บท 8: Everything except kitchen
"There is a sea on the other side of this forest. Let's go there...." She paused as a sudden realization dawned on her, "I haven't named you yet. I'll call you..." She thought for a proper name as they proceeded further into the Enchantment Forest relying on her instincts, "Jack. How is that?"
The horse made a grunting sound as if it could understand her.
Esme could not help but be amazed by this. There was something special about Jack.
Traveling so far with carriages would have taken her many days. And that is why she convinced her Aunt to let her travel by a horse to which her Aunt had strongly disagreed as it had been years since she rode one but she gave in to her in the end.
So, Esme bid farewell to Marlene and Mary and promised the former that she would pen letters to her if her stay in the castle got extended by any chance. She disguised herself as a man before entering the auction house.
The village they lived in was a small one and it was impossible to get a horse on such short notice which is why she decided to buy an auction horse. And to her great luck, while all the other horses cost tens of thousands of gold coins, Jack was the cheapest amongst them, which was the reason why nobody bid for this black horse even though it appeared just fine.
Humans are unusually suspicious about such things. If it was cheap, there must be some faults in it, they must have thought like that. And she took the chance without delay.
"It was a good decision on my part," She stroked its hair as they walked further ahead under softly scattered moonlight.
Esme remained wary all the time. After all, the rumors' regarding the Northeast weren't that pleasant. She just hoped they would not encounter a beast or any monster that the villagers spoke about.
Beside the vast sea, in the pale light of the moon, a man stood on a boulder inside an invisible barrier around him. The wind blew his dark hair as he pressed his hands to the barrier. In his hands shone a golden light casting a pale glow around him.
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from behind.
The man's eyes remained closed as the waves of the sea got fiercer, the golden glow on his hand intensified but in the next second, it flickered slightly.
A frown graced his face as his lips pinched together. The glow stabilized a bit only to end up flickering once again. He heard once again, a sound behind him, as of someone stepping on the dried leaves.
The golden glow on his hand shifted towards his fingertip as it transformed into an arrow before shooting in the direction of the noise.
Esme's eyes widened the moment she saw an arrow moving in her direction out of nowhere. She slightly bent back but the arrow ended up taking her hooded headscarf along with it setting her long hair free. Before she could take a breath, another arrow came in the direction of her horse.
Well prepared this time, she grabbed the shaft of the arrow before looking around. Her eyes narrowed slightly, "Why would you hide and attack like some coward? Come out," She looked around but found the place empty.
Aleister paused. Having one of his hands on the invisible barrier around him while the other hand was holding a sword in it, with its tip pointed towards the back.
Esme glanced at her horse who looked unbothered by everything. Wasn't Jack afraid? Even a little bit...?
She patted his face twice and stepped forward carefully still holding the arrow in her hand. She was sure that there was someone around them or elsewhere would the arrows come from? In front of them was the deep sea and behind them was the vast forest. If there was someone, then why couldn't she see the person?
She stepped forward to pick up her scarf from the ground but as her feet landed on the marshy part of the land with tall grasses, all of a sudden lights flickered around her as countless fireflies appeared out of nowhere, lightening the dark place.
Aleister withdrew his sword as he tilted it slightly and the reflection of an astounded pair of grey eyes appeared on the surface of the metal. A slight shift of his expression and the sword in his hand moved once again such that it was standing vertically showing half of the face of the girl who stood rooted to her spot with her eyes marveling at the sight of the fireflies that were surrounding her.
His unwavering gaze locked onto that figure dressed in a male's clothes. Her long wine-shaded tresses moved with the wind stroking her face.
The arrow in her hand disappeared as small grey flowers landed on her feet. The horse made a noise and Esme snapped out of her daze.
She looked at her surroundings which were lighting up with the fireflies but she could barely see a human around. And that made her wonder...who shot an arrow at her? And these flowers...where did they come from? She has never heard of something like this neither has she seen someone possessing such powers.
She grabbed her hat and mounted the horse before stroking his head, "Let's go further ahead, Jack. This place is... strange," She glanced at the sea that was shimmering under the moonlight and the fireflies dancing atop it. Her skin glazed, "Let's go," She tightened her grip on the reins of the horse.
