Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters
"What was that?" She asked even as Gold jumped from the bed, pulling on a shirt as he did so, and ran out the door towards the sound. She ran ahead of him, knowing more about the layout of the house than him and knew where the sound was most likely coming from, the entrance. She stopped at the door and pulled a pistol hidden in the cushions of the chair next to the door before pushing into the room.
"Stop!" she screamed even before she saw the man trying to steal the portrait of her mother. She merely reacted and shot him in the shoulder. The shot didn't seem to affect him though as he turned to her, raising his own gun to her. Gold pulled her away from the bullet's path and went after the masked man as he ran for the door.
Crystal cursed her nightshift that limited her movement but Gold was already on the man. Crystal worried at how Yellow's painting of their mother would fare as they traded blows. Gold reached for the man's mask but he held the portrait in front of him as a shield and Gold stopped short. The masked man took advantage of Gold's hesitation and pushed him off.
Crystal intersected his path to the door and raised the gun at him, once again trying to shoot at him. She wanted to slow him, not kill him, so she aimed at his kneecap but that didn't seem to affect her either. When he tried to strike her, she easily evaded him but her foot got caught in her dress and feel to the ground with a thump. Feeling frustrated with herself, she tore at her dress so she could move more freely.
She moved quicker than neither men though her capable of and knocked him to the ground with controlled movements. The portrait sailed from his hand and slid across the room and the moment Crystal took to debate taking it or strike the man again was all the time it took for him to back hand her. Gold was quick to catch her against himself, righting her as he was about to attack the man again.
He stopped when he was face with the gun that was pointed at Crystal rather than himself. He turned her so that his body was covering her and waited for the shot that would most likely kill him. An eerie silenced followed them and he could feel Crystal pushing at his chest where he was no doubt smothering her.
"Are you okay?" He asked her even as she moved out of his arms and to the open door the man most likely escaped though. The air was cold but she stood there, staring into the darkness as if she could discover where he disappeared to. She huffed to herself and went to where the painting laid on the ground. The frame had been scratched and dulled but likely there was no damaged to the actual painting.
"It was Yellow's first," Crystal explained as she tried to place it back in its place. It was a little too tall for her and Gold came behind her to help her, placing his hand over hers. She found herself leaning back into his warmth surround her and stared up at the portrait of her mother. "I would hate to think of how much it would hurt her if he was able to steal it."
Crystal moved from his arms to check the locks and Gold couldn't help but feel that he lost something that fit so perfectly. She swore as she closed the door, locking it. She wondered how anyone could break into their house and it scared her that she almost missed the man in the act. She sighed and sat on the chair and rubbed her temple.
Gold sat on the arm of the chair and gently rubbed her temple to help ease her headache. She found herself lean into him and he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "I'm sorry I woke you, let me help you get to bed. Though I doubt if I take you to bed, either of us will get much sleep."
"Must you speak like that?" She groaned but after a moment she found herself laughing at his playful tone. "But you do bring up a great subject. What were you dreaming about? It might help you if you do."
Gold sighed and pulled her face into the crook of his neck so she wouldn't be able to see his eyes as he told her his dream. "I was a child again, and I was trapped in a room. I can hear a two people screaming on the other side of the door. I could feel rats biting on my toes but I feel like I couldn't scream or else he would know that I was there."
"I thought the rats was from the orphanage you were at," She turned her head up to him but he kept his gaze over her head. She could feel his chest move as he laughed bitterly to himself.
"I thought so too. Damn it, I feel like an idiot for being so shaken by a mere dream." Crystal moved from her place on his lap and took his face in her hands so he wouldn't push her away. Her eyes silently pleaded him to continue. Gold reached up and rolled a strand of her hair between his fingers but his eyes didn't focus on his. "I just knew that if I tried to open that door that I would die. But I also knew that the answers I wanted were behind that door."
Crystal wanted to desperately ask if he meant the truth with his mother but didn't, knowing that this was his story to tell. "Then I could hear you calling for me from the other side. By God, I could feel your pain and I ran out. I was in a hall but you weren't there so I tried to find you because I could still hear your screams. I woke before I could find you."
"I found you though," She told him softly. "Nothing has come to me but I can't promise that nothing will happen to me. What I can promise you though, is that I can protect myself and I know that you will come for me. Let's just hope that neither of us will be in such a situation."
"I am so thankful that I came upon you that day." He smiled when he saw her blush, remembering how she fell into the river and how she must've looked. She was so beautiful and she made him feel warmth he couldn't explain, something he hadn't felt since he discovered he had a title. He whispered her endearment before bringing her face down to his for a passionate kiss.
