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Rutilus Catena	By : Zilleniose Category: +. to F > Chrono Crusade Views: 3191 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Chrono Crusade, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
Rejoice, you get your first taste of lime and plenty of angst in
this chapter. <3

--------------

Chapter 3

The girl
slowed down a little as she meandered the halls,
sniffling a bit as she tried to figure out what the heck she was thinking all
through then. She didn�t know, she hadn�t been thinking really. She felt like a
kid again, acting and acting and her emotions were so out in the open... She
beat her head a little with her fists, and looked around for where she needed
to go, a frustrated frown on her lips.

Quiet steps
advanced upon her, then paused, before she heard a small
voice. "Little girl, do you have permission to be here?"

The girl
turned around a bit, jumping before staring at the maid, blue eyes wide as she
stared up at her. "A-Ah. I'm new here and I got
lost!" she squeaked, hoping she didn�t just screw herself over here.

The woman
before her (who incidentally didn't look much older than Rosette's real age)
looked about for a moment before stepping forward and grabbing the younger
girl's hand, leading her quickly down the halls. "The common room is right
over here.... thank god I found you before a demon did, they take no pity on
the young or the lost."

She couldn�t
help but stare, and stare and stare. This was.... This was Stella's sister wasn�t
it! Did that mean everyone else was here too, only in a different sense? She
almost felt like falling apart. Joshua! joshuajoshuajoshuawherewashewhatwashappeningtohim.
It was obvious that something was wrong, as the young girls face drained of all
color.

The young
made kept a steady pace, turning one last corner before twisting Rosette around
in front of her, and opened the single door into a rather spacious, but bland
room where a few couches and many beds were scattered. "Now will you
promise me you won't come out unless it's mealtime, or
your master orders you?" She asked in a concerned voice, managing a smile.

She nodded
half heartedly, looking completely lost, before letting go of her hand, trying
to make heads and tails of this situation. She couldn�t leave. Not right away.
No, definitely not. Not until she found Joshua and made sure he was ok, that he
wasn�t being tortured and raped and- Oh god what if he was dead. Suddenly she felt light headed, and she just sat down flatly
on the rug, tears in her eyes. Oh Joshua.

The common
room held a scarce amount of slaves, mostly cooks and gardeners since it was
time for the maids' work, and many sex slaves were currently 'being used'. A
few whispers erupted from a small group near the door, before a young woman of around
eighteen with dark brown hair walked over and bent down on her knees. "Hey
sweetie, are you okay?" She asked quietly.

�

�"She must be new, Liz. Leave her be,
she'll be fine in a while..."

"What�s
going on in here?" A softer male voice asked, as a young man no more then
20 something years old stepped into the room, his blue eyes falling on the
child with a frown. He quickly walked up to her and kneeled down, lightly
tipping her chin so that he could look into her eyes. "Hey...are you
ok?"

Rosette
nearly yanked back like she had been burned, her own eyes widening as she
stared into the familiar face of the man who had rescued them four years ago- Remington.� "R-R-" She stammered, slapping her
hands over her mouth, before she lunged forward and hugged him tightly,
startling the man who just carefully hugged her back, looking up at the dark
haired maid with a confused expression.

"I... I
think she's happy to see you?" Liz offered quietly, just as confused as he
was.

"Hey,
look at her collar...." A whisper came from the back, as a few more eyes
peered their way.

�

�"She's a blood servant..."

�

�"That young? How cruel!"

The man's surprised
blue eyes narrowed into something darker as he ran a finger across the collar,
and carefully squeezed the girl tighter before pulling her back. "What's
your name?" He asked quietly, smiling softly at her. The girl hiccupped a
bit, rubbing at her eyes as she smiled widely, despite herself.

"Rosette. It�s Rosette."

"Your
clasp is pretty unique.... do you recognize it, Cindy?" Liz offered to one
of the older woman behind them with a black collar and clad in nothing but what
she was given at birth.

�

�"Nah, it's new to me. Who's your master,
kid?"

"It's
probably just one of the traveling low-ranks..."

"Chrno." Rosette mumbled, looking up at one of the girls, and then back up at
Remington, who suddenly looked very startled, eyes wide before he looked over
at Liz again, his fingers clasping a little tighter on the young girls
shoulders.

"Y-you're
kidding...." Liz whispered, noticing now the small girl had the entire
attention of all the slaves in the room. "The one that's
never here? that's odd..."

�

�"He was here a few weeks ago, remember? That's when....." another young woman
silenced herself as many of them looked grief stricken.

Rosette
looked around at the slaves, visibly confused. "What-" Suddenly she didn�t
want to know, and she jerked out of Remington's hands, who gave her a startled
look. "I'm sorry. But I should go." She said quickly.

"You
can't! You're not allowed to leave the common room unless you're given orders."
Liz reached out and placed her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You
could get killed if you're caught by a demon...."

�

�"Or worse if she's caught by her
master..."

