Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 31: The Tempest of Kin

Time has become hard to track from being blindfolded for so long. It must have been at least a few days since Elek has been here.

The lingering scents of flowers and charred wood from the fireplaces had become commonplace. The washed sheets and his old Colonial clothes started to smell like him. He hadn't gotten any fresh air in a few days, but the windows remained shut 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 just as 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 obnoxious rattle of the long chain, which was constantly in his way, was anchored to a heavy box beneath the bed, doing nothing to alleviate his headache that still lingered from using his magic. It took Elek a few moments to find a chair in the spacious room, which 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 anticipate being confined to his old room, although it took him a while to realize it after navigating the space. It appears his brother made an effort to provide him with some basic creature comforts despite blinding and chaining him.

Speaking of his brother, Elek's nose wrinkled in distaste as he detected his overpowering cologne from the doorway.

Without knocking, the door opened, and Elek leaned 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 caused you to lose your appetite and manners?" A voice he knew all too well grumbled at him.

Instead of answering him, Elek held his fingers to his mouth and whistled sharply and loudly, causing the man to groan in pain as Elek heard the clatter of the serving tray and its contents hitting the marble floor. With his brother finally in possession of a Glass Eye, this meant that their father had passed away during the time 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 arrived, a painful surge coursed through Elek from the shackle on his ankle, causing him to shout and drop the cane from his hands once they relaxed.

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

Elek took a moment to compose himself as his body began to calm. "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 replied, his tone indicating that it was 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 wasn't long before more footsteps were heard, and another tray was brought and set down on the table between them. The scent of freshly brewed tea filled the air as a cup was placed in front of each of them. The man took a few sips of his tea, adjusting his position in his seat, while he picked up the walking stick that Elek had dropped and jabbed it at his chest. "'Thank you, Lord Ervin' is the appropriate expression of gratitude for the privilege of staying in this home."