"Amelia"
Her brows twitched as she heard a familiar voice call her.
"Amelia get up."
She slowly lifted her eye lids. "Mother, let me sleep please, I'm tired" she heard her own voice but a younger version reply.
Mother?
She tried to move but couldn't, it was as though she had been restrained by ropes. Her eyes were open but everything seemed dim and blurry.
Her eyes suddenly cleared up, but the sight infront of her wasn't something she was prepared to see. Her mother, in a pool of her own blood and her younger self covered in blood, holding her mother in her arms.
"Mother! Please wake up!" She heard her younger self cry and shake her mother's body.
Tears rolled down her eyes as she watched. She screamed but didn't have a voice. She remembered the day like it was the day before. She remembered the panic that ran through her, the pain.
A man suddenly emerged from behind her younger self. He was suited in a kings armor. She immediately knew who it was. King Aether, the bastard that took everything away from her. She swore that she would behead the one who took her mothers life on that day and she would stop at nothing until she did.
The man removed his helmet and bent over to her younger version and lifted her cheek. He then wiped away her tears and patted her head. She struggled, squirming and trying to break free from the ropes.
He then turned to her almost like he heard her movements and was suddenly aware of her presence in the room. But something was wrong, this man didn't have facial features.
He didn't have eye lids or lashes.
Didn't have a nose or even a mouth. He slowly leaned over to her until their faces were inches apart. He bared no resemblance to King Aether at all, she realized.
"Who are you?"
"How dare you!?" she mouthed the words but couldn't hear her own voice.
She leaned forward swiftly, a weak attempt to hit him and push him to the ground, but to her surprise, she went through his body and landed on the hard floor in front of her.
She grunted as her face hit the floor then heard him adjust himself and she quickly turned to lay on her back. He had his sword raised and ready to strike her.
She shivered and started to struggle. She pushed her self backwards with her heels as he creeped closer. She turned and saw her younger self stare blankly at her, as if not aware of the situation.She tried to activate her magic but couldn't.
"Ami" She again heard her mother's soft voice and turned to the direction it came.
Her mother was seated on the floor next her. Her blue eyes and white hair illuminated her features and made her look angelic
"It is not what it seems"
She was face to face with her mother who was smiling and caressing her cheek with cold, bloody hands.
Overwhelmed, she drew in a sharp breath and closed her eyes. Seconds later, she opened her eyes again and everything around her stayed still.
Young Amelia, the King who was trying to strike her with his sword and her mother covered in blood with her cold hand against her cheek.
Then she looked to the man's direction. His face was starting to appear.
"Blue eyes, red hair..."
Her voice trailed off as she mouthed the words as the mans face appeared. Everything began moving once more and in a spilt second, the man struck her.
------------------------
"Your Highness?" Amelia's eyes snapped open and she took in a sharp breath. She sat up from her bed and looked around.
"A bad dream you were having?" an unfamiliar female voice asked her. Amelia looked over to the woman and eyed her cautiously.
"Who are you?" she asked
"I'm the chief maid" the woman replied politely.
"Chief maid?"
"Yes. And you have to come with me." the woman smiled at her.
"To where? Where am I?" Amelia asked as she kicked her legs off the side of the large bed.
"Well," the woman started as she picked up some gowns similar to hers from the drawers and handed them to Amelia " you're going to have to get accustomed to the palace as your going to serve here."
"Serve? Do you not know who I am?" Ameila asked in a stern tone.
The woman's smile widened. "Yes I know who you are your Highness. I am only doing what I am orders to do."
The woman went behind Amelia and gently pushed her forward so she could walk toward the door.
Amelia spun around. "Wait, Excuse me?" she asked, perplexed.
"As the Kings personal maid and Chief Maid, you have to look presentable as always. Come along, let's go." she turned Amelia around and pushed her towards the door once more.
The large door swung open and outside, Amelia was met with a sight she would forever remember. The palace walls were thick and the pillars that held up the castle were painted in a colourful way with deep orange and gold, the large window in front of her covered by a deep orange curtain, giving the hall a majestic look.
Amelia walked towards the slightly opened curtain and leaned forward, peeking down. Beautiful white flowers greeted her from the vases below.
"Beautiful isn't it?" The woman smiled at Amelia. "The King has a soft spot for Flowers... Now let's go!" the woman lightly pushed Amelia's back so she could keep walking.
"Where am I exactly?" Amelia asked again.
