CHAPTER FOUR Househand?!

LYDIS

His brother was a fool and his father no better. A pity. He could have found use for these blundering idiots. Instead, Lydis dismissed himself from the cramped palace at Restold and summoned a carriage to borrow since Calin had been selfish enough to use theirs alone to transport the stolen Daiga back home.

Outside the pooling stable he waited semi-patiently for a ride to be prepared for his departure. His otherwise useless father had agreed to the loan so long as he took a Househand from the palace with him who would return the carriage after use.

He was well aware of the selection of exceptional staff on hand at Restold, but had targeted only one for his ride home. He'd found the man dragging another Househand from the medical quarters in one of the wings of the palace with surprising brutality. For whatever reason, the other male had borne quite the resemblance to the Daiga…a strange but impressively useful trait to be sure. Still…

Lydis looked up to watch his selected Househand helping to prepare the carriage drive and steeds. The animals were lovely and strong with white coats that clearly held the gloss of the staff's love and attention. Tilting his head to one side he watched the way the servant coed and stoked the beasts that seemed otherwise untamed into submission that they might be harnessed to the coach. A tender hand for someone who'd been caught displaying only aggression towards one of his own counterparts…

This one was very unique indeed. If he remembered correctly, the one he'd selected from the staff line was also the green-eyed creature he'd encountered before the dinner. He'd been thanking each and every one of the other lower class citizens so tenderly. Lydis couldn't help but wonder how many more facets there were to this person.

"Sir."

Drawn from his pondering the prince locked his full attention upon the very subject of his thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

The older male wasn't meeting his gaze full-on. "The coach is ready for you now. The trip will be faster if we take the back route rather than the forward marks to your kingdom so I took the liberty of—"

Shorter? He folded his arms and smoothly interrupted. "No. We'll take the forward route. Time means nothing to me."

Bewilderment made those green eyes even more fantastic while he received the man's quick bow of submission. "Yes…sir."

Was he so intent of keeping their contact brief? This one was truly amusing. That would be the third time he'd shied away in such a discreet manner. Lydis was beginning to contract the impression that his favored Househand in this dreary little space of land was uncomfortable in his presence for whatever purpose. Interesting…it's almost as though he were hiding something from me.

His coach was brought around and with it, the chance to flee this unsightly kingdom. With the Daiga sealed in Deporal, there was no further purpose for his stay here. Another male Househand walked up to his side and opened the door gracefully for him, brown eyes cast downwards in some gesture of respect he'd never appreciated. Ignoring the act altogether, Lydis walked around to the coachman's flat. "I'll be riding up front if you don't mind."

The man blinked stupidly him as though his declaration were completely idiotic. "Sir—"

Amber eyes bright and chilled, the young prince glared back at the man mid-lift up into the steering booth. "The interior would be much more comfortable for you…"

Across from him that green-eyed mystery was also hoisting himself up into the booth, too preoccupied with gathering the reigns to even notice his extra company. Lydis smirked and completed his transition into the seat beside the man who promptly startled and gaped at him as though he'd lost some fragment of his mind. "Prince Lydis…"

He ignored him. "I don't care for petty acts of languidness and comfort," he informed the lower class individual still waiting by the passenger's door. "You assume that because I'm royalty I enjoy such gaudy and useless things."

Yes. He hated ever having to participate in such stupid stereotypes. At his side, his escort had begun to call simple commands to the other of his team to simply drop any further argument about the matter. It amused Lydis just how quietly the creature handled any situation…

"Sir, we're moving, please hang on if you really do intend to stay up front with me."

Bothersome. That address he used was bothersome. But more so than that… Reaching over, the prince took a hold of the reigns, mindful to ensure his graceful fingers made steady contact with the back of the servant's hand. "I'm driving." He smirked at the tremors that rushed through the nerves of the other man's wrist.

"You--?"

Sidelong their eyes locked in unsheathed understanding. "Don't you think I know the way back to my own castle better than you do?"

