Chapter 4
"Madam Lilianne and her Daughters"
Baltook pulled the reins and the horses halted. Arianna looked up at the house they had stopped at. It was an affluent looking manor though small in stature compared to the other manors. It was two stories high and there were four windows on the second floor indicating four rooms. A tray of hollyhocks and tulips were blooming out of a flower tray just below the windowpanes. The smell of a freshly baked pie drifted out from the inside and Arianna's mouth watered when she sniffed the air. All in all it seemed a pretty decent house for a really decent family. Baltook stepped down from the horse's cart and motioned Arianna to do the same. Just then, the green door opened and a plump woman decked out in a maroon gown that was lavishly decorated appeared and her face was flushed as she cheerily clapped her hands with excitement saying in a high pitched voice so unlike her figure,
"O-hoo! How lovely to see you could make it Baltook. The gods have you in their protection. I welcome you! Ah! This must be the lovely Arianna we conversed about."
Arianna surveyed the round woman approaching their cart in an amusing manner. The lady looked to be about in her mid-forties. Her accent didn't sound as foreign as she looked; she spoke as any Northern villager would. Arianna heard that this woman traveled to many rich lands in the south since her marriage to a wealthy nobleman in the west kingdom. Her thinning black hair was pulled tightly into a brightly decorated bun at the back of her head. Her deep blue eyes were bright and wide with excitement as she bustled forward. Her skin was rosy and white illuminating a healthy demeanor. She smiled broadly, revealing a few crooked but pearly white teeth as she raised her ample arms in welcome.
Arianna smiled meekly at this sight, Madam doesn't look half as bad as I expected her to be, maybe I can learn something from her.
The woman turned to Arianna and her face fell slightly at the sight of Arianna's unsightly looking dress, which consisted of a long white tunic and a shorter gray one worn over it, and though it seemed presentable, it showed signs of heavy wear; the color was also a bit faded and there were minute signs of dust and grime. Arianna's smile faded, maybe I was wrong, but didn't seem offended by sudden change of expression in the large woman's face; on the contrary, she expected it.
"Madam Lilianne! Greetings! May the gods bless you and your household! Yes, this is my granddaughter Arianna. I'm so glad that you consented to take her under your wing at such short notice." Baltook said not taking notice of the plump woman's appalled reaction to his granddaughter's appearance.
Madam Lilianne regained her pleasant smile, "Ah, yes! Certainly Baltook, it's no trouble at all. Mother always called you a respectable and righteous man, it's the least I can do for you after you saved her from those wolves out in the fields long ago."
Baltook smiled comfortably remembering the incident, "Your mother was a brave and honest woman."
Then, he noticed Arianna fumbling with her top and looking down the road with agitation.
"Well, Lilianne, I see I must be taking up your time. Let me just take Arianna's trunk to her room, if you find it agreeable with you, then I'll be on my way." Baltook stated.
Lilianne nodded, "Yes, of course. Please follow me."
Arianna followed behind her grandfather as they entered the governess's house. Arianna paused a bit when she stepped inside. The house seemed a lot larger on the inside. Her grandfather had gone with the plump women up the stairs, which was a few feet away from her and disappeared from view. Arianna looked to her left and saw a small room decorated in the usual colors of an everyday sitting room, she could hear a few distinct female voices from the inside but she didn't bother to go and find out who they were. On her right was an open door that clearly led to the kitchen or the dining room. The house was adequately furnished here and there. There were a few paintings and carvings of gods lined up along the walls. Apparently, Madam Lilianne had wanted her home to be brimming with furnishings and decorations but just couldn't afford it. Arianna stood observing the atmosphere of the home she was to reside in and decided that though a little too over done for her, it was habitable. She ascended to the floor above and saw that there were exactly four rooms up there, probably each room matching with a window she had seen outside. Arianna moved along to the last room where the door stood ajar and she heard the familiar voices of her grandfather and Madam Lilianne.
Baltook smiled when he saw his granddaughter by the doorway, "Arianna. Here is your room. Madam Lilianne informed me that you'll be sharing it with her two daughters."
"I'll be sharing a room?" Arianna said slowly.
Madam Lilianne nodded cheerily, "Indeed you are! With Lila and Luli! They're wonderful girls I assure you. I believe you'll be the best of friends very soon. You can ask them for assistance in unpacking your things. Meanwhile, this petite comfy thing right here will be your bed."
