A/N: Chapter 16 of Mystical Eye of a Savage Hound. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own OC. Revenge of the Sword Clan's Hound belongs to the rightful owner.
Chapter 16: Morgue Clan's Ball
Still in Morgue Territory...
A couple months had passed since that night. Raspane has been giving me rigorous testings just as she's promised, always jotting down notes and capturing data meticulously. But after my first run she kept my health in mind and always stopped before it became too much – of course the sisters in the ward wouldn't be opposed to having more time to treat me. I swear I heard a couple of them giggling and glance my way whenever I pass the open doors, which only hastened my footsteps faster. They're very nice sisters who maintain professionalism and care for the members of Morgue so it's refreshing to see that they too have some underlying desires from time to time.
Despite the clan head increasing the number of tests bit by bit, she also pushes my limits and move the goalpost so to speak ever so slowly. I took notice of the change, but didn't say anything because she gives me a summary of her notes as well as tips and pointers on where I can improve; with each session I was getting better and better: the timing of casting each spell got faster, the chemistry and transition of merging two spells together was smoother, and maintaining stability of mana circulating within my body was more controllable. It was far from perfection but I am honestly happy with my improvement.
I also kept my promise with Camus in helping her train during the night out on her balcony, doing my best to make sure she'll be in the best condition when she does her Rite of Passage. On days where we have time to do physical conditioning on the training ground before nightfall we would have our dinners light as to not train on very full stomachs, but when we don't do physical and focus primary on her casting and mental fortitude then we'll eat a bit more. Our first few attempts were a bit of a trial and error because we were trying to figure out what was the best way to narrow down and pinpoint the glaring issue: low accuracy of quadruple casting. Now don't get me wrong, Camus timing her casting is fairly fast given she is just a child, but coupling that with accuracy is what makes it an issue. She's choosing huge power over accuracy by default, but what good is that power if she can't hit her opponents?
"But you know what? Even if I don't rely on speed to close the distance between us I could have used spells to counter yours." I told her during one of our sessions, sitting cross-legged on the training field. There was still daylight in the sky since classes were cancelled, the professor told the students that they should spend the rest of the day focused on either rest or do last minute self-study. Therefore Camus grabbed my arms and dragged me all the way to the field before I could even open my mouth.
"You're kidding right? Even if you countered you'd still be hit by the others." She refuted my statement with a huff.
"True I would be hit by the others if I wasn't too careful or if my timing is off. However, if my goal wasn't to attack then..."
"You would focus on dodging and defending." Her eyes sparkled as the ideas began to formulate in her head. "So if you manage to dodge three spells, then you'd use the counter spell for the last one."
"Bravo." I gave her an applause at her reasoning. "Don't rely too much on this thought process though because this is me we're talking about, not a lot of your opponents will dodge your spell on the first try. But now you have an inkling of what an opponent would do if he or she decides not to approach you and instead decide to observe your abilities and what attacks you'll do."
"However even if my opponent doesn't approach, it'll lead to an opportunity for a long range attack." She drums her fingers against her chin in thought. "For that kind of tactic I should either dodge and defend, or..." As though a light bulb lit up in her head she turned her eyes to me. "Or...I close the distance myself. That's what you did against me."
"Very good, princess." I grinned.
"But how could you have known I'd use long range attacks to come up with such a plan? As far as I'm concerned you haven't had any experience dealing with mages." She questioned me, brows furrowed in skepticism. "What secrets are you not telling me?"
I couldn't possibly tell her that I have some experience against Morgue Clan members in my previous life, whether it be observing or getting into scuffles. I could only infer how Camus Morgue at the time fought because I never crossed paths with her. I kept my expression neutral while pondering how to answer her question. The young red-haired girl was currently scrutinizing me very carefully as she waited for my response.
"Well?" She prodded after a moment of silence. "Say something."
"Something."
"...are you trying to piss me off?"
"Isn't too difficult given your temperament." I laughed as she began hitting me with her small fists, cheeks puffed out with annoyance. "Okay okay! Let's just say I've had experience fighting opponents who like to attack from far away."
"Not with magic though."
"Nope, good old fashion bow and arrows. Sometimes if the long range doesn't work, then we're up against either clubs, axes, or bare knuckles." That's technically not a lie since we're much closer to the Barbarian Tribes than Morgue Clan is so our encounter rates are much higher.
"Well that's understandable given your geological location." Camus nodded her head and settled back on her haunches. "The clash between you and the Barbarians must be quite frequent. But because of these encounters you gained insightful knowledge on how to deal with their weapons. "
"If you want I could show you some tricks to counter those."
"While I must thank you for that offer it is not necessary." She told me, shooting down that offer because she knows she can just fire off her own spells to either counter long range weapons or she can just rely on defensive spells. Then she said with more excitement in her voice, "Tell me more about counter spells because I feel like that would be much more beneficial for my trial."
"Sure." I made myself comfortable because this discussion may take a while. "So say that the opponent avoids your quad casting and closes the distance – much like the male student who got you with his spell – and let's say he fires a fire spell. Your first thought would be to either douse it with a water spell or you could use an earth spell to block."
"Makes sense."
