Alyssa was woken up by a knock on the door. "Come in." She sat on her bed, groggy from the lack of sleep.
Eli stationed himself at the door, ready to be at her service.
Alyssa removed the wound dressing as soon as she came to her senses.
Eli grabbed the first aid kit at the round table and rushed to Alyssa.
"I'm fine." Alyssa revealed her injured palm to Eli. "See, its already healed."
Eli raised an eyebrow. It was obvious to anyone that the wound was still fresh. But Eli did not protest, he did not force Alyssa, it was enough that he offered.
Alyssa stood up and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower. She walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. She noticed that Eli was still standing near the doorway, their eyes met as he suddenly dropped his eyes on the floor.
Alyssa tilted her head to the side. "Are you planning to see me naked?"
Eli's brows furrowed. "No."
"You can wait outside while I prepare." Alyssa cannot believe she had to state the obvious.
"Of course." Eli exited the room and stood outside the door.
Alyssa did not take too long to prepare. Done with fixing herself up, she walked out of her room to meet her personal attendant.
As she opened the door, Alyssa wrinkled her nose, she was overwhelmed by the pungent smell of bleach disinfectant. Stepping outside of her room, she was welcomed by the attendants lined up in the hallway, each were mopping the floor. There were also carpenters carrying tools and bricks of stones as they passed by her room.
Alyssa almost slipped because of the damp floor, but Eli was quick and grabbed her by the elbow to prevent her from falling. She had not thought much about the sudden clean-up and repair as she walked her way to the mess patio.
Upon arriving at the brunch area, Alyssa settled herself to a seat next to her Queen mother.
Even though Alyssa managed to hide her palm to the royal's prying eyes as she ate, they somehow knew that she was injured. Rumors were not kind to her; she ate with the royals and attendants alike staring at her hand.
Alyssa wondered how information about her was so easy to spread. She glanced at Eli, surely her new personal attendant does not look like the type to gossip. Or maybe he does? Alyssa would be needing to observe him further as the day goes by.
"Is your hand fine, love?" Queen Kathy reached for Alyssa's hand.
Alyssa deflated her mother's touch. "Yes, mother. I'm fine." She smiled at the table, the royals' attention burning to her.
Alyssa returned to her room immediately, she failed to finish her food, she lost her appetite. She consoled herself that this might even be a good strategy to lose some fats for her upcoming birthday.
'My ceremony has to be perfect.'
Alyssa liked the silence Eli offered whenever he was around. Finally, someone she does not need to defend herself to or banter with.
Tired with the looks she kept on getting from everyone, she locked herself up inside her room.
There was not much to do inside her room.
Alyssa was sitting at the round table, listening to a cassette tape, breaking her word with Kiva that they would listen to everything together.
If the list on the cover was correct, she was listening to Every Breath You Take by The Police. Growing up inside the palace, Alyssa was used to listening to the violin, cello, and piano--- the classics. She was fascinated by the electric sounds from the song that she guessed was a string instrument called guitar. Alyssa had always been interested with the life before. Instead of focusing on language and science, she bid her time in history. And one of the things that caught her interest was the music instruments that were once abundant but was now rare, guitar was just one of them.
Alyssa observed Eli as he made her bed meticulously. He glared closely at the fabric as he straightened every crumple and dusted off the pillows. Satisfied with his work, he wiped his forehead and walked away.
Carrying the cassette player, Alyssa moved closer to her bed to inspect Eli's work, she was astonished. He folded the blanket into a--- ball of cotton---and there were wrinkles collected at the edges of the bed. If it was even possible, Alyssa's bed became messier after he cleaned it up.
Alyssa stifled a laugh. Skill was necessary for hard work to pay-off, domestic skill Eli was obviously missing. Alyssa wondered how Eli managed to get Barny's approval.
Eli was a hard worker, Alyssa had to agree with that, but his hard work did not reflect to the outcome of his work.
Barny must have seen something from Eli, Alyssa noted to herself, give him a chance.
Alyssa decided to make her bed herself, her work was no better than Barny's but certainly better than Eli.
While Alyssa was making her bed and listening to the music, Alyssa saw that Eli proceeded to the closet, busy with folding her clothes. Having nothing else to do, Alyssa sat beside him and observed, just like she always did with Barny.
Alyssa saw something alarming, she paused the music and put the cassette player aside. As expected, Eli's folding skills were hideous--- it looked like it was folded by a five-year-old. Having seen Barny doing this a thousand times, Alyssa grabbed one of her shirts and folded it just as Barny would. Barny would usually stop her from helping him, but Eli did not mind.
Alyssa compared her work from Eli's and the difference was enormous, her work looked freshly washed while Eli's looked like it was about to be dumped for laundry. At least Alyssa's folding skill was that of a twelve-year-old, making her seven years more advanced than Eli.
As weird as it was, Alyssa taught Eli how to fold a shirt properly.
"Yes, like that." Alyssa encouraged. "Fold the sleeve at the back."
"Then for a dress, just put it in a hanger." Alyssa hanged her dress in the closet.
Alyssa laughed to herself, since when did she became the expert doing these things?
Alyssa dug from the pile of clothes and her mouth widened. She saw the dress that she wore when she drank the water of the gods---it shrank. "What happened with this?"
Alyssa won't be able to wear it anymore.
"Is there a problem." Eli was oblivious, had no idea what the issue was.
"It became a mini size, not fit for a human." Alyssa pressed the dress to her chest--- the long gown became a mini dress.
"That one, I just picked that up from the laundry."
" It took them long to wash this." Alyssa placed the dress on the floor. "I can't believe this… this is for my keepsake…this dress is important to me."
