Chapter 10

- POV: Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière -

She's almost here, she's almost here, she's almost here!

I stood among the crowd of eager students on one side of the road as I saw the line of horse drawn carriages approaching from far down the road. I could barely keep myself from hopping up and down with glee as the approach continued to rile me up! I'd finally get to see her after so long-

No, I must be vigilant and professional. I have to be respectful to her. Best friend or not, she's going to be a princess first. I must view her as a princess before I view her as a sister.

Oh, where was Brenner when you needed him? I was without my familiar, and I would surely look unbecoming if Lady Henrietta were to see me...

I quickly recalled his choice of wardrobe, those ugly green colors and the overlapping belts and straps he wore. And that helmet - that poor excuse of a bowl with fishing nets wrapped all over it. He didn't even fully shave! Brenner looked like a peasant from the slums rather than a peasant under my command, why didn't I ever put that together?

Now I was glad that Brenner wasn't here - he was likely still practicing his sword fighting skills in one of the courtyards. Good, stay there. The last thing I needed was to be humiliated in front of the entire school and the princess herself!

The line of carriages were closer now, and the other students all chittered with excitement. "The Princess of the Kingdom of Tristain! Her Royal Highness, Lady Henrietta has arrived!" a voice called, and as we were told to do - all of us bowed at once, lowering our heads as we watched the carts all stop, horses neighing as knights and escorts quickly moved to their places.

One well dressed lady in particular hurried to the middle carriage - a gorgeous purple carriage with curtains with floral decorations and lining, drawn by four white unicorns with luscious bright blonde manes. The door was opened, and another lady from inside quickly left before turning to the doorway to hold out her hand.

And there she was. A beautiful girl stepped out, wearing a form fitting gown of pure white, with a purple cloak embroidered with gems. Many of us "Oohed" and "Ah'd" as Lady Henrietta and a group of her knights stepped towards the academy, where all of the staff were bowed in a line awaiting her arrival.

"Lord Osmond. I wished to apologize for the sudden and selfish request," Henrietta said, an actual embarrassed tone heard in the familiar voice of the princess.

Headmaster Osmond, who was in the center of the line of bowing teachers, responded professionally as he kept his head bowed. "Not at all, your Highness. The entirety of the school has been awaiting your arrival with joyful anticipation! And may I say that it truly is an honor to have the princess herself come to see our humble institute."

Lady Henrietta giggled. "Well, this is the year I wanted to witness the familiar exhibition with my own eyes, after all," she admitted. My heart soared. Was she here to see me? There couldn't possibly be any other reason-

No. No no NO. I needed to keep calm. I almost called out her name to wave to her right there. I need to keep calm and stay focused on behaving like the noble I am. Catching up can come later, if there even is time to do so.

"Oh, and why is that, your Highness?" Osmond asked, looking up to the regal girl before him.

"Oh, it's a personal reason. I hope that's alright," Lady Henrietta said with a girlish giggle - one that made many of the boys swoon and Kirche in particular let out a "Hmmph!" in response - one that went ignored.

I hid a smirk at the Zerbst's haughtiness. You go, girl.

"Of course, your Highness," Osmond said as he stood up. "Come, we have a wonderful banquet prepared for your arrival. After that, the students will be able to bring their familiars to perform for you. They've been practicing all day to show their appreciation for your wonderful reign of peace and prosperity."

"That's so very kind of you, Lord Osmond," the princess said, and she raised a hand up in a slow and royal sweeping motion, as if telling the ocean itself to rise with her regal movements. Indeed, Headmaster Osmond and the other teachers stood in perfect unison, parting to form a line of walls around the path to the main school building. Osmond remained with the center, to walk with the princess and surely to open the door for Lady Henrietta to-

The door opened before Osmond could reach for the handles. Brenner, in everything he always wore including that infernally fashionless helmet, was standing in the way, his right hand outstretched to push the door open, with his left hand gripping the strap where his talking sword was.

