Into the Deep

Part 4

Marina spent the majority of the night in the comfort of Daffie's amenity, as the night sky showered with silver tails of the falling stars, so did Marina's face by a stream of continuous tears. Apart from the young maid, Marina was comforted by a presence of another guest - a bottle of Rosé.  A bottle which was formerly filled with a sweet liquid of oblivion was now held in Marina's embrace as she attempted to fall asleep. Marina was a leading role in a show by the name of misery, while her audience consisted of twinkling stars and a young maid. When Daffie assembled the newly found details of Marina's marriage, for the first time she was unable to generate words that she believed would comfort  Marina. In the past Daffie's consoling ability was quick to aid Marina in the choice of her gowns and at most Daffie utilised her skills in order to comfort Marina regarding her past as a farmer's daughter. But this time Marina's ordeal wasn't caused by a superficial issue, neither were her tears a cause of the past, this time Marina suffered due to a present issue that seemed to prove the misery of her situation.  According to Marina's scattered sobs, she was doomed to a life full of hopelessness. Despair and lack of motivation would be the guards of her emotional prison as a long life of emptiness awaited her.

Daffie shifted towards the creased bedsheets where Marina was situated on, the maid inched towards her face.

'Mrs perhaps things are not as bad as they seem.'

In a long stretch of time, this phrase proved to be the only one effective in generating an understandable response from Marina. Marina's melancholic face expression shifted into a puzzled pout as she blurted out.

'Elaborate....please.'

'You are well fed, well dressed and well groomed, Mrs please do not take my words as an offence but many beggars would love to be in your position. Perhaps you think you're trapped but many people are trapped in the clutches of poverty and they'd love to acquire your current position. Freedom might be what you lust for, but a caged bird is always much more well-fed than a free one. And perhaps he might love you one day, after all, you are a very fair lady Mrs."

"Don't call me that."

"Huh?"

"Don't call me Mrs anymore,  I am just a fool in nice clothes and jewellery...I dont deserve the status, I was too pretentious to realize this sooner."

"But Mrs..."

"Daffie please, just consider this. You've remained so close to me all this time, listening to my superficial problems, and never did you leave my side. What you do goes beyond the responsibilities of a servant, to me you are a friend. Call me Marina, Daffie."

The maid's face enkindled with a genuine smile, as the corner of her rounded lips folded into miniature dimples.

"Well, Marina maybe it's time to stop worrying yourself about these 'superficial problems'. Maybe it's time to accept your circumstances and with time you will realize how minute your issues are. What do you think?"

"I don't know Daffie...this needs time. I would need to say my goodbyes to..." 

a long pause capped the space between the two females. Marina's grey eyes shifted to a window that presented a parade of shimmering stars. 

"...I need to say my goodbyes now, I need to visit my father's far...the mine, I need to visit the mine, my former house. There I will say my goodbyes. This needs to happen now!" , 

Marina's speech boomed around the room sounding like a heated monologue rather than a two-way conversation.

"Marina what are you talking about its a deep night, the coachman is long asleep, and I am sure the Baron wouldn't approve of this."