Gillian & Sult
The morning after the party. Where people have all sorts of pains and regrets. Sometimes even for a noble cause. The day seemed to dawn with nice weather, as the rays of sun filtered through the windows in the kitchen.
The night before had been too intense. The demonic armor. Her twin... So many things had happened. Words were spoken. Bitterness had grown amidst strife. A conspiracy had been unveiled, but at what price? Petty fights were yet to happen once again.
Sult was never an early riser. But this time, it was different. The blue haired young woman had set aside a jug of milk and some bread with cheese. She was having breakfast meticulously, her stare empty into the walls.
A good breakfast, for before the duel. Too many unknowns awaited. Could she beat her this time? She didn't know. She had become so strong, and she herself seemed to have squandered her talents. She took another bite of cheese. Remorse wasn't a good counselor.
Gillian trodden silently into the dinning hall. Sleep last night had come slowly, and his habit of rising before the sun helped noone. He was still reeling that the first substansive clue he'd obtained in years of searching had come from that leech of an assassin. Still, a lead was better than the nothing he'd had for seven years strong.
He squinted agaisnt the intruding sunlight. Always perfered the hall at his darkest, but he seemed alone in that thought. He walked over to food cart, snagging a loaf of bread, eyes scanning over the small crowd that had collected, spying a familiar head of blue hair.
Not wishing to waste time he heads over to the girl, feet heavy with purpose as they thud softly against the wood floor. "Ser Sunfield. I'm sorry to bother you so early in the morn, but I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions." He said, though it sounded more akin to a command than a request.
"Mmm?" The priestess tilted her head, eyeing the newcomer. Gulping a little of milk, she actually found herself staring at the knight. However, no other sound came from her lips, only a long awkward paused. It was then when she sighed.
"Okay? " She raised her voice, as she answered. "Go on, but I warn you, it might be too early for a date, my dear sir." She finished, her grin present.
Gillian flushed for a moment, forgetting the girls rather...impish nature. "Yes yes, very funny Sult." He said, dropping the formal names. He straightened up in his seat, composure seemingly recollected. "It concerns your brother, Nero I think it was? I've heard tell that he is in possession of, or atleast was exposure to, a set of armor manufactured by demons. Did you know of this?"
The blue haired woman rolled her eyes, as she sighed. "Soulscale. I see. Yes, I knew of this." Her smile seemed to disappear. "It is a major point of contention, you know..." She sighed, as she leant forward towards Gillian.
"I've got a duel over that with that odious sibling of mine... I'd love to tell you more details, but..." She added, as she chewed on more cheese delicatedly, licking her lips afterwards."I'm afraid I have knightly stuff to do, my dear sir." She giggled. "A duel is no joke."
"I assure you, I wont keep you from your duel and wish you best of luck." He said, voice flat as iron as he struggled to maintain eye contact. This is why he perfered to spend his days with trees and brush. They did not flirt back. Or at all, most of the time "But I am afraid I will have to be rather insistant on you being able to tell me what you can."
"Oh? That's really boring, my dear sir. It really is..." The woman tilted her head. "However, there's no way to end this in a sour taste, my dear sir? See... since everyone's up and with their business, they hardly have any time for poor me anymore." She said feigning weakness."Maybe, if some charitative soul would be a judge in the duel, I could actually answer all the questions."
Gillian did not looked phased by the theatrics. This was more or less the sort of behavior he expected from his brother (er, sister?) in arms. "Extorsion my dear? You've the air of a much gentler soul than that. But fair enough, if that is what I must do to gain your trust on this matter, I will judge your duel." He crossed his arms, face still sour with determination (though the slightest grin of bemusement was beging to sneak its way onto him). "But I warn you, you'll gain no special favor from me because of our brotherhood. It would insult your and his honor if I judged you unfairly."
"You bitch." Sult exclaimed, in a low hissing voice. Except her lips didn't move. And the voice was coming from the door of the kitchen,rather than the female in front of him. Sult Sunfield, or rather, another Sult was standing in the door ajar. "There is a limit on how much of a flirt one can be, NERO! With that stupidface of Sir Gillian nonetheless!". She spat her name as an invective, nails digging on the doorframe.
"Oh, but it was really fun impersonating you. Everyone seems to have this kind of opinion about you, my dear sister. You've brought it upon yourself." Nero grinned as she drank the remaining of her milk.
Gillian could hear the name shouted by the true Sult ring in his skull as the twins argued. Had...he just been flirted at by the brother he intended to question. His face burned red, though he was not sure if it was embarassment or mild anger from the ruse. "....wait." He said, finally able to pull himself back to reality. "Stupidface?...also, why is your brother wearing your clothing Sult." He said, deciding now that maybe he should have gone with the captain last night. Dying in a crypt was likely to make his head hurt less than the last four seconds.
