Noble Guest

Editing in Progress…

~Chapter 42~

"SHE IS STRONG," Lady Gwen stated as she watched the iced-cube leaves fall into dice.

"She also looks familiar?" Lady Samara revealed. Lady Gwen perceived the air of seriousness from her. The ice sorcerer paused at her attack, but this pause didn't go unseen by Marina, as she took it as a leeway to finish them. 

She spelled her legs that sent her forward, closer to the ladies and this seemed to catch Gwen by surprise but not Samara, as once she was an inch close to them, Lady Samara immediately summon a Chainwing.

A Chainwing a bird, with feathers as dark as the night its self. The bird possesses a daring ability to immobilize and bind those who dare to cross its path. The Chainwing was a symbol of captivity and control. Ironically, its symbol is mostly displayed in prison cells, as it shows that the people there are kept in captivity.

It captures its victims with its hypnotic gaze, captivating them with its intense stares. Once the victim becomes entranced by it, the Chainwing would release his chains that are like an extension of his feathered tail. 

This would grip the victim tightly, preventing the victim from breaking free.

In some books in the kingdom's library, that the Chainwing also uses trickery and manipulation to lure its victims into vulnerable positions before imprisoning them. It also uses illusions or false promises to lead unsuspecting travels into its trap, only to reveal its true nature once they are within reach.

By the summons of its master, its feathered tail extended and bound Marina, leading her to fall on the hard ground. Lady Samara stepped closer to the maid, reducing her height to meet hers, her eyes widened, and a smile knowing smile played on her face.

"Marina?"

Lady Gwen's eyes widened like saucers, her jaw dropping in disbelief at the Lady Samara had called.

"Do you mean Claire's servant girl, Marina?"

"Why don't you come see for yourself?" Lady Samara stated, cancelling the summon of Chainwing from its bind. Marina lifted herself up, before she went down again, with a bow as soon as she recognized the noble women standing in front of her.

"I sincerely want to apologize for my brute acts toward you, Magistra Samara and Royal Lady-in-waiting Gwen."

"Oh, you Dear Marina" Lady Samara pitied. 

She moved to pull the servant girl off the floor, but she maintained her position, not daring to move from it. It is like she was punishing herself from the grievous act she had committed. 

Who did she think she was to dare attack the noble of all the noble ladies from Aswines? And though they were no longer in Aswines, even in Voudia, their nobility showed beyond belief.

It was clear she was courting death.

"Stand up, loyal servant of the Chamberlains" 

Loyal servant of the Chamberlain.  When last was she called that? Marina thought to herself as she felt the tears ready to drop from her eyes.

"Would not stand as I have demanded, or would you continue to ignore my command and stay rooted down there?" Lady Gwen commanded.

"I dare not do anything to offend you—"

"Then I demand you stand on your feet and not your knees"

"After the vicious attack I made against you, don't I deserve death?"

"You would have deserved death if you hadn't come out to check on the person who had leaked the entropy before I entered." Gwen moved around and squatted to sit on her heels as she pulled the servant girl up. 

"But you came out ready to fight and defend the house of Chamberlains. You would always be the most loyal servant Claire and lint would ever have."

This time, Marina finally obeyed their command and stood to her feet. She meekly wiped the tears from her eyes before bowing in greeting.

"If I had known you would arrive early today, I would have gone far and beyond to clean the manor," She said, shyly looking around the field.

"Is there a reason you would need to wait for our arrival before you keep the house in it glory?"

Marina looked away from their scrutiny eyes, "There is much work to do with minor servant"

"How many servants are in the manor?" Lady Samara questioned, cutting in on their conversation.

Marina glanced at them before looking away. She turned away from them as she gestured for the ladies to move towards the manor.

"How many servants are in the manor?" She asked again. 

Marina sighed, feeling embarrassed at the answer she was about to give, "She is—" She suddenly paused on her words, wondering if she should count Yeona or leave her out. After all, she wasn't a servant, but she was turned to servant in her own parents' house.

