Twisted Fortune - An Escaflowne Fanfiction
By Bonnejeanne and Nixers
Contact: bonnejeanne@yahoo.com and nixerchan@aol.com
Warnings: Spoilers for the entire series, (nothing else yet)
Notes: Set a little over one year after Vision of Escaflowne's end.
Chapter Three - Homecoming (Continued)
Part 6
Dryden leaned back in the study's chair in the heart of the palace of Fanelia. His arrival here seemed almost haphazard to anyone who'd tracked his long journey to become a man "more worthy of the sweet Millerna's affections." Though to his private bemusement, he was realizing that maybe he was just enjoying this doing good stuff.
Dryden's quill dug another few marks into his wax tablet, thereby signifying another repair to the inner city, paid courtesy of his father and his own accounts. No, he amended, he just liked watching his rat-like "Keeper" go ballistic with each debt.
Humming a bit cheerfully, he kicked his feet up on Van's desk, ignoring the warning growl from his feline companion.
Seeing that her territorial growl did no good whatsoever, Merle gave up and went back to tapping the end of Dryden's sash back and forth. "Dryden-sama.... when is Van-sama coming baaaack?"
Dryden's easy expression and posture never seemed to change. The only indication that the those six, hated words had managed to get under his skin again was that the tip of his stylus was now buried a centimeter deep into the soft wax.
"I'd imagine when Van-*sama*" he put extra emphasis on the word, having been in too good of a mood to let Merle get overly temperamental again. "Said he'd be back." He glanced at the calendar, the only unobstructed paper on the entire mess of a desk. It was battered both from his own fingerprints and her clawmarks. He was waiting just as hopefully for Van, but for much different reasons. "At least six days now."
Instead of wailing, Merle just settled for a serious pout. "No...*choo* fair!" she said/sneezed. She should have been in bed. She should not have been sprawling on the carpet in Van's study, playing with Dryden's sash. However no amount of restraints, threats or mildly drugged soup could seem to keep her quiet. The catgirl had gotten taller, leggy-er and begun to develop interesting curves, but she still acted like a very young, possibly spoiled kitten.
Without a pause in his writing, Dryden absently fished out a handkerchief and offered it to the catgirl. "Would telling you to go back to bed for Van-sama help at all?"
Merle snatched the handkerchief playfully from his hand, and then proceeded to make it unusable by anyone other than herself. "*Sniff* ....no..... He's not *here*! He always takes care of me when he's here. He reads to me... and sits with me when I nap... and makes me take medicine... and if I feel really bad he let's me sleep in his lap."
The scholar listened with half an ear, and eyebrow quirking a bit at the last declaration. He knew it was innocent enough, but what Van's face would look like when casually mentioned would be worth it in amusement. The boy was sometimes too easy to ruffle for his own good, if one simply knew which angle to rub. With an inward grin, he noticed the handkerchief, not perturbed in the least. /Silk Ezgardian handkerchief,/ he wrote on the debt ledger. That was probably the twentieth this week.
"The servants have been more than willing to do all of that for you Merle," he pointed out.
"Mmmmph," the catgirl answered. She wound around behind the chair and looked up, eyes fixing on Dryden's hair caught up in a silk tie. She couched low and then suddenly sprang up, snagging the end of the tie and pulling it loose. Then she quickly scampered around the desk and hid behind some drapes.
Set off his precarious balance by the sudden hair tie snatch, Dryden, the chair and half the contents of the desk went sailing up and backwards, into a rather undignified heap amidst a storm of floating papers. Dryden fought off some expression halfway between a smile and a scowl before picking himself up and gazing around for the culprit. It was a quick search, the twitch of a tail and curled paws from beneath the floor-length drapes was a dead give away.
"Merle," he said, sweetening his voice to a tenor. "You DO remember than Van gave me the distinct privilege to ground you until you're 30?"
