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GARDEN OF POISON
Calm before the rising storm (Chapter 1)
In one of the peaceful villages named Hawkshead, on one of the early afternoons, two young girls sat on the back stairs of their humble home. They were sisters who were thicker than blood. The elder sister Marianne was thirteen years old, sitting on the upper stair, brushing her younger sister Anastasia's hair, who was three years younger than her. 
The younger one sang, "Two feet hopping front and back, twirling and running, ah ah ahhh…" She took a deep breath, while the elder one ran the comb and braided her sister's wavy brown hair, which was similar to hers. "Little buds waiting to bl-ummm," she hummed softly.
"Bloom, Anna," Marianne corrected her sister, which had Anastasia furrow her eyebrows.
"That is what I said," Anastasia replied as if not knowing the difference because it sounded the same to her.
Tying the ends of her sister's hair with a blue ribbon, Marianne placed her hands on Anastasia's shoulders and said, "Your hair is all done."
Anastasia turned excited. Raising her hand, she touched her braided hair and said excitedly, "It's all pretty!"
Marianne smiled, shaking her head because her sister hadn't even looked at the braid in the mirror or in the glass window to know if her hair was made well. She said,
"Turn around so that I can place the flowers," picking the tiny purple flower they had plucked from the forest together, Marianne pushed one of them on the side of Anastasia's hair. The younger girl picked the rest of the flowers and placed them into her elder sister's hair. "I already have the flowers, Anna."
"Not enough! You should have more, Mary! You will look like a fairy, you will see," Anastasia used her small hands to place the flowers with utmost concentration so they wouldn't come off when they would later play in the fields.
"Mary! Anna! Go see where your father is," came their mother's voice from inside the house before she stepped near the back door wearing an old apron around her waist. Both the girls jumped on their feet and were quick to run, missing their mother's next words, "Wear your shoes!" She sighed.
"Such lively girls. They are going to be a handful once they grow up, Margaret," said the neighbour, watching the two young girls disappear from sight.
"They are," Margaret Flores agreed with a smile, while rubbing her enlarged belly as she and her family were expecting one more child.
The two young girls ran towards the forest with their bare feet stepping on the muddy, grassy land, while not bothering about the sticks and stones their tender feet stepped on. They raced, laughing in fits of giggles, until they saw their father coming from the opposite side. An axe was tied to the side of his waist, while he carried logs of wood on his shoulder.
"Papa!" The girls screamed in excitement upon seeing him.
"Careful there!" Hugh Flores warned his daughters because this side of the ground was hindered by the roots of the old trees that had pushed themselves out of the soil. But his warning came a second late, as his youngest daughter's foot got stuck between the ground and the root, causing her to fall flat on the forest ground. "Oh, dear!" He was quick to drop the logs of wood from his shoulder to come and help his youngest.
But before he could help, Anastasia was quick to sit up, as she was used to tripping, falling, and getting up. Marianne stretched her hand and helped her sister to stand. Their father kneeled and dusted his youngest daughter's dress, which was now smeared in mud.
"I am okay, papa," Anastasia said to her father, even though she winced when she touched her forehead.
Mr. Flores unrolled the shirt of his sleeve and pressed it against his daughter's forehead because the handkerchief he had carried from home was covered in sweat. Pursing his lips, he asked, "What did I tell you girls about being careful in the forest?"
"Forgive us, papa," Marianne apologised. Concerned, she asked her sister, "Are you alright?"
"I am, I am!" Anastasia nodded before wincing again as her father's sleeve rubbed against her forehead.
Mr. Flores stared into his youngest's big light brown eyes, who innocently stared back at him, and he said, "Don't you both look lovely with those flowers in your hair? Stay here." Saying this, he went back to pick up the logs of wood he had dropped earlier, carrying it back on his shoulder.
In the meantime, Marianne noticed her sister touching her hair at their father's compliment, only to make the flower fall from her hair. Soon their father reached where they stood, offering his hand to Anastasia to hold and saying, "Let us hold each other's hands so that no one falls."
On their way, Anastasia pointed to her father, "Papa, look. Marianne looks like a fairy."
"You both do, my dear," Mr. Flores included her so that his daughters would grow up knowing they were both dear to him and his wife.
Marianne had acquired his wife's pale skin and green eyes, while Anastasia had acquired his olive skin. As good as the people of the village of Hawkshead were, there were times some of them remarked about the difference between his two daughters' appearances. Where in their eyes, one was considered favourable, and the other not so much.
He heard his eldest daughter tell his youngest, "When we reach home, we are going to add some flowers in your hair. You will be a better fairy."
"With wings?" Anastasia beamed in eagerness.
Suddenly Mr. Flores and the girls heard the tower bell being rung continuously. The sound of the bell echoed all across the village, a warning that was being sent out, and Mr. Flores grabbed his daughter's hand and said,
"Something must have happened. Come quick," his footsteps fastened, and so did the girls, as they noticed worry starting to mar their father's face.
