A/N: Chapter 17 of Mystical Eye of a Savage Hound. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own OCs. Revenge of the Sword Clan's Hound belongs to the rightful owner.
Chapter 17: Hounds from the Main Branch
The next morning...
Camus wasn't there when I woke up, the sheets next to me were cool which meant she had gone for quite some time. How she managed to get out of my grasp without me noticing I'll never know – perhaps I was so tired because of last night's activity that I didn't even stir, and I would like to consider myself a light sleeper. Either way I knew I wouldn't be able to say goodbye to her since today is the last day for her to take full advantage of. I don't want to entertain the idea about disrupting her as I got out of bed, stretching my arms high above my head and heard the satisfying pops.
I took a nice shower and freshened up, making myself presentable before throwing my nightly wear and any other belongings into the suitcase. I went back and made the bed just the way the princess likes, smoothing out the wrinkles and fluffing up the pillows for extra measure. Making my way over to her desk I pulled out a small piece of paper and one of the many pens. Unscrewing the top I quickly scribbled some words to make sure she knows I didn't just up and leave, my eyes roaming over the surface as the pen continued to move. Once I was satisfied with what I had written I put the top back on the pen, placed it back in the desk, and set the note carefully on the pillow. I know she wouldn't ignore it when she comes back to her room later in the day.
Doing a last minute once over and making sure I didn't leave anything behind, I quickly strapped the sword across my back. I picked the suitcase up and exited the room, the door closing shut behind me as I walked towards Rose' room. When I approached the room I barely had a chance to lift my hand to knock before she opened the door and ushered me in. She must've sensed me coming in order to time that whole sequence correctly.
"For a second I thought you were going to chicken out and head to the front gates." She told me as I put my belongings down by the door. Because today was so noisy, those in the lower levels were told to either review previous lessons or read ahead or focus on self-study. Rose however was more energized and eager to help me with producing and wrapping up Camus' gift. "Glad you kept your word."
"Of course I'd keep my word, who do you take me for?"
"Someone who just say what others want to hear and then leaves others in the dirt without a proper explanation." Those words came out so bluntly that I blinked once. Who hurt this child and why? She laughed at my expression before gesturing for the table. "Enough of that, let's get started on that present for Camus. It might take awhile so the earlier the better."
"Isn't summoning your forte?" I questioned as I took a seat at the table. "You'll be able to crank out one of these babies in a snap."
"Well yes, I can make this process super simple and easy. But we have to do this correctly and perfectly so that Camus can be impressed. She has to be able to feel that this gift came from the bottom of our hearts and that it is genuine." Rose stood across from me, watched as I brought out the mold from the other day. She dipped her head, a strong light reflected in her eyes. "Absolute perfection, nothing less for her."
"Okay. Tell me what it is that I need to do."
"Let me quickly and carefully draw out the summoning circle..." Muttering some words under her breath, the young Morgue girl drew out all sorts of symbols and characters on the table before my very eyes. I watched as she put in the final touches before carefully putting the mold in the middle of the circle. She gestured for me to stick out my hands, grasping them and held them over the mold.
"Will we be pouring our mana energy into this?" I asked her.
"That's one way of doing this or we could put a little blood in and then introduce our energies. The second way may make this whole thing a lot more personal..." I mulled over the thought before shaking my head and opting to just sticking with the first option. It's not that the second one didn't sound pleasing, but personally it just sounded a bit extra. "Pouring our mana into everything it is then, I agree with that option as well. It's okay though, us just going through with this present is personal enough."
"Is there a limit to how much we need to pour in?"
"Just follow my lead, I'll let you know when to stop." Rose smiled and began to increase her output. I raised my own magic output to match hers and when she slowly raised her output then so did I. We continued to raise our output levels until she stopped, maintaining the level for a couple of minutes. The circle had been exuding a bright light that covered the bird mold, hiding it from our view; it was like the workings of a black box: Rose and I pour our mana energy in as valid inputs, the magic circle that Rose drew takes those input and does things that cannot be explained. The end result would be whatever was placed in the center of the circle.
