Title: And The Blood Runs Red...
Pairing: ZeroxIchiru (Minor pairings: KanamexZero/ZeroxKaname, KanamexYuki, ZeroxYuki, IchiruxMaria, and some non-con ShizukaxIchiru)
Rating: M for lemony goodness! ^^ If you don't like yaoi or if incest of any kind squicks you, DO NOT READ.
Warnings: This story is AU, much more AU than any of my other stories as it hardly resembles the original Vampire Knight plot at all! XD Anywho, this story being different, a lot of the characters are different than they appear in the manga. Namely Zero. Also, it should be noted that I do not like Yuki or Zero very much at the moment and that will certainly show. XD;
Disclaimer: I do not own "Vampire Knight". I just enjoy torturing the characters X3;
Chapter One
The Guest
In a foggy country somewhere in the dark, cold world, a delicate balance falls between humans and the ones who hunt them for the nourishment of their blood: vampires. After many generations of terrible war that drenched the land in blood, a tentative peace was struck between those who devoured the life force of others and the humans' private army against such supernatural creatures, the vampire hunters. However, a dark power threatens to shatter this already fragile amity. Someone seeks to return to an age of chaos and bloodshed, pitting vampires against hunters and humans alike. Someone intends to bring the noble and savage creatures of the night back to the times when humans were enslaved and seen as nothing but sustenance. Someone desires to bring the entire realm under their control, plunging society into an era of darkness and terror. Someone aspires to become all-powerful…
Yet, there is an obstacle in this someone's path. Two born of a cursed fate, whose blood holds immense power, are the deciding factor for the future of the world. They can either bring about the destruction of the world as it is known or salvation for all. Those who carry out the conflict far away from the eyes of the public both vie desperately to get a hold of the pair and their blood. Even so, it lies solely in the choices of the two to divine the outcome…
* * *
Nestled in the peaceful drizzling countryside, far from the noise and politics of the capital city of the realm, lay a large grey manor house, walls nearly completely covered by creeping ivy and surrounded by great flower gardens and sprawling orchards. Here was home to one of the most influential noble families in the realm; a pureblood family, no less. There was no luxury spared within or without these aged walls, and hundreds of servants tended to the estate. It was hard put to keep a secret with so many people about, so of course, there was never a time when no one knew anything.
So logically, right about now, the servants' quarters in the noble Hio estate were buzzing.
News had been received that in a few days' time, a most important and unusual guest would be arriving at the manor. Naturally, the household staff was all of a flutter, and there was gossip abound. Many important persons had stayed within the walls of the house, most notably Prince Rido Kuran, the elder brother of the king and the lady of house's fiancé, but this particular person was different. Rumour had it that not only was this person a young, affluent (and reportedly handsome) earl, but he was also of hunter lineage, something with which no one in the manor had yet to come in contact. Apparently, he was something of a missionary sent by the king interested in promoting the pacifism between humans and vampires and wished to discuss his ideals with the lady in hopes of gaining the support of the Hio clan. Not only had this excited the servants, however. No, the person amongst them whom the lady had chosen to serve the guest upon his arrival stirred up the most scandalous talk.
"Is it true, Ichiru?"
Seventeen-year old Ichiru glanced up from the pot he had been scrubbing to the small grey-haired girl hovering near him, eager curiosity plain on her doll-like face. "S'what true, Maria?" he asked, blinking.
Young Maria Kurenai, a fellow servant of the house and Ichiru's best friend, appeared fit to burst from anticipation. "Is it true that Lady Shizuka chose you to serve the earl?" she squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Ichiru flushed and returned to scrubbing the pot in earnest. "It en't that big o' deal," he murmured. "It's pro'lly just 'cause 'm the only human on staff, and she wants him t' feel more comfortable or somethin'. Besides, she told me t' wear my mask."
"Oh." Maria pouted for a moment, obviously displeased that Ichiru's identity would remain a secret from the earl, but then her face brightened again. "But this is still a great honour! I mean a earl and a hunter to boot! And there has to be other reasons besides your being human that she chose you for! "
Shaking his head, Ichiru said, "I don't think so. T' be honest, I don't think Lady Shizuka likes me very much. "
"Nonsense!" chirped Maria, reaching up and giving Ichiru's short ponytail a brief teasing yank. "She saved you, didn't she? From that horrible orphanage you used to live in?"
