CHAPTER 2
I opened my eyes because of the noise. There are maids rummaging the wardrobe. All of them were wearing the same clothes, the long black dress with a white apron and their hair is tied in a bun style. I think those are their uniform.
“Your awake, milady”. The maid from yesterday is walking towards me. She opened the curtain and tied it to the ends of the bed.
“What are you doing?” I asked curiously.
“We will be going outside. I will tour you in this manor. There are things that you needed to know” she slightly bowed to me.
She gesture someone to come to her. When, a girl with a brown hair is in front of her. She whispers something. I don’t know what is it, but that made the girl, excuse herself to me and run to the door to go out.
"Milady, please come over there. We need to fix yourself first". The maid is pointing towards another room, it might be the bathroom.
I’m recalled what happened yesterday. I was knocked out and didn’t know what happened next. Sir Oliver might be the one who helps me put in this soft bed. I stand up and walks towards the room where she pointed.
I smell a sweet scent as soon as I entered the bathroom. I gaze at the tub. There are floating flowers in there.
“W-what are those?” I asked curiously because in my past life. I didn't experience having flowers when I'm bathing.
“These are lotus flowers, milady.” Said the maid who was following me.
“It is good for the skin, milady. It can softened it as well as reduce your anxiety” said the other maid joyfully.
They touched my shoulder to take off my dress. I stopped them and looked at them in shock.
W.. what are you doing?”
“We were just helping you, milady”
“N..no, you can’t do that. I can take a bath myself. Y..you can leave me here”.
“We can’t do that, milady. We were tasked to take care of you while you were bathing”
“Leave it to us!” the maid was smiling happily.
I smiled shyly to them. “I leave it to you then”.
I don't have a choice but to leave them scrubbing my body. This experience is new to me, it's very awkward since, in my previous life I was the one who will take care of myself. I need to get used to it since, this is my new way of life.
I looke at the two people present here. The two maids has an opposite attitude. One is a brighter kid and the other one is a serious type. They were chatting while they scrub and wiped my skin. I don’t know if that serious maid were listening since, she didn’t utter a single word.
“What’s your name?” I asked. I got a feeling that we will be together in my entire life.
"I’m Rina and she’s Amelia" the bright maid were smiling while she point the other maid.
Amelia just nodded at me in response. She’s really silent. I smiled at them. I look at the ceiling. Remembering my past life.
During my high school days. My mom is still alive. I lost the track of time while studying in our school library. I hurriedly put my things in my bag to go out. I know, Brother Xi our personal driver is waiting for me. I look at my wristwatch and it’s already 6:47 in the evening. I glanced at the window, it’s already dark outside. I hurriedly put my things back to my bag and i briskly walked outside.
I arrived at the parking lot and saw Brother Xi waiting for me outside in his car. I called out his name but he didn’t reply. Maybe, he didn’t hear me. I run towards him hurriedly.
“Brother Xi, did you wait long?” I asked him while catching my breath.
“No, ma’am! I arrived twenty minutes ago” he smiled at me like it’s just a small thing.
I apologized to him and I get in the car. He drove off to our home. I watched the scenery outside. There are lots of dazzling lights in each building we passed and inside there were different kinds of fascinating decorations that made it more appealing to the outsiders. After a couple of minutes of driving, there's no establishments that we had passed, it's a forest.
I saw an old building that looks like a library. I don’t know why, but it urges me to go there. My instincts tell me that the books there are interesting.
“Brother Xi, please stop the car in that old building” I told him while pointing the old building that we passed by. "I forgot I need to buy something".
He nodded in response and do the U-turn. He stopped in front of the building. It looks very old. From the design to it’s sign board. I saw it opened so I entered the store.
As soon as I entered the store. I guessed it right, this is really a library. There are books everywhere, from this floor up to the third floor. I roam around to sightsee. The split staircase is very well designed, as well as the ladder to pick the book from the highest shelves. The yellow light makes it more mysterious as it compliment the style of the store.
I walk towards the end of the first floor. My phone suddenly ring. I saw the time, it’s already 7:17 in the evening. I answered the call because I saw my mom's name and number.
“Hello! Mom?”
“Where are you? It’s almost 8, and you’re not home yet”
“I’m sorry mom. I didn’t noticed the time, I was studying in the school library earlier and then, I stopped at the book store”
“okay! After, you’re done there. Make sure to come home. No more stoppings, okay?”
