A/N: Ah, yes. We have finally reached the climax of the second act. Thank you, Lindsay Ellis, for posting that video about three-act structures on YouTube. I now have another tool to add to my repertoire when it comes to deconstructing the movies I watch… Yes, I actually do that for fun. I'm weird that way. Anyways, this chapter will have the build up to the dance scene, the actual dance, and the aftermath. Not going into any more detail than that. If you've ever watched the Disney film you know exactly what I'm talking about, and if you haven't…well I just feel sorry for you. I really do. Hopefully, the live-action re-make lives up to its predecessor…and keeps the same leitmotif. God, I love it so much… Right! Time to actually start writing! I'd like to finish writing this before April… No real reason in particular. I just want to. …Also I freaking love the line from the movie that I used as the title for this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and will never own any of the things I am using for this fic. This includes Princess Tutu and Beauty and the Beast (either version) which belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 9: Because I Love Her
A month had passed since Tier had offered to help Ahiru practice pas de deux, and he still struggled over how to resolve the conflict between his responsibility to his servants and his love for his red-haired captive. To make matters worse, the enchanted rose in his quarters had lost well over three-quarters of its petals which had driven his servants to try to push him and the blue-eyed young woman together whenever they could. 'I appreciate that they're trying to help,' he sighed to himself as he stared pensively at the wilting flower illuminated by the light of the setting sun, 'But I really wish they wouldn't.' Uzura was probably the worst offender as she had a habit of bluntly asking the red-head who she was 'love-love' with. It made both of them painfully uncomfortable.
Furthermore, over the past week to be specific, he'd been feeling unusually exhausted regardless of how much he actually slept. It had gotten to the point that he was required to take frequent naps just to remain functional. He had a pretty good idea of what was causing it, though. His remaining time had run so low that the consequences of his continued failure to break the curse were starting to register physically. He estimated he had maybe a couple of weeks left at most before it completely ran out though it was hard to be exact since the rose didn't lose petals at a stable rate. Yet, in spite of this knowledge, he was determined to keep his gradually deteriorating health a secret. He knew it would only upset everyone. It was for the best that he keep it hidden. 'Besides,' Tier mused with a sad smile, 'They all worry about me enough these days as it is. Even Ahiru worries, and I deserve her concern the least of all…'
Regarding his month long dilemma, however, about the only thing he'd made up his mind on was that he wanted her to have the chance to live out her dreams; dreams of seeing the world as a prima ballerina. Dreams whose fulfillment was on hold for as long as she was his prisoner. He'd never really gotten over his feelings of guilt for separating her from her father all those months ago, and learning about her dreams… He'd had to leave before he crumbled under the weight of a new, even greater surge of guilt from what his actions had cost her. Tier had spent hours berating himself over that, and it honestly made him question how she'd ever been able to call him her friend after the way he'd robbed her of her freedom to pursue the life she dreamed of.
'I can't tell her how I really feel,' Tier admitted morosely, 'That would be selfish of me, and my selfishness has already caused her so much heart-ache… Why did that old smith have to find my castle? Wouldn't it have been better for all of us if neither of them had come to this place…? But then again…she's brought me so much happiness. I thought my final days would be miserable, but thanks to her… I'm actually enjoying myself more often than not…' That was another thing he had to consider. "I'm still going to die in the end…, he muttered to himself sadly, "Unless I tell her the truth about how I feel…but I can't! I just can't!"
The dragon-like man sighed heavily as he swung his legs over the side of his bed before burying his face in his hands, and finally admitted to himself, 'It would be cruel of me…to force her to stay and watch me die… She thinks of me as a friend in spite of everything I've put her through and I know my death would break her heart… I should just let her go. Chances are she wouldn't return until well after I'm gone, so maybe she wouldn't grieve for me as much…I hope… I just don't want to cause her any more pain…' He'd caused her more than enough heartache as it was.
The dragon-like man considered how his servants would react to him letting Ahiru go. They'd be disappointed, and more than a few of them would be distraught to learn they would never be human again. Yet most would probably understand why he couldn't bear to keep her imprisoned anymore. Not when they knew how much of a prison his own life had been. This castle was a gilded cage and always had been. Tier's dreams had always been doomed to die unfulfilled, but hers… The only thing preventing her from achieving them was her promise to remain with him. How could he possibly deny her that? Yes, he was sure his servants wouldn't hold it against him for very long.
"So that's it then," Tier murmured quietly, "I'm going to set her free and so condemn myself to death… Now I just need to work out how to tell her she's no longer my prisoner. She's so curious… There's no way she isn't going to ask my why I'm letting her go…and I can't tell her the truth. She's so kind and charitable that I know she'd choose to stay by my side till the very end if she knew I was in love with her… I can't let her do that. So what should I tell her? Is there any way I can bring the matter up without risking her wanting to stay?" He continued pondering how he was going to tell her she was free right up until a knock came at his bedroom door.
"Who is it," he called back distractedly. "It's me," Ahiru's voice chirped causing him to choke slightly and fall off his bed in surprise as she continued, "I just wanted to let you know it's nearly time for dinner!" She'd convinced him to try eating dinners with her again a few weeks ago, and they were nowhere near as awkward as the dinner they'd shared her first night had been. "I-I'll be right down," Tier replied as she scrambled back to his feet and brushed off his shirt and pants. They weren't all that fancy; just a simple white linen open-backed shirt with a tear at the right elbow and equally loose dark green slacks.
The tear was something he'd added after Madame Koza had delivered the shirt. He liked for there to be tears in his clothes and always had even before he'd been cursed. It was the one freedom he'd attained for himself: to be allowed to modify and wear whatever he liked unless it was an official occasion. He had taken to pulling his mane back in a messy ponytail as well which his servants assured made him look far less like some wild beast and more like a man. Personally, he didn't care how he looked, but it made Ahiru more comfortable so he adjusted his appearance accordingly. His keen hearing informed him that the red-head had departed the second he'd informed her he was coming, and he sighed quietly. That girl had him wrapped around her little finger and didn't even realize it. "I am so pathetic," he muttered with a self-deprecating smirk before heading for the door. He had a meal to attend.
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The young red-head was honestly enjoying her life in the castle these days. Ever since Tier rescued her things had gradually improved for her. Sure, she still missed her father and friends back in Grünefelder, but she didn't dwell on it. Besides, she had friends and family at the castle now that she'd miss if she ever left. Mytho, Raetsel, Rue, and Uzura were her second family. Autor had gradually warmed up to her over the months, but their interactions were still pretty formal. She wanted to be his friend, but he didn't seem interested in being anything more than a casual acquaintance. He frustrated her so much. She still liked Hermia, but the wardrobe could be quite eccentric at times. Plus she kept insisting that Ahiru admit she liked her best friend as more than a friend.
That best friend was Tier himself. She didn't deny that he had a lot of flaws. He was still really prickly around her sometimes, he derived way too much enjoyment from teasing her or catching her in ridiculous situations, he could be a bit of a jerk sometimes, and he still tended to fall into these melancholy moods no matter what she did to try and cheer him up. And yet…even at his prickliest he always was willing to listen if she needed someone to talk to, he had a really nice laugh that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside…even when it was at her expense, he always tried to make it up to her whenever he hurt her feelings, and he was just such a nice guy once she got to know him that she couldn't help liking him.
On top of how much she enjoyed his company was the fact that she was in awe of his talent at ballet. For all his insistence that he was out of practice and that his body made the entire exercise painfully awkward for him, he was still the best dancer she had ever seen. Tier exuded power and grace the few times she'd caught him dancing on his own as he warmed up before their pas de deux practice sessions. It was really only a handful of occasions, but they stuck in her memory regardless. Ahiru had also been gradually growing increasingly aware of just how safe she felt in his arms when they danced together. His touch was so warm and gentle… You wouldn't think that would be the case based on his appearance, but she had long since stopped judging him based on how he looked.
So what if he looked like a big, scary monster? He was still a person with fears, sorrows, joys, and dreams just like anyone else. Ahiru just wished he would open up to her a bit more. She got the feeling he was still holding things back when they talked, and her curiosity was driving her to learn what he was hiding. The red-head knew she had to be careful though. Tier had made it clear that he would go back to avoiding her temporarily if she pried too much. He'd done so several times since she first started trying to befriend him, after all. She had wondered if he just didn't trust her, but when she'd asked him he'd given her an incredulous look before bluntly informing her that he probably trusted her more than anyone else. Then she started wondering if he was afraid to get close to people. She'd tried asking her other friends, but they kept deflecting…or just didn't know in Uzura's case. She couldn't exactly ask him because she knew he'd take it badly. He was just such a mystery…but one she was enjoying trying to solve.
