Noblesse Oblige [Znt/SI]

[shadenight123]

Chapter Ten

It was a dreary day of winter, the snow was falling thickly on the gardens, and I wasn't really glad for the lack of a central heating system. Sure, there were pipes in the walls that transported water, but heating said water was apparently beyond the thoughts of any of the current occupants of the house unless it happened to freeze, and in that case one simply warmed a room enough for the ice to melt back into water.

The problem was that since it was a day of winter, rather than waste wood to warm up various rooms the best decision was to have everyone in the same room which, by token of size, had to be the 'large room that definitely had a purpose, but which I had forgotten since it was anything but worth it to memorize the names of every single one of the fifty plus rooms in the whole mansion'. It did have a name. Whether it was the 'Guest Room number twenty-two, called 'Lilac' on the map' or 'The tea room called 'Mint' because why not' or some other form of room, it had a name.

Every room had its name, and every name had its room.

In the large room which we stood in, Cattleya was sitting on a plush sofa, serenely smiling towards baby-Louise on her lap, who seemed keen on playing with her older sister's long hair. Eleonore was in the background, studying over the books that might have been related to economical theories or to magic, I didn't know and hadn't bothered caring for it. My entire body was practically shoved as close to the chimney as possible, and I would have thrown myself into it if I had the chance.

The problem, unfortunately, was that 'all' the family was present in the room. While 'father' smoked a pipe near a slightly open window at the far end of the room -a clear sign of his hatred towards us, no doubt- 'mother' was instead reading a small book that seemed to be either a trite romance -and I doubted it was something of the sorts- or some form of 'leisure' reading.

I doubted Karin the Heavy Wind would be reading anything similar to 'The Argonian Maid', so it had to be something like an old classic of the time.

"Henry," she said suddenly, "move away from the fire."

I grumbled under my breath as I did so, only to then wait a few minutes, and then begin to scoot closer to the fire once more.

"Henry," Karin said in her 'no arguing allowed' tone. She did not need to specify, for I swiftly backpedaled a few meters back, and ended up sitting on the sofa next to Cattleya, with baby-Louise turning her wide eyes towards me and pouting, one of Cattleya's locks of hair in her mouth.

"You can't eat hair," I said most wisely to the baby, who in turn made a small giggle and turned back to grab another fistful of hair, much to Cattleya's eternal display of patience for allowing it. I furrowed my brows, and then looked out at the snowy sky. "In cold times like this, nothing would warm a cold kid like a feathered round mass like a-"

"No," both Karin and Pierre actually spoke in unison, and I actually had to suppress a giggle at it.

"Though now that I think about it," I said with a small smile, "If, theoretically, I were to summon a hen rather than a hippogriff-"

"As much as a familiar is an extension of a mage, know that I will come and kill it with my own hands," Karin said quite firmly. "So, if you ever summon a hen, you would do best to let it go off in the wilds...or prepare to have it as dinner," her tone was flat, but it wasn't a threat. It was a promise. "A cockatrice, though, would be acceptable. A familiar is not just a simple pet, though some do summon them out of desire for companionship. They are meant to also aid the noble in battle, be it by distracting their foes or by using their own abilities-a Manticore, for example, is capable of firing from its tail long thorns that can be useful while maintaining its and its master's distance from the fray of battle. A hippogriff would need to close in and use its beak, claws or hooves-which would bring its owner directly into the thick of the mettle, and they are not as fast as dragons or griffin, so they would surely be caught quickly by either of the two."

"Oh?" I blinked in surprise, "So when you say you don't want me to have a hippogriff, mother, it is because you think it would be far more dangerous in case I had to use it in battle?" I inclined my head to the side. "But we're at peace, so-it wouldn't matter, would it?"

I was shamelessly lying, but the 'bring out the hidden 'dere' side of mother' was quite honestly my favorite game, and the only one I felt comfortable enough in playing with her in the same room. Usually because it ended with her storming out of the room in 'righteous fury' -and that I though was simply sheer embarrassment at having been found out.

"One knows when peace begins, Henry," Karin said. "But not when it ends," she closed her book. "Yours and Cattleya's birthdays are coming up soon."

"You know my wish, mother dearest," I said quite calmly, "And it shall not change, no matter what the world may think of me."

"Oh? Not even if I were to say you could start with learning magic?" Karin remarked, and at that, my eyes lit up.

"Very well, mother," I said with a nod. "I concede to your superior wisdom."

With a small smile -because it was only family around, and thus Karin would allow herself to 'crack' just a bit of her cool, steel mask- Karin turned towards Cattleya. "Would you like to learn magic too, Cattleya?"

And to that, my sister shook her head gently, holding Louise tightly. "No...actually...I wondered if I could get a pet hen for my birthday, mother-" as her eyes began to widen in doe-like form, Karin's own snapped back to me, her smile now altered into a thin pair of lips.

"I will deny ever having anything to do with this," I said most resolutely. It was actually the truth. I had nothing to do with this. It came out of the left field for me just as much as it did for Karin. "I did not coerce, force, blackmail, pay, plead or otherwise do anything unwarranted, undesired or uncouth towards my twin sister for her words," I raised a hand to my heart. "You have my solemn word on the Founder's faith that-"

"Henry, enough," Karin said flatly, and I shut my mouth immediately. "Cattleya?"

Cattleya had the decency to blush, and look sideways while fiddling with her fingers in front of Louise. "It's just that...brother says they're really the best so...I want one."

Karin's eyebrows both rose in surprise. Cattleya simply looked down at baby Louise. "Is...is it a no, mother?" she made her 'trembling lip' attack, and I shall forever remember it, for in that day, due to the 'trembling lip' attack, the steel mask noisily shattered.

I heard it in the air, the 'creak', the 'crack', the 'crashing down of a facade of steel' that sounded similar to an avalanche abruptly destroying years of cultivated discipline. The trembling Cattleya-lip was...super-effective.

"Y-You can have your hen," Karin said in the end, clenching the sides of her book with her fingers so tightly that her knuckles whitened out, and then the book made an audible 'crack' as the hard leather cover bent under the pressure the Duchess applied to it.

"Thank you, mother," Cattleya said, beaming her a bright smile.

I looked at Cattleya, and then furrowed my brows before shrugging it off.

Still...

This had to be one of those 'Christmas' miracles -the weather was just right for it too, if without the appropriate festivities tied to it.

This could only end well.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Eleven

I looked at the man in front of me as if he were an enemy, and then swallowed noisily. I nodded, and he did the same. The next second, I found myself disarmed. It had been quite fast, all things considered.

Being eleven meant that I could start not just with magic, but also with the basic training with a weapon worthy of a noble. That is to say, a wooden sword. "Again," the man said. "You must hold on to your weapon-not too tightly, or you'll grow tired, but not too loose, or you'll lose it, your grace." While magic training was pretty much limited in time depending on my Willpower reserves, there was nothing stating I couldn't practice sword-fighting until it was deemed appropriate for me to stop.

Considering my mother, appropriate meant a few hours every day, be it in the mornings and the afternoons, or the afternoons and the early hours of night. There were no excuses. I was to learn how to fight, and that would be it. I also was to learn how to fight on a saddle, and no excuses could be brought forth. If I was tired, then I just had to go to sleep earlier. Mother had decided that the best way to keep me away from Cattleya's pet hen was to keep me so busy I wouldn't be able to as much as move once I actually had free time.

Well played, mother. You won't be getting any mother of the year awards from me, but well done.