When they entered the village, Mr. Flores noticed the commotion as their village was being invaded by men who sat on horses and had a rugged look of appearance. Some of the brutes had scars, while some wore bandanas tied around their heads. These men weren't just intruders, but they were pirates!
The villagers were shouting, while some cried for help as one of the young girls was snatched away from their parents and being pushed into a carriage cart that looked nothing less than a cage.
"Capture the young girls and women! Put them all in the cage!" The leader of the pirates ordered his man gruffly and jumped down from his horse. His beard around his chin was braided.
Mr. Flores quickly dropped the logs of wood, and he caught both his daughter's hands before pulling them towards their home. He made sure no one saw them so that they wouldn't be caught. Screams and shouts echoed in the village, along with the tower bell that continued to ding to alert the people of Hawkshead.
"What's going on, Hugh?!" Mrs. Flores inquired on seeing her husband. He locked the doors when he and their daughters stepped inside the house.
Both the young girls held startled and stunned looks, not knowing what was happening. They stuck to each other closely.
"The pirates have attacked the village! We need to hide the girls! There's no time!" Mr. Flores hurriedly said to his wife, wanting to protect his family. But before Mrs. Flores took a step, the main door of their house was kicked open, and three pirate men appeared at the door. One of them was the pirate leader.
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GARDEN OF POISON
Captives in the cages( Chapter 2)
Music Recommendation: Ships are Coming- Trevor Morris
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Mrs. Flores quickly pushed her two young daughters behind her to hide and protect them from the eyes of these pirates. She and her husband tried to look brave, but their expressions gave away fear and worry.
"Who are you people?! You are not welcome here!" Mr. Flores firmly said, while standing between the three pirates and his family.
But just as the words left his lips, the pirate leader pushed him with force, and he almost fell on the ground before he found his balance. He pushed back the pirate with all his strength, but this only resulted in him being punched in the face.
"There are two girls in here," said one of the men, approaching where Mrs. Flores and the two young girls stood.
"Leave the woman and take the two girls," the pirate leader ordered his two men.
"NO!"
Mrs. Flores grabbed the closest utensil that her hand could grab and swung it in front of her, "Don't you dare come near us!" She threatened the two men, who stepped in front of her. When her eyes shifted to look at her husband, who was now pushed against the wall by the man with the scar, one of the men snatched Marianne from her.
"Mama!" Marianne screamed as the man caught her small wrist and dragged her out of the house.
"Let her go! She's an innocent child!" Mr. Flores shouted, while struggling to get away from the iron grip of the man with a braided beard.
Anastasia turned scared as she stood behind her mother. She clutched onto her mother's skirt, while they moved backwards until there was nowhere else to go.
"We will give you anything you want, but please spare my family! They are all that I have!" Mr. Flores pleaded to the men.
But the pirates didn't heed to his request. The third man, whose hands were free, slapped Mrs. Flores' cheek with force, which had her crash against some of the utensils. Soon Anastasia was caught by the man and like her sister, she was dragged out of the house. The pirate leader raised his hand before landing a blow at Mr. Flores so that he wouldn't chase after them, leaving Mr. Flores unconscious on the floor.
"Don't take them away from us! Please don't do this!" Mrs. Flores sobbed, while torn between following the men and staying with her unconscious husband.
"MAMA!! PAPA!!" Marianne and Anastasia screamed for their parents, while their small bodies were hauled on the men's shoulders before being pushed inside the cage that was built on the cart.
"Papa help!" Anastasia shouted with tears like the other children caged with them. Some women who were captured and placed in the other caged cart shouted for help, and so did the children, crying for their families. But the families were taken care of by the pirates, who had pushed and injured them, before being threatened.
Soon the pirates started to move from the village, while keeping a few behind for an hour to ensure they weren't followed.
"Mary! Anna!"
The two young girls heard their parents shout for them, but they couldn't see them.
The two carriage carts filled with—young girls, young women and three young boys. Most of them clung to the grills, hoping to see their family. Hoping to be rescued. But no one came, and the carts were surrounded and guarded by the men, who had swords.
When one of the captured young girls continued to cry loudly, the men on the horses got annoyed. One of the men raised his sword and hit it on the iron grills of the cage,
"Shut up! I hear another sound and I will rip your head off your body," he warned in a voice that left fear in the minds of the young captives.
Marianne quickly stopped crying, wiping her eyes and cheeks before turning to her younger sister, who continued to sob softly. Anastasia turned to her sister with her light brown eyes filled with tears that continued to spill down her cheeks.
"Don't cry, Anna," Marianne whispered to her sister as she wiped her tears.
"Where are they taking us, Mary? I want to go home," Anastasia said with a sniffle. She wanted to go back to her house where their parents were.
Marianne shook her head, and the sisters hugged, "I don't know. But we'll see mama and papa."
"Promise?" Anastasia asked in a small voice.
