Speech = ``...´´
Thoughts = [... ]
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Something was wrong.
Something…. had changed.
It was a sensation that had made her jump out of her bed and then roam the room, her small legs carrying her back and forth before she end up looking past the window.
Since the very day Crucabena had disappeared from the sights of the children without warning to this very moment...the world seemed to shift into something else entirely.
At first...it was a sense of wrongness, of unease that poked at her skin like from within and without like an army of small needles. The inner clock of her mind already ringing loud and clear that the patterns had changed, that what little life he had experienced here was no longer the same.
Making her heartbeat spike at each shadow, sleep an illusive and bygone thought at night.
Then...at the wake of the second day it changed, again.
Turning from such dark thoughts into a strange sense of calm and peace, like pulling the covers of a curtain in fear of what laid behind...only to find that there was nothing more but an old and trusty wall like any other day before it.
The heart may still throb fast...but there was now some kind of reassurance to know it was all just your imagination. It wasn't hard to know why...
The presence of their "Mother" in the large halls and corridors of the House seemingly having lifted from her shoulders without warning.
The lack of utter pressure and darkness from what laid behind that mask of "motherly" love and "kindness" surprising her more than she would like to admit. As if the world was not complete without it.
But as the hours passed...such thoughts started to erode as-well.
It was...as if she could finally breath without a hand clutching her throat.
Like she had been standing all this time and had finally been able to sit down.
She didn't know what the opinion of the other children was, or if they had ever taken notice of that thing that lurked beneath the gentle eyes of their "mother".
But for her….
It felt...nice.
However nothing lasts, good things first of all.
Peruere did not know what it was, or what it could be...only that she felt it hovering in the air. Leaving a murkiness behind, while at times it became clearer and...softer.
That strange unease had returned in her heart, yet one that did not chide in frantic pain or fear like an animal having a premonition of its end...but one that did with...curiosity?
She didn't understand.
She was never curious..period, so why did she feel that way?
It felt wrong.
It was wrong.
And so, a pair of red X eyes could only stare in silence at the way the twilight of the day died out into the night. How the bright, warm colors of the daylight bleed out in the horizon as the cold void and a mantle of stars took their place.
Left...to wonder now that she had nothing else to do.
``Perrie..´´
It felt that everything had changed when Clervie had shared with her the news of what happened to her mother. That tale that was strange and broken into blurry segments that either her friend would not tell her...or could not remember.
``Perrie..?´´
Neither that she would blame her for no matter what, especially with how much it had affected her.
Her inability to do something about that troubling her still.
``Perrie…!´´
Perhaps….that was what happening, that something else had happened to her, to their beloved "Mother"
``Perrie….someone there? Hello..?´´
But was it good….or would it be bad for them? That she did not know….and perhaps that was what was scaring her.
To feel this dread only grow larger and be unable to do anything about it.
``Perrie...!´´
As if been pulled out from the depths of the ocean Peruere was finally able to look away from the endless horizon that could be spotted from the window, switching her attention to her most immediate world as she pushed herself away from the window and the world that laid outside of it.
Her eyes finding if not down right stumbling with Clervies almost immediately, who much to her surprise looked back at her with what could only be a small frown, her arms out of view, crossed behind her back.
``Yes….?´´
``Perrie, did you hear what I said..?´´
She blinked, once then twice. ``You were calling my name..?´´
Clervie smiled, a bright thing as always yet one that was strained this time, one eye twitching.
``Yes, I was calling your name….but did you hear what she was saying..?´´
She said, now pointing to her side with one thumb at something else…. Her eyes slowly following the direction they pointed at until they stopped over the other person in the room that she had completely forgotten about.
A blond girl with two twin tails of hair softly hanging from the sides of her head and over her shoulders, just as young as them and clearly even more annoyed with the way she was tapping the floor with her shoe repeatedly.
``Oh….her´´
``...´´
``So..?´´
``...´´
``You didn't notice her, did you Perrie..´´
The question was laced with a hint of amusement on Clervies lips, eyes shining with playfulness though underneath the mirth there was a sense of worry behind the layers.
``No...´´
She admitted softly, making the blond girl shake her head in defeat before raising her hands to her head with a loud sigh.