I grabbed my sword and resumed the stance I had been told to keep. I then began to lunge, only to end having the blows deflected, leaving me wide open for a riposte, "Too much strength," Lord Dujourn said while clicking his tongue against his teeth, shaking his head. "A rapier is not a scimitar, or a mace, your grace."

I would have loved to use a mace, and a shield, but that wasn't noble-like, so I was all out of shields, and maces. This didn't mean I couldn't have a staff. Only, there would be no shield associated with it.

I knew that one day, I'd have to merge the two. Thrusting with a rapier while chanting, trying to block blows, answer back, and at the same time throw spells from the tip of the sword-wand. Until then, it would be wooden rapiers with blunt tips.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Cattleya was in a bad mood, much to my surprise. Perhaps it was because mother hadn't yet allowed her to start magic, but she looked quite different from usual, the pout on her face clearly visible. Eleonore knew better than to ask at the dinner table, just like myself. While our parents didn't bother with it at first, it soon became clear as the course ended that they'd be inquiring in turn later.

Unfortunately for them, I got the head start. Twin-brother privileges and all of that tripe made it so that my room was quite near to Cattleya's, and so as I entered it half an hour after dinner, I was greeted with my sister's dog barking affectionately and waggling its tail in my direction. "Hello there, Bernard," I said as I rubbed the dog's head with a smile. Cattleya was looking at me from the bedside, her cat -Jean- meowing softly and flopping its ears around, swishing its tail back and forth. It was a striped cat, with quite the pedigree believing the man who had brought it.

In my opinion it was simply a cat like any others, but then again, I had always been more of a dog person myself. In a corner, Henny the Hen was resting atop her hay, having perhaps already laid an egg, or maybe having simply decided it would be better to get an early 'lights out'.

"Ah-Henry," Cattleya said with a small smile. "Do you need something?" she asked as she pushed a lock of her pink hair away from her face, her hands then nestling in her lap around the purring Jean.

"Not really," I answered as I sat down on the nearby chair, Bernard's head somewhat deciding that my lap would be the ideal place to stay and whine for more scratching. I obliged him, because he really was a good dog. "I just felt the negativity from the other side of the table, and you know how big our dining table is, Cattleya."

Cattleya smiled, "I don't understand what you're saying, brother."

"Is it...cramps?" I hazarded. "Like when Eleonore began having them, and then she was insufferable and tried to murder us for breathing too loud-"

"N-No," Cattleya said, shaking her head very quickly. "Brother-that's an uncouth thing to say, mother would be displeased-" she couldn't help but giggle, "I was just..." she looked at the cat in her hands, and then smiled gently. "I was just being a bit selfish."

I blinked, and inclined my head to the side as I furrowed my brows. "What is it about?"

"I asked mother if I could come to the princess' next birthday party," she said in a murmur, "But mother said no. She says I might end up sick, and it would be an imposition on her majesty if I had to be taken care of at the royal palace. It would be terrible to ruin the princess' birthday with my sickness, but...I have no one to write to while you and big sister do, and...and you're not always here, so I feel lonely-" Cattleya began to sniffle, and that was-that was the most heart wrenching sound I had ever heard.

There were three options in front of me, and all three seemed to hinge on protecting her smile.

"It's going to be all right," I said as I proceeded to stand up from my chair, place a knee on the side of the bed and then lunge to hug her tightly, my chin resting over her head as Jean took that as the cue to meow away. "I promise you, I'm going to convince mother-" I swallowed. "Perhaps I can convince father to convince mother," I amended quickly. "Now, now, no more tears-if it were a boy making you cry I'd be skewering him, but-I can't really skewer mother now." I patted the back of her head, "Please stop crying?" I pleaded once more, "pretty please with sugar on top?"

I hummed as I suddenly had a great idea. "We could invite people for our next birthday party?" I suggested. "I mean-mother never invites anyone, but maybe we can convince her-it would be pretty much the same, right?"

"Really?" Cattleya whispered, wiping her tears away as I nodded most firmly.

"Yes," I said. "I'll find a way. I just need to...well, play my cards," I smiled gently. "Don't worry, Cattleya. I'll get you some friends that you can write to. Even if I need to blackmail them, break their bones, or otherwise make them suffer the punishments of hell-"

Cattleya's eyes widened, "Brother-you can't do that!"

I sighed. "Fine! Not that," I said most amiably, before tousling her hair much to her pouting expression -if with far less pouting and far more annoyance involved. "But I'll get you a coming of age party that will net you a lot of friends, Cattleya. Why wouldn't it? You're the sweetest young lady there is," I smiled. "Just leave it to me." I moved back to the chair, and sat down on it with a grin. "Meanwhile...it's been a while, hasn't it? Where were we with the story of the Snake that Devoured the World?"

Cattleya hurriedly neared her bed desk, and pulled out a small parchment. I stared at it in surprise -had she been writing down a summary of the story? "The White Knight had been revealed as a female, and the sister of the Dark Snake," Cattleya said, "Thus she found herself faced with the dilemma of killing her brother, or trying to convince him to return to the light-" she swallowed nervously, "please tell me they'll make peace, brother-"

I smiled, but this time, mine was the smile of the shark that smelled blood.

"Who knows," I said with a sing-song quality to my voice. "But now I do remember. There they stood, the two of them-face to face upon the rooftop of the city's building, cracked tiles-"

Ten minutes, and Cattleya was asleep. Fifteen minutes, and I most resolutely marched to my doom in the name of Siscon-ship.

The door to my parents' rooms was somewhat of an impenetrable wall to my mind, the gates of Mordor, beyond which Sauron awaited.

Thus, I knocked.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Twelve

It would be preposterous for a child of nobility to be afraid of the dark and sleep in the same bed as his parents. This didn't mean he couldn't knock at their doors and complain about something though, or ask if they could set up a new tutor, or stuff like that. It wasn't something common, but neither was it uncommon. However, it was the first time I had actually knocked at their door rather than wait the morning, or the afternoon, or the last possible moment.

"Who is it?" Pierre's voice came through. "Jeannette?" the name of the head of the maid services came next, the one assigned to come wake them up even in the middle of the night if Cattleya had a fit of sorts, or grew a fever overnight.

"It's me, father," I said through the door. "I-I would like to speak with mother."

"Oh, Henry? Come in son, come in," Pierre's voice came through just as I opened the door, stepping inside and closing the door behind me awkwardly. Karin was sitting on a plush chair, her expression otherwise not betraying an ounce of her thoughts at the sudden and unexpected visit. She was wearing a nightgown, and had probably been beneath the sheets already -but had, in the name of appearances, somehow managed to cross the distance to the plush chair in a split second.

She also had her book upside down, but if she wanted so hard to give a good impression -which father wasn't giving, but then again he was Best-Dad, and Best-Dad would remain Best-Dad even if he was in his underpants and half-hidden by the bed sheets.

"I was just about to head to sleep, Henry," Karin said, thoughtfully placing the book on the small table by the side of the chair, the crackling fire of the fire pit starting to dim. "Like you should, too. Could it not wait tomorrow?"

"I did not wish to make this a public spectacle," I said with a wry smile. "And while it could wait tomorrow, I would rather be able to give Cattleya a good news now, rather than-"

"No," Karin said firmly. "I understand what you're trying to ask, Henry, and the answer is no."

"Not the princess' birthday, mother! I understand that," I said hastily, shaking my head. "That was the right choice. Cattleya's too sick to make the trip to the capital without some risk, and I understand that. Really, I do," I pressed on. "But you remember when Eleonore turned of age? Where she had that big party-"

"What makes you think I wouldn't make a party also for your sister, Henry?" Karin asked, her expression confused.

