"You look very pretty today Milady" said Nia as she bowed as Selene was admiring herself in the mirror.
"Of course I am, I am always pretty everyday" said Selene as one thing that she took pride in were her looks, from her curly black hair, to her brown eyes, and cat like shape, she always made sure to carry herself with elegance and grace, if only her heart was like that.
"Wait" said Selene as she realized something.
"What happened to you, you little twerp??" asked Selene as she noticed that Nia was being more respectful, and she even called her 'Milady' which was something she said that she would never do, what was going on?
"I do not understand what you mean Milady" said Nia
"That!" said Selene.
"That's what I mean" said Selene
"What is wrong with you?" asked Selene straightforwardly.
"You better not be planning something are you?" asked Selene as she raised her eyebrow and looked at Nia, she did not trust her at all.
"No Milady, I am not" replied Nia softly.
"Why are you calling me your lady?? did you not say that I could never be your lady?" asked Selene
"I have changed Milady, I have seen the error of my ways" said Nia sofly.
Selene was shocked, she interrogated Nia very carefully, why was she being very timid all of a sudden, the Nia she was familiar with was brutal, she even tried to pull out all of her luscious locks of hair.
After that fight of theirs she still had to massage her scalp every single night, since it was still very painful.
"Oh really??? is that so?" asked Selene
"Yes Milady" replied Nia.
"Girl, I do not have time for your nonsense, so tell me what you are up to" said Selene as she stood up and she walked closer to where Nia was standing.
"Hmm" said Selene as she lifted up Nia's chin with her finger.
"Tell me what really happened" she said as she smiled sweetly, but deadly.
"What?? cat has your tongue?" asked Selene.
"No Milady" said Nia as she shook her head.
"So then speak" said Selene.
"Milady, I realized that you were right" said Nia
"Right about what exactly??? Because I recall that I am right about many things" said Selene as she smiled proudly, still with her hand lifting Nia's chin.
"You were right," said Nia
"I now know that you are the one actually in power, and everyone else is beneath you" said Nia as she braced herself.
"And I want to survive and be someone in this camp" said Nia as she looked at Selene seriously.
"And I can only do that by sticking close to you... Milady" said Nia as she bowed, she felt like vomiting from what she just said, but she had to compose herself, she could tell that Selene was eating every single word up.
"Hmm I knew it" said Selene.
"I was right, you all are the same" said Selene as she moved back.
"All social climbers and suck ups to those in power" she said as if she was better than the rest.
"Yes Milady, you speak the truth" said Nia as she raised her head up.
"But at least I am not ashamed to admit it" she said with a little smile.
"Hmm, I like you, you are very bold, confident, and most of all unloyal" said Selene as she smiled.
"Just the type of person I need" said Selene.
"Stick with me, don't try anything funny, and do what I tell you, and you will be just fine here" said Selene.
Selene did not even think of what if this was a trap, for her this boosted her ego, to think that Clove's supposedly faithful maid was now getting in with the program and submitting herself to her, was the best feeling ever.
Just goes to show that not everyone was as loyal as you thought that they were, she just hoped that Clove could see this happening from her grave, that would serve her right, for thinking that she was better than her.
"I am at your service Milady" said Nia as she bowed.
Nia sneered deep within her, she was extremely irritated, just even calling this woman her lady harmed her heart a thousand times, and submitting to her was even worse, she just had to compose herself and smile, because she was going to do whatever it takes to get rid of Selene.
"Hmm" said Selene
"It seems that giving you that day off allowed you to think correctly" said Selene.
"Yes Milady, you are very generous for giving me the day off" said Nia.
"Yes, it's just one of my many good qualities" said Selene as she smiled.
"Indeed Milady" said Nia as she smiled too.
"I see why Clove was fond of you" said Selene.
"You are nice and obedient" said Selene.
"I just feel like petting you" she said
"You can do with me whatever you please Milady" said Nia as she bowed.
"You dare lay a finger on me and I will scratch you, I am not your pet" said Nia as she could not hide the frown on her face, but Selene could not see it since her head was bowed down.
"I like it when you are like this" said Selene as she stood up and walked towards Nia.
"Meek, submissive and most of all obedient" she said as she lifted Nia's face up.
"I am here to serve Milady" replied Nia.
"Anyway you may go now, you are done with all your duties for the day" said Selene as she let go of Nia's face.
"Thank you Milady" said Nia as she bowed.
"Mhmmm" said Selene as Nia walked away.
...
"So how far with... you know?" asked Hunter as he and Nia were alone.
"Well as you said, she's eating the fact that I like her up" said Nia as she smiled mockingly.
"Perfect!" said Hunter as things were finally going his way slowly but surely.
"Remember that you need to keep up the impression that you are loyal to her, and her alone" said Hunter
"Yes, I know" said Nia as she sighed.
"And how are you? how do you feel about all this??" asked Hunter as he turned to look at Nia, he noticed that she did not seem happy at all.
"Honestly Hunter, I feel horrible" said Nia as she looked at Hunter.
"I hate this pretense that I have to do, and worst of all the smile on Selene's face just wants to make me punch her" said Nia as she looked very angry.
"Hey, shush, relax" said Hunter as he laid his hand on Nia's head, which made her look up at him.
"I feel the same way too" he said as he smiled sweetly at her, and she smiled
"But we need to calm down, if we make a single mistake we will both be in serious trouble" said Hunter.
"Yes, I know" said Nia as she sighed and Hunter laughed, she looked so cute right now.
"Ahhh *Ahem*" said Nia as she just realized that Hunter's hand was still on her head.
"Umm your hand" said Nia as she pointed up.
"Oh umm... sorry" said Hunter as he quickly retracted his hand, he himself did not realize that his had was still there.
"It's okay" said Nia as she felt weird.
"Anyway, I have to go now, I will see you later" said Hunter as he smiled.
"See you later" said Nia as she smiled back.
...
Nia finally entered her room after a long day, she was about to go to sleep, that was until she noticed that her closet was not arranged, and it annoyed her a lot, so she decided to clean it.
Nia removed all her clothes from the closet, which were not a lot in the first place, she put them on her bed, and she was going to start folding them, that was until something in her closet caught her eye.
It was a piece of paper, a very small one, Nia wondered who could have placed it here, because she did not remember ever putting a paper in here, she thought that maybe someone snuck into her room and planted it in her messy closet.
Nia shrugged off her thoughts, she decided that she was not going to trouble herself about that now, Nia realized that there was something scribbled on the paper, she turned it and read it, written on the paper was;
"Punishing the wicked, does not make you any less wicked"
Nia was shocked, she immediately dropped the paper, it was not because of the message written on the paper, yes that was part of it, but was truly shocked her was that the handwriting on the paper was Cloves??!!
Nia could tell it was Clove's handwriting, no one could have forged it, she knew her lady's handwriting very well, she had seen her write in this exact same way in her diary, but Clove was not alive, she was dead and Nia was sure of it she was there when it happened.
Then there was only one explanation, Clove wrote this before she died, and she placed it here, where she knew that Nia would see it.
Clove had written this warning for her, and Nia knew it.
She tried to calm herself down, she picked up the paper and read it again, it still said the same thing.
Nia needed to calm herself down, she needed to think, this was not a coincidence at all.