Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. I also know virtually nothing of human psychology except what I've observed and what I've read in sci-fi novels, seen in movies, etc., likewise mental/emotional disorders, and high-class living. I'm not writing to be accurate, I'm writing to be dramatic, and I'm only a lowly high-school junior who knows squat about adult society. That being said, overlook my errors and just enjoy the story, savvy?
Chapter 1: Family
Bach seems to be appreciated most by those high-bred musicians who fall upon hard times. The darkened apartment wailed with hard times. Smooth arpeggios played with almost obsessive precision sent cleansing, clear-cut, crystalloid beauty to the farthest corner of the dimmed room. The noted bounced off the simple elegance of the modern-cut furniture with its carefully hidden worn edges, the silvery-lined countertop, wax-tears mourning its old sparkling polish, the fading old black appliances bravely pretending to be lustery-new. Here or there a burnt-out lamp sat forlornly, waiting for bright new bulbs to give them their dignity back.
Only the conical ceiling light was on, spreading a soft fey glow throughout the room, glossing on the silver hair of a young woman as her body swayed in the music like an elder in the wind. Aislinn was lost in a world of smooth-flowing, liquid gold-silver emotions dancing and trickling and flowing and bubbling through her head and mind and body and soul. She was wrapped in the soft velvet blanket of musical passion that blocks out all distractions and discordant thoughts. Her slender fingers flew over the violin as for a moment she was back at home with maids and fine clothes and beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ballroom ceiling.
The final notes, released from the soul, flew away on the air. Aislinn carefully laid the violin in its case and stared at the computer against the wall. It seemed out of place with the rest of her, like the t-shirt and jeans and the torn mock-up and the whole accursed apartment!
She wanted her old fairy-tale life back at her father's extravagant estate. She had had it all: a mansion to roam, maids to send on errands, all the money a girl could want, that lovely ruffled dress from her uncle's girlfriend who had befriended the little child Aislinn... It was the perfect life. Then her parents had died when their ship exploded on vacation, and her older brother Talon had taken over the house. He had kicked Aislinn out, giving her barely enough money to get through two years of college. She learned of music and art. She had first played her violin, but it made little money. Then she found an old computer, was given a few programs by her friend Kathy, and tried her hand in digital art. It caught on, and she could have made a substantial living if it wasn't for her brother, who kept pushing her down. Now she needed money to appease him and his silly lawsuit. Why was he so persistent? Was he trying to make sure she wasn't made rich by assistance from their inanely successful uncle, who had always favored Aislinn over Talon-
Her uncle. She pondered this forbidden thought. When she was about eight years her parents had forbidden them to visit him again. Aislinn had been upset, because it was always a fun visit. He was kind and listened to her when nobody else would, and they had had much in common. They told the children that he had been in an accident and had become--here they lowered their voices--mentally unstable. Violent. It was too dangerous.
Now she thought of her other choices. Go and ask for his help, or die of starvation. Or murder, depending on whether she could outsmart her brother's hit-men if he got in a foul enough temper. Perhaps she should pay a visit to some old family after all these years.
******************
Aislinn frowned at Kathy's tone.
"Your uncle? Have you heard all the rumors?" It wasn't mean or even gossipy. It was feral, excited. She sounded like a hunting puppy dog looks before retrieving its favorite meal. "Ooh, I'd love to come with you! Plllleeeease?"
"Kathy, I won't have you making my uncle into a specimen. Besides, I don't know if its right that I just invite someone else-"
"But you're just inviting yourself!"
"I'm family!"
"I promise I'll stay out of sight. If you'd been keeping up with the news, you'd know that there is a dueling tournament going on over there. I'll be invisible. I'm a fair duelist."
"It's not-"
"There you go with that 'proper' thing again. Forget 'proper' for once and let me be my low-society self and break some rules."
Aislinn sighed. Her uncle was every well-informed psychologist's dream to study-to hear Kathy talk at least. Thank heavens that few were in on the 'mentally unstable' rumors. If they were rumors. Kathy was really excited. And she had offered to pay Aislinn's airfare... it was only proper that she be appeased. Aislinn sighed again.
