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
“So, Akoi is not caught up in an accident after all.”It was a crooked trick.Beneath the faint light of the morning sun seeping through the glass window, her silver hair shines like milk mixed into the river of Aesthica.The woman named Ashanti stood before me.“I finally found you, Sister.”She said with a sneer.“The accused, Cassey Maharlika has been abducted by unknown people and was injured severely during the abduction.”So they have known already. This probably explains how Ashanti found me.“The court of the blue hall expresses strong condemnation of the inhumane acts. We would like to ask for forgiveness for the misery we have caused.”Ashanti who was behind the announcing officer is smiling professionally. Behind those smiles, she was probably orchestrating another trap.“Due to this, the accused, Cassey Maharlika, is given another chance to appeal t
There was a fog early in the morning of the Forsaken.Despite the cold temperature, children came out from the huge shabby house bringing their empty baskets.“Now, listen everybody so I don’t need to repeat everything. The boys are divided into two. The first group will fetch the water, and the second group will gather any woods they can find. They will stop wandering when the Tradiskano’s bell starts ringing. Understood?”“Wow, she is not speaking filthily!”“Shhh, Kiray said it was because her mother said so.”“Mother? The one who gave them the seeds?”“That’s right- BOGSH!”“GIRLS AT THE FILTHY BACK! WHAT IN THE FILTHY WORLD ARE YOU WHISPERING ABOUT? HURRY AND DO YOUR FILTHY TASK!”“Crap, you made her angry.”“What was the task again?”“Oh, we hafta harvest the fruits and veggies.”
“The entire family of Maldevois was killed in a fire accident.”Cassey’s lips parted. She was unable to speak, shuddered in her seat.“H-How many days... How many days has it been since they...?”Sondre sighed and handed Cassey a black folder.“It contains all the information you may need related to their deaths. The family head, Sire Dorawo Maldevois, was hunted by the husband of his mistress who turned out to be a noble. He was forced to pay a compensation fee.”“How much was he supposed to pay?”“A million golden cents or he will be hung according to the severity of their adultery. The sources say that he got his mistress pregnant with a bastard child.”“That is quite normal in adultery, Sire Sondre.”“But the noble is not a Febrez, Cassey. They take matters like adultery seriously. Aside from the adultery, they also stole an heirloom, and us
A woman's thoughts are complex. But Cassey's are endless. Her mind is a bottomless pit and her ideas flow unceasingly like a river. There is no end to it.She writes a poem in the morning, a prose after an afternoon nap and a few words before she goes to bed. She is drawn to her own words, to her own world. When she was a young kid, she thought that a pen contains nicotine because it is too addicting, although during that time she was not even sure what a nicotine was. She just heard it from the older men in the manor.Her friends love her tales. Lieughan especially loved her romantic novels. She often requests Cassey to think of her as the main character, and lately, she has been begging Cassey for the hero to have the "shell" of a Febrez, which basically means the usual appearance and physical characteristics of a Febrez man, especially their red streaks hair. Cassey obliges to her requests because she finds it cute how her friend uses her novels to feed her fantasies about Markus (
An insignificant place. That was how aristocrats think and talk about the farmlands. Only when the genius prodigy, Liracynthia Maharlika, taught the upper class how significant the farmlands are to the nation’s economy that it is finally recognized as one, as a significant place. However, there are still people who hate the smell of grasses, including the genius prodigy herself – Duchess Liracynthia Morelli.“Lira, why are you scratching your skin aggressively?”“Because it itches me! Where is that girl, how dare she come late to my dinner?”That second aunt gulped heavily as she caressed Akoi’s back, who was raging with anger and annoyance towards the duchess.‘She is speaking as if she never lived in the farmlands before, what a b*tchy hypocrite.’Just then, the bell of the front gate rang. “I am going to open the gates. Excuse me.”“Yes, and please usher that b*tch too!”Akoi then stormed her way out.“Ahh, this stresses me out. I should have not…”“Even if she is your daughter, y
Cassey was panting aggressively as she sat down in Cai’s new couch.“What did you just say?”“I said, MY MOTHER WANTS TO MEET THE BOTH OF US!”Cai gasped and plopped beside her. She leaned onto her shoulders and stretched his arms to wrap around her waist.“But we should not be scared right, since we have nothing to be scared of?”The lady patted his hair which made him close his eyes.“Yes, that is the true. But nevertheless, we need to be more than prepared, Cai. My mother is the duchess of Morelli, and I am only a commoner now. I need to have the confidence she was missing when I was a noble’s daughter.”Cai loosened from the hug and stared at Cassey.“Then we should prepare right away!”They heard a growl. Cassey awkwardly smiled and caressed her tiny stomach.“Maybe we should have lunch first?”“I guess you are right.”-“Cai, do I look fine with this?”Cassey asked as she played with the silky balloon skirt.“Mhm. It really suits you.”“Pfft… You are not even looking Cai.”Cai s
