“Rosey!Rosey! Come on, let’s play! go play outside!” Reese squealed as she hopped on her two feet, her bright smile and her chipped teeth made my heart warm, the way her shiny hair bounced when her tiny hands pulled me along the pearly white hallway, the tiniest of smiles ticked up at the corner of my lips, Reese was a very welcome aspect of my day that took care of most of my worries, after all it’s hard to be upset when such a bright child is in front of you.
“What's so exciting today miss Reese? Is there something interesting happening in the garden?”, I politely whispered, mismatched eyes swiveled around and shined at my question, she’s so precious, I wish everyone could see how cute she is, Reese is the brightest and most adorable child I have ever met, Her sunflower yellow hair sat just a few centimeters above her shoulders, she had the cutest mole underneath her eye, I wish they all could see under all the muck and dirt and the beggar appearance was an extroverted little girl who loved people, albeit a little naive.
“Neil came back with a Loooot of flowers!”
ah, Sir Neil, he was known as the Dirt of the Whitehead family, another unfortunate child to the destructive society that broke them down, despite his outwardly rugged appearance he was quite the sweet one, and it would be nice to see how he was doing after he was sent on a month-long demon rescue excursion of all things, Ridiculous. Especially for a boy that can’t even fight let alone hot something to save his life
”Neil! Mister Neil! Over here!” Reese squealed in joy as the young teen walked towards them, many flowers in hand just as Reese had said, it was quite obvious he hadn't had the best time on the ”trip”, with his messy appearance and busted lip, and yet he could still manage to warble a smile, he was truly so pitiful a knight would be better to protect him, if I were a knight this would be a lot easier, since none of the others would even think to spare him a glance.
“yes, yes, many flowers for the captivating Reese Squelch” Neil crouched down speaking gently in his tone, easily slipping a Lily into messy locks of blonde, letting the eager child take the rest of the flowers out of his hands, standing to full height as he walked closer.
“This servant greets the young master Neil” I greet him smiling as softly as I could without frowning, I bowed, it was worrying to see him in such a disheartening state, rising my head soon afterward.
“no need to bow your head, Mrs. Blaire I don't deserve it” his face downcast, I could barely see the tears pricking his eyes, I clicked my tongue,
“I disagree, I am your servant and you are my master, it would be best to have my head shall I ever not bow to your grace”, my worries have come true, the rescue excursion failed and many died, it was very unfortunate,
“58 people out of all 70 survivors and guards died during the attack, we were ambushed and all I did was watch like an heartless monster” i listened as his voice teetered and crack all the while the tears threatened to spill, his shoulders trembled in an almost concealed guilt and fear, it was unjust of him to feel such a way since he shouldn’t have been there in the first place, the Duchess is too cruel with the treatment of her only son, he had never trained a day in his life but she sent him on a rescuers excursion of all things, she had more than enough knights, her daughter was a swordsman, so forgive her tongue but it’d be blasphemy to not see how she singled out her children.
She should not have sent a mere boy who hasn’t even picked up more than a wooden sword on a rescue excursion, she has the resources and opportunities to take care of the rescue properly, instead of sending unfit amateurs and a child, and certainly not Neil.
“oh hush, none of that shall be your doing ‘less the Duchess admits her faults”
”Xaria certainly doesn’t think that way..” he whispered to seamless air, truly this competitive nature is too much, there was no point in Blaming Neil since he didn’t want to be there, Xaria surely doesn’t seem to understand that nonsensical beatings don’t befit a ruler, especially her own younger brother.
”Xaria is stupid, very stupid, impressionable child, she doesn’t know when to call it quits, Neil is there anything else i should know?”, he stayed silent, hm, there isn’t much for me to do in this unforgiving scenario, she did what she did with no cost and no punishment, i’m but a mere Maid so what do i know, no reason for me to report anything to the Duchess, and Neil doesn’t want to.
”she’s not stupid, she has every right to be angry, all of her friends were executed in that field, and I selfishly watched like Scum”
running my hands through his long Auburn hair, listening to him ramble slightly mend my torn feelings, I wish I could tell him that this time will be the Last time anyone ever hurt him, and that I would protect them with everything I had, but i don’t really have anything, i’m just a Maid, I don’t have any skills, importantly I can’t read or write, i don’t know any oh ladylike skills, cleaning is the only thing i’m good at.
