The sea of people, commoner or noble it didn't matter, split in her wake. None wished to provoke the ire of this woman, the determination and raw vitriol that emanated from her gaze spoke of untold horrors to such individuals. Her heels clicked on the stone pavement as she walked with a sense of purpose, her golden hair managed to trail gracefully and bob lightly with each step. Her spectacles glimmered as she adjusted them in irritation at times. Of single mind and seemingly cold interest, she spots her target. The Guardhouse to the main gate of the city Tristain.
"Tch, finally," Eleanor's brow furrowed as she turned on her heel, impaling some poor sod's foot with a stiletto heel as he couldn't dart out of the way fast enough.
She ignored the crying fool as she continued to the Guardhouse.
Louise felt she never slept so soundly in her life before that night.
Despite using a much too firm cot, with itchy and stiff government issue blankets, on a very worn-in and actually kind of stinky pillow...
Yet she could not bring herself to complain as she swung her feet onto the cold stone floor of the kind Guard Captain Weston's quarters. Stretching her arms behind her head as she arched her back, she let out a small cough as she caught a whiff of the smell radiating from her clothing.
"Ugh...note to self, never sleep clothed again...," she scrunched her nose.
Upon closer inspection, she noted that her clothes were not only damp with sweat, but covered dirt and grime from the previous day. Though the filth for some reason didn't bother her as much as the sense of vulnerability of the skirt and flimsiness of her blouse.
A knock on the door pulled Louise from her introspection.
"Miss Valliere?" A feminine voice called to her.
"Yes?" Louise answered with a yawn as she unlocked and opened the door.
Before her was another guard carrying a small cloth bundle. She seemed young, perhaps only a few years older than Louise. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail with only a few loose bangs that fell over her left eye. She was clad in a deep navy blue hempen tunic that reached her knees, dark brown leather gloves and thigh-boots.
"Captain Weston sent me to give you these. They may not be nearly up to a noble's standards, but at least you could get into something clean and in better condition," the guard held out the bundle to Louise, who grabbed it gingerly.
"Uh, th-thanks?"
The guard smiled.
"And if it doesn't bother you, you're more than welcome to join us for breakfast. Once again, it may not be up to a noble's standards, but it'd be better than going hungry for the day," she bowed before turning on her heels.
"A-ah! May I know your name?" Louise reached out with her right arm to grab at the young guard's tunic.
"Oh? My name is Ellie, ma'am...by your leave?" she smiled again, her green eyes twinkled slightly at the acknowledgment.
"O-okay, Ellie, I'll be down in a moment," Louise smiled.
With another bow, Ellie turned once more and briskly made her way down the hall and stairs to the common area.
Louise gently kicked the door closed as she turned back towards the bed. Placing the bundle on the down, she unwrapped it to find it was a blue tunic similar to Ellie's folded over and around a pair of matching breeches.
"Huh...isn't this their uniform? Well, anything is better than this...," Louise mumbled as she unbuttoned her blouse.
Simply getting out of her old school uniform brought her a sense of cleanliness. Removing her skirt proved just as liberating.
After discarding the filthy skirt, the young woman began the arduous process of trying to put on breeches.
"Urgh, how...do...they...do...it?" Louise cursed under her breath as she hopped about before jumping backwards onto the bed.
She finally managed to pull them on after wriggling with her legs in the air, only to find that they were meant for someone taller than herself.
"Oh, Brimir damn it all..."
She couldn't bring herself to open the door.
Ever since the City Guard's Messenger handed her the letter, Eleanor's stomach churned as she thought of what she should say and how she should act. Certainly her baby sister was traumatized by the events detailed in the missive. It just didn't seem appropriate for her to act in her usual way towards the runt. Taking a deep breath, she placed a hand on the door handle.
'Okay...first, I'll try to comfort her...somehow. THEN, I'll pinch her cheeks for worrying me...,' She nodded to herself.
Despite her resolve, her hand never moved to open that door. Eleanor furrowed her eyebrows as she felt a cold sweat sweep over her.
'Maybe...I won't pinch her cheeks...,' she let out a shuddering sigh as she recalled how often she'd come just short of outright abusing the youngest Valliere.
