Hellan followed shin out of the study. She wanted to stop him from, well eating at the family table after all he was a slave. Since Hellan knew she had no ability to stop the man from doing anything, she started coming up with excuses and lies to tell her sisters. The children of the Rose were prideful, especially her family that happened to be one of its core members. Now imagine a slave daring to eat at their table, the said slave would get his head chopped off immediately, but Shin wasn't just a normal man. What if they trying killing him and he destroys everything? These were the thoughts running in Hellan's mind as she followed a half-naked shin across the hallway. In her deep thoughts, she bumped into Shins back. He turned to look at Hellan and she got entranced by his eyes again. The deep purple that depending on the light could turn black. She stared at the man blankly for a while before she managed to look away although a bit forcefully.
'Why'd you suddenly stop?' She asked rubbing her nose and looking away not wanting to meet Shins eyes again.
'Because I don't know where I am going' This should have been obvious to Hellan but she still looked at the man blankly. Her brain started functioning at the normal pace and embarrassment flooded her cheeks. She was about to lead the way when she got a brilliant idea.
'You should wash up first before we head to dinner' She said this in a hope to get Shin not to go. If Shin agreed, her sisters would be done eating by the time the maids are done adoring the man but the world is a cruel place, no one ever gets what they want.
'I am fine. Let's go the food will get cold' Shin was impatient, there was even some drool on his lips. 'What's wrong? You also don't know the way?' It was another well placed insults. The kind of insults only the receiver would understand and feel. The maid whom had come to fetch Hellan, fortunately came to Shins rescue.
'At least wear a shirt' Hellan had given up trying to stop him from coming so the least she could do was make sure he didn't look like a bandit in front of her sisters. Shin looked himself over and said with a blank face.
'What for?' A question that Hellan wasn't expecting. 'It seems you're not hungry. But I am so where to?' He asked the maid while rubbing his hands. The maid didn't understand what was going on. She was among those who fought to wash this man, those who cut his hair, touched his muscles, daydreamed of when the man will roughly take them to his bed and toy with them the whole night. She, like every other servant in the manor, were told that this man was a slave, so how could he shamelessly want to eat at his master's table.
'Racheal?' Shin was waving his hand at the daydreaming maid. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone calling her name. Both Hellan and the man were looking at her, she lowered her head in shame.
'Wait, how did he know my name?' the maid, Racheal thought in her mind. 'He only woke up, did he ask for my name' The maid was daydreaming again, her neck and cheeks were quickly turning red. Shin exhaled.
'Lead the way I am hungry' Shin was getting frustrated. First his summoner tries to get him to go to bed on an empty stomach then some lowly mortal daydreams about his heavenly tools. Didn't these people take their meals seriously. The maid finally walked, behind her, there were two footsteps but only the clanking of Hellan's heels could be heard.
The Cresworth manor, was built to mimic their house and landscape back home. Every noble house had a manor, some even had palaces in the city. These houses were really used but every once in a while the emperor would throw a party and since he is still the current reining supreme figure, all noble houses had to personally come and show him some face. I know what you wondering, why would people who were plotting a coup, a revolution, straight up treason, an assassination and any other crime against the empire willing come see their victim? Its simple really, no bandit wants to be left out in a gathering of bandits. Yes, the reason all noble families were currently in the capital for the princess birthday was because they wanted to observe their fellow treasonous criminals. You know the saying; enemies are only enemies if you have no idea what they are plotting against you. So basically right now, in the city built on hills, the empires capital, the ruling seat of the Nurr's, there was the biggest gathering of crime bosses ever seen in the continent and even though the Nurrs did react, something this big was hard to hide.
The manor was a one storey building built around a square garden. The garden was squeezed between the wooden house but it was still majestic. It looked like a small forest with huge trees, flowers, a green meadow and a small stream that flowed from a rock at the far end of the garden. There was no path cutting across the garden so after walking out of the hallway in the library wing of the manor, one would have to walk around the garden to get to where they were going. The Children of rose were one with nature, they felt the manor of the earth, of life. Sadly, Hellan didn't know this feeling. All she saw and felt when sited among the tress was dirt and boredom. She had seen the people of her clan meditate in the forests back home for years without needing sustenance.
