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The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage
Chapter 19: After the Battle
...
Sachiko truly can't believe herself.
How can she be so stupid?
"It's not your fault" Old Osmond says from behind his desk. "You couldn't have known."
His elbows are positioned on the edge of the desk, his fingers intertwined and his chin resting on them. His words are meant to be soothing, but Sachiko can see the weariness in his eyes, the disappointment, and it makes her gulp and her hands clench in equal measure; what she feels about herself right in that moment not very different from what she can see displayed on his face.
"I still… I should have realized it wasn't normal for her to… to…"
She was lied to, used and manipulated and she didn't realize it until it was too late, until she came back to the academy after celebrating in Tarbes Tristain's first victory in the war and found all the teachers running around in a chaos, and she was called by Mr. Colbert to the principal's office.
And Louis was forbidden from accompanying her.
"I am equally responsible for this, young Sachiko. I was, after all, the one who brought this woman here in the first place, and also the one who trusted her with a key to the Treasure Vault and enough liberty to do what she pleased while inside the academy. That is why I don't fault you for what happened."
"Yes, but still…" they both can't deny she was the catalyst for Miss Longueville, if that is even her real name, to finally take action and steal the staff of destruction; if she didn't teach her how to use it, if only she had been a little more wary of her strange, almost obsessive interest for the staff…
"It is a little worrisome, whatever Miss Longueville would do with the staff now that she knows how to use it" Old Osmond comments, careful but still managing to throw salt over her injuries. Sachiko winces, but says nothing, and just stays still, waiting for him to continue. "Personally, I don't believe she would sell it, but then again, none of us know what is it that Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt usually chooses to do with what she steals."
That name, written in big fat letters across one of the walls of the vault is one Sachiko has heard on passing around Tristania, the palace and even from the students at the academy, but she never paid attention to it. Then again, would it have been any difference if she actually did?
She took advantage of the commotion of the war's announcement and entered the vault without anyone noticing it. She was quick to leave afterwards, but not before leaving a personal taunt, so characteristically of her persona to make sure everyone knew they had been deceived by her, including Sachiko.
The shame is stronger than the anger though, and she's still fighting with the sense of humiliation inside her that Miss Longueville left her with. Because she's supposed to be smarter than this, and yet, she still…
A clap resounds in the empty office. No one else is here except for Old Osmond and her. She jumps a little, startled, and raises her head that she had unconsciously been lowering more and more to peer at him. He has his eyes closed, but he's shaking his head, similar to the way you would see a parent doing with their unruly child.
"Please Sachiko, don't worry about this. We're already handling the problem ourselves. I've sent a group of teachers to track Fouquet's whereabouts, and hopefully we will get results soon."
"In that case, I'll accompany-!"
"No" his voice is resolute, as he opens his eyes and stares at her sternly. "I appreciate your worry and willingness to help, but this is a matter of the academy, and so, it's only fit for the academy to resolve it. Besides" he adds when she wants to protest; "the tracking team has left a few days ago, there's no way we can know where they are right now, and so you joining them is impossible."
"Impossible…" she whispers to herself, almost sardonically.
"Not to count… what would Mr. Vallière think if we suddenly sent his familiar on a mission we cannot tell him about?" upon hearing Louis' name, Sachiko winces. If he knew what happened because of her, he would surely become livid and punish her.
It was supposed to be a time of joy and celebration. There was a war going on but the first battle had been won. Things were looking better for the future. Louis had finally awoken his power and she was in a relationship with Shiro. All in all, the balance should be positive, no?
And yet…
"In any case, I'll let you know of any development with the searching party. You would probably like to be as informed as possible, am I right?"
"Yes, that would be very much appreciated" she nods with a serious expression. Another silence forms between them, with Sachiko biting her lip and glancing down, and Old Osmond just looking at her, feigning disinterest and waiting. "About the staff…"
"Yes?" he prompts softly, knowing exactly what she wants to say.
"Miss L-Fouquet said something about you using it to kill a dragon thirty years ago. If that's true, then I was curious… how did you come across the staff of destruction? And how did you know how to use it?"
The man closes his eyes, letting his hands fall to his sides. He opens them again and leans back on his chair, his eyes not leaving her form as he seems to be contemplating how to begin. "What she said it's the truth. Thirty years ago, while I was travelling through the forests near Gallia, I came across a three-headed dragon. The dragon attacked me, and it was too powerful for me to do anything except try to run. It was in that moment when he appeared, my savior. I would have perished right there if it weren't for him. He had two staffs, and even though he was covered in blood and pretty injured, he used one to kill the dragon. I brought him to the academy and treated his wounds, but to no avail. He died shortly after."
"H-he's dead?!" Sachiko asks; her face pale. Osmond nods.
"Yes. I buried the staff of destruction he used to save me with him in his grave. The other I kept, and named Staff of destruction…"
"And you know how that man came here?"
"No. Up till the very end, he kept repeating the same thing over and over. 'Where am I? I want to go home'. He wouldn't respond to any of my questions, as delirious as he was from his wounds. I never could ask him anything."
