Grey Lillies

by

Meli J Nightly

-- Chapter 2 --

Stairs, that man and beautiful lillies. The same kind of liliies I saw in the hospital. The same three lillies I took with me. They have withered by now, but not my insatiable need to find out who I really am. However I often wonder if my life is something that I really should not know about. As far as I'm concerned, I am just a maid, with no family other than the Winchester family. They are a wealthy family in Versailles. Though I can't help but notice, how unhappy they are. Was I happy before? I wonder. I still can't find that answer, but everytime I think of that man whose face I cannot see in my dreams my heart skips a beat, as girlish as it may sound.

How can I love a faceless man?

Days had gone by pretty quickly in Europe, days became months, snow became water and the water nurtured the soil, blooming wonderful flowers all around. The Winchester Summer home was as big as their home in Versailles. Everyday Samantha did her morning chores, cleaning each room with impecable detail, putting all her masters files in order. After she was done with her normal chores she was to attend the young master. First thing, wake him up.

"It's a beautiful morning sir Maxwell, you are not planning to stay in bed all day are you?" Samantha opened up the curtains to shed light in the dark and gloomy room. Her tone was always a kind and cheery one. Maxwell Winchester, was an only son and sole heir of the Winchester Corporation. They had their riches from building boats to yachts for other powerful people. However they held another secret buisiness which made them have even more riches than their own Corporation.

"Miss Sam... just ten more minutes, please," a groggy voice pleaded from inside black satin bed sheets. She still couldn't get used to the fact that she was called 'Miss Samantha' by her young master, but he would not call her name without addressing her as Miss.

The other maids were really happy that Samantha was there, for they were not responsible of waking up Maxwell Winchester. They knew that it was nearly impossible for them to wake him up and after the utter failure they would always get scolded. But now the responsibility laid on Samantha and she made it look like a piece of cake. Maxwell was in his mid twenties almost the same age as dear Samantha, but he was childish and spoiled in many ways.

"If you don't wake up, I am not going to make the banana muffins you like so much..." Samantha persuaded him with serious tone and hand on her hips pose.

Maxwell sighed and knew that her banana muffins were the highlight of the day. She still did not know how she remembered how to make those. Just that one day she ate a banana and that triggered the recipe to come up in her mind. But even so she did not know where she learned it from. "It's better than nothing, I guess." She thought to herself as she began picking up Maxwell's dirty clothes. His eyes began to follow her every move, she soon felt it. She had felt eyes following her every move before... his fathers, . But the older man's eyes made her very uncomfterable, while Maxwell's eyes were more "innocent". Samantha turned to face him and smiled, "Yes, may I help you?"

The young man blushed when he realized he had been caught, he gave her a nervous smiled and said, "No, nothing."

"Well I already prepared the bath for you. It will be good if you go in soon or it will get cold."

"Will do!" Maxwell said cheerfully. Everyone could see that he had changed from a depressed young man to a quite joyful one, specially when he was around Samantha. "Oh, Miss Samantha-"

"Yes, sir Maxwell?"

"Can you meet me in the back garden in the evening right before the sun sets?" He asked her expectantly. His voice shaky from time to time.

She curtsied, "Yes, of course. As soon as I finish helping your father with the books... I'll be more than happy to accompany you."

"My father still has you working like a slave in those books, doesn't he? I am deeply sorry. That responsibility should be mine, but I am not any good with numbers."

"Oh, please young master. Do not say such things. I am delighted to be of help to your family. After all I am in your fathers debt. He saved my life," she explained whole heartedly and with the most sincere smile.

Maxwell's smile faded. He very well knew the truth, that his father hadn't really saved her, that she never worked for them. But he had grown so fond of her that he had become so selfish and decided to play along with his father. In doing so he avoided the questions that Samantha made about herself and her past, since he didn't want to lie more than he needed to. At times he felt sorry for the poor girl, but even though he only knew her for a few months, he had grown to appreciate her presence.

