Deviation Actions
Literature Text
The capital of Elphegort was so much more than Clarith had dreamed it would be. Everyone hurried around with purpose and the streets were lined with salespeople plying their goods. The scent of fresh food from restaurants and bakeries permeated the air, and the pair spent the next few hours just drifting about from place to place, taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells.
And the hair colors! Clarith was absolutely fascinated by the diversity of the city. The majority of people had green hair, sure, but they mingled with everyone else instead of laughing at them. Blue-haired children played with pink-haired children, red-haired shopkeepers sold goods to blondes, and there was even a couple, one with black hair and the other with green, exchanging quick kisses when they thought they were out of the public eye! Such a pair would have been exiled where Clarith lived!
They had scraped up enough money to spend the night at a decent inn, but they were still in desperate need of a steady source of income. There were many bulletin boards scattered around the city, and the next day was spent inspecting them in search of job openings. Clarith had trouble understanding what most of the offers said, as few people had taken the time to teach her how to read, but Michaela understood them clearly and read them out loud for her. Most employers were looking people who already had some experience in the field, such as for tutoring and entertainment jobs, and others asked for an extraordinary amount of work, such as spending the whole day fashioning stone blocks. The girls did not give up hope for finding a job that suited them best, though, and their search stretched on until the late afternoon.
"Oh! Clarith, this one! I think we should take this one."
Clarith was beckoned over to the flier that Michaela had pointed out, and she slowly sounded out some words that were written in bold lettering. "Fam-i-ly of… Family of, um… Free-sis." The name seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't quite recall who they were.
"They're immigrants from Marlon who've made a big impact here. Mister Freesis runs the trading guild of all of Elphegort."
Ah, that explained why she was able to recognize the name and why Michaela would be excited to have a chance to work for them. Clarith kept on reading, even as the words began to blur together in her head. "So, they want, um… What do they want? I'm sorry, Michaela, I can't understand this."
"Don't worry about it. They're hiring maids to help take care of their manor and watch over their children." She tore the poster off the board. "I know where their home is. Come on, let's check it out!"
It didn't take very long to find it, especially once they were able to see the tall mansion towering over the other buildings. The whole manor just radiated power, from the immaculate walls of the home to the lush lawn that was decorated with flowers and trees. Clarith was actually rather nervous about stepping foot on the property, afraid that she might break something just by breathing on it wrong.
Michaela was much less reserved about being around the mansion, walking right up to the massive doors and knocking loudly. After about half a minute, they finally opened, and standing there was a brown-haired man who wore glasses. Clarith figured that he was the head of the trading guild, judging from his carefully-stitched formal attire. "Hello, sir," Michaela greeted, still holding the flier. "My friend and I saw your offer, and we would like to work for you."
"Ah, I put that up just last night. Good to hear a prompt response!" The man laughed and stepped aside. "Come in, ladies, I'll show you around."
Clarith was still hesitant, but when Michaela complied immediately and followed the man inside, she gathered up her courage and went inside. She could barely contain her amazed gasp as she looked all around at the interior. Paintings and plants stood out against the pale walls, the floors were lined with plush and ornate carpets, and even the banisters on the stairways had been decorated with gold. Now it was really obvious why Michaela was so eager to try and work for this family.
She was so entranced by her luxurious surroundings that she barely realized that the man was introducing himself, and she learned that his name was Keel Freesis and that his last maid had retired very recently. He also went on to explain that he had decided he needed extra help for two reasons. First, the mansion was very spacious, so maintaining it would be much easier with two people. Second, his eldest daughter was starting to become rebellious, and he hoped that having two extra sets of eyes watching her would keep her under control. The description of the job made it sound like it wasn't difficult work, and Clarith certainly knew how to clean and cook, although she hadn't worked with children before.
Keel led them to a library room, and even before he opened the doors, Clarith could hear a child whining, although she couldn't make out the words just yet. When they entered the room, she could see a woman with long orange-pink hair sitting down in a fancy chair, resting her head in her hand as she listened to the children. Two young toddlers, a boy and a girl, sat quietly in the middle of the room as they played with wooden blocks, in contrast to their older sister, who was no older than nine and wore her dark hair in pigtails. She was at her mother's side, ranting about something.
"But I want it! I promise I won't spill ink all over Daddy's papers again, and you never let me play with what I want to play, and–!" The girl's tirade stopped when she realized her father was in the room, and her mood instantly shifted to delight. "Oh! Daddy!" She ran across the room and into his arms, hugging him as he scooped her up.
"This is my family," Keel said to Clarith and Michaela, gesturing to each relative as he introduced them, "my daughter Yukina, my twin babies Shou and Aiko, and my lovely wife Mikina." He then started speaking to his wife. "These ladies answered the job offer. Their names are… Er…"
"Dear, did you bring them all the way into the house without asking their names?" Mikina smirked slyly. It seemed that this was something she had come to expect from her husband.
"Um… No?"
Mikina merely chuckled at the weak fib, getting up from her seat and walking over to the group. "My apologies. He may not seem like it in public, but he can be very absent-minded at times." She shook the hand of Michaela, who was closest to her.
