Calumbra 23 - Book 1: The Maid

14 - Act of Triumph

Months went by and Trinidad had nothing to do with Delaware. He avoided her when he could and didn't dare speak to her when she was around. She tried to apologize but he wouldn't have anything to do with her. Delaware felt a little left behind and hurt by the actions he was taking with her. He had never said anything about her telling his father and yet now she was being punished for it.
Lady Valmont stayed in Blackwood Manor for a long time along with Samson and it seemed like marriage was definitely in the future. Delaware was aware of the arrangement but knew that it wouldn't make a difference to her anyway. Nothing usually did. She found it odd that the Trinidad's words were affecting her so badly. She found herself often sighing in sadness or thinking about him, as if he were some sort of beau. Even the others could see she was down.

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"Ms. Tate, are you feeling alright?" Angelica asked, looking at her curiously. "You don't seem your usual kipper self."
"I don't know... Ever since I had that encounter with Trinidad..."
"Encounter?"
"You haven't noticed that the young master hasn't been at my skirt tails as of late?"
Angelica thought for a moment and nodded.
"You're right... Did something bad happen?"
"He wrote me a little letter to tell me how he felt about certain things because he can't talk. But he never said that he didn't want me to tell his father... Well, I told Dominick and he got angry and said he hated me."
"He said it?" she asked in surprise.
"Yes... Very clearly. As clear as he can make it when you can't talk. All he got out was 'hate, hate you'. I don't know why it has me so depressed but it does. I've never had someone affect me like that."
"I think he's because he was the first one who ever really needed ye."
"What do you mean?" Delaware asked, looking at her from washing some clothes.
"You say that you have lived so long, helping people and giving yourself to them but no one has ever really needed you. Trinidad is a boy who has been ignored because he can't talk, thought of as sometimes... dumb. But you, a stranger with an interesting past comes along to give him something to think about, something to occupy his time with. Then he realizes that you are one of the few people who listens to him, get him, understand that there are some things that he just can't do. This boy needs you because you are the only grown up that realizes he has limits. Does that answer it?"
Delaware smiled a little, tears brimming her eyes.
"Yes, it does."
"He also loves you, Ms. Tate."
"Not from what he said."
"He said it because he loves you. No one hates automatically; they have to like or love before they can dislike or hate. If he didn't already love you, he couldn't hate you, right?"
Delaware smiled again and nodded. "I guess you're right. Maybe he will come around?"
"Dunno about that. Young master Trin can sometimes hold grudges for a long time."
"Those who are loners usually do..." Delaware said with a sigh.
Angelica laughed a little when they heard someone coming up behind them. The two looked over their shoulder to see Samson looking at them.
"Is there something we can help you with, young master Graham?" Delaware said, turning back to wash a garment.
"Um, are you Delaware Tate?" he asked timidly.
"Yes, I am."
"Um... Tavit said that you would be able to help..."
"With what?"
"Trinidad ran off toward Werewood Forest."
Angelica and Delaware looked up and Delaware stood quickly.
"Take me to him. Angelica..."
"I've got it. Those woods are cursed with creatures and demons. I shant go near them things..."
"There are not demons, Angelica, they are mutants. There is a difference. Take me, Samson..."
The two ran as fast as they could toward Werewood Forest where they found Tavit standing outside the forest, waving his arms up and down like he was trying to fly.
"Tavit, where is your brother?!" Delaware yelled.
"He went inside! He ran in!"
"You two stay here, I'll go after him."
"But-"
"You stay out here and if I'm not out in an hour, you get Master Blackwood."
He nodded as he held Tavit back and Delaware ran in.

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She hadn't been in Werewood Forest since it became a dump for the mutants that were infected with the wrong alchemical balances and tossed like trash into it. It had only been called Werewood after it was filled with the strange creatures tainted alchemy produced. When Delaware's family was alive, she knew the forest as Playlady Forest, where the young maidens used to go out and meet with their secret lovers and have their affairs. But now it was a scary place that was placed in stories to make children obey and put fear into them.
"Trinidad! Trinidad, where are you?!" Delaware yelled frantically, in fear for the young boy's life.
The sounds that filled the forest made even Delaware shiver in a bit of fear. They weren't sounds that animals made but sounds that were between human and animal, mixtures of pain and anger. They were mournfully sad and yet full of ire and revenge. They were also pumped full of alchemical formulas that were all kinds of powerful and one bite could cause a world of problems.
"TRINIDAD, WHERE ARE YOU?!!!" Delaware screamed at the top of her lungs.
A sound that sounded like a cross between a child calling for its mother and a lion eating its next meal sounded close to Delaware's right and she screamed. She also felt something grab her foot and screamed again, falling onto her butt. She tried to kick off the foot but was trampled.
"No!"
A hand went over her mouth and she found herself looking at a golden pair of eyes staring at her.
"Trin?"
He put his finger over his mouth and pointed to the left. Delaware turned and saw what was going on, which was different than what she expected. There was a small mutated thing that was hurt and bleeding, staring at the two.
"Why are you helping it?"
"Hurt."
"Lovey... It can't be fixed like a human. That gash has been bleeding for almost as long as I have been alive, maybe even longer. It's set in time."
Trinidad smirked at her and got off. He looked at the mutated creature and it made a noise that sounded like a crying child and a braying donkey. He walked toward it but Delaware held him back.
"Trin-"
He turned to her and gave her a look. She looked at the creature, its spindley legs twisted and too long for its body, the four eyes that were in the middle of its face blinked at her.
"Paaaaaaiiiiinnnnnnn........" the creature wailed as Trinidad let go of Delaware's hand.
"I fix."
Delaware blinked at him when she saw that he had a knife. She gasped but had to cover her ears when he thrust the blade into the creature's head, blood flowing everywhere like a river. Delaware grabbed Trinidad and hauled him away from the forest, trying to keep from the blood running after them.

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"Shouldn't we tell your father? It's been past an hour." Samson asked, looking at his pocket watch.
"No. Del says she will get him out, then Del is right."
"What's with this maid? Why do you guys treat her as if she were the most important person in the world?"
"Because Del, is Del... There she is!"
The turned as Delaware ran from the wood with Trinidad in tow.
"RUN!!!" she yelled, grabbing Tavit's hand as well.
Samson looked to see what was so important when he saw the river of blood flowing from the forest. He yelped and ran toward the mansion on the heels of Delaware.
"What the hell is all of that?!" he yelled.
"Mutants aren't like humans and depending on what made them become that way, they are equipped with strange defense mechanisms. This one... well, you see it. And I should beat you all for being so close to Werewood Forest."
"It was Trin's idea!" Tavit yelled.
Trinidad only laughed beside Delaware as they made their way into the manor.
Sullivan dropped the silverware into the huge pot of food he was making when the four of them burst into the backside of the kitchen.
"Blimey! What's got you all on the run? Did you put a crab in the wash water again, young master Trin?"
Trinidad only grinned as Delaware slunk to the floor.
"Ms. Tate?"
"Werewood Forest..."
"Ah... Master Trin went in, yeah?"
"You knew?" she growled, glaring at the young man.
"He left a note." He said, pulling it from his pocket. "I told Lord Blackwood but he thought that I was joking so I told young master Samson to tell you."
"Oh, thanks, Sully, for giving me a heart attack!" she snarled.
Sullivan had to smile. "Well, you're the only one who can survive it."
Trinidad laughed loudly and made everyone turn to him. He looked so different when he was having fun and laughing that it surprised everyone from his quiet nature. He finally stopped and smiled at Delaware.
"Do you forgive me now, Little One?"
He nodded and jumped onto her. She smiled and hugged him tightly.