“What? You say that it’s for me? But little Cassandra, dear. Why do you want grandpa to have a ferret? Don’t tell me I’ve been rambling on about getting one. If so, then I’m truly beginning to lose myself!” The old Varon joked as he inspected the furry little critter.
Cassandra was on the verge of redrawing her gift, but decided to give it another shot. “It’s good for killing rats. So I thought you’d like it.”
“Rats!? Oh! So they’ve been bothering you too? Welp, they sure do bother me! And that’s what the ferret’s for? I see… It’s vermin getting rid of vermin. And it’s brilliant, Cassy! Brilliant!” The Varon suddenly began to raise his voice ecstatically, and without further ado, he napped the creature for himself.
At first, he didn’t seem too fond of it, but the more it tried to claw its way around his green kaftan, the more his heart softened. In the end, he couldn’t stop himself from chuckling at its meager attempts to reach his beard. Not before long, he helped it up with a cupped hand, and from there it played and bit at his facial hair. Which caused him to chuckle even deeper. “I think I actually quite like it. So thanks, my little hare. Now, whether it can actually catch any rats… We’ll see, won’t we?”
Cassandra really liked the Varon’s playful wink. “Let’s hope!” she smiled.
The mood was ripe with glee till Peres showed up. Apparently he’d been in the area as he could join their conversation suspiciously well-informed. “Hope for what?” he grumbled. “That, that gaunt creature will be able to take down a rat equal to its size? Hah! If anything, you’d better look out for the ferret... Who knows? It might get eaten instead.”
Cassandra wanted to kick Peres for being a pessimistic miser, alas, the old Varon managed to act first and say, “Oh Peres! Don’t frown like that. Smile! You do want to be remembered smiling, no? Don’t let this old man think that his buddy’s turned all grey and drab. I’ll start to worry.”
With a knowing look, the old Varon opened up his arms and said, “... Come here.” Reluctant, Peres jerked himself in motion and went into his grandfather’s hug. His hands scrunched the Varon’s clothes into bunches. He didn’t want to be forgotten. He’d never want that. Never!
The Varon made room for both Peres and his newly acquired pet before casting an apologetic look at the boy’s little sister. His raised forehead suggested that the girl forgive her overly attached brother. To this, Cassandra could only sigh and admit defeat. Besides, it was about time she headed towards her parent’s chambers. Unless she wanted her mother to berate her for not being present at the handicrafts’ club-meeting.
****
Back with the handicrafts club, Cassandra had now grown old enough to play with beads and light needle-work. Not that it thrilled her, but it did please her mother. She was about to finish off her second string of purple beads, when Lady Dray suddenly decided to slap Alis across the chest. Her excuse being that an insect had used it as a holiday retreat. Lady Dray’s action was appalling but the same could be said of Alis’ woeful cries that followed. “I’m sorry, my lady! *Sniff* I’m truly sorry! I-I-… I’ll do anything to repent for my misTaKe! I’ll become a servant *Sniff*... No! I’ll work in the mines! Yes! I’ll repent down there and clean up my mess... Only, PLEASE! Don’t abandon m-me. I have no one else to turn to!... I BEG OF YOU!… please...”
Both Cassandra and Janet stared terrified at the hulking Alis. What the fuck is going on!? Cassandra shouted internally. Had their tea somehow been poisoned with hallucinogens? But, shouldn’t she and Janet then be experiencing the same side-effects?
The usually composed Lady Dray rose from her seat in haste and placed her husband’s 17th handkerchief aside. It had but one unfinished thread protruding from its otherwise perfect stitching. “Alis… We owe your family a great deal. If it hadn’t been for your poor father we wouldn’t have discovered the metia mines to begin with. He even convinced Hammond not to climb the Healing Mountains and stay, something that I'm eternally grateful for… But, this generosity doesn’t flow endlessly. You should have waited like any other filial maiden, but instead, you decided to break our trust… With the way you are right now… Just how will you get a husband to support you in the future?................. Tell me, child!... Just who in their right mind would want to support a whore and her bastard!?” Being described as such Alis merely cried harder through clenched teeth and imploring eyes.
