The Maid and Her Princess [On Hiatus]

Can't Win 'Em All (Spring 14)

XIV.

Madoka walked quietly, while holding Audrey's hand. The princess stomped along without a care in the world. As expected of a Royal, she held no fear of making her presence known. Others did not pay attention to the noises they made, so she figured it was just her own habit of watching out for the princess since she has been her servant for so long. Above them, the black night of heaven and its Twin Sisters made the air cold. Yet despite its vain sigh, Madoka remained warm and Audrey's hand was as well.

They could go anywhere the princess wanted, be it longing mountains or aside billowing rivers, and their shared heat would not change. Or so the maid wished to believe with all her heart. For now, they were headed to the inn. Madoka could sense Audrey's rising anticipation of a bed in their near future, but smiled contentedly at her quirk. To her surprise, however, when they arrived the towering Armor stood at its entrance.

"Is he, perhaps, too big to fit through the door?" Audrey whispered to Madoka. Despite wanting to reprimand her for her rude statement, Madoka realized that he was indeed, too tall to simply duck through the inn's shabby doorway. There was no way that was the reason, though, for he appeared to be waiting for them. He pointed a massive finger to Madoka. "Eep! He's locked onto us!"

"It's rude to point," Madoka scolded the living Armor. "Especially at Her— ah, milady."

The helmet tilted ever so slightly, enough for Madoka's sharp ears to hear a small creak in his plating. It was if the giant was about to speak, but then the door swung wide open and uselessly bounced off of him. It was Innkeeper Ichna!

"You two...!" The old woman cried out.

"What is it now?" Madoka let go of Audrey's hand and instinctively moved in front of her.

"F-Forgive this innkeeper!" The old woman blubbered. "But the creat— my maid, she's...!"

Before Lady Ichna could speak further, the two looked at each other and immediately moved inside to investigate the emergency. The place was busy as usual, but Madoka had a small inkling that the maid was in the room near the back. That woman probably tried to force her to work and realized the maid's condition was worsening. Madoka shook out of her preconceived notions of the innkeeper's prejudices, there was no time to worry about that! The other inn maid was working like usual, but worry painted her face.

There was strange murmurings behind the door, Madoka could sense them with help of the quick and leaping Knotting strands. She turned to Audrey before opening it, who nodded. Hope she's not cursed, she prayed. She steeled herself and then pushed the door open. The two gasped at the woman inside.

"T-That don't look healthy at all," Audrey looked disturbed at the sight.

In the darkness and through the twin slivers of moonlight, Georgia lay in a pit of her own blood and vomit while sucking up more air. Madoka immediately rushed to her side, ignoring the mess she caused sloshing on her knees. Her back was torn open from her left shoulder down to her spine.

"Who did this?" Madoka growled. "Heal her, please!"

"O, Velvet Overlord! The Blood-born, t-t-they seek—"

"Hush, hush," Madoka held her, while Audrey moved to use one of her talismans. The maid was incoherent, and with every bizarre word she uttered she gushed out more blood and food chunks.

"M-memories-beast-memories! F-Free of faces!"

"Heal her, dammit!"

"I got it!" Audrey shouted back, and suddenly the room became enveloped in webbed green light. The Substance magic's flowing net became entwined in the misty reflection of hillside dew and falling rain outside. Immediately the magic wrapped the wailing maid in its net but did not heal. Audrey gasped. "Shit!"