"Are we...are we nearly there?" I asked Rose who looked like she was straining a bit.
"Y-Yeah, almost...! Just a bit more..." Her brows furrowed and she quickly wiped away the sweat with an arm. Then she said, "Okay that's enough! Stop putting in any more energy!"
We cut off pouring in mana simultaneously and watched with rapt attention as the ball of light began to expand. Then it flashed once, we raised our arms to shield our eyes, and when it died down we were greeted with the sight of a small egg. A bird's egg to be exact. It was so tiny, barely the size of a fist, but as I reached out with a hand I could some kind of feel warmth.
"I'll package this up and then give it to Camus. Knowing her, once the egg hatches she'll protect the animal with her very life." Rose says as she pulled out a small wicker basket with a bed of hay and sticks already placed inside. There was a small hole in the middle where the egg would reside. She tied a small ribbon around the egg to make it cute before placing it in the makeshift nest.
"I don't doubt it." I murmured in agreement as I looked at the lovely present on the table. Glancing over at the clock I realized that the Baskerville carriage will arrive any moment or is probably already pulling up to the front. Rose saw what I was looking at and quickly walked me to the door – I asked her if she wanted to walk me all the way to the gate, but she said she didn't want to fall behind in her studies. She wanted to catch up with Camus so that she could one day stand side-by-side with her cousin.
"Next time we meet face-to-face I demand a match against you. Just you and me, one-on-one." Rose proclaimed with her chest puffed up, her eyes shining with determination. "I want to see if I have what it takes just like Camus did during your match, perhaps see if I can last longer than she did."
"Okay, little bird, you'll have to show me how much you've grown the next time we meet. And I owe you a match, it's a promise between us." I held out my pinkie and we settled our promise. I left Rose's room with my belongings in hand, this time making my way to the front gates with no more detours. The importance of making every minute count today is only reinforced by the lack of magicians the moment I stepped outside into the sunshine. I did detect a lot of magic coming from the training grounds and from the library, two of the hottest areas for students to utilize. Yes, the members who are participating in the Rite of Passage are really giving their all today to make sure everything was in order.
"Young Baskerville guest." Raspane was there to greet me along with Joanna the librarian who dipped her head when I looked at her. "Don't mind Joanna, she just wanted to see you off and left the library in her assistant's capable hands."
"How could I not come out and see the young one out? Why I've never felt so much as a soul in there until this one waltzed in, and now it feels like I'm constantly surrounded." The older woman scoffed as she and the clan head took up position on either side of me and we began walking. "Not to mention bringing your daughter late into the night and study up until the morning hours, that's something no one else will ever recreate!"
"I specifically told Camyu not to make a bad habit out of sleeping in the library when she was younger. Back in the day she'd play hide-n-seek constantly and I wouldn't see her until the next day. I swear Adolf nearly tore every room apart just to try and find her, I'm sure you remember the whole effort to restrain him and replace things that he broke." replied Raspane tersely.
"Ah yes, that was a bad day for everyone involved...and those who weren't involved because suffering is a gift well spread among family. And it took a lot of money because your brother broke a lot just to make sure the little girl was safe. Speaking of which, he has an...interesting level of interest in his niece." I knew exactly what Joanna wanted to say, but she refrained from saying her true thoughts in front of Raspane.
"While he does have his quirks I am always thankful he is giving Camus attention when she needs it. I was worried she wouldn't have enough attention from a...male role model." Raspane replied, making no indication that she understood what the librarian was hinting at or if she did understand she pretended to feign innocence.
Not sure if Adolf is what I'd call the perfect role model – honestly neither is Hugo but that's neither here nor there – but out of all the males I've seen that could fit a father role...I just don't have any other option. I can see where Raspane is coming from...
"Unlike that man who decides to hole himself up in the City?" Joanna jabbed lightly to which the clan head just sighed and didn't make any other comment. Once we got past the gate we noticed that the Baskerville carriage was already there waiting for me. There were four Guardian Knights on horseback guarding the carriage this time instead of six, tasked with ensuring that the journey back home is smooth and safe. The family butler, John Barrymore, stood before the open door and his eyes sparkled when we approached.
