History: A touch of color in the gray

Book 3: Shade it All

Date: December 21, 2019

Author: Me -_-'

Translate and Beta: Koneko! -w-

Fandom: D Gray Man

Warning: No, I do not own D Gray Man and I do not make any profit with this story.

Summary: Basically, I make everybody monologue except Eve. If you like to skip to dialogue (then again, I do not know why you read STB...) you'd better go your way, it might be annoying: /

Italic: french, important thought (or both)

STB Bonus Chapter made originaly for 100 reviews and 100,000 words of "Nuancer le Noir" the french version of STB. Koneko kindly translate it so you could have it for vacation :) A big thanks for her ! Because that was a reeeeally long one ^^'

Having already written a multi-POV fic, I decided, when I started NlN, to do only first-person and POV Eve to see if I liked the style. Obviously, this involves some constraints, especially that we only know what Eve says and that things she supposes (and that some readers have taken for a general truth) are not true. There are always many sides to a story, you can't trust one person if you want to have the full story. That aside, you probably thought to detect inconsistencies that were not, in fact, it does not mean that there are no inconsistencies, I have a memory of goldfish, if there none, I eat my figurative hat, but in any case, you have not found either, a priori, these are just non-inconsistencies that you pointed out to me. And so to make up for that, this is a nice 11k chapter of everyone's POV except Eve.

(hello big bang I never did because I thought I would not arrive with my three monthly stories :)))))

That amounts to 3 pages and a half for Sheryl, 3 for Tricia, 5 for Tyki, 2 for twins, 4 for Road and 3 and for the Earl.

However, ATTENTION If you want to continue the story ONLY from Eve's point of view and therefore learn the info at the same time as she, it's better not to read more, I'm not stingy with clues for the shot...

Here you are, good reading!

Shade it All

Turning the wrought iron handle, the Noah of Desire entered his office. It was late in the morning on December 26th and Sheryl had only one desire: to join his wife in bed. He had spent the night containing the madness of the Earl with Mightra, Lulubell, his brother and niece and he was just exhausted.

All of the Noahs had received distress signals from Akumas in panic on the evening of December 25th and he had to leave his beloved family abruptly. Usually, Sheryl wouldn't have paid attention to the akumas, but Road and Tyki had heard them too and Mightra himself had come out of his cave to ask if they knew what was going on. At first, even the newborn skulls and akumas were amidst the madness. Road had sent doors at once to everyone who could be released from their duties and they had gone to where the Prince was.

Despite their best efforts, it was already too late for the small village a few miles from London. Sheryl normally wouldn't look after it, a human village no less, really, how important is it? But this one was extraordinarily close to their mansion, and Sheryl had been terribly afraid for his wife. He hadn't known the Earl was so close to his home… They had seen him so little lately, busy as he was with his… project, and the creation of the akuma, but they were still keeping track of him! He was in the depths of France the day before, had he used the ark in his rage? Why this little village? Did he wanted to go to Sheryl's house next?

What would have happened if he had succeeded?

Pushing back these thoughts that pressed on his heart, Sheryl slumped into his chair with a weary sigh. Tyki and Road would scoff at him if they saw him in this state, but he didn't care. The last two days straight had been emotional disaster after emotional disaster, so he deserved the right to let himself go a little.

Yet he wouldn't be able to rest for very long. He still had to look after what damage had been done… and he had to return to the Prince. Even now he still heard his sobs in his head, and the Noah in him begged him to return to his brother's side and comfort him. He also had to send more things to Tricia. As soon as he heard the news from Mightra, he sent his wife to their home in London in case they failed to control the Earl's damage. Fortunately, it hadn't been the case, but he still preferred not to force a second trip so quickly upon his fragile wife. She would stay in London for a few days and see her friends, that was fine…

He also had to order the akumas they had in journalist positions to stifle the scandal… and they could also replace the population with some of the akuma from the neighboring villages if only to stem the rumors… he also had to organize a… he thought, but before he could continue the list, there was a knock at the door.

Straightening up without much enthusiasm, Sheryl ordered the visitor to enter. It was the chief butler, and it somewhat calmed Sheryl to see him. The man was capable and honest, he knew how to deal with important things and Sheryl could delegate tasks to him without worries.

"Sir…" began the butler when Sheryl asked him what brought him there. "My sister went to see what happened to the city as you ordered, and she found a girl in the woods around the village, she is alive."

"Alive!" Exclaimed Sheryl, getting up without even noticing. "But, how… that's not the question, what did you do with her?" He asked with a harsh tome, his brain spinning at a thousand miles an hour.

"Eglantine brought her home, she woke up this morning and did not seem to remember anything at all." The butler answered openly, not showing his thoughts on the matter.

Frowning, Sheryl leaned back in his chair. Thinking for a second, he was quick to respond. "No memory, you say?" He murmured to himself. "Do we know who she is?"

"She was pretty well dressed, so we guessed she was from a good family, but we have not been able to find any of the city records yet. We will know soon." Explained the chief butler.

"Good…" Sheryl breathed. "What to do…?" He whispered, crossing his fingers in front of his chin. "Let Eglantine offer her a job at the manor house… we'll see what she does, she could remember what happened later and I wouldn't want to lose her then. Don't worry about qualifications, take her in anyway so that I can have her on hand, but if need be, I'll tell you."

"Understood, sir," the butler replied before bowing and stepping out of the office.

"A survivor…" Sheryl murmured again as he got up to watch the snow cover his land through the window. "If she remembers… I might finally know who…" He adds before cutting himself off again and sighing.

Sitting down again, he immediately pulled out his stationery and began to work, thinking no longer about the girl until his wife told him about her the following week.