Baltook glanced out the window and said, "Well, Arianna, I have to leave now. Be obedient and try not to be a nuisance to Madam Lilianne while you're here. I look forward to see a new and cheerful granddaughter when I return next week."
"Next week?" Arianna repeated.
Baltook nodded and walked towards his granddaughter, kissing Arianna lightly on her forehead, "Farewell Arianna."
"May the gods guide you on your journey, Baltook." Madam Lilianne said softly.
Baltook smiled but looked at Arianna instead, "And may they guard you till I return."
Then he walked out of the room. Madam Lilianne smiled gleefully, "I'll ask Lila and Luli to come up and see you. They're around your age, you know. My Luli is turning sixteen this summer while my darling baby Lila is a bubbling eight year old. I might introduce you to the other girls at suppertime, which is about an hour from this moment. You just stay here and rest awhile, Arianna."
Arianna said nothing as she walked towards the window and watched her grandfather ride away on the horse cart.
Looking at him leave, Arianna felt a strange and eerie feeling wash over her as if this was the last time she would ever see her grandfather… but she shook her head, dismissing such grim thoughts…
She heard Madam Lilianne leave the room, shutting the door behind her. Sighing heavily, the scarlet haired girl turned around and looked at the room she was about to be sharing with the Madam's daughters. I wonder if they're as humongous as she is, Arianna mused wittily.
The girl's room was fancy and extremely tidy. Decked with flowers, ribbons and whitewashed walls where huge pots of leafy greens hung. Arianna couldn't help staring at it all. She rigidly sat down on a small cot on the floor, which Madam Lilianne had pointed out to be her bed, she kept her arms close to her side afraid that the slightest touch could ruin this perfectly well made bedroom. Wondering what to do next, she decided to start unpacking. Arianna took out her own sheets from the trunk and spread it our on her little cot. Then, she caught sight of the filthy packages that enclosed her hunting gear hanging slightly out of the trunk. Arianna pushed it back in and shut the lid of her trunk tightly.
A light thudding outside her door made her look behind her. The door of the room creaked open and standing outside were two prim and proper looking girls dressed in what seemed to be certainly uncomfortable gowns, both colored dark blue and adorned with a few gems. By just a glance at their features, you could immediately distinguish them as the daughters of Madam Lilianne. They both shared the similar jet-black hair, wide blue eyes of their mother though they both differed in size as well as character and her elegant fashion sense. The tall one, who looked to be about Arianna's age, appeared amiable and calm despite her surprisingly lean figure, high cheekbones and pale white skin. Her black hair was pulled into braids and she had an uneasy expression on her face, which could be attributed to her well-fitted attire. She tried to smile politely but instead made an odd grimace. The younger one stood shyly behind her sister. She had a more thickset build and her cheeks were rosy and pink like her mother but she was constantly fidgeting and whining softly as she tugged at her sister's long dress while she cautiously glimpsed the newcomer. Her black hair was kept out of her face by a thick red headband and she pouted a lot.
"Hello." Arianna greeted with an awkward smile, "You must be Luli and Lila. Madam Lilianne's daughters?"
"She looks silly. Her hair looks like it's on fire. Why are her clothes ragged and filthy?" the little one commented loudly.
Her sister shushed her and turned to face Arianna, "I apologize for Lila's rude behavior, she's only seen eight winters and she tends to be so impolite especially to strangers. Yes, we're Madam Lilianne's daughters. My name is Luli. And your name is Arianna… am I right?"
Arianna nodded.
"We came up to see if you required any assistance in unpacking." Luli said.
Arianna was about to reply yes when she quickly remembered her hunting gear inside, "Uh, thank you very much but I'll be all right. I don't have that much to unpack anyway."
"You know, I don't mean to sound rude but you do look slightly…grimy and your clothes are the most horrid things I've ever seen." Luli blurted out.
Arianna frowned, so much for first impressions.
"Well, I didn't have anything else to put on and I had a rather long and dusty ride coming from the fields. Besides, I've noticed your own garments are not that pleasing for you either." The scarlet-headed girl stated blandly.
"It truly isn't. Mother made us wear these ridiculously tight clothes saying we look good in it. But I don't fancy it one bit!" Lila whined, fidgeting even more with her dress.
