Prince Luke, in a careful and stealthy advance, was climbing up the steps to the floor on which the Hammedatha library was situated. He made sure to place the vamp of his boot down first, so that no sound at all could be heard. Turning around, he placed a finger to his lips, signalling the girl behind him to be quiet.

Aira glared at him in return. "No one here is being loud!" she whisper-yelled.

"Yes, but you know how perceptive Kieran is," Luke whispered back. "One wrong move, and he'll definitely discover us."

"Won't you get a move on!" Ray whisper-yelled from behind Aira. "We'll miss everything!"

Aira rolled her eyes. "I don't even know why you're here."

Luke continued up the steps, and the other two followed. Before he could reach his destination, the sound of footsteps approaching from the floor above made him freeze, causing Ray and Aira to halt as well.

He quickly made an about-turn and whisper-yelled, frantically, "Abort mission! He's coming!"

At once, they all took off back down the steps, as discreetly as possible. It was more difficult for Aira because of her short heel, so she had to run whilst keeping it off the floor.

Finally reaching the ground floor, Ray dashed behind a tall statue while Aira dived to the floor and rolled behind one of the large bronze pots that held a swiss cheese plant. The big leaves hung low, shielding her from sight. As she sat and brought her knees up, Luke rolled up right beside her - to her horror.

"What are you doing!" she squeaked. "There's not enough room!"

"Hush!" Luke snaked an arm behind her shoulders and cupped his hand over her mouth.

The footsteps descended, and Luke used his free hand to shove Aira's head down so she was practically cradled in his chest, while his chin nestled in her hair.

"Just be still." She felt his chest rumble as he spoke.

The sound of footsteps was accentuated on the ground floor as they moved, until they gradually dissipated.

When she was sure they were gone, Aira jerked her head back, causing the back of Luke's head to hit the wall behind them. He yelped, letting go of her, and she shoved him out from behind the pot. He took to rolling on the floor, groaning.

"Personal space, pint-size!" she barked as she walked to the middle of the hallway and met Ray.

"You are a troll!" Luke shot back, clutching the back of his head.

Ray nodded towards Aira. "So are we going to follow them?"

Aira rolled her eyes. "Duh."

And they took off, leaving the Prince lying on the floor.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****
"Everything about this place is magnificent," Patrick marvelled, his eyes appraising the lower gardens, the lake, its bridge and the meadow where the horses calmly strolled about.

He was standing in the back upper lawns of the Manor, just above the small flight of steps that led to the lower gardens with a gazebo.

"It would make a splendid painting," he added with stars in his eyes. He was lost in his artistic thoughts, already picturing the final image on paper, until Kieran's statement jolted him back to the brutal reality.

"I've killed men, Patrick."

The artist remained frozen for a while, and the pace of his heart beat picked up. He was duly reminded that with Elena left back at the library, Kieran had the freedom to speak his mind - and possibly slaughter him.

Gingerly, Patrick turned and looked at Kieran, who was gazing at the gazebo, his hands behind his back. He was missing his baldric, so one could not see any weapons on him - unless they probably removed his boots.

The artist struggled to find a response.
"Well, that is inevitable, regarding what your line of work is," he said at last. "At the battlefield, delivering criminals for execution, dangerous missions..."

"There's that," Kieran agreed. "But I have also killed men for more...personal reasons."

Patrick gulped.

"It doesn't usually happen, but sometimes I go into a blind rage, you see," Kieran said. "I forget that the person in front of me is a human with feelings, and a heart. And so I take their life."

The sun was not so strong, but Patrick felt a bead of cold sweat slide down his back, and he felt it so deep, it was as though it was caressing his spine.

"So you..." he willed himself to speak. "So you kill whoever is in your path?"

Kieran's eyes finally met his grey ones, and to Patrick's surprise, he saw a glint of amusement in them.

Was he bluffing?

He couldn't tell.

"What? No," Kieran denied with a slight chuckle, and a small smirk tugged at one corner of his lips. "Of course not. I'm not a beast."

And just as Patrick thought he could take a moment to relax, Kieran added, "Just the ones that have enraged me."

