Chapter 6 A Chaotic Morning

From that very moment, Mel's calm morning spiralled into a pit of bottomless excitement, with Lori taking the lead. Eustace had sent Lori to take Mel around the vicinity of Grime. While Eustace had made sure Mel got acquainted with Bjorn's house, the old mother-in-law didn't have the strength to take Mel around the settlement.

Despite Mel's attempts of disguising herself, blending in into the simple streets had turned out to be futile. She had the stature of a young teenager in Grime, but the fact that Lori was taking her around the streets didn't go unnoticed by the residents of the large settlement. And those who had seen her arrive at the shop earlier with Eustace could already tell what the young woman looked like.

"Don't worry, no one will disturb you," Lori comforted Mel, taking hold of her hand and guiding her out of the markets and into a more secluded street. Mel tried her best not to wobble, her legs weak from walking here and there. Soft pants exited her mouth and beads of sweat dotted her forehead despite the weather. The curious stares lessened and they became the least of her problems when she realized how tired she was from Lori dragging her around. The cool breeze ruffled strands of Mel's hair out of place and she looked up at the sky, unable to tell if it was morning, afternoon, or evening.

"It's early afternoon," Lori said softly, noticing Mel's attention to the sky, and presumably the time. She then perked up. "I have an idea, let's-"

"Please. I would like to sit down," Mel whispered hoarsely, fed up. "I am tired."

Lori froze, her eyes widening with alarm as she stared down at Mel. "I-I am very sorry... I have no-here, let's get you rested!"

They found a bench beneath the awning of a silverware shop and Mel rushed to it, nearly collapsing on the wooden seat. The owners of the shop gleefully crept out to meet Mel and give their greetings, offering her and Lori refreshments, some of which Lori refused.

"Kindly forgive me," Lori said once more, downcast. "I go ahead of myself on occasion. Even my husband complains about this a number of times," she finished with a chuckle and then looked off into the distance, a vast field in front of them that started from the boundary of the cobbled-stoned ground.

"It's alright. You don't need to keep apologising." Mel looked away. "You just have so much energy..."

Lori shyly tugged at one of her braids. "Yes. I did not stop to consider how different you would be... No, not in a mean way. Like-" She smacked her cheeks with both hands and moaned. "Here I am embarrassing myself."

Mel paused. From what she had noticed, Lori had been too chatty for her liking and she honestly hadn't been able to keep up with the Grime woman. Not once did she stop to consider that Lori might have been just as nervous as she was.

"I guess I hadn't thought of that," Mel whispered absentmindedly.

"What?"

"No. I was just talking to myself." A soft smile dotted Mel's lips.

"Oh, I see." Lori's lips spread in a sheepish smile and she fiddled with her fingers on her lap.

They sat in silence, the gentle breeze slaying across their skin and toying with Mel's hair. Lori's beaded braids were too heavy to be lifted by the soft wind, and so they twinkled instead, guided by the slight motions of Lori's head as she gazed upon the scenery before them, a relaxed smile on her face.

Mel stared in awe. The smile had been different from the numerous ones Lori directed at her earlier during the day. The woman beside her now seemed to be at peace, and now that Mel paid more attention to her escorts, Lori appeared to have a certain beauty Mel hadn't seen on any other woman in Grime.

She had flawless skin with light freckles on the bridge of her pointed nose. Coupled with caramel eyes that matched her brown hair, it produced a pleasant combination that Mel couldn't take her eyes away. From Lori's dressing, the woman seemed to be well endowed too.

Mel glanced at her chest, nearly flat in comparison to Lori's. She had never bothered about her features since she had what she considered "enough". But that might not matter now that she was in a different land.

Her mind went to Bjorn and her heart skipped a beat. She had been so enamored with him that she hadn't considered his own feelings in the matter. She blushed, embarrassed. She had remained mute and Eustace had to whisk her away.

"Is something the matter?" Lori questioned.

