"The entire half a year, waiting for the mont I would be presented to the monarch, I thought only about the horrors my life would face." I looked at Talia with glassy eyes, the tears on the verge of rolling down my cheeks, but I didn’t let them fall.
I stopped letting anyone see cry a long ti ago.
"What am I supposed to do, Talia? When a daydream hits you so hard you wish you never woke up from it?"
"Are you asking such a question? I’m only your handmaid, an inconsiderate person who wants to keep you alive so that I may live."
"Right." I smiled. "How stupid of to ask for your ears, pretend I said nothing of this. I’m just spiraling again."
"Do you know why I want to live, my lady?"
I shook my head.
"I have a sister, a little thing she is. I began serving in the noble house for her. She was born a sick child, and because of that, I learned dicine; my entire life was all about her. We are orphans, so we only have each other."
Talia sighed. "Then an offer ca from the Archduchess, choosing out from the other handmaidens she had lined up for their new assigned duties. She asked: What is it you truly desire?" She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "I said: I desire a fulfilling life for my sister, and she told that it can be arranged if I’m willing to be the handmaid sacrificed to be given to the bastard of the Archduke."
My eyes trembled at her words, silence taking over as I listened to everything.
"I was willing, and she promised my sister would be taken care of. She said it as if it were my dying wish, maybe it was, after all, I was leaving for a Lycan empire to serve a lady I had never t."
"Talia—"
"But I’ll not die, because I need to get back to my sister, I made a promise to her." She nudged her chin at . "Why do you live, my lady?"
I swallowed hard at her sudden question. "I’ve never given much thought to it. I was born sickly, and almost every day was at death’s door. I knew one day I’d die, and I beca certain I’d when I married the monarch, I still am confident I just don’t know when."
Talia chuckled. "One day we will all die, my lady. No one can escape that, but in spite of knowing that I want to live, knowing that I would get the chance to see my sister again, even though for a short ti. That is my greatest heart’s desire."
A sensation coiled in my lower abdon. "When I said I’d relieve you of your duties. The reason you didn’t agree to it."
"One thing I know about nobles is that when they make an offer far too good to be true, and you don’t hold up to the end of your side of the deal, everything will be taken away in the snap of a finger. We may have gods, yes, but to us paupers, the nobles are ours."
Talia rose to her feet and grasped the candelabra.
"Talia..." I stopped her when she got to the door. "Was my stepmother’s request only that you sacrifice yourself as my handmaid?"
When I got no reply, I said. "I wouldn’t bla you if there was more to it. Whatever you do, good or bad, you have your reason, and I respect that."
"You don’t need to worry about that." She faced with a warm smile. "Good night, my lady."
~•~
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
I opened my eyes when that particular sound drowned my ears. It’s been hours and I’ve yet to fall deeply asleep, my body kept being on alert, and now with that weird sound, I found myself sitting up.
My eyes scanned the dark room. The only light was the moonlight streaming in from the windows. The fire in the hearth had stopped burning.
I couldn’t find the origin of that noise in my room until my shaky gaze pinned on the door. It felt as if sothing would storm in, but after a long excruciating minute, I worked up the courage to walk to the door.
I grabbed the double doorknob, my heart thudding fiercely until I opened it, my breath ceasing for a second.
There was nothing in front of .
Confused, I poke my head out, looking at the empty corridors.
That sound ca again, this ti resounding, luring to go check it out.
"Talia?" I called. If that was her, what was she doing up so late? Or did she co back to give another brew?
I straightened my back, stepping back into my room. I grabbed the taper and walked to the hearth, dipping the tip in the hot wood until it ignited. I carried it to the candelabra on the table.
I blew against the taper and dropped it, clutched the candelabra, and ventured into the corridors.
"Talia? Osha?" I called, moving my light to see better.
I have just made two turns, and was yet to see any knights stationed. They were usually in this spot, but now they are gone. Why?
My shoes stepped on sothing wet, curious, I leveled my eyes, and saw blood. Not a drop or a half-spill, the crimson sared the entire floor.
"Y-Your G-Grace."
I flinched, lifting my quivering gaze, my vision blurring for a split second until I found Osha on the ground, her limbs mauled with barely enough skin keeping them together.
Osha extended her hand toward , even though it was falling apart, her teeth gritting as it took everything to say the word. "R-Run."
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
That sound ca again, from behind. I veered my wide, dismayed eyes to legs suspended in the air. I dared raise my candelabra and saw Talia hanging, her body mauled beyond recognition.
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