THE FIFTEENTH - THE INTRUDERS
"I STILL CAN'T believe it," I murmured, waving my hand to the three figures standing by the porch of Gemelos Orphanage. Sister Gail and Devon waved back, but Reveena remained stoically watching us as we hopped into the car and sped away.
Lights flickered inside the car. The sun already set before we realized it. We've had spent most of our times reminiscing the good old days in the orphanage that we lost track of time.
"How come?" I added after a while of deafening silence between us. "If that senile old man adopted you, then how come that drunkard didn't tell me?"
Despite the dim light illuminating the car's inside, Lucas' grin didn't leave unnoticed to me. "First off, he didn't officially adopt me, milady. He got me out of the orphanage. That's all." He shrugged his shoulders. "That would make us siblings if ever."
My eyes briefly widened at the thought. A part of me was relieved that we were not, and another part smacked me so hard in the face with the question; why?
I shuddered, virtually slapping a hand to my forehead.
Let's not dwell on that.
Right. I better not.
"Where were you then?"
Though it was vague, I remembered not seeing him around the orphanage weeks after that little incident between us. Mean kids, those who bullied him, said he ran away, but Sister Gail only shushed them and smiled. I didn't dare to ask as I was still pissed off by his attitude before that. Perhaps, that was the aftermath effect of being called ugly walking stick with a forehead wide enough for an airplane to land on.
Three months after, a rugged Hispanic man came and adopted me, and the rest was history.
"For the first few years, I was at Marsh Island along with the others."
"So it's like, you study there and all that stuff related to what you are now?"
Lucas hummed in response. "Well," he drawled, "you can put it that way, milady."
I eyed him incredulously. Whatever kind of lessons and training he had been through, surely they were one heck of a will-bender. Considering his stubbornness and impudence before, I was so sure that he did put up a fight resisting their system of education.
"How exactly Esotera Court works?"
There was a moment of silence before he responded. "I'm afraid the explanation should wait until we reached your place, milady. As of the moment, only Lady Bree has the authority to disclose such information."
Okay, who's this Lady Bree now?
"I believe you already met her at the buffet hall on your first day at Esotera, milady."
"I would like to believe such belief, but I don't remember a certain Lady Bree -- oh, wait. That gorgeous lady with pixie haircut?"
Nodding, Lucas continued. "She is milady. And I'm sure they're lodging in your house now."
Tons of question in my mind were itching for desperate answers, but I held myself back. If Lucas said this Lady Bree was the sole one who could authorize divulging information about Esotera Court, then I wasn't going to nag further. Getting the necessary information was all that matters. And I was going to get it. No need to haste.
There was just this foreboding sensation that nudged me had I finally procured that information.
There's no way I'm getting out of this mess already.
Only death could make that possible.
My thoughts ran wildly around that notion as our car slowed down upon entering a quaint village. Just like before, only a handful of people could be seen littering around the wide, clean road; most of which taking their dogs for a walk, jogging, or simply cycling. The end of the road, lined with arching branches of acacia trees by the street sides, led straight to a distant looming hill. On top of it, a glimpse of white house peeked through the towering trees.
I gulped with difficulty at its sight.
A few more minutes and we finally stopped at the foot of the hill where an asphalt trail leading atop awaited us. We got off the car and my eyes instantaneously landed on two more cars parked down the road.
Involuntarily, a frown emerged in my face as I whipped my head around to Lucas.
"Wait . . . Did you just say at my house?"
"WELCOME HOME, LADY Celestine."
"Oh, for the love of ancient Egyptian gods, Mort! Put some shirt on!" I abruptly spun around as I tightly shut my eyes and ended up colliding with Lucas behind who caught me in place.
"My apologies. Lady Sumire broke the faucet and the water squirted in my direction when I tried to fix it."
"I-I get it. Just please put some clothes on."
"May I excuse myself then?"
"For sure!" I exclaimed almost rolling my eyes.
As Mort's footsteps fell away, I took a step back and Lucas let go of me instinctively. With a frown, I looked up. "You should have warned me about this," I said, pertaining to the lovely set of intruders in my house.
"I already did, milady. I even asked you were fine of such arrangement. You said you don't mind, so-"
"Ah, I get it!" I swished my hand, dismissing the topic. "But you should still remind me again. I'm shook, y'know!"
I huffed and turned around. The flight of stairs was across the door . . . and there were numerous luggage lying at the bottom. Chatters filled the kitchen together with the clatters of plates and pans. The owners of those must have been hanging around there.
