So we're back with Saya and Diva. Please enjoy this chapter even if I made it in a dreadful hurry.


Chapter VIII

Guest

"I'll just be going out for a little fresh air," Saya told Diva and Nathan, finding no other thing else to do inside the house. Nathan was busy reading a book. Diva was 'playing' was playing with her toys. Amshel and Solomon were at another private room.

"Where is onee-chan going?" Diva asked as she ripped the head of a doll off.

"I'm just outside," Saya replied, holding the doorknob.

"You won't leave?" Diva asked curiously.

"No, of course not," Saya said with a smile.

"You better not."

-ns-

Saya was enjoying the view outside. Countless stars dotted the night sky. She breathe in the cool, fresh air as she listened to the toads and crickets. It gave her a sense of peace and refreshed her mind.

Sudden movement from the nearby alarmed Saya. A large red stake headed unexpectedly for her. Before she could even think of what to do, her body automatically took action. She was able to dodge the stake as it flew past her, inches from her head.

"Bravo," a familiar voice said. She heard someone clapping.

"Phantom," Saya said to herself, recognizing the voice at once. She stared hard at the darkness before her. From the gloomy shadows, Karl appeared. His right arm was in its chiropteran form, bulging with enormous muscles. From his hand, a large red stake protruded, similar to the one which was directed at her moments ago.

"It's a shame you were able to dodge it," Karl said, advancing toward her without hesitation.

Saya stepped back, never taking her eyes from the chevalier. "What are you doing here?"

"Why, I came to check if the news is true."

"What news?"

"Your decision to join Diva instead of going against her, of course," Karl answered. The stake at his hand lengthened dangerously. Saya stared hard at it.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Karl asked, noticing the alarm in Saya's eyes as she looked at his grotesque arm. "I finally have another arm to replace the one you took away from me."

"I don't regret taking your arm at all," Saya returned.

"Really now?" Karl's features grew fierce. "Maybe I should make you go through the same experience so you could understand me." He raised his chiropteran arm, directing it at her. Immediately, the stake shot out of his hand, heading for her.

Saya dodged it easily. "I haven't done anything to you! I took your arm away, yes. But it was your fault. Besides, I'm with Diva now. There's no more reason for us to fight."

"No reason to fight?" Karl repeated and laughed. "I will not put my past behind me. You may have joined my queen's side, but that gives me no reason for not killing you."

"I have no intention of fighting against you," Saya said dryly. She stood up straight instead of bracing herself from any more possible attacks from Karl to prove her point.

"Will you not at least dance with me to commemorate my arrival?" Karl asked.

"I've had enough celebrations with Diva," Saya stated.

A vein throbbed on Karl's temple. "My sweetest Saya, I order you to dance with me!"

"Stop this nonsense!" Saya said.

Karl ignored her cries and shot more of his spikes at her. Each spike was actually crystallized blood from his arm, forming into sharp, dangerous weapons. Saya was able to miss most of them. But two were able to create long, deep scratched across her shoulder and leg. Saya grimaced.

"That's it, Saya! Continue to dance!" Karl said in excitement. Within moments, he was before her, holding her close to him.

"Stay away from me!" Saya struggled to break free from his grasp. But her constant struggles hardly even mattered to the chevalier.

"Won't you be mine, sweetest Saya?" Karl asked, his mouth close to her ear.

"No!" Saya struggled more violently. "Let go of me!" she yelled in indignation and disgust.

"That's quite enough, Karl," a voice said calmly.

Karl spun around to see Solomon a little way ahead of him.

"It has been long before I have seen you again," Karl said with a smile.

"Solomon! Tell him to let go of me!" Saya struggled to say.

"You heard what our queen has said," Solomon told Karl. "Let go of her." Something glinted in his eyes.

"And if I won't?" Karl challenged.

"You'll be answering to me," another voice, haughty and full of authority, joined in. Diva was standing beside Solomon. Amshel and Nathan were there as well.