Ichiru just bowed his head and said nothing. It was true that roughly ten years ago, the Duchess Shizuka Hio had shown up at the orphanage the boy had been living at since birth and had taken him away to her home almost as soon as she had laid eyes on him. The only clue she offered as to the explanation of why she did this was the words, "You look just like him." Even so, Ichiru had preformed a role as little more than a scullion, always being dealt the most menial tasks, but instead of being confined to the kitchen, he was often passed between the other departments. Not that he really minded. He got along well with nearly all the servants of the house. Well, everyone except the steward, Rin Saito, but that was a different story.
"Maria!" Both Ichiru and Maria jumped as the cook, Kenta Tachibana, came crashing through the kitchen doors. Kenta was a large man (meaning, rather muscular for a vampire) with a gruff, wild-looking exterior and a toothpick permanently wedged between his teeth. His dark hair was thick, covering a large majority of his body, and his black eyes were sharp and dangerous-looking, giving the impression that very few things got by this man. This was, of course, was entirely factual, as anyone in the Hio household could tell you, and was one of the reasons he was such a brilliant cook. "Maria! There ye be, girl!" Kenta barked as his astute eyes caught sight of the petite girl. "Yer not distractin' Ichiru, are ye? The big shot's got work t' be gettin' done!"
Ichiru's flush deepened at the words 'big shot' and he seemed to shrink as Maria shook her head frantically. "Oh no, sir!" she insisted, her blue eyes widening innocently. "I would never do that!"
Kenta grumbled something intelligible in slight disbelief. "Yeah, well, ye got chores t' be done, too, girl. Be gone with ye!" He pointed firmly towards the kitchen doors.
Muttering a "yes, sir", Maria glanced back at Ichiru and gave him a small smile before skipping off to complete her tasks. Kenta observed the young housemaid scurrying off, grunting something about 'impertinent youth' before turning to Ichiru. "Ye've got quite a bit done here," he said gruffly, peering around the dim, almost perfectly spotless kitchen.
"Yessir," said Ichiru, now scouring the pot with renewed effort. "'M almost done, too." That was when he felt a forceful clap on his back, nearly knocking him into the sudsy water in the large, deep sink. He looked over his shoulder at the large cook, slight shock and indignation registering on his face.
"Ye've done good, kid," growled Kenta, fingering the toothpick in his mouth.
Ichiru's eyes flitted around the kitchen. "Um…" he said uncertainly.
"I'm not talkin' 'bout the washin' up," the cook grumbled impatiently. The boy could be a bit dim at times. "I'm talkin' 'bout servin' the earl. That's a big step up. It's nice to see yer hard work 'round here bein' appreciated."
"Th-thank you," mumbled Ichiru, his blush returning in earnest.
Kenta sighed and shook his head. Sometimes, he honestly worried about this young human. He was too soft-hearted for his own good. In the cold, cruel world of vampirism, he was going to end up terribly hurt, if he survived at all. "Get some rest, kid," he said as parting, clapping Ichiru on the back again.
Coughing a bit, Ichiru watched, slightly befuddled, as the cook left the kitchen. Disregarding it as nothing, he carried on washing the rest of the dishes.
* * *
Everyone's reaction to Ichiru's temporary promotion was different, as was to be expected.
Most of the female servants had responses similar to Maria's. They were completely ecstatic and offered the young man nothing but praise, much to the exasperation of the male servants. Ichiru had always been popular among the ladies of the house, first because he had been considered utterly adorable as a child and now that he had grown, the comments tended to lean towards words like 'handsome' and 'striking'. It was the common opinion amid the women that the human was as beautiful as any vampire and was almost too beautiful to be a boy, something which caused the men to tease him quite a bit.
Speaking of the men, they were the much unneeded reality check for Ichiru. They were the ones who constantly reminded him that he was still just a servant (and a rather lowly one at that), no matter to whom he was in charge of attending. They made sure that Ichiru kept up with his duties over the next few days before the earl's arrival, even being harder on him than usual just to make sure his head didn't get too big. However, there was little chance of that happening. Life had taught Ichiru to be modest. Being in his position and having a big ego often, if not always, led to trouble, as Rin constantly reminded him.
