Kingdom of Snakus - City of Scale Red - Farm of Wallender - 13:10
"Gakane!"
I looked up and stood up properly from bowing down. I watched Mister Wallender walk towards me while carrying a wooden beer cup. His face was serious when he stopped in front of me.
"Where's my money?" It's an accusation that makes me frown. Bad breath smells of alcohol and it's disgusting.
"Huh?" I raised my eyebrows at the question. Can't believe what he's accusing.
"Where's my money? What did you do with my money?" His eyes were angry and he held me tightly by the arm.
"It hurts, Mister Wallender!" I told him and tried to remove his arm from holding me. "Tell the truth! Don't beg!" He screamed angrily and tightened his grip on me even more, his nails digging in.
What the hell? I don't even know where his money is! This old man is treating me as a thief again.
"I-I don't know! Believe me! It hurts!" I felt my heart enveloped by the cold as I said those words. I knew the old man was narrow-minded and wouldn't believe me so he violently dragged me out of the paddy field to the hut and threw me inside. He stopped in front of the door. Looking disgusted at me.
"I don't believe it! Where is my money, Gakane?" He screamed again and kicked me in the knee, leaving a mark of pain on my face.
"You ask questions and then you don't believe it!" I shouted back and glared at him.
His finger pointed at me and I could see the eagerness on his face to punch me. "You're ungrateful and useless, child!" He exploded and gave me a kick to my feet, next to my knees, and up to my legs. He didn't stop and continued shouting I'm a thief.
"S-stop—Mister Wallender!" My voice is hoarse. I tried to beg him even though I didn't really feel any pity in my heart but I could feel the numbness in my lower body.
He stopped what he was doing and glared at me. "Dauthi told me about your theft and now you're lying to me again!" He said angrily. "I regret taking you from your worthless father!"
I bent down and felt a pain in my heart. I didn't feel angry or annoyed at what he said, I just stayed quiet and bit my lower lip to prevent myself from talking back. Dauthi is one of his twin sons, he has the power to fool people and manipulate his father to hurt me. He really won't stop until I'm kicked out of their land. I also know that he committed this theft because he has many vices.
"The twins were right, you're just a burden in our lives! You're also one of the most worthless people we've ever met!"
I clenched my palms as I felt heavy and tried to stop myself from speaking. I only let Mister Wallender say bad things to me because I knew he was drunk and maybe if I answered he would hurt me more.
"I don't know your father's reason but because I realize now I will throw you away!" I quickly turned to him with raised eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" I asked with a trembling voice, hoping that what he said next would be untrue.
"I'm kicking you out of my house, Gakane. You're a thief from a lowly clan. Take your clothes and leave my place!" He said quickly before turning his back on me and walking away. That's it? After I served them for 10 years? After I take care of their farm? After I enrich their family? They're just going to dump me like that?
"Who is the most insignificant of us all?" I whispered softly and sat up properly to see my leg which was bruised in several parts. Nothing changed, another bruise just showed up.
I breathed heavily and was stunned inside the hut. I expected this before, even if I wanted to run away first, I couldn't leave because I had nowhere to go and besides, I didn't have any friends to ask for help.
Who would want to approach me? Dauthi says my eyes are cursed because no one can look at them and Mister Wallender is the only one who can last because he's always drunk and out of his mind. My thick hair is always messy and frizzy, the clothes I wear are still dirty because I am always in the fields to grow crops, but even so, my skin remains white. It's not smooth but dry. My whiteness is not immediately noticeable because I'm always under the sun.
I take a deep breath and slowly let it out again. I have been living here for a long time and now I can leave. I don't even know where to go. Even though my legs were shaking, I tried to stand up. I put my two muddy hands on the floor and slowly stood up. I felt a pain but I ignored it and walked out of the hut.
There was a strong wind and the leaves on the tree moved along with a few strands of my hair. My throat is very dry and my stomach hurts from hunger. The Wallenders didn't even give me anything to eat or drink. They are heartless and rude. I don't want to leave them because my father told me to but now is different because Mr. Wallander wants me to be out of their place.
