Monarch’s Requiem

A modest fire burned in the old fireplace, warming up the small room. Alea and Neera sat on top of the bed after breakfast, talking about silly things like how fun it would be to learn how to dance, and how the winter was finally showing the first signs of retreat.

”Turn around. ”

Neera did as she was told, tucking her legs beneath her torso with her back to Alea. The young lady grabbed a comb she had brought with her and started brushing the brown tresses.

”Your hair is looking very pretty lately. It has more of a shine to it than when I first saw it. ”

With a smug grin, Neera answered:

”It is all thanks to my healthy diet. ”

”Theres no way the amount of food you eat is healthy. You could feed a horse with what you consume in a day! I am still surprised none of the cooks have found traces of your little raids. ”

”Its interesting how you never lecture me when I bring you some treats back from the kitchen. ”

”Hmmph, its not my fault you can appreciate the delicacies of the court. ”

”No way, those are way too sweet! Besides, I stopped eating them after- ”

”Yes, I know, I know. You stopped eating sweets after you ate too many and became ill to your stomach for a week. But, you know, that wouldve never happened if you didn eat so much. ”

Alea huffed.

”So unladylike. ”

”Hmmm. ”

With closed eyes, Neera relished in the tickling feeling on her scalp every time the combs bristles brushed through. Her head slowly fell back with the magnetic pull of Aleas soothing touch.

”A lady should always maintain a proper outward appearance. This is a birds nest! ”

”But Im not a lady. ”

A light slap fell on Neeras shoulder, making her giggle.

”Hey! Don laugh! Im being serious! ”

Grumbling, the young lady picked up a pair of scissors she had wrapped in her shawl.

”Okay, Im going to start cutting now. ”

One by one, locks fell onto the mattress, until the hair that brusquely fell down to the waist now only reached the upper back in a fairly clean cut. Appreciating her work, Alea ran her fingers through it before deciding to braid it as well.

”There you go! Now you look like a decent young woman! ”

Neera could not see herself, but her whole head felt lighter, and the ribbon that tied the braid was pretty. A big smile stretched her lips.

”Thank you, Alea! ”

The girl grinned back and said:

”No problem! ”

They both began tidying up when Alea suddenly interrupted the silence.

”Hey, now that I think about it, I never got to ask you. Have you decided what kind of business you want to invest in after all? ”

The crinkles in the corners of Neeras eyes disappeared, but the lady didn notice.

”I was wondering, since I want to be able to help you once we get out of here. ”

”No, I haven really thought of anything. It is very difficult to come up with a viable business plan with all the instability recently. ”

”Oh, its fine then, don worry. ”

Neera threw the cut locks into the fireplace. The smell of burnt hair wafted through the air as she watched the individual strands curl up on themselves, charring from the heat until they were nothing but ash. She stared into the flames without really looking at them for some time. The hot air hit her cheeks.

”Alea. ”

”Hmm? ”

”I still feel like you should meet her. ”

”Neera, we talked about it this morning. She could be dangerous. What if she tells on us to the Lord? ”

”He left already. ”

”Yes, but he will come back. ”

”We could be gone by then. ”

”And do what? Live on the streets like beggars? We have a plan, but we have to be patient if we want it to work. ”

Alea stared at Neeras back, the red ribbon she had tied on her hair stood out in the dull lighting.

”Listen, I know it upsets you that we can take her with us, but we can still help her in the harem. ”

The room fell silent. With a sullen face Alea approached the window.

”Ill take my leave now. Please don be angry at me anymore. I only want everything to go well. ”

A cold breeze stirred the fire. Neera waited there for some time, grabbed the poker and spread out the embers inside the fireplace to diminish the flames. She then brushed her hands on her skirt, draped her shawl across her shoulders and leapt out the window into the chilling air.

Outside, her friend was already gone. She walked the familiar path towards the entrance to the tunnels. The moldy scent of the walls welcomed her as her silhouette was swallowed into the dark hallways. Without the need for light, she made her way through the intricate passageways, finally reaching a small stone door that led to an interior courtyard. Keeping her head down, she advanced through the bushes, halting her movements every time someone walked past. Luckily, the cold air deterred many from venturing outside, speeding up the process. Neera eventually reached her usual spot amongst the shrubbery.

Above her, the young lords study was vacant. She stretched a pale hand to push the window ajar just enough for the noise from inside to come through. Before long, Elron and one of his tutors stepped in.

