♚ Elysion Aftermath ♚


Lumiere had exited that warehouse they had met in, other scouts paying little attention to her and mutually, she paid little attention to them. It was a battle that tied .. One could only hope their neither side would be remaking a comeback tonight. With the casualty count and the few who remained standing, it was unlikely.

This was bad. Not the battle. No, that wasn't Lumiere's first priority now. What she was concerned about what the fit her manager would throw. The female had seen her earlier in the day so she would wonder what happened to Lumiere in the one night she had been gone. Tipping her hat low, her long blue hair bundled up and a pair of glasses on her face drew little attention from the early morning occupants who passed by the walking girl. It was with a hurried haste that Lumiere entered her large home, the door shut gently behind her soft heels.

Unfortunately, that seemed to draw attention. It was Lumiere’s unfortunate luck that the servants of the household woke at an early house. She tried to tug her sleeves downwards but the bruises form Petalite’s attacks appeared regardless in the early rays of the sun that filtered through the window. As small as the household was, they pounced on their young mistress with a passion.

“Miss Lumiere---“

“What happened?”

“I’ll bring some medicine right away!”

“Why were you out at such an unsightly hour?”

They busied themselves with tasks, forcing Lumiere to take a seat in the parlor. Lumiere desired to retreat to the privacy of her room with a cup of tea but it.. seemed that would be impossible. Delaying on giving the household an answer would draw suspicion as well. The usually neatly composed Lumiere had little originality to lying, attempting to come up with a plausible excuse. It was difficult to come up with one that didn’t blame strangers—Lumiere despised the act of blaming flaws or incidents on others, unless rightfully so.

Struggling to stem down the annoyance and aggravation, when all she wanted was some time alone, she knew that she owed them an answer. “I—I .. deterred from my usual path home and happened to run across a stray horse that escaped from it’s trailer. As you can see, that encounter left me a little bruises.. but nothing to worry about.” She offered the excuse, thinking it to be more plausible than a “terrorist” attack. If she let them suspect, in any way, that she was involved in such a thing, the freedom Lumiere knew would be cut short quickly.

Immediately, the household started to talk of accusations towards the owner of the horse until Lumiere pointed out, she had wanted to step in. After all, horses were gorgeous creatures that deserved respect. Even Lumiere admired the animal with a reverence, wishing badly, she was sometimes at the stables back home.

“Meanwhile.. I’d like to retire to my room. If you wouldn’t mind ..” She hesitated, her hands clasped together, giving the household a rare and desperate glance. As the younger mistress of the house, she didn’t hold the authority of what she was about to ask.

“If.. it’s possible, could I ask for your silence in the matter? It’s not something my mother should concern herself with.” She knew she was asking more than she should—as servants, they were obligated to report such incidents to her mother. If it had been found that they kept it from her, it would cause an unnecessary bundle of trouble.

Yet.. Lumiere so rarely asked anything of the household.

Exchanging uncomfortable looks, the housekeeper lowered to her knees to the seated Lumiere, taking the model’s hands in her own. Lumiere was a teenager—as mature as she pretended to be, she was only a child. Children had secrets. If Lumiere wanted it to remain a secret, there must have been an excellent reason for doing so, the housekeeper reasoned.
With a glance that circled the room, following the affirmative nods of the servants, she lifted Lumiere’s lowered face, her hand tipping Lumiere’s chin upwards.

“Rest assured, we won’t if that’s what you require. Now go to bed. We’ll have breakfast and tea prepared for your arrival.”

710 words