Cleo breathed a sigh of relief as the two servants posted to keep an eye on her at all times exchanged glances and headed out of the room to join the hunt. Left to her own devices, Cleo quickly ran to the open window and leaned out of it, confirming her suspicions when she saw Deuce stood waiting for her below.
"Deuce, what are you doing here?" Cleo whisper-shouted, still wary of any servants that may be close enough to hear their conversation. She was concerned and afraid, but at the same time incredibly glad to see her boyfiend.
"My Mom told me your dad said I can't see you any more, so I came to see you. Hi."
Cleo folded her arms on the windowsill and leaned her head on them, "Hey." she replied simply, just glad to be able to speak to Deuce again for a brief amount of time.
"So… how's the 'teenage magic' thing working?"
It seemed almost sarcastic to ask. It was obvious how 'well' Cleo's plan had gone, and she made it known with her classic 'ugh' of distress. "I don't want to talk about it. I just… I'm working on it."
Deuce decided to drop the subject. "Okay… so I'll still see you in school, right? I mean it's not like we aren't still dating, whatever your dad says."
Cleo stared at a spot on the stone work of the windowsill for a long time. "I…" she lifted her eyes back up to look at Deuce as she tried to find the words to tell him. "No, I won't see you at Monster High. I mean, yes, we are still a couple, I just…"
She didn't have to finish speaking, Deuce understood. "But your Dad won't let you come back, will he?" Silence. That was all the response he needed. "Come back to my place, Cleo, stay this time."
"Deuce I can't, that would only make things even worse." she snapped, standing back up. "I have to stay here, and do whatever it is Daddy wants to make sure he trusts me again… but I need you to do a favor for me. There are some things that need taking care of at Monster High."
"Whatever you need, babe."
"Tell everyone exactly why I'm not coming back. Make sure they all know the truth, and not whatever rumors start up about me leaving. Let my people know I didn't just abandon them. Tell Frankie I want her to step in as Head Fearleader in my absence; no one has as much ghoul spirit as she does. And let Gory know that - despite everything that's happened between us - if she wants to take the position of Social Chair, then she has my full support. Do NOT let anyone vote for Howleen Wolf! She isn't ready for a role of that responsibility, and I don't think Monster High is ready for her either." she counted off each item on her fingers as she went.
Deuce had to smile. It was just like Cleo to still try to control the school when she wasn't going to be there. Of course he'd do that much for her.
Perseus came darting back into the room, up onto the windowsill and down the sloped side of the wall to Deuce, who quickly picked him up. "I'll get it done for you Cleo." he said, setting down the skateboard he had tucked under his arm, ready to make his escape from the premises.
"Wait!" Cleo whisper-yelled, leaning back out of the window. As he looked back up at her, she followed her demand with, "I love you."
"Love you too, babe."
Cleo stared dreamily out of the window at her boyfriend for a short while, before the sound of numerous footsteps brought her back to reality. "What are you still doing here, Deuce? Go, before anyone realizes you were here!"
He gave a quick nod and skated his way back off the expansive property, and Cleo slammed the window shut, spinning round from it just in time to be met by a hoard of servants coming in search of the 'terrible rodent'.
"It just escaped out of the window!" she said dramatically, lifting a hand to her forehead "I closed it to make sure the foul creature wouldn't get back in, but what will I do if it does find it's way back? Oh, I would feel so much safer if I had Hissette back with me!"
The servants exchanged looks, wondering if it would be wise to allow the princess to have her pet back after the order from Ramses. One of them would obviously have to confess to him the news that there had been a rat in the building, and make the request on her behalf.
A servant left, on his way to Ramses' office. The pharaoh was busy with, guess what, his work.
About five minutes later, the servant came back from Ramses' office. He told Cleo that Ramses did not allow Cleo to get Hissette back. Instead of that, he ordered 200 servants to check the whole building for more rats. Some other servants got the order not to let Cleo and Nefera out of their sight. If there were more unpleasing creatures in this house, they needed to get killed. Ramses did not tolerate this situation. Not at all.
