Dance of the Damned

Prove

Earlier that day,

Heris stared outside the window of his small room, just taking in the scenery and the people that passed him in carriages and foot as well.

He had not been feeling well since that morning and felt a fever about to start while he watched the world go by.

People were rushing to their place of work, women and men with children, horses prancing around with people riding them.

There were people gathered around at the back door of the barn, chatting with each other.

I wonder how she is preparing for tonight. He thought, chuckling to himself when a carriage suddenly came to a halt at the back door below him.

He lived in the spare room of the bar that Teri would often frequent. That is how the two got to be acquainted.

A woman with a bustling gown stepped out of the carriage and looked up, making eye contact with Heris immediately.

"Division Master?" He almost shouted when she waved at him to come down.

He nodded and rushed down, passing people in the bar that greeted him but he did not have the time to greet them as he ran out of the door, almost bumping into Teri while his head throbbed.

"You were quick." She said, with a soft smile on her face. "Come inside."

Heris did not even question her as he stepped into the carriage and the two began to drive away.

Teri pulled the curtains over the windows and began to speak, "Something is wrong with Clover."

"What do you mean?" Heris asked, frowning. "What happened?"

"I cannot tell you the details." She said, sighing. "But I need to say this, she is part of a noble family. Highly influential and ... it seems that she was poisoned this morning itself.

"She is laying on the bed, unable to get up or move." She said frowning, her purple eyes seemed to turn even deeper. "She sent me a letter, apologising."

"Why did she have to apologise?" Heris asked, balling his hands into fists. "What are you going to do now? Maybe we can ask that our group be skipped?"

"No," Teri said, looking out the window. "If there is still a chance for us, I want us to try."

"What are you saying?"

"Clover wrote in her letter, 'tell Heris to take my place. No one else'. So, let me ask you, would you do it? In her place?"

"I- ..." Heris touched his burning head, wondering if he would even be able to do it. He could not win against her healthy, and now, he is sick and has to represent the Fifth Division?

"You don't have to agree," Teri said kindly. "If you want to agree, do so, if not, don't do it. I am not forcing you to anything."

"But, Clover asked me."

"She did." She nodded. "But she will also understand if you can’t. It is all up to you, Heris."

Heris looked at his trembling fingers, sighing before looking at her dead in the eyes, “I will do it."

_________________________

He went to bed the minute he reached home, taking as many medicines as he could and rested, hoping this would make him feel better but that was not the case.

He woke up even more tired, his skin crawled at the lightest of touch and his body felt like it was hot and cold at the same time.

Taking some more medicines, Heris had to run to the meeting spot, with his vision doubled and steps very unsteady.

Once he reached the place, he shook his head and prepared to put on this farce for as long as he needed to.

Almost everyone was there by the time he arrived, everyone staring at him as he entered.

Teri immediately noticed how weak he seemed and pulled him to the side, asking him, "Are you not well? And don't you lie to me."

"Slight fever." He said, feeling the warmth of his breath against his skin. "But I am fine."

"You should have told me before." She scolded. "I will tell Carv-"

Heris stopped her, grabbing onto her arm with his burning hand, "You tell him and I am leaving. I told Clover that I would do it and I am going to do it."

Teri stared at the boy before a smile came on her face, "Fine."

She then took Heris to introduce him to all the others, this was the first time for some to be meeting the other masters so it was quite interesting, to say the least.

_____________________

Back to the present.

“For the first night, Division Three is the winner,” Carvill said, looking at his paper. “I ask you to come tomorrow as well, Juliet. Lottie.”

“We will.” Madam Lottie said brightly, looking at Juliet with pride. “Wonderful job, Juliet.”

“Thank you.” She said, beaming at her while Heris watched the two blankly as he left his body give out.

“Careful there,” Teri said, catching from behind. “We would not want you to be more injured than you already are.”

“I am not injured,” Heris said, trying to stand on his own but his body would not allow him to as he lost his footing again, leaning into Teri. “Ugh. I think I need to rest up.”

“I will take you home.” She chuckled, wrapping the boy’s arms around her shoulder as she helped him out of the room. “We will be taking our leave, Carvill.”

Carvill turned to Teri then to Heris who was already breathing heavily as he walked to him, taking off his mask, he touched his head.

“The boy has a fever.” He said, frowning slightly. “Why did you send hi-“

“It was my fault,” Heris said quickly. “I forced the Division Master to allow me to stay otherwise I threatened to leave.”

“And why would you do that?” Carvill asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Because I promised a friend I would help her.” He said, struggling to look at him in the eyes but still doing it anyway. “So I do not intend on deserting that promise. Besides, I am feeling better.”

“Really, how many hands am I holding then?” Carvill held a finger up as Heris stared at the finger. “Twwooo …. One?”

“Take him home to rest.” He said to Teri. “And you, don’t overdo anything. It is good to be hardworking, but not at the price of your life.”

“I will remember that,” Heris said, nodding. “I am going to rest for the next couple of days.”

“Good.” He said, nodding. “I wish SOMEONE else was as obedient as you are.”

“We will see you later then, Carvill,” Teri said as the two walked out of the building, boarding the carriage at the back, hidden and waiting for them.

___________________________

“We will stop by a pharmacy,” Teri said, letting the boy rest his head on her lap. “Stubborn idiot.”

“Sorry, Division Master,” Heris said, trying to catch his breath. “I just kept causing problems for you an-“

“Why would you apologise?” She asked, looking at him blankly. “I could not have been prouder of the people under me.”

Heris looked at the woman, thinking she must be joking but there was this softness in her eyes that told him otherwise.

“Why? We both got sick.” Heris asked, genuinely confused. “And we did not win.”

“You knew the odds were against you but still went for it to protect the Fifth Division’s honour.” She said, staring out the window. “Strength to keep going even when everything seems hopeless, even if you knew you were going to lose. That is all that I want from you. I am very, very proud. Both of you and Clover.”

“T-thank you.” He said, looking away from her as his body grew hotter. But he couldn’t tell if it was the fever or, could he be embaresse- … it was the fever. Definitely fever.

_____________________

For the next two days, the competition was carried out. But Heris has no idea about what happened in them anymore.

By the third day, Heris had already begun to feel much better though he did not hear anything from Clover yet. Until that night, that is.

Teri came to visit him as he was busy helping out at the tavern and the two walked into a private room to talk, getting stares from everyone.

Fortunately, Teri wore a cloak and a cloth to cover her face so no one would recognise her.

"How is she?" He asked, pulling up a chair for the woman who unwrapped the cloth from her head. "Clover, I mean."

"She is much better," Teri said, leaning into the cushioned chair.

The room is quite cramped with a table in the middle and chairs with the door in the front. The room smelt of perfume and alcohol. Not a fun smell.

"It seems she took only a small sip so the effects are worn off by now. She is lucky she found out before she had too many."

"That is a relief," Heris said with a sigh. "Are you only here to inform me about this? Or is there something else?"

"Smart boy." She said, smiling at him. "And yes, today is the last day for the selection. Division Three was the winner yesterday too."

"Oh, I think she is going to win overall then." He said, remembering how quiet she was even when she appeared in front of him.

"Never mind about that." She waved her hands at him. "I came here to tell you this, Carvill is calling everyone to the same place tomorrow. Including you and Clover."