(Miss Nameless’ POV)

*Chirp chirp*

Opening my eyes to the warm sunlight that protrudes from a slightly opened curtain, I stay still listening to the morning chirping of birds along with the flutter of their little wings.

“Good Morning Madam” A thickly accented voice comes from behind and I feel the encasing warmth leaving me with a ruffling of sheets.

“Good Morning to you too Tatiana” I yawn as I sit up, still huddling some covers around me

Tatiana briskly opens the curtains, letting dawning light shine through revealing her portly self in a dark blue nightgown, her sharp features glimmering in the light.

Mmm.

I spend a few moments taking in the warm light before a well dressed man with short black hair and clean shaven walks purposively into the room backwards, holding a tray.

“Mistress, some milk and eggs if you’d please” With perfect precision he back towards her bed, placing the tray on her knees, without looking her away once.

She had long stopped asking why he walked backwards in the mornings for she always got the same answer back.

“Thank you Krudel” She takes a whiff of the herbed eggs. “Could you pick out a dress for me while I eat please?”

“Would be my pleasure” He heads off to an expansive wardrobe, whooshing it open and revealing rows upon rows of long dresses of all colours.

He succinctly chooses a light blue dress with a greenish tinge and a light pink one with an orangey tone to it.

Handing them both to Tatiana, she takes them towards me for a closer look.

Taking a small bite of my egg, I take a sip of some freshly squeezed pineapple juice, mmm delicious.

“The pink one”

Tatiana hands the other back to Krudel; who hangs it carefully back into the closet before leaving the room, in an odd yet practiced cross walk.

Finishing my eggs, Tatianna places the dress onto the bed and begins dusting the room, if only to pass the time.

Finally done, Tatiana places the tray onto a nearby chair and helps me out of the bed.

Clothing me, she makes the bed, takes the tray and then leaves the room silently.

I walk around the room for a short moment; letting myself wake up a bit more before I give a small knock to the door.

Krudel walks in, this time facing forward and gives me a deep bow.

“As radiant as ever Mistress, but would you like me to straighten your hair?”

I smile and sit down on the stool by a set of mirrors, allowing Krudel to stand behind.

He takes a brush, gently stroking it through my hair, taming the wild mess that is my bed hair and I…I watch him through the mirrors.

It’s quite fun watching him work; the way his deep blue eyes concentrate solely on the task and even the small bit of tongue that pops out when he’s being particularly careful.

Done all too quickly, I stand back up with straight, glossy hair reaching just under my shoulders.

“So Mistress, what would you like to do today?”

“Hmm…it is such a lovely day. Could we take a walk around the gardens?”

“Your wish is my desire” Offering an arm, I place my hand on the upper part, letting him lead me outside.

Walking through the sunlit corridors, we quickly reach the large double-set stairs opening out into a grand foyer which has a small number of well dressed people walking around with purpose.

Making it outside, the fresh air is so fruity. Seems like the fruit has ripened and quite nicely if my nose is to be trusted.

Languidly going through the wide open field, we veer off to the right, through an arch of hedge and into the gardens.

The orchids are in full bloom, their sweet scent permeating through the air. But even here the smell of fresh fruit overpowers it. It’s so strong I can almost taste the citrus oranges and juicy apples.

Passing by the multitudes of bouquets of varied flowers ringed around a grassy statue of some kind, we eventually reach the orchard.

I do say orchard, but a large portion of it is bushes, with yellowing pineapples resting on top of them.

Ever since Daddy found out that I enjoyed fresh pineapple juice, he had a small field of them planted. Well it is quite delicious.

But true to its name, the orchard does have some trees bearing fruit: orange trees and apple trees are mixed together making the image a lot less monotone than the pineapple field.

Making our way over to an orange tree, I can almost taste the juices from the well rounded thing as it sways with the breeze, ready to fall to the ground at any moment.

Without warning, I feel myself being lifted up by the waist and the orange comes easily into my reach.

Plucking two from the tree, Krudel gently places me down and gracefully takes the orange I offer him.

Mmm!

Continuing through the orchard, I spot a few other trees as well as bushes here and there; blackberries, so many blackberries, along with cherry and some strange sickly smelling fruit called jackfruit.

A very sweet fruit but the smell is quite a burden on me, so only a few trees are of that kind.

