A/N: HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER! Expect more; I just got surgery on my teeth and the doctor dude said all I can do basically is sit around all day for a couple days. I'll try to get those chapters out quickly. THANKS…AND DON'T FORGET!! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! :] my goal is 40! C'mon you guys…you can do it!! Whoo-whoo!

THANKS TO:

Remus Junior- Thank you! Yes, I'll try to make my character even MORE un-Mary-Sue-like for everyone. Keep reviewing!!

Dr. Whom- I'm very glad your enjoying this story. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside haha. Thanks much for the suggestions! Keep up the good reviews.

Archaos- Thanks for the compliment on my story and character!! It's very appreciated, I assure you. Thanks again, and good luck on your story, too! Remember: Review, review, review, please!!

THANKS TO ALL OF MY OTHER LOVELIES OUT THURR!! [hehe cool word.] YOUR REVIEWS ARE VERY NOICE!! [haha ANOTHER cool word…]

Chapter 14

Of Dirty Laundry and Insults

I walked down the path and back to my room. I should have bloody worn a helmet, I thought as I felt my neck. No blood; but for all I knew it was probably dried and smeared on my skin. I took out my keys (they came with my maid occupation), and unlocked the back door, the one less frequently used, so no one would see my neck. I crept along the side wall. Hopefully I wouldn't run into anyone on the way to the stairwell. I heard a thumping noise down the North hallway.

What or who was that?

I tensed up, stilling so I could hear which direction the sound was heading in. To no avail, though, because all I accomplished was a thorough listening of the sound of the beating of my own blood-pumping heart. I quickly surveyed my surroundings, searching for a play to duck into and hide. I was standing right next to the library, a grand one at that. I hurried in, looking around for a shadowed area or a covered table; a space behind a couch.

I could find none.

Looking around frantically, I heard the footsteps once more. They were coming this way! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…I cursed to myself. I did a double take towards the door. Somewhere to hide…somewhere to hide…

Then I spotted it.

There was a bookshelf that was spaced about two feet from the dusty, amber-colored wall. I ran towards it quietly, only to trip over a large encyclopedia on sailing and fall flat on my already dirt-covered face. NO!! I shouted to myself in my head. NO, NO, NO!! The thing walking rounded the corner to the library. I picked my self up as fast as I possibly could, and brushed myself off. I took the backs of my hands and wiped off the dirt and sand from my cheeks. I quickly turned around and pretended to examine a painting of Jesus and the Betrayal of Judas. Butler walked in.

"Miss Greenwich? You've been shirking your duties as maid…if you don't start doing your job instead of flouncing and nancing [A/N nifty word, huh?] about the building, I will have no choice but to terminate your employment."

I gulped. He continued speaking: "Amalia, you have dirty laundry piled up, the furniture needs dusting, the rooms upstairs need vacuuming, and beds making. I suggest you get on with that after a change of clothes."

"Yes, sir," I mumbled.

"Butler. I already told you, call me Butler," he said.

"Yes, Butler." I replied. I still didn't get the whole "Butler" thing. That's always been one of my weaknesses. A bit slow to detect what's going on and how systems work. Along with my sword fighting and chess playing. I don't think I've EVER won a game of chess. But, whatever.

"Now," Butler patted me on the shoulder, "I suggest you start now or else even more things will pile up." He smiled down at me. "Good luck, Miss Amalia."

"Thanks." He turned out of the room and down the opposite hall he came by. Just as I was leaving the library, a cart of linens came reeling down the corridor, almost bowling me over. I lost my footing trying to get out of the way and fell over. Another weakness: I'm terribly clumsy. At first, I thought it was just a puberty thing, but obviously not. Miss M said it would be downfall one day. Butler stepped out from behind the cart.

"These are to go on Master and Mistress Fowl's bed; in the main bedroom." He pointed to a pair of white, starched sheets and a gold, tasseled coverlet. "This is Master Artemis II's." Once again, he pointed to some perfectly starched, clean, white sheets, but this time coupled with a coverlet quilted with a pattern of midnight blue and grey. He motioned to the corner of the cart. "These are yours." There were white sheets and a red coverlet with night black tassels. There were still many colored coverlets, quilts, and white sheets left.

"The rest…?" I asked, trailing off.

