If only the book can talk, it will argue about how cold my hands are from the minute I held it. It's been hours since the royal guard fetch us using a limousine. A white limousine with golden line's on it's side. I don't know why but I'm feeling wierd about this. Imagine, we are maids but they fetch us using this royal limousine. Besides, how the heck the royal guard knows what we thinks and he manage to answer the questions we aren't even uttering?
"We fetch the both of you using this limousine because you are our guest, when you step your foot inside the mansion, you will officially become a maid," he answered. See? He answered my question even I'm not saying it!
"Ms. It's written on your face," he continued and give me an amusing smile. Written on my face? I'm pretty sure that I am emotionless....or not. I give Rechell a —what the heck—look, and she return it with a —I don't know—reaction. Tsk.
I look outside the window. I saw the high pine tree's we passes, too green while the woods are too dark. I saw a boundary and it's saying, WELCOME TO MOONACRE VALLEY. Without noticing, I suddenly smile as if I know this province even I didn't. I know it's wierd but I feel safe here.
The window open and I feel the cold wind touching my face. I look at the royal guard and he just give me a salute. Rechell and I chuckle. He isn't bad as I thought he is. I watch the woods we are passing through. It's so fresh, I stare at the small pine tree with yellow green leaves. My eyes become wide when I saw a white big wolf taking a nap under the tree.
I gasp when it stand and look at me with a wide eye. The window suddenly close and I look at the royal guard in shock.
"You almost cut my face, sir," I mumbled and he give me a serious look.
"Stop staring at the forest. Ms," Rechell and I look at each other, "Why not?", we ask in chorus, "the forest outside is so beautiful, enchanting, and—" he cut me off, "dangerous, ms," he continue. I frown.
"Was that because of the wolf I saw earlier? I think it's not dangerous at all, wolves are not dangerous as you think they are sir," I said, remembering the werewolf stories I've read before. "You're still reading the book?" ,Rechell whispered and I nod.
"Someday, you will know why it is dangerous Ms. Wisteria," I feel goosebumps when he say my surname. I wash it away by looking outside. I'm sure the forest isn't dangerous at all.
Minutes pass and we arrive at the mansion. A guard open the wide big gates and the limousine entered. It stop and the royal guard open the door for us. I was stun the moment I saw the mansion. It's so big! It's like a castle actually. It had european architectural design. The mansion had four towers and it's eye catching because of the white flag on top of it.
The garden is full of white roses with some red and pink ones. A fountain is in the middle of the garden and the water is full of white lilies. The sculpture in the middle of the fountain is a woman holding a scepter with an owl on her right shoulder. I was about to look more when the door opens and the royal guard talk.
"The maids had arrive Lady Karmen," he said on a baritone voice. Rechell and I fix ourselves and look at the Lady who came out. We bow as respect, she's a royal anyway. Her presence is so strong, it's somehow suffocates me inside. We stand still and watch her as she step down the stairs.
She's wearing a fitted white dress, her blonde hair is curled to her small waist. She had a heart shape red lips, pointed nose and an electric blue eyes. She screams noble and royalty. I suddenly wish I could run out of here. I feel small.
"Introduce yourselves, ladies," she command.
"I'm Rechellaine Celestin Roces, madam," Rechell muttered and her lips arc in amusement, "Roces? Are you from the Roces family outside?" , Rechell frowned.
"I don't know who your talking about madam," she answered. Of course she didn't knew them. Were orphan. The lady look at me from head to toe. I gulp when she look at me straight in the eye. She frowned as if she can't figure out something. They're all wierd.
"What's your name?" ,she ask. I manage to calm my loud beating heart and answered. "I'm Aedlin Dieralina Wisteria madam," she stop. Shock is written all over her face. Now what?
"W-wisteria?" ,she mumbled almost a whisper but I manage to hear. "Is there any problem ma'am?", I ask. She shake her head immediately and compose herself. She didn't answer my question. "Ms. Abante!", she shouted and a middle-age woman came. "Accompany them, tell them all the things they need to know. Most importantly, the rules," after that, she entered the mansion and didn't speak to us.
