Focusing on targets several feet away, Xzavier would take out his pistol and pretend to fight invisible enemies while shooting at the target as he advanced towards it. Sometimes, he would whip out his automatic rifle, or sniper and also sharpen his shooting skills.
But of course, it couldn't very well always be about pull ups and shooting. Xzavier also explored all other tasks that could train him to harness his endurance levels and build strength. Any time she wasn't busy with her maid duties, Adalia would always find time to be present for Xzavier. Like a high school cheerleader, she would clap, cheer and encourage Xzavier as he trained on the ground.
Her playful nature and ever present bubbling energy always made these training sessions livelier. Sometimes, she would stand by his side and mimic his movements as he trained. On such times, Xzavier would often burst into laughter because of how distorted her movements were and just how inconsistent they were compared to the real deal.
Unable to hold back his amusement, Xzavier would often burst out laughing while desperately trying to stick to his own work. Her cheeks red from blushing, she would often take soft jabs at him.
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom "Oh for heaven's sake! Why are you laughing at me?! I am doing it better than you!"
Struggling to contain his laughter, he would reply her tauntingly;
"Yeah right! Even a cat could do it better than you!"
Her mouth would hang open in mock surprise, feigning shock at Xzavier's apt jab.
"A cat?! A cat you say?! You dishonor me Xzavier! Dishonor!"
"HAHAHA!! DISHONOR?!" He boomed, "You're the one dishonoring this training ground with your chicken moves! What in heaven's name was that?!"
Assuming a fake serious expression, she stuck her chest out challengingly and pointed her finger at him saying;
"Look here mister! Just give me three days to train!" she stuck out three fingers in his face,
"THREE DAYS! And then we can finally place a bet on who can outlast who!"
Xzavier bent over as if struck by an invisible arrow and erupted into peals of laughter at Adalia's challenge.
"Do you think I am joking! Try me and see! Just dare me!"
"I would never dare! I agree, you are the winner Adalia…"
By evening time, as twilight came in to usher in the night, Xzavier and Adalia would sit out on one of the leaning walls in the garden at the back of the mansion and watch the big orange ball in the sky go down majestically. As they enjoyed the view and basked in the presence of each other's company, Adalia would lecture Xzavier on some of the general knowledge of this era. At least, the history that was common knowledge to her and the other members of the public.
Xzavier didn't take those moments for granted. Paying close attention, he would digest just about everything Adalia explained to him. He would ask questions where he needed clarification and edged Adalia on whenever she seemed to be going off topic. Actually, she did that a lot because she had a tendency to get carried away.
The two got used to each other very quickly. Though they met in the most unconventional way and under the most extenuating circumstances, but their friendship thrived as they spent more and more time together.
On one of those evenings, after one of Adalia's lectures, while the mood was a bit lighter, she asked Xzavier one of those questions that was birthed from her active mind that was always fraught with imaginations.
"Xzavier?"
"Yes?"
"If we hadn't met that night in the jungle…where do you think you would have been right now?"
Xzavier paused for a minute to think. He thought he would have gotten used to her line of questioning by now. But each time, just when he thought he could tell where her head was, she always surprised him by the depth of her thoughts and imaginations.
His eyebrows furrowed as he went into a deep thought. The first thing that crossed his mind was to ask her where she thought she thought she would have also been at this time. But then he remembered that she had been at the verge of being raped to death by a band of very horny orcs. So, he quickly pushed that thought out of his head and focused on giving a much more optimistic answer.
"Well…" he cleared his throat and began, "One thing is for sure though, I definitely wouldn't have been here listening to you trying to bore me to death with history lessons…"
Adalia's eyes burned as she immediately prepared to snap back at him. But Xzavier didn't give her that chance, he quickly continued before she could step in with whatever sarcastic reply she had already lined up in her head.
"…but, asides from that, I have learned that fate has a way of bringing destinies together. It really doesn't matter where I would have been right now, because I believe that no matter what, my path would have led me here, to you, and to this household one way or the other."
Adalia also had an alternative for asking questions like these. Because every time she came up with questions like this for Xzavier, he always ended up stunning her with his calculated replies. She loved to listen to him speak at time like this. She could sense depth in his speech. Even though their status in the world was that of guest and maid, Adalia was enthralled by the fact that Xzavier didn't care about that.
Unable to hide her admiration for Xzavier, Adalia looked at him dreamily and replied in a playful tone;
"You know, for a battle crazed monster, you've got quite the keen mind."
Xzavier smiled awkwardly.
"Uhh thank you, I guess?"
She nudged him gently.
"No need for that pathological modesty Xzavier. That was an actual compliment, and you'd better enjoy it because you're not going to get any more of those out of me."
Xzavier let out a short hearty laugh. Still chuckling, he replied her;
"Okay Adalia, okay…"
"Honestly, how do you just come up with these replies?"
"I just answered your question as best as I could. You're acting like I just passed an examination or something."
She giggled lightly.
"Oh please come off it! You should hear yourself when you talk like this sometimes…"
Mimicking his voice and speech mannerisms, Adalia did her best 'Xzavier impression' by sticking out her chest in the most ridiculous copycat impression of a man. Deepening her voice till it was almost a deep growl. She squinted her eyes to give off the impression of one who was about to say something serious, and then, she quoted his initial reply back to him.
"…fate has a way of bringing destinies together…oh look at me, I am such a wise guy, me so serious, blah, blah, blah…"
Finding Adalia's impression of him utterly hilarious, Xzavier almost doubled over in laughter. From the depth of his gut, a fresh tide of laughter came pouring out in waves, booming from his throat, and spilling out of his mouth. This was no patronizing laughter. He was truly cracked up. Xzavier laughed so hard that tears stung his eyes. With Adalia, there was truly not a single dull moment.
Adalia watched with glee as Xzavier laughed. She wasn't tempted to think that Xzavier was laughing at her. He was laughing at her joke, and she was glad. Xzavier was one who was so serious every time. In fact, when she first met him, she had concluded that he was incapable of laughter. And now, fast forward to several months later, here he was, genuinely laughing with the zeal of a playful toddler.
"Don't be absurd! Do I really sound like that???"
Adalia nodded, bright-eyed like a six year old.
"Good heavens! You should consider a career in theatre Adalia, you really should! That was downright phenomenal!"
It was a harmless compliment, but Adalia really took things like this to heart. Xzavier always complimented her whenever she displayed some hidden talent of hers, and she quietly accepted them with gladness and fed off on them much later whenever she was feeling blue.
Unfortunately, Adalia didn't realize that she was actually hugging his time. The governor's family wasn't a large one. Because they were a tightly-knit household, there were others who wanted more of Xzavier's time. While the two unlikely friends thrived, other members of the household tried to vie for Xzavier's attention.
Cadence had been monitoring Xzavier's movements around the estate for a while now. It wasn't like he was being creepy or anything. From the young lad's point of view, Xzavier was a pretty important and powerful person. Consequently, he had to be calculative about his approach. The serious minded young man never did anything halfway. In fact, due to his tendency to overthink things, he sometimes went overboard with even the simplest tasks.
It wasn't the young boy's fault. Cadence's motives were genuine and pure, but he just couldn't help being obtrusive at times.
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