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Silver Cats & Black Roses

Chapter 8 – More than Kindness

A/N This chapter had been posted on the 1st May 2023, almost one year ago... time really flies by 💜💙 Little warning, Charlottes father is a jerk and one of his servants as well... thank god they're only mentioned.

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“Gosh, that’s a big package!”

“Oh, those flowers are lovely.”

“Who sent you that, Vanessa?”

“Is it something to fight? Can I try it?”

“Damnit Luck! It’s for Vanessa, whatever it is, she should try it first!”

Vanessa giggled as her squadmates and the visitors commented about the package and the flowers she just received. Well, to be fair with them, Vanessa wasn’t usually one of the Black Bulls to receive anything from outside the squad – like most Black Bulls, actually – so when Gordon arrived with the package, the bouquet of blue flowers and card with her name on it, it made quite the sensation.

She recognize the handwriting immediately. Oh, Nozel didn’t sent her letters, at least yet, but Vanessa came into his office and took a peak over his shoulder while he was writing enough to recognize his elegant handwriting.

Vanessa doubted that most of the Bulls would realize that the captain of the Silver Eagles sent her that package and the flowers. On the card was only her name and a short sentence, not to mention that Nozel only signed with his initials. And Vanessa knew that he wasn’t the only person who had the initials N.S. in this kingdom. His sisters had it too, after all.

But Vanessa still hid the card before anyone got a glimpse on it. Because not only was Noelle present right now, but Nebra came to visit her sister. The Silva sisters first meeting without Nozels presence, but they weren’t alone, most Black Bulls were present, and during their last meeting, Nozel actually asked Vanessa to keep an eye on them, hoping that it would be fine.

It worked well for now, Nebra and Noelle seemed very friendly with each other, there was undoubtedly progress in their relationship. Nebra was also very polite with the Black Bulls, she accepted to drink a glass of wine with Vanessa, talked nicely with Finral and Finesse, who was today’s other visitor, accepted Charmys cupcakes immediately and even had banters with Zora. Okay, the last one wasn’t probably reassuring, it was probably bound to happen given their personalities, but Vanessa wasn’t worried. In fact, the banters between Zora and Nebra were quite entertaining and full of sparks.

In short, Nebra Silva was on her best behaviour with Noelle and the Black Bulls. Vanessa wondered if Nozel told Nebra to behave while visiting Noelle.

But back on topic, the presence of Nozels two sisters was reason enough to hide the card. Noelle and Nebra would immediately their brother’s handwriting and Vanessa had no idea how to explain to every one present why the captain of the Silver Eagles and Head of house Silva would send her a gift and flowers. She couldn’t it really explain it herself. Was it still because she had been upset a few days ago? It was hard to tell.

But it made Vanessa really happy. Happier than she would have imagined. To a point that she couldn’t stop smiling, he heart was racing and maybe she was even blushing. No one ever made her feel like that for an act of kindness. Not even Yami.

The more she learned about Nozel, the more she came to like him. He was still a bit of a mystery for Vanessa, but not as much as back in Spade, when she saw the first crack in his cold mask.

“Come on, Vanessa, would you please open it already? We’re all so curious, maybe it’s a cool magic item!” Asta yelled, his eyes full of stars, like always when he was excited.

“Maybe it’s food, an exotic meal or a luxurious dessert,” Charmy guessed. Vanessa could already saw the saliva running on her chin. She hold Nozels gift slightly closer to her.

“Charmy, please, that package it’s for Vanessa and even if it’s food, it is up to her to decide if she wants to share it with you,” Finral said, sitting with his wife on a sofa.

“So sad that captain Yami isn’t here, it surely would have interested him too,” Magna said.

Vanessa was actually relieved that Yami decided to have business outside the squad today. He loves to make fun of Nozel a lot and the fact that he sent a gift to a Black Bull would give him reasons to tease the captain of the Silver Eagles for months.

Not to mention that Vanessa had no idea what her captain would say or do if he finds out Nozel gifted her something and what conclusion he would have while reading the current state of her Ki. Yami was dense, yes, but he was also sharp. When he wanted.

“Oh, come on, Vanessa, open it already or tell us at least who sent this to you,” Asta begged again, but Vanessa just shrugged. She loved her squadmates very much, but there was no way she would tell them about Nozel right now. One day she would, but she really wasn’t ready at the moment. And maybe most of her squadmates weren’t ready either for a shock like that.

“Yeah, who outside of this base would give the wino a gift?”

“G-Gauche, please… be-be n-nice. It’s already s-so embarassing to… get a gift.”

“Calm down, Grey, you’re not the one who got a gift,” Noelle said while she took the flowers. “Maybe it was to thank Vanessa for something. Those flowers are hydrangeas and they are a symbol for gratitude.”

“Oh, please, no one cares for some fricking useless flower language, except you royals,” Zora groaned, taking a whole couch for himself.

“Zora, please, don’t insult my wife, she’s a royal too!”

“And flower language isn’t useless, peasant!” Nebra protested, before taking the bouquet from Noelles hands. “But it is true that most people don’t have a clue about it so it might not mean anything in this case. Be careful, witch, most idiots who offer flowers usually have a guilty conscience.”

“Guilty conscience? Does that mean that someone insulted Vanessa?” Magna groaned, already looking ready to fight.

“Great, can we fight that person?” Luck said with some concerning excitation.

“Luck, Magna, don’t jump to conclusion! If Vanessa was really insulted, those flowers and this package is actually the proof that this is person is sorry and already trying to apologize! And it should be Vanessas decision to accept the apology or not. But it could mean anything else, so please, again, don’t jump to conclusions!” Finral replied sternly, trying to hold Luck and Magna back.

“Maybe that person sent those flowers as a gift because he or she just thought they were pretty,” Finesse said with a calm smile, the one that could calm down almost everyone. “Hydrangeas are beautiful flowers, after all.”

“Well, true as well, even though there are more beautiful flowers than those,” Nebra replied with a shrug, handing the hydrangeas to Vanessa.

“Yeah, for someone who knows about flower language, you don’t seem to care a lot about flowers in general, Little Miss Royal,” Zora snickered.

“Well, at least I know more about flowers than you who doesn’t care about them at all and still needs to comment about flower language, peasant.”

Zora and Nebra started their sixth or seventh banter since Nebras arrival. While people like Noelle and Finral were rather distressed at that view, Vanessa found it very entertaining.

But for now, she had another task to focus on. She really wanted to know what Nozel got her and couldn’t wait to open her present. It was the first gift ever she would get from someone outside the Black Bull’s squad, which was actually very exciting.

But also completely new and basically a step into the unknown, which was almost scary. Even more so, Nozel managed to surprise Vanessa with this gesture. She would never have thought he would be the type to give presents, at least to people who weren’t siblings. And even with them, it was more subtle and discreet, as she saw the last birthday present Noelle got from him.

This one felt different. It was more direct than Noelles last birthday gift, even though it was still rather subtle. After all, he didn’t deliver it directly.

Nozel didn’t made gifts for someone out of the blue, just like that. Vanessa knew that there was a reason behind it and if Noelles interpretation was true, he must be grateful. For what? Vanessa couldn’t really tell. She hasn’t done anything grand to deserve this gratitude, at least in her books. But maybe she did by Nozels standards.

And that was actually very touching. Vanessa just couldn’t stop smiling.

“Can you please finally open it, Vanessa? We all wanna know what you got from your new friend.”

“Yes… we… are… very… curious… what… you… got…”

Gordons and Henrys kind words finally decided Vanessa to open the package. She pulled the layers delicately away, with Neros and Astas help, although he had to be told several times to not rip the layers too violently in his enthusiasm.

When all the layers were removed, a box appeared.

A sewing box. A rather big one at that, which probably meant it had everything needed and more for any needlework.

And even more, it was covered with a fabric that felt like linen. Probably some expensive and luxurious linen, since it was printed. Three flowers were printed on the cream coloured fabric.

Roses. Lavender. Water lilies.

The last flower was the definite proof that this present came from Nozel. Vanessa never forgot how he told her that water lilies were his mother’s favourite flowers, during their first meeting under that willow in the park. She also never forgot how he had that nostalgic look in his eyes every time he saw water lilies.

Roses weren’t surprising for Vanessa. Given how popular that flower was, it must be pretty common to find them printed on expensive fabric. But Vanessa loved roses, she might have mentioned it to Nozel once or twice (or more) and he commented once on her favourite rose water. Of course he remembered, even that she preferred not the red roses, but the white and pale pink ones. The roses on the fabric had those colours.

As or the lavender, he never mentioned it ever during their talks, but she suspected that he might love it. After all, Vanessa did learn that Nozel has subtle scent of lavender. You had to be very next to him and to pay attention closely to discover the smell, but it was here. Vanessa ignored if it was his soap or his shampoo, maybe something else entirely, but it was fair to assume that he loved lavender. Vanessa came to love that scent, to a point that she couldn’t pass some lavender without thinking about the handsome captain of the Silver Eagles.

Slowly she opened the box. There were a lot of compartments in it, with drawers and little shelfs she could push. The interior was made with a shining, reddish wood she didn’t recognize, but it was truly beautiful.

Nozel did even more than just getting her a complex and beautiful sewing box. He went as far to buy her all the utensils she might need for her needle work. All kinds of needles in different sizes, threads of all colours and materials, three silver scissors in different sizes and with a bird design, a stork maybe, measurement tools. Above all that, Nozel also got her half dozen of fabrics, each one from a different colour and a different material.

Vanessa felt her racing heart filling up with overwhelming joy. She had thread magic and sewing craftsmanship in all its forms were automatically one of her non-magic specialties, a hobby even. With this gift, Nozel practically gave her everything she needed and maybe more to do everything she wanted to sew, embroider and anything else with a thread and a needle.

He was… just amazing.

Vanessa blushed a bit.

It was only now that she heard the surprised gasps and admiring comments around her. That amazing gift got all her attention that she found herself in a happy bubble without even realizing it.

“My gosh, printed linen?” Nebra said as she knelt down and respectfully let her fingers glide on the fabric of the box. “And one of the best qualities even, nice. Also, look at this interior. This is mahogany wood! Printed linen of the best quality and mahogany wood. Witch, you got a pretty expensive gift here.”

“And look at all those tools and materials. There is everything for every needlework possible in this box,” Finesse added with an admiring smile.

“So cool!” Asta yelled, even though he had no idea at all about sewing.

“So… pretty… congratulations!”

“Now we can share needles, like two friends who love needlework.”

“It’s… so wonderful… getting such a big g-gift… so embarassing!”

“Can we use the needles to fight each other?”

“Damnit Luck, this is Vanessas gift, not something to fight with! Especially not me!”

The voices of Henry, Gordon, Grey, Luck and Magna were somehow mixed in her ears. Vanessa couldn’t tell if it was because of her bubbly feeling or if they just talked at the same time, as the Black Bulls they were.

She heard no comments from Zora and Gauche, which probably meant they were amazed as well about the sewing box.

Noelle knelt down as well to caress the rolls of different fabrics, too fascinated to even try to look not interested. “Silk, satin, velvet… and this one is, um…”

“I think this is cotton,” Finral said helpfully.

“Of course I knew that, I’m royalty!”

“Didn’t heard that argument for a while.”

“And there’s even some rolls of lace to use for the needlework!” Nebra exclaimed, more and more surprised. “Lace from Raque even, the best one in the whole kingdom!”

