Sorry for being late in the update, but EHI! There's the new chapter!!

Thanks to balletanimerose for the review, and also to Elf3748: i've followed her suggestion and so there is a little revolution in the ff:

"...." for speaks

'.....' for thoughts

Another little point: i use italic for thoughts but also to marked important words in speaks said with a strong emotion. Just to clear all the things. Well then! I want maaaaaany reviews, ok?? Enjoying the new chapter!!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Trigun... sigh... well, if you want to give me Vash or Knives as a present, you're welcome!! XD

CHAPTER 4: AT THE PARTY

-NORMAl POV-

"Hi Knives. How are you?" Legato was on the door. The count Saverem smirked ironically.

"I wouldn't have never imagined that a servant would pissed me off so badly"

Legato lifted up an eyebrown.

"And why are you so pissed off?"

Knives glared at him.

"That...spider..." his voice was trembling with anger "You cannot understand. She's so annoying that i was tempted to kill her in more than one occasion..." Legato was looking him almost amused. Knives exploded, throwning the glass against the wall, and the little object broke into thousand pieces. The count sighed, wiping a hand between his light blonde hair.

"Don't. Don'tlookatmelikethat. It's not amusing, Legato"

"Then why have you made her your personal maid? You're a little masochist, do you know that?"

Knives smirked.

"Fuck you. You're talking about something you don't know a damn thing about"

"But this isn't an answer, Knives" Legato insisted. Knives stayed seriously at him.

"That was her role at Gladstone..."

The young man with blue hair lifted up an eyebrown.

"Are you sure this is the only reason? Didn't you do it because she is a... let's say... a diversion?"

Knives bliked in alarm.

"What are you trying to say?"

"That you've made her your maid because she can distract you. Even fighting against someone can fill your empty life, Knives"

The blonde man stayed at his friend speechless. No. He had asked himself why he had made that spider his personal maid and why he has never dismissed her from her tasks, but that couldn't be the reason. Definitely not that! He was Knives Saverem, and he was not alone because he didn't feel the need of anyone. He didn't need anyone.

"Are you here to speak about that bitch?!"

"No. Do you know Dominique is returned here?" was Legato's answer. For a short moment in Knives' face appared an expression of disbelief, and then confusion. Dominique Bluesummers was returned in England after years she spent studying abroad, and he thought she had to ended her studies yet. But clearly he was wrong...

"When?"

"Two days ago. She's come at my place this morning. I wanted warning you before she comes here"

"What did she say to you?"

The grimace on Legato's face suggested he knew something delicate.

"Her parents... my uncles... want to give a party for her return and all the noble families will be invited"

A smirk of superiority lighted Knives'face.

"I don't see where is the problem" he affirmed, but his noble friend was looking at him with serious eyes.

"When i spoke about the noble families i meant also the Saverem"

Knives didn't say anything staring at Legato, who continued to speak.

"All the Saverem family"

-KNIVES' POV-

Fuck the world! Fuck my family, the Bluesummers and all the parties! How could they invited all my family?! For God's sake, they know everything (and who don't know anything after all the things happened?) and neverthless the Bluesummers invited me and my family!!

Legato was right: Dominique came to me the day after he told me tha awful new, and she asked me to come at her party, and i couldn't refuse. After all she is an old friend of mine... Fuck even the old friends!! I hate the idea to see my brother and my grandmother. And the most terrible thing is that i'll see them tonight.

I was ready to curse them again when a pleasant idea stroke me. My brother would be there. I would be there too. Yes, but not alone.

Not tonight...

-NORMAL POV-

"And so we'll have peace tonight, without him" Meryl was chatting with Milly, who was working on the orchard. The taller girl put three apples into the basket in Meryl's arm.

Milly smiled.

"You seem to hate him"

Meryl's eyes went bigger than ever.

"Hate him?!? Milly, he's a freak! He close me in that hole for two days without food nor water!! He's insane!!" she burst out, not caring of her loud voice. When she saw Milly's afraid expression, Meryl wanted to die.

"Then you'll come with that insane man to the party, spider" the cold and deep voice of Knives Saverem caused shevers to run on her spin. The maid turned slowly, expecting some sort of punishment.

Knives was looking her coldly as a superior being, and that look made Meryl grow in anger.

"Servants can't partecipate, sir" she objected, knowing that she was right and he couldn't replay. But Meryl forgot he was Knives Saverem she was fighting with.

He approached her slowly with resolution and stared into her big, gray eyes.

"One: i'm a master for you, not a sir" he looked with pleasure her lips pressing togheter to prevent herself from replay at that humiliation "Two: i can do whatever i want. Three: i'm the master, you're the servant. I order, you obey. Said this, you'll come with me tonight" he ended with an evil grin on his lips. Meryl couldn't stop herself from cursing him in a low voice.