Crystal's little cry of shock was quickly cut off by his lips and like other times with him, she forgot her need to be proper under his lips. How could a man make her forget herself so often, she didn't know. But once again she found herself lost in the sensations he caused. She closed her eyes, melting into him as he tightened his hold around her waist and she went willingly.
His lips moved from and trailed kisses down her neck. She heard someone moan and she realized that it was herself. She didn't have time to think on her action when his hand moved from her waist, taking any doubt she had with it. His lips returned to her and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"What are you doing with me sister?" They both jumped at the angry voice and Gold was quick to stand, placing her behind him as he did. Crystal looked over her shoulder to see her brother's angry eyes, only being held back by Sapphire's hold. She realized what she must've looked like then, in the arms of a man with her skirt ripped. Gold could read her thoughts as well and wished that he had a jacket to give, to make her more comfortable to go to her brother.
"How dare you touch my sister?" Ruby broke away from Sapphire and tried to push Gold against the wall, in his anger forgetting that his sister was behind him. Gold reached back to catch himself against the wall so he wouldn't crush Crystal. Ruby reached back to punch him and Crystal moved under Gold's arm to stand in front of him.
"Stop it Ruby!" Ruby stopped himself, but not at the determined look in her eyes but something deeper in them. He threw Gold a glare as he stepped back. He heard the other door opened and Blue walked in rubbing her tired eyes, soon followed by her other sister. Crystal groaned, not knowing how this could get any worse.
She felt Gold nudged her towards the door. "Go and change, I'll talk to your brother."
Crystal saw the anger in her brother but she didn't want to face her sisters in a ripped dress. But she couldn't leave Gold to her family. He had never seen them angry before and didn't know how dangerous they could be. She swallowed her pride and faced Ruby who looked as if he wanted to kill Gold.
"There was someone in the house, trying to steal Yellow's painting. My dress was getting in the way so I ripped it. Gold wasn't trying to take advantage of me. He just helped me capture the thief. He ran off into the night so we weren't able to capture him."
"Then why did I walk in to find that man kissing you?" Ruby demanded more to Gold than he did her sister, who he couldn't help but see as the injured party. Her other sisters gasped and Crystal wanted nothing more than the ground to swallow her. "I should call you out!"
"No!" Crystal couldn't bear to think of the two in duel, with the possibility of either of them getting hurt. She didn't know who she would want to win if such a situation were to occur. Ruby was her brother but she also felt something inside grow towards the rake.
"My sister's in love," Blue was quick to hug her sister. She moved from to Ruby with tears in her eyes for her young brother. "I'm so glad you're home Ruby! I know you would be able to make it home safe. Now that you are home though, we can plan for Crystal and Gold's wedding. I knew they love each other but I thought it might've taken them much longer to admit it to themselves."
"No one is getting married," Crystal was quick to interrupt her sister. She turned to Platina, who she hoped would listen to reason. "I am not compromised so there is no reason for us to marry. It was only a kiss and no one outside of our family knows about this. As long as no one speaks of this, it will not cause a scandal."
"Would marrying me so bad?" He asked a little irritated at how she clear rejection. She threw her hands up in frustration, leaving the room screaming that he could never understand her. His heart ached as he watched her leave but knew that there was nothing he could do. Hell, why would he want her to marry him? He would only cause her more trouble with his unknown past.
"We should not force her to marry," Platina pointed out in defense of her sister. "We do not want to see her unhappy and she is right when she said that as long that none of us talk, there will not be scandal."
Ruby knew he would never force his sister to do anything she didn't want to. He turned an angry glare to Gold though, "You are no longer welcomed at the Berlitz estate, leave."
"I cannot," Gold stated and Yellow could tell they were about to come to blows again so she quickly spoke, trying to compromise between two hard headed men.
"Crystal was employed to teach him about proper society and he cannot leave since he has no way to return home tonight. Let him stay in the stables and for the rest of his lessons, we will have someone accompany him so he will not do anything too forward with Crystal."
Gold knew that this would be the only chance he had and quickly agreed. "I will stay, not for my lessons. I'm worried about the man that broke in and I'm not leaving her until I knew that she is safe."
"I thought you might like this room," Ruby opened the door to a private guest room he had one of the maids prepare. It was one of the larger guest rooms but what led him to set it aside from her was the large picture window. His father had spent many hours in the room himself, studying the stars as he knew Sapphire would.
"Why?" She asked him. She was grateful for his kindness but couldn't help but question why he would do so since they had done nothing but argue on their journey, even though she had to admit that he had his softer moments. She knew that when a man brought a woman to his home in such a lovely room, he expected something from her. "I shall not be ya mistress."
"The thought never came to mind," He worded poorly and she snorted thinking that he was referring to a lack of beauty and even voiced her thoughts. He took her arm when she would've coshed him with her bag. "You are a lady and as a gentleman I cannot force myself upon you, even if I want to."
