“And so, Silika’s condition is…?”

“Stable, Marquess”

Every two weeks, I gave a report to Marquess Everest regarding Silika’s condition. Contrary to his wife, Alfred Everest did not know the nature of my identity. He only knew me as the ‘charity case’ his mother-in-law had forced on the family for a reason or another.

He let out a long sigh.

“Can she speak?”

“No your grace. She is improving physically, but her mind still appears clouded. She is more responsive and is beginning to express herself, but language seems to be outside her grasp.”

Marquess Everest leaned back on his seat.

“I heard rumors. Rumors about Silika... And you. Servants have reportedly heard my daughter speak ‘in tongues’. Care to elaborate?”

I gritted my teeth. I knew her speech wasn’t random, but if he knew she just couldn’t say the words properly…

“Just maid talk, Marquess. She is still making the same noise as when you last met her.”

He nodded.

“Have her ready for the evening.”

“Sir?”

“She will be joining us for dinner.”

I bit my lips, but bowed nonetheless.

“Of course.”

I excused myself and headed back toward Silika’s room.

Just dinner should be fine, but there’s no telling what could happen. Luckily, they will think nothing of me attending as an aid to the ‘sickly lady’.

As I rounded the corner, I found Silika sneaking out of her room again with her bunny rabbit in tow. It never left her side anymore. She had become quite the little explorer in the last few weeks. Her balance had improved, but she was still prone to falling so unfortunately for her, I have no choice but to scold her.

She turned her head and saw me. Her eyes grew wide.

“Oh neo…”

“Oh yes.”

I picked her up and made a show of scolding her as she sat on the sofa. Of course, I wasn’t actually angry with her. It was natural of her to want to walk around as she had done before, but I couldn’t let her go on her own. If she fell down the stairs or got stuck somewhere, she could get really hurt. By the time I was done, the time had inched forward and was getting close to dinner time.

I wish I could have given her instructions on what to do and not to do or how to act, but trying to do so might just create more confusion.

I dressed her up and then carried her to the dining hall. She still held onto her stuffed rabbit, but considering her age and condition, I doubt they will hold it against her.

The mood at the dining table was awful to say the least. When we arrived, an air of discomfort swept the room. From seeing Silika’s expression, she could tell too.

Marquess Everest started dinner by addressing the table.

“I would like to start by saying how happy I am to see our family gathered around the table once again. As I have told you all before, no one is to blame for Silika’s fall and none should feel guilt from it. Your mother and I hope that you will learn to accept Silika despite her condition.”

The marquess put his hand on the marchioness’.

“Now, why don’t we share what we have been doing for the last few months for Silika? Knox?”

The young lord nodded.

“Well I have been focusing on reading up on Seeir scriptures. Specifically, on the topic of contract blessings. It seems like a useful skill to have for the future.”

The Marquess approved with a grunt.

“Blessings granted by Seeir have many uses, but remember to dedicate your study first and foremost on Meiriem scriptures. Her blessings have more uses than it might first seem.”

“Of course father.”

“Ela?”

His oldest daughter cleared her throat.

“Well, before the cold settles in, I took the opportunity to improve my horse-riding skills. I learned during our trip west that I needed to become stronger so I may be able to travel without discomfort in the future.”

Lord Everest smiled.

“Very good, Ela. Dalton?”

The little lord seemed a bit at a loss. After all he wasn’t quite 5 years old yet and, like Silika, spent most of his days playing games.

“I...I’m learning how to play chess.”

My sister smiled.

“Very good, Dalton. Chess is a true gentleman’s pass time.”

Dalton smiled happily from the praise. The master then turned to Silika and was about to ask her the same question but caught himself. He thought to himself for a second and then looked at her again.

“Silika? Why don’t you show us what you have there?”

He asked, referring to the black bunny on Silika’s laps.

Silika realised she was being asked a question, but was at a loss.

“It’s simply a stuffed toy, Marquess. The lady has become quite fond of them.”

I answered for her.

He nodded once more.

“Then, let us pray to Meiriem to thank them for reuniting our family once more.”

The lord bowed his head and proceeded with the prayer. As usual, everyone repeated after him. Silika tried her best to sound like she was repeating after him, but it could only be described as incomprehensible babbling. She probably forgot what the prayer sounded like.

The family then proceeded with the meal.

Marquess Everest conversed with the family, leaving out the topic of Silika from the conversation. The young lady had a great appetite and finished her plate before the rest of the family. She simply sat on her chair looking bored for a while as she waited for the others.

“Doo as ood! Asit Alki?... Meu… Da ol ood, oi de mai inc um ic.”

I looked down, horrified. Silika had gotten so bored she started playing with her plush, but I had forgotten about her habit of speaking to herself out loud when playing with it.

“Uoo li inc o? Ei peu o ou!”

I grabbed her by the shoulder and tried to get her to be quiet, but it was too late. The entire table was staring at her horrified.

“What in Diid’s name is this?!”

Marquess Everest stood up knocking over his wine and staining the lady’s dress.

