Bert, Mina and Neal were murmuring amongst each other. A pile of clothes lay forgotten next to them and a new shirt was in Bert's hands. The three were nodding alone with one another, their fingers running over the fine fabric stopping at each stitch as if they were weighing its worth.
Aether sat idly on the couch. Plenty of pillows surrounded him and a blanket, much like the one he was given in the carriage, draped over his legs. A set of expensive looking desserts had been laid out in front of him to eat and a fragrant tea had been poured for him to drink. He sipped it slowly, enjoying the strange taste that lingered on his tongue.
'What are they planning?' Aether took a bite of a dessert, barely addressing the flavor as he watched the three hold up a single shirt as if it were their savior.
"Young Master." Bert walked over, shirt in hand. "Let this one help you get ready." Bert gestured for Aether to stand up and come over. Holding back a sigh, Aether put his food down and moved the blanket off him. With great reluctance he held out his arms allowing Bert to undress him. He had grown used to Mina and Neal changing him, but Bert?
He couldn't help the deep flush that spread across his cheeks. 'Damn, this is so embarrassing.'
Bert dressed him effortlessly. His hands moved with more efficiency than Mina and Neal ever had. His fingers never touched Aether's skin, but still carefully un-crinkled any wrinkles in the fabric.
The shirt itself was light and smooth on the skin. The color was a light red accented with white flowers embroidered on the sleeves and around the neck. It was not as flowy as he would have wanted. It was loose on his skin around his stomach and arms, but then it became tight around his wrist and hips. It looked beautifully from afar, but when one was actually wearing it. It was suffocating.
'When did we even get this?' Aether tugged lightly at the sleeves and then at his neck. After being "accepted" into the Frenzel family his wardrobe had a drastic makeover. Shirts, pants, shoes, accessories, he had it all and in multiple designs and colors. This shirt though? He had never seen it.
"Young Master stop touching, you will ruin the fabric." Bert lightly chided. He gently cupped Aether's hand and dragged it away from his neck. Bert leaned in closely, his eyes peering at the almost faded away scars.
Aether glanced down at him while keeping his head straight. His eyes lingered on his reflection in Bert's glasses. His red eyes stood out against his pale face. A frown painted his face as he thought of his old life, his old appearance.
'What would my parents think of me if they saw me now?' His frown deepened at the thought and a sourness invaded his mouth. He went to glance away, no longer able to stand looking at his new appearance, but just as he did a flash of a child's face looked back at him.
He flinched, stepping back as he did so.
"Young Master?" Bert straightened up, his voice held a hint of worry, "Apologizes, I didn't mean to make you think of such…memories." Bert seemed to have gotten the wrong idea and went on to discuss something with Mina and Neal, but Aether was still stuck pondering on what he had just seen.
'What was that? No, who was that?' For a single moment, Aether had seen a child who looked eerily familiar glancing back at him with dull eyes.
Aether glanced down at his hands. They were shaking ever so slightly. He clinched them and took a deep breath. 'It couldn't be…' Aether didn't want to believe it, but the resemblance was uncanny.
"Young Master, would you like to wear this one? Or the one Nox had gifted you?" Bert interrupted his thoughts, snapping him back to what was happening around him.
Bert stood in front of him with two boxes in hand. Both were necklaces, but one was a red jewel with small white jewels outlining it while the other was the jewel of protection that Nox had given him. Without thinking, his eyes unconsciously drifted over to the jewel of protection. Yes, from afar it looked just like any black jewel, but up close one could see the countless small sparkles within it, resembling stars.
Bert smiled, "I see. Young Master has a grand taste." Bert placed the box with the red jewel down and carefully took out the jewel of protection. With great concentration he fasted it around Aether's neck. Aether glanced down at the jewel. It was cold to the touch and was heavy on his skin, but he found himself unexpectedly drawn to it.
"Mina, take care of the Young Masters' hair." Bert commanded.
"Yes Sir!" Mina stood behind him and started to brush out his semi long hair. His silver hair had grown longer since he had been here, now reaching just below his shoulders. At times he found it annoying and wanted to cut it, but with how Mina and Neal basically cried at the mere mention he decided against it. Instead, he made do with pulling it back so it would be out of the way. Yet, for some strange reason, Mina was not pulling it back.
"Mina?" He shot her a questioning glance.
"The Young Master will have his hair down for the day." Bert answered the unspoken question. Aether turned towards Bert, already hating how his hair fell to the sides of his face, tickling him slightly.
"What is happening today that I must be dressed so-" He held up his hands and gestured to the overly pretty outfit, "-fancy."
Bert smiled and grabbed a coat from the wardrobe, "Today, Young Master will be joining the Master to a dinner with the third Prince Nox and Fourth and Fifth Prince Ran and Rael."
