Prompt: Write a story involving betrayal586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoWLLo4CwI
The Morleys were a remarkably well established family for their time - in a world so plagued with left-wing beliefs, they had managed to maintain their time old honor of several personal servants, an extraneously and pointlessly large manor (half of which was simply used as storage for their extraneously and pointlessly large collection of valuable but entirely dysfunctional items), and, of course, the weekly tradition of shopping in the poorer parts of town to flamboyantly flaunt their wealth.
Set atop of a hill by the humble village of Wellington, Morley Manor was a gargantuan demonstration of drunk architecture.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabXWPh4ghg
No doubt it was a highly attractive building, but the matter of the fact was that it simply made no sense. From the exterior, one could hardly tell that every second corridor in the building was at a fifteen degree slant, and that there were multiple inset doorways that simply opened to a wall.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j0Upss4L4
The doors are justifiable - lock all the fake doors and they create a false sense of magnitude for visitors. But as for the former deformity, local rumor has it that the building was never designed to go onto a hill, and that the original Lord Morley simply declared it to be built there for effect. Wealth is no guarantee for common sense nor intelligence - and indeed, in the day of the Morley's life you are about to experience, this fact shall never seem clearer.
We begin, perhaps, on the Sunday morning of the Incident. Lord Mortimer Morton Morley begins by retiring to his washroom to expunge himself of his digestion products. This is the last we shall see of him.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVV5OWALUzR
Lady Morgana Mortabella Morley begins by sleeping to the fine hour of noon, which is why, as she later claims, she missed all the excitement of her husband's disembowelment. This may or may not be true, of course, as it is not always the narrator's role to provide an impartial view of events.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGc0OVQrax
The children arise in their separate rooms, and drift towards the dining hall with the prospect of a three course breakfast, lovingly prepared by Nanny Amy and Nanny Emily who had woken several hours before to clean and cook - they put sweat, blood, and tears into everything they do, including the meals for the Morleys.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQooHMIV8H
Moving on from the fact that the Morleys were blissfully unaware that the Nannies prepared rather unethical meals (I do believe that at least two of the Morleys have unwittingly contracted blood viruses from their meals), one of the children was of particular interest.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueQokGBQze
Cara had brought home her peasant lover, Druid, and was presently attempting to inconspicuously smuggle him out of the manor.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhkUbK977v
'Cara!' It was David. 'Come join us for breakfast. What could ever be taking you so long?'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8ZLtj4bKs
The young woman quickly ushered Druid into a closet. 'Just stay in here', and then, to David, 'I'm coming now! Your impatience most disturbs my Sunday relaxation. It's all really quite blasphemous.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFnhPXacIJ
Cara arrived at the breakfast table late, to the watching eyes of her siblings, David, Eric, and Rachelle.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dq7EbCv5R
'Really, Cara. Your soup must be cold - we have all finished already. It was quite marvelous, I don't know what it is Nanny Amy puts in these.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0An8sLqVz
The elderly woman quickly hides the fresh cut in her thumb. 'The special ingredient is Love, Rachelle! Now Nanny Emily and I must go to prepare the next dish.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqScVEFx1cH
'Ta ta.' The girl responds.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZoVGxif6c
Eric, the oldest of them all, was tall and dark, a slim figure that resembled his mother's. He stood up from the table and excused himself quickly.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVj4tRfQPz
'But we haven't even reached mains yet!' Rachelle complains.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmPHy4ZXvD
'Now, sister. I simply must finish my latest composition. The inspiration is simply flowing right now, my dear, I can't let it escape!' With that, he spun out of his chair and strutted out of the dining hall.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEYX1bD1DJ
Cara thought about her precious Druid, waiting in a closet, and took the opportunity to also leave the table. 'I, um, I - '586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhylvXRKMOO
'Yes?' Rachelle looks up at her, expecting an unarguable excuse.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFDDYuIWOl
'It's just that phase of the moon.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkh7rvqVUpK
'That makes no sense, Caraaaaaa!!! Breakfast is no fun if you all go away doing silly things!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOfuyYNr3U
David smirks to himself. 'Nonsense, Rachelle. I'm sure Cara has very important business to attend to. Perhaps with a little age, you shall too.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6u1MpvPI88
'Hmmph.' The girl crosses her arms as Cara leaves.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1EL5dXnyO
The reader should take care to note, at this moment, that a situation has been constructed with a large number of people not accounted for. Then it is now, of course, that Lord Morley's body will be discovered.
