Chapter 17: Didn't See This Coming
4992 Words
The sight of Alcina glowing underneath rays of sunshine draws an upward grin on the botanist’s visage. She’s been awaked for a while now and thinks, this’s why I love Sunday morning. It’s the only day Alcina doesn’t work, as well as the day both Tiana and her ladyship can laze around and spend as much time with their daughters as they want. Wriggling her arm free from Alcina’s embrace, Tiana tucks those strands of hair behind her ladyship’s ear as she wants to admire Alcina’s sleeping face longer.
‘So peaceful’ the botanist cogitates.
The sound of rustling branches resonates through the tiniest cracks of the window closest to their shared bed, drown out the clock-ticking noise from time to time. Normally, Alcina’d be wide awake with only this much noise. But due to her ladyship’s insomnia in this past few days, she doesn’t even budge. One couldn’t go on without sleep for long, after all. Upon recalling what day is today, Tiana remembers she orders somethings with the Duke. The blonde merchant promises he’d deliver those items by today, thus Tiana decides she better get ready for the Duke’s arrival. She creeps out of the bed as gentle and soundless as possible, doesn’t want to wake Alcina up because of her movement.
“Hmm,” a low hum which thicks with sleep comes from the tall lady when she feels the shifting on the mattress. However, she slips back to sleep as fast.
‘Phew. Dodge the bullet there’ the botanist clutches on her chest at the thought. She plants a kiss feathery on Alcina’s forehead, whispering, “I love you” before goes to the bathroom and starts with her morning routine.
Once the overlays, fur cloaks, and sleepwear are discarded from her body, Tiana can’t help but laugh when spots those hickeys, scratches, and fang marks leaving by her vampire girlfriend from the other night. She enjoys this too much, the botanist blushes and quickly puts some clothes back on. After done with most of her morning routine, Tiana spins around in front of the mirror, observing her physique. It appears she losses some weight and turns paler than before. I must admit—Alci has every right to rush things with Cadou up, seeing me in this state, the botanist sighs along with her conclusion. Her condition is getting more life-threatening and weakening her health day by day. Fortunately, it won’t be long now. Salvatore, Donna, and even Karl ring them yesterday to inform the good news. The new strand of Cadou is done and readied to be embedded at a moment’s notice. Although, it’d be good to let everyone rest after been working nonstop. As a result, they decide the exact date for the operation to be the next couple of days and enjoy the holidays while they still can before carry on with the last step.
‘And I already have something prep! –Gosh. I hope Alci and the girls will love it’
Pacing in the foyer, the botanist waits for the Duke’s arrival restlessly. Why doesn’t she give the Duke a specific time to deliver her order? What if by the time the blonde merchant comes, the whole castle already awakes and blows her surprise away!? Tiana brings her hand to her lips, chewing on her nail in anxiety while thinking, Come on, Duke. Please be here already!
“Tiana?”
“Ekk!” the botanist jumps to the voice speaking from behind. Turning back, she sees it’s Mila who calls out for her. “Mein Gotto, Mila. You scare the life out of me there—I thought you’re Alcina or one of the girls”
“Sorry for startle you” the maid sets a bucket down, holding a rag in one hand then asks, “What’re you up to this early, anyway?”
“I order somethings from the Duke which he promises he’d deliver them today. Have you seen him around yet?”
“Actually, yes—He’s currently in the kitchen, dispatching foods and other supplies” Mila points to the opposite of the foyer. “Would you like me to accompany you there?”
“You’re so sweet. Thank you, Mila” the botanist returns Mila’s kind gesture with a sincere smile. “Lead the way”
Tiana trails the maid close behind. The two exchange some lighthearted talk along while making their way through the castle. Though, the botanist’s mind is rather busying about the special stuff she has bought from the blonde merchant.
“Oh! I just remember—I got something for you too, Mila” while recalling the items on her list, Tiana flicks her attention back to the maid.
“I beg your pardon?” Mila turns her head back to meet Tiana’s eyes with a questioning look.
“Well, I meant this to be a surprise. But since I ran into you, I decided to tell you now. Please keep quiet from the other, though” Tiana grins wry as she made a slip of tongue, then continues, “Things I bought from the Duke, they’re all presents for those I’m close to within this village. And if it wasn’t too much of me…I think of you as my first friend here”
“Hm?” the maid is taken aback. However, before she can say anything out, Tiana presses on.