"But have you thought about using a spell your opponents have never thought about utilizing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Have you considered countering the fire spell with a lightning spell?" I asked her. She pondered my question before shaking her head. I smiled and held out both hands, with my right hand I summoned a small fire while in my left I had a small spark of lightning. "Now this shouldn't be countered lightheartedly because the caster may up being the one who ends up hurt and not the opponent."
"Because of the reaction?" She asked, mesmerized by the spells before her.
"Exactly." I slowly put my hands close to each other and we watched a small explosion occurred. "I would advise against doing this at close range, but you can make use of this from long range."
"So I can perhaps throw my opponent off guard if I were to make a big explosion." I can practically see the excitement roll off her body as she imagined the scenario, honestly it was pretty cute. "Then while they're trying to recover, I'll close the distance and obtain victory!"
"Quiz time, how would you counter a water spell?"
"Haaa?" She gave me a quizzical look before she thought about it, rubbing her chin with a hand. "Ummm..well the spell I've thought about would be ice. So the water can freeze before it hits me. An earth spell could be used as well, but depending on the water pressure it could crumble and I'll be hit. Unless I use the time to decide whether I dodge or throw up a defensive spell." Her brows furrowed and she looked at me once she had locked in her answer, stating with absolute confidence. "I think that's it. An earth spell or an ice spell."
There was a moment of pause were I stared at her in silence and didn't say anything.
"What? Am I wrong?" She growls, unsettled by how hard I was staring at her. I kept my mouth shut, allowing her to get to the answer herself. Her eyes widened and she gasped in disbelief. "You're kidding...there's no way a fire spell can do it."
"Nope, it's exactly as you're thinking." I popped the 'p' in my response, a small grin on my face. "You look like you still don't believe me."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
"Very well. Then you best keep your eyes peeled and don't blink." I did the same example as before by holding out both hands, a small fire in one hand and a small column of water in the other. With the two spells in hand I brought them together, watching as Camus leaned closer to watch. At first there wasn't anything, but then she and I observed small bubbles starting to show up; soon there were a plethora of bubbles that the water spell was just swallowed up. Once it had died down there was no more water and the fire continued to burn.
"That's it?" Camus cautiously reached out to touch the hand that was handling the water spell. It was practically dry. "Is it just that simple or do I need to maintain a high-level of fire to change the water into vapor?"
"You see? Even a water spell will splutter and fizzle out in the presence of very high heat." I told her as I extinguished the flame with a small wave of the hand. "But you'd be correct in thinking that the power of the fire spell needs to overpower the opponent's water spell, otherwise this wouldn't work. That's the only thing you need to be weary about."
We spent a few more minutes debating and discussing other scenarios that she may encounter during her trials and how to best counter the attacks. Camus was so animated from the way she talked to drawing little doodles on the ground to using her magic for that three-dimensional display. I sat there listening attentively, giving her my pointers and tips when asked or engaging in discussion when there's a better way of handling a situation and defending my case.
Once we had finished our training session, the sky had a slight tint of orange and red as we made our way back. I always felt that Camus gained so much insight and practice whenever she was with me. There was a hint of confidence in the way she carried herself although the smugness she exudes never changed. I smiled as I remember how she was before we started this training session.
"I see that small grin on your face, don't think I wouldn't notice." She leered at me when we got inside, her mouth twisted into one befitting of a Cheshire cat. "What are you thinking about? Something naughty I bet."
"Like telling you what is the color of your panties?" I teased back and received a punch to the arm. "Sorry but that wasn't what I was thinking about. I was thinking about how far you've come all these months while training with me. Seeing your progress was so rewarding, I'm honestly happy for you."
"O-Oh." She fell silent for a bit at my words, a hint of red gracing her cheeks. Coming to a pause she reached out to grip the back of my shirt, indicating that I should stop as well. She mulled over what she wanted to say and finally says, "Thanks, Viktoria, for what you've done for the past few months. I never would've gotten this far without your help...or at least as far I would've eventually gotten on my own; I doubt I'd be able to do any of this before the trial, so...you have my gratitude."
"No problem. I learned a lot from you as well during my time here." I told her, rubbing the back of my neck with a hand. "In fact, I'm glad I came here too. If I hadn't I wouldn't have known about this eye of mine or utilize the magic within me. So you get my gratitude as well."
"Hmmmm, I think the clan head's calling for me. Must be for whatever is going to happen tonight..." Camus skipped ahead before saying over her shoulder, "You roam around a bit for the time being and I'll meet up later!" Pausing mid step, she turned as said, "By the way, you're welcome~"
I watched her disappear before continuing on my own way, letting my mind wander a bit since I didn't have anything else that needed my immediate attention. There were a few mages who walked around, but some dipped their heads in greeting or actually stopped to make small talk with me; since my time here I actually tried playing nice with the members to where they got comfortable with my presence. There were some who still kept their distance and observe me from afar, but I didn't feel offended. Not everyone felt the need to be my friend, and I am okay with that. It means I get to put all my attention on those that matter.
"Oof." I suddenly grunted when something fell on top of me, my face hitting the ground with a loud smack. There was a resounding silence in the air, neither one of us daring to say the first word. Slowly I moved a hand to gently touch underneath my nose, making sure there wasn't anything broken or any blood that leaked out. Once I determined that my face was okay I sighed and said, "Hello, little bird, what can I do for you?"
