A/N: I am still thinking about how to write the third chapter of Changed Game. I just need to get this out of my head.
"Mistress Maya! Mistress Maya!" A deep male voice rasped, his exclamations penetrating the walls of Yotsuba Maya's study. Yotsuba Maya looked up from her papers swamping her desk as the stomping footsteps became louder and louder. Finally, her door slid open to reveal her trusted butler, Hayama Tadanori.
Hayama Tadanori was usually a collected calm old man as befitting his position as head butler of the Yotsuba family. However, beads of cold nervous sweat rolled down his forehead, which he was quickly patting with his handkerchief. He breathed unevenly and pulled at his collar, which he suddenly felt was too tight for his neck even though he had been wearing the same uniform for decades.
Yotsuba Maya mentally raised an eyebrow at the uncollected Hayama. "Yes? What is it, Hayama?" Her deep amethyst eyes saw a few curious heads leaning to hear what has gotten Hayama so nervous.
"S-SHE wants to see you, M-M-Mistress Maya!" Hayama stammered out between breaths.
Maya froze, the papers in her hands fluttered softly onto her desk. A moment passed before, Maya repeated mostly for herself to hear. "She… wants… to… see… me…"
"YES, Mistress Maya! She wants to see you!" Hayama repeated, patting away new beads of sweat with his handkerchief.
Eyes widening, Maya paused again before finally standing up from her chair. "Then, I mustn't keep her waiting."
"Uh, y-yes, Mistress Maya." Hayama uttered as he ushered the Queen of Night out of her office. The other servants quickly got out her way.
As she climbed the long stone staircase, Yotsuba Maya could only wonder why. Why now? The last time she met her was when she became head of the family. She didn't even request to see Miyuki or Tatsuya when they were born. So why now? The crisp wind whipped her ebony hair around.
Finally, she reached the top of the staircase. Before her was single story manor, its style similar to the main house. The solitary manor overlooked the valley in which the Yotsuba village was cradled. The moon dared to peak through the dark troubled clouds as wind continued to buffet Yotsuba Maya.
Yotsuba Maya quickly shuffled to the quiet manor and pushed open its doors, closing them quickly behind her. She knew the way as she walked through the barren halls of the manor. Along the walls, the shadows of trees danced to the howl of the violent winds. As she neared her destination, lightning flashed, and a crack of thunder shook the house. The winds raised their howls as beating waves of rain joined in the song, the trees dancing more violently than before. Stopping before the doors, Yotsuba Maya took a few breathes to compose herself. Her nerves calmed, her hand slid open one of the doors, and she stepped into the chamber.
A chamber did not adequately describe the dark room, but a shrine was much closer. Portraits of past Yotsuba adorned the walls, their frozen faces illuminated by candles. The smell of burning incense wafted under her nose. Maya immediately spotted the portrait of her father, Yotsuba Genzou, its spot unchanged from the first time she came here. However, one portrait stood out amongst them all, and not just because of its immense size.
His amethyst eyes, so similar to Yotsuba Maya's, radiated power but also a comforting softness. His eyes should belong to a demon, but they should also belong to a child who has seen too much too soon. His smirk was arrogant but charismatic all the same. His ebony hair as dark as the night resembled her own luscious locks.
Maya's concentration quickly shifted from the portrait to the figure who appeared out of the shadows. In the figure's delicate grasp was a tea tray with a fresh, hot pot of tea and two accompanying cups. A sitting table and two plush mats materialized as the figure sat down. Maya gulped and stepped forward before sitting. Her hands clenched the hem of her wine red dress as the figure poured herself and Maya cups of tea. The rich warm smell of oolong tea failed to calm Maya.
The figure sipped her tea. "Age has treated you well, Maya. You look so much like your great-grandfather."
Maya stared into striking gold eyes. "Thank you, great-grandmother." Maya bowed her head in respect for the woman before her. Maya sipped her tea, the rich taste spreading on her tongue, the hot liquid warming her body. However, it provided no comfort. As she set her cup down, a flash of lightning allowed Maya to refresh her memory of how her great-grandmother looked.
Maya's great-grandmother could honestly pass as her sister. No signs of aging were on her face, no wrinkles, no signs of distress. In fact, her face was perfect with skin as white as snow and as smooth as polished marble. Her great-grandmother's body also showed no signs of aging as it could pass as belonging to a woman in her prime. Even under the heavy purple kimono she wore, her great-grandmother's curvaceous body was obvious. Of course, the most striking feature besides her great-grandmother's gold eyes was her lime-green hair. It shined even from the room's dim lighting provided by the candles. Maya knew where the exotic look and mature beauty of Yotsuba women originated from as well as other 'assets.'
The two beautiful women continued to 'enjoy' their tea as the frozen eyes of Yotsuba's past watched. Finally, Maya gathered the nerve to break the silence that had settled.
"Why have you called for me, great-grandmother?"
"You mean, I can't see my offspring every now and then? It gets lonely in this manor, you know, with only the portraits as company and such." Maya's great-grandmother replied.
Maya frowned slightly. "Why have you called for me, great-grandmother?" Maya repeated with a little more conviction.
"How is Tatsuya?"
Why was her great-grandmother interested in Tatsuya? Why didn't she ask about Miyuki? "Tatsuya is fine. His regrowth means the injuries he suffered from Ichijou Masaki will not affect him." Maya reported.
"Good." The gold-eyed woman said. "I am glad that the future of the Yotsuba is secured by such powerful youngsters. I expect nothing less from the offspring of your great-grandfather and myself." Smiling softly to herself, she raised her cup and took a sip. "You SHOULD bring Tatsuya with you to visit me sometime next week. I would love to talk to the latest generation of the Yotsuba."
Yotsuba Maya narrowed her dark amethyst eyes. "Why do you want to see Tatsuya?" Maya asked, challenging the older woman.
Gold eyes glared back in return, power sparking within them. "Watch your tone, Maya." Her great-grandmother growled menacingly. "You may be the current family head, but you better take care to respect your elders. You didn't have this problem the first time we met."
Maya felt shivers run up her spine as powerful eyes stared her down. "I-I apologize, great-grandmother."
Her great-grandmother's demeanor disturbingly suddenly shifted to a more cheerful tone. "Wonderful! Why don't Tatsuya and yourself visit around this time for tea? Any day is fine."
"I-I understand."
"Excellent! Remember, don't be a stranger! Have a good rest of the night, Maya."
"T-Thank you, g-great-grandmother. M-May you have a good night as well."
The gold-eyed, green-haired woman smiled and drank more tea, dismissing the Yotsuba head. Bowing her head, Yotsuba Maya quickly exited the cold room and left the manor.
Why? Why does great-grandmother want to see Tatsuya? What not Miyuki who will be the next family head? Surely, great-grandmother knows this right? Unless, she has some other plan?
Yotsuba Maya was lost in her thoughts, failing to feel the freezing rain sinking into her wine red dress and the cold winds biting her porcelain skin.
A/N: I honestly don't know where I am taking this, but I needed to get it down. I will put more effort into this based on its reception. Until then, I'll be working on Chapter 3 of Changed Game. May everyone have a great summer! By the way, if this is to actually become a thing, I'll need someone who is super well-versed with Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei because I am researching and I don't understand how magic works. :P