I could hear Mrs. Kate running around looking for master Oz while Gilbert and I sat in a room drinking our tea while Oz and his little sister Ada hid in a closet. Looking up I could see poor Gilbert shaking slightly as we heard Mrs. Kate banging on the door to get inside.
"GIlBERT! You're a friend of the young master. You always know where the young master is don't you Gilbert?" she hissed slightly. Gil progressively shrank more and more into the seat as Mrs. Kate got closer. "What about you, Violet?"
"N-n-no Mrs. Kate," Poor little Gil was stuttering uncontrollably so I spoke for him next so he wouldn't pass out of fear, "We don't know where he is Mrs. Kate, sorry." I gave her a small smile hoping she'd leave Gilbert and I alone. Instead she just got this wicked grin instead, chuckling darkly.
"Hey Gilbert, young master Oz told me you're afraid of cats, is that right?" She pulled out a cat from behind her and brought it close to Gilbert. His face paled and he looked as if he was going to start crying soon, "He's near the lake Mrs. Kate, please!" He begged her. She dropped the cat and left with all the other maids looking for Oz.
I ran over to Gilbert as he was catching his breathe from being face to face to his worst fear, a cat. Comfortingly I held Gilbert as Oz and Ada walked out of the closet laughing slightly. "Master Oz! Please be nicer to poor Gilbert here, I don't think he can handle another cat being shoved in his face by Mrs. Kate when she's looking for you."
Oz and Ada snickered a bit. "Don't worry Violet, I think Gilbert likes it just fine when care for him."
Gilbert's face started to light up into this scarlet red, "Master Oz. . ." he turned his face away from me and I was left confused.
Oz smiled in mischief as he stared at us, "Gil! Violet! Come on me and Ada are going to explore the grounds a bit!" he shouted at us as he left the room with Ada following not waiting for Gilbert or I to agree to come with him. We both sighed and quickly caught up to the Vessalius siblings.
We spent our time running around the courtyard having as much fun as possible before master Oz's becoming of age ceremony. Oz was turning fifteen years old and as part of the royal families traditions he would have his becoming of age ceremony today. Normally Gilbert and I would try to attend to support Oz but it would look bad on our master if we had attended. Also Gilbert was only fourteen years old while I was only thirteen, so we were seen as too young to attend the event anyway. Master Oz turned his gazed towards Gilbert and me, "You guys hear that?" he asked. We remained silent listening for the sound Oz had heard. Nothing. We shook our heads at Oz. Oz looked at us before he took off running.
"Master Oz!" Gilbert yelled after him, "master Oz where are you going?!" Ada, Gilbert and I ran after Oz to where he finally stopped standing in the middle of a pathway. "Master Oz!" Gilbert yelled again as we got closer to him.Crack.We all looked down and the path started to break beneath our own feet. Terror struck all of our faces as the three of us fell threw the hole leaving Ada on top alone.
"Oz! Gil! Violet!" Ada called from above us.
"Oi Gil?"
"Yeah, Oz?"
"We're alive aren't we?"
"By some sort of miracle we are. Violet are you okay?" I noticed Gil's own hypnotizing gold eyes staring into my own violet ones, then how close he was to me, almost like to protect me; and finally how soft and caring his voice was now compared to his normal voice or his voice before he cries or sees a cat. Blushing slightly I turned my head so I wouldn't have to make anymore awkward eye contact.
"I'm fine, thanks Gilbert." From the corner of my eye I could see Gilbert blushing. So cute. . . Turning towards Oz to see how he was doing I saw him eyeing Gilbert and I, smiling with a twinkle of deviousness in his eyes.Oh God.His eyes widened at the sight before him, it was a grave with a gold pocket watch hanging on the grave. Gilbert and I stood up and joined Oz as he got closer to the grave taking off the pocket watch. "Whose grave is this?"
"I don't know, it's so old the name has worn off." Gilbert replied. We both stared at master Oz who seemed to be in a trance, "Master Oz. . .? What is that?"
"It's a pocket watch, Gilbert." Oz opened up the pocket watch. It played the sweetest melody, it was quiet enticing. Looking over I noticed Oz was frozen.
"Oz?" I asked, "Master Oz? Master Oz are you okay?" After a few more times Gilbert started to walk over to Oz and check on him. We tapped him slightly and said his name but he remained frozen. "Gilbert," I asked, "what's wrong with master Oz?"
Worry was shown on Gilbert's face as he answered, "I don't know," he looked over at Oz again, "Oz. . . O-Oz. . ." He kept repeating as he gently tapped Oz. Suddenly bright green eyes flashed open in shock and slight fear. Gilbert, frightened, yelled slightly and took a few steps back from Oz in fear, "Master Oz!" he started, hands still trembling slightly in fright, "What happened?"
Oz stared at his own hands then at the pocket watch still playing the beautiful melody and quickly shut it close, "It's fine Gilbert, just spaced out a little bit," He laughed slightly but I didn't buy it. His hands were still shaking and his laughter sounded forced, "Do we know whose grave it is?"
"Sadly, no," I started, "The grave is so old the name has been worn down that you can't make out what the name is."
"Oh. . . Well we should get back up to Ada before she gets too worried about us." He flashed his smile to Gilbert and I so we would think he was okay but we both knew better. The three of us climbed up the stairs to where Ada was patiently waiting for us, "Sorry for the long wait Ada"
"Oooooz" Ada said dragging the 'o'. "Lets get ready for your ceremony! I want to go!"
Oz chuckled, "Sorry, Ada," his bright green eyes showed sympathy for the young girl, "You're not old enough to attend the ceremony."
Ada stomped her little foot, "But I want to go!" Gilbert and I chuckled lightly, receiving a glare from Ada, "I'll find a way to go see you big brother!" she cried out running to give Oz a hug.
"Okay, okay, Ada! I need to ask something of Gilbert, please?" She reluctantly let go of the master and Gilbert perked up waiting eagerly for the request, "Gil, I would like you to attend my ceremony as my best friend."
Gilbert stood astonished and Oz just smiled at him as I stood there awkwardly, "B-b-but master Oz! It would look bad for you and your family to have someone like me there! Do you know how much the other nobles would gossip? Besides I'm just your servant. . ."
Oz scoffed and shoved clothing at Gilbert, "Stop whining, Gilbert. You're my best friend and I don't care, plus you don't want me to be sad if you don't came do you?" His green eyes darkened and he gave a creepy smile scaring Gilbert to take the clothes, "Now go get ready, I'll see you soon Gilbert!"
Oz and Ada now walked off to get ready for the ceremony later leaving Gilbert and I here. Gilbert sat on the steps staring at the clothing sighing as I took a seat next to him, "Gilbert," He looked up at me as I put a hand on his shoulder comforting him and smiled, "It'll be fine, you won't mess up. I promise."We both blushed slightly, "It'll be fine, Gilbert. You don't have to do much and there won't be any cats there to mess you up." He smiled slightly at this, "I'll be watching you and master Oz will be up there with you so no need to worry. Who cares if you even mess up? Master won't care and who cares if the nobles there do? You don't serve to please them we only serve to please Oz, not those stuck up rich people." I hugged Gil before I left. The shy boy just blushed and hugged back awkwardly. "Do your best, Gil!" Smiling I ran off leaving him to get ready.
