As the last of the workers gave their completed report, Ben thanked them once again before dismissing them. Their hard work had not gone unnoticed, and they had everything set up with time to spare. Part of his plan had been to switch the two rooms to give Lilie the bigger bathroom, as he genuinely felt he had no need for it, and offered to switch the rooms and personalize it with a new bedspread. The disastrous first impression had left lingering doubts everywhere and it simply wouldn't do; if Miss Dionne was to be one of his mages, he needed a positive, beneficial relationship. Of course, he had hoped his little surprise would be that way. After laying down some rules, she had expressly pointed out that she didn’t have a wardrobe to his specifications, and so he took the liberty of replacing it. Everything she had owned was respectfully packed and sent away, her closet filled with the proper luxuries a young lady deserved. He had no doubt in his mind it was the least he could do, enlisting a few trusted servants for a little help, but overall, he had to admit he was proud of himself.
That said, there had been the tiniest bump in the road after he had stumbled upon a notebook in her nightstand’s drawer. Journals and diaries were things he had only heard of, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little curious about it. He understood it was personal, a line that shouldn't be crossed, but he had caved in a moment of weakness. Fortunately for him, his mage was ever the organizer, neatly printing dates on each page; for him, there really was only one date he wanted to know. And perhaps he did read more in hopes of understanding her. He read what he wanted and immediately placed it where it belonged, as if it would cancel out the injustice. But what she didn’t know wouldn’t harm her.
The bedroom was set up with everything in its place. Now the room looked like someone was actually living there as opposed to a temporary stay. Ben smiled to himself as he patted down the bedspread, admiring the pattern. Performing a final check in the closet, he nodded to himself in approval of the much more modest wardrobe. He had complete confidence in Eleanore and only hoped that his gesture of goodwill would suffice to mend their relationship. Or at least it could take them a step in the right direction. His words to the princess would be meaningless if he couldn’t get his own mage to at least tolerate him. Was it too much to hope that this would end in a genuine friendship?
The knock on their door had Ben genuinely excited, the vampire almost running to the door. He made sure to catch himself before he would open the door, but he couldn’t quite hide his eagerness.
Stepping into the dorm, Lilie couldn’t help but notice the over eager vampire. Well, at least he was in a good mood, even if that left her a little uneasy. Or he was planning something, because he wouldn’t stop staring at her. He was like a little kid at a candy shop!
Dropping her backpack onto the kitchen counter, she took in a breath as she eyed him. “Uh...hi.” She greeted him. “What’s up?”
Ben cleared his throat in an attempt to quell his excitement, but truly, he couldn’t help himself. Instead, he would gesture to her new room, motioning for her to follow as he quickly took the lead. He opened the door to the bedroom, stepping in after she did as he patted the bed.
“I took the liberty of setting it up,” He said as he stepped backwards towards the closet as he placed his hand on the handle. “After our previous conversation, I realized that you were right.”
Lilie’s eyebrows shot up as she looked from the bed to Ben. He was agreeing with her? What? Was this a trick? Her jaw dropped as she stared at him. “You did?” She asked in disbelief.
“I do,” Ben repeated himself with a nod. “It is completely unfair to assume that you would comply with such little resources at hand. As my mage, it is within my duty to prepare you for the life of nobility; I realized your initial response was born of frustration and a lack of understanding, to which I sincerely apologize. You will find that I have taken extra steps in addition to an apology.”
He turned to the closet, brandishing the door open with a theatrical flourish that the Samael would have scoffed at. He proudly showed off the entirety of the closet, entering. “Everything in this closet was chosen to both comply with my rules and stick to a style for a blossoming young lady,” He seemed proud as he spoke. “I noticed your preference for heels and picked out admissible ones, though I did have a great deal of long distance assistance from one of my mages to ensure that everything chosen was both appropriate and fashionable.”
Lilie didn’t get a chance to ask why Ben was in her closet before he launched into a confusing sort of explanation. Yeah, okay, it was nice to see he listened to one of her points, but she was distracted by the sheer amount of clothes hanging. Before, she couldn’t even fill half, now it was completely full! The rack of shoes was surprising, too, and apparently even each drawer had something.