“And unless I’m wrong, those fabrics might even come from the ateliers of Soie Velours,” Finesse added.

“I didn’t know that she sold fabrics as well in her shop.”

“She, doesn’t lady Noelle, but if your powerful influential enough, you can buy some, kinda from the back door.”

“Oh, that’s sneaky,” Zora snickered, finally getting a hold of his surprised. “If it’s an apology gift, that person really ran passed his limits to make amends. And if it’s not, well, it means that Vanessas secret admirer must be very rich.”

“Secret admirer?”

All eyes looked at Zora, before slowly turning towards Vanessa. And for the first time in her life, the Drunk Witch of the Black Bulls actually felt shy from this kind of attention.

“What? Come on, why such an expensive gift just for gratitude? No, that’s too much for a thank you. It can be only a gift from a secret suitor or something.”

“That is bold of you to assume, Zora. And who would even wanna court the wino?”

“If you don’t have a better theory to spill out, you better shut up, mirror freak.”

“Is it true, though, Vanessa? Do you have a secret admirer?”

Vanessa didn’t answer Finral. Well, she couldn’t answer for many reasons and all of those involved Nozel in one way or another. She didn’t quite know what he was for her. But at this point, with this gift, Vanessa couldn’t deny that he was very important for her.

To a point that the mere thought of him seemed to feel her up.

Now, was it just because of this amazing gift or was it deeper than that? Because, if Vanessa was honest with herself, thinking about Nozel feel her up already, before she got that gift.

It was just more obvious now.

“Oh, my, Vanessa is blushing,” Noelle smirked, unusually smug. Oh, that was mean. Okay, maybe she deserved it, given how many, many times Vanessa had teased Noelle about her romantic life, aka Asta. But still, Noelle was new on being cheeky. One word and she would felt embarrassed and babbling again to avoid attention.

“Well, maybe I do blush. Maybe I have a secret admirer.”

“Shall I tickle the witch to make her spill the beans?”

“Yes, do it Nebra, Vanessa is ticklish!”

Oh, Nebra was clearly enjoying the gossip and seeing the Silva sisters smug accomplishes like this was indeed touching. If only Nozel could’ve been here to witness this moment.

“You’re tickling too, Noelle, even more than me. Shall I tell your big sister which parts are the most ticklish?”

“You… You may not, Vanessa, I’m royalty.”

“Well, I guess I’ll let it pass for now. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I better take my gift to my room before Asta, Magna or Luck destroy it in a fight.”

Asta and Magna protested, while Luck just laughed at them, before attacking them, of course. Vanessa used the focus those three had right now to grab box and fabrics and flee to her room. Which was like always a real mess, so it needed a while to find a decent place for her gift.

Now, in the calm of her own room, she sat on her bed and observed the box. In fact, she couldn’t got her eyes of it. Vanessa wouldn’t even be surprised if she had a dreamy look in her eyes.

Honestly, it was already great to get a present that was so perfect for one of her hobbies. But the person who gifted it to her made it even more special.

Oh, if she gotten something like that from one of the Black Bulls, Vanessa would have been happy as well. But somehow, she knew that it would have been a different kind of happiness.

Getting a gift from Nozel just had its own worth for Vanessa, one only he was able to give.

It was a bit a spontaneous thought and she had no idea why she was so certain of it. She just knew. It was enough for her.

There was no denying it, Nozel meant something for her. She had no idea what it was, but she’d add it to the list of all the things she wanted to know and to discover about him.

Her face felt warm, she was probably still blushing. But Vanessa didn’t care, she was too happy. Her current happiness made it up more than enough for the sadness she had felt a few days ago, when she overheard those noble jerks gossiping about Nozel and her.

Vanessa should do something to thank him. No, not should. She wanted to do something for him. Not just thank him for this gift, but also for the meetings, that he was slowly opening up to her, for being more than kind to her. Just for being him. Vanessa wondered if many people appreciated Nozel for who he truly was.

Well, she did and she would show it with a gift.

But what could she do to him? Maybe she could sew him something with her new sewing box…

Vanessa remembered the ball of Finrals and Finesses wedding, how dashing he looked in his ceremonial suit, with a dark colour and the one shoulder cape.

The one shoulder cape…

What about that?

Vanessa looked quickly at the fabrics she also got, thinking a bit before opting for one. Then she searched for a thread of a very specific colour and a needle.

When she had everything, Vanessa sat back on her bed and started her piece. Never had she enjoyed doing something as much as this.

♣♣♣

The room was small and dark, but cleaned and comfy. Yami and Charlotte just sat quietly at the table while their host served them some tea in old fashioned ceramic cups, dark blue with tiny white spots.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have any rose tea here. I recall that rose tea is your favourite, lady Charlotte. But sadly, it’s too expensive for me. I hope a classic peppermint tea with lemon will do it too.”

“It’s perfectly, fine. Thank you, Jonathan.”

The old man just smiled at Charlotte and Yami, looking so young despite all the wrinkles.

It hadn’t been easy, but they managed to find the two servants who were attached to the direct service of her father all those years ago. Difficult, because they retired like seven years ago and the paperwork of house Roseleis servanthood of course didn’t clarify what they did after quitting their service.

The first one, Lorimer, hadn’t been of any help. Arrogant and prideful, bragging on his time as a servant of house Roselei, he lived with the same attitude as a standard noble, even though his fortune wasn’t comparable. But despite his pride of serving the Roseleis, Lorimer hadn’t been happy at all to see Charlotte again. As a matter of fact, his pride and admiration only were for the men of house Roselei, as he had a low opinion about women in general, Roselei or not, noble or commoner.

Yami had been surprised to see that kind of attitude from a servant and, Charlotte had been stunned about it as well. Lorimer didn’t deemed necessary to welcome two Magic Knight captains in his house and even seemed offended about Charlottes question concerning her mysterious half-sibling. Because it meant to reveal dirty laundry about lord Fidel Roselei and Lorimer would rather kiss a witch than disowning the reputation of his former master. His words.

On the other hand, Jonathan had been more than welcoming, even inviting them for some tea and an apple pie with whipped cream, which he baked himself. Unlike Lorimer, Jonathan lived simply, a small cottage in the Common Realm, with his widowed daughter and his three grandchildren.

“Oh, look at you, lady Charlotte. What a fine and proud young woman you’ve become. Ah, I can remember what an adorable and kind little girl you were, never afraid to talk with us servants about anything. It seems like yesterday… And look at you, how beautiful you are today, and so brave, a Magic Knight captain! I’m getting old, where does the time flies?”

Charlotte took a sip from her tea, to hide her blush. Even though there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Jonathan had been so genuinely welcoming, more than kind, undoubtedly happy to see her again. What a contrast to Lorimer.

“And I have to say, what an honour to welcome two squad captains in my humble home. What a privilege to meet you, captain Yami. If I had known I would greet such elite people, I would have cleaned the house more properly.”

“Ya don’t need to feel bad, gramps. It’s very clean and honestly, my knights aren’t as dutiful as you. Sometimes, I have to literally push my brats to do the chores, but most of them always try to avoid it.”

“Sounds just like my grandchildren when they have to tidy her room. My dear daughter has the most difficulties to make them do it on their own. Even more so since the two oldest are old enough to do it themselves. But well, most children never liked to clean and tidy, I was like that too when I was eight. Ah, I miss my childhood.”

Charlotte smiled. It was so nice to see Yami treated with kindness and respect from someone who wasn’t a knight. Often, even servants had prejudices towards him and the Black Bulls or even towards commoners, peasants and foreigners in general, as she found out during their investigation. But Jonathan wasn’t doubtful or anything, just kind.

“Well, as much as I appreciate your visit, I guess that it’s not just for chit chat. Are you here on Magic Knights business? Does it have to do with the thievery acts within the Common Realm? As much as I liked to help, I fear that I can’t give you some useful informations.”

“Don’t worry, Jonathan. The Magic Knights are indeed investigating about those thefts, but that is not why we’re here. But of course, if you might hear or see something suspicious, you can report it to the Magic Knights Headquarters anytime.”

“I won’t forget this, lady Charlotte. But then, why are you both here?”

“It actually mostly concerns Prickly Queen over here. I’m merely there to support her, no big deal.”

No big deal? It practically meant the world for her.

Now, both men were looking at her, expecting her to talk. Charlotte took a deep breath. After years of having no idea where her half-sibling might be, having no idea what to do and where to search, she finally had a lead.

She was nervous, of course. Finally having a lead didn’t meant that everything was certain. On the contrary, it was still a high jump into the unknown.

And for that, she was eternally grateful towards Yami to be at her side, helping her in her search. It was still such a drama about her feelings for him and she still didn’t find the courage to finally tell him directly that she loved him, but never before had she spent time with him so often, being close to him basically every day. It helped her to learn more about him, to be more confident and nicer with him, to understand him more than before. And she would be a fool to consider this not being enough.

Charlotte glanced at Yami, who gave her a small, encouraging smile. Not that typical smirk to make fun of her, not a dumb uncaring grin, no, a real and soft smile, just for her, making her heart race at high speed.

“Well, Jonathan… I know I’m late about this topic, but… I’m here about my half-sibling. My father’s bastard.”

“I understand.”

No judgement in the old man’s eyes, no sudden cold stare, nothing that might show some prejudice. Just an understanding glance and a soft smile.

So much different than from Lorimer.

“I was your fathers direct servant back then, along with Lorimer. We were basically following him wherever he wanted to go. Be it for the business of house Roselei or for his private joy. But before that… lady Charlotte, you do know that your parent’s marriage was arranged?”

“Yes, I’m very well aware of that.”

“Good. It would have pained me to tell you the sad truth if you didn’t know. But well, with arranged marriages, it is not unusual if the spouses to search elsewhere the pleasure they can’t find in marriage.”

That was very elegantly said. Charlotte just nodded. She felt Yami put a comforting hand on her back.

“Your father was the same. I don’t think that your mother went that way too, she was very and genuinely dutiful the moment she got married. But well, there was at best respect between them, but never love. Sometimes, love can come later within arranged marriages, but not here. So, while marriage was a duty for him, he searched elsewhere some recreation, as he said it. It was never to search love either, because most nobles consider love as not as important and for some, even as a nuisance. Of course, Lorimer and I had to accompany him. I’ll admit that I never liked the times when lord Fidel met up with women. But who was I to say anything against? I was just a servant. Your father often invited us to have fun as well and Lorimer always accepted. But I always declined, so I all I did was guarding and waiting.”

Charlotte thought she might be shocked to learn those things about her father. Jonathan was telling the story so delicately and Yami didn’t let go of her back. But she wasn’t shocked at all. Disappointed, yes, but not surprised.

She remembered how much she loved and respected her father as a little child. How that drastically changed after she witnessed how he chased that poor woman away.

Jonathan continued, “We accompanied your father to many places within the kingdom. Noble Realm, Common Realm, one time even the Forsaken Realm, even though lord Fidel and Lorimer didn’t returned satisfied from there. But he met the mother of your half-sibling in Heladise, a town in the Common Realm.”

Heladise? Charlotte never heard of that town and given Yamis look, the name didn’t ring a bell for him either.

“Jonathan, was there anything special about Heladise.”

“As far as I know, there wasn’t. It’s just a small town, the kind where everyone knows everyone, where the only great events are some celebrations typical only for the town and where never big things happened the rest of the year. The woman he met was called Grace and she was a waitress in the only inn of Heladise, the Red Pork.”

