I step inside Louise's bedchamber and quietly shut the door behind me. The curtains are drawn and a single wax candle sitting on the left-hand side bedside table bathes the room in a faint orange glow.
My pink-haired mistress sits on her bed wearing one of her plain white nightgowns. Legs folded and arms crossed, she wears a seriously stern expression the likes of which makes me feel the smallest bit uneasy.
Toby zips by me and takes his place upon Louise's windowsill wordlessly. The tome then flops onto its side as though going to sleep.
Looks like I'm not getting backup, then. I exhale softly.
Louise watches me as I remove my cloak and sit down in the wooden chair across from my mattress bed, but ultimately says nothing.
The girl has a look of absolute steel to her tonight.
And with good reason too, I guess. I did lie to her about helping Siesta, after all.
I look back at Louise, wondering how I can break the ice, but I can't.
There's nothing to say. Not after what happened earlier.
The silence continues for a few minutes.
Until I muster the strength to break it, that is.
"Look, Louise, you have every right to be pissed at me for lying like I did," I tell her with a soft sigh. "I just...I felt bad for Siesta. And I know you would've stopped me if I'd told you the whole story."
Louise says nothing, though her frown softens a little bit.
"It's why I didn't say anything, and why I wanted to help her myself," I add.
I sigh again and rub the bridge of my nose, feeling an impending headache coming on. I'm guessing it's a delayed reaction to all of the stress from today.
"But," I say, looking Louise dead in the eye, "that doesn't excuse me for not being honest with you when I should've been. And I'm sorry for doing that."
Louise sighs softly and nods in acknowledgment.
"So," I continue, "what do we do from here? Are we good? You know I didn't mean any harm, right?"
Louise is quiet for a few seconds.
"Yes," she finally answers. "I do understand your reasons for helping her, Michael, and I'm glad you were willing to do so. It proves to me beyond any doubt that you have a good heart."
Louise then frowns faintly and narrows her eyes.
"But it doesn't change the the outcome of recent events: you are an absolute idiot for endangering yourself like you have recently. First, you throw yourself in harm's way dueling Guiche. Then you repeat the same mistake - by dueling a renowned nobleman of all people - for that maid."
I smile a little and nod. "Yeah. I can see your point. But..."
I then give Louise a warm, friendly grin. Best I try to lighten the mood.
"You love me anyway."
The girl looks away and huffs. "Whatever," she mutters under her breath.
I can't help but smile even more at her reaction. She's cute when she's angry, I guess.
"But really, I'm sorry," I tell her once more.
"And you had better be, too," Louise remarks with a shake of her head. "If you were anyone else, Michael, I would have severely punished you for defying me like you did today."
My blood runs cold as soon as I hear those words leave her mouth.
I swallow hard and force a nervous laugh.
Louise narrows her eyes.
"Oh, you may laugh as much as you like, but I would have," she assures me with a cold smirk. "Painfully, like a dog. Perhaps with a whip."
I shiver.
"Uh...good thing I'm not anyone else then."
"Very good indeed," Louise agrees with a stern nod.
We fall silent for a few seconds.
"So," I ask, "How do I begin making this up to you, Louise?"
Louise gives a tiny shrug and looks me dead in the eye.
"You can start by not getting into trouble for the rest of the year, for starters. No more fighting duels, no more adventures, and no more risking yourself. And those terms are just the icing on the cake after today's stressful happenings."
I nod and sigh. "Fair enough."
Louise looks at me expectantly. "Well?"
I blink and stare back at her, confused. "Well, what?"
Louise sighs in exasperation.
"I expect far more from you than merely stopping your foolish antics, idiot," she clarifies.
Smirking, I fold my arms and chuckle gently.
"So there's more to this, then."
Louise nods. "Yes, indeed. As you know, being a familiar is a lifelong commitment. Therefore, I need something in return. Something far more valuable than just a promise."
Louise leans in with a dark grin on her face.
"I want you to prove to me that you can behave properly and do as I say, as a familiar is supposed to."
"How do I do that, then?" I ask, arching a curious eyebrow. "Since you want me to work for this and all."
Louise pauses, thinking over her next words carefully.
"You can start," she says after a moment, "by submitting to my instructions until morning. Completely and without question. Whatever I tell you to do, you will do it."
