The Marked Guardian

Maria

» Age 2 «

Lila was very thankful to have her servants with her, Maria specifically. Since Lila have given birth to Jennia, Maria helped watch over and raise her so Lila was able to help her husband, Nathaniel. He was an architect and worked on the outer wall constantly so it wouldn't cave in. Everyday she'd be at his beck and call, bringing her husband items like scraps of metal to him to patch weak spots in the wall. Every so often, one of the servants would help her carry wooden beams to the courtyard when it was almost beyond repair. Lucky for them all, Nathaniel was the best at his job.

At the end of the day, they'd all be together in the dining room sharing a meal with their servants who helped prepare. Even though they were named as servants, everyone was treated as a family.

» Age 8 «

"Jennia, please.. Bear with me," Maria whispered, straining a smile that Jennia could always trust.

"But Maria," she whined, "the last time you gave me this smelly soup, I was sick for.. forever!" Maria gave a heavy sigh and sat with her at the table. Maria pushed away the soup and tugged at Jennia's arms that she had crossed; Maria always hated when she gave her attitude.

"Child, you'll thank me someday. My mother gave this to me when I was younger, and I had the same reaction - nasty!" Jennia smiled a little as Maria chuckled. "But it's very good for you. I promise. If you eat this only today and twice tomorrow, you'll never see this again."

"I don't know, Maria.. Mother never told me about this soup before. Why can't I just have some cookies? I finished all my lunch earlier." Thunder began to rolled over them, making the room gloomy and dark; Jennia was suddenly missing her very pink room with stars glued to the ceiling and a nightlight that illuminated sparkles on the wall.

Maria reached for her hands and held them, looking out towards the window as the rain started to run down. After a moment passed, she looked back at Jennia and smiled widely, "If you finish the soup and have some tomorrow, you can have all the cookies you want for the next week! How's that?"

Jennia tried not to smile, because she knew she could get a good deal out of her. Maria loved her.

"Sounds good! Now give me that yucky soup!" Maria laughed and pushed it back towards Jennia, along with a glass of water she soon downed to get rid of the foul taste. After it was all gone, she pushed a plate of cookies to her, winked and said, "Remember, don't tell Mother."

» Age 15 «

In Jennia's teen years, she was often found at the bed side of her father. Months after she had turned 13, her father had fallen ill. Before he had been bedridden, a few of the servants had also became sick only to pass away months later. No one knew what was wrong, not even their servant Anthony who was an expert in the field of medicines.

Lila didn't even have the time to be with her husband, she tried to keep up with the wall outside, but couldn't properly fix it. Scared, she studied for days which turned into weeks, but nothing helped. Soon she gave up and went to be by her husbands side.

"Nathan, I don't know what to do.. I tried to study the wall like you told me, but I just don't understand," she wept to her husband, Jennia asleep in the chaise lounge.

He laid there running his hands through her hair till he couldn't even have the energy to do that, then held her hand. "Lila, my love, I'm sorry. With how the barrier is now, I don't know if it would even stay up for at least five years." Hearing this, Lila sobbed even more.

When dawn broke, Maria woke up Jennia and handed her a cup of warm tea like she always did and one to Lila as well. As the weeks passed, Nathaniel had his last breath on an unappealing, bright February day. The following day, he was silently buried in the back of the house. It was the first time Jennia was allowed outside and she wasn't even able to enjoy it; her stomach held a knot that kept her from eating for days, but Maria was persistent in keeping her prepared, and eventually got her to eat again.

Lila stayed in her room for a long while, fiddling with a vial filled with black substance and her husband's voice echoing in her head. She decided now would be a good time to tell her servants a secret only she, the chef, and her dead husband knew.

A/N: Let me know if you like this, and please vote if you did xo