Chapter 25: Chapter 25 – Punished Or Not
Calming them took a while, but Feng was able to handle three high strung kids by hugging them all to her side.
“Meimei, why are you wearing the same dress?” Elle pulled her head away and frowned.
“Oh, the other one was dirty,”
“What do you mean? Didn’t the maids bring you new ones?” she peered at the boys; even they were wearing the same outfit as yesterday. “I gave you some of my outfits and grandma took out few of brother’s clothes for them, why dint the maids bring it?” she stood up ready to run out but Feng held her back.
“It’s okay, we are okay with this.”
“No, it’s not okay! Don’t you know in our society if we wear the same clothes again the next day it’s frowned upon. I’ll go talk to grandma,” she ran out before Feng could stop her.
“Shit,” Feng ran out, but the little girl was inhumanly fast with her short legs. “Who the hell is she..” she panted, following her to another room near the corner.
.....
Elle threw the door open and ran to her grandmother’s parlour. “Grandma!! Where do we have a shortage of maids?”
Lady Hiliana was quiet stunned by her youngster’s behaviour. “Darling, what’s wrong? You never behave like this,”
“Grandma, didn’t you prepare all the clothes for Feng and those boys where did it go?”
“I asked Buni to send them a while ago dear, what’s wrong?” the kind old lady frowned hard. Little Elle ran behind her to trembling maid Buni.
“Why didn’t you send them?” Elle whispered in a low tone.
“Y-you are mistaken miss, I did send them to their room. I guess the little girl lied to you,” she said with a stiff smirk.
“I am not a kid and I can sense who is lying here Buni! My third eyes can see all. Do you want me to see what you did to her clothes?!!” a weird blue sign slowly emerged on her small forehead. It formed into the shape of a swirling eye.
Seeing the terrifying glowing eye, the maid immediately knelt down. “It’s my fault, Miss, I-I was too selfish. I wanted my kid’s to have them....”
“So you stole from your employee?” Elle stepped closer with an unknown expression.
“no...no miss, it was not like that,”
“Elle,” lady Hiliana ran to her and grabbed her shoulders softly. “Dear calm down, you can’t use magic so recklessly,”
“But grandma, she was abusing Meimei. She didn’t give them clean water, food or clothes. Today I saw even the tub was not emptied of yesterday’s dirty water!!” she angrily glared at her.
“Then we shall punish her for her mistaken as per law. Okay? Buni, go to the punishment bureau. From this day you are not a part of this family,” she loudly said with her eyes narrowed on her.
“Madam!! Please! Please I have children!! I can’t afford to lose this job. Please...” she cried loudly.
It was at this time that Feng entered the opened room. She peered at this scene in shock. ‘what?... what is that on Elle’s forehead huh?’ she ran to her and hugged her. “What’s wrong? What is that?”
Elle calmed down and her sigh stopped glowing, changing into a small black tattoo. “It’s my third eye.”
“Oh,” Feng nodded, but inside she had so many questions, ‘what’s a third eye? Is it like an eye or.... never mind this world has to many bizarre magic abilities. Let’s not worry about that,’ sighing she glanced at the trembling maid. “Lady Hiliana, she didn’t do anything bad to us..”
“Don’t support her dear, people like her who are willing to deceive their master for some money will always have that habit however good we treat her.” she sighed loudly and squatted to her height. “I’m really sorry you had to go through this.... I never expected such behaviour from her.”
“But lady Hiliana I know that she was in the wrong, but she does have a family to support. We don’t know what situation led to her to steal the clothes, but I think it’s not for us to grudge to harshly. Once upon a time even I used to steal food, so even I deserve punishment...” Feng said with her head lowered.
Her heart pounded loudly. All this was what happened in her past life, when she was Feng Mei, the rich conglomerate Feng Rei’s daughter. After he got married to Eliot’s mom, her life became a living hell. She did not outright torture her, but she used to deny her food and medicine when she needed it.... at night she used to sneak to the fridge and steal some food.
That was the time that Eliot saw her. He backed away, seeing her dark shadow and knocked down a costly vase.
Even for that she was blamed without reason..
‘That hateful guy, both his mother and him can go to hell. Why did I have to die with him? It’s the worst kind of death,’ she slowly lowered her head in thought.
Lady Hiliana sighed loudly and sat down. “As you say dear, but next time you have to tell me if anyone is mistreating you,”
“Why do you treat us so well, lady Hiliana? Even back then you saved us from being thrown off board and....”
“Elle dear why don’t you go send Buni to your brother, he will assign her some other job,” the little girl bobbed her small head and took the maid to her brother waiting in the parlour.
Suddenly Hiliana pulled Feng gently over to her lap and caressed her mousy brown hair. “You remind me so much of my late daughter, Elle’s mom. That’s why even she is so attached to you.”
Feng glanced at her kind smile. “Can I ask what happened to her? if you are not comfortable telling me...”
“Nothing like that silly child. She and her husband both passed away while fighting a magic beast. It was a brave death, and they were mourned by the entire city.... they were all good to us. But I can’t handle the pit anymore. I don’t want my grandchildren to grow up being pitied. I want them to grow strong as their parents, so we moved...”
Feng gently nodded. ‘So they were warriors, huh? I heard there is a game character classification called magical warriors. The fight magic beasts which have gone amok,’
Hiliana softly caressed her sunken cheeks. “You are so much like her.... even your eyes look like hers, beautiful brown. Oh, how I miss her smile.” She leaned closer to her shoulders.
“Even if she is gone, she will always be close with you lady Hiliana, because she lives in your heart and memories.” Feng whispered, this was the words that her trusted friend had once said when she lost her mum as well. Back then it sounded absurd. How can a dead person live with us? But as time went on, Feng understood the deep meaning. ‘Death is never the end. Some are reborn and some wander with their loved ones.’
Hearing her words, Hiliana wiped her tears away. “Oh, look at the time. I have been keeping you all from your breakfast. And clothes... come with me,” she went over to wardrobe and took out some gowns. “These are all good and in style as of now. I forgot to ask how old are you dear?”
“I’m ten, madam,”
She looked startled at her answer. “Ten!! Why are you so little still!! We have to feed you well; even Elle, who is just seven is bigger than you in build.” She swiftly handed her a sky blue gown.
Watching her fretting over the choice of ribbon, Feng felt her heart slowly heat up. ‘I guess if my mother was alive she would be as old as Hiliana now.....’ she hugged her suddenly. “Lady Hiliana, you remind me so much of my mother too...”
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