Seraphic Wings

46. Zen

After what felt like a few moments Lucette's feet touched something soft, but she couldn't look down as her face was buried in a chest. Moving her hands to push herself away, she looked at whoever grabbed her earlier. She was greeted by someone with deep blue eyes and black hair, and she had established that combination to be attached to Casus.

"Why did you do that?" She demanded of him.

"What? Save you? Shouldn't I have?" He asked her, shrugging.

"Well... I appreciate the help with that thing, but..." As she looked around, she knew that they definitely weren't anywhere near her home.

As she took in her surroundings, she couldn't help noticing that this place was beautiful. It was like a Japanese zen garden, with giant cherry trees framing the outside. It even had a small bamboo water stick fountain and a red gazebo situated on top of a small hill, with stones leading up to it. There was also a small waterfall not too far away from them. Entranced by the beauty, she walked over. Leaning over a little, she saw a calm little pool of water, and floating on top of the water were both water lilies and pads.This place made her forget why she was here in the first place, until the problem spoke to her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Huh?" The voice shook her out of trance and alarmed her which, in turn, made her hand slip on the wet surface, but she didn't go headfirst into the water. Instead, something was holding onto her arm. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that Casus was holding her upper arm and he sighed.

"Are you seriously that accident prone?"

"Ah.. No..." She straightened herself up and he let go of her. "But where are we?"

"It's a garden that belongs to a fine old man, but he is away so you wouldn't be able to meet him..."

"I see.... Why did you even bring me here?"

"To get you away from the killer snake thing?" He poked her in the forehead.

"Well, do you care to tell me what those things are then?" Lucette moved her hands to her hips, and she watched him drag a hand down his face.

"Always with the questions...."

"I'm sorry, but you just did technically kidnap me!"

"Where are your 'bodyguards' anyway?"

"My what???"

"Tweedledum and tweedledee?" He sighed as Lucette looked at him in confusion. "Otherwise known as Ichthys and Corvus... Those two."

"They're not my bodyguards?"

Casus shook his head and sat next to the pool of water, Lucette watched him as he did so.

"But, erm, thank you... For earlier..."

"No problem." He replied, looking straight ahead.

"You never answered my question on what that thing was though."

"Ah, yes, I didn't... They're a sneaky bunch that I've been keeping tabs on for a long time. But, in general, they are a bunch of pests. I will admit that I haven't seen them on a mortal plane for a while.... That, and.." He turned to face her. "I don't know why one would attack you..."

"You said it wasn't safe, why? Because they attacked me?"

"It didn't feel safe at that time, that is all..." He turned his head to look straight ahead again. "Maybe they finally went mad, it wouldn't surprise me..."

"Would I still be in danger from them?"

"I wouldn't know that answer, but there are only a few of them. So they won't lose their numbers willy nilly."