Merle peered around the edge of the drapes, her expression extremely hurt-pouty. She looked at him with wide eyes, attempting to see if this was having the desired effect. "Dryden-sama wouldn't do that... ne?"
He raised an eyebrow, looking at the mess of Van's study with a dry, amused expression. "In writing, I believe. With witnesses."
Merle swept from behind the drapes and slip up to the tall man, whose dark hair was now tumbling around his shoulders. She circled him closely, brushing against his sides. "Pleeeeeeease.... Dryden-sama.... I'll go to bed.... if..."
Dryden shook his head. He'd already gotten threats of quitting from half of the hospital staff. He'd estimated about three fourths of them were dead serious. "Just help me clean this up again?"
Merle brightened instantly, glomped his and licked his cheek. Probably not the best thing for his health. "Of course!" she said and dropped easily down and began scooping objects randomly together and dumping them onto the desk.
/I'll straighten it later,/ he promised himself. "And the hair ti..." Dryden was cut off as a sharp knock heralded the presence of a runner. The messenger didn't bother to wait for someone to answer the door. A policy that irritated the nobles, but Dryden had rather liked ever since Van had insisted on it.
"Dryden-san." The runner paused looked around the room. "Wow, what happened here?" Dryden pointedly looked in the direction of the far too innocent looking catgirl. The courier made a silent "Oh," and brought himself back up to attention. "Dryden-san. I've been asked to inform you that King Van Fanel has been sighted as returning."
"VAN-SAMA!!!??" Merle squealed and dropped the last armload of papers on the desk.
Dryden nodded to the courier, dismissing him. It looked like it was going to be a better day than he thought.
He glanced over to the ecstatic catgirl. "Well, shall we go, my lady?"
Beaming happily, Merle turned, did one more quick sweep around his feet and scampered to the door. Then she looked back over her shoulder. "Dryden-sama.... you're nice!" she said. There was a glimmer of something in her eyes, but then she pulled open the door and darted out, calling back, "Come on!"
Glancing around fruitlessly for his hair tie, he abandoned it, for now, as a lost cause. He followed the excited girl out into the hall, knowing instinctively where she was going. She'd traced the route in her worried pacing often enough. /Nice?/ he turned the novelty over in his head, he'd been called many things before but never that.
/Not sure what to think of it,/ he mentally shrugged, deciding resolutely to think about it later.
Catching up with the catgirl at the balcony that overlook the square below the palace, he squinted down, absently brushing stray locks of his wild brown mane out of his face. There was already a crowd below. "Can you make them out?"
Merle pulled herself up easily to perch on the balcony railing, balancing effortlessly. Dryden spotted his hair tie - tied around one of her wrists. She stretched up and then nodded excitedly. "I see him!" Then her features rearranged slightly - puzzlement, then something akin to suspicion. "Someone's with him!"
Dryden's own curiosity, a decidedly feline trait itself, kicked in at the sight of his companions changing expressions. He sought in earnest to spot the young king below. "Who would be with him? Allen?" Dryden's eyebrows drew together slightly at that, and a bit of an anticipatory smirk sprang up. It was possible that there was one person on Gaea more entertaining to ruffle than his father's accountant.
Merle shook her head. "Not Allen-sama. It's...." she watched the two figures closely. Judging by clothing... a boy? But her instincts told her there was something wrong with that assessment. Her gaze sharpened further. "...a girl!" she said, and her tone was definitely displeased.
Dryden blinked. "A sui..." he caught himself. If the poor girl was someone that Van had taken a fancy too, best to cover it at least for a while. The girl would be facing Merle's worst anyway, Dryden figured. Still, after Hitomi's leaving, Merle had become possibly more territorial of her childhood friend than before. "Servant. Picked up a new servant," he finished, covering himself instantly with forced confidence.
Merle's tail whipped from side to side and a low growl could be heard. She continued to watch the two approach. "What has she done with Van-sama's shirt!" she exclaimed heatedly.
