To Guest: Thank you for your review! You're so sweet. TT_TT Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I'm glad you're enjoying the twists!
To Chisa Chispa: It's normal that Mr S' connection with Tenten isn't 100% clear at the moment. I can point you to a few things in the previous chapters: 1) Tenten was receiving Neji's letters through another address: in chapter 1, she gives him the name and address for them to correspond. We now found out that Ibiki burned down Mr S' address. 2) When her servant asked her whether Mr T. is dead, Tenten wonders: 'Am *I* dead?'. You haven't missed any reveals. These were just hints, so don't worry. :) Thank you for your reviews and kind words!
To Justbeplatonic: I live for twists huheuheuehue Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying the twists! :D
Enjoy, guys!
Autumn dimmed the sun and stretched nighttime, and at the greatest astonishment of all, the few invitations that were still addressed to the castle were gracefully accepted. Soon, a rumour circulated: The daughter of the dead Princess had taken residence at the castle with her daughter. The young lady had been ill and required absolute retirement, but now danger had passed.
For the Duchess of Redwood and Lady Tenten, endless balls and gowns thus succeeded one another, invitations once more flowing in. Everyone had easily accepted the rumour as God's honest truth. They swore, as if they had seen the young lady during her sickness, that she had greatly improved in looks. Lady Tenten was sought tirelessly, as she was rich and handsome, and her mother, of royal blood.
'Danger has passed,' Tenten would think uneasily, as more and more callers came every day, and she had less and less time to herself and 'her most scandalous inclinations' as her mother called them.
The pretended illness, their sudden appearance in society, the Duchess' relation to a dead Princess everyone pretended to remember, everything thrilled and attracted suitors and neighbours and other forms of polite society.
Seasons came and went, and the household had settled in a peaceful and proper routine which greatly pleased the Duchess and greatly exasperated Lady Tenten. And so winter came.
A fine layer of cracked snow had settled across the woods on their lands, but there was even little time to enjoy the view of the sea, white foam and greyish sand.
Like every morning, at eight o'clock, Tenten was roused by her maid and showed to her private dressing room. Soon, she stood in front of the mirror and was shown a dress of fine coral muslin.
"What do you think?" the Duchess asked.
"Is there truly need for another dress?" Tenten asked and yawned.
"Yes," her mother replied unabashed before sipping her tea.
Screens were unfolded and maids helped Tenten out of her night gown and into a shift. When the corset was brought, Tenten twisted and turned, gasping, her hand pressed against her stomach.
"The corset is uncomfortable," she squeaked, breathless.
"So are all corsets," the Duchess answered unimpressed. "Stop fretting."
"Is it fretting when I'm merely trying to breathe, Mother?" Tenten countered, now pressing both her hands to her chest, as her maid finished tying her corset.
The dress was then brought out of the box and Tenten was helped into it. Once it was done, the screens were moved out of the way.
The Duchess observed the dress. The skirts flowed and billowed easily at the waist, their sheer quality reflecting the glow of the sun. The short sleeves puffed below elegant shoulders, revealing Tenten's slender neck to her advantage. Satisfied, the Duchess moved her hand and Miss Yuuhi started her adjustments on the dress.
Tenten stared at the ceiling, her fingers twitching at her sides.
"I was under the impression that if one was to inquire after my assets, I was to show him my books, not my décolletage."
The Duchess didn't acknowledge her daughter's statement with as much as a blink.
"Hn. Do not tell your father, but this dress is the new fashion in France," the Duchess said instead and delicately lowered her tea cup back on the tray. "I have been told by my cousins that the bodice and skirts are most comfortable. The Revolution must have done the French some good after all."
Tenten felt her temper rising, a burning sensation throbbing at the back of her head. It was always difficult to interpret her mother's most private thoughts, but her words were always arranged as one would wield a double-edge sword. Tenten took it as to mean: 'This fallen king, this stranger, you can criticize.'
"I will be certain to send i t back to France, then," Tenten levelled her eyes down to meet her mother's and added: "through Father."