All was silent. My face must have gone sheet white as I watched my familiar - MY uneducated peasant of a familiar - standing in the way of Lady Henrietta's entrance. "Was that too soon, or was I too late?" I heard him ask before eyeing the princess in front of him. "Oh. Are you the princess?"

Gasps of horror rang out from around me. I dearly wished for something to happen. Maybe Guiche would take pity on me and have his filthy Verdante bury me alive. Or Tabitha would have Sylphid swallow me whole to hide me from everyone else. I found myself hoping that even Kirche would have Flame cast an inferno to end my life, JUST to keep from having to see this play out.

Brenner stood still as everyone, and I mean everyone stared at him. "Oh right, my bad," he said as he dug in his pocket and pulled out something that I wished he didn't have. "Smoke?"

- POV: Private First Class Brenner: an hour later -

"ARE YOU CRAZY? DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE JUST DONE?!" Louise screamed at me as I sat against the wall, taking the brunt of her screaming match after she'd just blown me up with one of her own spells in her room. "YOU OFFERED THE PRINCESS A SMOKE? SHE'S TOO YOUNG TO SMOKE! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND DOES THAT? HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING AS UTTERLY STUPID AS THAT?!"

"Hey, I panicked, alright? I was with the headmaster and he wanted me to open the door and-" I tried to defend myself, even if what I did was stupid, even for me.

Louise, who had calmed down a bit - mostly from the need to breathe, did not lose any of her intensity. "You should have BOWED to the princess! Literally everybody else was bowing, did you not get it in that stupid looking bowl on your head?!" she roared.

"Hey, my helmet is-" I began.

"Shut up!" Louise screeched, and I immediately zipped my lips. An angry Louise was about as dangerous as a bundle of grenades, and I wasn't rid of the ringing in my ears quite yet. "Just...stop! You're lucky things didn't end so badly! She could have ordered your execution! She could order me and my family to be shamed because of you!" I noticed that her own angered tone began to waver at that last statement - as if she herself didn't believe it. Siesta did tell me that the princess was gracious and kind, after all.

"I mean...she laughed. Maybe she thought it was funny. You know, a joke to start off your visit?" I asked as I stood up, feeling a little wobbly. "Trust me, I won't mess up again. Besides, maybe this'll let me skip out on having to perform tonight."

"I...I don't know. But one thing's for sure, you are not going to skip this!" Louise cried. "Please tell me you completed your practice-" A knock on the door was heard, effectively cutting off our slowly cooling conversation. "Ugh, who would be here this late at night?"

I moved to open the door, a bit suspicious. Louise had a point - no one really visited this room at all. Opening the leather holster, I quickly gripped my M1911, pulling it out with my right hand before moving to the left of the doorway, gripping the handle with my left hand.

Another knock on the door rang through the room. Louise was holding her wand, and I knew that she'd be safe if someone did attack. It was unlikely, but the risk was still there. I squeezed the door handle and pulled on the door slowly, only to get the door shoved against me as a shape in a brown cloak pushed the door open before swiftly slamming it behind them. Almost immediately, I aimed the stainless steel pistol at the intruder, just as Louise aimed her own wand at her - backing up against the table.

"W-who are you?" she cried out, her wand quivering in her hands.

"Well, it has been some time-" the figure began in what was clearly a female voice as Louise gasped, before the figure jolted - from the barrel of my gun pressed against the back of the very heavy hood.

"Answer the question and take the hood off before I blow your brains out," I growled, releasing the safety on the gun. I was not in the mood for an intruder at this point, and I found that I was probably very serious about the threat to both me and Louise. The unidentified person lifted her hands and slowly removed the hood, revealing a familiar head of thick and short purple hair.