That got his full attention. Eyes widening slightly, he wished for the catgirl's keen sight. "Washing it?" he asked lamely.
Merle shot him a look over she shoulder. "She's dressed like a boy." She growled again. "Why must Van-sama find these girls who act like they're too good to be girls?"
"Instinct?" Dryden muttered, more to himself than Merle. He stretched (making a sneaky grab for his hair tie in the mean time). "Perhaps we should go to greet them ourselves." Seeking to settled the girl beside him down a bit as well as cheer her up. "Despite his unusual company, he IS home early."
Merle sighed. She jumped off the railing, seeming not to notice his recapture of his tie. She moved around him, brushing as she went, a habit she'd gotten into to the extent he hardly noticed. "Should leave it down," she said over her shoulder as she went in the direction of the entryhall.
Glancing from the hair tie to the departing feline and back again he sniffed slightly. "I like it up," he returned, tying up his rebellious hair in one deft, practiced movement. This time walking along side of the girl, he escorted her to the entryway.
They reached the entrance hall as Van and his companion came through the wide double door. If Dryden was expecting Merle to scamper across the room and glomp her friend, he was in for a surprise. Suddenly she leaned into his side, wrapped her arms around his arm as if he were holding her up, and his silk handkerchief appeared in her hand. She coughed weakly.
"Van-sama!" she cried, as if too sick to do more than stand up and barely that. She held the kerchief to her nose delicately. "You came home!"
Glancing at the catgirl now being "supported" by him, Dryden's lips twitched, on the verge of a grin. Impulsively, he decided not to give away her little game, but nevertheless, half-dragged the "invalid" as he approached, somehow managing to retain a nonchalant look with a catgirl glomped to his arm.
"Van," he said hailing the boy. "You back early. And you've brought a guest?" He inwardly raised an eyebrow, taking in the disarray of the two. Merle was right, they made quite an unusual couple: a crossdressing girl and a shirtless king. Oh, the gossip that would be flying around later...
Van had somehow managed to get Serena's hand in his in the trip from the wagon to the Castle entrance. He came forward, seeing the tall merchant approach. "Dryden. This is Serena Schezar," he said. "I want her to be treated with the highest courtesy and respect," he said. Then he slipped his hand out of hers, and looked at Merle. His eyes looked at her with concern.
Dryden had nearly dropped Merle during the introduction. He'd been away from Pallas, but he'd kept correspondence with Millerna in his absence. Quickly regaining his composure, he put on his best "charmers" face. "It seems Allen's good looks have not missed the female side of his family, lady fair." He reached out his unhampered arm and swept up her palm for a kiss. "Rest assured, you will be treated as nothing less than the delightful gem you are," he murmured over her knuckles.
Serena, who'd been a bit stunned by all of the attention lavished on her and Van, looked up at Dryden, a little lost, but obviously flattered. "Th.. thank you, Sir.. um?"
"Dryden Fassa," Van supplied the missing introduction. "And he always talks like that."
Van looked at Merle and said softly, "You're not well, Merle. You should be resting in bed." He reached forward, gathering her in a gentle hug. Merle sighed and clung to him, looking at him reproachfully.
"Couldn't rest with you gone," she mewed sweetly. "But, *cough* Dryden-sama took care of me..."
"Then I will thank him," Van said, "After I see you to bed."
Only a breif flicker of expression betrayed that Merle suddenly realized she'd outdone herself. Van picked her up easily and carried her out of the room, intent on putting the poor 'weak' catgirl to bed.
Dryden stifled a chuckle, not missing the catgirl's look. He'd learned to read her body language well during his stay. Still, the fact that the mischievous one herself gave him acclaim to her precious Van-sama, made him nervous. What was she up to now?
Dismissing the thought, he released Serena's hand and drew back. "I'm sorry my lady, but I could not help but linger." He straightened and pushed his dark glasses up his nose. "Perhaps I can show you to your guest quarters?"
"That would be ni..." Serena looked around for Van, alarmed at his absence. "I'll wait for Van."
