Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

MALEVOLENT 14: The Governess

Delilah strode into the crowd without waiting for Nell's response.

"You two are going to have to help gather information about my target, but that's all I need. We're done here."

*

The Governess cut an austere figure within the frame of the gilded golden doors. She stood like a picture out of Delilah's childhood: dark-green dress buttoned to her chin, a cane in one hand, half her face obscured by a masked, horned headdress that arched above her, making her taller. Her lips pursed, giving the lines around them more definition despite the way her dark olive skin gleamed. All of this gave her an uncompromising air which Delilah knew from experience was true.

Nineteen years, and she had never seen her old teacher's face.

"Where were you? We had half the palace looking for you!" the Governess snapped.

So much for a 'hello, Delilah, we haven't seen each other in years, how are you?'

"Walking in the gardens," she said innocently, aware of the dust clinging to the new clothes she had changed into. She had washed, but could still taste blood.

"Were you not aware King Gaol had set a strict regimen of activities for you to follow until the royal family's return?"

Oh, many, many things about this statement angered her – mostly the fact that Delilah was excluded from the rest of the royal family.

"No one mentioned it to me." It was the truth.

"If you were in the gardens, why didn't you run into any guards? They searched there!"

"I'm sure they did, but you remember how huge the gardens are, don't you? Like a maze. And I was in the maze, actually."

"You've missed an entire day of schooling," the Governess spat, seizing Delilah's arm in a pincher grip the way she had when Delilah was a girl.

"Schooling?" Delilah winced: her skin was still fragile and bruised easily.

"There is much to be done! You must have all three of your selected meals a day, of course, but prior to that you have exercises, stretches, a daily examination by Physician Agrippa, then a session of needlework, a dress fitting with the tailor's, a high tea to take with the palace elders, a small function hosted by the Mayor of Oddzo..."

It sounded like Gaol was trying to ease Delilah back into palace life at a pace he deemed fit. Needlework – pointless, useless, a gap-filler. But still, if she could swipe some needles... A high tea with the elders – far from being with anyone influential, the elders were senile and half-deaf. But in their moments of sanity they were full of knowledge, and she could say almost anything in front of them and they would forget. She might be able to wheedle some useful secrets out of them. A function ran by the mayor of one of the smallest regions in Pelenu was probably the tamest, controlled public appearance Gaol deemed suitable at the moment. Still, it would be useful to show her face, to look beautiful, to talk and pass on her story of the runaway princess abused by the demonic King of Vale...

"I assume you will be by my side throughout it all?" Delilah enquired.

"Yes."

"That is good. I need someone like you near me to help me with these things. It has been so long..."

Through the slits in her mask, the Governess's kohl-darkened eyes blinked rapidly. Had she expected Delilah to rage and rebel like she had as a girl?

"Have we missed the tea or the function?"

"Almost. We could get to the elders now if we forgo changing you and hurry," the Governess grumbled, again showing notes of surprise that Delilah... actually wanted to keep her appointments.