Chapter 114: Necessary?
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At first, Xzavier was a little skeptical about being served by Adalia. It wasn't that he was opposed to her kindness or anything of the sort. It was much deeper than that. It was the underlying element of being attended to by her in the capacity of a servant, this was what made him a little edgy, and uncomfortable. As someone who had been self sufficient and self reliant for a long time, he had gotten used to doing things by himself. Every time he needed something done, he could always count on himself.
So, being doted on and being attended to in this manner was a bit strange.
And yet, somehow, without Xzavier being able to completely explain it, Adalia had braved through, and completely shattered this stereotype Xzavier had tenaciously clung to for so long. Like the legendary Valkyries of old, she had swooped down on him and rescued his dying social life from the strangling thorns of solitude.
Now, Adalia had warmed her way into Xzavier's life. He was now reliant on her for the littlest things. He now had no objections whatsoever to being taken care of by Adalia. However, because it wasn't in his nature to be doted on in such a manner, Xzavier would often offer to help out in any way that he could, especially if she was in some kind of trouble in any way. But whenever he tried, he always came up against a blank wall.
Their conversations would always go something like this;
"Okay Xzavier, I'm off to go harvest some leaves for the next batch of tea. I'll see you later."
"Hold on. I'll come with."
Adalia glanced back in Xzavier's direction with a confounded expression.
"What do you mean you will come with me?"
"You know, to help you with anything, just in case you need any help."
Adalia was still a bit puzzled. She saw no reason why Xzavier would want to do that. It was strange. Almost absurd to even think of in the first place. She made that very clear to him.
"Don't be absurd Xzavier. This kind of thing isn't suited for you. Why would you even want to do that?"
"What do you mean? Is there some hidden law that says I am not allowed to help out or what?"
Adalia stared at him blankly, not sure exactly how she was supposed to answer that.
"Uhmm, there's no law really…"
"Then what's the big deal then? Or do you think I wouldn't know how to do it?"
Before she could use that as an excuse, he quickly added;
"Even if that's the case, I'm a pretty fast learner. I can learn the job on the fly."
Best
Still, Adalia retained that stubborn look in her eyes. Xzavier recognized that look. It was a look he had seen several times in the past whenever he tried to offer her his assistance.
Xzavier couldn't see what the big deal was. He simply thought that Adalia was just being stubborn. He somehow missed the fact that she had been a servant for the better part of her life. Hence, she was used to doing things for others by herself. The people she had served had never for once offered to help her do anything.
Even though Earlene treated her well, and their relationship had thrived to the level of sisterly love, at the core, their relationship still maintained the mistress/maid dynamic. Earlene could never offer to assist Adalia with any household chore. Even if the tasks themselves directly affected her. Adalia didn't mind. In fact it hadn't even crossed her mind that no assistance had ever been offered. This was simply the way things were. It was her job after all to serve. On what basis was she to expect any kind of assistance from her employer? Asides from the fact that they were nobles of course, things just didn't work that way.
So, this was the foundation of Adalia's thought process. This was why it was so inconceivable that anyone could offer her help. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever.
So, with Xzavier still egging her on, Adalia resisted firmly. Shaking her head stubbornly, she maintained her stand on the issue;
"No. This kind of rough work is my duty."
Xzavier looked at her kindly as if he finally understood what she meant in that moment.
"I have told you to stop it already with that duty nonsense. Honor comes before duty. And bonds of blood and friendship come before honor. I believe I have told you this already?"
"Yes, but---"
"But nothing. We are friends Adalia? Aren't we?"
"Yes."
"Do friends not help other friends? Or is the law on friendships different here as well?"
She blushed and chuckled slightly.
"Don't be silly. Of course there are no such laws."
Xzavier lifted up his hands in victory.
"Well! There you have it! Now let's go. I don't want to hear any more about this subject."
He walked to the door, and turned round to see Adalia still standing, static from the indecision that had gripped her. Xzavier called out to her;
"Are you coming or not?"
A few moments later, they were in the vegetable garden picking up the choicest leaves for the governor's household's beverage. Adalia had been skeptical at first, but she soon saw that having company on these rounds made the task seem somewhat less boring. Xzavier was way taller than her, so he could reach areas her vertically impaired self couldn't. As she watched him work, she found herself gradually warming up to the idea of him assisting her.
