Chapter 3
Utena sat on the top bunk of her dorm,staring out the window in silence as Heime helped Anthy pack her things. Utena thought that was nice of her. Heime closed the few suitcases that held the few things that Anthy owned. She cleard her throat, grabbing Utena's attention.
"We're ready to go."
Utena nodded, a sick feeling in her stomach where that gnawing fear used to be.
"Okay..."
Heime sighed in what seemed to be annoyance.
"You're welcome to visit us anytime you want. You'll always be welcome at our dorm. All right?"
Utena gave a small, grateful smile.
"Thank you. I'll make sure to drop by."
Anthy's eyes were downcast as she stood beside Heime. She had put her hair back up into it's usual bun, and she was once again wearing her glasses. Utena felt like they represented her slavery as the Rose Bride. She wished she could take away those awful glasses,pull her hair out of the bun so it could flow down in it's beautiful waves and be free.
"Anthy,why don't you give Utena a goodbye hug...she looks like she could use it."
Anthy swollowed hard and nodded. "Yes, Miss Heime."
She stepped forward,climbed the ladder and joined Utena on the top bunk. She wrapped her arms around Utena, her face a mask of no emotion, hiding the turmoil inside. Utena choked back a sobe,putting her arms around Anthy's waist,her hands reaching up to clutch at her shoulders, crying now.
She felt hot tears slide down her cheeks, and then a gentle hand stroking her hair. The fingers were soft, running through her short locks.
"It'll be all right, Utena."
Utena lifted her head at the sound of Heime's voice. She saw that she stood on the edge of the top bunk, holding herself with one hand, the other was stroking Utena's hair. Anthy was still holding her, but her face betrayed no feelings that she held inside.Utena realized then that this was the true face of the Rose Bride. This was the mask that Anthy wore whenever she was feeling something unpleasent, be it sadness,anger,regret,maybe even hate. Right now, Anthy was scared and upset. She didn't want to leave Utena. She didn't want to leave her at all.
"We have to go now. It's getting late."
She felt Heime's soft hand go away, and then Anthy's gentle embrace went away too.
"Visit us in West Dorm anytime you want, all right?"
Utena nodded,feeling numb. "I will."
With that, Heime picked up Anthy's suitcases, carrying them for her, and they left, Anthy and Chuchu bowing before closing the door with a soft click. Utena just put her head on her soft pillow, curled up in a little ball, and cried silent tears 'till she fell asleep.
--------------------
Heime unlocked the door and stepped back, letting Anthy enter first. "Welcome home, Anthy."
Anthy stepped inside and gasped. There was snow falling from the ceiling, but the room was warm, and the snow never touched the floor, but it didn't melt,either."
"Miss Heime, how is this possible?"
Heime smiled rather than smirked now.
"Like you wouldn't know. You are the Rose Bride. You have certain magics,so do I."
Anthy nodded, "Yes,Miss Heime."
Heime sighed,but this one didn't sound annoyed. It almost sounded sad.
"Anthy, don't call me Miss Heime. I don't like it. 'Kay?" Now come. Choose which bed you want."
Anthy followed Heime inside,then to the dorm room with their name on it. It wasn't snowing inside, but there were icicles growing from the ceiling. The dorm room was large,much larger than Utena's room, it included it's own fridge and bathroom.
There were two beds, both well made.
"Which bed would -you- like,Miss Heime? I'll sleep in whichever bed you don't want."
Heime rolled her eyes and let out another sigh. "Fine. I'll eliminate the choices."
She went inside, past Anthy and moved the bed on the left, pushing it so it was connected with the bed on the far right of the room.
"There. No more choices."
Anthy nodded."You wish to share a bed,then." She said this as a statement, rather than a question.
"Yes," said Heime. "If you and I are 'engaged',I think we can share a bed. Agreed?"
"Yes, Miss Heime."
Heime let out a small growl and cupped Anthy's chin, tilting it up a bit so she could look into her eyes.
"Anthy," She said, removing Anthy's glasses with one hand as she spoke. "Don't call me Miss Heime. Please?"
Anthy was taken aback by Heime's actions, but more so from her words. No one had said please in such a way to her before. In normal circumstances, it was said in a sarcastic way, or in a mean or rude way, but this was a sincere request from someone.
Anthy was confused also, by Heime's actions with Utena. She had comforted Utena,stroked her hair, even gave her permission to visit at any time. No one had done such a thing before, not in the time that Anthy had been the Bride.
"Yes Mi-,Heime. I'll try."
Anthy felt Heime's thumb stroke her cheek..
"Thank you," She replied, a small smile forming on her lips.