I start walking towards the Wallender mansion, it is a bit far and the sun is still shining but luckily there are trees on each side of the path. I can still clearly see Mister Wallender's quick walk. I pause for a moment when I feel the pain in my bruises. This is the first time Mister Wallender has physically hurt me, he used to only give me bad words, and now I can't believe that he would hurt me like this. I was dumbfounded as I walked and felt the cold air touching my skin. At this time, I was thinking about where I was going.
"You don't need to go inside, poor girl. Here are your dirty, ugly, and shabby things," he told me when I stopped at the mansion door. Dauthi was standing there with his twin, Dominus. His eyes were cold and Dauthi's eyes were annoyingly teasing me.
"W-is it complete?" I asked weakly and picked up the three large pieces of luggage on the ground.
"Yes, nothing more and nothing less," he answered with a smirk and put his arms around his twin who was just watching us. "Thank you and you may leave... poor girl," he added and pulled his twin brother into their residence and slammed the door shut.
I hung two pieces of luggage behind and in front of me and carried one with both hands. I looked up at the mansion in front of me and narrowed my eyes.
"I will come back here to destroy you."
City of Scale Yellow - Centro Market
"Hey, that's mine!"
"Shut up, Miss! You don't have any belongings here!"
"Buy our fresh vegetables!"
"Where are the children?!"
"Fuck off!"
"Give me back my change, you old man!"
I covered my nose when the thick smoke went in my direction. I can hear their loud voices but I can't do anything but pass by this place and look for a job. I look around to find a job that I can enter but I can't see any sign. There are so many people that I can't see everything.
"Ouch! What the hell?" I heard a lady's voice whom I bumped into. I looked at her and I could see that she was more than a commoner because of her expensive clothes and leather boots.
"Sorry," I said formally and was about to walk away when she pulled my left arm to face her again. "What?"
"Hey ugly, pay for my dress!" She said with an annoyed look and pointed to the white clothes she was wearing.
"I didn't mean to," I said coldly and looked at the stained dress. "I have no money to replace it."
"Whether you meant it or not, you still have to pay! Do you know that it costs more than most people's lives?" Her eyebrows met while telling me her overaction.
"You know I don't care?" I whispered and looked her in the eyes. She was stunned by what she heard.
"Don't look at me like that, you demon!" There is a trace of fear in her voice but pretending to be brave. "What is your eye, is it from the dead and has no life? You're like a dead girl returning to life! Terrifying and… Disgusting!"
I don't feel hurt. My heart is numb and cold. I don't feel any anger toward her mean words. It's like a normal day for me to hear them.
"I can't pay for your dress because I don't have any money," I repeated because I didn't want to talk about my appearance.
She looked away while one of her feet tapped the floor. "You can pay me if you work for me," she said after a few minutes. I didn't refuse because I also needed something to live on. "What job can you offer?" I asked her.
She raised her eyebrows at my sudden approval. She didn't look into my eyes but she looked at my whole face going to my feet. I'm wearing a long faded, loose shabby dress and worn-out slippers.
"You dirt, where are you from?" Her eyes were disgusted and her tone was judgmental as she uttered the words. She's rude and arrogant. She thinks highly of herself for being rich but she has poor character. Still a poor girl.
"What can you really give?" I asked impatiently. She talks a lot and they are all nonsense to hear.
She looked at me in the eyes but just for a second turned her back on me. "Follow me," she arrogantly ordered and started walking.
I quietly listened to the talkative woman in front of me. She has short black hair, a little taller than me because of the sandals she wears, not too white, and she walks artistically.
"I'm Arao, short of Aurum Rao," she introduces herself with a girly voice. "You must call me Lady Arao from now on."
I nod even though she can't see me. I am hesitant to speak to introduce myself but she turns to me and raises an eyebrow at me. "Garelle Kane Landers, call me Gakane."
"Your name is beautiful, but you are ugly," she said teasingly, but I just ignored it.
Kingdom of Snakus - Castle of Snakus - Front Gate
"Welcome back, Lady Arao," seven guards greeted us when we got off the carriage. They even looked at me and stepped forward. "Do you know her, Lady Arao?" The old man asked and glanced at me.
"Yes, and she will be Prince Bryne's next personal maid," Lady Arao told him with a high head and turned to see me and grinned. I thought I would work for her? Never mind, I'm too lazy to ask.
"I hope you can stay with the prince," the old man said seriously and stepped back so I could pass and follow the woman who invited me to my new job. Who cares about his attitude when Dauthi is more jerk than him?
