PHEMOLRIA

3. MAID

I repeatedly blinked to confirm what was happening. It feels like a dream. I gulped as I realized that it wasn’t; not just a damn dream.

I gasped as the palace knights withdrew their swords in chorus to point at me.

"You are a harlot!" One of them said in a very big voice. "What kind of guts do you have to even touch the Prince?! Leave off the Prince's sacred hands!"

Wait, what? He is a prince?

Even though it's already in my mind, I still can't believe that this rude guy is a...

"P-Prince?!" I didn’t mean to sound loud, but it did, and... Damn it.

The Knights' swords pointed closer to me because of my surprised response.

I was tearing up, but I felt a sudden hope when the arrogant man they called the Prince spoke.

"And what kind of guts do you have to point your sinful sword at me?"

I opened my eyes slowly. I want to applaud him, it amazes me that he's as powerful as his baritone voice.

"Forgive us for our wrong act, Your Majesty." The knight bowed his head.

"And you..." He darted his sharp eyes at me. "Get off of my arms, you're too heavy."

After I got to my senses, I immediately jumped out of his arms. Whoa, does he usually stare like that?

For the first time, I felt shy and I didn’t like it.

"A-ah..." I swallowed hard.

I didn't know how to start, so the silence embraced us for a minute.

"I just want to clear out that I am not a harlot and I am not expecting this to happen, but aside from that, thank you, and sorry for the trouble..." I’m not at fault! I just said sorry because this is a matter of life and death!

I was about to exit when one of the knights called me.

"Bow your head to Your Majesty, Lady."

Why would I do such a thing as that?! I'm a Jimenez.

Despite what I was thinking, I still forced a smile to look convincing as I bowed to him.

"Got to go..." I awkwardly laughed. "I mean can I go home now, Y-your Majesty?"

"Where do you live?"

I didn't expect that he would ask that.

I cleared my throat. "N-near the... the stores! Yeah, right," the volume of my voice got lower in an instant. I just don’t know what to say.

He looked at me confusedly and it looked damn cute to me! Hell, why do I have to compliment him?!

I coughed for an alibi, but I stopped when he turned his back on me.

I want to laugh at myself.

Oh, come on Thrysia. Why would he do that? He's rude, remember?

I thought he asked me because he would like to take me home, but then I was wrong! I don’t even let the boys drive me home, just because I don’t like them and I am born with a majestic pride, then he dares to just turn his back on me and leave me here alone? It’s not that I want him to take me home when I don’t own a house in this book.

I just don't know how I would describe him, but damn. He's so impossible!

I got embarrassed with myself.

"I thought he'd drive me over. I hate you," I whispered.

I want to take back what I've said, but it’s too late.

He had already heard it.

I swallowed hard when our eyes met and then again, I hooked up in his hazelnut brown eyes, his messy brown hair, his thin red lips, and his pointed nose that suited him right, a handsome guy.

Come to think of it. This is a book and the book has characters. The pages were blank. I also have no idea of this story, if this is the story inside that book, but his appearance passed as a main character because this is a fairytale. A prince in a fairytale book, but arrogant! If he is the main character, he’s very far from the typical main leads of fairytale stories, who are gentlemen and kind!

I also have no idea of the author. Who’s the writer behind that creepy book?

"Pardon?" His baritone voice might sound calm, but I still could sense his annoyed tone.

I cleared my throat once again.

"W-what?" I asked. "Which o-one?"

I don't know where I got the courage to ask. It just suddenly came out of my mouth.

"That you hated me-"

He hadn’t even finished the word, but I unconsciously burst out of laughter. It’s not my hobby to laugh at others, but the way he said that was funny! So what if I hated him?

"What he—" My eyes widened as I saw the familiar sword pointing at me.

This time it was held by the prince. I don't know where he got that thing. Maybe from one of the palace knights, but damn it's fast!

"How uncourteous are you to laugh at me, Lady? Are you not aware of who's in front of you? Do you want me to introduce myself?" This time his emotion became serious and it was damn breath-taking.

