Thirteen

Chapter Six: Girly Girl

I never was much of a girly girl.

-Megan Marie

xxXxx

Night Eight

The night after dismissing two rescuers in a row, Haru was putting the finishing touches on her last bag when her door slammed open. She gasped in surprise since her ladies in waiting were never that reckless about coming in, but it wasn't them this time. The tall lanky figure that stumbled into the room had moved like he had done it with the last of his strength.

This one was clearly a knight, clothed in chain mail from head to toe with a red and gold tunic over it all. His hand almost desperately clinging to the long sword he was dragging along beside him.

"Y-Your highness!" he gasped before collapsing onto the closest rug, bleeding from several places and smoking from others. His helmet fell from his head as he lay panting from pain.

Haru threw her work to the side to inspect the wounds. They were bleeding all over her carpet, but if she got pressure on them, he wouldn't bleed out. Since it was the first thing she could think of, she ran to her bed and threw off the heavy covers so that she could get at her bedsheet.

"I-I did it," he stuttered, but she shushed him before using her teeth to make a small tear to rip the bedsheet into strips.

"Try not to talk. Let me get some of this cleaned up first."

It wasn't easy getting his mail shirt off after the tunic, or the plain tunic underneath it. But since she had paid attention to how her ladies in waiting had handled her after the 'vampire' comment, she was able to manage it with only a minimal amount of grunting from the knight.

"This doesn't look good," Haru fussed over the wounds before reaching up for a needle and thread. "You need stitches."

"What?! No, I don't!" he panicked before trying to get to his knees, but Haru pressed on an unmarked part of his back enough to ensure he would do no such thing.

"Don't worry, I've sewn these kinds of cuts before," she assured him while threading a needle. "It's just too bad I don't have anything to deaden the pain with."

"I'll be fine!" he assured her, reaching up with one hand to stop her from doing more than threading a needle. "Just wrap me up, I'll be fine!"

"They all say that," Haru sighed as she attempted to pry his hand off hers. "The cuts will just rip open more if I don't do this, you know. Stop being such a baby."

"Baby?! Baby?!" he demanded in rage, adrenaline allowing him to stand to his full height with his hands on his hips to glare at her. "I just killed Lord Maliss for you, woman! Don't call me a baby!"

Haru's eyes raised as far as they would go, and not because the man had been stripped to the waist. "… He's gone?" she nearly whispered in disbelief.

He nodded with some satisfaction at getting her attention. "Good and dead. After you only wrap me up, I'll take you down the main hall. His body's there and everything."

Haru's index finger traced the lower part of the pulsing amulet still around her neck as she stuck the needle and thread into one of the cushions of her favorite chair. Was it even possible? "Hold that thought," she told the knight while rising to her feet and marching to the balcony.

"Wait, what are you doing?" he asked, but Haru didn't dare stop to explain anything as she opened the glass doors to the still night air and ran out to the balcony.

Then she threw herself off the edge.

Even as the knight screamed high in surprise, the amulet at her throat throbbed hotly before her body seemed to stop in midair and get thrown back onto the balcony.

"Ouch!" Haru yelped since she landed on her back and banged her head against the cold stone.

The first thing she saw was the knight glaring at her angrily. He was upside down from her point of view. "What did you do that for?!" he demanded before helping her to her feet.

"I knew it," she answered in complete misery before batting his hands off her. "It was too good to be true."

"That you didn't die?" he demanded, but she was shaking her head while trying not to cry as she held a hand to the aching part of her skull.

That brief taste of hope had been heavenly.

"Maliss isn't dead. I don't know what you fought, but it wasn't him." She held the amulet up enough so that she could glare at it after heaving herself to her feet with the stone railing. "Even if this thing didn't explode or fall off my neck, the spells on it would have worn off if he died. I'm still stuck here."

He froze, like the thought hadn't occurred to him. "Maybe the spells need time to wear off," he reasoned, but Haru shook her head.