"I see…" she looks down, already starting to feel depressed. Why does it feel like she always arrives too late? First with Shiro's great-grandfather, now with Principal Osmond's savior…
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help."
"No, it's alright, thank you for telling me this. Any information I can get about people from my world is very precious" she bows as if to reassert her words. Osmond dismisses her gesture with a wave of the hand. He stands up and walks up to her.
"If there's anything I can do for you, don't doubt to ask" he places a hand on her shoulder and gives a reassuring squeeze. "I might not be able to do much, but I'm an old man. Questions, doubts and explanations, I'll always try my best to use my experience to help you out."
"Yes, thank you" she smiles sincerely, touched. Two seconds later, she yelps, feeling a wandering hand grabbing her behind a little too enthusiastically. "I-I-I-I n-need to leave n-now; L-Louis he… he…" she quickly disentangles herself from him, turning around and running towards the door. She doesn't look back as she shuts it with a loud thump.
Old Osmond looks down at his hand longingly, flexing his fingers; "Ah, such a lively girl. The happiness of being young…"
Defeated, and a little traumatized as well, Sachiko walks around the academy. There are no classes today, apparently because of the festival being held in Tristania, celebrating the victory at Tarbes and the crowning of Henrietta, something that still surprises Sachiko. Thanks to the victory, Henrietta's popularity for leading her country to battle increased exorbitantly, and not only the entire country wanted her to become their queen, but Germania was so impressed with their performance they decided the alliance between their countries could go even without a marriage.
She can see not only students, but teachers and a few members of the staff as well, walking around, enjoying the day or preparing horses to go to Tristania.
She wants to go to the festival as well, but she has no idea what Louis is planning to do for the day. Ever since coming back, he has been withdrawn and curter than ever. Despite spending the last few days in Tarbes, he had barely talked to her or even glanced in her direction, the reason being glaringly obvious.
She should have expected he would find out about her relationship with Shiro sooner or later, but it was pretty much impossible to keep the secret surrounded by the family of the man. Instead of dragging her back to the academy, he had decided to spend his time in the village with them, making acquaintances with the other villagers and giving her the bad eye whenever she so much as crossed eyes with him.
It was some of the most awkward days of her life, and not only because of Louis, but also because of Shiro's parents.
His parents…
"You're a really good woman, Sachiko" his father had said.
"Yes, you saved our village, and for that we're forever grateful. Now, concerning our son… what's your relationship?" his mother asked excitedly, giving Sachiko a cat-like smile. She gulped, really not wanting to answer that question.
"Ahhh, well, you see, we still hadn't, ehm, talk about it" she answered with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of her neck in an anxious manner. It's not a lie, really. In a way, they haven't talked about their relationship in deep, and even though they were together, she thought there were a few loose ends they needed to discuss before deciding anything else.
Shiro's mother simply lifted a hand to her chin, and laughed in a way it reminded Sachiko of those rich obnoxious ladies from anime.
"Why, so there is something going on already. But don't worry, we can wait, that gives us more time to plan the wedding and build a new house and-"
"Dear, you're scaring the poor girl" her husband interrupted, resting his hands on his wife's shoulders. Sachiko gave a sigh of relief, internally thanking the man, until he said something even more disturbing. "Though I'm hoping you don't take that much. We're reaching the age to be grandparents, you know?"
She has to suppress a shudder once the memory comes back to her. She's only seventeen, for crying out loud! How do they expect her t-to marry and h-have children?! The mere thought is enough to make her want to dig a hole and bury herself in it, never to leave ever again!
She's probably exaggerating, but then again, when doesn't she? Her whole life seems to be cemented in dramatics and impulses. They direct her life, and it's thanks to them she is now trapped in this world with no visible way of going back home in the near future.
Shaking her head, she looks up, just in time to prevent a collision against a girl who was rounding the corner at the same time as her. "Ah, sorry, I didn't…"
"So it's you" a high-pitched voice says. With a quick glance she recognizes Louis' cousin, Montmorency, standing with her hands on her hips, a scowl on her face. "I didn't expect to see you around here anymore" she flips her hair to the side, her nose wrinkled, as if she's seeing something disgusting. This causes Sachiko to frown.
"What do you mean by that?" she looks at her again, this time realizing she's not wearing the academy's uniform. A mint green dress with a white ribbon going up the collar makes her attire, and she has to admit that, with the black socks reaching to mid-tight and leather shoes, it actually looks good on her.
The girl scoffs, making Sachiko look at her face. "Jealous? It must be so sad for a familiar like you, being unable to wear such expensive and beautiful clothes."
"I actually own the exact same dress but in salmon" she comments, feeling a bit of satisfaction when she stiffens. "Talking seriously though, what do you mean you didn't expect to see me around anymore?"
"Hmph" she tilts her chin up and closes her eyes, looking haughty. Sachiko patiently waits without batting an eyelash at her display. "After the tricks you pulled with Guiche I was hoping Louis had a little more of common sense and disciplined you harder. At the very least you should be prohibited from leaving his room. Really, he didn't learn anything after firing you that first time, and now even with a noble you had the gall to-!"
