Willow
Chapter 4

'The Voyage'


The sea breeze was cool and soothing as it ghosted across Len's face. The day was warm, and the sun beat down on him uncomfortably, turning his blonde hair almost gold. However, the wind that gently teased through his hair and across his skin was comforting, providing some relief from the heat. It was even hotter inside the ship, without the spray of the sea to calm feverish skin.

Although Len had never been on a journey by boat this long before, he had heard the horror stories about what could happen. Everybody had. There were tales, swapped between sailors and seafarers and gossiping crowds on the harbor, about people who went almost insane during the long journeys across the ocean. They were cramped up in confined quarters- and soon, as the days melted into weeks, being on the sea no longer felt like a fantasy, or a break from the rigors of daily life. The sea became a prison.

Some men who had carved out livings by being sailors were quite mad by now.

Luckily for Len, he- being one of Rillianne's prized servants- had his own cabin to himself. It was smaller and less extravagant than the quarters Rin's older, more esteemed ministers slept in, but it suited Len fine. Accommodation on boats was a greater privilege than servants deserved. Indeed, Len had heard many of Rin's ministers muttering about it under their breath and giving Len dark looks. It made Len feel a bit uncomfortable, but he knew he was- for the most part- safe. It was no secret that Len was Rillianne's close confidant, perhaps the one person she spoke to the most, and anybody who would dare to make an attempt on Len's life would have find themselves crushed under Rillianne's heels, into the dirt.

...Well, at least Len was safe from the cruelties of man. Sadly, Rin's blatant favoritism did not extend to protecting Len from seasickness, claustrophobia, bad weather and a lack of food- but Len tried to push those concerns to one side.

Len had never been comfortable in small, enclosed spaces. He wasn't sure why. It was a silly fear but it was one he'd never been able to shake, not even when he grew up. A boat was his idea of a nightmare, and the mere thought of being cramped in his quarters whilst the ship was tossed about on an unseen tide was enough to make him feel nauseous. That was why Len was so thankful he had his own cabin, despite the displeasure of Rin's governors. He wouldn't have been able to stomach sleeping in the hot, putrid, crowded conditions the sailors slept in.

At least he felt a little better stood on the deck.

As for food shortages and weather problems, well... The journey to the kingdom of Marlon was not so great- only three weeks. That was, as a passing sailor had informed Len, not very long at all.

"S'not like the time it takes tah ge' tah t'other side of Archane. If yah can't stomach a journey like this, yeh not much of a man," the sailor had said, smirking at Len. Two of his front teeth were missing, which made the smirk all the more unpleasant.

Len had never really come into contact with the 'working class' before. He'd witnessed the desperate poverty of those too poor to clothe and feed themselves and he'd seen the extravagant balls and parties attended by beautiful women and rich men. However, Len had never seen men like these sailors before, who were able to support themselves with the income they earned from working.

There was nothing soft or vulnerable about these men, as there was about the stick-thin, skinny beggars. Instead, they look rough and violent, their bodies marked with years upon years of hard labor. They made Len feel very young and childish. Len's hands had never done anything more strenuous than cleaning or making brioche. They were unmarked and elegant, almost dainty- especially when compared to the hands of these sailors, bulbous in parts and marked with numerous scars and blisters.

There was much about the world Len didn't understand. That much was painfully obvious.

Len was isolated from Rin's governors because of his lowly status as a butler and isolated from the sailors because of his higher class. Neither group wanted anything to do with him- and, indeed, they both seemed to find the notion a butler like Len would be involved in marriage negotiations laughable.

Len sighed, letting the wind brush against his flushed cheeks. He was used to being the odd-one out. He was Rillianne's confidant, but he was a mere servant. The kingdom of Lucifenia- indeed, all the kingdoms that encompassed the realm of Archane- held class as the basis of society. However, Len didn't fit into any tier of the social hierarchy in particular.

Len wasn't so poor he had to work skin-to-the-bone for a living, but he wasn't so rich he could sit in a castle and attend lavish parties. He was a servant, but Rin's favor of him elevated him into a non-existent class slightly higher than that. Although Rin accepted Len nobody else did, and it was Rin's acceptance that made Len feel so awkward in most situations.

Maybe there wasn't a place for somebody like him at all.

