Chapter 1: Act 1; The Guard and The Noble
Chapter Text
A soft clattering of carriage wheels filled the refined streets with a familiar clatter and little new in what was outside but within the carriage was something else entirely. Something most here passing by would turn their nose at, scoff or even yell and point. At least that was Nicole’s thoughts as she sat alone in the carriage. Blackened windows with metal mesh over it only letting her vaguely see outside and watch nobility pass her by clueless. The sight for her wasn’t too unfamiliar but the streets the carriage bumbled down were. She’d seen the highest of highest streets and the lowest of lows but the middle was for people ignorant of her very existence. Nicole stroked her dark green ponytail with worry. She didn’t know how she was going to be a bodyguard around here with the magical hair in the way.
That thought was swallowed back though as Nicole tried to remind herself what she was in this for.
Yes,
the client sounded like a sleaze from what vague stories she’s heard at home or on the street but she was finally going to have a real independent job for once in her life. Carmen Brew was his name and Nicole hadn’t even met him yet and he hadn’t left the best impression. She was hired under what she felt was a squeeze. Only receiving the job offer 2 hours prior with only the carriageman who carried her now telling her she had an hour to pack her things and accept or refuse before the offer was gone. It sounded even worse in her head when she described it like that- But frankly she was desperate. She’d trained over a decade now to conform and keep herself in control and had never been given a job offer. It was her chance to prove she’d changed and could pay back her debts herself instead of being a continuous devil on her family.
Nicole’s thoughts running in circles soon came to a stop though as the bumping of the street halted and the carriage door clicked open. The coachman held it open for Nicole to step down and take in the new residence before her. A grand manor no doubt and even if she’d seen bigger before higher in the city, she’d never got close to one.
“Your bags, ma’am.” The coachman held out Nicole’s lightly packed bag for her to take.
“Thank you. Where should I be headed to get my work?”
The man averted his eyes seemingly unknowing. “Didn’t get instructions that far in. Suppose’ just head inside and wait in the hall.”
Nicole squinted in worry. The great start continues. “Alright… Thank you regardless.”
The coachman returned little appreciation before taking off and officially stranding Nicole to her new task. Nicole turned towards the grand home and sucked in her little pride to march on. As she walked through the opened gate and front garden, the original wealth the estate gave off corroded away when she looked much closer. The garden was unkempt and overgrowing even onto the driveway of the home. The fountain before the doors didn’t seem much better either- filled with leaves from the beginning autumn and dead pine-straw of imported pines. At the door, the wood lacked furnish and paint in some areas from weather and disrepair. Nicole glanced over the vines that seemed to have claimed the lower level of the estate for itself before pushing one of the heavy doors into the main hall.
She didn’t know what she was expecting coming inside but the near utter silence and dusty air was far from it. It was only near though as while Nicole found herself standing awkwardly in the entrance she could hear the vaguest of arguments down another hall. Not knowing what more to do, Nicole let the heavy door beside her creak and close under its own weight as she slipped inside completely. She resigned herself to standing by those doors among the other still sets of armor far more elaborate than her own basic plate she wore but seemingly purely decorative. Given more time to look inside as well, Nicole saw how the two floors she thought there were were merely a decorative choice of tall ceilings and multiple windows. Not that it was a good creative choice. The lower windows around her were already a dusty mess with even vines claiming the sills but the upper windows looked like they were never cleaned. Trying to seemingly fend off her dread though, Nicole at least believed that the scent of the home was nice. Or maybe it was just the fact she’d never smelt grassy in the industrial city before.
Regardless of this, Nicole's attention was brought back down from her ever curious dissociative state when a door slammed and thundering footsteps rushed her way. She bit her breath and waited. From around the right hall came a middle-aged man, already enraged seemingly. He wore a fully brown tailored outfit with an orange tie to his thinly striped suit. Height was little of note- slightly over average but not that it mattered with Nicole’s own height being much taller and his face was sharp with stubble unkempt. The man’s rampage down the hall paused when he spotted Nicole out of the corner of his eye and finally spoke up directly to her.
“You. You’re Nicole Ting, yes?” He questioned sharply.
“Yes sir. Are you-”
“
Carmen Brew
.” The slight growl made Nicole hush herself. “Why are you just standing out here in the hall?”