Ahiru smiled to herself as she reflected on all of this as she waited for Tier to meet up with her in the dining hall. She was not unaware of the irony of how she had come to enjoy her life in the castle considering how miserable she had been initially. It helped that everyone, including her captor, had done everything they could to make her stay as pleasant as possible and that the castle and grounds were so expansive. Her dragon-like friend had even made the effort to remove the more disturbing decorations and place them in storage so that she didn't have to look at them. It meant the castle was a bit barer in places, but it was still an improvement.
She was honestly amazed at the sheer lengths he'd go to in order to ensure she was happy and comfortable. Yet he always brushed off her thanks and would insist that he was still trying to make up for the absolute failure of a host he'd been when she'd first arrived. As far as the red-head was concerned, he'd more than succeeded at that. Ahiru giggled as she thought about just how adorable the big, intimidating dragon-man could be sometimes. She'd caught him sleeping in the parlor once. He'd somehow managed to end up curled up in a cat-like ball in his chair with his tail draped partially over his face. It had been so cute she'd had to suppress the urge to squeal at the sight. Six and a half foot tall draconic humanoids should not be that adorable when sleeping, yet he was.
To her amusement, he'd even had a few adorable waking moments as well. One of Rue's maids had accidentally knocked the bucket of water she was using to clean over the edge of the balcony one day, and it had landed on Tier's head as he had been walking by. The way he just stood there for several moments blinking in wide-eyed shock as the water dripped off of his mane had struck her as being surprisingly cute. Admittedly, it hadn't lasted long before he scowled and stormed up the stairs to chew the hapless maid out. It did not make the whole thing any less funny to Ahiru. Mytho, whom she'd been conversing with before the whole incident took place, had also seemed to find it amusing.
Another incident was set off when they'd been walking down the stairs, she'd tripped, ended up knocking her dragon-like friend over, and landed on top of him with her face mashed firmly against his chest. When she raised her head he was just staring blankly at the ceiling with a stunned look on his face which had worried her initially. Yet he immediately snapped out of it once she pushed herself up and started stammering as he asked her if she was alright. His whole demeanor in that moment struck her as being so adorably awkward. In fact, there had been a surprising number of adorably awkward moments between the two of them over the past few weeks now that she thought about it. It was weird. Still, she had to admit she kind of enjoyed it when he got like that.
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Ahiru snapped out of her musings as her best friend finally arrived. "Sorry it took me so long. Autor needed to talk to me about something," he apologized as he escorted her to her seat. "It's fine," she assured him before tilting her head curiously as she sat down, "So what did you talk about?" "Nothing important," Tier replied as he pushed her chair in before heading for his own seat. "I'd still like to hear about it, though," the red-head insisted. The dragon-like man sighed before reluctantly explaining, "Autor wanted to hold a celebration in a couple of weeks since it had been a while since the last time. I didn't think it was necessary, but he made a convincing argument. So he's going to be arranging something for the occasion." "What occasion would that be," the blue-eyed maiden inquired.
Her friend cringed slightly before quietly admitting, "My birthday… I'll be turning twenty-six…" 'And it'll be my last,' he confessed internally as he watched the young woman's face light up with joy, 'Before my time runs out…' "Wow," Ahiru breathed, "That's so weird!" "What is," Tier blinked in confusion. "It's just that my birthday is the day after tomorrow," she explained with an awkward laugh, "I was just thinking it was strange that they were so close together is all…" "How old will you be," the beast man asked curiously. "I'm going to be nineteen," the red-haired young woman beamed. "You seem younger," he quipped with a faint smirk. "Yeah," the blue-eyed girl laughed awkwardly, "I get that a lot…"
They stopped talking as the servants brought out the first course and focused on enjoying their food for a while before resuming their conversation. "I'm sure Autor would relish the chance to have two celebrations instead of just one," Tier mentioned casually. "Eh," Ahiru blinked in surprise. "I can ask Autor to arrange something simple for you," the dragon-like man continued, "So he doesn't drive himself to distraction fretting about the short notice." "Are you offering to throw me a birthday party," the young woman inquired disbelievingly. Her friend sighed and glanced away awkwardly, "Yes." "Thank you," she squealed as she clapped her hands together, "You're the best, Tier!" "You're welcome," he replied with a weak smile before his eyes dropped to his plate.
'Her birthday is probably the best time for me to tell her I'm releasing her,' he considered morosely as he felt his persistent exhaustion creeping back in spite of the nap he'd only just woken up from an hour ago, 'Her freedom is the best gift I could possibly offer. I'm going to miss having her around…but at least I won't be missing her for very long. Not at the rate the rose is losing its petals. I'll be lucky if I live even a day past the dawn of my twenty-sixth year…' "Tier," Ahiru asked as she noticed his sudden mood shift, "Is something wrong?" "Nothing," he lied quietly, "I was just thinking…" "About what," she inquired curiously. "Time mostly," the draconic humanoid half-lied as he started in on the next course of food his servants placed in front of him, "It goes by so slowly sometimes, yet others it goes by so fast you feel like you've missed something. It's strange…" "I guess that is a bit odd," the red-head admitted after she swallowed her first bite, "I've never really thought about it before."
"I can't stop," Tier admitted ruefully, "Day by day it slips away like sand falling through your fingers, but unlike sand you can't just pick up a second handful and start over. Once you run out of time, that's it. You can never regain what you've lost or wasted and if you've wasted all of your time…then all you have left in the end is regret." "That's really depressing," Ahiru frowned as she stared intently at her friend, "Are you sure nothing's bothering you?" The draconic man shook his head, "I always get like this around my birthday. I guess I start thinking about the last year of my life and wonder how much of what I've done I'll come to regret later on. Then I start thinking about time and mortality. Ultimately, I end up depressing myself long before the day actually arrives."
"But then you're miserable when your birthday actually arrives," the red-head pointed out with a concerned glance. "I'd be miserable either way," he smirked bitterly, "I can't stand parties, but Autor and his father before him used to insist on throwing me one every year. The one good thing about being turned into a monster was that the parties stopped…" The dragon-like man trailed off and sighed before digging into his food. Ahiru considered trying to get him to tell her more, but his behavior indicated that he'd probably said more than he was honestly comfortable with already. So she changed the subject. "So do you think my party will be formal or what," she asked.
Her friend glanced up at her and swallowed his food before replying thoughtfully, "Not sure. It depends on what Autor feels he can put together before then. Considering he has only a day to prepare it probably won't be too formal, but he is such a stickler for propriety that he might just drive himself to the breaking point in order to set up a full royal ball." Ahiru blanched, "Royal?!" "He has very high standards," Tier smirked, "But I might be able to talk him into doing something a bit less fancy if that makes you uncomfortable." "It does," the red-head replied shakily, "It really does." "Then I'll tell him to keep things as low-key as possible," the dragon-like man assured her, "Though it'll still probably be a ball of some sort. Autor's stubborn that way."
"But the only forms of dancing I know are folk dances and ballet," the blue-eyed young woman fretted, "How do you dance at a ball?!" "Considering the two of us are the only ones who are even capable of dancing," the reptilian man shrugged, "I'd say we can just go with whatever you're comfortable with." "Ballet then, please," she begged, "I'm really bad at folk dancing and I don't want to murder your feet." "I have talons," her draconic friend pointed out dryly, "You could jump up and down on them and it wouldn't affect me much. Still, I'm fine with ballet." Saying he was fine with the idea was a bit of an understatement. He actually loved it. It had been her who had gotten him dancing again, after all, and it seemed fitting that he bid her farewell by sharing one final pas de deux.
They spent the rest of the meal engaging in casual conversation about Ahiru's past birthday celebrations. They had always been small gatherings consisting of only herself, her father, and Pike. Occasionally Pike's parents attended as well, but not often. Dancing had never been involved in the past. Instead, her father would make a special dinner for the three, occasionally five, of them. Then he'd present her with a pastry he'd ordered specially from the baker's shop. Sometimes it was a pie, sometimes it was a cake, and sometimes it was a sweet roll of some sort. Yet it was always special because he'd gotten it for her and her alone. Depending on how large the pastry was she'd either eat part of it, or all of it, before the others gave her their gifts.
What she received tended to vary, but she always treasured whatever it turned out to be. Less because of what it was and more because of the thought put into it. "I like getting presents not because of the gift itself," she admitted, "But because of the people doing the giving. Because I know they care about me and their gifts reflect that care." It was a novel concept for the dragon-like man. In the past, people had only given him presents in an effort to gain his favor for some reason. "So it's love that matters to you," Tier murmured thoughtfully, "Not the gift itself." "Exactly," Ahiru nodded with a broad smile. This worked out perfectly for him considering the whole reason he was letting her go was because he loved her too much to keep her caged with him any longer. ==================================this+is+a+line+break====================================
Tier immediately sought out Autor the second the meal was finished and Ahiru wandered off to chat with Hermia. "Autor," he called as he burst into the library, "I need to talk to you." "I am yours to command, my lord," the clock replied primly as he looked up from the list he was making. "Ahiru's birthday is the day after tomorrow," the dragon-like man stated bluntly, "She's turning nineteen and I want to celebrate it with her. I need you to organize a simple party. Nothing extravagant like what you've put together for my birthdays in the past. It'll be just the two of us mainly plus whoever among the staff feels like attending."
The ornamental timepiece's jaw dropped before his whole expression brightened, "Why that's wonderful news, my lord. Yes, we throw party for the young lady to display just how deeply you care for her and potentially win her heart in the process. I will do my best to make it a memorable occasion for all!" "Don't put words in my mouth," the draconic humanoid grumbled before continuing to outline the requirements he had in mind, "Ahiru freaked out at the thought of her party being a full formal event. You're going to have to keep things as small scale as possible. That means no orchestra. No large feasts to be waded through. No extravagant decorations. No speeches. And no pile of useless trinkets disguised as gifts. I want her to actually enjoy herself and she has simple tastes when it comes to birthdays. So don't get carried away."
Autor gave his master an insulted look, "Of course she has simple tastes. She's the daughter of a smith. Such folk tend to lead simple lives. I should have no trouble tailoring a special dinner for the two of you. I suppose I should avoid excessively rich foods, but our chefs have been catering to her for so long we should be able to come up with something suitable. Perhaps a slow dance or two in the ballroom afterwards, and then we can move on to gifts." "She'd prefer it if we stuck to ballet actually," Tier informed his stuffy young chamberlain, "She has no experience in ballroom dancing, and by her own admission is terrible at folk dancing."
"Everyone's terrible at folk dancing," the clock quipped dryly, "It's expected. Regardless, I have no problem with substituting ballet for the traditional ballroom dances. It's still elegant and shows off the dancers' grace, poise, and refinement." The dragon-like man rolled his eyes at the uptight timepiece, gritted his teeth in annoyance as he stifled a yawn, and sighed before glaring sharply, "While I'm thinking about it, I don't want you to make her uncomfortable with all that lovey-dovey crap. That goes for the other members of the staff as well. It's not helping!" "Well, I'm sorry," Autor huffed, "But we're running out of time! You can't afford to take it slow any more, my lord." "I know that," Tier snapped coldly before he sighed and repeated tiredly, "I know that…better than anyone. Just…trust that I have a plan in mind regarding the matter, all right?"
Admittedly, the plan was to let Ahiru go and accept his inevitable death, but the others would learn the truth soon enough. He just hoped they'd forgive him. "Very well," the clock sighed, "I'll keep the tone intimate yet not romantic. Is that everything?" "Yes," the draconic humanoid replied evenly. "Then leave me to my work," Autor requested, "I have a lot of planning and organizing to do and very little time in which to complete it." "Of course," Tier nodded before turning to leave then hesitating as he admitted quietly, "I do appreciate your efforts, Autor. I may not have always been the best at showing that, but it's the truth."
The ornamental timepiece looked up in surprise as his master resumed his trek back out of the library and tilted his carven head to the side. "Well, that was an odd thing to say," he murmured before shrugging, "Perhaps he's more anxious about the limited time we have remaining than he's let on. Right! This party needs to go off without a hitch! We're all counting on its success at this point…" He then sighed and shook his head as he pulled out a new sheet of paper to plan Ahiru's party on before muttering to himself, "No pressure…"
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Autor did not disappoint and, by the time the red-head's birthday had arrived, he had fully completed all the preparations for the party. Most of the staff, rather predictably, had opted not to attend in hopes that the more intimate surroundings would encourage one of the two friends to confess. In fact, the only ones who had insisted on showing up were Rue, Mytho, Raetsel, and Uzura. Hermia wanted to, but she felt helping Ahiru get ready was more important. She reasoned that, in the time it would take for her to get out of the room and down to where the party was being held after helping the young woman choose the right dress and all, she'd end up missing most of it. In this case, she felt it was best to just stay behind and wish her friend a happy birthday.
To make up for her absence, though, the wardrobe had effectively commandeered any servant with skill at hair-dressing and make-up application. "Um…," the blue-eyed maiden blinked as she stared at the small army of furniture gathered in the corner of her room after returning from her afternoon ballet practice, "Why are all of these people here, Hermia?" "They're going to help you get all spruced up for the party this evening," Hermia replied cheerfully, "I wanted you to feel and look like a princess for your special day! It's my present to you." "A princess," Ahiru gaped before laughing awkwardly, "Ah, I don't think I'm really princess material, Hermia… Princesses are supposed to be graceful and elegant and beautiful while I…ah…I'm not any of those things…"
Hermia waggled her left door at her friend in a scolding manner, "Now don't talk about yourself that way, Ahiru. You sell yourself short. I mean, I know you can be clumsy every now and then, but nobody's perfect. Even princes and princesses. They make mistakes just like anyone else. It just tends to be overlooked because they're, well, royalty." "You really think you can make me look like a princess," Ahiru asked uncertainly, yet with a slightly hopeful look. "Just leave it to us, my friend," the wardrobe exclaimed with a confidant smile, "Now let's start by choosing a dress. I understand you and Tier will be dancing together latter on this evening… Ballet, correct?" "Uh, yes," the red-head replied as she scratched the side of her head in confusion, "Does that matter?"
"Of course it does," the mobile closet assured her friend, "We need to choose a dress that won't hamper you while you dance, yet is still elegant. Fortunately, I asked Madame Koza for assistance when I first heard Autor mumbling about his preparations the other day. She stopped by while you were out to drop off several creations she and her girls came up with, so we have plenty options. Let's take a look shall we?" The young woman blinked in surprise as Hermia threw both her doors wide open before her jaw dropped in amazement at the collection within. She'd never seen so many different styles of tutus before in her life; let alone so many colors. She eagerly started debating with her friend over her options.
Once they decided on a dress, Ahiru was directed by one of the on-looking servants, a wash-stand who introduced herself as Helga, into a tub to wash up. "Are you sure that's really necessary," the red-head asked before sniffing her hair, "I washed my hair and everything yesterday…" "That's not the point, miss. This is about making you feel like a princess. There are several treatments the nobility indulge in while bathing that I imagine you have never experienced," one of the other servants – a pitcher – informed her before leaning in conspiratorially, "Supposedly they improve the appearance though from some of the past guests that have graced this castle's halls…they either don't work at all or they are not indulging themselves nearly often enough. Uh…but…don't tell Autor I said that." "My lips are sealed," the blue-eyed maiden promised solemnly before eyeing the tub of steaming water a second time, shrugging, and stripping down. She wasn't going to deny that her curiosity had been piqued by the knowledge that nobles bathed differently. At least this time indulging her inquisitive nature wouldn't backfire.
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While Ahiru was drawn ever deeper into Hermia's plans to transform her from commoner into princess, Tier was reluctantly enduring his best friend's efforts to fix up his appearance while simultaneously struggling to bury the signs of his growing exhaustion. He'd spend most of the day asleep hoping it would give him enough energy to face the night ahead, but it seemed as though this was not to be the case. The dragon-like man was resigned to simply doing his best to push on through it and not let on just how little energy he really had. He flinched and sighed as a sharp 'crack' signified the demise of yet another comb. "That's the twelfth one," he pointed out exasperatedly to the nearby three-pronged candlestick overseeing the proceedings, "Could you just accept that combing out my mane isn't going to work?" "Never," Mytho retorted stubbornly, "There's only a small section left to get through, then we can move on to the next stage. Johann! Don't give up!"
Johann the coatrack sighed as he tossed aside the broken comb and picked up a fresh one from the basket resting on the dressing table before resuming his efforts to tame the snarled mess that was his master's mane. To think they hadn't believed the man when he insisted it ate combs… It took another hour, and another six combs, before the three of them concluded it was officially tangle free for the first time in years…literally. Tier was especially relieved for he had drastically underestimated just how painful the ordeal would be. 'I guess just because I have scales under there instead of skin doesn't change the fact that my hair being tugged on still hurts,' he concluded with a wince. "So now what," he questioned his friend warily. "Now we start on your talons," Mytho declared, "They could stand to be smoothed down and polished. After that, I'll have Johann prepare a bath for you and we can get you cleaned up before we return to that mane of yours."
Tier sighed again, but didn't resist as the candelabra and coatrack collaborated on the next stage. Johann couldn't really bend over far enough to reach the dragon-like man's taloned feet hence why Mytho pitched in. It only took them about fifteen minutes to neaten up their master's talons before they split up to prepare the next stage in their preparations. The dark-scaled man idly ran his right hand talons along the top of the dressing table as he waited and raised an eyebrow as it scratched it no more deeply than a human fingernail. They'd even filed down the ends enough that he no longer had to worry about gouging Ahiru's skin by accident.