"I never got told he was back. Even if he was too tired to have dinner with me, my ladies in waiting would have told me he returned. That was probably just a… special guard you killed. That seems like the sort of protection he'd leave on this place when he goes traveling, especially if there's a 'toy' he doesn't want to share." Her shoulders drooped even lower in depression, almost missing the thoughtful expression on the knight's face.

"It also means you need to leave as soon as possible. The first thing the monsters will do when they see the mess you left is make sure I'm safe and put me under heavy guard until you're caught."

"Oh, I don't think so," he growled, gripping her by the upper arm to keep her from moving out of range. "Special guard or not, I really did fight a dragon for you. I think these marks are proof enough that I'm owed some reward."

It was about then that she started getting suspicious that the wounds weren't oozing that much anymore, and he was able to stand tall without needing to lean on anything. His eyes weren't glazed over from blood loss, and his voice was firm and healthy.

On top of that, he was nowhere near as panicked as he should have been that an evil wizard might walk in on them.

"Well," Haru sighed as if in compliance. "I guess I owe you a little something for the wounds you got for my sake before you leave. Close your eyes."

He beamed happily before doing so. Haru reached up with one hand to drag his neck down to her level… before harshly sending him toppling over the edge of the balcony, sword still in hand even though the twist made him lose his own grip on her.

It may have made Haru a bad person, but she felt a lot better listening to his high scream before painfully landing on a large thorn bush that apparently grew underneath her balcony. Then the shrieks of pain only became more musical.

"I owe you nothing, you creep!" she screamed down at him, going back into her room so that she could send the chain mail shirt, tunics, and helmet after their owner. Goodness knows what she'd tell her ladies in waiting to explain why she had ripped her bedsheet into strips, or all that blood on the rug.

'I don't think I'd want to put up with that chain mail smell the rest of my life, anyway.'

Night Ten

Two nights later, another prince was trying his luck.

"Your highness, my name is Prince Mytho of Cigno-" a young man with snow-white hair and golden eyes tried to introduce himself while holding his sword in front of him at a salute.

"Okay, that does it!" Haru nearly yelled when she started on the second floor of the castle in hopes of not running into anymore 'rescuers'. Using her poker, which never left her side when she left her room for any reason that didn't have to do with her husband, she pointed at a bench resting on the side of the railing. "Sit. You are going to answer some questions for me, and I don't care if you want to or not."

He blinked in worry but sheathed his sword before sitting on one end of that bench. It was probably irrational, but even the way that young man moved was setting her teeth on edge. He patted the space next to him invitingly for her to join him, but Haru only leaned against the wall across from him, still gripping that poker.

"How do you creeps keep finding me in this place?" she demanded, making him stiffen angrily. "It's huge, there's monsters running around serving a bigger monster, and I've been trying really hard to make myself hard to find to anybody."

He brushed one hand over his snowy hair out of nerves. "We just keep looking, that's all."

"Oh, and I suppose Ivan swung into every room and hallway until he happened to land in front of me?" Haru asked sarcastically. "What about that song? I intentionally had the curtain closed so that it would look like no one was in my room so I could get some peace and quiet, but that didn't stop that one."

"Why are you being so picky?!" Prince Mytho exploded like she was the fifth 'princess' that had refused a rescue attempt.

'If he moves like that in front of all the girls he tries to rescue, I can understand them turning him away as well.' Haru rolled her eyes heavenward before growling. "Because I shouldn't be the first stop in an evil wizard's lair. I shouldn't have to explain that before you rescue the damsel in distress, you have to take down the monster holding her prisoner. I'm not some golden harp that you can sneak out if Lord Maliss is looking the other way." She held up the amulet resting on her cowl for emphasis. "Frankly, even if one of you did manage to kill him, it's obvious that I won't so much get my freedom as I will get a different big house to live in, and a different husband that expects complete obedience. Rescuing me isn't a guarantee for a happy future, no matter how much I would wish it to be. For all you know, I'm a nag."

"It's certainly starting to look like it," he muttered under his breath.

This castle and its owner were starting to tell on Haru. She was taking that as a compliment. "Good, glad we understand each other. Now get out before Lord Maliss uses you to floss his dragon teeth." Without another word, she turned on her heel and ran down a new hallway before he could stop her.

