THE BLIND ONE
*Next day*
Evandros stood under the veranda of the manor, gazing outside at the people. Kids running everywhere with grown-ups irritatingly scolding them to stay still. He still had a cloth wrapped around his face but his long black hair was open as it swayed in the breeze.
He had no intention of staying here so he brought nothing with him other than money. This morning his aunt gave him a maroon robe with black embroidery on it. He has a black belt wrapped around his strong waist, black gloves along with long black boots.
His eyes narrowed when he found a couple of kids running around him, trying to catch each other and unconsciously pulling on his robe. He slowly gazed down at them and the kids froze, feeling shivers running down their spines for some reason until they looked up. They jumped and swiftly drew back, sprinting away from him almost weeping.
He frowned upon seeing their behavior.
He didn't do anything...no maybe he glared at them.
He just scowled and they got frightened like that?
He snickered and was about to go inside when all of a sudden, he felt someone clutching onto his leg. He looked down and found a boy. He looked smaller than the kids who just ran away.
He had long black hair and fair skin. He had amber eyes and his chin was resting on Evan's knee as he was looking up at him while hugging his leg. Evandros stared at the kid before glaring at him as well but instead of weeping and running away, he started chortling.
Evandros paused once he heard his little giggle.
He stared at him, unconsciously settling his expression to normal.
He didn't budge and just gaped at the kid. Someone was giggling while looking at him. What infrequent scenery! The little one let go of his leg and raised his arms at him. The kid wanted Evan to pick him up.
Evandros swiftly roamed his gaze around before looking back at the kid. The kid was only asking him to pick him up. Why was he pondering on it so much? Evandros blankly bent down and grabbed the kid by his tiny waist, pulling him up in his arms but it seemed like the little one was not done yet.
He moved closer to Evandros face and stared at him keenly with his big doe-like eyes. Although he can only see his eyes, he still looked so happy. What was he so happy for?
He was about to put him down but what the kid did next caught him off guard. The kid grabbed his cheeks and smooched his slightly puffy cheeks against Evandros, rubbing his cheek against Evandros's clothed one, loosening it a little bit. Evandros eyes slightly widened and he looked at the kid stunned. The kid patted his right shoulder and kept smiling at him. The kid had a very nice odor on him, somewhat its fragrance seemed familiar.
He patted his shoulder again while shifting in his arms.
Evandros arched a brow at him and looked over his shoulder before looking back at him. "What?" He asked and the kid patted his shoulder again, not uttering a word.
"He wants to sit on your shoulder."
A voice came from behind, making Evandros turn around. He saw his aunt Sina walking up to him. She paused in front of him and looked at the child in his arms before looking at Evan.
"He wants to sit on your shoulder...he can't speak." She muttered. Evandros looked at the kid and without even thinking much he put the kid on his shoulder, his slender hand grabbing onto his little thigh so he wouldn't fall. The kid grabbed Evandro's hair roots in his tiny fist for support.
"Others ran away from me but he..." Evan said, pausing in the end. Sina smiled and moved forward, caressing the kid's cheek. "He doesn't like many people but to see him clinging onto you like that surprises me as well. He likes you." She mused and Evandros jaw almost slacked.
"Likes me?" He muttered in a low voice before looking at the child's innocent face. Someone so pure likes someone so sinful. What is this, God?
'Then I should consider myself lucky.' He thought and reluctantly raised his right hand, ruffling the kid's hair as the child took the caress with his closed eyes and smiling lips.
"His name is Neel." She said and Evandros lowered his hand. He wanted to distance himself from the kid because the child might get attached to someone like him, he already looks so fond of him. It will be hard for him to leave if the kids get attached to him.
Suddenly he realized what he was talking about and mentally shook his head.
He doesn't care.
Since when did someone like him start to fear getting attached to someone? It's not like him. Only he knows how many kids and adults his men had killed along with him. He doesn't deserve to be adored by someone so adorable.
"I will show you around the town once the kid is done being on your shoulder."
*******
Evandros stood under the veranda with a face as straight as an iron. He felt a tug on his hair but his features remained the same, that little toddler was still sitting on his shoulder and he didn't have the heart to pull him down. Even if he pulls him down he is sure he will become half bald by that kid's substantial grip on his hair.
"Umm, he still isn't down," Sina said and grabbed the kid in order to pull him down but the kid hugged Evandros head, shaking his head. Evandros deeply sighed when the kid's little hand covered his sight.