Mel snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Lori. She folded her lips inward and averted her eyes before looking back at the woman.

"Nothing much..." Mel rubbed her thigh. "Well... I want to ask. What is your relationship with the clan head?"

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They sat in silence, the gentle breeze splaying across their skin and toying with Mel's hair. Lori's beaded braids were too heavy to be lifted by the soft wind, and so they tinkled instead, guided by the slight motions of Lori's head as she gazed upon the scenery before them, a relaxed smile on her face.

Mel stared in awe. The smile had been different from the numerous ones Lori had directed at her earlier that day. The woman beside her now seemed to be at peace, and now that Mel paid more attention to her escort, Lori appeared to have a certain beauty Mel hadn't seen on any other woman in Grime.

She had flawless skin with light freckles on the bridge of her pointed nose. Coupled with caramel eyes that matched her brown hair, it produced such a pleasant combination that Mel couldn't take her eyes away. From Lori's dressing, the woman seemed to be well endowed too.

Mel glanced at her chest, nearly flat in comparison to Lori's. She had never bothered about her features since she had what she considered "enough". But that might not matter now that she was in a different land, with a smaller frame compared to these people. It hadn't occurred to her before that the beast people's connection to their spirit animal would influence their physical frame.

*'Some oversight on my part, I guess.'*

Her mind went to Bjorn and her heart skipped a beat. She had been so enamored with him that she hadn't considered his own feelings in the matter. She blushed, embarrassed as she recalled the moment he had greeted her. She had remained quiet and had stared so rudely that Eustace had to whisk her away.

"Is something the matter?" Lori questioned.

Mel snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Lori. She folded her lips inward and averted her eyes before looking back at the woman.

"Nothing much..." Mel rubbed her thigh. "Well... I want to ask. What is your relationship with the clan head?"

Lori stared at Mel for a while when suddenly her brows shot up as if she was just beginning to register Mel's question. "Bjorn?"

Mel paused, confused by Lori's reaction. For her to refer to the clan head on a first name basis... Eustace hadn't mentioned having another child. But it wouldn't hurt to ask even though she doubted Lori was in any way related to Bjorn. "Are you his sister?"

"Oh. No, no, no." Lori shook her head with a laugh. Not at all. Please do not mind me. I am just not used to..." A soft smile appeared on her lips. "I do not know how to put it. Bjorn is a childhood friend of my husband and I." She paused and looked at the sky. "Now that you've brought it to mind, I can't really say I've seen him as a clan leader. All I think of is the stubborn animal Dov and I grew up with." She chuckled.

A wave of relief washed over Mel at Lori's mention of a husband. The woman was taken. She didn't have to worry about anything. Mel silently berated herself for thinking this way.

"Dov. Your husband?" Mel asked.

Lori glanced back down at Mel, beaming. "Yes! He isn't as outgoing as I am-well, neither of them are, but it pleases me to know how much Dov cherishes my behaviour. Bjorn has called me a leach on occasion... Oh! I am sure you would be interested in knowing about Bjorn, have you gotten to talk to him?"

An embarrassed blush crept up Mel's cheeks and she looked away with a feeble smile. "No. Not really."

"Awww. Don't be too down about it." Her voice softened. "And here I was thinking he would at least be gentle with you."

"Gentle?" Mel didn't think her improper behaviour would allow for that. But she had one thought. "He didn't seem like a gentle person," she whispered.

How could she have forgotten? Right on the stairs, he wore some sort of frown. He had just been polite in his greeting and Mel had fallen for his good looks like an idiot.

Lori's smile widened. "Oh, he is. You should see him around his men and the other helpers."

Mel straightened. "I noticed the serv-helpers... I noticed there aren't many." Mel ran a hand along her thigh again. It was something that had worried her. Back in her father's manor, even though they weren't the richest clan, they still had over a hundred servants working under her father. Bjorn's home had only a few who had left shortly after taking in her things.

