Chapter 3: Only size matters
A slight knock on the door distracted the women from what was going on outside.
"Sorry to disturb the ladies but my lord would like to have a word with Lady Kaoma now," said the guard as pleasantly as he could muster.
"It is late, can the lord not wait until morning to speak with her?" Lady Hilda replied disapprovingly.
The guard shook his head adamantly, "ever since our Lord has returned he has been in a foul mood it is not wise to provoke him."
"I see," replied Hilda, followed by a long sigh before stating emphatically, "it seems we have no choice but to go with the guard."
The guard cried out between coughs, "the lord only wants to see Lady Kaoma."
"We don't give a damn what the dingy old bastard wants, he will see all of us or none at all," said Lady Gertrude crankily.
The guard flushed red, he did not want to disobey either of them but he felt his hands were tied.
He would rather be punished by the master than hexed to death by Lady Gertrude.
The last guard who displeased the elderly women woke up the following morning with the nastiest puss filled pox.
That none of the neighboring kingdoms' doctors could treat.
Not until that stubborn guard apologized to Lady Gertrude from his deathbed did the nasty pox dissipate as swiftly as it had come upon the foul tempered guard.
Everyone called them witches to their backs but never to their faces.
The two old battle axes remained loyal to the original owners of the castle and no one could outsmart the crafty old women.
It was a known fact that her Uncle did not like to bathe and encouraged his followers to do the same.
He liked the debauchery and the castle whores sprawled out all around him.
With a few of his loyal men nearby to cater to his every whim.
Ever since he had seized control of her parents' fiefdom.
Her Uncle had done nothing to maintain the upkeep of the castle and surrounding properties.
Only looting its treasures and allowing it to fall into disrepair.
Castle Hellshire was slowly losing its glory as her Uncle bled its foundations dry.
Lord Horace sold off everything of value to cover his failed business ventures and gambling losses.
The moment she entered his chambers she had to fight the urge to cover her nose and tamper down on the need to gag.
Yet her Uncle had the nerve to strike a servant right in front of her when the servant brought a cup that was too small.
Never mind that the cup was dirty, it was only size that matters.
It had been said that from birth her Uncle had a preoccupation with size because it was rumored that his own phallus was no larger than her pinky.
His private chambers were the richest part of the castle.
The walls were covered with gaudy monstrous paintings draped between long curtains of burgundy velvet.
Wooden cabinets lined the walls to display all the stolen treasure he had accumulated during his lifetime.
Kaoma inquired cheekily, "You wanted to see me?"
"I had wanted to speak with you in private but since you desired an audience, so be it," her Uncle answered incensed by her audacity.
"Well hurry it up then," her patience with her Uncle was already wearing thin and he hadn't even fully opened his mouth to speak yet.
"I've decided that we will marry on the morrow," said Uncle Horace firmly.
The noisy room fell into silence and everyone was shocked including the harpist whose fingers stopped automatically strumming.
"You must be out of your bloody mind, I will never agree to that," Lady Kaoma shouted at the top of her lungs.
Her Uncle's face darkened with rage as he nearly choked on his wine.
With a vigorous slash of his right hand one of his loyal retainers walked over to Lady Kaoma and gave her a back hand that sent her flying into one of the nearby cabinets.
"You dare to disobey me, don't for a minute forget who is in charge here," he turned to another of his guards and ordered them, "bring her out."
The guard went and opened a side door and brought in her younger sister Sarika.
The six year old little girl lay sleeping in the arms of her nurse.
"Noooo," cried Lady Kaoma.
It wasn't from the pain of her fall but from fear for her younger sister's life.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Lady Gertrude.
Both her and Lady Hilda's protests went ignored for the most part.
As the ladies themselves were firmly restrained by the guards so they could not interfere with their lordship's plans.
The only reason she could have peace of mind and continue to live at the castle enduring her Uncle's insanity was to know that her sister was safe.
She had gone through great pains to deceive her Uncle into thinking her younger sister had died.
By sending Sarika away to live in a nearby convent.
Sarika was a meek and sickly child.
At the convent Sarika had access to the best practitioners of medicine.
The convent was also famous for its herbal garden.
As the nuns toiled daily to grow vegetables and herbs needed for tonics and medicine.
Sarika could live free at the convent while she would have faced restrictions here.
The conditions of the castle were too gross and unsanitary for her younger sister to be living in.
Kaoma had been so careful to hide her sister.
Who had betrayed them to Lord Horace?
Right now Kaoma wanted nothing more than to kill her Uncle for returning Sarika to the castle to live in such an unhealthy environment.
Kaoma wanted to go to her sister's side but she was held back by two more of her Uncle's guards.
New ones since she did not recognize their faces.
Tears fell down her face as she watched her little sister disappear behind closed doors.
She was all Sarika had left and would have agreed to anything to save her.
Kaoma said with finality, "I agree, since you leave me no choice."
She wished she could smack that smug look of triumph off her Uncle's sallow face.
Even worse she hated that he could see and relish in the tears that fell down her pale and ashen cheeks.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
NixOrtikal
NixOrtikal ***Your participation is welcomed! Like it? Add to library & please help boost this novel by leaving comments, powerstones, gifts, golden tickets etc.***
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone