Opening the door they entered the room and to Klaria’s surprise, Erin was asleep. Her little body was peacefully drawing short breaths with cute little sounds. Smiling she decided to leave her sleeping and sat on the other side of the room, indicating for Faiya to sit next to her.
Faiya looked at the little girl in the crib with interest but then hurried to sit next to Klaria. After a little hesitation, she couldn’t help but whisper.
“Shouldn’t we leave her alone, so we don’t wake her up?”
Giving her a tight smile, Klaria looked the new girl in the eyes, considering her for a moment until Faiya lowered her eyes.
“She will cry when she wakes up and I don’t want her to be alone.”
Seeing Faiya’s confused face Klaria continued.
“My daughter is blind, my husband thought it mercy to leave her in the woods and spare her the suffering, the future would likely bring to her.”
Touching the girl's chin with her fingers Klaria slowly raised Faiyas head to meet her brown eyes, the stare was too much and the girl couldn't help herself and closed her eyes.
“I need you to be stronger.”
Pulling her hand back Klaria folded her arms in her lap, her back straightened as she waited for the girl to open her eyes again.
“I need you to be able to support my daughter. Because I refuse to believe there is no place in this world for her. And I realized that I can’t do it alone, which is why you are here. I don’t think I can find out how to take care of her by myself and if something happened to me, she would be left alone in the world where no one cares if she lives or dies.”
Squeezing her hands into fists until the knuckles turned white she pleaded to the girl.
“Please help me prepare Erin for the life before her, and stay with her as long as you can.”
Unable to withstand seeing the mistress of the biggest house in the city beg her for help. Faiya instinctively nodded, realizing she was making a promise that would tie her life to this family until she died. A low servant who wasn’t even part of the house she knew she had no other choice if she wanted to live.
My family sold me here, maybe this is better than life in the wooden house, taking care of the fields. Is this what my mother wanted for me? No, she had no idea what chance I will be given, I wonder what she would think of me now.
“I promise to stay with your daughter as long as she would have me, my lady.”
Klaria smile froze on her face as she heard her daughter moving in the crib, worried something might have happened since Erin was strangely quiet for most of the day. She went to the little bundle in the crib and as she saw that Erin was awake moving around, she scooped her in her arms bringing her daughter close for a hug and kiss. It was a strange feeling, one that Klaria didn’t mind.
To think so much would have changed and seemed unimportant compared to her daughters well being was baffling to Klaria. It was just a few short months, yet she felt like her whole world reoriented with Erin at its center. Like Trake, taking control at the end of the winter, as everyone prayed for the spring to arrive sooner. Her forth winter would come soon and Klaria desperately wished none of the Valefor had a hand in the little girls birth.
Giving her prayers to Sanrae she turned to Faiya, unable to hide the smile dancing over her face she waved her hand to get the new maid closer.
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“This is my daughter, Erin, from today on you will learn how to take care of her and be in charge of her education and protection. But as I said before, it isn’t going to be easy, for neither of us.”
Trailing off at the end, Faiya raised her head and looked confused.
“My lady?”
Taking a deep breath Klaria steadied herself looking the maid in the eyes.
“Erin is blind, she couldn’t see from the moment she was born. And I think she is mute as well. She didn’t make any sounds other than cry so far, she is usually crying every moment she spends awake. Nobody knows why all we know at this time is that it is not just the child crying for her mother's attention.”
Looking at the little face in her bosom her lip quivered.
“I’m constantly with her, almost never leaving her alone, which seems like the only time when she doesn’t suffer. I was thinking it is because she misses me so much, or loves me to the point where she doesn’t want to be alone. But I can’t be with her all the time, my husband is brave men, but he misses my attention as well, I can tell, even when he says he doesn’t mind.”
Tears trailed down her cheeks as her chest clenched suppressing the sobs.
“She suffers Faiya, and I don’t know why, I don’t know what to do, how to help her, how to raise her. All I know is I love her more than life, what should I do, I wish desperately someone would tell me.”
“Do they both suffer because of me? Because I decided to keep my daughter alive I put my husband through pain, he is too good of men to tell me, but I can feel it.”
Her voice breaking, Klaria tried to pull her tears back
Faiya couldn’t hide the shock from her face and Klaria could only wonder what was going in her mind.
Does she too think it was crazy to keep such a child alive? But what other choice did I have? And why do I feel like I can tell this girl such things, why am I telling her things I didn’t even confine in Haruka?
“I, I see.”
Stammering, Faiya attempted to bow low.
“I will do my best my lady. If you could instruct me in the matters of raising the child, it would be helpful. As the senior didn’t cover that part of the training I’m not quite sure as to, how to help.”
Releasing a shallow breath from her lips Klaria realized Erin was still quiet as if listening to their conversation. The feeling of calmness overwhelm her she pushed the worrisome future further away.
“Thank you Faiya, but unfortunately even I don’t know how to properly take care for her. Which is the reason why you are here, we will learn together, and you will stay near her at all times. I need her to get used to you, I need her to recognize you even if you just stand in the corner watching over her. Are you still willing to stay?”
“Just say where we should start my lady.”
Closing her eyes Klaria bowed her head to the girl. She understood what she was asking her to do, to give up on any other future life, for one uncertain at best.
I will give you everything you ever wanted in exchange for your life in my daughter's service. I just hope I’m not wrong in this, or I will have to take that life from you.
Determined to keep going as long as it took, Klaria set to prepare few ideas at how to work with Erin so she could learn everything needed, even without seeing it.