Melody, Crimson Rose [summer reading list txt] 📗

the kitchens hugging at the middle of the night? I was just gonna have a glass of water, good thing I hid, or they might have seen me. There is something going on! But what? I, no more will trust her.-    


Neola rushed out to help her mistress bring near boxes of jewelry and her best robes inside. Adriano was as pale as ever, was it the right time to reveal the truth, or should Neola wait until Lady Adriano's happy moments? But why would she ruin her happy moments instead her sad (what it seemed like so) moments? Well, she didn't wish it to be this way, but she would prefer to betray Melody and Lord Darius over the Lady who picked her as a right hand over all the other maidens, and has always treated her as her own daughter. They have turned Lady Adriano's marriage bed, that is kept warm with the quilts Lady Adriano has knit herself, into a rats hole! no, Neola had to speak to Lady Adriano. -After the small feast,- she thought -when all the man are drunk and after everyone has a full tummy...-. She placed the jewelry and the robes to the appropriate places, but not the exact same places they used to be placed in. Melody had (as she did with everything else!) rearranged everything for the better and worst.    -Soon it will be over. Soon, sooner than anything, I will arrange it the way I like it, and Melody won't be around to mess up with my order of things.-

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"Lady, lady, are you sleeping?" asked Neola to Adriano. They were in the small courtyard, alone, where Adriano liked to plant her one of a kind flowers. The feast was over, and it was past midnight, but something was troubling Adriano, so she asked Neola to come with her to the courtyard to gaze up to the stars. Now that Adriano had closed her eyes, Neola wasn't sure if she was sleeping or thinking. "No Neola, I am just resting. I am sorry that I am keeping you. You can go to bed." replied Adriano, sounding as if she was sick and tired of every single thing in this world. "No Lady, I shall not leave you alone here. I do not want to return to my room anyways. It's a bit cold, Lady. Would you like anything to cover up?" as she said these words, Neola thought it's now or never. We are alone and it's a calm night. "No, thank you Neola. I have always been indoors at my sisters house. I am sincerely sorry that I wasn't able to bring you to my sisters house. You have always been a great helper and comfort to me, but my sister is very strict about not having outsiders. Now in these days, there are plenty Roman spies and killers who have no mercy. Only if you knew what business is going on at my sisters. I never told you this before, but my sisters husband is a spy himself, and has been in Rome many times. He has done well for this country. But now, he is known by the Romans well. He's in danger, he is threatened my many. His loved ones are in danger too..." there was silence for a minute or so, and the only sound came from the crickets "Neola... When I was there, their son has been killed. He was only 10. He has been killed by one of the top guards, who we trusted so much. Neola, it could have been me, or my sister! My sister would prefer so, her little son, who I used to tickle his fingers! My niece! I, myself never had a child of my own, and the closest thing to that to me is now-is now in the-in the Elysian Fields! Oh Hades, please show a pity for her!" as soon as she was done the burst out. Her cry was piercing the night. 
One by one, all the maids woke up, since the sleeping cuartors are near the courtyard. Soon there was a whole crowd of maids, some putting cold water on her hand and neck, some just trying to figure out what had happened. Melody came too. Her expression was worried and pale. Neola knew she had thought that Neola tolled Lady Adriano her little secret, that was actually what Neola meant to do, but she decided not to add more pain that exists.   


