Lord Day and Lady Night

47. Flo's Fiery Plans

It was a dark, stormy day as the lonely figure of a woman stood in front of the towering castle. Trying to find shelter from the whistling wind, three tiny figures huddled around her, peeking up at the massive turrets overhead like scared little bunnies.

Only if someone looked very, very closely, might they have noticed the evil glint in the harmless little children's eyes.

"Come, my dear ones," the lonely woman—who just so happened to bear a distinct resemblance to Amy with a bright blond wig—took her charges by the hands and led them down the path towards the castle. "Let's see if dese good people take pity on da needy and destitute, or else we'll 'ave ta go back to da work'ouse and live in squalor and poverty."

"Oh no!" One of the little girls nodded and trembled in tremendous terror. "Not the workhouse! Not the workhouse!"

"Shh...shh..." The woman patted the little girl's head. "Don't be afraid. Dose large rats dat bit ye won't be dere anymore. Dey'll 'ave bin eaten by bigger, uglier rats by now."

"Bigger? Uglier? Oh, I'm so afraid Mummy! Please don't send me to da work'ouse! If I'm dere, I'll...I'll..."

"Don't be afraid!" The woman hugged the little girl closer. "I won't let ye go to da work'ouse! I know 'ow much ye 'ate ta work!"

That caused the terrified little girl to give her a good kick in the shin. Clearing her throat, the woman took the girls' hands and pulled them towards the castle.

"Ehem! Come along, everyone! Let's see if dese good people will take pity on some poor, pennyless orphans and deir pinheaded mother. And do remember ta look frightfully fearful."

"Aye, mother!"

Together, the poor, single woman and her woebegone children made their way along the path to the wrought iron gate and humbly humbled their way towards the guards standing on either side. Just in case the way she stewed in destitution wasn't evident enough, she staggered a little, muttering and moaning like a miserable, marginalized little miss.

"Oh, woe is me...'ow could such a thing befall us! 'ow could da 'eavens leave us without a man ta take care of us...sob sob, what a cruel fate!"

"What do you want, woman?" One of the guards demanded, making a shooing motion with his hand. "Begone, you and your pack of brats!"

"P-please." The desperate, destitute woman stumbled forward, trying to think of additional adjectives starting with "d". "Please...ye 'ave ta 'elp me..."

"I don't 'ave ta do nothin'! Piss off!"

"Please," the desperate, destitute lady slid her destitute fingers through her rich, silky blond hair that looked almost too good to be real. Why, you might almost think it was a pricy wig. Giving the two men the trembling smile of a damsel in deep, deep distress, she thrust out her chest, making sure that her buttons were similarly in distress and her cleavage clearly visible. "Please, ye 'ave ta 'elp me."

"Oh, well, err..."

"Uhum, we..."

The two guards exchanged looks.

"It think it's our civic duty."

"Yes, it's only right. After all, if a lady is asking for help..."

Just then, the sound of hoofbeats approached from the direction of the castle, and the cast iron gate creaked open. Hurriedly, the guards leapt aside and stood to attention, making room for the massive, black-and-gold carriage that rolled through the gate a moment later, drawn by six resplendent horses. The coach was just about to pass them when the unfortunate young woman just happened to stumble, almost falling in front of the horses.