Until The Clock Stikes (NACS Remake)

Chapter 3

"Demia, Demia, listen to me love. I need to say something." I am kneeling next to my father, he hasn't left bed in three days now.
"You can tell me when you get better. No goodbyes." I reply fiercely.
"Mia!" Lucy shakes me awake.
"Let's go exploring." She prompts, jumping on my bed.
I ignore her miserably.
"What time is it?" I groan.
She presses her lips together and looks down guiltily. "Around two A.M."
She practically drags me out of bed, turns out we're not the only ones that decided it was a good idea to snoop in the castle. Lucy places her mask on and I look at her questioningly. "The whole event is a masquerade." She explains, handing me my own mask, while placing it on I trip and slam into someone's door, cursing. As I right myself, the door flies open showing a very sleepy looking Jay, mask present.
His grin is lazy with sleep.
"Do you slam into everyone's door or just the one's who are genuinely sleeping?" He asks, his tone is playful. He stretches, his shirt lifts to reveal a happy trail and a birthmark, about the size of a quarter. He's clad in low bearing sweats and a fitted blue shirt.
"Did you sleep with the mask on?" I ask, ignoring his question.
"You're ignoring my question." He deadpans, he's talking with his hands again.
Lucy is watching us closely, arms crossed, lips pursed.
"I tripped." I admit, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Well now you're stuck with me." He announces, rolling his head off the door frame and closing it in one swift movement.
"Oh! Um, this is Lucy." I point to Lucy lamely.
"Naturally." He responds, sticking out his hand.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, Mia hasn't mentioned you." She says, grasping his hand.
My eyebrows go up at the small dig.
He pauses, looking confused.
"Yeah, unfortunately she didn't mention you either in the few hours of knowing her." He responds.
"Okay!" I exclaim, grabbing both of their hands and pulling them down the hall.
Jays hand is rough and warm in mine.
"So what are we doing?" He tiptoes theatrically behind me.
Lucy has let go of my hand, and she pulls out in front of us.
"None of us have been here before, wouldn't you want to explore?" She asks.
He tilts his head from side to side. "Eh. Sure why not."
We got to the end of the hall.
"Right or Left?" Lucy asks, dancing to each side.
"Oh! Dont say your vote!" Jay nearly jumps, letting go of my hand.
"Just close your eyes and go in the direction you want."
Lucy doesn't look convinced.
"How will we know when to look?" She asks.
"Count to one hundred, in your head and then open your eyes."
I close my eyes and choose right,
As I walk, I count. Sobbing echoes down the hall, getting closer to me. It's too close, so out of curiosity I open my eyes and look around, Lucy stands at my side. Down the hall is a balcony, the curtains sway and I think I see a little girl. I am running before I can understand why.
She is perilously balancing on the railing, the sobbing becomes louder as I finally get to her. Lucy is not far behind me when I start trying to talk her down.
"Hey, hey. It's okay." I soothe her, her sobbing cuts off in her throat.
"Go away!" She screams, it throws her off balance and I grab her in pure instinct. Lucy grabs my waist, balancing me as I pull her over the edge, my mask tumbles to the ground as I land on my butt.
Her hair is rose gold and sticks to her face.
"No one loves me. No one loves me." She repeats to herself.
Lucy is holding her in a tight hug and rocking her back and forth, pulling off your own mask. A dozen footsteps draw closer as Clare calms down, the guards arrive due to the screaming.
"Princess Clare. Are you hurt?" One of them asks turning to the others. "Arrest them."
My breath sputters out as I swallow my spit. But the girl- Clare is already vehemently opposing.
"They saved me." She argues in our defense.
"Clare?" A new voice sounds behind the guards, they part like the sea. A boy our age comes into view. He isn't wearing a mask and his eyes are cool blue, his cheek bones and jaw are chiseled and his lips are full.
Clare leaves Lucy's arms and runs to the new comer.
"Will. I'm sorry I didnt mean it." He holds her to him, picking her up in his arms, cradling her.
He looks at me and Lucy.
"Which one of you saved her? Whoever it was will be offered my hand in marriage." He says.
Prince Will. William Beckett, Prince of Idruthen is asking for my hand in marriage. Or at least he's asking the girl who saved her.
"We both did." Lucy tells him, grinning at me.
"Well I can't marry both of you." He laughs, putting down Clare, who also looks like she gets what's up, clever girl.
"And you can't marry a complete stranger either." I point out.
"Then what do you propose?" He asks, crossing his arms.
Clare looks at us and her brother excitedly.
"Duh!" She coos at him. "They both have to move in until you choose one!"
Like I said, Clever girl.
He's pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Fine. What are your names, so we can fetch your stuff tonight?"
"Demia Johnson and Lucy Alenora."
"I have to make the arrangements." He picks up Clare again. "And you need rest." He says to her, walking her down the hallway away from us.
Lucy and I stare at each other for a long time. I feel suddenly really drained and I pick up my mask from the ground, putting it in place.
"Let's go find Jay." I say.
Lucy sighs, placing her own mask back on.
We found Jay elbow deep in ice cream in the banquet hall.
He perks up when he sees us, offering the carton.
"How'd you get ice cream?" I ask, scooping out a spoonful for myself and sitting across from him, Lucy stands awkwardly.
"Come on Luce, it's chocolate, your favorite."
She shakes her head. "I'm actually pretty exhausted." She says turning to leave. "I'll see you in the morning."
Without a look back, she leaves.
"She hates me." He says, grabbing the carton off of me and shoveling into his mouth.
"She doesn't know you." I amend.
He rolls his head onto his hand, scooting the ice cream at me again.
"Do you?" He asks.
I scrape at the half melted dessert before answering.
"Not enough yet, but I've got a good idea."
His eyes look sad as he responds.
"If you knew me." He starts gesturing to himself. "Without the mask, you wouldn't have any interest in me."
"Well you've caught my attention, and it wasn't because of a mask."
He doesn't answer but his usual smile slips back into place and can't help but smile back.
"So you ignored the question earlier."
"A fatal mistake." He shoots back, stealing the carton again. "Tony owed me a favor." He responds, nodding to a servant who is wiping down the tables a few rows down.
"Who are you?" I ask, mostly out of disbelief.
"I thought we went through this already, knucklehead." His eyes are warm as he brings his arm to cover his face and he waggles his eyebrows above the mask. "I am vast nothingness."