The carriage slowed to a steady halt, the familiar iron gates of Flower Manor looming ahead. As they swung open with a heavy, rhythmic groan, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. It wasn't the raw, unpolished warmth of the village cottage, but it was home… a place of structure, stability, and, for the first time, a place where I felt I could finally set down my armor.
White let out a long, audible sigh of relief, her shoulders dropping as she stepped onto the gravel path.
"Home," she murmured, a small, genuine smile gracing her lips.
As we crossed the threshold into the grand foyer, the clicking of our heels echoed against the marble floors. Miera, one of the senior maids, hurried forward to greet us, her usual composed expression breaking into a look of pure, unadulterated shock. Her gaze darted between me and White, her eyes widening as she took in our appearances.
"Lady White? Roxy?"
Miera stuttered, her eyes lingering on the intricate, elegant braids woven through our hair. Then, her gaze dropped to me, taking in the maid dress I wore… the same cut and fabric as her own.
"Roxy... you're wearing the uniform? And your hair… it's breathtaking."
I offered her a soft, genuine smile, feeling no trace of the performative stiffness that used to grip me.
"It's a long story, Miera. But it feels right, doesn't it?"
Before Miera could recover from her surprise, Snow didn't waste a second. She turned her sharp, commanding gaze toward the garden just outside the parlor, where Miera had been tending to the flower beds before rushing in.
"Miera, We've had a long journey. We are starving. Have the kitchen prepare a full spread in the dining room immediately."
Snow called out, her voice regaining that crisp, authoritative edge that kept the manor running like clockwork.
Miera straightened instantly, her training taking over.
"At once, Lady Snow! I shall see to it myself."
She bobbed a quick, respectful curtsy and vanished toward the kitchens with a speed that spoke to her dedication.
Snow turned to us, her expression unreadable but devoid of the sharp reprimand she had greeted us with earlier.
"Go, change out of your travel clothes. You look… refreshed. Let us see if the kitchen can match the hospitality of your little excursion."
White took my arm, and we made our way toward the dining room. The vast, high-ceilinged hall was already beginning to fill with the soft clinking of silver and the comforting aroma of fresh bread and roasted meats. As we walked, I caught my reflection in the polished wood of the hallway panels. I saw the girl with the braided hair and the maid's uniform, and for the first time, I didn't see a prisoner of a blood curse or a broken soldier.
The double doors to the dining hall groaned open, revealing the warmth of the room, but the atmosphere inside shifted instantly as we stepped over the threshold. Standing by the long mahogany table were the Calico brothers… Calix, Constantine, and Cassius.
My hand tightened instinctively at my side, my mind flashing back to their cruel taunts from just yesterday. They had made a sport of my silence, my scars, and my status, treating me like a broken toy they could poke at for amusement. I braced myself for another round of jabs, preparing to deflect their venom with the new, quiet strength I had found in the village.
But as they turned, their eyes didn't land on me. Their gazes swept right past my maid's uniform and my braided hair, locking onto White.
The change in them was instantaneous. The sneers that usually defined their faces evaporated, replaced by a look of sheer, genuine disbelief.
"White?" Calix, the eldest, breathed out, his voice losing its usual jagged edge.
Before I could even blink, the three of them had crossed the distance. There was no posturing, no attempt at their usual dominance. They converged on her, and suddenly, they were all wrapped up in a chaotic, desperate group hug. It was a sight that felt fundamentally impossible… these brothers, who took such pride in their callousness, were now clinging to their half-sister as if she had just returned from the dead.
I stood frozen, my jaw slightly agape. White didn't pull away; she leaned into them, her face buried in their shirts, her shoulders shaking with a sudden, soft sob of relief. It was a raw, human moment that stripped away all the layers of the manor's cold, political facade.
I glanced toward the doorway where Snow stood. She had stopped in her tracks, her hand resting against the doorframe. Her usual iron-clad composure had crumbled. Her eyes were bright, reflecting the scene of her children finally reunited. She wasn't the matriarch watching her subjects; she was a mother, witnessing a bridge being built across a chasm that had seemed permanent.
The brothers eventually pulled back, their hands still resting on White's shoulders, their faces scrubbed clean of the arrogance I had come to despise.
"You're back. we thought... after everything, we thought you'd never come back to this house." Constantine whispered, his eyes scanning White as if to ensure she was truly there.
White just smiled… that same peaceful, radiant smile she had worn since we left the village. She reached out and pulled me forward, tucking me into the circle of their attention.
"I'm back, my brothers"
White said firmly, her hand resting on my arm… a silent, powerful gesture that told them, if you want me, you accept her, too.
