Bane Four - Guest

Bane Four - Guest

Bane Four - Guest

It was a big important day.This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

I knew this because mom had literally told me that it was going to be a big and important day that morning.

Well, no, Luciana didnt exactly use those words, but she did tell us that there would be no training that day and that we should all bathe and make ourselves presentable because there would be (more) guests at the castle for a week or two.

I took that to mean that it was a big important day.

I hate this, Felix said.

No, you look cute, Esme said.

I nodded. Really cute, I said.

Felix glared at the two of us, but it wasn't very powerful, and it certainly didnt intimidate either of us.

The dress she wore had frills on its frills, and lacey material covering its skirts and waist. Its poofed sleeves meant that Felix had to keep her arms partially raised, and its bust was ballooned out and looked like an empty wineskin slapped onto Felixs front.

What did you do to my hair? Felix asked.

She usually kept her hair in a long braid at the back and cut short at the front. When her bangs grew too long she took a knife to them and chopped off the bits that annoyed her. It had horrified me when I first saw her doing it. Now her hair was festooned in bows and ribbons.

I look stupid, Felix said.

No, I said. I coughed to stop myself from giggling, but it was still obvious in my tone that I was holding back laughter. No, of course you dont.

Felix glared harder.

Esme and I were dressed up too. Esme in a nice evening gown done up in purples and with a few light blue accents, and me in a flowing dress that imitated moms own style of dress. That was, it hugged my features all the way down my legs, with a slit along the side for walking and a lacey poof around the hips.

I could barely walk in the dress, and it looked embarrassingly wrong in a few spots. Mom was a lot more... more than me. Still, I was determined to look like mom, at least a little. It wasnt every day that I got to play dress-up.

Felix crossed her arms. Why cant I just wear pants?

Because pants arent pretty, I said.

Yeah, Esme agreed. Now you look like a noble lady.

I look like an idiot, Felix said. And Id think a lot more about those noble ladies if they were wearing pants.

Through the air, obviously, Esme said.

I bet they dont spend their whole day up there. Birds dont, Felix said.

Luciana sighed. Girls, if you could bicker a little less, I would very much appreciate it.

Both girls shut their mouths with twin clicks.

I held back a laugh. I didnt want my friends to be afraid of mom, of course, but it was still funny to see them snap-to whenever mom said anything near them. They didnt know that mom was actually a terribly big softy under all the sass and the evil dark goddess-ness.

As the distant pegasi grew less distant, the form of a carriage became obvious behind it. It was a sleek black thing, shaped like a tear-drop with large wheels sticking out beneath it. At the front were four winged horses. Not the pure-white ones like I had seen in a few coloured manuscripts, but more ordinary, horse-like pegasi, dabbled in browns and blacks.

They came down gently some distance away from the castle and landed with a slight lurch, then the horses pulled their wings in and trotted along at a decent pace.

I found myself standing on tippy toes as the carriage stopped before the castle.

The pegasi stomped and shifted at the base of the castle, obviously impatient, at least until a few monsters moved out from around the corner and started heading towards them. The monsters were quick to undo harnesses and start brushing the horses down. They were surprisingly okay with the treatment.

Luciana took a step closer to the edge of the steps as a door opened on the side of the carriage.

A woman stepped out. Not as tall as Luciana, but much taller than me, with frizzy brown hair and a simple dress. She had large glasses hanging around her neck from a silvery chain, and a large satchel by her hip.

She looked around, then zeroed in on Luciana at the top of the steps, only sparing a glance for us.

I glanced at my friends. Felix shrugged, and Esme didnt stop looking away from the woman.

The woman climbed the steps, stopping right before Luciana. Hows the tea? she asked.

Still warm, Luciana replied. Did you bring anything worth the hospitality?

Hmph, I havent been here in near-on half a decade and thats how you treat me? Disgusting indeed, Luci.

Please dont call me that, Luciana said.

I think its cute, I said. I slapped a hand over my mouth when mom gave me a look.

Oh! Well, no guessing which ones that vaunted daughter of yours, the woman said. She walked closer and inspected us again, more carefully this time. Pleased to meet you, girls. Im Semper.

Oh, Esme said, a moment before she collapsed to the ground at a dead faint.

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