One More Step

More and more people saw their movement and they stopped working. Some even pointed fingers ant them while looking at her struggling to walk further. But none of them dared to offer her hand in fear of the main wife's rage.

Kyra didn't even look at them as she tried to walk without fainting. Her head has been dizzy since she left the bed but the walking made her condition even worse. She used the breathing techniques she learned from one of her soldiers. With that, her head started to become clearer and she could walk without fainting towards the stairs that she needed to climb down.

Anna could feel that Kyra's clothes were already damp from the sweat, but seeing her determined expression she gave up on commenting. They slowly walked down the stairs and when they finally were in the main lobby Kyra's face was white and beaded with perspiration.

Anna took her handkerchief out her sleeve and patted the sweat away while letting Kyra sit on one of the chairs in the main lobby. ''Miss, should we go to Lord first or Lady?''

''Let's talk to father first. Help me to his room.'' She rose her hand to ask her help by standing up.

Anna took her hand and sighed. ''We will do as you ask.''

Walking past all those gossiping servants Kyra was relieved. If she went healthy down, they would have stopped her going even near his door. But at the moment they felt slight sympathy so they let her pass.

Anna knocked on a big mahogany door and voice from Lord invited them in. As soon they stepped in he jumped from his seat and run towards them. ''Child, why are you up? Is bed not comfortable enough? I will get you a better and bigger bed. Softer?''

Kyra shook her head as she slowly sat down on her chair. ''Father, the room is good as it is. I am here to ask you for a wish I have. Could you grant me please?''

Lord loved children but had only three at the moment. Included Kyra. The other two were from his main wife and none of his other women successfully had children. Some died by birth some even in their w.o.m.bs. So hearing that he had one more child he felt delighted.

''Father, I need to make something clear. I understand her plight, so please don't be angry at her Ladyship. Grandmother and mother never wanted me to come here in the first place and I probably would have lived content life if grandmother didn't get sick. These messy things you have in your household, I don't dare to participate. I just ask you for my backup plan just in case I need a new life. Please grant me this wish.''

He looked at her as his face became stiff. The two children of his spent almost half of his salary for their whims, if this child is like them... But her next words made him even more baffled.

She lowered her eyes as she asked him with a grievance. '''Father, I lost my memory as it seems. My mother I never met anyway. In the future as your daughter, I will have only problems as I am not from main line and not noble. So to make sure I could survive in the future, can you by my piece of farmland in a faraway place and a small house. I don't ask for riches, but just in case. Can you help me get that? I won't ask for anything else, father.''

''But as my daughter, you will get whatever you want. Why small farm. Let me give you big land and forests and...'' But stopped when he saw her head shaking.

''Father, a small farm is fine with me. If I have big land, can I handle it? Father, your daughter is a simple child. Don't make it too troublesome. Please. if you want to give me something, hmmm, give me paper money or gold coin. Everything else doesn't matter.''

He chuckled. ''Good I will buy you piece of land near capital. If you feel safer that way. Later I will send you ownership papers written on your name. Keep it safe. And I will send you some paper money. Hide it well and don't let anyone know about it.''

She had no illusions that he would love her and hug her as the parents did in past life. Even if he was having multiple life he was a bit cold and not very affectionate. That touch she had before was something he would rarely do even with children of his main wife. So she gave up in advance on him. using this chance to have this backup plan. She can use only this chance just in case...

She stood up and bowed slightly towards him as she saw his eyes darting to the mountain of papers on his huge table. ''Father I will leave you now to your work. ''

He once more glanced at her as his hands already reached for the files on top of the paper mountain. She turned her head one more time and saw him sitting down and starting to write, lost in his world. This kind of man is a great support for the kind and country but awful husband and father. they turned and left the room.

''Let's go to her Ladyship now. We need to get that stone of our backs or it will turn into a mountain and crush us.'' Anna nodded and they slowly approached other sie of the hall under the eyes of a bunch of servants.

'Good, the sympathy I could see. The next few days and have to make some connections here. After that, my path to freedom might be safer.' She breathed deeply as she nodded at Anna to knock on the big door.

This time the door was opened from inside and they were invited to come in by one of the servants. 'It seems they knew we are here. Let's see what will happen now.''

Anna slightly shook as she saw Lady sitting in her chair and staring at them with an icy expression.But Kyra saw more. Uneasiness, regret, fear as well. Good that she came today, she needs to use this all.

''Did you go to the Lord and cried your grievances?'' Her sarcastic voice echoed in the silent room.

Kyra looked at the woman sitting in front of her and couldn't understand teh world anymore. She looked young and clearly ... Asian. But her own features seem to be of foreign woman, does that mean her father had something to do with European and that is the reason why his wife snapped?

''No.'' Her clear answer stunned the woman in front of her and made her even more nervous as it seems.

''So what did you do so long in his office and why are you here?''

Kyra looked at the beautiful face in awe and almost drolled. Literally beautiful. This woman probably didn't have more than 25 years and looked like a fresh flower. Is her father crazy or what? Why having all other women if you could live with such woman contently. She really doesn't understand.

''I don't understand him at all...'' She whispered.

