Exiting the inn with Sebastian near my side after redressing myself--resulting in Sebastian getting kicked out of my room because he wanted to 'help' me, I stretched and sighed.
"You know her location. Is it far?"
"It's on the outskirts of Cambridge, so it's not too far away. Should we take a carriage anyway?" I asked him.
He glanced to, smirking, "The young Master isn't here, meaning he no longer renders us of how we should travel throughout here."
I narrowed my eyes, "...What else are you implying?"
He chuckled, "Clever as always. The young Master wanted me to give a personal observation on your work and to make sure I don't step out of line on this mission. We're both keeping a watchful eye on the other," he explained.
I gulped, "..."
His eyes flashed a quick fuchsia, "Oh, do not worry. I would never tell the things we did alone, kitten~."
Feeling the heat rise in my cheeks, I ignored him and walked off to a nearby alleyway, hearing his chuckles not far behind.
Letting my ears and tail pop out, I swished my tail teasingly, 'Since he wants to play it that way, I guess a little game of cat and mouse won't hurt for motivation.'
Running at a fast pace to our destination, Sebastian didn't hesitate to closely follow me behind.
~Small Time Skip~
We came upon a vast field of green a couple seconds ago, where little houses were few in number.
I made my ears and tail disappear, "Johanna and Marie should be here."
"I must say, this is a good hiding place because of the decreased population, but it's too open for intrusion," Sebastian spoke, glancing around.
"Let's ask the villagers," I said and we went our separate ways.
As I looked around, I noticed it was a farming village.
Two children were playing near a brown shed with a dog, so I approached them, 'When we get back to London, I have to make some time to play with Pluto.'
"Excuse me?" I asked kindly.
The little girl and boy stopped playing with the dog, looking up at me in curiosity.
"Yes, ma'am?" the boy asked.
"I'm looking for a woman. She has blo-... I mean, yellow hair and brown eyes. She's very quiet and keeps to herself. Her name is Johanna Hope."
"Isn't that your friend's mother, Marie, was it?" the boy asked the shy girl, who hid behind him.
She nodded timidly, "Y-yes. A-are you with the Yard? Have you come to take Marie and her mother away?"
I shook my head 'no' and smiled, "No, I've come here to ask them something. It's their choice to leave or not leave when I ask them this question. Anyway, where do they live?"
The boy pointed at a cabin not far away, "They live there."
"Thank you for your time," I said and bowed my head, which made them gasp and whisper about me being a servant.
Hearing their whispers of the impossibility of me being a servant, I chuckled, 'Do I honestly look like royalty? I am of nobility, but I don't acknowledge it very much.'
Approaching the shed, I knocked three times and waited a while as fast footsteps approached the door, swinging it open.
"Mommy!" Marie shouted and hugged my legs, not realizing who I was.
I giggled at her cuteness, "I'm sorry, Marie. You have me mistaken."
She let go of my legs and looked up with a surprised look with a gasp, "Miss Miabell--I mean, Arabella?!"
"It's nice to see you again, Marie. You seem to be home alone since you seemed so happy to find out if your mother was waiting at the door. Do you know where she is?"
"She went into town an hour ago to buy some herbs and hasn't returned yet. I'm starting to get worried..." she said, clenching her knee length, white apron over her green dress.
I bend down to her height and gently pet her head with my left hand, "Don't worry, Marie. I'm sure she's alright. I'll go into town and find her."
"There won't be a need for that," I heard Sebastian's voice behind me.
Leaning up, I turned around to see Johanna next to Sebastian with a small bag, probably with herbs in it. She wore a long sleeved, brown dress and black, flat heels.
Her face was a little scratched and bandages were wrapped around her right hand, neck, and left arm. Her blond hair was a bit tangled, too. She never looked like this when she used to be my maid.
Her eyes widened, "So..you weren't lying, demon butler. Mistress, what are you doing here?"
I approached her, getting the bag out of her hands, "I've come to help you."
She snatched the bag out my hand, "You've helped enough, Mistress Arabella! I couldn't take any more help from you, I don't deserve it."
I narrowed my eyes, "I'm doing this willingly. It's not as if I'm being forced to. Besides, it's about your father."
She flinched, "...My father? You have some information on my father?"
