Daybreak:Alpha Chapter

Chapter 4 -

"Milady! It's morning! Time to get up!"

A miserable groan replied to the cheerful greeting as 'her ladyship' sank deeper into the plush comforter.

Marina felt her lips curve upwards as she eyed the beige-white hair that covered the exposed island of Kaede's head. The Landgrave had ordered this current task: to wake his familiar up by the scheduled breakfast time. The official reason had been to maintain good lifestyle habits and keep her biological clock 'campaign ready'. Though for Marina, such dreary rationale were soon pushed aside as she peeled the bedcovers away from the small girl's meager grasp.

"Come on Milady! Breakfast is ready!"

"Uhhhhnnnnn..."

The head retreated further as Kaede curled up like a ball beneath the bedcovers, leaving behind waves of silky hair scattered across the embroidered pillows. But the maid pursued without mercy as she yanked the comforter down to the familiar girl's waist, exposing not only the fluttering eyelids to the bright sunlight pouring in, but also the naked skin on her back to the cold morning air.

This is kind of fun, Marina thought with a wide grin, reveling in her moment of clearly defying her lady's wishes yet getting away with it.

With a sharp, startled intake, Kaede immediately twisted herself to face up, burying her bare back against the bed. Her thin arms rushed to cover those narrow shoulders, left open by her white halter top.

"Uuuuu," she blinked open her teary eyes. Her whole body shivered as more wintry air wafted in from the opened window. "You... you're evil."

"I'm just obeying your master's orders," Marina smiled sweetly, finally letting go of the comforter which her lady hurried to pull up.

Marina did feel a hint of remorse as she gazed into Kaede's bloodshot pupils, or noticed the dark shadows under her eyes. But they were soon swept under her sense of fulfillment. The maid hadn't been lying last night when she spoke of her gratitude, but such logical understanding also didn't remove her emotional desires to exact some measure of reprisal. She couldn't seriously wrong Kaede without feeling guilty. But since Marina had suffered many emotional downs after that botched mission, it seemed only fair that she could torment the girl a little for her own amusement in return.

...Especially when there was an rare opportunity to do so without triggering her curse.

"Yes yes I know, now would you close the window please!?" Kaede scowled as she huddled under the bedcovers with her only face and her fingertips exposed.

"Aren't your garments enchanted?"

"They keep me from being cold, but they don't stop my skin from feeling cold when that icy wind is blowing straight in!"

With a smile still stretched across her lips, Marina walked over to the window and shut it tight. She had to rub some heat into her own hands afterward, but it had definitely been worth it.

"Didn't sleep well?" the maid finally let some concern -- only half-faked at that -- work its way into her voice.

"Same nightmares as yesterday," Kaede mumbled as she sat up in bed, her drooping head propped up by both hands as though it was too heavy to lift.

"From your experiences on campaign?"

"From my first battle, yes," the familiar girl noted before emitting a deep groan. "I had thought they passed after the first two nights."

"Maybe the change in sleeping arrangements made your rest uneasy?"

As Marina passed the neatly folded clothes, Kaede sighed before finally raising her head up properly. But the words that followed were even more depressed than before:

"That's what I'm afraid of..."

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