Author's Note: Chapter 9…. I have no excuse for this being late….
Time is powerful
For it affects all
Whether it is your age
Or the character you hold
Or even the status you have
One grasp of time and it all changes
You age and grow
You become far from the old you
You become poor or rich
It is easy to see
That time holds us all
People change. That is what I experience.
People wear masks and lies. I done that myself.
The truth is far from fiction. True, being from the past I have seen it all myself.
Should I be surprised anymore?
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Chapter 9
Truth and Lies
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Valliere Manse
~ Present : 6841 NME ~
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"Louise?" The crown princess asked her friend. Worried that the revelation would distress her. She was wrong. The young woman before her shook her head.
"I'm not even surprised." She said flatly, surprising her childhood friend. "People change over time. And I for one did, and from what you say he also did. And from where I stand you, my mother, my father, my sisters, Professor Colbert... all of you did. Though I must confess that I am befuddled by what possessed him to turn on the crown. But... in the end I guess the lust for power can affect anyone." She was not sad, not at all. In fact she felt nothing for the man, not anymore.
"Why?" The princess asked sadly, wondering why her friend was not saddened by the news. She herself remembering the one she truly loved, dead on the fields of his homeland. Slain by the savages that the man betrothed to her held as allies. No... the truth was much more. In fact she didn't mention it, but the man killed him... Killed him and left him for dead, so that those wretches could seize the country and then turned their sights on her own. Even so, shouldn't she be sad? But her friend shook her head.
"He was my girlish crush, a childish thing. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides Henrietta, I barely knew the man." It was true. In fact she was only enamored by him with the stories of his bravery, the trust of her mother, his handsome appearance and the sweet words he used to woo her. She was but a child back then, believing the things she sees, not looking at things unseen beneath.
It was her and the people of the present's blind devotion to the man named Brimir. A man who said was the founder of magic, who was cast away by the elves from the motherland. Who have fought tooth and nail to protect the people. But she was no longer blinded by those.
She knew the truth. The truth that she may never ever speak. That the man was monster, a madman. A detestable man who wanted to crush a peaceful kingdom. A man who worships a demonic beast sleeping with the confines of the earth, sacrificing any for the power it holds. A man who somehow won... and deceived them all.
It made her sick.
"And one more thing Louise. The next time I see you here, I want you to have a similar conviction that princess Nadia showed to change the future a long time ago."
She remembered the mysterious woman's words. Of how she should return to that eerie place with conviction. The conviction to change the future? No... the future was already fine. No, it was not the same as... that Nadia person but she wanted to change... to change the present.
She had to go back. To go back to Zeal and prevent that madman from winning.
"Louise?" The worried tone and expression of her friend brought her back from her musings. A thing she smiled at.
"Sorry... I was just..." She took a quick peek at her guardian back at Zeal, who nodded. "Thinking about an epiphany."
"An epiphany? Does it have something to do with your..." Louise nodded and the princess sighed. "Only a few short months and you're becoming much like you mother Louise... or is it the aunt?" Louise giggled and the two similar looking women shook their smiles, faint smiles on their faces.
"Two Karins and one tiny one? I think they'll be able to kill people by appearance alone." Colbert again making a joke, snickering by himself unseen.
"At any rate, I think it's time to tell Louise about what we're planning." The mother said sternly, causing the princess to nod.
"Ah! Yes! That's right. Well, as you've heard we're current using the Academy as a base of operations now that the capital has fallen. Luckily everyone there have managed to evacuate in time... Err... In any case, we're here to ask well... you and your parents and your sister to aid us in this endeavor." The princess began rather haltingly, not used on giving these kinds of briefings. The people in question nodded still though.
"In any case, we have your father lead the charge to the capital with most of our able bodied soldiers. With your sister teaching the academy students to fight." The last part the princess said rather ruefully.
"So we are that short on people. So what are me, my mother, aunt and guard will do?" She asked, not even flinching when her friend told about using the Academy students as soldiers. It was a thing she picked up from Francisca who worked at a military base, where at times the officers would come and chat with her and at times teach her military tactics, traditions and skills...
Her parents approved though, so no harm done. Henrietta sighed, but smiled nonetheless.
"You will all help me liberate my mother, who is held in the castle dungeons." She said worriedly.
