Beauty in the Darkness

Chapter IX - The Pants

I groaned as I rolled around the bed, searching for my warm pillow. I yearned for the firm but softness of it, whining when I couldn't find the familiar warmth. I whined, not conscious enough to complain in coherent words.

I slowly sat up, yawning as I stretched. I whined, feeling the sore aches shooting through my shoulders. I huffed, just annoyed that the bites left my muscles aching.

All of this was far from being normal yet. This was the third morning I woke up in this castle, and yet the aching and soreness and everything was all still odd to me. I thought I'd see everything as normal, but it didn't help that Fallacy said I'd have my own room that night, yet again changing things around.

"Fuck..." I muttered. I rubbed my neck, wincing at the pain.

I slipped out of bed, looking around for Fallacy or a maid. I found I was completely alone in the room, although there was a neat folded pile of clothes on the left bedside table that wasn't there the night before.

I picked it up, starting to unfold each of the clothes, one at a time. They were simplistic with delicate femininity, but they were beautiful nonetheless. I unbuttoned the shirt I'd been given, which was a nice cream color. The long sleeves were puffed, with a long cuff. There was some white lace stitched into the bottom of the collar, as well as the hem of the shirt and the very tips of the sleeves.

I slipped it on, noticing the underbust black corset laid on top of the clothes, nicely waiting for me to put it on first. I shivered, remembering how Suave had tightened it around my stomach my first day. Like hell I'd put that on again.

I buttoned up the shirt, moving on to the pants. They were black, and upon putting them on, more skin tight than I expected. I shrugged it off, assuming it was just a sizing error. No one would care that much; it wasn't like I had that much to look at anyway.

I rolled my shoulders, wincing at the ache of my wounds. I stretched a little more, whining as I realized just how much it hurt to move my arms at all because it would end up moving my shoulders. But alas, I finally left the room, determined to continue living, since I already took off my pajamas, and it wouldn't be very comfortable to sleep in what I had on.

I wandered around the hall, looking for someone to talk to. It quickly became clear they would find me first.

"Mr. Encre!" Fibi, a sweet young girl who worked as a maid servant as well, exclaimed, grabbing my hand.

"Good morning!" greeted Mouse. "We were just about to get you!"

"It's time for breakfast!" Clara piped in.

"Oh! Okay!" I smiled, turning to them. "Thank you!"

"Come on, come on, come on!" Clara started to push me in the direction of the dining room. "King Fallacy is really excited to see you this morning!"

"Okay! Let's slow down!" I shoved my heels into the ground, stopping their pushing and shoving forward. "Don't push me. Let's calm it down. Now, what is going on that I should rush for?"

"Oh, the king was just so excited to see you, we got excited too, and we wanted to get you to breakfast so he'd be happy!" Fibi exclaimed, her little bounces of excitement making me giggle.

"I've worked for King Fallacy for nearly ten years, and I've never seen him happier than I've seen him in the last few days!" Mouse grinned. "It's just so romantic!"

"Mouse, calm down," Clara said, chuckling. "But you do give him a new happiness that we've never seen before. I guess we just had all that joy and excitement rubbed off on us. But really, we should get you to breakfast so the king can see you!"

"I don't see what's different today," I said, beginning my walk to the dining room. "Is there some occasion I need to know about before I see him?"

"No, none of that," Clara replied.

"Then what? I'm dressed normally, the hall looks normal, and you're even admitting today is completely ordinary!" I crossed my arms. "You guys are just being weird now!"

"Well, maybe it's because he likes the outfit he picked out for you!" Mouse chirped. "Your ass looks great in those pants!"

I felt my face erupt in red blush as I stopped in my tracks, turning to look at her with wide eyes. I couldn't even speak. I was so flustered and embarrassed that I couldn't even make out words.

"Mouse!" scolded Clara. "That is highly inappropriate! Especially in front of Fibi!"

"I can't have been the only one who thought it!" Mouse quickly replied.

"You are! You literally are!"

"I can see why that would make the king happy though!" Fibi added.

"Fibi!"

I awkwardly chuckled, noticing the dining room door nearby. I quickly began to run towards it, wanting to escape the banter, started by such an embarrassing statement.

 I opened the door, slowly walking inside, suddenly incredibly aware of how the pants felt on my skin. I was self consciously, wondering if everyone was judging me for now I looked in such tight pants. I probably looked like a whore.

"Encre," Fallacy said, stepping into my line of sight. I noticed him glance down at my thighs, likely judging me. "You look nice today."

"Thank you. You do as well." I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

My heart fluttered, beating faster in my chest. The butterflies in my stomach came to life, ecstatic that he'd complemented me. It wasn't the first time, and the way his smooth voice sends shivers down my body was familiar.

Fallacy gently brushed some hair out of my face. He whispered, "I'm hungry now."