"Akumu..." The soft whisper was unreturned. The small girl gently pulled her knees closer to her chest and buried her face again.
She'd been found. Found by a high-status general. A general who goes by the name of Ciaran Sionnach. Someone extremely close to the queen and well trusted among the guards yet that someone held out his hand and held her close for comfort. He stroked her head and calmed her, promising to help. Yet that saviour had disappeared and she was all alone in the darkness of the cupboard, unknowing of the time or date and too terrified to dare even nudge at the small door.
Akumu... But he didn't reply. He too had vanished in the midst of her childish tears.
XXX
The young general strolled into the kitchen and found a silver tray. He whistled and soon a small boy came running up.
"Good afternoon, Sir Sionnach." His green eyes were so dark you could barely tell the colour but he was an honest boy and above all, incredibly loyal to Sionnach alone.
"I wish for you to make some tea and gather treats, if you will, Silas."
"Certainly, sir." And with that he went straight to the kettle before moving on to collect a small arrangement of cakes and biscuits. "Will this do?" He asked over the whistle from the steam. Ciaran smiled softly and nodded, thinking of the little girl who'd quite happily stuff her face and indulge in the sweets when they arrived.
"Thank you. Also, prepare two cups. And you know how I like to disappear at times, yes?" The last question was an unsaid order. It meant 'Don't tell anyone where I am, act as if you have no idea if they ask and if possible, avoid having people go towards me.' The young boy knew this well and confirmed the fact he understood before setting the pot of tea on the tray and taking it in his hands. With this, the general turned heels and walked calmly out through the corridors. Turning into the West Wing didn't surprise the boy too much, he knew this was where Ciaran most liked to be alone but he did wonder about the two cups. Surely coming here meant he wasn't going to have tea with her majesty, so who else? For he was most convinced he was out of the possibilities for having afternoon tea with.
Eventually, after taking many turns and passing forks, they came to a stop outside a grand door to their left. Aware that his trainee had his hands full, Ciaran reached over and opened the door for him, allowing the youngest through first. A word of thanks before the general gestured to a polished table by the window. It was a rather spectacular little room. Bookcases lined every inch of the walls, books stacked tightly inside without the slightest of spaces. The only gap between the shelves was the door but the wallpaper didn't even appear above it as shelves had been built into the wall. Facing the door was one ginormous window. Crystal clear to look through and the view was fitting for the room. Three floors up meant they could oversee the majority of the garden on their side of the house and it was magnificent.
A willow wept silently nearby, its leaves gently brushing the glass when the wind blew. The grim tree grieved at the undeniable fate of a young girl hiding in a cupboard just next door to the room where a man watched it faithfully.
"You can leave." Pause. "Thank you, Silas." The small boy nodded without a word and turned to leave, closing the door carefully behind him. Relaxing as he walked down the empty corridor, he pulled his hand through his hair, scratching his head.
"You know, I'd never question you, but sometimes I wonder what goes through that head of yours." A voice unheard, spoken from pale lips as he shook his head and turned the corner.
Ciaran stood silently, observing the growing trees and fresh leaves. When he believed the tea had cooled enough and that his follower was long out of sight, he spun and headed straight for the door. Quickly he slipped into a nearby door and his hushed voice rang out.
"Rin?" A surprised squeak met his call and he wound himself around the maze of dusty wood and crouched down at a claret cabinet. "Rin?" Careful, so as not to scare the timid kitten inside, he pulled on the black knobs and lifted the small one up. He cradled her, for she had yet again been left alone in the darkness with a price on her head. "Come on." He tenderly smoother her hair down on the back of her neck and carried her to the other room.
"Have some tea." It was a subtle order as he set her down in her seat, facing the large window. "And take your choice of snacks." Pulling out a chair for himself as he poured the sweet liquid into her cup. Rin sat with hunched shoulders, leaning forwards on her hands which sat in a W shape on the chair between her skinny legs. Her fringe shaded her face as Ciaran watched her cautiously. "Have some tea." His voice was still quiet but this time the order was stronger. She winced slightly and reached forwards to pick up the steaming cup. Her other hand immediately grabbed the china as she pulled it under her chin and let the heat warm her palms and face. A small smile peeked from his lips as the girl let out a satisfied sigh.