"Do you know how hard it is to get you by yourself? Honestly it's been a pain in the rear, I even have backup plans to my backup plans." Rose asked me before she launches into her monologue. "I mean, every time I try to get close to you you're either with Mother or with my cousin. There was never a great time for me to act, but now...it's just the two of us."
"Well, guess I should get myself comfortable." I raised my upper torso a bit to fold my arms under my head. I thought I'd get a peaceful day roaming around Morgue grounds – Raspane was busy with diplomatic affairs that came from the city, leaving no room for tests which I was okay with as she holes away in her chambers. Camus just left to see the clan head, if that was her only reason to leaving me alone for awhile or if she secretly left to practice by herself. Which means that I was basically free until dinner.
"Can you tell me about what happened that night now?" asked Rose, leaning forward till her hands were between my shoulder blades. "And before you tell me that you're still doing research I'll have you know that I've waited this long to hear the truth so whatever excuse you want to cook up at this point I've probably heard all of it."
"Well...guess the jigs up, I don't have anything else. And since I have gotten what all I can from the clan head, I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you." I shrugged my shoulders in defeat. I began telling her from when I barged into her room that night, skipped over the items she ended up deducing herself, and ended with explaining how I used my own mana to subdue hers. Throughout my explanation she didn't say a single word, listening to me until the end.
"...wow. So you're capable of doing that, must be an ability of the eye that we weren't aware of." She breathed once I had finished.
"I mean I wouldn't necessarily say it was only an ability of the eye. This was just something I thought that could have worked but haven't actually done. You going haywire was the perfect situation for me to test that idea on."
"So I was just a guinea pig to you?"
"Saved your life didn't I?"
"Yeah...yeah you did. So thanks..." I could feel like she was pouted and imagine her cheeks puffing up. "Say, do you have something in mind to give Camus when she finishes her trail?"
"Like a gift?" I asked her.
"Exactly. It's a really really big deal when mages pass their trials." Rose leaned down and ended up putting some pressure between my shoulder blades where her hands were placed. "I think it would be really good if you gave her a gift. To tell her what a good job she's done."
"Hmmmm...a gift befitting the princess..." I drummed my fingers against my cheek as I thought about what to get Camus. Similarly to how Baskerville Clan rewards their hounds who have outgrown their baby phase and step foot to sharpening their adult fangs, Morgue Clan has their own traditions. However, Rose was telling me that it would mean a lot to Camus if her betrothed gave her a personal gift, one that wasn't like any other. "What do you suggests we give her?"
"We? Why is it a 'we'?" The young Morgue member questioned. "Shouldn't it be you?"
"I feel like you have an idea of what you'd want to give her."
"...how good are you at summoning magic?"
"Working on it, I have a long way to go to be honest." I waved a hand and a small flower bloomed in front of us, a crystal rose. "The most I can do now is plants, animals and humans are the next level."
"Seeing as I get out of control when I try to work on summoning humans and knowing that gifting someone something resembling a human wouldn't leave a good taste in my mouth...animals it is." said Rose.
"Oh yeah? And which animal do you see Camus as?"
"I know you always called me 'Little Bird', but Camus is more of a bird than I. She always sings at charity events and her voice can be considered angelic."
"Huh, I saw Camus more as a bunny than a bird. Or a cat but that would be a little cliché now wouldn't it." The princess as a cat girl...dear lord that would be quite the treat to behold...
"You have some very indecent and impure thoughts running through your mind right now." Rose spoke as a matter of fact, watching as I shook my head immediately to dispel those said thoughts.
"Since we're on the same page to giving Camus an animal summon, how about we do some mock ups and see what sticks. Maybe we can even merge a couple of them together to make the ultimate gift." I offered and used my magic to summon a couple of bird and rabbit mold bases. Together Rose and I began to but different color patterns on the molds, some were just solid one colors but soon we had a whole bunch of molds that looked like a color explosion.
"Is there a particular color that Camus likes?"
"Not that I'm aware of. Guess we'll have to go with the basic suspects like red or a variant of red."
"Red like the hair of Morgue or red like the rubies she's been so captivated by?"
"Red like the eyes too. Like I said, we can just go for basic reasons." We continued working until all the molds were finished. Then we began to choose which ones that we liked, getting rid of the ones that didn't make the cut. Soon we managed to narrow down the choices to the final three: two birds and one bunny.
"One solid color while the others have more than one." I mused as I looked at the molds. "I'm starting to like the idea of a bird, even though a bunny would be cuter."
"Mmmmm, I also like the bird." Rose agreed before pointing to the bunny and said, "But I like the color pattern of that one."
"Then how about we make a compromise." With a little bit of magic I transferred the color of the bunny onto the bird. We looked at the new mold with its new coloring with critical eyes. "Well? How about it?"
"Yes...yes, this is perfect. This. Is. It!" Rose said with absolute excitement and clapped her hands with glee. The bird was mostly crimson colored from the crown to the neck, with little tinges of red splotches around the rest of the body and wings. Its belly was a creamy white color, almost like an offset white but still pure. The eyes were also red but there were specks of gold. "Camus is going to be ecstatic when she sees it."
"I'll swing by your room tomorrow morning and we'll complete the summoning." I stowed the mold away separately while dispelling the other two with the wave of a hand. "Then we'll bundle it up perfectly and I'll leave it to you to give it to her once she passes her test."