Lori rubbed the back of her head, her lips forming a sheepish smile. "Some clans in Orion... Here, we don't have servants. We're all one big family in reality. This happens across several beast nations. Not yours, I'm guessing?"

Mel shook her head slowly, averting her gaze.

"Our helpers just assist with taking care of the clan head's residence. Though, there are periods where the house will be left to you and Bjorn alone." Lori cast a mischievous glance Mel's way and a sudden heat rose to Mel's cheeks at the message behind Lori's words.

"I didn't know about that. I've grown up with servants..." Mel lowered her gaze, trying to shift the discussion from the unfamiliar territory when another thought occurred to her. "If the 'helpers' won't be available at times, who will take care of maintaining-"

"Oh. Sorry, I forgot to mention. They will come in and take care of the cleaning but within a fixed time. You'll barely see them. And of course, you will have to oversee their schedule and the work they do."

Mel swallowed. In other words, she would be the new lady of the clan. Her palms began to sweat. This was something she dreaded. She didn't do well back home with this particular task. The last time her mother had left the manor in Mel's hands, one of the wings had burst into flames, leading to Anton taking care of whatever mess she had made.

Despite being criticised by Harriett about that incident, her mother had still left her in charge of the manor a few years later. Nothing much happened then, but it felt as if the servants were more in control than she was. They had been the ones to teach her and organise things without her help. While it left her with a bitter feeling inside, she wondered if it would be the same here.

Mel then shook her head, abandoning the thought. She was lacking in information about the Grime clan, she couldn't show herself incompetent in managing Bjorn's household.

"Sorry. I made the conversation awkward, didn't I?" Lori whispered, a far-off look on her face as she faced Mel.

"No! Not at all." Mel jerked her head up. "I was just lost in thought... Being the clan leader's wife must be a daunting task," she confessed.

"I keep telling you, Mel. You will be part of our family soon, and we will help you." Lori shifted, drawing close to Mel. She took hold of her hands within her warm hold, hands slightly larger than Mel's. "I would really like to be friends with you. I hope you don't mind?"

Mel blinked, surprised at Lori's question. "Y-yes!" she piped, then with a lowered voice, she continued, "I don't mind. I-" Mel's eyes watered and she paused in a state of shock. "I-" she stammered, unable to get the words out of her throat as the bottled feelings escaped her.

Most of her friends had left for their husband's houses and had been too busy to visit her. When she had made trips to their houses, they had been too focused on whatever child they had, and so she had resigned herself to the confines of her family home. Not only had she been distressed about leaving so suddenly, but her family also couldn't even come to the wedding. Now here she was, a stranger in another land, anxious and afraid of what her future had in store for her. But Lori had extended a hand towards her.

She wouldn't be alone.

Mel crumbled and softly sobbed, dragging her hand to cover her mouth. Her shoulders trembled and an incomprehensible stream of words escaped her muffled lips. Mel was simply voicing out what she felt. She repeatedly asked for Lori to forgive her shameless demeanour. If Harriett were to see her now, she might have gotten a scolding. She was in public, but lucky enough, they were at the edge of the clan settlement, with the owners of the shop behind them the only possible witnesses.

Without another word, as if knowing when to keep silent and when to speak, Lori pulled Mel into her arms and comforted the young girl. They remained like that for a considerable amount of time. Mel had stopped weeping, but she remained nestled in Lori's warm hold, her chest aching from the offload of her emotions.

"I'm sorry for behaving like this," Mel whispered, gently tearing herself away from Lori. She flinched and shifted, frantic eyes wandering about for something to wipe her face. She would have used the sleeves of her dress to at least wipe her tears, but the snot running down her nose was another distressing issue.

*'No... What will I do now?'*

Mel turned back to Lori, about to ask if she could help her request some wipes from the store when Lori shrugged off the sleeveless jacket of her dress, leaned forward, and wiped Mel's face with it.

