Two Sides of Royce

The night was young when the session ended. But before they could let the recruits go, Sir Duncan went ahead to call an announcement. 

"We're invited to watch a play next week," he said. 

The air was thick and it smelt of molding wood and sweat. More than that was the obvious tension mixed with it. The heaviness that the previous activity brought was felt even by those who had only arrived in the room. Everyone was quiet, gazes never crossing, unlike before. Nobody was listening.

Nevertheless, the old witch continued. "It was from a local troupe in Eldham. Moon Petal, was it?" It seemed that the name was familiar to Freeda and Sybil as both their heads turned to Patrick, who bowed his much lower than it already did. "Yes. Now, we hold no reason why they have but… we decided that bringing the recruits is a good decision as it would help you learn more than what we are teaching you."

There was a long silence.

There were no thrilled gasps and whiny responses of why it should be done. Nor was there any reaction at all. 

Somebody clicked their tongue, the sound coming from the witches in front. Evelina looked up to see West whispering to Leila, his expression confused. The pretty witch shrugged before both of them turned to Hellen. Her eyes were closed, shoulders back as her chest slowly moved high and low, controlled and counted as if moving through a pattern.

"Then," Sir Duncan continued with a defeated huff, knowing how hopeless the current situation must be, "that is all. May you have a wonderful evening."

Hearing those words was like being rescued from drowning. 

The vampiress gathered her skirt, finally free to escape from the stench of the room and the awkwardness caused by the day. But before she could take her next step, she stopped.

Royce. 

The way their exchange was the highlight of the day, yet he said nothing about what he suspected she might be, did not sit well with her. Did that mean that she owed him now? What did the boy really want?

When they reached the lobby of the inn, Freeda decided that it was the perfect time to call the recruits. In the noisy, human-packed lobby, where guests were celebrating the return of their drinking and gaming station. The place in which nobody could hear her. 

How smart.

Evelina felt responsible as she was the only one who could hear the witch. Sighing to herself, she went and grabbed the arms of the male witch and humans scattered amongst the crowd.

"Freeda said something," she told them simply, waiting for the other witch to catch up to them. Fortunately, it did not take five seconds to do so as the vampiress did not know what she should say next.

"Right!" Freeda exclaimed, her voice edging between a sheepish chuckle and a tired sigh. "I said, what if we find a place where we could talk about what happened earlier?"

"A place?" Royce looked around, wearing a thoughtful expression. It was the same one he wore when he built up the plot of their first performance. And Evelina almost forgot the terrified, angry boy she knew him to be. Eventually, the human shook his head. "No, not here."

Freeda nodded. "Yes, I actually wanted to suggest my aunt's fashion house? I understand that it's farther away from here but…I think we needed to freshen ourselves up. I mean, we can't just end it here, can we? We're offended, embarrassed, and we think of each other as enemies right now. I think we should…create a bond outside of the troupe."

"Does it not matter that it's night already, Freeda?" Patrick asked, his arms crossed.

"It does. Especially for Royce and Sybil. But maybe we could try? The members of Eglantine are inside this very inn and sometimes, it may feel suffocating being here and knowing that they are, too." So it was not only Evelina who felt that way! Freeda's eyes looked from them to the entrance door where two drunk men were singing something about the way a woman looks at them. "Oh, but it is only a suggestion. Do not take it so seriou-"

"I'll go," Royce said, cutting her off. "Do not think of changing your words."

The brother glanced at his sister, to which she only returned with a smile. 

Evelina was about to reject their offer, when her mind wandered to what she thought before. She had to learn, she had to act. Coming with them to do that did not seem to be such a bad idea.

Until it was.

Threads were unrolled across the ground like a cat was playing with yarns. There were fabrics hanging on the building's chandelier, in which nobody knew why they were there . It was quite a good thing that it was not lit as a fire could attract the attention of their surroundings more than their screams of…what is it? Agony? Affection?

It was hard to understand.

"I'm sorry that I'm such an ass," Patrick cried. Evelina once thought that he was speaking to them and finally fessing up his faults. But with how he was holding the mannequin wearing a ballooned gown, she concluded that he had become delusional. "I was afraid, I guess. I did not know that it could lead to this."

It really did seem like he was talking to them, though.

"I love you!" Freeda screamed at them. "And I will do anything-- anything! I would fix our relationship with each other. We shall be open to each other! And I will only say this once… or twice… but I really love us!"