Kathy was rather... middle-class. Sometimes it grew annoying. But Kathy had befriended Aislinn and helped her out so many times.
Besides, Aislinn reminded herself, you're middle-class too, now.
"Okay. You can come."
"Yay!" Kathy gave her a quick squeeze. "I just need to go and grab a few things from my apartment-"
"Kathy, slow down! I-we-don't leave until next week!"
************
"I can't believe I'm flying into an out-of-bounds air zone for you snobs," snorted Bert, a dark-eyed, dark-haired, daring, good-natured pilot who Kathy had the good fortune of befriending a while ago, and who Kathy had managed to wheedle into flying them to Duelist Kingdom island.
"Oh, shut up and fly, you wuss. Aislinn, are you okay?"
"I... hate... helicopters..."
"If you would just open your eyes, you could appreciate the view. Look, there it is!"
Aislinn, in a desperate attempt to overcome her fear of flight, forced her hands off her eyes and peeked in the direction of solid ground. What greeted her eyes made the nausea worth it: shimmering blue waters ended suddenly at a curving island shoreline, here blanketed with lush green trees, there rock-strewn wildness, over there sandy, level ground that begged of little girls in calico to let down their hair and romp in the grassy openness. The chopper turned, and all at once the land seemed to sweep upward with a grand castle atop it that any princess could wish for: all turrets and balconies and a menacing yet graceful strength that bespoke of an appreciation for luxury.
Kathy's mouth dropped open. Aislinn snickered.
"It looks like home to me. Finally, some decency."
"Woah," Brent breathed from the pilot's seat, "just where did you say you were from, Cinderella? I don't want any pure, sweet princesses defiling my chopper."
Kathy found her voice. "Well good, because Aislinn is a dirty, murderous princess on a mission for her brother's blood."
"Oh, that's okay, then."
*************
"Okay!" shouted Brent over the noise of the propellers. "I don't care what you stretch, I no longer owe you anything!"
"Get out of here before you're caught, you jerk," joked Kathy.
Brent saluted and left them standing on the open plain. Aislinn stood still, letting the breeze tease her silver hair, taking it all in.
Ah, uncle, you've certainly done well.
"To the castle?" inquired Kathy beside her, and Aislinn nodded and led the way toward the grey wonder on the hill.
****************
"Um... should you knock, or me?"
"It's 'you or I'," Aislinn corrected automatically.
What if he really is insane? What if he doesn't recognize me? What if he tries to hurt me? Oh, don't be ridiculous, if he was violent there would be no dueling contest going on. I hope.
"Yo, Aislinn!"
"Oh! Ah..." she raised a hand to knock on the grand wooden doors, but before her knuckles touched wood they opened and a harsh-looking man in a black suit stepped out.
"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.
"My name is Aislinn. I wish to see Mr. Pegasus."
"What is your business."
She drew herself up into an almost forgotten air of noble superiority, trying to ignore the fact that she was dressed in an old shirt and faded jeans. "Family business. It's very important."
The guard glared down at her through his dark glasses. "Nice try, Master Pegasus has no family. Get lost."
Now she was angry, and felt the blood rise to her cheeks. Ignorant underling, he had no right to sass her. "He has no family because what was left of them disowned him! I am Aislinn Pegasus! He is my uncle! If you would just get off your lazy rear and ask I'm sure he could confirm this!"
Swiftly, the guard pulled a black two-way radio out of his pocket. "You'd better be right about this," he growled and turned away for a moment.
Kathy, luggage in hand, was staring at Aislinn in disbelief. "Remind me never to get in a fight with you."
Aislinn glared, but before she could reply the guard turned towards them again, an apologetic look on his face.
"I'm terrible sorry, miss Aislinn, but I must uphold the highest standards of security, especially this weekend. You understand." He bowed and opened the door. "Keep waking down the hall. Master Pegasus is expecting you."
