The Scarlet Paladin-Chapter 98: Friction

Maeve waited patiently for her young master, she leaned against the wall right outside the bathroom. Her women would occasionally pass by on their patrols as they looked for anything suspicious. They gave her silent nods, letting her know no spies or perverts were trying to creep in.

Right as boredom started to creep in, a familiar face appeared. Maeve stiffened, and her heart sank. Lilith was walking right towards her, dressed in her casual attire and a fake smile. Maeve hated how she could still tell.

"Good evening, Captain," Lilith said, standing before Maeve. She had to look up slightly to meet Maeve's eyes.

"Good evening to you as well, Captain," Maeve said, getting off the wall.

For a moment, her hard gaze softened. Lilith's hair was still pulled into the same strict bun she'd worn since their academy days. The face that once made Maeve's heart race had faint wrinkles from age and wear.

"Your master not done with his bath yet?" Lilith asked, moving to Maeve's side. She leaned against the wall beside Maeve and took a deep breath. "Must like long baths..."

"He does," Maeve replied, eyeing the woman cautiously.

A silence fell between the two. Maeve had the urge to ask what had happened to her all those years ago. She had asked so many times in the past, but it was always the same. Nothing special. She just experienced true combat.

It never made sense to Maeve. She had fought bandits, invaders, and monsters in her career. None of those made her personality completely twist. Being powerless to save her comrades only strengthened her compassion, not killed it.

"He's a brave little boy, I'll give him that," Lilith said with a fake jovial tone. She added a laugh that grated on Maeve's ear. "His finale song was quite the daring pick..."

"Was it?" Maeve asked, doing her best to placate Lilith.

"Mmm... Yes." Lilith replied. "But... can't really tell you why. That would get me in trouble."

"Oh? And why's that?" Maeve asked, her curiosity piqued.

Lilith bit back a smile, getting Maeve to finally look towards her. For the briefest of moments, it felt like their academy days. "Wouldn't you like to know..." She said with a genuine laugh. It was the phrase she used to tease Maeve with back then.

Maeve just let out a sigh. She felt her heart ache for her old friend, but she knew better. She returned her gaze to the wall opposite them. "Is that all?"

Lilith just dropped her smile. "No."

"Then what?"

"Toni's lucky his blessing blinded my Lady. Other nobles would have picked up on his jabs..." Lilith said, lowering her tone.

"Oh? I'll pass the warning along."

"He's also lucky she wouldn't listen to reason... else he'd never get alone time with that butler." She continued. Maeve could still tell when she was annoyed, which continued to make her mad.

"Didn't want him to see too much?" Maeve asked calmly.

Lilith stared up at her for a moment, weighing something. She turned to look at the same patch of wall that Maeve was looking at and responded. "I didn't want him here at all."

"Okay," Maeve replied. She moved away from Lilith, wanting to check on her patrol.

Lilith watched her walk away. Here she was wanting to catch up and her old friend just left. That was the excuse. She knew Maeve hated who she became. She had known since Maeve sided with that fussy woman she called a wife.

"Fuck." Lilith said under her breath. She still couldn't believe she felt that way all these years later. Betrayal. Not over her finding someone else, nor over her getting married. Over not having her back.

She expected her best friend to always have her back. Yet another lesson life taught her: no one stays. She bit back the bitterness as Maeve returned. Her old friend returned to her post, not even acknowledging her presence.

Yet another slight she had to endure. Ever since they arrived, it has been one after another. Her Lady throwing all plans to the side to placate her guest, Toni mocking her to her face, and now Maeve. Her patience was wearing thin.

She could feel the frustration bubble up just thinking about it. Lady Lloyd may own this estate and land, but it was her that ran the damn place. She endured all the long meetings and struggled to make ends meet. All while her Lady played the part of a perfect noble, oblivious to her efforts.

