Fading Colors in Shadow

Vanishing Acts

Camille passed someone whose eyes were red and wet, and the look in her eyes was one she knew well. It was the same look she'd had in her eyes when she'd realized she'd committed murder. Not sorrow, but hopelessness. Camille sighed internally and then turned around, gently tapping them on the shoulder. "Would you like to get some lunch with me? I'll listen if you need it."

And that was how she ended up sitting at the lunch table with someone who was sobbing her eyes out as they told her they had a wife back home and they were homesick. Their sentence was only for around a month, so at least that was a relief.

Another young man with blond hair and a scar above his eyebrow sat on the other corner of the bench, watching the pair out of the corner of his eyes. Camille didn't look too closely at him. Instead, she was busy consoling the woman.

"The Fortress isn't all that bad. And hey, one month passes by faster than you'd think. There's plenty to do here, and keeping busy will help. As long as you're alive, things will work out."

"You're very optimistic," she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"Thanks, it's one of my good traits."

She choked out a half-laugh, and finally looked Camille in the eyes. "How long have you been here?"

"Er, around two months, I believe? I still have ten left."

She choked on her food, and Camille thumped her on the back, amused. The woman looked at her incredulously. "A year sentence? That would be a crime of the highest degree."

"It was, yep," said Camille. The woman looked at her as if she wanted to ask, but at the same time, she didn't want to know. Camille smiled. "Murder."

"There's no way," she said immediately, narrowing her eyes. She seemed to think Camille was pulling her leg. "You've been so nice and..."

"Who knows?" Camille said, finally starting her meal. "Maybe I was a cold-blooded murderer and now I've decided to turn a new leaf."

"We both know that's not true, darling." Camille and the woman turned to see the Duke walking past. He seemed to be in the middle of a routine patrol, but he'd stopped to give Camille a knowing smile.

"Don't rain on my parade, Your Grace."

The woman stood up and bowed immediately, to Camille's surprise. "Your Grace." He nodded at her, and then he walked off. Camille watched the chains on his coat swinging wildly. He certainly had a sense of fashion. The woman turned to Camille. "You're very casual with him."

"I see him often," she said, still watching Wriothesley until he left her line of sight. "As long as you don't break the rules, you're good. Otherwise he might give you a good thrashing and send you off to see Sigewinne—the Head Nurse," Camille added, looking at her blank expression.

"I see," she said, nodding with a tone of finality. "Thank you for today."

"Anytime," Camille answered as the woman left. The woman looked slightly happier, and Camille dug into the rest of her meal. She still had work to do. Sensing someone's eyes on her, she turned to see the blond-haired man, now outright watching her. "Can I help you, sir?"

"You're awfully nice to people, even without knowing what crimes they've committed," he observed.

She just shrugs. "I'm technically a criminal too," she said in a light tone. Something about this fellow's tone seemed off to her, but she ignored the feeling. "What's your name, sir?"

"Jules. And you?"

"Camille. It's good to meet you."

He gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he stood to leave. "Good to see you too, Camille."