"If ya wanted to?" She repeated breathlessly and realized that he was drawing her closer to him.
He must've noticed that he was doing so as well for he stepped back and a chill rushed up her arm when he released her. "I was more worried about the man preying upon my sister again. I know you… interest require you to be awake at night and I thought that you can keep an ear to the wall. I even brought the telescope from the library for you."
"Oh…" She trailed off, knowing that she had judged his character wrongly. "Thank ya, though it wouldna be the same as stargazin' outside. I always like to sleep with the stars above my head. But thank ya for the telescope, it's beautiful."
He stood before her, as if there were more he wanted to say but didn't. "Thank you for doing this for me. I hate to think that they're doing all this for me. It's father's debt and it's my job to repay it, not any of them. Why can't I ever be there for them? In the time I was away, that man all but seduced my sister! Why do I continue to fail them?"
"Ya did everythin' you could to return to them quickly enough," Sapphire pointed out. "And I doubt ya sister would'a be seduced if she doesna feel anythin' for the man. Ya said yourself that ya sisters were smart and passionate. Maybe she doesna need ya protection from her feelings. She's na a school girl anymore so knows her own mind."
"I don't know," He sighed. "But I should leave you to organize all of your things. I asked someone to bring all of your things down. I noticed that you didn't have much dresses, would you like me to make some for you? On our journey I had already thought of some beautiful designs for you."
"No, I canna stand wearing those dresses when my father took me to those balls when I was first came out," She told him with a laugh. He realized that since he left on his journey on his sixteenth birthday, around the age she would've came out in society. He always wondered what she would've looked like walking into a room in a stunning dress in her namesake colour.
The image that appeared in his mind was more beautiful than any of the stars she showed him. Enamoured with the image, he raced off the sketch it so he could make the dress for her leaving her to wonder why he raced off so suddenly.
Lyra sang softly, even though she had no sense of pitch. She knew that it must've been no doubt annoying to him but it warmed her heart that he didn't say anything to her. He muttered to himself and she laughed, smiling over her shoulder at him. She sadly wished to herself that he could see her smile to warm her life.
The bell ringed and she thought that it was another potential author bringing in their work personally, which she enjoyed immensely talking to them. She couldn't explain the ominous feeling that encircled her as she walked to greet him. He wasn't holding a manuscript or carrying a bag and that raised her suspicion. He was much taller than her and his green hair looked sickly unlike Wally's emerald locks.
"May I help you?" She asked even as she felt chills rushed through her when his blue eyes that boor into her. She found herself looking back to Silver. He looked back to her, as if he could sense her worry and used his cane to find her side. He could hear the worry in her voice and wondered about the man that didn't even say a word.
"I have been watching her come and go from this house," he said but it didn't sound as if he was speaking to anyone in particular. Silver tightened his grip on his cane when Sneasel started hissing at the man. Silver rarely had anyone come to his home frequently and he could easily guess who the man was referring to.
"Where is she?" He demanded and his sudden rage took them both back. "I will have my theater back!"
Silver heard Lyra cry out in pain and yell for him to let her go. He reacted quickly, wrapping an arm around her so that he knew where she was and with his other arm, he swung the cane to strike the man. He heard other things crash but didn't care when he heard the man swear. The man's heavy footsteps told him that he was fleeing, throwing things from their shelves as he did so.
Silver tried to go after him but felt himself stumble when he reached his steps, almost falling as he did before. He felt Lyra's arms around him, pulling him back from the fall. She held him even after he regained his footing and could feel her face pressed against his back. She whispered a stuttered apology to him that he didn't understand.
At first, he wanted to felt self pity for himself but he could tell that she was shaken, so put aside his insecurities to comfort her as she had done for him. He turned in her arms and pulled her head closer to his chest, kissing the top of her hair as his sister would do whenever he had a nightmare. He led her back inside with his lips pressed against her hair.
He didn't know why, but he had been accustomed to the scent of her hair and whispered, "Don't worry. Just write a description of him down and I'll give it to my friend and he'll help us take care of him. He won't be back, I promise. Let's just clean this place up."
Yellow rubbed at the picture frame later that night, frantically trying to return it to its former gleam. She looked back to her mother in the portrait, examining the portrait with more keen eyes from her experience. The line work wasn't as clean as it could be and the colours didn't blend fluidly. Her mother had insisting on framing it and placing it on the wall.
"She's beautiful," Yellow turned to see Red come through the window and she wondered how they came to the point where she wasn't surprise to see him. He came to stand beside her and looked over the painting. He saw her trying to polish the picture frame and went to help her, dipping another rag into the polish. "I assume you painted this."