"My, almost everyone is here to see me," Karl said.

"Karl, let go of Saya now. Only I am to do what I want with her so you could get your filthy hands of my onee-chan," Diva said nonchalantly.

"Of course, my queen." Karl obediently broke Saya from his grasp.

Saya fell on her knees. She grasped her shoulder. The wound had already healed.

"Onee-chan, did he hurt you?" Diva asked.

"No…I'm okay." Saya weakly got to her feet. Solomon assisted her.

"Karl, what brings you here?" Amshel inquired grimly.

"I came to pay a visit to both my queens," Karl answered.

The frown on Amshel's face remained. Nathan smirked.

"Come now, the both of you," Nathan said, ushering the two siblings inside. Only Solomon, Amshel and Karl were left outside.

-ns-

"Your arrival was not expected," Amshel stated dryly.

"I intended it to be so," Karl replied.

"You have other duties in Vietnam, do you not?"

"I do. But I have to see Diva once in a while. After all, it is she who serves as my inspiration."

Amshel's eyes narrowed dangerously at Karl. "I do hope you be aware of your place among us brothers. Otherwise, I would have to make you remember myself."

Karl was taken aback. He bit his lip in frustration. "I told you, I only came here to see Diva."

"Does Diva even want to see you?" Amshel shot back dryly, though he still retained his composure.

"Whether she does not want to see me or not is hers alone to decide. But I for my part shall see her whenever I wish. I am her chevalier and I feel it is a duty for me to check on her welfare once in a while."

"She is doing quite well, as you have seen. Especially now that Saya has joined her and serves her willingly. Will that knowledge suffice?"

"It will not."

"I suggest you return now to your duties back to where you belong."

"My true duties are to protect Diva and where my queen is, that too, is where I belong."

"Okay, you two. It is best that we enter the house for now," Solomon said calmly, trying to settle the heated argument which was arising quickly between the two. "We've had enough matters to deal with. Let's not trouble ourselves any further."

Amshel cast Karl a sharp glance before entering the house. Karl watched him as her entered the house.

"Come now, Karl. You've just arrived. Causing any more problems wouldn't lighten our situation, don't you think?"

"No. It wouldn't," Kai answered plainly.

"Good." Solomon smiled warmly. "Let's get inside then."

-ns-

"That's what onee-chan gets for leaving me inside the house," Diva said as Saya took her clothes off in their room to change into new ones.

"I was even hardly five meters away from the doorstep," Saya answered.

"Even so. You still left me inside nonetheless," Diva replied.

"Why is 'he' here anyway?" Saya asked, shifting topics.

"How should I know?"

"You don't even know he was coming?"

"Obviously not," Diva answered. "I don't care about him anyway."

Saya was surprised. "You…don't care?"

Diva faced her, bored and not seeming the bit bothered. "I don't. Does it bother you?"

"No…it's just…"

"Or are you suddenly interested in him?"

"Yes…" Saya answered absentmindedly. She thought of the question for a moment. "Wait. What?"

"So onee-chan likes Karl?" Diva said in amusement.

"I do not!"

"But you just said you did."

"Because I wasn't even thinking of what you asked!"

"Liar," Diva teased.

"Am not!" Saya said angrily.

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too!" Diva sang.

"Oh for goodness' sake…" Saya rubbed her temples.

"What, you finally give up and admit you like him?"

"No." Saya folded the clothes she had discarded. "Why in the world would I fall in love with a creep like him? And he even tried to kill me when we just met a while ago."

"That's his way of saying 'hi'," Diva stated matter-of-factly.

"I wouldn't like to live with someone with that manner of greeting."

"Well, whatever. You could have him. He's so boring anyway," Diva said. She laid herself back into the pillows.

"I'm turning off the lights," Saya said.

"Whatever."

The lights flicked off. Only the lampshade was left on to provided small light. Saya got unto the bed beside Diva. The blanket felt cool against her skin. Beside her, Diva giggled.

