Three: Fracture - Passato Tutte le Bugie, mi Creda -
A/N: I did some research about dukes and archdukes and grand dukes and honestly, it was quite hard merging the fiction from the facts. So if there is any anomaly that you could point out, please do inform me. My research might have been erroneous and inconsistent, especially with the heir to the blah blah title thing. I tried to make the relations as far as possible but still justifiable.
The way he had been was something different.
Not that I don't like it. I just find it very unlikely of him. After the little drama at the jet plane, I knew that something had changed in him. I just couldn't point out where and when.
Until this is over
The words repeated in my head. What if all of this never ended? After all, we're now transported to some rural inn. Take a guess where!
Ta-daa! Germany!
No kidding.
The German dude who knew how to speak Japanese, by some great miracle, led us down the hangar, straight to the blinding white limo outside, and on to a little rural trip until where we were now.
Tsuchiura was standing by the window, arms crossed over his chest and peering out below. Maybe he spotted a cute German chic.
"Will there be anything more?" Spectacles Man asked after a minute. "Huh? Oh, we're going to be fine now. Thanks mister…"
Specs smiled at me. "Rufus Lehrer." He responded then bowed to kiss my hand.
And there goes another grunt from the piano guy back there. I made a mental note to confront him about his unbelievable behavior. "Mr. Lehrer…"
"Rufus will do." He interjected. "Okay, if you insist, Rufus. Tsuchiura and I will be fine here." I said then stood from where I was sitting. "Kindly dial the number 1 if you want to have my services." He added then left.
"Kindly dial the number 1 for my services, huh?" the growling ball kicker said the moment the door gave a cute little thud. "What's the matter with you? You've been acting so different the moment we stepped down the jet. Don't tell me you left your sanity and logical self up in the air." I mocked him, trying to return my old cheery self. After all those declarations given by Rufus, I have to say that I was doing fairly well.
So what exactly did Rufus told me?
"Princess Nami. Wow." Tsuchiura mumbled as he walked on the lush carpeted floors of the room. I cast him a look and waved him off. "You weren't listening well, Tsuchiura. Technically, I'm not a princess. I just happen to be the daughter of the fifth brother of the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg." I said then crawled to the large and fluffy bed. "Whereas, his title is thus granted as Duke of Swabia if ever that is recognized today." I added and narrowed my eyes at him.
"Indeed. Your father is the current Duke of Swabia who also happens to be one of the most influential nobles of Europe, considering that he is the second cousin of the wife of the current Archduke of Bohemia, and is a legitimate heir to the throne of Archduke of Salzburg."
"How did you know that?" I gasped in surprise. "I thought you weren't listening!" I added then threw him a small pillow to which he easily dodged. He wiggled his index finger and clicked his tongue. "Well, you thought wrong. I was listening intently at Lehrer-san's explanation, as a matter of fact." He said with that triumphant glow in his eyes.
"You cheater!' I hissed at him. He looked back at me still with that annoying smug look. "And to actually correct you, you are a princess. Your father is not only a duke. Look at the future title of your father. Indeed, you are a princess, Nami." He said, sitting on the opposite side. I had already assumed a sitting position as well, with our backs now facing each other. We became silent for a while, like we were both absorbing what we had told earlier. I still couldn't believe that I was that lost princess.
How could mother keep this from me? It was only when Rufus had revealed to me my true identity that everything in my childhood made sense. I now knew why every time I celebrated my birthday, Mother would make me do a solo pose. Or where those grand gifts come from. Or why Mother had once taught me about dukes and kings and lands, which obviously did not interest me much.
Heaving a sigh, I fell on my back. "Well at least there's something good that came with everything." I muttered and his low laugh sent me shivers. Huh?
"At least now, you know who you really are."
"Uh-huh. Thanks to that wonderful and failed rescue you gave me."
"Excuse me?" his tone became edgy. I propped myself on one elbow and gave him a look. "I said if it weren't for your failed rescue mission at the-"
"Right. Thank you for calling me a failure, Miss Perfect." He growled. "What's wrong with you? One minute you're okay and then you're not. Are you sick?" I asked, now, sitting up.
