Hello again so soon. I didn't count on procrastination writing. Funny how you can find so many other things to do when there are things that NEED to be done.
Hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.
The maid was mortified at having found a valuable guest sitting on the floor of the corridor nonchalantly examining her fingernails. She clattered to a halt a short distance from the door, Lavi finally looked up, a huge smile colouring her face as if she had not herself ordered that tea service and it was a pleasant surprise.
"Miss, you should not be sitting like that." The homely woman stood over Lavi, casting a disapproving eye over the mess of skirts and the dainty shoe tips peeping out from beneath them. As petulantly as a school child, Lavi pulled a face at the maid and allowed the woman to help her feet. "Oh no, your hands are red. Silly child it's too cold to be sitting around."
"Not cold, I've been knocking every few minutes for the last fifteen. Delicate fingers." Lavi waggled her fingers, stretching out her reddened knuckles. "Some people think it is funny to leave visitors locked outside." She called more loudly.
"Visitors should come at more hospitable hours." Came the wood muffled response. Lavi could not help but laugh at the wide eyed maid. Any more digression from common courtesy and the poor maid's eyes may actually pop out. With no idea what else to do in this situation, the bemused maid handed Lavi a cup of tea, which she gratefully accepted.
"Thank you…. Giuliana. What a lovely name! You may go I can deal with the trolley."
Uncertainly Giuliana backed away, shaking her head and sparing Lavi one last glance before turning the corner and walking out of sight.
"Yuu-chan, have I passed your silly test yet? Or should I stand here all night?" She took a sip from her cup. "I have tea now, want to share?"
"No!"
There was a sudden crash of sound on the other side of the door. Straining her ears to hear the commotion Lavi heard low voices, indignation, anger, rapid footsteps and a bolt scratching open. The door swung open spilling light and warmth into the corridor.
The maid was right, it had been chilly out here, Lavi noted.
"Kanda! What is wrong with you?" The usually sweet faced Lenalee stood in the door way looking like a scorned banshee from myth at Lavi and the little cup she was sipping from. Tutting disgustedly at her brother's conduct Lenalee stepped aside to let the red head in. "Lady Lavi please come in."
The roaring fire and numerous fixtures cast a warm and even light over the large sitting room. Several comfortable sofas and chairs faced each other ready for companionable conference and conversation. Doors around the edges led to other rooms, it appeared that Lenalee had been moved to Kanda's complex. All the better to keep an eye on girl.
Kanda was fuming in one of those seats avidly perusing some papers intent upon not acknowledging her presence. Obnoxiously, she took up the seat opposite him and spied Alma Karma, Kanda's right hand, standing by a heavy desk busily shuffling papers. He caught her eye and froze. There was something odd about the man that Lavi could not quite place. He offered an uncertain smile. "I did want to open the door Miss Bookman. Sorry."
She could not help it. For the first time in a very long dark period it was gratifying to be recognised as Bookman, not Lovely or whatever else act she had to put up. Reluctantly Lavi threw up her guards; simply for the fact that she felt she might not need them. That comfort was not something she was ready to risk again. "Not at all, but if you wouldn't collecting the tea trolley. Thank you."
Karma crossed the room and retrieved the trolley. There was definitely something odd in the way he moved. He must have felt her eyes on him because he quickly retreated from the room.
The rustling of skirts to her left alerted her attention back to Lenalee who had sat down next to her on the seat. "So was fifteen minutes long enough?"
"No." Lenalee threw her cousin a dark look.
"You shouldn't lock people out Kanda. This is exactly why everyone thinks you are so rude." She rebuked him. Ineffective, Kanda did not even lift his eyes from the papers. Lenalee was well versed in Kanda speech to know that he would not apologise. Lavi could see that Lenalee was preparing herself to say sorry in his stead, must be habit by now judging by the others long suffering countenance.
"Don't worry Lenalee, a short has never hurt anyone." She said soothingly.
"I'm sorry. He's just being moody because we snuck out this morning." Kanda snorted.