``Urgh, I don't know why I even try. She probably wasn't even paying attention when I entered and said hello, what is this? The fourth time it happens?...´´
[Six time] She thought with a bit of apprehension at the own admission, however she did not say it out loud. It would not make things any better anyway.
``Sorry..´´
The girl took a step forward, and then another and another, stopping just when she was standing a meter away from her. Eyeing her with both a bit of annoyance before it turned into worry.
``Just...just tell me why, you zoned out on the spot. You are not sick, right?´´
``No I….was lost in thought´´
``On what?´´
``I...don't know´´
``You... don't know?´´
Luckily for her, she was saved from further interrogation by a pink haired menace who decided to jump herself between the two, extending her arms and wrapping them on each of their backs, slowly pushing them closer to one another.
Not a hug...but close enough.
``Then it may not have been that important.., don't you think Sarah? The sky at night is rather pretty, perhaps that was what caught her attention´´
Sarah merely looked at the two before she pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh
``Clervie that was clearly not what was happening..´´
``But what if it was?´´
``Clerv…, how many times I must tell you- in fact-...fine, fine, lest forget about that and focus on what I was saying before, ok?´´
That sounded like a good idea.
``What is going on?´´ She decided to ask, drawing their attention towards her.
``Big brother Zashiel came by our dorm room and told me that we are been called to the dining room..´´
``What..?´´
``The dining room..? Why? Dinner is not ready yet, no? Oh, could this be a surprise party? Is there going to be cake..!?´´
Started to mutter non stop the pink haired girl, tilting her head from left to rights as she did like a small pet would when presented with a treat. Peruere almost wanted to roll her eyes at the fact that the first thought her friend had was about food.
Sarah however gave a short shrug in return.
``I don't know, it may be...or it may not be...however I believe it may have to do with Mother…´´
It was then that she felt it again.
The way the world became a little more colder a little at that as an uncomfortable silence filled the room.
The dread and wrongness in the air that had been lingering at the corners of the room somehow growing thicker and heavier on the spot, and this time she was not the only one as Clervies expression fell as-well.
Flashes of that night that she came crying passing by her glittering eyes before she open her lips to speak albeit weakly.
``D-did something happen?´´
``I don't know..´´
``You.. don't know?´´
The blond girl shook her head, rubbing the back of her head. A momentary pause as her confident expression seemed to falter as-well.
``Well I mean... should it? I..look, I have just been told barely anything about it..´´
Clervie seemed to deflate and perk up at that the same time.
``Eh, I...well, that's a... no then?´´
``Perhaps? I mean it could be-...why are you fidgeting your fingers Clervie..?
``I-I, well... tehee…? ´´
``Eh..?´´
Watching the exchange she too would have the same expression of confusion if she had not come to know Clervies antics by now.
``Nothing at all I was just curious and I started thinking some things. Nothing too serious or depressing´´
``That's oddly specific..., and you Peruere?´´
She merely gave a weak shrug, she would rather kept her thoughts to herself for now.
``Oh, ok...anyway he told me and I thought I should tell you if he did not came here already. Don't be late, ok..?´´
And with that said, Sarah left the room, waving all the while before leaving the two of them alone with their thoughts and doubts.
And without Sarah around….the mask of genuine happiness and joy in Clervies eyes dimmed down.
Its light faltering...but not breaking.
Yet.
..
..
..
..
``Are you ok?´´
The question was left hanging in the air, but whether it was answered or not it was unnecessary.
She already knew.
``I-yes…..thanks Perrie.´´
Mumbled Clervie with a thin smile, her eyes closing in a little bit as she tried to rebound back to her happy self, trying to dissuade her worries.
Just like those nights she came back late full of bruises
She didn't like that
She took one step forward, then another...only realizing she was doing so when she found herself placing a hand over the girls shoulder, blacken fingertips brushing softly against the silky of her dress.
The gesture drawing the girls attention to her, emotional and conflicted green eyes meeting cold yet apologetic pair of red x
``You don't have to go if you don't want to…´´
``What.?´´
``If you want…...I can stay here..´´
``...´´
``With you...´´
It wasn't much.
Not at all, but it was all she could think she could do at this precise moment.
Looking at those green eyes of hers she had expected another refusal to come up, another attempt to play tough or something just like she tended to do when something bothered her and she had either the will of mind or strength to pretend otherwise
However what she was not expecting for was to find herself trapped in a hug, her body pressed tightly against the other girl when the lithe arms of her friend wrapped behind her back like a bear trap.
