The Beginning of a War

The Citadel’s corridors bustle with life. The hundreds of full-fledged servants walk and hurries along to their current chores; cleaning, gardening, making breakfast orders of dishes which will go to various parts of the Citadel. To the stables, to the healer’s house, to the servants’ households outside the Sanctuary, and to the Sanctuary itself to feed all of the female children and growing teenagers who live there.

In the Citadel’s massive kitchen, the numerous cooks scurry around holding trays of uncooked food that must be prepared for serving. The bubbling water pots heat on the many burning stoves with timber while the searing hot frying pans cook the eggs which turn golden and shine with its whitened color to indicate that it’s finished. Rounded meatballs roll about in the pans as the chefs flow with their hands, to toss them around so they don’t get burned to a black crisp.

The many racks of hanging meat, sausages, and the other delicacies await for their turn to be roasted on the fire, or be cooked with the various cookwares. But, as the bakers of bread stop the kneading of their dough, they turn to the appointed chef for today. For the handmaidens takes turns in handling the kitchen so their skill in home economics doesn't get dull.

One handmaiden, a red-haired woman of menacing stature who holds a piece of paper in her hands, scowls as she peers at the chefs intently, trying to catch any mistake that they might do.

With a raised head, she shouts out loudly for every single chef in the kitchen to hear, “Listen up everyone! The orders have been sent by our Honored Madam and Ladies! But, it will be a little bit different today! Only Madam Celyssa, Lord Maldoran, and Lady Merissa will be eating their breakfast in the dining hall! And, my own Honored Lady Madelyn’s breakfast will be brought to her quarters today. Then last but not least, Honored Lady Malinda and her… lover… will be having their breakfast in their chamber too.”

“Raise a hand if you want to cook for Lady Malinda and her… lover. Raise!” she yelled sharply though uttering Xe’Reth’s given title with slight distaste, making the chefs startlingly jump in surprise.

But as the red-head gazes at the rising hands, one after the other, she scowls even more, because every chefs’ hand has raised to wave in delight. Since cooking for Malinda and her lover brings possibilities if they’re praised for their culinary arts, for a report will always be sent back to the kitchen of how the Honored Ones liked the prepared food.

“Tsk…” the red-head clicks with her tongue as rage form on her frowning eyebrows, which sinks some of the chefs’ heads in worry. Though as a growl escapes from the handmaiden, she points while shouting, “You, you, you, you, you, and you! Prepare the breakfast for Lady Malinda and her… lover. Now… who wants to cook for my own Honored Lady Madelyn, hmm? Raise your hands!”

Not one single hand raises.

None willing to cook for the spoiled lady of the household. For her standards has risen too high for anyone to be eager to prepare food for Madelyn, since if just a single mistake is found on the plate filled with dishes, that chef will most likely be set to wash dishware for months until someone brave enough tries to plead for the unfortunate one. And since those thousands of plates come to the kitchen every day, it would take hour upon hours to finish, wearing out the hands of the washers too. So it’s a punishment like the many other jobs in the Citadel that needs to be taken care of, no matter how time-consuming or revolting it may be.

“You… You dare disgrace my Honored Lady? Well then, suit yourselves. I guess I will pick… Hmm… Yes, you six. You girls better cook with your life at stake or you might be punished by my Honored Lady Madelyn for bringing her such sickening food. Hmhmhm,” she commanded with a grin while chuckling sinisterly at the six young chefs who just joined the kitchen staff this year.

As the six heard their orders, they go pale in fright. Their heads turn to stare with wide eyes at each other, then to the other chefs who have their heads directing away from their anxious globes of various colors which plead for aid.

“Hmhmhm,” she keeps chuckling as she stares in delight with the piece of paper covering her grinning mouth, “Just look at you all, turning on one another so straightforwardly… Hmhmhm. Well, the rest of you prepare the food for the Honored Lord, Madam, and Lady. And the ordered breakfast is…”

………

……

…

In the main room of Malinda and Xe’Reth’s chambers, Xe’Reth stands on one of the balconies with the same crystal double doors behind him, gazing out at the misty morning, out at the posterior wall of the Citadel. He’s rather disappointed at the view in front of him because only a couple of small houses and sheds locates there. And as he gazes to his left side, the Citadel curves out a little bit, probably a grand hall of some kind.