Lavi laughed a tinkling laugh, the kind she heard on women at the parties at Kamelot Manor and hated it immediately. Maybe 'Bookman' was as much an act as 'Lovely'. "It was hardly sneaking out. I knocked, you opened the door and together we walked out of this place. Anyone could have stopped us at any time."
"I guess so." Lenalee laughed in a relieved way.
"That's not the point!" Kanda snapped.
"So he does talk." Lavi said delightedly. The wide grin remained plastered on her face despite the cold dark eyed stare he served her.
Lenalee tugged her shoulder, "We should go talk more privately, and not bother Kanda."
The dull thud of paper on wood startled the women. Kanda sat on the edge of his seat, his eyebrows severe and straight as if directing the daggers right at Lavi. "You are not going anywhere with her by yourself again Lenalee. We don't even know if she is who she says he is. She could be anyone."
The distrust was to be expected, she had not exactly tried very hard to make herself appear genuine earlier. He leaned back in his chair, though he never once broke his gaze. It was disconcerting to be under such heavy scrutiny. What was he scared of? This side were hardly going to send people to harm their precious new money maker… unless they knew the truth of how penniless they really were.
"If it helps, I'm not an assassin, thief, brute or anything of the sort that would wish Lenalee any harm. Unfortunately that includes you too," She added as an afterthought. It was not lost on her how the man scoffed when she mentioned 'thief'. Facing the hostility of Kanda right now, Lavi did not regret strong arming him into paying for gifts for Lenalee.
"Maybe we tell the dress maker to cancel that order tomorrow. It isn't necessary after all." Lenalee attempted to soothe the atmosphere.
"Oh hush. We can't and we won't. You'll need something pretty to wear for when," you meet your husband-to-be. Lavi could not bring herself to say that. "When we arrive at the Manor." She amended.
"She's right. A lot of our things were lost in the transition from ship to consul." Kanda agreed darkly, taking Lavi by surprise. Lavi had expected resentment for spending from his purse. She realised that it was more that she had undermined his attempts to keeping Lenalee safe that irked him the most.
Lavi jumped slightly when dark eyes passed over her, fleetingly meeting her eyes. A boiling pot of carefully controlled animosity simmered beneath those cobalt orbs. The corners of Kanda's mouth turned up at the reaction. Apparently disdain was not the only emotion her was capable of, Kanda could handle arrogance quite well too.
"Why should we listen to you?" The assistant, Karma returned. He perched on the arm of Kanda's chair, ignoring the disgruntled sounds the occupier made. "If we are supposed to trust you, you should stop being so intentionally aggravating and tell us something useful. Like what happened to your face?"
All eyes in the room were on her now. The focused attention was uncomfortable to say the least. Kanda and Lenalee had observed polite protocol far enough to not ask such a forward question, this one was different. Under the annoyance she felt towards Karma, there was a current of approval. It would a lot boring being around someone who did not mind breaking protocol every now and again.
"You first." Of course she was referring to the peculiar scar bisecting his face.
"This?" Alma raised a hand to touch the scar, a grin split his face. Curiously Kanda stared pointedly at the wall passed Lavi's head. "This would be his fault. Sparring when we were kids, Yuu was a bit over zealous and cut me right through. The doctor said I was lucky not to end up with a bent nose."
"Don't blame it all on me! If you were more aware of yourself and not standing so close it would not have happened." Kanda said this in rapid Japanese and Lavi almost bad that she was privy to it. Though she did notice, Karma did not receive a death glare for calling him by first name.
"Translator- remember?" She reminded them when Kanda glared accusingly at her.
"Tche." He resumed his staring contest with the wall. "Your turn."
"Childhood injury, fire. Excuse me, but even though we need to trust each other, I doubt we're ready to sit around and share our deepest and darkest." She said more coldly than she intended, though it had the desired effect. Kanda and Karma were tight lipped and besides her Lenalee laughed nervously.
"Maybe we should discuss more useful things." Lenalee said tentatively. "Lavi, could you tell about the Kamelots and, about him."
