Sorry for this late release. I've been sick, or rather I'm currently sick. But here it is! If you see grammar thingies, shout out so I can fix! :D

The Scheming Begins

“MAMAAAAAA! ENOUGH!! ENOUGH!! ENOOOOUUUGH!” Merissa screamed with hands covering her ears so no sound can reach her eardrums. Her eyes closed shut, her teeth tightly clenched, and her body tilts to a certain degree forward, almost hitting the edge of the table. “No more… No more… No more… No more… Don’t yell at each otheeeer! I don’t like it! I doooon’t! It isn’t pleasant at all! It isn’t! It isn’t! IT ISN’T!”

“Merissa, stop it...!” Celyssa shouted, but the shock in her wide eyes and on her agape mouth thoroughly indicate her unpreparedness for her frail daughter to unexpectedly yell out with all her might and glory.

The worry for her daughter courses through her mind at the same time. It’s common knowledge that Merissa is blind, but what people might not know are her other illnesses which plague her unfortunate body. And Celyssa has overlooked her current condition because of Xe’Reth’s arrival.

Merissa can be the quietest of girls, but her various disorders transform her mind into that of someone who’s mentally unstable. A hereditary trait since many in the Tertin line had suffered blindness and a lot of different illnesses in their own lifetimes but never have anything been alike Merissa’s.

Nothing recorded in the Tertin books as if she’s the only one.

Xe’Reth’s eyes have widened, he stares at Merissa while Celyssa tries to settle her down with her embrace. She’s on her knees beside her, holding her, apologizing to her, trying to calm her down from her attack on the mind. But Merissa fights her mother’s embrace. Her arms flailing to push her away, but Celyssa keeps her locked tight as one of Merissa’s handmaidens position herself on the other side of the chair. And with a nod from the Madam, the handmaiden takes out some kind tiny ball from a fastened bag; a pill, she attempts to force a pill down Merissa’s mouth as she desperately fights back.

“Naaaaahh! I doon’ wannaa…! I don’ liiike…! Mamaaa! Papaaa!” Merissa screamed for help as tears roll down her face. It’s as if Merissa thinks that her own mother isn’t the one holding her.

‘What is that for kind of pill…?’ Xe’Reth thought with narrowed eyes as Merissa struggles immensely, even trying to bite the finger of the handmaiden, but her frail strength gives in to the greater.

Then as time continue to spin its wheel, Merissa, completely calm. Her attack subsided. But her mother cries emotionally with arms around her, holding Merissa still in her embrace as she snuggles happily with a smile on her lips. She’s in a daze which Xe’Reth recognizes all too well.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that, Xe’Reth,” Maldoran finally said as the silence had oozed in the air. Only Celyssa’s pain for her daughter resound as every individual in this dining hall knows the suffering of dear Merissa, expect Xe’Reth. Even Malinda has tightened her grip on Xe’Reth’s hand while having her head turned away to not witness the mother and daughter. “My daughter is ill, very ill. She may seem fine on the surface, but when certain events come to light… Well, she…”

Maldoran covers his face with one hand as he breathes out a long sigh, “…She isn’t well, and the citadel healer can only do so much for her. It’s taxing to have an ill daughter, but she’s still my precious child that I so dearly love with all my heart. But I guess… I can only blame my ancient family’s methods of breeding.”

“Brother… Xe’Reth too knows the pain of having someone precious to him suffer from an illness. His mother, Theresa Quinery has the Fire-Brand disease,” Malinda said as she lets go of Xe’Reth’s hand, to put it on his shoulder instead, to show her expression of furrowed brows.

“Is… is that true…?” Maldoran asked with mouth agape and flickering eyes as he leans forward, surprise hitting him hard. Since his parents certainly had the same disease spread upon their bodies. “But… How?”

“He has kept her alive by various herbs and constant care. And his mother is an extremely strong woman at heart herself. She’s got the will that our parents hadn’t. When I first saw her, I felt pity but also respect. To actually be alive with that horrendous disease… It is truly awe-inspiring to see for one’s self,” Malinda answered with a warm smile directing at her brother instead of Xe’Reth, yet keeping the secrets hidden.

Malinda gazes to Xe’Reth as she wonders, ‘I hope he doesn’t mind me revealing it.’

“Astonishing, absolutely astonishing!” Maldoran exclaimed with an even further bent body, to gawk at Xe’Reth who nods his head in approval, yet his half open eyes tell the tale of pain that he has felt through the years of caring for his mother. “Ah… that’s right. So that means she also lives here in the citadel too?”