"It's perfectly fine! I'm Michaela Aves, and this is my friend, Clarith Netsuma. We came here from a tiny village in the forest."
"So, you're like forest people, right?" Yukina asked, suddenly interested in her visitors. "Are there really man-eating bears there? What about talking trees?"
Michaela laughed at her imaginative questions. "No. Well, there are bears, but they don't stalk humans as prey. And there certainly aren't talking trees."
"Oh." Yukina was momentarily disappointed by this answer, but she then turned her attention to Clarith, moving onto another topic. "You're very pretty."
"R… Really?" Clarith felt the heat rising to her face and could easily imagine just how red she was now. The fact that Mikina was shaking her hand now did not help. She still wasn't used to positive interactions in general, and she was having a hard time figuring out if Yukina was being genuine or if she was just fibbing in order to tease her.
"Uh-huh. I like your hair. It's so much better than boring old green."
"Yukina!" Keel scolded. "That is very rude to Michaela!"
"It's okay! It really is!" Michaela held her hands up defensively, even though she wasn't the one being reprimanded. "A lot of people say my hair's nice, so one bad comment isn't going to hurt. It's good to hear someone compliment Clarith's for once. She used to be made fun of for it, you see…"
"It was nothing," Clarith lied, not wanting to get into a detailed discussion of her life in Yatsuki. "Just a few bullies."
"Well, teal hair or white, we aren't going to look down upon you for that." Mikina smiled softly. "What we're looking for is whether or not you can work. Are you willing to clean everything and prepare meals, as well as help take care of the kids? This will be more demanding than serving other families."
"I'm okay with that," Clarith reassured, still believing that this was easier than carving stones into blocks. "I just want to make a living in Aceid."
"You can start tomorrow, then." Keel set Yukina down onto the ground before continuing. "There will be two rooms for you to live in while you work here, so you can go fetch your belongings and bring them here. Try to be up just before dawn to prepare breakfast; we have all the supplies right now, though we'll have to go shopping later this week."
"Thank you for your generosity, Mister Freesis." Michaela curtsied, then began to walk out to the hallway to go back to the inn and grab her items. Clarith was about to follow her, but was stopped by someone tugging on the skirt of her dress. She looked down to see Yukina there, the bright look of curiosity in her eyes.
"Clarith, right? Did people really bully you because you had white hair?"
"Yes… Quite a lot of them did, actually. It's a long story, so I don't want to bore you all with the details…"
"It's not boring; I wanna know more about those people! It's stupid that they bullied you for your hair. They're stupid."
Mikina gave an exasperated sigh. "Yukina, please don't insult people."
"But if they can't hear what I'm saying, they have nothing to feel insulted over!"
"Yukina!"
Knowing that part of her job was to watch over this girl, Clarith knelt down, wanting to calm her down. "They were mean to me, yes, but I don't want to dwell on that anymore." She had to tell this to herself as well. It still hurt to think back to all those times people spit upon her, but she had to look to the future. Even now, she was still scared of the idea of living outside the forest; her first night had been interrupted now and then by the sounds of city life. However, she genuinely wanted to move on in her life, and if leaving Yatsuki and the Eldoh Forest behind was part of it, then so be it. "I need to keep moving forward."
"But don't you want to punish them? When someone does something wrong, they get punished."
Clarith thought carefully, knowing that if she said the wrong thing, it would make her seem unqualified to her employers. "…If I tried to give them back what they've given to me, that'd be called revenge. It would only make things more hostile."
There had been a few rare moments of defiance from Clarith, but she was beaten down each time. Even her apologies for being alive had started out as a sarcastic remark; the one mocking her then proceeded to tell her that if she really believed it, she should kill herself. In her case, leaving the town was the best thing she could have done.
"Maybe one day I can return there and show them the life I've made. But right now, I only want to focus on living here."
Yukina didn't seem to be completely satisfied by this answer, but it did stop her for pushing the subject further. "I guess I get it." She then perked up, choosing not to think about it anymore. "Well, we won't bully you here! You'll definitely be happy now!"
Clarith got up, taking a moment to look around at her luxurious soundings, then at Michaela, who was waiting for her at the end of the hall. "I'm already much happier."
Life as maids of the Freesis family was hectic. Every day involved cooking meals and cleaning dishes, and they often had to tidy up the house and wash their clothing. Yukina was a very rowdy girl who enjoyed jumping around and roughhousing, and sometimes it almost seemed like she was willing to get into a physical fight with other children over perceived injustices, even after Clarith's chat with her. None of this deterred the girls, though, and even as they worked hard each day, they found that they were much at peace than they had been in Yatsuki.
For Michaela, it was an opportunity to experience the world for herself, rather than having to rely on what Eldoh told her. While her main reason for becoming human was to comfort Clarith, the fact that she could move around and communicate with others and just be was exhilarating. There were some days where the workload did not consume a whole day, and this gave Michaela time to dance about in the streets and let all her senses drown in her surroundings. So long as she didn't go overboard and fawn over something as simple as a streetlight, she didn't have to worry about blowing her cover even when in the company of others. She could find many ways to keep herself entertained, such as testing out all sorts of snacks from the bakers and the food stands, watching public performers play their instruments and show off their magic tricks, and even simply sitting by fountains, watching water spray into the air and rain down into the pool. There were so many little things that enriched human life.
