She is right back in that hole she crawled out of those years ago when she mourned her parents' death. However, this time, she has no one to help out. She is all alone in her room with letters from Hias, Soo Min, Othmar, Cillian, Roisin, Filip, Ruben and the others Jothan keeps sliding under her door. They were all the same.

I heard about...

I'm sorry...

I'm sorry...

My deepest condolences...

Everyone is sorry except for the one who caused it. Not to mention, Jothan persistently knocks on her door, asking her to get some fresh air. Fresh air she can get if she opens the window. He leaves a plate of food outside the door every day but when he returns for it hoping that that day would be the day she finally eats, he sees it untouched.

What is the point if the person holding her up is gone?

Nonetheless, what he doesn't know is that every night, she goes to the waterfall and lays on the rocks to stare at the sparkling stars and pearly white moon to talk to him. She swears she can hear him respond in her heart. It lifts her spirit every night but when the sun comes up, she feels the same emptiness the day she found him chained and spread like a chicken.

Her nightly visits to the waterfall are never enough. Some would think she is in her fourth stage: Depression. She isn't. There is a stage that no one talks about. Numbness.

This is when the person is neither saddened nor angered by a loved one's death. Nor have they accepted it. They simply go about their lives feeling nothing. Until one day, something triggers them and reminds them of the person they lost which sends them to the final stage.

Her stomach grumbles and she rubs her hand over it. It has been days since she's eaten. She shrugs and gets up from the bed, making her way towards the door. She almost trips over the plate of food, Jothan left there an hour before. She takes it up and starts eating and by the time she arrives at the kitchen, the plate is empty.

"Oh, I am so very sorry to hear about your fiance, Lady Aiken?" One of the cooks console, sympathy oozing from her eyes.

"Thank you but I'm fine." Neither of them are shocked by her deadpan tone because it is common for people in her position. "Can I get something to eat, please?"

"We don't cook for the likes of you, Obitus," another one of the cooks spit at her yet cowers in the back. "You are a murderer."

"And yet you cook for Silas Casteron. What does that say about you?" Delyth drawls, side eyeing the woman.

"That I have a family to feed. We know about the innocent lives you took in Esadom."

Delyth points a warning finger at her. "Firstly, that was an accident. You, however, won't be if you continue to speak about me as though we grew up together."

No one speaks to which Delyth forces a small smile.

"Good, now about that food I asked about earlier." Quickly, they take out an already baked bread out of the oven and cheese and place them on a small plate for her. "Oh, when you're making supper for Silas, can you boil this flower in the pot and serve it to him?"

She places a pink oleander flower in a napkin on the counter. With wide eyes, they look between her and the flower understanding that she wants them to help her kill him.

"Do it in a way that won't kill him but paralyze him in bed for a few hours. Thank you." She takes the plate and carries it to her room, welcoming the darkness due to the pulled curtains and shut windows.

She has had enough time to plan Silas's death in her solitude. Torment him until his time has come. He will pay for what he did to Tiarnan.

Supper time arrives and it was a hoot to watch him chow down on the food on his plate not knowing what would become of him. Finally the time comes and he feels his throat close up on him. His fingers go numb and his vision becomes distorted. His eyes sweep around the room, trying to mutter a word but all that comes out are gibberish sounds because of how heavy his tongue feels in his mouth.

He sees the silhouette of Delyth standing in the corner with a blank look on her face, enjoying her undoing. It is then that he realizes too late what has happened. She poisoned him. Having been accustomed to such circumstances, he would recognize poison just by the taste. However, it seems Delyth did it in a way that it is undetectable. He tries to smile to show how proud he is of her but it proves to be hopeless because of his quickly numbed face.

Jothan and Zadok look in the direction Silas's focus is at but see no one. Though they are certain who was standing there. The vengeful widow who isn't a widow.

"I almost feel sorry for Silas for what Delyth is going to put him through," Zadok whispers to Jothan, neither making a move to help him.

"I don't. He deserves it. It's time he gets what's coming to him."

Zadok nods then his jaw drops. "I still can't believe Homer didn't make mince out of her."

Delyth sits in the chair in front of Silas's bed, watching as the seconds and minutes go by on the pocket watch. Any time now, he will awake from his slumber. Delyth couldn't wait. A half of an hour goes by when he finally stirs. He pauses in his movement when he feels restricted. He looks at his hands and feet to see them chained to his bed.

His eyes widen when he sees Delyth sitting in a chair watching him. He pulls on the chairs hoping to break them from the bed posts. He fails.

"Does this seem familiar? How does it feel?" She stands from the chair and stalks toward him, kneeling in the bed, peering down at him. No flicker of emotion in her eyes to give the impression she cares or feels guilt. She reminds him of himself. He wonders for a second if he went too far.

She twirls the dagger around her thumb and points it at his chest. "I could slice you up the way you did to my husband but I have a thing for originality. We were supposed to be married tomorrow but I'm sure somehow you know that."

She drags the dagger across his chest, making sure not to cut him too deep. She reopens the 'x' mark she made and watches in immense pleasure as he bleeds and moans.

She inhales deeply and walks away. She hears him pull against the chains. "Don't leave me here, Delyth."

She turns to look at him and gives him an incredulous look. She couldn't stop the humorless laugh that overcomes her. "Don't leave you here, you say?" She tilts her head to the ceiling. "Oh. I really hope your guards care enough to help you in the morning. Good night, Silas Casteron."

She moseys back to her room with her lips in a straight line. He is lucky he found men who were willing to replace the others in the past couple days after what happened.

This is on him. If he left Tiarnan alone like he promised then maybe she would've been more merciful. That's a lie but the point is, he would still be alive for her to tell him that she is pregnant with his child.

Except, Silas took away one more person she loved. Again. And for that, the walls of Lardel Castle will bleed red of his blood.

02/08/22

Au revoir...

Vote | Comment | Share