Nicole sweated but kept her voice in order. “I asked the coach where I should go but he had no idea so I was waiting for instructions.”
“What? Did he even tell you what your job would be?”
“Only that I’d be a bodyguard for you.”
Nicole could swear Carmen was practically going to blow a fuse but after checking his watch seemed to keep his professional facade up.
“That imbecile… No matter. Listen to me closely because I do not have the time to repeat myself understood?”
“Understood sir.”
“You are not
my
bodyguard. I am the one hiring you but you will not be guarding me. My whelp of a son, Cole, is your assignment. He’s twenty and frankly too much a headache I’d rather have someone else babysit him for once. He will not need much protection as I doubt any assassin has his eyes out for him but rather you need to keep him in line. He’s made a habit of trying to skip out on his practice, being late to his own performances, and making a fool of me in public. So you are to make sure that doesn’t happen, no matter what force you might need to use- Understood?”
Nicole thanked the hearth her training of masking was paying off but still felt guilty that the whole thing made her feel frustrated and fooled. Nicole’s silence at such a request had Carmen looking more and more impatient by the millisecond and Nicole panicked only a moment before she responded.
“I-I Understand.”
“Good, I was worrying you were brain dead for a moment. Your quarters are down the right hall, second door. Drop your things off and know that your curfew is the same as Cole’s. When he goes to his room for the night I expect the same as you.”
Nicole was about to raise a brow at what else she was to do after that but Carmen’s yell back down the right hall cleared it up for her.
“COLE! Your guard is here. I expect you to guide them around the home before you work. Do not delay because they will tell me from now on.”
Nothing returned the shout but Carmen didn’t seem to care. Just as quick as he pushed the job onto her, Nicole stood by as he marched to the front door.
“Go drop off your things. I have work to attend to and I do not need to hand hold two adults.”
The heavy front doors thudded behind Carmen and Nicole made it a point to be quick with dropping her things off. She beelined for what was now going to be her room, the second door down the right was easy enough to remember, and slipped in. The room felt just as desolate as the rest of the home so far, though at least she could understand this time with it being a guest room. The roof still stretched far above what felt comfortable and though she found herself supplied with a closet, large bed, desk and even what looked to be a personal washroom, it felt so cold. She was just at home less than two hours ago but damnit this place made it long for it more than the nights she spent far further. Little was to be unpacked with such a light back, just an extra pair of her normal wear, a night gown that might constitute more for a very long shirt and leather armor if she got sick of plate. She had little of hobbies so at most what else Nicole could pull out was a few empty papers and letters onto the desk to mail home.
Before Nicole had a chance to stand aimlessly in place again, a knock at the door came. She could already guess what might be behind it but knew better than to delay the fate she’s gotten herself into. Pulling herself together, Nicole opened her door with a quick swing and found herself a bit wide eyed. She didn’t know what she was expecting Cole to look like but the quite short blonde scratching his head turned away certainly wasn’t it. Cole seemed uninterested as he turned around but once he did both were staring at one another. Nicole barely processed it used to staring and instead just studied his face. Faint freckles and bright wide green eyes on tan skin didn’t help him look much more mature than a teen. The suit he wore, even if fitted, didn’t seem to fit his demeanor either.
“Uhm… Hello.” Cole’s high voice broke Nicole out of her observation and straightened herself out.
“...Hello. Cole, right?”
“Yeah. What’s your name?”
“Nicole Ting.”
Cole only gave a small hum in confirmation and continued to look over her curiously. The staring was fine at first but now that Nicole was aware of the prolonged aspect, she combed her hair back till she had to ask.
“...What are you staring at?” Nicole expected the answer.
“Oh- Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting you to be uh… a girl?” Well she wasn’t expecting that.
The slight drop of her mask and narrowing of eyes at Cole for the comment seemed enough to make him squirm though.
“Ah- Not that’s a bad thing or anything! I was just surprised!” Cole cleared his throat embarrassed. “Sorry. Full name’s Cole Brew. Pianist and composer. Also workaholic but seeing as you’re here now that’ll have to wait for me to show you around. Need anything from your room before we start?”
Nicole raised a brow at the way Cole joked but responded coldly. “No. Lead on.”
Cole seemed nervous with how she spoke but kept the small polite smile on his face. “Alright… Well we will get to the end of this hall last since it’s where I work but first- My room.”