"Wait... you mean?!" "Yes Louise. My mother sacrificed herself so that we could escape." She abruptly answered the young woman rather sadly.
"Don't be sad Henrietta." Karin said rather warmly to the princess' surprise. She walked to her side and patted her head. "Marianne may have become rather distraught from the deaths of your father and sister, but that does not mean she forgotten about you. But considering what happened to princess Nadia... well I doubt she'd want something happening to you."
"I... Yes... You're right Lady Karin... Thank you." The young princess said gratefully, wiping the stray tears she had shed. "I'm sure Marle will be happy for it, but I'm rather worried."
'That's right... Herientta's sister was named Nadia. I only forgot because we were used to calling her Marle... Is this... a coincidence?' The young woman thought. Looking at her 'aunt', it seems she had also caught the name and was thinking deeply as well.
"In any case. They will not kill Marianne. Well not immediately. Since she is the queen and the current sovereign despite the princess taking most of her duties, they would need her so that she could tell the church to hand over the crown to someone else as per tradition." Her mother said rather angrily. No doubt thinking of the person who was keeping her friend.
"So they'll blackmail her?... No they will..." Louise could not continue what she was going to say. As her friend Henrietta will get even more depressed if she did.
"I'm afraid so my child. And that's why we should finish this briefing for now and get ready to head for the academy. Marianne's life is on hand and I'm afraid we don't have much time." Sneered her mother as she told and rallied everyone who would take part.
Louise stayed by her friend's side who sighed in relief and exhaustion. The young woman herself gritting her teeth. She was starting to hate it... hate the word 'time'.
*break*
"Big sister Cattleya is coming with us?" Louise asked, a little bit dumbfounded by the information.
"Yes." Her mother nodded, as she and her youngest loaded the last of whatever supplies they needed to the carriage they'll be using. "We'll be practically abandoning the estates, but our home will be useless if we are overrun or Wardes seizes the crown. Of course she has to leave most of her pets."
"I honestly feel she's better with her- wait... most of her pets?" The daughter did a double take. She was surprised her mother was letting her favorite (well they're all her favorites now honestly) sister keep at least some of her pets.
"The most threatening ones of course. Oh and her familiar." The mother said with a sigh.
"Like the bear righ- wait familiar?!" Again the daughter did a double take. It was honestly amusing, and considering the small smile she had on her face the woman thought it funny as well.
"It was a show of her... hard headedness when she up and about ignored all warnings to her health and did the familiar summoning ritual. She had hoped to summon a creature that would be able to find your whereabouts. She was successful, but the thing she summoned was only a child and was not powerful enough to locate you. It doesn't help that it feeds off the willpower of its master." The woman shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "For all my daughters to inherit that trait of mine. How worrying."
Louise giggled. While her disappeared was something she did not to experience ever again, along with her family of course; one could not refute the good it has done. Her mother with who now smiled and joke was one of those things. Her family becoming closer to each other was another.
"In any case, the only problem we'll be worrying is Germania. Thankfully, while our rival family the Zerbst is loyal to their home empire they have their honor. I doubt they would let their own armies past their territory adjacent to use without a fight." The mother said confidently. Louise was confused at this until she remembers why.
"Because we're not there to aggravate them, right?" Louise guessed.
"Yes. Our families' maybe rivals but we have our code. And one of them involves wartime surprisingly. They will not move unless we are there to confront them, as the Zerbst and our own value the ethics of a good and clean fight." Karin told her daughter with a smile. Louise nodded and they both giggled. Though... how she wished their laughter would be done in better times.
*break*
"So this is your familiar?" The youngest asked the middle sister. She was holding up said familiar, a black furred two tail cat.
"Nya." It muttered as if answering her question. Ayla beside her looked awed at the cat in her hand. And within minutes she passed the cat into the tyke wherein they immediate began talking in cat language so to speak.
"Awwww... I really wish we could keep Ayla!" The middle sister moaned, making the youngest glare at her. She just laughed at that. "But in all honesty, yes... she is my familiar."
"So... it's a girl." Louise muttered and the familiar answered with another keen "Nya." A weird thing honestly.
"She's smart you know Louise. In fact at times she can speak our language. It's how we know what kind of creature she is." The middle sister said, proud at the tiny life she had summoned... Who was now engaging in a weird conversation with the tiny blonde bombshell with them.
