Alone in the Darkness

Hand me your Friendship

Chapter III

By nerdwitch

Lady Anna looked at her visitor emotionless "Is this my cousin that Faust told me?" She asked herself. Her guest still had his sweet smile on his face without knowing what Lady Anna was thinking.

Lyserg pulled out his hand for Anna, "Hi! I'm Lyserg, your cousin from your father's side." Still smiling.

"From my father's side?" she thought for a while. "Can't remember that I had a cousin from him." Still not accepting Lyserg's hand. So, instead, she just gets ahead of him and walked straight in the hallway.

"Oh! Still stubborn as she was," he pulled back his hand and run towards Anna and walked with her. But Anna still not let out even a single sigh.

"You remember me?" Lyserg started but receive no response, "We've met in Nichrome's birthday several yeas ago."

"12 years to be exact."

Lyserg paused for a while then continued, "So you remember me," he nodded. "Good…so do you have fun there? I enjoyed so much their program."

But Lady Anna remained silent. "What's his fuss of staying here?" she asked herself again.

Lyserg still continued talking about the party held 12 years ago. "…do you have by any chance at that time to talk to the prince?"

"Prince?" memories flashed back to her like a movie film rewinding on her mind, " Do prince usually pick up a shoe and returned it to the rightful one?" she asked unintentionally.

"Do prince—what?" he quizzically stared at her.

"Forget it," Lady Anna brushed her hand to the air, "He's not a prince anyway, for he addressed himself as a knight." She told herself. "And no, I didn't saw him nor talk to him." She hurried her pace.

Lyserg had to catch up with her, "Is that so? Anyway, where's your father, the duke?"

Lady Anna stopped; Lyserg's words gave him dilemma. All the time, she's staying inside this mansion without even bothering to ask Kino where her father was. All she knew was that he'll stay in this manor for a couple of days and had to wait for so many months for his return and gone again for his business venture.

"Anna?" his voice awakened her.

"Lyserg, I only have one question to ask; why spend your vacation here?" she directly asked him straight into his eyes.

His cousin walked up to the window in the hallway, "Why spend my vacation here? I also asked myself…why? You see I just arrived from Japan and on my way to visit my family here in this continent when my brother called up and told me to stay here for a while. And I think its fine with me to take my break here. Is it alright with you for me to stay here, Anna?"

Lady Anna looked at him, "I don't care. There are lots of rooms for everyone to occupy in this house. As long as, no one disturbs me, then its fine with me," she strolled away from him.

"Anna wait!"

"You're disturbing me, cousin Lyserg," with stress on the words 'cousin Lyserg'. "You may stay here for how many months you want, but talking to me is strictly forbidden."

"Gee!! Such words." And he stopped following her.

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Days passed and Lyserg couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't talk to anyone!!! He had an instruction from Kino after a jiffy from talking to Anna that he couldn't have any discussion to any personnel in the mansion. If he had a query, he only had to precede to Kino whose just rooms away from him. He even can do whatever he desires as if he's the owner of the manor, but he doesn't feel like it. When he tried to talk to the duke's daughter, she just glared at him. Every employee in the mansion just bows and greets him when they came across along the corridor and gone to their respective work.

"Awww!!! This really is 'V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N'. No one distresses you. No one annoys you. No deadlines to meet. No noises…" he gnashed his teeth, "No noises cause no one talks to no one!!! Argh!!!" he slammed his both hands on the table inside his big room. "I must do something!!! This silence is killing me!!!" he marched out to his room and proceeds to Anna's.

He was about to hammer his hand on the duke's daughter's door when he heard her voice.

"I said NO!! No one should dictates me on what must I do!!! Especially you Faust!!!" she angrily pointed her finger to Faust.

The young master had no intention to eavesdrop on the other side of the door he's facing but when he heard someone call out his name, he changed his mind.

"Please Lady Anna, please calm down. Mr. Faust just wanted you to be close to your cousin. It's not a big burden to talk to Master Lyserg, Lady Anna. He seemed to be a kindhearted person. I think he'll be the one to help you to—".

"SHUT UP JEANNE!!!"

He heard Anna's voice even louder and angrier. Anyway, what can you expect from a girl who had locked herself to anyone. A girl who didn't even experienced the wonders of life. Only to feel insecure…envious…aloof…and be in the darkness. Aren't these what he had experienced these past few days?

