"This is really good." Xavier said, his eyes scanning over the parchment of messy handwriting. The writing reminded him of a child's, but everything was still legible.
"Really?" Parisa asked. He looked to where she sat on her plush chair. Her large dark eyes were round, the question written clear as day on her face. Xavier couldn't help but smile down at this young woman who he'd come to dote on. Every time he looked at her, she reminded him of a young sister. He places a hand on her head, ruffling the neatly done hair and eliciting a squeal from Cordelia.
"Don't do that!" she said, pushing the knight's hand away from her lady. Parisa only laughed as she took the parchment from him. "Do you know how long I spent on her hair this morning?"
"An abnormally long amount of time for no reason." Xavier responded, standing back as Cordelia fussed over Parisa's hair, fixing the fishtail braid she'd put it in.
"He's not wrong, Cordelia," Parisa said, smiling now. She'd been doing that more often lately. It was a welcome sight for both Cordelia and Xavier. They attested it to the fact that the baron hadn't come for any late night visits and also because she hadn't run into anyone else from the barony. Lady Maria's ladies-in-waiting had also grown quite as of late, though that only put Parisa more on edge.
Parisa looked down at the paper she'd taken back from Xavier. She's been practicing more of her writing in the common tongue of Tandelle and Kurosu. She may have written in the eastern language like it was nothing, but she was finding this to be harder. Even her handwriting was atrocious in comparison to the two pieces, though she hadn't shown anyone the papers she'd written with her memories of Su-ho. Those she kept hidden in the bottom drawer of her dressed.
"It doesn't matter if you're not going anywhere special," Cordelia said, drawing Parisa from her thoughts. "A lady should always look her best."
Parisa chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before looking up and smiling. "But, I'm not a lady. Not like Maria and the baroness."
Cordelia sighed and placed her hands on her hips. Parisa noticed that Xavier's eyes followed the movement. His gaze flicked to hers and he gave a small smile.
"You've done it now, my lady."
"My lady," Cordelia started. "Are you female?"
The question momentarily threw Parisa. Xavier snorted from his place behind the maid.
"Uhm, yes?"
"Yes." Cordelia echoed, but with more affirmation. "You are female. What does that mean?"
Parisa looked to Xavier for help, but all he offered was putting his hands in the air like he was at a loss just as much as she was. Cordelia gripped Parisa's chin gently and forced her to meet her eyes.
"It means that you are a lady. You are my lady." The maid looked smug at having said the words. She crossed her arms over her chest, her grin making her look years younger. "And that's that. Now, let me fix your hair without complaint. You're not a child, my lady."
Parisa sighed, but didn't go against Cordelia. The last thing she wanted was more chiding from the woman. She let Cordelia get to work, undoing her braid and redoing it. Xavier watched the entire time, commenting here and there about how complicated it must be to be a woman. Parisa tapped her pencil against the parchment in front of her.
"Do you know anything about lord Alexei?" she asked, the question popping from her lips before she could grab the words and seal them away. Cordelia's fingers stilled in her hair, and Xavier's gaze settled on Parisa. Heat rose to her cheeks at the attention she was getting from the two of them. Perhaps she shouldn't have asked for anything at all.
"Why do you want to know, my lady?" Cordelia resumed her work, though Parisa could hear the grin in her maid's voice. "Are you, perhaps, interested in him?" she asked, her voice hinting at more. Parisa's face grew warmer.
"Not you, too." Xavier said, crinkling his nose as he spoke. He drew the gazes of both Parisa and Cordelia. "Everyone's talking about him, like he's some hotshot."
Cordelia snorted and looked away. "You're just jealous the maids aren't fawning over you anymore." She stuck her nose up in the air. "Grow up, sir Xavier. You're not all that."
Xavier took a step closer to Cordelia and leaned down so her was closer to her. He wore a Cheshire's grin. "Aw, you're hurting my feelings, Elia." he whispered, his breath caressing Cordelia's cheek. The tips of her ears turned red, but Parisa had to give her maid credit for not backing down. Cordelia tossed a glare at Xavier who only laughed in response.
"Like I said, grow up." The maid directed her attention back to Parisa. "Anyway, my lady, not much is known about lord Alexei. We weren't told much about him, just that he's a guest from the capital who we should treat with the best of care." Cordelia chewed on her bottom lip as she finished off the remade braid. "The baron has already beaten and fired a few maids for messing up."
