Chapter 38: The Boys’ Perspectives

The day winds down on the Saint's Day tea party. The guests leave satisfied and happy– many with arms interlocked, walking side by side, or with promises of future contact. Those that don't leave with the knowledge that the Royal Academy is not full of horrible women or as bad a place as they thought; inspiring them to try again.

Now, the hall has been mostly cleared; with only the long serving tables, half of the coffee party tables so there is a big empty space, spare plates and silverware, and chairs remaining unmoved. Those that still remain– mainly Leon's Ravens, a handful of the loyal nobles who prove instrumental to the party's success, and even some girls– stay to mingle and gossip, thanking each other for a job well done or to keep each other company. Off to the side is Leon, speaking with Olivia, the Redgrave daughter, and a new face; the Atlee heiress, Clarice.

The new addition laughs at something Leon says, and some among the men huddle.

"What do you say, boys?" Harold starts. "Another name on the list?"

"She's got the body and the looks… though the hair isn't blonde." Davian murmurs. "I dunno cap'n, it might just be your imagination."

"Plus, there was that bit during the party where she started yelling." Daniel says. "From what you've said, she doesn't fit the trend set by Lady Angelica and Olivia."

"Maybe, instead of fitting into a pre-established pattern," Raymond says. "Lady Clarice is setting another one?"

Eyes turn to him, blinking and surprised.

"Think about it," Raymond continues. "She acts like one of you Ravens and speaks the same way at times, even if she looks a little wild. But there's no denying the kindness she has, the charisma– it's like she a feminine and less accomplished Leon."

"...you don't think–" Harold turns to Davian.

"That the commander has a soft spot for rowdy girls?" Davian finishes, thinking. "I'll need to talk to the others, but it's likely."

"Alright, enough gossip!" Leon shouts, walking up to his present followers. "I don't need you nosy bastards butting into my love life– it's crowded enough as is!" a round of laughs ring out. "But I do need to thank all of you for your effort and hard work in making the coffee party a success. So for that, you have my deepest gratitude."

He bows and everyone applauds, cheering his humility and acknowledging his thanks.

"However!" he continues. "In my experience, verbal thanks is rarely enough! So allow me to show you my gratitude and preface this with the following– what happens next has the explicit permission of the Academy faculty!"

He gestures to the side and a door opens, allowing 3 groups of Nielsen Courier women to enter. One group wears suits and wheels in two large crates. Another group is dressed in chef uniforms and haul several trolleys laden with steaming, freshly cooked food. The last group are dressed in long, heavy trench coats that obscure their figures. In their wake walk Academy teachers, looking sly and a little excited.

The teachers cast spells on the walls and windows and ceilings, and the noise from outside is quieted to the point of silence.

One of the crates open to reveal bottles of fine alcohol and glasses; the suited women setting up a makeshift bar on the right side serving table, while the chef uniform wearing women set the food out on the left side serving table. Some of the other women open the other large crate to reveal musical instruments that the Couriers begin setting up at the far end of the hall with incredible speed. The trenchcoat-clad girls march to the front of the hall and remain standing.

Those in attendance gawk in naked shock as Leon walks forward, grinning, and stands in front of the bar.

"You'll be under the teachers' supervision tonight, but since tomorrow's a day off–" he slams a hand on the table before the bar. "Here's the booze!"

Deafening cheers and whoops erupt. He runs through the cheering crowd and slams another hand on the serving table laden with food.

"Here's food!" he cries, to yet more cheering and whooping. Some of the men even jump and holler like mad. He runs through the crowd again and stands before the trench coat-wearing girls. "And here's the entertainment!"

The trench coats come off, revealing women in burlesque uniforms. All of them strike poses and the crowd goes insane.

"Watch your drinks, obey the teachers, and have fun!" Leon orders as the music starts playing and he walks to the door where Angelica, Clarice, and Olivia stand; gawking at the display. "That's an order!"

=X=X=X=X=X=

Chris Fia Arclight sighs as he beholds the sun setting in the capital, coloring the sky in hues of red and orange and gold as the night chases the last remnants of sunlight beyond the horizon. He sits on a blanket laid out on the grass, a half-empty bottle of wine on his right and a half-empty picnic basket beside it.

The view is pretty.

A pair of hands grab his wrist and tug him down to plush, warm lap.

But the beastwoman that looms over him is beautiful.

"What'cha thinkin' about?" Sybil asks, idly combing a stray lock of hair away from her face.

"You." Chris answers immediately. "Always you."

"Pssh, flatterer." the beastwoman giggles, light pushing his face to the side. "I told you to stop with that, didn't I?"

"Never." the Arclight heir says. "I'll never stop for you, Sybil. You are everything to me."

"I'm just another beastwoman, there's hundreds more like me out there in the world." she shakes her head, blazing red hair swaying. "Besides, don't you already have a fiance? What would she think?"

"What she thinks is irrelevant. You are all that matters." he reaches out and finds her hand, clasping it loosely. "I told you; you are my everything. Nothing else matters."

The beastwoman smiles, but it has that distant undertone of pain and melancholy. Her amber-red eyes glimmer and shine with the tell-tale hint of unshed tears.

"I'm not an idiot, you sword-obsessed nitwit." she laughs, the fingers on her free hand coming down and combing through his hair. "I know Holfort's views on non-humans and humans coming together. The only reason this is even allowed is because your authority and Leon's prevents people from talking. They all think this behavior of yours is a passing thing, a phase… but you've made it clear to me that it's not." her nails start lightly scratching at that sweet spot on Chris' scalp and the swordsman starts getting drowsy. "But in the end, we both know how this ends."