"Rose, what do you think you are doing with our guest?" The young Morgue girl turned her head while I lifted mine to see Raspane approach with a quizzical expression on her face; even though the clan head hasn't been seen in awhile due to her responsibilities, her appearance was still pristine and regal. However I could tell from the slight dark circles under her eyes that she has been through a lot. Beside her was Camus and she looked just as confused at our currently position, so the princess did indeed go to see her mother. I mean from their point of view all they see is a young Morgue member straddling a Baskerville guest in the middle of a hallway. "That is not how members of the Morgue Clan behaves."
"Uh uh uh, we were having a civil conversation. Honest!" The young member said as she hastily scrambled to her feet, using her hands to dust down her clothes. "We weren't doing anything illegal or scandalous."
"Is that true?" The question was directed to me as I have yet to pick myself off the floor. I nodded my head to back up Rose's claim, ignoring how the young girl let out a sigh of relief. Raspane kept a tight lip before stating, "How long do you plan on laying on the floor?"
"It seems like I've been laying on the floor for way too long so I lost some feeling. Give me a second..." I let out some soft grunts as I maneuvered my body into a standing position, stretching out my limbs till I heard some satisfying pops. I released a huge sigh and said, "Haaaaaaaaaa, now I think I'm good to go."
The clan head made a noise in her throat before walking away, gesturing with her head for all three of us to follow. Camus and I walked behind her but Rose brought up the rear, her head down. Gently I held my out for her to take, and Rose's eyes lit up as she excitedly grabbed my hand. Camus smiled and reached down to hold her cousin's other hand, so the three of us walked in a perfect line behind Raspane. We made it to the clan head's chambers and she turns to us with a deep sigh.
"As much as I would love to say, 'Get dinner and a good night's rest' but you three have one more thing to do. And that would be to clean up and dress appropriately for the Ball."
"The Ball?!" Both Camus and Rose exclaimed with excitement as they crowded around the older woman, acting like excited puppies clamoring for their mother's milk. I blinked at this immediate change in behavior so I knew that whatever this 'Ball' is it is very very important.
"Look at you two acting all eager and full of vigor." Raspane smiled as she wrapped her arms around both girls and drew them into a hug. Then she glanced at me and said, "I suggest you prepare yourself as well. This event is one where no one dares to sleep the night away."
By nightfall...
True to the clan head's word all the members congregated to the clan's massive ballroom for the event, it does not matter the age because every single able-bodied individual got to participate. The males were dressed in very fine suits with accompanying ties or bows while the females dressed elegantly with dresses or a combination of blouse and skirt; as for shoes Raspane left it up to the wearer's decision as long as it was comfortable. Everyone had cleaned up and groomed appropriately with the intent to showing off their best for the evening in front of their clan head. Multiple tables filled with food and drinks were up against the back with servants bustling around with trays in their hands. The doors were heavily guarded with elite mages, their eyes scouring the perimeter for any signs of disturbance.
Raspane herself was making her rounds as is her duty as the clan head, chatting with the young Morgue members as well as the older members. Adolf was slowly hovering by her side, but he could also peel away for private conversations of his own before rejoining his sister. Now she is currently in a conversation with a couple of perhaps delegates and high-end politicians most likely trying to get onto their clan head's good side; from her body language to her facial expression she was quite relaxed so I was under the impression that the conversation wasn't too heavy.
I adjusted my collar a bit before the tightness of the tie starts biting into my throat. I had all the intentions of dressing as Baskerville hounds do for occasions however, given that I was in Morgue territory, a part of my brain argued that it would be best to abide by their customs. As I had glanced at my suitcase I remembered Butler Barrymore had stuffed a different kind of suit in case of emergencies such as this. Once I had laid out the article of clothing on Camus' bed all other thoughts went out the door. Yes, this is the look I want to portray before the Morgue Clan. This is me looking my best.
"Someone looks incredibly dashing tonight, and the tie is a very nice addition underneath the black blazer." I turned my head to see Rose smiling as she approached me. She was dressed in a simple dress with frills along the edges, a mid-size bow adorned her collar. For shoes she decided to wear one inch sandals, the high heels were not appropriate for a child of her age anyhow. "Though I was hoping to see you wearing something similar to the other sisters here."
"Hmmm, you know I thought I was going to do the same, dress up in a very elegant dress and heels. But I decided against it and stay true as a Baskerville. I am after all a guest and so I must act as such." I replied, turning fully so that I could face her. I thought about bringing my sword with me, but ruled that out on the premise that it would be overkill for an event. I gave Rose a once over and said, "You look cute tonight."
"Why thank you for the compliment." She did a small courtesy and twirled once, giggling. Once she stopped she stepped closer and said, "Just so you're aware, as it is custom of the Ball, every member of the clan must do three dances, and don't worry the music will never stop playing until the next day. One slow dance with someone not from the same class doesn't matter if male or female. One mix dance with someone from the same class but this one is strictly with the opposite sex – if you think about cheating this one you'll have one more dance to do."
"How does..."
"It's best if you don't think too hard about that one, you'll give yourself an unnecessary headache. The clan head has her ways of tracking. Finally the last dance is one of choice, it's basically a free-for-all and everyone's game. The clan head believes that the choice of the individual will always be important so she added this requirement. You'd want to pick the best partner for this one because the music is very classical and elegant. It's like you're supposed to move with your partner as though you are one."
