Shadows

Uncharted I

Haviland

Walking back out into the brisk night, the dark velvet expanse above her, she felt that leaving the ballroom was like entering a new world.

A new life.

Lord Esper walked a few paces in front of her, and an electric carriage awaited them. Haviland hadn't seen one this elegant up close before. It was stark black, embellished with a bronze fringe and the glossy finish almost looked blue. Haviland had only seen these beasts in magazines that she and Fara were able to scrap up and stash away secretly under their mats at home.

Home.

She would have to reinvent the meaning of that word again.

Lord Esper waved at the driver, who nodded in return. He had his window rolled down, but when he put it back up, it was tinted dark. In the past, that would have been illegal, but those rules are almost as ancient as the streets they walked on. Details didn't matter anymore.

The driver emerged from the vehicle and opened the side door for the lord, and dipped his chin when the silver-masked man ducked and slid across the leather-clad seats. Haviland followed, hoisting up her skirts and ducked under, sitting across from Esper. The driver closed the door, rounded the front of the car, tucked himself into the driver seat, and revved the engine to life.

Traditionally, carriages are horse drawn, as only motor bikes held the capacity of electricity, but with the new technology that was constantly being funded with tax dollars, there were quite a number of advancements along with the growing plague of electric plant fields.

Lord Esper, who was sitting under the partition, raised a hand and knocked twice on the slightly transparent glass. The driver flipped a few blue switches on the dashboard and placed a white-gloved hand onto the gear shift. Soon, they were on the road, a dull buzz from the engine.

The young lord sighed, then lifted his hands to untie the ribbon of his mask and let it slip to his lap. Haviland did the same to her own. From the bone light of the moon, Haviland could barely make out his features. She already knew he was rather skinny just from a glance at his body, but he had rather broad shoulders. He was handsome, but not in the way that made you steal a second glance. His dark hair was trimmed short, his narrow eyes a clear shade of amber, and his nose was straight, the tip small and rounded. He had a strong jaw that seemed to be always set. There was some shadow underneath his eyes, his eyebrows furrowed.

He didn't so much as even acknowledge Haviland in front of him throughout the ride, just stared out the window, but he absently grazed his fingers across the metal bracelet.

...

They pulled up to a rather humble mansion—if a mansion was capable of being so anyway. It was still massive. White walls and white pillars and clean cut hedges, frosted with the bitter wind. The carriage curled into the driveway, and Haviland spotted a small woman perched at the top of the stairs, adorned in a dark red dress and a white apron; typical attire for a house maid. Loyal things, much like her, but they did not fight back in the face of danger. They'd trade their lives for their master's at the slit of a throat with no hesitation. But were they so different from her?

The driver slowed to a stop, the carriage lurching forward. As they stepped out, the maid greeted the lord, bowing low, her head at level with her waist. She kept her gaze on her feet.

"Welcome home, my lord," she said, her voice slightly accented. She must have been from Meryllis, in the southern region, where most women look for work and end up as a lord or lady's maid. Sometimes even as handmaidens, as there has been a decreasing population for the past two decades. But work was work, and whatever could keep a roof over their heads and food on the table was enough.

"Evening, Mei," Esper said, shrugging off his coat as he passed the door threshold, letting it fall into Mei's arms. He didn't cast a glance backwards.

Haviland followed, giving her coat to Mei. She looked up at Haviland, and she offered the maid the slightest smile of sympathy, barely cracking her face. Mei had a long scar across the right side of her face, red thread stitched onto the fabric of a doll. She swallowed, let her gaze dip from Haviland's, and followed behind Lord Esper.

It was incredibly warm inside the dimly lit space, sending chills up Haviland's spine as her body accustomed to the temperature shift. She let her eyes wander, taking in the marble floors, columns, crystal chandeliers, and spiraling staircases branching off into different directions. Going down one flight of stairs was another maid, her feet barely making a sound. She was carrying a tray with what looked like a brass tea kettle and some mugs.

"Make yourself at home," the lord called behind him, snapping Haviland out of her reverie. Haviland observed how suddenly Esper's posture hunched forward, his shoulders slumped. Was he tired? Haviland watched as he made his way to the common room just around the bend of one staircase, where couches and love seats surrounded a massive gas fireplace. Esper slumped onto his back on the closest couch and didn't move for several moments.

Ah. He's asleep. Great.

Haviland turned to see a maid approach her. It was Mei. "Pardon me, but as the master is asleep, I will show you to your living quarters," she said quietly. Her voice was rather nice. She smelled of lemongrass.

She followed her up a staircase, her tight bun bouncing every step. They went through a narrow corridor before approaching a door towards the end of the hall on the left. She removed a ring of keys from her hip, underneath a flap of cloth. Probably so it wouldn't make any noise as she moved about. She shuffled through a few before removing one from the set and opening the door. She turned to Haviland, holding out the key to her.

Haviland took the key, flipping it through her fingers like the trick she mindlessly did with coins and pens, before she stepped through, surveying her new room. It was a well-sized room, a large wardrobe on the left side, a queen-sized bed on the right, and around the corner was a bathroom. She rounded back to the door where Mei still stood just outside.

"If you need anything, please ring for Ris. She will be your caretaker while you are at service here."

"Why not you?" Haviland had taken a liking to her.

Mei breathed a small laugh, the scar on her face rippling. "I am the master's personal servant and head of staff. Ris is a good maid." She hesitated for a moment.

"What is it?" Haviland pushed.

"Sorry, Miss, but the young lord has never brought a woman here before. It's not my place but..."

"I'm Haviland Sastre, from Karro. I'm the lord's new bodyguard," Haviland said while raising her wrist to show off the metal bracelet.

Mei's eyes grew wide. "Oh, I see. Well, welcome, Miss Sastre." She dipped her head before she turned and left the room.

Haviland smiled to herself, then wandered to the bed. She kicked off her shoes, her feet now relieved from their torture, then unzipped the dress and left it a small silver cloud on the wooden floor as she made her way to the wardrobe. It was well stocked with night gowns, riding gear, suits, and gowns. She slipped on a night dress, then after uncoiling her hair free, she noticed the floor length mirrors on the inside of the wardrobe doors.

Her hair was misshapen from being molded in a braid for so long, long dark locks down near her waist. Her dark eyes looked black in the room without light. Her olive toned skin took on a dull hue. She shut the wardrobe and flopped onto the bed, the mattress springs groaning. She stared at the ceiling.

She thought about Fara. How's she holding up? She knew how long it took Fara to adapt to new environments, especially if it was to be her new home. She recalled a foggy memory of Fara sneaking around at night to use the showers while the other girls slept.

Haviland let her eyelids close and let the rising water of sleep submerge her.