“She’s pregnant?” Cassandra croaked in the background. Oh god...
Lady Dray confirmed this with a slow nod, “Yes… She’s pregnant and hopefully soon married to whomever dared defile her potential! Now, Alis… Be a good girl and spill to us who the father is. If you do, we’ll make sure that he takes responsibility!”
At the father's mention, Alis froze and spat, “... I can’t… They’ve already made it clear that they won’t accept me...”
“What do you mean? They won’t accept you? What poor ilk dares to refuse your hand!? *Gasp!* Did you perhaps make love to a homeless bum!?... Tell me, Alis… Tell me the truth for once!” Lady Dray kept pestering in front of her younger off-springs. She had no qualms letting them witness the ugly show. On the contrary, she hoped it would serve as a powerful lesson to them in the future to not go sleeping around with people they weren’t properly married to. For no amount of hay-rings could bring bread to the table. At least not metaphorically speaking.
The sobbing mess of a girl kept shaking her head, not willing to spill the father’s name nor his family’s in fear of the consequences they had so kindly cut out for her. Her defiance didn’t amuse Lady Dray one bit. But thankfully, she had a birch to turn to. Cassandra could sense this vile desire seep from her mother’s eyes. So she ran over to Alis’ side and said, “Mother, why can’t you be happy for her? I thought that she was considered family? So shouldn’t we be celebrating Alis’ pregnancy instead of punishing her for it?…….. We can support them… And we should!”
Her child’s defense made Lady Dray shed a tear and say, “Oh, how I pray that you’ll never disappoint me like this… Please, promise mother that you’ll always stay perfect like this. Forever… Unlike Alis here. Whom we can’t trust anymore… Hmph! We could have celebrated the occasion. If only children born out of wedlock weren’t such burdens! But unfortunately, they are! They can’t inherit anything, you see. They make horrible marriage candidates. And without marriage, they will become a burden to their parents and older siblings as they will be forced to shelter them indefinitely!... Besides, wealth is a fragile thing. We might not be able to afford our family’s size if things get rough, Cassandra dear. That’s why we wanted Alis to marry a good man, who could support and protect her. But who would want a woman who can’t stay true? And her child from another man as an additional financial burden? The cruel reality is that no one will!... She’s stuck with us forever!... And her bad reputation will latch onto our name like a disgusting parasite! Ugh! Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit! Hammond! Hammond! Come in here!” Lady Dray shouted, her voice stringent and clear.
“What’s wrong, dear!? Why are you hollering my name?”
The Lady grabbed Alis by the nape and huffed, “Horrible news… Horrible, horrible news, Hammond... Alis is pregnant! And she won’t spill who the father is. Apparently his family won’t accept her!”
For 10 full seconds, Varon Dray stood speechless, his muscles slack and thrumming with ache. “Erh-... That… I-... Would it be wrong to-?”
His wife immediately understood where he was going and said, “No… But they’re never a certainty… The staff might suspect something, and the father’s family already knows… If we can’t get rid of it before it’s birthed. Should we-?”
The mere suggestion of it shot a cold shiver through the Varon’s spine. “No, no! If people ever heard of it they would cause an uproar! Infanticide is not an option in the Twinheaded’s Realm. Even Triata, would plague our family roots with drought should we spill innocent blood on her skin. No… We have to either pay or talk our way out of this! As are the twinheaded's principles. And since Alis failed to persuade them with logic-... How many ciplings do we have in the vault?”
The Varon’s blank stare sparked a fire in Lady Dray’s eyes. She snarled like a threatened beast, “Hammond! I won’t be blackmailed like this!”