"With people other than us and the servants," I stressed on. "Other nobles, and their children, because-"

"Henry," Karin said firmly. "Your sister's health has its highs and its lows. One day she looks fine, the next she barely manages to breathe. She has high fevers, and I know it must be hard on her-but it's in her best interests."

"But she would be at home, and I would keep an eye on her -I wouldn't let her push herself. I swear I'd-"

"Henry," Karin said firmly, "My answer remains no."

I clenched my fists. "Not even if I say that I'll get a manticore?" I asked softly.

Karin shook her head. "It's not about a manticore or a hippogriff. It's about your sister's well-being. Her health is more important than a party, or of your choice pick on a familiar, no matter-"

"It's about making friends," I said softly. "Cattleya feels lonely, mother-Please. She just wants to meet new people, talk to them, make friends-she doesn't have to move. We could put some wheels on a chair and push her along-she wouldn't need to walk and would tire considerably less-" I took a small breath, and squared my jaw. "She wants this, mother. She really wants this. Maybe there can only be a few nobles? Not everyone needs to be invited. Just a few-"

"That would offend the others," Karin said. "It would either need to be a grand party, or it would not be wise to do a party at all."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Mother, I am not in the habit of going against you. I swear, that is the last thing I wish, and I do understand everything you've said. I just wish for you to consider whether to live in a prison of golden bars for the rest of her life is Cattleya's wish...or if it's yours." I looked at Karin, "It's her life, mother. If you want to keep her healthy, I understand. But...will it be worth it if she'll be unhappy all through it?"

Karin remained quiet, and clenched her jaw tightly. I knew she was thinking about it, and I could understand her thoughts, and her decisions. Even if she said no, I'd still understand it.

"Karin," Pierre said gently from the bed. "Our son's making quite the compelling argument, don't you think? And we'll be around her, and her physician will be there too. She could have an attack any moment of the day-whether it's during a party or not. It wouldn't change anything, would it?"

Karin bit down on her lower lip, and then turned towards me. "You'll get the manticore?" the hidden words were at the very least, promise me you won't be making me worry by using a glorified poultry as a war mount? And I smiled before nodding.

Of course, I'd rather be flung around in a tornado then summon a Manticore, but hey, it would be in a few years, and she might forget all about this.

"I still think it would be wise to wait a bit more," Karin said hesitantly, "Maybe when she's fifteen? Perhaps-"

"Mother..." I said with a small smile, "We are no longer your cute chubby little balls of cuteness and rosy cheeks that I would just love to eat wubble-wubble-wubble," I said that with my smile growing a few sizes just as Karin's eyes in turn widened, her skin turning ashen pale, if briefly. Pierre actually choked on his own spit.

"I-I-Ah-I do not know what you're saying, Henry," Karin said, the shock evident since she barely managed to hold back her stammer due to her years of self-control.

"Mother...I do vaguely remember," I said with a nod. "I might have remembered incorrectly a few words, but I guess the sense was there? I mean, I think I was Grumpy Henry because I was always grumpy, or something like that? It's a bit foggy, but..."

"Henry," Karin said, her voice like that of the cold crypts opening up to allow for Death to walk out. "You must be confusing yourself with a dream."

I nodded. "I might," I said. "But it's a bit of a pity. I'm proud of my mother, but I guess I'd be actually happier to know she also had a side of hers that would be willing to act in a more open and motherly way-" I sighed, and made a tiny bow. "Please, do think about giving Cattleya an answer soon. Goodnight," and as I made my retreat, I barely heard the half-mechanic goodnight in answer of Best-Dad, who was as shocked as Karin, or perhaps even more.

I knew I had it in the bag.

Perhaps if I managed to mollify her, Louise would stand a chance at not being absolutely scared senseless by her?

...

...A man can dream...can he?

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Thirteen

Try moving a hand up and down, and another right and left. You can actually do it if you work with your mental heuristics. Rather than think about moving right and left and moving up and down, you must think about moving both hands at the same time, one left and one up, and then have them both return to their starting position. This way, you start thinking like a programmer. Why program four actions, when three are better?

Now, apply that principle while being on horseback going up and down a courtyard trying to hit a wooden mannequin with a spell of sorts. The spell didn't honestly matter. It could be a fire one, a water one, an air or an earth one -mother was watching, quite content in doing some of her household accounting at the edge of the courtyard. The trick was to let the horse do his stuff of charging ahead while you concentrated on throwing the spell.

"Lashes of water, pouring down from the heavens, the will of the Founder marks my birthright, thus I call you forth to answer my call-" and nothing. I passed the mannequin without the spell even starting, the Willpower draining as I bit on my lower lip, stopping the horse and turning it around. The mannequin was basically held together with straw. Even a light gust of wind would knock its head off, but I couldn't manage even that.

"Your grace," the instructor spoke from my side, standing on a horse himself with his wand at the ready. "Your mother wishes to speak with you."

I swallowed as I nodded, turning the horse in the direction of the courtyard's edge, and made my way towards her at a light trot. She was sitting on a chair with a small table by her side, a few thick books that held all the air of being accounting books spread open on it. The horse stopped once I was relatively close to her, and as I stepped down from it, I grabbed hold of the reins and pulled the beast along the last few steps. "Mother," I said with a twitchy smile, "you wished to speak with me?"

"You are having problems," Karin said. "Are you properly concentrating on the task at hand?" she asked next.

"Ah-Yes, mother," I answered. "I am, but-"

"No buts, Henry. Either you are, or you are not. If you were, then that mannequin would already be on the ground," Karin said firmly. "That it isn't means you aren't." Her lips thinned. "Concentrate on what you seek to obtain. Think small. You will not be creating hurricanes any time soon. Rather than think about whips of water like your father does, think about simple blasts. You do not have the skill, nor the preparation, to do as your father does."

"Yes mother," I said, "I'll get right to it."

"Also," Karin continued, "the tailor will be coming by in a week. If you are to be Cattleya's knight at her coming of age party, then you will need something more refined-" considering just how refined the clothes I already had on were, and these were the training ones, then I dreaded to think at the amount of embroideries and silk that would go in the refined ones. Still, even if it made me wish to rub myself raw, I'd still wear them.

I blinked as the implicit meaning sunk in. "Thank you, mother," I said with a smile on my lips.

"Henry," Karin said. "We will have many important guests, and etiquette will demand you to entertain them too. Even then, I expect you to keep an eye on your sister. Do not let her out of your sight. Not once."

I nodded, and then brought a hand over my heart, "I swear it on the Founder, mother-I won't let her out of my sight."

Karin nodded in turn, "Now get back to your training, Henry. I want to see that mannequin on the ground."

I saddled back up and made my way to the far edge of the courtyard, my wand in my right hand as I veered the horse to rush in diagonally. The instructor remained dutifully alert by my side, his eyes centered on the mannequin itself. "First must always come the effect you wish to obtain through chanting, your grace. You may leave the will of the founder as the very last part of the chant. The more words are spoken related to the nature of the effect, the stronger the spell-though, at the same time, the longer the chant."

"I understand," I said as I gritted my teeth before kicking the flanks of the horse, which neighed and began to gallop forward.

"Scorching fires brimming hot with fiery passion," I said as I brought my wand to bear, "burning flames that ignite and burn all-" the wand's tip began to turn crimson as heat gathered at the end of it, "by the will of the Founder's heated gaze, burn to ashes, my enemy!" a tiny tongue of fire left the tip of my wand a short distance before the actual target. So I was a quick shot. Sue me. I actually moved my wand forward, letting the tiny tongue of fire akin to the flame of a flamethrower, a flamethrower without gasoline, of course, move further ahead.