It was the day before the earl was due to arrive. Everyone was rushing around to prepare for his coming. Even Ichiru had been called away from his normal duties to help out the housemaids. This temporary reassignment made him even more anxious than he already had been. He had never been in direct service of anyone before. Or at least, anyone this important. Sure, he worked in the Hio household, but Shizuka had her own personal servants who attended to her and her alone. When he was alone, Ichiru sometimes imagined what it would be like to be in the noblewoman's personal service. He was eternally grateful to her for, in his opinion, saving his life. To do nothing but serve her specifically would be a dream come true for him. He owed the woman everything…
"Ichiru! Quit daydreamin'!"
Snapping back to the moment at hand, Ichiru blinked as Naomi Watanabe, the head maid, dumped a neatly folded stack of freshly laundered bedding into his arms.
"Get these to the guest suite right away!" she ordered, pointing sharply to the door of the laundry room.
"Right!" said Ichiru, nodding before dashing off to complete his task. Naomi was not only the head maid and in charge of most of the household chores, she was something of the house mother for all the manor's servants. She was kind, but very stern, and no one dared argued with her. Not even Kenta. If Naomi told you to do something, you did it. No questions asked. Unless…
Rushing down the hallway, Ichiru was so absorbed in following orders that he was hardly paying attention to where he was going. That was… until he suddenly collided with something very solid
"Ah!" Ichiru fell back on the hard marble floor, the rich red carpet just barely cushioning his fall. The bedclothes scattered everywhere, one even draping over Ichiru's head. Pulling the sheet off of his head, he glanced up and saw Rin Saito, the steward and most senior servant on staff, glowering down at him with his sharp black eyes. He gulped and hurried to his feet as he began to gather up the discarded sheets. Shit. Now they were going to wrinkle. Naomi was going to kill him. "S-sorry, sir," stammered Ichiru, keeping his eyes downcast.
"Leave them, human," sniffed the steward.
Ichiru froze as he reached for a pillowcase. Cautiously, he glanced up at Rin. "What? Why, sir?" he asked quietly.
"Lady Shizuka has summoned you. Follow me."
"O-okay." Slowly, Ichiru stood up and followed Rin, feeling a little hesitant. Lady Shizuka… wanted to see him? Why? She had already explained his duties during the earl's stay. What more could she possibly have to say to him? Not that he wasn't pleased to see the noblewoman again. He was glad of any chance to see her at all. When he had been younger, he would have done just about anything to catch a glimpse of the lady vampire. Now, however, he was a bit more reserved.
As they made their way to Shizuka's suite, Rin and Ichiru passed Maria, who was polishing an elaborate silver mirror. The girl shot her friend a questioning look as she saw him approach with the vampire steward. Ichiru mouthed 'Lady Shizuka' and shrugged, shaking his head and appearing just as confused as Maria. The small vampire whispered, "Tell me later?" as they drew level with her.
Ichiru gave her a small smile, answering, "'Course." Then, he looked away, his apprehension returning.
When they reached the ornate gold-inlaid double doors that signalled the entrance to Shizuka's suite, Rin stepped to the side and jerked his head a bit stiffly towards the door, indicating Ichiru was to enter alone. Feeling more than a little nervous, Ichiru knocked timidly on the door.
"Come in."
Ichiru, taking a deep breath, pushed open the doors and stepped into his mistress's room.
No matter what time of the year it was (in this case, late autumn), Shizuka Hio always made it feel like spring. This was even more evident in her rooms. The atmosphere was light and airy, Japanese screens depicting lovely spring scenes were artfully arranged around the room as white gossamer fabric fell from the ceiling and sweet-smelling tatami mats graced the floor. The French doors leading out to the balcony were flung open, filling the room with cool night-time air, causing all the fabric to billow softly and giving an ethereal ambiance to the room. Even Lady Shizuka herself added to this.
Her slender, elegant form rested atop a lavish chaise lounge, surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting. She was clothed in a magnificent kimono of pink, lilac, and cream silk, with elaborate designs of cherry blossoms, whose faint smell always hung around the lady, embroidered onto it. The entire ensemble perfectly complimented her long, satin, white-blonde hair and flawless porcelain skin. Her blue eyes, so very slightly tinted with crimson as was common for vampires, were graced with long, thick lashes, giving her a seductive stare that threatened to pull one in to its remarkable depths. It was all Ichiru could do to keep from getting lost. In a word, Shizuka Hio was simply breath-taking.
"Ichiru," the lady vampire said, her voice as clear as bells and just as entrancing.
A light flush rising in his cheeks, Ichiru bowed quickly, deeply, and murmured, "Milady."
