Remus was overjoyed when Krine arrived to assist in the rebuilding three days later. He was quick to take her aside and have a slight chat with her about the on goings between Lenore and Santh. He didn't know how she would react considering she had seemed to have feelings for Santh in the past, but she merely grinned and shook her head.
"He still can not hold on properly." She chuckled to herself.
Remus shook his head, "It's not him this time." He told her with a grin and then began to make his suggestion.
Krine said nothing but merely nodded and walked over to where Santh was shirtless and moving wood for Jolon and Anton.
The two commoners had been breathing down eachother's neck the last couple of days and Anton eventually stopped moving the lumber for Jolon to cut.
"Aren't you afraid of getting a splinter on your shoulder?" Krine asked as she approached Santh who had just lifted up some wood.
He stared at her for a moment and cocked his head, "Why would I fear a splinter?"
She smirked, "Shall I help?" She asked reaching down, but Santh stopped her by placing his foot in front of her face.
"I understand that women are working hard to build this place, but I would be shamed if I allowed woman to assist me in my task."
The reply was a great deal nicer and longer winded than the expect "no" she had thought she would hear. Krine smiled as she stood up straight and gently touched his arm. "Since when do you explain yourself?"
Remus watched as Krine laid on her charm as best she could and his eyes went to Lenore who was standing next to Routine. She was trying to speak to him about what she needed from him, but everyone knew that Routine was more or less there for inspiration and he had no real intention of assisting in building this dorm.
However, Lenore's eyes did look toward the man who claimed the spot next to her blankets over the last few nights. Her brows furrowed every so slightly as she watched Krine and Santh speak to one another. Worst yet, Santh allowed her to touch him freely. She wasn't brushed off as he had done to many women in the past, in truth he had been allowing many of the girls access to him.
Licking her lips, Lenore continued to speak to Routine but she grabbed his arm and laid her head on his shoulder as she spoke. Routine did not seem to take any notice in her strange behavior and continued to argue with her that he was not one to do manual labor.
Santh noticed their cuddled state as he laid the wood down near Jolon. Krine was speaking to him as they walked side by side. Fire erupted from his chest in a fit of jealousy and he turned to Krine. He looked for any reason to touch her and saw that her hair that was pulled back had some loose hairs near her ears.
Reaching his hand forward, he explained. "Your hair has come loose."
Krine smiled as he brushed her hair behind her ears though she noticed he immediately looked toward Lenore, who Remus noticed had peaked at their interaction. Lenore began to cling more desperately to Routine who seemed completely unaware that he was being used.
Remus continued to stand back and watch as Santh found reason after reason to touch Krine, and Lenore clung tighter to the Souchan.
His eyes went back and forth before he tossed up his hands and walked away from the scene exasperated. "Children!"
As she finished up a blue curtain, Harona watched the antics between Lenore and Santh from a distance. She noticed that Ophelia and Saena were also watching as they giggled and shook their heads at the sight.
Lenore was hugging and clinging to the man nicknamed Routine, as Santh seemed more involved with touching and caressing the new Mondue female. After each round, they would stop and look at each other and it was obvious they were desperately trying to make the other jealous.
"Why is the Royal Princess acting in such a foolish manner?" Harona asked her two friends as they sat around a table filled with cloth.
Ophelia was the one to speak, "This is what happens when an unstoppable force falls in love with an immovable object."
"This could all be solved by Santh apologizing and admitting his feelings." Saena added as she shook her head.
"Santh is not entirely at fault here at this point. Lenore is being rather unreceptive to his attempts at making peace." Ophelia bit a thread and laid down her completed curtain.
Harona looked flabbergasted, "Is the Princess really this childish? She seemed so mature and thoughtful at all the rallies."
"Our Princess is rather mature and thoughtful in all matters that don't include Santh." Ophelia told her with a grin. "The two have a natural way of pulling the worst out of each other though most of the time they seem to have fun doing so."
Saena nodded in agreement, "They do fight a great deal but it always seems that Santh is yelling at her because he wants her attention, and when Lenore wants his attention she acts in outlandish ways that make him yell at her."
"When I first began to visit this dorm, Lenore would kiss Santh to make him stop yelling." She chuckled. "It shocked him into silence and he would turn bright red. I couldn't imagine him letting someone else get away with that behavior."
Harona thought that her friends casual way of discussing this was uncomfortable and decided she would change the subject. "I wonder if we can finish building this dorm before the year starts."
"Jolon and Anton say that the frame should be ready to go up in the next couple of days, and that the foundation is almost finished. It's already much bigger than the last dorm." Ophelia explained as she began to measure out her next curtain.
"Saena, I hear you will be staying here next year as well." Harona looked at the mousy girl.
She shrugged her small shoulders gently, "If I am allowed in then yes, I will be staying in this dorm."
"Why would they not allow you in?" She looked to Ophelia who seemed more than willing to allow Saena to explain everything.
Saena stared at the woman for a moment, "I am a member of the Servant's Guild."
Harona swallowed, "I see."
Ophelia looked between the two women and could see that her old friend was uncomfortable with the idea of some lowly commoner attending this school. Saena was no fool either and could clearly see the look of judgment upon Harona's face and she returned to her sewing.
"We are all women who wish to do better in our lives and go further than the social order allows." Ophelia spoke to them both. "We should encourage each other to climb out of the holes the world demands we lay in. Right, Harona?"
Harona looked up from her stitching, "Yes, of course."
Ophelia looked back over at Saena who grinned at her.
"What do you plan to do with your education, Saena?" Harona decided she would ask and perhaps it would be an answer that would set her mind to ease.
"Well, Routine says I am smart and an intelligent person without an education is society's great failure, but for me, I have my own reasons." Her eyes wandered toward where Jolon was obviously arguing with Anton.
Harona grinned, "I see."
Routine had moved off to a corner after he had enough of Lenore's attentions and attempts to involve him further in the building process. Initially, she seemed unwilling to let him leave her side, but she eventually became involved in a conversation with Remus, who was obviously trying to help Routine escape.
"Anton and Jolon are getting rather snippy." Remus informed her as he sat across the table from the Princess.
"Oh?" She looked up from the plans and up to the frame that was slowly going up.
He nodded. "Every question that I ask gets my head nearly torn from my body. It has been building for a couple days now."
Lenore stared at the two commoners that were both quietly working in their own corners. There was no bickering and no heated looks between them, so she merely shrugged her shoulders. "They are adults and can mediate their own issues."
At that moment, a large Mondue sat down beside Lenore on the bench. Remus turned his eyes to his friend and then to the Mondue female behind him. Krine shrugged her shoulders as if to tell him that she has done all she could, before turning around to help the others put the frame in order.
"Shall we go to the hamlet and gather lunch for everyone?" Santh asked the Princess.
Her brows furrowed, "The tasks for each member to gather lunch are on the schedule, if it is your day then someone else is already assigned to you."
"Yes, but I have already spoken with her and she agreed to switch places with you when your turn arrives." He told her calmly.
Lenore stared at the man beside her like he was the most bizarre creature that she had ever laid eyes upon. "What is it that you think you are doing? Is this your way of apologizing, because if it is then it's very confusing." She stood up. "I have no forgiveness for you, either way. I am done playing your games, leave me be as you asked of me."
