Have you ever wondered, why do people avoid a black cat on the street?
It was such a myth that if you ever cross paths with one, say your prayers.
The fear of people was immeasurable.
One would run to the nearest church and get themselves a blessing of protection.
The demon is not merciful to forgive such one who has committed something horrible.
The Demon Lord will be there to visit and will be here to give karma to those who cross paths with the fearsome immortal that roams all over the world seeking its purpose.
Everyone in this world knows of the story of the black cat, a demon that exists to serve for itself.
"A lonesome being cursed for eternity to be alone." an old man huddles his grandchild to sit on his lap to tell a story. He smiles widely at his little one who pouts.
The child curiously beamed at his grandfather to tell the story quickly.
She was very fond of cats.
So why was it that the black cat was feared?
"A cat- why is a black cat so scary grandpa?" the little girl asks, looking over the storybook her grandfather was holding.
"It's a myth that if you come across one of them, you'll meet your death sooner or later or something bad will happen to you, Azzie." the old man flips a page showing a black cat hissing and clearly grinning in the picture book.
What a horrible depiction of them! Cats are sweet little beings! Is what the little girl thought as she crossed her arms not agreeing with what her grandfather has accused of the creature.
"Isn't that kind of mean?! Grandpa I think black cats are cute. That book is rude, you should burn it." she points at the picture book with the mean looking drawing of the cat.
Goodness gracious, it's certainly not only rude but that book is really racist too.
If anyone gets offended that it was just a joke, goodness me the people that keep on reading this can scroll down as your narrator tells you the story.
The old man laughed and placed his hands on his head. What a carefree little granddaughter he has, how he wishes she would never grow up but something she'll be old enough to move to another place on her own.
Somewhere... safer.
"Grandpa grandpa, why is the black cat lonely? Doesn't she also have other cats to be friends with?" she curiously asks pulling her grandfather's shirt for his attention.
The old man peers at the book, it was the children's version of the myth. A black cat acting mean and lonely to where she tried living a normal life but in the end everyone around her moved on and left her all alone.
It was a sad ending but it was rated for children to read. He didn't have the heart to tell the truth to her innocent granddaughter so he lied.
"Grandpa doesn't know either but maybe the lord of the cat demons can make some new friends in the future," he replied to the yawning child that rubs her eyes feeling so sleepy.
"That's nice... I wish I can be her friend so she's not lonely..." she groggily replies laying her head to her grandfather's huge belly. It was one of the best pillows in the house- considering they don't even have a bed to sleep on or anywhere comfortable to be.
The grandfather could only sigh, stand up and place his granddaughter into the couch covering her with a blanket because he knew the wind would enter their boarded windows.
"Sleep tight... grandpa will finish reading the story." he can tell her little one that was cuddling with the blanket seemed a little uncomfortable but she tries her best to dream of a cat she can befriend.
Now that may be all sweet, the fate of these two are just unfortunate. This little girl's nickname was little Azzie.
She would turn into the Lord of demons in a few year's time to come. This was almost a thousand year ago...
How sad it was when her only relative that cared for her died.
She was sold into a leading influential family, she was a slave. In the past slaves were considered to be the most dirty and low kind of humans you can ever barter.
They were known to be thieves, prostitutes or murderers. All in debt and were just sold because they didn't have any choice. "Go on, move it! You're sold." the slave trader pushes her around and shook hands with the head servant of the high family.
Her face planted to the ground, the head servant didn't help her but merely told the little weak girl to stand on her own. "Stand up. Do not make me regret buying you, if you're that weak."
The chains in her hands shackled and the metal collar in her neck was placed under some pressure when she fell. "Come on, stand up. You'll be working for the Louvcrat house now." the high servant, being impatient, clicked his tongue and pulled the chains in her hand, dragging her up.
"Stand."
The little girl with dark dirty black hair glared at the man and grit her teeth.
Her body was really weak due to the famine going around the poor city street condition, the slave trading had to cut it's budgets by starving some of their products. "From now on, forget your name. You'll be a property of the Louvcrat family and you will serve the family until you die."
