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Chapter 9
“Isn’t it a bit early to call her your woman?”
This was said by Ingrid, the head maid—an old woman everyone called Granny Ingrid.
She wore small glasses in the wrinkles of her nose and didn’t look happy.
“You’re not married yet. Anything can happen.”
“You’re saying that again?” Avalkin replied calmly. He was used to her words.
“But this time is different. I bought her.”
“Wow. That’s something to brag about. A man with your looks couldn’t win a woman without paying?”
That was rude—but Avalkin didn’t get mad.
Ingrid had been his nursemaid when he was a baby… and also his father’s. She even came to this castle with his grandmother.
Basically, she was the oldest and most respected person in the castle.
“I don’t care how it started,” she said.
“But if she’s going to be the lady of Yeshken, she needs to be treated well.”
“She’s a slave. She can’t be the true lady.”
Avalkin said seriously.
“We’ll marry, and people outside may call her Lady of the North. But inside this castle, she will not have real power. Don’t go easy on her. Treat her like a slave, or you’ll regret it.”
Ingrid looked like she wanted to argue—but she didn’t.
She knew that once Avalkin made up his mind, he never listened to others.
“Then at least talk less and show your handsome face more. If she still doesn’t respond, maybe take off your shirt.”
“If I do that here, I’ll freeze to death.”
“I’ll bring hot water!”
“Stop wasting firewood. Winter is coming.”
Avalkin looked away from the window and walked off.
****
Something is strange about the people here.
“Woooo!” “Yay!” “Our lord did it!”
“Yeshken has a lady now!”
As Belaxina’s carriage entered the city, people gathered to cheer and celebrate.
The news must have spread quickly.
So many people came that the carriage couldn’t move.
Redek said, “Maybe show your face? Just once?”
“Why should I?” Belaxina snapped.
She hated being treated like a show—she’d had enough of that at the slave market.
“Because otherwise we can’t move. Show your face and they’ll leave.”
She wanted to yell, “Since when do commoners deserve to see a noble lady’s face?”
If they were in her hometown, a few people might already be dead for such disrespect.
But Belaxina wasn’t stupid.
“I can’t cause trouble with only one guard on my side. If the carriage doesn’t move, I lose.”
So even though she didn’t like it, she said:
“Open the door.”
“Smart choice.”
Redek jumped down and opened the carriage door.
The crowd cheered when they saw her—at first.
But once they got a good look, they went silent.
“She’s beautiful… but kind of scary.”
Her torn black dress looked like bat wings, and her messy black hair was shiny like a raven’s feathers.
Her bright red eyes looked like they belonged to a demon queen.
The whole scene was like something from a fairy tale.
“A witch…” someone whispered.
“Not a witch. A villainess,” Belaxina corrected, speaking to a small child who had gasped in fear.
Then she sat back down and told Redek,
“Drive forward with the door open.”
“With the door open?”
“Do you want me to open and close it for every person who wants a peek?”
Redek almost said it was dangerous—but remembered that Velaxina was bold enough to jump out of a moving carriage.
“Fine. But don’t blame me if something happens. Let’s go!”
So the carriage rolled through the castle gates—with the door wide open and Belaxina sitting tall inside.
****
When the carriage stopped, Granny Ingrid and a group of maids were waiting.
They bowed and greeted her politely.
Their clothes were old and worn, but at least they looked better than Belaxina’s tattered dress.
“Well, at least someone knows how to serve me properly.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m glad someone finally knows how to treat a lady,” Belaxina said proudly.
“Do you always have to speak like that?” Redek came to help her down.
He knew from experience that Belaxina never got out of the carriage without help.
“Granny Ingrid will think I didn’t take good care of you.”
Didn’t take care of me? You gave me nothing but jerky and tea. I had to wash my own clothes!
But Belaxina didn’t blame Redek anymore.
She blamed Avalkin, who allowed it.
“You can’t punish people for what they don’t know. If we did, executioners would die from overwork.”
“So… you’re letting me off the hook?” Redek asked hopefully.
Belaxina sighed and took his hand to step down.
“Yes. That’s also why I don’t remember your name.”
“That’s okay. You’ll remember it one day.”
“Not likely.”
She looked at the maids and shouted:
“What are you all standing there for? Move!”
The maids panicked, but Ingrid calmed them.
“I’m sorry, my lady. You must be tired. Would you like a bath first?”
“Of course. And I’m hungry. Bring food.”
“We’ll give you some biscuits in the bath. You’ll be dining with Lord Avalkin soon.”
Belaxina made a face, but nodded. She knew she couldn’t avoid it.
“No mint in my food.”
“Understood. Alicia, take the lady to the bath.”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
Alicia, a young blonde maid, bowed awkwardly and started guiding her.
She clearly wasn’t trained in noble manners—but was trying her best.
“What a mess this place is.” Belaxina thought.
But if she pointed out every mistake, she’d never get to bathe. So she let it go.
“Wow. I’ve really learned to be patient.”
But the people around her had different thoughts.
****
“Redek, come here.”
Granny Ingrid called him over.
“Lord Avalkin said he bought this woman at a slave market. Is that true?”
“Yeah. I saw it myself.”
“Hmm…”
Ingrid looked puzzled.
“A noble girl sold as a slave? She must have had a very tragic past.”
“I treated her with extra respect so no one would look down on her…”
But Belaxina didn’t seem to care. In fact, she acted like she deserved even better.
“Was she always this bossy?”
“Bossy?”
“Did she act like she was in charge the whole way here?”
Redek thought for a moment.
“Well, she did speak politely to Lord Avalkin. But she treated me like I didn’t exist.”
“At least she wasn’t rude to the lord. That’s good.”
“Uh… yeah.”
Redek chose not to mention how sarcastic she had been.
She had forgiven him once—that was enough for now.
“And what about you?” Ingrid asked.
“What did I do?”
“You knew she was a slave, and yet you acted like her servant!”
“Oh… yeah. Huh.”
Redek suddenly realized…
He didn’t need to treat her like that.
“Wow. Why did I do that?”
“Tsk tsk. You let her presence overwhelm you. Do you think you can be the next head of your family like that?”
“Well, I’m an only child. I’ll be the heir anyway.”
“You sure talk smoothly.”
Granny Ingrid sighed deeply.
“Treat her like a slave—or you’ll regret it.”
“Now I finally understand what Lord Avalkin meant,” she said with a knowing smile.