"So... what kind of creature is it?" She asked, very curious about the thing.
"A Nekomata!" Cattleya said joyously.
"A Nekomata? Not familar." The youngest said.
"We don't know either." The eldest blonde said, finally entering the conversation. They were in a four person carriage, the one specifically for Cattleya so she could travel with her pets. Currently they were conversing while on the road to the Academy. A thing that drew conflicting emotions from the youngest daughter, but did not let it show.
They were traveling in a moderately fast caravan with their parents and Francisca leading, riding Vugtis who was in 'vehicle mode' (a very convenient and novel thing). And was followed by long and sturdy carriage carrying supplies, soldiers and the like. Then was a troop of the princess' special Musketeer troop, who was also her personal guard. Followed by them and the carriage of the princess who sighed at not being with the other four ladies of the Valliere family. And last was a carriage which carried the professor and more soldiers.
"I tried our library and even went back to the Academy and the Institution to find out what she really is, but no luck." The eldest shook her head. "The only thing I knew that that one is magical and really really smart."
"So... little cat special?" The young tyke asked.
"Yeah... she is... What was her name again Cattleya?" The eldest asked her own question as she truly could not remember the name.
"It's Kuromi. Honestly Eleanor, how could you forget." The middle sister asked, pouting at the elder sister.
"It's an odd name okay!" The eldest blonde complained. "Honestly it's sounds like it came from the frontier lands."
"Big sis Eleanor has a point big sis Cattleya." Louise agreed, though thanks to the game hidden in her dress she had no problem with the name.
"I guess so." Cattleya conceded. Considering one of their retainers a man named Wazuki worked for them long ago with the eldest forgetting his name every now and then... she sighed.
"Is there something wrong Cattleya." The eldest blonde ask.
"I was just remembering Marge. Poor woman is okay now... but she still looks very lonely as of late." The middle sister sadly stated. The woman was the wife of said man. But Wazuki was dead long ago... Louise shook her head.
"She was never the same since her son died." The youngest said, remembering the silent blue haired boy, his equally silent spiky red haired friend and the also red haired girlfriend.
"Serge was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Eleanor shook her head. "Chrono I can understand. The guy with the crush at the first princess achieved his dream only to die with her and the king. Poor Serge only visited the guy to deliver lunch made by his mother; only to stumble onto the scene."
"Leena committed suicide after. Marge was devastated..." The eldest blonde looked down. "We got lucky." She said smiling at she eyed her youngest sibling. All three nodded at their good fortunes. "Well, we're almost to the Academy. We better rest up, especially you and I Louise. We're going to be busy."
"Alright." Conversation ended, the youngest leaned on the eldest who did the same and soon both was snoring in sync. Cattleya who was across of them giggled, wishing she could preserve the sight forever.
Ayla?
Busy with the cat, seemingly arguing with it... And losing.
*break*
"Well... That was very novel..." The 'Heavy Wind' admitted as she stepped out of the 'carriage' she was riding in and onto the dirt roadway.
"Indeed it was." Her husband jovially agreed as he followed suit. Turning, the couple looked at the final passenger disembarking and their 'ride' transforming back into its original shape.
"I trust the ride was comfortable." The mechanical knight it stated in it's very flat and somewhat deep and villain like tone.
"Yes it was Vugtis." The duke answered while nodding. The mechanical knight nodded as well, then turned to the rest of the caravan as each carriage began unloading it's various passengers and luggages/supplies that would be brought into the Academy.
As the Valliere siblings disembarked and approached their parent's and 'aunt' Louise gazed upon the familiar walls of the Academy and found that despite the memories, it was a sight for sore eyes. Not to mention...
Ayla was at her side holding her hand. Looking up and seeing she was being ogled, she smiled at her pink haired companion. The youngest Valliere nodded, knowing full well the way to Ayla's home and back to Zeal was close... But not yet...
"Drat... I thought the voyage would be shorter. It was longer than I predicted and now all my joints are sleepy." The eldest daughter complained as she stretched while they walked. Both she and her youngest sister had a nice nap... thought it was very nice that it was to hard wake from considering by the time they closed their eyes, 'close to' their destination happened to be 'somewhat far' in reality.
