2ch8

       Val looked at herself in the mirror, holding the green dress up against herself. Wondering what she looked like in it, she slipped it on, turning around to allow her to see the back for a moment. Her mind wandered to her thoughts of Ren's planned departure today as her hands smoothed out some of the wrinkles on the dress. Val looked in the mirror one last time, admiring the dress for a moment before she decided not to wear it.

        Slipping out of the dress, she opted for her clean travel clothes instead. Choosing it as a more accurate representation of who she was, she pulled her clothes on before she grabbed the crystals on top of the table in front of the mirror. Val checked herself one last time, running her hands down her clothes one last time before she left the room, closing the door behind her.

        She looked around for Irai, finding her outside in the backyard, laying in the grass? while she stared into the sky. Val walked up to the catgirl, taking a seat next to her as the elf watched the cat-morph give her little attention. Irai merely reached out to the sky for a moment, trying to grab something in her imagination before she rolled onto her chest, playing with the grass in front of her face.

         Val gently rubbed the catgirl's back. "Today is the day, we have dreaded."

         Irai looked up at the elf before her attention returned to the grass. "I know."

         "Let's go see him off. It may be the last time we'll get to see him in a while."

         Val watched the catmorph jump to her feet and run off, entering into the mansion before the elf could get to her feet. She smirked to herself, noticing how much Irai cared for Ren as she walked back into the mansion. Val followed all the open doors leading to the front lobby, looking at her lord while Irai hanged off his neck. He kissed the catgirl on the forehead softly, smiling before he looked up at the elf.

        "Are you and your companions ready to leave, m'lord?"

        Ren nodded. "Just about."

        Val pulled out the crystal necklaces from her pockets, giving two to Ren. "Do you mind pricking yourself with each crystal?"

        "Sure."

        Val gave one of the remaining crystals to Irai as she pricked herself with the last one. As she pricked herself with the crystal, the crystal began to glow a bright purple. She watched Ren and Irai do the same, turning their stones blue and pink respectively. The elf gave her crystal to her lord, taking one of his to keep as her own while the catgirl swapped her crystal with his other crystal.

       "Now you will always know that we will be all right. So long as those crystals grow, we live, and the same applies to yours."

       Ren put the necklaces on, holding onto both crystals. "Thanks. This may make my trip just a little easier, so long as I know that you two are okay."

      The succubus appeared behind Ren. "Master, Byrd and I are waiting on you."

      Byrd opened the door, turning back to Ren and the succubus before he exited the mansion. The demoness followed shortly after, pausing at the door once to wait for Ren as he slowly pulled away. Val remained strong, bowing slightly.

     "Have a safe trip, m'lord."

     "Val... Irai..." He smiled. "After this, I won't leave you two like this again. Be strong for me while I'm gone."

     Irai waved to Ren as he began to leave, smiling. "Have a safe trip, Ren."

     Ren closed the door behind him, leaving the two alone in the lobby. The smile slowly faded from Irai as she held on to the elf tightly. Val rubbed the catgirl gently, trying to help the younger female relax. Slowly, she began to rock the catgirl, fighting her own tears as well.

    "Irai... if you want, I'll be more than happy to teach you the way I dance so you can show him when he returns."

    "Thanks..." The catgirl pulled out of Val's arms for a moment, looking up at her before running off to the backyard.

    The elf found herself alone in the lobby, holding back her urge to follow Ren. She walked upstairs, returning to her room as she sat on the bed, looking down at the floor. She looked at her hands for a moment before she fell back onto the bed, laying down to stare into the ceiling.

    "Tsk tsk tsk. I never expected you to be one to lounging around."

    "Hey sister." Val looked up, gazing at Neve who sat on the edge of the bed.

    "What's got you down today? And when am I going to meet this lord who defeated you in the Dance of Blades?"

    Val sat up. "Figured you heard. But that's the reason why I feel why I do. He just left for a journey."

