Chapter 46 The Barbecue Girl
The three of them sat on a fallen log by the side of the road. Super awkward. The evening wind whistled through the gaps in the trees, while behind them, Julian's guards were making a racket fixing the carriage wheel. Clang, bang, clang, bang. The noise just made everything feel more tense.
Gisella sat stiff, her hands wringing her skirt. She was starving, but where the hell was she going to find food out here? Ilse just stayed quiet, pretending to stare at the trees.
Grrr-ooooooowl.
Gisella's stomach let out a massive, rumbling growl. It was loud as hell. It shattered the silence right then and there.
Ilse nearly choked on her own spit trying not to laugh. Gisella? Her face was bright red, like she'd just been shoved onto a stove. Her stomach really had no chill.
Julian, sitting not far away, just shot a quick glance. He looked annoyed, he probably wanted nothing more than to leave them there but hey... maybe he had a shred of conscience left.
Julian let out a rough sigh. "Get a fire going," he ordered his aide. "Feed the girl before she passes out on us."
The aide didn't waste time. He sparked a small fire and pulled a leather pouch from their supply cart. He tossed a few lumpy, rough things in their direction.
Gisella fumbled to catch them. She stared at the things in her hands, totally lost.
"What is this?" she asked, completely naive. "Why is it so dirty? Is this a rock?"
Ilse facepalmed. Oh my god, Gisella.
"Those are sweet potatoes, My Lady," the aide replied, stifling a grin. "We roast them over the fire, they're delicious."
Gisella still didn't buy it. She turned the raw potato over, sniffing it like she was inspecting contraband. "I've never seen these. Why roast them? Can't they just be boiled?"
Julian just stayed silent, staring blankly into the fire. He seemed way too done with Gisella's stupidity.
Before long, they were cooked. The smell hit, making Ilse's stomach growl too. Gisella got one with the skin cracked open. Without thinking probably because she was starving she bit right into the hot potato.
"Ow! Hot!" she said with her mouth full, but she kept chewing anyway.
Gisella ate like she was possessed. She didn't care about etiquette, didn't care about her expensive clothes. Bite, chew, bite again. Soot from the charred skin smeared on her left cheek.
Ilse watched her, then glanced at Julian.
The man wasn't looking at the fire anymore. His gaze was locked on Gisella.
It wasn't the hateful glare or the dismissive look from earlier that afternoon. There was something else in Julian's eyes. Something more... intense. He stared at the smudge of soot on her cheek, his lips thinning into the ghost of a smile.
Gisella didn't even notice she was being watched like that. She was too busy finishing her second potato.
Crazy, Ilse thought. Don't tell me he's actually falling for this idiot girl?