When he had gone to his mother, he noticed a little further down the corridor that two large double doors led into that very hall. Though, from the décor on the outside, it must be a place of worship since the windows of that part of the Citadel have stained glass of various graphic arts of the Divine Queens as the massive cathedral in the city, yet smaller in size.

‘Thankfully, mom didn’t get worse from moving her to the citadel. Though now that I’ll have more expensive supplies at my disposal, I might finally find some cure to rid her of that…’ He breaks off into a sigh as troubling air exhales. Much to do but so little time to do it. Xe’Reth must know this Citadel through and through so he can move about much more easily at night when it’s needed since Malinda sleeps heavily.

Perfect for him if secrecy requires being kept.

‘I need to record every person who has some kind of influence in the citadel. Maldoran, Celyssa, Madelyn, Malinda, all of the handmaidens, and as I haven’t met anyone else, visiting the most important areas should be a top priority, but I should also take a look at the citadel’s garden to see if I can find a place to secretly grow my herbs. I’ve heard it’s quite huge. Hopefully, it’s huge enough,’ Xe’Reth lingers in his mind, to plan, to calculate individual encounters, but as his eyes twitches in alertness, he listens to the steps that walk into the central chamber with thudding plate boots while four other footsteps follow.

Letting go of the balcony’s railing, Xe’Reth turns to tread inside, into the warmth that exudes from the hearth, which too blazes exactly like the bedroom’s fireplace.

He steps into the chamber while closing the doors behind him, then stares at the built out wall that covers his sight of where the footsteps have now stopped since they gaze with their female eyes to find the person who they’re looking for.

With hands on his back and chest pushed forward, he strides forth, into the middle of the room where a long table with chairs are located.

There Malinda stands in her exquisite beauty, yet her ferocity of the fashionable garments of plate armor hides all of her body’s wonders. She’s ready for a battle with words with the Inquisitor, though as a scarred brow raises from Xe’Reth, Malinda begins to fiddle with her gauntleted hands rather incessantly.

She wanted to wear a gorgeous dress to show off to her lover, but the thought of going out in such an outfit embarrassed her gravely, so she made the choice to be in her regular armor when she meets with the Inquisitor.

“Took you long enough, love,” Xe’Reth began, turning his body with a smile directing to Malinda, which makes her smile back while tightening her lips at the same time. “Is this how long it usually takes for women to prepare themselves?”

Before Malinda answers, Tanya walks up to the long table to draw out the largest chair for Malinda to sit on as she giggles, “Indeed Xe’Reth. It will even take longer now that she wants to look pretty for someone she loves. And that makes me rather giddy in my heart… I just love to… Ah, I’m talking nonsense again, forgive me. Come, Miss, have a seat, and you too Xe’Reth because breakfast will soon be served.”

“Mm, good,” Malinda nodded as she instead of sitting down, she steps on the traditional décor of the crimson carpet, to stand in front of Xe’Reth. Her eyes avoiding his, while he stares wonderingly at her, for she acts somewhat nervous. “Do… Do I look okay in this armor, Xe’Reth? It’s a little lighter than my heavy one. B-But, am I beautiful even though I’m wearing such an unwomanly armor?”

“Unwomanly? Heh, Malinda, you just need to stare downwards to get your answer,” Xe’Reth shakes his head affectionately with a closed-eyed smile, “Even if you wear such armor, you’re as beautiful as ever, because…” He closes in on Malinda as he pulls her to his face, “Because you bring out my desire…—Wait, you aren’t wearing lipstick. Oh, I see what my Honored Lady wants.”

