Vow Of Silence

CHAPTER FIVE

1st PERSON: Pelomina Lorenzo-Capiz

After realizing that I’m loud and annoying, the room gradually went back to being noisy and full of chatter, only this time, I’m being included in the hottest gossip and juiciest rumors all over the castle. As we waited for the oven to reach the correct temperature, I did some rounds to see if I have anything else I could help with.

The ladies were nice and lenient with me, although the big man from the baking group called me back to help with slicing the bread and we loaded it into the oven. Again, that will take a while, and instead of helping around the other tables as I thought I would, I just became their carrier.

When they need other spices and ingredients from the racks or crates, I’m the one who fetches them for them.

“My lady, can you get me the orange spice on the second rack, darling,” one of the ladies requested,

“Yes, I got it,” I answered back as I got what she asked for and handed it to her.

One of the ladies chuckled as I got back to their table, “How energetic our lady is, like a little child,” she noted, making me shake my head and chuckle at her.

“My bones are starting to hurt actually, no match for an actual child,” I replied rolling my shoulder blades as I joke, but they looked at me with worried expressions,

“Oh dear, no that’s not good, sit down, we don’t want another stressful week of you in bed rest,” another lady said, placing her hands on her hips as she looked at the others, all with worried expressions, returning to whispering among themselves.

Words like 'frail' and 'sensitive' and 'weak' were so audible and frequently said that it brought a feeling of pure dread. What is wrong with this world’s Pelomina’s body, anyway? Why is she so sickly to the point of week-long bedrest? Is it something chronic? Would I end up enduring that, too? As I thought, being a social butterfly and getting to know the people would help me know more about the real Pelomina’s life.

It helps a lot that most of the workers and servants love to gossip. I’d rather hang around them and know some things about the castle than sit down and be left alone with my thoughts.

“I’m going to be fine, please, it’s been long since I’ve helped around this much,” I reasoned. Limwei suddenly appeared behind me startling me with a tap,

“The big man says no and tells you to sit down and settle,” he instructed without doing as much as blink, gesturing to the big baker man who’s now busy checking at the bread in the oven.

I huffed at Limwei, “But I truly am fine! Trust me, I just need a breather, like so, hee-hoo, hee-hoo,” I demonstrated, but he was not amused, not an eyelash out of place, it’s like talking to a picture. I love the part where his face does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

“If you ever feel tired and collapse on the floor, my lady, do know that the lord will decapitate us all, please act wisely,” he warned, like brooding was his profession, making me gulp at his serious notion. Such a heavy warning for just wanting to snoop around the palace for a bit.

Once he left, I leaned closer to the ladies in charge of the main course dish. “Is he usually that… gloomy?” I whispered, and a hushed course of chuckles filled our table before one elderly woman shook her head.

“That poor child, Limwei,” she began keeping her gaze focused on her task, “He’s born from the plaza, one of the kids that didn’t truly have parents, let alone any guidance,” she went on, everyone in the table leaned in closer since her voice was so soft,

“The previous lord, or should I say, lady, had such compassionate men fill this castle, men who tend to pick up rascals like him from the streets,” she narrated sighing as she shook her head again with a heavy sigh, “She did so many great things… great things that seemed far from what we have now,” she finished,

It looks like the previous lady was one woman to behold, an empowered leader with a heart. Wait, by the previous lady… they don’t mean that Lykus was married before, don’t they?

“The previous lady?” I asked, not sure if I should even ask about that because their faces were sullen and stiff all of a sudden. I glanced around the room to see if Lykus was present because they usually make that face whenever he’s around.

Another lady gulped before speaking even more softly than the elderly lady, “Quiet down, my lady, it’s said that anyone caught talking about the previous lady would be punished in the dungeons,” she warned making me clasp a hand to my mouth in a reflex.

I looked around again to see if anyone else in the room was listening in to our conversation but every table seemed to be immersed in their own discourses, I sighed a breath of relief before leaning in closer, “Why’s he that aggressive about it?” I asked, and they exchanged glances before looking at me with furrowed brows.

“My… My lady, I didn’t know you spoke so brazenly,” one of them noted with a grin,

‘I need to watch my mouth, the moment I start throwing slang will be the day I’ll get to see those dungeons at work,’ I thought, gulping down a lump in my throat, thinking of what to reply to that statement but before I could another lady spoke up,

“But she’s right, his conduct to those who even mention the previous lady’s name is downright hostile,” she defended, nodding to me in vigor agreement. I sighed in relief, mentally thanking her for diverting the topic from me and back to Lykus’ business.

“I see, but why?” I whispered, leaning closer the more I spoke, as did everyone at the table.

“Some say he has a great lingering grudge with how the lady ran things which is why once he was the sat on the role of being the head of the Vaustero family and ruled the castle…” she trailed off and by now there’s a mere foot diameter between all of us.

“He drove every family member out of the castle,” she finished. There was a lot of hushed ‘oh~’s before we all stood up straight once again, them exchanging knowing looks, and I…

I’m starting to be genuinely frightened for my life because what is this?

I didn’t know he was this terrible at everything. I was fooled because of what Polly was saying yesterday, but it looks like the man really is a monster. Such a shame, too. He’s pretty good-looking. Men really can’t have it both. Personality and looks being a mash-up would just topple over the balance of the universe.

“A crude man who looks as bad as he acts,” one of them spat making me involuntarily gasp.

Like it was something I didn’t expect to be said with that much vindication and brazenness. I mean, they’re not wrong with the acting bad part but he’d really not that bad looking as much as I hate to admit it.

“He… I guess he is one wicked man,” I agreed, and they nodded as they resumed their focus on their tasks, which were almost done without me even noticing.

“Well, that said I will advise you to be careful my lady, I know you’ve become soft on him because he’s been treating you especially well but we don’t know how long that will last,” one of the ladies warned again, pointing her wooden spoon at me.

“It’s true, I was married for 30 years, and only recently have I found my husband’s mistress! People will never truly fail to surprise you,” she huffed, and the other nodded along as they gasped in shock.

I nodded at her before returning to the baker’s table. Limwei and the others seem to be settling down with some light chatter, since the bread was all cooked and ready. The large man was nowhere in sight, but the other bakers were preparing the bread on trays, ready to be served.

“You’ve worked hard my lady,” Limwei said like it was a chore,

“I hardly did anything thanks to your ominous warnings,” I replied.

He shrugged, “Just trying to keep my head attached to my neck, my lady,” he began before grabbing a bun and handing it to me, “You should eat, my lady,” he said and I nodded, nudging him with my elbow, grinning at him.

“What a caring block of stone,” I jeered, making him look at me with the same deadpan expression before rolling his eyes and walking away. Hey, at least he did some motion. Makes me relieved to know he’s actually human.