Vow Of Silence

CHAPTER NINE

1st PERSON: Pelomina Lorenzo-Capiz

“Supervise my butt,” I hissed as I walked through the halls.

I guess it’ll break Polly’s heart to know that her 'sweet' and ‘secretly gentle’ boss is a cold, cruel, non-feeling lizard. I know I could take some of the blame, a minuscule amount, since I did rebuke his notions. I didn’t know that he was that coldhearted to corner a helpless woman.

I swear all this anger is really making my chest tighter, he’s about to make my blood pressure reach all-time highs.

I could hear my shoes echo against the marble floors, so as unnerving as it is I walked on the carpet, which did well to muffle the sounds. Unlike someone, I’m not trying to broadcast to the whole castle that I’m pissed out of my mind. I didn’t even know where I was going, I just need to pass by someone who knows their way around, it could be anyone,

But preferably I need to find a woman to help me find my room, I’m already facing false accusations of infidelity from my 'husband', so adding gas to the flame by asking another man to lead me to my chambers would probably end up with me digging my own grave.

It didn’t take long for me to see the backs of a cluster of servants, which are women, so I hurried approached them. And just my luck…

I tripped. Arms raised, face plant, and full-body contact kind of trip that it made me wish the ground would swallow me whole because apart from the dull but intense pain, a wave of embarrassment washed over my whole being it made me want to shrivel up and spontaneously combust.

“My lady!” “My goodness!” “She fell!”

‘Please, end me,’ I thought as I felt four pairs of hands lift me up and off the ground. They didn't have to announce it like that.

Their faces were plastered with worry as they dusted me off, one even used her apron to wipe my face while the others surveyed me thoroughly, looking at my arms and even lifting my dress to see if my knees were scratched collectively sighing to see that there were no wounds.

I felt like an unruly kid on a playground. Better, I felt like an expensive car.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” one of the ladies asked,

‘yes, in my pride,’

“No, I’m fine, I was just needing assistance in getting back to my room, I’m quite tired you see,” I replied, now it’s just not my words that they should take into consideration since I already provided them with physical evidence. One of the ladies even clicked her tongue repeatedly as she nodded at me,

“My lady, I would suggest you consider taking a servant with you always,” she suggested, and another nodded along.

“Yes, I know you’ve always been against the idea, but you must rethink,” she pressed and I nodded.

Of course, I’d like that. The real Pelomina might’ve been against the idea, but not me. I’ll need someone around me at all times to avoid mishaps like that and help me around the castle, moreover tell me where the exit is.

But who? How am I supposed to know who to—Polly!

“Ah yes, I will, but for now can you accompany me to my chambers?” I asked, and they nodded. A servant even offered me her arm to hold on to as we started walking. Now five of us walking the castle grounds. I felt like I was being escorted by a flock of swans by how they were dressed. That said, how many servants does this castle even have?

‘I’m not sure if I should ask, because what if it’s a thing that I’m supposed to know already?’ Then it will be messy, like that conversation I had with Lykus.

We walked along the halls our steps thudding softly against the carpet, and while I was being more calm and aware of my surroundings I was taken by the scene again, for someone who radiates the energy or a barbaric brute, Lykus sure did a good job of making this castle look like a… well, castle. The refined, classy, and elegant-looking ones, at least.

There was a candle-lit lamp on every wall post that connects to the arches. The supporting structure of the building and the huge candle chandeliers make it seem like every time I see them was the first time. It’s not even dark yet, but I’ll need some alone time if I want to concentrate on my next move.

Of course, I know for a fact that I can’t immediately escape first thing in the morning and I don’t even know how to leave this place, let alone where I’m going, so I need to start seeing them from a logical perspective.