“That is correct, Maldoran—Malinda said that my mother could also come, and that made me love her even more. And that’s the one thing I use Malinda for. My mother’s safety in getting her away from the rotten slums. That is the advantage I’m taking from Malinda’s generous love. But as long as my mother lives a somewhat blissful life, I’ll love Malinda until the day I die,” Xe’Reth said with such seriousness on his lowered eyebrows, staring into Maldoran’s wide blue globes.

“Xe’Reth…” Malinda fawned with praying hands under her chin but takes ahold of Xe’Reth’s hand to hold it. To coil with her fingers again, which her brother chuckles at silently.

“Well, no matter what your goal are, Xe’Reth, I hope you’ll stand by my sister whatever decisions she’ll make in the future,” Maldoran sighed with eyes traveling to his wife who’s stroking the silent Merissa. She’s calm as a rock, unmoving. Glued to her mother.

“I’ll support her with my all, and I’m sorry for bringing harm to your daughter, but what is she inflicted with?” Xe’Reth inquired with a brow raised, bending slightly forward to stare at Merissa.

“Don’t worry, it wasn’t your fault, we all aided. But her ears are highly sensitive to sound; she can hear better than normal people, though that also causes her harm when loud noises sound,” Maldoran said, “And we don’t even know the origin. None in our family tree have ever suffered from her symptoms before. Sometimes she gets these attacks which causes her to lose control of her entire body, as you just saw.”

“It’s as if she blocks out everything around her, to scream out all the thoughts without reservation. Since she only went blind four years ago, she hasn’t adjusted well to it. There have been many nights where we would comfort her from her sorrows, and that takes a lot out of me. To see my own daughter in such agony. To never see again…” Maldoran said with aching eyes, then Celyssa turns her attentions to her husband.

“Love, I… I think I’ll take our daughter to her quarters and let her eat there because—I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood for dinner at this moment,” Celyssa said as she picks up her fourteen-year-old daughter with ease since she doesn’t weigh a lot. And Merissa wraps her arms around her mother’s neck as she gives her a peck on the cheek in an innocent manner. Her personality is that of a child’s.

As she’s about to leave, she turns to Malinda to add, “I apologize, dear, I didn’t mean to be so harsh. We can speak about it some other time if you like. And about other… things.”

“I would most certainly like that, Sister-In-Law,” Malinda nodded with no forgiving smile on her lips, only the disappointment in her eyes about Celyssa’s sudden change from her regular motherly self. Malinda had no idea she could be so cruel, but that only pushes Xe’Reth’s words into her mind even more.

Corruption.

“Bring food for both of us to her quarters and be quick about it,” Celyssa demanded to Merissa’s oldest handmaiden who simply nods in confirmation, then as she turns to her colleagues, she points at the two youngest to follow her, which they do as the oldest strides to the door that leads to the kitchen. And as Celyssa stares at her husband, she forces a smile, “Love, will you be coming to our quarters after you’ve finished eating?”

“Hmm, oh, I forgot to tell you, dear. I have business at the war-room that needs to be handled first, but I’ll come after that, so don’t stay up waiting for me,” Maldoran said with a loving smile. He stands up while Celyssa walks to be beside him as his arms go around her, to embrace his wife and daughter which she carries. “Take care of her my love. I’ll see you later.”

“Paaapaa…” Merissa smilingly yawned with eyes staring into the void, which furrows Maldoran’s brows, since his daughter will never escape her future of darkness.

His large male hand places on Merissa’s head as he strokes her hair, “Papa will see you later, my beautiful little flower.”

Celyssa raises her head as Maldoran’s lips locks with hers, then, the mother and daughter goes to where Xe’Reth and Malinda came from while the couple just sits silently as they disappear with Merissa’s remaining handmaidens at their back.

“Haaa, this wasn’t much of a welcoming, now was it?” Maldoran sighed again with two hands on the armrests as he lowers himself to sit, to slump in his throne-like seat. “And I’m sorry for my wife’s quick temper, she isn’t usually like this, I assure you, Xe’Reth. Though, it’s also a new experience for you too, dear sister.”

“Indeed, brother. I have never seen her act like that before,” Malinda said frowningly but sighs with a shaking head. “I guess we also went too far. But what Xe’Reth said was true, brother. Our city is starting to decay. And I don’t want to blame you, brother. Because I haven’t also done anything for our city since our parents died. Though, I’ll begin giving aid to the poor as a start. A letter is being sent to mother’s old friend who handles charity objectives, you remember, right? She has that daughter who was enamored with you, but of course, you were already married by then so it bared no fruit, hehe.”