...Well.

That was a nice, cheery thought.

Staring down at the blue sea, Len marveled at how the ship cut through the waves. It had only been three days since they set sail, and already the shore of Lucifenia had dissolved into something less than a thin, green line in the distance. Len's fingernails dug into his palm, trying to calm his racing thoughts.

It would be fine.

Even so, Len couldn't stop his useless, overwrought mind from pondering.

Why had Rin insisted he, of all people, accompanied her governors to the Kingdom of Marlon? Len's status was far too lowly for him to be involved in any pressing affairs of state. His opinion counted for less than the songs of sparrows. Len knew he would be ignored. Surely the nobles at the Kingdom of Marlon would find the words of a servant as meaningless as the Rin's ministers did.

But, deep down, Len knew the real reason why Rin had sent him to the Kingdom of Marlon.

It was because Rin didn't trust any of her ministers.

Not at all.

Rin wanted Len to spy on her ministers and report back to her if they showed any signs of rebellion or treason.

Rin had never told Len to be a spy in any official words, but Len was sure it was the truth. So, too, were Rillianne's ministers. That was probably why they regarded Len with such distrust. They must have felt affronted that their Princess would use a lowly butler as a spy. Weren't servants, traditionally, the untrustworthy ones? But Rin's faith in Len was proof she valued Len more highly than her governors- wise men that made decisions on how the kingdom was run, whilst all Len did was cook and clean. It must have been a significant blow to their pride.

Maybe they'll try and smother me in my sleep, Len mused. They could throw my body off the side of the ship and say it was an accident.

I wouldn't really blame them.

I-

"Hey!~ What're you lookin' so grumpy about, Mister?"

It would be an under-exaggeration to say Len jumped. His whole body shuddered as though he'd been stung by a poisonous jellyfish. Whirling around, his fingers simultaneously finding the side of the ship for support (despite his previous train of thought Len didn't really want to fall off head-first into the sea), Len's half-lidded eyes widened.

He stared.

His sight was immediately assaulted by an onslaught of bright sunlight (ow! Ow ow ow!) and a shock of red hair.

"Did I surprise you?~" asked the vision in red cheerfully, linking her (it was definitely a girl's voice) arms behind her back and leaning forwards. "I'm sorry, ehehe~ I guess I can be a little over-enthusiastic with my greetings sometimes. Silly me~"

Len blinked furiously, trying to dispel the white spots of sunlight from the corners of his vision. When he could finally see again, the blurry mess of red before him cleared into something that actually resembled a real human being, and not a mess of distorted color.

It was a young girl- though that much had been obvious by her voice. If Len had to guess, he would have said she was about fourteen or fifteen, approximately his age. Her bright red hair was tied up into two twin drills and she wore a wide smile on her face.

Len swore he'd seen her before, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The girl was looking at Len with an intensity that suggested she knew him, though.

"Well?~" the red-head wheedled, still smiling. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"It's bad luck for women to be on boats, isn't it?" said Len. He spoke without any input from his brain; a bad habit Len had when he was panicked.

Immediately after he spoke, Len winced. He must've sounded like a rude, overly-superstitious chauvinist. Len had only been echoing the words he'd heard from a few sailors at the harbor before they departed.

The harbor had been crowded with people waving the ship off; wives and children, some crying, some celebrating. It had been like a strange festival scene, almost. Not everybody appreciated the sentiments of the families who were left behind, though.

A sailor had scoffed the crowd and said, under his breath, "Yeh, yeh. It's bad luck for women to be near ships, innit? If yeh really wanted us back in one piece yeh'd go back to sweepin' the floors- leave this to the men."

Len had wondered, at the time, what Rin would say if she heard people saying such things about women. Most likely she would have flown into a rage and signed the sailor's death warrant faster than blinking- which was almost funny to think about, actually.

The red-head only laughed at Len's comment, however.

"Hehe~ I've already been getting a whole bunch of dirty looks. I didn't think you would agree with that line of thought, though, Kagamine, given you're so buddy-buddy with Milady."

It was the use of the word 'Milady' that, suddenly, made something click in Len's mind. Of course he knew this girl! She was Kasane Teto, one of Rillianne's maids! When Teto wasn't wearing her usual maid's attire- instead, she was clad in a white chemise, kirtle (as was typical for lower class women) and a long red skirt- it was difficult to place a name to her face.