Chris' eyes sharpen behind his glasses, fury and focus at the implication of being separated from his beloved; from the passionate beastwoman looming over him, from the glorious red hair and the fluffiest ears and the most honest smile he'd ever seen

"I won't let it happen." Chris promises. "I'll duel whomever I must, but I'll never part with you."

"Even your friends and the Prince?" she challenges. "Even your father, Lord Arclight? Even Leon?"

Yes, he almost says. Because she means that much to him, because she was everything to him, because she saw him for who he was– Chris. Not Arclight, not a swordsman, not a friend; just Chris. The boy who loves the warmth of a close embrace, who adores the taste of beef stew and soft potatoes, who only ever wanted to be acknowledged as good enough.

Not even his father understood him like that. Not even Julius and the other Founding Heirs. Leon and the Ravens were a close second, their brotherhood and sincerity enough to make him loosen up and consider them true friends…

But only Sybil saw him for who he was. Only Sybil looked at his pedigree, his sword, his riches, his influence… and saw only the lonely boy who only ever wanted a hand to hold.

"I don't want to lose you." he shakes his head. "I'd throw it all away– my name, my titles, my wealth, my influence; all of it. Just… please."

The beastwoman smiles that smile, with distant pain and melancholy. She leans down and presses kiss into his forehead.

"No." she tells him. "And not because I don't like you– I do. You're charming, sweet, adorably predictable, honest… but I can't be with you. Not truly. There are laws that prevent it." she strokes his hair. "Sometimes I wish I was born without these ears and this tail. It would have things so much easier. But if we could pluck stars from the sky, the night would be empty."

"...what does that mean?" Chris blinks.

"It means, silly," Sybill giggles. "That we can't all have what we want. Otherwise, there wouldn't be anything for other people to look forward to anymore."

"...then I'll change it." Chris promises. "The laws that prevent us from being together, I'll rewrite them. I'll give us a happy ending, no matter what it takes."

Sybil smiles again. But this time, there's no distant pain and melancholy. This time, it's hopeful.

"Then I'll be waiting for that day, Chris." she tells him. "No matter how long it takes, I'll wait."

=X=X=X=X=X=

He watches in the darkness as the boy with the scarred face walks the girl to her room.

He is a completely different person now than he was earlier, all presence and bombast and good cheer. Now he walks with the quiet surety of a man fulfilling a duty; a noble one despite what he may think. It fills his heart with pride, knowing that despite the trials and tribulations sent his way by life, Leon Fou Bartford has not been broken by them.

Surviving 2 wars, enduring a sham marriage, winning great glories and honor to the Kingdom– all done before turning 20. There is no doubt that the young man would grow to become someone great. That is enough to make him forgive the young man for his transgression against the way of tea– outright replacing it with coffee.

Still, he thinks as he sips the energizing substance from a large mug, perhaps his claims of it being superior to tea may not be without merit.

"Thank you for walking us, Leon." Olivia smiles, sweet and warm. "Have a good night."

"You're welcome, Olivia." he smiles back, content. "Get some sleep now and I'll see you tomorrow at class."

"Yes." the blonde moves to enter, but pauses. "U-Um… c-can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?" Leon blinks.

"Angelica explained to me why you thought I'd make for a good follower for her. A-And you were right, I do like her and want to support her." the scholarship student fidgets. "But… d-do you regret it? Handing me to Angelica? I-I could've been much more helpful to you and your friends, healed you when you went dungeon diving, helped you with your homework, a-and–"

The Raven puts a hand over Olivia's lips. Even in the low light and so far away, he sees the adorable red flush coloring her face.

"It's true that you could've done well as my follower." he admits. "You're smart, so it'd have made it so much easier to teach those idiots. You could heal people, which would make dungeon dives so much safer. And everyone under me practically considers you the little sister they never had." he pauses. "But I still wouldn't have kept you."

"...why?" the girl asks, confused and a little hurt.

"Because Angelica needed you more. You know about her engagement with Julius, right? And how he's screwing it up by being with the Lafan girl so much." Leon says, earnestly. "It might be hard to read sometimes, but she loves him. I can see it in her eyes, the sincerity of that love and how much it means to her that she has Julius as her betrothed. And it hurts her so much that he's gallivanting off with another woman– without even talking to her about it. Being betrayed like that, being hurt like that over and over again– to a woman with as much power as her, it's grounds to do terrible things. Things that can hurt not just Julius, but also herself but the people around her."

"A-Angelica would never do that!" Olivia protests, passionate and certain. "She's not that kind of person! She's– she's better than me, sometimes!"

"She is." Leon nods. "But anger and pain can cloud one's judgement. She could snap and do something she'd regret. You can help cool that anger, balm that pain. Balance her in the way Julius was supposed to, but is too stupid to realize."

Olivia is quiet for a long time. He watches as the boy raises a hand and pats the blonde's head.

"I know it's selfish of me to ask this, Olivia. But please." he asks. "For our sake, and for Angelica's, look after her. And make sure she doesn't do anything she'd regret."

The hand comes away, but Olivia grabs it with both of hers. She looks up at the young man, and he blinks as she stands up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"You're so kind, Leon." she tells him. "I wish you showed this side of you more often."

"Maybe when the world's a kinder place." he tells her. "Good night Olivia."

The young man pulls away and walks down the hall. He watches him go, his pride building even as Olivia retreats into her room.

"You are a man among men, Mister Bartford." he whispers to himself. "One day, I will make a tea blend in your honor. It is the least I can do."