"Three dances, huh. And each one has its own meaning from partner to music..." Somehow that doesn't sound appealing to me in the slightest. I'd rather go and decimate a wild creature instead.
"Don't tell me you're getting wet feet at the prospect of dancing. Doesn't Baskerville have something similar or is all the event simply sword fighting?" She snickers at me, one hand lifted to cover her grin. Before I could argue there was the sound of someone tapping silverware against glass. Immediately a hush fell over the crowd and everyone turned their attention towards the front, even the servants paused in their duties to listen. Raspane stood tall and regal, her eyes roaming across the whole venue before she began to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, I stand before you tonight to express my heartfelt gratitude for your gracious presence at this event. It is an honor to have you all here to celebrate this very special occasion as it is a Morgue Clan tradition. I would like to thank those involved in getting this space setup, from decorations to food services, their hard work and dedication are evident in every detail of this magnificent evening.
"I would also like to thank our sponsors both here and those in the city who unfortunately couldn't make it. Their generous support throughout the years have made this event a reality for generations to come. We are truly grateful. As such, no ball is complete without our guests, everyone in this room to be exact. Your presence here tonight is a testament to the spirit of community and camaraderie that unites us all, that is what makes Morgue Clan strong.
"The day after tomorrow, those that are old enough and have fulfilled their requirements, will begin their journey to the exam site to begin trials. The Rite of Passage is more than tradition, it helps prepare magicians such as yourselves for the next phase of their lives should they pass; I do not need to utter the next words but I shall do so anyway. Failure does not mean an absolute end, if magicians fail their Rite of Passage they have a chance next time to succeed.
"For tonight we'll dance for everyone involved and for those who will one day also go through their own trials when the time comes. As we dance and celebrate, take a moment to also appreciate the beauty and joy that surrounds us every day. Tonight will be a moment of unforgettable experience. Now please, let's enjoy ourselves to the fullest and I wish you all a wonderful evening and a lifetime of cherished memories."
After a tremendous roar of applause and whistles, the air was soon filled with music and members began to congregate to a large open area and began to dance with their partners. I stood off to the side, watching the members dance in their own way to the beat. There didn't seem to be any particular pattern so at least I didn't have to worry about any simultaneously dance moves everyone had to execute at the same time and beat. I felt a small tug on my sleeve and I saw Rose looking at me expectantly. I glanced around to see that no one else were paying attention so I already had an inkling what the young girl wanted.
"Are you asking for me to be your first dance?"
"Why else would I approach and stand next to you?"
"Thought you were trying to hide from the others from asking or you just didn't know who you wanted to dance with. Ouch!" I winced when she kicked me in the shin and I knelt down to soothe out the pain. While I rubbed it out I asked her, "Don't you plan on dancing with Camus? That already kicks me out."
"Ah ah, did you already forget what I told you?" Rose waggled her finger in my face. "You will satisfy my dance of choice and Camus fulfills the first requirement." Then she glanced at the floor and said, "Although it's okay if I don't dance with her this time, because I'm not participating in the Rite of Passage this time. It's more important that she gets her three dances tonight, and I can always ask her for dances in our spare time."
Oh duh, that makes so much sense. Then perhaps I'll adapt a similar strategy...I rolled my eyes as I remembered her explanation of how this ball works. Standing back up I took a breath and held out a hand towards her. "Well then, will you do me the honors of being the partner to our first dance?"
"And here I thought you'd never ask." Rose said it in such a cheeky manner that I nearly wanted to back out and wait for another Morgue to ask for a dance. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the dance floor, weaving between a bunch of bodies that already claimed a spot. We made sure we had enough room without bumping into others before our bodies swayed with the music. It was a slow dance that didn't require much movement.
Rose and I got into a gentle rhythm, swaying against each other before I felt bold enough to spin her around. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she giggles with happiness as I twirled her around. Then she wanted to do the same thing for me, and I humored her although I had to bend my knees quite a bit so I could go under my own arm. We did it a couple more times, my ears perked up at the sounds of giggles and hushed voices from those who weren't successful in finding partners – I didn't bother listening too closely but based on Rose's slightly flushed face I can imagine it was about us and how cute we were. Soon the music slowed down into a soft whine before trailing off, indicating that the first round of dancing is over. It was customary for those who danced to bow or courtesy to each other.
"Thank you for the dance, your grace." I whispered for her ears alone and Rose smiled to me in response. We linked arms and left the dance floor, parting from each other to seek out new partners for our second dance. For Rose it was easy to attract the other sex and she found herself a boy around her age, his fingers nervously touching the bow around his neck. I watched as they made their way on the dance floor for a good spot. As for me, I had a small inkling that no male would dare to approach a guest so they ended up frolicking towards the Morgue girls.
Thinking I would be able to take a breather I made my way to the refreshment tables, grabbing one of the glasses that were provided and took a curious sniff. Whatever was in the cup smelled fruity which I didn't expect to smell at this event, my nose twitched again to make sure I didn't smell wrong.
"Not to worry, young master, most of the drinks here are child friendly. The older ones need to show some kind of identification to a guard near the back if they want an adult drink." I turned to come face to face with the same Baskerville elites who acts as a servant and met with me on the training field when it's just the two of us. He gestured to the dark red liquid in my hand, "That one is actually a strawberry punch. There's also pink lemonade, grapefruit juice, sparkling apple juice, dragon fruit, and some concoction of coconut with a splash of vanilla."