"Thank you," replied Aislinn. She did understand. "Come, Kathy."
"'Come, Kathy,'" her friend mocked. "You've become, like, a totally different person, Az!"
Aislinn smiled at this comment, and, holding her head as high as if she were a little girl on her father's estate again, strode into the hall.
********
The insides of the castle were decorated richly, with almost overdone extravagance, and Aislinn wondered how much of it was originally there and how much her uncle's decorator had added. It certainly suited his taste for finery; it had been a running family joke in the early years that Aislinn and Maximillion were the two true aristocrats of the family and couldn't resist anything lavish.
There was nothing tangible yet amiss to suggest truth to the rumors, but underneath everything Aislinn considered normal was something which made her uneasy. As she thought about it, she realized there was a hint of eccentricity running through the castle, subtle, yet it was there, like the scribbling of Kathy taking notes beside her. Aislinn shot her friend a dirty look, then braced herself as the hall opened up into a room.
It was consistent with what she had yet seen of the castle, with a long table with a single place set at the far end. There, holding a glass of red wine and smiling urbanely, was her uncle, Maximillion Pegasus, in a lavish, almost garish red suit that she had never seen before, and rather didn't like.
At once he rose, spreading his arms in dramatic welcome. "Well if it isn't my dear niece! Greetings!"
Aislinn struggled to keep the relief off her face. He remembered her. But still, something was drastically different. "Uncle, I beg your pardon for my rude entrance, I should have contacted you first."
His laughter was as emphatic and musical as his speech. "Think nothing of it. I'm more than happy to tolerate you're 'rude entrance' anytime."
It was okay. However he had changed, neither she nor Kathy were in any danger. She finally allowed herself to relax and smiled, glancing at her friend. Kathy had the look of a country girl in the middle of Philadelphia who just realized she got on the wrong bus. Obviously, she had never been in the midst of the rich class before.
"Uncle, this is my friend Kathy Corinth. Kathy, this is my uncle, Maximillion Pegasus."
Kathy, eyes glazed, slowly offered her hand. "Hi," she gasped. Aislinn struggled not to laugh.
Pegasus, still holding the wine glass, swept up her hand and lightly kissed her fingers lightly with a slight bow. "My pleasure, miss Corinth," he said, a playful smile dancing around the corners of his lips. As he tilted his head, Aislinn noticed an almost metallic flash on the left side of his face under his smooth silver hair. She frowned, remembering that he never used to wear his hair like that.
"What's wrong, my dear niece?"
"Oh, nothing, I was just thinking about the reason I came," she replied quickly.
"Ah, yes, right to the heart of the matter. We never could manage small talk together."
"Remember that dinner party with my father?" she said, grinning at the memory. "When that old couple brought their exotic bird from Africa?"
He nodded. "All we were supposed to do was go and say hello, how do you do..."
"Small talk," she added. "We made a mess of that."
"Now I believe you were the one that brought up the mating habits."
"But it was you who mentioned their practical uses."
They both laughed at what had been, painfully aware of what was now.
"I don't believe you find this very interesting, do you, miss Corinth."
"I don't mind," she stammered.
"Aislinn, why don't we discuss this tomorrow. You can get settled in tonight, learn your way about the place, et cetera. If your business isn't terribly urgent, that is, and you don't mind. It's been a bit of a long day here in the midst of preparations and beginning of the tournament."
"I don't mind at all. As for learning our way around, I should think one castle is like another?"
"Of course. I only ask that you do not try overly hard to enter any locked doors."
"Certainly."
"I'll also provide some better apparel for you two lovely ladies, yes? There is a tournament going on, after all."
"Thank you."
"My dear niece, my castle is your castle!" He chuckled.
"My deepest thanks, uncle." Then she noticed the light food on the table, and realized that the whole time they had been talking, he had nether called for or mentioned Cecilia. This was odd and a little disappointing, because Aislinn and Cecilia had been close friends, and Aislinn had been looking forward to seeing her again. Cecilia and Maximillion were infamously inseparable. Was it possible the two had grown apart during their marriage? Unlikely, because he still would have called her down upon Aislinn's arrival. She must be away.