The knights behind him automatically bowed their heads again. They are really afraid of him, so this means that I also should be. No, acting it out is unnecessary because I am really afraid right now.

I couldn’t count how many times I swallowed hard as my heart beating became wilder.

Yes, he has a handsome and soft-looking face, but I don’t know him and I can’t say whether he can or cannot s***h the throats of innocent human beings like me.

That's what Gina and Kelly told me about the last fairytale that they talked about before I was dragged here; execution?

"I thought you didn't want to?" He tilted his head as he smirked and looked at me intensely.

Now I'm seeing his playful emotion.

I got the chance to breathe properly when he withdrew his sword away from me and threw it to the knight he was with earlier, which the knight caught swiftly.

He smiled at me. Not a smile that could make a girl fall, but a smile that could make you scared instead.

"You are not a Phemolria citizen, aren't you?"

I slowly nodded my head like I was hypnotized.

"You had better be a good kid for you not to be in trouble." He was about to turn his back. "The time will come and you will know me, whether you don’t want to."

My jaw dropped. Is he threatening me? Maybe all that I have seen right now isn't the worst yet? I'm good at logic, so I knew what he meant. All that I can do is watch them leave the woods.

After minutes of staring at nothing, I tried to search for a way out and I found myself standing in front of a simple house with a white cow and a small well with a pail on its side.

I caressed my tummy. I'm hungry, seriously.

A boy came out of that house and I was suddenly filled with hope. I think we're the same age. He was wearing an ivy hat, long brown checkered sleeves, and a jumper that was quite untidy.

He went to the well to lift the pail.

"W-wait!" I won’t let this chance pass by. "H-hi?"

Now I must say that this is awkward.

He stared at me and I realized that he had a handsome face, blonde curly hair like his eyebrows and eyelashes, a small pointed nose, green eyes, and pinkish lips. I bit my pale lips, how unfair.

His jaw dropped.

"Can I ask for help?" I swear to God I want the ground to swallow me wholly. "I'm Thrysia Jimenez and I am new in this place… I mean kingdom! Can I stay here for a while…"

"Are you serious, Lady? Aren’t you aware of what you're saying?"

I arched my eyebrows. "Wait, what? What do you mean?"

He sighed. "You're a maiden and yet you're asking me to live in a place where I am, a man who only lives alone?"

My lips parted. I get his point! I forget that I am in a kingdom, not in reality, where perspectives are modernized.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. You know I'm just in need. I just need a place to stay; I can p-pay you..."

Damn! I don’t even have money!

Now he is smiling like an innocent kid. It’s bright and cute for me.

"You have a big problem." He took down the pail as he crossed his arms. "So do you mean you want to rent?"

I nodded to convince him more.

How am I able to pay the rent? Maybe it’s fine to lie in the meantime? Who knows that after this day, I will be sent back outside? Right!

"Yep! I mean, yes... if you would mind?"

"Alright, first of all, you should pay me at the right time, but how would you do that? I know that you don't have a job. Am I correct?"

How did he know?

"Then all you have to do to repay me is to get a job tomorrow morning—"

"Wait," I said. "How will I be able to do that? Where will I get a job? I'm not familiar with this place..." I sounded disappointed.

"I'm Ald. I work in the palace, so if you want to rent a room in my house, then you should come with me and I will get you one."

What the? Is he really serious?! My parents won’t even let me do chores because we have maids, but damn it! Being here is a big problem.

Keep calm, Thrysia. Tomorrow morning, I am sure you’ll be back from where you’ve been.

"Okay, if that's the case, I'll accept it..."

After we discussed the rules, he showed me where I would be staying. It's a simple and small room, but at least it's clean. Tomorrow I won’t be here anymore, so I think I just need to worry in the meantime.

"Can I... have something to eat? I promise! I will pay you when I get a job!" I raised my hand for a promise.

He raised his eyebrows. I saw him laugh secretly.

He didn't speak and just asked me to follow him.

