Chapter 21

Author: Thespianmoonmuzik

Beta by: Juneamber

Katt Jeane: Nonetheless I appreciate the fact that you continue reading even after those chapters, I try to get better with each update. So, your comment does mean a lot^^ Yet, you should definitely post a story because you can only get better. Not to mention we tend to be our own worst critic. Mistakes are normal, since you can only learn from your mistakes, regardless if it's your first or your 3rd story. Secondly, the reason I mostly I put that word in is because I didn't want to repeatedly use the same word, over and over again. Rest assured, I felt no offense. How could I possibly ignore such a humble request? Consider it done :]

alicetsuki13: You're a Xanxus lover too? *high five*. Sure he has faults (Like a lot lol) but I don't know about you but there is just something that is just so captivating. Then again maybe this is just my fangirl-ness talking. I am always happy to meet other fans hahahaha. Thanks for liking my story!

akagami hime chan- It's okay you can call her your girl too^^, since you have been a very avid reader and reviewer, you more than deserve it. (Thanks for that by the way :D )

ShizukaRen-Hime: Nope it is not sad at all, you are not the only one who was jealous and I wrote the scenario. Hahahaha, also, thank you so much for such a nice review!

Rumor Has It

"You can't believe everything people tell you - not even if those people are your own brain."

Jefferson Smith

They sat down to play. Belphegor had chosen black and so Amina played with the white pieces. He let her make the first move but even before her fingers had touched a pawn, an egregious sensation immobilized her.

Even later when she did nothing more than move a couple of pawns one square, already it felt as if she committed an error. Amina blamed Belphegor for that. He was quiet now and though she couldn't see his eyes, she knew without a doubt they were watching her every move. Scrutinizing, analyzing, making her second guess herself. It was maddening.

God dang it, the man was already under her skin and they were barely into the first 30 minutes of the game.

Brown eyes glared at blonde fringe through Prada frames.

"You could just give up now, after all you won't win."

She lifted her chin defiantly. "Now why in the world would I do that? It's completely illogical and stupid to give up without trying."

As if to further emphasize her point, she quickly moved one of her pieces. Which Belphegor then promptly went and ruthlessly captured

And so the questions were to begin. Who knows how this interrogation would go? It was fairly one-sided, Amina herself could ask questions but there would be no point in doing so. As the guy himself stated before, he was not going to be truthful and she knew it. Within the safety of her mind she could say easily that he was charismatic when he wanted to be. He could feed her with lies, and though as skeptical as she could be; once the seed of doubt was planted it would grow until it grew enough to distract her. Amina preferred to rely on her own opinion of him that she achieved through observation and analysis and not through what he could persuade her to believe. So while he would interrogate her, she would simply have to be content to watch and get used to how he acts to derive her own conclusions.

"What's your favorite movie?"

Amina was a bit taken aback by this question. She certainly wasn't expecting something like this sort from him. They were mundane questions that people ask to get to know one another, to actually bond. She stared at him warily trying to figure out what could be his ulterior motive here. Perhaps this was a type of easy question to gauge her reaction to him and his questions? Ah, yes that must be it. To see what the difference was between her eye contact and body language when she was at ease than when she wasn't. Deciding that this was most likely the case (A very ingenious move in her opinion, she silently gave him props for that), Amina pondered it for a moment and before she could state she didn't remember she could feel herself blurting out "Jurassic Park".

This caused Belphegor to truly laugh, both from a bit of surprise at her answer and delight. Once she had said the words, memories came back to her alongside the sensation of deep enjoyment she derived from watching the movie. A part of her testified that she had indeed watched it countless times, and still she enjoyed it. Seeing as she did not have all of her memories, it felt weird because her mind had to tell her what she had felt at that moment, as if she was being fed information.

"It's not that funny!" Amina stuck her tongue out at him, the most childlike gesture he had ever seen her do. The first instance that he was reminded that she was younger than she usually acted. Even her face which was mostly serious made her seem older than she really was.

"It's a fantastic demonstration of the brilliance of science with it's genetic engineers! Had it not been for the faults because of the lack of back-up plans in case of power failures, not to mention that glory hungry bastard, there would've been less carnage. Of course it would've made the movie less interesting and not made it a trilogy, but it's all because of a few idiots that everything went haywire."