A soft smile crossed his face at that. It would be nice to be able to dance with her freely for once without the fear of hurting her hanging over his head. Particularly since this would be their last dance… "My lord, your bath is ready," Johann announced formally, snapping the draconic humanoid out of his thoughts. Tier stood silently and walked over to the tub before stripping off the robe he'd been wearing. He then stepped into the tub and settled himself comfortably as he waited for the footman to catch up.
Mytho gave his master an odd look as he quietly tolerated the enchanted footman scrubbing at his scales and hair. "It isn't like you to go along with what is generally considered proper behavior for nobles," he observed thoughtfully. Tier merely shrugged indifferently before cringing as Johann dumped a bucket of hot water over his head to rinse off some of the suds yet remained silent. He honestly preferred to wash himself if given the option. Right now, though, he was just too tired to bother. "In fact, you've been far more passive than normal all week," the candelabra continued as he folded his 'arms' and tilted his central candlestick to the side, "You'll never win the young lady's heart if you keep that up. You need to be bold and assertive!" "And how would that help," the dragon-like man sighed as he brushed a lock of damp hair out of his face.
"Ladies often find confidence attractive," the coatrack pointed out as he returned to scrubbing his master's torso. "Quite right," the three-pronged candlestick nodded, "And it wouldn't hurt if you were a touch more physically affectionate this evening as well." "You're making it sound as though I'm supposed to seduce the poor girl," Tier grumbled with a sharp glare at his friend, "She deserves to be treated better than that." 'She deserves better than to be caged,' he reminded himself once more before suppressing the urge to yawn. Getting through that night's party was not going to be easy, but for Ahiru's sake…he would endure. He owed it to her. "No, I wasn't suggesting anything that base and unrefined," Mytho agreed with a kind smile, "I was just thinking it would make your confession of love a bit less shocking if you showed her how much you cared beforehand."
Tier went rigid and stared blankly at the bathroom wall before he repeated, "Confession of…love? Tonight?! I couldn't possibly…" 'Particularly since I'm planning on releasing her," he continued internally. Mytho was unaware of his friend's reservations and the reasons behind them as he prompted, "Oh, come now, my liege. When if not tonight? It's her birthday after all. You are in love with her, are you not?" The dragon-like man lowered his head to mask the pained look that flickered across his face as he quietly admitted, "I love her more with every passing day… I've never felt so strongly for anyone before in my life…"
"Then what better gift could you give than to offer her your heart," the candlestick challenged. 'A chance to live out her dreams,' Tier retorted internally, 'A chance to find someone who can give her the life she deserves and make her truly happy. A chance to return to the friends and family she has been cut off from thanks to my selfishness and fear of death. A full and happy life free from this cage… If I give her back her freedom then she stands to gain so much more than I could possibly offer even if she did, by some miracle, return my feelings.' Yet he kept the truth to himself and instead countered softly, "It's not that easy, Mytho…"
The candelabra frowned in concern at his master's reluctance as Johann steadily worked his way down the man's body. He knew his friend better than anyone else, and the dragon-like humanoid's continued refusal to even try to pursue anything more than friendship with Ahiru was setting off all sorts of internal alarms. He was growing increasingly suspicious of the other man's intentions, yet was not willing to give voice to his concerns. Besides, Tier always ended up confiding in him eventually. Mytho knew that if he remained patient, he'd eventually learn just what his best friend was hiding.
The coatrack finally finished scrubbing Tier's scales and dumped a final two bucket loads to wash off the rest of the soap before moving back. The draconic humanoid reached back to wring out his mane before flicking his good wing to remove some of the water; then reached back again to manually shake out his bad wing as best as he could. Johann presented him with a towel as he stood to dry off what little water clung to his scales before taking another towel to dry his wings and mane the rest of the way. One of the up-sides to scales and feathers was that they dried fast. His mane was an entirely different story because of how thick it was.
Mytho had long since moved back over to the dressing table by the time the transformed footman was satisfied and removed the towel from the scowling dragon-like man's head. "Was it really necessary to get every last drop of water out of my mane," he grumbled as he accepted the new dressing robe and donned it. "Considering I'm going to be working on styling it next," the enchanted coatrack retorted smugly, "Yes. Yes it was." "Just don't get carried away," Tier sighed as he walked back to his original seat. He was honestly a bit concerned as he knew full well that Johann liked to be…artistic…when he was given free rein to style people's hair. Back before the curse had been laid, he'd been in the habit of offering his services to guests whose prior hairstyles had been messed up on their journey over. The end results…could get pretty outlandish and weren't always appreciated.
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Mytho and his master both cringed at the first style the footman came up with. "It's not exactly the most…ah…dignified look," the candelabra tried to point out politely. Tier didn't even bother with trying to be polite about his displeasure. "I look ridiculous," he stated flatly as he vainly tried to flatten the extravagant curls his servant had somehow managed to coax his mane into, "Like I'm wearing one of those hideous wigs my great-great grandfather favored." "Ah, yes," the candlestick nodded sagely, "It's the ribbons, isn't it?" "And the rolled curls," the dragon-like man scowled. Johann sighed heavily, "Well then, what would you prefer, my lord?"
"I'm fine with just tying it back," Tier replied with as dismissive shrug. "No," the enchanted light fixture disagreed firmly, "This is a special occasion, so you must at least try to look a bit more formal." "It's well within my abilities to make his lordship's preferred hairstyle look high-class," the coatrack stated confidently, "Just hold still…" The scaled man obeyed as the transformed footman set about removing all the ribbons plus the majority of the curls and brushing out his mane once more. It took a while, but Johann was eventually able to manage to tame it into a neat, yet still bushy, ponytail with a slight curl at the end.
As far as the draconic humanoid was concerned, it didn't look all that different aside from the curl and the fact that the footman had used a gold silk ribbon to tie it all back. Yet, from the way Mytho was nodding in approval, it must have been enough. "So are we done now," the dragon-like man asked with a quiet sigh. "Not quite," the ornate candlestick admitted, "We still need to polish your horns and scales before you get dressed for the evening." "Seriously," the cursed man deadpanned. "Surely you don't want to insult the lady by not striving to look your absolute best, my lord," the candelabra countered innocently. Tier flinched at that before heaving a heavy sigh and nodding. Insulting Ahiru was the absolute last thing he wanted to do this evening. He continued to wait patiently for Johann to finish with his remaining tasks before the enchanted footman finally stepped away.
Mytho beamed in satisfaction at the results of his and the coatrack's efforts, "You look splendid, my lord. Don't you agree it was worth the effort?" Tier inspected his reflection curiously and had to admit he didn't look terrible. He still felt he looked like a monster, but at least he was a well-groomed one. It was an improvement. "I suppose," the dragon-like man admitted as he stood to walk back to his bedroom where his outfit for the evening had been laid out. "I'll take that as a 'thank you, Mytho, you've done excellent work and I was wrong to doubt you'," the enchanted candlestick grinned as he hopped down to follow his friend. "You do that," the scaled man replied dryly.
Once he arrived back at his chambers, he paused briefly as he reflected on how strange it was to have the floor clean after so many years. Rue, however, had insisted on her cleaning staff being allowed to clear out all the junk he'd had scattered across the floor a week or two ago. Mostly because he'd invited Ahiru up to the balcony a few times to enjoy the view and her klutziness had kicked in again on one of those visits. The poor girl had tripped and fallen on her face before he'd had a chance to react; she'd ended up with a bloody nose. The mahogany feather-duster had been livid and had actually spent a good hour screaming at him before making her demands. He'd given in without hesitation. He felt he should have known the clutter on his chamber floor was an Ahiru safety hazard before inviting her up. it had been yet another bundle of guilt added on to the burden already weighing him down. Still, it was clean now and her subsequent visits had only involved her tripping over thin air…which was normal.
Snapping out of his brief flashback, he resumed his trek to the chair his outfit had been laid out on. Madame Koza had managed to out-do herself in designing what had to be the most princely looking ballet costume Tier had ever seen. The leggings were made of gray cotton that clung to his scales like a second skin and cut off just above his heels; the undershirt of dark red cotton fabric with puffed shoulders that was otherwise just as clinging. The actual shirt had rolled sleeves and was made of red silk embroidered with gold thread with a silver silk V-neck collar. Unlike all of his other shirts, the backs of both were not completely open for the convenience of his wings.
In place of the standard accommodation, Madame Koza had added in a loose panel of fabric over the back that would fold down between his wings and be held in place by the belt included with the rest of the outfit. The end result was that the feathered appendages would appear to be peaking out through slits in the back. The belt was black leather with an ornate silver buckle. Finally, she had added a gold chain set with emeralds to be hung across his shoulders. Tier was smoothing out the last few wrinkles in his outfit and fiddling with the chain so that it rested more comfortably when a knock came at his door. He looked up as it opened and Autor poked his head in.