“How… was she?”

“She was pretty, which was enough for lord Fidel. But I believe that she was exhausted from her work and she never took a break, from what I witnessed back then. Grace must have had a big pressure on her, but I don’t know where it came from. She never told anything about her private life and from her boss, we only learned that her parents passed away, probably also from exhaustion. Grace also seemed very naïve and in desperate need for affection. It was easy for lord Fidel to seduce her. It was lust for him. As for her… Well, I can’t say if it was love on her side. But she was clearly infatuated by your father and mixed with her need of affection, maybe she thought that it was love. She was very sad when your father had to leave, but he promised her to come back. Which he never did. His promise to women like Grace were always empty.”

Jonathan looked so sorry to tell her about her father’s wrong doings. But she gave him a small, reassuring smile. She already suspected for long that her father wasn’t the proud, well-behaved and perfect noble he pretended to be. Again, disappointed in him, but not surprised.

But now, she was also angry and sad. Angry at her father, for how he acted and thought to get away with it, just because he was of high nobility. But also sad for Grace, who was a victim who probably didn’t have a happy life and who got a rare happiness taken from her by a selfish noble man.

Of course, Charlotte understood that the marriage of her parents wasn’t out of love. But there was a limit between searching some happiness and comfort and taking this as an excuse to break innocent hearts who had nothing to do with someone’s sad life.

“No offense to your father, Prickly Queen, but he’s a jerk,” Yami said, his voice clearly sounding like he was holding back his anger.

“Yami, he deserves this offense, you’re not insulting me by saying this.”

“Are you sure you’re his daughter?”

“Why, yes? Sometimes I wish I wasn’t, but you can’t choose your blood family.”

“You have lord Fidel’s eyes, lady Charlotte and the hair colour of his late mother, your grandmother, lady Primrose Roselei. Ah she was a wonderful woman, one who didn’t only had nobility in her blood, but also in her heart. I can tell you, she would have been very angry with how her son acted towards that poor Grace.”

Charlotte smiled. He grandmother passed away she was a little child, so she didn’t have many memories of her. But the few she had of lady Primrose clearly showed the example of a kind, brave and humble person. Actually anything a noble should be, but no one was sadly like lady Primrose Roselei these days.

“Well, whatever you got from yer old man, you clearly made those traits better than he could ever.”

“I… thank you, Yami.”

Charlotte looked away, certain to be blushing right now. Hopefully, the room was dark enough so that both Yami and Jonathan wouldn’t see her pink cheeks.

Jonathan seems to look at his visitors a bit confused, but didn’t comment, thankfully. Instead, he continued his story. “We haven’t heard from Grace for over a year. At least, I didn’t. If she wrote any letters, either lord Fidel throw them into the fire or Lorimer destroyed them before they could reach your father. Lorimer always had the highest respect for your father, excusing each of his wrong doings. Both seemed to have forgotten about Grace, but she didn’t. She couldn’t even, as your father had left her pregnant. And one day, she appeared at the door of the Roselei manor, when almost every one of the family was out. I never knew if lord Fidel finally accepted to meet her and so made sure that every other Roselei, especially his wife, weren’t present or if it was just a coincidence.”

“Both are possible and I don’t think it matters anymore today if it was a coincidence or not,” Charlotte replied. “I remember that day. Originally, I had to accompany my mother for some shopping trip or something similar. But I didn’t felt well, so I stayed home.”

“I remember as well. Actually, I don’t think neither your father and Lorimer ever learned that you were here today, so they weren’t concerned about you finding out about the secret. Lord Fidel took Grace in his office and she pleaded her cause. Somehow, she realized that he didn’t love her, since she didn’t suggested to run away together, to elope or to divorce your mother to marry her instead. She didn’t even asked him to make her his mistress. All Grace asked for was him to provide for her and even more for their son.”

“Son?”

“Yes, lady Charlotte. I don’t know his name, sadly, but you have a younger half-brother. I saw him and let me tell you, even as a baby he was so similar to you. The same eye colour, the same shade of blonde. And he was a cute baby, always smiling. Which wasn’t the case of his parents. Lord Fidel refused to get her any help, he argued that he already had a legitimate heir despite the curse and that it was Graces own fault to get pregnant in the first place. I’ll admit, never had I felt this ashamed to serve someone like that day. Grace was on the verge of tears as she left. Whatever affection she had left for your father, I saw it change into hate. Lorimer and lord Fidel went to other occupations immediately, but I just couldn’t not do anything. So, I catch up to Grace before she left the villa and gave her a good amount of money. She first refused it, she still had some pride left. But Grace understood quickly that this an opportunity to provide for her baby, so she finally accepted it.”

“Where did you get the money?”

“Well, I… I confess, I stole it from your fathers own cassette. It was the money he used for himself, especially for his… recreations. It only seemed fair to me that Grace got this money for her son. But… well… It doesn’t change the fact that I stole from my master, so…”

Yami laughed and Charlotte also couldn’t help but chuckle. Honestly, compared to what her father did, Jonathan stealing his money was more than harmless.

“Do not worry, Jonathan, we’ll keep the secret. After all, you did it for a good reason and it wasn’t for yourself. Besides, my father deserved that.”

“Thank goodness. Well, a servant shouldn’t steal from his masters, still. But I really thought that I was doing the right thing.”

“You did, old man, you did.”

“Thanks a lot, sir Yami. Well, for the rest of the story, I can’t say much. All I know is what Grace told me before she definitely left. She said that she would return to Heladise, as she had nowhere else to go. Apparently, her boss, the innkeeper, was very understanding during her pregnancy and didn’t throw her out, so she was able to keep her job as a waitress. She got lucky, because towns like Heladise aren’t also the most tolerant towards bastards and their mothers. Yes, not only nobles have disgust towards bastard. But what happened to her afterwards? I have no idea. I never went to Heladise ever again. All I hope is that Grace and her son managed to live happily, despite everything.”

Charlotte nodded. They already got new things to continue their investigations. Okay, they still didn’t know Graces family name or the name of her half-brother. But now, Charlotte knew that her lost sibling was a brother and not a sister, she knew where he and his mother lived, if they didn’t left Heladise during those years and she finally knew more details about this sad and sordid affair.

“Thank you very much, Jonathan. You helped us a lot with your knowledge.”

“Um, lady Charlotte?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a very honourable woman, probably more than anyone in house Roselei, as you always want to make things right. But please, remember. What your father did to Grace and your half-brother isn’t your fault at all. It’s not your duty to deal with the consequences of lord Fidel’s actions.”

“I know that, I just… It’s not only… Well, I feel bad for Grace and…”

“She also wants to be a big sis for her long lost brother and I’m here to help her get that.”

Charlotte frowned at Yami, as he laughed heavily, like when he teased her.

But she didn’t say anything. Because actually this wasn’t teasing. This was just Yami being… more than kind.

“Then, all I can do is wish you good luck with your investigation.”

“Thank you, Jonathan.”

Yami and Charlotte bid their goodbyes to the old man and went out. But in front of the door of Jonathan’s small house, they stood in silent. Not awkward, but not comforting either. Somehow, Yami felt unease about something, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“So, Prickly Queen, what will be our next move?” Yami finally asked. He sounded so much more serious than a minute ago, not laughing anymore.

“The next time we have time for our investigation, which I hope will be soon, we should go to Heladise and search first for the inn Grace worked for. Jonathan said it’s called the Red Pork. We’ll see from there how we’ll continue.”

“’kay. Call me when you’re ready.”

“As always. Shall I accompany you back to your squad?”

“Thanks, but nope. I’m a big boy, don’t worry about me, Prickly Mom.”

“Yami!” Charlotte protested. Normally it would be for the teasing, but not this time. Because… this teasing didn’t felt wholehearted like all the others. Something was bothering Yami and Charlotte couldn’t help but worry about him.

“Yami, is everything alright?”

“Um… Prickly Queen, do you think…”

He stopped talking and Charlotte wasn’t sure how to feel about it. She wasn’t used at all to see him like that.

Yami just stared at her. The intense stares they shared for every goodbye since they started their investigation. Only that this time, he started it.

And this time, he actually caressed her cheek. Only short and soft as the touch of a butterfly. But the touch of his fingers on her skin left a burning fire which even made Mereoleona Vermillions magic looking like a pitiful ember.

Why did Yami never stop to have such a strong effect on her? She just wanted him more closer to her forever every time.

“Bye, Prickly Queen.”

His touch disappeared and he flew away on his broom before she could even make a movement to hold him back.

As she saw him disappear in the sky, Charlotte wondered why she was still hesitating. And why she wanted everything at once already, despite the fact that they weren’t a couple yet. Heck, Yami had no idea that she was in love with him.

Was it normal to be this contradictory when you were deeply in love?

“Ah, young love…”

Charlotte turned around immediately. Jonathan did come out of his house and given the look in his eyes, not only did he saw them intensely staring at each other, but he also perfectly understood that Charlotte Roselei was in love with Yami Sukehiro.

“I just…”

“No need to explain, I understand.”

He really did. There was no prejudice in his blue eyes, no judgement at all. Just understanding and affection, maybe the old man was even touched by this young romance.

Jonathan just smiled at her and took her hands in his. “Good luck, lady Charlotte, You surely need it for your love story.”

Charlotte only nodded, grateful. She needed luck indeed.

5 notes · View notes

mamavino · 2 days

Text

Night of Vows

Summary She kissed him again, more deeply this time, smiling as she felt him giving in to the kiss. As they parted, she poked his cheek and said with a smirk, “Consider this a vow I just made.”

A/N Since @f-oighear was so kind to recommend this particular oneshot here, I've decided to share it with you on Tumblr as well. Thank you, dear Oighear 💘 It is one of my first oneshots for Black Clover and about Nozessa. And most importantly, I created my Clover Kingdom wedding vows thanks to this fic and now, I use them always when I have to write a wedding in one of my stories. I'm actually very proud of them and I hope you will like those vows^^

Ao3 link

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“It’s still snowing.“

Vanessa sighed deeply, defeated, as she looked again out of the little window. The biggest snowflakes she ever saw were still falling from the sky. It was basically impossible to go out and join the others, not to mention that both of them won’t be found for a while.

Nozel didn’t answer, still sitting in front of the fireplace, watching the flames. He seemed thoughtful. Not more than usually, but knowing him, he was clearly thinking about their situation and was trying to figure ways out.

For reasons only known by himself, the Wizard King had decided to organize more joint missions between squads and the Black Bulls, Silver Eagles and Blue Roses already did three missions together since. It was an odd mix and the teamwork was just becoming better, but they still made it work, surprisingly.

Only this time, all three captains were coming too. And it was a more dangerous mission, some rather powerful bandits with a leader who possessed very strong snow magic, who took an entire town in the Forsaken Realm as hostage. He managed a rather impressive snowstorm spell, which separated the knights. Vanessa only knew that Nozel managed to fight this man and maybe even defeated him, since the storm weakened. She might remember seeing Asta caught the guy, before they were separated.

But the snow didn’t stop, there was no way to find the others and so they took shelter in an abandoned hut, luckily still intact. After managing to make a fire – Nozel seemed to have learned some surviving basics during the last few weeks – all they did was waiting.

Vanessa sighed. That wasn’t really the alone time she imagined having with her boyfriend. Secret boyfriend, that is. A royal, not to mention a Head of House, with a witch, was for most nobles considered as an inappropriate match. And this was still a rather polite description. These past few weeks, Vanessa learned many things about the reality within royal and noble circles, she heard more harsh descriptions.

