I was having a hard time paying attention as everything around me started to get hazy and blurry. I had the impression that I was being lost in a maze. Though her words seemed distant, I made an effort to maintain my gaze on her face.
"Please, stay with me Yujin!"
"I know it's overwhelming but you have to listen before you wake up!" she urged with her voice filled with urgency.
"What's happening? Tell me right now!" I cried out, feeling a mix of confusion and frustration.
Melissa's eyes locked onto mine, shining like crystals, similar to her mother's but special in their own way. I couldn't look away from the brightness, even my sight was blurred.
"But... my eyes, everything's getting fuzzy," I struggle to stay focused.
"Yujin! Look at me! DON'T EVER LISTEN TO HIM!" she urgently begged her words like a lifeline in the midst of the confusion.
"Him? Who's he? I can't see clearly anymore!"
The world around me spinning even though I wasn't actually dizzy.
"Yujin!"
I strained to meet her gaze.
"YUJIN!"
That was the last word I heard from her.
And then, out of nowhere, I felt as if something was yanking on my back, pulling me really fast. It was like a strong force was grabbing hold of me and making me move quickly.
When I woke up, my head was hurting a lot. It felt like there was a little hammer inside, tapping away.
"Hey, I don't like the color, change it," I heard a voice say. It sounded bossy.
I felt a bad presence inside the room.
I blinked and opened my eyes to see a strange presence in the space. A maid was standing next to my crib giving commands to two other maids who seemed like they had worked with her before.
They gave off the impression that they were hesitant while simultaneously attempting to follow her instructions. I was a little concerned about it.
"You need to arrange things nicely, you know, especially for the princess of the Otheonate Kingdom. Her room should look beautiful and fantastic. And why would you choose such a dull color?" the bossy person exclaimed.
The other maid looked at her as she continued to change the curtains by the window. "It's not even our fault that the color of this room is like this. It was chosen by Ms. Peta."
"And now you're daring to speak against the royal Otheonate family!?" Her voice was filled with a mix of astonishment and disbelief, her emotions palpable in every word she uttered.
"You're not even the royal," the other one muttered under her breath.
"Are you saying something?" Alexa asked, his tone tinged with a hint of frustration.
"No, nothing, Ms. Alexa," the maid quickly replied, her voice a mixture of nervousness and an attempt to defuse the situation.
I kept looking at the three, who appeared to be maids due to their identical attire. One of them stood out from the others, though, because of her unusual aura of authority and bossiness.
"Don't even try to talk back to me, if you don't want to lose your job," Alexa said sternly, her voice tinged with a hint of anger.
"Yes, Ms. Alexa," the maid replied, lowering her head in submission.
Alexa turned her attention to the bright morning outside the window and opened it. The sunlight streamed in, filling the room with its gentle warmth.
"What a good and beautiful morning," Alexa's voice echoed through the room. I couldn't help but find her annoying to hear, especially in the morning.
But suddenly,
"Hmm?" Alexa's attention swiftly shifted towards me.
"Oh my! The princess is awake!" Alexa suddenly rushed over to my crib, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Waaaah!" I was startled by her sudden movement and those big, scary eyes of hers.
She leaned in closer, her voice taking on an eerie tone, "Sssshhhh! Don't cry, Princess Melissa. I'll take care of you even better than your dead maid ever could, hehehehe." Her words were a hushed whisper, accompanied by a chilling smile.
My spine tingled as a surge of anxiety washed over me in response to her words.
Was she referring to a 'dead maid?'
Did she mean Peta?
==================================
Inside a room filled with a feeling of luxury, a young man gently pushed the door open, stepping inside.
He walked towards the bed where another person was lying down, covered in an air of relaxed comfort and ease. The room had a pleasant atmosphere, and the person on the bed seemed to be enjoying their time without a care in the world.
"My Lord," the young man spoke, his voice respectful as he approached the reclined figure. He sought the attention of the one who lay before him, waiting for a response.
With a languid movement, the person on the bed turned their gaze towards the newcomer. "Yes? What's the matter?" He inquired, their tone a mixture of curiosity and mild interest.
The young man's demeanor was somewhat urgent as he conveyed the message he had been entrusted with.
"A message has just been delivered, My Lord. His Highness requires your presence in his office earlier than usual."
The person lying on the bed looked. "Is that all?" he asked with his voice holding a touch of curiosity.
The young man nodded a slight hesitation in his demeanor. "Also, My Lord, there seems to be a commotion stirring within the palace."
Recognition slowly illuminated the eyes of the figure resting on the bed. "Ah, that could be the very reason why... Our Highness is summoning me so early," he remarked and a wicked grin tugging at the corners of their lips.
Shifting his attention towards the young man, he gave a friendly smile, creating a comfortable and easy atmosphere between them.
"Alright then, it looks like I'm about to step into another interesting day."
With those words, a strange yet soothing sense of pleasure appeared to descend over the room, as if a mysterious disguise of peace had been cast behind that individual's intriguing grin.