"Without hesitation," I agree.
What's the worst Louise can think up? She's less than five feet tall and has bubblegum-pink hair.
The petite mage smirks and stands up.
"Good, finally you're listening. First things first, I require a bath."
I stare at her, dumbfounded.
"What?"
"I said, I require a bath," Louise repeats, her smirk widening. "There is a large washroom at the far side of the west wing, down the hall from Professor Chevreuse's classroom. You and I passed it not long after you first arrived."
I snap my fingers out of recollection. "I remember seeing it, yeah. The large room with a high ceiling and large wooden racks up against the walls for hanging clothing, right?"
"That is the one, yes," Louise replies. "Second and third-year students use it to bathe," she explains. "The boys are permitted to go in there from dawn till the afternoon, and the girls use it from early evening until midnight."
Louise looks at me pointedly.
"As such, you are to fill the tub with water from the wells outside by the servant's quarters and heat it with your fire magic. Meanwhile, I'll prepare the towels and other things that a lady like me needs for a relaxing bath."
I agree with a nod.
"Fine by me. Before I do, though, I'm guessing this academy has no running water?" I ask, desperately hoping to be proven wrong.
"Of course not, you dolt!" Louise snaps back. "This old castle dates back to the days of my distant grandparents. It is no nobleman's estate or royal palace, idiot."
"Yeah, yeah," I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Figured as much. And I'm guessing that, even then, running water is a luxury only the super wealthy enjoy in their homes?"
"You would be correct, Michael," Louise answers.
I grimace at the thought.
"So, it's going to be like that, is it?" I grumble to myself. "Fuck sakes... I'm in 1850."
"The Year of Our Lady 1703 to be precise, Michael," Louise informs me with a scoff. "Not 1850."
She then looks me squarely in the eye and folds her arms.
"And you're going to fetch the water like a good servant," she adds with a devilish smile.
I sigh and rub my face.
"Bloody wonderful."
"Hurry along, now," Louise insists. "I want that bath filled and ready for me within the hour."
I groan deeply and nod my head a second time. "Fine, fine. And supposing I want a bath too, Princess?"
Louise frowns at the pet name.
"You are welcome to my water after I am finished using the tub, familiar," she says.
"You're a cruel woman, Louise de la Vallière."
Louise giggles. "And you should not have lied to me, Michael DeSilva."
I groan and make a show of standing up.
"Right," I sigh, making for the door. "I'll get going then, I suppose."
"Yes, yes, do hurry along," Louise encourages me.
I pause, halfway through opening the door, and look back at her.
"Anything else, milady?" I ask smugly, cracking a cheeky smirk.
Louise shakes her head.
"Just a good, warm bath," she replies, walking towards me. "That is all."
I give a curt nod and pull the door open the rest of the way.
"Yes, milady," I reply in a sarcastic tone, stepping out into the hall.
"Don't you dare be late, either!" Louise calls after me as the door shuts behind me.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Your Highness," I call back through the closed door, chuckling under my breath.
...
I step inside the washroom Louise mentioned. I hold a large and heavy bucket of water in each hand.
I glance around the large room. It's not exactly cramped, though it isn't spacious, either. A single red tapestry with a royal crest hangs on the stone wall opposite the door, whilst another identical one resides between two window cracks directly in front of me, about ten feet away.
A large iron tub sits towards my immediate right, approximately four and a half feet off the ground, with two stone steps leading up to it. Wooden racks for hanging clothes occupy the wall to my left, and a fourth wooden pole is propped between the tub and the window panes to the right, parallel to them.
"Well shit, this isn't half bad," I say to myself, whistling.
I mean, damn, I've seen smaller bathrooms in studio apartments in the city back home.
The tub itself is actually very impressive. Huge compared to the one in my parents' house.
Hell, you could easily fit two or three people inside this one at once with a little room to spare.
"I'm guessing that's deliberate," I assume, climbing the steps to pour in the last couple of buckets. "Tristain's nobility like their comforts, after all."
"Anyway," I say, pouring in the remainder of the water before pressing my hands to the bath to warm it.
I begin feeling fatigued fairly quickly. I've been fetching water for God only knows how long. A kind servant who was out and about when I first visited the well helped me for a short while before heading to bed, too. If it weren't for him then I wouldn't have even managed to fill the tub half full like this.