She was staring at the shoes when she noticed that her sneakers weren’t there. Actually, neither were the heels she had used for the opening ceremony. Or...any of her old ones. Her head snapped up to the hanging shirts and dresses, and just by looking, she didn’t recognize any of them, either. Her eyes widened, and she started pulling out the drawers and checking them. Everything was brand new, a much better quality than anything she could have ever dreamed of owning, but none of it was hers--she didn't see anything that had previously belonged to her.
“Where’s my stuff?” She asked as she kept checking, assuming that maybe her older things had been put at the bottom or maybe pushed behind everything.
The lack of reaction was concerning, but Ben stayed optimistic, simply watching Lilie. Her question was a little odd, but he decided that she was worried he had gotten rid of everything. “Your old belongings are in storage as I didn’t have your old address,” He kindly explained as he walked around her. “If you’ll check the bathroom, I made sure to replace everything with top-of-the-line products as well.”
Lilie froze--what did he just say? Storage? What storage? The dorms didn’t have any storage! And what did he mean replace?! She got up so fast that she almost made herself dizzy, walking right into the bathroom. Sure enough, all her old skincare products were gone, her makeup was gone, and when she checked the shower, even her haircare stuff was gone! Everything was different and new and not anything like what she used to have. Walking back to the room, Lilie noticed that her weapon and its case was missing too--she usually kept it at the foot of her bed. “Where’s Zantedeschia?” She asked, slightly panicking.
“I’ve sent it for some minor maintenance,” He kindly explained. “Nothing like a good polish to get it as good as new.”
She was speechless, trying hard to say something, anything. She looked at Ben briefly as she tried to grasp what had happened, her head a whirlwind of emotion as she tried to sort things out. "This...this is not okay,” She managed to stutter that much out, shaking her head as she finally got herself together.
Just as he couldn’t hide his excitement, he couldn’t hide his disappointment (and confusion) at her reaction. She must have misunderstood him, he had no right over anything that wasn’t his and could not just throw out her belongings so carelessly. Ben shook his head as he decided to properly explain himself.
“I didn’t get rid of anything,” He assured her. “Anything that was here previously that didn’t pertain to any of the rules was packed and sent to an Eve storage facility.” This wasn’t the reaction he had been hoping for at all. She also seemed to be missing the point, but he could see she was upset. “Your personal belongings are still in their places, I assure you. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Lilie wasn’t happy, and she had every intention to make that crystal clear. “I don’t understand why you did this...just because they weren’t good enough for you doesn’t mean you have the right,” She was probably harsher than she meant to be, but she didn’t have any patience for this guy anymore. “I'm not comfortable with any of this.”
“What?” The response was blurted out with Ben entirely confused with everything Lilie said. “I was doing you a favor.”
“You were doing me a favor?” Lilie slowly repeated his words in disbelief. How dare he be so condescending, who did he think he was?! “You were doing me a favor?! Are you serious? I didn't ask for this! This is--This isn’t a favor!”
“Of course it’s a favor,” Goodness, he was never going to understand this child. “You said I was the one with the problem. I resolved the problem.”
“That’s not the point!” Lilie tried to point out, frustrated. “The point is that you don’t have any right coming into my room and messing with my things!”
She stomped towards the closet, her arms waving around wildly as she gestured to it. “You didn’t just mess with them either, you went through everything I had! That’s so wrong and gross and--so disrespectful!” She exclaimed. “You can't just go around doing whatever you want!”
Ben pinched the bridge of his nose as he let Lilie yell, trying to think of the proper way to correct her. She was entirely in the wrong, but he felt that saying that would only worsen the situation. They seemed to disagree on the topic of disrespect, but obviously saying that would also further aggravate her. Honestly, at this point there was little he could do or say that wouldn’t cause her to continue to lash out at him. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t insulted, his hopes long shattered and whisked away by the wind.
Choosing to at least try to go the gentler route, he decided that a proper explanation was due, even if he was well aware of the consequences. “Actually, Miss Dionne, I do have the right if I feel that your choices or garb could endanger you in any way,” He stated slowly. “I understand you come from a background with few rules and many liberties, but that simply isn’t the case anymore. You are a mage of the noble house of Eve, and you serve me. Your wardrobe was inappropriate and I took measures to correct it, plain and simple.”