Santh watched as she stomped off towards Ophelia and the others who were in the midst of sewing. He let out a loud sigh and looked toward Remus.
The Merchant shook his head, "I am just as confused as she is, and I know exactly what you are doing."
The Mondue frowned deeply, "This is not your place."
"It is when I feel pain in my gut whenever you attempt these halfhearted flirtations. It is like watching someone torture a small, helpless animal." He couldn't help but continue to shake his head toward his friend. "May I make a suggestion?"
"No." Santh said firmly, but Remus noticed that he did not make a move to leave and as always with Santh; it is not what he says but what his actions show that tell you the truth of him.
"Perhaps, you should come out directly and speak whatever it is that is on your mind. Neither you nor Lenore are ones to understand the subtly of the romantic tongue. Quite frankly, your attempts have been childish, pushy, and... well, for lack of a better word, creepy." Remus watched as Santh listened to him and seemed to shutter at his last three descriptive words.
"It cannot be that bad." Santh finally spoke.
"It is, my friend, it truly is." Remus took a deep breath. "Romantic gestures are not your strong suit. Stick to what you know. I will never toss a woman over my shoulder and claim to the world that she belongs to me, and you will never know what poetic words to speak to a woman while holding a dozen roses."
Santh stared at him for a moment looking rather disgruntled before standing up and walking away without another word spoken.
"I don't think you are carving them thinly enough." Jolon walked over to Anton who was cutting shingles.
Anton was a thatcher and only used wheat straw in the past, but he had worked with those that used shingles and was quick to learn. There were others in the area that were helping to cut each shingle by hand. It was decided that the roof would need to last a great deal longer than a thatched roof could provide.
The small area was mostly quiet except for the sound of axes and sawing as everyone worked on the shingles. They all sat on used stumps that had been brought along to help them make their work more efficient, though they found themselves on their knees most of the time.
"They are the perfect shape and size." Anton growled. "Return to your frame so we can start the roof."
The girls in the area looked nervous as the tension between the two was palatable.
"Once the frame goes up, you will need to put the roof on quickly and the rest of us will work on the inside." Jolon picked up one of the shingles and looked it over before tossing it into the pile next to Anton. "At that thickness they will be impossible to hammer in quickly."
Anton took a deep breath and glared up at his friend. "They need their thickness for sustainability and to protect from the rain."
He snorted, "You are the one that will waste hours working on the roof. I do hope we have long enough nails."
Standing up, Anton tossed his saw to the ground and stood as tall as he could though Jolon remained taller. "Stop telling me how to do my job, carpenter."
Jolon had never had his friend call him by his profession and not his name before. "Or what, thatcher?"
Anton chuckled bitterly, "You aren't even a carpenter that wishes to stay in his guild. You want something else in your life, therefore how knowledgeable can you actually be?"
They stared at each other for a moment, before Jolon's hand shove Anton in the shoulder. This was all it took before they were both throwing punches, landing on the newly made shingles, and rolling around in the dirt together.
Blood was drawn almost immediately, and the girls in the surrounding area pleaded with them to stop, but the two continued. As they both managed to stand up again after Anton had kicked Jolon in the stomach, they locked onto each other and were about to begin a second round.
A large hand reached out and grabbed Anton's shirt to pull him off his feet. He was left hanging in the air and looking at Santh who was frowning deeply. Initially he thought to continue swinging his fists, but decided that against Santh this would be a poor decision. His eyes turned to Jolon who Authin had stepped in and was standing in front of Jolon pushing him back with his shoulder.
"Enough!" Santh barked at Jolon.
The commoner didn't need him to offer any resistance to the command and stopped trying to push passed Authin. The Royal now had mud covering his boots from where he had planted himself into the ground.
"What is all this nonsense about?" Lenore barked as she and Remus approached. "Put him down, Santh!"
Santh did as he was told without offering any explanation though she didn't need one.
"You two have always gotten along so well. I do not understand why working together would cause this, are you trying to prove that you are better than your friend, Jolon?" Lenore asked.
Jolon said nothing and just stared down at the ground.
Lenore took a deep breath before announcing loudly, "Everyone, we will be taking the rest of the day off. Go enjoy yourselves in the hamlet. We haven't rested in a while, and obviously some of us need it more than others."
Remus nodded his head before the Princess, as they both turned away and left the group alone.
"Looks like Remus is taking over as her puppy." Authin mumbled before hurrying away from Santh.
Most of the girls headed out to the hamlet, while others remained behind to play cards. Jolon and Anton had taken a seat on the newly laid wood foundation with the girls including Ophelia. Authin had disappeared immediately with a group of girls when the break was called, while Lenore convinced Routine to go into the hamlet with her.
He didn't need much prodding as he needed more white cloth for his shirts, and therefore began to ready himself for the small trip. He never went into the hamlet without looking his best as he didn't want the people to see the future Souchan Guild Master looking poorly.
From a distance, Santh watched. He had wanted to ask her to join him in the hamlet, but she had raced over to Routine as if she was anticipating his move. As he stood watching her while Lenore had her hands on her hips as Routine combed his hair and checked himself over in the mirror, Krine approached.
"Do you wish to follow them? We can sneak about and watch their activities." Krine asked him in a way that told she was only half joking.
Girls were still leaving the court in small groups and giggles filled the air as they slowly began to filter out.
Santh glared down at the Mondue woman beside him. "What are you attempting to do here, Krine?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "I was trying to be helpful."
The two stood in silence for some time before Routine finished dressing to his liking and they both began to head toward the path.
Krine looked up to Santh with a smile on her lips. "I am pretty certain that I can manhandle the male away."
Staring at her for a moment, he almost told her to be gone, but a slight smile came over his lips. He began to move towards Lenore and Routine, and Krine was quick to follow his lead.
Lenore walked arm in arm with Routine. She had been using him as a buffer between her and Santh, and she wondered if Routine was very aware of it. Though past experience told her that he was not, and even if he did know he would have no interest in the situation anyway. Therefore it was worthless to feel any guilt over the matter.
As they were about to take their first step onto the path, Lenore felt Routine being yanked away. She turned to watch Krine holding him from behind with one arm around his shoulders and her free hand around his mouth. She slowly dragged him into the nearby woods while staring directly into Lenore's eyes.
The Princess watched flabbergasted over what this could possibly be about though she was not worried that Krine would do anything to harm her friend. That much was true enough by the way that Santh remained behind with her.
When her eyes finally turned to him, Santh shrugged with a grin on his lips. "She really needs to speak with him."
Taking a deep breath, Lenore rolled her eyes before turning around and heading toward the hamlet. She knew exactly what that had been about, and though she thought of saving Routine from Krine, part of her was happy that Santh followed closely behind her. If she rescued Routine the odds were that Santh would not make any attempts to reconcile, not that she was going to make this very easy for him.
Even though she was obviously trying to storm away from him, the large Mondue had no trouble keeping up with her. He couldn't see anything but the back of her head and therefore didn't notice the slight smirk on her lips.
