บท 3: 3 Made Maid
The car ride to the Adler mansion was silent and brooding. Elijah sat reading a book as Alissa stared out the window in wonder. Other than going to pick up groceries she had never been out of the house much. Watching the hills and fields pass by left her mind without thought. She stated at fields of blues yellows and pinks and wondered what it would be like to run away to them. Never feeling the misery and heartache of her life. Letting it fade into the past.
She looked over at the stranger she was to live with and cursed herself for having this life. Who is to say that this would be a turning point of good? He seems to be worse off than her parents. Staring coldly at any and everyone. What makes him so angry at the world?
Elijah looked over to see the girl staring at him, deep in thought. He looked back down at his book, not even reading the words.
"What is it." The words conveyed a question but the tone said differently.
"I was just wondering what will be asked of me in my new position."
"Rosita, the head maid at the manor, will answer that for you. Don't stare at me. I don't like it."
"There are quite a few things you've done already that I don't like, but I haven't been so bold as to tell you that. Maybe thats just a courtesy us maid's have."
"Maybe it is. I wouldn't know."
"What's your problem?"
"Stop talking." His anger flared up, filling the girl with terror. But she wouldn't back down.
"Fine, 'Your Majesty'." The sarcasm tasted good in Alissa's mouth. She wouldn't go down without a fight.
He looked up from his book, cold blue eyes throwing daggers at her pale face. The car filled with tension you could cut with a butter knife.
"You are my play thing. My item. My pet. I tell you to run, you run until your legs give out. I tell you to scream, you scream until your voice is raw. I am your master. You may call me 'Your Majesty' but if you dare raise your sarcastic sneer to me again you feel the force of the back of my hand. Do you understand, pet?" He seethed with rage so deadly it felt like the sun ran away, leaving murderous darkness to crowd the tiny car.
Alyssa sighed. "I thought you would be fun, at least." She stared back out the window. "You must really hate eye contact. That's fine, though. Just thought you'd be different. No matter." She looked back up at him, a slight smile gracing her face. "I'll be your pet, your majesty."
Nothing else was said for the rest of the drive and Alyssa stared quietly out the window. Samuel cracked a smile as he drove, thinking about how the lord may have finally found his match, not that he'd ever admit it.
Elijah watched the girl intently as she traced her finger along the window, following the lines of the horizon. His face felt weird, and soon he realized it was because his grimace had faltered. He grunted and went back to his book.
The mansion was grand, that was for sure. So much larger than her own house. It rose so high you had to crane your neck to see the tip. It was made of stone, like a castle in a story book. Windows were framed with white wood, the glass glaring in the light of the sun. Walking through the large maroon wooden doors led to a foyer adorned with dark espresso wood tables topped with green plants. A small den was to the left, small compared to the mansion anyway. Elijah probably felt cramped in their den. At the end of the foyer, a grand white staircase led up to a second floor.
On the stairs stood two women. Both wearing maid uniforms.
"Rosita, take Alissa to the room next to mine. She is my personal maid. Tomorrow you'll take her through what will be asked of her."
"Yes, my lord. Come with me dear."
Alissa followed Rosita to the second floor. Two doors sat right by each other. Both dark espresso wood with a white trim.
"Your is on the left, ma'am. I warn you not to enter his room unless asked, specifically. There is a bathroom in between the two rooms. Though, if you'd rather not use it there is one down the hall to the right. Amelia and I share it but we wouldn't mind sharing it with you as well."
"Wow, thank you so much!"
"Don't fret too much over anything he says. He may be scary, rude, and angry, but he's never laid a hand on any of us."
"Thank you for the advice."
"Dinner will be done in about an hour. The lord can walk you there." Rosita walked away, most likely toward the kitchen.
