Kapitel 36: THE STRANGE MIRROR

"Trying hard to seduce me?" He asked, with a smirk tugging on his lips. Vilian snapped open her eyes, and her breath hitched, seeing him only an inch away from her. She could not protest against his words, caught up with his handsome features, and once again shuddered when she felt his fingers on her shoulder which made her look down.

A beautiful knot was done on her shoulder which made her speechless and without a word, Astrel got down from the bed. Her face was turned beet red. She felt like digging herself a grave then and there.

"I...that... I didn't... Wait..." She gasped and covered herself with a blanket as if she was naked under the duvet, not remembering herself dressed in the yellow frock. As if reading her mind he said,

"You were changed into new clothes when you weren't in your conscious state..."

"Stop... Stop..." She yelled interrupting and covering her reddened ears, not willing to hear anything anymore as if it was something sinful, trying hard to not think of the worst scenarios. He felt amusing by her behaviors and expressions, which made him chuckle. Shy but fierce at the same time, how odd, he thought. "Please don't tell me that you were the one who did that," she mumbled in a low voice looking down and pouting her lips.

A loud chuckle escaped from his lips which made her raise her head and frown at him. Astrel leaned forward and tapped in between her eyebrows with his index finger, making Vilian's frown vanish, and said,

"Aren't you wishing for too much, little kitty?" Vilian glared at his question. Suddenly a slight knock came from the door snapping both Vilian and Astrel from their glaring session.

"Wait for me at the study, Falcon," said Astrel, without looking who was at the door, and then the footsteps retreated away from the door. Astrel left Vilian's side walking towards the door, but Vilian stopped him.

"Wait!" She said, a little louder, stopping him. Astrel gave a glance at her. She fiddled her fingers and asked him peering through her long eyelashes,

"Can I know where I am, so that I can leave to my home?"

"You're not leaving. Not today. Dinner will be served to you in this room. You aren't allowed to leave this room unless you'd love to get yourself into trouble, little kitty."

"Wait. Wait. What do you mean I'm not leaving?" She asked, getting down from the bed, which made Astrel give a narrowed look at her. A shrill ran down Vilian's spine just by the look of his and stopped from getting down. "What!! Am I not allowed to get down from this damn bed too?" She asked, annoyingly though she was scared.

"You are asked to take a bed rest, do you get it?" he said. It sounded more like a stern order, walking towards her. Vilian nodded her head without batting her eyelashes. 'Is he concerned about myself?' She asked herself, but on second thought, she disagreed with her thoughts, knowing what kind of a person Astrel was.

"Mr. Astrel, what do you mean by dinner? Is it already dinner time?" She asked confusedly, remembering Astrel mentioning the dinner. Mentioning food, her tummy grumbled out loud in hunger, as it was empty since the morning. Her face turned crimson red in embarrassment.

"Falcon will serve you the food, and listen! I do not have all my time to waste here. So, do as I say, or you'll have to search for yourself. Do you get what I said?" He questioned sternly. Vilian nodded her head without wasting another second, and he left the room. The door closed with a loud thud causing her to flinch.

"What the hell just happened?" thought Vilian to herself and left a long sigh. Despite Astrel's warnings, Vilian's curiosity picked its best to explore the room. She got down from the canopy bed, which was decorated with blue and gold curtains and had a high headboard designed with wooden floral carvings cushioned with soft golden blue satine, The bedsheets were of royal blue satine with a touch of golden floral patterns and the borders of it had the decorations of stylized acanthus leaves.

The nightstand was wood carved with leaves and had the structure of beech wood consisting of three drawers and the top was in blue marble. Its feet were adorned with decorative bronzes. Vilian touched the top of its marble to feel the smoothness. She always enjoyed classical things which gave her the feeling of living in an ancient era. That was what made her feel when she was in this bedroom.

"Woah!! This room is a whole different world. I wonder what the whole mansion looks like, if the room itself gives such a classical luxury look." exclaimed Vilian, her eyes sparkling.

She walked above the soft carpeted floor with her bare legs towards the dresser which was placed on the left corner of the bed. A large dresser in blue shine painted and the top was in blue marble veined of white.

Ornaments were gilt bronze carvings which had them finely handcrafted in the three visible sides of it's handles, feets and shells and the structure was in beech wood, with two large drawers. In front of the dresser was a beautiful blue velvety fabric with a golden wood frame bench for one to have a seat and adore themselves in front of the shiny big mirror which had the golden frame carved of acanthus leaves.

Looking through the mirror she saw her reflection for a long period of time and strangely felt the mirror glistening wobbly. When she reached to touch the mirror, a loud knock was heard on the room door startling her. she heard the same voice which she heard earlier when Astrel was with her. It was Falcon. She tried remembering the name but failed to do so.

"I hope I didn't interrupt the young lady in the wrong time," he said, but there was a frown etched on the butler's face, observing past her and then at her. When Vilian was about to look behind, the butler cleared his throat and spoke,

"I'm afraid you are advised to take more rest than tire yourself roaming in the room."

"Oh, thank you for your concern Mr..." she dragged to let the butler fill his name, which Falcon immediately introduced himself. "Well, Mr. Falcon, What can I say? It is quite boring to stay so long on the bed, you know," she said covering her mouth from the giggle that escaped and she gave a polite smile.

"It is my duty to give my utmost importance to my master's guests. You need not to address me in such way. You may call me Falcon." He said with a dear smile. Gone was the frown from his face replaced with a happiness which was less evident but was caught by Vilian.

"You are elder to me, so I must respect you no matter what," said Vilian, which made the butler unbelievable for he had never met someone being so dear despite him being pretty much contrast to her status. After all he was a butler and she was a daughter of an elite family. Falcon could only bow and say,

"As you wish, Mi'lady. I've brought you the dinner. It is better that you have it before it cools down."

"Yes, yes, I'm really famished already," she said, openly without any hesitation which made the old man speechless. Vilian felt comfortable on the first go with the butler, so she felt the needless of being too formal with the old butler.