"Young master." He addressed me first, hurrying to take my belongings from my hands. Then he bowed low to Raspane out of respect, "Clan head of Morgue, thank you for looking after her."
"The pleasure has been all mine. She has been a wonderful guest." Raspane replied curtly to his words. Then she reached into her coat and pulled out an envelope, holding it out to John to take. "Please give this to Sir Baskerville."
"Your letter will make it to its destination, I'll make sure of it." The family butler took hold of the item and stashed it securely within his clothing. "Now if you'll excuse us, we do have a long way to go."
"Raspane, Joanna, we'll be going now." I addressed the two women as John made his way back to the carriage. "Thank you for everything and I wish the Rite of Passage goes well for all who will be participating."
"Thank you, Viktoria. I feel like I have learned a lot from you since your time here." Raspane held out her hand and I shook it with a firm grasp. "I look forward to seeing what kind of future the universe has in store for you."
If only she knew exactly what kind of future I had to live with...what kind of future I swore to change in order to get to where I am now. "Likewise, clan head." I kept my expression neutral, but nodded my head in agreement before releasing her hand.
"If you ever feel like coming back for a visit or if you somehow need to pass through Morgue territory to get home, don't be a stranger. Stop and chat for awhile." Joanna added as she also held out her hand for a shake, her mouth wide in a smile. "I'm sure everyone here will be happy to see you...well, those who got the opportunity to know you better."
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you Joanna." I assured her. Saying my last goodbyes I turned on my heels and approached the carriage. I hopped in and was soon followed by John who signaled the driver to start. I watched until Raspane and Joanna were nothing more than mere specks before we left the Morgue Clan behind, then I turned around and put my gaze forward.
"I presume your stay at the Morgue Clan was to your liking?" John Barrymore asked.
"They were very hospitable and nice, especially the young daughter. She was very eager to be my guide throughout the whole process, I even had to accompany her while she took classes." I told him, recounting my experience while in the care of Morgue Clan. "Their library was perhaps bigger than that of Baskerville, however given my status as their guest I learned as much as I was allowed to which was still a lot to go through."
"I assume most of their books were mostly geared towards magic, something that has little to zero usage to a hound." His mouth formed a little frown as he added, "I'm afraid you wasted your time in that facility."
"Now that's not entirely a true statement, butler. I have a better understanding on how the mages fight and how their spells are put together. It'll make countering their attacks that much simpler." I leaned against the window with a sigh, gazing out to the scenery. "It's been a very educational experience that I will never forget."
"I'm glad you found some value out of that program, young master. If the clan head heard those positive words then perhaps he'll be willing to return the favor and allow that young genius of Morgue a chance to experience what our clan has to offer."
Back in Baskerville territory...
"Hmmmm, the matriarch of Morgue had some nice things to say...particularly about you. I have yet to see a single blasphemous word in here." Hugo spoke as he looked over the letter. John and I went to his office the moment we arrived, knowing that the clan head was eagerly awaiting some good news. "Well done, daughter."
I merely lowered my head slightly to acknowledge his words, however I still acted weary of his praises because the Hugo I knew was a man that very rarely dished out compliments much less praises.
"Now that you're here I have some good news for you." That got me interested and I waited for him to continue. He stood from his desk and began to walk to the door, motioning for me to follow with the incline of a head. So of course I fell into step beside him while John took up the rear. "I currently have some business to attend to with the main house and figured it would be beneficial for you to tag along. You have yet to step foot in that area of Baskerville, so take this as a very good opportunity."
"Is it the Elders that worries you? Aren't they incredibly anal about having an illegitimate bastard child walking their halls much less step foot on what they describe as 'sacred land'?" I questioned and took note of how the level of his aura spiked. His fingers clenched into fists by his side.
"I would like to see them try and spew whatever toxic nonsense they have bottled up about you in my presence." Then he huffed and said, "Also they need to get rid of that 'sacred land' bullcrap, it's getting annoying."
