The Captain's Entertainer (Zolan Book 4)

12

⚔️ CAPTAIN ZAIRO ⚔️

"Captain, is there a reason for your consistent absence in the afternoon?"

I stare blankly at the chemist. He stands by the entrance flaps of the war tent, a book clutched to his chest.

"Yes," I reply. That's all I'll say. I don't wish to publicize my interest in Elystia.

Besides, it's none of his business. I'm the Captain here.

He breaks eye contact and drops his reports on my desk. Muttering an "exuse me," on his way out.

The entertainers are known for their jealousy. Although I know my chemist is more interested in mixing potions than gossip, I don't want him to suspect I'm distracted. I'm as focused on my job as ever. Elystia is simply... a project. It's very difficult for me to develop interest in new hobbies or people. I'm a rigid man, burdened by so many responsibilities that I have no time or attention to spare. But Elystia breaks through. Being with her is like gazing at the mountains: Intriguing. Everywhere I look, there's a new detail to discover. A new waterfall, a new cave, a new tree. Elystia offers just as many surprises.

She's an interesting girl, with her winking eyes and quirky gestures. Her thick accent and the words she seems to make up. Her great aim with her bow and the poor aim of her puckered lips. Not to mention that she's the worst entertainer I've ever seen. She wears long, thick pants that hide her figure instead of the sheer and light materials most entertainers use. It's as if she has no interest in attracting masters—which is her sole job in this camp. She bends down only to tie their boots. She marches into the forest like a warrior, which is unnecessary since only masters are required to hunt. And then there is her so-called mysterious sleep wandering. I've never heard of such a condition.

Where is this girl from? She has her secrets just like I do.

The chemist, Worrocken, delivers his latest reports about the blue flower. I skim through his notes on the parchment, not as concerned about the blue flower now that a cure has been found. My latest torment is this mysterious man that's raising an army. From the bits of information that we gathered, he is named Jeylorr, and he appeared out of nowhere with alleged mystical powers that impressed his followers.

He could turn the sky purple and I wouldn't be impressed. He could rise mountains from the ground and I would still not bow to him. He's disrupting the fragile peace on Zolan and needs to return to whatever hole he crawled out of before I lay him in a permanent one.

As a Captain, I have a job to do. Hundreds of souls to look after. He is getting in the way of that.

After a few hours of reading reports and approving changes for the camp, I head for my tent. My empty stomach rumbles, and my mood is sour because all I can think of is the soup my quirky little entertainer made me. It was delicious. Seasoned sweetly with flavors I've never had before.

Perhaps I can get Elystia to cook for me again.

I enter my tent and kick my boots off. I drop my tunic on the basket beside my bed platform. I lay on my bed, giving a quick glance to the corner table littered with scrolls, books, and flutes. At this time, I typically have dinner and work under candlelight. But tonight, I must walk around the camp and clear my mind while avoiding running into Elystia. It's amusing how I have to hide in my own camp.

My dinner is soon brought to me. I walk outside to accept the platter from the entertainer. She smiles as if I will invite her inside for a roll on my furs, but I only thank and dismiss her.

Tonight's dinner seems dull, although it was made by the head chef. The tender meat and vegetables are seasoned as they always are, but my tongue craves different flavors. I force myself to finish the plate and head outside for a quick break before I dive back into my workload. I'm in a bad mood. My footsteps are heavy and my face is scowling. I must look like a beast. Just like how Elystia called me.