24. Flora and her secrets
939 Words
Desmond-
I take the rough paper in my hands and give it a little hitch. I do not know what to expect from this, but I do know that I'm not afraid about finding it out. If Alexa had been suddenly teleported to another era then it should have the same effect on me as well.
As my eyes drift to the first line of the note, I hear a woman's voice behind me.
"You can not do it." She says standing by the door. She is a middle aged woman with a one piece dress on that reaches her ankle. Nothing too flashy, just the casual wear. Her hair cascade down her back and a section of it in the front. They reach below her waist and seem black from where I'm standing. She has calm face but anyone could tell that she isn't happy. Not even sad, but rather, lost and in grief.
"What do you mean? Do you even know what I'm doing?" I ask her turning to look at her completely.
"I may have taken a guess on what you are doing." She says.
"Who are you?" I ask her the next obvious question which should've been my first question.
"I'm a maid here like anybody else, but I know more than anybody would ever know." She says smiling.
"And just what do you know?" I ask her squinting my eyes.
"A lot more than you." She says in a calm voice with no expressions on her face.
"Like?" What does she know?
"Doesn't matter, you won't get it, but if you are trying to do what I think you are trying to do, then know it that you are going to fail." She says which boils my blood instantly. I'm already messed up and I don't need anybody else to play mind tricks with me.
"And what are your assumptions? What do you think I'm doing here?" I ask her controlling my nerves.
"I can't tell you until I'm certain about them, but I think we should have a clean start." She says smiling a little. I just realized that all this time we have been talking in this big dirty room, she has been staring at me. Her stare is intense and I can tell that it is something different then just talking to me while looking at me.
I do not say anything after her statement about starting clean. There is no need to. I do not know her and do not wish to know her as well. So, in return there is no need for her to know me too.
"My name is Flora." She says walking up to me. Not wanting to be rude, I tell her my name as well.
"So, you want to tell me what were you doing here?" She asks me.
"No, I don't." I give my clear response and she just shakes her head.
"Maybe you could try." She insists making me frown.
"No, I don't want to try as well. I will do it on my own. Besides, what are you doing here?" I ask her.
"I'm here to make sure that the paintings of princess Alexandra are clean. Prince Diego like it that way." She says making me a little shocked. How does she know about this information? Isn't she just a maid? And yet she knows that Diego is a prince?
NO, she might only think of him as the heir. How could she know about it, right?
"He has always managed to keep them clean in this past century, but now that he is with princess Alexandra, I shall make sure that not even a single dust particle lays upon these portraits." She says shocking me. She does know about them but how? I do not think Diego would just tell her everything. Why would he?
"What more do you know?" I ask this woman standing in front of me but she just smiles.
"Much more than you. I know the truth which is hidden from everyone except the prince himself." She says.
If she knows all the things that Diego knows, then does that mean she has been alive all these years as well?
"Have you been alive all these..." I try to ask but she cuts me off.
"No. It is not what you think. But I do know all the vile incidents of that time, all the destruction, all the cries... everything." She says.
"Then tell me!" I say desperately.
"I do not trust you yet. I do not know if you just want to quench your curiosity or if there is something more to it." She says bringing that bubble of anger back that was nearly suppressed now.
"Why can't you tell me?! I need to know the truth?!" I say keeping my anger at bay.
Fucking Breathe!
"And why do you need to know the truth? That is what I want to know." She asks me and I take a deep breath before again meeting her continuous stare.
"I have my reasons. Why shall I tell you?" I say because for all I know, she could just blurt this conversation to Diego and God knows what kind of creature he is! Furthermore, I cannot risk Alexa's safety.
"Then let's continue to keep our reasons a secret. Good Day." She says and just lefts.
What?! She just left like that?!
And she didn't tell me anything! Okay, calm down Desmond. Probably you'll need to win this woman's trust to know more.
Or better yet, if reading this note is the way, then I do not need her!
- Writer