It did hit the mannequin that, since it was made of straw and wood, caught fire.

A second later and the fire was snuffed out quite precisely by a small downpour of water coming from right atop the mannequin, courtesy of the instructor.

"Fire is indeed the most destructive of the elements, and a good choice as any for beginners to practice," the man nodded with his most wise tone of voice. "Though perhaps you would like trying the element of wind next time? I would like you to study a few chants related on that element, your grace."

"I will do that," I said as I dismounted, letting the instructor bring the horse back in the stables. I made my way towards my mother, who had in the meantime finished her house-holding chores and was now being served tea by a maid. Considering there were two cups placed, it was obvious she was waiting for me to sit down in front of her. She probably had something more to say, or she'd have left the moment she had said her piece.

"Henry," Karin said as I took the seat directly in front of her, straightening my back. I really needed a shower, but I wouldn't be getting one until this was over with. "With the coming of age of your sister, I will begin receiving proposals for her, like it happened with Eleonore." I nodded. The Earl de Burgundy managed a neighboring fief and a marriage with him would have simply added his lands to ours, since Eleonore was the one with the highest title. Count Burgundy had been quite agreeable to it, but I knew how that was going to end, and I pitied the poor teenager.

"Considering her health however, it comes to term that they might be few, or non-existing," Karin continued. "Which is why, Henry, I wish to know if there are any suitable suitors in your opinion that would do her right."

I furrowed my brows. "You are...asking me, mother?"

"I am," Karin said. "I might know their parents, but children are not always like their fathers."

"Not the Gramonts," I said abruptly, much to Karin's raised right brow.

"If you had suggested it, I would have punished you," Karin said quite firmly, with a small smile twitching its way out of a corner of her lips. Was that her idea of a joke? Oh, ahaha, I'd laugh mother, but I won't because it's not funny.

"Viscount Wardes might be a good match," I said. "He's somber, well-behaved and charming-though he's without parents, so..."

"I know of him," Karin said. "His parents went to Romalia as magic researchers of sorts and left him behind. They returned maddened due to their research and took their own lives-" Karin shook her head. "He might be a good match, but with his background, it would be too much of a benefit for him. I do not wish for someone who would fake interest just to further their own desires." The irony, mother, is that the reason he ended up betrothed to Louise was pretty much to further his own desires. That you didn't realize it is perhaps the cherry on top.

I scratched the underside of my chin, half lost in thought.

"Henry," Karin said suddenly, making me blink and look up at her. "Did the Viscount already tell you of his parents?" she asked carefully, to which I blinked once more. "Perhaps in his correspondence with you?"

"No, but he did tell me he was already the Viscount, so it was obvious his parents had died," I answered primly, "I simply did not inquire how."

"Henry..." Karin murmured, "The Viscount is...a friend of yours, right?"

I inclined my head to the side. "Yes?"

Karin did not ask anything more about it, even as I finished giving my list of acceptable candidates. It wasn't a big list, and it was mostly done out of what I remembered of last year's party and those that had caught my eye by being the least loud and obnoxious.

"Perhaps Eleonore might know more people?" I hazarded at the end. "She's doing well at the Academy of Tristain, is she not?"

"She is," Karin admitted. "And I have already sent her a letter detailing the need for a list of available suitors. She will also be coming back for the coming of age party," she lifted her chin up a few centimeters, the air of pride surrounding her clearly visible. The unspoken I am sure she has grown up even more beautiful than the last time I saw her was implied, but not spoken.

"Drink your tea before it gets cold, Henry," Karin said sharply, realizing she was letting her mask crack a bit more, and I complied.

In the comfortable breeze of the late morning, I sipped tea.

It was nice.

But niceties wouldn't last forever, would they?

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Fourteen

In modern times, men wore suits and women wore various, different dresses. A single suit could fit a hundred men, but a hundred dress would be required for a single woman. In these times, these trying, hardship-filled, times of barbaric influence, men wore more than one suit. Mine just so happened to be filled with so many frills and silk and embroideries that not only could I barely move without the desire to scratch myself, but I was starting to think that perhaps torture would be a far more befitting way to spend my time rather than wait for the signal to begin descending the stairs.

Cattleya was standing with a beaming smile linked to my arm, and she was wearing a beautiful white gown with white embroideries. She had white silk gloves, and satin shoes of the same color. Her long pink-hair fell in curls around her face, and as she held on, I kept my gaze pointedly on her skin's complexion. If I saw the slightest strain or bead of sweat-then I would have her politely retire. Even if I had to drag her out in the most uncouth fashion, of course.

As a servant made his way towards us, properly dressed in the formal attire that servants wore for the occasion, I took the first step with Cattleya by my side. The stairs had to be descended slowly, but with purpose. Even though there was no one watching us, it was a matter of giving the proper timing to the announcers on the other side of the room, and also allowed us to hear at what point they were with the boring and trite presentations.

"I'm nervous, Henry," Cattleya whispered. "What if they don't like me?"

I smiled gently, "Please," I replied in a hushed tone. "There's no way they won't. I'll have to fend them off with a stick to give you some breathing space, just you wait and see." I grinned. "Everyone's gaze will be on you, sister. Come on now," I gestured towards the doors as the presentations finished, and two servants opened the doors to allow us entrance.

There was polite clapping from everyone in the large hall as we stepped inside, Cattleya's cheeks red with embarrassment at the vast amount of people. She didn't stumble as I carefully let go of her arm to allow her to curtsy, and quickly linked arms back after her solo act of curtsying was done. There was more polite clapping even as I began to escort her towards the most important nobles first, and then moving down to the least important ones.

Cattleya didn't look to be pushing herself, so we finished the rounds and then opened the dance as the orchestra hired purposefully for the occasion began to play. It was a pretty way to show Cattleya's skills on the dance floor, and while it was no disco music, or hard rock, it had its rules that had been painstakingly drilled into my head so that I would never forget them. As the dance came to an end, there was more polite clapping and then, the tide broke loose.

Father took over for me swiftly, since while it was true I should be the one doing the presentations, I knew the children and not the seniors, and it was considered appropriate for the father to take over.

"You look tense, Valliere," Wardes remarked as I kept my eyes on Cattleya's frame. "Keeping your eyes on your sister in case someone comes to steal her away?"

I smiled softly. "Not really, Wardes," I replied, glancing in his direction and then nodding as I acknowledged Gramont number three. "Gramont," I added with a smile, "she is of frail health, so I am considerably worried."

Gramont number three was just about to say something about himself being in poor health, but an older looking girl came towards him near-instantaneously, and he swiftly began to half-close his eyes and bring a hand to his forehead. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Case in point, he left the room with the slightly older girl. "His fiancé?" I hazarded. Gramont couldn't be older than myself. There was no doubt he was merely bringing her somewhere private to speak of sweet nothings to her ears, but then again, the boy was a Gramont, and apparently the first-born was famous for having taken off the pants of all of his nannies.

That was clearly a hyperbolic exaggeration on the part of those who said that sort of thing. He couldn't be that pretty, could he? He wasn't even present at the ball, so I wouldn't judge him until I met him.

"I do not know," Wardes said. "And I don't think it would be polite to ask." He coughed in the closed palm of his hand. "Mister Valliere," he said, "I have something I wish to ask of you."

