"Do you need a place to stay, sir?" you asked politely of the white-haired male who appeared to be an Indian.

"No, well, there's someone who was supposed to meet me here..." he mumbled, glancing around. You smiled.

"Perhaps you could tell me the name of this person?"

"West. Harold West."

"Right this way," you spoke, beckoning him after you. A man calling himself West had checked into the inn a few days ago, and you had heard him bragging one night about some Indian man he'd found that had the 'hand of god'.

"Thank you, miss..." the man continued to mumble, as if he was unsure of something.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" you asked while escorting him through a hallway.

"No, no," he tried to say cheerfully, though it was obvious he was acting. "Thank you for asking; you're very kind." You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye before you looked forward again, arriving at the door West was behind.

"Mr. West should be right here then." He nodded and was just about to open the door when you murmured, "Though I think that whatever that man is making you do will end in disaster, no matter what the reward is. If you are uneasy, then you should think twice about what it is that you are doing." You didn't wait for his response as you walked back down the halls to the entrance of the inn.

<><><>

"Ah, I'm so sorry, miss," a male voice said to you as you dropped your load upon running into a stranger. "Allow me to help you with that; it looks quite heavy for you to carry." A white bandaged hand picked up your bag filled with various groceries.

"You don't have to; I ran into you..." you muttered to the white haired man. Strange; he looked familiar from somewhere.

"Nonsense; it would be selfish of me to simply leave you be when it takes so little effort to do this for you."

"Agni! What's taking you so long?" Your gaze shifted to a purple-haired teen of the same ethnicity as the man next to you. His yellow eyes widened when he saw the two of you, and he walked over to you.

"My prince, I ran into her on the street, and she dropped her load, so I—"

"No need to explain, Agni!" the teen said with a smile. "Where do you live? Agni will need to know that if he's carrying your groceries."

"But you're complete strangers; why should I tell you where I live?" you asked uneasily. Agni smiled.

"You can blindfold me and push me along if you really don't trust me. I just want to help you; that's all." You stared at him for a few seconds before you laughed.

"Well, you don't see many people like you out in the world. I don't know if it's your face or something, but I feel like I can trust you. I live on S/N; it's not far." He smiled again.

"Then I will take your groceries there, miss. Oh; my prince, are you not coming?" The man with purple hair scratched his cheek.

"Hm, I thought I'd just stay here until you finish; my feet are killing me!" Agni nervously laughed.

"I apologize..."

"Just go already!" the apparent prince said with a laugh, and with that, you and Agni were walking towards your house.

"Say, um, Agni," you started, and he glanced over at you, listening. "Have we met before?" He chuckled.

"I believe we met a few months ago... February, perhaps? I won't forget what you said to me that day; it was as if you knew what was going to happen." You tilted your head curiously; had you seen this white-haired man sometime in February? True, he would be very memorable, but it wasn't as if you had learned his name.

"What did I say to you?" Agni paused, remembering.

"While I was anxiously walking to my temporary boss's meeting place, you said this to me: "Though I think that whatever that man is making you do will end in disaster, no matter what the reward is. If you are uneasy, then you should think twice about what it is that you are doing." I remember standing there for more than five minutes, but I caved when I thought about what was at stake. But I soon learned that going behind my prince's back only backfired."

"I'm glad to know my advice helped you," you replied, fishing out the key for your house from the folds of your clothing. "It's rare that anyone pays attention to a maid like me, and a maid of an inn, no less."

"Really? Why is that?" Agni asked confusedly as you opened the door.

"I'm not important enough," you spoke softly, taking the groceries from the Indian man. "Thank you for your help, Agni. I appreciate it." You gently closed the door and leaned against it. What an odd man.

<><><>

A knock on the door. Silence. Two knocks. Silence. Three knocks. Then a voice.

"Excuse me, but is the young miss I encountered yesterday home?" Young? Was he trying to flatter you?

"Yes. Why are you here again?" you asked somewhat wearily.

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday..." You stared at the door as if Agni could see your confounded look through it.

"Apologize for what?"

"You seemed a little upset when I asked why people didn't pay attention to what you said. I didn't want to get on bad terms with you." You lightly chuckled, filling up your kettle.

"You're very discerning, Agni. Come in; the door's not locked."

"Right..." Agni slowly opened the door as you grabbed two mugs and two tea bags, setting them on the table.

"Sit; tea will be ready in a moment." Agni seemed hesitant. "Consider it my thanks for helping me yesterday. Make yourself at home."

"Miss, what is your name? May I know at least that before I take a step into your home?" You chuckled.

"F/N. F/N L/N. I live alone, so it's actually quite nice to have a visitor every once in a while." Agni seemed shocked. "I know: not married at this age? But I've come to terms with the fact that I'll become an old spinster."

"This age? Are you not in your 20's?" You chortled.

"What a flatterer. I'm already approaching my late 30s."

"That is still very young though, Miss L/N... What has made you lose hope like this?" You were silent as you poured boiling water into the two mugs. You strode into the adjoining room and took out the small, resented box from its forgotten drawer and walked back to Agni, who was looking at you oddly. You placed the box in front of Agni, your fingers sliding off the velvet, revealing a hint of how hesitant you were.

"That is why," you murmured as you sat down, taking a careful sip of tea. Agni stared at the box.

"May I open it?"

"Go ahead," you replied hollowly and closed your eyes as you heard the dreaded 'snap' as the box was popped open.

"But this is..."

"I know. It hurts to look at."

"Why? Surely this means—"

"It was my engagement ring," you interrupted sadly, your nails tapping on the mug. "And I was married. But..." You stared forlornly into the reddish pool of tea.

"Did he die?" Agni asked gently, and you snorted.

"I wish," you growled. "We were married for only a day before he left me because I wasn't important enough. That and this house are the only evidence there is that we ever met. I destroyed everything else."

"How cruel..." Agni whispered, and you glared at him, thinking he meant that you were the cruel one, but he was reaching for your hand, his gray eyes soft. "I feel your sorrow and anger as surely as if it was my own, Miss L/N."

"Call me F/N," you mumbled, averting your eyes from his kind face. It had been a long time since you'd told anyone about 'the one who left', and no one until now had shown so much sympathy for you—and an almost complete stranger no less. You heard the box snap closed, and a warm hand pressed it into your own.

"You should lock it away if it causes you much emotional turmoil. I am sorry for bringing back such terrible memories."

"It's alright..." you muttered, tempted to throw your arms around the man and cry. This shouldn't still be affecting you so strongly after several years, but it still hurt. Marriage was supposed to be the ultimate way of pledging your loyalty and love to your partner, so why was it so meaningless? To your astonishment, when you looked up, Agni was crying himself, and he threw his arms around you. "W-Why are you crying?" you asked, your voice wavering.

"I'm so sad, F/N... I wish I could repair the damage that had been done to you." You smiled, hugging him back.

"The only way you could fix that is to find me someone as good as you to marry, though I bet everyone like that is already taken." Agni let you go, and you were somewhat dejected until you realized what he was doing. He had knelt in front of you and taken the box, opening it.

"Marry me, F/N L/N?" Your mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"I, I..." you tried, and he tilted his head. "A-Aren't you already married?" He shook his head with a smile. "A-And, shouldn't we get to know each other better first...?" Agni laughed and got up from his kneeling position.

"Then how about a date?" In a daze, you nodded, and Agni's smile became dazzling. "Then I'll come by soon, okay?" Again, you nodded, watching as he left, only now noticing that he had drank all of the tea you gave him.

What just happened...?