"Wait" she raises a hand, stopping her just when she looks ready to yell at her. Her mind tries to process what the freckled girl is saying, but all the conclusions she reaches only leaves her with one question at the end; "what?"
"Don't play dumb! It's obvious you're going after Guiche! Really, I should have seen the signals sooner. Your attempts at separating us and later how you would stick to him like gum… I don't know what kind of trickery you've pulled to make him follow you everywhere and even give you flowers, but listen to me-!"
"Alright, let's make two things clear" she places a hand on her temple; her eyes closed trying in vain to reign in a rising migraine. "One; I would rather chop my hand off and eat it than going out with that guy. No offense if you like him, he's just not my type. Second; I didn't do anything to make him stalk me the way he does, if you have any complains about it talk it out with him. Placing the blame on me will take you nowhere, and really, if you're getting like this even though you two are no longer together, maybe you should reconsider your feelings and think about giving him a second chance. Just saying" she shrugs, before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Now, with this done, I think I saw him loitering around near the water tower. I'll assume you're dressed like this to go to the festival in Tristania. If you hurry, you can catch him and make him take you there. Good luck" she winks at her before leaving, her placid face becoming annoyed the farther she gets away from that girl.
Really, of all the people at the academy, she had to accuse her of trying to seduce Guiche? Guiche?! Ugh, why does everybody seem so keen on traumatizing her today?
Still fuming over this, she makes her way to the kitchens, where she knows Shiro must be. She would normally make her way to Louis' room, but when faced between visiting her boyfriend or going back to her moody master; well… the choice is quite obvious.
She immediately regrets her choice once she is received by hollers and cat-calls from the current working staff.
"Well, look who's finally here" Marteau says with a guffaw. Hands on his hips and a smile that splits his face from ear to ear, he turns to the left and without as much as a greeting from Sachiko, hollers out; "Shiro, come here! Sachiko wants to see you!"
The colors rise to her face, and she's left gasping like a fish out of the water. She tries to deny this, her hands moving frantically in her desperation, but she's ignored, and soon she sees Shiro exiting the storage room, a scowl marking his face as he glowers at the older man.
"Stop yelling, I'm not deaf. And please, try not to embarrass Sachiko, she's barely breathing."
"Oh, please, a little jig never hurt nobody."
"I swear, if you were not my boss…"
"But I am, now leave whatever you were doing and go enjoy the day with our sword here. I'll have someone else do it" both Shiro and Sachiko look astounded by this. Shiro is the first to recover, frowning again.
"Marteau…"
"Come on, no one will care if you take a little time off to be with your girlfriend, isn't that right guys?"
"That's right!" the other staff answers, all with smiles and teasing eyes. Shiro whispers a few choice curses and takes Sachiko's hand, guiding her outside the kitchen. The girl stops blushing at the teases of the servants, and instead begins to blush at the soft but firm contact of Shiro's hand on hers. They arrive at a secluded sector of the academy, a small courtyard with plenty of shadow that has a single bench parked on a corner.
"I'm sorry about that. I have no idea how they found out about us, but they've been insufferable all morning" he sits down on the bench, releasing her hand but leaving her the choice to keep standing or sit with him. She chooses the latter.
"It's alright. I apologize too. I did nothing but stand there, blushing like an idiot…" she hangs her head, laughing in self-mockery. Shiro frowns.
"You're not an idiot, so don't say that."
The silence that follows isn't awkward, but there's a certain tenseness in the air. Sachiko fidgets, playing with her fingers and stealing glances at him every few seconds. After a while, Shiro sighs, turning his body so he's facing her.
"Alright, what is it?"
"Eh? Um, I don't know what…"
"Sachiko, there's something on your mind" he reaches out and gently presses his thumb against her forehead. One of her eyes closes and she looks at him as a small blush begins to spread on her face, again. "It's been there since we were in Tarbes, but you haven't said anything. If something's bothering you, especially if it concerns us, don't hesitate to tell me, ok?"
She swallows when his hand falls back to his side, feeling a bit guilty. So he did notice. She presses her lips in a line as her eyes fall to the ground. "I'm sorry… I didn't want to make you uncomfortable…" she waits for him to intercede, but he only stares at her, waiting. "I was just thinking… now that you know I'm from a different world, well, you understand that our relationship might be a little difficult" she looks at him, but he doesn't seem about to interrupt, and that makes her more nervous than anything. "What I mean to say is; what are the plans for the future? If we actually have a future or…"
"I'm not going to play stud for you Sachiko" he deadpans, taking her by surprise. Her eyes widen and she turns to look at him as a deer caught in headlights, her cheeks immediately gaining color. Shiro seems to realize what he just said, as his face also reddens, and he turns away, biting his lips to keep the shame at bay. "Shit, sorry, that came out wrong. That definitely came out wrong."
"A-A little" she tries to control her shaking, laughing it off as if he hadn't just threw her off with his choice of words. It has to be the first time she hears him talking so… casually. And cursing so much.
