A/N (Author's Note):
Me: Yo! Miss me? Guess not. Well it doesn't matter what matters to me right now is that you people are reading my fanfic! *throwing confetti* Ahem… anyways I don't want to hold you guys too long so special guest lead the way~
Allen: Thick-faced mistress, aren't you suppose to say something more important? *suddenly pop-up with the smoke*
Me: *gasp* W-why are you here? You aren't supposed to be here. You're not my special guest, but you are special to me~ ohohoho~ anyway, so what's up?
Allen: I'm telling you, you need to say something important since you just appeared back here again leaving this baby on Hiatus.
Me: Oh right! *nervously laughs* So guys sorry for a very very very late update. Why? Well to be blunt I don't have any noble reason such as busy on studies (I don't do that) or writer's block but for the sole reason of being lazy. Yes. I was lazy so sorry! Oh! And I like to add… Thank you for your reviews Fruitloop-chan, lolitathegoddessorca860, DianasLilleMus, KillerAkuma and lastly, who made me pull me back in writing TheSaphireExcorcist14. You guys really made my day! And so I shall introduce the special guest! Take it away ~
Lenalee: *clears throats*
Disclaimer:
The ever great mistress of this fanfic will never own -man even if she makes a deal with the Earl in exchange for handing the Heart or even if she joins hands with the Aphocryphos and defeat the Noah instead, after all they all belong to the ever and eternally great author Hoshino Katsura-sama
oOo In Another Life oOo
Chapter Six
Cinderella: Part Two
The silence continue to stretch until they heard a cough by the door making the four figure turn to the elderly man whose height not taller than a ten year old child. Looking down at the elderly man Lavi was the first to utter a word.
"Pan – "
Smack!
"Ouch!" clutching his injured head he glared at the elderly man who just huffs in annoyance. "If ever I became dumb you're the one to blame." He mumbles.
"Well who told you to leave the library when your studies is more important than anything else?" the elderly man pointed it out to him.
"Bookman." Ellen greeted after she break through her trance. "Good morning."
"Ah, good morning as well Miss Walker. It's good to see you well after your sudden disappearance. Cross was frantically looking for you last night."
"What?" the three of the occupants, Anita, Lavi, Mahoja stared dumbfounded at Bookman as he suddenly announce to them about Cross' concerns as if the elderly Bookman had grown two heads and a pig-tail hair ties.
"Yes, Cross is very worried. He suddenly barge inside the inn we are staying demanding Miss Walker's whereabouts."
"Uncle is capable of doing that?"
"Well he might appear an arrogant bastard but I know that your uncle Miss Walker is like a father when it comes to your well-being."
"When the world rains gold." Ellen deadpans and turns her back heading for the kitchen. Keeping their silence they hear Ellen calls back to them. "Will be tea enough to your likings?" she asks to them.
"Yes." They answers in unison nodding their heads despite the fact Ellen can't see them.
"Anyway Ellen dear, about the invitation."
"I'll look into it. And if it's a bad news then I don't have much of a choice but to pack my things and ditch this place. But if it's just in good-will then I'll be staying continuing this kind of life." Ellen answers back as another clatter can be heard in the kitchen. "I don't have much here is green tea alright?"
"Anything will do Miss Walker." Bookman answers this time. "If you are curios Miss Walker I just saw Cross in Jerry's tavern when I was looking for this stupid rabbit."
"And probably adding up another pile of debt." Lavi mumbles still rubbing his head.
"I'll deal with him." Ellen said as she walks out of the kitchen carrying the tray with teas for her guest. "If I need to I will drag him back here after all we have so many things to discuss." She smile at them but her smile seems to be a bit darker than her usual ones making all of the occupants gulp down. "So please rest assure everyone and let's have a calming tea." She lays the tray in the middle of the table that stands in the centre of the room. And seated herself in one of the single couches as she takes a good sip of tea.
oOo
Staring out in the window the young Lord Tykki Mikk heaved another sigh as he crumple and throw the piece of paper into the bin. Taking another piece he began to write down something.
"That's like the tenth time you sigh Tykki. ~"
"You're counting…" he mumbled uninterested.
"Well since I have so many free time I decided to watch over you." She paused licking her large lollipop. "Besides, daddy wants you to stay till the perfect moment." She added. "So~ what were you writing anyway?"
"I believe I don't have the obligation to tell you Road." He crumpled another paper as he threw it, again, in the bin.
