𝖛𝖎
THE AIDE & THE LADY
"We finally meet here, milady."
Six words, nine syllables, twenty-one letters—the numbers I might never forget for the rest of my life.
Coming to this a whole lot of new place, not to mention an isolated island somewhere off the Pacific, took me a strong, solid resolve and tons of courage with a keen eye set to the goal. That was the deal, but this one . . .
"My deepest apologies for taking so long to get to you, milady. I was informed seconds late of your arrival, but I am here now." He stood up, not letting go of my stone-cold hand.
. . . this one was a whole lot new topic.
All I could do was stare at him like a deer caught in the headlights. My mind, seemingly rusted and electrocuted by that sudden gesture, failed to whir back to life, reducing me into a speechless blithering mess. One thing though . . .
Somebody tell me, what and where this talk is heading!
"If you may, milady," he curtly said, giving my hand a gentle tug, urging me to get on my feet. "I will now escort you to your room."
Tongue still caught between my teeth, I stood up and released the air trapped into my lungs as he let go of my hand.
"This way, please."
He led the way back to the empty hall where I came from.
I followed in silence, anxiously aware of the safe distance I kept between us. Wiping my clammy palms, I tried to block the unwanted thoughts swirling in my mind as I stared at his straight back.
Not that I was afraid of him, it was just—
"Oh, come on, CC! How can you get a man if you flinch at their slightest touch?" Stella, as always, exaggeratedly exclaimed, fixing me her electric blue eyes, widening in utter disbelief.
Tessa, who was sitting in the living room watching TV, was quick enough to back me up.
"Cut her some slack, Stella, will you?"Â She yawned, causing deep wrinkles to appear on Stella's forehead.
"But Leo only touched the tip of her freaking finger! The tip, not the hands! No man deserves a punch in the face just because of that!" Stella argued ardently.
Tessa hummed, barely listening to Stella's whim. "Yeah, sure . . . but we all got our own demons to fight and limits to look after. Don't blame Cee for it."
I sighed inwardly, remembering those silly arguments those two would always get into. It was not like someone could truly understand my dilemma. Not that I car—
"Watch your steps, milady. I can't afford to let you get hurt under my watch."
I stepped back, rubbing my nose, after colliding into his arms. "I'm sorry. My thoughts were flying somewhere in the space."
T-That hurts a bit.
I should always be mindful of my surroundings if I would be staying for three months here. Klutziness won't do me any good.
Silence ensued. I looked up, feeling being watched intently . . . and I was right. Mister Milady had his body facing an ornate oak door, one hand on the knob, while looking down to my side, somewhat amused.
Uh, did I say something strange?
Uncertain what to do, I frowned, then cleared my throat. "Don't mind me, please. I tend to spit nonsense," I said along with a quick small smile replaced by a straight face in an instant.
This is awkward.
I didn't see it coming. The next thing I knew, I was gaping at him. His eyes narrowing to slits as he laughed heartily while shaking his head.
"You're funny, milady," he managed to say in between. "I'm sorry," he muttered, clearing his throat.
"I'm not a clown," I told him, almost pouting.
He nodded yet I could tell he was suppressing another burst of laughter. I left him a lingering glare as I pushed the door he had already opened. He stepped aside, making a room for me to get in.
What awaited me behind that ornate oak door was not something I had prepared myself. Maybe because it was something that didn't cross my wildest imagination for a fancy, royalty-ish place like this at all. The entire room was perfectly fine—more than fine. It was just that . . . how come?
A spark of anger swirled in my chest. All the good vibes stored in me suddenly disintegrated into thin air. I clenched and unclenched my cold fist, trying to calm myself down, but to no avail.
Though rooted on my spot, I had managed to look over my shoulders towards the open door where he was standing still like a sentinel. Confusion, shock, and a poignant sensation seemed to take over on me at the moment as I silently waited for an explanation. But all I got from him was a damn warm, knowing smile.
"We have prepared everything to give you the best comfort we could offer, milady. All your necessities are already here. If you need something, you can use the telephone connected to the one in my room just across yours, and I'd be here in an instant."
What the hell . . . that was the least of my concern! I needed to know what in the world was going on here!
With a calculated, suppressed anger, I asked him through gritted teeth, "Who the hell are you people?"
A summarized question intended for the strange things that had happened to me so far after my first contact with them.
He, who was about to shut the door, suspended halfway. He darted his eyes on me which seemed to be guarded now. "I'm Lucas Zarek, Esotera Court's third rank aide, your designated companion for the next three months," he curtly answered in a rehearsed tone.
An aide? Was that the reason why he was addressing me as 'milady' from the very start? Wait . . . that was not even my point here!
The side of my eyebrow quirked up after realizing that the question remained unanswered.
"You didn't—"
In a blink of an eye, a tall wall towered me over, cutting me off in surprise. Everything happened in a blur next. All I remembered was a sudden pressure in my nape, an arms snaked securely around my waist, and the next thing I knew, my vision started to slip into darkness.
What on earth just happened?
"Rest well, milady."
Ah . . . I get it.
"Go to hell," I managed to utter before passing out on his arms.
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