31_days | [June 16, 2007][Original] Parrot and Flamingo

Title: Parrot and Flamingo
Day/Theme: June 16, 2007 "And their eyes opened, and they knew him"
Series: Original
Character/Pairing: Hazama/Anabel
Rating: G
And the end of that.

#4 of 4. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

Just as Tessan had thought, Anabel was on the balcony. Her dress was pink, with a certain feathery flair to match her flamingo mask. Of course, I couldn't help but be reminded of a duck, regardless of the fact that I had never seen a pink duck. ...It's just that flamingos have such long necks and long, thin legs and the queen could not really capture such features. I wondered if she would laugh if I recommended standing on one foot.

She was looking away from me at the buildings within the fortress walls. The capital was dark for the most part, but inside some of the houses the yellow of candles or lamp lit the windows into buttery rectangles floating in the indigo blur of night. "Anabel," I said, mostly just to alert her of my presence.

She turned and her eyes smiled. "What a nice parrot you make! And what a pair of birds we are."

I laughed a little now to see that we did match in a way.

"Actually," Anabel continued, "That style of mask seems a bit familiar. Is it imported? I think I've been told about a country to the south of the Laurelann Empire with traditional bird mask of that sort."

I hadn't thought about the possibility that I was wearing a mask with a greater cultural significance than the others at the party, but once she mentioned it, I became suddenly aware that I had heard of such masks and she was probably right. "Ekria's the country," I replied, "I didn't realize it earlier, but you must be right."

"It's actually colder out here than I expected," she murmured with her hands placed on her bare arms. "Let's go back inside."

"Fine," I agreed, and swept my arm around her shoulder as I ushered her inside. She seemed glad to have my long sleeve covering her shivering shoulders. "Everyone I've spoken with seems to be having a good time," I told her.

"I'm glad," was her succinct reply.

"Anabel," I began what I had been looking for her to tell her, "I have something to say to you. It'll be very short and to the point."

I had not looked down at her as I said this, but kept my eyes firmly fixed ahead at our guests. I could see Princess Saskia from Higashi, easily recognized due to her deep red hair, dragging Kojiro onto the dance floor. Rimzan was leaning against a table sipping some punch.

"So formal," the queen responded with a funny catch in her voice. "When you get serious in the middle of a party it makes me a little scared about what you're going to say. I don't need to sit down, do I?"

I shook my head. I didn't think she would be surprised.

I looked down and she was facing me, lifting her mask up with one hand so I could see her clear countenance. "I think I'd like it better if you told me with the mask off."

I complied quickly, not pushing it aside like hers, but taking it off entirely and holding it at my side. "Anabel, I love you."

"I know," she replied, "Is that all you wanted to say?"

"Yeah," I nodded dumbly.

"I love you too," Anabel gave a small, sly smile before placing her mask back over her face.