Chapter 2: The Earl and I

The living room? More like the really-fancy-rich-awesome-room. It was a big room with red walls and red floors. Two giant couches faced each other, with a table for chess in between them. Bookshelves lined the walls, with well, books. I was rather impressed.

Alois made his way to the couch and plopped into it in a very ungentle man-like way. "You can throw your coat anywhere; I'll order Claude to get it later."

"Alright," I said, beginning to unbutton the jacket. Until I saw my shirt. My official Legend of Zelda shirt was on. I cursed at myself in my mind. I had sweat pants and a video game shirt on in 1889. My friends and I had been so focused on the plan that we must have forgot about what I was wearing.

"No thanks, I'm good Alois." I said as I whipped the jacket back on and buttoned it at lightning speed. "Can I sit with you?"

"I guess." He said, pushing his butter-colored cowlick out of his eyes and giving me a funny look.

"Thanks." I replied, and then sat next to him. The bluebells where still in my hands. "I brought thes-."

"So what's it like over the pond?" Alois interrupted me, staring at me with his giant blue eyes.

"Well it's rather boring actually. All we do is go to school." I said, looking back at him. Gabby said to make small talk with him to gain his trust. Caitlin had forbid it. Oh well.

Alois laughed, "Well no wonder you left! It sounds boring!" With that, he swung his high-heeled boots over the blood-red couch and laid down on it. Only apparently, my lap was a pillow for his head. "Hmm?" Alois stuck his tongue out again and studied the yellow star pattern on it.

I was shocked as I was relieved. Alois trusted me enough to lay his head on my lap; I was making progress. However, his eyes said something else. Even with his smile, his eyes showed untrustworthiness. He was testing me. Seeing how I'd react to him doing certain things. Earl Alois Trancy was seeing if he could learn to care for me; seeing if I was worth keeping around. This was good, and at this rate, the plan would work without flaw.

I shrugged and said "I guess you could say that."I handed him the flowers, which he smiled at. "Here are the bluebells."

Alois took them and got off of me. He looked at them with delight, "These where my brother's favorite flowers you know. Luka was his name."

I wanted to say I knew, but had to act as if I knew nothing about the young Earl. "Oh. I didn't see him when I arrived. Where is he?"

I really, really didn't want to say the last part. I hated doing this to poor Alois. Maddie, Caitlin and Gabby's word's echoed through my mind "Get him emotional! Studies show that people, aka Alois, will be more willing to come with you if he knows you know his darkest secrets and past." I just listened to what they said. Anything to save Alois.

"…Gone." Alois replied, shattering my thoughts and bringing me into reality. He didn't meet my eyes for a while, but after an awkward silence, he turned around to face me, with a giant smile, without any tear stains on his face. "I'm going to put these in vases, stay here." With that, Alois skipped away with the flowers in hand.

I sighed and fell into the comfy couch. Lying hurt, epically to a face as bubbly and happy as Alois. I hoped these next few days would pass as quickly as I hoped.

"Hello Malady." I nearly jumped off the sofa as I saw Claude walk towards me. He had apparently been hiding in the shadows like Slenderman this whole time. "I overheard you and Master."

"You did?" I asked. In all truth, I'm terrified of this man. He could so easily pull out a knife and kill me, dispose my body, and just tell Alois that I left earlier. Maddie said fear was my real enemy, and to not bat an eye at Claude. However, when you see the Devil himself right in front of you…well I think it's okay to be scared of him. I'd like to see her try to make small talk with him!

Claude was slowly approaching me, at a rate I didn't like. "Malady, you may have Master fooled, but I'm much deeper than him. I know who you are," He grabbed my face and made me look into his ugly yellow eyes. "And you aren't taking my dinner back to your time with you. I've been preparing Master to be the perfect feast for a while now, and I refuse to let you taint his perfect sorrow with your compassion. His due day is the day he turns 15; in 5 days."

"I'm not scared of you Claude." I said, sounding way more confident then I really am. "I'm taking Alois Trancy with me, and you can't stop me."

Claude lifted my head, so that I was staring at the ceiling, and he could look at my neck. "It would be so very easy to silt your little neck right now. I can feel your pulse, and I'd love to stop it."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to yell for help. I wanted to run out of here with Alois and keep going. Claude would find us however. He could find us anywhere; nowhere was safe. The only thing was to take Alois to my time and keep him safe. Make him feel loved. Give him a real life. That was my mission, and I wouldn't let Claude win.

"Claude?"

The Devil named Claude turned sharply, letting me go to face Alois, who had walked in without making a sound. Alois's face was filled with wonder and puzzlement, as if he was a little kid in Toys R Us, seeing a new toy.

"I'm sorry Master; I was helping Lady Nichole with her necklace." I had no necklace. Liar. "I will continue with the preparations for dinner. Excuse me." And with that, the dark purple-haired man left, leaving Alois and me.

"Ummm," Alois looked at me with a puzzled face. "Did something happen?"

"No, nothing."

"Okay…" He didn't look too sure I was telling the truth.

"Yes, really." I said. "Anyway, did you place the flowers in a vase with water?"

Alois nodded, "Yep! I hope they don't die, I don't want to try to cremate them and light my room on fire again." And with that he began spinning in circles. "Ole!"

This kid scared me sometimes. "Ummm what are you doing?" I asked.

"Dancing," He stopped and looked at me. "Like the Spanish do!" He jumped up and yelled "Ole!" once more.

I nearly laughed. "That's not dancing. That is jumping and spinning while yelling 'yay' in another language."

Alois's eyes became warm to cold in less than a second. He ducked his head in a way so that his hair cast an unsettling shadow over his face. "Well then, you bloody girl, show me. Teach me to dance like the Spanish do!"

I stared at him. WHAT?! He wanted me to teach him to dance?! I can't dance! That's Caitlin's thing! I ride horses and watch anime! What have I just done…