Loyalty: Tyrannical Dubious Feelings
Story By: Blighter
Story Background: Slave Of Noah
Summary: Rumi catches Zanna in a moment of weakness, but for some profound reason she can't bring herself to take advantage of her mistress's faults. Side-story to Slave Of Noah's fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own Konjiki no Gash Bell. I have not made any profit from this piece of writing.
AN: A gift fic I have been working on for Slave. I started thinking about writing this when I saw the irresistible dark relationship of my character (Rumi) and his character (Zanna). I went and got permission from Slave and then I started. This is the result: a short emotional piece that will fill your heart with sorrow and joy alike (I hope). It was also meant to reveal new dimensions of the characters. Uh… also, you won't get much of this if you don't read Slave Of Noah's Loyalty: The Bond Between Friends story first.
Also, when Rumi asks to be loved she is asking for friendship not romance. Sorry to disappoint some of you… uhh…
Side-Story
Loyalty: Tyrannical Dubious Feelings
_
Prologue
Chikara Z, a demon organization that was founded to aid Demon Princess Zanna in winning the Demon Battles on Earth, was filled with powerful elites from Demon World. Their strength was unquestionable, but their loyalty to the princess was not. Chikara Z was anything but a professional organization. It was riddled with inner strife, as members tend to think that their leader was... unpleasant and undeserving. However, there were a handful of demons that serve her sincerely despite her undesirable demeanor. Among those few, a demon named Rumi stood out the most. It was an odd relationship, considering she was more than twice her princess's age, yet she didn't seem to mind how humiliating such a position as that was. Chikara Z became curious and held meetings concerning their comrade's unwavering loyalty. In a wide meticulously crafted, yet ancient castle hallway, there was a small gathering.
A brilliant morning light spilled in from the many beautiful stained-glassed windows that symmetrically dotted the hallway. Each of the unworldly beings was lit up in just the right way so that their distinct features were noticeable. The place in the grand hall in which they resided was next to a large ornate doorway, cutting them off from what they gathered to converse about in the first place. They kept their excited chatter to a low decibel in order to not be found out by the others behind the door. Their sadistic leader Zanna was behind there with her ever accommodating right-hand, Rumi. Ordinarily, this was a common occurrence, a normal day of their leader lavishing in their headquarters' (a Russian castle) throne room with her poor little lapdog reporting to her the status of their operations. Still, they incited others with its equivocal nature. The proximity between the two was suspicious, that was for sure, and it is unknown how or why someone like Rumi puts up with someone as frightening and evil as Zanna. People were becoming more and more curious towards what secret things happened between them. And apparently, coming up with ideas as to how those two manage to stay so close without making the other sick with their presence became quite a trend for the members of Chikara Z. It was a refreshing recreation from their usual, monotonous job of guarding that spoiled princess of Demon World.
"So, tee-hee," A calm yet unsettling voice managed to make itself heard over all of the verbal chaos, "who here wants to throw in another theory, tee-hee. C'mon now, tickle my imagination. Miss Rumi must have quite an iron will to serve Miss Zanna so submissively."
The words hardly had an impact, as most of the demons continued to whisper. A good deal of them had their ears pressed against the sizable doors in hopes that they may acquire a piece of truth. Only a handful of members actually acknowledged the words spoken from the creepy stone gentleman, Chazor. Those few, being an irritated four-armed demon and a sleek-skinned mermaid who was uncomfortably out of water, approached him.
The fearsome looking multi-armed demon spat in some general direction. Somehow, he thought his angry face wasn't enough to showcase how grave his interpretation on the matter was so he just had to spit.
"Whatever involves those two… psychos… can't be good for the rest of us."
To this, Chazor simply continued to giggle in his eerie manner. "Oh tee-hee, stating the obvious again, are you Heikki? How unsurprising of someone like you." The odd gentleman sounded, as if odd enough, happily scornful as he tossed his heavy arms into the air for dramatic purposes. "Can you be so artless?"
The stone man earned a rude "humph" from his short-tempered friend, as well as his back. Chazor, in all his gentlemanly graces didn't feed him any sort of response. What did follow Hiekki's rudeness was a sudden, unexplained gust of wind. Everyone stopped conversing and immediately turned their attentions to their unexpected guest, the bat demon Koumori who descended and touched-down gracefully from an open window. His fur-covered face was painted with a look of dull annoyance as his red eyes scanned each of the cluttered members of Chikara Z.
"What's this?" The teen questioned clearly and tersely. His words carried a wave of authority against the group of demons. Well of course it did. Aside from Rumi, Koumori was the highest ranked member of Chikara Z and also one of Zanna's most trusted henchmen. The voices that once permeated the hall died as abruptly as his entrance. Everyone was at a loss of words. They all felt as if they had been caught in the act of doing something terribly wrong, though it was quite wrong to spread questionable rumors about their leader. Out of everyone, Chazor was the only one who wasn't daunted by the appearance of his superior.
"Why tee-hee, this is naught but a small intellectual gathering my good Koumori. This is solely for our enjoyment purposes, nothing more." The polite stone man said in his odd tone while he stroked his moustache cheerfully. Koumori folded his arms in front of his furry chest looking very unimpressed. Chazor thought it best that he should continue. "The hottest topic going up and about these days revolve around Misses Zanna and Rumi."
