Death by Books [Dragonsong!]

[Rhindeer]

It wasn't the most glamorous, or even the most exciting job, but it at least gave Hayate peace. Peace away from people, who he never failed to be awkward around, even when he was trying to be smooth.

Filing books away and sorting them by author, title, and genre. Boring work to most, but it was mindless and kind of soothing in its own way. And sometimes, he came across a title he didn't recognize that looked rather interesting--that he could set aside for later.

Balancing on a ladder with a cart full of books beneath him, Hayate was dutifully working, whistling to himself without even thinking. It was a quiet afternoon; not many people were visiting the grand library at the moment, probably outside enjoying the sunny, cool, and not-too-humid day. Gross. His colleagues had teased him before for preferring a musty library to fresh air and sunlight, but sunlight just lead to sunburns and he fancied himself more of a night owl, anyway. Besides, daytime was when all the people were about, and there was always someone who wanted him to kiss their child's forehead or mumble some blessing, like it made a difference.

Hmph.

Reaching for a shelf above his head, balancing carefully on the ladder's top step and conscious of the way it swayed dangerously as he shifted his weight, Hayate frowned when he found the shelf impacted. Ugh. Time to shift some books around to make more room, which was going to right annoying! Shaking his head, he started to spine some of the faced out books on a lower shelf so he could shift them over, and as he shoved them over, a cloud of dust rose from the shelf. Right into his face. Of course.

Hayate waved it away, but he'd already inhaled some--and he had little time to prepare, no warning tickle, before a bellowing sneeze made his whole body jerk.

The ladder wobbled, just enough to pitch him off balance, and with a yelp he grabbed at the shelf--and his weight was enough to dislodge it.

Down he went, falling hard, along with a shelf full of books that cascaded over him like a waterfall.

[DragonSong]

"This. Is. So. Boring."

"Shhh." Risa hushed Ori as they followed their father through the temple grounds, shooting a wary glance at the man's stiff back. "You're supposed to be learning," she hissed at her brother, tugging absently on the sleeve of her outer robe in an old, nervous habit that she was entirely unconscious of.

Ori made a disgruntled sound and rolled his eyes. "Learning what? How to get passed through the whole clergy before we can actually talk to someone?"

She cuffed his shoulder lightly, frowning. "Don't be rude. This is a sacred place."

"Listen to your sister," Kenta said without bothering to look back over his shoulder. Both Risa and Ori tensed. "Ori, walk with me," their father continued after a moment, and Rise winced, mouthing Play nice at her brother as he reluctantly increased his pace to walk beside the taller man.

Kenta and Ori had been...somewhat contentious of late. Their mother blamed it on regular growing pains--the boy was fifteen now, becoming a man, and still figuring out what that meant in their household--but Risa felt like--like there was maybe something more. Once it became clear that Risa's skills were more of an artistic nature, shaping jewels and wire into something lovely but not so skilled at selling that lovely thing, Kenta had begun expecting Ori to take over the more financial side of the business; but making him his official apprentice seemed to have...shifted something.

And asking for a blessing on that apprenticeship? That was hardly necessary. It felt like Kenta was testing her brother somehow, but she didn't know how. Or what to do.

Their father lowered his voice as Ori caught up with him, and she slowed her pace slightly, knowing the conversation wasn't for her. She tried to distract herself by taking in the quiet beauty of the temple. The peace of the place, serene, unchanging--

Crash!

Oh dear. That...sounded like a problem.

Without thinking, Risa took off toward the noise, following the muffled sound of...a large amount of somethings hitting the floor to the temple library and finding a knocked-over bookshelf and veritable mountain of scrolls and tomes scattered over the floor. She pressed a hand to her mouth, eyes wide, as she took in the chaos.

"Oh goodness--"

Wait.

Was someone under there?!

"Oh my--! Hold on, I'll help!" she called to the figure half buried in leather and paper, dropping to her knees so she could start digging through the pile of books.

[Rhindeer]

That...really hurt.

For a moment, Hayate lay there dazed and aching. The fall had been okay; he'd managed to land mostly on his feet before landing on his rear, so it saved his tail bone. But there hadn't been much to be done about the cascade of books pelting and burying him.

The corner of one of them had hit him in the head, right above his right eyebrow, leaving a stinging and throbbing mess. He blinked, feeling warm stickiness trickling down his face, and groaned. Wouldn't be the first time a book had come for his blood. At least it wasn't another paper cut. Those were somehow worse but--oh no was he bleeding on the books?!

