Chapter 15: Death
Mireille
{Three days into the past}
I inhaled the fresh air of the outside garden, where the Duke had his afternoon-tea. The lovely chirping of countless birds filled my ears, harmonizing well with the swaying green grass. The cloudless blue sky shone brighter with the zealous sun.
I whiff in the sweet aroma of glazed chocolate muffins and strawberry macaroons. The maids walked briskly to decorate the tea-table with their tea-tray. They kept different delicious snacks with frangnant tea. The Duke was seated at a chair surrounding the table, observing his environment as the maids placed his tea and snacks. His gaze finally fell on me and he signaled me to his opposite empty chair. Reluctant as I was to meet him, the consonant sweet aroma wafted me near the table.
Two guards adjusted themselves at the adjacent sides of Duke. They were from the guarding unit. The Ferdinand Knights are divided into two different categories: one is the military unit, that I'm part of and the other is the guarding unit. The latter consists of a minimum number of knights, they are supposed to guard the interior while the military unit has a maximum of knights. We are needed for the external affairs of the Dukedom, including the “cleaning” of many aristocrats.
I scrutinize those two Knights along with their wary gazes to me and knew they were the lackeys of beanpole, the temporary Commander. I shruged off their grumpy gazes and continued focusing on the delectable desserts on the table in front of me. I sniffed the pleasing aroma making my stomach grumble and I froze.
My eyes doubled in size and my expression grew grim as I sniffed again and again. This puzzled the nearby onlookers, the maids looked at me with queer eyes, the guards readied their weapons to whack some sense into me, the bewildered Duke chose to ignore me as he took his served tea. But that didn't matter me in the slightest. What mattered to me was that I smelled something aberrant, an alarming smell, a smell that deviated from usual baked goods. It was a fragrance. A deadly fragrance.
My gaze zoomed accros the table in front, displaying luscious sweets. The fragrance.... It was not evident from any sweets, the tea.... I darted my glance towards the tea-service. The cups were filled with cherry-shade liquid with dried petals floating around. I studied the tea served to me while standing, which is very rude. But my studies yielded vain results. I couldn't find the same peculiar fragrance from any sweet or tea.
Awarness pierced my conscience. I jolted my head towards the Duke, who was going to sip his tea after being fed-up of my perplexed act.
'Stop!' is what I wanted to say but it's no use, my body is quicker than my mouth. I took the support of the table and raised my left leg higher above the table and in a trice, I successfully kicked Duke's right hand, which was gripping his teacup handle, and successfully the teacup flinged from his hand and crashed on the ground.
"Perfect!" I exclaimed at the neat kick of my leg, kind of proud.
I looked on at the gaping onlookers. Their eyes were ready to pop out any second from the shock they just received, puzzled at their reactions, I remembered what just happened. I just kicked the Duke's face! Not exactly his face, his hand was near his face and I kicked his hand. I moved my liable glance at the Duke, who was now massaging his right wrist, where my kick left a fresh bruise, while giving me a menacing death glare.
Not wanting to greet my death, I was resolute on defending myself, that there is something really wrong with that tea. I took a step back before saying anything but soon, I saw the guards forcefully restrain my arms at my back and forced me to kneel down before the Duke.
I really hate pain. That's why I wanted to shrug off the guards holding me down but my padded topcoat didn't let me, since it restricted my hands movement.
"What are you doing, idiots!" I hissed, glaring at the guards.
They gulped, visibly frightened from my glare "Your insolence will not go unpunished. You imbecile!" one of the guard shrieked.
Knowing it's vain arguing with them, I jerked my head towards the Duke, who was staring at me with his impassive and cold white face, scowling at me as if I'm a wanted criminal.
"Please hear me out!" I wailed, fearing for my life "There is something wrong with the tea!"
Duke Allen drifted his glare from me to the shattered pieces, which once belonged to a cup. There was a wet stain on the green grass, together with smashed pieces of glass.
"And how do you know that?" he asked me without glancing my way.
"Uh... Pardon?" I replied, not knowing what to answer. The Duke repeated his question, this time with a lot more animosity.
"Uh.... My instincts?" I whispered, trying to sound as plausible as possible.
Idiot! Moron! Dimwit! Dolt! I cursed myself with every known synonyms for idiot. I didn't know how I could run away from this mess I created. And to top it, I don't even know if I'm true! I just followed my instincts, even if they are usually correct, I can't guarantee this time.
Surprisingly, the cruelty from his eyes vanished, though the scowl was still evident on Duke's face. He leaned in closer to me, his amber eyes were glinting with hidden mischief, he yanked my face- grinding his fingers into my jaw "You are dead, if you are wrong!" he snarled and pushed me away.