"It's time, your highness," Autor informed him primly, "Miss Ahiru is waiting." The dragon-like man swallowed hard and took a deep breath to settle his nerves. This was it. His final night with Ahiru for he had no doubts that she would be packed and ready to leave by the next morning once he told her she was free to go. "Relax," Mytho told him from his new position on the dresser, "No matter what happens, this will be a night to remember. I believe in you, my friend." The scaled man stared at the candlestick in surprise for a few moments before a sad smile crossed his face. "I know," he replied quietly, "You've always supported my decisions even when they were beyond foolish. I can never thank you enough for that…" "I need no thanks," the candelabra smiled back kindly, "That's what friends are for." "I suppose it is," Tier mused before continuing as he started to walk towards the door, "I was not always the friend you deserved, though."
"Don't sell yourself short, my lord," the enchanted light fixture laughed as he hopped down from the dresser and followed, "In spite of that temper of yours, you have always been the truest friend I could ask for." "Even though I got us all cursed," the dragon-like man inquired softly. "I have never blamed you for that," Mytho retorted firmly, "As far as I'm concerned the only one at fault is that enchantress for over-reacting." The scaled man stared incredulously at his friend as they walked down the hall and pointed out, "I was willing to condemn what I thought was an innocent old woman to die in a storm because she insulted my pride." "A bit more of an extreme outburst of temper on your part than normal, but nothing we weren't used to compensating for," Mytho countered, "If that crone persona of hers had been real, either Raetsel or myself would have chased after her and set her up in the stables for the night." "That's still no excuse for my behavior," Tier retorted guiltily.
"Listen to me," the candlestick insisted with a stern frown, "No matter what you think, you did not deserve to be burdened with a death curse that night! A lesser curse would have been more than sufficient as a punishment for your behavior. The rest of the staff agree with me on that point. That's why we're all hoping you tell Miss Ahiru how you feel. Not because we want to be human again, but because we simply don't want you to die! You can't give up, my lord! No matter what!" The dragon-like was openly stunned by the heart-felt speech Mytho'd unleashed. His resolve remained unchanged, but it gave him hope that his servants would accept his decision sooner rather than later. No matter how much they might care for him or how much he cared for them in return…he could not tell Ahiru how he felt.
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Ahiru lightly patted the fancy bun Hermia's associates had managed to wrangle her long, wavy hair into and smiled slightly. She had to admit she actually did feel a bit like a princess after all of the primping and pampering they'd done; a ballerina princess. She giggled to herself at the thought as she continued her trek to the grand staircase leading down to the great hall. The red-head could honestly think of many other girls from back in the village who would fit the role of ballerina princess better than she did, but – considering it was her birthday – for this one night she would happily play pretend. As she reached the top of the stairs leading down to the main landing at the top of the grand staircase, she looked across the hall and her eyes widened slightly as she saw Tier hesitating at the top of the opposite flight of stairs.
He looked like he'd stepped off of the pages of a fairy tale. 'One about a handsome prince,' she mused to herself as she started down the stairs, 'Cursed by a wicked witch who…um…hated his parents! And cursed their son into the form of a hideous monster in revenge, but even her curse could not hide his noble heart! Or something like that.' Ahiru smiled and shook her head slightly as she continued her descent as she considered how her dragon-like friend would react if he'd known what she'd been thinking. 'He'd call me a moron again,' the blue-eyed maiden admitted fondly, 'It's strange…but it almost sounds like an affectionate nickname when he calls me that instead of an insult.'
Tier felt his breath catch in his throat as he caught sight of the red-haired maiden he'd fallen for. Ahiru was dressed in a white silk, calf-length, romantic style tutu decorated with downy white feathers across the top and bottom of the bodice. The bottom also featured pale pink silk roses spaced evenly along the border between bodice and skirt. Around her neck was a gold necklace with an ornate ruby and carven quartz pendant that reminded him of nothing so much as a pair of fairy-like wings. Both wrists bore matching pearl bracelets consisting of white, yellow, and pale rose pearls. She had pink silk toe shoes on her feet covering white tights that disappeared under the shimmering white fabric of her skirt.
Her long, light red hair had been twisted into a bun held in place by a net of delicate braids woven with pale yellow ribbons. Perched just in front of the bun was a delicate golden tiara with even more downy white feathers running along the base; he recognized it as one that had once belonged to his mother before her death. The feathers were a new addition, though. One of his servants must have found and modified it for her use. Somehow he imagined his mother would have approved. As he drew near, he also noticed that Ahiru was wearing light make up; pale rose rouge graced her lips and was dusted across her cheekbones, but no more. Overall…she looked stunningly beautiful. 'She looks like an angel,' he concluded as he met her at the top of the grand staircase, 'The only thing she's missing is the wings…'
The dragon-like man knew he could easily spend the rest of the night just staring at her, but that would be rude. Autor and Mytho both had given him a fairly extensive lecture on the way down from his chambers about being polite. In fact, they had both insisted that he remember his old etiquette lessons – specifically the once regarding courtly behavior and manners – this evening. Which meant he needed to stop staring; Tier mentally shook himself out of the slight daze her appearance had put him in before silently bowing formally to her. Ahiru blinked in surprise as he straightened back up and murmured with a soft smile on his face, "Good evening, my lady." "U-um," she stammered awkwardly, "G-good evening…" The smile on his face widened slightly in amusement as he held out his hand; hesitantly, she reached out to take it. The red-head was even more caught off guard when he raised her hand to his mouth and lightly brushed his scaled lips across the back of her hand in a light kiss. "Wh-what," she stammered while blushing furiously, "What was that for?!"
"Mytho and Autor insisted I be a gentleman this evening," her draconic friend replied as he released her hand, "Which means courtly manners. I imagine you've never experienced such a thing before?" "No," the blue-eyed maiden shook her head vigorously making her friend laugh lightly in response, "Rue didn't tell me about any of that when she stopped by to go over all the etiquette Autor was probably going to expect from me." "Then I guess I should explain what the kiss was for," Tier replied with a soft smile, "It is considered polite to kiss the back of a lady's hand after bowing to them. Did she tell you about how I'm supposed to escort you to dinner and later the ballroom?" "That she did cover," Ahiru nodded back before biting her bottom lip, "Um, is that next?" "It is," the dragon-like man confirmed as he held out his arm, "Shall we?" The birthday girl smiled up at him shyly as she took his arm, "Let's."
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Judging by the way the red-head's eyes lit up when the first course was brought out, Autor had succeeded in arranging the perfect birthday dinner. Tier smiled lightly as he realized that the clock had picked out all of her favorite dishes from past dinners over the course of her stay in the castle to fill the menu. Another soft laugh escaped him as he watched Ahiru dive into the light soup placed before her. She was the only girl he'd ever known who could inhale a meal politely. The dragon-like man sipped quietly at his own bowl as he watched her eat. Sadly, even with his talons trimmed, filed, and polished, they were still too long for him to use utensils like a gentleman should. Fortunately, the young woman sitting across from him didn't care about such things after a full season in his company. She was used to the limitations his body forced upon him and only offered him a sympathetic smile as she set her spoon down.
Slowly, the pair worked their way through the simple four course dinner Autor had arranged until finally it was time for the dessert course. The blue-eyed maiden gasped in surprise as her eyes widened at what was brought out and set on the table in front of them, "This is…?!" "I stopped by the kitchens yesterday to inform Hans about how your birthday dinners normally ended," Tier informed her quietly as she gaped at the delicate-looking white cake covered in a crisp, sugary glaze and decorated with candied yellow rose petals that had been set down, "And he assured me he could come up with something suitable for, in his words, the brightest ray of sunshine to grace this household in ages." "This is…all mine," Ahiru breathed as she looked up at her friend in amazement, "Really?!" The dragon-like man nodded back silently before gesturing at the cake, "Hans may be the head chef, but his real love is baking. His specialty is making cakes that I swear are mostly air and sugar. He doesn't make them very often though."
Tier paused for a few moments before smiling softly at the red-head, "He always insisted that the secret ingredient to making his special cakes was love. That he had to care about the occasion it was to be made for. Personally, I always found that claim to be a bit cheesy. Nevertheless, based on how it looks alone…I'd say he cares a great deal for making your birthday special." "This," the blue-eyed maiden blinked as happy tears started to well up in her eyes, "Is his present to me, isn't it?" "Most likely," the draconic man nodded before questioning softly, "Do you like it?" "I love it," she replied as she picked up one of the rose petals and looked at it curiously. "You can eat those, you know," the dragon-like man pointed out in amusement. "People eat flowers," Ahiru gaped in surprise. "Certain ones, yes," her friend smiled lightly, "Candied rose and violet petals, for example, are sort of a delicacy among the nobility. Try one." The young woman looked at the scaled man doubtfully before popping the petal into her mouth. Her eyes widened in amazement at the taste. It was really good!