Damn, why can't Louise warm her water, instead? Then I wouldn't have to worry about burning myself out.
Shaking away these thoughts, I glance down into the water. Steam rises from its surface, and the clear liquid is inviting as all heck.
"Wish I had first dibs on this," I say with a hint of envy. "Haven't had a bath since before Louise summed me here. And that has to be over a week now."
Honestly, I'm losing track of time. It feels like a week at least, though.
Just then, I hear bare feet pattering out in the halls. Given how late it is, they echo softly.
"Well, that was quick," I chuckle. Louise must be eager, that's for sure.
Good. Maybe she'll quit making demands after this, or at least she might ease up a bit.
Smirking to myself, I head back down the steps. Once my shoes touch the stone floor, I immediately turn toward the door.
Louise, still wearing her gown from earlier, stands in the doorway with a fair-sized cloth satchel bag hanging from her right arm. A clean gown is slung over her left shoulder.
"Oh good," she smiles sweetly, shutting the door behind her. "You managed to fill it half full."
I snort.
"Very nice of you to notice."
Louise steps forward and throws the contents of the satchel at me. A small stack of folded purple velvet towels land atop my head and cascade down into a heap in my arms.
"Towels. Set them down on the steps after I climb in, please," the pinkette instructs me.
"Yes, milady," I say sarcastically.
I move the towels from my arms onto a low wooden table off to the left of the tub. Then I move over to the door and close it so Louise can undress in peace.
"Let me know when you take off your clothes, Louise, so I can turn my back," I tell my master.
Louise reaches the top step of the tub.
"I feel no need to hide my body from you, Michael," she confesses and tosses a look back at me. "You are merely my familiar, after all."
"Uh-huh," I reply, unamused. "Sure, Princess, whatever you say. I'm still turning around and waiting until you give me the signal or something. It's just the way I am."
I look to the side, far off at the racks up against the left-hand wall.
I hear fabric rustling behind me. Louise is undressing.
There's movement in my peripheral. Louise folds her clothes neatly and places them on a wooden stand on the opposite end of the tub. Then, after a few more moments, I hear her enter the water.
Sighing as she does so, Louise mutters:
"You may turn around now, Michael."
I pivot, gazing back at Louise. She rests her neck and shoulders against the rim of the bath, arms at either side of her sides, and looks up at the low ceiling.
Louise has the coloration of a porcelain doll: her skin is as white as the driven snow, and her pink hair resembles silk ribbons woven from the finest threads.
"I'll leave you to your bath then, Louise," I say, bowing my head. "Unless there's anything else you need, of course."
Louise leans forward, picking up a sponge and chunk of soap to rub into it.
"No. That'll be all," she answers calmly.
"Okay, then," I sigh. "Guess I'll head back to the bedroom."
I head toward the door once again, opening it without a second thought.
Just as my hand finds the latch, I hear Louise call my name.
"Michael?"
"Yes?" I say, pausing halfway out the door.
"Don't go, I've changed my mind," Louise says, beckoning. "Join me."
My eyes go wide. "Pardon?"
Louise smiles and nods. "Join me, Michael."
I tilt my head, confusion written all over my features.
"In the bath, I mean. Come on," Louise implores, patting the water in front of her.
My heartbeat kicks upward and my face feels warm all of a sudden.
"T-This is is a joke... right Louise?" I ask, laughing nervously.
Louise giggles and smiles more. "I'm afraid not, my dear idiot. I'm quite serious."
I gulp hard. My muscles tense involuntarily.
Shit.
My hand clutches at the doorknob tightly.
"Is this a request or a command?" I ask Louise, voice turning dry.
Louise touches the water with her pointer finger.
"It is entirely up to you, Michael. I have just issued a... strong suggestion is all."
Fucks sakes! This, I was not expecting.
"...You know, in my world, sharing a bath is something you only really do with your girlfriend," I explain to my pink-haired master. "Or wife, or something."
I lick my lips, uncomfortable.
"The last time I did anything like that, it was with Anna."
Louise's smile takes on a wicked edge.
"Anna..." she echoes in a cold, almost resentful tone. "You and her shared baths, hm?"
