The Invitation

In the dimly lit upper level of the quarters where Xe’Reth’s mother sleeps with a newly cleaned body, Xe’Reth stands upright while stirring and preparing his mother’s addictive drug in front of a table by the wall that has many various opened boxes of herbs. He nips up herb after herb with his index and thumb fingers, then places them into the pestle in his hands.

Theresa groans in her slumber as usual with nightmares plaguing her agonizing soul.

At two bed tables on either side glows candles, only two, for Xe’Reth doesn’t need light to work with his herbs. Darkness fits him right as day, but light still illuminates from downstairs through the two openings. The flaming hearth blazes away in its crackling and swaying way as Malinda converses with Tanya; one holding up garments fit for an adult male, the other stares with two analyzing globes of azure.

“You do amaze me, Tanya,” Malinda said with measuring eyes, going up and down as her head tilts side to side. “How could you get his size right?”

“Your words are too much for me, Miss. I simply asked my sister right before you left to meet up with Sir Xe’Reth,” Tanya thanked with a smile. She holds the clothes while a folded pile of other attires stacks on the long-table on the left side of the room. “You know the brand of clothing that has gotten popular these past few years?”

“Ah yes, that brand. But how could you get these so fast?” Malinda wondered as she inspects the stitched-in name of the trademark with hands holding onto the garment’s neck where it’s sewed.

“Miss, I’ve made a special order from them before, but you never wear anything but plated clothing nowadays. So you haven’t tried the dress I bought a month ago,” Tanya sighed in disappointment as her arms lax down which makes the clothes dip onto the crimson carpet. “Anyways, where was I? Ah yes. As I have purchased from them before, I sent a servant with measurements I got from my sister, while you were away. You know that clothing boutique in the outer layer that was finally built up four years ago? Madam Nerani’s Apparels, it is called—.”

*Crash*

“Huh…? Xe’Reth, what happened?!” Malinda startlingly yelled as her head lashes in the direction to the upper level. “Xe’Reth…?!” Malinda instinctively drops the men’s clothes and sprints towards the stairs with such worried eyes as he doesn’t reply. The crash sounded as if something heavy fell onto the marbled floor.

She climbs the wooden steps, and as her head turns left at the top, she sees Xe’Reth breathing heavily while trying to stand up with supporting hands on the mushy floor where he had dropped the pestle. But he can’t get up, for he’s in a state of utter shock.

‘Dammit… I thought I would never hear that accursed name ever again…’ Xe’Reth swore inwardly with gritting teeth. ‘Why is this… What’s the matter with me? I’ve never… never felt so weak before… I, I guess it has been a rough day… Ah—?’

A pair of lady’s arms curls around his body to embrace him with whispering lips, “I’m sorry, Xe’Reth. I forgot that you’ve had a dreadful day… The torture from those people, your garden, too, has been lost to the DLO… I’m sorry, I’ve been preoccupied with my own yearnings that I became blinded by it.”

“Miss? Everything all right up there?” Tanya shouted somewhat softly as she stands at the foot of the stairs, because Malinda had said that she and nobody else will be allowed on the upper level.

“Yes, everything is fine! Stay downstairs and wait so we can continue picking out the clothing!” Malinda responded, too, with a soft shout to not disturb Theresa who sleeps on the royal-sized bed.

“Okay, Miss, I’ll do as you say.” Tanya replied as she takes away her foot from the first case of the stairs which she was about to climb, but she remembered her Mistress words carefully when Xe’Reth had organized and taken care of his mother who now has new bandages with salve smeared on her scorched body.

Tanya returns to the long-table as she picks up the dropped clothes while wiping away any dirt that might’ve spoiled them. With folding hands, she aligns them on top of the folded pile of attires.

A humming tune, a calm, an innocent voice escapes from her vocal cords as she brushes her index finger on the table to see if dust still resides, which it doesn’t. She nods pleasingly to herself for her hard work.

‘I wonder what happened up there? Ah, oh well, not my business to question,’ Tanya nonchalantly sighed as her feet walks to one of the windows to gaze with serene unmoving eyes out to the garden courtyard, which’s located almost in the middle of the citadel. Several stories going up with large square windows, alike the one Tanya gazes out of right now. ‘I miss being in the old wings… Maybe when Malinda gets children they’ll open up the third floor again. My, my, I’m getting ahead of myself.’

