The Centauri Seren

Four months after his initial fall into Till Bastion’s body, and three after he had awakened, Yuji was to return as Till to the Vanguard and assume his position within the personal guard of the Centauri Seren. He had dressed that morning with care, the disquieting energy that came with the first day of anything making his simple breakfast of bread, cold cuts, and cheese hardly able to stay down.

“Is something wrong?” Mirk asked, watching as Yuji seemed transfixed on an unseen spot between the door and his desk.

“Sorry, did you say something?”

“After all I have done to train you, you are incapable of abandoning your fear. I am disappointed.”

“It’s not fear.” Yuji exclaimed adjusting his shoulders. “It’s more like anticipation. I’m sorry I’ve never been in command or even in charge of anything before. I’m used to people telling me what to do.”

“You need not fear. I will be with you and see that nothing goes amiss. So, in that regards, your position has changed very little from your previous life.”

“Your faith in me is encouraging.”

And hopefully not entirely unfounded.

The knock at the door made Yuji jump. Mirk gave a dissatisfied sound as a woman’s voice came through the thick surface in a difficult to interpret mumble.

“Enter.”

A maid did as he bid her standing in the doorway head bowed, curtsying deeply. “My lord.”

“You are one of the Centaur Seren’s maids?” He had been practicing with Mirk’s help to portray the right posture and intonation so he would be able to appear the perfect imposter. Other than the sparring partner he had been permitted he had been able to get in little practice with his impersonation, not even his fiancé had come to visit him after his condition had been outed. So, conversing with this maid would be a mild trial by fire.

“Indeed, I am, my lord. I have been sent by my lady, the Centauri Seren, to inform you she has granted you an audience. She bids you come at once if you are able.”

“If the Centauri Seren requests your presence you must go to her,” was Mirk’s response to his glance.

“I am honored to accept.”

It was a long trek from where his room was to the ground level abode of the Centauri Seren. Yuji found himself pitying the two maids who had thus far had the unfortunate task of going there and back. Till’s body was fairly well equipped with energy. So much so, he was hardly able to burn it off adequately to sleep at night, but for a serving girl used to walking back and forth within a confined space it must have seemed a daunting journey.

The rooms provided to the Centauri Seren were set within a distant courtyard. They sat in the center of a great pond, that appeared rather more the size of a small lake, like a jewel decorated on all sides with flowers and trees that blossomed out of season. A bridge of white birch joined the grassy meadow of the courtyard with the island were the reclusive little standalone building stood. Its structure strangely Arabian to Yuji’s other worldly standards.

Sheer silk curtains hung in lustrous grays and soft blues from the high ceiling obscuring everything in a haze. When they stopped it was before a great arch. The maid was swift in prostrated herself before it.

“Lord Till Bastion, son of Margrave Idwal Bastion of Gloam to see you, my lady the Centauri Seren.”

“He may enter.” Her voice sent a pleasant chill across his skin that brought out goosebumps.

“Pretensions.” Mirk chided following Yuji into the expansive room.

The Centauri Seren sat on a raised platform in the far side of the room, her chair was rather a throne that seemed to have been designed to resemble a chaise lounge with a high back. A swath of glistening silver drapery obscured her while still allowing her unearthliness to pass through. More so than any other part of this life, this moment appeared a dream. Even the movements of his body felt detached and otherworldly.

Bowing respectfully toward the girl Yuji recalled the idea of the Moon Child from Never Ending Story, with some minor modification to the recalled description. The grounding sense of the ethereal familiarity slightly qualifying the fantastic.

“It’s an honor to be in your presence, Lady Menodora.”

“You are not afraid to speak that name?”

“Forgive my forwardness, I meant no disrespect.” The practiced coldness felt icy when coming so quickly after her own, especially against his own minor panic over possibly misrepresenting Lord Till’s preferred form of address toward her.

“I will not lie; I am not accused to being called anything other than the Centauri Seren. Even my closest servants cannot be coaxed into referring to me in any other way. Though, however unfamiliar, it is a refreshing change. I give you full permission to utilize it without fear. Rosafiere and Merewen, bring a chair for Lord Till and an ottoman for his honored companion.”