"Aw ~" she pouted and walk around to Tykki to see what he have been working on. "Arara ~ is that what I think it is?" she laughs when he glares at her.
"Laugh all you want Road but I am serious right now."
"Y-You're making a…" she giggles as tears begins to form in the corner of her eyes. "s-sui… suicidal note!" she burst at laughing. "Oh sh*t this is so funny, I can't believe you're writing it down." She continues to laugh.
"Laugh it out Road. You'll need it."
"So ~ are you going to run away?" she carefully asks.
"What's the purpose of making a note if I weren't?" he said as he scribbles some more then nodding to his self in approval.
"I see~" she said in a sing-a-song as she slowly turns her back towards the door. "I'm leaving now Tykki." She bid.
"It's uncle to you Road." He absently mumbles as the door in his room softly clicks. Sighing to himself, he squared his shoulders when he remembers something. He can't let Road leave the room or else –
"Tykki!" slamming the door open he saw his older brother with ropes, side by side with the earl himself with at least ten soldiers in the back. Ready to pounce on him in any movement.
"Ah~ Tykki-pon," he sniffs; yeah right, as if that is true, Tykki thought before he heard the Earl added. "You can't just disappear in the face the earth leaving a suicidal note behind." He sniffed again. "What good will it gives, making us believes that you died, instead of running away." This time he sneezed.
"Because that will make the acceptance easier?" he quietly answer, well more of asks as he slowly move back step by step towards the open window.
"Tykki! A life with the woman you love is the most blissful event of a man can have! Why! Argh!" he gasps in pain before crying.
"Now, now Sheryl, do not cry I know that Tykki-pon has a very valid reason." The Earl comforted the younger man.
"No, no…" he continues to sob. "Ty-tykki will not." he breathes in. "Understands… so, so, I will make him –" and in that short span moment Tykki thought that maybe the Gods hated him and gave him this kind of brother, who wants everything he wants to be done. Tied up in the chair Tykki heave the longest sigh in his life when he saw the triumph in Sheryl's face, the Earl's never ending smile and lastly Road's laughing face.
And in that moment Tykki wished to be born in a normal family. After all having an obsessive brother and a niece who is secretly a sadist, is not normal. Then to sum it all up, there is the earl who just tolerates the craziness of the family. Well, maybe, just maybe, craziness indeed runs in the family.
oOo
When night falls Ellen couldn't put words to what she is feeling right at this moment. Taking a walk around the small living room she can feel the tension building bit by bit. Rubbing her sweating palms on her dress. Ellen can't put a finger what was making her very nervous. It's like that something is going to happen that could change her life. Was it Cross' fault? His womanizing and debt collecting hobbies? Is she about to face the consequences for cheating in playing of cards? Or is this just one of those days when her life is about to end? Her timid pace turns to frantic one as she walks back and forth making Anita shut her eyes as she becomes dizzy from just looking at the young woman.
"Ellen you should stop doing that." She pleads at her.
"Doing what?" she asks but still keeping up her pace.
"That!"
"What?"
"You, walking back and forth! You're making me woozy." Anita shakes her head to keep her head from getting dizzy.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She stops but this time she rubs her foot against the other as she leans on the waist-height wooden cabinet. "It's just that I don't know what to do if this, this so called invitation is just simply a party to enjoy! I mean this is my uncle we're talking about! Who knows what he had done to create a mess! Then leaving me to deal with them!" she clutch her head as she thinks the horror of facing those debt collectors.
"I think Cross will not do that too far." Anita said, and then she dips her head to her palms cradling them as she thinks over the words she just said. "No wait, I-I think that it's possible." She mumbles, completely horrified of the idea.
In the midst of their self-imagining about how far Cross can take his debt and womanizing in a different levels, sends chills down to their spine. The mere thought does not only terrified them but also it made them want to be dead than spending their lives with the man in question. Then the door suddenly burst open and came marching is the man, who was loved by every women, hated by the debt collectors and wanted by lovers for taking their women, is the one and only Cross Marian. Boots tapping against the wooden floor he roves his squinting red eyes to the two desperate women who are lost in their thoughts. Annoyed to be ignored he made a grunting sound snapping young Ellen from her thoughts. Almost crashing against the older man. Ellen dash towards him as she clutches the collar of his expensive white shirt, as an angry nerve pop in his temples.
"Uncle! Please tell me you're not going and we'll just run away!" she pleaded, urgency evident in her eyes.
