Picking up right where we left off, now it will start off in Claudine's POV! Since she doesn't know Maya is a girl, male pronouns will be used in regards to Maya when we are in Claudine's perspective.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

Chapter 4. An Untrustworthy Proposal

"Hah?!" Even though Claudine now knows exactly whose presence she is in now, she still can't keep the baffled exclamation down. "Y-You've got to be joking… I can't intrude on this meeting… No one is supposed to know I'm the Saijous' daughter…"

Besides, she knows she was never supposed to make any sort of contact with Tendo anyway. If her parents and sisters discovered Claudine had spoken to him, let alone pushed him, she'd be disowned in a heartbeat. Which might not be the worst fate, but she would still rather avoid it at the moment.

She remains still, her hand still in the young nobleman's careful grasp. She knows she should pull away, but the touch of his hand is the softest thing she's ever felt. It would be nice to keep feeling it for just a second longer…

"I'm afraid I must insist," Tendo reitorates. "Since you are also the Saijous' daughter, I must also conduct a marriage interview with you to be fair."

"Fair?" Claudine laughs wryly to herself. "As if anything or anyone in my life has ever been fair to me…"

"Then please allow me to be the first." He replies so readily, and with such earnestness in his voice.

Claudine's heart skips, and she hates it. She hates it because she knows she can't let herself even begin to think about Tendo like this. Of all the rich noblemen her parents would be marketing her off to, he was not one of them.

But this was his only request to her…

Claudine swallows.

"Fine. I'll… escort you to the meeting room and sit in if I'm permitted."

"Oh, you will be," he declares. "I shall make absolutely certain of it."

Claudine can't fathom why he would want her in the interview anyway. Simply so he could formally reject her to her face? If that were the case, she'd much rather he just ignore her altogether. She fears someone might spot them soon, so she lets go of his hand as she turns away.

"Then please… follow me."

"Please lead the way."

Claudine feels every confused, frightened beat of her heart as it slams through her veins. Any second now, she expects a servant or someone to shout out at her to get away from their esteemed guest. But as she makes her way back to the parlor to collect her walking cane, no one is around to interject.

From there, Claudine uses her cane and guides Tendo down the hallway and up the staircase, then down another hallway until they reach the designated room.

"Thank you very much for escorting me," he says. "I presume everyone else is already inside. Shall we?"

Claudine takes a step back.

"I'm really not supposed to be-"

"Please."

And it's not a command. Not even a plea. It's simply… a request. A normal, pleasant suggestion.

It's something Claudine isn't used to.

She hears Tendo knock and then open the door.

"Pardon the intrusion."

Claudine feels the light bump of a hand against her arm. This boy is glowing with enough confidence that she can feel it.

For the first time in her life, Claudine opts to do something she'd never done before. She trusts him.

Reaching out to accept his hand, she joins him in the doorway and steps inside.

Maya had been surprised by how Claudine had navigated her way through the mansion as quickly and efficiently as any seeing person could have, though she did note how at certain places Claudine had paused or checked a few things with her cane before proceeding. It saddens and angers Maya to think that those were particular places where she'd been targeted before.

She can tell Claudine is terrified at the idea of walking through that door to face her sisters and her parents. But Maya vows silently - to herself and to Claudine - that she won't let anything bad happen to her.

As they step into the room, most of the couches and chairs are already filled by the Saijous and Maya's own advisors. But the second they all look up to see the pair entering, everyone in the room gasps or snorts or nearly spills their tea.

"Clau-"

"What is she-?!"

While the older sisters have these comments to blurt out, Claudine's mother and father stand up in their haste.

"What do you think you're doing-?!" Lady Saijou hisses through grit teeth. Her husband feebly addresses Maya.

"T-Tendo-sama. Has this one bothered you? Please accept our humblest apologies. We'll see to it that she's punished-"

Maya holds up the hand that isn't holding onto Claudine's. She meets everyone's gazes, including Rei's and Shuuichi's, whom she gives a pacifying nod to.