He steered the horses back to the front gate and proceeded to the main route. While the most of his physical attention remained on the road, the young prince as forming a list of questions for his now idle companion. The other man had long since been an item of curiosity that he'd wanted more and more contact with as the evening had progressed. And now that he'd all but stolen him away from Restold and the many, many eyes that kept on him like invisible pinpoints of light, Lydis dropped all formality between them. "It's Alazay, isn't it?"

There was no missing that jolt of shock. "Y—yes, M'lo—"

"Lydis," he corrected quickly. "We know one another's names so let's use them. Mother didn't Christian me 'M'lord' or 'Sir' so I have no idea why people continue to call me that."

Laughter? He glanced sidelong at the Househand who'd suddenly burst out laughing at him. Slightly drawing back on the reigns, he coaxed the coach to a smooth stop and turned his head fully to stare at his passenger who was nearly in tears. He was being laughed at…but the sound wasn't the mocking gales of someone trying to be rude. Instead what he heard was light and melodious. Lydis sat back and studied the other male inquisitively.

Wiping tears from his eyes, face alight with the attractive glow of mirth, Alazay sighed and for the first time looked at the prince as though he were just another person. "You are the most unconventional and down-to-earth piece of royalty I've ever encountered," he chuckled. "You thank the Househands, aren't too proud to speak with or even touch us, refuse all acts of hospitable comfort and luxury, insist on playing part in the chore of driving your own coach home, and dislike formal titles that are meant to distinguish you from the lower class citizens!"

It didn't require thought as he suddenly reached over and caught a small cluster of the man's short, silk soft, midnight colored hair. As expected, the wordless contact put those bright green eyes back on his face in a widened state. He didn't care. Wrapping his new fascination about his practiced fingers, Lydis smiled a little to himself. "When I am king," he said softly, "I want to find more people like you to fill my kingdom with."

It was hesitant, but Alazay brought his own hand to catch the prince's wrist kindly, momentarily halting his caress as their gazes locked. "What exactly are people like me?"

The edge of offense in the older man's voice was alluring to him. Withdrawing, Lydis tapped the reigns and set the horses back in motion without looking at the Househand again. "People who are themselves even in the presence of the royal lines," he explained at length. "I want honest people like you in my lands who don't bow or curtsey to me with polite tones and fake smiles just because I was born to a family that claims they are rulers of a land. I don't want subjects, Alazay. I want companions."

There was a pause.

"You seem very confident in your probability of taking the throne."

Lydis was aware of the implication and smiled quietly at how bold the other male was being by accusing him with that sharp tone of voice. "Yes, the Daiga is being held at Deporal Castle."

"Your brother took her."

Intelligent deduction. "Yes."

He heard his temporary guest shift uncomfortably. "What if…I told you that the only reason I agreed to come with you as an escort wasn't because you'd selected me specifically," he muttered looking out at the moonlit scenery about them, "but because I intend to steal back the Daiga?"

He considered. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"Would you stop me?"

He didn't say anything, focusing on his minor task of taking the proper route home. The night air was a soft touch on his face and smelled of a wild beauty he'd always favored. The night blossoms in this particular area had been his favorites since childhood and—

"Would you stop me?"

He glanced at the other male only to see the sheer determination in that verdant gaze. Such resolve. The affect that look had on him was infinite and for a moment he was transfixed by the drive of his counterpart. Was the princess so important to him? In that case…

Lydis pried his eyes from the man.

The moon hung in a waning gibbous just barely visible through the towering trees that now fenced either side of the road. He could smell night blooming Jasmine.

"Yes."

CHAPTER FOUR

ESRELLIA

"Stay here."

I gaped at him. "You can't be serious!"

The monster's livid gaze reminded me of my position at the moment and for the first time in my solitary life I was forced to drop my eyes from the glare of a lowly servant. "You chose this! You brought it upon yourself. Now, I've been asked to escort the prince back to Deporal. If I can take back Reith and end your stupid charade, then I'd rather you stay put here in Restold where you'll be out of my damned way!"

Hmph. Such a rude, bossy thing! Where did a common Househand get off commanding me like that?! I looked down at my feet, bruised and blustered from the time they'd spent in Reith's unsightly footwear. The too-large items had had to be stuffed with the hair clippings we'd sheered from my glamorous lengths just to fit me! And now…I sighed again and absent reached up to despairingly touch the jagged boy's cut I'd been left with. How Reith managed to look so perfect under these conditions was some well masked miracle of the gods!