The rest of the walk to where the hounds born with pure noble blood running through their bloods reside was in silence, not because we had nothing else to talk about but because it was necessarily for Hugo to relieve his anger. It wouldn't do any of us good for the clan head to be riled up because that meant even more unnecessary punishment.
"Clan head." We were greeted at the door by two maids, both of whom gave the male their utmost attention. I wasn't even given a glance or acknowledged. At this point I was so used to be ignored that this behavior didn't bother me in the slightest; instead I took the time to observe my surroundings and compare how different it was in comparison to the doghouse I was normally kept in. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"Are the Elders inside?"
"Most of them should be, some are either in their rooms napping or out walking." One of the maids answers the question.
"Do you have business with them at this hour?" The other asked.
"Take us to them." The maids dipped their head at the sharp order and began to lead us through the long corridors. My eyes were forward facing, not necessarily to see where we were going, but on Hugo's broad back in particular. I took note at how he didn't say, 'Take me to them' but used the word 'us'. Deep down I wonder if he was actually thinking about seeing how much the Elders will squirm in their skins when they realize I was here.
"We're here." We stood before a pair of golden doors and a strange feeling washed over me. It wasn't particularly a strange feeling it was more of an unpleasant one, as though I really don't want to see what is behind those walls. The maids bowed their heads to Hugo before opening the door. "Do call us if you are in need of anything."
Hugo brushed past them without hesitation and I followed him without commenting on the smell, John decided to stay outside and wait for us. There was only one room at the end of the hall, a curtain of beads hung from the ceiling and acted like some flimsy barrier. As we moved closer, strange noises were coming out of it, a mixture of human and music. Without hesitation we entered the room and were greeted with what I could only describe as an animal party, a very ratchet animal party that lacked any decorum of decency. Those who were present threw all their pride as humans out the window.
Bodies were moving and gyrating everywhere and on everything possible, clothed but mostly between half clothed and bare naked. The humid stench in the air assaulted our nose first before the blaring music hit our ears; there was also another stench in the air that I pinpointed, something fruity and sweet. Then it hits me when I started to feel a little funny myself: there was aphrodisiacs in the air and possibly aphrodisiacs mixed in with the drinks, I noted a couple of glasses of strange liquid littered around. I glanced over to see that Hugo was unperturbed, trying to take in exactly what he was seeing and feeling. But then his eyes immediately honed in on the couch in the middle of the room, not necessarily on the furniture itself but who was currently occupying it.
I've never seen the Elders in person but even I can spot old bodies of bones and know roughly who they are. There were two old men sitting on opposite ends of the couch, naked and surrounded by a couple of kids who definitely shouldn't be anywhere near them. Three other old men were situated around the room indulging in other miscreant deeds. Now other than the couple bag of bones in attendance with stupid, ugly grins on their faces there were also teenagers engaging in...very questionable things in their presence too. Other children from the main branch were lounging about with large drinks in hand and definitely drunk off their asses, Hugo's eyebrows rose an inch when he noticed that some of these teenagers were even younger than they appear.
Why am I not surprised to see these assholes acting this way? I frowned inwardly, already planning on how to wipe this memory from my mind so I don't have to remember seeing a lot of naked bodies. In my past life I never got any experience dealing with the noble children of the main branch and I was sure Vikir made sure he didn't have to deal with them either. Thank god we didn't...but to think I would be related to these ingrates, makes me want to vomit...
"A-Ah shit...!" One of the drunks, a young male no older than fifteen, pointed to us with a shaky hand. His words caught the attention of his friends, but they were just as out of it as he was. He continued babbling, splashing the contents of his drink all over the floor. This will be very embarrassing for everyone involved. "Who...hick...who invited that old fart...and and and...and...a lowly bitch? Eh?"
"Yeah...this is a private party, ya know?" Another child drawled, sauntering up to Hugo in attempt to be strong and macho. He held his drink in hand that was mere inches from spilling over the top, actually when he did swing his hand the liquid did spill over the top and onto the floor with a 'splat'. "Only the...the Elders are allowed to party...party with us cool kids...because, uh..because...uh, shit..."