"I beg your pardon," she says. "But I never asked for anyone to be punished for any reason. You see, as I was permitted to roam the premises after this woman's performance, I just so happened to see her fall victim to a crude and childish trap. Naturally, I went over to assist her, only to discover that not only is she blind, but also a Saijou."

She watches as the expressions of everyone before her warp and change. The parents become embarrassed, the sisters disgusted, and the advisors utterly shocked.

"Blind…?" Rei can't stop herself from repeating the word as she looks Claudine over.

"And a Saijou…?" Shuuichi says, turning to Lord Saijou. "Saijou-sama, you had informed us you only had two daughters."

The man grins sheepishly.

"Well, yes. Only two acceptable daughters, with this one being defective and all."

As he speaks, Maya can feel Claudine's grip on her hand tighten, just a little. But her stern expression doesn't falter, and she continues staring through her weasely parents.

"I don't believe," Maya proclaims. "That the deal was for me to interview only your family's 'acceptable' daughters. I believe it was that I would meet with all of them. As such, I see no reason as to why Saijou Claudine-san should be turned away. Are there any objections?"

The room is dead silent. Maya nods.

"Very well then. Let us proceed."

"Tendo-sama," Maria says with disgusting sweetness. "Please, come have a seat over here."

"Don't touch her," Elizabeth agrees. "She's quite filthy."

"There is no need for me to be seated," Maya states. "In fact, there is no need for a formal interview at all, as I have already made my decision."

"Eh-?" Rei's eyes go wide. "T-Tendo-sama, you haven't even-"

"I am well-aware," Maya smiles genuinely at her trusted maid. "But I have already chosen. I have decided that if she wishes it - and only if she wishes it - that Saijou Claudine be given to me as my bride."

At that point, everyone who hadn't already been out of their seat jumps up.

"What-?!"

"Tendo-sama!"

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Th-That simply isn't…"

Even Claudine beside her cries outright.

"H-Hey! What are you-?"

"Tendo-sama!" Both Rei and Shuuichi hurry up to her with distress written all over their faces. "Please don't be hasty about such a vitally-important decision!"

"My apologies," Maya says. "But I thought it was up to my discretion to choose someone whom I saw fit and who met all the requirements we had discussed…?" She gives them each a knowing look. Rei steps back, but Shuuichi remains adamant.

"But Tendo-sama, this is only our first visit. Surely we should at least reconvene on the other candidates you had wanted to give a second look at…?"

"There is no need," Maya says. "I've already made my choice. So long as Claudine herself accepts, I want her to be my bride."

At this, Claudine's elder sisters lose it and really start to show their true colors.

"You harlot!" Maria shouts. "What did you do to him? Did you bribe him with your body the second he came near you?"

"You know you aren't allowed to converse with the guests!" Elizabeth snaps. "You're just supposed to do your stupid little act and that's all! How dare you even go anywhere near someone like Tendo-sama?!"

"As appealing as you are both being at the current moment," Maya says calmly. "If you recall, I already mentioned that I was the one to approach Claudine. She broke no rule of yours about initiating conversations with guests."

The elder sisters purse their lips and say nothing more, but they do send glares at Claudine that are so vehement Maya can assume she can feel them piercing her skin.

"Tendo-sama." Lady Saijou speaks with the tone of a mentor trying to rationalize with a child. "That girl will only ever be a burden to you. She trips over things and bumps into walls, and to appear before the public with her would surely tarnish your reputation."

Maya now relinquishes all attempts to play nicely with these people. Her eyes become as hard as her voice.

"Really, now? Because the only time I've seen her trip over anything was when a rope was deliberately placed in an area she presumed to be a safe space. From what I hear, she cleans, does laundry, and prepares meals. Are those not all of the household tasks expected of any wife? Beyond all of those things, Claudine is an exceptional performer - better than any I've ever witnessed in all my years. The way I see it, she would greatly enhance my reputation by being at my side. Not to mention the fact that I fancy her."

While the others in the room all mutter in shock, Claudine beside her makes a small choking sound at that last comment.

