Chapter III: Discussions
Written: July 17, 14
Posted: July 18, 14
Kagome entered the Medical Wing, smiling as she greeted several passing nursemaids with a curt nod. It smells like antiseptic and bandages in here, she denoted, eyeing the room with widening eyes. Filled to the brim with beds and cabinets stocked with potions, wrappings and herbs, the Medical Wing resembled more of a large factory that specialized in fabricating aliments for the sick than to actually aid the injured and dying.
Now, to find Lady Kaede…
Kaede had to be somewhere amidst this ever-growing room of patients, nursemaids and practising future nursemaids. Kagome walked up and down the medical aisles slowly, stopping when she heard an old voice hissing, "Shippou, ye had better put that down. If ye don't stop this senseless jabbering, I'll have ya removed by the castle guards this instant, and be sent back to the Library to yer studies."
"Aw, Grandma, do I have too?" Shippou's adorable voice whined causing Kagome to smile. She rounded the nearest wall, coming to the sight of Lady Kaede scolding Shippou.
Shippou was a seven-year old boy, emerald-eyed ginger, who resided in the castle for reasons unknown to Kagome. Ever since she had been permanently stationed to Lazulis Castle as a knight, the boy had been around—particularly in the Great Library, which seemed to be his home away from home. According to himself, he was training to become the world's greatest fire mage. Although he's still small, his magic is quite impressive, she thought. Shippou was quite the intelligent boy. Academically, he was years ahead of others his age, and was currently studying the same material that several other children in the Library, who were several years older than him, were learning. Though… because of such, he's often bullied by the other children. Her eyes darkened. Maybe that's why he prefers to spend his time in the Medical Wing with Kaede.
Shippou, although intelligent, still had the mind of a regular seven year old. Not counting his knowledge of behaving and interacting with nobility, when around others—mostly nursemaids, Kaede and Kagome herself—he was quite perceptive, largely sensitive, but also had a pretty big mouth. Multiple times in the past, Kagome had been forced to pull the boy away from a horde of knights, as he had… managed to articulate several naughty words and phrases, which weren't the kindest, or expected of any seven year old to know.
Beads of sweat formed behind her head. Oh, Shippou… Besides his large mouth, Shippou also possessed a heart of gold. Such made him quite a hit amongst the nursemaids, who almost always flocked to him when he was in the Medical Wing. Without Kaede's knowledge, they also provided him with many treats in the form of candies, sweets and toys. They played with him, ruffled his hair and kissed his cheeks and forehead. Kagome knew the boy loved the attention, as evident by the growing smirks he held when noticing the glares of several knights who occasionally stopped by the infirmary to visit particular nursemaids. Eight out of ten times, a nursemaid or two had scooted the knights out if they weren't injured, as the rest were too busy fussing and fawning over Shippou. She rolled her eyes at the thought. Shippou loves their attention; heck he basks in it… I only hope it doesn't spoil him when he grows older.
"Kagome!" exclaimed Shippou. She watched him put down a pot filled of something unknown to rush to her side. Wrapping his small arms around her legs, he hugged her lower frame. "I missed you."
"Hello, Shippou," she greeted, ruffling his ginger coloured hair. "How are you doing?"
"Great!" He laughed, revealing a newly lost tooth. "Grandma's letting me stay here. I'm practising to become the world's best mage, and healer~"
Kagome chuckled, her eyes softening. Bending down to reach his height, she extended her arms out wide and offered the child a tight hug. Shippou leaned into the embrace, revelling in her warm and soft hold. "I missed you too, Shippou," she murmured, leaning her head atop his.
"Lady Kagome, is there something you require?" Kaede questioned, watching their interaction with a soft expression gracing her aged face.
Kagome frowned, slowly getting to her feet. Watching Shippou excuse himself to speak with two passing nursemaids, she spotted an empty chair several feet away and sat down. "I have a few hours to spare until the Ball tonight, and was wondering if you required any form of assistance."
Kaede, who was in the midst of drying her hands, set down the towel and studied Kagome curiously. Eyeing her from top to bottom, the female knight inwardly shuddered at the woman's protruding voice, "Ye aren't staying here to hide from someone perhaps?" All too aware of whom Kaede was addressing, Kagome shot down the suggestion with a flourishing blush.
"Kaede, I have no idea for whom you are referring to."
The head nursemaid smiled coyly. "Kagome, your acting skills are terrible."
"Uhh!" she nearly fell out of her seat.