"She's my sister, Gillian, my fifteen minutes older sister. We're identical twins... and she took my clothes without permission!" Sult fumed as she leapt towards Nero, her swift hands quickly invading her personal space and grabbing the familiar curves as she lifted Nero's bosom in her hands."She just passed herself as my brother to not draw comparison to the Iron Roses! Does this look a man's chest to you?"
And it was Nero's turn to become furious, her cheeks reddening as a result. "Unhand me you sow! This is unacceptable!" She added, as she struggled herself out of Sult's grasp quickly.
"C...calm down, both of you!" Gillian said as he stood, trying (and to a degree failing) not to watch the inappropriate display before him. "Look, you both have nice chests." He added, somehow thinking that would help. "Please lets just try to de-escalate the issue. I dont want either of you hurt before you can resolve your duel proper. And it isn't befitting of either of you. Sult's a grand companion and Nero in her own right commands her own order."
"He's right, you know." Nero said. "That's why he's going to be the judge." The eldest of the twins smirked as she eyed Sult, who hastedly removed her hands from the inappropiate places.
"Fine." Sult added. "Gillian, you had better be a good witness to this. Because if Nero loses, she'll have to apologize for being a idiot, and join the Iron Roses."
Gillian nodded to Sult. "Though its no business of mine what the wager is, I just gave her my own word. Both of you will recieve fair judgement in my eyes. I wont insult your ability by giving you favor, even as my companion."
"Haaa?" Nero snarled. "Do you want to raise the stakes, baby? Fine then. I shall do it. If I lose, I'll become one of your odious Fanilly admirers. I'll even don a maid suit and cater to the wishes of that midget if need be. But in exchange, if you lose you'll have to quit the order and become princess Eliabelle's maid!" She added, as she looked at Gillian.
"We have a deal good sir Gillian. I do...appreciate men with integrity. Unlike others present." Nero said, before heading towards the exit. "I'll meet you in the training room."
Gillian sighed, turning to the true Sult. "I...suppose I shall also meet you there..." He shoved the remaining loaf into his waiting maw. Appetite spoiled someewhat. As he began to walk to the training room he addressed the woman again. "...and while its none of my business, perhaps you shouldnt antagonize your sibling so. There are few brothers I've met that would truely tear at each others throat. Family is rare in this day and age after all."
"Heh. If only you knew... maybe i'll tell you someday. But first I've got an idiot sister to beat. She manhandled Fanilly, you know." Sult said..."but perhaps, maybe... hm. Nevermind."
Gillian luaghed slightly. As he thought, the Sunfield was too kind a soul to hold a hate that deep. "Right right. Well, when you do I will tell you my story of how I accidentally flashed the captain. It'll be fun. And horrifically embarassing. So I suppose standard fair for our order."
"Well, Roses are always a little naughty, aren't they?" Sult added as she headed to change near the training room. She did so in silence. The hour had come.
A tie.
Nero was the first to awake, groggily looking around, as she regained her counsciousness. "Sult...hey Sult!"
"Mrrmrmg." The answer came from the heap behind her. "...I suppose you're here to gloat."
"We both lost consciousness."
"What." It was Sult's flat answer, all her anger and frustration disipating all of a sudden. "We ...tied? How in Reon's name is that even possible?"
Nero knelt besides her sister, sighing. It was then when it surged from the depths of her soul. First it was a smile. Then a chuckle. Then a full blown laughter. "This is so stupid! Why are we doing this in first place?"
"I don't know!" It was Sult's answer, who despite the beating was still chuckling a great deal. "Maybe if you hadn't sold me out to the princess, none of this would've happened!"
"Oh yeah, by the goddesses, Sult, why did you eat that cake It was her birthday. The damn princess birthday!"
"...I... guess, I just wanted to feel special and loved." Sult's laughter stopped, all of a sudden. "And you, you were the only one that made me feel like that as family."
"...we were so immature back then. We didn't realize. Until now. And now look at this...mess." It was Nero's answer, as she tended her hand to the battered Sult to get up. "We ought to fix it somehow."
"Maybe you can start fixing my face... I can, um, teach you the spells." Sult added, rubbing the amount of bruises she had sustained.
"Yeah." Nero said. "And then the maid suits."
"...yeah. Maid suits, it is." Sult said solemnly as she whispered into Nero's ear what she needed to know on how to perform healing.
The captain descended downstairs. It was time. An elegant blue-haired woman dressed in the same outfits as the servants of Fanilly greeted her with haste. Her curtsy was elegant and corteous.
And she had Sult's face.
"Good morning, mistress. How may this humble maid serve you?"
Well, at the very least, she didn't have to go to the palace like Sult, Nero thought.