"They allowed for this tomfoolery to happen without writing it down in the books?" asked the clan head in a very calm voice and the child nodded his head vigorously. What a dumb drunk dumbass. "Probably bribed and promised you and your friends that they would write recommendation letters to one of the Seven Knight Orders of your choosing. Promised that whichever one takes you that your spot was permanent. Is that correct?"
"Yeah yeah yeah! They're the shit to offer us that! To join one of the Seven Knight Orders is a high order, I..no all of us...we couldn't believe our ears when it was offered! These Elders, they're not like that old bastard we have for a clan head. That damn Hugo Le Baskerville, it's like he doesn't...he doesn't know how to live large! Bet...I bet his wife...dumped his ass...because she couldn't get anything outta him anymore!" The child stumbled a bit and splashed some of his drink on Hugo's shirt, bending over slightly to throw up on the floor with some of it splashing onto the clan head's shoes. The others who were keeping their eyes on this exchange sneered and laughed loudly as well like a bunch of braying hyenas. The drunk child chuckled and laughed hysterically, wiping his mouth before jabbing a finger in Hugo's chest. "So you best beat it, old man, and take this baby with you. If you know what's good for you..."
FWOOSH~
The air immediately escaped the room and the raunchy noises and music died down, the equipment seemingly cut with very precise movement of a sword slash. Everyone in the room turned their full attention to us, no one dared to breathe or utter a single word. I didn't even realize Hugo drawing his sword but before I knew it he held his weapon in hand. He was beyond angry, he was enraged with multiple veins throbbing from his head.
"C-C-Clan head..." One of the elders mumbled once he realized who we were, his hand still placed on a female child's backside from where she was sitting on his lap. I don't know if she got into that position willingly or was forced to, but right now I couldn't care less. Clearly both Hugo and I had been disrespected by everyone in the room and they were all drunk out of their minds. "W-W-What are you doing here...?"
"You damn scumbags. You sons of bitches, all of you." Hugo's anger was palpable, his eyes flashing red as he increased his aura to intimidation. "To think that you dare care yourselves Baskervilles and instead of studying and training, you decided to fool around like this. Getting drunk and acting like damn rabid animals. For a second I was under the impression that those with noble blood would set a good example for everyone, but it appears that my daughter here has more class and common sense than you maggots."
"Your daughter..." That's when the elders in the room set their eyes on me and I swore I saw the life slowly drain out of them. Well, all of them except one who got very angry, I could see the vein throbbing on his forehead. He stood up abruptly, discarding the two females he had been 'playing' with and began shouting at Hugo, the spit and froth exploding out of his mouth.
"Clan head, you dare to bring that illegitimate here and parade her around as though she is higher than us! We didn't want the possibility of contamination between the filth of commoners and pure noble blood to mix! Are you trying to disgrace us with this rebellious act? We were quite clear that someone of her kind is forbidden here. Don't you dare forget that we, the Elders, are here to give you advice and supporting your clan's activities with our wealth. Without us backing you up you'd be lower than those Morgues! Gah!"
"Kyaaa!" Some of the younger hounds screamed as the elder reeled back, hand immediately up to cover his mouth that had been sliced open and blood splattered everywhere and didn't seem to stop flowing. He stared fearfully at Hugo who towered over him, knees knocking together and shoulders shaking. I almost laughed when I spotted the faint yellow liquid that dribbled down his legs.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill all of you where you stand." Hugo growls loudly, scanning the entire room and daring someone to sober up and explain themselves. When no one did, he sighed and said, "No...actually save your useless excuses. I'm not in the mood to hear them and you are all not worth the energy." Pulling out a silver whistle hidden within his sleeve, he blew it once and waited.
"Sir." Immediately multiple shadows appeared behind the clan head, their faces covered by a cloth and their bodies covered with menacing cloaks, but I knew that these guys were members of the Pitbull Order, one of the Seven Knight Orders that represents the Baskerville Clan and under Hugo's direct control; no matter where the clan head was, he could summon the members at will and they will answer. There wasn't a particular ranking system among the Orders themselves – honestly they are all very good at what they do and probably specialize in different areas – but the Pitbull Order is known to be the very best. Many of the younger hounds dream to one day join or be invited to join the Orders, but I knew it took a lot of hard work, dedication, and achievements to even get recognized by the captain. Even then, the rate of joining is very slim.
