After a long day of practice and a bath, Braxis collapsed into his bed, exhausted. "I haven't been this tired since the warehouse." he sighed.
"Welp, I may as well get to work." He said quietly as he got into the meditative stance that he learned from his book from his last life.
With a groan, Braxis sunk into his bed, feeling every muscle in his body scream in protest. It had been a grueling day, filled with sweat, blood, and tears. He was glad that he was able to take a bath in relaxation before getting into his room. He felt like he had just gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer, his body was battered and bruised.
"Levant really didn't hold back any, did he." He sighed as he recalled the training.
But he couldn't afford to rest. Not when there was so much at stake. With a deep breath, he forced himself back up, his body creaking and groaning like an old man. He assumed the meditative stance he had learned from his book, feeling the energy coursing through his veins as he focused his mind and body.
For Braxis, time seemed to stand still as he lost himself in the meditation.
As he meditated, Braxis was suddenly jolted back to reality by a sharp knock on his door. He let out a curse under his breath, annoyed at the interruption. Couldn't people see that he was busy?
"Master Braxis, breakfast will be served shortly. The cook has prepared a sumptuous feast. Freshly baked bread, sizzling bacon, and golden eggs cooked to perfection," Julianne announced, her voice laced with excitement.
Braxis reclined on his bed, his eyes closed, and his arms stretched out above his head. "Thank you, Julianne. I'll join you in a moment," he replied, his voice muffled by the soft cotton pillow.
"Julianne, can you come in here?" Braxis called out, his voice a little louder. "I actually need your help with something!"
Julianne stopped in her tracks, her heart beating faster as she heard Braxis's voice. 'He needs my help?' she thought, a flush creeping up her neck. She had never been inside his room before, and the thought of seeing him in such an intimate space made her nervous.
Slowly, Julianne pushed open the door to Braxis's room, her eyes wide with curiosity. As she stepped inside, she closed the door softly behind her, shutting out the bustling sounds of the castle beyond.
Braxis was lying on his bed, his dark hair tousled and his muscular arms on display. Julianne couldn't help but notice how attractive he looked, even in this vulnerable position.
"I have an odd request, Julianne," Braxis said, his voice low and husky. He scratched his cheek sheepishly, his eyes fixed on her face.
"A request?" Julianne repeated, her heart racing. She wondered what he could possibly want from her.
Braxis sat up on the bed, his piercing blue eyes fixed on her. "What do you need, Master Braxis?" Julianne asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I spent almost all day yesterday training with Levant, could you please give me a massage, I'm too sore to go to breakfast.." Braxis explained with a slight smile.
Julianne's eyes widened as she took in the sight of Braxis. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt a sudden rush of heat suffuse her entire body. She jumped back slightly and hid her face slightly with her hand, trying to compose herself.
"A m-massage?" she stuttered out, her voice barely above a whisper.
Braxis nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, nothing weird, don't worry. I just need you, Julianne!"
Julianne's heart skipped a beat at the intensity of his gaze. The last part of his sentence echoed out into her head repeatedly, and her temperature rose as she struggled to keep her composure.
'It's just a m-massage for B-Braxis,' she reasoned with herself, trying to tamp down the excitement she felt at the prospect of touching his chiseled body. 'I have to do at least this much for my master.'
With a deep breath, she got on the bed and crawled behind Braxis. Her fingers trembled as she began to rub his back, feeling the rippling muscles beneath her touch. She pushed into spots in order to relieve his muscle aches, applying just the right amount of pressure to ease his pain.
"God, that feels so good," Braxis moaned out, his eyes closed in pure ecstasy. "You feel great, Julianne!"
Julianne blushed even harder at the sound of his voice, feeling happy that she could help him. She continued to massage his back, working out the kinks and knots until his muscles relaxed and he let out a contented sigh.
"Thank you, Julianne," Braxis said, turning to look at her with a grateful smile. "You're the best."
Julianne's heart swelled with pride at his words, and she couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. "Anything for you, Master Braxis," she said, her voice soft and full of affection.
Julianne's heart pounded against her chest like a wild beast trapped in a cage as she tried to ignore the growing embarrassment that consumed her. With a deep breath, she slowly maneuvered her delicate, small hands around Braxis' muscular body, gently kneading his tense muscles with a deep massage. Her fingers worked their way down his spine, sending a shiver down his body.
As Braxis let out a deep, relieved sigh, Julianne's cheeks burned bright red with embarrassment. Her body heheated up with a mix of emotions that left her flustered. She could feel the weight of his body against her hands as she worked through the knots in his muscles, her fingertips tracing every curve and crevice of his body.
"Thanks Julianne," Braxis breathed, temporarily relieved from the pain. "You can stop for now, I feel better."
Julianne's heart sank with a tinge of disappointment as she reluctantly pulled her hands away from his back and placed them back onto her lap. "O-okay, anything else you might need, Master Braxis?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
"No, that was all, thanks for your help Julianne." Braxis smiled as he got up from the bed, stretching his body with a satisfied groan. Julianne followed him, her eyes locked onto his every move.
As they made their way to breakfast, Dante's eyes followed them from a dark corner of the room, sharpening his daggers with a look of suspicion. Braxis glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and shook his head in disbelief.
"Seriously? What is wrong with this family?" he muttered under his breath, as he held hands with Julianne from her leading him there.
Upon arriving, Levant, who was devouring an omelet at the dining table, glared at Braxis. "You're late, and you followed right behind him, Julianne. Is everything okay? What's going on?"
Julianne, ever the obedient servant, released Braxis's hand and gave Levant a deferential bow. "I'm fine, Master Levant. Thank you for your consideration!" she replied in a cheery tone, before scurrying out of the room.
Braxis grudgingly took his seat at the table, resigning himself to the fact that he would have to endure another meal with these people. But this time, something was different. Dante remained in the room with them, sharpening his dagger and staring daggers at Braxis the entire time. Braxis could feel the weight of Dante's hatred bearing down on him, and it made his skin crawl.
'No extra food for me today...' Braxis sighed inwardly, knowing that with Dante in the room, he would have to be extra careful not to give him any reason to lash out. 'Seems like he's having a bad day..'
As soon as he finished eating, Braxis got up to leave, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere of the dining room. But Levant was waiting for him, blocking his path. "Come on, today is study day," he said with a wry smile.
Braxis rolled his eyes. "Great. Study day," he muttered, begrudgingly following Levant out of the room.