�

�"Anne, shh! Don't scare her!"

She looked
up at them, making a confused expression. "What did C- my Master do
normally to slaves." She asked slowly, looking
over at Remington, who's lips were pressed into a
tight line.

Liz looked
behind her to a few other slaves, where they all passed glances to one another.
"Well..." Another girl spoke up slowly. "We don't really know
much about him.... other than he's an elite..."

�

�"He's really powerful. He practically
owns this place now..."

�

�"That's just a rumor. He's only been here
once, anyway."

�

�"But that one time he was here....."

�

�The girl paused as it got quiet again, before
she picked back up. "The master of the house lent Master Chrno two blood
slaves.... Carol and Annette. But...."

�

�"He killed
them! We haven't seen them since!" A hysterical girl from the back cried,
obviously furious. "It wasn't enough for him to just taste, he drained them completely!!"

Rosette's
heart stopped, and for a moment she didn�t hear anything,
just.....stopped.� All color that was
left in her cheeks and she just wobbled there, before she passed out completely,
her mind not able to keep up with everything that just had been packed into her
brain.

He....killed....

"Ah! Rosette!" Remington caught the little girl carefully,
scooping her up in a near panic, and checked her pulse, calming down once he
was sure she was ok.� "Liz, get me a
cot." He said quickly, smoothing her dress down as he examined her pale
face, chewing on his bottom lip. This poor girl...

Liz did so immediately,
clearing off the nearest bed and fluffed the single pillow that lay atop it.
"Poor thing..." She said quietly.

�

�"She'll be gone by tomorrow."

�

�"Jesus, Anne!! Stop it!"

"ENOUGH." Remington
all but thundered, obviously angry, a side of him that didn�t show very much.
He carefully tucked the girl into the cot and snapped at Anne. "Get some
water and a few treats ok? You probably scared the poor girl half to
death." He brushed back the blonde's bangs, frowning a little at her pale
hair color, fingers twisting into it. His own was very
light as well, but no where near the girls shade. He had been lucky that his
owner was an wealthy aging female demon, who was more
preoccupied with her garden then his body or worth.� He wasn�t about to let her get what he
probably had deserved in her place.

All was
silent for a while as the females bustled about,
whispering about the new girl who's fate was questionable. "Here,"
Anne mumbled, a little sour but obviously felt bad as she brought over a rather
dirty glass of water and some crackers, as well as a few strawberries that were
beginning to look a little old.

Remington
quietly tipped his glass to the girl's lips, helping her drink before quietly
leaving the strawberries and crackers beside the bed, lightly brushing her hair
back in a fatherly manner. "As far as we know, Rosette is too sick to come
up stairs. We'll keep her away from him as much as we can without jeopardizing
her any more."

A handful of
the slaves nodded in recognition. "What about mealtime?" Liz asked
quietly. "We can't hide her and risk her going hungry..."

"Don�t
worry about that." Remington smiled a little, "My master loves
children. Especially squirreling away food and such to them.
Food wont be a problem as long as she trusts me enough
to take care of her." He gave one of his trademark grins to the group.

A few of the
slaves blushed and trusted he would look after her well enough. Such a kind
man... so deserving of the kind (if not slightly senile) demon mistress whom he
serves.

The man
quietly looked back down at the girl and smiled a little to himself.
"Actually, I might pay her a visit with her right now." He quietly
scooped the girl up, who curled into him like she had been carried by him many
times before, and buried her nose into his chest, one arm curling about his
neck. He smiled warmly, and then winked at the girls. "If anyone comes
looking for her, direct them to my master."

The
remaining slaves who stayed at Yuan's side bid him farewell, but it was obvious
many of them were still concerned about the child. Even if Remington would be
able to hide her for a while, Chrno would take her back eventually... it was
only a matter of time. It was horrible, really, seeing such a young girl face
such a horrible fate...

Remington
would be able to hide her for a while, Chrno would take her back eventually...
it was only a matter of time. It was horrible, really, seeing such a young girl
face such a horrible fate...

Yuan quietly
bundled the girl up in his coat, and carried her carefully across the building.
Even though he was a human, he had the slight respect that many of the demons
did not bother with him. To bother with him would be to bother with the old
woman, which no one wanted to see. Especially if her garden didn�t
get pruned. Carefully Remington slipped through the back door, the rooms
chilly as per the madam's preference. Remington preferred it that way, as he
carefully wrapped a scarf about the girl's neck (covering her collar) and then
carried her into the room. "Ma'am?"

A tired
"myaaa" came from one end of the room,
where an elderly demon sat beside a window, petting a long-haired grey cat, who
looked simply too fat for its own good. "Yuan, is that you?" Her
voice carried easily across the quiet room, as the elderly demon looked up from
her rocking chair, giving the blond man a smile. "How nice to see you... I
see you've been taking good care of my garden."