"Sounds fancy." I mused and took a small sip. The taste that assaulted my taste buds was quite the experience, but it wasn't bad. In fact I swore I could basically drink this 'strawberry punch' all day if I could. I turned to the servant and asked, "You think Baskerville can get some of this? Or at least produce it?"
"I'll see what I can do, but given the location of Baskerville you know we haven't had any success in producing fruit." The servant mused before stating, "Perhaps we can negotiate a trade between clans for like goods and bring some of these drinks for the others to try."
"That would be great, it'll help increase our relations between the two clans." I nodded my head in understanding and he slipped away to continue his duties before anyone else could think of anything out of the ordinary.
"Seems like you lucked out in fishing for another partner. That's two for me and only one for you." Rose's voice appeared on my side and I swore I could see beads of sweat on her skin. She eyed the drinks, grabbed one that was slightly rosy pink and threw her head back, gulping everything down in one go. She let out a refreshing sigh and said, "Better hop to it before I go three for three!"
"Wasn't aware that we were having a competition on who'd complete their three dances first." I commented and she just tutted, clicking her tongue in disappointment.
"If you think everything is not a competition then you are already steps behind."
"You don't say." I turned back to the drinks and decided to try out what I presumed to be the coconut with a splash of vanilla, if the white liquid wasn't a glaring clue. Out of all the drinks I've tried I think this one jumped straight to number two, trailing the strawberry punch.
"If you continue to stay here and chug the drinks like that you'll get a big belly." Rose commented, shrugging her shoulder when I gave her the side-eye. "Once I watched Uncle Adolf chug a huge pitcher of...uh, some kind of gold bubbly liquid, and then his gut expanded so much. It was so noticeable that our clan head banned him from drinking that stuff. He was so sad and depressed until his belly returned to its normal state. Since then he hasn't touched a single cup."
Ahhh, so Adolf Morgue was a heavy drinker. I thought to myself, not sure why that piece of information was stored in my brain. I was not aware...
"Ahhhh! There's Camus!" Rose spoke and I lifted my gaze to see the red-haired princess on the dance floor, dancing with a male member. I don't remember seeing her slip into the room so I must've missed her entrance. She was wearing a knee-length scarlet dress, the fabric not particularly stiff because it flowed as she moved, accentuating her figure nicely. For her feet she opted for one inch heels, the straps crossing over the top before circling around the back of the ankle. Her long hair that was usually flowing out wild and free had some of the strands braided and pulled back, tucked into a small tail.
While most of the occupants on the floor were preoccupied with dancing to their own tone, I couldn't help but notice that most of the people were focused on their lord; the male was poised and maintaining his composure but I took note of the stiffness in his movements, almost like he was doing his best to keep up with Camus. She was a whirlwind with how she commanded the dance, every move she does had meaning to them and nothing felt wasted. Once the music faded away and the male led his partner off the dance floor the pair was immediately rushed by others, swarming and clamoring for attention.
"Will you excuse me, please? I'm going to get some fresh air for a bit, the room's stuffy and hot with all the dancing that's been going on."
"Are you really going to run away without even talking to her with your tail between your legs?" Rose asked me before she wiggled her eyebrows. "Or could it be you're actually feeling jealous seeing her mingling with the others?" I reached out and gently flicked her forehead with a finger, making her yelp.
"Don't say such nonsense, it'll make you have a big head in the future." With that I bowed low and made my exit – I actually looked for the undercover Baskerville servant who discretely pointed me to a door that wouldn't trigger a warning for the other guards on duty – unnoticeable to all except for one particular individual. Camus waited for a couple minutes after watching my figure disappearing out of sight, barely listening to the clamor of those around her, before she made her own excuse to detach from the crowd. She made her way towards the door where she was stopped by an elite mage on duty.
"Sorry, Lord Camus, but the clan head was strict about not leaving this area." He spoke, holding his hand out when she attempted to side-step him. "Please go back and enjoy the ball with the rest of the members."
"I..I would like to get some air." She told him, but he shook his head.
"If you wanted some air please use the one that leads out to the balcony. Every other door is guarded and they will tell you the same thing."
"Seriously?"
"I am very sorry, my lord."
"Oh! Just the man I needed." A voice spoke and the two of them watched as one of the servants approached. Camus recognized him immediately, but he placed a finger to his lips and winked. He approached the elite guard and said, "There seems to be a problem in the back, some ruffians bribed the greenhorn baby standing in front of the door that leads to the stairwell in the back where the adult drinks are kept. As far as I am aware it is important for all guards to check every ID, but in fact from what I saw that guard looked all too happy to be accepting the huge wad of cash because he moved out of the way without any resistance."
"Why that...! I told our captain that that newbie wasn't up for this task, but he had full faith in him. Said it would help 'build character' or some shit. But then he had to be bribed by a couple of those scoundrels...!" The elite mage growls with anger. Clearly this wasn't his first rodeo and he probably has some very choice words with the captain once the whole event is over.
"If it were up to me I'd bring that man and all the little urchins who have had a hand in the whole ordeal up to the clan head." The servant continue to whisper to the guard, watching as the color slowly drain from his face and replaced with red anger. "Least we suspect they'll try very hard to sabotage their own trials to get to the next rung on the ladder."