Lavi tore her defensive gaze away from Kanda's own hostile one; she softened slightly at the apprehension stamped all over the girl. Her delicate features made her look even younger than she was which could not have been that much to begin with. According to Lavi's reckoning Lenalee could not have been more than sixteen years. This meant she had spent her entire life knowing her future had been promised away.
"He is older, maybe ten years your senior, which is not really that much when you think about it." It hadn't bothered her, Tyki was young enough not to be classed in the mature age range and desired by most young women. Hair ruffled by the constant sweeping of his hands, keeping the curls from obscuring the intense golden gaze. Heat rose in her cheeks at the thought, she coughed lightly to cover her embarrassment. "He is a handsome man so be prepared to be the envy of all the woman of society."
"Does that include you?" Kanda said scathingly. Inside her chest, Lavi's heart hammered three times its usual pace.
"I would be lying if I said no." She would pay him back for that comment. Quickly she turned back to Lenalee who looked terrified at the idea of being the envy of so many. "Don't worry Lenalee, he is a gentleman who will honour his obligation and look after you."
Lenalee nodded gravely. Lavi found it difficult to grudge the girl.
"Tyki," Lavi carefully stepped around his name. Saying it pulled a painful squeeze inside her chest. "Tyki Mikk is not the one to worry about. Watch yourself around Sheril. He is not a man you can trust. When we arrive at Kamelot Manor, do not rely on him. Although now you do not have much of a choice, I beg you not to make any promises now that you will not be able to keep later."
"Like what?" Kanda narrowed his eyes.
"Like any personal rewards, contracts or money. The man is a viper and the moment he feels you bend, he will twist you until you dance to his tune. Trust me, I have felt it."
The silence stretched out filling the room.
"Our contract is with the Millennium Earl; Kamelot is merely our host." Kanda said finally.
The clock struck the late hour loudly startling them all. Hopefully, Sheril would have left her room by now. Lavi rose to her feet declaring her weariness to which Kanda looked grateful and also rose. The two men left the main sitting room, bidding the women goodnight. Before he closed his door, Kanda gave Lavi one last appraising look that Lavi could not quite discern. Would he be more receptive to her now?
"Lavi," Lenalee said in a small voice and blushing furiously. "I was hoping you could tell me more about him, about Tyki."
The smile on her face became fixed, it was all she could do to control the crumpling of her heart. Did Lenalee expect Lavi to train her in the ways of marriage? Bleeding and bruised now, surely her heart would break irreparably if she was forced to hand Tyki over so intimately to another. This should have been easy, he was not hers to give away anymore.
"What would you like to know?" She managed, dreading the response.
"Do you know if he is happy with this arrangement? Will he be disappointed when we meet?" Lenalee hugged her arms. "What do I even do?"
Lavi did not even know where to begin to address the questions. Until recently Tyki had been resigned to the arrangement and posed no opposition to it. Lenalee had lived with
It as an inevitability and she was actually very pretty, full pink lips, large eyes and luxurious black hair, no she was borderline beautiful. How could anyone be disappointed at the match? Would it bother Lavi if Tyki was not dissatisfied with his young wife?
How should Lavi advise her on how to behave? Should she tell Lenalee that Tyki liked playful banter? That he would like to hold her close to him and that kisses should be often and plenty?
To think that Lavi would never be the one to do these things again...
"Lavi?"
"Sorry, I don't think I can help you find those answers. I'm not much older than you yourself, marriage is another world to me." Lenalee's face fell. "But when we get back to the Manor, I promise you I will find a woman who can help you. Don't be afraid, Tyki is a good man."
Smiling gratefully, Lenalee said goodnight and finally released Lavi to retire to her own bed. Thankfully when Lavi arrived she found the room to be empty. She put herself to sleep, her head a swirling storm of contracts, promises, burning letters and marriage. Lavi's last thought before sleep took was the realisation that with all that had transpired that last night at the Manor, Lavi had not even said goodbye.
