The next morning, even before the sun was up, Valerie roamed the castle looking for something to do. Something to clean, something to look at, just anything.
Valerie slept well like a baby last night and woke up extremely early. So early that she was worried about her health. She tried convincing her body she was tired by running in circles for a couple of minutes. After she knew that she wouldn't be going to sleep anytime soon, she put on her maid uniform and walked out of her room and into the castle. The only people that were around were the guards who were on night shift.
She tried conversing with them but they looked right over her head with a blank expression. After a while, she gave up and continued her early stared day.
After about an hour in the garden smelling her new-founded favorite flower, the frangipani, she was called into the castle to gather Malphus' and her luggage.
"It is a shame you'll be leaving so soon Miss Valerie. It was nice meeting you, you were great company." Said Anthony as he helped Valerie load luggage onto a carriage while Malphus talked to the Rosters.
"Thanks, it was very nice meeting you too." Said Valerie as she finally finished loading the carriage, it seemed like they were leaving with more bags than they came with. It didn't make any sense to Valerie because the only person who got something during their visit was Francis, but she lived in this castle and wouldn't be going anywhere.
Just as Valerie was thinking that, Malphus and Francis walked over to the carriage and got in. Valerie had questions, but she didn't ask anything. She was brain dead.
She got in the carriage with the two and sat, the ride was quiet for about 20 minutes before Malphus finally said something.
"Hunter, I'm hungry. Go to the nearest town so we can eat." Said Malphus, loud enough for the coachman to hear him. The carriage stopped, turned, then started again in a different direction.
"Haha, Malphy I'm sure your cooks can make better food than mere townsfolk." Francis said with a weary look on her face.
"You are right, they can. Yet, I've had food made from them for the longest time. I want to eat just like a woodchopper would. Plain, delicious, cheap." Malphus said, convincing Francis to give him another reason to head straight to the Nightcrum castle.
"Well, don't you miss that butler of yours? Who is it- Stanley?" Francis started talking faster.
"Stan? Yes, he's like a grandfather to me. But then again no one sees their grandfather every day unless they live with them- not over them." Malphus stated calmy while it looked as if Francis had just seen a ghost.
"Well, um, what about her?! I'm sure she misses her maid friends!" Francis said loudly almost yelling, but it seemed Malphus was unfazed.
"She can wait a couple of more hours, it's not like they're going to die if we don't return home instantly." Said Malphus while he gave a sweet smile to both the ladies in the carriage.
As they heard the wheels of the carriage stop, Francis looked absolutely terrified. She knew they had gone to the heart of Ashton, which was the worst place to be as it was the worst town in Ashton.
"Well ladies," Malphus said calmly while looking amused from Francis' expression "shall we?'.
Valerie got out first and scrunched her nose due to the smell of trash and some sort of irony smell. She then helped Francis out, who did the same. Then she held the door open for Malphus to come out, but he didn't scrunch his nose up it looked like he took a deep breath. Valerie closed the door looking dumbstruck.
"Ah! Rostervile, the heart of Ashton, named after their great rulers the Rosters family." Malphus said with a big smile on his face as if he wasn't surrounded by garbage and sketchy looking people.
"Isn't it just beautiful Valerie, isn't it?!" Malphus lightly touched Valerie's back as if he didn't already have her attention, along with everyone else's within 30 feet of them.
"Ah- yes sire. Very beautiful." Valerie unwillingly agreed to Malphus. She didn't want to even open her mouth because she didn't want to inhale the toxics around her with her mouth.
"Well, let's go take a look around shall we Lady Francis?" Malphus grabbed Francis by the arm and walked with her. Francis looked internally embarrassed.
"Malphus please! Can't we just go back to Riverdale and to your castle?" Pleaded Francis, there was something in the heart of Ashton that no outsider knew about. No visitors were allowed there, for that same secret.
"Why would we? We're in the best part of Ashton, the middle! That's always the best part of any kingdom, not counting the castle of course." Malphus gave Francis a sinister smile, which caused her skin to go pale.
There will be changes to my uploading schedule, as some of you might know, I am a student and I need time to do things other than write, although I love that most. I will most likely start updating 3 or 4 times a week but you will get the announcement tomorrow about it. (I will start my new schedule next week, better enjoy daily uploads while you can.)