The Heroes of Armagh

8: Baths and clean clothes

Benji:

He was led into a room with a bed and a small table with two chairs, his hands still shackled and the soldiers leading him there glanced nervously at him.

When he was left alone, he considered if he should try to remove the handcuffs magically. But he didn't really feel that they wanted to hurt him, not after he saw how the princess cared for Levi. If she wanted them hurt then why be kind ?

Shortly after the door opened and the princess came in. She was alone, she send him a friendly smile and hurried over to him. "I will remove the handcuffs now, sir".

"Thank you, but just call me Benji your highness". He said, inclining his head to her, not quite sure how he should address her.

She smiled and unlocked the handcuffs while she tried not to look at his naked torso. She is not accustomed to seeing men half naked, not like this, so openly. Instead she looked into his eyes. They are a strange blue / green color and looked almost like small galaxies. "Okay Benji, if you call me Talia".

"And you're not afraid to loosen me Talia? Do you not know my secret?" He asked, rubbing his wrists when the handcuffs came off.

She looked at him. He had an almost aristocratic face with dark hair that was graying at the temples, high sharp cheekbones and perfectly drawn lips. "Yes, I know your secret very well Benji. Probably better than most and no I'm not afraid. I know you can be dangerous if needed, but I also know you are not evil".

"And why was I brought here? What do you want with me?" He looked at her, he knew that there was something they need from him.

She sighs deeply. "I need your help Benji. I need your and everyone's help, the country needs you, maybe even the whole world. But for now there are clothes in the closet, if you get dressed and go down the hallway to the right it takes you to the dining room, were I will explain the whole thing for all of you together".

He looked down at himself, well he's still only had pants on. As he looked up, he realized that Talia blushed. He smiled to himself. The princess is clearly not accustomed to talking to a man with so little clothes on, but of course it wasn't his fault they pulled him out of bed and didn't give him time to dress.

"See you in the dining room." He said and Talia nodded and hurried out of the room while he went over to the closet to find some clothes.

Levi:

"Uh, I can actually take my clothes off myself". He said and blushed when the two young maids, who had filled the bath for him began to pull his clothes off.

One of them put a hand on his chest and smiled at him. "Relax sir, we are here to take care of you".

He did not want to seem rude, so he let them take his dirty and ripped shirt off. But when one of them grabbed the lining of his trouser and pulled them down, he made himself invisible and hurried into the warm water where the bubbles hid him.

The maids gasped when he disappeared and even more when he reappeared in the water, the one who had spoken to him before smiling at him. "Impressive trick, sir".

"Oh just call me Levi". He said and blushed again when she took a sponge and began to wash him. The other maid left the room with his dirty and ruined clothing.

Gaia:

She still didn't know what would happen, but she was led to a room and a maid came in with a basin so she could make herself presentable. There was dresses hanging for her in the closet.

Now she was going down to the dining room to get food and an explanation of what this was about. She had to admit that she was pretty curious.

"Hi Chrim". She said, when he came out from one of the other rooms. He had been washed too and he had new clothes on, black pants and a blue shirt that matched his eyes.

He smiled kindly to her. "Well, good evening Gaia, you look just like a princess in that dress".

She smiled, blushing. She had never owned anything as beautiful as this dress before. It certainly cost more money than they had ever owned.

They went into the dining room where she saw that Benji had already arrived. He was now fully clothed, a long blue tunic that was tied around him and his hands were freed.

He inclined his head slightly towards them with a friendly smile. "Good evening, Chrim, Gaia you look lovely".

"Thank you Benji." She replied with a slight flush. He had such intense eyes and she had to admit that she was a little scared of him, after seeing thee soldiers clearly being afraid of him.

The door opened behind them and they turned, as a stranger entered. Or at first she thought it was a stranger until she looked a second time and almost gasped. "Levi ?"

"Uhh hello everyone". He smiled a bit shyly, seeming slightly uneasy about everyone staring at him.

Gaia was speechless, she had hardly been able to recognize him. The dirty tangled hair was now clean and brushed away from the face in soft curls. The rest of him was also clean and he was in new clothes, black pants a loose white shirt and a black laced up waistcoat.

In the wagon, she had not discovered how tall he was because he was curled up in a corner. But he was really tall, probably the tallest man she had ever seen, she realised now that he came over to them.

"Good you are all here and ready". Sounded Talias voice from a door on the other side of the room.