It was a story of a brilliant woman who chose to leave her beloved home to test her luck at the neighboring empire, in hopes of saving her bloodline from the danger of being extinct.
My mother once told me about her sacrifices for the Maharlikas. Due to unfortunate events and the consequences of their rage, the Maharlikas has faced a threatening crisis – poverty. Because of that, my first aunt was forced to work as a maid of an old baron in the empire. Her skills were recognized by the queen and took her as a lady-in-waiting. The second aunt never gave up the farmlands and worked as a farmer of another baron. She never attracted a member of the imperial family like her older sister, but she cared for her sickly mother, who cried all her joy because of her husband’s sudden death. My mother, Lira Maharlika, studied hard and gathered all the scholarships she could pass to sustain living in the expensive state of Larunduquez, while having me. She suffered from discrim
Cassey was getting ready for work.A sunny side up egg, baked bacon that looked like the frills of a noble lady’s dress, and cooked rice shaped like the crescent moon. It was her usual meal to give her the strength and motivation to work.“Working again, Sica?”Akoi looked at her dear cousin. Cassey was sleep deprived, and her eyes are drooping low.“I think it is better to have more sleep first.”Cassey shook her head aggressively to disagree.“I have plans on the weekend.”Akoi gasped and put her hands near the heart, as if she is having an attack.“Y-you… you’re still my cousin, right?”Cassey weakly nodded, that made Akoi react excessively, falling on the floor with her head low.“Sica, perhaps… have you gone nuts?”Cassey sat on the table and quietly chewed her food. She failed to hear what her overreacting cousin sai
Even under the dim light, I could see how disappointed my mother looks at me.Just a moment ago, my dinner date with Cai was interrupted by blue-collar men.“Lady Cassey Timmerhaus. The blue collar needs your cooperation.”I held my rage and answered politely.“For what cause, Sir?”I nervously stared at the officer’s eyes, an attempt to read the situation. But all I could sense is a vague danger.“Lady Cassey, you are mandated to cooperate in the investigation of the corruption and embezzlement within the County of Timmerhaus.”I burst.“Is the officer suggesting that I am suspected of embezzlement?”“Any attempt of retaliation is prohibited, hence, we request you to behave and cooperate silently, like your life is on the line.”The blue-collar men chained my hands behind and locked it with a golden padlock.I looked back at Cai one la
Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was contempt. Maybe it was grudge.No matter what the reason is, it is clearer than the day that I never wanted to see her.“Ashanti.”With a smirk on her face, she sat on the table in front of me.“It’s fresh to hear you calling my name, wearing the shackles. I thought it was removed already. What have you caused again?”I never did anything. I was handcuffed because the duchess of Morelli told the officers I am especially sneaky at night.“There’s one thing I can be sure of, Ashanti. People are easily threatened even when I simply exist and do nothing. This unusual phenomenon has become the cause of my social demise.”“Are you saying I am insecure of you? What a retarded mentality! Anyway, I am here to clear my name to you and to tell you that it wasn’t me. It was your stupid instinct of trusting people that made you this miserable.”
The scorching sun pierced through my skin.“I am regretting my choices now.”“I told you, Madame. You should have worn the one with longer sleeves.”I too think I was mistaken with my dress choice. I finally got freed from the opinions of my mother; however, I somehow felt my fashion sense really sucks, now that I’m without her.“Do I have enough time to change my dress?”Billie nodded enthusiastically and handed me a dress she prepared beforehand. It was a carefree green dress, light and without the unnecessary frills. It looks plain.“It’s stunning.”“You find it stunning Billie?”Billie gasped and kneeled in an instant.“This servant dares to desire her master’s dress... P-please punish me as you wish!”I sat on the chair in front of her.“Tell me, Billie. What makes you think this dress is stunning?”
