Es stared at the back of Alora's head, at the glossy golden hair.
Her hands were clasped tightly behind her back whilst her lips struggled to remain still; they quivered and bit upon each other as she resisted the urge to open her mouth;
To ask:
'Why?'
But she didn't.
She promised Alora.
So, she'd keep her promise.
"Pretty, right?" Stepping beside Alora, Es placed her hands on the windowsill and stared at the view.
But, standing there, she noticed a little sothing.
'Pfft ~! She's too short to look properly!'
The adorable sight of Alora standing on her tippy-toes, 'Cute!'
"Mhm." Alora couldn't deny it;
Certainly, this view:
"Pretty."
It was undoubtedly pretty.
Yet as she said it, her eyes had been glued on Es's face.
"Right?!"
Es grabbed Alora's petite hands and pulled her down the corridor. While maintaining the eloquence of a noble lady with her gait, the childish smile wouldn't exit her lips.
They walked, side-by-side, down the lavish corridors, beneath the refreshing rays of light and vibrant scents of perfu and cleaning materials from the hard-working maids.
Es and Alora arrived at the mansion's central staircase with the gossipy eyes of maids watching their every movent.
Walking down, Es said:
"Don't mind them, this is their first ti eting you."
'And if not for mother's guidance, I don't think I'd have ever known you were living right beside all along.'
So odd questions still lingered, such as:
'How has no one seen you before?'
'How did I not know you lived right there, in that room?'
But, as always, there wasn't enough information, nor could she ask.
Sticking along with Es, Alora, with her mind still fleeting with myriad thoughts, asked:
"Where are you taking ...?"
"Hmm?"
Es stopped at the bottom of the staircase, just 1 step below Alora; at this height, she didn't have to look down at her; they were even in height.
"Breakfast, of course!"
Turning back, Es pulled Alora to the double doors sitting at the front of the staircase. This wasn't the main entrance of the building, rely a set of side doors leading to the mansion's front gardens, pathways, and other buildings: servant quarters, training grounds, bathhouses and more.
Yet even the side doors were this vast, this lavish.
Nodding at the guards who stood beside the doors, Es waited for them to open up.
It usually took a minute due to the weight of the doors.
And, in that minute;
Unknownst to Es's yet-to-be-trained eyes...
Eyes were clashing.
White, crystal eyes; blue, oceanic eyes;
Alora and the guards.
One was hidden beneath a silvery white mask, the other two behind the thick steel of armour.
Staring down at the one standing beside their Lady, past the slits of their visors, they could sll it; the scent of sothing worse than them.
Creak...
The doors opened with eyes clashing.
Clasping Alora's gloved hand, Es strolled through the doors and into the outside world. Beside her, Alora's gaze remained on the n and theirs on her.
It wasn't that they sensed danger in her.
It's more so that they sensed...
A sothing lacking humanity;
Sothing almost like those creatures.
"How is it?"
Thud!
The doors shut behind them.
Es swivelled around, and with her hands holding Alora's, she shook them up and down like a swing. "Pretty?"
Again:
"Pretty." I agreed.
Very pretty.
You're too pretty.
...Unlike .
Also:
"L, let go..." I whispered with a flushed voice; holding hands like this is bad for my heart.
I might get heart disease early at this rate.
"O- Sorry." Embarrassed, Es let go of my hands with a step back and scratched her head awkwardly; even with that face, you look adorable.
Changing the subject, Es pointed at a paved pathway leading into the depths of the fresh gardens; new gardens, not the gardens I know of.
"They're waiting for us down there. Let's go."
Walking ahead of with a tinge of happiness tinting the colour of her steps, we strolled through the peaceful, animal-filled gardens. Hopping little critters, birds, the occasional squirrel-esque creature and more:
It was filled to the brim with life.
Not to ntion the gardeners; dozens of them were actively maintaining and tending to the surroundings.
This is nothing like the other garden.
That one is empty and nigh-lifeless.
As we traversed the garden, we eventually approached a source of faint, soothing voices whispering. The noises ca from a large, golden-leaf-encrusted, dark wooden gazebo. A table stuffed with food ran down the centre of the gazebo, with around 8 chairs surrounding it.
6 were taken by other children while the other 2 were empty.
For us?
Es hopped over to and whispered into my ear before we were close enough to be seen, "Those are my friends." Then, she linked her arm with mine and pulled into their line of sight.
...The voices stopped.
And 12 eyes slithered unto .
However, their eyes were clear. Void of the stickiness of trickery and plots; that's even more suspicious.