Dryden raised an eyebrow again. It seemed a day for surprises as well. "But of course, he should be returning momentarily."
It was only a few minutes before the king returned. He'd managed to snag a shirt on the way back and had given instruction to some of the household folk to ready a room for Serena, on the same wing as his.
Coming back into the room, he allowed himself a brief sigh and returned to the two. "Forgive me, Serena. She's all the family I have, and I can't let her get any sicker because of her foolish devotion."
"Don't worry. If there's anything I understand, it's family." She had forgotten the tall merchant who'd managed to somehow make himself unobtrusive. It helped that she relaxed easily now that she was once again in Van's presence.
Van nodded gratefully. He turned to Dryden. "Excuse us for now? Serena needs rest, food and might like a bath... Let me get her settled and I'll join you in the study. You've been busy. I noticed several projects finished ahead of schedule as we came through the city."
Dryden casually rocked back on his heels. "It was hardly any effort I assure you. I'll send word ahead through the servants. Although I'm sure that the entire city knows that you're back," he grinned.
Van looked soberly at the tall merchant. "Dryden... I know what you've done for us, for Fanelia. Talk however you like. But Serena... she's under my protection now, you understand?"
Dryden looked about to dispute his assistance, but the second part, and it's tone caught his ear. "Not a problem, I'm sure arrangements on all levels can be made." Dryden nodded, running a hand through his unruly hair. He retained his easy smile but his eyes promised Van that they need to talk about this later. "In the study then? Will an hour be enough?"
Van nodded. He was tired to the bone but it wasn't something he took much notice of. "Thank you, Dryden," he said. Then he turned to Serena. Holding out his hand, he waited for her to take it. It was a gesture both unaffected and completely unconscious.
Blinking, she took his hand with only the slightest touch of hesitancy. She could understand the gesture when they were in the crowd. In the chaos, confusion and shouting, it would have been easy to lose each other. But here? She nodded to him.
Van led Serena through the castle corridors to the wing where his rooms, Merles, and Dryden's as well were located. A maid in the hall saw him and pointed to the door of the room she'd just come out of and he smiled, leading Serena to the door.
"A bath for the lady?" he asked the cheerful looking middle-aged woman, who nodded and bustled off to arrange it. "And some refreshment," he called.
Turning to Serena he looked into her eyes for a moment. "Welcome to my home," he said, and there was a note almost of surprise in it.
Serena looked around, her eyes darting from fixing to furniture quickly, taking it all in. Like his room in Asturia, it was plain, but perhaps not so minimalist. Simple tasteful decorations adorned the room at carefully placed intervals and arrangements. Dragons seemed to take up a great deal of the imagery.
"It's different." Serena said, then grinned widely. "But I think that's what I like about it."
He looked back soberly. "If nothing else," he said, "Most of it's new. The tapestries were finished a month ago." He stepped back into the doorway. "They'll bring water, food and drink. Rest if you can. I'll come and get you for dinner this evening."
Serena nodded, when she turned to face Van again her expression was once again serious for the moment. "Thanks again. I do really appreciate all of this... It might not be long but..."
Van met her look and his eyes were windows to a tangled mixture of thoughts and emotions. "You are the last person in this world I would have thought I'd bring here," he said quietly. "But perhaps there's a reason in it... somehow our fates are twisted together." He dropped his eyes and stepped out, closing the door behind him.
Serena frowned slightly at the closed door, a darker expression passing over her face before she flopped down onto the low bed that the room provided. "For some reason, I'm not sure if I liked that honesty."
Instead, she turned to study the tapestry's to get her mind off of the jumble of thoughts that the king had managed to constantly invoke in her. In particular, the white dragon in the center caught her fancy...
Dryden stared at the haphazard piles of papers, weights and other assorted junk that had managed to find it's way onto the top of Van's desk, not really seeing any of it. He understood that Van had a lot of confidence in him, but what was he going to do about this?