"Conspiring against our superiors?" Koumori took a lethal tone.
"No tee-hee, not in the very least I assure you." Chazor fanned with an open palm as if to fan away uncertainty.
"Hmm. Then how are Zanna-sama and Rumi-san the prime concern of your meetings?" Koumori inquired without coming out of his accusative tone.
"Of course, one such as Koumori can't seem to keep up with the trends of Chikara Z because he's always too busy infiltrating other teams." Chazor chuckled playfully causing Koumori to become aggravated, though it was the truth. "Out of all the members of Chikara Z tee-hee, no one seems to be closer to Miss Zanna than Miss Rumi. While everyone distances himself or herself from Miss Zanna, Miss Rumi engages the matter up close. Why the very relationship between them is awe-inspiring as it is. They're both behind this door as I speak. That is a topic worthy of attention, tee-hee."
Koumori sighed and shook his head in a disappointed manner. What thickheaded sickos. "Zanna-sama and Rumi-san have a professional relationship. I'm quite sure what ever goes on behind those doors is official-"
"I think Zanna-sama and Rumi-san are bathing each other in there." A sly, innocent-feinted voice interrupted. Koumori first felt angry at being interjected, and he was about the scold whoever had the gall to speak such things, but was soon washed over with a sick SICK sensation. It felt as if a supernatural pickaxe nailed his skull and some evil thought-juice was quickly filling the rupture. His head was suddenly invaded with an unwanted image: Pale, diminutive Zanna and lanky Rumi sitting together in a bathtub, all blushy-blushy with nothing but blankets of steam and carpets of bubbles hiding away indecent body parts. And, though shameful, he couldn't help but feel… flushed from that thought. Koumori looked around to see just about everyone with pale, pre-retch and post-retch faces. It looks like the others thoughts had just been severely raped as well. All except Chazor, who stroked his fancy moustache more cheerily than ever… What a creep.
"Oh! Oh! Tee-hee! So you've finally contributed, Arcia? That's good, tee-hee." Chazor directed his comment to the mermaid demon from earlier.
"Pu-Putting Zanna-sama and Rumi-san together in such a picture is… is…" Koumori found it hard to say anything now with that image burned into his thoughts. Desperately, he tried to pull himself together, and without his consent he was getting sucked into their little meeting. All in all, nothing that comes out of Arcia's mouth is to be trusted. Being Chikara Z's raunchiest member carries a sense of incredibility. And anyways, the room the two were in was the THRONE room. There are never any baths in throne rooms.
The water demon also seemed to have noticed everyone's negative reaction to her lurid idea. "What? Can't you guys picture it? Rumi-san washing Zanna-sama's back. Perhaps the reason why Rumi-san serves Zanna-sama so honestly is because they're in love! It's so cute. It's so romantic. The sweet forbidden fruit of Girl-Love!" Her hands were clasped together and her eyes were shut and she sighed wistfully, all to help dream up the image.
"N-no. That… that… that…" Koumori struggled to make his throat make words as he fended off those forbidden thoughts. He had lost to both, and now the terrible image that was already in his head morphed into something, if possible, worse. Suddenly, Zanna was smiling delightfully, sitting on a plastic stool as Rumi kneeled behind her, happily obliging in scrubbing her mistress's back. Zanna had her legs and arms crossed in order to exude an air of superiority, while Rumi's exaggerated, fawning smile designated herself the position of over-loyal grunt. Suds clung onto both bodies, highlighting Rumi's slightly tanned flesh while blending perfectly with Zanna's pale form. God! Why was this image so vivid? Sure it was cute, but it felt wrong on SO many levels.
Everyone looked sicker than ever. Though they tried to suppress it, gags filled the wide corridor. Things couldn't have made them feel more disgusted. Well, maybe not if the doors hadn't swung open.
A chill swept across the hallway as quickly as an accompanying wave of silence. The sudden motion of the large doors smacked the many demons that stood by the doorway aside violently. For those who were spared from the door bludgeoning, they were treated with a fuming three-foot-terror. Zanna Bell, Demon Princess, stood at the open doorway. Her pale form looked as if it were wrapped in irritation. A dangerous dark aura was up and about. Even Chazor was smiling nervously.
'Oh Gods! Di-did Zanna-sama hear what Arcia said about her and Rumi-san? If she did, then we're all DEAD!' Koumori thought feverishly, not noticing that his legs had given away and he had sunken to his rear. 'Why did I get involved in this?' He lamented.
Then Zanna muttered something that broke them out of their fearful shackles. "Stupid Rumi…"
Koumori still trembled, but was able to organize his thoughts. 'Zanna-sama wasn't angry at us?' He fought against his quivering body to peer inside the room Zanna was in with Rumi. His eyes had to adjust to the darkness, but he was soon able to see a downed, charred body lying about. It was a tall figure with the frame of late adolescence, Rumi. She was most likely punished by Zanna. For what, who knows? It could have been a bad report, she could have fouled up a mission, Zanna just might have felt bored and shocked her for kicks, or whatever. The important thing was not to give Zanna any reason to punish them.
Dark violet eyes set themselves upon Chikara Z. "What are you cretins doing here?" Her question, carried by a dark and domineering tone, suddenly put the entire group under intense gravity. How would they answer? They just can't just go and say that they were gossiping about her and Rumi let alone hide it, looking as awkward and surprised as they did.