Cole opened his door to let Nicole peer inside briefly. “There’s really not much to note here given it’s probably a copy of your own minus the books.” He wasn’t very wrong either to Nicole’s eyes. The rooms were eerily similar only his floorboards looked like they could fall in if he weren’t so light. Cole closed the door as Nicole quietly brought her head back out and followed him into the main hall.
“Main hall! As you can imagine- there’s again little to say of it. Across the entrance though is the kitchen but you’ll see that at lunch.” Nicole peeped over to the kitchen that seemed to double as a sunroom around a hedge garden and her curiosity peeked.
“Is there a garden outside?”
Cole’s smile faltered and eyes dimmed as he looked outside as well. “Well there is but it’s not exactly a nice one. My dad can’t be bothered to spend a copper on it so it’s not been taken care of in half a decade. I’m sure you’ve seen the vines on the sills.”
Nicole’s own face soured and Cole took notice to her surprise. “Are you disappointed it’s not taken care of?”
“In a way I guess… It’s nothing to stress over though.”
“...Alright. Well onward it is then.”
Cole turned on his heel to the left hall and Nicole did her best to divert her eyes from the windows as she followed. This hall seemed a good bit more kept together comparatively to the right yet Cole didn’t seem to reach for any of the doors.
“Now while I’m not really allowed to enter these rooms they’re still important. That’s the cook and maid’s quarters on the left and the right side of this hall is just for meetings and my dad’s room. However, the most important thing is that last room there.” Cole pointed straight ahead to far more elegant doors surrounded by more of the armor statues and paintings. “That’s my dad’s office and the reason it’s important is you should never ever enter it!”
“Why’s that?”
“He’d probably kill you is why. Well hopefully not really but he doesn’t let anyone in there without him. The one time I did as a kid to just have some fun with his chair, he smacked me right up the head!” Cole laughed over the memory but Nicole felt on edge by the idea.
“Well that’s all that there is here so now you get to see my favorite room!” Cole turned again and walked briskly towards the right hall again. Nicole followed reluctantly, somewhat dodging the creaking boards Cole stepped on without a second thought. Past their rooms and directly opposite of the office were the doors that seemed much less grand. The handle Cole turned was worn gently and when Nicole stepped inside behind him, she was pleasantly surprised by the inside. It was a small study filled wall to wall with books and creatively built with one upper level with a desk covered and surrounded by parchment and ink stains and stairs to the lower leading to something literally grand. A large grand piano was the main accent of the whole room, highlighted by a circular stained glass window adjoined with a singular armchair. Cole bounded down to the piano and took a comfortable seat still turned towards Nicole following hesitantly.
“And this is my study! Though it's more just where I play piano at this point. You can sit in the chair if you want unless you’re more the standing type.”
Nicole continued to just stand, almost seeming to expect more till nothing came and Cole was sitting awkwardly for her to say anything.
“...Is that really all?”
“Well… Yes. I’m not really allowed outside without
him
having a close eye on me so it’s breakfast then playing, then lunch, more playing, dinner, and bed.”
Nicole grimaced a tiny bit and looked out the window without a response. Cole sighed in sympathy and continued to talk.
“Yeah… Not what you were hoping for huh?”
“Maybe. Can you not go out now that I’m watching you?”
“Doubt it. My dad’s a real pain in the side.”
“Great…” Nicole sat back in the arm chair and pinched between her eyes before rationalizing it.
“I don’t have much right to complain. This is my first job and I suppose I have no right to say what a real job is or not.”
Cole tilted his head. “This is your first?”
“Independently. I did maid work before but that was assigned to me to get me in order.”
“Assigned huh… Is it because of the uh…” Cole was peering up past her eyes again.
“Hair? Yes. I’m surprised how long it took you to mention it.” Nicole noted dully.
“Well it was the first thing I noticed but I didn’t wanna be rude. If you don’t mind me asking, what is the deal with that anyways?”
Nicole combed her ponytail in front of her shoulder while speaking absently. “Cursed is what the priests say. I had it since birth and it’s why I was worried about the plants. I can “control” plants is my bare minimum understanding of it but control is an overstatement. I’m stoic to make sure I don’t go destroying another house over a tantrum. I hate it.”
“Gosh… I’m sorry.”
