True Silk

chapter v | Camil or Valeri

THE DOOR SPRANG OPEN WITHOUT QUITE A BIT OF FORCE AND IN MARCHED A PALE-FACED GIRL WITH SHORT DARK HAIR, donned in a sleeveless black dress. "What do you think you are doing - ?!" she started, light green eyes blazing in fury. But the moment she saw me, huddled up behind the King and gazing at her from behind him - who was ultimately still shirtless - she stopped and frowned. "I see you have compan - " She must've seen the collar on my neck, realised that I was not one of his little whores or Bitches, because she smiled immediately. "Never mind. Just a new Domestic, I see, brother."

Brother?! This mad King is her brother?! I asked silently. I couldn't believe it. He had a sister. A sibling. I don't know why it's so hard to believe but it is.

They looked nothing alike, besides the dark, thick and silky hair and the fact that she too was riddled with Taints, just as he. But - and I say this because it's something similar, not because it's exactly the same - she did have a dangerous aura about her. She had a dark, powerful presence too. But not quite like his.

Salkamenos grabbed my wrist and ripped me out of my hiding place: him. "Valerisacamil, this is Mávena."

She licked her lips, stained by an almost red, pink lipstick. His sister pressed her fingertips against her chest, smirking. "Well, hello there, gorgeous," she flirted.

If I had even known or even imagined that the King had a sister, I would've automatically thought she'd be puerile, immature, flirting-uncontrollably, blonde haired and blue eyed, teenage girl. High and prancy.

Nevertheless, the picture in my mind was wrong. Although she did come off as slightly jejune, she was the complete opposite of the a stereotypical teenager.

As I already noted, Valerisacamil had a dark pixie cut - not long, blonde hair - and green eyes - not blue. She was tall, like her brother, with boyish tattoos and a figure analogous to a pear. She was very pretty, strikingly attractive with her black hair. And her voice was deeper than that of most females. Gracefully, still.

"Now, now, little sister," he warned, discharging my wrist. "Not so fast. Not on this poor, innocent soul." Salkamenos smirked and his younger sister mirrored the animation of his face, and he looked at me just the same as she was. I fidgeted unconfomfortably, barely recognising the little whimper that sounded in my throat.

"Don't tease, brother," she purred.

Oh, that hungry look frightened me. I wanted nothing to do with it, but then I wanted nothing to do with the situation I was in. Yet I was here.

The King chuckled, pushing back one of the doors of the closet. I didn't budge from where I stood, at least not more than I already had.

My eyes drifted to the floor, and I saw that, with where the dress hung at her knees in the front, she was wearing flat-ankle boots. Women weren't allowed to wear boots.

I gazed up from the floor as I heard her clear her throat. "My original name is much too long, sweetheart. You can call me Camil. Or Valeri." She bowed, not with her dress but with her waist. She was a Tomboy - they call them Spitfires now. "At your service."

She gazed up from where she was, expectantly. I scratched the back of my neck. " . . . Well, um . . . I think I'll just call you Valeri." Honestly from me, she looked more like a Valeri. It seemed the more tougher name, whilst Camil sounded quite fragile.

As she stood, she folded her arms over her chest in a most dominant way, smiling. "This is most certainly a wonderful collar, Carinus," she called to her brother. At least I believe that's whom it was for. I didn't know who Carinus was, but who else was she to speak to. Besides, he was the one who put it to my throat. "Where did you get it?"

"My Treasurer," he responded, "it was his Domestic's. He presented the wonder to me. As a gift." He spoke this last phrase with mockery in his voice.

"Why would he ever give up such a thing? What is with the well-being of his own - ?"

King Salkamenos came out, still shirtless, but in jeans now. It was so estranged from the suit-and-tie look that I had only ever seen him bear. "He slit her throat and hung her head on his parlour wall."

Gasped. How could he say something like that? As though it were nothing? But it was more about his Treasurer. Why would he do something of the sort? Something miserable. And I was wearing the very thing that she had once owned.

I gulped.

"Oh, don't worry, Pet. She was a traitorous thing. Runaway. Found in the Reef by herself."

"At least she had a quick death," Valeri added, underneath her breath.

Sighing, he enquired, "What was it you came to me to talk about?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes. HOW DARE YOU BRING THAT MAN TO MY DOOR!?" she screamed so loud that my sensitive was runs nearly bursted. I felt graceless standing there, listening to their conversation as if I belonged to it.

Laughter. "What? You didn't like my gift?"

"I've never liked your gifts," she hissed at him. I could only imagine what she meant by that. "Like last week - "

"It wasn't mine. Don't fret."

"Don't talk to me like I appeal as one of your little tarts." Valeria's eyes shot to me, her frown rising to a grin once more. "However, this one seems rather sweet." She winked at me, and all I could do was give a short, weak smile in return. What else was I supposed to do? She spun on her heels, stating, "I will have my vengeance."

