"Where are you heading to, lass?" Asked the man in a garnet-collared coat with cuffs. He stood beside the gate filled with patriotism and a musket at his side.
"I am searching for a sore throat medicine called Botulinum."
"Do you have the pass?" The other man in the same clothes standing on the other side of the gate touches his peaked cap. His cap had the same insignia as the other.
"I believe I do not have it."
"Go back on your way, lass. You cannot cross the gate unless you have the pass."
"However, I am told not to return unless I have brought the medicine with me. For an entire day, I could not find it. Maybe if I cross this gate, the next city have it."
"Whoever sent you did not give you any pass. You cannot cross. Go back."
"Botulinum, you say?" I nodded to the other man and he laughed. "You must be kidding. That is a poison, lass." I gripped tight the pouch with two half-crowns handed by Emery. "Now, leave. A rail coach is about to pass."
I looked to my back and saw a rail coach approaching. I walked back to the pavement. It seemed Ottilia wanted to rid me from the House. What should I do with the money? I do not know how to go back in the House. With this much, I guess I can pay rent and buy food for more or less two months if I would be scanty.
Will it be worth doing, though?
"Hey, little lady." A man abruptly appeared before me. His smile creeps me out. "I heard you were searching for a medicine called Botulinum. Am I right?"
Well, it is not a medicine, though.
"I actually know where to buy one. However, it is in the turf of thugs that are certain for a kill. But, you see—" I ignored him and continued to my walk. "—Hey, I have not finished talking." He walked to my side. "I know a path where I could pass without intercepting with them. It would be dangerous if you go there. I could go there, instead. How about it?"
People were walking across the other pavement however there was almost no one on where I am. I tried to cross the rail tracks but the man grabbed my arm.
"Did you hear me?" His conning tone did not fade away. "You can trust me with the money. I will go buy it for you and wait until I get back."
I tried to get away from his grip while I notice him glancing from his sides. He pulled me into a narrow alley. Is this because I am a kid or because I am a female? Both.
"Hey," his tone slowly changed. "I am an adult. Children are supposed to believe adults. Now, give me the money. I will definitely buy it for you." While I tried to get away from his grip, he pulled me in grabbing my other arm. "Let me help you get it."
As my left arm slipped from his grasp, I took hold of the corner of the wall pulling myself away from him. "Do not struggle, kid." However, my strength obviously is not enough compared to him. He gradually finds his hand in my pocket. I noticed the strength of his grip on my other arm loosen as he got overconfident. I quickly took my arm from him and ran. "Where are you going?!"
After I stepped out of the alley, he grabbed my hair. While trying to get away from him a while ago, my hood had fallen on my shoulders. This time I could not get away from it. I felt a sudden pain and heard something click as he grabbed my arm again.
I fell to my knees with the intense pain from my right arm. He eventually takes the pouch from my pocket and ran away with a grin. "This is huge money," I heard him whisper to himself as he left.
As I tried to move my arm, the pain intensified and I put it down. I am now both utterly useless and worthless. A few moments later, I stood while I stopped my breathing and continued for an aimless walk.
People glared at me as I pass before them. A woman squandered as she laid her eyes on me. Suddenly, a man running from my back bumped me without looking back. The pain felt like I was dying. I bit my lip until I tasted blood and walked.
Did Elva's pain hurt this much or more than this? I wondered how Father felt dying in the war. Was the loss more painful than dying?
"Talia? Talia." A familiar man in an ebony coat arrived at my side. "My Lordship," he shouted facing across the side of the road. It was Karl.
I saw Lothar approach me with a peculiar smile I have never seen before.
"Call the coachman immediately."
"Yes, My Lordship." Karl grabs something from his pocket and spoke to it. "Messin, we are at the intersection of the Abellard Street and Starkes Avenue. At the right pavement. Hurry." He puts it back. A communication system?
I feel someone's hands on my shoulders. Lothar put the hood back. We waited next to the rail tracks while inside the robe I wrap my hand on my right elbow. As a rail coach arrived, Lothar helped me walk inside. After him, Karl sat across us locking the doors.
The rails creak as the coach moves. The last time I rode here I was at the storage compartment and now I am sitting within where they sat. I have never been in a rail coach other than being in the compartment. It felt so strange sitting in a moving vehicle while people outside are walking.
Other than the sound of friction, it was silent inside. Suddenly, the buildings disappeared. There were tons of water below. As I glanced at the window near Lothar, the unending water I once spoke of was before my eyes. With red and yellow tints in the sky, the sun arrived on the horizontal line connecting the sky and waters.
The seventeenth bell rang. "You seem to be fascinated with the setting sun." I looked at Lothar. Was I? "You were staring at it for several minutes."
As the buildings appeared again, the sea and the sun disappeared from my sight. I went back watching from the window beside me. If I stare, do I look fascinated? I believe I stared but my face was still.
"We are almost at the estate, Sir Karl." Karl immediately took the communication gizmo.
"Have Baldwin prepare." He puts it back.
Several moments later, the coach entered the gates of the estate and parked before the House. Karl opened the door giving Lothar away. As I climb down, Lothar tried to hold my precious arm. "Ah." As it is, the pain is still there.
"What is it?" As small as my voice earlier, he heard it. I do not believe there is someone who has the same good ears as I have.