Nicole sat back and flinged back her pony tail uncaring. “It’s just how it is. I’d rather not dwell on it.”
“Alright…” Cole turned around on his bench and lifted the block over the keys to distract himself. Nicole turned back to the window in turn but before she could ruminate to herself, Cole spoke up one more time.
“Well even if it causes you issues, I still think it's quite pretty if it’s any consolation. I won't pry any further though- I’ve got a warm up to do anywho.”
Cole started up his playing without looking back and thank hearth he did Nicole thought. She was still but her cheeks burned up. The iridescent green glow of her hair was undeniable and her nervousness over how the rest of this job was going to play out haunted her.
At least the music was nice.
Chapter 2: Act 1, Ingleside Heights
Summary:
trying to be a good bodyguard hits a roadblock on day one: losing the some-body she was supposed to be protecting in the first place
Chapter Text
A sheepish push of doors creaked out amongst the halls. Nicole had just gone to the bathroom once after dinner and she already lost where Cole had gone off to. She cursed him in her mind for actually ending up being as bothersome as said with staying under her watch. The sun was starting to set but the manor was already dark in the shadow of other taller buildings. Still she didn’t want to compromise her first day by already losing where Cole is.
She’d already searched his room and the study that was already losing its charm after sitting in there for several hours just listening to Cole play. He wasn’t in the dining hall where she left him either. Even if he told her that the left hall was mostly just business they had nowhere to be in, she had to make sure he wasn’t lying to her to dissuade her. Still, she had to make sure she wasn’t walking in on anyone unintentionally and knocked on the first door she reached. The lack of response for a moment had her reaching for the handle but it twisted in a rush, gracing her finger tips to pull back her hand. The door opened, the missus opening it being a rather plain maid who though seemed stressed was more confused with who she saw at the door.
“... You’re not Mr. Brew.”
Nicole tensed but kept a straight face. “No I’m not but I’m Cole’s new bodyguard. Have you seen him anywhere?”
The lady chuckled with a sympathetic smile. “Ah that makes more sense. That scramp has given me the run around a few times- he ought to be garden. Don’t let him make it a habit to y’, he’s like his father. Loves loopholes.”
“Ah, thank you… I’ll try my best?” Nicole wasn’t sure how to feel about that statement.
“Aint that all we can ever do here. Give em’ a lil’ scare for me.”
And with the odd request the maid closed her door again leaving Nicole to shimmy her way out into the shadowed garden. Still just as overgrown as she saw from the window but outside but it felt more eerie and unwelcoming now inside of the hedges. Some bottoms of the hedges may as well qualify for being full bushes again and the moss on the garden’s cobble path was a strange green with moss. Despite all this uncared for demeanor, it felt more alive than anywhere else Nicole had ever been before. The start of fall’s bright orange and yellow leaves speckling the path and plants along with the sharp orange hue of sunset bringing a beautiful hue to everything. Well except for the scamp Nicole finally found sitting on a stone bench with half an empty glass of wine. Given the blanket of moss muted her steps, Nicole had the displeasure of having to make herself noticeable to Cole humming tipsy.
“Where have you been?”
Nicole’s blunt and chilling voice from behind was already enough to frighten Cole seemingly and he sputtered as he turned around nearly spilling his drink.
“Nicole! Uhm. Hi.” Cole’s nervous smile only made Nicole glare harder.
“H-Hey! Listen I just uhm…” Cole’s forced smile dissipated. “... I’m sorry. I just wanted a minute to myself.”
Nicole felt mildly surprised he’d actually apologize but was still bothered by the reason. “You’ll have plenty in your room tonight so why run off now?”
“You don’t need to baby me… It’s just sometimes you don’t want your only time to breathe to be in your room, yaknow?”
“Not particularly, no. Going and breathing in a garden certainly not.”
Cole smiled nervously again. “W-Well I suppose it’s also just a different situation. Being watched 24/7 makes you crave a little independence! No offense to you of course. You’re just doing your job.”
“If your form of independence is running off without protection at random then I think you need a bit of retrospection on yourself.” Nicole scolded.
“I didn’t really run off. Still on the manor’s land and as long as there's still sunlight out and I’ve done my daily penance of performing, I’ve got time to relax. And so do you! So why not enjoy the garden for a bit?”
