In Plain Sight – The Other Side

Part 1, the duke’s perspective.

“Detective… Hispida?”

The tall, pink haired man gave a nod to the city guard.

“Indeed I am, acute observation skills, almost good enough to become my assistant.”

He responded with a grin, tucking his business card into the guardsman’s pocket.

“Y…es… uhm, we’ve been expecting you, right this way please.”

The detective glanced around the mansion; it was smaller than he had expected. Following the guard up the stairs and to a room. The entire mansion was filled with investigators, news reporters and guards, policing the press and assuring that no one goes where they shouldn’t.

Detective Hispida strolled around the room. The silky bed linings and the makeup mirror hinted that it was a woman’s room. The windowsill had a dent and a scratch on it, akin to one from a hook that’d be attached to a rope. He made a mental note of that. It did not take him long to find a diary tucked away under a mattress.

“Leave me for a while.”

The guard nodded.

“Yes, Detective. Do let my men outside know should you need anything.”

He sat down on the bed and flipped the diary open, reading the entries.

`Today father was very upset. He complained at the dinner table about so much that I felt like my head was going to explode. His manners. Ugh! He is the WORST! He chews so loudly, why has nobody taught someone of his standing how to chew with mouth closed? And talking! Gods! Why does he never shut up???`

`One of the servants came in, the potatoes were slightly colder than father desired. He threw the tray onto the floor and demanded the maid clean it up and the cooks make a new meal. He is the worst. But nothing I can do.`

`In the afternoon, after lunch I went up to the library but father was busy. He got quite upset that I interrupted his reading. He tossed a book at me, my wrist hurts. I hope it is not broken. I will go see the palace doctor.`

`It is fractured, only slightly though. Ugh. I hate him. He’s unbearable! At least it’s my left hand that’s hurting so I can still write… the only time I can be my true self and not a perfect obedient daughter. . .` Hispida shook his head. As he blinked he could see images of a young girl’s corpse still vividly burned into his memory.

“Terrible…”

`During dinner today a guard came in, clad in black. He murmured something in father’s ear and father seemed quite upset. Wonder what that was all about. He left in haste with the guard, saying something urgent required his attention. I was ordered to go sleep after dinner and not to leave my room after.`

`That night, under the embrace of the night, their vehicle pulled up to the cellar entrance, above which my window was. I heard a commotion, it was late, quite late in fact. Curiosity got the best of me and I peeked out. The guards were clad in black attire, like rogues, or thieves. At first I got nervous but I recognized their body language, they were the palace guards. They proceeded to unload something long, like rolled up carpets, and took them to the cellars one at a time. I thought I saw one moving, but it’s probably just a play of my imagination. Well, hopefully. . .’

`It’s been days since I last wrote, because I couldn’t… The night after I saw the guards I tried to sneak into the cellars to see what was hidden there. One of the guards caught me. I thought… I…`

The page was stained with droplets, presumably tears. Parts of the words were smudged but still readable.

`The guard dragged me to my father who yelled at me and slapped me, but worse yet, he ordered to toss me into the dungeon. They locked me away in a rusted bars jail.

I was left there for 2 days and 3 nights. Without food, and only a single glass of water per day. No semblance to a toilet of any sorts. A rotten mattress on the cold stone floor. In the cell next to mine was a maid who did nothing wrong, and next to her a cook that failed to make the potatoes just right. I knew that father was ruthless towards the servants, I knew he jailed them to punish… But… I never seen these jails before, and I wish I never would have.

Those 3 nights I barely slept, for at nights they released hungry hounds that would strike at the bars and growl, stalking us from the shadows. I never want to end up there again.`

Hispida rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

“To treat his own daughter this way and then claim to love her in public.”