"We've pulled the war to a stop for now." His voice caused her to glance up through her hair. Despite hiding behind the teacup, she kept eye contact as he went on to explain how some of her majesty's most precious men had gone to persuade her and persisted until she agreed for a temporary cease in fire. "It was really dangerous, you know. One wrong word and she could have gone into a fit and beheaded him." He laughed and shook his head at the Queen's silly antics before moving on to tell her stories of the Servant's Quarters and all their favourite gossip.
Teatime carried on far longer than it should have but Ciaran would continue to weave short stories of the castle's behind-the-scenes until Rin had reached a point of relaxation beyond what he hoped to have achieved that day. She'd wrapped her arms around her legs as she rested her cheek on her knee and gazed up at him contentedly. A soft smile played on her pink lips. Her ears were pricked to the smooth sound of his voice filling the room.
The plates were empty of even crumbs and the tea was long gone from its pot. The sun began to set between the veil like leaves of the weeping willow as Ciaran finally decided he'd be missed by now and it was time to return to the centre of the castle.
XXX
"Hey," a voice like honey whispered into the darkness. Turquoise claws dug into the red-violet sheets as the cat towered over her toy. "You've been gone so often recently." Her sugary whine coupled with a lonely pout caused the toy to be overwhelmed with desire as it rushed from its pitiful stance of lying meekly beneath her to clutching the back of her head, her sleek hair like a blanket on his fingers. His lips pressed ferociously to hers as he lay a hand on her lower back and pulled her closer.
"It kinda makes me lonely." She pulled her head up, causing him to be left nuzzling her neck. "What exactly have you been doing as you disappeared?" Frozen, hung from a silver thread, he felt the knife at his throat, the words slowly piercing the skin under his neck. Her empty eyes, ice conflicting with the burning heat vibrating from her fingertips and scolding his bare chest.
His eyes half closed as they examined hers. When did she start making a face like this? The thought wandered vaguely through his head. It kind of reminds me of...
XXX
It had become a weekly routine that Rin would spend her time sleeping cramped up in the cupboard with Akumu occasionally visiting to tell stories of what he'd witnessed in the castle. Silas would bring a tray of one pot of tea, two teacups and saucers along with a variety of small plates with cake on them everyday to the same room at 3PM. Ciaran wouldn't come every day, not even every other day and Silas would always return to retrieve the tray at 6pm, either finding both cups used or one cup used and always a different number of plates empty.
Rin tended to wait for her caretaker in the cupboard but after a while she'd get bored and stiff and climb out to stretch and peek into the other room for food. Knowing that someone would return to take the tray, she never stayed long. She'd occasionally read for a while in the sunlight but Ciaran had warned her six o'clock was the time to be hidden safe and quiet. Considering her head was still on the line with the orders of "shoot first, ask later", she decided to obey this simple request.
Despite the clockwork life of the two younger ones, despite how they always had the same thing in mind between three and six PM, they still let their minds wander.
How come I'll see him working all day, not even glancing in the Wing's direction, and yet still return and find a cup used? Who does he meet? I've lingered by the Wing's entrance and not a soul stepped through yet still it's gone. What's so special about that room? Why such pinpoint times? What happens there? Does the Queen know of this? Does anyone other than me, him and whomever he meets, know of this? Who do I know who has a strong sweet tooth? It can't be Kamui, he's gone on trips for weeks at a time and still the food's gone. Even when Ciaran goes away he orders for food to be sent. Is there anything special about that room? About the time? Or did it just happen to be that way? Is he keeping something from me? He knows he doesn't have to... It must be something big. Or maybe he thinks I'm not bothered? I'm always quiet when working after all... And this is work. But what happens there from 3 to 6? What happens after that? What happens before I bring the tray? Does anything happen?
