What villainess am I?

Chapter 8 - Tormented tears

First, a thank you to so many of you who have voted on my chapters, it brings a tear to my eye. Thank you.

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"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways, I to die, and you to live. Which of these two is better only, God knows." - Socrates

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I watch in horror as the Young Lady starts to cry, her eyes in a frightened stare. I try to calm her, but she resists screaming something in a cracked and incomprehensible tongue; whatever it is, it is filled with anguish as she grips her eyes. The cry is loud, almost inhumanly so.

She curls up in her chair, clutching her eyes and clawing at her skin. Thankfully, her nails are small and not a danger, but if she continues to push deep into her eyes, she may damage them. I try to grab her and stop her from digging deep, and she begins to thrash and scream, shrill cries that crack and scratch. Her eyes are tight as I bring her close to my chest, trying to soothe her.

Bursting in as I struggle against the Young Lady, two others open the door, dressed in proper garb. She continues to scream her infernal tongue, and one of the Maids flinch, must be a new girl. Calling to them with a fearful voice that I tried to calm,

"Get a healer! I don't know what is wrong, but get one." They hesitate, the Young Lady's cries of pain giving them pause, "NOW!" I demand; she is already wrestling herself from my grasp.

I squeeze her as she begins to fight me, eyes wide and red as tears stream from her. She screams a painfilled, mournful cry, her hands pushing against me as she tries to escape; handling her begins making things worse while keeping her from getting out and hurting herself more.

She trashes against my grip; however, my strength is enough to hold her baby frame. As she cries, mucus begins to fill her throat, and the sticky, slime-like, and ill sounds that follow are awkward to describe. Hacking and gagging, hiccups followed by gasps for air mixed with guttural screams that sound like it is pulling at her throat compound to worry she may go mute.

She looks so much like she is running from something, something that is crushing her, something that makes her try digging into her skin like boils or wounds. As I continue to hold her, I brush her hair, letting her throw her voice to the wind.

Moving in is, instead of a healer, the Lord, father of the Young Lady. His veil of gold and black hides his expression, but his voice says it all.

"Who caused this!" His voice hits with a ting of pain, and he rushes to the Lady's side, "I thought you were to keep her safe!" He looks up at me, "Damn, I never should have let her leave." I sigh and try to explain things; however, he cuts me off just as I had begun. "Enough." He snarls, grabbing her from me as he does, "You called for a healer, didn't you?" I feel his sneer, that snide expression of contempt. His voice lowers, "If you have no objection, leave." I hear him try to keep calm, venom slashing into my heart. His eyes glow behind his veil, light cast across my frame.

Stepping back, I shiver from the cold glare; I give a curtsey, "As you wish, my lord." I spin on my heel and leave.

From behind me, I hear chanting begin, and as I close the door, I lower my head. What happened to her? What could I have done to stop this?

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It's been three days, and the Young Lady's condition hasn't improved. The Lord barely eats and doesn't let anyone enter without reasons of feeding and replacing water. I fear he assumes assassins finally successfully attacked the Lady's life.

I fear- I fear that he may be right. I stand now in front of the Lady's door and knock. The Lord relegated my duties to changing basins even as her maid; this is the first time I've been allowed in.