I slowly opened my eyes trying to adjust to the light being displayed through the window by our dear sunlight. I was welcomed my Karen's beautiful smile as she sat beside my bed holding my hands.
"Hey gorgeous queen", her smile grew as I turned to look at her, she was absolutely beautiful, I never realized how beautiful she was because last night I wasn't really in my right senses. Her brown hair looked so shiny like it had been drenched in some rich coconut oil, her pale but white skin scented like the rose oil she had massaged my body with yesterday, she smelled so good.
Her lips were lightly red and her height was also so remarkable, she should be a 5"10. So perfect, just like my mother. Although mother didn't look too shiny like this woman infront of me.
" Hi Karen, thanks so much for yesterday, you're so beautiful" I couldn't help but stare at her beautiful skin and slightly wrinkled forehead, she seemed to be a woman in her late 40s. She was still wearing her maid clothes. Her smile is pretty, is she even human? The colour of her eyes alone, so brown, they're pretty and match with her hair, so many remarkable details.
" No no dear, I'm only following the master's orders, I was ordered to take good care of you as the head of the maids. He entrusted you to me and I'm only doing my job, we need to get you cleaned up and dressed, we're going down to introduce you to the other staffs" she smiled sweetly and her cheeks looked a bit flushed. 'This woman is the emotional type and she loves praises, that's good, I'll shower her with praises everyday, she deserves it'
****
She bathed and dressed me so nicely, she put my ginger coloured hair in a rough bun, my hair was curly just like mother's, my reddish brown coloured hair matched with my eyes, my mum said my reddish brown eye colour was really rare but I had them, she said i got them from my grandmother. My skin was also white but not pale like Karen's, I had a bit of freckles around my nose and cheeks.
I was roughly 5"4 tall, I felt a bit intimidated by Karen when she stood behind me.
She dressed me in a brown cotton material dress, the dress looked like that of a princess if not a queen, it fit my skin so perfectly, she said it belonged to the master's late younger sister who was 15yrs old when she died of food poisoning from a family rival. They have lots of enemies like she said. I mean with a mansion like this and such services, why won't they have enemies.
After making me look absolutely gorgeous and amazing, she applied more rose oil around my neck for the wounds around my neck.
"My princess we're set to go" my cheeks flushed by the sound of someone calling me a princess, I did look like one at that moment but it was still heart warming.
" Please stop karen, I'm only but a poor villager who got lost but saved by the master, wearing all these clothes still wont cover my identity, oh and I would love to see the master and thank him too". She smiled and stared at me with tears welled up in her eyes.
" Karen are you ok? You seem sad" I guided her to sit down on the bed and also sat with her.
" Im sorry Lydia, I just miss my daughter, she got killed in a stampede of raging warrior who were attacking our village, I've not been stable since then, the village got burnt down with no houses left" she sniffled and wiped her tears while i rubbed her back to calm her down.
"But the master helped me fight for my daughter, he killed almost all the soldiers who went to terrorize my village and also killed their leader then took over the land.
" I'm so sorry, everything will be fine, I'm sure her soul is resting well mother" I smiled at her slightly while wiping her tears. No wonder she is so kind with me and treats me like her daughter. I can't forget how she sobbed when I regained consciousness.
" Oh my sweetheart, you called me mother", she cried and pulled me in for a hug. I nodded slightly and hugged her tightly.' I mean she doesn't have a daughter, I don't have a mother, we're perfect for each other, she makes me feel safe and I'll also make her feel safe'
****
" Lydia this is Derby, Lucy and Suzan", she gestured at the other maids while introducing them to me. They smiled and bowed slightly. I also bowed in respect. 'Is that how they do here, that's weird'
She introduced me all the other workers and they all welcomed me warmly. I noticed no one got too close to me, when I tried to hug some maids, they moved back like I was a smelly old hag.
" Mother why were they moving away from me" I wasn't really pleased about it and I just had to ask. Is it because I dressed like this? Then if that's it, I think I should just beg her to buy me regular clothes. But how long will I even stay here and what will I be doing?
"My dear, those are the master's orders, he wants you to recover fully without any hindrance. Here in NEVADA, outsiders who carry a wound can get infected with something we NEVADASIANS are immune to and it can really hectic for you. So we need to wait till you're fully healed and have adjusted to the atmosphere" she explained with a smile and pinched my cheeks gently.