Alissa opened the door to her new room and was astonished. The bed was a four poster Alaskan king with a ruby canopy covering it. The blankets ruby silk with black rose details covering it. An ottoman sat at the foot of the bed toppled with black velvet. The dresser was large in the corner, dark espresso with gold accents. A vanity sat by the bed with a large mirror trimmed in gold. Across from the door was a large balcony. Alyssa wandered over to it and stared out at a fountain spraying water over an expanse of blue. The "pool", though it seemed more of a pond, was framed by different flowers and plants not usually seen in this area. Alissa rested her arms against the banister of the balcony and stared out at the beautiful view, almost in a trance until a dark voice rang out from her right.
"Rest for today. Get used to the house. Tomorrow I want you in the study after Rosita has gone over everything. And Rosita has been warned, you are to use the bathroom connected to your room."
"Alright, then, your majesty. I was just going to bathe. Don't bother me."
Alissa turned on her heel and headed into the room without giving him a chance to respond leaving him on his separate balcony alone.
As she walked into her new room she realized she didn't have any clothes. Not wanting to bother asking him when her things would be delivered to her room, she opted to bathe and go to bed feeling the silk on her bare skin.
She ran the water, making it as hot as she could tolerate, adding shampoo that smelled altogether too manly because she didn't have anything else. As she shrugged down into the water, letting the day melt away, and smiling to herself at the glaringly angry man just behind the other door.
Just then, the door knob turned giving way to the figure pushing it open.
"Your clothes have been packed in your dresser. Other miscellaneous items you brought are in boxes on the floor."
"Thanks" Alissa giggled at the bright red flush she could see in the mirror. "Your majesty."
Elijah slammed the door closed at the sound of her laughter.
"So the demon can feel something other than anger."
Alissa climbed out of the tub a while later and retreated to her room. Walking to the dresser for clothes she noticed a phone on the top. Opening it she saw one message.
'Come to my room when you're done so I can walk you to the dining room. This phone is yours. Do not share my number with a single soul. That includes any other member of the staff.'
'Sure thing, your majesty.'
After replying and saving his number under 'Demon Majesty', Alissa dressed and walked through the bathroom to the lair of the madman.
Walking in, Alissa decided to greet him warmly just to mess with him.
"Evening, Lijah. Oops, I mean, your maj-"
She stopped mid sentence at the sigh of his back, covered in tiger stripes. Mesmerized and lost in a daze she forgot herself and walked over to him, her fingers slightly touching his back before a shudder went through him. Her fingers were crushed in the force of his grip.
"Do. Not. Touch. Me." His voice was quiet but somehow that was worse than if he had screamed at her.
She tried to take her hand back but he wouldn't let go. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize what I was doing. How did that happen? Although, you probably don't want to tell me. Anyway, let's go to dinner. Do you know what we're having? And could you please let go of my hand becauseitreallyhurtsandithinkyoumaybebreakingitsopleaseletgo..."
"Shut up!" She was right. Him screaming wasn't nearly as bad as him talking quietly in the tone he used before. He let go of her hand and she tried to hold in the whimper but felt a tear escape her eye.
"I think I can manage to find the dining room. Thanks, anyway, your majesty."
"Wait." Alissa walked out of the door that led to the hallway and wandered aimlessly, holding her injured hand to her stomach. Better to wander, alone and lost, than to have his angry breath in her ears.
Soon she heard voices and followed them thinking they would lead to the dining room. Instead she found the kitchen full of hustle and bustle. Smells wafted to her nose that made her mouth water.
"Hello. You're a new face." A deep baritone voice beckoned to her. "You must be Allison."
"Her name is Alissa, Barry." Amelia answered back. "The lord wants you to go to the study. It's out the door, to the right, down the hall. The doors will be open."
"Oh. Okay. Thanks."
Walking into the study, the view blinded her from her pain, making her forget about it. The left wall was lined with books from the floor to the eighteen foot high ceiling. A rolling ladder was there as well to reach the higher books. The right wall had a giant fireplace where the fire was going. Three chairs were in the room. All were ruby red with gold lining but the one behind the desk was larger. One of the smaller ones was opposite the desk while the other was in front of the fireplace. Behind the desk was a window spanning the width of the wall and standing nine feet high.
