CHAPTER 22

It was a tune that displayed a great love between a hero and a beautiful maiden. The hero was travelling around the world when he met a maiden. She was very beautiful that her beauty shook the world.
The beauty happened to be kidnapped by the mountain bandits. The hero saved the beauty by fighting all the bandits and claimed her from them. As a way to thank the hero for his good deeds, the beauty danced under the moonlight for the hero.
The hero fell in love with the beauty and so did she. He took her away from the town and the two lived away from the world and lived a secluded life. It was a legendary story that everyone knew but she knew the story well since her mother used to tell it to her every day and it also happens that the people in the story were her great grandparents.
She wondered what made her mother to enter into the pugilistic world especially when her ancestors had left the wars behind them.
Xavier was happy seeing how Valery was enjoying the tune he was playing. He only knew the story behind the tune and that Valery liked it more than any other tunes. To keep her in a good mood was his responsibility.
He was going to come up with as many tricks as he could to maintain that. He stopped playing and went to the pavilion where Valery was seated enjoying her tea. He joined her and sat next to her. Nora poured him a cup of tea. He sipped it and nodded his head.
“It’s really good,” he said.
“It is and since you just finished my tea, I’m afraid you should find me more,” Valery told him and he smiled at her.
“I will do that. You look very lovely,” he told her.
“Thank you. And you have improved greatly. I love the tune,” she complimented him.
“I’m glad you did. Next time I will listen to you while you play,” he said looking at her.
“I won’t play for free,” she said smiling at him.
“I can use anything to pay. What do you want?” he asked.
“I will have to think about it first before I tell you,” she said.
Xavier wrapped his arm around Valery and all the maids looked away. Valery looked at him.
“I want you in my arms as we both enjoy this lovely scene,” he said and she leaned her head against his shoulder.
It felt good to be just there witnessing as the sun set while they were in each other’s arms. He just hoped their lives will remain as sweet as it was that moment.
The sun finally set and they both returned to the palace. Dinner was served in Valery’s hall. There were plenty of dishes since they were two. He served her plate and gave it to her. She took it with a smile on her face and the two of them had their dinner comfortably. It always brought joy to him to watch her eating healthy like that.
The next day he woke up with a smile on his face. He felt so happy he couldn’t contain it. After freshening up he had his breakfast and went straight to do his business. As the young lord of the palace he has duties he had to attend to and since he had been away for a long time it was time for him to check up on those. He would see Valery later because if he sees her now then he won’t be able to go anywhere.
He was in charge of overseeing the tailor department since he has a huge interest in that area. He really loved making clothes for Valery, seeing her wearing clothes that he made brought him great joy. Winter was coming and he had to make sure that they were making enough clothes for everyone. He went there first and met the manager.
“It’s good to have you back young lord,” he said looking happy.
“It’s good to be back too. I’m here to check up on the clothes,” he told the manager.
“It’s good that you are here. There is something I have to show you,” he said and began to walk towards the storage, and Xavier followed him.
They entered the storage where they kept the fabric, the storage was filled with the smell of both old and new fabrics; it was the smell he had missed when he was away. He looked at the fabrics for a long time and noticed what was happening.
“How did this happen?” he asked pointing at the huge pile of fabric that had been eaten by rats.
“I don’t know what happened but a few days ago we realized that there was a rat hole. We exterminated the rats but the fabrics had already become like that. These fabrics are used for the mistress’s clothes. I couldn’t report it since she had been busy and asked not to be disturbed,” he explained.
“You did a good thing. Reporting such a matter to her will only make her angry. Salvage every fabric that is like that and make a list of it. I will see what can be done with it,” he told the manager.
“I will do that.”
“But in the meantime, I want to know how many gowns you have made for winter for the mistress?”
“The normal fabric could only make two complete gowns. We are still to make the coats and the other gowns,” he informed him.
“Okay, I will go into the city and purchase the necessary fabrics needed for the clothes. What about the disciples’ clothes?”
“They are in the process but we still need more fabric for the senior disciples,” the manager told him.
“Okay. Let me see all the damaged fabrics now,” he said.
All the damaged fabric was put on the table and he checked it over and over again, separating the better from the worst.
“Use the better fabric to make the clothes for the senior disciples and stock the rest of the fabric. I will see what to do with it when everything has settled,” Xavier told the manager.
“Thank you. Now I can have a peace of mind that you are back. Do I need to send some maids with you?”
“No, we need all hands at deck now. I will take my leave,” he said and left the department.
His next stop was to go to the Left Guardian, he was in charge of the palace’s finances.
“Young lord, I wasn’t expecting you here,” he said as he stood from his chair.
“I have some business to take care of here. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time,” he said as he took his seat.
“No, I was just going through some books. So how can I be of help? Is the mistress alright?”
“She is fine. I came here to collect some money for fabrics,” he told him.
“Winter is coming already. How much do you want?”
Xavier told the left guardian exactly how much he would want and saw is face change.
“All of the mistress’s fabric had been eaten by rats which is bad. If we delay then she won’t be having any winter clothes. I wouldn’t want her wrath on me. You know how much she hates being cold,” Xavier explained and saw the man’s face loosening up.
“You make a great point. I will give you the notes,” he said and took out a book where he recorded everything down.
The left guardian was a meticulous person. He did everything by the book and Valery trusted him a lot. He received his bank notes and left the treasury department.
He went to the transport department where he got himself a carriage and prepared to leave the mountain. He had a lot of things to do and him purchasing the fabric personally was good since he knew exactly what Valery was fond of and not.