And he stiffened once more.

"You don't have to do much to enrage me," said Kieran, shrugging his shoulders. "Only harm my precious ones... do something to them that I don't like."

He glanced over the artist's statue-like form, and mirth danced on his features. "Will you relax, Patrick? You haven't done anything yet, so don't look so tense."

"Right," Patrick croaked, laughing awkwardly. "I mean I don't even know your friends, or family-"

"Do you mean to imply that Elena is not my precious one?" Kieran's mirth quickly turned into a dangerous demeanour.

And Patrick turned into a blabbering fool.
"Uh, well I- uh, er- well... just so you know I would n-never do anything to her. She is my friend."

Kieran smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I know she is your friend," he said and turned his gaze skywards.

He heaved a deep melancholy sigh, and uttered, lowly, but loud enough for Patrick to hear, "Yet with each action you do, I come closer and closer to becoming enraged."

***** ***** ***** *****

The servants were busy setting up the pavilion for lunch, carrying the dishes and cutlery from the kitchen. Kieran was standing in the wide upper lawns, his arms crossed over his chest as he glowered at a Patrick seated at the steps - sketching.

"You really don't like him, do you?" Luke's voice inquired from beside him.

Without taking his eyes off the artist, Kieran said, "I still don't understand what in heaven's name you are doing here, Lukas."

"I don't have to seek permission from you to visit Hammedatha Manor," Lukas replied, "but I do love that I had the perfect timing. Otherwise, I'd have missed seeing you in distress."

Kieran rolled his eyes just as a maid servant came to inform them that lunch was ready; and he told her to inform Elena the same.

Soon enough, nearly everyone was settled at the table in the pavilion, and Patrick still had not gotten over the fact that the Crown Prince was in attendance.

He had thought and decided that he would leave the General and Elena be, but when he saw the knowing smirk Luke sent him at the table, his mind screamed that he was trapped.

Luke sat at the head of the table, and Aira on the other end. On his right sat Kieran, who was facing Patrick. There was an empty seat next to Kieran, after which sat Joshua, who was glaring at Patrick.

Actually, on the entire Hammedatha table, the only one who wasn't watching Patrick was Aaron. The latter was looking at his cocktail as he swirled it in his cup, but the smile of amusement on his lips made it clear he knew exactly the kind of position Patrick was in.

To break the ice, Aaron cocked his head to his right, at Patrick, who sat an empty seat away. "So, Patrick Caparo. Tell us more about yourself."

Caparo looked at the only Hammedatha sibling he had not met before that day, and was internally thankful that there was one person at least, who wasn't expecting him to do anything. It made him feel more at ease.

He cleared his throat and asked, "well, what would you like to know?"

Their chatter had just started, when Elena came rushing into the pavilion.

"I am so sorry, I made all of you wait!" she gushed. Her face scrunched up apologetically as she glanced at them all, then noticed the blond she was standing next to.

She immediately bowed. "Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to be dining with you."

Luke smiled. "Take a seat, my lady."

Elena looked up and returned the smile. Her eyes immediately took notice of the empty chair between Patrick and Aaron, and she beamed at Patrick. Her feet started to move in his direction, but came to an immediate halt when he spoke.

"Elena."

How was she supposed to get used to him calling her bare name when he said it like that? In such a way that made her breath hitch, and sent worms running amok within her stomach walls?

Those darn worms.

Swallowing, she slowly turned around, and met his awaiting gaze. So steady, so piercing, so...compelling.

"Come here."

She did not know whether it was the sea green clashing against the azure in his eyes that enchanted her, or the low rasp in his voice, but she complied at once, padding to where he sat.

She stood and held his gaze, as if she was waiting for another command.

"Sit beside me."

And she obeyed. Like a good girl.
It shocked her; almost scared her how great the General's effect was on her. And it was more frightening that she knew she wouldn't react the same way with any one else.

She was still looking into his eyes when she sat, and he did not take his eyes off her. It was that look. The one that had a sort of darkness about it she couldn't quite decipher, and she interlaced her fingers to keep the tremble in them at bay.