Samantha pulled back her long light brown hair with a white scrunchy. Her uniform seemed to suffocate her, it was like she wasn't used to wearing such clothing. Strange she thought since she had supposedely worked for them 'for years'. She unbuttoned one of the buttons that went up to her neck. After all the Mistress wasn't around and she was usually the strict one when it came to the uniform, but it seemed she only scolded her, asking her to button up her blous up to her neck. "I wonder why she dislikes me so much... could I have done something to upset her and now I just don't remember?"

O.o.o.O

"What news do you have on that woman?" Emir questioned the two man in black suits.

"Sir Emir, we have reports from agents in Europe. She is with the Winchester family... working as their maid.

"A servant?!" He burst out in laughter. "Well... well isn't that nice. She prefers to be their maid than to be with us. A smart one, that girl is, I tell ya." He continued to laugh in between words.

The other man in a black suit continued with the report, "We also have information that she still might not have her memory back."

Emir's expression turned into a serious one in no time. He combed his black hair with his hand. Emir was far different from his brother in many ways, from his straight black hair, his blue eyes, he was shorter than his brother and the fact that he hated Samantha. Emir reached into his pocket and took out a tin. He stared at it for a moment in silent contemplation, decidingly he took out a cigarette, he lit it and before placing it in his mouth he smiled. "I will give the report to my brother myself."

One of the man gulped and apologized, "I am trully sorry Sir Emir, but I was ordered directly by the young MasterNathaniel to personally give him the report."

"Are you forgetting who is the older one in this family?" Emir asked menacingly. His eyes pleading to be defied. He hated that his brother had more power over him, that his father left Nathaniel as a sucessor and not him. After all he was the older one, but her very well knew who his father's favorite was.

"I understand Sir Emir-"

"It seems you do not understand... that I am too a Vanderwood. And as such you also have to obey me..."Before he could finish Emir had burried the lit up cigaratte in one of the agents hands. The agent did his best to control the pain. While the other one kept on looking forward trying to avoid Emir's eyes. "I will take the report to my brother. You will both continue the surveillance for that broad." He tapped on the hurting agents soldier's shoulder and smirked, "Keep the cigarette."

O.o.o.O

Numbers came quite easily for our dear Samantha. It was like a second language for her. Even if she did not know what those numbers meant or what in reality they personified, she continued to do her work. What for Mr. Winchester and his accountants seemed impossible for Samantha it was something she could solve with her hands tied. The accountants were mesmerized by her ability to find irregularities in the accounting books and the fact that she was able to save millions with few numbers moved here and there. But soon however the accountants stopped showing up and all who were left in that room was her with those books and Mr. Winchester.

She sometimes dreaded those hours. His gaze would never leave her, she tried to tell herself that maybe he could not trust her and that's why he never left her side. But she was soon to realize that her theory was all wrong.

"You know Samantha... you are very beautiful," the man cooed in her ear, Sam was so concetrated that she nearly jumped at the sound of his voice so near. "Your beautiful shiny hair, your skin which looks so soft and delicate... like porcelain." His voice was raspy and she could feel his breathing so close to her ear. He placed his right hand on Samantha's head, stroking her hair softly. The young woman reacted quickly by nearly jumping off her seat.

"Mr. Winchester?" She had a puzzled look on her face. That is exactly what she always tried to dismiss. But the old man did not desist instead he seemed more aroused by her reaction.

"Oh, I know you might not remember. But we used to have so much fun when Mrs. Winchester was out shopping," he cackled.

"That can't be true!" Her thoughts screamed out. Her green eyes opened wide in disbelief, it was true she could not remember anything, but she knew in her heart she could have never done such a thing. Not to her mistress. She would never be able to betray someone. It felt like it wasn't her. "Mr. Winchester... I'm sorry. But I don't think I-"

He already had her pinned to the wall before he could let her finish. His lips almost touching hers, she quickly moved her face away from his and tears began to stream down her face. "Why does it have to be like this?!"

