Monochrome Variation

Chapter I Part Two: Shades of White

               Comes dawn, there stand two before the door of Lucan's eternal life and true development chamber.

               It is quite rare for Lucan to invite anyone into his chamber other than Sylvain and Ria and it is perhaps even more obscure for him to go out of his way to request a meeting at a time in the middle of what most considers to be night. An abundance of skepticism arises within Artemis's inner ego, creeping over her overall rationality. She cannot help but to questions his motives in that perchance there may be an ulterior impulse, yet she trusts that Lucan's smoky white beliefs are nothing if not pure and sincere.

               As for Aurelius, curiosity navigates around his cerebral cortex and his cerebral hemispheres, searching for empty spaces to reside in as a shelter for permanent knowledge, a value he truly appreciates. He attempts to evaluate, conceive and deduce how Lucan perceives and feels, and does what he can to align his thoughts to Lucan's because ultimately, it is his commitment to encourage the ghost-white haired boy for all that he is worth, cherish Lucan through the heart, and protect and shield the young Supreme from all of harm's way.

               Near the outer surface of the door, an anxious stammer echoes across the enclosed marble corridor, "Aruel, I'm afraid I can't seem to figure out why master calls for us. Have we done something wrong?"

               "You needn't worry so, Artemis, I took an oath to safeguard you both, thus abide it I shall, for I bless you both from the deepest regions of my heart." Aurelius assures, taking his right hand and hiding in the pocket of his cotton and synthetic material made corn silk colored jacket without much of a thought.

               Though she knows he had always been the same, always loyal to Lucan until the very end, she is finding it hard to accept his nonchalance, especially at a time she insists is a crisis. She refutes, "Aruel! Would you stop trying to shine a light at the dark end of a dead tunnel? Please do not ridicule my genuine concerns here; do you not notice the evident presage looming over the castle?"

               Aurelius sighs inwardly, somehow it's finally registering inside him that speaking to his good friend just does not appear to avail her distress in the least. "I do not at all mean such negatives; obeying Lucan's orders unequivocally comes first before questioning his choices. He can no longer be considered a child therefore we should not treat him as such; even if he were, his words would be held above our own. It is not within our right to distrust his decisions."

               Her extrasensory perception is shouting at her that she should surmise her precognition to be true; still, the dubious girl who is running out of options relents warily, "I...suppose...but you can't and should not antagonize me for my qualms."

               "I have not nor will I ever." Aurelius answers sternly, voice full of sagacity and sublime candor, vibration from his throat modest and monotone, frequency of sound waves low, level and calm.

               Feigning assent with finesse, she affirms, "Thank you, Aruel." After a second thought, she adds, "Perhaps we should seek permission for entrance as we wouldn't want master to wait without reason."

               "Never have I heard such wise words spoken." He expresses a soft smile and voices on, "Shall we knock?"

               She lets out a quick "Yeah..." and lifts her right hand from her side, raising it to the elevation of her heart, curling her fingers into a loose fist and taping her hand forward to create a clean crisp sound as her knuckle comes into contact with the wooden door.