It dawned on her the true meaning behind Xzavier insisting that they were friends. What he was simply saying was that they were equals. And because they were equals, there was no class boundary.
Time flew by quickly with the stealth and speed of a predator closing in on its prey. Finally, the time had come. The time everybody but Xzavier been waiting for- the hour of his reward. It was the designated season that had been allotted for Xzavier to receive his reward. It would seem that everyone was excited about it except Xzavier.
"You know it's a pretty big deal right? The people have to celebrate you, the city is duty bound to recognize your accomplishments!"
It was one of those evenings that Adalia and Xzavier had their long talks. Xzavier wasn't an exceptional converser, no matter how he tried to steer the conversation away from the topic, Adalia still stubbornly pivoted them back. Firmly refusing to let go, she pressed on;
"Oh it's going to be glorious Xzavier, you'll see! There's all the pomp, and decorations, and dignitaries! These things don't come by easily."
Xzavier retained that distinct bored look in his eyes. He clearly wasn't feeling it, at least not in the way and manner Adalia was anyway.
"I don't know Adalia…this isn't just for me. Why can't they just deliver the medal or brooch to me in a box and skip the whole charade?"
Adalia gawked at him with her jaw dropped. Her expression clearly said that she couldn't believe what he had just said. It was almost as if he had just blasphemed or uttered something sacrilegious. Xzavier immediately gathered that this was one of those moments where he must have really said something stupid.
"I mean, is all this really necessary?"
Adalia shook her head sadly.
"Your case is really a hopeless one Xzavier. How do I explain this so your thick head can understand the concept of an award ceremony?"
Adalia spent the next few minutes trying to sell the idea to Xzavier. But it was no use. Xzavier just wasn't as hyped as she or anyone else was.
On the night preceding the day before the ceremony, Quaid dropped in to see Xzavier. In essence, the purpose of his visit was simple, it was to brief Xzavier on the proceedings of the next day. But Quaid could have easily sent in an intermediary for that. He was the governor after all. He was a man that always had a hidden motive, and as he knocked on Xzavier's door, his calm expression did nothing to reflect the dubiousness of his otherwise sneaky mind.
Xzavier didn't recognize the pattern of the knock. It was way too firm for it to be the servant, and it was way too collected for it to be Adalia. He called out:
"Yes? Who goes there?"
Quaid chuckled lightly. He thought it was a rather funny way to answer a knock.
"Xzavier, it is Quaid."
All through the period Quaid had spent as the governor, never had he introduced himself as 'the governor.' In his opinion, it was tacky and childish. If his name alone didn't invoke the fear and respect he deserved, then the title of 'governor' was just a sad augmentation of his already pathetic existence.
Xzavier quickly jumped up as soon as he heard Quaid's voice from the other end of the door and swiftly opened the door.
"Governor, what a pleasant surprise."
"It sure is. Are you busy at the moment?"
Xzavier shook his head; "Of course not. Pardon my manners, please come in."
"Thank you."
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At first, Xzavier was a little skeptical about being served by Adalia. It wasn't that he was opposed to her kindness or anything of the sort. It was much deeper than that. It was the underlying element of being attended to by her in the capacity of a servant, this was what made him a little edgy, and uncomfortable. As someone who had been self sufficient and self reliant for a long time, he had gotten used to doing things by himself. Every time he needed something done, he could always count on himself.
So, being doted on and being attended to in this manner was a bit strange.
And yet, somehow, without Xzavier being able to completely explain it, Adalia had braved through, and completely shattered this stereotype Xzavier had tenaciously clung to for so long. Like the legendary Valkyries of old, she had swooped down on him and rescued his dying social life from the strangling thorns of solitude.
Now, Adalia had warmed her way into Xzavier's life. He was now reliant on her for the littlest things. He now had no objections whatsoever to being taken care of by Adalia. However, because it wasn't in his nature to be doted on in such a manner, Xzavier would often offer to help out in any way that he could, especially if she was in some kind of trouble in any way. But whenever he tried, he always came up against a blank wall.
Their conversations would always go something like this;
"Okay Xzavier, I'm off to go harvest some leaves for the next batch of tea. I'll see you later."
"Hold on. I'll come with."
Adalia glanced back in Xzavier's direction with a confounded expression.
"What do you mean you will come with me?"
"You know, to help you with anything, just in case you need any help."
