Chapter 11
She swore, releasing a breath of huffing air before turning to the door where Zero stood next to Hanabusa as the Vampire was supposed to show him out of the Moon Dorms but hadn't yet.
"Nope. Not doing this today," Perse said, finishing her cup and placing it in the sink. She slinked past Zero, trying to get away as quickly as possible before she had to explain herself yet again today.
Zero yelled for her to stop, following her because he wanted an explanation. Tsar seemed to realise that she didn't want to be followed, getting in Zero's way with a huge hiss that seemed to vibrate throughout the room.
Perse had enough of explanations for now, she told more people about her abilities and gifts than she ever wanted to. Kaname knew because she knew that he would be beneficial to her overall, an ally in a Vampire pretending to be young and naive.
She just wanted to sit somewhere quietly where no one would disturb her because they needed her, wanted her abilities, wanted her to do something for them. She wanted peace so she went to the lake, curling her path around the Moon Dorms to prevent people from following.
The only one able to follow her was Tsar because of their little bond. Perse hadn't meant to bind the little fox to her but it seemed that Tsar wasn't going to have it any other way.
Having Tsar around made life a little more bearable recently. After tough days full of paperwork, documents, meetings, calls and on top of that having to get to class on a nightly basis, being able to just fall into bed with him was amazing. Tsar didn't ask for more than she could give at any single moment.
Perse sat on a tree log which she had put a couple feet away from the lake side. Tsar sat in her lap, laying on his back as she ran her fingers through the fur on his stomach and chest. It was like petting a kitten as he purred and trilled when her fingers reached a specific spot under his arms.
It was early May now, a couple weeks after the beginning of the new school year in Japan. The school year here was different to England where summer vacation was where the school year started and ended. But here, school started in April.
If she were in England, she would be in her second to final year of Sixth form, but in japan, she was now a Senior and in her last year of education since the school year wouldn't end until next march.
She came to Cross Academy mid February, staying in class for the month until March came and Spring Break came. She stayed at the school, not seeing a point of leaving. In mid April was when the Crowns came and spoke to her, and she spent two weeks doing the paperwork she was given.
When Summer vacation came, Perse would leave for England with Ichiru since they don't have to attend school during that period, coming back in September to resume the school year and finish until the winter holidays and then they were off to England again.
They didn't know what would happen after Perse's Challenge.
Early May and the water was warm enough for Tsar to run around and play in the shallow end, Perse just watched him as a couple hours passed without her knowledge.
"Perse?" Ichiru's voice sounded from a few feet behind her. When she patted the log space next to her, he took it as an invitation and sat down next to her. "You've been gone for a while. How are you feeling?"
"Only two people have asked how I felt recently, you and Kaname," She said, a darkness entering her voice. "Everyone asks me how I'm doing without actually caring and when I reply, they want information straight after."
"Who's everyone?"
"The Crowns, advisors, Zero, other Vampires, the Council, the Association,"
"Why would the Association and Council want information from you?"
"Ichio wants someone who would have the Vampires' best interests, while the Association wants the Hunters' best interests," Perse rolled her eyes. "As if I was going to keep anyone's interest when I just want to give up my title half the time."
"Why don't you?" Ichiru said, watching as she sent him a look that said he asked a stupid question. "I'm serious. If this Crown business isn't what you want to do, why not drop everything and let your cousin take over?"
She looked out to the lake again, smiling at Tsar as he came back soaking wet and then shook his fur out to be in every different direction.
"I've been groomed to be the Heir and Crown," She said. "If I relinquish my title, Cera would spend the next couple of years getting to my standar of knowledge. She could do the job but by the time she got the hang of it, society would be hanging by a thread by her lack of knowledge. I'm not resigning because I don't want to, it's because I can't. I've got a duty to my people and until I can be assured that my people won't suffer, I can't let them suffer because of my selfishness."
"By making yourself suffer, you make sure your people do not," He commented. "That's heroic of you."
"Is it?" She picked at her cuticles. "Magic corrupts those who are not brought up with it as their responsibility. I have a duty and I'm going to do it until Cera can be trained. She's coming here in a couple weeks to stay by me before we go back to England."
"Speaking of going back, do you want to go back inside? It's getting colder by the minute," Ichiru asked, getting up when she nodded her agreement. "We've still got a couple hours of class left."
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They got to the main building before midnight, letting them have the last few lessons before having to go back to the Moon Dorms as morning came.
"Would you like some tea, Perse?" Takuma asked. "I'm going to make some now."
"Yes, English tea, you know how I like mine," She nodded with a thankful smile.
"And me!" Hanabusa said as they all sat in the main communal area in the dorms. "Hey. Where's your Kiryu pet, Princess?"
Rima jabbed him in the arm, giving him a dark look.