Kaede's smirk widened. "Kagome, pushing whatever occurred previously aside, it is not best to avoid yer problems. Ye know this well enough." She leaned in closer, whispering. "Perhaps with this supposed 'free time' you now possess, ye ought to visit said someone and speak with them… Who knows, perhaps they have this 'free time' too."
Kagome's blush grew to a prominent red rose tint. "Kaede," she whined, looking up and down the walkway to make sure that no one else was watching or attempting to listen to their conversation. "I am fine. I merely came here to provide assistance, in case you required it."
The heard nursemaid arched a brow. She studied Kagome's profile for a minute. She noticed the way Kaede eyed her sword in disdain, and immediately slipped it off, pushing it to the nearest corner. Kaede was not a fan or avid supporter of violence, and more or less despised it when the knights or even Kagome herself entered the Medical Wing with her sword strapped to her side.
Exhaling, Kagome then looked around the room, smiling to herself when seeing Shippou being fawned over by four nurses. Grinning widely, the youngster appeared to be in heaven as the four females' dotted excessive amounts of concern and joy upon him. Kaede followed her gaze, but rolled her eyes.
"That youngster never learns," was all she managed to say before looking away. Grunting, she focused her attention towards the nearest countertop and walked forward, ushering for Kagome to follow her with a wave of her left hand. "Kagome, if ye want to be helpful for some time, then perhaps ye can help me sort through these newly purchased herbs. They were shipped overseas, and are quite powerful in aiding with paralysis magical attacks."
Kagome nodded. "I would love to help, Kaede."
And so, for the next hour and a half, Kagome spent her time aiding Kaede. The two sorted through the large pile of paralysis medication fairly quickly, and afterwards devoted a larger portion of their time to restocking the remaining medical cabinets. The other nursemaids watched on, unfazed – though slightly interested – to the sight of Kagome working in the Medical Wing. As long as Kaede was present however, none dared to venture forward to question the woman, as many were frightened by Kaede's tough exterior. Akin to Sir Therius, the nursemaids and many others respected Lady Kaede for her skills and knowledge in the many areas of healing, but feared her as well for her blunt, ominous tone and acute perception which she used on a daily basis… chiefly on those who were either prone to making numerous mistakes, or were simply too incompetent for their own good.
Soon departing from the infirmary, Kagome excused herself as she waved goodbye to Kaede, and provided Shippou with a long and happy hug. Promising to return soon, she exited the Medical Wing from the northern stairwell, descending into the north-western portion of the Courtyard. Prepared to combat her fears of speaking to Therius, the knight was stopped before she could venture any further by a particular blonde haired man by the name of Lowell.
He was leaning against the wall furthest from her, speaking with what appeared to be a maid. Kagome had only briefly caught the ending of their conversation, for Lowell appeared to have dismissed the woman with an overly flirtatious smile and wave combination. She stopped in her tracks. Lowell then looked her way and looked towards the other wall before suddenly darting his vision back towards her. His eyes widened, clouding over with what appeared to be interest – and… was that lust? – While he stalked forward, smiling coyly.
Kagome arched a brow. She watched him advance until there was no more than a three foot gap separating them. "Good day milady," he bowed. "It is an honour to meet a woman of yer calibre." Instantaneously she knew where this was going by the tone of his voice, and obvious once over he provided her with.
She cleared her throat, attempting to remain calm. "Good afternoon, Sir. I must provide my sincerest form of gratitude for such an honest comment, although your words are far too kind." When seeing his hands reach forward in an attempt to grasp hers, she moved them away, opting to place them behind her back.
"If I might be so bold to ask, what is your name, oh, lovely and majestic knight?" He inquired.
If possible, Kagome wanted to roll her eyes. Does he honestly think that I would fall for such cheap and overused lines? However, judging by his shady and dishevelled appearance, she believed her passing thoughts to be fairly accurate.
She gulped. With no more than a forced smile, she answered, "My name is Lady Kagome. And, yours, good Sir?"
"My name Lady Kagome is Lowell, the gallant and magnificent."
Kagome resisted the urge to slap her forehead with the back of her gloved palm. My, he has… quite the confidence… Typical playboy attitude too. Stomaching the overwhelming desire swelling inside of her to then walk away, Kagome forced herself to nod politely and provide a quaint smile.
"How lovely, Sir Lowell." She licked her lips in passing. "I would assume that you are a man of… many talents." She shuddered at her words, cringing at the last two in particular.
