Lord of Red Manor

The only reason why Rose still hid among the trees despite the fact that the soil smelled of dung was because she could see the well-dressed man approaching on his horse. All she could see was money she would take, not steal from him.

“One, two,” she counted and signaled to the men. She let loose a scream and ran towards his coming horse, her attackers pursuing her. She fell the ground grateful that the horse jumped over her.

She pry open one eye to watch expecting to see him on the floor badly beaten, but saw the attackers limping away. She sighed inwardly she just hoped they wouldn’t charge her more for getting badly beat up. She lay still as he approached.

“Miss” he said as he shook her lightly and then a bit roughly.

She coughed and stirred,

He sighed “how do you feel Miss?”

She held her forehead “I feel a bit dizzy” she said “oh, sir thank you for saving me. How can I repay you?”

He shook his head “it’s nothing. Just go home.”

She quickly checked him out, his Jade pendant and amulet will cost a lot, if she managed to get it.

As he help her stand, she staggered reaching into her cloth to grab her dagger, he help assist to steady her and she pressed the cold blade against his throat. She smirked she felt she was getting better with her new tricks for her job.

“Sir, hand over the valuables.” she said.

He sighed “so you’re just a thief.” he said.

She scoffed “of course not, I am just relieving you off too much necessity to travel with, lest useless bandits take it away.”

“Then you’re a useful bandit?”

She sighed pressing the blade a bit tightly “I am the one with the blade just do as I say.”

He handed over his money, she demanded for the pendant and he released it somewhat reluctantly.

She asked him to lie down and she took his horse and rode away quickly. She smiled, everything was perfect today, she just hope her partners would not want to renegotiate because of the beating.

She dismounted from the stead and made her way on foot, when she neared the town. She would go and meet her partners and give them their own share, then she will go to her brother’s clinic. She heard a whistle as she left the forest, and heard the horse galloping away.

***

She bought a few herbs on her way home. She knew he would scold her for coming home late, but she didn’t mind. She just wanted to help although she knew taking from people wasn’t good and wouldn’t let herself think of it as stealing, she also made sure her brother would never find out.

He had taken care of her since the death of their parent, she was just eight years old, and then, he had studied medicine under an old doctor for two years before the doctor passed away. He opened a clinic, and things were going well for them but he had then fallen ill with a disease that causes his severe internal pain and couldn’t stand the sun, and had to stay in dark places. She was unable to manage the clinic and it closed down.

She studied medicine and experimented to find a cure for her brother. But the herbs she needed were expensive and whenever she wanted to get a loan, they wanted her to bed them in exchange so she resorted to taking from them.

She entered the house and closed the door behind her, the lights were off, which was unusual as her brother never slept at night because that was his day time. She wondered if oil had gone out from the lamp.

“Brother!” she called out

When she didn’t hear a reply she used her hand to feel a small hole beside the door and took out a small knife and hid it in her cloth.

“Brother!” she called out again

“I am in the kitchen” she heard his muffled reply.

She walked cautiously towards the kitchen, as she could see that a little light was burning and more candles were lit illuminating the room. She stood frozen in spot at what she saw.

Her brother was sitting on the stool and on the table were different delicacies, his mouth was stuff with food, but what was most shocking was the people or person he was sitting with.

“This young men, were looking for a place to spend the night and offered to pay well, and they said they were attacked by a thief. I felt sorry for them and with all these food they brought well…come join us” he said.

Rose smiled brightly trying to hide her fright as she starred at the young man, the same young man she had stolen from. She couldn’t decide if it was a coincidence, all she knew was that she was in bad luck.

The young man stepped forward “your brother is pleasant and honest. I do expect the same from his dearest sister.” He added “right?” through gritted teeth.

She nodded and her brother smiled “of course she is, I raised her myself.”

She looked down her cheek coloring,

“Miss my horse is outside. You see he was ridden hard by a very foolish, ignorant and naïve person. Could you help me in feeding it?” he smiled “that is if you don’t mind” he added.

With each word he spoke she felt like digging a deeper hole on the ground for herself. She nodded and her brother gave her a thumbs up which she returned with a big smile on her face.