Malinda immediately puckers her lips as her eyes close to wait for him, for him to initiate, and he does by boldly pressing his lips on hers while a tongue escapes, spoiling her goddess-like entrance with his saliva as she accepts him without even thinking about it. Her plated arms coil his neck, to take in his scent, his warmth, and his loving emotions for her that she knows are true.

‘Seriously, how many times do they have to kiss for it to be enough…?’ Cerinn thought, rolling her eyes in annoyance because she’s starving, but not too much for her stomach to growl. ‘I can’t believe that handmaidens are allowed to dine with their Master or Mistress if they’re given permission… To dine with an Honored One, to dine with Lady Malinda… It’s too good to be true! Haha, I’m above every other servant! Ha, take that Madelyn the ruthless, for throwing me away, for I’ll be your thorn for the years to come!’

“So that’s why you didn’t want lipstick,” Tanya muttered as she finishes moving out four chairs to be seated upon. One for Malinda at the head of her table, one for Xe’Reth on the head’s north side, and two on the opposite side of Xe’Reth where Tanya and Cerinn will be seated.

“Mm, you’ve gotten better at kissing, Malinda,” Xe’Reth approved as their lips unlock. “Though you should tilt you head a little bit more, like this.”

“Mmmm!” Malinda startlingly does tilt her head as Xe’Reth gently moves her to slope so they can enjoy themselves to their fullest. “Mm… Mmm…” Her tongue itself slowly whips around in his watery mouth. It’s as if some addictive substance comes from his saliva, making her want to taste it forever.

It surprises Xe’Reth with gazing alert eyes as Malinda’s whole world eases into a trance of a moving mouth and a swirling tongue, while her eyes, half opened, totally dazing in and out. Even her arms have slacked as they rest on her outer plated thighs.

‘Is she so relaxed by only kissing…? Weird, never has this happened before, well, I didn’t even get the chance to kiss the landlady since she only wanted me to relieve her lonely loveless life with sex,’ Xe’Reth thought, completely puzzled by Malinda’s peaceful expression.

As Xe’Reth removes his lips, Malinda still has her head tilted, waiting for his lips to return. But as no lips return, she flickers somberly, not liking the conclusion of the tongue against tongue.

“W-Why did you stop, Xe’Reth? We, we still have time before breakfast will arrive, right, Tanya?” Malinda asked, switching her flickering gaze to her handmaiden who’s sitting on her side of the table next to Cerinn, who smiles innocently yet fakely at the now unsealed couple.

“Yes, Miss. It’ll take awhile for the servants to come with the food. Though now that I think about it, I’m quite hungry actually,” Tanya admitted, letting out an awkward chuckle while scratching her neck. But her eyes widen, “OH! I almost forgot a guide for Sir Xe’Reth! We’ll be right back, come along Cerinn.”

“What…? Do I need too?” Cerinn begged with puppy eyes and pursing lips, wanting to relax instead of working.

“Cerinn… Up, now!” Tanya retorted with a gesturing hand, being sterner than usual. And Cerinn does stand up with a moaning droop of her head, but that only grows Tanya’s sternness.

She has had problems with this little girl. Not being obedient, not doing what she should be doing, and being an embarrassment as a handmaiden. Cerinn had talked back, pouted when she got new work put on her. Being a little too spoiled for her own sake because she considers becoming a handmaiden, means, that she doesn’t need to follow instructions from other people than from her Master, which isn’t true, but she tenaciously sticks to that way of thinking.

As both of the handmaidens goes out into the corridor, then with the clicking of the double doors, Malinda focuses her gaze again at Xe’Reth, to stroke his slicked-back hair with her plated hand while biting her lower lip.

“Malinda, what’s the matter?” Xe’Reth asked, raising his scarred brow at Malinda’s sudden sad facial expression.

“It’s… It’s just that I’m… No, never mind…” Malinda broke off, gazing away from his questioning eyes.

This time, Xe’Reth strokes her loose hair which flows down her back and front side. He runs his fingers through it, to touch the silky smooth strands of golden locks as he boldly scents it with his nose. Then gently says, “If I’ve done something wrong, please, tell me. Because I want nothing to stand between us; you know my secrets, and I would want your trust in telling me your secrets too.”