"There is, in fact, a new employee at the manor who we hired during your trip to London." Sheryl answered her inquiry when she came to ask about a girl she had seen around the mansion. Sheryl was somewhat annoyed at being interrupted so completely for something so trivial. There was so much work left to get done and so little time to do it… but Tricia so rarely came to disturb him during the day, and he had paid so little attention to her since Christmas that he could give her this. What's more, she had taken the effort to come with tea, and he never said no to a tea break.

"I didn't know we were looking for any employees." Tricia remarked gently and this was without a doubt a request for an explanation from him.

"We weren't looking for one, but she's the only survivor of the fire that ravaged that little village this past week."

"Godness!" Tricia exclaimed before covering her lips with a delicate hand. Sheryl had gotten used to hearing her say this, he even attended mass! So he didn't react too much, but to hear the impure god's name being uttered always gave him an uncomfortable feeling in the depths of his stomach. "Poor darling… how horrible it must be… I felt sad, but I didn't think anything so awful had happened to her…"

"She's lost her memory, that might be why…" Sheryl offered, and Tricia nodded sadly.

"Is she fitting in well here at the manor?" She asked curiously.

"From what I've been told, her work is not the neatest or the most effective, but she doesn't mind doing any task and she doesn't seem to have any problems with her workmates." Sheryl explained, adding a little more milk to his tea.

"Poor girl… it must be so hard for her." Tricia sighed once again, before looking anxiously towards the door, feeling the conversation dying.

Ah.

She was bored.

His wife was used to being alone, but it seems as if this week in London to see her good friends had reminded her of things. It certainly didn't help that Road and Tyki hadn't come back from the Earl yet and that he himself was too busy to see her other than when she woke up and went to sleep.

She was alone…

…

And he had an employee that he didn't need…

And they got along well…

So…

"Why not take the new employee as your handmaiden?" He suddenly suggested, making Tricia jump. "I don't think she'll be leaving anytime soon because of her situation… and you seem to get along well."

"A handmaiden? That's a bit archaic as a term, it's not really done anymore." Tricia pointed out, worried.

"It doesn't matter." Sheryl waved his hand. "I can't be with you as often as I would like and this mansion is so isolated… Tricia darling, you don't have the health to be visiting your friends so often, so why not have one directly here? She seems like she's form a good family, and even if she doesn't remember it, the chief butler tells me that she is well educated on a variety of subjects so I'm sure you could make good conversation."

Tricia blushed but a happy smile settled on her pink lips and she nodded. "Thank you, Sheryl… you're always so caring to me." Grabbing her hand, Sheryl brought it to his lips and laid a kiss on it. "Anything for you darling." He whispered in response, and Sheryl wanted that to be true. Even if at first Tricia had simply been a convenient alternative, he had learned to love this human… but he knew that if the Earl asked him to bring him her head… he would do it without hesitation.

Following her conversation with Sheryl, Tricia gained custody of the young amnesiac. She was a lively young girl who brought a freshness to Tricia's life. She always seemed to know what to do to cheer her up or make her happy, and Tricia had never considered herself a difficult woman, but it was still a commendable feat if one added to that that she seemed to be motivated out of her own will and not by greed.

So that wasn't the point, Tricia loved her of course.

But how strange she was !

The girl was full of contradictions.

When she was supposed to come from a local town, she spoke French fluently and had difficulty with English. She remembered nothing but a name, but not a single girl had been named that in the whole village. Of course, that name might not be hers, but that of someone important to her, but still… She also made remarks from time to time on her physique as if she didn't recognize herself, like when she said that she had lost weight, or that her hair was shorter, or her nails were longer. She also sometimes said little things about her parents or siblings, but when asked for details, she had a sad and lost look on her face. Her trusted doctor had told her that in cases of amnesia, the patient could create a whole new identity, but that seemed a little ... extreme.

Nevertheless, the girl was funny and kind. She was particularly good with Road and the twins. Obviously, Road was not a difficult child, but it was still a feat to hold her attention, and even more to be loved by her. And the twins… the poor boys had her worried so much! It wasn't the first time that Tricia had met one of the Duke's charity cases. In fact, her own husband and brother-in-law were one. Even her daughter, now that she thought about it, had been found by the Duke. It happened regularly, Sheryl told her, that the Duke meets an injured person and feels that they deserve another chance at life. And Tricia was so impressed by the accuracy of the Duke's choices! When Sheryl was presented for the first time at a high society ball, he had been treated more atrociously than any other upstart. But that had scarcely bothered him, and in just a few years he had made his way into the nobility and the English bourgeoisie, so much so that dozens of high-born contenders were hurrying before him.

Tricia was still in awe that she turned out to be the lucky one.

All this to say that even though the twins seemed rough at first sight, there is no doubt that with attentive care, the potential that the Duke had seen in them will flourish. And Eve was a beautiful key to speeding up the process. Already she ate with them every morning and seemed to be a good influence on them. They had dinner at last together, and they seemed to have acquired some semblance of manners. Evidently Eve's ways were far from perfect, but the effort was well appreciated, and she didn't relax her ardor for her own learning.

Now, if only she was more receptive to romance…

Never in her life had Tricia met a more down to earth girl about love. No illusions permeated her words, and she only rolled her eyes whenever Tricia evoked the subject. However, as a young lady, she would have to resign herself one day before she became an old girl! And she loved children so much, it would be a pity to atrophy her maternal instinct.

But it's true that being an old girl had the advantage of Tricia being able to keep her handmaiden near her…

However, there was another way to get the same result.

Sheryl was too fond of his brother for him to be gone too long. In fact, Tyki even had a room of his own at his house and spent more than half of the year with them. Even after his marriage, inevitable for him, Tricia can't saw things change drastically: her husband wouldn't allow it.

