Blind The World

CHAPTER THREE

“Time is very slow for those who wait, very fast for those who are scared, very long for those who lament, very short for those who celebrate but for those who love time is eternal” William Shakespeare.

“Let me guess you are reading one of those books about people who commit suicide right?” Miranda says walking into Alicia’s room causing Alicia to smile.

“You mean Romeo and Juliet?” Alicia asked.

“Oh! So that’s what it's called!” Miranda teased, forcing Alicia to laugh.

“No! I am reading quotes by Shakespeare!” Alicia replied.

“That's nice!” Miranda said coming to sit closer to Alicia.

Alicia knew she did that whenever she wanted to gossip about someone, always feeling like the wall had ears even though the rooms had thick walls with the doors shut and them being the only ones in the room,

“Tell me!” Alicia said knowing her best friend too well.

Miranda was a petite young lady, who unlike Alicia was not of high status, she was the daughter of one of Lady Caroline’s kitchen staff, and her late father was known to be a guard In the castle, although she was not what others’ considered to be of noble blood, Alicia considered her to be way more. Miranda had a good heart, she was smart, and on several occasions, Alicia had seen her giving out to the poor even though they had little, Alicia loved that about her.

“Guess who I just saw the guards arresting, on my way here!” Miranda says looking at Alicia who narrowed her eyes cluelessly. “My father?” she guessed thoughts of her father filled her head. She couldn't thing of anyone else.

“who dares arrest the Duke of Saintfields” Miranda chuckled, wondering how Alicia could make such a ridiculous guess.

“just tell me what you saw then” Alicia spat, she wasn't in the mood for suspense.

“Eric, I saw him get dragged away by the palace guard” Miranda said,

“Mr. Erick was arrested??” Alicia was shocked by the news, Mr Eric was the village Doctor and Alicia's Alchemistry teacher.

“yes, apparently in one of his classes, he taught a student about some poisonous herbs, which one of them used at home and almost died” Miranda said lowering her voice as she told Alicia what happened.

“You attended his classes on medicinal herbs before, tell me did he ever teach you about poison” Miranda asked Alicia who looked disturbed.

“Mr Eric would never, he was very careful what he taught us,” Alicia said, trying to think deeper about her classes with him.

“do you know the name of the student,” Alicia enquired feeling sad for Mr. Eric.

“I mean, the one who almost died” Alicia rephrased sounding almost traumatized.

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask, I shouldn’t have told you, I mean Mr.Erick was your teacher, I hope you are alright” Miranda said, noticing how disturbing the news was to Alicia.

“It's fine, now I understand why Aunt Caroline stopped me from attending his classes, it's just hard to believe Mr Eric would ever such a thing” Alicia paused to take in the information her friend had just given her.

“thinking about, he did teach us about some dangerous herbs, he told us never to fiddle with them. but no one ever thought to use it as poison!” Alicia added her heart broke at the thought of Mr Eric in jail, he was the sweet old man who took take of her mother when she was sick.

“he could be innocent, but it doesn’t matter the student is a son of marques, and he nearly died because of Mr Erick, no one would wait to hear the real story” Miranda said trying to end the conversation the sudden knock on the door interrupted their discussion.

“Alicia honey, are you up?” Aunt Caroline asked as she knocked on the door again.

Miranda quickly got to her feet at the sound of Lady Caroline's voice.

Alicia answered “Come in”.

lady Caroline twisted the knob, as soon as she opened the door, her eyes caught Miranda standing by the dresser, and immediately Miranda curtsied

‘“How long have you been up” Lady Caroline asked peeling her eyes away from Miranda and focusing on Alicia.

“what kind of host are you” lady Caroline berated

Alicia raised her eyebrows at her wondering what she was talking about.

“Our guest left just a few hours ago, The Marquess kept asking of you and you couldn’t even try to bid them farewell, after being impolite to him last night” Lady Carolines scolded her voice raising as she spoke.

“impolite, I tried to be as polite as possible, but I was uncomfortable with the conversation” Alicia explained, wondering why her aunt was over reacting.

“do you have no manners servant, or must I plead with you to leave,” lady Caroline snapped at Miranda who stood quietly.

“I am sorry ma’am!!” Miranda said fidgeting and struggling to run out while lady Caroline gave her a disgusted look.

Lady Caroline was never fond of Miranda, she considered her nothing but a servant and hated that her niece associated with her.

.

