Both of the girls, one a refined young lady with ebony black hair partially held back by a pretty hairpin with peach blossoms dangling from it and the other a buxom young woman with indigo hair and a beauty spot beneath one sapphire eye, were startled by the sudden questioning. Both of the girls wore embroidered dresses made of rare beast skins and were particularly fetching, with snowy white, clean hands and an air of elegance about them. Which made the question asked by Teacher Corne even more heightened. Why were these girls, dressed in garments more suitable for an imperial hunt than a walk in the forested mountains of the institute, wandering in an area out of bounds?
The girls glanced at each other and lowered their heads demurely. The girl with the hair of midnight spoke on both of their behalf; "Honestly, Teacher, we were simply collecting herbs. We were unaware that this area was out of bounds for students."
"That's right," said the other. "We had heard that a rare ginseng had been found in this area and wished to try our luck. The herb is said to improve the healing abilities of both Blood Pills and Crimson Essence Pills. We hoped to find it."
Teacher Corne frowned. While he couldn't dispute such a reason, as alchemists often had a fondness for rare herbs that they would gather them despite risks or means, it was clearly unsafe in the forests about the institute. Granted, these lands were protected and wardened by the schools, but they were still somewhat untamed. First years, for he felt that seniors would not be so ignorant, especially should not wander around out here.
"These girls," Corvus was of similar mind to his brother, but was not so kind as to let ignorance take the blame. "Granted such a herb is useful, but is it truly useful if one can't claim or use it having lost their lives trying to obtain it?"
The girls paled, the darker haired girl even glanced pitifully from beneath her long lashes at the tall, noble, handsome youth named Jin Li, but found that her rescuer's attention was completely elsewhere. Honestly, she had hoped in her heart that he would come and save her from those despicable ruffians and then he had appeared... but he was still too shy to whisk her away...
"Idris said that he knew some martial arts," the other girl was claiming while the first daydreamed, "and that he could protect us." The men felt scorn that the girl would push all blame onto the badly beaten boy and the three students were not so kind as to not let it show upon their faces. The girl became aware of their expressions and fell silent, but didn't retract her words. It was not as if she had lied.
Teacher Corne decided best to take the girls' names and note which schools they were in and let their Teachers deal with their punishment. It was better first to get the beaten boy to the Healers Hall. He glanced over at his younger brother, who pouted but said; "Yes, yes." He turned to his cute apprentice and that person's roommate. "Jin Li, would you mind carrying the boy, Idris to the Healers Hall. You'll find it not too far from the Library, if you are not certain of the location. Meanwhile, Sun and I will escort these young ladies back to the Inner Alchemist School."
The black haired girl, Merylin lifted her pretty face to glance at Teacher Corvus, before switching her glance toward Jin Li, who was bending down to pick up the youth. "Surely we should go with Idris and... I mean, he was hurt protecting us!" The other girl, Lyra frowned, not willing, but found the underneath of her arm pinched and she began to nod in earnest agreement.
"Let them go," Teacher Corne had better things to do than bicker with two female students. He then considered their backgrounds with a sigh. "It is probably best that the Healers ensure that the girls have no injuries before sending them back to school."
And so, the group split into two; Teacher Corne and his student Pike, went back to observe the herds, while Teacher Corvus sullenly lead his student, the three alchemists and that guy towards the Healer's Hall. He later would find out that one of the older stags went berserk, leading a small percentage of the herd to stampede towards the village on their eastern border and Corne and his student were hailed with praise as they not only took the old stag down, but redirected the other beasts towards the herd. Teacher Corvus was most put out that he not only did not get to join in the fun, that he did not get to impress his own student while doing so!
In the meantime, the students that Teacher Corvus lead arrived at the Healers Hall, to meet with others of their acquaintance.
The Healers Hall was located close to the Library, but just was not so ostentatious and obvious, hence Leon had happened to pass close to it a few times and never notice it before. But in actual fact, it one were to take the bridge that connected the plateau on which the outer alchemist school lie to the small, rocky area from which one could take many bridges from and then they took the bridge that would lead eventually to the Scholar's schools, one would find the Healers Hall on route.