However, her brother-in-law wasn't a romantic either. He loved to charm the ladies, but none could hold his attention for more than one night. And yet! Of course, Tricia didn't really feel any real love between her lady companion and her brother-in-law, but they got on so well with their books and games… Tricia never saw Tyki act so true with someone outside his family… and anyway, in marriages of high society, love was never a given… it was rather a thing acquired over time.

It was already good for them that they seemed to get on so well, the rest would only depend upon a few more efforts.

However, her idea had not been very well received by the two concerned. In fact, they seemed to be playing a game of who could provoke marriage discussions the least, and, if it inevitably happened, then who could turn her away faster. Maybe they thought that she was too gullible to notice? But when growing up within the canvas of English high society, there wasn't room for innocence. And Tricia wasn't hand-picked to be Sheryl's wife out of her performance at parties for nothing. She knew when to stretch her claws if needed. Fortunately for her two recalcitrant teens, she loved them too much to go behind their backs about something as important as marriage.

…that wouldn't stop her from trying though.

Just seeing the exasperated looks that the two exchange when she sweeps the subject back under the rug amuses her. And who knows, maybe if she and Road tried hard enough together (because obviously her daughter understood what she was doing after the first week and was quick to help… Tricia was so proud) their companionship could turn into more?

It was this possibility, moreover, that had allowed Tyki to do as he pleased. Her handmaiden was a choice that Sheryl was loath to accept because she wouldn't bring much to the family. Other than happiness, of course. But anyway, with Tricia's title and Sheryl's money, they didn't need to make an arranged marriage for Tyki. Of course, Sheryl wanted to extend his claws by perhaps marrying Tyki to a lady from the colonies, but he was under the Duke's orders here, and the latter was one of the few men that preferred to value love over money. Perhaps it was also because he was absurdly rich and couldn't have children. Thus, they had agreed, it was better to prefer Tyki's happiness. That's why Sheryl had let Eve's shenanigans be with the only intervention of being sure she was ready to face high society. Thus, many lessons about labels had been placed on the shoulders of this poor girl who hadn't asked for any of this. She had, however, managed to faint during her first ball, which enraged Sheryl until he saw all the good that this little act could give them. Eve being a fragile girl could explain many things about why she had never been seen before, and the other girls' affront towards Sheryl's younger brother had given him some other minor favors. Sheryl had always been a worldly man, and manipulation was his best aspect. Tricia wasn't fooling herself about the fact that she had been caught in his web countless times, whether she realized it later or not.

In the meantime… Tricia would be happy to play the matchmaker. Eve might not have had to get married even though that was pretty frowned upon unless she planned to join the order (and seeing how the teenager seemed relieved that Tricia was no longer forcing her to go to Mass, that seemed unlikely to happen…) but Tyki, as a Lord, certainly was. And if he didn't want to take Tricia's (that is, Eve's) ready-made option, then Tricia wouldn't hold back her pleasure in shooting him towards more balls against his will.

The young man in question was currently in his piano class without knowing what Machiavellian plots his sister-in-law was still forming. And to think that it had only been a few months. Everything was running smoothly in the English countryside… Of course, the mental breakdown the Prince had wasn't exactly peaceful, but that addition only seemed to aggravate things, so just two days later, Road knocked him out with an unreadable look.

Not one to lose a good opportunity, Tyki had shrugged, swept the whole affair out of his mind, and had gone to the nearest clothing retailer to barter his top hat and pants for two more sets of adaptable clothing. The jacket was a gift from Tricia and he just didn't want to imagine the hurt puppy look she would make if she found out he had traded in for shabby clothes and his shirt was pretty comfortable, so he didn't bother to change. Anyway, he wouldn't make it without a coat in winter…

And then, he had gone on his way without any more ceremonies.

Tyki liked to travel like that. The sensation of the bumpy road under his soles that were too thin… the smell of cold biting whatever skin he had uncovered… the colors so different across the landscape depending on the seasons… It soothed his Noah and allowed him to breathe a little.

His human friends were missing, however. The ones he had last year when he escaped for three months form his brother's mansion to spend some time in the mines. It hadn't been the most inspiring job in the world, but the regular physical effort had done him good and the company had ensured the impact of the trip. Crack, Thibert, Orlando, Momo, and Walt, a big bunch of beefy guys who were quick to make a place for him. It had been nice to live with them in their barracks and get drunk at the bar playing cards. Thibert had taught them a lot about cheating and Orlando told the best stories. Crack was always the one with an eye for jokes and Momo knew the best plan to find cheap alcohol. And then there was Walt, an American national who always had a sarcastic remark about the war. He was a gruff old man, older than them all, who had been denied his military pension for some bullshit and had to work in the mines.

That finished him.

Just over a month after Tyki's arrival, he had died of a blistering illness. Now that Tyki was thinking about it, it must have been that even that brought the band closer together so much so that a year later, those four were still travelling together and Tyki came to join them when he was successful in escaping for some time.

And that's exactly what he did. In just a week, he found their tracks and within a few more days, he was swinging a pickaxe at their side, a smile on his face.

Unfortunately, it couldn't last too long and he knew it… Road still owed him for Christmas, so she wouldn't say anything to Sheryl at the moment. Is she had enough pity for him, she could even assure, Sheryl that he was with the Earl, but one of these days…

And one of those days came. As he went to get food for him and his companions, a pink firecracker door appeared in front of him and a well-dressed girl came out.

"The Earl feels better, he insists that I go back to school…" declared the child without even a hello. "I can't refuse him, but he shouldn't be left alone…"

"Are you sure it's a good idea for me to go? The last time…" Tyki answered, his voice faltering.

"I know…" she sighed before quickly developing a dark aura. "Lulu is coming in less than a week, she can't be released sooner and Mightra is busy with the creation of Akuma, it must go on without the Earl, listen, some with me and see if it's better. You know how he adores you Tyki, he was just… full of delirium." She added in a way that showed that that really wasn't the word she wanted to use.