'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!' Lady Morley's scream brought everyone in the manor to her washroom, where they were greeted by the sight of Lord Morley feeling rather turned out. Inside out, to be precise.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEelwwv3K1V
'Good gracious!' Exclaimed the Nannies.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwB64brI86R
'Oh dear!' Cara shouted.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBycM5dmzaq
'My God!' The sons ejaculated.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse9OAx5ggr
'What's daddy doing?' Rachelle asked.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklMBWzrtuK
'How on earth could such a thing have happened!' Lady Morley wept. 'I woke only a few minutes ago, and went to the washroom to freshen myself up, only to see my dear husband has been murdered! Who could have done this terrible act?'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjKjVObQbK
Eric was exceedingly fast to turn on his mother. 'Kind mother, I find it remarkably odd that you were the one to discover him in this state, and so close to your room, no doubt!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoEarKYl4h
'Eric! You naughty boy! How dare you insinuate such terrible things. I am in the right mind to call the police on you, for trying to inherit your father's fortune by way of murder!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCd4CuO5sy4
'That is a lie, mother! You and I both know I loved father more than you ever did.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNm99gJbKQ
A simultaneous gasp from the two Nannies. What a very juicy Incident this would be for their gossip circles!586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96paYuqGqb
'Well! I must ask you to leave. You are disturbing my grieving process.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw36Ot9uf5
David chimed in with an observation. 'But mother, your husband has not simply died, he has been killed! Given the security of our house, one must wonder how the killer got in - or if the killer is one of us. We cannot waste any time grieving, (very sorry), our lives may very well be in danger!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy83YWtR7dB
Rachelle began crying in consternation, not quite comprehending but aware of the distress nonetheless.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NmAiHq878
'Rachelle! Come here.' Nanny Emily gave the girl a strong embrace. The little one was always fond of the servant women.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz1Vc9YIJJ
Cara was only mildly interested in the course of events - she simply hoped that Druid had taken this commotion as an opportunity to leave unnoticed. 'Excuse me, this is all very worrying and such but I must answer the woman's call!' She interjected loudly, reusing her earlier excuse to leave.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfflJ8lR5nr
'Very well!' Lady Morley said. 'After all, we don't want any more blood spilt today.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgq650eZXl
Cara ran out of the room and tracked down the cupboard she had so suddenly farewelled her lover in. Empty.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamf8pcbZKn
Where could he be? She passed by the entrance hall and saw Druid by the door.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRCQ9aZeZH
'Dru! Why have you not left yet?' She whispered to him loudly.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbVfubJMOo
His face goes white. 'The doors and windows are barred. From the outside. I cannot leave!' 586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiqhYghSGg
It is only at this point that Cara began comprehending the situation.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvAMQJy1Ij
The killer did not intend for Lord Morley to be the only fatality that day.