Maldoran turns his head as he coughs in embarrassment. And when he meets Malinda’s similar blue eyes, he puts on a wide smile, “Y-Yeah, I do remember. She was indeed a deadly woman who you shouldn’t say no to. But thankfully Celyssa was there to intervene—Wait, who did you hear it from?”

“From father and mother…” Malinda said but frowns in sadness as her finger-coiling grip on Xe’Reth’s hand tightens.

“Excuse me for interrupting, but what was the pill the handmaiden gave your daughter?” Xe’Reth finally spoke, having a raised scarred brow.

“Oh, it’s medicine we get from Celyssa’s family; you do know where she comes from?” Maldoran asked, too, with a raised brow.

“Why of course, she’s the third daughter of the esteemed household, the Bradinox. They’re the ones who control and produce the most expensive medicine in Tertinum domain. But what is the pill called? What ingredients do they use?” Xe’Reth asked rather persistently while Maldoran still sits in a slumped way. “And when you say, none in your family tree have suffered from Merissa’s condition. Can’t it simply mean that it comes from Celyssa’s side of the family instead?”

“Hmm, I’m afraid not. They’ve said that none of their family members have ever suffered from her affliction,” Maldoran answered with a shake of his head, drumming his fingers as he thinks. “And I don’t know what ingredients they use for the pill since it’s their most secret recipe. But it does calm down the most furious or frantic person as you saw with my daughter. Though, why the question?”

“Brother, Xe’Reth himself know a lot about medicine. He has prepared his own remedy to battle against the Fire-Brand disease, but of course, since the illness doesn’t exist any more than on his mother, none else can use it,” Malinda said proudly with a wide smile, but hastily looks at Xe’Reth while biting her red lower lip.

He tightens his grip on her hand as he nods gently with closed eyes, turning Malinda’s expression calm, then focus his gaze yet again at Maldoran, “I do dabble in medicine, but, as nobody needs it anymore as Malinda said, it’s my very own secret recipe.”

“Hmm… Interesting… Ah! Enough with this talk, I’m starving!” Maldoran bellowed as he leans to the side to turn his upper body to stare at the servant that he had spoken to before, right as Xe’Reth and Malinda had come through the doors. He asks in a somewhat annoyed tone with lowered eyebrows, “What is taking so long in preparing the dinner?”

“M-My-My Lord, I didn’t think that it would be proper to bring it out while… While the argument was still going on. Was I wrong in my decision, Lord?” The servant responded as she fiddles with her hands.

Maldoran’s powerful gaze squints at her, but relaxes with closed eyes while sighing, “No… you weren’t wrong. But we’re ready to eat, so… what are you waiting for?”

“At… At once, Lord!” the servant shouted as she heads into the kitchen with fast moving feet while being followed by every other servant who stands by the wall in their silent stance with gazing eyes. But as everyone disappear through the door that leads into the kitchen, Maldoran turns back to stare at Xe’Reth, then leans forward.

He slaps Xe’Reth’s upper arm gently with his big hand.

“Well, lad! Are you feeling better now?!” Maldoran shouted happily as he gives one last slap a little harder since Xe’Reth didn’t budge from the lighter ones.

“Heh, I-I’m doing much better, thanks,” Xe’Reth chuckled with a closed-eyed smile. While Malinda on the other hand, frowns intently at her brother’s behavior. But shakes her head in defeat, as she knows all too well his regular personality.

“That’s good to hear. And sister, I do hope you picked people who can find the perpetrators from our family’s organization with haste. But I’ll help tomorrow as I gather every single member of the city guard by the outer castle grounds. Where the army trains,” Maldoran said as he slumps in his throne of a seat, with a hand supporting his chin and elbow on the armrest. “Any information you can say which will aid the search?”

“Brother…—.”

“It’s okay, Malinda,” Xe’Reth interrupted with a raised hand while giving a nodding smile at her, which she responds by giving a smiling nod back, too. “Well, where do I start… Ah, yes. The name of the man who tortured me……”

………

……

…

“Hurry now, little one, we don’t want to disturb Gran before it gets too late,” Tanya urged with springing legs moving on a crimson carpet which’s identical to the flooring of Malinda’s and Madelyn’s wing. While a young teenager follows her with hands holding up her new servant’s dress to not hinder her fast wandering steps. “And try not to speak, let me handle everything. Gran doesn’t enjoy unexpected events, certainly nothing like this. A handmaiden commissioned this fast? Unheard of.”

