Its on the Sixteenth of January

Demi's Point of View "Demi!" I immediately put my slippers on after hearing that always in a high pitch voice. Still my hair in mess, I reached the door and opened it up. Then madame Betty's crumpled face greet my eyes. Standing straight with her hands akimbo. Her wrinkled skin because of age made her face even more intense. Here thick brows were always in an arc. Her lips always pouting and her eyes seemed to be always angry. Particularly of the maids are scared of her. Yes she looks real scary but she's not the violent type so I find no reason to be scared on her. "Yes madame?" I humbly asked then smiled. And I received a glare in return which I just ignored. After the scary face of hers it comes her unkind gestures and that's why she was always been scared of. "Here's your schedule for the day." Her voice was in a mad tone. She's always like that, it's her nature anyways. Madame draw out the paper from her pocket then handed it to me. And before I can even have a grip on the thin, crumpled and dusty paper, it swayed in the air then softly settled on the rough cemented floor. I crouch and pick it up. Just when I highered y gaze, madame was already in her back on me, pacing fast away from where I am. I instead paid attention on the paper and smiled a bit after reading the content. I later extended my arms sideways then heaved a breath. Being a maid with lot of things to do is undeniably tiring but its way far better than doing nothing. My very first task to do today is laundry. Carrying the large basket containing the dirty fabrics, I headed not in a laundromat but in a river. Madame Betty only gave me two hours for this task but I don't think I can finish it for that short period of time. With all of these very dirty and stained clothes I need at least three hours unless to wash it not just so to finish in two hours. As I get near an near, the water flowing sound became louder. I smiled. I do love playing in water. One more thing, there's no one here yet so the place is all mine and I pretty much liked it. Just when I arrived I quickly started the task to hopefully finish early and have a little moment in bathing. In the middle of doing my job I hear rustling sounds behind me. Like dry leaves were stub by foot. I momentarily stop and look behind and there I saw prince Birk of Britan. My forehead wrinkled, why is he here? But I did not utter the question. Don't think that a maid like me is suppose to interrogate a prince' doing. I saw him smiled with awkwardness. His checks are prominently red, maybe because of his sun exposure. He's white, sure. I bow as a sign of respect giving him no words then continued what i did. Then I just felt his presence beside me. "Hi." He said suddenly. I was at first shock. Of course. No prince would approach a maid like this. I mean, saying hi is nor ordinary. While my hands doing the hand washing I averted my gaze on him but he was all looking at my busy hands. "Uhm hello. May I know why you are here your majesty?" I asked him a little awkward. Well, prince Birk of Britan is a nice prince though. So I think its okay to question him and I cannot hold my curiosity any longer. I was actually in the Britan palace yesterday. Me and the other maids in Abrea were summoned to go there to help design the whole Britan palace. And prince Birk warmly welcomed the maids from outside. From that I concluded he's a nice prince that most of the others aren't. The design is for the upcoming thirteenth and its only three days from now. It will be a celebration to welcome the prince' mate. Elders say that the rightful girl was born in the same day and it will be her eighteenth birthday as well. They also said that recognizing the girl will be easy. She will glow for five seconds when the twelve midnight drops. It was all they were saying and I did not witness such for once. "Hmmm I just wandered around. I got boring in the palace so I sneaked out." He answered then showed me his white perfect teeth. I slightly smile the avoid his eyes. He said he sneaked out, and he will be punish if he'll be catch. Britan is not so far from here. But definitely it is if you're just in your foot especially in this area. He must he on his car and left it somewhere. After it I did not utter a word. I'm not the silent type but as much as I want to ask him 'bout random things, I can't. A maid should not be going to be so close with any prince. "Your beauty is unique you know." I laugh immediately. I can't believe he said that. He's such a joker and a joker prince is rare. "Yeah yeah. Let's not talk about my beauty." I said while stressing each syllable of beauty. He doesn't sound sarcastic but I meant it that way. Perhaps just trying to