Creation's Lament Chapter Nine: The Delightful Dance
Yuki's plan was working beautifully. Using a secret entrance, Baron and Muta were able to integrate themselves into the entertainers circle without causing attention. Baron picked out a black outfit with spiked edging and a blue-green cape from the bulging wardrobe set up for the entertainers. The cat duo wore matching metal masks, since Muta was too large for any of the outfits (except for a certain collar and leash, but Baron politely ignored them). Yuki hadn't told them what their act should be in order to get close to Haru, trusting that they would figure out something by themselves. Baron's mind was still working on possibilities while the entertainers were being led from their private wing to the banquet hall.
An obnoxious brown cat with red marks on his cheeks announced the prince and his fiancée to modest applause. From the royal curtain behind the royal table, Lune and Yuki appeared in matching blue, carefully keeping their eyes away from the Cat Bureau to avoid blowing the plan's cover. They settled themselves into two of the four chairs at the highest table as the nasal-voiced cat coughed again.
"His majesty the Cat King with his fiancée, Miss Haru."
The other guests made sure to make their ruler's applause louder than that of his heir. Then the red curtain parted.
If Baron had been any other cat, his jaw would have dropped at first seeing the Creation that could have been made just to be his mate. As things were, he just stared at her.
Haru was beautiful; almost looking like a chocolate cat cookie with sugar pink icing. She had a few more human features than he did, since her eyes were rounded and she had longer head fur that was a darker brown than the fur on her face and arms.
The one thing wrong with her was the empty look on her face, her warm caramel eyes sad and unseeing as the King helped her into the seat farthest from his son, placing himself firmly between her and her friends. She neatly placed her gloved hands into her lap, and lowered her gaze to the raw fish placed in front of her, obviously reluctant to even touch it. Baron's heart nearly broke, seeing her so miserable. To his side, he could hear Muta chuckling darkly. The orange cat sharply dug his elbow into the white one's side to avoid unwanted attention.
The Cat King leaned back in his chair, a smug grin on his face as he gazed at the brown cat at his side.
"How about some entertainment?"
A purple robed cat at the side of his chair bowed low, and gave the signal to the red-cheeked cat, who gestured for one of the acts to come forward. Muta almost took a step, stopping when Baron raised an arm to block him.
"Not yet," he whispered, still looking at the Creation in pink.
Three cats wearing summer kimonos came forward instead, and performed a tricky act balancing balls with umbrellas. All the guests enjoyed it immensely, but Haru's eyes were still distant and unseeing. Her hands stayed folded, possibly not noticing the acrobats in front of her. The king was not pleased by her indifference, and ordered something better.
Another cat threw some squid daggers at his partner while she was strapped to a table. After accidentally cutting off her shirt, the dagger-thrower was forced to take a nose dive out a window. A pink cat tried his luck with imitating different animals, but Haru still wasn't paying attention. One of the Italian cats laughed before the future queen did, earning him a one-way ticket out the same window.
With slightly wild eyes, the Cat King leaned over and whispered sharply to Haru. Her eyes unclouded slightly and she struggled to focus her attention on the pink cat strutting in front of them. She didn't laugh when he pulled a funny elephant face for her, depression still hanging over the Creation like a dark cloud. The king stood tall on his hind feet.
"Whoever's next better not stink, got it?!"
All the cats gasped, knowing it was never good to be on their monarch's bad side. The entertainers that hadn't gone yet began to step back slowly. Baron locked eyes with Muta and nodded. The two cats walked slowly up to the front table, Haru already lost in her own world. Baron addressed the king.
"Your majesty, I promise that we will make the young lady smile." He decided not to raise a big issue over her age, since she was probably still young in spirit like he and Toto were. The Cat King scratched his whiskers sulkily.
"You're welcome to try."
The cat doll smiled, bowed, and walked in front of Haru while Muta wondered what he was supposed to do.
"Excuse me, would you care to dance?"
All the cats gasped, remembering what had happened last time. The prince put one paw to his legs, the throbbing beginning to return as Yuki patted his other one comfortingly. The brown cat laughed lightly, still not looking up at him.
"In case you haven't heard, I'm a meowsy dancer. Lune still has bruises from the last time I walked onto a dance floor."
Baron's gaze sharpened slightly as he held out his hand.
'Just trust me.'
Haru hadn't heard him say it out loud; it was in her head. She looked up, surprised. His mint green gaze entranced her as the confirmation came that he was a Creation as well. She had forgotten that her kind could communicate with their thoughts alone. Her eyes widened slightly as the king stood up. Yuki and Lune held their breath, knowing who the masked cat was.
"Do you have a death wish or something? 'Cause Haru here-" he cut off, stunned when she placed her hand with the entertainer's. She didn't even look at her fiancée as the cat led her around the table.
"I gave him warning." She had to try extra hard to keep her eyes and expression bored, but questions were spiraling around inside her mind. When the musicians refused to play, fearing for the orange cat's life, the huge cat walked over and stole an accordion to start a soft ballad. Her eyes flicked toward the white cat, remembering what Toto had told her, and then focused on the butterscotch and vanilla cat as he placed his other hand on her waist. He started guiding her in a slow circle around the dance floor, keeping her feet too busy to kick him.
'You're Baron, aren't you?'
He smiled and turned her around again. The cats stared in amazement, noting her fluid movements under the strange feline's guidance.
'That's correct. I hear you're in quite a predicament.'
She bit back a laugh.
'You could say that. Are you going to try to help me?'
He cocked his head and twirled her around, making the skirt flare a bit.
'Do you want to be helped?'
She sighed.
'More than anything, but I gave my word to marry that dirty old cat. And if I don't, he'll punish Lune and Yuki for trying to help me leave.'
His gaze sharpened angrily as he led her through a dip.
'So you're making a King act respectably to his own son and future daughter-in-law?'
'Yes. Kind of sad that he needs incentive, isn't it? My only consolation right now is that I'll have a front row seat at his funeral.'
Baron fought the urge to turn and glare at the king as he danced with Haru.
'Are you aware that what he's planning to do with you is forbidden?'
She quirked an eyebrow as he twirled her around again.
'I knew that it was highly inadvisable, which is why I had been turning him down before he threatened Toto and Lune. Either way, I doubt he'll listen to reason. That skull of his is so thick it could take down a sledgehammer without a scratch to his scalp.'
Baron struggled to keep his face straight, the urge to laugh taking over his body. He regained control of himself.
'If I crack the skull and get him to listen, would you consider coming back to the Refuge with me? You seem to have quite a knack for sticking your nose into other's problems, and your help at the Bureau would be greatly appreciated.'
Her eyes widened, but she didn't take long to answer.
'If you can get me out of this in a way that Lune and Yuki will be safe, I'd be more than happy to.' She bit back a giggle. 'Man, you're even cooler than Toto said you were.'
That was the first time in the eighty-seven years of Baron's life that he blushed, turning his fur a deep red-orange. Too bad the wrong person noticed it.