AU Crack Character(s): Nathaniel & Eva Topic: Little town, it's a quiet village What's AU: Not Dan Stevens or Josh Groban Date/Time: Afternoon Place: France
A long wrap of silk fabric covered most of his face and head - only his eyes and the pale skin remained bare. His business in the small provincial town was brief as always but no less critical. A quick stop at the local bookshop - then to deliver a letter to one of the town's few interesting residences, the local inventor.
Nathaniel quickly finished his transaction with the pleasant but nervous bookkeeper. True to his profession, the astute merchant had long ago determined that his silent, well-dressed patron was none other than the lord who reigned over this expansive countryside. A lord whose rule was honest but brutal to anyone who broke one of the area's few laws. The key among them is never to approach his castle for any reason without being expressly invited.
Nathaniel wordlessly placed the books he wished to purchase on the counter, then handed the shopkeeper the proper amount of coin, not a cent more or less, then quickly snatched the lot up and made haste for the exit, his cape billowing behind him. As he reached the door, his progress was stopped by a woman attempting to enter the bookstore. Normally, he would have sidestepped the other person with little thought, but her face caught him off guard. A lovely shade of caramel and curious, the pair made eye contact, and Nathaniel found himself at a standstill. The most logical answer would have been to hold the door and allow the woman to enter, but his years of minimal social interaction had left him weak and feeble in the art of manners. He then feared that the prolonged eye contact with a dark-haired woman had already betrayed some of his secrets. Unwilling to take that risk, Nathaniel pushed through the door and forced her to move out of his way.
Even as he escaped the situation and quickly marched down the afternoon road, visions of the woman danced in his head. From the bookshop to the inventor's house, where he left his letter, and even on the horse ride back to his castle. Not that it mattered; he doubted he would see her again. He rarely saw anyone more than once on his trips to the town. However, if Jonathan's designs proved viable, perhaps he'd see her again. But Nathaniel wasn't one to hold onto hope for too long. He just hoped the inventor followed the instructions his letter spelled out to him for the scientist's own good.