Chapter Eight: Trauma and all
1667 Words
A fifteen-gold deposit beforehand and a twenty final gold p*****t was the fee that Breca suggested.
Because she was not free on Freeday, I would have to accompany her on her ‘illegal’ dungeon raid on said day as the porter.
As for my misadventures, Breca offered to escort me since my return was imperative. She would guarantee my safety, to which her worst-case scenario would be if we both died and even then, Breca insisted that that was better than having a crackdown operation on her dealings.
Her personality was sharp, sharper than when I last saw her.
Perhaps all the orders from those who controlled her in my previous life wore her out. Then, she had on the same weariness that I, too, held.
I threw my tired body on the bed, ready to unwind from the day’s events. It was late evening now, perhaps nine or ten pm, and though my body felt exhausted, my racing mind had yet to settle.
She should be here by now, Regina. By here, I mean home, cradled in warmth long forgotten by my own skin.
I buried my head in my pillow as though the act would suffocate the rising bitterness.
She would join the academy next week, meaning I would receive a letter or perhaps a visit from the Marquis himself on…Freeday.
I need a way to avoid him.
“My lady.”
“Yes…?” I groaned as I propped my head above my pillow, “Maid, what do you want?”
“My name is-,”
“Maid, speak and begone.”
The bubbly girl clenched her jaw.
“The Lord wishes for you to send the letter of visitation to the pal-,”
“The letter?”
“Yes, of visitation to the palace? Pertaining to your engagement?” she clarified, “The Lord said that he would like you to hand it over to me for sending by the end of the day.”
I cannot say that I did not grant the Marquis a chance to rescind his commands. I honestly cannot.
“Now, why? Why would I hand the letter to you when I can simply hand it over to the Prince?”
She frowned.
“Have…have you?”
“Maid?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Spin.”
“P-pardon?”
“Spin,” I repeated.
Confused, the maid spun herself.
“Again.”
Again, she repeated the motion.
“Now then, what have you learned?”
“What have I learned?” she glowered impatiently, “My lady-”
“Oh, come now,” I sat upright, “You do not wish for me to spell it out for you, do you? You will hate me if I do.”
She bit her lip.
“Perhaps because of my poor background, I am not as fast a learner as her ladyship.”
“Bark.”
“Wh-,”
“Bark.”
Again her body stilled, as though actively debating if the pay was worth her loss of dignity.
“Woof!”
Apparently, it is.
“Again.”
“W-woof!”
“Again.”
“Woof!”
“Louder, as though you wish all the heated dogs to grow aware of you.”
“W-Woof!”
I nodded, then motioned for her to continue with my hand.
“Woof!”
“Woof!”
“Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!”
“Enough, enough,” I c****d my head to the side, “Now then, educate me. What have you learned?”
“That…that I am obedient.”
“Well, if you wish to turn it virtuous, then yes. However, all obedience, in this case, means is that you are subservient to me; you follow my commands, not issue your own.”
“However the lord-,”
“However? However, as in there is more you wish to add?”
*
Penny Moore.
The lady was unlike the rumours.
The job was supposed to be easy because she would perk up every time she heard the word ‘the lord’.
Was that not what Amanda and Bernadette said?
That was how they stole jewellery from her efficiently. The lady never wished to get on the wrong side of the Marquis, yet what is this?
Why was she being treated this way for something she had genuinely been asked to convey?
She would be fired if her ladyship did not send the message, but her ladyship would also get in trouble with the lord and the imperial family. So, who benefited from this?
Fine!
Hah! If the brat wished to be punished, then so be it.
“I understand, your ladyship.”
“Thank the gods, I was actively contemplating hiring a translator.”
Her ladyship waved her hand as though she were chasing a beast away, and just like that, she was dismissed.
“Bloody hell.” Penny sighed to herself as soon as she reached her partitioned quarter. “No, no, there has to be a way to keep my job.”