"...Kasane?"

"Yay~ You finally got it," said Teto, giggling, as she clapped her hands together. "Well done!"

A nearby peasant page, a boy younger than Len, glared up at Len and Teto. He had been scrubbing the floor, but his attention was seemingly diverted by the light-hearted laughter of a 'filthy woman'.

"...Oops," Teto said, giggling again at the harsh look the page gave her. "I guess, if the ship gets hit by a huge wave and we all die, you know who to blame, right? Maybe that's a good thing, eheh~"

"I don't honestly believe your mere presence could make the ship sink," said Len. "I... apologize for my earlier comment. I wasn't thinking. I hope I didn't offend you?"

"No offence taken~ I'm a fairly easy-going gal, in case you haven't noticed."

"Mm. That has come to my attention, actually. I've noticed that you spend more time with coughs and colds and various 'illnesses' than actually doing any work as a servant," said Len, smiling slightly.

"Oooh! Your words do wound me so, sir!" said Teto, clasping a hand to her chest as though she'd been stabbed. "Ahh, that's so mean! Too mean! I'm as busy as a bee, Kagamine!"

"A very lazy bee who's been shirking its responsibilities, maybe…"

Teto puffed her cheeks out like a bull frog's, before giving Len a light thump on the arm. "Urgh, you're so mean! I didn't realize it before, but behind those airs and graces you're horrible. I guess that's what happens if you spend too much time with Milady though, hehe..."

Len couldn't help but look over Teto's shoulder as the girl spoke. Her red twin drills (how on earth did she manage to style them like that?) fluttered in the breeze, occasionally obscuring Len's vision, but the butler could plainly see the peasant page was still glaring at Teto's back.

"It looks as if you have a new admirer."

Teto only laughed. "I think they have a right to kind of sort of hate me. Being but a dainty flower, it's not like I can contribute to keeping this ship, um... ship-shape. S'not my job so I don't help out, and then they get annoyed that they have to do all the work. Hehe."

"Mm. That is, most likely, one of the reasons why they don't like me, either."

"Well, let us turn our back on this cruel world for a while then," said Teto brightly.

"That sounds like a fantastic idea."

Teto took hold of Len's arm and turned him round. The pair were soon free from the venomous gaze of the various sailors and the young page. Instead, their eyes were met with a vast expanse of blue, blameless sea. It undulated in waves, at times appearing almost bottle-green, whilst the foam that formed behind the moving ship was frothy and white. The sunlight glinted across the ever-shifting surface, creating something that looked more beautiful, and far more precious, than any of the clothes or jewels that the women had worn in the Elphegort ball.

Overhead, the sky was a similar blue, studded with lazily drifting clouds. A few birds flying past cawed, carried on the light breeze with their wings extended. It was like being trapped inside a scene from an idyllic painting. Len had to clench his fingers tightly against the wooden wall to reassure himself it wasn't a dream.

"Are you the only woman on the ship, Kasane?"

"Mm... I don't think so."

"I haven't seen any others… Come to think of it, I hadn't seen you until just now, either, and we've been onboard three days."

"The fair lady folk don't usually venture above deck. I think maybe a few of the sailors' wives are on board, and one of Milady's ministers, um... the chubby one?"

"Ferrer."

"Yeah, him. He brought his family with him. But, y'know the attitudes of some of these people- not to name names," said Teto, grinning wickedly. "They think the presence of women will sink their ships or something, so us girls have to remain out of sight. They don't mind too much if they don't see us, I think…"

"And what about you? You don't seem to have any problems disturbing the status quo at the moment," said Len, laughing. "Did you have to wait a few days before you got the courage to come above deck?"

Len noted, with quickly growing hope, that it was easy to talk to Teto. She wasn't like Rin's ministers or the sailors. Len had been lamenting the fact he couldn't really converse with anybody owing to his class- but Teto didn't seem to care. If anything, she found Len's close relation to Rillianne funny. She didn't appear to be envious at all.

Why hadn't Len spoken to Teto like this before? It was… nice.

Comforting.

