Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 22: Remorseful Reflections

Once Marlina heard a door opening, she'd slip away and dash for the tavern to get there before Mordecai. There was a part of Marlina where she regretted eavesdropping and understood why she was omitted and Neterion and Natashia so anxious. Lucky for Marlina, she wouldn't be tired or out of breath from sprinting as fast as she did.

It was some minutes before Mordecai came in without a word, lighting his pipe. He went to the stove to store the leftover dinner and clean the dishes. Marlina attempted to make herself busy by covering her wrists with cloth and helping dry the dishes once Mordecai cleaned them. It was a good thing that she didn't show any physical signs from racing him back here like shortness of breath and sweat, her lack of senses was also a blessing in avoiding the tension lingering in the air.

He'd finally speak without looking up from his hands as he cleaned. "How much did you hear?"

Marlina froze for a moment, at first having the urge to lie. But she knew she was terrible at it, and has learned that Mordecai detests dishonesty. "Much more than I should have, Sir Mordecai. But how did you know?"

He'd answer by knocking on her body to make the metallic ring, he must have heard it when Neterion tackled her. "Looks like I'll have to teach them a lesson for roping you into their mischief."

Concerned about what that would entail, though Mordecai didn't seem cruel, Marlina couldn't assume what he deemed as a suitable punishment.

"They were just worried about you, you are their father as they say."

There was a small smile at the corner of his mouth from Marlina saying that, knowing it was Natashia who probably said that since Neterion wasn't one to admit things like that out loud. "Worried or not, I don't want them to get further involved than they already are. Anything from this point, it's my responsibility."

They spent a few moments in silence while doing their chore. Marlina couldn't speak about how a captain or parent disciplines those under his care. "I can understand why this is so important to you. During my time in Urush, when I'd watch Urushians from afar, they were fiercely loyal to those they cared about, like how you and Miss Tessa are to those around here. But I've seen how the Emperor's men had treated fellow Urushians across the territories."

Mordecai inhaled deeply, letting out a billow of smoke from his nostrils, and looked at her. "Could you tell me a little about what you saw there? I haven't been in Urush in some years."

Marlina hesitated for a moment. "I've seen groups of people be beaten for protesting against the Emperor, young men taken from their homes and families to go to the capital city to be warriors. To discriminate against each other like they were different when they were the same people. At least they were no different from my perspective. I felt that at times for those who allowed me to serve under them, despite their dislike of me, it was a way to see if life in the Colonies differed.

Marlina glanced at Mordecai, his expression was solemn, but he didn't seem surprised. "There... was a family that sheltered me once. Emperor soldiers had chased me to capture me when I wandered into a city near the capital. I ran to the outskirts, finding farmland filled with corn for miles. I found an Urushian child lost in the rows, and night prowling beasts were about. She must have only been no older than three. I could hear her parents shouting for her, so I carried her to her parents."

"Even being a Colonial, they were grateful that she was alright and offered me to stay the night in thanks for helping them. Since I had run for hours even after the soldiers had become tired of chasing me, I felt it was safe to stay and help them with some of their work, having such a large field during harvest and their sons gone. The soldiers came days after, not many other places to be from homes being so few and far between. When they told me to run, I suppose they couldn't watch a kind soul be taken away, especially what might have become of me. The soldiers..." Marlina's eyes were downcast. "Burned the home, with them still inside. And then burned their generations of care to the land to ashes to try and kill me."

Mordecai was silent, but Marlina would see his hands clench where the wood of the bowl he held would groan. Marlina didn't wish to say anything else that might upset him, but something didn't make sense about the conversation earlier. "How are you and Miss Tessa different from other Urushians?" 

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he'd resume cleaning, washing slowly. "Not all Urushians bond to an element, and we are some of those rare individuals."

Marlina was confused by his statement since any Urushian she met could wield an element. Her expression was no surprise to Mordecai due to how those like him are seen by fellow Urushians.

"For us with no element, we're seen as less. The elements are gifts from the Gods, and for an Urushian not to be given that gift... we believe that one had done something horrendous in their previous life to be denied the privilege."

Marlina couldn't help but grimace. In a way, she could empathize with how Urushian's treated her as a criminal when she'd never harmed anyone. Shamed just for existing with factors in neither of their control. "If you were given no element, then where did you belong?"

"It wasn't until years after the Siege of Maydra when Urushians started to be born with no element. All anyone could guess was that it was some sorcery done by the Colonials and their ways of changing nature to weaken us. More time passed, more were born without a gift, and the Colonials and their influence were still contained behind the mountains. By the time I was born, the Royal Family had no choice but to create villages at the edges of Urush to have those like us reside, our population growing and more with each passing year."

"Can I ask... who is Latos?"

Mordecai's body tensed, but there was a weight in his gaze. "You should already know that unless you weren't listening."

There was a bite to that statement, that name being a soft spot for him, and couldn't help but lash out.

"I mean who he is to you."

Mordecai sighs, knowing what she meant. "We lived in the same village. We without elements would hone whatever craft or skill to master to gain just one ounce of respect as true Urushians. Latos and I had trained ourselves in combat until we bled, ached, and collapsed to make ourselves be seen as worthy to serve the Royal Family. We hoped that if just one of us could gain that recognition it would show our people we're just as worthy. Time and time again, no matter how many times we tried, we were denied the chance. Even being able to face their guard and win, it just wasn't enough for them."

That could have been why Mordecai had so many scars across his body. The memoirs of his sheer determination to feel like he belonged. "Would you tell me what happened that day?"

Mordecai shook his head, knowing what day she was referring to. "I think that's enough for one day if it's all the same to you." Finished with the dishes, he'd wave to her goodnight before going to the rooms to stay with the Colonial men.