Romeo and Cinderella: Noncest Version

Chapter 4 Never Bring a Lantern

We crept down into the foyer.

"I think it would be a good idea if I escorted you there," Luka suggested, "considering last time I let you out alone you nearly got murdered."

I was about to protest when I realized that Luka was probably right, and not going out alone wouldn't be a bad plan.

"I'll take you to the wall," she continued. "There are a lot of guards around there so if you get caught you'll be pretty much screwed. And if the guards don't kill you—" she cut off and gave me a hard stare. "I will." That was her version of saying "be careful".

She started for the door, taking my wrist and dragging me a bit. "Wait," I intervened suddenly. "Don't we need some sort of light? Like a lantern?"

"No," she replied stone cold. "Then they'd see us for sure. Plus, there's no telling what kind of scum lies around at this time of night. We can't be spotted."

It seemed weird to be thinking about the scum of the town and not bringing a lantern. But I guess it made sense in some way. Luka had more street smarts than I did. She must have had a harder background than mine.

We made our way silently out the door and into the all too quiet town. I felt like a radical, breaking so many rules, until I realized that I was. It was somewhat thrilling to go out into the dark, especially for a noble like me who scarcely got out of the house. The marketplace was stone cold with hardly any sign that people ever inhabited it. It was hard to see.

At the end of the street was a lit lamp. Due to the damp, cold conditions, the fire barely flickered brighter than the surrounding black night, though it still managed to cast eerie shadows. However, Luka didn't seem fazed by anything. In fact, it was rather strange how she sped through each twist and turn. How could she know where she was going?

She stopped at the narrow alleyway that led straight to Len's secret garden. Without a sound she gestured for me to go on and started turning to go her own way. I looked around warily and started to slide in between the two walls. My heart stopped when I saw the light of a lantern on the east side get closer. I tried my hardest not to make a sound as I continued. Only a few more meters were left. Then, the lantern was inside the alleyway, soon to be followed by a hand. All of a sudden, someone grabbed my arm and towed me into the open space. My heart was pounding. I looked over to a pair of familiar emerald eyes and I relaxed.

"Hi," I said to Len, blushing.

He smirked at me. "Hi," he replied.

"I never really got to tell you properly earlier," I started, "how grateful I am… that you saved me. So, thank you." I felt my face heat up even warmer than it was already.

"I should thank you," was his answer. "You were the one who saved me. I was a dead man." "So," he continued, "thank you." His smile made me melt inside. I wasn't sure what it was, but something was driving my fascination of him. Without thinking I touched his face. It was soft.

"You have soft skin," I remarked, oblivious to my own actions.

Len chuckled. "Thank you."

I realized that I had a hand on his face. "Oh!" I yipped. "Sorry. I didn't realize… I…"

He smiled and caressed my face. "It's fine." He bent down and kissed my cheek. Then, he became alert. He straightened out and pursed his lips at the uncovered gauze on my throat. "Meet me again tomorrow," he came out suddenly, "same time." He grinned with his eyes. "I have to go." Len turned and left me dumbstruck in the cold, green garden.

.

Luka's knock on the door woke me up that morning. I rubbed my eyes drowsily as she stepped inside. She seemed to have a worried vibe about her. How surprising.

"What's wrong?" I asked groggily.

"I'm just a little anxious," she answered. "I don't think you should meet up with Len anymore."

That woke me up. My eyes widened a bit and I sat up. "Why not? I've barely gotten to know him yet," I argued.

Luka sighed. "And I think it would be better if you kept it that way. You're engaged for crying out loud!"

"I don't care," I replied stubbornly. "I can't stay away from him. There's just this… interest that drives me back to him."

"I still don't think—"

I cut her off. "You weren't against it yesterday! Why do you have to go and change your mind all of a sudden?" A part somewhere inside me didn't dislike this argument. Luka was like the constitutional mother I never had, and that somehow made me happy when I argued with her. I could never speak my mind around my real mother.

Luka was taken aback. "I… I..." She couldn't think of anything to say. "Let's just get ready for Mass." I had forgotten that today was a Sunday, and, like all Roman Catholics of the eighteenth century, we had church.

"Yes," I agreed. "Let us get ready."

I chose something random from my closet. I never dressed up for church more than I dressed up for any other day. I happened to grab one of the nicer pieces, a yellow silk gown. Luka laced up my back. I tugged at the sleeves that flared out at my wrists and jostled the flowing skirt. This dress would be fun to dance in. I smiled.

.

Mass was uneventful as always. Besides, my mind was constantly wandering through the night to come. Great distraction.

It was lunchtime when we returned. As usual, we were to have a family Sunday lunch. Being the hungry monster that I was, I walked into the dining hall only to nearly walk right back out at the sight of an unwelcome head of blue hair. Kaito stood and walked over to address me.

"Lady Rin!" he greeted. "It's a great pleasure to see you again."

I beamed. "You as well," I lied. "I presume you are doing well?" I tried not to sound as unpleasant as I felt.

"Yes," he replied, "very well, indeed." There was a slightly awkward silence. "Oh! I must be keeping you from your food! Here." He led me to my seat and pulled out my chair for me. I sat down and he kissed my hand.