But Maya isn't fibbing. She truly is attracted to Claudine in every way, especially her personality. Where every other woman in the empire was nothing but smiles and giggles, Claudine possessed a fiery side and wasn't afraid to speak her mind or even curse, which had made Maya chuckle more than once already. She was also adorable when bashful, and serious when performing. And more than anything, she had been hardened through two decades of hardship and mistreatment, enough to turn her into a determined, resilient person in spite of her misfortune.

"Her inability to see has not hindered her in any way that I can find," Maya continues. "She could navigate her way around the estate as quickly and efficiently as any one of us could, so long as she didn't need to be wary of traps. The way I see it, she would be the perfect bride for me. My mind is made up." She looks at her advisors, who both turn to murmur to one another.

Meanwhile, the older sisters are failing to conceal how livid they're feeling, while the parents are reeling in confusion, distress, and delight. At last, Lord Saijou speaks up.

"Tendo-sama… This is a… a high honor that you would consider our blind daughter. But please… may we have some time to discuss this? As family."

Once again, Maya feels Claudine's grip tighten. Maya's heart sinks a little. Unfortunately, she can't deny such a request. It wasn't as though she could just whisk Claudine away here and now anyway. Both families would need time to prepare for the occasion.

But in Claudine's case, Maya already knows that the second she walks out of this estate, the older sisters are going to do all they can to hurt her, and heaven knew how the parents might behave. Maya can only do so much to protect Claudine when she won't be physically present, but she does all she can right now.

"Of course. Will three days be long enough?"

"Y-Yes! That should do."

"Very well." Maya turns to her advisors. "Rei, Shuuichi, we should be off then. I would like to inform my father of my decision." She turns back to the Saijous. "Please consult with Claudine."

With this, Maya lets go of Claudine's hand. A brief glance to her side reveals that the poor girl is baffled beyond words, her hazy eyes wide and blinking in shock. But the second Maya lets go, she doesn't miss the beat of fear that flashes across her face. Maya does all she can to put her at ease.

"Oh, and one last thing," she says. "Since Claudine is currently the top candidate to be my bride, I should hope no harm or mistreatment comes to her. I caught wind that the servant children often play pranks on her. Please see that these children are punished and kept in line." Maya says this, but she glares directly at the sisters. "I will be extremely perturbed if I return in three days' time to find Claudine is injured or upset in any way. Please understand."

"Of course," Lady Saijou says. "We'll see to it."

"Very good." With this, Maya motions to her advisors, who scramble to collect all their paperwork and things before shuffling to the door. "Then I will see you all again in three days. I bid you good evening." Maya gives a half-bow to the rest of the Saijous, then a full bow to Claudine only. And though she can't see the gesture, Claudine must've guessed it was occurring, because she manages a flustered curtsey in return.

Maya hates to leave her there in the place she knows has been nothing but a prison to Claudine. But with any luck it should only be for three more days, and then never again.

As Maya's group proceeds to exit and leave the estate, no one speaks until they are in the privacy of their carriage. At that point, Rei lets her have it.

"Maya-sama! What on earth are you thinking?!" In spite of her maid's understandable outburst, Maya remains calm as their carriage departs.

"I was simply adhering to the guidelines we had discussed with my father."

"By declaring your choice on the first visit? Without consulting with us first? A secret, blind, third daughter of the Saijous? Shuuichi, please tell her how ridiculous she's being."

"Unfortunately, Maya-sama, I must agree." Shuuichi adjusts his glasses as he glances over some of his paperwork. "The Saijous are the lowest of the nobility in terms of wealth. Hadn't we already previously discussed that we were only visiting them out of obligation since they extended the invitation? You can't possibly select one of them. And as Rei-san mentioned, a secret third daughter whom they've kept hidden all these years out of shame? Your reputation would-"

"Be greatly improved, the way I see it," Maya cuts him off. "You two saw for yourselves. Claudine is extremely gifted in her performance skills. And as I mentioned, she is entirely self-sufficient. She can cook her own meals, clean the entire estate, and navigate with ease. And if she is to live with me at the Tendo estate, there will be no one trying to hinder or hurt her, so she will be twice as efficient. She knows all the etiquette any other woman knows, and she is quite beautiful. And not to mention…"

Here, Maya lowers her tone just a little. "Her inability to see would be perfect for helping conceal the secret of my gender. Clearly, it would be much easier to keep such a secret from someone who could never see my body, yes? Are these not all the criteria for a suitable wife that we had discussed?"

