Kitanna
Chapter 134: PASSAGE ENEMIES

Chapter 134: PASSAGE ENEMIES

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: SUNSHINE ~ SIA]

After escorting Panha down the passage, Axilla hesitated, unsure whether to meet Lady Larel immediately, as instructed, or give her some privacy since the young master had something to discuss with the woman.

Reaching Lady Larel’s door, Axilla shook her head and turned. She would come back later, she thought, but her step was cut short when someone bumped into her, making her lose balance.

"Watch it!" The young guard glared at her as if this was not the first time she had bumped into him.

Axilla regained her balance, "You should be apologizing, not warning, as you’re the one in the wrong here," she found herself speaking confidently. After all, the guard was also a servant like her, nothing to be afraid of, especially when she did nothing wrong.

"For a tiny little girl, you sure have some nerve to talk back at me!" The guard said, pointing at Axilla.

Axilla scoffed, "For a muscular-looking guard, you talk too much," she retorted.

"What did you just say?"

The guard, now provoked, started walking towards Axilla. The girl gulped but still stood her ground, glaring at the guard.

"Chantal, Oh thank God you are still here, Lord Hieron asked that you send these to Lord Nix..." Clephas, who had not paid attention to the maid standing in front of Chantal, finally did.

"Clephas!" Axilla ignored the guard in front of her, pushing him aside she went to hug the eunuch tightly.

Clephas smiled, "oh my bright flower." He said, rubbing her hair gently. "You have met Chantal?"

"Who?"

"Who is she?"

Clephas looked at the two of them, noticing the air of hostility coming from both of them as they glared at each other.

"Axilla, this is Chantal, he works with Lord Nix now, a very resourceful young boy and devoted too." The eunuch smiled, trying to get them to greet each other, but they both threw their faces to the other side.

"If he is so devoted, he should change his crude manners. So uncouth!" Axilla harrumphed.

Clephas was surprised to hear Axilla talk about someone in such a manner; it was never in her nature to do such. Before he could reprimand the girl, the young guard spoke.

"Me? Was that for me? Clephas, was she talking to me.... I barely even knew of your existence until now." Chantal was so annoyed at the girl; he couldn’t believe someone was looking down on him.

"Pray tell me, if you are not brute, why would you raise your voice on a girl you bumped into. Clephas, give me what you were going to give to him; I’ll take it to the White Lord myself. He doesn’t deserve to serve beside the White Lord." Axilla retorted, her hazel eyes staring intently at the guard.

Chantal snickered, causing both Clephas and Axilla to look at him. They wanted to know what was funny.

"That’s it? Because I didn’t help you stand when your weak legs wobbled. Sorry to disappoint you, but where I come from, women are capable of holding their ground and not wagging their tongue." He fired back, enjoying the look of horror on the girl’s face.

"Clephas, did you hear him? He called my legs weak. Clephas, won’t you say anything?" Axilla felt the corner of her eyes burn. She didn’t know any other comeback to make, and it was annoying her.

Clephas touched his collar, trying to free it up so he could breathe. Maybe there was a reason Axilla left the palace in the first place, and she needed to go. Because these two persons would hold a knife at each other’s throats until there was a winner. He didn’t know what to say and didn’t want to appear partial. He sighed deeply, opened his lips to talk.

"Axilla." Clephas closed his mouth; that was not his voice. He noticed the door open, and a young man stood there looking at them.

"Was it why you wanted to return to the palace, to bicker along the corridor with him?" Cortez asked, his expression mundane and tired.

Axilla, who had first noticed Cortez, bit her lips. She couldn’t believe the young master heard her arguing with someone, and it was because of this unlucky guard.

"T-that was not it, he... I was on my way to see Lady Larel." Axilla finally explained.

Chantal and Clephas bowed respectively at the nobleman.

Cortez nodded, acknowledging their respect. He looked at the guard for some time before his gaze moved to settle on the tiny girl.

"Follow me." Not waiting to hear any other word, Cortez left the corridor. He didn’t need to turn because he heard Axilla’s feet padding behind him.

Chantal pointed at the young girl judgmentally, "Did you see that? She acted so meek in front of that young master. That girl is quite a handful; we should send her back to wherever she came from so peace can reign."

Clephas, feeling relieved that the fight was finally over, handed Chantal the parchment he was holding onto all along. Then he turned and left the place, going back to continue his work beside Lord Hieron.

Chantal held the parchment, "Clephas, you won’t say anything? Because she’s a girl. I would make her leave the palace myself." He stomped, walking out of the passage to get on with his task.

Cortez walked towards the palace pond, with his hand behind him. He looked at the carps move freely inside the pond, and his thoughts wandered here and there.

Axilla noticed the young master was deep in thought from the back where she stood. She noticed his shoulder was a little dropped, unlike usual. The young master she knew always held his shoulder high. Was it because he was disappointed at her for arguing?

"Young master.." Axilla called softly.

"Hm?" Cortez turned to meet her gentle innocent eyes.

"I’m sorry for disappointing you; I shouldn’t have argued," she whispered, trying not to look at his eyes directly.

Cortez cocked his head to the side, "Axilla, I would be leaving the palace, in the next three days. With Larel."

Axilla felt her heart squeeze; why was he leaving so soon? And with Lady Larel. She wanted to say something, but the young master wasn’t done talking.

"Why frown your face, are you afraid I would force you to go with me. Don’t worry; you’re free now, your name has been cleared, and from what I see, you belong here, unlike when you were in the merchant village. You were not so free and excited; I don’t want to take you where you wouldn’t be yourself. Take care of yourself, Axilla." Cortez walked to close the gap between them, and he rubbed her hair gently.

Axilla closed her eyes when she felt his warm hands touch her hair. It was so gentle that it made her want to purr. Relishing the feeling for a moment before she opened her eyes and saw him walking away.

"Young ma..." Axilla tried to run after him.

But a maid held her arm, stopping her from moving further, "Axilla, Princess Kitanna wants to see you in the kitchen, right now," the maid announced.

"Kitchen? What is she doing in the kitchen.." Axilla asked herself in a low voice, but the maid heard it and answered.

"The princess is cooking."