Sir Arthur

• Twenty-three

"Everything looks dashing here," Faye gushed for the seventeenth time at the flourishing plants on the sidewalk awestruck by their liveliness.

Kimberly followed behind not as enthusiastic as she was but still cheerful. It wasn't her first time to visit the palace unlike Faye who had walked in for the very first time.

All was pleasant to look at though Faye tended to get excited about everything. "The birds here are also pretty." She merrily stared up above them.

Kim rolled her eyes beside her. Were they not the same birds that flew in the mountains? She held back her comment.

"It's this way," Kim pulled Faye's arm to the opposite direction. She was too concentrated on her surroundings. One would think they were here for a nature walk.

Kim knew the directions quite well after visiting Gerald most of the time so she knew where the scholars resided. She dragged Faye along who was getting too distracted.

A few days ago, when Sir Collins had handed her a message for Faye, it turned out that his family would be away for quite sometime so he would be the one handling household matters.

That was understandable as they had to run his family errand here but why Kim was supposed to deliver that to Faye had her confused. It was even supposed to get to her parents but she could figure it out with the smile on Faye's face.

When Faye offered to run the errand yesterday, Kim had instantly agreed to accompany her claiming she had to visit Gerald though the reddening of her cheeks stated otherwise.

"First, we need to talk to the official at the counter," Kim whispered into the now quiet building as she pointed ahead.

A man was seated there scribbling on a piece of paper barely keeping his head up. It was too early to be dozing off, Kim thought as she smacked her arm on the table not so quietly.

The man shot up at the sudden noise and glanced at them with his eyes swollen. "You can pass," he relented after noticing Kim's face. She was a regular there.

"Are we there?" Faye mumbled unpleasantly after walking through the corridors that were never ending. The place was dead silent with nothing appeasing to look at on the bare grey walls.

"Here," Kim answered as they walked in a larger room with benches on the wall. Faye plopped down sighing dramatically.

"Let me call out for Gerald," Kim moved to the left knowing where her brother stayed. It was just a minute away and to her luck, she spotted him with Sir Collins beside him.

"Gerald," she lunged on his back placing her arms on his neck. The movement was unexpected so he wringed her arm and pushed her away eliciting a groan from her as she banged her side with the drawers nearby.

"Kimberly?" Gerald called out realizing it was his sister and rushed to her side and picked her up. Her elbow had gotten most of the hit and it hurt. She lifted herself and glared at her brother.

"I'm so sorry dear sister," Gerald apologized rubbing her arm to soothe the pain, "What are you doing here?" He added after ensuring her arms were good.

Kimberly ignored him and turned to Sir Collins greeting him too enthusiastically. "Hello Sir Collins, Faye is waiting by the reception." He smiled at her then left the duo.

"Well?" Gerald probed standing before her. Kim grumbled under her breath. "To run an errand." She walked further into the room  looking around the stacks of books strewn all over.

"But Madame Paula runs those," Gerald added and Kim frustratedly turned to him. He had a smile on his face. "You just want to hear me say it," she rolled her eyes taking a seat.