``Clerv-!´´
``Oh Perrie.., what I would do without you...´´
She tried to speak, or even maneuver around her grip but it was far easier said than done while having someone hanging from you. She felt her face heat up as she tried her best to not fall down the floor thanks to their combine weight.
She was too close.
Way too close for her liking.
However, whether she took notice of it or not or just divine providence, the pink haired girl freed her from her tight grasp a moment later. A guilty smirk plastered on her face.
``Sorry...I could not help it´´
``Please...don't do that again..´´
``No promises are made, Perrie..´´
Of course she would say that…...however it would not have been like her to do otherwise.
``Still, I am sure its nothing and I am just worrying about nothing, perhaps its just a secret party don't you think? Mother must want to bring everyone's spirits up..´´
She highly doubted that, but kept herself from speaking such thoughts.
``Are you sure you don't want to stay..?´´
Clervies smile faltered a little bit at her question, but just for a second..
``Of course! I am sure it will be something fun, you will see.., you and I and a lot of cakes!´´
A part of her wished she had the same bubbling cheerful energy her friend seemed to always had in ample spades, it would have made things a lot more easier for her when she found herself been led by the hand out of the room by a very enthusiastic Clervie and into the depths of the House.
Hearing her joke and mumble thing over and over again about cakes and parties, of how much fun they were gonna get.
She was a fool….
Still…..as rare as it was, a part of her, deep inside wished that Clervie was somehow right for once in her overly sweet hopes and dreams of a simple life. That maybe.., just maybe she was just overthinking things.
..
..
But life had already taught her to be wary of such thoughts.
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``Go, set those tables on that spot that I already mentioned, and the chairs….don't forget about the chairs or you think that the children are supposed to sit on thin air..?´´
``Yes madam!´´
The back and forth sound of orders and furniture been moved through the efforts of a few individuals was all that could be heard within the premises of a rather ample and beautiful room. Where teenagers and boys and girls that had barely reached adulthood a year or two ago aided with the helping hands of some maids placed and prepared the room.
It was a rather peculiar if not down right unusual sight to see the utter dedication of those working and making sure the location was as prim and ready for whatever it would need to happen there.
Be it for slaughter or joy, they were doing their new given tasks with dutiful determination. Rapid, quick where the sound of their footsteps and yet not at all uncoordinated as one would have come to expect from such a sudden request.
Showing that they had done this many times before.
Though perhaps most of the shock of it was the fact that it was her who was behind all this ruckus of activity. She...and her idea to make a surprise party for the children.
To be honest it was a foolish thing she had come up on the spot, one that she should have known better on paper given that there was no actual need for her to do it as...the Knave.
However, watching them work so diligently even for something as trivial as this made her feel some sort of pride and some kind of reassurance to her choice.
Speaking of which..
Her body lunged forward just in the nick of time as the portable wooden stair one of her helpers, a girl from Inazuma who could not be older than her late teens was using buckled under her own weight and then swung away from its axis.
She would have hurt herself had not a pair of gloved fingers closed tightly around the hips of the young woman, before promptly lowering her down bridal style. It was surprising the fact that she held the girl like she was a toothpick even when though her arms were rather thin.
Looking down she could barely see the face of the girl given the way she was covering it with her hands, her face pale and redden at the same times.
[Oh you poor little thing, you must have been scared of falling...]
``Oh archons, oh archons I am so sorr-´´
``Are you ok...?´´
She asked, however her words went unheard given how the girl continued to mumble to herself again and again.
She did not want to sound rude or anything….but wasn't she been a little bit over-dramatic? Sighing.. she merely readjusted her grip so that she was not holding her with too much strength.
``Its fine, I got you..see?´´
This time she did seem to hear her words...but her only response was a look of perplexity behind the cracks of her fingers. Did she hit her head or something? No, right? Well at least she had stopped flinching under her grasp.
``Nothing...´´
She said with a shrug, freeing her from her grasp. After that she tilted her head up, eyes widening slightly when they noticed something
`` Oh, you were trying to reach that weren't you?´´
She said out loud, not really waiting whether she would gave her a response or not, merely tip toeing and graving the edge of a golden hook, easily dragging upwards on the right spot the rest of the drape where the girl had tried to hooked.