"We're just awaiting Zanna-sama's orders." Hiekki stated as smoothly and as convincingly as he could. It seemed that his dislike of Zanna was greater than his fear of her.
Zanna stared for a moment, studying them with her deep violet abysses before flashing a chilling half-smile. She didn't believe them for a second, but for now she would entertain that idea.
"Ah. This is a much unexpected burst of loyalty, especially for you Hiekki." The young albino grinned, showcasing an array of immaculate shark-like teeth. She relished the sight of her terrified entourage. "Alright then," the Demon Princess mused, "I'd like for everyone to hunt down the demon teams all around Russia. Don't even think about returning until each of you has eliminated at least three teams. As for Koumori, you'll have to spy on Nikumosuta's host. Get moving." Her words were more direct, forceful, and soul crushing than the saltiest drill sergeant's. Chikara Z scattered away at once, all except for Koumori.
"Eh… Zanna-sama, what about Rumi-san?" He inquired.
The child turned her head slowly towards the bat demon. An unpleasant cruel smile stretched across her pale face. "Ah… Rumi. She can't partake in any Chikara Z assignments as of now. She's getting… disciplined for the time being." She cackled in a sinister tone as her pale form, accompanied by the cloud of her flowing white mantle, disappeared into the room with Rumi's fried body. The tantalizing twin doors closed behind them. Koumori stared blankly for a few moments, waiting for the feeling of fear to wash away. When it did, he bolted.
While turning a corner in the hall, a stony hand grabbed a hold of one of Koumori's little bat wings. He yelped as the force of his running inadvertently caused this wing to get yanked by the one holding and dragging him into a dark and secret area between some faded marble columns.
"Miss Zanna certainly is frightening, isn't she? Tee-hee". Koumori came face to face with a grinning Chazor.
Indignation swelled within Koumori, so much that it pushed out all sense of fear. Soon, the bat demon was nursing a bruised fist while back-facing a downed Chazor. "Stupid STUPID STUPID Dumbass! Don't go getting us into trouble and then laugh about it!"
"Teehee, I'm never happy about trouble. I'm just happy that Mister Koumori is able to see things our way." Chazor got back on his feet, holding the dent in his head. "Miss Rumi is a fantastic individual for accepting Miss Zanna, isn't she?"
Koumori's expression softened with his anger dying down. "I suppose Zanna-sama is hard to get along with. Rumi-san makes being around her look easy."
"Precisely." Chazor replied, stroking his moustache. "Not to mention that it's odd for them to be together, tee-hee."
"Eh? How so?" Koumori asked.
"Well, look at Miss Zanna, tee-hee. She's thoughtful, careful, and calculative." Chazor said, looking serious for once. "Now look at Miss Rumi, tee-hee. She's impulsive, thoughtless, and energetic. You'd expect their clashing personalities to push them apart, but they're quite well acquainted. I've yet to question why they haven't gotten rid of one another, tee-hee."
"Hmm." Koumori contemplated.
"And also," Chazor continued. "Miss Rumi hardly complains no matter how unfairly she is treated or punished by someone far younger than her. Now if I were as old as her, I'm quite certain I'd die of humiliation if I were at the boot-heel of someone so young, tee-hee. From what I've heard, Miss Rumi has done more for Miss Zanna and has been punished by her more than anyone else. No matter how severe the punishment, Miss Rumi will always keep getting up and continue to follow Miss Zanna, tee-hee."
"Ah…" That image of Rumi toasted body filled Koumori's head. "Rumi-san has to be something else to live through that."
"Perhaps, but she won't run, tee-hee." Chazor responded. "Miss Zanna is important to Miss Rumi. The reason for that is for us to figure out, tee-hee."
Koumori sighed at Rumi's predicament.
"Oh my!" Chazor resounded, surprising the bat demon. "We're behind schedule. I'll be off now Mister Koumori. Back to work we go." Chazor waved and made his way out of the shadows.
Koumori nodded and followed suit. However, he managed to steal one final glance at the two doors, which housed his two superiors. Koumori himself was loyal to Zanna, but Rumi was different. She was a fanatic.
-
Tyrannical Dubious Feelings-
Rumi's body reclined on an old wall on the top of one of the castle's rooks. Hers was an attractive figure (aside from her extraordinarily flat chest), and despite its constant exposure to the elements it still shined through. Her long black hair tied into a ponytail, sported countless split-ends and tangles, still retained its form and resilience. Her limbs, which have all but lost consciousness to the cold, still kept their firm, slender muscle tone. A black leather vest and loose shorts were all that shielded her from the cold, but she was still alive and functioning. Being physically obstinate was one of her best traits. Occasionally, she would even poke her head out from her vantage point to scan the area for intruders with her weary eyes.
The demon girl had a reason to stay by Zanna's side. It was simply to shelter her troubled mind from the painful something she had endured in the past. It was to run away and hide from the hell that was the world around her. But had its creator herself violated this safe haven? Had the embrace of Zanna become another hell? She believed that she had foolishly thrust her head into the bosom of her lady, and now the arms of Zanna were wrapping themselves around the back of her head, pressing her into a sick embrace. Those cold, culling hands would take away everything she holds dear.
