Chapter Forty-Five




Whelp...we are in Torvald's world now...Wonder what that will be like :-/

Rachel

    Life under Torvald. The difference was subtle but pervasive nonetheless. Unease seeped into every moment of every day, constantly reminding Rachel of her new situation. It was clear the others felt it too.

    In spite of the ever improving weather, none seemed willing to spend any more time out in the open than necessary. They all stuck to their assigned tasks, hesitating to be caught, for even a moment, enjoying themselves or dallying in the warmth of the sun.

    The freedom Rachel had grown so accustomed to was gone now. Alice was insistent that she stay by her, or Kathryn at all times and Rachel was far too frightened to even consider protesting. Their hovering reminded her of the overbearing protective energy Mamma used to smother her with. But the fear that now sat heavily on her shoulders was more oppressive than anything Mamma or Papa had ever projected and the danger was far more real.

     Torvald had made it clear he saw her as quite a prize and there was no telling whether or not he would attempt to circumvent Alice's protection. The older woman had warned her to avoid her temporary Master as much as possible and that was exactly what Rachel intended to do.

    But though she appreciated the extra protection granted by Alice's cautionary actions, it was difficult not to grow bored. Since Alice could not always escape her more strenuous duties under Torvald's demanding leadership, she was less of a presence in their midst. Not trusting that Rachel would be safe without her, the old woman ordered that she move back out of the slave hall and remain confined to Alice's home when not in the kitchen under Kathryn or her watchful eye.

    In Alice's cabin, Rachel felt more isolated than she ever had before. She missed the companionship she'd grown to enjoy during her nights relaxing in the slave hall surrounded by her new family. There was no merriment anymore there now in any case. Everyone was too exhausted and scared after the day's work to consider indulging themselves at night as they once had. Most simply went straight to bed. But at least they had each other for company and support. Away from all human contact so much of the time, even Rachel's beloved book of Grim's Tales became tiresome and with no other amusements to distract, she was often forced to sit alone in silence with nothing but fear to keep her mind occupied.

    That morning, Rachel rose before dawn with Alice, as she had grown accustomed to now that she was not allowed to walk to the main house without the older woman's supervision. Half asleep, she washed and dressed and followed Alice to the kitchens in the dark, doing her best to keep up though her eyes were heavy and her body exhausted.

It had been weeks since Rachel had been able to sleep properly through her fears. Her mind was simply too anxious for true rest, even after Alice had agreed to share her bed as she had when Rachel first had a nightmare on her second evening at Magnus's estate. At least Alice's warm presence comforted her enough to block out the dreams she feared would plague her once again.

She missed having her own cot in the main slave dorm, having the camaraderie of the others surrounding her in slumber, having Kathryn's friendly energy by her side. Alice, while strong, was far from warm or nurturing. Given the stress they were all under, Rachel could hardly blame her now. More than once the old woman had returned from the main house with bruises and scrapes after her time alone with Torvald.

As soon as Rachel managed to work her way down the steps to the kitchen she went straight to the large table in the center of the room and flopped into a chair there, uncertain she could remain upright.

"Wake up," Alice scolded as Rachel's eyes threatened to close. "Kathryn has already collected the eggs this morning, now you will help her cook them. Torvald wishes for his breakfast promptly at 6:30 am."

Looking up Rachel saw Kathryn laying out eggs and butter on the counter. She hadn't even heard her come in. The older girl gave her a tired smile and Rachel managed to force her weary feet to stand. Rachel was grateful though when Kathryn took on most of the work. She hardly wished to make a mistake in her sleep deprived haste. Alice and Kathryn had enough to worry about in meeting Torvald's demands without her making more work for them with carelessness.

Given easy tasks, Rachel found that work was effective in temporarily waking her. Though she wasn't very hungry, she managed to eat breakfast with the others when they came and, once they left, she tried her best to put forth every effort to work through her groggy haze. Alice had left Kathryn a long list of tasks and she wanted to be useful. She knew her friend needed her. But no matter how much she wished to help, by mid-day, Rachel's sleepless nights were once again taking their toll again.

