Talks of Past and Future

JP with Redsword and Cindy

Elizabeth hadn't slept in, she had instead taken care of a few things, mediated some, and seen Lorem off (after explaining Vor wouldn't be joining her for the trip to headquarters but would be there for the trip back) .

The thought of sending Cronk with Lorem, as added security, crossed Elizabeth's mind but seeing a car was sent, she was glad that wasn't done. Cronk would had a difficult time fitting into the vehicle. Besides, Marcil was driving the Gnome so Elizabeth knew Lorem was in good hands.

So, morning had eventually become late enough to go to the elobrate iron greenhouse, where the servants were setting up for the Eldren's breakfast with Sung. She thanked them for the extra work and wandered among one of the nearby paths. Her gaze took in the pink, violet, red and blue azaelas, white, pink and red mini rose bushes and the blooms on the citrus trees, while her olfactory delighted in the amazing mix of scents created. The fountain in the middle of all of this, added to the tranquility. Elizabeth would enjoy this moment of peaceful, calm until Sung arrived.

Sung got up and looked out the window seeing the sun was up he turned and look up at the ceiling and gave a sigh he had been up to late the night before but need that time for some soul searching. He had a dream that was too real with his old master Iekino. There was a knock at the door "Mr. Sung if you don't get up you will be late to meet with Lady Elizabeth." The made said in a polite but loud voice.

Sung lay for a moment "Thank you, I am up" replied Sung as he sat up. He looks at his pocket watch His eyes widen 7:45 in the morning he way over-slept. He rushed to get himself ready and get to the meeting with Lady Elizabeth. Sung looked over to the sword laying on the bed where he fell asleep. he pulled out his old sword shoulder harness and put it on. Sliding Heavens Wind into it and tieing it off adjusting it like a shoulder holster. form his darker times he could wear a sword this way with a long coat. It could be concealed some this way. Sung walked downstairs and out to the Iron Greenhouse. He arrived a few minutes late. Something he never does.

As Sung walked through the door was Elisabeth sitting. Against the flower background and fountain it was a beautiful site Sung smiled. Looks like any father looking at a daughter. He always thought of her like a daughter or niece. "My Lady, my apology for being late. I have no excuse," he said walking up to the table and giving a bow.

"Mr. Sung," Elizabeth smiled at him, waving off his apology. "No, apology necessary. I believe you are more than entitled to sleep in, a little, after yesterday."

"I believe breakfast awaits." Elizabeth gestured towards the table. "Shall we?"

A servant pulled out her chair and she thanked them and proceeded to sit. Though she enjoyed spending time with the team, it was nice having this breakfast with just Sung.

Sung also sat across from Elizabeth. The servant poured some tea for the both of them. Sung thanked the servant. there was an assortment of food on the table as the servant took lids off the plates. and prepared everything and stepped back.

Sung smiled "My Lady this is too nice what is the occasion?" asked Sung a little puzzled about the breakfast in the Iron Garden. knowing the team was in side the house.

Elizabeth sipped her tea. It was odd, all the years she had known Sung, and all the things she knew about him. The subject of past demons in the man's life had been not touched between them, and her father always said some things were left in the past but Sung's comment, last night, about his old self wanting to venture outward, had Elizabeth concerned.

"I wanted to see how you were. I mean really are." Not things to discuss in front of the team.

"You know I have a dark past before I met your father. He does knows most of it and struggles with becoming human again. The docks brought back memories of my past which I have to face. It was uncomfortable." explained Sung sipping his tea.

"I do, though my father has never given me details, I have figured certain things out on my own." Elizabeth paused. "You know I remember when you first came to live with us. My father kept telling me that you were "sick". Everyone was talking about the one in cellar." A look came across her face. "Do you remember the first time I came to see you? I think I brought you my children's books, because I thought you would be bored." A smile crossed her face at the memory. "Oh, yes and the pastries from the kitchen. The cook, Henrietta was her name, had a fit about it." She ventured back to the books. "I guess at four, thinking everyone can read your native language is not that unusual. I read you those books, all of them, repeatly."

Sung smiled back "Yes, I will not forget those days I spent in the cellar. I had fallen apart lost my way in the world had given up on life. Losing so much by that time I had lost hope. You and your father gave me hope and a place to belong. I will always be indebted to the Ellington house," replied Sung.

"You have repaid it, at least in my eyes. You did not have to take me under your wing, but you did so. Of course, now you are a part of our family." Elizabeth bit into the croissant with marmalade on it. She savored the flavor, before swallowing. "I just want to let you know. If you do start to have issues with those past demons, I am always here for you. As is my father and mother."

Elizabeth paused. "I do not wish you to struggle, despite the places this case may lead."

