When the sun danced across Louise's face she struggled to get out of her bed. It was such a dreadful thing, the sun, as it forced her to once more welcome the reality that she was always trying desperately to change.
Yes, she wanted things to change towards her favor. She, as daughter of the Heavy Wind, would not run away.
So she opened her eyes, rubbing them as she rose from her bed and searching the room. Her memory was a little bit hazy, but if she recalled correctly she sent her familiar to go get her some water. Lazily she looked towards the desk and found a nice jug of dirty water. She could feel a slight anger building up in her heart, however she also expected a rat to get her clean water from the maids.
She was the fool there.
Slowly she picked herself off the bed, with a small question that was dancing on the top of her mind. However she could not really think of what the problem was, and did not really care that much. No, instead she needed to get herself ready for today.
So when she opened up her closet and watched as her Familiar tumbled out onto the closet.
"Oh, that's where you were hiding." She said as she stepped around the creature and started getting her clothing together.
"AAAA! The Sun!" The rascal cried out as he was trying his best to cover his eyes.
"Can you stop it, you damned rat." Louise said while looking at the creature with a nice hint of irritation. However it was the next moment she began to sniff her things, "Y-You damned rat! My clothes stink now!"
"CLOSE THE SUN! BLOT IT OUT!"
"Grr, you damned rat!" She yelled while giving the crying creature a good kick in the stomach, "You are supposed to be crying for mercy from me, not the damned sun!"
She watched him struggle for a few more moments, before an idea popped into her dreadful little head. She worked her way towards the curtains, and placed her hand upon them, "Familiar, you will be taking a bath today so we can fix your stench. Understand?"
"YES YES ANYTHING, JUST BLOT OUT THE SUN!"
With a smile Louise did just that, closing the curtains and blocking out that dreadful sun. She watched as her familiar slowly got up, his eyes bloodshot from the amount of sunlight he just had to deal with.
"Is this going to be a problem, Itch?" She asked while going towards her laundry basket.
"Yes-yes, the sun too bright for my eyes." He admitted while rubbing them, "Skaven hate it and I hate it most."
"That will be problematic in many ways," She said while pondering to herself before reaching over and handing the rat an umbrella, "We will come up with a better solution later, but for now just use this to cover your eyes and me."
"Yes yes this will do fine!" He said while looking over the item for a moment, "Does it have a gun in it?"
"It's an umbrella, Itch, of course it would not have a gun in it." She told the rat while shaking her head, "Now come and…"
Louise abandoned her thought, simply putting on her clothes without much assistance. It would be dreadful if more of her clothing had gotten her rat's stink as every other piece of clothing had.
Within a few moments she flicked her hair, feeling only a little bit dirty from wearing clothing from two days ago. However that was the price she paid thanks to having quite the troublesome familiar.
Taking a moment she turned around and got a good look at her Familiar, "Alright Itch, today is reserved for us Second Years to learn more about our Familiars. However it is also the time we learn to control and train them so that we are able to walk the halls without trouble, understand?"
"Yes yes, Itch understands." He said with a smirk, "Boss trains minions to work and show off."
"Yes, in your own stupid way." She said with a small growl, "That means when we walk around, you walk with your back straightened, got it!?"
The rat seemed to think to himself for a moment before doing his best to pick himself up. However it looked like a dog trying its best to mimic its owner standing, and Louise felt like she was about to lose the breakfast she never had.
"Stop that!" She yelled while trying her best to get rid of that from her mind, "Just, keep your head up, get it! You are the Servant of a Vallerie and you need to act like that."
"Hehe, got it Master." Itch said, thoroughly satisfied with the pain he inflicted upon her. The thought of this being payback was at the forefront of the rat's mind as she opened the door and began their walk outside. It was kinda a funny sight, the Skaven looking more confident while following a little girl.
However they did not get that far, as within a few steps the door before them opened and out came a very sedacious girl. Well, atleast to Louise. To Itch, his hairs were already on edge. If not for the slight tingle of pain from his hand the rat would have lowered himself to get a better striking point at the human and her lizard.
"Ara ara, Louise what a fine time to see you." Kirch von Zerbst said as a young boy sneaked around behind her, "I see you have already gotten cozy with your familiar."
"Up to your antics, Zerbst." Louise said with a small growl, "One of these days you are going to farrow a Bastard, then we will see who enjoys life."
"Sharp tongue as always." The other laughed while shaking her head, "Oh Louise, still to think you summoned a rat the size of a man. I can't wait till your mother hears about this, maybe she will kill it since it's a pest. Or maybe I should."
"No-no Itch won't die." The Skaven said as he itched his hand around the umbrella, "He will make sure you-"
"Itch stop what you are about to say." Louise said as her eyes became solidified into Iron, "We are leaving."
"Hmph, see you later sour puss." Kirch said as the two of them crossed by her and into the halls.
"Dreadful creature, making fun of Itch." The rat admitted with a small growl, "Why did you stop me from threat-threatening her?"
"Because threatening a Noble will get you killed." Louise said outright as they crossed by some of the class rooms, "Do you remember what you almost did to me when we first met? The Headmaster might actually consider one of your threats as real and take action to prevent it."
