This chapter is not complete (it makes up less than half of my original outline for it), but since I haven't posted in a while I figured I may as well post what I do have. I've been busy with exams, but I should have time to post the rest of it in about a week (two, at most).
The Dance of the Butterflies
Part One of Chapter Three
Two Years Ago
As daylight overcame night, the moon lost its brilliant luster. Orange and yellow colored the eastern skies anticipating the sun's waking. But Aoi had no time to admire the rise of a new day. The staff was already clamoring throughout the castle, making haste with preparations for tonight's festivities. The older staff required little direction once she gave them their assignments, but the newer staff fumbled nervously and required her constant attention. Aoi had been nervous herself. It was the first time she had been given an authoritative role.
She knotted her fingers with a plain rubber band as she reviewed the notes on her clipboard. Everything seems to be going according to plan, she noted. So far.
The Electronics Engineer gave the okay on the new lights system and cleared out his team and equipment. Once the hall was given another polishing, Aoi had the temp laborers unload the tables from the moving truck and assemble in the grand hall. After instructing the workers on the layout and assigned another team to set up the specialty tablecloths, dinnerware, and centerpieces, Aoi began setting up the nameplates herself. Before she knew it the sun was beaming through the high ceiling windows like spotlights, and she realized it was nearing eight o'clock.
"Captain! Captain Cardinal!" Aoi called out across the room when she spotted Sakomizu Cardinal make his entrance through the main doors accompanied by two young guards. The captain of the Royal Guards smiled and excused himself from his men as he made his way across the ballroom floor.
"Ah, I see that everything appears to be coming along, Miss Senoh."
"Yes. We're actually running ahead of schedule. "
"Her Majesty will surely be pleased. Mashiro knew what she was doing when she appointed you as a coordinator."
"Thank you," she replied, glowing with a trace of pride. "But there is still one detail I haven't addressed yet. And Queen Mashiro was very specific in instructing that Arika not be involved. Do you think you could spare me a little of your time?"
Cardinal raised a curious brow.
"I take it that this will involve some form of deceit? Perhaps a wild goose chase to detract our naïve young heroine?"
"You make it seem so torrid and dramatic" Aoi commented, laughter ringing in her voice.
"This is the Royal Court of Windbloom," Cardinal replied in bombastic mock authoritative conceit. "Tragic affairs. Political conspiracies. Power struggles. It is but fate that the lives of the nobility be so dramatic and torrid. A fact so well documented in our history books."
Aoi nodded and narrowed her eyes in reflection.
"You agree with me then?"
"Actually, I was thinking that you'd make an excellent school teacher."
She closed the door behind her and crept across the darkened room, illuminated only by the slightest sliver of light that had managed its way through the drawn curtains. As she made her way to the bed, she lithely removed her shoes and crawled her way across the mattress, gingerly making her way to her sleeping queen. Mashiro lay to her side, her warm breath drawing in and out like soft whispers and her lips slightly parted as she chewed on strands of her hair drawn in through the corners of her mouth. Arika tickled the bangs away from the sleeper's eyes and ran a mischievous finger along the bridge of her nose. Mashiro flared her nostrils and rubbed the back of her hand along her nose as she shifted in bed.
Arika stifled a laugh and commenced her play by brushing wisps of Mashiro's hair along her forehead. The sleeper groaned and furrowed her brows in agitation but did not wake. Arika overflowed with giddiness. Unable to contain herself, she ran a finger along the curve of her ear, stroking just soft enough to only tease the minute hairs, but if Mashiro felt it, it certainly didn't register on her sleeping face.
She leaned closer; her lips nearly touch her tender lobe, and blew along the soft flesh. Mashiro's face reddened and her breath momentarily constricted in her throat. Arika grinned with satisfaction. Just a little more…
With a final resolve she sought out her lowest and breathiest voice and in sing-song whispered "Happy Birthday," directly into Mashiro's ear. Perhaps it was the hot moist breath, or maybe the deep rich timber of her contralto voice, but as soon as Arika's voice made it's resonance in her ear, Mashiro bolted up. While she had correctly calculated Mashiro's reaction, Arika had failed to accordingly situate herself, and before she could indulge in her success, her forehead was pummeled by the impact of a tuft of hair as Mashiro sprang forward.
