The Pendant

A Larva/Miyu story

All characters do not belong to me, with the exceptional of a few original, minor characters, but I do claim the rights to the story. Beta-ed by Abelle/skyescrisis. Revised, as of May 13, 2003.

Chisato groaned quietly and tried to open her eyes, blinking furiously. She touched the back of her head gently, wincing when she saw the bright red blood on her hand. She sat up slowly, glancing around the unfamiliar darkened room. Instantly, she remembered heading towards her sister's house when she had been knocked out from behind. That was the last thing she recalled. Fear overcame the confusion she was feeling. Where in hell was she?

Someone spoke from out of nowhere, causing Chisato to jump in start. "I was beginning to think you would never wake up…" Chisato whirled around, letting out a startled gasp when the person moved into sight. It was her. Chisato's clone. Wait, back up a minute... her clone? She didn't have clones! Mother didn't say she had a twin! She locked eyes with the imposter. Every feature on her face was identical to hers, except the eyes, definitely the eyes. The eyes were cold and soulless, like a china doll. Chisato shuddered as she tore her gaze away.

"Who are you?" her voice came out as a frightened squeak. Who could blame her? If you encountered a person who looked exactly like you, except for the fact that she about to commit murder or something related to that, you'd be scared stiff, right?

The clone laughed, a laugh that sent shivers up Chisato's spine. Her clone then altered her form into a woman, as Chisato stared in horror; a blond woman no older than thirty. Her eyes remained the same, but her face…a face that was permanently implanted in her mind accompanied by blood-red lips; Chisato knew she would never forget the woman's face as long as she lived. The woman looked terrible.

"What do you want? And why did you pretend to be me?" she demanded, trying not to let her fear show. Everything Miyu said was beginning to make sense; the meeting that never took place, the pendant…"Why did you give my sister that pendant? What has she got to do with you?"

"…Don't you realize it?" she said in a light tone. "I saw the future…totally not good." her voice rose to a shriek. "She'll completely eliminate my plans! But," she slowly smiled. "It could also be my advantage, you see?"

The woman was positively mad. But Chisato played along, fearing now for her sister's safety. "Why?" The woman was smiling so happily, her face glowed. "I also knew Larva will fall for that girl…though not that soon…anyway, everything is going according to plan. He doesn't realize we belong together, my poor Larva…"

"Who's Larva?" Chisato questioned, wondering what was going on. The woman turned to her, still smiling. Her cold eyes seemed to pass right through Chisato. "I cursed him…I shouldn't have done it…now I had sent him to the arms of another person…he rejected me when I confessed my feelings for him…doesn't realize we belong together." her voice turned to a whisper. "How could he not know? Doesn't he feel it? And yet the future told me about the girl. Then I realized…if I kill her, I would unite with Larva…But he would dearly pay for that rejection…dearly. Did I sound too obsessive? I don't really care." Lilith sighed dramatically. "What a woman must do to get his man."

"You will not lay a single finger on my sister!" she yelled, her fear forgotten. She threw herself at the woman, both rolling on the floor. Chisato felt herself being lifted up, actually lifted up, and then thrown against the wall. She cried out as excruciating pain streaked through her temples. The woman shook her head, her smile turning into a frown. "You shouldn't have done that, you know. But no matter, it would be quite entertaining to see the expression on your sister's face when she realized you were…uh…with me," she finished, her right hand rising.

Immediately, Chisato felt drowsy. She fought to stay awake, but the spell the woman cast on her was too powerful. "Not again..."she muttered as darkness surrounded her.

Lilith laughed, shaking her head violently. Everything was going her way as she predicted, with the exception of the sister. Now she would wait, merely waiting to see what would happen. She held out her hand, and both she and Chisato vanished into thin air.

"Damn Larva," she shook her head. "You see why this is so complicated?"

The next morning had Garline trampling down the stairs and into the library where he had heard the loud crash that had woke him up from his slumber. His first reaction was supposedly thieves, who broke in for the sake of his expensive leather books and novels, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary when he got there.

Except something had landed on him just then, and sent him crashing down to the ground with a painful 'oof!' Garline fought back another squeak, tried to hurl himself off the ground, but the load on his back was just too damn heavy. Garline just limped there, already knowing what was happening before his mind even registered it.

"Would you get off me?" Garline groaned painfully at his aching back. "You aren't exactly a lightweight, brother dear. Oh, my poor back." Larva immediately rolled over on the floor. "Sorry," he apologized. "Not a word of welcome? I'm hurt." His eyes flickered around the mansion and rested on a particular form of figure crumpled to the floor. Eyes widening he quickly strolled over and bent down for examining. "Miyu?" He raised an eyebrow and looked down at her twitching fingers that held the golden pendant. He thought he could hear a slight moan from her. "Miyu?" he said again, this time poking at her sides with his index finger.

"Who's the lady?" Garline questioned his brother, noting the long brown hair and the slender body that had so captured his attention. Look at her clothes. He shook his head in amazement. They were unlike any sort of clothing he had ever seen before. And her skirt! It was so... Garline racked his brains for a moment.

 Short.