Insecurity… being so anxious to his minion. He felt that he's not enough for them and afraid of being criticized. Why? He's the duke's nephew, why deems so insecure to them? The answer: all the employees were avoiding him as much as possible. At this rate, he feels that his confidence dropped to zero. What about Anna's? Confidence drop down to negative 100…

Enviousness… so envious to whomever persons he had caught talking but usually stopped when they saw him coming and depart from each other. And him…Master Lyserg Diethyl had come to this place to talk to no one…?

Aloofness…with insecurities and enviousness, being aloof will come around. He suddenly felt the coldness in this place although he had been here for a week or so. The cold treatment he got from Anna, the avoidance of every personnel. He can't wait for this vacation to reach its expiration. He's not used this.

And the most crucial phase is to be in the darkness…the sentiment of loneliness. As if you didn't exist in this planet. He sometimes imagined that he had been locked up here in this mansion with no doors and windows for ages… he feels so bad for his cousin to experience this kind of dealing for so many years…the feeling of being alone…being alone in the darkness.

But Lyserg was not Anna who hides all her emotion for so many years with no one's there to listen up to you. If she didn't listen to him this time, he'll be returning home for his family.

He knocked the door loud enough to break the argument going on inside. Moments had passed before Jeanne opened it.

"Master Lyserg!" Jeanne said surprisingly.

The young master entered the room and saw Anna sitting on the couch, Faust and Eliza seated adjacent to Anna along the sofa, and Jeanne on his side.

Faust had stood up to greet the newcomer, "Good day, Mister Diethyl. I hoped you had enjoyed your stay here in Le De Woux."

Lyserg walked towards them and took his seat parallel to the two. As Jeanne stood besides Lady Anna, Lyserg took short glimpses on her. "I saw her on my first day here and never again until now." He told himself. "She surely is a certified cutie." He grinned.

"As what I am saying," Faust started, "I'm glad Mr. Lyserg came around to talk to this certain matter."

Lyserg suddenly looked at Faust who had a smile drawn on his face and then to Anna who had laid an evil eye on him. He gulped.

"Mr. Lyserg, can I ask you something?" Faust asked at him.

"What is it?"

"What's the reason of you to take your vacation here in this mansion?"

"Is that it? Hmm…" he glanced to Anna who had a frown on her face," I just wanted to be with my cousin," a glanced that's full of sincerity.

The lady of the mansion just raised an eyebrow, "How many cousins do you have and why wasting your time here with me? In fact, you had chosen the wrong side of your family to spend your vacation, Lyserg. Have you already sensed that I don't want to get involved to anybody? I hate to get socialize with other people!" she said sardonically.

But her cousin had only chuckled on what she said, "Hey there, coz! Cool up!" he thrown her a throw pillow which Anna had caught in midair, "I am right to spend my time here with yah, coz. As you can see, you're my only cousin who I hadn't got closed with. Of course, except for that 'spiky'. Well, to tell you the truth, there were only three of you who stand as my cousins. And I've already spent my adventurous childhood days with them…and the rest was left for you. I guess spending my other time with you would be great!"

"Wow, isn't that sweet, Lady Anna, " Eliza chanted, " Your cousin was been thinking for your friendship with him. I think it's time for you to add the word friendship to your vocabulary."

"I only need one friend and that's no other than Jeanne." Lady Anna declared to them with a hint being annoyed about the topic. Then all eyes stared to Jeanne.

Jeanne tried to speak, "B-but my lady, I-I am not worthy to be your friend. Master Lyserg is a lot better than me. He could help you more than you think." She shrugged.

"Oh, Jeanne, don't feel bad about yourself. Friendship doesn't require being choosy in making friends." The nurse told her.

"No, what I mean is that—"

"Jeanne, if you think I am suitable friend for Anna not you, then…can you be my friend?" Lyserg asserted.

"But Master Lyserg—" she was cut off.

"From this moment, you, Jeanne, would be my friend." He stood up and came near to her, "We will be friends forever." He patted her on her shoulder.

Jeanne just stared to this young man in front of her. "Was he for real?" she had been looking to his emerald eyes and still was mesmerized from it. Her heartbeat suddenly altered its rhythm. It pounded so fast as he kept his smile on her. "Why…why beats so fast? I-I don't understand…"

"Jeanne…if you don't want to be my friend, you should've told me. I should've stopped insisting you from the start. You just make me stupid." Anna said with a glimpse of being irritated.