Soon, I spot an elderly man with muscled arms and skin darkened by the sun sitting on a branch, basket between his legs and hands plucking fruit from the leaves.

“Good Morning Jerry” I saw up to him, giving him a small wave.

“Oh Milady, what a pleasure to see you out on such a fine day” He jumps down with the basket, yet spilling no fruit, though his straw hat does fall off his head.

“I couldn’t resist not coming out to see the ripened fruit. The smell is just divine”

“Why yes it is” He too takes a large whiff of the air “A fine crop this year, the weather has been quite kind”

Picking up his hat, he walks over to me and plops it on my head quite gently. “You shouldn’t linger in this sun without a hat, it is not good for you”

“And what about you?” I stick my tongue out at him as he chuckles.

“I am used to the sun…as you are used to eating my fruit before I’ve plucked it from the trees” He gives me a disapproving grin as I take another blackberry from a small pouch of freshly picked ones…that I always carry because I can never resist picking blackberries when I’m out here…

“Well they are just too delicious looking to resist”

“Aye, but don’t eat too many or you’ll turn as black as their skin” He gives a small chuckle before patting me on the head again.

Jerry’s such a nice guy.

But he’s right, the sun is starting to sap me of my strength and Krudel must’ve seen it for he begins to direct me away

“Thank you Jerry, but it seems the sun is a tad too strong for me today” I take off the straw hat and put it onto his slightly bowed head.

“Do not worry about it Milady, it was a pleasure to see you out here for even this short while” He bows and goes back to climbing the tree while Krudel and I head back inside.

Feeling faint, I get lifted up and soon find myself being carried over the meadow and back into the house.

I don’t know how people can survive out in that sun, it is way too strong.

Setting me down, I receive a glass of chilled water which helps some strength back into me.

“Krudel…may we go to the music room?”

He nods and I take him arm once more.

The music room is wide, empty space with a round platform in the center holding a grand black piano.

Sitting down on the soft leather stool, I place my fingers on the cool keys.

“Krudel, you may do what you want for I’ll be here a while”

“May I sit and listen to you?”

I nod and he takes up a seat on an old leather chair by the unused fireplace, face hidden in the shade while his black and white suit shimmers with the light coming from the huge pane behind me.

Hmm, what shall I play first?

…

“hmm hmmmm hm hm hm hm hm hmmm hmmm hmmmm. Hmmm hmmm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hmm hmm…”

…

..

.

Taking my foot off the pedal, the music comes to a soft stop.

*Clap clap*

Turning to see Krudel is still sitting comfortably in the chair, clapping with a small smile on his face.

“Well played Mistress, well played. I assume you are hungry no?”

Now that he mentions it, I do feel the emptiness of my stomach.

Oh my!

Looking at the clock on the wall, I spot that it is past midday; I had spent more than 3 hours on the piano.

Standing up, feeling my rear complain at having sat so long, I slowly walk down the steps, aided by Krudel of course.

Making our way towards the large dining hall, I greet both Krilla and Marina; the maids, who both wave back at me with a smile.

Entering the dining hall, I sit down next to the head of the long gleaming wooden table, next to the empty chair at the head.

The food does not arrive as per usual…that’s odd.

“Now what kind of manners are those…sitting before your old pops” A deep, yet gentle voice comes from behind.

Bouncing out of my chair, I turn towards the voice; a tall muscular man with short greying black hair, some stubble and a jaw thick like an anvil.

“DADDY” I jump into him, arms not able to reach round his muscular body.

His arms warp around me warmly. “I missed you”

I let him go after a while, still feeling his warmth envelop me.

“So how is my little girl doing?” He starts looking me around, gently turning me to check that I’m alright.

“I’m doing just fine Daddy, don’t worry”

“I’m allowed to worry, because I’m your father” He gives me a quick kiss on the forehead before taking out the chair for me.

He himself sits down after me and the plates of succulent food succinctly make their way to the table.

“So how did your battle against the Vikings go?” I ask him as he chooses a crispy chunk of pork

“We lost which is a shame, but at least we have another chance to redeem ourselves” He doesn’t look too unhappy about losing. “And how is your last birthday present?”

“It’s really cool! I’ve learnt how to make leather and I’ve made a few friends too” I say excitedly, unable to stop myself but at the same time while I blurt out, a recent memory flushes into my mind.

