I Am Her - ONC 2024

Chapter 10 - The Letters

For some reason, the Mayor was nowhere to be seen all day. Although he wasn't a very outgoing person, this level of isolation was strange even for him. He had locked himself in his study, eating by his desk for every meal, not leaving the room for a single moment until dinner. Something was afoot, and Angela knew it.

"Hello, sir," she asked as soon as she saw him heading there, startling him. "How are you today? What have you been doing? You don't seem like yourself."

And indeed, he didn't seem like himself. His usual airs of either grandfatherly benevolence or cold, calculated seriousness were replaced by severe exhaustion. It had lurked beneath the surface for a while, but now, it was appallingly noticeable. Just this morning, he was looking only slightly tired, and now he was looking like a zombie, what with his sallow complexion, large eyebags, as well as eyes which were very red and teary, drooping desperately, begging for a release.

"Are you okay?" she asked a few seconds later, when he seemed to have gone into a trance, staring into the distance like he was being haunted, staring at something she couldn't perceive, her voice laced with concern. "You look positively mortified, sir."

"Yes, of course," he groaned, trying to suppress a yawn. "Just leave me alone. I've had enough of this world today."

As he hobbled wretchedly to the table, his head hung low, Angela almost felt sorry for him. Almost. He had still kidnapped her and threatened her at knife point, after all.

"Sir," she spoke several seconds later, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. "What is it that could be so terrible? You've had more than your fair share of troubles during your career for sure, so I can't imagine what could distress you so much. Does it have something to do with Mrs Simmons?"

"What do you care?" he grumbled. "Besides, how do you even know of Mrs Simmons? Did someone tell you about her? Have you been snooping around where you shouldn't have yet again? It's a serious problem with you, one I fear might only be solved by certain... Unfavourable means."

Angela's eyes widened as she realised she had walked onto a landmine. She hadn't thought about the potential impact of her words, forgetting the cat-and-mouse game she had caught herself in, allowing herself to let loose way too soon because of how casually they had talked this morning. She had to think fast to cover up her mistake.

"I overheard a conversation between the servants about how much of a threat she is, so I assume she must be pretty important," she blurted out, immensely relieved when he nodded with no apparent sarcasm.

During the dinner, there was no trouble either. She, the Mayor and Marissa all talked about mundane, frivolous things, and really, Angela had previously been stunned by how mundane even a magic society such as this one could be, but she assumed that certain things became routine if they repeated long enough, no matter how peculiar they were. It was kind of chilling.

"Excuse me, but I have to go upstairs now," the Mayor said after twenty minutes, a plate of shrimp and cucumbers and a tall glass of red wine. "There's been a lot of work lately, and I just can't catch a break, no matter how hard I try. I suppose I'll be able to do so soon. Goodnight and see you tomorrow."

"But Father," Marissa chimed in just as he was about to leave. "Why do you have to work so hard? Why can't you just relax a little? I get that you're a busy man, but I don't understand what the deal is this time around. Would you be willing to tell me what it is?"

He released a heavy sigh. "Marissa, I can't relax now, no matter how much I may want to do so. Your mother's birthday was a disaster this year. Her soul is at unrest for reasons I cannot discern, and who knows what it might cause? It's already responsible for the death of Andrew Shore, which has brought a whole lot of suspicion unto my regime, in spite of all my efforts to smooth it over. I need to take care of that and Mrs Simmons' rebellion and Olivera's soul, which is all rather difficult. I know how hard it must be for you to hear the news about your mother, but it's the truth. I'm sorry, but I really have to go now. Goodnight."