A Rose among the Thorns
(Chapter 1: Prologue)
The clock's hands stroke to 12, and its calling sound jaunted all over the mansion; to the living room; to the alley; up to the girl's room. The moon is in its complete shape, showering the whole town with her sweet radiance, as the cool winter breeze covered everything in his path. The servant's footsteps echoed to the walls of the corridor. A slender woman, about 25 years of age stood in front of the door engrave with fine flower like designs. Her thin pale hands clenched and knocked the door sharply. The door opened slowly, and then Miranda hurriedly went inside the room. From the shadows came out a beautiful maiden: with her long silky black hair tied in pigtails, her fine slender body moved with certain gracefulness, and on her face embodied a young Chinese princess with great lavender eyes, pink cheeks and a luscious fine lips. The girl, Lenalee Lee, walked towards the woman and asked her in a sweet, yet troubled voice.
"What is it, Miranda-san?" she asked.
Miranda, still catching her breath, stood up right and gulped a big lump from her throat to answer the girl's question.
"Leverrier…Mr. Leverrier is here to get you, Miss Lenalee!" Miranda uttered in a worried tone.
Upon hearing what Miranda had said, Lenalee's face turned pale, as if painted with fear, and sweat begun to form in her temples, dripped down her face, and her trembling hand clutched to her skirt.
"He's here to get me and make me marry that man…" the grinned, but still there's trace of fear in that Chinese face.
Miranda's hands grasped the girl's arms; her icy cold palms were like daggers that pierce to Lenalee's skin. "Milady, what are you going to do? You're not going to let that happen, right?"
Lenalee smiled sweetly and patted the woman's shoulder, "I know what to do…"
It was past 1 o'clock in the morning, and a man came to the girl's room. He vaguely knocked on the door, but shocked that it was open. He slowly entered the room, calling for her name. He saw no one in the dark room, except for the light coming from the outside of the opened balcony door. He walked briskly towards the balcony and surprised to see something: pieces of long cloths tied from end to end, that hung and reached all the way down to the ground of the mansion. After he saw it, the man rushed to the door, out the room and screamed, "LADY LENALEE IS MISSING!"
The two strangers ran until they reached the park. Both were panting, their sweat dropped on the ground. They laid down their bags that they were carrying. The one used her knees as a support while standing, while the other one san on the ground laughing.
"Really…*hah* Miranda-san…*hah**hah* you can run fast! *hah*" the girl giggled as she spread her legs on the ground, and continued to chuckle.
Miranda was still grasping for air, her face has just turned pale white! Then, she sat down next to Lenalee.
"*hah**hah* It's been a long time *hah* since the last time*hah* I ran that far!" the older woman replied with a wheezing voice.
"Well, if we look at you, no one had ever thought that you could run that fast." Lenalee joked.
"Please don't say that…" Miranda replied blushing.
The two kept silent for awhile. The girl stared at the night sky, it was filled with stars, twinkling like glitters in the air, while the moonlight colored the sky dark blue. Lenalee wondered, thought, and sighed. She felt the cold winter winds embraced her body. It was quiet, perhaps too quiet.
"Miranda, why did you follow me?" she asked, still staring at the skies.
"That's because I'm your servant, and you are milady." The older woman replied without thinking, and then she clutched her knees closer to her chest.
Lenalee glanced Miranda, "But are you okay with this? You will lose your job at the mansion. Didn't you love to have finally found a job?"
"It's okay. It's just a job," Miranda gleefully replied. "I'd rather lose my job than lose my friend." Then she flashed a sweet smile to the girl.
Lenalee's eyes glittered in happiness when she heard those words. Her lips curved downward, drew a sweet smile, and her cheeks flushed in blush. She leaned her head to Miranda's shoulder. Miranda, slightly blushed, and then did the same thing.
"Thank you, Miranda-san".