"What the hell are you talking about you brat?!" he tried to pry her off his precious shirt but to his dismay her grip was stronger.
"Don't worry we'll move to another town and turn into a new leaf." She assured him, which of course he did not need.
"Get your hands off me!" he grunts as he tried again but failed.
"Uncle please listen to me. There are times that we have to leave things behind no matter how unfinished they are. So you don't have to worry. After all I'll just secretly, bit by bit pay all of your debts." She convince him but more to herself. "After all having the Earl after our behinds is not a good sign. Usually it means our heads!" her grips stronger than before almost choking Cross as she made her point.
"What the f*ck you talking… about. I… do not have… a problem with the… pork… pork-chop." After hearing his words Ellen immediately let go of his collar making Cross breathes in a large gulp of air.
"You, you mean this invitation is just as it is?" she carefully asks.
"Of course you filthy brat!" he spat at her but she ignore it as her face lights up. "The pork-chop's probably wanted to talk about going back to his army." He added.
"Oh thank heavens! You are not bad after all uncle!" she brightly smiled at him then swipe off the beading sweat in her forehead. "Whew, I thought that something is about to happen."
"Well probably." He mumbles.
"Did you say something?"
"Did I?" he asks back raising his brows.
"Never mind." She relieve a sigh. "So are you going with Miss Anita?" she asks curiously as the woman in mention looked as relief as her.
"Oh! Well if you are going to invite me Cross, pardon me but I can't." she simply said as the two occupants in the room turn their heads at her.
"Why not?" Cross asks but not in his usual bark or smart remarks.
"Well my mother is sick so I have to see to her. I just came here when I heard that Ellen here was missing."
"If that is what you want." He shrugs but before he turns to Ellen. "And you brat! What the hell are you thinking disappearing like that?!"
"And who the hell is at fault here?!" she snap at him. "If you did not know my dear Uncle. Some two bulky men hired to hunt you down decided to get hold of me because of your debts!"
"Why would they try to take you? I will still not pay them even if you are kidnaped by them." He casually states as if what he said is just the most logical thing in the world.
"Exactly! And because of that I got lost in the woods!"
"Why head to the woods? You know that when it comes to direction you sucked at it."
"Right." She paused before shaking her head. "No! that's not the point in here!"
"Do you need a lift in going home?" Cross asks to Anita, completely ignoring the raging Ellen.
"No thank you. Mahoja is with me, so I will be fine." She smiles then stands up from the couch as she walk towards the door where a carriage was already waiting. "I'll visit again sometimes." She gave a soft peck in Cross left cheek then turn towards Ellen who was turning red in rage. "Ellen, please look after this responsible uncle of yours while I am away."
"Yes Miss Anita."
"Well then, I shall bid you adieu." She waves at them before getting into the carriage then gone.
"Sometimes uncle, I do not understand why would you cheat on Miss Anita like that. And to top it all off she even knew that you are womanizing behind her back."
"Anita is a strong woman Ellen. Filthy acts will not deter her and also there is nothing she should get jealous off. She clearly knew that she is the only woman who can tolerate me."
"Confident aren't we?"
"Well let's put that matter aside. We have to talk about something that needs more attention."
"Really? And what would that be?"
"You will be coming as my date."
"Excuse me?" she turn her head towards him almost snapping it off its position.
"Get dress we will be going." He walk off towards his room.
"No! Wait uncle! It's already late how can we go there now?! And also I do not have a ball go – Mmpf!" taking the clothe out of her face when cross just throw it to her, she stared down at the ball gown in her arms.
"Wear that." He simply said before disappearing in his room to change.
Me: And that's a cut! *wipes of imaginary sweat* gosh I can't believe I hang this chapter like that! After disappearing for a long time I only gave you this! This! New chapter! xD
But seriously guys. I'm so sorry that I have gone too long. But despite of my absence I hope that you haven't forgotten this baby.
Adan: You can't blame them if they stop reading. It's your fault for being lazy.
Me: *please insert stabbing effects here* Urgh, you aren't supposed to say that Adan. I am your mistress, how could you! *runs off*
Adan: *sigh* Despite of how stupid she acts. Please leave a review and hope that you like this chapter.
Me: *from faraway place* Waaaaah~
Adan: Great, now she starts crying. Anyway see you next issue and thank you for continuing your support. *gently smiles*
Airen: *from the same faraway place* Adan! What's wrong with her?!