19

  ***

  Early in the morning, I along with 17 and the Twins, found ourselves moving away from Lady Eytell’s mansion from an unannounced visit. It seems that we had just missed her. She headed out to who knows where, and much like our past reports said, she did so without a carriage or any guards. Why? Did she not care about her safety? Although they didn’t say anything, I’m not sure if the servants do either. To them, this seemed like any other outing of hers.

  Seeing them like this, I couldn’t help but wonder how she’s treated here. Well. I already do know that. Due to my short time there, I already know that Lady Eytell and the servants don’t interact more than absolutely necessary. I’m not entirely convinced that they regurly make her meals. I wanted to investigate more, but my time was limited. Although I can’t be certain, given our records of how she was treated in the past, it’s likely that she doesn’t feel comfortable in her own home. That would expin her behavior, if those memories are to be trusted at all…

  Still, with only one way for her to go, we moved down the road. Shortly after we departed, I saw the silhouette of Lady Eytell. Carrying only a small bag with her, she walked alone. Why walk? What could she have against carriages- Ah, that’s right. Given the accident that led to her becoming lost in the Dark Woods, she may not trust them.

  As I was thinking that, she turned the corner and moved out of sight. No matter, these long straight roads. Very soon, we made that same turn and- she was gone? Looking in the bushes that lined the road, I saw a well hidden figure hiding under the leaves, looking up at the now stopped carriage. Peeking out of the window, the twins looked up and down the road.

  “Where did she go?” Lloyd asked.

  “She turned this way, so she couldn’t have gone far.” Lna said.

  “It’s a straight road, she couldn’t have just disappeared.” Lloyd said.

  “She probably ran for it.” Lna said. “That or she’s hiding.”

  “Hiding where? In those bushes?” He asked. “No, she’s above that. She probably used magic to run away.”

  Hearing him say that, both me and 17 looked at Lady Eytell hiding in the bushes. We could point her out, but… That expression of hers. Despite not seeing us, it was almost as if she was asking us not to. She looked tired and, annoyed. So very annoyed… According to those letters, the twins have been annoying her for some time, though I have no memory of it. Looking at 17, we silently decided not to point her out.

  “She couldn’t have gone far. Let’s keep going.” Lloyd said.

  “Right.” Lna agreed.

  Pulling themselves back in the carriage, the horses were urged forwards and they departed. 17 remained with them, and I held back. My job today was to investigate Lady Eytell, and this would only make things simpler. When the carriage was in the distance, she came out of hiding and looked at them. After a moment, she headed down a different road and away from them. I followed.

  …

  After a while of walking, she didn't seem to do anything particurly odd. If she was a commoner that was. Not dressed in anything particurly eye-catching, she dropped off some mail at the courier’s office, visited a local memorial, and bought some cheap street candy. What is she, a kid? Well, I suppose she is.

  Next, we arrived in a part of the city that I didn’t expect. Given that she left so early, I suspected that she would at least visit the cafe that she cims the twins had stolen from her. Instead, after her chores, I followed her as she made her way into some dark alleys. Through many twists and turns we eventually made it to a run down looking shop. The sickly looking paint seems to be neglected. She pulled out a key and entered. Why does she have a key for this pce? What is this pce? Another bck market dealer perhaps?

  “Hey Sylvia, are you there?” Lady Eytell called out, removing her hood.

  Sylvia? Who is that?

  “Evelyn?” A tired voice from upstairs called out.

  “You just wake up?” Lady Eytell asked.

  “Can you bme me?” The same voice asked.

  “I’m coming up.” She sighed, heading to the stairs.

  “Yeah…” I’m sure I heard a yawn.

  Curious, I followed her, and with an eye open for anything suspicious. However, nothing odd happened. Well, nothing odd aside from the fact that a young Duchess visited an unknown woman’s house without any guards. Upstairs was a simple living space. Three rooms, one with a bed and simple iron heater, another that was slowly being filled with firewood. And a third that looked to be a washroom. And in the rgest room was a woman sitting up in bed with long messy bck hair and a tired yet well rested look on her face. Just who was she?

  “You really are still in bed, huh?” Lady Eytell asked, amazed.

  “It’s a nice bed…” She nodded.

  “It’s an okay bed.” She frowned.

  “It’s my bed.” She gave a zy smile. “And it beats the streets or spending it in a new person’s bed every night.”

  Ah, I see. She’s a dy of the night. Why does Lady Eytell know a dy of the night? Walking up to her, she sighed.

