Reborn From the Cosmos Arc 9-23 (Khan)

“Please forgive my ignorance, I’m unsure what slls the estrazi appreciate. Sothing sweet and fruity would be exotic to a being raised in a barren land. A musky scent would suit your proclivity to wander in nature. For a change of pace, sothing subdued and smoky would match a refined appearance well.”

Khan eyed the steward’s attentive gaze; Earl expected an answer. The wanderer nearly said he didn’t care, but his vanity wailed, reminding him that, while he had accepted the boy’s company for another reason, his impending eting was also important. It would be…nice if Little Water appreciated him just that much more.

The first option was instantly discarded; he inwardly sneered at the idea of slling like flowers. Musky scents conjured visions of beasts and sweaty n, which also didn’t suit him. He didn’t think he was very refined either, but he was a nobleman. He had been raised in what little luxury the fort had to offer and learned the etiquette of the kingdom. The Jas na was his curse, but it was also his greatest power.

“Refined.”

“An excellent choice.” The steward quickly selected bottles that complented one another and prepared his tools, presenting Khan with his first opportunity.

“How did you co to work for Lou?”

“The lady discovered my sister and I in unfortunate circumstances and uplifted us,” Earl replied without looking up.

“Unfortunate circumstances?”

“We were the pawns of bandits, living weapons that terrorized the King’s Road.”

“Wait. She hired you after you robbed her?”

“Attempted to. agre creatures such as them hardly posed a challenge.”

The story painted a picture of a charitable woman. Soone who went out of her way to save lives, personally. If all Lou wanted was to save the children, she could have used her resources, leaving them and a suitable amount of funds in the hands of a trustworthy caregiver. Yet she kept them close. Perhaps the children were special. Or perhaps they were trophies. Yulianna also liked to keep those who adored her close enough to lather her in complints at any mont.

His questioning had to stop as Earl turned to him with a brush. Khan bristled at the thought of being washed like a child and the steward readily acquiesced, rely asking to wash his back. Khan’s discomfort was quickly rectified after the first swipe of bristles against his skin; the strokes were brisk, filled with purpose and professionalism. Khan was being washed with the sa intention and emotion as a wall. It was hard to feel awkward when the other participant was so utterly detached from the act. Aside from that, it was an enjoyable feeling.

When Earl asked to wash his hair, he was less hesitant to accept, a choice he was glad for. The steward was still brisk in his movents, but his fingers provided a massage by virtue of being thorough. The wanderer reflexively closed his eyes to keep the soap out of them, but they might have slipped shut otherwise as comfort seeped throughout his body. But Khan didn’t let himself get distracted.

“This is an impressive estate. It must cost a lot to maintain.” One of the main things that defined a person was what they did. And most of what a person did was what they did to provide for themselves and their families.

“Perhaps.”

“Especially with the city still recovering. The food alone must be an enormous expense.” His als were the one part of his imprisonnt Khan didn’t resent. He’d never eaten so well, even during the feasts before the yearly campaigns.

“The clan’s many talents trivialize stocking the pantry. If you’re worried, I can assure you the quality is in no danger of dropping.”

“Lou must have quite the fortune.”

“The lady is blessed in many ways.”

Each deflection was delivered with the smoothness of silk, yet the steward was a wall of ice. It was a sha but not a surprise; many were secretive when it ca to coin.

“Ti to rinse.”

Khan paused his questioning once more as he was made to stand in an empty basin, Earl stepping onto the chair to pour steaming water over his head. Once the last of the soap was washed from his body, the steward handed him a towel that felt and slt like it had just been sitting under a warm sun.

Once dried, Earl directed him to sit and took to taming his hair, presenting another opportunity for questioning. As dark locs littered his shoulders, Khan probed the steward. Earl was a wall, but he had his cracks. When it ca to details about the house and its operations, he deflected without fail, refusing to let even the smallest details escape. He was willing to talk about the lady of the house. To brag. From the way the boy spoke, he thought the sun rose because of her grace and set when she wanted a change of lighting.