Saena held a cloth to Jolon's split lip as she looked over his face. She stood in front of him as he sat on the finished foundation away from the court. Harona and Ophelia stood nearby as Anton sat on the foundation as well though a body's length away.
Watching Anton try to care for his wounds, Harona stepped forward and tried to take the cloth from him, but Anton pulled it away. "Go away!" He barked and then cringed when his yelling caused the injuries on his face to sting.
"You can not see and I..." Harona stopped speaking and sighed as she could see that Anton was not paying her any attention.
Both Harona and Saena remained quiet. Neither seemed able to offer any words or ask any questions which caused Ophelia's normally gentle heart to fill with annoyance and anger. She stepped forward and yanked the cloth from Anton's hand.
He opened his mouth to yell but she was quick to speak first. "Be silent!" She barked as she handed Harona the cloth.
Harona looked shocked to see Anton follow Ophelia's orders, but she soon dipped the cloth in the medicated water that rested in a bowl next to him and placed it on his wounds.
Ophelia glared at the two men before her as the scent of freshly cut wood filled her nostrils. Her arms were folded and her eyes filled with anger. Anton and Jolon could barely look at her and whenever their eyes met they immediately looked down.
"I just... I simply can not..." Ophelia began but even though she had plenty of time to gather her thoughts together, she couldn't find just one train of thought to follow. "You two are absolute idiots. The fact that Lenore just walked away and didn't destroy you two has me seething!" She stomped her foot. "You two should be ashamed! You have placed our plans behind a half day! Do you know how many people are counting on you two? Not to mention Saena and Harona standing before you. If this is how you two shall be then go home!"
Ophelia words made both Harona and Saena look distant in their eyes as if she had spoken the words that they were thinking.
Saena dropped the cloth into the bowl and stepped back. "That will do for now."
Harona also put her cloth in the bowl, "I agree." She took a deep breath and turned her attention to Saena and Ophelia. "The Princess said to go to the hamlet for the day, shall we?"
"I don't feel like..." Anton began but his words ended when Harona shot him a look that informed him to be quiet.
"I was speaking to the woman only." She snapped.
Ophelia looked between the two of them, "You two fix whatever this issue is before we return or so help me, I will get Santh to beat you both into a bloody pile. He will too as I am the link between him and Lenore." With that the two girls walked away without another word between them.
Anton and Jolon sat silently with their feet dangling over the edge of the wooden foundation. They both sighed at the same time.
"I do not know why I have been attacking your work." Jolon was the first to speak. "I suppose I am just frustrated working with not only women but women who have no idea what they are doing. You are the only man that I can vent my frustrations to."
Anton nodded his head. "I understand. I am frustrated too. It feels as if all the hard labor has fallen to us, and the others are simply waiting for us to create a miracle."
The two sat quietly for a few moments as they thought over their words.
"It looks like Harona and Saena are rightly pissed at us." Jolon said with a sigh as he looked toward the direction the girls had left. "Ophelia more so."
"Why should I care?" Anton asked with sincerity.
"You and Harona aren't..." He cut himself short and stood on his feet. "Come let's finish our work. The others may take the day off but we do not have that luxury."
Authin returned having never entered the hamlet, though the girls he had left with were happy to have him walk with them to the gates, they had made it clear they wished the journey to just be amongst themselves. Returning to the dirt court, he made his way over to his blanket and lifted up a book as he leaned against the tree behind him.
There were some other girls playing cards quietly, and Remus sat on the foundation as he looked over the finances. Anton and Jolon were the only two making any real noise as they continued to cut shingles together and Jolon listened carefully to Anton's instructions.
After an hour had passed, Ophelia returned to the dirt court as she hadn't felt like playing long in the hamlet. Saena and Harona had chosen to stay mostly because they didn't want to face the two men they were angry with.
Ophelia took a deep breath as she looked around the court and tried to decide which group she wished to join. She could continue sewing but she wanted a day off as much as anyone else. The girls playing cards were often the very same girls that would tease her endlessly and she didn't wish to put herself in a poor position, even if they had done nothing since they arrived. Anton and Jolon would have no use for her, and Remus, though he sat alone, was too uncomfortable and he looked busy with his work anyway.
That was when her eyes fell on Authin. He was quietly reading a book and she knew she would be disturbing him but she made her way over to his blanket. When she was about to greet him, he lowered his book and gave a grin.
"Did you enjoy your time in the hamlet?" He asked even though he had left before she had made the decision to go herself.
"Yes." She replied with a grin and decided that he must have made the assumption considering that was where everyone else had disappeared to. "What are you reading?"
He held up the book, "It is a book of fairy tales. Very dark ones."
"Oh." Ophelia sat down on his blanket at his feet and Authin didn't seem to mind. "Authin, may I ask you something of a private matter?"
He raised his eyebrows.
"When you... when you attacked Lenore..." She searched for the words to ask in the nicest way possible, but could not find them.
"Ah, yes." He lowered his eyes briefly. "I have never not received the attention that I wanted from a woman. Obviously, what I did was unforgivable though I am grateful that I was allowed to remain at university in this dorm."
Ophelia didn't know if he had truly answered her question or not, and she felt like there was more to the story then just frustration. Though after a moment, she decided to forget about the incident as Lenore had seemed to have done. "Did you enjoy yourself in the hamlet?"
"I am afraid I merely escorted the ladies to the gates and then was asked to leave." He told her without any embarrassment in his voice.
She giggled.
"Does that amuse you?" He asked with a grin on his own lips.
"Slightly. Considering how easily you plied your trade in the past and now are asked to leave by the very women that once swooned to you." She giggled a little louder.
Authin's own grin turned into a smile and he chuckled along side her. "I suppose I have earned much of this scorn on my own."
Remus watched from a distance unable to hear what they were discussing, though he could see the two of them laughing. He frowned deeply. He wanted to walk over to them and yank Ophelia away, but his voice of reason told him that she was no longer his to feel this way over.
Taking a deep breath, he returned to his numbers though his eyes continued to wander back over to Ophelia who was laughing alongside another man.
Routine found himself in an odd situation as he walked through the hamlet to browse the fabrics. The woman who had manhandled him in a most undignified manner was walking at his side. When he had returned to where he left Lenore he had found her gone. Krine had smirked at him and he began to make his way into town alone, but Krine followed right behind him.
The hamlet was filled with many of the same women from the court and of course many familiar villagers. Though Routine did not come into the hamlet often therefore Krine was the only one who recognized them.
"You are very quiet." Krine finally spoke to him as he touched some fabric. "I was only attempting to assist Santh and give them some time together."
Routine frowned as he looked towards the taller woman. "Perhaps, you should have asked for a moment of my time."
She chuckled, "Doing so never crossed my mind. I apologize."
She was laughing through her apology so Routine did not take it seriously and simply continued to look through the white fabrics at the stand. Others passed around them as most seemed more interested in buying food and drink.
"What purpose are you serving by following me about?" Routine finally asked when he was about to move to the next stand.
Krine shrugged her shoulders. "I stole your companion from you, so I assumed that it was only proper to replace her."
He didn't know what to say to that other than he wouldn't be needing her assistance, but as he was about to speak he heard Lenore's voice.
