"Here you go." The woman dressed in grey dress which stopped by her ankles handed Hellaine a black dress which she assumed was for the Junior maids.
Hellaine stared back at the cloth as though it was going to jump on her. She didn't make a move to take it.
"M-My hands are very dirty." Hellaine told the woman, hiding her rough hands behind her back.
The woman's eyes softened a little before she dropped the clothes on the single bed by the corner of the room. "Fine. Here is your uniform, the bathroom is at the end of the hallway. I want you to get washed thoroughly and come back here."
Hellaine moved out of the room, and the woman followed her to show her the bathroom. After dropping the uniform on the sink, she closed the door behind her.
Hellaine looked around the bathroom which was quite small but still big enough for two people to bath. She clamped her hands over her heart, trying to stop it from beating this fast.
After she was pardoned by the Overlord and promoted as a Junior Maid in the royal palace. The guards took her to a vehicle where she was taken somewhere else.
Hellaine wasn't able to stay awake for even a minute as the exhaustion of fighting off the beast and trying to keep her head intact took over her. By the time she was woken up the guard's stern voice, she found herself in paradise.
Well, compared to the places she had been in Bermuda Triangle, where she was now seemed like heaven. The vehicle stopped by the backdoor of the palace but even with that, Aella could see how enormous and gorgeous the place was.
It was like an ancient Victorian era palace even though the decors and other facilities in the place seemed more modern. She wasn't even allowed to sightsee as the guard handed her to the woman they called Ms. Frittle.
Ms. Frittle took her to the maid quarters to show her the room she would be sharing with one of the maids.
Hellaine turned on the tap and she gasped a little when clean water gushed out of the mouth. She never knew there would come a day where she would be excited to see water again.
Without wasting time, she threw off the smelly and dirty pillowcase and washed all the grim particles on her body and her hair. She spent an ample amount of time, scrubbing, washing, rinsing and rewashing until she was satisfied.
After putting on the maid's outfit, Hellaine got out of the bathroom and headed back to the room where she saw Ms. Frittle waiting for her.
"You're back? You should have stayed even longer? I thought the sun was going to have to rise from the west before you left that place." Ms. Frittle said sarcastically and Hellaine looked down sheepishly.
"I am sorry. It's just that I haven't had a shower in...days."
"I see." Ms. Frittle narrowed her eyes as she stared at Hellaine. "How come you have no mark on your forehead when you were a slave?"
Hellaine bit her lower lip, not answering the woman's curiosity immediately. She reckoned she would be asked this question a lot from now on.
"I-It is a long story." She said.
"Hellaine, you said your name was?" Ms. Frittle got up from the chair and moved closer to her.
Hellaine nodded without saying a word.
"The palace has ten thousands rules that if I were to inform you each and every one of them, we would still be here for the next two weeks." Ms. Frittle muttered and Hellaine paid close attention to her words.
"So, a summary of those rules are placed in five key rules that no servant in the royal palace must break. You might be pardoned the first time but the second time won't be as lenient as you would prefer. Do you understand?"
Hellaine nodded once more.
"1. Forget the life you had before stepping foot inside the royal palace. Whose daughter you were or the identity you had won't matter anymore. You are nothing but a servant of the Overlord."
Hellaine bit her cheek inwardly. She was to forget where she came from and who she was here to find? She knew she was already going to break the first rule.
"2. You must know that your life is no longer yours from now on. It belongs to the royal family and a single word from them can make or break you."
Hellaine knew that was true. She knew the Queen was ready to kill her in the Ring Arena if the Overlord hadn't saved her on time.
It was best she avoided them for her safety. Especially Cladymor.
"3. No matter what you do, never look a royal in the eye. We are lower than them in status and we must always keep our head bowed and our eyes on the floor in their midst."
Typical royals. Always seeing themselves as better off than anyone else.
"4. Never speak unless you're spoken to. In fact, envision yourself as a mute person and the only way your ability to speak returns is when you're addressed directly."
Hellaine huffed slightly under her breath. This was going to be hard to abide with. She had already called the Overlord an asshole, and she even dared call him by his first name.
Her mouth was sharp and foul and most times, it spoke on its own accord. Hellaine deduced she wasn't going to last a week in this place. She would either be demoted to a slave or be imprisoned for her impertinence.
"5. And the most important one you must not break even if a sword was placed on your neck." Ms. Frittle leaned down, her voice taking a grave tone now.
"Whatever you see or hear in the palace, forget it. In this palace, assume you are blind and deaf."
Hellaine clamped her mouth shut, unsure of this certain rule. She had a feeling this was going to be the hardest rule to follow.
And she could only hope she would last long enough to find him. Wherever he was.