I frown darkly. "Yeah. Till she..."
I clear my throat and look away.
"Anyway. My point stands."
Louise considers her words carefully.
"So what do you say, Michael? Will you join me?"
I breathe in and out deeply to steady my composure.
"...What would you prefer I do, Louise?" I ask after a moment's hesitation.
Louise smirks and shakes her head.
"That isn't what I asked, you fool," she snips. "I'm asking what you are going to do."
I swallow a large, dry lump caught in my throat. "...I'll join you."
Louise's cheeks glow red-hot and she slinks lower into the tub's still-hot water.
"I thought as much."
Despite feeling embarrassed and unable to ignore the deafening beat of my heart, I try playing it cool.
"What else would a familiar do in such a situation?"
And I was dead serious too, when I made that comment. I've only been Louise's familiar for a week, after all. Chances are high she's probably just paying me back for upsetting her earlier. I made her angry and she wants me to suffer a little bit for it.
Yep, that's got to be it.
"Well," Louise says and makes a 'come here' gesture with her finger. "I do hope you won't dawdle for too long. Water doesn't stay warm forever, you know."
God's sake, she is so fucking cute when she smiles, even when it's so damn obnoxious. It's crazy, too. The amount of glee she shows when bullying me, I mean.
"Guess we better not waste any more time, eh?" I follow, stepping back from the door.
"Come on, then," Louise replies with a satisfied nod.
Slowly, I release the doorknob and let the door swing all the way open until it collides with the stone wall. I turn around fully and see the satchel on the stand beside the bathtub.
I shut the door without looking and walk past it.
Holy shit, why am I acting so confident?
My feet carry me up the steps, every step closer feeling like my shoes weigh a ton each.
"I haven't bathed since before I arrived here, after all," I remark, pushing aside my nervousness. "It's overdue."
"Exactly," Louise agrees, watching me with expectant pink eyes.
"Right..." I say, and quickly start undressing.
My movements are fluid and fast. My top half becomes naked in no time flat, and so I look at Louise.
She studies me quietly, gauging my physique, and offers a faint nod.
"Keep going," she whispers.
Gulping hard, I grab the bottom hem of my pants, and in one motion, pull them and my boxers down.
Louise's gaze lingers on my now exposed member.
"My, you have quite the talent at maintaining your composure, Michael," she observes.
"Huh?" I blink and follow her eyesight. "Oh, uh, thanks, Louise," I mumble in reply, a little surprised by the compliment.
Blushing a deep, dark shade of scarlet, I kick my pants off of my ankles and finish undressing.
What follows is the deepest sigh of relief I've ever uttered as I slowly sink into the water, inch by inch.
"Oh... this feels... good."
"See?" Louise giggles. "I told you."
I lean back against the stone wall behind the tub, glancing down at my clothes lying haphazardly in a pile. My eyes meet Louise's.
"Sorry. Things got a little hectic for a second, but... what now?" I ask her.
"Just relax for a moment. Your body seems to need it," Louise advises me softly.
I do as she asks and slide back a bit further, resting my head against the wall as well.
Now that the stress of Louise's demands is gone, the stiffness of my muscles and joints slowly begins fading away into nothingness.
Louise presses a few fingers to the outer edges of the bath before glancing at me once more.
"Not bad at all, it seems," she remarks.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, grateful for the chance to cool down. My heart is still pounding, no question.
"Yeah... this is pretty nice. I gotta admit," I smile. "Well worth the wait."
"Mm," Louise nods, before sitting up straighter.
I become conscious of just how far Louise and I are from one another. She could reach out and touch me from this distance if she wanted to. So, it feels like we're violating some sort of boundary. Like we're crossing the line between mistress and familiar... Or at least we are as far as I see it.
Louise doesn't seem to share my concerns, however. There's a content, gentle smile on her face right now.
Serene, even. And I can't help but find myself mirroring her.
I exhale deeply and close my eyes.
This girl drives me crazy, sometimes. She really does.
And yet, when her angry outbursts and spiteful jabs subside, she's genuinely kind and considerate. Far kinder than I give her credit for at times, and more pleasant to spend time with than many girls I've met or been with.
Even Anna, too. And that's really saying something.
"Michael, do I need to spell this out to you?" I hear Louise's voice break through the silence.