"Of me?" I remarked with my eyebrows both raised. "Do ask, Mister Wardes, do ask," I answered in tone.

"May I have your blessing to write correspondence to thy sister?" Wardes asked.

I blinked. "Thee ask me, Lord Wardes? Why not my parents?"

"I have a feeling you would be harder to convince than them," Wardes pointed out with a small smile on his face.

"You may," I said with a warm smile. "Of course you may," I continued. "Though break her heart, and I will shatter your spine," I added in a whisper.

"That...that would be terribly improper, but I have the feeling you would, wouldn't you, Valliere?" Wardes said rhetorically, but I answered with a small nod of my head.

"Who knows," I said with a whimsical smile. "I won't implicate myself." I chuckled. "So, in your latest letter you wrote saying you had found something interesting?"

As it turned out, there were only a few proper arguments one could have with other nobles. Since correspondence was checked by the parents, especially if written by their respective sons -it wouldn't do to cause a scandal that could be actually proven with proof- while Wardes was freer to answer as he wished, I wasn't. Thus, most of the topics we exchanged letters over were of the nature of Brimir's gift, and the weather.

Writing about magic also had its limits. Apparently one could get accused of heresy depending on what he wrote, or what was discovered. Using magic to light up a chimney? It was fine. Seeking out a chant whose purpose was specifically that of lighting up a chimney? Was it a Noble's chimney? Was it for the Noble's delight? Fine. Seeking out a chant to clean up the sewers? No! Preposterous! Heretical! Death to this heresy you foolish moron! Magic was a gift from the Founder, and as such was holy! Would you use the Bible as toilet paper? No! Would you use it to build castles? Were they holy castles?

"I found a copy of The Military Treaties of Halkeginia in the latest century, written by Lord Robert of Westphalia-"

"You did?" I mumbled. "It's so unfair that you're close to the capital and can just hop on a horse and be there in hours-" I nearly whined. Nearly, because I did not wish to die at the hand of mother and father.

Truth be told, speaking about books and common pastimes was the ideal topic of conversation for Lords too young to do other things worthier of narration.

Half an hour later, and my eyes -that had never left my sister's motions- saw her begin to sweat.

Thus, I gallantly went to her rescue.

Once the threat of my immediate punishment by the hands of the Heavy Wind was averted due to me successfully extracting the package from the ballroom and into the hands of the physician who was glad it was just a mild fever, I returned to the party that proceeded without further hiccups until its natural end -though my mother absented herself for just a brief moment, perhaps to check on Cattleya, perhaps to decide on what punishment I would suffer all the same due to letting Cattleya get a tiny sliver of fever.

Wardes, being the good sport that he was, held on to a plate of food for me when I came back.

Did I mention how much I was starting to like young-Wardes?

Because I really did like him. He had been tempered by despair at a young age, and had emerged strong, and with a definite charm to him that made it obvious he could actually fish his wife a bit further than what would normally be allowed by his status. He wasn't a whiny kid who went on a woe to me speech every two seconds -if I had to hear once more Count De la Tour D'Auvergne's son remark on how his clothes itched, I would probably tell Eleonore he needed etiquette lessons.

Also, Wardes held on to food for me.

If that is not the definition of true friendship, then I do not know what it is.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Fifteen

The moment I dreaded the most actually came to pass without much fanfare. To my name, I was now Lord Henry Philippe la Blois de la Valliere, just like my sister had become Cattleya Yvette Le Blanc de la Valliere. She had the training wheels of Eleonore to guide her through taking care of the land, while on the other hand I had father's quite firm teachings on what to do and what not to do on your fief.

Ius primae noctis? Never heard of it, and never wanted to hear of it. There were quite civilized procedures, which mostly involved receiving reports and spending an hour or two reading through them dutifully -if one really wanted to- and dedicating a few hours in the morning or the afternoon actually going through the fief in question on a horse. At first, there was wariness from the farmers and the villagers, mostly because I could always not be as generous as my father, and instead have taken everything from my mother and her Rule of Steel.

The day I stepped down from the horse to fix up a broken wall with a bit of magic was the day they understood I was just like father, and everything turned out for the best.

"The land's got its up and downs," Pierre said one day as we went horse riding together. I was already fourteen, old enough to be on my own, but I wasn't so stupid as to try. "But you should be able to use the money comfortably once you start at the Tristain academy, Henry." He glanced in my direction. "I should have a talk with you one of these days about something very important."

"The proper way of acting as the son of a Duke while in a classroom?" I hazarded.

"No, it has to do with..." Pierre looked around, "Flowers and bees," he said quite smoothly. "You will be surrounded with girls your age, or slightly older. You might have...urges, and-"

"Ah," I nodded, "There's no need," I said with a smile. "I found the books."

Pierre actually choked, halting his horse on his tracks and turning to sharply give me a scandalized look, "The...the books?"

"Tale of a raunchy maid, the true story of how I fell in love with a noble," I furrowed my brows, "Then there's Match Maid in Heaven, The Maiden that could, the-"

"Henry," Pierre said suddenly, in quite the firm, and no-nonsense voice, "How does a hippogriff sound for your silence?"

"It sounds wonderful father, but mother might find out you bought my silence over something," I replied. "Quite wise on your part to hide such books in the old and outdated military treaties that nobody would try to read," I nodded with a small smile. "But you should have taken into account the curiosity of a child with nothing to do but read."

"It's the last time I let Gramont talk me into reading such senseless drivel," Pierre mumbled. "I-well, I suppose I should be willing to accept my responsibilities," he straightened his back, as if expecting Karin to pop down from the heavens and punish him within seconds of the discovery.

"On the other hand, if you were to buy me the hippogriff after graduation it would be simply a matter of preparing an appropriate gift for your firstborn," I remarked dutifully. "I can wait until I'm older for the hippogriff."

"I understand," Pierre said. "Then, I have your word as a Valliere?"

"You do, father, you do," I said. "Also...by chance, when is Gramont expected to send over the next book?"

"We exchange them at night with the king and a few other trustworthy nobles," Pierre said. "Since we are close to the Germanian border, we...deal with the exotic side of things." He twirled his mustache a bit. "If Karin were to know this-"

A group of old men salivating behind badly written erotic literature? If I had to hazard a guess, the royal messenger was also a part of it, no questions asked. Still, in the back of my head I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of what would happen if I were to throw a Playboy Issue straight into the middle of the room with all of them inside. There might be a set of consecutive heart attacks.

"Father, you have no need to worry. I always keep my word," I said honestly. "If I didn't, then mother would punish me, and I'd rather not be punished."

"Very well," Pierre nodded. "That said, reality and books are largely different," he continued, and I quietly kicked the flanks of my horse.

"Not. Listening!" I yelled as I rushed forth. Pierre actually broke out in a fit of laughter as he kicked his own horse on the sides, rushing to catch up to me.

"When a young noble and a young lady like each other-" he began to yell over the trotting of the horses, which in turn made me narrow my eyes, and rush for my wand.

"Water of crystal springs," I yelled, "blooming rain of thundering fury-by the Founder's desire, wash him away!" a small jet of water lashed out from the tip of my wand, which Pierre simply deflected with his staff in his right hand.

"Oh, come on son! This is nothing to be so embarrassed of! And I'm giving you a chance to run, not like your grandfather ever gave me the same," he raised his staff the next moment, "The water within shall weight you down, for the sinner and the heretic shall come to a halt in front of the Founder's birthright!" as his chant came to an end, I ended up holding on to the reins as my horse slowed down abruptly, as if slow-motion had suddenly become his way of life.

