Twice in a Lifetime Chapter Ten: The Sun Maiden
Baron fixed the plumed hat on his head and looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. He had picked out a black outfit with spiked white edging with matching boots and a navy cape that had a red underlining. As a finishing touch, he had a polished steel mask to frame his eyes. He couldn't resist adding a pair of white gloves, since he still felt almost naked without them.
'Purr-fect.' He laughed at his own thoughts, a trace of cat still evident. He hoped that Haru would like his outfit. To be honest, he would probably like hers even if she showed up in a potato sack. A tiny hand knocked on the door.
"Daddy, are you ready?"
Instead of answering, he opened the door to look at Emily. Haru had worked magic with the dress for his daughter. If Baron wanted to, he could visit an old royal friend and not have to worry about what his court would say about his daughter's appearance. Most of the dress was the soft lavender they had admired at the store, the skirt opening at the front to show off the satiny white under dress, the gold rope around her waist echoing the gold circlet with tiny beaded flowers that Haru had made as part of her wares and insisted Emily wore on her brow. She excitedly played with her long sleeves.
"You look cool, Daddy! Can we go pick up Haru now?"
Since Machida's coach was still working him over for letting his girlfriend beat him, she had asked Baron to drive her and her wares to the fair grounds. She should know by now that he couldn't deny her anything. His heart ached as he helped Emily into her seat in the car, Muta scrambling into the seat next to her.
"I'm not being left out this time," he grumbled. "I want to see your face the first time you see Haru in a skirt."
Toto was obviously planning on coming as well, but would use his wings as transportation.
"And since the fair's outside, there's no reason we can't tag along."
Baron shrugged and started the car. As long as they didn't blow their secret, he didn't mind.
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Baron and Emily stood outside Haru's door, ready to enter for the first time, since she had always met them outside before for lessons. The caped man knocked firmly three times.
"Coming!" they heard her call from inside, and the shuffling of feet. When the door opened, Baron was unable to look away as a blush snuck back onto his cheeks. Haru was in a flowing lemon-yellow gown (Not like the one from the movie) a similar design to Emily's, with sleeves that trailed nearly to the ground. She had left her hair down for once flowing over her shoulders, and a modest gold circlet covered her brow. When she smiled happily, the tawny haired man could have sworn that the sun was standing in her doorway.
"Cool outfit, Baron! The mask is a nice touch."
Emily hopped up and down until the golden woman picked her up.
"You look like a princess, Haru!"
She beamed at the child and held her close.
"So do you, Kitten. Well, come in!"
She stepped aside, and Muta waddled into her apartment with an evil smirk back to Baron, who might as well have been turned back into wood in front of Haru's door. She looked at him, puzzled as to why he wasn't even breathing, and then turned red with embarrassment.
"Oh Baron, I'm sorry. I'll go change into jeans now." She felt terrible for making things harder on him. She turned into her apartment to do as promised when he broke free enough of her spell to reach out and grab her hand. Emily had already wiggled free of her grasp to explore her place.
"No, Haru. It's fine."
She turned back to face him, the concern evident.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. There's nothing wrong with you looking wonderful."
She blushed again, secretly relieved that her hard work wouldn't go to waste. Emily bounced up to them, a frame in hand.
"Daddy, look! Haru looks like me in this picture!"
Baron regretfully released her hand to take the picture from his daughter. He looked at it carefully, a small smile creeping back onto his face.
"This is fairly close to how I pictured your parents."
She smiled a bit sadly, and took the picture from him. As she placed the picture back on the shelf, Emily gasped and grabbed her father's hand.
"Daddy! Look over there!"
He followed where she was pointing, and his heart stopped. Turning around, Haru could see what they were staring at. Her smile returned.
"Do you like it?"
Next to a window near her small couch, a quilted wall hanging stood prominently. It was a tall rectangle, featuring a cat couple dressed like British nobility. Their arms were intertwined lovingly, the white girl cat leaning her head on the orange boy cat's shoulder in contentment. The orange cat had a blissful smile as he leaned his head on hers, the gray top hat balancing nicely on his head.
"I made that for my great-grandfather shortly before he died, so that he could see the two cat figurines together again. He gave me all the details he could remember so that it could be as accurate as possible."
Baron stepped closer to the wall hanging, tracing the girl cat's face with his finger and a lost look in his face. Emily looked at the white cat too, tears threatening to overflow.
"Is that how they looked, Daddy?"
He leaned down and squeezed her tightly.
"That's exactly how I picture them. It's beautiful, Haru."
She was a bit stunned that they were reacting so personally to the artwork. She took long strides to envelope them both in a hug.
"Guys, it's just a wall hanging. There's no need to cry."
Emily sniffled a bit, so Baron gave her his handkerchief, his own emotions now under control. He smiled at the sun-woman again.
"Of course there isn't. Where are your wares for the fair?"
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It was early morning when they found the stall which had been reserved months prior. Baron was still a little depressed that Muta was the one that got to sit on Haru's lap, since the boxes had taken his previous seat. The yellow woman didn't make any weight comments, but she did look pretty relieved when he leapt off at the destination. Baron was carrying the biggest box, Haru the second biggest, and Emily trailing behind with the smallest while Muta waddled next to the little girl.
Haru was able to quickly transform the bare wood into an inviting stall with Baron and Emily's help, embroidered sheets declaring that "Fantasy" was open for business. Emily squealed with delight as Haru took out several beaded circlets and hung them on a wooden rack, along with several pairs of beaded earrings and other jewelry, cloth dolls and embroidered scarves lining the back of the stalls while an exquisite Celtic knot quilt took center stage.
"Oh, good. I hoped you would be open this year, Haru."
She turned, obviously recognizing the woman speaking to her.
"Well, I'd hate to disappoint dedicated fans. How have you been, Kail?"
"Oh, fairly well. Is this the famous Machida?" The silver-haired woman gestured to Baron. Haru blushed.
"Oh no, this is Baron, a good friend of mine. And his daughter, Emily."
Kail looked them over, a sly smile on her face.
"Just a friend, huh?"
Baron nodded sadly.
"Unfortunately. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He kissed her hand, making the old woman blush and giggle.
"Believe me, the pleasure's mine. You are planning to have the drawing for that quilt, Haru?"
"I have to. I can't keep up with the demand for them."
"Good. I'll take twenty chances."
Haru stared.
"Um, they're five bucks each, are you sure about this?"
The woman slapped down two fifties.
"I've been trying to get one of your Celtic quilts for years, young lady, and I don't know if I'll last to next year."
Haru smiled at the old joke and reeled off twenty tickets for her. Kail delicately folded the tickets into her purse and walked off to see what else the fair had to offer her. Baron grinned at the sun-woman.
"Years, Haru?"
She blushed, and set the boxes aside.
"I've had a stall in this fair for eight years. The first year, I sold the quilt to the first person that wanted it, and I got a lot of other people that wanted it angry, so it's more sporting to have a drawing."
"And doubtlessly more profitable."
She grinned at him, and gently shooed them out of the stall.
"I really appreciate your help, but I'm pretty sure that you two would like to see the rest of the fair."
Emily was about to skip off, but her father gripped her shoulder.
"What about you?"
She shrugged.
"I told you; all I do is sit around, sell stuff, and make sarcastic comments. You two will have a lot more fun if you see everything else."
Baron shook his head.
"You should have some fun too. You're a hard worker, and deserve a break every now and again. What if we take turns minding the stall?"
Haru stared at him. No one had ever offered to do that for her before. Not even her parents, the two years she did it while they were still alive.
"You don't have to do that, Baron."
"No, but I want to."