Alyssa thought that her dress was returned this late because it needed to be carefully washed due to its fabric, but what happened was a disaster.
Though disappointed that she would not be able to wear it anymore, Alyssa still hanged it on her closet--- as a remembrance.
Eli proceeded to fold her underwear--- as best as he could.
Alyssa blushed from shame, but Eli seemed unfastened. Maybe having a young man as her personal attendant was a bad idea.
"Let me do that," Alyssa snacked her yellow underwear Eli was folding.
Eli picked up a bra instead.
"Let me do that too," Alyssa took the bra from him. "just do…other things...I got this"
Not asking any questions, Eli stood up and walked away from the closet.
Alyssa managed to fold the remaining clothes and stuffed them on the drawers. Done with her work, Alyssa followed Eli to her room.
Eli was sweeping the floor, but strands of Alyssa's hair was just collected in the corner.
Feeling that she had to show Eli how it was done, Alyssa took the broom from him and began to dust off the floor--- with a dustpan. Eli then followed closely behind as he mopped the floor after her.
Covered with sweat, Alyssa took another shower. She noticed that the drain was clogged with her hair. She did not wait for Eli to clean it up, she picked it up herself and threw it in the trash.
Alyssa felt exhausted in the afternoon, she ended up cleaning up her room for the first time and she was starting to get hungry, who would have thought that cleaning up was a good work out.
Feeling that she deserves it, Alyssa ordered Eli to conjure a dessert from the kitchen.
***
After asking a few attendants that passed by him for direction, Elion managed to arrive at the kitchen.
He walked around without anyone giving him a glance, the kitchen was busy preparing food for the royals.
But one chef took notice as he washed his hands, he approached Elion. "Hi," The young man greeted as he wiped his hand on his apron. "can I help you with something?"
"Yes, do you have something to eat? A dessert?"
The young chef's eyes lit up from understanding. "You must be new in here." The young chef offered his hand. "I'm Will."
"Eli" Elion shook Will's hand.
"I know the drill," Will beamed. "But we're short with people in here, I can't make the Princess' dessert."
"How…" Elion did not say that it was for the Princess.
"Don't worry," Will laughed. "The Princess' secret is always safe with me. Just between the two of us," Will inched closer to Eli. "I like the mortal Princess, I can relate to her, you know. Don't listen to the rumors. The Princess is the good one."
"I see." Eli nodded.
'Princess Alyssa is really a normal human being, but everybody hates her because of that.' Elion observed in just one and a half days of his stay in the palace.
But it turns out there was someone like Will who does not discriminate the Princess compared to others.
"I'm busy cooking the royals' foods." Will quoted the last word in the air as he guided Elion to an empty station. "But here, take this." Will shoved unripen bananas, a bottle of sugar and oil, and spring roll wrappers. "You can make one for the Princess." Will showed Elion the spare stove. "You can cook here."
Will offered an apron to Elion. "Wear this." Will then returned to his station and left Eli alone.
Elion stared at the ingredients; this was just another obstacle towards achieving his mission. Just like folding clothes and cleaning-up, he could pass this with flying colors.
Every chef in the kitchen was fighting their own battle on the heat, and Elion just had to do the same.
He placed his recipe at the countertop and spread a spring roll wrapper in front of him. He poured some sugar on the wrapper and placed a sliced banana on top. He repeated the process until there was no banana left unwrapped.
He then poured the whole bottle of oil in a pan and began to shove the wrapped bananas on the pool of oil.
Some battles tested your patience, it took long for the banana to cook for the oil was not pre-heated. Eli waited for it to be golden brown, but nothing seemed to be happening, so he increased the fire on the stove---and the bananas became black in the process.
He displayed the burned banana on a platter.
He was brave and tasted one, but he placed the banana down upon having the first bite.
Not giving up, he removed the most blackened ones one by one and retained the less burned ones.
He had accomplished so many things today that he does not even do in the slumps, he was not t rained for this.
Being a housekeeper was more mind draining than killing a zombie, it was harder to take care of a princess than to kill a zombie
But it was too soon to declare defeat, the battle had just begun.
***
"Eli?" Alyssa beckoned to her personal attendant. "Can you sit here?"
Eli obliged and sat beside her.
Alyssa titled her head to the side as she observed Eli.
Kiva was right, Eli was unusually muscular for an attendant. The floral apron Elion was currently wearing did not fit him at all, it looks like he would be better with a weapon.
"Eli?" Alyssa asked. "Can you be honest with me?"
Eli went rigid beside her. "Yes."
"Have you done a similar work like this before?"
Eli nodded.
"Do you know how to cook?"
Eli nodded.
Alyssa stared at the burned fried banana in front of her. Alyssa asked Eli to sneakily get her some sweets and he surprisingly cooked for her. It was crispy, but instead of sweet, it tasted bitter.
"Do you know…any martial arts?"
Eli's head stiffened as his eyes traveled to Alyssa.
"Do you know how to fight?" Alyssa changed the question.
Eli just blinked, not staring at her.
But his silence was enough for Alyssa, Eli was a bad liar.
"Okay, I believe you." Alyssa smiled at him. "If you need anything, just ask me."
Maybe Eli's family needed the money badly, Alyssa heard that being her personal attendant pays more than others--- than being a royal guard.
But having this personal attendant made Alyssa's life more complicated than easing it.
Alyssa purposely slid her glass off the table, Elion was able to catch it instinctively without much water being spilled.
"Thank you." Alyssa observed Eli closely.
Eli stared at the floor.
Alyssa was now certain, her attendant was hiding something from her, and she had to know what it was.