"I never knew flowers could taste so delicious," she admitted after swallowing. "It's the sugar that does it," Tier laughed softly, "Never let it be said that we don't find bizarre ways of indulging the almighty sweet tooth." "So if this is all mine," the red-head frowned in confusion as she started cutting herself a slice of cake, "What will you be having for desert?" Tier looked behind him as the serving staff re-entered the dining hall and grinned lightly, "Candied strawberries apparently. Excellent!" "You like candied strawberries," Ahiru blinked in surprise. "They're probably my favorite sugary treat," he admitted with a slightly sheepish smile. "I prefer chocolate covered strawberries myself," the young woman smiled as she watched the serving staff – a sugar bowl and cream decanter – slide the bowl of sugar-glazed fruit off the cart and onto the table before wrestling it in front of their master.
"Never tried those before," the dragon-like man admitted thoughtfully as he delicately picked up a strawberry, "Are they good?" The blue eyed maiden swallowed her first bite of cake before replying, "They're heavenly! Pike gave me a box last year for my birthday and I practically demolished them. Admittedly, it's the only time I've had them, but they are just so good! I'll never forget the flavor…the richness of the chocolate goes perfectly with the tart sweetness of the strawberry… Mmmm… Just remembering it makes my mouth water…" "Now you're making me wish the kitchens hadn't run out of chocolate years ago," Tier sighed after swallowing his third strawberry. The two stopped talking for a while after that as they polished off their respective deserts before setting back in their chairs. "That was so good," Ahiru sighed happily. "You aren't too full to dance, are you," her dragon-like friend inquired uneasily. "No," the red-haired young woman shook her head before tilting it to the side curiously, "You?" "Not in the least," he replied.
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Ahiru's breath caught in her throat as she was led into the ballroom. It had been locked tight back when she'd been looking for a place to practice, so this was her first time seeing it. For one thing, the room was easily one of the largest in the castle with only the great hall being larger. It also featured a very high ceiling. Three of the four walls were covered in a smooth, alabaster white plaster which covered in a delicate, green arabesque pattern. Both side walls were lined with oaken pillared blind arcades inlaid in the plaster featuring lattice windows all the way down to the fourth wall. This final wall was dominated by four large mullioned windows and a gracefully carved oaken door leading outside. She knew from her exploration of the grounds that there was a broad stone patio flanked by sweeping stone staircases that led down to the gardens below just outside those doors, though this was her first time seeing them from this side. The walls above the blind arcade were far from featureless for they featured several stained glass windows, though since it was night she could not quiet make out the designs. Furthermore, set immediately above each oaken pillar, were dual pronged golden candle sconces that were all lit up.
The ceiling was coffered in a coved vault style. The coffer cells were all enameled in a lovely blue and gold floral pattern surrounding a white enameled rosette. Hanging down from the apex of the vault was a massive, neoclassical crystal chandelier with gold chains. It too was fully lit providing brilliant illumination as the light from the candles scattered and refracted off of the multitude of crystals. The floor was tiled with brilliant white marble that fit together just as tightly as the stone tile in the ballet studio. All the light colored wood and stone combined with the multiple light fixtures meant the room was remarkably bright considering it was well after nightfall. Autor had kept his decorating fairly understated. Pale blue silk sashes framed the blind arches, pinned in place with upholstery nails, and were tied off with golden cords.
Four small cedar wood tables were set up in the four corners of the room each bearing one delicate china vase holding a bouquet of dried roses. Each bouquet featured a different colored rose that complimented the vase. The table to the left of the door had pale red roses almost the same shade as her hair in a white vase with a delicate dark blue paisley pattern painted on it and a thin silver line painted around the foot. The table to the right had orange roses in a pink and gold vase with white scroll work scrawling delicately over the warm background colors. Across the room to the left of the door outside was a bouquet of white roses in a pale lavender and light red vase with gold painted around thinly the rim and in a scrolling wave around the foot. Finally, in the last corner, was a bouquet of yellow roses in a pale blue and light green vase with silver painted around the rim and foot.
A soft hum of approval escaped her friend as he cast his eyes across the room's decorations and noted that Mytho and her other friends among the staff were clustered along the wall with a small pile of sloppily wrapped gifts setting on top of one of the serving staff – a tea service cart Raetsel had likely coaxed into assisting. Ahiru's eyes teared up again as she noticed the same. She knew how hard it must have been for them to wrap their present's for her considering most of them lacked hands, and was touched that they had gone through all this trouble just for a simple commoner like her.
"Is something wrong," Tier asked quietly as he turned to face her and noticed her tears. "No," the red-haired young woman laughed with an awkward grin as she wiped at her eyes with her free hand, "I just feel so grateful to have made so many wonderful friends… I don't think I've ever been happier, but I can't stop crying. Silly, isn't it?" "Not at all," the dragon-like man replied as he gently brushed another tear slipping down her cheek away with his knuckle and smiled back, "If your heart needs that release to keep itself from being drowned in an overwhelming tide of joy, then there is nothing wrong with that. Tears of happiness are infinitely more preferable to those of sorrow or despair. So don't feel ashamed to cry."
The dragon-like man swore that the smile she gave him in response to his words was the most captivating thing he had ever seen. 'Like sunbeams shining through raindrops after a storm,' he marveled internally. Moments later the band, which had shuffled in behind them behind an eager Autor, started tuning up. They sounded a bit rusty, but then the last time they'd played they'd been human. He'd no idea if they'd practiced making music in their new forms since they were all cursed. Still, they seemed to be working themselves out fast enough. Tier took a few steps away from the diminutive red-head and smiled down at her as she gave him a puzzled look before miming a request to dance. Ahiru's eyes lit up as she smiled back and delicately took his hand. Seconds later the band, under the prim clock's direction, struck up his selection: the Sleeping Beauty Waltz. Instead of going with the traditional dance created for the song, the pair made up their own pas de deux step by step.
It had been the draconic humanoid's suggestion to make up their own dance to whatever piece of music the enchanted chamberlain ended up selecting for the evening. The young woman had been uncertain until he pointed out that she wouldn't have to worry about sticking to a set choreographed routine and could dance freely. She'd always fretted about messing up what she was supposed to do in the past, so the idea of making up her own half of the pas de deux was appealing. Yet she had been concerned about his half. How would he know what to do or when to do it in response to her actions? Tier assured her that he had enough experience in practicing ballet that he could read her moves and so predict the most likely thing she was going to do next. As they danced that evening, Ahiru realized he hadn't been lying. He not only mirrored her moves perfectly, but also was exactly where he needed to be when she needed his support for a lift, dip, or pirouette.
She gradually realized that it wasn't just because he knew ballet…it was because he knew her and how she danced. They'd spent so much time practicing together and just chatting that he probably knew her even better than Pike did, and the two girls had been friends since childhood. Ahiru trusted him implicitly, and that was startling considering how they had started out. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, really. 'It's just that,' she defended her feelings to herself as they continued to dance, 'He is always willing to help me out when I need it, even when it's inconvenient for him. And he's always willing to just sit and listen when I need to talk. And he can be so nice and comforting when he tries. He's always there when I need him to be and keeps his distance when I need to be alone… It's why he's my best friend.'
Thinking that made her feel a twinge of guilt for replacing her long-time, magenta-haired friend so easily; they'd been pretty regular ever since she came to the realization that she saw Tier as being her best friend now. It wasn't as though she didn't still miss her childhood best friend and that she didn't get depressed sometimes because of that. Because the fact was that, in spite of her contentment, she desperately wished she could share the experience with Pike…and her father now that she thought about it. She'd never had a birthday without either of them being present before, and she realized that she desperately wanted them to be here with her now.
Sure, she had Tier and all her other friends, but the more she thought about it the more wrong it felt to celebrate her birthday without her father and childhood friend. She wanted everyone she loved to be here to share in her special day. Ahiru sighed sadly as she acknowledged, yet again, that what she wanted was never going to happen. It didn't stop her from wanting it, though, and the warring state of wanting yet knowing the want was impossible caused her to feel increasingly troubled. Tier did not fail to notice the slightly upset look that kept flickering across his partner's face as they danced and was honestly starting to grow a bit concerned. 'Something's bothering her,' he concluded as their dance drew to a close, 'I can tell. But she's trying so hard to mask it that I can't ask what it is without making things awkward…' He'd just have to wait until the opportunity presented itself.
Soon the final notes of the song rang out and the two dancers held the final pose of their pas de deux until the last note faded. Then the dragon-like man set the blue eyed maiden back on the ground and smiled softly at her as he gestured to the rolling table of gifts against the wall, "So are you ready to open your presents?" Ahiru buried her feelings of longing as she smiled back brightly, "Of course! Um…are you going to be escorting me again?" "That is the polite thing for me to do," he replied before tilting his head inquisitively, "Does that bother you?" "Not really," the red-head laughed sheepishly as she scratched the side of her head, "I'm just not used to being escorted everywhere is all." "There's no need to feel embarrassed by your lack of experience," her draconic friend smiled gently as he held out his arm for her to grab onto once more, "Nobody here thinks any less of you for it."