“What…? No, Xe’Reth. It isn’t anything like that,” Malinda startlingly responded, but her eyes narrow into vileness. “I just want those who tortured you in front of me, so I can look into their eyes and sentence them to their endless doom… I won’t forgive them; I’ll use my power as an Honored One to sway their trial to give them a lifetime in prison because the Inquisitor is in my palm now.”

“Heh. You’re even more beautiful when your angry, my love,” Xe’Reth grinned broadly, giving her a swift peck on her lips, which takes her by surprise, completely off guard as her angry expression disappears in an instant to change into a blushing woman with avoiding eyes. “Though, I should probably not try to anger you… but…” Xe’Reth narrows his eyes to suspiciously gaze around the room, “But I don’t really mind that side of you, because even though you’re kind, kindness can only go so far. For being a little ruthless in secret won’t hurt you in the slightest.”

“Xe’Reth…!” Malinda shouted, but she becomes stunned by her own voice instead, because, in the past, her ruthlessness has doomed people to lose their bravery, even hurting the ones who wouldn’t back off with their hunt in trying to woo her. “I mean…—MM!”

“Shh… Listen, Malinda: You protected me from that pig by the gate of the city. The way you cried for me when I laid there all tortured. All of my secrets that you’ve accepted without question and the way you aided me by helping my mother. It is why, even though you’ve killed people in the name of our country, even though you have an unpredictable mind, it makes me want to accept all of your faults. To bear them upon my shoulders instead of you carrying them alone… So, Malinda, you can trust me as I trust you. And please, it must be something else than those who tortured me which’s troubling your heart,” Xe’Reth spoke caringly; his eyes serene, his mouth gladdened, and his hand that caresses her naked neck wants her to spill everything.

Malinda sighs in defeat as her head lowers forward, but her smirk on those juicy lips can’t hide her joy at hearing such words from Xe’Reth. She raises her head with an inhale of air to then exhale while forming her lips so it travels to the side, and not straight to Xe’Reth’s face.

“I had a nightmare… It’s my regular nightmare, too, because I dream of those who I’ve killed with my own hands on the battlefield…” Malinda uttered as her whole face descends into sorrow. “But it was different this time, you were in my nightmare… You saved me—Oh, I know, it sounds stupid, but… but I was so happy that you were there to pull me out from the ocean of blood. That’s what I was brooding over. Only that… So…”

‘I better not speak about that creature in my nightmare, though…’ Malinda stares directly into Xe’Reth’s eyes of shadows. ‘If it weren’t for the blackening of the eyes, it would be exactly the same as Xe’Reth’s… Yes, I better keep it a secret, I don’t want him to worry about me anymore, and things need to be prepared.’

“Malinda…?” Xe’Reth asked, waving his hand in front of her eyes, which now flickers in bafflement.

“Wh-What… What is it…?” Malinda replied, pouting her lips in a childlike manner to remove the suspiciousness from Xe’Reth’s dark squinting orbs.

“You dazed out there, heh,” Xe’Reth chuckled as he takes a seat on his chair on the north side of the table. And when he’s seated, he pats his thighs. “Come, sit, sit. Let us continue what we were doing just a moment ago.”

“But Xe’Reth… I’m wearing plate,” Malinda protested, clanking her gauntleted hands to sound out the tones of the armor’s material. It isn’t the thickest, but the weight would still press down on his legs, yet, Xe’Reth’s fear for the woman standing there counts as zero. He has strong legs, though, maybe the chair will give out first. “I’m… heavy…—At the moment, I mean of course.”

“…I’ll count to three. If you aren’t on my lap by then, I’ll become…angry. Yes, angry,” Xe’Reth mused, slapping his lap a couple of times to show his seriousness. His eyes narrow to glare, “One…”

“Xe’Reth, you can’t be serious!” Malinda shouted while pointing with a finger straight at him, “It’s childish!”

“Two…” His voice grows extremely dark.

