The next day, Aina woke up to Zero brushing the hair from her face.
"Hello sleepy head." He said as soon as her eyes opened. She yawned and looked him up and down, looking for any evidence of what he had been up to the night before. "Did you have any trouble?" He then asked as she yawned again. She was always a little slow when she woke up unless she had to get up. She shook her head and stretched.
A knock at the door gained their attention. Zero got off the bed to answer it while Aina took the opportunity to roll over and try to go back to sleep. It was Rido.
"My siblings are on their way over, I just got word from my staff." Rido told Zero. Aina growled and pulled the blanket over her head. She didn't want to deal with them yet. In fact she didn't want to deal with anyone.
"Don't worry, I'll get her out of bed." Zero reassured him as he looked over his shoulder at Aina with a smile.
"Very well, a maid will up soon to help." Rido told him before walking away, he just wanted slid into bed with her, even just for a cuddle.
Zero shut the door and smirked at Aina.
"Aina, it's time to get up." He told her in a sing song tone. She grumbled at him but didn't make an effort to move. He walked up to the bed and threw the covers off her. Aina just curled up to keep herself warm. "Come on." He told her as he lifted her up into his arms. He kissed down her neck. "Please don't make me tease you." He then added and she slowly opened her eyes.
"Do I have to?" She asked with a mumble.
"Yes." He told her with a smiled and helped her to her feet. As he did, the maid arrived to help her dress. She picked out a dress with a white corset and skirt front. The sleeves, sides and back of the dress were a bright light blue. Lace highlighted the end of the sleeves and her square neckline. It was a simple dress, nothing special. She left her hair down; she had no reason to dress up.
She left Zero in her room and went down to Rido who was waiting in the entrance for his siblings.
"Why are they coming?" She asked him with a yawn.
"I don't know. They properly want to teach you how to be a royal lady." Rido answered with a shrug as they arrived. Aina went to curtsy as they walked into the mansion but Rido pulled her up by her elbow. She looked at him confused. "They don't deserve it, only do it in public." He told her with a whisper.
"Brother, you should let your bride show us respect." Juri almost snapped. "We need to talk about your role within this family now." She then added, carrying on into the mansion. Rido huffed and followed her.
Juri made herself at home in the large drawing room. Aina and Rido sat down opposite her while Haruka sat down next to his wife. "Aina, you have upset our Yuki." Juri snapped at her, clearly annoyed.
"What about Yuki upsetting Aina in the first place!" Rido snapped back at her before Aina could say anything in her own defence. Aina held onto Rido's hand. She hadn't expected him to lose it so quickly. "She sent Kaname after me for it!"
"Calm down Rido." Haruka told him.
"You came here to attack Aina instead of finding out the truth." Rido was seething.
"Rido, please. We can all talk about it calmly." Aina spoke up, Rido sighed and apologised to Aina but still glared at his brother and sister. "I would like to start from the beginning, if I may?" She asked Juri who then nodded. "I met Yuki after all this time at the ball that Rido invited me to. It came to my attention at that time that we had both become very different people but I still hoped that wouldn't hinder any friendship." She started to explain.
"Then what did hinder your friendship?" Haruka asked confused. He had remembered the two girls being inseparable. Yuki had always been Yuki; she had not changed from when she was a child. It was clear that it was Aina who had changed, she had grown up whereas Yuki was still holding onto her childhood. They had heard about a large fall out with in Aina's family, something to do with Shizuka.
"The next day, Yuki invited herself into my home and started shouting for me, running though my home. She then decided to dress me in what she felt looked good to go to tea at Rido's which she had invited herself too as well. On the way to Rido's, I admit I should have chosen my words a lot more carefully but what Yuki said to me was much worse."
"You told her she dressed like a child and had no friends!" Juri snapped at her. Haruka raised his hand to shush her.