Mel stiffened at Lori's action, stunned.

As much as she wanted to stop Lori's act of kindness, she couldn't utter a word. The situation was embarrassing, but there was a hint of gratitude in Mel's eyes.

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Mel's tears from the previous day had held a strange effect on her. She had woken up the following morning with an odd feeling. Her previously heavy heart was now light as if she had expelled all the negative energy along with her tears the day before. The calmness she had woken up to washed over her like heavy rolls of a warm fog.

She got up from bed, the relaxation giving way to a firm resolution. She wasn't just a pitiful woman. She was a noble of Sprite, and if she was to right a wrong done by her father, she had to do it with dignity. Mel stared into space with mixed feelings. She couldn't bring herself to hate her father. She didn't even know how to feel. But one thing she knew was that Bjorn would not have asked for this either, but he must have followed through whether he wanted it or not. The least she could do was reciprocate that dedication.

Eustace, Annie, Lori, and even the other helpers, noticed Mel's subtle change. Amidst the knowledge Eustace imparted to Mel about the Grime clan, and the continuous help from Lori, Mel's confidence began to wane with each day as the wedding drew closer. She was yet to go underground, but as she wasn't yet joined in union with Bjorn, or a family of the Grime clan, the underground city was off limits to her. The ceremony was originally supposed to hold at the end of the week, but Mel had wanted just a little more time to be accustomed to the clan and learn more about it. At least to make up for the preparation she hadn't properly made back in Urn. Eustace had reluctantly allowed it. Now that Mel was two days away from the wedding, she was seated with Eustace, going over the final details of the prepared traditional dress. Eustace's ceremonial gown had been too large and heavy to be modified for Mel's size, so a new one had been prepared.

She had noticed the usual female garments of the Grime clan were simple designs of well-embroidered dresses, most of them frayed at the hem. A sleeveless jacket could further be added to their clothing along with simple to lavish jewellery. These were accessories even the simple folk had access to. The men rarely wore tunics, unlike how it was back in Urn. Their clothing was rather simple; fur or cotton "pants" with shirts or "ponchos". Mel found the words strange, but anything would be in a different part of the world.

The ceremonial attire that had been prepared for Mel appeared to be a jumbled mess of heavy clothes thrown layer on top of another layer. Just looking at the garment stoked the flames of distress within her. She would simply be crushed under all that weight standing. And she had to walk in it?

When Mel questioned about the fitting and if any adjustments could be made, the tailors simply laughed and Eustace assured Mel that they were very efficient with their work.

Whatever that meant.

Mel collapsed onto her bed the night before the wedding, her muscles aching from exhaustion. As her weak frame hit the bed, the last of her worries hit her, unsealing the gates she had kept locked. A tear escaped from the corner of her eye. Her family wouldn't be there to see her tomorrow, and not once had she seen Bjorn since the day she had arrived.

"My lady," Annie whispered, gently pulling the sandals off Mel's feet. "The helpers prepared supper-"

"I'm not hungry, Annie," Mel whispered back. Her stomach grumbled at the end of her sentence.

Annie continued after the awkward silence, persistent, "My lady-"

"Annie, please," Mel pleaded, lying limp on the welcoming bed. "I am tired. I don't even have the strength to put anything in my mouth."

"No matter. I will feed-"

"I want to be alone," Mel groaned into the bed, her voice muffled but distinct enough to be heard clearly as she stressed each word.

Annie stood still, quiet. The silence stretched for a lengthy period and a worried sigh came out of Annie. "I will be taking my leave," she said in a meek whisper. "Goodnight, my lady."

Mel listened to her maid's footsteps and her subsequent exit. She closed her eyes, feeling drained and a little bit guilty for behaving in such a way towards Annie. Her heavy eyelids drooped and sleep took hold of her weary mind.

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The following morning was one of the most chaotic scenes Mel had ever witnessed in her entire life.