The maid immediately defended herself, "No, that's not what I meant. What I wanted to say was that, Master Lyserg is—"

"You can call me Lyserg, Jeanne," her master corrected her. "As you know we're already friends."

"Oh, no…how can I tell them that one of my obligation was not to make any relationship with them…this confuses me more," she wagged her head.

Faust saw the confused façade of Jeanne. Nevertheless, he had known for so long that anyone who undergoes through the management of Kino wasn't allowed to create any affiliation to the family. Anyone who would break the housekeeper's rule will be hauling over the coals. Good thing that he and Eliza was been a friend of the duke and asked them to be the health consultant of his daughter. So there's no other way that Kino may interfere her business to their business.

Eliza bestowed him a benevolent look taking the hint that she also knew what troubles Jeanne. The nurse just hand him a smile indicating that everything would be all right.

"Jeanne, just follow what your heart dictates you to do. If you really want to be a friend of Lady Anna and Master Lyserg then go for it. If there's a force trying to oppose you, try to defeat it. Just listen on what your heart says to you and then everything will conspire on you." The motto for the day delivered by Eliza.

"But…Ms. Eliza, I'm just…I'm just," she lowered her head, "I'M JUST A MAID!!! A SERVANT TO LADY ANNA!!!" she cried out.

Then they became quiet…

…silence…

……………

……………

Lady Anna had already stood up before Jeanne realized that she's on her side. She placed her hand on her shoulder and moved her to face her. Then…

WHAPAKK!!!

She slapped Jeanne straight to her face. Everyone inside the room was stunned on the duke's daughter's action. Eliza covered her mouth. Faust's eyes had widened. And Lyserg was shocked from his feet.

"Did I ever treat you like a maid, huh, Jeanne? You do it to yourself when all I want was you to become my friend. Every time I asked you to call me 'Anna' you just keep on insisting to call me 'Lady Anna'. And now, there's another one offering you that same friendship and you still refused it…what's wrong with you?!?!" Anna yelled angrily at her.

Jeanne's silver hair shadowed her face. She was still shocked from being slapped. She slowly moved back her head and touched her reddened cheek as she feels the pain on it. She received a grave hand from Anna that made her tears unleashed from her eyes.

Lady Anna watched as tears rain on her maid's face. She suddenly felt guilty from slapping her. But she mustn't be affected from what she saw. She had already seen several maids that wept before her. And all of them were lamenting in front of her beseeching not to be fired as her personal maid. On the contrary, she hated people begging in front of her.

But Jeanne wasn't begging her right now. She was crying because she slapped her. She had hurt her favorite maid. Lady Anna's cold face was about to alleviate but Lyserg had made the first move.

"Jeanne, don't cry. She just wanted you to wake up from your insanity." He hushed." Here take my hankie. It's hard for me to see a lady crying in front of me," he handed her his handkerchief, " it's so unmanly for me to not console you."

"But Master Lyserg, I can't use that. It's yours," she refused.

But Lyserg persuaded her, "You can use it anyway, or perhaps, just stop from crying and just gave us your sweet smile."

Tears stopped falling from her face and Jeanne looked at Lyserg's angelic face, "Master Lyserg" she softly whispered.

Lady Anna was taken aback from the moment Lyserg offered his comfort to Jeanne. "This…this scene…so familiar…" she suddenly remembered "It was almost the same set-up as to what happened to me from that party…" she looked at the two before her while Jeanne accepted Lyserg's hankie to dry her tears away. And Lyserg gave her, Jeanne, some words to console her to lessen the pain…and Jeanne smiled at him. "S-she smiled? NO, this can't be!! I didn't smile at him!! (The boy in the party) NO!!…huh! Did I—did I compared myself to Jeanne? NO!! I DON'T WANT TO BE COMPARED!!" she clenched her both fists and bowed her head so that no one would notice her sudden change. She felt something heavy inside her. And she doesn't want to burst it right now…not yet. But she can't control it.

Faust saw Lady Anna's sudden change of emotion; she became quiet. Although she had hidden her face to show that nothing happened inside her, he could sensed that something troubles her…and it would gonna explode if he didn't do something.

Eliza stood up and offered to bring some cold drinks to lessen the intensity going on in the room. She asked Jeanne to not to worry about what happened and remain in the room to settle the things needed to be settle and she walked out.