"Promise," Marianne nodded, even though she was helpless like the others inside the cage.
The pirate with the scar loudly said to the captives, "Behave well and you will get to eat later. Behave badly, and you will be punished. We expect you to obey. The last thing we need is to damage the goods that need to be delivered," a dark chuckle escaped from his lips, as his eyes skimmed through the people in the cages.
Hours passed since the pirates had attacked and captured people from the village of Hawkshead. The pirates and the captives headed in the West direction until they reached the waters, where a galleon ship stood waiting for them.
"Aye! Bring them on the ship!" The pirate leader shouted. "Careful with the captives!"
Soon the horses and carriage carts were taken on the ship before setting sail in the water. The captives were taken to the lower deck, and their hands were tied in shackles. Marianne and Anastasia looked terrified, but it only worsened when the ship moved up and down. All they could hear was the sound of waves.
When it was time to feed the captives to keep them alive, but not enough to have them cry or shout. One of the pirates ordered the captives,
"Step forward and take the food!!"
Everyone came forward as they had been left unfed for long, and like others, Marianne and Anastasia's stomachs growled in hunger. But when the girls came to the front with their hands stretched forward, Anastasia was offered a small bowl of porridge that felt more like water, while her elder sister was offered a piece of bun.
"Keep moving!" The pirate who was serving glared at them, and it sent the two girls scurrying to the side.
"Let us split it," Marianne whispered to her sister, tearing the bread in half and offering one piece to her younger sister.
Anastasia was quick to eat the bread as she was hungry. Marianne took a sip from the hot watery porridge and realised this wouldn't be enough. She returned it to her sister, saying, "I am full, Anna. Here."
The young girl looked at her sister with questioning eyes, "But you are bigger than me. You need it more." She shook her head and pushed the bowl back to Marianne.
"How about we take a sip each then?" Marianne asked before raising the bowl to her lips without drinking and offering it to her sister.
Anastasia believing her sister was drinking the porridge, she ended up drinking the entire bowl without realising it.
Not far from them, a young girl around their age cried, "T—take me back to my parents, please… P—please, help me," she sobbed as she tugged on the pirate's shirt.
"Stop it," the pirate glared at the young girl.
Other people took courage from this and started to protest by saying, "We want to go home!"
"I miss them. Please take me back, I—I don't want to be here," the young girl begged for help, and tugged him with a little more force.
The man, seemingly lost his patience, raised his hand and smacked the girl hard enough to have her fall unconscious on the ground. A sudden eerie silence fell in there. The man then turned to look at the others with his eyes that were pulled slightly crossed. He ran his tongue at the front of his tooth as if something was stuck with a scowl on his face, and he said,
"If anyone complains next, you will be thrown into the sea. And mind you, it will swallow you," he threatened.
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GARDEN OF POISON
One having a better luck than the other?(Chapter 3)
Marianne and Anastasia sat next to each other, falling asleep and waking up now and then. They travelled through the sea for two days, scared and away from the home they knew, the only one they knew.
On the third afternoon, the pirate ship finally reached the hidden port and the anchor was lowered into the waters. Soon the captives were brought back to the land and were put inside the carriage cart. Dark clouds loomed above them, while they moved on the wet ground.
After an hour, the carriage carts abruptly stopped, and it woke Anastasia from her short sleep. It took her a few seconds to realise she wasn't back home but in unknown territory with her sister Marianne.
Anastasia's light brown eyes moved to look outside the cage, noticing the large blackish-grey wall next to the carriage cart. The place looked unfamiliar to her.
Suddenly one of the pirates, who had brought them to the place, opened the lock of the cage and ordered, "Everyone out of the cage. Now!"
A tall blond man stood at the side, his appearance polished as he had a clean face with no beard and wore a red and white uniform. He was one of the men, who worked in the palace and behind him stood six more men with similar uniforms. Beside him stood a woman, who was plump but wore a dress that was better than the people from the Hawkshead were fortunate enough to look upon until now.
"How many of them are in here?" Questioned the blond man as his eyes looked at the captives.
"There are sixteen of them. Six women, seven young girls and three boys," the pirate leader was the one to answer. "All of them are healthy and can be put for good use."
The polished-looking man turned to look at his subordinate. The subordinate nodded, and soon a pouch of gold coins was thrown to the pirate leader.
"Only twenty gold coins?" The pirate leader questioned when he counted the coin inside the pouch.
"There are four extra coins in there. Considering you brought young boys, we are being generous unless you don't want to make the trade," the blond guard replied seriously. At his words, the other guards behind him placed their hands on the swords.
The pirate leader chuckled, running his tongue over his golden tooth, and he smiled, "It was good doing business with you."
"Likewise," answered the guard, waving his hand at his subordinates, "Escort the men from here."
Once the stinky and shabby pirates left with their carriage cart, one of the captive women quickly fell on her knees in front of the blond guard. She begged,
"Please send us back to our homes, Sire! Those pirates captured us by force and brought us here against our will!"
