3 Carriage Carnage

"Hmmm…"

Rhine finally looked up from her book to see her brother moving back and forth like a pendulum while seated across her. "What is it?" The young man was tapping his feet as if he was able to listen to a music that she could not hear at all.

"Are we going to be there yet?" Hyde scratched his cheek with one hand, pulling the curtains open a bit to look at the outside. It was a continuous stream of flourishing trees and flora, the occasional traveller, animal or bird on the road or tree. "If not, can't we have a break? This place seems like a good place to hunt."

Rhine's eyes twitched as she glanced at Gus who seemed to be enjoying the scenery outside as well. "We've just left a couple hours ago, the Zourian Kingdom will take us a month at most."

"Well, if it's been a couple of hours, then it must be lunch time!"

A small chuckle erupted from Gus who glanced at his pocket watch, "Your body clock is as precise as ever Sir Hyde."

The man puffed out his chest, "What can you expect? I'm that great!"

"Anybody who eats their three-square meals at the same time every day could tell as much. It's the body that has finesse." Rhine exhaled a breath and placed her book down on their velvet couch as she peered outside the carriage's window. Could those two possibly be more simpleminded?

She eyed Gus for a moment, butlers were supposed to be sophisticated and capable and yet the man before her was a bumbling idiot who only could offer lip service to someone who didn't deserved it. Her brother meanwhile only busied himself with archery and swordsmanship, his handwriting was like a chicken's scrawling and she was sure that when he stepped on dance partners was no clumsy accident.

"Gee, someone seems to be in a foul mood. Lighten up sis." Hyde rested his arms behind his neck, "Let's stop the carriage and have our meal."

"Can't we just eat while the carriage is moving?" A small frown perched on Rhine's lips, "I'd rather have ample time to arrive at our destination."

"Eat a carriage, yadda yadda." The redhead man used his hands to portray his sister's blabbering, but the gloating was short lived as she chucked a book at their direction. "Oops! You missed- ow!"

The book had hit the wall and reverberated back at him, hit by the book's spine.

"Ahh, I'll go set the meal." Gus drew out a mini table from what had seemed like an ornamental inset near the window. He then began pulling out utensils and tableware from a chest, before he finally drew out a small pot and opened the lid, releasing a hearty aroma "We have beef stroganoff from our kind chef Ivan."

"Ooh yum! I'll go hunt for some game though for our next meal okay?" Hyde grinned as his companion served the delicious meal with a serving spoon.

"I'm not sure if you could actually hunt something, deer are swift footed for you to chase." Rhine gave a small nod of courtesy as Gus filled her dish.

"Oh come on, I can use arrows you know?"

"Target practice is different than moving targets."

"Miss Rhine does have a point sir Hyde, I am not sure if practice can equate to actual applications." Gus spoke before he bowed his head lowly, "If it were possible for me to ask boldly, could I ask the Lady Rhine to allow the other men to shelter from the smouldering heat?"

Rhine stopped midway from taking a taste of the food, her blue eyes landing on Gus' dark ones, "Ah, of course! That was stupid of me to not consider. Please-" she placed her spoon back in the dish and turned towards the tiny wooden door above her head and opened it. "Mister, please let us take a stop for our lunch, it's also very hot."

"Well that was stupid indeed." Hyde chewed on the beef happily, relishing the varying taste exploding on his palate as the carriage slowly went to a halt. "We should have stopped like I said so earlier."

"Oh please, you were only after chasing bunnies- this didn't even cross your mind." Rhine crossed her arms before she glanced at Gus, "Please get a portion of the stroganoff for yourself and share the remainder with the others."

"We are grateful for the lady's generosity." Gus bowed his head and left the carriage.

"Aaah, you're such a people pleaser Rhine." Hyde shook his head before returning to eat, "I mean it's good you're sharing the food but you don't have to act like this just to impress other people."

"What do you know, brother? You've only bothered with whatever made you happy and caught your attention." Rhine closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the two of them were comfortable with each other- but that didn't mean that they always got along. Arguments easily spurted because of this casualness.

"Well what is the meaning of your life if you've only lived it for others?" Hyde scoffed and pointed his spoon at his sister, while he made his point, some of the sauce splattered on her cheek and dress.

Hyde could see the young woman intake a breath as she dabbed a handkerchief on her cheek, "Hmm it seems that you are right my brother. What is life if I don't live it for myself and enjoy my short stay here…it's not like this dress of mine didn't cost much more than three cottages huh?"

"Ha ha… you're not mad right?" Hyde peeked outside the window, where was Gus when you needed him the most?

"Of course not." A sticky moisture flicked on Hyde's face as the young woman's lips formed into a toothy grin, "I am only trying to live my life to the fullest brother."

"Let me help you then sis!" Bowls soon flung at air.