Eclectic Narratives - That Lingering Sensation

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That sensation that haunts the next morning after an odd night.

Is it the regret of a mistake?

An aftereffect of a long night?

Like a hangover it reminds you of your poor decisions long after you wished to forget them.

But is it a direct effect of the decisions themselves?

Or is it a consequence of what came after those decisions?

If a night of drunken revelry resulted in a morning of illness, is it because of the drinking?

Or is it from lack of sleep from partying the night away?

It could be one, it could be the other, it could easily be both.

Rather than looking for one thing to blame it would be better to take it as a lesson.

Never again lose yourself to that poor decisions.

Whether the answer is moderation or avoiding entirely.

The point is to learn and proceed forward just a little bit less stupidly than before.

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Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.

Enigmatic Fantasies - An Almost Wonderful Tale

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            It was like something out of a fairy tale, a real-life mermaid just lounging in a tiny natural harbor along the coast by the lighthouse. She had long flowing hair the same color as the sea and twinkling eyes colored like the finest sapphires. Her heavily jeweled outfit made her look akin to royalty, pearls necklaces and bracelets with a top woven with bejeweled seashells. The mysterious mermaid was gorgeous with a voice like an angel, a princess of the seas come to grace the surface world with her presence. She was also a complete and total klutzy airhead.

            As I descended down the rocks to get a closer look, I half expected her to notice my clumsy approach. I was scared she’d flee at the first sign of my presence, or worse, notice me and coyly beckon me closer. Neither happened. No matter how close I got, no matter how many broken seashells crunched under my sandals and no matter how many times I nearly tripped over myself, she remained none the wiser.

            She was too busy playing in the water, saying hi to the fishes or tripping over her own tail fin. I didn’t think it was possible to trip while swimming, but she proved me wrong. The closer I got, the more I wondered if she wasn’t a mermaid but rather some rich idiot in an expensive costume. I’d find out soon enough.

            I reached the tiny harbor, practically looming over the mermaid who sat giggling to herself in the water. Despite my shadow literally enveloping her, she hadn’t spared a single thought as to why it suddenly got darker. I stood there for a good five minutes waiting for her to notice me, but she never did.

            “Hello?” I asked. She heard my voice, but unable to spot me in her immediate vision, brushed me off and went back to playing with her bracelet.

            “Hello?” I announced more loudly this time. The mermaid looked around again and scratched her head in confusion when she again failed to locate me.

            “Look up!” I nearly yelled. Finally, the mermaid craned her up and saw me. She stared into my eyes for a good thirty seconds before letting out a simple “huh,” and returning to her jewelry.

            “Are you stupid or something?” I said without thinking.

            “Kyaa, how’d you sneak up on me?” The mermaid nearly jumped out of the water.

            “Are you serious? You were just looking at me,” I pointed out.

            “Oh, I guess I did,” she nodded. Oh no, she’s an idiot.

            “What are you doing out here?” I finally asked.

            “Hmm, I don’t remember,” she tapped her chin. “I went on a long swim and then I was here, I talked to some fishies, I saw a pretty lady and then it was now and then I don’t know what happens.”

            “So, are you lost or…wait, pretty lady?” I realized with a blush.

            “Yeah, she was about your height, with same hazel eyes, same red hair and a similar outfit,” the mermaid explained.

            ‘Oh lord, she’s a massive idiot,’ I cringed. ‘She’s got to be doing this on purpose, I refuse to believe anyone is that dumb.’ I took a deep breath and continued my question. “So, are you lost?”

            “No, I don’t think so,” the mermaid shrugged. “By the way, where is here?”

            “So, you are lost,” I sighed. “We’re on the Boulder Coast by the way.”

            “Why do they call it that?” The mermaid asked.

            “I can only wonder why,” I glanced at the hundreds of boulders that surrounded us in every direction that wasn’t ocean.

            “Hmm,” the mermaid’s stomach growled. “Do you know anywhere to get food around here?”

            “The nearest restaurant is a four-mile hike that way,” I pointed the way I came.

            “Darn, I haven’t eaten in two whole hours, I’m starving,” the mermaid grumbled.

            ‘Really?’ I rolled my eyes. “Can’t you catch a fish or something?” I asked.

            “I could never eat a little fishy,” she held her hands to her face in shock, “especially not raw.”

            ‘I don’t understand this girl at all,’ I clutched my forehead, sensing a headache coming on. “Well, I don’t have any food on me, so I can’t help you.”

            “Can you show me to that restaurant place?” The mermaid asked.

            “Um, how?” I inquired, “I’m not carrying you if that’s what you’re thinking.”

            “Oh no, I’d never ask that,” she stood up and got out of the water. Her tail split down the middle, forming two crude legs that ended in half a fin. However, after a few clumsy steps onto land, the fins shifted into human legs in a shimmer of light.

            “Cool trick,” I commented.

            “I know,” she laughed, “I didn’t even know I could do it, but I always heard I could, so I thought why not?”

            “You can just, turn your tail into legs?” I asked.

            “Nope, they’re still fins, it’s just an illusion,” she held out her leg, “see?” It was hard to tell, like seeing double, but when I focused enough, I could tell there was a fin there.

            “Will you be okay to walk four miles like that?” I asked in concern.

