A/n: I know this music might not match this chapter, but meh. It's soothing.
Chapter 15
A boy was crying behind the bushes. His hands tried to wipe away tears that poured down like waterfalls, as his quiet sobs were picked up by the wind. The forest stilled, and the birds that perched on the branches fell silent to watch him. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps caught their attention.
"The forest floor is no place for a lovely boy to be." A silky voice cut through the forest, the gentleness making the boy's unbeaten heat thump.
Shuu slowly looked up and was met with warm, silver eyes. Without wasting another second, the boy jumped on the female, wrapping his arms around her waist. Surprise was evident on her face before it was replaced by understanding. She hoisted him up and wrapped her arms round his petite body. She then rested a hand on his back, pressing slightly so that he leaned forward onto her, and positioned him so that her other arm supported the rest of his weight, tucked underneath his upper thighs. When his sobs continued, she moved the hand from his back to stroke his head in comfort. She ignored the damp feeling on her shoulder as the boy shifted, burying his head in the crook of her neck. The boy then balled his hands, gripping a chunk of her creamy beige fabric.
"He-he's gone!" Shuu managed to utter through his tears. "The puppy Edgar gave me...I-I promised him...I promised Edgar that I'll take care of it! Yet...!"
Guinevere closed her eyes, her assumptions correct. "Shuu, it is not your fault. Besides, the puppy is fine. I'll ask mother for permission soon."
"Permission?" Shuu echoed.
"Yes, I plan to keep him in your stead, and I am sure that mother will allow me. I am a convincing daughter, after all." Her last statement held a hint of smugness, which caused the boy to giggle. "...Unless that friend of yours, Edgar, wants it back. If that's the case, then it wouldn't be so right if I kept it."
She could feel Shuu shaking his head, his hair ticking her skin. "No, his parents are too busy to take care of the puppy. Edgar told me they were poor," he explained. "I think that's why he gave it to me. He believed...he believed that I'll be able to take care of it..."
Guinevere hummed in thought, stroking his hair once again. "How about we ask him ourselves?" she then said. "Is he available at this moment?"
"I think so!" At the mention of his friend, Shuu brightened. He began wriggling in her embrace, and taking the hint, Guinevere placed him down.
He immediately took her hand. "Follow me!" he beckoned, before dragging her deeper into the forest.
...
After a short moment, they reached the outskirts of the forest. They were currently standing on a cliff's edge, where a small village was evident below them.
Shuu pointed towards one of the houses in the village. "That's where Edgar lives."
"My, what a lovely village," Guinevere admired.
"Isn't it?" The boy was practically jumping with excitement. "Come on! Let's find Edgar!"
"And I was wondering who was calling my name..." The two turned to be met with a boy the same age as Shuu, his brown hair curling around his shoulders as half of it was tied up is a little side ponytail.
His bangs slightly covered his right eye, parting to the right in curls. The pale boy wore a plain black shirt underneath a white, short-sleeved jacket with black, round buttons along with knee-length denim shorts. His vibrant pinkish eyes held a dash of green as they were fixated on the golden-haired boy before him.
A wide grin spread on Shuu's face. "Edgar!"
"Hey," Edgar greeted. His eyes then scanned Shuu's attire. "Dressed in those expensively uncomfortable clothing as usual, huh? I guess beauty comes with a price. Must be hard for you, huh?" His eyes then widened upon noticing the unfamiliar presence.
"Who's that?" he asked with curious eyes.
"Oh, she's Guinevere! She's my cousin, though...she like a sister to me." Once Shuu confessed, a rosy hue was evident on his complexion as his eyes darting around in flusterment.
Edgar blinked, surprised at his friend's reaction. He then looked at the twelve-year-old female, his curious gaze intensifying. "Hehhh..."
Guinevere tilted her head in response, a strand of her hair kissing her face as it swayed. "Edgar-kun, was it? Well, aren't you an adorable one?"
Said-boy spluttered, blood rushing to his cheeks. 'Wh-What?! Don't call me that!"
"Oh? Did I offend you? My apologies. However, I still stand by my statement."
"W-well, fine!" Edgar uttered. Her then huffed and crossed his arms as he fought against his blush. "It...it's not like I really care..."
Guinevere smiled. "I can see why Shuu values you as a friend. You are quite the tease."
This deepened his flustered expression. To hide it, he clicked his tongue, scratching his head in annoyance. His gaze was on anywhere but her.
"Ooh~ Edgar, what's this?" Shuu asked from beside him, mockery laced in his tone as he smirked.
Edgar glared. "...Whose side are you on?"
Though highly amused, Guinevere decided to intervene. "Edgar-kun, do you still recall the puppy that you gave Shuu?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Due to...complicated circumstances, may I keep it instead? I will ensure that it receives the best treatment possible. It is a precious one, after all."
"Don't worry, Edgar! The puppy will be in good hands," Shuu reassured upon noticing his slight hesitation, "because Guinevere always keeps her word."
"Hmm...fine. I'll trust you on this one, Shuu!" Edgar then flashed a row of healthy teeth towards his friend, who returned the gesture with a lovely, close-eyed smile.
Guinevere's eyes softened at the exchange. "Well, I believe that is settled, then. Thank you for your understanding, Edgar."
He saluted. "No problem, ma'am."
