...Chapter Nine: The Lion's Den...
I awoke the next morning with a soul-deep sense of calm. The sun filtered through the gauzy blue curtains, creating a look of being under water, and the faint sounds of birds could be heard through the windows on the east side of my room, which was opposite the bed. I breathed in the calm December morning air, and pulled the azure comforter up to my nose, trying to catch a few minutes more of sleep. I was just starting to drift back into my dreams when a loud crash echoed up the stairs and down the halls. I heard Sheril yell, "Twins!", two sets of feet sprint past my door, and knew I wouldn't sleep again until I got them to be more considerate of the others in the house. Which would take quite a while.
Sighing yet again, I pulled myself out of my warm bed and grabbed the boar hair brush off the cherry-wood dresser. I gently freed my hair from all tangles, and stepped into my shoes. After turning the knob on the door, I was almost hit with flying silverware, and heard the twins cackle as they ran further down the hall and up the staircase to the third floor. I looked in both directions down the hall, and, seeing no one, took one step out the door. And jumped back as Sheril bolted past me to where the twins had disappeared. When he saw me frozen in shock, he turned back and said, "Good morning, Rhiannon. Did you happen to see where the twins went?"
"They just flew up the stairs to the third floor like a pair of bats out of Hell." I said sarcastically. He recognized this, and gave me a dry glance, then went after the twins for a second time. When he had reached the stairs, he turned back and said, "In case you were wondering, everyone else is in the dining room. Lulu Bell wants to meet you today."
Following the sounds of voices, I went on my way down the steps, around the back of them, down another, short hallway, and into a bright, sunlit room. The space was taken up mostly by the large mahogany table that could easily fit three dozen people, but was only occupied by nine, with three plates that had been abandoned, no doubt by Sheril, Devit, and Jasdero, and one place in between the Earl and Tyki. On the side farthest from me sat, in order, Allen, Bookman, Lavi, Kanda, and Lenelee, and on the opposite, the Earl, the empty place setting, Tyki, Road, the three abandoned settings, and a female Noah I hadn't met before. Upon hearing my footsteps, the Noah all turned to see me clearly and the Exorcists halted their conversation. When the last Noah turned to face me, I heard the same voice I had heard when I met Tyki and Road, and said, "Rasutoru?" Even though her eyes were mostly closed, I saw a look of confusion pass over her face before it changed back to its original mask of calm. "Wait, I'm sorry. You must be Lulu Bell. Sheril said you wanted to meet me, was this correct?" She nodded in response, but didn't say a word.
The Earl grinned like a maniac, then said "Rhiannon, you're awake~! Please have a seat, and breakfast~, then you and Lulu Bell can talk later~." He gestured to the high-backed chair to his right. Tyki stood, pulled out the chair, then pushed it back in after I had sat down. Always the perfect gentleman, isn't he?
"You're looking well, how are you feeling this morning?" asked Bookman, who was sitting with his hands crossed in his sleeves.
"Completely healed, thank you. I owe you my life."
"That was nothing, you do not owe me a thing," he said. "If you truly want to thank someone, give your thanks to Allen and Lord Mikk."
I turned to Tyki, and said, disbelieving, "Lord Mikk?"
He fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable. "That's my name in high society, when I'm with my brother. You can just call me by my first name." I could tell this was his preference. I didn't dwell on this, and instead asked the Earl, "What were you all discussing before I came in?"
Allen took this as an opportunity to take part in the conversation, "We were talking about what is going to happen to us Exorcists. Now that we have worked with the Noah in freeing you, they have marked us all as traitors."
Rhiannon stared at her hands resting on the table, her eyebrows drawing together, an expression of obvious distress written on her features."All of this trouble is my fault. If it wasn't for me, none of you would be involved in this."
Shocked by her sudden turn into the depths of depression, Tyki reached out and laid his left hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, and he said, "Don't you ever think that again. I don't regret a single moment of the past five days, and I'm sure Road and the others agree." Her eyes widened, but she said nothing. He let his hand fall and stood when Sheril entered, pulling the twins by their ears. "What did they do this time, brother?"
"Took half of the good silver that the maids spent the past week polishing, and were using them for target practice. Most of it is now impaled in the walls around the house."