The sword in his hand gradually disappeared as Aleister closed his eyes. The golden light on his hands intensified this time and the invisible barrier around him blasted to smithereens. He turned around and gazed at the place where she was standing earlier.
Striding towards it, he squatted and picked up the grey flowers from the seashore. The fresh flowers in his hand turned rigid as a sweet wild scent lingered in the air. "Leo," He called out before standing up.
A white tiger sprinted out of the forest before running towards him.
The man patted his head, "People don't fear this place anymore?"
The beast growled as if he was saying 'They do.'
"They don't," Aleister chuckled as he brought his hand closer to his face to look at the firefly sitting on his index finger. His ice-blue eyes flashed with mirth, "Perhaps beautiful things don't fear death, now do they?" He tossed away the firefly from his hand and glanced in the opposite direction where she had disappeared.
Leo let out a confused growl, wondering why his already odd Master was acting odder.
By dawn, Esme found herself standing in front of the Royal Castle of Visteria.
"You're Esmeray?" A girl in her mid-20s walked towards her.
Esme nodded.
"I am Liz. Aunt Mary has written to me about you. I have been waiting for two hours. You are late."
Esme opened her mouth to say something only to be interrupted by her once again.
"I don't have time to dawdle with you. I'll take you to the Butler. Be careful here and if you cause trouble then don't take my name from your mouth." The girl named Liz rudely said as she gauzed her from head to toe, "And don't dress like a harlot. It seems like you are here to seduce someone."
Esme glanced at her plain white gown. She opened her mouth to say something but decided against it in the end.
It took her days to reach the Capital City of Visteria and her whole body was numb and aching because she was not used to horse-riding anymore. After what happened in the Enchantment forest yesterday, she did not want to spend any more time there anymore because it looked like the rumors about that mysterious place were really true.
There were probably frighteningly powerful and unknown creatures there that nobody has ever seen.
By dawn, they reached the capital city.
She found an isolated barn near the marketplace where she left her horse under the care of an old man and gave him some gold coins to take care of Jack. She bought this cheap gown from a shop and got changed before coming here.
"You are the one she was talking about?" The old butler gazed at her.
"I am."
"She was recommended to me by one of my Aunts. I hope you can give her a chance," Unlike her harsh attitude towards Esme, Liz was very respectful to the butler.
"You can go," The butler nodded at her before turning his gaze towards her, "And you...come with me."
Esme followed after the man as her gaze occasionally shifted towards the high walls, shiny statues, beautiful crystal flower vases, and the long empty hallways. The chandeliers hanging up so high made the walls shine along with their gems.
Having the Enchantment forest at its border and with a sea flowing behind it, the royal castle of Visteria was ethereal. She found it more beautiful than the castle of Nevesray where she was born.
"What are you good at?"
"Huh?" She snapped out of her daze.
The butler's footsteps came to a halt as he turned around to look at her, "Girl, working for the royal family isn't a child's play. Be attentive to your surroundings and the orders of your superior," The old man sternly said and she nodded, "I was asking what jobs are you proficient in?"
Esme paused for a moment. She would be kicked out if she said that she was not good at household works, let alone the jobs of a Royal Castle. Despite their current condition, her Aunt has never let her do any of those rough work even if she has insisted on helping her.
Duke Elias made proper arrangements for them to escape Nevesray back then and on their way to Visteria, Marlene sold whatever jewelry she had on her at that time. And the money acquired from it helped them for years. Staying true to her promise, Marlene educated both Esme and Arlan. She also pampered them to bits despite them being poor.
And as Esme grew up, she insisted on going to the mountains to collect herbs in which Arlan tagged along with her. And it had been enough for them to make a living.
"I can manage everything except for the kitchen," I can learn, she thought. Not that she was going to stay here. She will try her best to find her brother as soon as possible and escape.
The old butler frowned, "It is not going to be easy for you," He sternly said, "There are other candidates too. In the next two days, there will be a selection process going on and only a few of you will be hired. Come, I'll show you the quarters where you will be staying temporarily. If you are hired, you will move to the servant quarters then."
"I appreciate your guidance," Esme slowly said.
The Old butler glanced at the graceful girl standing in front of him. His brows tugged together for a moment but he eventually nodded.
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