Valerian, The Legendary

Chapter 12: Wretched Person.

“Guards, am I paying you to eat and sleep? How dare this wretched scum dare to invade the City Lord Palace? Throw him out.”, hollered the man.

Azula gazed at Quies and the latter nodded. He stepped forward and said, “City Lord Causus, this boy is the attendant of her highness. What do you think you are doing?”

The man was surprised, his belly fat trembled. He looked at Valerian with a disdainful gaze. After gently snorting his frog-shaped nose, he said with a pretentious smile, “Oh, is that so. I did not perceive him to be the attendant of Her Highness from his daring act to stand between us.”

Azula spoke in a calm tone, “Valerian, what is your justification?”

The boy waved his hands and said, ‘Is your personage, something that he can approach with such a stance?’

His signs made everyone speechless on the city lord’s side. It was not because they knew what he meant, but because they could not understand it. Azula nodded and said, “Indeed, he cannot approach me with such a crude stance.”

Then she turned her head to face the City Lord and said, “City Lord Causus, have you forgotten that I am not a daughter of a local noble but, the princess of Lumen Empire?”

.....

The aura radiated from her at this moment and made Valerian shiver. He did not expect the princess to be so awe-inspiring. Causus was not sure how to reply, in his excitement to meet one of the most beautiful girls of the empire, he has forgotten his manners.

However, being pointed out by a child, that too, a beggar-like entity. This was humiliating for him. He grit his teeth and bowed deeply as he said, “Pardon me for this foolishness, Your Highness.”

Azula said, “You can spend the week in the stable tending to the horse of my guards.”

The tone was a proper command, with no room for maneuver. The city lord was stunned and so were the other people.

Quies stepped forward again, he was not only the coachman but also the butler to Azula. He said in a cold tone, “If any of you have any dissatisfaction, you can come forward and speak your mind, or directly join the city lord in the stables.”

The officials shivered and said, “No complaints, Sir.”

...

The officials introduced themselves with a bow, and Azula entered the guest hall of the city lord palace. She looked around and found the decoration to be really extravagant. Valerian was in awe of the whole place. He, who lived under a table, was surrounded by this fancy stuff.

Rectus cleared his throat and said, “You can calm down, Val. This scenery will not run away.”

Valerian recalled his identity and looked down on the floor to cover a slight tint of shame on his face. Azula looked at Quies, who had returned after arranging the city lord to work in the stables.

She said, “Quies, arrange rooms for all of us. From now on, Valerian will follow me during the day, in the evening, you will teach him about his job.”

Quies nodded and said, “As your command, your highness.”

Valerian looked at the lady, wanting to say something but then he hesitated. It was as if his hesitation was sensed by Azula. She smiled and said, “You can read books in the library after a week, in the meantime, finish how to act like my attendant.”

Thinking about it, the boy found it only reasonable, he did not really know much about the duties of an attendant. He nodded and bowed slightly to the lady.

Quies checked with the palace maids and they quickly led the princess to her room. Rectus was also given a room of his own, while the Valerian was to live with Quies.

Quies was a man with a lean physique, he had good bearings but his nature was cold. He seemed to be someone in his early thirties. He said to Valerian, “You have been through a lot, you can go ahead and rest, I will come after I have arranged a few things.”

Valerian bowed slightly and thanked the man with his signs before entering the room. The boy placed his bag of clothes and herbs in a corner of the room. The room had two beds, a window, and a cupboard in the corner.

The boy lay down on the bed, but after a few minutes, he could not sleep. The comfort was making him restless. Taking the sheet off the bed, Valerian spread it under the bed. Then he lay down on the floor, and gradually the wave of exhaustion sent him to the land of dreams.

The room was meant for servants, and it was not lavish, there were even some cracks on the flooring. Form a crack in the ground, an emerald vine emerged and entangled with Valerian. Only after a couple of hours, when Quies came back, did the vine vanish.