At some point she remembered Kathryn's concerned voice telling her to sit at the table to rest for a moment, offering her a sandwich and water to refresh. Instead of eating lunch, Rachel lay her head on the table and fell asleep.

    "We have work in the main house." The sound of Alice's stern and judgmental voice was what woke Rachel from her uncomfortable slumber, her head foggy.

    "But, Alice," Kathryn protested, "We have yet to finish any dinner preparations for Master Torvald's meal. I thought that..."

    "I will not be questioned, Kathryn," Alice answered, cutting her off. "I have given orders and I expect they will be followed. I hope that in spite of letting Rachel sleep you have done all the other chores you promised you would?"

    "The poor child is exhausted!" Kathryn said, a clear frustration apparent in her tone. "Can't you see that, Alice?"

    "And she must learn to adjust like the rest of us," Alice answered back before turning her attention to Rachel.

    "Get up, girl," she said sharply, suddenly sounded more like Gifre and the slavers had before Rachel came to the estate. The memory made her shudder, but Rachel was quick to comply.

    Rachel and Kathryn followed Alice to Magnus's study where they spent the afternoon dusting the already immaculate room. Rachel could not help but wonder why Alice would have them employed at such a pointless task. Surely there were more pressing things to do in the kitchen. Torvald was very particular in his meals, Rachel knew that at least. And Kathryn had seemed quite worried that they would not be prepared in time to serve him.

     But if Alice was concerned she certainly didn't show it. Though Rachel did notice the old woman continue to cast quick glances at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room, she nonetheless seemed be throwing herself into the task of making the already immaculate room shine with almost unnatural polish.

    It was a few hours later when, at the chiming of the large clock, Alice announced that they should now return to the kitchen to begin dinner preparations. Rachel cast an uncertain glance at Kathryn. Alice was certainly in a strange mood, and she wondered if her friend knew why. As they walked back to the kitchen, Rachel lagged behind.

    "She seems upset," Rachel whisper to Kathryn.

    "Hush, Rachel," Kathryn admonished. "Alice is under quite a bit of pressure. I'm sure she is just anxious to finish all of our tasks and meet Torvald's high standards."

    "Hurry up both of you," Alice snapped, turning her head to glare at them. "There is work to be done."

    "Come, Rachel, we can't keep Alice waiting," Kathryn said, hurrying to catch up. Rachel did the same, but as they walked into the kitchen, her eyes opened wide. Kathryn stifled a scream.

    "Olivia," her friend breathed, incredulous. "Oh my God, Olivia."

    There, on the table she lay, throat slit, naked, head shaved, dressed like any other animal carcass. Her eyes were still open, dull and lifeless. Rachel buried her face in Kathryn's skirts to block out the horrible sight and felt her friend's arms wrap around her tightly.

    "Alice, where have you been?" At the sound of Torvald's voice, Rachel turned in surprise to stare at the sibla man standing in the center of the kitchen, her heart beating quickly in her chest. She pressed in closer to Kathryn but did not dare turn her attention from him.

    "Forgive us, Master," Alice answered, bowing her head. "I hope you have not been waiting long. We were engaged in other chores."

    He scowled. "But you are behind schedule. Here lies the meat for tonight's meal. Did I not make it quite clear you would have your ingredients by three o'clock?" Rachel watched him gesture to the dead woman. "I have a guest coming and I will expect dinner promptly at nine."

    "We will not fail you," Alice answered, as if there was not a gutted human corpse on her table, as if he had not just asked her to prepare that same corpse for his meal.

    "Was there a particular dish you desired, Master?" Rachel heard Alice ask. She couldn't believe how calm the woman sounded. How subservient. Would she not demand justice for Olivia's death? Olivia had been so kind. She was one of Magnus's favorite. How could Torvald have just killed her? With no warning she was just...gone. Was this what Judith and Sarah and the others had looked like in death before Magnus hacked their bodies to pieces? The thought made Rachel's stomach queasy.

