Dakran sighed, unable to lock horns with his wife. After all, she was the Lady of Ironstone. Who was he to stop her from doing what she wanted?
" All right. As you wish, my wife" Dakran brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed her hand. A show of reverence on his part. He was nothing like his father. Caell chuckled, relieved. He was bracing himself for the worst, but it seemed that Dakran was head over heels for Maya.
" The boy?" Dakran broke his thoughts, with a questioning eye. Catching Caell staring at Maya wasn't something he was pleased with, but he was proud of his wife. She was beautiful and deserved to be admired, from a distance.
" Yes," Caell sobered up, and glanced around the infirmary, looking for the boy. He shrugged when he couldn't find the boy and turned his attention back onto them.
" He is doing well. I don't think he can speak. He hasn't said a word, since he'd been up on his feet" Caell turned around again, still searching for the boy. He was beginning to worry, but he wouldn't get past Maras, the ever-scrupulous gatekeeper. So if he went out and about. He would most certainly return to the infirmary, eventually.
Dakran hummed and lit up when the boy crawled from under a bed with a ball of string in his hand.
" There he is!" Dakran beamed, tugging on her hand and pulling her over to where the boy was. A little over-enthusiastic, but the boy carried on twiddling with his string ball.
" Little man" Dakran called to gain the boy's attention. His hearing was fine by the looks of it, and he could understand. Maybe he chose not to speak.
The boy stilled and measured him from head to toe. He doubted that he remembered him. He was completely out of it when he dusted him off the floor in the granary. Dakran lowered himself on his heels in front of the boy. The little man hugged the ball to his chest, a little wary of him.
" Sweetheart " Maya sweetly called as she lowered herself on her heels next to him, with a measured tone and expression. The gentleness in her tone and expression gained the little boy's unmitigated attention.
" My name is Maya" She pointed at herself, trying to contain her bubbling excitement " And this is Dakran" Maya pointed at him, brightly smiling" I know he looks big and scary" Maya glanced at him, grinning when he frowned " But," Maya leaned in closer to whisper to the boy, something he couldn't quite hear. The boy frowned, looked at him, and then at Maya when she pulled away. He was badly itching to ask what she'd told the boy about him, but he held his tongue. It could wait.
Eyebrows quirked up, mouth open, surprised, the boy looked around the infirmary and scuttled to his bed before him, and Maya had another chance to say anything more.
" He needs some time." Caell piped in from behind, " He must remember his parents. Come back, and try again," Caell gave his council. Dakran pushed himself to stand, and Maya followed, with her eyes on the boy with lifted spirits. Maya had her work cut out for her, but he knew she will warm up to him, given time. Maya was hard to resist, she wouldn't have any trouble swaying the boy's heart.
" We understand, Caell" Maya meekly smiled and glanced at the boy perched on the bed, eyeing them.
" I will try again," Maya added, and glanced up at him, sourly smiling.
Dakran cleared his throat, uneasy" Eisza?" Dakran asked with brevity. This would be on Maya to carry forward. He was leaving, everything in her hands. He needed to shift to other things since Maya's disapproving eyes were making him break into a sweat.
Caell frowned " Eisza!" He shouted as loud as he could, gaining everyone's attention.
" Ay" The quavering voice of a woman cussing all the holy and unholy things that she knew of, rang in the room.
" What?" She barked from a corner of a room, rubbing her head, grimacing and hissing.
" I was under the bed, looking for the other string ball" Eisza wagged the string ball in the air and threw it to the little boy.
" Don't lose it again, lad" Eisza cautioned the boy with a grin and sighed " Handsome lad" Eisza added, and turned her attention onto them.
" Milord. Milady " Eisza curtly bowed, and clasped her hands behind her back, solemn.
" Pleased to make you acquaintance, Eisza" Maya returned the bow with a sweet smile.
" Likewise, Milady " Eisza nodded, uneasy with the platitudes. Battle-hardened, she had no taste for high-class, ratshit.
" What do you need?" Eisza cut to the chase, turning her attention to Caell.
Caell abashedly grinned and pointed at Dakran. It seemed that Eisza was feared among the northern people.
" I need you to train my wife" Dakran glanced at Maya, who frowned at his words and looked at Eisza.
Eisza frowned even deeper than Maya and measured her from head to toe. Whenever she did that, she took stock of the person in front of her. Height, weight; agility and prowess would come after a short duel.
Eisza tipped her chin, and squared her shoulders, preparing herself for the onslaught of questions she will deliver to Maya to gain knowledge of her abilities and training. Eisza was thorough, to the point that sometimes was pesky.
" Ever held a sword?" She began her questioning, without any regard for Maya's status.
" Yes," Maya replied, fierce.
" Fought?" Eisza asked head held high peering at Maya from above.
" Yes," Maya huffed, trying to keep herself grounded, even though she was a bit flustered with the sudden, bristly questions that Eisza threw at her.
" Battle?" Eisza pushed on, unbothered by Dakran's hard stare that threatened to burn Eisza to the ground.
" No" Maya's tone softened a little, feeling small in front of three people that have spent most of their lives on the battlefield.
"One-on-one" Maya added, timidly, and squeezed his arm. Uneasy, strengthening her belief that indeed she wasn't good enough to sit at Dakran's side.
" Who trained you?" Eisza didn't budge or show any mercy towards Maya.
" My brother and" Maya paused to look a Dakran " A friend of his and mine. Sylus," Maya added in an ebbing voice and looked down. Sylus's name off her lips was like little needles that pricked his heart. His death had been the reason, she was his wife. Unfortunate, poor man, he was grateful for the sacrifice he had made to ensure Maya would get a second chance.
"I see. First light, the day after tomorrow. On the grounds. Lose the dress" Eisza added smugly with brevity after a brief moment of silence. She was irritating as hell, but she was the best among all women. She was most suited to train Maya.
" First light" Maya huffed, squeezing his hand. She wasn't pleased with the arrangement, but there was no way he would let her set foot outside Irostone without any means to defend herself.
" Is there anything else?" Eisza wiped off the smugness under Dakran's punitive gaze and humbled a tad.
" No. I'm grateful for all that you have done so far, Eisza. You are a great warrior, fair, and just. I hope those attributes will be extended when it comes to my wife." Dakran reminded Eisza not to overstep her bounds when she will train Maya. Her impetuous nature, was her only letdown, and he feared she might get carried away with Maya.
Eisza nodded, and turned on her heels, a sign that she was done with talking, and being accommodating. Caell sighed, either relieved or wistful. Hard to tell, since he was facing away with his eyes on the blonde, stalwart woman as she stepped out of the infirmary.
Edýia popped out of the infirmary storeroom carrying a basket filled with dirty sheets, and clothing with Rom on her tail, frowning. Rom tore his eyes from Edýia to look at them, and nodded, in greeting, rolling his eyes when Edýia piled up some more in her basket.
" Take this," Rom shoved a sheet in her arms and tugged on the basket Edýia was holding. Edýia glared and tugged back, huffing.
" Edýia " Dakran's gruff tone rang in the infirmary, gaining Edýia's attention.
Dakran quirked up a brow, grim, and Edýia finally let go of the basket with a pout. Finally, able to do whatever she liked, Edýia was already overdoing it. Dakran sighed, and rolled his eyes, when Edýia trilled her lips, and crossed her arms over her chest, in a hump.