Breaking Vows For My Mate

Out Of The Walls

It’s payday, and I wouldn’t waste my breath to glimpse if my name is on the list.

I never got paid, because, and I quote ‘all your work earnings are lawfully contracted to your father’.

Well, bull!

Moreover I had been terminated after all that drama to a simple maid... If they didn’t pay me then, then there’s no reason to believe that they would pay me now.

To be entitled a simple maid generally means...

“Maid Mae!”

Being at service to everyone but the dukes and lady.

“Arrange these silverwares in the order of forks to the left... Knives and spoons to the right!”

“Yes madam”

“Maid Mae!”

I could be called out to do a task by anyone and have no say in it.

“Yes” I turned before I could even get my hands on the silverware.

“The chairs look crooked. Some are too far apart and others, well-“ she analyzed while kissing her teeth “Fix that for me would you?”

I took a quick glance at the chairs that are arranged in a rounded manner and surrounding a table each. They looked ok to me, but still...

“Yes ma’a-“

“These are the wrong choice of bouquet for the bride... Roses are way too common nowadays” another maid interrupted before I could complete my sentence. “Go to the market square and quickly get them”

I could be handed over all the issues that had been assigned to them within split seconds.

“But I have no money ma’am”

“Isn’t it payday” she scoffed in disbelief “Here, take this” the woman loosened her belt and removed some cash “Get the hydrangeas” she then paused with a forged smile after perceiving my cluelessness “You know, the ones in shades of blue”

I stood, not in wonder of how hydrangeas look like, but in wonder that I’m given such a heavy task... The bride’s bouquet.

“We don’t have all day now! Ta Ta”

Basically, being a simple maid means, I could be anyone’s b*tch.

They told me it was only temporal, but it had been over a month now having to put up with all of these growing demands.

And apart from it being payday, it’s three more days before the duke’s wedding.

“Do not mess this up” the maid yelled as she continued to distance herself.

I looked at the money in my hand... How much is this?, I asked as I had barely held cash in almost all of my life.

Most importantly, Where is this market ‘quare’ she earlier mentioned?

I had no plans of returning to the maid’s dormitory because if I am seen with money, they will very well assume that I had stolen it.

And as much as I need directions, it will take time before anyone decides to speak up... Even if they did, they will probably joke about and misdirect me.

‘MAID MAE’ I wrote my name in upper case letter at the guard post where all staff’s exeats are authorised.

It likewise required the reason for leaving the castle, ‘wedding flowers’, and a supposed date to return, ‘Today’.

The guard butchered me with his gaze as it was our very first time to encounter each other. Maybe I could ask him about the market ‘quare’, I suggested.

He walked me to the steel gates and undid it’s lock “Make sure you don’t go sleeping around” he chuckled.

Or maybe not.

“And watch out for those wild beasts. Lately they have gone rampage, and even attack people inside homes”

I roamed the streets for a while, it had lost its attraction over the years that I didn’t even feel as great as I thought I would once I got out.

In other words, I’d rather live within the castle walls.

“Come take a look”

I heard the voice to my side call out. I turned seeing that I was the only one that close to the weak whisper.

It had been an old lady selling jewelry. She maneuvered her hand over the good she sold in a spiritless fashion.

There was a great pang of sorrow in my chest as I unconsciously approached the old dame. Her features became more apparent...

Despite the angelic smile, it had been conjured with creases at its rim. My eyes travelled down her cloth, it had been soiled with stains.

“Why don’t you go home before it becomes dark?” I questioned with my eyes glued on a poorly patched up hole.

“Mmm” she paused to think “ I have grandchildren to feed... And I haven’t sold anything today” Her voice quavered out of place “I tell myself this ‘At least one sale per day’” making a weak attempt to laugh.

Not only did her voice tremble, but as did her feet. Even though she gripped her walking stick.

I now traced a path along her dried up hand and flabby arm fat to her crooked fingers. And as I told myself not to when I set gaze upon the moonshaped earrings coated with dark hide, my own hands were eager to touch them.