“I heard you have a passion for astronomy, so I got you a telescope and I hope you’d accept it”
Mila losses her ability with words as she doesn’t expect that Tiana would go this great length for a mere maid such as herself. She stops walking and tries looking for the right word to reply to the botanist’s thoughtfulness. Tiana tilts her head sideways when the maid halts. Imagines the worst, the botanist brings her hand to her mouth and says.
“Oh, no. I put a burden on you, right? I-if it’s too much, please be frank with me—”
“No, Tiana. That’s not the case” Mila fidgets on her feet, twisting a piece of rag she has been holding nervously. “It’s just…unexpected. I’m glad you think of me that much”
“Please, Mila. I’m simply returning the kindness I receive over the time I’ve been living here. What goes around, comes back around, right?”
“You are very kind, Tiana” the maid’s smile appears oddly sad…and forced. “And I’m…I’m sorry”
“Hm? What for—”
Unaware, the botanist is being pinned against the wall by Mila. The maid then moves in a swift motion, pressing her arm to Tiana’s throat, covering both the botanist’s nose and mouth with that piece of rag she has been carrying around. “Hmm!”, Tiana sends a screaming out in shock, though it’s barely audible as a rag covering her mouth. She attempts to fight Mila off however she can while thinking—Why does Mila do something like this? Why does the maid attack? Aren’t the two of them friends? Alas, Tiana doesn’t stand a chance as she losses her consciousness at a brisk.
‘Anesthetic!?’ is the last thing Tiana thinks of before she’d drift to sleep.
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The rogue maid takes the unconscious Tiana off the castle Dimitrescu ground. It’s still early. Not even 7 in the morning, yet Mila dare commits a crime as she believes, the most dangerous time is the safest time. And the fact that no one seems to be aware, or following her affirms her belief even further.
‘I’m sorry, Tiana’ internally, Mila keeps saying sorry whenever she sets her eyes on the botanist.
After some more time, Tiana regains her awareness back little by little. Even when she’s still confused about what’s happening to her, the botanist senses there’s a hood covering her head. She feels that she’s being moved to somewhere humid and cold then someone is seating her on a chair, then tying her limbs to it too.
‘W-what!? What’s happening to me!?’ though Tiana’s panicking, she knows better and pretends to be unconscious, waiting for her moment. ‘Calm down, Tia…calm down. Alcina and the girls will come to find me soon. All I need to do now is keeping my sh*t together until then’
So, the botanist carries on impersonating a dead log, relaxing every muscle underneath her skin while focusing entirely on her hearing sense. Tiana hears sets of footsteps crushing against the wooden floor all around the place. 1…2…3…4, she counts how many presences there is currently. There are some distinct noises from outside this house or room she is in too. But the botanist believes she has to prioritize her attention on the nearest danger to herself first. According to the volume, the weight, and the distance of each set of footsteps, Tiana’s convinced that there’re 3 men here with her. And for the other one, it sounds way too light to be a man.
‘Ah. Right. It must be Mila’s’ Tiana presumes.
“Were you follow?” a deep, gruff voice speaks so close to Tiana that she almost flinch. Just almost.
“No” Mila answers.
“You sure?” another voice talks further from the opposite direction of the 1st voice. “We could seriously be in trouble if those vampire b*tches find out what we’re up to this soon”
“Look, I’m not an amateur. I know what to do, always keep my guard up—The fact I got her here without a hitch should be enough proof of my skill” the rogue maid replies.
“Then tell me why it took you this long to process with our plan?” another different tone rings from…upstairs? At least that’s what Tiana speculates according to the creaking noises like that of the old staircase when the figure with this tone is getting closer. “You volunteer for the task, working in that castle for months in the promise you’d find us that wench’s weakness—How can we be confident if you’re not shifting to their side yet?”
“It took me longer because her ladyship always has this girl by her side. ALWAYS. Hence, answer me when can I press on with our plan without blowing up my cover?” the maid’s tone starts to boil with anger, “Today’s purely a stroke of luck that Tiana woke up and wandering on her own without her ladyship. Besides, I’m here with what I promised now, ain’t I? I, likewise, lost someone to those curse Dimitrescu beasts, so don’t you dare question my loyalty”
The botanist presses her lips into a thin line to keep cursing words inside her throat. This’s why a backstabber is more terrifying than those who openly showing their hostility and fight heads on—Because one never knows when and how this said person will attack. Why it has to be you of all people, Mila, Tiana quizzes herself bitterly.