A nocturnal breeze just blowing right there and then through the open window and brushing with its cool air against her face, the first glimmers of moonlight starting to stream out from the clouds in the sky.
``There, far better don't you think..´´
"M-madam Knave...there was no need for you to bother yourself with m-with that.."
She turned around, crossing her arms against her chest while she stared at the girl with a raised eyebrow.
[First you fall? Then tremble like a newborn and now you nag? Please girl pick a line and stick to it...!]
``Why not? You were not reaching so I decided to help...´´
``B-but madam..´´
She closed her eyes, shaking her head softly while she started raising a placating hand between them.
``Nah, nah, nah...don't be like that, it was not a bother, now help the others ok?´´
``...´´
``Eh...are you ok?´´
``R-right away madam Knave!´´
Sputtered the girl, bowing up and down at light speed yet before she had the chance to say anything else she sprinted away from her to help the others.
She could not help but giggle a little at that, though this time she placed a hand over her lips to avoid been so obvious..
[Ah, look at them go with such enthusiasm, they really must be really eager to see this go through the right way..]
She thought, humming herself with approval. It was a nice thing to see.
She did not stood idle after though.
Soon, she walked towards the kitchen, her eyes roaming the room she had come to get acquainted not that long ago, her footsteps barely audible under the constant sound of meals been prepared and the scent of foods coming out from still working stoves and ovens.
It wasn't long before she end up piling up several plates on top of each other from several drawers, counting them in her mind before bringing them towards one of the already set tables, placing each and every empty dish over the soft and lithe table cloth.
She apologized on the way out to the chefs still working inside, not noticing the not-so-subtle glares she received in the process from the bunch, not did she when she started putting the things over the table one after the other.
Though to be honest….this was her first time doing something like this. Not her fault her previous flat did not allow visitors when it was so god damn small!
``M-Madam? Please allow us to put plates ourselves, surely this is... beneath you..´´
Came the voice of one of the "agents" of the House who had hurried himself towards her as if he had a rocket stuck on his ass. She could only offer an apologetic smile at him in return.
As much as she would have loved to lazy around...this body had too much energy as it was and she was starting to feel bad for just doing nothing but gawk at them going ham on their tasks.
``Oh please, you are busy as you already are...and I am already getting bored of just looking´´
``What..?´´
``Just a tic for tat..´´
``What..?´´
She bit her lip, rubbing the back of her head as she turned it around a little if only for them not to notice the flustered expression crawling on her face at been reminded that perhaps most of the slang's in her head did not exist here.
``Please be a darling and bring me those flowers ok...? Not the blue ones...´´
``Eh..I….r-right away!´´
And just like that the boy said almost disappearing in a puff of smoke….a little more and it would have been literally pulled out of a cartoon.
She had to fight down a giggle. It was a bit funny to see them all so work up for her idea to make the children happier today, but surely they were overdoing it a bit.
Case in point when she found three different bases of flowers almost shoved at her face by several people at the same time.
[Talk about been over achieving..]
She thought with a bead of sweat crawling behind her head. Still, that meant that she would not have to worry about been lazy later on.
``Oh, thank you...I had ask for one though..´´
Panic flared in the servants eyes as they looked at each other
``Though this works too, these roses would surely work best here..´´
She muttered as she picked the objects with the same gentleness one picks a bag of a supermarket and placed them at the center and sides of the table. Smirking to herself as she watched the set up already taking its intended shape while everyone else hushed whispers to one another.
Not like she would notice anyway...she was too busy wondering if the children would like the effort put into it.
Would it be to classy?
Refined?
Or perhaps it was way too simple for their liking after living for a while on the "House"..
..
..
[Urgh, I don't have a fucking clue of what child soldiers like or don't…]
Still...the entire ordeal was a far more entertaining that her failed attempt at been a pro at cooking.
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º….A few hours ago...º
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[Why!? Why is it burning...!?]
Was the predominant thought in her mind as she sprinted from one corner of the kitchens towards the where a once innocent looking frying pan was now a combustible menace.
How on earth simple oil managed to burst in flames in less than ten minutes of frying? And who knew someone in high heels could move so fast? Somehow she managed to do both nonetheless.
Too bad she could not sit there to wonder how.
