Culture Shock

Chapter Eleven

"What are you thinking, Clare?" he asked.

"I'm thinking about how boring the palace is." I wrinkled my nose. Yeah. Boring as heck.

"Is that so?"

"And how annoying your servants are."

Leonidas chuckled hearing all I said. What? Isn't it true? They are annoying. This instant, for example. Females in Yukata and parasol are carrying baskets to the kitchen. They giggle every second and those giggles prick my ears.

They laugh differently turning into a giggle. If I laugh, I do it hard like an idiot. Why don't they try it some time?

"They can be."

See? Perhaps they make Leonidas uncomfortable, too by tittering when he's around. These gals. Get a life.

"I brought you something."

My face glowed and searched for a present. "A gift?" I asked. He pulled out a thin rectangular black thing from his side.

I was caught is surprise. A phone? I blinked, left speechless, then I remembered the book.

"Cool." So this is one of the innovations through theft. "Cool."

"For safety purposes, I suppose," he paused, "And to slacken boredom." The grin could not keep itself from coming into view. I accepted the phone and thanked him. He got one for himself, too. How thoughtful of him to spend for me.

Leonidas would be one of those whom I will never forget the time I step out of the island. The whole afternoon, we spent taking pictures, although the camera wasn't that impressive.

Capturing his smiles is incomparable. We even called each other even we're two feet away. Crazy, right? He never fails to surprise me, showing his playful side beneath a brave and strong Spartan man.

I like it when he talks casually around me showing comfort, not what he has had. Before he talked like Johann and Aurelius. Like an old man. Ha! Leonidas the Old Man.

Before sunset, I dragged him to Swordsquare for another training session. The commander was said to be at the coastal, examining the lighthouse's force.

There were servants and witches, too, watching and the usual. Geez.

I thought, when will the warriors be Samurais? I'd like to see a Katana match. And Neon would, definitely.

"My lady," A poker-faced man approached and lowered his gaze. "My name is Marcus, Commander of the Guards."

I got my knees jellied, while Leonidas hurriedly interrupted. "Commander, forgive me. This will not happen again," he said terrified.

"It was my fault, Ser. Entirely my idea," I stammered covering up. His voice was like the king's, bold and scary.

Please don't hurt Leonidas.

"Get the princess back to the tower, Marius." He nodded and we immediately left Swordsquare.

"Marius?" I asked, astonished instead of apologizing.

He paused walking and laughed. "Yes. Not Leonidas."

"Well, I like Leonidas more."

Commander Marcus runs the guards firm and strict, even at his brother Marius. Yeah, a revelation to me. A family of knights whose name has been guarding the king.

Having a wife and children of his own seem to be unattainable, unlike their great grandfathers. He wouldn't because of duty, and Leonidas is thinking the same, too. That can't be for sure. With a beauty like his? Sooner, they will be obliged to produce sons for the coming generations.

Whoever that woman, she'll be lucky to have Leonidas as husband.

We were on our way back to my room when I heard Johann's voice from his room in a great distress.

"Wait. Johann's got a problem."

I thought of knocking on his door until a lady was heard crying. My hand abruptly and unconsciously landed on my mouth, blocking the gasp. Leonidas' hand tapped my shoulder and motioned me to continue walking.

"A girl. Crying," I whispered.

I she a lover?

Leonidas shrugged.