With a secret giggle, she heads to the hearth beside her.

She pokes the charcoaled timber, then takes ahold of more wood which’s stacked beside the fireplace neatly on a metal rack. She reaches to place it into the flaming hearth; her eyes truly unafraid by the burning fire. For she has been around her father and mother in the citadel’s smithy, even knocking some hammer hits on the red searing metal, feeling the vibration throughout her whole body as the strikes connected to the anvil.

‘I am relieved that he isn’t some arrogant noble at least. Even though I said that I wouldn’t treat the man she chooses any differently. But if it had been someone like those in-laws of hers, I wouldn’t be able to stand it,’ Tanya thought with tight lips pressing together as her hands stretches back from placing the wood into the fireplace. Then in her crouched position, she stands up. ‘Though really, seeing Miss so out of character is a refreshing sight. Being totally joyful than her regular strict self is truly a change for the better. I do hope nothing will happen to that happiness which she has found.’

*Click* the double-doors leading out of the room opens up as Taryna, Tanya’s sister reveals herself between the opening gaps.

Tanya turns around hastily because the rudeness from the person opening the doors knows no bounds. Who can it be? That dares to not knock before entering? But with calm blinking eyes, Tanya sees her sister with the identical flaming hair tied to form a bun.

Tanya’s feet treads on the crimson carpet towards her sister as she says tranquilly with flickering eyes, not being afraid at all of what might lash back at her, “Eldest sister, you shouldn’t open the doors without knocking. It’s rude behavior. You know that.”

“Where is Mistress?” Taryna frowningly asked as she dismisses her sister’s warnings with an irritated flick of her hand. She gazes around the lit chamber and up to the bedroom of Theresa’s, while narrowing her eyes of flame.

Tanya’s now wide eyes stares at how impudent she’s. Sure, when she talked to Taryna before, she was angry about Malinda taking a liking to a man, finally. But her personality isn’t fit for a handmaiden. More of an envious spouse not getting any alone time anymore. Which isn’t allowed. Tanya and Taryna should be glad that they’re handmaidens since servants gets more work hours per day than handmaidens.

Of course, handmaidens have a lot of work too, though that doesn’t amount for the hours which servants spends cleaning and doing their endless chores that needs to be taken care of, all around the citadel. Especially taking care of the huge main garden.

Tanya advances towards her sister while her eyes squints as closer as she comes, and with two pair of breasts bumping into Taryna’s bosoms, she thrusts forward, making Taryna fall backwards in complete surprise. But with a trained body, she controls her legs to gain balance as she stumbles out the double-doors into the lush corridor. Though, Tanya follows with a clicking noise resounding from the now closed doors behind her.

“What are y—mhmmh?!” Taryna tried to shout but her sister’s hand covers her mouth completely.

“What am I doing, what am I doing?!” Tanya retorted with a high-pitched shriek of a girl’s voice. Her eyes battles to not squint in anger but fails miserably. “What are you doing is my question!? You’ll not ruin our Mistress’ day with your foul mood! I may not know what has made you like this, but all I’ve seen from him is kindness towards our Miss, so stop acting like some juvenile! For the Divine Queens’ sake, you’re in your thirties! ACT LIKE IT!”

“Mmhm—Let, let go of me!” Taryna confronted her little sister by pushing her away so she hits the double-doors, making her grimace in the process as the door handles digs into her rear. “I act how I please as long as Miss doesn’t get any madder—.”

“So she has scolded you?!” Tanya exclaimed while hands touches her sore rear. But she breathes out a sigh as her head lowers; giving up trying to convince her big stubborn sister of her shameful ways. “I don’t want you near Miss or Sir Xe’Reth today. Go and cool yourself off. And I won’t hear your reply, because if you dare walk into this room again, I’ll tell Miss about you know what. I don’t think she would really enjoy hearing those words coming from my mouth, much less knowing that you’re that kind of person.”

“Y-You wouldn’t!” Taryna recoiled in doubt as her widened eyes stares at her now tranquil little sister.

“Test me… I dare you,” Tanya answered calmly with an innocent smile while having her eyes shut.

“Miss… Miss will wonder where I’ve gone…” Taryna muttered with her last ounce of defense. Her perfectly serene younger sibling still shows no face other than those closed eyes while her totally victorious smile makes Taryna bite her lips.