"What's so funny now?" Saya inquired.

"Nothing."

"Good, because you know, I really feel like slee—" She was unable to continue because a pillow unexpectedly covered her face. "Hey!"

"Got you!" Diva said playfully.

"Diva," Saya removed the pillow from her face. "I'm tired an—" Another pillow, bigger than the previous one, landed on her face before she could finish her sentence.

"Okay, that's it." Saya removed the pillow from her face and sat up. "You want a fight, eh? Then I'll—" Another pillow met with her face. Diva burst into cruel laughter.

"You're such a loser!" Diva cried between laughs.

"'Loser' you say?" Saya was holding the biggest pillow in the bed. "Let's see who's the loser now." Diva flung another pillow at her, but Saya was able to dodge it. She watched the pillow land beside her. "Ha! Missed me!" The moment she glanced back at Diva, another pillow hit her directly in the face.

"Okay. That is so it." Saya removed the pillow. "Come here!"

"Eeek! No!"

"You little imp!" Saya lunged at her. She tickled her at the sides, one of the most vulnerable parts of Diva that she had discovered. Both girls wrestled with each other like little kids. But Diva proved stronger and it was Saya who was soon pinned to the bed, 'suffering' from Diva's tickling.

"Okay! I—" Saya was unable to breathe properly because of her laughter. "I yield!"

"What? I didn't hear you." Diva tickled Saya further.

"I—I give up! I swear!"

"I can't hear you!" Diva sang.

"You win!"

"Good." Diva stopped her tickling.

Saya was gasping for breath. "'Attacking' first wasn't such a good idea…"

"Of course it wasn't," Diva interrupted.

"Oh brother. This is so unfair," Saya muttered.

"On second thought," Diva continued. "I should like to continue my tickling. I wasn't done having my fun yet."

"I didn't even say anything!" Saya protested.

"I'm tired now. It's boring when I get tired." Diva settled comfortably in the bed.

"Look at the mess we've created," Saya said.

"Who cares?"

"I was just saying."

They remained silent for a while.

"Diva…?"

"What?"

"Karl…he intends to kill me or do something to me. I could already see it in his eyes."

Diva easily understood Saya's fear. "Don't worry," she assured. Her comforting made Saya feel uneasy all the more for it was unusual for Diva to provide comfort. "Only I could do so to you when I feel like it. None of them would dare touch you."

"…what?"

"Forget what I said. Let's just sleep for now. And don't bother me anymore."

"Okay."

The two fell asleep not any sooner.

-ns-

"How could you be so sure that Saya is on Diva's side?" Karl asked.

"She has stayed with Diva long enough to prove her true intentions," Solomon replied. The two were having a light drinking of wine.

"I still don't find that truly convincing."

"What part is not convincing to you?" Solomon asked.

"Everything."

"Really now?" Solomon smiled.

"What's so funny?" Karl was frowning.

"Nothing. It's just that you do seem to believe in something which had already proven itself."

"What are you trying to imply?"

"I wasn't trying to imply anything."

"So what's so funny there?"

"There you go again." Solomon chuckled.

"Please stop it."

"I will." Instantly, Solomon was serious again, though a small smile remained on his lips.

A few minutes later, Amshel joined them. However, there was an obvious distance between him and Karl.

"Seriously…" Solomon sighed.

"How have are things with the experiments I have assigned you?" Amshel asked Karl.

"They have gone as planned," Karl answered dutifully.

"They would very well be useful for the following concerts we have arranged for Diva," Solomon remarked.

"My, my. I am so tired of waiting this long," a voice complained dramatically. All turned to see Nathan leaning back on the sofa.

"Where have you been?" Amshel asked.

"I just went to check on the two," Nathan answered casually.

"How are they?"

"Doing fine as they usually are," Nathan said. "They're asleep…though I just wonder why their mattress is in quite a mess."

"They probably had a game again," Solomon sighed.

"As expected," Nathan agreed.

