"What a lovely little mess we have here."
The statement hung between the two figures, one bearing over the other, trapped against the rough wooden wall. Lavi was at a loss for words. She stared into golden eyes, unmistakeably she had been caught. Panic setting in fast, numbing all thoughts and senses other than the still throbbing pain in her face. The other man still crouched over her, waiting.
"Who does that!?" Allen cried in a shrill voice, breaking the silence. "Who on earth goes around poking people in their sleep? Stupid Tyki!"
With that the boy smacked Tyki over the head and knocked the man to the ground. Tyki laughed carelessly as the blows rained down upon him. He absently blocked the hits from landing with one lazy arm.
"Kid, relax. I'm only playing," Tyki shrugged at Lavi who was currently sincerely wishing looks could kill as she stared daggers back at him. "See he's fine."
The murderous glare faltered for less than a fraction of a heartbeat. He… Relief washed over Lavi; she had not been discovered. She opened her mouth to retort but was immediately cut off.
"Easy for you to say, idiot! You were torturing her….er…im." The white haired boys face flushed red. The flush deepened as the other two occupants of the stall stared at him. He coughed awkwardly. "Him. You were torturing him."
"So…" Tyki cocked his head to the side, completely missing the point. Lavi rolled her eyes.
"Don't you have work to do Allen?" The younger boy hung his head and walked out of the stall. Lavi rubbed her face, testing the area. "Ugh… my face is on fire. Who the hell are you anyway?"
The response she received knocked Lavi off balance. The dark haired man extended a hand, "Tyki. Sorry about the face thing." He eventually withdrew the hand when it became clear that the other had no intention to shake. "Not forgiven yet then?"
Lavi blinked back into character and pulled the beanie over eyes. "Nice to meet you Tyki, now if you don't mind I'm going back to sleep."
Lavi settled into a pile of fresh hay in a more comfortable position. The stable was quiet around her; the only sounds were the heavy breathing and soft thumping movements of a number of large animals and Allen quietly working in the far end of the stable. A light drizzle had begun to pitter-patter against the rooftop. All in all, a peaceful setting now that Skinn Bolic had been removed from the picture, for the time being at least. It irked Lavi that she was still yet to hear the sound of retreating footsteps.
"Are you still here?" She tried not to sound bothered by his presence, only bored.
Tyki exhaled heavily, the scratch of something against card and the acrid smell of sulphur informed the Lavi of his smoking habit. "One day someone's going to figure out that those things will kill you."
"Meh, we're all dying of something." Lavi twitched, the voice sounded much closer than it should have been. "So what's the story behind that shiner? Skinn? I bet it was Skinn. The kid couldn't even hurt a fly and Skinn… I don't even know why Sheril keeps him around…"
Lavi stole a glance from the corner of her eye to see that somehow Tyki had managed to find a seat right next to her. It made her uneasy to have the man so close, were men like this with each other? Whatever happened to personal space!
She refused to respond choosing to ignore him; hopefully he would grow bored and leave her be. The man had other plans and remained seated unfavourably close. Tyki for his part stubbornly continued on, two way conversations are over-rated. The calming unperturbed tone attracted the attention of Joyd. The horse leaned over the partition wall and nuzzled into Tyki's temple, coaxing a carefree and oddly youthful chuckle out of the man.
"Hey boy," Tyki brightened immediately jumping to his feet and rubbed the horse's nose. The horse nosed at Tyki's chest, searching. "Sorry empty handed today."
Joyd sensing that there were no treats for him gave the man a dead eyed stare, shaking out of his hands and buffeted Tyki once more on the head. The black turned instead to Lavi who was trying her best to hold back the laughter at Tyki's short and sharp dismissal. Dipping low the horse blew a hot puff of air into Lavi's face, rousing her.
"Going away Joyd," she murmured. "And take your human with you."
Obediently the horse backed away leaving the red head to rest as she pleased. Now if only that guy would follow suit, she thought despairingly.
"Wow!" Tyki stood gobsmacked, astonished. "He's been here only three days, and already can take orders like that. I've had Joyd for six years and he still argues with me."
That knowledge cheered up Lavi somewhat as Tyki Mikk took a seat even closer to her this time than before. She mustered the smuggest grin she could manage knowing that the man would it, even if she had intentionally blocked him from her view. "What can I say? I know how to give orders. Now if you would be so kind as to get out."