Yuji glanced at Mirk. He didn’t appear overly impressed by the compliment of her personal acknowledgement, stubbornly holding his head high and stiff. He wanted to laugh at the creature’s absurdity but resisted the pleasure, doing his utmost not to break character.

When the seat and ottoman arrived, they were set near the platform where the girl resided, her visage appearing more statuesque surrounded by so many obscuring draperies and from a more observable position.

“Forgive me for sending for you. I couldn’t rightfully go to you myself and I couldn’t go on without presenting you with a proper apology.” The blue of her eyes seemed to shine through the white shear of the drapery.

“You have no reason to apologize to me, my lady.”

“But I do,” her voice grew suddenly conspiratorial and intimate, “I gave you that ornament as a present for all your kindness to me, I didn’t intend to cause you harm. When I heard what happened to you, I could only assume that it had something to do with the object knowing you… or rather understanding you, as I feel I do. I felt so ashamed when I thought that I had caused you such difficulties. I was foolish. I could have cost you your life. I will do anything to make amends.”

“What a foolish child to bare her soul so openly. My master has warned her many times to be on guard and this is how she repays him. You must scold her for her foolishness, remind her of her station and how she should present herself.” Mirk stomped one of his tiny feet.

“It would be beneath you, no matter the crime you feel you’ve committed against me, to sully yourself with apologies.” Yuji was trying to be the Lord Till Mirk had so carefully described to him, but against such earnestness he found the façade impossible to keep perfect. “I am but your humble servant and at your disposal for as long as I am honored to be so. However, understanding your earnestness and seeing how it plagues you, I humbly accept your apology and offer my own in exchange. It was wrong of your servant to cause you needless concern. Lady Menodora,” he stood and following what he remembered, seeing in a show only once, bowed low and respectfully, “Please forgive your servant’s incompetence.”

He could see Mirk staring at him, that stunned look once again painted across his furry face, silent.

“Lord Till.” Her voice was so low and thoughtful. He found himself rising to look at her. Her eyes were glittering, shining as the moon was known to do on a cold and lonely winter night. “I could never hold a grievance against you.”

What she had said was the truth. He could see it in her expression, in the way her voice modulated, and how her eyes stared into his. Was it just before him she wore her emotions so openly?

“You are too kind my lady.”

Had a smile of its kind ever existed before? It was soft and open, like a child’s, even at that distance he could feel it like a beam of light.

“Not at all, I know I am drawing you away from your responsibilities and putting you in a difficult position yet again. No move is made within these walls without sacrifice.” Her smile dulled. “And so, I thank you for making the sacrifice to attend to me this morning.”

Sensing it grew time for him to take his leave he stood, bowing yet again. “It has been an honor, Lady Menodora.”

“Lord Till, before you go, can you answer me a question?”

“Of course, I am at your service.”

“Is the sun out today?”

“She asks this of him every time he comes.” Mirk flicked his tail with disinterest, looking away from the Centauri Seren, that noisy aura of his percolating.

He wasn’t sure why he gave the answer he did, whether he knew it was what she wished to hear, or he felt he needed to say it. But in the cold practiced voice he had spent the last three months cultivating he answered in his own way.

“Yes, despite all the clouds, it’s a beautiful day.”

He took his leave of her, walking beside the grumbling Mirk out into the open air of the wide courtyard that held her miniature palace.

“You were too friendly with her. You put my master at risk making such statements. It is no small thing to be sociable with the Centauri Seren. People have been killed for less.”

Yuji glanced at the sky as they went toward the main castle. The cloud cover was heavy, as it always appeared to be here, but today it wasn’t quite so gray, a bit of yellowish sunlight peeking through in places.

“I said it the way you told me to. Besides that, what I said wasn’t a lie. As this place goes, it’s a beautiful day.”

“As if that’s an excuse for your behavior. You are not to act as Yuji Valentinov here. You are Lord Till Bastion, son of Margrave Idwal Bastion of Gloam. You must present yourself with deportment and command respect.”

Is this what it would be like to have a nagging wife? So much for my dreams as a child that a talking animal sidekick would be fun.

“Fine, I’m sorry and I will try and control myself next time.”

“See that you do, least you ruin all my master’s hard work.”

“I would hate to do that.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

It’s going to be a very long day.