Once inside the gate and beyond the high grey walls the stagecoach slowed down allowing dazed Belinda to have a peak view of the beautiful sight of the manor, ancient but classic .
The park around the manor extended as far as her eyes could see.
Her nostril was suddenly filled with fresh air one could confuse the grass smell for a rich fragrance.
The moment she walked into the gate she could see a flower beds and finely trimmed bushes adorned the cobblestone paths that went across the whole park.
Halfway between the gate and the manor her eyes swept across as she stared at a plaza, surrounded by foreign made benches with a naive expression yet in total administration.
Her center attention was captured by depict of a huge pedestal wolf-man with a marble statue, Belinda's eyes were filled with curiosity and fervent as she stare at pedestal wolf-man statue.
The pedestal wolf-man marble statue was one meter large, forming a muscular upper-body structure.
It had red glowing orbit shape eyes, it muzzle facing upward with V- reverse shape, pointy ears and sharp fangs. Thick black furs possessing darkness endowing it whole body, which made the wolf-man statue seem mighty. Emitting icy sensation as though it was alive.
It curve big arms, and hands probing claws, were strangely ablaze. It lower half stood on it hind legs, the three meters tall pedestal statue wolf-man looked very big and terrifying. It perspective made the wolf-man statue seem unfathomable and majestic.
Suddenly she had this premonition sending cold shiver down her spine, she shifted her eyes towards the red glowing orbit shape eyes.
Ta! Ta! Ta!
Belinda reeled back in fear feeling stuned and horrified at the pair of cold vicious eyes that greeted her.
It was as though the pedestal wolf-man marble statue had came to live as it cold red glowing eyes stare deeply at her. Grazing on her entire being like a predator looking at it prey, slowing drowning her in a suffocating feeling making her jitter.
"Kalamas...."
Belinda muttered as she drew a deep breath trying hard enough to calm down, as cold sweat drew a lines on her forehead.
In a deep thought she wonder how powerful must the person depicted as the wolf-man be for his mere statue to emit such a suffocating feeling?
She couldn't help concluding that the person depicted as the wolf-man must be very terrifying with a long history and more than just to meet the eyes.
As her train of thoughts ran amuck about the rumors related to the kalamas household.
To be precise it was more like a legend about the mysterious kalamas household, birth an emperor alpha powerhouse.
Not even the king of their kingdom dare reckoned with, this news had spread far and wide that even a baby of a year old knows of it.
That sudden suffocating pressure and such frame, made Belinda's terrified in fear. She had a taut expression, and couldn't help but began to believe in such legend.
While Belinda was thinking, a thought slowly crept up her mind, which race could the mysterious kalamas household be, are they humans? Aliens? Or the wolf-man monster? Like in the statue.
With such a hidden thought, she no longer dare stare and assumed the pedestal wolf-man to be either the duke or a mighty ancestor which had brought the kalamas dukedom to their golden age.
After her momentarily fright she swore never to think about such things that were above her level. Ending it with a deep sigh as she couldn't let what was not her business to disturb her.
Ecstasy and excitement soon filled her replacing her frightened state. Who wouldn't be? This was the first time in her entire live.
She had ever seen such beautiful manor with such a beautiful view, only in fairy tales were they describe. But now she had such golden opportunity to work and leave inside this beautiful manor.
The manor itself was bigger than she had imagine it to be, extending for at least 3,000 or so square meters, divided into a main buildings, a left and a right wing forming a reverse 'W' shape.
It took ten minutes or more to actually get to the manor's entrance, from her pause and stare. And her die hard fervor gaze.
The more she looked around, the more she was lost in amazement and admiration of the manor. As she daydream while reverence filled her eyes.
A middle_age_man,(5',9) feet tall over forty five years of age, a refine face with a monocle, inconspicuously walked out.
He had sharp black eyes, a short aquiline nose, grey hair, and a curve black and white mustache.
He wore a white and pitch black livery, as he welcome her with a gentle smile hung on his face, his eyes swiftly screening her.
"Hello dear niece. How have you been? how time flies my little belinda as grown up to be a beautiful girl"
"Am fine uncle William. And hope everything is thriving well?" Belinda giggle as she replied, with a delightful smile while bowing respectfully.
"Good my dear. And how is my sister and your father faring? Albeit you got the letter I sent over to you, and your journey hope it wasn't too stressful? "He nodded with a comment.
"They are fine, and thank you uncle it was received successfully, and it has been of great help through my journey"
William's took the liberty as he discussed with Belinda, and asked series of questions while she replied diligently.
William's given a short description, would be a kind ,gentle, calm, and hardworking middle age man.
Even though he was a butler of a noble family. And her mother's only brother and her uncle. He had always treated belinda warmly even more like an older brother she never had.
Belinda description of him right from her childhood had always been painted as perfect.
He had been a butler in kalamas dukedom for about twenty years, it said that he had grew up, and spent most of his daily life in the kalamas household.
It was a single incident that changed a hot blooded, rough and adventurous young man, to a calm and gentle man.
Twenty five years ago, an unforseen event had place his life in a perilous situation. Which almost claim his live at the incident, but was saved by the sudden appearance of a mysterious young noble of kalamas household.
Since then he had swore his allegiance, and service to the kalamas household.
During that life changing event, he had being so scared that the only thing he had wanted to do was to wakeup from such a hellish nightmare, and runaway as far as possible without turning back.