"But I was not lying, she will pay for mocking me." Tha rat growled while straining his claws, "You as my Master should not take it. She should pay!"
"If I could have gotten her to pay, I would have done it a year ago." Louise rebutted while shaking her head.
"Hehe, but you don't think like Skaven." The rat chuckled to himself while rubbing his hands together.
Louise looked over to him, thinking over what exactly the rat was planning. She kinda wanted to sick her familiar on that pain in her ass, and make Kirch experience the pain that Louise always felt with her constant mockery and bullying. But she was a Valliere, a noble of Tristain who should uphold the values of chivalry.
"Do not kill her, but do whatever you want against her Itch." Louise announced as they finally made it to the Cafeteria, "Understood?"
"I understand, Master." He answered with a devilish smirk.
Satisfied with those words, Louise turned her back and left the creature to the maids. That was the luxury that the Academy provided, that whenever the students were having their meals that they would take care of their familiars.
So she was not worried about her Familiar, no matter how odd he was. The maids would try their best to work to his needs.
Still, there was the issue that she needed to get some maids to get her familiar cleaned, because of that damn smell he had. It has gotten all over her clothing, and she would be damned if she let that happen again.
Louise sat herself down, at the table she always had. She did not expect anyone to sit with her, as they never did. She was the Zero to them and most students acted as if her penchant for failure was contagious. Before, if she failed to summon a familiar, it would likely end with her being declared a commoner and being kicked out of the academy. Now that threat was gone, but thanks to what happened yesterday she did not expect for anything to happen.
The students finally took their seats and with that the maids started to make their rounds about the cafeteria. There was a minor problem with being in the Academy, that with so many mouths to feed they were forced to standardize a lot of their meals. Only dinner would have a choice, and with it a narrow one at that. Of course Louise did not mind too much, as she barely ever had a choice when she ate with her mother.
And the food, well they always said her mother was a warrior more than a noble or a wife.
So Louise was happy as a maid brought to her a small plate of pancakes with a side of sausage. Such a meal as always looked delectable, and Louise would have started eating if the maid did not stick around.
"Is there a problem?" Louise asked while turning to the rather plain black haired girl.
"Do I, uh, have permission to speak, Mistress?" The maid asked with a rather meek manner.
"Given." Louise spat with a hint of irritation.
"Y-your familiar, do you know what he is?"
"What are you talking about, of course I know what he is." Louise spat out with a small fury, "He is a giant talking rat! Are you here to mock me about it as well?"
"N-no Miss Vallerie." The girl answered while giving a short bow, "I didn't mean it as an insult, please forgive me!"
Looking down upon the girl gave Louise a small hope in her heart, as she always knows that she is above the average dravel of commoners. They are but nothing compared to the majesty that is the Nobility.
With a fed ego Louise simply gave a few words, "You are forgiven, maid. You can leave me in peace knowing that you will not have the Valleries upon you today."
With that Louise waited for the girl to leave, however she did not make a single step away. Of course the small pinkett was getting a little irritated as it was becoming obvious this maid would not leave her alone, "I gave you an answer, now leave."
"Y-you sure thats it? H-he is just an ordinary rat and not a…"
Louise felt the weight in the girl's words, and soon she realized that something was amiss about her. Looking the maid up and down again, Louise realized that the girl looked to be a little bit more disheveled than the other commoners. Her eyes had bags underneath them as well as a small look of fear.
"Maid, did you…" Louise thought about it a little bit more, "Do you fear… Did you see my familiar last night?"
As if all the temperature was drawn out of the area, the girl's face went pale white as if she was remembering something she wanted to forget.
What the girl asked, she was checking if Louise knew something about her familiar. Did he do something wrong, or…
"Maid, do you know what my familiar is?" Louise said with a sharpness in her voice.
The maid gave a steady, cautious nod.
Louise was about to order her to spill those words, but then she looked around. The smiling form of Kirch took a glance in her direction from the harem of boys that was surrounding her and Tabitha.
She knew how politics happened, if just from the rough lessons her father gave her. Add in the constant bullying from the others and she knew something bad might happen if she lets this girl speak.
"Maid, what is your name?"
"M-my name!?"
"Yes, don't make me ask twice!"
"S-Siesta!"
"Siesta, I ask that you come to my room tonight then." Louise ordered with steel in her heart, "I need someone to take care of my clothing, and you look to be up to the job."
"B-but-!"
"Thank you for the help, Siesta." Louise said while leaning in towards her to whisper "Not here, commoner. You want to embarrass me infront of everyone else!"
The maid hesitated for a moment, her heart skipping a beat before giving a nod, "U-understood mistress. I shall be in your room at sundown."
With that Louise watched her give a short bow, quickly scampering off towards the greater kitchen area. Louise honestly should not listen to the girl, but she really wanted to hear what the girl had to say.
Louise was no fool, the words of what her Familiar called itself just yesterday still running in her head.
"Skaven." She whispered to herself as her eyes rose towards the closed oak doors.
Why would a Skaven strike so much fear in a commoner, that she would risk talking to a Noble directly?