章 19: The Aftermath
Mireille
Duke Allen's words again ringed in my head. His words legit pierced through my conscience. Thanks to him, I now know I shouldn't play a victim and step up in this dark world while steeling myself. I shall not allow my emotions to have a first hand on my actions. And I shall cease my futile, careless lifestyle. I shall change myself from today on! I will not gobble up my food or desserts and try to be a good mannered person.
"These will be my new resolutions!" I whoop aloud with fierce determination.
I feel a light smack on my back, I turn around and glare at the culprit. "What are your new resolutions?!" Smith bellows with his curious tone. Realizing my glare on him, he backs away a little bit while smiling nervously.
"No way!" Mac yelps, who is now standing to my right "Am I seeing this right?!" he continues his drama while we watch him with puzzlement. Till now, a large crowd has already formed beside me due to their aggressive shouting.
"Emergency!" Smith takes on the lead to Mac's drama "Ed only ate one plate of 'Meatballs'!" he shouts which is followed by many shocking exclamations.
Isn't it supposed to be normal for a person to be full after eating one whole plate? I tried so hard to act normal today and this is their reaction? Maybe, I wasn't born to be normal.
"Are you alright!?" Joel rushes to me, with a worried look as he kneels beside me. He must be actually worried about me. I have been sighing all the time, I guess he noticed.
"Is it about your sister?!" he gapes on with an amazingly anxious face.
"How did my sister come in between?!" I roar, I feel stupid for thinking he was actually worried for a dazzling friend like me. Turns out he is only worried about my supposed beautiful twin.
"Maybe you are worried about the many suitor offers your sister has?" Mike claims with worry. Why is the conversation deviating from being worried about me to my supposed sister's suitors?
"And you want any one of us to act as her fiancé?" a delusional Joel chimes in between the dreamy Knights.
"You guys are actually dumber than I thought?" I exclaim, shocked at their daydreaming.
"Come on Ed...." I hear the many voices from the delusional Knights, I sigh as I glance at my cold meal.
My gaze wanders on Joel as I look for someone to blame for my cold meal. I try battling with my thoughts, when my sharp gaze falls on a fidgety shadow trying to get away from a secluded area. I scrutinize the familiar figure which is dashing away from a secluded pathway. My sight follows the shadow until the shadow decides to disappear through a door. Is that Marie?
I spring up from my seat, welcoming all the attention on myself. I wink at Joel before sprinting towards the disappeared shadow. Joel gapes at me, together with the bewildering Knights. He foolishly tries to make excuses for my sudden behavior after realizing my wink, which is also a signal for help from me.
****
"Uh....u...." Joel stammered, thinking of an excuse for Edgar's brash moves "he had some important matters to attend to" he finally said, questioning what he will say next.
Smith arched his brows at Joel, trying to deduce what Ed's important matters were... That's when realization hit him and he uttered— "Nature calls" he shrugged.
Joel gasped at the nodding Knights, who believed Smith's deduction.
"Maybe he couldn't hold it in" Max chimed in, commenting on the topic of Edgar's sudden moves.
Joel hurriedly looked around to see Edgar, who was not in his sight or range to hear the Knights chatter. He internally thanked God for Ed's absence or else, he knew this peaceful chatter could end up as a bloodbath.
***********
{Two days in the past—– a day after the 'Afternoon-tea-incident'}
'Slap!'
Marie stumbled backwards by the force of the slap she received on her left cheek. Automatically, her hand rubbed against the burning red gracing her left cheek. She could feel fat tears blurring her eyesight, she bit her lower lip and endured the pain from the firm slap.
"Damn it Marie!!" a man's blaring voice growled in the small murky room.
"I-I'm so-sorry" Marie wobbled up from the spot where she fell due to the impact of the man's slap. She reached out to hold his arm but met with harsh rejection.
"Shut it! Shut up your useless whining!" he thundered with grimacing look.
He gave off a ruffian look, with his over-worn jacket and his dull shoes. He was handicapped from his left eye and wore a black patch over it. His hair were so unruly as if he had not combed for the past month. He looked younger than most of the gangsters in his area, this was a plus point for him to get more recognition and women by his side. Marie was one of the many playthings for him.
