Chap 3 : A New Beginning As Lucia

The morning sunlight streams into Lucia's room. Birds chirp outside, a cheerful song to welcome the day. For Elora, waking up as Lucia Greexen, it was a new beginning.

"Ummm, this mattress is so soft... am I in heaven now?" Elora murmurs, her eyes still closed. She rolls onto her side, feeling lazy and warm. She feels stuck to the soft mattress, its soft blanket, and the fluffy pillow.

But suddenly, the memory of the space between life and death, and of meeting Lucia, makes her bolt upright. Her eyes snap open. The room feels strange, like something from a Renaissance painting. She scrambles out of bed and looking for a mirror. The large mirror shows her in Lucia's body. A scream bursts out of her before she can stop it.

"I'm really in Lucia's body!" she gasps, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

"Your Grace! Why are you screaming?" a young girl, dressed as a maid, threw the door open. Her face is a mask of pure anxiety.

Lucia jumps, startled. The door had slams open so hard it feels like it will fly off its hinges. The maid's loud voice makes her heart leap into her throat.

"No, it's nothing," Lucia holds up a hand, a silent command for the maid not to come closer.

"Your Grace, I'm sure I heard you scream." The maid's wide eyes are fixed on her, still shocked by her ladyship's scream.

"Hahaha, nothing to worry about. I just remembered that I intended to meet with Lewis today." Lucia tries to sound confident.

"With His Grace? Did you forget that His Grace is currently not in the palace? He's out at the Royal Palace, meeting with the King."

"What?! When did he leave, and when will he be back?"

"Your Grace, you're acting so strangely today. Are you ill? I must call for the healer." The maid's voice is filled with worry.

"No, no, I'm fine. It's okay, I want to clean up now."

"Yes, Your Grace, I've already prepared your bath."

As soon as she arrives in the bathing room, Lucia freezes. Her jaw drops. Her eyes widen, stunned by the beauty of the bathing room.

The room is huge and beautiful, unlike anything Elora has ever seen. Sunlight fills the space, making it glow softly. In the middle is a large pool of clear water, sunken into the floor with pink rose petals floating on top. The pool's edges are made of smooth, light stone.

The walls have tall, thin pillars that hold up high, arched ceilings. Everything are carved with intricate patterns. But the best part was the pink flowers everywhere, growing like thick vines on the pillars and walls, like a magical garden inside. The air is warm and smells like roses. It is more than just a place to wash. It is a beautiful, calm space, clearly made for a couple to share.

"This is a bathroom?! This is too much! So different from the future!" Lucia blurts out, too stunned to control her words.

"Your grace? You called it a bathroom? Is that a new name for this bathing chamber? And what future?" The maid looks utterly confused.

"Huh? Oh no, it's nothing. I just dreamed I was in the past, so when I saw how beautiful this place is, I was stunned." Lucia doesn't know what else to say.

"Your Grace, don't make me worry. Ever since you woke up, you've acted strangely, not like usual." The maid's eyes well up, scared her lady is sick.

"Forget it, leave me here. I'll take a shower myself." Elora can't stand the maid's worrying anymore. Her head starts to ache.

The maid gasps, her mouth falls open, eyes wide with shock. Her face turns pale. Worry and fear wash over her. She has never been told to leave. Her lady always needs help with her bath, down to every detail.

"I'm sorry, you can help me." Lucia quickly corrects herself.

Elora remembers now. In this era, maids do everything for their masters. Not like in the future, where showers had heaters and hot water on tap and maids only help if asked. Here, they even help with private parts. She feels hot with embarrassment.

After her bath, which feels more like a grand ritual than a simple wash, other maids help Lucia with her dress and jewelry. Elora feels weird and uncomfortable in the heavy, tight dress. In her era, people only wear dresses like this for weddings, and even then, not everyone chooses them.

"I feel like a living doll" she mutters.

Once the maids have finished and leave her room after her breakfast, Elora finally has time for herself. She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It is time to examine her room, and everything the real Lucia had. What her favorite colors were, what jewelry she liked, and what books Lucia read.

Beyond that, Elora also has time to truly admire her new bedroom. The room is luxurious and huge, like a football field. Beautiful paintings decorate the high ceiling. Sunlight streams in, filling the room. The window is framed by intricate, dark wood carving and heavy, rich red velvet curtains pulled back with golden cords, revealing a breathtaking view of a beautiful garden.

"Why is Lucia's bedroom more luxurious than a 5-star hotel?! And the view is amazing! Am I actually in heaven?" she spins, feeling her life like a princess.

"Now, I want to go out and walk around!" Lucia dashes out quickly, flying down the stairs so fast she bumps into the butler walking down with a pile of papers.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Lucia cries out, rubbing her bruised backside. The collision sends her sprawling, landing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Your Grace? Are you rushing down the stairs?" the male butler, who looks to be in his 40s, asks. He's fallen too, his papers scattered everywhere.

"Ahh, yes. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you." Lucia quickly gets up and apologizes. Then, in a flash, she runs for the main door, a large and heavy oak door, leaving the butler stunned.

"Is that Her Grace, the Duchess? Did she just apologize to me?" The butler mumbles, confused. He starts picking up his scattered papers, his mind uneasy. His lady is acting very, very strange.

Outside, Lucia gasps. She was truly in a palace! A few guards stood guard. Their uniforms are black with high collars and rich gold braiding on the chest and sleeves, a striking display of authority, swords hanging at their sides. Everything is just like a royal show. The palace's outside walls look unique, different from the palaces Elora has seen in her time, perhaps because the old palaces have been renovated. In the future, most of the old palaces that exist today have been turned into museums, some have also been turned into hotels and restaurants, with tourists visiting in modern clothes. Here, real people live and work, dressed in official uniforms.

"Your Grace! Your Grace! Where are you? Please answer me!" Lucia's personal maid yells, her voice filled with worry. She spins around, turning in every direction, searching for Lucia.

Lucia quickly hides under the hedges, behind a fountain. Elora doesn't want to be found. If she is, she wouldn't be able to enjoy the beautiful outside in peace. With her high rank, she'd be surrounded by guards. But she isn't the real Lucia; she is Elora, a girl who hates being followed, hates being ordered, and loves doing whatever she pleases.

"Please stop looking for me, leave me alone please... Leave me alone. Go away." Lucia whispers, just loud enough for herself to hear. She truly hopes the maid would leave so she can sneak out and go for a walk alone.

"What are you doing here?" A man's deep, calm voice cuts through the air, startling her. He has been standing behind her since earlier, observing her strange behavior, his face utterly expressionless.

"Whoahh!" Lucia yelps, jumping back.

"Who are you? Why are you standing so close behind me?" she demands, quickly rising from her squatting position.

"You must be so surprised that you've forgotten who I am?" His voice is calm but deep, an unreadable tone.

Elora's mind spins. She has no idea how to respond. This man couldn't be her husband in this era; Lewis is currently at the Royal Palace. There is no clue who he is. Sweat starts to form. Her body feels hot and tight.

"There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere. Your Grace, please don't go anywhere without telling me. I'll die if anything happens to you!" The maid says in one breath, her voice scolding. She looks like a worried hen who has lost her chicks.

Lucia is first shocked by the sudden shout, but her face quickly changes to irritation. Her hiding place is found. Her hope of enjoying the beauty of nature alone is ruined.

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