"Yes, it's one of my first." She smiled at the memory. "Is there a reason you took the window instead of walking through the front door?"
"I was just going to ask you to make a quick sketch for me of my mom's broach," Red nodded at his work and stepped back. "I'm going to see a man that claims to have my mother's broach. I remember her wearing it but I just don't want to be tricked."
"Shall I come?" She asked him.
"I don't know. I just don't want to push you more than you need to be." Yellow bit her bottom lip, she should've known that even with his reassurance that he would try to keep her locked away. His ignorance was her bliss but now he knew. But she also knew that she held some power over him.
"You will allow me to come. If you do not, I shall not return the ledger to you." Red stepped back shocked. Did she just blackmail him? He had decided to leave the ledger with her since he thought it would be safer with her but now he was regretting that choice. Why was there even a choice for him? In the past, he could only think of revenging his parents but now he couldn't help but think about her.
"It would be at a bar and it wouldn't be proper to take you," Red argued and she merely went to the closet to take the cape Platina had lent her in answer. He saw the determination in her eyes, something he had admired in her now was used against him. He wished that he could convince her otherwise but knew that this was important to her so pulled the cape around her shoulder himself. "We're not leaving out the window."
"I shall saddle Ratty," She told him as she carefully opened the door so no one would hear her leave. She knew Blue was coming home later because of a play. "But we need to return before midnight."
Red followed her as she walked down the hall with quiet steps. Worried thoughts raced through his mind, telling himself that he shouldn't let her put herself in danger. He told himself that she had ridden with him before and she didn't seem to be bother by the ride. And now that he knew, he could watch for signs of her sickness. She would be safe, he would protect her.
"We can't take Ratty," Red told her once they exited the house. "I went to see Ratty but there's a man in there and I don't want to risk him seeing us. You'll have to ride with me on Pika."
She nodded and allowed him to lead her to where he tied his horse in the bushes. He was gentle with her when he lifted her onto Pika. He quickly jumped on behind her and pulled her closer to his chest with a protective arm around her waist to keep her from falling. With a flick of his wrist, he set the horse into motion.
Her small form easily fit against his so it wasn't hard to keep his balance as they rode. He pulled her cloak around her tighter to keep her from the cold. As he did so, she placed her hand over his and it held it with more strength than one would think of her. Inside, he felt the need to protect her again and knew that it was something much deeper than her illness since he felt it even before he knew the truth.
I am sorry for deceiving you, but I am not who you think I am. Please don't try to find me. Platina must've had read that line over a hundred times that it was engraved in her not trembling heart. That simple sentence was all the letter was besides the complimentary closing of: I love you, your knight.
So many questions arisen from the simple letter and couldn't summon any reaction past the shock. It was his handwriting, something she would know by heart. Tears prickled her eyes as she imagined the man she love pen the letter. In her mind, she saw the man as Dia since they had both been so kind to her and that only hurt her more. Did either of them care?
Anger made her move to the box she kept his letters in and spilled its content onto her desk. She couldn't bring herself to throw them into the fire but her anger made her damn his name. Was he only playing with her affection? After she had opened herself to him with every letter, she thought he had understood her but it was all a ruse for his own entertainment. And he had the gull to tell her not to search for him, not to demand any question of him.
She would have an answer though! Righteous anger flowed through her as she ran to the servant's quarter to find Dia, who she knew would answer her questions. Her way was blinded with tears as she threw the door open. She let out a silent sob and ran straight into his arm, bursting into tears.
Dia hated himself, knowing that it was his letter that had brought the tears to her beautiful gilded eyes. She merely buried her face in her chest and he moved so that they sat on his bed so she would be more comfortable. "I hate him!"
"He is a fool," Dia whispered to her. I am so much a fool to hope that I good enough for your love.
He held her through her sobs as she let her heart pour in front of her as she only did in her letters. If anything, he was glad that he had helped her open herself to others so that she could still speak with them. But that was little to lessen the guilt of her tears.
"He is a fool but he loves you," He found himself whispering in her ear wanting to give her reassuring words to ease her ache. "He knows he isn't good enough for you. He's not a prince a princess deserves, he knows he's barely a worthy knight. He wanted so much to bath in your love that he did something entirely selfish. I can promise you he is sorry for deceiving you."
"You are a good friend to defend him," She wiped her tears against his shoulder. So lost in her tears, she didn't realize she whispered. "You are both so kind… at least I know you are. Is it improper of me to wonder what would've come if I fell in love with you first?"
Ruby woke at the frantic knocking on his door. He threw it open to find Sapphire with wide eyes, huffing as if she had ran a mile. "There was a man! He took your sister Yellow and is riddin' away with her!"