The sun was rising after the last storm of the week but the cold still persisted around the house including the bedroom where there was a bult covered in sheets. The figure shifted slowly under the blankets rolling around until it noticed that something was missing which made the movements more erratic trying to find it.
As quick as it noticed the absence of what it was looking for it stopped and slowly started to sit up on the bed. The blankets fell off and it showed a young man with messy black hair and a dangerous stare making it obvious that he was very much upset of waking up in the first place.
"Well dammit it she took the lead this time waking up first." Or so it would have seemed because there was a wide smile from ear to ear betraying his scary glare.
He got up from his bed taking away the blankets wearing only blue pajamas and immediately started stretching.
"Natsuki Subaru ready to seize the day!" He proudly said after he had finished his stretching. He exited the room carrying a bath towel and entered a new one in the same hallway, there was the sound of water running for a few minutes with some whistling in between when again the door opened this time with Subaru soaking wet with a bath towel around his waist. He continued whistling and returned to his bedroom closing the door, he opened the door again after some time and was fully dressed. He was wearing a white long sleeve shirt and a black vest alongside black pants and shoes and his hair swept back and fairly unkempt with the only thing remaining from his morning looks being the scary glare on his eyes.
"Hope I reach breakfast in time." He said leaving his room behind and closing the door walking exiting the hallway. In the windows he could see how slowly some sunlight was trying to come out from between the morning clouds.
He had turned to his left opening the doors entering a spacious dinner hall with a table of medium size arranged with 4 chairs from which next to one of those there was a little girl of short blonde hair with a red bow and maid uniform nervously arranging the dinner silverware next to a plate of pancakes with butter still melting and a vase of honey.
"Good morning Petra." Said Subaru as quickly as he saw the little girl making her jump a little from the surprise almost dropping the silverware.
"Subaru good morning!" She quickly said, trying to compose herself, bowing still carrying the silverware while doing so.
Subaru laughed a little moving closer towards the chair intending to take a seat when he noticed that his was the only plate on the table.
"Dammit, late again it seems. I'll never stop to hear the end of this." He said. "Next time I have to wake up early so I can rub it on her face." He said with conviction.
"Um mistress said that she will take her plate to the library so maybe you can still catch her there?" Said Petra.
"The library? Heh that little...that means she only plans to take an apple and orange as her food for this morning!" He said a little annoyed. "C'mon Petra, grab your plate and let's take this to her to tell her what we think about it!"
"Actually...I've eaten already…b-b-but if you want to I can…eh maybe…"
"Oh right forgot about that, basically you and Frederica had to wake up way earlier than both of us." He said rubbing his chin.
"I-I-I mean if you really want that much to ma-maybe we can…eattegeshsh…" She was trying to say something slowly, muttering almost to herself while her face was turning red.
"Uh? sorry what was th…?
"THE MAIL!"
"Eh?"
"Sorry sorry it seems I've heard from Frederica there was a problem with the mail this morning, something about using a shovel or something."
"Shovel?" At this Subaru led his hand to his chin thinking. "Alright tell you what since Frederica is very busy tell her I'll take care of this little mail inconvenience." He said optimistic.
"Eh?"
"I know it's not that much but it can lift some work off her shoulders. Besides that way maybe I can also stop feeling so useless in my own home."
"No it's…!"
"Kidding kidding." He said petting Petra's head, at this the young maid puffed her cheeks in an attempt of an angry pout. "And there you go again playing with the feelings of a young maiden hmph." She said as she started to turn around leaving Subaru. "I'll be waiting when you are done." She said before puffing again offended.
Now that he was alone Subaru stretched a little while starting to think about the situation. 'She said Frederica was in need of a shovel...I wonder why, did she see someone suspicious or something like that? He thought as he started to leave the dining room walking to the outside in search of the mail. It was a short walk and in a few minutes he was outside already.
"I know she says this house is not such a big deal but man the difference is always huge compared to the ones in Japan."
He started walking outside in the small path slowly breathing and enjoying the view. It was going to be spring soon so the green garden in front of him would be blossoming full of flowers until his sight could reach in march.
"Maybe we can get a little celebration for that when the time comes, for sure I can rope Petra into it and we together can convince Frederica." He hummed until he reached a large fence in the middle of his path.
"Alright, let's see what awaits on the other side." He said opening the gate made a loud screech thanks to lack of oil on its hinges. He took a deep breath and stepped outside towards the simple mailbox ready for the worst but when he took a look around there was no problem in sight with the only thing out of place being two crows standing atop the old mailbox.
