"Fatima, from today onward, you are hereby released from your duties as the children's nanny."
The subtle shift in her expression was surprisingly painful to look at. My heart won't stop throbbing. I had so many questions for her, but now that I'm facing her, I don't even know where to begin. Questions like 'What happened to you?' 'How did you end up in this situation?' and 'Why are you here?' raced through my mind but could never find their way out of my mouth.
"I-is it something I did, your grace? Have I caused you distress, in any way?" she asked, with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Hold on a moment, what is she doing? Why is she kneeling on the floor?
"Please forgive me, your grace. I did not intend to displease you in any way. Please don't throw me away. I will work hard to correct my mistakes if only your grace would allow me another chance. Please, I beg of you, mistress."
If she throws me out, I'll be all alone. I have nowhere to go.
"Mama! There you are! Oh!"
"Cadhiel, what have I told you about wandering around without a chaperone? And knock before you enter a room! *sigh* Good grief!"
His head slumped as he started twiddling his fingers nervously. This troublesome child will stress me out even more than I already am. He's barely tall enough to reach the doorknob, yet he's been wreaking havoc around the mansion every waking day.
"Mama… why Fati on the fwoor? Are you puniting her? I won't let you ham my pwecious Fati!"
** Translation (Mama, why is Fati on the floor? Are you punishing her? I won't let you harm my precious Fati.)
What is he doing? I hope he knows he can't protect her with those short limbs of his. Honestly, he's just too much like me, only much more adorable. Don't laugh, Emilia, he's trying his best. I need to at least pretend I'm taking him seriously.
"Step away from Fati, Cadhiel." I glared menacingly.
"No! I no want to!" he retaliated stubbornly.
**Translation (No! I don't want to!)
Great…just what we needed.
"I…*hic* I going to potek her fwom you. Mama can spank Cadhiel instead!" he shouted frantically.
**Translation (I'm going to protect her from you.)
What in the world? Fati, say something, will you? Tell him I wasn't doing anything to you. Why is she staring at me in a daze? Does she not understand my gestures? Oh, right, of course she doesn't understand.
"Pardon the intrusion, your grace." Announced the knight standing in the doorway.
"Fati, are you hert? Did mama hert you? Me see…"
**Translation (Fati, are you hurt? Did mama hurt you? Let me see…)
"Urgent news from the capital." Said the guard as he whispered the remaining words into her ear.
Her face instantly lit up as she spoke to him. I don't think I have ever seen her this happy before. Is duke Dimitriu returning home?
"Don't cwy, okay? I share candies wit you lator. Okay?" he sniffled as he wiped off my tears.
**Translation (Don't cry, okay? I will share candies with you later)
My sweet Cadhiel!
"Fati…" she called with a sigh.
"How would you like a room of your own?"
A room of my own? But why?
"Your grace was generous enough to move us from the stables into the maids' quarters. I am satisfied with just that, mistress."
"Emilia…call me Emilia."
"P-pardon?"
What's going on?
"Mama wants to be Fati's fwend?"
**Fwend-friend
What an odd thing to say to a lowly slave.
"Yes, I would like for us to be as closed as possible in the near future, Fati." She exclaimed with her hand extended towards me.
"Yay! Mama and Fati fwends! Cadhiel happy!"
Wait, Cadhiel! This isn't the time to be elated This could be a trap! A trap, I say!
~Kartier Mansion, Dia City, Lithiar
"Your footsteps are too heavy, and your stance is flawed in every way. You leave yourself wide open. Again!"
"His feedback is always straightforward." Whispered one knight.
"Leniency is clearly a foreign term to him. It sometimes feels like he's nitpicking."
"Shh! He's looking our way."
"It seems I have been rather benevolent towards you all. How about…"
"Your imperial highness! It's an emergency! Sir Leonardo…"
Saved by the bell! Thank goodness!
"Catch your breath, Uwol. What's the matter?"
"Sir Leonardo…and…and Ulissa…inside the mansion." he wheezed in panic while pointing towards the estate.
++++++
Her body was covered in bruises as she lay unconscious on the medical bed. Meanwhile, Leo kept sighing as he frantically paced back and forth. I don't think I've ever seen him this fretful before. I wonder what happened.
"We gave her medicine for the fever and also applied ointment to her bruises. She will be sleeping for quite a while, your highness." Informed the physician.
"Any broken bones or fractures, doctor Halston?" I questioned with concern.
"Surprisingly, there weren't any, which is great news. However, it will be hard for her to move about on her own for a while."
"Keep a close eye on her and update me on her recovery."
"Will do, your highness."
"Follow me, Leo."
+++++
When I returned her to her father, he thanked me with a smile and offered a reward, which I declined. Then I took a detour to pay a visit to Madam Ulala, and on my way back I noticed a crowd gathered in front of the chieftain's home. They were cheering loudly as they clapped their hands joyfully, so I became curious. Miss Ulissa's hands were tied up on a pole where her feet were hovering off the ground. Five muscular men wearing sac cloths over their heads were circling around her as they took turns battering her with large pieces of linen filled with rocks. Meanwhile, the chief and his family were smirking contemptuously, as though they were enjoying the horrendous torture of their own child. I couldn't bear the sight, so I instinctively grabbed her and bolted. Surprisingly, no one followed us.
"I think I may have stirred some friction that could lead to a much bigger issue, your highness. I truly am sorry. I acted without thinking and…"
"What would have been worse is if you had left without her after having witnessed something like that. Had you done that, I would have lost all respect for you, Leo. There's no need for you to worry. I will take care of the political end of the situation."
As a man who is always thousands of steps ahead of everything, this was quite unlike him. He tries so hard to be perfect in everything he does, which sometimes worries me. However, there aren't many people I can trust like I do him.
"I'll open a secret investigation on Ulissa. Would you like to take the lead? On second thought, you can choose to sit this one out. You aren't required to partake in it."
"I'm afraid an investigation will not be necessary, your highness. I have all the information you may require as I conducted one in advance, your highness."
I'm not even surprised anymore.
"Well done. I'll be going on a trip to Uluka in two days' time to settle things."
~Two Days Later, Uluka Tribe, Chief's Quarters
"I came to make you aware that you now have five of your own in my court, chief Ulsef. Now that I've said everything I wanted to say, I shall depart." I cleared my throat as I rose from my seat and strode towards the exit.
"Your subordinate must have been greatly startled, your highness." He chuckled in his usual raspy tone.
"It's nothing to fret about, as this is merely the way our family disciplines our disobedient children. Please have a seat, and drink with me, your imperial highness."
The two giant men who were standing by the door loomed over me menacingly as though they were threatening me to accept his invitation or else. How foolish.
"In the matter of my daughter, I take it you're here to bargain with me, your highness. As you may already be aware, my flowers are quite costly, you see…"
Speaking of his own children, as if they were mere objects on a shelf awaiting to be sold to the highest bidder. He's no different from a slave merchant.
"If your goal was to coerce me into marrying your daughter, you should've at least shown some leniency during your disciplinary ritual. You may not be aware of this but, I'm not very fond of damaged goods." I replied nonchalantly before proceeding to exit the meeting hall.