Melinda

“My lord, only one servant has died.”, Torrens said.

“How did it happen?”, Celekbar questioned.

“It took him from the window.”

“So they break through windows now.”

“Not exactly, my lord. That window had no glass.”

“What! Why did it not have?”, he was angered.

“It broke sometime ago.”

“Then why was it not repaired, Torrens!”

“My lord, I had it noted to be repaired but did not haste, as that may have costed more coins.”, he said in a low voice.

“How can I be their master if I can not even afford a glass repair!”, he turned and stared at Torrens.

“I apologise, my lord. It was my ineptness in understanding the value of a good window. Please, forgive my incompetence.”, Torrens’s voice low. He couldn’t disclose to his master that Ronald had requested a small bonus in exchange for delaying the window repair, which suited Torrens’s need for financial caution, given the already meager funds.

“Who was it?”

“Ronald Dekleren. He joined recently. He was from Valley’s Town.”, he continued, “Lady Celestine Vox and the new slave were also there. They were unharmed. Lady Vox saved the boy.”

“How did she save him?”

“At the time of attack, both Ronald and the boy were near the window. She pushed him to the side when the Red Sky Horse attacked.”

“She is a reckless young girl, I see.”, a moment later he continued, “And any report of the attack came?”

“Yes, my lord. 73 cattle and 122 goats are taken. 11 people, including children, are also taken. 20 of the animals and 2 people were from the villages here and Valley’s Town.”

“It is already the fifth time this season. They are more aggressive than ever.”, Celekbar's voice growing louder, “And to top it off, they dared attack my house!”

“My lord, we have never seen them attack humans so aggressively before either.”

“Now they even feast on us.”, he said loudly.

“It appears to be so, my lord.”

Celkebar strolled in his room, while Torrens obediently stood.

“Send in the Vox girl. And send some small compensation to the boy's family, and if a member of his family wants to work here, take them in.”, he said, rubbing his forehead, eyes closed.

“As you wish, my lord.”

Torrens left.

A while later a thudding knock came on the door.

“Come in.”

“Greetings, Lord Celkebar Skylien. I hope you are doing well.”, said the young Celestine Vox.

“How to do well, Vox, when these birds do not leave us alone.”, he said irritatedly. “Anyways, I heard you saved a slave.”

“Yes, my lord. I happened to be there at that time.”, she appeared nervous.

“You have shown excellent bravery. Befitting of a noble. It would have been better if you saved the other useful boy instead of that useless slave.”

“My lord, I believed that slave held special value to you, he had Skylien's white hair, thus I—”

“That slave?”, he chuckled, “No, dear. That slave is like any other slave of this household. He is even less important than some truly valuable slaves living here.”

“I apologise for assuming his worth.”

He waved a hand at her, dismissing her apology, “Even so, you did a good job. Rest assured that you will be rewarded for this in the near future and I will let your father know too how well his daughter is doing.”

“I am forever in your debt for such kindness, my lord.”, she smiled.

“Yes. That will be all. You may go now.”, he dismissed her.

*****

Every servant mourned Ronald's death. They lost a colleague, a friend, a young boy.

I saw Ms. Gin's swollen red eyes.

When I went to have lunch, she put my bowl on the table with a ‘thump’, looking at me wide-eyed. I could understand her, she meant, ‘It should have been you who died! A worthless slave! Not a boy with a bright future!’ I felt the same guilt. That noble girl could have saved him in my place. I looked down, picked my meal, and had it on the floor.

*****

In the afternoon, a servant gave me his broom to clean the area near the stairs. So I was sweeping.

“Noo!! Noo!”, a girl's high pitched scream. It came from the upper floor.

I rushed up the stairs, worried, thinking a similar attack as yesterday took place. I wanted to save this person, I do not know why but I desperately did.

This was the first time I ascended these stairs.

“Aahh!! Noo!!”, she was still screaming, but there was no chaos of people unlike yesterday, nor was any bell ringing.

I followed her screams to a corridor and the guard there stopped me by my rags.

“Where are you going, boy?”, he angrily asked.

“Sir, can't you hear the girl screaming?!”

“...Go away.”

“Let me in…!”, I tried forcing.

“Stop you slave!”, he raised his other hand to hit me, but stopped midway, eyes looking at my hair for the faintest moment.

“The lord is inside. No one can go in now.”, he firmly said, glaring at me.

My limbs lost their energy when I understood what was happening. Right then a thought flickered in my head that reinvigorated the fire in me: What if that girl who saved me is inside?

I wordlessly tried pushing in.

The guard pushed me down hard, I fell on my buttocks.

“If you do not wish to be severely punished, then leave.”

I realised, this weak body couldn't face off one soldier, then what could I even do facing against the lord.

But my heart didn't want to agree. The pain was no longer only in my abdomen. I wanted to do something. Anything. Tears welled up. My fingers dug in my palm.

“Move.”, the guard said in a threatening tone. Her screams continued. Her agony vibrated the silent walls of the second floor.

I stood up and walked, never looking back. A single drop of tear ran down my cheek.

When I was fairly far away, my shoulders leaned against a wall. Mom… dad… why am I here? I do not want to live here! More tears fell. It is worse than dying. The helplessness of not being able to do anything for the girl screaming for her life filled me. I do not want to live in this rotting world! Mom, why am I being punished like this! I put both my hands on my face and push them hard. Slowly I slid against the wall and sat on the floor, knees bent upward.

I sobbed. Why can't I die! I don't want to live like this! This is enough! Take me! Kill me! I can't keep going on!

