On his initial tour of the house, Sirius had passed by an actual meeting room. So, that begs the question...
-Why are we in the dining room?
Sirius sits on the end of a large dining table that is surprisingly humble for the house it is in. Three seats are rowed on each side, and one occupies each end. Almost every seat is filled with an inhabitant of the mansion.
Aureole sits to his left; her demeanor is prim and refined. To her left is the short girl who smacked Korlin before; she is slouching. To her left is the mysterious girl with purple hair; she sits relaxed and contained.
To Sirius's right is Korlin, who can't seem to sit still. To his right is an empty seat, followed by Wilphrey near the end of the table. The old man's eyes are shut in concentration.
The remaining end seat is vacant, reserved for the lord. Anxiety stirs within Sirius.
"Should I be worried?" Sirius leans over and whispers to Aureole. Her pointed ears almost poke him in the eye.
"You'll be fine," she returns a whisper. Her voice soothes his shaking soul.
"Aure," the petite, golden-haired girl butts in. "Do you know these guys?" Due to their previous encounter, the girl seems to hold a bit of bitterness for the boys. Mainly for Korlin.
"Yes," Aureole responds gleefully, without a hint of hesitation. Joyously, she announces her role in their arrival. "I brought them here after all."
"Why?" It is the purple-haired girl who questions it. She sounds severely disappointed. Her voice is soft-spoken, like a mix between aloof and childish curiosity.
"Well-"
"I can maybe see why you brought him," the golden girl points at Sirius. "But that one has no reason to be here." Her finger directs itself to the other boy.
"Rude. That wounds my maidenly heart," Korlin grabs his chest like it's in pain.
"Maidenly...?" purple-hair lowly voices her confusion.
"Are you two not on good terms?" Aureole queries.
Sirius leans in but doesn't whisper, "He called her short."
Korlin throws himself forward, directing the tip of his finger at the girl. "And then she slapped me across the hallway! She left a handprint on my face!"
"Pholy," purple-hair bears a smug smile. "You are short. Just accept it, it makes you cuter."
"That's what I said!"
The tiny girl's cheeks blush a bright red.
"S-Still..." her speech is jumbled in embarrassment. "He also called me so flat that I could slide under a door!"
"!" Both Aureole and purple-hair hold in a laugh.
"Why are you about to laugh?!"
Korlin folds his hands together and rests his elbows on the table, positioning himself in a professional manner. Looking directly into her eyes, he speaks from the heart:
"I also said that you are the cutest girl I've ever seen."
A vibrant pink flushes out her skin. A small plume of smoke rises from her head.
As if on fire, a literal trail of steam emits from the embarrassed girl.
"No way..." Korlin is dumbfounded. "You're like a cartoon character!" The boy's hands crash down onto the table as he shoots out of his seat. "Sirius, are you seeing this?! There is actual smoke coming from her head!"
"I see it..."
The other two girls tease the shorter one.
"Pholy, someone has a crush on you!" purple-hair nudges her.
"Pholy," Aureole sings out, swaying the small girl. "This is your chance!"
"Pholy..." Korlin repeats the name to himself. "That's a pretty name!!"
The trail of smoke expands, even coming out of her ears. Her irises glow as if a light switch was flipped on. Embarrassment envelops her entire being; she trembles with it.
The girl, Pholy, raises her fist in the air, and her hand instantly ignites into a pink flame. The pale ends of her hair stand up and singe with magenta fervor. The fireball that is her fist matches color with her burning eyes.
The table erupts into panic. Aureole quickly grabs Pholy's wrist to restrain her.
"Wait! You can't use that here!"
"Calm down..." the purple-haired girl strokes Pholy's back, soothing her. "Calm down..."
Scrunching her nose, Pholy sighs heavily and uncurls her fist. The pink flames fizzle out into rising steam, and her shoulders drop. Relaxing her face, the inferno in her eyes dies out, and her hair is restored to its former glory.
Pholy crosses her arms and sulks in her chair.
Korlin, his eyes wide in admiration, is utterly captivated by the scene. Not a shred of fear is formed. "That was so cool..."
She snickers, her embarrassment barreling on.
"Sorry about that. She's not the best with teasing," Aureole hugs the girl and pats her head like a kitten. "You'll have to go easy on her."
"I understand," Korlin's voice drops into a mature, deep tone. "I will only tease her tenfold from here on out."
"YOU-"
The embarrassed girl is interrupted by the entrance of a new man.
"My, my, we have quite the commotion in here."
Walking around the corner is a tall, young man. He dons a black suit, not as fancy as Wilphrey's, but definitely more exotic. Flaring, dark blue lapels, sporting white trims and flowers, pop out, revealing a dark undercoat and white cravat.
His hair is teal, matching Aureole's color, and is messily cut to eye level. Atop his head sits a tiny top hat, the same color as his suit. In most cases, a hat such as this would look ridiculous, but it oddly suits the man.
