Chapter Four: Baron's New Home
Haru squeezed Baron one more time before placing the book back in its place.
"You're actually free to do just about anything you want around here. Within reason, of course." She wheeled closer to the window, and showed him a small door flap underneath the windowpane. "This is so that you can get out and do your business whenever you want." She pointed at the small bed next to hers.
"That was supposed to be Yuki's bed, but she hardly ever slept in it. She liked my bed better. You're free to sleep wherever you choose, but I think I better get rid of all the bows on the little bed, for appearances if nothing else." She hadn't checked the gender of her cat, but she was certain that he was a boy, with those intense eyes and deep voice. And she liked him far too much to invade his privacy like that.
"Meow," Baron said softly, licking her cheek again. She rubbed her face against his soft fur before wheeling over to the comfortable chair.
"Could you get off my lap for a second?"
Baron did so, and watched her grab two of the polished ropes hanging from her ceiling. She was wearing sleeves, but he could tell from the way she hugged him that her arms were strong. Making a slight grunting noise, Haru used the ropes to pull herself from her moving chair. Her feet fell off the place where they had been in the chair, and dragged uselessly until Haru could sit herself comfortably into the chair, using the ropes in a fashion similar to a monkey with branches. Sighing a bit, she reached down and rearranged her legs in a more comfortable fashion. The slim brunette suddenly looked up, noticing how her cat was looking at her. He looked so concerned for her… She smiled softly at him again.
"Try not to worry about my legs, Baron. I don't. If I did, I'd go insane." Stretching her arms a bit, she took the folder on the table, and opened it up.
Mrs. Reeves…5 yards… ocean breeze
Duke of Hashil…10 yards…angel's breath
Lady von Gikkingen…3 yards… rose's beauty
Lieutenant Kashi…1 foot… lover's knot
Haru groaned.
"Thank heaven I told Hashi no more than four orders at a time. This will take me a few weeks."
Baron hopped onto her lap while she reached to the side of her and pulled out a book filled with handwritten lace patterns, possibly her own designs. He read the list gravely while his mistress sifted through the pages.
"I better do the ten yards for the duke first, so that the others seem faster. Thank heaven I only do trimmings; this would take me forever if I did cloth." Having found the right page, she propped the book up on the little table, and grabbed a needle and ball of thread from her vast collection. Baron leaned comfortably into her stomach as he watched her hands start performing strange feats with the thread between them. Wielding her little crocheting needle like a weapon, Haru's fingers started dancing, faster and faster. A surprisingly little bit of beautiful lace trimming started falling from her fingers as the ball of thread danced around the floor of her room, releasing more thread as it rolled.
Baron looked up at Haru's face, surprised that she wasn't paying attention to what her fingers were doing. Obviously being familiar with the pattern, her eyes were out the window, watching Toto and Muta duel again. Apparently their feuds were so common that no one around the manor paid attention to them anymore. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he pressed one paw a little harder on Haru's lap, to see if he could feel anything wrong with her legs. No, they felt like regular legs. Baron looked at his new mistress, wondering why she couldn't walk. What could have happened to this wonderful young woman?
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Hashi grinned as he looked over this month's figures. Not only had he been able to pay off a few debts, but he could put a little money away in case of an emergency later.
It was all thanks to Haru.
He sighed as he leaned back in his chair, thinking about the past few years. When she had first offered to let him sell her lace when he went to town, he had put his foot down firmly. But she had been right; the bills piling up were mostly her fault, and it was her duty to help him get out of the hole he and their parents had dug on her behalf. That her work was good, and that people were willing to pay good money for it, had been a godsend. He just wished he could do more for his sister, who was so willing to sacrifice what she could for him.
The door swung open slightly, making him look up. No one was there. Puzzled, he stood up in order to close the door, to see the little cat that he had given Haru. Blinking, the young landlord looked over at the clock and laughed a little.
"Let me guess; you're giving Haru some privacy so she can get ready for bed?"
The cat nodded and meowed. Grinning, the man leaned down and picked up the feline.
"It takes her about half an hour to finish up, or so she says. I don't mind a little company until then." He sat back onto his chair, petting the cat gently. "Thank you for making my sister so happy. She doesn't ask for much, even when I expect her to, so I hate to disappoint her." The man sighed, looking at the figures in front of him. The cat on his lap placed his front paws on the desk, and studied the papers like he understood what they meant. He looked at the man, a question in his eyes. Hashi shifted uncomfortably.
"Believe me, I'd rather not have my sister work, but we kind of depend on her. The king's taxes are heavy, and our people are struggling enough without having me dump more of the burden on them. Sometimes, the tax collector sends a letter from the king to Haru, telling her to make a couple yards of lace for the tax. Apparently the queen and three princesses love her work." He sighed. "I'm scared that someday, the tax collector will come and collect Haru. Or worse; she'll be taken advantage of by someone who doesn't appreciate what a great girl she is. I know its standard procedure for me to be overprotective of her, but with her legs, I need to be." His eyes glazed over, remembering the days when Haru jumped and ran; a smile always on her face.
"Sometimes, I wonder if an angel made her legs stop working, so that she could help with the bills. She didn't get interested in making lace until after… whatever it was happened. None of the doctors could find anything wrong with her legs, but Haru's not a good enough liar to be faking it." He locked eyes with the cat and smiled sadly.
"When her legs still worked, she was a wonderful dancer. She wanted to study dance and go traveling the world. She wanted to see new places. The best I can give her are picture books and diaries of explorers. I'd take her to the city with me, when I do business, but she knows that it would be too expensive to take her along. She hates being a bother to anyone. I don't know what I did right to get her for a little sister, but I'm glad that she is. Life wouldn't be the same without her."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Baron approached the tiny door flap next to the bigger door, and meowed as loud as he could.
"Yes, Baron. It's safe."
He grinned; glad that his mistress could understand him to an extent. He pushed through and ran up to her bed. It was a little easier to hop onto the bed, since it was a bit lower so that Haru could get herself into and out of it. She was wearing a modest white nightgown, and was up to her chin in blankets. He padded up to her pillow, and licked her cheek before curling up next to her.
"I wish you could understand me, Miss Haru. I have many questions, ones that I doubt I'll find the answer to without asking them directly."
Haru yawned before turning to blow out the candle, her eyes becoming droopy with sleep.
"I wish I still thought I could talk with cats. I bet you'd have a lot to say."