It was a building built within a mountain itself, thus it would never be obvious and the natural caverns formed within created a network of rooms, many of which even had small natural windows. The walls were cold and dry and if one was unaware, they would think that they were in a man-made building. For example, Leon, who was lying in a bed this time, waiting to take a Bone Regrowth Pill, had no idea he was within a mountain's heart.
Jin Li followed Teacher Corvus in, the poor boy Idris casually lying over his shoulder, unconscious still but otherwise stable. Jin Li was aware of the effectiveness of his small alchemist's Blood Pill, so was not worried about the uncaring manner in which he held the boy. In front of him was Sun, who was taking in the sights of the Healer's Hall, which he'd been fortunate enough so far not to see the insides of and next to him was one of the two girls... but he'd already forgotten what her name was.
She tried to speak to him a few times, saying things such as; "You were so brave and dashing back there!" And "Were the Cloudy Spiritual Pills to your liking? Please let me know when you require more!" However, apart from grunting an acknowledgement once or twice, Jin Li kept quiet, ignoring her. Unfortunately, the girl assumed that this was because Idris was heavy and her benevolent benefactor was expending all his energies upon carrying the boy, thus he could not speak to her! She glared at the back of Teacher Corvus, who had insisted he do such a thing.
Corvus, didn't notice the glare; he'd suffered far worse stares of accusation over the decades, so was pretty much immune.
The other girl, Lyra, remained silent, dragging her heels as she just wanted to go back to the school and forget this whole day ever happened!
Corvus quickly found an empty room and indicated that once Jin Li had placed Idris on the bed that he could go, but if someone could please keep watch upon the boy while he went to find a Healer? Sun was looking forward to escaping his Master for a couple of hours, so looked to Jin Li who rose an eyebrow and crossed his arms about his chest. There was no way he planned to stick around here! Besides, the alchemist school was not too far away, he could take advantage of his proximity to it and seek out his small alchemist for a while.
Merylin did not want to stay if Jin Li was not staying so Lyra, who was feeling very sorry for herself by this stage, was secretly pinched into submission and agreed to stay with Idris until the Teacher came back with the Healer.
"I'll see you later then!" Sun said brightly and fled the Hall happily.
Jin Li rolled his eyes, before making his own way back down the corridor towards the exit. Merylin quickly stepped up to walk beside him, her heart filled with warmth and satisfaction, but soon found she had to take two steps for each one of his. "Oh, Jin Li, would you mind slowing down a little, for me?" The girl asked, demurely, reaching out to tug his sleeve as she did so.
Only the fabric somehow evaded her grasp. "And why would this Lord need to do so?" Jin Li responded with a query of his own.
"I..." Merylin cast her viewpoint downwards, while peering up at him through her lashes. "I don't mean to be a burden, I cannot keep to your pace."
"So?" The girl's expression became one of grievances, but before she could find an answer in order to melt his icy aura, the door to the side of them was opened and they almost crashed into the large man who appeared in the door way.
"Take care there!" The man chided, sticking out his chin decorated with a long beard as he did so.
As always, Jin Li was quick to recognise seniority of ability and returned respectably; "My apologies, sir," cupping his hands as he bowed.
"Jin Li?" The softly spoken name entered his sharp ears and a feeling of delight spread through his body and a smile came unbidden to his lips. Merylin's eyes glazed as the already handsome man's appearance increased tenfold in her heart, but the moment was broken as his expression faltered and a questioning look mixed with worry replaced it. Merylin had to ask herself why did he suddenly look panicked? Who could have caused such concern? How could she comfort him?
She did not have a chance to answer the last one (she wasn't too worried about answering the first ones if she could solve the last), especially as Jin Li strode quickly into the room that the older man had left from and Merylin's eyes could only follow.
Jin Li looked at the familiar shape of the boy lying upon the bed, his yin-yang hair falling over his shoulders and hidden beneath his back, his beautiful, large coal black eyes framed in a thin metal and enhanced by thin crystal lenses. Seeing those eyes so clearly, focused upon him and the curve of a smile upon those soft lips, Jin Li's nose began to itch. But he also frowned.
A number of questions flowed through his mind; was he sick? Was he hurt? Is his life in danger? But only one spilled from his mouth; "What happened to your glasses?"
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