They stared at each other, mother and daughter carefully mirroring each other's hardening expression. Accustomed to the ways of the family, the servants passed between them without noting anything amiss in this silent exchange.
"Don't be ridiculous, the dress is lovely, and do not dare involve your father in this. You know how he is with all things remotely related to France. Turn around."
"Yes, how surprising considering they tortured and disfigured him."
The Duchess looked at her pointedly and whirled her finger once. A lady did not repeat herself. A lady never uttered her true intentions.
The seamstress stepped back, and Tenten carefully turned on herself, her arms extended away from her sides. Her face remained smooth, guarded, and in the Duchess' faintest wave of the finger, Tenten saw how pleased her mother was with the masquerade they played.
"Look how lovely the dress befits you when you wear it without sarcasm," the Duchess said evenly, and she turned toward the seamstress. "Marvellous work, Miss Yuuhi, as always."
"Thank you, Your Grace."
Miss Yuuhi bowed, and stepped back at the bottom of the dress to finish the last adjustments.
"Yes, you are quite right, Miss Yuuhi, the hem does requite further adjustments," the Duchess nodded, pleased, then levelled her gaze back to her daughter. "You'll wear this to the ball tonight. You should grant Mr Inuzuka one dance. Two would be inappropriate, of course. I was most displeased when he hinted that he would like to ask for a second one last ball."
"Yes, most shocking," Tenten said flatly.
Mr Inuzuka was the most fervent contender for her affections, but while the gentleman was charming in his own rights, his warm personality and easy countenance left Tenten completely aloof. She knew her mother to have too much control over herself to expose clearly her displeasure of him in the recent event of the ball. It remained that his natural inclination toward overly warm conciliation and loud speeches left both mother and daughter, deeply uncomfortable and distrustful of Mr Inuzuka's true intentions.
"As a matter of fact, I feel that I may be too unwell altogether to attend the ball," Tenten added after a moment of silence.
The Duchess feigned she didn't hear her.
"Lord Kankuro... what do you think of him?"
"Mother, are you truly so desperate to marry me off that you don't realize that Lord Kankuro is not interested in acquiring any lady?"
"He would prefer someone of lower rank, you mean? Hn. How modern of him."
"I meant, he would rather marry someone in breeches."
"Oh," the Duchess cocked her head to the side. "Why didn't you tell me plainly? You know I abhor euphemisms and metaphors."
"Everyone knows," Tenten said under her breath, and Miss Yuuhi bent her head to hide her smile.
As he did every morning, at half past eight, Mr Ebisu entered the room with a tray a silver containing the morning post. The Duchess gathered the pile of letters and looked through them. She broke the seal of the first one and read it quickly.
"We have an invitation to Lord Aburame's reception next week," the Duchess started and raised her head. "What of his son? He is rumoured to be a bit of a hermit, but I heard he has a brilliant mind."
"Do as you wish," Tenten replied dully.
"We will go. Hn." She neatly folded Lord Aburame's letter back and read the second letter. "Mr Uchiha invites us to dinner, but he's married, and his brother is sick. I reckon he doesn't have long. Hn. There is no good match in this house, and you have not been formerly introduced. No, that will not do. I shall decline and suggest an introduction first."
Tenten frowned. The endless flow of callers left her struggling to recall names and titles. The Duchess also had the calculated habit of insisting on the names and titles of single gentlemen at the expense of married men and women.
"Who is Mr Uchiha?"
"Our neighbour," the Duchess waved the matter off and reached for yet another letter. "His brother and he have called twice while you were riding."
"Ah," Tenten said with disinterest. "Perhaps they are the gentlemen I've seen on my morning rides."
"Perhaps. Their family is most unfortunate indeed. Their lands were scattered during the war, and their title is only an honorary one now. I must say, I was most astonished how the youngest brother has recently regained a fortune through trade. Quite a small fortune, it is too."
The Duchess proceeded through her correspondence.
"My cousin sends her regards," she spoke on through pinched lips. "It seems her daughter has finally given birth. A lovely and healthy boy, she says."
