Chains of Fate

Chapter Seven

Daisy had stopped counting the days since her brother left for the summit. Keeping track only served to remind her of how lonely she was. The hours went by faster when she pushed her brother's absence to the back of her mind. She busied herself with her favorite hobbies - embroidery and taking long walks along the beach. She was content to remain at home when the servants were out and the house quiet. In those rare periods of silence Daisy would break out her father's travel log and read it cover to cover. She traveled the kingdom by his side and took part in his every adventure.

She crossed the crimson canyon, unearthed cultural treasures at the bottom of a mossy covered ruin, and hiked to the entrance of the northern fortress, where the head of the great dragon was encapsulated in stone. She had an audience with the former Four Lords, meditated at the top of the Tower guarded by the Great Sage, and learned how to dress like the lords and ladies of the West. After each adventure ended, she would return to reality, feeling drained, but still yearning for more.

In early autumn the island was struck by a dreadful illness. Daisy made it a point to visit the local village, bearing gifts in the form of medicinal herbs, food, and woolen blankets. Rei accompanied her from house to house as she delivered each care package and did what she could to lift the hopes of the despairing villagers. Many had taken to their beds and were unable to care for themselves or their families. Daisy sympathized with them, their suffering weighing heavily upon her heart.

The island's physician had his hands full. By the time he finished treating one patient, another had succumbed to the illness. The entire island was trapped inside a nightmare, one that threatened to annihilate as many people as possible. But Daisy had not known what it was to be personally affected by the nightmare until Rei's mother contracted the virus.

At first she exhibited the basic symptoms - a rash and fever. These were simple to treat. But as time went by her body began to decline rapidly. Rei was called back home. She left the residence early one morning when the sky was still dark and the ocean calm. Dawn peeked over the horizon as she and Daisy said their goodbyes, tearing up in the process. Then she left, and another long week of waiting for the nightmare to lift ended. The island began to see real improvement during the ensuing weeks.

Following Rei's departure, Daisy was introduced to her new hand maid - a small, energetic girl two years her junior. Yui boasted a short, child-like stature that reminded Daisy of a rabbit. A pair of twin hairs stuck up on each side of her head, giving off the appearance of tall ears. They would bend and twitch whenever she spoke, convincing Daisy that they were alive and had a mind of their own.

The two of them got along well enough, which Daisy was grateful for, but she missed Rei all the same. When she dressed in the mornings and required help to close the buttons along the backside of her uniform, Daisy had to stop herself from calling Yui by Rei's name. It was too soon for her to bond with a stranger, to learn a new routine. She had only just gotten used to the old one. On top of that, Yui's work left much to be desired. She had a carefree attitude and as such arrived late to attend to her duties. Daisy would wake up many mornings to realize that not only did she have to run a bath for herself, but her day clothes had not been laid out and were still tucked away inside her closet. It was frustrating to say the least.

She soon discovered that Yui was struggling to fit in amongst her peers. She belonged to a family of entertainers, had traveled to different villages to perform her music, and had never worked a day in her life. She was supposedly sitting on some kind of fortune that would be hers when her grandmother passed on. The household servants pegged her out to be a spoiled brat. They lifted their noses at her when in her presence and ignored her whenever she asked for their help.

One afternoon, when the household was busier than usual, the head servant appeared at Daisy's door, eager to speak with her. They went to the day room and discussed Yui, over ginger tea and lemon bars. Daisy learned that the girl had been caught avoiding her duties to play her instrument down by the docks. She would perform for the fishermen and send them off to work with a merry tune to encourage them. When they were gone, she would play by the seaside for the fish that popped their heads out of the water to listen, the seagulls perched on the cliff, and anyone who happened to be nearby. The head servant swore to Daisy that she'd had no choice but to drag Yui back to the residence and give her a severe scolding for her negligence.