Mashiro was more confused than shocked as her eyes remained unfocused from sleep and she struggled for the coherence of waking. The top of her head ached and her ears rang. It was only after the pain subsided that she realized that she was not alone in her bed. She growled as she became aware of the low whimpers emitting from the human ball beside her.
"Arika," she scowled as she glowered at the moping shadow. "Just what do you think you're doing?"
"I was—I was just trying to…" but she could not explain further. The truth could only serve to bury her deeper in trouble.
Mashiro sighed and pried Arika's arms away from her face. Even in darkness she could make out the tears that glistened down her cheeks.
"You silly girl," she said as she shook her head. Arika lay on her back as her whimpers subsided. A small hiccup escaped her throat and she winced as she was jarred with a slight stab of pain.
"Ah, are you hurt?" As if on cue, she leaned forward for a better inspection of Arika's face, but her depth of vision was impaired in the darkness and her forehead clinked against Arika's, soliciting another cry from the girl lying beneath her. Arika tentatively pressed her hand above the curve of her brow and felt swelling along broken skin. Warm blood had trickled down along the ridge of her brow.
"Let me see," she said as she took Arika's fingers in her hand. Arika stiffened and paled and was grateful for the auspicious darkness. She fought her instinct to recoil from Mashiro's touch, whose hands were like cool velvet. Her sudden anxiety had more to do with the electrifying current of adrenaline that was riding down her nerves. It wasn't so much the contact of flesh between them that put her mind on edge; they touched countless times in any given day without motive or pretense. It was that at this very moment she lay on her back as Mashiro kneeled over her. On the royal bed.
She tried to dismiss the suggestive thoughts that circled the periphery of her mind. With just one glance at the expression of Mashiro's unadulterated face, she knew that the queen was not plagued by the same sort of thoughts. Although she realized that she was reading in too deeply, there was a part of her that wanted Mashiro to look upon her with the same eyes she had for her. As to why, she wasn't sure. She could not give form to the nature of her desire, except to concede that she'd been nurturing it for the last few months.
"I'm okay," she answered, slipping her hand from Mashiro's grasp.
"Arika, let me see," her queen demanded firmly. She leaned in closer for a better look but Arika almost immediately backed away.
Frustrated, Mashiro slid off the bed and made her way across the room and pulled open the curtains. She was startled by the bright light of day and her vision was momentarily blinded in whiteness. She rubbed her eyes and adjusted to the flood of light.
"You're bleeding!" she exclaimed as she noticed the trickle of red lining Arika's brow.
"Yeah, but I'm fine."
"The color is draining from your face," she persisted as she made her way back to the bed and kneeled along the edge of the mattress.
"Didn't I say 'I'm fine' already?" Arika crawled across the bed but Mashiro stopped her before she could climb off. Using the strength of her petite frame, Mashiro pulled her down and rested her head across her lap. Arika's diminishing color was swiftly restored, and her cheeks gave a dazzling glow. Just as she was about to protest further, Mashiro dabbed the hem of her pajama top with moisture from her tongue and swiped it around the cut, careful not to press too hard on the swollen flesh. Arika winced as Mashiro delicately dabbed the blood on the broken skin.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled as Mashiro administered to her wound.
"For what?"
"Your pajamas. They're ruined." She couldn't help but avert her eyes.
"Yes, I suppose. Just don't expect me to wish you a 'Happy Birthday,' okay?" Mashiro replied mockingly in her best haughty spoiled-princess tone. "You're so troublesome."
Arika smiled and stuck out her tongue, enjoying the levity of the mood. Before Mashiro could make some sort of retort, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Sakomizu Cardinal announced himself.
Mashiro permitted his interruption, but made no efforts at her own composure as he entered the room. He was too much like family for the queen to bother with the pretense of formalities. Yet this did not detour his own surprise upon bearing witness to the compromising position of Queen Mashiro and Lady Yumemiya.
