Ferdinand 3rd year Royal Academy
We finished the last set and many of the apprentice knights were leaving to get clean before dinner. Only a handful of the most dedicated would stay. It was only now, after Justus had taken my practice sword from me, and I took a swig from my water canteen that I felt them approach. No weapon to protect me; Justus wouldn't really be much of an interference anyway, and my guard knight had magically been distracted by Lord Werdecraft, who was of higher status than either of us. Unease pricked across my skin. My pulse rate accelerated as I realized I was surrounded by smiling face that masks for something far more predatory. Their voices dripping with honey in a sickly-sweet way that made my skin crawl. Their words were coy and demure, but the veiled implications behind them were less than pleasing and reminded me too much of the green-eyed woman who stalked through the Ehrenfest castle.
All eight girls smiled at me. Even if six of them were merely attendants and guards for the first two, it was overwhelming. Their advances were very forward and extremely unwanted. No matter how many compliments they tried plying me with my skin wouldn't stop crawling. The voice in the back of my mind was practically screaming, 'Danger! Get away! Now!'. Before I could even completely think of a proper polite refusal a flat rejection came out. Not unlike how I would refuse Heisshitze. I didn't even take the time to look at their stunned and angry faces, merely spun back around, retrieved my practice weapon, and moved back onto the practice ring.
"Pfft!" I stiffened at the sound of a terribly concealed giggle. Now annoyed instead of panicking, I turned to the one who had uttered that sound.
Lady Minerva with her back to me, was practically hanging off her staff in efforts to contain her laughter. And I knew she was laughing at me because both her guards; who were in fact facing me, were starring at me with very different expressions. The female knight looked like she wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or cringe at the display. While Heisshitze looked at me with something close to pity. My anger simmered hotter as I battled the urge to throw something at her back. Not only would that be pointless because both guards were well placed to stop any such attack, but I was fairly certain she was baiting me. I was loathe to give this vexing woman what she wanted.
I put on my brightest noble smile and asked cheerfully, "Everything alright, Lady Minerva? You aren't still feeling under the weather?" I hoped the subtle reminder of how I had found her and the story she had put out would reign her in. But when she turned to me, she wasn't even bothering to hide the mirth that played across her face and shone in her silver eyes. Eyes that were strangely normal. For her.
She chuckled at my clear disapproval. Her gaze briefly going to the girls who were probably fleeing the training ground. "You should be careful not to create enemies needlessly. (*Flies*) might not have a particularly nasty bite, but they can carry nasty surprises."
I scoffed. "Like you do?" The last thing I needed was to be chastised by the person who very literally beat up on all of her would-be suitors. Especially since men tended to take her form of rejection far more personally. Speaking of which Dimitri still wasn't back, perhaps that poison he had tried to use on me had killed him. Wishful thinking.
Her smile took on a sharp edge. "Exactly like me." Her eyes caught on something past me, and her face brightened. Then her smile seemed to get stuck, as if she was trying not to frown. I turned to see Peter and Lady Minerva's only attendant Evelina. The former was carrying a case that looked like it was harspiel case. While the latter look to be carrying two smaller boxes. Just behind them was Lady Magdalena and her entourage.
"So, you two decided then." She sounded resigned.
Peter smiled brightly. "We did."
Minerva refused to look at him. "And what did you decide Lina?"
"Well, if it's not too much trouble I like to hear the love song you were humming yesterday." Now that was interesting. I resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at Minerva. The few songs I had heard from her if they touched on love, were the familial kind. But now there was a slight pink color to her cheeks implying that this song was probably especially shameless.
"Is that truly what you wish?" Was she actually trying to squirm out of it. My jaw almost dropped. This was even worse than the tea party with her sister. Only; if I was any judge, Lady Evelina had not tricked her lady into anything. So, there would be no recourse against her unlike with Magdalena.
"Sister, surely you wouldn't try to go back on your word. Your people worked hard to match your expectations."
Minerva turned to her sister. Conflicting emotions flickering across her face. "I keep my word, Maggie. Even if," She turned to Peter. "Some would use that to get what they want." Her scholar held her gaze politely smiling, but I could feel the mischief, the same thing I had no doubt Minerva felt. He was playing a very dangerous game. "What about you, my faithful scholar?" There was censure in his voice.
"A duet with my lady."
She sighed dropping her gaze, it did nothing to hide the touch of Geduldh's color that crossed her cheeks. "Fine. I'm sure you have the song picked." Her voice was very resigned.
Peter looked like he was going to chuckle, unlike his lady he was able to hold proper decorum and swallow the impulse. "At the Beginning."
"Alright, first the broach covers." She looked to Evelina. "I suppose you have them."
The attendant smiled brightly and offered the first box to Minerva. Inside were four silver rings shaped like dragons. They were exquisitely crafted and each one was slightly different. The first two were very similar. Only one was spewing fire and the other was spitting lightning. The next one was a dragon clutching scrolls. The final one was the strangest. Instead of spines this one had antlers on its head and a mane of hair not unlike a horse. It was also wingless which allowed me to see the tiny flowering vines that wrapped around the creature.