“No, she will not. Miss will know where you’ve gone from my mouth,” Tanya replied as only her mouth flows openly with a pair of hands clutching together to her lower body. “You can go and take care of all the paperwork for today’s finished chores in our wing, then send it down to the servant’s place of work.”

“You’re dirty, Tanya, for using that against me. I’ve never done it ever since you caught me, so please, don’t tell her. I’ll listen to you, okay? I give in… I… give in,” the eldest sister, Taryna, now has a drooping head that asks for mercy.

Ever since the day she was caught by her youngest sister, she has been the lesser. But with Tanya’s calm personality, she wouldn’t reveal her sister’s most guarded secret, which could make her Mistress look upon her with eyes of uncertainty.

“Haaa…” Tanya sighed in exhaustion as she shakes her head, then with widely beaming eyes, she places her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Good, good. I’ll tell Miss where you’re at. Now shoo; Miss probably wondered what all the shouting was about. So go, before I…—.”

“I’m going… I’m going. Really Tanya, you’re so much like mother that it isn’t even funny—Alright, I’m going!” Taryna flings her arms in the air as she turns to stomp down the decorated hallway towards an unknown location, namely, her own study.

As Tanya does a satisfied nod for vanquishing her prideful eldest sister, she turns to the double-doors leading into the new Sanctuary that belongs to Xe’Reth’s mother. She breathes in a deep breath, then pulls down the handles and goes in again.

‘Really, if the doors weren’t so thick, Malinda would certainly hear what they said…’ Xe’Reth thought with stirring hands as he just about finishes a new batch of medicine for his mother. Though he’s happy with this third handmaiden he has met. Without noticing it himself, he sprouts forth a smile. ‘I do wonder what her sister meant by: Catching her in the act. Something involving a man? No, highly unlikely since she probably doesn’t spend much time away from Malinda often. But… It’ll be useful nonetheless.’

Malinda sits on the side of the bed belonging to Theresa, while her eyes gazes at the image which displays in her mind.

Away with the scars, a little more meat on her body, and pretty herself up; she would indeed be stunning. But alas, even if Theresa’s sickness vanishes, her scarred skin won’t ever be restored.

People’s eyes will be ever-watching, ever-judging her hideous appearance that was once a marvelous being of beauty, yet never again.

A curled index finger wipes away a single tear from her moist eye as she turns to stare at the incoming Xe’Reth who’s wiping his hands on a towel while he moves. And as she opens her mouth, cracked tones escapes, “Are y-you finished?”

“Malinda, what’s the matter?” Xe’Reth started as he throws the towel onto the low desk at the foot of the bed to walk with hastened steps to sit beside his lover who’s on the verge of flooding once again.

“I’m sorry, it’s nothing,” Malinda replied with a sigh as she feels the bed move from Xe’Reth’s weight pushing the materials down, right beside her. And with a lean to the right, she places her head on his shoulder, staying there for a couple of seconds, until she looks up to see his caring eyes gazing at her. “I’ve cried so much today that it’s making me more emotional than usually. And seeing that your mother will always have those scars turns my heart inside out. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be saying that…”

“It’s but a simple thing, appearances that is. You, Malinda, who looks so proud and collected can be innocent like a newly budded flower, as you’ve shown to me. But that’s what I’m drawn to; your gentleness, your generosity in giving my mother a chance to recover, and the love you’ve given me that I’ll strive forever to keep lit,” Xe’Reth lovingly said as he plays his regular wooing with a mask of total love on his serene expression. “You love, I love, you hate, I hate. We love, we hate. That is what I want us to be, tied together for as long as we live. But, I’m getting too ahead of myself.”

He brushes strands of hair away by tucking it behind her ear as he closes in on her. And she accepts him fully. His lips locks with hers; his caresses wrap her body as her bosoms presses onto his chest while she lifts her arms over his shoulders to coil his neck, beginning to get experienced with her kissing too.

No more lipstick worries, since she removed it so she doesn’t need to worry about cleaning herself up after a steamy event transpires. But they stop as Theresa’s groans resounds, making her smile while she backs away with her head, “I love you too, but it’s as you say. We’ve been moving too fast… We… W-we… have… h-haven’t even…”

“What haven’t we done?” Xe’Reth questioned with a raised eyebrow as he tastes her saliva.