Across the market, Lenore was storming through the crowd as if she was running away from someone. The man that she was avoiding soon appeared more than a head taller than most of the crowd. He easily followed her even when Lenore screamed at him to leave her be.
A deep frown appeared on Routine's face as he watched Lenore and Santh disappear behind some buildings. "So it is true." He spoke to no one.
"What is true?" Krine asked as she had been following the commotion as well though she appeared amused.
"Lenore does carry affections for the Mondue." He seemed to suck on his inner cheek for a brief moment. "She would not empower anyone to chase her unless she desired to be chased." He gently shrugged his shoulders. "Ah, I may in truth be jealous." He spoke the words without any contempt or shame.
Krine looked down at him and then back to the area that Lenore had disappeared. She noticed that he was still watching the area though the Princess had long ago left. "Do you have feelings for the Princess?"
The question seemed to bring him back to himself and he turned his eyes to meet Krine's own. He seemed to be lost in thought briefly before he responded. "If that were true it would be futile to acknowledge such an inclination now. The Mondue has won."
With that he turned back to looking through the fabrics next to him.
Krine continued to stand next him and began to point out fabrics, though he continually rejected them with some excuse or another. Too soft, not soft enough, the material was not the proper mix of fabrics, the list continued on.
Though she wasn't bothered by his finickiness and pulled out other fabrics for him to test. She thought he was a strange but a straight forward man. Almost Mondue like in those qualities, but he certainly was odd. She wondered what kind of life would be ahead of man that seemed far out of the ordinary.
The carriage pulled up to the back gate and waited as several girls from the hamlet filtered back into the university. The man sitting inside watched the women and wondered what everyone was doing outside instead of working on the dorms. He knew that the women he had placed within the group to watch this unfold could not approach his carriage until the rest of the group had dispersed therefore he leaned back and closed his eyes.
After some time, the carriage door opened and two women stepped inside. They sat across the carriage from him in the dark. He could barely make out their faces as the sun had set hours ago. Sitting up properly, he looked at the women with his arms crossed.
They smelled of dirt and sweat not what these usually high breed women would smell like, but they were working hard for his cause. Of course, he had promised to marry one of them if they did well. He had no intention of marrying either one, but such women were easy to manipulate when offered power and money.
"Every thing is going according to schedule, Lord Damek." The smallest girl informed him and the other one nodded.
"The dorm should be finished before the beginning of the next year." The taller girl added and folded her hands in her lap.
Damek was quiet for a moment before he grinned though they could not see his facial expressions in this darkness. "What of the Princess?"
The two girls didn't know what he was asking about and they both gave each other a glance. He waited patiently for their answer as he briefly tried to remember what their names were, but nothing came to mind.
"She seems well." The small girl answered. "Her and the Mondue seem to be in conflict, but her spirits seem high. She sent us all to the hamlet to enjoy a rest day after the commoners became physical with one another."
He licked his bottom lip. "It is important to my plans that Lenore's dorm be built." He explained. "If anything threatens this short of the King himself, I was to be notified, understood?"
They nodded and both responded with, "Yes, milord."
"In your weekly letters, I want to be informed of Lenore's activities, but do not stalk her. Whatever she does in the open will be enough." He cleared his throat. "Remember you are here to report anything suspicious to me. Be gone, I will return to see you in person before this break is done."
They bowed their heads and opened the carriage door before they exited. When the door was shut behind them, Damek banged on the inner wall of the carriage and it began to move. He leaned back against the seat and inhaled deeply.
The carriage moved on for some time before stopped outside of town. The carriage door opened once more and a man, who wore black clothing, entered. He sat across from Damek and crossed his arms after he pounded on the carriage wall for the driver to continue.
"Well?" Damek asked after a moment.
"The foundation seems to be in place and the frame is already being built. It should not be much longer, milord." The deep voiced man spoke. "I did not catch any glimpse of the Princess, though I heard she was in the hamlet most of this day."
"Then my spies were correct." He cleared his throat once more.
"I feel, milord, that it is redundant to have them on the inside and my watching from the shadows. Especially considering that..."
"You are not privy to my plans." Damek interrupted. "You will do as I command of you."
The man bowed his head, "Yes, milord. Forgive my acrimony."
A silence came between them as they continued to ride back to the capital. Damek could see out his window and grinned from ear to ear as he thought over what the next few months would bring.
Lenore had been running around the hamlet all evening. She was trying to escape Santh as she had almost cracked a couple times and had been pulling into a conversation with him. It would often begin when he would discuss the fabrics she was browsing or the food she was thinking about eating. Before long she realized that the sun had set and it was pitch dark in the hamlet.
She began to make her way home with Santh on her heels and annoyance came over her heart. The day had been amusing enough but now she wanted him to leave her be. He had yet to offer her any real apology for what he had done and she wondered why he was bothering to go this far without giving an explanation.
Santh walked behind her and watched as Lenore took the short cut through the woods to the dorm. There was little light to guide them as they walked down the stream, and Santh thought over carefully what he should do now. Remus' words about being himself kept coming to mind.
Grabbing Lenore's upper arm, he turned her and for a brief moment saw the look of anger on her face. He ignored it completely as he quickly took both of her cheeks in his hands and pressed his lips against her own.
Lenore immediately shoved him away and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Have you gone mad?" She barked.
Santh took a breath and prepared himself to tell her exactly what he was thinking. "I finished my father's journals. I now know that my father was responsible for his own death and not the King. The reason I kept a distance between us... because I blamed your father for what has happened. However, I am done trying to fight you, Lenore."
"You did well, pushing me away." Lenore snapped. "I can no longer imagine anything between us, so let me be!"
As she turned to leave, Santh kept a hold on her upper arm and pulled her back around. She looked furious.
"You are only angry with me and want to punish me." He told her calmly. Shoving his arm away, she turned around once more only to have Santh grab her again.
Santh continued to speak in a calm manner. "You need to take a moment and look at how you are acting."
"Unhand me!" She ordered like the princess that she was and yanked her arm away. When she turned around again, Santh did the same as he had done before and grabbed her upper arm. When she faced him again, Lenore looked as if she was about to explode with anger. "Do you want to die?" She hissed the question at him but her arm stayed firmly in his grasp.
"Do you know how I know, Lenore?" He asked and the question made her look confused. "You do not truly hate me, and I know this because if any man had grabbed you like this three times or even once, you would have already used your claws on them."
The tension in her arm eased, "You are a large man, what could I do against the unarmed champion?"
Santh chuckled at her response and smirked slightly, "You know damn well that I would not act if you hit me."
The two stood silently for a moment before Lenore lifted up her free hand and slapped him across the face. He stared down at her for several seconds with fire in his eyes before grabbed her other arm and pushing her backwards into a tree.
His mouth covered her own before she could grasp what he was attempting to do in that moment. It wasn't a kind kiss of two lovers finally coming together, but one of frustration and ignored passion. She whimpered when her body hit the tree and when his lips attempted to conquer her own, but she didn't fight him.
After a brief moment, Lenore began to return the kiss and he eased his grasp on her arm as she brought her hands to rest on his chest. Slowly, she began to step on her tip toes as the kiss began to morph into a softer touch and Lenore's fingers touched his cheeks while Santh reached his arms around her body and hugged her closely to him.
