Automata Romana

Chapter 10: Treachery

The mood was as most agreed, dreary, if but increasingly anxious. Kiya was no exception to this rule, given that she had learned yesterday the person who paid her and put up for her accommodations, that he was gutted. And of course it was a pity that a relatively kind man died, but she couldn't help but feel the strongest anxiety over her now potentially precarious situation. She thought, 'why didn't that bastard just lock his door? Didn't he?'

Kiya of course felt terrible having those thoughts so soon after a man had died, but she had gotten so used to her past six years being employed, of her place at this estate being guaranteed. Who could blame her?

Perhaps the man who she saw approaching her as she washed her hair by the fountain. Perhaps the slumbering husk that emitted a palpable sorrow by whom the new corpse was, for all intents and purposes his father. Perhaps he could be reasonably upset with Kiya.

She tried her best to console him when he took a seat across from her. 'It's the least I can do.' she thought. It made her terribly worried to see the man who was usually cheerful if not childishly giddy, at least around her, so... emotionally dead. After carefully choosing her words and reciting some of Alexioses favorite poetry, she quite fortunately was able to raise Hadrian's spirits enough to function for that day.

Then came the impromptu, planned and executed day of, funeral. Before she was already emotionally exhausted but being tasked with catering to a tearful governor, bringing him far too many baskets of fruit and far too much wine, running back and forth to accommodate every whim was physically exhausting. Kiya was quite fortunate the governor's partner had shouldered the burden of emotional labour.

Then as the post-mortem festivities came to a close, Kiya having completed all tasks assigned and having nothing else to do, she went to bed. The exhausting work day may have well been a blessing in disguise as she found herself in a deep and restful sleep.

When she awoke, the sun was far higher in the sky than was usual. Rushing out of bed she stumbled out into the atrium to see workers going about their midday schedule. Kiya sped through, shoving past them and causing a large plate of fruit to scatter across the marble floor. Ignoring the numerous being hollering at and cursing her, she continued on her single minded stampede towards her station. Reaching the head office, she practically kicked down the door only to realize that at her desk there were no scrolls to file or look over. None had been brought there.

"Oh yea." she mumbled.

Turning away from the office, she made a brisk walk towards the stables, reaching it without trouble. But she soon enough noticed a lack of horses, barring the old and frail one at the far end. Kiya walked to meet her, seeing evidence that her job had been done for her in the half-full water troughs in each pen.

"I apologize for my tardiness, Jupiter." Kiya said as she reached the pen. The horse glanced at her, but otherwise paid no mind.

"Looks like no one bothered to brush your mane." commented Kiya, followed by a short silence during which she lifted a lid from a box.

"I was tired, ok?" she strained, grabbing a brush and dropping the lid. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

She then brushed Juniper without making further comment. After finishing, she left and shut the pen.

"See you tomorrow." she said, the horse not responding.

Kiya turned and ran to the front door, eager to cut through the palace and get back to the garden to see if she had any tasks left to do there. She got to the door just fine, but as it was swung open she bumped into Cornelia. As Kiya raised up off the floor of the palace steps, Cornelia looked at her and yelled

"Watch ye doin!?!"

"I'm so so sorry, I was in a rush and just didn't think to look where I was going. Are you alright?" Kiya asked as she slowly creaked up, having clearly hurt something.

"Oh no worries love, I just gave ye a hard time. You were the one that fell on yer arse, if anything I should be asking if you need help! And watch yeh hurting for anyways? You've got yer self a off-day." a kindly Cornelia responded.

"Hm?" Kiya mumbled.