Even after his laughter subsided, a chuckle still escaped him. He had expected a romantic movie, that showcased the idiotic romantic ideal all women seemed to have. So many women he was with all stated the standard movie where against all odds the guy chases the girl. Meanwhile, the girl in front of him preferred the movie where it's the dinosaurs who are chasing the people.

As they played more afterwards, Amina noticed that there was less of an apprehensive vibe in the air compared to before. Then Belphegor captured another one of her pieces, she looked up wondering what would come next.

"How much of your memories have you recovered?"

"Depends on your definition of much and what you wish to know."

"Your last name."

"That's two questions, you can only ask one." She told him with a sweet smile. Belphegor looked at her wordlessly, a soft chuckle escaping him at her shrewdness. "Already the commoner is playing with words." He was not angry, if anything, the action deeply amused him. Just when he had thought he had it all figured out, Amina had already been prepared with a counterattack. He thought he could just take advantage of the predicament he had put her in. Evidently, it was not as simple as had once imagined, but he liked it this way.

"You know that you would have done the same eventually. I simply beat you to it." Serious eyes bore at him, already setting up her defenses. His only response was his the trademark laugh.

This was simply the only way Belphegor knew how to get what he wanted. Amina realized that the blonde prince could never trust what anyone said, so if he simply asked her a question, he would never truly believe the words uttered.

So he needed to come up with this scenario, where she was held to her word. Cornering her, in a place where he had control.

Truly, another strategic manoeuvre, a foreshadow of what was to come. Born out of mentally where everyone is a thief, a liar or both. A sad outlook on life, but with the life he led who could blame him for thinking so?

Belphegor duly noted that it was indeed something he would've done himself. It was as if he was playing with someone for all her peasant upbringing, was just as cautious as someone in power.

Amina was a very sly girl when she put her mind to it. No show of naivety here, only an independence of mind born from an enterprising spirit. Was this perhaps her true nature?

She was not the type to be easily duped, although she had her weaknesses (Like that gelato) but ignoring that moment, she tended to be skeptic with twinges of cynicism.

"You're not like most girls."

"And you aren't like most teenage boys either."

Another movement of chess pieces, no one captured yet. They looked at one another again, a look of recognition flashed in both their eyes. Two wild beasts assessing each other, eyes wary (Though she couldn't see his, but she could feel it) and intrigued all the same. Animals that recognize each other for what they truly are.

Belphegor hid his nature from no one. Why should he? Varia members are not to be trifled with, they hide from no one.

They can bear fangs and claws, tearing off heads, doing so as they please. It's even encouraged in such a Mephistophelian world as theirs. Coupled with his royal status, he was virtually untouchable. Those he didn't like always ended out of the picture. Being with the Varia added a freedom he couldn't relish before while being subjected to the chains of the royal council.

Amina however, didn't fully disclose all that she was capable of. She knew very well how easily people could fall victim to envy and slight her for her intellect, because she wasn't like everyone else.

What scared her was how comfortable she felt here with the psychotic prince. They were both showcasing the full extent of their mental prowess, which in turn forced Amina to awaken part of her that she had never done with anyone else. Because it hadn't been necessary, she hadn't had to think or act like this before. For her to be shrewd and calculating, the last time something of the sort occurred was when she had to convince the Cavanaugh for the treaty.

So it had lain dormant, but now as if she was with an equal, the young girl found that she could almost feel like she was safe to be disclosing anything of her darker cynical nature and it would be accepted. Simply because he was just that much worse, so Amina didn't have to hold back and pretend to be something she wasn't.

Because the crucial thing about this unorthodox relationship with Belphegor was that with him there were no expectations she had to fulfill, no reputation to uphold and certainly no need for his approval of her being.

Leaving Amina with this current sense of being in niche, where she can be anything; letting her bare all the ugly that may or may not be underneath her caramel skin. When the time passed, Amina would come to realize this was the most comfortable she had ever felt in her own skin.

For now, the young girl slowly began to grow tense, realizing this was a far more dangerous attitude to have towards the prince, much worse than having Xanxus in front of her, glaring her into a wall.

For when a person becomes comfortable like this she mused, that is when the lamb closes its eyes amongst wolves. Compliance was the kiss of death, and if she began to grow too accustomed, the line between friend and foe would become blurry.