"Oh don't worry about me. I'm fine, aside from the fact that I was being called a failure by someone who feels like she's the most perfect creature here on Earth." He grunted, crossing his arms. "I wasn't calling you a failure, Tsuchiura. I was referring to the rescue attempt." I said, his attitude problems starting to sink in. "Seriously, you get worked up one something like this?" I added.
He laughed loudly. "Something like this, you say? Fine, why don't I try calling you a failure? How about 'failed journalist and photographer'?"
"I wasn't calling you a failure! It wasn't you!"
"Or maybe you want this instead: 'failed princess'? Does that sound nice to you?"
"Hey, you're getting way over this matter. If that's what you want, fine, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that." I said, my temper getting high on the bars now. What is wrong with this guy?
"It's always like that. You don't mean it. Have you ever actually said something that you actually mean? Have you ever felt how it is to be called a failure? Do you know how much that means to me?" he growled more and this time, he stood and faced me. The look of rage in his eyes was undeniable. Hell, don't give him any sharp objects.
"As what I have said earlier, I wasn't referring to you when I said 'failed'. When will you ge—"
"Bah, it will surely fall to that, anyway. I'm sure of that." He didn't even let me finish my sentence.
"Will you just stop being so unbelievable? I seriously don't understand you at all now!"
"Right, like you did understand me way back."
"Are we really going to argue over such trivial matter like this?" I asked him, pausing to gather a breath and standing up to be at par with him.
"Trivial or not, you have just taken the pin away, failed princess." He grunted.
That's it. I've had enough. "If you really like being called a failure then maybe I should start calling you failed soccer player or maybe failed pianist." I shot at him.
He groaned and paced the room for a while. "One more word from you and I swear-" And he pointed a finger to me.
"What? Swear what? You'll hurt me? I don't care! Fine, slap me or push me on the floor if that fancies you. Just proves that you really are a failure. Especially with Hino!"
His pacing stopped and he looked at me like he was some deadly predator. "You will not include her in this. Keep her out of this issue." He hissed. "What? You don't like to hear the word failure again? Or is it the fact that what I have said is true that it hurts you so much?"
"Enough!" He bellowed.
"You're a big failure to the human race!"
"Right, thank you very much for clearing that up, Little Miss Perfect Princess. I hope you keep on failing…oh, being the perfect little brat that you are." He said, murder in his eyes.
"You piece of jerk…!" I said then threw another pillow. Again, he had just avoided it like some feather floating on air. We were silent for a while and the tears in my eyes were already forming. Hell, why would I cry over a man like him? My tears deserve more reasons for it to fall.
"My lady?" Mr. Lehrer's voice came in.
"What?" Tsuchiura and I said at the same time. The worried assistant looked at both of us. "I heard shouting and I…" he trailed off when we still looked at him like he wasn't explaining things already. My mind was empty, save for the fact that Tsuchiura and I were fighting for some meager reason.
"Mr. Lehrer, tell this man to get out of my room. Now." I hissed and looked away.
"Mr. Tsuchiu—"
"Don't bother, Mr. Luhrer. I was planning to do so, anyway." He grunted, still with that edgy tone in his voice. I hugged myself and harshly wiped away a tear that fell when he passed by me.
"Show him where his room is." I ordered again just before he completely step out of the room. "Don't bother, Mr. Lehrer. I at least didn't fail in directions." He muttered softly but loud enough for me to hear.
"Mr. Lehrer!" I screeched. I wanted him out and as far away as possible. I dont want to hear him or even see him.
"A-Ah, yes, yes, My Lady! Mr. Tsuchiura, your room is Room 1748. That's about three rooms here to the right—"
"I know how to read numbers." He grunted and stormed away. I was not able to stop my tears from falling and sobbed as I covered my face.
"Milady…?"
"Get out!" I ordered again and thankfully, he obeyed, although reluctantly.