Sung was quiet just staring at some flowers. "I.... I am not sure what to say. I am honored and bound to serve your father. Last night was a low point that I have not felt in a long time. But also My old master came to me in a dream. I think it was a dream. It seemed so real the smell sounds as if I was there with Iekino." described Sung now looking back at Elizabeth.

"There is more Master Iekino knows about you now. I did not bring it up but Master Iekino did. So prepare your self Master Iekino will challenge you when you two meet. Not everyone has lived through it, I barely did." Sung seemed bothered by what he just told Elizabeth.

"Master Iekino told me in the dream 'Awake what you do best Rise, adapt, overcome, and defeat your enemy.' Master Iekino has never said it that way to me. I know now the part of me has awakened The old worrier side." Said Sung taking a bite of a beagle.

"This is what bothers me. My instinct is to go and just take down the secret workshop place and just start killing everyone that does not cooperate with me." Sung paused thinking. "watching you get hurt also stirred something in me. it was a feeling I have not had since the death of my family, fear of losing you, My Lady," said Sung sincerely.

"When the time comes, to meet your Master Lekino, I will be prepared." Elizabeth was thinking that if that ever happened, it would be in the future. She wasn't being cocky, more letting Sung know she would prepare. "You must give me any advice regarding that, sometime, perhaps during training."

"A warrior side to come out, might be a good thing. It could be what's needed, within control. " Elizabeth eyes, gazed at Sung's own. "Do you think you can control your warrior side? Utilize it in a way that would be an advantage." She really didn't want him doing things he might regret later, because he couldn't control it.

Sung smiled "I am a Grand Master Seventh-degree black sash, Suseok Gwan Jang Nim. I think I can control my marshal arts, emotions are something different. " He paused thinking of the right words. "I will not make promises if you are in danger or injured or even killed. The team will be safe. But whatever the danger is, won't be. I will destroy it with no hesitation." Sung's tone was intensive and very real not soft as normal.

Sung relaxes and sips some tea. "My only worry is Dr. Jackal's other side. Only from what he has said. I have an idea of what it is and what I can see using KI his power is enormous. I have only faced that type of power a couple of times before. That is how I got the Spirit of Truth Demon Slayer, Nodachi, or Odachi sword. Your Master has killed a demon not exactly by myself but was a large part of it using that sword it was carrying. Then spent two months recovering in a place of healing. Something I rather not go through again." He paused to take a few bites of his food and drink some tea.

"I don't know if I can stop Dr. Jackal's other side. If it does show, run away, promise me you will do that." He can be the biggest threat if things go wrong. I did not see it until my dream with Master Iekino" Sung paused "Not Lekino it is I, not L, that will get you killed." Sung said chuckling.

"Understood," Elizabeth replied. "I would guess if someone or something kills me, they are likely evil and needs to go." For the most part.

The exception was then mentioned by Sung, "I promise, if Dr. Jackal's other side shows, I will do my best attempt to stay as safe as possible." Elizabeth didn’t really say, she woud run away. As a team leader, if the rest of the team was in danger it seemed wrong to say she would leave the team to fight it, while she ran away. "If that occurs though, as team leader, do you not think I should make sure the team is safe?"

Sung gave a sad look like he was losing something. "Sorry, I was being selfish. I must let go and let you grow up and be the leader you are meant to be, forgive me, My Lady." Sung said apologizing. "Just it is when I look at you I pitcher you that 4 year old girl that so bravely came to see me. Then I knew you would be a good leader and grow into a beautiful woman. The times you read to me helped me with my English things you had not needed to do. Befriend a lowly servant in your house. Now I have to stand beside you and see how you grow." expressed Sung with a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Sung. I guess in many ways, one could say, we have both grown since then." Elizabeth smiled at him

Sung was her teacher, mentor. He would always be that to her. But she was an adult now. In charge of a team. Despite the Baron's hesitation, it wasn't a job her father would have put her into he didn't feel she was ready for it.

"I loved sneaking down to read to you. At first, it was because it was not something I was supposed to do." A small grin crossed her face. "You know that's how I learned I could unlock doors just by concentrating on them." Elizabeth sipped her tea. "Then I got to know you more and you were always so kind, and willing to listen to anything I had to say. I just knew I liked you, I suppose I never saw you as a servant." Elizabeth hadn't really thought about it, but Sung always seemed different than the servants that her parents employed.

Thinking on the past Sung smiled " Where I come from servant or slave is the way you pay back debt. I thought that was what was required of me. Duke Ellington your father made me his footman to get me out of the kitchen and more as a adviser to him. He never really saw me that way either. You were not the only one that saw me in the cellar. and the Doctor that came now and then." Taking a bite of a pastry he picked a fluffy croissant with some fruit in it.