The warmth of the reunion began to settle into a comfortable hum, but as my gaze swept across the dining hall, taking in the softened expressions of the Calico brothers and the rare, fragile peace on Snow's face, a sudden realization pricked at my conscience.
I looked toward the side of the room, expecting to see a familiar, quiet figure tucked into the shadows, observing the chaos with his usual steady detachment. But the space where Maine usually stood was empty.
A small frown tugged at my lips. Maine, my roommate, was rarely absent from the manor's inner orbit. His quiet presence had become a staple of my daily life, a constant baseline I hadn't realized I relied on until he wasn't there.
I stepped closer to Miera, who was currently directing a server with a tray of fresh bread. I leaned in slightly, keeping my voice low so as not to disturb the brothers' quiet conversation with White.
"Miera, I noticed Maine isn't here. Do you know where he went?" I whispered, catching her attention.
Miera paused, her face softening with a knowing, gentle expression. She glanced toward the brothers, then back at me, lowering her voice to match mine.
"Oh, he didn't disappear, Lady Roxy. He left quite early this morning, just after dawn."
She adjusted the tray in her hands, her movements efficient and graceful.
"He mentioned he had urgent business at the town hospital. He said he was going to visit the Granhart twins… Luke and Luck. It sounded like a long-overdue visit. He seemed quite determined when he left."
I felt a sudden pang of concern, though it was quickly tempered by curiosity. Luke and Luck were names I knew well, and the weight of their situation was something that lingered on everyone's minds. Maine visiting them on his own... it spoke volumes about his character. He wasn't just a roommate; he was someone who carried his own quiet burdens and loyalties, just as I did.
"I see," I murmured, my hand resting against the fabric of my maid's uniform.
"He should be back by evening, I expect," Miera added with a reassuring smile.
I nodded, feeling a strange sense of comfort. The manor felt different today. softer, more human, and knowing that Maine was out doing something kind, something that mattered, felt like a fitting end to a morning that had started with such profound change.
I turned back toward the table, watching White laugh at something Cassius said. For the first time, I didn't feel the need to look over my shoulder. I had my friends, I had my peace, and I knew exactly where my roommate was. The day, which had started with the fear of being fired and the dread of returning to a cold home, was turning into something genuinely, unexpectedly beautiful.
The sharp, melodic chime of the silver bell cut through the lingering tension in the dining hall, signaling that the kitchen was ready to reclaim the room. I looked toward the doorway and saw Sinel, the head cook, standing there with a broad, confident grin.
She was a woman who commanded the kitchen with the same intensity that Snow commanded the estate, though with significantly more flour on her apron.
"Attention, everyone! Today is not a day for mourning or heavy hearts. It is a day of celebration. We are preparing a feast fit for a traveler, and for our dear Lady White, as she prepares for her return!"
Sinel announced, her voice booming with a warmth that felt like an invitation.
A murmur of excitement rippled through the brothers. Even Cassius, who had been brooding just moments ago, sat up straighter, his eyes brightening at the prospect.
My own stomach chose that exact moment to let out a low, traitorous growl… a deep, rumbling protest that was audible enough to make Miera, standing beside me, stifle a giggle behind her hand. I felt my face heat up, but I didn't try to hide it this time.
The memory of that "liver soup" from the farmhouse… that metallic, bland sludge I'd been choking down for the last few days… flashed through my mind, and I felt a wave of genuine, physical longing. I was tired of eating just to survive the curse. I wanted to eat because it was good.
"Sounds like someone is ready for the main course," Miera whispered, nudging my arm playfully.
"You have no idea, If I have to eat another spoonful of that liver concoction, I think I might actually start a riot." I muttered, my stomach giving another emphatic grumble.
Sinel caught my eye from across the room and winked.
"Don't worry, Roxy! I heard you've been eating nothing but guild rations and farmhouse slop lately. I've prepared something special tonight. Plenty of iron, plenty of flavor, and absolutely zero 'despair' on the menu."
The brothers laughed, and even White looked over at me, her expression softening with that familiar, warm light. She reached out and took my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Tonight, we eat well. No more bland rations, and no more hiding. Tonight, we celebrate."
White said, her voice filled with a promise that went beyond just the food.
As the staff began bringing in platter after platter…the rich, savory scent of roasted pheasant, garlic-buttered root vegetables, and warm, crusty bread filling the hall… I felt the last bit of residual tension leave my body. I pulled out my chair, sitting down with a sense of ease I hadn't felt since I first joined the manor.
I looked at the spread, then at the people around me. The curse was still there, and the road ahead might be long, but for the first time, I wasn't just fueling a body for battle. I was sitting down to break bread with friends, and I was, finally, hungry for more than just survival.