Thanks to this, both siblings joints were rather stiff from the uncomfortable position they slept in.
"Makes me wish that the idea of having a so called 'Horse Train' became a reality." The eldest daughter grunted as she stopped for a moment to do more stretches.
"It sounds like idea. Why haven't we heard of it?" The middle daughter was the one who actually asked, causing the eldest to raise an eyebrow. She answered nonetheless.
"Well it fell through for some strange reason. Actually it just fell through. I wonder why." The eldest daughter shrugged, as she herself did not find why so. "Hey Louise, why aren't you stretching?" The eldest asked the youngest as she wanted to move from the odd topic.
"I'll do it once we get to the Academy proper. If I'll stretch, I want to do it while I swing my weapon." She declared causing the eldest to shake her head.
"She's becoming more and more like mother." She softly muttered, but was caught by the middle sibling who giggled. "Then again." Both looked back and saw Louise lecturing Ayla on etiquette especially when the young girl has a bad habit of forgoing them.
"What?" Louise asked as she noticed herself being stared at.
""Nothing."" Her sisters sing-songed.
*break*
As they decided, Francisca held back from going immediately after Karin and her husband. Especially when just in front of the Academy yard is the numerous troops and students who would risk their lives and partake on the upcoming battle. After all, Karin's visage alone was enough to boost their morale and keeping them in line... but two of them? Well they might as well surrender.
"Lord and Lady Valliere it is good to see you." Old Osmond greeted the pair as they drew close, followed by the rest of nobles and generals gathered in the area. This was followed by the soldiers and guards of Valliere estate that would be added onto the fighting force. Along with Colbert, the other soldiers and Musketeer Troop came as they made way to the Princess and her companions, who happens to be the Valliere siblings and of course little Ayla. And yes, behind them was the imposing figure of Vugtis who hid the chucking Francisca's visage.
"I have returned Headmaster Osmond." The princess greeted. The old man nodded and smile.
"It is very good to see you well and successful your majesty. And I see Lady Valliere's presence already taking effect." He said as he turned and saw the hopeful and glad faces of the soldiers and students seeing the local legend nearby. Of course they're somewhat terrified, but it is an enormous boost.
"It is good to see you again Headmaster." The eldest daughter greeted, adjusting her glasses all the while.
"Indeed it is Lady Eleanor." The old man said nodding, remembering the prodigy of the Vallieres.
"Hello." Was the short greeting of the middle daughter. The one person who would have liked to enter the Academy but could not.
"Ah! You must be Lady Cattleya. It's nice to finally meet you. Though I'm surprised the Duchess even let you out here." The old man told her. And considering her mother it was true... or 'was true'.
"It is safer here she believed." The middle daughter told him as she picked up and stroked her mysterious familiar as she did.
"It is good to see you well headmaster." Was the voice of the youngest daughter, surprising the old man.
"Is that you Young Lady Louise?" He said completely surprised by her appearance... And boy how shocking it is. "My word! You terribly worried us when that accident happened and you disappeared. How good it is too see you." He said jovially. When Colbert couldn't find anything to locate the youngest Valliere he thought that she would be completely loss and by extension her mother being furious and stubborn. In fact now that she saw her, it was probably why the woman and her husband agreed to come with...
"And by word... You look very different." The old man observed with a little bit of perversity the body of the lost now found student. Why not? After all she looked like she had a body of a small child and now... Well it seems like the Zerbst girl could finally get her competition. He shook his head.
"You gave us a terrible time honestly." The old man continued, this time his age showing as the began to recount the troubles that began starting with her disappearance. From the parents drawing out their children out of fear, Colbert nearly works himself to death, the Zerbst girl losing her drive and driving everyone crazy in the process, the invasion of Reconquista... He shook his head. "It has been trying times for us Young Lady Louise."
"Indeed. It's why we came." She affirmed. The old man laughed.
"Indeed you did." The old man said jovially and turned down when he felt his beard being tugged.
"Ooohhh! Old man's beard is like the elders!" The young blonde bombshell exclaimed as she lightly tugged Osmond's beard.
"Oh? Who is this young fellow?" The old man asked, while trying not to look at the child's overdeveloped body. He was a pervert for sure. But hey, he has his morals.