The guard huffed before he said, "Your life is going to change for the better. You are now in the Kingdom of Versailles and will be serving the royal family of Blackthorns. Serve them well enough and you will be rewarded accordingly. It would be wise to forget where you come from, as from this moment onwards, this will be your home," his eyes moved to look at the slaves that had been brought in. Making sure they were all listening and he said, "If you fail to follow the orders and rules, you will be punished accordingly and it won't be something you would—"
One of the young women raised her voice, "We aren't slaves! We are free people! Send us back—"
The guard stepped forward and grabbed her neck, "Another word and your tongue will be ripped out of your mouth! We have paid a handsome sum of money on you, and you are now the property of this palace. Madame Minerva," he raised his hand and the plump woman stepped forward whose hair tied into a bun. He then called one of the guards who stood nearby and ordered,
"Take the three boys to the base shed."
In the meantime, Madam Minerva looked at every girl there. She said, "When I point my fingers at you, you will step forward and stand on the left side. You," she began picking out young women and girls, who, one after another, stepped to the side, not knowing what was going to happen.
Finally Lady Minerva's eyes fell on Marianne and Anastasia, who hugged each other. It wasn't hard to pick as she noticed who was the pretty one as next to her stood the dull-looking child, who didn't seem to hold an appeal. The woman pointed at Marianne, "You there. The tall one with green eyes. Step to the side. Come on, I don't have all the time."
But the sisters had a bad feeling and continued to stick to each other.
Madame Minerva turned annoyed and raised her hand for one of the guards to step forward.
"No!" Marianne screamed when they tore her away from her sister.
"Mary!" Anastasia cried for her sister. Having more energy, she bit into the guard's hand, who was trying to separate her from her sister. "Mary!"
Another guard harshly gripped Anastasia's shoulders, who tried to stand next to her sister.
"Let go of her! Anna!" Marianne cried back, with their hands stretched forward and trying to reach the other to only grasp air.
Madame Minerva grabbed Marianne's lower face tightly and hushed her, "If you don't behave, she will be killed. You don't want blood on your hands, do you? It would be wise for you to follow what I am saying."
Marianne's eyes widened on hearing those words, and she turned to look at her sister, who continued to struggle to free herself. She quickly begged, "Please don't hurt her!"
Madame Minerva studied Marianne's face before she said, "What a pretty face you have there. I would feel bad if a mark was left on it." She then lowered her head to meet the girl's gaze and whispered, "Feel lucky to be picked by me. You wouldn't want to be where the others are. Follow me now." And she began to walk away from there.
Tears streamed down Anastasia's eyes as she watched her sister leave with the woman. She sobbed, "Mary! No! I want to be with my sister!!"
Four young women and three young girls including Anastasia were left behind, while the others were taken away. Soon the men in uniform left too, and another man appeared before them. He had a gaunt appearance and wore a black robe. He stared at the slaves who were left behind, and he said,
"I am Norrix Gilbert, in charge of the servants. You will address me as Mr. Gilbert. Seems like you all turned unlucky. The others will turn into courtesans, and live a better life, while the rest of you…" a creepy smile appeared on his lips, "You will be the servants of the palace. The lowest of low. Take them inside!" He ordered one of the trained servants.
"Take me to my sister! Where did you take Mary!"
Anastasia didn't stop fighting as she wanted to run to where her sister was, and when Norris saw this, his eyes narrowed at the impudent child. He walked to where she was and caught her face in a tight grip.
Norrix commented, "Plain as dough. You are destined to be a servant. It seems like you haven't understood what was said and need to be disciplined. Put her in the solitary room," he ordered the other servant. But the servant looked apprehensive as this one was only a young girl. "Have you turned deaf that you can't understand what I said?" He raised his eyebrows in question, and the young girl was dragged away from there and locked in the solitary room.
A young Anastasia was pushed into the solitary room, a room that was meant to be punishment quarters that were built underground. There was no window nor a person to listen to. Left under the mercy of darkness.
"MARY!" The young girl cried for her sister's help. "MAMA! PAPA!!"
Anastasia turned scared, unable to see anything and left in an eerie silence of darkness. She shouted in her small voice, "Let me out! Help! Mary!"
But no matter how much she yelled for help, no one came to her aid, as if she was left alone for good. She turned anxious, and she banged her small hands on the wall that she believed to be the door. The first two hours, she shouted. In the third hour, her throat turned hoarse and painful. She sobbed and cried, sniffling. She waited for someone to come, and when no one came to visit her in the first six hours, this had her shout for help again before she finally went quiet.
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GARDEN OF POISON
Light in the dark (Chapter 4)
After a day, the young Anastasia was let out of the solitary cell room, she had gone completely quiet in fear—fear of the darkness that had enveloped and kept her company since she had arrived. Though she had spent only a day there, it felt longer than that.
"Quicken your footsteps. I have other things to do," the maid who had come to fetch Anastasia said to the little girl.
