Samuel had a very productive day. His first disciple was no longer depressed, he had a new avenue of knowledge and a new disciple all in a single package. Normally he would take a few months to meditate on this. But he had no such free time, his first disciple had a lot more combat in her future, and he could not forget that another was added to the list.
His gaze fell on to his second walking in front of him as her gait seemed to try and draw everyone's eye so effortlessly as she held a conversation with his first. Eishath was indeed a unique creature.
Her shift in demeanor from when she was inside talking to the elder had not gone unnoticed either. But that was all for a later time, right now he needed to get her schedule.
"Second Disciple." He calmly called out.
Both disciples stopped and Eishath turned her head prettily at him.
"Yes, esteemed master?"
"What events are you a part of?" He asked.
"Ah. This disciple is currently taking part in four events. 2 of which she has confidence that she will win and the other 2 she is not very confident that she will win. Does master have any guidance?"
"No!" came a shout from Elizabeth.
Both master and disciple turned to face the young woman.
Elizabeth stomped her foot as she said.
"I don't want this..."
Eishath wanted to ask what did the dumb elder sister mean when she that but Samuel beat her to it.
"What do you mean Elizabeth?"
"That!" She shouted as if she spouted some grand revelation.
Samuel tilted his head unable to understand but he felt her distress.
"What do you mean?" He asked kindly.
"That!" She said again.
Feeling the turmoil in her soul rise he blinked to her side and held her in his arms. He asked once more but this time using a few more words.
"I cannot understand if you do not tell me Elizabeth. I am not omniscient. Can you please tell me what is bothering you?"
She only groaned into his chest as she started visibly to shake om his arms.
"Did something we say to remind you of something bad from your past?"
It was Eishath who came to the rescue.
This time Elizabeth nodded into his chest.
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"Does the memory still hurt?" Eishath's voice was soft and kind.
Again another nod.
Samuel lay entranced as she slowly brought dark emotions out of Elizabeth.
"Hmm... Was it the way we spoke or is it what we said?"
"First..." Elizabeth said as Samuel felt her emotional disruption still roiling.
This time Samuel took the helm as he asked gently.
"What about my tone of voice caused this?"
"I... got... reminded of dad... It is scary..."
Samuel did not understand what was going on with his disciple, her dad was not here, and even if he was the man who could not hurt Elizabeth. If he even had the strength to beat Elizabeth Samuel would tear him limb from limb if he so much as scratched his disciple. He was about to say as much when Eishath took control.
"Elizabeth remembers your dad is not here, he cannot hurt you. Your dad is not here. He cannot hurt you. Can you repeat that back to me?"
Samuel wanted to ask what Eishath was doing but he stopped himself and let his new disciple work.
"My dad... is not here... he cannot hurt me..."
"Again."
"My dad is not here... he cannot hurt me..."
"Again."
"My dad is not here. He cannot hurt me."
"One more time."
"My dad is not here! He cannot hurt me!"
"There you go!" Eishath said, smiling to herself as she nodded to herself.
Elizabeth's head finally removed itself from where it was buried in his chest tears streaming down her cheeks.
She rubbed her eyes as she looked back up at Samuel who looked down, the mismatched red and blue eyes mirroring one another.
"Master..." She said her voice regaining her strength.
"Yes?"
"Can we not act like master and disciple?..."
Samuel tilted his head unable to understand.
"What do you mean?"
"Can you promise never to act so distant to me? Like... like... we are different..."
For the second time today, Samuel heard something he could not make heads or tails of. His inquisitive nature showed its head only to get stomped when Eishath commented.
"Master. This disciple believes we should continue this conversation away from prying eyes."
Samuel's mind immediately processed the information that they were still just outside the den of cauldrons and others were taking interest in their conversation.
Normally he would ignore this, but currently, Elizabeth was weakened, why he did not know. But she should not be out and about.
"Come to me," Samuel said to Eishath who fluidly walked into his arms and he world stepped into his small hired hut preventing another mill from being created around him.
Elizabeth had not been able to articulate what had bothered her and Samuel soothed her to sleep with her head in her lap using him as a pacifier. They had spent an entire day out and she was still at essence refining and her body was still more mortal than not.
He sat on the bed slowly patting her head as she fell deeper and deeper into sleep, his essence taking this chance to come out and further refine her body.
"Master, may this disciple speak?" Eishath asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes." His attention turned back to his second disciple.
"Why does elder sister speak to esteemed master with so little respect?"
Samuel narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized the unicorn and her statement.
Then it hit him. Samuel was not stupid just so oblivious that he missed even the obvious.
He was a nascent soul who reached this state by the power of mind and willpower alone. It was simply that it was rarely used if it did not pertain to cultivation. Now that it was channeling more resources into this a web of words and statements came unraveled in his head.
The only word he used to answer her question was.
"Huh."