Cara burst back into her mother's room. 'We are trapped inside!' She announced, to which the response was a chorus of 'WHAT!?'s.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxcUj9xGKk
Nanny Amy began taking down notes. What an exciting day!586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J3uCYN0Cg
'All the doors and windows are barred from the outside! We are trapped inside with a killer!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHIA7pqEQm
Nanny Emily felt the need to fan the flame. 'And why, dear Cara, were you checking the doors of the house instead of dealing with downstairs business? Were you trying to leave? Flee from the scene of your crime, perhaps?'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EckQrgZfb
'No! I was - I was, um...'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjN508kAE1o
Druid walked through the door. 'Hi.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVDxnB1s9J
'Who is this, Cara?' Lady Morley was positively concerned at the arrival of this lowly stranger.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRFqj2faZM
'Druid and I are lovers, mother.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HlsXDdubT
'PFFFFFT! Nonsense. Try again. Who is this, Cara?'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8JBNb8IS7
'Druid is my boyfriend?'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTOIxOL2U5
'I don't think so. Who is this person?'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4EMqiLGHY
'Mother, please shut up most presently. I am in love with Druid, and his status is of no concern to you or me.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm477HuprBo
Lady Morley responded with a laser glare. 'We will deal with this matter after we have dealt with the fact we are all likely to be the subjects of successive grisly demises.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5NpL8Atpe
'Then whyyyyyy are we all in your room, mother? One fell swoop could kill us all. I don't believe in safety in numbers.' Eric began walking out. 'I believe I can fend better on my own.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdN0fXoebuO
'Nooooo, don't gooooooo...' Rachelle squealed.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADABjhtrOa
'It's okay darling Rachelle, I will stay with you.' Nanny Emily patted her head.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNtYjEKnq4
'There is some point to Eric's decision.' Druid stated.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZTydQnYlq
'Did you hear something, Cara? I most certainly didn't.' 586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxVBG26dLa
'Mother, this is no time for your immaturity. Suppose the killer is in this very room? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't wish to stay in here, where perhaps even you, mother, could pull out a knife and slay us all in a moment. Good day. I will find my own haven from this mess!' Cara left the room, with Druid in close pursuit.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsOKTi7Pa8
'This is idiotic! This is exactly what we shouldn't do with a killer on the loose.' David muttered. 'CARA! Come back!' He raced after the lovers.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTJGbM2w4E
'Rachelle, you stay with me.' Lady Morley said. 'I wouldn't trust a girl of your age to run off. You might get lost in this house. Or murdered.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xQpk5aakk
Rachelle and Nanny Emily sat down on the bed.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqxoTqrmYz
'I'll go get the coloring books, shall I?' Nanny Amy offered.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNrpes9PeP
'That would be lovely.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkldAm3kY0h
It should seem obvious to the reader that once again, we shall say farewell to a few members of the Morley family.
'Oh my god!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4iSGcgwLR
Pushed off the banister at the top of the stairs, Nanny Amy's and David's bodies lay sprawled on the floor of the entrance hall.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxOsK7jVRg
Eric harked to alert the others, and they all gathered at the foot of the staircase, beside the bodies. 'The situation is getting serious.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrL6I2ZrhQ
'Was it not serious before?' Lady Morley tutted. 'Rachelle. I demand that you and Nanny Emily go back to my room at once and barricade yourselves in there! I will not have my precious button be killed today.' The two women, young and old, headed back up the stairs.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnN54leX6uK
'Oh, Dru! I am most distressed.' Cara wept into his arms. He grunted in discomfort. 'Tell me the story of how we met again. It calms me so.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkmvQh3EyD
'Do we really have the time for this?' Eric complained, to no avail, as Druid began telling the story to Cara.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqYWjyX5SN
'It was a Saturday market. Your family were passing by my fake jewelry stall.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9OKwnOcVM
'It was fake???'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3InFTM2RC
'Shut up, mother! Let him continue.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqcOy4yShB
'This is hopeless.' Eric left the entrance hall.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFSIrFDtYv
'You cleaned out the entire stall. You and David stayed to apologize for your mother's behavior. After David had left, you told me that you found me ruggedly attractive.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXVUJ9H6aD
'This story is incredulously stupid.' Lady Morley rolled her eyes. 'We are wasting time talking about things that both of you already know! If we are really going to do this, can we at least do it out of the vicinity of dead bodies?' The three of them quickly moved to the dining hall, Druid continuing the story as they walked.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1ZW9E2zKP
'I declined your offer, at first, and you were very upset. The next few Saturday markets you made sure never to pass by my stall. But the truth to my decline was, I was scared to have fallen in love with someone as magnificent as you. I hesitated in that moment and regretted it very much. So I left my stall and tried to find you. I declared my love to you, and you fell into my arms.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfI17kdZUV
'Awwww, most gracious Druid. Thank you very much. Now let us vacate this room! I don't fancy sitting beside dead bodies for much longer.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqryDYdtRBr
'Which is why,' Lady Morley muttered, 'we stayed here for the last five minutes.' Then, louder: 'I'm going to check on Rachelle. You two try not to make a mess.' Lady Morley left the two of them as she headed back to her room, and promptly tripped over Eric's bleeding body on the way.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJYwei9t1i
'Oh well. I suppose it wasn't him after all.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfyONPLmzU
She didn't feel the need to alarm anyone.
