Chapter 2 - 1999 Words
I looked upon him, and wondered of what he was doing, but then he bowed in front of me. “…Temari…what in the world are you bowing for? Surely you cannot think that I am of nobility.” Looking at him as he had raised his head, his words had caught my voice from coming out for a time. “Sister…did you not realize that you were being followed by Lord Raziel?” His wonderment and worry had made me unable to think, and the manner that my brother had known of what the current ruler’s face looked like had also made me wonder of how it was that he knew. A sudden voice behind me spoke, the tone deep almost as if to hold a regal tone and unlike what he had sounded like before. “It is assuredly not your big sister’s fault that she did not know of who I was by face. You are one of the rare ones that had been within my tents tending to one of the traveling rulers, correct?” In shock, the only thing that I could think of was to turn, my head lowered deeply, and my body to move to the ground in a deep bow. “I apologize for not knowing of you, milord. If I had but known, I would not have said any that I did say.” The harsh and worried voice of my brother filled my ears as I heard him ask suddenly, “What did you say to him?!” “It is quite alright, young…Temari is it? …So it is…well…she was on her way to meet with the one she was arranged to be married to, and like a good woman should be, had refused any conversation, as well as was prompt to her arrival time. Her manners are not entirely up to par, but that can be helped with a little tutelage.”
To hear such words made my stomach come together in knots, not knowing of what would be in store for any kind of tutoring from this man, who was apparently loved and feared all at once. Temari only held silence, and it made me cautious, but also gave me worry enough to arch my head slightly up in order to look upon him, daring a full look. He was looking down at me, his eyes that seemed like pools of black staring into my amethyst eyes, but I had realized that he was waiting on some sort of remark from me. I almost too quickly said to him, “If mi'lord would wish of it, I will gain tutelage on how to behave more properly within the realms of being within your company, as well as any other company that is of nobility.” He had seemed to enjoy the knowledge of what I had said, as well as how fast I had said it. “Then I will be teaching you your manners personally, but not for now. Now the dawn comes, and I must attend to things.” He then, without another word, dropped a flower, and turned, leaving behind a corner. I had picked up the flower, and had wished to give chase in order to return it, but as soon as I had gotten to the corner he disappeared behind, he was gone, as if he had never been there. I looked once more down at the flower, and had been so unfocused that I had not heard Temari come up behind me. “So, sister…how did you gain the look of the ruler? Was it possibly because you gave him the brush off in a bad manner that he had followed you?” Looking at him, I held a look of worry as well as uneasiness, for it was the strangest thing in the world to me that what my brother had said was possibly what had indeed been the reason that he had followed me. “I suppose that it is because I had given him such a rude one that he could not stop himself from wishing to correct me in how I had behaved. Come little brother, for we still have the day to talk of things, as well as to speak of what the merchant has said.” “You know that I want to hear of what Lord Raziel said as well while you two walked together, too.” Looking upon his face, I knew that he would not allow me to forget such an encounter. Giving a slight sigh, giving up from battling against my little brother's wits, I only shuffled my hand through his silver hair, and worked through the day with him nearby. When it had become nightfall, and the day's work had been done, I and Temari had gone inside, eating and rinsing ourselves at the river that had been nearby. Walking back, there seemed to be a chill in the air...not one that was of coldness, but of something more.
After being within my home for a while, telling my parents of the events of the day, I was within my room, putting the simple things that I would take with me when the merchant would pay a price together, when suddenly I had heard a bit of noise, almost like that of people talking in a slightly louder voice than was proper etiquette. Coming out of my room, Temari coming from his as he had wiped his eyes of the dreariness, we both listened near what was the front of our home at the conversation that was taking place. I had recognized the voices belonging to the merchant and of our parents, and through the loudness of the merchant’s voice, things were not going so well at all. Through bits and pieces of the conversation that had been heard, the merchant had heard of the lord walking with me, and had found it to be a great insult. My parents were trying to indeed calm him down, and try to explain of what had happened, but after a time, the merchant did not want to hear anymore of it. He called me a few harsh words that I had to stop Temari from hearing, my sadness increasing by many times, and by the time that I was able to release Temari’s ears so that he could hear again, the merchant was gone. I retreated to my room then, and knew that my name had been sullied from just before dawn.