The father rubbed his hands nervously together and muttered, “No? No… Then let’s hope that it can be stopped before it’s too late... Dear… Please don't be crude. You know I’d never be able to sleep soundly again if Alis was to be kicked out onto the streets. That simply isn’t an option!”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Lady Dray narrowed an eye for being put in the villain’s spot again. She said, “When did I ever mention such things? It’s not that I disagree with letting her stay... Who knows what other disturbing things she might do out there? But can we afford her mistake? Now that the mines are-” Lady Dray halted her breath. Her eyes staring hard at the pale-faced children. She couldn’t continue this show with a good conscience. Hence she drew the curtains close by telling Alis, “I hope that you can understand that only two options lay available for you now, Alis… Either you start drinking a menstrual stimulator, and we hide your pregnancy as an illness till it's gone, or you can pester the man’s family to take in the baby as their own. We’ll even throw in some ciplings if necessary… But if there’s one thing we won’t accept, then it’s caring for two useless louts... Is that clear!?”
Alis stiffened. She’d dreaded the baby’s arrival ever since she knew that she had to do it alone. But knowing that the baby couldn’t be hers either way… It hurt.
“Answer me!” Lady Dray demanded.
“... I’ll do my best…” Alis replied bitterly while tears drenched her dress, including the corset beneath that was supposed to hide her secret.
Cassandra wanted to point out her parents’ savagery, but that would be glossing over the truth: That Alis actually could choose to keep her child. However, doing so would require her to decline the family’s bread holding hands. She’d undoubtedly have to suffer through poverty along with the unfortunate child. It wasn't the best outcome. Nonetheless, the option was still there. As for how equal these options were? That was, of course, an entirely different matter.
****
Every morning, every night, Alis would down a cup of stimulating tea. Besides drinking the tea, Lady Dray also demanded of Alis not to touch or be near any clay items in order for her to lose Triata’s blessing. Thus Alis drank her fill from wooden mugs and ate her meals out of wooden bowls.
She was in the midst of taking her 28th sip. It slipped to the sides of her mouth, down her chin, yet she didn’t even care. It was at this exact moment Cassandra came in to bid the teen goodnight, but unwittingly, she caught Alis wasting her medicine instead.
Alis stared at Cassandra, feeling apathetic towards her many molding expressions. “... It doesn’t work?” Cassandra chirped before closing the door shut.
Alis made a toxic smirk, “No… Not yet… Apparently this is a feisty one. If they had any sense they would get it over with. I’m so dead tired of drinking this-... This tooth-rotting tonic.”
Cassandra felt pricked by dejavu as she approached the other. Somehow, Alis reminded her of her former mother. Someone who hadn’t wanted Cassandra either. The poor woman had been afraid of Cassandra's power to crumble her and make her change forever. She had also feared the attachment and irreversible vulnerability she’d gain from having a baby. However, the birth only made her mother stronger. Stronger than ever before.
“Maybe this is-,” Cassandra searched for the goddess’ name as she awkwardly paused, “Maybe this is Triata’s will?... Maybe this is the universe telling you to keep the baby?”
Cassandra knew that it was cruel to play with Alis’ feelings, but she felt it necessary to be the one... The one who encouraged her to keep the child, despite the naysayers.
Alis twitched before she suddenly started screaming like a banshee, “Shut up, Cassandra! Get out you little freak! Get out!” Her cup smashed against the doorframe and her eyes watered with intense hate. Cassandra stood appalled by Alis’ sudden change in attitude. She had never seen the woman this mad before.
“You’re afraid, aren’t you?” Cassandra noted. “Is it because you’re doing this all alone?”
Alis clenched her shaking fist. She didn’t know that beneath Cassandra’s calm facade there was a beating heart, galloping away at 1000 km pr. hour. “Of course I’m afraid!” Alis sniffed, “I’m bound! And I don’t want to be set free! I don’t want to end up on the streets! And I don’t want to work in the mines only to lose my leg like Bayle did!” Cassandra found this news disturbing. She hadn’t noticed the woman’s missing limb at all. That cookie woman had really hidden it well beneath her rags and crooked, but steady walk.
