I was Born the Unloved Twin - Chapter 105

Chapter 105: 105




They say that once, a long time ago, a person could be sentenced to death for hunting. The forest lands were claimed ruthlessly by people climing over each other into power. Even if it was to save their very own lives.

They say, there were ruthless landlords, acting on behalf of nobles who so claimed more land than they had any right to. More than they had the power to care for. Royal after self proclaimed royal, minor countries and their scrambling forced rulers fighting each other. Yet that was not enough death. Not enough casualties.

The common man, who steps past the very edge of the woods, to slay a beast, was a criminal. They could only wait for the monsters to cross that edge, venturing into human villages, to their fields and homes.

By then it was often too late, the loose beast right at your window, prowling over the half eaten bodies of-

"Scawy! Dats scwawy!" clamored Lilyanne, clutching her pillow with her entire body.

In the soft glow on my one candlelight colored moss jar, she squirms and clamors about on the bed. Her bare squishy legs gripping the pillow tight. Under the covers, the only shadows only bounce between our movements. I play with it, setting the silly ominous mood as best as a 3 year old can.

I'm no good at scary stories myself, despite how many I know, not through my own choice. But it's actually fun telling it or getting people to fearfully react. Quite amusing! Which honestly may have been why I got teased so bad all those times by...

...Besides this isn't really scary, can't go traumatizing the toddler here. I'm not so mean to scare people for no reason!

"Yes, yes it is very scary Lily. That's why some nobles are stupid. Very bad stupid people who say 'nooo this forest is mine, you can't go in to kill monsters or take my stuff'. They call it 'poaching', or stealing, and that's bad yes, but that's a different story. Then spring comes, monsters come out, people get eaten and die. Everyone gets sadder and poorer and die some more. The end."

I am so good at storytime. A great choice for bed time right?

"Waaaah, Lily no likely!"

"Nobody likes that right? That's why some bad people were thrown away, the rules changed lots and we have the hunts each year. They're much safer in a big group of people."

"Grwampapa?"

"....yeah sure, grampa had something to do with that."

"Yaaaaaaaaaay! Smashy! Smash smach speeechy!"

"More importantly, some nobles are mean, greedy and very stupid. You must not believe in every person, especially nobles who don't allow hunts or kill innocent people for stupid excuses."

"Meanies!"

"Mean and stupid nobles yes. Very bad. "

It's not too long ago that grampa returned my baby sister, then ran off excitedly for the hunt. Such a thing has little to do with us. Sure it sounds fun with how excited people tend to get, entertainment is lacking after all. But we're just little kids, it really has nothing to do with us. Lilyanne, however, is babbling louder than ever and getting so much more...physically rough.


Let's not think too hard where she's learning all these bad habits from. In fact, I don't even know who to blame. Grampa or Lukas? Both of them? Let's go with both.

With my foreseeable grounding, with constant monitoring by the security guards, Lilyanne has had every opportunity to stick to me. Like melted cheese or something. My my my...what a strong grip you have little sister?

Even though it's this late at night, Lilyanne is just bursting with too much energy. It's like she's trying to make up for a playtime deficiency with me or something. That's why I was giving her a nice moral little bedtime story. Something to tire her out, maybe if I'm lucky, imprint some life long lessons into that drooly little head of hers.

A crashing comes from the corridor right outside, where the bedroom maids to the nursery should be standing, waiting. I hide away out only light, shrouding the nursery back into darkness. It sounds like a scuffle outside with too many apologies, perhaps a shriek of surprise from maid B.

Yes, I'm still calling them by letters. They're on rotation anyway, not like I'll remember them when they don't stay too long. They're just young ladies in waiting from minor titled households that really have nothing to do with me. How dull.

Though I can say at least one young maid has formally left our services to return home. I sent her off with a bit of the Ventrella house soap, a bit of marketing to spread the word of my fine product. Cleans children far more gently than any noble luxury soap, soft and clean.

Meanwhile, we now received the regular presence of D and E. Gossip and all.

Of course, there are plenty more servents on this floor to see our every need, supposedly. Haha, ironic given my memories. However, these girls are supposedly our 'personal' maids though to me that only real use is the baby cleaning brigade.