Dryden twisted the end of his scarf wrapping distractedly. The implications, now that he had time to think, had begun to settle in. The main points being that A. They had the sister of one of the three greatest swordsmen in all of Gaea. B. The said swordsman most likely knew about it, and C, was likely on his way here.
He wasn't all that sure even he could afford the damages.
It was slightly less than an hour when Van came into the study. He'd cleaned his face and hands, changed clothes and put his sword away in his room. He came in and threw himself on a wide couch in the corner of the room. He never sat at the desk and had seemingly ceded that place to Dryden almost the moment the merchant had arrived.
Dryden watched the other mans entrance over the rims of his glasses. Leaning on one elbow, he asked, "So... I don't suppose you found a way to get a draybeast to travel from Asturia to Fanelia in this short of time. You would, of course, be obligated to sell me the secrets," he commented in almost a jovial tone.
Van looked at Dryden, ignoring his banter as usual. "A light beam picked us up."
His interest in the historical seemed to perk Dryden up as much as it alarmed him. "A dimension gap... without Hitomi? He glanced over Van, focusing on an almost undetectable lump under Van's shirt. "The pendant then?"
Van let out a deep breath, as close as he was likely to come to a sigh. As much as he hated lots of talk, he wanted to see what Dryden made of this. The tall merchant was one of the smartest people Van had even met, extensively well-read and it was never far from Van's mind that the man had saved his life. He'd had a high respect for the wealthy young man from that time, which had been there first meeting.
"I... met Serena at Pallas. Allen... sent Gaddes to tell me to stay clear of her, for her health," Van didn't roll his eyes, but his own skepticism was not hidden. "But we... ran into each other again, in the market. Some... moneygrubbing bastard had captured and crippled a baby dragon. I..." he dropped his eyes. "I acquired it. Serena... was helping me get it out of the city in a wagon. Allen came after us." Van shifted slightly. "The dragon was riled, Allen attacked, Serena threw herself between us... then the light and we were in the forest east of here." He got it out in as much of a lump as possible and slumped a little, relieved, when it was out.
Dryden had listened quietly, his own observations, familiarity with his taciturn friend's idea of a conversation and a touch of imagination filling in the inevitable blanks. "I can't say that I've heard more than stories about Dilandau, but she seems nothing like what I've heard. Millerna-hime has mentioned Serena has had chronic nightmares, but I take you fell she's safe?" Dryden asked.
It was the first time anyone had said the name out loud in Van's hearing in the last two days, no, since the end of the war. He was silent for several long minutes. "She... she seems not much like... Serena...*is*... she's her own person... as little like Allen as like... *him*. But, safe? No... if I'd thought she was safe... I'd have left her in Pallas."
Dryden nodded accepting his friend's judgment. "There's maybe a chance to delay things a bit. The light doesn't only travel to different parts of Gaea, it's possible that Allen may hesitate thinking you are on the Mystic Moon or elsewhere. It wont take long for word to get back that at least you are back in Fanelia, but he may not act until he has a vague idea of where."
Van made a soft noise. "Hesitate... no. He'll speculate on his way here at top speed," Van predicted. He looked at Dryden soberly. "Dryden... what *is* the light?" He knew there might be no answer for that question but he felt that he was talking to the one man on Gaea who might have any idea.
The merchant clasped his hands behind his chair, tilting his head back a bit. "There's not a lot on it. I did some research after things settled down a bit. All of your stories roused my interest." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "As best as I can put together from the text, it works about the same way that the Ispano travel... through kind of a dimensional gap. It seems to be more closely tied to Draconian magic though. It works on need or want." Dryden's eyebrows knitted together slightly. "The need seems to have to be pretty impressive, and though I can't find many other examples, effects all of Gaea somehow."
Van listened closely. When Dryden was done, he closed his eyes. Without opening them he said, "I thought... it was over." He was silent for a moment and then opened his eyes and sat up slightly, looking at Dryden. "You've been shielding me, haven't you?"