The servant instructed the little girl, chains removed. For the first time in a while... she could breathe again.
Her hands ran up to her neck to feel her skin with the leftover mark from the chains. She couldn't help herself from smiling but it was all over when the head servant threw the clean clothes at her and told her to change.
Putting on the decent servant clothing after getting a good bath and tying her hair neatly she was ready for service. The whole three days she said nothing... All she could do was either nod or shake her head when answering.
Everyone thought she was mute and the head servant regretted his purchase because he also believed she bought a mute girl but what's done is done.
Little Azzie had to serve a little young miss in the influential family that bought her.
It must be another pompous noble that's also a snob.
Is what she thought but she didn't dare to say anything and kept her role being the mute girl in the house. The head servant would come to open the door to reveal the most... pretty girl she's ever seen.
Skin white as pearl, her brown hair was like beautiful copper that shone in the sun and those... caramel colored eyes that seemed to look at her in a soft way that she couldn't explain. "Milady, good evening." The head servant bowed and Little Azzie looked at him first before doing the same thing.
Except she did it a little too fast and almost knocked the other girl over. The young lady of the noble house thankfully was a few inches away and she just recollected herself looking at the head servant in confusion. "G-Good evening. What's all the commotion? Oh? Who's this?"
Little Azzie would turn to look up at her future master with a flustered face. Her bright green emerald eyes would turn to meet those caramel ones. "Milady- that's the thing. Your father ordered for me to hire a new servant for you but... it seems that I overlooked something important." he looked down at the girl almost glaring but he made sure that he didn't let it show towards the young miss.
"What seems to be the problem?" the young miss asked, curious on what could be possibly wrong with a cute girl like her?
"She's mute... milady." the servant bows his deepest apologies towards the noble lady but she dismisses him and smiles.
"It's alright, good sir. I'm just glad that both of you have arrived back safely from your journey." The young lady charms the head servant who sighs in relief feeling that he did a good job and that no punishment will happen anytime soon. "Thank you for your kindness, milady."
The noble lady tilts her head curiously at the other girl that seemed to be the same age as her. "M-May I get to know my servant better?"
"She is at your disposal, please ring the bell if you require my services." the head servant turns to check on his gold time watch and excuses himself.
Once the two were left alone, the noble lady couldn't help herself but began asking curious questions towards our little Azzie. "So you've been outside?! What's your name?! How old are you? How have you been faring in our humble home?"
Too many questions all at once, she feels dizzy at this hyper girl that was shaking her hands like some sort of interrogation.
"Oh! Right you're mute! Let me get some pen and paper for you to write on!" the happy girl runs to one of the shelves to grab an empty notebook and a quill.
"Here! Please don't be shy." she gives the other girl the things she grabbed and waits for her new servant to write the answers.
Alright... She can only write her name. Her grandfather taught her before he passed away. She holds the quill dipping it in ink and writes down her first name...
A... z... e... l.
Her hands stop and present it to her new master. The noble lady's mouth opens before it turns to a smile pointing at the notebook. "Azel. Is that your name."
Azel doesn't know what kind of person her new master is so she decided to keep up the mute act for a while and just decided to nod her head signaling that, yes it is her name.
"You have a very lovely name. It looks like I'll be in your care then, Azel."
Azel couldn't help but grasp the thin notebook a little harder, having wrinkled the pages a little she snapped out of it and thought of a reply.
She dips the quill once more and writes-
Tank... yuo...
She shows it to her master who giggles a little reading the adorable message in her notebook. "My name is Cordelia Louvcrat." she curtsies and Azel, not knowing what to do, copies what her master did doing a small curtsy earning a small chuckle from the other girl.
"My apologies if the head servant never got to introduce me since I know he's a little forgetful but I assure you he's very kind." (Cordelia) speaks highly of the head servant.
Azel's eyes almost rolled when she heard the word kind.
He's certainly kind for a person who drags people by the chains instead of helping them up.
Slowly, the servant would come to grow her feelings towards her master. Every time Cordelia needed her servant she had this small bell to ring when she needed her service.