Alis continued to bawl, “But what can I do? This ugly seed won’t go away! I hate it! I hate it! And I hate him! *Sniffle* How dare he leave me!... I hate him! I miss him!... I want him back! Divines! What if he comes back and finds out that I killed his child? Will he hate me for it? Will he even care?”
Cassandra trod further inside and said, “Don’t think about him. Whoever he is, his not here. It’s up to you to make the choice. Tell me… Do you care, Alis?”
The teen let a hand slide over her stomach, “... Would you care?... Many people die from childbirth. I have none who’ll support me. Not even Triata.”
“But you have me. And maybe even the old Varon?” Cassandra suggested. Although the old man was weak, he was very kindhearted and not without influence. He had followers who still believed in his strength, and a son, if not just as kindhearted, then easily moved. Getting the old Varon’s permission to stay could mean life and death for Alis. Especially for her unborn child.
Alis blinked at the suggestion and grinned bitingly, “The old Varon?... He can barely recognise his own son, not to mention me… But, I guess there’s still hope… Maybe I should talk to him.”
“Yes! And I’ll go with you!” Cassandra shouted whilst pounding her chest with pride.
Such a childish gesture made Alis lose her smile and say, “I’m sorry, Cassandra… I shouldn’t have yelled at you. And you’re not a freak. I just-... You amaze me sometimes. That’s all.”
Cassandra swallowed a lump in her throat. She didn’t like their expectations of her. Sure, she could be considered clever now due to her age, but once she reaches adulthood she’ll no doubt be just as ordinary as the rest of them. The apology, however, was nice.
The next morning, Alis didn’t touch the tea. She simply fed it to the plants and sighed. The Dray’s would kill her for this… Afterwards she went to find Cassandra. This time, feeling more remorse for her previous hasty actions. She hadn’t meant to throw a tantrum in front of Cassandra. But, Alis was barely 16 and already plagued with a child. It wasn’t easy accepting the future prospects of that.
With the dawning sun shining on their backs they headed towards the garden. There they spotted the old Varon as usual passing his time at the lake. He was prodding at something with a stick. The object swirled around his jabbing pole, switching between sinking and floating in the stale water. As they got closer, the two girls finally saw what it was. Alis wrinkled a brow upon seeing it, whereas Cassandra switched to a more careful gait.
The Varon noticed their presence and looked up. He felt almost as troubled as they were upon first discovery. “It’s rather strange…” he said. “Somehow… Seeing this dead creature, I can’t help but feel a twinge of sadness invade my heart... I wonder how it got down there and drowned? You’d think such a fine ferret would be able to swim across without any qualms, right? But this fella? Ostensibly, could not. What do you girls think?”
Cassandra stared at the wet carcass. Her doubt turned into a question: “How do you feel about ferrets, grandpa?”
The old Varon scratched his forehead and answered, “Erh… Not much? They’re vermin. And vermin don’t really get that much love around here… No, wait?... Hmm… Oh... I guess it was nothing but a fleeting thought. Sorry, Cassy. This old man is getting more forgetful by the day. I just thought for a second that I knew this poor beast. But how can that possibly be? Haha, I’m turning silly is what it is!” His answer must have hurt Sir Wilkins. Poor ferret had been a good companion during its short lived stay. Good enough for Cassandra to know that this outcome couldn’t have been the old Varon’s doing. And whoever's doing it was, it didn’t leave a pleasant taste in her mouth.
After having fished up the dead pet, Cassandra inspected it thoroughly for any signs of outwardly damage. In her ever-changing hands its body was soft like dough, especially its neck and head. They flew in circles and dangled everytime she shifted its weight around. It didn’t take long of toying around for Cassandra to put down the ferret again. She suspected that something must have broken its neck. As to what? She had no clue.
Alis kept fidgeting behind the old Varon’s back throughout the whole inspection. He seemed just as invested in the corpse as Cassandra did, which made it extra hard for Alis to instigate a conversation with him.