 "Who's she?" asked Garline again.

"My mistress," Larva smirked and tossed the pendant to Garline who caught it effortlessly. He and glanced behind his shoulder to watch Garline's reaction. Dumbfounded, he could only stare at Larva do ridiculous things to wake the lady. "Your what?" Was he kidding?

"You heard me."

"Miyu!" Larva sighed loudly and got up. "I give up. Garline, can you please summon Elise in here and ask her to take this fine-looking lady who just so happens to be unconscious to my room? I'm so tired," he stretched his arms and dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "When do we have to see Mother again? And I heard Carlua's going to be there. I wonder why..." Garline shrugged. "How should I know? Why don't you ask Mother?"

"No matter. It does not concern me anyhow. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to be off somewhere, brother. The ladies await me," he grinned in amusement. "Please do not mention any of this to Carlua. She'll fly through the roof and I do not want that."

"And leave this lady unconscious here?" said Garline incredulously. "How gentlemanly you are indeed."

"Don't be absurd. Elise will take her to my room and I will see her by nightfall. She needs her rest." And off he went, leaving Garline shaking his head after him.

 "Elise!"

"Larva!" Himiko gave a little cry of delight and automatically her arms went around his board shoulders. "Where have you been, my dear? I haven't seen you for ages!"

Larva laughed lightly at her enthusiasm and gently took her hands away from him. "Pretty as a picture, Lady Himiko." She blushed prettily at the compliment. "Come in."

Growing up as childhood friends, Larva and Himiko had devoted their earlier times to share the deepest of their secrets to each other, and still did even now. He would reveal anything that happened to him, to her, and she would do the same. In truth, she was one of his first real friends, and Larva cherished that fact.

He did not have many friends, aside from the ladies, anyway.

Larva walked into Himiko's mansion and noticed a servant girl standing by the window. Comely, he thought to himself as he openly admired her long red hair, particularly her blue eyes. The girl noticed his stare and turned bright crimson but not before smiling back at him shyly. But not as comely as Carlua or Miyu, though. He wondered if Miyu had woken up already. He felt a tiny bit guilty for leaving her alone in his mansion; he made up his mind to make it up to her tonight.

"So..." He turned to Himiko. "Who is she?" he questioned lightly and acknowledged the servant. Himiko was incensed though she didn't show it. If he came all the way here just to ogle at some slave... "Oh, that's Marie," she dismissed with a wave of her hand. "She's...uh... not interested in the opposite sex, dear," she said meaningfully, hoping Larva wouldn't miss it.

"A pity."

"Indeed."

She made a mental note to send the girl to kitchen work later. The whore, who did she think she was, fluttering those damn eyelashes at her friend? Did she honestly think she could get Larva to her bed? Himiko snorted inwardly. Her maid was a fool, a lazy fool, and she would protect her friend from the clutches of the vilest ladies. It was the least she could do after all the times he had rescued her. "I've got to inform Sister Lilith of your presence, my Lord. Please, have a seat." She didn't notice the look of alarm on Larva's face. "Oh, I didn't know she is here. I thought she was still in Ilse?"

"No, my Lord. She came back just a week ago," said Himiko carefully.

"Well, 'tis not necessary, Himiko. I have to be going now anyway." He walked out of the door as fast as he could. The last thing he wanted was to face the witch responsible for his misfortune. Sealing him partially in a pendant; Lilith would never grow out of creativity.

"I wish you well." He ran off.

"What? But you just got here!"

Unknown to Himiko, the servant girl stood listening to what both of them had said. The moment she laid eyes on that unbelievably handsome lord she knew she had fallen instantly for him. His eyes, a color of blue she had never seen before, she thought dreamily. And his hair! She longed to run her fingers through it, knowing it was as soft as she thought it was. "But it can never be," she shook her head sadly. "I am just a slave, and he, a titled aristocrat. But that won't stop me. I've got to find out who he is," she said to herself desperately. "The way he looked at me. Oh!" Her melodramatic instincts took over and she swooned. "I am sorry, Gerald. I have fallen in love with another man. Forgive me." A tear even escaped her eye and she sobbed loudly, which proved to be a mistake because Lady Himiko turned to look sharply at her.

"To the kitchen, Marie!" she ordered.

Her tears turned real.

"Where have you been?" Miyu asked sleepily. One glance at her watch told her it was nearly midnight and it wasn't very hard to figure out where and whom Larva had been hanging out with. Not that she cared. Far from it, actually. She yawned and snuggled deeper into her pillows. "So tired," she mumbled.

"Why do you want to know? Are you mad with jealousy already?" Larva said curiously. At that remark Miyu's eyes snapped open and she glared at him. "Are you crazy? It was just an innocent question!"

"So you say..."

Sighing, Miyu went back to her pillows. "I give up." The nerve of that guy. Did he think he was the greatest thing God had ever put breath in or something? Well, she supposed some women would have thought so. Not that it had anything to do with her.

"Good night."

"I'm kind of sleepy too. Good night." Larva's lips slowly curved into a smile.

A sly smile.

She still did not have any idea whose bed was she sleeping on...