“That being said, I will reiterate that nothing of yours is gone. If you want everything back, I will send for it,” Ben was weary as he spoke, his disappointment paramount.
Lilie huffed, uncrossing her arms as she glared at Ben. ‘Endanger’ he says! He was so full of it! “You’re not getting it,” She said. “You can’t do that! Why do you think you can just do what you want and then act surprised when I get mad? What happened to us being a ‘team’ and all that other stuff?”
“We are a team as vampire and mage, as master and servant,” Ben stated pointedly. “As much as it pains me to admit it, you and I are not equals, Miss Dionne. I can do ‘that’ and ‘this’ as I please, though I would much rather not exercise it, that is my right.” Her cluelessness was worse than he had imagined, he would have to focus on properly educating her sooner than later, lest she get eaten alive at his house.
Narrowing her eyes, the one thing Lilie was glad for was that at least Ben showed her where they stood. She couldn’t even begin to describe the hypocrisy or how he had already went back on his word about them acting like a team. Raising her chin, Lilie almost went off again, but decided it wasn’t worth it. Instead, she spun on her heel and went straight to her nightstand. She grabbed her diary and backpack before he would send that away, too, slamming the door on her way out as hard as she could.
Ben was glad she was gone as it liberated his groan. Why, oh why had Her Highness paired him with such a clueless young girl? It must have been a test of patience. He was so sure this was going to be a step in the right direction. How wrong he was.
Lilie had no idea she could get so steamed.
The absolute nerve of that jerk had riled her up to no end, and the more she thought about it, the madder she got. She didn’t acknowledge anyone as she stomped to the pagoda, making a beeline for the closest open table. Practically throwing herself in her seat, she dropped her backpack as she whipped out her phone. Despite feeling like she was going to explode, she needed to vent, and she knew just the person she wanted to hear her out.
Meanwhile, the dining hall had filled up with students for dinner, a low, welcoming buzz of conversation and clinking silverware filling the hall as students settled in with their friend groups and caught up; though the main topic on everyone’s lips was, of course, the suspicious events of the recent Revel. Opting to avoid the ever-churning rumour mill—and not having much other choice, given his reputation—Aaron chose a table to himself near the wall, as far as he could get from plain view. Varis’ temporary wardrobe adjustment surely wasn’t going to help his reputation, and of course there was no small amount of embarrassment attached as well; he felt cold and indecent sitting there in just an undershirt and slacks. Ironically, his best hope was that anyone looking his way would assume he simply hadn’t bothered changing after a workout session or something, rather than thinking he was some weirdo who got his kicks by going around campus half-dressed. He kept his eyes on his food and his journal as he ate, doing his best to ignore any weird looks thrown his way, and was in the middle of his meal when his phone and watch buzzed with Lilie’s pattern.
> Can you come to the picnic area in the woods? I really need to ask you something
Aaron peered quizzically at the message, re-reading it a few times and wondering what it was about. What was so important that she had to ask him in person rather than over text? He was used to Salem’s (justified) suspicion over leaving a digital trail, but Lilie had never seemed that way to him. It worried him a bit, and after tapping out a quick “Okay, be right there” and quickly finishing his meal, he was on his way across campus.
He hadn’t been to this picnic area before, but a quick question to a passing guard pointed him in the right direction. Within a few minutes he was striding into the clearing, searching around the pleasantly lit pagoda tables until he found a head of white hair sitting at one, looking decidedly (and if he had to admit, kind of adorably) angry.
Putting on his best comforting face and inwardly begging that she wouldn’t mention his weird outfit, Aaron crossed the clearing and sat down opposite Lilie at her table, giving her a concerned look. “Okay, I’m here. What’s wrong?”
Her hands had been wrestling with the hem of her shirt, occasionally running over her face. As she lowered her hands, she nearly let out a yell before catching herself. Fortunately, Aaron arrived before she could wind herself up more, and she deflated slightly as she realized she must have pulled him out of his workout. Right, okay, she could totally have some kind of composure. But just thinking about what happened was enough to rile her up again, her face scrunched up in anger in no time.
