Chapter 5. That Which Is In A Name
Corinne spent the rest of that night tossing and turning in her bed, unable to lose herself in sleep. Each time she closed her eyes he was there standing over her, brown eyes burning with unforgivable rage, the scarred side of his face glaring at her unholy in the candlelight. She shuddered and pulled the coverlet her head.
Morning couldn't come fast enough.
For most of the day, Corinne worked alone. Madame Hélène asked her once if everything was all right and she simply nodded, prompting a highly suspicious look from the older woman. She let the subject drop, however, stating Corinne was needed in the ballroom. Broom in hand, she trudged slowly from the kitchens to the ballroom.
As she walked, her mind raced through the events of the previous night. Her wrists still throbbed from his fierce grip and his cry rang through her ears. A look of pure hatred twisted his already distorted features as he cursed her over and over. Corinne contemplated never going back. Sure, being a musketeer was her dream job, but her teacher was a right madman. She would be mad herself to return to him!
Perhaps she was mad. Those same eyes that scorched fear into her very being looked so sad, so broken. Almost like a frightened child. In his eyes, all the sadness of the world, she thought. Perhaps she would return to him…
"Corinne!" Aramina called, pulling the blonde girl from her reverie. "Over here!"
"We're washing the windows today, so you won't need that," Renée said. Corinne shrugged and lay her broom against a wall. She retrieved a rag from the bucket on the floor, rung out the excess water, and set to work.
Viveca, who was washing the window beside her, gasped. "Corinne! What happened?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said as innocently as possible.
"Your wrists, Corinne. They're bruised pretty badly."
Aramina and Renée stopped what they were doing and looked.
"Oh, that. I, uh, don't know how that happened," Corinne offered pathetically.
"Are you sure?" Renée examined the garish purple markings. "It looks like someone grabbed you and squeezed hard."
Someone did, but she couldn't tell them that her disfigured fencing instructor flew into a rage after she removed his mask. They wouldn't believe her. "Yes, ah, I… Well, I, um-"
"Corinne," Aramina stopped her, "You don't have to say it. I understand. Your secret is safe with me."
Corinne's eyes widened. "You mean, you know?"
"Of course I do! It's obvious."
"It is?"
"Yes," the red-head giggled. Corinne's heart raced. He said she wouldn't remember! "But you have to tell me his name."
"W-W-What?" Corinne stammered.
"Your lover," Aramina said as if it was evident to everyone in the room. "You've been sneaking out every night to meet him."
Corinne's face grew hot. That's what she thought? Her teacher was a dead man. Though, it made for a decent cover, better than anything she could come up with anyways, so Corinne went along with it.
"I can't tell you his name," her voice lowered. "It's better for the both of us that way."
Aramina squealed. "Ooh, Corinne this is so exciting! He's a member of the royal court, isn't he? But who?" She pranced around the room like a giddy child.
Renée shot Corinne a look that said, "I hope you know what you've just gotten yourself into."
Corinne nodded.
"I know!" Aramina gasped. "It's Count Philippe, right?"
Viveca groaned. "Not this again."
"What?"
Corinne tuned them out and continued cleaning.
...
Night fell over the city of lights.
Standing on front of the mirror, Corinne threw one last glance over her shoulder making sure her friends were indeed asleep. When they did not stir she clicked the mechanism that rolled the mirror from its usual place and stared into the passageway. She drew in a deep breath and retrieved the nearest candelabra before stepping into the dark tunnel. The mirror returned to its rightful place behind her.
The distance to the correct passageway seemed somehow shorter. Before she knew it, Corinne stood face to face with the man who called himself her teacher. He threw a sword in her direction and she almost didn't catch it.
"Now that you are here," he said without missing a beat, drawing his own blade, "we begin." He lunged forward.
Corinne dropped her sword and held her arms up in a gesture of surrender. "Wait! Please!"
"What?!" He spat.
"I'm sorry, all right! I didn't mean to remove your mask! I don't know what came over me! But I promise it will never happen again!"
He eyed her suspiciously. "You swear it?"
She met his gaze and fought back the urge to rush forward and take him into her arms. In his eyes, all the sadness of the world. "I swear."
"All right then. Let's begin."
"Wait!"
He groaned. "Now what?"
"I believe you owe me an apology as well."
"I most certainly do not." He crossed his arms against his chest.
"You most certainly do! Or do you not remember this?" She thrust her bruised wrists forward. He flinched. "Do you have any idea what I went through today because of these?"
He remained silent.
"Well?" She asked.
"Well, what?"
"Are you going to apologize?"
"You ripped my mask off!" He shouted. "I hardly find an apology on my account necessary!"
"I hurt you, I understand that now," her voice was calm and even. "I didn't mean to, so I apologized. And whether you meant to or not, you hurt me as well. Am I not entitled to some sympathy?"
He stared at her and she watched as the fire drained from his eyes, replaced by an inkling of affection. Corinne couldn't look away.
Those pleading eyes that both threaten and adore.
"All right," he grumbled halfheartedly, a smile tugging at the visible corner of his mouth. "I apologize for hurting you, Corinne."
"Thank you."
Now, that we've taken care of things," he unsheathed his blade once more, "we begin."
Corinne bit her lip. "One more thing?"
He sighed. "What?"
"Tell me your name."
He stiffened.
"Please? I'd like to think we were friends and friends call each other by their names."
Still, he did not relax.
"Teacher? I am so-"
"Louis," he whispered. "My name is Louis."
"Louis," she repeated, testing the name on her lips. He shivered. "Well Louis, let's begin."
...
So, they've made up! And Corinne knows his name now. There's some epic things coming up. Oh and by the way, my awesome roommate and her partner are working on a new Anime called C.O.T.I. or Creatures of the Imagination. It's super awesome and I love it a lot, so go show some support and like their Facebook page! (Just searc and it should come up.)