The creaked open. Tyki took a deep steadying breath.
It was clear Lovely had been crying, Eyes red and puffy, nose rubbed raw from frequent wipes of her cotton night robe. Each individual lash stood out stark from the moisture making the see green orbs larger and her mouth blood red. Dark spots low on each side of her face showed where Sheril had manhandled her. Even with her robe hanging open revealing a long white night dress and the unfortunate additions to her face, Tyki thought with a touch of guilt that Lovely still looked beautiful and achingly he wanted her.
Immobilised he simply stood there at a loss for words, the practiced speeches and pleas gone from his head at the sight of her. When Lovely slammed the door shut he could do nothing but remain on the spot. "You shouldn't have come." She shouted through the thick door, her words all slippery from the tears.
"I just want to talk to you." He pleaded, helplessly pounding the door. "Please Lovely."
"That's not my name. Just go away Tyki!"
"I'm not going anywhere Love – Lavi. I'm going to wait out here until you let me in."
A muffled thump, no footsteps.
Lovely – Lavi. Lavi was still there on the other side. Slowly he too slid down and sat at the base of the door, waiting for admittance.
Tired, exhausted and without a direction from Lavi, Tyki did not know how long he kept his vigil at the foot of her door. He knew she was there. He could feel her breathing on the other side of the wood. "Lavi… Lovely… I-" The words were a lump in his throat. "I want to know –"
No these words were no good. Should he be placating or furious? The woman on the other side, was she even someone he knew? Now she was a stranger, meeting again for the first time in a darkened corridor after a party.
In his short return to the Manor there had only been two people he felt ready to trust, by some awful twist of fate those precious two had been one person all along. One person who had fed him the biggest lies of all. Salty water dampened his shirt cuff.
"At the very least you owe me an explanation…"
A sniff… sob? "I- I never meant any of this. I didn't mean to become so involved with you. I'm so sorry."
"But it still happened. I don't blame you; you tried hard enough to stay away from me." On the other side Lavi gave a half choked laugh. "Everything I said, it doesn't change. I mean it all. My feelings were real… The name doesn't change a thing. What would you like me to call you?"
Silence.
"Lavi works just fine for me. If I'm honest I was more interested in the stable boy didn't give too much thought to Sheril's latest addition. But then Lovely just had to go and kiss me. After that I don't think I had a chance."
"I was just trying to make you shut up!" The absence of a sob heartened Tyki.
"Wonderful plan that was, worked out beautifully didn't it? Since that day I've been surrounded by you Lavi. Lovely, Lavi… In a way I'm glad you turned out to be the same. I can keep you closer like this; you are everyone who is precious to me."
Lavi had fallen silent again and Tyki wondered if she had even heard what he had just said. Damn it who should not have said so much all at once.
Hope bloomed once more as he heard movement on the other side. Tyki stood quickly to face Lavi. For moment neither of them moved and then she stepped aside to let him in. The sitting room was empty. Two cups of tea, one empty the other full. Lulubell said she had sat with Lavi after she fainted. Why hadn't they just taken her to the hospital wing?
The door leading to the bedroom was open, a faint orange glow of a lamp flickered deeper inside. Tyki sat down awkwardly, this kind of situation was entirely new, and usually he was on the side doling out the rejection. With no practical experience to draw on he would have to feel his way through this one and hope for the best.
Lavi sat down next to him and he swung his around her shoulders to draw her closer. His heart soared when she leaned into him burying her head into his shoulder and resting a hand on his chest. Lavi's breath was warm on his collar bone, a soft caress. He kissed the top of her head, deeply breathing in that scent that was so completely Lovely.
"Oranges will never be the same. I'll have to beat down the lustful thoughts whenever I encounter that scent, and it will be all your fault."
"Shut up." She mumbled into his neck.
Lavi felt the rumble of laughter before she heard. "I believe you had a far more effective method to make that happen."
Nose to nose and brow to brow they shared the same breath. Feather light touches traced the outline of Tyki's jaw, closing his eyes he lost himself in the sensation. "Nothing has changed. I really do love you Lovely."