Personally, Tyki didn't know if it could be said that the Earl loved him… he supposed the patriarch liked him, yes, but… from time to time, he caught an immensely nostalgic and painful look on his face. His soul was suffering, and that suffering was palpable. And then at other times, the Earl looked at him and there was such adulation in his eyed that it scared Tyki. Maybe he wasn't very smart, but Tyki saw that it wasn't really him that the Earl was making that face for. It was like the piano story, the Prince was totally hysterical when Tyki said that he didn't like it. Only Road had been able to calm him with a few whispered words that he couldn't hear. So, Tyki apologized, saying that it was because he was just tired and irritable, but the Earl just laughed, as if he hadn't thrown a fit just a few minutes earlier.

Still, he doesn't say anything about that to Road. The only time he had told her about it, the older Noah had narrowed her lips and told him that he shouldn't stick his nose into that. So instead, he grunted for form and told her that he was going to get his things. She nodded and he went to bring the food back to his companions and warn them of his departure. In less than ten minutes, Road had Tyki dropped off into his room in the Ark for a shower and a change of clothes, and then they headed for the Earl's room.

Hesitant at the doorstep, he felt Road's little hand slip into his, and he exchanged a look with her. The last time he had seen the Earl had been pretty… explosive, and Tyki was really hoping that he was back to normal this time. Pulling in a big breath of air, Tyki let go of Road's hand and knocked on the door of the room. Not receiving an answer, Tyki sent a new nervous look to Road who just nodded in response. Opening the door, Tyki entered the room. Nobody. Letting his eyes fly around, he finally saw that the French window was open and approached slowly. The Earl was there, his eyes lost in the air, a cup of tea that was too sweet on the table in front of him.

"Prince?" Tyki asked, hesitating on whether to disturb him or not. The question stayed suspended between them for a few seconds before the Duke slowly turned his head in his direction as if he were still dreaming. The golden gaze pierced Tyki for a minute before a spark of recognition pierced his eyes.

"Tyki?" He whispered before a nice smile settled on his lips. "Well then, I've not seen you for weeks now!" He said, and those simple words reassured Tyki.

"Sorry, I should have come back earlier." He smiled as if it was his fault before sitting down with the Earl just in time to see Road's relieved gaze before she silently disappeared through one of her doors. Thus, he spent the next week with the Earl, always on his guard in case one of his crises resurfaced. But nothing had happened, and by the time Lulubell was finally able to take over, he was free to leave without further ado. However, at that point, it had been almost three months since Tyki had left the mansion and he knew he could no avoid his brother any longer. So, dragging his feet, he headed down to the slums of London with the intention of having a week of poker before going back to the mansion. No doubt that after such a long absence, Tyki would be confined to the manor for at least the next few weeks. Sheryl didn't seem to understand that he was a responsible adult now… unfortunately, the Earl had given him all power over his little brother and Tyki had no choice but to comply.

Not that he couldn't bend the rules, though.

Then, the following Wednesday, he went to his favorite London bar, a quiet and not too shabby thing in the middle of the lower lanes, and he played all day. As night fell, he had taken advantage of a dark alley to climb the rooftops thanks to his power and had quietly built a temporary shelter.

Tyki liked to build huts.

The next day, he returned to same bar, played all day, and spent the evening finding trinkets for his secret hiding place. The rest of the money went to the street orphans. And so on, and so on… Over the days, somewhere around the weekend finally, a teenager had started a pattern of similar timing to him. Every day, he came to settle in the bar around 3 pm, and left shortly before 6 pm. He didn't drink alcohol, didn't play, and looked more like a student than anything else. A child was often with him. In fact, the young boy came even earlier than the teenager and played cards with the passing onlookers. He often joined Tyki's own games and had fairly good skill even though his cheating techniques were quite limited.

The couple was unusual, and this puzzled Tyki.

It didn't help that he had a soft spot for the kids.

Tyki blamed the Earl.

Then, one day, he deliberately placed himself at the back of the table and waited for them to arrive. At the usual time, they were there, and the Noah waited for an opportunity. This opportunity soon took the form of a small dealer in the area. He was a fat man, drunk to the bone, and accompanied by little grubs who called themselves handshakes.

After that, it wasn't difficult to provoke them.

It was enough to throw in a few obvious cheating techniques and some taunts, and the man had lost his temper so badly that Tyki took a firm blow to the jaw that sent him flying straight… into the table of the two boys behind him.

After that, it was only a matter of taunts and minor manipulations, and by the end of the day, Tyki knew basic information about his latest interests. And that was enough for him to be irremediably interested. The young boy, Allen, was one of the most amusing human beings Tyki had met. Attracted inexplicable, he immediately wanted to play poker with him, to teach him new tricks, to make him laugh and to protect him… it was certainly a variant of the feelings that assailed him when he was confronted with nice children, but a thousand times stronger and Tyki had no idea why. Robin was more banal, nice, certainly, and terribly empathetic as his eyes softened when they passed a poor guy in the street, but he had no special talents and Tyki wondered how he could have stayed alive, in good health, and with his morality intact for so long.

Anyway, it was nice to hang out with the two teenagers and help them discover London. Robin was a very good listener, seemingly fascinated by his stories and anecdotes behind each place and Allen was curious, asking questions about the most absurd things.

But finally, he had to resolve to leave again.

And it was Allen who gave him the final push necessary for the difficult decision. One day, he told them that he was leaving the same evening and Tyki followed suit. After all, even though Robin was nice, it was really Allen that made him want to join them every morning, so why linger if the child left? He knew where Robin was, he could very well see him if he really wanted to, no need to linger.

So he left and the next day, after sneaking into the manor without anyone seeing him, he made a mistake (it wasn't his fault, they had moved the little table that was normally there, next to his room!) and met the strange young handmaiden of her sister-in-law. That he later learned to be Robin. It's a small world…

And finally, Robin might not be as interesting as Allen, but he… she, was nice, and that was damn awesome for a human. And she also liked to read. And play cards. And make fun of Sheryl. And discuss things without much importance. And visit the lower London area. And dance. And listen to his music. And tell stories. And hated fashion. And… and… and a lot of things that were so different from the usual good-natured women he knew. So, the more he knew her, the more he appreciated her and especially appreciated their relationship. She didn't seem to be attracted to him and that was such a relief compared to the other employees and ladies who made gushy eyes at him all day long that he… let himself go a little.

As a rule, he wasn't the perfect gentleman that he strove to be with others, but he also started to let his inner Noah come out a little too much. It was small things at first. Having fun with the death of a nobleman with whom they were supposed to be friends, devoting himself to slaughtering a sick horse without flinching… and then the trip to Paris of course. He hadn't realized it at once, but he had let a little dark matter escape to such a point that the girl ended up so weak that she couldn't stand on her own legs anymore.

She practically fled for three days after that. Fortunately, having her drink to relax her had worked somewhat. Even if he hadn't understood any of what she had said. Too bad, he always learned juicy secrets when people were smashed.

Finally, the highlight of the show was surely during that cursed ball when Tyki was so annoyed that he had removed the oxygen from the surrounding area unintentionally for a few seconds, causing the fainting of his companion. Not that he had known at the time, it was the Earl that had told him after the ball. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to replicate it since…

But after almost seven months and an attempt to escape, Sheryl had finally been busy enough with his campaign that Tyki could go back to join his friends from the mine and he didn't miss out on it. If he managed to stay out here until his birthday that would be perfect… but it wasn't good to dream, because certainly a door would open under his feet one day and he would end up at the manor without a word. Fortunately for him, it would be longer than usual with the arrival of the twins.

It hadn't been easy for Devit and Jasdero this year. In the end, besides the beginning, it had been one of the simplest years of their life but it was so full of changes that it had become difficult. The twins had gotten used to their lives as street rats. From rushing to find food, to eating and stealing… deceiving, lying, fighting, and killing… and then arriving in a mansion, one of the places they had mocked so much, with the very representation of a resentful lord, it was… destabilizing. It's silly, the Earl had sent them here because both Sheryl and Tyki had similar experiences to them… but that didn't prevent them from being assholes a priori. And also, a "similar experience" … not so much. Sheryl was the petty bourgeois son and Tyki his little bastard brother whom their father had adopted upon the death of his mother so he could work at home in all "legality". Of course, there were the two of them, like the twins, and they had also experienced waking together, but they were so different in every other way that there were no comparisons.

Devit would have preferred to go to Lulubell as they were supposed to… but she was still married to an idiot who the Earl still needed. Not for a very long time though. By the summer, if all went well, the Earl told them that he would have an unfortunate accident… well, she would still have to stay to control some of the damage, but it will be better for her without such a heavy burden breathing down her neck. And then, even if they didn't like Sheryl, they had met some interesting people! Sheryl's wife, Tricia, was kind and gentle and although it had caused the twins to be suspicious at first (no one was ever just nice… well, not to them anyway), they realized that it was not a lie. After that was Eve, she was a bit strange for a girl and wasn't very discreet, but she always had new ideas for games and helped them with their homework. And then Tyki too, that guy was a little silly and not always there, but he was kind enough and always had good anecdotes on hand. And Road, who had been awesome when they woke up but had been so childish and territorial that the twins had started pranking her after a while.

It started like that, by the way. They had been to the Earl before, but they didn't stay there long. Road said that it wasn't their fault that Adam was… like that, and that they had arrived at a bad time and he will be back to normal soon. Then, just a few hours after their official awakening, still in pain from the whole ordeal, Sheryl had come to get them from the Prince's and brought them back to the Kamelott mansion. So, okay, that may not fully explain their rotten behavior, but we couldn't blame them for not being in the happiest state of mind either. They didn't know anyone at the time. Apart from Road that had kept them company when they woke up, they had seen Tyki barely twice, and the less they talk about Sheryl, the better. In addition, they heard what the servants said… Even though their minds were shouting at them to trust the other Noahs (which was already difficult to do, even if they tried) the servants couldn't be bought into this business. Humans thought they were weird, stinking, ugly, and wondered why the housekeepers had taken them away.

They had been poisoned for less reasoning than that.

So they just refused to eat what the servants were bringing in and just waited for Road to give them food at night. It was never a lot and always with an annoyed look. Of course, she wanted them to go out, but she wasn't going to hurt them if they didn't do it either.

And then, Sheryl's wife's handmaiden had disembarked from their balcony, disheveled, wet, and with soup and two spoons.

It had been really, really hard not to let his powers escape at that moment. The twins didn't know how to control them yet, that would take a little time, especially if they had to do it without the Earl. So they held them back. But at that moment, with Jasdero behind him and that idiot who had encroached upon their shrine, Devit had been very close to killing her. And then, even if they had used their powers, who would know? The servant would be dead and Devit doubted that they would be bothered by that.

The twins had killed before, and they were ready to do it again.

But they had promised the Prince that they would not use their powers so for now Devit had first tried to settle the situation with threats. (Months later, lying on Road's bed while listening to one of Eve's stories, the twins would think back to their first meeting and think that, really, it would've been a shame to kill her and never know the story about the captain Pirate Jack Sparrow.) And it worked. They had eaten the soup and Jasdero had spoken for the first time in days.

So, they had started again the next day. And the day after that. And the day after that. And before they knew it, they had a well-established routine. It was then that they realized how much their lives had changed. Not from the new room or the nice clothes. Not because of the infinite food or the lessons they had never had before. But by a routine. That was something impossible to have in the streets. If you kept a routine, you got shot.

