The Act

Chapter-16

'So this is where Marianne lives. It wasn't so difficult getting here, now was it?'

Navia thought to herself as she gasped for air. Apparently Marianne lived in a cottage secluded from rest of the Arvania on top of a small hill and she had to climb more than a hundred stairs to get here.

'I had never thought that this is how I'd realize how much I needed to exercise.'

"Excuse me. Do I know you?"

A voice came from behind Navia. Navia quickly turned around and looked at the lady standing behind her.

"Miss Marianne?"

"Yes, how may I help you?"

'Miss Marianna  invited me in her cottage.  I sat on the small wooden sofa near the window while she brewed us some nice tea.  

I took this time to look around the humble abode. Everything was very ordinary in that room except the picture of Katherine and a small box made of purple glass which had marble design and was decorated with crystal orchid flowers white and blue in color. It was too extravagant for it surroundings but it still fit in at the same time.  

As soon as Miss Marianne entered, the room was filled with a very pleasant smell of tea. She smiled and poured me a cup, while I waited patiently for her to speak.

I took a sip of the tea she had offered me and it did not look or taste like the tea I generally have. It was blue in color and had a very earthy flavor.'

"This is Blue tea but it's also known as Butterfly Pea flower tea. Do you like it?"

Marianne asked with a smile on her face. The way she spoke, it wasn't hard to tell how much she enjoyed making tea.

"Yes, thank you very much."

"Your welcome. So tell me how can I help you Miss Navia?"

"Miss Marianne, I would like to ask a few questions to you regarding someone named Katherine Waldie. Do you know who she was?"

" Yes I do."

"..."

'I patiently waited for her to say more but no matter how much I waited she refused to speak another word. Thankfully unlike others who would feign ignorance whenever spoken to about Katherine, she seemed to be far more cooperative.'

"If it doesn't make you uncomfortable I would like you to tell me everything you know about Katherine Waldie."

Marianne hesitated for a while before speaking then slightly nodded. Taking in a deep breath she spoke.

"Madam Katherine was very kind. I remember clearly that I would go with my mother to the mansion and do nothing but play around and cause trouble to those around me. One day during one of my small plays of acting as my mother's entourage I stumbled upon a very beautiful library and there were so many books in there, books about fairy tales, history, unsolved mysteries,  animals, medicine and so much more, but the one that fascinated me the most was the different types of teas all over the world. I would often go there to read that book. I can't tell you the satisfaction I got from reading that book, but there was a part of me that also wanted to try making those teas. 

So one day I snuck out that book from the library with me, but Madam Katherine caught me. That was the first time I had seen one of the masters of that mansion. I was very childish and did not know that she was the owner of the library and the book, because she hardly made any appearances in public. I told her- 'Who are you and why do you say it's your book, it clearly does not have your name on it, now does it?' At first  she was shocked at my comeback but then started laughing. She asked me what I was reading and I told her everything about the book. Apparently she had also read that book, which was obvious since she was the owner but I did not know that back then and thought that I had found a new friend with whom I could share my interests. After we were done talking she told me that she could not allow me to take the book but, she could let me come there whenever I wanted and read whichever book I wanted, she said she would also help me learn how to brew those teas. I accepted her offer and happily went back. 

A few days later I told my mother about my little rendezvous with a girl named Katherine, my mother scolded me so much that it had bought tears to my eyes. She prohibited me from going to the mansion and also took responsibility of my offending behavior towards madam Katherine. A few days passed by and I missed my little outings to the mansion but I also knew that I had made a mistake and I had to take responsibility for it, then one day, while I had supper with my family someone knocked on the door. It was madam Katherine and she had come to take me to the mansion. She told me she would eagerly wait for me everyday to come and talk to her but I never came after that day. She told me that she was extremely disappointed and she wanted to take me back to the mansion with her if that was possible. She told my mother she would like to give me proper education because she had taken a liking to me.

 I clearly remember my mother having tears in her eyes, at that time I did not understand her reason of crying even though it was such a happy moment for me. That night neither I nor my mother could fall asleep due to the anticipation of tomorrow. I was moved into the mansion and given the title of madam Katherine personal attendant and apprentice, though I never really had to do any chores to be specific but she would often teach me and also make me help her with organizing and cleaning her stuff. I had grown very attached to her in the two years as her apprentice, so when she had jumped of the balcony of the library that we had both treasured, it came to me as a shock. It took a while to settle in but when it did I could do nothing but wail for hours in my mothers arms. The library had become unusable since it was locked and I could only have the books that she had given me to study from before she died.

 I stayed in that mansion for another 10 years and in that time I lost my family one by one. I grieved over their death but the fire of determination within me was only further fueled. Madam Katherine had told me that when she was younger she had had a dream of becoming a doctor who would provide medical help in minimal price, growing her own herbs and living in a cottage on a small hill, secluded from the rest of the city, a peaceful, humble dwelling that was only hers to call home. I had taken over her dream as my own. After I completed my studies in medicinal herbs and medical effects and benefits of different teas I resigned from the mansion and came here to live, and fulfill madam Katherine's dream."

"You must have really loved her to go this far to keep her dream alive."

"I loved and respected her very much. She gave me a reason to live after losing all of it."

'We chit-chatted about random things for a while and then I decided to leave given that it was getting dark and I had taken up a lot of her time today.

As I walked back to the mansion I couldn't stop thinking of how kind Miss Marianne had described Katherine to be, unlike the other people I had talked to. Just what kind of person were you Katherine Waldie. Why can't I just figure you out already.'

~Back at the Cottage~

"I couldn't tell her everything about you just yet Madam Katherine. Even if I told her everything about you she wouldn't understand the things you did and why you did it. It's best if she figures it out herself and when she does I will hand this over to her, until then I will hold on to it a little longer for her."

Marianne said holding the small purple box close to her chest as she looked at Katherine's picture.

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A/N: I couldn't find a suitable picture to represent the beauty of that box, so the readers will just have to imagine it themselves. That's Blue Tea/Butterfly Pea Flower Tea on the top  ;)