"No, listen, what I actually mean is…" he sighs, a hand running through his hair. "If we're going to be in a relationship, I don't plan to be anything but serious with you. If what you want is someone to… pass the time with" he grimaces at his own words, and so does Sachiko; "then we should just forget about this."
"I don't want to play around either" she confesses, her voice a mere whisper, since it embarrasses her talking about such themes out loud. Her ears begin to burn as she feels his eyes completely focused on her, but she can't meet them. "All I'm saying is that someday I might go back to my own world, and when that time comes, what are we going to do about it? I'm not going to abandon my family back at Japan, and you're not going to abandon yours here for my sake" he doesn't say anything, and that's all the confirmation she needs. "So, when that time comes…"
"When that time comes" he interrupts, his voice sounding far away. "Then we'll see. For now we can just… enjoy the moment; go as far as we can go… don't you think?" he looks at her uncertainly. Sachiko sighs.
"The more time passes, the more difficult it will be, and the more it will hurt in the end."
"But just because it might hurt it doesn't mean we shouldn't try it out. You know, by the time you find a way back we might not even be together anymore" he laughs in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I don't know about you, but in my experience being in a couple you should never take anything for granted. Anything can happen. Things can change faster than you expect it."
"Mmm, you're right."
"So" he turns to her again, this time smiling a little more sincerely. "What do you say? Do we go as far as we can?"
She smiles too, twisting her body so she can look at him face to face as well. "Yeah, let's go as far as we can."
They share a small moment, in which they only look at each other with contentment, but not much time passes before Shiro's expression changes to a serious one, and he slowly draws closer to her. Sachiko blinks in surprise, before showing a determined expression and getting closer too. They are about to kiss, their lips just centimeters from each other, when an aura of danger suddenly envelopes them, stopping them in their tracks.
"Sachiko" Louis' voice sounds like it comes directly from the afterlife. She gulps, separating from Shiro and slowly turning to look at him. He's standing in front of them, his face blank but his eyes narrowed, and his hands on his sides forming tight fists.
"Ah, Louis, this is…" why is she trying to justify herself? Shiro is her boyfriend, she can do whatever she wants with him, but something on Louis' posture tells her is better if she chooses her words carefully. On the other hand, Shiro frowns, but refrains from saying something, instead waiting for what Louis wants to say.
"I received an urgent message from the palace. Come with me" and without even sparing a glance at Shiro he turns around, briskly walking away. Sachiko stands up on a panic.
"Wait! Louis!" she looks at Shiro apologetically. "I'm so sorry Shiro, it seems it is important and…"
"Don't worry about it" he gives her a kind smile, although there's a small tic developing on his left eyebrow. "Whatever it is, if it's from the palace you should go. As for Mr. Vallière" he looks behind her, seeing the younger boy waiting with his arms crossed under the archway, watching Sachiko impatiently as he taps his foot; "go before he gets an ulcer or something. And be careful."
Sachiko laughs nervously at his words. Although it's obvious Louis isn't very fond of Shiro, it seems Shiro doesn't particularly like Louis either. But while she can understand a little of Shiro's dislike, as Louis has not exactly been the kindest to him, why Louis doesn't seem to stand Shiro is still a mystery to her.
Maybe he's jealous or something? She immediately discards the notion, finding it ridiculous. If it's jealousy, then it must be the one of a master for his familiar, or a child who doesn't want to share his toys. Yes, that must be it. That's why he's behaving this way lately…
"Sachiko!" Louis yells, startling her.
"Ah, yes, going!" she bows to Shiro before bolting in Louis' direction. While her back is to them, the two men glare at each other in a challenge of who drops their gaze first. Louis does, but only because Sachiko finally arrives at his side, and with a scoff and a raise of his chin, he walks away, Sachiko following.
Shiro rolls his eyes, throwing his head over the seat of the bench, and stares at the blue, cloudless sky.
Sachiko pinches the end of her salmon dress, ironically the exact same she saw Montmorency wearing today, with a pinch of her nose. What were the odds of Louis making her wear it to the palace? Trying to conceal her distaste at this, she turns bored eyes to the two mages in front of her. Henrietta reaches out to hand Louis a piece of parchment. She talks while he reads silently.
"According to some investigations made by my personal guard, a mysterious and powerful dragon attacked and defeated an entire troop of Albion's forces. Not only that; but the light that engulfed and destroyed the Lexington was also said to have appeared near this incredible dragon" when Louis finishes reading, he gives back the report to Henrietta, and she accepts it with a serious expression.
"Now, the strange thing is that, after interrogating some villagers from Tarbes, they told us that the 'dragon' wasn't actually a living creature, but a magical artifact that used to belong to the village and was handed down to a young woman approximately a week ago. A young woman who, they said, was the familiar of a noble studying in the Tristain Academy of Magic" she looks at them, her eyes not faltering a single second. "I think you'll agree with me when I'm saying you two were responsible for that, won't you?"
They remain silent. Louis because he's trying to order his thoughts for what he is about to convey to Henrietta and Sachiko because she doesn't care about the situation at all. She isn't even looking at them anymore, instead, she's curiously gazing at the exquisite design of the room they are in: Henrietta's office.
