Xaphael headed towards the Ruins, following the pathway within the grove. He appears calm, indifferent but the footsteps reverberating throughout the ancient place were quick and heavy.
[ How dare they.] He cursed in his mind. There was an annoying feeling stifling his chest, but he doesn't know what it was. Maybe it was because that girl's accident will bring forth a disaster to him.
Thinking of the letter in his drawer, he chuckled.
[ It seems I'll have to shed a layer of skin for this blunder.]
He walked swiftly while generously showering every man and tree additional frosty air. The solemn atmosphere was suffocating, but his men were wise enough not to provoke him further. They could only follow him silently, minimizing their sense of existence.
When he reached the empty pavilion, he finally issued an order.
" Find her."
Upon receiving the command, they swiftly scattered.
Xaphael examined the surroundings, trying to get a clue to where she could have headed. He searched for a while before finding a small pink candy not far away. Recognizing what it was, the corner of his lip curled up. Even the biting air around him dissipated a lot. Then he trekked in a specific direction, following its trail.
After searching for a few minutes, he finally located a blue figure mixed within the earth tones. The short bushes hid her figure, only allowing a corner of her dress and her head to be seen.
He marched forward, approaching the girl from behind. It seems she was occupied as she can't be distracted by the sound of leaves and branches breaking. Xaphael doesn't mind. It was rare for him to catch the mad lass unguarded.
He moved unhurriedly, taking into sight her slender back.
When he was close enough, he finally saw the whole picture.
Eve was looking up at the sky while sipping a carton of strawberry milk. Her other arm was across her chest, and she indeed seemed to be immersed in deep contemplation.
Underneath her lifted foot, however, was a bleeding mouth.
Xaphael scrunched his brows, thinking to himself that he was worried for nothing. Then let out a wry chuckle as he realized that he was actually anxious for the crazy girl. In any case, she was alright and can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Hearing the sound of low laughter, Eve turned around.
" I knew you'd find them." She greeted and didn't forget to sip her drink.
For a moment, only the sound of slurping can be heard.
He did not respond but neared her instead.
He swiftly examined the person lying on the ground. Discerning her chest moving up and down gave him a surprise.
" You didn't kill her?"
Eve was confused and asked in return.
" Why should I?" Then she tilted her head and continued,
" Death is too much, a light punishment will suffice."
After all, this rat entertained her even if it's only a short time.
" But she's a traitor." He shot back.
[ Didn't she say she hates treachery the most?]
Eve gazed back at Ada and deeply thrusted her foot against her mouth once more.
" But she's not my person." She responded after swallowing a mouthful of her drink.
The force may not be evident to a third person, but her simple move was quite heavy. The unconscious person even trembled in pain.
" You'll give her to me, yeah?"
Xaphael furrowed his brows. It would be troublesome if she punished her lightly. That person, in the end, is a traitor and must pay the price.
" You can have her once I'm done." A light chuckle sounded, and he can't help but stare at her.
A devilish expression was once again painted on that charming face.
Understanding that someone will have to wish for death in her hands, Xaphael could only grin.
" Alrig-." The response was cut short because he was distracted by a particular sight.
A glaring red on her flank was presented when her waist-length hair was blown to the side.
He scurried to her and grabbed her by the waist.
" You said you weren't injured." His tone was unusually lower and a part of the dress, has long been clenched within his fist.
Eve nearly staggered by his unexpected action.
She glanced at the bloodied side and nonchalantly answered.
" Oh." She didn't feel anything, though, is what she thought.
Xaphael was furious. He can't even pinpoint if what irked him was her injury or that insouciant response.
[ Oh, she said?] The blood had long coagulated, but it was clear the wound was big enough!
He immediately took a flare gun from within his coat and shot a distress signal. They can only wait now for his subordinates to arrive.
After that series of operations, he regained his calm. Eve only watched him silently while enjoying her beverage. No way, even his annoyed face was good looking. It was a great combo with that menacing aura, she foolishly mused. The golden sunlight even glowed up his extraordinary feats. Such rare moment made her excited. Even the foot squeezing down on Ada's mouth was empowered by the beautiful scenery.
The scorching gaze attracted the young man. However, it seems he has grown immune to that blatant clothe-burning stare that he doesn't even care anymore.
" Press harder." He commented as he sneered at the blond rat having a passionate kiss with Eve's shoe.
And like a good girl that she is, Eve happily complied.
***
" El, I'm so happy with this date." A not-so-shy voice echoed within the grove.
" Could this be the prelude before sleeping with me?"
" It took you a while but still, I am glad."
" If I had known earlier that stepping on people's face will get you in the mood, I would have done so ages ago."
The delusion was too much for Xaphael to bear that he finally stopped walking.
He couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh.
" Eve." He turned around and met her eyes head-on.
" This isn't a date." He almost articulated it word for word to deliver the message thoroughly.
" El, explain that to our intertwined hands."
He closed his eyes, summoning every rationality leaving him behind.
" It's getting dark. There are no lights in this place. The ground is uneven because the walkway is crumbling. I am simply guiding you."