            “Of course,” she immediately tripped over her two not-really-feet, forcing me to catch her. “All part of the learning experience.”

            “Right,” I rolled my eyes.

            “Onward to food,” she pointed in a random direction.

            “It’s that way,” I pointed in the right direction. “Come on, once we get passed the coast you should have an easier time.” Against my better judgment, I led her up the rocks and towards civilization. I never knew I was making the most important decision of my life. Turns out, she was a princess, and bringing her along started a whole chain of insane events. But long before any of that I realized just how big an idiot she, and I, were. I brought her to the restaurant not realizing she didn’t have any money. But those are stories for another day.

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A fated meeting happens exactly how you think it would, it's what comes after that can surprise you.

Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.

Maid in Fantasy: Chapter VI (Rewrite) - Lunch on the 500th Floor

Story Hub: [link]

\\~~~\\       0       //~~~//

            In a possible future, in a world not unlike our own, one single kingdom rose as the dominant and only power. It was an ethereal realm with castles made of gemstone and technology so great it was indiscernible from magic. A land where humanity had advanced so far that to live in comfort and excess was the standard, and a life of hard labor and servitude was a rarity. It was known as the kingdom of Celene.

            To be a worker, a servant, or a laborer in this kingdom was seen as a mark of honor. They were the 1% who slaved their lives away so others may prosper. Alas, to be a worker was not a simple choice but a burden granted at birth. Grand worker families spread their branches across the domain. To be born in one meant a life of hard work and labor, no matter your personal opinion.

            However, their best and brightest were chosen for the highest of honors. To be personal servants for the eternal royal family that ruled this ethereal kingdom. Among those best and brightest exists one family, the Diane. For generations, the Diane has held the grandest honor of being the only ones allowed to attend the Queen and her daughters. However, such an exclusive honor can create odd results in exceptional circumstances. Such abnormal results greatly influenced the life of a certain young woman who knew naught of what her family history truly meant.

            Previously on Maid in Fantasy: Serena Diane began her job as Princess Irene’s personal attendant, while Orion began his as Princess Atlanta’s attendant. Serena could barely control the wild child Irene and spent most of her days racing around the palace after the princess. Orion, meanwhile, dutifully served Atlanta, despite her unpleasant attitude.

            However, things came to a head when both were roped into their respective princess’s lessons. Irene flourished within her magic class, but Serena failed to produce a single result. While Atlanta refused to engage in her self-defense class, leaving Orion to suffer through the worst of it. Now both servants are in low spirits and question themselves…Why were they chosen for such an important position?

\\~~~\\       I       //~~~//

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            Serena had hoped the magic lesson would be a one-time deal. Just one of Aphros’s whims meant to entertain Princess Irene. The teen had made a complete fool of herself and was in no rush for a repeat performance. The whole scenario made Serena question why she, of all people, was attending a princess in the first place. She was nobody and nothing special. They had to train her into the position, and even then, they clearly didn’t have enough time to do it right, considering how they fast-tracked her into the job.

            For a moment, the raven-haired girl wondered why she agreed to this in the first place. Then she remembered she didn’t agree. There never was a choice. If that was the case, how did her predecessor, Caenia, quit? Was it special treatment? Or was quit code for “she ran away in the middle of the night” or “she disappeared without a trace?”

            Regardless, that brought Serena back to her initial point, why her? What made her so special besides her family lineage? Was there really no other member of the Diane family who could take this job on? She’d understand if they were all too young, but what about the adults? Were they all busy, or was Serena literally the only one left? Serena felt as though she was thinking in circles. Nothing made sense about this scenario, and she felt she was missing something.

            Whatever the case, Serena hardened herself for another week of “fun” at the palace. This brought her back to the initial point that started this train of thought. The idea that the magic lesson was but a one-time deal.

            “…So that’s why I’ll be continuing the magic lessons into the rest of the week and the near future. I think it’ll be good for the both of you,” Aphros declared. “Don’t worry about Irene’s other lessons. I sent all her tutors away for the week.”

            ‘I’m beginning to wonder if Irene has any tutors or if they all quit ages ago,’ Serena theorized. ‘Hopefully, Orion’s having a better time than me.’

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            “…So that’s why I’ll be continuing your self-defense lessons through the rest of the week. I think it is necessary for the both of you,” Lady Ze explained. “In the meantime, your other lessons will be put on hold, Princess. And Orion, we can pick up where we left off for the inner strength training.”

            “Oh, bother,” Princess Atlanta huffed.

            ‘My poor hand,’ Orion nurtured his freshly healed knuckles.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

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            ‘All day with this,’ Serena muttered as she dragged Irene to the day’s magic lesson. It had been an arduous couple of hours to wrangle the wild child, but the maid had finally gotten the hang of catching her.

            “It’s time for your magic lesson, Princess,” Serena reminded her charge.

            “But I already know all the magic lessons,” Irene protested in the lazy way only a child could.

            “What if it’s a new lesson?” The maid suggested.

            “That could be fun,” Irene perked up.

            ‘It’s so simple sometimes, but only sometimes,’ Serena sighed as she tugged at her hair. Her precious raven locks had finally grown back in a little into what could charitably be described as a “bob cut on a diet.” Yet, Serena was elated to have any amount of her hair back.

            “…you can’t be serious?” Aphros’s voice echoed from down the hall.