"Reith, how are you feeling?"

I looked up, only just remembering the company I held. The young thing that had addressed me this time was one of the gardening brutes I'd seen out front near the main gate tending to the shrubbery. He was attractive and for a moment I relished that idea. Still, even with his wavy mop of blonde hair and the sturdy frame of a tournament knight, he was no Reith.

I glanced away. "Tired." Something must have been funny about my response because I was laughed at. Head snapping back up to the man I glared at him unamused. "What's so funny?"

The gardener smirked at me and shrugged. "We still have to clean up after the dinner, remember? If you're feeling okay, it's about time we got to work. Then, after that, the stables need to be swept—one of the princes from Deporal borrowed a coach and Alazay took out our wild ones. You should see all the hay and clay they kicked up before Al stepped in to calm them…don't know why he bothers with those beasts…"

Work?! I was expected to do all that?! "It's nearly dawn!"

Obviously I'd made another joke. "Yeah pretty early to turn in still, huh? It's fine. We're lucky to be able to get three hours of sleep tonight, right?"

I could feel the strain his comments were putting on my face. My jaw was going numb I was clenching it so tight. T—three hours…? And that's 'luck Leaning forward on the cramped bed I'd been tossed onto by that thing before he'd left, I felt like crying. I'd never stayed in Reith's place long enough to actually inherit his chores! This was a disaster! And that beast of a man—Alazay? Urgh! He was the only one who knew who I was and could have helped me ease into all of this…though I doubted he'd be so willing to help me…

"Hey…What's wrong with your feet?"

I blinked. Wha--?

Before I knew what had happened, my momentary companion was kneeling down before me, his calloused and oversized hands touching my aching feet without a single excuse or my permission! But… "That feels really nice."

The man's cool gray eyes strayed over the sores on my heel. "Yeah," he muttered distractedly, "I'll bet. Reith, what in the world have you been doing to your feet, boy? These soft, soggy things won't hold up in our line of work!"

I stared at the top of his head. "They're the feet I've always had…"

I flinched when his thumb collided accidentally with one of the larger blisters. "Sorry," he sighed. "For tonight you'll be worthless to the working team. You know, you should quit hanging around the princess, kid. Her high class treatments are obviously rubbing off on you. That's a whole other world she's in, Reith. You just can't live with her in her little world where everything is handed to her and still think you can survive here in ours."

We belong in two different worlds? But I'd never thought that at all! Reith and I had been together since childhood. What was all this talk about him no belonging with me? That's not true. He was standing and I cranked my head back to watch. This man…was probably filling Reith's head with silly little ideas like that! He was probably no better than that fiend Alazay who only wanted to keep Reith away from me! "You—"

His hand fell lightly on my head and for some reason I found I didn't want to reopen my mouth to smite him. I could feel his strong fingers shivering through my hair with the sort of warmth and kindness my father had once shown me as a child. "We'll get Miranda to treat the worst of your wounds and see if we can't change out your shoes—you've had them for a while now, right? I'm sure they're so rugged and worn that's probably the root of our problem." He moved back the way he came. "I'll call Miranda and have her take a look. You'll be good enough to at least work the kitchens in the morning at the usual time. With Alazay out, they're probably short on staff anyways."

I nodded without knowing why. It was as though the tender embrace of his sturdy gray attention was hypnosis reassuring me everything would go exactly as he said. "O—okay."

"Good. And Reith?"

"Mmm?"

There was a sort of dreariness to his smile for a moment. "Really think about what I said. She's a princess. You're just a Househand."

And then he was gone.

I sat, stunned to stupidity. But something in my soul was cracking.

"Just…a…"

Househand.

CHAPTER FOUR

ALAZAY

How…how had he gotten himself into this sort of out of bounds situation?!

Sighing, Alazay lay back on the ridiculously large bed he'd been offered for the night. "'Tonight you stay as a guest' he says." He flopped an exhausted arm over his eyes.