“Billie, is this really alright?”I asked Billie who seems really fascinated by what she sees. Although I do trust her judgements when it comes to clothes, I can’t simply believe of what I came to look like.The dark red dress befits my black hair and eyes. Billie asked me to wear black gloves too, ebony black gloves that resembled my hair. For a moment, I thought the color black was really beautiful.“You have a wavy hair, Madame. It is also smooth like you’re walking on the moon.”“But you’ve never been to the moon, right? How would you even know my hair feels like walking on the moon?”“Well, I’ve read it on books. It was really touching when the man said that to the woman he loves.”Yeah, the typical novel love story.“Madame, you write stories right? Can I read some of your books? I will borrow them for a week, then I will return it when I am done readi
I woke up due to an uncomfortable feeling.The soles of my feet are freezing. It was hard to lift myself up because I was tied to the bed. Who among those who loathed me made this?“I see that you’re awake, Cassey.”I heard a man’s voice. I could not recognize him because it was hard to see his face.“Can you please help me sit? I should at least greet you face to face.”“Why should I help you sleep, when I can just confirm my face this way?”He said and suddenly appeared in front of me, his hands on the side of my head, and his face... too close to me.“So, it was you... Gregor.”“It’s good that you still remember my name, Cassey. Although, I wish you die right now. That’s for betraying the family who fed you all your life.”I shifted my eyes away from his uncomfortable gaze.“Gregor, I don’t owe the Timmerhaus with ev
The moon was bright that night. It was not the day of the festival but the streets of Norango are filled with colors and joy.“Cassey, look at the flying lamps!”I looked up to the sky Gregor pointed.“Is it really called ‘flying lamp’?”The four boys with me laughed.“Come on, Cassey! You don’t need to hurt his vocabulary like that, right Gregor?”Zein joked and ran away. Gregor chased after him, leaving me with Andreus and Shion.“They really are crazy ones.”Andreus sighed. Shion was silently eating his strawberry flavoured cotton candy. I covered my nose upon realizing. I hate everything about strawberries. Its taste, its smell, and just the thought of it make me puke. I feel sorry for them when they eat with me because they love strawberries so much.“Oh, I’m sorry Cass... I will just buy another and throw this.”I refused.
It has been a month since I started the therapy. Cai and Akoi has been visiting me frequently, while Markus and Lieughan only sent letters.“Miss Cassey, your cousin has come to visit you.”Akoi is here again.“What dish is it today, Akoi?”She smiled.“More than the dish, I brought something more interesting to you.”She handed me a newspaper. When I read the headlines, I finally understood the cause of her grinning.“It seems like your poetic plan worked.”I was right. Excluding the consequences, my plan is a perfect one hundred points. The court of Amara has finally noticed me.“Markus was so excited to give this to you. If only his mother is a good one, then he could have visited you too.”I grinned at her, resting the back of my head on the hard headboard, and raised my left leg slowly.“Oh, Sica! This is such great news! Grandmother wil
Who…?He was a long-built kid. His eyes are deep blue, like the depths of an abyss no one has ever touched. Those eyes are not as brilliant as Ashanti’s but they shine on their own.“You have been staring for a while.”Cassey flinched. His voice was deeper than anyone else, but she felt it was really familiar. It must be because she met him already before.“I am sorry. This humble servant could not help but stare at your eyes.”He lifted the end of his lips.“I know who you are, and that you are not a humble servant just like what you claim to be. So, be at ease, Lady. We are here for a cooperation.”“It seems that you have known each other already.”“We haven’t, Headmistress.”“The lady was right. It was
Cassey woke up in a room.“Mom?”‘Who is calling me, Mom?’“Mom, please this is Harley...”“Harley?”Cassey suddenly remembered everything when she heard of the child’s name. It was her pupil’s name. But she had one thing to worry.“What happened to me, Harley?”“You don’t remember at all, Mom?”“You passed out on the streets, Mom. People keep saying that you are just acting but you were definitely knocked out.”The child who answered was Torus.“Before passing out, what happened to me?”They suddenly went silent.“We really don’t know Mom, because someone is chasing us.”“Chasing you?”‘They were the thieves?’Torus noticed Cassey’s hesitant glance.“Mom, we are not thieves. Promise, we are not thieves. Tho
“Navis?”The child who was just grumpily stomping her feet earlier suddenly turned into a happy lamb.“Mom?”Cassey was flustered being called ‘mom’ in front of everyone, especially when all her pupils looked at her with such sparkling eyes and wagged their tails like cute doggies.“Ah, uhm, she calls me ‘mom’ because I fed her.”“You fed her, mom?”Now how should Cassey explain to these poor young children that she was called ‘mom’ for a really trivial thing?“Yes, she called me ‘mom’ for feeding them.”“So you were the woman who gave her the seeds?”“The angel who bought us meat!”“The hero who named Navis!”“A dragon tamer!”“Wait that’s a bit... if the clergy heard that I might be punished to death.”“She is our
“Please come in, Miss Cassey.”Cassey followed the woman closely. She was astonished by the grand water fountain in the front yard.‘It was like that of the nobles. It was strangely fascinating.’“Miss Cassey, if you listened carefully, the facilities of this orphanage is not a complex one. You can easily navigate around and if you need something else, my office is in the last room. You understand, Miss Cassey?”Cassey gulped once and faced the Madame.“Yes I do, Ma’am.”“Good. You will be called Miss Cama, short for Cassey Maharlika. It would be much appreciated if you don’t mention your full name unless necessary. The orphans may not be able to read, but their ears can hear very well. You know what I am talking about, right?”Cassey smiled in silence.“I do understand, Ma’am. I am Miss Cama, the new teacher.”The woman grinned.
