Sabastian smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Of course," he said, pouring a cup for himself and taking a sip himself.
Reluctantly, she accepted the cup, the warmth seeping through her fingers as she brought it to her lips. The fragrant aroma enveloped her nostrils, and she closed her eyes, savoring the comforting scent. With a hesitant sip, she tasted the tea, surprised by its delicious flavor. The subtle notes danced on her tongue, and she felt a sense of calm wash over her.
Despite her initial reservations, Kat found herself relaxing in the butler's presence, his calming demeanor putting her at ease. She took another sip of the fragrant tea, her curiosity piqued. "The tea is exquisite," she remarked, raising an eyebrow. "What type is it?"
"It's a blend of Darjeeling and green tea, imported from the eastern provinces," he explained, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "A personal favorite of mine."
She nodded appreciatively, admitting that she had never heard of such a combination. The tea's unique flavor was a pleasant surprise, and she found herself enjoying it more with each sip.
Before Kat could dwell further on the topic, the butler rose from his seat. "Allow me to fetch you some biscuits to accompany your tea," he offered, his voice gentle yet insistent. Kat hesitated, not wanting to impose on his hospitality. "Oh, no, please don't trouble yourself," she protested politely.
But the butler waved away her concerns with a reassuring smile. "Nonsense, it's no trouble at all," he insisted, "Try to relax and try to regain whatever memories you can while I'm gone." With that, he left the room, the door closing softly behind him.
As Kat sat in the quiet study, the weight of her memories pressing heavily upon her, she wondered if there were other forgotten moments buried in her mind. Sebastian, entered with a tray of biscuits, noticing the distress on Kat's face. "Is everything alright? You seem troubled. Did something happen while I was away?" he asked, concerned.
Lost in thought, Kat looked up to find Sebastian standing before her. "Are you alright?" he asked again.
Kat cleared her throat, "Yes, I'm fine." She accepted the offered biscuits with a soft "Thank you."
Sebastian settled back into his seat across from Kat. As she nibbled on the biscuit, she met his gaze and began, "I remember that night." Her hands fumbled with the edge of her hoodie as she hesitated.
Sebastian noticed her discomfort and interrupted, "We don't have to discuss this now if you're not comfortable."
Kat assured him, "No, I'm fine. I was just caught off guard by the sudden memories. Please, let me continue." He nodded, "If you're sure, then please proceed with what you were about to say. She took a deep breath, ready to share her recollection.
Kat narrated everything to Sebastian, from encountering the husky to meeting the old lady. Throughout her explanation, his expression remained neutral. "And after that, I lost consciousness, and the next morning, I woke up here," she concluded.
Sebastian's expression turned calculative as he processed her words. "Seems there is more to the situation than I thought," he remarked. "I admit I haven't come across such a case before."
Kat chuckled softly. "I don't think anyone could have heard of such a thing. Hearing myself talk now, I could almost call myself crazy." She shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around the situation. "But here I am, in another world, which I still find hard to believe."
Sebastian nodded understandingly. "My apologies, miss Kat. You must have been quite confused and disoriented when you found yourself here. "I understand the situation more clearly now, but it doesn't change the fact that your sudden arrival is quite suspicious and has caused quite a stir. Half the castle would have been aware of this by now and are already suspicious of you," he explained, his tone serious yet polite.
Kat's face fell at the thought of waiting longer. "Would you be able to send me back home?" she asked, hoping he would say really soon.
Sebastian's expression turned apologetic. "I must ask you to be patient. Investigations will continue, and the issue must be assessed by the king, who is quite busy at the moment. It may take a while before he can attend to it."
Kat raised an eyebrow. "How long is 'a while'?" she pressed.
Sebastian hesitated. "It could be tomorrow, the day after, or longer. I cannot say specifically." He responded. 'What I don't want is to stay here with people who believe I'm a witch and want to burn me alive,' I she thought to myself.