I didn't shed a tear for my own parents death, I did not even cry for the boy, living with me, who died just a day ago. But, my heart was shattered by the misery of an unknown girl?

I kept crying. My entire face wet. I kept sitting there. Sometime later the tears stopped. Her screams gradually vanished.

After a long time, I heard footsteps from that corridor's direction. I stood up.

A girl in servant clothes came out. A black metal collar in her neck like mine. The same girl I saw eating alone in a corner the first night. My eyes went wide.

She had jet black hair. Her eyes looking ahead, yet not looking at anything, devoid of any light. Hair a mess. Streaks of dried tears on her cheeks. Fresh tears budded on her eyes but not falling anymore. She was walking ever so slowly as if nothing was left to do anymore, as if she can forever walk in a line like this.

Her eyes stopped at me. She looked up at me in a daze. When our eyes met, she broke free from her daze, her face broke down, tears flowed again. As she cried her head shook while staring me in the eyes. She was calling me, telling me I was an equal culprit as that man for hearing her screams but not doing anything. Her eyes told me, ‘Look what happened. Look at me!’ and ‘Don't look at me!’

“Mmhh!!”, her one hand weakly covered her mouth, muffling her voice.

She huffed and sobbed, and she walked again, a little quicker this time.

I lost the broom somewhere.

*****

Part of me was relieved that it wasn't the sky-haired girl or black-haired noble girl or Ms. Gin. But who will care about that unnamed slave? Who will save her?

I knew a part of me died here. And the people of this world killed it.

After that day, I never saw her again. I didn’t know her name either.

If I were to take a guess, she died one way or another.

*****

A new glass was set on the window in the next few days. Ms. Gin also didn't show her anger in her actions towards me in the coming days.

*****

“Ms. Gin, what is the name of the slave girl who always used to eat alone?”

“Oh you mean Melinda.”

“Did she have black hair?”

“Yes she did.”

“She has a beautiful name.”, I smiled inside. “I don't see her around here anymore.”

“She might be eating at different times.”

“Have you met the master?”

“I did a few times.”

“What kind of man is our master?”

“Oh, he is a very good man.”

He is a ‘good’ man. But no good man would lock a girl in a room and do that. But he is a good man. And what can I do, afterall, he is my master.

What was her age? Why didn't you let her leave when she begged you!

I wanted to drive a dagger down his throat and ask that good man the questions about Melinda.

*****

One morning, the gardener stringed me along with him to learn gardening. He was cutting the leaves with big scissors.

“May I talk with you for a while, sir gardener?”, the sky-haired girl said in a courteous manner.

The gardener handed me the scissors and started talking.

“My lady, how may I help you?”, he smiled.

“I wanted to know some things about the plants.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“How much fertiliser do you need in a month?”

They started talking about the needs of gardening and where the goods are coming from.

“Then can you grow the fruits and vegetables here?”

“My lady, that is definitely possible. But I will need more people, space and goods.”

“I will talk with the lord then.”

Her eyes found me.

I heard a low-pitched sound from her, followed by a breath. Her eyes widened in surprise, and face turned red. She quickly averted her gaze, looking here and there.

I had something to tell her.

“Lady Vox, thank you for saving me that day. I am forever grateful to you.”, I bowed lightly.

“O-oh, do not m-mind that.”, she looked at me and then moved her eyes, “What I did was the valiant duty of any noble.”, the firmness of her voice wavering.

She must be embarrassed for how she had to save me being a noble girl.

“I am Darun Nikov, my lady. If you ever need this servant for anything in this household, please order me at once.”

“I-I will let you know then. Oh, and, I am Celestine Vox, eldest daughter of the Vox family.”, she said proudly. “So you cut the plants, I assume.”, she said looking at the scissors on my hand.

“N-no, my lady, I was only helping.”

“Then may I borrow him for now?”, she turned to the gardener.

“Yes, my lady. Boy, see what Lady Vox needs.”

“Follow me.”, she said.

I followed her. She had rich clothes on. Designs stitched on her white and blue cloth. Loose but not any less graceful.

We walked for sometime in the garden. Beneath a big tree she stopped. No one was around. Underneath its shadow in the sunny morning, she looked at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

“What is your real name?”

“Darun Nikov, my lady.”

“You do not have to lie to me.”

“But, I am not lying, my lady.”

“Listen, Darun. I know the names of all the noble families of Vyldymya. There is no such noble family as ‘Nikov’.”

“I am not from a noble family.”

“Then, how do you explain your hair?”, she looked at me sharply.

“What about my hair?”

“They have the colour of the Skylien family. So, tell me which noble family are you from?”, she persistently continued, “You said that I could order you anything, right? Then I demand to know the truth.”

Her curiosity was turning into desperation.

“I… am not from any noble family. And…”

“And?”

“And I used to have black hair like my parents. But some years ago, I became very ill, and my hair turned grey later.”

“I am asking for the truth!”

“M-my lady, please believe me.”

“Hmmphf!”, she said angrily, “I will get back at you.”, she said pointing her index finger at me, then walked back to the castle.

I returned a while later.

*****

“What is it in your hand, Lisa”, Celkebar asked his wife standing in front of him in their room.

The Middle-aged woman with sky-blue hair happily replied, “Anastasia has sent this message. She is expecting a child.”

“What truly delightful news! How is my daughter's health?”

“She is doing very well, my lord. She wishes to come here, and give birth here.”

“Very well…”, he was lost in thought.

“I will reply to her myself.”, he looked at her, “Do not worry, Lisa, I will send soldiers to escort her safely.”