"The clan head will never allow that to happen, and if she doesn't see to it that they get their dues...then the Trials will see to it that the members will not pass." The elite guard storms away before shouting over his shoulder, "You stand guard and don't let anyone else get pass until I get back!"
"Now you're free to sneak out." The servant whispers to Camus once the elite mage disappeared. Then he took up position so no one else would suspect anything and said, "She should be by the rose garden right about now."
Camus sent him a smile of gratitude before slipping out. Without the music booming in her ears she never realized just how silent and peaceful the outside could be. She felt a slight chill as she began to walk along the cobble path, almost making her want to pick up the pace. Her nose caught the sent of the roses as the garden came into view. She didn't have to look long until she spotted me with my back facing her, a hand raised to lightly caress the delicate petals.
"Look at you all dressed up like a porcelain doll, just like the princess that you are." I smiled as I turned around and watched Camus walking her way down the cobblestone path towards me, lowering the raised hand while the other was currently stuffed in my pocket. My ears had picked up the sounds of footsteps so I didn't turn around right away, but it was very distinctive so I knew it was her and not anybody else; I even made my exit so discrete that no one would bother to give a second glance – of course I had to be weary about the guards since they'd be more sensitive – but in comparison to them, Camus was strangely acute and sensitive to me in particular. "How can this lowly dog be of assistance?"
She closes the distance between us and gently places both hands against my front just below the shoulders and above the chest. Her fingers rubs the soft material of the lapels of my jacket absentmindedly before tracing along my collar bones. I kept still as one of her hands moved further up to card through my hair, the soft pad of the thumb pressing gently behind an ear.
"Let's just say I was missing my actual dance partner of the evening, everyone else wouldn't do; if you're seeking for an actual explanation the music was starting to get to my head and I wanted to get some fresh air. I felt like I wanted to end my night on a high note though, but I turned my head for a minute and the person I was looking for had disappeared in the wind."
"Then perhaps you should consider attaching a short leash to things you wish to keep close and not let out of your sight." I stated in a joking manner and there was a hint of mischievousness in her eyes at my words.
"Not a bad idea to consider. I may just do that since it's very impolite for untrained dogs to keep their owners waiting." Then she leans down to whisper, "But you aren't untrained because you ended up waiting for me here because you knew I'd follow you out. So the impolite one is me. And...you don't look so bad yourself, for a mutt that is."
I shake my head and let out a slight huff, a grin on my face at the behavior of the princess. Taking one of her hands gently in my own I turned with the intention of leading her back to where the ball was still going, but she squeezed my hand and gestured with her head to somewhere else. When I didn't move my feet fast enough she began pulling and tugging on my arm.
On the training field...
"This is quite far from the grandiose ballroom don't you think?" I asked her once we made it to around the middle of the field, tucking in a strand of hair behind my ear. There was a slight chill in the air but thanks to the blessings reinforced by the River Styx I barely felt the biting winds. However, as I looked over and witnessed Camus lightly rub her arms to keep warm I found myself holding out a hand to grasp hers.
"D-Don't just grab my hand whenever you feel like it." She said but curled her fingers anyway when I made to release her hand. When I looked at her she spluttered, "B-But I'll allow it this time. You're getting off with a warning."
"If that's what you wish but I was going to show you a nice little trick to keep warm." I watched her eyes sparkle at the thought of learning something new. How cute, she can be more of an excited puppy than I...no, she's more of like a bunny. I can imagine it, two slender ears with luscious red fur and a fluffy cottontail wagging in the back. And Rose thought she'd be more of a bird, I'll believe it when the princess here wants to sing before me...
"Well go on then, don't leave me in suspense!" She shivered and grimaced, "I think I'm getting colder and colder by the second."
"Okay, give me your other hand." She placed her other hand on mine, palms facing up as I moved mine to be underneath. "Now watch carefully." I leaned close and whispered some words under my breath. Slowly my hands were covered by a warm, red aura. Camus flinched a bit when the aura then oozed its way over her own hands, but I gave her hands a squeeze. Now we watched as our intertwined hands were covered in the warm red.
"It feels like I've been bubble-wrapped in a blanket, the chill wind...I don't feel it anymore." said Camus with giddiness. The red aura died down but there was a silver-lining that we could see that it was still there. I let her hands go and she twirled around, a smile on her face. "Now I don't have to worry about staying out for longer periods when the nights are cold!"
"Still need to go to a reasonable time for your beauty rest, given your heavy schedule." I reminded her and she stuck her tongue out at me. She can be very childish. I stuffed a hand in my pocket and said, "You're so free spirited when you're out here huh. Out of the eyes of everyone else."
"Well...a girl's gotta have her secret moments sometimes right?" She tilted her head, hands clasped behind her back. "Even though I danced well inside, not missing any steps and even maintained my elegance...all I could keep in my mind was my mother's gaze piercing my back. So, what better way to end my night than dancing how I want to dance?"
"No filters or being held back?"
"Genuine and from the bottom of my heart. I can express myself the way I want to." She smiles and tilted her head up to look at the vast galaxy above. "Besides, I hear that my moments become more sincere and pure when I can see the brilliant shine of real stars over my head. Not the fake dazzlingly light generated by magic or lots of light bulbs."
She looks more and more relaxed when she's out here, like a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. Not like when I watched her dance where everything was precise down to even a single strand of hair. I noted to myself as I observed her. Makes me wonder how long it took for her to perfect everything, to eliminate any chance of errors or mistakes. How many tears she could possibly have shed just to make today a success. I sighed inwardly to myself. Here underneath no one's gaze...she can be herself. She can dance where each movement can mean something and nothing at the same time.
"Now then..." I blinked and focused back on Camus as she stood before me, her eyes twinkling and mouth forming a big smile. "Are you just going to continue standing there and stare or are you going to approach me and ask for a dance? It's the last one for the night after all, and I saved mine just for you."
"For you that is a very true statement, however this is only my second dance of the evening. But then again I am not a Morgue so technically I don't need to follow the rules too strictly." Stepping up to her confidently, I reached for a hand and held it tight. My other hand rested against her hip and I gauged her behavior while drawing her close. "Regardless I won't say no to my lovely betrothed who saved her last dance for me. I won't mess up."
"That remains to be seen if you can keep up with me." She placed a hand on my shoulder and stood tall, feet shoulder-length apart. I craned my neck up a bit just to maintain eye contact, this girl definitely knows that she has some height over me and she is taking advantage of it. "Can't have you be all bark and no bite."
We started off slow and steady, swaying our bodies to some unheard beat before our feet began to move. Forward and back, left and right, the whole field was our stage so we don't need to worry about falling off. She has taken the lead and I her loyal follower, my eyes never straying hers while being mindful of not treading on her toes. Camus had a smile on her face the whole time, almost borderline laughing from happiness as I spun her around for a bit, by this point we've nearly covered a good amount of the field.
We performed a couple of leaps and bounds and by 'we' I meant Camus, she probably got the idea from watching me spin Rose around, but she wanted to do something more mature. As she jumped into the air, my hands immediately held her waist tight for support and stability, my arms extended as far as they can to get her close to touching the stars. Once the dance came to the end she bent backward a bit with one of my arms wrapped around her lower back and the other pressed against her back so she didn't fall. Our chests rose and fell as we breathed heavily, sweat rolling down our faces.
"Perhaps when you're a little taller we can try to do a proper dip, this doesn't feel complete for some reason. However, I'll be content with our performance and deem it a success." She commented offhandedly as I helped her to straighten back up. Placing a warm hand on my face, she leaned forward and placed a small kiss on my cheek. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, princess." I brought a hand up to place my own kiss upon it. "Do you wish to stay out a bit longer or do you want to head back?"
"Someone told me that I have to get my beauty rest. I believe now is the time to do so." She replied and allowed me to lead her back. The ballroom was empty when we passed the windows which indicated that everyone had retired for the evening. Luckily for us the servant was there to greet us and let us inside, his twinkling eyes conveyed that he knew what we were doing but he wished us a good evening and disappeared.
We got back to the princess' room and prepared our nightly routine, it went a bit faster than usual and I blamed it on Camus wanting to get as much sleep as possible. I don't blame her, we were outside nearly all night after all and on our feet; I didn't want to point it out but the princess was limping slightly due to her shoes. Near the door I had my suitcase all packed up along with the weapon leaning against the wall, a reminder that tonight was the last night I'd be spending with Morgue Clan.
"How long do you plan on standing there?" I turned to see Camus already in bed. She patted the space next to her, telling me to hurry up.
"Coming coming." I said, walking around to my side to pull back the blankets and tucked myself in bed. At some point we finally discarded the sleeping bag so the barrier between Camus and I have been eradicated. However, we kept some unspoken space between us, but the princess always woke up pristine and happy; I wasn't aware of it but she ended up telling me that she had to put the sleeping bag back in place every morning because apparently Adolf's been a bit suspicious and sneak a peak inside his niece's room, no doubt trying to make sure I wasn't up to any shenanigans.
"So..." Camus turned her head to face me, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. "You'll be leaving tomorrow morning." It was more of a statement than a question.
"Mmhmm. The butler will be near the front to pick me up." I affirmed, laying back on the fluffy pillow. "Almost feels like just yesterday I was dropped off at the front door."
"Yeah..." Her voice was soft so I turned to look at her because I sensed that something was off.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, of course, what do you take me for?" She huffed with annoyance and rolled over, pointedly trying to ignore me. I watched her for a minute before scooting closer, picking up the small noises of sniffles and seeing her shoulders tremble.
"...you don't want me to leave."
"Stupid, I just got something in my eyes." Camus quickly wiped away the tears but the waterworks continued. She tightened up when I wrapped my arms around her, bringing her close against my body. "What do you think you're doing? Putting her hands around me like this..."
"Comforting you. Isn't that one part of my duty?" I replied, snuggling her and gently drew patterns along her skin. Her breathing began to slow down as she felt comfortable in my grasp. "Unless...you don't wish for this sort of physical touching then I can let go and we can sleep like we normally do." I moved to do just that, but her arms shot up to trap mine against her bosom, holding my arms like she was holding a plush toy. She had no intentions of letting me go.
"Stay, just like this...for tonight..." She murmured as she placed her hands over mine. I felt her trembling subside, felt her body starting to relax as she was fighting hard to stay awake. "Stay."
"Okay, princess." I whispered into her ear as she fell asleep, tucking my face against the back of her neck before falling asleep myself.