When they got to the dining, Mauve noticed they were pretty early. No one else was at the table. Mauve walked ahead of Louis to her seat. She couldn't rember when she was this early for a al.
"Wait," Louis said, rushing to her side.
She frowned and turned around to look at him, "What?" She asked, not hiding her irritation.
"Let help you." As he spoke, he pulled back her chair and Mauve had the strongest urge to smack him.
"What are you doing?" She asked with distaste.
"Isn't it obvious? I am being a gentleman," he said looking at her as if she was stupid.
"No, I am sure if I try to sit, you'll pull the chair right from under ."
"What?" He gasped. "Do you really think so little of ?"
"Little is an overstatent," she whispered and tried to take the seat away from him.
"Just sit alright. I promise not to harm you," he said with a snicker.
Mauve didn't trust him, the snicker was enough reason to not. As much as she doubted Louis would pull away the chair there was still the slight chance that he would, just to ss with her.
"Go on," he said when she didn't say anything. "It's just a chair. Scared?"
She glared at him and took a step toward the seat to prove him wrong. She slipped between the chair and table, Louis pushed it closer to her back and she bent to sit.
Mauve'sbum had barely touched the seat when she felt it start to move backward. She stood up imdiately and fired a glare at Louis.
"Just joking, co on, sit!"
There was no way she would take that chance. Without hesitation, she grabbed the chair from his grip and sat down.
"Your lack of trust in is disheartening."
"Only a fellow maniac would trust you."
She responded.
Louis was about to reply when the door opened and Otis walked in. Mauve swallowed as the air suddenly felt dry.
His chubby face took in the situation as he walked in. He greeted Louis as he got close enough and walked to his seat.
Mauve could not help but notice Louis didn't leave her back until Otis was seated. Louis was definitely keeping an eye on Otis.
"I see you're early," Otis casually stated.
Mauve wasn't sure if the conversation was directed to her or Louis but since the vampire has never spoken to her directly before. It was safe to assu he was talking to Louis.
Louis didn't respond, he just sat down, looking around as he did so. Mauve didn't know how to react to all the tension in the air.
"Corbin told before he left that you had permitted him to leave. I didn't think people could leave before we made any headway." His words dripped with contempt.
Mauve heard Louis take a deep breath, "This is not a prison, anyone can leave whenever they want," Louis responded. There wasn't even the slightest sound of anger or annoyance in his voice. He sounded neutral in the way he spoke to Otis.
"Still, lack of discipline is the reason we are in this ss in the first place. I heard an estate was attacked and lives lost. Explains why the Primus isn't on his seat."
"I'd prefer if you didn't spread false rumors. We don't know anything yet and there isn't any way to confirm unless the Primus returns. Until then do refrain from saying things that would get you into trouble with the Primus."
Mauve could only watch in awe as Louis spoke to Otis, he sounded condescending without being condescending.
Maybe it was the way he spoke unfazed with Otis but it seed to annoy Otis while Louis' expression remained nonchalant. It was obvious Otis was trying to get under Louis' skin.
"I am not trying to get in trouble. I was rely asking a question."
"A question? If that's what you think? Okay." Louis turned away from him and simultaneously the door threw open and Kieran walked in.
Mauve smiled at him, genuinely happy to see him. His head of dark blonde hair was always a sight to see.
"Kieran," she said with a big grin, waving as he approached.
"Hello, Mauve." He returned her grin with a smile of his own.
"It has co to my attention," Louis said. "That you're only ever an to and I'm the only one you show displeasure at when you see ."
"You're exaggerating." She whispered.
It wasn't until a couple of minutes later when the table was complete that Mill walked into the dining hall. Mauve's lower jaw fell open but it was nothing compared to Louis' reaction.
His brows raised and his mouth fell open. Mauve could see him instinctively rise from his seat before forcing himself to sit back. She held back her chuckle, not wanting him to realize she was staring.
She turned her gaze back to Mill and Mauve couldn't bla Louis for his reaction. Mill was breathtaking. She didn't do anything too extra, all she did was let down her hair and applied a bit of color to her cheeks but it made a huge difference.
She was used to seeing Mill with her hair tied up. This was expected as Mill was always on her feet doing one task or the other and Mauve was sure if her hair was down it would get all over the place and disrupt her work.
However, what caught Mauve's attention was the dress. It was a proper dress. A pretty dress, the dark hue drew attention to Mill's pale skin. Her flowing brown hair shaped her face drawing one's attention to it.
Mill's eyes darted noticing the stare but she didn't even flinch; however, when her gaze rested on Louis, Mauve saw a slight bit of hesitation but Mill quickly pushed it away.
She walked to the empty seat beside Mauve which put her directly across from Kieran.
"Sorry, I am late," she whispered as she sat down.
"No," Mauve responded. "You weren't late at all. I am surprised you got here this fast."
"Yeah," Louis added, he sounded a bit absentminded. "I love what you've done with your hair."
"Oh, thank you but I didn't do anything," she replied. "I just let it down."
"You should let it down more often."
Mauve narrowed her eyes at Louis before returning her gaze to Mill. He was right though.
"He is right," she heard herself say. "It does look really good."
"Thank you," she said.
The rest of the al carried on with Louis feeling the constant need to say sothing.
She didn't mind, she liked the background noise but this was one of the tis she wanted to have a quiet al.
"Are you even listening to Mauve?"
"Huh?" She asked, snapping out of it. "Did you say sothing?"
He gave her an unimpressed look. "I said, would you please pass the salt."
"Oh. Sorry, I got distracted." She replied and handed it to him.
"I can see that," he replied as he accepted it.
She glared at him and fought the urge to give a snarky comnt that was sure to ruin the mood at the table.
"Are you okay?" Mill's soft voice said. The vampire sounded very concerned.
"I am," Mauve said with a bright smile directed at Mill. "I just got really engrossed with my al."
"Alright," Mill responded and returned to eating.
Mauve was really okay and she was glad Mill didn't stress the issue. She couldn't help but think about Jare but she knew not to let it show.
She was worried but not enough to damper everyone's mood because of it. Besides, where has pessimism ever gotten anyone?
"We can leave for the library together, right?" Louis asked.
"I don't see why not," Mauve replied, surprised that she had heard Louis even though the voices in her head had been loud.
"Not , I will et you in the library in a few minutes."
"Why?" Mauve asked, her brows frowned a little.
"Oh nothing, I just want to get out of this dress and wear sothing more comfortable."
"No," Louis said stubbornly, drawing Mill and Mauve's attention. "I say leave it on."
"I'd rather not," Mill replied.
"Nobody was talking to you," Mauve snapped. She turned to Mill, "You can wear what you think is comfortable but yeah, leave the dress on if you can. It's really pretty."
Mauve had seen it even though she had been engrossed in yelling at Louis, she had seen Otis jerk at her voice and his expression changed.
Nobody else seed to care but she was sure they had all noticed how overly familiar she was with Louis. She had forgotten with Mill here that this wasn't a safe place and had acted out of turn.
"Why do you feel the need to snap at even though we are on the sa team?" Louis looked at her with a puzzled expression. "It's like you have to go against at every turn.
"I am sorry, she said. "I didn't an for it to sound like that."
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