"Noo, that's not it! I would've come above deck earlier," said Teto indignantly, pouting. "S'just that I had to stay below in the cabin and take care of my stuuupid brother. He got seasick- can you believe it?- and was, like, throwing up everywhere. Not pretty. I had to help out. It was..." Teto pulled a face. "Yeuchhh."

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah. Ted. He's a moron. Buuut I love 'im," said Teto, grinning. "He's a blacksmith back in Hinia. I haven't seen him in a while, so it was nice to spend some brother-sister bonding time... Even if his head was in a chamber pot for most of it, ihihi~"

Hinia was the second largest town in Lucifenia. It was situated by the ocean, and was a busy market town where merchants returning on voyages from across the globe would see their exotic goods, such as silk and currants. Hinia was also situated within a four hours' walking distance from the capital of Lucifenia where Rillianne's palace was. Hinia was visible from the window of the top-most tower in Rillianne's quarters if you squinted your eyes and the weather was clear.

Len himself had journeyed to Hinia so he join the crew of the Victorious, the ship that was departing to the Kingdom of Marlon to engage in marriage negotiations between Rillianne and Kaito.

"I hope this doesn't sound rude," said Len, "but-"

"No, you can't feel my breasts."

Len's eyes widened comically at this. He stared at Teto in complete shock. A few choppy strands of blonde hair blew into Len's open mouth courtesy of the wind, but he didn't pause to wipe them away. It was very unbecoming behavior for a butler, but he couldn't stop himself.

"W-what? No, I-"

Teto soon dissolved into a fit of giggles, although she had tried (and failed) to keep a straight face.

"I was just joking, Kagamine! Geez, the look on your face... Hehe..." Teto sniggered, prodding Len in the cheek with one finger. "So funny! Hehehe!~"

"Y-you can't say things like that so casually... People might get the wrong idea," said Len, flushing, as he ducked his head.

"Aww, don't be like that," Teto cooed, patting him on the shoulder. "What did you want to ask? I promise I'll reply in a serious manner befitting for a maid of the much esteemed Rillianne Lucifenia d'Autriche, okay?"

"You don't need to be facetious," Len muttered- although he couldn't stop asmall smile from curling the corners of his mouth. "But... I suppose I'll ask my question anyway. Forgive my curiosity. Why are you and your brother onboard this ship, Kasane?"

"It's quite simple. You know that ships carry people to and from places, yeah?"

Len nodded. "I am aware of how transport works. You do not need to give me a definition."

"Well, this boat is going to the Kingdom of Marlon... Ted'n me are from Lucifenia, but we're on this ship now... Give it some thought. Do you have an answer?"

"Why are you going to the Kingdom of Marlon, though?" asked Len confusedly. "I wouldn't have thought a maid wouldn't be able to abandon her position at the drop of a hat."

"Ted and I were born in the Kingdom of Marlon," Teto explained, resting her elbows on the side of the ship. Although her voice was cheery as usual it had a strange, wistful quality to it. Len assumed she was reflecting on her past; a past she had left behind, and one she was now returning to.

…Len always had been quite poetic.

"Ted'n me only went to Lucifenia 'cause our parents died and we had a few relatives across the sea... But, deep down in my heart, I've always felt more at home in Marlon, I guess. Me and my big bro want to see if we can find any people back home who recognize us, and... well. We might not get another opportunity to go back. I've really missed my home- and Milady said it was alright…

"It's funny how that works, though, isn't it?" said Teto, more to herself than to Len. "No matter where life puts you, you always feel most at home in the place where your journey began... Or something. I'm not a philosopher, hehe~"

"No. You're not," Len agreed, looking down at the top of Teto's head. "But I think your words sounded very beautiful." He smiled. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

Teto smiled back at him. The sun lit up her hair, making it shimmer like some kind of halo; a stained glass image in the window of a church.

"You too, Kagamine. You too."


a/n: More setting and worldy-building stuff, but you get characters and dialogue now! I think this is the first real conversation in the whole fic thus far... XP
Next chapter- stuff happens :D First appearances of a few important characters.
Sorry for the slow moving romance. Romance is, like, pivotal to the whooleee plot, but there's a lot I need to do before I can get to it XD Like properly introducing Miku and Kaito… XD;

~renahhchen xoxo