Even at the manor, there were interesting days, as Keel Freesis received many visitors; because of how much influence he held over Elphegort, numerous diplomats chose to appeal to him about any suggestions they had. And one day, just a few weeks into Michaela's job, a very unique yet familiar visitor arrived at the mansion.
Elluka Clockworker was easily able to gain an audience with Keel, as she was well-known as one of the three Great Heroes of Lucifenia who defended it during the war with Belzenia and Asmodin. She had been the top adviser to the previous rulers and remained in Riliane's court as her head magician. Her reputation as a powerful sorceress had caught Keel's attention when she sent him a letter requesting that they have a private meeting about a magical artifact of some kind; Michaela speculated that it was about the vessels of sin, but she couldn't just join in, as it would be hard to explain why an orphan from Toragay would know about such a sensitive secret. The conversation Elluka and Keel had on that day was behind locked doors, keeping out even Elluka's new apprentice.
Clarith was busy watching the twins while Mikina tutored Yukina, so when Michaela was done cleaning up after lunch, she had a chance to approach the apprentice with short green hair. The girl was currently sitting outside, next to one of the trees in the front yard, and Michaela knelt down next to her, recognizing who, no, what she truly was. "What's your name?"
"Gumillia. And yours?"
"Michaela Aves. You didn't choose a last name?"
Gumillia shook her head. "There's no use for one at the moment, as I am always by Elluka's side. Any surname I use in the future would be a temporary alias."
Although the city was an amazing place, Michaela still felt a bit homesick at times. For the first time since she moved to Aceid, however, she was finally feeling a connection back to the Eldoh Forest, in the form of this fellow spirit. The term "sisters" would have been fitting for them, as they shared the same origins. Their paths split just a few hours after they were transformed, and Elluka and Gumillia were gone by the time Clarith took Michaela away. It was a pleasant surprise to get to talk with her sister again, even if she was very quiet and distant.
It seemed that contrast was a constant theme of Michaela's life as a human, as she and Gumillia shared little in common besides their true identities, starting with the appearances they had chosen for themselves. Gumillia was made in the image of an Asmodin aristocrat named Gumina Glassred. She had grown up with Sateriajis Venomania, going from being his friend to being his bully, and he both loved and hated her. These emotions were so closely intertwined that, after he made his deal with the devil, he didn't think twice before enchanting and raping her.
After his death, Gumina was scorned by her former friends, who told her that it was all her fault Venomania became a monster. She was told that all she did was hurt people that loved her and that if she had just returned his feelings, that whole debacle would not have happened. This was not a totally unique event, however, as the attitude toward the victims was abhorrent throughout the whole region; most of them ended up being driven out of the country, fleeing to new places to start their lives over. In fact, one of Clarith's ancestors, a woman named Hakua Netsuma, had been one of his victims who ended up running away to Elphegort to escape the contempt, just like Gumina did.
In defiance to the empire that shamed her, Gumina began to travel from town to town there in order to defend not just herself, but all the women of the town who had fallen victim to his charms. Her testimonies eventually changed the opinion of Venomania's victims, and they did not face as much torment as they initially did. Gumina refused the apology of her family, however, instead staying in Elphegort and becoming its first female prime minister and a lifelong advocate for women's rights. She visited the Eldoh Forest often, becoming a follower of Eldoh, and it was there that Gumillia saw her for the first time.
On the other side of the coin was the woman that Michaela resembled, Eve Moonlit. If Gumina's actions left a positive effect on the world, then Eve was the source of all its evil. She herself wasn't an evil person, but her emotional strength and grip on reality had deteriorated throughout much of her life, starting with the death of her infant twins. Less than a year later, she hallucinated that she was stealing two apples from a vicious bear, when she had actually murdered a woman and kidnapped her own twin children; Michaela had witnessed this event herself. It only went downhill from there for the next thirteen years, and eventually she convinced her husband to abandon the children to die in the forest. The twins came back, their own mental states unstable, and shoved her into the fireplace, thinking she was a fairytale witch.
As Eve suffered one of the most agonizing deaths possible, seven bright lights flared from her body. Her Original Sin had split apart and was unwittingly scattered all across the world by the children; each piece lied dormant until the time came for them to corrupt someone who would later commit a deadly sin. So far, only two had awakened, and a third was beginning to play out. There were four more in waiting, and each awakening would herald an absolute atrocity. That meant there would be seven crimes against humanity that only came about because of that one night where someone believed a bear was going to kill her.
