meeting the second master 2

With two hours to spare, enough time to eat and wait for little Tau to wake. I decided to quickly complete my task before he wakes to demand my attention.

Heading to the dining area, I sat at the table waiting for Hua to bring the dishes out.

Skillfully she carried the tray, speaking in a low and unhurried tone. 

"Today's menu is fish-based, paired with steamed rice and three types of vegetables. Accompanied by our freshly picked Gyokuro tea leaves."

Nodding, I watched her place the dishes. 

The first item was the skipjack tuna, a small bowl filled with the grated ginger was placed directly beside it. This is a type of root the humans liked. Paired with fish it is the best. The dark thick liquid commonly called: 'soy sauce'. For a wolf the sauce was too much for my taste buds, so I preferred the grated ginger the bite of this root gave off was simply delectable for my taste buds. Either way I added a little in a small bowl so if there was a need it can be dipped. Besides, that was the sashimi where the fish was sliced and arranged in a way that was eye-catching in various colours of red and white accompanied by wild radishes shredded after were the steamed rice and the tea.

Picking up my chopsticks, I ate elegantly satisfied with the flavour, even dipping a few pieces of root in the salted sauce to add a slight salted flavour. 

A while later, finished with the meal, a bowl was presented where I then rinsed my hands. Wiping and rinsing my mouth then using a cloth handed to me to pat dry; first my mouth with a small cloth and then using a slightly larger one dried my hands. 

When several servants exited and cleared the empty plates, I stopped the last to pass on a message.

"Inform the cook, the meal was satisfactory,"

"Yes, first young miss."

The maid replied, bowing her head slightly for a few seconds. The tea presented by Hua entered my nostrils. Raising the cup I took a sip of the warm liquid, closing my eyes and enjoying the taste. 

Finished, I rinsed my mouth with the water presented in a small cup and stood. 

Inside my room, I saw the personal maid assigned to Tau lifting him who seemed to have just woken.

"Leave him, I will take over. Leave and rest for tomorrow."

"Thank you-" shooing the woman I approached little Tau who smiled up at me.

"Little Tau, you are such a perfect child." I whispered to him, who blinked up at me with those bright innocent eyes. Truly, he was a perfect little human.

I inhaled him, loving his wonderful scent, turning to leave with him.

"Little Tau, we will visit the second family now. This will be our first visit. I am not aware of the third family's master's behaviour, so be good for big sister, OK?"

The child cooed as if he understood while I beamed.

Walking the path with tau in hand while Hua followed, holding a blanket and two maids trailing holding items to place tau in if he grew tired, I continued on behind the maid who had appeared as soon as I had stepped from my courtyard.

It didn't take long, perhaps a little under fifteen minutes to reach the courtyard.

It was a totally different look from both mine and the rest of the family.

While the others seemed to show the wealth through designs and materials used.

The second family opted for a more natural feel, from the outside the wall was similar to all others round built around twenty meters in height from grey onyx and a gate that too were the same height with almost the exact width minus about five meters or so.

To each side stood two large males armed differently from the normal guards compared to the first and third family, their clothing the pants were loose-fitting while the top seemed to overlap each other long-sleeved form-fitted I guess for the chest, shoulder and elbow guards the neck area had high loose collars as if encircling the lower half of their faces from the nose area with several buckets overlapping each side. All in all; the waist area which had then been secured and tied using a broad belt at the waist with several hoops sheathed with two thin swords in their respective scabbards while a shield half their length was tied to their back and in their handheld a simple staff.

The maid leading us stepped forward, showing her token, the doors were opened, and we continued forward.

Inside, I saw the structure up close a few meters away.

The trees were simple with not one flower present, just the simple violet bark and peach coloured leaves of the Nyphon trees spread throughout giving off a sweet scent.