"I remember how angry he would get when I bowed down on my knees." Sung smiled at the thought. "It was two different cultures coming together. In the end, we became more like friends. It made your father look good in front of the king. At one point when the Japanese delegates came to Britain, you might remember the dinner party. He knew about bowing with no one telling him and how to complement the delegates" Sung chuckled "with his not-so-good Japanese. But the delegates were impressed and foundations for trade were made that night. " described Sung smiled at the memory.

"I remember the doctor," Elizabeth said. "I never really talked to him but I recall him coming to the house." It was doubtful a small child would be in in conversations about an addicts recovery.

Elizabeth laughed, at her father getting angry at Sung kneeling. "Sounds like father. He has always told me, 'People are never less than anyone. Just because you happen to be nobility or wealthy, does not make some how inherently better. What makes you someone good, is the way you treat others and the acts you do." Elizabeth’s parents were probably the opposite of snobs. If Elizabeth didn't treat the staff with kindness and certain amount of respect, that was the kind of thing she would get in trouble for. Fortunately, it wasn't much of a problem.

"I remember the dinner party, sort of. I wasn't there for most of it. But I do remember the delegates being happy, I was able to great them in their respective manner." Elizabeth said. What she knew of Japanese and Korean culture and language, she had learned from the man sitting across from her.

"I help raise you so that you can survive in any social environment or figure out quickly. politically speaking you will be a force to be reconded with," replied Sung taking another bite of his croissant. "I help teach you how to survive in the world. In world politics so you can be a wolf, not a sheep. Whoever you settle down with will have to be one hell of a man to compete with you. " said Sung with a mischievous grin. "Who knows maybe I planned it that way." He says with a wink. "People like the Baron don't stand a chance," he said with a big grin.

Elizabeth laughed at the quip about the Baron. "Oh, but how he thinks he does or I believe wants to." She was certain, Greenwood would like to court her, among possibly other things. He always gave that feeling. "I am not very sheep like, but yes all that training will lead me in good stead in the future."

"I wish I knew for certain the police would arrest Mr. Sable." Elizabeth changed topics after a brief moment of thought.

"Just say the word My Lady and a few of us can pay Mr. Sable a visit and persuade him to well, leave. He might just disappear. only The fish will know where he is." commented Sung.

"I appreciate that Mr. Sung. I will keep that in mind." Elizabeth smiled. Looking down at the dishes in front of her, do far she had eaten the croissant with marmalade, fresh fruit, some ham, and a crepe with strawberries and cream. "My, I suppose using all that magic yesterday brought out my appetite." Probably, not surprising as the energy has gone through her body.

She glanced out the window, towards the house. "I wonder how everyone else is getting on this morning." She enjoyed this time spent with Sung, but she also was starting to feel more connected towards the team.

Sung took a look, "They are too far for me to use KI," said Sung looking back at Elizabeth. "What I see is the house is still standing. No smoke from the windows and no earth trimers. I would say things are fine." Sung said with a clever smile.

Elizabeth chuckled, "Those are definitely good signs. So, we have all morning. I believe I would Iike to get in a walk among the grounds. Maybe, mediate some outdoors. I feel my time to do that will become less so." She hadn't excatly realized the amount of work running a team would be. Her father had attempted to tell Elizabeth, but there was no way to prepare how much, all of the time it was. She really did enjoy the challenge, however. "What are you planning on doing with the rest of your morning?"

"I don't know build an altar go sacrifice some pigs?" Sung says joking. I can accompany you and do some of the same." suggest Sung. "looking out the windows it is a nice day we could do some training as well if you wish. I am sure your short blade skill could use some work, My Lady," proposed Sung.

Sung thought for a moment."I am aware of the pain but if this happens again do you think you can just quit because you get a bruise or a broken bone?" Sung let that sink in. "We are not at war exactly. I think my last statement was unfair, My Lady. You are not a soldier. I should not judge you that way." said Sung.

Elizabeth was just about to say that Sung's statement was unfair, but not for the reason he said. She had kept fighting yesterday even after being injured. Either he had forgotten or hadn't noticed. "Even soldiers have time to recuperate, when they are not actively in battle, Mr. Sung." It wasn't said with anything but a matter of fact tone. She wasn't angry at his earlier statement, but still sometimes he made her wonder.

Sung sat back in his chair "Yes, My Lady" was Sung's only reply. He knew she was right and he should rest too. "T1hen a nice walk and seeing the team members is a good idea." says Sung drinking the last of his tea.

Elizabeth had finished her tea and breakfast. "Shall we join the others then?"

"Yes, My Lady, lets go," replied Sung and stood up after Elizabeth did to walk with her.