With a slower trot, Pierre reached my side with a satisfied smile, much to my pissed off expression. "Now, now, Henry-a noble is never to show such a disgraceful face," he said with a chuckle, "Water is not just meant to be thrown around, but also to be used within one's body to slow them down, or heal them or even control them," he tapped with his staff at the sides of my horse, and the slow-motion spell ended just as the horse stopped flat on its tracks.

"You win this round, father," I said most seriously. "But the next bout will not end as swiftly."

Pierre simply laughed.

Then again, I would have the last laugh.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Sixteen

Louise was a vivacious seven years old girl by the time I was ready to take my carriage, filled to the brim with stuff, to the Tristain Magic academy. Eleonore had already finished, and was looking forward to her beautiful engagement to the Count de Burgundy. I was mentally making small prayers to the poor man in the back of my head, knowing fully well how much of a stressful character Eleonore could ever become.

The arrangement between Cattleya and Wardes had nearly fallen through, though, due mostly to Cattleya's worsening conditions. Wardes hadn't minded, and instead, had been all the more vehement about keeping it up. It was quite the touching show, because with the condition Cattleya was in, it was obvious she wouldn't be able to make children -and without children, even if they did marry, it would be meaningless since no heirs would inherit the land.

It was selfless interest, or perhaps a part of his cunning plan? I didn't know when to turn to Reconquista happened, so this could simply be Wardes' good nature before the day came that he turned to the Sith. On the other hand, It took me a few minutes of looking at the ledgers to understand just how heavily the costs of keeping Cattleya alive touched on the balance of the household. If it had been a minor noble, then the reagents, the potions-they would have sent them bankrupt near immediately.

We could, however, tank the blow so to speak.

Cattleya's animals now included a large snake, and a small tiger cub. I didn't want to know where they had been found, or the costs to bring them home, but then again if Cattleya had asked for the moons, Karin would have probably snorted, rolled her eyes, left the room and then would have come back with a chunk of both after having used bullshit-level magic to carve out pieces from the lunar surface.

Still, kid-Louise's eyes were sparkling with joy most of the time. "I want to go with big brother to the academy!" she exclaimed in a tiny fussy voice on the grounds near the carriage itself. Cattleya had been wheeled out on a chair modified for the occasion with wheels, perhaps my words had actually remained into Karin's head, and she had thus decided to commission the first noble wheelchair in the whole nation.

"Louise," Karin snapped dryly, her eyes firmly setting on the you should not show emotions, you silly child setting.

"Now, now," Cattleya said with a small warm voice, holding Louise by the shoulders, "He'll be back sooner than you think." Whether she was saying this to Louise, or to Karin, I didn't know.

I bent down on one knee in front of Louise, who was quite the endearing child, and then engulfed her in a hug. "You be good and don't make Cattleya worry too much. You got that, Louise?"

"Uh uh," Louise mumbled back, and as I stood back up and tousled her hair, I then gave a small grin towards Cattleya. My eyes were twinkling with troll-like delight at what was to come next, even as I hugged my twin sister. Mother said nothing, then again she was definitely making her displeasure known with the tightening of her lips and the narrowing of her eyes. Or perhaps it was Tsundere-like jealousy, not that I could read her head, but it was fun trying to think her thoughts through a Tsun and Dere perspective whenever she spoke.

It made her far less intimidating than what she actually was. Eleonore, on the other hand, didn't seem inclined to let the hug happen, bringing only her right hand forward and placing quite firmly a handkerchief in my breast pocket. "Here you go, brother," Eleonore muttered, setting her chin up slightly, "I left behind a great impression of the Valliere family, so it's up to you to keep it up," as she spoke, I dreaded the hatred that would be pushed on me due to Eleonore's stickler-for-rules behavior that had, without a doubt, made the academy staff fear the next Valliere spawn.

I bit the lower side of my lip and looked up at Eleonore's stiff face with my best prepared look of wounded puppy -Cattleya's lessons did not pay off, unfortunately, but Eleonore did awkwardly look sideways. "I'll write you to make sure you are doing everything properly," the firstborn of the La Valliere said in the end, admitting partial defeat.

Perhaps, because it was a tearful goodbye setting, Karin allowed a tiny bit of extra freedom from the stuffiness of etiquette's rigid laws. Or maybe she just wanted a hug too. No, she probably thought I'd curtsy and bid her goodbye in proper young lord form.

"Mother," I said next, looking up at her with a small smile. Karin was tense, she now knew to expect nothing good from me whenever I smiled, or my eyes began to twinkle with mirth. Me being happy was source of profound consternation for her.

"Son," Karin answered quite calmly, "I am expecting a letter once a month to fully detail your experiences. You are to behave," do not make me worry, "and should the need arise, you are free to contact us for anything you might need," if you finish your allowance and need more, just write home, "Now, if you are done with your repeated breaches of etiquette, which I will condone only today, the carriage driver awaits," not that I am expecting a hug or anything, mind you!

"So, for today you will condone my breaches of etiquette?" I asked, my lips twitching even as I tried to keep the smile in the normal range, and not in the predatory shark one.

"Consider it your parting gift," Karin said with a firm nod.

"Then please, mother, by all means...forgive this too," and with that said, I hugged her midriff much to the gasping of Eleonore, the widening eyes of Louise, the smiling and knowing smirk of Cattleya who went with a soft oh my, and the rumbling chuckles of Pierre. "I'll miss you."

I then let go of the hug and took a few steps back, even as Karin seemed to be undergoing mental breakdowns in rapid successions. In the end, though outwardly nothing seemed to have changed, a single stray lock of hair popped out of order from her otherwise pristine haircut.

"Y-Yes, of course," Karin said quite firmly, trying to recover her balance. "Now go, Henry, before I finish my patience with your gross misconduct," and as she sharply huffed and closed her eyes to look sideways, I could see her hands trembling slightly. Did she want to return the hug herself but hadn't found the proper way of doing so?

I politely bowed to my father, who returned the gesture by tousling my own hair and sending me off with a smile on his lips.

Thus, I climbed on the carriage that would lead me to the Tristain Magic academy, and to freedom.

My smile blossomed as I gazed at my reflection in the window of the carriage. While before I had to spend seven days out of seven under scrutiny, at the academy there was the Void day, the holy day of the week where there were no classes, and one was free to come and go as he pleased.

On those days...one day a week, even if only for little-

I would be free.

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Seventeen

Headmaster Osmond appeared unchanged. Perhaps his magnificent beard had a few centimeters less, but him and most of the teaching staff were unvaried. Colbert had perhaps a few more strands of hair on his head than not, and I wasn't seeing Siesta anywhere, but she'd be seven, wouldn't she? Or was she older than Louise? Still, the servants were already working hard as the headmaster explained the rules of the academy. The first years had a certain dress code that they had to respect, and the same applied to the second and third years.

I could see Wardes at the side of the third years table, amiably chatting with the grown-ups. He was two years older after all, so as I began my first year, he began his third and last one. In front of me, Anthoine de Gramont was excitedly looking around, his eyes filled with wonder. I was simply waiting for the headmaster to finish with his important business so that we could get down to eating.

"Aren't we lucky, Josephine?" I shuddered inwardly as I glanced to my side, "To be born on the same year as his grace and sit at his table-" I shuddered some more. Now, I have the deepest appreciation for the beauty within of people. I admit, I should not make hasty judgments, nor should I be peculiarly cruel. I wasn't, but when I say from the bottom of my heart that the Du Tremelle lady is ugly, then rest assured I am not lying.