Honey bright eyes shimmered mockingly at him from a face that was too calm. "…But tomorrow if you chose to remain here, it will be as a Househand traveling abroad within the limits of our kingdom."

Damn. Damn! The prince had even sent back the coach he'd borrowed with another servant from this kingdom with a note to the king claiming it was a "fair exchange" in return for his prolonged stay. This…this couldn't have been a good thing at all! He'd sworn not to leave Deporal without Reith—wherever the little troublemaker was in this independent continent of a kingdom! But at the same time, Esrellia was back in Restold…as a humbled service to her own family. He considered for a moment. Perhaps…it will do her some good? As if a few measly hours as a hard-working under class citizen would really be enough to shift the ways of a solid spoiled princess like her!

A curl of guilt and panic flushed through him. This wasn't at all how he'd planned this to go. He needed to find Reith! There was no way the princes would take kindly to their little trick if they had the chance to find out. The sooner he could find his friend the better. The only thing standing in his way was the memory of those chilled gold eyes staring at him with the young prince's oath to stop him should he ever attempt to take Reith back.

Those eyes…

Was he afraid of them? The mediocre glare of some brat trailing behind his age by five years? What was there to fear?! Still.

He turned and pushed his hands into the chilled cove beneath one of his pillows. The night had been so long and the sky had already been lightening with the coming dawn of the new day when they'd finally arrived. The short hours were apart of his natural schedule after so many years of working like a slave for the royal family. But for the very first time Alazay felt comfortable in a bed knowing that there would be no heavy labor awaiting him in the morning. Just as long… He yawned and felt his eyelids droop as his mind pushed all of the heinous events of the day from his thoughts temporarily.

As long as he found Reith and returned to Restold before tomorrow night, there was no reason to continue to punish himself for his mistake of ever letting that stupid Daiga so much as breathe the same air as his best friend.

As long as he made it out of this kingdom….

Before…

Tomorrow…ni…ght…

CHAPTER FOUR

REITH

Mmm. A soft touch of air whispered over my cheek. The feeling was nice. It was the exact opposite of how I remember Al waking me. I sort of cringed under the sheets at the thought. He was always so brutal. No, this time I awoke gently and on my own—my body having been trained to wake around five in the morning if I wasn't coaxed out of bed sooner by someone else. The cling of silk material to my bare chest felt really good and I took a long moment to sort of savor the experience. My first silk sheets! I was in heaven! And on top of that, I knew that most Royalty wasn't roused until eight! Yes! I was free…well…sort of.

Yawning I stretched a little in the bed as I eased myself into a lazy sit, rummaging through my slightly oily hair. My eyes, half open slid over to the window through which the zealous calls of the birds danced. It was a beautiful mor—

"My goodness, Lady. You rouse just like a boy would!"

An electric jolt sparked up my spine and my head creaked in jerky movements towards the door as my hands clawed up the sheets in a defensive shield about my bare--and noticeably flat chest. Standing happily in the doorway, Bell was smiling with her usual radiance. It wasn't until her bubbly chuckles met my ears that I'd even become aware of her initial comment.

H-had she seen me just then?! I felt unbridled panic begin to quiver my nerves as I fumbled with a response. In the end all I could come up with was a stuttering, "S-sorry I didn't hear you c-come i-i-in?"

Her syrup brown spotlights shimmered for me as she stepped into the room with a rather large bowl of something steaming within its obviously deep belly. "I knocked of course."

Of course. I was tempted to get up out of bed to help her with her large burden but with the way I was at the moment that wasn't a wise decision. "I wasn't aware this kingdom rose so early," I muttered, searching for something to cover myself with before she realized I was a man and not the dainty princess she's doused in her hopes.

"Normally I wouldn't have come for you in these breaking hours," Bell was agreeing as she set down her massive bowl near the bedside. "But Prince Lydis returned last night and M'lord Calin invited you to attend a private breakfast with them." She glanced up at me, pulling a steaming cloth from the basin and straightening fluidly as she turned for me. "Your hair is better in that short length. I don't know why lovely ladies such as yourself turn to extensions when your natural length is perfect—let's get your face cleaned up and then I'll take you across the hall where we've drawn a rosewater bath for you."