Just for the fun of it, she kept running. It felt good to do it again, even with the uncomfortable undergarments and pathetic excuse for shoes hindering her movements. After a while, she noticed that all the rooms and hallways were looking the same, but she wasn't too worried. The castle was only so big, which meant that it was only a matter of time before she either found someone to guide her back or she wound up somewhere that she would recognize.

As little as she liked the idea, she knew that the other occupants of the castle were more or less supposed to be aware of where she is at all times in case she was up to something her predecessors hadn't thought of yet.

'I wish I was up to something,' she mourned while slowing down to a walk after enough of her energy was spent. 'That would mean I have a plan of my own instead of praying that one of the heroes that comes here has a lick of common sense.'

"If you are done walking,

"Would you mind talking?"

Haru immediately jumped to attention while holding her poker ready. She blinked, and looked around, but she was all alone in the long hallway.

"Who's there?" she growled, just to make sure the latest intruder knew she wasn't interested in explaining herself again.

"Fear not, dear Haru.

"I've been held here

"Even longer than you."

This voice was different than any of the others she'd heard. It was a man's, but it didn't have any scratchy, guttural sounds that would have marked him as one of the monsters. If anything, the voice was even more pleasant than some of her rescuers.

It was also coming from the door just on her left, hanging open just a crack.

"I'm going to regret this," she muttered to herself while pushing the door open just enough to peek inside.

The room was empty. There was just a high back chair facing away from the door, a large ornate mirror hanging on the wall, and a mace sitting directly under the mirror.

Just before she noticed there was no dust in this room, the silver face forged over the glass smiled warmly and opened its mouth.

"Please come and talk to me

"I don't get many visitors, see?"

Haru was so surprised that she dropped her poker. She gaped like the country bumpkin she was for a long minute before hesitantly coming into the room. "So… Queen Malissa really did have a magic mirror." 'That was the part I thought for sure was made up.'

That jolly face seemed tickled to death that she had heard of him and was drawing close enough to appreciate his craftsmanship.

"Finally!

"Some decent company!

"It's been so lonely

"With only Lord Maliss to visit me."

Haru didn't bother to fight back a bitter laugh. "I'd prefer being alone forever than that." She laid a sympathetic hand on the silver side of the looking glass. "I'm sorry. You probably have no choice about any of this."

His look of gratitude almost overwhelmed her.

"You, I could almost kiss."

Haru flinched at the ugly word. "Thanks all the same, but I'm mentally scarred against kissing now. Physically, too," she added while rubbing her sore shoulder through her cowl. Her flesh had started knitting together underneath the scabs, which was healthy, but the itching drove her crazy. "Is Lord Maliss usually that rough with his wives?"

The mirror sighed sadly.

"If he's harsh with a wife,

"It's because she causes him strife."

Haru hmphed angrily before leaning against the same wall he was hanging from. "Wonder what I did to really earn this, then," she muttered under her breath, completely missing the look of glee on the mirror's face before he was able to control it.

"Though he has been abrupt

"With wives he wished to subduct."

Haru looked over at him curiously. "I don't know that last word. Peasant girl, remember?"

"If he fears you,

"He'll try to break you," the mirror clarified in simple terms.

She laughed harshly at the thought. "Why would Lord Maliss fear me? I'm nothing compared to most of the girls he's stolen."

"Oh, how wrong you are," the mirror told her, not bothering to hide his glee this time.

"You've troubled him by far.

"Princesses he can predict,

"But you do nothing but contradict."

Haru wracked her brain for something offensive enough to really get her husband angry but came up blank. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she admitted a little helplessly, making the mirror laugh with delight.

"Don't let it trouble.

"Your very self is a rebuttal."

Haru took in a long breath and held it before exhaling slowly as she tried to process his strange words. "So… just be myself?"

"With fury, he'll stay beside himself," the mirror assured her with a somewhat evil cackle.

Haru grinned a little wickedly herself. "Your wish is my command," she told him with one of the formal curtsies her mother had forced her to learn what seemed like a lifetime ago. It was a little surprising how well she could still do it.

