Bonded

Chapter Twenty One

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India

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"Well aren't you shining brighter than the crown jewels..." At first, when we had walked into the kitchen we had gotten quite a few stares... The cooks having actually taken the time to question Jian what he might be doing out and about with the three of us... The implication being that he somehow has either denied or betrayed Master Qiao... Who we all know he has truly fallen for... Only for the attention to be redirected towards me... The question now being the number of suitors I suddenly have... And how I found myself on the receiving end of Kavya and Ronin's joint affections, "And with two men no less. Lucky you!"

The attention brings more and more heat up from the fire in my belly and into my cheeks, and if the kitchen-maid currently helping us were to sprinkle water on me I have no doubt that there would be a steaming sizzle everywhere the droplets touch my skin...

When Kavya and Ronin had first noticed my discomfort a moment ago their reaction had left me flustered enough to lose a majority of my vocabulary, my answer to the maid being simply a nod of my head as they continue with their protectiveness... Kavya having pulled me close so that he might allow me to rest against him for support if I so chose, his arm delicately held around my waist in a very obvious but respectful way, Ronin standing immediately behind us, looming over us both in such a wonderful way... The heat still radiating off of him soothing even though we aren't exactly touching at the moment... Both of them so calmly announcing their protectiveness over me that I cannot help but feel safe even with my cheeks having flamed to life the way they have chosen to... Jian quite obviously enjoying himself while watching us be showered with confused praise and well wishes...

I do not think any of us truly realized just how long it has been since there has been a trio in the halls of this palace... Or how strange it might seem for them, as a bonded pair, to have taken such an interest in me even though they have already found each other... Especially romantically...

Either way... Now that they have seen us walking about the halls, even with Jian as a chaperone, and arriving here in the central gossip post of the palace requesting what will only be speculated to be quite the romantic picnic... Soon everyone shall know and be curious about us, and the attention we're receiving will only increase until everyone finds something else to focus on...

I cannot say that I am necessarily thrilled over the thought of being the topic of conversation... But they are worth it... Kavya and Ronin are worth it... And as long as they stand by my side while we all endure the speculations and prying eyes... And all of the invasive questions and overstepping what should be considered appropriate, "Well I hope you share your secrets on how to catch men with the rest of us... For I think we'd all appreciate having two handsome soldiers on our arms."

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Kavya

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It seems so very easy and right to offer our sweet scholar comfort and calmness as he shies away from all of the maid's chitter-chatter as she wraps rolls and cheese and a few other morsels up in muslin so that they might be put ever so gently into the basket she had fished out of the pantry... Easier than it likely should be considering that today is just the very first day of our fortnight of courting him...

I don't think either Ronin or myself could help it though... The way his sweet face became so very red and alarmed... It had looked almost as if he were considering finding a place to hide to avoid feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on us as they try to figure out what the four of us are all doing here together... And why three out of us four seem so very wrapped around each other while barely touching...

I had expected the stares... Ronin and I get enough of them on our own being the one of the only bonded pairs in the guard... But I do not think Ronin and I considered the fact that India himself has never truly been in this kind of situation... He's never borne the brunt of other people's intrusive curiosity... And I suspect that that might be why Ronin and I are feeling so very protective at the moment... The pair of us only wanting to make sure he feels comfortable with us... In any situation... Including this one.

Which is why even if someone felt the need to say something about my arm slung around my waist that they shall have to bite their tongues or take it up with me later by reporting us to Cho... Though I do not think anyone here in the kitchens would do such a thing... They're so busy during the day that they would hardly waste a free minute even thinking of reporting us instead of resting... Especially when it's so very clear that India needs comfort if he is to try and be brave in the face of them all wanting information on our new situation...

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Ronin

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When India finally finds his voice I suspect it is only because he feels soothed enough by Kavya and I to feel brave, "I... I do not think I have any secrets for catching men... It is rather that these men found a way to catch me... And I enjoyed being caught..."

His words are just as delicate as the rest of them, and it makes my heart warm to know that so far he has enjoyed our pursuit and interest in him... His answer so very honest that it makes the maid assisting us chuckle just as she sticks a bottle of something in with our collection of food before lifting the basket and hefting it towards me specifically, the task of taking it from her and being the one to carry it a responsibility I have no problem accepting... My Kavya and India too precious to me to have to worry over something so trivial... Especially when I do believe that the weight of the basket might be too much for India to bear, his soft body built more for studying than lugging around baskets of food...

Food that I cannot help but hope that I'll be able to feed him by hand just as soon as we find a spot in one of the rose gardens to settle down in, the maid parting with a few more quips over India and ourselves being lucky and how he should likely have more than just the most mischievous of scholars, Jian, to watch over the three of us before allowing us to part in peace with smiles on our faces... Jian's reputation apparently even more questionable than ours... The very thought of which leaves all four of us chuckling when India finds his voice again just as we make our way back into the hallway, "Jian... I think maybe it should be you that I should be careful with if I'd like to protect my reputation... What could you have possibly done to make the kitchen maids and cooks so very familiar with you? Are you really that much of a gossip?"

"No! Just... Sometimes they let Qiao and I gather there for tea in the evenings... They chaperone me just as I chaperone you... The difference being that I won't tell the whole palace what they already know... That you, sweet India, are already smitten and only after half a day!" The joking tone that Jian uses to tease India brings to life a playful side in India that I've yet to see as he continues to walk between Kavya and I, his response to his friend and peer being to raise his eyebrows and whisper back...

"Tell them if you'd like... Why shouldn't I be smitten when Kavya and Ronin are so wonderful? I don't think anyone would ever be able to hold it against me." The attitude of his words causing both scholars to burst into a light fit of giggles that makes my heart soar, their conversation taking on a giddy ribbing tone that I can appreciate as we let the two of them guide us to whatever garden they have in mind.