Lost memories part-2

As Kat sat in the quiet study, the weight of that memory pressing heavily upon her, she couldn't help but wonder if she had any other forgotten memories laying buried within the depths of her mind.

Just then, the butler came in with a tray of biscuits. As he approached her, he noticed the distress on Kat's face. "Is everything alright? You seem distressed. Did something happen in my absence?" he asked.

Lost in thought, Kat looked up to find the butler standing in front of her. "Are you alright?" he asked again. "Umm," Kat cleared her throat, "yes, I'm fine." He offered her the tray of biscuits. "Thank you," Kat said softly. "You're welcome," the butler replied politely.

He settled back into his seat across from Kat. As Kat nibbled on the biscuit, she said, meeting his gaze, "I remember that night." Kat got ready to speak, her hands fumbling with the edge of her hoodie. "I..." Sebastian interrupted, "It's not necessarily something we have to talk about now if you're not comfortable." Sebastian noticed her discomfort. "No, I'm fine. I was just a little jolted by the sudden burst of memories, that's all," she assured him. "If you're sure, then please proceed with what you were about to say.

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I narrated everything to Sebastian. His expression remained neutral as I explained everything to him, from encountering the husky to meeting the old lady. Throughout my explanation, his expressions stayed unreadable.

"And after that, I lost consciousness, and the next morning, I woke up here," I concluded.

His expression turned calculative as he processed my words. "Seems there is more to the situation than I thought," he remarked. "I admit I haven't come across such a case before."

"I don't think anyone could have heard of such a thing. Hearing myself talk now, I could almost call myself crazy," I admitted with a soft chuckle. "But here I am, in another world, which I still find hard to believe or wrap my head around."

He nodded understandingly. "My apologies," he said. "You must have been quite confused and disoriented when you found yourself here."

"I understand the situation more clearly now, but it doesn't change the fact that your sudden arrival is quite suspicious and has caused quite a stir. Half the castle would have been aware of this by now and are already suspicious of you," he explained, his tone serious yet polite.

"I see. Would you be able to send me back home?"

"I must ask you to be patient. Investigations will go on, and the issue has to be assessed by the king, who is quite busy at the moment. It may take a while before he can attend to it."

My face fell at the prospect of waiting longer. "How long is 'a while'?" I asked.

"It could be until tomorrow or the day after that, or longer, I cannot say specifically," he replied. 'What I don't want is to stay here with people who believe I'm a witch and want to burn me alive,' I thought to myself. "Can't you inform him this is urgent?" I asked in a little panic. 'So far, the butler is the only sane person I have met. I don't want to be stuck in this place. Who knows, I could be attacked or worse'.

Sebastian's eyes seemed to spark with a hint of amusement, he smiled at her words. "I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. As the king, he is always extremely busy with important matters to attend to. My apologies."

"You say that like my being stuck here isn't extremely important," Kat said, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"That isn't what I meant, Miss Kat. I'm sorry, it was never my intention," he apologized and bowed."

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"Oh no, no," Kat exclaimed, waving her hands in front of her. "Don't mind me; I guess I'm just a little bit frustrated, and I took it out on you. Sorry."

As her thoughts drifted, Kat wondered what the king looked like. She imagined him to be an older man, probably older than the butler, with an aged face showing his wisdom as a king and his long time in power.

"For the time being, I will take you to the room where you will be staying," the butler said, rising from his seat.

He escorted Kat out of the study, insisting on helping her with her suitcases. As they walked down the corridor of the castle, the tires of the suitcases made a soft squeaking noise against the smooth marble floor. They took several turns along the way, navigating the maze-like halls until they arrived in front of a wooden door adorned with magnificent carvings.

With a gentle push, the butler opened the door, revealing a spacious guest room beyond. The door was already slightly ajar, as if inviting me to step inside.

As I stepped into the room, I was greeted by a sight of a royal setting. The bed, positioned in the center of the room, was fit for royalty, large enough to comfortably accommodate four people. Its ornate frame was adorned with intricate carvings, and plush velvet drapes hung elegantly from the canopy above.

The room itself was decorated in a regal style, with rich tapestries adorning the walls and antique furniture. The windows, adorned with heavy velvet curtains, let in a soft, dim light that bathed the room in a warm glow.

Outside, beyond the windows, the sky wasn't too bright as the clouds had formed, covering the sun's rays. Despite the muted light, she could still see the sprawling grounds of the castle, bathed in the soft glow of the sun. "Not bad," she muttered.

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As I observed my surroundings, Sebastian stepped forward, smiling subtly. "I hope you find the accommodations to your liking, miss," he said courteously.

I nodded, with a subtle smile on my lips. "Thank you," I expressed, appreciatively. "Please ring the bell in the middle if you need my assistance for anything," he said, gesturing to the row of golden bells on the wall. They were small and delicately crafted, shimmering in the soft light of the room. "And it would be safest for you to stay here and not wander about."

With a final nod, Sebastian took his leave, leaving me alone in the room. As I settled in, the events of the day swirled through my mind, and I found myself anticipating the days to come.

I lay on the plush bed, staring at the ceiling covered in paintings. After a few minutes had passed, I was beginning to feel bored. "Ahhh, so bored," I sighed.

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A young girl made her way through the corridor, her black hair tied up neatly. Despite her petite stature, her face exuded innocence with its small and simple features. Dressed in a maid uniform, she moved with nervousness evident in her heavy steps. Coming to a stop in front of a wooden door, she took a deep breath, attempting to mask her worry with a faltering smile. Bringing her hand to the surface of the door in a clenched fist, she knocked softly. "Milady?" she called out uncertainly.