The Demon Battles had just begun and it was very bad for someone to have low spirits at the beginning of any fight. A venerable fighter like Rumi would know that, but something weighed heavily on her mind, Zanna Bell and her penchant to abuse and degrade her whenever she felt the need. These days, her mistress was always in her thoughts. What was she feeling about Zanna that was bringing her down? Was it doubt? Was doubt in her mistress? Why else was she suffering? Why else was she out here? Why else would she have nightmares of her, and then wake up to a pillow wet with tears? Though actually, she hadn't seen a pillow for some time.
Rumi was literally on the brink of insanity. These days have seemed to become well drawn out and absolutely unfulfilling, with the harsh Russian climate and the Demon Battle riding on her back. Not to mention she had been awake for three straight days. Not that it really mattered, since her sense of time had failed her after the first. The only things that registered now were the brightness or the blackness of the cloudy skies, the biting cold of Russian air, and the amount of demon teams stupid enough to attempt to get through her in order to get to her lady.
However, in spite of her thoughts being more scrambled than usual, she was still able to understand and carry out orders, the orders of Zanna Bell, of whom she was subjugated to. Her orders were simple: Protect her. Be it through rain, sleet, or hordes of demons. Protect her. To Rumi, duty was everything.
Her mistress needed her for this crucial part of bringing together the demon organization, Chikara Z. As of now, Rumi and Zanna were the only members who met up, without bookkeepers of all things. The two were caught in a moment of fragility, of extreme vulnerability, and have taken refuge in an old isolated Russian castle. Zanna was inside; resting within the castle chambers while Rumi played the role of guard dog. Things would have been easier on Rumi if the weather would let up, or if Zanna wasn't somehow a magnet for opposition since demon teams had been able to miraculously find them.
Rumi drew a breath of the bracing air around her and shivered violently from having her lungs filled with such iciness. A very slight smile graced her lips. It was quite funny how this abhorrent feeling of her body freezing from the inside was the only thing that let her know she was still alive at this point. Rumi's head cleared up a bit from the sudden slap of that sensation.
The girl looked to her side and saw an empty space. She sighed wistfully. How she wished she had found her partner before they retired to this castle. She'd have a friend. She'd have someone to sympathize with her. She'd have someone to share these emotions with, someone to stave off the encroaching insanity that came from loneliness. A friend was something very simple, yet it was something that could be profoundly satisfying. All she had was that impish Zanna Bell. And Zanna was nothing close to a friend. She didn't even try to fill the empty hole in Rumi's heart. As of now, her book was the only thing keeping her company. And in all honesty, she would confess to talking to it out of sheer loneliness.
'Wait…' Rumi caught herself. Was she thinking ill of her mistress?
Rumi took several more sobering breaths, and her mind began to clear up some more.
It didn't truly matter. Her mistress was a spiteful one. She deserved to be hated. Above all else it seemed she was the type who only cared about her own self. Someone who would cast her out into the unforgiving cold and stay warm in a castle was beyond cruel. I mean, who needs three day's worth of rest anyways? Not to mention that someone who had the title "Demon Princess" should be able to lend a hand in protecting herself. Rumi was incredibly desperate, but she wasn't stupid. She was childish, but not stupid. She was well aware that blindly following her mistress would lead to more pain than she ever bargained for. She was well aware of how evil a person she was from her father's side.
'But…' Rumi's turned her thoughts back to reality. 'I can't leave her. Where do I go without her?'
'So you're that one… that girl the Demon Court's been talking about.' A nearly tangible delusion of Zanna's cruel playful voice came to Rumi's sense of hearing. 'The house of Stelkin has certainly taken a turn for the worse, but you'll be safe with me… No one will touch you… No one but me…'
'Lady Zanna…' Rumi pondered miserably.
'Of course, you would do well to understand your predicament. Should you leave me, where would you go? The Stelkin bloodline is dead. You are dead; dead to everyone except me.' The delusion of the mistress's voice continued. 'Should you leave me, what will you do? You'll die out there. You'll be the very item of hatred. Everyone would look at you for what you are to them, a worthless demon bearing the cursed blood of Stelkin.' An image of that signature twisted smile came to mind. 'That is your ultimate fate if you are apart from me. Of course, should your loyalty or quality of service waiver, I could cast you out whenever I see fit. In all honesty, it would be entertaining to watch you struggle out there all by your lonesome. It'd be fun to see you hysterical from dealing with the hatred of so many others. It intrigues me, the very thought of you at my doorstep begging to be accepted back into my arms. And finally, it would be priceless the look on your face when I close the door on you. Your fate, your well- being is dependent on how well you serve me. Accept it.''…why are you so cruel?' Rumi pulled her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Tears were welling up in her eyes. This was wrong. This was very wrong. A little girl shouldn't be able to make you cry like this. And big girls don't cry. Big girls don't cry! She shamelessly sucked her thumb.
'You love to fight don't you? I've heard you were a notorious fighter.' The ghostly echo of that voice haunted her still. It feinted sympathy. It appealed to Rumi's bloodlust. 'You love to use your body. You love the sweat and blood that comes from conflict. There'll be plenty of fights for you to toss yourself into. You could be as reckless as you like, and by the end, I'll drag your beaten body out from under the bodies on top of you.'
