...Chapter Ten: Ten Black Roses...
I could, after two days of struggling, find my way around the vast estate with little problem. The majority of my time was spent listening to Road babble, sitting in the library with Tyki, Lavi, and Bookman, going into the city of Lisbon with Lulu Bell, who was trying to find a dress for the upcoming party, or playing the glossy cherry-wood grand piano in the music room. On such occasions, the Noah would sit silently in the corner closest to the floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the west side of the house. Every now and again, Allen would lean against the door frame, but would only stay for a few minutes before disappearing to where ever the Exorcists were spending their time. Scattered around the room were various other instruments, including a Spanish guitar, a silver flute, a violin, and a cello, all of which I eyed with great interest when no one else was around. On the fifth day after waking up in the home of my new family, as I had taken to calling the Noah, my curiosity had reached its limit, and I brought the cello, a truly stunning instrument made from tiger maple, to one of the chairs the Noah usually say in. I carefully tuned each string to perfection, and tightened the bow hairs. The bow itself was made of black horse hair, the same tiger maple, and inlaid with black mother-of-pearl.
I had just started playing the first notes of Bach's Cello Suite No.1, when Allen and Tyki walked into the room. I froze instantly. "What are you two doing here?"
"We've been looking for you for a while. Lulu Bell and Road have been asking where you were, and Road was starting to pout and hit Lero on every solid surface she could find." Allen said. Rhiannon gave him an odd glance at the name but shrugged it off.
Tyki tried to not think of the similarities of this moment to his dream. Based on the look Rhiannon was giving him, she was thinking the same thing. "Why are they looking for me?"
"Lulu Bell said something about final dress fittings. She also said you haven't picked a dress for the party yet. You do know it's tomorrow, right?"
Rhiannon glanced down at the strings of the cello, "I wasn't planning on going at all. I didn't think I was invited."
"You being there would make the whole thing much more tolerable." Tyki said. She looked back up, trying to read from his eyes if he was being honest or not.
"He's right, and it would be nice to know someone besides the Noah there." said Allen. Tyki wasn't surprised by this statement, as he had been told the Exorcists would be invited to attend by the Earl that morning. Rhiannon hadn't, and looked slightly dumbfounded, then gave them both a dry smile.
"Well, if you put it like that, I guess I have no choice." She stood and placed the cello back in its stand, handling it like a newborn child.
Lulu Bell, Road, and I were now at the downtown, and very expensive, dress shop they had chosen earlier that week. Lulu Bell and Road were having their last fitting on the dresses they had selected on the first visit, while I was attempting to find a dress that would fit on such short notice. I glanced back at Lulu Bell and Road, who were both in their human forms and their stunning dresses. Lulu Bell's was dark violet with red rose accents, and hugged every curve. Road's was a confection of violet and aqua ruffles, with white bows and matching shoes. I could never dream of looking like them...
I was jerked out of my thoughts by Road's incessant tugging on my arm. "Rhia~, have you picked one yet~?"
"Not yet. Everything is either too short, or too frilly, or has too many bows."
"Wait, you don't like bows? Do you not think my dress is cute?" she pouted, looking much younger than she really was.
"That's not what I meant in the least. Your dress is adorable, but on me, bows look... puffy." I paused and shrugged. "I'm okay with just one in the back, but all of these have more than ten." I said with honesty. I was too tall and thin for bows to look even slightly acceptable on my figure, and my features were much more mature than Road's.
"Hmm, I think I can fix that... Lulu Bell!" she ran back to where the aforementioned Noah was, and had a brief, whispered discussion. Lulu Bell then spoke to the owner of the shop, a young woman with auburn hair and freckles, who then turned to me, and gestured me over by waving a hand. I let the heavy brocade dress I was holding fall back into place on the rack. That one looked nice, but the hem was four inches above my ankles. I walked calmly over to them, but inside I was panicking, worried what torture Road had thought up.
"Madam Bell informed me that you are unable to find a suitable dress. Please follow me to the back, we have dresses specially made for a woman of your stature." Did she just insult me? I wondered, but quickly reconsidered when I saw the envious glances she was giving me. When I passed the Noah, I mouthed Thank you! Lulu Bell gave me the hint of a smile, and Road grinned ear to ear. The shopkeeper, who was more than six inches shorter than me, lead me to a storage room in the back. I stared, as I had never seen this many ball gowns outside of, well, a ball. She pointed to the far corner, where I saw an entire rack of dresses the proper length, and I eagerly looked through them. And was sorely disappointed once again. The dresses here were made in a similar fashion as the ones in front, with way to many bows, frills, and beading. Some were so heavily encrusted in crystals they looked more like a chip of ice then a gown. I sorrowfully pushed one after another down the rack, my heart sinking lower in my chest with each gown I passed. I was about to give up and walk out, when a peek of ice-blue satin and jade lace caught my eye at close to the end of the rack. I almost ran to it, and, pulling it out, nearly squealed with delight. This was my dress.