It was the lord’s fault, for if he had just left me alone, this would not have happened…but I also had to share the blame, for I was the one that had been rude, and had not waved back. I knew that my parents would be furious, and after finishing in putting away the last of the things that I was supposed to have taken with me, I headed towards them, knowing that their wrath would not be stopped for long. I figured that I would be beaten twice over at the least by such a shame, but when I had stepped out to see them, I had seen that Lord Raziel was now there, and they were speaking, bowing because of it. I had not had thought to grab my hood to cover my hair, and as it now was revealed along with my eyes, I could do no more than look down, my hands staying in front of me as I had bowed towards him. “Ah, the woman has shown herself at last.” Stopping from movement my first thoughts were the first words that had come from my lips. “I apologize mi'lord for keeping you waiting, for I did not know that you had come, nor that you were coming.” A short but soft chuckle had come from him, and it had made me then think of what he had cost me, making me feel anger at him for doing such a thing as to chuckle when my life that was so perfectly planned out had suddenly been destroyed the moment that he had stepped a foot into it. I dared not to say those words to him, for I knew that my head would be taken from me for such a thing. “You did not make me wait long at all. I had only just come here not moments before you had shown yourself.” I felt embarrassed more that I had apologized to him when I had no need to, and more anger came to me, but I would only hold myself proper. “I will be taking your daughter to learn of how to behave within the upper ranks of nobility, for she has a need of proper manners in such a society. I trust that this will not be a hindrance, and that you will tell the merchant that she is doing so?”
My shame must have shown in those moments, as well as my anger, for I had suddenly felt his eyes upon me, as if examining me with a look that was more than a simple glance. “Unless there is no longer a need for I to take care in this.” It was my mother that had managed to speak first, my father being silent from the insult that he felt that I was. “My lord, the merchant had just left not long before sunset, saying that he would not wish to marry her. He had seen my lord walking with her, and had said that she was unclean, among many other words that I would not like my son to hear.” It had been too clear of what words they were, and a slight glance upwards at him showed my distaste for such words being spoken to me, as well as my hatred that they were spoken about me because of him walking with me. I lowered my head once more as I had seen him glance at me once more, and worry came over me at thinking that he might have seen such a glaring look towards him. His feet soon came into my line of sight, and made me know that he was standing in front of me. “Look up at me, woman.” A moment’s hesitation would not bode well, so while I lifted my head up, I hid all form of emotion from my face, not wishing to anger him, lest he take his annoyance out upon me. “What is your name?” I knew that he had heard my brother call out to me the last time that he had seen me, and it had made me have a look of confusion that he had obviously seen. “State your name, woman.” “My name is Zillah, milord.” His eyes seemed intense, though it was night, and all I saw of them were black eyes. “Your manners are not perfect, but that will change soon. You are to come with me, bringing along only what you need to last 2 nights and a day. I will teach you all about manners, soon enough.” My parents had a look towards me that had stated to not mess this chance up, nor to disobey him even in the slightest, so I only bowed once more. “I shall do as you wish, milord.” I then walked inside my room, and gathered my things as my parents talked with him outside. It was such a strange occurrence that I was to be away from them for one day and 2 nights, this night being the first one, but I knew that there would be a good enough reason for it. Looking at Temari as he came to me, I only gave him a shrugged response as to what had happened, but he gave me something that I had thought was strange indeed. “Take this little pendant. I know that it doesn’t look like much, sister, but I know that it will protect you from evil, should evil try to come after you while you stay with Lord Raziel. Never take it off until you are safely back home, alright?”