Tenten stilled as she felt her mother's cool gaze on her. The Duchess had been most adamant about her lack of grandchildren while her cousins had so many. Tenten touched the fine muslin of her dress and at once, realized, this was yet another private and proper fight between the Duchess and her royal cousins.
Tenten cleared her throat.
"Do we have news from Father?"
The Duchess paused, lowering the letter she was reading to look at her daughter.
"Why are you so formal with him? You used to call him Papa."
Tenten paused, feeling the crushing burdens of her secrets and the weight of the domestics' presence around them. Above all, she felt the burn of her mother's gaze. There could be no mistake. There could be no suspicion.
The persona of Mr. T Shosoryu ought to remain dead, never to be mentioned again.
"You hate when I'm informal," Tenten finally answered with a shrug, and the Duchess glanced back to her letters. "You say a lady straightens her back and always addresses those within her vicinity her with formality, civility, and grace."
"Yes, but now this new attitude of yours makes me uneasy."
Tenten turned her head toward her mother. She forced a smile.
"Mother, do we have news from Papa?"
The Duchess nodded.
"Yes. Here."
The Duchess started reading. She blanched, her face stiffened and relaxed, and stiffened again. She stood up, and paced. Tenten saw the extraordinary change in her mother's composure and felt herself growing faint.
"Mother? What is it?" her voice, her hands trembled.
"Dear God," the Duchess muttered to herself, ignoring her.
"Mother!" Tenten cried out.
The Duchess stopped pacing and turned toward Tenten. Her face once more impassible, she rearranged her dress and slipped the letter in her pockets.
"A lady doesn't raise her voice, Tenten."
"Mother, you are scaring me. What does the letter say? Did something happen to Papa?"
Tenten stepped away from the seamstress, when her mother wouldn't readily answer.
"Lady Tenten!" Miss Yuuhi grimaced and sighed when her work had quite unravelled at the hem of the gown, pins now poking at odd angles.
"Your father is well and sends his regards," the Duchess replied dutifully, but made no movement to supply the letter as she normally did. "Excuse me, I will be in my private parlour. Miss Yuuhi, please make the last adjustments as quickly as possible. Tenten, stand still for Miss Yuuhi, if you please."
Without another word, the Duchess walked out of the room leaving Tenten and the seamstress quite astonished at her unconventional behaviour.
Miss Yuuhi recovered quicker and indicated the platform to press Tenten to step back onto it.
"Lady Tenten? Callers will arrive presently and you still need to be dressed in a day's frock..."
Tenten sighed and returned to her place. She had only caught a glimpse of the snow covered grounds through the window. Soon, she knew, the carriage of Mr Inuzuka would follow the path of the castle along with other callers.
She sighed again.
LETTER FROM DUCHESS SORA MORINO of REDWOOD TO ADMIRAL MORINO
How utterly abject! If I could follow our shared instinct, I would tell you to cut off all of their heads and bring them to me. We do need more scarecrows in the countryside. However, there are signs of my late mother all around me in her house, and she would strongly object to such means. I simply cannot abide that we resort to our usual means to handle this turn of events. I would feel the urge to kneel for eternity in the chapel, as God is ever present in this house. Do you finally understand what our daughter has reduced me to by confining us to my mother's house?
I only require one favour from you, Ibiki: Look after Captain Hyuuga. Ask him if he wishes for me to call upon His Majesty as I am certain my uncle would not deny me anything.
I do not care how you feel about him. If not out of consideration, seek him out for our own peace of mind. You must know that for the sakes of our affairs, it would be best if Mr Hyuuga is content with our treatment of him.
All my love,
Sora
LETTER FROM LORD SHIKAMARU TO CAPTAIN NEJI HYUUGA
Neji,
I have just returned from court, and I can barely sit down and write to you with my usual composure. I have given my wife quite a fright. The lands are truly gone in this wretched marriage, there was truly nothing I could do. As you know your title will come with no fortune if the estate is not passed down to you. I always considered the possibility that the lands could be sold, but I thought the Earl too proud and self-righteous to resort to such means.
