"Which is why I NEED those Journals," I grab the books but crazy Holly doesn't let go.
"These JOURNALS have nothing about etiquette in them, so they won't be of any help to you."
"What?"
"I have not written anything about the Hoolagans nor much detail about my last chat with my friends and NOTHING about etiquette. It's all in my heart."
"How am I supposed to read your heart???"
Every exchange I have with crazy Holly does nothing but make things riskier. I'm starting to not like her.
"I'm starting to feel like you hold a grudge against me." I tell her with my face all scrunched up.
"You possessed my body and acted as though you were me. I think it is fair for me to hold a grudge against you BUT I will not have you sabotage my reputation. I will teach you everything you need to know before today's outings in 15 minutes."
"In 15 minutes?"
"The amount of time I can stay in Holly's body, but I can come back."
"I'm assuming that can only happen after a certain amount of time as well."
Yes. 15 minutes." 'Eyyy what a complicated procedure', I start to feel a bit sorry for her.
"Well we have all morning, so I guess it's alright."
"First of all, what is that lazy manner of speech? Speak formally, try not to add shortcuts and sound firm. I saw how you ate this morning, dining etiquette is the same everywhere understand?" Crazy Holly started explaining quickly.
"Yes ma'am. I understand." I replied with a dead tone.
"Second of all, the Hoolagans are a noble family from the Country of Mondral-"
"Country of what?"
"Mondral. They are famous for their spices and food. Where are you from?"
***
Original Margaret's POV
I tried going back into Holly's body but it did not work. The maximum amount of time I can stay inside her body was 15 minutes. 15. MINUTES! The head maid picks her nose for longer than that, that woman is a black hole I tell you. I feel so odd following my body around and watching her do all sorts of activities like talking to the maids, getting shocked when she saw my father, spying on him like an eagle, eating only after he ate, throwing all the books off the shelf and then praying- PRAYING????? WHO IS SHE PRAYING TO??? I zoom into her face and hear her pleas. 'Oh my lord, you're up for failure, Holly is our only hope.'
I went through all the walls looking for Holly when I found her hiding behind the kitchen with a rose and letter in one hand and the other hand being kissed by the gardener. He was a fairly strong man in his mid-30s with hair and skin that had turned golden from working in the sun so much. His eyes had charmed Holly just like they had charmed everyone else. I waited for him to leave and then dived headfirst into her body. Sorry, Holly, your love letter will have to wait.
I ran to the store room at the back of the mansion, grabbed my journals and then all the way to my room offering the journals to my body after hearing her pleas when she called me Crazy Holly. Crazy? ME? She was the crazy one for taking control of my body. I WILL get to the bottom of this in the next 15 minutes.
"Where are you from? Have you heard of Mondral?" I started interrogating her
"No, in fact I've never heard of Transerin, blessings, or curses. Even the year Kind Holly said this morning was the first I ever heard of. And I hope you can let my rough speech slide when I'm with you," she said with a grin.
"What was the name of the last country you were in?"
"I'm sure it doesn't exist here. The last place I was living in was Seoul, a city in South Korea"
She was right. The whole homa only had 15 countries, none named South Korea. She barely spoke and didn't act like a thief by grabbing any jewelry from my closet and bribing a maid with it. She observed everyone else before moving herself. I still had my doubts, but something in my heart told me to believe her, and I'm not in a position to not believe her either.
"Then why did you act like a noble lady when I entered the bathroom this morning?"
"I had to protect myself and this body. It was kind of frightening when a maid who spoke kindly to me, yelled at me a few minutes later saying I had possessed her body. If you had confronted me right after I woke up I would have believed you."
"I tried touching you and the other maids but I could only get into Holly's body. I thought you were someone who had prayed to possess my body and was after something." I conversed with her honestly. I wanted to clear all the doubt between us and be able to trust each other.
We stared at each other for a bit and then my body spoke.
"My name is Merlin Maee. I died in a hospital after staying there for 8 years and I have no idea how I came into this body. I'm not trying to harm you, I just don't want to be claimed as a senile woman."
Her story seemed legitimate. Everyone knows about blessings and curses but seeing her pray to a ghost so desperately for such a simple thing showed she did not know anything. I had been observing her since morning and saw her mannerisms, I don't believe she is lying. And we had heard of people who didn't know anything coming here suddenly, though it was only in fairytales.
I started to feel a bit guilty for treating her so rudely on our first encounter.
"I am sorry, I wasn't aware-
"It's alright, I would have done the same. Besides, I'm not aware of anything from here, so could you please explain this whole concept of blessings and curses in the next," she looked at the clock "4 minutes."
I dropped the journals and bolted out of the door to the back of the mansion. I had to leave Holly's body in the place she was last in. Holly would start questioning things if she was in different places in split seconds.