"L-Lady Henrietta, your Highness!" Louise cried, as the princess ran over, wrapping her arms around Louise as the information finally sank in for me. Seeing this, I immediately lowered my pistol, locking the safety feature back on. Holy shit, I nearly shot the princess in the back of the head! I fumbled in holstering the gun back in its place, before seeing that Henrietta was being pushed out of her own hug by Louise.

"P-princess, you shouldn't have come here!" Louise croaked in shock, before quickly bowing on shaky legs, falling to one knee with her head bowed. "This abode is far too humble for you to grace-"

Henrietta simply giggled, seemingly forgetting that I was ready to shoot her for the unexpected visit, shaking her head at the clearly shaken Louise. "You know you don't need to keep the formalities with me, Louise Francoise. We have been close friends since we were children, you know that."

"O-oh, your Grace! Your kind words are far more than I deserve!" Louise cried, the situation feeling much too awkward and out of place in this reunion. Then Louise's eyes fell on my own stunned form, and she gasped before slamming her head on the floor in an attempt to bow any lower. "P-please, I'm begging you, grace us with your mercy and forgive my familiar for this act of treason, he has no idea of our customs, and-"

"Brenner. Private First Class. 29th Infantry Division, right?" Henrietta asked when she turned to face me. I didn't answer the princess right away - a bit unnerved that she knew that. Louise was concerned as well, looking up with a red mark on her forehead. "Headmaster Osmond sent me a letter, which arrived just before my departure from the Royal Palace to this Institute. He informed me of your existence, as well as particular details, such as a strangely advanced weapon, an odd appearance, and a list of your actions ever since being summoned by my close friend here."

"S-so, you know? About him?" Louise asked, trying to get up on shaky knees, only for Henrietta to hold out a hand graciously, which Louise took to help herself stand up.

"That he's actually gotten along with many nobles and workers in this school? Yes. I also know that he's also proven himself different from many of the nobles, one to ignore status and simply treat someone with approachable manners," the princess continued as she turned back around to face me. "So when I saw you at the door earlier today, I was just so glad to finally meet the one who's helped keep Louise safe."

I coughed. "Well...I guess it's my job," I said, trying to get my own breathing under control. It was a bit of an understatement to say that I was stressed, and I fought the urge to grab a cigarette and smoke right there, even with the princess right in front of me.

"Was it also your job when you negotiated with Count Mott the other day?" Henrietta asked, before turning to look at Louise. "I did hear about that incident. And I did learn that you assisted this kind man in the endeavour to resist a nobleman's wishes and have Siesta brought back to the academy."

"I-I know it was probably wrong, your Highness, but-" Louise tried to protest.

"Louise, please call me by my own name, like you used to," the princess implored, clearly remaining patient with her the entire time. "And I'm not upset. Not at all. But why did you do it?"

"She was probably gonna be...abused under that count. No offense to the nobility, but I wasn't gonna let that happen," I said, finding it within myself to finally speak up. "I'm just glad he was actually willing to bargain. For a moment, I thought I'd have to shoot my way out of there."

Louise paled immediately, and I realized what I'd said. "I mean, only if Mott tried to go back on his word and-" I quickly began to backtrack, but Henrietta quickly held up her hand, cutting me off.

"So you'd be willing to fight if it meant protecting a maid?" Henrietta asked.

"Yeah. She's one of the nicest people around, and a lot of the school liked having her around. She didn't deserve to be taken like that, and back where I'm from, I wasn't taught to leave anyone behind," I said, crossing my arms.

"And would you do the same for Louise?" Henrietta asked.

"Duh," I said, looking over to the nervous girl behind the princess. "We did start off pretty bad, but she's given me a chance. And I've stuck with her this entire time. I won't go back on that now."

Henrietta smiled. "I could tell. You were willing to end my life if I represented a threat to Louise. You're just the kind of guardian she needs," she said, smiling even if her words spoke of her own near death experience.

"Your Highness, I-I mean, Henrietta...I'm just so glad to see you again!" Louise said, finally breaking her own barriers of formality and lunging forward towards the princess, who eagerly opened her arms and embraced the girl tightly. "Your mercy and kindness know no bounds!"