"Everyone seems to be at ease with Saya," Karl stated dryly. Everyone turned their attention to him.

"Why shouldn't we?" Nathan asked nonchalantly.

"Saya is an enemy, in fact, the one and only reason why we exist. In any moment, she can harm our queen without our knowing," Karl continued. Solomon sighed.

"Why bring that up now?" Nathan asked.

"Because things can change easily."

"Saya is incapable of such actions," Amshel stated. "Even when she still has those intentions running through her mind, it is far too impossible for her to execute such schemes. Diva can protect herself."

"What have you been feeding Saya?"

"She receives the same nourishment Diva does."

"And so I go to this point: with you giving her blood on daily basis, you would increase her capabilities as a queen, therefore making her a more dangerous threat to Diva. If Saya realizes this, she will soon be going against every one of us."

"That may be so," Solomon agreed. "But with five of us brothers, including our very own queen, it will not be difficult to defeat her or put a stop to whatever plans she has."

"There's the Red Shield," Karl pointed out.

"The Red Shield is but a small struggling group of humans. They hardly would be threat," Nathan said.

"What makes you so sure that they are irrelevant?" Karl argued.

"Karl, you don't have to be so serious," Solomon said mildly.

"And why not?" Karl returned.

"Tell me, Karl," Amshel began. "Why do you bring up this matter?"

"Because I am concerned."

"Concerned?" Amshel raised an eyebrow. "For who exactly?"

"For Diva of course."

"'For Diva', you say." Amshel rubbed his chin.

"Is there anything wrong with being concerned for my queen?"

"You are not the only one whose concern is on Diva," Amshel said dryly. "How about I ask you this: what exactly is your motive for bringing up this kind of matter?"

"I want to protect Diva!" Karl snarled.

"We all understand your hatred toward Saya," Amshel said. "But that gives you no reason to kill her."

"I never even mentioned Saya!"

"No, you did not," Amshel agreed. "But in any case, you were trying to stress not Diva's safety, but Saya herself, deliberately making us think that she would be a threat, which I acknowledge she really is. You were trying to point out that something be done to her and you did so to make it seem like it is your duty alone to execute punishment."

Karl was rendered speechless.

"So predictable…" Nathan sighed nonchalantly.

"Saya deserves to be punished!" Karl suddenly burst out in desperation. "Was it not my duty to punish her?"

"It was, once. But that is no more." Amshel stood up.

"Do you plan to leave so soon?" Solomon inquired.

"I shall make arrangements for our departure to London," Amshel said.

"Finally, a new place we could stay in," Nathan said, slumping into his seat.

"You would be wise to head back to your other duties as soon as possible," Amshel said as he turned to leave.

"I have things under control," Karl replied.

"Things should better be." Amshel said. Before he left, he said telepathically to Karl, "You would not dare create trouble when I'm gone. Especially to Saya."

"Do you care so much for Saya?" Karl shot back.

"No. It is a mere duty. For Diva's sake, she shall be protected."

A slight smile danced on Karl's lips. "So you too think that she is a threat."

"Only foolish people would view her as a true ally."

"Does that include Diva?"

"No. Diva views Saya differently. Her standpoint is very much different from us chevaliers."

"If Saya starts to become rebellious, what will you do?"

"Then I will give you the permission of killing her when the needs be. But I remind you that you are only to do so when Saya really does intend to harm Diva. If she does nothing, then don't try to do anything foolish as well."

"I will not. You have my word."

"Very well. I shall leave everything to you."

Amshel disappeared after a few minutes.

"Such a busy, busy man," Nathan mused.

"Indeed…which reminds me." Solomon stood up. "I have to go and check on something."

"Go wherever you wish to go," Nathan said, picking up a book beside him.

"Karl, I expect you to observe restraint," Solomon said mildly to Karl. Karl merely grunted as a response.

"Don't worry," Nathan assured. "I'll watch over him and see to it that he'll be a good boy."