Apollo was approaching with his sun chariot behind the mountains. Neola had stayed up all night comforting Adriano in one of the guest rooms. Since Adriano didn't stop crying, she wasn't able to go to her own bed, not to wake up Darius. She fell asleep at last when Eos came. Neola kept on holding her hand and brushing her hair until she fell asleep, a bit before Adriano. She had forbid any other servant to come in the room knowing Adriano wouldn't want anyone else to hear her secret while Neola was whispering in her ear that it would all be alright. -I wonder if Darius knows about this? If he did, he would have said a couple of good words for their niece in the feast and ask for everyone to make sacrifices to The Unseen One, Hades. I also wonder why they are not having any children. That is actually non of my business.- Neola said to herself.
Adriano slept until noon after all, and Neola brought late breakfast to her mistresses bed. For this once she didn't ask anyone else to prepare breakfast, but made it herself, because she knew what was best for Lady Adriano. When Neola was sad when she was small, her mother used to give her fruits with honey on top and some nuts spread on it, so she did the same for Adriano. She also boiled hot water with herbs. -This should cheer her up.- she thought. 
When she went back into the guest room, she smelled something like roses and vanilla. The room was tidied up and the curtains were open. Adriano was up, sitting in her bed and she was smiling. She was alone. Melody was also sitting on the bed, bradding Adriano's a hair. Melody had flowers on her head. She too was smiling, and talking gossip to Adriano. Although she looked as beautiful as ever, she had purple hoops under eyes, she looked as if she didn't sleep last night, Neola wondered how she looked herself. Adriano smiled at Neola and said "About time you came, Melody was looking for you. I didn't know you were roommates! I'm happy you have such a nice friend to share your room!". Neola was relived Adriano was happy again, but there was something weird, she looked too happy. Could Melody really cheer her up? Impossible! "Oh, I didn't realized I have never told you Lady, well I'm back, I brought breakfast. Melody, you may leave." said Neola coldly. "As Lady Adriano has said, I was looking for you, I wanted to talk with you. Would you mind coming to our room after I'm done with Lady's hair?" Melody said, so friendly that Neola, for a moment forgot she actually hated her now. She looked at Adriano, as if asking for permission to leave when Melody continued "Lady said it was perfectly Ok, right my Lady?". Adriano said "Of course! Poor Neola, I kept her busy all night, I have to see my husband anyways. I will just ask for another favor, Neola, could you just bring one of my best robes?"  


As Neola was approaching her mistresses room, she witnessed something that made her forgive Melody right away. In a dark corner she saw one of the maids in the kitchen being abused by Darius. She froze and watched the scene. Darius was acting like one of those man, not even man but pigs in the worst neighborhoods where any woman with a brain would not even get close to. As he leaned on the unfortunate woman, Neola just turned her back and ran. She didn't care if Darius saw her, but what she cared was what would she do next. She decided to act as if she saw nothing, and picked a blue robe with golden stitches.  As she got out of the room, she saw Darius pulling the maid with him, and that they were heading to the room. Again she ran and hid in a corner, and closed her eyes. She stayed there like a mummy, and all she could do was hear sound. Footsteps, panting, the door being closed and locked and more panting. Then silence and her own heart beat. She reminded herself -I won't breath a word to Adriano!- than she confessed to herself   -But what ever I do, this scene will get in my dreams. Oh poor Melody, I must forgive her, and even more important than that, she must forgive me... I hope.-

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"May I come in?" Neola was fiercely knocking on the door. "Neola, is that you? Come in, is something wrong?" Adriano was still with Melody, and now Melody was done putting flowers in Adriano's head. Melody and Adriano looked like foolish friends, by having the same exact hair. "No, no my lady, here is your dress." tried to run away from the answer Neola. She couldn't just say 'Your husband is a womanizer!'. Adriano wasn't convinced. She said "Are you sure, how stupid I am! Poor thing you must be really tired! Now go! Quick! My poor thing!". Neola was relived. She said "Come Melody, we do have to speak. My Lady, can I please ask you to go weaving instead of seeing your husband! I saw him on the way, he told me to tell you he is working on very important work. He does say he misses you, and he will make you forgive him. I would have come with you only if I wasn't so tired. Ask --- to come with you. I will come once I got my rest.". Adriano  hesitated a bit and said disappointedly "Well, if his work is even more important than his wife he hasn't been seeing for a month, I have nothing I can do, but surely I can visit in his working room, right?" Neola had nothing to say. She replied "You may do as you wish, now we are leaving my Lady.". When Adriano was getting dressed up, Neola pulled Melody outside. She whispered to her "Melody, I lied, he is with a very young maid. I saw them. She was about 14! I don't want Adriano to find out. Please help! I can't think of anything! I just felt as if I gave orders to my own master! I can't---" but Melody interrupted her "Shhh! She's coming, leave it up to me!". Adriano got out. She was dressed, and looked beautiful. Melody said "Mistress, Neola has something to confess," she started. Neola had turned pale. "The thing is, she is very much in love with one of the man who brings fresh milk and water from the kings palace everyday. The is called Alcander. I must say he is a very handsome man, and I had conversations with him before, he is very smart and nice. But his only desire is to have a wife who knows weaving. I don't know if Neola has told you before, but she doesn't know how to weave. As your husband's, Lord Darius's personal servant, I would like to inform you that