Book 1 : Water || Chapter 4: Night on The Town!

Job Info:

Kaseki held the paper in his hands. He was by far the most random thing to appear at that castle. To think a monster would escort the daughter of one of the Kings-men was a ludicrous thought. Yet here he stood. He took in a deep breath, tasting the cool night air, tasting the carbon dioxide. "Humans." He thought to himself. The only thing he needed them for was to breathe, but even then he could still feed off oxygen. Hell, he could even absorb it through osmosis. But of course, all of these words he couldn't pronounce nor understand.

He held the note, only matching one word to his memory. "King." he repeated in his mind. "The king needs my help." he thought. Kaseki really had no idea that is was to take one of the king's men's own daughter to something.

He stood there, trying to picture the great noble man that would lead the kingdom.

Kaseki watched as the great castle doors began to part. He smiled as he took a step in. "It's a monster..." one of the guards said. Kaseki glanced over at the man, "No, my name is Kaseki. I am not named Mother." he walked off, murmuring to himself. "Mother... why that is a strange thing to call someone."

He made his way down the rolled out carpet, and the highly decorated halls. He strolled with happy thoughts in mind. "This is it." he thought to himself, "They will finally have a home." He looked at the great banner on the walls in awe. He looked to his left...

But then something made a sound. But what? He turned to find something flying at his face. He questioned it, yet his instincts said to catch it... and so he did. He jumped at it, his face getting near and he bit down on it.

He saw a woman walking down the steps, with only one shoe. He tilted his head in an animalistic manner. He was curious. He reached to his mouth and grabbed the object. It was nothing other than her boot. Then it came to him...

"Milady..." Kaseki bowed to the ground. He was ashamed. "The King is a Queen!" he thought to himself.

"Hmph." she spoke with utter disappointment, yet amusement. She walked towards Kaseki. It was odd to find someone with that kind of speed. Not only that, it seemed not to phase him. "Let's go." she said to the creature.

Kaseki turned and looked over at the lady. All he could see was the elegant dress. "Yes, my queen." he uttered. He sprung up to his feet. He saw that her arm was rather distant from her body. He knew what it meant. That meant he was going to escort her. Where to? He had no clue. He quickly took the position at her side and his arm was in hers, and vice versa. And the two walked out of the castle.

The sky was dark and the moon was bright. The girl dragged Kaseki along with her. Kaseki made no speech, he made no move. She was the queen, she was to address him before he addressed her. "What's your name?" she asked the plant man. To which he replied, "Kaseki." She continued her interrogation, asking, "And your surname?" Kaseki drew a puzzled look. "It's just Kaseki. I don't have any family, if that's what you're asking."

Eventually the two made their way to a cathedral. Kaseki knew what was inside. He knew it all well to be true. "My apologies for speaking out of turn." Kaseki started. He was taking to the girl next to him. They both made their way up the stairs. "But may I ask of your name?" Kaseki said to the woman. "Bixian, Xiaowei." she answered, "It was the name they gave me. They took me in when I was a chil-" she stopped herself. Why was she telling him that? No one outside of her father and mother knew of that fact, yet she was telling a stranger her own secrets?

"It's okay," Kaseki said with a smile, "Kaseki isn't my real name either. My brother named me after he took me in. Said I was as old as a Fossil." Kaseki laughed, "My name means fossil." he said to the woman. She gave a small grin.

The knight posted at the door nodded to the girl and they both proceeded into the building. "How interesting," she thought to herself, "... How interesting."

They sat at a table on the second level, keeping a view of everyone below. They were next to the balcony walls, and Kaseki kept peeking over it. "I've never seen anything like this." he said to the lady. She giggled as a man placed two glasses of wine on their table.

"And what will you be having this evening?" the man asked them.

"The usual." she answered the man. Kaseki sat there confused. Was his order being taken? Were they at dinner? He looked at the people dancing below, all coordinated and in sync. Was he on a...

"A... A Steak!" Kaseki blurted out. The man went on to ask another question only to be interrupted, "Raw." Kaseki said. The man's face turned to stone. He was going to ask about a side only to have Kaseki go on... "Just give me meat. I don't care. Oh! And the bones too!" Kaseki said with a smile.

The man slowly backed away from the table and went on his way. Then Kaseki turned to the lady and pointed at his glass, "Why is this water burgundy?" he asked.

"You've never had wine?" the woman asked the tree. Kaseki's face looked puzzled. He held the expression that could only mean one thing.

"I thought it was yellow..." he said. He dripped his hand into the drink. She seemed unamused. "Don't drink it. It's distastful." She said. She reached out to her side, her glass in hand, her arm over the banister. She tilted her glass. Her red wine spilled out onto the floor.

She peeked over the ledge after placing her glass back onto the table. Kaseki peered over the edge as well.

They were both entertained to watch their waiter slip on it and get covered with the soup she had ordered, and the raw meat Kaseki ordered. With it, people went to help him and slipped as well.

It wasn't much. But it kept them both at ease. And something about watching others suffer through foolish things make them both laugh. Something they stopped only when they caught each other's eyes. To which they fell silent and blushed accordingly. T'was a fine night to ruin a great dance.

As the night ended, they arrived at her home. She smiled as Kaseki bowed once more. "... Ah, but the pleasure was all mine." he said, "Still, you would have made a great queen." Kaseki laughed and the girl laughed with him. "To think my father set me with the leader of the Horde. Ha!" she joked.

Kaseki took a step away with a grand smile on his face. "Good night, milady. May the Maker watch over you." and with that, Kaseki vanished into the shade.

She paused to glance where the creature once stood. She smiled as she pressed against the door, her hand feeling the odd wood. "Not bad, Father." she said lightly, "Not a bad choice at all." She laughed to herself as he pushed open the door.

Her father stood there watching and waiting. He had a smile on his face to see his daughter's cheek's red. Her face became pale to find her father waiting for her. "Have a good time?" he asked her, "It appears that you didn't kill him." He smiled.

She just glared at him. "Perhaps another time, father." she commented, "Perhaps I might just go on an adventure with him one day..." she said under her breath.

Looks good to me

Completed~