            ‘Aphros is talking to someone?’ Serena guided the Princess to the noble’s classroom and found the door ajar. Serena was about to knock when her curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked inside the room. Aphros was sitting behind her mahogany desk on the phone, and she didn’t look happy. ‘That’s new,’ Serena was startled. She had yet to see Aphros so much as frown, let alone scowl like the blonde noble was now.

            “Do you really intend to do something so extreme? I can’t possibly support…oh, so you just don’t care then,” Aphros snapped at whoever was on the other side of the line.

            ‘Could this be a peak into how she really acts? Or did this person just peeve her off?’ Serena wondered.

            “What’s she talking about?” Irene slipped between Serena’s legs to get a peek into the room.

            “Princess, such behavior is unbecoming of a young lady,” Serena spat out a generic line Aphros had taught her. Not that it ever worked on Irene.

            “Uh, huh,” Irene brushed her off.

            “I’ve had disagreements with you in the past, but this is beyond that,” Aphros continued, “what your proposing is…I wasn’t going to say that…Well, good for you!” The noble yelled into the receiver.

            “Someone’s in trouble,” Irene giggled, but Serena didn’t share her amusement.

            “I’ve entertained this nonsense long enough. Good day sir,” Aphros huffed. “No, you don’t get the last word. Goodbye, Adonis. I have a class to teach.” She hung up the phone with a sigh and slumped into her chair.

            ‘Adonis? Where have I heard that name before?’ Serena racked her brain, but all the continuous days of training had left her pre-palace memories a bit muddled.

            “Lady Aphros,” Irene bounced into the room, “I wanna learn more magic.”

            “Princess!” Serena went in after her. She silently prayed that Aphros didn’t realize they were spying on her.

            “Oh, Irene, Serena, is it that time already?” Aphros flipped on her usual mood.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            Aphros’s magic lesson came and went. The learning itself was okay, or at least okay as it could be for Serena. Irene flourished until she got bored and fell asleep, while Serena again failed to replicate the light spell. Aphros assured the young maid it would all work out, but Serena wasn’t so sure.

            With the lesson over, Serena found herself chasing Irene through the palace. After capturing the runaway royal again, the teen took stock of their surroundings. They had somehow made it to the ground floor of the palace, somewhere near the kitchens. Hench, for the first time, Serena found herself surrounded by other workers. It was mostly other maids or kitchen staff, but a few others were mixed in.

            They regarded the teen with a look she found both new and all too familiar. It was that same pitying gaze Serena had been assaulted with since she was forced down this path. However, it was mixed with something else she couldn’t quite place. Something that rubbed Serena the wrong way.

            Then a couple of maids, one brunette and the other ginger passed the teen and her charge by. They looked the duo up and down before one whispered something in the other’s ear, and they both suppressed a giggle. Serena watched this exchange with a growing awareness of her situation.

            ‘Where have I seen that before?’ Serena grumbled. ‘I guess people really don’t have anything better to do with their time.’ The raven-haired girl took hold of Irene’s hand and began to lead the princess away. Anywhere was better than here. But as she rounded the corner, the pair of maids began to whisper loudly.

            “There goes the new girl again,” the ginger maid commented, and Serena stopped dead in her tracks.

            “Off on the most thankless of tasks, it’s a wonder she hasn’t given up yet,” the brunette maid added.

            “She doesn’t know any better, dear. Caenia did, and that’s why she’s long gone,” the ginger replied. Serena grit her teeth. She wasn’t about to let all that discipline she learned in basic go up in smoke.

            “I bet it won’t be long before Irene gets into real trouble again. Then she’ll know it’s time to quit,” the brunette guessed.

            ‘They know I can hear them, right?’ Serena wondered.

            “Oh honey,” the ginger laughed, “Dianes can’t quit. Caneia up and ran away, and she won’t be alone for long.”

            ‘Oh, they know,’ Serena fumed. She was this close to giving them a piece of her mind when she felt a tug on her sleeve.

            “Serena,” Irene looked up at her maid with her big, pink eyes, “let’s go somewhere else.”

            “Yeah, let’s go, Princess,” Serena nodded and guided the young girl away.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

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            ‘Okay, new theory,’ Serena thought to herself as she fished Irene out of a small pond the princess decided to swim in. ‘I wondered why the princesses only have a single servant assigned to them, but now it seems pretty obvious.’ The maid held up the soaking-wet princess. ‘After hearing Orion’s accounts of Atlanta and knowing how far Irene pushed my predecessor. I think they used to have as many servants attending them as one would expect, but they all gave up one by one.’

            “Serena, I wanna go swimming some more,” Irene requested.

            “No, princess, we have to give you a bath…again,” Serena refused and dragged her charge off to the baths for the third or fourth time that day. ‘Now I bet they can only get one poor sap to do this thankless job at a time. Someone with an incredible will to live and who’ll do anything required of them without thought.’ The maid paused for a moment as she considered her own conclusion. ‘I don’t know how to feel about that.’

            “Serena, can we go swimming after the bath?” Irene asked.

            “You can go swimming in the bath,” Serena offered. ‘Although by my own logic, I wonder what Atlanta is putting Orion through? Well, since she’s not racing through the palace in her pajamas, it can’t be that bad right?’

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            “Orion,” Princess Atlanta said from her chair overlooking the palace gardens, “I’m discontent.”