"Impressive." They were little works of art.
"Peter makes a hobby out of the jeweler trade." Lady Minerva said with a smile, making me wonder if all the little charms I had seen her decorated in had been Peter's handiwork.
The scholar smiled. "No less impressive than my lady's hobby, you'll see."
She shot him a quieting look that made me wonder what Minerva did as a hobby. Then she gave each dragon to her retainers. Heisshitze got the fire breathing dragon. Catherine her female guard got the lightning. Peter got the dragon with the scrolls. And Evelina got the strange flower one. Each of them took them reverently and clipped them into place around their Dunkelfelger broaches. "Shall we move to the tables for the rest?" she suggested. As if that would delay what was coming. No one was fooled, but Lady Magdalena agreed settling the matter. My retainers joined as the group crowded around one of the covered areas for a table.
Lady Minerva opened the other box and inside were two objects sitting on a velvet cloth. The first was a dagger. Simple, but no less beautiful than the dragons. Engraved and washed in gold on the cross guard was a symbol that looked a lot like the designs that made up my new cloak's embroidery. A small yellow feystone set at the center of the symbol. The other was an ornate looking gold comb. Like the dagger it had a similar style of twisting overlapping lines that flowed toward the center. At the very center was a tiny ornate looking sword just a little longer than my longest finger. The pommel was also a tiny red feystone. First the dagger was presented to Heisshitze, who took it gleefully.
"I pray you will cherish it." The not-so-subtle dig at him for betting his cloak was enough to eek out a sheepish chuckle. But he also looked touched. Then she picked up the comb. "Catherine, if you would turn around."
The female knight with wavy wine-red hair blushed. "My lady that is not approp-."
"I know very well, what it is and is not." Lady Minerva said with a soft laugh. "Allow me this moment to convey my thanks."
Everyone was speechless that she; an archduke candidate, would do something so beneath her station as dressing up another woman's hair. Lady Catherine knew that her mistress was an odd one, perhaps that is why she submitted to being served by her Lady. Minerva settled the comb along one of the girls braids that wrapped around her head. After making sure it would not slip out Minerva smiled pleased with her work. "I pray you never need its protection." That caught my attention. I hadn't seen any magic circles on it, but there was a feystone. What kind of protection could it possibly provide? The stone was much too small for anything truly useful.
She sighed, "Next, my faithful scholar."
Peter let his real smile lose this time. Looking like a zanze that caught a shumil. He opened the case of the harspiel. I was surprised to find it was not Lady Minerva's. This one had wolf head expertly carved at the top. It looked like the wolf was mid howl with its head thrown back. He sat himself down on the table clearly ignoring proper manners as much as his lady, and perched the instrument in his lap. He began to strum a soft winding melody. But soon his soft voice rose haunting in its beauty.
We were strangers
Starting out on a journey
Never dreaming
What we'd have to go through
Now here we are
And I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you
Then his orange eyes rose to meet Lady Minerva's. Amusement and something else were laid out plainly. Almost as if he was daring her to run. The song continued and for a brief moment I thought Minerva really would refuse to sing. But then her much more like voice joined the winding melody.
No one told me
I was going to find you
Unexpected
What you did to my heart
When I lost hope
You were there to remind me
This is the start
And...
Peter's voice merged with hers so perfectly. I felt my ear turn hot as I remembered seeing their intimate moment. This felt like that. Leaving me feeling dirty somehow. As if I had intruded on a moment of complete vulnerability between Ewigeliebe and Geduldh
Life is a road
And I want to keep going
Love is a river
I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road
Now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there
When the world stops turning
I'll be there
When the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you
Peter's voice took lead.
We were strangers
On a crazy adventure
Then Minerva took lead.
Never dreaming
How our dreams would come true
Only for both their voices to be merge again seamlessly. The music drifted through the air like a leaf spun on a breeze. It would have been soothing had the words not been so straight forward and shameless.
Now here we stand
Unafraid of the future
At the beginning with you
And...
Life is a road
And I want to keep going
Love is a river
I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road
Now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there
When the world stops turning
I'll be there
When the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you
I knew there was somebody somewhere
Like me alone in the dark
Now I know my dream will live on
I've been waiting so long
Nothing's gonna tear us apart
And...
Life is a road
And I want to keep going
Love is a river
I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road
Now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there
When the world stops turning
I'll be there
When the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you
Life is a road and I wanna keep going
Love is a river I wanna keep going on...
Starting out on a journey
Life is a road and I wanna keep going
Love is river I wanna keep flowing
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you.
When the song drift to a close with the last couple of notes Peter hummed softly. His eyes no longer on his lady but on his fingers. Minerva's face was a bright red. Even taking a swig of her water couldn't seem to cool the color. It certainly didn't help that all the women were staring at her with almost open jealously. It was Heisshitze who broke the stunned silence.