“I… I’m sorry, handmaiden Tanya, for causing such a ruckus,” the servant apologized as she keeps up with Tanya who doesn’t even respond, making her droop her head in dismay. But in her head, she rejoices greatly, ‘I can’t believe that I’m going to become a handmaiden, someone like Tanya! And I will gain the power to do what I want! None will be able to push me around anymore… Hehe.’

The two ladies’ location; the Sanctuary.

They’re currently inside the Sanctuary’s main building, east of the giant statue. All of the training schedules, manuals, and all sorts of objects that are needed to raise a perfect servant are located in this structure. While all of the most senior servants calls it home. Those who have worked to their bones retire to this estate when they’ve gotten too old to continue, but it’s also the place where the former head-handmaiden’s office lies.

It’s a huge beige building in a rectangular shape with countless similar shaped windows as the building itself, though in an upright position. And in front of the building, staircases go down from the main double doors, where a couple of servants hurries in the darkness with lanterns in hand. Some holding books while they follow the light bearers.

Inside the building, Tanya and the short servant strides down a long corridor on the third floor, moving towards the former head-handmaiden’s office. Most of the older servants live on the second and first floor while all of the Sanctuary’s most important possessions lies on the third floor and up to the last level.

“Here we are, I hope she hasn’t gone to sleep yet,” Tanya said nervously while standing in front of a pair of decorative doors. She has never been good at dealing with this woman. But everyone calls her Gran since she’s the leader of the Sanctuary, though, her age is coming upon her slow and steady.

Tanya grabs one of the handles, then knocks with her other hand on the wooden surface.

As she awaits eagerly yet anxiously, the short servant fiddles with her hands while biting her lower lip because she needs to put on her best act to trick the former head-handmaiden to gain the rank to be a handmaiden. ‘If I’m able to trick someone like that man, Xe’Reth, I’ll easily be able to trick an old woman.’

Just as Tanya pulls the handle down, it goes down by itself and pushes out too by itself, but as one of the doors open up, Tanya gains wide eyes of surprise as her own Grandmother stands there instead of Gran.

“G-Grandmother, what are you doing here?” Tanya startlingly asked with mouth ajar and flickering eyes staring at the old servant that Xe’Reth and Malinda had met on the way to Theresa’s quarters.

“Oh… just visiting an old friend,” she said with a tilting head as she sighs in exhaustion though one grayish eyebrow raises in wonder. “But who do we have here?”

“Ah, her, well… Sir Xe’Reth saved her from being thrown out by Lady Madelyn for spreading rumors… about you know what,” Tanya said with a backward glance to the servant who has a lowered head of shame. Tanya’s displease shows in her glare, since betraying one’s Mistress’ trust should be punished severely. “I don’t really like that Xe’Reth showed her such clemency, but to be thrown out? That’s just too much. And well, he told our Mistress that this girl should become his handmaiden… And she agreed.”

“Oh… I did wonder who it was that spread that hilarious rumor,” she responded with a hand on her cheek while tilting her gray-haired head slightly to one side again. Some of her flaming strings still display even though her old age. “But a handmaiden this quickly? Oh, oh, she won’t like th—Wait, did you say, Xe’Reth? As in our Mistress’ Xe’Reth?”

“Yes, Grandmother, I did. Who else is named like that?” Tanya nodded with furrowed brows at the sudden change in her Grandmother’s tone. She even half smiles as one wrinkled curve raises in delight. “What’s the matter, Grandmother?”

“No, nothing dear,” she replied with a smiling shake of her head, then walks to put her hands on the short fourteen-year-old girl’s shoulders. “I guess everything needs to be arranged, so this little rascal can begin to serve as soon as possible. Come now, she’ll want to meet you immediately. You too, Tanya, dear.”

“Grandma, what—I don’t—Why are you suddenly okay with this? It goes against the regular procedures in becoming a handmaiden. She simply isn’t ready,” Tanya urged, putting a hand to stop her Grandmother from pulling the servant through the opened door.

“You’ll know soon enough,” she said as she whips at Tanya’s hand, which makes Tanya groan as she recoils from the stinging sensation. “Don’t be stubborn, young lady. Come along now, a lot must be prepared and inspected.”

As Tanya’s Grandmother leads the bewildered short servant through the door, she too follows behind them, then closes it. But on the other side of the door, a long hallway going to another pair of double doors.

