Lexa's POV
In a matter of a few days, I had grown attached to the Lot Mansion. As I was already a maid, I was allowed into the mansion.
This time I wasn't coming for work. I wanted to meet Elliot and apologize. I know I might be getting ahead of myself but that wouldn't stop me from meeting him.
Nothing would send me away from him. Not even if he screamed at me.
I didn't want anyone to spot me so I would pass the main entrance. I hissed when I found it locked.
"F**k. How do I take care of this now?"
"Stay still."
That a voice I could recognize. It was the bot again. I turned to it.
"I need help with this door so can you perhaps…"
"Stay still."
Stupid bot. I stood still as he scanned me.
The door automatically opened. "Sir, has recently only included you on the list of uninvited allowance into the mansion."
I smirked. "Is that so?"
The bot rode away. Why did he put me on the uninvited allowance list? Was I that special to him? We barely knew each other but sometimes, it felt like we'd known each other for years.
More years than I can count.
Anyway, I picked myself and entered. The door closed shut behind me.
"Looks like there's no turning back, Lexa," I said to myself.
From the maid quarters to Elliot's room should be my proper routine but… I was glad I could see more of the mansion because it was just awesome.
I couldn't compare my little home to this beautiful mansion. The walls were painted in gold. The floor was tiled in grey. I hated gray. To me, it represented dullness. I was all about the opposite. The ceiling was plastered in white.
There was nothing to see because the halls were simple and… dull. If there was something else I needed to talk to Elliot about, it was the mansion. I love the space and everything but it needed a serious makeover.
I turned to my back. My eyes caught a silver glimmer. It was a silver knight armor.
"Whoa," I mouthed as I walked towards the figure.
As I placed my hand on the cold body of the silver, a memory came to me.
***
I had another fight with my sisters. My brothers didn't even care to look. I dragged Snuggles and thumped to the floor. It was a hard fall on the butt. I wasn't brave enough to stand up.
Miss Rica was nowhere to be seen. I sighed and raised my head to the thing in my front.
It was armor. I see plenty of these everyday but… this one made me smile. The red feather that was meant to be on his helmet was titled. I wanted to help the poor thing get up.
I dropped Snuggles on the cold ground and tried to reach to the head.
"What are you doing, Alexa?" She caught me before I fell and dropped me on the floor. "You could've gotten hurt. Your mother will kill me if there is a single scratch on you."
I pointed to the top of the armor's head. "Look, the feather's not straight. I was trying to help it."
She squeezed my cheek and helped me out. "Next time you want to help anything, call me first. Okay?"
I nodded and ran away with Snuggles. I wanted to go to the garden. That was our favorite place.
***
I staggered back at the horrifying memory I retrieved. I saw… a little version of myself but I was in something that appeared to be a palace. I remembered Mr Snuggles and everything else except the woman who seemed to be my caretaker.
I tried so hard to remember her because everything about her reminded me of someone I knew. Yet, anytime I tried, I was battling with a firm barrier.
Again… what did I see? Was that me? No, it couldn't be.
"I have to be seeing things."
I thought I was reminded of a scene from a movie because I couldn't place the source of the memory into any better category. But it was such a weird way to recollect it. And moreover, why was I in the scene?
"Are you fine?"
I shrieked and jumped on my feet. "Elliot… I-I…"
"What are you doing here?"
I bit my lip, smiling. "What was the use of putting me in the uninvited allowance list if I can't come in here anytime I like?"
He scratched his eyebrow. "Yeah, I almost forgot about that."
"I bet you did," I chortled.
***
Elliot wore simple clothes. But to Lexa, she couldn't imagine him in better attire.
"So, why did you come?" He walked closer to her, in a lethal manner.
She remembered why she came in the first place.
Her goofy smile reduced to an apologetic one. "I want to apologize."
"For being so beautiful?"
The pink that hid in Lexa's cheeks revealed them.
She brushed it off. "That and for yesterday night."
He beamed. "You're like Maths. So hard to crack and understand unless you follow the right procedure and method."
She glimmered her eyes. "Are you always this smooth with words when you're talking with a girl?"
"No. You're an exception."
"That is impossible. I'm sure girls are swarming all over you."
"But why will they be after the devil."
Alexa swooned her way to the topic. "I am really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just curious."
He rubbed his face. "It's fine. Why do you care what I think? Does it really matter to you?"
"No!" Alexa knew she said that too fast. "Why are you interrogating me so much? Am I in some kind of trouble?"
"You entered trouble the moment I fell for your emerald eyes."