I hadn't a clue of how to phrase myself! I just want this conversation to end!
Lowell appeared to disregard the ill-contempt of her words, for he ran a hand through his hair, sporting that overly pompous grin once again. "I am a man of… many talents, my dear, sweet, Lady Kagome." He winked. "However, I am quite talented in the area of magic as well."
She arched a brow, "What field of magic exactly do you specialize in, Sir Lowell?"
"Ice," he whispered, daring to take a step further to whisper in her ear while he placed his hands on her shoulders.
On instinct, she backed away, slapping his hands away. "I see," she uttered, shuddering slightly.
Lowell noticed the gesture, and couldn't help but smirk. Kagome cursed herself, finding herself to then be in a position the ice mage seemed to prefer. Damn it all! She hissed. With little patience remaining, she inched away. Lowell, however, advanced with her. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second. Bloody hell, is this man teasing me? Is he trying to irk me to my wits end?
"Lady Kagome, is there something troubling you?" Again, he touched her shoulder with his free hand. She visibly shuddered and cast a glance around the area. No one was near. For that, she was more than thankful. "If you are in need of assistance, then I would gladly have no trouble in providing you with a form of aid." He spoke into her ear. Soon after, she felt his hand slide down her shoulder, inching for her back.
Ears turning red, with little hesitation she slapped his nearest cheek with her hand, backing away. "Just what kind of woman do you take me for?!" She hollered. "Have you not heard of respecting a person's personal boundaries, you no good pervert?!"
Lowell rubbed his sore cheek, grinning cheekily. "A challenge, ehh?" he laughed, speaking more to himself than Kagome. "Hmm, this should prove to be most interesting."
Kagome felt her jaw drop, while steam was preparing to seep from her ears. "… Ignorant, no good playboy!" she seethed, raising her index finger before his face. "Leave me be this instant! Uhh!" She stalked off, only to be pulled back by Lowell. Shaking with anger, she turned around and didn't allow him the chance to speak, as she quickly slapped his other cheek with her hand.
Stunned, he released his grip on her while mumbling various swear words under his breath. Kagome used those few moments to back away and grasp the hilt of her sword. Snarling, she took proper battle stance. "Pervert, if you dare move an inch, I will not hesitate to draw my sword."
Lowell looked up with two visible hand prints staining both of his cheeks. Had Kagome not been thrust forward into the situation, she would have instantly found the scene comical. "Ah, you're not a woman to be messed with, Lady Kagome..." He rubbed his tender cheeks. For a moment, she began to feel bad. Here seconds ago, she had just physically harmed the blonde, which went against all of her principles of knighthood. But then again, the man had deserved it… he was a no good pervert, after all.
She weighed the thoughts over in her mind for a second, but decided against feeling sorry for Lowell. If she provided him with pity, he might take it the wrong way or use it to his advantage, which she did not doubt he would attempt to do. Without removing her hand from her sword's hilt, she watched him cautiously and calculatingly.
Lowell, however, surprised her by standing his ground, not moving an inch. "Lady Kagome, ya certainly packed quite the punch in those slaps… too bad for you though, that I happen to like a good challenge." He winked once more. "I'm not going to give up on ya. By the end of our next meeting, I'll be sure to make ye fall for my charms and dashing good looks."
…
Was this man serious?
Her right eye started to switch. Unconsciously or on purpose – she wasn't entirely sure – her grip on the hilt of her blade tightened, making the leather lining of her gloves contract. "Ignorant, foolish playboy!" she seethed, prepared to bubble over in a pot of uncooked anger. "You are—"
"Halt. What goes on here?" A voice inquired, interrupting Kagome from finishing her previous thought.
She gasped and removed her hand from her sword. "G-General," she stuttered, feeling her heart rate increase by a tenfold. "I—we…"
General Asthar advanced, eyeing Kagome in what appeared to be slight disappointment. "Lady Kagome, I thought that I had taught you better." She looked away shamefully, unable to meet his gaze. Eyeing the ground, she heard him address Lowell. "Sir Mercenary, you have my apologies. I trust that my former student has not injured or addressed you in a disrespectful manner."
Lowell chuckled and swatted a hand to the air. "Ah, it's fine. No harm, no foul, as they say, ehh?" Laughing again, he offered the General a slight nod. "Fear not General, Lady Kagome hasn't injured anything else but my pride…" Without allowing the General a chance to reply, Lowell walked off… but not before offering Kagome a flirtatious grin and wave, which she easily scowled at.