"Gorgonzola cheese," she observed. "Cecilia's favorite."
Another family joke had been the fact that Maximillion had first tried this particular type of cheese away from Cecilia's presence and disliked it. The first day he met Cecilia, he found out that she loved it, and he began to ask for it all the time. It had been extremely cute to see him so devoted to the girl, or so Aislinn had heard from cousins. She hadn't been alive at the time.
Immediately the air solidified into something cold and tense, and all warmth left Pegasus's demeanor. Aislinn knew immediately she had trod on forbidden territory, and froze. For a brief moment, her uncle simply stared with a kind of wild, restrained terror, like a cornered animal. In his visible brown eye, Aislinn saw a gleam of something that frightened her, something terrible and inhuman, inner demons of an unknown but horrifying nature.
The moment quickly passed, and he covered his face with a mask of perfect aristocratic restraint. He took a sip of wine.
"Of course," he answered, his tone as extravagant and dramatic forever, yet completely devoid of all warmth. Aislinn dared not ask about Cecilia.
"I'll show you your rooms myself. Croquet will get you anything you need while you're here. Follow me, ladies!"
Kathy and Aislinn followed him as he swept out of the room and down the hallway. At one point, they passed paintings of a dark-skinned man in a turban beside a portrait of Cecilia, but Aislinn dared not speak.
Their rooms were beside each other on the second floor of the castle, with a stunning view of the lush scenery. They could even see a few dueling rings, and decided to stay in Kathy's room for a bit.
"Again, Croquet will see to you every whim. You'll both find dresses in the closets, thought they may be a bit old, for which you have my apologies. I will be sure Croquet brings you up the best. I do hope your tastes haven't changed, Aislinn?" She shook her head. "Wonderful! And Kathy, I don't mean to be presumptuous, but I thought we might get you several different styles so you can find one you like."
"That's... wonderful," she said, still lost in this new world.
"I wish you ladies a wonderful evening, I'd be honored if you'd join me for breakfast tomorrow, but until then have a wonderful evening!"
"Thank you, uncle," Aislinn said, and he left them to themselves.
Chapter 1: Family
Bach seems to be appreciated most by those high-bred musicians who fall upon hard times. The darkened apartment wailed with hard times. Smooth arpeggios played with almost obsessive precision sent cleansing, clear-cut, crystalloid beauty to the farthest corner of the dimmed room. The noted bounced off the simple elegance of the modern-cut furniture with its carefully hidden worn edges, the silvery-lined countertop, wax-tears mourning its old sparkling polish, the fading old black appliances bravely pretending to be lustery-new. Here or there a burnt-out lamp sat forlornly, waiting for bright new bulbs to give them their dignity back.
Only the conical ceiling light was on, spreading a soft fey glow throughout the room, glossing on the silver hair of a young woman as her body swayed in the music like an elder in the wind. Aislinn was lost in a world of smooth-flowing, liquid gold-silver emotions dancing and trickling and flowing and bubbling through her head and mind and body and soul. She was wrapped in the soft velvet blanket of musical passion that blocks out all distractions and discordant thoughts. Her slender fingers flew over the violin as for a moment she was back at home with maids and fine clothes and beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ballroom ceiling.
The final notes, released from the soul, flew away on the air. Aislinn carefully laid the violin in its case and stared at the computer against the wall. It seemed out of place with the rest of her, like the t-shirt and jeans and the torn mock-up and the whole accursed apartment!
