I blinked a few times. I then placed the tray on the floor, still seated. "I don't understand. What do you—"
Becca shook her head. "I have been waiting… for a long time now. I—I thought…" She sighed. Her eyes darted toward her cart behind her before returning to me. "I was even starting to think something might have… happened."
I shook my head. "I am confused. What—"
A sudden realisation made the rest of my words die in my throat.
Her cart. Nearly all the plates were empty, and previously folded towels were now arranged at the bottom row of the cart. I slowly stood up, staring at it.
Just how long had I remained in his chambers?
"I… I…" I breathed, slowly facing Becca. "I could have sworn, I wasn't there for that long…"
Even if I had wasted time there, it surely wouldn't have been so long for Becca to have finished serving all the other pets.
"No… that's impossible," I murmured, touching my wrist.
I was certain I hadn't wasted that much time standing idly by. He was already irritated enough. And the boy had eaten quickly.
"You know…" I touched Becca's arm, whispering more to myself than to her. "Let's not think too much of it. I am just… glad this is over."
Lord Fashire didn't detain me or interrogate me or hold me hostage.
So everything was fine.
Becca nodded quickly, almost too quickly. She tucked one of her blonde curls behind her ear and lifted my tray from the floor.
"Thank you," I murmured as she went to add it to her cart.
Becca looked at me and offered a faint smile.
Together, we left the Lords' wings. But no matter how much I tried to push my worries aside, I had a strange foreboding sensation that just wouldn't leave me.
Just how long had I spent in Lord Fashire's chamber?
\-\-\
The following day was odd.
We had gone to serve the Lords that morning. And as Becca had promised me last night, she had gone to Lord Fashire's wing to deliver food to his pet while I took the food cart to the other Lords' wings.
As luck would have it, two Lords were absent, so I found myself in the company of their pets alone instead. They seemed well off, which brought a welcome relief for me.
And well… the Lords who were present, fortunately, didn't give me much attention. Lady Gremlin was pleasant, as always. Once I was done, I left the Lords' wings, and I waited for Becca.
I waited.
Then waited some more.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, and I felt uneasy. She too, was taking quite a long time in there, and I wondered if it was similar to what I had experienced yesterday.
When Becca emerged from Lord Fashire's wing, my relief was short-lived. Her face was drained of colour, a stark contrast to her usual vibrance. I stood there, perplexed.
"Becca, are you all right?"
Her startled eyes swept to me as if just realising I was standing there. She then made a feeble attempt at a smile, but her quivering lips betrayed her true state.
I approached her, scared. "Becca? You look…"
She covered her mouth and shook her head, pain flashing across her face. Becca burst past me, running without a word. Bewildered and worried, I pushed the cart and rushed after her.
"Becca, what happened in there? Is something wrong?" Desperation seeped into my shaky voice.
This did not make any sense. She had been to his chambers before, but she seemed so agitated. Even more agitated than I was yesterday.
She squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, "I don't want to speak of it. I'm truly sorry, Hiln."
She dropped her food tray onto my cart and gently nudged the cart from my grasp. Becca wheeled it away without another word as my chest grew heavy with fear and guilt.
It was my fault.
She had gone to serve him because of me.
I had assumed she would be fine since she had served him before, but it seemed I had been sorely mistaken.
She must have witnessed something very disturbing. The thought of that boy clawed at my mind, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
I couldn't help but feel that Lord Fashire had unleashed something horrific upon that innocent boy while Becca was still in there.
\-\-\
I had asked Matadre to give Becca and I the rest of the day off, and she approved since we didn't have any other tasks left to carry out.
An hour later, we were at the nearest village, seated on the front porch of Becca's favourite pastry shop.
I smiled at Becca and she returned it, only for her to avert her eyes right after.
The workers arrived with Becca's cupcakes and another set for her to take back to the castle as a gift.
Her face softened with gratitude and I smiled again, happy I brought her here.
She dug into the snack with such joy and I turned to my chocolate cupcakes.
"Hiln?" Becca broke the silence.
"Hmm?" I blinked mid-bite, trying to respond.
"What happened when you... went to Lord Fashire's chamber yesterday?"
My fingers tightened around the foil wrapper. "Hmm... It was nothing, really," I replied, my voice muffled by the last piece in my mouth. I swallowed it. "Did you see the boy?"
She nodded.
"Nothing much happened, Becca. I simply delivered his food and took the plates once he was done. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. Well, perhaps I was a little slow…" I admitted with a nervous chuckle. "Fortunately, Lord Fashire didn't snap at me much. But why do you ask about it now?" I crumpled up the foil as unease settled low in my stomach.
She didn't answer. Her gaze searched my face as if trying to measure something unsaid.
The air grew heavy with unspoken words, and I grew frustrated when she still did not speak.
Unable to contain it any longer, I uttered the question that had been haunting me, "Did he do something to the boy?"
"No… he was asleep," she answered as if uncertain about what she had just said.
I was confused. "But… what happened? Why did you take so long in there?"
Becca sat up. "It seems our cases were similar. We both did little and you also took so long."
"Becca, you looked terrified, and I was so worried that—" I stopped and thought better against pressing answers out of her. Maybe he had told her to keep silent about the matter, and she could be in trouble if she told me anything.
I just sighed. "Don't worry about it then. I just don't like seeing you this way."
She gave me a grateful smile which then faded. "Ah… thank you, Hiln. I appreciate your concern… But… it's not myself I am worried about."
For a long moment, a soft breeze swept through the shade, brushing aside Becca's short blonde curls.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Hiln."
"Becca?"
Her voice carried a devastating weight I had never heard before. "Lord Fashire asked of you."