"My, not only are you adorable, but well-mannered as well?" said Guinevere, a hand over her mouth. "What a fine lad you are!"
"...Oi, didn't I tell you to stop with the 'adorable' thing?" Edgar's blush deepened at the laughter beside him. Turning, he punched Shuu's arm.
Shuu laughed harder. The two then began bickering, and would have bickered until the next day if Guinevere hadn't interfered.
++++++++++++
The scenery around Yui blurred as it was morphing into another. Within a blink of an eye, Yui was standing in a familiar, eerie hallway.
She looked around, unfolding the setting in front of her. She recognised the stairs that loomed before her, and the elegant chandelier hanging over her head, producing warm light that was the only source strong enough to slice through up the darkness. Bitterness washed through her as she recalled the beginning of her memory on her first arrival at Sakamaki mansion, when she pulled the suitcase along the carpet that bled crimson for the first time, unaware that she would become the hunted, the prey.
Yui then spun on her heels, and her vision was met with familiar, double doors made from luxurious wood. Her feet suddenly felt heavy. Taking a deep breath, she finally managed to move, dragging them across the smooth, velvety carpet as she reached out towards the door. With shaky hands, she pushed them, and was not surprised that they didn't even budge. The door was bolted, locked, just like any other day. This gateway to her freedom would always be sealed, and yet, she always held onto the thread of hope, a hope that one day, she would be released from all this...hell.
Those actions repeated like a broken record player. 'What if I'll be stuck here...forev—' Yui shook her head. 'No, there must be some way. I just have to try harder.'
"Karl~!" The sudden, shrilling voice caused Yui to freeze. Slowly, she turned, and at the bottom of the grand staircase was a certain purple-haired woman.
"My, even though you're awfully busy, you came to see me?" Cordelia said. A giggle then escaped her blood red lips. "You're truly wonderful."
Yui followed her line of sight, and was even more surprised to see a white-haired man striding across the room, his elegant black robe billowing behind him.
'When did he—?' To further catch Yui off-guard, the man pulled Cordelia close. The woman in his arms didn't miss a second to return his gesture, giggling in—what greatly surprised Yui—delight. Sincere delight. A smile adorned her features, and for once, there were no traces of a malevolent woman.
"Hello, dear," Karl gently replied, his hooded eyes gazing at her. He then held her hand, squeezing their intertwined their fingers before buried his face in her neck. His voice was muffled by her skin. "You seem quite well."
Cordelia blushed, giggles bubbling out of her once more. "Thank you, darling~ You deserve to see the finest, after all."
Karl hummed, pulling his hand away from hers to gently brush through her long, purple hair, the smooth strands stroking his fingers. His other hand remained around her waist as he slightly arched her body back. He felt her grip tighten around him and his smirk widened.
"Karl?" she asked. Upon feeling a sharp nibble on her earlobe, she released a light gasp, her eyes widening. "Ka-Karl!"
"Hmm?"
"May I—" Cordelia cleared her throat, trying to ignore her somersaulting stomach due to the swift, butterfly kisses on her skin. "May I request something?"
Karl stopped and pulled away slightly to look at her, curiosity flickering in his golden eyes. "Request? This is unusual."
"Yes, it has been a while since I asked. But it's because you tend to always be busy, so being a considerate wife I am, I refrained from unnecessary requests. But this one is rather...important."
Karl blinked before tilting his head. Amusement dripped from his voice as he spoke. "What is it you desire then, my love?"
Cordelia smirked, her eyes narrowing. "Well, you see, it's—" She looked over his shoulder, locking eyes with the flustered platinum human who was watching them.
Yui inhaled sharply as lime green eyes directly bored into hers. They were focused, drilling into her very soul unlike the other ones who simply saw through her.
'She could...she could actually see me—!' Yui's chest suddenly throbbed, as if her heart was squeezed mercilessly while being pierced by a thousand sharp needles. She gasped, shaking and doubling over as spots began dancing in her vision. Cordelia's mouth was moving, but the sound was dulling into a hum, then growing distant and more distant until there was only the sound of her own heavy breathing and deafening heartbeat. Her surroundings began to blur, the colours whirling and mixing with each other before she was swallowed by blackness.
...
Yui opened her eyes, and was greeted by a dimly lit ceiling. She immediately sat up in a puddle of cold sweat as she tried to even out her breathing. Her head abruptly turned towards the source of light, and relief hit her once she realised that it was none other than from the moon outside her bedroom window. Her senses came back to her and she took a deep breath, feeling the familiar fabric of her own blanket though her hands. Her eyes then darted around her own room, checking for any elements in her dream. Her shoulders relaxed once she found none. To be extra sure, she pinched the flesh on her arm. Pushing back a cry of pain and blinking back tears, she smiled.
The smile, however, dropped once she recalled her dreams. Questions began making her head throb. 'What a strange dream...But why? Why did I dream those things? Of those people? And that woman I saw in the rose garden...she was the triplet's mother?
What if the dream...what if the dream was real? That it was actually a fragment of the brother and Guinevere's past?' Her eyes brightened. 'I'll just have to ask them! That's right! Maybe I'll ask Guinevere, since she'd more likely...understand all of this. Yes. I'll do that.'
Without wasting another second, Yui pushed the blanket aside and sprung off bed.