An Unusual Meeting, An Unlikely Romance

Chapter 14: Something's Missing....

((Lu's POV))

Typical day.... Wake up, breakfast, lessons, home, snack, whatever homework I had, dinner, bed. That was pretty much it. Karis didn't like me leaving her manor, or, even go outside really. I never understood, but, I never questioned her either. But, today, wasn't a typical day. It started out that way, but it changed when Natiran gave me my muffin.

"Natiran! I'm back!"

"Oh! Good afternoon Lady Luciela! I have your afternoon snack. Today, you have a very important visitor, so, be nice, okay? Even if she is a little.... rude." She said, looking to the left slightly. I followed her gaze to a door that I hadn't noticed before.

"Okay then Natiran. I'll do my best to impress them!" I said happily. She smiled at me and brushed my hair out.

"Thank you, Lady Luciela."

((Ciel POV))

I finally found out some information on Karis. I know where I need to head to find Lu. Aisha hadn't came with me today, as she decided to try a spell to locate her. I sighed and continued to walk through the marketplace. There were several vendors selling various items, but none seemed too important until I saw a gold medallion that caught my eye.

I went over to the vendor's booth and looked at it carefully. Engraved on it was the blue contract signet that signaled the contract between Lu and I. Last I saw, Lu wore it with the white bow she wore on the front of her dress. How did it end up here?

"It's purty ain't it? Was given to me by some lady with the purtiest icy blue eyes. She looked awfully upset to be partin' with it. Said that summthin was makin' her get rid of it." The demon said.

"How much?"

"Well, how much ya got?"

"I'll give you five million ED for it."

"Make it a hundred and ya got yerself a deal." He snarked. I grabbed his shirt roughly and pulled him close to me.

"Five or you're going to WISH you were dead." I hissed. He put his hands up in surrender.

"Just take it then! Holy El Lady. Take the dang thing. Ya sure know how to strike a bargain, don'cha?" He huffed and handed it to me. I took it and walked away, turning it over. Engraved on the back in fancy lettering was a single word. "LuCiel". That proves it. This medal was Lu's and she has to be near.

((Natiran's POV))

After a short meeting with Aneres, Lu was sent out of the room. I looked towards the older demon expectantly. I couldn't see her face, but I could tell that she was frowning.

"She isn't ready yet... Train her. Karis, teach her to fight. It's obvious that her lessons for being a noble have paid off, but she lacks the skills necessary to defend herself," she said with a finality to her tone.

"Right away Miss Aneres," Karis smirked.

"Natiran, see to it that Karis trains her and doesn't just try to fight her. We don't need her severely hurt or dead."

"Yes Aneres."

((Lu's POV))

My opinion on Aneres wasn't the best... She definitely was in a position of authority and clearly knew that. She was the silent type and didn't speak to me much. I sighed and went to my room, humming a pleasing melody. After I got to my room, I closed the door and went to my wardrobe, looking in the back drawer.

It was gone. I frowned slightly and moved some of my clothes while I kept looking. My humming had long stopped as I started to internally panic. I looked through my entire room, but it wasn't there... The one day I had forgotten it and it disappears.... I sat in the middle of the room, devoid of any emotions for a good five minutes. I sobbed slightly and stood up, starting to pick up the room. It may have just been in my head, but I thought I heard a masculine voice singing the same song I had been humming, only, it sounded like a distant memory...

When you just can't hold on
And the weight is too strong
I'll be there to break your fall...

I wiped my eyes and stood up, putting everything back where it belonged. By the time I was done, Natiran had came up twice, asking various questions and, eventually, I let her in.

"Where is it?"

"Where is what Lady Luciela?"

"I had a gold medallion with a sky blue, four pointed star on it. It was here when I left this morning and now it's gone!!" I yelled. She looked hurt and I looked away. "I-I'm sorry Natiran. I di-"

"Karis relayed an order for me to get rid of it... But I know where it is. I can get it first thing in the morning."

"You had better. I don't know why, but it meant so much to me."

"I understand Lady Luciela."

//Time Skip One Week Later//

((Natiran's POV))

The stupid merchant had sold it. I had spent the last week searching for it, but to no avail. Lady Luciela was understanding and let me look for it. She had been coming back from Karis's training sessions increasingly fatigued, meaning she almost always went straight to her room and fell asleep. When I questioned Karis on why she was being so harsh in the first week, she gave me an ominous answer of "something's coming and she needs to be prepared" which gave me a reason to worry.

Today, I went with them and documented Lady Luciela's progression. After about an hour, there was a yell outside and then a huge explosion from behind me. I quickly turned around and in the hole in the wall, stood two figures.