THE POPE'S DAUGHTER

Chapter 14 - The Blacksmith

"what was that?" Venezia asked feeling displeased after coming out of the library like that.

They ran away into the gardens and hid themselves against the wall .

"Well , you haven't been coming for two days" Mark explained. For him , hanging around in the highlands was a dream come true . It felt like the time when he was happy with lucas and they would spend time together. Venezia replaced lucas in every manner or even better. Seeing her everyday made him feel delighted.

"Are you kidding me ?" Venezia exclaimed facing him immediately in disbelief.

"Strong wind blew up her jet black hair and her face was frowned by my stupidity. For a second I admired her. She's one of the strongest person I've ever seen , yet so fragile. If she'd want the whole sky together , I would give her in a heartbeat but nah that's not her style. I love how she speaks , every movement of her. No wonder how lucas got mesmerized by grace" mark got spaced out for a moment , having these thoughts.

"Hello , come back to the earth" Venezia snapped him back.

"Yes , we have to head to the blacksmith's remember ?" Mark replied casually as if nothing happened.

" I know !" Venezia crossed her arms "get out the convent and I'll follow you. Wait for me" she ordered.

"You're so rude" mark chuckled playfully before heading out.

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By the later evening , her and mark headed towards the village area , the main market was surrounded by many men and women roaming around. Some buying fruits and vegetables and other resided by the butcher's shop. Apparently , the market was quite in a state of tranquility when they reached.

They looked around , in search of a blacksmith around while walking and finally found it.

"Yes , what do you want?" An old women got out of the door when she noticed mark peeking in , speaking in a rustic and barbaric tone. The women looked quite groomed and in the blue robe , she didn't even looked like a blacksmith but after hearing out her voice it became so much more difficult to judge her exact charecter.

They both got surprised and the lady studied both of them standing from up and down. Then , to her surprise Venezia drawed her sword and held straight in front of that old lady's face. "I might want this one to be a little sharpened more miss"

"Aah , alright !" The women snatched the sword at once from Venezia hands and headed in.

"Careful with one miss" Venezia called out fr lom behind. She and mark looked at each other and smiled after judging the old lady together and went inside after her.

The room was dark, and the only light source which came was from the sparks coming out of some men sharpening up the tools. Many different types of weapons and tools were laid up in the table when they both looked around causally while Venezia's weapon was getting repaired.

The room was so much heated up by the hot coal oven which was used to melt iron quickly that it took only seconds for mark to sweat heavily. He didn't like it in there but he was still there. It was hard to resist so he picked up a strange weapon and started studying it to distract himself.

Venezia noticed him picking up the weapon and recognised the type immediately. "Naahh , that won't work"

She said casually.

"Unless you give him a chance!" Mark gave her a side eye.

"But it's blunt and-" Venezia stopped realising the hidden meaning from mark's words.

He smirked.

"Ugh , such a dork !" She tried to ignore him but he didn't wanted her to.

He put down the weapon he was holding and walked up to her on the other side of the table. He picked up a random weapon without looking "ok so tell me , how will this work"

"You don't know how to use an axe?" She asked in suspicion.

It was an axe , he noticed later. "Yes" he lied in a low tone and pretended he hold it wrongly. He lightened his grip and shakingly pointed it in front of his face.

"Seriously , get out of your comfort zone! "

Venezia scolded after getting irritated by the way he holded an axe. She lowered it and holded his hands which was gripping the axe's handle in frustration. She tightly gripped her hands from above his hands in order to teach him the grip and moved aside after correcting his angles.

"Now that's how you hold a freakin axe!"

She looked at him frowning and noticed mark smiling at her. Her hair strands were casually falling on her face and she felt the touch of mark's hands when she realised that he was again admiring her.

He quickly blushed at that moment and left his hands immediately.

"Seriously , when will you stop flirting with me!?" She looked away and asked. She was tired to keep avoiding him like that and it was all a nuisance for her so she decided to face him now head-on.

Mark didn't wanted to answer that , so he decided to change the subject by asking immediately. "Tell me , why you like fighting so much?"

"Well , I hate men. Whenever they trouble the girls , keep thier dirty eyes on them or tease them , I wish to pull thier eyeball out at that very moment" Venezia replied sarcastically while studying a pointed tip of a dagger. Mark stared at her in afraid and disgusted expression.

"Exactly , that's how we feel when you guys do that" she laughed after pointing a dagger at him playfully and keeping it down.

" They you go woman ! That will be 32 quadrants " the old lady came back , speaking in her same rustic voice and handing her sword roughly.

"Very well !" Venezia started to check out her pockets to collect the coins.

Just then two royal guards from the city of Naples walked inside the small conjested room of the blacksmith's. Mark recognised them immediately after hearing the slight commotion and impulsively stood in front of Venezia in order to protect her.

Venezia looked up and couldn't figure out what was happening.

"Your highness and the Pope's Daughter have to summoned by the court" one of them kneeled in front of mark respectfully and spoke in his bulky voice.

Venezia's eyes widened immediately after realising something.

Endnote : (・o・) comment below your thoughts , and don't forget to vote .