She turned to her boyfriend again. Nozel still didn’t say anything, just watching the fire. If she didn’t know him any better, Vanessa would have thought that he was still stunned to have make fire by himself. Noelle had reacted the same way, after all. But Vanessa just instinctually knew that something was bothering him.

“Do you know who the leader of bandits was? He seemed very strong and his beef against higher ups looked a lot like obsession.“

Actually, she wasn’t particularly interested in that topic, but honestly, she would take any conversation at this point, just to bring him out of his frozen glare. She was sick of the wait and silence.

Nozel finally turned to her, a puzzled expression in his eyes. “Yami didn’t tell you?“

“No, he just said it was a joint mission and that there will be a battle. That’s all. Since he didn’t need more to motivate Asta, Luck and Magna, he probably thought he didn’t need to say more.”

“Why am I not surprised?”, Nozel sighed, but not nearly as annoyed as he would be when it comes to Yami. He just sounded so… tired and Vanessa didn’t really like the sound of it.

“This man is actually a bastard from an old and very well-respected noble house. Like any bastard, he was thrown away and considered less. Well, I don’t know the details, but apparently, he came to the conclusion that since he was basically banished from his father’s house, he must be fated for something great, better than anyone and he made some kind of vow to prove it, which turned into obsession.”

“I agree that this bastard situation is unfair, but why using this as an excuse to hurt other people, especially those in the Forsaken Realm? I mean, captain Vangeance and Luck are also bastards with noble lineage and they aren’t full of grudge against nobility.”

“The Wizard King told us that this bastard considers himself better than anyone, better than commoners, peasants and nobles in general, better than his family and royalty especially. He seems also to be a very stubborn man, decided to fulfil his vow at any cost. The sad irony is, he became exactly like his father who abandoned him…“

Vanessa sighed heavily. She had heard from Finral and Noelle stories about bastards with noble lineage, who were holding grudges against their noble family to an unhealthy degree, hiding behind the unfairness of their situation to hurt others.

The complex and rather corrupt reality of nobility with the Clover Kingdom was unfair to say the least and could make a lot of people suffer. Not only bastards and peasants, but also people who weren’t outcasted. Vanessa never knew anything about this until after she and Nozel started dating. She was very naïve back then and sometimes, now that she’s more concious about this reality, she still wished she was.

Vanessa moved from her place to sit besides Nozel. Slowly her hand slid in his. He didn’t back away. Holding her hand tightly. This was really reassuring.

They had this discussion about status and rumours quiet at the beginning of their relationship. First, Vanessa didn’t understand why he wanted to keep their relationship a secret. She really thought that Nozel was ashamed of her. But that wasn’t the case…

She learned how her relationship would be viewed within royalty and nobility, how rumours could hurt more than they should. She learned that love doesn’t have a place for most of those people. It wasn’t a pleasant lesson, but the worst part was to witness how the other two royal Heads of House treated Nozel.

Vanessa clenched a fist while remembering. She’d been hidden, none of those two knew about hers and Nozels relationship. But it made her so, so angry. To hear them talk to him like this, their disgust hidden behind so-called concern, their secret joy to have him struggle with his House, the contradictions in every second sentence… it made her went on edge and if she had listened to herself, she wouldn’t have hesitated to put this gaudy king and this close-minded Vermillion prince in their place (how did the Head of Vermillion managed to have at least five likable grandchildren, honestly?).

But Nozel did asked her to not try anything. He told her that he was used to it and if she tried to scold them, it would put more difficulties not only on him, but also on her and maybe put their future together at risk. A risk Nozel wasn’t ready to take.

Which also meant, even though he never talked about it yet, he was seriously thinking about having a future with her. And this meant much more to Vanessa than she thought it would.

She always had been more to enjoy the present, to not worry about the future. Unlike Nozel, who had this habit of overthinking things really far ahead. Vanessa had asked him to at least try to stop and he really did try. But even she had to admit that it wasn’t wrong to think at least a bit about their future.

Their love was deep, truer than anything what Vanessa had known before. Which was a surprise, considering that they come from different circles, that many things would normally separate them. And still, even though she couldn’t yet see herself as a princess, as a lady Silva, she could very easily see herself growing old with Nozel. A nice thought…

If she forgot what difficulties may lie ahead of them.

Vanessa put a hand on Nozels shoulder. “Honey, I know the situation is rather, well, irritating, as you would put it. But we won’t be in this hut forever, the others will find us. And, if you’re worry about Yami teasing-“

“That’s not what I’m worrying about.“

Nozel stood suddenly up, starting pacing around the hut. “It has nothing to do with the mission.”

“Then what is it?”, Vanessa asked.

Nozel was now looking at her, almost defeated. Now, this was worrying Vanessa. She didn’t like when he had something like defeat in his eyes. He was good at hiding it, but she’d learned to look beyond his cold mask.

He sighed.

“My father knows about us.”

Just at this moment, the wind began to howl, like it just waited for this moment.

Vanessas mind went blank. His father? The very father none of all four Silva siblings liked to talk about? But wasn’t he supposed to be out of the country or something like this?

She didn’t know much about this man, neither Nozel nor Noelle were eager to talk about him. Heck, even Solid and Nebra seemed to resent him, which said a lot. All Vanessa knew was that he wasn’t there for any of his children birth and neither when Acier Silva passed away, he was late at his wife’s burial and that he was rather a taboo subject for the Silva siblings.

So… how much of bad news was it that this man knows about her and Nozel? And since when was he back, anyway?

Nozel didn’t let her time to ask questions. He just took a deep breath before he continued, “I still have no idea how and when he learned about us. His return was rather incognito, so none of my siblings knows that he’s back. For now. Knowing him, he would love a rather pompous ceremony for his official return. And I know a good bunch of royals and nobles who would do this for him.“

Nozel sounded so bitter. Usually, he never sounded this bitter, not even about Yami.

“A good bunch of royals and nobles. Even the other two royal Heads?” Vanessa asked slowly.

“My father is very good at… well, bootlicking. You know our king. He lives for homages to himself. As for the Head of House Vermillion, he knows that my father and I aren’t on good terms. So, he uses it against me, for various reasons and no matter the possible contradictions. He’s doing this since I became Head of House, actually.”

Vanessa clenched a fist. She hated how her boyfriend was treated like. Before they started dating, she never would have thought that other royals would think so little of him, hiding their disrespect behind concern. It was so… she didn’t have any words for it. She came to think that this might be one of the reasons why Nozel kept his emotions behind a cold mask. Honestly, Vanessa came to admire him about how he managed to deal with those subtle insults in such a calm way, most of the time.

“How did your father learn… about us?”

“I told you, I have no idea. His return wasn’t official. None of my siblings knows that he’s back, only very few servants. He came directly to me. And unusually for him, he went direct to the point.”

Nozel paused, sitting down of the huts lone bed. They really were lucky that it even had some clean sheets.

Vanessa waited. Mostly because she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know what to think. Until now, only the Wizard King and Nero knew about their relationship. And Marx. None of them would’ve ever spilled the beans. It was such a shock that someone new would know about them. Someone who didn’t seemed very pleased about their relationship.

She didn’t know what the Witch Queen would say and honestly, Vanessa rather wouldn’t care or think about her opinion. She knew the Bulls would be shocked, especially Noelle and let’s not forget the other two siblings. Nebra and Solid might not be very pleased at best, but well, Vanessa could live with that. But what about a person she only heard about? A man she never met, on which she never heard any good things and not so much in general? Vanessa didn’t like that she had no idea.

Nozel sighed deeply, before he continued, “My father wasn’t happy about our… relationship. Well, he had quite a less polite way to describe it. The words he used to describe you were horrendous and I snapped. Very much at the beginning.”

Vanessa saw him clenching his fists. Nozel might seemed calm right now, but it was clear as crystal for her that he was very much on edge about the conversation with his father. She sighed. She could very well imagine which kind of insults her boyfriend had to listened to. Oh, Vanessa was used to, but she knows Nozel. When someone insults her, he could be more terrific than the other Black Bull and that’s saying something.

“I tried very hard to explain despite my anger, but he wouldn’t listen. He was very much upset about the scandal it could bring upon him, for starters.”

“Upon him? Not the House?”

“He claimed that he was upset about House Silva as well, but, honestly, I didn’t believe him at all. He married into the House, but even then, he could have cared. Which he didn’t. If he really did care, he would had helped my mother with her duties as Head, he would have been here during her last weeks, he would have helped Nebra, Solid, Noelle and me with our duties and also other things, he would have… done so many things actually, now that I think about it. But he didn’t. He always found reasons to slip away from… work. Paperwork that is, the duties from behind the scenes, as my mother called them.”

Something like fondness past through his eyes. Vanessa couldn’t help but smile. She loved the look Nozel had when talked about his mother.

“But the duties of showing, of presentation, all of this… he loves it. I remember how he dragged me and my siblings to all those… events. Despite how mother pleaded to wait, we were all rather young. But he wanted it. To show himself. We were barely tools for his glory. And for him to stand right in the light, no one of us had to step out of the way. He always had this mindset. Even after my mother died, even after he was mostly out of the country.”

She never heard her boyfriend talk this much about his father. It was strange. After all, none of the Silva siblings liked talking about him and Nozel even less so. But looking at her boyfriend, it seemed to Vanessa that he needed to get it out of his chest. She could only imagine how his discussion with his father went and he won’t show much, but she knew, she just knew, that he needed to let it out.

Vanessa stood up and reached for Nozels hand, squeezing it softly. He squeezed back. She hoped she could comfort him. With a nod, she invited him to continue.

“My relationship with you… for him, it was me stepping out the way. Again.”

“Again?”

“I don’t know when it began, when was the first time I upset him. As far as I can remember, he always seemed… well, unhappy with me. He was already mad at me for not kicking Noelle out of House Silva.”

“But… why?”, Vanessa asked, genuinely shocked, not able to put it in words. She knew by now that Nozel never kicked Noelle out of the family, even if it had looked that way. But it only looked that way. Vanessa had recently learned that to kick someone out of a Royal House, a hearing was needed. And given Nozels true affection for his sister, despite everything that happened, Noelle never really was at risk to be banished from the Silvas.

“In all honesty, I never understand it either. I don’t think I want to. But that wasn’t the only thing about me he’s upset with. He always seemed disappointed with me. But our relationship seems to be the worst for him.”

Nozel stopped, hesitating to tell more. Vanessa could see many emotions in his eyes, anger, disgust, pain, altogether. Even hesitation. She let out a deep sigh, let go of his hand and went in front of him, putting her hands on both sides on his face, forcing him to look at her.

“Honey, please, let it out. I’m not blind, I can see that you need it. Don’t worry about me, about what your father said about me. What he thinks is not what you think and his views on us won’t affect what we feel for each other. Now, tell me what happened.”

For a moment, Nozel just looked at her, with surprise and even admiration in his eyes. He kissed her forehead first, before continuing.

“My father tried to be calm, but he failed to do so. He was furious, practically scolding me for… well, he said forsleeping with a witch. He dismissed the fact that you’re a Magic Knight, who already served the kingdom countlessly. The words he used to describe you… sorry, but I can’t bring it over myself to say them out loud. I snapped, counting down all the things I reproached him for many years. Never had it been so hard for me to not attack anyone. I could barely hold myself back. I told my father that I love you, but he dismissed that. For him, as for many nobles and royals, love is just a foolish thing. Royals don’t love is a very common motto. Marriages are for alliances, power, glory. Love has nothing to do with it. I feel so stupid for having believed that once. For my father, love is even a childish thing.”