"Stop that fiddling this instant Lila or Mother will surely give you a harsh scolding later on." Luli reprimanded squeezing one of Lila's chubby little hands.
Arianna walked towards the two girls and knelt in front of Lila, scanning her frilly attire.
"I believe it would be less uncomfortable if you just loosen your cords here a little." Arianna gently pulled the ribbons attached to the back of Lila's dress and tied it again more loosely.
Surprised at how quickly her uneasiness faded, Lila smiled, "You're right. I do feel a lot better now."
But to Arianna's surprise, Luli slapped Arianna's hands away and snapped, "Why did you do that? You're ruining the whole purpose of Lila's beautiful dress! It's supposed to be tied like the way before not in this manner! No matter how uncomfortable it may seem. Furthermore, you have no right to interfere in other people's affairs."
Arianna stood up and faced Luli, "I have no view whatsoever of the kind of purpose this dress bears except bringing its wearer complete and absolute discomfort. I am also not interfering with your sister's affairs, if you can actually call a matter of clothing an affair; I was merely trying to help her breathe more freely. Furthermore, no one can tell me what I can or can't do."
Luli's blue eyes were filled with bewilderment as she listened to Arianna, "How dare you speak to me that way? I reside in this house and you…you are nothing but an unwelcome peasant!"
"If you do find me so unpleasant, I would be happy to move myself out of this terrible place and into a local tavern where I can find people who I can have a more intelligent conversation with."
"Would you care to do so now?"
"I would."
"Mother will not be pleased by this quarrelling!" Lila piped up.
Luli looked down at Lila. Then, realizing that this conversation was not at all to her liking, Luli sighed and tried to regain her calm composure. This redheaded peasant girl was becoming more and more insufferable by the minute and Luli was not at all obliged to have this petty disagreement with her at the moment.
Arianna walked back in and smoothened out her cot, trying hard to suppress her rising temper. She took a deep breath and brushed her hand over imaginary wrinkles on her bed. Her intuitions about going to this place was unerringly precise, there was no use living with these people in this place.
The two dark haired girls entered their room and as Luli sat stiffly on a bed opposite to Arianna's cot, Lila sat on the other vacant bed and petted her dolls.
Lila looked up and stared at Arianna's large chest with curiosity.
"What's inside that?" Lila asked.
"Nothing that you would be of your interest." Arianna answered softly without looking up.
"Can I open it?" she asked.
"No."
"I just want to have a little peek." The little girl persisted.
"I already told you no and my word is final." Arianna said looking at Lila with flashing brown eyes.
"What harm can she do by examining your trunk?" Luli asked, a hint of annoyance in her tone.
Harm enough to have me hanged, beheaded or burned at a stake. Arianna said to herself.
Lila pouted and crossed her arms, "All I want is to know what you have inside."
Arianna stood up and looked at her, "You want to know what I have inside?"
Lila nodded firmly.
"That trunk contains three pairs of working garments, one torn nightgown, two broken plates, a torn book about horses, two pairs of leather shoes, a few rags, a collection of different bolts, nails and horseshoes in a large sack, an extra dress for special occasions, a bag of colored stones, a knife, a brush, a quilt, a few coins in a purse and my old doll. Are you satisfied?" Arianna remarked irritably as she stood in front of her trunk protectively.
Lila pouted even more. Arianna's resoluteness made Lila even more curious to know what this peasant girl was hiding in her trunk. So she stomped her feet and shrieked, "But I want to SEE them!"
"You will never see them because I won't let you." Arianna answered back threateningly.
The little girl persisted as she screamed and pushed Arianna out of the way. Arianna was slightly unbalanced but quickly regained her stability. Lila screamed with outrage and started throwing anything that she could get her hands on towards Arianna's face, but the quick-minded farmer girl caught all of them before any damage could be done. Luli stared in horror at the ongoing battle in her bedroom. Lila made a final attempt to get to the trunk when Arianna moved forward and shoved Lila to the floor before the girl had any chance to unbolt the trunk and see its contents. Luli broke out of her daze and caught her sister before she landed.
"You—you little red vixen! How dare you do that to my little sister?"
Arianna ignored her and faced Lila, "Don't you ever lay your hands on my trunk ever again."
"Why? Are you hiding something in it?" the little sister cried out.
Arianna said nothing in reply. But Luli could read the obvious emotions in her light brown eyes.
