The sun had long set, but Liora was still working; it was like she was having a good time, at least keeping herself busy; she had been at it for hours, moving between tasks, filling the gaps where she could even if Beatrice did not ask her too, but Liora felt good. But no matter where she went, she noticed the same pattern among the servants: the moment she stepped forward to help, the other servants either would step back, or they would walk away. It wasn't open hostility, but it was clear no one wanted to work beside her.
Beatrice didn't care for such things. She didn't spare Liora from heavy labor and didn't consider that she might be too delicate for the tasks assigned to her. If anything, she made sure Liora worked just as hard as the rest. and Liora didn't mind.
She wiped down the iron fences near the estate's entrance, her fingers pressing firmly against the damp cloth. The night air was cool, the estate quiet except for the occasional voices of passing servants. That was when the deep groan of the front gates crackled through the air and a royal carriage rolled through, its wheels grinding against the stone path.
Liora didn't look up at first but then Samuel's voice fell on her ears: "Master has arrived!"
The sudden commotion made her pause. She turned just as a group of male servants rushed toward the carriage. The estate doors flew open, and more came running; their hurried footsteps were echoing across the stone courtyard. "Bring a chair for Master! He's hurt!" Samuel instructed again. The urgency in the man's voice sent a wave of tension through the gathered servants. Liora's fingers curled around the cloth she held.
Samuel jumped down from the driver's seat, but Samuel was someone she didn't recognize. He was dressed in a simple pale yellow robe, but the way he carried himself made it clear he wasn't just another servant.
"And a stretcher, quickly!" he shouted.
Liora's gaze flickered toward the estate doors, where chairs and a stretcher were already being rushed outside and the front lawn of the estate was draped in dark shadows, interrupted by the gentle glisten of oil lamps.The sight made something stir in her chest; it was something close to curiosity, maybe?, or something closer to unease. Just then, she saw Lucien as he stepped out of the carriage, but not alone; his weight was leaned against Rowan. His usual sharp posture was gone; he looked tired, which maybe was the reason for his movements to be slower and heavier. His midnight-colored robes were dusted with dirt, and a dark patch covered his sleeves around his left. Liora's breath caught as she squinted her eyes and tried to concentrate on his sleeves as she was standing about 6 arms away from Lucien.
But then she saw blood. it was not a lot, but the amount of blood that was enough to stain the fabric at the edge of his sleeve was a lot.
Rowan's mood spoke through his expressions, which were unusually grim after today's event. His white robes were stained as well; though he moved more steadily than Lucien, Liora's fingers curled tighter.
Lucien was being brought in, placed on a chair held aloft by four men. He did not say a word; his head twisted slightly, and his hair's was falling on his eyelids as his eyes were shut. Rowan, who followed behind him but he declined the chair that was offered to him. He shook his head at the servant who came up, discarding the suggestion entirely.
Samuel, who was attired in his black robes, trailed behind them, his steps deliberatly slow alongside the stretcher.Samuel's face was long but he was having a serious expression as he gave instructions to servants whom he called for the injured woman: "Take two of you and carry him carefully." His tone was crisp, which sliced through the nighttime air. "The last room on the ground floor; take him there." "But sir, this is not." The servant spoke in a hushed voice, Samuel's eyes widening a bit as if he gave a hint to the servant. The servants understood that, then his eyes then darted towards the other two and he cleared his voice and ordered in his raspy voice, "Use the curtain to cover..." He continued stressing on the word "..him", as he said that he swung his two fingers, asking the servants to leave.
Then the two men grasped the stretcher, moving at a steady but urgent pace. Two others held aloft a length of cotton fabric, draping it over the wounded man, covering him from sight as they circled the entrance.
Where Liora stood beside the pedestal, she was cleaning the stone ledge when the carriage came in, but since then her hands had ceased motion, her attention glued to what was happening around her. But no one noticed her, maybe because of the low light but she had been right,none of them knew who she was. Not Lucien, not Rowan, not even Samuel, but he never saw her anyway. The maid's dress she wore was too well camouflaged in this herd of servants, and she was invisible.
Rowan spun halfway through a step, looking back at Samuel. "Hurry up."
Samuel released a low sigh. "Yes, yes." He gestured with a hand, urging the servants to hurry as he marched ahead of them. Liora strained to catch the rest, but their words were drowned out in the commotion of movement.In turn, one by one, they slipped through the doorway to step into the house. Lucien, on his part, issued a low command,
"Take me to the ha.. hall."
The attendants lugging him hesitated but obeyed, turning on the left rather than making for his chambers.
Beatrice came out of the corridor with her typical stiff demeanor, stiffening further as she spotted them and the moment she caught sight of Lucien and Rowan, her hands flew to her mouth as she exclaimed...
"Master Sir Rowan, you're drenched in blood!" Her voice carried across the hall, laced with genuine shock. Although Lucien didn't react to that, his head remained tilted back, and his eyes still closed as if he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her presence.
Beatrice snapped quickly back to herself, biting a maid standing by. "Go get water. Now." The maid fled without hesitation. and spinning back to Rowan, Beatrice demanded, "What occurred, ma.. master? Why would you two end up like this?"
Liora stood outside, rooted where she was.The words replayed in her mind. as she recalled Lucien's and Rowan's clothes...covered in blood.
Her fingers tightened marginally against the stone wall, a small unease tingling at the base of her neck but this had nothing to do with her. And yet... that's when Mara's voice whispered back to her. That prince is cruel. lips pressed together.
She had no reason to believe the palace maid's words, but still, the way Beatrice's tone shifted, the urgency in her commands, maybe this keeps happening it made her stomach twist. Liora hesitated, maybe she shouldn't step inside. Although she knew that.
But she wanted to see, so slowly, she crept behind the pillar, placing herself just out of view. Tiptoeing, she cocked her head to peer through the doorway, holding her breath silent....