"He still can not hold on properly." She chuckled to herself.
Remus shook his head, "It's not him this time." He told her with a grin and then began to make his suggestion.
Krine said nothing but merely nodded and walked over to where Santh was shirtless and moving wood for Jolon and Anton.
The two commoners had been breathing down eachother's neck the last couple of days and Anton eventually stopped moving the lumber for Jolon to cut.
"Aren't you afraid of getting a splinter on your shoulder?" Krine asked as she approached Santh who had just lifted up some wood.
He stared at her for a moment and cocked his head, "Why would I fear a splinter?"
She smirked, "Shall I help?" She asked reaching down, but Santh stopped her by placing his foot in front of her face.
"I understand that women are working hard to build this place, but I would be shamed if I allowed woman to assist me in my task."
The reply was a great deal nicer and longer winded than the expect "no" she had thought she would hear. Krine smiled as she stood up straight and gently touched his arm. "Since when do you explain yourself?"
Remus watched as Krine laid on her charm as best she could and his eyes went to Lenore who was standing next to Routine. She was trying to speak to him about what she needed from him, but everyone knew that Routine was more or less there for inspiration and he had no real intention of assisting in building this dorm.
However, Lenore's eyes did look toward the man who claimed the spot next to her blankets over the last few nights. Her brows furrowed every so slightly as she watched Krine and Santh speak to one another. Worst yet, Santh allowed her to touch him freely. She wasn't brushed off as he had done to many women in the past, in truth he had been allowing many of the girls access to him.
Licking her lips, Lenore continued to speak to Routine but she grabbed his arm and laid her head on his shoulder as she spoke. Routine did not seem to take any notice in her strange behavior and continued to argue with her that he was not one to do manual labor.
Santh noticed their cuddled state as he laid the wood down near Jolon. Krine was speaking to him as they walked side by side. Fire erupted from his chest in a fit of jealousy and he turned to Krine. He looked for any reason to touch her and saw that her hair that was pulled back had some loose hairs near her ears.
Reaching his hand forward, he explained. "Your hair has come loose."
Krine smiled as he brushed her hair behind her ears though she noticed he immediately looked toward Lenore, who Remus noticed had peaked at their interaction. Lenore began to cling more desperately to Routine who seemed completely unaware that he was being used.
Remus continued to stand back and watch as Santh found reason after reason to touch Krine, and Lenore clung tighter to the Souchan.
His eyes went back and forth before he tossed up his hands and walked away from the scene exasperated. "Children!"
---***---
As she finished up a blue curtain, Harona watched the antics between Lenore and Santh from a distance. She noticed that Ophelia and Saena were also watching as they giggled and shook their heads at the sight.
Lenore was hugging and clinging to the man nicknamed Routine, as Santh seemed more involved with touching and caressing the new Mondue female. After each round, they would stop and look at each other and it was obvious they were desperately trying to make the other jealous.
"Why is the Royal Princess acting in such a foolish manner?" Harona asked her two friends as they sat around a table filled with cloth.
Ophelia was the one to speak, "This is what happens when an unstoppable force falls in love with an immovable object."
"This could all be solved by Santh apologizing and admitting his feelings." Saena added as she shook her head.
"Santh is not entirely at fault here at this point. Lenore is being rather unreceptive to his attempts at making peace." Ophelia bit a thread and laid down her completed curtain.
Harona looked flabbergasted, "Is the Princess really this childish? She seemed so mature and thoughtful at all the rallies."
"Our Princess is rather mature and thoughtful in all matters that don't include Santh." Ophelia told her with a grin. "The two have a natural way of pulling the worst out of each other though most of the time they seem to have fun doing so."
Saena nodded in agreement, "They do fight a great deal but it always seems that Santh is yelling at her because he wants her attention, and when Lenore wants his attention she acts in outlandish ways that make him yell at her."
"When I first began to visit this dorm, Lenore would kiss Santh to make him stop yelling." She chuckled. "It shocked him into silence and he would turn bright red. I couldn't imagine him letting someone else get away with that behavior."
Harona thought that her friends casual way of discussing this was uncomfortable and decided she would change the subject. "I wonder if we can finish building this dorm before the year starts."
"Jolon and Anton say that the frame should be ready to go up in the next couple of days, and that the foundation is almost finished. It's already much bigger than the last dorm." Ophelia explained as she began to measure out her next curtain.
"Saena, I hear you will be staying here next year as well." Harona looked at the mousy girl.
She shrugged her small shoulders gently, "If I am allowed in then yes, I will be staying in this dorm."
"Why would they not allow you in?" She looked to Ophelia who seemed more than willing to allow Saena to explain everything.
Saena stared at the woman for a moment, "I am a member of the Servant's Guild."
Harona swallowed, "I see."
Ophelia looked between the two women and could see that her old friend was uncomfortable with the idea of some lowly commoner attending this school. Saena was no fool either and could clearly see the look of judgment upon Harona's face and she returned to her sewing.
"We are all women who wish to do better in our lives and go further than the social order allows." Ophelia spoke to them both. "We should encourage each other to climb out of the holes the world demands we lay in. Right, Harona?"
Harona looked up from her stitching, "Yes, of course."
Ophelia looked back over at Saena who grinned at her.
"What do you plan to do with your education, Saena?" Harona decided she would ask and perhaps it would be an answer that would set her mind to ease.
"Well, Routine says I am smart and an intelligent person without an education is society's great failure, but for me, I have my own reasons." Her eyes wandered toward where Jolon was obviously arguing with Anton.
Harona grinned, "I see."
---***---
Routine had moved off to a corner after he had enough of Lenore's attentions and attempts to involve him further in the building process. Initially, she seemed unwilling to let him leave her side, but she eventually became involved in a conversation with Remus, who was obviously trying to help Routine escape.
"Anton and Jolon are getting rather snippy." Remus informed her as he sat across the table from the Princess.
"Oh?" She looked up from the plans and up to the frame that was slowly going up.
He nodded. "Every question that I ask gets my head nearly torn from my body. It has been building for a couple days now."
Lenore stared at the two commoners that were both quietly working in their own corners. There was no bickering and no heated looks between them, so she merely shrugged her shoulders. "They are adults and can mediate their own issues."
At that moment, a large Mondue sat down beside Lenore on the bench. Remus turned his eyes to his friend and then to the Mondue female behind him. Krine shrugged her shoulders as if to tell him that she has done all she could, before turning around to help the others put the frame in order.
"Shall we go to the hamlet and gather lunch for everyone?" Santh asked the Princess.
Her brows furrowed, "The tasks for each member to gather lunch are on the schedule, if it is your day then someone else is already assigned to you."
"Yes, but I have already spoken with her and she agreed to switch places with you when your turn arrives." He told her calmly.
Lenore stared at the man beside her like he was the most bizarre creature that she had ever laid eyes upon. "What is it that you think you are doing? Is this your way of apologizing, because if it is then it's very confusing." She stood up. "I have no forgiveness for you, either way. I am done playing your games, leave me be as you asked of me."