“Oh? So no problems whatsoever, no bad things happen to you” Daddy looks rather intrigued, with more than a little look of worry veiling his eyes.

“No, it’s all been lots of fun, just that” Daddy can’t know…if he does he might not let me play anymore…

“Ok then, sounds like you’re really having fun” He takes a baby tomato to his plate, juices squirting as he punctures it with his fork.

“BLAAAAARGH”

I feel a soft silk cloth wipe my mouth before lifting me out of my seat.

“Are you alright” Daddy fills my view, worry filling his eyes.

“I’m alright, just spent a little too long out in the sun today. It’s my fault” Daddy looks to Krudel to confirm and then back at me.

“Ok, just have a little rest and we have some more food later” He gives me a kiss on the forehead and walks briskly with Krudel to my room.

Turning right at my door, he disappears from my view and I enter my bedroom once more.

Tatiana appears moments after I’ve been set down, and she replaces Krudel, removing my stained dress and helping me into the shower.

Letting cold water drench me, she leaves me alone, waiting by the door with a towel as usual.

I remember now…the thing that happened, what I had to see…the tomato ulrururlp.

*gulp*

Shivering but not from the cold, I sit down and huddle in the shower.

It was scary, so scary. Even now, just thinking about it I can feel tears streaming down my face.

Daddy always told me that things that scare me aren’t real…they’re just figments of my imagination.

I have to believe that, think of…that…as just a dream, a bad dream. I have to get over it, because I want to play again, I want to see Joat and Thrash and roll around because it’s so fun.

And because I can stay in the sun so long there, without having a single problem, without feeling faint. I can dance and jump and sing all I want in there…I can even hug cute rabbits…I really want to hug a rabbit right now.

“Tatiana” my voice is hoarse, probably from throwing up… “Could you bring me a box of tomatoes please? And a blender too…”

I hear her footsteps and I sit huddled, waiting.

If I’m going to play again, I need to get over it, I need to show Krudel…and therefore Daddy that I can be strong and continue playing. I don’t want to be cooped up here anymore.

The bathroom door slides open, and I spot a small box of tomatoes not far away along with a small handheld blender.

Getting out shakily, I take the box to a dry place in the bathroom along with the blender.

Anoobis said it’s like……like…blended tomatourlrp *gulp* tomatoes…

Placing a tomato the blender, I press the on button

“BLAAAAARGH”

…

…

(Krudel’s POV)

“Explain” The master of the house sits on his favourite arm chair out in the front patio, looking at me expectantly.

He’s not dumb, he knows I wouldn’t allow his precious daughter to stay out in the sun too long, I would never allow such a thing to happen.

“It was my fault, I let her wander away and something happened. I don’t know what but I know who does”

He just looks at me, waiting for me to continue.

"Another player; intelligent, smarmy would be a good word for description but not a bad person I would say. Rather full of himself would be his main feature"

“And he was with my daughter while you were not?”

“Yes, I had gotten distracted by others, and had forgotten my sole duty”

“Krudel…” he muses for a while, pondering on what to do with me.

If I was him I’d fire me on the spot.

“Find the one who knows what happened to her and if he was the cause…”

“You don’t need to say anymore Sir”

“And for you…this will be your only warning…as a token of good service in all these years”

“Thank you Sir” I turn around, beginning to walk away.

“Oh and Krudel” I turn back around “Is she really having fun?” His stern composure breaks down into one of a worried father.

“Yes, I have not seen her so happy and full of life for so very long”

“Good” He goes back to musing, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

Leaving him, I make my way to the Mistress’ room almost bumping into a rushed Tatiana along the way.

She doesn’t need to say anything and I immediately sprint to the Mistress’ room to see what’s wrong.

“BLAAAAARGH” Violent sounds come from the bathroom.

“Mistress, are you alright?”

“Yes Krudel” Her voice is hoarse, cracked and raw. “I’m just going through a small phase”

“…Is it about what happened in the game?” I stand looking at the distorting glass to the bathroom interior.

“…Don’t tell Daddy” she says meekly.

Huuu.

Sitting down by the glass door, I sigh deeply.

“Tell me what happened”

…

…

(Miss Nameless’ POV)

“And so he told me to think of it like tomatoes going through a blender” I finish, throat burning in pain making tears jump from my eyes.

