Scarlet's Awakening

2 hours have passed and Scarlet and the others are still talking about the different issues regarding Gehenna. They were quite concentrated in their discussion that they didn't suspect the little sleeping Jasper listening to their discourse with his eyes closed.

All of them didn't seem to mind him hearing about their discussion since to them, Jasper's just a clueless little kid.

However, Jasper's actually more capable than he looks. Before his powers disappeared, he was once a fully grown man.

The Scarlet Oreer are obviously underestimating him since they didn't know that. Jasper wasn't planning to reveal his true self to them anyway so he just listened and pretended to sleep.

"My Queen, with respects to Talon's punishment, how do you want to deal with this matter?" Eigeel asked.

"Oh yeah, right... The punishment." Scarlet went dazed.

Eigeel informed them awhile ago about Talon's imminent punishment for not protecting Scarlet properly yesterday that resulted to her unexpected trip to the Other Dimension.

For Scarlet, the accident yesterday wasn't entirely Talon's fault. She was also at fault there. However, in the eyes of the Scarlet Order, Scarlet couldn't do no wrong. Scarlet felt a lil troubled about the it.

She believes that it's unreasonable to severely punish Talon for something that was not entirely his fault. She couldn't think of a suitable punishment for him and she wanted the issue to be forgiven and forgotten but that's obviously not what her subordinates want. They were strict on their rules and wanted a punishment to be done.

"Um. Do you have any suggestions on this, Eigeel?" she asked. Maybe Eigeel has better ideas since he's smart. I think his punishment towards Talon would be lenient, or so she thought.

"A thousand lashes, my queen, would suffice..."

Scarlet almost choked on her own saliva. "A thou- A thousand?"

Eigeel looked at her as if he didn't say anything out of the ordinary. "Yes, my queen."

Scarlet cleared her throat, she felt like an imaginary object was blocking them. "Isn't that a little bit too much? I only ought to punish Talon, not kill him."

Eigeel stared at her. His eyes probing on her face before he spoke. "Actually, my queen, a thousand lashes is quite enough for someone like Talon. He could take all of the lashes until the very end since he heals fast- he only has to feel the pain."

But Scarlet was still not convinced, "What about you, Levin? Do you have a better idea?"

"Ah! Well..." The fangs inside Levin's mouth glinted when he grinned. "... I suggest you hang him upside down and drain him of his blood, your majesty."

Scarlet flinched after hearing his 'ideas'. She immediately sensed the chills flowing through her spine after hearing it.

Levin truly a vampire. His torture methods even says it all. Even though he detest the stench of blood he still tortures people by draining them.

Scarlet internally sighed. Well, I guessed you kinda expect that response when you a vampire, she thought. Vampires are cold blooded by nature so what did she expect?

C'mon, Scarlet. Why don't you ask the most straight thinking person in the room. Less sadistic but more humane.

Scarlet scanned her eyes inside the room and saw the silent Aqua sittinf in the corner and thought, I found you.

"Aqua,"

She flinched when the queen called her name. "Yes, my queen?"

"How about you? Do you have a better idea what I should punish Talon with?"

Aqua smiled. "Well, my queen, I think it's better that we bind Talon's limbs and tear them apart and using magical beasts."

Scarlet's expression crumpled inside but she didn't show it. "But that'll mutilate and kill him."

Aqua shrugged nonchalantly and said, "That's the point, your majesty. Talon's punishment shouldn't be lenient since it's 'your' safety we are talking about here. All of us here almost lost you when we just got you back. Exposing you to danger especially on your most vulnerable state is a crime worthy of death!"

Oh god. Scarlet sighed and covered her face in disbelief. I thought Aqua was different but she was far worse than Eigeel and Levin.

Eigeel's and Talon's were only to inflict pain and suffering but Aqua wanted me to punish Talon with death!

Scarlet cleared her throat and no longer asked Eireen and Silver about their suggestions. Based on how their eyes were glinting, they might have far worse ideas than the 3.

"I can't think of a proper punishment for Talon at the moment. Please put this discussion on hold for now." she said.

"But your majesty-"

Aqua tried to change her mind but she cut her off. "Committing mistakes is unavoidable, Aqua. What matters to me is what you learn out of it. A person's life is not something we can take whenever we please and I only want to forgive Talon, not kill him..." Everyone inside the room become quiet. "However," that got their attention. "Because of the law I see that a punishment is a must so give me time to think about Talon's punishment. And when I do, whatever punishment I choose, I expect all of you to be satisfied with it and forget Talon's mistake forever. Is everything I said anyway unclear?"

The member's of the order couldn't hide their disappointment but quickly tucked it away and agreed to her bidding even if they had their own opinions on the matter. "If her majesty bids it we will follow." they all said.

"Good..."

________________________

The meeting ended with Jasper behaving as if he had been asleep throughout the meeting all along. Eireen was reluctant to leave her beloved Queen with the' Sleeping' Jasper, but one final decision from eliminated all the people inside the room-except, of course, Anselme and Talon, who remained silently in the room, guarding their masters.

When they were eventually 'on their own,' Scarlet took the opportunity to look at Jasper's sleeping face. She looked at him a couple of times during the meeting but it didn't last longer than two seconds. Now that she was really looking at him, she could see how peaceful he looked while resting on her l.a.p.... His tiny c.h.e.s.t rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

Scarlet's eyes went to Jasper plump chubby cheeks that were flushed in an adorable shade of pink.

She sighed. He looked so cute that it made Scarlet feel slightly protective of him, like an elder sister to her little brother.

Scarlet felt like she wanted to protect him from the dangers of the outside world, even though their roles were reversed when they met in the Other Dimension. The memory just simply did not cross her mind.

Anyway, what kind of person wouldn't have the urge to protect a sweet little bunny like Jasper when he looked so helpless and defenceless like that in front of her whilst sleeping?

If Jasper knew that he had been' brother zoned' by his wife inside her thoughts, he would probably spit out blood with an imaginary arrow stabbed to his c.h.e.s.t from being internally hurt. He just got himself rejected without knowing anything about it.

Scarlet looked away in an instant when Jasper moved on her l.a.p. She cleared her throat, behaving as if she hadn't been staring at a sleeping kid a while ago making her blush.

Jasper felt it was time for him to wake up. He g.r.o.a.n.e.d and spread out his little arms, slowly opening his eyes while rubbing it with the back of his hand for effect. Jasper looked at Scarlet with his big dewy eyes and Scarlet felt her heart turn to mush.

"So cute..." Scarlet couldn't help herself but pinch Jasper's chubby cheeks making the little lord frown.

"That's enough, Scarlet. You're hurting me."

Anselme, who wasn't supposed to move, couldn't help but look at his little master and mistress interacting with Talon beside him.

Jasper blinked, staring at the empty seats in front of him. "Done?" he asked, still yawning as he stretched his arms.

Scarlet nodded solemnly, "Do you want to sleep a little more?" she asked, silently staring at him.

Jasper shook his head. "No need. I've had enough sleep for one day."

"Okay. Oh! Be careful!" Scarlet was about to help Jasper out of her l.a.p when the little lord suddenly jumped out without a word, landing effortlessly on the floor with his little feet.

Scarlet stared into her hands blinking as her arms held nothing but air

"What are you doing?" Jasper frowned, looking at the her statued state

"Nothing." Scarlet stood up and withdrew her arms and concealed them behind her back while she wrinkled her nose from embarrassment.

Disregarding her odd expression, Jasper reached out his hand, wrapping his little fingers around Scarlet's index finger like a little kid. "Because you promised to spend the rest of the day with me, please lead the way and show me around this place" Scarlet couldn't really say no to the little Lord and his demands.

"Very well."

***

"Well, that was interesting," said Levin, a big grin on his face as he opened the doors of the Leisure Room and made himself comfortable on the couch on the far left side of the room. The other members of the order entered the room as well, each and every one of them had different facial expressions of their own as they took their regular seats in the Leisure Room. The Leisure Room was almost similar to a bar in the modern world. With an L-shaped counter, stools and a shelf where different types of liqueurs inside the bottles inside boxed compartments.

The place was called the Leisure Room because it was the only place in the castle where they could relax and unwind from their duties. In particular, the former Scarlet Rose made room for them for that very reason, and the only ones allowed inside are obviously the members of the Scarlet Order and the Queen herself.

"Shut up!" Silver yelled at Levin, feeling irritated just by looking at his smugly grinning face.

Eireen sighed and settled on a stool in front of the bar counter. Silver was evidently still in a foul mood as she sat aggressively on the stool alongside her. The little crimson fox looked in the direction of Silver and Levin under his half-opened eyes. Here they go again... Red made himself comfortable on Eireen's l.a.p and closed his eyes before taking nap again.

Eireen softly placed her hand on Red's crimson fur as her mind worried what the Queen was doing right now. She didn't want to leave Scarlet's side, but Talon was already there, so she was pulled out of the meeting room by her elder brother.