Eclipse (part 24 of 32)
Back to Part 23The coldness of the room matches the bitterness of the night spent with
Mireille; even though we're in the same bed, I might as well be alone.
She stayed up late on the computer, seeming to want to avoid me. I sigh
and look at her, facing away from me, still sleeping. She must have
stayed up very late to not wake up before me- or perhaps my nightmares
kept her up again. A small twinge of guilt washes over me and I get up
quietly and go out to the dining room.
I sit at the table, and put my head down in my hands. I hear the door
open and Uncle's voice as he speaks with Henry. I lift my head up and
smile at him as he comes into the dining room.
"Good morning, Uncle." I'm glad to see him. He looks tired, and seems to
move more slowly than usual. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"No worse than you." He smiles in a kind way that makes me feel like
crying. He moves toward me and I get up out of the chair, stumbling into
him. His arms go around me and I sob into his neatly pressed suit.
"I'm sorry." I gulp out. I am Noir, I should be stronger than this.
"We are all in our own pain." His hand gently pats my hair. "Even
Mireille."
I sob again at this and nod my head. "It's...it's all changing."
He says nothing, stroking my hair as tears run down my face. I fight for
some control, but the sleepless nights have made me so tired that
there's little fight left in me.
"Did she show you the telegram?" his voice swirls in amongst my sorrow.
"What? Oh- no." I say, blinking my eyes rapidly and trying to focus
myself.
"Not even you..." Uncle looks down at me. "Interesting. And....
disturbing."
"What-" I start, but he holds up his finger, quieting me.
"She's supposed to be your partner, isn't she? In every way, even as
Noir. And yet, she keeps this telegram to herself. Why?"
"I didn't ask her to see it." I look up at him, my tears gone, now
replaced by curiosity.
"I doubt that she'll show it to you." He shakes his head. "And I doubt
that this will be the only one she receives."
I stare up at him, not understanding fully what he means, but I feel
something twist in my heart.
"You know of Droger's intentions with Mireille. I believe he made that
quite clear."
A Queen. One that all the knights will fear and obey.
"I'll protect her." I square my shoulders up.
"So clever. So clever, to get her to come to him." He closes his eyes.
"How do we protect her from herself?"
I step back in shock. "But she wouldn't do that- she would never do
that!"
He sits down heavily, and takes my hand in his.
"It's no secret that Mireille hates Soldats. Any more than it's a secret
that Droger hates us. Revenge.....is a powerful motivator."
A sudden memory of Mireille in car on the way to the prison the flashes
through my mind. I swear, if I had a way to destroy them all, I would.
"No." I shake my head in disbelief. "She won't go."
"For her sake, I hope not." His look makes me uneasy. I remember what
Droger said during our visit. Soldats comes before any single human.
"If Mireille tries to join Droger-" I can see the answer in his eyes and
draw my breath sharply.
"We will have no other recourse, Kirika. I'm sorry."
Onwards to Part 25
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