Me: -changes rating on this story to M-
Friend: M?! That's your first M-rated story! You sick person!
Me: .......
Actually I don't really care, lol. I figured Meine Liebe deserved a more serious story. And yeah... dealing with more mature themes. And so long as the Nazis at campus aren't overly Nazi and don't find this fic I won't get kicked out, so hah. Hah. ... Yesss.
So I will be posting maybe a bit faster on this story. But we'll see. Tests and midterms are coming up already. -flails unhappily- If only I had Lui's brilliant mind...
Enough of my blathering. :D But thanks to those of you that are reading! Hurray!
Chapter Three
Tea was sombre, without much conversation. There wasn't much to be done about that - there was no topic to have a light chat about, not today... probably not for awhile. But being with Orpherus's parents was somewhat comforting, though painful, to Eduard. He felt as though they didn't blame him for what had happened to their son. He would disagree with them, but it was nice to feel like he was being forgiven.
"Why are you three here?" the Fürst suddenly asked. "You should be at school."
"The Headmaster dismissed school," Camus said quietly. "He sent all the students home."
"It would be easier that way," Naoji added. "That way..."
Orpherus wouldn't be noticed missing. Eduard felt himself twitch. Surely the Headmaster had heard about what the situation had been like not too long ago, when Ludwig had been in a compromising position. Ludwig's escape had been too conspicuous, and campus had been in a tense, tearful state. This was better... all the students, having been excused a day after the kidnapping, for which Eduard had been the only witness, would never know what had happened.
There was a knock at the door, and the butler entered with a bow.
"Master, Mistress, you have a visitor."
"Please allow him in," said the Fürst.
The elderly man opened the door, and in strode a taller, darkly man with a regal bearing. Eduard almost jerked to his feet as Ludwig stopped not too far away and bowed deeply.
"Fürst and Fürstin Görz, I am Ludwig of the Liechtenstein Court."
"Herzog Liechtenstein's son?" Orpherus's parents stood. "We are pleased to make your acquaintance. What may we do for you?"
Ludwig straightened up now, and the three students stared as he said, "I have come bearing the help of the Liechtenstein and of the Royal Court in searching for your son Orpherus."
They looked stunned - Eduard, Naoji, and Camus felt just the same. Ludwig continued in the wake of their silence, "After hearing of Orpherus being taken captive I went home in order to speak with my father about what should be done. Gaining audience with the King, I spoke with him as well. The Court decided that this atrocity cannot be overlooked, and will use their power in order to find him and punish whatever power has had hand in this. Through me, you will have access to the power of the Liechtenstein household in order to assist at any time. I also bear with me an invite to the Palace in order to speak directly with His Majesty about what should be done."
"Lui," Naoji said, voice hoarse.
"Lord Ludwig, we are deeply in your debt," Fürst Görz said weakly, bowing low to him.
A flicker in those eyes. "Not at all. Orpherus is my dearest companion. I will do everything in my power to bring him home safely."
~.oOOo.~
It was late, and Orpherus's parents had graciously allowed for the four of them to stay the night. Eduard knocked at Ludwig's door and was rewarded with, "Enter." Biting his lip, the dark boy pushed the door open and entered the room. As the door clicked shut again, violet eyes flicked up.
"What do you want, Eduard?"
"What are you up to?" Eduard challenged.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Going off on your own... is this another ploy you're pulling in order to elevate yourself and your family?"
"You were the one that said I owed Orpherus." Ludwig's tone was disapproving. "And now you try to read too much into the help I offer in order to repay his kindness and concern. I alerted His Majesty to the crisis that has risen its head and swallowed Orpherus as an appetizer. Should I have stood around and cried like the rest of you?"
Eduard hated Ludwig sometimes. His words were always true, but his tone always made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He couldn't take that condescending colour he painted with his words. He glowered.
"Why not tell us you were going to help?"
"Are you sure you're just not the only one that didn't know? I don't see Naoji and Camus in here trying to accuse me of unworthy motives."
"And what you said about Orphe, being your most precious companion..."
Ludwig looked calmly up at Eduard for a long time before he said, just as coolly, "Do you take issue with me saying that?"
He didn't know how to respond. Ludwig turned back to his book.
"I must have Orpherus return. Without Orpherus, I go nowhere. That is all there is to it."
"Lui... if you want to bring him back because you're worried about him, it's fine to just say so," Eduard said quietly after a bit of a pause. He thought he saw those eyes flicker again, but Ludwig still didn't reply. Slowly, Eduard turned and left, shutting the door silently.