Evelina's head was spinning with all their out-of-meaning words. It was nonsensical, hilarious, and downright frustrating. 

Meanwhile, being a minor did not stop Sybil from tasting the liquid and falling into a deep sleep after… after a quick sip from the mug.

Of course, when they said freeing from suffocation of the troupe- she had not thought that there would be whiskey drinking involved. 

Freeda did start with talking about swearing that they all mean everything they said to each other before. "But," she said. "I would choose the truth of a friend rather than a lie. And maybe this could help us settle our disputes."

She was walking on a rainbow even before she got herself wasted.

Freeda's aunt might have forgotten the jar of whiskey in the building, not knowing that her niece's friends would barge in to make a mess out of her business. Poor witch. 

It was Patrick who found the jar. He was also the one who involved everyone to give it a try. Thus, making it his fault they were acting like fools.

Unfortunately for Evelina, she was the only one sober even after drinking most of the sweet, fruity beverage. It was enough acting for the day. She did not care whatever happened to the recruits, she only wanted to go home. 

At least, that was what she was telling herself as she watched Freeda at the end of her giddiness, her humongous hat swaying on her head. She quickly hopped on feet to catch the witch before she could fall to the ground. The vampiress settled the slurring Freeda on a nearby pile of clothes and fabrics when she heard a struggling voice.

"Could you help me with her?" 

And it turned out that she was not the only one who was sober.

Royce was trying to wake his sister up. Patrick was supposed to be helping him but he went his way to vomit everything below the nearby mirror. Welp, good luck on explaining that, dearest Freeda.

Evelina groaned and walked over to them. "I'll carry her," she told him. 

She could only hear him breathe and if that was a response, she would take it as that. 

They left the fashion house with both witches drained of their energy. 

She did not hear much from Royce when they were in a group. Like his sister, there seemed to be two sides of him. One was his big brother personality. It was not much of a personality if he was only showing it to Sybil, but he acts the same when the recruits are troubled with something. He takes the lead to fixing up something.

But behind that was the child in him. Afraid and upset. An expression that he had not shown to everyone except West and Evelina. Until that day, that was.

His contempt was said out loud, and with an audience to witness.

Being alone with him served as complete torture as she should not be having feelings of guilt for a human. Other than that, she should be avoiding being alone with any human. 

But that night she was with two. One of them vulnerable enough to take prey on.

"I hope you're not thinking of eating us," Royce warned.

Evelina rolled her eyes. "I would have taken a sip from you inside the fashion house since no one would be able to see. They are both drunk and out of their heads." The boy took a deep breath. "But here we are, halfway to the inn."

"So you really are one," he said quietly. Evelina noticed how he feared mentioning the name. He embraced himself, probably feeling more of the metallic coldness of the night's air. "The world really is unfair."

"Excuse me? I know you have some kind of problem with me but-"

"You're not glad that you're ahead of us. I know. But…do you blame me as all I've seen from you was the way you carry yourself. How you're better than everyone else."

"And what if I am?" Evelina grunted as Sybil was kind of slipping from her arms. She adjusted the way she was carrying the girl. "Would being better than you make you that mad? You really are still a child, not being a good sport and all."

Royce looked at the sky. The way he did made Evelina feel like she had not been seeing him as much as she did with the others. Something in their conversation made her aware of him. He was not scared yet his feelings were still out in the open. 

Despite saying how much of a child the human was, Evelina felt a great sense of comfort talking to him this way. Even if he was still somehow against her.

Before they knew it, the bright lights inside the inn were already in front of them as Royce pushed the wooden door ajar. "No," he answered. And though it was delayed, she understood where he was responding to. "But being better should at least tell you that the people below you have their own struggles, too. The least you could do is not step on them."

He lent his arms to her, his eyes on his sister. She gave her to him, Sybil snuggling up to her older brother. As final goodbye for the night, Royce unexpectedly gave her a small smile. It was not much as a grin…but it was new. 

"Thank you," he told her before turning away.

But she was not yet done. Evelina stopped the boy before he could go any farther.

"I'm glad that you did not speak of what you know. But… is it possible that you want something in return?"

He was quick to say what he wanted, "An assurance. The vampire from before… keep him away from us. That is all I could ask for."

And there she could see both sides of Royce acting as one. He was afraid, yes, but not for just for himself.

Evelina did not answer. She was grateful but an assurance in return? Would she be able to provide such promise?