The two of them ponder quietly for a moment until Rei responds.

"You make some strong points. But wasn't the initial deal that we would reveal your secret to your bride so you wouldn't have to walk on eggshells and simply pay for her silence?"

"Perhaps," Maya nods. "But what is the point in revealing my secret and having the risk of her slipping up when she can very easily just never be informed and never find out in the first place? As far as Saijou Claudine will know, I am her husband and the male heir to the Tendo name."

"That may be feasible," Shuuichi says. "But you bring up the final point that concerns me."

Maya frowns. "The children, yes?"

"Precisely. Even if we select the healthiest man in the Tendo family to produce a child with her, the odds that it will be blind are too high to risk it. The Tendo family can not have a disabled heir. It would be unheard of. And if it were to happen, the child would be discarded immediately." He sits back and lets out a heavy sigh. "As solid as the rest of the points about Saijou Claudine you bring up are… I fear the risk of the children she bears being blind is too great."

Of course, Maya had already predicted this rebuttal, and she has already considered a solution to it.

"Then we don't have her bear any children," she says. "We choose another woman, or let the donor choose one himself."

"Are you hearing yourself?!" Rei shrieks. "At least with the original plan one of the parents would have been legitimate to your marriage. But now you want it to be two surrogates? At that point the child won't be blood-related to you or your wife!"

"But if it will be healthy," Maya counters. "And bear at least some fraction of Tendo blood, and if all involved can keep quiet… I see no issues, do you?"

"No issues," Rei mutters. "She sees no issues!"

"None at all," Maya agrees pleasantly. "It would be simple enough to market the deal to a select few. Rather than informing the Saijous of my secret and paying the lot of them off to keep quiet, we can use that money to appease the woman who will bear the child that Claudine and I shall raise as our own. Surely, knowing that she will be bearing a child who will become heir to the Tendo estate will be more than enough incentive to have the mother agree."

Judging by their silence, Maya knows she's made another irrefutable argument.

"But please," Shuuichi says. "Let us discuss things further with your father."

"Very well." Maya isn't all that worried about her father's input in all of this. She'd already brought up all the positives with this arrangement, until there weren't really any negatives left.

And besides, Maya knew her father was a softer man than most would assume - especially when it came to her. He already felt guilty enough that she had lost her mother and her brother before she could meet them, and has to live out her life as a man on top of it all. If Maya brought up all these good points about Claudine to him, she knows he wouldn't mind that she is blind so long as Maya is content with her.

With everything more or less covered on Maya's side, she need only to wait out those three days and hope that Claudine accepts her proposal.

The very moment Tendo lets go of her hand and leaves her alone with her family again, Claudine feels as though the floor drops out from under her.

In spite of how shocking the nobleman's sudden proposal of marriage to her had been, in spite of how furious she could sense her sisters were, in spite of how upset she knew her parents were…

Why was she missing that man already? Why was she longing for the gentle touch of his hand again…?

Claudine hadn't been scared of her own family for over a decade now. She'd become strong-willed and strong-minded all on her own, enough to ignore or live with their ire.

But after spending only thirty minutes with one kind man, his departure now suddenly makes Claudine feel weak.

Not that she has any particular liking toward him. After all, he was just another rich noble looking for a woman to bear his children. Whatever act he'd put on for her today had been nothing more than that - an act.

As a performer herself, Claudine knew just how easy it was for someone to commit themselves to a piece enough to believe it, and to convince everyone around them to believe it, too.

All Tendo had said to and about her today had been sweet nothings. She's certain of it.

And yet… he had been so terribly kind to her…

Claudine is ripped from her reverie when her family's voices suddenly flood the room now that Tendo has left.

"I can't believe it," her mother says. "How can this be happening? He's choosing her over our two daughters?"

"It must be a farce," her father decides. "He'll take her as a mistress, perhaps, but not as his bride."

