Agilus spoke with Jethru about accommodating them over the next few days. Though reluctant, the gold that Agilus offered finally loosened his resistance and sealed the deal.
Only Prince Alaric was allowed to sleep on the second floor. He was given the room furthest down the corridor, a corner room that has a good view of the garden at the east window and the backyard at the north window. It was however, beside Samuel’s quarters, followed by Jethru’s. The two elderly men had agreed to split one spacious room into two smaller ones — neither of them saw the need for a big room — so what was once five rooms became six.
So as not to burden the Mendels with the sudden influx of guests, Agilus proposed hiring servants. Lara, quick to seize the opportunity, suggested that her Gabriella ladies could manage the tasks. The offered pay was generous — far more than a day’s usual earnings — and the women eagerly agreed.
Agilus, along with Alaric’s loyal guards — Angus, Aramis, and Redon— occupied the unused room on the ground floor beside the living room, while the rest of the soldiers were housed in the three remaining bamboo houses at the far end of the Mendel estate.
So, that very night, Alaric moved from the baron’s estate to the smaller manor at Narra Alley. With the addition of Alaric and Agilus, dinner at the Mendels was lively.
At the dining table, Sandoz found himself seated beside Reya and directly across from Alaric and Lara. He tried to join in the mirth, but around Alaric, he became a bundle of nerves. He always felt that the prince wanted to take him away from his sister.
"Eat some more Sandoz. You barely touched your food." Lara chided and placed more food on his plate.
His face lit up with a radiant smile. "Thank you, Sis. I’ll eat some more," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. He stole a glance at Prince Alaric and caught him looking intently at his plate. He ate in a hurry, afraid that Prince Alaric would snatch the food that his sister gave him.
Prince Alaric just gave him a side glance. He ate elegantly like a royal would.
"Slow down! No one’s going to steal your food," Lara laughed, seeing him gulp down mouthfuls in panic.
"I am not a thief, Sandoz. I will not steal your food. I have a lot of food on my plate. See?" Ivy chimed in indignantly, her cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel.
"Don’t talk with your mouth full," Ivan said, giving his younger sister a stern look.
Ivy quickly swallowed, then flashed a sheepish grin. "Sorry, brother," she said in her small, sweet voice.
The two old men, sitting at the opposite end of the table, exchanged knowing smiles, shaking their heads fondly at the lively banter swirling around them.
The rest of Alaric’s soldiers had dinner in the multipurpose hall, where they put up a long bench made from two bamboo poles placed together. Lina and the other ladies helped with the cooking, and while there were only a few varieties, the food tasted good.
When Lara woke up early the following morning to do her morning exercises, she found that Alaric’s soldiers were also lining up and following Samuel’s warm-up exercises. She did not join them, opting instead to do her own high-intensity exercises.
She had asked permission from her master to set up a few pieces of equipment for training on the left side of the manor, beside the garden and the swing. She built a monkey bar using wood, of course, and a punching bag.
After doing her yoga stretches, she traversed the three-meter monkey bar. It was an easy way for her to strengthen her upper body and core and continuously improve her grip.
When Jethru first saw the bar, he was skeptical, but after observing Lara’s body movement, he recognized the benefits, so he created a smaller version for his grandchildren and Sandoz.
The first time Lara used the monkey bar, Jethru almost had a heart attack when he saw her wearing a tight-fitting upper garment and tight-fitting pants.
"Girl, come down here and go change your clothes. What kind of indecent garment are you wearing? You want men to drool over you?"
She rolled her eyes and complained internally. Who could exercise in such movement-restraining clothes?
Jethru nagged at her so much that Lara hurried back to her room and put on her palazzo pants and a loose-fitting blouse over her tight-fitting shirt.
She was currently wearing white, gauze-like palazzo pants over her black leggings and a white blouse of the same material over her black, tight-fitting shirt. Even when she lifted her body on the monkey bar, the black undershirt should keep her skin from showing.
She had traversed the money bar twice when Prince Alaric came from the house and watched her. The prince was mesmerized by her fluid movements and by her slender waist, which was peeking out under her upper garment.
Prince Alaric swallowed hard but regained his composure when Lara reached the end of the bar and was moving backward.
"That looks interesting. Can I try it?"
Lara was startled by the voice; she had missed a bar and ended up on the ground.
"I am sorry, you got distracted." He murmured. His gaze was fixed on Lara’s flushed face, making it even more beautiful. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, but a few strands escaped and framed her heart-shaped face.
"Come on, try it," Lara said as she wiped the sweat off her face and neck with a handkerchief.
The prince, who was wearing tight hose and a tunic, looked at the monkey bar with interest, then he jumped and caught the first horizontal bar. He mimicked Lara’s earlier action, and he found that it was a good exercise to strengthen his upper body.
’How did they come up with this equipment? It is fun and beneficial.’ He traversed the monkey bar a few times before landing perfectly on both feet.
"This is good. I felt the stretch in the muscles of my upper body."
Before Lara could say another word, Agilus came, already dressed and ready to go.
"Ah, Lara, you are here. Aren’t we going to the village?"
"Huh, weren’t you exercising with Grandpa Samuel?" Lara asked, bewildered. She saw him earlier with the others.
"I got bored. Anyway, I have an excuse." Agilus grinned at her. "You!"