Malinda turns bright red with eyes avoiding contact. Though, as her mouth goes ajar, she stutteringly replies, while the shame fills her voice at the same time, “We… we haven’t even s-slept t-together yet. I want today to be that day. I’ve thought it through. I don’t want to take it easy as all the other Honored Ladies do; waiting until their marriage day… But I’m not getting any younger, Xe’Reth. I want to experience those things I haven’t experienced, with you.”

“You must think that I’m some lewd woman wanting to sleep with a man I just met… But I truly do want to be embraced by you all night. I want all of my worries of battle to disappear, to feel something else,” Malinda’s head droops down with closed eyes. She holds tightly onto her knees, awaiting his reply.

“You’re talking about sex, right?” Xe’Reth inquired casually with a smile as if that word of pleasure meant nothing to him. No embarrassment, nothing. Yet, Malinda’s eyes widened upon hearing him say it, then a shameful nod of approval displays as her blond-haired head goes up and down, but only in minute movements, which Xe’Reth sees with success.

He would’ve never thought that an Honored Lady of her magnitude would be such an easy woman to bed. But of course, it has been an emotional day for both her and him, so that can be counted also into the equation of one’s psyche. She has cried, she has seen a tortured man who she loves, she has seen a girl having a mental breakdown in front of her, and she has taken her first step into becoming an actual lady of love.

“Well, I won’t lie; I want to ravage you until the day you reach the Divine Sky in bliss,” Xe’Reth calmly said with a lewd smirk on his lips while his eyes have narrowed to stare with conviction, to thoroughly back up what he just said to an Honored Lady. To Malinda whose mouth has opened fully in perplexity. And those pair of glittering azure jewels of hers illustrates widely in utter shock.

Not being able to speak out her thoughts, she fiddles with hers switching legs and arms, trying to stay completely unfazed by the bold statement as she sits by the side of the bed, right next to him. Him who gazes at her, making the heat in her body rise terribly high.

As her own hands tries to flap at her face to decrease her blushing warmth, dizziness comes over her in rapid speed. Which Xe’Reth acts upon, while a satisfied smile sprouts forth, “I won’t hide my attraction for you. I want to see you naked. To see everything that you have to offer, which’ll be the greatest offer a person can ever get. For I’m a man, and as a man, I can’t stop thinking about what I haven’t seen yet; your uncovered body.”

Malinda’s heart pumps as she tries to hold her eyes away from his, but with a clasping hand to her chest, she travels to his obsidian eyes. Now her slightly trembling mouth opens and closes as she breathes heavily. But, Xe’Reth grasps her only free hand, making her flinch yet not recoil off the bed to escape him.

“Malinda…” he calmly said as he peers into her eyes. “We could sleep together today, but, wouldn’t it be better to be more prepared when we do it? Because today has been pretty hectic as you saw when you came up the stairs. Even I have my limits.”

‘But, I think it was only because I heard that noble’s name that made my knees buckle,’ Xe’Reth added in his mind to defend his pride.

Her eyes widen in worry as she grasps ahold of his hands while saying, “Oh no, I completely forgot about it… Are you all right now? And have you finished with your mother’s medicine for when she wakes up? Actually, when does she wake up, Xe’Reth?”

“What time is it?” Xe’Reth asked with a clueless brow raised.

“Tanya!” Malinda yelled but covers her mouth with a grimace. She turns to look at Theresa, yet she sighs in relief as she returns to gaze regretfully at Xe’Reth. “Sorry…”

“It’s fine—.”

“Miss, you called?” Tanya shouted coolly by the foot of the stairs, rather, her voice had a tone of nervousness behind it which Xe’Reth caught with his ears. A slight break in her voice, different than her usual one.

Malinda raises herself while letting go of his hands to walk to the head of the staircase. She caresses Xe’Reth’s cheek with a flow as her legs goes to her destination. Then as she sees the handmaiden gazing with a smile on her beaming face, Malinda asks, “What time is it?”

With a puzzling biting lip, Tanya replies as she gets her answer, “It’ll soon be seven o’clock, Miss. The sun will begin to set behind the mountains in about an hour.”

“What, it’s so late already?” she frowningly asked with hands on her hips, leaning forward. “How long have we been here?”

“You’ve bee—Wait, someone’s at the door, Miss,” Tanya said as her body turns to the door, then back to Malinda.