I looked upon him, and wondered of what he was doing, but then he bowed in front of me. “…Temari…what in the world are you bowing for? Surely you cannot think that I am of nobility.” Looking at him as he had raised his head, his words had caught my voice from coming out for a time. “Sister…did you not realize that you were being followed by Lord Raziel?” His wonderment and worry had made me unable to think, and the manner that my brother had known of what the current ruler’s face looked like had also made me wonder of how it was that he knew. A sudden voice behind me spoke, the tone deep almost as if to hold a regal tone and unlike what he had sounded like before. “It is assuredly not your big sister’s fault that she did not know of who I was by face. You are one of the rare ones that had been within my tents tending to one of the traveling rulers, correct?” In shock, the only thing that I could think of was to turn, my head lowered deeply, and my body to move to the ground in a deep bow. “I apologize for not knowing of you, milord. If I had but known, I would not have said any that I did say.” The harsh and worried voice of my brother filled my ears as I heard him ask suddenly, “What did you say to him?!” “It is quite alright, young…Temari is it? …So it is…well…she was on her way to meet with the one she was arranged to be married to, and like a good woman should be, had refused any conversation, as well as was prompt to her arrival time. Her manners are not entirely up to par, but that can be helped with a little tutelage.”
To hear such words made my stomach come together in knots, not knowing of what would be in store for any kind of tutoring from this man, who was apparently loved and feared all at once. Temari only held silence, and it made me cautious, but also gave me worry enough to arch my head slightly up in order to look upon him, daring a full look. He was looking down at me, his eyes that seemed like pools of black staring into my amethyst eyes, but I had realized that he was waiting on some sort of remark from me. I almost too quickly said to him, “If mi'lord would wish of it, I will gain tutelage on how to behave more properly within the realms of being within your company, as well as any other company that is of nobility.” He had seemed to enjoy the knowledge of what I had said, as well as how fast I had said it. “Then I will be teaching you your manners personally, but not for now. Now the dawn comes, and I must attend to things.” He then, without another word, dropped a flower, and turned, leaving behind a corner. I had picked up the flower, and had wished to give chase in order to return it, but as soon as I had gotten to the corner he disappeared behind, he was gone, as if he had never been there. I looked once more down at the flower, and had been so unfocused that I had not heard Temari come up behind me. “So, sister…how did you gain the look of the ruler? Was it possibly because you gave him the brush off in a bad manner that he had followed you?” Looking at him, I held a look of worry as well as uneasiness, for it was the strangest thing in the world to me that what my brother had said was possibly what had indeed been the reason that he had followed me. “I suppose that it is because I had given him such a rude one that he could not stop himself from wishing to correct me in how I had behaved. Come little brother, for we still have the day to talk of things, as well as to speak of what the merchant has said.” “You know that I want to hear of what Lord Raziel said as well while you two walked together, too.” Looking upon his face, I knew that he would not allow me to forget such an encounter. Giving a slight sigh, giving up from battling against my little brother's wits, I only shuffled my hand through his silver hair, and worked through the day with him nearby. When it had become nightfall, and the day's work had been done, I and Temari had gone inside, eating and rinsing ourselves at the river that had been nearby. Walking back, there seemed to be a chill in the air...not one that was of coldness, but of something more.
After being within my home for a while, telling my parents of the events of the day, I was within my room, putting the simple things that I would take with me when the merchant would pay a price together, when suddenly I had heard a bit of noise, almost like that of people talking in a slightly louder voice than was proper etiquette. Coming out of my room, Temari coming from his as he had wiped his eyes of the dreariness, we both listened near what was the front of our home at the conversation that was taking place. I had recognized the voices belonging to the merchant and of our parents, and through the loudness of the merchant’s voice, things were not going so well at all. Through bits and pieces of the conversation that had been heard, the merchant had heard of the lord walking with me, and had found it to be a great insult. My parents were trying to indeed calm him down, and try to explain of what had happened, but after a time, the merchant did not want to hear anymore of it. He called me a few harsh words that I had to stop Temari from hearing, my sadness increasing by many times, and by the time that I was able to release Temari’s ears so that he could hear again, the merchant was gone. I retreated to my room then, and knew that my name had been sullied from just before dawn.