"Dinner?" Aether narrowed his eyes. Something was going on. His father would not willingly accept an invitation to dinner, especially with Nox, without a reason. Even stranger was that the fourth and fifth princes were joining them as well.
'Did something happen?' He tried to think back to the novel, but there weren't any moments where Nox and the fourth and fifth princes communicated, let alone went out to dinner together. The only reasonable explanation was that something else had changed without him noticing.
Aether knew that his presence had changed some things, that he had partaken in changing certain aspects of the plot. Irina herself was the biggest change. No longer was she a forgotten child that got kidnaped and no one cared about, but a strong and loved princess that the King now acknowledged.
The other change he was unsure about. After all, he could uncover that there were hidden spies within the noble families, but that alone didn't mean he prevented the massacre itself.
And then there was Nox.
Nox himself was a person rarely mentioned in the novel. So Aether believed deep down that whatever Nox did, whatever Aether said to him or whatever the two ended up doing together, the plot would not be affected. That the plot would still go on as it was. After all, Nox had no part in the novel and neither did Aether.
"Young Master, it is time to head out. Hurry, it is best not to keep the Master waiting." Bert gently draped the white coat round Aether's shoulder and ushered him outside.
Aether stepped out of the mansion with slight hesitance. There was this unspeakable uneasiness that enveloped every inch of his skin, sinking into his bones and putting his nerves on edge. The night was slightly chilly, but at this moment Aether felt as if he were surrounded by snow.
"Aether." His father called him from the carriage. Aether didn't ponder any longer on the feeling and got into the carriage.
The carriage was not the usual carriage, but instead his fathers personal carriage. The outside of it was pitch black with the Frenzel household emblem decorating the doors to the carriage in red. Only a couple of guards surrounded the carriage, but Aether knew there were probably more. A few butlers also rode behind them on horses, but what shocked Aether the most was the presence of Leon in the carriage.
"Leon?" Aether hesitated for a moment, taking in the others' appearance. Leon was dressed just like his father, in military garb. He had his eyes closed and his arms crossed, acting indifferent to everything around him. Aether shot him a small smile, "Are you joining us this evening as well?"
Leon did not respond.
"Leon will be joining us for the night, but he will not be here for fun. He is here for business. Do you understand." Erik grabbed the coat Aether was wearing and pulled it a bit tighter. He paused when he caught sight of the necklace. Letting out a scoff he muttered, "Of course you would choose that one." Speaking a little louder he asked, "What did he call it again? The Jewel of…"
"Protection." Aether finished. He readjusted his coat, loosening it a little bit.
"Protection. Hmm." Erik smirked and crossed his arms, "At least he provided something that would actually be useful tonight."
Aether shot his father a questioning gaze, but Erik ignored him and went back to brooding in silence with Leon.
Aether glanced down at the necklace and held it in his hand. 'What does he mean?' He glanced out the window. The curtains for the window had been drawn closed, but with the swaying of the carriage and with the help of the wind, the curtains would rise every now and then, giving him the perfect view of the outside world.
He had only been told that he would be joining Nox for dinner and from the way they were heading it wasn't going to be at the palace. The buildings outside did not resemble the usual commoner houses he was used to passing before heading to the Royal Academy, but instead lavish and brightly light buildings lined every corner of the bustling streets. People in high end clothes walked with their heads held high as they mingled with one another and entered stores. Behind almost every single one of them was a butler or maid and sometimes even a guard. It seemed like their destination was going to be a high end restaurant of some sort.
Aether raised his hand and began to bite his fingernail. It was just dinner yet something didn't feel right. Why would the fourth and fifth prince be there? Why did father say that Leon was here on business? On top of these thoughts Aether couldn't help but dwell on Erik's words. Why would he specifically mention that his jewel of protection might come in handy tonight?
Aether jolted as the carriage came to an abrupt stop. Erik once more leaned over and began to fix Aether's coat, tightening it so that his body was practically hidden from the outside world. Aether huffed as the coat was pulled even tighter to the point where even the bottom of his face was beginning to be lost in the coat.
'I probably look like a child whose mother wanted him to be extra warm while playing in the snow.' He frowned at the image.
"Stop with the pouting. Put on a smile. We have guests waiting." Erik walked out of the carriage first, followed by Leon.
Aether paused for a moment. The sound of chattering, carriages going by, the neighing of horses, the bright lights flickering. It all seemed to drown out.
[Do you really trust them?]
Aether froze. Every hair on his body stood up and his mouth went dry. His hand unconsciously went to the jewel of protection. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to cool down his beating heart.
[But…they hurt me.]
The voice, filled with childlike innocence, sounded so broken.
[…and if they hurt me once, they'll hurt me again.]
Aether gasped at the sudden closeness of the voice. His heart thudded against his chest as he turned around only to find nothing there.
"Aether." Erik's voice called from outside.
Aether took a couple of deep calming breaths and with one last look at the empty carriage he left.