The regular red carpet lessens their steps as they walk with calm movements while the old servant holds the young servant’s hand in a rather gentle clutch, and Tanya treads with sighs escaping from her mouth. This unexpected meeting with her mother’s mother has her anxious. Since even though her Grandmother holds no power as a servant, she does have the longstanding friendship of the former head-handmaiden.

Though, only she was given permission to wed by Malinda’s mother. To know love, to gain children, and grandchildren. But her husband died years ago from old age. He was the former blacksmith of the citadel, but he passed on that duty to his apprentice, a man who was brought in from the outside, yet that man gained the love of Tanya’s mother who also got permission to wed by Malinda’s mother, Matilda Tertin.

Tanya’s Grandmother has lived her life to completion, but the concern of every single older person who’s in Malinda’s faction is huge. Because their Mistress, Malinda, have no sway whatsoever in the citadel. Only those who want power restored to the rightful heir of the Tertin line tries to support her, but her ambitions, null and void. Her life, carefree other than the battles at the Ebon Wall.

The seniors want her to remain true to her family’s traditions.

But hope is not lost, for recent rumors have spread.

A wildfire unleashed inside the Sanctuary as soon as the breakfast argument had finished. Servants heard, servants gossiped, and those who was ready to give up on ever trying to restore the Tertin line, rejoiced in their hearts, yet a worry of who it might be that captured their Mistress’ love drummed inside Malinda’s faction. Who is he? Is he someone controlled by Madam Celyssa? She had tried before to gain the sisters, but when the rumors exploded wider, the wonderful words flowed into the former head-handmaiden’s ears like the festival’s tunes of various music.

A mere commoner, and Madam Celyssa anxious beyond words.

Celyssa’s anger throughout the entire day revealed that she had no part in Malinda’s and Xe’Reth’s union. Which made the older servants and the retired handmaidens who’re still loyal to their previous Mistress, Matilda Tertin, celebrate in secret. And the beginning of hidden plans can finally bear fruit.

For the events of Malinda’s parents’ deaths still troubles those who truly loved and worshiped their Master and Mistress. Two were infected by the Fire-Brand disease, yet none other in the entire citadel succumbed to its affliction of burning skin.

Only the rulers…

“Alright you two, when I left her, she was about to go to bed, but this exceeds her tired mind, so ready yourselves,” Tanya’s Grandmother urgently said while holding the young servant’s hand. Her smile, totally excited for some reason. The wrinkles on her face truly display from the lights mounted on the walls, illuminating the double doors in front of the three females of servitude.

Tanya rasps her throat with a swallow. She’s about to meet with the Sanctuary’s leader. The backbone of servitude. A woman of elegance, intelligence, and benevolence. She controls the growing of servants. She has power enough to shake the citadel, yet she secludes herself in this building on the far east side of the Sanctuary.

To secretly aid her current Mistress, the daughter of her beloved Matilda Tertin. Whom she loved to her fullest capacity. A life of worship on the ground she walked on. But her life exists no more. Only a fool of a daughter who has given over her rights without even fighting for it.

Tanya’s Grandmother raises her free wrinkled hand, then knocks loud and clear on the wooden door in front of her.

The young servant’s head droops while staring wide-eyed at her shoe-covered toes which clench hard as her fisted hand tries to not shake in utter nervousness. For she must put on her best act to fool the Mistress of total obligation.

As they wait with various emotions stirring inside them, the handle of the door moves down, then opens. And on the other side stands a woman who steams with seniority in her single raised gray brow. An appearance of a calm yet wondering expression sits upon the former head-handmaiden’s face. Neither surprise nor grumpiness, only the peering eyes which gaze at her longstanding friend and the short teenager standing beside her.

With a tilt of her head and body, she catches Tanya standing beside her friend, behind the unopened door too.

“Orilldera, was there something else you forgot to tell me? I almost didn’t hear the knocking since I was in the other room,” the former head-handmaiden said with a tired smile. “Either way, do come in.”

“Ereanna, I’ve wonderful news to share,” Orilldera excitedly began as she strides into the spacy office where a blazing hearth like any of the other spacious offices and rooms in the citadel have. While dragging along the stumbling servant. “It’s what we talked about before I left; Malinda’s future husband and Lord of Tertinum.”

Tanya’s eyes flicker with an opened mouth at what her Grandmother just said. Lord of Tertinum? But that’s Maldoran’s position. Her Mistress has no goal to ever be the ruler, she only wants to live her life as carefree—No, not anymore now that Xe’Reth’s words have reached her. ‘What are Gran and Grandmother talking about?’