The sun had already risen. Its golden rays streamed down the earth and brought light to the heavens. He covered the town with his blanket of warmth, while the cold feeling of those winter winds still lingered everywhere. They've been sleeping in the park, stayed there all night, unaware of the cold season. They woke up, risen, and began their little journey. Where are they going? Where will their feet lead them?
"Now that we've ran away from the mansion, where shall we live?" Lenalee asked while she taps her index finger to her chin.
There was a small pause, and then Miranda suddenly gasps and claps her thin slender hands. Lenalee turned to face the German woman, confused.
"I know someone we could ask for help!" she said in excitement. For an instant, her big, deep eyes glittered with hope. She grabbed the girl's hand and walked briskly. Lenalee just stared at her, in puzzlement.
"Where are we going, Miranda-san?"
"To an old friend's place; I know he's living not far from here." Miranda replied happily.
They reached a small apartment not too far from the park. Lenalee gaze at the 3-storey building, it is small, old and dusty, the wall paint was faded and there were cracks formed in its corners, and it can only support 10 occupants.
Miranda led the way as they climbed the rusty staircase, and then reached the third floor and proceeded to the far most door. The woman lifted her right hand and knocked the door vaguely. The knocking sound became a rhythm to their ears. After a few minutes, the door opened, and there came out a big bodied woman, with blond hair, very masculine figure, with sharp eyes that gives flirty stare, and red puffy lips. Miranda and that person squealed and hugged each other in delight, while little Lenalee looked in puzzlement.
"Lady Lenalee, this is Miss Bonaire. She's that friend I'm talking about." Miranda gladly introduced the cross-dresser beside her.
'Miss?... Is she really a woman?' Lenalee thought as she smiled tensely. She felt the sweat that streamed down her forehead and her right eye's lower eyelid twitched endlessly.
"N-Nice to meet you… I-I'm Lenalee Lee…" she gently spoke, and then she held out her hand in front of the man.
Miss Bonaire shook the girl's hand, and in one quick second, he sharply pointed out his face to hers, making an inch gap between them. Lenalee's heart almost burst in surprise, and more sweat dripped down her face. Miss Bonaire sharply stared at the girl.
'W-Wha-?' she exclaimed in her thoughts.
"Lee? So you're the only-daughter from the Lee family?" he peevishly asked, still sticking his face close to the girl's face.
"Y-Yes I am..," Lenalee replied. She felt the chill of his stare flowed in her veins.
Miss Bonaire's sexy eyes glittered in amazement; spread his arms and leaped towards the girl.
"Oh really? Aiieeee! I didn't know you're so beautiful!" Miss Bonaire exclaimed, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her body.
Lenalee tried to move away, but it was too late for she has been caught by the man's huge hairy arms. Miss Bonaire stood up and pranced and twirled around, while still carrying poor Lenalee. She struggled for breathing, for the second she thought that her soul was leaving her body. Miranda, on the other hand giggled as she watched the two.
"Are~! They're so cute! They get along really well" she said as she smirked.
Everything calmed. Miss Bonaire sat directly opposite of Miranda and Lenalee, who's still looking pale due to the his "fan girling" acknowledgement. The mood changed from light to heavy, and the pressure made the tension to intensify.
"So what brings these two lovely maidens here in my little sanctuary?" Miss Bonaire asked as he sipped a cup of tea.
"Well as you can see, Lady Lenalee and I ran away from the mansion. And now we're looking for someplace to stay for the mean time. Can we stay here with you?" Miranda asked mildly.
"NO" the man replied.
"What? But why we can't?" Lenalee stirred in surprise.
"As you can see, this is a small apartment. This is only for one person. And there's not enough space for you. And besides, I don't want to live together with girls. If it is a man, then I would gladly like it." Miss Bonaire smirked.
"We will not be a burden to you. Once I've got a job, I'll repay you. Once we found a place to live in, we will leave. Just for a month or two, please?" Miranda pleaded.