She wanted her old fairy-tale life back at her father's extravagant estate. She had had it all: a mansion to roam, maids to send on errands, all the money a girl could want, that lovely ruffled dress from her uncle's girlfriend who had befriended the little child Aislinn... It was the perfect life. Then her parents had died when their ship exploded on vacation, and her older brother Talon had taken over the house. He had kicked Aislinn out, giving her barely enough money to get through two years of college. She learned of music and art. She had first played her violin, but it made little money. Then she found an old computer, was given a few programs by her friend Kathy, and tried her hand in digital art. It caught on, and she could have made a substantial living if it wasn't for her brother, who kept pushing her down. Now she needed money to appease him and his silly lawsuit. Why was he so persistent? Was he trying to make sure she wasn't made rich by assistance from their inanely successful uncle, who had always favored Aislinn over Talon-
Her uncle. She pondered this forbidden thought. When she was about eight years her parents had forbidden them to visit him again. Aislinn had been upset, because it was always a fun visit. He was kind and listened to her when nobody else would, and they had had much in common. They told the children that he had been in an accident and had become--here they lowered their voices--mentally unstable. Violent. It was too dangerous.
Now she thought of her other choices. Go and ask for his help, or die of starvation. Or murder, depending on whether she could outsmart her brother's hit-men if he got in a foul enough temper. Perhaps she should pay a visit to some old family after all these years.
******************
Aislinn frowned at Kathy's tone.
"Your uncle? Have you heard all the rumors?" It wasn't mean or even gossipy. It was feral, excited. She sounded like a hunting puppy dog looks before retrieving its favorite meal. "Ooh, I'd love to come with you! Plllleeeease?"
"Kathy, I won't have you making my uncle into a specimen. Besides, I don't know if its right that I just invite someone else-"
"But you're just inviting yourself!"
"I'm family!"
"I promise I'll stay out of sight. If you'd been keeping up with the news, you'd know that there is a dueling tournament going on over there. I'll be invisible. I'm a fair duelist."
"It's not-"
"There you go with that 'proper' thing again. Forget 'proper' for once and let me be my low-society self and break some rules."
Aislinn sighed. Her uncle was every well-informed psychologist's dream to study-to hear Kathy talk at least. Thank heavens that few were in on the 'mentally unstable' rumors. If they were rumors. Kathy was really excited. And she had offered to pay Aislinn's airfare... it was only proper that she be appeased. Aislinn sighed again.
Kathy was rather... middle-class. Sometimes it grew annoying. But Kathy had befriended Aislinn and helped her out so many times.
Besides, Aislinn reminded herself, you're middle-class too, now.
"Okay. You can come."
"Yay!" Kathy gave her a quick squeeze. "I just need to go and grab a few things from my apartment-"
"Kathy, slow down! I-we-don't leave until next week!"
************
"I can't believe I'm flying into an out-of-bounds air zone for you snobs," snorted Bert, a dark-eyed, dark-haired, daring, good-natured pilot who Kathy had the good fortune of befriending a while ago, and who Kathy had managed to wheedle into flying them to Duelist Kingdom island.
"Oh, shut up and fly, you wuss. Aislinn, are you okay?"
"I... hate... helicopters..."
"If you would just open your eyes, you could appreciate the view. Look, there it is!"
Aislinn, in a desperate attempt to overcome her fear of flight, forced her hands off her eyes and peeked in the direction of solid ground. What greeted her eyes made the nausea worth it: shimmering blue waters ended suddenly at a curving island shoreline, here blanketed with lush green trees, there rock-strewn wildness, over there sandy, level ground that begged of little girls in calico to let down their hair and romp in the grassy openness. The chopper turned, and all at once the land seemed to sweep upward with a grand castle atop it that any princess could wish for: all turrets and balconies and a menacing yet graceful strength that bespoke of an appreciation for luxury.
Kathy's mouth dropped open. Aislinn snickered.
"It looks like home to me. Finally, some decency."
"Woah," Brent breathed from the pilot's seat, "just where did you say you were from, Cinderella? I don't want any pure, sweet princesses defiling my chopper."
Kathy found her voice. "Well good, because Aislinn is a dirty, murderous princess on a mission for her brother's blood."
"Oh, that's okay, then."
*************
"Okay!" shouted Brent over the noise of the propellers. "I don't care what you stretch, I no longer owe you anything!"
"Get out of here before you're caught, you jerk," joked Kathy.
Brent saluted and left them standing on the open plain. Aislinn stood still, letting the breeze tease her silver hair, taking it all in.