A wistful sigh, a thumb drawing over his lips. "Do you remember when I told you I could say 'marriage' –"
"In seven different languages. I remember, what of it?" Tyki opened his eyes a sliver, Lavi's face was a mask of sorrow. Fresh tears welled up at the corners of her sea green orbs. As if reflecting her emotions, the colour of her normally vibrant eyes were dulled.
"Eight languages." Lavi's smiled sadly at him. "But tonight is the first I ever will 'I love you'. I'm happy I am able to say it you. But that is all I can offer. I love you Tyki."
"Shh, shh it's alright." Tyki stroked her hair, smiling to himself. It felt good to hold her, so warm on his arms. He thought about how he had been beyond stupid, recalling how she had been jealous of the stable boy, all the signs he had missed. But the joy he felt knowing that Lavi loved him, burned him up with ecstasy. Tyki kissed the top of her head, his hands wrapped tightly around her holding her tight in his grip. "It's enough for me." He held her tighter still. Now that the words were said, they were fragile and were to be handled with care. "I love you Lavi. All of you. It's going to be alright."
And for a while it was perfect.
On the lounger they lay sprawled, Lavi resting on his chest, calm breathing the only sound. A long time passed, Lovely's breathing slowed and became even, and he thought her asleep. It would be difficult to get used to call her Lavi. Tyki had come to love Lovely, and regardless, she was still lovely to him.
"Lovely, wake up, we have to go." She stirred, blinking blearily at him. Quickly she adjusted to the light in the room and sat up. A fresh wave of love spilled out from Tyki at the sight, almost dizzying him. Fit to burst from the feeling Tyki swept her fringe out of her face, tracing his thumb slowly across her cheek. Tearing himself away Tyki stood, surreptitiously stretching the parts of him that had numbed from lying in the same position. Through her bedroom door he could see that the entire content of her wardrobe had been emptied on to her bed.
"Good you've started packing. Get your things together, we'll go now. I need a few things from my room and then we leave. Together." There were too many things to consider. They would have to ride into town, his miners' home would do for now. Where to go after that? So absorbed was Tyki in planning the next course of action that he did not notice how stiff Lavi had become.
Lavi held her head low.. "Tyki you don't get it…"
"The Earl won't help me, not like last time, this deal with the Japanese is precious to him. I won't leave you. Not this time, not again."
"I'm not leaving with you." Lavi said almost imperceptibly.
"What are you talking about? We are leaving together. Tonight." Earnestly Tyki knelt down, grasping her hands in his. But she refused to look at him. "Lovely?"
"Tyki, I'm not Lovely, I'm Lavi. Bookman." Fresh tears welled in her eyes. "I can't go anywhere, not without Sheril."
Tyki tried to understand what she was saying. Who cares if she was Bookman? Hadn't she been paying attention to all that he told her? Bookman was a name important to him too, it was more reason for him to wish to take her away from this painful place, a past better forgotten. A reason to love her more. They were connected, always had been.
His mind tried to keep up with her. Tyki could not comprehend, wide-eyed he stared searchingly.
"Tyki, you don't get it do you?" Her voice broke over the words. "I'm going to leave with Sheril in the morning, to Italy. That's why I'm packing."
The world came crashing down around his ears. How had Sheril still managed to best him? He had probably known all along that Lavi would not listen to reason and sent him on this fools' errand regardless.
"But I love you…" He said weakly.
Lavi grasped his face in both of her hands. "I love you too, but Tyki, I have other obligations. I can't just leave not now, not when I have someone to look after."
The old Bookman, of course, he was her grandfather all along. Sheril the sick bastard was using him as leverage to blackmail Lavi. She had given up her freedom and dignity to secure healthcare for her grandfather. Not for the first time his stomach turned at the twisted wickedness of his brother.
"It's not what he would want for you." Tyki had to find a way to convince her. "Bookman would not want you to do this for him."
