looked at him over her shoulder and she said, "I am pretty sure we get free tickets as the governors of the planet."
"Not really, they come out of the city hall budget but I am not asking as a governor, I am asking as your man."
She laughed, slightly, and covered her lips with her hands. "My man, huh." She said.
He stepped out from behind her and stood beside her with his back to city and his face looking down on her.
"Do you have another man except for me?"
"Don't joke." She replied.
"Exactly, I am your man and I am seeking your permission to take you as my date for miss Fu Fyne's concert."
She chortled because he had mispronounced the name of the singer and did not even realize it because he was still smiling so confidently.
'Should I tell him or not?' She asked herself.
"Do you even like her music?" She asked him. "And be honest because I will know if you lie to me."
He hung his head like a child that was being forced to admit the truth after being caught in a lie.
"I am not sure." He said.
"Gun to your head, name five of her songs." She added.
Esong scratched the bridge of his nose and he frowned, trying hard to come up with even one of her songs.
"Oh my gosh, you don't have the slightest clue." She gasped. Even she who had transmigrated over knew at least six songs but the man who had lived here his entire life knew none!!!.
"I used to spend my time training and I only like music that gets me moving or soothes my senses." He raised his hands and said in his defense. "Sue me if that is a crime."
"Calm down," she said to him, "I am neither condemning you nor putting you on trial. I don't know every song of every musician in the empire as well. I am just befuddled by your desire to attend the concert of an artist whose songs you don't know."
"Because we will be going together so I thought it would be fun." He explained.
"Then I will go with you, we will have the most fun out of everyone there." She declared. He had asked her to go on a date of his own volition, how could she break his heart? He was even doing something he had not done before, and would not enjoy.
The confident smile on Esong's face returned and he took a device from his storage bracelet which he assembled quickly with his nimble hands.
"Your gift," he said when he was finished. "You told me once that the skies belonged to birds because they could fly freely. Armor with wings that go high up is only available to mecha warriors so I got this custom made for you. It's a a flying device, these wide arcs act like wings and here, you strap your arms and feet in. You would need vision protection gear as well so I got you that. It can carry two people so you can take our son flying with you or me." He pointed at himself with his thumbs.
"Wow, thank you." She touched the device and smiled. "Can we take it for a test drive?"
"Sure." He was more than willing and together, they strapped in and flew over the city.
One small child looking through the window managed to catch a glimpse as they flew by his house and he gasped, "Father christmas."