"Capture every single child in this room and take them away. I want them out of my sight." The clan head ordered firmly, his ears deaf to the pleas and cries of everyone who were there as they sobered up and knew that they were doomed. This was the cold, zero emotion, heartless Hugo I was used to. "Get rid of them in any way you see fit."
"Sir."
I know there was another underlying meaning to his words when he gave the order. He'll have the Pitbull members eradicate these kids, make them disappear from this world and cover it up as a minor incident; he'll act as though they never existed in this world, never been born. I watched as the cloaked members went about capturing the brats – some of them crumbling under their sealed fate with tears and snot on their face while others attempted to fight their way out and survive. It did not go over well for those who fought, the members of the Pitbull Order were not merciful. When all the kids were dragged or hauled out, it just left the two of us and the Elders who were definitely not appropriately dressed in the presence of the clan head.
"C-Clan head..."
"Please have mercy..."
"It was a bad lapse of judgment, honest..."
"Don't spout such bullshit excuse card, that lie effortlessly sliding off your snake tongues. How dare you all present yourselves to me like this, absolutely shameful. Prepare for the heavy punishment I will administer personally." Then he said to me as he tightened his gloves, signaling that whatever was about to occur was not for my eyes. "Daughter, feel free to roam around outside but don't wander too far. There should be a small field nearby where you can practice swinging your sword. I'll finish my business up here quickly and then we can go home. Let the butler know that his presence is required in here on your way out."
"The clan head wants you inside, said you are required." I said to John as I exited the room, finding him standing straight just off to the side. He adjusted his glasses with a hand, a knowing expression on his face. He patted my shoulder briefly before allowing himself in and shutting the door behind him. Knowing that I shouldn't snoop I made my way around to find the open field that Hugo told me. It was a decent size area, not a big as Morgue's, but it'll do. Unsheathing the sword from my back I began to go through basic routine, making sure none of the movements were wasted and always thinking of ways to optimize everything. In fact I was already thinking of ways to incorporate magic but I'd like to practice that in a secluded place without anyone watching.
"Oi! Who allowed a dirty runt to make herself at home on my stomping ground?" A brash voice reached my ears and I looked over to see two newcomers, one who was scowling hard at me while the other couldn't care less and would prefer to stick her nose in a book. Both of them seem to be slightly older than I, I wager about two or three, and they have swords strapped to their waists. The one who spoke first took a big whiff of the air, sneering with her mouth curled up. "Aah, my mistake. It's not just a dirty runt...an illegitimate heir has stepped foot on my turf!"
"Ugh, can't you say something else with less cringe?" Her companion commented dryly but never took her eyes off the pages of her book. "Makes me ashamed to be walking beside you whenever you open your dumb mouth."
"C'mon, Dagda, I'm trying to set the mood here. And I don't say dumb things, my mouth just opens up before my brain could catch up."
"Delta, if you want to have a chance at some real competition instead of slaving away into those stuffed dummies and sandbags then you have to strike first." The one known as Dagda spoke calmly and turned a page, clearly unbothered by what's happening in front of her. "In fact I'm willing to bet that that child over there isn't even listening to you anymore."
"Huh?" Delta turned and it was indeed as her sister mentioned, I was continuing my training and tuned out what was being said. Gritting her teeth she bunched her legs till the muscles were taut and sprung forward with one arm pulled back. However, I was prepared for her to attack because my body was already going through the motion. We collided with a loud bang, causing some particles of dust to kick up and shield us from view. Once it had settled I had my left arm raised in front of me, fingers coiled over Delta's tight fist.
She didn't even bother drawing her sword when she lunged forward...but just basing her strength on this single punch alone, she is very powerful. I observed as my left hand continue to hold back the other's fist from connecting with my face, slightly shaking with how much pressure she was pushing against me. I had a thought that even with the blessings given to my body, this particular hound will made a bruise if I allowed her to hit me. However a different part of me was eager to push the limits, to see just how much of a beating I could take and how far the blessings could go. But since this was our first encounter it would be rude of me not to respond to her eagerness for a fight in turn.