Eleanor grit her teeth as she once more attempted to open the door, only for her anxiety to get the better of her.
"Rrrraugh!" She growled while ruffled her own hair in frustration.
"Why...can't I be nice to her!" She whined to no one in particular, oblivious to the confused stares she elicited from passersby.
The struggle to get the tunic and breeches set to properly fit her finally came to an end. Once she had deemed her old clothes were indeed salvageable and stuffed them into her single luggage case with her spare uniform...
"Oh...come on...," Louise deadpanned as she realized she had a change of clothes with her already.
Roughly closing the clasps to the case and bringing it to her chest as she stood, she unlocked and pushed open the door leading to the hallway.
'Not...going...to...bother,' she huffed as she made her way to the stairwell to the common area.
After all that trouble, she didn't feel like undoing everything to get redressed. It would diminish the feeling of accomplishment of conquering the foreign feeling garments.
When she neared the bottom of the stairs Louise caught a whiff of something that set her mouth watering. Turning the corner she finally entered the common area and beheld a sight that for some reason felt nostalgic yet at the same time foreign.
The common area was simply a large room with a fire pit hearth in the center. A cast iron pot hung above it and proved to be the source of the previous smell. Captain Weston knelt beside it, occasionally stirring the contents. Surrounding the pit, the prior shift of guards coming off of duty had gathered. They joked and gossiped with each other, while others sat at a table not far away. The more tired looking few were playing cards in an attempt to remain awake so that they could have their morning meal. At said table she spotted Ellie speaking animatedly with a young man wearing the same tunic.
'Same rank I suppose,' Louise stepped towards Weston.
"Ah, Miss Valliere, I hope you slept well," the Captain smiled softly as he noticed her approach.
"I did actually. I dare say I haven't slept that well in ages," Louise marveled at how refreshed she actually felt. The realization that her dreams had no small part in this was no surprise.
"Well then, that's a good thing. Most people tend not to rest well after such an ordeal. I applaud your fortitude young lady," Weston smiled warmly, motioning to the bench occupied by Ellie and her companion, "go on, breakfast will be ready soon if you'd like to join us."
Louise couldn't help but return the smile and nod as she took her place beside Ellie. She tried to ignore the sudden headache and blurred peripheral vision.
"Oi, what do you know? She actually wore it! I still say you should have brought her the subligar, showing some leg would offset the flat," the young man wiggled his eyebrow at Ellie.
"Jason! She's just a kid! Keep your pants on for once!" Ellie laughed.
Louise narrowed her eyes at Jason as her headache faded and vision returned.
"Pervert!...And I'm still growing," Louise pouted.
The duo of guards at the table were stunned by the outburst. Jason was the first to recover.
"Y-you heard that?" He gave a nervous grin.
"Of course you buffoon, I'm right here!" Louise snapped back.
Ellie quickly looked to the stairwell door and then back at Louise, her left hand outstretched and pointing.
"B-but you were over there when we were talking, how could...," she shook her head, "nope, not going to question it."
Louise tilted her head in confusion.
'What does she mean with that?' Louise scratched her head in thought.
Any further deliberation was interrupted when Weston let the pot slam on the table.
"Hey, mind your manners you two, we've got a guest remember?" The apron wearing Captain had started passing out plates.
'Oh, I didn't notice the apron...it somehow suits him...'
'Marry, I agree with thy observation.'
Louise sat ramrod straight at the intruding voice in the back of her head.
'No...no...ignore it, you're not crazy,' Louise began to sweat, not noticing the food being placed before her.
'Prithee, I ask thou doth not ignore me. With recent revelations I fear I shall be lonely thus.'
Louise felt a prodding sensation at her shoulder.
"Miss Louise? Is something wrong?" Ellie's voice was welcome to Louise's ears at the moment.
"N-no, I'm fine," Louise let out a nervous laugh.
'…'
The voice remained silent as Louise finally noticed what was placed in front of her. On the plate were several biscuits smothered in a gray-brown gravy with bits of meat and potatoes in it. Not longer after Weston placed a steaming tin cup of dark brown liquid near the plate.
