Hello darkness, my old friend.
[ 8:30pm - Cheri's Rooms ]
Cheri has spent the afternoon picking out designs and fabrics with the assistance of her personal seamstresses. In his letter, Conrad had asked her to move Yozak into his room properly, so why not start with some new clothes? From the look of Conrad's closet, both he and Yozak could use some new things. Dan Hiri probably could, too. He always did like to travel light...
She returns to her rooms to find that the maids have been in. Candles are lit, the sheets have been changed and turned down, and in the other room a bedwarmer and a kettle rest in the grate above a crackling fire. The tea things have been laid out nicely on the table. A new vase of flowers rest on her desk. Everything is the way she has always liked it.
Except...everything is so quiet. Cheri pauses in the doorway, listening. Only days earlier these rooms had been filled with people: Raven, that adorable young human (what was his name again?), her own double, and Dan Hiri. Now everything is silent.
"...Cheri-sama?"
Cheri blinks and turns around to see one of the younger maids standing behind her, her arms full of fresh towels. Her brown eyes look a bit worried. "Are you all right, Cheri-sama?"
"Oh, Ingrid, it's you. Sorry, darling," Cheri says. She quickly moves out of the maid's way and walks into her bedroom. "I'm fine, I'm fine...I was just thinking how quiet it is around here, that's all. How's Wolf? I didn't see him at all today."
Ingrid quietly follows at the former queen's heels. "Lord von Bielefeld seems well enough, Cheri-sama," she answers truthfully. "He slept all day today while Heika attended to his duties. We're all keeping an eye on him, though, just like you asked."
Cheri watches as Ingrid stows her armload of towels in a nearby closet. "And I think Lanzania actually got Lord von Walde to eat something today," the maid continues, shutting the door. "Sangria said it was a muffin. A blueberry muffin."
"Good work, darling," Cheri says with a smile. She pulls off her bracelets and earrings and sets them on the table. "I suppose nothing else of interest happened today?"
"No," Ingrid says thoughtfully. "Well, Lawrence has been an interesting shade of pink all day, but I don't know how important that is."
Cheri shrugs. "Lawrence? Who is that? I'm afraid I don't know that name. Or maybe I do. I'm terrible with names!"
Ingrid pauses, suddenly looking nervous. "Um. Ah, I think he's one of Sir Weller's men."
"Oh," Cheri says softly. There is a quiet pause as Ingrid collects Cheri's jewelry and puts it away. Cheri sighs and looks away. She decides she hates this silence. If this is how everyone will act with her, she'd rather be alone.
She looks away and catches sight of herself in the mirror above the sideboard. "Maa," she says. "I look so tired. Are those circles under my eyes? I think I should go to bed early tonight."
"I made some of Sangria's special tea for you to help you sleep," Ingrid says softly. "I hope you don't mind. Oh, and your letters are on your desk. Is there anything else you need, Cheri-sama?"
Cheri smiles. The girl looks happy for an excuse to escape. "No, that will be all, darling, thank you. Sleep well!"
Ingrid curtsies, bids her goodnight, and, thankfully, makes a quick exit. Cheri can hear her saying something to the guard outside before shutting the door.
All is quiet again.
Hmmm...the tea sounds good. She quickly changes into a nightgown and goes to serve herself some. With a cup in hand, Cheri settles down into her desk chair and examines the letters that Ingrid placed there earlier.
The first four are rather uninteresting -- an invitation to a state dinner, a marriage proposal for Gwen, a letter from Fanfan, and a note from a lesser noble asking her if Wolfram is really, really engaged. It is not long until she comes upon Stoffel's and Anissina's letters in the bottom of the pile.
Wait. Didn't Stoffel and Anissina already write to her? Yes, that's right. These letters. The ones that Raven gave her yesterday...
She quickly banishes thoughts of Raven from her mind and opens Anissina's letter first. The news that she has gone home to Khrennikov is worrisome. The members of the von Khrennikov family are some of her oldest and closest friends -- she couldn't bear it if anything happened to them...especially Ani-chan, who was like a daughter to her...
I've run into your "unexpected visitor" this morning and he's told me that he's joining the team to get Conrad back. They'll do it, too. Try not to worry, Cheri.
A soft sound, a bit like a whimper, emanates from her throat.
Sorry about the flowers. They should thaw out soon.
The sound turns into a strange cross between a giggle and a sob. So Anissina had been behind the flower debacle. The silly darling! She should have known! If only she had Anissina back, then she wouldn't care how many times Anissina destroyed the castle.