But then, his cyan eyes suddenly brightened up as a small one-sided smile crept up on his lips. The worms running amok in her insides seemed to melt, leaving a sort of mushy, fuzzy feeling.

A warmth crept up her cheeks and she shied away from his gaze, fixing her stare on her laps.

Two different feelings for two different expressions.

Lukas looked over at Aira, and winked. She made cross-eyes whilst sticking her tongue out at him, but still smiled, letting him know she was paying attention.

Joshua cleared his throat, and his baritone cut through the silence. "Let's eat."

Lunch was going on smoothly until Luke gave Patrick the eye. It was the eye that meant 'do something.'

Patrick gulped and looked around the table. Everyone was busy with their food, not minding him. He looked over at Kieran and Elena. Kieran was serving her some stew, and asking her whether she wanted anything else.

"Ah. Elena have you tried the vegetable rice?" Patrick asked.

She shook her head. "Not yet."

"It's really good. It's got plenty of carrots and peas, just how you like it," Patrick said, smiling at her.

Her features exhumed vibrance. "Really? Let me have a taste. You know me so well, Pat."

Patrick picked up the dish of rice, but before he could pass it over, Kieran butt in.

"You like doughy foods, don't you?" He asked Elena, signalling for Ray to pass the plate of chapatis. "You haven't tried the chapatis yet. They're delicious."

"Uh..." Elena drawled, looking from Patrick to Kieran. "Well..."

Before she could properly protest, Kieran was already picking one piece, cut in a triangular shape, and rolling it. She widened her eyes when he brought it infront of her lips and asked her to have a bite.

Ray missed his bite and the bit of potato he'd forked fell with a splat on his plate, scattering a few drops of stew on his tunic.

By now, everyone was watching the only couple at the table.

Elena opened her mouth and took a bite of the rolled up chapati.

"Is it good?" Kieran asked, and she nodded in response, the twinkle in her eyes indicating a smile.

Patrick was about to say something, but noticed the glare Joshua was giving him across the table. And when he mouthed two words, Patrick read them as, "Shut. Up." and he clamped his mouth shut.

Joshua nodded towards Ray, and that is when Ray started telling a story from one of their missions - much to Luke and Aira's dismay.

After lunch, however, they did get a chance to engage Patrick, and took straight to showering him with compliments about his art. It was Aaron who suggested he sketch something so they all could admire his talent.

"You may draw lady Elena, for example," Luke said, grinning at Patrick. "She's right in front of you, so it will be easy."

Patrick looked across from him, but his view of the smiling Elena was blurred by Kieran's soul-shattering glare.

"It's...just a sketch, right?" Patrick said the words to mean some sort of request for a go-ahead from Kieran. To his relief, Kieran said, "Just a sketch."

Sighing, he reached into the satchel on his laps and took out some paper and charcoal, and started to draw. When he was finished, Luke was the first to look at it.

"Wow, she looks pretty," was his glorifying comment.

"Do I?" Elena asked, her toothy smile showing she was eager to look at the drawing.

"I only draw what I see," Patrick said, smiling at Elena.

Kieran snorted.

Aaron looked at the drawing next, and nodded in accolade. "You do have talented hands."

"Doesn't he!" Elena chirped, and Kieran felt himself losing a few brain cells.

"Psh. It can't be that good." Ray snatched the paper from Aaron, and grunted when he looked at it, mumbling something under his breath.

Aira snatched the paper from Ray, and she too, showered Patrick with compliments. And when it reached Elena, she was absolutely elated about the drawing.

So elated that she just had to share her elation with Kieran.

"Look at this, General," she said, beaming as she showed him the drawing. "I always knew Pat was talented, but it still marvels me. This is only a sketch, yet it looks stunning, don't you agree?"

Kieran glared at the picture before him. It was a drawing of a smiling Elena, the way she was then with the jungle flame flowers in some braids of her hair. It was beautiful indeed, but there was no way he was going to admit that.

He scoffed. "Anyone can draw."

All heads turned to him at once, and Joshua had the most shocked expression.

