HER'S TO TAKE

0016

FREYA

“Over here, ma’am, I am the one you are looking for.” A middle-aged woman said, with her fingers beckoning on me to come to her.

She was dunning her duty outfit, and she was chubby and pretty with her short hair, but mere looking at her face made me guess she is a tough person.

“Okay, ma’am.” I said and strutted towards her, while she headed into a room whose door was wide opened.

I wonder how she knew I was looking for her. I had barely touched down before she called me over.

“What’s your name?” she asked as we strutted into the massive room which has doors that leads to other rooms.

“Freya.” I said, following her obediently, and looking out to know which door she would opt for, but she stopped and turned to me.

“Freya, the one Nania spoke of?” she asked, her eyes staring into my face like that of a mother who was querying her child.

“Yes.” I said in response, my voice calm and braced by a weak smile.

I wonder how she knew Nania referred me to the mansion. Maybe she was there the day Nania called the other lady to inform her she was bringing me.

“Oh. Welcome to the crib.” She said with a smile and patted my shoulder, then, she held the knob of one of the doors, twisted it and pushed the door open, reveling a passage with doors at its sides.

Jaxton’s mansion was big, but I don’t think it is as complex and mysterious as the crib she welcomed me to.

“Come on.” She beckoned on me, and led the way into the passage. “This is the maids’ chambers. Every maid in this mansion has a room. Let’s find yours.”

I shook my head and followed her till she stopped before one of the doors and pushed it open, revealing a white room with white furniture and landscape paintings on the wall.

“This is your room, Freya. We are not sure what you’ll like to have in your room, but you have to manage this for now.” She said and stepped aside to let me in.

I walked into the beautiful white room, smiling, but I noticed something in the room. it had three clocks; a digital clock, an alarm clock, and an analog clock leaning to the wall.

“Hope you like it, or should I take you to another room for the sake of Nania?” she posed with a kind voice, but those kind words only got me really curious. Why do they make reference to Nania in every word they say to me.

“I like it.” I knew I had no choice here, though they were making it look as if I had a choice over the room I’m to stay in.

“Good.” She said and folded her hands. “Now, here are the rules of the crib.”

She cleared her throat as I listened and took up a stern look, maybe to sound serious enough for me to know that she was not here to play.

“One; you must be conscious of time. You have three clocks here, and you have a wrist watch waiting alongside your duty outfits in the wardrobe, just for the purpose of keeping you really conscious of time.” She raised her eyebrows in a querying manner, and I shook my head in response.

“Second; you must have no contact with the outside world until it is time to visit your family, and you would do that only twice a month. And, three; you are not permitted to chat with the guards, but you can make friends with your colleagues here, and still stay away from gossip.” She said and made to the door.

“Have I made myself clear?” she posed.

I shook my head once again like a lizard. There was no big deal in her conditions. I believe I would never dream of chatting with the guards or flirting around them, and I have no issues with being time conscious like she said.

“Good.” She snapped her fingers and strutted off, leaving the door open.

I smiled and toured the room, touching the curtains and the drawers. They were posh, the sort I last saw in Jaxton’s mansion three years ago.

I touched the bed and sat on it to feel its softness, and lo, it was really appealing to my body like would love it.

I stood up and made to the wardrobe, to checkout on the outfit and slip them on before I’m summoned to report to my duty post, which I was sure was the kitchen.

I opened the wardrobe and there they were, hanging in the wardrobe, about six outfits, same color and same size as if they took my measurement long before I got here.

“Hey, hello.”

That voice sounding quite alluring, like the coo of a pigeon. I turned to behold the owner of the voice, and there she stood behind me, smiling and extending a hand to me.

“My name of Mara.” She said, her smile was a little pretty. “You?”

I remembered the lady who brought me here said I can make friends with my colleagues here, and judging by the outfit she was dunning, I knew she was one of my colleagues.

“Freya.” I said with a smile and accepted her handshake, we are not men, so, we should be exchanging hugs instead of handshakes, but we had to take handshakes because we don’t know each other yet.

“You just got in.” she said, looking around my room as though she had never seen a room as good as the white room, I was in.

“Yes.” I said and took one of the clothes in the wardrobe. “What about you?”

“I’ve been here for a week, and I had not seen someone to talk to, because the maids here don’t think I’m worth it.” She said, giving me the first impression of the possibility of not being accepted by some maids who would rather be on their own than have me in their circle.

“You don't mean it.” I faked a smile. “Well, you have me here already, so, don’t worry about who to talk to any more.”