Adalia was still a bit puzzled. She saw no reason why Xzavier would want to do that. It was strange. Almost absurd to even think of in the first place. She made that very clear to him.
"Don't be absurd Xzavier. This kind of thing isn't suited for you. Why would you even want to do that?"
"What do you mean? Is there some hidden law that says I am not allowed to help out or what?"
Adalia stared at him blankly, not sure exactly how she was supposed to answer that.
"Uhmm, there's no law really…"
"Then what's the big deal then? Or do you think I wouldn't know how to do it?"
Before she could use that as an excuse, he quickly added;
"Even if that's the case, I'm a pretty fast learner. I can learn the job on the fly."
Best
Still, Adalia retained that stubborn look in her eyes. Xzavier recognized that look. It was a look he had seen several times in the past whenever he tried to offer her his assistance.
Xzavier couldn't see what the big deal was. He simply thought that Adalia was just being stubborn. He somehow missed the fact that she had been a servant for the better part of her life. Hence, she was used to doing things for others by herself. The people she had served had never for once offered to help her do anything.
Even though Earlene treated her well, and their relationship had thrived to the level of sisterly love, at the core, their relationship still maintained the mistress/maid dynamic. Earlene could never offer to assist Adalia with any household chore. Even if the tasks themselves directly affected her. Adalia didn't mind. In fact it hadn't even crossed her mind that no assistance had ever been offered. This was simply the way things were. It was her job after all to serve. On what basis was she to expect any kind of assistance from her employer? Asides from the fact that they were nobles of course, things just didn't work that way.
So, this was the foundation of Adalia's thought process. This was why it was so inconceivable that anyone could offer her help. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever.
So, with Xzavier still egging her on, Adalia resisted firmly. Shaking her head stubbornly, she maintained her stand on the issue;
"No. This kind of rough work is my duty."
Xzavier looked at her kindly as if he finally understood what she meant in that moment.
"I have told you to stop it already with that duty nonsense. Honor comes before duty. And bonds of blood and friendship come before honor. I believe I have told you this already?"
"Yes, but---"
"But nothing. We are friends Adalia? Aren't we?"
"Yes."
"Do friends not help other friends? Or is the law on friendships different here as well?"
She blushed and chuckled slightly.
"Don't be silly. Of course there are no such laws."
Xzavier lifted up his hands in victory.
"Well! There you have it! Now let's go. I don't want to hear any more about this subject."
He walked to the door, and turned round to see Adalia still standing, static from the indecision that had gripped her. Xzavier called out to her;
"Are you coming or not?"
A few moments later, they were in the vegetable garden picking up the choicest leaves for the governor's household's beverage. Adalia had been skeptical at first, but she soon saw that having company on these rounds made the task seem somewhat less boring. Xzavier was way taller than her, so he could reach areas her vertically impaired self couldn't. As she watched him work, she found herself gradually warming up to the idea of him assisting her.
It dawned on her the true meaning behind Xzavier insisting that they were friends. What he was simply saying was that they were equals. And because they were equals, there was no class boundary.
Time flew by quickly with the stealth and speed of a predator closing in on its prey. Finally, the time had come. The time everybody but Xzavier been waiting for- the hour of his reward. It was the designated season that had been allotted for Xzavier to receive his reward. It would seem that everyone was excited about it except Xzavier.
"You know it's a pretty big deal right? The people have to celebrate you, the city is duty bound to recognize your accomplishments!"
It was one of those evenings that Adalia and Xzavier had their long talks. Xzavier wasn't an exceptional converser, no matter how he tried to steer the conversation away from the topic, Adalia still stubbornly pivoted them back. Firmly refusing to let go, she pressed on;
"Oh it's going to be glorious Xzavier, you'll see! There's all the pomp, and decorations, and dignitaries! These things don't come by easily."
Xzavier retained that distinct bored look in his eyes. He clearly wasn't feeling it, at least not in the way and manner Adalia was anyway.
"I don't know Adalia…this isn't just for me. Why can't they just deliver the medal or brooch to me in a box and skip the whole charade?"
Adalia gawked at him with her jaw dropped. Her expression clearly said that she couldn't believe what he had just said. It was almost as if he had just blasphemed or uttered something sacrilegious. Xzavier immediately gathered that this was one of those moments where he must have really said something stupid.
