Jade IV
The house is large and spacious, warm by the fireplace. Anna and Kurogane stand near it, Kurogane leaning against the mantelpiece. This house is that of the man who stood up for them. The man is about Fai's height and just as thin. His hair is dark and pulled back in a ponytail. He also wears little round glasses on his face. His name is Kyle Rondart, the town doctor.
A shiver runs up her spine and her fingers ache from the cold of her skin. Anna takes a sip of the tea he gave them. It doesn't seem to matter which world she's in. She's still not a big fan of tea.
Syaoran thanks the doctor for putting them up. The doctor tells him to think nothing of it. His home used to be an inn so he has more rooms than he can possibly use. The doctor looks to Anna. "I'm very sorry about the misunderstanding from before, Mrs. Anna," he says. "Jeffery is a very close friend to Ivan. I—"
Anna doesn't look at him. "It doesn't matter." This is a lie. She feels sick. The Odile from this world married the Ivan von Rothbart from this world. The thought disturbs her. She and that Odile are two different people, yes; they are only the same on the most basic level. They were raised differently and under different circumstances. She understands that this might mean that this world's Odile didn't grow to hate Rothbart.
Thoughts run through Anna's mind. Ideas and theories intertwine together, only forming confusion, ruining previous theories and ideas. She shakes her head, trying to cast the thoughts away. There's no need to read too much into it. Why should she? Rothbart means nothing to her. He is nothing more than the worm under her feet that's not even worth crushing. She can't allow thoughts that involve him to get under her skin. Besides, the one she knows is supposed to be dead.
"Jeffery was the man that pointed a gun at my sweetheart, then?" asks Fai.
The doctor nods.
Kurogane looks to Anna as the boy and Fai talk with the doctor. Anna can feel his eyes on her but continues to look at the floor. A short moment passes and she sighs. She looks up at him and he looks back. She looks at him indifferently and annoyed. She sticks her tongue out at him. He groans and looks away. Anna smiles to herself and looks to the cup in her hands.
She looks down at her sister's wedding ring. It's customary that the man give the woman an engagement ring. These rings usually have a stone or stones and elaborate designs. It's meant for her to show off so the world knows that she is to be married. At the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom exchange wedding bands, simple bands of metal, no stones or designs. These are the rings the married couple will wear every day, telling the world they belong together. The wife will wear her engagement ring only on special occasions. The engagement ring acts as a safety net in case the marriage goes south. She can sell it and the money is hers. The ring Anna wears was the engagement ring. She remembers going out with Siegfried to pick it out.
Anna thinks of the image of him and her sister, laying side by side, gold rings on their left hands. Looking at the engagement ring, she thinks that she should move it to the proper finger, in order to keep up appearances. She's not sure what the custom is here but it wouldn't hurt. She'll move it back after they leave. With a sigh of annoyance, she sets the teacup on the mantel and moves the ring to the proper finger of her left hand; the finger between the middle one and the littlest one.
The door slams open then. An angry, important looking man stumps into the house. He yells at the doctor, "Are you insane, taking strangers into your home at a time like this?" An old man stumbles in from behind him. He pleads with the important man to calm himself. "How can you be calm in this situation, Mr. Mayor? We haven't found a single one of the children!"
"Exactly why I took them in!" says the doctor. He explains that the strangers investigate legends throughout the lands. "They may be able to help us!"
The man walks further into the room, a wooden walking stick in his one hand. "A bunch of good-for-nothing travelers from God knows where… What could they possibly know?" he screams.
"They could know things that none of us do."
"After all that has happened, whatever they know…" The face of the important man is grave. "It's too late!" The man stumps towards the door. He stops short and faces them again, looking at Anna. Anna holds her breath, trying to keep herself in check. She notices Kurogane turning to face her, tense.
"You resemble that woman greatly," he says.
"So I have heard," she says. She smiles, bowing her head. "But I can assure you that I'm not who everyone thinks I am."
The man nods and stomps out of the house.