Though Anastasia had spent hours being alone in the dark, she had not forgotten about her family. Her big brown eyes looked around the new place, noticing the corridor's ceiling that was as high as the sky, while the walls were dark and cold.
The little girl followed the maid, turning her head left and right, even back. She asked in her soft voice,
"Where is Mary?"
But the maid didn't hear Anastasia.
"Mari..…" the young girl's lips moved, but her voice didn't come out of it.
The maid took Anastasia through the side corridors before bringing her to a wide room, which was the kitchen in the backside of the huge palace, where she met a few more servants of the royal family. Her eyes then fell on the lean man whom she had seen before being locked in the dark room.
"Mr. Gilbert, I brought the girl," the maid offered a bow to Mr. Gilbert. She asked hesitantly, "This time the traders brought young girls in, didn't they, sire? This one seems to be the youngest."
Mr. Gilbert's narrowed eyes briefly looked at the little girl, and this had the little girl to hide behind the maid. He said, "The minister believes that the servants and the courtesans will be well trained with their duties ingrained to their bones if they learn it from a young age. Have her bathed and fed. I will leave her to you, Theresa."
"Yes, Mr. Gilbert," the maid bowed.
Anastasia looked around the big kitchen in which she stood right now, with servants working or walking, laughing quietly as they spoke. The smell of food wafted in the air, and her stomach grumbled.
Once Mr. Gilbert left, the maid watched the little girl. She said, "I am Theresa Kanatas. What is your name?"
"Anna," then the little girl shook her head and said, "Anastasia F—Flore."
Theresa nodded, "Alright. Let us get you cleaned up, but before that," she looked around before walking near a table and grabbing a cold bun made in the morning. She returned to the little girl and handed it to her, "Go on, take it. You must be hungry."
Anastasia was quick to snatch the bun from the maid's hand, and she started to eat it as she was hungry.
A few days passed and one evening, Anastasia carried the lantern in her hand, while accompanying the woman named Theresa, who carried a basket of bedsheets. It was then that the little girl's eyes fell on the other tower which had big glass windows. But it wasn't the glass windows that caught her attention, but her sister Marianne, who now walked behind some women.
Unlike Anastasia, who wore clothes that belonged to the lower servants which were dull in appearance, Marianne was dressed in the finest dress, which was clean and bright. The elder Flores's daughter's hair was combed and let down, while the younger one's hair, who was used to being doted on by her parents and her older sister, who had always combed and untangled her hair, was left in a mess. And though dressed and kept well, Marianne's eyes held sadness.
Theresa was advising by saying, "... sure that you don't enter the corridors that are on the inner side. You see my uniform? Only we can go in there, while the others…" Her voice faded into the background as the little girl didn't pay attention to it.
The young Anastasia didn't notice the difference in their clothes. She smiled wide at the sight of her sister, and she shouted her sister's name in excitement,
"MARIANNE!"
Theresa's body jerked in surprise as she hadn't expected this quiet child to shout suddenly.
"MARY, I AM HERE! MARY!"
But Marianne couldn't hear her because of the distance and the walls between them. Anastasia didn't give up, dropping the lantern on the ground as nothing seemed more important than meeting her sister now, "MARIAN—"
"What do you think you are doing?!" Theresa questioned in alarm by holding the little girl's shoulder. This was no place to be screaming and shouting. "Stay quiet and follow me," she said curtly.
Anastasia watched her sister as she continued to walk and disappeared behind the tower's spiral staircase. Despair filled her eyes, and she turned to look at the corridor connected to the palace's other side.
"Don't even think about it," Theresa warned Anastasia, when the little girl tried to take a step towards the corridor the lower servants weren't allowed to place their foot in.
With her sister close by, young Anastasia didn't think twice, and she jerked forward before dashing through the corridor, her little feet moving quickly. The maid who was with her, had the woman's eyes widened. She quickly ran behind the little girl to stop her.
"Get back here right this instant, girl!" Theresa warned Anastasia. "You are going to get us in trouble!"
The corridor's marble floor had a long and endless carpet, on which Anastasia ran. She took a sharp turn to the left, believing it was the path that would lead her to her sister.
But just when Anastasia took a turn, it took her two seconds to crash into something soft before she fell backwards on the floor.
"What is going on here?" A strong voice that belonged to a woman questioned which was laced with displeasure, and when Anastasia raised her head, her eyes fell on a woman who wore fine clothes. Finer than the little girl's eyes had ever laid upon.
The lady was none other than Versallies's King's wife, Lady Sophia Blackthorn. She wasn't a queen because the King's mother was still alive and held power in her hands. The lady wore a royal blue dress that flowed down from her waist, with small golden beads working below the skirt of the dress. Her blonde hair was tied at the back, while some were pinned, a few were curled and were made to rest on one side of her shoulder. Diamond earrings hung in her ears, and for a moment, Anastasia was in awe.
