Chapter 1
New Maid
In life, there will always be pain. Sorrow and hatred are causing someone to make a mistake, a mistake that makes a person braver and stronger. This is not the world we hope to have, there's no peace and equality at all, even if we wanted to have that, in the end, the world's will remains chaotic, full of harm and problem.
But, in life, there's also happiness. Joy and love that making a person forget how cruel this world is. Happy experiences that will never be forgotten will remain in someone's heart. Even though this is not the world we hope to have, we still fight to live and to love in order to survive.
"We will reach the manor in a few minutes, Miss Clarkson." Arabella shifted her gaze on the chauffeur when he heard him say that. She was drowned by her thoughts again; she didn't even notice that they were nearly approaching the Manor.
The place where the King lives, according to the book she read, is really a big place and really beautiful too. This is the first time she will step foot in that place. She supposedly feels nervous, but she actually feels nothing.
That is not new to her anymore, she grows up without any emotion in her face since that night happened. That terrible and unforgettable night, the night she wouldn't like to experience again. She shook off that thought in her mind and gazed back at the man named Mr Henry, one of the Royal Chauffer of the manor.
Arabella nodded her head to acknowledge his words. Mr. Henry nodded his head as well. The trip was quiet; no one dared to talk. Anyway, there's nothing to talk about. Ara gazed outside the window. The cloud was dark and gloomy. It's quite obvious that a moment by now, the rain will fall hard.
A certain view catches her attention, from not so far of her, she saw a palace. Memories flashed in her mind, and she couldn't help but reminisce about the past. She once used to live in a place like that, but now everything has changed, and her world is completely turned upside down.
She felt like she was in a deep and dark hole, and she will never see the light again. The memory of the past will hunt her wherever she went.
"Miss Clarkson?" Ara lifelessly looked at Mr Henry when she heard him talk again. She gave him a meaningful look, but Mr. Henry just signed her to look outside.
"Oh." One word escaped from her lips. They were in front of the palace now, and she didn't even notice that once again. She took a deep breath and went out the car, upon getting out, she saw Mr. Henry get her luggage out of the trunk of the car.
Ara went closer to him and got her only luggage.
"Let me carry it, Miss Clarkson." He insisted, but Ara shook her head gently.
"No, but thank you. I can manage," she declined. Mr. Henry couldn't do anything but let the young lady carry her luggage.
"As you pleased. Anyway, I have to go now, someone will guide you as soon you entered into the palace." He instructed. Ara bowed her head.
"Alright," the man nodded his head before getting in the car again. She watched the car leave before facing the front door of the palace. This place is indeed huge, but it seems so lonely. She can feel the dark aura surrounding the place.
Home of the devil. She murmured to herself. She decided to go inside and see what would happen next. Before she could touch the door to open, it suddenly went wide open, revealing a woman probably in her early to mid-twenties of age.
The young lady had a warm smile on her face. Ara couldn't help but check her out secretly. The woman isn't that pale, actually, she looked human than vampire. Having a feminine feature, a short face which is really cute, blonde hair with brown eyes.
"Hey, you're the new helper, Arabella Clarkson, right?" Her voice also sounded good; she seemed so nice. Ara nodded her head as she stepped, trying to come even closer to the lady.
"I'm Catalina Henley. You can call me Cattie. I'm one of the maids here if you're wondering, I've been here for almost four years now. Mrs. O'Neal assigned me to guide you, but she will be the one who will orient you, maybe later or tomorrow. Oh my… I'm so sorry if I'm talking too much." She apologized in embarrassment. Maybe she thought that Ara found her annoying, which is not true. She actually found her amusing.
How can a person talk to a stranger like that? They just saw each other a matter of seconds ago, but look at her; she's suddenly being open to Ara. She admitted she's not used to someone talking to her this way.
"It's okay, I assume. Mrs. O'Neil is the head of the maids here?" She smiled and nodded.
