“I can’t believe you’re using your countess voice on me.” Thomas sniffled amused, “Stop being ridiculous and I’ll let you be the adult again.” Villain replied, Thomas, chuckled, “Alright.” He said, taking a deep breath. “Would you like to sleep in your old bedroom?” He asked not wanting Villie to deal with having stabbed pillows or blankets with her in the bed.
“Will you stay with me?” Villie asked in a tiny voice, “Of course miss.” Thomas said, smiling softly at her. Villie nodded and hugged Thomas’s neck as he carried her off to her bedroom away from her parent’s bedroom.
Villie was able to sleep that night because the butler stayed by her side holding her hand in his. The next morning Villie was woken by the sound of the gallows being made in the courtyard. She said nothing to Thomas and he didn’t mention it. They continued where they left off yesterday working on straightening up the budgets. After that Villain would have to review laws and then soon after that she would have to go on inspections.
But because she was still healing, Thomas suggested she send someone else to do it. Villain wasn’t sure who to send just yet and asked for more time. Thomas explained that it was further off so there was nothing to worry about just yet.
Instead, Villain had bigger problems waiting for her in the afternoon.
The attempted murder of a noble in any monarchist or aristocratic country is among the highest of crimes one could commit. Even if that individual is a noble themselves. Because Villain was higher ranked than Baron Raymond she was allowed by imperial law to determine his punishment.
It was only natural that Villain chose death, a standard punishment for a crime just like this.
No one questioned Lesile’s punishment. More outrage came from the hanging of Kaylee. As Villie sat there in the stands she was shouted at by several people.
“Kaylee is a good girl!” “She has a family to take care of!” “Please have mercy!”
Villain stared at the crowd as Leslie and Kaylee stood there on the gallows. “Mercy?” She asked, “You want me to have mercy on her?” She looked at Kaylee who was sobbing silently. “Who had mercy on me as I was dying beside the road? Who stopped and checked on me? I was only two miles away from this estate.” The crowd went silent hearing the young girl talk.
“Instead of mercy my parents’ bodies were looted, instead of mercy my cries for help were ignored, instead of mercy an attempt was made on my life not a fortnight after my parent’s funeral!” Villain exclaimed, she looked at Kaylee. “This is your mercy Kaylee. Your brother and sister will be looked after by my estate. They will not go hungry and they will not want.” She announced.
“Because of you, a ten-year-old has to get blood on her hands.” Villain said standing up, “Consider your sins in hell.” She spat, “Miss!” Kaylee sobbed, “I’m sorry!” Villain wasn’t moved by her pleas. Kaylee had always looked for ways to move up. But everyone did, in their own
Villain remembered when Kaylee had approached her father. Her mother and she had been heading to his office. Villain saw the maid in a thin nightgown trying to approach the count. Villain remembered almost jumping out and shouting at her father. But… Her father laughed at the sight of Kaylee.
“I only love three people in this world. You are not among them.” Those words and her mother’s amused chuckle still rang in her ears today. She had wondered who the third was. She understood better what her father had meant now. Villain glanced at Thomas.
“I’ll do the signal.” He said calmly, Villain nodded. Knowing that Thomas didn’t want her to get blood on her hands. Within a moment’s notice, Thomas turned his thumb down. The floor dropped and two body’s dropped.
A sickening snap echoed through the courtyard. People screamed and children wept. “You vile child!” An old woman screamed, “Yes, I am quite vile for wanting to live aren’t I?” Villain replied coldly. She turned to Thomas, “Send for those children.” She demanded, Thomas nodded.
By the time the evening came an eight-year-old and a six-year-old were sitting at the dinner table with Villain. The eight-year-old boy’s name was Taylor and the six-year-old girl’s name was Kelly. They sat there shaking with anger.
“You killed our sister.” Taylor spoke up, “Do you think giving us a hot meal is going to change things?” He spat angrily. “No.” Villain replied simply. “You sister did try to murder me to become a baron’s wife.” She reminded them, “Are you going to kill us?” Kelly asked with tears in her eyes. Her front teeth were missing.