“Xe’Reth…!” Malinda wailed with furrowing brows descending into worry.

“Thre—.”

“Humph,” her buttocks lands on his lap, weighing down her whole load on his legs and on the sturdy chair. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this… It’s degrading...” Her head whips away in another direction. Displaying her annoyed mood of him taming her into submission.

He blows air into her ear to send shivers down her spine. Which whips back her head to glare furiously at him. But as only a smiling mouth and gentle eyes reveal before her, she falls into his embrace.

She hugs him tightly, pressing her plated bulging bosoms onto his chest.

“It isn’t fair...” Malinda moped in her defense.

“I know, I know, my Malinda, my love,” Xe’Reth comforted, patting her head as if she’s a child. Yet no child is she, but a seductive woman who can make anyone swoon over her. Though not Xe’Reth, he takes advantage of the anticipatable frame of mind which she has.

He has grasped it somewhat by now.

Instead of countering Xe’Reth’s obvious fearlessness, she goes in, locking her lips with his. To begin again… To be aroused by his scent, his addictive saliva which changes her whole mind into that of a teenage girl who affectionately adores her partner to the fullest.

“I love you…” Malinda said as she unseals her lips, then seals them yet again, to flow away into happiness.

………

……

…

“Mistress, are you awake now?” Velyn asked through the doors of Madelyn’s bedchamber. But no respond sounds out. It causes Velyn to carefully listen with her ear pressed against one of the doors to hear any noise, anything to signal that her Mistress still lives. Though, yesterday night, Madelyn did abruptly dash into her room to lock herself in there. And since then, only a couple of wails and screams were heard through the doors. “Please, Mistress, come out. We’re restless without you. Tell us what to do to help you. We want to help our beloved Mistress… Mistress…?”

Still no reply.

The double entrances on the other side of the room flap open to reveal Liriana, who has servants following her with trays of food and drinks. Dishes not only for one person but for several people, for when Madelyn doesn’t spend her breakfast in the dining hall, she lets her handmaidens dine with her like Malinda does with her own handmaidens, even some of the servants had eaten if given permission. Though Madelyn would never let mere servants eat next to her.

Utterly obscene.

“Still no respond from Mistress, Velyn…?” Liriana asked in a hushed tone, gazing at the doors behind the headshaking handmaiden. With a sigh, she gestures for the servants to place the trays on Madelyn’s table. “I don’t get it at all… Why does Mistress care about that man stopping the traitor from being thrown out? Sure, her sister will be mad at her, but locking herself in? I don’t like it at all, something must be…—!”

The unlocking click of the double doors resounds behind Velyn as they open to show Madelyn in her seductive nightgown, while her eyes, poisonous as ever, stares in front of her, to stride with her light-skinned legs swaying as she goes to her breakfast table.

None dares to utter a word since their Mistress’ expression says it all. She’s in no mood to speak or hear anyone’s voice right now, otherwise, if someone does take up the challenge, she’d lash out in madness.

As she places her rear on her chair, which Liriana pulled out quickly, her azure eyes travel around the table to witness the prepared breakfast. Too much for her to eat, and that causes her to raise a lip in anger as she directs her evil eyes at Liriana, who goes dumbfounded at being glared at.

“Why is there so much food…? Do you take me for a gluttonous pig…?!” Madelyn snarled loudly, grabbing ahold of Liriana’s collar of her handmaiden’s outfit, pulling her too close to her face.

“M-Mistress… I thought we could d-dine with y—!”

*Slap*

“WHO’RE YOU TO DECIDE SUCH A THING WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?!” Madelyn screamed with her raised palm slightly reddened from the resounding hit on Liriana’s cheek.

She pushes her dead-eyed handmaiden backward so she lands on her buttcheeks with a thud, remaining motionless. She sits there all stunned without making any sounds, only the surprise of her Mistress sudden furious mood has gotten her all confused.