A teasing tone entered his voice as he continued, "In fact, I'm impressed you've avoided making any major mistakes. I've always found court manners to be one of the most convoluted aspects of my station, and I grew up learning all the intricate little nuances. Rue's clearly a better etiquette instructor than I ever realized." "Eh," Ahiru yelped, "I've made mistakes?! What?! When?! Where?!" Tier burst out laughing as she panicked earning him an annoyed look from the birthday girl. "You were teasing me again weren't you," she grumbled. "Sorry," the dragon-like man shrugged with a soft chuckle.
The truth was he thought the little pout she got when she was annoyed with him was absolutely adorable, and he'd been struggling against the temptation to indulge himself one last time all evening. It had been a miracle he'd lasted as long as he did, yet his resistance finally crumbled in the end. The draconic humanoid still had an amused look on his face as they reached the table they'd been heading for, and Ahiru's look of annoyance had faded to a slight pout. However, she started to giggle as Uzura started bouncing in place eagerly and gushed, "It's Ahiru-zura! Look at all the presents-zura! There are lots-zura! Open them! Open them-zura!" "Patience, Uzura," Raetsel scolded gently, "Let her take her time. It's her birthday after all." The little teacup pouted petulantly as she stopped bouncing, "I know that-zura…"
Ahiru slowly worked her way through the small pile and the smile on her face slowly grew wider as she unwrapped each gift. Mytho had made her a small sculpture of a swan out of melted candlewax with black seed beads for eyes. "It wasn't easy to make since I don't really have fingers," the candelabra grinned wryly as he waved the two candles he had in place of hands, "But it still came out pretty well. Besides, it's not as though I have any shortage of raw materials." "It's beautiful! I love swans! Thank you, Mytho," the red-head beamed as she cradled the slightly misshapen sculpture delicately in her hands before setting it off to the side and moving on to the next gift.
Rue had coerced her maids to help her make a simple hair clip out of her own feathers as a present. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do much more than provide the materials and describe how I wanted the finished product to look," the feather-duster sighed before smirking smugly, "Not that I stopped hovering over the girls who actually did the work at any point. I wanted your present to come out perfectly!" Ahiru ran her fingers through the soft black feathers trailing down from the woven blue silk that attached them to the metal of the clip as her smile widened. "I've never owned any sort of fancy hair ornament like this before," she admitted, "It's so pretty… Thank you, Rue!" "It's just a hair clip," the head maid huffed before smiling back, "But you're welcome, Ahiru."
Raetsel had made her a small box of the blue-eyed maiden's favorite tea blend. "I know how much you love my special herbal tea," the teapot smiled gently, "So I thought I'd make a batch especially for you." Ahiru had her nose buried in the cheesecloth wrapped satchels inside the box as she inhaled deeply before raising her head with a happy sigh. "So good…," she breathed blissfully, "I don't even have to brew it… I can just breathe it in… Thank you, Mrs. Raetsel." "I'm glad you like it," the painted woman bowed her head politely. Next was a present from Johann the footman, though he was not present to be thanked. He'd given her one of his special styling combs along with a note explaining that 'hair as lovely as hers deserved an equally fine comb to make it shine'. She admired the comb's many fine teeth before reading the letter and giggling at his wording. She didn't think her hair was all that special, but it was still nice to hear that he thought otherwise.
There was also a package from Madame Koza and her 'girls' that contained a beautiful fur-lined winter cloak as well as a matching set of gloves and a hat. The seamstress had also included a note explaining that she knew the young woman already had a functional winter cloak, but that there was a difference between 'functional' and 'quality'. 'Really, this whole ensemble has been designed to combat the nasty winters we get out here. This new cloak will keep you far warmer when you go out than your old one,' the note continued, 'Even in high winds. The gloves are triple layered with waterproofed leather on the outside to keep your hands warm and dry no matter what. The hat is of similar construction. I do hope they serve you well in years to come.' Ahiru buried her face in the furry lining of the cloak and sighed happily. It was the softest thing she had ever felt and already made her face all nice and toasty.
Uzura's present was the last package, yet it was also the most emotionally moving for the young woman. All that was in the box was a shiny piece of milky white quartz. "His name is Shine-Shine the 2nd-zura! He's one of my shiny friends," the blue-eyed teacup explained proudly, "But now I want Ahiru to have it-zura!" The red-haired maiden's eyes teared up slightly at that as she leaned over to kiss the little cup on her rim, "Thank you so much, Uzura… It really means a lot that you were willing to let me keep one of your friends…" "Shine-Shine's family is okay with him going with you, so I'm okay with it too-zura," the little teacup chirped happily.
Ahiru sniffed as she wiped her tears away before she realized there was a present missing and turned back to her dragon-like friend with an uncertain frown. "Did you," she asked hesitantly, "Not get me anything?" "My gift for you is a bit different from everyone else's," Tier explained with a slightly melancholy smile before taking her hand, "Come with me." The blue-eyed young woman blinked in confusion, but followed along as he led her towards the doors leading out onto the patio. ==================================this+is+a+line+break====================================
Tier did not stop until he reached a stone bench at the edge of the patio and gestured for her to take a seat. She did so with a curious look as he sat down next to her. He then took a deep breath before turning to face her with a gentle expression on his face, "Ahiru, I'm going to be completely honest. I owe you. You've changed my life in so many ways during your stay in my castle, and in all ways those changes have been for the better. I genuinely cannot remember a time when I have been happier, and it is all thanks to you." Ahiru blushed and gaped in shock as she stammered, "B-but…I didn't even do that much, and you got hurt because of me…" "I was just as much at fault for that incident and you know it," the dragon-like man countered flatly before he sighed, "Besides, what makes you think it was anything special you did that made me change?" "Eh," the red-haired young woman blinked in confusion, "But you said…"
The scaled man cut her off as he raised a talon to cover her lips and smiled gently at her, "All you did was simply be you. That was enough to inspire me. I know you don't think much of yourself, but believe me when I tell you that you are a rare treasure in this world. You are like hope incarnate. A warm, comforting light that can draw even the most wretched soul out of the depths of despair. I should know. I was one such soul before you came into my life. You saved me, Ahiru, and I owe you for that." He lowered his hand back to his lap as Ahiru stared back at him in surprise for a few moments before a brilliant smile spread across her face. "You don't owe me anything, Tier," she told him kindly, "If you say my presence is what helped you the most, then I'm glad I was able to be of service…" The red-head trailed off as a troubled look flickered across her face again and Tier's eyes narrowed.
"Somethings been bothering you all evening," he observed before frowning in concern, "What is it?" "It's nothing really," the blue-eyed maiden shook her head slightly before wincing as her dragon-like friend shot her a look of piercing skepticism and then admitted with a sigh, "I just…miss Pike, and Herr Katzenhaft…and my father a lot. I didn't really get a chance to say goodbye and I just…wish I could see them again…even if just for a moment." Tier cringed internally as his guilt surged and he almost blurted out that she was free to go if she wanted to. Yet it occurred to him that there was another, more subtle way he could lead up to that reveal that would also let her see the family and friends she longed for. "There is a way," he confessed quietly before standing and holding out his hand, "Come with me, and I'll show you." ==================================this+is+a+line+break====================================
The dark-scaled man led the young woman up to his room and left her next to the wilting rose as he retrieved the item he had in mind from the shelf it rested on. Tier passed the ornate green, silver, and gold book into her hands as he explained quietly, "This book is special. All you need to do is brush your fingers across the lock, open it, and tell it what you wish to see. It will project an illusion of whatever that person, place, or thing you want." Ahiru gazed down at the book for a few moments before following his instructions and murmuring, "Show me Pike Falkenrath, please." The pages lit up before the light spiraled up into a vortex and the image of a sleepy young woman with magenta-hair and violet eyes took shape. The red-head's eyes widened as she watched her friend move around her room while getting ready for bed and breathed in awe, "It's her… It's really her! Tier, this is amazing! How long have you had this?!"
"It's a family heirloom," he shrugged as he studied the illusory young woman curiously, "I don't use it all that often, though. I usually forget it even exists." "I don't think I could ever forget something this incredible," the blue-eyed maiden admitted before frowning in bemusement, "Um, how do I get it to show me something else?" "Just close it, re-open it, and repeat what you did the first time," Tier replied. Ahiru followed his directions before telling the book a bit more confidently, "Show me Herr Medwin Katzenhaft." The book promptly projected the image of a dozing greying-violet haired man with a cup of tea balanced on his lap. "That's him," she exclaimed eagerly, "My old ballet teacher!" "The one who was a retired dancer himself," the dragon-like man inquired as he studied the man curiously. He'd heard a lot about him from the red head over the past few months.