They got to big wooden doors that had beautiful carvings depicting he peoples culture. Her patrons might and the Cresworth beauty and wealth. It was basically a bragging door, also it was the door to the massive dinner table. The servants opened the doors and Hellan, walked in behind her was Shin. The dinner table was massive; it was big enough to fit fifty soldiers comfortably. The room was dimly lit with the chandelier above being the only source of light. On the table was what one could describe as a full course buffet. There were types of cheese, meat cooked in different methods, rice, potatoes, fruits, wine and various types of deserts. It seemed the Cresworth sisters had sweet-tooth. Even though the table appeared full, after careful observation one could notice that the various types came in groups of three to five. These delicacies were the favourites of the sisters.
'Sister why is your slave here?' Of course it was Alex who didn't know when to keep her mouth shut. Hellan wisely ignored her and sat down. Shin pulled a seat and sat next to her. The two ladies had complicated expressions written on their faces.
'And who is this?' The other sister started in a cold emotionless voice. She had her eyebrow raised at the male intruder. Most noble families dint even allow people who were not of their clan into their houses. Everyone in the hall was a child of the Rose, everyone except the lowly slave who shamelessly dared to sit at his master table. Everyone knew about this particular slave whom got to sleep in a guest suite, got to get washed and adorned in expensive oils. The guards standing guard at the doors were ready to act against the man. He didn't even bother putting on clothes, this was lowering his already questionable image.
'A slave dares si…' Alex dint get to sentence herself to death as Hellan cut her off.
'The food is getting cold sister' her voice was cold enough to at least get the hot-blooded idiot to stop and think but sadly Alex was only known for her beauty, her brain was empty.
'Guards!!' At this time the man in question had already welcomed himself to the meal. He was currently serving himself big chunks of potatoes and meat. His plate was already full and he was filling a second plate. Everyone, including the guards who had been called up momentarily stopped and everyone except Hellan thought at the same time.
'He must be mentally unstable' The mood was getting intense yet he, the cause of the whole thing, was busy filling his plate. After filling five plates and bringing a platter of fruits closer, the man put his hand together.
'Thank you for the meal' As he took a spoon to dig in, Alex, Linda and the guards all released their aura. Hellan face palmed and the man took his first spoonful in pure bliss. The table creaked, cracked and broke under the intense aura of so many strong individuals. Everything that was on the table poured to the floor including the food Shin had served. Only the four individuals sited on chairs were left at the table. The spoon Shin was holding broke. It was a high quality grade metal spoon, but it broke like a biscuit. Only Hellan had the right mind to fear what might happen next. Shin looked at the two sisters, there was no anger on his face, instead there was a tear at his watery eyes.
'Why?' He asked in a pain filled voice. 'Everything is gone' he was looking at the food that was on the floor with tear filled eyes. He turned to Hellan. Anyone would have felt pity while looking at his eyes and Hellan did to but not for long as his eyes changed. He looked at the two sisters and the pressure that filled the room doubled, no tripled. Shin didn't say anything, there was no killing intent in his aura, he simply released it and looked at the people trying their best to resist him.
'Prepare another table for our guest' Hellan thought quickly and spoke to one of the guards. The pressure was overwhelming but not suffocating. He guards on noticing the urgency in Hellan's tone rushed out quickly. A few breaths later, servants came in carrying a small table and behind them were maids carrying platters of food. The aura disappeared like it never existed in the first place. Shin took a spoon and happily put a spoonful into his mouth.
'Let this be the last time any of you disrespect food' He said this while chewing, with his cheek puffed up with food. He said it as a by the way but everyone in that place could feel the seriousness in the air.
'Hellan, can I talk to you for a moment' Linda stood up and elegantly walked outside the dining area, Alex followed after her. Hellan looked at Shin who was now completely focused on his plates. She stood up and followed her sisters out.