Innocence of the Shadow(A D-Gray Man Fanfic)Wattyawards First Place Winner 2015

Chapter 12

Dinner didn't last long and when it was over I excused myself and retired to my room. I wasn't going to take my hair down until I knew the exorcists were asleep. I sat in the chair in front of my desk and stared at my reflection. I noticed that Allen was standing in the doorway to my room, I had to keep my knowledge of him on the low and did so by ignoring him. It was quite easy to ignore someone you wanted to avoid, especially when you didn't know them very well.

I sighed and took the roses off of my head. They had started to die and I had no use for them any longer. After half an hour of letting my thoughts wander of the events of the day, Madeline had still not come so I decided to do Madeline's evening chores around my room. I grabbed my night clothes from the lid of the trunk at the foot of my bed and walked into my closet. My pajamas consisted of a white shirt with only straps for sleeves and a pair of dark blue shorts.

I had only lived in this house for a month when the seamstress came and made them specifically for me. I still had to find a dress for myself to wear tomorrow, but wasn't sure if I wanted to wait for the opinion of Madeline or not. I sighed and slid my royal blue robe on and tied it around my waist. There was a full length mirror in my closet and I looked at my reflection. The robe was big on me, it made me look like I starved when in reality I only ever ate until I was full.

I then saw my pale skin and my eyes. As a child growing up, my eyes were a natural gray and many people believed me to be blind. With my pale skin I looked like I had never before stepped foot in the sunlight and my black hair made me look frail. I noticed a difference in my eyes and looked at them closely. My eyes were gaining a dark brown look, much like a normal humans.

I wasted no time in gathering my dress and placing it in the basket next to my door. I sat at my desk and wrote the day's events in a journal. I rarely did so, but had nothing better to do.

"M'lady, I am sorry I am late." Madeline apologized with a curtsy.

"No need to be sorry Madeline." I replied, closing my journal and placing in on my desk.

"You're normal day attire m'lady?" She asked me.

"No, you may chose the dress I wear tomorrow." I responded. A mouse squeaked and Ko'lae closed in on it. Her muscles curled under her fur and she jumped from the chair she was on and landed on the mouse. I watched as she sunk her lethal teeth into the flesh of the gray mouse. There was no stopping her natural impulse to kill. Ko'lae carried the mouse out to the balcony and I sighed. Unmei had been confined to my closet and kept well hidden from the prying views of anyone but Ko'lae and myself.

Madeline curtsied and vanished into my wide expanse of a closet. Ko'lae returned a few moments later, licking the remains of the mouse from her maw as she walked over to her water dish.

"Satisfied?" I asked her.

"Yes, that mouse was quite fine. It was better than the chicken and fish they have been serving me." Ko'lae replied.

"I know, it's not the same chasing after the occasional mouse and wandering about this large estate looking for something to fill our time." I comforted.

"I still change shape in the night, I don't want to get rusty in our time here." She replied, licking the water from her dish.

"We still kill akuma when they are close and we are alone." I continued.

"That is what keeps us sharp." She replied. I smiled, she was right and I knew it. Luckily, a cool breeze brushed my skin when I smiled, leaving the assumption that I enjoyed the cool air. I looked at Allen and sighed.

"Have you been waiting for me?" I asked him."I was just thinking." He replied. "Do you always stare at young woman when you think?" I asked.

"No. Not at all, I didn't mean to leave that impression." He spoke. He spoke quickly as if trying to explain without insulting me. I smiled at him, and tried not to tell him to go away.