"I mean, is all this really necessary?"
Adalia shook her head sadly.
"Your case is really a hopeless one Xzavier. How do I explain this so your thick head can understand the concept of an award ceremony?"
Adalia spent the next few minutes trying to sell the idea to Xzavier. But it was no use. Xzavier just wasn't as hyped as she or anyone else was.
On the night preceding the day before the ceremony, Quaid dropped in to see Xzavier. In essence, the purpose of his visit was simple, it was to brief Xzavier on the proceedings of the next day. But Quaid could have easily sent in an intermediary for that. He was the governor after all. He was a man that always had a hidden motive, and as he knocked on Xzavier's door, his calm expression did nothing to reflect the dubiousness of his otherwise sneaky mind.
Xzavier didn't recognize the pattern of the knock. It was way too firm for it to be the servant, and it was way too collected for it to be Adalia. He called out:
"Yes? Who goes there?"
Quaid chuckled lightly. He thought it was a rather funny way to answer a knock.
"Xzavier, it is Quaid."
All through the period Quaid had spent as the governor, never had he introduced himself as 'the governor.' In his opinion, it was tacky and childish. If his name alone didn't invoke the fear and respect he deserved, then the title of 'governor' was just a sad augmentation of his already pathetic existence.
Xzavier quickly jumped up as soon as he heard Quaid's voice from the other end of the door and swiftly opened the door.
"Governor, what a pleasant surprise."
"It sure is. Are you busy at the moment?"
Xzavier shook his head; "Of course not. Pardon my manners, please come in."
"Thank you."
At first, Xzavier was a little skeptical about being served by Adalia. It wasn't that he was opposed to her kindness or anything of the sort. It was much deeper than that. It was the underlying element of being attended to by her in the capacity of a servant, this was what made him a little edgy, and uncomfortable. As someone who had been self sufficient and self reliant for a long time, he had gotten used to doing things by himself. Every time he needed something done, he could always count on himself.So, being doted on and being attended to in this manner was a bit strange.And yet, somehow, without Xzavier being able to completely explain it, Adalia had braved through, and completely shattered this stereotype Xzavier had tenaciously clung to for so long. Like the legendary Valkyries of old, she had swooped down on him and rescued his dying social life from the strangling thorns of solitude.Now, Adalia had warmed her way into Xzavier's life. He was now reliant on her for the littlest things. He now had no objections whatsoever to being taken care of by Adalia. However, because it wasn't in his nature to be doted on in such a manner, Xzavier would often offer to help out in any way that he could, especially if she was in some kind of trouble in any way. But whenever he tried, he always came up against a blank wall.Their conversations would always go something like this;"Okay Xzavier, I'm off to go harvest some leaves for the next batch of tea. I'll see you later.""Hold on. I'll come with."Adalia glanced back in Xzavier's direction with a confounded expression."What do you mean you will come with me?""You know, to help you with anything, just in case you need any help."Adalia was still a bit puzzled. She saw no reason why Xzavier would want to do that. It was strange. Almost absurd to even think of in the first place. She made that very clear to him."Don't be absurd Xzavier. This kind of thing isn't suited for you. Why would you even want to do that?""What do you mean? Is there some hidden law that says I am not allowed to help out or what?"Adalia stared at him blankly, not sure exactly how she was supposed to answer that."Uhmm, there's no law really""Then what's the big deal then? Or do you think I wouldn't know how to do it?"Before she could use that as an excuse, he quickly added;"Even if that's the case, I'm a pretty fast learner. I can learn the job on the fly."Best Still, Adalia retained that stubborn look in her eyes. Xzavier recognized that look. It was a look he had seen several times in the past whenever he tried to offer her his assistance.Xzavier couldn't see what the big deal was. He simply thought that Adalia was just being stubborn. He somehow missed the fact that she had been a servant for the better part of her life. Hence, she was used to doing things for others by herself. The people she had served had never for once offered to help her do anything.Even though Earlene treated her well, and their relationship had thrived to the level of sisterly love, at the core, their relationship still maintained the mistress/maid dynamic. Earlene could never offer to assist Adalia with any household chore. Even if the tasks themselves directly affected her. Adalia didn't mind. In fact it hadn't even crossed her mind that no assistance had ever been offered. This was simply the way things were. It was her job after all to serve. On