It was… comfortable.

And then Road had decided that they were settled enough to start bothering them seriously. Demonic little cretin…

Speaking of Road, the little girl couldn't be more exasperated. She still had to go to school next year. She'd done everything! Sheryl loved her idea, he even agreed to support her in front of the Prince, but he didn't want to hear it. Of course, Road understood why he wanted her to go… the Akumas weren't aging, so she was the only one who could make connections with the next generation of noble girls (who themselves would marry nobles who possessed the power) since she had agreed to age again. It hadn't been an easy decision, she had loved her ten-year-old body, the one she had before… what had happened, when everything was fine. She had worn it for over thirty years, manipulating her genes with the Dream, and it had been a huge choice to let herself grow old again. But Sheryl had just woken up, they didn't have any other Noah in high society except for the Earl (who was mostly on the sidelines too) and he could not do it alone. So, when Tricia had lost the baby (still sad, but inevitable…) Sheryl had adopted Road and with great inspiration, she had rejuvenated her body to that of a six-year-old and had entered the Kamelott family.

But now, just a year later, the Earl had asked her to go to school. Or rather, the preparatory course for girls from good families. English high society didn't seem to think that girls needed school like boys. In fact, until recently, the girls received preceptors at home and didn't discover the world until they had their debut at balls at around sixteen (and then were immediately required to find a suitable husband) and any remark whatsoever that the populace should educate both girls and boys had agitated the hive of high society, so they hastened to create these preparatory courses. So, unlike boys who received preceptors until they were thirteen and then went to college, the young girls of the neighborhood, whether simply bourgeois or noble (money being almost as important as rank in the air of industrialization) joined in small groups for classes of etiquette, language, history and various arts until they were about fourteen to sixteen. At this point, they were considered to be fit to marry and returned full-time to their families to prevent an incident from happening (read here: sleeping before marriage).

And so, Road had to go there almost every day. Fortunately, the mansion they used for it was a holiday home for a small Viscount and was barely twenty minutes from home via carriage. The mansion was full, and she didn't need to stay in board like some others…

But it doesn't end there, and it's certainly not funny… every day she had to face spoiled little girls acting authoritarian, they were so naïve it's painful. Road knew they were young, and they still had a lot to learn… but could they even learn one day? They were the future pillars for the leaders of this world. Road knew that many women were manipulating their husband's choices from the shadows and that was within the reach of each of the children she was to meet. And even more if they finally realized that they could change this patriarchal world. Only these preparatory classes were exactly what they implied, pre-wedding courses. The girls were led from their tenderest age towards a marital ideal from which it was difficult to escape. So, of course, supporting these silly children stuck in bulky dresses was difficult, but the most difficult ordeal was undoubtedly to endure these long hours of brainwashing about the happiness that marriage would bring. Even in their math class, rudimentary as it was (because women really needed to know how to do more than basic addition?), was fraught with problems with babies and husbands. It was so much that Road, who had always enjoyed true love stories, was beginning to understand the real disgust of her mother's handmaid towards getting married.

And having stayed there the whole year (the few days with the Earl didn't count…) and begging the Prince to leave the damned place, she was still obliged to return for the new year. Quite frankly, even though she was pretty sure she would get caught, Road was at such a high level of anxiety that she had thought very seriously about just cremating the place, including the girls inside. And if you're aware she's the Noah of Dreams… Anyway, that was her fantasy when Eve pointed out something that made her think. "But you like learning new things, don't you?" She had asked her one night while Road complained by braiding her hair. Of course, the Noah had nodded and started to ramble about the subjects of the classes. "If it's only the teaching that you don't like, why not try to change how you learn it or what you learn? Like offering another subject or introducing your classmates to other cultures and ways of living?" She had asked, curious, and made Road think. It is true that the Prince had only asked her to make allies of the other children… he had never banned anything about the course itself…

So, a new idea in mind, she had spent hours during her holidays (between her duties as a Noah and those of a little girl in a good family) to research the different societies and how to cause the most effective chaos in her classes. So much so, that she couldn't wait for school to come back so she could test her findings (not that she was yelling this from the rooftops, her mother would have a heart attack if she suddenly showed enthusiasm for school after all these months of complaints…). However, even before she could begin her experiments on her comrades, an interesting social case had developed within the mansion itself.

The head of the female employees was a not-so-old lady for the job. In her thirties, she had sent her children to her brother's house when Sheryl had offered her the placement and didn't care much about them, other than sending them money. She was tall, pretty, and having worked from very early on as a kitchen clerk and housekeeper, she knew her job and she did it well.

But she was jealous. Terribly jealous.

More than once already, she had found a way to oust a competitor for her post. They knew it, of course, the akumas stationed at the manor were not just there to look pretty, but Sheryl had done nothing against it. Already because he didn't really have time to deal with this nonsense, and secondly because it was somewhat amusing to see the efforts made by humans to crash into each other. They never seemed to understand that mutual aid was more effective than unity and they did everything they could to steal, lie, and kill the other just to rise above the crowd.

And it was funny how human ambition could evolve as well.

Until very recently, the woman could not have been happier with her position, the highest among the employees, which she guarded jealously like a dragon with her treasure. And then, Eve had arrived at the mansion and had ended up being hired as a handmaid, a role forgotten for years and dug up and brushed off by an absent husband for his sick wife. At first everything was fine. The quick promotion had raised a few eyebrows, certainly, especially when the easy hours had become known, but the various complaints had quickly quieted down when they took note of the very low salary and the lack of days off. For Eve, a poor child without a family or a hitch, a house, meals, and pocket money was enough, but for the rest of the employees who had a family they wanted to see and that they had to feed, the position was not very accommodating.