Cleaning spills, baths, and feeding Lilyanne, making sure the precious girl is safe and accounted for when she's not off with a family member.

While I know we didn't exactly keep quiet, whoever is on night shift out shouldn't be making such a ruckus out there. A-E knows just how much I like my privacy.

They know it very well. As do any unlettered maids in service. Once famous for my rolling escapes, I am now known for something much more terrifying.

Pranks.

Just modest things that a little toddler like me can pull off. Some sitcom comedy material, all good fun. Little warnings if they try to block my way. I'm a very busy little girl you know?

So what if someone slipped their way down some stairs or out a window? Or caught a fungal infection and had to retire early? It's not like I schemed anything serious. It's nothing big or as cruel as what happened to me and the blasted cursed doll kitti!

Well, if I'm ever really stuck or run low on ideas I guess I could always use the kiddy henchmen.....okay maybe just one of them. I have the feeling Amar is a real house fire in that department.

Ahhhh haha I'm funny. At least I am in my own head. How depressing.

The door opens abruptly, lantern lights spilling in from the hallways. With none of the grace and respect, I've so fearfully instilled into the bedroom maids. They may not be great at their jobs but at least they knew better than to bother me so. What if we were actually sleeping huh?

"What is all this- this foul wretched speak when good children should be fast asleep.!"

In stomps a hefty older maid, shawls covering over treated white night clothes, looking like she was ready for bed herself. Ms. Gerta shines the flickering lantern light in the manner how modern police officers point their flashlight, up high and blinding.

"Poopies!" pouts Lily.

"Why I-" Ms. Gerta shakes, looking scandalized beyond belief.

Speechless, her double chin drops and two cowering young maids from the doorway let out little gasps. One of them giggles.

It's a toddler saying poop. I really don't see the concern. Sure I blame some bad boyish influences but meh, get back to me when she's flinging it at people or something. Ha, now that would be something.

"Why I never! Such language! Young miss Rosalia, how could you spew such filth? Such horror?" she gasps.

".....I'm Rosalia." I pull the cover off my head.

"I'm Lilwi!" my sister exclaims with both of hers up in the air

"She said it." I point.

"Poopies!" she demonstrates, jumping up and down, quite pleased at the spotlight and audience.

The beautiful protagonist everyone, a round of applause please.

I'm sure maids and guards outside the door are shaking out of laughter and cooing cuteness at this point. My sister and I make quite the adorable comedy duo. With poor old Gerta clutching at her shawl in shock, practically dropping the lantern.

I've been doing such a good job of avoiding her this year. Before the secret guards, this senior maid was my biggest obstacle in doing, well anything. I know that I complain about mother's groundings, the feeling of being trapped as a toddler with nothing to do while bored out of my mine. But those are punishments.

Ms. Gerta seems to expect me to stay so well behaved every single normal day. Haha, maybe if I were a real toddler.

I suppose she's acting as an overseeing nanny? The young chamber maids are her hands and feet as she sees to everything in the quarter. Ordering Lilyanne's meals, her daily activities, how clean and organized everything is supposed to stay. Yes, she's doing a good job, I can't find any complaint. The halls are tidy, Lily is always clean and well brushed, and the nursery is always in order.

She's doing a good job as she always has...keeping order. I didn't have any particularly negative impression of her services in my last life. In fact it was even rather favorable in the time she remained in our serives. She would scold a young Rosalia as necessary but didn't ignore me like the others. Disciplined the insolent maids that cause trouble or 'forget' my meals. The nursery I stayed at in my childhood, all alone, was always clean and tidy. Nothing ever out of place if I didn't mess it up, didn't move.

So something feels quite off to me now in this lifetime. Some things are just not adding up.

"These are not the sort of filth befitting of a lady! Young miss Rosalia,how could you teach your innocent baby sister such indecency. Tis awful speak you are not to repeat!"

"...The word poop? She does that on her own."

"Poopies!"

"Maybe Lilyanne has to go....Lily do you need to take a trip to the little girl's room? Is that why you can't sleep? "

My sister thinks about it, pushing at her tummy and humming. She rolls from one side to the other, with a concentrated face before opening her eyes to beam at, me.