Shizuka said nothing more at first. She merely sent her waiting maids away with a wave of her graceful hand. As the girls all stood and bowed before hurrying away, their expressions solemn and unchanging, the noblewoman spoke again. "I am glad you could take time out of your busy schedule to have an audience with me, Ichiru."
Swallowing hard, Ichiru replied, "I could never refuse you, Lady Shizuka." Or Rin, for that matter, he added mentally, a chill running down his spine.
The vampire lady observed the servant boy critically for a moment. "I am sure," she said in a low voice. "I suppose you are wondering why I have summoned you."
Ichiru held his tongue.
"There are some things you need to know about the earl before you go into service for him tomorrow," Shizuka went on in the human's silence. Again, Ichiru said nothing and waited for his mistress to continue, which she did. "First of all, he is human, though you undoubtedly already knew that. The remarkable thing is although he is only human and of a hunter lineage besides, he has fallen in with some immensely powerful vampires. Namely, the Kuran children, Kaname and Yuki."
Ichiru felt his breath catch in his chest. Kaname and Yuki Kuran? The earl knew the prince and princess of the realm?!
"It is because of this that we must do everything within our power to please this earl. His connections are great and far-reaching, and one bad word from him could very possibly ruin us." Shizuka eyed Ichiru warningly at these words. "Unfortunately, my fiancé has informed me that the earl is a very difficult man to please. It is said that for the past several years, he has been searching diligently for something that he must not find. He must not ever find it. Understand, Ichiru?"
Swallowing again, Ichiru nodded. "Um, pardon me for askin', milady, but what is the earl searchin' for?" he inquired before he could stop himself, wincing instinctively. As a child, he had been struck many times for daring to question a superior or speaking out of turn.
Shizuka did not hit him, however. She merely smiled, a tad evilly, and gestured towards the door. "You may leave now," she said.
Bowing once more, Ichiru made for the door. Then, Shizuka spoke again, causing him to glance over his shoulder.
"Remember your mask, Ichiru."
Inclining his head, Ichiru said quietly, "Yes, milady." He left the room.
* * *
Rin slipped into his lady's room, quiet and dark as a shadow, directly after the human boy left.
"Good evening, Rin," greeted Shizuka with an air of casual formality. She and the manservant were rather familiar with each other, the male vampire having been in the employment of the pureblood ever since she was a small child.
After bowing low, Rin straightened up rigidly and adjusted his plain black suit in disgruntled manner He was finally going to say the thoughts that had been plaguing him since the noblewoman announced her decision to put Ichiru in the service of the earl. "Do you think it wise, milady," he queried in that sharp baritone voice of his, "to place the human under the earl? The consequences could be disastrous, most specially with the master plotting in the wings."
Shizuka did not answer at first, merely smirking in that cruel, knowing way of hers. Resting her flawless check gracefully on her elegant hand, she at last spoke. "I am perfectly aware of the terrible consequences that could ensue as result of putting the two of them together and of what he wants. However, that does not bother me in the least. That young man will become a new tool of torture for our dear earl. I wonder how he will react to me holding the object of his obsession, being able to play with it however I want…" Besides, with Ichiru as a piece in my hand, there's a slighter chance he'll be harmed.
"You enjoy your play too much, milady," scoffed the steward.
"Perhaps," answered the vampire lady, her blue eyes adjusted in a far-off gaze. "We purebloods live on for the equivalent of an eternity. How dull would our existence be if we did not find some amusement?"
Rin sniffed. He still did not think his mistress' decision wise. In fact, he heartily believed it would be her undoing. Although, while he was allowed more leniency with the lady than most servants, there was a limit to how much disrespect and outright questioning he was rightfully allowed, and he had used it all up. Bowing once again, the butler murmured, "Whatever you wish, milady." He then backed courteously out of the room.
Once beyond the doors of the duchess' suite, Rin performed a pointed heel turn and slicked back his grey-streaked raven hair as was his custom when preparing for something particularly unpleasant. These next few weeks would be long and arduous, of that he was absolutely certain.
His shiny black shoes clacking against the marble, the steward strode off towards the main sector of the manor to make sure those good-for-nothing house workers weren't slacking off.
* * *
An hour before dawn found Ichiru in his room in the servants' quarters.