He smiled
back, walking up to her and kneeling a bit in front of her. "I always will
ma'am. The Garden will always be beautiful for you. Also."
He winked at her, pulling the blanket away from Rosette's young face.
"Looks like one of your great grand nieces finally arrived. A little late,
but you know how I told you that her mother was being a little testy about
it." On top of gardening, he also took care of the woman's public affairs.
A few white lies never hurt anyone.

Instantly
the old demon's eyes lit up, and her smile grew as she reached out, making the
fat cat on her lap hop off with a grumbling 'mrru'. "Oh, how precious.... such a darling child." She
said quietly with adoration, petting at the girl's hair, gently brushing some
out of her sleeping face. "What is this one's name?"

"Rosette." He said with a little smile, the girl breathing out calmly
as he touched her. "Long trip, her mother said she fell asleep not a few
minutes before she got her." He added.

"Ahh, then let the child sleep, Yuan!" She laughed
softly, motioning towards the rather overdone floral-print bed at the other
side of the room. "I'll make her something sweet when she wakes, tell her
mother not to worry. Grandma's takin' care of her."

He laughed
and nodded, lightly slipping the girl into the comfortable bed, tucking her in,
and slipping a note into her hand. She'd definitely feel it upon waking.
"Would you like me to get some treats for the two of you to share once she
awakes Ma'am? "

"Oh,
that would be splendid, Yuan. Anything from the bakery will do, along with some
milk. I'll make my tea as always." She smiled back, nodding slowly.

He nodded
lightly, smiling as he dusted the girl's bangs back again, and slipped off to
get the treats, making sure to grab the sweet meats and stuffed breads for the
girl, and a nice thing of milk. He was gone for a good ten minutes, before
beneath the covers, the young girl stirred, and opened her eyes, squeezing her
hand around the thick paper. She jumped a little, paused, and then peaked out a
bit to see the flower filled garden. She tucked back under the blanket in
confusion, and then lifted the note to read through the sun beams that passed
through the blanket. Yuan had quickly scribbled out instructions, explaining
where she was and why, and she bit her bottom lip a little.

Chrno wasn�t
going to like this.

On the table
beside her was a small tray filled with sweet treats, a thin glass bowl
covering them so they wouldn't dry out while she slept. The elderly demon
Remington had mentioned in the note was propped in a cushy chair beside the
bed, head tilted to one side, sleeping. The fat cat in her lap noticed that
Rosette had stirred though, and quietly pattered over to the bed, climbing up
and sniffing at the moving blankets. "Mruuu?" It purred, curious.

She blinked,
and wiggled her fingers under the cat�s paws, hoping to scare it away before it
let its master know she was awake.

Of course
the cat jumped a bit, watching her fingers under the blanket for a moment, but
quickly noticed it was no threat and it started to bat at them. But much to
Rosette's dismay, it was much more interested in the little girl than her hand,
and it walked up closer, sniffing at her head, before laying down beside her,
propping its head up against her stomach comfortably with a yawn.

This pulled
the blanket off her head far enough so that she could see out, and she sighed a
bit, petting the fat cat, and glancing over at the old demon. Playing niece wouldn�t
be too bad she guessed, she'd just have to get back to Chrno--- She flinched a
bit at the thought of the demon, no maybe she'd stay here a while, before
facing him.....

The very
demon on her mind currently scaled the halls, looking quite drained. He had
spent a few hours with the head of the house and the few sources he was able to
gather, but they didn't really get anywhere. There were a couple of leads, but
most were just tales of old legends and rumors that could have started with two
drunks at a bar for all he knew.... the last thing he needed was to be sent on
a wild goose chase. Finally spying one of the maids, who was currently setting
up a vacuum next to one of the rec rooms, he walked
up to her casually, but kept a fair distance between them, not wanting to startle
her - which for a good reason, was extremely easy to do no matter what demon
you were. "Ningen,"
He spoke softly even though he used the condescending slur for the human name
(he hated it, but it was common practice). "Send for Rosette Christopher to
my quarters, she should be in the common room."

The dark
haired maid jumped, nearly dropping the pieces of the vacuum the moment he
spoke.� She turned frightened eyes up to
him before dropping them quickly, putting the vacuum back together quickly.
"I-I- deeply regret to have to inform you Sir Demon, but the lowly slave
known as Rosette has been feeling ill. She cannot get up right now, but as soon
as she is well enough to even walk again, we will instantly send her to your
side." Her voice trembled.

His brows
furrowed slightly, troubled. That's odd... Rosette was fine when she left - albeit
furious with him, but fine. Well, whatever they're providing her with at the
moment can't be that good... if she really is sick, he needs to get her proper
care. "Where is she being kept?"

"I haven�t
been down in the common room in more then a hour
Sir." She whispered, usnure what to do at that
moment. "The lowly slave Yuan Remington took her for care."

Chrno suppressed
his voice at that comment, disbelief washing over him. Remington was here...?
Well, it made sense in a way, now... but as a slave? That poor guy... "Who
is Yuan Remington's master?"