Ignoring her completely, Tyki pulled Lavi up by the shoulder. "Come on kid, let's go see Miranda."
Struggling in his grasp, Lavi fruitlessly attempted to shrug him off. His hand held her in a firm iron grip, incongruous with his loose and nonchalant demeanour. Lavi was as helpless as a kitten and Tyki Mikk made it all look so easy as he steered her towards the exit and out. In the end she gave in and followed after him arms folded across her chest and walking stiffly.
"Don't call me kid," she mumbled sheepishly. "I'm a grown wo…worker."
She could have kicked herself for her almost mistake, luckily the man had not seemed to notice.
"You look kind of skinny to me, kid." He continued thoughtfully removing the hand from her shoulder and placing it under his chin, "and kid does sounds better than calling you runt. Don't you think?"
An indignant exhalation let Tyki know that he was successfully winding the kid up. "Don't act like you're doing me a favour."
"Can I call you 'eye-patch'?" He gestured vaguely towards his face.
Lavi pointedly refused to respond to or even make eye contact with this flippant man. The day was still overcast, although the rain had stopped falling. It was not a long distance back to the Manor, but the path curved through the grounds. Visitors to the Manor had no choice but to enjoy the gardens; overflowing flower bushes, hanging baskets and magnificent topiary. Or rather they would have no choice if it the mid-autumn weather had not to set in. Many of the flowers vanished to summer long gone, the green sculptures retreating to hibernation for another year.
Abruptly Tyki left the path. He veered to the left and disappeared through a hidden alcove Lavi had not noticed before near the west wall of the Manor. Tyki grinned, pleased at the curious expression on the boy's face as he scanned the area. Little yellow star shaped flowers grew in patches on the ground.
"It's easy to miss if you didn't know it was here. Count yourself lucky that I'm sharing it with you." Tyki winked and walked on, taking a side door leading directly into the Manor.
"I'm flattered." Lavi jogged to catch up to him. "Who else knows about this entrance? Where does it lead?"
"Take these stairs up two flights and the connecting corridor will take you straight to the infirmary." Tyki paused, "You can use it if you like. Just try not to get caught. I like the quiet."
"Why are showing me this?" Suspicion danced around her mind. Why was Tyki Mikk, second in line heir escorting her around the Manor, as if she were some noteworthy guest?
"I don't know. It's sorry I guess." He paused. "I shouldn't have poked you. And now we're even right."
Lavi narrowed her eyes, not fully buying into that excuse. But it was after all the closest she would get to an actual apology. Still at the back of her mind Lavi wondered why Tyki Mikk even cared about being even with a stable boy. Surely this noble man had better ways to pass his day.
"What's your name, kid?" Tyki looked back over a shoulder.
"Now you ask me? Bored of Eye-Patch already?" He shrugged at her blankly. This man was insufferable. She let out an exhausted sigh, "Lavi. My name is Lavi."
"Lavi." Tyki tasted the name on his tongue. "It sounds a bit like a girl's name."
Lavi's brow twitched. She reached at and tugged hard at Tyki's shoulder length curly ponytail. "If you ask me, this horse's backside of a hairstyle is even more girly."
"You should cut it off, might stop anyone doing that again." Lavi laughed loudly when Tyki called out in pain, she side stepped him and continued up the stairs. "Also it would be a huge improvement." She added, throwing a cheeky wink over her shoulder.
Somewhere along the course of the morning Lavi had begun to enjoy herself; bouncing back the casual attitude she received from the man was oddly relaxing. She felt more at ease now than she had since arriving at the castle, dare she say even having fun in her stable boy get-up. She turned around and walked backwards up the stairs looking as smug as the cat that got the cream.
Tyki meanwhile, was rubbing the sore spot on his head, giving her a dark look. Unexpectedly, he stopped climbing the steps after her. The corner of his mouth curled upwards and opened his arms wide.
"What are you –" The words caught in her throat as her back met a solid yet soft barrier. The force knocking her off balance and sent her right into Tyki's waiting arms. The man easily set her on her feet again on the steps beside him. She mumbled her thanks and quickly turned to the newcomer.
Embarrassment kept her from saying anything more than that, too busy instead fighting the blood rushing to her face. Lavi could not help but notice the firm muscles of Tyki's arms and chest under his shirt and jacket. Yes, men definitely had no idea about personal space! Fortunately for her, Tyki's attention was currently focused on the top of the stairs.