Though Amina didn't want to think of him as an enemy, she certainly could not say he was a friend either.

"A word of advice kid, don't cha go and become overly acquainted with someone who can kill you on a whim."

Since Amina was running in the woods with Coach, that took enough energy already. If she spoke, the oxygen she needed to keep up a fast pace would be misused. So she opted to simply stare at him, so he knew she heard him.

She still had no idea how this man can keep up such a fast pace and look so at ease, speaking easily as if they were walking leisurely.

"In a place like this, there are no friends."

Amina hadn't understood what made him bring up this conversation out of the blue, but she knew it was by far one of the most important ones they had. And dare she speculate that it might even be a small act of caring for her well-being.

Then he yelled at her to run one more lap around the wood bend before they went back to the breakfast shift and she groaned.

Belphegor managed to capture one of her pieces before she realized it. "Memories?" The question an evident follow up on his earlier attempt.

Amina knew that the blonde prince, who was thinking of his next move, was trying to unlock her deepest darkest secrets. Wanting to crack her open and see how the soul that lay inside looked.

Problem was, not even she herself knew who that person could be. A part of her was even nervous to find out. Some of this negative feeling stemmed from her association with Alphonse. Amina did not know exactly what their history was, but she got the sneaking suspicion they were more closely related than she would wish. The animosity he holds towards her, and the fervor that he had to get rid of her, was not something two mere strangers would have.

Before she could ever look at the big picture, as of now she was deeply confused and innocent.

"I can't even remember what letter my first name starts with, much less my last." The soft voice spoke, and he paid very close attention to any waver in her voice, connotations, body language and eye movement. Used to growing up with liars, he was an expert at distinguishing deceit. Here he found none, so he simply made a sound of contemplation.

He grinned at her pleased with what he was discovering about her, even if the basics weren't apparent. It was always amusing to find when still waters run deep.

She wasn't your average girl.

A few hours into the game and Belphegor no longer had his relaxed posture. He was now staring more intently at his pieces than he was at her. Good, he shouldn't underestimate her. Nonetheless, she couldn't cry victory, this was far from over. Belphegor had massacred many of her pieces, leaving her with her king, queen, and 2 knights.

Time passed, the slight sound of a clock ticking was heard. It was quiet in the library, both intellectuals immersed a hundred percent in what they were doing. Belphegor no longer played with his knives. Like in the old western movies, with an opponent on either side, the difference being the weapons were their minds. It was truly a smashing of brains.

Until finally the silence was broken by the ticking movement of her king up a row and that of his rook down one. "Checkmate."

That was it, one word out of Belphegor's mouth and Amina became dazed.

Looking closely, her king was cornered; there was a rook on either row of the king, making her piece stuck right in the middle. She had no other moves left. Amina blinked once, twice, shell-shocked at the words.

Once the storm commander peered at the clock, he was as shocked as Amina is staring at the board. (Not that anyone could ever tell behind those bangs of his, this is where they proved their purpose.) Four and half hours passed since they started playing the game. No wonder he felt ready to go to bed, and that was something he hadn't felt in a while.

Belphegor had won, but the short haired girl had made a sizable impression on his egotistical mind. He couldn't remember the last time he had played so long with anyone. Always winning quickly, being able to pinpoint everything they were going to do before they did it.

With her it had been different. Though he managed to figure it out, she kept on changing her strategy, persevering against instances where he would've had a checkmate in less than 3 moves.

His primary goal was partially successful. He didn't find out all he wanted to know about her but he did find out many things in these hours. The girl could play with words, had a size-able education, but her eyes were honest. As it stood, she was not part of the mafia, there was no jaded look or furtive glance of a well taught spy. What Amina failed to realize which was a huge accomplishment in her favor, was that not once in the time they played did he contemplate killing her. He had been far too engrossed in the game.

Like a child who had found a new toy, and does not dare damage it, wanting to savor every ounce of it's use. It was a fleeting feeling but nonetheless, it meant the difference between having an utter disregard for her life or actually caring. Even if it wasn't caring in the conventional sense, it was more than what Belphegor did for most people.

The young prince peered at the chubby brunette with circumspect eyes, deciding that this girl could very well be a threat had she been planning everything all along. Which would be a shame because then he would have to kill such an entertaining commodity. Since, at this point, he was more than convinced this girl had nothing to with the mafia world.