"T-The Most supreme lady Lillith." She said stammering.

He sighed.
Well that just made things even more difficult.... despite her position of
power (she was probably the richest demon in this hemisphere), she rarely left
her room and only went out to see her garden. Many have said she's gone senile,
and isn't exactly that easy to talk to. "Continue with your work." He
said finally, before turning to the other direction and began making his way to
the Lady's room, one of the topmost areas in the entire house.

The girl
relaxed thankfully, and went back to her chores vigorously, slipping over to
another maid to tell her to warn Remington, who very quickly ran off to meet
the man. Abandoning the kitchen, The blonde slave
pursed his lips, and hurried to intercept the demon, and hopefully send him in
the wrong direction.

Chrno turned
a corner once he scaled a few flights of stairs, senses heightened to the
utmost extent. Each demon had a specific signature flow of Astral... so all he
had to look for was an unfamiliar one, which he sensed quickly enough.
Continuing at a swift pace, he worried in the back of his mind if Rosette fell
ill because he took too much blood from her last night. It was uncommon, but it
happened... though the effects would have taken a toll on her immediately
after. Something wasn't right here.

And
suddenly, there was a tall, very strong looking blonde male in the stair case, carrying
a large box of something, directly in his way on the stairs. In his eyes was
that same very protective, almost possessive, expression that he had in their
world, when they had thought that he was going to kill him. "Excuse me
sir."

Chrno
stopped in his tracks, eyes widening with surprise for but a moment, before his
expression quickly changed to his normal nonchalant gaze. "Out
of my way, ningen."
He said simply, though his voice was hesitant and no where near as threatening
as it normally was. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but see the
man that had helped him and Rosette all these years... he was kind and noble,
and there was no way in Hell he was going to cause him trouble in this world as
long as he had control.

"My apologies." He said simply, and let the box just drop on 'accident'
spilling little girl's clothing all about, down the steps. "Ah,
Sorry sir." He pretended to be desperately clumsy,
knocking a pair of shoes past him as he slowly picked up the clothing and put
them in the box.

He couldn't
help but watch him with curiosity, confused as to why he acted so different all
of the sudden. The Remington he knew wouldn't keep slipping up like this....
though he supposed there was room for difference in each person between
dimensions - or wherever this place is. Instinctively he began to bend down to
help pick up the mess, but he caught himself with a bit of embarrassment and
forced himself to continue up the steps. He had to show indifference to every human....
but god was it hard.

Remington�s
fingers lightly curled around the rope that had been left on the step as
Chrno's foot caught it, and he gave it a mighty yank, pulling his foot right
off the step and up into the air, before he tossed it to the side, pretending
to never have touched it.

With a
startled jerk, Chrno stumbled back in an undignified manner, having to release
his wings for a split second to help balance himself again before he would
tumble down the entire two flights of stairs. Once he regained his balance, he
looked down to see the thin rope that had been placed there - immediately he
noticed Remington must have pulled that little stunt, since it didn't seem
quite as sophisticated as something another demon would pull. He shot an incredulous
look to the back of the blond man's head, trying to sense if there were any
other demons nearby within earshot. He could just play dumb and pretend he
didn't notice it.....

"Pardon
me sir." He said cheerfully, picking up the last of the clothing and
stomping down the stairs quickly, slipping inside the door and then- Locking it
from the inside. It was the madam's door, so it wasn�t like he could just
simply open it himself. With a merry little whistle, he walked away from the
stair case....that had been locked on the top too. He hoped he'd enjoy his
little stay.

Chrno just
sighed as he continued on, hearing the faint 'click' of the door locking
downstairs with a bit of a pale expression. That couldn't be good... Rushing,
he climbed the rest of the stairs - only to notice the door at the top didn't
lead to a hall, it lead straight to the Lady's room.
Why she wanted a spiraling medieval staircase accessible to her at a moment's
notice was beyond him.... maybe she was senile. Quietly he tried the handle,
noticing that it was locked as well. Great, Remington.... so he wasn't a klutz
in this world, he was just as sneaky as ever. Instead he tried the polite
approach, hoping someone heard him as he knocked. "Lady Lillith," He called at a moderate tone.

Remington
just grinned as he made his way back around towards the servants stairs,
whistling a cheerful tune as he maneuvered up it and peering at the door that
was being knocked on. He just grinned a little and meandered into the lady's
room, setting the box down beside Rosette and smiled at her. "How
you doing?" He whispered.

She just
stared owlishly up at him, peering over at the demon and then back at him.
"What are you doing?" She
hissed below her breath.

The elderly
demon beside them both moved slightly, stirring a bit at the noise from the
voices, but proved to be a fairly hard sleeper. The cat on Rosette's lap perked
up, looking towards the door Chrno had knocked on, but merely watched, before
turning onto its back and stretching its legs out, showing its fat belly.

