DISCLAIMER: Fortunately Shuumatsu no Izetta doesn't belong to me. So all rights are reserved to Ajia-do Animation Works.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: My Muse has decided to let something loose after a long while of being stuck. Hopefully this will be worth the wait. Enjoy.

Rolling Apples

Izetta's time over the last few weeks had been well spent. Not only had Izetta continued to strengthen her upper body but she could also make small steps while gripping onto her guide rails. Izetta had fallen a few times but always managed to pick herself back up after each fall.

Lotte by extension had become a more effective coach in keeping Izetta motivated. The two seemed to motivate each other though the more difficult parts of Izetta's rehab. As it stood Izetta would at least be able to walk with crutches by the time New Years came about. Lotte had also nearly convinced Izetta to let Finé know about the goings on. Lotte expected that Finé would soon find out and so tried to put things in perspective to temper Izetta's desire to keep everything a secret.

"You made it five steps today. That's one more then a few days ago." Lotte praised.

[This is hard work. If I had known it was going to be this hard...] Izetta's pen trailed off for a moment. [… I would have started sooner.]

"Still that's an accomplishment that you shouldn't be so eager to dismiss." Lotte responded.

[Lotte, you're a better coach then I deserve.] Izetta jotted.

"Flattering me will get you nowhere." Lotte said with a giggle. "Have you thought about what I've been telling you lately?"

[About telling Finé?] Izetta wrote.

"Yes, I have a feeling that things might get a little dicey if she were to find out or even when it's revealed." Lotte responded.

[But weren't you the one who suggested that I wait to tell Finé?] Izetta queried.

"I know what I said and I actually didn't mean it that way. I meant to say you should surprise Lady Finé but also let her know what was going on." Lotte said talking herself in a corner.

[You're talking in circles.] Izetta wrote with slight exasperation.

"The truth of the matter is that the burden of this secret is growing with every passing moment. I don't think that Lady Finé will take it in stride. As you know your recovery has been at the center of Lady Finé's thoughts for a very long time. I think that you should tell her and soon." Lotte said as she made her case hoping that she could reach somewhere beyond Izetta's desire for surprise and to her sense.

[No.] Izetta wrote in very curt strokes.

"Why." Lotte responded with a concerned look in her eyes.

[It's too much for me to write. Just know my answer is NO. I will deal with Finé.] Izetta wrote. Clearly Izetta wanted some sort of control over the situation and was unwilling to see reason. Any more overt overtures would cause her to become more angry and chance her shutting down all together.

Rather then risk this but also wanting to get her point across to Izetta, Lotte thought about it as she dropped the issue. Apparently Izetta's stubbornness on the issue would end up hurting more in the long run then helping. And it was not Lotte's place to break Izetta's confidence.

"Very well. I'll drop it. For now." Lotte stated with a bit of annoyance.

Izetta seemed to accept Lotte's momentary calling off the troops as it were and dove immediately back into her rehab. It seemed to Lotte that Izetta was sliding past driven and into obsession. Not exactly sure what to do at the current moment Lotte decided to let things go.

(Landsbrück: Palace: Bianca's office)

"I can't seem to convince her without upsetting her. She's even gone so far as to tell me that she will deal with Lady Finé" Lotte said from the other end of the line.

"Lady Izetta's stubbornness will be the end of us all." Bianca stated as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I guess there's no dodging it then. One of us will have to tell Lady Finé."

"I don't see a way to solve the situation without breaking Lady Izetta's trust." Lotte replied.

Before Bianca could reply there was a knock at the door. Being as the situation was Bianca set the receiver on her desk and prepared for the worst.

"Enter." Bianca stated as one of her officers opened the door.

"Ma'am." The suited officer said as she closed the door.

"What is it?" Bianca asked.

"Ma'am, Her Highness arrived at the airport at the appointed time. But it seems there's been a snag." The officer reported.

"What sort of 'snag'?" Bianca queried.

"Upon making contact with her escort Her Highness commandeered her transport and ordered to be taken to Lady Izetta's cottage" The officer reported.

"... and about how long ago was this?" Bianca managed to ask somehow keeping a straight face.

"About an hour and a half ago. For some reason there is something wrong with the main band radio. It is being looked at as we speak but we only just got the message." The officer stated.

"Dismissed." Bianca said with a bemused look on her face. And after the officer left she picked up the receiver from the desk only to find out that it had been hung up on the other end.

"I know better. I should have just told her before she left. Best to prepare for the fallout now. How could a surprise be so troublesome?" Bianca asked herself with a heavy sigh. Just as she began to think of ways to soften the blow her phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Bianca stated as she put the receiver to her ear.

"Lady Finé arrived a few minutes ago. I think that you should make your way out here." Lotte said with a flat tone.

"What's going on?" Bianca asked with a sense of dread setting in.

"Let's just say there's a battle of wits going on that makes war look like a schoolyard spat." Lotte stated from the other end.

"Oh no. Lotte make yourself scarce and I'll make my way out there as soon as I can." Bianca stated as she hung up the phone and prepared to face the music.