Faust still continued to study the other 3 who remained inside. Jeanne was now having a sprightly talk to Lyserg. As Lyserg almost forgot that he's here for his cousin. Faust need to say something before Anna let out even a single word.

Faust tried to stand on his seat but Anna had made the first move. She looked at Faust knowing that he'll do something that'll upset her. Faust saw the heinous look of Anna that every recidivist will surely be afraid of. He gulped. "If her eyes could kill a person just by looking, I think I'm dead."

Faust tried to articulate, "Uhm, Anna…I—"

"Save your words Faust." She said it loud and very cynical.

Lyserg and Jeanne abruptly stared at Anna. Lyserg asked, "Anna?" he lessened their 4-feet gap.

"Stop where you are. Lyserg." She demanded, "Don't take any further step."

Jeanne pleaded her, "Lady Anna, I know you're mad at me but don't get teed off to Master Lyserg. And you're right, it's my entire fault, there's no one to be blamed except me."

"If you think that cuff makes you think that I'm mad at you, you're wrong. I just want you to know that I don't understand you Jeanne." That's all she said and went out of her room.

"Gee, a slap doesn't mean that she's mad at Jeanne but to know that she's just concern with her. How about if she's indisputably tetchy? I think she's going to kill someone without thinking twice!" Lyserg told himself.

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Eliza was on her way back to the room carrying a tray when out of the blue, Lady Anna appeared in front of her at the corner of the corridor. Lady Anna almost crashed on her but Eliza had managed to balance herself and saved the tray from falling. "Lady Anna!" she called her but she kept on running. She just shrugged on her shoulder, "I hope Faust did nothing to upset her." and went to the others.

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Anna kept on running and turned to every bent she saw. And slowed down when she felt that her knees could no longer carry her. She stopped. She still had her fists clenched. She didn't know exactly why she felt so absurd about the situation and instinctively, she walked out.

She remained quiet but she still deems the heavy feeling inside her. She took a deep breath and sighed. And tried to make her heartbeat returned to its normal pace…and relaxed herself.

She walked a little until she reached a T-intersection. The ones facing her leads to a two-way door while on her right led to the study room. A sudden rush came to her. She sauntered to the door and touched the designs curved on it. "I can't believe we met again." She murmured. She clasped the latch and turned it.

The door unleashed the room she used to dwell when she was a child. She walked inside it and looked around and realized that nothing had changed since she left it. Then memories came back on her as if a silhouette comes alive as her younger form scanning some pages on a book that she wanted her nana to read to her. She smiled on that reminiscence. But easily erased when she remembered her nana's sudden death. Anna moved her head forcefully to obliterate the sad memories in her thought.

The room was dusky so she walked on to the drapery on the window, grasped the cord and pulled it. Light spreads across the room as the tapestry was pushed aside. She looked at her partially lighted room and sighed.

"…why?…" she felt that her knees could no longer support her. So she gathered some strength from the couch facing the window. The thought of thinking of what had happened earlier gave her the feeling of longing…longing for what? Or for…whom?

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"So that's the main reason why you keep away your friendship from Anna." Lyserg confirmed.

Jeanne just already confessed the reason why she tried to dodge Lady Anna's friendship. That it is not his or her duty to befriend anyone in the heir. And Faust and Eliza backed it up.

They were already half of their drinks when Lyserg stood up, "Too bad Jeanne, you can't keep away your friendship on me." He added.

"Are you going to find Lady Anna?" Eliza asked.

"Yes, I need to talk to her to end this problem," he answered back, "But I don't know if I can find her that easily especially on this kind of house."

"Don't worry, Master Lyserg." Jeanne stood besides him, "I'll help you to find Lady Anna."

"Right, help her Jeanne. Find Anna, as well as give him a tour to this mansion." Faust suggested.

Jeanne smiled, "Don't worry Mr. Faust, I won't let him get lost."

"So, Jeanne and I will leave you now." Lyserg declared and walked to the door. Jeanne followed.

"Wait!" Eliza immediately said, "I last her on the curve before the kitchen."

"Thanks for the tip, Eliza." He thanked her and went to search for Anna.

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Several minutes had passed and still they didn't see Anna. "Where in earth is my cousin?!" he asked inadvertently.

The maid answered him, "She's just around here…somewhere. I'm sure."

"Yeah…you said it." He said when they turn on the curve.