'They don't mean anything to me anymore…' Rumi mulled over somberly. 'Fighting… can't…'
She scanned the castle grounds again, partly out of duty, and partly out of wanting to escape those painful thoughts of being dependent to someone like her mistress. This time, her surveillance brought up two small figures. It was a demon team. She was met with happiness and irritation. She felt happiness from an upcoming excursion, and irritation from another pointlessly weak and opportunistic opponent.
Rumi leapt down the great height of the castle rook, making a very dramatic ostentatious appearance. She wanted to say that she was faking a wounded victim of Zanna, but that would be a lie. The demon team was surprised by such a feat, but they were far too distracted by her weathered form to take notice to the entrance.
Her quarry was cautious at first, but he or she soon bought into Rumi's act. "Who are you? Are you an ally? Are you all right?" The demon that was faceless to Rumi spoke. He or she, Rumi didn't bother to distinguish.
"Is that demon princess in there?" He or she questioned urgently. "Did she do this to you?"
Rumi smiled. She was ready to deliver a ripe and juicy dose of irony (1). "Yes." She spoke softly. Oh, sweet communication that had long escaped her.
The demon whose gender and features mattered not to Rumi wore a frightened expression. He or she must have been contemplating how powerful the mistress was to do this to Rumi. Though, little did he or she know, it was with orders, not strength.
After some thought the demon summed up all his or her courage and replied. "I-I'll go on ahead and take her on. You stay here and when we're done, we'll get you some help. Okay comrade?"
Rumi grinned. So this was what it felt like to be valued by another person. Too bad this feeling would be smashed apart by her loyalty to her mistress, and that burdensome past she was running away from.
"What do you think of the princess?" Rumi questioned quietly and suddenly.
The faceless demon stopped, and turned towards Rumi. "She's evil and cruel." He or she answered seriously, looking absolutely astounded by such a question. Perhaps it was an easy thing to answer, an obvious redundant question. "She has to be stopped."
"I see." Rumi grinned as the demon ran past her, into the main gateway of the castle. Her back was facing his or hers. "It's good to get a second opinion. It's good to let others know how they feel and then receive their input. Ah, communication with others… kills the loneliness. Too bad you're going to die… If you want to defeat my mistress… you'll need to deal with me first."
The demon was shocked. He or she turned around with a face that said he or she was ready to fight, but it was too late. Rumi had run through the demon in the stomach with her fist, smiling sadistically as she withdrew it causing blood to gush out and paint the snow red. Surely, that attack communicated her frustration with Zanna. The bookkeeper wasn't spared either, as Rumi grabbed his or her jacket and tossed him or her violently into the castle wall, smashing bones into dust.
The demon of no importance to Rumi laid belly up, staring at her in bewilderment. "Z-Zanna… has… allies…?" The demon sputtered as he or she laid half-dead on the chilly snow covered ground. A puddle of red was expanding around his body.
"She sure does." Rumi proclaimed without much pride. "You're looking at the guard dog." She pointed her thumb at herself.
The downed demon's face held a forlorn look. "W-why? Why serve… her? She couldn't have been treating you well if you're in this state… Why serve her?"
Rumi stuttered at that question. "I've been asking myself that for as long as I've know milady. And the only answer that keeps coming back is that I… am… Von Stelkin… The cursed family name…"
The defeated demon's eyes widened at that infamous name, but it was too late to say anything to Rumi now. She had left both the demon and bookkeeper. She had left them to suffer slowly in the unforgiving ice of the Russian winter. They gingerly got back on their feet, but that was all they could do for the time being. It seemed as though Rumi had no desire to finish them.
It's always the same. They always come and tell her that it was wrong to Zanna and that she should join them, but as soon as her name is dropped, they shoot her ugly discriminating looks. Fights like these… fights like these were absolutely painful and meaningless. If she couldn't enjoy a fight, then she couldn't be happy. She couldn't be Rumi. They were just a way to vent frustration now. Rumi was indeed trapped with Zanna.
A loud cry shattered the stillness of the cold night air. It pierced Rumi's ears and broke her away from her dreary thoughts. She stood still in front of the castle main entrance, dumbfounded. That shriek sounded like it came from someone young, someone familiar. She dug earwax out of her ear canal (a very unfeminine thing to do) to see if her hearing wasn't playing tricks on her. She heard it again and her heart nearly pounded out of her ribs. Her snowy white eyes widened with shock and urgency.
"Lady Zanna!" She cried out instinctively. She rushed into the castle hoping the best for her young mistress. Had this been a trick? Had this demon outside been positioned to distract her while another went for her lady? If multiple demons conspired against Zanna, then she must be more infamous than her.
Rumi rushed through the maze-like hallways of the castle. Oil lanterns hanging on the worn stone walls served to guide her through the darkness. She made note of where Zanna's bedroom was should an emergency like this happen. Needless to say Rumi wasn't running aimlessly in the halls. Even her head, which was congested by the cold outside, was beginning to clear up. Her legs became less lethargic and more limber. Soon, she was running at her optimal speed. All of this was because she wasn't out in that dreadful weather. Before long, she was standing outside Zanna's room. Her hand trembled as it was held out near the knob of the door. Her book was held at her chest. If a demon was able to take her lady by surprise, then it must have been a powerful one. This was no time to be cautious. She had to make sure her mistress was still alive. She turned the knob, but it yielded the sound of metal clattering against metal. Locked.