Kat thought to herself that she missed being famous, as things would have been easy for her, but in this world she was no one. She didn't want to stay in a place where people believed she was a witch and wanted to burn her alive. "Can't you inform him this is urgent?" she asked, a hint of panic in her voice.
Sebastian's eyes seemed to spark with amusement, and he smiled. "I'm afraid it doesn't work like that, miss Kat. The king is always extremely busy with important matters to attend to. My apologies."
Kat's eyes narrowed slightly. "You say that like my being stuck here isn't extremely important," she pointed out.
Sebastian bowed, his expression apologetic. "That isn't what I meant, you situation is important but was unexpected."
"Hmmm" she hummed, "I apologise if i offended you" he apologised.
Kat waved her hands in front of her. "Oh no, don't mind me; I guess I'm just a little bit frustrated, and I took it out on you. Sorry."
She obviously wasn't dreaming; she was sure of that now. But how long would she have to wait for their king to attend to her? As her thoughts drifted, Kat wondered what the king looked like. She imagined him to be an older man, probably older than Sebastian, with an aged face showing his wisdom as a king and his long time in power.
"For the time being, I will take you to the room where you will be staying," Sebastian said, rising from his seat. He led Kat out of the study, insisting on helping her with her suitcases. As they walked down the corridor of the castle, the tires of the suitcases made a soft squeaking noise against the smooth marble floor. They took several turns along the way, navigating the maze-like halls until they arrived in front of a wooden door adorned with magnificent carvings.
Sebastian opened the door, revealing a spacious guest room beyond. The door was already slightly ajar, as if inviting her to step inside. As she stepped into the room, she was greeted by a sight of a royal setting. The bed, positioned in the center of the room, was fit for royalty, large enough to comfortably accommodate four people. Its ornate frame was adorned with intricate carvings, and plush velvet drapes hung elegantly from the canopy above.
The room itself was decorated in a regal style, with rich tapestries adorning the walls and antique furniture. The windows, Accented with heavy velvet curtains, let in a soft, dim light that bathed the room in a warm glow. Outside, beyond the windows, the sky wasn't too bright, as the clouds had formed, covering the sun's rays. Despite the muted light, she could still see the sprawling grounds of the castle, bathed in the soft glow of the sun.
"Not bad," she muttered, observing the room.
As Kat observed her surroundings, Sebastian stepped forward, smiling subtly. "I hope you find the accommodations to your liking," he inquired. Kat nodded, with a subtle smile on her lips. "Thank you," she expressed, appreciatively.
Sebastian gestured to the row of golden bells on the wall. "Please ring the bell in the middle if you need my assistance for anything." The bells were small and delicately crafted, shimmering in the soft light of the room. "And it would be safest for you to stay here and not wander about," he added.
With a final nod, Sebastian took his leave, leaving Kat alone in the room. As she settled in, the events of the day swirled through her mind, and she found herself anticipating the days to come. She lay on the plush bed, staring at the ceiling covered in paintings. After a few minutes had passed, Kat was beginning to feel bored. "Ahhh, so bored," she sighed.
Meanwhile a young maid made her way down the corridor, her black hair tied up neatly and her maid uniform crisp. Her face was pale and pinched, and her eye kept darting around nervously. She approached the wooden door, took a deep breath, attempting to mask her worry with a faltering smile. and knocked softly. "Milady?" she called out uncertainly.
Her small features and innocent face made her appear vulnerable. She waited anxiously for a response, her hand still raised from the knock.
Kat lay in the plush bed, surrounded by complete silence. She shifted towards her suitcase and retrieved two chocolate bars, savoring each bite with a contented hum. "Chocolate truly fixes everything," she muttered with a satisfied smile.
Suddenly, a knock echoed through the room. "Milady?" came a girl's voice from the other side of the door. Kat approached the door cautiously, unwilling to open it for just anyone except Sebastian. "Really, in a castle this grand, they can't even install a peephole," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.