Who brings the trays so loyally? Why is Ciaran helping me so much? What would the Queen do if she found out? What would anyone do if they found out? Why have I made a cupboard my home? How long have I been here? Where does Akumu disappear off to? Though I guess he can't be here all the time... What's there to eat today? Will Ciaran arrive? What does the tray bringer think of this? Does he realize what's happening? Does he have an idea? Is it a he? No wait, stupid question, everyone in this town is male apart from Miku and I. Why did she suddenly explode? Why doesn't she like me? Is it me in particular or is there something else? What was that noise? Is someone coming? What time is it? I wish I had a gun. Wait, what? How come Akumu's not here yet? How many Alice's are there? The red girl was scary but at least she went away fast. More shock than anything I guess. When will this end? When can I get home? When will the food come? Will they find me when my stomach growls this loudly? What am I supposed to do all day? How can I escape?
What about Len?
Whilst all these thoughts swirled and multiplied inside the small minds of Silas and Rin, the one man whom knew all the answers was completely ignorant to the unspoken questions. It was all very simple in his mind. He was showing the most dominant part of his soul, a side shown significantly not for the first time.
XXX
"Aah." He let out an exhausted sigh and slumped into the cream sofa. He pulled a hand through his short ruffled hair and gazed at the drizzle outside. Every drop caught on the narrow leaves and fell down the thin vein like teardrops. You can tell it's not named for nothing... His pity reached out to the nearby tree, separated only by the thick glass wall. Feeling light-headed, he decided to rest a while longer. One hand woven on top of his head with his thick black feathery hair, the other resting gently on his empty stomach. He'd only just closed his eyes, listening to the rain's lullaby when there was a sudden click at the door.
Dark eyes shot open and his muscles stiffened. Ciaran was out shopping with her Majesty. Could this finally be the day he finds out? But won't he be in enormous trouble? It is meant to be a secret after all...
Back to the door, he heard it creak open, only enough to fit a head inside. There was a pause. Finally the rush of air indicated it had been opened fully before quickly being shut again. Click. A chair's feet scraped against the floor as Silas focussed on keeping his breathing steady. No matter what, he had to stay calm.
"Oh shut up! I'm starving!" An aggravated voice covered the sound of pouring tea. Wait, what? "It's fine. Ciaran'll be here soon enough." I'm sure I only heard one pair of footsteps. "If that's the case then more time to read!" And that laughter sounds incredibly... "Shopping? Ah, I wish I could go shopping." Right now, isn't Ciaran...? "Not even for pretty clothes, just for something more practicable whilst hiding!" You shouldn't speak with your mouth full... "Eh?" Silence. What happened? Suddenly a small figure appeared on the other side of the room, dressed in loose black clothes far too big for the wearer. He hasn't noticed me... A pale arm reached out to the glass, the figure seemed almost hypnotized by the rain. Those clothes... Not a uniform. They actually look a lot like brother's underwear... A melancholy sigh released itself from the blonde's lips. His arm fell and he began to trail his fingers gently as he walked across the room, eyes always kept on the garden outside. Did we have another young trainee? One my age that's blonde? His hair... Tied in a short ponytail, It looks beautiful. "Akumu... Len is...?" But the question was cut off as the servant jumped to a stand.
"Girl?!" His yelp shocked both of them and the girl spun round to face him. There was only a meter or so between them as she'd reached the glass right in front of his spot on the sofa. He saw her eyes widen in confusion, not quite having taken in the situation. Her hair was golden and a couple of strands had fallen to framing her cute face. A midnight t-shirt hung diagonally, showing her shoulder bare apart from one navy strap that disappeared beneath it. Elastic in the waistband was the only thing holding up the navy boxers with small black swirls that reached down just above her knees. Her feet were hidden in thick fluffy socks and her calves were covered by matchy fluffy legwarmers. She looked gaunt but otherwise reasonably well-fed with more fat than muscle, presumably from being fed so much cake every day. He saw the cogs in her head were beginning to spin and her shock turned to an aggressive fear. "Then you must be..."