”-that is what I am trying to tell you, Young Lord. Whispers about the Lords negligence of his son are spreading after he left the castle. Many of us were expecting for him to take you with him as well, and the fact that he didn only destabilizes your position. People are doubting his favor towards you. It is imperative for you to strengthen your ties with the court- ”

”Enough. I understand already, there is no need to say more. ”

”I apologize, Lord Elron. I am just worried about your wellbeing. ”

Elron stared coldly at his tutors flushed face.

Can you at least make it a bit less obvious? You are looking at me as if I were a fat pig.

”We need to reassure those who are hesitant towards you by showing them your capabilities! You have been excelling in your assignments recently, and since the Lord has left we could take this chance to get a firmer grasp on the castles management! I can only imagine the Lords praise when he learns about how skillfully you have supervised the internal affairs! ”

”I said enough! I am aware of this issues already, now stop wasting time and begin the lecture. ”

The young lord had been extremely dissatisfied ever since his father had left the castle. He hadn expected to be left behind as his father fled the capital of the fief to avoid the recent commoner uprising. Now, people whispered behind his back more than usual, and the amount of people bringing suggestions on how to regain his fathers favor increased. He was barely able to concentrate during his classes, sighing in relief once they were over and he was finally left alone.

He walked towards the window, finding Neera sitting beneath it.

”Here are todays assignments. ”

”Thank you, Young Master. ”

Elron watched as the girl stacked the books and papers on her arms with a slightly gloomier look than usual. Her cheeks, nose, and the tips of her fingers had turned red from the winter chill. Although it was getting warmer every day the weather was still far from pleasant.

She was about to leave without further conversation like usual when she stopped, and as if it was an afterthought said:

”They are right, Young Master. ”

”Who? ”

”The tutors. It is true that the court is restless, and it would do you well to give a show of strength in times like these. ”

He turned away, irritated.

”Who do you think you are, trying to tell me what to do? You rat. Don forget your place. ”

”I apologize, Young Master. It is not my intention to offend you, but I believe that, as your subject, it is my duty to tell you. It is true that there is a need for you to establish yourself in the courts and your fathers eyes, but your tutors suggestion of displaying your administrative skills is mistaken. Securing a hold of the castles management with the Duke gone will be practically impossible since all of his aides will be thinking of exactly the same thing, and you have lost your strongest backer in the court. Asides from that, there is practically no other field in which you could excel that you haven already, and that didn earn you the Dukes favor before either. ”

It was true. Fencing, literature, horse riding, there was practically nothing he hadn tried and mastered already, but his father still left him behind.

”What you need is a stronger impact. You need to take down the opposition and consolidate your place as the dukedoms heir. ”

”Is that possible? ”

”Probably. I still need to collect more information, but for that I need access to the dukedoms accounting books. ”

”You intend to break into my fathers office? Are you out of your mind? ”

”I wouldn be breaking in if you let me inside. I believe many of the Dukes aides are embezzling funds, but I do not have solid evidence. If I could contrast my findings with those ledgers I would be able to connect the transactions with the fund withdrawals. That would suffice as a heavy blow. ”

Elron pondered for some time. He couldn help but think this was too much of a mammoth task for only the two of them, but Neeras eyes were as clear and steady as ever.

”I will think about it. ”

”Thank you, Young Master. Please let me know if you make up your mind. ”

”Alright. You can go now. ”

”Yes, Young Master. ”

Neera bent her knees in a quick curtsy, clutching the books to her chest, and left as quickly as she had come.

Back in her room, she arrived just in time to hear a knock on the door. After hiding the books beneath her bed she jumped under the covers, showing her back to the maid who begrudgingly brought her lunch in a tray.

”Hey, you, heres lunch. ”

The maid unceremoniously placed the tray on the nightstand. Neera slowly turned around with half-opened eyes.

”O-oh, tha-thank you. ”

She coughed a couple of times for good measure, making sure to let her hair fall on her face to hide any trace of vitality from her cheeks.

”Stupid girl, you
e nothing more than a waste of the castles money. You sleep all day and do nothing. How do you pretend to service the Lord with that feeble body? ”

”So-sorry. ”

Neera then fell into a coughing fit until the maid, disgusted, made her way out of the room, grumbling about the injustice of her having to work all day when Neera could just laze around.

With a sigh, the girl sat on the bed, placing the tray on her lap. She devoured the food in record time, leaving behind only a pudding from which she barely managed to swallow a spoonful. She didn mind what the maid said about her. This castle had stolen so much from her that she would take everything it had to offer.