However, the most prominent features of his appearance are his eyes and ears. Or more precisely, the lack thereof.
His ears in question are half missing. They are cut in half horizontally so that only his earlobes and part of the main structures remain. The skin seems to have healed itself over, but the ears themselves fail to regrow.
The man's eyes, on the other hand, are concealed with a large blindfold. A black cloth spans from his hairline to the tip of his nose, tying itself around his head. Underneath his teal hair is a tiny knot holding it in place.
A tiny top hat, ears cut in half, and a blindfold...
-Who is this guy? What happened to him?
His hair makes it seem like he could be related to Aureole. But no wings appear to be jutting out of his back.
"Master Rawlin, welcome." Wilphrey breaks his silence and bows to the entering lord.
-That's him?!
"Oh my god, he's also hot!" Korlin's head hits the table.
Despite half of his face being concealed, his facial structure is top-notch. He has a chiseled jawline and a perfect nose. The man is undeniably handsome.
No one other than Wilphrey seems to pay him any respect. Pholy and the purple-haired girl remain lax, indifferent to his arrival. Aureole adjusts her posture and folds her hands in her lap.
"I take it you two are the boys of the hour?" The lord seats himself in the chair at the end of the table, directly across from Sirius.
Sirius and Korlin adjust themselves in their seats in perfect sync. Korlin's lips are sealed tight.
-Don't mess this up. Be respectful. Be... perfect.
"I think so," Sirius starts. "My name is Sirius. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise," the man smiles. He wears a strange sense of charisma, it's almost ominous. Without seeing his eye movements, it's hard to tell what he's thinking or where he's looking.
"Name's Korlin."
The lord bows while remaining seated. "Have you all been acquainted with each other?"
"Somewhat..."
Rawlin scans the expressions of everyone in the room.
"Did you meet the Loli?" he says in a joking manner.
"You know what a Loli is, too?!" Korlin jumps out of his seat.
"Of course."
"You're so cool..."
Korlin looks as if he could faint. Pholy does too, but for a different reason.
"What does that even mean?" she pouts.
"Will Cilas be in attendance?" the lord asks Wilphrey.
"I don't believe so, my lord."
"Who is Cilas?" Sirius whispers to Aureole.
"He's like our butler," she quietly responds.
"Well then," Rawlin folds his hands together atop the table. "Let us begin, shall we?" Despite the blindfold, he stares directly into Sirius's eyes. Is this guy blind or...? "I heard it briefly from Wilphrey, but would you mind telling me what transpired?"
Aureole clears her throat.
She relays the events leading up to Sirius's arrival. She thankfully does not include the part of him crying.
"I see..." the lord is lost in thought. "I thank you, Sirius. Without that wristlet, Aureole would have lost her qualification as a candidate."
"Ah, it was no trouble..."
"No trouble? Getting your arm torn to shreds was no trouble?"
"Aha... Well-" How do I respond to that?? "Uh, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is she a candidate for?"
"...You mean you don't know?"
"No..."
"Interesting..." his expression stiffens for a moment, but swiftly reverts to a smile. "Aureole is one of two candidates eligible for the throne of Lunalir."
...
...
Sirius's mind is wiped blank.
"..." He can't believe it. "Are you serious?"
The lord nods. He seemingly appreciates Sirius's lack of reaction.
Aureole smiles, embarrassment crawling out of her lips. She also isn't sure of how to act at the moment.
-I had my suspicions, but... Wow. What did I get myself into?
"More importantly," the lord switches tone with haste. "I am more concerned about that wailian's attack."
"Concerned?"
"Indeed. You have just arrived in this land, yes? I suppose you wouldn't know much about the creature's importance."
"Is it endangered or something? Sorry, I kind of ripped its wing off..."
"They are threatened, but that is beside the point. No one would dare poach the symbol of our land."
"...Symbol...?"
"The wailian is a divine creature, representing the prosperity and wealth our kingdom brings. Wailians are worshiped in this land, and are the symbol of royalty here in Lunalir."
"..."
-That thing represents royalty? It was savage... But if that's true, that means...
From behind his veil, Rawlin stalks Sirius and his facial movements. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" The edges of the lord's mouth depress.
"She's a royal candidate..."
"Precisely." His position shifts. "The holy symbol of our land descends and ravages a royal candidate. If word gets out... There will be no need for an election."
Aureole sinks in her seat, fiddling with her wristlet. An anxious air coddles her sulking self.
"Why would a wailian attack her?" the purple-haired girl asks, clearly worried about her friend.
"That's something we must figure out. Taking in the sheer brutality of the attack, I suspect it was a devised assault. Not to mention, its goal was to steal the qualification..." The man toys with his nubbed ears. "Boy..."
"Yes?"
The man leans on his palm, fixating on Sirius.
"Do you have any ideas?" He bears a sinister aura. His tone is much darker than before. "Any leads as to who would have sent it?"
-Why's he singling me out?
