A/N:
I wasn't going to update this one so soon, but I'm going to be busy this weekend and next week.
Chapter Three
An Opportunity
Daria's stomach grumbled loudly. She hadn't eaten anything since the night of the robbery. She longed to eat, even just a few berries, but there was absolutely nothing that was edible. It was early in the morning, and the third day of her journey had just begun.
The road was empty as usual, and until now, Daria hadn't seen a single house, inn, or marketplace. In fact, she hadn't seen one human being, except for those bandits. Daria clenched her fists and bit her lip angrily at the thought of them. She felt hopeless and distressed right after she was robbed, but now, she felt nothing but fury and rage inside her.
Daria sighed angrily, and kept on walking. It was quite a sorry sight—a filthy girl in a sooty dress, carrying nothing. But then, there was no one to see the sight. Daria never realized before that Sir Michael's manor was quite a secluded place.
Suddenly, Daria heard the sound of hooves behind her. Her spirit soared, and she immediately turned around. A rider was on his black stallion, and they were travelling at a gruelling pace.
"Stop!" Daria shouted when the rider was near. She daringly stayed on the middle of the road, and frantically waved her arms. "Stop!"
"Whoa!" the rider cried as he pulled on the reigns. His horse neighed loudly, lifted its front legs up high, and stopped right beside Daria.
"Thank you," Daria said breathlessly.
"Trying to kill yourself, lass?" the man joked. He was middle-aged, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He had a tidy beard (not like the one Sir Michael had), and an honest smile.
"I need help," Daria said.
"You look like you do," he replied teasingly. "What can I do for you?"
"I was robbed," Daria said, "and I have no food and no money. I am heading towards the palace."
"The palace, eh?" The man scratched his beard. "Well, you're in luck! I'm heading there myself."
"Can I please ride with you?" Daria begged. "Please?"
"Well…all right," the kind man answered. "Hop on."
Daria boiled with embarrassment. She had never ridden a horse before, and didn't know how to climb on.
"What's wrong?" the man asked. Then he came to realization. "Oh, what a dolt I am!" He smacked his forehead. "I'm so sorry." He got off his horse, and helped Daria up, who now had a very red face.
"Thank you," Daria muttered embarrassedly.
"T'was no trouble, ma'am," the man said politely. He climbed on his horse, and sat in front of Daria. "Since this your first time to ride a horse, I must warn you that it will feel very uncomfortable at first. Oh, and you might want to hold on to my waist."
Daria, who was afraid of the beast that she was sitting on, squeezed his waist a little too tightly.
The man winced (though Daria didn't see it). "My lady," he said, "I very much like to breathe."
Daria began to blush again. "I apologize, sir," she mumbled.
"You may call me Phil," he said. "And you are…?"
"Daria," was all she said.
Phil nodded, and with a light kick at the sides of his horse, they galloped off towards the Frellan palace.
* * *
Phil pulled on the reigns, and the horse slowed to a trot. "It's tired of running," Phil explained to Daria. After a pause, he said, "What were you doing in the middle of the road anyway, miss?"
Daria hesitated. She had been riding with Phil for about thirty minutes now, but she was still very cautious.
Phil sensed her reluctance. "You don't have to answer the question," he said kindly. "I don't like interrogators, and I sure don't want to be one."
"Thank you," Daria said gratefully.
"No problem," he replied. "Anyway, since you wish to remain mysterious, may I tell you things about myself?"
"Certainly," Daria said.
"I had just finished visiting my sick brother when I ran into you. Now, I'm on my way to a manor very near the palace, where I have a lovely wife and a seven-year-old daughter waiting for me."
"Is the manor yours?"
Phil chuckled. "I wish, ma'am, but I am a mere gardener. My master and mistress are Sir Davy and Lady Linelle. They have a daughter named Antoniette, who I think is as old as you. They are very close friends of the royal family."
"Do you like living in the manor?"
Phil shrugged. "I get good days and bad days," he answered.
Then there was silence. During that time, Daria gathered up the courage to ask Phil a question.
She took a deep breath. "Phil?"
"Yes, miss?"
"D-do you think your masters need a new maid?"
"Why do you ask?"
"W-Well, I was dismissed by my mistress," Daria replied. "Now, I need a new place to work in." It wasn't so bad telling Phil after all.
"May I ask why you were dismissed?"
Daria shrugged. "I don't know," she answered, "but I'm glad that I was dismissed. My life in that household is not what I would call gratifying."
"Why?" Phil asked. "Your wages weren't enough?" It was meant to be a joke.
Daria laughed bitterly. "I didn't get wages at all."
Phil instantly stopped his horse when he heard these words. Then he turned to Daria with angry eyes, which frightened Daria a bit. But he wasn't angry at Daria.
"That's outrageous!" he cried furiously. "Why did you not get wages? That's illegal!"
Daria shrugged. "It doesn't matter," she said. "It's all in the past, and I wish to erase that wretched household from my memory."
"How can you forget about it just like that?" Phil asked, hardly believing his ears. "Either you are too foolish or too kind-hearted. Right now, are there other servants in that household who aren't paid?"