Santh watched as she stomped off towards Ophelia and the others who were in the midst of sewing. He let out a loud sigh and looked toward Remus.
The Merchant shook his head, "I am just as confused as she is, and I know exactly what you are doing."
The Mondue frowned deeply, "This is not your place."
"It is when I feel pain in my gut whenever you attempt these halfhearted flirtations. It is like watching someone torture a small, helpless animal." He couldn't help but continue to shake his head toward his friend. "May I make a suggestion?"
"No." Santh said firmly, but Remus noticed that he did not make a move to leave and as always with Santh; it is not what he says but what his actions show that tell you the truth of him.
"Perhaps, you should come out directly and speak whatever it is that is on your mind. Neither you nor Lenore are ones to understand the subtly of the romantic tongue. Quite frankly, your attempts have been childish, pushy, and... well, for lack of a better word, creepy." Remus watched as Santh listened to him and seemed to shutter at his last three descriptive words.
"It cannot be that bad." Santh finally spoke.
"It is, my friend, it truly is." Remus took a deep breath. "Romantic gestures are not your strong suit. Stick to what you know. I will never toss a woman over my shoulder and claim to the world that she belongs to me, and you will never know what poetic words to speak to a woman while holding a dozen roses."
Santh stared at him for a moment looking rather disgruntled before standing up and walking away without another word spoken.
---***---
"I don't think you are carving them thinly enough." Jolon walked over to Anton who was cutting shingles.
Anton was a thatcher and only used wheat straw in the past, but he had worked with those that used shingles and was quick to learn. There were others in the area that were helping to cut each shingle by hand. It was decided that the roof would need to last a great deal longer than a thatched roof could provide.
The small area was mostly quiet except for the sound of axes and sawing as everyone worked on the shingles. They all sat on used stumps that had been brought along to help them make their work more efficient, though they found themselves on their knees most of the time.
"They are the perfect shape and size." Anton growled. "Return to your frame so we can start the roof."
The girls in the area looked nervous as the tension between the two was palatable.
"Once the frame goes up, you will need to put the roof on quickly and the rest of us will work on the inside." Jolon picked up one of the shingles and looked it over before tossing it into the pile next to Anton. "At that thickness they will be impossible to hammer in quickly."
Anton took a deep breath and glared up at his friend. "They need their thickness for sustainability and to protect from the rain."
He snorted, "You are the one that will waste hours working on the roof. I do hope we have long enough nails."
Standing up, Anton tossed his saw to the ground and stood as tall as he could though Jolon remained taller. "Stop telling me how to do my job, carpenter."
Jolon had never had his friend call him by his profession and not his name before. "Or what, thatcher?"
Anton chuckled bitterly, "You aren't even a carpenter that wishes to stay in his guild. You want something else in your life, therefore how knowledgeable can you actually be?"
They stared at each other for a moment, before Jolon's hand shove Anton in the shoulder. This was all it took before they were both throwing punches, landing on the newly made shingles, and rolling around in the dirt together.
Blood was drawn almost immediately, and the girls in the surrounding area pleaded with them to stop, but the two continued. As they both managed to stand up again after Anton had kicked Jolon in the stomach, they locked onto each other and were about to begin a second round.
A large hand reached out and grabbed Anton's shirt to pull him off his feet. He was left hanging in the air and looking at Santh who was frowning deeply. Initially he thought to continue swinging his fists, but decided that against Santh this would be a poor decision. His eyes turned to Jolon who Authin had stepped in and was standing in front of Jolon pushing him back with his shoulder.
"Enough!" Santh barked at Jolon.
The commoner didn't need him to offer any resistance to the command and stopped trying to push passed Authin. The Royal now had mud covering his boots from where he had planted himself into the ground.
"What is all this nonsense about?" Lenore barked as she and Remus approached. "Put him down, Santh!"
Santh did as he was told without offering any explanation though she didn't need one.
"You two have always gotten along so well. I do not understand why working together would cause this, are you trying to prove that you are better than your friend, Jolon?" Lenore asked.
Jolon said nothing and just stared down at the ground.
Lenore took a deep breath before announcing loudly, "Everyone, we will be taking the rest of the day off. Go enjoy yourselves in the hamlet. We haven't rested in a while, and obviously some of us need it more than others."
Remus nodded his head before the Princess, as they both turned away and left the group alone.
"Looks like Remus is taking over as her puppy." Authin mumbled before hurrying away from Santh.
---***---
Most of the girls headed out to the hamlet, while others remained behind to play cards. Jolon and Anton had taken a seat on the newly laid wood foundation with the girls including Ophelia. Authin had disappeared immediately with a group of girls when the break was called, while Lenore convinced Routine to go into the hamlet with her.
He didn't need much prodding as he needed more white cloth for his shirts, and therefore began to ready himself for the small trip. He never went into the hamlet without looking his best as he didn't want the people to see the future Souchan Guild Master looking poorly.
From a distance, Santh watched. He had wanted to ask her to join him in the hamlet, but she had raced over to Routine as if she was anticipating his move. As he stood watching her while Lenore had her hands on her hips as Routine combed his hair and checked himself over in the mirror, Krine approached.
"Do you wish to follow them? We can sneak about and watch their activities." Krine asked him in a way that told she was only half joking.
Girls were still leaving the court in small groups and giggles filled the air as they slowly began to filter out.
Santh glared down at the Mondue woman beside him. "What are you attempting to do here, Krine?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "I was trying to be helpful."
The two stood in silence for some time before Routine finished dressing to his liking and they both began to head toward the path.
Krine looked up to Santh with a smile on her lips. "I am pretty certain that I can manhandle the male away."
Staring at her for a moment, he almost told her to be gone, but a slight smile came over his lips. He began to move towards Lenore and Routine, and Krine was quick to follow his lead.
Lenore walked arm in arm with Routine. She had been using him as a buffer between her and Santh, and she wondered if Routine was very aware of it. Though past experience told her that he was not, and even if he did know he would have no interest in the situation anyway. Therefore it was worthless to feel any guilt over the matter.
As they were about to take their first step onto the path, Lenore felt Routine being yanked away. She turned to watch Krine holding him from behind with one arm around his shoulders and her free hand around his mouth. She slowly dragged him into the nearby woods while staring directly into Lenore's eyes.
The Princess watched flabbergasted over what this could possibly be about though she was not worried that Krine would do anything to harm her friend. That much was true enough by the way that Santh remained behind with her.
When her eyes finally turned to him, Santh shrugged with a grin on his lips. "She really needs to speak with him."
Taking a deep breath, Lenore rolled her eyes before turning around and heading toward the hamlet. She knew exactly what that had been about, and though she thought of saving Routine from Krine, part of her was happy that Santh followed closely behind her. If she rescued Routine the odds were that Santh would not make any attempts to reconcile, not that she was going to make this very easy for him.
Even though she was obviously trying to storm away from him, the large Mondue had no trouble keeping up with her. He couldn't see anything but the back of her head and therefore didn't notice the slight smirk on her lips.
---***---
Saena held a cloth to Jolon's split lip as she looked over his face. She stood in front of him as he sat on the finished foundation away from the court. Harona and Ophelia stood nearby as Anton sat on the foundation as well though a body's length away.
