Emerald Snowflakes

7 - Eidolon Nexus

Tou hissed at the sting of the alcohol touching his skin, resisting the urge to pull away from the unwelcome hand of the nurse. The plump woman tried giving him an apologetic look, but shrunk back upon receiving a withering glare.

He shifted in his seat, in a futile attempt to get comfortable while the nurse cleaned his wounds.  His muscles felt sore with the unmistakable ache of developing bruises.

"Y-you must sit still, m-my Lord" the nurse stuttered, dipping a clean piece of cloth in the bowl of alcohol  with a trembling hand. Tou followed her movement with his eyes, resenting her feeble nature. Grumbling under his breath he stopped shifting and tried sitting still, as still as his aching body would let him.

It was clear the trembling woman was scared out of her wits, the sooner she finished the better it would be for the both of them. He did not have the patience to deal with the overactive sense of supposition that most of the castle staff had in common.

Most servants preferred to stay at a safe distance of  him, and avoided crossing his path if they were able to.

In their eyes, he was the living embodiment of his people; from the brutal nature of Samuarian swords-play, to the unforgiving fury of the samuarian warriors. Everything that had once been attributed to Samuar as a whole, they had now placed on his shoulders. And though he resented their feeblness, he bore no desire to change their perception of him.

Fear was the closest the weak got to respecting the strong.

He turned his attention away from the lily-livered nurse, resisting the urge to give basis to her silly fears. His eyes landed on the angry frame of his eclaimed. Edmanda had spent to past hour pacing back and forth across the floor, ranting and scolding like was no tomorrow. He had tried keeping up with her at first, but quickly found himself uninterested in her angry words.

If anyone in that room had the right to be upset, it was him.

He, the elite of the elite and the Prince of his people, had somehow been outplayed by a common low-level fighter. Not only had he been outplayed, but that blasted woman had even managed to damage him. Though he was fairly pleased to know that he had left her with a fair share of affliction, the thought of her having left him with as much as a scratch infuriated him more than he would like to admit.

"Tou! Are you even listening?"

Tou snapped his eyes up to meet her gaze, only to be met by an angry glare. Against his better judgment  he returned the glare, "I find hard not to" he grumbled, wincing as the wet cloth made contact with his broken nose.

Taking a deep breath, Edmanda addressed the nurse. "You may excuse yourself Ms. Adrin." No sooner had she finished her statement, before the plump woman gathered all her equipment and rushed out of the room. Remembering only once she reached the doorway to practice proper decorum, as she turned around giving the pair a quickly courtesy before finally leaving.

"Well you sure don't seem to be listening" Edmanda huffed once the nurse had left, crossing her arms over her chest.

"How would you like me to give you my attention then?" Tou snapped, leaning back in his seat trying to find a more comfortable position. "Should I pace the floor with you, would that be more pleasing to you?"

"What I would like-" She snapped, coming to a halt in front of him. "-is for you to understand what I am trying to tell you. Look at yourself Tou, you're covered in bruises. Would it be too much to ask you to act civilized for once?"

"Civilized?" Tou sat straighter in his seat, wincing slightly at the sudden movement. "You want me to be civilized?" He scoffed, "Would you have preferred that I nod my head meekly and smile, while being insulted to my face or perhaps that I presented her my cheek instead?"