“The opposite actually.” Villain replied, “I’m adding you to my family roster.” She said the two children looked confused. “I’m giving you my last name so you can be nobles like me.” Villain explained.
“Why because you’re guilty?” Taylor spat, he was filled with anger and fear. “No.” Villain replied, “I’m not guilty nor am I sorry. Unless you know what it’s like to wake up in the middle of the night with someone trying to kill you. I won’t apologize.” She said lowly.
“I trusted your sister. I thought we were friends…” Villain told them, “You know I’m just a couple years older than you Taylor.” She added, “You don’t talk like it.” Taylor said with a conflicted face. “It’s not like you speak like a child either.” Villain replied curtly.
“I’m giving you two this because I promised your sister mercy. You two will never want for anything. There will be no more leaky roofs, no more moldy bread, you will have nice clothes and clean beds.” Villain informed them, “What do you get in return?” Taylor asked warily, “Bodies.” She said, startling them both. Villain cleaned her throat, “I need family members. People with my last name. I need people who are able to take on tasks for me to help me.”
“How can you trust us?” Taylor questioned, “Because you have no choice.” Villain replied with a smile, the two children were instantly chilled. “Without me, you’ll be on the streets and then sold off in a matter of weeks.” She told them, the two children looked disturbed and looked as if they understood exactly what she meant.
“You’ve seen it haven’t you?” Villain asked, Kelly, bit her nails and nodded. The three children were silent for a good moment. They all had seen it. Children sold off to the highest bidding rich man, nobleman, or priest. All of them having the same look in their eyes. A disgusting and greedy stare of hunger. It was a plague in the empire. The selling of people like cattle.
“I also,” Villain spoke up after a moment, “Want your sister’s death not to be in vain.” She said quietly, “She wanted to be something more than a maid. Wouldn’t it make her happy if you two rose up and became a lady and lord of the house of Ness?” She remarked. The two children looked at each other and nodded. “Okay! But I still won’t like you!” Taylor exclaimed, “Neither will I!” Kelly added in.
“I’m not asking you to like me.” Villain said smiling, “I’m simply asking for your cooperation.” “Alright.” Both children replied. The three children ate together in silence. But Villain found comfort in just having others at the table with her. Even if they hated her. Being hated was better than being alone in her book.
When Villain walked back to her bedroom Thomas walked with her. “Are you ever going to tell the children?” Thomas questioned, “What?” Villain asked as her cane clicked on the tile floor. “That she had plans to abandon them?” Thomas asked and Villain stopped.
“No.” She replied. “Never.”
Days passed and the day of the march on the Raymond territory arrived weeks after. Villain rode on the horse with Sir Philip. She refused to ride inside of the carriage offered to her. As each mile dragged on, Villain swore to create one of those metal carriages she saw in her dreams.
Sir Philip, unlike most of the other knights, didn't bother trying to converse with the young countess. But he had always been the stoic type. Villain remembered when her father brought him home.
He wouldn’t explain where he got him from, he only said that no child should’ve been where he was. Villain pieced it together when she saw the scars on his hands and his skill with the sword. Philip was someone who had killed many times.
So he rode with Villain with a dull expression in his green eyes as his black hair bounced with each step of his steed.
Jackson on the other hand was loud and chatty, there was still innocence in his blue eyes and he wore his heart on his sleeve. “So you’re planning on taking another territory after this?!” He asked riding beside Villain and Philip. “Yes.” Villain replied tiredly. Jackson was just exhausting to keep talking to every five minutes, she glanced at Philip who gave her a dull empathetic gaze. It was clear he understood her pain.
“Man you are one blood-thirsty kid!” Jackson said with a laugh, “Jackson.” Philip spoke up, “Yeah?” Jackson asked, “Shut up.” Philip snapped with a glare before having his horse go ahead.