Lenalee has been taken back. She realizes something when she heard Miranda's words. Her hands shivered, and her lavender eyes glanced over the woman's figure. 'Miranda's job… She had lost it because of me…' She thought.
"First, why did you run away from the mansion?" Miss Bonaire questioned the two, as if the two committed such a crime.
"Because… I didn't want to marry someone whom I didn't know, even didn't loved," Lenalee distinctly replied to the man.
"And why is that?"
"Malcolm C. Leverrier, has been a close relative to my father. When my parents died, he's the one that looked after us. He helped my brother to manage all our properties. But he has a hidden motive, which is to get all the wealth and property of my family. And by that, he wants me to marry someone from the Leverrier family to fully acquire the Lee family's treasures." The girl explained. Her hands are still shaking. Miranda stared her, looking worried and concerned about the girl's words.
"But why didn't you want to get married to that man?"
"When I was a child, there is a boy who has been very close to me. He had helped me from a lot of trouble. He's the only friend I have that time. Before he leaves, he promised me that one day, he'll return to me, and we will live together again. He is my first love. And now, I'll look for him and confess my true feelings to him, for he is the only hope I had." She said, and then blushed.
"Eeeeh~! What a romantic love story!" Miss Bonaire exclaimed. "But who's that kid then?"
Lenalee kept silent for a while. "If I remember correctly, I think his name is… Kanda Yuu"
"Lady Lenalee, how will you suppose to find him?" Miranda butted in.
"Well, I have heard that he's currently studying in Shirokin High School, that's a private school in the city."
"Eeeeh? But isn't that an All-Boys High School?" Miss Bonaire exclaimed in a cutesy manner.
There was a silence, a huge cloud of silence. Her world started to fall into pieces upon hearing those. Her hands fell onto the floor. A gush of wind struck her lifeless body. In her eyes, a tiny glint of hope started to shine. She stood up, emotionless, yet motivated.
"Then I'll study in that Shirokin High School!" she yelled.
Miranda and Miss Bonaire were stunned. "What do you mean you'll study there?"
"I'll study that Shirokin High School, and look for Kanda" the girl uttered.
"But you're a girl!"
"Then I will hide my identity. If I cut my hair like that of a guy, then no one will notice who I really am, right?."
"But how are you going to look after him?"
"He had given me this bracelet." Then she showed the blue beaded bracelet that wrapped her left wrist. "I'm sure when he sees this, he will recognize me" she added, and then flashed a sweet innocent smile.
"But Lady Lenalee…" Miranda looked at her worried.
Lenalee knelt before the woman and held her hands. "Miranda, I'm so sorry. Because of me, you have lost your precious job."
"But you're going to leave?" Tears started to flow down Miranda's eyes. "You're going to leave me?"
"I'm sorry, but I have to. I don't want you to get involve with my problems anymore. You've done enough for me… But I'll face this problem alone…" Lenalee flashed that sweet smile again.
"NO… Please don't leave me. I've promised to your late parents that I would be your loyal servant; I'll follow you wherever you are, Milady" Miranda sobbed.
Lenalee held her wet cheeks and said, "You've done enough for me, Miranda. I'm so happy to have a friend like you. Thank you very much Miranda".
She wrapped her arms around Miranda's body; her face was that beside of the woman. She reached Miranda's back and patted it with relief. "Don't worry, I'll come and visit you sometime."
'And so that was the start of the new chapter in my life. I've escaped from our mansion, away from being Lenalee Lee. And now, I am "Rinne Li", a transfer student to Shirokin High School.
I have cut my hair, changed my appearance, and hid my true identity, for only one reason: To search that person, my only love. I don't know where this journey will lead me. But one this is for sure, I will definitely look for that person, no matter what it costs'
Author's note:
And so, this is where chapter 1 ends! Well, I'm kinda not impressed on the outcome. I have many errors and my English is terrible!...
I know you think this will be a KandaxLenalee fanfic, but wait, there's more to come! :)
I'll update as soon as I finished the 2nd chapter...