The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky. It was so serene that no one would believe it was the same sky from last night. Yesterday it was all red and devilish. Under monstrous wind and constant thunders, some homes collapsed, some woods burned, some cattles perished and fields of crops flooded.

For some, the destruction it brought was immersed. Childs lost their fathers to cling, their mothers to hold onto, siblings to play. Men and women lost their spouses to kiss, children to embrace. They would never see them again.

In the flea market of Gambit, a storyteller stood on a stool and spoke to the crowd. The people nodded in silence. Their hearts felt heavy. Some shedded tears.

"You all feel it, right? Last night storm was out of season. It is the storm God befall on us as punishment." He continued, "but to whom the almighty wanted to punish? The innocent children? The hardworking fathers and caring mothers? No! No. There was only one person who wronged him last night."

The crowd became alive. They looked at eachother with accusing eyes. Curses being muttered.

"That person is not here. Not among us. That person lived in brick walls. It was a her from upper town."

After him, names from famous and popular ladies and mistresses flew out from the crowd.

"Mrs Clover!" "Miss Mooney!" "Miss Buck!"

"Hahaha. No. Not them. There is someone you all forget. The most important one. The most powerful. The most beautiful..."

"Miss Longbart!" A child shouted. It surprised everyone.

"Yes! A clever child." The storyteller praised the child. "Yes. Miss Longbart. Our future lady. The duchess of Rode. Last night was her ceremony of service. And there she presented him her impure body. She angered him and he punished her. She brought it to us. The doom! And our loved ones were taken as collateral while she hid herself safely behind the wall of bricks!"

The crowd were confused. Although it was true that the ceremony was yesterday. But Leila was infamous among the people that a beauty who never sit with men. It was hard for them to believe that a girl like her was not a virgin. But a woman in the crowd said that it could be the reason why she rejected all the men in the past. With the Duke, she became too greedy and accepted his proposal which led to her doom.

Another man concurred with her. He said, "it must be why a servant from her house bought leech blood from my store. I thought it was for medicine."

And so rumours started to spread. That the storm was brought by Leila and her sin. The anger of public, especially the victims of storm, arose. From market to home, from homes to works, it spread until it reached to the castle.

"Who dare spread such false!?" The Duke yelled at his advisory.

"A storyteller from the flea, your grace."

"Kill him."

"He disappeared after that, your grace. We are searching for him. And all other tellers are warned already."

"Tsk* I told him to solve this quietly. How could her news came out?"

"Your opposition might be behind this."

"Damn that Ayeegyee. He can't even do this properly. He think he is above me because he was blessed as great Ayeegyee by lord Mordu'. His ego is too big. He dare execute my young beautiful bride on a whim, just for a lie to him. Then he messed up my reputation. I must speak with him. If I fall, I will take him with me."

"Calm down your grace. Temple is our oldest ally since dawn. It still is. To regain public opinion and reputation, we need to collaborate with the Temple."

"Tsk* of course I know. I have no intention to fight the Temple. I just hate his gut."

Meanwhile, at the manor of Longbarts, worse than a rumour was yet to come.

"Madam!! Madam!!" Betty yelled running into the house. Her urgency made everyone flustered the same. They had been on edge since last night. Yesterday all of them were brimming with dream of nobles. They could not believe a life could turn upside down within a single night.

"What is it Betty?" Mrs Longbart answered. Her voice full of disappointment. She was massaging her head to relieve her headache. "Is it another bad news?"

"Yes." Betty answered.

"Then don't say it."

"But you need to hear this. They are coming."

"Who?" Mrs Longbart asked.

"The angry people. The victims of storm. They are demanding compensation. They blame our miss for their losses."

"Tsk* I knew that spoiled brat will bring a problem to home one day. Damnit."

"Master told me to warn you, madam. They are already at the store."

"They are robbing the store? Where is my son and husband? Why did you come alone?"

"Master is at the administration office to get help. Young master and others are protecting the store before help come."

"Are you serious? Why did you come back while my son is there?"

"But master told me..."

"Shut up. Go back to store and tell my son to come here. You replace with him."

What her madam said shocked her? How could a mere servant girl replace the young master job? She stood there blank.

"What are you doing!? Go!!" Mrs Longbart yelled at her. It startled her. The poor girl could not even catch a breath and ran back all the way to store.

"What are you staring at? Get back to work! ... No. Wait. Drop all your works and start packing everything. Headrock! Rent all the carts you can. And Mrs Borger ... Where is she? Why is our housekeeper never home when there is a problem? Damnit, Vicky are you trying to break the vase?"

Angered she was, she found fault at everything around her. She went into her room and started to pack all her jewellery and clothes.

At the same time, Mrs Borger returned back to town. Her clothes wet. Her body cold and in pain. Under the storm all night, she followed Ethanial's track up to the mill. There her body failed to walk any longer and collapsed on the road. Luckily the temple guard searching for Ethanial saw her and carried her back to town.