When Elluka used her magic on the two spirits, she told them to think of someone they wanted to look like as humans. Gumillia picked Gumina out of respect what she had done for the world. Even if it did open the way for a dictator like Riliane and a manipulator like Prim, it also allowed Anne to rule without question and lead Lucifenia into glory. On the other hand, Michaela took Eve's form because she had committed such a terrible crime. Perhaps in another world, someone could have recognized Eve's breakdown before it hit the point of no return and supported her, eventually helping her learn to cope with her loss. In that world, the Original Sin would not have been created, at least by Eve, and she could have lived a full and happy life instead of dying horrifically at the hands of the children to whom she had denied their own happiness.
What might have happened if Clarith was still bullied? It was known that people under pressure could do unspeakable things. Even people who weren't tainted with a deadly sin had carried out crimes either in self-preservation or out of blind love. There wasn't any way to be absolutely certain what Clarith might have done, but Michaela had seen a glimpse of pure rage from her when she snapped at her by the village well. It wasn't unrealistic to think that she could give in to that fury if she ever reached her breaking point.
"How is the white-haired girl?" Gumillia asked, jolting Michaela out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh, Clarith is doing just fine! She's still very shy, but not so much that you'd have to drag her out of the house."
"That's good to hear." Another difference between the two was their personalities. Where Michaela was enthusiastic, Gumillia was stoic. It was a good trait to have for someone who had to assist an ageless sorceress in tracking down the fragments of sin, but not so much for someone who was being put into social situations. "What do you plan to do ten or twenty years down the road?"
"Well, I'd probably still be with Clarith, and I don't think we'll leave the city. Maybe we'll stop working for Mister Freesis and find another job, like being bakers."
"All while you're still in a teenage body?"
Michaela couldn't find a suitable reply to that. She had kept pushing aside the reality of her relationship with Clarith; she was a spirit in a body that would never age, and Clarith was a mortal human. How was she going to tell her the truth, and when? Would she ever tell Clarith about herself?
"You cannot be with her forever. She'll become suspicious of you, and you may have to flee. Even if you aren't run out of town by her, she'll still grow old and die."
"But I don't want to leave her side…"
"You've granted her wish and given her friendship, and you even got her out of Yatsuki. Haven't you fulfilled your promise yet?"
"No, I haven't!" Michaela's response was more defensive than she would have liked it to be, and she took a moment to calm down before continuing. "I mean… It's not like there's a concrete goal for this like there is for cleaning the house or finding the fragments of sin. Friendship is…"
Just how could she describe friendship when she was still learning about human relationships? Even though the inhabitants of the Eldoh Forest had watched civilization develop and could explain the emotions behind the major events in human history, none of them had any personal experience before now with the fine details about interacting with humans. Michaela was adjusting to toning down her curiosity a bit so that she wouldn't overwhelm everyone, but she hadn't thought about how to put her friendship with Clarith into simple words.
"Friendship is wanting to be with that other person forever, even if it seems impossible. It's laughing together in the face of adversity and protecting each other from those that would do you harm. It's loyalty, kindness, forgiveness… It's a lot like what humans call love, in its truest form."
Love. It was sometimes used as an excuse to hurt others. Duke Venomania loved Gumina, so it was perfectly okay to force her into his harem. Allen loved Riliane, so he had become her faithful servant and followed her order to kill his foster father. Yet there existed love that was untouched by evil, such as the love between all members of the Freesis family; even if they annoyed each other sometimes, they always made up after their arguments and laughed about it together later on. There was the love that Queen Anne had for Lucifenia and all who resided in it, guiding the country into a short but glorious period of prosperity. Untainted love was one of the most beautiful things a living creature could experience, and Michaela finally understood what it felt like, even if she couldn't translate it into words.
"So, do you love Clarith?"
"Yes." She didn't know yet if it was platonic or romantic, but she was certain that she loved her. That was all that she could be certain of when it came to human interactions. "It's very hard to explain. I hope that one day you'll find someone else you love, Gumillia, so that you can see what I'm talking about."
"That would be nice, but I don't want it to distract me from my work. Finding the fragments is more important than making friends. That reminds me, Michaela… Elluka has a message for you."
"Yes?"
Gumillia's stony mask finally broke for a fleeting moment as her brow furrowed with worry. "She says that you need to be cautious now; the robin you once inhabited was killed by a fox five days ago, and you don't have another body to return to, so you must be careful with the one you have now. We're not sure if you can get a new animal body, since you've been away from Eldoh for a while."
Michaela winced, for she did not like the idea of the body she had for five hundred years being destroyed so easily, but at the same time, she was in no hurry to return to her old life in the forest. "Is that all?"
"No. We're still monitoring Lucifenia, and she's certain that Riliane's role is about to end, maybe in a few months at most… The gears of destruction churn once more, and Elluka warns you to be prepared to flee if the coming disasters spill over here."
Michaela felt her body stiffen as she considered this warning. Elphegort was right next door to Lucifenia, and it wasn't implausible that a war that originated there could impact this kingdom, especially given the widespread damage that the previous two sinners had caused; Venomania kidnapped several queens and princesses, and Conchita had been a warlord that helped Belzenia crush all opponents. Riliane's reign of terror affected only Lucifenia so far – it had actually been her father that destroyed Asmodin and weakened Belzenia, although they had attacked his kingdom first – but the influence from the sins could cause her to take a turn for the worse…
"Where would we flee to?"