Even with the obvious jabs from earlier. She was too enthralled by the boy's sex appeal to notice. She wouldn't even acknowledge it when Lilith brought it up. Then, as if to spite Lilith, she let the boy bathe with one of her toys.

She balled her fist tightly before taking a deep breath. She just needed a bit more money. Make a bit more, and she could retire. Put this shitty estate behind her and live in luxury. She deserved it.

She would not miss her Lady. Nor would she miss procuring her toys to play with when she's bored. Lilith thanked the gods every day, it's as easy as bringing her a new boy every once in a while. She just needed to be a bit patient.

"Did you need anything else, Captain?" Maeve's voice cut through. For a moment, Lilith's tension eased.

"Can't I catch up with an old friend?" Lilith asked, hiding her annoyance.

"Is she nearby?" Maeve asked coldly. She wasn't up for catching up with the woman beside her. Lilith had plenty of opportunities in the past, yet she rejected them all. Maeve knew there had to be something else.

Lilith just laughed away the anger. Sure, it was a fake laugh, but it was better than lashing out. "She's right beside me! Don't tell me you've forgotten."

"I haven't," Maeve replied sharply. "I remember every letter I sent. Every excuse you made. How you nearly hit Daisy."

Lilith opened her mouth to respond, but couldn't find any words. She wasn't good enough with her words to skirt past all of that. "That's... fair."

"More than fair."

"But I'm here now, and that's gotta count for something," Lilith said, scooting closer. Maeve just moved away.

"Too late for that."

"What about for your ex-girlfriend?" Lilith prodded.

"Nope"

"Old academy friend?" Lilith asked, causing Maeve to look at her once more.

"You may look and sound like her, but she died almost 20 years ago," Maeve replied with bitterness.

Lilith's eye twitched, her annoyance reaching its peak. If she hated being slighted, she hated remembering her younger self more. That naive fool still pissed her off to this day. Lilith didn't realize she was scowling.

Maeve just turned back towards the wall, praying to any god or goddess that Toni would exit the bath. Her anger bubbled beneath the surface, and she let slip one last jab. "I would have moved heaven and earth to help you back then..."

Lilith balled her fist once more, feeling her nails dig into her skin. What did she mean by that? Maeve couldn't even defend her. Not then, not ever.

Something inside Lilith snapped. It felt like a dam breaking, something long pent up suddenly rushing to the surface. She opened her mouth, her voice sharp. "Really? All it took was a pretty face to tell you not to, and you turned your back on me."

"Leave Daisy out of this." Maeve shot back, her voice cold.

"Why? She's the real reason we stopped being friends." Lilith said, her words dripping with venom.

"No," Maeve said with a heavy sigh. "The fact that you blame her means I truly lost my friend..."

"The fuck do you mean by that?" Lilith said, losing her composure.

"Look, Lilith... You may view men as property, but that doesn't mean everyone else does." Maeve said, her voice rising. She had turned to meet Lilith's gaze. The two exchanged a quiet, intense staredown.

"Daisy lost her brother to some greedy noble, just like your Lady." Maeve gritted her teeth. "Just like that butler in the bathroom besides us. You think I could continue to support you when you think that way?"

Lilith tilted her head. A laughter began to rise deep within her. That was why? That was the reason Maeve turned her back on her all those years ago. Lilith laughed for a solid minute while Maeve scowled at her.

"Something as silly as that?" Lilith finally got out, her amusement grated on Maeve's nerves.

Maeve saw red. She grabbed Lilith's collar and pulled her in close. Just for a moment, the woman reminded her of their past. Any hesitation at hitting that old friend was drowned out by the anger bubbling up from within her.

Lilith was caught off guard, her eyes wide with surprise, bracing for a hit that never came.

The jostling of armor and a door opening stopped Maeve's fist from connecting with Lilith. Her women were on their way, and Toni was about to exit. She couldn't lose her composure now.

"The Lilith I knew would have never laughed at that," Maeve said, spitting beside Lilith. She let go of her and turned to meet her sentries.