"This is Ayla. We're taking care of her for a while." Louise told him as she lightly scolded the girl for tugging at the old headmaster's beard and her sisters and the princess who was close by giggled. The old man himself chuckled.
"Seriously, what is it?!"
*break*
Louise's return to the academy went mostly unnoticed. A good thing as she didn't want any drama unfolding of any sort right now. It helped that after her mother and father addressed the troops, they introduced Francisca which caused a major commotion and several fainting spells. It could've been worse honestly and what happened then was luck.
Another thing was after she met with the headmaster, she separated with her elder sisters and Ayla and was only left with the mechanical knight who stood near her lonely corner wordlessly. In that corner she swung her swallow with as much grace and elegance she could in same time emphasizing power for each swing. It was mostly routine, but it kept her in shape and made her more sharp.
When the princess was the one who spoke, the young mage stopped for a moment and listened. At the same time she scanned the crowd for familiar faces.
The group before her oldest friend was split into several groups. The Academy staff along with any personell from their family mansion along with Cattleya and Ayla. The leading generals and nobles, which included the remaining royal staff that included the bishop, her parents and Francisca. Various troops that included the princess' own Musketeer Corps and their people from their family estates. And lastly the students who was further divided, seemingly of those participating and those who would not judging from the way they were group.
From where she looked it seems that the Guiche the pompous blonde and his fiancée Montmorency were among those who would participate. Looking about many of her classmates was scattered among the two groups, showing how divided they were. But...
"Both Kirche and her best friend Tabitha is missing." The young mage noted as she did not find any evidence of the girl that mostly bullied her and the petite girl who was infamous for being extremely quite.
Not only that as she scanned the people again she saw that some of the staff was also missing. The maid... that she didn't know the name that mostly attended her room was gone. The academy chef was also gone along with Miss Chevreuse the Earth Element Teacher. Miss Lougeville the secretary was also missing.
Now that she looked again... Where was the headmaster?
"If you're looking for rival red head, she's locked in her room moping. Like she has been for some time now." Was the voice of the old man making her jump. Her first reaction was to stare at the old man in fright. And her second one was to turn to her mechanical companion and complain.
"Why didn't you tell me the headmaster was behind me!" She nearly screeched only to dampen her voice considering that the princess was still making her speech.
"He was not a threat and you did not instruct me to alert you to any incoming persons." It answered in it's all so familiar monotone. The young woman grumbled before turning to the headmaster who was cracking a small smile.
"Please don't do that headmaster." She told the old before deeply sighing. "You were lucky I wasn't grasping my weapon when you did." She muttered. The old man just made a soft laugh.
"I saw you practicing here on your own... well not on your own but you see my point." The young woman nodded. "This old man thought that you might appreciate more company. After all... I already heard the princesses' speech before." The young woman raised an eyebrow, but nodded nonetheless.
"I guess I do." She then turned to the crowd, before back to the old man. "Why are we missing a few faces... and why is the Zerbst moping...?" She asked. The old man stroked his beard before nodding.
"Well... when Reconquista came, most of the staff either retired or went into service. Look over there." The old man pointed to the troops, specifically one that looked somewhat chubby.
"Is that..." The old man nodded knowing full well what was going through the young woman's mind.
"Yes. That's the chef Marteau. He went into service in vengeance for some of the Academy servants who died in their prior attack and for those who suffered at their hands." The old man said sadly. "In fact if you looked at the eyes of some of our maids, you can clearly see that they're dead."
"How horrible." The young woman said while clenching her fist in anger. The old man smiled in approval before continuing.
"Miss Chevreuse I'm afraid is dead." The old man said sadly, shocking the young woman.
"How?" She wondered. Thinking that the rebels might be the one to kill her, but judging from the face of the old man; that theory was wrong.
"My secretary apparently was the infamous thief Fouquet in disguise." The old man shook his head. "When I first hired her, I thought she was just a spy of sorts. It's why I took her in even though she was being shady. But my first presumption is wrong, and it costed me the live of Chevreuse and the injury of many of the staff. It's how Reconquista got to them." Again he shook his head.
"While she was not successful, the damage to the Academy while not noticable anymore and the injury to the staff caused another round of parents withdrawing their children." The old man shook his head.
"Another round? Do you mean?" The old man nodded.