Watching Anton try to care for his wounds, Harona stepped forward and tried to take the cloth from him, but Anton pulled it away. "Go away!" He barked and then cringed when his yelling caused the injuries on his face to sting.
"You can not see and I..." Harona stopped speaking and sighed as she could see that Anton was not paying her any attention.
Both Harona and Saena remained quiet. Neither seemed able to offer any words or ask any questions which caused Ophelia's normally gentle heart to fill with annoyance and anger. She stepped forward and yanked the cloth from Anton's hand.
He opened his mouth to yell but she was quick to speak first. "Be silent!" She barked as she handed Harona the cloth.
Harona looked shocked to see Anton follow Ophelia's orders, but she soon dipped the cloth in the medicated water that rested in a bowl next to him and placed it on his wounds.
Ophelia glared at the two men before her as the scent of freshly cut wood filled her nostrils. Her arms were folded and her eyes filled with anger. Anton and Jolon could barely look at her and whenever their eyes met they immediately looked down.
"I just... I simply can not..." Ophelia began but even though she had plenty of time to gather her thoughts together, she couldn't find just one train of thought to follow. "You two are absolute idiots. The fact that Lenore just walked away and didn't destroy you two has me seething!" She stomped her foot. "You two should be ashamed! You have placed our plans behind a half day! Do you know how many people are counting on you two? Not to mention Saena and Harona standing before you. If this is how you two shall be then go home!"
Ophelia words made both Harona and Saena look distant in their eyes as if she had spoken the words that they were thinking.
Saena dropped the cloth into the bowl and stepped back. "That will do for now."
Harona also put her cloth in the bowl, "I agree." She took a deep breath and turned her attention to Saena and Ophelia. "The Princess said to go to the hamlet for the day, shall we?"
"I don't feel like..." Anton began but his words ended when Harona shot him a look that informed him to be quiet.
"I was speaking to the woman only." She snapped.
Ophelia looked between the two of them, "You two fix whatever this issue is before we return or so help me, I will get Santh to beat you both into a bloody pile. He will too as I am the link between him and Lenore." With that the two girls walked away without another word between them.
Anton and Jolon sat silently with their feet dangling over the edge of the wooden foundation. They both sighed at the same time.
"I do not know why I have been attacking your work." Jolon was the first to speak. "I suppose I am just frustrated working with not only women but women who have no idea what they are doing. You are the only man that I can vent my frustrations to."
Anton nodded his head. "I understand. I am frustrated too. It feels as if all the hard labor has fallen to us, and the others are simply waiting for us to create a miracle."
The two sat quietly for a few moments as they thought over their words.
"It looks like Harona and Saena are rightly pissed at us." Jolon said with a sigh as he looked toward the direction the girls had left. "Ophelia more so."
"Why should I care?" Anton asked with sincerity.
"You and Harona aren't..." He cut himself short and stood on his feet. "Come let's finish our work. The others may take the day off but we do not have that luxury."
---***---
Authin returned having never entered the hamlet, though the girls he had left with were happy to have him walk with them to the gates, they had made it clear they wished the journey to just be amongst themselves. Returning to the dirt court, he made his way over to his blanket and lifted up a book as he leaned against the tree behind him.
There were some other girls playing cards quietly, and Remus sat on the foundation as he looked over the finances. Anton and Jolon were the only two making any real noise as they continued to cut shingles together and Jolon listened carefully to Anton's instructions.
After an hour had passed, Ophelia returned to the dirt court as she hadn't felt like playing long in the hamlet. Saena and Harona had chosen to stay mostly because they didn't want to face the two men they were angry with.
Ophelia took a deep breath as she looked around the court and tried to decide which group she wished to join. She could continue sewing but she wanted a day off as much as anyone else. The girls playing cards were often the very same girls that would tease her endlessly and she didn't wish to put herself in a poor position, even if they had done nothing since they arrived. Anton and Jolon would have no use for her, and Remus, though he sat alone, was too uncomfortable and he looked busy with his work anyway.
That was when her eyes fell on Authin. He was quietly reading a book and she knew she would be disturbing him but she made her way over to his blanket. When she was about to greet him, he lowered his book and gave a grin.
"Did you enjoy your time in the hamlet?" He asked even though he had left before she had made the decision to go herself.
"Yes." She replied with a grin and decided that he must have made the assumption considering that was where everyone else had disappeared to. "What are you reading?"
He held up the book, "It is a book of fairy tales. Very dark ones."
"Oh." Ophelia sat down on his blanket at his feet and Authin didn't seem to mind. "Authin, may I ask you something of a private matter?"
He raised his eyebrows.
"When you... when you attacked Lenore..." She searched for the words to ask in the nicest way possible, but could not find them.
"Ah, yes." He lowered his eyes briefly. "I have never not received the attention that I wanted from a woman. Obviously, what I did was unforgivable though I am grateful that I was allowed to remain at university in this dorm."
Ophelia didn't know if he had truly answered her question or not, and she felt like there was more to the story then just frustration. Though after a moment, she decided to forget about the incident as Lenore had seemed to have done. "Did you enjoy yourself in the hamlet?"
"I am afraid I merely escorted the ladies to the gates and then was asked to leave." He told her without any embarrassment in his voice.
She giggled.
"Does that amuse you?" He asked with a grin on his own lips.
"Slightly. Considering how easily you plied your trade in the past and now are asked to leave by the very women that once swooned to you." She giggled a little louder.
Authin's own grin turned into a smile and he chuckled along side her. "I suppose I have earned much of this scorn on my own."
Remus watched from a distance unable to hear what they were discussing, though he could see the two of them laughing. He frowned deeply. He wanted to walk over to them and yank Ophelia away, but his voice of reason told him that she was no longer his to feel this way over.
Taking a deep breath, he returned to his numbers though his eyes continued to wander back over to Ophelia who was laughing alongside another man.
---***---
Routine found himself in an odd situation as he walked through the hamlet to browse the fabrics. The woman who had manhandled him in a most undignified manner was walking at his side. When he had returned to where he left Lenore he had found her gone. Krine had smirked at him and he began to make his way into town alone, but Krine followed right behind him.
The hamlet was filled with many of the same women from the court and of course many familiar villagers. Though Routine did not come into the hamlet often therefore Krine was the only one who recognized them.
"You are very quiet." Krine finally spoke to him as he touched some fabric. "I was only attempting to assist Santh and give them some time together."
Routine frowned as he looked towards the taller woman. "Perhaps, you should have asked for a moment of my time."
She chuckled, "Doing so never crossed my mind. I apologize."
She was laughing through her apology so Routine did not take it seriously and simply continued to look through the white fabrics at the stand. Others passed around them as most seemed more interested in buying food and drink.
"What purpose are you serving by following me about?" Routine finally asked when he was about to move to the next stand.
Krine shrugged her shoulders. "I stole your companion from you, so I assumed that it was only proper to replace her."
He didn't know what to say to that other than he wouldn't be needing her assistance, but as he was about to speak he heard Lenore's voice.
Across the market, Lenore was storming through the crowd as if she was running away from someone. The man that she was avoiding soon appeared more than a head taller than most of the crowd. He easily followed her even when Lenore screamed at him to leave her be.