General Asthar waited for Lowell to be further enough from hearing distance, before turning around to address Kagome. Bashfully, she looked up and offered him a nervous smile. "General," she nodded, her ears turning red. "About my behaviour just then… I had—I mean I wasn't—"
"Fear not, Kagome." He spoke calmly, interrupting her thoughts once more. "I understand your actions well enough, and based upon the amount I heard beforehand, your actions are justifiable."
Her head snapped up. Eyes twinkling, she started to smile. General Asthar bellowed at the sight. "You truthfully are a woman of independent standing, Kagome," he spoke in between laughs. "Such a talent is admirable, although you must remember to act with decorum." He placed a hand on her shoulder, which she did not recoil to. "Remember Kagome, you are a knight, and must act and behave in such a manner that is appropriate to knighthood in all times."
Her eyes darkened slightly. "General, I understand, however, in the presence—"
"Of men such as him, you lose yourself to your emotions," he finished for her.
Abashed, all Kagome could muster was a silent nod.
Asthar patted her shoulder accordingly. "Kagome, fear not. I am more than aware of such concerning you… After all, your past actions, particularly regarding a certain Captain of the Guards was more than evident." To his words, Kagome's ears darkened, which made her look away.
"It wasn't my fault," she whispered. "Anyone could have thrown that rock his way."
"And hit him square in the nose?" He challenged mirthfully.
Kagome snorted and crossed her arms. "Maybe..."
With no more than a bellowed laugh, General Asthar ushered her forward, leading her towards the Central Courtyard. "Come Kagome, I wish to have a discussion with Therius and yourself."
Unbeknown to the General, Kagome looked down upon hearing his words and recalled her morning spar with the knight. Knowing for a fact that he would reiterate the issue to General Asthar, all Kagome could manage was to exhale an exasperated sigh. Joy oh joy… I can't wait.
For minutes on end, the two walked in silence, with General Asthar in the lead and Kagome following a mere foot behind. Passing numerous maids and knights along the way, many paid their respect to General Asthar with either a nod, salute or bow. In return, he offered each individual a charming smile and nod. "Good day," he greeted a passing nobleman.
"General," the nobleman responded with a deemed tilt of the head. He passed by without paying Kagome any bit of attention. She remained indifferent however, by choosing to focus her attention on a sudden argument she easily overheard situated not too far from where the General and she were currently stopped. Curious, she deduced the voices to belong to Syrenne, the redhead who commented on her appearance rather nastily… and was the other Therius?
Stunned, she exchanged a glance with the General, only to find herself following behind him seconds after. The two approached the duo minutes later to witness Therius and Syrenne at arms length, appearing to be in the midst of a heated argument.
To the sight, General Asthar sighed, exasperated. "To think, another one of my star pupils is engaging in heated discourse with the castle's new arrivals." Not bothering to waste a single moment, he rushed forward mere seconds before their blades were set to be drawn and clash by stating calmly though forcefully, "Stay your blades."
Kagome watched on, mildly amused, as General Asthar openly apologized for Therius's ill-mannered behaviour. Therius, however, seemed not the least bit apologetic, yet kept quiet as the General conversed with Syrenne.
Eyebrows rising, she soon felt another gaze land on her, as Therius then looked towards her. Shivers running down her spine, the only action Kagome could muster up the courage to summon was a small nod. Therius's gaze merely darkened in response. She looked away and sighed.
Yay, he's still mad at me… How nice…
She partially laughed. "Lucky me…"
Author's Note: So I lied, there was no mention of Kirara in the chapter. I'll need to find a way to squeeze her in somewhere in the next chapter. Also, the next chapter will be the Ball and Gurak invasion! Woo hoo! Battle time … that'll be fun to write. X3
I hope I kept Lowell in character... it was somewhat hard to write him. *cringes* Hopefully, he didn't come across too OOC, but I can imagine him acting this way around Kagome... espeically considering how they were alone. XD I wonder how their next meeting with go... How will Syrenne and Therius respond? XD
Thank you zgirl16 for reviewing. I really appreciate it. :) And thank you to the others for reading and putting the story on your favourites. It means a lot to me, and makes me smile to know that people are reading.
Again, if you notice any spelling and/or grammatical errors, feel free to point them out.
Thank you for reading, and please feel free to comment. :)
All the best,
TFSA