Ch 3: Memory

slowly open up my eyes and sit up. I look around and see a girl beside my bed, crying.

Where am I? This is not my bedroom. Why is there a girl here? Why is she crying at my bedside? Who is…

Sensing movement, the girl at my bedside lifts her tearstained face. My eyes widen.

“Alana? What happened? What is this place? Why are we here?”

“Lady! You’re awake! I’ll tell you all about it. Right now, your father is asking for you. Let’s get dressed. He’s waiting.”

Alana leaves to get my clothes.

_____________________________________________________________

“Do you like this outfit?”

I look up. Alana stands in front of me, holding up a marvelous warrior dress made of…silk? It has a v shaped neckline, and a line around the waist before the flare of the dress. The sleeve length is three quarters, just the way I like it. Simple, yet elegant.

Just as I am about to answer, my head explodes in pain.

“Miss? Miss? MISS?! Someone help! Physician!”

The pain is so excruciating that I fainted.

My vision is blurry, but I can make out that there are a lot of royalties and guards fighting men in black. There are children sitting at a table, and they are arguing with each other. It doesn’t seem like they are mad at each other, it seems more like playful bantering. …

A woman steps in front of the children and falls down with blood seeping through her clothes. One of the little girls drops to her knees, hugging and sobbing while hitting and yelling at the woman.

I wake up and open my eyes.

Was that real? Did that really happen?

I look around me. The gown that Alana picked for me is nowhere in sight. Feeling weight on my bed, I look down. Alana is now kneeling beside my bed, head bowed and buried between her arms. I try to move away to give her more space.

Sensing my movement, she looks up.

“Miss! You’re awake! I was so worried. Should I send a message to your father? It would be to say that you aren’t feeling well and that he should pay a visit to you?”

“No, it’s fine. Now, help me get dressed.”

Alana goes over to the closet and opens it. I stare in shock at what is in front of me.

The closet is white and full of purple clothes of different shades. The dark purple warrior dress that Alana previously picked for me is there too! There are many other similar style too, but in different shades. Dresses of different lengths and materials hang there, ready to be worn. Some are short, some are long. Some are made of Vekra, some are cotton. Some are v necked, some are round necked. There are dress coats too! In addition, there are pants, shirts, shoes…you name it, and it’s there.

Alana dresses me in a dark purple warrior dress with knee high boots. This outfit was the one that she previously picked for me, before I had my fainting spell. She combs my hair back into a high ponytail, topping it with a ponytail holder. Now. I’m ready to meet father.

We head toward father’s courtyard.

Alana and I step out of Violet Hall and head toward father’s residence. She explains to me what had happened, from the assassination attempt until now. I listened carefully. So that wasn’t a dream? That was real?

I am so focused in our conversation that I fail to recognize where we are going. That is, until I bump into someone. A pair of feet comes into my line of sight. I look up to see an angry maid.

“How dare you hurt the second miss? Kneel and apologize to her!”

What the hell? It was only a bump!

Alana steps in front of me, blocking me from the maid.

“You want my miss to kneel? Fat chance! If anything, you should be the one to kneel in front of her! You bumped into her. After all, her status is higher than yours!”

“You dare to say that? She has no power here! Now it is Lady Lilliana that holds the influence here in House Everlast! You, you’re just a lowly servant! What do you know? Know your place!” She slaps Alanna’s face.

I can’t believe she has the galls to slap my maid! Alana has been with me ever since, yet the first thing that happens here is her getting slapped! How unlucky I am to run into trouble on the first day I wake up. This servant is going too far!

I step in front of Alana, raise my hand, and slap this evil maid. Those that I value will not suffer! This is satisfying! I give her a few more slaps while reprimanding her.

“How dare you slap my maid? Who are you to do so? Is this enough for you to apologize to her? Apologize right now!”

“…”

“Well? Do you want more slaps? Or shall I cane you? Let’s see… how about a hundred caning?”

“Mercy, Mercy! Miss, help me!”

And that is when I realize that there is a lady beside her. I look at her pointedly. She has long blond hair half down and half up. Her eyes are jade green, and she is also wearing a matching dress. This must be the cousin Alana was talking to me about.

“Do you honestly think that things will stay the way they are now? Now that I am back, do you think father will allow you to have influence over the house? And that I can’t order the caning of your maid? If I find that you dare harm my maid again, I will haunt you down and make sure your life is hell!”

“Well? Make your servant apologize!”

The brat turns to her maid and orders her to apologize to me.

“Kaley, apologize!”

“I’m sorry miss. I won’t speak out of turn next time.”

I roll my eyes. Are all these brat’s servants this stupid?

“Not to me you idiot! To her!”

“I’m sorry maid Alana. Please forgive me.”

“Much better. Alana, let’s go.”

I don’t know what I did in my past life or whatever, but another obstacle is waiting for me when I near the location of where father resides.

A lady with the lush black locks, light blue eyes, and cherry red lips approaches me. She is dressed simply yet carries herself elegantly. The lady looks at me and smiles.

“How are you, dear?”

“I am fine, ma’am. Who are you?”

The lady laughs. Her laugh is like the tinkles of bells in the wind.

“Why, your aunt, of course! Who else will I be?”

Is that really my aunt? She is so gorgeous! I look at her carefully, and a chill runs down my spine as I pass her and walk toward my father’s residence.

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