"Hope you don't mind black coffee, we don't get much cream or sugar in the rations," the Captain then took a seat at the head of the table as others joined them for the meal.
Poking the biscuits and gravy with a spoon, she finally takes an inquisitive bite. She found that the biscuits were fluffy and the gravy smooth and savory. Louise found it strangely satisfying and filling.
"Mr. Weston, did you do this all yourself?" Louise asked with a mouthful.
Flashing a prideful grin Weston nodded.
"Between the wife and I, it's agreed I'm the better cook," he said as he took a gulp of coffee.
"Though she's the better looking of the two," Jason snorted, earning a backhand to the chest and a disapproving look from Ellie.
Louise couldn't help but laugh quietly at the antics that unfolded at the table while she ate.
'I wonder, is this how it is for commoners most of the time?' Louise wondered, recalling her meals at the estate being rather quiet with an always present pressure for etiquette and respect.
Louise absently took a gulp from her tin cup and immediately regretting it as the sudden wave of bitterness dominated her taste-buds. Those at the table laughed and Ellie rubbed Louise's back as she coughed when in her surprise she accidentally inhaled some of the offending liquid.
"Little Princess can't handle a man's drink eh?" Jason mocked.
Louise narrowed her eyes and pouted at the man.
"I don't like you...perverted dog, " she growled as she pointed her spoon at him, causing Ellie to burst into laughter.
With a huff, Louise continued to shovel in the biscuit and gravy meal, ignoring the laughter from those around her. In the midst of the festive mood, a harried young guard nearly gone unnoticed as he scrambled into the room.
"Holy sh-shit, I'm not paid enough f-for this stuff," he yelped as he darted through the stairwell entrance with two other young men not far in tow, sharing a similar panicked expression.
"What in Brimir's name...," Weston's exclamation was cut short as an imposing blonde woman made her appearance.
Looking around with a severe look on her face, the woman looked directly at Weston, recognizing his air of authority.
"You! Where is Louise!" She pointed at Weston, who simply raised a brow at being addressed so harshly.
"Well Milady, I may have an answer depending on who you are...," he answered coldly.
"B-B-BIG SIS ELEANOR!?" Louise shouted as she ducked behind the table, only her eyes and hands visible above it.
"Young lady? You know her?" Weston raised his other brow at the small pinkette's cowering.
"Damn right she does! Louise get over here right this moment," Eleanor ordered sharply, pointed to the spot on the floor directly in front of her.
Meekly, Louise stepped out from her cover, shrinking further under her sister's piercing gaze as she moved closer. Second passed as they made eye-contact only a foot from each other, with Louise trembling slightly.
"Louise...," Eleanor said flatly.
"Big sis?" Louise gulped, expecting to be pinched, bopped on the head, or otherwise assaulted by her sister.
The type of assault she received however defied all her expectations.
"LOUISE!"
"Eh?" Was all Louise to squeak out as she was scooped into Eleanor's cleavage.
"Oh Louise! You had me so worried! When I received that letter I rushed to pick you up immediately! Are you alright? Are you injured?" Eleanor alternated between looking Louise over for anything wrong and rubbing her face in Louise's hair and hugging the little Valliere.
"Wait...Eleanor? As in, the eldest Valliere scion that works as a researcher at the Tristain Institute?" Weston gave Eleanor a flat look.
"Why yes. What is it to you?" Eleanor snapped.
"Hey! Be nice to Mr. Weston!" Louise yelled, causing Eleanor to flinch at the uncharacteristic outburst from the youngest Valliere.
The stunned looks from the other occupants and ensuing silence caused Louise to look around in confusion.
"What?" She asked innocently, honestly confused by Eleanor's slack-jawed stare in particular.
'I believe thou broke her...'
All the while, Captain Weston had begun to massage his temples.
"I'm going to have that Messenger Boy flogged for being a lazy bastard...really, dropping off a letter addressed to the Valliere Estate to the Institute instead just because a Valliere was there...," Weston sighed as he seen Louise poking at an unresponsive Eleanor's cheeks with a mix of morbid curiosity and humor.
"Woo boy...I do hope she's alright...," the Captain palmed his face.