    "And you didn't go with him why?"

    "His will was for me to stay here and take care of things while he was gone, since it was some personal business that he had to take care of."

    Neve adjusted her glasses for a moment. "Guess I will have to wait like you until then. Of course, you may need my help with managing things until he returns. I'm sure that while you have had plenty of travel experience, you have none when it comes management of something this big."

    "Geee, thanks for the vote of confidence..." Val turned to her sister and smiled. "But thanks."

    "Well, until your lord return, maybe I should think about getting in contact with some old friends and let them know we'll have a party when he returns. Also..." Neve looked at her sister for a moment. "We should think about preparing you for him. While you do have the natural beauty our family possessed helping you out, there are some things you need in order to hook him in so he never does something like this without you again."

     "Bah. Turn myself into a wife and a mistress of the home, sounds like something you'd like to do. Besides, you'd be surprised." Val smiled. "You'd have a hard time with him."

     "I do see that as a challenge. We'll see. But for now, why don't we take advantage of the moment and enjoy a nice bath with herbs and incense to try to get you relaxed. Also... You don't mind if I move in one of the rooms in the meantime?"

     "Go ahead. However... despite the fact that there are slaves in this mansion, don't treat them like trash."

     Neve stood up. "You never liked slavery, did you? I'm surprised you haven't influenced your lord yet."

     Val grinned. "I haven't had to."

     "He is a strange man indeed. Come on, you can tell me everything while we bathe."

     Val watched her sister leave the room, leaving her alone to change into a robe before her sister returned in her own robe. She led Neve through the mansion, down the stairs to the changing room. Opening one of the side doors, she showed her sister into the small room with the hot tub inside.

     "It's been a while since we've done this together. So, before you get to hear all the details since you left, I want to hear all about what you've been doing."

     Neve frowned. "Why do I have to go first?"

     Val placed her hands on her hips. "Because I've already told you some of what has happened with me, so it's only fair to hear your end before I tell you everything."

     "Meanie." Neve removed her robe, letting it fall to the ground before she stepped into the hot tub, easing herself in. "The usual. The boys are always running around, doing this, doing that. dragging me along for the ride."

     Val removed her robe, joining her sister in the tub. "You mean you follow them in hopes of snatching a good amount of treasure and mystic items."

     "You have no faith in my kindness!"

     "That's because your kindness is usually motivated by something other than the good of your heart. I'm your sister. I know you better than that."

     Neve pouted. "You make me sound evil."

     Val smirked. "No, you're not a noble. You're just greedy."

     "That hurts." Neve stuck her tongue out at her sister. "Meanie."

     "Care to go on?"

     "Nah. It was a bust. That's treasure hunting for you. What we did find was just trouble, as usual. I swear, it follows them around like a loyal dog. But enough about me." Neve adjusted her glasses slightly. "So tell me about this person who is now your lord, eh?"

     Val crossed her arms over her waist, looking away from her sister. "His name is Ren, the target who I was hired to kill, if you don't remember."

     "Go on."

     "I... I don't know how I can really describe him... other than amazing in his own right. I guess he was everything I didn't expect from someone like him. The only problem is that he tends to make enemies in all of the wrong places."

     "Like with the other nobles?"

     "Of course. Well... he is an excellent warrior, and on top of that, he has a clever mind to back it up. I guess I am glad that I lost to Ren, and not to 'him'."

     "Speaking of 'him', I don't think he knows the news yet. Should I tell 'him' about your defeat just yet?"

     "No... I don't want to put Ren in that position just yet."

     Neve grinned at her sister. "From what it sounds like, you really do care about him... maybe even love him?"

     "Maybe..." Val blushed slightly, reaching for the crystal that hung around her neck and holding it gently in her hands while she admired it. "But I know one thing for certain."

     "Oh?"

      Val smiled at her sister. "I know he will return to me."

Chapter 9:
Coming Soon