" Whatever you say." She smiled so lovingly, clearly denying his explanation.
Xaphael was so frustrated he even whispered Amitabha secretly to his soul.
[ Forget it. The injury must have reached her brain.]
With that notion, the two continued walking.
A few minutes later.
" El, don't forget my reward okay?"
Just after reaching the well-lit garden maze, she spoke again. He took the opportunity to let her hand go, turned around, and faced the beaming girl.
" What reward do you want?"
Like magic words, he watched her azure orbs gleam in expectation. He already knew what junk she'll spout by the looks of it.
" Anything except that."
Then he took in the disappointment that clouded her eyes that became revitalized a second later.
" Take me somewhere nice!"
" Define nice."
The eccentric girl with peculiar taste would definitely be having a different perception of what nice is.
" An exciting place. A place of blood and cruelty." Then she giggled so charmingly, totally delighted with such a fantastic idea.
[ See. Definitely a bloodthirsty lunatic.]
" Alright."
A fiendish smirk can be seen on Xaphael's face. However, Eve did not catch it, for the villain had already turned around.
[ Just like me. ]
They strolled side by side, heading towards the majestic castle that glimmers against the night sky.
***
Later at Eve's bedroom.
" I said, let go. I'll just call the physician." Xaphael pried her slender fingers off his coat and once again acknowledged her strange gorilla-grip.
" And I said I don't need one. It has stopped bleeding. Disinfecting it would be enough." She tried portraying the most fragile and pathetic look she could muster.
" I'll call a maid to help you." His hand once again reached out to the doorknob, ready to exit from her room.
" El, you said you'll be responsible for me."
[ Come on, tearglands, do your thing.] She scolded her uncooperative gland that refuses to produce a single drop.
" I don't remember mentioning something like that."
" It's enough for me to remember." She appeared so sincere. If someone could see them, they'd think Xaphael is an ass playing the scumbag bf role.
" I didn't. You're imagining things."
" I swear. It did happen."
[ Happened in my mind.] She shamelessly justified in her head.
The young man confronted her, aching to talk some sense to the irrational person.
" It seems you're truly alright. You're immensely energetic too. You'll be fine disinfecting it yourself."
As if dejected by such cold treatment, she lowered her head instead.
[ You think you can escape after coming here of your own accord?] Well, in truth, she lowered her head to hide the slyness blooming on her face.
Then out of the blue, she fell into El's arms and spoke with a lifeless voice.
" El, I'm dying. Call the priest." The boneless body ever so weakly leaned on him. The drastic change in her energy and condition nearly qualified her to be an actress. Too bad the lecherous girl can't control her naughty paw that stretched to his abdomen. Even his coat can't hinder her evil spirit.
The arteries on his temples had pulsated strongly again.
[ This shameless girl.]
Comprehending that the person, whose face is thicker than the ancient wall, won't back down on this, he gave up. He just consoled himself to think it as compensation for being hurt under his watch.
" Then lie down and wait or better yet do something to expose the wound." He sighed and went to to the bathroom.
When he returned, his eyes almost blasted out from its sockets.
The pervert has done it and not only exposed the wound but everything. She even foolishly struck a pose akin to a French girl. Fortunately, she still had a remaining sense of shame to leave her underwear.
He wasn't agitated for long because once he stepped forward to rebuke her, the remnant blood that congealed on her skin was exposed in all its glory.
" Does it hurt?" El murmured while touching around the wound.
" No, it doesn't."
[ Liar. How could you not feel anything?]
The cut was at least five centimeters in length. Thankfully, it wasn't deep and had long stopped bleeding. Still, it was a horrendous sight to see on Eve's alabaster skin. It was shattering that all his protest of keeping her clothes on evaporated the moment he saw it. Even the bruise over her shoulder with minor cuts on it was so hideous. Thinking that someone was actually presumptuous enough to inflict this on her was irritating him to the very core. It was like seeing a holy place being desecrated by imbeciles who left their stupid marks here and there. It was infuriating.
" El, let's do something more fun." Eve was already getting moldy from waiting. She tried lifting her torso so she could sit up, but a formidable force kept her back down.
" I only agreed to treat your wound so behave." If Eve was not distracted by reprimanding the stingy villain in her mind, she could have noticed that his voice was extra cold.
Then she sensed a wet thing being rubbed on her shoulder. It was warm and caressing her skin so softly.
Tired and comfortable, she snoozed away under the villain's careful service.
***
ESSENTIAL DRAMATURGY ACT 3
Eve: * Shakes the small carton of strawberry milk *Adjusts the straw and sips furiously until the sound of sipping ceased.
El: * opens his palm towards Eve
Eve: * throws him a suspicious look. " What is it?"
El: Give me.
Eve: * Narrows eyes [ Hey, I may want to kung fu with you in bed, but that doesn't mean I'll give you everything.]
El: " What are you doing? I'll throw it for you."
Eve: "Oh. Sorry. Force of instinct." *Hands him trash
Five minutes later
A certain chivalrous spirit pushed the pink carton to one of the arriving men.
Crony1: ?