            “Shall I chase the birds out of the trees again?” Orion asked.

            “Deal with that,” the princess gestured at the sun.

            “Milady, that’s the sun,” Orion pointed out.

            “I care little for what it is. Its light assaults my eyes, so deal with it,” Atlanta ordered.

            “As you wish,” Orion gulped.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            ‘I’m sure he’ll be fine,’ Serena concluded as she put Irene into the bath. “Although, in the long term, he’ll probably have the harder job. Since Atlanta is the eldest princess, she’s probably the first in the line of succession. On the other hand, Irene is probably going to be kept as far away from the throne as possible,” The maid muttered.

            “Well, actually,” Aphros popped out of the large bath.

            “Gaaaah,” Serena nearly fell over. “Have you been here the whole time?”

            “Yes,” Aphros chirped, “you two have been in and out of the bath all day, so I thought I’d surprise you. I’ve been under the water here for the past hour.”

            ‘Do not make a comment,’ Serena resolved. “That’s lovely, Lady Aphros.”

            “And it looks like somebody is thinking about politics,” Aphros practically sang.

            “Oh no,” Irene joined in the bit.

            “No, I was just-” Serena tried to explain herself.

            “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about such things, Serena,” Aphros patted the maid’s head. “But you’re mostly right. Atlanta is the favorite for the throne, Irene is the least favorite, and the middle sister is a dark horse second.”

            ‘Oh right, there are three princesses,’ Serena recalled, ‘but why is she telling me this? And why is she saying it in front of Irene? Do neither of them care?’

            “But just because Atlanta is the favorite doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her share of detractors,” Aphros explained. “They’re…different than Irene’s. Just a fair warning.”

            ‘I don’t like where this conversation is going,’ Serena admitted.

            “Well, that’s all I have to say. See you in class,” Aphros bounced out of the bathtub, revealing herself to be fully clothed.

            ‘What is wrong with everyone in this place?’ Serena wondered.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            “What…what happened to you?” Serena gaped at Orion. She had just finished cleaning Irene and ran into Orion on her way out. The young man was covered in soot and burns but was otherwise okay.

            “I don’t want to talk about it,” Orion replied flatly as he dragged himself passed her towards the baths.

\\~~~\\       II       //~~~//

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            On her way to yet another magic lesson with Lady Aphros, Serena cut passed the kitchens again. Mainly because Irene had decided she wanted to play in the pantry today, and this was their only way back to the upper floors. However, as the maid and princess moved through the area, the former caught an interesting sight. A nobleman with long cream-colored hair chatting up a familiar pair of maids. It was the brunette and ginger girls again, and they were eating up whatever the man was telling them. However, Serena didn’t care about that. Instead, the scene was notable because that was the first noble she had seen outside of Ze and Aphros.

            ‘If I remember correctly, all the guards and soldiers in the palace are workers too,’ Serena thought. ‘In fact, everyone in the palace who isn’t some officer or high-ranking noble is a worker. No low nobles and no mid-level politicians. Just the highest-ranking people in the world, some career military personnel, and everyone who works for them.’ The maid let that idea slide through her mind as the noble and his audience disappeared from her view.

            ‘But that’s so strange. Workers are only supposed to be 1% of the entire population,’ Serena recalled. ‘Yet, they’re the majority in this palace the size of a small city? I find that hard to believe. Then again, I don’t see that many people around her to begin with.’ She turned a corner leading to a staircase. ‘But then how do they manage this place without robots to do everything (and why is it dangerous for the robots to be here)?’ As Serena rose up the stairs, a theory began to form inside her head.

            ‘Wait, so few people…intense training for their servants… can’t use robots for whatever reason…troublesome princesses…no, don’t tell me,’ Serena nearly stopped in her tracks from the revelation. ‘Don’t tell me they need a small army of superhumans just to clean this place?’          

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            Serena brought Irene to the classroom, and as had swiftly become tradition, Aphros awaited them both. Irene bounced to her desk at the front of the room with the same eagerness as usual while Serena slowly paced across the room with dread. As both students took their seats, Aphros strutted about with more energy than usual, which filled Serena with further headaches.

            “I’m glad you two are punctual as usual,” Aphros declared.

            ‘We’re actually an hour late, but I won’t spoil her mood,’ Serena thought.

            “Since Irene has shown great progress in the light spell and Serena…ahem, I think it’s high time we moved you two onwards to another spell,” Apros explained as she pulled out a tray of small broken objects. Cracked pens, chopsticks snapped in two, and broken glass bottles, among other things, lined the tray. “Something likewise simple, but just a little more involved, mending.”

            ‘Alright, so I make a confused face, and she goes into a spiel,’ Serena recalled how things usually go.

            “I’m glad you asked,” Aphros wasted no time.

            ‘I won’t even have time to make a sarcastic remark at this rate,’ Serena rolled her eyes.

            “Mending is exactly what it sounds like, repairing something through magic,” Aphros continued. “It’s like super glue, but even more permanent, faster, and less sticky.” The blonde held up both ends of the broken chopsticks. She touched them together, and with a little surge of magic, the chopsticks were whole again, albeit a little crooked.

            “Any specific methods on how to perform mending?” Serena inquired.