“Woah, we’re just checking and being cautious. No need to get work up”
“Tsk. Should I query you the same question and see how'll you like it?” Mila grumbles. “That aside, what you’re going to do with her now?”
“Wake her up and interrogate her, of course. I want to see if she’d considered coming back to her own kind, siding with us humans in taking those evils down. Who knows? Maybe she can provide us with some weakness of those freaks we haven’t heard of yet—She’s someone in their inner circle, after all”
“Then I’d do the honor, waking up this sleeping beauty for you”
A set of footsteps approaches Tiana before it’d stop next to her. Her nose’s flooding with alcoholic scent and stink body odor from the said figure as he pulls a hood off her head. Eww, disgusting, she complaints inwardly, still pretending to be unconscious. The botanist assumes he’d shake her body to wake her up, but she’s met with a hard slap on her cheek instead.
“Wake up, b*tch!” a man with dark brown hair then shakes Tiana after he hit her. The botanist stuns from the beat. Her cheek is burning and stinging with searing pain while leaking blood from the shredded corner of her mouth glazes a taste of salt and iron to her tongue.
“Is that how you wake someone up!? Get away from her, you roach” Mila yells and shoves the man sideways. She then stands between him and Tiana protectively.
“Who did you call roach now, huh!?” the brown hair man bickers back, eyes fuming with rage.
“*Sigh* Why did I allow him in the first place? –There’s no need for violence, Joel” another man, around his early senior year with grizzled hair, speaks up while walks toward the botanist at the same time. “I’m sorry, miss. Joel’s not in his right mind since he’s a bit drunk”
“What, what’s happening? Who are you? Why am I here?” Playing innocent, Tiana can’t let them know she has been eavesdropping this whole time. “Mila…what’s the meaning of this!?”
“I’m very sorry, Tiana—You shouldn’t be dragged into this if not because you’re with her ladyship. You’re just, *Sigh*, in love with the wrong person, at a wrong place, wrong time” the rogue maid says guiltily.
“What do you mean? And who’re these people?” the botanist carries on with her acting, panicking all the same.
“Please, miss. Calm down first. We’re getting nowhere if you’re still freaking out as this” the grizzled hair man utters. “I’m willing to answer all of your questions just please, settle down”
“How can I trust you? One of you slapped me while the other took me here against my free will—So, excuse me for freaking out as I’ve every right to be!”
“Oh, she’s an interesting one, Hershel” a man by the staircases addresses the grizzled hair man as Hershel from where he’s standing. He crosses his arms and pushes on, “Would you like my assist with her? You know I’m quite good with…recalcitrant mare”
“Thank you, Bill. But I got this” Hershel pulls a chair to sit in front of Tiana then continues, “You don’t have to trust me, miss. However, I’m the best, or maybe the only option you got here if you want to understand the situation without any unpleasantly”
“…” Shuddering, Tiana nods to the forced circumstance.
Even when the botanist tells herself she’d hold on until Alcina or any kind of help comes for her, it doesn’t mean she’s not scared. How can she not when those who currently surrounding her are nothing near trustworthy? –Mila kidn*pped her from the castle Dimitrescu, Joel appears to be an alcoholic who prefers violent rather than word, while Bill’s remark already give an impression of a s****l abuser without having to speak frankly.
“Brilliant” Hershel pulls a handkerchief from his shirt pocket, attempting to clean the wound on Tiana’s mouth. The botanist flinches automatically as her reflex kicks in. “Relax. I just want to clean it for you”
“There’s no need. I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me what’s this all about now” says, the botanist. She may loath to admit it, but of all people here, Hershel is the best bet for her as he claims.
“Suit yourself” Hershel shrugs, folds his handkerchief, and slips back in his pocket. “I guess you can say we have something planned for your vampire countess which we can use a bit of your…cooperation, so to speak”
‘So much for my cooperation’ Tiana rolls her eyes, jerks all her limbs which are being tied to the chair as to wordlessly asking, ‘Does this look like an act of cooperation to you?’ It rouses a chuckle of Hershel in reply. The grizzled hair man then carries on with explaining the situation to the botanist. He keeps going on and on about how Alcina and the other lords take everything away from the villagers. Their freedom, their security in life, and the lives of those who’re dear to them. He also claims that the locals have enough and it’s time to teach the lords a lesson. By k********g the botanist, Hershel and his troop hope they can learn some useful knacks of how Tiana has the vampire lady and the other lords under her feet.
