Chapter 25
As I slowly creaked the kitchen door open, I heard Maylene sigh. "I can't relax with this kind of weather. It'd be better if it waited until the washing has dried." Looking out of the window, she gave another large sigh as the gray clouds continued to grow. "I think I might go and check on them, the wind seems to be picking up."
"Alright, but don't take too long." Bard nodded as she left through the kitchen door I was entering through.
Taking notice of me he looked up from the potatoes he was peeling, "'Ey, Elora, what're you doin' down here?"
"I was wondering where Finny was, I need help moving some of the furniture in my room. I keep tripping over the legs of the wardrobe whenever I try to enter or leave the bathroom. So, I want to try and move it over to the far wall so that it's not anywhere near the doors. It's really heavy, and I was hoping…well… because I can't seem to move it on my own… and given the fact that I can't see…" I scratched the back of my head sheepishly as I began having second thoughts about the favor.
Puffing out his chest slightly and giving a broad grin, Bard nodded. "You came to the right person, Finny and I'll have that wardrobe moved 'n no ti-"
There was a loud 'boom' as the kitchen door that led outside shattered into a thousand pieces. "I'm coming in!" A chirpy, and casual voice called as the lean man stepped into the kitchen with his companion.
"Is Earl Phanotmhive in?" He asked.
Dirt and dust rising in large clouds, I backed up against the wall as I tried to avoid inhaling the substance.
"Elora, get upstairs, I'll handle this." Bard barked as he confronted the two men.
As much as I did not want to leave, I couldn't stand being in that room with all of the dirt and dust that was being kicked up. Besides, if he, Maylene, and Finny were able to blow up half of the mansion on their own and take care of the circus folk, I was quite sure he could handle two men alone.
Scooting along the wall I made my way for the door.
"'Elora'?" The man repeated my name as he saw my figure through the brown clouds. He was just beginning to approach me when Bard stepped in the way.
"Who the hell 're you?" He growled at the man as I paused for a moment, feeling the man's intense stare.
"What, you'll play with me?" The man asked as he charged forward, swinging his sword at Bard.
Giving a curse, he dove to the side while gasping. "Fast!"
Suddenly above of him, the man swung his sword down at the chef.
Reacting on an impulse, I moved quickly as I threw a bag of flour at the man as I charged after to it.
"Is this the best you people can do?" He laughed at Bard as he unwillingly slashed the bag. Thus, sending the flour out in a huge white explosion as the two were blanketed in the powder.
Giving little time in-between I spun while sending a side-long kick at him. Ducking, he dodged the attack as he sprung back up and thrust his sword at me.
Grabbing his sword with my hand, it ripped apart my skin as I punched him square in the jaw.
Flying back, his sword quickly removing itself from my hand, he stumbled while massaging his jaw.
"You really are his daughter, aren't you! Only he was the kind of man who would fearlessly grab the sword of his enemy in the middle of a battle." He laughed while charging at me with incredible speed, thrusting his sword at me once again as I tried to dodge, but slipped on the flour on the ground.
With a small white cloud puffing into the air, I was caught in strong arms as the sword skewered what sounded like a pastry.
"Geez, 're you okay, Elora?" Bard asked as he helped me stand up right.
"Yeah, I'm fine but…" Desperately trying to wipe away the flour from my mouth, I accidentally used my right hand as it turned the lower half of my face crimson red. "I've got flour in my mouth."
"Holy shit, Elora, your hand! What happened when that bag of flour blew up?" He worried while helping me wipe off what we could of the flour on me. "Hey Sebastian, who the hell are these guys?" The chef barked at the butler with the platter of snacks.
"Oh yeah!" The man sheathed his sword, "We haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Charles Grey."
"I am Charles Phipps." the second man nodded.
"Otherwise, we're known as the Double Charles." Grey grinned while dusting off the last bit of flour that was on him, "We are her Majesty the Queen's secretarial officers and butlers."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Phipps nodded his head again in greeting.
"Today we are the messengers delivering a letter to the Earl." Grey added while pulling out a letter.
"Then was it really necessary to destroy the back door?" I growled while folding my arms, my white plastered arm turning red.
Looking at me, Sebastian sighed while giving a disappointed look. "What did you do this time?"
"I did nothing! They're the ones that violently barged in unexpectedly!"
Pinching the bridge of his nose as if to try and stop a headache, Sebastian gave an irritated sigh. "Please, if you'd two would follow me, I'll guide you to the gathering space." He waved on the Charles men while giving a calm smile.
After they'd left, Bard grabbed my wrist while taking me over to the sink and helping me wash flour and blood off. "Seriously, what the hell were you thinking? I told you t' get the hell out, didn't I?" He gritted his teeth in annoyance, "You could've been killed!"
Feeling a terrible sting shoot through my hand I yelped while trying to pull away, but he kept me in place as he dripped the awful liquid onto my hand. "Wh-what is that stuff?"
"Lemon juice."
"Lemon juice! Are you trying to burn my hand off? It hurts like hell!" I grunted while trying to clench my hand into a fist, but couldn't as my fingers felt stiff and raw.