"I'm afraid the mysterious circumstances of your disappearance shook the hearts of many of the student's parents. And thus some of them got whisked away." The old man says, nodding sadly.
"But... I can see all my classmates here and..." The old man held up and arm so that the young woman would stop and he could continue.
"The effect of the Reconquista's attack. With the capital fallen, many felt that the best place for the children would be here... but..." Again the old man shook his head sorrowfully.
"They are needed." Louise said flatly, but with enough thought for the old man to see her point.
"Colbert is torn, but we have no choice. If we cannot take the capital then I feel Tristainia would surely fall. Not to mention..." Louise was the one who held up the old man.
"We'll rescue her." She said with conviction. The old man laughed.
"Such conviction." He says while nodding.
"Still... What happened to her... I mean Fouquet... and you haven't told me about why Kirche is moping." She asked, seeing as those two questions... Actually it was three as she had one more... But considering what happened, it was possible that the maid she was looking for was dead.
"Apparently the rebels were her clients and considering she failed..." The old man shook his head. "She sent to the Academy her treasure as a last resort, as much as I despise her for what she did to the Academy I acquiesced to her favor to protect her treasure. The last time I saw her when the bastards cut off her head. Wardes did it, laughing like a madman."
The old man stared at the young woman, looking for what would her reaction be to that piece of information. Considering he knew from Colbert of the young woman's bethrotal to the man Wardes it was reasonable. So seeing the face of the young woman grew in rage despite the dead being a criminal gave him satisfaction and peace.
"Her treasure... what of it." She asked in an angry tone.
"Her sister and their family of adopted war orphans." He told her. Louise face grew more angry. Angry at the man who became a monster. Angry at Fouquet to be careless and stupid. She should have remained a secretary and remained safe. Family is family and considering she already saw several tragedies.
"Can I meet with her." She said as she calmed down. The old man raised an eyebrow at this.
"You could but... you might not get a favorable expression." He said worried. While many at the Academy warmed up to the girl... well some still had reservations and...
"Why? Because she's an elf?" She said in humor, but seeing the old man's surprised face. "Wait so she's really an elf?"
"Yes... What of it?" He asked cautiously.
"Was she bullied? Was she hurt? Was she-" The old man was again surprised as the young woman listed worries upon worries for the girl.
"Hold there young lady. As much as I appreciate your concern... and so should her... But may I ask why this..." He trailed off, not knowing what to say. Louise just smiled.
"Elves are nice." She told him directly. "Besides... I owe one of them." She said as she held up the gleaming beautiful weapon in her hands.
"Ah! I see... Then I will let you see her." He said happily. He was glad as a educator to find that even in her absence, the student before him still learned and grow. "But what for?"
"He may not be my fiancée anymore... But I still feel responsible for the disservice and pain that 'man'-" She spat out. "did to her family. I want to assure her... that justice would be serve." The old man nodded, his smile getting much wider by the moment. So when he saw a particular individual behind the young woman heading for them, he knew that it would go well.
"Very well... I can do that. But for your last question..." The old man paused and pointed. "You may ask her yourself."
"Master." The mechanical knight started as she turned and saw what the headmaster and her guardian knight was alerting her to.
There, now in front of her was a very shocked and wide eyed Kirche who looked very tired and disheveled as she eyed her like she did a ghost.
"Zerbst." Louise began, a frown on her face... before breaking out a genuine smile. "It's good to see you." She was not surprised when the taller girl went for a hug. Seeing that the tiny blue haired girl was not there... Louise knew that the tall girl had lost a life line.
She wasn't sure what happened to Tabitha (considering the line of tragedies that befell the Academy), but for now... Kirche was her priority.
*break*
She supposed that... it was similar to taking care of a sick person. Though the illness of the maiden of she is taking care of is not some light injury nor was it cold fever. Still it can healed... in time.
They ended up leaving the court altogether and into the Academy Kitchens. There she left Kirche and the headmaster onto a small table possibly reserved for the staff to dine on; and to the surprise of the servants there began to cook as well. And she was good at it too, surprising the servants more (and the old man and the redhead of course, the machine knight was outside guarding the room as always).
Even better, most of the servants there were their own family servants who came with them to the Academy.
