Ambitions huh?

Today is my fifth day in the Skylien household. The first three days were rainy. Today is sunny like yesterday.

I did my usual work again. Even if my flesh rotted from inside, the days here are not so bad. Maybe, dying as a slave here will not be the worst afterall.

After a tiring day's work, I was having supper alone in the servants' dining room.

Ms. Gin locked the door and called me, “Come here.”

“Sit on the chair.”, she said, “I wanted to talk to you, boy.”, she smiled.

I sat, while eating the bread in hand.

The especially bright sunlight yellowed the side of our faces from the left window, it was hard to keep looking.

“How have you been faring here?”, she warmly smiled, eyes on my face.

“Good, Ms. Gin.”, I said calmly.

“You sleep in Ronald's room?”

“Yes.”

“Does he trouble you?”, she smiled deeper, her teeth shining.

“No. He is a good person.”

“Well, that he is.”, she stated in a matter-of-fact way, “So, are you doing better here than before?”

What is she trying to get at? Sympathy towards a poor slave?

“Yes, Ms. Gin.” I added, “It is also thanks to you that I am doing good.”

Her white face blushed as she smiled, close lipped. I wanted to embarrass her a bit more. If she wanted to know how this slave fared then I will give her just that.

“I like going to the villages. Taking in the smell of this soil. Seeing these mountains surrounding the castle. I like buying items with Ronald everyday.”, I could see a small frown, but she continued listening without correcting me to add ‘Mr.’ before ‘Ronald’, “Doing these daily works is becoming meaningful to me, it is becoming the reason to to think for ‘tomorrow’.”, her eyes were warmly smiling, as if she could keep listening to me for a very long time, “Not to mention, I look forward to every meal madam cooks. And I look forward to meeting you Ms. Gin.”, she abruptly broke free from her warm daze and blushed again, “I just have one task I am thinking of doing soon.”

“What task?”

“Smile at Ronald someday.”, my warm words dropped from my cold face.

An awkward silence prevailed.

“Who do you have in your family Ms. Gin?”

“I have a little brother and mother. My father died a few years back.”, her smile looked slightly pained.

“Do you plan to work here forever?”, half of the bread still in my hand.

“Yes. This is what I chose for myself, boy.”, her pained smile persisted as her brown eyes looked in mine.

I wanted to ask more questions, but I felt I was overstepping my limits, and also I might have been awkward in conversing, given how she looked down. So, I stopped.

*****

I was lying on the floor of my room, eyes drawn to the sky through the window. Sunlight is getting dimmer. The white clouds are moving lazily. My eyes closed to a peaceful nap.

*****

Something pushed on my foot. Dimly opening my eyes, Ronald was doing something near the window. Can't he even see I am lying here? Or is that how much he can't care about a slave? So I am like an object lying around. I felt furious from my broken sleep.

‘Knock.’ came from the wooden door.

I stood up slowly, and seeing Ronald wasn't opening it, I opened the door.

“May I come inside?”, a girl with sky-blue hair, fair skin, blue eyes, said firmly.

I backed off, opening the door fully.

“Then I will excuse myself.”, She said and, in a noble-manner, entered. Her posture was rigidly straight, more like a man's. She was slightly shorter than me.

Ronald, surprised looking at her, quickly gave a slight bow, “My lady, what brings you to our room?”, he sounded shaken.

“No need to be tense. I was just surveying the rooms.”, she said and walked around. Her hand brushed the table. She looked at the broken window for a brief moment. Then she pulled up the mattress slightly and looked below it.

She crouched low, leaning forward until her head dipped closer to the floor, one hand braced against the ground to keep her from toppling as she peered beneath the bed.

She straightened up and gave her hands a quick clap, brushing the dust from her palms.

I and Ronald were standing by the window and she was facing us. Sleep soaked, I stood ignorantly.

She opened her mouth but stopped instantly. Her face froze. Cold and colorless. Her eyes seeing beyond us.

A sudden continuous clang of a bell split the air, deep and resonant.

She lunged at me. Her right arm wrapped and pushed my throat, her body fell on me and thrusted me down. A blunt pain on my lip as her teeth cut it when her face clashed with mine.

As a cough formed from the attack on my throat—

“Aah!!”, the first scream I heard didn't come out of me, neither her.

‘Kuhff! Kuhff!’ I coughed, as I looked at the girl above me slowly sliding at my left side, horror in her face.

I could hear distant running and screaming, “...merciful Sky Deity, save us!...”

I tried sitting, but she strongly gripped my wrist with her trembling hand. Still lying down at the corner, her face contorted in fear, she slowly shook her head firmly to me implying, ‘Don’t go’.

I lied by her side. Her blue eyes panicked. Tears rolling out of them.

“What is happening?”

She pushed her trembling index finger vertically on my lips.

A while later Mr. Torrens came, “Quickly leave the room!”, he said from the door.

I stood but she seemed to be stuck in her sitting position due to her trembling legs. I held out my hand to her. She grabbed it quickly. I pulled her with all my strength. Mr. Torrens also supported her to walk quickly out of the room.

Before leaving, as I looked to see Ronald, there was no one else. And I did not see him leave before us.

*****

The entire household was in panic. Everyone gathered at the central area of the first floor, even Lord Celkebar was there. The blue-haired girl and black-haired noble girl were standing near him with few more people and some soldiers.

I approached Ms. Gin.

“What is happening Ms. Gin?”

“The Red Sky Horses attacked us.”, she said seriously, looking over the people.

“What is that?”

“You do not know them?!”, she angrily asked.

“Sorr—”

“Darun. Where is Ronald?”, Mr. Torrens approached me.

“H-he was in the room.”

“But there was only you and Lady Vox.”

“No, he was there before you came.”

He went back in the crowd quickly.

My brain finally registered the first scream I heard in that room.

My body shivered at the thought. Ms. Gin was shaking me by my shoulders, asking me, “Where is Ronald?”, her voice shaking, “Where is he!”, she was crying.

“I-I don't…”, I couldn’t look her in the eyes.

Her despaired face quickly blended in the crowd, desperately searching for someone.

*****

That late afternoon, Ronald Dekleren was snatched by a Red Sky Horse from his room by the window. He was the only one who died.

I was saved by that girl. And I wondered again, Could have taken me. That guy had a lot to live for… and smiled lightly. In just a moment, his ambitions were ended.

The window was boarded up with wood planks.

That night, I slept in a bed after a long time, with a pillow.