Nicole glanced around past the hedges. Unfamiliar roads, cold air, and the symbol of the church watching her from a distance. The shiver of a thought came over her but she kept it for later.
“It’s just not the most enjoyable for me.”
Cole hummed. “Cause’ of your hair or?”
Nicole grimaced back. “I guess yes. It’s the core problem causing everything else and plaguing me to be stuck here…”
“...Dealing with me?”
“Yes.” Nicole dropped bluntly.
Cole’s hum weakened as he downed the rest of his drink. Wiping his mouth into a fake smile as he spoke. “Say, why are you here anyways? You said your hair is magic and everyone knows how the king feels about that stuff. Why didn’t you move somewhere across the mountains like Middlesea! They love magic there.”
“You’re awfully casual about heretics.”
“Well- Nevermind about the Middlesea part. Why are you in Ingleside given the uh…” Cole paused to gesture towards the peaks of churches past the manor and garden. ”Dislike?”
“Debt to be frank. I owe my family a lot of trouble and I don’t mean that figuratively.” Nicole sighed as she leaned back. “Let’s just say a toddler with a magical curse isn’t going to know how to control themselves and ends up destroying a lot.”
“Ah…” Cole glanced away. “That house joke wasn’t a joke was it?”
“No. My parents have told me we used to live somewhere nice in Ingleside, far from this but still above the smog. Now we live only a few paces from the nearest smoke deposit down in the underside and it’s my goal to get them out. And if that means putting up with a nosey client then I’ll tolerate it.”
Cole seemed to cringe at himself as Nicole still kept up her soft glare. Despite his glass only having a few drops at most, Cole kept it close to his mouth as some way to seemingly avoid confrontation. Nicole’s animosity towards the pianist kept on strong but she couldn’t deny in her passing thoughts that his cowardice and immaturity weren’t something to feel a small bit bad about. Even if he was already making her job a headache, Cole at the very least seemed honest with his reasons. She ought to at least attempt politeness with someone she’d be spending lord knows how long with.
With a long drawn sigh, Nicole conceded a part of her real self so Cole would stop looking like a sad dog.
“Listen. I don’t mean to be, well- mean. I’ve been told often that I’m cold but understand that likely isn’t against you. I just… need to keep my emotions in line and sometimes that means being a brick wall to converse with.”
Cole dipped his glass down from his lips, side eyeing her a bit taken it back. “Your powers… They’re linked to your emotions?”
“Yes.”
Cole’s eyes flicked away and back, face more strained in worry. “All of your emotions?”
“Yes, all of them.”
“That’s… Insane. Do they just expect a person like you to never feel anything? That's not really fair.”
Nicole felt herself stumble with the sudden yet familiar question. “I- uhm- Well no. That would be insane but I have to keep it to a low degree.” Nicole soon found her footing again as she stalled. “I guess the best way I can describe it is in the words of my teacher, Feld. Something along the lines of snuffing out any expression that the demon inside could manipulate. If I outlast it then It’ll be gone and I can be free to be… me. As of now though, its stoicism. At the very least it makes me a good guard.”
Cole hummed hesitantly but at last stood with his glass fidgeted with. “Geez, it still sounds a bit crazy to do that twenty-four seven, all 365 days. Frankly if you ever want to let yourself go for a minute here it’d probably be fine.”
“What, because this garden is already a mess?”
“Can’t see a difference from a few new vines when you have hundreds everywhere already!”
Nicole tsked at Cole yet surprised herself that she felt the sound lighter in tone than before. Cole was irked regardless and Nicole observed how his arms clamped to his sides and hands fiddled the glass between them. With the light of the sun escaping view, Nicole decided that she ought not stall, making her stance clear to Cole’s constant diverting.
“As much as that might be true, I still can’t make a habit of that. My teacher checks on me weekly- er, did check on me weekly. He may be a bit annoyed by my sudden change of location…”
Cole narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t tell the king’s right hand you’d be moving?”
“I was rushed here. The carriage driver told me I had an hour to get on with my things packed or the deal was off. It wasn’t the most planned job for me to take…”
“Sounds about right for my dad… Why did you… uhm…”
Nicole was already prepared for a begrudged answer to what she assumed was going to be a question why she’d take such a rushed flimsy offer but Cole pulled his hand back from the gesture of a question. Closing his mouth quickly while laying his eyes on her head to toe.
