Hey there, guys!
I'm sorry it took me this long to update, but, honestly, there's been many, many things going on, so I couldn't get to writing (and that makes me angry and sad, because I LOVE writing). This chapter probably won't be good enough, which I'm sorry for, but I did the best I could in my current state of mind. It isn't easy for me right now, but I know you guys deserve this! So let me know what you think! I hope I'll manage to update sooner the next time.
Enjoy!
The important event that Fujino-sama needed to attend was, actually, an audience. The people from the village were allowed to come into the mansion to talk to her, ask for her advices, tell her their problems and speak with her about many things that worried them. She sat in the reception room on a big armchair that looked like a Hydra's necks and heads joined together to create a throne for her, and I stood by her right side with my hands crossed at my chest, as if I was her guarding dog. She listened to the people and told them her opinion, gave them money if they needed it, took the kids in her arms and held them, played with them.
I just watched her in awe from my place at the side of her chair. She looked so happy when she had those kids with her, even when the small nodules were tugging at her hair none-too-gently. Her eyes glowed and sparkled, the smile on her face was wide, she looked like she was enjoying herself. She was beautiful. It made me wonder what it would be like to have a family with her. Would she be like this even then or did she make herself look like she enjoyed it just for the sake of the people?
We took a small beak for lunch and she applied the ointment on my wound again. It was almost healed but is still hurt when I moved too much.
It was slowly getting darker outside and I prayed to whoever ruled this world for it to end soon. My prayers landed on daft year and I cursed under my breath for that, because as soon as I thought that, a young girl stepped into the room and although I had my hair tied up in a ribbon, the short ones on the back of my head stood up. She reminded me of the darkness that slowly crept onto the world to take the sun away so people could sleep. But she seemed like the wrong kind of darkness, the one that makes one fear even the sound of his own heart.
I grabbed the handle of my sword, frowning at the girl. She was tall, but not taller than me. She was slim, but she didn't seem weak. Her sea-blue hair ended above her shoulder on the right side, but on the left side, it went past the shoulder and ended above her breast. Her violet eyes sparkled with something I couldn't place, but I didn't like it. There was confidence in her movements, as if she owned this place.
Fujino-sama smiled at the girl and greeted her politely, as she did with everyone else. The girl bowed, then looked up, right into the red eyes of the goddess. I growled at her for that. For some reason, it seemed wrong for the girl to look into the eyes of Fujino-sama and it seemed wrong for the goddess to return the gaze.
"My name is Tomoe," the girl said, a small smirk filled with confidence bloomed on her face, "And I am here to ask you for a favor."
"Ara, what do you want, Tomoe?" Fujino-sama asked kindly, her voice filled the room like a warm honey. It was a sharp change against the strangely false warmth I could hear in the girl's voice. It made me grip the handle of my sword tighter.
"I want to become your maid!" the girl proclaimed. The statement was full confidence as if there wasn't a slightest change that she would be rejected.
The red-eyed goddess looked the girl up and down, as if deciding what to do. "Why do you want to become my servant?" she asked after a while. My muscles tensed. I didn't want that girl to be here, to serve Fujino-sama. She was… I didn't know what she was, but she was evil.
The girl smiled brightly and took a step forward. "I-I am from a good family, I know what maids do and I can do it better than anyone! I'll be the best maid you'd ever had!"
That made Fujino-sama frown. I didn't recognize that expression on her face, though I knew it meant she was thinking. I couldn't help the growl that went out of my chest. If she was thinking about letting the girl stay here, I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep myself from hurting her. The arrogance and self-obsessed confidence was literary pouring out of her and that was something I couldn't stand.
"If you are from a good family…," Fujino-sama started, still frowning, still thinking about something. Her voice changed from sweet, warm honey into something colder, more distant, colder, rougher, I dare to say. I wasn't used to hear that tone in her voice and I was glad that it wasn't aimed against me. "…you don't need to work here. You can find another job, more suitable for you than being a maid."
"But-…" the girl took another step forwards, then another one, until she was at arm-length from Fujino-sama. "I want to be your maid! I want to serve you! I always wanted to-…!"
Growling, I stepped towards her. The hand which was gripping one of my swords lifted, so just a small part of the steel could be seen. I was acting on instincts and for some reason, my instincts told me to protect Fujino-sama from this girl. I didn't like the closeness of those two. It felt wrong to just look at it without doing something about it.