Velyn and the servants, too, stands all stunned from that loud slap. However, the servants’ bodies have lowered to display their pathetic meekness because they’re the ones who cooked and prepared the breakfast that Madelyn will be eating. They aren’t part of her household, but they still need to stay and hear her judgment of their cooking which at the moment doesn’t look bright at all.

A single flaw can turn their lives upside down, but as Madelyn begins to eat, her expression remains the same. She glowers with frowning brows as one dish after the other enters her entrance of anger. To chew the various delicacies, then swallow while the young chefs peek up from their stance of sloping heads.

Silent they stand and Liriana sits on the carpeted floor still in bewilderment from the slap. She has never been slapped, never. She hasn’t ever suffered from a beating in her entire life, but now, now this newly born Mistress that sits on her chair have a different cruelness that she didn’t have yesterday.

Ever since Madelyn woke up an hour ago, she has thought of what to do about her treacherous sister, and well, she has the perfect plan to make her feel the pain which at the moment tugs at her own heart. Her heart bleeds for the boldness of her sister. How can she be so cruel to take away that which she wanted first? But nonetheless, her plan will merely work if Malinda is out of the Citadel, only then will she commit to her betrayal. Though what Madelyn isn’t aware of is that Malinda didn’t betray her at all, she has no idea of Madelyn’s feelings for Xe’Reth.

It’ll cause a war between them, a war between sisters for a single man. But that man has already chosen his woman; Malinda, she will be used up until either she has a fight with Xe’Reth which will cause a rift or if she simply wants to get rid of him for some unknown reason.

As Madelyn grimaces from pressing her palm on her reddened cheek, she commands, “Prepare my clothes. I want to spend my morning in the garden labyrinth. And bring painting supplies too.”

“But Mistress, it’s cold outside and the mist has laid itself thick, I think—.”

“DID I ASK FOR YOUR OPINION?!” Madelyn shouted, whipping her head to the recoiling Velyn to show no mercy for disobedience. “DON’T MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF! OR DO YOU WANT TO GET HIT TOO?!”

“N…No… Mistress, please… I’ll prepare everything at once…” Velyn responded, shrinking in her stance as she backs up into Madelyn’s bedroom to pick out a worthy fur outfit to keep her warm.

Madelyn’s head turns to her stunned handmaiden.

“You… get the fuck up and stop staring at me! You’re my handmaiden! I can beat you if I so wish it! GET UP!” Madelyn ruthlessly yelled at Liriana, who doesn’t move a muscle, but it only worsens her Mistress’ mood. Madelyn snaps with a lip raising and an eye twitching. She pushes her seat out so it crashes on the carpet, to then bend down as her hand raises again, to smack Liriana’s cheek once more. “Get up you worthless whore! GET UP, GET UP, GET UUUP!”

Slap after slap sounds out on Liriana’s cheek, with her not making any movement whatsoever. She just watches her Mistress’ grinning mouth as her own nose and mouth starts to bleed.

“Mistress!! Stop!! Stop, please!” Velyn shrieked at the top of her lungs as she comes out of the bedroom to forcibly tear Madelyn off of the bleeding Liriana. And the servants simply gawks in absolute dread. Because that could’ve been one of them. Though, it’s illegal to harm servants, even handmaidens, since it can lead to a prison sentence.

But of course, an Honored One surely only needs to cover it up, which will happen to those young chefs. To be put in their pathetic places of servitude.

As Velyn lifts Madelyn with arms around her waist, she quickly orders the chefs by shouting, “Take Liriana away from here! Hurry, pieces of useless space! Take her to her mother, now!”

They snap automatically into action. With running legs, they hurriedly drag away Liriana out of the room while Liriana herself has started crying and begging for forgiveness even though she didn’t do anything wrong. The slaps that Madelyn gave was enough for her to suffer worse wounds than her Mistress, because Madelyn’s strength has zero power in them, yet it’s still powerful to hurt Liriana gravely.

While Velyn forcefully holds her Mistress, Madelyn has calmed down, she doesn’t fight back, only gazes at Liriana being carried out. She then closes her eyes to become serene as if nothing happened. Velyn, however, grimaces critically at the silent Madelyn, since she can get into a lot of trouble for stopping her slaps. But as the hold of her relaxes, Madelyn walks calmly to her table to continue eating her breakfast while rubbing her hands together.

