Second Female Leads' Playbook

"I don't want to wear this," Arina said as she lifted up the veil covering her face. 

Carlisle tilted her head up, so that he could see her eyes. His fingers gently touched the edge of her eyes. "You have beautiful bird eyes. Not everyone can appreciate that." 

"Of course I have bird eyes, I am a bird. You're humans that's why we're different," she said seriously. 

Here it goes again, Carlisle thought. Her brain omitting anything that linked her to human. 

"Not everyone is like me, Arina," he smiled in a way that he knew would make him look charming. "Let's keep it that way." He gave her forehead a tiny little tap and then released the veil, so that it covered her face once more. 

At that moment, Arina was happy that a veil covered her face. She could feel her face getting warmer. Why did he smile like that? Arina thought in annoyance. He was definitely not like that before. Before? Did she know him? She furrowed her brows in confusion. 

"Arina, you will get lost if you don't follow closely," Carlisle called back and offered his hand. She hopped forward and placed her hand inside his. He quickly held onto her hand firmly, like he was afraid he would lost her. 

Different types of lanterns were hung around the trees and vendors. Today was the Moon Festival and a celebration was taking place in the town they passed through on the way to the capital. After months of interaction, Arina finally agreed to follow Carlisle back to the capital. 

As they walked through the main street, vendors and hawkers were shouting out to attract customers. Arina was looking at everything with wide eyes, taking in everything greedily. Carlisle knew she had entered the Academy in the Manor since she was six, so she probably had never been to a festival market before. 

Arina, like the Arina in the past, was very subtle in showing her interest. She might look at something for a little longer or she might make passing comment like 'What are they holding?', but she would never express her interest explicitly. Carlisle, knowing her, would stop whenever she showed the slightest interest on something. 

Carlisle noticed Arina turning her head in a certain direction for the third times. His lips twisted up and said, "Let's go that way." He pointed in the opposite direction of where Arina's interest laid. 

He was pulling her to go in the opposite direction when she said softly, "I wanted to go that way." 

Smiling, he turned around and said, "If you want something, you have to say it. I can't hear your thoughts."

That last sentence rang a bell, Arina thought. But where? 

When Carlisle got close to the vendor, he knew instantly why Arina was interested in it. This vendor sold lanterns, one had a drawing of a blue bird resting on a branch next to a clear lake. It looked just like the lake next to Mirror Court, where they first met. 

"Good choice! You can't find such great lanterns anywhere else," the vendor boasted.

As if in a trance, Arina slowly raised her hand and touched the lantern with the drawing. Just by looking at the drawing, it brought back something nostalgic. Something bitter and sweet. 

"You can take away this lantern if you can recite a poem that praises the moon." 

Carlisle was about to say something when Arina recited a poem without thinking. She was a bit taken aback by the words that flew out of her mouth. Why did she know a poem? She tilted her head in confusion. 

"It's yours."

"Did you enjoy today's trip?" 

Arina did not reply, instead she was silently swaying the lantern in her hand.

"Good, if you don't like festivals like this, I don't have to accompany you ever again. I don't like being squashed every few minutes too."

Arina hit him lightly on the arm and then ran away, hopping back onto the carriage. 

A small sweet smile was on Arina's face throughout the evening, without anyone knowing beneath the veil.