The woman wrinkled her eyebrows and stared at her. ''What you don't understand about him? Speak clearly what you want?''

'' I just came and was beaten up for no reason as I thought. I even lost my memories and have no idea what is going on. But the most confusing thing was after seeing myself in mirror, then seeing my father and servants around me. And then you... I don't understand what did he really see on my mother. I am clearly not as pretty as you are. That means my mother was not outrageously beautiful at all. Why did he even have a child with my mom if he had you? That I don't understand. The funny thing is, I understand you and your fury. But beating me so badly was really not very Ladylike. Or maybe it was your servants that mistaken me wrongly... ''

With those words, she stunned Lady and smiled slightly at her. What woman didn't like compliments? Especially those that were really set up looking beautiful.

''Hm, good that you know. Your mother saved his life and for a while, they lived in a far country. He brought her back and after our elders denied her entry into our family he chooses to let her be outside. But, after hearing that she died of her sickness he stopped caring about outside matters and had no idea he had a child with her. Actually, it was really my servant's fault. I will punish them accordingly.''Yes, she is Lady. She can show all the fault onto servants back.

But Kyra shook her head. ''No need your Ladyship. You need them after all.''

Both of them smiled slightly as thinge of coldness went off the Lady's face. ''So, what do you need just tell me. I already sent for a doctor and he will be here soon. You should rest in your room and we can talk some other time. You look really bad.'' Slight regret could be heard from her voice.

''I will go back to my room in a bit, but actually I came here to ask your Ladyship to grant me small wish. Please...''

She saw her face stiffen up and getting cold again and she sighed. Better this way, soon everything will pass.

''Speak. I will see if I can make it happen.'' The cold voice had now even more ice than before.

''I am asking you for permission to accept the gift the father is about to give me.'' Kyra started talking and could feel that the air around Lady became even icier.

''What kind of gift?'' She asked with shaky eyes. Íf this child had hoped for...' But the words she sprouted made her relax completely.

''I lived simple life with grandmother, but we had to sell our house because she was sick and needed money. I am maybe his child, but I have no intention living here for teh rest fo my life. My life is meant to be simple. It was my late mother and grandmother's wish. My father promised me to buy a small piece of farmland near capital and a small house. But, I don't dare to completely accept it before your approval. Please grant me this wish, I will not ask for anything else.''

Kyra smiled at a stunned woman that sat in front of her. 'If I were a man I would never leave her side, seriously, what's wrong with fathers head?'

Lady started coughing to hide her appearance. ''Cough... Well, that is the best option for you. Any other wishes maybe that I could make come true?''

Kyra held her chin as she started thinking. 'This is a rare chance, I have to use it while she still has open hands.'

''Oh well, I do have two more wishes. One is that Anna is my maid and I rule over her. And the other is... We are children so is it possible to let us learn all we need about framing before we go? I still want to survive there, but if I have no idea what I am doing, how is that even possible?''

Servants behind Lady were about to protest as tehy heard she had big guts and wanted to ask not for one then two wishes, but seeing her being humble and down to earth, they just shook their head. She could have asked for gold and Lady would have given them. This. Even they started feeling sorry about this child. They sighed as they looked at her clothes.

Those are clothes for lower labor servants. And even they had new ones now.

Even Lady scrunched her eyebrows. If she let her walk around like this wouldn't she slap her own face and Lords face as well? ''You will get new clothes soon. I will let my servants prepare everything...''

But her words are chocked by child's waving of hands. How unruly.

''If you do that it will be worse for Lord. If someone comes here and asks about my identity in this house would he have problems later on? Lady, if you could give me a few simple clothes and some material that I could use later on, that is good enough. Let's not make it bigger as it is. Soon I will leave the house anyway, don't let me get used to the good stuff. It will be harder for me to get used to normal life again.''

She started feeling faint again so she stood up and bowed in front stunned Lady. ''I need to go back to bed. Thank you for granting me the audience, Mylady. I will be leaving you now.''

Lady lazily waved her hand as she looked at the slow walk of two struggling children. She sighed and turned her head to her main servant. ''Help her to bed and let the doctor help her. I need now to think about her words and make decisions...''

The servant bowed slightly and came with fast steps towards Kyra's back. She picked up teh child, stuffed her over her shoulder like a sack of wheat and walked quickly up teh steps under curious eyes of servants. She turned around and started yelling at them making Kyra even dizzier.

''What are you all standing here? Go fast and do your job. If I see one more person standing around and not working I will flog you to death. Go. Now!!!''

Suddenly big hall became empty and the servant quickly walked up to her room almost threw her on the bed and roughly tucked her in. She looked at her with compassion in her eyes but coldness in her words. '' Just stay here and recuperate. Don't randomly walk around and shame Lord. You understand?'' After seeing the child obediently nodding she stood up and walked out leaving Kyra and Anna alone.

''Miss what now?'' Asked Anna not knowing what to think of this situation.

''We wait for the final decision. She could grant me a wish or grant me death. Either the way I can't escape anywhere now. Go rest a bit until the doctor comes. I will sleep now...'' Soon the dizziness overcame her and she fell into the darkness leaving Anna in the belief that she fell asleep.