    "I have heard Magnus rave of the loin chops you have prepared before," Torvald answered. "That should be suitable as a main course. As for the rest, I leave it to your discretion. Perhaps your cooking might redeem your tardiness and repay my generosity."

    His comment caught Rachel's attention and pulled her from her thoughts for a moment. What generosity could he possibly mean? she wondered. But Rachel noticed a flash of anger appear on Alice's face at his words.

    "It seems your girls are unaware," Torvald mused turning his attention to Rachel and Kathryn. "They should be grateful for your protection. That I chose to heed your advisement in selecting an animal for my dinner. Your two precious kitchen pets are by far the most appetizing of Magnus's flock. But then again, I suppose that's why he might wish to keep them for himself."

    Rachel felt Kathryn's hold on her tighten protectively. The queasiness in her stomach only grew, her whole body radiating with a strange squirming sensation. He wanted to eat her!

    "I assure you the quality of all the animals among my Master's stock is beyond reproach," Alice answered through gritted teeth. "But we will, of course, do our best to please you, Master."

    Torvald smiled at her rising ire. "See to it that you do," he said. "Though I find his methods of operation vaguely troubling I do respect my brother's business. I'm certain you know by now however, that it would not take much for me to change my mind in allowing your reign as overseer to continue. Until Magnus is well it is I who must maintain his holdings after all. If the need should arise, I will assert whatever authority I deem necessary to do so."

    "Then I will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure all continues to be managed smoothly," Alice replied without hesitation. "But if you will forgive me, Master, we must work quickly if you expect us to finish in time for dinner."

    He nodded. "I hope you are not too bothered that the carcass is still intact," he said casually. "It has already been scalded and dressed. Magnus has assured me in the past that you are fully capable at all tasks a sibla overseer might be employed to do in management of human stock. If so, I cannot imagine butchering would be too great an inconvenience?"

    "Of course not," Alice answered without pause, her face set in a blank mask of determination.

    Torvald gave a small snorting laugh. "You are a stubborn creature, I'll give you that," he said with a shake of his head. "But I will let you work."

    The moment the kitchen door closed Alice let out a great sigh, the stoic facade fading. She looked tired. But the woman quickly mastered herself, straightening again and regaining her strong Alice-like baring.

    "Kathryn," she barked. "Get me a large knife and a bone saw."

    Tears streamed down Kathryn's cheeks. She didn't move.

    "How could you do it, Alice?" she demanded. "How could you condemn her to die!"

    "Did you not hear the man?" Alice snapped as she went to a drawer and retrieved a cleaver. "It was supposed to be you, Kathryn! If we cannot comply with his orders it still may very well be you or Rachel who next lies upon that table. Still you ask how I could do it? I cannot stop him. Even with Magnus, my sway only goes so far. But with Torvald..." She shook her head.

    "Be glad he listens at all. The man despises me. That he sees my weakness and seems to have identified you and Rachel as favorites does not work to your benefit. If he wishes revenge on me he will take it out on you now and I don't know if I can do anything about it. I have all of Magnus's stock to think of. Can't you see that? I do not need your judgment Kathryn, I need your help! I am doing everything I can to protect as many as possible until our Master returns."

    Rachel could hear the desperation in the older woman's voice, but Kathryn did not answer, eyes still fixed on her dead friend.

    Alice frowned, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "You do not have to agree with my actions, but the least you could do is trust that I am doing my best and obey my orders without question."

    Rachel watched as Alice walked to the dead woman and raised the sharp blade in her hand. Kathryn and Rachel cringed simultaneously as few good hacks of the cleaver quickly removed Olivia's head from her body.

    "There," Alice proclaimed. "This carcass lying here is Olivia no longer." Rachel watched as Alice gently closed the dead girl's eyes. Taking a dishcloth, she wrapped the head carefully and set it aside.

    "We will grieve later," she said. "We will bury her head and give Olivia her due respect, but for now we must focus on the task at hand. Do you understand?"

    Kathryn didn't answer.