As quietly as possible, Penny reached for the dull crystal tucked safely away in her suitcase.
“Connect to his lordship, Marquis Alpensa’s home office.”
The crystal picked up its usual red hue, and the words ‘connecting’ in a bright white spun along the circumference of the crystal. However, after three whole minutes of waiting, the words ‘connection failed’ popped up.
“What the…what am I to do next?”
Again, she mentioned the receiver's information, but the daunting words popped up after the usual three-minute waiting time.
“Wow…damn, I am practically five seconds away from you. Could you not wait for me to leave?” Her Ladyships’ voice sounded from behind.
“Yo-your ladyship, I- I am required by my-,” The words spluttered out as she did her best to hide the communication crystal with her body.
Still, before more excuses could pool from her, a loud knock followed by the heavy rattling of the main door sounded.
“Lady Arusei Alpensa! Open the doors at once!”
The intrusively booming voice sounded feminine; however, could a noble really yell in such a manner?
“Aaah, well, they are early,” the lady mouthed, then took a deep breath.
“Would you care to identify yourself?” lady Arusei asked, “I trust that you have read red riding hood’s tale? I find myself easily startled by strangers, especially deafeningly loud ones such as yourself.”
“I am Sir Vanessa Greton, Knight to her highness, Princess Pricilla Norvig Yarez.”
The Princess? Why was the Princess searching for her ladyship?
Could it be about the letter?
But no clue was thrown her way. The lady’s profound evergreen eyes were planted solely on the door.
Up close, she could see it. Beauty that could attract even the prince of the nation.
Hair that held the darkness of coal, long lashes that swept beautifully down her face, pink lips, even untouched by cosmetics.
Gods, but she was jealous. Jealous of the girl before her who took all that she wished to hold for granted.
Why did the Marquis have to take in a child of dirty blood, while she…she had been-
Penny shook her head; however, her thoughts did not clear.
What an ungrateful child.
*
*
Lady Arusei Evergreen Alpensa
“I believe that the maid should be the one to answer such calls, do you not?” I turned to face the maid staring up at me.
I was taller than her, but then again, at four foot eight, everyone was taller than her.
“Me?”
“Yes, you, what if the knight wishes to harm me? Would you not rather be my hero?”
“Your hero, my lady, I am terrified.”
“Eh, talking back, are we?”
She bit her lip, then turned her gaze away from mine.
“Fine, fine, but…vacate this room at midnight if I am not back yet.”
I fixed my uniform then walked to the door.
“Yes, sir…” I drawled as I leaned on the open door, hiding half my still uniformed body in the room.
The woman at my door was tall; rather, she was a giant. She had freckles that danced lightly on the bridge of her nose, emphasised only by her ginger hair and light green eyes.
“Sir Vanessa-,”
“Not your name, a reason as to why you are banging on my door.”
“I have been sent by the Princess to escort you to her rooms for a tea party.”
“A tea party? At ten p.m?”
“Yes.”
No isn’t even close to what I should utter right now; however, it is obvious what the Princess is calling me for.
Still, an alibi wouldn’t hurt.
“I will be there in fifteen. Allow me to freshen up.”
“I shall wait for you to freshen up, then escort the lady.”
“I trust that I will not get lost in an all-girls dorm.”
“The point of my escorting you is to ensure that you are on time.”
“While that sounds absolutely remarkable, I would prefer not resembling a prisoner. You know, trauma and all.” I smiled.
She said nothing, merely slowed the widening of her gaze.
“I will walk before you then.”
“Or, for every minute that you delay in the name of waiting for me, I will add five minutes in the name of ‘freshening up’.
“Wha-.” Sir Vanessa cleared her throat, then recomposed herself, “So you mean to say, if I leave now, you will only be five minutes behind me?”
“Precisely.”
“How will I know-,”
“Everything is a risk, you know. Now then, your….” I gestured to her body, “Is in the way of my slamming the door.”
- Writer
