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Chapter 2: Red Wine

"Gawen, my wine please." Ivy called, holding her hand out, as her butler walked into the parlor, a pained look on his face. He held, in one hand, a glass of red wine on a silver tray, and a bottle of white wine and a glass for Siegfried, in the other.

Ivy smiled, and took the glass of red wine from Gawen, downing the entire glass…not even sipping it like a proper lady. Siegfried watched this with a puzzled expression. He had been near Ivy when she was around alcohol…and she had most certainly been ladylike about it. Never like this…how odd.

"Master Siegfried, white wine, like usual?" Gawen questioned, handing Siegfried the wine glass and the bottle of wine.

"Eh…oh yes…please Gawen. Thank you." Siegfried replied, pouring himself a glass. As he did so, he watched the old butler keep an observant eye on the young Countessa.

"Miss Ivy, I don't approve of you drinking so much-"

"Gawen! You know what the physician said! One glass of wine, every six hours…until…I feel better." Ivy protested with a smile, handing the wine glass back to the graying-haired man.

"Here. Take this back to the kitchen, will you?"

Gawen looked at Ivy in utter disbelief, before shaking his head, and taking the glass from the white-haired woman.

"As you wish, Countess Valentine…" he murmured, before walking away.

"Ivy, what was all of that-"

"I've been feeling under the weather lately. Our family physician suggested stopped by…and well, you heard the rest." Ivy replied with a chuckle. "Now…let's take a look at that present you brought me, hmm?"

Siegfried let a small smile cross his handsome features as he set the wine glass down on a small table next to his chair. He picked Soul Calibur up from off of the rug-covered floor, and handed it to Ivy. The Countess' eyes lit up, as though she had just received the Christmas or birthday present of a lifetime. She traced the blade with a single finger, running it along the grooves and edges of the sword.

"Siegfried, this is magnificent!" Ivy exclaimed. A radiant smile was upon her luscious lips as she continued to examine the sword, inch by inch. "This sword never ceases to amaze me by its power, or its design. Truly it is a work of art…don't you agree?" She looked up at Siegfried, who was staring right back at her. He flushed a light shade of red, and chuckled weakly.

"Verdammen Sie, gefangen rot hat gereicht…" he muttered in his native tongue, shaking his head.

Ivy stared, wide-eyed for a moment, before she let out an uncharacteristic giggle.

"Sie können das wieder sagen!" she teased, earning a dumbfounded look from the blonde German across from her.

"Since when did you start speaking Deutsch?" he asked.

"Right after we…split. I thought I might be running into you again…and so, I thought perhaps I should learn it." Ivy replied with a wry smile.

"You learned it for me?" Siegfried questioned softly.

"Well I-"

Ivy stopped, clutching her forehead, dropping the holy sword. She grimaced, gritting her teeth together, as she attempted to keep her world from spinning out of control.

"Ivy! Are you okay!" Siegfried asked worriedly, springing out of his chair, and next to her side.

"Fine…just fine…a little dizzy. That's all…I get these spells some times…nothing to worry about, really." Ivy protested, looking up at the blonde man.

There was a moment where the entire world seemed to spin pleasantly for a moment as both Ivy and Siegfried's eyes locked. Each pouring their own souls for the other to see, each thrusting out emotions for the other to take, in a fierce battle of icy turquoise and fiery green eyes. Ivy pulled her gaze away, her hand to her forehead, as a splitting pain rushed through her body. The headache was so intense, that Ivy swore she was going to split into two. She gave a groan, squeezing her eyes shut, and clenching her teeth at the intense, white-hot pain.

"Ivy!" Siegfried exclaimed, his eyes as wide as saucers. He hadn't a clue as to what to do to help his dear friend out.

"Oh! Miss Valentine! Not again!" Gawen exclaimed, rushing into the room. "Come on…come on, let's get you to your room."

Gently, Gawen picked Ivy up and carried her upstairs, to her bedroom. Ivy's room was decorated in a lavish splendor of golds and reds. Once the bedroom of the late Count and Countessa, it was now occupied by the new mistress of the house. Gawen kicked open the French doors to the bedroom, and placed Ivy down on her bed, pulling the lavish silky gold covers over her, and propping her head up with several pillows.

"Thank you…Gawen. Please…give my apologies to Siegfried…I should be feeling better soon…" Ivy replied wearily.

"Countessa, I beg of you. You've got to stop this madness. Don't do this to yourself! You have a life, a future ahead of you…Lady Valentine…" Gawen paused, and knelt down to her level, making eye contact.

"I may not be an expert on the matters of the heart, but I what I saw…you and Master Siegfried seemed…entranced, for the lack of a better word. There seemed to be a sort of connection between the two of you. If I recall, about a year ago…you came home, dejected and depressed. You wouldn't speak to me for weeks, and you stayed locked up in your room. But then you told me…you told me how you and Master Siegfried had "split" on your journey, how terribly upset you were, and how you then had to leave for once."

"Gawen, I recall all of this perfectly. What are you trying to say?" Ivy demanded, closing her eyes in exhaustion.

"What I'm saying, Countess…is that I believe you are in love with Master Siegfried. Yet you refuse to admit it! You're so stubborn, Countess! I think-"

"That's enough!" Ivy shouted, before clutching her head again. Gawen moved away, startled by the white-haired woman's outburst.

"That's enough, Gawen. You're being too bold…much too bold. Leave now Gawen, and let Siegfried know that I'm doing well. That will be all."

Gawen looked at the white-haired woman with pained eyes, before bowing slightly, and walking away, closing the double doors behind him, and walking down the stairs, to the parlor, where Siegfried was pacing in front of the fireplace.

"Gawen…is she okay?" the German man demanded.

No.

No she would never be okay. But Gawen could never reveal that…

"She's fine, Master Siegfried. Perfectly fine…" Gawen replied, forcing a smile towards the blonde. "Oh, and she wished for you to…bring her a book from the library…it's on the podium…wide open."

"Yes, of course, Gawen. Of course." Siegfried replied, nodding, as he ran to the library, leaving the graying-haired man alone in the parlor.

Gawen looked up towards the bedroom, and heaved a sigh.

"My apologies, Miss Valentine…but this is for your own good...if I don't interfere, you could lose something very important…"

Chapter 2 is done! Let me know what you think! If there'sa sceneyou want to see, let me know!

German Phrases:

Verdammen Sie, gefangen rot hat gereicht... - Damn, caught red handed.

Sie können das wieder sagen! - You can say that again!

Deutche - German