Chapter 13: Midnight Showing
"I swear to you, dear Katie, it was nothing more than a misunderstanding!"
Guiche bowed deeply to the first year student, sweeping his cloak behind him. He had barely been able to recover from the accidental encounter of Katie and Montmorency earlier that day. When Montmorency had been late to their planned afternoon and Katie had approached him, he had been somewhat cautious, but a Gramont was never one to pass up opportunity when it presented itself.
Unfortunately, once Montmorency had shown up in the middle of his… discussion with Katie it had taken all of his charm and wit to keep the two of them from either tearing into each other or him (though he had to admit that it was much more likely that Monmon would have done so than the more bashful Katie, and would have taken the latter of the two options). Having managed to send an invitation to the younger of the girls to meet him in the gardens a while after lights out, he was now busy repairing what damage had occurred.
"But Miss Montmorency seemed so certain that you and she…"
"A mistake, though I don't lay any blame for it," he said graciously as he straightened back up. Putting an arm around her shoulder he continued: "We knew each other previous to beginning here at the Academy, and so during our first year we spent some time together as we were familiar. She may have taken our association for more than it had been. A simple thing, but as you saw it led to some unpleasantness."
The girl slowly nodded. "I… suppose that makes sense. Adéle and Marin are the same in my class. I'm just sorry she had to find out like that, though. She was rather upset."
Guiche smiled. He'd have to speak with Montmorency at some later point to patch things up with her as well, and afterward make sure that another accidental meeting didn't occur, but it looked like things were-
His train of thought was cut off as the shifting of the night breeze brought a distinct, familiar scent towards them. The same that had been contained in the bottle he had been carrying earlier that day.
Immediately leaping away from Katie, Guiche turned and began stammering out an explanation. "Montmorency! I was only here trying to…" His voice died as he only saw hedges and trees along the path. "Oh thank Brimir, she didn't catch… er…" He slowly turned back to Katie. "That is to say…"
Even in the low light of the garden, Guiche could see her face turn red with demure fury.
"Sir Guiche… even after all you just said…? You fear her thinking you to be with… Just pulled away at the merest…" Katie could barely speak.
"Dearest, it was just-"
*SLAP!*
"I don't want to hear it!" she shouted, running back towards the dorms.
Guiche held a hand to his stinging cheek. Damn it all, but somehow it had done a complete reversal after he had already succeeded! He looked around, trying to figure out just where the scent of Montmorency's perfume had come from. He had lost the bottle she had given him earlier, so it couldn't have become unstoppered while on his person, and he hadn't been in this area of the Academy all day, so he couldn't have dropped it here and it shattered just now… at the worst possible moment.
He glanced around once more, raising his rose and casting a minor light spell. No, no one else was present now that Katie had dashed off. Only the company of shrubbery and the wind.
"Damn…" he muttered, and then began back towards his own room. Well, at least this simplified things after a fashion. He'd just have to make sure nothing showed the next day…
#
"Hm…" Old Osmond sighed as he looked over the papers, invoices, petitions and so forth strewn across his new desk. He had to admit, the Valliere girl's little… accident in his office the other day had at least been a benefit in that most of the paperwork that had been out at the time had been either turned to ashes or blasted out the window or whatnot. Of course it only came back now, heavier than before to make up for the lost work, but it had been a welcome distraction.
"Good morning, Headmaster," said his secretary as she entered the room.
And here was another welcome distraction.
"Mm… good morning Miss Longueville. I hope you slept well."
"As well as usual, sir, with only a minor disturbance."
He blinked. "Oh? What was it? Ah! Perhaps your nightgown has become uncomfortable?" Osmond began to rise out of his seat. "I can recommend a clothier for you, and would be more than willing to help pick out-"
Longueville kicked the back of his chair, sending back toward the desk and preventing him from standing up.
"Don't even think about it!" she hissed. Composing herself, she continued. "Late last night, the wards at the front entrance registered something passing through them, and then again some hours afterward. Nothing was spotted by the on-duty watchman either time."
Osmond had recovered from the violent reprisal, and now had a more serious expression on his face. "That's worrying. Has anyone who heard already come up with any ideas?"
She shook her head. "I don't believe so, though not all the teachers have been made aware yet."
He nodded slowly, and absently pulled out his pipe and tobacco bag. Longueville waited patiently as he filled the bowl and lit it.
"What about young Mr. Rabbit?" he asked finally, after taking a few puffs. "He was lent a temporary bed after all; perhaps he couldn't fall asleep and decided to go for a late-night stroll?"
Longueville shook her head. "I admit, I… considered something similar. Just after the time of the first alert, I went to the servants' quarters to check. The man he was bunking with answered, and Nimble Rabbit himself present and awake, if groggy and somewhat upset at being woken up. At the second alert I checked again, more quietly, and he was still in the room."
"Well, I wouldn't mind being approached in the middle of the night from a pretty woman myself, but…" Osmond hopped away from the secretary before she could vent any frustration upon him. After she gave up on that, he frowned. "Still, this is troubling. The wards subtly dissuade stray animals large enough to set off the sentry alarm from passing through, so only something big enough to be noticed should have done so."
He sucked at the pipe stem for a moment. "It may be possible that Mr. Rabbit could be something of the cause, if unintentionally."
Longueville blinked in confusion. "Headmaster?"
He returned to his desk, sinking into the cushions of the chair. "There are a few known active spirits. The Water Spirit at Lake Lagdorian. The Wind Spirit in the Riphean Peaks. Usually a great distance from each other… and all very solitary. Young Rabbit called himself a 'god-blood,' and a child of an elemental spirit and a human. One might think that such an oddity might attract… attention."
Her eyes widened in understanding. "He is being watched by a spirit? Would one have triggered the wards if it passed through?"
Osmond shrugged. "I can't say. I've never been aware of any doing so in any of the Academy's histories, though. And it might be something else, and for different reasons entirely. But his arrival is the most unusual event in some time…"
"Should I relay instructions to the teachers?" asked Longueville. Osmond just shook his head.
"No, no… there's no clue as to what may be happening. Perhaps a student learned a obscuring spell and wanted to test it. Or one of the less noticeable familiars was sent out for ingredients for a due project. If it happens again, I'll have things set in place to check, but as this is the first irregularity we have only guesswork. If anyone comes up with anything in the meanwhile, however…"
Longueville nodded, and bowed lightly. "Of course, sir." She was about to turn to leave, when she heard a faint rattling along the floor. Glancing down, she spotted Motsognir, Osmond's mouse familiar, pulling a small hand mirror along the floor. The headmaster was glancing down at it out of the corner of his eye, and the angle was just about…
"Every time…" she growled, hand balling into a fist.
"Ah! No! Miss Longueville! How can you treat the elderly like – ow!"
R&R, C&C, and so forth. Thank you.