“Well, what’re you waiting for? Go see who it is,” Malinda whips her finger at Tanya as she returns to Xe’Reth after her handmaiden bows gracefully to obey her Mistress’ command.

“Let’s do as you say Xe’Reth. Yes. Yes, I also need to prepare my heart, but let’s sleep in the same bed for now,” Malinda smilingly said while looming above the sitting Xe’Reth. “Then, when we’re ready to take the next step, we…—”

“—will become one,” Xe’Reth finished while standing up to give her one single kiss. Which she puckers with a giggle. ‘Seriously, I couldn’t expect that she would initiate the talk of sex. But, I’ll give her a night of a man who’s inexperienced, though, I can say I know a woman’s body through what I’ve read. No, I mustn’t talk about a conversation that leads to healing matters. Well, she knows that I’m not like a normal human being, so let’s see what’ll happen from now on.’

“Miss, I bring word from the Honored Madam Celyssa!” Tanya shouted as she comes back to stand by the foot of the stairs. “She asks if you’ll join the family for dinner tonight. And if you’re, then she would be most pleased that you bring Sir Xe’Reth with you. So she and your brother can meet him.”

“Wait a moment, I’ll be right down,” Malinda responded with flickering eyes of surprise. She then remembers as she covers her mouth. “Xe’Reth… You haven’t eaten anything today, have you?”

He raises an eyebrow while looking up to think if he has or not, “No, no I haven’t actually. Only before I went to bed yesterday… But then came the men… And well, you know the rest.”

“You must be starving then?” Malinda asked with worry on her lowered brows.

“I wouldn’t exactly say I’m famished, but I could eat,” he said with shrugging shoulders. “Though, from what Tanya just said, we can’t really decline your sister-in-law’s invitation, now can we?”

“But what about Theresa? What if she wakes up—.”

“No need to worry, she won’t wake up until tomorrow morning,” Xe’Reth reassured with an interrupting hand. “And thank you, Malinda, for helping me with her. You’re much stronger than I ever thought you’d be. To actually help with taking care of her so soon… I am… Ah… I don’t have any words that can express my gratitude, other than, I love you, honey.”

“Xe’Reth…” Malinda fawned with a tender smile as she directs her body into his embrace; squeezing her bosoms onto his chest yet again, though this time, she gazes with daring eyes into his globes of shadows that swiftly stares down at her pressed breasts, making him flicker in surprise.

She purses her lips to whisper seductively, “I am yours and you’re mine. My body is yours and your body is mine. I can’t help myself, Xe’Reth. I’m flustered when you’re staring at me, I’m concerned when you’re away from me, and I’m happy when you’re by my side. I love you too, honey.”

“You really know how to make a man cheerful, have you been practicing?” Xe’Reth grinned to break the arousing atmosphere, which makes Malinda give him a teasing slap on his wounded shoulder. But she gasps at her grave mistake, though, his gentle smile never leaves his lips.

“Xe’Reth! It can’t be...? Has it healed already?” Malinda covers her mouth, but her hands instinctively starts to remove his worn upper protective clothing, which he lets her do casually while not removing his smile.

As she sees the slight red spot on his healed shoulder, she can’t help but gain a beaming expression. Malinda bits her lower lip seductively as she leans forward to kiss his shoulder in question. A peck onto his skin, while she takes in his bodily aroma.

With a turn and a tilt, her head sets itself onto his shoulder to rest. Again her arms wraps around him to feel his warmth on his naked upper body through her thin blouse.

‘She really is the clingy type, huh? Oh well, that’ll work so much better. It’ll be easier to make her fully trust me, so I can go on with my own business and… plans,’ Xe’Reth thought as he too embraces her while holding her head and back waist. ‘Tomorrow will be the day to analyze who’s trustworthy and who’s disloyal. I can’t have people around my mother who’ll switch sides at a moment’s notice. This whole citadel must be purged of its scum, well, me excluded of course. Heh, talking to myself again.’

“So… I have you for the entire night until tomorrow morning?” Malinda hesitantly asked as her head remains in place, but her lips tightens upon waiting on his reply.

“Yes, I’m all yours. My Lady. But, I would like a key to my mother’s quarters, so I can lock it while I’m away. Would that be okay?” Xe’Reth smilingly responded with his mask still showing on his face.