Perse waved it off. "One, not a pet, and two, I asked if he could get some energy drinks and fizzy drinks from town. I ran out."
"You drink them like water," Ruka mentioned.
"I have like one a day, sometimes two. That isn't drinking them like water, I drink more coffee than water, but more water than energy drinks."
Takuma came back with a tray of tea cups, placing it down on the table between them before passing the cups to their people. He handed Perse hers first.
"Thank you, Takuma," Perse took the tea up from him and sipped it. "As amazing as always."
"You're welcome," He passed the rest out until everyone had theirs and he could sit down and sip at his. "How is everyone's lessons going?"
"Good,"
"Decent,"
"Boring
"Could be better,"
"Shit," Perse shrugged when they looked at her. "I'm not an academic person, never was. Well, never needed to be."
"More treaties and alliances than tests and exams," Takuma nodded. "My grandfather made sure I was familiar with them too."
"Less familiar and more intimate," She said, putting her cup down on the saucer before crossing one knee over the other as her nails dug into the leather of the sofa she sat on. "I've been shadowing my mum since I was young, following her into meetings and around the High Halls. I started to attend more important ones when I was fourteen, as did any other Heirs. Blackwood has a Heir a couple years older than me."
"Oh, I remember that Lord Kaname said something about new members of the Night Class, three I think?" Takuma said, pointing the question out to everyone. "Does anyone know anything about that?"
Hanabusa sent him a weird side eyed look. "You're his second, shouldn't you know?"
"He said he wanted to sort out the circumstances of their arrival by himself," He said. "He's been quite cautious of any new arrivals since Maria. I was surprised he allowed Ichiru Kiryu but I understand why he did. While we," He gestured to the other Vampires in the room, "are under Kaname's command, Ichiru Kiryu is under yours, Perse."
Perse nodded, her head resting on a hand as she had an elbow on the arm of the couch. "As will the new arrivals. My cousins will be joining me for the next several weeks before I go back to England for the Summer Solstice."
"Why are you going back?"
"Something came up with the Order, a situation that needs my presence to be resolved." She watched each of their emotions within their blood, catching how each hormone mixture changed as their expressions did too.
Her phone vibrated next to her, sounding off as a phone call came through. "And that's my dad, I need to take this. Excuse me."
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Perse answered the call, asking him to wait a couple seconds as she made her way to the library. She passed Seiren, asking her to tell Ichiru where she was if he came back soon enough, and to keep the others away from her as she took her call.
"Hey kid," He greeted.
"Hi," Perse began, quickly getting to the point. "Where are the triplets now?"
"Staying in an apartment in outer London, we've got some guards tailing them until they get to the school," Jupiter said.
"Private or commercial plane?"
"Renting a plane for the trip, they're due to leave on Thursday night and arrive at some point that Friday morning." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want Neptune and Ops to follow them?"
Neptune and Ops were the parents of her cousins, and her uncle and aunt. Neptune was her mother's brother, and brother to Juno who was Perse's aunt.
Perse shook her head even if she knew he couldn't see it. "No. Letting them follow would mean we would need to increase the amount of guards following."
"You're in a foriegn country without guards," He commented on it.
"Dad," She almost whinied out a sigh, laughing a little at herself. "I'm a Greylight-Dunner. I'm the daughter of Crown Ceres Greylight and Lord Jupiter Dunner. Mum taught me manners and which fork and knife to use during dinner, but you taught me which artery to stab."
"I taught you to live up to your namesake," She could hear the smug smile on his lips through the phone.
She laughed lightly. "Floral maiden and queen of the dead."
"Help grow those who are useful and loyal, and destroy those who go against you."
"Just need to find my Hades to finish the tale,"
"Just hope you don't kill him first," He chuckled, before a muffled voice sounded on his end but it was too dull to actually hear it. Jupiter reappeared on the line. "I've got to go, kid. Love you."
"Love you too."
The call ended after that.
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Perse remained in the library even after the call ended, wanting a little bit of peace and quiet as she thought. She moved so she sat in a chair that faced the windows, a slight fog coming over the glass as the outside was cold.
It was like she was alert and yet dozed off with her eyes open and unfocused, staring off into the foggy glass as memories invaded her mind.
A cold day like today reminded her of late January, of days she would rather forget completely.
When her mother was Challenged, all of the communities knew and gathered in the Concave.
The Concave was the name of the circular amphitheatre where several different events took place. Similar to Rome's Colosseum, it was large and could hold upto fifty thousand people at once, but this amphitheatre was sunken into the ground and had the High Halls that were the Order's headquarters on top of it.
The Concave was made of dark marble, almost grey in colour rather than a simple black or white.
Perse had been sitting in an area reserved for the Royal clans, for Heirs, Crowns, and spouses to sit and watch whatever event was taking up the centre.