“The Count decided to replace my whole closet without telling me!” Lilie blurted out, leaning forward as she tried to keep her voice down, even if she felt like screaming. “He took everything without telling me and tried to act like it was some kind of good surprise!”
It was getting her angrier just thinking about it. “He went through all my stuff--all of it, not just my closet, but my bathroom and even my diary--and then didn’t get why I was mad!” She huffed, crossing her arms. “And when I told him it wasn’t okay, he was all ‘Miss Dionne, I have the right, you are my servant,’ and I just--just--” She cut herself off as she silently fumed, clearly worked up.
A sympathetic expression sank into Aaron’s face as Lilie told her story, the blond genuinely sad to see her so upset. Shamefully, the thought did cross the back of his mind that Lilie wasn’t the only one to have her things rifled through and taken away; still, it didn’t seem like the new Count to be so cruel.
“Hey now, just take a deep breath okay?” Aaron led with that, hoping to bring Lilie’s anger down a touch so they could talk more calmly.
After a moment, he continued. “Did he tell you why he replaced your things? What did he do with them?”
Taking in a deep breath at his suggestion, Lilie felt herself deflating at Aaron's question. She dropped her gaze to the table, staying quiet for a moment, though after a little bit of silence, she met his gaze again.
"After you had left on the first night of Revel, we got to talking," She explained quietly, looking a little ashamed. "He had a lot of...things he didn't like. How I dress was one of them, and when he said something about it, I said it wasn't like I could just replace my whole wardrobe."
She let out a sigh as she uncrossed her arms, resting them on the table instead. "My family doesn't really have a lot of money to spend like that. Not for something like clothes, anyway," She admitted. "I guess he took it to heart. He sent everything away to some storage, and he said he could get it back but...but he didn't have to do that. I don't see anything wrong with what I had before."
Aaron nodded along, although… well, the more Lilie explained, the more the Count’s choice started making sense. He kept his expression carefully neutral, but even before she finished he was formulating a plan for breaking the news to her gently.
“Sometimes vampires don’t realize the sort of impact their actions can have,” he tried to reason, folding his arms on the table in front of him. “And Count Benjamin seems like he means well. I don’t think the Princess would have taken so well to him if he didn’t. He probably really did think that you’d appreciate the gesture.” He offered a weak smile, realizing there wasn’t much of a nicer way to put what he had to say next, and looked away. “And, well…”
Lilie watched Aaron as he talked, a little surprised that he justified Ben's actions. When he trailed off, she looked at him expectantly, leaning forward. "Well, what?" She asked.
Aaron shifted uncomfortably in his seat, shrugging and spinning his ring. “Well… he also is… technically right.”
Her jaw dropped, his response being the complete opposite of what she was expecting. Here she thought she was going to get some validation, but apparently Aaron didn't think so. "What do you mean, he's right?!" Instead of being angry again, she felt a little desperate, her voice high pitched as she felt betrayed by his admission.
Eyes flying wide, Aaron instinctively reached for Lilie’s hand, his usual default when his aunt Dora got emotional. She sounded like she was going to cry! “No no no, hey, I’m not saying you’re wrong,” he tried to save it, “I understand why you’re upset, it makes perfect sense, and the Count should have consulted you before replacing your things!” He wasn’t sure if he 100% believed that, but he wasn’t about to say otherwise.
“But the thing is,” he continued after a moment, more solemnly this time, “well, at the end of the night, you are his mage, and he does have the authority to make these kinds of choices if he sees fit.” Aaron offered Lilie a sympathetic look. “I suppose we all hope that we and our masters can see eye-to-eye on these things, but unfortunately that isn’t always how it works.”
Feeling her eyes getting watery, she tore her gaze away from Aaron for a moment. She didn't really know how to feel about this, her chest feeling tight with dread. When she looked at Aaron again, she didn't know what to think, either. "Do you agree with him?" She asked, already feeling her heart sinking with dread. "About my clothes."
Aaron straightened up, a bit taken aback. Lilie kind of had him backed into a corner, and a lifetime of growing up around women told him there was probably no good answer to that question.