At the top of the steps stood a tall man in a gold threaded jacket, long straight red hair fell past shoulders, feathering outwards in sharps peaks. Cross Marian was slouched against the stair rail, cigarette held idly in one hand. Not all looking the least bit ruffled, immune to the fact that he had just collided with another person. One side of his face artfully obscured by locks of thick red and under that Lavi could make out the outline of a mask. She was painfully reminded of her own eye patch; they even wore the coverings on the same side.
Neither man spoke to each other right away. Cross continued to smoke happily ignoring the two people on the steps below him and Tyki simply folded his arms across his chest and waited. Lavi detected the same arrogant air about him that he had the first night she met him. No doubt as heir to the Manor he was stubbornly making a point not to be the one to greet first. She was surprised slightly that she had failed to notice that his bearing today up until now had been relaxed and informal, as if Tyki could turn it on or off when he pleased.
"Who's the kid, Mikk?" His voice a deep lazy growl, almost as if he really could not care about the answer to his own question.
Tyki rolled his eyes. "Nice to see you too, Cross. The kid's Eye-Patch, no one important."
"It's Lavi!" She said through gritted teeth, immediately regretting drawing attention to herself as the man looked her up and down, ending on a piercing stare. She shifted awkwardly, not liking the way he seemed to be looking right into her. The stairway felt stifling hot.
"Lavi … Bookman?" He took a drag from the cigarette, blowing out slowly.
Beside her she felt Tyki stiffen, but he remained silent. Her own blood ran cold in her veins. She had not told anyone, not even Allen about her background. How was it even possible for Cross Marian to have made the connection between her and the Bookman family?
"Yeah, I am. Do I know you?" she asked careful to sound more puzzled than guarded.
"No. Just an educated guess," he said dismissively. Cross turned his attention to Tyki. "Your brother really does seem to be holding all the cards. Wouldn't you agree Tyki? …Tyki?"
Lavi was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as Tyki was staring openly at her now. She gave him a sidelong glance and cleared her throat. She noticed that he jumped ever so slightly; an almost imperceptible shiver that ran through his body.
"No," Tyki looked away from Lavi and she breathed again in relief. "No Cross, I don't think I quite agree."
Cross grinned broadly, taking another drag. Unceremoniously he broke the pair apart as he made his descent. Lavi took a few steps up and glancing back she saw Cross whispering into Tyki's ears. From the look stony expression on his face, Lavi gathered that it was not very welcome news.
"We should catch up soon Tyki." The redhead clapped Tyki on the back and continued down the stairs. Without stopping he called over his shoulder, "by the way, sorry for your loss Bookman."
Lavi followed his eyes upwards to the door leading to the infirmary. Time froze around her. Lavi's insides churned, threatening to expel their contents. She wanted to move, to make it to the other side. But she could not move. Legs cemented to the ground. If Cross was still talking than she did not hear it; deaf to everything save the blood pounding in her ears.
A small, growing warmth spread from the small of Lavi's back, gentle pressure broke her immobility and guided her the final steps to the infirmary.
The wooden door was smooth under hand and light, swinging backwards and forwards before coming to halt. Once on the other side, a sense of urgency took over and distraught Lavi rushed around the large room searching each neatly arranged bed; all empty. Everything went by in blur of white as Lavi crossed the room and went through a second set of doors leading to a smaller private room.
Her heart stopped. "Jiji…"
Another neatly made white bed occupied almost half of the little rectangle. The wall was lined with dusty old tomes arranged haphazardly on bookshelves. The room was dark if not for an oval window. A very small bundle of blankets stirred in the chair by the window and looked straight at Lavi.
"Stop looking at me like I'm already dead?" The harsh bark of the little man wrapped up in blankets was the sweetest sound Lavi could have ever heard.
Lavi collapsed against the wall under the window rubbing her eyes roughly with the heel of her palm. Trying to muster the words to retort back, finding only dry sobs instead lodged within her throat. A deeper resonating ache clutched at the spaced in the middle Lavi's chest, threatening to break her into a thousand tiny pieces.
"I was only sleeping! Is youth so stupid it cannot even tell the difference...?" The little man rolled his eyes. The insult lessened by the accompanying papery snort that one could almost have mistaken for laughter.