“yes mom!”
I stood in front of the book shelves. There were many interesting books. The book cover is very appealing since it’s rare to have it in a vintage design and a hard cover. As I read the title, there is only one that piqued my interest.
Always together. That’s the title, it’s a little bit cliché but that will do. I grabbed the book. At the center of the book cover, it has a shadow girl that’s holding a heart. the color of the background was white, while the heart is red and there are gold retro lines on each corner.
“Have you chosen that?”
My heart jumped out because of that voice coming out of nowhere. I released the book that was on my hand and I didn’t noticed that because of the shock I received. The old lady gets the book and hand it to me. She smiled to me apologetically.
“I'm very sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you”
“T.. that’s okay, it’s fine”
I spoke twice. I didn’t get over with the nervousness I felt. I breathed in and out in order to calm myself. The old lady that’s standing beside me, is wearing a shirtwaist dress. A gingham check design, it’s a combination of red and white pattern and in her waist, there’s a brown leather belt. But, what caught my attention is that, she was wearing a hoody black robe. She didn’t buttoned her robe so I saw her inner dress.
“Its rare for this store to have a customer. I couldn’t help myself but to approach you” she chuckled.
She looks at the book I’m holding. “that’s a great story”
“thank you! I always passed by this area but, I only noticed this store here, today. So, I wanted to try books that were in here. Also, to changed my pace"
"All of our books is rare and special. You won't regret visiting here"
I saw the grandfather clock behind the old lady and it’s already 8 in the evening. I panic because it’s past my curfew.
“I’ll take this, how much?” I hurriedly asked the old lady
She put her hands in her chin as if she was thinking. “I’ll give you that for free since, you’re the first customer I have”
“No, I can’t do that”
“Its free you can have it, it’s my gift”
“Gift? I can’t do that. I need to pay this”
“then, you advertise this store to your friends or some stranger to go here and visit. That is your payment. Is that okay?”
“Ma’am, your mother is calling. We need to go home” Brother Xi, suddenly showed up that made my worry goes up.
“I should go. Thank you for this book. I’ll make sure to come back here with my friends” I bowed at her as a sign of respect then walk passed by her.
My body felt shiver when I walked out to the store. I don’t know why but, I’m starting to get nervous. I entered the car and Brother Xi starts the engine. Before, she drove away. I looked at the store and saw a wistful smile on the old lady’s face.
“milady? We are done”
I go back to the present when I heard the voice at the same time someone shakes my arm. The moment I got out to that store, maybe that old lady know what lies ahead of my path.
“You were spacing out of nowhere, milady”
“y..yeah. I was just thinking"
I get out of the tub and wear my robe. The moment I got out, the maids were busy dressing me up. I’m in front of the mirror. I stared at my reflection, she is really beautiful. A silver hair just like the moon shining in the night sky, a green eyes as a snake that pierces through an enemy. She’s almost perfect but there’s only one problem. She is flat. The owner of this body, has a perfectly well built as a villain based on her appearance.
The story of the book I read that day is Always Together. It talks about a noble girl who fell in love to the first prince of the Saxson Empire. After her struggles, the prince finally loved her but there are villains to take down including me. Chantria was the last one villain they need to take down. She was the mother of the prince’s child. She didn’t even glanced her own son when he was born. She didn’t take care of him. She always ignore him as if he was a pest in her life.
Chantria’s childhood were good. She played in the sun and both of her parents showered her their love. It all changed when her father was dead. The duo, mother and daughter lived their sorrowful life. Chantria were seven years old at that time. Her mother, Fleur thought that she needs a father figure so she become busy.
Chantria was lonely, she wants the attention of her mother but, she failed to get that. She excels in various fields, she seeks knowledge more than anything. She wants her mother to look at her and be proud. At an early age, she was known as a female prodigy next to the crown prince. She’s a hardworking child, she stayed in the library morning to evening to read some difficult book that’s not appropriate for the child.
When, she was ten. All of her efforts were in vain when her mother introduced another man as his father. Chantria was devastated he can’t accept that her mother found a new lover. Did he already forgot her father?
She never said a word to her mother. Their relationship grew to be distant. The hatred she had in her childhood days, she bought that in her teenager years. She turned eighteen, when she found out the plan of her stepfather and the truth.
