Death-Bound

Duty

Chapter Two

The next morning, Margaritta brought me my breakfast exactly at seven o’clock. I have the usual meal after every duty I finished. Rice with fish—steamed with salt, pepper, olive oil (extra virgin) and onions with chopped tomatoes inside its belly making the fish even tastier, some fresh veggies—salad of course, and three bottles of milk. Sounds heavy? Yes, I eat a lot…but most often I eat heavily every after my assignment.

“His lordship wants to meet you in the garden, child.” Margaritta said while I was eating. “Would you decline?”

I looked at the open space, I was thinking, then, “No,” I said flatly, “I’ll meet him there, would you tell him that?” I drank the last bottle of milk. She then left me to deliver my message to my Master. I stood up after she left, and started watering the plants. I usually decline my Master’s invitation of a meeting. We do such after every assignment. He would ask for what I want...well, of course he knows what I want but he’d give me something else. Such as jewelries…garments…vacations—which Margaritta would love to have for she’s the one to take it anyway, and millions of stuff that I don’t have any use! I don’t really want to see him, for I know he would end up ruining my day. But this time it’s different…the meeting has been set in the garden, which is obviously off limits to every one in the castle except when the Master is taking a walk with one of his woman usually. He doesn’t talk to her of course, but walking with the man you love—perhaps, is like heaven in the midst of earth even if the two of you aren’t talking at all. I’ve always dreamt of being alone in that place. But unfortunately that would only remain in the deepest portion of my dreams. So, I’m taking my chances of having a glimpse of it. Margaritta took one of my finest dresses and placed it on my bed. She would never let me wear something that I don’t like though every thing I wear would look fantastic on me. A very sophisticated green dress would express one’s love for nature.

“Well…do you like it?” she said asking my opinion. I nodded then she smiled like a pleased little girl rewarded with an ice cream. “So I better bathe you.” She then grin and clapped her hands. Two men went in my room with about ten gallons of steaming hot water inside a jar carried one on each hand. They placed three of them in my chamber’s bathroom. While the other one was poured on my tub. When the men had left, she pushed me towards the bathroom. She harshly undressed me and as if I was a child she dropped me in the tub. She then flooded me with oils and gels that are most fragrant to men’s scent. And the last thing she did was to flood me with cleansing water. After bathing me she then made me sit in front of the mirror to paint my face so that I won’t look so pale. She made look like healthy and glowing like the fresh new day that is ahead of us. After her tiresome task, she looked at me with those glad brown eyes of hers. “I can’t wait to see the jealousy of that new w***e that entered this castle. She’s supposed to be taken in the garden by the Lordship…I wonder how she’d react when she would see you and the Lord conversing. I bet all my salary, for I know she’ll be angrier than an erupting volcano.” She giggled. “I’m sorry for my attitude, child. I blame the Lord for getting such no good girls. You are one of the most beautiful ladies that he could turn to at times when he is troubled. He could always have you as his wife.” I looked down when she said that. And as if she knows my answer, she laughed making it appear as a joke. 

“Well, wait for me child…I’ll just dress myself to look presentable.” She then went out of my room.

She was more excited than me. I just sat there looking at myself in the mirror. I never did look like this since my last meeting with my Master. A few minutes later, I heard a knock, “Come in.” I said.

“It’s me my child.” She said coming in. “how do I look?” she asked. I just smiled at her, giving her the assurance that she looks beautiful. She was holding a folded umbrella. “The sun’ll burn your skin.” She said as if she read my mind. “Let’s go. We had better go there before the Master would. So…you could look around.” Margaritta knows who I am. She knows how I love nature form the simplest form. And how I want to be with it all the days of my life, yet…it’ll only be a dream.

Upon arriving in the garden, I couldn’t help myself from roaming around the place. Jasmines, roses, puppies and many more flowering plants whose names were out of my language, were there in that garden. Picking any of them is a crime, for you may loose your head in doing so. But I don’t care…just being in the presence of those flowers was a heaven for me. Then I heard the Master’s footsteps. He was with a woman as expected. Her arms were around my Master’s left arm as if she’d die if she doesn’t do so. She has a face of a goddess, skin as soft as silk that is made from the most fragile strings taken from the midst of the royalties in China. She was smiling at my master who wasn’t even looking at her. Her face was full of gladness until my master signed every one to leave the both of us. She then gave me the same black look like the ones given to me by the other concubines of my master. She then walked in steps of a giant, banging her shoes as went her way. I looked at her in a very confused manner...one moment she acts like a princess but then she becomes a barbaric girl.

“She…” I paused for a moment thinking of a good word to describe her. “She’s fit to bear you a son Master.” I added.

“HMPT! She’s just one of my toys” he answered while looking away.

“But she looks different from all the rest” I said. “I bet she’s from a noble family. Her skin isn’t burnt and she’s a noble by judging from her scent.”