“Orilldera…” Ereanna said sharply with eyes squinting at her friend.

“Oh, please, she’s a handmaiden of our Mistress, and my granddaughter too. So you can relax with your suspicious mind because Tanya is loyal to the bone to Malinda,” Orilldera waved annoyingly with her free hand, then strides further into the room to forcibly put the flustered servant on a chair in front of Ereanna’s work desk, then nonchalantly drags another seat to sit next to the shorty. “Come now, sit, sit. We’ve much to discuss, and my granddaughter will be telling us all about it. In detail too.”

“So be it. Come now Tanya, go put a chair next to your Grandmother,” Ereanna said while beginning to walk to her own grand seat. It’s as expensive as Celyssa’s, since she took every possession that she got from her former Mistress to be moved to these quarters of hers. She turns around as she adds, “Do close the door after yourself.”

“Yes, Gran Ereanna,” Tanya replied with a deep curtsy, then steps into the warmth of the office as she closes the door.

She goes to a chair by one of the marble walls, then lifts it up and walks to her Grandmother. As she places it right next to her, she sits down while putting her hands on her lap, fiddling with them also as the presence of Gran really takes a lot from her. Her eyes try to stare into Ereanna’s but fail. While on the other hand, the short servant smiles excitedly towards Ereanna because she’s about to become a handmaiden, though from what she recently heard, these two old grannies definitely have something up their sleeves.

“Now, young lady, tell me, what happened in Lady Malinda’s wing?” Ereanna asked with a smile, drumming her fingers on each other while having her elbows on the armrests of her chair.

“Gran… I’m not the one you should be asking,” Tanya said with a drooping head for not being helpful enough. But Tanya leans as she turns her head, to point with a finger, “She’s the one who knows everything about what happened, but you should probably take out her documents because I don’t trust her enough to be a handmaiden.”

“Oh, is that so?” Orilldera questioned with a raised eyebrow, then turns to look at the servant in question.

‘Documents? What documents?!’ the servant thought with a lowered head to not show her eyes that have widened in complete worry. ‘And what’ve I done to gain her suspicion?!’

“Girl, what is your name? Full name, if you please,” Ereanna requested, gazing at the girl’s slowly moving head which ascends to stare straight at her peering eyes.

With a gulp, she answers weakly, “C-Cerinn Jeyver, Gran Ereanna…”

“Yes, I remember you. Ah… poor child,” Ereanna sadly said while forcing a smile on her lips. “Her papers should be… Hmm, on that side of the shelf. Tanya, dear, go and find it, for we aren’t as young as we used to be.”

“Of course, Gran,” Tanya replied smilingly while standing up.

On either side of the room stands shelves high enough to reach the roof, while two ladders with wheels are leaning at them. They can be pushed from side to side so it helps to get the various documents from the different recorded servants who’re in the citadel. Letters from A to Z have been carved into the wooden material of the shelves to indicate where the names of the servants can be located at.

Since there aren’t a huge number of servants in the citadel, the Sanctuary finds it easier to raise the brought in children by filing all of their habits, personalities, and their other several traits in folders.

Long ago, the creation of paper was thankfully invented otherwise it would’ve been harder to do these acts of documenting all of the servants who’re in the service of the Tertin family. And since the Scarlet Forest in front of the Ebon Wall never truly dies, only grows, again and again, it has made it so that the Kingdom has an unlimited supply of trees. In the process, the Kingdom doesn’t need to destroy their own lands to feed the amount that’s needed for its various uses.

As Tanya pulls the ladder to the C section of the shelf on the left side of the room as they had come in, she climbs while searching for Cerinn’s name. And as her eyes go slightly wide, she finds the file of Cerinn Jeyver. But her eyes go even wider when she looks down to see that she’s at the very top of the shelf.

She hadn’t noticed the height because of her preoccupation to find the file was her only goal, though now as her whole body feel the effect of the altitude, she freezes up entirely as a cry for help squeaks out, “G-Grandmother… I… I am sorry, I… I can’t get down…”

Cerinn almost cracks up in laughter as her head turns to the frightened handmaiden, but keeps her cool because Ereanna sits right beside her. She mustn’t reveal her true sinister personality to the second most powerful person in servitude. But Ereanna doesn’t bother to hide anything as her own chuckling laugh escapes from her mouth, which turns Orilldera’s head directly at her in anger since her own fright of heights had widely spread years ago in the Sanctuary.

“Oh dear, I’m coming!” Orilldera shouted with head and body turning as she stands up from her seated position.