"Eh?" Confused, he turned around and around moving in circles searching for such a thing that made Frederica search for such extreme measures with Subaru going as far as starting to turn around rocks and bushes around but he was alone with the pair of crows being the only witnesses of his confusion.
"Ok ok now that's rich." Subaru started laughing. "Man if I didn't know her I would say she and Petra planned a little prank to make me look ridiculous with another certain part of idiots but I know our two maids are a little better than that. Anyway, I think I've wasted enough time so I'll just take our letters."
He started to approach the mailbox when suddenly one of the crows screeched so loud that made him jump back surprised.
"Wow...alright that…was surprising." He said a little confused, again tried to take another step towards the box both this time both crows screeched at the moment he was getting closer. After that he moved his hand starting to sweep the crows away from the box but they just stayed there only flapping their wings whether Subaru's hands started to move closer to them with his sweeps.
"Alright change of plans." He said as his left hand started to sweep trying to get them to fly away and with his right one started to get close to the box, but when he was close to open it one of the crows jumped away and started pecking at his hand.
"Ow! What the! Hey stop it!" He used his left hand trying to get the crow away which immediately flew back atop the box.
"Goddamm..ok, can see it's more difficult than what I thought." He walked away, opening the gate again and walking around the green garden. It took a few minutes when he returned with a stick. "But I have a plan B." Immediately he started swinging the stick around making the crows jump and start flying atop the box.
"Perfect!" He said enthusiastically getting closer to the box only for both crows to start pecking at his hand and arms again stronger than before.
"MotherffffOW!" He grabbed the stick and started swinging which made the crows fly away returning to their initial spot, and now Subaru's hand was bleeding.
"You stupid bird brains." He growled now angry "Two can play that game!" With a loud scream he started to swept at the crows again making them fly atop the box only this time the pair was also attacking the stick pecking it with all their force in a strange display of awareness which made Subaru swing it in all directions managing to even hit sometimes one of them in the head to the anger of the crows that peck the stick with and even more unusual force.
But while they were distracted with the stick Subaru's left hand quietly sneaked around the box finally managing to open it.
'Heh stupid bird brains.'
He moved a little, continuing to sweep the crows with the stick in his right arm and started taunting around the open box, feeling the paper on his hand. 'Perfect'
With a quick move he took out the letters of the mailbox sweeping one last time at the crows throwing the stick on the ground.
"Victory is mine bird brains!" He proudly proclaimed lifting the letters to the sky.
"Ok have to admit that was complicated but mission accomplished." He started walking away towards the house. "Maybe I can get a reward from Frederica if I tell my valiant exploits to her." He laughed a little. "Alright let's see what we have here." That's when he noticed a letter in an envelope with a wax sign. "Wait this is…"
But before he could examine the letter closer the two crows came down onto him screeching like mad animals pecking him at the head.
"What the hell!" He screamed as he started to cover his head with his arm still sustaining the letter on his hand while the birds continued to peck him, he tried to swat them but this instead of making them fly out of his reach made them continue pecking no matter what still aiming to his head.
'Did they lose their minds or something?! Are they trying to aim at my eyes? Goddamit, have to go for it, it's now or never!'
He inhaled and quickly started running towards the house while still shielding his head with his arms trying to get away from the mad crows. He moved faster than them but they still continued to fly trying to peck Subaru and diving towards him from time to time managing to inflict more wounds on his hands and arms with their beaks all while screeching in a mad caw.
"Almost there." He said as the main entrance was getting closer and closer "It's all or nothing!" He retired his arms from his head and with a last dash arrived at the door, quickly opened it and closed it. He was out of breath and sat down on the floor to rest while on the other side he could still hear the crows launching themselves towards the door pecking it in an effort to somehow open it to his surprise while their caws and screeches could be heard from the other side.
"What the hell was that?" He said as he slowly stood up after recovering his breath. "Maybe I should have waited for Frederica to bring up the shovel in the first place." He swept his brow with the papers still in his hand. "It almost seemed that they were somehow...no no it's impossible they are just bird brains and nothing more, maybe they saw something shining or something." He exhaled one last time looking at the letter with the wax sign. "Wonder what will be her reaction to this." He contemplated it until he noticed a small spot of blood on the envelope. "Eh?" Then he looked at the back of his hand that was covered in small cuts that were bleeding thanks to the mad crows. "Ok, I have to have this check out first."
After a quick patch up courtesy of a very preoccupied Petra he opened the doors to the library after dismissing her not without an apology for cancelling what they had planned.
He stepped into the large maze created by hundreds of bookshelves filled with all kinds of books. The room in contrast with the rest of the house was bigger than even the main living room or dining hall all thanks to the collection of books that She had brought in the moment they bought the place, it actually had to be expanded a couple of times to manage to fit one final bookshelf.