"Uhh, not to be mean, but how do you know each other?" I asked, finally relaxing knowing that the princess was really as nice a girl as Siesta had claimed.

"When the two of us were little, I was allowed the honor of being her playmate and close companion," Louise said. "The two of us were like sisters...still are."

"Indeed," Henrietta said, before we both heard a sniffle come from her. "Oh, I've missed you so much, Louise!"

"P-Princess, you're crying!" Louise cried out.

"I-I'm sorry, I just...I've felt so lonely ever since Father passed away. Mother stepped down and I had to take her place. I've done my best to rule...but I can't help but feel like I can't open up to anyone...like I did to you," Henrietta whimpered. "I'm just so happy that I finally get to see you again - it feels like it's been like forever..."

I coughed awkwardly. "I'm gonna...stand guard. Outside the door. If that's alright," I said.

"Oh, you don't have to-" Henrietta began.

"Princess, your main focus should be Louise," I said, trying to smile. "I don't know anything about what you two had, so I don't have any real right to any private conversations the two of you have. Right now, you should spend time with each other. No offense to Louise, but this is the happiest I've seen her...ever."

And with that, I headed outside, closing the door behind me and waiting in the hall - Garand in hand as I basically played door guard. I sighed to myself, realizing just how bad things could've gone mere moments ago.

The sound of Derflinger slowly sliding out of his scabbard was heard. "Hey, are you feeling alright, partner?" he asked.

"You know, I was just reminded that I really don't belong here," I said.

"I know. Offering the princess a smoke? That's going in the history books," Derflinger remarked, and I had to chuckle at that.

"Better that than me nearly shooting her in the head," I said before sighing to myself once again. "Do you think...I could get back home?"

There was silence, and it was long enough for me to figure out the answer.

"I don't really know how to answer that," Derflinger said, much more quietly before back sliding down in the scabbard. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the door.

The quiet felt comforting, at the very least.

- POV: Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière -

"Once again, I apologize for my familiar's atrocious behavior-" I tried to say once Brenner had left, only to be interrupted kindly.

"Louise, I understand," my childhood friend said, clasping my hand in hers. "You know he really cares about you, right?"

"I know. But he's so...ugh! Impulsive! He does things without thinking, and he doesn't bother telling me about them half the time! Then there's Kirche who thinks he's some piece of meat to be drooled over! I hate it, and I hate that...that..." I cried, going quiet as I was unable to think of something else to say.

"That you aren't able to protect him as well as he wishes to protect you?" Henrietta asked.

I blinked in surprise. "H-huh? What do you mean?" she asked.

"That letter I got from Lord Osmond had elements of Mister Jean Colbert's testimony as well. He said that Brenner told him plenty about his world, including the part where his nation is at war with several others, and that he's a soldier who was sent to fight," Henrietta said. "Mister Colbert did withhold information about the technologies and weapons of his world, but he didn't withhold one of the stories that Brenner told him."

"What story is that?" I asked, admittedly a little curious.

"He said that Brenner was one of thousands sent to take control of a city occupied by the enemy. It was over three weeks of fighting, with new deaths every day, with weapons that could destroy entire armies if even one man wielded one. And both sides, every man of both sides had them," Henrietta looked down, a little haunted by her own words. I found myself experiencing a spine curdling shudder as well upon learning that. "Brenner could have died...but he didn't. And he was forced to push forward after that."

"A-and?" I whispered.

"And now Brenner is here. Colbert gave his own thoughts about your familiar in the report. He suggested that he was scared, that he still is very scared. He's confused about us and he feels very alone, because he doesn't come from here. You're his master, and he needs someone to truly be his friend, regardless whether he's a peasant in this world or not," Henrietta explained, her thumbs stroking my hand as she spoke. "Almost like...how alone I felt when I learned that Father was...gone."

