Page 16 of The Botanist and the Beast

"Pretty. You told me,” he said dryly. "Get dressed. Come out when you're ready. We'll be heading into town after breakfast, so wear your cloak." With that he turned on his heels and let the door slam shut.

Seems I hit a nerve. Maybe if I poke enough, he'll not want me around so much.Excited to eat, Theo rushed to put on the new clothes. All of them were much nicer than anything he'd ever worn. The white blouse was a luxurious warm fabric with silver buttons. When he moved, the fabric shined the faintest shade of blue. The boots paired with the black fur cloak kept the cold almost completely away. He left his tattered clothes folded outside the door as he was told and went to thank the prince.

To his surprise, the prince was standing by his own bedroom window with eyes glued to a small bluejay. He was so still as his eyes tracked the fluttering creature. Theo was certain he would pounce at any moment.

Stifling a laugh, he tapped lightly on the door with the back of his hand. "Prince Sebastian?"

"Yes?" He whirled around. "If you're ready, let's not waste time. Come along."

Theo followed him through the winding halls lit by the dim natural light that shined through the clouds. He searched for any sign of a potential escape route but so far, it was still just branches bursting from walls and closed doors. He glanced at the prince and noticed the way the torchlight made those faint iridescent rainbows on his hair reappear.I wonder is all nymphs are so inexplicable lovely.

"Yes?" The prince looked at him. "Do you have a question?"

"Beautiful."

The prince stopped in his tracks and frowned. "What are you going on about now?"

"I said you were beautiful. When you mentioned my staring before, you said I called you pretty when I actually said beautiful. You diminished my compliment which is a bit rude. Some may argue ruder than staring."

"My deepest apologies." He rolled his eyes. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Isn't it obvious? Your beauty is the reason I'm staring again. The soft rainbows on your hair reminds me of light passing through misty rain. It's hard to ignore."

"You're mischievous, aren't you?" Prince Sebastian started walking again. "Flirts like you are irritating."

"So cold," Theo said with faux hurt as he followed. "I can't help it. From flowers, to art, to people, I just like beautiful things. I don't mean any offense."

When the prince ignored him, he decided to go back to poking fun. "You know, you being a snow leopard makes sense. You're exceptionally cat like."

"A cat?" he spat. "A snow leopard is a powerful wild animal, not a pet."

"Isn't a leopard just a big cat? They look like cats."

"I should've let the bear eat you," he mumbled.

"And that was a cat like reply if I ever heard one. Don't worry, though. I like cats just fine."

"You can try and annoy me all day, I'm still requiring you stay with me." He glanced at him and a faint smile formed on his lips. "Good try, though. I have to commend your foolish persistence. And just so you know, flattery doesn't work on me."

"And you enjoy outsmarting your prey," Theo said with a laugh. "Remind me again how a leopard isn't a cat?" He stuck his hands in his pockets. "For what it's worth, the flattery was genuine."

"If calling me a cat helps you understand things, I suppose there's no harm," he said, ignoring his last comment as he led Theo downstairs. He paused outside two large doors. "Don't call me that around others." He shoved the doors open, revealing the decadent great hall.

It had high arched ceilings with chandeliers made of twisted branches with candles that endlessly burned and yet never melted hanging over a long oak table lined with other nymphs.

Each person had splashes of grey stone and dried twigs or leaves sticking out from hair and the edges of their blouses. As the prince walked Theo to the head of the table, everyone silently followed with their eyes.

It's odd to know a room is talking about you before you arrive.

"Here you are," he said, pulling out a chair at the edge of the table before taking his own seat at the head. "This will be your seat from now on. I think at my side is best."

Still forced to stay right under him.Theo could see the prince's logic to some extent. He felt the glares coming from multiple guards, especially from the three he saw under his window the day before. In an attempt to break the tension, he did his best to speak casually with the prince. "So, what do you eat for breakfast here?"

"Food is sparse here due to the weather, but we hunt and feed on what we happen to find."

"Food is sparse?" he repeated confused.Isn't the veil lush with fruits and animals?

"Marcel and Collette make great food," a man across from Theo said. He had ochre skin with thick dark brown curls he kept short. He was well built with the physique Theo associated with guards and warriors. The front of his blouse was open, and there was some stone and dry moss visible on his skin. A stem of a plant sprouted out of his collarbone and snaked up the side of his neck, suggesting that the flowers that grew on him were a type of vine. "I'm Oliver, by the way," he said with a nod. "Bastian says you're Theo?"

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