“Maxwell was just trying to make conversation” Lady Caroline explained as soon as Miranda left the room, her voice softening as she moved closer to her niece.

“I need you to understand, when dealing with nobles you need to be cautious, you are going to be the Duchess of Saintfields and you would meet alot, including the king and queen. people you wouldn’t be able just to excuse yourself from when the conversation get uncomfortable” Lady caroline tries to explain to her stubborn niece.

“Honestly, I don’t want to be duchess aunt Caroline,” Alicia said hell-bent on staying away from her father.

“I can’t imagine living in the house my mother couldn’t stay in, with a man who couldn’t even come to his ex-wife’s funera..” Alicia was about to continue her statement when her aunt shut her up.

“Just shush” Lady Caroline scolded, snapping her hands and Alicia.

Alicia taken aback by the gesture, kept mute, “What did your mother tell you about your father” Lady Caroline question.

“Nothing, she never answered any of my questions”

“Then why do assume he is a bad person then” Lady Caroline wondered, her brows furrowed.

“Why else would he abandon his only daughter for so long…my father who is just a day’s trip away from me, has never once come to see me, i don't even remember what he looks like” Alicia explained, tears dropped from her eyes as she spoke.

Lady Caroline's eyes softened at the sight of Alicia crying.

“I would tell you one thing, your father loves you more than you could ever imagine, and I promise you there perfectly good explanation why he has been away for this long” Lady caroline tried to explain to her niece who shook her head.

“there is no explanation, what could be his reason” Alicia refused to listen.

“your father is the only person in the position to explain his reason, but I just need you to give him a listening ear” lady caroline pleaded.

“No” Alicia refused to change her stance.

“This is your late mother's only wish and I plan to honour it, I have sent a letter to your father and he replied already, his coming here in three days to take you to Saintfields” Lady Caroline said, her voice raising as she spoke. Her face straighten into a serious look.

“when he comes you can talk about all this together, hear what he has to say then decide” she said not waiting for Alicia’s reply before walking away.

As soon as lady Caroline left, Alicia laid on her pillow, crying her eyes out, her heart pounding and her mind racing, she feared the worse.

She feared her father not caring about her and using her just because he wanted an heir, she had never seen the man she called father and she had no memory of him, the only time she had come close to Knowing what he looked like, was in a painting, a faint painting her mother showed her.

A knock on the door changed Alicia’s trail of thought, “Go away!” Alicia she said, hoping it was lady Caroline coming back to apologize for being inconsiderate.

“My lady!! Lady Caroline asked me to come see” Miranda said in her softened voice, hearing Miranda address her so formaly made her chuckle.

Miranda was only formal to Alicia in public.

“come in, humble servant” Alicia teased. Miranda had a sheepish smile as she walked into the room, she was the only person who could make Alicia smile while crying.

“you asked for me, Ma’am” Miranda continued, stoping halfway as soon as she noticed Alicia's teary eyes.

“what happened” Miranda her tone changed form a funny one to a concerned one

She walked to Alicia and sat by her bed

“talk to me” she pleaded her voice filled with worry. But Alicia said nothing, Miranda sat close to her friend, holding her hands, not sure what exactly the problem was she embraced her friend sitting quietly beside Alicia as she sobbed..

After minutes of crying and headache, Alicia finally stopped.

“Aunt Caroline wants me gone!” Alicia said, wiping her tears with her palm.

Miranda knew her friend to be very dramatic.

“Doesn’t care about you? Let me guess she asked you to attend some more culinary classes!!” Miranda said trying so hard not to smile.

“I am serious Miranda” “she wants me to go back to Saintfields!”. “She wants me to go stay with my father” she explained.

,

“I don’t know what to do, I don’t want to hear anything he has to say” Alicia continued while Miranda listened quietly.

“why not just hear him out, then you decide!!” Miranda finally spoke.

“I don’t want to, I am scared his reason isn't good enough.”

“Even if his reason is good enough does that mean I would have to leave veeradawalls, this has been my home for as long as I can remember, I have never imagined going anywhere else,” Alicia laid out her concern.

“everything is going to be fine” Miranda said, gently caressing Alicia's hand, she had no idea what Alicia's fears were but whatever it was, she might be right.

After minutes of silence, Alicia raised her head staring at Miranda with bright wide eyes “I have an idea!!” Alicia announced her voice laced with excitement

“I am going to run away, and you are going to help me”