And then the rest of the benefits started to pile up. Access to good places for mass, borrowing even to see the donation of the beautiful clothes of the lady of the house, the same food as the masters, the care during sickness…

And then surely, the woman had said, the strengths outweigh the disadvantages. After all, her own children were already grown and working, so she didn't need to send so much money to her brother. What's more, she was getting old, too, and the grueling hours were not very pleasant compared to those of a lady companion attached to a sick housewife.

It was then that the intimidation began.

It was simple things initially. They suddenly "forgot" to wake up the girl, or to count her in the mouths to feel during the preparation of meals. But as the weeks went by, the more it grew. But it was bearable, and Eve didn't complain. But anyway, who would she tell? And then, a young female employee made the mistake of touching Eve's mail, thinking it would go unnoticed like the rest. Unfortunately for her, even though the mail was addressed to Eve, part of the contents was for Tyki and her uncle didn't appreciate the interference. To put It simply, she was fired.

And so, Road had witnessed, fascinated, the fabulous metamorphosis of the atmosphere among the employees. In just a few days, the head of the female workers had managed to intimidate about four others into her crusade against the girl and the galleys and chained one after the other. Road had ogled it all away without getting involved, with a smile on her lips and wide eyes. It hadn't been very pretty, and she was fascinated by their ingenuity towards ruining life. It was especially funny how the employees of the household had taken sides during the conflict and a warlike climate had arisen. Of course, it was difficult for other employees to oppose the headmaster, it was dangerous for their work and, for the lower class, work was often synonymous with life. But all the same, Road gave them points in her book for effort, they had tried to help the handmaiden, be it through shelter, food or help.

And then, like a spring that has been stretched to the maximum before slipping from your hands, the situation imploded overnight. The employee manager had tried to push Eve down the grand staircase. Road didn't know if it was planned, or purely emotional, if she wanted to kill her or just hurt her, but anyway, she didn't like it. The last few weeks had been like a social experiment, but what good is an experiment if the main subject dies? At that point, we can't watch their reactions, everything stops, and it's not funny. Road liked to kill, but now she had done it hundreds of times. A social experiment, though? To observe so closely and for so long a human so full of annoyances? Never.

So, it had been so simple. When the woman had gone for Eve and the lady had pushed her back, it had been enough for Road to have her stumble back from a candle invoked in just the right position, and so the trick was played. Eve only needed to be restrained from saving the older woman and she was sent tumbling down the stairs with a delicious sound.

Following that, Road had been sure that Eve would be terrified and wouldn't want to approach her. But no! Well, she was scared, but instead of running away she had clung to the comfort that Road offered. It was so strange, Road didn't really understand, but it was nice. As soon as she had gone back to acting like a little girl, Eve had jumped at the chance and they continued to play their roles without any further ceremony. Still Road thought that Eve wasn't fooling very much. From time to time, when the Noah jumped on her at the corner of a hallway or smiled a little too blissfully, Eve had an involuntary recoil before she pulled herself together and smiled sweetly.

Even months later, during a simple storm when Road had gone down to have a snack in the kitchen, Eve yelled like she was possessed when she saw her and Road wondered if she remembered that day, at the staircase, because she had the same terrified look she had had at the time.

Unfortunately, Road couldn't continue her social experiment after that… Anyway, enough about Eve. Back at school, however, she was quick to implement her summer resolutions and the results were even more fun than she thought! And of course, that was the moment the Earl had decided to end her fun. Supposedly traumatizing her classmates was not a good way to build a working relationship. Road didn't think they were traumatized… that was a huge exaggeration, a little disturbed, maybe, but not traumatized anyway.

Said Earl, who had dared to prevent Road from permanently traumatizing the daughters of some small Lord, was on a bench in a public park.

Adam loved to sit here from time to time to observe life around him. He enjoyed walking in the forest or in the countryside, places unlikely to show him that damage of men and where he could think quietly while enjoying nature. But when he had to wait, or stay in one place, then of course he often ended up in a park in the middle of the city. Sitting somewhere where he wouldn't interfere, he would spend hours half-lost in thought, the other half watching the lives of humans. Amazingly, it calmed him every time and reminded him why he was doing what he was doing. It was nice to feel good about himself and he was so often at the mercy of doubt that he cherished those fleeting moments when he was so in tune with the world. He wasn't stupid: he knew he wasn't the healthiest of beings. But he couldn't really do anything about it and as long as he didn't hurt his dear ones… how important was it?

And this Thursday morning, that's exactly what he was doing. Sitting on this hardwood bench in a small and smoky London park, he was thinking.

In an hour, at most, he will have to get up and go to Sheryl's. It had been almost a week since he had been there, and even though Tyki was doing his homework, he still seemed less diligent when Adam didn't watch him for long periods of time. Tyki was not very good at piano. Well, he wasn't bad and, no doubt, his skills would be quite respectable for a young nobleman, especially when it was considered that he did not start learning from the cradle like others of his social condition. But he had no innate talent, everything he knew had come from his hard work over the years. And astonishingly, Adam was strangely relieved. He doesn't know what he would have done if Tyki had been as good as him. It had been extremely painful to see him the first time when he felt the Noah's awakening and rushed into the old mansion to watch a sick Sheryl in his room and a sick Tyki in the corner of the attic. Yes, so hard to look him in the eye and see him in his place. He really didn't know why he had insisted that Tyki take piano lessons.

Road had been against it.

He hadn't listened to her.

The first lessons had been catastrophic, Adam never stopped getting upset at the slightest false note and Tyki, already overwhelmed by his Noah transformation, the new courses of labels and cultures, his new title of Lord… did everything to please Adam despite everything. He had never tried to respect his orders. No, he had always questioned them, pushed until he received the best… or worst of them.