  “I thought you would have gotten used to it by now.” She pulling her arm. “Come on get up. You’re going to miss breakfast.”

  “That’s expensive.” She said slowly sliding out of bed. “Have you even eaten?”

  “No.” She said pinly. “I thought you might say that, so it’ll be my treat. We can eat together.”

  “Isn’t it troublesome to be seen with me? I don’t have a very good reputation.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  “Really?” The woman muttered. “One would think someone as charitable as you would have a better reputation than me.”

  “Hey, that’s politics.” Lady Eytell shrugged.

  Okay, how do these two know each other? And why are they on such good terms?

  “Give me a moment. I’ll be ready shortly.” The woman said, heading to the washroom.

  It wasn’t much. A table with a basin of water, soap, a polished metal mirror, some towels, and two buckets. One open on top of a barrel and another separated from the rest of the items, surrounded by herbs. Closing the door behind her, Lady Eytell took a quick look around the room. It was the room with the look of a new occupant. Aside from a spare pair of clothes, there were no personal items. As her eyes scanned the area, they looked over me.

  “…” I couldn’t help but frown.

  I know that she can’t see me, but for a moment, it felt as if we made eye contact. She frowned and moved downstairs without paying me any mind. I followed.

  …

  After a while the woman, Sylvia, came down to see Lady Eytell looking over some books. This pce must be a bookstore.

  “You can have those if you want.” Sylvia said. “It’s the least I can do to repay you after everything that you’ve done.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Lady Eytell said. “You have anything in mind for breakfast?”

  “Nothing too expensive.” She said. “I’m already having trouble repaying you as it is.”

  “You’re already paying rent, so don’t worry about it.” Lady Eytell said.

  “You know no greed…” She looked at her with mysterious eyes.

  She really doesn’t…

  “Yeah, well it costs nothing to be kind.” Lady Eytell said.

  “You bought me a house and bed and paid a healer for me.” She said. “All of those things cost money.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” She shrugged.

  “Just be careful so you don’t get taken advantage of.”

  “I will.”

  “I worry you won’t…”

  “I’m not gullible.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.” Lady Eytell nodded. “So, are you ready?”

  “Don’t you need a disguise?” Sylvia asked. “A hood doesn’t really hide much.”

  “It’ll be fine.” She shrugged.

  “I’m not budging on this issue.” Sylvia said firmly.

  “Oh boo.” She pouted.

  Reaching for her neckce, Lady Eytell hesitated as if debating what to do.

  “Well, it’s not like they don’t know…” She muttered.

  “Pardon?” Sylvia asked.

  “It’s nothing.” She said.

  Know what? Who is she talking about? Also, I felt as if she looked at me. She can’t see me, can she? With a shrug, she took off her neckce and pced it into her bag, which I only now noticed was a magical one. As soon as it was closed, her radiant blond hair turned into a deep but shiny bck. I was shocked. Sylvia was too. But it wasn’t just her hair, her eyes also turned into something that was almost bck. Maybe it was bck? Seeing this, I could only think of one thing. She must have been cursed. When did this happen? How did this happen?

  “Your hair…” Sylvia said, slowly reaching out to touch it.

  “Yep. Like this, no one will recognize me!” She said triumphantly.

  “I don’t think this is a matter to be celebrated…” Sylvia said darkly.

  “Don’t worry about this.” She shrugged. “It happened years ago. There’s nothing to be done about it.”

  “Forgive me for asking, but what happened?” Sylvia asked.

  “There was a bit of an accident when I was younger, and this sort of just happened.” She said.

  I see. This must have happened in the Dark Woods. I hadn’t checked the reports going back that far. Still, why did nothing I read mention this?

  “To cause such a thing…” Sylvia said. “I can’t even begin to imagine what you must have gone through.”

  “It could have been worse.” She shrugged. “Now come on, the lines are long enough as it is.”

  “Yes, of course…” Sylvia nodded with worried eyes.

  Lady Eytell, she… Could this be why she was treated poorly by her family? She mentioned that “they already know” and who else could she be referring to? She… She can’t be referring to us, could she? I don’t think she knows of us… Did we ever protect her? Thinking about the past, I… We’ve talked before… She knows about us. Or at least she did. Although it is a fuzzy memory, I remember sharing meals with her…

  Charlotte

  ***

  With today being a rest day from training, I couldn’t help but find myself to be bored. With school out, I was on independent study and I have already finished that for today. Looking out my window, my thoughts went back to the events of yesterday. Evelyn… Looking at my desk, I saw a small makeup bag. Next to it was a pocket mirror. It was a fancy one, and one that I’ve had for a long time. But it was one that I don’t remember buying. Having investigated a little, I found a letter, multiple actually. All from Evelyn. This, along with other items in my room, were birthday presents. They go back for years. Why don’t I remember getting them? You would think anyone would remember getting a present from a Duchess, yet I don’t…

  Again, the question popped into mind. Since when have me and Evelyn been friends? And why don’t I remember it? It seems like everyone in my family had gotten gifts from her, but none of us remember getting them. Why?