He turned to the right and continued walking straight.
Just thinking about the cleaning labors this place would need sent shudders to his spine all thanks to a memory of their two maids and him trying to do the task but being overwhelmed with the amount of books that they would need to get out, that and thanks to Her making her tantrums about how she wanted some things accommodated in a very specific way.
More minutes walking straight.
Well it was kind of understandable, he would also go ballistic if someone was messing around with his things, proof of that all the arguments he had with his father about his room accomodation when he lived in Japan but nevertheless for Her it was a more serious reason, in short this was Her own world with her own rules that the rest of people must follow unless they incurred on her wrath, next time he, Frederica and Petra would need to drag Her out with all their force no matter the angry screams.
He finally stopped arriving at his destination.
"A little late this time around, I suppose." Said a girl that was accommodating a book back to a tall shelf with standing on her tiptoes even with the help of a chair.
"What can I say, this time you beat me waking up early…"
"I'm not talking about that." She stepped down from the chair. She was short, way more shorter than him so much that in comparison side by side she would barely reach Subaru's chest in height but even with her having to look up to see him face to face her dissatisfaction could be clearly seen on her light blue eyes. Her blonde hair was long and arranged in two drill twintails with the help of pink and white bows, she was wearing a dress of the same colors, striped pink and purple stockings and pink shoes. She looked very elegant for being in an old and dusty library.
"Sorry about that" Subaru finally sighed getting closer patting the girl in the head making her blush a little. "It was supposed to go a little differently but there were some complications."
"Complications?"
"But I think this can be a good explanation for it." He said, presenting the letter to her.
"What are you talking a…?" Her words died on her throat when she saw the wax sign on the envelope. She reached her hand to it and grabbed looking at the wax sign without saying anything, then from one of her pockets took out a small matches box lighting one match and getting it closer to the letter.
"What do you think you are doing?!" Screamed quickly Subaru as he saw the match starting to burn the paper grabbing the letter and getting it far from her.
"The same could be asked to you, I suppose!" She said angry.
"Is that really your first reaction to this? Does that mean that my fight against killer crows was for nothing?!"
…"What?!"
He sighed and breathed in and out. "Ok ok it actually has nothing to do with that but still...is this really the first thing you plan to do with the first message you have from your mother after years?"
"Don't try to play it as it had been a long time already, I suppose, it had been only three years by now." She said, crossing her arms.
"Still three years after the whole...thing and for…"
"I think you were listening the moment I was packing my things on the carriage that night no matter what my relationship with my mother was over. And she for once seemed to agree with me on that."
"I know you two had a very complicated history even before I've made it w…"
"Stop right there, what have I told you already, I suppose?" She said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tenderly.
"Right, even before I arrived, but still you two are mother and daughter you can't spend the rest of your life holding grudges like this. Even with me arguing with my parents some times we reconcile almost immediately."
"That is because of how foolish you and the rest of your family can be." She said with a laugh.
"Besides, isn't this letter right here good news." She looked at him and then at the envelope. "It's a first step not taken by you but by her, she's the one deciding to search for you even after three years."
She sighed tired. "You and your easily forgiven nature is going to be the end for me, I suppose. Alright I guess…I guess you're right. It's just maybe I'm just a little scared."
"What use can a foolish husband have other than give support to his cute little wife." He said, pinching her cheek."
"Stop it." She said, moving his hand away. "Don't you think this Betty has forgotten about all the hours you have left her alone, as punishment only headpats are allowed."
"Are you sure that is a punishment?"
"Depending on the situation it can be for you. Alright, let's do this."
She ripped the seal of the envelope taking out some papers that were folded inside.
"By the way, what was that part about fighting some killer crows? I suppose."
"Oh you wouldn't believe it Beako, there I was outside in the field in search of the elusive mail resting at our mailbox thanks to a pair of beasts that would require the use of heaving weaponry from our maid task force to drive them out from the treasure they were so desperately guarding, but to minimize the casualties I adventured forward to...Beako?"
He turned to see what was the reaction of the girl to his obviously pompous tale but she was trembling, barely holding the piece of papers that in a second were now on the floor with her almost immediately following them.
"Beatrice!" Quickly jumped Subaru to her help holding her while the girl was still trembling and tears were starting to form on her eyes. " W-what happened." He asked with fear seeing the state now the girl was.
"M-mother…" She barely managed to choke out lost in a strange trance just moving her eyes to meet Subaru's own. "She is...she's dead."
I'm not dead it was only my internet connection who decided to die before I could finish this chapter
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