"I'm so sorry, James" she continued to whine, begging for his mercy "I will be careful from now on. So ple-"
"Careful?" the man, James mocked "you had one job!" he barked, not caring for the jittery woman in front. "This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
"Do you know how hard it was for me to obtain it?!" he yelled as he yanked Marie's shoulder and pulled her towards himself. "The poison was special! It was meant only for him!!"
"So why is he still alive??" his scream pierced her ears as she shut her eyes tightly. He pushed her away and slammed open the door before stomping away. He chewed his nails as he walked along the flithy passage.
"....ing bastard" he mumbled under his breath with his deep hatred for Duke Ferdinand "That wench.... How will I ask that old fart now?". He knew the poison was not common and getting the dried flowers was special for the Duke. A human body only needed small amounts of “death” — this was the name they gave to Nerium Oleander poison— since, the Duke was immune to poisons to some level, the highly poisonous flowers of “death” was sure to end his wretched life.
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"Are you alright?" Holly asked, looking anxiously at her dejected sister.
"Damn it!" Marie spat at a dark corner and got up with the help of Holly. She glared at Holly, who was nervously gazing downwards and not meeting Marie's eyes.
"You disgust me!" she scoffed at Holly before walking away from the door, with thick tears rolling down her once-pretty face. Deep down, she knew her disgust was only directed towards herself. She was disgusted by the way she had to give up her self-respect and cling on to the hoodlum James. After making sure Marie left, Holly looked up with a scornful face.
"That's my line!" she hissed. Her shawl slid down her shoulders, revealing her bare skin. She hurriedly tried to cover her bare shoulders with her shawl, when she grazed the white bandaged wound.
"Ahh.." she winced as she glanced at the fresh red blood stain on her white bandage at her upper arm, covering the fresh stitches she received yesterday morning. Lowering her voice down to a whisper, she cursed the person responsible for her injury.
"That damnable Duke" she cursed her despised target "no one told me he was heck strong!" a memory of yesterday flashed through her.
{Morning of the 'Afternoon-tea-incident' —– three days into the past}
Moonlight illuminated the carpeted hallway. With hues of perfect white falling over the dark window sill. The moon, in it's whole glory, played hide and seek with the black clouds.
Allen yawned, turning the doorknob of his room. He came out his room, in the vast, secluded hallway to check out the source of a big 'crash' outside. He was in his nightwear with raven ruffled hair, the pure amber of his eyes was loaded with interrupted sleep.
"There are no guards?!" he moaned, his sleep was getting an upper hand over his consciousness "these careless Knights should meet their punishment!" he made a mental note to remind Raizel of the guards careless behavior.
With a sudden flash of alarm, he lurched away from the huge door before a piercing object hit the huge door and fell down from the intricate designs. Allen scrutinized the sharp object, which was a basic throwing knife. He would have admired it, if he had the luxury to do so. With full tilt, he instantly dodged another one of the throwing knives, directed to his neck.
By now, all the drowsiness left his tired eyes. He was actively spotting any hidden person, who would be responsible for the underhanded tricks. Holly was already getting testy at Allen's calculated reflexes, despite her hard work at choosing a time when no guard was present and at risk of waking Allen, who would never bat an eyelash while executing someone- who he thinks are unworthy of being even his shoe grit. And Holly was sure, she never matters to him or anyone.
———–––————
IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!!
I know people come here to read about Mireille's adventures and more. But as a human, I knew I had an important duty to share my knowledge with more people.
I have received news about the inhumane and remorseless war on palestine by Israel and I highly condemn it. I don't want to give much details, but I can see that is bombarding Palestine with deep hatred and remorselessness. I didn't have anything against , but as consists of humans, I feel it important to stand with them.
If you are thinking it's a religious matter, STOP!! This has escalated into a humanitarian crisis! And «“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, then you have chosen the side of the oppressor”»
I don't have any idea on how much hate or whatever I'm gonna receive for this, but I'm being truthful. And if being truthful is a crime in this 21st century, I have indeed committed a felony.
Thank you for reading till the end, as for your role in this is simple. You just need to share as much as you can on your social media or anything. Overall, just spread as much awareness as you possibly can....
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