“I’ve to say I’m impressed when Mila came to me with the news of lady Dimitrescu and her freak family went looking for you at the full moon night and even rescuing you from those foul Lycans too” Hershel pauses, leans against the backrest, eyeing judgingly to Tiana and goes on, “Do you realize how much Lycan the lords kill just to save you that day? Almost a quarter of the pack and that’s not a small number, I ensure you that”
‘This’s nothing but bullshit’ Tiana cogitates as she pretends to be listening.
While the event and detail about the full moon night are true, the things Hershel accuses the lords about freedom, security in life, and lives that were taken away are all tailoring only from one side of the story, tainted by bias and detest of Hershel’s and those in his coup. How can Tiana be so certain that it’s the case of bias and detest? Of course, she’s certain because she has been helping Alcina out with the town managing affairs. There’s a reasonable explanation to every action of the lords only if the inhabitants would lower their prejudice down and ponder the lords’ actions objectively.
“Do you have something to say, miss?” Hershel lifts his brow upon spotting a hint of opposing flashes in the botanist’s expression.
‘He got keen eyes’ Tiana draws her take on Hershel’s observation skill.
The botanist wonders if Alcina’d notice that she’s disappeared by now. If that’s the case, the tall lady may already start searching. As such, Tiana has to buy both herself and Alcina more time, keeping Hershel and his troop from proceeding with whatever they plan. However, she needs to play it smart and with the utmost caution not to give herself away. Subtly choosing her approach, the botanist decides to go with a naïve victim identity.
“B-but aren’t you all chose to settle in this village on your own? How can you say the lords rip your freedom away from you then?” Tiana controls her feature to be confused without putting in too much work. Nothing will come out of performing too real anyway.
“Hmm” Hershel sounds rather doubtful. But when the botanist doesn’t avoid eye contact with him, he seems to take it as he’s being too sensitive before his plan would occur soon. “I guess it’s understandable since you only live in the castle and not in the residential district—I mean everyday freedom. It’s true that we chose to move here on our own, but we are forbidden from leaving. We can’t wander around once it gets dark. We can’t leave our home on the full moon night. We also have limited choices of work in this remote place, yet we still have to pay an exorbitant tax to the lords. What do they even do for us to deserve the cut from our hard-earned income anyway?”
While listening to Hershel, the botanist’s brain is racing and coming up with rational remarks to counteract at the same time—First of all, everyone was informed of rules and conditions upon the screening process. There’s no way these people won’t know what they’re getting themselves into.
Second of all, Hershel is dead wrong about the lords doing nothing to deserve the high rate tax. Well, in Karl’s case, he did doesn’t deserve it since he barely performs his task as a lord. But, anyway. Tiana once read through the ledgers, meaning to help Alcina recheck if the numbers are in the correct order as they should be. Inside the mention records, it contains details of income and where does the fund goes—The maintenance fee for each house in the residential district in case needed, basic welfare for the villagers who are too young or too old to work to support themselves, food and supplies cost for the whole village in the harsh winter each year, and so on. Not a single penny form tax was used for the lords’ personal gain since they have their own business to support themselves. That much is what Tiana can vouch for the 4 lords with everything she has.
However. The botanist can’t argue any of these back to Hershel as it’ll blow her naïve victim personal away. Yet, she can’t be all agreeable all the way either. Tiana doesn’t want to push her luck with Hershel’s keen heeding at the moment, therefore, she utters,
“But for those rules of no wondering after it gets dark, as well as in the full moon night, are all due to the safety reason, isn’t it? I-I mean with Lycans crawling around, wouldn’t it be a reasonable thing to do?”
“Oh, please. We all know you’re only giving an excuse for your vampire lover” Bill tosses in his comment.
“Then the thing you said about limited career options, this’s due to the geography of this town and not entirely the lords to blame” the botanist makes sure her tone and the choice of words give out a weakling vibe rather than an aggressive one.