Mother. Home. Hiromi. A wave of homesickness for her old life hit her harder than Machida's rejection. Well, finding out from Hiromi that he had proposed to Sakura, in any case.

Suddenly nervous, Haru started twiddling her thumbs through the black gloves. "Listen, it's perfectly fine if you can't or don't want to, but… would you please show me Hiromi?" she pleaded in a tiny voice.

The mirror smiled warmly at her, making the black glass beneath his face waver until Haru was looking at her own kitchen.

Hiromi looked very tired and pale as she sat at Haru's kitchen table. Tsuge muttered dark things at the oatmeal he was trying not to burn as he glanced at his wife with a sheepish smile.

"I swear it will be edible this time, my love. Some good thick food, and you'll be back to normal."

"Okay," Hiromi muttered with a numbness that Haru hadn't seen since the fever sickness had hit their village. One hand was rubbing her swollen belly, but it moved without thought or real care.

Haru tried not to cry as she set both of her hands directly onto the glass. "My poor Hiromi."

Both Tsuge and Hiromi jumped like a bee had stung them, sending the pot full of breakfast flying over one wall and the floor.

"Haru?!" Hiromi asked shrilly as she and her husband looked around in vain.

Haru's mouth fell open in shock. "Did you hear me?" she asked in complete surprise.

"We can hear you!" Tsuge told her, now feeling around the room as if he was hoping to grab an invisible elbow. "Where are you?!"

Haru looked up at the mirror's face, but he was as shocked as she was.

"You are clever!

"Used like this, I've never!"

"Did either of you hear another voice just now?" Haru asked just to be sure of what was going on.

"Who cares about other voices, I want you! Where are you?!" Hiromi demanded as tears of relief flooded down her face and she also tried to blindly feel for her friend.

Haru drew herself up to her full height while trying to think of the best way to put her situation. "I'm in the Realm of Doom with Lord Maliss. I just found that magic mirror we were told about, and I accidentally found a new way to use it. I'm still alive, but who knows for how much longer?" She then started and gave a rueful smile to the mirror's face. "I can't imagine using the mirror without permission will go without punishment, though. Are you two helping Father since I can't anymore?"

Both Tsuge and Hiromi flinched before giving each other a long look.

"Are you sitting?" her friend asked as she took back her previous seat.

"Not without letting go of the mirror, it's hanging up. What happened after that creep took me?" Haru begged, although she wasn't sure why the information suddenly mattered so much to her.

Tsuge also sat at the small table, reaching across it to hold his wife's hand. "It… took a while to convince your father that you were old enough for marriage," he forced out while staring at his lap. "Then when it finally hit him, all he could say was 'the years… the years… they're all gone…'"

Haru understood in a heartbeat. She closed her eyes and tried to steady herself. "He didn't survive the shock. Losing Mother destroyed him."

"Losing you to Lord Maliss of all people was too much for him," Hiromi agreed, gripping her husband's hand like it was a lifeline. "I'm sorry, Haru, but we weren't gentle about telling him what happened. I had to rip the bag out of his hands and slam him against a wall before he would listen to me."

"That sounds about right to get his attention," Haru comforted her friend, though the ache in her chest began to throb again.

Though less than she had been expecting. In many ways, her father had died when her mother did. It was one of the reasons Haru seemed to always live in her own thoughts.

"I'm glad that you two got my home, though. Hiromi, the things I was sewing for my own home are in the bed I slept in. All of it is yours."

"I already claimed it," her friend admitted, still gripping her husband's hand as her eyes continued to weep. "If the only way our child will know your love is through stories and your stitches, so be it."

"Sheriff Rosso's having trouble convincing the authorities that Lord Maliss kidnapped a peasant this time, and he's not that sure that they won't see it as good news that he's expanding his horizons beyond the blue bloods. There's something else, too," Tsuge remembered, clearly not wanting to see his wife cry anymore. "Sakura refused to marry Machida."

That made Haru start in surprise. "She what?"

