Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 31: The Tempest of Kin

After being blindfolded for so long, time has become difficult to track. It must have been at least a few days since Elek arrived here.

The lingering scents of flowers and charred wood from the fireplaces have become commonplace. The washed sheets and his old Colonial clothes now carry his scent. He hasn't had any fresh air in several days, but the windows stay closed due to the unpleasant haze from the nearby factories. Things have certainly changed since he left this mansion.

The chirping of morning birds disrupts his sleep, signaling the start of a new day. He groans and shifts to sit up in bed. The blindfold secured over his eyes is too tight, keeping him in complete darkness. The shackle on his ankle is equally bothersome, accompanied by an unbearable itch. As he sits on the edge of the bed, he reaches for a cane stored nearby, using it to navigate toward the bathroom.

The annoying rattle of the long chain, which constantly obstructs his path, is anchored to a heavy box beneath the bed, worsening the headache that lingers from his use of magic. It takes Elek a few moments to locate a chair in the spacious room that his brother had so kindly rearranged, changing the placement of all the furniture Elek had memorized before he left.

Given the circumstances, Elek didn't expect to be confined to his old room, although it took him some time to realize this after navigating the space. His brother seemingly provided him with some basic creature comforts despite blinding and chaining him.

Speaking of his brother, Elek wrinkles his nose in distaste as he catches a whiff of his overpowering cologne from the doorway.

Without knocking, the door opens, and Elek leans back in his seat, gripping the cane tightly in his hands.

"You haven't been eating all your meals, Elek. Are you trying to starve yourself? Or has living in squalor in your sandbox made you lose your appetite and manners?" A voice he knows all too well grumbles at him.

Instead of answering him, Elek brings his fingers to his mouth and whistles sharply and loudly, making the man groan in pain as Elek hears the clatter of the serving tray and its contents hitting the marble floor. With his brother finally in possession of a Glass Eye, this means that their father had passed away while he was gone. 

"Seems you're not quite used to the side effects yet, especially given how much you used Father's Eye. Good riddance to that man; his rotted soul finally caught up with him."

Gone as quickly as it came, a painful surge courses through Elek from the shackle on his ankle, causing him to shout and drop the cane from his hands as they relax.

"Speak ill of our father again in my presence, and you'll regret it," the man growls, sensing the pain behind his voice from the headache that the whistle and clatter have aggravated. As he hears a bell ring to summon a servant, Elek soon recognizes the sounds of the mess being cleaned and the scrape of a chair as his brother sits across from him.

Elek takes a moment to compose himself as his body relaxes. "Is the blindfold necessary? I can't see anything without my monocle."

"Just a precaution. I don't want any more of my guard to be turned to glass," the man replies, his tone indicating that it is trivial to him. 

"I surrendered to you; I have no intention of harming anyone. What confuses me is why I am not in prison for treason."

It isn't long before more footsteps are heard, and another tray is brought and set down on the table between them. The scent of freshly brewed tea fills the air as a cup is placed in front of each of them. The man takes a few sips of his tea, adjusting his position in his seat while picking up the walking stick that Elek dropped and jabbing it at his chest. "'Thank you, Lord Ervin' is the appropriate expression of gratitude for the privilege of staying in this home."