Crimson Pillows

After coaxing her child to sleep, Lady Gladys ventured the night in a silent anxiety. She looked around the house, seeing the maids whose gaze turn away as if in pity made her fists clenched. At the end of the hallway, Madam Val walked in and spotted the lady whose gaze was fixed on something far from the window.

"Madam Val," Lady Gladys called with a rigid voice.

Madam Val knew the kind of situation Lady Gladys is going through and know with the lady's given strong personality and pride, she is still holding a deep grudge against the appearance of the sudden daughter.

"Yes, milady?" The housekeeper arranged her voice to a calmer and polite one to not anger the lady even further.

"Fire those two maids who followed after me," Lady Gladys said with anger that screamed loudly just from her eyes.

Madam Val sighed so softly so the lady couldn't hear and nodded her head. Before she could leave, Lady Gladys asked again, "And where is my husband?"

"Oh, I think the Count had just left the household after talking with Miss Estelle," responded Madam Val only to see the anger crossing Lady Gladys's eyes again. This made Madam Val to realize immediately that she had said something wrong.

The woman clenched her fist and took a mouthful of breath. Without talking, the lady sped up to her room, leaving Madam Val in silence wondering what would the lady do now as the woman was not one to take her defeat in a quiet manner.

If only the lady wouldn't try anything dangerous…

After talking to Elle, Madam Val was certain the girl wouldn't want to steal any authority belonging to Lady Gladys or the young mistress Carol, and if Lady Gladys were to leave her alone, problems won't suddenly appear.

But knowing how Lady Gladys would wish for Elle to disappear to thin air, Madam Val could only feel worried for the future.

The same night a letter was sent from Vernon house under Lady Gladys's name only to appear to the group of bandits that wasn't too far from the slums or the town.

The tables were filled with alcohols and poker cards. Along with the smell of cigarettes, everything appears to be in chaos inside the busy tavern. A man with two moles under his eyes looked at the letter and let a small laugh.

"Oh look who it is, the rich Count family had sent us a letter," bringing the envelope to his hand, he lifted it to the men around him who had surround him as though he was the light between the deep darkness.

"The count? A noble?" Asked one of the man with a scoff, "What, what? Now even the nobles are asking for your help, Kyle?"

Kyle lifted his eyes and the same mole under his two eyes appeared to match his striking gaze, "Mhm, to steal something."

"There is still things that they can't still buy?"

"I thought they have enough money to feed every one of us even for a year," responded the other bandit member in a drunken chuckle. "What did they sat they want steal?"

"What is it?" "What is it?" The two twins spoke.

"A girl," said Kyle with a bigger smile.

"Will we do it?" Asked the first man who had spoken first to him earlier. "You're our boss so you make the call."

Kyle took a gold coin from the table. Placing it on top of his thumb, he nimbly played with it, flickering the coin upward for it to land on his palm in such a quick move.

After he took a peek, Kyle seemed to have made up his mind, "Seems like today is my lucky day."

The next morning when Elle had woken up, her golden eyes were still filled with exhaustion. Yet despite her bloodshot eyes, she felt somewhat much better than before. She didn't know if it was because she had the talk with Count Arthur or because she could finally find the reason why someone would kill her family.

But what respond that she wanted from that culprit?

Elle didn't understand. But her heart wouldn't feel at peace if she doesn't find an answer at all.

Madam Val entered to her room not long after, slightly surprised as her two eyes shook for a moment. Elle wondered if it was because she had woken up early and tilted her head to her, "Good morning?"

Madam Val shrieked and pointed to her pillows, "Oh Lord! Would you like me to call the doctors at once Miss Elle?!"

Slowly raising her hand, Elle turned her body to look at the traces of Blood on her pillow. Her golden eyes shook as she had never seen the amount of blood on her own pillows she had rested her head on. She immediately felt her face, pulling forward to see no trace of blood. She could feel her heart sank as the old housekeeper was also too stunned to think of what she should do.

Madam Val took the unresponsiveness she showed and immediately called for the physicians to her room. Upon seeing the amount of blood that had soaked the pillows, the physician was startled. He ran over to Elle's side and looked over her face, "Did you get hurt while you were asleep, Miss?"

"I.. I don't think so," Elle respond, she tried to find the place that was suppose to be painful but felt none. Then where had this blood came from?

"Excuse me," the doctor said before lifting her face, looking all over her skin and her hair to find if there were traces of blood. How shocked he was to find that there was nothing on her? There was no scar, no wounds, not even a single drop of blood on her body even though her pillows had turned scarlet red to the point it would hurt one's eyes just by gazing on it.

"Are you certain you don't feel any pain?" Elle heard the doctor asking in startle, looking even more surprised than her even though he was supposed to know everything regarding health issue compared to her.

She nodded her head slowly, "I.. I don't know what is wrong—"

"Elle?!" Count Arthur burst into her room again. His sleeping coat was still over his shoulders and his blue eyes were filled with shock upon seeing that the pillow on her bed had turned red, as though someone had slit her neck on her sleep and left her to die on the white bed. His eyes moved from the bed to Elle, seemingly even shocked to see that she wasn't wounded the least. "Oh lord! Oh Lord! My heart cannot contain this! First the shock of hearing fire and now to see blood near you! What is wrong with my daughter, doctor?!"

"Count Arthur," greeted the doctor who went small from nervousness, "I honestly cannot tell, Count. Miss Elle appeared to be healthy. Nothing is wounded on her body and I believe there shouldn't be blood that came out without a wound."

"How is that possible?" Count Arthur frowned. He then turned his eyes to Elle, "Do you not feel pain or any wound at all, Elle?"

Estelle nodded her head again, "I know, it's strange." Things had been odd and weird to her the past few days but she didn't think it would be this weird… she had tried touching her face and her neck, finding no wounds on her. There wasn't any blood on her body or all around the bed except for the same pillow she had laid her head on.

It was as if….

"Stigmata," whispered the doctor, piquing the interest Elle had as her golden eyes brightly lifted and stare at him.

"Stigmata?" She asked.