“I see...” Krudel seems to be thinking deeply from the other side of the door. “Could you let Tatiana in now?”

I look around the stained floor, a mixture of tomato and not…

Unlocking the door, I carefully move to the shower, turning it on and letting it wash me.

Tatiana walks in and without a single change in her expression begins to clean up.

Within a few minutes, a large portion of it is gone, and she hands me a towel, guiding me out of the rank smelling bathroom.

Krudel is nowhere to be seen.

I knock on my bedroom door.

“Mistress” His muffled voice comes from the other side.

“Could you come help me choose some clothes?”

He walks in, heading straight for the closet, picking out two similar coloured dresses along with a set of underwear.

I choose the dark blue and he quickly retreats from the room, without so much as a glance my way.

Marina comes into the room moments later, helping me into my clothes.

Dressed one more, I walk shakily outside my bedroom, to see Krudel waiting there patiently with a glass of warm water.

“May we go to the sewing room?” my throat seems slightly better after that water, slightly.

“I believe I have a better idea” He doesn’t smile like he usually does, but looks rather thoughtful as if planning something.

I nod, rather curious and take his arm.

He takes me downstairs, and continues further downstairs till we reach the kitchen.

Coughing lightly at the smoke upon entering, he moves me out of it and into the less smoky part of the kitchen.

A portly man walks up to me, wiping his hands with a cloth.

“Madam” His accent is the same thick one that Tatiana has “Vaz are zyou doing here?” He asks rather perplexed, since I almost never come down into the kitchen.

I assume food since my belly rumbles uncomfortably.

“Some food for the Mistress, some chicken perhaps?” Krudel answers for me, looking for my approval.

I nod.

“Hmm, a good choice Madam, zlez me fetch a chicken for zyou”

“Ah Boris…I think its time the Mistress learnt to cook from beginning to finish don’t you?”

Boris, the chef, looks at Krudel with slightly squinted eyes for a few seconds.

“Ah, I zee…yez, ze young Madam muz zlearn zo cook” He heads out back while I look raised eyebrows towards Krudel.

“It is a necessary skill for life Mistress, and this will help you, trust me”

Ok, I trust you Krudel.

Boris comes back with a lively chicken in a cage, though its legs are tied so all it can do is roll around.

Placing it on the counter he looks towards me.

“Now Madam, zake ze chicken; one hand on ze body, ze ozer on ze neck and zwisz”

His accent is confusing, but he’s asking me to twist the neck of the chicken?!

‘Wha-”

“Trust me” Krudel puts a finger to my mouth.

I’ve never…done something like this before…never really though how the chicken gets on my plate before…

Gulping, I open the cage door, grabbing the chicken by the back, and taking it out.

It ruffles violently in my hand, to which Krudel responds by grabbing both the chicken and my hand, helping me hold it.

“Now twist its neck”

I take the chicken by the neck, feeling something warm beat against my hand.

…

..

.

*Crack*

The beating stops.

I let it go in shock, Krudel catching it and giving it to Boris before holding my shaking hands.

“It’s alright, killing your first chicken is something that shocks everyone”

“Something was beating, something warm…it stopped when it…it died”

“Yes, focus on the feeling you had when it died, when the beating of its heart stopped”

“I killed it…” I feel tears running down my cheeks. I just killed something, I felt it die.

Krudel gives me a small hug before turning me around to the counter, where a knife and an apple lie on a wooden board.

“Now take the knife and cut the fruit, like this” He takes the knife, point on the wood and he slices down, moving the point forward but never off the wood.

He hands it to me and encasing my quivering hands with his, he has me put the knife over the fruit and slowly cut down.

“Now do you feel it?”

“Feel what?” I say with my vision blurred from tears.

“Exactly. That chicken was living, breathing. This fruit is just an object…much like those goblins”

…

..

.

Oh…

“You could feel the life in the chicken and when it went out it was shocking, painful almost. But you can cut this fruit without worry, because it is simply just a fruit. Those goblins, are just objects, and they’re in a game, not real. You can’t feel their hearts beat, for they’re just objects in a game”

He continues having me cut the apple till its sliced then places a tomato in front of me, Boris supplying a blender.

“And like that man, Anoobis was trying to say, putting fruit into the blender, you don’t feel anything for them because they’re just fruit” He places 3 tomatoes in it and rests my finger against it.