    "Kathryn!" Alice said more forcefully. "That is enough! I need you to focus now."

    The old woman's harsh tone seemed enough to finally bring Kathryn back to herself.

    "Yes, Ma'am," she answered quietly as she loosed her arms from Rachel's body.

    "Rachel," Alice said, "there are vegetables I collected this morning. Begin chopping. We will need mushrooms onions and potatoes."

    Rachel shakily nodded her head. Eyes still fixed on the table, she wanted desperately to be back in Kathryn arms. To leave the presence of the headless corpse.

    "Keep your back to us and you will not have to watch," Alice said, seeing her distress. "But I need you to work quickly."

    "Yes, Ma'am," Rachel answered. Alice was doing her best to keep them safe. Rachel knew she too had to do her part to help.

    "And me?" Kathryn asked hesitantly.

    Alice sighed. "I'm sorry Kathryn, but I will need your help making this a more manageable task. I cannot handle the entire carcass myself. In any case, this is a skill you ought to learn. Knowing how to butcher a complete animal is something that may come in handy and you should fully understand the different cuts of meat you might be asked to prepare for your master. Though I should hope you will never again have to deal with a human body ever again..."

She stopped. Rachel was almost certain she could see genuine sorrow in Alice's expression. She wondered if Alice was right to train them in this horrible task. If Magnus did not come back it was hard not to wonder just how many more bodies they might have to face.

    "Try not to think too much about it," Alice added as Kathryn wiped back tears from her eyes. "You have work to do. That is all that matters for the moment. Olivia would not have wanted you to put yourself at risk in your disobedience."

    The younger woman nodded.

    "Besides," Alice said, raising her cleaver again, "the less this carcass resembles a human being, the easier the task will be." Rachel choked back tears as Alice let the clever fall on the dead woman's hip to cement her point, beginning to separate the leg from her torso. "Our friend is gone, only meat remains."

———

    Rachel had resisted the urge to turn around as Kathryn and Alice worked through the bloody task, though she could hear her friend's muffled sobs continue alongside the sound of their busy knives.

    In the end, it had not taken them much time to dismember the body, Alice skillfully removing the more recognizably human parts of the carcass as quickly as possible, though it was still quite obvious the origin of the red flesh. Before long the kitchen filled with the fragrant aroma of meat and spices. It was sickening to imagine the smell's source.

    It was nearly 8:30 by the time the meal was plated. Three courses, each containing a portion of human flesh. Rachel was horrified to find Alice's culinary skill had made the gruesome dishes look and smell so appetizing that her stomach rumbled in spite of itself.

    "I will serve him," Alice said to Kathryn. "I need you to store the rest of the meat in the freezer. Keep the larger bones for stock. You know how to mark it properly?"

    Kathryn nodded.

    "Rachel can help you with the task."

    Rachel opened her mouth to protest, but Alice's glare stopped her.

    "I have been exceedingly patient," she said, "and I do not mean to be cruel, but Kathryn needs aid now. I think you will agree she has done far more than her share of unpalatable work today. My request of you is not unreasonable."

    Rachel looked down at her feet ashamedly. "Yes Ma'am," she answered.

    "There are leftovers you and Rachel can prepare for the others if they come looking for food, but I have advised them to avoid the main house for now and I assume all will abide. I left enough apples and bread and cheese in the slave hall that none should go hungry. I have no idea who Torvald's guest may be, but it would bode poorly if any of you caught his or her eye. Torvald might believe himself noble in securing a profit for his brother. If our guest's taste for one of our flock was keen I fear Torvald would not hesitate to sell." She shook her head and frowned. "If only Magnus would wake again.

    "Then he is still unconscious? Kathryn asked, the despair in her voice undisguised.

    Alice nodded. "But there is still hope," she said. "From what I have overheard The doctors seem to think he is improving. It all depends on whether or not he will open his eyes within the next few days. If not, they think there is little chance he ever will," She sighed again and disappeared through the open door, carrying The tray she and Kathryn had prepared.