Gumillia thought about that for a second, her face returning to a neutral expression. "The ruins of Asmodin would be the best chance, as it has already been cleaned out by Lucifenia's forces. There isn't much that Riliane can do to it."
"The ruins…" Michaela grimaced. Would she be able to convince Clarith to go to a derelict country for no apparent reason? She could try waiting for an actual threat to pop up so that she wouldn't have to explain why she had knowledge of an impending disaster, but that might be too late to escape. Leaving for Asmodin herself and leaving Clarith behind was completely out of the question. Still, at least she had some warning in advance of potential complications, giving her time to figure out what to do. "Thank you for the advice, Gumillia. I'll consider it."
As Gumillia nodded, a female voice called out her name. The two girls looked back to see that the front doors were open, with Elluka and Keel standing there.
Michaela quickly stood up, not wanting to look like she had been shirking work. "I'm sorry, Mister Freesis, but I had finished clearing the table and washing the dishes, and I thought that I might chat with Gumillia for a while…"
Gumillia got onto her feet as well, helping build a cover for Michaela. "We were childhood friends, you see." She then turned her attention to Elluka. "I am ready when you are, Elluka."
"Right, kiddo." Elluka walked over to Gumillia's side, then looked back at Keel. "Thank you again, Mister Freesis. I may come to you in the future and deliver that item to you for safekeeping, if circumstances call for it."
"I wish you luck on your travels." Keel was smiling, but Michaela could see that he couldn't stop nervously looking at the scabbard on Elluka's hip. She wondered if she was planning on letting him hold onto Venomania's sword; a merchant would be expected to have all kinds of fancy objects, so Keel having the sword would not raise suspicion.
It wasn't as if she could ask him for more information, however, and she tried to ignore her curiosity, instead just seeing the sorceress and her apprentice off. When she went back into the mansion with Keel, he managed to do a pretty good job of masking his fears, simply asking her to prepare some tea.
Life had to go on as normal, no matter what may or may not have been on the horizon. It hurt Michaela to have to keep hiding the truth, but she didn't feel she was close enough to any of them to be able to reveal just what she was. Even Clarith had to be kept in the dark. Michaela wondered if she was just scared that Clarith wouldn't love her back if she found out what she was.
Clarith could scarcely catch her breath, even after all the work had been finished. The whole Freesis household had been buzzing with activity the entire day, as that night, Kyle Marlon would be visiting. She knew that he was the king of a country across the sea, but this was the first time that she learned that he was very friendly with the Freesis family; Keel was his childhood friend, and Mikina was a distant cousin of his. After they left Marlon and settled down in Elphegort, Kyle visited every month to be able to spend time with them.
The entire city of Aceid always celebrated these nights. It was true that this had been going on for years and was nothing new, but he was still a foreign king and needed to be treated as such. Initially, Clarith and Michaela were tasked only with meal preparation, but as the sun began to set, they couldn't help but notice Keel pacing around the house, fretting over something.
As it turned out, the woman who was supposed to sing during the festivities had become ill the day before, and her condition only got worse, her throat becoming too raw for her job. There was now the problem of finding a last-minute replacement.
It was then that Michaela offered to take her place, and proceeded to demonstrate her singing abilities for Keel. Clarith already knew how wonderful her voice could be, but was still surprised when he decided to let her be the singer, chiefly because it meant a major change of plans for both of them. She had been hoping to spend time with Michaela as they served the guests at the Freesis manor, but she would have to focus on preparing for the song, away from where Clarith would be working. They wouldn't have a chance to hang out until the last third of the party.
Still, she found some comfort in the fact that they got to greet the king together. As the sun began to set, the partygoers all stood in the front yard of the mansion, with the family and their maids at the gate, watching as a blue and white carriage made its way down the street and in front of the first to exit the carriage were royal guards who cleared a path. Then came the trumpeters, ready to provide fanfare the moment the king showed his face. Clarith was intrigued by all of the flourish he was being given, especially given that this was a monthly ritual.
The trumpets heralded the exit of the king, who stepped out of his carriage and headed straight for the gates. Clarith couldn't help but smile, especially when she noticed his dark blue hair. Would those people from Yatsuki have applauded for this man the same way the crowds behind her were applauding? She had only been in Aceid for a few weeks, and yet she felt comfortable enough to call it her new home.
She and Michaela stood back as Kyle approached their employers first. He embraced Keel the way that only old friends could, gave Mikina a friendly kiss on her hand, and patted the children on their heads when Yukina hugged him tightly. His attention then came to the maids, and Clarith suddenly felt like a stone had been dropped into her stomach; only now was she realizing just how close she was standing to royalty, especially once he started to ask about them. "Are these your new servants? I know you said the last one was retiring…"
Mikina nodded, then introduced the pair. "Clarith Netsuma and Michaela Aves. They've been here for just a few weeks, and they've already proven themselves to be exceptional workers!"