Rosewater! I couldn't hide the broad smirk on my face. I've always wanted to take a rosewater bath! Esrellia had told me how good they felt and were for the skin. It was a rare luxury that not even Royal lines could afford daily. That and I knew I must have reeked from all the work I'd done before switching with the princess….

My excitement must have been contagious since Bellgimine was suddenly radiant with mirth. "I'm happy to see you so pleased with our treatment!"

I nodded and leaned forward to take the cloth in her hands.

She hesitated. "I'll do it."

I blinked at her. "What for?"

"Well, it's my duty to M'lady…"

Duty? "Don't be silly," I muttered gently detaching her from the thing, "I have hands for a reason, there's no need for you to do every little thing for me, that's just absurd!"

Had I said something weird? What was that expression just then? She looked…surprised? She shied away from me before I could fully decipher the look on her flushed face. "Prince Lydis will be happy to know he's not the only of his kind, then."

What did my wanting to wash my own face have to do with the prince? I took her turned back as an opportunity to lunge for my discarded and dirt smeared dress. Oh, Esrellia was going to kill me! I'd completely ruined the soft material. It looked expensive too. Well, if I hadn't been manhandled by that damned prince, this wouldn't have happened!

"Princess?"

I whipped around, clutching the soiled gown to me discreetly. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, "I wasn't paying attention."

Her smile tugged at the strings of my heart in the worst way. Certain women had mysterious powers like that. Tucking a strand of her crimson hair back behind her ear, Bell approached me from the window where she'd strayed for a moment. "That poor thing!"

I looked down at the dress and shared her sympathy. "It got ruined last night…"

"I can have it washed for you while you take your bath." She was moving to take my only shield from me.

I couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough. Bad! Bad! This wasn't a good situation. Backing away from her I shook my head fiercely. "N-no! It's fine. I'll just take it with me to the bathing chambers." No, that wouldn't make sense. I tried again. "It's just that I—sleep without material things to cover me and am presently indecent to be wandering about the castle." Wait… I blushed a heinous red. That wasn't much better, was it? I looked away embarrassed.

Silence…

"Oh."

Oh?

"If that's your only objection, then there's no problem at all."

There wasn't?

"Wait here and I'll fetch a comfortable robe from the bathing room for you to wear to and fro. Then we'll get Morgan to fit you for clothing."

I hadn't heard a sing syllable past "fit you". My stomach dropped to the floor. This…wasn't going to end well, was it? Female fitting meant little to nothing on to get the sizes right—I should know, I was always asked to help fit Esrellia for the gowns she wore when we were little. It had always seemed like none of the seamstresses could get her to settle down long enough to get a good fit without my constant help. I was also attentive enough to know that the fitters poked and prodded at every little spot of skin and could easily discern male from female at first glance with or without clothing…

"—dy? M'lady?"

I brought myself from my troubling thoughts. "Y-yes?"

A frown had stained Bell's soft expression and the sight tugged rudely at the strings of my heart. "You look pale. Did I say something wrong?"

Despite my abrupt sense of nausea, I chuckled a little cheaply and shook my head. "N-n-no! Of course not!" God I have to get myself out of here! If only Alazay where here, he'd be able to save both our asses with nothing more than a cunning smile and a bat of his eyelashes!

I almost whimpered. Alazay!!

CHAPTER FOUR

LYDIS

…What a heavy sleeper. Perhaps the night had been rough on him. At his guest's bedside, Prince Lydis reached out with a single finger to lift one of the strands of hair from the Househand's cheek on sheer impulse. The other male stirred.

"Mm. Reith…"

Reith? He frowned and withdrew his touch formally, looking over his shoulder at the hovering servant who'd been in the room drawing back the curtains for light before he'd entered. "Tell my brother that I'll be skipping his invitation to breakfast this morning in order to tend to personal concerns," he requested briefly.

