fiery_ring | (no subject)

(no subject)

St Clare's school is in darkness, and quiet as Carlotta brings Teja back. Unfortunately, the portal is inside, in the box rooms in the attic.

"People don't come up here often." Carlotta whispers. "I can't go out and show you until the teachers go to bed at midnight. That's in three hours. Do you want to wait here or outside? If outside you'll have to climb out the window, or dress as a lady."

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"I can wait here," Teja says. "I would not wear women's clothes for such a trifling reason."

"All right. I'm sorry, they'd miss me if I didn't go to bed."

She doesn't think she needs worry too much about falling asleep right now.

"I'll come back as soon as Miss Jenks has checked the dorm."

"I will not get bored," Teja says, settling down.

Carlotta gives him a hug, then disappears downstairs.

All is fairly quiet for the next few hours, apart from the school cat, who comes up to investigate the Goth in the attic.

That keeps the Goth pleasantly busy; when Carlotta returns, she will find him sitting in his corner, very alert, stroking the dozing cat in his lap.

Carlotta returns, tip-toeing up the stairs.

"Sorry." she says softly. "Mam'zelle is a night owl."

"We were not bored," Teja says.

"Everyone is in bed. We must be quiet but we should be all right."

She leads the way down the stairs, along a corridor, down another flight of stairs and out the back door.

Teja follows, almost invisible in his black cloak.

"He's been hiding in a farm near here." Carlotta says, when they're out and it's safe to talk.

"You lead the way in there, and I follow quietly; and when he comes at you, I shall capture him, and speak to him!" Teja says.

Carlotta nods, setting off down the road towards the barns.

"He will probably struggle." she says quietly. "As is natural when jumped."

"I will not let him go," Teja says, quietly.

"Don't hurt him." Carlotta says, then is quiet as she pushes the door of the shed.

"Frank?"

She steps in, leaving the door open. As she is half way across the floor, the boy calls to her from the rafters.

Teja stays in the shadows by the door, highly alert, waiting to jump out and take charge.

After a moment or two of conversation in Spanish, the boy jumps down.

"You're coming with me?" he asks hopefully.

He finds himself grabbed, and his arms pinned firmly behind his back.

"She shall do no such thing," Teja hisses into the boy's ear.

Carlotta is knocked back as Frank's struggles get her kicked in the chest - the boy is also clearly an acrobat, he struggles in all directions.

"Carlotta, help me, a madman!"

"He's protecting me, stop struggling."

"You have blown this out of all proportion! I just came to offer you a job."

"No, you told me lies! That bracelet was not from my mother, and you were expelled from the circus for putting your hands in the till one time too many. The circus does not keep people like you, and you are no ringmaster."

Teja's other hand goes into the boy's hair, and pulls hard. "Leave now, and never come back!" he hisses.

"I will tell them all what sorts you associate with." Frank snarls at Carlotta.

"Let me go then, mad person." He says, as Carlotta just stares at him.

"He is a scoundrel, and will not speak to any," Teja assures her.

"Will you promise that you will go and never return?" Teja offers the boy.

"Yes! She is not good enough for my circus."

Carlotta just remains rooted to the spot.

"You have no circus; you are a deluded child!" Teja says, roughly pulling the boy's head askew.

It would hurt -- for a brief moment.

"If Carlotta ever so much as mentions your name again, you die -- understood?"

"Yes, yes, let me go!" the boy yells, giving Carlotta a very dirty look.

He lets go, barking "Run!!"

The boy flees. Carlotta remains rooted to the spot.

"You will not see him again," Teja promises. "Do not take his words to heart -- he cannot speak to any! None would believe him."

Carlotta nods, then moves forward and hugs Teja, clinging onto him.

"Thank you. I'm sorry to be so much trouble, your Highness."

Teja holds her, and strokes her hair. "You are no trouble," he says. "I would defend you against any, and go much further in that."

"I know." Carlotta says.

"I'm really tired, let's go back. I'll find you a door."

"Indeed," Teja says. "I should be gone before the school wakes, and somebody finds a Goth and a cat snoring in the attic."

Carlotta takes his hand and leads the way.

"Pat, Isabel and Kathleen kept a dog up there for a week in first form. They only got caught because it escaped."

"Still, there is no need for you to keep a Goth up there," Teja says.

"I could say you are my latin tutor."

"I believe I am," Teja says, somewhat amused. "But not many schoolgirls, one would assume, hide Latin tutors in the attic, either!"

"No, not many. But you could have been travelling and in need of a place to stay."

"And as I am a secret Latin tutor, I cannot simply ask the masters of the house for a place to stay," Teja says, amused.

"Indeed."

They reach the school building, and Carlotta just opens the door. Clearly school security is not all that brilliant.

It was probably not thought as important, in those days.

Teja follows her inside.

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