“Eh- Just forget it. Stupid question… I’d rather not end off the last few seconds of this evening in a stupid way.”
Nicole raised a brow at first his sudden maturity but secondly what Cole meant by the last seconds. Nicole’s confusion shined through enough for Cole to get a read on and before he spoke simply pointed up to the wash of orange sunset light drifting away on a tower.
“As soon as that light reaches the rimmed roof of that tower the 7 pm bellows will play. Watch.”
Nicole watched on and just as Cole said, the deep rumbling of the city’s hourly bellows began playing out in the street and buildings that had it. Old deep organ chimes that seemed so trivial if it weren’t for them being able to play across the entire massive city at the same time. Nicole peered back at Cole expecting smugness for being right. She was at least half right but the fact he was waving his fingers to the bellow’s beat was silly enough to ignore his smug face. As the bellows finished leaving a low hum behind, Cole cleared his throat to break up the mysticism of the bellows.
“Well anyways, we should probably get to our rooms before we start making more bad habits.”
Nicole’s realization of what Cole meant completely hit and she staggered behind while Cole began to walk back through the hedges.
“Wait, the curfew is 7 pm? It's not even fully dark out.”
“And I’m assuming my dad failed to tell you that too, huh?”
“He told me it was the same as yours but I didn’t expect to be trying to sleep for 13 hours straight.”
Cole laughed but kept a tinge of worry about the statement.
“Jeez, sleeping half a day away would be insane but no. There's still plenty to do even if you get cooped into your room. Like when else am I gonna write all my songs or read all those books?”
“Ah, right. I suppose I just don’t have as many uh… Hobbies.”
“You say that like all you do is sleep in your room. No offense.”
Nicole turned a soft shade of pink of embarrassment to anger as her hair surged from the emotion.
“W-well I’m usually too busy to do whatever else. I don't want to waste time when I could be improving myself instead of focusing on frivolous things.”
Cole looked at her again a little bewildered as he held a backdoor open for her. Nicole kept her hands balled at her sides when she saw the look and paused before the door as Cole seemed to be stupidly waiting for confirmation of her meaning exactly what she said. Nicole’s sudden golden eyes flipping back to glare Cole down made him turn back to the coward she thought him to be.
“Alright- Sorry. Again. I just haven’t met someone like you before.”
“Thats what everyone says.” Nicole bemoaned as she came indoors.
“Well I don’t mean it negatively, promise. It’s odd in a curious way.”
“Mhm.” Nicole kept walking forward towards her new room to ignore Cole’s excuse. When he didn’t follow Nicole stared daggers at him one more time but he didn’t waver this time.
“Oh uhm, I just gotta put this glass away so you can go ahead without me.”
“And I’ll know you’re not sneaking off again because?”
“The walls of our rooms are thin, you’ll hear the door, promise. And if you don't, you have full jurisdiction to kick my ass!”
Nicole finally snorted once involuntarily at his sudden crude joke, bringing a small smile back to Cole’s face.
“Alright, I don’t have anything better to do so I’ll be listening.”
“Hehe, alright.”
Nicole rolled her eyes as she turned around again to go around the corner yet was stopped one last time by Cole calling out to her.
“Oh and If you do get bored in those next 13 hours in your room maybe try writing! The desk drawer should have plenty.”
Nicole glossed over the suggestion. Writing to her family wasn’t something you could call a hobby. “Yeah yeah alright. Now go put the glass away and stop stalling so you don’t make a real bad habit.”
“Yes Ma’am!”
The jokey name gave Nicole enough fuel for one more eye roll at Cole. He finally left to do his singular dish and Nicole quickly found herself in her room. Lights dimmed and an unlit candle was left for her on her desk by someone. Writing passed by her mind again but she ignored it in turn of using the candle light to take her armor off. Like clockwork, Nicole was in her drab night gown and setting her armor right at the foot of her new bed. Her blade carried extra close to lay on the nightstand where she could reach. As Nicole came to sit up on her bed and snuff out the candle she carried, a small relief came when she finally heard the click of Cole’s door across the room. With the worry of needing to corral a manchild in her most drab and embarrassing outfit, Nicole laid back onto the large ornate bed provided. She caught herself by surprise that it was a spring bed the whole time in comparison to the feather and straw she usually had but surmised that it would at the very least help her get some better shut eye after the headache of the day. With the final slivers of daylight gone outside the window, Nicole settled to close her eyes and rest away her worry.