Hiromi growled darkly in her throat. "Haru, the only reason I delivered Kamiko's message was because she told me that Sakura was unsure about how angry you really were and wanted you there as proof that you wished them the best."

"If that's not a way to get me angry, nothing is," Haru growled to herself. "So Kamiko arranged my humiliation without Sakura's approval?"

"She knew nothing about it until Machida made a rude statement about how far you were willing to go to avoid going to his wedding. She got into a huge fight with him and his mother over it, right there in the town square!" Hiromi was able to gush with an evil sneer. "I know I told you that being kind to Sakura was foolish, but I take it back. She and her aunt were so impressed with how you handled Machida choosing another girl, that they decided the last straw was Machida saying… things that will never be repeated under my roof. Sakura and her aunt moved out of town almost immediately. Machida and his mother are in disgrace, and I've been using all my gossip skills to make sure that all the girls from the neighboring villages know to avoid him at all costs."

A slow feral smile crossed Haru's lips. "This pleases me. Almost as much as that lovely dream I had where I got to treat his head like bread dough." She shivered in pure delight at the memory, enough to keep her from noticing the evil grin on the mirror's silver face.

Hiromi beamed at the cheer in her friend's tone before she burst out crying in earnest. "Why now, Haru?! Why couldn't you have gotten over him while you were still here?! You could still be here if you'd had that dream earlier!"

Haru rested her forehead against the cool glass. "I guess I'm not as clever as you or the mirror think I am. Eight years really was too long to wait for more than a daily 'hi' if I was lucky."

"Okay, you have our side of things. What about yours? Has Lord Maliss been hurting you?" Tsuge demanded in a brotherly fury.

Haru bit her lip as her shoulder began to itch again. "Not in the traditional way. I'd rather not talk about that part. He's a manipulative disgusting creep that enjoys how much his wives hate him."

"Then Princess Mononoke's alive?" Hiromi asked while brightening happily.

"No, unfortunately not," Haru was quick to clear up her own words. "Neither Lord Maliss or his servants have bothered to hide the fact that he will kill me when I break a rule. You can have Sheriff Rosso pass that on to an authority if you can; all the brides die before the next one is selected. He only has one marriage amulet, and believe me, the only thing that will take it off is my death or his."

Hiromi deflated at the somber news. "If heroes can't go after every princess, why would anyone but me go after a bagmaker's daughter?"

"If I let you," Tsuge added with a stern look.

She beamed happily at the man. "You tell her, Tsuge. You and the baby need her more than me. But don't even get me started on rescuers!" Haru fumed at the top of her lungs. "They're not even trying to rescue me; it's like they're trying to reserve 'dibs' on me before they even bother thinking about challenging Lord Maliss!"

Both of them leaned back, since the stolen brunette had almost never used that tone when she lived in the village.

"As if that's not bad enough, each and every one of them thought I was a princess!" Haru added, taking one hand off the mirror so that she could shake one fist. "I was expecting at least one of them to say 'don't be silly, Lord Maliss only takes ladies of quality' when I tell them I'm a peasant! Even when they believe me, it doesn't change their minds about trying to carry me off! It's like I'm some… trophy that everyone wants to steal from Lord Maliss for bragging rights!I flat out tell them that the amulet won't let me leave the castle, commit suicide, or even be out in broad daylight, and they still act like I'm being a spoiled brat when I say they have to kill Lord Maliss before they should bother with approaching me. I take back every wish I ever made about wanting men to notice me." 'I should have said 'decent' men! That might have saved me some trouble!'

"Well, I'd say Lord Maliss hasn't changed his policy about classy ladies," Hiromi defended her friend with her usual enthusiasm. "How many have there been for you to get this worked up about it?"

Haru blinked and started counting them off on her fingers. "Let's see, there's the cobbler, the guy with the funny stick, the musician, Prince Redshirt, Prince Vine…" She paused and switched which hand was on the glass so that she could keep going. "Prince 'Check Out My Awesome Cape', Sir 'No, Really! I Killed Lord Maliss And Now You Owe Me', and just now, Prince 'I Promise I Really Do Like Girls'." Haru rested her head on the cool glass again and groaned. "The way he moved. I have no idea why, but as soon as I saw that pansy, I wanted to strangle him. Eight so far."