�

�Chrno sat there for a moment, his sensitive
hearing picking up both Remington's and Rosette's voice. Was Lillith not in there? No, he heard faint snoring.... that
had to be her.... "Remington." He said with a bit of annoyance,
though he came to expect this sort of thing with his character - and in his
confusion he forgot not to use the slaves' names. "I know you're in there.
Open the door."

Both jumped,
and the blonde man looked over at the door incredulously. Rosette slapped her
hands over her mouth, glancing over at the door. She squirmed over, trying to
get out of the bed. Remington only grabbed her hand a little, narrowing her
eyes at the door. "What is going on here?" He whispered to her. "My name?"

The
violet-haired demon paled considerably as he noticed his slip-up, heart beating
hard in his chest. No big deal... he could just sluff
it off as a mistake...right? Nervously, he raised his hand, placing it just in
front of the door before feeling a slight crackle of energy. His suspicions
were right... the old demon had quite a barrier on the entrances. Closing his
eyes he concentrated, trying to find a weak point anywhere within the barrier,
but found none. God damn it.... he couldn't just sit here..... silently he turned around and retreated back down the
stairs, hoping they wouldn't notice.

Rosette gave
Remington a look, gritting her teeth. "I'll explain later." she
whispered, finally lifting the cat up and setting him aside, going for the
door. Remington grabbed her wrist, pulling her back, shaking his head.
"You're not going out there." he growled, tugging her backwards into
his knees. "I'm not letting you get yourself killed."

Moments
later, a door farther back in a small niche rattled a bit before it opened,
Chrno stepping in almost defensively. Good thing he thought about the servant's
hall... there are never any barriers on doors for slaves. "Let go of her, ningen."

Remington's
eyes narrowed at the demon, and then glanced over at his owner, his lips
pressed into a thin line as Rosette squirmed in his arms. He glanced down at
her, and met her earnest eyes, and then...let her go. There was something going
on here....

Chrno's
determined gaze met Remington's, but the moment he released Rosette, his golden
eyes softened as he looked down towards her. "What were you planning,
taking her from me?" He whispered, looking back up towards the blond man,
but oddly enough, his voice held no malice, just confusion.

The man stared
at him in utter confusion, Rosette standing between them, her lips pressed in a
thin line. "What...." He asked quietly, before the old woman snorted,
opening her eyes. "Yuan...?" She asked wobblingly, and the man stood
up sharply. "M'am. You have a visitor." He growled a little,
reaching for the girl's small hand.

Rosette just
pulled away, hugging herself a bit and ruffling her eyebrows up and taking a
small step towards Chrno.

Chrno
stiffened at the sound of the elderly demon waking and bit his lip, before
stepping forward and placing a gently hand on Rosette's shoulder, pulling her
to him just slightly, before he bowed his head. "Pardon my intrusion, Lady
Lillith." He said humbly, sending a look back at
Remington that let him know he was none too pleased with his actions, but he
still wasn't furious.

"Ohhh~" She murmured, smiling crookedly down at the
little girl, who had flinched when Chrno touched her. "Do you know my
great grand niece Little Chrno hmnn?" She asked
cheerfully, and quietly made grabby hands to the little girl, who looked
utterly torn on what to do.

Chrno
faltered for a moment, looking at the woman oddly. "Great
grand niece?" He echoed, hesitating as he looked towards Yuan for a
split second. This had to be Yuan's doing as well.... but if Lillith finds out he fooled her, he could be as good as dead.
"Oh, of course, Lady Lillith."
He made a complete 180, laughing lightly as he adjusted the scarf as Rosette's
neck to hide the collar that had begun to peak out, and patted her on the head.
"I was sent to fetch her.... her parents have decided to leave early this
visit."

Rosette
jumped, and stared at him incredulously, Remington staring widely at the two.
He dropped his hands, utterly confused, and glanced over at Rosette, who stared
back at him owlishly, and made a face, trying to get him to understand.
"I'll explain later, please." She mouthed, and Remington's shoulders
slumped, and glanced up at Chrno.

"Ohh so short a visit..." The old woman purred loosely,
taking the fat cat back onto her lap. "Sweetie we didn�t even share
snacks..."

"I'm
terribly sorry, Madam." Chrno once again bowed his head in respect.
"Her parents need her back post haste. May I ask for your slave to show
her the exit? I have some pressing matters to attend to."

"Of course." She murmured, smiling easily and reaching forward, ruffling
her hair before waving for Yuan to take the girl and the clothing with him.
Yuan nodded, lightly scooping the girl up protectively. He lightly glared at
Chrno, placing the box on Rosette's lap, and quickly marched to the door.

Chrno
quickly followed behind them through the front entrance, closing the door
securely behind him and walking a few steps away from it. "I'll be taking
back Rosette now." He stated firmly.

"You
are not who you pretend to be." He said roughly, taking a step back from
him and holding Rosette close, who gasped a little. "Remington, please!" She whispered, squirming
in his arms.

