Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 13
Victory
The bells burst into joyful life in the bell tower, and to most of the people at Ohtori, the bells were simply a part of daily life. No one would lay claim to knowing what gave the bells the call to ring, they just did when they chose to.
But a select few knew the significance of the bells.
Slender fingers held the piano's chord a beat longer than normal, but continued the song without explanation for the pause.
A telephone call was abruptly disconnected as a cell phone was closed.
Students paused while the instructor waited a beat before calling for the next student.
A group of
students sat at a table and looked across at each other, unknowing.
Keuseke stood, glaring at Anshii. "You were supposed to be a witch! Dios was supposed to hold you!"
Green eyes flashed with a fire she hadn't felt since the day that she stood up for Dios in that barn. "Dios is my brother. If he is the Prince, then that makes me a Princess."
Keuseke's own green eyes flashed back as he turned to walk down the stairs. "Enjoy your victory while you can. It won't last long."
Anshii turned away, looking towards the girl who resembled Utena. "Ayomi, is there somewhere that you need to be, or will you come with me?"
"The roses have not been tended today," Ayomi replied quietly.
Anshii nodded. "I will be in the Fencing Hall, should you choose to join me later." She knew the restrictions placed on the Rose Bride, knew that if she told Ayomi to join her, the Rose Bride would. But she wanted to start off right. She wanted to give Ayomi the chance to do it on her own.
Ayomi smiled faintly and moved towards the staircase. Anshii waited a moment, and then followed.
Juri was writing notes about various students and forms when the door to her office burst open and a jubilant Anshii walked in. "I did it! I won!"
Juri raised an eyebrow and looked at the woman. Her long purple hair was loose, and her green eyes sparkled above exotic dark cheekbones. She stood there with her shoulders back, no trace of the self-effacing slouch that Anshii had carried as the Rose Bride. Juri had always thought well of herself in a mirror, but compared to the regal appearance of Anshii… "It's little wonder they hated you."
Anshii came to a confused halt and looked querulously at Juri, who pointed across to the mirror. Turning to look, she was astounded. She barely recognized herself. She felt as if she were looking across the room at a stranger.
"The shining thing…" Miki's voice drifted across the room and caught both Anshii and Juri by surprise. Both turned to look at him, and Juri fought the impulse to bury her face in her hands.
To her own surprise, Anshii blushed. "I never thought… I never dreamed…"
Miki smiled as he walked into the room. "Anshii, you gave us all something to believe in when we needed it. Now, let us do the same for you. When you believe in yourself, it shows."
Juri sat back in her chair and looked at Anshii. "So. Now that you've won the first Duel, what will you do?"
Anshii smiled, a darkness glittering within her eyes. "Change the rules."
The Rose Bride put the watering can down and surveyed the roses. She had watered them all, even the pale pink rose that made her hands tremble whenever she approached it. She looked at the innocent-seeming rose, wondering why she should tremble so whenever she got too close to it.
Dark hands clasped her shoulders, and she turned around to face Akio Himemiya. He placed a single finger under her chin, tilting her head back to look at her. "Does that rosebush trouble you, Ayomi?"
Clear blue eyes looked guilelessly to green ones. "There is something about it… I don't know what it is."
He ran his thumb across her throat, his hand still on her shoulder. To a passerby, it may have looked somewhat sinister. "I can have it removed, if you wish. And then it would never disturb you again."
For some reason, her heart caught in her throat. The thought of the rosebush being damaged was more than she could bear. "No… let it be. It's only a rosebush. I'm being foolish, emotional."
His eyes searched hers for a moment, and then he released her. "If you insist, Ayomi. I would hate to think of you being miserable just because that rosebush remained in the garden."
"The garden would look odd with an empty space there. Let the rosebush stay; I am certain that it and I shall come to an arrangement."
Akio bowed his head to Ayomi, and then turned to leave the garden. "You are the Rose Bride… I shall do as you wish. The roses are yours to tend."
As he stepped out, she called to his back. "I move in with your sister tonight."
The gazebo door closed behind him, giving her no indication that he had heard.
"I wonder why I am excited? Almost as if I… were going… home…?"