“Did you not say she didn’t speak in tongues!”

“Marquess, it’s not what you…”

“Quiet! No more lies! The church will decide whether you have been deceiving me. If you did corrupt my daughter you will burn at the stake like the feral Scorn harlot you are! Take her back to her room and have her ready in the morning. You better pray I heard wrong just now!”

Fear grabbed my stomach. I took Silika and left the dining room.

Should we run away? No they will catch us. We can’t run without preparation.

I bit my lip, I shouldn’t have waited, there never was any hope to hide her handicap forever. Why did she have to be born in this house?

The next day, a guard followed me to Silika’s room. I dressed her up and got ready to leave. She tried to grab her bunny plush, but I knew it could only hurt her right now. I promised myself to come and get it later before her parents disposed of it.

As I carried her to the coach, I felt as if I was sending her off to the gallow. I sat her in the coach under the menacing eyes of her parents.

After which, I was put under house arrest in my room until further notice.

I would later learn that what I feared had come to pass. They learned the true nature of Silika’s condition and she was indefinitely confined to her quarters. I was cleared of witchcraft suspicion, but for lying to the lord I continued to be under house arrest.

Once a day, they allowed me outside of my quarters to deliver food to the lady. Being a heretic, no one wished to approach her for fear of receiving the same divine punishment as she did. As though deafness had anything to do with anything other than her fall. I was therefore ‘forced’ to deliver the food as part of my punishment accompanied by a guard.

Whenever the Lord or the lady was present, I was not allowed to deliver the meal.

One night, as I slid the food through the door, I caught a glimpse of her. She laid lifeless on the floor staring at the ceiling. Her skin was bruised all over and her clothes I had dressed her in on that day were in tatters. Splatters of blood vomits and excrement could be seen around the room.

My stomach turned as tears welled up in my eyes.

If it wasn’t for the guard standing behind me… But there’s nothing I can do… For now.

I bid my time, but I knew every day where I didn’t act meant another scar on Silika. The guilt gnawed at me. I had failed her, but I knew better than acting on my emotions, one wrong move and we would both burn at the stake.

I discreetly made preparations for an escape root and alibis. Despite being under house arrest, there were no guards at my door. In the dead of the night I snuck out of the house and started making arrangements in town. It needed to look like a kidnapping or murder gone wrong. Silika had to disappear and be presumed dead so we could safely smuggle her out of the reach of the church… and her family.

One night, I came to Silika’s door with her disgusting meal in hand and knocked. After all, it would do no one any good for me to slip food in while the lady or the lord were present.

“What is it”

I heard my sister ask from the room.

“Dinner for the young lady, marchioness.”

I heard her turn around and walk toward the door. The door handle started turning, but then I heard Silika. She let out a long painful sigh. The door handle immediately went back to its original position and I heard Merilia run. I heard struggle and the awful muted gasps of someone being strangled.

In panic, I instinctively reached for the handle, but heard the rasping of a blade being drawn. I turned my head to see the guard pointing his blade at me with a cold look in his eyes. I retracted my hand and he sheathed his sword.

The noise continued with the intermittent gasps of Silika struggling for air.

Tears were flowing from my eyes as I resisted the urge to barge in. I couldn’t…

Then the sound of slaps began. It felt as if it went on for hours until it was interrupted by a dull thumping noise. I heard my sister gasping for air.

Did Silika hit her back? How is that…

But then I heard it, a piercing guttural scream.

It pierced right through the door into my own ears. The sound was so strong that even the guard threw his helmet off and tried to cover his ears.

“Is that..?”

That scream. It’s more than just a scream. It’s a blessing. A scorn blessing...

Merilia stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Leaning against it for support.

The screaming stopped.

Merilia stared at the guard.

“Leave.”

The guard bowed and walked away. I was about to follow along, but my sister raised her hand to tell me to wait.

Once the guard was out of earshots, she looked at me with contempt for a few seconds before addressing me.

“She’s like you. Father’s dirty blood managed to stain her after all this time.”

She said in a spiteful tone.

I grit my teeth and cast my sight downward.

She hesitated before continuing.

“I guess animals attract each other. I’ll give you a choice: make her disappear before sunrise or I will make you both disappear before the next.”

Without another word, she left.

I waited until she turned the corner before rushing inside the room. On the floor laid Silika, battered and bruised under the soft moonglow seeping through the gaps of the windows.

I ran to her, dropping the food tray filled with half rotten food I had been carrying.

Her eyes were half open as if her mind was between life and death.

“Oh by Seeir, what has she done to you.”

I said as tears flowed through my eyes. As I wiped the blood and mucus from her bruised face, I saw between her swollen eyelids, something I never expected. Her iris had turned a warm shimmering golden colour, the same as mine.

I hate to admit it, but my sister was right. No matter how it occurred, if the marquess or the church caught wind of this, neither of us would see the next sunrise.

I picked her up and used my apron as a blanket to cover her.

“It’s going to be ok. I’m getting you out of here.”

The preparations aren’t finished, but they will have to do...