"Your highness!" The guards shouted. Lady Syria turned to the guards, tears streaming down from her eyes. "Help him please!" She said pathetically but the guards steeled their faces as they marched towards the two. "Lady Syria let go of his highness immediately." One guard said coldly. "Yes, yes, please help him. He's bleeding through his clothes." Lady Syria said as she slowly released Calder to another guard.
"What happened?" Another guard asked as he turned to Lady Britille but she had broken into a hysterical cry. They then turned their eyes to Lady Syria and narrowed their gazes at her. She was kneeling on the ground with a giant blood stain across her chest. "Lady Syria," The one guard started but Calder moaned. "S-S-Syria didn't d-d-do anything." Calder said as his teeth chatter and he tried to glance at Lady Syria.
"C-come w-w-with m-m-me?" He asked as he extended a bloody hand towards Lady Syria. She nodded her head without hesitation and grabbed his hand. "G-good." Calder said before he closed his eyes again.
.....
"What happened?" Calder asked as he opened his eyes. This time he recognized the walls and decorations as his own in his bedrooms. "Shhh. Have some water." A calming voice called out. Calder then felt a cold liquid touch his lips. He greedily swallowed the water as the glass slowly tipped up. "Thank you." He moaned. "You're welcome." She said as she put the glass back on the bedside table. Then Calder eyes shot open. "Syria!" He shouted as he jerked towards her but then winced.
"Careful. You don't want your wound to open again." Lady Syria said gently as she helped Calder back against the pile of pillows that held him slightly upright. "But your ankle." Calder said weakly. Lady Syria let out a small laugh and Calder could feel his ears starting to heat up. "My ankle is nothing compared to what happened to you." She said softly as she looked at Calder's chest.
"I'll live but you... You might not walk again." Calder said with a sad look. Lady Syria blushed and averted her gaze. "Honestly I just needed a bit of rest... The doctor lied to you so that you could walk me back to my room." Lady Syria admitted. "Why?" Calder asked as he felt a warmth spread across his chest. "He said I needed to get to know you better before I judge you." Lady Syria admitted apologetically.
Calder's heart dropped. "I have been a bit of a brute." Calder said regrettably. "Just a bit?" Lady Syria asked as she raised her eyebrow. "You're right a lot." Calder said with a side smile. Lady Syria blinked at Calder, stunned by his remark she then broke out into a laugh. "You were a giant brute!" She said as she laughed.
Calder inwardly sigh. Lady Syria looked so sweet as she laughed. "I'm sorry." He started to say when suddenly Esai stormed into the room. "Your Majesty." Lady Syria said as she shot right up and curtsied.
Esai waved Lady Syria's greeting then looked at Calder. "Leave." Esai commanded and Lady Syria bobbed slightly as she still curtsied. She then rose and moved towards the door. "Syria, please let Landis look you over again... and thank you for everything." Calder said as he showed her a pitiful face. Lady Syria looked back and gave Calder a small smile.
He instantly flushed and forgave the librarian in his heart. A smile from a lovely lady was rather deadly. The moment Lady Syria left the room Esai narrowed his gaze at Calder. "Calder where is the book." He said in a deadly tone. Calder looked up at Esai and blinked. "Don't you have it?" Calder asked. Esai's eyes grew wide. "No." He admitted honestly. Then Calder paled. "It wasn't in the library when I went." Calder said as he gulped back saliva.
Esai's eyes grew wide, his face paled and his fists trembled as they laid at the side of his body. "Calder what do you mean the book wasn't in the library?" Esai tried to say in a calm voice but Calder could hear his panic. Calder's mouth went dry, he tried licking his lips but it didn't help. Calder then reached for the glass of water but his hand was trembling uncontrollably. Esai grabbed his wrist and stared into his face.
Calder could see his own horrified face reflecting in Esai's eyes. "Calder." Esai pleaded as he started to apply some pressure to Calder's wrist. "The book... my memoirs, it wasn't there Esai. Someone has it and I don't know who." Calder replied. Esai's mouth slacked, he let go of Calder's wrist and took a step back.
"That's impossible. There is no way someone could have taken that book out of the library. You must be mistaken." Esai said as he glared at Calder. "No it wasn't there. I check thoroughly. Besides your men would have found it in the library or on the ground when they ran into me." Calder explained. Esai pursed his lips and furrowed his brow. It was only then when Calder would feel a chill run down his spine, Esai had the same face that Calder always wore.
"How detailed was it?" Esai asked in a strained voice. "Very.... I think. I'm actually.... I'm really not that sure. I don't remember, Esai I can't remember everything about being Taki. I don't even remember how I died or much of my younger days. The only real vivid memories I have were before I died and even then it's not complete. I get weird flashes when conversations come up but... I think somethings wrong with me." Calder admitted.
"No, nothing's wrong with you." Esai said with a sigh. Calder watched as Esai sat on the edge of his bed and gave him a pitiful look. "You wrote that book because your memories of Taki were fading away. You were embracing your life as Calder but felt bad that you were leaving your old family behind." Esai started.
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