Ines (1)

Hi all! This novel can get confusing pretty quickly, so please pay attention to the chapter names which indicate the date and timeline.

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January 5, 1941 (Part 1)

11:29 A.M.

"Ines!" A young girl exclaimed, annoyed. "Why can't you just catch the ball? Don't just stand there, do something!" Stomping her feet, she tilted her head back to glare at Ines once more before turning back around, ready to sprint back onto the field.

Ines froze, gaping like a fish out of water at her sudden outburst--she was supposed to catch the ball?

She tapped on her shoulder and whispered a quiet apology, "Sorry."

For a moment, Noémie went still; and her pupils furiously shook, surging with emotions.

Evening out her breath, she gritted her teeth and swiped her shoulder "clean" with her hand and harrumphed, running back to the other children without sparing Ines a single glance this time.

"Noémie, why did you speak with her?" A blond-haired boy asked, holding out his hand to Noémie. He was one of the children that ostracized her for reasons that Ines couldn't discern; the first time they had spoken, he had called her an "impure mutt."

Snorting, Noémie slapped away his hand and scoffed, "None of your business, Eugene!"

"Why you—!" The young boy snarled, raising his hand.

"What? Are you going to hit me? Do it then! Let's see what happens when Sister Rosalie finds out you hit me!"

"…You two, let's play already," Odette pleaded, tugging on Noémie's skirt. She was one of the nicer children, the ones who didn't call her names and point their fingers at her.

Though Odette was far more amiable than the others, she has a rather recreant nature.

Standing under the shade, Ines watched as the other children continued playing under the sun's watchful eye. Buoyant smiles all around, dirt and dust-colored their cream-white dresses and shirts an ugly shade of ochre-yellow.

Ines had pretended not to notice at first, she kept her eyes on the ground and the delicate daisies that bloomed near the tree.

However, amongst all the children, one kept turning back to look at her, and such a stare was difficult to ignore when it was blatant and without discretion.

Finally, the older girl who had been watching her subtly left the crowd of children and approached her.

"Ines, right?" She asked.

Ines remained silent, staring at the older girl who stood before her.

"I'm Charlotte," she said, introducing herself.

Despite the silence from Ines, Charlotte paid no mind and continued speaking, undeterred. "Madame Yvette is quite strict, what is it like being her niece?"

"…Aunt Yvette is kind to me," Ines replied. Her tongue felt as heavy as a dozen kilograms of marble.

"Ah, perhaps that was expected," Charlotte nodded. "Did you live in Keinshelm before moving here to live with Madame Yvette? What is it like there? Does it really snow all year long?"

"Yes... I lived in Keinshelm before moving here to live with Aunt Yvette." The more Ines spoke, the quieter she became.

'...I don't know where Keinshelm even is.' She thought.

"Aunt Yvette doesn't want me to speak about it," Ines finally said.

"That's okay!" Charlotte smiled. "Let's talk about something else then. I'm turning thirteen this summer, what about you?"

Looking away from Charlotte's prying eyes, Ines fumbled with her hands. Having someone's full attention whilst she spoke was daunting, to say the least.

"I'm turning nine next winter."

"Nine? Hmm, then did your birthday just pass recently?" Charlotte inquired, her eyes tracing Ines' scrawny figure. How puzzling. She had recently turned eight, yet she was so… gaunt.

Compared to the other children, Ines had a cadaverous appearance; rough waxen skin, and dull flaxen yellow hair that hung short by her ears. She looked abnormally thin as if a single gust of wind would blow her away.

Someone such as her...

Ines nodded, "Yes, it was a few days ago."

"Oh! Happy belated birthday, did you do anything to celebrate your birthday?"

"Well..." Ines mumbled, touching her wrist. "No."

Charlotte frowned. "Then, what if-"

"Ines! Sister Edith is calling for you!" Odette interrupted. Waving at her from a distance, the young girl turned to the said woman, Sister Edith. Pointing at her, the two spoke quietly before Sister Edith began heading her way.

"Ines, I'm glad to see that you've made a friend." Sister Edith smiled.

Ines nodded, neither confirming nor denying what Sister Edith had said.

Sister Edith looked between the two girls. The older girl, was her name Charlotte? She had been silent from the moment she (Sister Edith) arrived.

Well, perhaps Charlotte simply hadn't warmed up to her yet? It was understandable, she wasn't the one who had raised them; compared to the Head Mistress and Sister Yvette, she was a newcomer who had only been hired recently.

"Pardon me Charlotte, but I'll be borrowing your friend for a bit. Ines, could you come with me for a moment?"

"Okay," Ines mumbled, trailing after Sister Edith.

Charlotte watched as they left, her gaze never once leaving Ines' figure. For a long time, even after their shadows had escaped the scrutinizing rays of the sun, she remained where she stood.

Ines did not turn around, not even once. Despite Charlotte's friendly demeanor and her efforts at befriending the latter, Ines had kept her eyes glued to the ground and her hands for the entirety of the time they were together.

Even more so, she looked rather relieved and eager to leave.

Just where did she come from? Charlotte thought, her blood running cold like hardened magma.

To claim that she was the Madam's niece- it was absurd, only a fool would believe such as horribly told lie. Plus, she looked like a street urchin, and she behaved like one too.

Seeing that no one was looking at her or nearby, she pinched her hand hard until she bled. Softly hissing in pain, Charlotte then drew a sigil of a scale on her palm and whispered, "Lady Fortuna."

A couple of seconds later, a faint golden glow emitted from her hands, healing the self-inflicted wound on her palm.

"I call upon the Esteemed Lady of the Scale, please accept my offering and show me Ines' identity."

However, as she finished the incantation, the glow from her hands fizzled out as if it had abandoned her.

Her ability never failed her until this moment–but why now?

As if it read her thoughts, Charlotte's shadow stepped away from her feet for a brief moment, taunting her with words that she could not hear. Yet it rang in her ears as loudly as the holy bells did the day she had been chosen.

Why now, after all this time?

Why had she been abandoned for Ines?