The dinner had gone smoothly after the embarrassing toast to Kai. He took his leave a while after, cleaned up for the third time that day, then crashed on the bed in only loose black pants.
He woke the next day to a knock on his door and found it was the younger of the two ladies who came with clothes yesterday. The maid took one look at him and turned a shade red. That's when Kai realized he was still shirtless.
"Guardian Kai." she said. She held another batch of clothes in her hand. He waved her in. She then dropped the clothes on his bed.
"Master Sebastian asks that you wear a fitting tunic for your day." the girl said "A guard will be waiting at your door to escort you to the princess's house. He also wished for me to inform you of the tailor's arrival tomorrow.
"What's your name?" Kai asked the girl.
"Estella, guardian." she said. Then she bowed and left.
Kai put on a nice fitting tunic with brown leather pants and sheathed his sword in his spine sheath. He knew people would find it unusual that he hung a sword over his back and not by his side, but then they'd find the sword was too big to be hung by his waist.
He in fact used a spine sheath because he was trained by the assassins - his brother to be exact - to carry it that way. He was now accustomed to it. He walked out of the house to find Keita standing by the door. Keita let out a tiny welp when he saw Kai.
"Keita." Kai said with a grin. "Nice to see you again."
"Guardian." Keita said then took a bow.
"You look even more terrified than when we first met Keita. Have I now grown fangs?" Kai asked in amusement
"Not So Guardian." Keita said "it's just that, now you look like a warrior." Kai laughed at Keita's remark. He didn't know when last he'd genuinely laughed.
Keita took him to the princess's house in the main castle. It was guarded by two men. Keita knocked on the door and a young pretty maid answered the door. She bowed slightly to Kai, then gave Keita a smile of affection. They had a relationship then, Kai thought. Keita bowed to Kai, then walked off less hurriedly than last time.
******
Katherine was having her breakfast when Kai walked into her living room. Guardian Kai, she thought with humor and almost laughed out loud.
He wore a white tunic and brown leather pants with black boots. His fore locks were almost to his eyes and his neck length dread were dark as they should be.
She liked his locks, especially the fore ones that made him look cute. She noticed him at the dinner, he looked handsome but stiff, most probably because of the eyes that kept glancing his way. Katherine knew the reason for him getting so much attention.
It wasn't just his good looks. He was basically no one yesterday and now he was part of the Queens court. He had status now like Nesta.
"Lady princess." Kai said and bowed the slightest bit. She wondered what the court would think of Kai's inability to submit to superiors. Frankly she admired it.
"Guardian Kai." she said, loving the annoyed look that she was told crossed his face every time the title was used.
"Why would you give me such an insufferable title?" Kai said.
"Because I get to see that look on your face." she said with a mocking grin.
"And the maids? They were going to keep me company at your command." he said
"Well you looked like you had been on the road for some days." she said while serving herself some porridge "I thought you needed the release." when he didn't reply she continued.
"I see you got acquainted with my cousin Elena at the dinner." He looked surprised.
"I take it she didn't tell you she was my cousin. She keeps that information to herself most times." He still didn't speak.
"Are you hungry Kai?" She asked
"I'll manage." he said. She'd have none of that. She called for the maid who left and brought another plate and spoon much to Kai's protests.
"Well don't just stand there." she said while serving porridge into his plate. He grudgingly took a seat beside her. She pushed the plate to him and he began eating.
"So where are you from?" She asked
"Mohja." Kai replied with a full mouth
"You're a long way from Mohja." she said. He grunted a yes. "What were you doing so far from home?"
"I wanted to start a life somewhere else." he said
"Oh, what about your family?" She asked
"Where will we be going today lady princess?" Kai said, changing the topic abruptly. They'd pick it up another time then.
"Well first we're going to the barracks. I want to give the family of the guards I lost during the elf attack my condolences." She said "Then we'll go see the surviving elf." Kai's head shot up at that. "I warn you he will not be in the most hospitable shape." she added. "From there well, we'll figure the rest out"
Thirty minutes later, they were headed to the barracks. Katherine was very relieved at not having three guards follow her everywhere. It was just Kai who rode a brown stallion the stable boy had offered him beside her white pretty mare which she called Anais.
"What will you call your horse Kai?" She asked him
"It is not mine lady princess." he replied
"Oh don't be silly. Fine then, I give you this horse should you choose to keep it." she said "will you keep it?" She asked
"If you insist lady princess." he said
"Yay! Now what will you call him? I was thinking Kai junior." she said with an eager look on her face.
"You really should stop naming things lady princess." he said. She scowled at him.
"You really should stop naming things lady princess." she said in a pathetic attempt at imitating him. But the effect was worth it when she heard him chuckle for the first time.
They soon came to a stop at the barracks, Kai's large admirable sword sheathed behind him drawing her attention. How odd it was, both the sheathing and the sword. There were definitely things to this man she must know.
They walked into the training house of the barracks. It was a well built place. The roof was actually a glass dome that would light up the whole place. The glass was made in such a way that it would absorb heat rather than concentrate it.
Guards were sparring with each other in the center of the room while a group of people who did not look like they belonged here stood in a corner. The families then. Every single person in the room stopped and looked towards her then bowed. She waved at them all.
She walked to the families. She heard them murmur lady princess several times. Then they bowed.
"Please." she said "it's alright. I came here today to sympathize with you all."
"You shouldn't have lady princess. Capetian Mateo has already seen us. But how kind of you to leave your affairs for us." a tall man said.
"It's the least I could do. They died trying to keep me safe." Katherine said. She felt grief for the guards who died that day. She did not know them personally but she recognized some of them when they moved about the castle. They died trying to save her, not caring what or who they would leave behind.
