"No thank you." Haider replied as he slowed down the knife.
Lin turned around to face Haider who was not even looking at her. "Why not?" she asked.
"Well, I have been to your house several times and each time you would invite me to help you study but it was during the night. I know you guys are well endowed enough to afford electricity but there are candles always lit in your room and it had this weird flowery smell especially your bed."
"Why is it that you sleep on a bed covered with flower petals? That is really weird, Also every time I come over you were something revealing and it Is really nerve wrenching, and the very last reason every time I come over I have to deal with your family and servants who do not like me in any way, if possible I would like to avoid them. besides it's not lik-" Lin covered Haider's mouth quickly despite it being to late. Maybe having reflexes slower than a tortoises was just one of the side effects of living a sheltered life.
"If you don't want to come then just say that stop making excuses." she said.
"But I just said I don't want to come."
SMAAACKKK!
Lin's hand smacked Haider's face while she blushed nearly in tears. She then stormed of leaving a confused Haider.
"Tut, tut, tut..." Haider saw Horatio sitting in a chair next to him wearing a white hoodie.
They both stared at each other in akward silence for quite a while before Haider broke the silence. "When did you get here?"
"I came here halfway in between your conversation." Horatio replied in a monotone voice.
They stared at each for quite a while again.
"You did not have to sit so close to me."
"Indeed I did not have but I was curious if you have changed my rival but it seems that you are still, pardon my language as dense as a mutterfucker!"
Haider stood up to leave, it was time for him to go home, he just had to turn in the report of the incident in which he destroyed several men's lineages.
"First of all, I am not your rival so please stop saying that, secondly even if you say pardon my language it is still quite rude and finally, What are you even talking about?"
Horatio stroked his blonde hair that was identical to nearly every elf. "Haider, even though I have been raised by priests like a monk and have never had a relationship with a woman before I can see better than you do."
Haider slapped his forehead. "I just want to go home please say what you want to say so that I can go home."
Horatio hesitated for a minute. He was confused if he should tell him or not. It wasn't his place to tell him but he wasn't picking up on the hints so he was wondering if he should just tell him the answer outright.
"Okay, that's it, I'm just gonna hand in this report and leave." Haider walked of into the captain's office who was away. He left the report on the table before leaving the room.
"Haider..."
"....."
"They... care about you.... a bit too much. They have feelings for you."
"Who?"
"..... the girls."
"No they do not, I am merely their tutor and they are just grateful and that is it. Even if... emphasis on the if, a giant if, if they did I am nothing more than a red haired elf who tutored them. I don't see what they would see in me?"
Horatio frowned at this, 'What do they see in you? No the better question is what do people not see in you? Everything about you is unique Haider. You put in so much work that you deserve to be arrogant yet you are not. Trust, strength, reliability and even luck you have them all, had I been in your shoes I would not have survived for long.' Horatio never had any friends but he considered Haider his first ever.
Horatio had been training since he was a child so that he could take over the white hood clan. But he didn't want to take over the clan. He gained confidence in himself after meeting Haider who was always leagues above him. Strength, intelligence, studies and even sociability.
"eh, that's up to you and not me." Horatio said. He threw a smoke grenade on the ground leaving Haider coughing. As the smoke settles he was nowhere to be seen.
____
Haider woke up the next morning feeling better as if he had just had a massage. He stood up to wake up his brother but stopped. He wasn't there. He got ready to leave and sat down at the normal busy table.
"Haider have you seen your brother?" his mother asked.
"No, for the first time he woke up earlier than me."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Huh?"
"Your brother hasn't come last night."
Haider was about to speak when his elder sister chimed in. "I'm guessing he spent the night over at his girlfriend's house."
Silence engulfed the table.
"He has a girlfriend?" Her mother asked.
"Yeah, just like Haider, in fact Haider's got 3 girlfriend's and a boyfriend."
Haider almost choked on the food he was eating as he pounded on his chest. "SHE IS LYING! I DO NOT! DO NOT BELIEVE HER!"
Haider quickly stood up and ran out of the house not giving anyone a chance to raise any questions or issues.
He reached the office and sat at his desk for a while going through paperwork. He looked up when he heard a small tap on his table. A man was standing in front of him.
"Can I help you?" Haider asked.
"The captain wants to speak to you." the man said. He then walked away.
Haider stood up and patted down his hair before walking to the captains office. He knocked on the door and spoke in a loud clear voice. "Sir, you called for me."
An old man with a giant pot belly sat on a chair that looked like it was going to break any time soon. A small moustache was on his chubby pig like face. "Yes I did, come on inside." Haider entered and stood near the wall with his hands behind his back and legs wide apart. The captain slowly slided the plate of food on his table and wiped his hands with a small towel.
He then reached into the drawer of his desk and pulled out a wad of papers.
"Do you know what you have done?" he asked.
_____
Send power stones.
Add to library.