The old man stammers in his speech. He apologizes to Anna and tells the doctor to not let the travelers out at night. Then he also takes his leave.
The doctor closes the door behind them. He apologizes about what just happened. He explains that the old man was the Mayor and the other man was Mr. Grosum. Mr. Grosum owns most of the land in the area.
"No wonder he seemed all important," Anna scoffs under her breath. Kurogane chuckles under his. Anna smiles then faces the doctor. "We've come at a terrible time for you, haven't we?" Anna says with a weak smile. The doctor looks at her and nods his head. "In the last town we were in, we heard of the Legend of the Golden Haired Princess. That's what's happening here, isn't it, even though the legend is a fairy tale."
Dr. Kyle sighs. "I, too, assumed it was a mere fairy tale, like the ones we always hear. But I never thought children would actually begin to disappear." He tells of how the town put in every effort possible into searching for them. They didn't find a single one of the children. About 20 children are missing now.
"That many…" the princess says, holding a hand to her mouth. She herself is a child.
"Tsk. That explains why they threatened us on the spot," says Kurogane.
"Please! I don't care how trivial the knowledge seems to be," pleads the doctor. "If you know anything that may help us find the children, please tell us!"
Syaoran frowns and shakes his head. "We don't know anything yet," he says.
Disappointed, the doctor says, "Is that so?"
"But we'll do anything we can to help."
Dr. Kyle smiles with a sigh. "Yes, that would be most helpful." There is a moment of silence.
Against her better judgment, she sighs, ready to ask a question. "Dr. Kyle?" she says.
He looks to her. "Yes, Mrs. Anna?"
"I know this is off topic but it has been bothering me." A sigh. "This woman everyone thinks I am, Odile von Rothbart, may I ask who she is exactly?"
"You think that's wise, darling?" asks Fai.
Anna ignores the name and says, "I'd like to know who everyone thinks I am and what kind of insults will be thrown at me." Fai giggles but nods. Moving on, she says, "Please, what can you tell me, Dr. Kyle?" She smiles at him.
The doctor nods. "I haven't been here for too long myself, but I met her just before she left." A pause. "Odile was a quiet woman, and quite beautiful in fact." He smiles, looking at Anna. She hears Kurogane groan and Fai giggle. "She worked as a seamstress and was very well liked by the people of the town. Her parents died when she was still a child. She married Ivan von Rothbart when she was a young lady." His face grows grave. "I was told their wedding was a happy occasion but shortly after the honeymoon, things between them grew tense and unhappy."
"So she found another man and left him?" explains Kurogane.
The doctor nods. "Those are the rumors. Either way, Ivan was devastated. He loved her more than anything. He's quite heartbroken." A pause. "Jeffery is his best friend. I hope you can understand his feelings." He smiles meekly.
Anna nods. "Did Odile have any other family, besides her parents?" As soon as she asks the question, she regrets it. Kurogane and Fai look at her, alarmed. But, either way, she needs to know. She just needs an answer then she'll drop it, forget about it, won't bring it up.
The doctor nods. "She had an older sister." He frowns. "She died of illness shortly after Odile was wed."
The words hit Anna like a wave of ice water. A shiver runs up her spine. She loses her breath and stumbles a little. The only one who notices is Kurogane. Anna squeezes her arms around herself and closes her eyes. The world, the universe, is so cruel, she thinks. Either way, Odette died, probably around the same age. Plus, a wedding was involved. Anna doesn't ask any more questions. She thanks the doctor with a smile, pretending that she's all right.
He nods, looking out the window. "It is already late. It's best to rest now. Please, allow me to take you to your rooms." He looks to Fai than to Anna, than back to Fai. The doctor smiles. "Would the couple like to share a room?" Fai looks to Anna with a dumb grin.
Anna smiles back mockingly and says, "A separate room would be best."
"Ah!" says the princess. Her words are timid. She holds her hands to her chest as she asks, "Would you share a room with me, Anna-san? If it's not too much trouble?"
Anna smiles at the princess and nods her head. "Of course, Ms. Sakura." The princess smiles, happy.