Try not to worry. Try not to worry.
Cheri breathes deeply and refolds the letter. She takes a sip of her tea and tries to relax.
Some things -- even for her -- were hard to deal with all at the same time.
After a few minutes, when she feels decidedly calmer, Cheri reaches for Stoffel's letter. Af first she scans it quickly and almost sags in relief when she reads that Stoffel is willing to help them. The first paragraph, though...the first paragraph bothers her.
I was deeply affected upon receiving your letter earlier this afternoon. On my behalf, please give His Majesty, our great Maou, my deepest condolences on the loss of Sir Weller. My heart grieves and is yet strengthened by the knowledge that despite his own suffering, the Maou will...bravely..."
Cheri blinks quickly. He's...apologizing? But it sounds almost like...
"...bravely defend our noble country from the human..from the human invaders who now threaten it so greatly.
Like he thinks Conrad's been killed.
Without a second thought, Cheri crumples the letter. Not true. Not true not true. If one of her sons were dead, she would know. She wasn't sure how she would know...but she would. Somehow.
Stoffel had hated both Dan Hiri and Conrad. He made no secret of that fact. And that hurt her to this very day. Marrying a human was a fatal mistake, he had told her. Her popularity as Maou would plummet. It would destroy her reputation, and that of all her family members. He would not give them his blessing, no matter what.
Cheri had made many, many mistakes in her long lifetime. But marrying her second husband and giving birth to his child had never been one. Ever.
....
Thinking of her husband suddenly reminds her of something. Cheri pushes back from her desk and leans down towards out the lower left side of her desk. She quickly pulls the drawer out feels around in the very back. Her fingers stumble onto a velvet pouch -- a bit dusty, but no worse for the wear. She's glad no one's moved it. She never kept it with the rest of her jewelry because...well. Having to look at it every day was hard. Even after all these years. Perhaps it was silly, but she had always been a sentimental person.
She deftly unties the pouch's strings and pulls out a diamond ring. Without a second thought she slips it onto her finger and stares at it. The ring is beautiful -- even now, dusty and unpolished as it was, the diamonds sparkled beautifully in the firelight. It was something she had worn for a very long time, even after he left.
They would come back.
Because Dan Hiri had never made her a promise he knew he couldn't keep.
"I love you...and we are all coming back to you."
"Dan," she whispers desperately.
Cheri has spent the afternoon picking out designs and fabrics with the assistance of her personal seamstresses. In his letter, Conrad had asked her to move Yozak into his room properly, so why not start with some new clothes? From the look of Conrad's closet, both he and Yozak could use some new things. Dan Hiri probably could, too. He always did like to travel light...
She returns to her rooms to find that the maids have been in. Candles are lit, the sheets have been changed and turned down, and in the other room a bedwarmer and a kettle rest in the grate above a crackling fire. The tea things have been laid out nicely on the table. A new vase of flowers rest on her desk. Everything is the way she has always liked it.
Except...everything is so quiet. Cheri pauses in the doorway, listening. Only days earlier these rooms had been filled with people: Raven, that adorable young human (what was his name again?), her own double, and Dan Hiri. Now everything is silent.
"...Cheri-sama?"
Cheri blinks and turns around to see one of the younger maids standing behind her, her arms full of fresh towels. Her brown eyes look a bit worried. "Are you all right, Cheri-sama?"
"Oh, Ingrid, it's you. Sorry, darling," Cheri says. She quickly moves out of the maid's way and walks into her bedroom. "I'm fine, I'm fine...I was just thinking how quiet it is around here, that's all. How's Wolf? I didn't see him at all today."
Ingrid quietly follows at the former queen's heels. "Lord von Bielefeld seems well enough, Cheri-sama," she answers truthfully. "He slept all day today while Heika attended to his duties. We're all keeping an eye on him, though, just like you asked."
Cheri watches as Ingrid stows her armload of towels in a nearby closet. "And I think Lanzania actually got Lord von Walde to eat something today," the maid continues, shutting the door. "Sangria said it was a muffin. A blueberry muffin."
"Good work, darling," Cheri says with a smile. She pulls off her bracelets and earrings and sets them on the table. "I suppose nothing else of interest happened today?"
"No," Ingrid says thoughtfully. "Well, Lawrence has been an interesting shade of pink all day, but I don't know how important that is."
Cheri shrugs. "Lawrence? Who is that? I'm afraid I don't know that name. Or maybe I do. I'm terrible with names!"
Ingrid pauses, suddenly looking nervous. "Um. Ah, I think he's one of Sir Weller's men."
