Blood and Lilies - Part VII

"So then, what do you propose, Elias…?" Alice asked, her eyes searching mine.

"..."

That’s right. I had made all the bold claims, yet never once thought of a real solution. Pressured by my sisters’ gazes, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Let’s tell Father the truth. I’m sure he’ll—"

"No, no, no, denied!" Karen cut me off, forming a cross with her arms. "Bad Elias. Idea rejected!"

"But—"

"No, Karen is right, Elias," Alice added firmly, supporting her sister. She then explained with calm precision, "We cannot risk Father’s mood shifting here, not in this place, not right now. We must consider the severity of both the situation and the setting."

"…You’re right," I muttered, my voice low and ashamed. "Sorry about that."

"It’s fine, Elias," Alice softened, stroking my hair. "In other circumstances, your idea might have been perfect."

"..."

The three of us fell silent, stuck without a clear path forward. Then, as I mulled it over, a thought suddenly lit in my mind, too simple, almost foolish, but maybe worth trying. Alice noticed my shifting expression and leaned closer.

"Go on, Elias," she urged. "Tell us."

"Well…" I hesitated. "What if you tell that pig bastard—"

"Elias! Mind your language," Karen scolded, though she smirked. "But… I do agree with that part."

"Sorry. Anyway, as I was saying, if he tries to threaten you with your secret, why not just say Father already knows?"

Alice frowned, ready to dismiss it. "What do you mean? Father doesn’t even know, surely that won’t wor—" She stopped mid-sentence, realisation kicking in. "Actually… no. That might be brilliant. If I tell him firmly, with confidence, he may very well shudder at the thought of Father’s wrath."

"Nice thinking, Elias, that's my clever little brother!" Karen cheered, patting my shoulder.

"But… what if that doesn’t work? What will you do then?" I asked, uneasy.

After all, the plan was too simple, and it wasn’t ideal not to have another option if the first failed to play out as expected.

"..."

Alice gave me a faint smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. "Then I’ll come up with something. Don’t worry."

I wasn’t convinced.

Before I could press further, a deep voice interrupted.

"Alice. Karen. It’s time to depart. Make way toward the carriage." Father’s tone signalled the end of our short, precious moment.

Reluctantly, Alice and Karen rose, bringing our discussion to a close. Unsatisfied, I reached out, trying to catch their hands, to stop them from leaving just yet. But I couldn’t. Perhaps it was fate telling me I couldn’t reach far enough to change destiny either.

Still, I tried. "Wait! Alice, Karen. Don’t go…"

The two of them only smiled faintly, taking my hands and pressing them gently to the table. A silent gesture: it’s time to let go.

Clara, ever watchful, stepped forward from the shadows of the gazebo, ready to assist me in standing to bid them farewell.

"..."

From the carriage window, my sisters waved their goodbyes, their faces adorned with smiles too perfect, too hollow. They masked their sorrow so others would not see. But I saw. My chest tightened, and tears welled unbidden in my eyes. Clara noticed, silently handing me her handkerchief before drawing me into a gentle embrace.

As the carriage wheels began to turn, Alice and Karen finally allowed themselves to weep. Even Father, standing tall, lowered his head and shed quiet tears.

I often wondered… why Father never stopped this marriage proposal? Surely he knew what kind of man that pig was. Even if I had never seen him, his reputation alone spoke volumes; he had to be depraved. And yet Father allowed it. 

Why? 

Was it truly Stepmother pulling the strings, the real power behind the house? Or… did Father carry his own secrets I had yet to uncover?

The carriage drifted toward the horizon until it vanished from sight. One by one, the crowd dispersed. Even Father turned, glancing back at me with a fleeting look of sorrow, before walking away in silence.

"..."

"Shall we return, Master?" Clara asked softly, still at my side.

"Oh, sorry, Clara. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting."

"No, no," she shook her head gently. "As your maid, it is my duty."

"Thank you," I said with a faint smile. "Let’s return. On to breakfast."

"As you wish, Master."

"..."

Days and weeks passed, each one filled with anxious thoughts about the health and fate of Alice and Karen. I often sat alone, staring up at the sky, wondering about them. My own recovery had gone better than expected, though not quite as well as in the previous iteration; perhaps the stress over my sisters had slowed me down.

And then, just like before, the morning came. Rainy. Cloudy. The same as last time. Was this an omen of bad things to come? I hoped not.

Every morning, I waited by the mansion’s front door, expecting Alice and Karen’s carriage. And finally, beyond the horizon, I saw a cluster of figures. Slowly, steadily, they grew clearer until the carriage appeared, knights escorting it safely to the gates.

As the main gates creaked open, the carriage rolled to a halt. My eyes fixed on the door, straining to catch even the smallest glimpse of my sisters. Through the window, I saw only their silhouettes, their upper bodies faintly outlined, their expressions hidden from me.

The door swung open.

And first one to appear was Alice, who came charging out like a rhino, crashing into me with a hug so tight that it would snap my back a little.

“Elias! Oh, I missed you so much!” she cried, clinging to me as though terrified I might vanish.

Her warmth, her relief… it said enough. 

The plan must have worked.

“So it worke—”

“Yes, Elias, yes!” Alice cut me off with a laugh, hugging me even tighter.

“Ah—ow! Careful! My back—”

“Oops, sorry! I forgot you’re still healing.”

“Y-yeah, haha…”

“Don’t worry, your sister will nurse you back to health.” Alice winked playfully, brimming with cheer.

The reunion was almost too perfect. But as joy filled the air, one person remained distant.

Karen.

"..."

I searched for her among the crowd, and when I finally saw her face, my heart sank. She looked pale, distant, her expression weighed down by something heavy. Just like before. Just like the last iteration.

Does that mean…?

Panic surged through me. “Karen! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

She blinked, startled, then forced a small smile. “Oh… Elias. Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“Don’t lie to me! What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Alice, now equally worried, stepped in. “Karen? Is something the matter?”

Karen waved her hands dismissively, laughing nervously. “No, no, nothing like that. Just motion sickness, that’s all. I’ll go take a bath and I’ll be fine.” Without waiting for another word, she slipped away toward her room.

I frowned, suspicion gnawing at me. “Is she really fine?” I asked Alice.

Alice thought for a moment. “I think so. I didn’t notice anything strange… though, she has been feeling a bit off these past few weeks.”

"Did you ask her why?"

“Yes. She said it was just nausea, fatigue. The doctor at the estate diagnosed it as nothing more than a common cold.”

"I see..." 

But my heart told me otherwise. Something wasn’t right. Still, I asked one last question. “She was with you the whole time, right?”

Alice nodded firmly. “Yes. We slept together, walked together, always side by side. So what’s wrong?”

“…Nothing,” I lied, shaking my head quickly.

Alice, sensing my unease, gave me a soft smile. “Come on, Elias. Let’s eat breakfast together. Then afterwards, we’ll check on our sickly Karen.”

“…Yeah. You’re right.”

Inside, Alice greeted Father and Mother. We all sat at the grand dining table, the atmosphere lively and warm.

A joyous moment… yet hollow, because the usual bright, energetic Karen was missing.