"Nooooo. Lilwi pushie and noooooo."

She would be so cute if she didn't just let out a little toot from her 'pushie' mid roll. Once again the beautiful angelic heroine, toddler edition! I wave the light gas away from me, urg this is another lesson to teach. Facing away from people when you do that.

"That's enough of such nonsense! Such foulness, the awful things you get your sister to copy. "

It's with the same pillow I use to wave the air that I stop the approaching hand making to pick me up off the bed. Wacking away the plump aged hands of the head maid with surprising force. She's so loud in her movements that I could feel it even distracted.

Forced back and honestly more than a little shocked, Ms. Gerta can only use her words. Oh say, like a civilized person? Tsk tsk, where did the strict but well mannered nanny maid from my memories go?

"To be whispering ills and offensive words at nobles. It's undone, it's unheard of! I suspected another one of your 'storytimes' but to think I would find such a thing! And you two out there, don't ye be believing you're not to be held responsible for allowing such a thing to pass. It's unacceptable!"

Lilyanne plops to her butt, looking confusedly between a practically yelling Ms. Gerda and the cowering chamber maids right outside. At the scolding tone, my sister takes to clutching at a pillow again half hiding behind my unimpressed little form.

Ah so that's what it was about, my storytime. They're quite popular in this world without any real fast entertainment you know? Sure there are books but those things are expensive and time-consuming.

But it appears that the part taken at most offense is how I spoke of this land's ruling classes. Our purge worthy nobles, dethroned little 'royals'.

"They're not ills Ms. Gerta, our grampapa told us these stories. He told us many great stories, of when he was young. " and actively getting rid of all the litter that trashed the land.

I stare up at her with innocent eyes, leeching off the mood Lilyanne was emitting behind me. When I reach back to take her hand, it looks like the mutual comfort of two little angels.

No one is allowed to laugh or dismiss that proclamation, I'm angelically cute even if I have this soul and personality. Cute is cute! The whole world, or at least this room and those peeking from the corridor can see that. Yes, that includes any secret guards that may or may not be around.

Hey, my senses are getting better right? When will I be able to tell where they are or if they're even here?

"Everybody knows the stories of how our hunts began. Even little kids. I didn't teach anyone anything? Nor is it bad...are the hunts bad?" I drawl off, purposefully making myself look and sound more my age.

It's not like I can speak comfortably to just anyone. Even my 'dumbing down' is still far too much for the average toddler. It's so troublesome to have to act so much slower and ignorant than I really am so much of the time. Yet it's absolutely necessary around the in waiting maids, these minor nobles that can easily report their findings back home by a simple messenger bird. That's why I find staying silent, maybe terrorizing them away with pranks, is so much easier.

"We were repeating grampapa's stories he told. Are they bad?" I repeat, tearing up.

"Rosa?" hiccups Lily, already dripping tears. She's a very emotional mirror, reflecting off others. If I cry she cries, just maybe with 10x the force, it's just that simple.

I'd fear I'm teaching her a bad lesson here, the opposite of what I've been trying to do with storytime and just say my entire life. That is if this wasn't already Lilyanne's signature move. Crocodile tears will not solve your problems, but they will get you out of many many things. Free pass!

The ear pulling or whatever physical alternation that was previously approaching is null. Ms. Gerda may be a strict sort of person but she's can't act out after those clear points I made.

More than that...she can't act out at all.

Ms. Gerda has never hit me. Correction, she's never touched the original Rosalia, outside of an ear tugging or such. She never hit me nor ignored me. A trusted figure that's good at her job.

Then why the hell did those insolent maids under her act the way they did?

When the original Rosalia, still just a child, not yet even touched by the baptism struggled and fell all on her own. When she was wandered too far out her perfect tidy room and was punished for it? Why?

Stairs.

Window.

Sickness.

Why was all that even allowed to happen in the first place? Why weren't those maids ever appropriately punished? Why was almost everything always swept quietly under the rug until I got old enough to drag them all back out of their hidings?

That's right...that is part of the reason why the original had such a fearsome reputation. The cruel young miss Rosalia Ventrella. Hunting down innocent former employees, their only sin was catching her unreasonable eye. So people whispered, as horrified as they were morbidly amused. Especially the ones who showed up to those public stakes!

Entertainment really is lacking in this world. It's not like I put anyone to death in front of a crowd. Ahem, I mean Rosalia of course. The girl that all this happened to me. Not me.

All that didn't happen to me.

It's different.

I'm not Rosalia.

I'm not her. I was hit because they cared. Even if they didn't care about each other, they cared about me. Everything was for my own good. They only hit me because they-

"Rosa? *hic* Rosa no, Roso no cry! Lilwi sorwi, sorwi I be good. *hic hweee* We be good an go to sleepie and no more stories? *hic hic* Rosa don't cry. We be good, pwease. *hic bwee* Pwease don't make Rosa cry! *hic*"

I slowly turn to the toddler half peeking out from behind me, nose already dripping messily. This girl cries so ugly, even as a child. When she really cries, it's a mess. It's a wonder how she could attract so many men with such an ugly scrunched up face, such an ugly cry.

How did she get so much love with that ugly face?

"There there now dearies, oh by the lords and ladies. No need to get your tears all out in such a mess. Oh your faces." sighs the old maid.

As if her hand had not just reached out to grab me just a moment ago, if I didn't hit it away. Something I felt my body react to even more I made a conscious decision.

Ms. Gerda never hit me.

Not like those maids.

Not like my own parents. My real ones, the ones that stay in my memories even though I'm not her anymore. She never physically hurt me.

She never cared either, maybe worse.

"As long as you know your wrongs! Nobles, such as yourself my little misses, are not to be spoken of as such. You're meant for different things than commoners, blessed with a power in life. You're only so small now, you will learn as you are ladies. Never speak of such horrid things." she scolds.

"Horrible?"

Pillow up and defensively shielding in front of me, to hold off on any unwanted touch. I turn back, finally feeling how much wetness on my own cheeks.

Huh? Wasn't I just crocodile crying, a little too effective huh?

"Was what my grampa did horrible? The stories say that he saved a lot of people."

"That's-"

"The stories say that he beat up a lot of bbbaaaad people in power. Because their power was wrong, even if they had to for a loooong time. The stories say that he chased some of them through the forests in the spring. That the first real hunt....wasn't for beasts. But aaaaalllll these criminals rounded up, set loose into the worst of the woods."

"Young Miss, you must be tired this late-"

"A contest. It was a great biiiiiig trial. If they could survive the forests, their 'land', then it was safe and all those common people were just breaking laws. He took lots and lots of 'noble' people and told them to go. Then it turned into the first hunt! How fun!"

My voice sounds odd, and it's not just the forcibly childish tone to it.

Behind me, Lilyanne still hiccuped, struggling to hold in her cries as I spoke. My my my how considerate for my little crybaby of a sister. Her confusion nothing compared to the paling face of the frozen maid in front of me. Even though she's standing, it feels as if I'm the taller one here, looking down.

"Those lots and lots of people in their pretty clothes and big bellies became not so lots. Lots and lots of people were hunted, they found out beasts really were bad. Since they had so much fun, they let the hunts go on and everyone could play too! Rich or poor. So we never have to have a people hunt ever again. There was a party too, one that the nobles often held, using money and property from all the dead bad nobles. It went back to all the families of dead villagers and everything got better. This is just one in many stories that everyone knows, why did you call it bad?"

Fake tears are just that, I've already willed myself to stop producing anymore. In fact I feel quite calm, what a strange hiccup I seem to have had earlier. Still, it must be quite the horrid appearance I have on.

I must be very messy.

After all, why else is Ms. Gerda, proper old traditional Ms. Gerda, looking at me like that? Like how people looked at an older Rosalia when they were summoned at the stakes, at the gallows. Like a fearful ghost, chased after for a promise, a curse of revenge no matter how many years passed. How ridiculous.

I'm only a cute little toddler you know?

"Everyone can hunt now. Just like anyone can get hunted and die."

The shadows of the lantern dance as it drops and clatters on the floor, rolling towards my bed. Closer and closer under me.

"Oh, you have to know this story too, Hey hey, Ms. Gerda? You're an adult from that time, do you remember the first hunt? The one in the stories. Can you tell us a story? Hey Ms. Gerda, were you there too?"

A great thus sounds out as more than just the lantern hits the floor.

How anti-climatic. She fainted. Well, she is old. If my little taunts really were the truth, it just must have been too much for her. If not, then perhaps I just angered her to the point of passing out. That can't be good for a senior's blood pressure. She didn't get an aneurysm or stroke right?

I immediately let out a fake cry of shock, ordering the frozen maids and guards outside to see to the old woman on the ground. Get her back to her quarters and into some bed rest immediately. The show is over, time to do your jobs.

"*hic*Rosa?" tugs my sister, looking still quite emotionally distraught despite her tiredness. Red face, as if holding in her breath, an expression like one before a violent sneeze. The signs all checking off in my head.

Oh no, oh no no no.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"

Ah, there's the Lilyanne I know with the waterworks. What healthy lungs she still has. I'm honestly surprised she managed to hold it in this long.

"There there Lily." I try to no avail.

"Wah wah scawrrrries!!!! Wwwwaaaaaaaah."

"Yes yes Lily, the world is full of scarries. But that old man is the biggest scary so just hide behind him if anything happens."

"Wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! *hic hic*"

"Do you want mama? Nothing scary can hurt you with grampa and mama. Come on girl. Come on Lily, take my hand and let's go to mama's bed tonight. Hmmm? Won't that make everything better!" I bait.

While still crying her little head off, Lilyanne grips tight, making me lead completely. I don't think she can even see like that through swelling eyes and all those tears.

Right, the Lilyanne siren coming through. It's honestly not all that late for most of the adults but sorry for disturbing the peace. Full out sobbing Lilyanne here, clear the way. When she gets like this only her mother can fix this.

I just hope I won't be blamed for making her cry again. Really she does all this on her own!

"Wwwwwwwwwaaahhhhh!!! Waaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!"

Today's storytime was an absolute failure. Oh well, you can't please them all the time.

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Bonus: Status Reports w/ Frederick

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"My, how precious. It appears that your children will be sleeping with the Lady of house tonight. They're already well on their way to her quarters." reported Alfonso, reading off the note from a mysterious almost magical source.

His master, Lord Frederick looked up with a raised eyebrow, snapping a long leather strap on the glove securely. The fit of it tight but not numbing. It was something his wife was oddly fond of but then again, Maria was oddly fond of a lot of things. From his gloves to his ungelled hair, not to mention the ears.

Ahem, it was always nice to not be found displeasing to one's partner so Frederick didn't ponder about it excessively.

"Really now? The both of them?" he asked, thinking of what brought this on.

It's not like he disliked the notion once in awhile. It was a surprisingly pleasant novelty that never wore off, the three of his girls all tucked up into one space. Domesticity he never quite knew what to make of. Only that he was blessed beyond anything he has ever thought possible.

While his youngest was excessively fond of snuggling up in the comforts of her mother's bosom, in their shared bed whenever possible, Rosalia was much more reserved about it. That is if she were awake to notice to change in where she fell asleep and where she ended up. Still so young and yet his eldest already found it, dare he say, embarrassing.

Some mornings, where his Rosalia awoke in their bed, on the days he could stay to observe, she would make a face of grimace and tears. The great sudden shift of sleepy comfort versus the shock was quite humorous. He fears this may be why his beloved wife finds such joy in teasing him through their relationship.

Yes his eldest would jump up the bed, losing all sense of that wonderful comfort of a previously kittenish slumber. All before healthily running off to start her morning exercises and bath with a mighty roar of "gross gross gross!".

So he found it a tad odd, why she would be willing on this particular night. But that's what the guards and Alfonso were for. To clarify those concerns with their constant surveillance. Ah how he could breathe much easier with them there.

Perhaps it might have been excessive in the eyes of others, to assign shadow guards, secret spies, and trained assassins to do the simple job of watching a little girl. But that was his little girl.

"It appears that it was 'storytime', the contents and events being much too frightening."