Daria shook her head. "No," she said, "all of them get wages." Poor wages that aren't worth working for, she thought to herself.
"Well, I don't understand why you weren't salaried," Phil said. He turned back to the road, and the horse started to trot again.
"I don't either," Daria said.
"If you ask me, you were more like a slave than a maid."
After a thought-filled pause, he said, "I think there is a place for you at my household. Do you wish to work there?"
"Oh, yes!" Daria said joyfully.
"It's settled then," Phil said. "You will be working there. This time though, you will get paid."
* * *
After a few more minutes of riding, Daria was delighted when she saw the very first roofed structure since Sir Michael's manor. It was an extremely small and dirty inn, but Daria was still pleased to see it.
After a few more minutes, she found herself looking at small cottages with children playing at the front, and smoke rising up from chimneys.
A couple of more minutes, and she found herself looking at a busy marketplace with houses around it. Carriages with noble folks inside them passed by, and young children played on the streets. The noise level was impressive, and everywhere, there was merry conversation and laughter.
"We're almost there," Phil said to Daria.
Daria nodded, and absent-mindedly clutched Phil's waist. For some reason, she was nervous. Perhaps it was because of the fact that she had never seen such a sight. She used to be locked inside Sir Michael's manor, away from society such as this, and now, she was free to associate with anyone. It was delicious freedom.
Finally, Phil and Daria came upon a manor. It was large, but not as large as Lady Valene's manor.
"This is one of the biggest manors around here," Phil said.
Daria suddenly realized that Sir Michael and Lady Valene were filthy rich. Actually, Lady Valene was filthy rich since Sir Michael was now dead.
Phil rode through a small dirt path, and soon, Daria found herself in an enormous stable filled with horses. Phil got off the horse, and Daria did the same.
"After I put this fellow in one of the stalls, we will talk to Sir Davy," Phil said casually.
Daria just nodded nervously.
* * *
Phil knocked on a huge door three times, and then he and Daria waited quietly.
"Come in," a gruff voice said.
Phil opened the door, and held it open for Daria. Daria gave him a grateful smile, and walked in first. Phil followed after.
Daria found herself in the dim master bedroom. It was very large, Daria noticed. It had a king-size bed, a gigantic fireplace with two armchairs before it, a wooden desk and chair, two large wardrobes, two bureau drawers, a vanity table, paintings on the wall, and many more. These were all arranged in a very organized way.
A woman was brushing her golden hair by the vanity table, while a man was reading some papers by the desk. When Phil and Daria entered, the man and woman looked at them questioningly.
"Ah," the man said. "You're back, Phil."
"Yes, I am, sir," Phil said politely, "and this young lady beside me is Daria."
Daria did her best curtsy. She saw the woman raise a perfect, wing-shaped eyebrow.
"A niece of yours?" the man asked.
Phil shook his head. "No, Sir Davy. Daria wishes to work here. Before I left for my brother's house, didn't Antoniette say something about wanting a handmaiden?"
The woman was suddenly interested. "Yes, she did," she said. "And she still hasn't stopped nagging my husband and me." She stood up, and walked (actually, she more like glided) towards Daria.
Daria gulped as the woman gazed at her. She saw the woman wrinkle her classical nose, but she said nothing. After all, she knew that she looked horrible.
"Hmmm…" The beautiful woman seemed to be thinking. Daria held her breath as she waited for the woman to make a judgment. The woman turned to her husband. "What do you think, dear?" she asked with a sweet voice.
The husband shrugged. "Do whatever to make Antoniette pipe down," he said. "My ears wish to rest."
"That settles it, then!" Lady Linelle said. She turned to Daria with a sweet smile. "You are hired."
"Uh…thank you, madam," Daria said uncertainly. She forced herself to smile. Somehow, this beautiful woman brought severe chills down her spine. What was it about this woman's eyes that made her body turn cold? What secret was this woman hiding? What was her mystery?
The answer didn't come to Daria at that moment, and until it did, the question clung to her like an impish shadow.
"Now, how does twenty silver KJs a month sound?"
"That's fine," Daria said immediately. She didn't care whether that was low or not. She had never been paid before, and hearing that suggestion was a delight. Besides, twenty silver KJs was enough for her to buy about one whole week in an inn.
"Good. You may leave, and take a bath before seeing my daughter. She will jump with fright at the sight of you," Lady Linelle said. "Also, tell Clarisse to burn that dress and give you another one." She went back to brushing her gorgeous locks.
Daria was more than willing to obey those commands.
* * *
"Clarisse is my wife," Phil said as he and Daria walked side by side. "She is the laundress. Believe it or not, it is hard work. You don't know how much outfits Lady Linelle and Lady Antoniette have."
"I can imagine," Daria replied.
Phil laughed, and opened the back door of the kitchen. "Ahh…there she is."
Daria looked outside, and saw a middle-aged woman with light brown hair fixed into a long braid. She was in a grey dress with a white apron in front. She was currently washing a petticoat in a massive tub, filled with water and large soap suds.
"Let's go over to her, shall we?" Phil said.
Daria nodded, and headed out. Phil was close behind her. The woman looked up at the sound of muffled footsteps on the green grass. She smiled brightly, and dropped the petticoat in the tub. Then she wiped her hands on her apron.