It was not stated much, but she knew how to cook. It all started when... now that she thought about it when her mother left her in the mansion's kitchens one day and was told to watch and learn. And now that she remembered, she had realized that she already knew her mother could cook. In fact that day she watched her mother make a fantastic meal wherein it was served as their breakfast.
"Cooking is a necessity of everyday life. Noble or not, one should learn." She had told the younger her that day.
She shook her head, memories of the past seemingly forgotten now remembered. Especially when she truly learned how to cook from Francisca. The woman lived alone and though she often ate at the base she works, she learned how to cook. Especially during those days when she doesn't have the need nor could she leave the house. Of course she only shops for ingredients those days.
In any case, the woman treated it as a hobby and eventually became really good at it. It was why she could whip up a hearty, healthy and delicious meal when she could/or had time (when they came, the military was becoming busy). And when she took them in, she shared those skills with them.
All in all, she learned how to be a great cook. And Ayla learned how to cook a meal that would make you salivate just by smelling... Yes the savage girl was a genius when it came to learning... Or it could be that she likes eating...
In any rate Louise found that simple yet tasty meals can cheer up a person. It worked on her and Ayla during the early days on Zeal and it worked for Francisca during those times that she got overworked. So went for it and cooked for three, enough for her, Kirche and the headmaster.
"Looks like your appearance is not the only one to change." The disheveled maiden said a little bit sadly as she eyed the plate in front of her. It was simple dish of fish, fried rice and eggs. "These are rather simple, but thank you nonetheless." She told the young woman while giving off a small smile.
"You're welcome. Besides..." She gave off a wide smile. "It's the reason I made it simple. Food does not need to be grand to make someone happy. Even a simple meal could grant a smile as long as the person served knows it was cooked just for them." The depressed maiden smiled wider, in fact the smile she had now was the haughty one. One that she knew the girl was supposed to have.
"You... are not the cute fiery girl I knew... You got completely better that I could just hug you." The red head said before digging in. "This is pretty good."
"Indeed young lady. You certainly learned a lot from your disappearance." The old man said. The two young women looked at him and saw that he already finished. "Thanks for the meal Young Lady Louise, but I must now attend to my duties. I'm sure the princess is done by now... And I'm sure the two of you do not need an old man like me overhearing your woes." He nods and moves out, the two young women waves him goodbye as they began to eat themselves.
And thus the two was left on their own. With the servants far enough so they couldn't be overheard,; they were pretty much isolated. But the first few minutes were nothing by the sounds of them eating. Eventually Kirche began...
"When you disappeared, everyone... whether it was me, Tabitha or someone like Guiche or Malicorne were both shocked and afraid." She shook her head, putting down her spoon. "Not only us, but everyone in the Academy along with our parents. Students began withdrawing a few days after." She slumped.
"Fouquet was next..." Louise guessed and Kirche nodded.
"Yeah. The attack on the Academy was surprising to say the least, but thankfully the thief was not someone who would gladly kill anyone in her way." She shook her head. "But me and Tabitha had the bright idea to play hero... most of the carnage that day was our fault."
"Surely you-" Louise was stopped by the depressed maiden.
"No it was." Kirche insisted. "The only reason she fought back was because we attacked her." She slumped even more. "At first she only treated us like insects. Something that could bite, but could be ignored. That inflamed my anger and I had the bright idea to attack her directly. That did it."
The young woman listened as the maiden before her told her how that action angered the thief. And how the thief began her counter attack by flinging rocks and spears. And finally how they evaded those attacks.
"Tabitha warned me about the stupidity and genius of the attack I used. But the fact that it did not work because I was impulsive and thought my opponent so weak to be put down by a measly attack..." She shook her head. "I overestimated myself and underestimated a dangerous opponent. In the end, she escaped... thankfully with nothing as the teachers arrived but in return. Many of the staff and students were hurt by the debris and me and Tabitha were to blame."
"While this was bad, it was true that things didn't go worse since we bought enough time. Still I felt that we we're in bad positions so I volunteered myself and the reluctant girl to chase Fouquet before she complete escapes. Along with Miss Lougeville and Miss Chevreuse, we followed a path where Miss Lougeville said Fouquet escaped to." The maiden shook her head.
"But Miss Lougeville is..." Kirche nodded.
