It takes over a week before we see the shore of Orttenburg. It means that finally, I can go up the deck to help the other wind magicians. Theo, Klevon, and most of the people are on the deck as well. It will just take an hour or so before we'll be successfully anchored to the Orttenburg port.
For the past few days, all I did is stay beside Theo. I manage his needs-food, clothes, cleaning up-and once, he even asks me to rub his back while taking a bath. Rather than a personal guard, I feel I am becoming his personal maid instead.
Thankfully though, as he promised, he didn't touch me. He didn't make any move to pursue me. At least, my heart can relax for a while.
"Nice dress," Elroy praises as he looks me over.
"I need to stay beside the King while meeting the Orttenburg royalty."
"Good luck then. I heard the Orttenburg siblings are very prim and proper," Nadif adds.
Then Ami whispers, "The eldest son is rumored to be very handsome. And he is someone as accomplished as King Theo."
"Is he more handsome than Silvino?" I tease, and she blushes.
"The King is looking this way," Elroy interrupts. "I think your presence is already needed there, Kaiya."
I shift my attention to Theo and see his blatant annoyance at me. I say goodbye to the three and run to him. Standing beside him, I hear him snort, "Once we're in Orttenburg, you will be punished if ever you leave my side," he warns.
I just nod. He is still in a bad mood. In fact, since we left Duran, he's been in this mood forever.
We climb into the fish port, but unlike Duran and Pitchford, this place is a pigsty. So much for having the largest library, I just hope that the inner part of the Kingdom is clean.
"Welcome King Eugene Theo Pitchford," a muscular man with short black hair greets us. "I am Shu Orttenburg. Second in line to the new King, King Seth Raiya of Orttenburg."
Theo reaches out to him and they shake their hands. "Good afternoon, Prince Shu. I suppose we are not yet late for the banquet?"
"Not at all, King Theo. The banquet will start later this day, at around seven in the evening. You are still early. In fact, I am sent here by my oldest brother to fetch you and take care of your needs before the banquet."
"And the other Kingdoms?" he asks.
"Most have already arrived," he pauses. He glances at me and makes a small bow. "And this is?"
"Kaiya. She is currently my personal guard."
"Just Kaiya?"
"Yes."
I swallow. No more Pitchford in my name. I am back to his nameless ex-slave and ex-plaything. Now, I am just his guard. How fast it changes.
Prince Shu smiles at me and I can't help but smile back. "Welcome to the Orttenburg Kingdom, Miss Kaiya." Then his eyes transfer to Theo again and say, "If you will allow me…"
Prince Shu turns away from us. He drops a thicker than normal hoverboard a few meters from us. But instead of staying in that same size, it starts to unfold multiple times, until it's become ten meters in width and length. The other three warriors with him did the same.
"If you would board the hover, please," he ushers.
We did as expected. Once we are safely seated on cold steel, a gentle wind surrounds us. Then slowly, it lifts the hover, with us onboard, off the ground. The movement is slow, probably because he doesn't want us to get thrown off the board. Flying through the Orttenburg Kingdom, I see that this mode of transportation is common to the people. There are still horses and carriages, but there are a lot more of these hovers.
"Another new invention of the new King?" Theo asks.
"Yes, King Theo. The people loved it so they easily migrated to using it. We have many citizens, so traffic on the ground was terrible. This lessened that hassle, for both sides."
"He's still acting as an inventor, huh?"
"Yes, but due to the responsibilities of kingship. He has lesser time for it. So, now, he spends less time with his hobby."
"Any new project that he is working on?"
"Drainage, King Theo, from what I hear from him."
The two talk more about the next plans, the technology, and the other Orttenburg royalty. And when I see the two castles from the distance which are adjoined by a bridge, I already know a lot about Orttenburg–mostly personal things that I won't be able to read in books.
"Your library is as grandiose as ever," Theo appraises.
"We are not called the Kingdom with the largest library if it's not," Prince Shu answers.
I look back at it. So it's not two castles, rather the other one is actually a library. Both are covered in vegetation. No water around it though. It is painted white, with black roofs. There are two entrances. One on the library side, the other on the actual castle. Pathways dotted with flowers surround it too. From this height, I can see that the main garden is outside of the castle rather than inside the castle walls/
"The library is huge," I whisper.
"Ha! You haven't even seen the basement yet," Prince Shu says, conspiratorially.
A few more minutes and we land in the back of the actual castle. Within the gates and along the wide grassy plain. Its purpose seems to be for hover landings.
Prince Shu deactivates his wind magic and the hover returns to its previous size. He walks towards the castle and we all follow after him.
"I remember that you requested rooms that are the closest to the library. So, we did that for you."
Closest to the library? I glance at Theo but he is not meeting my gaze. Instead, he discusses the library with the prince. He is being chatty and charming. So, as they talk on our way to the room, they seem best friends already.
The problem is, the instant the door closes and there's only the two of us in the room, he again falls into a spell of silence. I purse my lips at the way he is around me. He takes his bag and places the documents he brings on the only study table.
I, on the other hand, look around the room. On the far left, there is only a king-size bed with a divan at the foot of it. There is also a dining table and chairs on the far right. Somewhere in the middle is the fireplace with a carpet in front of it. There are some seat pillows surrounding it. Maybe, I can use that area for sleep.
When Theo is already working on some documents, I open the same dresser to put my clothes on.
"What are you doing again?"
My fingers froze on the cabinet, and I shift my attention to him. He is not looking at me. And besides, what did I do wrong again?
"You can't place your things there," Theo supplies.
Ah, it's his petty self again. "Okay," I whisper and lightly close the dresser. "Am I allowed to use the seat pillows?" I ask. "For sleeping? Or should I sleep at the divan?"
I watch his jaw move. "Guards area is usually the corner-most part of the room–a place where you are the most hidden."
I feel my emotions rising again. I straight out glare at him. "Is there something you want to say to me?!"
"None," he answers and turns his back on me. "Just do your duty."
This insufferable man! I am about to confront him when I pause. This is actually how a King and his personal guard should be. I am just being put in my place. So, I swallow my annoyance and take my place in the corner of the room.