Act 1, Scene 6
A Lioness Feels Rested
Christopher and Sapphire returned from their outing later that night, only to find that Maricella had gone home. Sapphire seemed slightly upset by the fact she left without saying goodbye, but Adara mollified her daughter by expressing Maricella's request that they forgive her absence, but that she would come around tomorrow morning to pick Christopher up.
A message tailored made for Christopher was also delivered, letting him know that she would make a call to the PP&P and see when they would get their first assignment together.
Christopher could only sigh and then had to endure the evil eye his sister was giving him for the remainder of their night before calling it quits for the day.
Christopher muttered to himself as he walked up the stairs, yawning, "What is her problem, I spent the whole day with her and she still acts like I've done something immoral."
Entering his room, he threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes, wondering to himself
What will tomorrow bring?
As he lay back in his bed, he pondered the events that were suddenly around him. It was a mire of confusing emotions and most of all the overbearing way that Theodore had set them up. He was an enemy to a 'Society' he had never known or even knew he could upset. His Sine, whatever it was, had managed to call an oath-sworn Maiden to his rescue.
The whole of it made his head spin; he was tired of trying to piece together fragments of this reality in such a emotional state. With that thought, he closed his eyes and exhaled.
Slowly, his mind organized the pieces, each piece removed of any emotional linkage, with every moment he slowly began to lay out the puzzle before him. Sometimes, it would make sense all at once he would get a spark of inspiration, but this time he only wanted to save himself the trouble of worry. With this technique, he would overcome all obstacles before him and be better prepared to embrace the next day.
He knew that Maricella still kept secrets, where she lived and how she survived before meeting him were objects of mystery. Somehow though, he would have to manage being both this… Sword and Shield… a concept that seemed to baffle Maricella and entertain Theodore, he hoped that whatever it was he could manage and overcome the problem, solve it and work within the bounds he set himself up with.
Another problem was going to be Sapphire; he knew or more so felt that she was going through some sort of crisis. This, he would have to approach carefully, he didn't want to assume anything and until Sapphire allowed him to see more of this distress, he would just have to watch and see.
As his technique continued, he found himself in that moment of sleep, a lucid sleep as he read it once. A moment where you know that you are sleeping, even dreaming but the mind is still able to function, here in this state he managed, the unmanageable. In this place, he could do anything and with such a powerful tool, he would become a protector and aggressor.
---
Christopher woke up with a start, sleepy eyed he glanced over at his clock and yawned out.
Disappointment.
He managed to drag his butt out of bed and rather heavily head for the bath. He had opted to take one in the morning instead of the evening last night, getting up early wasn't his idea of fun, but it might help with whatever lay ahead this morning.
Somewhere between stripping down to nothing and falling asleep in the bath, he managed to open an eye only to find Maricella sitting on the edge of the bath.
Christopher jumped back with a startled cry, covering himself instinctively!
"Maricella!" It wasn't quite a croak, perhaps slightly strangled, with an nicely heightened tenor and perhaps even an octave higher than his normal pitch.
Her smile was back again, that hungry, predatory smile,
"My. You truly make a lovely sound when your startled, I might have to do it more often."
Leaning over, getting as close as possible to the now trapped Christopher,
"Perhaps Sapphire would find this scene a bit too much and kick your butt till next week, yeah?"
This time Christopher blushed to the roots of his hair,
"A-Are you crazy!? She'll kill me if..."
A sound from upstairs, he could hear foot falls, as his blood started to run cold even in the heat of the water.
"Damn! She's going to be calling out s--"
"Christopher!!" Her voice carried itself from the bottom of the flight of stairs, "Stop taking so long and get ready! Maricella will be coming here to pick you up!"
Maricella just grinned,
"Ooooh, she's in for a surprise when she finds out I'm already here.'
"Have you lost your mind?! She'll hear you!" his voice was low as possible, but the urgency in his voice tended to carry.
"Chrrrrissstoooopheeer!" Her voice getting nearer as she drew out his name.
Maricella just smiled and turned to the doorway, standing up,
"I wonder, I wonder what will she do. What will she do if she finds another woman in the bath with you."
It rang out slightly, in a sing song, playful sort of way as she headed for the door.
Desperation, heightened by the very real threat of being exposed as a pervert, managed to get him out of the bath tub so that he could grab her by the shoulder.
---
Sapphire only heard a loud crashing noise and Christopher's cry of pain. It was immediate, fearing him hurt she rushed to open the door and found him laying face down on the tiled floor, dripping wet and naked.
"C-C-Chr-Christopher! Are you alright?!"
Lucky for her, he could only see his hind end. He groaned and managed a very weak,
"Yeah… just slipped, I'll be fine. Nothings broken, I don't think."
Nervousness at seeing him naked, she suddenly started to laugh. What else could she do? She laughed and turned her back on him, "J-Just get dressed!"
She left him as her laughing became more pronounced, then fade as the door closed and she ran off deeper into the house.
---
Christopher lay there rather sore and more than slightly humiliated. Marveling at the fact that Maricella had literally vanished into thin air.
Fifteen minutes later Christopher came out of the bad with a sore elbow, clothed and looking more than a bit dejected as he round the corner and headed to the kitchen only to find a Sapphire and Maricella having a secret laugh, which turned uproarious when he appeared.
If only looks could kill.
Maricella smiled at him and exhaled rather happily after her good hearty laugh,
"Christopher, I've never felt so rested in my life."
Her eyes shone brightly, her smile warm and welcoming and his sister seem to have a weight that had been lifted off her shoulders.
He sighed.
As long as the lioness was happy, what could a wolf do but be thankful.