After a good ten minutes of shouting and crying at each other, Tanya manages to slowly but steadily climb down as she had dropped the folder into her Grandmother’s hands. And as her feet touches the ground, she flings herself at her Grandmother, hugging her, feeling her warmth while she caresses Tanya’s flaming hair affectionately.

“Are you two now finished with this childish behavior, so we can move on before it gets too late?” Ereanna chuckled at them as Orilldera’s frowning eyebrows direct at the smirking old lady sitting absolutely comfortable in her grand chair behind her desk. “Now, now, Ori, don’t be angry at me, because we’ve work to do.”

“Of course, you’re right… But do not think for one second that I don’t remember you getting me drunk while you tied me around a rope, then you elevated me up in the air so I was stuck on the very top of the flagpole…” Orilldera hissed acidly at her old friend. But she sighs out while holding the sniffing Tanya in her arms. “Come now, let’s sit down again and see what this girl, Cerinn, is hiding.”

‘I don’t like this… Have I ever shown my real face to anyone before…? Oh no…’ Cerinn thought as a sudden realization hit her hard. Her eyes go wide, her mouth ajar, and the pure anxiety on her sloping head reveals her abrupt memory of being followed as a child by different servants in secret.

Ereanna especially smiles at Cerinn with a forward bent head.

“So you do have something you’re hiding, girl,” Ereanna said with grave eyes peering at her, which sounds out a nervous gulp from Cerinn as her whole face grimaces with that single sound in her throat.

“Here…” Orilldera said with a folder slamming onto the desk, then spins around with a scoff, to be seated next to the now embarrassed Tanya and the pitiful girl sitting at her other side who’s bended so far that her face isn’t showing.

“Let me read through it first. Then I’ll decide if she’s worthy enough to be a handmaiden, or if she’s to be trusted as a member of the true Tertin faction,” Ereanna said as she opens the folder while her peering eyes stay on Cerinn’s head. But then travels to the papers below to start reading.

As the grandfather clock ticks away inside the office, Ereanna finally closes the folder, then stares at the young lady whose eyes gazes into hers. She shakes her head to show her displease with a tired sigh coming out between her lips.

“Well, this young lady is obviously not handmaiden material to say the least,” Ereanna displeasingly said as Cerinn’s head slumps from hearing those words. “You’ve had a mischievous life here in the Sanctuary, haven’t you, Cerinn Jeyver? Well, aren’t you going to say something, in your defense?”

“N-No… Gran E-Ereanna…” Cerinn replied as she begins to snivel.

“Your personality is absolutely horrendous. You Lie and manipulate to get what you want by acting innocent while you laugh at those gullible minds you deceive. And your mouth is the vilest part you’ve got. The countless rumors you’ve started have made people take the blame for you instead. Though, as we knew it, they weren’t punished,” Ereanna said frowningly while Tanya and her Grandmother stares at Cerinn.

“I honestly can’t comprehend why Lady Madelyn draws so many people whose personality is wicked. But I guess people of the same mind are drawn to each other. Anyhow, if anybody else were to judge you, you would’ve already been thrown out of the citadel for being such a little immoral girl. I guess you didn’t fall far from the tree, as your parents and grandparents were criminals.”

“Is that so…” Orilldera responded with pursed lips, rubbing her chin as questionable thoughts clouds her mind. “Well, if I do remember correctly, she was brought in at the age of four, wasn’t she?”

“Indeed, she was. But she had already learned a lot from watching how her parents acted, so the sudden change of scenery, and seeing her parents die in front of her can also be counted into how her dreadful personality was shaped,” Ereanna said without any hint of mercy on her tongue. Only the staring eyes of judgment that know where this crying girl truly comes from. “Her evaluation from the servants who watched her under her assessment month says that she can only be a regular servant in the field of… cleaning.”

“Please… Gran Ereanna, I can change… Please, give me a chance…” Cerinn said with pleading hands while falling off of the chair to her knees, to begin knee walking towards the desk. “Please, Ereanna, I’ll do anything to become a handmaiden!”

“Anything, you say?” Ereanna asked, raising an eyebrow at this girl’s forwardness to beg. But she frowns deeply upon remembering all that stood in the folder. “You little rascal… Do you honestly believe that you can trick me with your pathetic act of begging?”

“Gran Ereanna, I’m not tricking youuu…” Cerinn begged further as she reaches the edge of the desk, placing her chin on the surface while fingers appear too. Only her head and the shaking pointers of eight displays in front of Ereanna.