Behind the lady stood Mr. Gilbert, who held a troubled expression now.
The maid who caught up with her heart almost slipped from her chest. She quickly bowed as deep as her body would allow her, "Forgive me, Lady Sophia! She's a newly arrived servant, and hasn't learned the rules well!"
On noticing Anastasia rudely staring at Lady Sophia, Theresa quickly pushed the little girl's head downward so she would not die young for her lack of manners.
Lady Sophia looked down at the lowly servants and stated, "I didn't know that you were appointing children to work, Norrix. Less one who doesn't know or understand the rules of the palace."
Mr. Gilbert quickly bowed and assured her, "I will be sure to reprimand and teach the girl about it, milady. As she is new, there wasn't enough time—"
"I didn't ask for a reason," Lady Sophia said sternly to him.
Suddenly they heard the small girl sob, with her body shaking, and the two servants could only pray to be spared. Lady Sophia said, "Raise your head, girl."
Anastasia did as she was told with tears smearing her face, begging, "I—I want to go to my sister. I want to go h—home."
"Listen here carefully," Lady Sophia said to Anastasia in a calm and polite voice, "Since you stepped into this palace, this is your home and you belong to the family of Blackthorn now. It would be wise for you to forget about everything else and work hard here. You will be serving in the palace, consider it to be an opportunity," she offered a slight smile before walking past Anastasia and the maid, with Mr. Gilbert following her.
Mr. Gilbert wondered if Lady Sophia was in a good mood today, which was why she hadn't—
"Send the girl to the solitary room until she learns." There it was, Mr. Gilbert thought as Lady Sophia ordered him. As they walked, Lady Sophia said, "There's fire in there that needs to be extinguished. Don't leave even a spark, because a spark can burn down the entire forest and we don't want that."
"Yes, milady. Consider it to be done," Mr. Gilbert replied.
By the time of night, Anastasia was back in the solitary room, who shouted and cried for help until her throat hurt. And even though her sister Marianne was in the same palace, she didn't know what was happening to her younger sister.
Mr. Gilbert ordered the maid named Theresa to take food to Anastasia's solitary room. She walked with a burning lantern in her hand. On coming to the place where the solitary rooms were located, the guard stopped her by saying,
"No food is supposed to be brought to the offenders in the solitary room, Theresa."
"Mr. Gilbert was the one who ordered me to give her food. She's a child," Theresa replied to the guard, who first looked at her with suspicion. "You can confirm with him if you want."
"That won't be required," the guard said, then unlocked the door where Anastasia was held.
When the maid stepped inside, the guard closed the door. Theresa raised the burning lantern and found the girl sitting in one corner of the room, with her knees pulled closed to her chest.
"Oh dear, what did you do to your hands?!" Theresa exclaimed in shock when her eyes fell on the little girl's chipped and bleeding fingernails. She quickly took out her handkerchief and tied it around the girl's hand. "Anastasia?" She called the girl's name, who didn't respond to her.
Theresa turned back to look at the closed door and heard the receding footsteps of the guard. She returned her gaze to the little girl and shook her small shoulders before saying, "Listen to me, Anastasia, and hear me well. Just like you, I was brought in here as a slave, but when I was older. I know it is difficult to understand, but there's no escaping these walls. If you try to reach out to your sister, it will only cause you and your sister trouble."
Anastasia finally looked at the woman before her. Her lips trembled, and quiet tears fell from her eyes.
"You don't want to cost her life with your actions, do you?" The maid asked her in a whisper and then said, "This is our life, and the sooner you accept it, the less you will be punished. And these dark walls are nothing in front of the worst that you haven't seen yet. If you work hard enough, you can reach my level, or maybe Mr. Gilbert's. And every time you move up in the ranks of the servants, you will have benefits and gifts, which you will cherish."
Theresa opened the container in which she had brought the food, which was prepared for the servants. It was yesterday's porridge. She gave it to the girl to eat and then said,
"If the people are pleased with your work, the servants get to accompany and help the Queen or the King, or the prince or princesses. They get rewarded. Some get to manage other lower servants. Some get to go out in the market…"
'… go out…' Back home with her sister and parents…
Before leaving the solitary room, Theresa asked, "Did you understand what I said?"
Anastasia nodded without uttering a word. The maid was satisfied, not realising that when she explained the benefits of servants from different standings, she had sparked Anastasia's hope that was dying in these closed walls.
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GARDEN OF POISON
A lie that needs to be protected (Chapter 5)
Weeks passed in the Kingdom of Versailles.
The captives of Hawkshead village who were brought to Blackthorn Palace were quick to learn that it was better to obey rather than go against the authorized people in here and be handed down punishments or, worse, lose their lives.
In three of the tallest towers of the Blackthorn Palace, one was allocated for the King's use, the second was used as a keep, and the third one was left for the use of the courtesans that many in the royal court liked to indulge themselves in.