…silence…

Lyserg broke the serenity, "Jeanne, since when do you start to work here?" he asked.

Jeanne immediately answered, "It's been 3 year now, Master Lyserg."

"Lyserg, Jeanne, Ly-serg." He corrected.

"Sorry, I'm not accustomed to call my employer on their first name only. Master—"

"JEANNE…" he accentuated on her name.

She remained quiet instead of giving him a reply. Jeanne didn't know what to say or what to do. Will she follow Lyserg or not?

Master Lyserg knew that it's hard for Jeanne to follow his instruction. From what Anna said earlier, Jeanne didn't obey her on her order to call her 'Anna' instead of ' Lady Anna'. If Jeanne didn't adhere to Anna, how about him?

After sometimes…

The maid asked the master, "Uhm…can I ask you something?"

"Yeah…what is it?"

"Why it took you loads of years before you paid a visit to Lady Anna?" she stared at him.

Lyserg paused for a while……then sighed." It's because that's what she asked me to do."

And this time Jeanne was stocked up," She asked for it? How come?" she was intrigued.

"She said it to me the first time we've met." He started.

"How come you've met? I heard that Lady Anna had locked herself here for more than 10 years?" she quizzically looked at him.

"You see before she cloistered herself here in this mansion, things are far more better than what's happening now. She usually hanged up with her kid friends who also belong in the peerage but when her nanny died she stopped meeting them and become a loner inside this mansion…" he narrated.

"But where's the part that you 2 met?" she urged him.

"Ok, Ok. I've met her on the birthday party of Nichrome's, the son of the Marquis of Dreuxscheld. She's so thin by that time due to apathy that no one bothers to come near her…"

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FLASHBACK…

A six-year-old Lyserg was walking hand in hand with his 12-year-old brother, Marco, as they entered the hall of the Marquis of Dreuxscheld. The hall was full of lights! Everyone's beautiful with her gowns and his tuxedoes. The excitement was in the air that he feels like making friends with them. This party was his first time to attend to because he was born with a weak body. But now, he can do whatever he wanted to do. He pulled his brother's hand, "Can I make friends with them?" he asked as his eyes glittered with excitement.

Marco smiled, "Of course, you may."

"Hurray!!!" he let go of his brother's hand and ran a bit. "If you find Meene, just gave her my greeting. Ok?"

"Ok." Marco assured him.

And Lyserg disappeared. Marco remained for a moment then saw his uncle with her only daughter. He walked towards them.

"Good evening, uncle!" Marco greeted as he ceased them. "Good evening Anna."

Little Anna hold tight to his father's shirt and hide on his back.

"Anna come here," her father placed her on his side, "This is your cousin, Marco. Say hi to him."

But little Anna was so reticent that it took her several seconds to greet him. "H-hi."

"Hello!" Marco replied.

"Marco, where's your brother, Lyserg?" the duke of Le de Woux asked.

"He's just around here somewhere, uncle." He answered back. "Hey, Anna do you remember me?" little Anna winced," No? Can be. You're still as small as this the last time we've met." He used his hand to estimate her height the last time." Too bad Lyserg can't come with me at that time because his body can't withhold the distance of the travel between Le de Woux and Westerchasieux."

"So how's your brother now, Marco?" the duke questioned.

Marco looked at his uncle smiling, "He's fine now uncle. The doctor, Faust, said that he's far now from being unwell. He can even do whatever he wants."

"That's good to hear. I just called up Faust to come to Le de Woux Manor to take care for my daughter's health. He's an excellent doctor." Anna's father stated.

Little Anna pulled his father shirt to get his attention. "Let's go." She said coyly.

"Excuse us, Marco." The duke said with classiness but with supremacy. Marco bowed as he gave way to the duke and to Anna.

And then a yellow haired girl came running towards him. "Marco!!" she waved.

"Meene!"

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Meanwhile Lyserg was now with his new friends: Morphine and Ashil.

"Wow!! This party really rocks!!" Little Ashil shouted. "I'll tell mom and dad that I want to have a party as rock as this!!"

"Yeah!! You go tell them and invite us in!!!" Morphine exclaimed.

"Hey guys!! Let's go over there!!!" Lyserg points over the ice cream mascot giving free ice creams.

"Wow Ice cream!!! I love Ice Cream!!!!" Morphine cried out.