Nevada, I've only read of this place in books, is she just joking with me or what? There's no point of asking her, I'll find out sooner or later. I read about this place in to countless creatures with hidden abilities, most humans too are born with abilities. Nevada is a supernatural land as read in the book. Is that why the rose water heals wounds? Is that why the atmosphere feels different?
'No way I'm believing all of that. Lydia stop overthinking, you'll find out Sooner or later'
"Mother I'm so grateful to the master for saving me but why can't I see him?" I assumed a crossed hands stance with pouted lips and crinkled forehead.
Karen laughed histerically at the sight of my stance.
"You'll see him dear, he's a busy man, he's always busy with the affairs of the land and many others. He's the master of many other lands which he bought to save them from the hardships they were going through"
She smiled to her self as she rubbed my hair adjusting my curls.
We strolled down to my room while discussing after the introductions.
We stopped in front of my room door when I held her hand.
"What will I be doing in this big mansion, just sitting down? Master saved me, I can't just sit here, I can cook, clean, make the bed, after all I have no where to go, no way I'm going back to my father, I don't mind if I'm not paid or anything. Let me just have a place to stay. Yes I know I'm staying here but I don't know for how long I'll keep being treated like a doll. Can I just work?" I said everything quietly but in a way that would convince her.
"I honestly do not know dear, we should wait for the master's orders, he's not home now but once he's home he will give his orders", Karen stared at me with worried eyes. She looked uneasy.
"Let's go inside, I'll get your lun..." Her words were interrupted by one of the maid, Suzan. Suzan was a short but chubby maid, she looked like a girl in her early 20s. She also had pale skin, infact everyone has pale skin. Just like from the story book I read during my childhood.
"Madam Karen, the master is back and has demanded your presence", she bowed slightly and smiled at me before leaving.
"I'll be back Lydia, wait in your room for me", she bowed slightly before closing the door behind her. I walked to the window and looked outside it.
Knights were training With their mighty swords, it looked so fun but I saw how hard it was in between their constant falls and whines of pain.
****
Time passed and I was still laying on the bed staring at the ceiling joblessly.
'im so bored' I immediately noticed the book shelf hanging in front of me. How didn't I see that before now?
I walked to it and browsed through it. Then I took a book that had the words, 'Tales of Nevada's written on the cover. It didn't look like the one from my childhood but it did feel heavier and much more captivating.
Just then, I heard a light knock on the door and Karen walked in holding a maid costume.
"You're back", I smiled in excitement and joy of seeing her.
"Yes Lydia" she looked rather sad than excited as well.
" I discussed with the master abouth your situation and your request, he gave it a long thought and finally agreed to it. Although he still wants me to take care of you but you can work for him and get paid" she showed me the maid costume, it looked abit different from that of the regular maids.
" You'll be his personal maid, you'll clean his room, serve his meals, and do everything related to him, he's a busy man, so you will have to work with schedules", she stroked my hair once again.
I guess my job wouldn't be that hard then if it just involves his room and his services alone.
" Okay mother, I could do that, thank you so much", I pulled her in for a hug but she was trembling, she was nervous about something, I really wanted to know what though but I kept my thoughts to my self.
She took me a long with her to the kitchen and got us some food to take back to my room, while eating she explained everything the master likes and how he wants it done, she explained that I wouldn't see the master much or even at all because he traveled a lot so i just had to keep his convenience clean and easily accessible in case he comes back at anytime. I nodded to everything she said in affirmation that I understood everything clearly.
" You'll start working tomorrow", she coupled the plates together to take back to the kitchen with her.
"But mother is everything okay with you? You seem worried" Karen was sweating profusely, she laughed nervously before walking out of the room.
" I'm fine Lydia, I'll be back later to get you cleaned up", she said before closing the door behind her.
Karen is acting rather strange, she's far from fine, I just hope she's ok though, at least I'm going to work here, I'm no longer scared and I feel safe here not like when I was with that disgusting Calenfield or my father, I wonder what even happened to him. I still remember how one of his men died. Did a fight break out In his house? If it did, then that's good. How did the master save me? Was he the man dressed in black?
*****
Hey readers, please don't forget to vote for this chapter too if you liked it. Thanks so much✨