Malinda’s head leaves his shoulder to straighten herself.

She nods while chuckling, “Certainly it would be okay, wait! Only we should have keys. Because I don’t think my handmaidens are… Well, they’ll listen to my orders; two keys for you and me. And if somehow you can’t be there for her, I’ll take care of her in your stead. You just need to prepare the medicine beforehand. Oh, that’s right, Tanya is waiting! Finish up here and come down… I’ll be waiting eagerly to see you dressed in the new clothes that Tanya has prepared for you. Don’t be long…”

She closes in once more as she does a swift peck on the mouth, then disappears down the stairs while humming a tune of satisfaction.

As Xe’Reth sees her vanish, he sits down on the bed while leaning forward with hands on his face, having his breath rapidly increasing. He has been keeping it in check ever since he fell to the floor when he heard THAT noble woman’s name, but the feeling still hasn’t gone away. A constant headache with pains going throughout his whole body. Yet, that pain keeps rising and decreasing.

Xe’Reth has no clue at what’s going on with his body, but it’s as if he has a high fever without the warmth. Though, he has never been sick in his whole life, so this is an entirely new experience for him.

‘Oh well, I’ll be able to keep it in check. But dammit, why now of all times?’ Xe’Reth pondered as he turns his body to stare at his slumbering mother. ‘Be safe mother, I’ll come back later. But now, it’s time to dive into the wide maw of this family’s grace.’

After he secured everything, and if anybody comes snooping, he’ll know by the placements of his possessions, since he likes everything to be tidy. It needs to be clean for his mother.

Through the many times he has done it, his mind can’t stand filth. Neither human nor molecule, nothing can be rotten in the presence of his mother. If someone tries to find the Yran’Gilis, it’s hidden away with other herbs on top of the illegal flowers in their sacks, so it looks as if it’s sacks of different herbs than the Yran’Gilis.

His ebon bow lies inside the coffer that he brought with him, and all of his other valuable belongings lies there too.

With an inhale of a breath, he exhales, then strides downstairs; for every step, no noise resonates, he’s as silent as a ghost. And as he reaches the foot, he sees Malinda beside Tanya by the long-table, picking out what Xe’Reth should wear.

He had heard them talk about the letter that Tanya sent away with a currier, though the currier is just a servant who belongs to the Tertin family. Riding in great speed towards whatever destination that the servant needs to get to.

“I think the black and red coat fits him better than the other ones,” Tanya encouraged as she holds the coat for Malinda to see. “Especially with the red buttons at the front.”

“Yes, a good recommendation—”

“AHH!” Both Tanya and Malinda blurted two shrieking yells as they heard Xe’Reth’s voice.

He’s standing right beside them, and they didn’t even notice him. Not even Malinda, but as she sees it’s just him, she chuckles while covering her smiling mouth. Though, Tanya has a whole new face of utter shock with an agape mouth and two flaming wide eyes staring at Xe’Reth’s naked chest. But with a shake of her head, she collects herself effortlessly.

“Ahem. Yes, indeed. Xe’Reth will take the black and red clothes,” Malinda said without hesitation while nodding, making Xe’Reth unable to choose, but he doesn’t mind those colors, rather, he prefers to be in the colors of the kingdom, especially black. His favorite shade.

Even though people gives him their eyes of indifference because of his unique features, he himself doesn’t mind his own appearance. But sure, it can be a hassle to avoid trouble when he stands out among a crowd.

He has gotten used to it under these four years of hardship. Nobody can budge him, not even the most beautiful woman in the world would he bat an eye at, only giving a glance, then shrug at her predicament. Love? Why does he need that? It is a game. A game he’ll play until he reaches the epitome of nobility.

The Divine Queens? He spits on them now that he has heard the truth from Malinda. He needs no distraction of the mind to give him orders. Merely his own mind is what he needs, and his natural features. Emotions? He has casted them away, discarded them! Emotions is for the normal people, normal humans, but he isn’t normal.

He’s an unknown entity that hides underneath the skin of a human.

But he has his weak moments, as he just showed when he fell to the floor, and his painful headache that eats away at him.

“Let’s start with the—No wait, doesn’t he need to wash up before dinner?” Tanya asked as she gives another glance up and down at Xe’Reth, seeing how unfit for dinner he is. “Yes, he must be presentable to your brother and his wife.”