He sighed and then looked at me. “There’s only one girl I’ve chosen to bear my child.” I know who was he talking about. A princess he was about to marry at the age of fifteen. A princess that would show beauty and grace in her every movement was to be by his side but was lost.

I looked down sighing as I do so. “Hyacinth is dead, my Lord.” I said. “She died in the hands of bandits who took her twelve years ago on her way here. Am I right?”

I could see the disappointment on my Master’s face upon hearing what I said to him. “Yes…perhaps…her soul is dead but she is still you. Can’t you understand that you’re still her?” his tone was much louder as I’ve never heard him before. Acting like that, perhaps the master was rest assured that no one could hear us. I shrugged and looked away.

“When will you grant my freedom?” I then asked in a bored tone. This eyebrow collided as if my question was a new thing that he just heard. I saw that he’s troubled inside.

“On my last breath you shall have what you seek.” He said looking at me. “But there is another way.” I looked at him with my questioning eyes. “Be with me and bear my child—”

“And be one of your toys?” I asked cutting the words he was saying. “I’ll gladly await your death, my Lord, rather than be one of those bitches.” I bowed down saying, “Good day to you my Lord.” I walked away. Surely Margaritta was eagerly running towards me to shade my paths.

“How was it?” she asked.

“As always.” I said. She got what was the meaning of those words…I never spoke a single word after that…he again reminded me of my past. He reminded me of the filthiness he sees in me. He gave me another glimpse of the hell I was in. Just before lunch, Margaritta went to me. She was trying to amuse me by simple telling about the new woman of our Master.

“She’s a brat alright” she said in her English accent. “And she is as expected of her. She was green with envy when you and the Lord talked. ‘Who does she think she is?’ those were her words” she then giggled with amusement. “Oh…I’m talking too much, am I child? What do wish to eat?”

“I…I want to cook my meal just this once Margaritta.” I said. She was dumb-founded. “I can cook Margaritta.” I said informing her.

“Oh…s-sure! What ever pleases you my child.” She said happily. “But first you must dress up properly.”

“I would just need an apron to cover this dress. I won’t mess up, Margaritta.” I said assuring her that I won’t spill a thing on my dress.

“Okay then!” she said…for six years I never had a chance to enter the kitchen. I’ve been in my Master’s own for eight years, since I was eighteen years of age. I was in the kitchen for the first two years until they saw my skills in combat that the generals took me to serve in his army. Then the Master knew who I was and took me to serve in his own. I was then a caretaker of one of his women. But she treats me like a dog, kicking me and always yelling at me. The Master had her head for doing so when Margaritta made a way to let him know. Margaritta is the chief baroness in the castle therefore I was her subordinate that time and she until now cares a lot for me.

Upon entering the kitchen, memories flooded me. Yes, everything in it has changed, from its ceiling to its very floor. Yet one thing did remain—the scent of blood. Margaritta and I stayed in the kitchen the whole afternoon. After making some crazy dish, night came. I sat on my chamber’s veranda, looking at the stars, trying to reach the most un-reached of all my hopes. I was searching until my quest ended by a knock on my door. Just in my nightgown, I stood up and asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s Rave, my lady.” he said on the door’s division. He did not enter. “The Master asks for you.”

“Tell him to wait till morning,” I said. “I’m quite tired.” I sunk myself on my bed, which was as soft as the flouting clouds that were covering the night sky.

“But the Master ordered it. And it’s not about a mission. He just wanted to talk to you.” he tried to insist.

“I decline Rave!” I said. “Don’t make me get out there and cut your throat.”

He gulped. “Yes my lady.” he said, his voice was trembling. He went on his way failing on what our Master ordered. I’m sick and tired of my life. I’d gladly lay down my life for death yet I cannot…I do not want to die as a slave…as a death-bound slave. A free man at birth shall die as a free man. Yet, I, a noble, a princess at birth have the fear of dying as a slave of a man who should have been my groom.

I lay on my bed questioning my destiny. Why did I become what I am now? I asked myself. Then before I knew it, it was morning.

My chamber’s door swung open as my master entered in with a troop of his most trusted generals. Two of them grabbed both of my wrists restraining me to make any sudden movements. They made me bow down on my knees but I never did give any noise of being hurt. “What do you want from me?!” I asked in a raged manner.

“Watch your mouth girl! You’re speaking to free men!” said one of them, he was beside my Master who was looking at me with out mercy. I could see the deepest monster any man could have—pride. “What shall we do with her, my Lord?” he asked my Master bowing as he says so.

“I want her to whipped a hundred times so that she’ll obey orders from her Master!” he said.

“I obey only if you wish the death of someone.” I said with holding my temper. “I shall not obey if you would wish to make my body as one of your whores!” I shouted. Every man in that room heard what I said. “I am not your s*x slave, Master. I am your DEATH-BOUND!” I once love him. The man I called my Master, the man who killed my soul.