"No... I just happened to be-"
"Just happened to be there, yes?" A malicious smile spreads wide, baring his perfect teeth. "Someone like you, in this land where your kind has a history of mistreatment, just happened to show up at the right moment..."
"Rawlin," Aureole raises her voice for the first time. "Stop it he-"
"Quiet." He doesn't take his blindfolded eyes off the boy. "How can we be sure this isn't all a part of his plan?"
"What...?"
"Retrieving your qualification, gaining your trust, acting desperate and in need of help, being offered a place to stay... close to you. Close to the throne."
"No," Korlin steps into the battlefield. "Both of us got here on the same-" Only to be shot down.
"Quiet." He motions Korlin to sit back down, which the boy obliges to. He returns his focus to Sirius. "Perhaps you heard I've been searching for those like you. For your kind... You saw this as an easy way in... and sit here now."
"No," Sirius tries to maintain his polite demeanor. "I swear I knew nothing about all this." The boy can't help but sound stressed. Even while not guilty, he comes off as he is. "Besides, the wailian also attacked me-"
"I wonder," he strokes his chin. "What are you truly after?"
...
A long pause of strained silence is interrupted by the old man.
"Lord Rawlin, I am inclined to believe the two boys."
"Is that so, Wilphrey?"
"I ran into the boy beside me on the day after the incident. He was curious and confused about even the most basic principles."
"Ouch," Korlin pouts.
"Even seeing them now, I sense no ulterior motives or hostility. I think not that they are here to obstruct us."
"I agree!" Aureole suddenly shouts. "The next time I met Sirius, he was..." she thinks very carefully of how to continue. "He was in a vulnerable spot. There's no world where that was a lie."
Aureole offers her signature warm smile to the boy; he returns with one of his own.
-They're actually trying to help me... What is this? What is this kindness...?
"I see..." The lord sinks back into his seat, twiddling his fingers. "What of you two?" He searches for the remaining girls' responses.
Sirius connects a gaze with the purple-eyed girl.
-Should I bring up the bookstore? Actually, that'd probably make me look more suspicious. If I came into contact with someone else here, it's sure to look uncoincidental.
"I trust them..." Pholy utters, hardly louder than a whisper.
"YOU DO?!" Korlin practically bursts with joy. "You're the best!"
"SHUT UP! I changed my mind, let's throw them in jail."
"You're so cruel..."
"Hyacinth?" The lord directs his attention to the purple-haired girl. "Do you trust them?"
-Hyacinth...
The girl ponders with her eyes venturing far off. She deliberates for a time, scouring her mind for her feelings, before reaching a set of words.
"Sure, I don't see why not."
Her voice, while sounding indifferent, carries a weight with it.
-Even her...
Sirius and the girl lock eyes once more. The boy gives her a gentle smile.
She gives him a tiny one in return.
The lord sighs and composes himself and his posture.
"Alright then, that settles that!" The lord claps as a strange, almost thankful look washes over him. "Welcome to the house, you two."
A tidal wave of relief rushes over the two boys.
Korlin plants his forehead on the table and exhales excessively.
"Ahhh mannn I felt like I was going to die... again..."
"Don't be so dramatic," Pholy scolds. "You weren't even the one being questioned."
"Still... if it weren't for you," Korlin smugly places his chin in his palm. "We would have been ostracized! You have my tallest regards."
"You little..."
"Little?"
"YOU-!"
Amidst the two's squabbling, Aureole nudges Sirius.
"See? I told you he'd welcome you."
"It was more stressful than I thought it would be..."
-Something still feels off, though. It was almost too easy to convince him. Was it just a test of character? Or an act? Is he faking being untrusting as a way to lower my guard? ...No. Stop it. Just... let nice things happen...
The lord clears his throat, silencing the table.
"Now then, onto the details of your stay..." He interlinks his fingers together. "You both are free to stay here as long as you'd like. But you must make yourselves useful."
"You want us to work for you?" Sirius questions.
"That is part of it, yes. You will work at this mansion to keep it tidy. Pholy, Hyacinth, I expect you two to teach them the ropes."
"Seriously?" Pholy sighs. "Shouldn't that be Cilas's job?"
Hyacinth doesn't react.
"As for the other part?" Korlin asks.
"..." Rawlin looks hesitant. "Perhaps... that is enough for today. I'm sure you both are overwhelmed as is." His words carry an odd, ominous sensation. There's something much larger he's keeping to himself.
"..."
"So, for tonight, make yourselves at home! After your initial house training, I will call you to my study. I will explain more then. I'm sure you both are curious about some subjects."
The lord's chair screeches across the wooden floor as he stands.
Wilphrey rises as well, but in a more refined and polite way.
"Wilphrey," the lord begins walking out of the room. "Show them to their rooms."
With a final grin, the lord disappears around the corner, taking both his secrets and answers with him.
Thus concludes the Rawlin Manor's second house meeting.