“...Well, keep in mind that Count Benjamin is an Eve,” he tried to rationalize, “they’re traditionalists, for the most part. With that comes a certain… well, traditional way of seeing things.” His answer was already a trainwreck, but there was no going back, and lying to the girl would only serve to hurt her more later. “So while I don’t think your clothes are bad, it’s true that a lot of your outfits would be… inappropriate for a mage in a traditionalist House.”
Lilie took her hand away from the table, surprised as she straightened up. Maybe she really did underestimate the differences between them. Of course he would be in agreement, he grew up around all this. Once again she was reminded that she was the outlier, the thought depressing her immensely as she looked down at the table. She never thought about this sort of thing before, her father always making what he thought was appropriate for her. She didn't even see what was so inappropriate about what she wore!
Rubbing her arm, she looked down at the lace on her skirt, her free hand tracing the pattern. She honestly didn't know how to respond to that.
Aaron deflated as he watched Lilie, feeling sorry for the poor girl. She really was in over her head, wasn’t she? Still figuring things out, and with yet another new master no less. He could sympathize with the yearning for stability she no doubt felt, the craving for normalcy, but even he couldn’t pretend to understand the complete uprooting she must have been feeling. Everything was new to her, everything was different and strange, and the truth of servitude would surely sound doubly harsh to someone who grew up ignorant of it. His own world had been turned upside-down when he came here, sure, but the changes Lilie faced were on a whole other level.
“Well, what sorts of clothes did Count Benjamin give you?” he asked hopefully, thinking he might possibly cheer her up. “He seemed like a well-dressed guy, and clearly went to a lot of trouble if he was so excited to show you your new wardrobe. Surely they can’t be that bad, right?”
She shrugged slightly, still staring at her lap. "Maybe. They were mostly long sleeves and long skirts. I didn't get a good look aside from the ones I threw at him," She felt embarrassed admitting it, feeling extremely foolish for her reaction in hindsight. "The ones I saw were all below-the-knee skirts, and I don't think I saw any shirts with sleeves below the elbow."
“Oh, well that doesn’t sound too bad,” Aaron replied, doing his best to sound reassuring. Admittedly, Lilie’s definition of “long” sleeves and skirts was a little funny in how wildly it conflicted with what he grew up with. “Count yourself lucky, you should see the dress code at Noila castle. Believe it or not, I’m the daring one in the family.” He offered her a chuckle. “Back at home, it’s all full-length sleeves, high necks and floor-length skirts, always formal. The queen even prefers women to cover their hair. Flashing so much as a wrist or an ankle is considered racy; even Count Benjamin’s choices would never fly there.”
She was sure he meant well, but everything he said made her feel so much worse. This was normal. This is what it was to be a mage. This was her life now, whether she wanted it to be or not. Aaron was absolutely right, she no longer had a say or choice in anything anymore. If the count wanted her dressed up head to toe in some stupid, impractical Victorian dress, she had to do what he said and that was that. There was no arguing, no negotiation--that was that.
Looking away from Aaron, Lilie bit back tears for a moment before she put a hand over her eyes. It was so hard to come to grips with it, and as stupid as the topic sounded, it felt like it was the straw that broke the camel's back.
"I just thought--I just…" She couldn't stop herself, a small hiccup escaping her as she tried to control her crying. "I...I can't handle this."
Aaron felt his heart crack when he saw Lilie finally lose her composure, a painful lump growing in his throat. Realistically, he knew that it wasn’t the clothes that were the problem, but he thought maybe comforting her about them might at least help take her mind off the real issue. What else could he say? He couldn’t promise her that things would get better, and he’d be lying if he said that things didn’t have to be this way. Honeyed words wouldn’t change things. All he could tell her was the truth, and it was the truth that was killing her.
With no more words left to offer, Aaron simply stood and crossed over to Lilie’s side of the table, sliding onto the bench beside her. Silently, he simply wrapped an arm around her, and then the other, letting her lean into him and let out her anguish. Surely if he couldn’t make reality less painful, being a shoulder to cry on was the least he could do. “I’m so sorry.”
Despite knowing she was probably making a fool of herself, all she could do was cry like a little kid. It was so stupid! Why couldn't she just get over it and just fall in line like everyone else?! It felt impossible, and as much as she tried to bottle it up, it looked like she just couldn't take it anymore. How was she going to survive if she was breaking down less than a month into the semester?