Ah, uncle, you've certainly done well.
"To the castle?" inquired Kathy beside her, and Aislinn nodded and led the way toward the grey wonder on the hill.
****************
"Um... should you knock, or me?"
"It's 'you or I'," Aislinn corrected automatically.
What if he really is insane? What if he doesn't recognize me? What if he tries to hurt me? Oh, don't be ridiculous, if he was violent there would be no dueling contest going on. I hope.
"Yo, Aislinn!"
"Oh! Ah..." she raised a hand to knock on the grand wooden doors, but before her knuckles touched wood they opened and a harsh-looking man in a black suit stepped out.
"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.
"My name is Aislinn. I wish to see Mr. Pegasus."
"What is your business."
She drew herself up into an almost forgotten air of noble superiority, trying to ignore the fact that she was dressed in an old shirt and faded jeans. "Family business. It's very important."
The guard glared down at her through his dark glasses. "Nice try, Master Pegasus has no family. Get lost."
Now she was angry, and felt the blood rise to her cheeks. Ignorant underling, he had no right to sass her. "He has no family because what was left of them disowned him! I am Aislinn Pegasus! He is my uncle! If you would just get off your lazy rear and ask I'm sure he could confirm this!"
Swiftly, the guard pulled a black two-way radio out of his pocket. "You'd better be right about this," he growled and turned away for a moment.
Kathy, luggage in hand, was staring at Aislinn in disbelief. "Remind me never to get in a fight with you."
Aislinn glared, but before she could reply the guard turned towards them again, an apologetic look on his face.
"I'm terrible sorry, miss Aislinn, but I must uphold the highest standards of security, especially this weekend. You understand." He bowed and opened the door. "Keep waking down the hall. Master Pegasus is expecting you."
"Thank you," replied Aislinn. She did understand. "Come, Kathy."
"'Come, Kathy,'" her friend mocked. "You've become, like, a totally different person, Az!"
Aislinn smiled at this comment, and, holding her head as high as if she were a little girl on her father's estate again, strode into the hall.
********
The insides of the castle were decorated richly, with almost overdone extravagance, and Aislinn wondered how much of it was originally there and how much her uncle's decorator had added. It certainly suited his taste for finery; it had been a running family joke in the early years that Aislinn and Maximillion were the two true aristocrats of the family and couldn't resist anything lavish.
There was nothing tangible yet amiss to suggest truth to the rumors, but underneath everything Aislinn considered normal was something which made her uneasy. As she thought about it, she realized there was a hint of eccentricity running through the castle, subtle, yet it was there, like the scribbling of Kathy taking notes beside her. Aislinn shot her friend a dirty look, then braced herself as the hall opened up into a room.
It was consistent with what she had yet seen of the castle, with a long table with a single place set at the far end. There, holding a glass of red wine and smiling urbanely, was her uncle, Maximillion Pegasus, in a lavish, almost garish red suit that she had never seen before, and rather didn't like.
At once he rose, spreading his arms in dramatic welcome. "Well if it isn't my dear niece! Greetings!"
Aislinn struggled to keep the relief off her face. He remembered her. But still, something was drastically different. "Uncle, I beg your pardon for my rude entrance, I should have contacted you first."
His laughter was as emphatic and musical as his speech. "Think nothing of it. I'm more than happy to tolerate you're 'rude entrance' anytime."
It was okay. However he had changed, neither she nor Kathy were in any danger. She finally allowed herself to relax and smiled, glancing at her friend. Kathy had the look of a country girl in the middle of Philadelphia who just realized she got on the wrong bus. Obviously, she had never been in the midst of the rich class before.
"Uncle, this is my friend Kathy Corinth. Kathy, this is my uncle, Maximillion Pegasus."
Kathy, eyes glazed, slowly offered her hand. "Hi," she gasped. Aislinn struggled not to laugh.
