Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 135 A Gift From Him

After all, you can replace mythological stories like these all over the internet!

But who would have thought that today, on the prairie, they'd encounter the descendants of such legendary tales?

Violeta fell silent, deep in thought.

That evening, they had a delicious rabbit roast. The aroma was mouth-watering.

Everyone gathered around the campfire, savouring rabbit legs dipped in a unique sauce. They were utterly entranced by the flavour.

Laughter and songs filled the air as everyone relished the moment.

Of course, they also took a group photo during the Falconry Festival.

After snapping the picture, Violeta sent it to her parents to show them how many places they had visited together.

The Reids kept the group photo.

They spent a few days in Willowbrook, exploring everything there was to see.

As beautiful as the prairie was, staying too long could become a bit dull.

Sophia noticed her friends waning enthusiasm and suggested a visit to the ancient ruins in the east. The group set off that same day. By the time they arrived at the town, it was already night.

Sophia had arranged their accommodations in advance. After settling their luggage, the group headed out to explore the night market.

The night market was vibrant, with numerous stalls selling local snacks, clothing, and handicrafts.

Sophia led them to a clothing store. She said, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Let's get changed."

They entered in modern attire.

Moments later, they emerged in traditional ethnic outfits.

The rich culture of the prairie permeated every detail, including long robes, belts, and boots.

Violeta wore a white robe and a long headdress that hung down from her head. The look gave her an ethereal, otherworldly appearance.

As the group walked through the town, they attracted plenty of admiring glances.

They stopped at a stall selling handmade jewellery. Violeta picked up a pair of earrings. She held them up to her ears, admiring herself in a mirror. Sophia leaned forward and nudged her. "They look great. You should buy them."

"They do, but they don't match my outfit," Violeta said. She put the earrings back and said, "I'll buy something next time if it suits me better." She continued checked out other earrings.

Regrettably, she couldn't replace anything she liked.

Sophia grabbed Violeta's hand and said, "I know a better place with some good materials. Come with me; I'll take you there."

With that, she grabbed Violeta and left with her.

Niall sighed and said, "Wait for me, guys!"

They hurried to catch up with Sophia and Violeta.

Hayden glanced at their retreating figures. He picked up the earrings Violeta had left behind. The garnet earrings looked delicate and exquisite in his palm.

"How much?" he asked.

"Fifteen dollars a pair," the vendor replied.

Hayden quickly paid and slipped the earrings into his pocket.

After that, he casually followed the others.

...

After exploring the night market, the group returned to the guesthouse.

The next morning, Violeta sat at the breakfast table in a groggy state and yawned.

She suddenly noticed a pair of earrings on her plate. Picking them up, she realised they were the ones she had admired last night.

Sitting across from her, Hayden was eating breakfast alone. She looked at him and asked in puzzlement, "These are ... "

"A gift for you," he said.

"A gift? When did you buy them?"

"Last night."

Violeta had not bought the earrings because they didn't match her outfit.

Now, she didn't have to worry about that anymore.

The earrings weren't expensive, so she accepted them.

Still, she felt she couldn't just accept Hayden's gift without giving something in return. She decided to buy him a gift later.

The town wasn't as lively in the morning as it was at night.

Violeta took Sophia with her to shop for a gift for Hayden.

They wandered around until they came across a store selling calligraphy quill pens.

After some thought, Violeta decided that a calligraphy quill pen would be a good gift for Hayden.

Various pens lined the shelves. Violeta approached the counter and carefully selected the pens.

However, she didn't replace any of them with particularly refined qualities.

She headed to the counter and asked, "Do you have any better pens?"

The store owner lazily replied, "Better ones? Sure, I have some top-quality goose feathers. Which one do you want to see?" "Show me both."

The owner stood up and pulled out a box from under the counter. He said, "Here you go."

When the box opened, Violeta saw pens of exceptional quality, far superior to those on the shelves.

One pen stood out with its metal shaft and delicate feather. The feather had brownish spots on it, which gave the pen a unique look.

It reminded Violeta of a similar pen she had seen in a museum.

"This one is quite impressive. Can I try it?" she asked.

The owner chuckled and asked, "Girly, you want to buy it?"

"Yes," Violeta replied.

"You have a good eye. Unlike the factory-made pens on the shelves, I handcraft this one myself. However, I have a rule: you must know how to write with it. Can you write?" "Can I write?" The question surprised Violeta.

Sophia interjected, "Hey, that's a bit condescending. Even a three-year-old can write nowadays."