A deep frown appeared on Routine's face as he watched Lenore and Santh disappear behind some buildings. "So it is true." He spoke to no one.
"What is true?" Krine asked as she had been following the commotion as well though she appeared amused.
"Lenore does carry affections for the Mondue." He seemed to suck on his inner cheek for a brief moment. "She would not empower anyone to chase her unless she desired to be chased." He gently shrugged his shoulders. "Ah, I may in truth be jealous." He spoke the words without any contempt or shame.
Krine looked down at him and then back to the area that Lenore had disappeared. She noticed that he was still watching the area though the Princess had long ago left. "Do you have feelings for the Princess?"
The question seemed to bring him back to himself and he turned his eyes to meet Krine's own. He seemed to be lost in thought briefly before he responded. "If that were true it would be futile to acknowledge such an inclination now. The Mondue has won."
With that he turned back to looking through the fabrics next to him.
Krine continued to stand next him and began to point out fabrics, though he continually rejected them with some excuse or another. Too soft, not soft enough, the material was not the proper mix of fabrics, the list continued on.
Though she wasn't bothered by his finickiness and pulled out other fabrics for him to test. She thought he was a strange but a straight forward man. Almost Mondue like in those qualities, but he certainly was odd. She wondered what kind of life would be ahead of man that seemed far out of the ordinary.
---***---
The carriage pulled up to the back gate and waited as several girls from the hamlet filtered back into the university. The man sitting inside watched the women and wondered what everyone was doing outside instead of working on the dorms. He knew that the women he had placed within the group to watch this unfold could not approach his carriage until the rest of the group had dispersed therefore he leaned back and closed his eyes.
After some time, the carriage door opened and two women stepped inside. They sat across the carriage from him in the dark. He could barely make out their faces as the sun had set hours ago. Sitting up properly, he looked at the women with his arms crossed.
They smelled of dirt and sweat not what these usually high breed women would smell like, but they were working hard for his cause. Of course, he had promised to marry one of them if they did well. He had no intention of marrying either one, but such women were easy to manipulate when offered power and money.
"Every thing is going according to schedule, Lord Damek." The smallest girl informed him and the other one nodded.
"The dorm should be finished before the beginning of the next year." The taller girl added and folded her hands in her lap.
Damek was quiet for a moment before he grinned though they could not see his facial expressions in this darkness. "What of the Princess?"
The two girls didn't know what he was asking about and they both gave each other a glance. He waited patiently for their answer as he briefly tried to remember what their names were, but nothing came to mind.
"She seems well." The small girl answered. "Her and the Mondue seem to be in conflict, but her spirits seem high. She sent us all to the hamlet to enjoy a rest day after the commoners became physical with one another."
He licked his bottom lip. "It is important to my plans that Lenore's dorm be built." He explained. "If anything threatens this short of the King himself, I was to be notified, understood?"
They nodded and both responded with, "Yes, milord."
"In your weekly letters, I want to be informed of Lenore's activities, but do not stalk her. Whatever she does in the open will be enough." He cleared his throat. "Remember you are here to report anything suspicious to me. Be gone, I will return to see you in person before this break is done."
They bowed their heads and opened the carriage door before they exited. When the door was shut behind them, Damek banged on the inner wall of the carriage and it began to move. He leaned back against the seat and inhaled deeply.
The carriage moved on for some time before stopped outside of town. The carriage door opened once more and a man, who wore black clothing, entered. He sat across from Damek and crossed his arms after he pounded on the carriage wall for the driver to continue.
"Well?" Damek asked after a moment.
"The foundation seems to be in place and the frame is already being built. It should not be much longer, milord." The deep voiced man spoke. "I did not catch any glimpse of the Princess, though I heard she was in the hamlet most of this day."
"Then my spies were correct." He cleared his throat once more.
"I feel, milord, that it is redundant to have them on the inside and my watching from the shadows. Especially considering that..."
"You are not privy to my plans." Damek interrupted. "You will do as I command of you."
The man bowed his head, "Yes, milord. Forgive my acrimony."
A silence came between them as they continued to ride back to the capital. Damek could see out his window and grinned from ear to ear as he thought over what the next few months would bring.
---***---
Lenore had been running around the hamlet all evening. She was trying to escape Santh as she had almost cracked a couple times and had been pulling into a conversation with him. It would often begin when he would discuss the fabrics she was browsing or the food she was thinking about eating. Before long she realized that the sun had set and it was pitch dark in the hamlet.
She began to make her way home with Santh on her heels and annoyance came over her heart. The day had been amusing enough but now she wanted him to leave her be. He had yet to offer her any real apology for what he had done and she wondered why he was bothering to go this far without giving an explanation.
Santh walked behind her and watched as Lenore took the short cut through the woods to the dorm. There was little light to guide them as they walked down the stream, and Santh thought over carefully what he should do now. Remus' words about being himself kept coming to mind.
Grabbing Lenore's upper arm, he turned her and for a brief moment saw the look of anger on her face. He ignored it completely as he quickly took both of her cheeks in his hands and pressed his lips against her own.
Lenore immediately shoved him away and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Have you gone mad?" She barked.
Santh took a breath and prepared himself to tell her exactly what he was thinking. "I finished my father's journals. I now know that my father was responsible for his own death and not the King. The reason I kept a distance between us... because I blamed your father for what has happened. However, I am done trying to fight you, Lenore."
"You did well, pushing me away." Lenore snapped. "I can no longer imagine anything between us, so let me be!"
As she turned to leave, Santh kept a hold on her upper arm and pulled her back around. She looked furious.
"You are only angry with me and want to punish me." He told her calmly. Shoving his arm away, she turned around once more only to have Santh grab her again.
Santh continued to speak in a calm manner. "You need to take a moment and look at how you are acting."
"Unhand me!" She ordered like the princess that she was and yanked her arm away. When she turned around again, Santh did the same as he had done before and grabbed her upper arm. When she faced him again, Lenore looked as if she was about to explode with anger. "Do you want to die?" She hissed the question at him but her arm stayed firmly in his grasp.
"Do you know how I know, Lenore?" He asked and the question made her look confused. "You do not truly hate me, and I know this because if any man had grabbed you like this three times or even once, you would have already used your claws on them."
The tension in her arm eased, "You are a large man, what could I do against the unarmed champion?"
Santh chuckled at her response and smirked slightly, "You know damn well that I would not act if you hit me."
The two stood silently for a moment before Lenore lifted up her free hand and slapped him across the face. He stared down at her for several seconds with fire in his eyes before grabbed her other arm and pushing her backwards into a tree.
His mouth covered her own before she could grasp what he was attempting to do in that moment. It wasn't a kind kiss of two lovers finally coming together, but one of frustration and ignored passion. She whimpered when her body hit the tree and when his lips attempted to conquer her own, but she didn't fight him.
After a brief moment, Lenore began to return the kiss and he eased his grasp on her arm as she brought her hands to rest on his chest. Slowly, she began to step on her tip toes as the kiss began to morph into a softer touch and Lenore's fingers touched his cheeks while Santh reached his arms around her body and hugged her closely to him.