The Lost Templar Series (16+)

Chapter 1: The trial of fear

“My earliest memory of Scarletta's House was around three years old, when i heard another child call her mother accidentally. I had laughed at him, corrected it to 'Scarletta', and he then informed me it's what you call your parent if she's a woman, I was confused” – Kira's Journal

Kira had heard other children call the Mistress ‘mother’ before, some even used to ask the young red head if she was the daughter of the Mistress. Kira would only ever answer with a shrug, all she been told is: her real parents left her to die with the Mages, and Scarletta had saved her as a baby. Her red hair was natural, but her almost glowing teal eyes were some side effect, of the Mages evil experiments. Other side effects showed later; she was much stronger and faster than other children her age. A fact which seemed to surprise the Mistress, who said it shouldn't be possible for a premature infant.

Her childhood was “normal” at the orphanage, although no child seemed to ever find new parents. The Mistress explained to the children that she was very careful of whom to send the children with, as those who wish to adopt children, have nefarious intentions. Years of this form of programming went into the children's heads, those that were orphaned at an older age, and could not be manipulated, were immediately sent to the local militia after coming of age.

Weeks after her tenth birthday, Kira was dragged out of her bed, before the rooster crowed. Her panic subsided when she was informed she had a very important task to perform for her trials. Scarletta and Morrigan stripped her clothes off and dropped her into a large tub filled with barely warm water. The Mistress scrubbed her down with a coarse, horse hair brush, the bristles irritating her cold skin. Her hair was washed and brushed with little care as to the child's comfort, silent tears streaked down her pale cheeks.

When roosters began to caw, Dalia, the tailor entered the room with a sleek dress in hand, close to Kira's size. The midnight blue hues made its silver stitching and trim sparkle like a clear starry night. Morrigan dragged her from the bathtub, dropped her unceremoniously, on a thick bearskin mat so the trio could finish drying her off. Dalia gently put her in the gown, before she began marking and pinning the dress in places to adjust, in order to perfectly fit the young ladies form. While the tailor worked away, Scarletta began mixing makeups together, to create a suitable pallet for Kira's fair features. The Mistress tested each pigment adjustment on Kira’s cheek, and then with dissatisfaction forcefully wiped it off. Dalia helped the girl out of the gown, bowed to the Mistress and left the room with the dress.

“You remember your manners, girl?” Scarletta sneered, while continuing the pigment comparison,

“Yes ma'am”' Kira responded,

“Excellent!' A mischievous grin formed on the Madame’s face, “Baron Ogdrig has placed a request of our humble business, my most stunning girl, of which whom cannot bear children.” She chuckled, almost maniacally, “When I explained I have no young lady properly trained, and I could not guarantee performance, he offered me double!” Kira felt a sinking in her stomach; she knew what was on the horizon of her day. She had heard stories from the older girls about these kinds of arrangements.

“The baron knows the rules: no matter what he cannot kill you. Morrigan will go with you to ensure this.” she said with a knowing smile, “All I can tell you child, in preparation, is this: During your day, and all through dinner, hold your head up high, you will be treated like a princess, act accordingly. However, in the Barons bed chamber”, she paused, as the colour drained from Kira's face, “Trust in your instincts, and do what is necessary.” Kira was confused as she got dressed in her regular linens, awaiting her dress to be finished.

Later that day, just passed noon, a large fancy carriage pulled into the courtyard, led by two white mares, their manes and tails eloquently braided to match. A handsome looking man stepped out of the carriage, approached the main entrance of the house, and was waved inside by the “support staff” member on guard. Kira was standing beside the large desk in the main hall. Her dark blue dress hung off her small frame, stark contrast to her shoulder length auburn hair. She looked fit as a junior bridesmaid. The man was in his twenties, kind features and a strong jaw. His short cropped black hair was styled neatly; his clothes and disposition seemed calm, kind, and non-threatening.

“This way my darling,” he bowed and waved her towards the door, “I'm sure the little princess will have a wonderful evening of fine dining.” all while holding his bow.

Kira cheered up a bit, perhaps this was not what she was expecting, thank the Gods. She gracefully followed the handsome man, Kira blushed, and she was surprised the Baron was this good looking. Down the ornate steps she glided, accepting the help into the carriage, Morrigan followed and clambered up beside the driver.

There was another man who sat in the Carriage, Kira was repulsed. He stood mildly less than six foot, but he was so overweight, he was almost as wide as he was tall. His beard had dried bits of food in it; he had laboured breathing and his eyes were almost bloodshot. He licked his lips as Kira climbed in the carriage and took her seat across from the humanized slug.

The handsome man sat beside Kira, noticing her revulsion, he smiled at her with an understanding glance. The obese man took a large swig from a flask of some form of booze, “You are pret-ty” he said, interrupted by his own belch, amber liquid running into his beard as the smell of alcohol filled the cabin. The glutton patted the narrow felt cushion beside him, looking at the teal-eyed girl with desire,

“Come sit with me, my princess.”

Kira's eyes widened in abject fear, as the handsome man to her left cleared his throat. “Ahem, My Lord, should we allow her the serenity of waiting until after dinner, as this is foreign to her, I'm sure his excellence would appreciate her being in the ladies utmost comfort.”, the young lady took in a sharp inhalation of breath as she realized the gluttonous man was Baron Ogdrig. The Baron seemed to mull it over in his mind, before responding to his subordinate:

“Yeah', I guess that makes sense, the happiest cow produces the most milk.”, he finished his analogy with a chuckle and took a bite from a turkey leg.