—
She really should’ve thought more about the fact this was going to be a bed type she only had bad memories with. Nicole shuffled to be flat against her back in the bed and soured feeling even the briefest touch of sprints on her back. Her eyes felt crusty and the room had shifted slowly over the last 3 hours. Curtains closed to attempt less light, mirror turned away from the bed for comfort and too many attempts at pacing empty minded to tire herself into rest. Instead now she laid awake and antsy after the last rumbling of the bellows passed. Nicole could sleep through it usually but not in a place like this. Surrendering again to the fact she wasn’t going to rest now laying there, Nicole sat up again. With the curtains closed she was forced to light the candle again to try to find anything else she could do to rest her head. With the dark pallet of the manor only one thing stood out in her immediate view of the light. The pile of papers she brought and laid out on the desk.
Nicole squinted more and sunk into her shoulders looking at it but still allowed her mind a moment of thought about what she’d even write. She was forced to admit that she did have one in the back of her mind, a letter to her older brother given she’d not even seen him before disappearing suddenly. Her brother Ratche was one of the few people she’d bother with what sounded frivolous to assure his comfort. With the once passing thought now grown on her, Nicole relented and slowly made her way to the desk. The lack of ink on top almost convinced Nicole to just turn on her heel again but her hand acted first to open the desk drawer Cole mentioned- Filled with more fine papers to her own and one of the more envious high class contraptions of a fountain pen. It felt a bit wrong to hold something so above to what life she lived but curiosity was stronger than her fears.
Holding the pen over the paper hesitantly, Nicole was faced with her new challenge of what to write. It wasn’t hard per se, Nicole knew her outlines well for making letters that functioned, but as she wrote the lack of charisma in the words felt more bothersome than usual. Something about it is stiff and almost too organized. Still Nicole pressed on with the dull writing, telling of the simple things that had happened in the past few hours, Cole being annoying, the garden feeling intimidating, and lastly the bed being uncomfortable. It was simple but it functioned. Yet it took less than 5 minutes to write and only bothered Nicole more as she finished it. She pushed it aside on the desk with her exhaustion induced headache hurting when she had to even look at it. The frustration of it all brought her forehead straight down onto the desk and her mind amok with again wondering what the hell did she sign up to. How’d she even get this letter to Ratche if Feld was likely to be angry once he saw her again? Nicole buried her face into her hands and huffed.
She needed something else to do, Nicole decided. This letter only felt like a contract now and she could be spending her energy on more wise things like sharpening and polishing. Right as Nicole had grabbed the back of her chair to stand, a sharp pluck of a string penetrated the thin wall to her left. Nicole froze mid standing confused. The sound was singular for a moment but it was soon followed by what sounded like gentle strumming. It was undoubtedly coming from Cole’s room to her left and the aimless strumming changed again to something akin to a scale. Nicole’s confusion switched for curiosity and pulled herself up to creep up to the wall slowly. Closer it was clear that it was an instrument like a guitar being played but still not quite the same. Nicole continued forward trying to parse what she presumed Cole could be playing this late at night but the manor betrayed her. One loose board under her feet silenced any and all playing. Nicole hoped the one board was a fluke but it seemed that there wasn’t going to be any more attempts that night for music.
Nicole stood straight again as any reverb passed on and the room felt dark again. She didn’t know why she felt disappointed. Nicole stepped back again letting the board creek out again but still no response from the room that was worse for wear when she saw it. Somehow that only bothered her more and then was when she had to decide this wasn’t something to waste her aching head on. It was another mystery posed about this odd home and family but not one she believed she should get into. Nicole resigned herself back to her bedside and nipped the candle with her fingers this time as one last way to let the frustration out. She wasn’t supposed to be asking this many questions to employers, Nicole reminisced. Scolding herself once more for keeping herself awake just thinking about it all.
Flopping over into bed, Nicole strained one more look towards the left wall. Tomorrow is tomorrow her’s problem.
angelictactics on Chapter 1 Tue 12 Aug 2025 12:47AM UTC
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AxoTheAxolotl2 on Chapter 1 Wed 27 Aug 2025 12:12PM UTC
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