Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 11
Preparations
Anshii watched in the mirror of the dressing room behind the Fencing Hall as Juri braided her hair. It was one of those inversed pleats, sometimes called a French Braid. She wasn't entirely certain that it suited her, but it would keep her hair out of her way far better than the previous ponytail. It had the unfortunate effect of making Anshii look very austere.
It also gave Juri a chance to talk to Anshii.
"Now remember, Anshii, you can be a Princess. Keep your focus, and don't let anything distract you. Dios will help you and you'll win." Pale fingers flipped hair back and forth with practiced movements as the braid grew down Anshii's back.
Anshii would have nodded, except that Juri's hands tugging on her hair prevented that. "I have more faith now, Juri. I didn't have that before."
Juri's lips twisted for a moment, and as she finished off the braid with a hair elastic, she looked across through the mirror, meeting Anshii's eyes. "Then keep that faith and believe."
Anshii nodded, rising to her feet. "I should go and make certain that he received the challenge."
Before she could take a step, Miki came bursting through the door. "Anshii…! It's all over the school! What possessed you to leave it in his locker like that? People think it was a love note!"
Anshii's lips curled into a smile. "Psychological attacks are often best when the most subtle. Besides, I am only keeping with the tradition started with Utena." She paused, and then smiled. "And you're in the women's dressing room, Miki."
Juri watched as Miki looked around and blushed before she herself shrugged at his presence, and then nodded to herself, looking back to Anshii. "Will you take my sword again, Anshii?"
Green eyes turned to Juri, and lingered for a moment before turning away. "I do not have a sword… and yet, I do not wish to break your blade as Utena did."
Juri shook her head and handed her sword to Anshii. "Please. Perhaps it will do some good."
A brief smile flickered as Anshii took the sword once again. "I won't make the same mistake."
Juri and Miki watched Anshii turn and walk out of the room with that cryptic comment. One looked to the other, and then:
"Do you think she'll win?"
"There are no such things as miracles…"
Keuske was furious. "How dare that witch! How dare she?!?"
Mariko lifted an eyebrow. "It can't be true that she sent you a love note. And yet…" she reached out and picked up the envelope, passing it under her nose for a moment. "The scent of roses is quite cloying."
A waft of the scent drifted across the room, as she opened the envelope and read aloud the words within: "I'll see you tonight in the forest behind the school." Green eyes lifted from the paper, and she hid a smile behind the note. "Well, it's certainly phrased such that someone unfamiliar with the Duels would think it a love note."
A flush of red flashed across Keuske's face, but not from embarrassment. Rage burned in his eyes as he glared over to the Rose Bride. "Go prepare the arena."
Ever serene, the Rose Bride smiled and gave a slight curtsey. "As you command."
Rika sighed. "It isn't her fault… you could be nicer to her." She reached over and took the letter from Mariko and studied it thoughtfully. "How many people read this over your shoulder?"
"Enough," snarled Keuske as he watched Ayomi depart the Council Chamber. "I'll defeat her again. Dios will come hold her, and she'll be defeated."
"Don't be overconfident, Keuske." Mariko cautioned. "What if Dios doesn't come? What if she manages to beat you before he comes?"
Keuske scoffed at Mariko. "He'll come. She's the witch that sealed him, remember? He wouldn't let her win now that he has some freedom."
Izumi kept quiet, considering everything carefully. Rika offered him the letter, and he took it, looking at the penmanship. The hand-written letters looked vaguely familiar, as if he'd seen the handwriting before, but he couldn't think of where.
"All I'm saying, Keuske, is that if she is a witch, then you may have more concerns than keeping her sword away from your rose." Mariko said.
Akio dimmed the lights in the Rose Tower. This evening's entertainment would soon commence, and he wouldn't miss it for the world. "Like a songbird, flailing against the bars of your gilded cage, little sister. You don't have the power to change your destiny. You had your freedom, so why did you return to your cage? Was it for her? Or was it for something else entirely…?"
Inside the darkest part of the castle, in a place where the last vestige of light had faded so far as to be unseen by human eyes, a figure waited.