Rumi stuttered to think of what evil things the possible intruder could be doing to her lady behind a locked door. Drastic measures needed to be taken, now!
The demon girl reared her foot, and then swiftly brought it forward, smashing it into the door. A loud slam echoed throughout the empty hallway. The door still stood, albeit not unmarked. Rumi cursed. If she were at her full strength, she would have been able to bring it down with a single strike. Those three sleepless nights and days were severely putting stress on her. Though, that didn't stop her from trying some more. She thrust her foot into the door several more times, making greater dents and wood splints with each strike. She only stopped when that same young voice that was screaming earlier reached her ears.
"Please… Rumi… don't come in… Stay out… go back to your post… now." The tone wavered, but it still carried Zanna's authoritative air.
The older demon girl was elated to hear the younger one's voice. Though, it sounded quite unwell. It made Rumi more apt to smash the door separating them. She did so in spite of her mistress's objections. A couple more strikes to it and it was hanging off the hinges. One more and the door fell to the stone floor within her mistress's room with a heavy thud.
The bedchamber in which Zanna inhabited at the moment was dark. Rumi hopped in and her sight was immediately robbed from her. She slowly, awkwardly, and carefully fumbled along the wall hoping to find a light switch. After nearly a half-minute of searching did she realize that ancient Russian castles didn't have light switches. Those three sleepless days and nights really did a number on her thinking.
Rumi's hand dove within one of the pockets in her shorts and retrieved a small butane lighter. Yes, she smoked, but given the circumstances it was understandable. She struck it several times before it yielded a little flame that cleared away some of the blackness around her. An orange glow was cast upon the bare stone walls of the room. The four-walled room was quite small, but to someone of Zanna's stature, it was adequate. A sizable bed was in a corner opposite of the busted down door. A small lump of white blanket was seen on top of it, Zanna presumably.
The older demon spotted an unlit candle sitting on its gilded holder on a dusty dresser drawer. She let her flame onto the vacant fuse, traded her book for the holder, and she quickly trotted over to her lady despite her constant protests against her actions. She had to go there. She had to go there to ensure that her mistress was well. When Rumi arrived the younger girl had the sheets pulled over her entire body as if there was something important that had to be hidden from her vassal. This was very much unlike the evil little imp Rumi knew Zanna to be.
Rumi sighed as she placed the candle on a wooden stool beside the bed. With both of her hands, she seized the thin sheets her mistress hid under. There was a small struggle, but the resistance was exceedingly weak. Rumi easily wrestled the blankets out of her lady's grip and tossed them aside. What greeted her eyes was something not meant for mortal comprehension. At this point she really thought that this was all a hallucination or that the candlelight was playing tricks with her sight.
Removing the obscuring covers revealed to Rumi her exact opposite, a little girl no older than six or seven years of age, her hair came off from her head like delicate glossy treads of silver, her skin was unnaturally pale causing her petite body to look as if it glowed in the dim light, and her deep dark violet eyes, which stood in total contrast to Rumi's snowy whites, seemed to consume light rather than emit it. Though it couldn't be seen, her personality was close to that of a civilized lady. Even her attire, a plain white mantle, bore significant difference to Rumi's choice of clothing. This little girl was Rumi's mistress, the evil black-hearted Zanna Bell.
The things about her appearance were normal, even the pale skin. The thing that bothered Rumi was the way that body trembled and the face her mistress wore. It was weak, vulnerable, and uncertain. Those were three things Zanna definitely wasn't. She even wasn't making eye contact with the same person who was supposed to be the helpless lost dog who would cling to her no matter how badly she got spurned. Rumi was feeling many things right about now. Incredulous was among one of the many. How could this be Zanna, the same Zanna who so confidently tormented her and affirmed that she was nothing to the world?
Rumi heard a cough. It was a small and quiet one that came from her lady. She probably tried to suppress it, but failed. It was after hearing it did Rumi figure out why she was told to guard the castle for so long and why her mistress was such a mess. It would seem that their time in Russia was especially unfriendly to Zanna. It appeared that Zanna's body could not adjust to the cold as quickly as Rumi. Her lady was ill, deathly ill and that scream from earlier could have been from a night terror (2) caused by her sickness. This sickness could explain why she was resting for so long and why Rumi had to cover for her.
The only question left was why did Zanna keep this to herself? Why couldn't she tell Rumi this? With the simple knowledge that her lady was sick, Rumi would have probably stomached those long cold days in the snow much better knowing that her struggles outside were not pointless.
She surveyed the room absentmindedly seeing that her lady was at a loss of words at the moment. Rumi then noticed closed windows covered with black drapes, adding a gothic tone to her lady's room. Everything inside was neat and orderly. Oddities, books, and other items were strictly organized as if they too feared stepping out of line in the presence of Zanna. This room was very much like her.
Rumi's gaze stumbled upon the entrance. Light from the oil lamps in the hallways poured into the battered down entrance. It was then did Rumi take notice to the absurd amount of locks that once secured that door in place. Not only that, but chains were visible in the light, chains that assisted in barricading the passageway into Zanna's room. Rumi was struck with insight.
"Milady." Rumi spoke at last. "You don't seem to trust me. You're afraid to show me vulnerability. It seems that your confidence in my loyalty isn't strong enough."