Chrno's gaze
didn't falter. It was to risky to say much more... there's weren't many demons
close by, but he had no idea if any of them had the capability of hearing them.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Return my blood slave at
once."

He lightly
frowned, before carefully wrapping a small device into Rosette's hand, leaning
forward to her ear. "If you need anything, call me." He murmured, and
slowly set her down, watching Rosette scramble to Chrno's side.�

The
violet-haired demon didn't even give Remington another glance before he placed
a hand at Rosette's back, leading her away for a few steps before letting her
follow him on his own, not uttering a word. This is bad.... if Remington lets
rumors leak about his slip-up, he doesn't know how long they'll be able to stay
here, and here they had a chance of getting back home. How was he going to keep
this up, when he could barely keep them covered for just one day?

And it's
only going to be worse with Rosette's contract he signed for her... she was
already pissed at him (or at least, she was when they parted a few hours ago),
for some reason seems really timid around him at the moment, and he's going to
have to break some very uncomfortable news to her before the night ends. Good
lord, does he feel a headache coming on.

Rosette
stared at her feet as they walked, lips pressed tight. She knew, at least
hoped, that Remington wouldn�t talk to anyone about this. He'd wait for her to
contact him at least... but then there was Chrno...She didn�t know what to day
to him. So instead she just was quiet, watching her feet.

It wasn't
long before lead them to the familiar set of double-doors, where he opened one
and made a small motion for Rosette to hurry up and get inside. Though he was
currently simply in deep thought, his expression looked almost firm, as if he
was angry with her. "Come on." He spoke quietly.

She looked
up at him with a heavy frown, before stepping inside, not speaking to him as
she walked to the other side or the room and took off her shoes. What now? She didn�t
know how to deal with this.

He quietly
closed the door behind them, before letting out a long sigh and walked to the
bed at the center of the room and sat down, placing a hand on his forehead.
"I can't believe that just happened." He said with a troubled voice,
before he paused and looked back at Rosette with a concerned gaze. "Are
you alright? I heard you were sick, but I couldn't tell if that was part of
Remington's plan or not."

"I'm
fine." she mumbled, sitting down and pulling her knees up to her chin.

His gaze
lowered at her response and the defensive position she placed herself in.
"I'm sorry.... about this morning." He offered quietly. "I never
should have done that to you."

"Chrno�
did you kill those two girls?" She asked suddenly, as if not hearing him
at all, and she lifted quiet eyes up to him.

Immediately
his eyes widened, and he froze, feeling his heart skip a beat, as if it was
about to stop altogether. Oh god, not this.... Anything but this.... he
swallowed nervously as he gripped the covers just beside his legs. He wanted to
keep that from her, forever if he could... "Yes." He admitted in a
tone that flooded with guilt and regret, barely above a whisper. "I
did."

�Why?"

There was a
rather long, painful silence between them before Chrno founds the courage to
speak again. "I had never fed before. I.... I didn't know how to
stop." He whispered, voice beginning to crack every now and then. "I
fell into a bloodlust, just like some starving legion...."

There was a
shifting of material and Rosette slid off her chair, stepping up to him and
half crawling into his lap, wrapping her arms about his head and drawing it down
to her chest, one hand sliding down to his back as she hugged him. "It�s
ok." She murmured.

Chrno's
hands gripped the fabric harder, as if for a short amount of time, he refused
to accept her comfort... but he gave in, his arms wrapping about her middle as
he let out a ragged breath. "No, it's not...."
His hands fell atop her shoulders, before he gently pushed her back, unable to
look her in the eyes. "I killed two innocent girls..... god Rosette, I almost did the
same to you."

She slapped
him across the cheek, and then grabbed his hair, forcing him to look upwards at
her. "Chrno, you couldn�t help yourself. I know you didn�t do it on
purpose.... I...its horrible but you can�t change what you did. Just...don�t do
it again you know." She turned her eyes to the side, and grit her teeth together. "You couldn�t kill me if you
tried Chrno. I'm invincible, remember?"

He looked at
her with a stunned expression, his cheek slightly red and stinging from where
she slapped him. A few moments passed before he gave her a defeated, but
understanding smile. His hands gently gripped the side of her dress at her
middle, and he rested his forehead on her shoulder. "You're right....... thank you." He let out a small laugh. "For once
I'm glad you're so stubborn. You need to keep me in place more often."

She rolled
her eyes. "You'd be at the bottom of a pit if it wasn�t for me, just
rotting." She pulled at her collar a little, and got off his lap.
"I'm going to get changed for the night." She mumbled, digging into
the box for a light night dress, occasionally pulling at her collar in
frustration.

He smiled as
he watched her walk off, before simply flopping backwards onto his back,
closing his eyes and relishing how plush the comforter was. That certainly was
a load of his chest... guilt had been weighing him down for some time (and
honestly, it still did), but the moment Rosette accepted him, the relief was
refreshing.