In hope that his daughters were fine, he went to Cleo's room himself, finding her together with some servants.
"Daughter. I have heard about the current situation. It was you who actually saw it, so, my daughter, tell me, where did this disgusting rodent come from?"
Cleo put on the most over-dramatic voice she could muster - she'd learned it from Nefera. "I don't know, daddy! I just turned my head, and it was sat their on my shoulder! On my shoulder, Daddy! That… thing… touched me! I think I might need decontaminating. Who knows what foul diseases it might have been carrying." Absolutely none, in fact, because Perseus was a well-kept pet rat and the idea of rats as plague carriers was way overhyped anyway, but her father didn't need to know that.
Ramses turned to his servants. "How dare you let such a creature in my house?! If I ever see one of these things again in here, I will punish all of you!" Ramses was shouting at his servants right when another one, who hadn't been in the room before, wanted to talk to him. The servant said that there was an emergency relating to Nefera.
Ramses, Cleo and their servant walked into Nefera's room to see a big bed where 'her majesty' was laying on, and several servants around her. Cleo thought she had been very dramatical about the situation herself, but that was no comparison to the show Nefera just made.
"Father…," she said in an extremely weak voice. "I am going to die."
Cleo's draw dropped. What in Geb's name was Nefera talking about? Was she honestly faking because of Perseus?
This had to be some kind of excuse to get out of the modelling appointment she was due to have in the next couple of days.
Ramses took place next to his daughter. First, he thought about taking her hand, but then remembered that he never showed emotions. "Daughter, what happened?"
"I walked into Cleo's room.. and.. and there was this grey, furry thing. I screamed and wanted Cleo to help me, but she didn't do anything! The servants didn't either! They just watched me getting attacked by this thing! I fainted and the servants needed to carry me out, this thing must have BITTEN me, daddy! I don't feel good at all! Everything is spinning!" She placed her hand on her forehead to make it extra-dramatic.
Some of the servants in the room wondered if they should say something, because that was totally NOT how it had happened. They decided that it would be smarter not to say anything.
Cleo played along with it. It wouldn't do to seem as though she was giving Perseus any sympathy. "It bit you? Oh my Ra, Nefera, I had no idea! I'm soo sorry I didn't help Nefera, I was just so scared that it might try to bite me too that I didn't know what to do! Are you going to be okay?"
Nefera was a bit surprised to hear these words out of her sister's mouth. Everyone in the room probably was. But that was of course no excuse not to continue on.. 'feeling sick'. Nefera sighed, answering her sister's question in an exhausted tone. "I think not."
Ramses was neither surprised, nor concerned. At least, he didn't show it. "Where did it bite you, Nefera?"
"Uhm.. On my neck, daddy. Just like a vampire! I feel like there's no blood in me," Nefera said weakly, trying to look pale.
It was honestly a shame that the appointment was in two days, not on this day.
Cleo rolled her eyes. A vampire rat, really? Well, if that was what Nefera was going with… "I'm so glad it didn't manage to get me, Nefera. That must have been why the rat was sat on my shoulder - if you hadn't have warned me that it was there, it might've bitten me first!"
After looking at Nefera's neck for a second, Ramses said, "There IS nothing on your neck, Nefera."
Nefera looked at her father. "But- but daddy…"
"I think you just need some rest, my daughter. You will surely feel better tomorrow." He turned to the servants. "Keep an eye on my daughter."
With these words, he left. Ramses knew most of Nefera's excuses and in his opinion, health was nothing to play with. There was nothing on Nefera's neck and as a wise man, Ramses still had the upcoming appointment in mind.
Tomorrow, Nefera would feel better and learn for her big day. She would eventually go there. And she had to be amzing, better than anybody else. Even if he had to force her! Ramses was her father and it was he who decided about her future! HE! Nobody else!