            “It’s similar to all magic. Just gather your mana and will the objects back whole,” Aphros replied. “It helps to visualize what the object is supposed to look like.”

            ‘I don’t think I’m going to get much more than that,’ Serena sighed as Aphros passed on the tray to her and Irene.

            “Like this?” Irene held up the cracked pen, which coursed with pink magic for a moment before returning to pristine condition.

            “Exactly like that,” Aphros beamed.

            ‘I’m starting to think that less thought is better when it comes to magic,’ Serena realized. ‘Alright, better bite the bullet,’ Serena held up another of the cracked pens. But try as she might, she couldn’t magic it back to normal.

            “It’s okay, take your time,” Aphros assured as Irene mended one of the glass bottles back into perfect form.

            “Right,” Serena focused on the pen. Again, she could feel the magic in the air but could not, for the life of her, force it to do anything. It had begun to grate on her nerves, like repeatedly failing to push a thread through the eye of a needle. You know you could do it, and it sounds simple in theory, but you just can’t make it work.

            Thus, the maid sat there staring at the pen while Irene flourished beside her. A sense of frustration began to bubble inside Serena, but she did her best to put a lid on it. She didn’t want a repeat of a week ago. ‘It would be improper for a maid to lose her temper,’ Serena repeated a stock phrase from that manual of appropriate maid behavior Aphros gave her.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            Atlanta and Orion were free of Lady Ze’s training far earlier than usual, thanks to the captain of the guard being pulled away on urgent business. Thus, the two found themselves meandering through the palace gardens. Atlanta excused it as “practicing her princess walk,” a declaration Orion chose not to question. As they made their way through, both spotted a figure in the distance slowly approaching.

            “Oh no,” Atlanta muttered as she adjusted her parasol. It was a noble girl, only a few years older than her, with long cream-colored hair done up in a series of elaborate drill-like curls. The cream haired noble was flanked by a trio of maids, one to hold her parasol, another to keep her dress from touching the ground, and the third to keep the sun out of her eyes.

            “My dear Princess Atlanta, it has been an age since our paths last crossed,” the noble greeted her before glancing at Orion. “I see you have yet another new attendant at your side. How fortunate the royal family is to be in surplus of eager souls to answer your beck and call.”

            “It is no great blessing, Helen,” Atlanta put on a forced smile. “We are not in such excess of staff that they may answer our every affliction.”

            “My dear, it appears that I have spoken out of turn,” Helen didn’t miss a beat. “I’d never believe the royal family was in such dire straits if you had not told me yourself. But even then, I wouldn’t dare to think this as confirmation of those most vicious rumors that circle yourself and your youngest sibling?”

            ‘Stop twisting my words,’ Atlanta seethed. ‘And congratulations, Helen, you beat your record for pissing me off.’ The princess took a deep breath before replying, “I wouldn’t put stock in such venomous words. They are a mere fantasy that make mockeries of true events, but I’m sure a lady of your caliber knows naught of such idle concepts.”

            “Oh, my dear,” Helen grinned, “you know me too well. I wish you well in becoming just as close to your newest attendant. It would be the greatest shame if you were to follow in your youngest sibling’s example regarding such things.”

            “A shame indeed,” Atlanta’s thin veneer of politeness cracked. “And a subject we are both in need of education,” the princess’s voice trembled with the weight of her emotions. “But, I must be off. Mother has requested my presence for the night.” Atlanta curtsied slightly, and Helen returned the gesture. Unbeknownst to the latter, the princess flicked her finger at the ground around Helen’s feet, which glowed with a touch of magic.

            “Until next we meet, my dear princess,” Helen suppressed a laugh, but Atlanta was already walking away with Orion in tow. The noble scoffed at this and took a step away, and then another, but went no further because her shoes had fused themselves to the walkway. “What trickery is this?” Atlanta pretended not to hear this declaration and rounded the corner with haste.

            “Stupid cow,” the princess exclaimed when Helen was out of earshot.

            “Princess!” Orion exclaimed.

            “Go ahead, tell Aphros or my mother. I don’t care when it comes to that idiot,” Atlanta completely broke character.

            “It is above my station to speak on your behavior, but,” Orion replied.

            “What?” Atlanta glared.

            “I know that girl, er, I know of her,” Orion explained. “Helen’s mother regularly dines with Lady Aphros.”

            “I’m well aware of that,” Atlanta stated flatly. “Do not think me a sheltered child. I know where Aphros’s loyalties lie, especially regarding succession.”

            “P-princess?” Orion was taken aback. He was not ready for the conversation to take this turn.

            “I have no ill feelings towards Lady Aphros,” Atlanta explained, “but I cannot stand the company she keeps.” The conversation ended there, Orion not nearly brave or foolish enough to carry the subject further.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            The magic lesson continued as it always did. Irene had mastered the magic within an hour, while Serena had been driven to tears in frustration. The princess had used the mending spell to create a modern art piece out of the glass bottles and chopsticks before falling asleep as usual. Serena was stuck with her same pen, which refused to magically fix itself.

            “I’ve tried, and still nothing,” Serena’s voice cracked. Her continued failure was beginning to make her legitimately upset. What once merely frustrated her now undermined her already shaken self-confidence.

            “It’s too soon to give up, Serena,” Aphros assured. “Some people take years to tap into their latent potential.”