"I said that she should try wearing a corseted dress as she had very youthful features. The dress she wore that day and the night before, made her look much younger than she was. She asked me why no one else had said anything. I told her that maybe they were either saving her feelings or felt that if they humoured her, they would have more power. Yuki then calmed I was jealous of her..."
"You are." Juri snapped again. Aina bit her tongue, she could see where Yuki got her bad self-righteous attitude from.
"I am not. I was happy." She told them. "And I'm very happy now." She added, looking at Rido with a smile. "I never knew anyone could be this happy." Rido smiled back and kissed her softly. Haruka cleared his throat, making the couple look back at him.
"Yuki apologised to you last night for her behaviour, correct?" He asked.
"Yes, she did, however, she had told Kaname that Rido was the cause of our argument that day. Kaname obviously got upset and came to Rido's. There was almost a fight over it." Aina sighed. "I don't think we will be able to be friends now that we are both so different. That doesn't mean that I will not be polite and civil." She then added. Juri folded her arms over her chest annoyed.
"I do hope that over time, this will change." Haruka stated. "Now, we need to discuss how we move forward as a family." He then added. Aina was unsure what was meant by the phrase, it felt very ominous.
"Are you pushing for something?" Rido asked.
"Kaname has expressed his feelings..." Juri started.
"You better not think you can waltz in ruin everything." Rido growled at her.
"Rido please." Aina squeezed his hand. "What has Kaname expressed?" She then asked looking at Juri.
"He worries that you and Rido are not a suitable match. That you would be better matched to Kaname himself. Yuki has shown that she wishes to live a more care free life and isn't suited to a life of duty." Juri explained and Aina stood up.
"That would be your own fault." Aina snapped at them. "If you weren't so easy going on her and brought her up to understand and preform her duties, then you wouldn't have such a childlike daughter. I refuse to have anything to do with Kaname. I am Rido's."
"We will assess that for ourselves." Juri snapped back at her, standing up herself.
"We will marry Aina whether you approve or not." Rido stated as he too stood up.
"We just wish to make sure that you are both a match. Kaname expressed concerns about separate living arrangements." Haruka explained a little more.
"Is there a problem that I wish to wait until marriage?" Aina asked. "You both taught Yuki and myself to stay pure and wait until marriage. And now that I'm doing that, you have an issue with it?" Both Juri and Haruka paused for a moment.
"We apologise, we didn't realise that you both hadn't gone further. Given Rido's reputation..." Haruka started.
"Rido respects me. Before we decided to make this relationship official, we sat down and spoke about what we both wanted. I told Rido I wanted to wait, if that's until marriage, Rido has agreed not push me." Aina interrupted.
"You have both already put in place safeguards and discussed what will happen in the event of a relationship breakdown?" Haruka asked.
"Yes, now are you both done?" Rido asked, annoyed.
"For now, we will be keeping an eye on any develops of your relationship." Juri told them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Aina asked confused.
"If we feel you aren't right for the family; we will ask you to end your relationship with Rido. If we feel it is time you both married, you will get married. That sort of thing." Juri stated rather coldly.
"That will be our decision to make." Rido said sternly. "Now, leave." He growled.
Both Juri and Haruka left, not before giving disapproving looks at the pair. Aina held onto Rido, hiding her face in his chest.
"Can they do that? Can they destroy the agreement we have?" She whispered. Rido rested his chin on her head, gently stroking her hair to sooth her.
"I won't let them. You are safe with me and I will do everything I need to do to make you happy." He told her.
A few weeks pasted and everything went quiet. They had no unexpected guests. Aina and Zero were able to spend as much time as they wanted together. But Zero had started going out more, it concerned Aina, she wondered what he could be up to.
Aina was relaxing in a large steaming copper bathtub. She had her eyes closed when she heard the door open quietly. She assumed it was Zero and didn't bother to open her eyes to check.