The carriage shuttered as the driver snapped the reigns; the Baron ate and drank for the majority of the ride. Kira stared out the window in awe, she'd never been off the House grounds, and she was engrossed in the views: passing through the markets, housing districts, seeing peddlers and shops. The carriage turned many times after leaving the orphanage, but lost in the new visuals, Kira was completely lost and she enjoyed the ride the whole way.

They arrived at the Baron's estate an hour later, the handsome servant assisted Kira's descent from the carriage, before whistling for the two guards to come and assist the Baron. He escorted the young lady into the residency, showed her where the wash-closets were, and introduced her to a multitude of servants.

The duo toured the grounds, the gardens, and the library. The library: Kira felt as if she'd died and gone to reside with the gods, she loved to read, all forms of literature, fiction and fact. A servant entered the library a few short minutes after Kira had begun to explore, approached the handsome man, whispered in his ear for a moment before retreating, causing the handsome man to frown. “The Baron has requested you're...” he paused to clear his throat, “ahem, presence and assistance in his washing for dinner.”

The handsome servant looked sad, with a hint of frustration. Kira turned and asked him; “Why do you serve a master you despise?” with innocent curiosity. He paused and hung his head, “I was sold to the House Ogdrig in my youth, when I was much younger than you, “ he paused to let out a small chuckle, “I was taught, that regardless of my personal views, an indentured servant should obey their master, however; it's their obligation to minimize the damage to innocence.”

He paused deep in thought, then he knelt down to be eye level with the petite young woman, his vocal tone was quiet and sensitive, full of care and concern: “I suggest m'lady: at dinner, you over-indulge in the wine you're poured,” he smirked, “in preparation for your arrival, I had the kitchen staff mix it one third with grape-juice.” he shook his head solemnly, “it will cut the bitterness of the wine, and make the rest of your evening more… bearable.”

The handsome servant led Kira down into the bath-house, where the gluttonous Barron was soaking in his oversized bathtub. Kira tried not to wretch in her mouth at the sight of his naked torso, his bosom was the size of her head, drooped and hairy. He turned his gaze upon her as she entered the room, swallowed his mouthful of food and began to grin. He then waved his gelatinous arm towards the water, inviting the child to join him in his bath. Thinking quickly, Kira bowed politely in decline, “Your grace, I would be ashamed to have my makeup run and ruin, shall I wash you instead? While staying clear of the water.” The servants in the bath-house who clearly disapproved of the Barons taste in underage women, all smiled warmly at her, one maiden gave her thumbs up behind the Barons back. “Yes, yes,” he said while finishing his mouthful, “You're so beautiful, I wouldn't want to ruin It.”, every word was punctuated with him smacking his flabby jaw, attempting to finish chewing his mouthful of food.

Kira took a seat on the edge of the tub, plucked a sponge from the counter, and began gently washing his back. After a short time had passed the Baron barked the order to one of his orderlies to take Kira to the dining hall, one of the ladies escorted the young girl out of the bath-house and to her destination. “You handled yourself well!” the maiden whispered in her ear before she departed.

She was seated to the right of the Barons ‘throne’; a chair of sorts, only twice as wide as any regular man would require. The Baron entered within a half hour, the utensils rattled, with every short step he took.

Kira's stomach was floating in her abdomen; she was scared, and angry at Scarletta for putting her into this situation. When the baron was finally seated, with the help of two servants his chair was pushed towards the table. He turned and smiled at Kira, the kind of smile that makes your skin crawl as if being skittered on by a thousand centipedes. The kitchen staff poured her wine; it was from a separate jug than the barons, diluted with the sweetened juice. When the Baron questioned it; one of the servant's explained that owing to the girls age, her wine was mixed with a minute amount of water, to lessen the effects, so that she wouldn't fall asleep on him and he seemed to accept that.

The kitchen staff brought out their meal, Kira could barely finish the contents of her plate, it was more food than she'd eat in a regular day, and she felt terribly for leaving scraps on the plate. The baron began to laugh as she pushed away her plate, still speckled with salad, and fish. “Girl, you best have saved some room, there are still eleven more courses to go!” Kira's eyes went wide; she had over-eaten so much, the thought of more food made her almost sick.

She sat and sipped the juice-diluted wine while she watched the baron consume course after course of his meal. By the end of the eleven following courses, his beard was grease-soaked, and his clothes were stained with a veritable assortment of sauces and seasonings. Upon his final bite, he grunted, patted his gelatinous gut, and finished his fifth pitcher of wine, with an over-exaggerated “ah”. He snapped his fingers for the servants to clear his place-setting. “To my bed-chamber!” he shouted, like a general on the battlefield would muster his troops. The servants helped him to his feet; they mumbled something along the lines of getting cleaned up before his entertainment was delivered.

The handsome servant took Kira to the room adjacent to the Barons, “You didn't drink much wine,” he said with exasperation; “I warned you, it would have made the rest of the evening much easier...” he trailed off. Morrigan had followed her and the handsome servant into the room; he stood near the next door in her journey. She entered the room, the Baron stood at the bedside with a riding crop in hand, and his only attire being his wool socks. Kira remembered her Mistresses advice; Do what comes naturally.

Ogdrig is no longer a baron, and in all point of fact, now a eunuch. The young Kira's instincts were to fight the baron and flee. Morrigan had taken her from the barons keep moments after the incident. The majority of the guards had been dismissed for the evening, save Ogdrig's Commander who was too preoccupied trying to stop his Lords near-fatal bleeding to try and stop Morrigan and Kira's escape.

She had completed her first trial: overcome fear.