The cart reached the great mansion of Lord James. The guards in the watch residence walked out, opening the railing door. They were wondering why only one cart returned from Riva.
"Where are the others?" One of the men stated.
"We are mourning the master's death. The mountain didn't let us pass without sacrificing."
Elizabeth watched the men's faces that lost shades and turned pale.
"Look at them, even they are sad, it is not only you and I."
"We are orphan girls, Elizabeth! Our life will be no easy."
The cart moved as the man shouted and rode inside. He rode them exactly in front of the mansion door.
The entrance door got open and Charles's wife came out to greet them. She was rubbing her hands and grabbed her shawl close to her mouth.
The carter jumped down and opened the door for the sisters. The woman saw the bloodstains that were mixed with mud on Elizabeth's clothes.
"Why did you come late?"
She asked the Carter.
Elizabeth rushed inside without looking at her she crossed the doorway and Luna slowly passed by while gazing at a point that wasn't clear. She was as if someone who got hit by stray ghosts.
"The forest road was locked so we used the river alongside..."
The man continued narrating what he saw and the lady screamed with the last statement.
Luna closed her eyes and paced her strides, trying to breathe but she hardly afforded. The maidens and valets peered at her but she dismissed them and just dragged her bag behind her.
"Milady!" One of the young maidens said, but Luna paid no attention and climbed the stairs. She wasn't supposed to explain to anyone. The scene was still strolling up and down in her mind and seized her as if a hungry wolf.
The maiden marched after her, saying nothing only following the girl. Her tears were burning her cheeks. Not a delightful circumstance caused her to be this desperate.
Their room was on the third floor and Luna didn't use the lift only drew her way to where the prints of Elizabeth's shoes were left on the floor.
Arriving at their room, the door was left wide open, she halted, tilted her head, gazing at the fallen pink dress on the floor that was colored by their father's blood.
She fell on her knees and the maiden ran to her, hugging her between thin arms. Luna was crying and screaming, just realized what she witnessed. The house's wooden floor, the well-designed painted walls, and the arch of the ceiling, everything, they ran colorless and gloomy.
"He died, just in front of my eyes and I could do nothing."
The maiden's hazel eyes grew wide. She just noticed what bale caused this muse figure to become a haunting sorrowful wraith.
Inside the bathroom, Elizabeth was washing her body harshly. Her father's bloody hand was in front of her sight. She heard Luna's screams and began to cry under the shower but kept it silently.
"I will find out who sent that cursed crow! Who did dare to curse us?"
She smashed the sponge into the mirror. There, her own reflection was showing up, yet steamy and dusky.
She felt the burning spot on her arm. The trace of the lash was bleeding. It was time to get out, she promised herself, and those words were carved in her heart, in her memory.
She wrapped the towel around her and stepped outside. Barbara, their maiden saw the girl's arm and grabbed her mouth. She already made Luna lay on her bed, putting her bag on the hanger but this one was not in a proper state.
"Milady! I know you hate it but that scratch needs care or it might be infected."
Elizabeth shrugged, "clean it for me."
Barbara fixed her white hat and apron then strode to the emergency box that was inside the table cache. She could not lose this chance before Ell change her mind.
Luna didn't turn back to glimpse at her sister, she dragged the sheet on her head and coiled under it.
Elizabeth took her pants and a shirt out of the dresser. She was sick of dressing like a lady. Dressing up hastily, she let Barbara bandage her arm. She needed this hand for avenging her father. She clearly heard the wheels being wobbled.
Drawing a chair back, Ell took her seat to be healed. Barbara sprayed alcohol to her hand and then grabbed a vial of potion, removing the pin, she poured the potion on the cotton and tended to clean her arm. She hissed as she dabbed the cotton but Ell showed no reaction. Only her small face tightened and changed color to a pink shade which approved the pain.
"Sit, Barbara! I am no better than you. We are orphans now."
Barbara hesitated, tears welled down her eyes. It was as if a huge ice bucket that she was tossed in it. Elizabeth gazed at her, "you loved my father, didn't you? If he ever married you, now we were not in such a pain."
Luna shot back the sheet from her face. She made herself sit. Barbara continued cleaning Ell's arm with a heavy heart. Her hush was saying that she could agree but as a village girl, she wasn't allowed to marry her lord. It didn't matter if she was a gorgeous lady. The marriage among the courtiers was not for love most of the time. Love was the forbidden fruit to eat.
"Don't move, milady."
"She is right. This occurrence is fishy. Someone killed our parents, this is why they sent those cursed crows."
"What?" The mishap was enormous but these words were even the worst.
"Yes, and we have no proof to prove this because she can call us mad and would send us to the madhouse."
Ell noted coldly, persuading her sister and Barbara to be muted until they find the proof.
"Don't tell this to anyone. I am going to send a letter to your uncle. If you received such a thing a witch is around us."
Ell's eyes rolled on her, "yes, there is and she is now inside the infirmary."
Barbara finished her work and wrapped the scratch. She gathered everything and walked to the door, "have some rest. It is not going to be easy for any of us."
She slammed the door behind.
Luna leaned back, glancing at the windows side.
"What happened to your arm?