It's obvious.
Mother would never allow to roam freely without so sort of watch placed on . I, the Perfect Cursed Doll, cannot be tainted.
Thus, everything is many tis more suspicious in my eyes.
Are there ears in the brushery?
Are my clothes tainted by so observational spell?
And are these kids, sister's friends, mother's puppets?
Nothing of the sort could shock anymore.
Once you learn to expect the unexpected when dealing with Mother, you co to accept the fact that you are never acting upon your whims, but hers.
Even now.
As Es leads .
As she takes to breakfast.
To et her friends.
What are you plotting, mother?
These thoughts muddle and trudge through the swamp of my brain.
While I pondered over these matters, Es took a step back to push into the lilight.
"Greetings, everyone. Today, we have a special guest."
Silent eyes observed.
3 boys and 3 girls.
The 3 boys each had a different hair colour, and so did the 3 girls.
The three boys had, respectively:
Green, black, and silver.
The girls:
Black, brown, and one with an intriguing pale beige colour.
""Greetings, Lady Es.""
Simultaneously, they returned her greeting and awaited Es's next sentence.
"This is Alora."
Es patted my shoulder while the curious eyes remained on .
"My twin sister."
The curiosity exploded with shock. "S, sister!?!" One of the girls, the black-haired one, promptly uttered with shock underlying her tone. The silver-haired boy sitting beside her reached out and slapped her mouth shut with his hand.
Not that his expression was any better, but he knew not to shout abruptly like that when Es was still speaking.
"No worries, Hildekar. She didn't an anything by it."
"Yes, Lady Es."
The silver-haired boy, Hildekar, released his hand and nodded at my sister.
"As I was saying." Es patted my shoulder. "Alora isn't well-suited for these types of occasions; her specialities lie elsewhere, so do not mind it if any mishaps occur."
I almost grumbled outwardly; just so you know, I spent 4 years learning etiquette.
""Yes, Lady Es.""
Brightly smiling, Es tugged my sleeve and pulled past the 6 kids and to the two empty seats; we were separated by a small distance from the other 6, but for good reason.
This is a class-based society.
Which...
I held back the urge to rub my face.
Does not line up with the history books. A world ridden in chaos and darkness; a Sunless world;
A world with no Aurora.
I still don't get what's going on.
Taking my seat, I promptly glanced around the table, at the faces of Es's so-called friends; who might end up the most suspicious?
Is it only a few or all of them?
[Alora.]
How far would mother go?
[Alora?]
She wouldn't dare touch Es, would she?
[Alora!]
We had a deal.
[...Alora?]
An agreent.
This creature in exchange for dear Es, she wouldn't renege on it-
"Alora?"
Squishy fingers sank into my shoulder, oozing with loving warmth.
"O, oh..." Squeezing that odd noise out, I belatedly realised that I had been essentially ignoring everything while roaming my thoughts for the past few minutes.
In fact, with a second look at the table, I noticed that so of the food had already gone missing; plates were starting to empty, and conversations seed to abound between Es's friends.
"Have you lost your appetite?"
Es asked, and I slowly shook my head. "...I was lost in thought."
Accepting my response, Es picked up her knife and fork once more and returned to consuming her al in silence.
It's an odd rule, the one with the highest hierarchy must be the last one to finish their food, and, during that period, those of lower stature may not converse with those of higher stature.
Even more odd is that this rule does not apply to servants; you can freely converse with them. But thinking of it from a different angle reveals a more sinister tone.
Servants aren't human; therefore, why should I mind the social status of an object?
Anyways, with that aside, this form of etiquette is simply a declaration of wealth and power: look at how much ti I can waste and still get more done than you.
That's essentially how this etiquette functions.
And, Es and I, as the highest ranks on this table, should be the last to finish our food...
Wait.
Abruptly, I shot a look between my plate and Es's.
Then, I noticed the problem.
I hadn't eaten yet.
aning Es, as soone with equal social status to , can't finish eating till I finish eating.
Resisting the urge to slap myself for the ssup, I hurriedly reached for the tongs to pluck out so small bite-sized pieces of food-
"No need, Lady Alora. Ask, and I shall obey."
-before a certain maid plucked them off the plate with elegant movent.
Tucking the stray strand of hair slipping off her head over her ears, with vibrant brown hair and lively hazel eyes, a re teenager.
"Y, you are...?"
My tongue awkwardly slipped over my words.
And she:
"Lily, my Lady. A humble maid." With a welcoming smile, she introduced herself.
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