I didn't answer and started walking. The small gate door was opened so we entered. I paused for a second when I saw the big castle. When I was still riding in the carriage, I knew that this was where we were going because Lady Arao had said so. I couldn't stop my eyes from roaming around at the beauty, huge, and splendor of the castle.
"Hurry up," the woman shouted so I hurriedly walked to catch up with her.
Is it good that Mister Wallender kicked me out or not because I don't know what will happen to me here? The guard said I hope I will last and even though he indirectly said the prince has bad behavior, I knew he was a bad and impatient prince. That's my guess.
The stairs are long and high so you have to climb them. My throat became even more dry and my stomach was upset. I was very tired but I couldn't do anything but continue climbing and following Arao.
The big door of the castle was opened by five guards and there was even a sound that echoed in the place. A few helpers came to us. The interior of the castle is spacious and airy. There are many lights hanging on the walls, large chandeliers in the ceiling, and the floor is made of marble.
"When you see the prince, show respect. Don't answer like you did to me earlier because you spoke rudely. You are a really low creature," Aurum said directly.
"Alright," I answered briefly. She looked at me and rolled her eyes. I wet my bottom lip and looked up because of the long stairs. I didn't know there was something useless in a castle. There were three stairs but only one to go. What's the use of two stairs? The hell?
Aurum started climbing so I followed her again even though my body was getting weak. It wants to collapse but I'm trying not to fall because I still need to live and work hard at work.
"His name is Prince Bryne Lake Crowdy, are you sure you already know him?" She asked as if no one in this kingdom knew the prince. I just nodded at her and stayed quiet. "Prince doesn't like calling him Brake, only his mother can call him that."
I don't ask if he likes it or not. I don't even want to know his nickname.
"When you start working, don't forget to be respectful. No matter what he does to you, always remember that he is higher than you," his tone became serious and we stopped in front of the stairs and faced me. "I can feel you from the start we met, even if you are ugly, even if your voice is ugly, I know you can take care of the prince."
She took a deep breath and gave me a brief smile. "I hope you will last long to take care of the prince because it will be difficult to find someone to take care of him."
I nodded. "Can I ask a question?"
"What?" She replied.
"Why don't you just take care of him?" I asked curiously. She rolled her eyes before answering.
"Rao comes second to Crowdy, they're related to us," her answer raised my eyebrows. She's talking far from my question.
"A—"
"Beautiful girls like me don't take care of other people," she finally answered before turning around and walking to the right side of the hallway. After a minute, we stopped in front of the white door. Lady Arao knocked three times before an old woman opened it.
"It's you, Lady Arao. Come in," an old maid welcomed her with a soft voice and opened the door. Instead of following I stopped. The carpet is too nice and if I step on it, it might get dirty. Aurum turned to me and raised an eyebrow.
"What are you doing there?" Is she still thinking? Why does she think I'm here?
"My whole body is dirty, especially my feet. Why would I enter a room like that?" I reasoned and stared at the red carpet.
"You are unreasonable," I heard her say. What's so unreasonable about it? I looked up as Aurum pulled me in. "You're so lucky to be held by someone like me," she said, full of herself, and tightened her grip on me.
I noticed we were in the library and stopped at another door. She opened it and pushed me inside so hard that I fell and my face kissed the white carpet. Damn that girl. I can enter without her pushing me!
"Hello, cousin. May I interfere with your games?" Aurum said with a smile. I looked up and sat down. Baggage arranged. A man with a sword stood up and faced us with a smile.
"Arao! Why are you here?" A happy voice from the prince. I simply frowned. Is he really a prince with an impatient, rude, and cursed attitude like a girl who pushed me? Isn't that what Arao said? Or is it just me who thinks? He also looks like a child.
"I'm here with your new personal maid," she said and pointed her finger at me. "Be good to him, 'kay?" Lady Arao smiled and looked at me. "Remember what I said," she even gave me a meaningful grin before leaving and closing the door.
"What is your name?" The prince asked so I turned my attention to him. Why do they say something different from what I see now? The prince is too happy and talkative. Or maybe he's pretending.
"Garelle, my name is Garelle," I answered hesitantly.
"Hello Garelle, be patient with me."