"Yes... She was Fouquet. And we found that out when she took us hostage. She was desperate, and considering what she sent her before her death I see why. But by then we didn't knew that and we struggled. We were able to free ourselves thanks to Miss Chevreuse being an Earth Mage herself but that only incited the woman to become frustrated." The maiden looked down.
"She killed Chevreuse." Kirche nods once more.
"She was so desperate that she herself admitted that she had to resort to killing." She shook her head. "We didn't heed that and fought. It was fierce, as the woman stopped pulling punches. Both Tabitha did the same, and in the end we won... But at a price. One woman dead, one injured and one severely wounded... all to capture a woman who was protecting her sister."
"So Tabitha is..." Louise began, guessing that girl was sent away.
"Well... at the start. Tabitha was badly wounded that she was automatically sent home... even if she herself did not want to." The depressed maiden sunk more into the table. Her food, forgotten.
"I started becoming down after that. And especially when you're not here." She made a sad chuckle. Louise did not even flinch at that, considering at this point the maiden before her looked really pathetic. "I couldn't even go up and seduce a guy and worse the Academy was pretty barren by then." Louise tilted her head in confusion.
"Why not go back home." The maiden shook her head.
"There is a reason why I'm studying here Louise and not at the Academy back home." She said smiling more sadly. "But I guess, that's not what I'm talking about ain't I." Again she shook her head.
"When the rebels came by storm after they completely took Albion, people came flooding back. I was ecstatic by then... But she never came back. I wrote to her and found that she was on house arrest." The maiden's face now became angry. "I was frustrated, confused and angry. Why would they do that to a girl when her only crime was to try and stop a criminal...?!"
But the fury was short lived when the maiden began bawling.
"Kirche?" Louise asked, very worried at how the maiden was acting. She was already suspecting something when the old man said she was depressed but...
"They killed her... THEY KILLED HER LOUISE!" She screamed. Crying heavy tears, the maiden fought it and continued while sobbing. "I-I went to her house... I *sob* tricked the headmaster into going. *sob* I said I wanted to go home. I... I got there fast... *sob* but... I saw... I saw them..." She buried her hands into her palms...
"Kirche?!" The young woman got from her seat and onto the other's side.
"I saw them drag her out her out... I-I- *sob*" The maiden now grabs Louise and sobs into her chest. "I saw them do things... *sob* Horrible things to her... and... and... her... mother... *sob*..."
"Kirche...?! Be strong..." Was the only thing the young woman could say as she comforted the maiden.
"Killed... her... Beheaded her..." She sobbed. "Sylphid... found me... *sob* She was already... al-already wounded... hurt. Dying too... Threw me into a deep... ditch... *sob* They didn't saw... me..."
The young woman didn't mind her dress getting soaked as the maiden told her how she painfully watched her best friend die.
"La-last *sob* thing that I saw... I saw... Sylphid... Beheaded... too... Cloak... scythe... horrible..." As the red head ended her tale and continued to sob, the young woman she clung to froze.
"Cloak... scythe... No... No way... Even here?!"
*break*
"I left her in her room. She's fast asleep now." Louise told the headmaster. She clutched her right arm uncomfortably as she was witnessed to a person she knew well enough, broke down. It was incredibly jarring. And only in meager points during their conversation she found the Kirche she knew.
The confident, proud and sassy girl she knew was gone.
"She's far from the person I knew." The young woman spoke sadly. "I could no longer recognize her."
"She was already saddened before she left, and she returned only as a shell of herself." The old man shook his head. "I believe her mother, had a similar reaction to yours honestly." He said with a sad smile, a thing now seemingly permanent on the aging mage's face. Louise just nods.
"Did... you know...?" The young woman began to ask, but did not know if it was appropriate.
"Yes..." The old man answered, seemingly much older than he should be. "The... murderers who took her left, just left her, her familiar's, servants and even mother's bodies left ajar. It's sad, but she could only take Tabitha's body away from that massacre site. She's buried here actually."
"I see..." She shook her head. "Then... I would like to visit her grave and meet with Miss Lougeville's sister before I leave with mother and Henrietta..." The headmaster nodded and began to move, intending full well to lead the young woman to her classmate's grave.
"Wait." The old man paused. "Let me grab something from the kitchen's before we go." The old man was confused, but allowed his student to go. He wondered what she needed until he saw her return with a bottle in hand. He smiled.