Camille Du Tremelle, heiress of the Du Tremelle lands, was the daughter of the Marquess Du Tremelle, a pretty important lord in charge of some of the most fertile lands of Tristain. Now, that fertility had apparently translated into spawning what could only be described as the Michelin man on steroids, because Camille Du Tremelle wasn't just a jolly young lady, but also had the sizes of a sumo wrestler, if with the height of a fifteen years old girl.

She was, bluntly put, a barrel on legs.

But again, if it had simply been a matter of physical appearances, I wouldn't be remarking on her at all. No, the problem was that the Du Tremelle believed wholeheartedly to have my elder sister's approval in trying to catch my attention.

Due to her family's titles, I either needed a really well-connected Countess or something higher than her in order to stave off her advances. My mother hadn't mentioned anything about betrothals to me, so I was still on the market, so to speak. This didn't bode well, of course.

I admit, if someone had told me that one day I'd fear a gaggle of teenagers, I would have laughed. They were scary, like sharks pounding on the tiniest amount of attention, willing to hurt each others just to try and-

"Boring," Anthoine muttered, "When is he going to finish? I'm famished," he whined softly. I raised both eyebrows in his direction, but said nothing.

He was complaining about Osmond's warning on not starting any duels, and about trying to foster a sense of camaraderie between fellow nobles through the usage of the first names, rather than the peerage or courtesy titles, and about a hundred different things, like not stealing panties from the ladies, not peeping in the baths, not-wait a minute, what was that last thing?

"Also, should any be found in possession of perverse books, they will be seized and your families warned. You are all growing boys and girls, but rest assured-this academy will be like the home away from home for you all. Any found outside past the curfew will be severely reprimanded, even more so should you be found trying to enter the forbidden vault-"

Was this a Harry Potter thing? Was this really so similar, and I hadn't noticed until now? Was he going to start handing out the points based on personal preference? Fifty points to House Gramont, for the gift of panties! One hundred points to house Valliere, for cleansing the heresy from the first years' minds! I had to suppress a giggle.

"You look happy, Henry," Anthoine mumbled. "Aren't you scared?" he whispered. "What if their servants aren't capable of dressing us up properly? I feel like I'm going to faint-oh my...my strength..."

A nearby first year with hazel eyes and reddish hair furrowed her brows in worry, but I simply shook my head and sighed. "Anthoine...as your friend, I invite you to feel sick not in my presence. Mostly because if you were to actually turn sick, as your friend I'd have to carry you to the infirmary," I pointed out. "Knowing when and when not to would be for the best in that case. Have you heard of the story of the boy who called wolf one too many times?"

Anthoine simply grinned. "Then, Henry, simply carry me off whenever you feel like it." He made as if to faint, the back of his hand against his forehead. "Boys or girls, as long as I'm properly taken care of-"

I chuckled, shaking my head in disbelief. "Never change, Anthoine."

"Shouldn't you be ashamed as a noble?" a stiff, formal voice came from my side, where a lanky looking teenager had a bad case of narrowed in displeasure eyes. "We're no longer children who need to be cuddled by someone else," he huffed, "André de Brienne would rather die than let someone take care of him-"

"Using the third person to speak for oneself?" I remarked with a chuckle. "I acknowledge your point, but unfortunately for you, it matters not. Anthoine here likes his women -and apparently his men- motherly, and that's just his personal preference." I shrugged lightly. "Can you convince a mountain to become a river, André de Brienne? Enjoy the sun and the mountain breeze instead, and do not bemoan the lack of the seawater."

"I understood half of what you said, Henry, but it was pretty deep. Did you exchange letters with my older brother?" Anthoine asked, his mouth half-filled with chicken since the signal to eat had apparently been given. I smiled in return, and filled my goblet with wine.

Non-watered wine.

Fuck you, water pitcher that servants used with startling speed when I was back home. No longer will the blasphemy known as watered down wine enter my throat!

"Your grace...Henry," Anthoine said with wide eyes. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

I smiled, "Anthoine," I said in a hushed whisper, "I like you," I continued, "But you gotta understand-I can't stand watered down wine," my smile grew. "Don't see the academy as a place away from home, my friend," I inclined my head to the side, "See it as a land of freedom and opportunities-"

"That's what Gascon said," Anthoine murmured. "When I left, he said that the Academy was the place of his conquests-he even gave me a large stick, saying I had to put a tack on it for every conquest," he furrowed his brows, "But...I mean...how? Are there war games or something where we battle for control of the towers or something?"

I stared at Anthoine, and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Anthoine...why are you doing the sick child act?" I asked, kindly trying to make him realize the purpose of the stick.

"To find someone to take care of me," Anthoine said primly, even if in a whisper.

"And taking care of you means..." I continued, trying to make his brain connect the dots.

"Keep me healthy?" Anthoine hazarded.

In answer, I drank more deeply from the goblet.

All right, you cherished third-son of the Gramont line.

I, Henry Philippe de La Blois de la Valliere shall show you the way.

 

[shadenight123]

Quick Omake Because It's too funny to pass up on. (Notice, Consider Canon at your own decision. I will not remark on it.)

Karin-Chan's Magical Adventures in Parenting! Adventure Number One!

Karin could do it.

The babies in front of her were squirming, beloved bundles of chubby cheeks and gibberish gurgling that simply made her heart beat harder than ever. She could, however, do it. She had excused the servants, and was now standing in the room alone, in front of her two newly born children. One was her sweet Cattleya, the little girl with rosy cheeks simply giggling at whatever nonsense she spouted.

The other was...well, Henry.

Henry was quite grumpy, if she said so herself. He looked at her and her gibberish nonsense as if he was offended by it. He believed himself a big boy already, uh? Just a few months out of her stomach, and already he wanted to be independent? It wouldn't do! No, it wouldn't do! None of her precious cutely wubbly-wubbly cheeky children would ever leave her side until they were capable of surviving on their own in the harsh outside world!

"Goochie goochie goo," she said with a smile, twiddling her fingers in front of Cattleya who laughed appropriately and moved her arms. Henry did not bother doing it. Sometimes, she wondered if he wasn't simply tired due to some form of sickness that she hadn't recognized yet because she failed at parenting so hard her parents would be ashamed of her.

But she didn't fail, and thus she could do it.

"Here comes Cattleya," she said with a giggle, "And here comes Henry," she said with another giggle. "Look who's flying? You both are, yes you are!" with her wand out, she had managed it.

They were both flying, her precious babies, and giggling. Well, Cattleya was giggling. Henry was looking at her with the kind of pissed off look he always held, as if wondering when the torture would be over and when he could go back to sleep.

"Grumpy Henry doesn't like flying?" Karin said with a giggle, gingerly planting a kiss on his forehead. "Muh! You're so cute mother's going to eat you all up, you grumpy son of mine!"

In the end, she managed it.

She finally managed to make Henry laugh. Though it was because Cattleya had an accident that ruined her hair -since the other baby was flying over her head- but still...

She had made him laugh too!

She so was the greatest parent of them all! The Parent-Commander of the Parents Corps! Karin, the Heavy Mother-no, wait a minute, that sounded wrong!

 

[shadenight123]

Chapter Eighteen

The bed I slept in was so comfortable, I wondered why I had to wake up. Then the realization dawned to me that it was school time, and so I slithered my way out of the bed, and dropped my face against the floor with a soft thunk noise. I grumbled softly under my breath, crawling my path to the water basin over the drawer, pulling my body and then dropping my face straight into the water with a gurgle.

