Chapter 36: First encounter.
Chapter 36: First encounter.
" What is this?" He asked.
" You didn’t think you’d get to meet her ladyship looking like that did you?" The first knight from earlier chuckled. " These fine ladies here have been tasked with making sure you’re presentable before you’re meeting." He added.
" I can clean myself up... I don’t need anyone’s help." Osborne tried to walk past the maids.
" I’m afraid I can’t let you do that." The first knight said as he placed a firm hand on his shoulders. " Lady Guinevere explicitly asked us to make you as presentable as possible before your meeting with her lady ship."
Osbornes turned around to glance at the knight. " What’s your name..."
" Gilhound." The knight removed his helmet and said.
" Well Gilhound, you’re beginning to get on my nerves." Osborne said.
" I apologise if that’s the case, Sir, but orders are orders." Gilhound said with a cheeky grin.
Osborne turned silent. The maids grew nervous, with the other knight feeling tense.
" Fine." He uttered only one word.
" Thank you, Sir." Gilhound nodded before looking at the 3 young maids. " Would you please escort the young master to the baths."
While the 3 maids looked nervous, they still nodded before leaving with Osborne.
Of course Gilhound and his companion followed from behind.
*****
Osborne sat within the bath, which was quite spacious and similar to a hot spring. His back to the edge of the bath.
The 3 maids looked fearful seeing so many scars on his body.
One washed his back, while the other his front and the last stood by the side with a change of clothes in hand.
Both maids in the bath were covered in nothing but towels.
The water soaked the towel of the maid in front, who nervously washed his body with her head lowered.
Her wet body could easily be seen from beneath.
But Osborne’s gaze looked off into the distance, none of them could tell what was currently going through his mind.
’ I wonder where Anny is...’ he wondered in silence.
During his time in the dungy, not once had he seen her.
Which was why he’d been hoping for her to be a part of the 3 maids and yet she wasn’t.
He knew there had to be a reason for it. As for the thought of something bad having happened to her.
A dark emotion swirled within Osbornes heart for a moment before vanishing.
Yet that brief instant was enough to cause the 3 women to shiver in fear.
He didn’t plan on acting now until he was sure of what happened. If it really turned out that something had happened to her...
Only God knew what he’d do.
******
After properly dressing up. Gilhound and his comrade escorted Osborne through the mansion until they arrived at a certain door.
" Her ladyship is waiting for you inside." Gilhound gestured towards the door before he and his friend stepped back at the same time.
Osborne glanced at them for a moment before retracting his gaze.
With the same silent look, he opened the door and stepped inside.
Osborne found himself inside a study the next moment.
On both sides of the room were shelves filled with books, and on the far end was a window that displayed the beauty of the estate.
In front of this window was a desk and seat, in which a silver haired woman was making use of, her head lowered as she quietly read the book in her hand.
He didn’t say a word, instead watching her in silence.
" Isn’t it customary to greet when entering another’s space?" Eventually the woman spoke.
She closed her book with a flick of a rest before setting it aside, fixing her gaze on Osborne.
Without the book to block her face, her stunning facial features could be seen.
A face so sublime and beautiful yet nonchalant and distant at the same time.
" Forgive me...Lady Roseline."
" But you looked so immersed in your findings that I simply didn’t want to interrupt."
" You expect me to believe you did that out of consideration for me?" She gave him a flat look.
" And why would I not?" He replied back but his features turned solemn the next moment when a faint pressure rose forth from Roseline.
Creating a bellowing gust of wind that pushed the entire study into disarray.
" I’ll say this once... I’d appreciate it if you didn’t hide your true feelings towards me. I’ve been on the battlefield far too long to know the difference between malice and amicability." Roseline said.
Before Osborne could react, the pressure rose even more, pushing him several steps back.
His dagger immediately appeared in his hand as he tried to resist.
" W-What?!" His eyes widened in disbelief when said dagger flew out of his hands before landing in Roseline’s.
’ A magical weapon?’ Roseline calmly looked over the weapon. ’ It looks quite shabby if I’m being frank.’ she said before glancing at Osborne for a moment.
’ Did he purchase something like this because he couldn’t afford something better?’ she pondered.
’ While it’s shabby, it’s strange that I can’t quite discern it.’ having used countless weapons in her life, this notion really piqued her interest.
" Then why exactly did you call me here." Osborne asked through gritted teeth as he struggled to resist the over bearing pressure.
" If you’re just going to apologise for what those two did, I don’t need it–!"
" Who said anything about apologising?" With but one sentence, the pressure grew even more, forcing Osborne down to his knees in an instant.
The ground groaned beneath him from the pressure, while Osborne gritted his teeth in anger.
To think after coming out of that metal cell, another series of humiliation was what awaited him.
" You losing naturally made you the one at fault." Roseline said.
" WHAT?!!" Osborne said, his anger flaring up a bit.
He no longer wanted anyone to try and fight his battles for him. And yet, after meeting her for the first time, he heard something he never expected.
" If Rebecca was truly the one behind this incident, why didn’t you stand up for yourself and stop her." Roseline said plainly.
" You think I didn’t." Osborne said, his calm facade cracking a bit, his gaze turning slightly intense.