I open my eyes and look at her. Her fingers tap the water, playing around with the bubbles that rise from its surface, her clothes are folded near the door.
"Something wrong, Louise?" I ask.
The girl frowns softly.
"I asked you in here like this so you would bathe me, idiot," the pinkette clarifies.
I sit up straighter and arch a curious brow. My heartbeat fires upwards again, too.
"Huh?"
Louise glares. "What? Surely you understand the implications of me inviting you to join me. Surely you don't think I would make such an offer solely to torment you?"
"...Well, yeah. Or, no. Or, really- I mean, I didn't know what to believe. I just thought it might've been because you were still mad at me for earlier or something," I reason, halfway stammering the whole time.
I gulp dryly and scratch the back of my neck. "S-So, what- like what exactly?
Louise narrows her eyes defensively. "Meaning I have more in mind for you. Now hurry up."
"Okay, Okay. Goodness sake..." I breathe out.
This girl is too fucking difficult.
Why didn't she tell me this earlier? I could have avoided being confused this whole time.
Pushing myself forward and towards her, I grip the sides of the tub's rim. Our legs brush underneath the water.
I catch Louise smiling.
"What is it?" I inquire with a slight grimace.
Louise's pale pink hair falls forward slightly from her leaning closer to whisper in my ear.
"Seeing you on edge like this is quite the treat, you know. "
A pleasant, warm feeling floods through my face. Despite her picking on me.
Louise, meanwhile, bites her lower lip.
Then, without any more warning, she pulls away and passes me her sponge full of soapy bubbles.
"Get to it, already," she adds with an approving smirk.
Slowly taking the sponge and a bar of soap from her, I nod with hesitation. "What do you want me to do exactly?"
"Wash me, idiot," she clarifies with a mean smirk. "Lather me in those suds and be thorough about it."
"Thorough, right? Okay," I nod slowly.
Glancing down into the water, I try to come up with a plan.
Louise turns around, swiveling her lower body to the side, and leans her weight on both arms against the edge of the tub.
"Go on then," she urges me impatiently. "Don't hesitate. Every second counts."
"Uh-huh," I nod, trying to rationalize this.
Jesus Christ... guess this is something I have to do.
I position myself directly behind Louise and ready the sponge.
She peers back at me through the corner of her eye.
"Hurry along," she tells me. "The water will get cold soon, after all."
"Got it," I murmur, brushing aside her comment to focus on the task at hand. "I'll start with your shoulders then and move down..."
Keeping my movements slow and calculated, I rest the sponge against the base of her shoulders and run it upwards in one, long stroke. I feel the heat emanating from her skin as the sponge moves back down the same path it just went a second ago, brushing her left shoulder entirely now.
My heart hammers hard as I draw the soapy lather up the length of Louise's arms and collarbone before proceeding further down the lines of her spine.
Right away, as I do this, I realize my actions are affecting Louise. I can hear her breathing change.
Breathing becoming heavier with each passing moment, Louise's face burns a brighter shade of crimson.
What's more, she shivers in the water, likely from both the soothing heat and the sensation of me washing her.
"M-Michael..." she gasps lightly. "Keep going, please."
I press the sponge a little firmer against Louise's pale skin. "Not a problem," I smile softly.
I run the sponge up to the back of her head, scrubbing the tips of her long hair, and spread the suds evenly from one end to the other.
My palm brushes against the crown of Louise's head.
Once I feel I have done enough I make my way back down with the soap, slowly, holding the sponge gently and leaning forward a bit to get a better look.
"Here goes..." I think, sighing softly before touching the tip of the sponge to Louise's upper back again.
Gliding the sponge slowly and lovingly over the tops of Louise's slender shoulders, I gaze down at the water and the shape of her legs.
So much petite perfection, I have to admit that this young woman is pretty as all heck.
Oblivious to my thoughts and remaining perfectly still, she stares straight ahead toward the wall.
Louise appears to have shut her eyes, entirely lost to the world by now and focusing solely on the sponge scrubbing her back.
Her hands tremble with joy against the edge of the bath, and her long legs squirm impatiently. The line of her lips is tense, her expression showing concern and determination.
We stay like this for several minutes until I finally conclude.
"There, now you can rinse yourself clean," I tell Louise as I come to a stop at her shoulders.