"The rest just go to each guestroom, the coverlets coordinating with the rooms' décor. Choose as you see fit." He answered. I took the cart and pushed it to the maids' ramp, guided by Butler. I carted the basket up the ramp and began making the beds and dusting the furniture. After about an hour and forty-five minutes of this tedious work, I went around again with a different cart, picking up and emptying the hampers, spilling socks and shirts all over the floor. I sighed and picked them up, wheeling the full carts downstairs to the laundry room one at a time. Sweating now, I headed back to the stairway again, ascending the stairs and trudging to my room. I flopped down on the newly-made bed, after wearily closing the giant wooden door, rumpling the blankets I had worked so hard to straighten. I groaned, sliding down the side of the bed and landing on the wooden floor on my bottom. Maybe I wasn't cut out for this. I sighed again. It wasn't as if I could just pick up and leave. Well, I could, but I'd have Fowl and M&M on my trail. With their technology combined, there would be no escape.

I eyed the clock on the nightstand and swore. The Halloween Masquerade was in an hour! Damnit! I thought. I picked up my costume from my trunk and laid the articles out on the bed. A pair of slit and cut black breeches (slit and cut so they would look worn), some black gloves with the fingers cut out, a white, billowy shirt, gold hoop earrings, silver and gold bangle bracelets, a red leather vest, a black, wide, leather belt with a hook for a sword in it. There was a red bandanna and a black, leather tri-corn hat. The tan boots were knee-high, folded over slightly at the kneecaps. There was an assortment of rings with fake jewels set into them, also. I pulled all of this on as quickly as I possibly could. I stumbled into my boots with difficulty, hopping throughout the room. Finally, I ended up tripping, knocking over the hat stand with a loud clunk!.

There was a knock at the door. "Greenwich? Are you in there? We must depart."

I hurried to the door, lacing up the brown, short leather corset around my lower waist and hips. I tied the bow and opened the door. "Okay, okay, just let me grab my mask…" I answered. I tied a long, plum-colored scarf around my neck to hide the cut and grabbed my black feathery mask. I walked back to the door and was about to stroll out, but noticed Fowl staring at me. Well, actually at my breasts. "What? What?!"

"Ahem…" he cleared his throat. "Don't you think you should lace that up before we leave?" He looked a bit uncomfortable. "Also, your boots are on the wrong feet." He smirked a little at this last comment, probably inwardly amused at my stupidity and clumsiness.

"Oh. Well…can you just…hold on a moment?" I mumbled, embarrassed. Yes, he was definitely amused, and even more so at MY embarrassment.

I closed the door and turned around, lacing up my shirt, beet red. I yanked off my boots and switched them, re-lacing them up all over again. I stuffed a pistol into my corset and sheathed my sword. Hopefully people might think it fake. I pushed a knife down into my right boot and examined my image in the mirror. My curly hair was mussed and my eyeliner and mascara smeared, but oh well. I had never been the best at applying make-up. I had decided not to use my flat iron like I usually do, hence the curls.

I walked out of the room and locked the door behind me.

"Ready?" Fowl questioned.

"I guess. Anything ELSE wrong with me?" I retorted.

He answered mockingly. "Well, now that you ask, I can think of many things to improve fencing-wise…" He trailed off smugly, raising an eyebrow.

I glared at him. "Oh, really?"

"Yes. Quite frankly you…how you Americans put it…sucked? Yes. Sucked."

What a bastard! I KNEW full well that I sucked, but he didn't need to rub it in, that pathetic cad. We walked out of the front door and to a black sedan waiting in the driveway. Butler was at the wheel.

"Can we just leave now?" I asked, insulted.

"Why certainly, Miss Greenwich. I think that can be arranged." He replied. We sped off in the Sedan, towards the road. Once on the freeway, it took only about fifteen minutes to reach the ball area. I saw great flashing lights in the near distance. [A/N: Hey, it makes sense to me.] A few minutes later we pulled up under the great archway of the entrance to the extravagant building. More like palace, really. I hopped out of the car, my tan boots making a clunk on the concrete. Artemis waved off Butler and offered me his arm. Reluctantly, I took it, raising my eyebrows. I could hear music playing inside the ballroom.

Here goes nothing…,I thought.

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So how was that? I hope you liked it.

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