"Is all of that clear?" Roxas asked, sitting on his large bed.
"Yes, Master,"Axel replied.
Roxas seemed to chafe against that word, but he verbally he did not express discomfort.
"It looks to be about time when my father's clients pay him respects," Roxas noted. He must have noticed Axel's intrigued expression, for he added, "after Naminé was born, our mother passed away."
"I'm terribly sorry to hear," Axel mumbled.
"Do not be," Roxas assured, "though I have memories of her, they're quite vague."
Axel shifted his feet on the marble floor.
"Would you like to go see some of his clients?" Roxas wondered, sliding off the bed.
Axel gave an indecisive shrug, though Roxas interpreted it more as an affirmation.
The two sneaked back to the atrium, not wanting to disturb this ritual between Ansem and his clients.
Though they had been hoping not to be spotted, one of the clients strode past them as he entered the atrium.
He turned to Roxas and nodded his head, "Good morning to you, young Master Roxas."
"A-and to you, Lord Xaldin." Roxas nodded in response, though his voice was a tad shaken from Lord Xaldin's sudden appearance.
Lord Xaldin appeared as a tall, bulky man, though Axel found Lexaeus was still bulkier. His long dark hair was knotted into thick dreadlocks, pulled back into a ponytail.
Lord Xaldin entered the atrium, bowing to Ansem and exchanging a greeting before standing in respectful silence.
"Lord Xaldin isn't one of my father's clients, but the father of my fiancée." Roxas whispered.
"Fiancée?" The word seemed foreign to Axel.
"Do you not understand what that is?"
Axel shook his head.
"It means I'm to be married to his daughter in about a year's time." Roxas explained. "You do understand marriage, right?"
Axel nodded slowly, having heard of marriage before but not fully understanding what it meant for Roxas.
"I am scheduled to meet with Lady Xion in a week, so you'll get to meet her as well. I've met with her a few times already, we've known each other for some time." Roxas's words were solemn, though Axel didn't understand why.
Lord Xaldin finished paying his respects and exited the atrium, nodding to Roxas once more as he left.
"Look at you, personal servant to Master Roxas," Larxene announced snidely.
"My tasks are really no different from yours," Axel replied, going out to the pump to fill a pitcher.
"So you claim," Larxene muttered.
"Don't you have something to do?" Axel asked pointedly, the water splashing out onto the tiles. "You'll get thrown out on the first day."
"Maybe I'd enjoy that," Larxene grumbled.
"Aren't you at least glad that we don't have to fight for our lives?"
"It gave me something to anticipate, hearing the crowd roar like that..." She admitted. "I enjoy pleasing people..."
Axel furrowed his brows, baffled by Larxene's sudden softness.
As quickly as she had softened, she hardened her face again and turned on her heel.
Axel dismissed his confusion and carried the pitcher back into the house toward Roxas's chamber.
From seemingly nowhere, Ventus appeared in the hallway and knocked into Axel. Axel's balance wavered, the water sloshing from the pitcher.
The boy said nothing and continued on his way.
"I have your water for you," Axel set the pitcher down on the desk where Roxas sat studying a scroll.
Axel lingered for a moment, furrowing his brows at the strange markings that he did not understand.
"Sorry, thank you for the water," Roxas nodded, dismissing Axel. "But stay in the room in case I need something else."
Axel leaned against a pillar in Roxas's chamber, staring into nothingness.
"I'm getting a bit hungry," Roxas suddenly mentioned, and Axel perked up.
"Uh...shall I fetch something for you to eat?" Axel suggested.
"It's about time for prandium," Roxas noted, "but I'll be fine with just some bread and cheese."
"Yes, I'll go get you some," Axel nodded, running off to the kitchen.
Axel's sandals slapped against the tile floors as he dashed into the kitchen to find half a loaf of bread and a few slices of cheese.
"Weren't you just here?" Larxene sneered.
"Just give me the bread and cheese," Axel sighed.
"No," She decided.
"Do I have to fight you for everything?" He groaned.
"In honesty it would be more entertaining each day to see you challenge me just to perform your daily tasks," she mused.
"I'll get it myself," he decided, pushing past her to the kitchens. He directed his order to another servant, who handed him a wooden platter of cheese, bread, and a small portion of cold meat. He thanked her for the platter and rushed it back to Roxas.
"Thank you," Roxas tore into the bread and chewed it slowly.
Axel's stomach growled, and he realized he hadn't even gotten to eat a morning meal.
"Oh, you're hungry..." Roxas mumbled, tearing off a piece of the bread and throwing it to Axel.
For some reason, Axel stepped back from the bread that skittered across the floor to him as if it were a live animal. He glanced at Roxas with bewildered eyes, and Roxas stared back in confusion.
"Haven't you seen bread before?" He wondered at the astounded slave.
Axel, whose voice had momentarily escaped him, replied, "O-of course, I just didn't expect you to cater to my need. After all, I'm your servant."
"I can't have you dying on me like the last one," Roxas reminded him.
So it wasn't necessarily Roxas caring for him as a person, just caring for him enough that he would be able to perform his tasks without becoming ill, Axel thought. He knelt down and picked up the bread, chewing on it.
"Do you want any of this cheese and meat, too?" Roxas offered the platter toward him. He shook his head. Besides, Axel had ticked off Larxene just to retrieve that platter, so it was only fair Roxas should eat it.
It wasn't long before the platter was empty. Axel's appetite wasn't nearly satisfied, but it didn't matter to him.
"I'll take the platter back to the kitchens," Axel offered, to which Roxas thanked him again.
As Axel made his return to the kitchen, he was met with a shadow in the corner of hall.
He stopped in his tracks, though he hadn't meant to. Something in his gut told him to stop, however.
From the shadows came Ventus, who regarded Axel with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. It reminded Axel the way a snake regards its prey before striking it, but he could tell Ventus was a much stealthier snake.
"My brother is quite the master, is he not? You're lucky to have been assigned to him. Had you been given to any other master, you wouldn't have had the luxury of eating the bread that we consume." Ventus said.
Axel knew he was not allowed to speak out of turn to Ventus. Even if he had permission, he didn't have the gall to force the snake to strike now.
"Do not grow accustomed to it. When my brother becomes master of the household, the bond you will have formed will surely change. Though I don't see why someone as weak as he should be the master, and the younger brother at that." Ventus's tone turned bitter and he seemed to become unfocused, until he noticed Axel still standing there. "There is a place for both of us in this world, and you'd best understand where you fit; if you find yourself in the wrong place, you'd best get out of it before the wrong person finds you there."
Translations
- Graviora manent - There are worse things to come
- Prandium - Lunch