The Fault in the Stars

o1: She, who is a mystery

"Kiba has fallen"

Klaus Windamier maintains his composure and retreats quietly into his quarters. For the next few days, he assists in the burial of his father trying to refrain from succumbing to stress and fatigue. He then returns to his work as a military strategist under the Allied Army.

After a long day, he opens the door in his room about to settle in his bed when he is aware that something isn't right.
He reaches for a gun under his bed when his room plunged into darkness.
Only the dim light from the half moon left its shine by the window.
He caught glimpse of a shadow and tightened his grip on his gun. He may not be a sharp shooter but he trained a little on how to use one.

Then he felt something breath against his neck.

"Don't move... Windamier Klaus.."

A girl's voice.
Something sharp against his neck.

If his father died in battle, his death would be in this room.
Murdered by a woman.

But he took a risk and was about to raised his hand when a candle burned brightly across his eyes.

"Sir Klaus" the girlish voice became familiar that he took a step back and rubbed his eyes.

He let out a loud groan.
"My god its only you..." he muttered in relief tucking the gun away.

"You know that won't kill me" she said pointing at the gun.
He raised his eyes to meet hers.

"Of course it won't, Mikain Sierra Coven Mistress" he sat in his desk and folded his arms. "What can I do for you?"

She gleefully sat on his bed. "Hey don't act as if I'm a stranger to you"

Klaus rubs his eyes too tired to reason with her.
Normally he was rather shy when it came to Sierra, who in the most ridiculous way has been chasing him ever since they met in Tinto Village.
He didn't understand why she was doing such a thing.
He felt so ordinary compared to her, a gorgeous silver haired girl with flawless pale skin and fathomless reddish eyes.
Sometimes it dawned to him she was just looking for amusement admist this dreadful war.
But why him?

Because he looked like a weak little human whose feelings can just be toyed upon?
Because he was rather shy on girls who advance on him?

It irritated him at times, just the mere thought of it.
But Sierra was hard to hate.

She had that glow.

"Its rather late, Sierra" he started to say, although deep in his mind he knew it was rather useless. Sierra was stubborn as hell and normally wanted her way especially when it came to hanging out in his room.

"I miss General Kiba" she said quietly walking towards the window then she opened it to the fresh air enter. "I am sorry for your loss, Klaus"
His gaze wavers a bit and he takes a deep breath. "He is in a better place"

Then she looks at him, her gaze penetrating.
"Are you all right?"

He blinks back several times, those words seem to have penerated through his walls.
Heavy walls he had put up to cover up his distress and frustrations.
He only had himself now.
Apart from his family in Harmonia. His dear mother whom he loves.

He turns away unable to say anything
Then he feels her warm arms around him and he buries his face in his hands sobbing quietly.

Only her alone can break these walls.

xx0xx
For the next few days, Klaus Windamier emerges himself in his studies under the guidance of Shu and helping out in the war.
At times Seirra pays a visit in his quarters, oftenly suddenly appearing when he retires.
Before he used to share the same room with his father, Kiba and share talks with them.
But when Riou, the leader of the Duncan Unification Movement decided to have his own quarters another wave of rumours flowed around the castle walls.

They were more, he considered inapproriate as before.

It bothered him at first.
He wanted to explain his side somehow, but then what good use would it bring?
Humans had this desire for the forbidden, especially if it were stories not their own.

Sierra, on the other hand seemed oblivious. Or she choose to be that way, or probably delighted about it.
Since a part of those rumours are true.

It wasn't everyday a vampire like Sierra had found a deep and profound interest on a human such as himself.
That's why it was hard to believe if those feelings were genuine or just for amusement.

One evening while he was busy studying, Sierra drifts by as usual.
Entering from the open window of his room in the third floor. From a white bat she turns into her human form and elegantly sits on her favorite part of his room.
His bed.

"How was your day, Klaus?" she would ask as always.

"Same old routine" he would tell her without looking up. His dark eyes glued into the book he was reading and bits of his hair falling into his eyes.

And it was on those weird occassions when she would simply get up and gently tucked his hair. Which in fact made him jump off his feet and stare at her with his cheeks red.
She would chuckle gently and return to his bed.

Klaus took a deep breath to calm himself and return to his reading. Yet every now and then he would catch a glimpse of her doing just about anything. The most absurd of all was that she would lie in his bed and read or
just roll around.

"Doesn't it even bother you, Sierra?" he asks her. "What people are saying about this whole set up?"

"Not a bit" she simply says.
He looks at her squarely. "It was all right when my father was around. But this..."

"Is it driving you uncomfortable? she asked and walked slowly towards him.
He meets her eyes. "It is" he tells her quite frankly.
"Why?"

"Because" he takes a deep breath, "it isn't fair to both me and you. Do you like it when people go on making stories off of you?"
"Well" she tilts her head. "Some of the stories are true.."
He sighs. "Sierra, what is your real motive? Please do not take me for a fool. I may not be the brightest when it comes to such..." he frowns, "such...predicament but I am keen to my surroundings"

"Is it fair enough to say that I fancy.." she paused looking for a better yet direct set of words, "I like you"

He blushed.
It was the damnest thing he could ever do.

No girl has been so direct to him.
He didn't even expect someone could show any interest on him.

She smiled, "so don't mind what others are saying Klaus.. it will die down"

Yes, it will die down and so will his integrity.
As if that matters.

xxoxx