"Heh, so now I got your attention huh, illegitimate punk!" The wild hound grinned before we separated, squaring up against each other. The pupils of her eyes were blown and she was acting more and more like an unchained dog than a properly trained hound. She wagged a finger at me in a taunting manner, stating with confidence, "Whether you use your sword or not it makes no difference to me! Let me enjoy this fight!"
A few hours later...
I don't remember the last time I had so much sweat rolling down my face from a mock battle, but it felt really satisfying. It was a bit difficult not to ditch the sword and rely on magic to blow away my battle junkie opponent, however I had to remind myself that I could not show that side of me when Hugo was in the vicinity. There were unnatural holes that littered the field, smoke still smoldering into the air and some areas splattered with drops of blood. I stood with my chest heaving for breath, a firm foot planted on my down opponent's sternum, pinning her firmly against the ground.
"S-Shit..! I was so close, ouch..." Delta grunted with pain from where she lay sprawled on the ground , coughing when I applied a little more pressure on her chest with my foot. Her body felt like it had gone through a lot of things, so I wager she wouldn't be getting back into mock fights any time soon. One of her eyes was swollen shut and there was a mild gash on her forehead that let blood flow into her sight. She could only glare at me with her one good eye and said, "Kill me then and claim your prize..."
She's quite the dramatic one... I kept my expression neutral at her words, unsure on how to proceed. But, this girl...if I can gain her friendship and trust, she'll be a great asset to me. Perhaps her and that other girl...
"I see you've made yourself some friends, my daughter. Albeit in a very...forceful and brutal way." I turned my head to see Hugo standing on the sideline. Behind him stood the family butler and a woman I haven't met her before. She was dressed in just robes and flats for her feet. Her straight black hair tumbled down her back, perfectly framing her face. While I was under the impression that this woman was the caring type, my senses told me that she was very sharp and observant, not one to miss any detail no matter how small or insignificant.
"My lord, I must apologize for how unruly one of my daughters is. She's more of the hit first and ask questions later type of girl, a wild pup through and through." The woman addressed Hugo who merely waved his hand in response.
"Nothing to worry about, Lady Darya, I expected this kind of behavior from your cub. This encounter was a good experience for my daughter who has never crossed swords with the noble hounds." The one known as Darya blinked once at how angry the male spoke when it came to nobles. "Thank god your two daughters weren't in the same room as those damn elders from earlier..."
"I make sure my daughters come straight to me after their lessons or training. If they need to head out or hang out with friends I'm the first one to know." Darya assured him, having her own misgivings of how the elders act towards the children. "If the elders dare to interact with them in any way, shape or form I've made it clear that I will be present."
"Mommy, I lost to someone of lesser class! It's unacceptable and humiliating!" Lifting my foot I watched as Delta rushed, well she limped but was still determined, to the woman immediately. She buried her face against the woman's elegant robes, clutching onto the fabric tightly. The older woman gently ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, trying to soothe the child's anguish. "A blemish on my perfect record, now I'll never get a spot on the Knight Order! I needed to be perfect!"
"There there, you have plenty of chances of redeeming yourself." The woman says softly, continuing to run her fingers against the child's scalp. "Use this loss as inspiration and motivation to be better. I have faith that you'll earn your place in the Knight Orders, just keep up the good work."
"Mmmmmm, I'll work a hundred times harder from now on so I'll never lose again." Delta said before frowning and sending a scowl to her sister, "If Dagda was with me instead of staying on the sideline we would've won."
"Somehow I doubt the truth in that statement, and I'm not saying that we're weak by any means." Dagda spoke from where she stood, the book she had been reading was now tucked underneath her arm. Her eyes caught mine just briefly before going back to her sister. "Even with the two of us together, the percentage of winning is very slim."
"Damn it, but a slim chance is better than no chance..." Delta growls with disappointment as she continued to hold onto her mother. "I refuse to accept that this is my first lost! I want a rematch soon."
