Chapter 26

Your Broken Words

Lady Katherine awoke to the sight of Tobias leaning over her. She winced in pain. "What is going on?"

"L-l-lady K-katherine," Tobias started. He was shaking as per usual. He was always hunched, always shaking. She knew it was not because he was cold. It was always because he was scared.

She let out a sigh and attempted to move to reposition herself on top of her bed. She paused as the pain in her wrist quadrupled as she had tried to use it to prop herself. "What is going on?"

Tobias usually had something in his mouth, resembling a stick of cinnamon, or a stick of ginger. Lady Katherine was never sure of which, nor did she care to ask. She knew he used it as some sort of pacifier. This time she could see it was something different. He took it out of his own mouth and placed it in the hand of the arm that was not in pain.

Katherine looked down at her palm. It was willow bark. She very quickly wiped the saliva from it on her sleeve and stuck the bark in her mouth. She looked at him. "Why?" she asked, muffled.

He tried to turn away but she grabbed him with her good arm. She asked again.

"Wh-which?"

"Why is my arm broken, and why are you helping me?" She demanded.

He knelt down to the floor. He was quite lanky in his stature but you'd never see that aspect. He was almost always in a hunch along with his shaking. He must have been abused even before Lady Katherine's daughter came along. "You t-talk in your s-s-sleep."

Her eyes grew wide. Her unconscious mind must be planning something. "What do you mean?" She knew she dreamt, she could feel it when she dreamt in long cycles she would be very tired the next day. She could never remember what it was that she dreamt about. "What was I saying?"

Tobias shook his head and winced. He was not going to tell. He knew he would get in trouble. His master could read him like that.

The two of them heard quick footsteps approaching the closed door. Tobias stood up and went to the corner. Lady Katherine laid down again, putting the willow bark underneath her. She did not pretend to be sleeping. She knew it would be useless.

Janette walked in. A look of distaste on her face as she glared at Tobias in the corner. "Hopeless. You're sometimes useless, but not today." She turned to her mother, "So who are you talking to in your sleep?"

Lady Katherine sighed and rolled her eyes. "You know I have no recollection."

"Do I?" she snarled. "Who is Nettie? You seem to be talking to somebody. What kind of name is that?"

She looked at her daughter with concern. She honestly had no idea. "That is definitely a strange name. I do not remember my dreams."

Janette was angry at her mother. She felt she was lying to her face. "You're lying."

"I am not lying to you."

A smirk danced across her face. "In any case, I hope you enjoy your gift. A broken arm for your broken words in your dreams. Do not test my power. You are my mother but I will find a way to not need you." With that, her daughter walked away. As she did, Katherine could see the faint dark essence trailing her daughter. The goddess sometimes had more control, today she did not - and for that she was thankful.

Tobias started to leave.

"Wait," Katherine called to him. "Thank you."

He nodded very sheepishly and tripped out the door. Katherine stuck the willow bark back in her mouth and gripped at her left elbow to help move her arm towards her torso. She stood and started leaving the room. "I hope my unconscious knows what it's doing."