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∂ινιѕιση ηιηє

After entering the bathroom, I looked at the little girl covering her body. I hadn't noticed until now, but with her standard black hair color, she also had green eyes. Like Evelyn's green eyes. I slammed my eyes shut due to the cuteness overload. 

I opened them after a moment.

It took only minutes to dress her and for me to walk her back out of the bathroom. Renard left and went home, wherever that may be. Everyone gasped at Sunny's new and clean appearance. As they should with such an adorable little girl. 

Everyone started bathing and going into the bathroom for almost an hour per child. It's funny how I call them children when most of them are my age. 

But the ones who were already clean made their decision while eating. I expected everyone to leave or go their separate ways after eating, but to my surprise, only one person was going to leave. He was an adult of twenty and his name was Bard. He was going to leave, but he received a puppy eyes look from Sunny and he scoffed, announcing his stay. I laughed a bit. Of course, no one could bring themselves to say no Sunny. 

* * *

After a full day, everyone decided to stay with me. I offered that they be dispatched to my brothers or even my parents. As they sat at the table in front of me, I gave them a saddened look. How strange. "Maybe they've been brainwashed?" I thought out loud.

"Would you stop looking at us like that? It's creepy!?" Ellice yelled. After his clean-up, he looked like he could be a young lord. He almost carried himself as such. 

Morris was about to say something in my defense but I raised my hand to dismiss it. "I'm sorry, but this is all just odd for me. Wouldn't all of you want to leave your abuser's presence as soon as she said you were free?"

They all stopped fidgeting at the table. Everyone just sat in silence in their own unique positions.

"You don't seem as mean as before." Sunny blurted out. My eyes watered a bit. It was a blunt comment but it was positive. 

"We've been with you for so long so it's hard to imagine the world as a place safer than with you." Another said.

"How long have you been with me exactly?"

"I don't know. Maybe around seven years." the same one replied.

My mouth dropped. My eyesight became blurry. Tears streamed from my face. "Seven years!" I yelled, turning to Morris in anger. 

I tried to compose myself as I presumed my next words to everyone. "It doesn't matter what you guys want to do, knight, maid, chef, butler, you can do it but you have to wait six months before starting work. Get healthy and then work. Ask any of the other workers if you need anything and try to find Morris or Merila if you need me. I will be taking my leave with Morris."

I grabbed Morris by the wrist and didn't give the children a chance to respond. Ellice and Bard seemed the most on edge due to my anger. I then remembered that it was stupid of me to show my anger to them. It would be easy to think they did something wrong. I would have to apologize to them all later.

* * *

I had dragged Morris all the way to the knight's quarters. I was so angry at him. And Aisha. And myself. 

Why didn't I ask how long were they there? If I had known, I would have fought harder to get them out of there. 

Outside under the stars by the waves of wooden posts. I pressed Morris up against one of the posts. He let out a small grunt as he stared at me with cold eyes.