Which meant this witty female was putting her life increasingly more at risk the more she consorted with the Varia. Belphegor doubted she even realized just how much she was risking her life, hell no civilian would've spent this much time with him. Especially so with no backup plan and certainly with no defense training.

He couldn't decide if it was simply because she was that much more insane than he was or because she was just that naive.

Amina sat back in her chair, playing idly with the vanquished king in her hand. She was exhausted, the full weight of the day labor on her mind finally weighing down her limbs. She was slightly glad the game was over and disappointed as well, that it ended. It still had yet to fully sink in, perhaps because the prince wasn't flaunting her defeat.

"I did." A mixture of bewilderment, surprise and awe all plain in her voice.

"What's with the face?" He mocked the words she said often. "The prince told you that you would lose." Having her face in between a pout and a scowl, Amina spoke with slight chagrin.

"That's the thing…I have only ever lost a chess game once before. And that person was three times my age." That man had been her uncle, a man with an even sharper mind than hers. Never once meeting his eyes, slightly ashamed that she had lost.

She looked at the board, going over every move he did. It had been a brilliant game to say the least, not that she would say it out loud; the prince already had a tremendous ego. No need for her to stroke it. It had been sometime since she had actually gotten logically frustrated and had to expand her limits.

As if knowing how her mind was working he stared at her with mirth. "You're far too rash."

Amina looked at him then, with slight incredulity. As if hearing but not really fully believing what he was saying. Sure, he had won but certainly not because she hadn't thought things through? It shouldn't be but to her the accusation was a bit insulting.

"You don't think far enough ahead. 2 steps won't help you in the long run, you need to think faster, smarter, than your enemy. Be 10 steps ahead."

Amina had never once heard him talk so seriously, she had vastly forgotten who she was dealing with. That behind his laconic expression lay a deeply analytical and observant mind. Whose wheels were always turning, thinking of the best advantage, the best opportunity.

Ignoring the automatic response of pride, Amina attempted to really take in what he was saying. After all, the devil did know more because he was more experienced because of the fact that he was the devil. She looked back at the board and realized there was truth to his words.

Amina could soothe her wounded pride by saying things like oh I hadn't played in a while so she was rusty, or play the exhaustion card. Yet, at the end of the day she had lost fair and square simply because her opponent was just much more experienced than her.

He made a living off of this. As her mind further analyzed her flaws and what ultimately led to her defeat, she was forced to make a concession. Through his jibes about their differences in status, her loss could also be attributed to that as well. Not that he had a superior education but that they had different types of education.

While Amina did have royal blood, she was a far cry from royalty. Belphegor was born and raised to be a monarch. Never did he let her be in his presence without that constant reminder, but there was much that entailed that proclamation. Since birth, he had been surrounded by politics, raised to govern a country one day.

And what was chess but one big strategy game? Just like politics were, his home was nothing more than a palace of political intrigue, with humans replacing the pawns.

She slightly softened at the thought. No wonder he was able to simply massacre his entire family without remorse. (Though she was more than convinced there had to be a genetic component to that, sadly she wouldn't be able to check until she could open his brain) He was raised with that detached attitude, that the ends justify the means.

"I'll beat you Princey just you wait and see, it's not over until I get Freud back." Determination surpassing the exhaustion in her features. Even a smile gracing her features when she said this as if to seal the deal.

"But for that to happen, you have to do something for the prince." He grinned, making her very dreary.

Amina mentally berated herself. Of course there had to be a catch, knowing the eerily creative aspects of Belphegor's mind, who knew what he would make her do.

She expected the worst, but what she ended up doing was maid service. Belphegor's room would most likely continue to haunt her, she could practically feel the disturbed spirits clutching at her.

He was nicknamed Prince the Ripper and he definitely ripped his room to shreds. Now she knew why Belphegor's personal servants loathed coming in here to do the constant maintenance. Already she wanted to leave too. But no, the prince just had to make her clean his knives.

She pretended it was ketchup, but she knew it wasn't. Amina just did not want to deal with the fact that this was someone's blood this late at night.

She preferred the image of him going insane with bottles of ketchup because they weren't a brand "fit for the prince" as he might put it.

But after sometime she just couldn't pretend anymore. The metallic scent of blood (Which really seemed far more familiar to her than it should) was a constant reminder that she couldn't glaze over the ugly with a fairy tale comedy scenario to protect her innocence. No this was reality and she needed to deal with it.

Belphegor heard her mumble under her breath. 'Screw this' and watched her quickly stand up to leave.

"I'll be right back, I promise." Amina quickly walked out the door quickly before he could object. True to her word, she came back this time with a deep plastic bucket, latex gloves, and Clorox Bleach. From the corner of his eye he looked away from his Nintendo screen to see her with a very serious look as if she was going to confront an enemy.

"Commoner, if that is your plan to get rid of me you will have to try much harder than that." He snickered from his bed at the thought of her trying to subdue him.

For some reason, she still could not get used to the fact that these professionally trained assassins who the servants cowered in fear at the brief mention of their names, enjoyed playing with a Nintendo. It's like Squalo's fascination with peach yogurt. It does not fit the bad boy 'I will kill you image'.

"Easy. It's simple science and a bit of common sense. I have many knives I have to clean. I'm going to assume these are all used against people. Regardless of if you killed them or simply employed sadistic tendencies of bodily harm." Amina raised her hands in a stop gesture. "Spare me the details of the particulars that occurred for each one." Because god knew Belphegor relished talking about that, like a preppy girl does when she's going to go shopping.

"Since I sincerely doubt anyone cares enough to clean these properly, wanting to get the heck out of here, who knows how contaminated they are by other people's blood." It's not like Belphegor ever got his hands dirty, he would never do the cleaning himself. He would have a hissy fit.

"Which is why I have with me the top tools to disinfect, that's the chemistry part that happens at microscopic level and if I have this bucket then I can clean multiple knives at once. It's like killing two birds with one stone."

The young girl really wasn't a clean freak. She certainly didn't make her bed here in the mansion every day, or ever for that matter. But it's just that these guys here wer just so unsanitary that it brought out the Nazi cleaner within her. So she couldn't just laze around and sit quietly seeing these blatant shows of a possible epidemic.

Her tired hands held one of the deceivingly beautiful knives in her hand. "Who knows just how many germs are sullying such brilliant craftsmanship." She scoffed though there was a soft appreciation underlying the words.

Now that caught his attention, he finally looked away from his LCD screen. "Brilliant?"

Amina nodded in agreement. Certainly she held it not in the same regard as Squalo's arm. Now that was just a true majesty of science, she was predisposed to like that better because of being a tech nerd. But now that she was tasked with the time consuming (Not to mention annoying) of thoroughly cleaning his knives, she could tell just how unique they truly were. Before, she noticed so when she was scaling the walls, but here under the light Amina could truly appreciate them. With intricate designs so subtle that it was only when a person passed their digits over it they could feel the engravings.

"You were the mind behind the design weren't you? Obviously you didn't execute it, what Prince would when he could have others do it for him." She added with a slight upturn of her lips, understanding his logic by now.

"What makes you think that?" He inquired no condensation in his tone now.

"This is your house's coat of arms, isn't it?" She stated softly.

Amina chuckled at his curious expression. It seems she was one of the few to have figured it out. "You weren't the only one doing the analyzing and observing today."

With that, she looked at the task before her, with a determined glint in her eye as she began to do the task at hand.

A while after, Amina finally finished and all of the knives were glistening with the sheen of clean. She had gotten rid of the bucket and all the cleaning materials, cleaning herself up as well. Letting herself relax, she could feel the quietness of the still night around her. The cold night breeze enveloping her, telling her it was late and that she should be going now.

"You know, it's getting cold, meaning that it's getting late. So, I'll be on my way..." Amina attempted to scoot away when she felt lithe arms snake themselves around her making her lose her balance. Which caused her to fall onto the bed.

Now this was awkward. "The prince never gave you permission to leave. Since you have more body fat than the prince it will be used to it's full advantage and provide warmth for your sovereign." He stated simply, coming closer to her. Amina couldn't even squirm out of his grasp, as he had a vice like grip; that wiry frame was very deceiving and his knives were still at his hands reach. A silent threat that if she didn't comply, she would become minced meat.

"You have yet to start screaming, it's quite disappointing." He said in a slight pout.

"Princey, I've already spent practically two whole days with you. By this time I have already developed Belphegor-antibodies." Labeling him as if he were a disease. she could feel him make a disapproving sound in his throat.

"Well, if you're truly that upset, I'll just be going now…." She let the sentence hang, hope blatant in her voice and as she tried to move a bit away, he only pulled her closer. Amina let out a little whine. Dang it, so close too. Why, oh why did this have to happen to her.

"Even if you have only one drop of royal blood, that probably explains it."

Had he been staring at her face he would have seen a very discombobulated look. Was this guy reading her mind, was he on his own tangent speaking out loud or did she voice her inner thoughts as usual?

"And what exactly Princey, does it explain?"

"Why I didn't want to kill you."

"Really now? You could've fooled me, was this before or after you chased me into a dead end and I jumped out a window?"

Since he was holding her for warmth, she could feel his body vibrating with mirth.

"Uh huh, laugh prince, it wasn't your head that got a makeover from the trees."

"Really, and this haircut is better than your previous one?"

Amina scoffed, the feeling of ire rising at the memory. "It's not like I wanted this you know, it's all because of that guy that I have a Dutch cut." She spat the words. He stayed silent at that, not sure if he was processing the information or if he had fallen asleep.

"The commoner should sing to the prince." Apparently it was too good of her to hope she could leave that easily.

"What? Now? What in the heck am I supposed to sing? I don't really know any Italian songs,even then, WHY would I sing to you?"

"Simple. It's an order from your sovereign. Besides as prince, I know 7 languages." As did the other Varia commanders, though they tended to differ in their last two or three as to provide more variety.

Belphegor could hear her make a sound in her throat that sounded like a slight growl until she finally just gave up.

"Just so you know I'm not really muc-"

"Sing before I demote you to peasant once more." Annoyance entering his voice. She knew the knives would be next if she didn't go with his whim.

Amina pursed her lips, These predicaments were somehow situations only she could find herself in.

She began to hum, hoping that somehow her mind wouldn't fail her as it always did and finally worked when she needed it. Amina closed her eyes, willing herself to relax even if she was laying with wolf. Letting her mind become a bank, willing it to be filled with a stream of memories.

Amina noticed often that when she spoke Italian her thoughts were always in English. Right now a familiar song crept up her lips. Though the way her tongue wished to dance made her think it was not in English, just as her mind fed it to her tongue.

Belphegor noticed a change in her demeanor. Her voice taking on a different essence, a sweet lull. As if it were a different person singing to him. He said nothing, listening closely to the song uttered in a foreign tongue. He closed his eyes, feeling himself become swept away.

Listen to the sounds
Which so easily can be drowned

They are here
Telling you not to fear
Fire will not harm the dragon

They are here

Heed the warnings of the wind
Around you young flower

Even ancient trees

Must live through hell's shower
Who once were innocent seeds

Rising from the ashes
Fire will not atone
What is born from winter's bone

Fire will never harm a dragon

As Amina crept surreptitiously out of the room, closing the door softly behind her she began to walk away at 2am in the morning.

When she noticed she wasn't alone in the hallways; there had been another servant walking and he flashed her a knowing smile.

Oh, dear lord no. "No, no it's not what you think! Stop!" She whispered as loudly as she could. Which really was a futile effort since she couldn't have him hear her without waking the viscous prince she had just left sleeping. So that left her standing in the hallway, cursing silently that the prince just HAD to have her there like his personal pillow pet.

After she had sung, she had laid there waiting until he finally relaxed enough to let her go. It took so long for that moment that she had dozed off as well.

Amina ran a hand through her hair in an act of sheer stress. She did not even want to begin to contemplate what rumours were going to circulate about a servant girl who was sneaking out of a man's room at 2am, trying not get caught.

Even she would've jumped to the wrong conclusion. Amina groaned thinking of the rumors that would arise.

Yup, first rape and now the walk of shame. Goodness gracious, people were going to think that she was a desperate nymphomaniac sleeping with any killer. Was there no end to this humiliation of her reputation?

Earth, please, I beg you swallow me whole before I am branded a virgin whore.

End of Chapter 21

Hello Everybody!

Here is that double update I had been hinting at before. Thank you all for the amount of reviews I received for my last chapter.

These double chapters are for you my faithful readers who review and/or favorite. Love you guys! :D

Thanks!

~TMM