Damn, he's so good with his words. Anyone could fall in love with this possible playboy. Lexa meant anyone.
"I will get going. I don't want to further disrupt anything you were doing."
"You can't handle me so you want to run away?"
He was good but… not so fast.
"I-I am not running from anyone. It especially won't be you."
He placed his hand on his heart. "That hurts."
Lexa rolled her eyes and turned to leave. "Bye." For someone that wasn't so close to her, he was able to pin her to the wall… faster than normal. She wanted to scold him but as usual… she lost herself in his eyes, likewise with Elliot.
Being so close to her wasn't good for either him or her. Lot could make his way out because he was vulnerable. He closed his eyes and took three steps back.
That was the only way he could separate himself from her, otherwise it'd be impossible.
"I should really go."
"Wait!" Lexa had no bravery to walk away and ignore his voice. She'd not do it if her life depended on it. "Can I please show you around?"
Lexa bowed her head to cover her pink cheeks. , she thought with a smile. "Because you're literally begging me, I'll consider it."
"Don't get ahead of yourself." He held her hand… The touch of his hand on hers took him back to 547 years ago while it took Lexa back in time.
"Everything fine?"
"Let's say it's a bad memory."
***
"You palace needs a serious makeover."
He raised his chin. "Why do you say so? I think it's perfect."
"Perfect? You call this perfect! No offense, I love your mansion but it's far from perfect. For example, look at all this fertile land going to waste."
Alexa pointed at a great mass of land, filled with nothing but moist dirt.
"What about it?"
"Have you ever thought of growing a garden? I suggest jasmines, they're the best."
How could he forget? He first met her in a jasmine garden. Elliot wanted to provoke a distant memory from the time brain of hers.
"Wouldn't a pink jasmine be wonderful?" Alexa stopped. Something hit her.
"Why is it that anytime I'm around you, I feel like we've met before. Does that sound strange?"
"Not if you're me." He folded his hands and considered a jasmine garden. "Will you really like a jasmine garden in the mansion?"
"It's not like my opinion matters but if I was the one living here…" She looked at the beautiful but dull mansion. "… That's the first thing I'd do."
He stared at her.
He was sure she was already picturing a beautiful garden in her mind. "Consider it done."
Lexa directed her attention to him. "Are you serious? Why would you do that? I don't even live here?"
"I'm sure you remember I said I liked you. That's why if you still have questions wandering in your mind." He held her hand again. She held her cheeks and shook the pink off it.
He led her into the mansion. As he guided her into his enormous mansion, she couldn't help but admire him the more.
There were more to him. She had many questions she wished she could ask him. Why was she so giddy around him? She's never acted so girlish because of a guy. Why was she so relaxed with him like she's known him for long? Why did his skin on hers, hypnotize her?
Why did he do this much for her, when they barely knew each other? Why did she feel like their first meet wasn't exactly their first meet but a continuation of a story that had accumulated dust? These why questions tore her brain apart.
She decided to enjoy whatever was happening, because she liked it.
He brought them to a weird looking door.
"What's this?"
He scoffed. "What does it look like? It's a door."
"Well, it's a strange door."
"It reminds me of the doors I visited in a palace once."
He made another strike. He waited for the results…
"Yeah…"
***
"No!" I screamed repeatedly.
My sisters continued laughing and hauling me away. "We will not let mum and dad find you in time for the ball. They'll forget you like they always do."
"No. They won't!"
They brought me to a palace door. This kind of doors scared me the most. I didn't want to be locked in again.
They opened it and pushed me inside. "Now stay in there and don't say a word. Or else worthless Mr Snuggles will pay dearly for it."
They pulled him from me and locked the door. I heard them laugh and walk away as I wept.
I couldn't do a thing. If I did, they'd destroy Mr Snuggles. He was the only other friend I had. I took their threats seriously after what they did to my Ursula.
That day... that very day I wished all of my sisters, brothers and parents would perish in the ball. But little did I know that the tongue was very powerful.
Till my life today, I wished I never did what I did. I blame myself for the cause of their death till date…
***
Lexa ignored the crazy memory. She didn't want Elliot to think she was insane because he was already giving her that pitiful look.
"What are you waiting for? Take me in."
"Wow, so quickly? Do you trust me that much?"
Lexa almost didn't realize she trusted a man again. The last time she did that, her right leg suffered the consequences.
"No, I don't. But I'm confident that I can handle you on my own. I'm more powerful than you can imagine."
"You'll be surprised to find out that we might just be equals."
Elliot opened the door.