"I have a feeling the chief will ponder our brief exchange for quite some time."
"I apologize for imposing on you like this, your highness." She sighed fretfully.
"There's no need to apologize. I merely told you about this to make you aware that you can no longer go back to the place you used to call home."
I should have probably phrased my latter sentence differently. Despite becoming her family's pin cushion after her failed marriage with the crown prince, Uluka will remain her homeland no matter where she goes.
"I…I…" she sniffled as she struggled to speak.
"I'm so happy. Thank you, your highness. Thank you so much!" she blushed with an elated grin on her face.
Huh! That's not the reaction I was expecting. She cried for quite a while before she eventually fell asleep. What was more surprising was witnessing Leo gently tucking her in bed like a doting love interest. I'm certain he was oblivious to her before, so what's changed? When did they become so close?
++++++
~A few days later, Kartier Duchy
"His highness is returning in a few days, mother! What am I to do? I can hardly contain my excitement. What must I wear? None of these dresses seems to be suitable for the victory celebration."
She's been running around the dressing room all morning. She'll certainly strain herself if she keeps this up.
"Florette, sweetheart. You must calm yourself. Breathe slowly, slowly…" I instructed as I held her hands.
Her progress has been rather remarkable for the past few years. The physician has been giving us promising feedback regarding her condition. I even assumed she had made a complete recovery until now.
"How about a stroll in the garden, my love? You can take Garmon for a walk. What do you say?"
"Okay! I Shall do as mommy suggests." She responded cheerfully, frolicking out of the room and humming happily.
+++++
"Fati, are you alright? I came running because I heard a loud shriek." panted Tomario.
"Lady Florette? Is something the matter, my lady?"
"You have some nerve being here at the same time as me." she roared angrily, pointing her pink fan towards me.
"Please forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to…"
"Save it! I shall have my mother deal with you accordingly. Hmph!"
As lady Florette's angry stomps faded away, a sudden discomfort grumbled in my stomach. Emilia and the children had already left for the capital, therefore if something were to happen between me and the duchess, there would be no one to intercept. *sigh* What terrible timing.
"Are you alright, Miss Fati? Would you like to rest a little?"
"I'm alright, Sir Tomario. I promised I'd help you today, and that's exactly what I'll do. We have quite a few berries to pick."
I need the distraction to relieve this foreboding tension building up in my chest.
~A Few Days Later
"Sir Tomario? What's the matter? Why are you out of breath? Have you been running?"
"No time to explain. You must run and hide, miss Fati! Go! Hurry!" he yelled as he gently nudged me forth.
Judging from the panic in his expression, I can almost guess what is about to unfold next. I ran for my life, knowing full well it was all futile.
"Fatima! Fatima, where are you? Just where did that little strumpet run off to? She was here a moment ago!"
Edith is the chief maid and the madam's personal lap dog. The only time she would seek me out like this is at her mistress' behest. Which means today is another one of those wretched days.
"Fatima! Come out this instant! I know you're hiding somewhere around here!"
Knowing her, she won't stop yelling until I come out.
"There you are!"
Unlike the maids, slaves are to work without getting paid in exchange for a place to sleep. We're forced to undertake the rigid tasks that would normally be required of male workers, all the while being fed scraps from the maids' leftovers. Those who work inside the mansion often refer to us as dirty, repugnant, ugly, disease-ridden creatures, etcetera, etcetera. Entry into the estate without prior permission is strictly forbidden, and any slave caught lingering around the residential areas will receive fifty lashes, without exception.
"The madam is waiting for you in the annex as usual. You'd best hurry before her mood worsens." She snickered with a smug.
Edith reminds me of those plump steamed buns I used to enjoy back in Ecchelon.
"Quit dragging your feet and hurry on over!" she continued to shout, whacking my back with her stout hand.
"Alright, alright I'm going. Geez! My back is burning up!"
Oddly enough, I am now craving steamed buns.
++++++
They dragged me here just a few days ago after lady Florette ratted me out while I was helping Tomario weed the garden. What have I done now?
"Get down on your knees and strip your back."
I'm certain I broke at least two of her ribs three days ago. Why does she seem to be in better shape than before?
"Mommy! That filthy thing had the nerve to be in the garden while I was taking my morning stroll!"
I cringed at lady Florette referring to her mother as 'mommy' at her age.
"If I may, Mistress. I was merely…Ack!"
"How dare you speak without my permission?!" she shouted while tightly clenching my hair. Her spit bubbles flew all over my face.
"Mistress, please let go of my hair so I can properly explain what transpired in the garden."
"Shut your filthy trap, you vermin! How dare you call my daughter a liar?!"
My cheeks were tingling, and my ears wouldn't stop ringing. I could hardly hear what they were angrily babbling about. The daughter repeatedly stomped on me while her mother was furiously thrashing me, yet I couldn't feel anything. The rusty taste of blood on my tongue kept getting stronger and the inside of my mouth felt swollen as she had slapped me multiple times. When she suddenly stopped and walked away, I thought it was finally over. How foolish was I to underestimate her vile intent? The large ceramic vase in her grasp tells me this is far from being over.
"B-blood! There is…so much blood. M-mother, is she…dead?"
"I very well hope she is. You!" she scowled in my direction.
"Y-yes madam!" I replied as I hastily stepped forward.
"Send someone to clean up this mess immediately and discard that thing into the lake!"
"P-pardon?"
She wants to throw her into the lake without checking if she's…
"How dare you disrespect my mother?" scorned lady Florette as she served me a strike across the cheek.
"What is going on here?" interrupted a loud yet calm voice. Standing in the doorway was a silhouette I was quite familiar with, only this time he was...
"Your majesty the crown Prince!" exclaimed lady Florette in excitement.
"M-may the glory of Alkaraz be with you, my prince." They greeted him with an elegant curtsy.
He strode into the room with confidence, carrying an aura strong enough to render one motionless. He looked around with a calm expression on his face until his gaze halted at the sight of Fati's body on the wooden floor doused in her own blood. His eyes widened briefly before turning his glowering gaze towards the duchess and her daughter as they shivered and clung to one another fearfully. At that moment, I knew none of us would leave this annex in one piece.
"Which one of you did this?" he asked menacingly while simultaneously pointing his sword at them.
I recall a wild rumor circulating around the empire while he was away fighting in the war. 'The crown prince's sword, once drawn, never goes back into its scabbard without fulfilling its purpose'. It was so popular that it became a hymn, merrily sung among the common children when they play together.
"You!" he called sternly.
"Explain to me what happened here?" he pointed his sword at my neck.
I could see my reflection on the clear iron blade, wondering how many lives were slain by this sword which will soon include my own. My tremors worsened as I struggled to speak, then I felt a warm liquid trickling through my thighs, down my legs and splattered on the floor. Our gazes slowly lowered as we awkwardly stared at my shame.
"Get out!" he scowled as he withdrew his sword.
I stormed out of the annex and immediately darted towards the mansion. On my way there, it finally hit me that Fati just died right before my eyes, and I stood there watching it all happen. I should have stopped the Duchess. I should have prevented her death, at the very least. She may have been a slave, but she was my friend. How am I going to explain this to Ivy and Clover?
The more I ran, the harder I cried until my legs gave out and I leaned upon a tree for a brief respite. The very thought of never seeing her again felt like thousands of needles were prickling my heart at once. I wanted to run back to the annex, but I wavered for fear that I, too, would share her fate. When I turned around, the annex was suddenly engulfed in flames while the crown prince was striding across the green field holding Fati's lifeless body in his arms. Meanwhile, screams of terror emitted from the inside, as the maids and knights scampered about, attempting to quell the raging fire.