Telna paced anxiously in her room as she bit on the end of her glove, frustration growing with each passing moment. No matter what she did, Atlier would not falter when it came to Mia. He watched her from afar and would be excuses to run into, or interact with her in any way he possibly could. The past few nights, Telna even witnessed the two of them sneaking into the study together. What else could she do? She'd already tried everything to get the two apart and even had Atlier's parents backing her.
"How disgusting to have such a filthy affair in the very presence of your fiancé." She said to herself as she whirled around and stared at the door in disgust. There had to be something more she could do. Then, a genius idea popped into her head.
That night she quietly crept up to the closed study doors in which Atlier and Mia were inside. She gently put her ear to the door and listened to their conversation. Inside, the two of them were going over the details of each crime.
"When it comes to how they were killed and how their bodies were found…..I can't hear it….so just give me a really simplified version. I'll trust you when you say they're connected." Atlier nodded and rubbed the top of her head, "Weak stomach?" he chuckled, "I'll keep it brief for you. These four, are connected most definitely but who would want them dead? They seem to have been strangled and beaten." He glanced over to check on Mia, who had her eyes shut tight, trying to keep the images from manifesting into her mind. "Was it too much?"
Mia shook her head, "No. I'm fine." Atlier raised an eyebrow as he noticed that she was slightly trembling. "You can tell me." He faced her and began to rub her arms, "What is it?"
She looked up at him and saw the sincerity and concern in his eyes. Was it really okay to tell him? Maybe if she just told him a little…or a lightly fabricated version of it, then it would be okay. "I had a nightmare once….that someone important to me was murdering people and they also kept the details written down…when I had found out…..they killed me too." Atlier wiped the tears that were coming down her cheeks and Mia blinked her eyes, not even noticing that she had started crying.
"Was that before you found these papers?" Mia slowly nodded and Atlier pulled her into a hug as he rubbed her back comfortingly. "No wonder you reacted the way you did. You don't need to worry, it was only a nightmare. I won't let anything bad happen to you."
Telna snarled from the other side of the door. It should be her that he is comforting, not this uncultured, random woman who probably doesn't even have a dime to her name.
Atlier gave her a final squeeze and patted her back before going back to the papers, this time keeping an arm around Mia as he spoke. "They've been late on paying their taxes, but haven't avoided paying them all together. I can't imagine it would be an official who would do this, especially when there are laws in place to take care of things like this."
"Could it be that they're being targeted because they've been late on paying their taxes, not because of the act itself but because the assailant is using it to throw people off their trail?" Atlier rubbed his chin, "Hmmm, it's an interesting theory and it's actually quite plausible."
Telna peeked into the space between the doors. It provided only a sliver of sight into the room behind it, but it was enough to see that Atlier's arm was firmly wrapped around Mia's waist. She scoffed and rolled her eyes before returning to her room.
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"Mia, Mia!" Atlier knocked on Mia's bedroom door the following morning. Moments later, Mia popper her head out carefully, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "A-Atlier? What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!" She carefully looked around the hallway behind him, making sure that no one else was around. He pushed his way into her room and shut the door behind them.
"Hey, what are you doing? What if the-" She was interrupted when Atlier pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tight. "Atlier? What if someone comes in!" He shook his head, "I don't care, I should be able to share good news with my friend." That word 'friend' caused Mia's heart to sting.
She pulled away but Atlier grabbed her shoulders and leaned down a little to be at eye level. "I got a lead. Mia, I got a lead! I'll have to travel to the capitol, Saphia. I want you to come with me. We'll be gone for two weeks, but it seems promising!"
There was a twinkle in his eye and he looked so genuinely happy, but Mia had her doubts. Was it really okay for her to go? An opportunity to see more of Baska was great, she could gather her own intel of how this world worked better, but just the two of them? Plus, traveling….just her and Atlier….she really wanted that. However, there was still the problem of Telna. Atlier and Mia were still having to sneak around, and even interacting with one another was apparently not allowed.
"Are you sure it's alright for me to go with you?" Mia bit her lip, she was so desperate to throw her arms around him and say, 'Of course I'll go!' but she knew she couldn't.
"You're my assistant, remember? I need you to come and assist me. Pack your things, we'll leave first thing in the morning." He kissed the top of her head and exited with a huge smile on his face. Mia gently rubbed the spot where he kissed her and smiled to herself. "Well….if he really NEEDS me to go…." With that she began pulling out things to pack and asked her maid for some luggage.
The morning of their scheduled departure, Mia and Atlier stood in the foyer of the estate with their luggage. The two of them, unbeknownst to each other, were each struggling to contain their excitement. However, their excitement was cut short when Telna appeared in front of them. Mia bowed her head but was ignored, which she expected.
"Your grace, I wish you the best on your journey and pray that you come home safe. Mia and I will patiently be awaiting your return." Mia looked up at Atlier who was already beginning to take his stance.
"I'm afraid you will have to await for Mia's return as well." His face was stern, and he spoke with confidence. Mia found herself extremely attracted to the way he was acting, and took a deep breath to calm herself down.
Telna smirked, "Your grace, I must insist that Mia stay here. It wouldn't be appropriate for her to travel along with her, especially with the rumors that have been circulating. How would your poor parents react when they discovered that their beloved son was traveling with some other woman behind his fiancé's back?" She feigned a sad look and Atlier clenched his jaw.
Before he could say anything, Mia spoke up, "She's right, Atlier you should go on your own. It wouldn't be right for me to accompany you." Atlier stared at her with a mixture of shock and disappointment. She patted his arm, "I'll pray for your safe return too!" Her intention was to say it full of confidence, to assure him that this was the right decision after all. Unfortunately, her voice cracked a little. Atlier sighed in disappointment and nodded, knowing Mia's intentions, "Alright. I will depart on my own."
Telna smiled wide at him as he made his exit. He glared at Telna as he passed her and glanced back at Mia, who waved sadly. As soon as the estate doors closed behind him, Telna turned to Mia with a wicked grin on her face. "Duke Atlier will be so happy to return home and see his maid behaving properly." Mia furrowed her eyebrows, "I am no maid, and Atlier does not see me as one either. I doubt that would bring him any happiness." Telna slapped her and shoved her to the ground.
"With his grace gone, I am your master now. You WILL listen to me, and you'll soon figure out that you are nothing in this world." Mia looked up at her with anger as she held her stinging cheek, "I have no master, and if I ever did, it would NEVER be you. Are you that delusional that you believe he would like what you're doing?"
An uncontrollable rage came over Telna as she grabbed Mia's arm with all her strength and dragged her off. Mia screamed for her to let go and scratched at Telna's hand. The servants did nothing but bow their heads in silence.
"I will make you regret ever laying your eyes on my fiancé. If you're good, maybe I'll sell you off to someone that's a little nice. You had better not ever let his name come out of your mouth again!" She dug her nails into Mia's arm and threw her down the stairs and into the cellar, locking the door after she shut it. "She will stay in here with no food or water until she learns what her position in this house is!" Telna exclaimed so that all the servants in the house may hear.
Mia grabbed at her leg, which had hit one of the stair corners. It throbbed and bled but it thankfully didn't feel broken. She looked around. The cellar was dark, and dusty. Hundreds of bottles of wine lined the shelves along the walls and in the corner sat wooden crates of various sizes as well as discarded rags. She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged herself tight in an attempt to fight off the cold air that filled the cellar's space. "Two weeks. Only two weeks until he comes back." She said to herself as she broke out into a soft sob.