A big, neat oak desk is sitting in front of a large window with view to the city below. Bookshelves stand at each side, full of tomes, and paintings and other finery hang from the walls, upholstered with an elegant white and pink tapestry. The ceiling too, of an immaculate white, from where a crystal chandelier hangs, shining beautifully with the sunshine, is impressive. In front of Henrietta's desk there are two elegant white armchairs, the same ones they're sitting on right now.
It's not the first time they're there, but it's a first she finds herself more attracted to the room itself than to what the other two are saying. She has a small idea of what they're going to discuss, Louis having briefed her along the way of what he thinks the newly crowded queen might want, and it's not anything that might interest her for the moment.
When she hears Louis taking a deep breath, she knows he's going to explain to Henrietta about the void, and for some reason that makes her uncomfortable. She isn't sure why, if it is because she considers something like this should be kept a secret or because he's trusting Henrietta with such a discovery. She knows they don't have much of an option, considering the young Queen had almost completely figured it out already, but even so, she can't help but feel something bad might come out of this. Apparently so does Louis, as he doesn't look any more thrilled than her when retelling their discoveries from the past few months.
"I see…" Henrietta whispers after Louis' explanation. She has an astonished expression, fidgeting anxiously with her hands atop the desk. "The void… seems like it wasn't only a legend" she gives a soft chuckle. Louis nods, gazing away in embarrassment. "There's no way I can thank you enough."
The sudden comment surprise both Louis and Sachiko, as they look at Henrietta in astonishment. Louis shakes his head vehemently.
"No, Your Majesty, please don't. I just did what I had to-"
"Louis, I told you time and time again to just call me Henrietta" the young woman interrupts, before heaving a sigh. "And honestly, I do have to thank you. Don't you realize that without your help we would have been defeated? The Lexington carried the greatest threat in the entire field, and once it sunk, not only their forces but Albion's moral decreased extraordinarily, allowing us to claim the victory" she explains solemnly. She stands up and circles the desk until she's in front of Louis. With a swift movement, she holds his hands in hers, and looks at him gratefully. "So I'm sorry I can't bestow upon you anything for this heroic deed you have done. You understand it would be better for you if nobody knows of your immense power, right?"
Against the odds, Louis' face turns bright red. Sachiko's eyes widen at the sight, and her mouth opens slightly in surprise. Why is he blushing? What the heck?!
"I… I know Henrietta. I'm not asking for anything in return. I'm just happy I was able to defend my country" the queen smiles softly at this.
"I'm glad."
What's with them? How much longer do they intend to be like that? Sachiko thinks; feeling irritated for some reason. And thank you for your consideration, your majesty, I sure as hell enjoyed flying to battle and killing dragons, so no need to do a fuss about it. It isn't that she wants recognition or anything; it just bothers her all the attention Henrietta is giving Louis. Why though?
Then suddenly, Henrietta releases Louis' hands and turns to look at Sachiko. The black-haired girl is taken aback, immediately turning red at realizing the kind of thoughts she was having were very close to what one might call jealousy.
"To you too, kind familiar, I'm indebted" she goes back to her end of the desk and rummages through the drawers. "Though I cannot give you a proper reward, I hope you can accept this" she puts a small bag in her hands. Sachiko looks at it, curious, and Henrietta smiles before turning to Louis. "Also, to you Louis, though I don't like the idea of you using your powers, I have a big favor to ask of you, and that is to help me during this war, granting me your strength" Louis raises his eyebrows, surprised, but Henrietta doesn't falter. "You can think about it, but I would be really grateful if you accept. Being a court member already you can come and go from the palace as you wish, but with what I have in mind you'll need more authority in order to be able to help me more thoroughly. Therefore, if you could inform me of your decision as soon as…"
"Henrietta" Louis interrupts, silencing her immediately. "I am a noble of Tristain. If her majesty is asking me to help her during this crisis, I'll be more than happy to be of use for her and the country. This power I have…" he looks down at his lap, at his hand that clenches slightly over the fabric of his pants; "God gave it to me for a reason. After being ridiculed all my life, I believe in what I can do now."
Henrietta blinks, and a second later a warm smile spreads across her face. She sits down on her desk again and takes out parchment and ink. After writing something down for a few minutes, she stamps her personal seal on a corner of the paper and hands it to Louis, who accepts it gladly. "I grant you this royal permission then. With it, you'll have supreme authority over everything, even the police. You'll be able to act in my name whenever the situation needs it." Louis bows his head. "Very well, then take the Founder's Prayer Book with you, since you are a user of the void, it rightfully belongs to you, but promise me something" she looks at him with a concerned expression. Louis put on a serious face, and nods. "Don't use this power recklessly. Mother always says that great power can drive people mad, so please, be careful."
"I will" he gives her another bow, and after taking the book with him, leaves the room. Sachiko lingers for a little bit more, making Henrietta give her a questioning look.