I let him hold my left arm instead. I can step out from the coach by myself however I heard it would be rude to refuse. As I enter the House with Lothar beside me and Karl behind, Adamas approached us. Karl took Lothar's coat and hands it to him.
"Welcome back, My Lordship Lothar."
"Take hers too." Following Lothar's words, Adamas took my robe off. "Have the nurse in my chamber."
"Understood. The page is already in your chamber, My Lordship. Would there be anything else?"
"You can take your leave, Adamas," Karl responded. As I start to follow Lothar, he asked. "Is there something wrong with your arm, Talia?"
I was holding my elbow still. We stopped walking and Lothar kneeled to look at my arm. "I figured there was something wrong when she stepped out from the coach. I already told the butler to bring the nurse in my chamber." He stood and we continued walking.
We took the stairs and arrived before the doors of his chamber. Karl opened the doors, Lothar walked in and I followed. My eyes met Olivier's who stood beside the cart. He smiled ear to ear and waved.
Lothar sits on the couch while Karl stands behind him. He ushered me to sit across him. I took a seat and Olivier began serving the food from the cart on the table.
"You have not eaten for more than a day. You have to eat while we wait for the nurse to arrive."
I felt conflicted however undoubtedly I was hungry. With my left hand, I took a spoonful from the stew. Lothar took the fork and knife slicing the beef into small pieces. This was followed by the bread and the tuna. I am feeling more conflicted.
Survival is indeed an innate ability of any living existence. No matter how much the mind wanted to disappear, the body wanted to survive. I finished everything Olivier served to me. The nurse, Floria, who had arrived while I was eating kneeled to look at my arm.
"It is an elbow dislocation, My Lordship. I believe we need Doctor Adelhelm Raudoir in order to treat this." She stood.
"Is he not visiting Mother today?"
"He only visits her every Monday and Friday, My Lordship."
"I will have Sir Karl to call for him. Do what you can in the moment."
"Understood, My Lordship." As Karl and Olivier leave the chamber, Floria turned to Leina. "Leina, bring me a pack of ice." Leina left while she kneeled again. She pinched my wrist with her thumb. "Can you bend your wrist up?"
I tried to follow her words but as I did the pain intensified. "Alright. If you cannot, let us try spreading your fingers out." I gradually spread my fingers apart. "Would it also be possible for your thumb to reach your pinky?" My fingers trembled as I did. She swept my sleeves and wrapped her hand on my arm with gentle pressure.
"Ah." Karl walked back whispering to Lothar.
She smiled. "Other than the pain, can you feel my hand on your arm?"
"No."
Leina arrived bringing a metal tray with an ice pack. She offered the tray to Floria. Floria stood, taking the ice, and placing it on my elbow. "You hold this, Leina. I have to prepare for Doctor Raudoir's arrival." Leina followed her words. "I shall take my leave, My Lordship," she said, bowing, and left.
My armpit and hand felt the cold. So, one can feel such numbness in certain circumstances. It must be a marvel to have it all your life. However, "I cannot understand." I looked at Lothar who had been staring at me this entire time. "I cannot understand why you are going to such lengths. I do not think I can continue serving you with this injury."
"I have said this before. You shall continue as my aide for as long as I wish to." Is this for the reason that I cannot understand or for something he cannot? "I will have the chambermaid accompany you throughout your recovery."
And, I cannot understand why he is being evasive. The nineteenth bell rang and Floria was accompanied by a man in a navy coat. The man lowers his topper as he bows before Lothar.
"Good evening, My Lordship. I have heard of the situation. I will see to it that the treatment is successful." He stood.
"Please do so."
Adelhelm assisted me to stand and led me to lie on the bed while I saw Lothar follow us. I have never felt so conflicted all my life. Adelhelm with the assistance of Floria began to treat my arm and wrapped a cast around it afterward.
As I rose with Floria's assistance, Raine was already standing by the door. After talking with Lothar, Adelhelm left with Floria and Lenia behind him.
"You will return to your responsibility as of tomorrow morning," Lothar said. "You can take your leave."
Accompanied by Raine, I walked to the quarters. It is certainly difficult to comprehend someone else's mind no matter how similar are the books you have read. Or might be because they are adult and I am a child.
"That definitely hurt." Raine spoke. I nodded. "I happened to hear a particular conversation earlier between Aquila and Emery." I looked at her. "It seemed Aquila heard you speaking of His Lordship's name with disrespect. Emery must have told Her Ladyship Ottilia about it."
Raine opened the door and I went in to sit on my bed touching my pillow. She followed and sat beside me. "Everybody here knows of your peculiarity. Few of them wants you out and most of them do not care less. Well, are you not lucky? His Lordship had taken a liking on you." I looked at her. "I guess you will be fine in the next months to come."
The door creaked and Aquila entered in surprise. "So, the knight in a shining armor definitely arrived for the rescue," she said with a grin and climbed up to the deck above us. We heard her yawn. "I wonder how long will it last, though."
"You better sleep, Talia. Ignore her," Raine whispered to my ear. As she took her mobcap, her silky hair flowed down. She opened the drawer taking her comb and climbed up to the deck across.
Raine combing her hair was the last thing I saw as I lie down covering myself with the blanket and turned to the wall.