"We can still go outside with him, right?" Evandros asked and Sina pondered on the situation before hesitantly nodding. "This little kid." She smiled and walked past them.
"Let's go, I'll show you around the town."
The sun was shining brightly in the sky, roasting the people beneath it. The owner of the shops wiped their sweaty forehead with their handkerchief and when they looked up they respectfully bowed at Sina walking from in front of them. Besides her was an unfamiliar figure. He was tall and looked extremely handsome even though one cannot see his face. They even bowed at him, their gazes swiftly moving up to his head only to find a small creature sticking to his head.
They were staring at the cute toddler and deep down wished the toddler would cling to them as well like he was clinging to that young man.
"Here, everyone is very humble." She said and nodded at the owner of the clothing house. She was greatly respected in the town because her occupation was great. She gave shelter to those who had no roof over their heads. To think that the toddler who was clinging onto him also didn't have anyone, made him feel something he doesn't want to admit.
"The clothing here comes from mountain Nagi. We have good imports and exports with that town." She said and Evandros quietly listened to her until she paused in front of a familiar stall. She slowly walked towards that stall and Evandros followed her only to realize it was the same perfume and soap stall.
The owner was sitting on the chair with a bamboo hat, clearly to protect himself from heat. He was scribbling something on the notebook once again like before. Once they reached the stall the toddler let go of his hair attempting to get down. Evandros quickly grabbed his little butt as he climbed down from his shoulder, tightly holding onto his lapel with his tiny hands.
"He wants to get down." She whispered and Evandros grabbed his waist, putting him down. Like a thunderbolt, he sprinted toward the owner of the stall who didn't seem to notice their presence. He jumped on the owner, taking the owner off guard. The owner closed the book and put it on the stall, grabbing the child and caressing his face.
"Hahaha, he is so clever. My nephew came to meet me and I wanted to show him around as if this little one already knew. He put on your given odor and clung onto my nephew so he could come out and meet you. His little tactics." Sina said while giggling and Evandros passed her an offensive stare.
"I'm sorry, dear." She said and rubbed Evandros shoulder.
So he was nothing special.
This little kid sure had the guts to fake his loving behavior to meet someone he adores.
Evandros slightly shook his head.
"Who is he?" Evandros asked and Sina passed him a look. "He? It's her." Sina said and Evandros felt another brick falling on his head with a fool written on it. He didn't pay much attention to it but now when he looks at it. The owner is pretty much smaller than him in height, and since she is wearing a huge white robe he can't comprehend her figure neither he has any desire to. This shows how much he is into women now. When was the last time he slept with a maiden?
He doesn't remember but after her death...he is just not into it anymore. No desire, no needs, and no affection towards anyone.
Just a dead person within, his mood becomes gloomy all of a sudden.
"She is just an odor seller but there was this one time, she saved Neel from a demon and brought him to my house saying she can't take care of him," Sina said and Evan frowned, his gaze fixated on them. The child smiled and giggled in her embrace as she whispered in his ears.
"An odor seller saving someone from a demon?" Evan asked and Sina quickly shook her head. "Neel is not the only one who was saved by her, she has saved many people in this town and is known as the savior of the town along with me and the head of the town. There are not many people in this town so her business is not very good but she still donates money for the house. Do you know what surprises us the most? She can't see properly, she is half blind." Sina said and Evandros kept staring at them.
"Half-blind?" Evan asked.
They both were standing next to each other muttering things while looking at them. If one will look at the scene from afar one will probably think those two are torturing a poor mother and child duo.
"Yes, she can't properly see. Although she never told us I'm sure she is a martial artist by the way she fights, behaves, and talks. I'm also a martial artist so I know. She must have lost her sight due to an incident if she's not fully blind." Sina murmured.
"That's something rare," Evan said. Now it makes sense why some of the odors were placed in the soap category and soaps were placed in the odors category.
"What a martial artists doing here selling odors?" He asked and Sina shrugged. "I also think the same but I don't know. Maybe, she just learned it from her father and doesn't have much desire to make a name in the martial arts world." Sina said and Evandros stayed quiet.
The maiden had an interesting story but he could care less. What's up with that kid? He seems in love with her. He can't even see her face, she's wearing a cloth around her face like him. The woman finally decided to look up at them.
But when she looked up, it was as if someone knocked the breath out of him. That woman had green hues. She was looking up at Sina, her eyes unclear probably because she couldn't see clearly.
A blind woman with green orbs.