The Thorn in My Shed-Chapter 31: Find Her
The soldiers shoved the large, wooden door forward, forcing their way onto the estate grounds.
The maid was knocked back. She stumbled a bit as she tried to gain her balance before falling on her butt.
She gasped in horror as she helplessly watched the group of armored men march towards the front door, their armor clanking loudly as if sounding an alarm.
"LORD EVANS! LORD EVANS!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she scrambled to her feet, trying to alert him to the emergency.
Servants were already rushing into the foyer to see what was going on. As the soldiers filtered in, they flung themselves against the walls or hugged each other in the corner for safety.
Marix walked forward, taking his place at the front of the line as the soldiers stomped their foot and stood up straight, taking formation. Lieutenant General Briggs took his place next to him and one step behind.
"Where is your Lord?" Marix questioned, although his tone was more of a command.
"LORD EVANS!" The maid repeated, shouting down the hallway as her hands trembled; her back pressed against the wall.
Marix raised his hand, ready to give the command for them to search, but before he could finish, a group of 10 guards swarmed in; 5 from the back hallway and 5 from the front door.
"Trying to surround us are you?" Marix glanced behind them, "Pitiful."
The guards were wearing Evans Estate uniforms and created a wall with their bodies to prevent the soldiers from progressing any further.
"Move at once!" Briggs commanded, his arm extended out to the side to enforce his words.
Instead, the guards pulled out their swords.
Marix stood tall, his hand resting on the hilt of his own weapon.
Briggs took the same stance before commanding, "The General has given us orders! Follow through!"
With that, the Viraaz soldiers pulled out their swords which were much larger and better made than the ones the guards had.
The guards dropped their swords to the floor with a thunderous ’CLANG!’ and held their hands up in defeat.
"P-Please! We are just trying to do our j-job!" One of them, who looked much too young, stuttered out.
The soldiers kicked the fallen weapons to the side and five of them cornered the guards against the wall, keeping their swords lifted as they nodded to Marix.
Marix turned to face the group of the remaining 15 soldiers, who were standing at the ready for his command.
"I want this ENTIRE Estate searched! Leave no room, closet or crevice unturned! Check underneath every bed, inside every closet, behind every wall divider, I want her FOUND!"
"Yes sir!" They yelled in unison as the headed off. Some ran down the hall before splitting into rooms while others ran up the stairs.
Lord Evans marched out; a scowl on his face as a young maid followed closely behind him with her head down.
"What is the meaning of this, General Marix?!"
Marix turned without acknowledging him and began heading out of the estate, leaving Briggs to command the soldiers.
"REMEMBER! NO ONE USE FORCE UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!" He reminded them as Marix exited. He stood there in the foyer, straight as could be, with his arms held behind his back and his head held high.
Lord Evans followed after Marix into the garden.
"General Marix, I demand answers!" Lord Evans’ tone was a low growl.
"I am looking for your daughter." Marix’s tone was nonchalant as he replied without stopping or to look at him.
"I have no daughter. I told you that before!" Lord Evans struggled to keep up with Marix as he had difficulty walking so quickly with his cane.
"Perfect. Then this should be quick shouldn’t it? We will be in and out of your hair in no time." Marix said as he entered the garden.
"General Marix you are delusional. Let’s stop this now and not waste each other’s time. Certainly, making a mess of my home isn’t high on your priorities list!" Evans laughed as he continued to follow him through the maze of hedges.
"Ah, Lord Evans, you may be relieved to know exploring your estate is no waste of my time."
Finally, he came to a clearing with a fountain and behind it was a dilapidated garden shed. His eyes narrowed and he made a beeline for it.
Marix grasped onto the door handle and pulled.
"Unf!"
The glass rattled as he pulled it. It was practically glued shut. He looked at the door frame and could see the warping wood was the culprit.
He glanced over at Lord Evans with a look of disgust, who met his glance with a look of offense.
The damaged building let out a high-pitched squeak in protest as Marix yanked the door open.
Inside he found a few dresses hanging and less than acceptable living conditions, but what caught his eye was the mildewed rabbit plush sitting atop the rotting potting bench.
Marix grabbed it and stared at it. The moldy Strawbunny she had made overlapped with it in his mind, causing him to clutch it harder.
"No daughter, huh?"
Lord Evans scoffed as he rolled his eyes.
"H-How do those point to me having a daughter? Some filthy servant has p-probably been squatting here! You think I’d let any d-daughter of mine touch such f-f-f-FILTH?!"
Marix continued to stare at the plush, his eyes roaming over it with a look of gentle kindness. Almost as if to say ’You’re safe now.’
"How odd. Evans," Lord Evans looked as though Marix had just stabbed him in the chest at the sound of his name used so casually, "I’ve never known you to have a stutter."
Marix didn’t look up at him to address him and only kept his eyes on the plush as he spoke so calmly.
Lord Evans’ face paled as Marix brushed past him, staggering a moment as Marix headed back to the main house.
It took him a moment or two before he turned to follow him, this time raising his cane and waving it in the air. "Listen General, you have no jurisdiction here! I’ll raise a complaint against you! I am not a Viraaz citizen how dare you! What insubordination to target my home! You WILL face the consequences for this I will make sure of it!"
Marix continued to march back into the main house.
"Ah, Lord Evans it seems you are determined to file a complaint. Since you have already expressed your intentions, then I might as well finish what I’ve started. No use in wasting anyone’s time. I know how much you hate that."
Just as Marix and Lord Evans entered back into the house, the Viraaz soldiers all returned to the foyer.
"Sir! We were unable to find her." One of them reported with a salute.
Lord Evans cleared his throat and fixed his jacket, "Now that you clearly see you have been mistaken, leave my grounds at once!"
He slammed his cane against the floor.
The servants all jumped at the sound, but Marix didn’t even flinch.
His eyes locked onto the cane then followed it down onto the floor.
"Did you check any cellars?"
Lord Evans’ fingers twitched, grasping the handle of his cane harder.
Marix glanced at them, then up at Lord Evans’ face.
"We only found a wine cellar, Sir, and it was clear." The soldier informed.
Marix glanced around the room, then remembered the night of the ball.
At some point in the night, Lord Evans had disappeared into the study. His staff had guarded it so suspiciously.
He headed towards the room and Lord Evans went to follow but was held back by the soldiers. Marix could hear his protests from down the hall.
A maid entered the room quietly after Marix. She whispered in his ear as she pointed to one of the books on the shelf.
"Pull that one."
Marix turned to look at her. It was the same maid he had helped the night of the ball. He gave her a nod of gratitude as he headed towards the bookshelf.
"I’m sorry, but I also have to protect myself." She whispered quietly before she threw herself to the floor with a scream.
Marix kicked a nearby vase, sending it crashing to the floor after her before he grabbed the book and yanked it down. The bookshelf opened and revealed a dark stairwell.
It was dusty and smelled awful. He had to press the back of his hand against his nose as he descended the stairs.
Once he got to the bottom, there was a short hallway with two wooden doors that faced each other.
He reached for the door on the right, he would search both until he found her, but just as he did so, he heard a scream from the one on the left.
Without hesitation, he tore the door open to find Eilownia sitting there, bound to a chair, tears streaming down her face with a tomato shoved in her mouth.
