Misery of Artemisia

Chapter 2: Invitation Card

LUCKILY, I now finally found a great hotel where I could stay in the meantime. A simple room that is worth it for its price. Perhaps starting from this day, I could now live peacefully where there are no worries to think of.

Stepping away from sorrowful thoughts is one of the great things that I have been done. At this moment, I won't think about the relationship with my mom, because I know that she is living now peaceably without me.

"Hmm, excuse me? Could I ask if where does cafeteria located is?" I enquired to the woman who wears an enflamed dress.

She suddenly stops in front of me. "It's on the building 0029, and if you don't want at what I've mentioned, you may also go outside of this hotel and ask someone else." She maddened responded. That woman looks at me from foot to my head as if I came from the unscrupulous intimate.

I bite my lower lips while I'm still looking at her deadly expression. "Thanks a lot. But could I request something for you?" I teasingly replied.

"Oh, really? You don't need to. We're not close, so why you are asking me over? It seems like you're taking the limit."

"I don't care about your perception towards me but, why did you stare at me as if I have done something wrong with you?!"

"Stop. Stop asking me trouble times, miss. I don't have time to spend my time with a bullsh*t like you. Bye!" She exasperatedly uttered before she leaves me offensively.

This day isn't blameless as I have thought. She totally ruined my peaceful day!

I touched my forehead and closes my eyes tightly. I just do not know why she treated me like that? I don't know her might as well mine. Did I recognize her before?

"Oh, we apologize for her attitude ma'am. Maybe you couldn't know yet, but our agency is ready to share it with you." A man who is at the edge of the table spoke.

I just raised my brows as a show of agreement. I beamed at him as well on their team.

"Is it just alright with you ma'am? We just wanted our clients to become aware here of our hotel's environment,"

"Yea, sure! No problem."

They offered me first a seat to have a short seminar about their client's attitude included the woman I argument with.

The softness of their sofa is really superb. I couldn't say anything else. The hotel where I entered is indeed good-looking, except for some of their clients with an evil arrogance.

"Most of our clients are undergoing moderate anxiety. We just didn't know how you get into this place especially that you do not belong to them. That is the reason why this hotel named as Anxiez Hotel."

"Seriously, guys? I'm not aware of those, honestly. I guess my fate is to be here. Yea, I'm also suffering from anxiety. I am an introvert as well wherein I do not want any noises and all I just wanted is to have peace in life. I came here accidentally and it doesn't my will to talk with a lot of people too." I aforesaid while I am still holding the unusual invitation I got last day. I smiled a little so that they won't think that I am just inventing what I have been said.

Their expressions are almost the same as each other. It seems that it's their first time to see a minor who has to suffer from it.

"You are just seventeen, right?" An old age woman asked me.

"Yes, I am. Hmm, can I get out of here? I will now prepare my luggage in my room."

They replied to me by their simultaneous nod. I quickly walk away from their presence.

I suddenly wait first on the elevator to go down. And when it finally arrives, I unquestionably get inside of it. Still, I carefully holding this invitation for some unknown reason while the bouquet is there at my unit.

Now I know why the woman I faced off earlier has not in a good mood. Because like her, I also suffer from moderate anxiety.

Do I really have anxiety? Or I am just too affected by what I have encountered?

Minutes passed, I unambiguously lay down my body to the bed included in this room. It seems like I went to a far place due to the exhaustion I lately felt.

I kept on throwing air coming from my mouth.

Then precipitously, an invitation card I am holding previously was now beside me. I almost fall from this bed cause of shocked I sensed.

"What the h*ll did you possessed?!" I screamed.

My heart is abnormally palpitating consequent of what did I saw.

"You do not have to be worry, Artemisia. You're safe as long as you still handling me. No ruthless scenario will happen to you. Just always keep me!" It also talks to me! I shouldn't know what to do with this stuff.

Are what it said has sense? And besides, how did it speak as if it has life?!

No. I shouldn't be like this. I need to calm down and comprehend what it supposed to say.

Does fantasy exist in real life?

"Hi, lady Artemisia!" Another voice spoke amidst my selflessness.

A woman who looks like a princess surprised me! If I am not mistaken, she came from the invitation card that I was now holding.

Because of what I saw, I almost lost air to breathe due to what am I seeing here and now.

"Who are you? How comes that yo—"

"I am Princess Brina, came from the Kingdom of Ashes. So, how are you now that you're living alone? Is it happier compare to your past?"

I blink trouble times to see if that lady is really here in front of me. But after I flicker my eyelid yet again, I now grasped that what I saw and heard was definitely right.

My eyes grew bigger when she walks closer in my direction. There is nothing changed at her expression. She possessed a wide beam, ecstatic grey eyes, and she is also wearing a light blue dress that truly fits on her.

"Please give me a couple of seconds to breathe," I begged.

"Yea, no worries."

I touched my chest as I bend my head. I wish that if it's just a dream, I want now to wake up from this derange occurrence.

"Could you please tell me how did you do it? Additionally, you also said that you are a princess? How did that freak happen?!" I queried her.

She did not just come closer but also she seats beside me.

Is this f*cking real?!

"W-what are you doing?! What's your purpose?"

"I just want you to congratulate me because you are one of the lucky visitors of us! But yea, your ticket's duration would be just one decade. No worries, you still have a chance to think about our offer. But if I were you, I will now grab their great opportunity. You, don't you want your wishes to become real?" She stated. "Don't you want to have another body if you would have died? That is also our ridiculous but true power. Now talk to me seriously, Artemisia Morgan, don't you want it all? Don't you want to live in our kingdom where all your wants are our priority?"

I suddenly gulped and think deeply about what she has spoken. "Like, seriously? Aren't you fooling me?"

"Furthermore, we're also living in a fantasy world and our Kingdom is one of the legendary places where all unpredictable creatures were dreaming to be there. Yes, I am telling you about it seriously. It would just up to you if you will grab our invitation or not." She tried to convince me.

Should I believe her? The princess at the Kingdom of Ashes?

I took my breath away then I stare once again at the invitation card they had sent to me. As a matter of fact, I am also feeling brave in its peculiar style. It truly cannot be found at any places that are why my eyes caught it.

"Maybe I could spend my time here temporarily first? I mean, as what have you been said, I have enough or let's just say... more time to think about that. One decade is more than enough. Hmm, does my complain acceptably? N-no worries, I will genuinely ponder your invitation. My point is just... give me some while," I stated. I guess the pressure I feel now affects the colour of my face. I feel some hotness that possibly came from the overpressure I recently felt.

She shows me a smile that calms down my nerves. It positively affects me. Perhaps it is a sign that what she said was true?

Actually, I believed in the fantasy world that also known as the immortal world. I love fairies, gods and goddesses, queen and king, princess and prince, dwarfs, a living stone, witches, imaginative world, and so on. Because in my stage, I never feel the harmony in my family, except on my dearest father. And the sad thing is just, I didn't know where he is. Did he found a new family? Did he migrate from another place? Did he just leave us? Or either he was now peacefully resting in another life.

"Permission accepted, Artemisia. You don't need to be rush on it. Just keep it in your mind that within one decade is the given time for us to receive your final answer. Hmm, I guess I talk with you enough, isn't it? I will now leave you in the meantime. I will back to you, see you again gorgeous lady Artemisia!" She said goodbye before her body turns into ashes bound to the invitation card where she goes out.

Until now, I am confused about what is happening. I am not fully sure if I will believe these happenings or I would just let it go.

"Artemisia, you're an introvert but a clever person, right? Even though you're suffering from anxiety, you still need to think of using your intelligent mind too." I addressed myself, I sighed.