His hand tried to roam up her thigh, she did her best to move away from him but his grip was strong. "Oh, come on Samantha. Let me show you how much you enjoyed it."

"NO!!" She let out a scream. He immediately let her go when he heard a percipitated knock on his office door. "Sir, is everything okay?" Came a concerned voice of a maid.

"Yes! Everything is fine. Did I not tell you not to bother me when I am in my office!?!" The other maid left without saying anything else. Mr. Winchester pressed his hand against Samantha's mouth, her thoughts were the only ones able to scream. "No, please. God make him stop." She could feel the warm tears washing down like an endless waterfall.

"Do not scream again, or you will be sorry. Is this the thanks I get for saving your life?"

Samantha still could not believe what was happening. All of a sudden her life had taken a 180 degree change for the worse. What was she to do?

"I will not force you," Sam's eyes widened, did he really mean that? Or was he just toying with her? And as if he was reading her mind, he answered, "This doesn't mean I will stop persisting. I will make you free willingly give yourself to me. It couldn't be that you're a virgin..." He laughed at the thought of the twenty year old woman being a virgin, her expression went blank and his voice sounded farther and farther away, faint but it was there. "So you are. Well then we will do something about that. Until you decide to give yourself to me... you will go to sleep without dinner."

A sudden flashback hit her like a train.

"Is it because the young master has been with many woman?" Samantha found herself asking to a man in front of her, his face unable to be seen. He had seen that man before in her dreams, in those stairs.

But his voice resounded her soul. "No, it's because you're an innocent virgin." He said it with a small chuckle and a caring tone. He placed a hand in her cheek stroking it gently but she did not move. "I don't ever want you to lose your innocence. Not until you're ready and until you are trully in love with that person that deserves you." Her heart felt warm that time, with those words, with that hand. Who was that man?

When her flashback was over she found herself alone in the office, her back still pinned to the wall. She hadn't noticed when Mr. Winchester had left, everything seemed like bad dream. She slid down the wall resting her head over her knees. She finally remembered something, those words that that man had said, meant something. If only she knew who he was exactly, if only she had proof that it had been real. Even so it must've been important for her to remember, she would keep her innocence intact until she could actually remember who she loved... or if she had ever loved at all.

O.o.o.O

"Oh dear brother..." The short man called out in a sing song voice.

"Emir," his older brother acknowledged coldly.

"Guess what I have for you," Emir teased while pulling a chair to sit next to his younger brother.

"What?"

"Come on. Guess!" He insisted.

"I don't have time for your games Emir. What do you have for me?"

The shorter man norrowed his blue eyes at him and commented sarcastically, "You know even though you're my younguer brother. Why does it feel that I am the one who owes respect to you?"

"Because you never got your act together. It was always me the one who had to look after the business after you decided to go partying and wasting your money on drugs and women," Nathan put it bluntly. He brushed a wavy strand of his black hair covering his right eye. His eyes were grey and they already gave of a cold look, but with his attitude his eyes made him look even more dangerous.

"I changed my ways." Emir crossed his arms nonchalantly. Nathan proceeded to ignore his brother's complaints. "Okay, okay. I'll tell you. We have information on Samantha."

That definitely bought back his attention and it made his older brother smirk with delight to know that he did have a weak point. Samantha. "What do you have on her?"

"She's with the Winchester family. On her own free will. She is working for them as a servant and book keeper. We paid Winchester's accountants to tell us what they knew about Winchester's sudden growth with his Corporation. They were so mad that they were fire that they actually sang like birds for mere crumbs. Seems he's trying to become more powerful than us, he is earning millions all thanks to Samantha..."

Nathaniel broke the pen he was holding in half. But it wasn't the fact that the Winchester's were becoming more powerful, it was the fact that Samantha had decided to be with them willingly.

"She's a traitor Nathan. She-"

"Does she have her memory back?" Nathan did not want to hear his brother's opinions, he only needed to know if she was okay. If she had recovered her memory, he had a wist of hope that maybe she was still without her memory and that maybe something happened in order for her to cross paths with the Winchester's. He knew Charles Winchester had it in for him and his family.