The daily (or would it be nightly) chores were finished, and most of the staff was in the common area and kitchen. The sound of their mirth floated down the hall, reaching the sleeping quarters along with the delicious smell of Kenta's cooking. Normally, Ichiru would have joined them, happily gulping down his dinner, sharing stories of the day, and laughing with the rest. Not tonight, though. Tonight, he wanted to be alone.
Sitting on his cot, Ichiru fiddled idly with his mask. It was a beautiful piece, to be sure, white ceramic and custom-fitted to him. Shizuka had had it made for him when he turned sixteen, around the time she stared having him accompany her to soirées while her fiancé was away. The reason for this still escaped him to this day, but he decided it was best not to question it. He was required to wear it whenever they had guests at the house as well; again, something he didn't know the reason behind. When he really thought about it, his life was full of mysteries.
A soft knocking came at the door. "Come in," said Ichiru, not looking up from his mask.
Maria entered, carrying a tray of steaming food. "I brought you some supper," she said quietly, closing the door behind her. "Are you feeling all right, Ichiru? You humans are so fragile…"
"You're one t' talk," said Ichiru with a grin, glancing up at his friend as she sat on his bed, the tray of food balancing on her lap. Maria stuck out her tongue angrily at him. It was to her constant shame that she was weak and sickly as far as vampires went. Ichiru had been the same until he had come down with a particularly bad fever when he was twelve and Naomi had begged Shizuka to give him her blood to save his life, consequentially curing him of his chronic ill health. "Anyways, no. I'm fine. I'm just… thinkin'."
Maria bit her lip. She knew from the mournful look in her fellow's eyes that they were entering sensitive territory. "About your family, right?" she said softly, not wanting to upset Ichiru. "That's what you're thinking about, right?"
Ichiru nodded sadly. Pondering the identities of his parents was a common downtime activity for him. He was the only person he knew without a surname, no family to speak of, not even dead loved ones to remember. Even Maria, who lived in the Hio household on her own, had parents elsewhere. Ichiru had been alone his entire life.
"I got a letter from Mother and Father," said Maria brightly in an attempt to cheer Ichiru up, to make him feel included in her family. "Would you like to read it with me?"
After a moment, Ichiru nodded slowly. He had met Maria's parents on several occasions when they were allowed on holiday. Personally, he found them a bit strange, especially her father, but then again, they thought the same of him, even if they didn't say it aloud. Still, it was the only family he knew of, and he appreciated Maria's attempts to include him.
Breaking into an encouraging smile, Maria reached into the pocket of her apron and pulled out a rumpled envelope. She struggled for a bit, but she soon got it open and extracted the letter, shaking it open and scooting closer to Ichiru so that he may read it as well. It said:
Dearest Maria,
How are you faring? The work is not too strenuous, is it? Last letter you mentioned falling ill… Please, my darling daughter, pace yourself. There is no need to work yourself to death.
Lady Shizuka continues to be hospitable towards you, yes? You were a member of the court as well, not so long ago, so she should pity your family's misfortune. Still, remember: it is a great honour to be in the service of a pureblood, no matter who you are or were.
Things in the Ichijo household continue as it has always been. Ichio is a menacing presence, as usual, and many on staff are still frightened to even mention him. Luckily, he doesn't associate with us workers very much. However, his grandson, Takuma, is pleasant enough. You remember him, don't you, love? You were still very young when the two of you last met. Still, I believe that the two of you would make a very good pair.
Besides marriage, your father has many different schemes to earn back our fortune. Let me confide in you, dear: sometimes, I truly worry about that man.
We have a holiday coming up soon. When do you have your next vacation? Let us know as soon as possible so that we may meet again! You may bring that human boy as well. Speaking of the boy, wish him well for us.
All our love,
Mother & Father
Ichiru sighed. "I'm still 'that human boy', huh?" he said, a grim smile playing on his lips.
"Well, yes," admitted Maria, smiling apologetically. "You know how they are… still clinging to old ideologies… refusing to let go of their vampire pride…"
"In other words, they don' like me," Ichiru said sardonically.
"No, no! It's not that they don't like you!" insisted Maria, waving her hands frantically in front of her. "They both agree that you're a very good person. It's just…" She trailed off and hung her head, a subtle blush rising into her cheeks.
"It's just that I'm human," Ichiru finished for her, sighing. "It's alright. I get it." Then, he reached up and placed a hand atop his friend's grey head. "C'mon! Cheer up, Maria! Tomorrow, your best friend's gonna be in the service of a very important person! Maybe I'll even get ya an audience. I hear he's really handsome. Maybe he's even prettier than me!"