"I see. It's a pleasure to meet you, ladies." Kyle shook their hands, and Clarith just couldn't stop trembling. It felt like a dream, and she was expecting to, at any moment, watch Yukina turn into a firebreathing dragon while Kyle's hair changed into all the colors of the rainbow.
As Kyle turned away to speak to his hosts, Michaela leaned in close to Clarith, whispering. "Your face is as red as a tomato, you know."
"I-I know!" Clarith squeaked, before quickly lowering her voice, thankful that no one else seemed to have noticed. "It's just that… You know, I've only ever seen kings in storybooks. And suddenly I get to meet one in person… It's a lot to take in!"
Michaela giggled at her nervous reactions, although Clarith understood that it was meant in good fun. "Well, you would have never gotten that chance if we hadn't left Yatsuki, right?"
She couldn't argue with that. It was amazing how something as little as finding a friend that could encourage her into taking bold steps out of her comfort zone had changed the whole course of her life. Had Michaela not collapsed by that tree, Clarith would have still been in the village, mocked for her ugly hair.
A shudder rippled through her body, and Clarith unconsciously ran her hand through her ponytail. Sometimes, she still felt revulsion when she thought about her hair. It was a thought that had deeply embedded itself into her and refused to go away. Even as she made a living in a whole new environment where no one cared about something as silly as hair colors, she still sometimes felt she didn't quite fit in.
Michaela had noticed her trembling, and her smile faded into a frown. "Are you alright?"
"Michaela!" Keel had been leading his family and Kyle toward the front doors of his manor, but spared a moment to look back at the maids. "Don't forget your job!" Kyle was also watching them, smiling, and Clarith had to look away from embarrassment.
"Oh, right, sorry about that, sir!" Michaela responded. She then sighed, addressing Clarith once more. "I really should get going now."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you scolded," Clarith quickly muttered, her old habits beginning to rear their faces.
Michaela clicked her tongue, and then pulled Clarith into an embrace. "Didn't I say that you never have to apologize to me again?" She let go, and her grin returned. "Just take care. I'll see you later, after the song!"
She then walked away, disappearing into the crowd to find the musicians she was supposed to work with, leaving Clarith to reflect on the past few minutes. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding now, and yet her mind was now no longer on the king, but rather on her friend. Michaela was right; Clarith needed to stop putting herself down. It was a task easier said than done, of course, but as long as they were by each other's sides, it wasn't an impossible dream.
The hours flew by in a flurry of celebrations. Everyone had moved to the massive backyard of the manor, enjoying the outdoor dinner. Clarith's job was to stay near the tables and keep an eye on the supply of food, replacing it with the stocks that were still inside the home if needed. Occasionally, there would be someone asking her where a specific meal was located, and she would direct that person to it. It kept her busier than her usual daily work, and she had no time to seek out where Michaela had gone, although every now and then, she looked over at the empty stage that had been set up.
It was during this that a boy approached her. "Have you seen where King Kyle's gone?"
Clarith hadn't quite expected this question, and she had to think about the answer. "Um… I think I saw him in the gardens with Master Freesis." She turned around to see who she was talking to. The adolescent boy wore a white cloak, covering whatever clothing he had underneath, but he left the hood down, not trying to hide his tied-up yellow hair.
The boy sighed. "Great, I have to wait for them to stop talking… Thanks anyway, miss."
"You're welcome. Is it okay if I ask why you wish to speak with him?" It seemed to be very bold of the boy to want to just walk up and talk to the king, so Clarith assumed that there was more to him than at first sight.
"Oh, it's not much. My lady just wants to send him a message. She refuses to come out of her carriage right now, however – doesn't want the poor to gawk at her, you see."
Clarith figured that this boy served a very high-ranking noble, and a haughty one at that. Before she could inquire further, a young girl's voice called out. "Allen! Allen, you jerk!"
Another adolescent rushed over to where they were standing. Her gold-colored hair was extremely long, tied up into a ponytail on the side of her head, and she wore the clothes of a maid, although Clarith was fascinated by the golden trim on the hems; she would have assumed that she was a noble incognito had it not been for the boy returning her annoyed gaze, looking directly into her eyes. Was their mistress a generous soul, or did she just want to flaunt her wealth by dressing up their servants?
"Ney, what are you going on about this time?"
The girl, Ney, stuck her lower lip out, still upset. "How dare you leave me and the princess all alone!? You're supposed to stay by her side!"
"She requested that she be left alone," Allen countered. "She's not a toddler in need of constant supervision. Besides, haven't you left her all alone as well by coming to find me?"
"I–!" Ney quickly went quiet, unable to refute Allen's point. "…Well, still, you could have at least warned me you were going into the party."
"I was looking for Kyle. He's busy at the moment."
The more they spoke with each other, the more Clarith was feeling lost. "I can, um, go now, if you'd like."
"Oh? Nah, it's okay!" Ney's mood lifted, and she gave a little smirk as she looked over Clarith. "Huh. That's an interesting hair color. Are you a Netsuma?"
"Y-Yes. How did you know that?"