"He doesn't know what he wants." She said defensively, "Jiji isn't altogether there."
Tyki stood up abruptly, sweeping his hair back in frustration. "No Lavi, I've spoken to him. You were there that time when you walked me away from him and back to your room. That day I woke up and you were upset about Lavi – the stable boy. This is confusing. But Bookman is saner than you give him credit for."
"I'm just trying to do my best to look after him. The man raised me single-handedly. I won't leave him." The aggression in her voice caught Tyki off guard.
"Lavi, he asked me to take you away from here. Knowing what you have to do pay for his health, do you think any man wants his granddaughter to do that for him?"
"I'm doing what I can. And it's not like that, not anymore. Lulubell says if I help translate I won't have to do that ever again." Tyki couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sheril, Lulubell. Why did she consult with everyone else but him. "I'm not leaving Jiji for anyone."
"And leaving with Sheril is not leaving him alone?" Lavi shifted uncomfortably, his words were getting to her but Tyki couldn't stop himself. "Come with me and we can take Bookman with us. You won't be leaving him alone Lavi."
"Tyki stop! Just stop!" Lavi was on her feet, eyes wild. "Jiji is safe her. I'm going with Sheril and when this is over I will have my freedom."
A dark shadow gripped tight about Tyki's heart, squeezing so hard it hurt to breathe. "When this is over Lavi? When this is over you will see me thrown aside to marry some stranger and your grandfather will be in his grave. You are throwing your life away for a dead man."
A loaded silence befell the two. Tyki wished to unsay those words, but they were gone now, thrown out there and as much as he wished it wasn't so, the words were true.
Lavi stared at him, her mouth twisting soundlessly, stunned. "How could you… Tyki?"
He looked for the words that would save him, to reassure her. "Am I wrong?" No, that was not what he wanted to say. "Lavi, you've always known the outcome of this particular contract. It's not mere buying and selling, it's about cementing ties. In this kind of deal only blood will do."
"We can find another way."
"By the end of this you will be alone. Why can't you trust me? Come with me now and we can go, the three of us. Why do you trust Sheril so much Lavi, do you think he is the only one capable of protecting you? I cannot understand how after all that has happened you can be so willing to go off with Sheril alone. He just snaps his fingers and you're ready at a moment's notice." The shadow gave a hard tug, unable to stop himself and regretting it immediately. "Do you like him that much?"
The hot white flash that sparked across his face did not even surprise him. "How dare you!" She screamed at him. "How can you stand there and say those things to me?"
"Do you still hold feelings for him? Why else would you trust him? I've even seen you cry on his shoulders, hardly the act of a poor imprisoned girl." Desperately he tried to plug the dam but every insecurity he had just kept coming, viciously tearing the one he loved apart.
Tears were falling freely in streaks down the slopes of her cheeks and the hot taste of salt let Tyki know that he was crying too. Lavi turned her back to him and pulled the nightgown off her shoulders.
"Do you know why I haven't lain with you since that first night? It's because I wanted to preserve chastity or any legitimate reason like that, but because I didn't want you to see this,"
Dark blotches covered the expanse of her back. Where there should have been smooth, flawless skin a rainbow of bruises and welts overlapped each other. The worst black ones spread out into green and yellow as they healed slowly, hindered by fresh ones sitting on the periphery. Tyki remembered a stable boy with a black eye, dozing in a bale of hay.
"Your face when I first met Lavi…?"
"No that Skinn that time." She spat bitterly.
Tyki clenched his fists. "I'll kill him."
"Of course you will. Because that's how you fix things Tyki." She said scathingly. "But you won't. If anything happens to him before the completion of this contract, then I will be thrown out and Jiji worse."
Tyki took a half a step forward, stopping at the venomous sting of Lavi's glare. "Get out Tyki."
"I'm sorry…"
"Just go."
Lavi didn't know that Tyki stayed there long after she slammed her bedroom door shut on him. Lavi didn't know that he stayed there broken until the dark night gave way to the grey light of dawn.
Thanks for reading.