Rutley was shocked beyond belief and didn't know what to say. He looked at Landis and saw that he was equally shocked. Rutley did the only thing he could think off and started to clean up the pieces of porcelain. "No." Calder said as he grabbed Rutley's hand. "It's my mess. I will clean it up." He said calmly but it scared Rutley even more. "Your high-!" Rutley started to say but instantly swallowed back his word when Calder glared at him.
"Calder." Rutley said weakly. Calder nodded his head and let go of Rutley's hand. He quickly started to collect the pieces of porcelain leaving Landis and Rutley to gawk at him. "Calder, if your having women problems you know you can always ask an expert for advice." Landis said with a small cough. Calder tossed the pieces of porcelain into the waste basket and dusted off his hands. "Do you know of any expert?" He asked seriously.
"Well, what about me?" Landis asked as he pointed at himself. Calder and Rutley both gave doubtful looks at Landis, waiting to hear the punch line to the joke of a question. "I'm being serious." Landis pouted as he drew circles on the table with his index finger, tears brimming his eyes. "Landis, no offense but weren't you divorced three times?" Calder asked. "No it was four and one run away bride." Rutley corrected.
"Which makes me an expert in the matter of women." Landis said proudly. "Rutley is there any person among the guards, soldiers or knights who are happily married after many years?" Calder asked Rutley, completely ignoring Landis. "I can ask around." Rutley replied. "The both of you don't know how to respect your elders!"
Calder and Rutley stared at Landis. His face was flushed and he was breathing rather heavily. "Fine. I will humour the old goat." Calder sighed. Rutley smirked as he gave Landis a 'he's back' kind of look. "I will always give you the most unbiased of answers, your highness." Landis said as he stressed the words your highness. Calder pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to calm down. He didn't need an all out war with the doctor too.
"Let's say that their is a young man trying to help a young lady who is in need of some help." Calder started. "Did she ask for help?" Landis interrupted. "No." Calder immediately responded. "So how does the young man know that the young lady got hurt?" Landis asked. "He saw it happen." Calder replied. "But she didn't want his help?" Landis asked. "Does it matter? Is it not a young man's duty to help out a young lady when she is in need of help?" Rutley asked as he joined the conversation.
"Not sure myself. I caught her before she fell backwards but she was in pain. I pulled up her dress and inspected her ankle. It was so small and smooth but she was hurt. Next thing I know I get slapped and am left with her shoe." Calder said as he furrowed his brows. Rutley and Landis wore matching dumbfounded expressions as they stared at Calder.
Calder noticed and turned beat red. He realized his mistake and tried to cover it up. "I mean the young man! Not me." He protested but there was no going back. "Calder." Rutley called out cautiously. "Fine it was me." Calder said in a defeated tone. "Calder." Rutley called out again. "So why did Lady Syria acting so harshly towards me?" Calder asked with sad and pitiful eyes.
"CALDER!" Rutley shouted. "She hates you." Landis said immediately. "Excuse me?" Calder asked as he gawked at Landis. "She hates you." Landis repeated as he picked up his tea cup and took a slow and long sip.
"Why?" Calder asked as he slouched against the couch. "Calder did anything happen when you were with Lady Britille?" Rutley asked cautiously as his eyes watered. "No." Calder said as he waved his hand in the air dismissively. "All that woman wanted to talk about was how the soldiers trained and besides I ran away after I ate." Calder replied. "Why can't you be a normal person?!" Rutley cried as he covered his face with his hands.
Calder rolled his eyes and brought his gaze back to Landis. "Why does she hate me?" He asked seriously. "Well with my vast experience in divorces, rejections and fair share of face slaps I would say you acted like a brute." Landis said courtly then reached out and grabbed a cherry blossom macron. "Are you sure?" Calder asked.
"Definitely. Now that I know what happened, they way she looked at you in the infirmary makes sense. She hates you." Landis said bluntly. "No. No, I think your wrong. I just did first aid there is no way she would hate me for something like that. Even when I escorted her she was wiling to talk to me, you have no idea what happened between us. There is no way she hates me, she doesn't even know me. I think she's just afraid to look at my face." Calder said as he tried to dismiss the insane conclusion.
"I bet you did something horrible to her again. That's why you came back in a bad mood." Landis pointed out. Calder paled as he thought back to Lady Syria's words. He couldn't rebut the doctor but he still felt it was the wrong conclusion.
"There is no way Calder did something to the Lady! They're both constantly watched and gossiped about! If something happened it would instantly become the hottest topic in the palace." Rutley said. "I don't think they are. Have you noticed more staff members have been sticking to the servant's passageways rather then taking the main corridors?" Landis asked. "But still." Rutley rebutted but he had nothing else to add. "How can I fix this?" Calder asked.
"Can you? I mean you practically sexually harassed the lady, maybe more then once. If I was her I don't think I would ever want to be alone with you again." Landis said harshly. "That's it!" Calder shouted as he stood up. "What?" Rutley asked. "She never wants to be alone with me again." Calder said with a giant grin. "Yes, so how is that the solution?" Landis asked. "I need to go talk to my brother!" Calder shouted before racing out of the room.
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