XXX
"Mmm! Mmm-mmM! AHH!" Groans and wails were heard coming from inside the dust-covered wood. The small girl squished inside was hungry and stressed, lack of energy made her angry. "This is what I get for not eating yesterday!" She regretted the decision to be healthy and eat only a thick carrot cake with scrumptious cheese frosting the day before. "I wish I had a sandwich..." She let out a small wail as her imagination roamed to a puffy homemade bun, buttered lightly with thick slabs of ham inside. She felt the cool taste of apple juice moisturising her throat and the squish of an orange slice as she plopped it in her mouth. Her stomach let out a cruel howl and she pressed her shoulder hard against the door and rolled out like an egg. "Food." She wailed under her breath. "Foooood." Was her grumble but she collapsed on the grey floor.
Awaking a while later, she crawled to the door and pulled herself up, hanging on the handle to swing it open with her. She tiptoed through the corridor and heard the door creak as she peeked curiously inside. No one.
"Alice, it's too early! You shouldn't have come!" Akumu's voice echoed through the empty room.
"Oh shut up! I'm starving!" She was long past her point of reasonability and had little patience for his warning as she picked up the teapot and smiled as she recognized the erbs.
"I don't think you should be here... Ciaran's not here yet. You should've waited for him." It was stuttering with a nervous worry, Rin imagined he'd be wringing his hands if she could see him.
"It's fine. Ciaran'll be here soon enough." She sighed and shook her head. I wonder if he will come today...
"And what if he doesn't come?!" The voice was starting to freak out and Rin laughed at his caution. She was giddy with having come out of the cupboard again.
"If that's the case then more time to read!"
"He's shopping. He went shopping with her majesty." The words 'her majesty' lingered in the young girls mind as she calmly sipped her tea.
"Shopping? Ah, I wish I could go shopping." It's been so long since I went shopping. The last time she remembered anything similar was when they discovered Kaito's house and found new outfits. But then she spotted a cream filled eclair and greedily stuffed it in her mouth. "Not even for pretty clothes, just for something more practicable whilst hiding!" There was what she found a comfortable silence as she kissed the cream clean of her fingers.
"The rain..." The voice sounded so lonely. Almost heart-broken.
"Eh?" She paused, confused and surprised.
"It's raining again." He sounded empty and Rin felt herself melt into another world as she floated to the window, reaching out to touch the cool glass. "The rain here reminds me of something bad." His confession sounded like a guilty wound as the older twin listened wordlessly. Her mind trailed along a small path, skipping through different sections of her memories. She unknowingly sighed and her hand dropped to her side again. Her fingers gently stroking the glass as she moved. Her sapphire eyes had found a small red flower, disguised beneath the leaves of the willow nearby.
Following her gaze, the young voice spoke up, "It's a spider lily." It's beautiful…
"Akumu… Len is…?" The words had yet to even finish leaving her mouth when she was abruptly cut off.
"Girl?!" Gasping, she spun in surprise to find a boy standing only a meter away with dishevelled black hair and orb-like eyes a forest green. He was obviously a servant at the castle, with his black and white tailored suit and though loosened, his shamrock tie held the Queen's symbol right at the triangular tip. His face mirrored what she imagined hers would be but she couldn't quite understand what had just happened. Who was this? But surely… No. Whatever just happened, she was definitely falling deep into the pit of trouble.
XXX
He comes everyday at 3PM.
He's the same height as the current Alice.
Half of Alice was starved.
Half of Alice was bloated.
Half of Alice decided to look for food despite my warning.
He sat quietly when she arrived and didn't say a word.
She got mad at my warnings though I knew he was there.
It was raining.
The rain was the same as the day the 3rd Alice arrived.
A storm's brewing.
She went to see.
She seemed to like the Spider Lilies.
Such beautiful flowers they are, yet always alone.
Red blood hair and a poisonous soul.
I pity them.
He saw Alice was a girl.
Alice saw he wasn't Ciaran.
What neither saw was the loaded gun in the little servant's pocket.
XXX
A pair of red eyes gleamed in the darkness. A pair of blue eyes watched the only light in the darkness. A small TV-like screen lit-up their hollow cheeks, showing the latest episode of the only live show.
XXX
Ahh. I know I've been putting it off but I started really writing yesterday and it just all appeared. I hope you appreciate the long chapter! The next might well be a lot shorter…
Ahh well, hope you enjoyed! Please review, it means a lot. :)
Thank you for reading!
Love, Cherry-chan. xxxxx