And they immediately made their way to the ice cream mascot. As they hasty their pace, they pass to a crowd eyeing someone on the middle. But they don't mind to take a peek on who's the ill-fated one to be mischief by the haughty children on their rank. But he was taken a chance to see who's in the middle when they pass on an unfilled side of the crowd. On what he saw was a brunette boy genuflecting in front of a girl with a golden hair while placing her shoe back to her foot. The boy was wearing an elegant garb yet so simple in the eye. And the girl was…was…" Hey!" His view was blocked.

"Lyserg, hurry!!! The ice cream!!! We need to push our way in into the ice cream mascot!!!!" Ashil yelled at him.

"There are lots of children coming!!!" backed by Morphine. Lyserg ran towards them and went to the Ice Cream Mascot.

After they ate their ice creams, Lyserg excused himself to look for his brother. Minutes had passed and decided to go outside the hall.

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Little Anna was sitting on the wooden bench watching the ants marched their way in into the tiny aperture of the earth. Her mind was blank now and she didn't know why. She would no longer step in inside because she felt vulnerable to other children. She stared at the hankie on her hand.

"Hey there!!!" someone called her at the back.

She looked back to see a boy with a green hair. She stood up and moved away.

"Hey wait!" he seized her hand to stop her.

"Hands off me!" she demanded.

Lyserg instantly moved off his hand on her and she immediately walked away from him. "I-I'm sorry…I didn't mean to affront you. I just want to ask if you saw my brother—"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" she almost sprint only to get rid of his existence.

Lyserg tried to walk with her, "Hey I said I'm sorry. I just want to know if you saw my brother Marco. "

Anna stopped, "Will you stop following me! I don't care if you're lost or your brother is lost. I am not a child locator!!!"

"Yeah, you're right. You're not a child locator. I should've guessed that you know no one in this party even the celebrant." And Lyserg swift off from that place.

Lyserg left her without knowing that she was his cousin.

"Hi! Lyserg!" Meene greeted as he arrived.

"Meene!" he bear hugged the older girl, "Why didn't you even visit me when you arrived?" he tucked himself to her.

"I just arrived last night kiddo!!" she messed his green hair.

"Have you seen my brother?" He asked her.

"He's just searching around here looking for Anna"

"Anna who?"

"Your cousin"

"Ah…"

After a moment of talking, they laid their eyes on Marco with another girl. "Wasn't she the girl…" Lyserg tried to remember. And they turn up in front of them.

Marco called his brother, "Lyserg." And he introduced the girl with a golden hair, "This is Anna, our cousin."

Lyserg was taken aback. "So you are my cousin." He looked at her. Anna just remained her coldness.

"She's our cousin from our father's side. She's the daughter of the duke of Le de Woux, our uncle." Marco gives further details about her.

"Oh, really? I heard news about that uncle of ours very well, but about his daughter I heard none. Why was that? Do you usually kept yourself inside your home for at least 24 hours a day or 7x a week? I just wanna know" he smirked "…hey! Can I visit you sometimes? I wanna go to other places and—"

Anna moved towards him and stopped, "Lyserg, there's one thing that I want you to do" a voice so cold and freaky.

Lyserg winced a little, not sure whether he should answer her back or not but decided to. "Yeah, sure! Name it and I'll do it." He said, still with doubt in answering.

"Don't visit me." Her eyes were hostile and were sure that whoever looked at her will enormously comply with her.

Then Anna left them. She left Lyserg uneasy.

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PRESENT…

"And that's the last time I saw her until now." Lyserg finished off his story.

Jeanne persists to keep on asking, "What made you think to visit her now?"

"As what I've said earlier, I'm just here to be with my cousin…" he moaned and turned on the corner.

As they turned, they saw an open 2-way door. Then they both smiled.

"I guess I'll leave you here, Master Lyserg." Jeanne declared and before Lyserg utters a word she's gone.

The duke's nephew moved his head and sighed, "I'm on my own now…" he walked to the door. "Time to deal with the awaiting war."

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Lady Anna was staring outside the closed window. Her mind was blank and her thoughts couldn't entertain her. She felt so lonely and restless. She realized that her world was in black and white and she knew why. She had known in Le de Woux as a loner with no friends at all. Her people wanted to see her but she often refused to be seen. That's why they named her as the Ice Queen. As if she couldn't feel any emotions and act towards other people in a harsh way. She sighed on the thought of that. Harsh way? And where did they get that idea? There were only two persons on earth that she had laid a hand on and one of them was Jeanne. She sighed again…

"And that's the second one." A voice from her back.

