Always Be Appreciative of Opposable Thumbs

Chapter Twenty-Three: Lips That Touch Wine Shall Spill Secrets . . . and Wine

 It took Jyoji and Sera forever to find Fallon's sweetheart. Every servant they asked paled at their inquiry and mumbled about needing to attend to something important. At last, a crotchety laundry man pointed them in the direction of the east wing and told them to "follow the wailing." Although, he used a few more expletives than Jyoji was comfortable hearing.

"Hasn't the prince been locked away for months?" asked Jyoji as they walked down the main hall in the east wing.

"Yeah, so?" said Sera.

"Well, surely his sweetheart isn't still crying relentlessly? I don't mean to doubt that her love is so pure that she's not still mourning the loss of her beloved, but wailing? The gentleman doing the laundry must have been exaggerating."

A long, shrill cry interrupted him, followed by loud weeping.

Sera gave Jyoji a smirk. "Maybe not."

They followed the horrendous racket until they came to a large, ornate door. Sera leaned forward just as another wail pierced the air. Even through the thick wood, the sound was jarring. She reeled back, and Jyoji winced. He turned to Sera who was trying to unclog her ear with her finger.

"Well, I think we found her," she said over the noise.

She reached for the door, but Jyoji stopped her. "It would be impolite to just walk in without announcing ourselves."

Another endless sob came from within. Sera quirked an eyebrow. "You think she's gonna hear us over that?"

Shaking her wrist free from his grip, she pushed the door open. Though reluctant to intrude upon the young lady's privacy, Jyoji followed her inside.

The room was exquisite. Tapestries depicting romantic scenes from history covered every wall. Each piece of furniture—the dresser, the vanity table, the bookshelf filled with risque romance fairytales—was lined with gold. There was a large, luxurious bed surrounded by a sheer curtain draped from the canopy above it. And behind that curtain was a weeping girl.

Jyoji and Sera exchanged a look before approaching warily. The sheer material of the curtain made it difficult to discern any details regarding the girl's appearance, but it was clear that she was doubled over with her face buried in her hands. Sera reached out to move the curtain aside when the girl suddenly let out another wail, causing both her and Jyoji to jump back in surprise. Rolling her eyes and heaving a sigh, Sera tore the sheer fabric away.

The girl gasped and snapped her head towards them. She was a very pretty girl, with long, dark hair cascading down her back in perfect curls. Her skin was tan and flawless, with just the right amount of pink in her cheeks and lips. Long, thick eyelashes bordered her amber eyes, which were open wide as she gazed upon Jyoji and Sera.

"Good evening, m'lady," Jyoji said with a slight bow. "We apologize for the rude intrusion, but we couldn't help but overhear your cries of distress. You are, I'm assuming, Prince Fallon's beloved, correct?"

The young lady nodded.

Jyoji gave her an easy smile. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, m'lady. My name is Jyoji, and this is Sera. We are friends of Princess Lana."

Sera offered a lame salute.

"We are trying to assist the princess in rescuing Prince Fallon. Could we perhaps—"

The young lady's face crumpled, and she let out another long wail. Up close, the sound was even more grating than it had been through the door. Sera covered her ears and escaped to the bookshelf on the other side of the room. Jyoji resisted the temptation to retreat and knelt before the bed.