Within the Royal suite, three long tables sat against the back wall, covered in various types of foods and beverages. Three two seater sofas sat before the arena to look out over the small tables in front of each sofa and into the actual arena.
Blackwood sat to the right with Greylight in the middle and Whitestone on the left.
Perse had her hand clutched around her dad's as Jupiter sat on the two seater with her, watching Crown Ceres Greylight in the arena as everyone else watched her. Perse was anxious and nervous, and a little bit scared and Jupiter hated this, hated the fact the other Crowns decided to Challenge Ceres for her Magic.
The public didn't even know the true reason for the Challenge, but they were curious and were willing to watch anything.
All of the Crowns were dressed to their best, tailcoats that were in each Clan's colours along with their royal colour.
Tailcoats were like an old styled suit jacket that went down to the knees while the double breasted vest stopped where the torso did, leaving a flowy feeling to the outfit whenever worn. They sometimes looked a little military styled and something like from a modern fantasy story.
The Crowns and their spouses wore the tailcoats with the colours of their Clans, Blackwood had black and red, Whitestone had white and blue, and Greylight had grey and purple. The Crowns had their tailcoats hemmed with gold detailing while the Heirs wore their Clan colours with silver detailings. Cere wore a grey tailcoat with gold in the arena but Jupiter didn't, he had a completely grey one that could have been worn by any Greylight Clan member.
While he was the father of Persephone Greylight, he was not the Crown Greylight's spouse.
The main thing Perse remembered from that day was the fact that it wouldn't stop raining. The sparse claps of thunder became more frequent and louder as Perse became more and more actious as she watched her mother in the arena.
Ceres was trying to manipulate a torch of pure Magical fire, the Flame that was resilient to manipulation of any but those worthy. Those unworthy would start to become weak the longer they tried to manipulate it, weaker and weaker until they had forfeit before they died.
Perse's Blood Magic gift was barely recognisable as her eyes glowed a faint silver as she watched her mother's internal system being drained. Weaker and weaker, Ceres still tried to get the Flame to bend to her will and Magic but it drained her instead.
Ceres knew she wouldn't be able to last any longer, feeling her blood beginning to almost boil inside of her as her Magic was becoming foul within her system and quickly refusing to work. Instead of trying to manipulate the Flame now, she allowed the flame to start and drain her of her natural Magic, something every Witch had, but she refused access to her gifted Magic.
It wasn't hers to give to the Flame, it was not hers anymore as she tried to summon up her electricity to try and charge it up with the gifted Magic. It took a lot of effort, draining her further as her knees gave out from under her and she fell.
A bolt of lightning surrounded Ceres for a split second, making the ground crack around her as she completely dropped to her side, dead.
Another lightning bolt hit the Royal unit, making Perse freeze up as searing pain echoed through her left shoulder, down her shoulder blade and her back until it reached her right hip where it finished with a burning sting.
The pain was horrific but she couldn't scream out in pain and anguish, only letting small tears of sadness fall from her eyes as she felt the awakening of the no longer dormant gift.
It was like something came over her, letting her feel the reassurance as the Magic in her fully awakened and she could finally feel her true potential. A veil was removed from her Magic, she could see clearly now compared to before, could see each and every molecule of Magic in a person's body with a simple glance.
Perse refused to show any more emotions than needed, leaving the Royal unit as the other Crowns announced Ceres Greylight's death without acknowledging Perse as the new Crown. It meant that they would have to do it after the funeral.
She left the Royal unit with her father trailing behind her along with her grandfather who was the old Crown before Ceres.
It was the last time Persephone Greylight was seen in public in England. The funeral was a private affair, Ceres Greylight's body was burned like a funeral pyre and a ring remained. Black with a purple teardrop stone, it was made of pure Magic and was bound to the Crown of the Greylight Clan, and from that day on, it sat on Perse's right middle finger.
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Kaname had strongly suggested that she speak to Zero about what she could do for him and why Ichiru was here. If not, Zero would throw something close to a hissy fit and would threaten Kaname until he told him. While she knew he wouldn't speak a word, she also knew it would disrupt the peace if Zero was threatening the Pureblood since the other Vampires would be forced to act.
"Unlike before, Ichiru was given the option to leave the academy or join the Day Class," She said as she sat in the Moon Dorm library with Zero, Ichiru and Kaname.
Ichiru sat on her right while Zero was slouching in the seat across from them. Kaname stood by the window with a book in hand, really only there to keep the peace and to keep Zero in check more than anything.
"Then why is he wearing a Night Class uniform?" Zero asked. "He isn't a Vampire nor one of your kind."
Ichiru smiled softly. "I've been in servitude since our parents were killed, Zero. I've only really known my life by looking after another."
"So you're telling me you're her servant?" He grew angry, almost slamming a hand onto the table. "How is that any better than what that Hio bitch was doing?"
