"Where are we going to eat lunch?"
Baron didn't answer. He only smiled at the girl holding onto his arm. They were walking through the streets in the eastern part of town. As they went deeper into the eastern end, more noblemen and noblewomen appeared. They all stared at Haru suspiciously. Haru could only press closer to Baron under their accusing stares.
"Are we almost there?" Haru asked uneasily.
"It's just around the corner" Baron responded. As the duo turned the corner, Haru was greeted with the sight of a fairly large house, a mansion to be precise.
"Wow, I've never been to this part of the city before" Haru said in awe. "Whose house is that?"
"It is mine, Miss Haru" Baron said proudly.
"It's lovely" Haru breathed out. She pulled away from Baron to walk closer to the house. "Is this where we're eating lunch?" Haru questioned with a twinkle in her eye. She turned around and leaned forward slightly to clasp her hands behind her back. Baron's heart stopped at the sight of her. She was gorgeous. How did he become so lucky to meet her by chance?
"Indeed" Baron said breathlessly. Haru giggled. She turned around to skip up to the door. Baron went up beside her and opened the door. He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her inside.
Yuki appeared from a connecting room. She bowed down quickly. "Welcome home, master." She glanced up, and her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Haru. Her eyes darted over to Baron before looking down quickly.
"Oh, and welcome to my master's home, milady" Yuki added.
"No need to be so formal. I'm not that special. I could only dream of being wealthy enough to earn the title of milady. My name's Haru. You can call me that. What is your name?" Haru said kindheartedly. Yuki glanced up again in surprise.
"I'm Yuki" the servant girl said shyly. "It is nice to meet the person my master thinks so fondly of. He doesn't ever stop talking about you." A pink blush dusted Haru's cheeks. She looked up at Baron slowly. He was staring straight ahead, and his whole body was stiff.
"That's sweet" Haru gushed. The blush transferred to Baron's cheeks.
"Let's go to the parlor. We can eat in there" Baron said. Baron gently pressed his hand against Haru's back to urge her forward. Haru began to move as Baron guided her through the house. They went down a nearby hallway and into a room at the end and to the right. "Here we are."
Haru went into the room and sat down in a settee. Baron took a free chair opposite of the settee. "Would you like some tea, Miss Haru?" Baron asked as he picked up the long spout teapot. Haru nodded.
"That would be lovely, Baron" Haru said with a smile. Baron poured the tea into two teacups. He picked up one of the small cups and its matching little plate and handed it to Haru.
"It's my own special blend, so I can't guarantee the flavor. It tastes a little different each time. I hope it's one of the good batches for your sake, Miss Haru" Baron warned.
"Come now, Baron, call me Haru."
"Of course…Haru" Baron said shyly. "What were you doing earlier?"
"Earlier?"
"Yeah, you know, with the quilts and handkerchiefs."
"Oh, that. Mother's a quilter, and she's been teaching me too. We both make quilts and at the end of each week we donate them to the orphanage. The orphanage provides us with the material" Haru explained.
"What about the handkerchiefs?"
"Mother and I make those to sell to some of the kinder upper class women. It doesn't bring in a lot of money, but we get by with what we make" Haru enlightened.
"I see" Baron said thoughtfully. "May I buy some of those handkerchiefs? At least, next time you have some more." Haru's eyes widened.
"Oh, you don't have to buy some just to help me, Baron!"
"No, some of my workers really do need some because theirs have gotten quite worn. It is the least I can do for them to thank them for all their hard work" Baron clarified. On that note, Yuki walked in, pushing a cart in front of her. On top of the cart were two silver platters.
"I've brought your lunch, master" Yuki announced.
"Thank you, Yuki." Yuki nodded and curtsied before exiting the room. Baron stood up and grabbed both platters. He handed one to Haru, and he sat down with his own.
"Shouldn't we be eating this in the dining hall? It's not proper to be eating it off our laps" Haru said jokingly. Baron's eyes sparkled with amusement.
"I like the change" he said. Haru took the lid off her platter to reveal seasoned fish and vegetables.
"This looks delicious" Haru proclaimed.
"I chose it myself. I'm quite fond of any dishes with fish in it." Haru smiled at the fact and began to eat. Baron followed suit, and the two ate in a comfortable silence. Once they were done eating, Yuki came back in and cleared all the dirty dishes away. As soon as she left, Baron gave Haru a tour of the house. Haru stayed to chat with Baron for three hours before thanking him for his hospitality. She promised to meet up with him the following day. Baron insisted that Haru shouldn't head home alone. He fought with her until she allowed him to escort her to the western gate. It took a while for him to convince her, but she eventually agreed.
The walk to the gate was shorter than Baron hoped. However, before Haru could escape and disappear mysteriously, Baron grabbed Haru's hand and kissed the back of it.
"I enjoyed this afternoon very much. It was a pleasure, Haru" Baron said honestly before taking his leave. Haru watched his back as he walked back to his house. Two men followed him silently. Haru immediately recognized them as Toto and Muta from her earlier conversation with Baron although she never officially met the infamous duo.