Cai walked through the silent corridors. He reached his house unit but he noticed how the door was unlocked. He slowly squeezed the knob and…“Greetings Lady… Oh, it was actually you, Cassey.”Cassey turned around and faced him.“I am really sorry for barging in, Cai. I really need to talk to you about something, but you seem to be late so I just unlocked it. You know, I am a little scared of staying outside for too long.”Cai just smiled.“It is fine. We are soon to be married, so I guess it should be fine to give you the right to enter whenever you need to. Well, what brings you here?”“I missed you.”Cai flinched and his legs weakened.“Pardon me?”Cassey sat straight and stared at his eyes.“I missed you, Cai.”Cai doubted his ears. Since when did Cassey became like this?“I know I am soon to be your wife, but I was so busy with work and other stuffs. I did a good work, so the Tradiskano rewarded me with a vacation.”The Tradiskano allows employees to have a vacation? That sounds
The sunrise was a pleasing sight to Cai. It reminds him of a new day, and a new day is a new hope. He needs tons of hope and patience for his business.“I really hope the Amadeos will help me this time. It is very difficult doing everything by my own.”He then placed his documents carefully on his bag, and squeezed the knob of the door. When he is finally outside, he noticed that Cassey’s door is locked from the outside.“How strange... Did she go to work so early?”Maybe... That could be possible.So with that thought on his mind, Cai departed.Unbeknownst to him, Cassey never went home last night at all.“The report is impressive and well-written. I am grateful to you for your sincere cooperation, Lady Cassey.”Cassey never replied to the excited claims of her boss, the Tradiskano. She is mentally sleeping with her eyes wide open.“Have you eaten breakfast yet?”She snapped at the word ‘breakfast.’ The Tradiskano chuckled and grabbed the tele communicator.“Wow, what an advanced tec
As birds chirped, Cassey lifted her head and sighed heavily. Her back hurts from carrying a bundle of woods back and forth. The sun is high up, but she was unable to rest even for a minute.“Cassey Maharlika!”And finally, the call she was waiting for…When she receives the money, she plans on spending half of it for a cup of rice with sauteed vegetables, and half will be allotted for a humble dinner at an inn.“I am here.”“Oh, Cassey Maharlika. The former…?”The madame tilted her head, and Cassey knew what she was going to say next.‘Detainee.’A word that is always linked to her. She feels bad for it, but never complained even once. As long as she could eat three times a day, those things could never hurt her. So, she just accepts it, out of desperation and exhaustion.“Yes, I am.”“Well, you see… That mister over there is looking for you.”Cassey followed the direction the madame was pointing. Then she had a glimpse of a familiar back profile. She just stared at his back, until th
The days passed so quickly and Cassey’s work from home routine has finally met its end. Thus, Cassey will be reporting to her job at the stationery again.“Good bye and thank you, Miss Cama!”Cassey chuckled at her cute pupils. Her face turned back to the old professionally stern and stiff look when she sensed the sharp gaze from the window of Madame Oprah. Madame Oprah has been keeping strict watch over Cassey, but unbeknownst to her, Cassey is also keenly and quietly spying on her.“Mom, the Madame Oprah is coming.”Navis snitched to her. She came from the kitchen to get Cassey a glass of water, and she happened to see Madame Oprah pretending that she is strolling on the garden.“I will buy you some grilled meat tomorrow. Look forward to it, my children.”Navis and the other pupils beamed and they started to run away as the Madame Oprah is getting closer to where they stand.“Oh, Miss Maharlika!”As soon as the children left, the annoying voice of the witch rang in Cassey’s ears.‘T
Tired from work, Cassey lazily laid herself on the couch.“Cass! I told you it’s not good to lie down after a long walk!”Cassey groaned while rising from the couch.“Who told you that thing?”“My mother. But it’s not something superstitious Cass, it’s really, definitely, certainly unhealthy to immediately lie down after a long walk. Remember during sprint classes, we are not even allowed to sit after a finishing a lap.”“Really?”“What do you mean by that ‘really’? Do you not know?”Actually, Cassey never knows.“I do…”“Then why are you doing it? I am sure you are not the kind who does unhealthy things.”“Honestly, I don’t. During my studies, I have to skip sprint classes. My mother excuses me from the instructor, who happens to be her friend, so that I could focus on the tasks she gives me.”Cai patted her shoulders.“That’s so pitiful. I hope you don’t take those things to heart.”“I am not pitiful in any way. I hated being active since it’s a big waste of time.”Cassey definitely
The streetlamps lit in golden beam. Several stores and inns have lighted their establishments and buildings too. It was heavily dark tonight – an unfortunate new moon.Among the stores in the certain street, one store is obviously different.Tradiskano’s Stationery Shop.First and foremost, it was founded and owned by the Tradiskano, a monster in business. Second, it is a stationery shop, where customers could buy materials for writing and typing, such as paper, pens and ink. In a period of time where majority of the men in the Febrez household are in marriageable age, the stationery shop is an oasis in a desert. Be it scented paper or a colorful pen or a ribbon to adorn, everything a girl wishes for her confession letter can be bought in Tradiskano’s stationery shop. Third, the quality never disappoints. Despite being known as a noble, the Tradiskano also sell affordable products for the working class. Those affordable products are actually even better than the expensive products fro