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Still lying in the plush bed, enveloped in complete silence, I shifted towards the side where one of my suitcases stood. Retrieving two chocolate bars from it, I unwrapped one, savoring each bite with a contented hum. "Chocolate truly fixes everything," I muttered with a satisfied smile.

Suddenly, a knock echoed through the room. "Milady?" came a girl's voice from the other side of the door. Standing up, I approached the door cautiously. I wasn't about to open it for just anyone, except for Sebastian. "Really, in a castle this grand, they can't even install a peephole," I grumbled, rolling my eyes. "Who's there?" I asked.

"My lady, I was sent by Sir Sebastian to assist you," came the reply.

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Kat hesitated before opening the door, just enough to peek through. Seeing it was only the maid, she quickly checked if anyone else was with her. Once she confirmed she was alone, Kat welcomed her in. "Good afternoon, my lady," the maid said with a bow. Kat stepped aside, allowing her to enter before closing the door behind her.

The maid stared at Kat without a word, her expression betraying a hint of fear. Kat noticed the girl's unease and cleared her throat to regain her attention. "I... I am sorry, miss!" the maid stammered, bowing nervously. "I was sent to help you with your bath!"

Kat couldn't understand why the girl was so frightened. "You don't have to apologize. Thank you for coming," Kat replied with a warm smile. "My pleasure, my lady. Please, this way," the maid gestured, regaining her composure. "You can just call me Kat. What's your name?" Kat asked.

"Vivian, my lady," Vivian replied, her voice still trembling slightly. "You have a pretty name," Kat commented, trying to ease the tension.

"Thank you," Vivian replied.

Leading Kat to a door, Vivian opened it as they entered. Kat took note of the intricate tilework adorning the walls and the ornate fixtures that adorned the room. The bathroom exuded a royal setting, with a spacious bathtub positioned in the center and elevated by two steps. On the edges of the tub were bottles of scented oil and lavender-scented soap, filling the air with a soothing aroma. Nearby, a towel rack held neatly folded white fluffy towels, ready for use.

"May I help you with your clothes, my lady?" Vivian asked respectfully. Kat chuckled when she heard Vivian didn't call her by her name again. "I appreciate the offer but preferably, no thank you."

As Kat settled into the tub, the steaming water enveloped her. Vivian poured in lavender-scented soap, known for its soothing properties. Glancing at Kat's face, Vivian noted how beautiful she was, her eyes coming to land on Kat's smooth black skin. "So pretty," she muttered subconsciously, realizing and quickly apologizing. Kat giggled. "Thank you, Vivian," Kat said, smiling.

Vivian recalled how rumors of Kat had been spreading among the maids. They said all sorts of scary things about Kat and how she attacked people in the courtyard that morning. Vivian had initially been frightened of Kat, especially when tasked with assisting her by the butler. She wanted to plead with Sebastian, but his stern face scared her off. However, her fears were dispelled upon meeting Kat now. She didn't seem anything like what they said. She was friendly and sweet, exuding warmth.

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Settling into the water, I felt a slight discomfort being observed by Vivian, who, although not staring directly, respectfully averted her gaze.

Vivian hesitated, her gaze lingering on me. "Would you like me to assist you with scrubbing, my lady?" she offered tentatively. I shook my head politely. "Thank you, Vivian, but I'm comfortable doing it myself," I laughed.

"As you wish, my lady," she replied, stepping back to give me some space.

"So, how old are you?" I asked, trying to start a conversation as the girl seemed shy. "Nineteen, milady," she replied. "Hmmm," I hummed in response. "How long have you been working here?" "For three years, milady," she replied. "Oh I see."

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Vivian bowed gracefully, announcing she would fetch lunch for Kat. Left alone in the bathroom, Kat sat in the soothing warmth.

As Vivian walked through the hall towards the kitchen to retrieve lunch for Kat, she was suddenly pulled to the side by two maids. She was startled at first, but later saw they were just her friends. "What are you doing, guys? You scared me," she said, placing her hand on her chest.

Both eager to inquire about the witch, they bombarded Vivian with questions. "So what happened? How did she look like? Did she try to kill you? What did she say to you?" Vivian, still trying to gather her thoughts, replied, "She's nothing like what you guys told me," shaking her head. "What, don't tell me she hurt you," one of the maids said, searching for any signs of injury, worry evident on their faces.

Vivian's small voice spoke, "No, she didn't," she assured. "She's a good person; she isn't a witch. It must have just been a misunderstanding," she defended. "Misunderstanding?! She attacked a guard, what misunderstanding could that be?" said the same maid who asked if Vivian was hurt. "I don't know, but she's not like that," Vivian tried to convince them. "Oh, Vivian, you are too nice. You are always trying to see the better in everyone, but some people are just evil, okay," they warned.

"She isn't evil; she's beautiful and would never hurt someone. I have only known her for a very short time, but she seemed fine and was quite pleasant," Vivian defended Kat's character, insisting that she didn't appear to be a witch and had been nothing but kind so far.

"You should both listen and not pay attention to rumors," Vivian advised them sternly before excusing herself, continuing on her way to fetch the lunch tray. Meanwhile, Kat had already emerged from the bathroom, her robe tied securely around her as she settled in front of the dressing table, drying her wet hair with a towel.

Returning to the room, Vivian found Kat already settled in, wrapped in a cozy robe, trying to dry her hair by the dressing table. She placed the tray of food on the nearby table.