“This isn’t going anywhere… Tanya, you can throw her out of the citadel, she won’t become a handmaiden or be allowed to remain here with such a betrayer’s personality. I, Ereanna, hereby—.”

“NO! I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND, I WILL STOP, PLEASE!” Cerinn shouted at the top of her lungs as she raises herself off of the floor to slam her palms on the surface of the desk. “Please! I’m sorry for trying to fool you! I promise I won’t ever do it again, so please forgive me!”

“Truly, Ereanna, don’t frighten me like that,” Orilldera chuckled with a hand covering her mouth. Tanya too says, “Really, I was wondering what you were doing. You’re so cruel for putting her through thinking that she was going to be thrown out…”

Cerinn whips her head backward to see the two ladies smiling broadly at her while her own eyes flicker as if she has missed something utterly important. As she turns back to face Ereanna, she also begins to chuckle victoriously with a smiling shake of her head.

‘They… they tricked me…’ Cerinn thought shamefully as her whole face contorts in anxiety.

“Seriously, girl, are you so foolish to try to put on such an act after I’ve read your entire life?” Ereanna answered gleefully with another headshake of pity.

“I... I know a secret that can crush Lady Madelyn and Lady Malinda’s relationship with each other…” Cerinn surprisingly said all of a sudden as if her whole life depends on these words. “If… If you let me become a handmaiden, I won’t tell anyone but you… But if you don’t… I’ll not stay quiet… And I’ll tell everybody about what has been said in this room!”

“Well, look at that… Your true color finally reveals itself,” Tanya frowningly said.

“What secret are you speaking of?” Ereanna inquired with a raised gray brow.

“I won’t say it until you promise that I’ll become a handmaiden to Lady Malinda’s man…” Cerinn demanded with crossed arms while holding her head high. As if she’s looking down on them.

“Dear, we were going to make you a handmaiden anyhow. But since you offered, please, do continue,” Ereanna responded laughingly, still covering her own smiling mouth.

“What…?” Cerinn asked with fast flickering eyes, absolutely surprised by Ereanna’s words. “You were going to make me a handmaiden?”

“Of course, dear. Do you honestly think I wouldn’t take advantage to put a little spy in the midst of Malinda’s future husband’s servants and handmaidens? Well, we’ll see if it gets so far since much can happen on the way to their union of hands,” Ereanna rambled on with an uninterested hand flailing about. “But now onto the point at hand; you’ll be my informant as you become Xe’Reth’s handmaiden. You’ll report to me every day of what he does, and of any suspicious behavior he shows.”

“And what secret did you speak of again?” Ereanna asked, standing up to move around her desk to be right beside the short servant. “Speak, I’m tired.”

‘Damn this old lady,’ Cerinn frowningly thought in defeat while pouting her lips. “Y-You know about the rumor I spread?”

“Yes, what about it?” Ereanna inquired.

“What I didn’t reveal was that, while Lady Madelyn masturbated in her chambers, she yelled a name, and that name was Xe’Reth. I did mention that she yelled a name, but I never specifically said whose name it was,” Cerinn said as she revealed her only piece of treasure at her disposal.

“How can that be…” Tanya whispered as her brows furrow in disbelief. While her Grandmother smiles approvingly at Cerinn’s effectiveness.

“Interesting… Interesting indeed; so Cerinn, do you want to become a handmaiden while secretly working for me, or do you want to be thrown out of the citadel, permanently?” Ereanna asked, holding forth her old hand for Cerinn to take or to be declined.

Cerinn obviously takes ahold of Ereanna’s hand while she nods with a smiling mouth widely open, “Yes! I’ll work for you! I’ll do it! I’ll report anything! Anything as long as I don’t need to leave!”

“Now that settles it then. And Tanya, I’ll trust you not to reveal what has been said here today to our Mistress, do you understand?” Ereanna asked as her whole body turns to the flame-haired Tanya.

As their eyes watch each other’s, Tanya breathes out a long sigh of exhaustion, “I understand, Gran. And since it’s for Malinda’s safety and future, I’ll go along, but don’t go too far, okay?”

Ereanna smilingly nods, “You can be rest assured that we’ll keep it to a minimum, but it all depends on how Xe’Reth acts when he’s not by our Mistress’ side…”

“Finally, the time has come to drown the usurpers.”

………

……

…

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully, I didn't mess up too much while being sick. I'll try to write when I feel a little bit better.

I kinda revealed something huge in this chapter. :D

Well, anyhow, I'm feeling under the weather, so I'll probably just go to bed for now.

Until... Next Time!

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