Still, it did feel good to finally let it out, unintentionally gripping Aaron's shirt as she held him close. She felt safe with Aaron, a little embarrassed that he had to comfort her like this, but it was nice. There was a little guilt there, too; even with this he didn't seem to judge her too harshly, or at least was being nice about it. He probably thought she was silly or had more faith in her than she did.
After what felt like forever, Lilie tried to quiet her sniffling, lightly wiping her face as she took several deep breaths to calm herself. "I'm sorry," She apologized meekly.
After Aaron finished gently explaining Benjamin’s point of view, she figured she might as well face the music sooner than later. She tried to walk slowly, hoping she’d buy some time for her puffy eyes to completely go away. The walk back to the dorm was harder than she thought it would be, her pride practically in shambles. As much as she wanted to whine, though, Aaron reminded her that this was normal, and she just needed to suck it up.
Ugh.
Lilie opened the door, letting out a sigh of exasperation. At least he wasn’t hovering around waiting for her, so that was a plus. She walked to the first bedroom, forgetting that they had switched rooms, and dragged herself to ‘her’ room and dropped her backpack off. As she left and closed the door behind her, she spotted Ben sitting at the dining table.
Taking in a deep breath, she cautiously approached him. “Hi,” She said. “Can we talk?”
Ben straightened up as he heard Lilie enter, hoping she would approach him. He held a box on his lap, waiting patiently as he listened to her footsteps. Luck was on his side as she appeared shortly afterwards, giving him a small greeting. She still looked upset, but at the very least she wasn’t angry anymore
“Hello,” He returned her greeting. “Of course we can. Please, sit.” He gestured for her to take the empty seat, waiting until she did and taking the box off of his lap and placing it on the table. He gently traced the Eve symbol engraved in the middle before folding his hands neatly on the table and turning his attention fully to Lilie.
Lilie sat down, fidgeting with her skirt for a few seconds before she finally looked at the vampire. “I guess I should start by saying...I’m sorry,” She said, figuring that was as good a place to start as any.
Ben appreciated the apology even if he felt he should have been the one to apologize first. While she was gone he had time to reflect on the entirety of the interaction and decided the delivery is where he had failed. Had he properly explained himself, perhaps the argument could have been avoided. He overestimated her understanding, forgetting that perhaps she had yet to adhere to the mage life. She had previously mentioned that she had little guidance from her previous partners and while his attempt at bridging the gap between was sincere it missed the mark. Above all, he needed her forgiveness so that they could move forward.
“Your apology is accepted, and I would return it with my own,” he started there, finding it a safe place as any. “I sincerely believed I was helping and had no intention of upsetting you. I should have tried to calm you down instead of further aggravating the situation, and my inexperience with emotional mages shouldn’t be an excuse. I wanted to amend our relationship and only made things worse. I am truly sorry.”
Oh. Lilie wasn’t expecting that at all. Not the apology, not his explanation, not his comment...she didn’t really know what to think of that. It’s not that he was wrong, or at least, maybe she did overreact, but did he really think she was emotional? Was she? He didn’t seem like he was saying it maliciously and she felt really bad hearing that, but maybe he was saying it for a reason.
She looked down at her lap for a few seconds before looking at him again. “It’s fine. Like I said, it was my fault,” She replied. “You can do whatever you want. I won’t be so troublesome anymore. I promise.” She hoped he would see that she meant it, a little nervous that he wouldn’t.
The apology was accepted, much to his relief, but Ben was unsure how to respond to everything else. Troublesome wasn’t how he would describe a normally sweet girl; it was clear he had crossed a line and she had reacted accordingly. The next course of action was to lay out his solution.
“I was sincere when I told you I wanted us to be a team. I am not a man that goes back on his word so easily,” He decided to begin calmly. “You informed me that you were uneducated and I greatly overestimated to what degree. Instead of moving forward and assuming you would follow, I should be leading you. And I promise you that I will from now on.”
“We’ll set up at least an hour a day for some extracurricular studies: etiquette, a brief history on the Eve family, and of course, vampire-mage cultural norm. The last will be our main focus and bleed into proper etiquette, and the history will be for fun.”