‘However, I suck at logical perspective. I cry every time I see one of those logical riddles,’

We climbed a few staircases that looked like shiny polished mahogany. Just how many trees is one staircase worth? Do they have an unlimited supply of wood in this world? We passed some patrolling guards and, from what I understand, the knights were different from the guards. The guards had this sort of garment over their chest with a crest and they were not wearing metal armors, they only wore chain-mail over their clothes,

The knights, however, from what I observed, are the only ones who have some sort of metal armor on them. I managed to catch a glimpse of them at the dining hall when they took their rations. Where do they eat? Why do they have to eat at a separate place? That said, the big, old, baker man was right. I shouldn’t have eaten there. The other servants must’ve been stressed and startled when Lykus stomped in. I must’ve made everyone uncomfortable.

I should give him an apology. I hope they won't get in trouble because of me. Especially Limwei, he's really intent on guilting me for his life.

But back to the knights, they’re not even wearing the complete ensemble. Some just had them on the shoulders, shins, forearms, some on all three, and one just had it on his hands. Do they not have full armor, or do they just have an armor shortage?

If I was a knight, I would go full armor everywhere. I’d probably look cool.

Finally, though, we reached my room. I turned to the ladies, “Thank you,” I said as I opened the door but paused and whipped my head back to them, “Oh, can you please tell Polly to come here?” I asked, and they exchanged looks before nodding.

“Certainly, my lady,” one answered before they left again. I closed the door and fell onto the bed again, taking a deep breath and exhaling the stress that made my joints ache. My knee was starting to hurt and my chest was feeling a bit heavy, probably because of the fall earlier. Even my nose hurts.

I stood up and went to the mirror to look at the damage. Seeing the wrong reflection was still startling, but I was more fascinated and the confusion long passed. Lady Vaustero is a really beautiful woman. It’s impressive how she could manage this amount of hair and keep it healthy.

I removed the hair tie and unbraided it, combing through the strands and waves that were created by keeping it in a braid for a while. Now, regarding my escape, I guess I need to make self-preparations. When would be the best time to run away? Does Lykus leave periodically?

Does he have to go anywhere else anytime soon? What would be the best place to hide? The woods or the city? Maybe somewhere even farther, like a city in the woods—okay, it’s getting more and more obvious that I really am not cut out for this. But it’s not like I could ask for help.

I can’t just tell someone that I’ll need to escape because I didn’t belong in this world and they’ll escort me out as I run to the meadows….

Or can I? there has to be something else at play over here. Things like this don’t just happen, actually, things like these are impossible, to begin with. So there has to be a bigger picture involved in these things and someone else could have some sort of idea of what’s happening.

But first things first, I need to get out.

I looked around her room for anything that could help, if she’s married to such a harsh husband, she must’ve had something to help her and keep her grounded to even remain here for six years, let’s say that Lykus was gone for two years, she still spent four years with him, there must be something important I could use in this room.

So far, I found a few books about nature and animals but the thing is… I can’t read it, it’s not even the English alphabet.

‘yet another challenge had arisen,’

There's some jewelry, and it seems like Lady Vaustero is a big fan of flower ornaments, from earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets they were decorated with glistening flowers of different kinds. How pretty, some looked like they were made of glass since they seemed translucent. Whoever made these has a real talent for molding glass like it was clay, the actual clay pieces were more opaque albeit not any less shiny or beautiful.

There were also headpieces, like headbands and the like but instead of glass or clay, these were made with textured fabric. It looked like real flowers. Although I can’t name what these flowers are called. I wonder who made these.

Apart from the jewelry and books, I found a sketchbook filled with; you guessed it, flowers and birds. These are actually really well-drawn. She’s one talented artist. She could start a tattooing career with this as his portfolio. That’d be sick. But back to the search, there are a few notebooks. I can’t tell if her writing is good because I don’t understand anything in the first place. There’s another book that I can’t understand and—viola!

“A map!” I cheered in a hushed voice, but before I could celebrate the findings, I heard a knock on the door and with a start I rushed trying to neat everything back in place, and hid the map under the pillows, dusting my help up before walking to the door and opening it partway,

“You summoned me, my lady?” Polly asked after a small curtesy,

I sighed in relief and opened the door completely, “Yes, I did, please come in, miss Polly,” I invited, and she smiled wide before doing so.