Ah. So that's what happened. No wonder he's so upset, that's the silver for the party next week. Sheril had been meticulously planning the formal dinner and following ball for four months, and had invited dignitaries from across Europe and South America. The silver in question had been handed down through their family for generations.
The twins finally broke free of Sheril's vise-like grip, and zipped to where Rhiannon was seated. She pulled back as they leaned forward, almost nose-to-nose with her. She went slightly cross-eyed at their proximity to her. "Hey-ya! How've ya been, missy?"
"Yeah, how've ya been, hee?"
"Um... could you back away by about, oh, two feet? At least?" Tyki leaned over and pulled them back by their fur-trimmed collars.
"Hey! We're just bein' friendly!" Devit exclaimed. "Friendly, hee!" echoed Jasdero.
"That doesn't mean you have to try and kiss her." He dragged them back to their seats next to Lulu Bell, and sat back in his own chair. Sheril sat next to Road.
"Well, now that we're all here, we can decide how we will proceed~." said the Earl. The Exorcists all flinched, fearing this exact moment. "You are our enemies, and have caused a pain in our necks for years, and nearly destroyed our Ark. That aside, you had a hand in rescuing Rhiannon, who means a great deal to our family, even though you also lead her to her captivity. I understand that was not your intention, and will overlook that. The only one who can decide your fate is our dear Fifteenth~."
Rhiannon stared at the Earl, then studied the Exorcists closely. She gave each of their faces a steady, unfaltering look. "They didn't mean me any harm, and it was a complete accident that the Central Investigator heard about me. If it wasn't for them, I would never have known any of my true family. I don't want any harm to come to a single one of them."
"Then I guess it's decided." The Earl slapped his hands down on the table, earning a jump from everyone. "If you agree, we will call a temporary truce. But, if you attack any of us, or the Akuma around the house, we will assume you are calling the truce off." The Earl motioned to Sheril, and both stood to walk back upstairs, presumably to Sheril's study. When they were gone, Road bounced into the Earl's seat, and leaned on Rhiannon's shoulder, playing with the silver bar and chain on her left ear. Rhiannon rolled her eyes slightly, but didn't move away. Smart decision on her part, thought Tyki.
"So, what do you think of the house so far~? Haven't gotten lost yet, right~?" she sing-songed.
"Not yet, but I'm sure to later." Rhiannon replied, then looked pleadingly into Tyki's eyes.
"How about we give her a tour after she and Lulu Bell have their talk?" Road pouted, but released Rhiannon's earring. Rhiannon followed Lulu Bell out of the formal dining room.
Twenty minutes later, the twins and Exorcists had left for different parts of the vast estate. Tyki and Road waited, seated in the same places they had been before. When they heard steps on the marble behind them, they turned then stood to meet Rhiannon at the doorway. "Are you ready to give me that tour?"
Tyki smirked, then said, "That might take a while."
"I have a bit of free time," she said sarcastically. "Lead the way."
"Well, first, the large French doors behind you lead to the ballroom." They then made their way down the hall and back up the grand staircase, Tyki and Road pointing out various rooms on the way, including Sheril's study, four guest rooms, the one Rhiannon was using not included, a sitting room, the library, and the music room, the last two Rhiannon was sure she would be spending a lot of her time in.
Back at the Black Order, everything was far from calm. The Generals were worried that now that the Noah knew where they were, they would have a second, more destructive battle, the Science Division was trying to figure out where the Ark door they had used led to, the Exorcists worried what had happened to their comrades, and Lvellie lectured Komui on "allowing" this to happen.
"Now that five Exorcists, your own sister included, have seemingly sided with the Noah, I will, as of this moment, be taking full command of the Order, and how we will be dealing with these betrayals. Most likely, all will be executed, and the girl they broke out of captivity turned over to Central for further analysis."
How can he talk about human lives as if they are completely worthless? Just what were those kids thinking that brought them to this?
And I have updated again! Please tell me of any mistakes, or if someone is too OOC... My back hurts and my arms and legs are covered in bug bites from camp. They hurt sooooo much! I am feeling much better today, but please keep me in your thoughts. I don't know when I will be needing it. This chapter is much shorter than the past two... :/
Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!