And with my job being done, I start washing myself, though I move nowhere near as slowly as I did when bathing Louise.
Louise takes some time to respond, her gaze remaining fixed upon the wall.
Finally, with what seems like a tremendous amount of effort, she clears her throat, sighs, and turns herself around until we're facing one another again.
"Thank you," she offers in a soft, serene voice, gazing up at me from beneath half-lidded eyes. "I trust you are happier now, being clean?"
I smile, finishing up. "You bet."
When I hand over the sponge and soap to Louise, she immediately grabs it from my outstretched hands.
Using the water to rinse it, she washes herself off beneath the water's surface. She tosses the now clean sponge onto the stand next to the tub and hangs the bar of soap up on a metal hook that protrudes from the side.
After doing so, Louise returns her focus to me. This time, a grin lights up her face. "All done."
The tub quickly begins to feel small, even though it's far from it. We're only two people, after all. I know the reason though.
It's because I can't help but think that for whatever reason Louise looks cuter than usual. I find it distracting, almost hard to look at her head-on right now.
"...You seem to be contemplating something," Louise points out, almost matter-of-factly.
I run a hand through my soaking-wet hair and smile sheepishly. "Do I?"
Louise tilts her head to one side with a sly smirk. "Yes, you do."
I shake my head from left to right. "Nah, I'm just grateful for a bath, that's all."
Louise nods. She's smirking mischievously again.
"Let's hope it's one of many then, shall we? A simple bath is most enjoyable," she says cheerfully.
Louise rests both her elbows atop the tub's rim and sets her chin atop the backs of her linked hands. She looks up at me with sparkling eyes.
"Agreed," I nod.
Louise pauses for a moment to examine me, gaze sweeping all the way from my head down to my legs submerged underwater before she eventually nods in approval.
She moves her head and straightens her posture a little further, closing her eyes contently.
"I'm very pleased you answered my summons, Michael. Thank you," Louise whispers, letting herself sink deeper into the water. "Being in your company is quite enjoyable sometimes. When you aren't being an idiot, of course."
I tilt my head sideways.
"Same to you, Louise. Sometimes."
Louise blinks once, still regarding me intensely.
A snicker escapes my lips as I study her face. She looks thoughtfully at me, then nods. "Shall we get out now?"
I hum. "If you want to."
The mage ducks under the water and completely disappears. Then she rises back up. "I suppose we shall, then. I'd like to get some sleep since I feel so relaxed now and all."
Louise shakes her whole head, flinging beads of water everywhere. My face receives some of these tiny beads and I wipe them off with a hand while laughing.
I smile softly and slowly nod. "Sure."
Motioning for her to get out first, I follow shortly after her and grab a towel off the stand. I dry myself off before wrapping it around my waist.
"That was nice," I tell Louise as she does the same with her towel. "Nothing better than feeling fresh and clean."
Louise walks towards the wooden pole. She smiles and gives a short nod.
"Indeed. I agree with you entirely, Michael."
I smile broadly and pull the towel from my body. Then I step outside and wrap it around myself once again before using the last clean one left to dry myself.
Meanwhile, Louise finishes her drying routine and prepares to put her clothes on. She slips into a fresh nightgown. It hangs loose on her and looks extra snug.
Then, she reaches into her satchel bag and brings out both my blue jeans and black vest top.
"I brought these with me, in case you intended to bathe after me," Louise tells me.
For some weird reason, I sigh internally.
Her coaxing me into the bath was a spur-of-the-moment thing, then.
Nodding, I take my jeans and vest so I can dress. "Thanks, Louise."
The girl smiles softly. "You're quite welcome. "
I slip on my trousers, going commando. Then I put on my vest.
"Consider me curious, Michael," Louise says. "What unusual fabric are those blue trousers of yours made from, exactly? It is rather thick and exceptionally heavy."
I beam at Louise. "Uh, denim. Jeans, you mean. The label says they're from cotton and a bit of polyester."
"Poly... ester? That is a substance from your world, yes?"
I snort, pulling the vest top down until it covers up my entire chest.
"Yeah. It's a type of manufactured fiber. Clothes aren't made by hand in my world very often, you see. Well, they aren't anymore, anyway."