"Ah. Chip does have a slight tendency to bully Cheese. Was that my Lily sobbing like a mad lark down the echoes then? I thought it sounded like one of her tantrums."

As a parent, it was not only his duty to learn the differences of his daughter's cries but her moods. A skill that only came easier with the prerequisite course of being a husband, well-practiced in being forced to decipher his wife. Unfortunately, it wasn't only him but essentially the whole staff that was learning the differences in Lilyanne's crying. She is after all their young miss.

"Yes. Though, a head maid fainted from...' storytime', as told by our young miss Rosalia."

"Their quarters then....Gerta. Hmmm, I was wondering what Chip had in store for her. Didn't think she would act at this time."

"Miss. Gerta seemed to have interrupted their bedtime...Twas but a story, of the origin of the hunts with the honorable Lord Commander in his youth. "

"Ah yes, I always did adore that one. "

A metal grate with a sole small stained glass window, thicker than a safe, creaked. Frederick moved leisurely as it unlocked. On one hand, he held a silver bowl of red. Bits of fresh raw meat, still on the bone. In the other, a long black metal pair of tongs poked, scooping up a bit of the meat, the feed.

It still had skin and nails.

"Ladki, you contemptuous and glorious creature, are you still planning on sleeping in this year as well? Your complexion is looking worse than last. Come now. A bit to tide you over."

The redhead nudged, tongs sticking the still bleeding cuts of fingers into the hole.

The tongs twists shook and rattled. An angry hissing banged about, echoing inside the much deeper dark space.

"That's a good girl. Feeling peckish finally? You're getting quite lazy in years." he fed it another, and another until finally, all rattling stopped. Nothing but silence. As if the thing inside had gone back to sleep.

Fangs and scales sprang out. Latching from the tongs straight into the gloved hand that handled it. Wrapping and twisting as it nipped, up and up further.

"Well good morning, or shall I say night, to you too Ladki."

The snake hissed, it's hood up, crawling up from the spiral on the arm up past the protection of the gloves, up and over a shoulder with no real protection. It's head making it's way to dangle overexposed collar bones as its tail wrapped its self like an old friend you loved to hate. A little too tight at the throat.

"I see you are showing off but I still stand by my earlier statement. Your scales are getting dull" he petted at it, examining the hood.

The creature hissed, opening its mouth vertically wide, impossibly tall and wide. It opened large enough to fit a man's head and then some. Fangs elongating, rows of razors spiraling towards the back.

A clear drop of liquid dripped, burning a steaming hole through whatever happened to be unfortunate enough to be its landing point.

"Bad. Bad Ladski. To think I brought you treats. "

Despite his burning clothes and floor, Frederick merely rolled his eyes. Moving with the beastly reptile as if it were a bird on his shoulder and a snap as Alfonso covered the burning small hole with a flutter of white cloth. Upon contact, the cloth melted into the wood, and then, it was like nothing ever happened there.

"Don't think it's just this bowl." petted Frederick as he poured the rest of it down the monstrous mouth.

It chomped down, swallowing like it knew how to savor. To enjoy.

"I have a special treat for you this year."

The snake hissed softer this time, it's black forked tongue flickering back and forth. Frederick chuckled, leaning back over the desk and reaching towards an almost decorative bowl of fruit. Something that did not interest the carnivorous reptile in the slightest.

"Now now, don't be hasty. You'll like him, I promise. "

With an elegantly sharp letter opener, the young Lord spilled even more red. Tiny dark rubies spilled forth from the broken peel, bathed in it's own bloody juices.

He held the fruit up to the creature, allowing all it's senses to focus. Its eyes glowed as they dilated. As if the scaled beast could understand him in all his silence.

"I told you. Now, do as you'd like....and try not to kill too much more than you can finish." he whispered, eyes glinting into his gentlemanly smile.

With practice grace, Frederick set his arm down, and let the thing slither off and away, into a corner and vanished with way serpents do. He watched it go, tossing the beautifully rotting fruit into the golden fire along with the ruined glove. His butler ready by his side in the clean up as it twisted and burnt.

"Now then, it's time to head to bed. My girls are waiting. "

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