Zanna looked up at Rumi. Her tired violet eyes and weary expression could not convey much, but Rumi was already convinced that she was right. She slammed her fist into a wall.
Unacceptable was this treatment that Rumi had received and unacceptable was the attitude of the young mistress. Unfair. How unfair was it that Rumi sat outside risking permanent bodily damage and losing her own self to insanity and loneliness simply because her lady wouldn't trust her, a vassal doomed to follow her forever? Was this how she rewards someone who sacrifices freedom for her? 'She must be stopped' resounded in Rumi's eardrums.
The older girl took off suddenly, leaving the younger alone in her room. Zanna laboriously shifted her gaze at the door with which Rumi departed through. What was this sudden chill she felt in her chest? Fear? Did the demon child just feel fear? Yes, perhaps it was because Rumi busted down her doors and violated the sanctity of her room. Now that Rumi saw her lady, her oppressor, in such terrible shape there was no telling what she would do to her. Just because she bolted out of the room did not mean that Zanna was safe. Sickness may have somewhat distorted her thinking, but she knew well that Rumi was never the rational type. She was, in fact, terribly inefficient. After she gets her head back together, Rumi would return and…
Zanna had to get away. Time was precious and it would not be long until that hooligan came back. The little lady tossed about in a nearly futile effort to get herself out of her bed. Without warning, she met the edge of her bed and her face abruptly smashed itself against the unforgiving stone floor. The small girl cried out weakly. As if the throbbing headache from her cold wasn't bad enough.
She lay on the floor for several moments until she mustered the energy to begin crawling. Zanna was uncertain of where to go, but anywhere was better than here. She slowly and steadily dragged herself towards the exit of her room when she heard footsteps. Her tired eyes opened dramatically. A tall shadow was cast upon her frightened face. Rumi returned all too soon. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest to further show that she wouldn't let her mistress out. The gleaming object in her hand caught her eye the most. It was a knife.
At the sight of it, Zanna made a tremendous effort to turn around and scramble for the windows. It was very ungraceful and desperate, but she was willing to endure. Rumi was able to keep up with her mistress's frenzied pace by simply walking. Soon, her free hand descended and came back with a fistful of silver locks. Zanna screamed as loud as her dried out throat would let her as her supposed vassal flung her back into her bed. Zanna laid belly up facing certain death.
"Milady…" Rumi began. "I have come to an understanding. I have come to know why I am suffering." Zanna stared up at the older girl as much as her pained neck would allow. Rumi's gaze was intense, very much unlike her normal whimsical self.
"The people are making me suffer." Rumi continued. "The judgment and treatment from others make me unhappy. You and the people outside your realm of protection make me suffer." Zanna's interest was piqued at the tone and mentioning of her name.
"When I came into your service, milady, I believed that if fewer people mistreated me, I would be at ease, but I was wrong." Rumi spoke on. "Milady, your mistreatment is mistreatment nonetheless. I am no longer able to differentiate the hell out in the world around me against the hell within your embrace. You two lack something crucial. Love."
Such a statement took Zanna aback. The fact that it was unbelievably mushy was the main reason, and she hated weakness. She hated emotions. Rumi knew that, but she went on with it anyways. If Zanna somehow survived this, she would see to it that Rumi was severely punished for sprouting such nonsense. Then the distant second reason for her to feel uneasy was perhaps because Rumi had no reason to stand by her.
"Milady, you and the people outside this castle have all closed your doors to me. I feel empty without others to be loved by." Rumi said somberly. "I so desperately want a friend. If not just a friend, then milady, I simply need someone to take my loneliness away. Communication is key."
Zanna would have probably scoffed for the sake of it, but her dried out throat wouldn't let her. Rumi probably noticed that condescending attitude because…
"If there is no way to speak to Lady Zanna through kindness, then I believe I can speak to her through bitterness and hatred. You understand those two things well, milady." Rumi nearly grinned at the little one on bed.
"As of this moment, milady, I am you and you are me. Can you wrap your head around that?" Rumi teased with quasi-riddle statements. "I am Zanna Bell. I am a Demon Princess who is evil and cruel beyond belief. I care for no one but myself. You are Rumi Von Stelkin. You are my worthless lapdog. The public and your mistress hate you. You are absolutely helpless. Your fate lies with me. You are dependent on me." Rumi's chest heaved with every breath taken. She was crying rivers, oceans perhaps. She was having an emotional fit, but Zanna couldn't stop it.
"You are weak, therefore I have every right to use you in anyway I see fit. Should you step out of line, I would punish you in terrible ways." Rumi wouldn't admit it, but she was enjoying this. She held her knife at Zanna in a threatening manner. "Just think of all the things I may do to someone as helpless as you. I could carve my knife into your heart and watch you bleed to death. Or I could tape your eyes open and drip hot candle wax into them. Or if I feel truly depraved, I may toss you outside into the snow and watch as you try fruitlessly to get back in. I'll watch you freeze to death."
If Rumi wants to talk feelings, then she had no intention of betrayal. People with feelings were weak. Zanna wasn't fazed. She wasn't fazed, but that didn't mean that Rumi's words were not making an impression. So she was Rumi. So this is how she feels.