"Now that was something!" He grinned at Peter and gently nudged him with his elbow. "You almost compete with Ferdinand with your skills of harspiel."
Peter chuckled me. "No, I believe Lord Ferdinand is far more skilled. He just needs to pick songs that suit his voice."
My ears were practically burning at the implications I should sing such smut! I scoffed. "I will not sing such a shameless song." They boldly declared that they wanted each other with that song, that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. This was a whole new level of shameless. How were they not embarrassed to have sung that in front of other people. Truly Bluanfa was a terrible goddess if she made people lose their wits like this. They were worse than Sylvester, for Gods' sakes.
Minerva chuckled apparently having finally found her noble mask from where ever she had dropped it. "Careful, Little Flower. You keep scowling like that and your face will get stuck. Then what will your poor future wife do, she'll think your always angry with her?"
Again, I scoffed. This vexing woman was clearly drunk off Bluanfa's dance. I knew very well I was never going to have what my brother had, what she had. Something in me twisted painfully at the thought. "Few women will match with me." I knew it was arrogant to say that to women of upper duchies, but I knew it was the truth. Knew it from that first day when I had dusted so many feystones with a mere touch.
Before Minerva could say something else, Peter asked, "Lady Minerva, what was the song Evelina heard you singing?" A knowing smile played across his face, making me wonder if he knew exactly what song.
She gave him a look that would have had lesser men freeze in place. Before muttering, "That's the way it is."
Her scholar beamed. "If you don't mind, I would love to play the music while you sing?"
She sighed. "Fine."
Once again Peter's fingers caressed the strings only this time Minerva started to hum. Soon her hum was transformed into a powerful note that seemed to strike like distant roll of thunder. Then she allowed a few notes to play before she sang softly. An interesting contrast to her start.
I can read your mind, and I know your story
I see what you're going through,
It's an uphill climb, and I'm feeling sorry
But I know it will come to you,
Don't surrender, 'cause you can win
In this thing called "Love"
When you want it the most
There's no easy way out
When you're ready to go
And your heart's left in doubt
Don't give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
When you question me for a simple answer
I don't know what to say,
But it's plain to see, if you stick together
You're gonna find the way
So don't surrender, 'cause you can win
In this thing called "Love"
When you want it the most
There's no easy way out
When you're ready to go
And your heart's left in doubt
Don't give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
That's the way it is
When life is empty with no tomorrow
And loneliness starts to call
(*Baby*), don't worry, forget your sorrow
'Cause love's gonna conquer it all, all
When you want it the most
There's no easy way out
When you're ready to go
And your heart's left in doubt
Don't give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
(And that's the way it is)
Don't give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
That's the way it is
That's the way it is
Don't give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
And that's the way it is
All through out the song her voice took on a strength that was reminiscent of Verdränner only to soften under her twin Verführmeer's influence. In fact, this song could easily be changed to illustrate all the goddess under Flutrane. Perhaps that was partly why this song was even more shameless than the last. I suppose I should just be grateful that this insanely vexing woman had not seen fit to make references to Beischmacht.
"Such a 'love' is a child's fantasy." Grammalatur's blade was out of my mouth before I could even begin to blunt its edge. I only managed to keep from wincing at the sharpness of my own words. Instead I prepared myself to see hurt, anger, annoyance, or even just coldness in those silver eyes that were always smiling. So it took me by surprise when she chuckled at me instead. Those eyes instead of having anything I expected had something akin to worry. However, I could feel Schneerst as if he surrounded me.
"Careful, Little Flower. The Goddess of sprouts might not be like her fellow Verdränner, but she can be especially spiteful to one who spurns her gifts before ever receiving them. And she can be quite cruel."
"You make it sound like you know the Gods personally."
Her lips quirked at my bristling attitude. "Little Flower, I think it would take a saint for Bluanfa to dance for you."
I scowled at her musings, and hated how my ears were practically on fire.
Author's Note: No, Minerva has no idea about Roz being a saint. Am I using this chapter to set up one big punchline down the road? Maybe. Apologies about how awkward this chapter is. I couldn't quite figure out how to get the two things I wanted to accomplish done. I am very open to thoughts here.
On another note, I have no idea if Verdränner and Verführmeer are actually sisters much less twins. That's just my head canon.
Peter did in fact know what song Minerva been singing when Evelina aka Lina over heard. (hint: she was using a magic tool to sing to him while he played his harspiel in his room.) In their previous life they used to sing together all the time. Yes Peter did plan this and set it up so Lina would ask for the song. This is their reward for passing classes. It is also part of Peter's little revenge for his 'wife' being stubborn. He's a slow burn kind of guy. He also knows Minerva is VERY uncomfortable with certain kinds of display of affection. (soft gentle or clear and blatant 'admiration')