Even his kitchen is simple. Of course, Thrysia. He uses firewood for a stove, there are some kitchen utensils a small old wooden table, and two chairs. From the number of chairs, I can confirm that he lives here alone.

How lonely it is.

I sat on a chair and watched him prepare something. I badly wanted to object when he placed bread and butter, but because I understood why he didn't have anything aside from that, I just ate the bread.

"So... where are you from? How come you're lost here?"

I cleared my throat.

"I'm finding something."

Should I tell him that I'm from the outside? It's risky. Earlier, I was mistaken as a harlot and if I confess that there’s a world outside their world, I am not sure if they’ll going to believe me. What if they mistake me for a crazy lady and kill me?

"Finding what?"

Damn it! I'm busted!

"M-my... p-puppy! Yes, that's it! I lost my puppy a while ago." I tried to act sad, but it turned out to be a forced one. "You know, he grew up with me, so I was this lonely when I lost him, so I did my best to find him and here I am like my puppy lost and don't know how to go back."

He raised his eyebrows. It seemed like he didn't believe what I said.

"You lost the puppy that grew up with you? Puppy? Why didn't you just say a dog? Maybe I will believe you."

I frowned.

He stood up. "After you have finished eating, kindly wash the dishes."

And he left me with my jaw dropped. I had no choice, but to obey him. After washing the dishes, that’s the only chance that I get to take a rest and fall asleep.

"Damn it!" I cursed after a loud noise from the steel awakened me.

I can guess that those are kitchenware.

I tried to roll above my bed, but it turned out for me to fall.

And I woke up in reality, but not totally in reality.

With my mouth open wide apart, I grab my hair with both of my hands in frustration.

I’m still here!

"Have I informed you to wake up early?" Like what he's always doing, he raised his eyebrows and it made me irritated!

"No, you don't." Even if I don’t; I still force myself to stand up from falling.

I scan myself from head to foot. I’m still wearing the school uniform.

"I think you should wash first and change clothes. You look like a harlot—"

"I'm not a harlot!"

"I know! That's why I asked you to change!" He left me and closed the wooden door.

After I prepared, we immediately went to the palace.

And it’s tiring.

We walked for hours, but when we reached the palace, the exhausted feeling was replaced by amusement.

I can’t deny how fascinating it is from afar, it’s more than that, the designs were detailed.

"Wow..." I uttered.

"Your reaction says that you haven’t seen a castle before."

I cut him. "I d-did!”

He lifted his eyebrows. "If you say so.”

We stopped talking when the palace guards blocked us from entering.

This book has complete characters, huh?

"Who's that lady?"

"She's a friend of mine, the new maid."

It took them a few seconds before they signaled each other and opened the gates for us. I got nervous for a bit, but wait... What did he say? Maid?

I was about to object when a golden fountain got my attention.

"Hey... follow me."

I nodded my head as I followed him along the wide marbled stairs to the tall door which is the entrance. The inside was also wide and bright. The crystal chandelier is sparkling, a real one!

I shouldn’t feel this way, happy, because I hate fairytales.

Minutes passed when a set of maids lined up in front of us.

A lady with a different outfit stepped forward to look at me from head to toe.

"You are?" she asked.

I pointed at myself; nervous because I knew she was strict just by the way she looked at me.

"T-thrysia Jimenez..."

"From now on you will be the Prince's maid."

My eyes widened.

Wait... What?! The prince's what?!

The maid behind her looked at me sadly. What's with their faces?

They bowed their heads.

I thought they were bowing to me, but why would they? Who am I in this fairytale?

I turned my back to see what was behind me.

My jaw dropped as I saw the Prince, who was looking at me with the same arrogant stare. Damn it! How can I manage to be his maid?!

"They stared at each other’s eyes, an imaginary illusion flashed through them. There are butterflies around them; the main characters and a string tied up in their hands. The girl who doesn't believe in fairytales is now the cold-hearted Prince's maid. A lovely image and a beautiful start..."