Running Away

Meryl was shivering with fever, with cold and with the deluge of emotions that surged through her body. After her stepmother’s instructions of making tea, she didn’t know how she ended up cleaning the entire house. It was as if she was in a daze. At the end when she truly came out of the trance, she found blood seeping from her hands, as if she had worked and worked but she hadn’t stopped. There were fresh wounds on her hands and arms and even her feet. She couldn’t remember the number of hours spent or do all that she did, but it was too much for her. Her body was aching and every muscle was revolting. 

All Meryl remembered was that she woke up in the dark beneath a staircase that was in a forgotten part of the castle. Her nose was bleeding and she felt too dizzy to even get up. When she finally managed to get up, she brushed her hands on her gown only to shriek in pain. There were cuts in her palm that pained so badly that her hands shivered. Shock flickered wildly through her and she stumbled back. But to her horror she found blood beneath her feet too. This was beyond imagination. This was like all her nightmares had come together. She felt abused—not only physically, but mentally too. She had to get out of this place, had to find a way to buy this castle from her stepmother and free it from the clutches of whatever evil that was lurking here. And the only way was what Valerie guided her at. She had to take that job at Alburn’s house. 

“Meryl!” Valerie’s voice woke her up from her stupor. “What are you doing here?” It was very dark outside and she found that she was alone. “Have you come all by yourself?” Valerie placed her hand on her head and knew that she was burning with fever. “Gods, you need to rest, Meryl!” 

Meryl shook her head. She was sitting in the parlor, all drenched from head to toe. She had asked Tim to drop her here and the poor man, on Patsy’s request, had helped her. He didn’t stop for her though and dashed right back to his ailing wife. And here she was, alone, with a heated body and with no money. She was at the mercy of her friend, Valerie. “I have come for the job,” she replied in a shaky voice. “Please, you have to get me that job. And I want it now.” Meryl wanted to get away as far as possible from her stepmother and an agreement with Duke Alburn would at least give her a respite for a month. Her mother won’t be able to do anything to retrieve her. Moreover, when the Lord would pay her, she would throw that money on Judith’s face and buy her estate. She would work for two months if needed. That much gold coins would buy her an estate twice the size.  

Valerie took her hands in her and gulped. They were sliced at so many places. “Who did this to you?” she asked, her eyes wide and her shoulders drawn back. She looked at Meryl who was still wearing the same gown, but it was stained with blood and mud and soot. She looked pale like a ghost. 

“It doesn’t matter,” said Meryl. “Please just send me to Duke Alburn’s house. I want to start my job there.” 

Valerie nodded. “Sure Meryl, but first let me treat you.” She looked at her maid who rushed out of the parlor and when she came back, she brought a box of medicine and fresh clothes for her. Yet another maid brought a cup of hot tea for her. Valerie asked the maids to help her change into dry clothes, so they toweled her dry and then made her wear a soft, light cotton beige gown. Valerie was ready with a salve in her hands. She took Meryl’s hands in hers and applied the salve. When she was done, she looked at Meryl and asked, “Are you sure you want to go today? Or would you like to wait for a day and feel better? Though Duke Alburn needs you there as soon as possible. There is something very important that he has to handle tomorrow.” 

“I will go today!” Meryl said with determination. 

Valerie sighed. “Okay then. Let me arrange a carriage for you. But mind it, it is raining very hard.”

Meryl’s throat went dry. It was the first time she was going to work at someone’s place. But then it was surely going to be better than working at her own castle. She swallowed her saliva and nodded. “I will go today, Valerie. I can’t stop now.” 

Valerie picked up the cup of tea and gave it to her. “Have it.” The tea had a medicine for arresting her fever. Then she looked at her maids and said, “Pack sandwiches for her and meet us outside.” The maids bowed and quickly left. Valerie got up and walked to the small writing table at the window. She took a paper and a quill and wrote a letter. She sealed the letter in an envelope and handed it to Meryl. “Give it to Duke Alburn and you will get the job,” she said with a smile that conveyed pity and something else, which Meryl couldn’t quite make out. 

“Thank you so much, Valerie!” Meryl almost squeaked. “You can’t imagine the favor you have bestowed upon me.” 

Valerie chuckled. “It’s nothing. I do hope that this phase gets over soon.” 

Meryl was feeling a little better already. She bit her lip and then hugged Valerie. “Thanks again.” 

Valerie held her hand and took her outside to the carriage drive. “It is very dark, Meryl. Are you sure you can go? You look very tired.” It was almost midnight. 

“I am sure,” Meryl replied in a hoarse voice. She was racing against time. She stepped in the carriage that was waiting for her. Valerie closed the door of the carriage and said, “Send me a letter if you are in any sort of urgency.” 

“I will,” she replied. 

Valerie slapped the side of the carriage and the coachman nudged the horses to go. The carriage hurtled along the cobbled street and then disappeared into darkness. A faint smile came on Valerie’s lips. She took a deep breath and then turned to go back to her room. 

The carriage careened down the dirt path cutting through the dense forest towards Napane. Lightning and thunder frightened the horses as the sky let loose with a fury. Inside the carriage Meryl fingers spasmed around her borrowed shawl with each rumble from the sky, as she shivered with fever. Snatches of the forest were briefly illumined as the sky became blinding white for a second. Her lips quivered at the thought that she had practically run away from her house. But that was all in the past. She had to look forward. Her eyes went to the bag in front of her in which Valerie had packed medicine for her. She sighed and reached for it. For some reason, she stared at the little bottle of draft. She opened the lid and drank it all as Valerie had instructed.