what basis was she to expect any kind of assistance from her employer? Asides from the fact that they were nobles of course, things just didn't work that way.So, this was the foundation of Adalia's thought process. This was why it was so inconceivable that anyone could offer her help. It just didn't make any sense whatsoever.So, with Xzavier still egging her on, Adalia resisted firmly. Shaking her head stubbornly, she maintained her stand on the issue;"No. This kind of rough work is my duty."Xzavier looked at her kindly as if he finally understood what she meant in that moment."I have told you to stop it already with that duty nonsense. Honor comes before duty. And bonds of blood and friendship come before honor. I believe I have told you this already?""Yes, but---""But nothing. We are friends Adalia? Aren't we?""Yes.""Do friends not help other friends? Or is the law on friendships different here as well?"She blushed and chuckled slightly."Don't be silly. Of course there are no such laws."Xzavier lifted up his hands in victory."Well! There you have it! Now let's go. I don't want to hear any more about this subject."He walked to the door, and turned round to see Adalia still standing, static from the indecision that had gripped her. Xzavier called out to her;"Are you coming or not?"A few moments later, they were in the vegetable garden picking up the choicest leaves for the governor's household's beverage. Adalia had been skeptical at first, but she soon saw that having company on these rounds made the task seem somewhat less boring. Xzavier was way taller than her, so he could reach areas her vertically impaired self couldn't. As she watched him work, she found herself gradually warming up to the idea of him assisting her.It dawned on her the true meaning behind Xzavier insisting that they were friends. What he was simply saying was that they were equals. And because they were equals, there was no class boundary.Time flew by quickly with the stealth and speed of a predator closing in on its prey. Finally, the time had come. The time everybody but Xzavier been waiting for- the hour of his reward. It was the designated season that had been allotted for Xzavier to receive his reward. It would seem that everyone was excited about it except Xzavier."You know it's a pretty big deal right? The people have to celebrate you, the city is duty bound to recognize your accomplishments!"It was one of those evenings that Adalia and Xzavier had their long talks. Xzavier wasn't an exceptional converser, no matter how he tried to steer the conversation away from the topic, Adalia still stubbornly pivoted them back. Firmly refusing to let go, she pressed on;"Oh it's going to be glorious Xzavier, you'll see! There's all the pomp, and decorations, and dignitaries! These things don't come by easily."Xzavier retained that distinct bored look in his eyes. He clearly wasn't feeling it, at least not in the way and manner Adalia was anyway."I don't know Adaliathis isn't just for me. Why can't they just deliver the medal or brooch to me in a box and skip the whole charade?"Adalia gawked at him with her jaw dropped. Her expression clearly said that she couldn't believe what he had just said. It was almost as if he had just blasphemed or uttered something sacrilegious. Xzavier immediately gathered that this was one of those moments where he must have really said something stupid."I mean, is all this really necessary?"Adalia shook her head sadly."Your case is really a hopeless one Xzavier. How do I explain this so your thick head can understand the concept of an award ceremony?"Adalia spent the next few minutes trying to sell the idea to Xzavier. But it was no use. Xzavier just wasn't as hyped as she or anyone else was.On the night preceding the day before the ceremony, Quaid dropped in to see Xzavier. In essence, the purpose of his visit was simple, it was to brief Xzavier on the proceedings of the next day. But Quaid could have easily sent in an intermediary for that. He was the governor after all. He was a man that always had a hidden motive, and as he knocked on Xzavier's door, his calm expression did nothing to reflect the dubiousness of his otherwise sneaky mind.Xzavier didn't recognize the pattern of the knock. It was way too firm for it to be the servant, and it was way too collected for it to be Adalia. He called out:"Yes? Who goes there?"Quaid chuckled lightly. He thought it was a rather funny way to answer a knock."Xzavier, it is Quaid."All through the period Quaid had spent as the governor, never had he introduced himself as 'the governor.' In his opinion, it was tacky and childish. If his name alone didn't invoke the fear and respect he deserved, then the title of 'governor' was just a sad augmentation of his already pathetic existence.Xzavier quickly jumped up as soon as he heard Quaid's voice from the other end of the door and swiftly opened the door."Governor, what a pleasant surprise.""It sure is. Are you busy at the moment?"Xzavier shook his head; "Of course not. Pardon my manners, please come in.""Thank you."