"Come. I'll give you the grand tour. We have this whole dorm to ourselves. Nice and quiet."
She took Anthy's hand, leading her around the large dorm,showing her the kitchen first. "This is where i'll cook most of your meals."
Anthy's eyebrows shot up. "What? But Mi-, but Heimee, I am your Rose Bride! -I'm- supposed to cook -your- meals!"
Heime shook her head. "No,Anthy. I didn't win you to just use you like a slave.If we're going to live together,I'm going to treat you as a friend.'Kay?"
Anthy nodded and said "Okay,Heime.."
Heime grinned."C'mon. You're gonna love the bathroom."
She lead her to the door down the hall and to the left,and opened the door.Anthy had to keep from gasping again.The bathroom was beautiful. It was huge,too.The tub and shower alone took up a good portion of the room.The tub looked like it was made of black marble with white streaked throughout it, and the soaps and shampoos smelled wonderful,and the overall scent of the room was of roses.
"Amazing,isn't it? The chairman set it up for me. I'm an international visitor here,so he's giving me special treatement."
Anthy's eyes once again took on that dead look as she realized that Heime was sleeping with Akio.
"Oh,my big brother set this up for you? That was very kind of him."
Heime froze,her own eyes giving off a dangerous glint.
"He's your brother? What's with his last name? It's different than yours." She asked this as the feeling of anger rising up.
Anthy nodded and turned to look at her. "He's engaged to be married to the Headmaster's daughter. Kanae Ohtori. He didn't tell you?"
Heime ground her teeth, anger flaming up even more. "No."
She left the bathroom,still holding Anthy's hand. Though she was angry, she made sure not to hurt Anthy's smaller hand on accident.
"This pretty much concludes our tour. The rest of the rooms are just regular dorm rooms, but i've set them all up as art studios. I tend to pain in my spare time. You can take a look at some of my work, they're all in different rooms."
She sighed,releasing Anthy's hand.
"I've got to go out. Groceries. I'll be back to make you dinner,okay?"
Anthy nodded and turned towards a different room.
"Very well.I'll look around at some of the art,then."
Heime nodded,turned towards her bedroom,debating whether she should change into regular clothes.She decided that she didn't have time. She was just going shopping for stuff,after all.She left, leaving Anthy to explore her new home.
Anthy heard the soft click of the front door as Heime left.She opened the first door she came to and glanced around at all the paintings in the room.Despite Heime's cold personality,not to mention her power over ice-her paintings were warm,charming. They had a friendly quality to them.
There were landscapes,gardens,various people,castles and courtyards.Anthy left,going to another room. This one had fewer paintings,trees with fruit,and Anthy was surprised to see her own rose garden as a painting. She could even see herself in the painting. Heime must have painted it when she was tending to her duties.
She went from room to room,looking at all the pictures that Heime's painted throughout her life,all of them beautiful,all of them different.Anthy came upon the last room, and entered. It was dark inside,so Anthy groped along the wall to flip on the switch.Anthy gasped at seeing the single large painting hung on the wall.
It was Anthy. She wore the same tiara she wore as the Rose Bride,but the dress was different, It was a long white gown,white shoes,sleeveless,but with elbow length white gloves. With a start,Anthy realized that it was the same dress that she had been wearing in the vision that Anthy had experienced the other day while walking with Utena.She took a closer look and just now noticed the person standing with her.In Anthy's shock of seeing the portrait of her, she hadn't noticed the woman standing next to her with her arm around her waist.Anthy noticed the brown eyes and shimmering blue hair in a ponytail tied in a bow before realizing that it was Heime in an outfit fit for the noblest of Princes.
"Miss Heime...?"
This confused Anthy because in her vision,she had been dancing with Utena....Utena had been carrying the sword of Dios at her hip,but she was in a military uniform. Perhaps Utena had been the captain of the guard,or some such thing?
Anthy gasped as she fell back against the back wall, another vision flooding her mind.
It was another vision of herself, only she was naked,writhing in a bed,gasping and moaning as she was pleasured by an unseen lover.The bed looked to be of silk,the bedroom gigantic.The lover came into view, and Anthy managed a gasp. It was Heime. Soft words were spoken as Heime wrapped her arms around Anthy in the vision, and Anthy could hear them in her mind,as if they were spoken right in her ear.
"I love you,Anshii..."
With those gentle words,Anthy passed out again.
Authors Note:yaay! Chapter 4 shall come soon! Also,the whole snow but not touching the ground effect? Think of Harry Potter and the Great Hall during Christmas time, like when it snows the snow stops about halfway down,kinda thing?? Anyway! REVIEWS! Ja ne!! bowbow