`Through those nights and ever since, I hear shouts at night. When I asked father about it one morning, he slammed the table and told me to keep eating. When he calmed at last, he said it was the unruly servants and I best stop asking questions lest I desired to visit the cells again… I apologized and hushed, as I always did.`

`The dinner that day he spoke of nothing but the news and his approvals. New this, new that. Funding a new clinic, sports events for the city. What a ‘lovely and generous noble’ was the only sarcastic thought I could have as he told me all about his good deeds for the city. If only they knew… If only someone knew… Gods… help me. Help me somebody help me help me help me help me help m…`

This page too was ruined by tears.

`For a change I managed to break out of the mansion. Although accompanied by a maid under strict orders to not allow any interactions with any press or officials, I was permitted to go grocery shopping. What a joyful day. It was sunny too! I couldn’t believe how much I missed the busy market streets. Fresh fruit, and veggies. It was so alive, so refreshing to be out here and not locked like a prisoner inside that damned mansion. I pray each day that someone burns it to ashes!`

After a few blank lines, a smiling face was drawn.

(-◡-)

`I totally met a guy while shopping. So strong build, handsome jaw, a stubble. Big long scar too, I wonder if he’s a criminal! Ah, who cares. My heart skipped a beat, oh who am I kidding, it skipped 20 no less when he glanced at me. My stupid foolish brain, I must’ve looked like a princess from a fairytale. My eyes probably sparkled, for the moment he turned to leave I called out after him. Hah, stupid girl… I called him ‘scarface’ when he turned… Worst pickup line in history.

Anyhow… we uhm, spent a couple of hours at the pub… I begged the maid not to speak of it to father, though I knew full well what she was risking, were any of his spies to had seen us and report something differently from her. But she seemed inclined to take my side. Mariana, she was far too sweet to me, I’ll never forget her.`

A couple of pages later, most of which described her encounters with the stranger, mostly at nights. How he would sneak through the palace’s security and climb up to her window to spend a couple of hours with her, or mere minutes on some occasions. A rogue, a ‘rebel and a criminal’ as the local authorities would call him, by the name of Benedict.

`During the lunch something freaky happened. One of the servants collapsed out of the blue. Coughing up blood and bleeding out of his nose. Seemed fine one moment and then just on the floor suddenly. Father said it was just exhaustion, and called in the healer, the servant was taken away, to the cellars, since he wasn’t at the infirmary when I visited. `

`It’s been days… Mariana hadn’t come to work in those days. Father asked me with sarcasm about my trip to the market… He knew… I held my tears back at the lunch table, told him all but the pub visit. He informed me of some bandit groups arising in the city, said it’s dangerous and that I would no longer be allowed out of the mansion until the situation is handled. Of course his guests agreed with his decision, I only nodded.`

`I begged father’s forgiveness that night, without telling him anything. He knew… I knew that he knew. I begged for forgiveness and my reward was a tumble down the stairs. He kept walking toward me, and I kept backing from him out of fright, until I stood on the edge of the stairs. His eyes were that of a devil, filled with nought but anger. He pushed me down. ‘Below is where you belong.’ He said as I tumbled down the stairs. Gods get me out of this place…`

`Not only Mariana, but other servants who had been around for long started disappearing. Replaced by new staff. Some were on ‘vacation’ I was told, but some I watched collapsed in the similar manner to the one not long ago. I hear screams at nights. New servants in the jails? Perhaps, or maybe… maybe it’s the old ones, the ones I knew so well and grew up around.`

`Benedict visited… he said he has a plan. He said he’ll burn the mansion down and set me free as he sets it on fire. He told me not to panic and simply await him at the window. He said he’ll save me from my father’s tyranny, and not just me, the entirety of Bloodmoore. That night I couldn’t sleep, I kept thinking how amazing it will be.`

`On the designated date I awaited the signal, the smoke and the flames, and they came. Bells rang, echoing through the mansion as flames engulfed it from several locations at once. He didn’t tell me details, but I suspect some of the servants were on his side. He was a leader of sorts to the, the ‘rebels’ as the local authorities called them. He didn’t want it he told me, he just ended up in that position and he embraced it.`

`He didn’t come. Father burst through the door like a maniac, stomped over his injured guard who followed him loyally, and then the guard called for the airship. Benedict… where were you, my moon that gave me a glimpse of hope, a glimpse of light in this dark night…`

Yet another page stained by tears.