When she was twenty, she’s in a marriageable age. The emperor wants her to be the fiancè of the crown prince as she excels in various fields except for swordmanship and the sector that boys allowed to learned and do.
She was kidnapped on the day, she supposed to meet the prince. She was sexually harassed and didn’t even know who it was. She closed her eyes the entire time because she was afraid that any moment she will lose her life. The only thing that she wished on that day is that, if she make it out alive. She wants to make peace with her mother.
Unexpectedly, she lose her memories. It was morning that she escaped the room, she saw a man sleeping beside her but she didn’t know who because the man was sleeping sideways. She run and run, until she didn’t noticed there’s a cliff ahead of her. She fell and everything’s became blurry but before that, she saw an old lady and she cried for help.
I sigh when I remember all the things that I’ve read in that book. The store is very suspicious in the first placed when I entered it. Curiosity really kills the cat. I ended up here but, I’m grateful. I smiled when I remember that I’m pregnant. It means that my baby was reborn together with me. We are already here at the same time, in the novel.
I didn’t noticed that the maids are already done dressing me up. I am wearing a promenade banana colored dress. It has a flower pattern on my jersey lining. It’s just a simple dress but it’s eye catching. They tied my hair into a fishtail crown, at the back of it is a white flower.
“milady, your breakfast has been prepared. I’ll escort you to the dining room” said the maid who I’ve seen since yesterday. She bowed slightly to me. There’s a sadness in her eyes. I don’t know why is it. I should asked her name.
“What’s your name?” I asked while walking to the corridors of our manour.
“My name is Scarlet Frets. Your personal lady maid”
As soon as I heard her name. I was shocked when I didn’t recognize her. She was one of my favorite character because she’ll do anything to support and protect Chantria. She’s the only person she considered as a family in the manor. She sacrificed herself to free the lady from it’s doom but, it’s pointless since, Chantria was executed in front of her while she was only given a punishment, a life imprisonment. She was exiled in the faraway isolated island in the northeast of the empire. No one has been there except for the military personnel and higher ranks commander. All prisoners there had been committed a serious crime.
That’s explained her sadness whenever she looks me in the eye. I stared at her back. I wanted to talk to her that my memories were intact all along. Maybe, just maybe, she will be my comrade in this life. My most trustworthy person.
I extend my hand to tap her shoulders. I stop myself when we entered a room, I don’t know were this is, but I hate the smell. I hate the aroma that’s in the air.
"What’s that smell?” I asked curiously. I walk towards the table were foods is present.
“That’s your favorite breakfast, milady. A jumbo chickpea pancake and a green tea”
I nodded at her in response. I looked at the pancake and it seems to be delicious. I tried to taste it but, my stomach wouldn’t accept the pancake. I don’t like the taste even if it’s my favorite.
On the otherhand, I don’t like the smell of the green tea, it makes me want to puke. It’s a refreshing smell to anyone but for me, I can’t take it.
“Where’s the faucet?”
Scarlet was confused by my question but, she didn’t hesitate me to take to the kitchen. I saw the chef there looking at me shockingly. I faintly smile at him since, my stomach suddenly turned upside down.
I vomited but, only the saliva came out. The chef handed me a hot water thinking I have a headache due to not eating on time. I drink it and calmed down. I sat on the table there. I already experience this in my past life.
“What happened?”
A voice coming from outside made me look at it. It was my mother. She hurriedly caress my back.
“She vomited, your grace” scarlet told my mother.
She helplessly looks at me. She know that I’m not feeling well because of the tragedy that happened to me. After a month of looking, I'm finally back because of the stranger, an old lady who lives in the forest. She took care of me like I’m her daughter. I don’t know her name since, she didn’t tell Chantria in the novel instead, she wants her to call the old lady a mother.
“Are you okay?” asked by my mother worriedly.
“Y..yeah, I just don’t like the smell of the green tea and I can't swallow tha pancake. It doesn't suit to my taste"
My mother looked at the chef immediately to demand what's happening.
"But, I cooked it the way you want, milady. That’s your favorite so I added extra syrup” said the chef
“N..no, it’s not your fault. It’s just that I’m not feeling well. Maybe, I need a rest”
I know this feeling because I’ve felt this in my past life. I’m pregnant.
“She’s pregnant”