“Neil why are you crying?”, Reese's voice interrupted the grim atmosphere, her face pulled into an adorable pout,
“I was just a bit sad about how much I’ve missed you since the expedition” he smiled at her eagerly rubbing at his eyes to fool Reese, easily picking the grimy child up
“No cry! Neil stay happy!” She pat him on the face, enticing just the brightest smile on his face, it reminded me of when i first met him.
10 Years Ago
“Do you understand how much you’ve dirtied Our FAMILY NAME!” The count’s loud voice sounded hoarse when he screamed, Neil weakly clenching his fists when he laid weakly on the floor, bruises snd open wounds throbbed in pain, tears fell as Xaria used her body to protect him from the unjust terror that was their father, trembling hands holding on tight to his.
“You’d be better off dead if you can’t bring honor to this family” he bites out before slamming the door behind him, listening as the Count walked away with big heavy steps, Neil hiccups loudly as Xaria looks over him, holding his breath to try and keep quiet Neil weakly followed Xaria As she lead him quietly down the hall, and to the bathroom.
Xaria pulled him through the door as he bit his tongue, watching as he rubbed his arm as it throbbed in pain from his injuries. he’d hadn’t meant to do any wrong, sitting in the warm water Xaria helped him bathe, even washing his grimy hair,
Later after finally getting in a new pair of clothes that didn’t smell like blood and vomit and had his cuts bandaged, Neil sat on the stool in the kitchen as the servants worked, completely ignoring his existence, staring into space for a ling time, flinching when someone slammed open the kitchen door as they walked inside, a Little girl around he age, she was dressed in dirty rags she had wild white hair and tan skin, blackened chains on her wrist and ankles, calmly taking the dirty aprons before stalking over to Neil.
“Hey. down, need Apron. or inn trouble”
she spoke in rushed broken english, clearly impatient, it was then he could actually notice the strange black markings on her body, and the most noticeable thing, her ears were long, like elf ears but shorter. Slipping off the dirty apron and giving it to her, hands trembling when she snatched it from out of his reach, sitting there weakly,
”Why, still.. sitting?”, she questioned eyebrows quirked up, it wasn’t everyday she’d seen someone so In the kitchen after hours
”..huh?”
”you, get Locked in here.. sstaaay?”
it was obvious she didn’t know English very well since she said some of her words in a different language and slurred some others, it was thanks to the context of the situation that he could decipher her sentences.
”oh, uhmm… i’m sorry, Father was in the library so I couldn’t hide there…”
She tilted her head and stared as if he had grown three heads and a tail.
”Library? What iiiis a LiBraRy?”
She slowly sat down next to the stool, one of her ears flicked, face curious with wonder at this new word in english.
“A library? well a library is like this room full of books and i hide there to avoid father after he finishes his work”
”Faaaather. what that?”
Navil blinked as his mouth gaped open, he didn’t know how to explain what a Father was since he didn’t know that himself, what should he say? A Leader? his father was the count of the Whitehead household so maybe that could be an answer?
”iiis Like Abba?”
She quizzed, the word wasn’t in english but he understood it,
”What is an Abba?”
Rose’s ears flickered again as her face scrunched up in a frown, confused as too why it sounded so different when he said it.
”AbbaheeeelpMorsa raise me, and Leader oofVillage”
She was obviously struggling a lot it was clear that it bothered her, her tongue sometimes went limp mid sentence, or her sharp teeth would get in the way.
”what’s your name? Mines Neil, Neil Whitehead”
”Ombligo? straange. Mine Gulābi.”
Her response wasn’t funny, there wasn’t anything funny about it really, but for some reason it made Neil slow into a fit of giggles, She stared at him in wonder, she had heard this sound many times, even before coming to this country, but never had she heard it in such a sudden moment, leaning back in surprise she unexpectedly fell backwards.
”Neil. The Duchess has called for you”— a Maid, ah one that stole jewelry every so often; not a very nice woman, she was very mean and hurtful to me as a child, I could remember clear as day the splinters on my hands and knees when i was forced to scrub old floor boards that shattered with the lightest of pressure.
”Thank You Maria, I shall depart now..”,