Dodging buckets of bubbling goo that had been an attempt at making soup, tables and drawers filled with cutlery she end up lunging forward, sliding through an empty table at the end of her sprint like a cat just in order to reach it and end up pulling the thing out from the main source of heat as if it was a hot potato and it was about to blow up.
And almost end up burning her face and eyelids in the process when the damn thing flared up again towards her thanks to the sudden move and the new influx of air reaching it.
It still hurt like a bitch the heat slap on her face hit her or not though.
``Shit.., why is this happening to me!?´´
She immediately pulled it away, placing a lid over it to stop the fire from spreading, yet before she took another breath the oven clicked loudly, its gears chiming at finishing its job reached her skull while the scent of baked goods reached her nostrils like a brick.
``Oh thank god, the cookies are here..´´
She muttered in relief, clasping her hands together before she approached the thing, bending down to open it...only to find that the thing refused to bulge even a little.
She a second and even a third time..but it was no use.
``Oh you have to be kidding me..´´
Was it stuck? Now of all times..!?
Shaking her head, she clenched her jaw.., placing both hands over the handle and even placing one of her feet against the thing in what was not a very lady like manner before she tried to pull it again.
Hard.
Her back arching just as much as her head would allow while veins started to pop up in her forehead...until she found herself falling on her back, a headache on her head, a few angels floating around above her and a broken lever on her hand that seemed to laugh at her.
..
..
``Fuck my life...´´
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º….Back to the present….º
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The attempt to do something to help the cooks had been born out of good intentions and just sheer curiosity of what food actually look like in this world….but yeah, thank god and the almighty that nightmare is over.
However, as much relief could be found in that... it still had left a sour taste in her mouth the experience.
[Gods, have I become a lamer version of the Raiden Shogun…?]
The sound of footsteps approaching her gave pause to any further depressive thoughts of failed culinary skills down the line from her mind. With a sigh, turning on her heels she was met with everyone else looking at her, politely waiting for her attention as they bowed.
She was not yet used to….that
``Yes..?´´
``Madam Knave, we have finished..´´
..
[Wait! Already...!?]
The thought coursed inside her head like cold water splashing on her back. That could not be, even if they worked as a group that was way too fast! She looked around, waiting to see if they were just messing with her.
Only for her to be met with the tables set, the chairs were prepared, the decorations were propped just as if she was standing on an hotel.
[They really work fast, don't they?]
It was a rather freaky thought, anyway...it wasn't like it was a problem. Faking a cough in order to present a more composed front she regarded the group of expectant eyes glaring at her way.
``It is done then...I take´´
``Yes, we have prepared the room based under your instructions...is there something else you wish for?´´
Well, not really….like not right now yes?
Still...
``When are the children coming in?´´
``At ten o'clock madam Knave...just like you instructed the event to be carried out´´
Oh, right….
She had told them to do that.
Shaking her head inwardly she looked down at her wrist, wanting to check on the hour just in case….only to find that she was not wearing her cheap wristwatch that she had bought down the street several years ago from a vagrant.
There was only her wrist length gloves.
``..´´
``..´´
``And that is..´´
``About... now?´´
..
..
..
..
``Eh….?
She almost jumped to the ceiling when the doors leading to the room burst open when a literal wave of children stormed their way inside screaming for her
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A/N
Hi, here comes another chapter, forgive me for any grammar mistakes you may find and I hope you may like it. Feel free to share your thoughts and your opinions about it, I would greatly appreciate them.
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I was not expecting it, but Clorindes story quest felt rather nice and interesting, so much that we may find a young Clorinde on the story as-well with her master/mother? Also, I would like to know which character of Fontaine you think will make its debut sooner rather than later and what such interaction could change from canon.
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Also, I did not find the name of the blond girl from the trailer with Peruere so I called her Sarah, if someone knows the real name then tell me so that I may change it.
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DDDXXX: I see, I must admit that I do realize that most of the previous chapter was indeed mostly narration and it kinda felt slow at best, in fact, so far most of the scenes in the previous chapters only have taken place in 1 room so far which makes it feel as not much is going on. That is going to change sooner rather than later as things start to leave the cozy nest and get more erratic.
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Lastly, I don't know whether you will find the chapter a little more fast paced than the others, but I did try to follow your advice, still I am glad that you like the story even with such a flaw.