"I'm not some child you could order around," Karl growled.

"I entrust him to you." Solomon was gone within moments.

Silence took over the area.

"I hear you have another arm to replace your lost one," Nathan said as he read from the book.

"Yes."

"A Schiff's hand, eh? How cute."

"Don't insult me."

"I wasn't insulting you," Nathan replied. "I was busy reading this book if you must know."

-ns-

Saya was resting her hand on Diva's hair while Diva herself clung to Saya's waist. Both were still sleeping soundly. While the two lay peacefully in bed, Nathan and Karl were watching over them in silence.

"Look at them. Aren't they the most beautiful beings ever to exist in this world?"

"Indeed." Karl studied the two queens, though he was concentrating more on Saya. "The most beautiful beings…" he repeated in awe and wonder.

"Our perfect goddesses," Nathan said, throwing Karl a glance of amusement. "We are fortunate to hold such an honorable duty to protect them."

"No human can find the same happiness. Only we chevaliers can have that one joy."

"That is why we exist. We exist to protect them….and not to harm them, am I correct?"

Karl gave Nathan a piercing look. Nathan did stress a certain part in his sentence and it was obvious that he was trying to say something.

"I was just saying," Nathan said with a relaxed shrug. "No offense intended."

"No offense taken," Karl retorted.

-ns-

Saya's eyes opened slowly. She yawned and rubbed one eye, looking around sleepily. Her eyes fell on Nathan and she did not seem to mind. But when she finally saw Karl standing next to him, she froze.

"Good morning, my queen," Nathan greeted cheerily.

"Good…morning, Nathan," Saya said, finally seeming to recover from her surprise. She was obviously disturbed by Karl's presence, considering the events that had occurred between her and him the previous night.

"Was our presence the cause of your awakening?" Nathan asked.

A small smile lit Saya's sullen features. "No. I woke up on my own."

"Should we leave you?"

"I don't mind." Saya sat up slowly, waking up the younger queen. "Oh, I'm sorry for waking you up, Diva," she apologized.

"Onee-chan?" Diva yawned drowsily.

"Yes?"

Diva leaned on her. "I'm hungry..."

"We shall fetch your meals right away," Nathan said dutifully.

"Please do," Saya said, smiling apologetically. From the corner of her eye, she saw Karl giving her a hard, angered look. The look made her feel uneasy, but she hid her feelings before anyone else could notice.

-ns-

"He's making me feel uneasy," Saya told Diva as they sat side-by-side on the sofa in the living room.

"He wouldn't dare harm you," Diva replied.

"You think so?"

"Trust me. I'd kill him myself if he would lay a single finger on you." She rested her head on Saya's shoulder. "But are you sure you don't want him? He can be a bit exciting at times."

"Just what do you mean by that?" Saya asked, surprised by the term 'exciting' that Diva had used to describe him.

Diva giggled maliciously. "Why don't you see for yourself rather than asking me those senseless questions?"

"Because he seems to merely be threatening my life," Saya answered flatly.

"That's the way he is," Diva replied. "I don't see anything wrong with him. It's all normal to me."

"'Normal'?" Saya repeated. "You call that normal? His ways are twisted to what I see is now perverted."

"That is his way of expressing his feelings," Diva stated.

"How can you say that?"

Diva giggled again, one which made the hairs on the back of Saya's neck stand up. "I just know."

"You know," Saya began. "I'm not sure if it's just me, but you sometimes just scare me." She was daring enough to say those words.

Diva laughed harshly. She hugged Saya around the waist.

"Did I say something funny?" Saya asked curiously.

"No. Otherwise, I would have killed you."

"Oh."

Just as the two were about to get into another conversation, Karl and Nathan had brought in two young girls. Diva licked her lips and stood up. "This is going to be a wonderful meal," she said. She turned to Saya. "It's a 'bon appétit' for you, onee-chan. I'm giving you the younger one because she's tastier."

"Uh…sure," Saya could only say. She stood up as well.


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