"Ah, well, they were mentioned in a couple of books I read. Their blood's been diluted a bunch, but there're still some white-haired ones left, like you." Ney extended her hand in greeting. "I'm Ney Futapie, and this dope here is Allen Avadonia."
"I'm Clarith," she responded. "So you work for a princess? Which one?"
"Riliane Lucifen D'Autriche of Lucifenia," Allen replied flatly, as if he had rehearsed this line often so that he could recite it flawlessly.
"Riliane," Clarith repeated, her voice faltering. As isolated as she had been all her life, she still heard bits of information about the child monarch, and in the few weeks she spent at Aceid, she learned about how Lucifenia was losing its status as the most prosperous country as a result of her rule. She was a bit worried to know that Riliane was in a carriage somewhere nearby, but she decided that as long as she didn't do anything to insult her or her servants, she would be alright. "What is it like to serve her?" Clarith hoped to get her mind off her concerns by asking questions.
"Tough," Ney replied. "She demands only the best of us, and severely punishes those who can't live up to those standards."
"I can't complain, though," Allen said. "As strict as she is, I enjoy working for her. It's very rewarding to see her joy at a job well done."
Ney grinned. "I think Allen has a crush on her. He's always talking highly of her and defending her from the slightest criticism."
"I do not have a crush on my lady! Stop spreading rumors, Ney!" Allen snapped, highly embarrassed by these comments. He quickly picked up the conversation in order to get the subject off whether or not he had feelings for his princess. "Clarith, what is it like working for Mister Freesis?"
"Busy. He's not as strict, but he has us do a lot of work. We clean, we cook, we shop. I've been babysitting his children, and my friend is actually going to be the singer tonight!"
"Really? He's allowing a servant to take on that role?" Allen looked surprised by this.
"It was a last-minute arrangement. I'll introduce you to her once she's done." She was surprising herself with how easily she was handling a social situation, figuring that some of Michaela and Yukina's enthusiasm had rubbed off on her these past few weeks.
Clarith glanced around, and she saw that people were flocking toward the crowd of seats that were set up in front of the stage. Mikina and Keel stood in front of the curtains on the stage, waiting for enough of an audience to gather before she started the show. Clarith gestured for her guests to follow her, leading them to the edge of a row close to the front, with Allen seated between them and Ney taking the outermost seat.
After about another minute, Mikina was prepared to begin, and she spoke loudly to get her voice heard. "Thank you all for coming here tonight, and thank you, King Kyle, for visiting our home once more! Tonight, the musician Anthony Arpeggio and his band will be providing entertainment. His lead singer is currently under the weather, however, and her substitute tonight will be Michaela Aves from Toragay!"
The pair grabbed the curtains and headed for opposite ends of the stage, revealing the musicians behind them. Clarith did not know any songs from Anthony's group, although he figured that he was a renowned musician given that he was performing for a king. She was also unable to identify most of the instruments, although they resembled guitars and violins. In the end, though, all of her focus was on Michaela.
Michaela was borrowing one of Mikina's dresses, as she had no fancy clothes of her own. After a few seconds of instrumentals, she began to join in. Her voice was a high soprano, almost like the voice of a songbird, but she understood how to wield and control such a voice. Michaela did not hold any notes longer than she had to, focusing on fitting the slow tone of the song:
"Only you and I will ever be in this room
"Let's keep on singing the lullaby together
"I won't ever try to learn about the outside world
"Because that is what you wish."
Clarith shut her eyes, being drawn into the melody. It was mellow and calming, almost like a lullaby, and she was tempted to simply fall asleep to this tune. However, she couldn't help but notice the melancholy tone, and her throat closed tight around a lump as the song triggered raw emotion from her.
Before she knew it, applause erupted all around her. Had she truly nodded off? She glanced over to her guests, seeing that Ney was clapping, even though her own eyes were half-shut. Allen, on the other hand, sat dumbstruck, his gaze fixed firmly on Michaela as she curtsied in appreciation for the ovation.
Ney noticed this and elbowed her friend in the ribs. "Hey, Allen, you're drooling!" she joked.
"I am not!" he insisted. While he was correct, Ney's remarks made his cheeks flush, and he turned away from her and toward Clarith. "You said she was your friend, right?"
"Yes. We met a few weeks ago, but we're pretty close…"
"What's her name, again?"
"Michaela."
"Michaela," Allen repeated softly. "It's a fitting name for her. She's a wonderful singer, you know."
"Allen's got a crush!" Ney teased loudly, giggling. "Wait 'till I tell Riliane that you're looking at other girls!"
"Quiet!" Allen scolded. "Look, Kyle's getting on stage. Pay attention!"
Ney refused to let him have the last word, repeating his words back at him mockingly before crossing her arms, sinking into her seat. The appearance of the Marlon king seemed to have turned her attitude to mischievous to just plain rotten.
Kyle and his hosts made their way onto the set, shaking hands with the performers. He then prepared to make a speech, standing center stage, where Michaela once stood. "Citizens of Aceid City! I thank you for yet another grand party! The people of Elphegort are always so kind and welcoming, and I always feel right at home upon your soil. They say that green is the color of vibrant life, and I believe that you all represent this the most."