"Mnn." She made a face, pulling at her
collar. "This thing is driving me insane." She sighed, stepping behind
the changing curtain to get into her PJs and then
walked towards the bed, trying to force her fingers in between the collar and
her neck. "It�s like, strangling me."

And in that
very instant, Chrno's sense of tranquility and relief had completely vanished
in a cloud of smoke. Oh. Shit. "A-Ah.... Rosette?"
He asked in an almost pathetic, tiny voice, not moving from his spot. "Um,
there's a reason it's doing that......" He sat up, looking over towards
her like he was suddenly scared, his cheeks a dark red.

She looked
up at him in confusion, her cheeks pink as she breathed laboriously, trying to
move the collar. "Why?! What the hell is it now?"

"Get
over here and promise not to kill me." He said quickly, patting the bed
right beside him.

She rolled
her eyes and started grumbling under her breath as she walked to his side and
sat down, squirming as she fought with the collar. "Hurry and tell me, i wont kill you."

"You
won't do me any bodily harm?" He prodded, still looking much like a deer
in headlights.

"GODDAMNIT
just TELL ME!" She grow-whined, tugging at the clip. "CHRNO!"

"Alright!" He took in a breath, and looked away from her, blushing
horribly. "Part of the contract I signed for you made sure I would take
your virginity before you hit breeding age, but.... I'm also supposed
to......'teach' you about certain sexual activities every night..."

She stared
at him, silent for a few long moments, before she dropped her eyes.
"W-Well get at it." She tugged at the collar
quickly. "Please."

He bit his lip,
a little taken aback at her response, but he did as she requested. Gently he
placed one hand on her shoulder and pushed her back onto the bed before he
rested his arm right beside her - and his free hand snaked under her night
dress and bunched it up along the way, before his clawed fingers gently brushed
up against her chest, trailing along her skin sensually before rubbing against
a rosy peak hesitantly.

Instantly
her collar loosened and she was able to take a thankful breath,
that was only hitched by his fingers touching her. She gave a yelp and
grabbed his wrist, making a frightened face as he did. "Chrno!"
She squirmed, that strange feeling shooting through her stomach at the touch.

He winced noticeably
at her reaction, her frightened look causing his heart to ache with guilt.
"C-Calm down, this is all I'm doing..." He tried to reassure her, but
he knew it was only going to get worse. He had just recently begged her
forgiveness for doing this earlier, but it was part of the contract... if he
didn't, she'd choke again. "Release
my wrist." He spoke firmly, that familiar dominating voice echoing in
her ears.

She sucked
in a breath, her hand instantly releasing him and instead grabbed the sheets
about her, closing her eyes tightly. "Chrno-" She stammered, turning
her eyes to the side and sucking in uncomfortable breaths.

His mind
screamed at him to stop, his gaze he held on her struggling expression getting
harder to hold with each passing moment. He was going against everything he
stood for, he could hardly believe he was forcing her
to endure such sensations. Hesitantly, he leaned down and ran his tongue hotly
against the skin of her neck, right over the same wound he had given her the
night before as his hand continued to explore her chest, now sometimes running
his claws very lightly along her collarbone or down towards her stomach.

She
whimpered desperately, pushing against his shoulder as she whispered for him to
stop, but didn�t seem too convinced on it, bending her hips up to him despite
herself. Fingers curled into the material of his shirt, tugging yanking pulling
to keep herself from moaning.

Very quickly
his fangs dug into her skin, but only pierced her a
fraction of the way compared to the night before, allowing a few solitary drops
of blood to fall on his tongue before he licked it once more, healing the
shallow wound in an instant. "Spread
your legs." He ordered breathily, his lips inches away from her ear as
his hand trailed down lower, claws tickling her stomach in a sensual fashion.

She did so
instantly, whimpering out a soft "Chrno, please don�t�"� Desperately she twisted her legs a little,
toes curling up in the sheets as she dug her fingers up into his hair, yanking
on it as her arms brushed against his horns.

He winced as
she pulled at his hair, forcing himself to continue even at her quiet plea that
tore at his heart. "Do not call me
by my name." He said darkly, unable to move from his position above
her lest he get a glimpse of her squirming body, which he was sure would all but
break his determination. "I am your
master, regard to me as such." His hand continued lower, claws running
along the hem of her panties, his movements becoming somewhat shaky.

"MASTER!" She gasped, her voice hitting a
pathetic pitch, her hips jerking upwards to his hand, and she whined softly,
twisting and fighting against him, despite her body just begging and pleading
for her to give in.

He breathed
on her ear, before nibbling on it softly, afraid to do too much and at the same
time, afraid he won't do enough. But the moment he began to slide his claws
underneath the fabric of her panties, something in him made him stop - and
suddenly he knew he was at the limit for tonight. Gently he retreated
his hand from her and leaned back up, looking down at her with painfully guilty
eyes. He wanted to tell her it was over, that it was done, but all he could
muster was a quiet, broken, "I'm sorry, Rosette.... I'm so sorry..."