“But… What about your mother? She did love him, right? At least, that’s how I understood it.”

“She did. But he never loved her back. Deep down she might already have known it, given how much love and affection she gave me and my siblings all her life. Although I don’t think my mother realized it at the beginning. But I remember that after Solids birth, she looked sadder and more resigned when a talk was about my father. I think that back then, she began to realize that her love for him was one-sided. And she might have accepted it fully when she was expecting Noelle.”

Sadness and anger flashed through Nozels eyes. Vanessa slid her hand again in his, feeling his grip tighten.

“I don’t know how long we kept fighting. Not long I believe, but for me it was like hours. My father kept going on all the things I apparently made him upset with. I learned a few more things, even. My magic even disappointed him.”

“What? Why? Why would he be disappointed about your magic?”

“Honestly, I have again no idea and I haven't been in the mood to ask. He basically told me that he didn’t want four children to begin with. But since I didn’t inherit his attribute, he wanted others, who would inherit it. He claims to have a strong aversion against metal attributes, but he didn’t explain why. I don’t even know if it’s true or if he came up with this just to try to humiliate me.”

“But this is not fair! Why should he be disappointed that you didn’t get his magic attribute? You have a great magic, you can use it in so many ways and skills, it’s so sophisticated! I… I can’t understand! Well… I knew that your father wasn’t a very nice person, but I didn’t expect that he…”

Vanessa had no words to properly describe how furious she was against Nozels father. She never met him and the few things she heard about this man didn’t make him really sympathetic, but this!

She already knew he was rather harsh towards Noelle, even though neither her nor Nozel would give her details. But she genuinely hasn’t thought that he would also be this harsh towards Nozel as well. What he just told her sounded familiar. Not only because it sounded pretty similar to what the other two royal heads would reproach him. But this disappointment about everything Nozel did or was, even things he couldn’t help it. The father being upset that his son wasn’t perfect, that his son didn’t meet his expectations… It sounded similar to her own situation with her own mother. Vanessa didn’t like it, at all. Even though the Witch Queen never screamed or got loud about her disappointment.

Was the Silva father even upset about Nebra and Solid as well? With what Vanessa heard, it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Nebra has mist magic, which isn’t one of the stronger attributes. As for Solid, Vanessa couldn’t think of anything, but why wouldn’t the father find something as well to be upset with his other son?

She never met the man, never wants to either and if, only to put him in his place. The father of the Silva siblings sounded like an arrogant jerk.

Her angry thoughts were interrupted when two hands cupped her face. Nozel looked at her with determination.

“Vanessa, I know you’re angry, but please calm down. I don’t care what my father thinks about me. I stopped caring about it a long time ago. I was angrier about how dared to talk about you. He didn’t care that I love you, he didn’t care to understand. At the end, I couldn’t take it anymore. I basically told him that… well… no matter what he says or does, I’d rather die in celibacy than marrying a woman who isn’t you. In fact, I basically made a vow to marry you.”

Silence followed his words. A silence during which they just stared at each other. Vanessa tried to realize what he just said.

Suddenly, Nozel blushed heavily and he let go of her, hurrying to the huts window. Vanessa just turned to him, confused but also feeling another emotion she couldn’t quiet describe.

“I… well… After that, my father basically was trying some menaces, but I couldn’t take him seriously. He acted like he was the Head of House, which he isn’t. He was married to a Silva, he was never born into House Silva and he never really cared about it. I… well… I made position perfectly clear. He quit soon after, but it’s only a matter of time before his return becomes official.”

Nozel stopped. He seemed so unsure, which worried Vanessa a bit. But at the same time, he was flushed and that was always adorable.

Vanessa went to him, taking his hand. She had to comfort him about his jerk of a father. But she also needed to talk with him about that vow he mentioned. After all, she was still trying to realize his words.

“Your father might have a pretty positive reputation within royals and nobles, he might be an excellent bootlicker. But I don’t think his influence might be this strong that he could take the power to force his will upon you and your siblings.”

“I wish I could be as certain as you are. But… what if he-“

“You could fill all four kingdoms in bottles with what ifs. I’m not saying we shouldn’t care at all. But whatever your father tries to do, we’re going to face it together. We’re together in this, Nozel. Never forget that.”

Nozel just looked at her. Surprised of course, he was lightly blushing again. But there was also gratitude and love in his eyes. Gosh, he was so cute behind that cold mask.

Vanessa took his other hand and looked firmly into his eyes. “Did you mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“The vow you made during the fight with your father. To… marry me. Did you really mean it?”

Nozel blushed even more, but he tried very hard to not look away from her. Vanessa wouldn’t have let him anyway. A few moments past, but they seemed like hours while she waited.

“I… I meant it.”

He only looked down after his answer. But he didn’t let go of her hands.

Relief and happiness flew through her. He really meant it. Never would Vanessa have thought how much this would mean to her until now. It was still surprising, as she already thought about it, but not that much.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? What for?”

“I shouldn’t have made such a decision without your consent.”

Vanessa couldn’t help but chuckle. Why did he always feel so responsible?

“I don’t blame you. Given the circumstances. And it is cute.”

“Cute?”

“You really should learn how to take compliments. But seriously, honey, you shouldn’t be sorry. Why would you feel guilty, anyway?”

Nozel just looked at her, slightly frowning, like he didn’t understand what she was meaning.

“Well… I shouldn’t have taken such a decision all by myself, especially in overwhelming anger. It concerns you as well. Besides, our situation is… complex. Any wrong steps could be used against us and there are some risks I’m not sure I’m ready to take.”

Vanessa sighed, half amused, half annoyed. There was his strategic chess-brain again. Always thinking very forward. Sometimes it was useful, but honestly, his overthinking could exhaust him so many times it was almost hurtful to watch. Nozel promised her he would try to restrain his overthinking, but he would struggle from time to time. Old habits die hard.

“Is that really all what worries you? Honey, you promised me-“

“That’s not all! Actually… I’m also scared.”

Vanessa blinked. She didn’t expect that.

“Scared? Of what?”

“That… I would put you back in a cage. Status and duties can be like chains and I… I don’t want you to be a… prisoner. Again.”

Nozels eyes went down, his posture almost looking like defeat. But Vanessa firmed her grip on his hands. In fact, his words touched her very deep in the heart.

After they were dating for quite some time, both had been comfortable enough with the other to talk about some secret subjects of their pasts. Nozel told her about this curse he had gotten after his mother was defeated and cursed by Megicula. Vanessa, on the other hand, found herself brave enough to tell him about the cage were her mother kept her as a prisoner, in order to obtain that spell to control Fate. She remembered very well how shocked her boyfriend was, the compassion he showed, his concern…

Her story impressed him so much. Vanessa totally understood why he was afraid that he would put her in another cage if they may marry. Nozel was a much more caring man than he let himself be viewed.

Vanessa put a small kiss on his lips, which made Nozel looking back at her, slightly confused.

“Nozel, I understand that you fear this for me. But I just know that you would never put me intentionally in a cage. And even if it would happen unintentionally, I know you would do anything in your power to get me out. I love my freedom, but this also mean I’m free to choose what I want. I admit, I have yet difficulties to imagine myself as a royal princess, as a lady Silva.”

Nozel just nodded, sad and understanding, but Vanessa wasn’t finished, “But I believe it will come with time. Because on the other hand, I have no problem to imagine myself growing old with you. I chose to be with you, with all the difficulties that comes with the situation. And… I want to help you with your burden. You carried your duties and responsibilities as Head of House alone for far too long, if you ask me. I won’t let you alone anymore with this.”

She kissed him again, more deeply this time, smiling as she felt him giving in to the kiss. As they parted, she poked his cheek and said with a smirk, “Consider this a vow I just made.”

Nozel blushed again a bit and Vanessa couldn’t help but giggle. She loved seeing him all flustered.

“How did I deserve you?”

“I don’t know, honey. How did I deserve you?”

This time, the captain of the Silver Eagles let out a small chuckle. This made Vanessa happy. She loved seeing him smile and this was the first time since the start of the mission that Nozel actually smiled.

For a while, they just hold each other tightly without saying anything. The only noises came from the fire and the wind outside.

Finally, Nozel spoke again, “So, um, you… you wouldn’t mind?”

“Marry you? No, I wouldn’t mind. I still need get used to it, but more to the thought of being a royal lady, princess or whatever rather than being your wife. That is actually rather easy to imagine.”

Nozel smiled softly. But when he spoke again, his tone was serious, “It’s still a difficult situation. I don’t trust my father with whatever he’ll try to do. Not to mention other… aspects. It might take a while before we can get… married.”

And now he was blushing again. Seemed that Nozel too still needed to get used to the thought. Vanessa chuckled again. It was such a sight to see different emotions on Nozels face, once you looked beyond his cold mask. She would have loved to tell the Bulls this. But well, they wouldn’t believe her (except maybe Nero, she knows already about their relationship, after all). In that case, she would show them, once her relationship with Nozel would be out of secrecy.

The stood in silence, holding each other. After a while, Vanessa turned her head towards the window. It was still snowing, not strong, but it was already night. The rest of the Black Bulls, Silver Eagles and Blue Roses might have found shelter as well. They might have been separated into groups as well. Waiting for the falling snow to stop. The enemy has been defeated and caught, after all. Maybe it was better to just call it a night and to regroup with the others the next day.

Vanessa couldn’t help but smile. An entire night, alone with Nozel… how could she say no?

“I fear we might only regroup with the others tomorrow. It’s late and it would be foolish to go out right now.”

Nozel seemed a bit annoyed. Must be that captain side of him, that side who preferred that everything should be settled efficiently in a short period of time. Vanessa grinned. She knew just what to do to convince him that their situation wasn’t so bad after all.

She teased his upper lip with her mouth, caressing very slowly over his chest, feeling his muscles under the fabric of his clothes.

He wasn’t buff, but she knew now that despite the multiple layers of clothes and despite Yamis teased assumption, her boyfriend of a captain was actually muscular. Slender and lean, but he still has muscles. Another surprise for her when she fell for him. Buff men were supposed to be her type. But she still fell for Nozel and she with time she found that this was one of the best things that happened to her. At the end, Vanessa just decided that she had a new type and Nozel was the only one who fit it.

She knew he was blushing again, but he was still caressing slowly her hips. Vanessa looked at the bed. Well, it wasn’t as big as Nozels bed in the Silva palace. She was so used to his bed by now that she actually began to find her own, back at the Black Bull base, rather small. But it was still bigger than this one here. But still, even being not a king size bed and without silky sheets, but it still looked warm and comfy.

Vanessa noticed that one of the sheets were white. White… white like a…

An idea just plopped in her head. Oh, it was innocent and childish, but after their discussion, it seemed like a good idea. For her at least, from a general point of view, it may be stupid. But she really wanted to do it. And if it could help her boyfriend to relax a bit, even better!

Vanessa immediately took Nozels hand and dragged him to the bed, sit on it, took the white bedsheet and draped it over her head like a veil.

“Vanessa, what are you doing?”

She could see that Nozel was confused, slightly frowning. But he still sat down on the bed as well.

“Sorry if my idea seems rather childish, honey, but… okay, it is childish. But I thought, after our discussion, I know it may take a while before we could marry and since I still need to get used to this thought, so we might have a little rehearsal, kinda? Just to see how it feels.”

Nozel was still looking at her with confusion and now he was blushing. Again. Vanessa giggled. She might have broken her own record of making him blush a lot of time, this night.

“Pretty please, honey. I promise it won’t kill you. And we’re alone, no one’s witnessing a new hidden childish side of yours.”

Vanessa was now making puppy eyes. She knew Nozel couldn’t resist them. Which is why she’s only doing them on rare occasions. After all, she would have the feeling of using him if she did that trick more often.

Nozel sighed, but Vanessa could see a small smile appearing on his lips. Definetly a win, he was already starting relax a bit.

“Besides… Call me stupid, but I don’t really know how, well, weddings work. I know the basics, what it has, but details? No idea. I’ve never been to a wedding, I have no idea about the differences between noble weddings and commoner weddings, if the priest says the vows or the groom and bride.”

It was true. Vanessa never witnessed a wedding. She had never been invited to one and none of the Bulls was married or close too. Well, except Finral, but he was still engaged, there was still no date for the wedding. And for the other Bulls, marriage wasn’t in anybody’s future plans for now. It was a little frustrating, now that she thinks about it.

“First of all, you’re not stupid.”

Nozel had took her hands in his, as he looked at her. He was still flustered, but the confusion was gone. There was now determination in his eyes and tenderness. A glance which made Vanessa blushing.

“Second, noble weddings are rather complex and royal ones even more. I might teach you the details, but not yet, sadly. I don’t know all of them by heart. Most things are unnecessary complicated.”

“Like so many things within royalty, I bet.”

“You won your bet.”

Both chuckled, before Nozel continued, “At least, I can help you learn the royal wedding vows. They’re different from the classic ones for nobles and maybe even commoners. It’s the groom who speaks first, then the bride. And you have to look me in the eyes while saying the vows.”

“That looking in the eyes thing, is it also part of the procedure?”

“Normally yes. It’s to show that you mean your promise told in the vows. But since most royal weddings are arranged ones, groom and bride usually don’t look into each other’s eyes. Probably because they think if they don’t look into their spouse’s eyes, they won’t be bound by their promises.”

Nozel sighed and Vanessa did it too. Since she started dating her boyfriend of a prince, she had learned that cheating scandals were not so uncommon within royal and noble circles, with bastards as one of the consequences. Well, given that kinda the majority of those marriages weren’t coming out of love, it wasn’t really a surprise.

But that wasn’t for her. Neither for her boyfriend. She loves him, he loves her. And whenever they finally could get married, this would be their reason.

Vanessa looked up as Nozel hold her hands firmly, his gaze all on her. The determination in his eyes made her heart race.

“Faith. Hope. Love. By the three leaves of the Clover, I, Nozel Silva, take thee, Vanessa Enoteca, as my wedded wife. I will have Faith in thee, with thy life and trust thee mine. I will have Hope, helping thee to all hardships and happiness of life. I will Love thee, cherish thee in sickness and in health, be it forever.”

Those were beautiful wedding vows. Such a shame that today, they were used more for arranged marriages. Vanessa hoped now to say them without hesitation. She took a deep breath and looked into Nozels eyes.

“Faith. Hope. Love. By the three leaves of the Clover, I, Vanessa Enoteca, take thee, Nozel Silva, as my wedded husband. I will have Faith in thee, with thy life and trust thee mine. I will have Hope, helping thee to all hardships and happiness of life. I will Love thee, cherish thee in sickness and in health, be it forever.”

In the end, that wasn’t difficult at all.

Vanessa smiled at Nozel, who smiled back. He was happy, finally. Gosh, he was so beautiful when he smiled.

She couldn’t admire him for long, though he leaned towards her, kissing her deeply. Vanessa kissed him back, pulling him closer to her. Were kisses also part in arranged weddings? Surely not this passionate. She would ask Nozel later. For now, she had other plans for the night.

As they parted, Vanessa fell back on the bed, pulling Nozel towards her.

“Ready for the wedding night, husband of mine?”

He chuckled, before kissing her again. She couldn’t help but smile against is soft lips. It felt so much like Heaven.

They didn’t know when they could really get married. Or what the father of the Silva siblings would try to separate them. They didn’t know what other difficulties would lie before them, who and what would fight their relationship.

But they were together, they would face those hardships and fight those hurtful rules within royal and noble circles.

Tonight, that little wedding rehearsal might also be a vow for Nozel and Vanessa to not give up.

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mamavino · 2 days

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Black Clover Modern AU

I finished the prologue of my Modern AU multi-chapter story! I'm so excited to finally post it later today 💘

The title is Morning Mist & Night Traffic and the first chapter is already in the works as well. Thank you everyone who voted on the polls and for helping me to get this blurry idea finally out of the fog of my mind.

Summary Within the prosperous city of Clover, be it rich or poor, everyone has their own issues to deal with, but not always it goes as planned. Especially when modernity clashes with some remaining close-minded traditions that has nothing to do anymore with today.

Nozel never really moved on from a tragedy years ago that left him becoming an adult at fourteen, but a young woman named Vanessa starts to heal a wound that had been invisible. Without realizing he started to heal her own wound as well.

Noelle has decided to move on from her crush about her classmate Asta, who is too terribly dense to realize what she truly felt for him. But it is easier said than done.

Since Charlotte became independent from her traditional family and took custody for her younger half-brother Luck, one can say that she is quite happy with work, free time and family life. But she could never forget her love for her old classmate, Yami Sukehiro.

Meanwhile, Fuegoleon and Lital are in a happy relationship for a decade. Too bad that the rich society in Clover is more medieval when it comes to relationships and marriage. Since Fuegoleon is from one of the three richest family and business in Clover, while Lital has roots from the slums. But both are determined to make a change about that.

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mamavino · 3 days

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SNIPPIT TIME

Behind the scenes, I'm working on the first chapter of my Circus story. And just wanted to share a snippit, because who doesn't love dense Yami and hopeless Charlotte.

The entrance to the main building of the magical knights came into view. At the large stone archway, Nozel and Dorothy stood talking. Quickly Charlotte looked around, were the others already there? She saw no one else, though there was only one man she thought of. She was lying to herself if she will say she was looking out for all the captains.

Alongside her hopped Rill, happy and cheerful as he always was, the young captain always full of energy. However, her heart skipped a beat when she heard the bickering of two familiar voices. Jack the Ripper and him, Yami Sukehiro captain of the Black Bulls, the man she had fallen in love with with a look.

Ice cold and controlled, she cast a glance in the direction of the arguing men. "Can you men ever act in moderation? The whole courtyard doesn't need to witness any of your vulgar bickering." No, no, cried Charlotte in her head. Did she just now pronounce this so bitchy to Yami. Okay he's going to hate her.

"Hahaha," sounded full of fun. Yami placed his right hand against his chest. "Look our sunshine is here too, say prickly can it hurt to let loose once in a while?"

She turned away from him and bit her lip. She fought against the heat on her cheeks. Why couldn't she act normal towards him and say how she felt? She heard Sol yell something more to Yami, but the man seemed to ignore her subordinate and started discussing something about gambling with Jack again.

It was Nozel who came up beside her and called to the group of captains, "Come everyone. The meeting is about to start. And Jack, Yami, tone it down, we're not in a pub."

Everyone turned around and to her shock, Yami came walking up beside her. Charlotte did her best not to glance at him. He gently leaned toward her and whispered softly. "It's all right though, I'll be irritated too if I was you."

"What?" Charlotte looked straight up, her gaze forward. What could he be talking about?

The smoke from his cigarette stung her nose. Those things were so gross, but when Yami smoked he looked so sexy. No, no, Charlotte keep your mind in check she spoke sternly to herself. Yami spoke, "That helmet, it must be super warm. I really don't understand why you wear it on a hot day like today. I saw your face, it got all red and stuff."

"My helmet is not warm," she growled. Charlotte balled her fists. His hand unexpectedly slapped her shoulder and his laughter echoed down the hallway. Defeated, she lowered her head again. Why, she wondered softly.

The door to the conference room was open. Marx was waiting, happily relieved of this uncomfortable moment.

#black clover #black clover fanfiction #yami x charlotte #charlotte black clover #yami black clover

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mamavino · 3 days

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mamavino · 3 days

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Ask inbox

I had the thsi from @F-oighear and @vilandel, but I answer them together otherwise you get so double everything haha.

Five things that make me happy. I am a joyful person anyway. I feel rich in my own way. But I will make a list here.

Number one with a big dot and a big exclamation mark, my children. The mama in my name is there for a reason. I have two boys and they are my life. They are two handfuls, worth it. And my youngest shares my love of Anime (loves pokemon, watches dbz occasionally, also watches Black Clover with me and when he runs he has a Naruto run).

Health. Very cliché, I know. But when you are healthy and can do everything you have a somewhat freer and easier life. Me and my husband are very active and that's just nice. Sitting still is not my thing.

Tranquility, I get happy from quietness. How do you get that in a busy family? I claim it when I need it. When I want to write quietly I retreat to our game room, head phone on, and place myself in my own bubble.

When a good story you write is acknowledged. I know I'm writing for myself. But then when I get so many love-filled responses, kudos and compliments. That makes me happy. Often I read giggling and blushing at the most delightful reviews and that makes me happy.

Friends, friends in any form. Friends close to whom you do coffee (or wine). Friends you have to drive a few hours for and then you can hug them. But also my online friends. I've never seen them, but there's a connection. All special in their own way.

#ask me anything

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mamavino · 7 days

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When will you post your new Black Clover fanfic? I'm excited about it <3<3<3

Thank you for your message anonymously. I am working on it. Already have some small things on paper but I am still full on writing. Background stories, important story lines and oc's with important roles in the circus need to be written out. I hope to upload my first chapter next week

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mamavino · 7 days

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Hi MamaVino! 💕

For your ask game what about 🦋, 🪲 and 🌻?

Hey Kalolasfantasyworld. Thanks for your message 🎀.

Oh we start with a deep 🦋 ⇢ share something that has been on your heart and mind lately. This is a bit personal but my uncle is doing very badly, he is at the end of his life and is on a morphine pump, he has spread cancer. So you automatically think more about life and death now. Yeah that keeps you busy sometimes.

The second one stands with me as a cube. So I'm guessing this one haha. 🪲 ⇢ add 50 words to your current wip and share the paragraph here Here we go:

Together with Yami, Charlotte walked toward the circus tent. The smell of freshly popped popcorn and cotton candy tingled up her nose. Dust was blown up as a clown danced on one foot through the loose sand. Alarmed, Charlotte stepped aside and accidentally bumped into Yami.

His gray eyes watched her playfully. Why was he with her again? This man was short-circuiting her mind. Music from a violin overtook them and quickly both Charlotte and Yami looked up. Beside the entrance to the tent was a large birdcage, inside it a woman with skin as white as snow. On her shoulder, a violin, the soft melody brought a cheerful but mysterious sensation.

In front of the big main circus tent a big man suddenly appeared, proudly the man looked from under his top hat. When he spoke, his big thick mustache moved. He brought his chest forward and made a bowing motion as he danced a kind of staff through his fingers.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Step right up, step right up. Come closer, you won't believe your eyes. Behind this curtain. Witness something you've never seen before Heard before, dreamt before The most amazing show on Earth.”