"Oh," Cheri says softly. There is a quiet pause as Ingrid collects Cheri's jewelry and puts it away. Cheri sighs and looks away. She decides she hates this silence. If this is how everyone will act with her, she'd rather be alone.
She looks away and catches sight of herself in the mirror above the sideboard. "Maa," she says. "I look so tired. Are those circles under my eyes? I think I should go to bed early tonight."
"I made some of Sangria's special tea for you to help you sleep," Ingrid says softly. "I hope you don't mind. Oh, and your letters are on your desk. Is there anything else you need, Cheri-sama?"
Cheri smiles. The girl looks happy for an excuse to escape. "No, that will be all, darling, thank you. Sleep well!"
Ingrid curtsies, bids her goodnight, and, thankfully, makes a quick exit. Cheri can hear her saying something to the guard outside before shutting the door.
All is quiet again.
Hmmm...the tea sounds good. She quickly changes into a nightgown and goes to serve herself some. With a cup in hand, Cheri settles down into her desk chair and examines the letters that Ingrid placed there earlier.
The first four are rather uninteresting -- an invitation to a state dinner, a marriage proposal for Gwen, a letter from Fanfan, and a note from a lesser noble asking her if Wolfram is really, really engaged. It is not long until she comes upon Stoffel's and Anissina's letters in the bottom of the pile.
Wait. Didn't Stoffel and Anissina already write to her? Yes, that's right. These letters. The ones that Raven gave her yesterday...
She quickly banishes thoughts of Raven from her mind and opens Anissina's letter first. The news that she has gone home to Khrennikov is worrisome. The members of the von Khrennikov family are some of her oldest and closest friends -- she couldn't bear it if anything happened to them...especially Ani-chan, who was like a daughter to her...
I've run into your "unexpected visitor" this morning and he's told me that he's joining the team to get Conrad back. They'll do it, too. Try not to worry, Cheri.
A soft sound, a bit like a whimper, emanates from her throat.
Sorry about the flowers. They should thaw out soon.
The sound turns into a strange cross between a giggle and a sob. So Anissina had been behind the flower debacle. The silly darling! She should have known! If only she had Anissina back, then she wouldn't care how many times Anissina destroyed the castle.
Try not to worry. Try not to worry.
Cheri breathes deeply and refolds the letter. She takes a sip of her tea and tries to relax.
Some things -- even for her -- were hard to deal with all at the same time.
After a few minutes, when she feels decidedly calmer, Cheri reaches for Stoffel's letter. Af first she scans it quickly and almost sags in relief when she reads that Stoffel is willing to help them. The first paragraph, though...the first paragraph bothers her.
I was deeply affected upon receiving your letter earlier this afternoon. On my behalf, please give His Majesty, our great Maou, my deepest condolences on the loss of Sir Weller. My heart grieves and is yet strengthened by the knowledge that despite his own suffering, the Maou will...bravely..."
Cheri blinks quickly. He's...apologizing? But it sounds almost like...
"...bravely defend our noble country from the human..from the human invaders who now threaten it so greatly.
Like he thinks Conrad's been killed.
Without a second thought, Cheri crumples the letter. Not true. Not true not true. If one of her sons were dead, she would know. She wasn't sure how she would know...but she would. Somehow.
Stoffel had hated both Dan Hiri and Conrad. He made no secret of that fact. And that hurt her to this very day. Marrying a human was a fatal mistake, he had told her. Her popularity as Maou would plummet. It would destroy her reputation, and that of all her family members. He would not give them his blessing, no matter what.
Cheri had made many, many mistakes in her long lifetime. But marrying her second husband and giving birth to his child had never been one. Ever.
....
Thinking of her husband suddenly reminds her of something. Cheri pushes back from her desk and leans down towards out the lower left side of her desk. She quickly pulls the drawer out feels around in the very back. Her fingers stumble onto a velvet pouch -- a bit dusty, but no worse for the wear. She's glad no one's moved it. She never kept it with the rest of her jewelry because...well. Having to look at it every day was hard. Even after all these years. Perhaps it was silly, but she had always been a sentimental person.
She deftly unties the pouch's strings and pulls out a diamond ring. Without a second thought she slips it onto her finger and stares at it. The ring is beautiful -- even now, dusty and unpolished as it was, the diamonds sparkled beautifully in the firelight. It was something she had worn for a very long time, even after he left.
They would come back.
Because Dan Hiri had never made her a promise he knew he couldn't keep.
"I love you...and we are all coming back to you."
"Dan," she whispers desperately.