‘Well I did wash before… But she’s right, I could use a wash, and thankfully I cleaned away the blood before leaving my house,’ Xe’Reth thought with a nod of approval.

“That settles it then. Should we bring in a bathtub in here, or shall he go to the bathing area, Miss?” Tanya inquired as she places the coat onto the long-table again with a neat fold.

“Bring everything in here, go, go fetch the servants to help,” Malinda replied with an upward jerk of her head.

“With pleasure, Miss,” she said with a quick bow, then strides out of the room.

“Here, Xe’Reth,” Malinda said giving him a key to his mother’s quarters. “Tanya thought you would want one. She’s resourceful, isn’t she? She thinks of everything, even I was surprised that she brought a pair of extra keys. Though, they’ve only been lying in the key room all this time. And she’ll give me one later, plus, she’ll give me all of the other keys to the door, too.”

“That’s… Great. She’s indeed resourceful as you said,” Xe’Reth complimented as he’s taken aback by Tanya’s preparation. He didn’t even hear them talk about keys, were they whispering? “She’s a good addition as your handmaiden. Have she been with you long?”

“Only four years, she took her vow when she turned fourteen as everyone else, then as she turned sixteen, she was allowed to be my handmaiden, though, she’s a daughter of the blacksmiths. There’re three daughters, but the one you haven’t met took after her parents. She works and helps at the citadel’s smithy,” Malinda explained as her hands flows with the words. “I’ll have to take you there someday. Maybe tomorrow, no, the day after that perhaps?”

“Sure,” Xe’Reth simply replied with a closed-eyed nod…

…………

In the main courtyard of the citadel where the four-cut fountains stands with a cross pathway in the middle of the water spewing constructions, comes two riders in fully-armored horses and the riders themselves can’t be missed by miles, since their armors shines as the setting sun begins to lower itself to welcome the darkness.

The color of the kingdom, that’s what displays on the heavy-plated armors. The riders had galloped in from the innermost portcullis, but now as they ride past the fountains to reach the main entrance leading into the Tertin’s citadel, one man with blonde hair steers his horse in front while the other man with brown-gray hair follows.

“Hooo!” the fair-haired man exclaimed as he pulls his reigns to make the horse stop dead in its tracks.

With the horse’s movements ceased, the man swings off of the saddle as heavy clanking boots hit the cobblestone. And the other man, too, clanks to the ground while guiding his horse by the reins to be beside his companion.

“Honored Sir, I’ll return ye’ horses to the stables, and we’ll discuss yo’ plans of strategy in the war room as per yo’ request. Can I take me’ leave until then? As I have me’ other duties to attend to,” the man said with respect upon his unemotional expression. His bushy brows of brown-gray that begins to slowly but steadily turn to full ashen, his slight wrinkled but fetching facial features, and the eyes of a complete veteran who thinks his skills in the arts of combat knows no equal.

“At ease, Reconon, you’re always so serious, heh. But after dinner is finished, I’ll meet you there,” the blonde man replied with a chuckle while he waves him off as he turns to walk up the staircase that leads to the main double-doors of the citadel.

“Yes, Honored Sir Maldoran!” the man saluted with a bow, then climbs up on his own horse again and begins to ride away towards the citadel’s stables.

Maldoran sighs in exhaustion with a scratching hand feeling the prickling stubble that needs to be shaved before he goes to bed today. But as he reaches the top of the stairs, he puts on his regular expression of bliss as he breathes in a long breath.

Then comes the thundering roar of a tiger that echoes throughout the entire citadel.

“MY DEAR FAMILY, I’M HOME!” Maldoran Tertin, the General of the number one squad of the middle gate boomed!

Thanks for reading!

As I'm here to please, I would like you the reader to tell me if I write anything wrong. Grammar I mean. I've been trying to remove To Be stuff which I've seen on the forums. Been studying up on it, but dunno how it's going, also I "try" not to use filter words. But oh boy, it takes a lot more time to write if I have to think if I wrote what I wrote correctly.

If you see common mistakes in my grammar, please don't be shy. Write in the comment if you want, or PM me! :D

Or you can just keep on reading my fiction as it comes out! :P

Voice your thoughts!

Anyways, I'm dead tired, so I'll be going to sleep. If you write a comment, expect delay in my response! :P

Until... Next Time.

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