Pegasus, still holding the wine glass, swept up her hand and lightly kissed her fingers lightly with a slight bow. "My pleasure, miss Corinth," he said, a playful smile dancing around the corners of his lips. As he tilted his head, Aislinn noticed an almost metallic flash on the left side of his face under his smooth silver hair. She frowned, remembering that he never used to wear his hair like that.
"What's wrong, my dear niece?"
"Oh, nothing, I was just thinking about the reason I came," she replied quickly.
"Ah, yes, right to the heart of the matter. We never could manage small talk together."
"Remember that dinner party with my father?" she said, grinning at the memory. "When that old couple brought their exotic bird from Africa?"
He nodded. "All we were supposed to do was go and say hello, how do you do..."
"Small talk," she added. "We made a mess of that."
"Now I believe you were the one that brought up the mating habits."
"But it was you who mentioned their practical uses."
They both laughed at what had been, painfully aware of what was now.
"I don't believe you find this very interesting, do you, miss Corinth."
"I don't mind," she stammered.
"Aislinn, why don't we discuss this tomorrow. You can get settled in tonight, learn your way about the place, et cetera. If your business isn't terribly urgent, that is, and you don't mind. It's been a bit of a long day here in the midst of preparations and beginning of the tournament."
"I don't mind at all. As for learning our way around, I should think one castle is like another?"
"Of course. I only ask that you do not try overly hard to enter any locked doors."
"Certainly."
"I'll also provide some better apparel for you two lovely ladies, yes? There is a tournament going on, after all."
"Thank you."
"My dear niece, my castle is your castle!" He chuckled.
"My deepest thanks, uncle." Then she noticed the light food on the table, and realized that the whole time they had been talking, he had nether called for or mentioned Cecilia. This was odd and a little disappointing, because Aislinn and Cecilia had been close friends, and Aislinn had been looking forward to seeing her again. Cecilia and Maximillion were infamously inseparable. Was it possible the two had grown apart during their marriage? Unlikely, because he still would have called her down upon Aislinn's arrival. She must be away.
"Gorgonzola cheese," she observed. "Cecilia's favorite."
Another family joke had been the fact that Maximillion had first tried this particular type of cheese away from Cecilia's presence and disliked it. The first day he met Cecilia, he found out that she loved it, and he began to ask for it all the time. It had been extremely cute to see him so devoted to the girl, or so Aislinn had heard from cousins. She hadn't been alive at the time.
Immediately the air solidified into something cold and tense, and all warmth left Pegasus's demeanor. Aislinn knew immediately she had trod on forbidden territory, and froze. For a brief moment, her uncle simply stared with a kind of wild, restrained terror, like a cornered animal. In his visible brown eye, Aislinn saw a gleam of something that frightened her, something terrible and inhuman, inner demons of an unknown but horrifying nature.
The moment quickly passed, and he covered his face with a mask of perfect aristocratic restraint. He took a sip of wine.
"Of course," he answered, his tone as extravagant and dramatic forever, yet completely devoid of all warmth. Aislinn dared not ask about Cecilia.
"I'll show you your rooms myself. Croquet will get you anything you need while you're here. Follow me, ladies!"
Kathy and Aislinn followed him as he swept out of the room and down the hallway. At one point, they passed paintings of a dark-skinned man in a turban beside a portrait of Cecilia, but Aislinn dared not speak.
Their rooms were beside each other on the second floor of the castle, with a stunning view of the lush scenery. They could even see a few dueling rings, and decided to stay in Kathy's room for a bit.
"Again, Croquet will see to you every whim. You'll both find dresses in the closets, thought they may be a bit old, for which you have my apologies. I will be sure Croquet brings you up the best. I do hope your tastes haven't changed, Aislinn?" She shook her head. "Wonderful! And Kathy, I don't mean to be presumptuous, but I thought we might get you several different styles so you can find one you like."
"That's... wonderful," she said, still lost in this new world.
"I wish you ladies a wonderful evening, I'd be honored if you'd join me for breakfast tomorrow, but until then have a wonderful evening!"
"Thank you, uncle," Aislinn said, and he left them to themselves.