"Well, isn't that what we've been waiting for?" his wife replies. "If we've been waiting this long to sell her off to the highest bidder, who could ever hope to outbid the Tendos?"

"Do it!" Maria screams. "Just get rid of her! I can't stand to look at her stupid face any longer where her eyes can't even see you!"

"Father's right," Elizabeth says. "Tendo-sama only wants her as a commodity so he can make her dance and laugh at her along with his friends."

"And if we get the monthly stipend from the Tendos…" her father says. "Along with the initial sum of giving her away-"

"It's decided." Lady Saijou has the final word. She must look at Claudine then, because she sneers. "Don't look so stupid! It was your own fault for wandering around where Tendo-sama could've found you."

"He pretended to be all nice," Maria cackles. "But I bet he'll have his way with you in whatever way he sees fit."

"He told us not to damage you," Elizabeth sneers. "Because he wants all the fun for himself!"

"You know he must be dealing with a ton of stress, being the sole heir to the Tendo family," Maria goes on. "He needs someone to take it all out on."

"And what better than a stupid blind girl who can't fight back against her own master?"

Her sisters laugh maniacally. Their words strike chords of fear deep in Claudine's heart, and her stomach churns with nausea. The two of them had confirmed Claudine's own fears about Tendo's presentation today being just an act.

What if they were right? There was no real reason he would want someone like Claudine other than to be used as an outlet for his pent-up stress and frustrations. At least here in this household she wasn't blatantly beaten, but once she became Tendo's property, he could do whatever he pleased with her…

Her sisters continue laughing, then begin to discuss what clothes to buy once they receive their weekly stipends. Her parents mutter about what a relief it will be to be rid of Claudine once and for all.

And just like that, Claudine's entire family decides her fate for her within the course of a minute, all while speaking horribly of her as though she weren't even present.

It's too much for her to process all at once. The mansion feels as though it's lurching and swaying around her.

Claudine presses down hard on her cane to keep herself on her feet. She can hear everyone moving around the room as they pass her by, her sisters snickering and her father drooling about the things he's going to buy with the Tendos' money.

"Pack your things," her mother says uncaringly. "These three days can't go by quickly enough."

And with that, the four of them exit the room, leaving Claudine more alone than ever.

She isn't sure if she wants to scream or cry more. Anger boils in her blood - anger at her family for their cruelty, but more so than that, anger at herself for letting this situation happen. If only she'd immediately run away from Tendo the moment he'd stumbled upon her, she wouldn't have given him enough time for his interest to be piqued.

On top of being furious at herself, there is a dreadful fear to match. Something deep in the pit of her stomach that twists with sickening force.

She doesn't want to become Tendo's bride or mistress. She doesn't want to be the target of his ire. She would rather stay here and live through the torment she already knew to expect and handle. At least here she had her moments of freedom in her performances. At the Tendo estate, she wouldn't even have that…

Claudine covers her mouth and lets out a sob as she recalls Tendo's kind voice and soft gestures.

An act. They'd all been lies to try and ease her into accepting his proposal. And she hadn't even gotten a say in it, in the end.

Staggering to the wall, Claudine slides down and curls her knees into her chest. Not once in all her life did she ever think she would miss this nightmare of a house. But now, with the threat of where she is going to end up, she wishes with all her being that she could stay trapped in her room forever - even if her sisters and the servants let rats loose in it.

Claudine curses her fate - first for the accident that had blinded her, and now to being sold off to some rich man who only intended to hurt her.

She weeps for a time, then grips her cane tightly and pushes herself to her feet.

The rules of society be damned. If he tried to beat her, she would fight back. Even if it got her executed, she'd rather die proudly in front of the entire Empire than wither away after decades of abuse.

Claudine wipes her sightless eyes and draws in a deep breath.

"Do your worst, Tendo."

A/N: Such a stressful situation for poor Claudine! Of course she can't trust anyone, let alone a 'man' she only just met. She's only ever known people to be unkind to her, and with the shock of the situation thrown at her so suddenly, and her family being terrible, she can't possibly think positively...

On the other end though, Maya has thought it all out and thinks it should go smoothly. We'll have to wait and find out!

Please review!