"I see. The more I hear of England, the more it piques my interest," Louise nods.
I stretch briefly and shake my arms around a bit.
"That's fair, I guess. What about the tub, anyway?" I ask. "It's still full."
"I intend to leave it so, idiot," she answers simply.
I breathe out and raise a brow. "Really? And that isn't a problem?"
"No, it isn't," Louise answers with a shake of the head. "The next person to come in here will simply summon servants to empty and clean it for them. Some Academy maids work exclusively into the early hours for that express reason, too."
"Right..."
Louise nods, then bundles all our clothes and belongings into her satchel bag.
Stepping nearer to me afterward, she holds her right hand out before taking my wrist into hers.
She nods. "Come on. Let's return to my room."
I look down at Louise's slender hand clasping my wrist, then nod.
"Yep. Sure."
And with that, the two of us traverse the halls together.
Uncharacteristically of her, Louise continues holding onto my wrist, guiding me through the Academy corridors.
It isn't until we've reached her bedroom door does she let go. However, just as I'm about to walk inside, Louise utters something.
"W-Wait," she calls quietly.
I pause and pivot to face her.
"What is it, Louise?" I ask with a tilt of the head.
Louise glances back the way we'd just come and holds onto my vest top. "Earlier today, when you said you'd fight Mott for me if I were the commoner in Siesta's shoes... You meant it, didn't you?"
I pause and then nod. "Of course. I mean, the way Mott commanded Siesta to serve him wouldn't even be allowed in my country. There are laws against that kinda thing."
Louise's cheeks glow a deep, dark red.
"I-I'm glad, Michael."
I nod for my mistress. "Don't mention it, Princess."
Together, we step inside Louise's room. I close the door behind us.
...
After Louise sits down at her desk and orders me to blow out the candles, she then gets back up and re-opens the curtains. The room is illuminated by pale moonlight.
Once Louise's eyes adjust to the change in light, she looks intently at me whilst I stand over my mattress bed.
"So, did I surpass your expectations like a good familiar?" I ask with a chuckle, bowing playfully
Louise smiles back gently. "You did, actually. But do not think you are out of the woods just yet, Michael. I may yet ask more of you if I feel so inclined."
"I'll bet."
I fold my arms and lay back on my mattress and close my eyes.
"You sleep well, Louise."
I shift my position and turn over, but don't fall asleep immediately.
Surprisingly, I sense movement coming from my right after a few short moments. I glimpse to the side out of curiosity.
My eyes meet with Louise's bare feet.
Following them upwards, my eyes fall upon her slender legs. Then upon her body.
Smiling shyly, the girl kneels to my level and touches a hand to mine.
"Might I join you down here?" the girl asks with barely a whisper.
"Uh...sure," I say to the princess eventually, scooting over a bit. "Any particular reason or...?"
The sound of Louise's breath being drawn escapes my ears and my eyes catch glimpses of her pearly whites.
There it is, that devilish smirk.
"No, not especially," Louise shakes her head. "I'm just doing so because it pleases me."
Meaning she's doing this because she can. Because I'm her familiar.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it, Louise. I get it."
Louise presses her smaller body into mine and soon rests her arms around my torso. Then she shuts her eyes and opens again, gazing upon me sweetly.
"Keep me warm until morning and I will forgive you, Michael," the noble lassie informs me.
"I mean, sure," I answer, laughing softly. "Still, I don't see why you want to be down here on my bed."
"Because I just do, idiot," Louise counters sharply.
The girl reaches for the sheet hanging halfway off her bed with her free arm and pulls it messily over the two of us. Then she settles herself into a better position, fully pressed against me, with her nose only a few inches from mine.
I feel Louise's breath on my skin. She looks up and glances at me briefly before closing her eyes again.
"This will do just nicely, I think," the pink-haired girl decides with a gentle, content smile. "Goodnight, Michael."
Despite myself, I give a light chuckle and shrug my shoulders. "Goodnight then, Princess."
As we lay still wrapped in the thin bedsheet, I hear Louise's breathing grow heavier, her eyelids falling open less often.
Then she begins to snore lightly.
Shaking my head, I reflect on the night's events.
What an odd person she is, my mistress. And honestly, I find that quite nice.
When she isn't driving me absolutely crazy, that is.