This morning, I brought the male staffs some tea like I usually do, part of my chores, while they were stocking the shed with firewood as a gesture for their work only this time, I had laced their tea with sedatives. I made sure that the prescription wasn't subtle so they wouldn't wake up no matter what as I am now tying them together on a pillar and slit their throats. Thanks so my tonic, they wouldn't be able to wake up as they're gradually running out of blood and die.
I had just finished another chore of burning coal in the kitchen for supper when I was called for tea time in the veranda. It was the time for a cold brew of afternoon tea where they place ice into the drink mixed with honey and pomegranate seeds, creating a saccharine aroma with a sweet after taste. They chatted a bit during their break, and it was the very first time I had ever tasted anything with ice.
Now, it is before the sun sets and the last customer finally pays and bids their goodbyes to the lowly courtesans and make for their departure in the night. It was why they were drinking such fine tea, to celebrate another endurance and success of their sexually oriented business. There well be no more hell for them in a while until the next customers come as the winter progressively gets colder.
I don't need to join the soldiers, I just need a track to follow to the town and for nearby safety since I am not risking travelling alone far from any people again.
It was as if they didn't had just mentally broken down a few nights back since the ladies are now back to their usual selves. Whenever they are on this veranda laughing and playing with their own hobbies to pass time in the peaceful company of each other, the deep bond they have with their sisterhood shows. Being together must be the only way that they could feel safe, each other was their home.
The madame sat in the furthest, observing her ladies while playing her lyre for them as they all join her for a song. The others started dancing, Juna playing the drum and Spi En gleefully clapping her hands as she watched her sisters play, so opposite of the old madame and whores back in that old village. As I am now, they consider me to be a part of this family as well. Their youngest sister, another one to save, another one to protect, and another one to be held against honor.
It wouldn't have been too bad for the ladies if the madame was the one to actually own this place but no, she is simply the one that manages it so whatever service is required from the girls, she has no authority to intervene. I heard that their contractor is a wealthy aristocrat somewhere down the town and he had those male staffs to not only guard the courtesans but to also report, should any of them decided to disobey his orders but they seemed kind and ladies and madame are friendly with them. They are all bounded by this contractor and all the madame could do was do her best to keep the ladies safe. Such a pitiful life really.
There are 12 of them left out of the 13 ladies she first had in her care, as I observed she still grieves for her lost daughter. All of them do, I often see them gathered around some make-shift grave in the backyard. As kind as these people are, unfortunately this is not the life I want. It's boring, poor and I am not a hopeless like them. I do not simply hope for the best, I make for the best. Even if I had simply been reincarnated without any burdens I still wouldn't chose to stay with them.
I sighed and finished my drink as I stuffed the cookies they had made for me in my pockets while I quietly left the veranda, I made sure to be unnoticed.
I've already put lard around the pillars and sacks of hays around each corner of the manor. I've made use of this sunny day for that, hopefully there wouldn't be any snow until night. And as for my transport, I have it tied somewhere convenient with the sled and my other belongings. Now, I am eating my last cookie while carefully setting the place on fire. I was supposed to leave yesterday but I stayed longer in order for me to extinguish the place. The soldiers already went a while ago so they wouldn't notice this fire from afar and this is quite a huge manor so it'll take a while for the ladies to notice the fire, if they smelt something they would check the kitchen first because I made a diversion there. After I had successfully made sure that the whole place was immersed in fire, I left.
Out in this narrow snowy grass road again, I recalled the first time I was here from a few weeks back when I was sold by that merchant and his huntsmen. Then after a while of reminiscing I heard the familiar screech of women screaming, I stared at the manor for one last time in it's burned state, admiring how beautiful it looked on fire. What's even more beautiful is if it had fairies of fire dancing with it.
*donkey scoffs*
"Calm down, it's just fire", I slowly patted the donkey and held unto its made up saddle to make sure it doesn't run away. It seems to have been troubled by the fire and all this screaming.
It is winter anyway so the fire won't do too much, it only got that big because they failed to noticed until it was late, it'll settle once the snow falls at night and until then, I best better be off. Everything is settled here so I'm off to my next journey. I got up on the donkey's back and began to guide it on it's way with some fresh grass on a stick, a delicacy for this animal, as bait so it would lead me to the path the soldiers had taken.
Luckily the soldiers had some donkeys in their captures, probably to sell off in the market. And considering there were only 3 I'm pretty sure the ladies got in trouble because of me stealing one, although they never knew it was me. I chose the buff one out of the others as well, it well make my travel much quicker and safer. Two days instead of three. The soldiers have a head start of about 45 minutes from here but there isn't a storm yet so their trail is still visible. Just enough for my donkey to catch up to in an hour. If only I was strong enough I would've tamed myself a horse but as much as I want to, it poses more dangers than convenience. For instance, if I were to fell off of it, I would simply break my head or back and die. But with a short, small donkey I won't.
* * *
"Get more water!"
"Oh my gods! Where is she?!", Spi En spiraled into panic, running around the place trying to find a way to get in, thinking the little girl might be inside.
"There's nothing but ice in the well and there isn't enough snow to cover the fire!"
"Kid!", to this day, the only person Lupa has ever told of her name was the old quack.
"It's no use! It's unsafe to get into the manor"
"We can't get inside!"
"Lords! She could still be inside!", the madame yelled as she grasp her dizzying head.
"Shit!", Juna cursed.
"Great Lords and Fays, please help us!", one of them started praying.
For the whole time Lupa made her last spectacle of the place they were in shambles trying to save their home and desperately trying to find her. All of them had gotten out safely and none were injured even the male staffs were missing but they had probably escaped. Their hearts weighted heavily, all that they wish for was the girl's safety. A mixture of nervousness, fear, and a loss of a home devoured them.
Indeed, the fire had already fully engulfed the whole place. There was no space left that the fire did not reach and they have no way of knowing where the child is until the fire has settled otherwise if they were to forcibly look for her inside, their own lives could be compromised. As they awaited for the fire to end, their conclusions had only suggested to them the worst outcome for the girl, that she might have already passed and burnt to death especially considering that she was mute (or at least that's what they think).The last front of courage the ladies put had falter, now everyone had broken down into despair. Everything that they knew to be home and shelter, is gone and all they could do now was stare at it hopelessly as they tried to console the madame who has basically lost her life's work and their selves of failing to protect someone they had also thought of as their younger sister, daughter, friend and a part of their family.
Throughout all this, Almos was there, sitting by the backyard garden he wondered about the little girl's odd request. The girl who's name he has only ever known once, Nicaise. In his whole old years, he has never met someone with a presence as menacing as hers which was proven so by this twisted spectacle. He was unaware of the happenings at first until he smelt burning and the girls panicked screaming which followed after. He did his best to help them with the incident, all the while getting chills of what the girl had said to him knowing that such a small joke was actually truth.
"I was going to lit a fire"