"With great power comes great responsibility" she says, her voice calm, but the young Queen knows she's barely restraining another emotion she can't identify. "I don't know what you're planning to do, but you better heed your own advice first, your majesty" she pronounces the last words with an edge, catching the young queen off guard. Sachiko stands up and, with a bow, leaves the room, her expression hard as something distasteful seems to slowly brew in her stomach.
Going down the palace's staircase, Sachiko looks at the ground, frowning. She's trying to make sense of her jumbled feelings. Why did she react like that with Henrietta? Why is she so mad? She raises her eyes and glances at Louis. Her chest constricts upon looking at his back, and she presses her lips, disturbed. In more than one occasion he told her how he didn't trust Henrietta as he used to, and in some sense she understands why he told her about the void and even why he accepted to be an active part of the war, but still, can't he see what that means for her?
Suddenly, Louis stops. Sachiko eyes him curiously, waiting for his next action, standing behind him with her arms crossed. He speaks in a soft voice, almost a whisper, and the young girl has to struggle to comprehend his words.
"…leave" he says. Sachiko blinks.
"Alright, if that's what you want" she shrugs, stepping aside and continuing forward. She knows he actually doesn't mean that, but thinks it would be appropriate to tease him a little for not saying out loud what he wants to tell her. She's right, and before she can take another step, she feels him grabbing her wrist harshly. She hisses at the pain; he never knows how to control his strength; and turns to look at him. "What?" she asks plainly.
"I said; you cannot leave" he repeats, this time louder and with his eyes shining in newfound anger. Sachiko rolls her eyes.
"Leave? Where to?" she plays dumb. Louis growls.
"To the east! As long as this war rages on and Queen Henrietta needs me, you'll stay here, helping me, you understand that much, don't you?" he asks derisively. Her lower lip quivers, understanding too much. She takes her hand back with a huff.
"Obviously. You're just being an idiot like always, so I thought I might ignore you a bit, that's all" she responds, turning her head away. The young boy narrows his eyes.
"Stop playing around, this is not a game! A war is something serious!"
"I think I can understand that much" she puffs her cheeks, crossing her arms. "I'm just surprised. You don't trust Henrietta, and yet you willingly told her everything about your power and readily accepted to help in a war. I'm wondering if you are the one who's playing around."
The last sentence is like a slap to the face. Louis takes it personally as he first opens his eyes in incredulity and then narrows them, completely livid.
"What the hell? Are you even listening to what you're saying?! What do you know about anything?! I am a noble of Tristain! Regardless of what I personally think of Henrietta do you actually believe I would keep my power a secret from my queen?! That I would refuse to defend my country?!"
"That's not what I meant…" she says firmly, but her voice is small when compared to his anger.
"Since I've been given this power, there's something I can do now to help out, so of course I'm going to accept participating! To think you would doubt that or tell me I'm playing around is inexcusable! When you are the one who had been behaving-!" he cuts himself before he can say more, realizing where his words are leading him. Unfortunately, Sachiko notices too.
"When I'm the one to what?" she raises her voice slightly. Instead of answering, Louis raises his chin and tries to walk past her, but she grabs his arm, her hold incredibly strong against him, so much that he has to suppress a wince. "What were you going to say Louis?" she challenges.
Louis scoffs, feigning annoyance, even though inside there's nervousness accumulating in his gut. "It doesn't matter. It was just-"
"It does matter" she cuts him, releasing him. Louis doesn't rub his arm to soothe the pain she left out of pride, even though he wants to. "I want to know."
What does she want him to tell her? That he has been wallowing in anger and frustration for the past three days? That the sight of her after finding out she's going out with that servant makes him so irritated he actually has to hold back from physically lashing out at her? That, once again, he feels like nothing, like he's never good enough, that there's someone who's better than him again?
No, he can't, he won't fall so low as to tell her it's not only duty what compels him to accept Henrietta's request, but his own desire to feel fulfilled. That now that he has this power and is needed a small part of him feels full, as little as it is.
So instead he says; "a familiar like you doesn't need to know the reasons behind his master's decisions, and has no right to question or demand anything. If I order you to do something, you will do it, and if I don't want to tell you something, I won't."
Sachiko's eyes widen; incredulity and hurt displayed clearly in them, so much Louis immediately regrets his words, but before he can say anything, she lowers her head, her bangs hanging and covering her eyes, her body trembling.
Her voice the coldest he has ever heard from her.
"You think I don't know that?" she laughs, even though there's no real joy behind it. Louis winces, but is unable to say anything as she continues, and he can't bring himself to interrupt her. "Because I do, 'Mr. I am a powerful void user'. You want to help? Good. You want to serve your little Queen? Good. You want to run head first into this war? Even better!" her tone is escalating the more she talks. "But you forget something important, Louis François" she raises her head, her eyes moist and tears threatening to come out of them, and thrusts an accusative finger at his chest. Louis takes a step back, taken aback by the cold anger in her features. "I am not from this world; I don't have to care about what happens to this stupid country or that beloved Queen of yours, and if I stay here or not it's my decision and mine only. Doesn't matter if you're my master or we have a contract or whatever, if I want to leave, I will, and there's nothing you can do to stop me and even less to force me to take part in this war, got it?!"
