Aurelius

III. Kaede

Green pastures, blue water, and white sand roads. That was all Kaede could see as his party trotted up the shoreside road. On one edge of the path, the world was calm and on the other, it was made of chaotic waves crashing at the bottom of the cliffs far below. Tilting his head, Kaede watched as wave after wave collided with the rocks; thunderous in sound and powerful in force. The sound of nature was so foreign to him. It was calming. And the absence of another human's body odor was particularly heartening.

Still, their sudden departure from Ryvella was suspicious. Kaede looked at the front of the party, over the helms of hired swords and fancy show horses. Focusing on a young man with long black hair tied back from his face, and a mischievous grin, he remembered something he had learned long ago.

Taemin was always was one for spontaneity.

Turning around, Taemin Narsimus looked between the guards that were riding closely behind him and met Kaede's gaze. His natural grin turned even wider as he pointed up the hill. Kaede followed his outstretched hand, finding a large white house on the cliffside. Composed of marble and columns covered in summer vines, it was one of the finer villas in the countryside.

Kaede shook his head, frowned, and looked back at Taemin, but the boy had already turned his back to him. They continued to ride. As the house grew nearer and nearer, Kaede could only grow more suspicious.

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"I told you!" Taemin exclaimed as he and Kaede slid off of their horses. "I told you this was the best villa outside of Ryvella!" Looking around the marble lined courtyard, Kaede shook his head.

"You didn't tell me anything."

Taemin suddenly paused. "Didn't I?" the younger man asked, cocking his head. Kaede shook his head, and was immediately met with Taemin's habitual shrug of apology. "I could have sworn we talked about this." He stroked his chin. "Oh, well." Spreading his arms wide, he motioned to the villa. "Welcome to our new abode! You'll find it's much cleaner than the Aurelius cages."

Turning around, the men watched as servant girls set to carrying their belongings and those of their guards, into the house. Taemin leaned next to Kaede. "And the women are much prettier here too."

Kaede shoved the younger boy aside, shaking his head as Taemin laughed. Ignoring him, the aurelum looked around the house, ignoring the looks of everyone around him.

It had not taken long to notice, in their years together, that eyes focused on Taemin for his boyish good looks. Eyes focused on Kaede for his menacing aura. He had learned to pay them no heed.

Instead, he took in the sights around him, the smells, the salty, cool breeze. It was a large estate, marble and stone walkways leading through the courtyard. Pillars stood tall at the entrance, and the white stone was start against the backdrop of the blue Ceridian Sea. Down the opposite slope, over the meadows of green, and the lakes that marked the land, he could just make out the outline of Ryvella. They were so far from the city now.

Farther than Kaede had ever been in his life.

A hand clapped on his strong shoulder as he stared at the city and he looked to his side. Taemin smirked, eyeing the same spot on the horizon.

"Don't look so eager to go back, Kaede. We only just got here."

"I know. It's just... It looks so small," Kaede replied cocking his head, gesturing to the city scape.

I can't even see the cages from here, he thought silently as he squinted in the warm sun.

Taemin laughed and stepped back towards the house. "You need to get out more, my friend." Kaede followed after him, out of habit, forgetting the city behind him. Taemin looked around the villa proudly as they set foot inside.

A set of servant girls walked by, their arms full of food from the caravan. They were beautiful, Kaede noticed. Long hair, bright skin, and the scent of flowers as they passed down the hall. They were much healthier and cleaner than the women he'd seen in the past year.

With a smirk, Taemin slapped the nearest one of the buttocks. The sound echoed before joining with a start She gasped, looking back at him scandalously. A quick hand darted out and the boy plucked a handful of dates from her basket. Tossing one in his mouth, he watched as she and the other girl scurried down the hallway, leaving a trail of giggles in their wake.

"I think I'm going to like it here," he said looking back at Kaede, grinning as he chewed. He swallowed and stepped over to Kaede. "Let me give you the tour." With one hand on the warrior's shoulder they set off down the hall. "You have full roam of the estate and lands, everything that is mine is yours." He gestured to the rooms as they walked by. "If it's wine you want—

Bam!

The something bumped into Kaede's chest and he looked down into eyes of dark brown. Kaede gaped. She was a beauty. So exotic compared to the women he'd seen all day, her skin was tinted, kissed by the sun, and her hair was dark like night.

Taemin smirked next to them looking the girl up and down with hunger in his eyes. "You can have the women too," he said to Kaede.

The girl stopped herself from glaring at Taemin, her hands balling into fists. Clenching her jaw, she looked up at Kaede.

"Excuse me, Dar—"

"Elissa!" From behind her a stout old man appeared down the hall, red faced and sweating. He had silver hair that was balding in several places and wore dark robes. The girl next to Kaede looked back and sighed, immediately stepping away from the men, to bow her head and stand silently on her own. The houseman came to a stop in front of them glaring at the girl. "My apologies," he said to Kaede before turning to Taemin. "Southeners. They never seem to watch where they're going."

Elissa's head snapped up, at the man's words. He nodded behind him and she released a small huff before picking up her skirts and heading down the hall. Kaede watched her disappear, his eyes only leaving her when Taemin elbowed him in the side. Turning back, he crossed his arms. Shaking his head, the fat man turned back to the pair of newcomers.

"You must be Dar Narsimus," he directed towards Taemin with a bow. "I am Mirith, head of your household." With a thin smile, he took out a scroll out of long sleeves, a broken green seal on it. "We received your message this morning. I've prepared everything for you, including the, uh," he coughed, glancing at the piece of parchment before putting it away again, "visitors you requested for tonight."

Kaede frowned but before he could ask, Taemin was in front of him, setting a hand on Mirith's shoulder. "Ah, yes, we'll save that for later. Is there somewhere we can achieve privacy? I'm sure your maids are busy attending to our things, we would hate to get in their way."

Mirith looked up at the younger man, thinking for a moment before responding . "The south terrace is always lovely at this time of day—"

Taemin broke out into a grin and looked back at his aurelum. "Do you hear that, Kaede? We own a terrace!" He turned back to the houseman. His large palm patted the man on the chest. "That will do splendidly."

With a thin lipped smile, Mirith gestured for them to follow. Taemin walked beside him, listening intently. Though, Kaede knew it was all for show. If Taemin invested in something as grand as this, he had already learned all there was to know about it. Crossing his arms, Kaede followed behind the two men, a dark presence in their wake. His dark brown eyes watched Mirith with almost bored intent.

As they walked through the hall, Mirith motioned left and right, commenting on each and every room that they passed.

"We have twenty bedchambers, two separate kitchens, four entertainment terraces," he said proudly. "Our lounge can and will accommodate any guests you might bring from Ryvella." Eventually, they reached the end of the hall. Hurrying forward, he opened a set of dark oak doors, allowing the two men to enter before him. Taemin turned with a smile as Kaede walked past him. The aurelum cocked his head as his companion blocked the door with his body.

"Oh, and we distill our own wine," Mirith added quickly, peaking into the room over Taemin's shoulder. "The best in the region!"

Taemin gripped the door handles as Mirith stood in the hall. "I'm glad you mentioned that, Mirith. We'll need wine," he said, beginning to pull the doors shut, "and lots of it."

And with that, he left the houseman in the hall, without another word.