“Uhm… I…” Alis muttered, but the old Varon was deaf to her pleas. Only when Cassandra shifted her attention onto the teen did the man care to listen. Alis couldn’t maintain eye contact. She hesitated again and again, until she finally managed to shout, “I’m pregnant!”
“Pregnant?... You?” the Varon questioned. His eyes wide like two ceramic plates.
Alis nodded, her cheeks flushed with color as she played around some more with her skirt. “I’m pregnant… And it seems no matter what I do the baby won’t leave my womb… I’ll have to give birth to it. But the Lady and your son don’t find the idea that appealing…” The old Varon looked to the manor, his head shaking with shame. Alis continued to plead her case, “I-... I know that what I did was wrong. And I don’t expect forgiveness. After all, I’m just a dumb woman who-.”
As if caught by her phrase the old Varon interrupted her speech and stated, “You’re not dumb, my dear. Don’t belittle yourself over a child. A child is every man’s gift.” The man paused, then decided to elaborate, “That’s what I told Hammond’s mother before she did Triata’s bidding and fell… Indeed, a child is a gift. Painful to unwrap and full of surprises.” The geezer chuckled as if in pain. “To some folk it comes for free, to others, at an immense cost… Are you willing to pay that price? Alis, I presume?”
Alis paled, but also felt delighted at the fact that he still remembered who she was, despite the sparse interactions they’d shared. “Yes, Alis is my name… And it’s not that I’m thrilled with the idea of having a child either. I just don’t see any other way out of it. I’m all alone. Their father will not be present, and the Drays have promised to disown me should I give birth to the bastard and keep it… That’s why I turn to you… Out of the goodness of your heart, could you possibly persuade your son to let me stay with the child? Somehow? In some way?... It would mean the world to me...”
The old Varon sighed with pity, “Your situation is dire indeed… I’m afraid you’re stuck with me then?”
Both girls scrunched a brow in confusion. The old Varon gestured, “Look around you, Alis. Here’s plenty of space. I’ve still got a few years left kicking in me. And when I’m gone? I’ll gladly let you inherit this space. Lake and all… But I have to warn you! I’m lousy company with a memory vague as a fog. It gets chilly here during the winter, and most dinners will consist of fish and bad humor!... So? What do you say?”
Alis glanced upward, finally feeling brave enough to look the old Varon directly in the eye. “That’s…” the girl choked, “That sounds wonderful!”
The old Varon went ahead and clapped her shoulder to comfort her, “There, there, little one… There’s nothing to be grateful about. Contrary! It’s me who should feel grateful. To have a lovely lady like you around. It’d be like having a daughter… A real honor.”
Cassandra cast a glance at the crumbling hut with worry. Sure it wasn’t that bad. But it wasn’t a luxury either. She’d had to help them make the best of things. Like smuggling out some food and blankets for them, if necessary. But it wasn’t like the old Varon was completely uncared for. Just not in a way that one would normally treat their elders.
Both Alis and Cassandra left the place feeling overwhelmed by the old Varon’s kindness. They had come to seek aid, but never had they expected for the old Varon to give it to them so readily, and without so much as a degrading word or two. He merely gave them the warnings of a concerned senior and a gracious offer to boot.
****
The following morning Lady Dray stormed into Alis’ room. Her eyes were saturated with scorn as she spoke the words, “Alis, since you’ve decided to keep the baby beyond all logic you’ll henceforth be staying with Hammond’s father as his servant. You’ll have to live in his quarters, and stay by his side day and night. If you do this you’ll be earning your keep in the family, and we won’t have to worry about putting you on the streets where we’ll all be at the mercy of our fellow citizens. But don’t you think for a second that your mistake will be that easily forgiven! From this day forth I advise you not to contact or go anywhere near my precious Cassandra or Janet ever again! They don't need your bad influence… Now… Please, pack your belongings and go to the garden. Sir Daniel shall take over your matters from there.”
Alis lowered her head in thanks. To think they would treat her with such kindness… Not only was she given a home, but a job as well. Now, she only dreaded the raw act of giving birth…