"It'll keep the wound from bein' infected; stand still!." Grabbing a rag he wrapped my hand with it and tied it tightly. "This is only 'ntil we find some real bandages."
"Th-Thank you." I thanked him awkwardly.
Sighing he patted me on the shoulder, "Don't worry, there'll be no more questions for now. Let's go find Finny and take care of that wardrobe."
T-T-T-T-T-T-T
Sitting down on the bed, I removed the bloody rag from my hand as I frowned. "Yeah, 'it'll keep it from being infected'. I'm sure rubbing salt in it would have made it all better too." Placing the rag in my lap I grabbed the gauze and slowly began to wrap it around my hand.
After seeing how easily the wound had reopened even after his lemon treatment, Bard had separated from me, telling me to go and bind it while he looked for Finny. Though, he had told me to look for Sebastian to help me dress the wound, I quite purposefully ignored the instruction.
It was only a flesh wound, why would I need his help? I shuttered as I remembered his more than human behavior back in the kitchen, he was getting better at playing the part with every passing day. Almost to the point where sometimes I forget he isn't human. A noisy body, almost complete emotion in his voice, and perfect body language; it was all really creepy to hear from him.
Yet, the only place he seemed to fail at was heat. With almost no body heat it was almost impossible for me to touch most of the time. He could sustain normal body heat for about twenty-minutes, but after that he was back to his icy cold self. I would have thought it'd be easy for him to do that as well but…
Shaking my head, I tried to get the thought out of my mind as I softly sung a random tune to relax myself.
"Wow, what a pretty voice! I would've thought I'd stumbled upon an angel if I didn't know it was you." Grey complimented while opening the door. "Too bad it was Phipps' turn today to get the horses, he would've liked to have heard you."
"Thank you." I forced a courteous smile while continuing to wrap the bandage around my hand.
"You know, I really didn't expect to see you today. Nor did I think I'd ever see the day where a lady would strike me!" He laughed while entering the room casually, as if it were his own.
Standing, I pinned the binding in place. "Please, I am not quite ready for company right now. Nor do I feel comfortable with you entering my room without permission. Please, if you'd follow me I'll take you to the front door." Keeping a polite smile plastered on my face, I got ready to lead him out.
Roughly grabbing my bound hand he squeezed my wrist as I felt his intense stare lock on me again. "You really are like your mother, even though you're the spitting image of your father, Miss Shadbolt." Distaste filled his voice as his stare remained unwavering.
My mask of patience and innocence quickly melted away as I went to strike him, but was stopped as he caught my other hand.
"How dare you speak as if you knew them." I growled, my cheeks turning pink with rage.
"You're as sly and deceitful as a fox; your mother was no different."
"My mother was no vixen, nor did she ever do anything to win such a title." I hissed while desperately trying to pull out of his grip.
"That's a lie and you know it. How a good General like your father ended up with a woman like her…" Closing his eyes he quickly let me go as both Bard and Finny entered the room.
"Hey, what 're you doin' in here? Your friend is waiting for you outside." Bard frowned while folding his arms.
"I was just talking to Miss Shadbolt about how excited I am to see her at the party. Remember to wear your best dress!" He smiled while leaving; sending a shutter down my spine as he quickly returned to his cheery self.
Party? What party?
"'Shadbolt'?" Finny cocked his head in confusion.
Shrugging, I lied. "I don't know who that is either, I must remind him of someone. Anyway, I want to get this wardrobe moved over to-" With a loud thump, I tripped over the leg of the wardrobe gracelessly as I fell face first on the floor.
There was a small moment of silence as I struggled to get up, my arms stinging as they'd been burned from the rug. "Damn wardrobe…"
Bursting into laughter both Bard and Finny couldn't control themselves as they helped me stand.
Flushing, I grumbled. "Seriously, let's move this stupid thing and get it over with."
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Yeah, this one is pretty short, I know. But I still have yet to figure out what I'm going to do with this upcoming arc. The 'Who Dun' it?" arc as I like to call it, is possibly one of my favorite arcs in the story so far because it captures the pure essence of a good, classic, mystery case. So, even though I am quite sure we all know the outcome of the arc because we've all read it, I am most likely going to write it in THIRD PERSON and not from Elora's point of view.
This, of course, is to capture that feeling of mystery. Toboso also understood this, which is why he also switched the point of view. So, instead of just jumping into it half-way through this chapter I would like to make a definite starting chapter as it will be done in a different format for the sake of the story. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up for this as it's a little hard for me to do. Although it isn't that hard for me to write in third person, the thought of switching formats just seems wrong to me... as if it's some type of sin to do that in the middle of a story.
Still, it is a writer's job to give their readers the best experience possible. Which, I promise you, I will deliver to the best of my abilities.
This is the closest I've ever come to finding someone who sounds like how I've envisioned Elora's voice. Hayley, God bless your heart, soul, and voice! Once Upon a Time in the West- Hayley Westenra: (YouTube) /watch?v=pcSAJSZ3TLY