"It's just a drawing, yet you all act like he can make diamonds become real simply from sketching them," said Kieran. "You don't have to make such a big deal out of it."

Luke smirked. "If you think it's so easy then why don't you draw us something, Kieran?"

Alarm bells were ringing in Joshua's brain.
"No!" he opposed a little too loudly, causing them all to look at him with curiosity.

He cleared his throat. "I mean, I agree with Kieran," he said. "Simple sketching? Done. Just hand me some paper and charcoal, and I will show you."

"Captain, can you really draw?" Elena asked.

"Even Ray can do it," Joshua's reply caused his brother to momentarily choke on saliva. Joshua glared at him, and he conceded.

"Yes!" Ray affirmed, and lifted one shoulder in a pompous shrug. "Only a little drawing? Let me at it."

"Great!" Elena cheered, clapping her hands once. "Then let us all draw. We shall see who really is the best at it. Pat excluded."

Patrick produced the papers and charcoal from his satchel, and excused himself to go and finish his landscape sketch. Everyone else got down to drawing.

It was silent, save for the occasional whispering and peeping, and light horseplay between Ray and Aira.

Elena peeped to her right at Joshua's drawing. It was of a cat playing with a ball of yarn.

"You are actually good at this, captain," she whispered, her eyes wide with marvel.

He grunted in response.

"Do you like cats?"

He grunted again, but replied, "They are cute."

And as though he'd just realised what he'd said, he looked at Elena, his face horror-struck. "Don't tell Kieran I said that."

She giggled and whispered, "Your secret is safe with me."

He nodded and she turned to Kieran.

He was drawing with his left hand, his right arm shielding the rest of his paper from view. He didn't let her peep, and she saw from the way his brows were knitted and his forehead creased, that he was concentrating hard and giving it his all.

She smiled at the sight.

Aira was the first to finish, and hers was a drawing of hens.

"It's only good because you picked the easiest one," Ray said when he took a look at it.

Aira snatched his paper and gasped. "I picked the easiest one? All you drew is a big daisy!"

Ray grinned. "Because I am smarter than you."

Soon, everyone was finished, and they were having fun exchanging papers. They were no longer sitting down, but had moved back and forth about the table while hunting each other's drawings, that they were now scattered in different parts of the pavilion.

All of them but Kieran, who was still settled in his seat at the dining table.

"What about you, General anyone-can-draw?" Luke prodded, nodding towards him.

Silently, Kieran picked his paper and handed it to Joshua, who was standing next to him. His brother held it in his hands to look at it, and his eyes widened at what he'd drawn.

"This is..." Joshua gulped and tried to describe what he was looking at, whilst fighting back a certain sound from his throat which he knew Kieran wouldn't like.

"Well, it's..." he tried again and ran a hand down his face, stopping at his mouth to hide the upward quirk of his lips, "...a drawing indeed."

Suddenly, he flung the paper at Ray, next to him. "What do you think, Ray?" he croaked, keeping his gaze on the pavilion roof, his bottom lip sucked between his teeth.

Ray held the picture infront of him, and his reaction was more or less the same as Joshua's. "It's a, uh..." he trailed off and had to lean in to Joshua to ask in a ferocious whisper, "What the heck is this?"

A strangled sound came from Joshua's throat, and he shook his head - an indication that even he did not know.

Ray looked back at the drawing and his cheeks puffed as he struggled to swallow down the sound that threatened to erupt from his mouth. He drew out a shaky breath, and his voice was a squeak as he said, "It's creative." and tears brimmed at the corners of his eyes.

"Aaron, you tell us." He quickly flung the paper to Aaron, and the latter battled to catch the paper as it bounced on and off his fingertips.

He finally looked at the drawing, and blinked. He brought a hand to cup his mouth, and his entire body started shaking with laughter.

One glance at Aaron made Ray snort a laugh, but he masked it by hiding his face behind Joshua; Joshua, who was attempting to maintain a polka face, his eyes analysing the wooden beams of the roof.

