"Y-Yes, milady."
Jeanne moved quickly, flicking on the gas lamp. The flame caught with a soft hiss, casting a dim amber glow. The maid drew shut the heavy curtains.
Jeanne then flipped open one of their suitcases, laying it flat on the floor and pulling out a nightgown and the same beige cardigan that Mel had worn the night before.
Jeanne mindlessly helped Mel undress and change into her night clothes in the dim light, staring at the princess' smooth, pale skin.
The room was warm, faintly scented with old wood and freshly pressed linens. It was spacious, too; there were a few windows, a personal allocated bathroom, and a queen-sized bed. There were some decorations and other furniture, too, but it was too dark and Mel was just plain tired and shaken.
Mel sank into her bed, exhaling. With a small motion, she gestured beside her.
Jeanne made some excuse of needing to organize their things.
Mel let out a tired breath. "Fine. Just… don't sleep on the floor."
Jeanne smiled and just went about her business, opening the wardrobes and neatly hanging up Mel's clothes. Mel stared at the ceiling, watching the lamplight flicker to the sound of soft fabric rustling and the occasional click of clothes hangers or the opening and closing of a cabinet or closet.
At some point, Jeanne finished up and sat at the edge of the bed. "...Milady, do you know what the girl meant?" She asked quietly.
Mel was silent for a moment.
"...Some of it." She raised a hand. "Silencieux." A dark ripple spread from the center of the room like breath on a glass, coating the space in a shimmery film.
"As you know," Mel began, "SN is… someone all of us witches are searching for."
Jeanne's face was emotionless, but she nodded along.
"There are events coming," Mel continued. "Things that will happen whether we're ready or not." She paused briefly. "And SN is… central to that."
"Do we know who they are?" Jeanne asked.
"No." Mel shook her head slightly. "No face, no name. Just… bits and pieces. The only consistent detail is that they'll be carrying a cross. I got a tip-off that they'd be here at the academy, and since I was going to come anyway, well…" The princess offered a shrug.
"And as for the Rien person?" Jeanne asked.
"She will be my bodyguard, courtesy of the archmage's constabulary. Either she's their watchdog, or they might genuinely be trying to keep me safe," Mel said. Half of her sentence was inaudible as it was cut off by a yawn. "I'll have to test her when I meet her."
Mel shifted, pulling the covers over herself.
Her voice trailed off.
Jeanne glanced down at her master and tormentor, listening to the soft sound of the light tremor and fall of the second imperial princess Mizu-bonaparte's chest.
She couldn't bring herself to feel anything for the princess, her fingers lingered over Mel's cheeks, gently brushing her master's silk-like navy hair out of her face.
…The terrifying face that had interrogated her the day before was relieved of all tension. Now that she got a close look at her… Mel was actually quite beautiful.
Jeanne blushed slightly as she recalled yesterday's events and shook her head to clear her mind.
No, she wasn't into that kind of stuff! /// Ah.
Quietly, Jeanne stood and unpacked one last suitcase that Mel had insisted she bring.
A tall, tube-shaped case rested against it. As she opened it, a suit of plate mail marked with the imperial family's crest gleamed in the flickering amber light of the gas lamp.
She quickly unwrapped the long case as well. A longsword lay within. She rested it against the wall.
While Jeanne was just a maid, given that she served the imperial family who had quite a host of enemies, she'd been trained equally as a knight as well.
Now that they were away from the protection of the palace, it fell upon her to protect Mel, even if they were getting a bodyguard from the constabulary.
…Yes, Jeanne had listened in on information she shouldn't have and now served a wicked master. But anything was better than the one she previously served.
Cradling her longsword in its sheath, Jeanne pulled a chair beside the bed and sat, hands folded loosely in her lap, posture straight despite the hour.
The lamp flickered. Beyond the sealed walls, the academy remained silent while the second imperial princess of the empire slept.
And Jeanne d'arc kept watch.