บท 6: Cold
Lumielle knew that the word of firing all the chefs would reach the ears of the head maid Viria Langley. She would need to dispose of that woman as well but instead of simply firing her, she wanted her to suffer. That woman was abhorrent and Lumielle had to credit most of her childhood trauma towards the head maid and those that followed her. Thankfully, she had been given jurisdiction by her father to fire and rehire as many people from the Ruby Palace as she wanted. He probably didn't know that she would expunge at least 70% of the staff. That was fine.
"Are you surprised?" Lumielle asked sitting in the shade as she watched Rowan teach Aris how to hold a sword. Rowan was a good teacher; patient and kind, it seemed that Aris was slowly opening up to him even if he didn't flinch at times.
Leo took a pause, "Yes. I didn't expect the Princess to be so," he paused.
"Cruel? Villain-like?" Lumielle asked, she sounded amused by her own words. Indeed, that was how she had acted. Waving at Aris who gave her a smile, she couldn't help but exhale. There was not a modicum of guilt attached to what she had done and even if she had regrets, seeing Aris smiling at her made her feel all the more relieved.
"No, I didn't expect the Princess to be so undaunted."
She paused looking up at Leo who was standing. Unlike his brother, he was more stoic. Rowan was already smiling at Aris meanwhile his twin looked ahead, not even meeting her eyes. "Is this flattery?" Lumielle asked genuinely curious as to whether or not he was being truthful.
"Do I look like the type to flatter?"
"I don't ever judge a book by its cover," Lumielle responded back. Her wit was unmatched and even Cosette had to admit that in a verbal argument, it was almost impossible to win against the lavender-haired female.
Touching the grass, she closed her eyes. The spots of sunlight that peaked through the trees warming her skin, "I didn't seem cruel?"
"Wasn't he the one who was cruel to the Princess and Crown Prince? I don't believe you did that without your reasons." Leo spoke firmly as he finally looked down at her. Warm copper eyes looking at the female. She was dressed in a light blue dress, the simple embroidery and delicate touch not matching the image of a Princess.
"Have I earned your trust then?" Lumielle quipped back, but she had been surprised. Never had anyone claimed that they believed her reasoning. In fact, they imprisoned her without even asking. No one cared about why Lumielle had become what she had become. Society scorned her either way and as such being a villain meant that she could protect her brother, then she would take that heavy burden.
Leo didn't answer, "You have my oath. Is my trust that important?"
"If I said it was?"
Another pause, but she did not press further. Standing up, she gave Aris another smile and he responded back but this time, he looked more focused on his swordsmanship. That was good. Her brother's fragile disposition was always due to Viria keeping him indoors and the chef's awful food. Puckering her lips, she knew that she would have to deal with Viria.
"Take this," Leo responded as he placed the jacket upon her shoulders. It was becoming fall and her birthday would come in less than a month.
Blinking, Lumielle couldn't help but nod in gratitude. The jacket was larger on her; she was closer in height to Leo than most children her age. She had always been quite tall and by the time she was fifteen, she was practically a giant amongst the men. She remembered always envying Cosette and her tiny frame; the picture of fragility and feminity. Cosette could wear heels while Lumielle almost always found herself with shoes that were low to the ground. As they aged, the boys started to grow but still, she found it to be a sore spot for her.
Lumielle should have noticed that Cosette was the one to plant that seed of insecurity inside of her. How stupid she was. The sound of heels clattering against the ground alerted her that Viria was coming. It had been awfully quiet.
The woman in front of her was older, in her late thirties, with soft brown hair tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes flashing with indignation, "I was told that I will be taking care of you." Indeed, Lumielle had placed Sylvia and Evangeline with her brother; swapping the maids that they had so that she could deal with this annoyance. How petulant.
Smiling, Lumielle nodded, "I'll be in your care, Viria! I thought it would be nice to get to know the maids in this mansion," she hummed happily as she took the female's hands into her own. Squeezing them softly, "So please take care of me." Her words were light, airy—a delicate sonorous melody that she had perfectly crafted. A young weak child was what she wanted to appear as. All she needed was a week; a week to set her plan into motion, after all, the warmth of summer would vanish by then.
"Mielle!" Aris exclaimed as he burst into her room.
Turning to her brother she couldn't help but smile, "Is there a problem?"
"Evangeline and Sylvia, they're your maids, why are they?" He trailed off looking to see Viria standing behind her as he quietly stopped speaking. Thankfully, Viria could not see the expression on Lumielle's face. This woman was an eyesore; she should have taken care of it sooner. Scorning her own negligence she wrapped her arms around her brother.
Aris would no longer struggle. She would grant him a reprieve. "I thought that since you're learning how to become a knight, it would be better to have them help you!" It was a useless lie as she pulled away gently stroking her brother's face.
"But," Aris managed to stumble out. He was only eleven and she could tell how nervous he was; he wanted to expiate what Viria had done to him. When she was seventeen, he had finally told her. The years of abuse unwinding from his tongue as Lumielle could only stare in horror. Eleven years was too long and she still felt the guilt eat her alone.
Placing her forehead against his own she spoke, "Just focus on getting strong alright?"
"Your bath," Viria intruded her words sharp as Lumielle smiled at him and gave a nod towards the woman. Saccharine, Lumielle needed to think positively; waiting had always been her specialty. Blessed with patience, she allowed herself to undergo abuse. The water was ice cold, her lips turning almost blue and her fingers feeling numb. Her hands rough as they tugged angrily at her hair. Digging nails into her arm and castigating her, Lumielle kept her head down. Docile and young, she was feigning ignorance.
Viria was a cruel woman. She did not know what had given her such spite, but she was rotten to the core. Lumielle remembered getting slapped in the face for asking for blankets during the cold winter. A harsh sneer on the woman's face as she shoved Aris to the ground for asking about when he would be able to leave the Palace walls.
Confining the two children, Lumielle had realized that they had become clipped birds with wings that had been scorched by the sun.
"Would you mind pouring me some tea?" Lumielle asked, a book in her hands as Viria glanced up from her own needlework.
A sneer was placed upon her lips, "Is there a reason that you cannot do it yourself?" She queried. It was an arrogant mindset that was only proliferated by the fact that she was the Head Maid. No one could go against her wishes. Leo stiffened.
Moving forward, Lumielle took the pot in her hands. Viria looked at the young girl before a smile curved on her face, "Princess," Leo called out but it was too late.
At the same time, Viria had extended her leg so that Lumielle fell. The shattered glass and hot water stinging against her skin. The normal alabaster hue turning a bright strawberry. A line of red being drawn against the base of her arm from the shards that protruded into her skin.
"Are you alright?" Viria asked leaning down and abandoning her needlework.
Lumielle feigned a smile. Had she always been this cruel to Aris? It made her blood boil. Her body ached, the hot tea had been in contact with her skin and she felt like a mess with the water clinging to her pathetic clothes.
"Thank you for your kindness. I'm fine," she said.
"What should we do? We don't have any clothes for you to wear," Viria said with a smile on her face. She was gleefully enjoying this, wasn't she? Inside the whole castle, there were no articles of clothing for her to wear?
Lumielle maintained her patience, "No clothes?" She asked. What type of excuse would Viria utter out?
"They're all being washed."
Pathetic.
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saemi
saemi ohohoho ! i hope that this chapter was somewhat satisfying, for me, it was fun to write. i enjoy writing revenge because there is something just so SATISFYING about the way that it's carried out. again, i apologize if this is slow moving, i just like to show the characters and the type of person / relationships lumielle is / has.
thank you so much for you reading once more and comment if you have any questions !!
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