Could Brenner really feel like that? I've bothered being nicer to him, and most of the time he was very nice back. He continues to repel Kirche's advances, and he's consistently kept his word about not being the lecherous man that I'd thought when I first knew him. Haven't I been doing enough for him?

Then again...he still likes to be on his own. He'll leave to be by himself when given the chance. Does he not like being around me? I see him getting along with the familiars, even with Kirche's familiar of all the creatures! I even heard that Tabitha had taken a liking to my familiar because of him feeding Sylphid on more than one occasion! I then remembered the trip we took to the local trading city on Hollow's Day, where I decided to buy him a sword...

I remembered his story of that ambush when we passed the cart, how he had actually risked his own life to check it when we arrived the first time, telling me to stay back all the while. He was willing to protect me, so willing that he considered his life forfeit to do so.

"I guess I'm not very good at this kind of stuff...I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't even make any real progress with Brenner at all," I finally admitted, feeling like it was safe to do so with Henrietta.

"I wouldn't say that," Henrietta reassured me, her own eyes holding a sweet and caring look. "After all, I was the princess, when he was willing to protect you from me. I did have a cloak on, I admit - but I don't think Brenner would have cared, as long as he saw that you might have been in danger."

My familiar did perceive the princess as a legitimate threat, which was simply unforgivable to any real sane person. But...he didn't know that, did he? And...he truly would fight a noble if it meant protecting someone dear to him. He was willing to go through all that trouble, and he was even willing to hurt Henrietta if it meant that I was in danger.

"Well, if he keeps it up, he may end up causing trouble over assumptions that simply aren't true," I found myself saying.

Henrietta simply giggled. "Well then, I guess your familiar will need help getting himself accustomed to this world from his master, no?" she asked. "But enough about that...I'm sure you don't want to spend what little time we have tonight talking about your familiar. Tell me, what else have you been up to since we last saw each other? It had to have been nearly a decade since we were separated."

I grinned awkwardly, still a tad bit nervous about being in the presence of her Royal Highness herself all alone, but then again...she was my friend. My closest friend, and possibly the only real friend I truly had growing up. I could be a bit more open to her.

- a half hour later -

We ended up spending the next half hour talking away, as years upon years of separation hadn't taken even the slightest toll on our friendship. Now we stood at the door, ready for her to head somewhere else.

I hugged Lady Henrietta tightly as she thanked me for a wonderful evening. "You don't have to thank me, your Highness..." I said, even with my chin nestled against the princess's shoulder. "It's just like old times, isn't it?"

"It is...and please, remember what I said?" Henrietta whispered as she released the hug. "I hope to see you at the exhibition tomorrow," she said before turning to my familiar, standing by the doorway. "And Mister Brenner, I hope to see you do your very best as well."

My familiar leaned against the wall with an easygoing grin, much to my own inward panic. "Yeah? Well...don't get your hopes up," he said. Before I could apologize for him once again, Henrietta openly giggled before she pulled on the hood of her cloak, draping it over her head before she quickly left.

"Did you have to say that to her?" I asked after she was long gone down the other end of the hallway, finally releasing a breath that I didn't notice I was holding.

"To be fair, I was just being honest," Brenner said, much to my never ending frustration. "I haven't gotten very far with swords, so I really gotta think of something else. You sure I can't slow dance?"

"Boring," Derflinger remarked.

"No," I sighed, far too tired to deal with this. I didn't have the heart to yell at him either way - not with what Henrietta talked to me about. "Let's just go to sleep."

I walked inside and promptly went to bed, hearing Brenner set his sword and rifle on the table before lying down on his blanket on the floor. For a while, I couldn't sleep - not right away. Should he still be sleeping on the floor like that? Surely, it's uncomfortable.

But he did do it a lot, he said so himself. He seems like he doesn't mind sleeping on the floor...

But...

Doesn't he deserve better, though?