"We are in the kingdom of the dragons. This is the maids quarters" the woman answered.
Amelia started to remember the incident of the night before and worry struck her.
They walked together for a few minutes
until they arrived at a door.
The woman knocked loudly at the door but got no response. After waiting a moment and not getting any response, she knocked again, louder this time and it swung open. There was an older woman standing in front of them with a strict look on her face. She stared down at the younger woman. "Why do you always knock so loud Didi? I thought you would break the door down!"
"I'm sorry Mrs Archer, it is urgent." Didi bowed in respect for the older woman. Mrs Archer glanced at Amelia and eyed her from her white hair to her shoes and Amelia did the same.
"This is the one?" The older woman asked Didi.
"Yes she is" Didi smile and pushed Amelia forward.
"Hm.." a smile lifted Mrs Archers features for a spilt second then disappeared. "Come in, both of you." She walked into the room with Didi and still confused Amelia behind her.
"Sit here" Didi told Amelia with the usual warm smile on her face and walked towards Mrs Archer who was standing in a room in the corner. They began to speak to one another.
She could hear them both talking and tried to make out a few words but couldn't conclude the sentences. The words "royal", "Decent" and "lesson" was heard from them, especially from Mrs Archer.
Then after a few minutes, Mrs Archer walked back into the main room.
"Get up, let me see you" she commanded.
"Excuse me?" Amelia replied.
"Get up!"
Amelia obliged, looking at Didi for explanation as Mrs Archer walked around her.
Didi simply nodded and gave her a reassuring smile.
"You are quite small.." Mrs Archer grabbed a brown book and a feather pen from the table beside her. "What is your waist inch?"
"Twenty three inches."
"Bust?"
"Thirty s-seven..." She stuttered, unsure.
"hmph." Mrs Archer walked away and returned with a measuring tape. She must have noticed the uncertainty in her voice, Amelia thought and eyed her shoes.
A few minutes past and Mrs Archer sighed relief and turned to Didi. "That will be all, please leave." and with that, Didi pulled Amelia out of the room.
"We need to get you aquatinted with the rest of the maids. You'll be taking over from me so I want to guide you and show you some things before I leave" She said with a smile.
Something was eerie about this place, Amelia thought.
It was a palace yes.
A beautiful one.
But, why was it so.
Silent.
As Amelia walked through the halls with Didi pulling her, she couldn't help but think. It was as though the palace was grieving. The only sound that lingered through the halls were of the curtains being blown by warm air from the windows.
Was it the reason the knock on the door or the clicking of her heels on the floor echoed through the halls?
Was it a reason Didi was speaking almost in whispers?
Didi suddenly stopped, pulled open a huge door and pulled her in.
Eyes were on her. From all corners of the room, girls her age, slightly older or younger stared at her.
"Evening, I have brought the one the king told us about." Didi said.
The room was silent. There was no reply or sound.
"I expected you to treat her with outmost respect as you would to me." Didi continued, the once sweet tone in her voice nowhere to be found. "I hope you all will make acquaintances."
The room was silent.
It was as though Didi was talking to logs of wood. Only steady breathing of the people in the room was heard.
"I will now take my leave" Didi concluded and turned around. She gave a quick nod of her head and walked out the door, closing it silently behind her.
The room was tensed. Amelia could feel the eyes on her from all corners of the room, and was about to turn around and walk out until she heard a small voice that stopped her in her tracks.
"Is it really you?"
Amelia turned around slowly "Excuse me?"
"The one of magic?"
"The Goddess of the lost Kingdom?"
Another voice spoke, curiosity coated in it's tone.
"Queen Amelia herself?"
Girls stepped out of the corners towards her. Eyes widened with interest. Amelia now with her guard up stepped back, ready to activate her magic as they gathered around her like bees to honey.
"Yes... Yes I am." Amelia answered.
Suddenly, they all bowed courteously.
"Welcome Your Majesty." they said in unison. "We are ready to serve you"
Serve me?
Her eyes scanned the room. She was confused. She had thought she was here to serve, but now she is to be served?
"I will show you to your chamber." A tall girl opened and held the door for her.
"Of course.." Amelia followed and was once again ushered into the hall filled with eerie silence.
Her first experience in the strongest and largest kingdom in existence and it felt as though she was walking through the tracked roads of a grave yard.
She inhaled and exhaled nervously as walked. May the gods protect her in the strange place.