: Western Language?

Intrigued, Engar stared holes through Kayda.

He had spent years trying to pry the truth out of Micheal, but he failed each time.

He was debating whether he should try and see if he could pry some answers from Kayda, but then, he met her eyes.

She didn't look annoyed or irritated by his obvious stare, but she looked, empty. He could see her standing there, but she had seemed to no longer be with them with the mention of the Black Sea Arena.

It was as if she had turned into a shell.

Seeing her gaze, he had second thoughts as he turned his head.

With a sigh, he looked at Micheal. "I'm taking both of ya medical fees out of yer paycheck Micheal." He said bluntly.

"Engar, we're friends, right?" Micheal gave his signature peach blossom smile as he looked at Engar with knowing eyes.

Kayda could have sworn that she saw flowers blooming around him.

Engar narrowed his eyes as he leaned back into the couch in a relaxed manner. "Are we?" Perfectly, he countered Micheals question with one of his own.

"Of course! We've known each other for years now. I've done you a few solids and you've done me a few too. Let's not ruin that, shall we." Micheal edged on obviously hinting at something.

Engar looked away as he cleaned out an ear. "Oh really? Why can't I seem to remember such a thing?"

Micheal continued to smile, but she could vaguely see a vein popping out of his forehead.

A glint passed acrossed his eye. "Oh really? So then, you don't remember that time at Bulruk cavern where you got drunk and tried to hand out free 'favors' to half of the knight corpse?"

Engar glared at Micheal but he continued. "You were especially adamant at persuading the royal guards off duty. You were already half naked by the time they threw you out on the street." Micheal gloated. "If it weren't for me, half of the entire kingdom would have seen you in your 'full glory'."

Engar's face turned red and green at the memory. He looked at Micheal with renewed vigor and a strong desire for revenge.

A creepy smile crept upon his face as his mind fell upon a certain piece of information. "Oh yes. I should really thank ya for that wonderful piece of assistance. But if I do recall, ya still owe me for that time when ya got lost in the main manor. Ya were so confused that ya ended up entering the room of one of the main servants while she was in the middle of changin. Ya came cryin to me cause ya were too ashamed to tell any of the other guards that ya were beaten black an blue by the teeny little maid to the point that yer eyes were swollen shut and yer lips looked like the carp's down in the kitchen."

With Engar's retaliation, it was Micheal's turn to become red and green.

The two both went off on each other, recounting embarrassing moments in time for each other to remember.

As Kayda stood there and listened to their battle of words, she realized that it would be a while before the two of them finished and ran out of ammunition to exchange to gain a better leverage on the other.

In the middle of the augment, they changed from the western language to the eastern language where she couldn't understand anything after that point.

At that moment, she realized that Micheal had introduced her to Engar in the western language and not the eastern one.

She thought back to when they met and every moment after. Everyone in the estate knew the western language and was using it as the main language even though they were in the eastern continent.

Suspicion slowly crept in as she remembered all the past events. Why were they not using the eatsern tongue? Even that noble lady?

Looking back up, she looked at Micheal arguing vigorously.

Without anyone's notice, she turned to the door and left. Even though it was entertaining to listen to the two of them gripe on about such harrowing events, it became painfully clear that she didn't belong in that environment. She knew Micheal when he was young, but who knew how much had changed in the last eight years.

He wasn't the same little boy she spent two years with in the Black Sea Arena. If she wanted to get to know him, she would have to start from scratch. But even then, she didn't know if she really wanted to do that. After all, rule number three, do not get attached.

She would be leaving this place, and when she did that, if she had become friends with Micheal, it would make it that much harder for her to leave.

She needed to draw a line. A line that no one could pass over. But more importantly, a line that she could not cross.

Raising her head, she made her way out of the knights quarters. Large and burley men passed her by, giving her the occasional glimpse and stare, but not going up to her.

"Hey!" A loud voice shouted from behind.

Turning around, Kayda saw a knight running towards her. His face looked familiar.

Once he had caught up to her, he smiled. "You were with the vice captain just now, weren't you?"

Kayda tilted her head. The man before her wore a relaxed set of attire with a sword tied to his waist. His curly blonde hair brushed past his eyes as he looked at her. He was also speaking in the western language.

Taking another look, she realized where she had seen him before.

He was one of the knights that was with Micheal when she had first seen him from her window. He was most likely one of his friends.

Realizing that, she nodded. The blonde hair guy smiled a big toothy grin. "Then you must have been the one that beat him up!"

His straightforward words caught her off guard. "People were talking about how muddled he looked with scratches lining his hands when he came in here with a small girl with a scratch on her cheek. Everyone was wondering what was going on but nothing conclusive. But you were the one that beat him up, right?"

He talked nonstop, making her head spin. When he finally came to a halt, Kayda took a little bit of time to regain herself.

Taking a look around, she realized that the other knights had stopped to eavesdrop on their conversation. Eyes stared at her from every angle awaiting her answer.

Looking back up at the guy in front of her, she met his bright and expectant gaze.

Slowly, she shook her head. Immediately, his face dimmed and he lowered his head in defeat.

Behind him came a boisterous laugh as two guys came forward.

"Told ya there was no way such a small girl could beat up our captain." One guy immediately put his arm around the blond guy's soldier. His smile was gloating.

Another one laughed. "Hand over the forty gil you owe us Chip."

"Bug off Green. I'll give it to you later." The blonde haired guy, Chip, immediately shook off the arm on his shoulder and pushed at the face of the other guy asking for money.

Looking back up at Kayda, he seemed to smile weakly. "You could have lied and said you beat him up. I could have gained forty gil."

The other guy punched him in the shoulder. "That would be dishonest. Just take the loss gracefully and hand over the money." He smiled aggressively.

Chip rubbed his shoulder. "Oh shut it Page before I use my pamphlet on you."

Green laughed while Chip chuckled. Page gave a disgruntled grunt before kicking Green in the shin to stop him from laughing.

Looking at the trio, Kayda watched as they teased each other with inside jokes she didn't even understand in the slightest. Contemplating on how to get out of the awkward situation unnoticed, Kayda took a step back.

"What do you three think you're doing?" Micheals voice traveled over the crowd and the three men stopped tussling immediately.

Micheal was walking over with a dark expression and a dour air.

Kayda thought to herself, 'he must have lost to Engar in the battle of embarrassment.'

The three immediately straightened up and saluted Micheal. "Vice captain." They shouted in unison.

Micheak looked at them darkly before turning to Kayda. His expression immediately changed to that of a kicked puppy. "Why did you leave without telling me." He said begrudgingly.

The three looked at each other. Sneakily, they glimpsed at Kayda who didn't change her expression.

"You were busy." She stated nonchalantly.

Looking at her apathetic expression, Micheal sighed.

Stepping forward, he looked at her. "Come on, I'll walk you back to your room."

Kayda nodded. Before they walked off, Micheal looked at the three guys. "You three, twenty laps around the court yard."

All three held eyes of resentment but Saluted before running off.