EPISODE SIXTEEN
TITLE: SHE IS JUST A SLAVE AFTER ALL.
Rita entered the room and paid her greetings to him before proceeding to change the bed covers.
“You can leave them for Eleanor”He mumbled after a minute and she dropped the clothes.
“She’s always scared of your room”She replied simply before continuing the cleaning.
Azazel still wondered how Rita was comfortable in his room the first day she entered.
She wasn’t scared at all, despite the disturbing arts on the walls.
Adriel was a little bit uneasy but he blended just in time.
“How’s Onida doing?”He asked reluctantly and Rita scoffed.
“I don’t know,”She said blatantly. Azazel sucks, his teeth slightly pissed off and turns to her.
“I asked a question, Rita”
“And I replied… I said I don’t know, Azazel, How should I know what is going on with her?”She yelled in frustration and a tear slipped down her face.
“Ri…”
“I honestly don’t know what is going on with her, And I don’t want to know, She’s a slave after all?, And she’s expected to go through all these, Why should we care about her?”She added, in a more softer tone trying to prove that she’s not hurting.
“Right?, She is only a slave”He replied simply before going back to reading his scrolls.
Rita was done with arranging the room in no time, She didn’t want to spend another minute with Azazel at that moment.
“I’m done with the cleaning…”
“Your rice cakes will soon be done”She mumbled before walking out of the room.
•
Yuna was withdrawn in her room throughout the week that followed. She didn’t know what to do to save the slaves from the hardships her father made them go through everyday.
It gives her creeps and chills, Leah wasn’t helping matters either, She started behaving weirdly at her.
Her kinsmen are being brutally abused everyday by her father and she is serving her own daughter truthfully.
It’s hard for her to act as if everything is fine.
“I’m getting married”She blurted out and Leah entered the room the next seconds as if she was waiting for her to talk the whole day.
“What?”
“I’m getting married, I can’t keep on with this”She mumbled and Leah only scoffed.
“Then, who will save the slaves from all these? You’re going to abandon them?”She asked out of nowhere and Yuna sighed before sitting back.
“There’s nothing I can do, I’m just adding to it, I can’t help them”
“Then, Just sit down and act as if you don’t know what is going on!”She yelled in anger and Yuna turned to her in shock.
“Leah”She called softly and Leah walked up to her, burning in anger.
“Just keep living the withdrawn and boring life you’ve been living?, Your father increased the workload of the slaves after you complained about it and all you could do is to sulk in your room while I force you to eat.”
“I don’t know….”
“Just stay in your room all day and don’t make suggestions if you can’t live up to it”She countered back in anger and Yuna burst into tears.
Leah has never talked back to her all her life. How could she get overly angry and emotional because of this?
She’s trying her best too, but nothing is just working out.
“I don’t know…”She trailed off and Leah breathed in deeply before walking out of the room.
•
Onida returned back to the room after doing nothing in particular all day.
Rita didn’t bother her including Eleanor, They all let her be for the time being.
Two days later.
Azazel didn’t send for Onida for the past two days.
Rita assigned some house chores for her and with a strict warning that she must carry out the chores every day.
It was very tiring. She had to till the farm for hours and ended up getting bruised all over her body.
Rita turned a blind eye to this, Including Eleanor too, They stopped talking casually to her and Onida knew that they were only carrying out the Master’s order.
She always returns very late at night, and by the time she gets to her room, she could barely eat.
She would just wash up and retire to bed.
This continued for two weeks until the Master sent for her on a hot afternoon.
He sent Adriel to the farm to fetch her.
She dropped the basket full of red pepper on the floor and went to wash her feet and hands.
Adriel noticed her bruised reddish hand but he ignored.
He can’t show any sign of sympathy to her, never.
“I’m ready”She said softly and walked past him.
They both tread quietly to the castle, Adriel led her to Azazel courtyard and opened the door for her, He pushed her in before walking away from the room entirely as it’s forbidden to eavesdrop.
“Greetings Master”She greeted respectfully the moment she entered the room.
Azazel walked up to her and raised up her chin.
“He smelt like spices”She said inwardly and his jaw twitched.
“You’re not allowed to admire, Onida”He called her name slowly, for the first time.
As if he was being careful with it, His rough, yet soothing hands brushed her jaw to her cheeks.
He cupped them lightly and stared at her in an unexplainable manner, Onida nearly squirmed, His touch calmed her, Her tensed body relaxed immediately and she closed her eyes shyly.
She couldn’t afford to get lost in staring at this beautiful man all day long.
“I will be out of the castle for sometime”He finally announced and she opened her eyes immediately.
“You…”
“Old Rita, Eleanor will be in charge of the castle, So make sure you carry on their orders”He instructed and Onida nodded immediately.
“Including Margaret too, She will be in charge of taking care of the slaves, You’re in her care, She will be your master as from now on”He added and Onida stared at him in shock.
She was dumbfounded.
How could she make Margaret her master despite knowing that she hates her so much?
“Don’t let me serve under her”She pleaded and sunk to her knees.
“Why?”
“She hates me so much, She might kill me”She sobbed and Azazel walked closer to her.
“If she reports you for defying her orders, I will make sure I break you”He threatened.
The thought of her serving Margaret gave her chills, The Lady is just too brutal for her liking.
“You can leave”
Onida stood up to her feet and bowed before walking out of the room.