I held the hanger in my left hand, and kept the train from dragging on the floor with my right, and attempted to look civilized as I re-entered the fitting rooms. "Ladies," the Noah turned. I held up the dress, Lulu Bell's eyes opened completely and smiled more than I had yet seen, and Road giggled like a toddler. "I think I found it." They both nodded enthusiastically.
After checking that the dress fit (like a glove), paying, and stopping shortly at a jeweler on the same block, we were finally on our way home. Lulu Bell and Road had both purchased a parure with stones matching the colors of their gowns, and I selected only a simple, oval moonstone set in silver, and a hammered silver torque. When we were within one hundred yards of the manor, Road leaned out the window and yelled, "Father, Tyki! We're back~!" Both Noah turned in our direction to see Road half in, and half out of the carriage we were seated in. Sheril grinned and waved enthusiastically back while Tyki rolled his eyes. As soon as the carriage was almost to a complete stop, Road jumped out into Sheril's arms. Lulu Bell and I chose a more dignified manner of exit. Tyki smirked and led the way back inside, Sheril cooing at Road the entire time. The Earl was just inside the door, and when he saw us, he asked, "Well did you find a gown that fits?" I nodded silently, and he said, "So let us see it~!"
As I was about to take the dress out of its large white box, Road pulled my hand back and said, "Wait, Rhia! Let's surprise them with it at the ball~!"
Tyki rolled his eyes again, Sheril pouted in a similar way to Road, and the Earl sighed. "Well, if you insist. Sheril, Tyki, we'll be leaving in about an hour~." The two men nodded, and the Earl walked into the formal sitting room.
"Where are you going, if I may ask?" I inquired.
"We have to pick up our new suits. The Earl insisted." Tyki said. "But, while I'm still here, would you mind finishing the song you were playing earlier?"
I smiled, put my coat back in the hall closet, and made my way up the stairs to the music room, which was across and two down to the left of mine. The room was empty, and I went back to the place I had been seated earlier that morning. I pulled the cello up from where it had laid on its side, and re-tuned it. When that was done, I held the bow to the strings, and played the familiar melody of Bach's Cello Suite No.1 Prelude. When the final note resounded off the walls, I lowered the bow, and Tyki clapped softly, not wanting to break the stillness of the air. I stood, and put the cello back in its stand. "Shall we?" I gestured to the door. He followed me down the hall to the library. We both picked up the books we had abandoned the night before, and sat in chairs across from each other.
Tyki stared at Rhiannon above the spine of his book, watching as she yet again pushed her hair behind her ears. He almost laughed out loud when it slipped again, and she glared cross-eyed at it in front of her nose. She heard his chuckle, and turned her glare at him. "Think it's funny, do you?"
"Tremendously." he chuckled again.
"Osel*. And here I was thinking I would get a little sympathy from you. I thought wrong." she grouched.
"Was that Russian? What did you say to me?"
"I'm not saying another word until you apologize."
He was about to do so when the twins crashed into the door, and Devit said, "The Earl's about to leave without you, so ya might want ta hurry."
Tyki sighed and stood. He turned to Rhiannon and said, "I guess I'll see you at dinner. Don't disappear for another seven millennia while I'm gone." He could have sworn she grinned at his words. He ran down the steps, so to not be left behind. He slid into the carriage next to Sheril and across from the Earl, then tuned them out as they discussed politics. The drive took about half an hour, and they were at the tailor's.
Fittings took much longer than they though they would, and it's was dark by the time it was over and done with. Walking back to the carriage, Tyki saw a flash of silver in a window, and, remembering what Rhiannon was struggling with less than two hours ago, said, "I'll catch up, I just need to pick up one last thing." The others shrugged, and continued on their way to where the carriage was waiting.
I hadn't seen Tyki, the Earl, or Sheril the rest of the day, and they weren't at dinner. Tired, I went back to the music room, and played piano for an hour. When I felt like I was about to fall asleep on the keys, I went back to my room. After closing the door, I noticed a bouquet on my side table. When I went closer, I saw the flowers were all black roses, so dark they looked like crushed velvet. Next to the vase was a small brown package with a note.
I hope this makes up for what I did earlier, and not being at dinner. Just, don't stay angry at me for long, it was never meant as an insult. I can't wait to see you at the ball tomorrow.
Tyki.
I opened the package, not knowing what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at the beautifully crafted silver comb, with crystal roses and a single drop-seed pearl hanging in the center. I grabbed a pen and slip of paper from the desk, and wrote,
This more than makes up for it. I was never angry at you, and will be waiting in the ballroom for you tomorrow at six.
Rhiannon.
I then walked to the library, and marked a page of his book with the folded note, about an inch sticking out of it.
Yay, more romance! And finally, next will be the ball! Which Exorcists do you want to be there? This chapter is named after one of my favorite songs by The Rasmus, and I highly suggest you check out their music!
*) Osel translates to ass. It's a Russian insult.
Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-man, nor do I own it's characters!