For a few moments, he stood outside the door, gripping his aching shoulder. The pressure added a bit of relief, so he kept it on there. It hurt, to feel like he had to suspect Ludwig, but the elder had proven on several occasions he acted in his own interest. Eduard wanted to know what self-centred reason he had to pull the royal court into this... and for Orpherus, whom he was bitter rivals with, no less!
He couldn't think about it right now. With a sigh, he pushed off from the door and went back down the hall.
~.oOOo.~
The four students remained at the Görz mansion when Orpherus's parents left to go to audience with the King. They were gathered in a sitting room, tensely quiet. Eduard was stiff, still worrying about Orpherus. Where exactly had he been taken? Was he still in Kuchen somewhere, or had the abductors gone mainland?
"Lui," Camus tried tentatively. Eduard's gaze turned to the young Duke, who was calmly reading as always. "Do you know something we don't? About Orphe?"
"What do you know?"
"Only that he's been taken for ransom."
"It's from a foreign power, obviously," Naoji added, "but there are so many attempting to gain alliance with Kuchen that it's hard to guess."
"Given the fact that they could apparently speak clearly to us, and judging from the tone in the ransom letter sent to the Royal Court..." Ludwig raised his gaze for a moment. "I would say Deutschland."
A long, horrified silence. Eduard tried to speak for a few moments before his voice would come.
"But... they..."
"I see you understand the gravity of Orpherus's situation." There was that strange light in his deep violet eyes again. "Yes, Deutschland is rapidly gaining power in Europa. Kuchen, so far, has managed to escape its political influence. How some military officers managed to sneak into the country and get intimate details on the students in a government academy is something beyond my understanding. But, they got their hands on very good bait, politically speaking. Orpherus, who is the very embodiment of their ideal human being, can serve more than simple ransom purpose for them."
"They'll... Orphe..."
"Since this doesn't allow much time, I decided it was best to let His Majesty know the details on the situation." Ludwig's gaze turned to Eduard. "Knowing Orpherus as I do, no matter what value he places on life, he places higher value on his loyalty to the country."
Eduard felt very weak. "Lui..."
"Deutschland's values are fearsome. I wish for Orpherus to return in one piece and in shape to continue being my opponent." A bit of a pause. "What do you think, Eduard?"
He couldn't speak. He felt himself swaying on his feet. Just what had he let Orpherus pass into?
"Should I still help?" Ludwig continued.
"Lui..." It was a plead. "You wouldn't abandon him to that... just because..."
"As I said, Orpherus must return. For that, I will stake everything in order to bring him back." Ludwig's eyes were boring painfully into him now. "Can you accept that?"
Without the royal court involved, there was no hope. And Ludwig certainly was right... he knew Orpherus well enough to realize that Orpherus's loyalties were strong enough that he would cut off any reason for Kuchen to enter negotiations with another country if it was within his power, no matter what the cost. If Orpherus died... Eduard's stomach clenched so painfully he almost crumbled.
"Don't give out," came Ludwig's voice now. Through his haze, Eduard stared into that calm, collected face. "If you give up, it's over. It hurts to know the truth. It's difficult. But if you cannot push forward with all your strength, you let down more than just yourself."
How could his words slice so coldly through Eduard? But he needed that guidance. Glancing at Camus and Naoji, their faces reflected his inner feelings. Slowly, he nodded.
"I want to do everything I can... to bring him back. To bring him home," Eduard said shakily.
He thought he saw a smile flit across Ludwig's face briefly, but it was gone within an instant. Silence settled back into the room, and Eduard found himself staring out the window across the mansion grounds now. Knowing, with good evidence, who might have taken Orpherus served to lend more tension to the still quiet tightening the air.
It had been almost a week now. It made him feel uptight, to think that they hadn't heard any news of a student found abroad or anything of the sort. And, if it were indeed Deutschland that had him... Ludwig's implications hung heavily in the air. The ransom letter assuring that Orpherus would be well-kept was nothing but a lie.
Eduard suddenly noticed something as he caught Ludwig's reflection in the glass. He observed it quietly for a few moments before he confirmed it. Ludwig wasn't reading. Instead, his eyes were fixated on one spot on the page, gazing right through it.
A smile twitched at the corner of Eduard's mouth at that, even as his panic at the sight increased. If Ludwig was worried... this was indeed a grave situation.