"Yeah she is, you'll met her later, she's busy at the mean time." I nod in understanding. Ara was caught off guard when Cattie suddenly pinched her cheeks; no one had ever done that to her.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry. I just can't stop myself. You're so cute and gorgeous. I wish I had blue eyes like yours," She shook my head.
"Yours isn't bad either." She chuckled and playfully slapped her shoulder.
"You're so humble. I really like you. Haha. Come on, I'll show your room." She nodded her head, but she wondered if she had room. She didn't expect that, though. She expected to share a room, but she guessed this place was large enough.
"Please follow me." The two of them walked in the long and large corridor. There few maids we are cleaning the area, some of them even spare a glanced on them.
"Is she the new one?" Ara heard someone whisper. Obviously, she murmured in her mind lifelessly.
"She's pretty but seems so cold." Another one. Ara just sighed and ignored their words and stares. It doesn't bother her, but it's irritating.
"Cattie, Mrs. O'Neil was wonder---" a girl didn't continue her words when she saw Ara beside her.
"Oh, so she's here now. Hi, I'm Madelyn Kelson. You can call me Maddie. I'm glad to see you arrived safely," Maddie extends her hand to Ara.
"Arabella, Ara for short." She answered shortly as she accepted Maddie's hand.
"Arabella, such a pretty name. It suits you well."
"Yours too, Madelyn is a beautiful name."
"Oh, so humble," Maddie said with a big smile on her face. Ara seems so cold and aloof, but she's humble. Rare combination, some persons who have the same expression as her were rude and really, really full of themselves.
"Yeah, she's really humble. I called her cute and pretty, she shook her head and praise me." Cattie joined the conversation. Ara just remained silent, still having the same expression on her face. It's not cold but not cheerful either. It's called Poker Face.
"She's undeniably nice," Maddie commented again.
"She is. Anyway, what are you going to say?" Cattie asked her. Maddie looked at Ara, who was looking at the two of them.
"Mrs. O'Neil was wondering if the new maid arrived, which she is," she answered and smiled. Cattie's eyebrow met in the middle, "Oh, I thought she was busy? And besides, she told me that she'll meet Ara later or tomorrow?" Maddie shrugged her shoulder.
"I don't know, and she's not busy. She's just chilling on the third floor." Maddie said, which made Cattie smile.
"Oh my, that old lady. She's being lazy again." Cattie whispered in a joking way.
"Be careful; she might hear you, Cattie." Cattie just grinned.
"No, she won't. By the way, we'll go ahead now. I'll show Ara's room, see you later Maddie."
"Sure," she gazed over Ara.
"I'm pleased to see you, Ara. See you around." Ara just nodded her head. Maddie was the first one who left.
"Oh, that girl. Anyway, let's go?"
"Alright. May I ask something?" Ara said as they continued to walk.
"Yeah, sure, spill it."
"How many royalties are living here?" She asked her. Cattie was slightly caught off guard on her question, she doesn't know? Cattie thought.
"Only the king, but sometimes some of his relatives were coming over, but after a few days or weeks, they leave." Ara nodded her head—only the king.
"But… he had concubines. They were living in the west wing of the palace." Right, concubines. The king had his needs, too; he's still a man, after all.
"How lucky of them to sleep with the king," Ara heard Cattie whisper.
"Lucky?" she questioned, Cattie's eyes widened.
"You heard it? Oh my, it's embarrassing. I mean, I didn't mean that I wanted to sleep with the king. Oh, I mean, he's undeniably handsome and hot, but I know my place. I'm just a maid, and I will never sleep with him." Ara amusedly looked at her.
"I didn't say anything." Amusement could be heard in her voice. Cattie covered her face in embarrassment.
"Geez, let's just forget I said that. One thing I would like to tell you about those concubines is that some were friendly, but one of them was worse. If you see a redhead girl with a lot of make-up on her face, stay the hell away from her. She's a living nightmare, really worse." Cattie warned her.
But that only made Ara grin in her mind: if she's worse, I'm even worse. Believe me on that. she mumbled silently.