But the sudden appearance of the mysterious young man had changed everything, the only thought that had crept up his mind was to follow him.
He could vividly remembered, how he had hug the legs, and begged the mysterious young man as he cried like a baby to be saved.
As he thought of such a scene, he smiled wryly his eyes containing deep fear and reverence. Belinda could be said to be lucky, her uncle a trusted butler of a noble.
Had paved the way for her, as a maid without following a long and documented procedure. He had only needed to take permission, and she was immediately employed.
The life of a maid, sometimes could be very hard, but depending on the households in which they worked for, and jobs they had to do.
And often most maid had a story of a young girl 'rescued' from the street or bought from a local house. But she was fortune with a double privilege.
In the kalamas household, were maids are treated nicely, without doing gruelling jobs since they worked in groups.
She had a supporter which is her uncle, a butler of a noble. From William's explanation she could be said to be an extra-person. Belinda could even choose between working shift, and was only seek when she was needed.
Meanwhile, a small crowd of maid. Formed a formation of a middle age woman, and young girls.
They had dressed in tea length black and white gown, and had gathered up around. At the entrance as low clatter.
Filled their surroundings, with various expression. And gazes filled with envy,curiosity, hostility and enthusiasm. As they promptly bow to William's.
"Good day Butler. William's"
"Hmmm, Good day. I would like everyone to meet my niece, kalamas household new maid"
William's face was impeccable as he gave a light cough, standing upright. Portraying an ethic attitude of a trained and experince butler, neither too servile or too overbearing.
William's presence made the clatters die down. As different maids step forward as they introduce themselves, while some just being curious.
"Hello am Belinda." She bow while being a formalist.
"Hello dear am Nana. Welcome to Kalamas household" A seventy some year old woman unhurriedly step forward with an amiable smile that seem a bit amiss.
Her back seem a little hunch though she clearly didn't look like she needed a crutch to walk.
She had deep brown eyes, a wrinkled stern face. She wore a long black and white silk gown few inches above the ground.
A back length black shawl covering her head. At first glance she seem like a old hag that had a rough life during her youths, you could even feel her vex glare.
"Hello, Nana"
Belinda greeted with a gent smile on her face not mindful of how Nana looks, with well home cultured girl bow.
Nana smile grew bigger as she stare at the respectful Belinda, with nod's of admiration.
'What a beautiful and respectful girl not bad not bad at all, derek would surely like her' If Nana thought could seen everyone would surely be shock and stupendous.
"Hello Belinda. Am Elina please to meet you" A freckle face maid in her twenties came forth as she bow.
"Hello Miss Belinda. My name is Camilla is my pleasure to meet you" Camilla had a poker face with a smirk.
"H..ello Belinda. My name is marie welcome to the Kalamas household" Marie had a broad forehead, seem a bit timid as she greeted with a prompt bow.
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Within the hour of self introductions. Belinda got to know different names and different faces.
While the ones she might forget she took short note of, small talks and pleasantries were exchange with smiles.
Meanwhile, William's left Belinda after some explanation saying he had some works to take care of.
Before his departure a maid was told to show Belinda to her room so she could take advantage of the day to rest avoiding fatigue for tomorrow work.
Click!
Clack!
Sounds of a doorlock closing filled the silent room. Turning her head over Belinda began to size up her new room. The room was not very large at least ten square meters.
A black colour door was on each side of the room one for an entrance. Close to an opposite wall was a low wooden bed.
Between the bed and the left door Belinda assume to be the bathroom. Was a brown color cabinet it was tightly close, beneath it were four drawers.
To the side of the cabinet, there was a grayish-white pipe on the wall at the shoulder length of a person.
Across the right door was a brown wardrobe with a mirror on the left side of the wardrobe door and, it bottom was made of carve standing and the pattern were plain and simple.
With a sweep of her gaze, a hazy silhouette that was barely accentuated surface in the mirror with a cold glints and smirk.
Belinda had a cold smirk on her face in contrast to the naive expression she had displayed earlier at the entrance.
"Kalamas..." She muttered with a chilly deep hatred in her voice that could frightened anyone, as though the Kalamas household was of a mortal enemy.
All this had lasted only a second, as she reassume her naive expression.
Remembering that William's said he had kept a new set of clothes, Belinda decided to take her bath. Inside the bathroom of five square meters, there was a large basin that serve as a bathing tub and beside the bathing tub was a pipe valve.
Twisting the pipe valve warm water rush outward, one - hour later she had finished washing up and was clad in a black and white silk gown that was embroidered with a crest in full moon silver lining.
'Gorgeous' Belinda thought as she rubbed the crest with a cheerful smile and stare at the shining silver crest that was emitting low glows.
Knock !
Knock!
A low hit on a door resonated distracting the cheerful Belinda, as she stare for few seconds before promptly walking over with a reverse twist on the doorlock.
A poker face maid which Belinda, assume to be Camilla stood at her door entrance with, with a food wooden tray on her hands.
"Miss Belinda. Butler William's asked me to bring your meal"
"Thank you. Miss Camilla"
Belinda bow as she received the wooden tray from Camilla before closing the door behind her. Walking close to the wooden bed she sat down on the wooden, while placing the food on top her the cabinet.
On the wooden tray were jollof rice and a deep fried stake short, a glass of orange juice and a refill. Belinda eyes....