Lilie slumped her shoulders slightly at the mention of extra studies. Didn’t he know she had enough homework already? At first she wanted to protest, but she deflated as she remembered what Aaron said. If that was what the count wanted, then that was what was going to happen. Even if she did argue back, it wouldn’t accomplish anything. The best thing to do was to keep the peace.
“Okay,” She nodded in agreement.
Must she look so disappointed? Ben felt like he was kicking a young puppy with the way her expression changed. Fortunately, he figured he had a little something that would hopefully level the playing field, so to speak. Or at least rid her of that dreadful expression; the guilt seemed to eat at him from the inside. He would need to learn how to handle that for the future so it wouldn’t be used against him. A cynical thought, but he didn’t need to be at the whims of his mage.
He picked up the box on his lap and turned it so it would open and face her. “I had planned to give you this before, but now is as good a time as ever,” Ben said. “I had a pair of cufflinks made as well in case I ended up with a male mage, but I think this fits a young lady.”
The box opened and revealed a white-silver pendant sitting on top of a dark velvet. The Eve insignia was carved into the metal, intricately detailed and adorned with a pair of rubies where the apples would be. The line of tiny diamonds glimmered in the light, the delicate chain resting neatly around it.
Ben carefully lifted the pendant from its resting place as he would stand from his seat. He motioned for the girl to move her ponytail and fastened the chain around her neck. “This symbol is one to wear with grace and beauty, as is thy right and noble duty,” He said.
Lilie couldn’t help but feel that she had heard that line from somewhere before, but she kept the comment to herself. As she looked down at the pendant, she couldn’t help but feel like it was a mark of some kind. “A symbol of servitude?” She asked, watching him sit back down.
Ben hesitated for just a moment, but continued with, “A symbol of promise, of change, and of excellence,” He chose to correct her.
She didn’t really know how to respond to that. It looked so expensive she was afraid to touch it. What if she broke the chain? She got uncomfortable really quickly, but she felt like if she said anything, she’d come off as ungrateful. “Thank you,” She replied quietly.
“You are welcome, Miss Dionne,” He replied, although he didn’t know what to say, either. The silence that fell between the pair was excruciatingly uncomfortable, and he felt that he needed to say something to break it. “I can’t help but feel as the gift has caused you discomfort,” He stated the obvious with a frown.
“No, it’s not that,” Lilie said a little too quickly--why the heck did she say that? She was uncomfortable! But there was more to it, too, right? The count meant well, even if it kept hitting her the wrong way. He was trying, that had to count. Maybe. This whole thing was weird. But pushing him away would be just like having Mariette all over again. She didn’t want a repeat of her other partners, she actually wanted them to get along, too.
“I get that we should get along, but I feel like--do you want to be friends? I feel like you want us to get along, but ‘Miss Dionne’ is really distant. I get that you’re my superior, okay, but...I don’t know how to act around someone who won’t even use my name,” She started there, wanting to at least air her biggest gripe first. “I don’t know how to act around vampires, let alone a noble. I really don’t know what the princess was thinking, but I hoped that--I don’t know, someone would tell me something. Anything. Just a nudge in the right direction so I don’t embarrass anyone, or that I can at least pretend I know what I’m doing.”
It felt really good to let everything out, but she caught herself and felt embarrassed that she went on that whole rant. She dropped her gaze, feeling her face turn red. “Just...at least call me Lilie. We can start there. Sir,” She finished meekly.
Ben listened carefully and gave her his full attention. This sort of response would never have been tolerated at home, but it was what he needed; he was not at the Eve manor, he was at the Noilan Academy. The princess entrusted a young lady who needed guidance. And for him, that was all he really needed. He sincerely came to regret his actions and previous thoughts, but no more. Going forward, he would treat her just as he did Noah, and would strive to make this a beneficial relationship. The small drop into timid was absolutely adorable, and he could not hold himself back from a short laugh. What a passionate girl.
“I will ask that you do the same, then,” He only spoke when he was sure that Lilie had no more to say. “When we are alone, I’d be pleased if you called me Ben.”
Lilie perked up immediately, surprised, but after the realization set in she nodded, clasping her hands together happily. “I can do that.”