"What made you come here, cousin of mine?" she smirked without bothering to look back on her seat.

Lyserg drew near her, "I'm here to lighten up the mood of my hardheaded cousin." He stood at the back of her chair and placed his arms on the headrest.

She rested her head on her hand that was leaning on the armrest, "I'm in no mood to talk to you, cousin Lyserg."

"Ok. I'll just wait for you to spend your time with me. Nonetheless, just listen for awhile while I spend my time with you." He placed his weight on his arms causing the couch to move a little. But Anna didn't mind it. Then he also looked outside the closed casement. "Why don't we open the window?" He unlocked the window and fresh air filled the room, "That's better." He went back to his prior position.

Then a clamor of tranquility had passed…

"It's so quiet here Anna. Don't you feel any tediousness?" he paused. "…it's so lonely here as if there's no people subsist…only you…you got your employees, your people, but…they don't talk to you…they avoid you…"

Lady Anna remained aloof.

"And you locked yourself here so that no one sees you…but why? To avoid their scrutinizing eyes? To avoid their bad interpretations about you or…to avoid make a mistake so that they won't judge you?"

Anna sat steadily on her seat; her hands now were on her lap having a tight grasp.

"On the other hand, why think of others on what they think about you? Who are they anyway? Are they the one who spend their money for you to live? Do they take care of you? Stop being so insecure and envious of people who don't worth your time! For God's sake Anna wake up!!!"

Lady Anna could no longer hold her patience to her cousin and decided to throw up a fray. She stood up causing Lyserg to break his balance," You know Lyserg, it's easy for you to say those things 'coz you don't experience any of it even a bit!!!" She bickered at him.

Lyserg smiled, "Now you're talking."

"Lyserg, " she pointed a finger on him, " You know nothing about me so would you mind your own business!"

"Anna, my business is your business. That's why I'm here. And I know what you feel being alone in this house for years." He looked at her eloquently.

Anna placed her both hands on her hips, "Don't you dare stared at me like that!!! I don't need your sympathy, Lyserg!!! I can live here even I'm alone!!!"

"But don't you feel any longing of happiness? The longing of companionship? You're missing the bliss of life while you're locking yourself here. Don't feel it? Don't you hear it? The world is calling you…" he showed his affection to her, "Please Anna…life is short. I don't want yours to be wasted."

Lady Anna looked at her cousin. She saw in his eyes the genuine thoughtfulness that she didn't see in others. "Why be so compassionate to me? Don't you feel any hatred on what I'd said on you? Why heed so much for me? I can't figure out what's on your mind…" her eyes were questioning. Eyes that said many words but too much for the mouth to speak. Her voice was shaken, trying to say something to raze her cousin's buoyancy but…

"Why?" A word that asked all the questions that she demanded an answer.

"'Coz I care Anna…I care for my hardheaded cousin." He smiled at her. A smile that erased all the lines on her forehead…

The coldness of her face had melted…

The mask had already fallen…

The light of hope had strengthened its light…

A new spirit has been reborn…

Lyserg knew that he changed Anna…he smiled at her and pulled out his hand, "Hi! I'm Lyserg, your cousin from your father's side. Nice to see you."

Anna was touched from her cousin's gesture. There's something inside her that was delighted She gave her a smile. How many times did he pulled out is hand for me? And still he wants me to accept it.

She reached his hand and grasped it, "Hi Lyserg! Welcome to my home."

The war is over…

WwWwWwWwWwWw

A/N: Ei sorry for the late, late update!!! (Bowed on her knees) Anyways, here it is!!! (Hands the new chapz) Whew!!! This one's kinda long, actually this should've been 2 chapters but I made it into one. So that Yoh and the others may arrive soon…if u reviews. Gee!! A big thanks to all who submitted their review!!! Arigato Gozaimasu!!! I really appreciate it!!!

A/N: Hmm…the pairing…I had already revealed about the maid and the master and I think you already sensed that it's Jeanne and Lyserg since chap2. Don't worry Yoh and Ren fans out there; they will come out soon. Just tell me if this story is leading you nowhere, if the story bores you, annoys you due to lack of Yoh, Ren, HoroHoro; pleased you…or whatever. Just click that little box down there and review. :-)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Shaman King…wish I could. But I own this complicated fanfic of mine.