Walking there, I abruptly stopped on my track when the corner of my eyes caught a small movement to the left where the living room was. My eyes fixated on the petite figure standing by the window, looking outside, who had her back on us and was clad in maroon Lolita dress with frills.
That long wavy auburn hair cascading down to her small waist and was adorned with black ribbon. That ominous aura she exuded and her odd fashion style. I couldn't be mistaken.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
As if on cue, the petite figure slowly look over her shoulder. Her expression was neutral at first -- I almost mistook it as sullen -- then suddenly it turned sour upon seeing me.
Holy goose. Here we go.
"What kind of hostess are you? Leaving her guests tending for themselves for the rest of the day. What a disappointment," she scoffed, hands on her waist.
My right eyebrow quirked up. It was as though someone flipped the switch of bitchiness on my head. I didn't restrain myself from spouting back a crude response. "A guest, you said?" I turned my body to face her and crossed my arms against my chest. "As far as I know, I didn't invite you or anyone in my place. You might have mistaken me for someone who gives damn care. Well, I'm not, midget." Her expression turned even sourer, face red, as I continued babbling. "You're extremely and utterly welcome to leave this house any time. No one will stop you. At least, I won't."
"You wench," she hissed through gritted teeth. Her hands clenched tightly on both sides.
I rolled my eyes and trudged my way through the stairs. "I've been called worse things by better people. Out of them all, that's the cutest name-calling I hear so far. I'll give you a clap for trying though." And so I did.
"You piece of uneducated measly—"
I tuned her out, disinterested of whatever nonsense she'd spit. Too tired to give a damn.
Exhaustion from the entire day's trip had finally caught up with me. As much as I wanted to slap another sense to that Lolita midget, I was too tired to formulate another sentence. I think, I just poured my remaining energy on that particular remark. Worth it though.
Screeches of bar stools sounded when I walked past the kitchen. I ascended on the stairs and was followed by the familiar voices coming out there. I was already at the top of the stairs when I halted and turned to my heels upon hearing Sumire's squeaky voice calling out for my name, who was at the foot of the stairs.
My face contorted to a grim frown upon seeing the few more faces pouring out of the kitchen. The lady with man's haircut, Bree, and her aide, Aamir, if I remembered it right, were the last one to come out after Mort, who fortunately had his clothes on, and the poker-faced aide of that midget, Ace. Amidst the stairs was Lucas who had my luggage. He stopped when I turned around and followed the direction I was looking at.
I sighed, and almost face-palmed myself.
Too many people.
If this was Victor's evil way of making me suffer, then he was doing a fine job so far.
I really just wanted to rest, but it'll be rude if I'd let them fend off for themselves in my house. Not that Midget's words affected me, but she had a point there. Surprising, I knew.
"Let's talk," Bree flatly stated and went back to the kitchen. Aamir nodded at me before following, so was Mort and Sumire who shot me an uneasy smile. Ace, on the other hand, went to the living room, probably tending his brat midget lady.
An exasperated sigh escaped my lips and I couldn't help, but groaned. "This is too much to take in, Lucas."
Climbing the rest of the steps, he ruffled the top of my hair which rendered me frozen on the spot. "You'll get through this, milady."
I stiffly nodded and gulped. "R-Right."
He should have been more specific.
TWICE. I HAD ROLLED my eyes twice since I stepped a foot in my house after a week again. All because of the glaring midget sitting like a damn nobility on my favorite black leather couch in the living room while sipping a cup of, I presumed, tea.
That was right. She should drink tea because coffee wouldn't help her flat chest grew a bump.
"Fun fact," I started when I reached the bottom of stairs. "A group of cat is called glaring. You'll qualify as one."
"Fun fact," she mimicked as she set down her cup on the adjacent coffee table. "I don't care."
I leaned back against the stairs' dark wood balustrade and crossed my arms against my chest. "I could eat the entire alphabet and spout a much better statement than that, M." I rolled my eyes again. "Thanks for the heartfelt hatred, anyway. It's touching. Really."
She snickered. "I don't hate you, Celestine. Your mere existence just doesn't thrill me, that's all."
"That's enough," Bree butted in as she waltzed in the living room from the kitchen. "Stop this nonsense banter."
I frowned. The smug smile plastered in Midget's annoying little pretty face wanted me to puke. Still, I shut my mouth since Bree's demeaning aura was too intimidating to disobey.
Sitting on the other love seat beside the silent Sumire, Bree darted her fierce black eyes on me, and said, "Would you mind sitting with us?"