Dinner was set in an intimate space, where the lights are low and the violin is playing high.On the table awaits the two early birds, Cassey and Cai.“Shall I serve you some water, Signor?”Cai nodded and talked with the blushing attendant. This saddens Cassey, who was obviously recognized and ignored by the worker.‘She does not talk to me nor ask for my opinions because she is hostile to a former detainee.’What she had thought was indeed true. As the attendant returned to the pantry to fill the goblets with lukewarm water, the other attendants went near her.“So how was she?”She rolled her eyes.“Even a working peasant like me could easily defeat her. Imagine the horror I felt when I saw her monstrous black eyes staring at me, and her pale lips curving a smile for me. I pity for the illegitimate Febrez who dined with her.”“You should have seduced him. That vixen
His mother sat on a shabby settee, drinking a glass of water.“Do you feel well now?”The deep voice of her son is full of worries, so the woman showed him a smile that is obviously strained by her own anxiety.“You do not.”Her son is not as oblivious as she thinks.“The head of the family came to your bedchambers last night, right?”The mother can’t speak.“He came to check my condition, Cai. He even gave me gifts from his recent voyage. I shall show you.”His mother hurriedly placed the cup of water on the settee, and rushed to get the boxes piled in the doorway.“Here, look! These are the jewelries he got from his business trip in Cravini. This is the new watch your father has bought for you! Just look at the huge diamond in the center. Don’t you think this is the best in the world? Your father loved us that much!”Her son sighed looking a
“Let’s get married.”“What?”Cai squeezed himself in the slightly open door and slouched on the sofa.“I wanted to accept your proposal, since it is what you needed the most now.”Cassey gave him a glass of water and slouched on the couch beside him.“You were so scared of that idea that you even ran away last time. That makes me wonder, who convinced you?”Cai, who was staring at her eyes, shifted his gaze in an instant.“Not telling me?”“Yeah. Not telling.”“Pfft. Even if you don’t say a thing, I know it is Markus. I wonder what he told you this time.”He took a sip from the water goblet, as if he was drinking the finest wine. This made Cassey swallow an enormous amount of air into her esophagus.“Butterflies...”“Excuse me?”“Nothing.”“Nothing?&r
“You were kicked out of your house?”“Mmfgh...”Cassey was mumbling with her mouth full of bread.“That’s why you are here to rent this house?”Cassey gulped down and answered him.“Yeah. Don’t worry; I will make sure I could find a job within this day.”“Cassey, money is not what I am worried about.”Cassey stared at the man and smiled. Then tears started to fall from her eyes, one by one, it dropped down her cheeks.“Thanks, Cai. You know how Lieughan’s family is not in favor of me, so I can’t ask for her help right now as I don’t want to put her in a difficult situation. Then Markus, uhm... well, he has a girl with her right now. It would be weird to stay there.”Cai nodded, also handed her a glass of water and an embroidered handkerchief.“But my situation is not favourable either. There is a conflict wi
The atmosphere in the hall was full of tension. Even Cassey can’t afford to yawn in the session. She stared at the exposed golden eyes of the fedora man, who stared back at her as if he is judging her entire existence.The fedora man gave Sondre a folder, which he accepted and examined. He took out the papers and started clearing his throat again.“The accused, Cassey Maharlika, formerly Lady Cassey Timmerhaus, has reached the court of Amara. Miss Cassey Maharlika is accused of embezzlement and violence against her sister, the esteemed daughter of Timmerhaus, Lady Ashanti Kaia Timmerhaus, and the entirety of the Timmerhaus lineage.”Cassey rolled her eyes. She has heard of it for a million times now.“The accused has claimed that the case is not embezzlement, but a forgery. The court of Amara does not trust her words at all, but since there is no enough evidence to support the hypothesis of the court that the accused lied, this hum