"He says this crap every month," Ney muttered. "It's just theatrics he uses to hide the fact that he's spineless compared to his mother Prim– Ow!" It was Allen's turn to elbow her in the ribs, shushing her. Several people looked over at the duo, annoyed at their noisiness, and Clarith just hoped they weren't lumping her in with them.
Kyle did not notice this interruption and kept on talking without missing a beat. "I must say, Keel, I didn't know that you were training your servants to become singers."
"I'm not! Michaela just volunteered, because we had a little problem with the planned singer…"
"Is that so? Then you are quite impeccable, Miss Michaela, to be able to sing with little preparation."
"Thank you, sir. Please enjoy the festivities my masters have organized for you."
It seemed that Michaela expected Kyle to continue his speech, and she backed further away to give him room. However, Kyle seemed more interested in continuing their conversation and took a few steps in her direction. "If it isn't a bother, Miss Michaela, I would like to spend some time with you for the rest of the evening."
"Really? I would love to! Clarith, did you hear that?" Michaela looked toward the audience, quickly seeking out the head of white hair. Her excitement rubbed off on Clarith, who grinned and nodded. They, two lowly maids who came from faraway villages, would get to be in the company of a king!
"Clarith… That's the name of the other maid, correct?"
"Yes. I promised to spend some time with her as well, so I hope you won't mind her being with us."
"I see. It's not too much of a problem…" Even from all the way in the audience, Clarith could hear Kyle's hesitance, and her soaring mood crashed; he definitely had some sort of problem with her presence. Kyle continued to ramble. "I have to leave by tomorrow night, however… Would you be interested in accompanying me to Marlon?"
"Wh-what!? Do you really mean that!?" Michaela looked around, at Kyle, at the Freesises, at Clarith, as if trying to find approval for this plan. "I… I have never been outside of Elphegort, sir. I don't know where I would live in Marlon."
"I could arrange housing for you with a noble family. I would really like to get to know you, Michaela."
"You cheating pig!" Ney could no longer keep her jeers quiet. Everyone stared at her as she stood up. "You're already engaged, aren't you!?" Allen quickly stood up with her, trying to calm her down, and Clarith just slumped into her chair, trying to pretend she did not exist.
Kyle flinched at these words, but did not reply immediately to Ney, even as Allen pulled her out of and away from the audience, leaving Clarith alone. "…Yes. As many of you know, I was betrothed to Princess Riliane of Lucifenia when I was thirteen."
"Sit down!" someone harshly whispered to Clarith. She hadn't even realized that she had shot out of her seat when Kyle admitted that. The idea that an engaged man was flirting with her friend upset her greatly, and she was still livid even as she sat back down.
"But I don't care about that. Michaela, I am fascinated by you. You're beautiful and talented, and I would like to have a chance to know you better."
"Kyle, I…" Michaela looked once more to the audience. "I have a good friend that I don't want to leave behind, though…"
"The other maid? She can join you in the court as well, if that's what you'd like."
"It's just so much. I… I can't answer now, sir. It's too sudden. I need to think." Without waiting for his answer, Michaela fled off the stage, heading straight into the audience and next to Clarith's seat.
Clarith wasn't sure what to say or do. On one hand, the idea of getting to live among the high class in Marlon was elating. However, it was such a huge change from what she was used to that it was also rather scary. She could understand why even Michaela would need time to think about it.
More concerning, however, was that she kept getting stuck on one detail: Kyle wanted to court Michaela, even though he was already engaged. How could anyone be sure that he wouldn't throw Michaela away on a whim just like he did for his fiancée? Was it acceptable for a king to date a common maid? And why did the idea of Michaela being in a relationship with someone make Clarith feel like she was being deprived of her friendship with her? It wasn't like having a boyfriend would keep her from spending time with anyone else, and yet Clarith couldn't stop feeling envious of Kyle, as if he was stealing something from her.
Kyle sighed heavily, the appearance of a strong leader fading away. "That's fine, Michaela. I'm not going to force you to do something you aren't comfortable with. However!" He stood up straight, regaining his tone of authority. "Let it be known now that I care nothing about Riliane. She is a tyrant, and I will not carry out my mother's wishes. My engagement to her is over."
Clarith recalled with a start that the servants she had been talking to had mentioned that they worked for the Lucifenian princess and that she was in a nearby carriage.
The indignant voice of a young girl caught the attention of the crowd. "Oh, really, Kyle? Would you mind repeating that to my face?"
Standing by the audience, flanked by Ney and Allen, was Riliane Lucifen d'Autriche.
But as long as we are together, everything will be alright"
~Michaela, Thousand-Year Wiegenlied
The second chapter of Daughters of the Lullaby, a Story of Evil fanfiction. Please see the first chapter for the summary, warnings, etc..
Chapter 1: Everything Changed When I Met That Girl 
Chapter 2: As Long as We are Together Chapter 3: I'm Sorry for Being Alive Chapter 4: The Vow of a Thousand Years