The buildings in this part of the city are closely packed, so it’s an easy thing for me to traverse the roof-tops for a few good kilometres before returning to street level. I then head for the nearest clothes store and buy an outfit fit for a maid. That will help me blend in and stay unnoticeable where I am going.
Once in the Noble’s district I blend into the little traffic of servants moving around after their masters. The nobles district is the best place to pick up information about the royal going-on’s, especially those about Anna.
As I make my way through that wealthy and opulent district, I can see just how little things have changed. You wouldn’t know that the people living here had lost their monarchy in a blood-bath. And these people were closer to the royal family, my family, than normal people.
Yet in the poorer areas where the so-called commoners live you can see little memorials around the place to commemorate the death of my family.
My parents loved to help people and would send money on the poor people for education or simply for something they could all enjoy. Where most royalty bought expensive possessions and held excessively extravagant parties, the tickets of which cost hundreds of dollars to obtain. My parents preferred to spend the money on our country; they held up the country together—the two of them—and it flourished.
Our country was one of the most affluent nations in the world—every person had enough money with which to buy food and any other necessities they needed. And if for some reason they didn’t, it was easy for them to get free food, a place to stay and help to get them back on their feet again.
All provided for by my family, and for that they were loved.
Back then I had the foolish notion that everyone loved us, that everyone could be trusted. Now though, I know the truth, back then some of the nobles despised us, hated my family and what we stood for.
They saw the nobles of foreign countries getting rich and fat off the backs of the poor. Watched as the neighbouring countries royal families and those connected hosted extravagant parties and bought lavish items to adorn their many castles and palaces.
And they were jealous.
They wanted more, and so they took it; from the country and their people--from me.
About time they get what’s coming to them. And I’ll be perfectly happy to give it to them.
I make my way down to one of the hip places the servants of the nobles like to throng to on their days and nights off. That hasn’t changed, servants will always want places far from their masters where they can lounge about and complain. The only thing that changes is the where. I ask a few kind looking maids pretending to be new to the area and they direct me to one such establishment.
Maids have always been the main source of information about the noble families they serve. Though they are tight lipped to strangers and those of a different status, they are notoriously talkative to those in the same profession.
My aim tonight is to make friends, and hopefully gain some information on where to begin my search for Anna.
This place I was directed to happens to be one of the night-time enterprises favoured by servants of the elite. I set about making myself friendly and appealing. Unfortunately, the information I gain about Anna is either old and worthless or just simply useless.
No sign has been seen of her since the coup and no one knows what happened to her or her mother. Disappointing but not entirely unexpected. I’m sure Anna and her mother would be doing their best to stay hidden and away from the Castovias, the current rulers.
Instead, I try to find out about the guard who helped me escaper, my rescuer, Mr Samuel True. And finally, after many dead ends and useless pieces of information--I strike gold. An old servant of the palace drinking and bemoaning the old days when she was a respected head maid for the old King and Queen, my parents.
I pry her for information about Mr True in an ambiguous roundabout way—and it works. She’s just tipsy enough to not be thinking things all the way through, but sober enough to access her memories with dexterity.
“Samuel, you say? Samuel True, was it? Ah yes! I remember him; nice young lad he was. Always spoke with great respect towards everyone. Your uncle, you say? You can’t find him? Oh, how terrible! It’s such a shame how people lose touch these days! Back in my day we were taught to keep in touch with all our family members so something like this could never happen.
“You were hoping I’d know where he was? Well, I just might, dearie. Really no need for all that, sweetheart, of course I’ll help! Now then, where did I hear of him? Oh, that’s right! From Amy; lovely young girl with two absolutely adorable daughters—twins can you imagine!? Yes, she said he was working for the Masochivits as a guard after he left the palace.
“Guess he never really felt right protecting the Castovias instead of the old royalty. Not that I could blame him, things haven’t been the same since the Lamonias were assassinated and dear sweet Anna disappeared.
“I wonder what happened to that child? So sweet and gentle. I do so hope she’s not dead—she would’ve made a magnificent queen! Better than this little chit Amora Castovia ever could, I’d bet!”
I take my leave when she finally stops talking to gulp down another drink. If I’m lucky, by tomorrow she won’t even remember I was here.
I head back to the hotel to sleep, satisfied now I have some actionable intel to work with. Mr True surely has some information that could help me. He has to!
We pull up outside the Masochivit’s house; as with all the nobles it’s more a mansion come castle than a house. I pull my hood tighter round my face as I wait on the sidewalk as Melody pays the cabbie.
We are dressed to the nines pretending to be a rich noble family, my scar is covered with makeup and I look more presentable than I ever remember being since I left my homeland. Melody and I are playing as sisters or cousins, which, even with the gap in our ages is still more believable than if Melody was my mother.
I’m wearing a full-length sapphire blue gown with white embroidery on the edges of the skirt and bodice. It’s an off-the-shoulder with a white translucent material to make it up to my neck where it’s bound by a blue ribbon. The sleeves are short and flowy with white embroidery on the edges matching that of the skirt and bodice. Over the top I am wearing a light blue coat cross cape that is all the rage with the young nobles at the moment.
Melody is wearing something similar but her skirt is more structured to show of her curvy frame. Her bodice is also off-the-shoulder but it has a small lace edging instead of material going to her neck like mine. Her sleeves are fairly similar to mine, except they are longer, more graceful looking and are also edged with gold lace to match the neckline. Her dress is a deep purple with gold embroidery and edging, the coat-cape she is wearing on top is a slightly darker purple than her dress.
Julian is dressed more simply as he is pretending to be our man servant; nobles never leave their homes without an escort. He is wearing a white buttoned shirt, with dark nave blue long pants and a matching jacket with black trim.
I am surprised at how even such simple and supposedly degrading clothing can look so good and somehow regal on him. He doesn’t look like a servant even though those are the clothes he is wearing.
I had already bought my dress while I was in Australia, using the internet to find out the style and design that was most popular so I would look genuine. For Melody we stopped by a popular boutique and I also added the coat-cape for my self as well as her. For servant clothes for Julian, we managed to find a small place that sold second-hand clothes and found him something suitable.
Julian knocks on the large, imposing, dark oak front door, using the terribly elaborate iron lion knocker. An old-fashioned butler opens the door in a dignified manner and looks us over thoroughly before inquiring politely as to our intentions.
Time to try my luck.
“I’m terribly sorry to disturb the Masochivits like this, but I have an important matter to discuss with them. Are they in?” I greet him in the old tongue, proving my origins as a descendant of a noble family.
He bows and ushers us in—apparently, I’m less rusty than I thought.
“Visitors for you, Madam Masochivit.”
The butler leads us into a lavish and ornate sitting room; it seems to have been pulled right out of a catalogue nothing unique or new to be seen anywhere. A middle-age woman seated in the middle of the room on a soft cushioned couch looks up from her embroidery.
“Please come in, sit down.” She smiles speaking the old tongue and gesturing to the chairs opposite her couch.
I coached Melody to follow my lead if someone spoke to her and she couldn’t understand what they wanted. She watches and tails after me as I go and seat myself on the luxurious and cushion covered chairs. Julian goes and takes up a post behind us as I instructed beforehand.
I reply in the old tongue to reassure her of my good stock. “Thank you for your consideration, Madam Masochivit. We do apologise for intruding on your peace and quiet without notice like this.” I smile as charmingly as I can, trying to remember the countless lessons in manners and etiquette I was subjected to in my childhood.
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