CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 10

[Luz]

For a brief moment, my entire soul freezes at the sound of her words spoken with such ferocity. The girl is genuinely angry, I realize fearfully. But for what reason, I wonder internally. I widen my eyes in shock as I reach a conclusion after a few seconds of pondering on the matter.

Could Catherine, as the girl claims to be called, have discovered the secret of the royal family? But how had such information reached her ears so quickly? Could she be considered a threat to the plan? Was there some kind of spy infiltrated in the castle? And who could that person be? Whom could I truly trust in that unfamiliar place?

What if everything is in danger of spreading throughout the kingdom? What could I do to contain the damage? Practically nothing! I think, starting to panic, with my heart pounding and my breath becoming difficult.

And now?

It is widely known that once rumors spread among the people, they are like a small fire in a vast field. It starts subtly, almost imperceptibly, until the flames of the fire spread to a great extent, becoming terribly harmful and irreversible wherever it reaches.

"Aren't you going to say anything, Miss Luz? Do you not have a single word in your defense to offer me?" the girl indignant crosses her thin arms over her chest while tapping one impatient foot rhythmically on the worn wooden floor of my house.

"Well, I suppose you should be more specific about what you're referring to, Miss," I say evasively, first probing her intentions in an attempt to gain some time and plot a strategic way out.

"But it's too..." she clenches her fists and narrows her eyes with anger. "I'll make it clear, then," she continues, stepping closer step by step, her lips tense as if she's trying not to make a mistake.

"I'm listening, Miss," I say with my chin held high, deciding not to back down. I mimic her stance, refusing to be intimidated by a girl like her in my own house. Oh, God, have mercy on my soul! I think somewhat apprehensive.

"You..." she points her index finger at me.

"What about me?" I challenge her, returning her gaze.

"You complicated my life!" Catherine accuses firmly, dripping bitterness in every word she utters.

"What do you mean?" I furrow my brow, still not understanding her.

Is this girl crazy? I wonder internally as I scrutinize her carefully. What's wrong with her?

"I don't know what your motivations were, or what you actually did, but your actions affected the lives of my younger brothers, and it made me quite furious when the news reached my ears," she comments, placing her hands rigidly on her waist while walking back and forth between us, her back straight as a bamboo rod, in the small space between us.

"Mom was lost, not knowing how to react to the situation, while I just wanted to hit the hot tea kettle very hard on Miss Luz's head, considering all the shouting I heard. To be honest... I really wanted to knock her out with a painful blow at that moment, girl! Oh, I did! But God is my witness that between wanting and being able, there's a great abyss!"

She says, sighing in a not very ladylike manner, regardless of her social class.

"Look, Miss Catherine, I don't know who your brothers are, and I don't know what serious thing I did to them, to the point of provoking you like this."

I say honestly, and she rolls her eyes, probably exhausted from discussing the same topic for several minutes without getting anywhere.

"I had a very intense day that demanded a lot from me. My head is completely full of problems, and as a result, my body is also at its limit. So, if you can be concise and speak clearly and openly, so we can finally resolve our issues, I would be very grateful."

I comment with a sigh as I walk over to the old chair near the wooden table where I usually have my meals when I'm at home, and sit down, feeling the weight of a whole day taking its toll on my shoulders.

"You... you fooled my brothers, and they are just children!"

She accuses, but I no longer see the previous anger in her eyes, but rather a profound sadness that breaks my heart.

"I better than anyone else know how difficult the situation is for each of them. These boys are living a life that no child should live, full of fear, insecurity, and a lack of essential resources for survival. But... know that my mother and I do everything, Miss Luz, we pour our sweat and blood every blessed day to keep them alive and safe, even if for that we have to..."

She swallows hard and looks away with embarrassment, her pale face tinged with pink and shame before she continues.

"...submit to certain humiliating and inhuman situations. But the two of us do what is necessary for the sake of the children."

Catherine quickly turns her back at the end of her outburst in an attempt to hide her reddened eyes full of tears, but I can see them.

Something inside me breaks when I witness the vulnerable moment of the girl in front of me, so young just like me, carrying a burden that's too heavy for one person to bear alone. Her pain touches the depths of my soul. Her fears affect me, making me put myself in her shoes, feel her suffering as if it were hurting my own skin.

"Miss..." I clear my throat with a slightly choked voice, a lump in my throat, and a feeling that I have to do something, whatever it is, to help Catherine and her family, now that I remember who she's talking about.

The girl's brothers were the same children who surrounded me in front of the delicatessen on the day I helped deliver the duke's heir, and for whom I had bought some bread. They must have been fascinated by so much food and must have run home immediately to share the news with their mother. However, as time passed, the food ran out, and the poor little ones waited for another miracle like that day.

I feel a little guilty for not having returned to the place to see how the little ones were, if they were okay. How could I have been so inattentive?

Suddenly, an idea pops into my head, and I'm eager to share it with Catherine. It's nothing grand or splendid, but it's still a good idea. Now, I just need to find out if the spirited girl in front of me will accept the proposal I have to make.