This earned Ichiru a brutal punch in the arm, definitely bruising not only his skin but his muscle as well. "I am not one of your fangirls!" cried Maria indignantly.
Laughing, Ichiru put up his hands defensively. "I know! I know!"
Maria stuck out her tongue at Ichiru again. "Well, at least you're feeling better," she sniffed, distempered.
Ichiru settled down but continued to smirk at the small vampire girl. "'Course, I do," he said. "Ya always make me feel better, Maria."
Her blue eyes going wide, Maria began to blush furiously. "Um… well, uh…" she stammered, glancing around the bare dimly lit room in a frantic effort to avoid Ichiru's eyes. "Um, you haven't eaten yet!" She hurriedly picked up the tray from her lap and practically shoved it into the boy's chest.
Blinking, Ichiru said, "Uh… th-thanks." He took the tray from the girl. He was just about to take a bite of the stew in the bowl when he noticed Maria staring intently at him, her petite jaw set and her small fists clenched. "Did I do somethin' t' make ya mad, Maria?" he asked cautiously.
Taking a deep breath, Maria began to speak. "Ichiru, I…" She stopped. She couldn't go through with it. She just couldn't. She couldn't confess to Ichiru. "…I just wanted to let you know that I agree with my parents. You are a very good man, Ichiru."
The statement caught Ichiru off guard. Where was this coming from, all of a sudden? "O-okay," he said hesitantly. "Thanks, I guess?"
The two servants sat in silence for a while, Maria having left a very awkward feeling in the air and knowing it.
Another knocking sounded at the door. "I'm comin' in," said Naomi. "So you two can stop whatever lovey-doveyness you got goin' on right now."
"Naomi!" cried Ichiru and Maria simultaneously as the head maid entered the room, a blush obvious on both their faces.
Naomi scowled. "Yeah, whatever," she said. Turning to Maria, she added, "You need to go help with the cleanin' up." In other words, she was trying to get rid of the younger maid so that she could have a private chat with Ichiru. Naomi often spoke in code.
"Yes, ma'am," chirped Maria. She then bent forward and gave Ichiru a quick peck on the cheek. "Good luck, with the earl and all." She quickly retreated from the room.
Naomi watched her young charge go, making sure she was totally out of earshot before she approached Ichiru. "You ain't sick, are you?" she asked gruffly. Ichiru shook his head. "Good. Can't have you gettin' sick with your important job startin' tomorrow and all." Then lowering her voice, she added, "Now, listen, Ichiru. I've heard some things about this earl and from what I hear; he's a pretty shady character. Most nobles are but I've heard he's one of the worst. If he hurts you in any way, you let me or Kenta know and we'll take care of him for you. Got to look out for our own, you know."
Ichiru smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your concern, ma'am, but I think I'll be okay," he assured her. "Servin' the earl can' be any worse than what I do now."
Frowning, Naomi nodded sternly and stroked her chin. "Still, you be careful, you hear?" she said.
"Alright," Ichiru promised. "I will."
Nodding once more, Naomi, too, let the human be.
* * *
"Human. Stop fidgeting."
For the past several minutes, Ichiru had been fiddling nervously with the sleeves and buttons of his black suit - so much more formal than what he was used to wearing - while he, Rin, and Lady Shizuka waited in the manor's entrance hall for the earl. The nobleman was due to arrive any second and Ichiru couldn't help it. He was too anxious.
Unfortunately, Rin had no patience for this. He never did. After Ichiru ignored his first order, the steward reached up and slapped the young boy upside the head, hard enough to smart. Ichiru shot Rin an indignant look before peering over to Shizuka like a wounded puppy with the hope Rin would be reprimanded. Either the vampire lady didn't notice or didn't care. It was most likely the latter, but Ichiru kept the false hope that his mask was simply doing its job and concealing his emotions as well as his identity.
"Cease that nonsense," said Shizuka darkly, referring to both her servants and not even bothering to glance over at them. "Our guest has arrived."
Rin and Ichiru both stiffened up, placing their hands behind their backs and squaring their feet. Ichiru took a deep breath. This was it. He thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest.
Shizuka nodded to Rin, who bowed and went to open the door. As he did this, the usual seductive smile played on Shizuka's perfect lips.
"Ah, my dear earl. Welcome."
Ichiru could not stifle a gasp.