That made the Looking Glass desperately start trying to hold back his guffaws, but it was a losing battle.

"Did you say that one of them managed to kill Lord Maliss?" Tsuge asked like he didn't believe it.

In his defense, that would have been the first thing Haru talked about if it had been true.

"That knight went through an elaborate scheme to make me think he did, but it was no match for my cold logic. I'm only disappointed I didn't manage to sew up his fake wounds before dumping him into that thorn bush," Haru added with a wicked grin. "They were clever wounds, but my needle would have found his real skin just the same."

"Then it served him right," Hiromi cackled as Tsuge winced.

"Easy for you to say, love. Haru's stitched me up before."

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Haru couldn't resist laughing at the memory. "I let you get drunk first, didn't I?"

"Not drunk enough," he mourned, getting up to look at the fallen food with despair before slicing at a bread loaf.

"Men," Hiromi sighed while rolling her eyes.

"Men," Haru agreed while managing a laugh. "You had one long cut, Tsuge. He had at least ten. I should have remembered how you reacted and tied him down to several pieces of furniture before I threaded my needle or told him what I was planning to do with it."

The mirror completely lost it at that statement, making Haru set her ear against the glass to hear anything other than his rich guffaws.

Tsuge shuddered and covered his ears before he started with the jam. "Haru, I'm begging you to find something else to talk about!"

"Big baby," Haru teased before she thought of something. "Hiromi, I need you to use your gossiping skills for me. I don't know who this will help, but I want it to be able to help someone."

As expected, her oldest and dearest friend leaned forward eagerly with anticipation.

"Lord Maliss doesn't just slap on the amulet and drag his victim to bed. He has a set of rules he follows, and a set of triggers that make him turn his idea of 'affectionate'. He doesn't tell anyone what the rules or triggers are, but-"

A terrible roar from outside the castle reached her through the stone walls.

"He's back," Haru choked with a sinking feeling. "The only trigger I know is vampires. Tell them to never mention vampires to him, no matter how much his looks make them want to. I have to go before he finds me here. I love you."

"Haru, wait-" Hiromi tried to say, but Haru taking her hands off the glass made it go black again.

"Thank you," the captive woman said to the face warmly, pressing her hand against one cheek with real affection before she ran out of the room, leaning down just enough to scoop her poker back into one hand.

The mirror sighed sadly as her rapid footsteps faded away.

"May her heart, so good and true

"Be able to see this peril through."

ooOoo

After Haru was certain she had put herself far enough away from the Mirror's room, she forced herself into a more casual jog instead the panicked run she had given when she thought Lord Maliss was going to appear out of nowhere and-

Almost like her thoughts could summon him, Haru turned a corner and slammed right into her sorry excuse of a husband.

"Well, now!" he exclaimed in surprise, wrapping his arms around her before she could get away and holding her tight against him in a terrible mockery of a hug. "Did absence make the heart grow fonder, dear?" he smirked, forever keeping one hand on his dragon staff.

"Not for you," Haru responded automatically while trying to wiggle out of his horrible embrace. "I just need to slow down at corners." 'I wish I could use the poker on him without him just taking it away!' She gripped it a little tighter in case he tried to make an issue about her having a weapon.

He laughed like she had told another really good joke. "Ah, good old peasant honesty. What a pleasant change. Tell me dear; did you see anyone else down these halls?"

Haru had enough experience pretending nothing hurt her to not even bat an eyelash. "Just some vermin scuttling around the corners. That's why I'm carrying a poker."

His dark eyes immediately trailed to her side, his lips set in disapproval at how hard she was gripping the makeshift weapon. "I have servants to deal with vermin. Why don't you drop that filthy thing and let them handle it?"

"There never seems to be servants around when I see them," Haru answered with complete honesty. "Besides, you'd take the poker away if I tried to use it on you, and I can't hurt myself with it. Since that only leaves the servants, I'm surprised you'd care if I used this on them or not." 'Though I guess I should clean it. I think my ladies in waiting are getting sick of washing the rust stains off my gloves.'