`Apparently one of the servants spread a rumor about seeing a mythical beast, Krade-val. Hilarious… He was paid to do so. The news picked up on it fast though, probably also got paid to do so. Father’s reputation increased again, ‘the great duke is sending a search party to hunt for the mythical beast that ravages villages’ or whatever. What a bunch of horseshit. But, he got his publicity.`

`Guards brought in a sick man, similar symptoms from what I could see to the servants falling ill around the mansion. Doctor told me the man had a heatstroke. They are hiding something, but I don’t know what, and at this point, too scared to find out. I just hope that Benedict can find a way to rescue me from this secondary mansion.

Father increased the guard presence by double, pulling in the men from vacations even. During dinner he spoke of a strange encounter during his speech, with a scar-faced man. My heart skipped a beat but I did not show it, I knew that father was watching for my reaction. He then spoke of the ill man whom he brought in, I complimented him on his good gesture to treat an ill citizen. Narcissistic fuck loved compliments.`

`They did it! HE did it! At night I heard a ruckus, a small skirmish even. He came through my door like a knight in shining armor, well, shining daggers in hands. He was so confident, so strong. And that night he took me rescued me. He saved me. I was so happy…

I was free at last.

We left through the window, and in the night’s embrace we made our escape. His companions met us at the mansion’s outskirts and took us down into tunnels.`

`We escaped to their hiding place. Funnily enough it was an old factory, grandfather’s factory… I miss him. Grandfather was always nice to me… but with his passing, there was no one left to stand between my father and his twister personality, and me… Ahh ranting in my diary. I’ve been with Benedict and his group for a couple of days. They’re quite sizeable, even city guards are in their ranks. `

`They didn’t quite plan an insurrection, not yet at least. It was more of a minor movement, funnily enough, aimed primarily at removing my father from power. I learned that Benedict was meant to make contact with me, but… he says his feelings for me are as genuine as mine were for him.`

`We are departing today. They wanted to get me out of the city, to safety… But father’s` no, the duke’s spies found us it seems. They’re searching the old factory while we wait at the docks in a warehouse for our ship. Hurry… I pray we make it in time before  father’s duke’s men find us.`

`Oh no… They’re coming…`

Detective Hispida closed the diary and sighed. Rubbing his temples, he shook his head.

“Maxwell… was such a scumbag.”

He concluded, heading out the door and demanding the guard take him down to the dungeon, where he was no longer shocked by what he saw.

Rusted prison cells, moldy walls, and blood-stained stones lined the floors and the walls of the cells. Conditions worse than any living creature deserved.

He went out, disgusted by what he had seen. The next stop was the cellar, and nothing in the diary prepared him for what he found there. At first, he was greeted by a long hallway lined with jail cells in no better condition than the ones above, a total of 6 holding cells. Past them was a laboratory of sorts. A quick glance through the notes and documents revealed disturbing details about experimenting on the dead, to grant life past death.

A growl came from beyond. He approached a sturdy wooden door with metallic bars on it and then leaped back, startled, when a hand reached for him through the bars, from the darkness beyond. He approached it slowly, cautiously.

“What… in the actual hells did he do here?”

The stench of rot made his stomach turn as his gaze wandered between a dozen or so rotting corpses that hoarded by the door, reached through the bars.

The guard behind him shrugged.

“I… don’t know but that isn’t right…”

Hispida’s glance darted to an old tome on the table next to a few beakers. It appeared old, from what he could quickly decipher from the symbols on it, it had to do with necromancy.

“Living dead… Blasphemy. We must put them to rest and burn this whole place to the ground. Leave not a word or a single note behind.”