She opens and closes her one hand to get rid of the stinging effect but to no avail.

“Go prepare my clothes, or do you want a beating, too, Velyn?” Madelyn coolly asked, turning her head to stare into those crimson eyes. But from a resounding gulp from Velyn, she bows deeply, trying not to make things worse, then goes to the bedroom again, to fetch her some clothes.

………

……

…

“Do you need anything else, Mistress…?” Velyn asked, almost falling forward from her bending stance of compliance. Madelyn has finished eating, and the time, nearly eight o’clock. The misty weather still circulates inside the city, while the cold has decreased somewhat, but the brooding clouds hovers above the Divine Sky so almost no sunlight reaches the ground.

Madelyn is dressed in a fur robe that reaches down to her feet, warm and comfy to wear, though she hasn’t bothered to put on any makeup, only her combed golden hair that isn’t in any hairdo. It’s merely let loose because she isn’t going to meet with anyone, only sitting alone in the garden, relaxing while she paints her desires. A quiet day since she has a vacation from the archery squad.

“Bring the painting supplies to my regular place, and I want it to be there quickly, now go on, before I give you a thrashing!” Madelyn barked, pointing to the double doors leading out into the corridor. And Velyn obeys her Mistress; she bobs her head then closes the door after she’s in the hallway.

‘Dear Divine Queens, what has happened to my Mistress? Why the change? Why…?’ Velyn brooded as she treads onwards, towards Madelyn's paint room where she has perfect canvases that she has painted in her free time. That’s the single profession she’s good—no, excellent at. Landscapes, people, even the unknown she can paint with dyes of the highest quality.

However, right as she rounds a corner, her Mistress’ door opens up as Madelyn steps out, to sway with her legs on the same pathway since the second floor’s back way to the garden, locates in Velyn’s direction.

As Madelyn walks as the Honored Lady she is, she has a frowning face, because now that her mind thinks of what happened to her faithful servant, she does regret it, ‘I’ll have to make up for hurting her later… But today, I just want to paint… To wash away my pain of that bitch’s betrayal. To paint of a night in bed with Xe’Reth… Yes… Huhu, yes indeed.’

In front of her, the luxurious decorative corridor. No servants nor handmaidens in sight, she just wants to be left alone for today.

As she heads straight forward, not turning as Velyn did, Madelyn comes upon the massive entrance to the northwest tower which leads to a giant spiral staircase going up and down; the stairs’ broadness, three meters in length. For every floor, an entrance stands where one can enter the other levels of the Citadel, but the family had blocked those passages off ever since their parents died.

But, Madelyn doesn’t go into the spiral staircase, because that isn’t the back way that leads to the garden, only to the other floors and all the way up to the tower’s pinnacle. Though, Madelyn, she would be too exhausted to ever try climbing those stairs to reach the very top.

She makes a turn to the left as she goes down a long hallway which stops at the southwest tower. But she turns again when she reaches the middle of the west side, to head to a giant terrace that overlooks the vastness of the garden.

The Citadel’s gigantic hedge labyrinth takes up seventy percent, and the Tertin graveyard takes up the remaining thirty. It’s so huge that people would be in awe upon witnessing it, for inside the labyrinth hides many secrets of the Tertin family.

It’s hidden away because the passageways are constructed so that vast chambers can be buried in the ground, but even though it’s the family’s, many secrets are still unburied. Lying there until someone stumbles upon it.

Though since Madelyn has witnessed it too many times, she makes another turn as the scenery of the thick mist didn’t catch her interest. She walks down a flight of stairs which leads to the bottom floor on the outside of the Citadel. Then she goes on a cobblestoned walkway as the mist covers her surroundings, but the noise of tittering servants resounds all around because the morning is when the garden gets tended to. Hundreds of different flowers, waterways with bridges to walk over, and various erected trees of the most valuable species.