  “38, are you there?” I asked into my empty room.

  “I’m here.” She said, appearing by the door.

  “Can you-” I hesitated.

  Is it okay to ask this? Thinking it over, I decided that I had nothing to lose. Either I’ll get my answer or I won’t. Might as well try and get some information instead of none.

  “Something strange is going on…” I said.

  “What do you mean?” She asked in that even voice of hers.

  “Why can’t I remember things?” I asked.

  “…” She looked understandably confused.

  “I’m sorry, I mean like this thing.” I said, holding up the pocket mirror. “I found a letter from Evelyn saying that this was a gift from her, but I don’t remember getting it. Not only that, but there’s others as well. There were even some that thanked me for gifts I sent her. We were writing to each other regurly and even sending birthday gifts, but why can’t I remember it?”

  “…” She looked troubled and then suggested. “Is it possible you just forgot?”

  “Isn’t it odd that I did?” I asked. “One doesn’t just forget a friendship, but it seems that I did…”

  Why else would she react like that? The evidence is right in front of me. I forgot, and she knows it. Why didn’t she say anything?

  “I’m sure that you’re just imagining things.” She said.

  “…” No, I don’t think I am.

  I moved my attention back out the window and sighed. What an odd feeling this is… Why do I suddenly feel weird? What’s going on with my eyes? Why am I… so… tired…?

  “Huh?” I asked into the darkness.

  Where was I? Looking around I found myself in an ocean of darkness. There was nothing to my sides or above or below me, not that I could tell what was up and down. I couldn’t even feel the floor. Was I falling? I felt weightless, but I couldn’t tell if I was moving. I don’t think I was.

  As I wondered about the darkness, I felt odd. Something was looking at me. How could something see me? I can’t even see myself.

  “Yo…g …e…” An unfamiliar voice called out.

  “Huh?” I asked. “Who’s there?”

  “…”

  Silence was my answer… Or so I thought.

  “Young one…” The same voice called out.

  It was… Beautiful… It spoke to my very soul, and it gave me a feeling or safety. But more than anything, it was one that I had to listen to.

  “There is… a great deceiver…” The beautiful voice said.

  A deceiver? What do you mean?

  “I’ve… been sealed…” The voice said. “Free me… Please…”

  Free you? Where are you? Who are you?

  “Please… help me…” The voice said.

  For the first time- no. This whole time, the voice sounded strained. It- SHE was in pain.

  “The Betrayer…” The voice said. “Find her… Set me free… Please… Help me…”

  “Betrayer?” I asked.

  Who?

  “She… She’s closer than you think…” She said. “Please… Save me…”

  “Who?” I asked. “Who is this person?

  The darkness trembled. Wherever I was, this pce, it would soon be gone. Once more I called out to the voice.

  “Who is she?” I asked.

  “…”

  At that moment, my vision returned and my head hit the window.

  “Ow!” I said, holding it in pain.

  “Whoa, are you alright?” 38 asked, concerned.

  “I think…?” I said, that beautiful voice still ringing in my head.

  Should I tell her? That woman, she said that she needed help. I felt- no. I have to help. Who better to help me help her than a guard from the Regents?

  Robbie

  ***

  “He delivered the package, right?” I asked.

  “Yes he did.” A servant said. “Handed it right to her.”

  “Good.” I nodded.

  I haven’t heard a response yet, but hopefully she’ll accept the request. What request? Well, simple. I want to host a party at the estate, and because she’s stubborn, I must ask permission to do so. And if she doesn’t? Well, that would be a bit problematic. Invitations were already sent out, and changing venues would dey things.

  Also, it is a bit of an apology. Thinking back on it, I wondered when the st time her birthday was celebrated. I couldn’t think of a single time… I know Mother won’t approve, but I must at least make a show that I can treat even someone like her with respect more than she deserves. Sipping some tea, a question popped into my mind. When is her birthday? Its… probably close. I think… I should probably ask someone before I embarrass myself.

  Grayburne