~ By morning I wake up from the sun beaming through the window behind me. After rubbing my face, I looked over to find Cory was gone and the bed was folded back up into the couch. Yet, I found it weird that I never heard him get up to fold the bed back into the couch. Eh, then again I shouldn't be surprised since he's so stealthy on his feet.
I stood up yawning and stretching then folded the blanket neatly on the cushion. Then I strolled on down the hall and into my walk-in closet and found a pair of shorts and a blue tank top decorated in some white starlight gems. I just grabbed a pair of black diamond-decorated shoes. Then I took a fast shower and cleaned up. I was anxious to find Maria and adventure around the mansion. That seemed more like a Palace to me. Considering how huge it is.
~~~
After my shower, I dried off and throw on my clothes. My chosen outfit was a little plain today but looked cute, I believed. I unwrapped my hair from the towel and threw everything I used into the hampers. Then I went over to my vanity and dried my hair, straightened it, and got my makeup done.
I was so excited to see I was ready and stood up to leave the room. As I started to walk to the door my ears started ringing and I felt lightheaded. Things started to spin and I wobbled to the couch to sit. What's happening to me? I inwardly asked and held my head. Could I still be having side effects from that drug? But JJ said it was worn off and I was good. So I didn't understand why I felt like this.
Suddenly I heard strange noises like voices. More like I was hearing muttering voices from somewhere else. Yet, I can't place it or make out what is being said. It was weird like I was hearing a murmured conversation. Until suddenly the noises stopped and this dizziness faded. The ringing in my ears was gone. I felt fine like it was nothing. Maybe I stood up to fast and got water in my ears, I thought. To think on the more logical side of this. Perhaps it's just a minor side effect.
This time I stood up slowly and felt like new. So I didn't give it any more thought. I just wanted out of this room to go find Maria. On that thought, I opened the door to hear children giggling.
Leaving the room I found kids playing with a bouncy ball in the hallway. So this is what I must have heard. It's only these kids playing. I was surprised to see the men on guard allowed them to play ball inside but they didn't care.
I smiled at the girls playing and ignored the men noticing me. So I went down the staircase and found more men patrolling on the second floor. But I just walked on down onto the first floor. Right onto the Grand Hall and picked a random doorway on the left side. I wandered around seeing more men patrolling as they watched me. I sighed wishing I knew what they were thinking. I can see them looking at me. Till they stop and go about their business. At times it's unsettling, I felt.
All while I picked any random rooms and found more women along my stroll to find Maria. However, I couldn't find her and stopped in this empty hallway for a second. It's still early maybe she'll be back later on, I thought, as I heard more laughter from this one-room up ahead. So I went on ahead and partly entered the room to find it was a living room. Already it was filled with a group of six beautiful women and two girls. Likely I guessed are the daughters of two of the women.
But I wasn't sure and decided to leave since Maria wasn't here. But my eyes met this stunning woman sitting on a large round footstool. The woman has a heart-shaped face, perfectly straight long thick dark brunette hair, full lips, a button nose, and round close-set gorgeous brown eyes. A girl merely twelve years old. Sat on the floor while the woman was combing a brush through her long straight dark brunette hair. Presumably, I thought this was her daughter since they shared similar features. The girl had a heart-egg-shaped face, the same hair, natural lips, a straight bridge roman tiny nose, deep-set brown eyes, and full lips.
However, though, the woman's eyes seem to glare when looking at her. So I backed up one step to see her glare narrowed more.
"What are you doing here?" The brunette asked me coldly as she eyes me up and down like I was some sorta nuisance. Which made me feel like I was but I remained calm.
"I was just looking around and trying to find Maria." I gave a friendly reply that came out nervously.
The woman asked with a chuckle, "Oh, John's wife?"
I nodded and my eyes lit up to see that she knew Maria. "Are you friends with Maria too?" I asked very kindly.
This woman crossed her eyes with her friends sitting on the couch on her right side. Who sat with another girl who looked eleven. Then she moved her head to her left toward two more ladies sitting together on the opposite couch. It was quiet for a second, so I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Then randomly the three women on her right burst out in laughter with the brunette. While the other two ladies remained quiet, staring at their friends in a childish uproar. I mean what was so funny about my question?
"Why would I be friends with her?" The brunette asked me rudely. "That filth stole herself a marriage to a honorable Highest-Ranked man like John. He could have done better. Instead, he buys himself a wife. He should have kept her a slave!"
She stopped brushing her daughter's hair and walks model-like over to me with those vicious eyes. "Just like how Cory should have handed you off to Matt and Mike for placement among the other slaves! That is where you belong! You aren't fit to be Primary Queen! Rachel should be the rightful Primary Queen. You don't belong to the Royal rank around here and you will never be our Primary Queen!" She spat in my face.
My heart filled with pain to realize my assumptions weren't wrong. I've been seeing many ladies giving me unwelcomed glares. Now I knew I wasn't imagining it.
Instead of saying anything rude back. I backed up and ran out of the room. As I heard them laughing rather hysterically from behind.