Madame Minerva, who was in charge of all the courtesans, rushed into the room where the beautiful young girls and women were sitting. She clapped her hands for their attention,
"All the Courtesan women, it is time to go to the bathhouse! Hurry now, don't make me tell you twice! The royal court expects you to present yourselves this evening."
Marianne, who sat with the other young girls captured and brought from other places, watched the older courtesans walk towards the plump woman. It took her a week to realise bathing was a privilege here, and not everyone got to bathe themselves every day or hour.
"And you girls," Madame Minerva pointed at the newly added girls in the room, including Marianne, and said, "Your classes will begin soon. Remember to put your effort, the better are the awards. You see Irina here? Yesterday, she was gifted a golden bracelet."
"A gold bracelet?!"
"Will we really get one?" One of the young girls asked enthusiastically, wishing to have one themselves.
The courtesan named Irina smiled at them with arrogance, and she replied, "It is indeed gold. Delicate and beautiful. You will receive gifts only if you have amazing skills."
Suddenly the young girls shared excited looks.
"You are all lucky because not everyone has the privilege of receiving education. Once you learn all the etiquette on being a courtesan, you will join your elder sisters. If you ask them, they will tell you how magnificent the life here is," Madame Minerva gently coaxed the girls without using the harsh tone she had used on Marianne on their first encounter. "Get ready for your classes now, and more importantly behave well. I don't want to hear any complaints when I come back," with those words, Madame Minerva left the tower with the older courtesans.
"Marianne, it's time for class," one of the young girls called her.
Outwardly one would assume that the older daughter of the Flores family had turned for the better. Gone were her once-worn dull dress that her mother had patched some of the holes, which had been replaced by fine clothing. Her feet were covered in good shoes, and she was kept well-groomed.
Marianne had begun to learn how to read and write. Her behaviour had started to refine by being in the company of the other courtesans and learning from them. But she worried for her sister. She wondered how Anastasia was doing and if she had stopped crying.
The classes for the young girls to make them future courtesans were held in a different part of the palace. Soon the girls were led by a eunuch in the front.
When they headed towards the end of the corridor, the eunuch suddenly paused his feet and told the young girls quickly, "Bow your heads! Lady Sophia and Lady Lucretia are here! Do not raise your head or look at them!"
From the left corridor, Lady Sophia walked with her two maids behind her. She wore a dark green dress and wore a thin golden crown on top of her head, which contained emerald stones in them.
On the right side of the corridor, Lady Lucretia walked with one maid behind her. She was a beautiful woman in her late thirties, sharing the same age as Lady Sophia, her black hair combed from the middle before being twisted and the sides tied. Her yellowish-orange dress wasn't a match to Lady Sophia, nonetheless grand. The two women coming in front of each other offered a slight bow, but not with pleasure and only out of civility.
It was because, while Lady Sophia was the King's lawful wedded wife, Lady Lucretia was his mistress. Lady Lucretia was a former courtesan, who had given birth to the eldest Blackthorn son, and had gained almost the same status as Lady Sophia in Versailles, which didn't sit well with the King's wife.
Lady Sophia had initially failed to provide an heir. Only seven years after Lady Lucretia gave the first heir to the King, Lady Sophia gave birth to a daughter and then three years later finally to a son.
"Good afternoon, Lady Lucretia," Lady Sophia politely greeted the woman before her, "I didn't know you still visited the study rooms in here. You must terribly miss it," there was a subtle taunt in her words as she smiled.
Lady Lucretia returned the smile and replied, "Not as much as you enjoy speaking about it, Lady Sophia."
"It is hard not to mention, when that is where you started. I was going to suggest that you impart your wisdom on the future courtesans," Lady Sophia and Lady Lucretia turned to look at the train of young girls and the eunuch, where they continued to look at the ground. She turned back and said, "After all, you were an excellent one during your time."
"Thank you for your high praise, Lady Sophia," Lady Lucretia bowed at the compliment of taunts. She said, "But it has been a long time since I left it. Since I turned into the prince's mother, and," she paused for a moment before continuing, "the King's woman."
Lady Sophia hummed and replied, "I think mistress would be right. After all, it would be rude to confuse the others on who is the King's wife and mistress."
Lady Lucretia only smiled and replied, "Excuse me, Lady Sophia. I have been summoned by the King," with that, she walked past Lady Sophia with her maid.
The smile on the King's wife's lips faltered, and she turned her sharp gaze to look at the young girls and the eunuch. She asked, "What are you doing standing there instead of attending class?"
The eunuch quickly bowed and signalled the young girls to follow him. Lady Sophia watched the young girls walk past her one by one with their heads bowed. She finally left the corridor with her maids.
During the session of the class, Marianne excused herself to use the bathroom. She stepped outside and on her way into the quiet corridor. Suddenly someone hugged her from behind.
"Mary!"
Anastasia was with the maid named Theresa, crossing the corridor, when she saw her sister walking alone. She had given the slip to the maid by coming here. There was pure joy on her face now.