I pulled my head out of the water basin before I ended up drowning, and rubbed my eyes a bit, yawning softly. I quite calmly began to dress up, ensuring everything was exactly as it should be had servants done the job. By the time the servant actually came in, and found me dressed, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Y-Your grace," he said in a half whimper, "I apologize for being late-"

"If anyone asks," I grumbled, "You dressed me up," I said with a snort. "Now...is breakfast ready?"

"Your grace?" the man murmured in disbelief. "You aren't... angry?"

"No," I said with a sigh. It was a bit sad that dressing up myself had become a dream of mine rather than not. "Now show me the way to the breakfast table? I need something solid in my stomach before I decide to actually start thinking properly."

"As you wish, your grace." The man bowed, and then showed me the way out of the room and through the hallways that the night before I distinctively remembered trudging through. He brought me to my seat at the breakfast table, and as I sat down, I realized I was the first to arrive, barring the teachers.

I smiled and made a cheerful wave in their direction, to which Osmond replicated with an equally cheerful wave back.

Dumbledore expy, confirmed. Now, who was Snape out of all of them? The Wind professor seemed the most likely candidate, and he did have a name too, but I couldn't remember it. Shortly after, the third years arrived, faster to dress up than the second or the first years. In the end, I gave a grin to Wardes when I saw him enter, and he returned it, but we didn't exchange words.

"Henry...why?" Anthoine asked quite poignantly as he took a seat in front of me, the black rings around his eyes showcasing his lack of sleep. "Did I do something to offend you?"

"Anthoine...you asked," I replied. "And then you kept asking."

"Last night me was a horrible person," Anthoine mumbled, rubbing his eyelids. "He really was horrible," Anthoine whined. "Henry, please, go back in time and beat up old me."

I giggled, and shook my head. "Now, now, let bygones be bygones, Anthoine." I smiled as André de Brienne sat down by my side once more, much to Anthoine's apparent displeasure. "Oh, André, how fares your crusade against slacking off in this fine morning?"

André raised both eyebrows, "I...well. It fares well, Henry," he mumbled, furrowing his brows the next second. "I thought..."

"What?" I grinned. "That you'd be spared my friendship? Tut-tut, André," I smiled, "Don't you know? Friendship is magic, and I like to make friends."

Anthoine snorted, "Friendship...is magic? Damn Henry, I should use it...your eyes are magical, my fair lady-no, no, our friendship, my dear lady, is magical, but perhaps if we bring it closer we might see..."

"The stars fly high in the sky under these brilliant moons of ours, that yet pale to the beauty of your eyes," I continued gently, a hand touching my chest and the other slightly extended. "How does that sound, Anthoine?"

"Admit it, you are corresponding with Gascon!" Anthoine shot out with a smirk on his lips, "He sunk his claws in you too, didn't he? My friend, Henry, come back!"

The hazel-haired girl by Anthoine's side giggled lightly, a hand covering her mouth.

I centered my eyes on her, a smile on my face, "Oh? Are we laughing at my expenses, young miss?" and as I said that, the girl's eyes widened and she paled. I kept my smile on. "Now, now, don't be afraid," I continued with a charming grin. "Name's Henry, the one by your side is Anthoine, and the one by my side is André...what is your name, fair miss?"

"H-Henriette," she whispered demurely, "De...Joyeuse."

"Ah," I said with a nod, "Quite a nice name," I said with another nod, "Come on, don't be afraid. I promise I don't bite, and Anthoine's fainting spells are just part of his unusual charm."

"The unusual one here is you, Henry," André de Brienne said. The servants began to serve the food even as I simply shrugged André's words off.

"Josephine-isn't Valliere the most charming..." I shuddered as Camille spoke in her hushed whispers to her friend of sorts. Why, Du Tremelle? Why don't you just come close and talk to me? So that I may shatter your crush and grant myself respite? Well, not really crush, as much as politely make it clear that I will not have anything to do with you unless I am forced, and even then, I will need to have my mother use her Heavy Wind at least thrice.

Josephine de Martinique was Camille's friend, a strangely normal girl who perhaps really was childhood friends with Camille, but simply mostly content in nodding at everything Camille said. She wasn't under the Du Tremelle house, nor were her parents vassals of the Du Tremelle. Maybe there was some good in Camille's personality if she managed to hold on to a friend, or perhaps it was Josephine who was trying to suckle up to the barrel-on-legs.

As it turned out, the first class of the day was with Miss Chevreuse, the Red Clay. I took a seat in the last row, tried to sink and hide most of my body behind the student in front of me, and then activated my stealth field of absolute non-existence.

"Good morning," Chevreuse said with a chipper tone, her wand already out. "Now, how many of you have been taught the basic cantrips of the Founder? Lighting a candle, turning it off, levitating-"

Cantrips weren't elementally-coded, though one might think the opposite. Levitation wasn't Flight, and Dot-level spells weren't cantrips. One could turn on a candle with a Cantrip, or burn the wax off a candle with a Dot-Level fire spell. Cantrips didn't require speaking usually to manage their effects. You just needed to think really hard about it. You could close doors, set a table, due prestidigitation tricks of minor entity-stuff like that.

Miss Chevreuse lifted her wand, and a piece of chalk began to scribble on the chalkboard behind her. "Now, how about we all write our names with the chalk?" she asked next, opening a box to bring out more than half a dozen of chalk pieces. "One at the time, please come down here and use your magic to grab a piece of chalk, and scribble your name on the chalkboard with it-"

It was fine spell control, since it was obvious that we'd be taught how to lift objects by our private tutors. Lifting an object and then moving it to do something was-and of course, nobody wanted to go first.

I stood up from my chair and began to slowly walk my way down. This felt like being back in University, being the only one with the galls to reach for the professor and properly do the exercise scribbled on the board. With my wand out, I gestured at one of the chalks and slowly felt the drain in my Willpower reserves as I lifted the piece of chalk up with a wobbling tremor to it.

Then, I made it fly straight for the chalkboard, inclined it lightly and began to scribble away at my name.

Finally, I put the chalkboard back in the box.

"Very well done, Mister Valliere," Chevreuse said with a warm smile. "Just like your sister."

I smiled warmly back, "Unlike her, though, I am more easygoing, my fair professor," I made a tiny bow, and then lifted my wand once more, erasing the chalk from the board before returning to my seat.

"Very well," Chevreuse said with a small bout of chuckles. "Next one?"

"Is there someone in this place you don't intend to charm?" Anthoine whispered by my side as I took my seat. "Are you sure you're not a Gramont?"

I smiled back. "Then, Anthoine, show me your abilities."

Anthoine swallowed, and then nervously looked at the rest of the classroom, even as André de Brienne took the cue to go next. Once the boy was done, Anthoine stood up, and with fire in his eyes, brought out a rose from within his breast pocket. I simply stared as he made his way down to go next, as if resolutely marching to his death.

He flicked his...rose wand...and the chalk flew up, changing color mid-flight into sparkling glittering gold, before scribbling down in golden letters his name with a flourish and a delicate calligraphy.

My mouth was hanging open as Anthoine returned to his seat.

"Was that satisfactory, Valliere?" Anthoine asked with a smirk.

"The Gramont family has a cantrip spell to write their name in flashy golden letters?" I mumbled in disbelief, receiving a nod in reply.

"Indeed, for it would be most heretic if the magnificently holy family of the Gramont were unable to write their name properly at all times, even under duress."

I snorted.

He chuckled.

We laughed.

We both got verbally reprimanded because the rest of our classroom wasn't done yet, and we had to stay quiet.