***

The young man, leaned against the wall and silently watched her feed his horse. The silence dragged on and she sighed,

“What do you want?” she asked

He removed the amulet from his pocket swinging it,

She had given the amulet to her partners when they insisted on keeping one of the items.

He smiled “all that is missing is my pendant,” he said and removed a knife from his pocket “and not to forget the small cut on my neck.”

She gritted her teeth, she knew she was the one at fault.

She looked down “Sir I am sorry, I know what I did was wrong. I will pay you back all the money I took, and here,” she handed him back his pendant “I really am very sorry.”

He tsk and shook his head recounting how his men had arrived and followed her, and how it was easy to find her house since she didn’t wear a disguise. He sighed “and your poor brother, he thinks so highly of you, imagine if he found out…”

She went on her knees, bowing her head “please don’t tell him. I beg of you not to.”

He nodded “I won’t,” and help her stand up “if you need money, why not find a job?”

She gave a laugh of derision, “if it was that easy, I won’t be doing what I do.”

He nodded and smiled “you’re young, don’t ruin your life.” He said and called out to his men.

They mounted their horse and before he left he gave her his pendant “find me at Red mansion if you need anything.” he said and they all left.

Her brother waving, grinning, bowing, and screaming thank you until they were no longer in view.

***

Rose walked into the clinic her patients and workers greeted her, she had reopened the clinic and employed people to help her.

She went into the dark room to test her new cure on the white rat before letting it to the sun, it wasn’t working as usual as she watched it burn.

Her brother illness had gotten worse, he could hardly stomach any food. He had tried to make her give up but she refused to.

A young boy came running and handed a letter over to her, she opened it and read it content.

***

Rose dismounted from her horse, as Lord of the Red manor came to welcome her himself like an honored guest.

“When I heard that a lady with my Pendant was coming to see me, I immediately came to meet you.” he said as he helped her down.

She bowed in greeting “I didn’t know you were the Lord of Red manor if I did…”

He waved his hand in the air “we are friends no need for formalities. Please come in.” he said as he ushered her into the house.

The house was made with red brick, hence it earned its name Red mansion.

It was a big and beautiful house, with a large garden planted in it were roses, and lilies. Lending the house a really nice smell.

He showed her to a maid, who took her to her room to freshen up.

She sat down on the bed, she was exhausted and she lay down to sleep, but couldn’t. She took a comb to straighten out her hair and prepare to meet him.

She remembered the letter she had received, she was told that they had the cure for her brother’s diseases.

She had gone to meet the person at a brothel, and he had given her a pill to try out, she did and her brother was able to walk in the sun for a day. Seeing his happiness and excitement she went back and made a deal with the man.

She sighed dropping her brush, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

Someone knocked on her door and she was told to meet Lord Razor. He was sitting under a peach tree drinking tea, he invited her to sit with him.

“It’s very nice to see you again, you look great.” He said

She smiled “same here.” She handed back to him, his Pendant and thanked him for it.

He looked at her, “is everything alright? Your brother?”

She nodded as she sipped some tea “all is well. I wanted to thank you for what you did for us. I didn’t know until you left.”

She smiled remembering her brother excitement as they had left. He had then showed her the money that the lord had given him as payment for taking care of their horses, and letting them rest.

The money was a lot they had used it to reopen the clinic and she continued her experiment.

“Thank you for the money and not telling on me to my brother.” She said

He laughed “it’s nothing. Is that the only reason you came?” he asked looking intently at her.

She looked down and nodded,

He sighed and nodded looking a bit disappointed “okay then, let me show you around.”

He toured her around the house showing her the kitchen area, the cabin, his study, the pond, and stream. It was a beautiful house.

***

At night she stood up and dressed in black trouser and top. She closed her face with the face mask as she neared his study.

She ran and opened the door slightly and peeped making sure no one was inside. She entered and close the door silently. She removed the cloth from her pocket and looked at the drawing of the Dragon seal and put it back.

The study room was big she didn’t know where to start and this was the first time she was in his study. She removed the powder from her pocket and sighing deeply filled with sadness, she sprinkled them on his reading table and some books, and she went out of the study back to her room.

The next day Rose stayed longer in her room pretending to be asleep until the commotion began. She went outside and asked a maid what was happening and was told that the Lord wouldn’t stop sneezing and they were afraid that he has a plague or something.