start a good conversation. Maybe he noticed I was silent and won't gonna be talkative around a prince. "No no. I'm serious. You are really beautiful." A smile formed on my lips and I shook my head. "Right. I did not say I ain't." I know he's just trying to make a conversation here. Ever since I wasn't called beautiful. When I saw my reflection on the mirror, I know the reason why. I wasn't really called beautiful. I got a lot of red pimples. My nose isn't pointed like everybody has. I also got bruises and scars on my forehead that I think will never be gone for the rest of my life. And I am not making myself to feel so down. I am accepting the truth. Still, its a gift to be here in the world. Looks doesn't matter to me. I am contented and happy and will still be happy. "But you're just laughing on it. You're not taking it seriously." He retorted which I just ignored. "Why are you still here anyways? Your not in your desguise and your guards might find you." "So they find me and I don't care." Okay. He sounded firm. And there was again a short silence. "Let me guess your birthday. Its on the thirteenth in January." I was taken aback by his straight statement. I feel like my breathing stopped for seconds and was confuse about the feeling. A question immediately hit me. Is he expecting me to be his mate? Then I later on realized it sounded funny. Of course not. A maid is nothing to a prince. "Wrong. Its on the fifteenth of January." I don't know if its just me but I think I just saw a glint of disappointment in his eyes. What? Then suddenly he was happy. "Oh? Your birthday is near!" He exclaimed and I nod. "Hmmm if anyone will give you a birthday present what would you like?" "You'll give me one?" I jokingly asked him. "No. I'm just asking." Owww. I laugh. I wasn't really expecting he will give me one. We just met and besides I'm just a maid. "If I will be given a gift, I'd like it to be a family." I said excitedly. He suddenly became silent so I turned my head on him. His mouth open and in wide eyes, he's shock. Is it so shocking to want a family as a gift? Of course, it must be. "Hey!" "Uh yeah. You mean you wanna have a husband and children?" Now its my turn to be shock. What? "No i did not say something like that. And besides im just sixteen young for that." "Oh but you said you want a family." Oh. a little misunderstanding indeed. "Yes. A family like having parents on your side." "As far as I know, maids are made to be one when their parents cannot raise them or either their parents are dead." He stated and I smiled half-sided. Truth indeed hurts. "Which one?" He asked me when I stayed silent. I heaved a breath then look up at in the sky. "I don't know really. All I remembered was me around with the other maids. Neither having siblings nor parents. I used to serve others, doing chores over and over and again and again." He was silent. I turn my head on him then I saw the pity in his eyes. I smiled lifeless, I can feel how my heart started to feel heavy. And I don't want this. I don't want to be pitied. It makes me feel like I'm useless, unable to make anything, incapable of making a success. I smiled in front of him trying hard to look it real. "But you know its not a reason to be unhappy. I'm just curious about the feeling when you have a family. It's just curiosity and nothing more." He did not reply immediately. He's thinking something. "Okay then but that's impossible to give." Oh. Thant's another truth and it also hurts. Receiving a mere gift is even impossible. For once I did not receive one even just a simple greeting. Any why would I receive such? Nobody remembers, nobody bothers to, no one cares. For the other time I let out a sigh then force a smile. I never imagine to be like this and to feel like this around prince Birk. I don't either want to be bitter in my life with those empty seats in life. "It is." "Another birthday gift you want." He again asked me. I paused for a little while to think. Food. Well, even if i can't eat as much as I want, I still get to eat enough. We were provided for free anywyas. What about clothes? I got two maid uniforms and two pairs of casual. And it was all shabby though I don't care about its oldness, it is still okay and comfortable to wear. But clothes is more reasonable to ask than good. "It would be clothes." I stated then I later laugh upon realizing something. "And why are you laughing?" "No no. I just remembered something funny." I lied. Its just so funny to think that I actually wasted a split of seconds for just thinking 'bout impossible things. "Is that all?" I nod. "Okay then." He stood up. "I think I gotta go now. See you on the thirteenth Demi!" Then he sprinted away. I was left in shock of how he knew my name.