Two dancers in tight fitting suits making handstands while throwing a ball at each other.

“It's the most amazing show on earth”

In the distance, a trumpet sounded from a gray fat animal with a trunk.

“Do you want to be widely entertained? People to know your name? Do you crave fame? Well, they say, "Things aren't always what they seem to be" Even your greatest fantasies. You won't believe your eyes. Won't even recognize. The wonderment that lies Behind the shimmer and the lights.“

Just past Yami suddenly walked a sturdily built woman in a beautiful dress. She was beautiful but her beard was the first thing that stood out. Flirtatiously, the woman winked at Yami

“Is it true what they say? Is it all just fun and games? Or is there more behind the makeup? And the faces full of paint? I ask you, do you want to come and play?”

Again the clown ran through the audience, almost fell, for fun, and ran on again as if he had almost had an accident. Very strange.

“Get the world to come and play”

Charlotte and Yami handed their tickets to a beautiful woman with hair like cotton candy and a freckle above her lip. After this, they walked into the tent. They heard the ringmaster shout something else.

“So sit back, relax, fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy ride to the other side”

Time to take a closer look at the show.

#black clover #black clover fanfiction #rare paring #yami x charlotte

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mamavino · 7 days

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Oh, you're doing the game too? Cool! So, here... 🍓🛼🥤🍄🍬❄️🏜️🎨

Hey Vilandel, my friend, thanks for the emojis from the game.

🍓🛼 I just answered that one so I'll skip that one for now, the rest will be covered of course,

🥤 It's easy to say, you. Haha But beyond that are some very good ones. Oighear is a very good and lovely ❤️. I also have a good friend from the Dragonball fan base who writes the most hylarious fics and have also worked with her sometimes. She namely has that real English humor so is just fun. Her name is Psychokisses_x

Let's continue🍄 share a head canon for one of your favorite ships or pairings. This one is from Nozel and Vanessa. I think Nozel provides fresh fruit or a smoothie for Vanessa every morning. Nozel thinks breakfast is the most important meal of the day but Vanessa is not a morning person I don't think about breakfast. This is his way that she eats some and starts positive.

Oh this one is intressant 🍬 post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character. I think Asta as a boyfriend is horrible. He has two stands, obsession or is not seeing anything. I do write about him because I put my own spin on him. But watching Sister Lily be an obsession worries me a bit.

❄️ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best? Okay I once read a book called the beekeepers daughter. It's about the daughter of beekeeper who falls in love with the lord of the manor. But then there is war and drama. Only I will (have) this one written with a happy ending. Because the story consists of two timelines. So basically two generations.

Oh this one is fun 🏜️ what's your favorite type of comment to receive on your work? As long as they come from the heart I love them. The book reports on the chapter to the oh and ah screams.

And last but not least: 🎨 link your favorite piece of fanart and explain why you like it

This one is from the wedding of Charloote and Yami,. You can see a bit of a shine in Charlotte's eyes that is clearly full of emotion. She is just beautiful. Next to her is clearly Yami, but also subtle. In traditional Hino clothes. I also think (just a head canon at the end anyway) that they have a missed party. Both traditions of Hino and Clover.

#black clover #black clover fanfiction #fanfiction writer

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mamavino · 7 days

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Hiya Mamavino! For the truth or dare ask game; may I ask for 🍓, 🛼, and 🔪 Please? Thank you so much, and I hope you have a good day 🥰~!

Hello Lyranova

Sorry for the late replies, been a bit busy at work and been sick. But now full of energy again and we continue with fun things.

Let's start with 🍓. how did you get into writing fanfiction? I think I read my first Fan Fiction when I was 14 and wrote for the first time when I was 15. I then did this for a year but I was also a teenager who was going out a lot, so that died down a bit. This was also in Dutch then because my English was butt. Fast forward, 2020, lock down, covid drama. I was sitting at home with the kids and my head was exploding with creative ideas. So I started writing again and I have been doing this full of love for 4 years now.

Your second emoji is so 🛼 and I have 2 of them in my list. It won't display it. So I'll go with my first one, just a wild guess. describe your latest wip with five emojis. 🎪🎩🎟️🧜🏼 🔮

Haha and lastly

Haha and last 🔪 what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

How can you make a person go blind?

Can you keep a person in a coma artificially and not give them brain damage.

Most deadly plants and how fast do they kill?

Latin swear words.

Can you train your legs to grow taller.

Thanks for these fun questions and you too have a great day!

#black clover #black clover fanfiction #fandom ships #fan fic writing

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mamavino · 9 days

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Silver Cats & Black Roses

Chapter 3 – Sleepless Night

A/N Third chapter today, this time with our boys having sleepless nights... I love the ending part of this chapter in particular, you will see why 💜💙

Ao3 link

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

In the end, it definitely wasn’t future Yami’s problem after all. One day after his wheels wedding and Yami was fed up with that unsettled feeling Charlotte left him with.

He couldn’t sleep, he wasn’t in the mood to take a dump, smoking didn’t helped to relax, the perspective of getting up and go into the kitchen for some booze wasn’t appealing and there was no way he could go in a pub and gamble his worries out in the middle of the night.

Usually he would had woken up Finral to get some of those, but that traitor was now on his honeymoon and somehow, his mother-in-law made sure on everything that no one disturbed Finrals and Finesses quality time. What a harpy Douce Calmreich was… Okay, Yami wouldn’t deny that she was a more than decent woman for a noble who loved Finral, he would give her that. But that wasn’t a reason to forbid the captain of the Black Bulls do use his wheels during said wheels honeymoon!

Was it?

Long story short, all of his usual comfort zones wouldn’t help him right now and that just sucked. But that also meant that something definitely wasn’t right. Probably since the return from Spade. At least, that was the only explanation Yami could came up with. That, and the fact that Charlotte must have something to do with it.

This far, it was pretty clear. But the reason why, how it came to this conclusion, Yami had no idea. Why was something wrong after Spade and why did it have to do with Charlotte? He talked with her during the wedding. Nothing had changed between them to make him worry this much.

He thought.

Then why didn’t it felt like before the war? Why was it different? Why was he frustrated that Charlotte still acted like before? Shouldn’t it have reassured him?

Well, so much for nothing having changed after Spade. Finral was now married and didn’t slept at the Hideout anymore, which meant Yami couldn’t get a grip on him when he needed to shit or to go gamble quickly.

Vanessa was now keeping on the squads communication device and most of the time she wouldn’t let it go, except when she was asleep. For the very first time, Yami actually regretted to not have followed old Julius’ advice and got two devices for the Black Bulls, one for the squad and one for himself. It probably would have been better, because now he had to care when Vanessa was calling some “handsome” people while he needed to make a call himself.

As for the other little changes… Charmy was now visiting the Aqua Deers for some reason, while Finral and Gordon made friends with a bunch of Blue Roses. Braids surprised most people by taking a bastard daughter from a noble house into the Silver Eagles, while Yami also had eyes on that girl. Noelle acted weirder than before with Asta. That jerk Fuegoleon was apparently in love or courting someone, according to his Ki, which meant he would be the only captain to be in a relationship, except for the purple grandpa with the moustache who was married, and that pissed Yami off. Everyone in the kingdom was now aware of old Julius’ new childlike form. Astas rival from Goldie Guts’ squad was apparently like a lost prince of Spade or something. And many other little changes.

Yami didn’t hate those changes. Okay, some of them pissed him off a bit. But none of them bothered him into sleepless nights.

And yet, the only thing that really bothered him was something that seemed to haven’t changed at all. The only different thing on this topic was his own reaction to it.

And Charlotte was the cause of it.

Charlotte…

Why did all of those stuff resolved around his Prickly Queen? Now, screw that, she wasn’t his Prickly Queen. Charlotte didn’t belong to anybody except herself, she was an independent and strong woman. Sometimes even, too independent even to Yamis liking, somehow. How many times did he told her already that it was okay to rely on others, once in a while?

Now that he thought about it, she was the only person Yami ever told that. He never said anything like that to his brats and Goldie Guts or to anyone, as far as he could remember. Why to her and no one else?

Why Charlotte of all people?

“I’m certainly overthinking that,” Yami said, but he didn’t sound convinced and he was lacking too much sleep already for some denial.

Wait, did he just admit that he would have denied something?

Okay, at this point, something was surely wrong with him and he had no idea how to deal with that. Especially since he had no idea what was wrong with him.

If something was wrong with him.

He couldn’t possibly talk to this to anyone. Would any of his brats be able to deal with his issues? Except Nacht who was barely there even after Spade, but who wouldn’t be of great help with his insulting truth. He couldn’t talk to Julius either, who knows what that nerdy old kid would think and get excited about. Marx was too stressed already and Owen was a fricking doc, not a therapist.

Yami couldn’t also open up to his fellow captains either. Braids would just snob him and not be of any help, the slicer beanpole would make fun of him, Sleepy Hat would either be asleep or create weird scenarios in her dreamy magic world, Fluffy Glowing Hair would just get excited and have stupid assumptions and Fuegoleon would mean well but Yami refused to get such a long motivation speech, especially since he never needed motivation to do something.

Only Goldie Guts and that boring purple moustache grandpa would probably be of any help on that matter, but…

“This is way too embarassing,” Yami groaned and hid his face behind his pillow.

This was so unlike him! He, Yami Sukehiro, badass captain of the fearless Black Bulls! Embarrassed!

No, no, no!

If he let any word slip, there would be teasing and Yami refused to be teased! He teased others, it wasn’t the other way around!

He shouldn’t tell anyone, really. Those who would tease wouldn’t let any occasion slip and since not every teaser was one of his brats, Yami couldn’t put every one of them back in their place. And there would be also those who would tease accidentally, without meaning to do so, which was almost worse.

Well, knowing Goldie Guts and the purple grandpa, Fuegoleon as well, to be fair, they wouldn’t tell anyone. But this was the Magic Knights of Clover, with a Wizard King who was always snooping around and many knights who loved gossip. One way or another, that stupid secret that was a secret to even himself, would get known and he wouldn’t know any peace.

And Yami refused also to be the person who got teased.

In the end, he couldn’t tell anyone for now.

Which didn’t help with his problem at all, but that was just a detail. Yami couldn’t deal with a problem in a way that would lead to other problems. He already had many problems to work on, kinda, that was enough. He possibly couldn’t deal with problems that were even bond to each other.

Yami groaned, throwing his pillow against the wall. This was so frustrating, so much more than he thought.

“Come on, Prickly Queen… why would you do this to me?”

Charlotte was basically haunting him at this point, since the wedding. Which wasn’t too long ago, granted, just a day or so. But again, just details. It didn’t change the fact that whatever he was doing, Yami couldn’t help but think about Charlotte.

He remembered so clearly how beautiful he found her, when they faced each other at the wedding. Another thing that he couldn’t explain. After all, Yami already knew that Charlotte was a beautiful woman, he would be really blind to not realize that. And that didn’t meant anything, there were beauties anywhere, in his homeland, in Clover, Spade maybe too, probably in the other countries as well.

And still, somehow, in his eyes, no other women could compete with Charlotte when it came to beauty… Those blonde hair with the cute little braid on the said, the silky skin and those unique blue eyes. Even better, she had more for her than just her outstanding prettiness. Her Ki was the most unique on Yami ever read, even though he didn’t understood anything about it. She was brave and strong and independent, harsh maybe and way too serious, but those flaws she had were certainly part of her charm, so it didn’t mind them too much.

