Shards

Chapter 15 - Visit

The next day, Lady Shuang visited her eldest sister.

Lady Huain was known for her quick wit and insights. Due to her delicate health, she often stayed in her rooms, preferring reading, painting and embroidery to social activities. However, she did keep up with the news and gossip. On the rare occasion she ventured into public, she tried to confirm reports, gossips and rumours with her own astute observations.

The firstborn daughter of House Zhai was pale, sickly, thin and frail. Everything from her diet to her clothing and personal comfort was vetted by a personal physician assigned to her.

"Sister!" Lady Shuang bowed and went to hug her sister gently.

"Shuang, you are here," Lady Huain replied in a gentle cultured voice.

"How are you? Are you better now?"

"I am now that you are here," she smiled. Her little sister always lifted her spirits.

The two girls sat facing each other across a tea table set with delicacies. The snacks looked delicious but Shuang knew it would be bland and tasteless. The food at Huain's place always was. This was because Huain had to avoid a whole list of foods, like salt, sugar and spices that brought out the flavours of the cakes and pastries. Maybe she should just stick to the fragrant tea.

Huian noted her sister's new bodyguards. Shuang was always changing them. Hopefully these two will last longer than the rest but she wondered if they could bear her sister's wild temperament. Huain hoped they could, she took time getting used to people and preferred familiar faces. It gave her a sense of security; she didn't like strangers in her place.

They were both young and exceptionally good-looking with athletic builds. Definitely fighters by their deceptively casual guarded postures, Huain observed. News travelled fast of her sister's handsome bodyguards. No wonder the maids have been gossiping and giggling like teenagers.

One stood respectfully about two meters behind Shuang, enough distance to provide her privacy with her sister but close enough to come to her defence should anything untoward happen. He was tall, broad shouldered and carried his sword with an air of nonchalance. The other opted to remain guard unobtrusively at the entrance of the chamber.

She squinted studying them. Not Elites, they were not in uniform ... then who? They were both relaxed with a quiet confidence about them alluding competence. Huain took a closer look at them. Whoever they were, she hoped they would be able to protect Shuang. Her mischievous little sister was always getting into scraps, so unladylike.

"Shuang ..."

"Hmm?" replied the younger girl distractedly. She was deciding if she should try the tiny fruit cakes. Even the skilled cook couldn't take out the natural flavour from fruit, could he? It should be tasty.

"I heard about yesterday. Are you alright? You didn't get hurt did you?"

Shuang coloured in embarrassment and her mouth turned down. "I'm o'kay. I'm not hurt. MengYao and MengYu are such bullies. Luckily Ghost and Key stopped their guards."

"Ghost and Key?" Huain studied the two men again. "They dared?"

"They are my new bodyguards, aren't they handsome?" Shuang whispered . She indicated the two men. "They have vowed to protect me."

Suddenly Shuang giggled. "You should have seen the look on Second brother and Third brother's faces! I've never seen them looking so outraged. Serves them both right!"

Huain sighed. "Really Shuang, a lady doesn't say these things ... ladies do not gloat."

Shuang raised her delicate eyebrows challengingly.