            “Too soon?” Serena grit her teeth. “I’ve shown no progress or proof I’m even capable. I know you’re just trying to teach me to be nice, but you’ve wasted your time.” The maid’s temper flared.

            “Serena, do you really think I’m teaching you for such frivolous reasons?” Aphros seemed almost offended, but Serena was too far lost in her anger to notice.

            “It’s a waste. I don’t need your pity!” The teen yelled as she tried to crush the pen in her hand. For a moment, she focused all her frustration, anger, and fury upon the writing instrument, and then it began to glow. The sudden flash of brilliant light could not be contained by a mere pen and traveled outward, blowing off the cap and protruding out as a blade of energy. “Gah,” Serena dropped the pen in surprise. The event was so bombastic it nearly woke Irene from her slumber.

            Once Serena dropped the pen, the event ended just as quickly as it started. The implement crumbled to dust, and the room’s occupants were left frozen in surprise. After a pregnant pause, Aphros’s face shifted into a wide grin. “I knew you had it in you.”

            “What was that?” Serena was shaking.

            “Well, magic takes shape based on its user,” Aphros explained. “Some people can conjure spells with their bare hands. Others need a focus. It seems the shape of your magic requires a focus.” The noble retrieved a broken piece of wood from behind her desk. “I broke this off the end of a wooden sword. Try it.” She tossed it to Serena.

            “Try what?” Serena held the piece of wood in her hand.

            “Channel that emotion you just experienced, and use it to conjure an object from that,” Aphros stated. “Try something simple, like a blade or a stick.”

            “Something simple,” Serena repeated as she focused on the piece of wood in her hand. She pictured in her head a simple long rod and imagined it sprouting from her hand. For once, she could feel something gather in her hand. The magic was finally obeying her commands. Alas, it wouldn’t take a solid form and only developed into a messy clump. Like a mass of fireflies had formed a ball around her hand.

            “Almost, now remember that feeling from a few minutes ago,” Aphros urged.

            ‘The feeling?’ Serena recalled the feeling, and that feeling was anger. The sudden realization caused her to become self-aware again, and the maid was flooded with embarrassment over her behavior. The loss of focus caused the spell to disperse, leaving her with nothing but a piece of wood in her hand.

            “Darn, well, it’s a start,” Aphros shrugged.

            “I…I…” Serena mumbled, “I’m sorr-”

            “No need to apologize. Your little outburst revealed where your talents lie,” Aphros smiled. “You’re adept at conjuration, making something from nothing.”

            “I guess,” Serena nodded as she stared at the wood fragment.

            “Keep it. I’d like you to practice on your own when you have the time,” Aphros approached the maid. “But Serena, I want you to understand,” the noble put her hand on the girl’s shoulder, “I don’t teach you out of pity. I teach you because I know you’re capable and may need this knowledge in the future.”

            “I see,” Serena accepted this information.

            “So, in celebration of both of your progress, why don’t I treat you and the princess to some lunch.”

            “Food?” Irene snapped awake.

            “Is that really okay?” Serena inquired.

            “Well, technically, a servant shouldn’t eat at the same table as a noble,” the blonde admitted. “But I can do whatever I want. Besides, I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.”

            “That would be lovely. Thank you, Lady Aphros,” Serena curtsied.

            “You’ve learned well,” Aphros beamed with pride before gesturing for the two younger girls to follow her.

\\~~~\\       III       //~~~//

            Serena didn’t expect much when Lady Aphros offered to treat them to lunch. In fact, she thought it’d be as simple as ordering a meal from the palace’s kitchen. She didn’t expect to be led back into Aphros’s hovercraft and flown to a nearby high-rise with a restaurant at the top.

            The building was an impressive tower seemingly constructed from a yellow topaz. The restaurant itself was also topaz but was adorned with further shades of yellows and whites. The three were the only patrons, giving Serena an idea of how exclusive the place was.

            “Is it really okay for me to be here?” Serena gulped. While the overall aesthetic was minimalist, it still felt very posh. Far more than Serena was used to, even after all her time in the palace.

            “It’s fine. Just stay with me,” Lady Aphros assured. “Around this time of day, nobody comes to this place. They’re all too busy.” Serena nodded as the three sat down. Immediately a waiter appeared seemingly out of nowhere to deliver three menus, three glasses of water, and an iced tea. “Why thank you, Sebastian,” Aphros received the iced tea. “Now, please give us a moment.” The waiter bowed and disappeared just as quickly as he came.

            “I still feel out of my depth, Lady Aphros,” Serena shuddered. The seats, the atmosphere, and every inch of the décor gave the maid the feeling she was an invader in a world she didn’t belong after months of it being drilled into her head that she was but a cog in the machine. It was nothing short of culture shock.

            “Don’t worry, despite the exclusivity, this is a fairly casual restaurant,” Aphros explained, “relatively speaking. It’s mostly for my close associates and me to relax and discuss trivial matters.” She laughed. “So don’t worry your pretty little head too much. It’s a reward. And if people who worked for a living didn’t get a reward like this every now and then, then what are you working for?”

            “Alright,” Serena nodded and started to leaf through the menu. “I don’t even know where to begin,” she quickly admitted. Even the menu felt incredibly rich, as though it was woven from velvet. It was filled with intricate dishes that the young woman had only vaguely heard of or were completely alien to her.