She
scrambled off the bed and into the corner, pushing down her dress quickly, her
breath short and she slid down to the floor, playing her face on her knees, her
breath hitching a little.

Chrno
gripped the comforter with frustration, watching her retreat from him and curl
up into a ball at the corner of the room, pouring salt all over his fresh
wounds. The worst he could imagine just happened.... and he had no idea how to
fight the urge to leave her altogether in this room to leave her be like she
would want. But Rosette wouldn't do that to him... what good would that do?
Silently he slid off the bed and walked towards her, before sitting down
against the wall a few feet away from her - far enough to give her space, but
still close enough to let her know he was there. He was completely silent,
afraid that anything he said would just worsen the situation, so he let her sit
there, listening to her uneven breath.

She tried to
swallow her emotions, shivering violently a few times before lifting swollen
eyes, tears staining her cheeks. "...e-every night?" She asked
softly, her voice horse.

He glanced
her way with a pained expression at the sight of her tears. His gaze fell as he
whispered hesitantly. "Yes." He paused for a moment, head lowering
slightly. "I'm sorry Rosette....I....." He brought a knee up close to
his chest and laid an arm across it, resting his head there so she couldn't see
his face. "I don't want to hurt you any more...� please...... d-don't cry...."

She couldn�t
help it. When you told a child not to cry, of course it was the first thing
they started to do again. She hiccupped, and closed her eyes tight, trying to
cut off the tears. Slowly she stopped crying, silence falling around them as
she peered sideways at Chrno, trying to get herself to stomach going over there
and hugging him.

He stayed
there the entire time she cried, showing no signs of moving until she began to
calm, where he hesitantly looked her way. His eyes were slightly red and tired,
having fought back tears for quite some time now, but he made no move to get
advance the situation. Once his gaze caught her own,
he averted his shamefully, instead looking down at the carpet in front of him.
"I'm going to change." He said quietly, before getting to his feet
and making his way to the walk-in closet, where he closed the door quietly
behind him, allowing him to reflect in the short amount of time it took to put
his nightclothes on. God he hated this world.... they needed to get out of
here.

�

After a few
minutes, he stepped back out and paused a good distance from the young girl in
the corner. "You need to rest." He said quietly, before he walked
over to the large couch parallel to the bed and sat down. "Take the bed.
I'll sleep here."

He looked
her way, noticing how badly she shook when she stood up. "No, you need the
better rest." She was so stubborn..... then
again, she always was. "I'm fine here."

"If you
don�t sleep on the bed, I'm going to sleep on the damn floor." She
muttered, glancing at the bed and slowly walked around the side of the room,
grabbing a blanket and lay it on the ground.

He sighed,
watching her lay out the blanket with a troubled gaze, before he got up and
walked her way, bending down on one knee beside her as he grabbed the same side
of the blanket she had in her hands. "Why don't we just both sleep in the
bed?" He offered quietly. "I won't rest well knowing you're on the
floor."

"No!"
She responded too quickly, eyes flashing up at him.

His
expression quickly mirrored hurt. "Rosette, I'm not going to do
anything." They slept there just last night... he can't believe he scared her this badly.

"I-I
know." She stammered, guilt building about her heart, and she dropped her
eyes, trying not to start crying. "I know I know. I�m sorry Chrno I
just..."

His
instincts urged him to reach out and embrace her, tell her everything is okay,
but he merely lifted a hand before bringing it back to him defeated. "No,
I'm sorry. Part of the contract needed me to be forceful, but..." he bit
his lip, obviously at a loss of words.

She shook
her head, backing away from him slowly and sitting down on the couch flatly.
"I know...master."� She
whispered, "It�s ok."

Flinching
slightly at her use of 'master', he briefly remembered how he ordered her to
call him that. "You may address me
by my name." He spoke relatively softly compared to the other times
he'd used his dominance over her, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and guilt.

She just
looked at him, and closed her eyes, ankles crossed as she flopped over onto her
side, and wrapped the blanket around herself, tired. "Good night."

"Please,
Rosette." Chrno pleaded in a somewhat tired voice. "Just take the
bed."

"No."
She said softly, resting her hand over her face, her blonde hair tangling about
her shoulders.

The defiant
streak Rosette harbored seemed to rub off on Chrno years ago - in his response,
he walked to the other side of the room and sat down on the floor, resting his
back up against the wall in case she felt like taking the bed later in the
night. "Good night." He whispered stubbornly, but only to try and
cover up the pain he felt.

She didn�t
respond, having already fallen asleep, curled up into a tight ball like she had
back at the slave camps, flinching at even the slightest movement in the room.

--------

Sammy and I
are horrible for putting Chrno and Rosette through this. We really are. We
enjoy every freaking moment of it.

Until next
time <3
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Rutilus Catena