Chapter Eighteen: The Problem
Haru carefully looked over what Miss Gachi had created, inspecting it from every angle. The dress between her hands was of the softest light blue silk, and even had seed pearls embroidered into the neckline. It was simple, but with a certain elegance that could easily turn heads.
"It's almost perfect," the brunette assured the anxious apprentice before handing the periwinkle fantasy back. "If you take in the shoulders a half-inch, then it will fit perfectly."
"I'll do it," the grey feline promised, taking up her needle once again. "It will look wonderful on you."
Haru choked a bit as Tsunami laughed a deep vibrant laugh. Her new glossy black coat helped bring out the almost-magical sparkle in her dark blue eyes.
"It's a gift for a friend," the dark feline informed the lighter one, making the apprentice blush in embarrassment.
"My apologies," she whispered, almost about ready to cry.
Haru had to laugh a bit, and pat the apprentice on the shoulder. "It was an honest mistake, no harm done."
The light cat gave a grateful smile before turning back to her meticulous work.
"She's got a point, though," Tsunami said, rocking a dark-furred Haruna in one arm as Haru cuddled a tan-colored Haruka.
"About what?" the brunette human asked curiously.
"A dress like that would look good on you, especially if you took off those glasses."
Haru's hand automatically flew to her face, like she feared that the corrective lenses would fly off her face. "Oh no you don't. I like sight too much to give it up. Besides, I'm never going to wear something like that," she said, gesturing to the lovely dress draped over Miss Gachi's knees. "It's a little fancy for me. But you used to dress up all the time, didn't you?"
Tsunami sighed, thinking about the days before she had met her husband. "Yes, but you know that I gave that life up willingly. My babies are worth more than fancy dresses, but that's no reason why you can't dress in something lovely like that."
"I can't afford it," Haru insisted, making her feline friend snort indelicately.
"Even if you couldn't, with the way you save every copper penny Baron pays you, you could probably make something like that yourself."
"I don't have the time or the desire, Tsunami. I'm a peasant girl, in case you haven't noticed, and… it would just be too ridiculous to own a dress that I might wear once or twice in my life. I'm too practical for such things."
"It doesn't have to be fancy, just something nice for when a suitor wants to go for a walk or something."
Haru's bottom lip tightened terribly, almost enough that Tsunami could count her human friend's teeth through the flesh. The brunette's hands became tightened fists, and started shaking slightly.
"You're not the only one with a past life, Tsunami," Haru whispered. "Any and all possible suitors, at least for me, are a part of that past, and will never come back. Thanks for the concern, but my regular dresses are more than suited to my current and future lifestyle." She stood up in order to take the finished dress from Miss Gachi, and pay her the money Baron had given her for Yuki's dress.
The black cat cradled her dark daughter, slightly amused but mostly sad. 'She still hasn't figured it out yet, has she? I wonder if he has, yet.'
ooOoo
Baron looked again at the invitation that the Cat King had personally handed him, certain that there had been a misprint. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, I don't think that I'll be escorting a young lady to the event."
The scruffy grey longhair growled from behind his mountain of paperwork as he signed a few more royal proclamations. The purple gem of an eye that served him for a crown seemed just as angry and distracted as his real ones. "Baron, if you're coming to my son's birthday ball, then you have to bring a date. At least half of the kingdom must have heard that proclamation by now, and I can't make exceptions. Sorry, babe, but rules are rules, and this is too important of a function for you to skip out on."
"But-" the feline lord tried to protest, but a flick of the king's paw declared him dismissed. Almost on cue, Natori came up, and pulled gently on the Baron's sleeve. Since the advisor had the king's ear, the orange and cream cat followed the dusty grey one out one of the curtains, and into the hallway.
"You'll have to forgive his majesty," Natori whispered, looking around like he was afraid that someone would see him. "The old berserker blood is beginning to show in him, and you know what that does."
Baron twitched, and sighed. "Yes, my father said I might have to deal with that problem. But still, is it really necessary for me to bring a lady friend?"
Natori sighed, and looked at his clipboard. "By every definition, you are a bachelor, and you're attending the ball. I'm afraid that there's no way around it, Baron, and I know you wouldn't miss this occasion for the world."
"I did promise the prince I would attend," the orange and cream feline said glumly, feeling like a terrible traitor to his wife's memory.
"Don't feel so bad, Baron. I'm more than certain that any number of girls would consent to come to the ball with you. Your close friendship with the prince is hardly a secret, and you're considered to be quite a prize yourself."
Baron sighed tiredly at the old news, and nodded thankfully. "Thank you, Natori. I'll see what I can find."
As he turned from the advisor to head back home, a certain red cat appeared around a corner, almost on cue.
Sai fluttered a yellow fan close to her face, a strange smirk on her face. "Would you happen to have a problem, Baron?" she murmured softly, although her dark eyes were grimly smug.
Baron's temper flared as he curtly tipped his hat in acknowledgement and walked past her at a brisk pace. "Nothing I can't handle."
ooOoo
Muta and Tsunami looked up as Baron opened the kitchen door to his home, and all but collapse in one of the chairs at the table.
"What's eating you?" the fat brown cat asked softly, so that Haruka and Haruna wouldn't awaken from their nap so that the proud parents could have a peaceful meal.
Baron sighed softly, burying his head between his hands. "The Cat King's made a proclamation that all bachelors attending Lune's ball have to accompany an eligible young lady, so that the prince can have as wide a selection as possible."
"But isn't he choosing that Yuki girl?"
"Yes, but the king isn't aware of that, and I'm not about to spoil the surprise. What a mess…"
While Baron's head was still lowered to the table, the couple across from him exchanged exasperated looks. In unison, they raised the paws that weren't cradling their children, and shook the paws three times. At the last shake, Muta's paw came down as flat as paper while his wife's paw was rounded like a rock.
Grinning triumphantly, the husband turned to his employer, and made a carefully-contrived skeptical face. "Well, why don't you take Haru?" Muta asked casually.
Baron looked up, confused. "Haru?"
"Sure, why not? I mean, you were planning on taking her anyway, so that she could do her thing with Yuki, right?" the fat brown cat asked confidently.
"Yes…"
"So just keep her around for the party. She works herself to death for you, so she deserves to have a break every now and again, right?"
"Yes," Baron said softly, although he had never heard the brunette complain. "I'm not sure if royal balls are her style, but I guess it couldn't hurt to ask." He got out of his chair. "Where is she?"
"Outside with Hashi, watering your plants in one of the greenhouses, but I'm not sure which one."
Baron nodded gratefully at the black feline, and walked out the door.
A few seconds after the door was shut, husband and wife once again turned to each other.
"They can't possibly be this dense," Muta groaned, rubbing one paw to his forehead to combat a headache. "I mean, it's fairly obvious what's going on between them."
His wife smiled a bit sadly. "I think they're both scared of the possibility, but I'm pretty sure that they'll come around soon enough."
"Probably by next Christmas, at this rate," the large white cat grunted.
"Don't be silly. This Christmas."
Muta looked at Tsunami suspiciously. "What makes ya so sure?"
His dark wife smiled wickedly, and rocked Haruna lovingly. "Call it a hunch."
"Oh? How much are you willing to bet, Chicky?" Muta taunted.
"Two months of solitary diaper duty," his wife answered confidently.
The fat cat shuddered, but a familiar gleam was back in his eye. "All right, but anytime past Christmas, I win."
Tsunami smiled mysteriously again, and kissed her sleeping daughter's forehead. "Done."