            “Just ignore the first six or seven pages. That’s all the fancy stuff people order to make themselves look classy,” Lady Aphros explained. “I actually made up half the dishes on page four. Sometimes I order them to test the other nobles on their honesty…and to mess with them.”

            ‘What happened to it being casual?’ Serena kept her opinion to herself. “So, this is your restaurant, then?”

            “Yep, yep,” the blonde beamed. “Skip a few more pages in. You should be more familiar with those dishes.” Serena nodded and flipped through to find the fancy names slowly giving way to more traditional meals. Albeit expensive ones like filet mignon and lobster. But a few things like burgers and pasta were snuck in there too.

            “I see, but I still don’t know what to-?” Serena started.

            “Just order whatever. I won’t judge,” Aphros smiled. “They take requests. If you want your steak in a blender, they’ll do that.”

            “I think I’ll just order a burger then,” Serena said sheepishly. A comfort food sounded really nice after everything she’d been through.

            “Burger? I wanna burger!” Princess Irene finally piped up, having been mesmerized by whatever drawings were on the back of the menu until now.

            “I don’t know, Princess. Remember what happened last time?” Aphros commented.

            “Nope,” Irene replied.

            “Okay, fine,” Lady Aphros shrugged. “I think I’ll just have my usual then.”

            “Of course, my lady,” the waiter appeared out of nowhere again, jotted down their orders, and disappeared.

            “Was he there the whole time?” Serena exclaimed.

            “There always there, at all times. It’s that kind of place,” Aphros explained.

\\~~~\\              //~~~//

            Princess Atlanta sat stewing in the ornate chair on the balcony overlooking the garden. A cold winter breeze brushed through the area, but the girl didn’t so much as flinch. Orion, on the other hand, watched his charge with concern. She had been like this ever since they parted ways with Helen.

            “Princess, wouldn’t you prefer to go inside? It’s becoming rather cold,” Orion suggested.

            “I’m fine,” Atlanta brushed him off.

            “Princess, if something is seriously distressing you, it is my duty to hear you out. If not, Lady Aphros has requested I bring to her attention any-” Orion rattled off a standard spiel.

            “Lady Aphros this, Lady Aphros that,” Atlanta snapped, “why don’t you just…My apologies. I have let my emotions take hold of my actions yet again.”

            “Is it concerning the young lady Helen?” Orion inquired.

            “No, it’s not about her, but what she reminded me of,” Atlanta sighed. “I feel like I’m being treated as far young than I really am. I’ve grown and matured, but they still treat me as though I were Irene’s age.”

            Orion remained silent. He imagined Serena would have a line to say right now.

            “Just because Irene’s a danger to herself and those around her and needs constant supervision doesn’t mean I do,” Atlanta huffed. “Yet here I am, still going through the same self-defense lessons, dealing with the same obnoxious people, and being told the same things.” She thumped her head on a nearby table.

            “Princess, that’s unbecoming of you,” Orion warned.

            “I don’t care. Why should I care if everyone is just going to treat me like Irene?” Atlanta grumbled.

            ‘Didn’t you go through just as many attendants in as short a time as she?’ Orion thought. ‘No, don’t think about that. Focus, she needs your support.’

            “Things have gotten so…so ridiculous since Irene was born,” Atlanta continued. “If it wasn’t for her, I’d…” The princess realized what she was saying and stopped. That, and the fact a handful of servants had apparently heard her ranting and came into the area to investigate. Upon seeing the princess, they backed away and began to whisper among themselves.

            ‘I don’t like the look of this,’ Orion admitted. He couldn’t hear what the servants were saying, but he could comfortably guess it was nothing flattering.

\\~~~\\       IV       //~~~//

            Lunch went by quickly as Serena ate the most wonderful burger she had ever had in her life. The only thing marring it was getting the princess to eat hers with some dignity and grace (as much as one can have while eating a burger, at least). By some stroke of luck, Irene didn’t make a complete mess of herself, and Serena got to enjoy her meal. She didn’t quite know what Aphros had ordered. It was some kind of “lively” vegetarian dish, but as for what vegetables, Serena couldn’t say and didn’t want to know.

            “What a wonderful meal, wouldn’t you agree?” Aphros asked the two.

            “Mmhm,” Irene chewed the last of her food and didn’t reply.

            “It was amazing, Lady Aphros,” Serena bowed.

            “I’m glad,” the blonde beamed.

            “Making friends with the help again, Lady Aphros?” A stern voice asked from nearby. Serena turned to see a tall, albeit slender, man with long cream-colored hair. He wore a similar uniform to Lady Aphros. However, the emblem on his chest indicated he stood but one step below her on the hierarchy. Still, he wore his station with obvious pride; the flowing cape certainly hinted as much.

            “Lord Adonis, what a pleasure it is to see you,” Aphros replied. It was subtle, but Serena could sense the slightest strain in Aphros’s expression and tone. “You still come here for lunch?”

            “Well, since I heard you spirited off the third princess and her new maid,” Adonis stepped closer. “I’d thought you’d want to have a spirited discussion about the current state of affairs.” Serena noted Adonis did not have the same overwhelming presence as Aphros or Ze. Instead, he was just very slick and charismatic, but in a normal way rather than the almost supernatural aura of Aphros. Serena had never met a man whose words so easily danced off his tongue. She imagined he must have had a line for every possible situation. However, she was more distracted by the immediate extreme tension in the air between him and Aphros.