"Well, then. I'll come with you, master"

The Bluesummers'palace was full of guests that night. They were all members of the most influent families of the United Kingdom and, overdressed in their sumptuous clothes, seemed coming from a fairy-tale. Meryl looked them with discomfort, feeling the unpleasant sensation to be out of her place. She stood in the middle o fthe entrance door, not able to move a single step feeling herself crushed by this tormented sense of insecurity. They seemed so big in comparison with her, meanwhile she was so small... si insignificant...

Two big and warm hands laid on her waist, and Meryl rose her annoyed eyes to the sky. She stiffened when Knives'mouth neared her ear.

"Com'on, my little sweet spider. Move your little sweet spider-legs" he wispered into her ear enjoying every contraction of her muscles.

She was definitely mad at him now; Knives knew that for sure, and he liked it. Meryl obeyed, and suddenly all the eyes were focused at this young woman, clearly coming from a low social class. The maid could almost reading what there was written into those people's forehead, something like ' Woah, a maid here, with the count Saverem?? What a scandal!'.

Meryl was very mad at her master, and she felt she was very near to kill him here, in fronte of all those rich people.

Searching the object of her thoughts she descovered he was no longer behind her and, when Meryl looked around to find that arrogant jerk, she found him speaking with a tall man with blue hair that covered his left eye, meanwhile the other... well, was visible and it schoked Meryl: it was gold!! There was also a young lady who wore a light-yellow clothe with lace. Her dark hair were tidied up her graceful face. And now what was she supposed to do?! That was the reason why she didn't want to go to that party!! She couldn't join them as if she was one of the guests, because she wasn't! That miserable asshole... He projected everything!! That was a way to humiled her!!

Meryl was lost in her thoughts when she noticed that Knives and his friends were looking at two men.

The oldest, who was middle-aged, was a gray-haired man, meanwhile the other was about the same age of Meryl's master, and at the maid's eyes he appeared very dark, with that impression to be damned. His dark hair were picked up in a tail, but some locks were excaped and now they framed his strong features, making darker his olive skin. The two men were speaking, and a young lady just like the younger man except for the sex was listening. The two of them were clearly twins.

Returning her attention to Knives and his little group of friends, Meryl caught a few words of what the man with blue hair was saying.

"It was my uncle. He invited the Blackmore here"

"It isn't my problem Legato. Is my grandmother's" was Knives' reply. His noble friend was going to speak again, when Meryl's master looked finally her, followed by the man and the lady.

"Oh! There is the spider..."

'You goddamn freak!' was Meryl's angrily thought. Knives approached her, followed by the man and the lady.

"Are you having a good time, spider?" he grinned. She looked him suspiciously and opened the mouth to reply, when he spoke again.

"Legato, Dominique... excuse my maid for not bowed to you" his tone was calm, but he was killing her with the look. Meryl throw an angry look to him too, then bowed in front of the three.

"Excuse me Sirs, Miss..." when she looked Knives in the eyes, she knew he was mad at her. That was all he deserved.

"I'm sorry Legato, i've a little headache. Can i go to your room to have some rest?" Knives asked furious. Legato nodded.

"And when Vash'll arrive, please: send him to me. I'm in your roo"- he whispered into his ear. Meryl didn't listen, but she didn't like the look in Knives'eyes and, mostly, she dislike that he moved toward the room dragging her with him.

When they entered the room, Knives let go Meryl's wrist and threw himself on the bad, covering his eyes with the arm. Meryl looked him, waiting for something. When she saw he wasn't going to speak or to do any other thing, she neared him.

"Why did you bring me here, Sir?"

"I've already told you, spider: master" Knives spoke from under his arm. Meryl put her hands on her hips.

"Well, then: why did you bring me here, master?!" she bursted out. Knives suddenly sat down, pointing the index against her.

"Don'tspeaktomelikethat"

"Oh, i'm sorry Sir..." she replied ironically. She wasn't sorry at all.

"Master" he whistled dangerously, but she was stubborn.

With her hands always on her hips, she repeated firmly:

"Sir"

This was enought.

A knock came from the door.

Suddenly Knives caught her thin wrist, attracting her toward him.

To prevent herself from falling into the ground, she helped herself leaning her hands on the bed, between Knives.

But she wasn't prepare to what happened then.

One count's hand was pressed against her back, and it prevented her from excaping; the other was on the back of her neck. She looked him with disbelief, but he was smirking.

'This bastard...'

All her thoughts were cancelled when he closed the distance between them, trapping her in a fierce kiss full of all the anger he was feeling because of her behaviour, but also...

Meryl couldn't believe of what was happening. The idea of that... that... that man kissing her was... was...

She couldn't think clearly, especially when she felt his arms moving, envelopping her into a hug full of... of... of what?!? Well, that seemed passion but damn: that couldn't be!! Knives tried deepening the kiss, but when the maid pressed her lips to prevent him, he pushed her head with more force against his own, forcing her to open the mouth. Suddenly his tongue met Meryl's in a crazily rhythm but in response she put her hands against his chest, interrupting the kiss. Knives was smirking, not even looking at her but at the door instead.

Suddenly an awful doubt stroke her.

'No. God please, no'

She turned to the door and... yes. Vash Saverem was there. With a hurt expression on his handsome face.