Emir cocked an eyebrow, "She's lucid according to the reports. She seems to have recovered her memory. Like I said she's with them willingly. Which is why I imaginge they decided to take her to Europe."

"Europe. I see."

"Don't tell me you are going to go after her. After all she's just a servant." His words were sharp.

Nathan knew there was nothing he could do if she had wanted to go willingly. And that is exactly what Emir intended his lie to do. He had wanted to get rid of Samantha since they were little, he felt his brother was taken away from him by her. His father also made a big deal about Samantha's ability which diminished him even more, he ended up being compared to his younger brother. But it was being compared to a servant girl that irritated him the most.

"If that is what she chose. I will not go against it. Now onto business I need the reports on the Winchester's family business."

"The old man clearly stated that he would always protect the Winchester's assetts. They provide us good 'fundings' you know," Emir reminded him of the money that they paid in order for them to keep their mouth shut and let their buisiness strive in Versailles.

"Our father is dead. I am not going to continue in his footsteps. The Winchester family is making dirty money... and I need to know how," Nathaniel said firmly.

"Are you sure this isn't about Samantha?"

"Do not mention her name anymore in my presence," he ordered.

Emir lifted up his hands in defense and hid a small grin. "Fine, I apologize. I will find out what is up with the Winchester's dirty laundry. Were you responsible to scare out the Picotti family out of Versailles? They too provided us a lot of money." He sighed when he saw his brother was in no mood to answer his questions or hear what he had to say.

"I am going to clean out this city from scumbag families like those."

"Tsk. tsk. The old man is probably turning over on his grave dissapointed on his heir." Emir taunted him one last time and left.

Nathan was left wondering of what his older brother had said, if he was actually doing it because of Samantha. He shook those thoughts out of his head, he no longer would think of Samantha. "I will forget you. So forget me."

O.o.o.O

Samantha had washed her face. Her eyes were still red from all the crying the sudden orange rays of the sun let her know that the sun was about to set. She gasped, "I have to meet young master Winchester out in the garden." Wiping her face as fast as she could she ran out of the house and into the large garden at the back of the she reached her destination she was out of breath.

"You didn't need to run. I wasn't going anywhere."

She turned to see Maxwell sitting on a bench. He was smiling at her sweetly, she curtsied and tried to do the same but she could barely crack a smile. The sun had already gone down and only the moon shined on them.

He stared at her intently, even though there wasn't enough light he could feel that there was something wrong. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Ye-yes. I just have a slight headache," she lied. But there was no way he could tell Maxwell what kind of father he had.

"We should call the doctor. Maybe you are coming down with something." He said alarmed while placing his hand on her forehead. She gave one step back without thinking, the fact that he just extended his hand out of nowhere made her reflex. "I- I'm trully sorry Miss Samantha. I meant no disrespect." Maxwell blushed since he too did it without thinking.

"No, I apologize. I'm not thinking clearly," she explained, a bit embarrased about her sudden reaction.

He couldn't help but laugh a little. She looked up at him confused, he was handsome indeed, tall and looked very sophisticated. His hazel eyes did not dim with the night, his blond hair glistened with the moonlight. There was no doubt he was born in high society. The silence was becoming awkward, Samantha tried her best to avoid looking at him, she wasn't in the best of moods and definitely wasn't feeling up to talking.

"I called you here," Maxwell started, "because there is something I've been meaning to tell you..." Samantha still avoided to look at him, but he decided to continue anyway. "Miss Samantha. I-I... I think I am in love with you."

If it hadn't been enough with the depraved old man now she had to deal with his son. With still barely any memories or any idea of who she really was, she was stuck in a limbo of pure nothingness. She couldn't even dare to think about what would happen if Maxwell's parents found out that his only son was in love with a servant. How much more could she be able to endure?

To be continued...