She had been told the wedding ceremony would take place late in the evening, but no one had told her there would be serious preparation this early in the morning. She had woken up to a chattering noise and opened her eyes to the blinding lights of the ceiling crystals. The sleepy haze was knocked off her eyes at the crowd running helter-skelter in her room.

The scenery had rendered her silent with shock and she was dragged off the bed, stripped of her clothing, and rushed to the bathing chamber, similar to the one back home. This time, the ceramic bathtub was a thick wooden basin, and warm water was doused on her, followed by a thorough scrub of her body.

Terrified out of her wits, she called out for Annie, only to be relaxed by the helpers, letting her know Annie was busy with other arrangements for the ceremony.

"But-it's only-morning-" she spat out more water as more was doused on top of her head.

Had she done something wrong to deserve this? Not even the servants back home were this rough with her.

"Sto-stop it!" she screeched, flailing about in the water and spraying it in the helper's faces.

The helpers stopped abruptly, shock, and a slight hint of fear in their wide-eyed expressions. Mel frowned, her skin numb from their callous hands. "Be more gentle with me! You seem to forget that I don't have such a strong physique for you to treat me so roughly. That aside, I get my sleep disturbed, dragged from the bed, and all of a sudden whisked to the tub without even an explanation of..." Mel panted and gasped, out of breath. Her heart raced in her chest, beating erratically from her rapid breathing.

They bowed their heads, deep regret etched into their faces. "We're sincerely sorry. I have no excuse for our rash behaviour," one of them pleaded, her head still lowered. "We-"

"Alright," Mel grumbled, sinking back into the warm pool.

The helpers straightened and cast cautious glances between one another before continuing to wash Mel. Their grasps were firm, but a little more gentle that the bath felt like a massage rather than a comforting bath.

As Mel would soon discover, that was just the beginning.

Annie's presence, later on, had been comforting and the maid had given her a short explanation about lengthy preparations running for the whole day. Mel thought back to how the servants had prepared her before boarding the Orion ship and a sense of dread filled her. The whole ordeal was far from over.

Still naked, she was directed to another chamber, barren, except for a long wooden table and other raised stools containing bowls of black rocks. She was laid on the table and her stiff muscles relaxed mere seconds into the strange procedure. Her initial alarm subsided as the helpers kneaded her flesh and massaged every corner of her body. From her neck to the soles of her feet, two pairs of hands pulled, pressed, and turned her body into a liquid mass.

Not even her mind was free from the mind-boggling sensation. It was a mess. A pleasant mess.

The motions stopped and Mel remained there in a daze. Reality snapped back to her with a blink as the warm stones were placed on her back and the heat seeped into the pores of her skin. Mel closed her eyes and her consciousness slipped from her and returned in short intervals.

"...lady...my... my lady!"

Mel flinched, snapping her eyes open.

She twitched, too lazy to turn her neck or raise her hands. "Why did you stop?" she asked weakly, blinking as Annie's face hovered before hers.

Without answering, Annie smiled and supported Mel to a seated position, her legs dangling over the side of the narrow table.

"It remains your face. We want you to lie on your back," Annie simply said. Her forehead creased with a worrying look and the maid averted her gaze, but Mel didn't pay much attention to it.

"Alright." Mel let Annie ease her onto her back and the young woman noticed there were fewer helpers in the chamber. There were four within the room, except for Annie.

One of the Grime helpers lathered a sweet-smelling syrup on her palms and the moment she pressed the cold substance to Mel's face, she instinctively flinched at the contact and closed her eyes. Her brows suddenly creased with a frown as an odd liquid was poured on her crotch.

"What are you doing?" Mel reached up to hold the wrist of the helper massaging her face.

Annie's voice came out weak, "Forgive us, my lady."

"Annie?" Mel snapped her eyes open just in time for a helper to tear off the solidified wax from her skin, along with her pubic hair.

Mel let out a blood curdling scream.