The lower class citizen nodded and made himself scarce from the room. Satisfied he returned his lingering gaze upon the creature he'd seen fit to borrow from Restold. Such a face… taking a seat on the bed, completely comfortable with the close contact as his hip rested against the man's sheet shroud stomach while he slept on his side, Lydis reached for one of the hands near the older individual's face. His fingers held little to no calluses. Strange for a Househand… He turned the momentarily inanimate appendage over in his own palm and traced a scatter of small scars on the digits. Little nicks in the soft skin in ideal places. He smiled to himself. So, you're a chef.

Alazay stirred again, this time curling towards the heat of another body as though chilled even under the expensive sheets of a master guest room's king-sized bed. Blinking as he watched his object of study take hold of his hand, the prince arched a brow. A heavy, clingy sleeper then. The observation brought a kind-natured chuckle to his lips. He didn't mind for some reason; being grabbed onto by someone else.

Considering his position, the younger of the two men leaned suddenly forward, free hand sprawling out over the other side of his guest's bed behind his back for support. A cheek brushing against the satin curtain of ebon fanned out over the pillow and the side of the sleeping beauty's throat, he whispered a simple question into the ear of the dreaming. "Who is "Reith"?"

As he'd expected, there was no response but he was fine with that as well and drew back, sighing as his gaze flickered over his captured hand. Why? Why did it bother him that a name had come to this person's lips even in sleep?

Another sigh.

Because I'm jealous. Yes, but of what?

"Mm…"

He slowly looked back at the Househand only for his attention to be consumed by a dreary set of gradually clearing emerald eyes. There was a certain beauty to the way Alazay revived from sleep. Perhaps it was just in the halo of light that shimmered over his raven hair and sun-touched skin as he sub-consciously sat himself up. Or could it have been the lazy yawn and weirdly attractive way he sighed and rushed his fingers back through his dark mane, detaching his digits from the twine of another's without even noticing what it was he'd been holding to begin with? Whatever it was, Lydis was forced to smile warmly in greeting despite the float of jealousy that had crept into his mood.

"You slept in."

His quiet announcement gave him the older man's full attention. "It felt good."

He cocked his head to one side and studied the still recovering male. "Do you know who I am or where you are yet?"

Another moment passed.

"Lydis."

Something very keen to pleasure murmured through him with the way his name passed from the servant's lips. Ignoring the sensation he stood fluidly. "Let's get you cleaned and clothed," he began warmly, "I can't have you walking about in the neighboring kingdom's Househand attire and colors. It would be an insult to those who work for us to see you treated as a royal guest."

The look on that face was nearly priceless and for a split second, the young prince had to pause to admire the simple beauty of his temporary guest. Such an amusing creature… Alazay turned his head aside to yawn. "That does seem like a fair excuse," he muttered when at last list lips had lowered to an acceptable breach. "But please understand that your hospitality won't deter me from my original goal."

"I didn't expect it to."

Green against a subtle shade of amber; their eyes touched attentions.

It was the brighter of their contrast that turned away first. "If you really only have the intention of stealing away the Daiga, then have the decency to tell me why you would go to such extremes for something so insignificant to your position." He frowned. Just now…that expression on his face, what had that flicker of emotion been?

"A friend of mine would be truly unhappy without the Daiga…"

For a friend? What friend would be so highly valued to a Househand that they might go to these extremes for someone who stands in apathy towards them? He got up and moved to leave. "A lucky friend indeed," Lydis muttered.

A small burst of grim laughter sounded from behind him but was not enough to draw the prince's full attention a second time. "You have…no idea."

He shrugged. "The bathing quarters are only a short distance from here. You'll be able to access them in my name. I'll have Regis prepare something suitable for you to wear."

"Regis?"

The younger between them gave pause in the doorway for a moment. "Yes, one of the staff on hand."

There was a sense of entertainment in the response that followed. "You take the time to learn the names of those who serve you?"

Lydis shifted out into the hall and turned the corner to leave, his voice trailing behind in his wake with a sort of quiet offense that startled his guest. "Why wouldn't I, Alazay?"

Left in the grand room alone, the man blinked stupidly, staring at the spot where the prince had stood so patiently only a split moment before. After a moment he averted his stunned gaze and reached up to touch the stain on his cheek that retained the memory of a phantom caress he'd felt while sleeping serenely.