The midget instinctively scoffed but was swiftly silenced when Bree narrowed her eyes on her. Huffing and clucking her tongue, she reached for her cup of tea in the glass table and said nothing.
I smirked. So Bree could straighten Midget's twisted attitude, eh? What a satisfying knowledge it was.
"Well?"
I cleared my throat and walked over the single seat parallel to her and Sumire. As much as I've wanted to stay there, Bree's piercing cold stares leave me no choice.
"Lucas informed me that you already knew," Bree started as she leaned back and crossed her long legs covered with washed out ripped jeans.
I grimly nodded in response.
"And I assume, Victor already ran down the prerequisite to you, yes?"
"If you're pertaining to my staged fake death, then that's a yes."
"It is," she affirmed, "but that's all for another talk."
Out of nowhere, Lucas popped out from behind, almost startling me. Sumire gave out a little squeak similar to a rat. Midget even almost choked on her tea and glared at him while dabbing her lips with a tissue.
Pfft. What a sight to remember.
"Miladies, dinner is ready in twenty minutes."
We all nodded and he excused himself to the kitchen where I could see the other aides maneuvering there.
"I'll make this quick then."
I diverted my attention to Bree and listened.
"Contrary to that invitation letter you received, Esotera Court isn't a hotel. It's the home of the unwanted illegitimate children of monarchs. Us."
She was about to say further when I cut her short. "I'm hundred percent sure, I'm just a normal citizen of this tropical country, though. You must be mistaken."
A shadow loomed over Bree's head and was now frowning at me. "I'll greatly appreciate it if you'd let me finish everything before you make a comment."
"S-Sorry."
She composed herself and began again. "Since an illegitimate child of nobility or royalty could threaten the heir to the throne, countless attempted assassinations were orchestrated against us which ultimately cost our parents' life. The owner of the Esotera Court found us and took us into his custody where we still get to taste the life robbed from us in one condition. . ." She paused, looking straight in my eyes. "Have you already killed someone, Celestine?"
I could literally hear the loud pounding in my chest as Bree's question buzzed in my ears. A man gurgling crimson liquid as he laid stunned looking at me while the light of life slowly left his wide eyes, grazed my mind for a brief second. I absentmindedly stared down at my trembling hands. My stomach churned. Bile seemed to bubble up in my chest. I clammed my mouth as though to keep it down.
Have I?
I couldn't hold it longer. My chest jerked upward and I had to run past them towards the open window where I saw Midget standing a while ago. I bent over the window pane and retched until brownish liquid was all left to spit out.
"I'll take that as a yes, then."
A tissue dispenser was outstretched from my side. When I looked up, Sumire's gloomy smile greeted me. Rubbing a hand to my back, she said, "We all been there, Celestine. Nothing to be ashamed about."
"You mean to say, you all--" I bent over again as another bile rose in my throat. "--kill someone," I finished, taking the tissue given by Sumire and dabbed it to my mouth.
"Those who tried to kill us, at least."
Astounded by her smooth unbothered confession, I eyed every single one of them and came to a sudden realization. "You want me to kill the person who wants me dead," I almost whispered, but I knew they heard it.
"Oh, the snail finally caught up, at last!" Midget exclaimed, shaking her head. "What a relief!"
"Zip it, Tierannese."
Midget shut up, huffing yet again at Bree's notion.
"You got it right, Celestine," Bree said, cutting me off from glaring at Midget.
"You said it like it's just so easy to do."
She shrugged her shoulders and rose from the seat. "You'll undergo training and lessons for that. Nothing to worry about."
Had this conversation happened in an entirely different situation, I might have become hysterical listening to just how easy Bree seemed to let it on. As if those lessons and training were for just butchering a pig.
"I'm sure Sir Noah has taught you the basics, yes?"
Sir Noah? Was she pertaining to that senile old man?
"How did you--"
She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders, eyes lingering at my right leg which was covered with A-line black skirt reaching below the knee. "Figures."
"D.I.R!" Aamir unenthusiastically half-yelled from the kitchen's door. "C.O."
Midget and Bree sauntered to the kitchen, leaving Sumire and I behind.
"Aamir said that dinner is ready and we should come over."
I only stared at her, unable to voice out my thought as to how she figured that out when all I heard from Aamir were a series of letters only.
She patted my shoulder as if hearing my thoughts. "You'll get used to it in the long run, I'm telling you."
With a cheeky smile, she wounded her arms around my waist, and we made our way to the kitchen.
A question lingered in my head. My right hand furtively went down to feel the bump in my upper right leg until it made contact with its sharp tip.
How did Bree know?
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