Partners In Crime

Chapter 81: The Servant of Evil Part 2

"Mistake," Svern closes the curtain to his balcony before turning to face his Wife's servant. "What do you think of your Son?"

"What do I think of him?" Mistake questions as she finished pouring him tea. "I think he's growing up well beside a role model such as the princess. He's getting the hang of his role beside her as well, there is still much room for improvement."

"I agree," Svern approaches the table "What do you think of him starting his own training? He's your son after all, surely he himself holds the power of an Oni."

"I would have no objection to it," Mistake replies "though Layla might not approve."

"There's no need to tell her," Svern smiles "after all, Lloyd is the closest person to my daughter. Who else better than him to protect her?"

"I believe we are in agreement then," Mistake replies.

Lloyd stood by Aria's door as she sat at her wardrobe in her nightgown. Aria hummed to herself as she brushed her hair. Lloyd yawned as he looked outside the door, keeping an eye out for Hanabusa and Kaname to relieve him.

"Can't wait to leave already?" Aria questions as she turned away from her mirror to face him. "Is serving me really that boring?"

"It's not like I have a choice," Lloyd replies as he turns to face her "I wouldn't say it's boring though."

"Good," Aria sprung up from her seat. "I'm off to bid my parent's goodnight."

Aria put on her slippers before walking out of her room, with Lloyd following. The two rushes down the hall before slowly coming to a halt, hearing shouting from down the dark hall. Lloyd looks at Aria as her look slowly turns to one of sadness.

"Let's... not bother them." Aria turns to him with a fake smile.

"Yes, princess." Lloyd responds.

Aria quietly turns around and runs back down to her room. Lloyd lingers in the hall and looks at the dimly lit room that was cracked open. Many servants chose to turn and walk the other way, hearing the ruler's shouts through the hall.

Lloyd peers inside but the door is quickly shut by a hand, Lloyd looks up to see his mother shaking her head. Mistake points Lloyd back to Aria's room and he turns to follow after the princess.

Lloyd reentered Aria's room to see her sitting on her bed with a book open.

"Are you ok?" Lloyd asks.

"Perfectly fine," Aria replies as she looks up at him "Hanabusa and Kaname will be here soon if you want to head to bed."

"Nah," Lloyd walks over to the bed and sits beside her "I think I'll bother you a bit more."

"Just go to bed Lloyd," Aria says.

"Is that a command?" Lloyd asks as he peers over at her.

"Yes!" Aria throws a pillow at his face.

Lloyd picks up the pillow from the ground before turning back to see Aria hiding under the covers. Lloyd sighs before putting the pillow back on the bed, he lifts up the covers and crawls under with her before shutting it.

"Lloyd..." Aria mutters.

"I know," Lloyd put his arm around her and puts her head on his shoulder "I'm not going anywhere. You can hit me all you want if it makes you feel better, just never tell me to leave."

Aria began to cry as she buried her head in Lloyd's chest.

"I know, things seem really bad right now." Lloyd rubs the top of her head "It'll be okay."

"They're fighting over me," Aria mumbles "They're always fighting over me. Mom and Dad were so close before, it would've been better if I wasn't born. I'm such a loser, I can't even help my family."

"Eh, so what if you're a loser." Lloyd looks down at her "That makes two of us." Aria looks up at him with tearful eyes and he smiles big to her. "We're a couple of losers, the loser princess and her servant."

Aria giggles "Stop Lloyd."

"It's true though," Lloyd says "and that's fine by me."

"You're the best," Aria laid her head back against his chest.

"I'm here to please," Lloyd replies as he put his head atop of hers "my princess."

"Lloyd!"

The two kids jumped up in fear, Lloyd moved the cover off the two of them quickly. They saw Hanabusa and Kaname standing at the door.

"You scared us!" Aria threw a pillow at them.

Kaname moved out of the way as the pillow landed and hit Hanabusa instead.

"...ow" Hanabusa says as he picked up the pillow.

"Time for bed," Kaname smiles "long day ahead tomorrow, you won't believe our schedule."

"Hm?" Aria tilts her head.

"We didn't hear anything about this," Lloyd says.

"We'll tell you in the morning," Hanabusa smiles before shutting off the light.

"Goodnight Lloyd!" Kaname calls down the hall so that everyone in the floor could hear. He turns back and faces the two "Good night, your highness."

Lloyd and Aria smile thankfully to the two before they shut the door and stood outside on guard. Lloyd flopped back down in the bed as Aria climbed beside him. Lloyd and she stared up at the ceiling as Lloyd began to tell her a story.

"-and at last, the princess and her servant ruled the world." Lloyd finishes as he turned to Aria's sleeping face. "The night was quiet... and the princess's mind found peace at last... the end."

Lloyd covered Aria fully with the blanket before closing his own eyes and drifting peacefully off to sleep beside her.