"Who's there?" she asked. "My lady, I was sent by Sir Sebastian to assist you." The voice replied.
Kat hesitated before opening the door, just enough to peek through. Seeing it was only the maid, she quickly checked if anyone else was with her. Once she confirmed she was alone, Kat welcomed her in.
"Good afternoon, my lady," the maid said, bowing her head and curtsying low, her knees bending slightly. Kat stepped aside, allowing her to enter before closing the door behind her.
The maid stared at Kat without a word, her expression as she appear to be lost in thought. Kat noticed the girl's unease and cleared her throat to regain her attention.
"I... I am sorry, miss!" the maid stammered, bowing nervously. "I was sent to help you with your bath!"
Kat couldn't understand why the girl was so frightened. "You don't have to apologize. Thank you for coming," Kat replied with a warm smile.
"My pleasure, my lady. Please, this way," the maid gestured, regaining her composure.
"You can just call me Kat. What's your name?" Kat asked.
"Vivian, my lady," Vivian replied, her voice still trembling slightly.
"You have a pretty name," Kat commented, trying to ease the tension.
"Thank you," Vivian replied.
Leading Kat to a door, Vivian opened it as they entered. Kat took note of the elegant tilework beautified the walls and the ornate fixtures of the room. The bathroom exuded a royal setting, with a spacious bathtub positioned in the center and elevated by two steps. On the edges of the tub were bottles of scented oil and lavender-scented soap, filling the air with a soothing aroma. Nearby, a towel rack held neatly folded white fluffy towels, ready for use.
"May I help you with your clothes, my lady?" Vivian asked respectfully.
Kat chuckled when she heard Vivian didn't call her by her name again. "I appreciate the offer, but preferably, no thank you."
As Kat settled into the tub, the steaming water enveloped her. Vivian poured in lavender-scented soap, known for its soothing properties. Glancing at Kat's face, Vivian noted how beautiful she was, her eyes coming to land on Kat's smooth black skin.
"So pretty," she muttered subconsciously, realizing and quickly apologizing.
Kat giggled. "Thank you, Vivian," Kat said, smiling.
Vivian recalled how rumors of Kat had been spreading among the maids. They said all sorts of scary things about Kat and how she attacked people in the courtyard that morning. Vivian had initially been frightened of Kat, especially when tasked with assisting her by the butler. She wanted to plead with Sebastian, but his stern face scared her off. However, her fears were dispelled upon meeting Kat now. She didn't seem anything like what they said. She was friendly and sweet, exuding warmth.
As Kat settled into the water, she felt a slight discomfort being observed by Vivian, who, although not staring directly, respectfully averted her gaze. Vivian hesitated, her gaze lingering on Kat. "Would you like me to assist you with scrubbing, my lady?" she offered tentatively.
Kat shook her head politely. "Thank you, Vivian, but I'm comfortable doing it myself," she laughed.
"As you wish, my lady," Vivian replied, stepping back to give Kat some space.
Kat tried to start a conversation, noticing Vivian's shyness. "So, how old are you?" she asked.
"Nineteen, milady," Vivian replied.
Kat hummed in response. "How long have you been working here?" she asked.
"For three years, milady," Vivian replied.
"Oh, I see," Kat said, her voice gentle and conversational, but kat didn't want to start to the girl with more questions so she didn't ask anything further.
Vivian bowed gracefully and closed the door behind her. Kat nodded in response, her eyes still fixed on the door. She took a deep breath, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease as the door clicked shut. Then, she slipped into the warm water, letting out a contented sigh as the warmth enveloped her.
As she settled in, she began to wash her hair, the scent oh the soap was soothing, and rinsing away the stress of the day. The water was soothing, and Kat felt her muscles relax, her mind calming.
Meanwhile, Vivian walked down the hallway, her footsteps echoing off the stone floors. She had a spring in her step, her heart still racing from her encounter with Kat. She couldn't believe how different the lady was to what she had heard.