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I have to go.
Dominique kept on walking, far, far from her sister Veronica and her wicked words. She breathed in the fresh air, visibly shaking as she couldn't help her heart pounding in her chest. Still, she kept walking to a location only she knew, and no one else, a lump in her throat and tears stinging in her eyes, with moments ago repeated over and over in her head.
"You should do well to make better company, dear sister." Veronica spoke, her voice holding an air of superiority, as she and Dominique were in one of the private tea rooms, reserved for just the sisters. This was less a sisterly activity and more of a biological obligation.
Dominique didn't bristle, even as she took a sip of her Earl Grey tea. She lifted her head from the table, and raised an eyebrow, forcing a smile on her features.
"Whatever do you mean? I like to think I keep good company." She asked, though she had an inkling of what Veronica was implying. "I know I can trust my friends, and they can trust me."
Carefully, Veronica took a sip of her own tea, and then placed her teacup on the saucer, before folding her hands together. "Don't play dumb, sister. You know who I'm inferring to, your friends may seem like fine people, but you still have much to learn."
Dominique set her teacup aside, taking the teapot and pouring herself another cup, the smell of Earl Grey wafting through the air. "Oh, I do understand. As you would say, you're just looking out for me."
Veronica scoffed, a wry smile on her face. "They do say you can tell a lot about someone by the quality of their friends, and you've gotten close to that Chevalier, Jeanne, is it?".
Dominique stilled, hearing the name ring in her head, just as she carefully set down the teapot on the table. She gently held her full teacup, her eyes on her sister's, a cold nervousness settling.
"Yes, that's her name, and she is a fearsome warrior, and a wonderful Chevalier to Luca Oriflamme. She saved me, and I owe her my life." She said, her false smile fading into one more genuine, and she took another sip of her Earl Grey.
Jeanne's eyes shone like the sun, her strength, and her bright smile; Dominique could not look away.
Veronica rolled her eyes, and she let out a small laugh, one of contempt. "That may be, but I'd suggest you steer clear of her. Everyone is aware that the Hellfire Witch is a dirty little slut."
Dominique nearly spat out her drink as those words sunk in, a hush falling into the room. She was no stranger to Veronica's words, as she spoke her mind with no mercy, and with no regard for the other's feelings.
But this, this was just most shocking.
Dominique cleared her throat, carefully setting her teacup on the saucer before her, her smile faded.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
Veronica only grinned with an almost hateful glee, and then she continued. "You heard me, you know she and that wretched human cur were whoring it up not too long ago. You should know better than to be involved with such a shameless disgrace."
Her words hung in the stale air of the tea room, even as the Beastia went back to what she was doing, helping herself to her tea.
Dominique lowered her head, clenching her fists, anger bubbling and brimming insider her; if she really wanted to, she could bare her fangs and tear Veronica to shreds for those wicked lies. But no, that wasn't the time or place, nor was such behavior becoming of a knight.
She breathed in, and out.
"How dare you." Dominique uttered, her voice low with brimming fury.
Veronica's grin faded, replaced with an annoyed frown. "I beg your pardon?"
With grit teeth, Dominique stood up from her seat and slammed her fist onto the table with such brute force, she startled Veronica and made the teapot and accoutrements shake.
"How dare you say such vulgarities, such wicked lies?! Jeanne is very dear to me, and I will not stay here and listen to you slander her good name! With all due respect, I will ask you to shut your vicious mouth!" She shouted, her form shaking, her words sharp and true, coming from her heart.
The silence came after, as Veronica couldn't speak, as she was quite stunned by her sister's act of defiance, behavior she did not expect, but her eyes gleamed in a perverse satisfaction.
Dominique caught her breath, and she swallowed a lump in her throat, and she shook her head. There was no point in staying any longer; with that, she gathered her purse and coat, turning on her heel and she left.
I have to go, to go see her.
Jeanne stood by and watched as her charge Luca Oriflamme sat next to his brother Loki, who placed a hand on his hand, ruffling the young boy's hair. This room was almost like a garden, windows high as the eye could see, lush greenery all around, and yet there were chains strewn upon the ground.
Loki was meant to stay in solitary confinement, as he was a curse-bearer. This was his sanctuary and his gilded cage all at once.
"Such sentimental rubbish."
Loki's voice broke Jeanne out of her thoughts, and she couldn't help but step forward, walking slowly as if to not disturb the brothers. She stopped just short of a few feet of Luca, who tilted his head, curious and confused.
"What do you mean, brother?"
Loki couldn't help but let out a scoff. "All this talk about strength in unity amongst the vampires, when in truth, there is no such thing. If we ever tried such a folly, it will all end in a bloody massacre."
Jeanne lowered her head, her hands wrung together, and Luca looked down to the floor, eyes cast down.
Loki paid him no heed, but he turned his head to Jeanne, a wry grin on his face, eyes pitch black. "Of course, you already know this, don't you, Hellfire Witch?"
Jeanne stilled, her eyes furrowed, straightening herself.
Luca spoke up, no less close to his brother, though wary. "That was long ago, Loki, you know this."
Loki kept his hand upon the boy's hand, whole his eyes were dead set on Jeanne. "That may be, but it is inevitable that there will be collapse if our beloved queen falls. With all said and done, who will be to blame?"
Jeanne let out a sigh and her eyes steeled toward the Beastia. "That depends, who do you think will take the blame?"
Loki chuckled, a sound that made the Borreau clench her fists, a sound of mocking derision. Luca could only grimace, but he sat in his place beside his brother.
"There are a few I can think of, perhaps that human beast you've befriended, or shall it be the knight you saved from certain death?" He inferred cryptically that same cruel smile etched across his face.
Jeanne stood nervously, her body tensing, her eyes narrowing, as she knew who he spoke about.
Long, black, and wavy hair lifted by the winds, golden eyes that shone bright, and her smile was positively radiant. Her strength, determination, and loyalty knew no bounds, and she was just as beautiful as both lady and knight.
Dominique…
Loki saw the light of recognition and affection in the Borreau's eyes.
"Ah, the youngest de Sade? Yes, just perfect. The knight in name only, and she has fallen from what little grace she had, and now, she's just a shameless little whore."
Jeanne felt the air rush out of her at those words ringing in her head, chilling her to the bone. She broke eye contact from Loki.
Luca gasped as he turned his head to her with concern, leaning from where he sat. "Jeanne? Are you alright?" He grimaced and turned to Loki, silently pleaded for an apology, but Loki said nothing.
Jeanne clenched her fists, her teeth grit, close to sharpening. "Loki, how dare you."
Loki tilted his head. "I'm sorry? What was th-?"
"How dare you say such a thing about Lady Dominique?!" Jeanne shouted, her voice loud with anger, the sound echoing in the room. "She is a worthy knight, Master Luca said so himself. She is dear to me, she is so much more than her past, and she is one of the strongest people I've ever met!"
The quiet that soon followed her outburst was somehow louder than the echo of her words, and Luca could only look upon Jeanne in awe.
Loki's smile morphed into a deathly glare, but Jeanne did not falter, not even as she caught her breath.
She didn't take her enraged eyes off him, not for a second, even as she turned to make her exit, and Luca stood up from his place next to his brother.
"Jeanne! Are you alright?"
Jeanne stopped at the door, and turned to face Luca, and she regarded him with a kind yet tired smile.
"I'm fine, Master Luca. I will return for you, but for now, you're safest with your brother,"
With that, Jeanne walked through the door, closing the door behind her, with tears stinging her eyes and her body shaking.
I have to see her, I have to.
It began to rain just as they met outside of the hotel, and both Dominique and Jeanne hurried in from the downpour. They reserved a room, for just the two of them, and they had to arrive separately, in case of whispers and murmurs.
Dominique made it to the room first, and then Jeanne arrived soon after. Once the door was shut, they both let out a sigh of both relief and exhaustion.
Jeanne walked over, took off her shoes, and shed her coat to the floor before dropping onto the bed. With a laugh, Dominique could not help but follow suit, adding her shoes and coat to the pile, and lying down just beside her.
"You won't believe the day I've had, my Lady. I'm not so sure I even want to discuss it now." Jeanne said aloud, thoughtful and weary.
Dominique nodded "That's fair, it wasn't a day I'd believe to be one for the books for me either."
"Hm? Whatever do you mean?"
"That I also had a bad day?"
"Oh, then you don't to say anything if you wish not to."
"All right, I'd much rather just lie here with you, mon chéri."
Dominique moved closer to Jeanne, and she threaded their hands together, a loving warmth blooming between them. She smiled gently, and she settled her head on the soft bedcovers, humming soft and sweet.
Jeanne felt her cheeks grow hot, but she smiled back at Dominique, and she entwined her fingers with her lady's. "I was just thinking the same thing, my Lady."
Dominique nodded. "It can wait until tomorrow. For now, we should rest."
Jeanne nodded. "Agreed."
Exhaustion seeped in, and their eyes slowly closed, drifting towards sleep, their hands together.
What inevitable consequences, what reprimand from their outbursts would be, they could wait.
They would not apologize, as their words were the truth, a truth that was from the heart.
It was their truth, it was one they could not take back.