“Smart choice...” She feebly remarked seconds after “That is made from actual wolf furs... It is likewise believed to keep them away”

I paid no attention to her. The details of the mane were just as similar to that of the wolf that comes sees me some nights, and the ones that had been present one morning in Edgar’s room.

“Would you like for me to encase that?”

“Huh” I inattentively replied “No, no.. uhh” I put it back in place and stepped aside after regaining my senses, and the reason as to why I am here “I was just admiring the trinket”

“You f*cker!!” she yelled while aiming her stick at me...

I don’t blame her, she had just wasted her time explaining the truth behind that bracelet. And I’d given her false hopes of being her one customer for the day.

A part of me wanted to help pick up the cane and bring it back to her, but I wouldn’t dare underestimate an old lady. Moreover, it was getting aweful late.

With most shops already closed, I feared I might not find a flower shop on time before I could return.

“AHH” I exclaimed in delight, mixed with obvious hints of fear when I saw the young man prepping to close up.

“HOLD THE DOOR!” I began yelling from afar off till I finally caught his eye, however, he still proceeded to shutting the doors.

Luckily for me, I was able to fit in a leg through the tiny space... “I have money” I threw it into the gap, uncertain if he even has the flowers I need. “Hydrangeas. Do you have any?”

He pulled away from the doors and let go of the handle. His reply had come moments later, after taking his time to peer at me. “Yes I have them here... Occasion?” he said after lowering himself to get the money

“For the bride”

“This won’t do but I get the economy is hard, even for a beautiful lady-“

“Please don’t” you literally just tried locking me out.

After getting things sorted, it was now time to return. Only thing is, I’m not exactly sure how to get there.

I had tried knocking on a few doors but no one made their presence known. The lights, both in and out were turned off and almost each door had a curtain... It must be because of what the guard said ‘the beasts attack even inside homes’

From where I stood, the castle’s peak was not in sight. I sat in an alley, laid the bouquet down by my side and drew my feet as close as possible to my head. I wrapped my arms around my elbows, with rapid up and down movements to generate heat.

“Just how long before I freeze to death?” I shuddered while forcing my lids to remain alert.

The clattering sound of a can compelled my eyes to fling wide open, and a series of blinks accompanied.

There was a low growl that emerged from the darkness, it grew fiercer by the second till it made a sinister appearance of its giant silver furry head into a small array of light.

I stood, as indirectly demanded by the beast with the bouquet in my one arm and quietly moved backwards.

A hard gulp followed when the back of my leg came in contact with the metal bin...

I launched the bouquet to its side so as serve as a distraction while I ran, making sure that I’d avoided hitting the colossal beast as it would only make the creature angrier... Would it even understand my actions?

“I shouldn’t have left the castle” I ran with my back facing it, going through an instant series of regret... “I should’ve listened to that guard!”

I could sense its ominous presence getting closer, and closer by a heartbeat. There was no longer any need to sense it as I now felt it’s sharp claws grazing into my skin.

I almost lost balance but my injured back could not support to run for much longer. My last resort was to try and communicate with it, as I had done some months ago, to another of its kind.

Its threatening stare, however, did not look like an animal who would want to hear me out.

I turn to face it before it could regain its footing as it had crashed into a wall after clawing at me.

“The last thing I want to do is offend you” I stood firm though my whole body opposed to the idea of giving a speech to a beast that just tore bits of my flesh out.

“Let me live and I promise you will never see me around here again”

The wolf vigorously shook its head and once more resumed its hunt for me after a snarl escaped its mouth... I had somehow pissed it even though I did nothing to harm it. Or did it feel threatened just because I stood in one place?

Its strength pushed me to the ground, hitting my head on the hard pavement with great force, and my wounded back simply cried for mercy.

There had been so much blood loss that my vision became blur and passed out that instant, and with a ferocious beast taking me as its dinner for the night.

I always believed that my death would be by the hands of the maids, but, as circumstances would seem, things happen to people when they least expect it.