"I didn't mean to kill Shizuka Hio," Perse said calmly before shrugging a little. "She lied to me, trying to get me to part with my blood to heal her when I knew she was lying about everything she said."
"You still made him into a goddam slave!"
"I'm not a slave!" Ichiru quickly snapped. "Perse didn't even suggest that I go into her servitude after killing Lady Shizuka, she just asked if I wanted to leave and live my life, or join the Day Class and get to know you. I was the one to ask, Zero. By Vampire Law, since my mistress was killed, I became property of whoever killed her."
"I never wanted a slave or servant," Perse mentioned. "If he rather be in servitude, I was going to make sure he knew his choices. Zero, your brother is free to leave whenever he wants, all he has to do is ask."
"Ichiru, come on," Zero almost begged. "You can't be serious about being her servant."
Kaname butted into the conversation with a question, "Do you know of Seiren, Zero?"
"The lavender haired Vampire that follows you around all the time?" Zero nodded. "Yeah?"
"Seiren is to me what Ichiru is to Perse, in the loosest terms possible," He said. "She is loyal to me but she may leave whenever she may wish, I do not pressure her into servitude and do not expect it from her. Ichiru may leave the Night Class and Perse whenever he wants, but while he attends he is under Perse's protection as the Vampires are under mine."
"I protect and serve her, Zero, but I do so out of my own volition," He assured his brother. "I'm not coerced or forced in any way."
Zero didn't look happy at this but he didn't push it, digging his nails into the table as he fidgeted. "What was the thing from earlier? About being able to become Human again? Is that possible?"
Perse sighed. "It's possible, yes. But it will take a long time and will strain your body. What I did to Shizuka was take the thing that made her manic, her loose Magic, and took it out. But it also meant that it could kill her."
"Could you have healed her?" Ichiru asked.
"I could have and I was going to until I found out she was lying." Perse didn't blink at that. "I shoved my hand into her chest and destroyed her heart because it would be less painful than letting her become Human and die from Magic in her system."
"It would be worth it if I could become Human…"
"It would take a couple months, Zero. If I do a quick mental calculation, it would take your body a good few days between sessions, and upto fifty sessions I'd think," She gave him a look that held sympathy but not pity, before turning a little colder again. "But being serious, Zero, you won't ever be fully Human. Talking science, when Shizuka bit you, she injected some of her Magic into your system and it incorporated itself into you. While she is dead, the Magic in you is not."
"So there's no way to completely get rid of her…?"
Perse tilted her head side to side, conveying that what she would say next could depend on some things. "If you do choose to become human, it will take a couple years after we finish for the cells that still contain Magic to destroy themselves naturally."
"Couple years?"
"If you want, we don't do it and you stay a Vampire for a very long time," She watched him glare at her for that comment. "It's your choice, Zero. I can make it so you are a full Vampire or I can try and make you Human. One is easier and less time consuming but both are worth it if it is what you want."
"Would it actually make me Human after a few years? Like fully Human, no more blood, no more advanced healing, completely Human?"
"No Magic, no blood cravings, no healing. Human."
There was a sense of relief coming from him in the way he now slouched, completely relaxing as he realised she was being serious.
It was true.
It would take months for the sessions to properly take effect, and years for everything to be out of his system.
Magic was like cancer in Level Es, taking over their systems until it consumed them entirely. It would take, morph, change everything until the Level E was either driven to uncontrollable bloodlust and rage, or they were fully turned. It was usually the former and thus the Level Es had to be killed off or they would kill too many and that could expose the Vampire race.
Perse was still fairly new to Blood Magic, her gift only recently being accessed but she had been practising with the tiny things.
Zero nodded to her. "Can we start soon?"
"I'm leaving Cross Academy in two months, I'll do as much as I can before I leave, and then we can continue after I return,"
"You're going to return to Cross Academy after?" Kaname lifted his eyebrows in question,, a touch of gladness in his eyes. "I thought you were going to stay there?"
"I'm not spending any more time than I need to," She mentioned. She looked to Ichiru for a second before turning back to Kaname. "We'll spend the summer somewhere. Maybe at my Dad's depending on how everything goes. We'll finish as much of the school year as we can, but when late November comes, I want to leave for England."
"So you'll come back after the situation during the summer," Kaname nodded. "I was curious if you planned to hide out before the winter and that situation."
She rolled her eyes. "You just want to get rid of me quicker."
Kaname snapped his book closed with a frown, starting to walk to the door before Zero spoke again.
"Perse, Yuki's been having nightmares recently," He said. "Bad ones, the last couple days. She's unable to sleep properly. Do you have anything for that?"
"I'll have to find the source of the nightmares to properly stop them," Perse nodded. "But I'll find a way to keep them at bay."
Zero nodded in thanks.