'Rachelle! Are you alright?!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWtJi2zOMl
The girl was lying in a pool of blood. Thankfully, it was not her own.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfJDQEViNP
Nanny Emily was leaning against the wall beside Rachelle. Her head was leaning on the wall opposite Rachelle. Neck wounds bleed a frightful lot.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFsLeBQIjX
'Oh my darling Rachelle, come here, come here, what happened?' Lady Morley scooped up her youngest child through tears.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCodGz0D1Y
'It was... it was... it was a man...'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVRdFPPSHX
David was dead. Eric was dead. That left only Druid.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9QIgOgGum
'My god! I knew he was dodgy! I must call the others at once! CARAAAA!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAmdDio54A
'Cara is dead.' Lady Morley jumped at the sound of his voice. Druid was standing by the doorway. 'A man in a cloak stabbed her in front of me! It must have been Eric!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpEo69GiAd
...586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Gm7Fer4t1
'Druid, Eric was killed.' Lady Morley said.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5v3psOpt9S
'What? But...'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1Ocb0ohOX
'And Rachelle here also said it was a man that came and killed Nanny Emily.'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlENvKTbTVd
'No, no, that's not right. Where's Eric?'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6wlA4oShP
'Lying dead at the top of the stairs. Which means that the only person that could have done this all is YOU!'586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCvPEwuETO
'What! No! It wasn't me, it wasn't me! I have proof -' Druid tried to run out of the room but Lady Morley, with surprising speed, stopped him before the doorway.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NxCN7cAXL
'I think, little peasant, that we have all the proof we need.' With a blow from her knuckles, the man was knocked unconscious.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6qg1s22Kf
It was a phone call (whoever thought? It is as if they were trapped with no contact to the outer world) and fifteen minutes later that the Wellington Police came to arrest Druid Ren for five charges of murder and jewelry fraud.
Reader, I suppose that you may want to know what became of the Morleys in the end. Lady Morley became a cult hero (not among the poorer residents of Wellington, of course), and Rachelle grew up to become the chief of Wellington Police.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuPEg7iyTw
But what became of their fortune?586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdotl6cgAUN
David inherited the fortune, of course.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpR3FOaRM92
Now you see, David had survived the fall from the staircase. Lady Morley and Rachelle always told him that he was one of the luckiest men alive, but I must point out that there was no luck involved in his survival, for he didn't fall at all.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCPeJLTOZU
Druid had a boiling hate for the upper class, posh Morleys, and David realized that a little manipulation would be all he needed to get the Morley fortune. So David befriended Druid, and convinced Druid to take up his sister's offer. Then Druid could infiltrate the Morley Manor.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy30aHCoG0
The agreement, as it stood back then, was to frame poor Eric for the murders. Druid did his part of doing all the dirty work - but David had a little extra step in the plan. When no one was there to witness it, David rose from his pose in the entrance hall and killed Eric, before going back to his faux-corpse location.586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBFnteKP71
In this way, Druid would take all the blame.
I presume that you are waiting for some kind of moral to arise from this story. But none really exists. This account serves no purpose but for entertainment, a brief glimpse into the oh-so-obviously fictional lives of the Morleys, a short tale of murder and betrayal.
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