It was the lord’s fault, for if he had just left me alone, this would not have happened…but I also had to share the blame, for I was the one that had been rude, and had not waved back. I knew that my parents would be furious, and after finishing in putting away the last of the things that I was supposed to have taken with me, I headed towards them, knowing that their wrath would not be stopped for long. I figured that I would be beaten twice over at the least by such a shame, but when I had stepped out to see them, I had seen that Lord Raziel was now there, and they were speaking, bowing because of it. I had not had thought to grab my hood to cover my hair, and as it now was revealed along with my eyes, I could do no more than look down, my hands staying in front of me as I had bowed towards him. “Ah, the woman has shown herself at last.” Stopping from movement my first thoughts were the first words that had come from my lips. “I apologize mi'lord for keeping you waiting, for I did not know that you had come, nor that you were coming.” A short but soft chuckle had come from him, and it had made me then think of what he had cost me, making me feel anger at him for doing such a thing as to chuckle when my life that was so perfectly planned out had suddenly been destroyed the moment that he had stepped a foot into it. I dared not to say those words to him, for I knew that my head would be taken from me for such a thing. “You did not make me wait long at all. I had only just come here not moments before you had shown yourself.” I felt embarrassed more that I had apologized to him when I had no need to, and more anger came to me, but I would only hold myself proper. “I will be taking your daughter to learn of how to behave within the upper ranks of nobility, for she has a need of proper manners in such a society. I trust that this will not be a hindrance, and that you will tell the merchant that she is doing so?”
My shame must have shown in those moments, as well as my anger, for I had suddenly felt his eyes upon me, as if examining me with a look that was more than a simple glance. “Unless there is no longer a need for I to take care in this.” It was my mother that had managed to speak first, my father being silent from the insult that he felt that I was. “My lord, the merchant had just left not long before sunset, saying that he would not wish to marry her. He had seen my lord walking with her, and had said that she was unclean, among many other words that I would not like my son to hear.” It had been too clear of what words they were, and a slight glance upwards at him showed my distaste for such words being spoken to me, as well as my hatred that they were spoken about me because of him walking with me. I lowered my head once more as I had seen him glance at me once more, and worry came over me at thinking that he might have seen such a glaring look towards him. His feet soon came into my line of sight, and made me know that he was standing in front of me. “Look up at me, woman.” A moment’s hesitation would not bode well, so while I lifted my head up, I hid all form of emotion from my face, not wishing to anger him, lest he take his annoyance out upon me. “What is your name?” I knew that he had heard my brother call out to me the last time that he had seen me, and it had made me have a look of confusion that he had obviously seen. “State your name, woman.” “My name is Zillah, milord.” His eyes seemed intense, though it was night, and all I saw of them were black eyes. “Your manners are not perfect, but that will change soon. You are to come with me, bringing along only what you need to last 2 nights and a day. I will teach you all about manners, soon enough.” My parents had a look towards me that had stated to not mess this chance up, nor to disobey him even in the slightest, so I only bowed once more. “I shall do as you wish, milord.” I then walked inside my room, and gathered my things as my parents talked with him outside. It was such a strange occurrence that I was to be away from them for one day and 2 nights, this night being the first one, but I knew that there would be a good enough reason for it. Looking at Temari as he came to me, I only gave him a shrugged response as to what had happened, but he gave me something that I had thought was strange indeed. “Take this little pendant. I know that it doesn’t look like much, sister, but I know that it will protect you from evil, should evil try to come after you while you stay with Lord Raziel. Never take it off until you are safely back home, alright?”