Reincarnation

05

Kaycee's nightmare smelt like wet mud. Not that mud can't be wet.

It was raining, lashing actually. Boxes made from cardboard splashed in the puddles around her as if they'd fallen from great heights. It no longer mattered what was in them. A strike of lightning revealed hooded figures looming over her. Their faces covered by masks of running water.

'Kaycee!'

She woke up with a start and nearly fell over the side of her bed. She caught herself on the headboard, her legs dangling and hitting the floor below. 

It wasn't rain on her face but sweat. She saw a drop slide off her chin and plummet into nothingness before someone grabbed her shoulders and yanked her back. Kaycee wobbled before falling on top of both Charity and Alex.

'Get off me, servant girl!' Charity shouted in her ear.

'What happened?' Alex asked, trying to shift around and lift Kaycee off his lap without alarming the girl.

'N-nothing' Kaycee stuttered, still shaken by her nightmare. It felt so real. Too real.

Alex looked at her skeptically but continued arranging clothes in her newly fitted cupboard.

'What are you doing?' Kaycee asked, rubbing her eyes vigorously, in hopes of brushing off her bad dream.

'Sean insisted that we get you more clothes... and furniture for that matter. So here we are' Alex explained, hanging a fine green dress on a hanger.

'I'm just here to watch. There's no way I'm touching an orphan's clothes' Charity scoffed, scrunching her face up in disgust. And those words hit deep. Orphan. She was an orphan, and she knew that. It's kind of hard to forget. But living with the Lews- as a servant or not- she never felt that way. Never felt as if she was an orphan in the first place.

'Behave! The last time you girls argued it got way out of hand. Will said he'd have my head on a platter if it ever happen again' Alex warned, pointing a finger between the pair.

He gave Kaycee an extra glance of worry. He'd been caught off guard by Sean's sudden interest in providing Kaycee with more clothing. It was as if he knew their little secret. But until it was over and evidence proved against her, Alex would have to help Kaycee shoulder the burden of their secret, their lie by omission.

'I can't stand being inside this tiny room. I'm leaving.' Charity huffed, walking out on the tip of her toe so that her soles wouldn't be dirtied by the imaginary dust on Kaycee's floor.

'Finally' Kaycee whispered, once the door had closed shut. 'I thought she'd never leave'.

Alex lauged at her disinterest with Charity, his desire to ask Kaycee if Sean knew their secret growing impatient and restless.

'Does Sean know our secret?' Alex blurted out, almost a little too loud and fast. Almost.

'What? No, why would you ask me that?' Kaycee replied, hand over her heart in shock.

'It's just all these clothes.' Alex tried to reason, brushing his fingers over the expensive fabric.

'Really? You think that just because Sean's being nice to me, he knows our secret' Kaycee scoffed, not meaning to be as rude as she was. She knew Alex only had good intentions and was just being careful.

'I'm sorry, Kaycee. I didn't mean to be so straight forward' Alex apologized, laying a hand on her shoulder which she shoved off rather graciously.

'Anyways, Sean told me that he wanted you to wear this today' Alex said softly, holding out a heavy looking outfit.

Kaycee eyed the outfit. Sean had given her something so far beyond her station that's she'd almost broken out into hives when she saw it. She thought that the vibrant red silk blouse and leggings would have been enough finery, but then wardrobe attendants brought in two separate pleated skirts, a full arm length wrap around top, and a wide, gold belt with such exquisite stitching that it should have been mounted on the wall rather than tied around her waist.