Parisa's body froze. Xavier wore a grave expression. Her eyes traveled down to her feet. They no longer needed extensive bandaging. The whipping she'd received would no doubt leave scars, though. She trembled, thinking about what had happened to the other maids. Even more so, she feared what would happen to her if word ever got out about her run-in with the lord the night prior. She didn't think he'd tell anyone.
When she'd first returned to her room, she'd been fearful and unable to sleep. At any moment, she expected knights and the baroness to burst in and drag her away to a terrible fate. When the sun rose and Cordelia entered with her breakfast, Parisa began to realize the likelihood of that happening was slim. He hadn't told anyone, but why?
She doubted she'd ever find the answer on her own. The only one who'd be able to tell her would be the lord himself, though she wasn't sure when, or if, she'd ever run into him again. If she could help it, she'd rather not. The risks were too large, and the reward was nothing.
- If anything, he probably just pitied me.
The thought turned her stomach. She was in no position to argue against it, but she didn't have to like it. Being pitied, being looked down on, she hated it. Anyone would, but facts were facts, and she was powerless in her situation and against the people in this estate. They held her life in their hands.
She turned the pencil over in her hand.
- Like a marionette on strings. I dance if they want me to dance. Run if they want me to run. Laugh if they so please it. Cower, beg, and plead.
She'd done that very thing last night, thinking she was bowing for a maid to overlook her in the kitchen. By the basest of definitions, she may be a lady, but she was lower than everyone in this estate.
- You need to get your power back.
The voice whispered, and she jerked, wincing when the movement forced Cordelia to pull her hair.
"Are you alright?" Cordelia asked, and Parisa nodded, not paying the maid any mind. She swallowed, her mouth growing dry.
- You need your power back.
- What power?
She asked. The voice hadn't made an appearance in the last few days. It had gone completely quiet, as if it had never existed in the first place. All it had left her with were her memories and the pages she'd written.
- Remember.
It said, sounding more annoyed than anything else. She choked on a laugh, which only got her curious looks from Xavier and Cordelia. It was annoyed with her? Well, she was annoyed with it, too. One could only put up with creepy, mysterious voices in their heads for so long, saying the most cryptic of things for fun.
- It's not for fun. I can't do anything until you remember.
- You're a voice! What can you do?!
The voice made a sound reminiscent of a person clicking their tongue. Parisa leaned back in her chair, eyes focusing on the fire in the hearth. Xavier and Cordelia shared a look.
- You'd be surprised.
- Can't be surprised if you don't tell me.
The voice laughed, and Parisa rolled her eyes.
"Do you think she's alright?" Xavier whispered to Cordelia.
- There you are. I was beginning to think you'd lost everything.
She frowned.
- What do you mean, 'lost everything'? I haven't lost anything.
- Get your memories back.
Parisa made a noise in the back of her throat. Xavier and Cordelia jumped.
"Uh, my lady?" Cordelia asked, leaning down and placing a hand on Parisa's shoulder. Parisa smiled, trying to placate the maid and knight. They were going to think she'd lost her mind if she didn't say anything.
"I'm fine, sorry." she said. "Just lost in thought."
- I can't exactly conjure them out of thin air.
Xavier and Cordelia didn't seem the least bit convinced.
"Cordelia, could you get me some fresh tea and snacks? I'm a little hungry."
- You don't have to, they'll come to you.
The maid looked at Xavier before sighing and nodding. "I'll be right back. Sir Xavier, please stay with her." She took the dirty tea pot and tray, and left the room, leaving Xavier and Parisa alone. They watched until the door clicked shut. The knight turned an inquisitive eye to Parisa, who only returned it with a smile.
"What was that earlier?"
- So then stop pushing me to remember.
Xavier frowned and looked away from her.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He shifted his weight to the other foot before clearing his throat and heading for the door. "I should get back to my post."
"Coward!" Parisa called after him. His only response was a wave over his shoulder. She couldn't stop the smile that curled her lips. She was lucky to have them both. Parisa sighed and turned forward in her chair, relaxing back. "So, you're not going to respond now?" she murmured.
- There isn't anything to respond.
"Can't you at least tell me your name? It's not my name, is it?" she asked, frowning. The voice had said it was a part of her twice now, but she found that hard to believe. It was so different from her, like they were two separate people. "Hello?" she called out when there was no response. Just when she thought the voice wouldn't answer and Cordelia returned to the room with a steaming pot of tea, it spoke up.
- Ester.
It said, its voice small, as if she were talking to a child now.
- My name is Ester.