Glancing at the women who awaited a response, she continued her trail of thought. If she told them that Yeona was being maltreated by the Rutherford family, how would they react?

They would most definitely by angry. Anger was probably not the best word to describe the feelings they would have regarding them.

They might get angry at her for not doing anything and letting it go on for so long, but she was willing to take that chance just to have her Young mistress to be treated the way she should be.

"You were saying?"

"We are three — I, Sir York and — Yeona"

The wave of anger that Lady Gwen unleashed was enough to leave to make Marina choke on her entropy, and also Lady Samara had to cover herself with a shield of wind just for protection.

"What did you say?" she asked, like she hadn't previously heard Marina's statement.

Marina, on the contrary, did not know if to repeat her statement or just keep quiet. But she chose the former and repeated her words. 

"The Rutherford had made Lady Yeona into their personal salve after they had chased the other servants away"

"And they turned my friend's daughter into a slave girl in her own house?!" Lady Gwen asked. It surprised the two other laddies standing around her when her voice suddenly became calm. Not angry nor provocative. Just scarily calm.

"Yes, my lady"

Lady Gwen was silent for a moment before she had a dubious-looking smile on her face. "Then, I guess, then suddenly dying will be of help to the empire… don't think?" She asked, giving them a sweet closed eye smile.

"No. It won't".

The ice sorcerer turned her chilly eyes to Lady Samara. "For someone who was also close to Claire, you are awfully calm about the situation"

"Probably because I am more open-minded than you?"

"What about this situation gives you an open-mind perspective?!!!" She yelled, raising her voice.

Breathing out to regulate her own pending anger, lady Samara placed a calm hand over the top of her friend's shoulders, "Control your anger, Let's go see what is going on inside first" Lady Gwen sighed as she nodded in agreement to her friend's advice. Marina pushed the doors opened, giving the ladies' room to enter. 

The grand entrance was a huge contrast to what Lady Gwen had remembered it to be. The wooden doors, there were once published to perfection, were now creaky on rusty hinges, barely clinging to their frames. The grand staircase was exactly like the rest of the worn out places in the house.

They soon entered the kitchen of the manor. Candlelight flickers around, illuminating the room. The worn-out wooden table that once had a meticulous set of beautiful pewter plates, cups, and cutlery. But now they were a mix of mismatched plates. 

"I never thought I see the day Claire would use a flat wooden or ceramic plate," Lady Samara voiced.

"There isn't even a dessert spoon made from pewter," She added, looking through the ceramic cutlery. 

Suddenly, Lady Gwen grabbed the wooden dishes, Samara eyes wide as she made a move to stop her, but was too late. Lady Gwen turned the wooden plate into ice and smashed it on the table. 

Completely shattering it.

Lady Samara's eyes widen at her action. Still not stopping her acts, she turned to the glass cups and ceramic plates, shattering them together.

"Are you not going to stop her, magistra?" Marina wondered, stepping to her side. 

Lady Samara robbed on her temple as she peeked at Marina as she analyzed the servant's face. Marina had an aloof demeanor as the watch Lady Gwen scatter the plates.

"Well, you, on the contrary, look like she should continue destroying the place"

Marina just shrugged her shoulders, "I would prefer if she destroys the entire house and buries them inside" 

"You really hate them?" 

"You would see how they treat lady Yeona. The only reason I haven't commanded for their heads is because of Lady Claire and Lord Lint".

"I see"

Soon, the raging ice queen had cooled down for a moment. "Shall we continue?" Lady Gwen uttered. But her usual soft voice entered a low-pitched tone. 

Marina nodded as she continued showing them around the house. She wasn't proud of it, but she needed them to see how the Rutherfords had soiled the Chamberlain name. She was only a servant girl. And there was a limit to what she could do and not do. 

"M-Miss M-Marina, did y-you hear the sounds of broken plates?" Mr. Yoke called out to her.

Lexicon

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