"I don't," he informed her shortly, ending the hug but keeping her close with one firm hand on her waist. "But isn't a fire poker a little undignified?"

"Peasant girl," she reminded him while shrugging her shoulders and wishing he'd keep his hands to himself. "You knew you weren't getting someone refined."

He thought that over while forcefully turning around and walking with her down the hall; his bride on one side and his staff clicking against the stones in the other. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that, dear. I was thinking about you on the flight back home, and it occurred to me that I didn't get to laugh or say anything poor about your table manners."

"Glad to have disappointed you," Haru responded automatically, though her stomach was clenching in dread.

Conversations like this had begun in the village before. Usually at a celebration when everyone ate together, or when people reminisced about her mother.

"I also got to thinking," he continued, holding her even closer to him as they continued their walk. "That was a very remote and tiny village you ran away from. I'm surprised that fine table manners would be something to practice there. Is there something you would like to tell me?"

Haru knew that look of smug pride at figuring something out. She'd been fighting it practically from the cradle.

"Not you, too," Haru groaned, forcefully unpinning her arm at his side to rub her forehead, since she wasn't about to let go of the poker for anything. "Don't get any ideas about my heritage. Mother worked as a servant for a rich family in the city before she met my father, and she had ambitions on marrying out of the common class. She learned to imitate certain things the rich did and forced me to learn them after she and Father eloped to that village. Since she was a city servant and you need certain skills to live that far away from things she used to buy instead of make herself, the other villagers were convinced no matter what that she was a disgraced noble for marrying my father. She was a lot better at embroidery than cooking for the first few years, and no one has ever let me forget that. You did not accidentally 'ruin' your favorite number."

Much to her surprise, Lord Maliss looked more disappointed than disbelieving.

"What a shame. I think I would have laughed forever if you had been a noblewoman in hiding."

Haru got ready to ask how many noblewomen ran through these halls, but stopped herself when she remembered the last time he chased her. 'Not going through getting caught again!' "If any of them have been doing that, they'll probably stop after my village manages to convince anyone you took me," she retorted instead, since that was less likely to be one of his triggers.

He tossed his head with an air of unconcern. "You haven't broken any rules yet. Let's see how much longer you can last before I need to worry about a replacement."

Something about his tone implied to Haru that her time was coming sooner than she thought.

'It's probably for the best. The sooner I die, the sooner I can now see both of my parents again.' At least there was something to cheer her up.

Then Lord Maliss started walking faster while forcing her to do the same, alerting her that she probably wasn't going to like whatever it was he had in mind.

"But now that I know you've had some proper training, I think I'd like to see for myself how well you perform in a ball room."

Haru almost warned him. It would have been cruel not to, she knew that. 'One hundred and thirteen,' she reminded herself before deciding to settle between a warning and long overdue karma. "I think you'll find me a disappointment," she informed him a little breathlessly, since he was almost running now and she wasn't used to trying to keep with someone else's pace.

"I'm sure you're being modest," he laughed, only getting encouraged by her obvious reluctance.

ooOoo

The monsters that served Lord Maliss were later forbidden from asking what happened in that ballroom for the few minutes he and his wife were locked within. All they knew was that there was a muffled cry of pain that wasn't from their current mistress, who was almost immediately sentenced to her room for the rest of the night, and her sewing things taken away as additional punishment. Lord Maliss had required a stretcher so that he could be taken to his room by monster guards as painlessly as possible, though he tried desperately to make it look like he wasn't in that much pain, he was feeling lazy.

What chilled their blood about the unknown incident, however, was the rather evil smirk on Haru's face instead of their lord's as she spent the rest of the night polishing her poker until it gleamed.

xxXxx

A/N; Haru knows nothing about ballet in this fic, which is why she's misinterpreting the way Mytho moves. Also, it was just in this chapter that I noticed that there was something to echo the mirror from Beauty and the Beast, but with personality. Huzzah, Dom Delouise!