He stood upright while I deepened my glare on him, anyone could see my clenched fists and defiant stance. The guards helped me stand and took me away from the Duke and the rabity servants while I reluctantly left, giving a last glare to Duke Allen. Before I was forced to move out, my gaze met his. After a minute of locking our stares, I understood. I understood that Duke Allen is the most vile human I ever met.
I'm more frustrated about his manner than his threat. His manner showed me he knew, he knew there was something wrong and willingly took the risk. He never bothered saving me from my penance, since it'll be a bother.
By now, I was walking away from the disarray I created. Only one guard fastened my arms behind my back. Both of them were mutually chatting with each other.
"Boss would be so much happy!" the one clutching my hands said.
"Hmph! What gave you the idea of kicking the Duke?! Huh! You imbecile!" the other guard squawked. From my interpretation, I could say he is a big show-off. That's why, I just scoffed before I looked elsewhere, not giving him any heed which was bound to anger him.
"How dare you?!" he yelped in rising anger. To show he had an upper hand on me, he hurled a firm punch to my face.
My head unintentionally jerked to a side from the force of that punch. I darted my gaze on that guard, giving him a new death glare, feeling the constant burning sensation from the punch. My eyes were blazing with anger, the dull brown of my eyes turned into a striking bronze and anytime now, the emerald green of my eyes was ready to spring up. Whenever I'm simmering with fury, my emerald green eyes makes an uncalled appearance to add to my seething rage. Unable to withstand it anymore, I kicked the guard who was restraining me on his abdomen which made him grumble in pain as he fell over the ground.
The other flaunting guard gaped at me in terror as he tried to hurl another punch at me but unbeknownst to him, during my one month in this estate I became popular as a “Dazzling Swift”. That's why, no matter how quickly he managed to retaliate for his groaning companion, I hastily dropkicked his guts and shoved him on the ground. All the while, I blessed him with my many punches.
"How dare you ruin my pretty face!?" I thundered at the lying guard, getting my repeated punches.
I huffed some air and reluctantly left the guard when I observed a thin red liquid trailing from his disrupted teeth.
"Phew!" I exhaled an exhausted sigh "My hunger evolved into a stronger form!" I grumbled as I saw the guard got helped from his companion, who was clutching hard to his abdomen.
I hesitated making my way back to the tea-table and meet the arrogant Duke, but the countless shrieks and squeals made my hesitant steps into a sprinter.
I dashed toward the tea-table, concluding my instincts were correct. There was something really wrong with the tea.
I saw a meek maid crouching near the shattered and stained spot. The skin of her hands desiccated away, revealing a rusty skeletal structure. Her wrists were parched and shriveled into a burnished shade, she was constantly wailing in pain as she widened her eyes so much that they were about to pop out, while her pupils were fluctuating with streams of tears rolling out her half-open eyes. She clasped her head with her disintegrated, skinned out hands. In a moment, she started throwing up and clutching hard at her stomach before she fell on the ground writhing in pain, wriggling so much as if her soul wanted to leave the sufferings of it's body. During her suffering, she never stopped her undying shrieking.
I was frozen on my spot just like everybody else. Everyone was gawking their eyes in an array of shock and horror. No one, no one was ready to help the poor maid as she bellowed in constant pain.
"Ella" a shaky and terror-striken voice called out, another whimpering and shaken maid, her face was wet with the rolling tears, advanced a step towards the wriggling maid, who was called 'Ella'.
"Stop!!" a conscience-striking yell from the Duke halted the maid and every other servants-be it the agitated or convulsed maids or the maids that masked their eyes, together with their ears, to not witness such horrifying incident or the footmen who had their whole faces wet yet they were frantically trying to maintain a good distance from Ella, moving many servants away. They were all crying for losing one of their co-worker or friend or probably family.
Just like the Duke ordered, everyone halted their movements. And so did Ella, she stopped her wriggling. She stopped her suffering. She stopped. Her soul finally freed from the torment it had to suffer. Her soul finally left her body.
Everything stopped. The chirping of the birds stopped. The fresh, mint breeze stopped. The monotonous cries and screams stopped. Only a new burdensome silence remained. The servants paused their continuous weeping and zommed their gazes towards Ella. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Ella to show some reaction, but she never did. Not even a tear rolled down her withered body.
I was too focused on Ella to see the two bulky men, clad in black, wearing black gloves together with masking their nose. They came to her body, which laid disrupted in many forms, they picked her up with their gloved hands. They kept the body on a pulley and started moving it, after giving a small bow to the Duke.