Dryden grimaced and nearly tilted over in his chair again. Recovering slightly, he spread his hands in a gesture of surrender. "The same types of rumors have sprung up three times before, and three times nothing has happened," he offered, his explanation colored with a note of apology.
Van bowed his head. "It's not you. You were trying to be kind. I didn't want to know." He swallowed and looked at his hands. "I wanted it to be over forever. I wanted to believe in the peace. I've no way to protect Fanelia except..." he shook his head, leaving the last word unsaid. "I'm a fool, Dryden."
"Hardly that," Dryden swallowed the other lighthearted observations he'd have normally made. He knew it wasn't the time. "What good would it have done to chase phantoms until now? You've been creating instead of destroying. Hardly foolish."
"I could have been building battlements instead of farms," Van ground out softly. "And now I've brought *her* into this house. And set Allen against me, possibly for good." He reached up to rub his temples, and the weariness of two days, all the events, and only a couple of hours sleeping on a wagon box seat showed in his face and the slump of his shoulders.
Dryden saw the gesture and the state Van was in, but couldn't seem to let himself shoo off the young man without giving him at least a little peace of mind. "I'd rather see farms than battlements. War has never agreed with me," Dryden gave a small version of his usual grin at that. "But, I don't think you have to worry much about an all out attack. Zaibach's forces were nearly decimated by all the reports, and there's no recruitment program out there that can recover fast enough and retrain for an assault." He shook his head. "And maybe *her* here isn't so bad. If she has any of the skill, her fighting WITH you, I doubt we'd have anything to worry about."
Van looked at Dryden as if the idea had thundered from the farthest reaches of the blue. He simply stared. Then he took a breath and shook his head. "That's....." he couldn't quite get a coherent response to form. He swallowed and then turned his mind in another direction. "War not agreeing with you... that why you and Fanelia are good for each other. Dryden... if anything happens to me, I want to name you regent here. Will you accept?"
Dryden stopped ALL of his fidgeting, seemingly struck by the thought. It was a long while before he managed to gather together enough coherency to talk. "You're flattering me."
Van looked his eyes to Dryden's. "I'm serious. I know it's too much to ask it, but in the name of Fanelia, I do. If you want me to beg, I will."
"No need," he managed. "I suppose now it's in my very best of my interests, to keep my wandering lifestyle safe, to see that this anything doesn't happen to you," he declared, affecting his usual bravado.
The acceptance was quickly noted, and the relief on Van's face was genuine and not without a touch of pathos. "For the second time, I owe you more than I can repay," he said softly. "You have taken the greatest weight off my heart. It's the only choice that would be right. They'll be safe in your hands, because they trust you. Even Merle trusts you. As do I."
The other man tried to shrug it off. "Like I said then, and I'll say now, I like you kid." He snorted, giving a wry smile. "And Merle's trust may have something to do with my saving her from the cook after she ate most of the fresh fish that had come in for that feast earlier this month."
Van smiled slightly. "Tell the story any way you like," he said. "Act whatever way pleases you. You have a great heart and some part of it care for my country. I know it. I don't need to hear it from your lips."
As if this lifted the worst of then tension from his shoulders, Van pulled his feet up and curled up onto the wide couch, resting his head on his arm. He closed his eyes.
Dryden let a fond expression settled onto his face as he got up and moved towards the cabinet near the desk. Pulling out a neatly folded blanket, a testament to Van's usual and unconventional choices of room and board, he draped it over the resting kings shoulders before slipping out the door, intent on working out the confusion that had settled around him.
He could and have been working at the job of a regent since very nearly his first appearance in the city, it was only a formality to give him the official title, but the sheer trust astounded him.
