Beyond Time

Revenge's Revenge

Sebastian had sent me off to the tavern to get some coffee beans. I did not understand why coffee beans were at a tavern instead of at a grocer's, and when I pointed this out, he said it was the 19th century and to get used to it. I decided not to think about it anymore.

So I set off alone to the tavern, and Theo gave me a word of warning against getting pulled into any of the customer's games.

I sat down at the counter and chatted with the owner, asking about the city. He told me everything, from which streets and people to avoid, and which areas were filled with highly influential people—one of them being our own le Comte. He said that the people referred to Comte as the "Butterfly of High Society," and that he was held in high regard in the city.

I grabbed my coffee beans and left, and someone grabbed my arm, throwing me roughly into the alley. I stared at the face of my assailant, adrenaline shooting through me as I realized who he was. He was one of the brats I had saved Sakura from.

And I, naively, didn't have my pepper spray.

"Do you need something?" I asked innocently, my eyes looking around me to see if there was something, anything I could use as a weapon. Nope, the alley was clean.

"Don't play dumb with me," he snarled. "My friend almost went blind because of you."

A kick to the stomach, and I was on the floor gasping. I don't know, but I was sure that was going to bruise badly.

"So I came to get revenge," he continued, as I backed away.

"This city is full of rats too, I see," I muttered, my eyes shooting daggers at him.

"I wonder how much those eyes of yours would sell for," he said, smiling as my blood froze. He reached for my face, but then stopped, looking at something over my shoulder. He turned tail and ran, and I looked to see the bartender, who had come out through the back door. Grabbing my arm, he hoisted me up.

"He ran from you?" I asked.

The bartender nodded. "He's already gotten in trouble with the police once for assaulting a woman. I reported him that time."

"Thank you."

He tsked softly. "I just stood there." He looked at me, and I did my best to stand straight and look okay. "You're a porcupine."

"I'm sorry?"

"You provoked him because you were scared, didn't you? Only porcupines do that." He looked amused, and then held out a knife to me, hilt-first. "Hide this in your skirt, and get home safely. You shouldn't walk around unarmed."

"Thank you," I said again, as he waved and headed back into the tavern.

Back at the mansion, I handed the coffee beans to Sebastian, who took them with a nod of thanks. I hadn't made it ten steps away from him before someone pulled me back by the collar and placed a hand on my stomach—a simple act that left me gasping and breathless.

The hand let go of my collar, and I turned to see Arthur, who stared at me, expressionless. "Shouldn't you let someone know if you're hurt?"

Sebastian, who had been watching, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Did I send you out when you were hurt?"

"No, that—" I stopped and pursed my lips, wondering what lie I should tell. "I sort of fell down."

Arthur gave me a quick glance up and down, amusement etched across his face. "I think differently."

"Oh?"

"One of the thugs who you rescued Sakura from was at the tavern—probably the one who wasn't injured that day. He, having gone unnoticed by you, slipped out of the tavern and ambushed you. You were likely rescued by the bartender."

"You sound like you were there," I said, slightly impressed.

"It's easy to tell when you lie."

"How?"

"It's more fun if you don't know," he said with a smile. I glared at him, unamused. "Now then, why don't we go see the extent of the wound?" He didn't wait for an answer before dragging me to my room—Sebastian having disappeared to get bandages.

"Lie down and pull your blouse up," said Arthur. I stared at him, and he raised both hands. "I wouldn't do anything to you, especially seeing that we'll be interrupted by Sebastian." He cocked his head. "But if you need help with the dress..."

"No!" I sighed and did as he told me too, and then whistled as I saw the green bruise.

Sebastian bandaged me up, and told me not to do anything strenuous. In return, I asked them not to let anyone else know, to which Arthur burst out laughing.

"A little too late for that, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my dear Lin. It just so happens that the tavern you went to is the one which Theo and I frequent often. And if Theo hears the situation from the bartender, who, as you probably know, likes to gossip, I daresay our little angel Vincent will know too." Arthur smiled. "By this time tomorrow, the whole mansion will know, and I daresay a few of them will be out for blood."

"I hope you don't mean literally," I said, and his lips quirked.

"Well, who can say?" He glanced at the door. "And if I'm not wrong, that's Theo coming down the hallway now."

He wasn't wrong, and Theo burst into the room with me sporting bandages around my stomach like I'd just been hit by a car. His eyes flared. "Who hurt you, Hondje?"

I looked at Arthur, who leaned back on his arms and gestured for me to talk. I recounted the story, trying to make it seem less intense than it had been, but Theo's eyes were murderous either way. He stood up, and headed to the door. "Sebastian, I'll be out a little late tonight, and I'm taking our Emperor with me."

Sebastian nodded, and with a bow to Arthur, he followed Theo out.

"Hey, wait!" I said, but Theo heeded me no mind and left, leaving me to listen to his footsteps walking farther and farther away. I looked at Arthur. "He's not going to go beat him up, is he?"

Arthur nodded. "Within an inch of his life."

"Arthur! There are laws!"

Arthur waved my concerns away. "That's Theo's problem to deal with." Seriously, are these two really friends? "And I assure you, Comte will take care of the issue. Why, if Comte had known by now, I daresay he would've gone to help Theo."

"These idiots," I said, my face in my hands. "I'm surrounded by them."

Arthur laughed and ruffled my hair as he left.

                                *

The next day was rather interesting for me. At the breakfast table, I needed to only look at something on the table for it to be passed to me, even if it weren't too hard to reach. Leonardo helped me get the book down from the shelf I couldn't reach comfortably, and Sebastian and Sakura had banded together and banned me from helping them with the housework until I was fully healed.

I had gone for a quick walk in the city a few days later—not unarmed this time, I assure you—and I had a run-in with the lowlife again. Just my luck. I had half a mind to use the spurt of adrenaline to run, but on seeing me, he turned pale, yelled an apology and took off down the street, almost as if he had seen a ghost. If I wasn't wrong, there was a bandage wrapped around his neck.

I got some weird stares from the pedestrians, but I believe none of them were as surprised as me.

When I recounted this at dinner, Arthur and Theo high-fived, with Napoleon looking rather pleased.

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