Captain Cardinal quickly cleared his throat, effectively drawing away from his own surprise.
"Pardon the interruption, Your Majesty, but I require Lady Yumemiya's audience and services."
Arika lifted her head at the mention of her name.
"Miss Senoh, has already instructed me with the details."
Mashiro rose from the bed, suppressing a smile.
"Yes, please. We have so much that needs to be arranged for tonight."
Arika shifted her gaze between Captain Cardinal and Mashiro and couldn't help but wonder if she had misread the gleam of mischief that seemed to be transmitting between their eyes.
Arika was not commissioned on a wild goose chase as Captain Cardinal has initially speculated. Mashiro would not have stood for it, least of all on their birthday. Instead, Arika had been saddled with the tedious charge of Duke Tate McAllister's security detail. The young Duke had become a common fixture in Windbloom's royal court as of late and had long ago procured his own personal security detail. In fact, up until now Windbloom's royal administration had not bothered concerning itself with Duke McAllister's guard.
"I still don't get why we're doing this. He has his own guards, right?"
The captain laughed. "Arika, you must remember that tonight's ball will also be host to several important guests and figure heads from foreign nations, so security has to be tighter than usual."
Captain Cardinal knew it wasn't altogether a lie. The Queen's Birthday, although celebrated as a national holiday, was also used as a plateau to tighten social politics. With many important men and women gathered in such close proximity, it was always important to take extra security precautions.
"I guess…" But Arika was not entirely convinced. She had not been entirely blind to the Duke's intentions. He'd been dropping by frequently to Windbloom's royal court under the pretense of unofficial business. It had all started not long after Mai Tokiha, Zipang's runaway-princess, introduced the young Duke to the Queen.
"Reparations," Mai had explained elusively to Arika, away from the prying eyes and ears of the court once the young Duke had retired from his first social visit to Windbloom.
"Reparations?"
"I'm making amends. The McAllister's were the ones who had sponsored my enrollment into Garderobe. Being that I didn't fulfill my promise to become Duke Tate's Otome, I figured why not get him on Mashiro's good side, you know?" Mai grinned like a Cheshire cat. "And best of all, everyone wins."
Arika had not been impressed.
"Well, I don't like this," Arika had voiced firmly. After a moment's consideration she glared fiercely at the truant princess. "Wait! Isn't he the guy from all those rumors? The one you were supposed to be all gaga over?"
Mai had only shrugged and replied simply, "I cannot be held responsible for silly romantic tales woven by people with way too much time and imagination on their hands."
But if Mai couldn't be held accountable for spun tales of the legendary "Tragic Meister," Arika certainly held her responsible for the rumors that were circulating in the court and already making their way into the masses. Duke Tate McAllister's visit had become so frequent that there were already murmurs of a possible engagement between the him and Queen Mashiro. Arika was well aware that many of the servants were spreading rumors of romantic liaisons between the nobles.
When she had voiced her anger and concern to Nina Wang, the girl had responded with nonchalance. Am I the only one who objects, she'd wondered as she recalled when Duke McAllister first kissed Mashiro's hand and flashed her his warmest of smiles, Arika was struck with an increasingly ravenous feeling of resentment and anxiety.
"It's not so scandalous for Mashiro to have a suitor. And he's got good credentials, don't you think? I mean, he's a man of titles and powerful connections. And he's beautiful."
Arika had been struck with a wave of disgust. "I guess you really do have a type," she'd snarkily replied, undoubtedly commenting on the Duke's resemblance to Sergay Wang.
"Well, what I don't get is why you have such strong objections," Nina remarked, ignoring Arika's snide comment. "Just what is it Arika? Why do you care so much? Just what is it about Tate McAllister that bothers you so much?"
But even then, Arika could not give an answer.
Author's Note:
I apologize if I appear to be detracting from, or stunting, the progression of the linear plot, but it has been my intention all along to do a retrospective chapter on the development of Arika and Mashiro's relationship. Your thoughts on this matter are welcome. I always welcome constructive criticism. Do expect a multitude of appearances from several Mai-Otome cast members.
Also I was wondering, is my pacing too slow? It is too lethargic?