Dryden sighed thinking over the conversation. /I'm glad you aren't my enemy Van. Sometimes you are too damned perceptive./ He grinned to himself suddenly, intent on checking on Merle and placating the healers once again. /Still, it's true, I can't help but like you./
Merle, for a wonder, was sitting on her bed, brow furrowed in concentration, and not making any obvious mischief. True, she wasn't *in* the bed, she was perched on top of it, but she hadn't done much more than switch her tail and make discontented noises when someone happened to come in range of her notice.
She looked up when the tall figure of the merchant came through the door and just restrained herself from bounding up to him. Instead she licked one shoulder, where her smock had slipped off baring it conveniently.
He glanced from her to the bed and back again, almost a comically puzzled look on his face. "All right, what did he bribe you with?"
Merle pouted cutely. "Nothing! Dryden-sama... I knew you'd come see about me..."
Feeling vaguely like he was walking into a trap, he asked, "Oh?" He paused, a thought occurring to him. "Is something the matter?" he asked, not unkindly.
She looked at him ingenuously. "Dryden-sama... who is that girl? You know everyone..."
He obviously wrestled with himself. "An enigma," he finally settled on, secure in the truth of it. "I'd say, to get more you'll have to ask either... have to ask Van," he corrected himself, thinking it best that Serena get some sleep.
Merle tilted her head to one side. "You don't want me to bother her, ne?"
"Not right now," he admitted, leaning back against a wall. "Both of them, I'd don't imagine, are fit for conversation right now. I don't suppose curiosity can hold until morning?" Dryden asked. "There *was* a new shipment from one of the jewelsmiths outside of Pallas, and I simply don't have the time to run through the inventory...." he let his voice trail off, hoping to play on her weak spot for both unopened things and trinkets of any nature.
Merle jumped off the bed and went up to him, pulling him over and pushing him to sit on the low surface. "There. No standing. Will tire you. Pretties...." she cocked her head. "But morning! That's hours and hours!!! But if you say, I will wait for a while. Let her get her nap..." she said, wrinkling her nose. "What's a nigma?"
He grinned, absently reaching over to scratch behind her ear. "Something that is difficult to figure out."
Merle purred and leaned into the caress, eyes closing. "Huh," she muttered softly. "Bet *I* can figure her out.... mmmmmm..."
The fingers paused, teasingly, as he admonished, "But not until morning."
She pushed against his hand, mewing softly. "Mmmm.... after dinner!" she offered.
"Very well," he resumed the scratching, turning his attentions to just under her chin. "But after the formal dinner. No going for a meal and declaring it time to investigate."
Merle managed to pout cutely while purring and stretching her neck. "Kay....promise.... Dryden-sama...." she said, in a slightly wheedling tone. "Please tell the healers I'm well enough to rest in my own room..."
He looked over the catgirl. "What and spoil that perfect act you had going?" he teased. "I wouldn't presume."
She pushed against him. "Mean!!! Don't you need me to help you? Count the pretties?"
"Mean and Sneaky over here," he grumbled good naturedly. "Caught me this time," he feigned shock and mortal wounding. "You can go, but you'll be in for dinner of course?"
She purred at him happily. "Course!" She rubbed against his shoulder with her cheek. "Thank you, Dryden-sama!"
He straightened her gown for her and looked her over, before declaring her presentable. Mentally, he added the workers down in receivables as another group of people to apologize to later. "Shoo, you wouldn't want them to open both boxes without you?"
Bouncing up from the bed, she flicked his cheek with a pink tongue and then scampered off. It was worth noting the she was starting to outgrow her girlish smock by some inches here and there.
Dryden rubbed the bridge of his nose above his glasses before turning his head up, as if addressing the gods directly. "I suppose you like confusing me," he mumbled, a bit of his good humor returning due to the irrepressible catgirl. Inwardly, he admitted it was probably the reason he'd wandered in this direction.
He set his mind towards the library (almost all his own collection of books, but still comforting nonetheless), and added it to his list of things to do as soon as possible. Besides giving him the calm he needed, there might be something more to the light Van had asked about. It was worth checking out.
THE END OF PART 6!