He never even realized that he didn’t mind them as much as he showed Charlotte, in order to tease her.

Wait…

Why didn’t he mind and why did he never realized it before?

Geez, this was getting too complicated for his liking.

Yami reached for his pillow, in order to hide his face. Only that there was no pillow.

Come on, really? It wasn’t like he hadn’t enough stupid stuff to deal with, he didn’t need to deal with disappearing pillows on top of that. Which was a new thing, but given his own squads hideout, nothing else should surprise him at this point.

But as he turned his head to the side, he saw his pillow, against the opposite wall. How did it get there?

Yami just groaned in frustration. He actually forgot how he throw it away, his heads full of Charlotte and thousands of question marks.

Did he really needed to get up and get his pillow back? He usually used Finral for this kind of shit, but Finral wasn’t there.

Yami didn’t want to get up, but he had no other choice, he needed a pillow to sleep. You couldn’t have some quality sleep without a pillow. But he didn’t want to get up.

“Geez, that is so childish… And I can’t throw that on future Yami’s back.“

But just as he was about to get up, his eyes fell on the Black Bulls communication device, laying on his night table. In a rare occasion, he’d been able to sneak it away from Vanessa. Which means that he would be able to…

To actually call Charlotte and talk to her!

Why didn’t he thought about that sooner! He knew that he wouldn’t get teased, Charlotte was not that kind of person and even if she was, she was involved in this matter, so she would be embarrassed too! Yami knew that it was the middle of the night, but he also didn’t care anymore. Charlotte made him sleepless tonight, it was only fair to give her something similar back as well.

And he really wanted to talk to her.

Extremely motivated, like he rarely was when it wasn’t in battle, Yami took the Black Bull’s device.

♣♣♣

What was wrong with him?

Flipping to each side of his giant bed every passing minute, those words turned in Nozels mind as if they were on a carousel. And if it wasn’t those words driving him insane turning back and forth like that, then it was Vanessas face.

The royal wedding had just been a day ago, but Nozel was starting to believe that the timespan had to be longer. Just because he couldn’t stop thinking about his youngest sisters squadmate all day long. More intensely than during those past three months after Spade.

Spade… it all started in Spade, the moment she talked to him. He shouldn’t had talked back. He should have ignored her, not opening to her at all and everything would have been just fine.

He tried to believe that, so hard. But it didn’t convinced Nozel at all. If that statement was really true, why would he even still try to convince himself of it?

Besides… it didn’t felt right. Vanessa just had been nice to him. Teasy and flirty, for sure, a bit harsh sometimes, as expected from Black Bulls, but always so nice and caring.

Basically everything he didn’t deserved. Especially after all of his mistakes concerning Noelle. Vanessa was her squadmate and it was fair to assume that she knew. And still, she was nice to him and Nozel just couldn’t understand why.

He shouldn’t had accepted her kindness, her care at all. He should have ignored her completely. But he didn’t.

Of course, Nozel argued first that he could have been rude to ignore her, while she was so nice to him. But that argument didn’t sit right with him, given the cold mask he used to wear for over a decade. And also…

For some reason, Nozel didn’t want for Vanessa to think of him in a negative light.

Nozel groaned as he sat up on his bed, running a hand down his face.

Nothing seemed to make any sense when it came to Vanessa. Why would he care about what she thought of him? He never cared what others would think of him. About the house of Silva, yes, about his squad and his knights, his siblings, the memory of his mother… He cared what other people would think about those topics.

But never did Nozel cared how other people view him.

Except that Vanessa wasn’t any other people. She was one of Noelle’s squadmates and definitely one of her best friends, she was one of the rare witches that actually left the Witches Forest and she was so kind, caring.

Like a breath of fresh air in his suffocating dark and cold world.

Nozel opened his eyes, looking at his bedroom as if he saw it for the first time in his life.

So big and so empty at the same time.

Except his bed, there was only a desk and the chair going with it, with only two quills, some documents and an ink bottle on it. One single armchair at the window. Two bookcases, the bigger one with professional books, helping him with squad affairs and house matters, the smaller one with books and novels, he would only read on rare respite occasions, which he didn’t have often. He had so much to do as a squad captain and as a house head. Dark grey curtains on the windows. One big carpet of the same colour. His walk-in closet, always perfectly tidied. His own private bathroom, always perfectly cleaned.

His room was like this basically since his mother died. So big and empty, basically screaming loneliness, almost a cage. It never bothered Nozel much or at least, he always successfully

worked to ignore that painful emptiness. He worked so hard to kept himself in check, to carry on what his mother left behind, to assure a future for his siblings, to the last Silvas. He thought that with time, he’ll be fine eventually.

But now… He couldn’t ignore it anymore. He hadn’t been fine for seventeen years. That room was just a perfect symbol of his own loneliness. Nozel knew that he couldn’t live like this anymore. Seventeen years and he was on the verge of breaking. Maybe he always had been on the edge since his mother died, it just became clear after he had to face Vanica and Megicula again.

After Vanessa talked to him, making a crack in his mask without even realizing it…

Is that way he couldn’t stop thinking about her? All her calls, her teasing and flirts, how she always tried to talk him… It was a warmth he had no idea existed anymore. She pierced the fog of his soul with her light, faster than his mending relationships with Noelle, Nebra and Solid.

Nozel knew he didn’t deserve that kindness, he just didn’t… But not having it in his life again? That scared him, more than he even imagined it.

His feelings felt so contradictory, it was unsettling. He knew he didn’t deserve the kindness Vanessa was showing him. But at the same time, he came to a point that he couldn’t imagine her out of his life ever again.

It was such a strange occurrence. He barely even know her, but she came into his life with a simple talk and didn’t left it at all. What was she to him? A friend? He couldn’t possibly call her that, right? Not that he didn’t want to, but… was it enough to be friends when you just got one deep talk and teasy calls?

Did he even need a friend? Nozel didn’t have many. To be honest, the only people he could somehow call friends were Fuegoleon and Dorothy. And just somehow, because both were still getting on his nerves from time to time with their attitudes towards him. And he didn’t confide everything to them. Fuegoleon was his rival and Dorothy a former protégé of his mother. And like Vanessa, one of the rare witches having left the Witches Forest.

Could Vanessa become his friend to? Maybe?

Did she even wanted to? She was calling him a lot and tried to make contact every time she could, but that wouldn’t meant she actually wanted to be friends with him. She never asked if she could and people usually asked directly if they wanted to be friends.

Right?

Nozel had no idea. Another proof about how lonely he was. Closing his eyes again, he let out a deep sigh.

Their dance also never left his mind. In fact, he wished that the dance would have been longer. Or that he could dance with her again. Somehow. Maybe. He still remembered how shocked he had been to practically stumble upon her at the royal wedding. The audacity he had as he asked her to dance with him in the middle of a crowd full of vulture-like nobles. The dance itself, how much of a moment of peace it was. His second audacity to give her a proper hand kiss, as if she was a lady from a house of high nobility. That intense feeling that had filled his entire body afterwards.

He made a lot of things with Vanessa that were pretty much audacious of him. That hand kiss alone was a true reach to etiquette, given her status. But Vanessa had also more kindness and personality than many women of high nobility.

She was… truly a unique person.

Looking at his pocket watch on his night table, Nozel couldn’t help but groan. Not very royal, he’ll admit, but he was alone and he had reasons to.

Given the time, it was way too late to get a decent amount of sleep, which means he needed to drink more coffee than usual the next morning. Nozel already wasn’t that much of a sleeper. Leading a complicated squad like the Silver Eagles and running a royal house all by himself since he’s fifteen didn’t allow much time to sleep and relax.

Besides, Nozel highly doubted he would be able to fall asleep soon at this point. Not with his mind full of questions and doubts, full of selfish wishes and fights to hold them back. Full of dealing with his own issues, full of thoughts he couldn’t silence, full of Vanessa, her tease and smirks, her kindness, her rosewood curls and bright amethysts eyes, her gorgeous smile, her laugh that sounded like a melody no music instruments could ever play…

Nozel froze immediately as that specific thought left echoes in his mind. Really, what was wrong with him?

Vanessa was beautiful, he knew that. After all, he wasn’t blind. But… He knew a bunch of different beautiful women in his life and no one ever stand out to him like Vanessa did.

Goodness, was he somehow attracted to her?

Nozel inhaled deeply, trying to calm down. He couldn’t be attracted to her! Their circles were practically different worlds! He had duties and she was free! He was gloomy and she was like a spring day full of colours.

Stop this right now, you’re overthinking everything.

Nozel took a deep breath, in and out. It was probably the lack of sleep and with him overthinking, he risked to jumped to conclusions. Which was never good, he knew that from experience.

He needed a clear head to properly think about why he reacted like he did to Vanessa. It wouldn’t be easy, because it never had been like that before, with anyone. But as he was right now, he was unable to work on this matter logically and objectively. There was something though, it would be stupid to deny that.

The most sane thing to do now would be to gather some sleep still. It wouldn’t be enough for tomorrow, but it was better than no sleep at all.

On the other hand, he wanted to talk to Vanessa.

“How pathetic am I?” Nozel groaned.

He was, really was. A pathetic fool, sleep deprived, overthinking and torturing himself with a woman he had no idea what he felt to.

She wouldn’t call him in the middle of the night, that’s for sure. Surely, she called him often late at night and he was used to stay at work pretty late as well. It had shocked Vanessa a lot and she somehow scolded him for spending his evenings at work. Her concern for him, again. She shouldn’t be, but she still was.

But even Vanessa had to sleep at some point and if she wasn’t, calling him wasn’t the only thing she did in her life. Not at two or three o’clock in the morning. Haven’t she told him once how she would sometimes drink wine during the whole night only to fall asleep at dawn?

Maybe she wasn’t asleep. Maybe she was awake and drinking. Well, it wasn’t a reassuring thought, as it was pretty much unhealthy. Nozel already told her two or three times that she should cut the drinking. Vanessa had just been in awe for his concern.

But on the other hand, it would also mean that she was still awake at this ungodly hour and that he would be able to talk to her, that he wouldn’t wait until her next call.

Still, Nozel hesitated to take his communication device. It always had been Vanessa to reach out, never the other way around. Wouldn’t it be better to wait for her to call him again, like she always did? But he really wanted to talk to her so much right now.

Actually, maybe it would be better for him to start to reach out to her as well. Whatever there was that made him react in such a bizarre way towards Vanessa, he still wanted for her to be a part of his life, whatever that might be. Besides, it would be polite to make the first step from time to time instead of letting her doing it all the time.

But it was still in the middle of the night.

Well, he was already pathetic enough and since no one but Vanessa would witness it, he could exceptionally allow himself to be a bit more pathetic. Nozel called the Black Bulls hideout.

“Who the hell is calling me in the fucking middle of the night, do you… Wait, please tell me it’s you, Prickly Queen? Will you finally tell me what the hell going on with-“

Nozel cut the communication, put the device back on his night table and hid his head under the blanket. How magnificent. For the first time he was actually motivated to call Vanessa and he had to fall on the foreigner. Really it should have been better to have waited for Vanessa to call him again.

But… Hold on a minute. Yami thought that Charlotte was calling him.

Foreigner… don’t tell me that you finally realized that Charlotte is in love with you!

#bump #amazing writer #screaming in fan girl voice #Black Clover #Black Clover Fanfiction #Silver Cats & Black Roses

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