Lethal Affairs

The Master Of the Castle

"So this is the witch that had dared to awaken him from his rest. Now that he saw her in the light and not in the shroud of darkness, she was such a small little thing."

Thoughts of Ysabel's rescuer, nicknamed Tarzan.

For the next hours, Ysabel watched Marigold pranced about in excitement. It is a great honor to be invited to a private dinner with the Master, she said.

Dresses of silk, satin and taffeta were lying on the bed, and like a doll Ysabel did nothing but watch Marigold in her element. The girl had overcome her shyness and had gotten much comfortable with her. If they were going to be stuck with each other, the best solution was to at least be able to tolerate each other, but Ysabel saw that they would be splendid friends.

"I have always wanted to be a lady's maid." Marigold said, "but dreams are naught but dreams."

Ysabel smiled sadly at her, "dreams are nothing only when you give up on them."

"Do you live your dreams Miss Pyralis?" Marigold asked.

"I quite close to doing so." 

Marigold looked up at Ysabel, her eyes shining with tears. "I was once human too."

 Ysabel thought she had misheard the girl, but her ears did not deceive her, "My mother was a cook in the house of one of the Lords, but I had a dream of making the most beautiful dresses, and preparing the ladies to shine at the ball." she said.

Ysabel forced her open mouth to shut and looked at the girl once more. It was such an odd dream, but from her dirty blond hair to her petite figure, Marigold only looked a year younger than her. "You are still young, you can still pursue your dreams."

Marigold stared at her silently for a few seconds, then bursted out in a hearty laughter, "I was once human, but I am no longer considered one." she laughed sadly.

Ysabel felt a strong desire to hug her, she looked so distraught in her sorrow.

"Your eyes deceive you, I believe I am as old as your grand mama." Marigold said, "Mama was sick, and her employers deemed her unfit for their physician. Thirty years of dedicated serving, all for nothing. Papa was gone, and my little sister was about to be sold in exchange for a debt, I did what I thought was right."

"You became a servant in the castle." Ysabel answered for her.

"Applications for the castle are always open, but Master Leon is careful, more or less picky with whom he employs. You see, the Master of the Castle has many enemies." Ysabel paid extra attention as she listened to her tale, perhaps she will find the answers she was looking for in them.

"Once accepted, you serve the master for the rest of your life." Marigold continued, "Your old life ends, and a new one begins. Your family lacks for nothing for as long as you serve the master. I could not even say goodbye to my family. Money was provided, but even till her death, mother still believed that I had abandoned the family in their direst moment."

"How are you still alive?" Ysabel asked, "You do not look a day older than I am."

"A pint of blood every year, helps to maintain our youth, and keeps us healthy."

"Whose blood?" she asked curiously..

Marigold smiled and shook her head, "It is best that you do not know too much. So that you may leave when you need to leave." she sighed and rose to her feet to continue her previous work. "I was once human, but I am not considered one anyone."