She practically screams her last words. With a huff and a swift turn of her heels, she stomps off, her hair swaying with every step she makes. Louis blinks, his jaw slack and eyes wide, before her words finally settle in his mind. He gulps and sprints after her, trying to catch up with her. He's stunned, his heart not deciding which emotion he should manifest first; if anger, sorrow, sadness or pity, but he knows he has to talk to her, say something before… before…
He loses her. The crowds are even bigger than usual, due to the prolonged celebration in Tristania for their victory in Tarbes and subsequent coronation of Queen Henrietta. He curses under his breath, anger taking its normal place in his foggy mind. Where is she planning to go, anyway? The only way to go back to the academy is by horse, and theirs is in the stables… unless she plans to leave without him. She wouldn't do that, right?
"I'll kill her if she does that!" he shouts, attracting a few eyes, but he ignores them, running as fast as he can to the city stables. He's in such a hurry, that he doesn't see a group of three drunken soldiers just ahead of him, and unceremoniously bumps into one of them. "Ugh, get off my way!" he yells, pushing past the man, however, the soldier isn't happy at all with this, and faster than Louis thought a drunk man like him could, he seizes him by the arm and roughly pulls him back.
"I think you wanted to say 'sorry'" the man says in a drawl. Louis looks up at him. He's big, muscled and with a scar crossing his left eye. He's certainly intimidating, but Louis has never been one to be scared of big guys, so not seeing a great threat, he does what he's best at: snap.
"No, I said 'get off my way', and I'm serious. Let me go if you don't want to suffer the consequences" he warns, trying to get away, but the grip in his arm just becomes tighter.
"Seems like someone needs to be educated" the man says in a low growl.
"Ehm, Joshua, he's a noble" one of his other two friends suddenly points out. The man called Joshua stares Louis down, eyeing his black cloak and the pentagram of nobility. Louis bares his teeth in anger, waiting for the man to either release him or…
"So what?" the man says with a snort, surprising his comrades but not Louis, who already saw this possibility, seeing how drunk the man is. "We're celebrating today! Nobles, soldiers, who cares? Listen here brat, I am a soldier having a bit of fun after a long battle, the likes of you probably never stepped into a battlefield before, so you should be more respectful because-"
"Likes of-!" How dare he say something like that? If it wasn't for him, he and his stupid friends would probably be dead somewhere, without honor or glory! "Oh, you'll have it now, you grotesque an-"
"What's going on here?" a cold voice cuts their argument. They turn around, seeing the frowning face of a black-haired woman who Louis immediately recognizes. He opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by the brute still holding his arm.
"What do we have here? Young lady, do you wish to accompany us for a drink?" he tries to ask smoothly, failing miserably but not realizing it due to his drunken state. The other two immediately fawn over her as well, making Louis' blood boil from rage. He takes advantage of their distraction and yanks his wrist free, before kicking Joshua harshly on the shins. He hisses in pain, looking at the young boy with his eyes seething. "Brat, now you-!"
"He's with me" Sachiko puts an arm in front of Louis, stopping them before they could end up in a street fight. "I strongly recommend you to leave us alone, I don't want to make a scene" she narrows her eyes, touching Derflinger's hilt with her left hand. She feels the now usual burst of energy going through her body, and bares her teeth on instinct.
The drunken soldier looks at her for what feels like an eternity. The logical part of his mind is telling him she's simply bluffing; a little girl like her would never have a chance against three trained soldiers like them, however, there is another part, a more primitive one that screams at him to just leave because he can't possibly win against her. He narrows his eyes, before snorting and turning away.
"Whatever, let's go guys" he says to his comrades. The other two, also feeling the menacing aura drifting off the girl, follow him, and soon after only Sachiko and Louis remain. She sighs; relieved she needn't do anything, before turning and looking at Louis with renew anger.
"Five minutes! I leave you alone for five minutes and this happens?!" she yells, positioning her hands on her hips. Louis frowns and takes a step forward, eyeing her defiantly.
"I was looking for you! What is your problem, really? You stomped off, leaving me behind, and then you yell at me for something I cannot control?"
"That's beyond the point! I wanted you to have time to think about my words, and I wanted to calm myself a little. You could have simply stay there or walk around without causing trouble, but no, first thing you do is catch a fight with some random drunkard!" by that moment, people around them are watching them curiously, their voices being loud enough for them to hear. They don't seem to realize this, though, because they keep arguing nonetheless.
"Don't you even dare blame me for anything! It is you who exploded all of a sudden! Saying you will go no matter what I say. You're supposed to listen to me!" he retorts, his voice acquiring a desperate tone Sachiko thinks is just part of her imagination. She rolls her eyes.
"Listen to you? Louis, please, I have my own life, in case you hadn't notice. Like I said back there, I don't have to care for anything that happens here, I am free to go wherever I want because it's my life and I'm the one who has to live it! Not you, not the Queen, not any citizen of this country, but me" she looks at the ground, biting her lip with a pained expression. "You can't just expect to order me to stay and that I'll do that happily. If I do it, I want it to be my decision, ok?" she says, her voice considerably lower than before.