"…Because you're a prince."

CHAPTER FOUR

ESRELLIA

I jerked my hand back and stared at the mess I'd made like a fool. Flour was spilled all over the small space of countertop I'd been given as a work space. The recipe cards that had been fanned out in front of me for guidance held the greater half of the milk, eggs and strawberry slices I'd been attempting to cut and prepare as ordered. This was pure abuse! And now…

"Reith!" a recently familiar voice called to me from behind and I flinched despite the kindness in its tones. "Did you cut yourself again?!"

Plastering a smile on my face was just about the only thing I could do right as I turned to sheepishly face a rather unique looking brunette. With curled strands of her mahogany hair escaping a decidedly masculine net cap and her large, bright hazel eyes and dollishly cute but tomboyish expressions, I'd come to know this person simply as "Jay". With arms packed and toned like a man's and the powerful undertone of a no-nonsense commander, I'd been smart not to make any comments against the title she chose for herself. As it seemed did the rest of the impossibly large kitchen staff I'd never been aware of…

"Lemme' see it!"

Without hesitation I offered her the bleeding digit I'd once again nicked trying to slice the stupidly small fruit that had been pushed to me. "S-sorry," I mumbled while she poured over the wound. "I'll be more careful."

Up close she was actually quite lovely…I couldn't understand her sense of style! In a dress and with some nice bath soaks in rose oils and fine powders and salts, Jay had the potential of a debutante. Of course I was too afraid of the masculine chef captain to even suggest such a thing!

Over her shoulder she flagged down another recently familiar face with curt gestures. "Roy! Get me another strip of gauze! On the shelf…that's it."

I bowed my head a little and tried to avoid seeing the other four strips of filmy white material twined about my slender fingers that until now had never been tarnished in my life!

My shame was noted with a mild chuckle that seemed to make everything feel better somehow. "You're just having an off day," I was consoled as my new acquaintance turned around to accept what she'd requested with a warm thanks while displaying the talent to simultaneously shout commands to the flutter of Househands still working to prepare the meals I'd never really given any thought to before consuming.

I looked down to watch her gently scarred hands tenderly tend to mine. This is a world that I never gave thought to… And Reith…was apart of it so quietly, surviving these tasks with such resilience! A firm hand flopped on my head and rustled my hair with boyish playfulness. I startled a little, grunting under the pressure. It concerned me to think that my soft hair was receiving such harsh treatment but at the same time I was forced to remember my place diligently. "I—uh…"

"C'mere. I'll show you how to handle this the right way since you haven't been in the kitchen in a few weeks and probably forgot." I was pushed back to the tiny work space I'd received and joined patiently.

Sidelong I watched her. With a certain grace to it all, Jay reached out, flipped a plump berry into her hand, slipped it down onto the chopping board that took up most of the space on the table, and slit into five thin pieces elegantly and fluidly. I blinked. How in the world was I supposed to obtain that sort of talent?!

My hand was taken up without permission and the infamous blade that had scorned me five times before was slipped into my hold. Slowly my wrist was rocked back and forth with my new burden. "From your gut to the wall across from you."

"G-gut to wall," I repeated, trying to focus and retain as much of the instruction as I could.

Warmly my freehand was guided into place on the bumpy skin of the red berry. "Keep your fingers here and move them back to control how thick you make the slices. The king likes them thin and don't forget that we grind the thick ones for the strawberry wine." I was released. "You got it now?"

Still staring at my new goal I nodded distractedly. "Y-yeah…"

That hand ruffled my hair again and then left smoothly. "Good! I'm counting on those marvelous skills of yours to fill in for Alazay today!"

I didn't hear her. Steeling my expression I reenacted the brief training I'd just undergone with meticulous detail. Alright, you ugly, bumpy fruit-like creation! This time I'm going to shred you the right way! I can't let you make a fool of me!! The first stroke was perfect. Make Reith proud, I reminded myself. The second stroke was flawless… The third too…the fourth…Proud….proud…proud…eighteenth… The forty-seventh was a little thick… I ate it to solve the problem and grabbed another berry.

END CHAPTER FOUR

J. DANIELS