It was better after that. The count had been more relaxed, he listened more to Tyki's desires, the lessons were fewer and less long as well. He hadn't been able to abandon them completely though. Blame his weak heart, but he still felt a pinch when he thought of stopping those few hours so intimate between Tyki and himself. It wasn't him and… so much the better. Perhaps, like this, he would succeed in replacing these memories, so bittersweet, with new ones?

At one point, however, their meetings had practically stopped. It hadn't been Tyki's fault, no, it was Adam's, his little escapades. At first he was trying to return to the mansion on a regular basis, but with Mightra, who was in charge of creating the akumas, and Sheryl continuing to build relationships, it was hard for Adam to let go of his little project. His… little… project. His… project?

Which project?

Frowning at the sudden headache that assailed him, Adam rubbed his temples while trying to pick up the thread of his thoughts. He thought, he thought… see, yes, that's it, he was thinking of Tyki.

His boy had made so much progress in recent months! Of course, he'd been a little lost after the holidays, but a few weeks with the Earl coming regularly and he had gained a second wind, easily exceeding his previous level. It was during one of these visits that he had met Tricia's maid, by the way. Young Eve had surprised him during a walk at the edge of the forest. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he had surprised her. The whole affair must have been more trying for her than for him, after all. It's funny, though, that they didn't meet earlier. The Count liked to stroll on this side. At the edge of Sheryl's property, the fallow field near this lake had always fascinated him, he didn't know why. There was never anyone there and it was nice to run his hand through the tall grass and feel the wind in his hair. That day, however, the calm of the place had been broken by a small sneeze, and the Earl had unexpectedly discovered the young woman in the lake. First, he had thought it was a girl from a nearby farm who came to enjoy the isolated lake for a swim, but he was quickly diverted from that idea when she opened her mouth. She wasn't a noble, but she certainly didn't come from the middle class either. And indeed, he was right, because he met her officially no later than that night.

He had seen her several times after that. He would come across her regularly in the corridors of the manor or when he came to pay respects to Tricia or pick up Road or the twins. Yet with the time he spent at the mansion, he should see her much more often! But they had barely exchanged a few words. In fact, if he had to say it, Adam was pretty sure that the girl was avoiding him. In fact, she had repeatedly enlisted Tyki to help her do just that. Maybe she was still embarrassed by the episode at the lake? Adam didn't think that deserved this kind of treatment, but who was he to say he understood the moods of a young human girl?

In any case, he had confirmation that she was avoiding him a few weeks later. If her dodging him during meals or evenings hadn't indicated it, her attempt to escape when she entered the parlor in the small living room where he was talking to Road definitely removed the slightest doubt.

She had been squirming throughout the whole meeting, seeming to prefer being anywhere else rather than here. Perhaps it was the first time he had really noticed her, the other times consisting of only brief and quickly forgotten discussions. This was probably due to the fact that he had spent several afternoons teaching her how to dance with Tyki. All that for her to faint dramatically during the ball in question. Finally, it wasn't really her fault, Tyki was young and still struggled with his power, especially in moments of irritation and anger. Ah, had it already been a few years since Tyki had half-stuck himself into a wall for the last time?

He didn't push, however, the girl quickly leaving his thoughts after that. Until a few days later anyway. Having forgotten his jacket, he returned quietly to the music room after dinner only to find the girl staring at the piano.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She apologized hurriedly as she got up from the bench at full speed when she saw him in the doorway. "I'll let you continue."

"No! No, don't bother, I just came looking for my jacket." Replied the Earl, stopping her in her motion. Looking at her, he approached a confrontational landmine when he saw her in the chair behind the piano.

"Did you play the piano? I'm sorry to have bothered you, I like listening to musicians." Adam finally said when the silence had thickened a little too much.

"Oh no, not at all! I don't know how to play." She said with wide eyes, looking nervous. Her whole body seemed tense and she peeked towards the door every few seconds. No doubt she wanted to leave, but Sheryl's lessons had taken effect, and she didn't dare leave without his consent.

But instead of giving it, the Earl paused. Tyki was spending more and more time with her, and even though they didn't seem to love each other, the Earl had rarely seen the Noah enjoy a woman's company. Perhaps, it wouldn't be a bad idea to spend some time with her to get to know her a little better? If Sheryl had given in and started training her, Adam didn't think he would find her too big of a mess, but it didn't hurt to form his own opinion. So instead… "…would you like to learn?" He asked suddenly. The girl threw a look of envy at the piano before turning to the Duke, looking sad.

"That's nice of you, but I don't want to disturb you…" She murmured.

"Don't worry! I like playing the teacher." He said suddenly, jovial, before settling on the piano. "Come, come join me!" A little lost, she did exactly as he says and sat awkwardly beside him on the bench.

The lesson went smoothly, she easily remembered the string of notes. Maybe even too easily. Really too easily. As he asked her to do the whole song in a fun-filled tone, she did so, but with a look so surprised that there was no way she had done it on purpose.

Of course, he thought of him right away.

But… it was impossible. She was too young, and he shouldn't be able to reincarnate. But all the same, this sudden… talent, suddenly gave him a certain interest towards Eve. So, he started observing her a bit more, taking the excuse of piano lessons to do so (it helped that he really loved to teach).

And, really, Road was right, the girl was full of inconsistencies that she seemed like she should be otherwise… but she was a completely ordinary human.

No special power.

No memories of Noahs.

Or even innocence.

A human in the simplest sense of the word, fragile and dispensable who had managed to integrate themselves with his family of superhumans. Adam didn't really know how she did so, but he would be sure to keep an eye on her story.

But…

Despite the agreements, smiles and laughs…

Adam doubted that it would end well.

KnK: Over 10,000 words… whoof. Hope you enjoyed :P

Nël: Tadaaaaaam! I hope you like it : D with that, you have the big base of the plot, I think i had said too much, but ... tell me your theories :) See yah and think about review !