However, there was important information to be glead after shifting through the wanton flattery. And Khan didn’t like what he learned.

His hopes that Lou was secretly a generous woman held back by necessity and misconceptions regarding duty were quickly dashed. What Earl described as the righteous felling of scoundrels and villains sounded to him like petty revenge. Lou didn’t hesitate to strike back against those who wronged her, regardless of the consequences. She was a wild dog, as bad as any Victorian. In less than a year, she’d decimated a powerful family and smacked around a prince. That was the kind of personality that ran headfirst at titans.

More problematic was the woman’s selfishness. Her efforts to improve the lives of the people boiled down to making them take care of themselves. If they were in positions to feed, shelter, and govern themselves, the noblewoman wouldn’t have raised a finger. She hadn’t done any other charitable work, despite her imnse power and resources. Lou was not soone moved by the suffering of her fellow man. Unless they were beautiful won. Her appetite in that regard far exceeded what he knew or expected. It was almost obscene.

Sohow, he had to convince an amoral, violent, sadistic, lecher to do the right thing while being disadvantaged by what was swinging between his legs. There was a goodness in Lou. There had to be for her to take in the kids and for Alana to be infatuated with her. If only Khan knew how to reach it. To make her understand.

He was still chewing on the situation as Earl put away his knives and razors. The simple haircut had turned into a laborious removal of hair, from his limbs to his chin. His skin tingled where the air touched him, the man feeling exposed beyond his nakedness.

Thankfully, it didn’t last long. In short order, he was lathered in oils that slled like smoldering embers and sweet spices. Then the steward helped him dress, handing him clothes whose quality even the wanderer could discern with a touch.

Earl straightened his collar before pulling a mirror the length of Khan’s chest off his cart, holding it up for the nobleman to examine his appearance. Khan froze; for a breath, the man in the reflection was a stranger. Khan didn’t pay much attention to his looks. In a blizzard, everyone looked the sa. Aside from that, the bronze skin he inherited from his mother had always made him stand out, sothing he hadn’t appreciated as a shy boy. He wasn’t the type to spend much ti looking at himself, his changes through the years deed unimportant.

But even if he had studied his reflection every day, he would still be a stranger. His wild hair had been tad, showing off his high cheekbones. The neatly combed goatee made his boyish chin squarer, bringing out the severe features of his father. The dark pants accentuated his long legs while the brilliant white shirt seed to glow against his darker complexion. The blue vest was a shock of color, the pale buttons reminding him of ancient ice and long winters. The final piece was a jacket, its slightly padded shoulders making him broader.

He looked…good. Strong. Far more competent than he felt. His fingers hesitantly traced his cheek, amazed at how smooth it felt. Sothing welled in his chest; it took him a mont to recognize the feeling; it was so rare. Pride.

“You look impeccable, young lord. It will certainly make an impression on Little Water.”

It struck him like one of his father’s brutal strikes during training. The key to survival, the one thing that could move Lourianne To. She didn’t blink when he ntioned the fate of the world or the prosperity of humanity. Yet, when it ca to his eting with Little Water, she had gone out of her way without his prompting. Ancestors, she’d told him the answer herself.

She would break her vows for her lovers without a thought, no matter the consequences. The answer was love. It was what Lou could empathize with. What moved her.

If he wanted a chance to change his ho, it couldn’t be about him, his family, or the estrazi. It had to be about his relationship with Little Water. It was no different from baiting a powerful manabeast into a trap. Alone, they were at her rcy, but if they were united, if they put on the right performance, maybe…

It wasn’t much, but it was more than the nothing he had before. Khan clung to it; his eyes filled with determination.

A hand straightened his jacket, idly wondering if Lou would let him keep the clothes. “I’m ready.”

“Then please, follow .”