Chapter 25

Leba Vigon whistled as he walked out of the dungeons with a spring to his step and Masutap following close behind him. The tune he was whistling to was familiar to him but for the love of the Gods he could not remember where he'd heard it from. Was it from a lover singing him to sleep? Which lover would it be? He had too many! Or was the tune something he'd picked up from a tavern? Leba couldn't remember but that didn't stop him from whistling away.

"That went really well." Leba said after noticing Masutap didn't share his enthusiasm for music, choosing instead to walk in silence. Something was on her mind and his urge to know things always got the better of him.

"She could have killed you thrice, my Prince." Masutap replied in her usual cheerless tone. Gods! Is the concept of happiness completely foreign to Masutap? Leba wondered.

"Thrice you say? When?"

"The first time she thought of using her jacket as a weapon but I told her to leave it behind. The second time she was angling to deliver an elbow jab at your neck as you both basked beneath the sun, I intervened by standing between the two of you and the third time she was about to implement a form of Awe but you lengthened the distance between the two of you." Masutap answered.

"Brilliant Masutap!" Exclaimed the Prince. "That's why you're rank two among the Royal Black Guard. Top notch bodyguard skills you've got there!" They continued walking in silence, emerging from the black inquisition building and making their way to the South wing of the palace where Leba resided, he was planning on changing his attire to something noble but not extravagantly so. He wished to blend in among the elite and play the role of privileged yet humble Prince. Leba planned on mingling with the nobles, talking to some charitable donors and maybe organize for the construction of a new orphanage or something along those lines.

 Leba the Gentle is what they'd chosen to call him, not Lavifan. Greatness was not the path the realm saw fit for him because a gentle soul always lacked the aggression needed to grasp at greatness. Leba chuckled to himself, the realm amused him, they were all so fixed on categorizing someone based on their actions that they forgot that the intent behind an action carried more meaning than the action itself.

"How did you know?" Masutap interrupted Leba's chain of thought. They had stepped into one of the great hallways connecting the South wing to the dining hall. The marble walkway that adorned the hallway was bone white and it contrasted sharply with Leba's black boots and Masutap's entirely black attire. Leba wondered what the floor would look like with blood spilt on it. "My Prince?" Masutap asked after Leba failed to reply.

"Huh? Didn't quite catch your question." Leba responded.

"How did you know?" Masutap asked again.

"Know what? That Desan trains five hours each day on moves of Rage alone? That Dahli is the first to rise within the palace and trains to the break of dawn in all forms of combat? That the fastest way to get a maiden wet is to go down on her? I know a lot of things Masutap, you have to be specific." Leba replied.

"What?" Masutap asked, confusion evident in her voice and surprise riddled upon her face with the way the spot her eyebrows were suppose to be rose, pulling the lids of her grey eyes.

"What? The mere thought of my tongue, the tongue of a Prince mind you and not just any Prince but a Prince belonging to the most powerful house in the realm, going between the legs of some damsel and lapping away at her lady bits is enough to send any gash frothing." Leba spoke with the hint of a smile upon his face. He enjoyed making Masutap uncomfortable, he also wondered if he held the power to arouse her. It didn't look like she had time to cater to her needs with the whole Royal Black Guard business she had going on.

"I wasn't referring to that." Masutap replied immediately. Was that a blush she was struggling to hide? Leba's smile widened. "I was... Wait, you're changing the subject, distracting me and at the same time hoping I don't pursue the layers behind my question."

"What do you mean?" Leba's smile vanished. Masutap wasn't rank two for nothing, her small build didn't ensure she got the rank but her mind did. She was the most skilled in the form of combat known as Intent which was based fully on observation skills and reaction times. It was one of the skills that was closest in mirroring the abilities of the Jojoh Meena. Masutap wasn't one to be fooled easily neither was she one to be sidetracked with vulgarity.

"When the Remu prisoner was going to implement a move of Awe, how did you know? How did you know to lengthen the distance between the two of you?" Masutap asked. She'd chosen to be direct with her question, covering all the places she needed answers to prevent Leba from beating around the bush once more.

 They cut a corner and took on another hallway, the arched roof of the hallway was painted with murals of various Kings of Binoria in glorious poses. Leba observed the murals that were things of beauty documenting the history of the greatness of Binoria and wished they'd just painted it all a steady shade of black. For black documented what truly lies in the heart of Binoria, what was truly present within his own heart.

"Desan trains for five hours each day, Dahli trains till the sun rises," Masutap continued seeing that Leba wasn't answering, "when do you train, Prince Leba?"

"Does the King train?" Leba asked, his tone was calm but it hinted at suppressed emotion. He hoped Masutap wouldn't decipher which emotion it was.

"The King has the Jojoh Meena, his speed and strength is heightened and his stamina is lengthened more than the average man, he does not need to rest on the battlefield and when he does it's hours after fighting and only for a few minutes. He doesn't use forms while fighting for he knows how, when and where to strike in exactly what way. The King doesn't train for he is one with the Gods." Masutap said.

"One with the Goddess." Leba corrected.

"What?"

"You said Gods, he isn't connected with the Gods otherwise the whole house of Vigon wouldn't have gone through such lengths to eradicate any evidence of any other deities save Meena."

"How is all this relevant to my question?" Masutap asked.

"It's not relevant, I'm just beating around the bush." Leba said and followed with a chuckle. Masutap rolled her eyes and Leba took note of it, it brought him glee the game he played. Dodging and leaving people grasping at straws. 'Gentle one' they called him! Let them do so for a while longer, a time was coming when all their questions shall be answered. "Oh, it appears we've arrived at my chambers! Would you like to join me for a glass of wine or maybe a bottle?" They stood outside the entrance to Leba's grey walled chambers.

"No thanks my Prince, I shall stand watch until my shift ends and another takes my place." Masutap replied. Leba cocked a smile at her and bowed his head somewhat mockingly and withdrew to the confines of his chambers while still whistling the tune he'd forgotten where he'd heard it from.

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