"Are you?" the older one repeated with more suspicion than curiosity.
Arianna sat atop her trunk and folded her arms, "That, my dear girls, is none of your concern."
Before Luli could answer back to that meaningless statement, they heard large heavy footsteps approaching. Madam Lilianne appeared at the doorway, her large blue eyes affixed on the room, which looked similar to a village torn apart by a wicked typhoon.
"By the gods! What terrible calamity has occurred in this room?" Madam Lilianne exclaimed.
None of the girls said anything until Lila broke into tears and ran to her mother.
"In Kannaham's name, what is the matter, child?" Madam asked her daughter who was tightly clutching Madam's red dress.
Lila blubbered a few words before whining, "My dress itches! Where's my pink one!"
Arianna let out a silent sigh of relief… At least that little brat had enough sense to keep her big mouth shut…
Madam's confused gaze turned into a warm smile, "Is that what all this fuss is about then? Oh you girls gave me such a fright! Now, come along, supper is on the table and I do believe Arianna would want to meet the other girls." Arianna looked up at the mention of her name.
"You would want to meet them, won't you my dear?" Madam asked over-politely.
Arianna forced a small smile and slightly nodded her head, "I would Madam. Very much."
"Very well then, shall we all go down then?" Madam then looked at Luli, "Why, Luli my daughter, are you feeling all right?"
Luli's frown quickly evaporated when she realize that her mother had taken notice of it, instead she gave Madam a feigned smile, "Oh don't mind me Mother. I was only thinking about those curtains you requested me to mend; I can't seem to find the proper technique for it."
Madam nodded but was not quite convinced. She was aware that her daughter was withholding something, and it may be something concerning the new girl from the fields. She must act quickly so as not to arouse a growing conflict between these two young girls. She knew her daughter too well and she would not let this matter transpire in her domain.
"Luli, I just recalled something I wanted to ask you. Would you be so kind as to lend Arianna one of your old dresses my dear. Goodness knows, she needs one desperately at the moment." Said Madam in her sweet high-pitched voice.
"No! I—I mean that's very kind of you Madam but I can do without one." Arianna protested before Luli could say anything. The last thing she would want to wear at the moment was Luli's dress.
Madam waved her hand, "Nonsense my dear girl! Now Luli go and fetch your green spring dress that you hardly wear anymore. I believe Arianna would look positively splendid in it."
Arianna watched as Luli disappeared back inside the room.
"Please Madam. It's no trouble at all really." Arianna pleaded.
"Tut tut child! You should be grateful for this gift I am giving or should we say the gift Luli is giving to you for your first day with us. Her dress came all the way from the Pearl Islands in the west. Their culture there is extremely advanced."
Luli came back and she held in her arms a silky green gown with long transparent sleeves, it was shoulder cut and had red and blue sequins formed curls and spirals on the front. But it wasn't only the designs of the dress that made Arianna's eyes widen with shock, it was the presence of a bodice similar to the ones Luli and Lila had on their own dresses that made Arianna fear that the dress would literally take her breath away as well.
"What are you waiting for dear girl? Go back inside and try it on! Luli, kindly assist Arianna, if you please."
Arianna knew that nothing she could do or say would alter Madam's decision. So she regretfully went back inside her room with Luli. Luli too was not at all happy about giving Arianna, this redheaded peasant girl who intentionally harassed her sister, her own beautiful dress. It was an outrage but she also realized that her mother always had the final word. As they both went into the room, Luli closed and locked the door. She turned and saw Arianna standing stationary in the middle of the room.
"What are you waiting for? Take off your disgusting clothes at once!" Luli snapped.
Arianna jumped at the sound of Luli's voice and started undressing. When she was left standing in only her undergarments. Luli tossed her the dress.
"Go on, put it on!" she jeered.
Arianna struggled with the dress as she tried to put it on right and Luli was finding her great effort to do it very amusing. When Arianna somehow managed to put her arms and head in the right holes and push the dress down. Luli came out from behind her and smirked as she grabbed the two large green ribbons from Arianna's dress and pulled tightly, depriving Arianna of all her air. She gasped painfully, Why Gods? Why do I have to suffer such torment in this wretched place full of wretched people! But then Arianna glanced outside her window and saw some men with bows and arrows and she found a glimmer of hope in her state; I guess if achieving success means going through a terrible impediment such as this, it's entirely worth the struggle.