Quies was surprised to see the child sleeping on the floor, but thinking about something, he did not wake him up and went to bed.

...

In the morning, the sun was yet to rise, and it was the wee hours when Quies woke up. He stretched himself awake and found that Valerian was sitting on the bed looking at him. The man was surprised and asked, “Did you struggle to sleep?”

Valerian shook his head and said, ‘I am used to waking up this early. Can you tell me where are the bathroom and the toilet, Sir?’

Quies nodded and told him the directions. Valerian was about to leave the room with a towel and a change of clothes when the former said, “Wait, let me give you a pair of uniforms you will need as the attendant of her highness.”

The man stood up and opened the trunk at the foot of his bed, took out a uniform, and handed it to Valerian. The young boy was surprised and the man said, “This is enchanted wear, it changes size according to the wearer. Try not to tear it.”

Valerian had only one pair of fresh cloth, how was he to know about magical garments. The boy was surprised, and then he bowed to Quies before leaving the room.

...

Valerian came to a common bathroom, at this time, there was no one present, so he quickly washed and changed his clothes. Then he rushed back to his room holding his dirty clothes.

Quies looked at him, a fair-looking child, dressed in a black penguin suit, with a white shirt underneath, with scattered silver hair. He asked, “Where is the bow tie?”

Valerian took out the bow tie from his pocket and made a few signs, ‘I apologize, Sir. I do not know how to tie it.’

Quies shook his head and patiently taught him how to get his bow tie done. Then he cast another gaze at the boy and saw his almost tattered boots. He said, “We need to get you a pair of shoes, we shall go out in the evening. For now, let me help you.”

Quies bent down and said, “Refectio.”

The simple spell restored his boots with a simple gloss and they did not look too odd. Quies said, “You are to go to her highness’s room and see if she has woken up.”

Valerian bowed his head and walked out of the room. Quies waited for a few seconds and Valerian came back, he asked with his hands, ‘I do not know the directions to her room, sir.’

Quies nodded and said, “Be patient in the future...”

After getting the directions Valerian walked through the palace corridors, and soon came to the room where two guards stood in attention. They gazed at Valerian, the boy smiled faintly and bowed to them.

They were aware of his designation so they did not stop him. Half the reason was his courage to act in presence of their captain and at the same time, he could cast magic and even compel the magical beast to defy their masters. They were cautious of this child.

Valerian used his knuckle to knock at the door, and after a few seconds, when he did not get a reply, he knocked again. A sleepy voice sounded, “Who is it?”

This was Azula’s instinctive reaction. Valerian sighed and asked the guard at the side to help him. The guard could not help but succumb to his silver eyes. He said, “Your Highness, attendant Valerian is here.”

Azula said, “Send him in.” The elegance in her tone was restored now.

Valerian pushed open the door and peeped in from the gap. Azula beckoned him and said, “Close the door behind you, Valerian.”

The boy did as she told him to. He went inside and stood facing her. Azula asked, “How are you feeling?”

Valerian nodded with a faint smile, indicating that he was fine. Azula asked, “Is it true that you cannot express sadness?”

She was very curious about this. Never has she come across a person who was unable to express sadness or sorrow. Valerian nodded and said, ‘I do not remember if I have ever shed a tear. I feel sad, but I am unable to express it. Is there a problem, Your Highness?’

Azula shook her head and said, “It is not a problem, it could be a blessing in disguise. Tears are often taken as a weakness, you do not have those.”

Valerian smiled and said, ‘Mother Diligentia used to say, tears are the representation of the higher emotional values of humans. This means I am not even human. Well, a defective one may be.’

Azula wanted to say something but she stopped, after all, she was not very familiar with the boy in front of her. She said, “Can you pass me my robe, Valerian?”

The boy quickly gazed around the room and picked up her robes from the couch at the side. He handed her the robe and took a few steps back. This was in line with the mannerism of an attendant.

Azula asked, “What do you think of the City Lord?”

Valerian replied without hesitation, “Wretched person.”