Alyssa went to check out the wide selection of books but as she lifted her hand to it she was reminded of the pain. She hissed aloud as she cradled her hand, again.
"If you weren't so brazen maybe you wouldn't be in pain. Sit down."
"If you weren't so mean I'd be fine. Although, that would be less fun." Alyssa walked over to the fireplace.
"So, is this special treatment or do we all get to look through your books?"
"I told you to come here so the doctor could look at your hand. However, you may look at the books, should you wish. Unless the door is closed."
"Oh. Thank you, Lijah."
"You've called me that twice now. Why?"
"Sorry, force of habit." A haunted look crossed her face for only a second.
"Elijah. I'm missing dinner for this. What do you want?" A man entered in a doctors jacket with a stethoscope around his neck. He seemed kind of haunches over as if he had back problems. His eyes were a dark brown that almost resembled mahogany.
"Her hand was hurt. Make sure it isn't broken." Elijah went to his desk and sat at his chair.
"Hello, miss. I don't see women in the house unless they're in maid uniform. Am I to assume tha-."
"Assume nothing and work quietly." Elijah grumbled.
"Show me your range of motion, please."
Alyssa turned her hand slightly to the left and right wincing through the motion.
"Well, it isn't broken but I'm afraid you've got quite the sprain. I'll send a brace over in the morning for you to use but for the next few weeks you won't be able to do much with it. Use ice for fifteen minutes every hour and take tylenol and ibuprofen as needed. I'll write a prescription for some pain meds and have them sent over with the brace. Until then take these. There's only three so take them sparingly until the rest come." The doctor waved to Elijah and left as quickly as he had come.
"Dinner will be brought here. Until then entertain yourself."
Alyssa walked over to the bookcase and meandered through the titles, settling on an old book of fairy tales. She nestled by the fireplace, opening the book.
"Your phone has Rosita's number in it as well. Message her if you need anything."
"That's not necessary. She shouldn't wait on me. I'm not the lady of the house."
"When your hand heals you can feel that way. Until then, you are not to do anything yourself."
"I know it isn't your forte but maybe a nicer way to put that is 'I'm sorry I sprained your hand. Please don't do anything to injure it further.'" Alyssa rolled her eyes at him.
Silence passed through them as they both looked away, one reading her book and the other doing his work.
"I am." Alissa darted her eyes to the voice that broke the thick silence though he still hadn't looked at her.
"What?" Alyssa was confused and shocked.
"Sorry. For hurting your hand. I don't like to be touched." His eyes still hadn't met hers.
"I'm sorry, too. I have scars I don't like to have touched. They may not be visible but still. So I'm sorry."
Elijah looked up then and met her eyes. The anger she had become so used to had disappeared completely. He stared at her for a moment before turning back to his work on his desk. Alyssa turned back to the book in her hands.
Rosita emerged through the doors wheeling in a cart with silver platters covered in domes on it.
"Dinner, sir."
"Leave it. You're off for the night."
"My lord." Rosita disappeared from the room again.
"Sit in the other chair so your food can sit on the desk." He cleared his throat and looked away as he finished his words with "Please."
Alissa smiled at his back as he set the food on the desk. They ate silently and once finished, Amelia came and took the dishware leaving two glasses of water and some tea for the two of them.
"Take your medicine with your water."
Alissa did as she was told and sat back with her book and a cup of tea. He did his work and she read her book for a while.
"I'm heading to bed, the study has to be locked through the night. If you'd like to continue reading you'll have to take the book with you."
Silence answered him. He looked up, angry at being ignored, and was surprised to see a sleeping figure curled into the chair.
"You're going to be trouble."
Elijah put out the fire and turned out the lights as he picked her up. He walked her to her room and placed her in her bed. Her lips parted softly as she spoke quietly. "Don't leave, Lijah." She whispered.
Elijah sighed and sat on her bed until she was deep in sleep again.
Closing the door behind him, he left her alone in her room.
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