Chapter 26 – It’s Rude to Stare
The three of them made their way back to the burrow and helped themselves to the hot porridge cooking by the fire. Dorin had almost finished the pot when Horatio entered the cave, accompanied by a pale child clad in while robes with a golden crown on her head. Sebastian stared at the centaur, his jaw hanging, then at the child whose eyes where as white as her robes. When Sebastian looked closer, he noticed that there were feathers mixed with the pale child's white hair.
"It is rude to stare," said Damien.
"Please excuse me..." apologized Sebastian with his head bowed. "This is the first time I have seen... persons from legend..."
As he spoke, the centaur bend one knee and bowed his head before Sebastian. He looked strained. The pale child, on the other hand, fell prostrate in front of him.
"My leige!" she said, her eyes low.
Sebastian paled. He stepped back, his hands covering his mouth.
"Here." Damien handed Sebastian his slate. "One of my brothers found it for you."
Sebastian noticed the bite marks. The edges were cracked and the writing area was soiled, but it still worked.
[Thank you] he wrote. [I'm so sorry, I thought all of you were immune to my voice]
The centaur straightened and looked angrily at Sebastian as he dusted himself off, but the pale child remained kneeling. Sebastian knelt in front of her and gently pulled at her arm, showing her the slate.
[Please stand up, this is unnecessary]
"But it is," replied the child, her pale eyes upon Sebastian's. "You are my lord and master."
Sebastian looked flustered. [No, of course not, that was just the Silver Tongue working] he looked at Damien and Dorin for help. [Tell her. This is so embarrassing!] he wrote.
"I'm afraid she is right,." said Damien. "For it is a caladrius' nature to offer themselves to the service of a royal of their choosing. Azra is a young
[Royalty?!] Sebastian wrote in bold letters, [I'm no such thing!]
"Well, you are a Silver Tongue..." Dorin said thoughtfully, "Only royalty from the Ravante family are born with that gift, so that means..."
[I am not royalty!] Sebastian held the slate in front of Dorin. To Azra, he whispered "Stand up, I am not your master. You do not have to treat me like one."
Azra stood up and looked at him, her head tilting from one side to the other. "But my wish is to serve you," she said, "May you be of royal blood or not, it is my will to stay by your side."
Sebastian looked at the pale child in front of him, at the determined look in her white eyes. [Then] he wrote, [I prefer that you stay as my friend]
"Of course, master."
[And stop calling me that. Just call me Sebastian]
The caladrius blinked once. Twice. "Yes... Sebastian."
[Now, I really wouldn't want to overstay our welcome] Sebastian faced Damien and Horatio, [I think it's about time for us to get back home]
Horatio looked at Damien who had a slight smile on his face.
"That's right," said Dorin, looking worried, "I can't stay here much longer, my mother should be home by tomorrow," he was wringing the long kilt he was wearing in his hands. "If she comes home before I do, then all hell will break loose!"
"Then I shall send a summons to your aunt Agate," said Damien. "We shall leave as soon as Azra checks on Sebastian."
At this, the pale child stepped closer to Sebastian and slipped the thick snow leopard pelt off his shoulder. Surprised, Sebastian tried to pull it back, but Azra gently touched his arm and smiled, pulling the rest of the fur off his upper body. She stared at his bare chest, her white eyes passing over and slowly turning a slight shade of pink.
"He is fine," she said after a while. "That is the last of the hurt from his body."
She then raised her hands. Her robes turned into white feathers, covering her arms. "I shall release this into the sun," she said as more feathers covered her body that turned into the shape of a large white bird with long tail feathers trailing behind it. It looked at Sebastian and blinked its pink eyes, a golden crown of feathers on top of its head. "I shall see you soon, Sebastian," it said as it flapped its wings and flew out of the cave entrance.
Sebastian stared at the leaving caladrius.
[She's so beautiful] said the slate.
"Isn't she?" said Dorin with a big smile, "It's my first time seeing a live caladrius," he added. "There are a lot of beings and other races in Monarch forest, but I've never met one before."
"There are only a few of them left," Horatio spoke from behind them. "Most of them have suffered under the harsh rule of tyrants who cage them for the exclusive use of their healing abilities," he continued bitterly. "Now, only Azra and her family is left here in the Dark forest."
"She has pledged herself to you, young Silver Tongue," said Damien with an amused smile in his face. "Are you sure you don't want her services?"
[Absolutely] replied Sebastian, [I don't believe in hierarchies] He then added, [No man should be placed under another]
Damien looked amused. "Then I suggest you get ready." he said. "It is time for you to return to your University."