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She was dropped in healing hall. As soon as she regained consciousness, she found out her lady, Leila, was imprisoned. She got up immediately and asked the guard she acquaintance with about Leila. He answered that Leila was in the darkest place where no light reached, warmth withered and coldness prevailed.

She nearly hit the man with her walking stick. He could have just said the last cell at the end of the dungeon, without being dramatic.

She walked down the steep stairs as if her knees were not in pain. Just as the man said, a dim light from a small torch on the wall of hallway was the only source of light for Leila's cell. Unlike Ethanial's cell, there was no opening for light or fresh air. Water from last night were still there on the floor and no one in the temple seem to care.

Her heart broke after seeing the conditions of the cell. She called Leila softly.

"Nanny? ... You come!"

After hearing Mrs Borger's voice, Leila ran to the small opening on the door. Through gaps of iron bars, she placed her hands out and touched her nanny's hands.

"Oh poor child. You look devastated. How could this happen to you?"

"You should see yourself. You look pale, no red on your lips. Like the monster in the bed time story you spoke of."

Mrs Borger chuckled on Leila's joke. She felt relieved that Leila still had energy to make fun of her.

"I am sorry, nanny. I asked you of something impossible. You must be exhausted."

"I am fine. Don't worry about me."

"No. You are not. Your hands are cold. You walked under that storm the whole night, didn't you? You should have rested. That letter was not that important."

"Of course it is. Your life depends on it. I would do the same even if it was a firestorm."

"Oh nanny. I am sorry. I am so sorry."

Leila cried. She promised herself not to cry in front of her nanny. She knew her nanny would be devastated if she saw her tears. However she failed to do so.

"No. It is my fault. I should have stopped you. I failed you. I failed Lily. I am sorry."

The two touched their heads through the bars and cried.

"Is that true? That Ethan ..."

"Yes."

"Did he escape safely?"

"You think this is the time to worry for that man?"

"Then who should I worry for?"

"Yourself!!"

"... My fate is sealed. Worrying won't make it better. I am happy if he is safe. Like I said last time, I want my last moment to end happily."

"He is safe. My lady. He is safe. He is safe." Mrs Borger said in repeat. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Don't cry, nanny. I had a great life. I lived in a fancy house. I wore pretty dress. I had a beautiful mother and a caring nanny who loved me as much as my mother. My father, although he did not show much, I know he love me dearly too. And Ethan. I found the love of my life and spent cheerful days with him. The trip with him was one of the happiest moment in my life."

Leila smiled as she was revisiting the memory, "Full of exciting adventures and beautiful nights. Did I say that story to you? The one Ethan smell like piss? It was hilarious."

"No, you didn't. Tell me." Mrs Borger replied. Leila seemed so happy to say those stories again so she decided to listen as new. She wanted her to be happy.

"So you guys won't help?" Mr Longbart asked angrily. He came to the administration office to get help for the angry mob who were destroying his store. Yet the officer declined his request.

"I am sorry Mr Longbart. We are short in men currently. You might already heard that we had a fugitive last night. And this morning a very bad rumour spread in town. We are searching for the culprit who started it. We don't have enough men to help you."

"Oh come on. Officer Boulder, we knew eachother for a decade. Every day your wife bought from my store and I gave you more than others. Just this once. Help me back. Call back the men searching that storyteller. It had been spread. Found him will not make any better. We should prevent damages from the consequence now."

"I want to. But it is the Duke's order."

After hearing that, Mr Longbart felt something in his heart. It was burning. "Fuck the Duke." It startled the officer.

"Hey I know you are upset but be careful what you say. Anyone hear and you will be jailed with treason."

"Do it! Like I care. My daughter is about to be killed. My store is burning. My reputation in ruin. You think I care!? Fuck the Duke. Fuck the Temple. Fuck all."

Mr Longbart bursted out in rage and returned to his store. There he found his store ransacked, his workers injured and Betty was in ruin. Her clothes were in tattered. He ran to her in worry.

"Are you allright, Betty? Did they do anything to you?"

"I am fine. I wasn't raped if that's what you are asking. The workers saved me."

"Oh blessed the Lord Mordu'." He spoke unintentionally. Then he remembered.

"Ahem* good job, you guys. Anyway, where is Bran? My son?"

"He returned to home," answered Betty.

"Why? I told him to protect the store before I am back."

"Madam told me to tell young master to go home."

"Damnit. ... Where did those people go?"

"They took our goods and some money from store. Then they dispersed."

"I see." He sighed in relief. But it did not last long.

"Sir. I believe a few men went in the direction of your home. I am afraid they might..."

"Fucking hell. Allright. Anyone who are hurt and cannot fight, go and get your wounds treated. Others with me. To my home."

He gave his robe to Betty to cover herself then he rallied his men and marched to his home.

He could not believe how his life had turned out. His daughter to be killed, his life-long business shattered, his friend betrayed and his only son ran away without protecting his property. And his wife only cared for herself.