"At this exact moment, I know his location and background information. I am under orders to take care of the problem with your father and you are the key to that."
"Mommy...I want to meet Grandpa.." Marie said timid, clinging to my left leg from behind me.
Johanna looked down at her, smiling, "...Marie, go play with Wendy and Edgar. Mommy has to talk with Miss Arabella and Mister Michaelis."
She nodded nervously before hugging my legs, then running to Johanna to hug her legs, and she even hugged Sebastian's legs.
He seemed a little bewildered at her actions to which I quietly giggled since the scene is cute.
She looked up at him, "Mister Michaelis, I don't know you, and Miss Arabella much, but I do know she's very nice and kind, and and a wonderful lady, and you admire her! So...marry her to make her happy!"
As my cheeks turned velvet and I tried to not die from embarrassment, Johanna shooed off the mini Johanna.
She sighed, "I'm terribly sorry for that! She's the type who can read others feelings for the other," Johanna apologized, bowing her head to us.
"It's quite alright. I was considering the thought," Sebastian spoke with that mischievous, closed eyed smile of his.
I approached Sebastian and lightly punched his left shoulder, "Sebastian! Don't say such nonsense!"
"The only people I will not lie to is the young Master...nor you as, my little Mistress of the Mysterious East~."
Looking away from him, I sighed, placing my hands on my hips, "Forgive us for the side tracking subject--We'll discuss this later, Sebastian--Ahem. As for you Johanna, what do you want to know?"
"...Who is my father exactly? And my mother? I want to know, please, tell me," she spoke with desperate eyes, slowly turning to fuchsia.
"Your father's name is Benjamin Barker, he used to be a barber, and your mother: Lucy Barker, was a nice maiden," I told her.
"You met your father, but you were only a baby. He was imprisoned for 'foolishness'Seventeen years later, he returned to London to look for you and your mother, only to find out your mother poisoned herself after being raped by Judge Turpin at his party, supposedly killing herself--but she she didn't die--and lived as a mad begger woman. Your father accidentally killed her right in front of your eyes."
Johanna began to tremble a little, "...I...I can't believe...I was so naive..."
"Before that happened, Benjamin sought revenge, that hatred filled with greedy bloodlust turned him into a demon. It somehow transferred to you and your once unborn child; it's unexplainable. As he waited for the judge to get a shave at his shop, he unsatisfactorily quenched his thirst by slitting other victims throats," I told her in a clear voice to make sure she thought she wasn't hearing things.
"I believe you made an encounter with a grim looking man, as if he was monochromatic clown, yes?" Sebastian explained.
Her eyes was clouded with thought, "...I, I believe I did. He told me..."Forget my face" before leaving to go to a screaming woman." Her eyes widened in fear, "Are you telling me that man was my father?!"
"Yes. I thoroughly analyzed the barber shop and the shut down business downstairs, Mrs. Lovett's Pie Shop--and I came to the conclusion that there was some secrets and confusion, but that should be cleared up now," Sebastian explained.
"I won't force you to come with us to deal with his unresting soul; I will spirit him away if you agree or disagree. I just wanted to let you know before I go through with the process. Your call," I spoke in a soft tone, not wanting to sound harsh.
"...Did he..kill Judge Turpin...in the end?"
Me and Sebastian nodded.
"...I don't forgive people who kills others.."
"I see. So that's your decision?" Sebastian questioned with lifted eyebrows.
"But...That foul man deserved it. He plunged my mother in madness, my father in jail, and me in a locked room for seventeen years! I don't blame my father for taking revenge!"
"And your answer?" I asked her.
Her fists clenched, "Take me to my father. I'm going to mend the broken bond we never had. I'm doing this for my family."
I smirked, "I'm glad you chose correctly, Johanna."
"That is an Arabella servant for you, ma'am!" she said happily.
(I know it's been a long time! I'm sorry! I had to get some paperwork out the way! Anyway, I just watched BTS live at the 2018 Build Board Awards, and I was fangirling hard! The fangirls in the audience was going wild, too! My mom said, "These boys are like the new New Edition," and I 'lol'ed. Just look up Fake Love by BTS at 2018 Build Board Awards if you're interested!
Orenda: A mystical force present in all people that empowers them to affect the world or to effect changes in their own lives.)