"I have no doubt that you will retaliate against me in the most dramatic manner, sister."

"I'm not dramatic," she responded cooly, and closed the door behind her.

Strange siblings they are. "Strange indeed," said the King, still glowering at the door, having read straight from my very thoughts. And that was rude.

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A VASSAL CAME TO THE ROOM. She was dressed in the traditional servant clothing, a plain chocolate brown peasant dress. An unsubtle contrast to the soft blonde hair above her head, baby blue eyes, and olive skin. She was pitifully timid, and precious.

She pinched the hem of dress, rising it as she lowered herself. She didn't say anything but, "Aichin." Not the general language of Coniston, but I didn't know what it was. All that to call me what? I watched her as she scrambled to the bathroom to start the water in the shower.

I touched the floor and walked to the bathroom. She was silently drawing a bath - that was connected to the shower, besetting the levelled area next to the area of which one showers. "I can do that myself, you know?"

She jumped as though I had truthfully frightened her.

"I'm Maven." I smiled at her.

She shook her head. "Aichin, I'm not supposed to - " she started in a whisper.

"Talk to me," I finished. "I know. And it's not as if any one is around, yet you whisper as though someone can hear you. It's fine."

She opened her mouth as if to object, but when she saw the look on my face she stopped.

"Your name?" I asked, rather bluntly.

The girl hesitated for but a moment, and then quietly answered, "Eris." She said it 'Edis.'

I raised my eyebrows. "Eris? Just Eris?"

Eris nodded in reply.

Did she not have a last name? I dismissed it though. "I don't mean to break up what you're doing but I can do this on my own, Eris. I can bathe by myself."

"But, Aichin - "

"It's fine," I emphasised to Eris because she didn't seem to understand what I was saying. Gently pushing her out of the way, I let the water run high and then went on to undress. Eris blushed and turned, only to protect her own modesty. I could only laugh on the inside, smile on the surface.

I undressed, as I said, and traipsed into the hot bath water. Sighed in content as it had been forever long since last I'd bathed properly. Cold rinses weren't very nice, but you do get used to it.

The water was hot, but not hot enough that I didn't want to get into it.

I leaned back against the wall, tapping the arms of the tub. I never wanted to leave this nice, warm, relaxing bath. I laid tranquil for some time, my eyes closed until I felt Eris run her hands over my hair. "Is there any particular purifier you want, Aichin?"

Gazing up at her, my only answers were what I thought. The only things I could think of, "Blackberry. Raspberry. Both."

The solvent smelled of just what I asked for. Blackberries and raspberries. A flashback of my mother and I harvesting those certain berries. We used them in mixers, soaps, remedies, sold them to the Mages who made potions with what they bought.

My mother, always in her long, green shift when we did the reapings. Her ivory skin, dark brown eyes, and soft but bone straight, chestnut hair. A niceness held for everyone, no matter who the were. But her lovely kindliness could be rough at times, even still. Especially towards outsiders who were running away from the cities yet held still to their urban tendencies.

'It's so sad to know that you will live so long, outlive all others around you . . . whilst I am so endlessly human . . . '

"Aichin."

My eyes shot open. I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I felt as though I had literally relived that moment she told me as such. I gulped, blinking. "I told you: call me Maven. I abhor such . . . socialistic titles as that," I told her, softly. She was so fearful, I didn't want to scare her or seem too harsh.

Moreover because I was just a little tired too.

"Aichin?"

"Maven," I corrected quietly.

"M . . . Maven," she whispered. I peeled open my eyes to see why she had interrupted my little doze. She held open a towel, just for me. It made me feel spoiled.

I looked at my fingers and they were, in fact, pruning.

I drew myself from the bath and stole the towel from her hands, bundling myself in the fluffy, black towel. Wrapped it around myself, drying off as much as I could.

Eris had set a pair of - to my stupefaction - black harem pants, a navy polyester shirt with straps, and knee-high boots on the sink counter. No corset. Thank the Angel of Death.

I donned before she could even attempt to dress me. Eris noticed, after she drained the water, but she did not say a word.

"So," I dragged. There was a very clumsy silence between the two of us. I wasn't sure what to say though. I knew nothing about her, but I generally wasn't the person to ask about someone. For the moment, I thought we could be friends. But I feared that if I enquired about something and kept on, I might learn something I didn't really like and then I would want nothing to do with them afterwards. Being me, I didn't want to ruin that. I needed someone to talk to, I knew I would especially in the future. "Is there anything on the agenda for today or do I just sit here listening to the sound of silence?"

She giggled. "Well, nothing particularly exciting. But yes."

"And that is?" I asked.

"The Royal Tour, of course!"

"Wow." I crossed my arms. Her smile fell. "To say the least, I had expected something a little more boring." Eris' frown disappeared, replaced by a grin of humour by my words. "Like . . . a tea party, or something."

"There'll be time for that later." She skipped to the bedroom door, leaving me shaking my hands and head in reprobation of such a thought.