Louis blinks, not expecting that come back at all. He stares at her, her eyes seemingly watery and her face flushed, and he can't stop himself from blushing as well. Was it strange that he wanted to hold her so badly? He sighs, analyzing her words and coming to the conclusion that she's right. She is his familiar, true, but she's also a human being, capable of making her own decisions. He feels the guilt constraining his chest getting stronger, and with a shuddery breath, says:
"Sachiko, please stay" the girl blinks, and looks at him, surprised. He has to gaze away; otherwise he doesn't know if he can do this. "You can go back home after all of this is done, but for the time being, please… stay" there, I said it, now please; just accept he begs in his mind, refusing to make eye contact with the girl in front of him.
Sachiko is stunned. Her jaw hangs open and her eyes are wide. She didn't expect Louis, the commanding and overbearing Louis to actually ask her to stay, and not only that, but he did it nicely. Of course she's going to stay, she can't simply leave everyone she cares about here, while a war is waging, and less leave Louis, who will surely participate and be in the front lines, unprotected while she's elsewhere peacefully looking for a way home. She had said all that back in the palace to get a rise out of him, she didn't think it would work. And now that it has, she's at a loss for words.
She gulps, trying to ignore the pounding in her ears from her racing heart. It's so loud she can barely think. Her palms are sweaty and her face is bright red. Hearing Louis asking her to stay… is making her feel fuzzy. And she doesn't like this. Why is she feeling like this, really?
After a few minutes pass with nothing but silence filling in the emptiness, Sachiko finally decides to speak: "Yes" her voice is a mere whisper. Louis slowly looks up, his own heart pounding. "I-I'll stay" she says, gazing away. He blinks, before nodding.
"Good, that's… thanks."
Silence. And then…
"Are they going to kiss mommy?" a little girl asks her mother. That comment snaps the two youngsters from their stupor, and they immediately look around, realizing the ring of people surrounding them, all of them staring intently at them and the scene that had just taken place. To say they're embarrassed would be an understatement.
"Yeah, kiss her!" a man on the back prompts. It doesn't take long for the rest to nod in agreement, and in almost no time at all they're all applauding, singing a mantra of 'kiss, kiss, kiss'.
"Let's get out of here" Louis whispers, his blush augmenting by the second. Sachiko nods, her face as red as his, and they run off as quickly as they can, leaving a not so pleased crowd behind. When they are far enough, they stop, catching their breaths and still not looking at each other. They stay there, in silence, trying not to think about what had just transpired, not only with the crowd but between them. Not being able to bear the silence longer though, Louis clears his throat.
"Well, that was, ehem, what did Henrietta give you?" he quickly changes the subject, something Sachiko is grateful for.
"Ah, I didn't see…" she takes out the heavy bag from before and opens it. For a moment she's stunned, seeing so many golden coins inside it. She wonders how she didn't suspect it before, considering the weight and tinkling sound it produced…
"Wow" Louis whistles. "There should be at least a thousand écu in here" he says, taking out a single coin.
"A thousand… is that a lot?"
"Enough to maintain a family of five for half a year" he shrugs, returning the coin. "So… are you going to use it?"
"I guess, I mean, I don't know exactly how much an écu is worth in my country's currency but… money is to be expended, right?" she asks with a shy smile.
"Sure. I can help you if you want. And since we're in a fair, you might find something you like" he says, gesturing around them. Sachiko nods; feeling excited all of a sudden. She needs new clothes after all. Too many dresses, too little of what she actually likes.
They walk around for a little bit, seeing the stands and commenting on their products and prices. Louis is indicating her how much an object normally costs, whispering under his breath so the sellers won't hear them, and Sachiko is having a difficult time concentrating due to him being so close she can feel his breath on her ear. It's not that she's attracted; she reasons with herself, she would react the same way with any other boy, being as unaccustomed to them as she is.
"You're not listening" the impatient voice of Louis snaps her back to reality. She jumps up, startled, and turns to look at him with a bashful expression.
"N-no, I am, I swear, it's just…" she fumbles with the words, trying at all costs not to cause another fight between them now that they are at peace, when something catches her eyes. She gasps, automatically walking to one of the stands, or rather, a spread carpet in the ground where there are a few objects in display. Probably clothes and other utilities rescued from the battlefield that used to belong to Albion, seeing how torn or dirty some of them are. Not listening to Louis calling to her, she eyes the sailor uniform, and asks the merchant the price.
"Why do you want an Albionian marine uniform? If you want clothes, then-" he tries to say, but she's not listening.
"I'll give you three for one écu" the seller says. Louis frowns. That's a bit expensive for something so…
"Deal" and of course the idiot accepts. He sighs exasperatedly while she pays the price and takes the uniforms with her, all the while smiling in that goofy way she has. Well, if she's happy… he thinks at the end. That doesn't stop him from giving her a lecture about being more responsible with her money, though.