"This way, ladies," Ms. Abante muttered and we follow her. We headed towards a hallway. I'm wondering, why we can't see any maids here more than Ms. Abante. I'm curious so I asked her.
"I beg your Pardon, Ms. Abante but where are the other maids here?", she stop and look back at us, "I'm the only one maid here before you arrive," she answered and we continue walking on the silent hallway.
We stop in front of a stairway upstairs, she look back at us, at Rechell," Ms. Roces, this stairway is the west tower of the mansion, there is a vacant room upstairs and it is your room," she explained. I blink twice and then look at Rechell when I realize that or room will be not close to each other. I'm not used to it.
"We're not together?", Rechell ask and she give us a poker face, "In this mansion, Lady Karmen aren't allowed maids to share a room. This mansion is so wide and we put the maids room on the place where they will do their duties," my mouth form an O, "So that means, I will clean the whole west wing," Rechell whispered, sound dismayed or maybe shock. Ms. Abante turn her gaze on me.
"Ms. Wisteria, follow me," she said and she continue walking. I glance at Rechell and give her a —it's okay— smile. She nod and headed upstairs. We walk and walk through different directions. The only thing that I know is that my room will be far on Rechell's room. And I'm not really agreed with it but what can I do? I'm just a lowkey maid who bought by this royal family. That means, I'm one of their properties. Thinking of it makes my blood boil.
"This is the South Wing of the mansion, and this downstairs is the way to your room Ms. Wisteria," my eyes become wide, "Underground?", I exclaim in bewilderment, her expression didn't change a bit, "b-but, why I'm on the underground of the mansion?", I'm freaking out inside because of the dark stairs. I'm sure this is not good.
"I forgot to explain Ms. Wisteria, the south wing of the mansion isn't an underground place, the south wing is a mini-mansion outside the whole part of this home but it's still on the territorial land of the family. It was built just in case there will be an earthquake or a fire happen on the main mansion," that mean's it's a hidden place to be exact, she continued to walk down the stairs and I followed her.
There are many spider web above the ceiling. Ms. Abante open a flashlight I don't know where it came from and shut it off when we see a light. My mouth form an O again when I found out that the hallway we are walking is a tree of Bogainbillia form to an arc itself. It's flower is color pink, red, and violet. I follow her and we arrive to a small tower full of vines with violet flowers. We walk upstairs and stop in front of a white door.
"This will be your room, your closet is inside as well as your uniform as a maid. There are mini library beside your bed where you could read after you finish your duties. All maids have their own small kitchen. You are not allowed to eat with the royal family nor approach them for a talk. The book of rules is on the shelf, you could start your daily duties after lunch," she explained and was about to go back when I asked again, "Uhm, was there a way where I could go on my friend's room? The west wing?",she blink her eyes and answered, "There are hidden pathways that connects all the wings. It's for you to find out," I was stun when she wink at me after she said that.
She leave me here with so many questions on my head.
***
This room isn't bad after all. I already finish fixing my things and I was currently eating the lunch I've maid when I look outside the window of the small tower. My eyes become wide when I saw Rechell waving at me on the west tower. How could she saw me? This place is hidden after all. Or maybe not that hidden.
I continue eating lunch while reading the book of rules.
Luna Famillia. Royal family of the moon. 1800s
1800 is thousand years ago. The family are here since this date.
"There's only one rule that all must obey strictly or else they will dig their own grave. No one is aloud to enter the forest of silence. Sign by Amaris," I read aloud and frowned after I read the word Amaris. It's familliar. I held my head when the dream flash on my mind again. The moon. The graves. The wolves. Me.
Wisteria. That was the name engrave on the graves. My heart beats fast and I had a goosebumps all over my body. I start to become pale as my head turns to ache. I fastly grab my necklace and the pain faded. Damn this wierd thoughts!
I aggresively close the book and hid it. The mini library had many books but only one of them caught my attention. It's the book entitled "Child of the Moon". I grab it and was about to read when I remember that the time for lunch is already finish. I need to do my duties as a maid.
Luna Familia is a unique name for me. But their all wierd. It creeps me out. Do I really need to be a maid for my whole life?