            “Adonis, I didn’t realize we were still on speaking terms,” Aphros chirped.

            “Neither did I, Lady Aphros,” Adonis’s replied.

            ‘Adonis…Wait, I remember,’ Serena recalled, ‘they were allies? In the same political circle? I know they had a public falling out a few months ago and a nasty one at that. Those gossip news programs were chatting about it right up until I got drafted into this maid business.’ Serena glanced around the table and noticed Irene was watching the conversation between the two adults with an uncharacteristic knowing look. ‘What’s with her? Oh, now that I think about it, Aphros was arguing with Adonis on the phone the other day…and wasn’t he the same guy chatting up the maids earlier?’ Suddenly, Serena had the most incredible desire to be as far away from here as possible.

            “Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but I must take these two back. Princess Irene has an etiquette lesson,” Aphros quickly stood up and shepherded the two younger girls away.

            “Very well, I’ll make conversation with you later, my lady,” Adonis bowed. “Do be careful. I think there’s a loose panel on the landing platform.”

            “Certainly,” Lady Aphros waved as she left. Once out of earshot, Aphros sighed, “the nerve of that man.”

            “Is there a problem, Lady Aphros?” Serena inquired.

            “Nothing you need to worry yourself with, Serena. For now, at least,” Aphros assured. “Let’s just say Adonis, and I met over a few shared political views. He took that to mean a little more than I intended.”

            “I understand,” Serena wisely stopped her line of questioning and returned her focus to keeping the princess at her side. A princess who was currently giggling to herself as if she found the entire situation hilarious.

            “It’s really nothing grand,” Aphros continued and leaned up to Serena’s ear. “The two of us favor the second princess as the heir rather than the first.” Serena paused, wondering why Aphros would tell her such information. However, before she could ponder that further, a wave of anxiety washed over her, far stronger than usual. The sensation would have been paralyzing if it wasn’t setting off every alarm bell in her head. Something was wrong, but what?

            The maid’s eyes glanced across the landing platform as time began to slow. Nothing seemed off except for the single loose panel Adonis warned them about. However, it was off to the side and would only be dangerous if one chose to walk foolishly close to the edge. An edge that went right out to a several dozen stories long drop to street level.

            Upon second glance, Serena noted she could see right through the platform in the place where the panel was loose. Immediately below, a balcony to their right jutted out further than the landing platform. It was mostly full of plants, a few topaz benches, and a single person. Serena’s focused on the person, the one thing out of place. They looked vaguely like the waiter from earlier, wearing a somewhat similar servant outfit. Yet, something about the person gave Serena pause, as though they didn’t belong.

            “Is there a problem, Serena?” Lady Aphros inquired.

            “N-,” Serena almost said no, but knew better than to dismiss a suspicious figure. “Lady Aphros, the figure below us-”

            “Aw, him, I just noticed as well. I thought he might be one of the waitstaff at first too, but I doubt that’s the case,” Aphros put her hand on Serena’s shoulder. “Move the princess between us. I’ll handle this.” Serena obeyed and moved the princess to her left, between herself and Aphros.

            “Wha’s the matter?” Irene asked, looking up at Serena with puppy dog eyes.

            “Nothing, princess, it’s nothi-” Serena tried to assure until a surge of adrenaline kicked in. Every fiber of her being warned her that whatever terrible thing was about to happen was happening right now. Without thinking, she pushed the princess to the ground as a gunshot rang out through the area. Serena heard the bullet whizz through the open panel and right over their heads. Thankfully she and the princess were unharmed, yet Aphros was nowhere to be seen. “Lady Aphros?” Serena called out.

            “I’m fine, just taking care of business,” Serena hazarded a glance and saw Aphros had, at some point, moved from their position to the balcony below. The figure from before, or rather the would-be assassin, had been subdued by the blonde. “Serena, be a dear and move the princess to the hovercraft, in case there are more. Then could you call up the palace and ask for someone to come pick up our little assassin?”

            “Yes, Lady Aphros,” Serena exclaimed, picked up the princess, and raced to the hovercraft.

To Be Continued…

>>>~~~~<<<

Every workplace is at risk for a sudden, dramatic event throwing everything into chaos. What's important is being able to detect such problems ahead of time to either prevent or mitigate them.

Author's Note: Another chapter greatly expanded. The goal here was to flesh the world and situation, as well as properly set up a certain someone's appearance. This marks the turning point were Serena goes from dazed by the grandness and glamour of the palace and is exposed to some unpleasant aspects before being dragged into the middle of something far bigger than her.

I also took this as a chance to give more character to Irene. She clearly lives in her own little world, but maybe she knows more than she lets on.

Atlanta also gets a little focus in this chapter, setting her up for more story beats coming later.

I always have the hardest time with the middle of the story, the connecting portions between major events, the beginning and the end. Honestly, my favorite part of a story is the beginning, and the same is true for writing. I remember struggling for a bit to get this part done, but it's a part of the story that needed to be told to make what comes next work as intended.

Look forward to the next chapter where we explore the ramifications of this sudden attempt on Irene's life in a few weeks. The last few chapters for this arc are nearly ready to go, so they should come out in quick(ish) succession.



Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.