Your uncle also had the audacity to write to me to let it be known that if you were to give up the title, he would compensate you with a substantial sum. As your future depends more on money than lands at this point, I'm afraid I should do the troublesome thing and advise you to consider this offer. The family of any respectable lady would forgive the lack of land if the funds are substantial enough for a comfortable life.
As always, I remain at your disposal.
Shikamaru
The sea was glowing red when they left the harbour for their last journey.
Captain Neji Hyuuga was at sea leaning over the rail of his ship. He read alternatively Lord Shikamaru and Lady Hinata's letters. They shared the same cruel content: Miss Hanabi Hyuuga married Mr Konohamaru Sarutobi with the Hyuuga estate as dowry. He repeated it to himself, just as he repeated to himself that he never cared for lands.
Neji stumbled back to his cabin.
He never care for lands, he whispered to himself with more strength, in the light of his sole candle, and the sea was silent. He whispered to himself that, while a man was defined by the lands he owned was a universal truth, he regarded lands as dirt. There was the sound of rushing crushing waves incessant buzzing in his head. Dirt, he repeated to himself, burying the heel of his hands in his eyes.
Home, the sound of water countered, silent and dark.
Dirt.
Home.
As long as he had the sea, Neji never considered he may, one day, have no home to return to. No lands, and no home.
Dirt. Dirt. Dirt.
And the sea, it kept dismay, horror and rage at bay.
There was always hope in uncertainty, in silent merciless waves.
He laughed drily, silently, more tremors than humour, as he thought over the Earl's offer. Had it not been enough, he wondered, for his uncle to take the lands? Had it not be enough to deny him a home?
Now, his uncle would come for his title.
Shakily, Neji grazed his rifle leaning back against the wall of his cabin. It was much easier to blame her, and regard the firing the of his gun as the bad omen it now stood for.
His hand curled back, his mind cleared and he sat at his writing table to address two letters, one to his friend and one to his cousin.
LETTER FROM CAPTAIN NEJI HYUUGA TO LORD SHIKAMARU NARA
Shikamaru,
Thank you for your efforts and advice. I understand it is the wisest decision, but I shall decline to abide to it nonetheless. You can tell the Earl I will cherish his title when the natural order of the world will have him watch me from below.
My renewed friendship to you, and my compliment to your lady.
May this letter leave you in better spirits as it is written with the dark humour you have accustomed me to.
Neji
LETTER FROM CAPTAIN NEJI HYUUGA TO LADY HINATA
Lady Hinata,
Do you remember when I left for the Royal Navy? Do you remember that I left enraged? Do you remember it was the night I learnt my father took the Earl's place in the Royal Army? I blamed you. I blamed Miss Hanabi. I blamed our late Grandfather. I blamed the Earl. I was so shackled with grief and rage that I nearly killed my horse as I refused to stop on my way to the harbour where I was to receive my first assignment. Do you remember that you alone stood in the courtyard to see me off, despite the harsh things I said to you? You still called me brother.
I could never call you sister, Lady Hinata, as I don't think I would ever find peace in the ways the Earl has taken me in only to turn me away. I'm haunted by the way your Grandfather instilled in me that I was a servant boy. I'm haunted by the way the Earl carried out this sentence. It pains me to say, but sometimes, I'm haunted by Miss Hanabi and you. I see you standing by the hallway, looking down at me, and not reacting to anything that was said or done to me. They say time heals all. Mayhap what I feel is nothing, but a scar that has reopened too often, and its mark is timeless.
I wished I was strong enough to call you sister, as you choose to call me brother despite how your family treated me. I do not blame you now for what transpired between Lord Sarutobi and the Earl. I do forgive you as I do care for you as a cousin. I do care whether your husband treats you with the kindness you deserve, but I will not call you sister.
Your family has taken everything from me.
If you could find in your heart to understand me, one last time, it would be my honour to visit you when I return from my next assignment in a few weeks time.
Neji
Thank you all for reading and your patience! Hope you're all safe!