A couple more tantrums were thrown by the older demon, but soon she settled down. Rumi hung her head down sullenly. "Milady… I hope that I have communicated my feelings to you…" She hoped for a response, but Zanna came back with nothing. Rumi sighed. "Well then… I should make you well again. Duty is duty." It seemed that that was it. Rumi looked as though she were trying to cover up, to forget such an ugly scene. It was fitting of her. She had no backbone, but a load was off her chest.
She left her lady a second time, and then returned with a small tray carrying several food items. Among them was a teapot with a steaming spout.
"Milady, if you have the strength please try to sit up." Rumi set the tray down and slid a hand underneath her lady's back for support. With the other, she adjusted her mistress's pillow so she would have something soft to lean against. Having done that, Rumi stood the tray on Zanna's lap and proceeded to serve her.
"Rumi." Zanna's hoarse voice punctured her servant's eardrums. She was frozen. The air around the room was frozen.
"Y-yes?" The older girl responded.
Zanna looked straight into Rumi's somewhat eager eyes. "You're going to be severely punished after I get better. Threatening to betray me is no laughing matter." The older girl hung her head again.
"Of course, your threats were only empty ones…" Zanna continued in a less patronizing tone. Rumi's eyes lit up. "And I suppose that things would be worse if someone else had been the one to knock my door down. Rumi, I feel… blessed… to know you."
Rumi blinked her eyes several times in bewilderment. Did Zanna just complement her?
"I-I'll be honest with you Rumi." Zanna's face was flushed. She seemed to struggle to get words out. "If it wasn't you who came in, if it were someone else, I'm quite sure that they would have taken advantage of that situation. I'm certain that Hiekki would have loved to see me like that… So I am… grateful to you. Although, pulling my hair… was unnecessary."
"S-sorry milady." Rumi poured her lady a cup of tea and handed it to her hastily. Zanna accepted it. She shut her eyes and smiled blissfully as she breathed in the sweet aroma of her tea. She sipped her tea slowly and silently, taking time to relish the tangy bitter taste to the fullest. During her excursion she did open one of her violet eyes so slightly as to catch a glimpse of her servant. She didn't look too well either.
"You may drink too Rumi. I shall allow it." The child spoke with her cup just centimeters away from her lips before indulging in another smooth sip.
Rumi nodded, and quickly poured herself a cup and downed it in one gulp. She regretted such an action seeing as the tea seared her throat on the way down. However, the caffeine gave her a buzz of energy and more importantly, she felt her body warm up from the inside. It was a heavenly feeling. She poured herself another cup and sipped this time.
"So…" Zanna began. "Were you truly going to betray me Rumi?" Zanna questioned as casually as her voice would allow as she hoped not to disrupt this moment.
Rumi set her cup down. "Milady, that was a lapse of judgment on my part. I was overcome with my feelings about you… I apologize." The girl felt put on the spot. "I'm just afraid… afraid of being stuck with someone who mistreats me… forever. Milady, I feel trapped. I'm trapped by you and by the public that hates me…"
"I see…" The young girl spoke. "So you what kept you from betraying me? You yourself said that there was no difference between the torment from me and the people other than me…"
Zanna was puzzled. She was curious to know why. Rumi's eyes shifted from side to side. Her expression told Zanna that she didn't want to say, but she did. "I believe… I believe that it is possible for my lady to show me… love… Lady Zanna… Do you love me?"
Zanna's eyes flew open. She choked on her tea. Rumi looked away, regretting what she said. Perhaps she was too passionate. Perhaps she shouldn't have impulsively dropped the L-Bomb.
Zanna refilled her cup of tea and indulged in whatever food scraps Rumi was able to pull together. It was just a ruse to hide the fact that she could not answer such a bizarre question. Rumi was awaiting an answer just across from her. She blushed ferociously from the awkwardness she created.
"That's a weird question." Zanna began finally. "How about we take this from a different angle. Rumi… Do you hate me?" The mistress felt more comfortable with that question and so did Rumi.
"Milady, if I said that I didn't hate you I would be lying. Milady treats me badly and never seems to care about my feelings." Rumi said sincerely. "However, Lady Zanna is a mysterious individual. I'm not completely sure what to think of her. I would wait and see if she does something that makes her lovable."
"I see." The albino nodded. "Well then, I don't hate Rumi… She is very dedicated to me and she always tries to look at things in different ways. Her loyalty makes her worthy of… being liked…"
Rumi smiled softly. "Thank you… Milady."
"Don't get used to this treatment." The little child interrupted. "You are still my servant. I'll still see to it that you are punished."
They finished their meals and soon after, Rumi bowed her head and left. She sat outside of Zanna's room, savoring this new development. By the next morning, Zanna's health improved and she punished Rumi as promised. Other than that, she acts as if the night before never happened. Though it was painful and humiliating, it certainly stung less simply because she heard it from her lady. She heard her say she didn't hate her. Although, Rumi was still plagued with these thoughts of this thrill wearing off. Her lady said nothing about becoming friends, but she would still look at her mistress with high hopes. Perhaps she was lying to her that night, but it didn't matter. This new hope was enough to sate Rumi for the time being.
(1) Irony or ambiguous language. I'm not certain but I'm leaning towards irony. Say one thing and mean another thing.
(2) Night Terrors are formless fits of fear that occur while sleeping. What makes them different from nightmares is that they are only bare uncomfortable emotions and only happen in deep sleep stages.
AN: Completed. Hope you liked it.