"Ojousama! Ojousama!"
"Coming Mrs. Kate!" Alyss called back, hurrying down the stairs.
Alyss had spent the last few hours that morning getting ready for her coming of age ceremony. It was being hosted today by a man called Ilsa Yura. She had only met him a few times, but she found him to be a perfectly horrid excuse for a man. Before she could say she'd rather tear her own hair out than have him host it, however, the other leaders present expressed it was a rather stupendous idea—to be fair, out of any of the houses, he had a skill for lavish parties—and she was too timid and docile to deny them.
She wasn't strong, not like her sister. Even when it came to the little things...especially when it came to the little things.
Her servant, Mrs. Kate, was in the atrium, peeking out the front curtain to check if her carriage had arrived.
"Must I go?" Alyss half-joked, "They have everything planned out for me, I doubt they'll notice if I even arrive."
Mrs. Kate took one last look outside as she replied, "They will notice." She then turned to Alyss, and her hands flew to her cheeks, "What are you wearing?!"
To be exact, she was wearing a silky, white, frilled dress, that laced up on the front, and had turquoise roses for embellishment. The back of the dress reached the floor, the front however, did not, so that the only thing covering her legs was the frilled skirt. She also wasn't wearing stockings, or socks, or footwear of any kind, for that matter.
"Where is the dress I picked out for you?!"
"I like this one better!" Alice smiled, shrugging.
"No stockings? What will the other dukes think? A debutante, not even—"
Alyss folded her arms over her chest, turning her head away like a younger girl, and stated simply, "I'm against them."
"You're not properly dressed!" Mrs. Kate shouted like her attire offended her personally, "You think you can walk out showing that much—"
"Who is to say what is proper?" Alyss tapped her foot. "What if it was agreed that 'proper' was wearing a codfish on your head, would you wear it?"
Mrs. Kate wore the appropriate expression of disapproval instead.
"Please don't do this," she said softly, as if the conversation was unseemly, "not today."
Alice frowned, looking at the ground. "Father would have laughed."
That made her servant take a step back.
"Yes, I suppose he would have," Mrs. Kate muttered, "he found many things funny, even when they weren't."
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kate." Alyss dropped her gaze.
"No harm done, Alyss-sama, I know you're under a lot of pressure." Mrs. Kate then gasped, "I know just the thing!" and hurried back up the stairs.
Alyss barely had time to wonder where she had run off to before she came back with a necklace. She pulled her long, white hair to the side, and clasped it around her neck.
"There. Now you're beautiful."
Alyss was grateful for the compliment though wondered if she had changed her definition of 'beautiful' for that comment. She looked down at the necklace, and gasped herself.
"But, this belonged to Alice!"
"And I'm sure she would want you to wear it. She wouldn't want it to sit in her room collecting dust. She would want a piece of herself with you today."
She smiled sadly. But, a piece of her is always with me. "I suppose you're right."
"Now, can you manage a smile?"
Alyss obliged, if a little sadly.
Mrs. Kate pulled back the curtain. "How long has he been waiting?!" she exclaimed, quickly pushing her out the door, "hurry!"
"Thank you for being patient, Oscar-sama." She curtseyed as she reached the carriage.
"Not to worry, Alyss-kun. Between you and me," he spoke behind his hand, "a bit of waiting would to us lords some good. Perhaps we should take the scenic route, and keep the party waiting a bit longer, what do you say?"
Alyss giggled as he helped into the carriage, she could always trust Oscar to brighten her mood.
Oscar was the brother to the duke Xai Vessalius (who was himself rather reclusive), and had been kind enough to offer her a ride. It may have been more proper for her to ride in her own carriage, but she had already proven she didn't much care for what was proper, she had complete faith Oscar would never try anything funny, and she was much more grateful for the company. (Being alone with her thoughts didn't sound like a very good option at this particular moment). Though not related by blood, Oscar was like an uncle to Alyss. He was one of the kindest people out of any of the houses—the four being Vessalius, Nightray, Barma, and her own, Baskerville.
After today, she would be the official Duchess of Baskerville, with equal standing to the other dukes. It made her feel funny to think about.
"Forgive me, but, you look rather tired, Alyss-kun," he asked after the carriage started moving.
"Well, yes, I suppose I am, Oscar-sama." She forced a smile.
"Any reason in particular?"
"I...didn't sleep very well last night."
"I doubt I could sleep well on the night before my coming of age ceremony either." He chuckled. "Or is it something else? Bad dreams, perhaps?"
She didn't answer, but she knew Oscar understood.
"What did you dream about, might I ask?"
She pressed her hand against the window, gazing at the passing scenery, like it was the dream going by. "It's only been one, ever since...ever since Father and Alice..." she couldn't quite bring herself to say the word 'died,' no matter how long it had been true. "Do you think that's normal? Don't most people have different dreams?"
Oscar gave her a sympathetic look. "I don't know...I may, however, have something that can soothe a troubled heart!"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask.
"Oscar-sama!" she cried, "You should know better than to offer liquor to a fourteen-year-old!"
He chuckled. "Who said it was liquor? What if this is just juice, and you've judged an old man rather harshly?"
"Juice with alcohol in it?"
He closed one eye and looked into the flask, as if attempting to check. "Maybe just a little."
She laughed. Alyss was glad she could laugh; she knew this day wasn't going to be easy.
"I only wish Alice could have been here with me." She gently wrapped her fingers around her necklace, wishing for a moment she had her old plush rabbit with her to hold on to.
*****
Though the party was put together by the Barmas, the location was an old mansion they told her belonged to her own house, the Baskervilles. Or at least, that it had a long time ago. Now, it had to be refurbished, and redecorated, for the ceremony.
Everyone was going through so much fuss, for something that seemed so empty to the one they were doing it for.
She saw the mansion from the window, and couldn't help but remark how lovely it looked. It seemed like a portal from an another time.
Perhaps a better time.
Oscar escorted her to the door, where two crimson-haired individuals were standing on either side to greet guests.
"Ah, our guest of honor! My senses are positively tingling with excitement!" Ilsa Yura exclaimed (rather creepily, if she were to put her finger on it), then kissed her hand and whispered, "Leave it to The Baskervilles to come with the boldest clothing choices as well."
Alyss tried to smile, and pretend it was a compliment, but was sure her disgust was evident.
"Yes. At last," the woman on the other side of the door, Miranda Barma, spoke, and Alyss wasn't sure which she liked less, Yura's disturbing trills, or Miranda's clipped, cold tones. "We thought you'd never arrive."
"Come now, Miranda-sama, the guest of honor is allowed to be fashionably late, is she not?" Oscar reasoned, winking at Alyss (they had, in fact, taken the scenic route).
"Yes, yes, of course!" Yura took her hand to guide her inside (she made a mental note to wash it later), "Please, come with me, I simply must be the one to introduce you!"
Alyss gave Oscar a Well, there's not much we can do, look, and gave her a little wave before she entered the mansion's maw.