When she reaches the labyrinth’s main entrance, she humbly strides onwards with head held high into the emerald towering hedges which slightly blocks out the light of the oozing sun above. As she knows these passages at the back of her hand, she arrives at her usual spot. A secluded area away from unwelcomed eyes.

Luckily, the mist hasn’t laid itself thick enough here. So Madelyn walks to her regular stone bench, which’s a little damp from the weather. But, before she sits down, she wipes it off a little as she then places her furred rear on the stone surface to wait for Velyn to arrive with her supplies.

As Madelyn sits there, gazing at her surroundings, she picks up her hand mirror of extravagance that had been left there when she had gone to the healer’s house, the healer whose daughter she slapped until blood flowed from her nose and mouth.

She frowns, ‘I shouldn’t have beaten her like that…’ Her expression turns more grimacing the further her thoughts take her, ‘Celyssa will have a fit over it surely… Oh… I shouldn’t have beaten her at all…’ Her frown transforms to worry as her brows rises and her eyes nervously shudders of what Celyssa might do to her, for it’s the head-handmaiden’s daughter after all. ‘Ohh… What will I do…? She’ll certainly give me a slap like sist—.’

“No! I don’t care! She isn’t the boss over me!” Madelyn exclaimed furiously as all her fear vanishes in a flash. She rubs her reddened cheek rather hard, which makes her grimace in pain. “Damn you! Damn you, you whore! You whore! Why, why, why! You will pay for this sister!”

She slams her hands on the stone bench while her feet stomps on the tiled ground in a childish manner. Yet her face startlingly recoils in more pain as she twists her one hand slightly in the wrong way as she hits the stone surface.

“Aow! Aahh! Damn you, you rock!” She yelled, standing up to kick the bench, but it doesn’t move one bit. Only Madelyn, who slips to slam her whole body onto the tiles, as the resonating thud makes a shrieking cry of even more pain from Madelyn. “Ugh, dammit! For the Divine Queens’ sake, I will make you cry sister for your… Ugh…”

She raises herself off of the ground to sit down again, to pat her pulsating body so the pain might miraculously go away, but no miracle happens, only the Honored Lady sitting there with a slumping body forward, staring at the perfectly placed tiles. To brood alone, to not have anyone by her side to comfort her.

Then as a snivel declares, her eyes flow with tears. Her expression, completely damaged with wrinkles contorting as she sniffs with her nose. A shuddering breath exhales from her mouth, but as times continues, her face returns to frowning as Velyn and a couple of servants steps into her sanctuary.

They place her supplies at her favorite spot while she gazes with glaring eyes at the nervous ladies of different ages. When they’ve set everything up, the servants leave, and with a raising lip, Madelyn waves away Velyn too so she can be left alone. For she adores painting on her own. To not have eyes looking at her.

Just… all alone…

………

……

…

With a satisfying sigh, Madelyn puts down her dyed brush. A smile curves on her lips while an arousing air exudes from her because the painting in front of her is of a male and a female; herself and a black haired man, yet the man is without a face. Only her expression of bliss is painted onto the canvas which’s fastened to a frame with wooden legs.

It has gone two hours since she started, but her satisfaction knows no bound at the moment, for her mind, completely calm, without worries. No hate, nothing. But, as a female’s voice sounds out by the entrance, “We shouldn’t really be here, but a quick look wouldn’t hurt,” Madelyn’s head whips towards the voice as quickly as it can. Her eyes widen utterly while her mouth gapes in absolute terror, for behind the talking woman walks the all casual…

…Xe’Reth.

Thanks for reading!

Plus, the great storm that I was talking about before, well, I didn't think that through, chapter to chapter wise, since my pace is slow in my writing, but don't worry, the storm will be coming! And of course, more action will be coming with that storm too. Though there was a slight time skip in this chapter, three hours give or take.

Don't forget to voice your thoughts!

Damn, Madelyn can be cruel when she's pissed. A little bit too much kissing, huh, Malinda? :D

Until... Next Time!

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