Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 102: Delicate Affairs ()

" I have decided that henceforth, you are to be Lord Xenon’s personal attendant. As personal attendant to Lord Xenon of Onyx Scales...it is a necessity that you are dressed in his color." Lord Rodrick explained.

"Attendant?" Neveah asked with a raised brow,

"It is as you have heard." Lord Rodrick replied in a calm tone, he headed to the rows of bookshelves without glancing back,

’Did he just say wear his color?’ Neveah’s wolf thought to her, in a tone of indignation,

’It is as you have heard.’ Neveah thought back to her wolf in the same manner Lord Rodrick had said the words to her,

’ How unreasonable do these dragons get? My fur is of a midnight blue but I do not see you wearing blue all about.’ Neveah’s wolf thought again, sounding immensely displeased,

Neveah’s lips twitched slightly, her wolf’s reasoning left her feeling amused at the situation rather than angry as she thought she would be.

’ Do you not smell it? Lord Rodrick is no dragon...though I cannot say for certain what he is, be that as it may, the affair looks to be settled. Let us not concern ourselves with clothing choices, black is as good as any...let it lie. ’ Neveah thought back to her wolf,

’It is not about the color...’ Neveah’s wolf grumbled.

Neveah felt her wolf’s displeasure as she retreated to the back of her mind, scoffing again in indignation,

As an Alpha King Wolf, Neveah knew her wolf’s pride was great, she did not think she would ever be able to keep up, but her wolf made adjustments for her and for that she was grateful.

For one who was born to rule, all they had faced and all they were still facing could not be easy for her wolf,

Neveah only hoped she would be able to give her wolf the freedom she deserved, before her wolf ran out of patience.

If it got to that point, even Neveah was not certain what her wolf would do. She had heard of wolves loosing control and going on rampages,

Unless it ever came to a point that there was no other choice left, that was the last thing Neveah wanted.

"Becoming the personal attendant to a Lord Dragon, it is far different from being just any attendant in the keep."

"It is the dream of every lady of nobility and those of common birth, yet it is not a position so easily attained."

"In all honesty, you would be the last to be qualified for such a position due to your unfamiliar backgrounds and uncertainties loyalties..." Lord Rodrick began.

"Then you need not consider me." Neveah said with a casual shrug, earning herself a look from Lord Rodrick for her interruption.

"As I was saying... You cannot be said to be qualified for this prestigious status, but you may consider it that you are in luck because I have been entrusted to sort out your title and I have decided on this most fitting solution." Lord Rodrick continued.

"Lord Xenon keeps no attendants, a good number of girls sent his way have either ended up crippled, dead or too terrified to step out of their homes...but then again, we must keep trying, mustn’t we?" Lord Rodrick asked rhetorically.

Knowing Lord Rodrick did not expect an answer from her, Neveah wisely kept shut and just stared blankly.

"As attendant to a Lord Dragon and one of the King’s guard, there is much expected of you and as such, there is much you must learn..." Lord Rodrick began as he walked down the rows of shelves but stopped and turned to Neveah.

"Well, what are you waiting for girl? Come along." Lord Rodrick said and Neveah moved, following after him a few steps behind.

She did not think she had to be that close or even follow after him, she could hear him well enough even from two rooms away, there was a reason she was a wolf shifter.

However, Neveah complied, shaking off her excessive thoughts and focusing her attention on the hundreds of books filling the shelves.

"To learn to serve as attendant to our Lord Dragons, those who have been selected for a position of such high regard are few and far between, as such they have mastered many arts from childhood."

"A Dragon is a great and mighty beast, seeing to their personal affairs cannot be easy."

"You must ensure he is well fed, his robes tidied, skin and roast his hunts, schedule his flights, polish his scales and tidy his cave... the list goes on and on." Lord Rodrick listed off his head as he moved.

Neveah paused in her step, a single brow raising as she slowly digested all that was being said.

"Polish his what?" Neveah asked uncertainly.

"His scales of course, so they gleam and shine at every flight. He is of the King’s guard, naturally he is to look his best at every moment." Lord Rodrick replied simply.

Neveah blinked at Lord Rodrick’s explanation and his tone that sounded as though he had just given an extremely viable reason.

Meanwhile, Neveah could not understand, what exactly did polishing Xenon’s scales have to do with her?

That was akin to giving him a bath, it was only that he would be in dragon form, but even so...it was not an affair she wanted to get involved with.

"And who exactly has seen to this... delicate affairs all this while?" Neveah asked as politely as she could.

"Well, I would ask them to come and give you some guidance, it is only that most are long dead and the few left alive are not in a very... good state of mind." Lord Rodrick replied simply.

In short, Neveah understood amongst the King’s guard, Lord Xenon was the hardest to tend to and that was exactly the duty being entrusted to her.

If everyone who had tended to him ended up in one sorry state or the other, what was to say Neveah would be any different?

Neveah wondered where Lord Rodrick was acquiring such confidence in her when he barely even knew anything about her,

She guessed it was simply because she was dispensable and that was all the dragon shifters knew of her.

"All these affairs are arts that require intense training, dragon’s are extremely sensitive creatures and then Lord Xenon...you do not want to displease him." Lord Rodrick continued.

"And why, pray tell am I suitable for this...highly sought after duty?" Neveah asked in a blank tone.

Lord Rodrick stopped and turned to Neveah, he stared at her for a moment before he finally gave a response.

"Because I say you are." Lord Rodrick replied with a casual shrug.

"And, Lord Xenon seems to find you... interesting." Lord Rodrick added.

Neveah bit her lip but did not speak further as Lord Rodrick continued.

"In this case, there will be no time to impact in you the knowledge that you will need and so I will only ask a few questions." Lord Rodrick said.

"Do you deem yourself to be adept at strenuous physical activity?" Lord Rodrick asked.

"Reasonably so." Neveah replied, uncertain what the purpose of Lord Rodrick’s question was.

"That is quite the relief. Unto the next enquiry, taking into consideration your previous life, I will not make things difficult for you. Now, do you have the slightest idea of how to prepare a meal?" Lord Rodrick asked.

Cooking, he was asking Neveah if she could cook which was a very unreasonable question to ask someone who was thought to be a spoiled and pampered princess.

"Yes, I do." Neveah replied, earning herself a look of surprise from Lord Rodrick.

"This is not a chance question and answer session where you speak either yes or no as it pleases you." Lord Rodrick warned.

"Your question, I have given you the answer already...sir." Neveah replied in a blank tone.

"Hmmm. Very well then, I shall take your word for it." Lord Rodrick said in approval.

Lord Rodrick finally stopped at a portion of the shelf and pulled out a thick volume and Neveah raised a brow, wondering what the book was for.

Of course, that became aparrent to her when Lord Rodrick began handing thrmy off to Neveah one after the other till there was a heap of books in her hands.

Though the books were not particularly heavy...at least not to Neveah, the dust exuded off from them irritated Neveah’s nostrils and it took great effort not to sneeze.

"These all tell of duties and etiquettes of attendants in the keep as well as some basic history of dragons, the Asvarian Stronghold and the Dragon Keep. The do’s and dont’s are all listed out clearly."

"It is meant to be studied over the course of years but you shall have to cram it all into the course of a few days... that being said, I will have these volumes sent to your quarters."

"But as is said, there is no teacher better than experience... once Davina returns, she shall escort you down the mountain to begin your duties." Lord Rodrick said.

"I am to begin immediately?" Neveah asked and Lord Rodrick passed her a glance over his shoulder.

"What better time than the now?" Lord Rodrick asked and Neveah breathed a heavy sigh.