"Hello, my dear!" Phil said enthusiastically. He gave Clarisse a big hug.
"You're finally back," Clarisse said. "How is Robert?"
"He's better," Phil replied.
Clarisse's brown eyes travelled towards a shy Daria. "Who is this lovely girl?" she asked.
"This is Daria," Phil said. "She is Lady Antoniette's new handmaiden."
"Oh, I wish you luck," Clarisse said.
Daria didn't know what she meant by that, but answered, "Thank you. By the way, Lady Linelle told me to ask for a new dress from you."
Clarisse nodded as she looked at Daria's old and dirty dress. "Yes, yes, of course," she said. "But first, you must take a bath." She turned to her husband. "Fauna is by the rose bushes. Go to her."
Phil chuckled. "Sniffing their sweet scent, I assume?"
"No," Clarisse replied. "The bees amuse her." She turned to Daria. "Let's get you cleaned."
She and Daria returned to the house, while Phil looked for his daughter.
* * *
Daria stepped out of the tub, and was now wonderfully clean from head to toe. She covered herself with a robe, and went out of the bathroom.
Clarisse was waiting patiently by the door with a dress and a pair of slippers in her hand. When she saw Daria, she held up the dress, and then said, "Here is a dress for you, dear. I'm sorry I only have one. Don't worry, I will make you more."
"One is enough," Daria said.
"Nonsense!" Clarisse said. "You shall have four dresses in all. Here, take these." She handed the dress and slippers to Daria, who accepted them gratefully.
"Thank you," Daria said.
"You're welcome. Now, follow me, and I'll show you your room."
They walked through a dim passageway, and afterwards, they stopped in front of a wooden door. Clarisse opened the door.
"What do you think?" she asked.
Daria stepped in, and gasped.
Clarisse chuckled. "This is specifically the room for Lady Antoniette's handmaiden. It's isn't much"
"Are you kidding?!" Daria said to Clarisse. She was grinning from ear to ear, the very first grin in fourteen years. Her blue-green eyes shone with excitement. "This is wonderful!"
The room was small and plain, but Daria was still thrilled. At the corner, by the window, was a real bed. It was small, but it was a bed with a comfortable mattress, a thick blanket, and a soft pillow. The only other furniture was an extremely small wooden wardrobe, but Daria didn't care since there was nothing to put in it.
Besides its blandness and size, there was one more flaw about the room. One servant's bell hanged on the wall, beside the door.
"Let me guess," Daria said as she eyed the wretched device. "That bell is connected to Lady Antoniette's room."
Clarisse nodded. "Unfortunately."
Daria shrugged. "Oh, well," she said. "This room is perfect other than that bell."
"I'm glad you like your room," Clarisse said. "After you change into your dress, I will take you to Lady Antoniette's room. You can find me in the kitchen. Do you know where it is?"
Daria nodded.
"I'll see you later then," Clarisse said. She gave Daria a bright smile, and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Daria took off her robe, and wore her dress. She was thrilled at its softness. It wasn't an elegant dress, of course. It was very simple, with no patterns on it. It was pale green, with the top and the skirt sewn together by the waist. The tight top had a round neckline and long sleeves. The skirt flowed down naturally, and the hem reached her ankles.
Then Daria slipped on the beige slippers. She thanked their comfort. The slippers from the past years had given her enough blisters to last her a lifetime.
Finally, she was ready. Daria went down to the kitchen, where saw Clarisse by the sink. When Clarisse saw her, she grinned.
"That dress looks great on you," she said.
Daria beamed. "Thank you."
"Are you ready to go to Lady Antoniette's room?"
"Yes."
"All right, just follow me."
Clarisse led the way, and Daria followed. She was in high spirits. She had a bath, she had a new dress, and she had a new household. Things were finally getting better.
They passed the banquet hall (memories flooded Daria). Then they went up the stairs (Daria couldn't help but notice how fun the banisters looked). Soon, they walked through a hallway. It was the very same hallway that led to the master bedroom.
Then Clarisse stopped in front of a huge door that was five doors away from the master bedroom. "This is Lady Antoniette's room," she said. After a pause, she said, "I'm sorry to say this, but I have to get going. I still have many things to do."
Daria nodded. "Thank you for bringing me here."
"You're welcome," Clarisse replied. "I'll see you later." She gave Daria an encouraging smile, and then walked away.
Daria took a deep breath. She knocked on the door three times.
An annoyed shout answered. "Argh!!! Who is that?!"
Daria sighed. She had this strong feeling that Lady Antoniette was really going to get in her nerves. She prayed for patience, which was something that she never had.
"It's Daria…your new handmaiden."
"Oh…" the voice said. "Come in."
Daria sighed again. Ignoring the fact that she didn't want to, she opened the door, and boldly stepped in.
A/N:
I know that this chapter was pretty boring, but don't worry because I'll make the future ones more interesting. By the way, I have a new story, and it's called "Impossible Love, Eternal War." It's also based on Ella Enchanted. (I think that that one is going to be better than this one. Check it out, k?) Don't forget to submit a review! =)