"Well don't dwell on this too much, it's almost time for dinner." Darya wrapped her arms around her girls, drawing them close as she bowed low to Hugo. "My lord, we will take our leave then. It was a pleasure laying eyes on your daughter, the one who killed two Black Mambas and is blessed by the River Styx."
"Mmmmm." He huffed, a signal that she may go. Dipping her head once more, the older woman walked away and herding her children away. Never once did Darya make eye contact with me or spoke to me directly, she kept her attention and directed her words to Hugo alone.
"Next time I see you, your ass is mine! Always watch your back!" Delta yelled to me before she could forget, her eyes boring into mine before the family of three disappeared.
"Glad to see you are okay, young master. Delta La Baskerville is well known for her dominating raw power, not many hounds could come close to holding their own against her, much less beat her. You must consider this a major achievement or beginner's luck." John told me before glancing at the field and made a small noise in the back of his throat. "Hmmm...we'll have to fix that soon other wise we'll be receiving some disgruntled hounds."
"I'll leave it to the Knights who work here, they'll get it done by tomorrow. For now we're leaving, spent too much time here than I'd like." The clan head announced and we headed home. "However, you'll continue your own training with these lowly scum."
"Did your business here get cleared up?" I asked him innocently. When I didn't get a quick response, I thought for a minute before changing my question, "Were you successful in persuading the Elders into letting me train here?" Hugo didn't bother to answer that question either, but the next couple of times I've trekked to the main house and continued my training I haven't been hounded or harassed by anyone. There were some that gave me dirty looks or threw some derogatory names, but that's about it.
I spent most of my time with Delta and Dagda than anybody else, but only when they're out on the field – we had very different schedules during the day after all. The two sisters were slowly coming around to tolerate my presence bit by bit in their own way: Delta purposefully tries to get the jump on me when she thinks I'm unaware of her presence, but the murderous intent she tends to leak out makes it easy for me to avoid her. I'd give her points for tenacity and perseverance though because the frustration that builds up due to failed attempts just leads to a much more ferocious mock fight on the field.
Dagda takes a more delicate but straight forward approach. Unlike her sister who makes it her personal goal to hunt me down, she's the type of hound that waits for the prey to come to her. She is better at concealing her presence so I would end up noticing her at the last minute, either sitting at a table with a book in hand or leaning against a wall. She doesn't force me to engage but always scrutinize me with her eyes, trying to gain some nugget of insight. When we do end up crossing swords in our training, I took note at her approach since her tactic is so different from her sister's. She favors agility and always staying on her toes, whittling down her opponent's stamina and making them waste their movements till they're exhausted. In comparison, Delta favors ending her fights with flashy one-hit knockout moves therefore she has to be absolute sure that she can guarantee a victory otherwise she'll end up being exhausted and lose.
Deep down I was very thankful for these two because they both gave me chances to improve myself in different ways. With Delta we forgo the use of weapons and chose to exchange blows with fists and kicks, thus I am able to test out the limitations of my body against the immense strength. With Dagda she helps me sharpen my reflexes and timing my attacks with precision, the closes I've gotten was to clip her hair when she side-stepped the thrust of my sword, small strands fluttering to the ground. I could tell how frustrated the sisters were every time we sparred, but bit by bit they were improving. In fact Delta started being strategic with her methods, planning and not being hasty in her strikes. Sometimes after our bouts we would lay around and talk nonsense, it was a kind of bonding between us.
Dagda's been changing a bit too because I noticed that there were instances where she took initiative in her strikes. Before she would only chip away at her opponent's weak points and wait for the other side to wear themselves out. Now she mixes up her attack patterns, still keeping light on her toes but now being unpredictable between light and heavy strikes. Her unpredictability helps me improve my skill of keeping a couple steps ahead, but sometimes I made mistakes and allowed attacks to hit my body; this only strengthened my resolve to be better to outsmart my opponents. Overall the three of us were happy with how far we were progressing, and it could only go upward. Before I knew it, the seasons have come and gone and I experienced the changes for the very first time. Five years had passed by in the blink of an eye.