Ahiru nodded as she studied the image carefully, checking to see if he was well, and relaxing as she noted he looked as healthy as always. She then shut the book, re-opened it, and requested eagerly, "Show me my father!" After seeing Pike and her old dance instructor were doing well, she anticipated much the same for her father…which was why the image that formed drew a startled quack from her lips before she cried out, "Papa!" She stared in horror at her father's illusory form stumbling weakly through the mountains in a howling gale before falling to his knees and coughing harshly. Tier frowned in concern at the old smith's condition; it was clear he would die without help. "He's sick," the red-head whimpered, "And all alone! He could die! What is he even doing out here?! Oh, God, please no… Papa…"
The dragon-like man felt his chest tighten as he realized this was his chance. She wouldn't question why he was releasing her if he told her now. Not in these circumstances, yet now that the time had come…it was a struggle to speak the words. His eyes drifted over to the dying rose resting on the table next to her before he slowly shut them and took a deep breath. It was now…or never. "Go to him," he told her quietly. "What," Ahiru gasped as her eyes snapped to her friend's somber face. "Your father needs you, Ahiru," the scaled man replied as he re-opened his eyes to stare at the rose once more, "Go to him. You are free to leave whenever you choose." "Are you saying…what I think you are," the blue-eyed maiden asked uncertainly. Tier sighed heavily and turned his gaze to meet hers, "I'm releasing you from our deal. You are no longer my prisoner, Ahiru, and I will not seek to reclaim your father. This I promise you."
The red-haired young woman stared blankly at him for a few moments as she processed his words before she finally whispered incredulously, "I'm free? You really mean that?" "Yes," Tier replied quietly, "Now go. Your father is counting on you, remember?" Ahiru gave him a quavering smile as she whispered, "Thank you…" She then turned her attention back to the book in her hands and took a deep breath before murmuring, "Hold on, Papa… I'm coming! Don't die!" She then shut the book and started to hand it back to her dragon-like friend before he shook his head. "Keep it," he murmured with a sad smile, "Consider it a gift and a memento. So you will always have something to remember me by…"
The blue-eyed maiden took the book back, hugged it to her chest, and smiled up at him gratefully, "Thank you so much, Tier. For everything…" She then hesitantly reached out to place her hand on his cheek which he then covered with his own as he gazed back at her sadly. He knew this would be the last time he ever saw her face, felt her touch on his scales, and was desperately committing every last second to memory. "Just don't forget me," he whispered softly, "Because I know I will never forget you. Goodbye, Ahiru…" "I promise," she vowed with a gentle smile, "Goodbye, Tier. And thank you again." She then pulled her hand away, turned gracefully on her heel, and raced out of the room as he watched her go with a shuddering sigh. ==================================this+is+a+line+break====================================
Five minutes after Ahiru ran out of his room, and his life, Autor and Mytho turned up at the door with matching looks of anticipation on their faces. "So," the candelabra inquired curiously, "How did it go?" "Do you even have to ask? Did you not see how happy Ahiru looked when we passed her earlier," the clock scoffed scornfully before a confidant smile crossed his carven visage, "There is no doubt that she will be receptive when you confess your true feelings, my lord, after you have had such success in charming her this night. Well done! Well done indeed!" Tier only sighed as he stared down at the dying rose before murmuring brokenly, "I'm going to die."
"Yes, yes, you're going to," the enchanted timepiece started to repeat indulgently before his master's words registered and he choked in shock, "Wait… Wait, wait, wait… You're going to what?! Why?!" The three-pronged candlestick remained silent as the dragon-like man turned his heartbroken gaze on his servants and admitted, "I let Ahiru go without telling her how I feel, and at the rate the rose is wilting…I likely only have a few weeks left. She won't return before then if she ever does… I'm going to die…" "Why would you do something so foolish," Autor screeched before yelping as Mytho shoved the flame of one of his arm-candles into the clock's side.
"I suspected you were planning something like this, my lord," the candelabra sighed as he hopped over to his liege's feet before looking up at him sadly, "I was hoping I was wrong though. Just tell me one thing. Why? Why did you let her go?" "Her father was lost in the mountains and possibly dying," Tier explained softly as his gaze drifted back to the rose, "There was no one else who could possibly reach him in time save for myself…and he would not trust my aid. Not after I stole his daughter from him. I had to let her go…for to do otherwise would have been to condemn an innocent soul to death by winter's chill… I'm not that cold-hearted…not anymore…" "Yes, yes," Autor finally huffed after soothing his burn, "I'm glad to hear you learned the lesson that enchantress seemed to feel she needed to curse us all for you to learn, but that still doesn't explain why you let her go without telling her how you felt!"
"I couldn't tell her," the dragon-like man replied sadly. "Yes, but why," the clock repeated insistently. "Because," Tier admitted as his eyes slid shut and a single tear traced its path down his scaled cheek, "I love her… If I told her, and she by some miracle happened to return my feelings… All I would have been able to give her would be a gilded cage when she deserves, more than anyone, to fly free. I love her far too much to chain her in such a way. So I chose to let her go without telling her and will pay for that decision with my life. Forgive me…" Mytho patted the grieving man comfortingly on his ankle with an understanding smile, "Oh, my friend, there is nothing to forgive." "Speak for yourself," Autor grumbled.
Tier sighed again and ran his hand through his hair as he looked down at his two servants, "I should inform the others…shouldn't I?" Mytho frowned in concern as he noticed the faint tremble in his masters knees has he continued to lean against the table the vase rested on and shook his head, "That won't be necessary. We can take care of that easily enough. Just get some rest. You've had a long day." The dragon-like man nodded slowly before he finally allowed a yawn to escape and rested even more of his weight against the table. It wasn't as though he had a reason to hide his exhaustion anymore. They knew his death was inevitable now, so they may as well know the process had already begun.
"Very well," the scaled man murmured tiredly, "I'll leave it to you both…and…tell them I'm sorry I wasn't a better master. You all deserved better than what you've had to put up with from me all these years…" "We will," the candelabra assured his friend as he started to sluggishly get undressed. The three-pronged candlestick then grabbed onto Autor and dragged him out of the room with a troubled look on his face. Mytho was no fool. He'd known Tier had been hiding something for a while now, but for it to be something like this… It was all he could do to keep from breaking down in tears from sheer grief for his dear friend's sake.
"I don't know why you're being so accepting of all of this," the clock snarled as he shook free halfway down the hall, "Don't you realize what's going to happen now?!" "Yes," Mytho replied grimly, "I do. In fact, it's already happening." The enchanted timepiece blinked in surprise before directing an uneasy look at his companion, "Dare I ask what you mean by that?" The ornate candle-holder halted and turned to gaze straight into the young chamberlain's eyes, "You heard him yourself. His lordship is on his last two weeks of life, and I noticed he's started showing symptoms." "Come again," Autor frowned.
"He's exhausted right now in spite of the fact that he didn't exert himself nearly enough to be even mildly fatigued," the candelabra explained with a serious look, " I think…he's starting to weaken." "But that would mean that," the clock's eyes widened in horror as the maitre'd nodded solemnly, "He's already dying…" Sheer grief and heartbreak suffused Mytho's voice as turned away to resume his progress down the hall, "I've no doubt this is why he's been so oddly passive these past few days… Why he was telling us how much he appreciated us… He was saying goodbye… I'm going to lose my brother in all but blood…and there's nothing I can do for him…"
A/N: OH MY GOD, WHY?! WHY DO I FEEL SO DRIVEN TO DESCRIBE SO MUCH ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL WHEN I KNOW NEXT TO NOTHING ABOUT ARCHITECTURE!? GAAAAAAAAAAAH! Sorry. The description of the ballroom and all the research I had to do in order to learn the right terms to use for what I was seeing in my head…kind of got to me. Reference the site from chapter four if you need clarification on the terms used. There is no significance to the color of the roses used as decoration. I just stuck them in because I thought they looked pretty in my mental image of the scene. On another note, in case anyone was wondering, Ahiru's outfit is meant to be reminiscent of Princess Tutu's costume…only as a romantic tutu and not what I am assuming is supposed to be either a pancake tutu or a Balanchine tutu. Her necklace is supposed to be the one she wears as Tutu. It is also a pain to try to describe in one sentence. Bleh… I was listening to the Sleeping Beauty Waltz on YouTube while I wrote the dance scene, by the way. I realize selecting part of a piece composed in 1890 sets a specific time period this story must be set in. Unless you stop thinking of this as being set in a historical analogue of Europe and start treating it as fantasy Europe…which is what it actually is. This is not set in the real Germany, and it is not in the real Europe though it has the cultural influences and language of both. And because this is fantasy, that means I can play around with the details… Which means Tchaikovsky could have been born back in the 15th, 16th, or 17th century in this fantasy world! And ballet as an art form could have been around even longer too! I love creative license… Finally, longest chapter to date for this fic at 24 and slightly over 1/8th pages counting author's notes; it's the detail that did it. Detail makes everything longer. 'Tis the truth! Now I will stop before this chapter gets any longer. See you all next chapter!