"Take a few steps back, before I'll be forced to hurt you," I growled, looking straight into the girl's eyes. She eyed me with confidence and contempt, as if I was nothing more than a piece of clay on the field. I saw red. I moved my hand to draw the sword out of its sheath, but a firm, warm hand on my right shoulder stopped me.
"Don't, Kuga. I don't want you to hurt anyone." It was just a whisper in my ear, gentle and sweet, though it was uncompromising and strict. It made me calm down, a little bit. The scent of lavender and vanilla warped itself around me; I felt my muscles relax and I let the sword fully slip into its place again.
"This is the last chance. Step back!" I growled at the girl. She looked at me, than at Fujino-sama, who was standing behind me, a little closer than was necessary. There was hurt in the girl's eyes. Her jaw clenched and muscles flexed. I felt her fist land on the right side of my chest. It sent a weak wave of pain through my chest and I growled at her. But before I could draw the sword out, the girl turned and ran off. I wanted to go after her, but the warm hand squeezed my shoulder tightly.
"It's okay. You did great. Calm down and get into your position. This won't take long now."
I nodded my head and returned to my place next to the armchair. I gripped the handles of my swords in my hands and I was sure there was a cruel frown on my face. But I didn't care. I felt the girl's fist on my chest, I was sure I'll have a bruise, but for some reason, I didn't mind that. I would have taken a lot worse hit, if it would be for Fujino-sama.
Why did I do that? Why did I just jump in front of the girl when she got too close to Fujino-sama? Was it because I was her guard and I didn't like the girl? Or was there something else? I didn't want the girl, or anyone else, too close to Fujino-sama. But why? Why would I mind? Why should I?
Until the end of the audience no-one came too close to Fujino-sama, nor did they act with disrespect. I didn't know if it was because they knew how to act around nobility or if it was because of my frown and my infamous 'Kuga-death-glare'.
After the audience, Fujino-sama took me to the kitchen where she did something that took my breath away – she sat down to the kitchen-counter, just as everyone else, and ate with the servants in her house. She talked to them, asked them how they were and if they weren't missing something. I was amazed by that kind of behavior, but the rest of the kitchen seemed quite okay with it, as if they were used to it.
When we finished dinner, Fujino-sama took the sleeve of my tunic in between her fingers and led me into my room. She brought me to the futon and took off the upper part of my tunic, this time completely, so I was left only in my pants and the bandages around my chest. A shiver ran down my spine as the cold air kept hitting my skin and another shiver appeared when soft, warm hands of the red-eyed goddess touches the skin of my belly.
"Ara, I have to thank you for earlier today," she said quietly, as she gently applied the ointment on my wound. "Kuga was very brave when he was trying to protect me. And really cute, too."
The last sentence brought warmth into my cheeks, I was positive I was blushing. I still couldn't get used to Fujino-sama's teasing, though she did it quite a lot. I heard a quiet chuckle. I looked down at the woman. She was looking at me, out eyes met and my breathing stopped.
"Tell me, Kuga…" she started quietly, one of her hands applying the ointment, the other gently stroking my belly, until it felt like my insides were in flames. My knees shook slightly and I could feel wetness between my legs. That was the first time I actually felt arousal. "…what color were young lady Natsuki's eyes?"
"Green. Like the blades of fresh grass after the winter leaves," I answered without thinking.
"Ara… That's strange," she muttered.
"What? Why?"
"Well, your eyes are green, too. They are like emeralds. Your hair has midnight color, just like hers was supposed to have. And how you stood up for me today and back then, in the alley, just to protect me, even though I was a stranger then… it's typical for the Kuga family to be so overprotective, as I've heard. I know you said you grew up there, but that isn't enough to just teach you this. It's strange; this kind of behavior is typical for the Kuga family, especially for young Natsuki… I heard rumors that she might be alive."
"I can assure you that she is not," I almost growled, tearing my eyes away from hers. She was getting close to me, way too close for my liking and I needed to do something about it, although it felt wrong to stop her. For some reason, I wanted her to know the truth. But I wasn't about to just tell, her. "I saw her death. I saw how one of the soldiers stabbed her into the stomach with his sword. There was no way she could have survived."
"Ara… If Kuga is sure about this, then I will believe him."
"I am sure. And, if I could ask a favor of you…"
"Ara, what is it?"
"Please, don't mention her, ever again. I want to forget my failure. Or at least not think about it when I don't have to."
There was a slight pause as she gently stroked my skin, but her face looked strangely calm, way too calm. She didn't look at me when she replied: "As you wish."