Haru shook her head as she saw the man she assumed was Muta tackle Toto to the ground. Laughing, Haru stealthily slid into the alleyway when no one was watching. Once Haru reached the dead end, she moved a crate, against the wall, to the side to reveal a small opening. Haru slipped into the hole and pushed the crate back in place. Haru followed the hedge on the other side, which was part of someone's garden, until it reached the wall of the city. The small space she was in was actually only a crack between the hedge and the backs of buildings.
At the wall, Haru climbed up with the help of the cracks and hopped over the stone formation with ease. Haru landed on the other side in a crouch. She stood up and brushed off the dirt from her hands. Haru scanned the area to see no one in sight. Haru grinned and ran through the clearing to the edge of the forest. The minute Haru entered the shade of the trees; she spotted a familiar and worn trail.
Haru walked down the trail until she came upon a small house. Haru pulled a key out of her pocket to unlock the door. The lock clicked after one turn. The key was slipped back into her coat's pocket, and Haru entered the house.
"Mother?" Haru called out.
"Haru" a weak voice answered. There was a series of coughs followed soon after. Haru rushed to her mother's room to see her mother lying in her bed.
"Mother, how are you feeling? Better? Worse? Are you thirsty? Hungry?" Haru frantically asked while squeezing her mother's hand. Haru's mother, Naoko, gave a weak laugh.
"Haru, you know I'm not getting any better. You're going to have to accept that fact. Please, sweetie, you're supposed to be spending the day looking for somewhere to live. This house won't last long enough for you to live your life. I don't want to leave this world with you living on the streets. I don't want you out there…not again" she said hoarsely. Haru quickly left the room to fetch a glass of water. She came back after a minute and helped her mother sit up to take a sip. Haru set the glass back down on the small table beside her.
"Mother, please don't talk like that" Haru cried out. Naoko petted her daughter's hair.
"Tell me about your day. Did you find anywhere?" Naoko said. Haru looked up at her mother with glassy eyes. Haru nodded and wiped her eyes with her sleeves. Before starting her story about her day, Haru picked up a cloth out of a small water dish on the floor. She wrung the cool water out and wiped her mother's sweaty forehead off. Naoko leaned back against her pillow contentedly.
"Well, I went to town like always and headed straight to the orphanage. After stopping there and talking with the kids for a little bit, I went to the east end of town. I sold the handkerchiefs to Mrs. Grant. She gave me a whole dollar extra. I left then meet up with Baron again. You remember Baron, right? He's the guy I've been telling you about. Technically, he was stalking me but still. He took me to his mansion, and we ate lunch. We talked for hours. I lost track of time and told him I had to leave. He wouldn't let me go, though, unless he could escort me to the gate. He kissed my hand at our parting" Haru recounted dreamily. Naoko smiled weakly. She placed a sweaty hand on her daughter's cheek.
"Haru, what am I ever going to do with you? You're supposed to be finding somewhere to live, not spending your time with a boy" Naoko said lightheartedly. Haru's face grew hot.
"It wasn't my fault. Baron followed me. What else was I supposed to do?" Haru huffed.
"Oh, Haru. You could have declined his offer for lunch" Naoko suggested. Another coughing fit hit her. Haru helped her mother get another drink.
"But I already told him I'd eat lunch with him the next time we saw each other" Haru tried to say in defense. Naoko only smiled.
"Next time say no. You can spend time with the young man once you find somewhere to stay. Think about yourself for once."
"But-But I already told him I'd spend the day with him tomorrow" Haru whined.
"Okay, but after that no more" Naoko commanded.
"Yes Mother, but you know I can't afford anywhere. Nobody is going to want to take in a peasant like me either. Everybody thinks I'm weird for not wearing a dress. They don't think it's proper for a girl to wear boy's clothes." Naoko sighed.
"Haru, I'm sure someone would love to have you as part of their family. I know I do."
"Thank you. Now, I'm going to get you something to eat. You have to try."
Haru headed out of her mother's room to head to the kitchen. Haru shuffled around grabbed some of the leftover bread from the day before. She wrapped it in a cloth and went back upstairs. Upon reaching her mother's side again, Haru unwrapped the bread and broke a small piece off.
"Here, eat this." Haru held the bread to her mother's lips. Naoko leaned forwards and nipped a piece off. She chewed as best she could and swallowed. Haru just watched her mother sadly. She knew that later when she went to bed, she'd cry herself to sleep.
The next day…
Baron waited once again at the west gate to greet Haru. Haru showed up a few minutes after his arrival. She walked up to him and smiled.
"What did you want to do today?" Haru questioned her friend. Baron smiled.
"I don't know. I was just thinking a walk around the city, just the two of us. But we have to hurry; Muta and Toto are surely going to notice I'm gone once they're done fighting." Haru giggled and took Baron's arm. They both walked down the cobblestone street in content.
A/N: I just thought of a movie that can help you readers get a better idea of the time period. Have you ever seen the movie Aristocats? Well, picture the time period sort of like that but there are no motorized vehicles. Review or flame please.