“That doesn’t cross out the fact that they’re sinful souls, nonetheless—They kill us, human, for food, don’t you understand? Just accept the truth, won’t you?”
“Wasn't it like us, humans, kill livestock for food? Also, Alcina said those she killed are people who do more harm than good to the whole town”
“Ugh. She’s being quite stubborn” Joel snarls, dashes toward Tiana, but Bill holds him back. So, the brown hair man can only yell what he wants to do from afar, “Let go of me, Bill! I’m going to knock some sense into her skull”
“That’s enough, Joel!” Bill roars to stop his friend. He then turns to Tiana and says, “Believe however you want, if it means you can deal with being tricked by those evils easier”
“I only hope you won’t post as a barrier to our plan” Hershel draws the botanist’s focus back to him, “And since we’re kind of press with the time, I’d appreciate it if you can tell us any weakness of those siblings you can think of”
“Please, don't make me do this” wriggling in her seat, Tiana tries to loosen the rope even for a bit. The pain from her tight rope grates her skin floods the botanist's eyes. She uses this opportunity to fake crying and carries on, "Whatever you're planning to do, it's going to end up spilling blood everywhere. Can't we talk this through instead?"
"It's either them or us, miss. It's time to put an end to their tyranny" Hershel squeezes the botanist's hand as speaks.
“Tiana, please. Accept the truth” Mila places her hand on the botanist’s arm and presses on, “The lords aren’t nice like they appear to you. It’s all an act. Why don’t help us take their mask off?”
“She’s right, miss. By helping us, not you only see for yourself of how vicious the lords have always been, you’ll also free hundreds of people here—So, what’ll you say?”
"Who'll take charge of the village after the lords are gone then?"
"...Someone suitable for the task"
Hershel subtly puffs his chest up, meaning to show himself as a perfect choice for the next leader of the village. Hah, he's only a power-chaser in the end, the botanist concludes. She can't say that out though. Therefore, Tiana continues fake crying in heartbreak to prolong this out a bit more. The grizzled hair man sighs out wry and addresses his followers,
“Give her some time. Too much to expect any answer from her at the moment—You go back to the castle first, Mila. If that leech finds out you’re missing, she’ll suspect something’s up” Hershel flips back to the botanist, “I can only give you half an hour though, as I said we’re kind of in the rush”
Tiana continues sobbing uncontrollably until everyone in the room leaves. The split second before the door would close, she hears Hershel mumbling, “To think she's vouch for those freaks this much—Such a pathetic soul” Despite sound like an insult, Tiana breaths out a relieved sigh because it seems these rebellions don't notice she's just acting. At this moment, the botanist can’t wait for Alcina or any other lords to come to her anymore. According to everything she hears, whatever Hershel is about to pull off won’t do her girlfriend any good, Tiana’s certain of that.
‘I need to warn them’ the botanist cogitates, struggling to get her Swiss Army Knife out of her pocket.
Gritting her teeth in irritation, Tiana finally gets the knife in her grip. After much effort, she frees herself from the restrains at long last. Though it’s too soon to lower her guard as Hershel and his men may leave her be for the time being, but they’re still outside this room she’s trapping in. Also, the cold and humid here combine with a few layers of clothes on Tiana’s body are starting to cause her trouble. The botanist feels a violent fit of cough is forming in her throat, as well as it becomes harder for her to breathe. ‘Please, Tia—Keep it together a while longer’ Tiana wishes herself the best while forcing the window open as soundless as possible. Once climbs out to her freedom, Tiana takes off to the forest without looking back.
Despite only running for a short distance, the botanist feels as if her lungs are on fire and her chest is being crushed. But she can’t stop. The further she can get away from Hershel, the better. Because if anything happens and she can’t warn Alcina in time, at least she won’t be a burden to anyone. Tiana doesn’t want to be held hostage by the uprising troop and brings harm to Alcina and their daughters.
‘I need to keep going’ Resting herself against the tree nearby, Tiana’s chewing on an idea in her head.
If her girlfriend and the other lords are searching for her at the moment, Tiana considers leaving some kind of trace that only the lords can find it. Thus, she pulls her Swiss knife up and slits a small cut on her finger. That’ll do, the botanist reflects while rubbing her blood onto the tree bark then moving on.
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To Be Continued >>
- Writer