"Anna?!" Marianne turned around, and on seeing Anastasia before her, she quickly hugged her. The hug was returned with the same warmth by the younger girl. "How are you doing, Anna? Have you been alright??" She asked hurriedly, while pulling away from the embrace.
Anastasia held a mixture of happiness and sadness in her eyes as her eyes moistened. She sniffled and said with a deep frown, "I missed you so much, Anna! I called you… but you didn't hear me," her small voice broke Marianne's heart.
In truth, because of the distance, Marianne hadn't heard her sister call her, and somewhere she was glad that she didn't. Because she, as well as the other new girls, were ordered not to interact with the others. The last thing she needed was for her sister to be punished. She apologised,
"I am sorry, Anna. Forgive me for not hearing you. But you cannot be seen with me."
"Why?" Anastasia asked, not understanding why she was being separated from her sister. "… I want to be with you."
On hearing footsteps coming from the other end of the corridor, Marianne quickly pulled her sister behind a thick white pillar. She said,
"I—I wish for that too, Anna. Believe me, that is what I want, but if the people in here found out, they will harm you and I don't want that," Marianne said this because she knew Madame Minerva wouldn't punish her physically as she was to be a courtesan, but by her sister's attire, she was reduced to a lowly servant… a slave.
Naively, Anastasia replied to her sister, "I will move to be a higher maid, and then we can go out. Then we return to mama and papa!"
But Marianne had her own plans and shook her head, "You don't have to work hard, Anna. Once I will be a courtesan, I will take permission for us to leave with help."
And while the two sisters wished to help in their way, neither knew what the future held. Nothing ever went according to plan and such was life.
"Anastasia!" Theresa held the front of her dress as she made her way to the two girls, and she scolded the younger girl, "I told you to follow me, not to wander around by yourself, especially ones that you aren't allowed to be alone in!"
Anastasia innocently looked at the maid and said, "But Mary is here…."
The maid turned to look at the pretty-looking young girl, who was dressed well, and she understood. She said, "No matter what, you cannot be caught walking here. It will lead you to punishment, aren't you tired of it?"
On hearing those words, Marianne's face turned pale with worry.
"Who said?" Anastasia asked with furrowed eyebrows.
Theresa replied quickly, "The King is the one who decided it. Now let us—"
"The King shouldn't do it!" Anastasia didn't like this person with the King name for separating her and her sister.
Marianne and the maid's eyes widened at Anastasia's outburst, which was loud. Soon they heard footsteps approaching their way, and the maid whispered,
"Oh dear, God! I am going to be executed today!"
When Theresa saw who it was, she quickly bowed her head and told the young girls, "Quick, eyes on the ground!" While she continued to pray for her life because the person who appeared in the corridor was none other than the Mother Queen of the Blackthorn palace.
Her golden dress swept on the carpet as she walked with steady and firm footsteps. A jewelled crown sat on her ginger hair. The corner of her eyes held crow's feet, and her lips set in a thin line. Behind her was her trusted loyal minister, who looked displeased like the Queen.
"Who was the one to speak about the King? Who dares what the King should and shouldn't do?" The Queen demanded authority. Her voice was enough to have the girls look back at the ground.
Theresa looked utterly terrified and frozen. The minister behind the Queen questioned the maid, "Who was badmouthing the King? Reply quickly if you don't want to be executed. It must be this small girl," he said, staring at Anastasia.
It wasn't because the minister knew, but it was because Marianne wore refined clothes, compared to Anastasia, a child of servant value, who could have spoken against the King. He threateningly took a step towards Anastasia, who quickly moved backwards.
Marianne quickly came to her sister's aid and said, "My Queen! It was me, whose voice you heard!"
"You?" The Queen questioned, raising her eyebrow. "If you were the one to speak, why is she the one shivering?" She sharply asked.
"That…" Marianne tried to find a proper reason and said, "That is because she cannot speak. I think she's only scared in your presence. I was just saying that the King shouldn't hunt in this heat as the sun is strong."
"Why would the King go hunting now?" The minister narrowed his eyes. The Queen raised her hand for the minister to stop talking.
"To have such young ones care about the King, isn't that wonderful. Also… a girl who cannot speak?" The Queen sized up Anastasia, who looked at her with half fear and guarded expression. She said, "A pity." She then turned to the maid named Theresa and said, "Make sure she doesn't fail in her work and see to it that she's taken care of. It would be a hindrance if something happened."
"Yes, my Queen!" The maid was ready to press her forehead to the ground.
Once the Queen and her minister walked away, the maid finally released the breath she had been holding. But then, at the same time, she realised something and said to Marianne,
"You lied to the Queen…" Theresa looked slightly pale and continued, "Lying to the royal family equals execution. Let us hope she never finds it." She then turned to Anastasia and said, "It would be wise for you to stay silent from now on. Else you and your sister will get into grave trouble. A small mistake in the Blackthorn palace is enough to cost your life."
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