Being too engrossed in the horrid death, I never spared a glance at Duke. I watched him standing with a ghastly expression. His eyes were grim, his lips were ashen, his disappeared whimsical smile made him look more livid. He clenched his fists deeper. Gritting his teeth, he ordered the two men to take away Ella's body. The one month I have been here, I have never seen such a pale expression on his face.
"Ella!" the same maid who tried to get to get close to Ella- shrieked, recklessly running to the pulley "Wake up!" she shrieked at the top of her voice. "Where are you taking her?!" she roared, her tears blurred her eyesight.
The other maids ran to her and wrapped their hands around her waist, trying to stop her from her uncontrolled behavior. "Wait!" the maid continued her wailing "Ella! Wake up! Please!" she yelled and yelled. But the two men took the body away. The maid crumpled to the ground, her legs gave out and soon she began weeping with the group of maids.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please...." she sobbed, with the group of maids consoling her, while they couldn't contain themselves "Please wake up.... I won't complain for anything... Sister..."
I felt a sharp piercing to my heart. 'Sister' she said. She is the sister of Ella. Getting reminded about Dorothy after such a horrible tragedy made me wince with pain. Maybe, just maybe, I could relate to her pain. But I know I can't. Because I never saw Dorothy die, maybe she's still happily living somewhere, even though I know I'm vainly expecting. And also, I could never see Dorothy meet such horrible fate. I took a step towards the crying maids, when I heard another commanding voice.
"Who served the tea today?!" Sebastian yelled, who came from somewhere, sometime ago. His agitated self was a surprise to me, I have only seen him as a calm and collected person. He never raised his voice, always had the placid tone. But not now. His voice was filled with anger and also fear accompanied by regret.
The servants were terrified, they knew a maid's death meant nothing to the Nobles. If anything, it meant losing another slave. The shocked servants were frightened for their life. They looked at each other to blame, the weeping maids paused their cries, despite Ella's sister continuing it.
"She" a maid promptly pointed to someone, their figure was familiar to me. I looked at that person and was surprised to find the same maid who witnessed me and lady Fiore in the garden. "Marie is new here. She only came today, we didn't know for what reason she came to us, especially today. The result is in front of us" the same maid accusing Marie said.
"Forgive me Your Eminence!" Marie bowed completely on the ground, hoping to reach the slightest bit of mercy in the cold eyes of the Duke. "I only came as a replacement for someone, there is no way I can even think of harming His Eminence!!" Marie bemoaned, her sniveling could be heard aloud.
I knew it was important to save her, I had to have my dominance over her. Not as a knight, but as her savior. I needed to control her myself, she was holding valuable information.
For the first time in whole two hours did I open my mouth. I gulped my fear before replying "How can you say she is the one? What proof do you have?" I asked exerting my dominance on the accusing maid, which made the latter flinch "Are the senior maids so careless as to let a new-comer handle the Duke's Afternoon-tea?!" I bellowed, knowing full well my raised voice installed fear into the servants. I eyed the Duke from the corner of my eyes, just to check his expression, which was cold and impassive.
"Why are 'you' defending her?" Sebastian questioned me, skeptically eyeing me.
Don't tell me, he actually suspected me to be involved in this case. Why would I attempt-murder the Duke with such rash tricks? I would definitely use a more reliable and seclusive method. On a serious note, why would I murder the Duke.... Yet? I looked at Sebastian with a tongue-tied expression.
"He is not involved. I can assure it" Duke finally opened his mouth to bless me with his kind words. I roll my eyes at the sarcasm I used. "Let's go" he informed Sebastian before turning away from the mess in front.
"Everyone is dismissed!" Sebastian yelled, giving his commands to the servants.
"Don't forget!" Sebastian boomed, his glare scrutinized every present onlooker, including me "The Duke's security was endangered here!" he turned away soon after he quiet his sentence and after giving a warning.
That's right. Someone wished for the Duke to cease existing. The tea must have contained poison. Poison that killed Ella by just touching. She crouched to clean up the shattered cup but being in physical contact with the liquid caused her life. If touching could kill you in such state, ingesting it would be much worse, it won't end with just distortion or mutilation. I shudder as I go over my thoughts. To think someone hated the Duke so much....
"Thank you so much for your help!" Marie bowed deeply to show her sincerity.
I totally forgot about her! I know she isn't 100% involved, not is she 100% clean. Then, I shall properly start my part.
"Raise your head" I command her before turning away from the tea-table.
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A/n
Desiccate:- “take moisture out of”
Since this is not a common used word, I'm giving the glossary. If this was not necessary for you, just ignore it.
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