"I know you wanted to relax on your own." Rido's voice spoke up, making her jump. She quickly sat up, making sure to cover herself. As she turned to look at him, she saw him getting undressed and quickly turned away. "But I just couldn't resist." He then added, their code for unwanted eyes and ears. "Move up." He told her and she moved forwards for him, letting him slip in behind her. He gently pulled her back against his chest and nuzzled into her neck. "Kaname is on the grounds." He whispered in her ear before kissing down her neck. He took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her, feeling her soft skin.
Rido continued to kiss her neck and down to her shoulder. She closed her eyes, she tried hard to imagine it was Zero sat behind her. She relaxed against him.
When she next opened her eyes, she saw Kaname in the doorway. She screamed and twisted to hide her body from him. Rido jumped and held onto her, letting her hide against him. "What is the meaning of this!?" He roared in anger.
Zero was running at Kaname from behind, charging at him. Kaname moved just as Zero reached him. Zero stumbled and saw a naked Aina holding onto an equally naked Rido in a bathtub. He wanted to rip Aina from Rido but first he had to deal with their intruder. "Answer me Kaname!"
"I came to see Aina." Kaname said calmly.
"So, you think it's acceptable to walk in on her in the bath!?"
"You're in the bath too." Kaname counted.
"It doesn't matter about me Kaname. I can take the games you play but what you have just done to Aina is unforgivable." Rido told him as Aina let out a quiet sob. She was regretting moving in with Rido. She should have left for the countryside as soon as the ball was over, hell, she should have never gone to the ball. She didn't want to get stuck in between these men. She just wanted Zero. She knew Rido was trying to help her but at what cost to her dignity?
Kaname paused, Zero took the opportunity to tackle him to the ground. Kaname grunted as he hit the floor with Zero on top of him. There was a small scuffle on the floor before Kaname managed to get free. Zero pointed his gun at him. The whole room went quiet.
"You will not harm my mistress!" He shouted at him.
"It's not me you need to worry about." Kaname spoke calmly, holding his hands up.
"You will leave my mistress alone." Zero growled. "She doesn't want you; she doesn't want to know you. You have hurt her enough. You either walk away from here or can drop dead." Kaname sighed and took the hint, he didn't want to leave but he did in the end.
Zero then turned to Aina and Rido. He was trying to calm her down as she held her, gently stroking her hair. Zero pointed his gun at Rido's head as he looked up at Zero.
"Put the gun down." Rido ordered calmly. Aina turned and saw Zero holding his gun steady, ready for a clear shot. Zero looked at her tear-stained face, his anger grew. Rido didn't have to get in the bath with her, he never had to get undressed. He could have left her to bath and guarded the door to stop Kaname from seeing her. But he didn't. He chose to violate her privacy. She let him or was she forced out of fear? That was the next question in his mind.
"Zero, please put it away." Aina spoke up, her voice a little strained.
"He didn't have to do that." Zero growled stepping closer to them. "He didn't have walk in on you; he didn't have to get undressed. He didn't have to get in that bath with you!"
"Please calm down sweetheart." Aina begged.
"He had time to guard the door to stop Kaname from seeing you!" He shouted, getting closer. Aina stood up, facing Zero. He lifted Aina out of the bathtub with one arm around her waist, his gun still pointed at Rido.
"Zero, put it down." Aina reached out and pushed his hand down to point at the floor. Zero put the gun away, glaring at Rido. He held Aina's face to make her look at him.
"You are mine." He growled at her, his eyes red. "YOU ARE MINE!" Aina nodded, she hid the fear she felt. She had never seen Zero in such a way before. Rido watched closely, he was ready to take Zero out.
"Zero." She whispered. "Please calm down, you're scaring me." She admitted and Zero growled at her.
"I'm nowhere near scaring you yet." His voice was low, dangerous sounding.
"Zero..." Rido started.
"Shut up!" Zero shouted at him before running out of the room with Aina in his arms.
Rido dressed as quick as he could before running after them. He felt that if Zero thought he stayed back, Aina would be safer. It looked like Zero had snapped, that his desire was taking over. He was descending into madness, he had to be.