Gulping, I press the button and watch the tomatoes blend

…

..

.

Nothing. I don’t feel any disgust, just a mild interest at watching them become a pulpous mass. Compared to that chicken...this is nothing.

“You see? And like these blended tomatoes, those goblins are just objects in a game, not real so you shouldn’t be scared of seeing such a thing. Feeling disgust, that is normal, for it looks very real, but it isn’t and you must remember that”

Taking my more calmed hands he looks directly at me.

“However real it may feel, remember it is just a game, nothing in there is real” He gives me a pat on the head. “Now, let us go have late lunch with your Father shall we?”

“Ok” I feel a lot lighter now, a lot happier I guess. I mean still thinking of those goblins and what happened churns my stomach, but it’s nothing compared to the feeling of a stopping heart in my hands…

Maybe Anoobis isn’t such a bad person afterall, since he already realized, like Krudel that it’s just a game, nothing to be afraid of…

Heading to the once again spotless dining hall, Daddy is already sitting down and waiting.

“I’m all better now so don’t worry” I give him a reassuring hug before he can ask me whether I’m fine or not.

Sitting down at the table, I start with the chicken, giving my piece a lot of thought…I killed it, so I could eat it…

but I can’t feel anything but a delicious taste from it now…how odd these feelings are in conjunction to one another.

Finishing my meal, I head downstairs to sow with Daddy watching, but Krudel asks to talk to him about something important, business of some sort.

…

…

(Krudel’s POV)

“Sir, I have something to ask of you” I stop him in the foyer, bowing at my quite rude behaviour of taking him away.

“It must be important so go on”

“Mistress is a grown woman”

“No” He knows what I’m going to say.

“She needs exposure to the real world”

“Do not make me say it again Krudel”

“Then don’t, just listen to what I have to say and think about it…for her sake”

He doesn’t respond.

“She has been exposed to a small number of fantasy people in an uncivilized world…she requires real life exposure to the world or she will never be able to fit in society” He’s about to say something but I quickly and quite rudely frankly interrupt him “She will go to society one day with or without your consent because she is bored of being cooped up in here and she is curious, a spark ignited by this game.

A small amount of exposure now will help her so much in the long run because I know that you don’t want her to go but she must and she will one day. Prepare her for the real world you’ve been hiding from her or it will hurt her.

You have let your daughter grow into a fine woman…don’t let her wither here on a pebble in the ocean.”

“It’s too dangerous”

“You have kept her here for 19 years on an island somewhere in the South Pacific without any proper human interaction but us servants...and now that she knows there is a real world out there for her to explore. Knowing that, she will no longer be happy, is no longer happy here. She wants to explore, she needs it”

His face contorts in self argument, possibly over excuses, thought and ideas on keeping the Mistress here another 19 years

“It’s what She would’ve wanted”

“DON’T put her into this” He snaps at me “What do you know what she would’ve wanted huh?”

“She wants what all mothers want for their children; for them to be happy”

… Finally his closed-minded shell cracks open but a tiny bit and he loses his bark…looking like the resigned old man that he is.

“So…What would you have me do? The outside world is dangerous; I don’t want her out there, especially with how frail she is. She doesn’t know anything about the outside world; She doesn’t even know how to cook.”

“Exactly why she must go out and be exposed to the world, to understand what is dangerous and how to live, truly live. Also, she will not be alone; I’ll make sure that she remains safe. All I ask is to allow me to take her to a proper environment for a woman her age and let her grow into the woman we all want her to become.”

I gesture behind me where I know all the rest of the household have quietly gathered, all having quietly talked about this for the past years and have parted me their knowledge so that I may teach the Mistress when needs be.

“Where do you have in mind?” His eyes look down in resignation…finally understanding somewhat that he needs to let the Mistress go.

“The starting point of all human’s proper interaction with the real world…University”

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Hey, so 2 things:

1. I feel a mini-series of Miss Nameless happening (but if someone wants to take the mantle on that sometime in the future then go on ahead and try ;P) sometime when I've gotten quite a bit more of the fiction done (probably in the down time or smthg).

2. Dya like the somewhat still ambiguous backstory (huehuehue)...though with enough thought you'll probably have a good idea about a few things :D

Anyways hope you enjoyed this mildly relevant chappie (it's more of a .5 chapter really tbh since no Joat).

-TRUE NORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD