generous.’
I continued following Danika. The walls seemed
to ooze sadness here, something that I hadn’t noticed until now and after the
strange occurrence with Evie I knew that Arianne was most fortunate to be where
she was.
I believed that apart from helping me find a
roof over my head and food in my stomach, Arianne had sent me here for another
purpose. It would be several weeks before I discovered what that was.
Emil
After she left the room that day I could
not stop thinking about her. She was only young, yet seemed a lot older than
her years. For one thing, she was tall, the same height as me; though not as
tall as my younger brother.
Andrew I hated beyond words. He was always
father’s favourite. Like my father, he despised my mother and most women. He
thought them useless. But he had put me on such a list too since I had been
very sick as a child and allergic to his horses. Andrew on the other hand took
to horse skills with vigour. He would often accompany father on business trips.
What they were up to was privy only to them but I knew that they had paid a
great deal of money to members of the monarchy in return for certain favours.
My father was always doing deals. He had given monetary support, helping people reach a certain station in life but only if it in some way
benefitted him.
Until Lilah entered the room that day I had
almost lost purpose in my life. I could never rely on mother. She had been a
feeble thing, unobservant, bossy when she needed to be but only to the serving
staff. Although physically there, she had been absent in matters of her
children’s welfare and of matters of the spiritual. She spoke the words of
prayer but she did not value their meaning. If I had been my mother I would have
sent the girl away. She would have been better off anywhere but our abode. With
her pleasant face and sweet manner she would have had no problem finding work.
Han. My little sister. I’m sorry that I could do no more for you. How many times had I tossed around in my sleep
thinking about her? With such an uncaring mother, it was up to me to find Evie
a husband far from here, to release her from father and his tyrannical rule on
the household.
The pretty new servant girl was kept busy
scrubbing, dusting and washing in her first weeks ; given extra tasks by Danika who had promoted herself to the dining room. Lilah
was different from the others who had served before: resolute and efficient in
her tasks and not shirking from heavy labour. Her composure made me curious and
I began searching for opportunities to observe her without her knowing.
One day I made a point of being in the sitting
room with my sister when it came time for her to clean. I’d had trouble meeting
her eyes and she must have thought I was a bore. I did not say anything to her
and pretended to read a book. My sister, however, talked to the young servant
girl while she worked. She asked Evie to play some more music and said it would
help her work faster. Evie laughed, something I did not hear very often, except
when we were alone. We had been close, another thing that annoyed my father. He
told me I should have been born a girl but that did not hurt. I enjoyed reading
Evie stories or taking her on walks but only short ones. Too far, or if the air
cooled suddenly, my chest would feel like it was exploding.
I stole glances at the girl. She had long arms
and a face with many angles. I planned to draw her later: long straight nose,
high cheek bones chiselled from pale amber down to a
pointed chin.
Another week passed before I had the courage to
talk to her alone. I had planned the meeting but the outcome could not have
been more awkward.
It was her afternoon of rest and I followed her
when she left the house. She had been there many weeks and I knew she liked to
wander the hills and sit under a tree. She took out some paper and began to
write with a piece of charcoal.
I pretended that I was out for a casual stroll
and drew
I continued following Danika. The walls seemed
to ooze sadness here, something that I hadn’t noticed until now and after the
strange occurrence with Evie I knew that Arianne was most fortunate to be where
she was.
I believed that apart from helping me find a
roof over my head and food in my stomach, Arianne had sent me here for another
purpose. It would be several weeks before I discovered what that was.
Emil
After she left the room that day I could
not stop thinking about her. She was only young, yet seemed a lot older than
her years. For one thing, she was tall, the same height as me; though not as
tall as my younger brother.
Andrew I hated beyond words. He was always
father’s favourite. Like my father, he despised my mother and most women. He
thought them useless. But he had put me on such a list too since I had been
very sick as a child and allergic to his horses. Andrew on the other hand took
to horse skills with vigour. He would often accompany father on business trips.
What they were up to was privy only to them but I knew that they had paid a
great deal of money to members of the monarchy in return for certain favours.
My father was always doing deals. He had given monetary support, helping people reach a certain station in life but only if it in some way
benefitted him.
Until Lilah entered the room that day I had
almost lost purpose in my life. I could never rely on mother. She had been a
feeble thing, unobservant, bossy when she needed to be but only to the serving
staff. Although physically there, she had been absent in matters of her
children’s welfare and of matters of the spiritual. She spoke the words of
prayer but she did not value their meaning. If I had been my mother I would have
sent the girl away. She would have been better off anywhere but our abode. With
her pleasant face and sweet manner she would have had no problem finding work.
Han. My little sister. I’m sorry that I could do no more for you. How many times had I tossed around in my sleep
thinking about her? With such an uncaring mother, it was up to me to find Evie
a husband far from here, to release her from father and his tyrannical rule on
the household.
The pretty new servant girl was kept busy
scrubbing, dusting and washing in her first weeks ; given extra tasks by Danika who had promoted herself to the dining room. Lilah
was different from the others who had served before: resolute and efficient in
her tasks and not shirking from heavy labour. Her composure made me curious and
I began searching for opportunities to observe her without her knowing.
One day I made a point of being in the sitting
room with my sister when it came time for her to clean. I’d had trouble meeting
her eyes and she must have thought I was a bore. I did not say anything to her
and pretended to read a book. My sister, however, talked to the young servant
girl while she worked. She asked Evie to play some more music and said it would
help her work faster. Evie laughed, something I did not hear very often, except
when we were alone. We had been close, another thing that annoyed my father. He
told me I should have been born a girl but that did not hurt. I enjoyed reading
Evie stories or taking her on walks but only short ones. Too far, or if the air
cooled suddenly, my chest would feel like it was exploding.
I stole glances at the girl. She had long arms
and a face with many angles. I planned to draw her later: long straight nose,
high cheek bones chiselled from pale amber down to a
pointed chin.
Another week passed before I had the courage to
talk to her alone. I had planned the meeting but the outcome could not have
been more awkward.
It was her afternoon of rest and I followed her
when she left the house. She had been there many weeks and I knew she liked to
wander the hills and sit under a tree. She took out some paper and began to
write with a piece of charcoal.
I pretended that I was out for a casual stroll
and drew
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