With a grunt and a wheeze, he flailed helplessly, feeling utterly ridiculous, as he tried to get out from under the mess burying him without bleeding on the precious tomes, his heart in his throat when he thought of how badly some of those tomes had landed! He didn't want to think about the ones that had landed face down and open, pages splayed and crumpled! He clapped a hand to the cut, doing his best to staunch it so it didn't drip, and used his free hand to start carefully pushing books off of himself, one at a time, resigned to the fact that he would be here forever.

Then came a voice, shocked at first and then offering help.

And Hayate wanted to die.

"I-it's quite alright!" he choked out, positively mortified that there HAD been a witness, but it was too late. A cute girl around his age dropped down beside him and started to help dig him out, and his face went dark with mortification. "A-ah, you don't have to--BE CAREFUL WITH THAT!" he barked, pointing when she handled one book in particular more roughly than he liked. And for him, anything above "cradling like a baby" was too rough. "That's a timeless classic!"

[DragonSong]

She didn't want to be rude, but, well... "It doesn't look alright," Risa protested as she grabbed one of the heavier tomes and moved to put it aside--then abruptly froze as she was reprimanded quite sharply.

She nearly dropped the book in her surprise, though luckily had the presence of mind to keep her grip on it--even if that grip was holding the book by its back cover. But she hadn't exactly been thinking of proper handling when she was trying to dig this person out of a pile of books!

Caught somewhere between embarrassed and indignant, she quickly adjusted her hold so that she was cradling the book to her chest as she--much more carefully--moved a stack of scrolls aside before laying it down next to them. "I'm--forgive me," she muttered on reflex. "I didn't mean to--I just thought I should, um..."

She trailed off, staring at the librarian as they both just...sat there in the hurricane aftermath of historical texts. Now that she got a good look at him, she realized he wasn't that much older than her--for some reason she'd assumed someone working in the library of the Temple would be, if not ancient, at least old. But this young man was just that, a young man... And a not unappealing one. Oh dear.

Say something, say something, say something!

"I-I'm Risa," she stammered out, louder than she intended, then: "Oh goddess, you're bleeding!"

She winced.

Well. That was something

[Rhindeer]

Hayate had been told on multiple occasions that his people skills...had room for improvement.

He wouldn't deny that. He much preferred a simple life keeping to himself, reading and organizing books and staying out of trouble, over things like...shiver...socializing.

So when the girl sputtered and apologized, he took a deep breath and reminded himself to have patience with the plebs. Besides, she had corrected her mistake. And she was trying to be useful, even if he would prefer not to have an audience. Just let him slink away to lick his wounds and nurse his shame in private!

"It's...it's fine," he finally managed to say, still flushed deeply and not quite able to meet her eyes. "Just be gentle. They're worth more than I am—there's only one copy of many of these! Uh. Anyway." He cleared his throat and carefully moved a couple more books aside, freeing his chest enough that he felt okay to sit up. "Er...ah, goddess this is so awkward. Ah, right. Risa, I'm Hayate. Resident librarian. Well, one of them. And yes...yes I am most definitely bleeding. Thank you. You have a keen eye, stellar observation."

He winced, not quite meaning that to come out as cranky as it did. "Sorry."

[DragonSong]

"I'm sorry," Risa murmured, almost reflexively, as she--much more carefully--helped him move several more books aside before he sat up. She knew it was his job, but for some reason the Big Sister instinct took over and she gave him a concerned sort of frown as she said softly, "There's only one copy of you, too."

It just slipped out, she couldn't help it. She didn't mean to sound overly like a mother hen, but being Ori's older sibling just...bled into everything she did, it seemed.

When he introduced himself, she latched onto the shift gratefully. Once he was upright, she dropped into a low bow--which was a little awkward, what with them both being on the floor. She was essentially prostrating herself among the books.

Which, luckily, meant he didn't see the face she pulled when he seemed to snip at her about her--admittedly obvious--observation that he was bleeding. But then he was apologizing, and she lifted herself back up, eyebrows raised.

"That's alright," she assured with a soft smile. "I--I was startled, I'm sure you knew that you're--anyway." She cleared her throat and moved a few more books aside before rising to her feet. She reached a hand down to him, offering to help him up. "Hayate? That sounds...familiar. I'm sorry, I know we've never met before, I just..."

[Rhindeer]

Oh no she didn't.

If Hayate's cheeks could get any hotter, they did when she pulled out the "only one copy of you" line. Oh, this was just the worst, being fussed over like this when he really wanted to be invisible after his epic fumble, and he kind of wished the books had just smashed him! Except not, because then they would be all encrusted with...well...human mush.

Somehow, he valiantly resisted the urge to sink back down among the books.

And then she was bowing! And in his frazzled state, he realized he had forgotten basic manners as well. Blast it! Awkwardly, he managed to do his best version of a seated bow, with one hand still clasped to his forehead.

At least she seemed a little awkward, too?

Or was she just scared?

He had been snappy at her...

Oh goddess, how did people people?

"Ah, yes. Well, it might sound familiar because I'm kind of a big deal around these parts." There was obvious sarcasm in his voice, and with a wince he clarified, "Er. Not really! Just, you know, I wouldn't be surprised. I've been here a while."

He was desperately trying not to hint at why she might know of him. Please, please, please don't connect the dots. Maybe it made him an awful person, but he was so not in the mood for blessings and nonsense.

He managed to get his legs free enough that he could carefully get his legs under him and rise into a crouch—or almost rise. His robes tangled around his legs and with an "oof!" he fell right back into his rear. Inima help him.

[DragonSong]

Been here a while?

Well, that made a certain amount of sense, she supposed; her family weren't exactly frequent visitors to the temple, but they weren't strangers either. She must have heard the name in passing--judging by the almost grouchy sarcasm in his voice when he said he was a "big deal", it was entirely possible.

"That must be it," she agreed politely, though she knew she was going to be trying to place the name for the rest of the day. When he started to get to his feet and then abruptly went back down, she darted forward automatically, trying to grab his arm to help keep him upright.

Too late.

"Oof!"

She went down with him into the pile of books--thank the goddess not on him, that would have been a brand of mortifying that she couldn't even process--but still close enough that she worried her elbow might have jabbed his ribs as she tried to roll away.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she babbled, face hot, as she tried to scramble away and up but found herself stymied by the sheer plethora of the written word that surrounded them. Trying to avoid harming the books and get to her feet at the same time, she overbalanced and toppled backward.

Directly across Hayate's lap.

Oh sweet goddess end me now.

"I'm sorry!" she squeaked, shoving away--heedless of the books this time because damnit this could not get more awkward and she would pay the Temple back for any damages herself just to Not Be Here Anymore. "Oh goddess I am so sorry, I didn't mean--are you alright? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She managed to stagger to her feet and turned to face him again, though she couldn't make herself meet his eyes, her blush now spreading from her forehead to her collar.

[Rhindeer]

AAAAAAHHHH!

That was the sound currently going through Hayate's brain when Risa fell into his lap.

It was his fault, he supposed. This entire disaster boiled down to being his fault. His fault for not being mindful of dust. His fault for doing the thing he had always been told not to do--specifically, standing on the top rung of a ladder. His fault for taking all those books down with him, and his fault for getting caught up in his robes and going back down. Everything had been just one giant chain reaction culminating in a girl falling down with him--and then, even worse, falling onto him. Into his lap.

The girl reacted before he did, because he had frozen up in silent, blushing horror while his mind screeched silently. Fortunately, where Hayate was Freeze, Risa was Flight, and she managed to launch herself off of him with lightning speed while his brain was still trying to figure out what he had done to deserve this day. What kind of monster had he been in his past life to have earned this moment in this life?

"I-I-I'm--I'm okay! I'm--ahhh! The books! I told you to be careful!" he managed to sputter out, and with some difficulty, he managed to scramble up to his feet before backing up a few paces--away from her and around the messy pile of books--as though they might get tangled together again somehow. He started to reach for some of the books she had shoved aside so carelessly, but froze when he caught a glimpse of his bloodied hand. ARGH. "Really! I'm alright. Never better! I--"

Plop.

A big fat droplet of blood rolled off his eyebrow and dripped down onto his chest. He clapped his hand back to his eye again, scowling, because of course any head wound, no matter how minor, just had to be a bleeder and he knew he must look like a horror show. "I did a fabulous job hurting myself all on my own, thank you."

[DragonSong]

Risa winced, still not able to fully look at him, with her hands fluttering awkwardly as she tried to decide which was more imperative--helping to tidy the books whose disarray was clearly so distressing to him, or trying to get him some real help.

The scarlet stain dripping down onto his chest made the decision for her. "Oh, goodness." She bit her lip, glanced down at her hem, then took a breath and lifted up the outer layer of her robe--revealing delicate embroidery on her ankle-length skirt--to tear a long strip of fabric free. Then she forced herself to meet his eyes. Trying to sound like this wasn't one of the most spectacularly embarrassing experiences of her life, and heroically ignoring the heat in her face, she said, "Here, let me--can I?"

She held up the makeshift bandage with one hand and gestured vaguely toward his wound with the other. Trying for a something close to a smile, which she worried was probably more of an embarrassed grimace, she offered, "I can at least help stop the bleeding. Then you can set your books to rights without worrying about, er, dripping on them."

She had seen the way he snatched his own bloodied hand back, and while she thought he should be more worried about seeing a healer, clearly he was more concerned with his paper charges. And it was hardly her place to tell a member of the temple what he needed to be doing, right?

"And once that's done, we really should get you to see a healer."

...So much for that.

Well hey, she wasn't telling him what to do. Just...suggesting.

Wait.

Had she said "we?" Oh— Damn Ori and his constant scrapes instilling an instinctive if-you-don't-tell-mum-I-will-yes-it-is-a-big-deal-you-are-bleeding impulse.

The moment it was out of her mouth and she actually heard it, realized she couldn't swallow it back, her blush ramped up a few degrees as it registered just how far she may be stepping over her bounds. Wide-eyed, she added hurriedly, "You know, if—if you need to?" It was meant to be a statement, but the uncertain lilt to her voice turned it into a question.

[Rhindeer]

This was so mortifying. Hayate wished more than anything that he could scamper away to his private quarters here in the temple and escape this entire stupid day, but he had a job to do and an audience, and he didn't want to be rude. Ha! Inima help him. He was bleeding from his head and yet the fear of being rude overrode everything else!

That and the books.

To make matters worse, however, Risa went and tore some of her clothing to make a makeshift bandage for him?! Hayate stared, a little horrified that she would damage her clothes for him, but he had been too slow to stop her and the damage was done. And then she was motioning him over--oh dear, no, please. She wasn't honestly offering to doctor him up herself?!

"I-it's not so bad I'll need a healer, I don't think!" he managed to sputter. "And you really didn't have to tear your skirt for me! I--" He sucked in a breath. "Head injuries bleed a lot. It looks worse than it feels. It's just a nick, surely. Not a huge concern." Except he couldn't actually see it, of course, and that book had clocked him pretty good. Ughhh. He paused, and on second thought he took his hand away and stepped a little closer to her, allowing her to see it.

"...Right? It's not that bad, is it?"

[DragonSong]

With a small huff that might have been the beginning of a laugh, Risa told him (gently, but firmly) "I'm well aware of how much head injuries bleed. If you had my little brother, it certainly gives one occasion to learn." As he stepped closer, she reached up to begin dabbing at the blood that was streaking down the side of his face, trying to get a look at the cut itself under all that.

She hissed in quiet sympathy and pulled her lips into a brief, tight line. "Well, it's certainly more than a nick," she murmured as she got a better look at the cut. "But it doesn't look too bad. You shouldn't need it stitched, at any rate." With a shrug and a small smile, she added, "Though you should take that with a grain of salt, and see a real healer, just to be sure. Er, here."

He was just a bit taller than her, so at least she didn't have to go up on her toes to loop the strip of fabric around his head and tie it off carefully. "There." She stepped back. "It's no replacement for a real bandage, but it should at least stop the bleeding for a while." With another little careful smile, she added in a slightly softer voice, "And...they're just clothes. It's really no bother. I'd rather rip my skirt than stand here and watch you bleed." She glanced around them and added in a vague attempt at a joke, "Especially not on the books."

[Rhindeer]

Oh, he felt positively absurd, standing there with a piece of a girl's dress tied around his head. Hayate could feel his cheeks burning, and still wondered if he could summon the earth to swallow him if he prayed just a little harder. It wasn't too late! The offer was still on the table! Fresh librarian meat, nom nom, nice and gamey!

Pushing his spectacles up higher on his nose, quite impressed and more than a little amused that they had not only escaped damage but somehow stayed on through this all, he snorted. "Right. Definitely not on the books. Er...thanks, in any case. Ah, I think I probably have it from here?"

Please go, please leave him to his shame. He could tidy up the area and lick his wounds in peace and definitely not be able to fall asleep for days without replaying this whole interaction in his head. Bending down, he picked up a book and gently brushed off the cover, and couldn't help but laugh softly as he scanned the mess. This was going to take forever...

"I'm sure you have other things to do, right? I don't imagine you came here just to rescue me."

[DragonSong]

"Oh—oh right, of course, I'll...leave you be." She dipped into another bow, quicker than the first though as deep as she could manage. "It was an honor to meet you, Hayate. And...I'm sorry about the books—"

"Risa!"

Her brother's voice snapped her upright, and she spun to find both her father and Ori in the doorway to the library. Her brother was staring wide-eyed at the mess around the librarian and Risa, while her father was focused solely on the librarian himself.

"Father!" She fluttered her hands awkwardly, not sure what to do and feeling suddenly very out of place—even more than she had been. "Ah, I'm sorry I ran off before, I heard a noise and..."

"Master Hayate?" Kenta didn't even seem to hear his daughter, still looking at the librarian. "Forgive me, but...did I hear my daughter correctly? You are young Master Hayate?"

Risa blinked, then frowned, looking back and forth between the two men. Why did her father care who the temple librarian was?

[Rhindeer]

Oh, Inima really had it out for him today. Hayate froze in place, watching his peaceful, quiet day go up in flames. This section was a mess, his head hurt, and now this project would be delayed even further on top of the project he had been working on before this disaster.

It was an effort not to deflate.

"That...that is indeed me," he said slowly, working hard to keep the disappointment and budding dread out of his voice. Please don't make him kiss a baby. Please don't make him kiss a baby. His eyes darted around, spotting no babies, thank the Goddess, but there was a younger kid.

Please no.

He bowed respectfully, shooting Risa a look as he rose—a look that screamed 'help' with his eyes, not that he was sure how she could help. She had gotten this ball rolling in the first place and this was her father! He was doomed.

"How may I be of assistance?" he said, looking up to the man and keeping his expression smooth.

[DragonSong]

"Master Hayate." Kenta bowed swiftly, keeping his head low for a good long breath before rising again. A sharp look in Ori's direction assured that his son did the same. "We came to the temple today to seek your blessing."

Risa frowned. What? Yes, of course she knew why they were here, but surely—

She quite abruptly remembered just why Hayate's name had sounded familiar to her.

Oh dear Goddess.

She had fallen on him!!!

"B-but—you're a librarian!" she exclaimed, entirely without thinking, as she stared at Hayate with wide eyes. Then she caught his look, actually saw the expression, and suddenly found herself saying, "I mean, ahm, you're...you're the librarian."

Her father stared at her as though she'd grown a second head. She felt herself blushing, but pushed on, "That is—what I mean is—he must be a different Hayate, mustn't he?" she put forward in a desperate and not very convincing bid to be helpful.

Kenta looked slowly from her to the librarian. "I...forgive me, young master, is there another Hayate living on temple grounds?"

Well. She'd tried.

She gave the librarian—Hayate, she couldn't believe she was such an idiot—an apologetic look.

[Rhindeer]

Noooooooo...!

Hayate smiled and hoped it didn't look as pained as he felt. "I am the only Hayate on the premises, yes," he said, putting on the air of formality that was expected of him now that the cat was out of the bag. He hated it, though. He hated how Risa was acting all different now, horrified over his status rather than his head wound. Sure, the entire situation with the books and the bleeding and the falling atop him was mortifying, but at least it had been mortifying for completely normal reasons: because she was a pretty girl falling atop a bleeding man who had destroyed a section of library. That would be awkward for anyone!

Judging by the expression on her face, the deep blush, and the desperation to seek out a different Hayate, he had no doubt she was now viewing that entire interaction through a brand new lens. He hated the awkwardness, but he much preferred its earlier version, the version where he hadn't been important at all.

He drew a slow breath in through his nose. "Hayate the Yozin, correct?" he decided to clarify, just in case. He slid a look to Risa, and the corner of his lips twitched into a half smile. "And yes, I am a librarian. You're correct again. One of many. I need more hands to tend to this place on my own."

Right. He cleared his throat.

"I would be honored to give you my blessing, if you'll come closer." This was so awkward. "May I ask if it's for good health, prosperity, luck, or anything specific? I can keep it broad, or I can tailor it to what you need most now."

He flicked a glance toward Risa, another thought striking him. She was marrying age. Oh Goddess. Please don't be another one of those, the ones wanting him to bless their children so ensure a good match or some such nonsense.

[DragonSong]

Despite the intense awkwardness of the situation, Risa found herself starting to smile back when he gave her that little half-twitch of his lips, instinctively trying to smooth over what she could of the situation.

But, of course, he father stepped forward, nudging Ori pointedly in the back to get him to sulk along, and explained, "My son is beginning his apprenticeship. We had hoped to seek your blessing to ensure as best we can that the experience brings him knowledge and prosperity." He gave Ori a quick look and nodded slightly in Hayate's direction.

"Erm, hello?" Risa's brother glanced up from another quick bow, then suddenly squinted. "Wait a second...is that...?"

He looked from Hayate's makeshift bandage to his sister, and Risa quickly tried to move her robe to hide her torn hem, shaking her head at Ori frantically. The boy blinked owlishly, then muttered, "Um...never mind? I mean--"

He winced as Kenta shot him a hard look, and amended somewhat churlishly, "I would be...very grateful to receive your blessing, Master Hayate."

[Rhindeer]

Why did parents do this to their children? The boy certainly looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. Really, the only one who looked pleased to be here was their father! But that was none of his business, so Hayate beckoned the child closer, doing his best to look all regal and stuff despite being surrounded by absolute chaos.

"Hello," he answered back warmly, and bent down to be more on the kid's level—but froze for a moment when he saw the child's eyes move to his head, a spark of recognition there as he squinted.

Oh no...

Despite himself, he felt another blush rising to his cheeks and spreading down his neck. Right. He was wearing a piece of Risa's robe. With her father right there. Uhhhh. Luckily, the crisis was averted—for now, her father speaking up and getting things back on track—but Hayate felt no less tense. Little brothers had a tendency to torture their siblings, after all.

"Of course. I'd be happy to bless the boy."

Knowledge and prosperity. Right...

He flicked a look to Risa, and fought to keep his expression smooth. This whole song and dance was embarrassing at the best of times, but for some reason it was even worse in front of her now. 

He focused back on the boy. "Bow your head," he instructed, and placed his right hand atop his head before he spoke his blessing over him in Old Thanati, resisting the urge to rush through it. Risa and her family would likely understand the words, roughly at least. The words were archaic but close enough to the modern version, spoken only in rituals and mantras these days and rarely even then. He imparted his own blessing upon the boy and implored Inima to do the same, and through it all he felt like a fraud. He had no magic, no special holy powers. He was just a guy saying a bunch of stuff in a dead tongue.

When he was done, he slid his hand away and took a step back. "Study hard and you'll do well. The blessing is just a tool, but you still need to do the work."

[DragonSong]

Ori was quite clearly doing his best not to fidget through the whole process, feet shuffling occasionally. Kenta's frown deepened as he watched his son, but he did not seem inclined to cause a scene about it. Not here, anyway.

Risa listened to the blessing, half of her just feeling incredibly awakened about the entire affair—dear sweet Goddess, she still couldn't believe she'd fallen on him! And—oh end her now, she'd told him "There's only one copy of you, too." Ohhhhhh, he must think she was such a ditzy, sanctimonious—

The other half of her brain was actually engaged interestedly in the blessing itself. She'd studied Old Thanati, though of course not to the extent that a priestess or other temple official would. It was fascinating to hear it spoken by someone with any real confidence.

Ori nodded quickly when the blessing was over, straightening up and tugging at the sleeves of his shirt. "Right. Of course. Thanks."

Kenta cleared his throat and Ori winced. "I mean—thank you very much, Master Hayate. Of course I will do my best under my own power, as well, thank you."

Kenta sniffed and nodded, then gave the librarian another deep bow. "Our deepest gratitude, Master Hayate. We will trouble you no further." He glanced around at the mess still surrounding his daughter and Hayate, then asked delicately, "Shall we send a few temple servants here before we depart? I apologize for any...distraction from your duties my daughter may have given you."

Risa's turn to receive a hard look from her father. She started to open her mouth automatically to deny...well, just deny, really. She'd only been trying to help! But her father's expression quelled any words she might have said; she bowed her head quickly, eyes fixed in her feet.

"My apologies, Master Hayate," she murmured, face hot. Oh Goddess, please don't let me start crying. That was always what happened when her farther reprimanded her, especially in public—she couldn't help it, it was an entirely automatic reaction. She drew in careful breaths in an effort to control the response.