Everytime she called out to her friend, it was always a delight. "Azel! Come sit with me!" she would order her servant to read books with her or at least teach her what the vowels sounded.
"Azel! Wait, you can speak?! And you had to wait for a few months to tell me. Humph, fair but I feel rather betrayed."
"Hey Azel, you're holding the quill all wrong. I told you I'll be teaching you how to read and write to take this seriously."
The two of them became close friends, Azel even trusted her with telling about her family circumstances and the fact that she was now an orphan sold into slavery.
Every time her lady says her name she feels happy and satisfied with her life but...
She wanted more.
A mere servant and master relationship was not enough.
What if they held hands? Kissed? Even made love into the night? The thought of it almost killed her but what can she do... they were both women and she have nothing much to offer her master.
Seasons change, and people too.
Now Azel's fear came. Her young miss would soon to grow up and marry. Her father has already arranged a marriage for her with a nobleman that would be an incredible asset to their rankings and power if they produced an heir together.
Being the only child of the Louvcrat family, it was Lady Cordelia's only duty. "Azel, don't you think my father is a bit too hasty with the marriage?" (Cordelia) was sitting on the front of her glass mirror while her servant brushed her hair for her. "What if- I'm not ready and I fail the family of their expectations for me?"
Azel was put on the spot quickly and she had to answer carefully so she doesn't let her true feelings leak, "Have you met the gentleman you'll be marrying milady?" she takes her time with her hair feeling at peace even with the worry of her loved one being pawned off for a loveless marriage she can't stop.
"Yes... I have. Lord Dominic is.. a nice guy I suppose." (Cordelia) couldn't help herself from pouting and crossing her arms. "What do you think about it? Are you happy I'm getting married too?"
Azel stops brushing her soft curly brown hair and forces a smile. "If milady is happy, I'm happy."
"What if I'm not happy?" (Cordelia) continues slumping her head and body to Azel's.
"Pardon?" (Azel) was taken aback by this but shrugs it off. Her master must not be in a good mood. "Please stand up straight, milady I can't brush your hair properly if you lay your head to my chest."
Cordelia ignores her like a little child. She felt comfortable in her dearest friend's breast. She wishes it was her everyday pillow but it seemed too selfish of her to ask. "I told you. I'm not happy. I don't... feel happy. Everyone is happy, everyone tells me how happy I must be with the sudden arrangement."
"For that you have finally found a suitable husband, milady?" (Azel) felt a pang in her heart the moment she said that. "If you're not happy... I'm sorry but I don't know what to do to cheer Milady up."
"Cheer me up, you say?" the noble lady pulls her friend's hands and wraps it around her neck. "This... is enough to cheer me up. It's cold and I need your warmth." (Cordelia) smiles snuggling further.
Azel on the other hand was flustered and cursed at her heart to beat still. "I-I'm glad I could help?"
The day of marriage, her master Cordelia never appeared at the altar. Her servant seemed to have gone missing as well.
Due to unknown events, a massacre was committed and the noble lady Cordelia Louvcrat's body was found dead with a knife plunged at her right shoulder.
The groom was covered in blood but he was deemed innocent by everyone around him. He told everyone the missing servant was at fault for he had to fight her off because she was armed with a knife.
The same knife that was plunged into the back of Lady Cordelia.
Rumor has it... a swarm of black cats flooded the city after. They surrounded the young man before his family fell into ruin. Every month some disaster struck and they believed it was the bad luck of marriage that came into play.
The young spirit cat spirit swore for revenge but she wanted more. Before leaving the city where her master was buried, she stole the bell her master would ring when she needed her. It was the only thing that kept her together while she was cursed to live her life as an immortal.
How she wished she could've avenged her lady instead by killing him by her own hands but every time she attempted to, the chains tied to her wrist became heavier and heavier.
Now with no other purpose once the man decided to kill himself, she roamed the world bringing bad luck to those around her if she wanted.
Becoming the karma that we all feared.
Author's note: Will come back in the end of June! With free new two chapters but the advanced five will be on my patreon!