Blooming from the Ashes

Ch 14: Hawthorne Estate

"Are you going to leave me?" Lily asks us as she buries her head in Aiden's arms

"We will be back during the holidays." Elma says trying to assure her as I give her a chocolate

She looks happy receiving it and her cries instantly turn into a smile.

"We will miss you Lily." I say as Elma and Aiden join me and Lily for a hug

"Hurry now the carriage has arrived!" Sister Margeret exclaims as Sister Rosell hugs us again with tears blessing us a safe journey and good school year.

We also thank Father and everyone for taking such good care of us as we head towards the carriage, with a small plant in my hands. I planted one of the seeds of Tangerine Twilight and it is growing slowly with the help of my magic.

We soon leave the Orphanage behind.

Elma leaned back against the plush seat of the carriage, her gaze was fixed on the passing scenery outside. "Do you think Lily will be okay without us?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with concern.

Aiden, sitting across from her, reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"She'll miss us, that's for sure," he replied, his eyes reflecting the same worry.

"But Sister Rosell and the others will take good care of her. And we'll write to her often, let her know how we're doing."

Elma nodded, her lips curved into a small smile. "You're right." she said as her gaze turned towards me, "And she seemed so happy with that chocolate you gave her. I think it'll keep her spirits up until we're back."

I nod "We'll make sure to visit her during the holidays," I added, wanting to reassure them both.

"The Marquess seemed nice, how do you think the Marchioness will be?" Elma asked, suddenly changing the topic

"Well maybe she will have a nice personality like the Marquess." Aiden answered as I realized that they have no idea till what extent she could go.

She was never nice to me, and discriminated against my commoner background, continuously reminding me that I will never lead a good life.

I clutched the Tangerine plant, and all my negative emotions seemed to fade away.

"Let's hope for the best and focus solely on making the most of our time in the academy. We've been given a chance to pursue our dreams, and I don't want to waste a single moment of it." I said as they both hummed as a response.

...................

"We have reached," the coachman informed us as Aiden opened the carriage door.

We stood before the grand estate of Marquess Hawthorne, both Elma and Aiden's mouths hanging open in awe. I couldn't blame them; I had the same reaction in my past life.

"Welcome to Marquess Hawthorne's Estate. I am Ginny Reanna, and the Marquess has instructed me to guide you through the estate," said a familiar voice.

Ginny, the daughter of Baron Reanna, was employed by the Marquess and later fired by the Marchioness. She was a kind lady who had helped me fit into the new environment. However, she hadn't trusted me when I was framed as the mastermind behind Terra's poisoning and chose to stay neutral.

She was still soon fired because the Marchioness thought she was also suspicious and might harm her precious daughter, though the real reason was different. Leticia Hawthorne had always hated Ginny and seized the opportunity to fire her.

"Thank you for taking this initiative, Miss Ginny. I am Elma, this is Aiden, and the girl standing behind me is Liliana. Please take us into your care," Elma said, introducing us all.

Ginny smiled at us warmly and gestured for us to follow her. The guards helped with our luggage. As I walked past the familiar walls, I felt a bit lost. Thankfully, Elma and Aiden didn't notice my unease. I glanced at the growing tangerine, which always seemed to pull my thoughts away from negativity.

Ginny gave us a small tour as she guided us to our rooms. "This is the seating area," she said, leading us to the second floor where our rooms were located. I realized that this time, the rooms were different from what I had been given in my past life.

"Please meet me near the kitchen in two hours after you all settle into your rooms. If you three face any difficulties, you can tell me there. Then we will proceed to lunch, where the other employees of the manor will be present. Please make sure you all dress tidily and behave properly," she instructed before leaving us. We quickly decided to freshen up and meet soon after settling into our rooms.

I closed the door behind me as I entered my small room. It had a single bed, a study table aligned with a bookshelf, and a tiny closet. The small room was connected to the bathroom. There was also a large window covering one full wall with a view of the garden. I placed the tangerine plant on the table and watered it. Then, after unpacking, I freshened up and knocked at Elma's door.

Elma's eyes were bright with excitement. "Let's go to Aiden," she said

Soon Aiden joined us, and we engaged in a conversation as we walked to the hallways.

"Can you believe we're here?" Elma said, her voice a mix of awe and disbelief.

Aiden nodded, looking around appreciatively. "It's like a dream. I never imagined we'd get to live in a place like this."

"Wait, do you remember the way?" Elma asked Aiden as he nodded sideways indicating that he too was as lost as Elma was.

"Do not worry, I remember it," I reply, assuring them both.

"How can you remember the way and not get lost in such a big mansion? I don't know how I will ever reach back to my room!" she said as both Aiden and I chuckled. We soon reached the kitchen and Miss Ginny escorted us to another room.

The other staff members were already there, and they welcomed us warmly. The atmosphere was lively and full of anticipation for the days to come.