The evening sun began to cast it's shade across the horizon, as it illuminated the room through the wooden window panes.
The tension had not yet ceased, anxiety, excitement for adventure, everything was blooming amongst the three inside the room.
"Elaine."
A calculatedly slow voice called out, catching the woman's attention.
"We believe you and your point is indeed valid...but how exactly are we going to associate ourselves amongst the aristocracy, given our.. current situation?"
Vermont's question came out and silence came too. Until, Elaine let out a deep sigh,
"As I was exploring the town, I came across a tittle tattle at a tailor shop. There is a masquerade to be held. We may use this opportunity to sneak in. Given that, Barons and their Baronesses are invited."
"Exactly. How will we manage to sneak about? There must be a guest list, plus even if there is not one, how on earth will we present ourselves?"
Elaine looked at Claire who stated a reasonable point.
"I won't argue with you on that. That really is a troublesome matter, but..."
As Elaine thought of what to say, they heard footsteps approaching the door. Before Elaine, Claire hurriedly shoved away the bag that had the dress although she, herself had not seen it yet. Vermont acted as causal as possible, to make it seem like the "colloquial" discussion of matters that it was.
As suspected, an "unprecedented" guest had to be welcomed. The doorknob slowly twisted, and revealed Annie, whose confused face was highlighted by the fierce flames from the hearth nearby.
She entered as the door shut behind her, a small basket in her hand, she stood still and blinked a couple of times.
"...Did something happen? Am I interrupting something..?"
"Of course not, dummy. Come on, let's get dinner ready, and you tell me about your visit to your parents?"
Claire said with practiced ease, guiding Annie towards the inner quarters of the chambers, leaving Elaine and Vermont by themselves.
"Continue, Elaine."
Vermont spoke up, now somewhat keen on the idea of sneaking in to what seemed to be the town's lionized masquerade of the aristocracy.
"No, not without Claire. Honestly, I myself need the assistance of you both and perhaps the help of Annie without her realizing. For now, I'll just let you know that I did manage to get my hands on quite the spectacle for myself regarding my...our speculated participation at the masquerade; a dress."
Vermont's eyes widened for a split second before they went back to normal.
"Is that so? Well, I will have you know, you better finish up this conversation by tonight."
With that, he slowly straightened himself from his leaning position by the wall and went to his own room. Elaine watched and then her eyes shifted towards Annie and Claire. She crossed out of the room, and her nostrils were immediately met with a comforting scent of porridge.
The scent from the kitchen filled the whole room, and Elaine could not help but ask what was going on.
Claire and Annie turned around, Annie smiled and replied, "Is it up to standards? I highly doubt...nobles like you ever well...had such low standards of food. But, I promise you, this is nutritious!!"
Claire jumped in, "Annie!! Shut it! I told you it's more than enough, Vermont and Elaine think so too-
"Oh speaking of... don't mind me asking but, did you guys manage to get in contact with your household..? You guys were lost..was it not?"
That question somewhat hit both Claire and Elaine.
"Well..." Claire started and yet the words refused to form.
"I think it's time for you to know Annie."
Both heads turned towards Elaine and Claire, behind the facade was somewhat stressing out on whether Elaine would actually rat out their secret.
"Know..what exactly..?"
"You see..we have been ordered to partake in a secretive task. It mustn't be revealed nor can we do anything that may change its course of events. We are undoubtedly sorry to have dragged you in, but we promise you it's nothing harmless, not to you, and not to us as long as you cooperative by being silent.
I hope I made myself clear...right Claire?"
Claire herself was stunned at the bold declaration. However, whatever works works, supposedly...
She nervously nodded her head and agreed.
"Yes..right. I hope this is alright with you Annie..?"
Annie stayed silent and this very silence almost created a sense of great doubt and failure along the two masterminds.
"You should have said so sooner...I .I don't particularly mind, it's just, on the contrary, I really do find the company of you all to be quite pleasant.."
The very statement triggered a sense of great sympathy towards Annie, it made them more guilty than they usually have been.
On the room, Vermont who stood at the threshold of his chambers' door, had his eyebrows furrowed. It bothered him. The lies, the betrayal, the silence..all of it seemed wrong. "How long? Just how much more longer?" began to ring out in his head.
After dinner, the moon had started its magic, a soft, twilight ray spread out throughout the vast night sky, permeating its sleepy effect in town. There was barely any sound except for the occasional rattle of cutleries being cleaned, or the laughs of children who were being read stories before bed.
Elaine watched from out the window, in the quiet of the night. A habit she seemed to have for as long as she could remember.
Annie, being extremely exhausted, had already lost herself to sleep. Claire and Vermont joined her, despite the exhaustion that called out to them both.
"Come on. Spill."
"You two really are impatient, but honestly, I cannot even blame you for it.
So...I was thinking, let's take the risk.
Let's go and present ourselves as foreigners from the isolated lands. Most preferably, as nobles from as far away as the harsh landscaped of Siberia."
The concept was ridiculous and illogical but certainly did not even manage to hover over the countless other stupid actions they every did.
"Gosh Elaine. You really took Miss Howard's words of "take the risk or lose the chance' too seriously, huh?"
Miss Howard was and still is a prominent figure to them, the very teacher that made them fall in love with learning, yet that was still the memory of another life, literally.
This caused a few mumbled smiles and laughter's from the trio, somewhat loosening the tension that had stripped away the ease in being together in whatever trouble they face. Even if it was in another time.