    Rachel watched Kathryn collapse into a chair as soon as Alice left. Resting her head in her hands she began to cry in earnest. Rachel had no idea what she should do.

    "Kathryn?" she said, tentatively walking to the sobbing woman's side. "Are you alright?" Rachel knew it was a silly question. She could see clearly how upset her friend was. Rachel laid a hand on her shoulder and Kathryn looked up at her, forcing a sad smile to her face.

    "I'm sorry, Rachel," Kathryn said. "It's just," She stopped. "Olivia was my friend. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. And then to help Alice desecrate her body..." She shook her head as her tears began again. "Alice, she said. I was so unfair to her."

    Rachel screwed up her face in confusion.

    "You don't even understand, do you? Kathryn asked wiping away her tears. "How difficult that must have been for her? Alice may seem like a hard woman, but she works hard to manage that facade. She has to keep her distance and avoid getting too close to any of Magnus's slaves. Can you imagine how lonely it must be for her? Knowing that one day every one of the women here will die? That within only a few years they will be gone she will live on? The other's resent her for that fact, but I pity her. I've been here long enough to know she still feels pain every time one of us is taken."

    Rachel didn't answer. She'd never thought to pity Alice's position, but she could not help but hear the wisdom in Kathryn's words.

    "But Magnus would never make Alice choose one among us to die," Kathryn continued, shaking her head. "And he never would have made us see Olivia's body like that. He wouldn't be that cruel. He might ask Alice to prepare human meat, but he would never force her to handle flesh that was recognizable."

    Rachel was skeptical, though she didnt say so. Alice seemed to know well how to butcher Olivia's corpse.

    Kathryn looked to covered head still sitting on the table. "I hope she didn't suffer," she said. "Olivia must have been so frightened." She put her head in her hands again.

     "What are we going to do Rachel?" she asked. "If Magnus doesn't recover... Torvald is not even the cruelest of masters we might face."

    Rachel was horrified to see Kathryn so broken. She was always so strong. So much like Alice. But in that moment she looked frightened. Like nothing more than a scared child.

    "I'm sorry," Kathryn said. Looking up and seeing the distress in Rachel's expression she seemed to have found her strength again as she forced a halfhearted smile to her face. "We can't despair. Come," she said. "Alice will be angry if we haven't even started by the time she gets back."

    Rachel looked at the red flesh on the table and felt sick again.

    "Just pretend it's beef," Kathryn said as she began to wrap a large steak in plastic. "Alice is right after all. Olivia is gone. Nothing will bring her back. This is just meat now."

----

    Alice did not come back for some time and said little when she did. In fact, none of them did. Rachel simply watched in silence as Alice and Kathryn finished cleaning up the kitchen wordlessly. It was Alice who's voice finally broke through the unnatural quiet.

    "I think it's time we all head home," she said. Rachel watched as she walked over to the cloth covered head and pick it up, cradling it gently in her arms.

    "Kathryn, I assume you know whom among our ranks was closest to her. I wish we could give Olivia a larger send-off, but we cannot have too many wandering the estate at night. If Torvald should discover us he will not react favorably. Slaves gathering in the dark in secret will reek of rebellion to his mind and I assure you he will not hear reason before we all find ourselves missing our own heads."

    Kathryn nodded. "How many?"

    "Three, no more."

    The younger woman nodded again.

    "We will meet by the large oak tree behind the slave hall at midnight and bury her there. The others can visit the grave tomorrow if they promise not to draw attention to the spot. And as for you," Alice said, turning towards Rachel. "You are to go back to my quarters immediately. Torvald and his guest should still be enjoying their after dinner drinks for awhile longer. I want you safely inside before they might spot you. Is that understood?"

    Rachel nodded. She was only too eager to escape the main house.

---------------

Whelp...that was a bit disturbing yes? On Magnus's farm the true horror of their world is usually a bit more hidden but under Torvald it seems...not so much:-/ Wonder what will happen next! I know this chapter is on the longer side, is there anywhere you would have liked to see it split? Just wondering. Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will prob be released on Friday:-)

Comment