Rosencranz Memories
Emi thinks back on her time during the apocalypse.
"Almost back now, Lady Scarletwing!" The coachwoman said with a chipper tone in her voice. "We've reached the Regency era! Only about twenty minutes till we reach the Scarletwing Manor!"
Emilienne blinked awake, quickly sitting up straight and fixing some folds that had formed on her dress. "Thank you for letting me know!" She replied, rubbing some of the sleep out of her eyes. The trip from the train and back home to the Scarletwing Manor in LongHua wasn't particularly long, but it was long enough for the movements of the coach to lull her to sleep.
Swinging her feet back and forth over the edge of the seat, Emilienne looked outside through the glass window at the world passing by. Currently, the coach was slowly making its way through the marketplace. Emi quite liked that one. There was always something to look at and the air was filled with the scent of newly baked bread, fresh fruit and sweet-smelling flowers.
There were people she could recognise as locals, strolling along the streets, chatting in groups, and going about their daily lives, running their errands at the little shops and stalls. Then there were people she was quite certain were tourists from other parts of Mahou Wando. It had gotten easy enough to pick those out from a crowd. They were the ones who didn't have the right clothes and mannerisms for the region, and they were always busy looking around, pointing at things and asking questions.
Emilienne was in the middle of stifling a yawn when she heard one of those questions.
"It's wild to think how this place was like petrified only a little while ago, huh?"
It made her tense up slightly. The next one was worse, though.
"Yeah, totally. Do ya think it was nicer though? Like, to be stone and not have had to go through the apocalypse-stuff?"
The girl quickly turned away from the window, and looked down, her fingers closing tightly around the silk of her skirt.
“… It probably was…” She said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice.
She was barely 8 that summer where her world became topsy-turvy. Old enough to know that it was happening. But not to quite understand why, and certainly not old enough to do anything about it.
Her parents had, unlike most bunbats, decided to stay up in the main-land realm, rather than retreat to Little Nightsovania.
“Sink me, little lady, would you have me spend however long this beastly event drags on in the other house, when most of my wardrobe is in this one?” Her dad had said, when Emilienne had asked why they were staying up here, instead of taking the last trains down, like most of her peers.
Maman had then shaken her head and explained that the mansion up here was safer, and had room for more people. Her uncle Armand, and several of dad’s covenmates would be joining them in the mansion, while they all waited out this… Event.
Emilienne had felt comforted by this response at first. If dad could still be his usual good-humoured self, and maman was staying calm as usual, then surely this would all be fine again soon! She had been a bit excited even, at the prospect of having her uncle and family friends stay with them for a while. But when the days became weeks, and the weeks slowly but surely dragged into months, her excitement dampened, and a sense of dread formed in the back of her mind.
The longer the time dragged on, the more worried Emilienne became. This whole thing was becoming increasingly terrifying. Maman seemed on edge, especially if she couldn't find dad or uncle Armand. Dad, on the other hand, seemed as unbothered and good-humoured as ever. Maman being on edge was making Emi on edge. Dad being unbothered made her angry.
Was no one going to act or help? Was this simply... The new normal? Being stuck inside, staring at the red, swirling sky, watching berserkers, Rosie Posies and Rosencranz zombies shuffle around outside, all while being fearful of what might happen to those you know? It couldn't be! That was too torturous of an idea and she refused to entertain such nonsense!
... Even if it seemed less and less like nonsense, the longer she spent inside.
While looking out at the garden bathed in ominous red, a lump settled in Emilienne's throat and her eyes began to sting with tears. She glanced down at her hands and saw that her fingers were clenched so hard, her knuckles were white. She took a deep breath, trying to wipe away the moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes, and get her emotions in check. This was most unbecoming of a lady. To get upset to the point of tears. To lose her cool amidst a crisis. To...
"But dearest little lady, what might be the matter?"
She quickly turned away from the window, and towards the door, where she saw her dad. His expression changed from his usual good-humoured face to one of concern. He was holding a glass of juice in one hand (he had probably come in here to give it to her), and he almost dropped it upon seeing her teary gaze. Instead, he set the glass down on a table next to him and hurried over to her.
She tried to compose herself and tell him that she was quite alright, but before she could even open her mouth, her dad's strong arms were wrapped around her, and as if by instinct, she buried her face in his chest, as she returned the hug.
Every concern about composure went out the window, and she began to sob.
"I-I'm... I'm s-s-sorry... I'm g-going to... G-get tears and snot on your s-shirt..." She whimpered, but her dad just shook his head and stroked her hair.
"Lud, mademoiselle. Do not worry about such things," he hushed, gently rocking her back and forth. "Sink me, I care about my garments, that much is true... But you are my daughter. You are worth far more than any sartorial indulgence."
She nodded and clung even tighter to him.
For a while, the only sounds in the room were Emilienne's trembling sobs and her dad’s gentle hushing.
“… I brought you a glass of juice… I had merely planned to hand it to you and then retreat downstairs again…” Her dad said softly, finally speaking up. “… But perhaps, you would like to have your drink downstairs with your mother and I…?”
Emilienne gave a nod and slowly pulled away from him. She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her dress, and then glanced up at her dad. He did still look concerned, but he was also smiling. Not quite his usual smile… This one felt more… Present, somehow.
“Let us go then,” he said, before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her downstairs.
For the first time in weeks, Emilienne felt that perhaps things would be alright again…
… Some day…
“We’re here! The Scarletwing Manor!”
The coachwoman’s cheery exclamation snapped Emi back to the present. She had been quite lost in her thoughts. Tears had formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, without her even noticing. She briefly forewent her manners and quickly dried her eyes with the hem of her overcoat. Looking out the window she did indeed see Scarletwing Manor. The bigger, proper one that had been rediscovered after the petrification.
… Had it been better to be a rock through all of that…?
She was inclined to say yes…
… She would not have noticed how slowly the time passed. How dreadful everything had been…
… But then again, she thought, hugs from her dad would have been very cold, if they had been made of stone.