She hurried to his study with her medical tool to help, she closed her nose before entering.

After examining him, she said he was suffering from stress and that his study was also filled with dust. She hit a book to prove her point and he started coughing, she looked at him raising a brow. She advised him to clean out his study and she offered to give him a dust trapper.

He agreed reluctantly, she sighed inwardly now she just needed to watch them more closely, she was sure that he would like to move the Dragon seal out of the study before the cleaning.

That night she watched as he entered the study, she followed him and watch opening the door a little and peeping as he removed the Dragon seal from an opening on the ground and opened a secret door and placed the seal in it.

After he left, she entered and opened it, she stood staring at the Dragon seal just beyond her reach, but she was hesitant. She didn’t want to take from him, especially since he has always being good to her and welcomed her to his house.

She sighed, but she had no other choice, her brother was most important to her.

***

Rose took the letter from the Pigeon, it said her brother’s health had deteriorated.

She threw it to the floor, the man hadn’t lied to her.

Three days ago after she had decided to leave the Dragon seal, she had gotten a message from the man, and he had told her that her brother would get worse if she doesn’t get the seal within six days.

She had snuck out to meet up with the man and he told her that the pill he gave her also contained a medicine that can cause her brother’s sickness to worsen.

And the letter she was holding said that her brother stayed inside water all day just to feel better. She sighed it seem she had no choice, but she will also have to find out why the Dragon seal was so important.

***

She poured tea in his cup and he thanked her for caring for him the past few days. She smiled looking away, “Razor, do you know what the Dragon seal is?”

He looked at her, his expression not changing “well everyone knows” he said and smiled, “The seal is used to command the Dragon army.”

She smiled “does that mean whoever has it can…?”

He nodded “why do you ask?”

She shook her head “some patients were talking about it once, and I felt a bit ignorant not knowing what it was.” She said and sipped more tea.

***

That night Rose snuck into Razor’s study she opened the secret compartment and took out the Dragon seal.

She closed her eyes and sank to the floor. She wished she wasn’t in this situation, but she hoped that Razor would one day understand and forgive her.

As she stepped out of the study, arrows were shot at her, she realized that they knew someone broke in. she deflected them and manage to run out of the yard.

She removed her black outfit and hid it near a flower pot and changed her clothing quickly and made her way to her room.

***

Early the next day she left without bidding Razor good bye, she made her way quickly back home. If all goes as planned she will be able to cure her brother.

She reigned in her horse, it was getting dark already. She dismounted and went inside the brothel. She went up the stairs and met the man.

He asked her to hand over the seal, she sat down and relaxed smiling, she was in charge.

She shook her head and asked him, to give her the medicine and also a few days for her to make sure the medicine works.

He got upset and wanted to become forceful but she moved quickly and took out her knife, and pointed it at him, but he had also come prepared and several armed men rushed into the room.

“Hand it over” he said

She laughed knowing that he wouldn’t hurt her since he wanted the seal. “I will, after you do as I say.”

“Seize her.” he said.

They moved in on her and she also prepared to fight them back.

“Here it is.” someone said.

As she turned she came face to face with Razor, he made a motion with his hand, and some men moved in surrounding them.

***

Razor helped her prepare the medicine, she sat quietly as the medicine boiled on the fire.

She felt a bit embarrassed, he had helped her yet again

“Thank you” she said

He chuckled “Rose, you are a good friend, it was nothing. I should apologize for using you.”

She laughed “it’s nothing.”

After they had arrested the man and his companions Razor had explained that he had known from the very start that she was sent to get the seal from him.

After giving her his pendant, it had attracted attention towards her, and he knew that someone would use her to steal from him.

She had corrected him “I don’t steal, I just take, sometimes.”

He had watched her every move up until when she had left the Dragon seal in her room at the Red manor with her letter of apology. It turned out that the seal she had taken was a fake.

She brought down the medicine, “so you stole it from them?” she asked indicating the medicine.

He smiled “I just took it,” he stood up “I should leave, although I was thinking that since you are very skilled you might want to consider being one of my Dragon soldier.”

She looked down “I don’t mind, I owe you too much.”

He moved closer to her “or even better you might want to become the Lady of Red manor?”

She looked up grinning “we will see about that.”