I kept my emotionless gaze and replied, "Thank you." These things were only proper etiquette so the whole charade was really no big deal, though I had no idea how he took it.

I suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

Lunch was boring and full of many varieties of awkward silences between conversations. Most of it was about how splendid the food was, how lovely I looked today, family plans, etcetera, etcetera.

Overall Kaito's charm was revolting. It seemed to be all an act, like he was really just trying to play me up. Maybe it was something in his eyes. Kaito just seemed to look at me the wrong way. I didn't appreciate it and somewhere deep down hoped that I was wrong.

.

I looked up at the clock tower nearest my family's manor. It was eleven thirty p.m., time for me to leave to see Len. I exited my room, went down the stairs, and left the mansion with the clothes on my back. Hopefully Luka wouldn't be angry that I left without her regards.

By now I pretty much knew the route to the garden and I managed to make it to the narrow alleyway without getting lost. Luckily, there were no guards around, probably because it was a Sunday, so I made it across the border without any worries.

There I saw Len casually sitting at a white, wrought iron garden table. There was an empty seat opposite him, angled out toward me.

"Did I keep you waiting?" I asked. "Sorry."

"Not at all. I just got here," Len insisted.

I shot him a half smile. "That's what they all say."

He laughed. "Come. Sit," he invited me.

"Gladly."

Len gazed up at the moon with a sigh. "You wouldn't not believe what I had to do to get out here."

I chuckled. "I still can't believe you asked me out here again. I was sure I was just going to be some kind of burden or stalker to you."

Len laughed at my choice of words. "How ladylike," he commented.

"I only speak the truth!" I persisted. I was pretty sure I was not capable of telling a lie… maybe.

He snickered again at my naivety. "I'm glad you came." Len's expression relaxed.

"I'm glad I didn't forget. My day was a little bit stressful," I admitted. I felt the life leave my eyes—and every other part of my body—as I remembered Kaito.

"What happened to make your day so tense?" Len queried.

I sighed. "I'd rather not talk about it right now. I'd much rather get to know you more. This is the second time I've visited you and I hardly know your name."

We both laughed. "Sorry. It seems rude," Len remarked.

I rolled my eyes. "Screw manners. I get enough of that shit at home. And everywhere else I ever go." It was true. The manners were often very annoying, especially around Kaito.

"You're right," Len agreed, sinking down in his chair with his legs spread. I could feel his sly grin from across the table. "I'm sorry is this too much for you?" he questioned sarcastically.

I leaned over with my elbows on the table, a big no-no in etiquette, with my own crafty smile mimicking his. "Not at all. So, let's play a question game. I'll ask you a question, and then you answer it and ask me one."

"Sounds simple enough." It was actually so simple one of the peasants could play it without flaw. Call me prejudiced. I grew up this way. "Ask away," Len dared.

I pondered for a moment. "Hm. What is your favorite color?"

"Ooh. Real toughie. Black," he returned. "What's yours?"

"Yellow," I said, "but black is a close second. Where is your family from?"

"A lot of places."

"I want specifics."

"My mother is German, but was born in France, and my father is Spanish. They immigrated over to Germany a bit before I was born," Len answered a bit monotonous.

"Ah. My father is French and my mother is German. Do you have any siblings?" I asked regardless the fact that it was Len's turn.

"Do you?" he tried.

"…No," I answered with some hesitation. "But I do have a maid who's very close to me. She's almost like a sister."

Len huffed, sounded slightly irritated. "I wish my relationship with my maid were more sisterly."

"Why?" I pried. "What kind of relationship is it, if not sisterly? It certainly doesn't sound good."

"She's very naggy. And pushy. And uptight," Len said, looking away awkwardly. "It's like she always has a stick up her ass or something."

Oh, how I love crude humor. We continued to play this "question game" for a while. I found out that Len loved bananas, had an ill mother, hated war but sometimes found it necessary, and had a closet passion for singing. Then, I eventually got to the point where I started thinking of more personal questions, feeling mischievous.

"How many relationships have you been in?" I queried.

Len paused, unsure as to what to say, by the look on his face. "What do you mean exactly when you say 'relationships'?" he said, obviously stalling.

"Relationships, like with a woman. How many?" I could feel him blushing all the way from the other side of the table.

"Well… I'll have to count," he replied finally. I watched him ponder and absently counting out on his fingers. One, two, three, four, five, six… "Seven including you."

Seven! "Seven!" I exclaimed. "I'm in… two including you!" Seven! Seemed a bit high for someone his age.

"You are in?" Len pointed.

Oh, dammit. I looked down.

"Who else?" he asked rather darkly, leaning in a bit.

I sighed. "My parents have arranged for me a marriage with a man from another German city," I looked up into Len's eyes with fiery passion: "and I hate him."

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Author's Note: So freaking short….

The thing driving your fascination? That's called lust, Rin. XDXD

But anyway. We're getting on in the world! Feel the tension. Feel the passion. I don't remember what happens next chapter, but something tells me it's either really really good or really really bad.

Let's play the question game! What's your favorite RinLen fanfiction on the site? And it can't be this one. Mine's probably Hating the Guy that Loves You. Go xxKerii-tan!