Chapter 49: Chapter 49

KAMORA

The manor was huge, even bigger than the one she had worked in back in the little town she came from. She got down from the horse, squeezing her hands in part anticipation, part anxiety.

“Well, I’ll leave you here,” the man said suddenly, and she turned around to face him, slightly scared.

“Aren’t you coming in?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I work with the servants at the back of the manor. So that’s where I’m going. Do you know how you may find your guardian?”

Kamora shook her head.

“You just knock on the door,” he told her. “Normally, servants aren’t supposed to enter the manor through that route, but they might make an exception for you.”

He dragged his gaze one final time over her form. “I wish you luck!” With a single shout, he slapped the reins of the horse and drove off down the street. Kamora wondered just how huge the manor was.

“I don’t even know your name,” she whispered under her breath. She faced the entrance of the house, inwardly trying to calm herself while offering a prayer to the heavens that she wasn’t too late.

She walked toward it, swallowed, and then took a single step forward and knocked on the door.

The huge doors opened to reveal a woman with soft features, though she carried an air of authority. She stared at Kamora, curiosity behind her gaze.

“How may I help you?” she asked.

“I’m looking for Lord Maroke,” Kamora replied, the tendrils of nervousness wrapping themselves around her skin.

Her hands squeezed into fists at her sides, and she took calming breaths to try and stop her nervousness from showing. The woman frowned, suddenly alert.

She took a good glance up and down Kamora’s form. Kamora also looked at herself, and at one look, she stifled the urge to gasp.

She was tattered, her clothes torn beyond repair. Now she understood why the man who helped her had stared at her like that.

She truly hadn’t realized the degree of the hurt she had experienced. Dust covered almost every aspect of her body, her legs were bleeding, and the poor excuse for a sandal she wore was mangled and barely recognizable.

“I am sorry,” the woman said, “but I cannot help you.”

“Please,” Kamora pushed, turning her attention back to her. “I need to see him. He knows me. Tell him that Kamora is here to see him. Please, I beg you!”

The woman looked at her warily and then gave her a single nod. She opened the door slightly, urging Kamora to come in. Kamora did so shyly, now self-conscious.

“Wait here,” the woman said after closing the entrance doors behind her.

She then walked down a dark passage, leaving Kamora all to herself, except for the maids that passed by.

Kamora looked down at her dusty feet to avoid their looks of curiosity and disgust, her toes rubbing against the tiles.

A short while later, hurried footsteps sounded, and she looked up to see the woman coming with Lord Maroke.

He was still as majestic as ever, his face permanently etched in his signature indifference, with the air surrounding him still and mysterious. Part of her couldn’t even believe that he remembered her.

Though his walk was smooth, it was only the woman’s footsteps she heard. His footsteps were silent. They were always silent.

Lord Maroke finally reached her and stood in front of her, while the woman stood closely behind him.

She could feel herself tearing up, and a drop even managed to escape, wetting her cheek, but she didn’t wipe it off. He remained quiet, simply staring at her, his gaze indifferent.

“I agree,” she said, her voice shaky. “I’ll do as you say.”

Lord Maroke stared at her a tad longer than normal, and then he gave a single nod.

“Claudia,” he called out, and the woman behind him straightened. “She works with us as from today. Sort her out.”

“Yes, my lord,” the woman said, bowing.

Lord Maroke then walked out without another word, leaving Kamora flush with surprise.

~Is that it?~ she wondered. She had gotten the job, just like that?

“Follow me,” the woman said, walking down the opposite hall from which she and Lord Maroke had earlier come.

Kamora followed, taking in the huge walls and the paintings hung on them, her eyes wide with awe at the splendor.

The house was by far bigger than the one in her town, and that said a lot, because the house back there was also better than most she had ever seen.

She was led to a huge staircase, grander than anything she had ever seen. She resisted the urge to smooth her hands over the railings, lest she dirty them with her filth.

As she remembered just how horrible she had looked when she arrived, she dragged the clothes closer to herself, feeling embarrassment creep up her skin.

Finally, they arrived in front of a small room.

The woman called Claudia paused and turned around to face her.

“This is the servants’ bathroom. Go wash off. There should be an extra uniform in there. When you are done, come out. There will be a maid waiting for you. She will lead you the rest of the way.”

Kamora gave her a bow. “Thank you so much,” she said.

Claudia regarded her with a slight nod and then left.

Wasting no time, Kamora quickly did as asked and went to bathe.

Barely a quarter of an hour had passed when she was done. She put on the servant’s uniform, which she found neatly folded in a cupboard in the bathroom.

Though it was a tad too big for her, it wasn’t very obvious.

She walked out and found a maid, dressed in the same outfit as hers, waiting by the door, just as Claudia had said.

The maid’s face brightened with a smile. “Hello!” she greeted. “My name is Petal. It’s nice to meet you!”