"Let me see that." Luke stalked over to Aaron and took the piece of paper. A brow was arched in curiosity, but when his eyes fell upon what was on it, a full grin stretched his face, causing his ears to move involuntarily.

He let out a screech first, which turned into a hideous bustling laugh that set off the laughs of Ray and Aaron. The three of them guffawed like hyenas, and were soon joined by Aira, who squawked the moment she saw the drawing.

Joshua was still struggling to maintain an impassive face.

"I mean, what is this, Kieran!" Lukas choked out. "I'd like to say it's a cow, but cows do not have six legs!"

"It looks like..." Ray wheezed. "It looks like a cross breed between a turd and a giant ant. Why are the anthers so big?"

"Anthers?" Aira squealed. "I thought they were the two heads of the ant-turd!"

And they all laughed, with Aira holding onto Luke's arm to support her aching ribs.

Kieran was watching the lot of them in shock as they mercilessly trashed his drawing of...what he'd intended to be a soldier on a rearing horse.

"And why is this...this thing kneeling?" Luke asked. "Why does a cow have paws, for goodness sake!"

"It's not a cow," Kieran wanted to say; but the shock of being ridiculed made his tongue weigh more than a pot of sand.

"Whatever this thing is, we should hunt it down before it multiplies," Ray commented, and they all roared in laughter, exchanging high fives.

Elena looked at the platoon that was having a good time poking fun at the drawing, and she looked at its artist, who sat there helplessly with his lips slightly parted and eyes wide. She frowned, instant sympathy clouding her heart.

"That is enough," she said it loud enough for everyone to hear, and their laughter came to a halt when they saw the scowl on her face.

"You should not make fun of his drawing when you do not know how much effort he put in," she chided.

Kieran looked at Elena, and he felt himself start to swell with pride at the fact that she had stood up for him. It brought back fond memories, and somehow, he felt that she would always be on his side.

"The General worked really hard on his drawing, I know," Elena said, giving each of them a sharp glance. "I will not let you ridicule his efforts, so stop this, please."

Kieran found himself smiling, and Joshua nodded in approval.

But Luke wasn't ready to let go.

Lifting the paper, he asked Elena, "Alright, but don't you want to look at it?"

Elena met his gaze with steadiness in her deep blue eyes. "I will look at it, and I will appreciate his effort."

She walked to him and took the paper in her hands. Her breath hitched when she looked at the drawing and she pursed her lips.

"Oh, General..." she murmured, and with a gasp, directed her gaze upwards, admiring the wooden beams of the roof.

Gathering her courage, she looked back at the drawing, and coughed.

Then another cough.

Plus a cough and a snort at once.

"I cannot do this!" she declared before erupting into fits of giggles, which restarted the laughing chain. This time Joshua subtly joined in, infected by Elena's charming giggle.

Kieran frowned deeply as he watched Elena laugh along with the platoon, and even louder at Luke's snide comments.
Whatever pride he had regained deflated in a flash, leaving him dejected, powerless, and utterly embarrassed. He even felt his ears heat up - which was an unusual occurrence.

"He really can't draw," Luke said between chuckles.

Elena leaned the side of her face against Aaron's upper arm as they both laughed, her hand around Ray's wrist in a death grip.

"Not like Patrick," Luke added and nodded towards Elena. "Right?"

"Do not even compare them, your Highness," said a breathless Elena. And as a seeming afterthought, she added, "The General can never be like Pat."

Kieran found it incredible how Elena always managed to make him realise he had an ego - when she was destroying it.

Only this time, it felt a lot worse than a mere dent in his pride.

Quietly, he rose from his chair, and no one noticed him leave.

Author's rambling:

Ugh. Comparisons.

I don't know whether to feel hurt/embarrassed on his behalf or laugh with the platoon.

When I wrote this draft a couple of days ago, I had a serious craving for samosas wrapped in chapati, and now rewriting it made me crave again! Darn quarantine.

The next chapter is one of my personal favourites.😊 This Patrick Caparo arc has gone on long enough. Time to kick him out of the picture!🙃

Aloha, everybody, and don't forget to star this chapter!