"It wasn't your fault lady princess." said a woman who pulled out from the small gathering, others nodding in agreement. "You came to see us that day you see. You couldn't have known you'd be attacked in your own town where the people love you." She said.
Katherine was truly touched. Truly they loved her and her sister. She loved them too. She felt a knot loosen in her that she didn't know was tied. Shortly after her conversation with them, they left.
Queen Esther walked into the barracks with Nesta by her side. The guards all stopped their movements once again and bowed to her. She acknowledged them then walked over to Katherine.
"My Queen." Katherine said mockingly then took an overly deep bow. Esther giggled.
"Oh stop it Katherine." she said making Katherine join her in giggling.
"What are you doing here?" Katherine asked
"I've come to see Mateo's progress with the elf" Esther said. Then Nesta bowed.
"Lady princess." Nesta said in greeting earning a smile from Katherine.
Kai took the hint and bowed to Esther more deeply than he did to her. Hey!
"Lady Queen." he said earning him a smile and nod from Esther.
"What do I have to do to get that kind of bow?" Katherine said
"Change my title." Kai replied dryly
"Well I've grown quite fond of your title." Esther said "Guardian Kai." she said aloud with a smile on her face.
"Has a nice ring to it doesn't it?" Katherine asked with a wide grin on her face.
"It really does. Nesta what do you think?" Esther asked
"I think it suits him fine." Nesta said. By this time Kai's face looked like it would retreat to his skull.
"You're right sister, the look is hysterical!" Esther said which made them both laugh loudly, and made even Nesta of all people chuckle while Kai stood there trying as much as possible not to glare at the Queen of Arocelli, and failing.
By now everyone in the training house was staring at them curiously.
"Oh I haven't been this amused for a long time Kat." Esther said.
"He does have that effect." Katherine said smiling up at Kai as he was considerably taller.
"Glad to be of help." Kai said dryly making Esther chuckle.
"Come on." Katherine said "we'll join you"
They crossed the training room and went through a door leading to the spiral staircase that would take them to the castle dungeons.
They passed several guards and cells before Mateo came out of a room and approached them.
"Lady Queen, lady princess." he said in greeting with a bow "this is no place for you."
"I must see the elf captain Mateo." Esther said defiantly.
"Very well then." captain Mateo conceded "but I warn you that he is not in good shape." he said.
Mateo opened the door and waved them into the room. Two guards were already in the room and they bowed when they saw them. When Mateo said the elf was 'not in good shape', she didn't think he meant it so literally.
The blue haired elf with blue eyes had his hand chained to a wooden table. His fingers were bent in every angle she could think of. His left eye was swollen while his nose and mouth bled.
Under the table his leg hung limp as though damage had been done there too. This made Katherine's stomach roil and she could tell it was having the same effect on Esther.
"Who are you?" Esther asked. The elf just stared at her. "How many more of you are there?"He said nothing. "What is your reason for attacking the princess?" Nothing.
"He hasn't said a word since we captured him lady Queen." Mateo said "all he does is scream under torture and laugh like a psychopath when we're done."
Then the elf sniffed the air once, twice, and landed his gaze on the person behind her. Kai.
"ah, Malakai. Destiny has tasted your blood, and she likes it." he said making everyone look at him in silence.
"Do you know him?" Mateo asked the elf
"You will all know him." the elf said
"Babayega sends his greetings." then the elf began to laugh and laugh until they couldn't bear its uncanniness and left the room.
"Do you know the elf guardian?" Mateo asked Kai.
"I never knew elves existed till three days ago." Kai replied plainly but Mateo didn't look convinced.
Katherine didn't know what to think. She knew Kai was hiding his past but she doubted it would have anything to do with elves.
"These are mythical creatures captain." Esther said. "Maybe they know things we don't." she looked at Kai "or are yet to know."
"Or the torture is beginning to make him speak nonsense." Katherine said dryly in an attempt to defend Kai for some reason.
"But he knew his full name." Mateo said "can you explain that Malakai?"
"My name is not Malakai captain. I was raised knowing my name to be Kai and Kai alone. Kai meaning fire in the Mohja tongue whereas Malakai has no known meaning." Kai said plainly once again, proving to be good at handling his emotions. They were all silent for a while.
"You will bear with me Guardian." Esther said apologetically "As Queen I have reason to doubt everyone I do not fully trust." she said
"I understand lady Queen." Kai replied
"Well, dear sister, I have paperwork to attend to." Esther said. "I believe you have paperwork too."
"Yes but it's not as pressing as yours, I'm going to the library first. This elf has led me to be curious of what else could try to kill me." Katherine said.
"Alright. Come on Nesta." Esther said "you'll be doing paper work with me." she smiled and walked off with Nesta.
Kai and Katherine rode their horses to the library where Katherine spent hours with the librarian picking the best ancient history books on mythical creatures.
When they arrived back at her house, kai was weighed with a load of books.
"This was not in the job description." he said, making Katherine smile. He entered and dropped the books on her living room desk. "I assume that's all the movement for today?" He made to leave
"Oh no no no no." Katherine said dragging him back by his cloth. "You're helping me go through these books." she said to his sigh.
Kai sat across the table from her and they read books for hours.
"The only thing here about Babayega says he's some kind of powerful outcast. It doesn't elaborate."
"Here it simply states 'Babayega is evil'. How helpful." Kai said. Then Katherine yawned and found it was seven in the evening.
Her maid - Julia - had brought them tea and snacks during their reading even though Katherine said she wanted nothing but to focus. Julia could be like that sometimes. They had devoured it all.
"You can go now Guardian." Katherine said still looking at the book in front of her. She didn't think Esther would have the same pity on Nesta. Kai got up and made to leave. "Hey, eat something. I need you strong not weak."
"Goodnight to you too princess" he said with a smile, which made her smile foolishly.