Lavi blanched at the dry humour. "There are something's you should never joke about." Lavi choked out, still recovering from the shock.
"…sorry for your loss." Lavi made a mental note to murder Cross Marion in his sleep for that comment.
Lavi studied her grandfather's face, deep wrinkle carved into his forehead and sagging jowls had been there for as long as she could remember. Dark lines circled his eyes and bruised bags pulled his skin in further down giving him the hollowed and stretched look of a corpse, only the brightness of his flashing iris' refuting the otherwise apt description. His chest rising and sinking with each ragged breath.
"It's not funny." She spat at him. Now mostly recovered from the shock, anger quickly replaced the gap left behind. "I'm doing my best to keep you in health –"
"You're best is cleaning his stables I see." Disgust permeating every word. "Is that what I taught you?"
Lavi pulled off her cap, revealing the blazing red that lay beneath. Loose fiery strands hung limply bordering her face, making her want to pull at her hair, tear at it until there was a wall of it providing the excuse she needed to not look her grandfather in the eyes. It was more than clear enough what he meant by 'cleaning'. Her stomach churned hot bile ready to erupt at any minute. Shame was a monster Lavi would rather choose to avoid.
"Let's have this argument another day please."
The wall felt cool against her back, and even though the red head knew that she would pay for it later, she remained in her seat on the floor leaning her head back, eyelids fluttering closed. The small room was quiet around, only the heavy breathes, laboured but rhythmic, of her grandfather to fill the void of sound.
"Ink on paper, Jiji. That's what you taught me. We're just ink of paper." She whispered to herself. "But even the simplest of books must be cherished."
Much later, Lavi dragged herself back to her room, feeling the burn of stiff muscles, the result of sleeping sitting up. No more words were exchanged with the old man; something's did not need to be said.
Her quarters were bright and warm, welcoming her back. A wry smile twisted itself upon her face. Since when did I enjoy coming back to this place? Discarding the thought, Lavi sunk deeply into the lounger in the small reception area in front of the fireplace. Sheril had at least been kind enough to gift her with a three-room suite. A front room, a bedroom and even a simple washroom were at her disposal. She toyed with the idea of calling up for hot water; even let herself imagine that it would be that snarky Livia who would have to follow her order.
"I hope you don't mind I took the liberty of running you a bath." A cool voice crept up behind her.
Lavi reached up to undo her hair, half masking her flinch at the sudden and yet unsurprising intrusion and half in the hopes of hiding the murky green bruised that flowered over her cheek. In fluid movements she rose gracefully from the lounger and crossed the floor to the washroom.
Sheril stood in the door way blocking her entrance, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a careless air surrounding him. The image, not wholly unattractive had it been any other man, reminded Lavi how she how foolish she had been and come to be trapped within these walls. As if physically standing in her way was not enough Sheril grabbed Lavi around about the waist and leaned in close. He had not donned his trade mark pony tail, waves of black hair tumbling over his shoulders. A frown creased the man's forehead as he examined the mark that had spread across his prize.
"Well, well. This is a problem." Sheril let go of her waist, but did not make any efforts to remove himself from her blocking her passage. "You'll have to be a stable boy for two weeks at least. Events will have to move slower. I'll have to reschedule the Autumn Ball"
Lavi scoffed. That was his issue? Lord Kamelot was annoyed because his little party would have to be put on hold?
"If it bothers you so much you could always let everyone know that you allow ladies in your household to wear bruises as proudly as they wear gems."
It was Sheril's turn to laugh a merry laugh. "You do say the most precious things. But not to worry," he smoothed the ruby-coloured hair away from Lavi's forehead to reveal the burning emerald eyes. Sheril thumbed the marks around her right eye. "The gems you wear are more than enough to make up for your… blemishes."
Sheril tipped her chin higher, their faces inches apart. "Nevertheless, Skinn will be punished." There was power in his words, leaving Lavi with no doubt that Sheril would indeed follow up.
Lavi closed her eyes. The picture imprinted on the inside of her eyelids was that of an old man, clinging to life. She steeled her resolve.
You're best is cleaning his stables... Is that what I taught you?
For the first time since her imprisonment Lavi did not fight the advances of Sheril Kamelot.
Hope you enjoyed it!
Question: What are your views on rating... I don't plan on going any further in content but are the themes ok for T?