Villain sat there on the horse silently, “He’s an idiot.” Philip spoke once they were far enough, “Don’t hold that against him.” Villain sighed, “I won’t. He’ll do ten laps around the estate when we get back.” She replied, she glanced back at Philip who had a dull look on his face, “That’s fair.” He deadpanned.
The estate was a good five miles around. Usually, the requirement was to run it once or twice maybe. Ten was a lot. Philip and Villain glanced back at the clueless Jackson. “Look at him, there’s actually nothing in his head.” Philip deadpanned, “Not a single thought.” Villain deadpanned as well.
The two of them looked at each other and then snickered. Villain smiled, surprised to see Philip smiling for the first time. Villain turned back facing forward, happy she had seemed to make somewhat of a friend.
Villain thought about Philip in the book as the ride continued on. He was righteous and fought against slavery in the book. A crusade that Leon joined him on. Because the countess in the book supported slavery, due to people being the easiest resource to produce and sell to make ends meet.
Philip left the Ness knights when Leon left the estate. Philip ended up dying later on in battle fighting for the freedom of enslaved people everywhere. He was good and strong to the very end. Only being killed in an ambush. How sad.
Villie glanced at Philip briefly before looking ahead once more. Slavery… It was something that made her skin crawl. While everyone else didn’t seem bothered by it. Villie certainly was, she always had been. Owning another person… It was different from what she had done with Taylor and Kelly. While she had power over the children. They were not without their freedom. At any time if they wished, they could leave. Though there wasn’t much to go to. It was as she said to them, a situation in which they had no choice but to follow her orders. Villain silently made a note to let them go once they were old enough. While having two more Nesses in the world would be helpful. It made little sense to keep them when they didn’t want to be there. But the name was needed, it was protection for them both. They couldn’t be touched if they were a Ness. Though, the magic for that… It was going to change both of those children. The ceremony hadn’t been done just yet, both of them were sick at the moment. The rich food had caused them illness before she left. She had Thomas and Diana keep an eye on them. She gave Thomas the most power in the house however. She could never quite trust the maids again. Not after Kaylee.
Villain’s mind jumped from one thought to the other until they arrived at the Raymond Territory. The sight there was what she expected. A lavish estate with disgusting surroundings. Broken buildings and homes stood in stark contrast to the ivory white walls of the Raymond estate.
“Pillage the estate. Give resources to the locals. Notify the locals of a new lord.” Villain ordered the knights. She stayed on the horse with Philip as he wandered around the small village.
“This may actually cost money to fix rather than us getting the money back.” Philip remarked, “I know.” Villain replied just as Jackson rode up on his horse. “So there are monsters nearby and the other knights want to know what to do?” He said looking relatively calm despite everything.
Villain took one look around and noticed something strange. Everyone that was hiding was hiding in the dark where they couldn’t be seen. “Take me to them,” Villain ordered, she was taken to a pub and carried inside. She could not be put on the ground from the mud and how deep it was. Her prosthetic would get stuck and she would be unable to move.
Inside backed into a corner were two goblins. They were shaking with fear. They looked like they were dressed to run this place. Villain looked around, noticing how strange things looked. These chairs didn’t look like they were made for people.
Villain had Philip set her down on the ground. She was handed her cane and she turned to the two goblins. One wore a vest with pants and the other wore a dress.
“We just want to raise a family away from the demon king!” The other goblin dressed in a ratty dress spoke up. “Please don’t deport or kill us!”
“I’m not going to do that.” Villain replied, the two goblins relaxed hearing that. “So is everyone in this territory like yourselves? Nonhuman beings?” Villain spoke in the least offensive way possible. “Yes! We’re all like this! The humans left because they couldn’t stand the baron! We have no choice. No other place will take us!” The goblin on the floor explained as he stood up.
“This is our home!” The other goblin exclaimed, “I see.” Villain spoke before turning to the knights. “Let the others know not to attack any nonviolent persons. They are locals and should be treated as such.” Villain ordered, “Who are you?” One of the goblins asked, Villain, turned to them.
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