A/N: Ok, some slight OOC-ness, and there will probably some lemon soon, but if readers do not want that, then I'll make a different progress for the story. Please review what you think bout this:)
Princess
Chapter 3
Athrun took a sip from his cup and laid it gently on the coffee table. He took one criticizing look at his father and shrugged.
"I do not like the way you're looking at m, Athrun." Patrick Zala spoke in a strict manner.
"I've always been doing that to you whenever you personally visit me father. Which is like, thrice in 6 months?" Athrun laughed sarcastically.
Patrick cleared his throat.
"I congratulate you by the way. You have received 5 new medals, I have heard. An outstanding FAITH member indeed."
"Thank you. Now aren't you just relieved that I haven't got most of you genes?"
The older man's eyes narrowed.
"Oh I'm sorry father. Maybe I just missed you." Athrun smiled warmly this time.
The older man's features softened.
"Athrun...I missed you too.. I.." He cleared his throat again. "I would like to warn you. A dangerous person has gone missing. A girl in fact, but around your age. It was reported to me just now. And I was wondering if—"
"She's not here, father." Athrun replied instantly, noticing his father looking around. "I'd report anything to you if I find out anything about her whereabouts."
"Athrun---I'm just worried..."
"About me?...Father, she's a woman. She can't do anything to me. Trust me on this."
Patrick sighed.
"Fine." Patrick stood up. "I'll be going now, so much work still not done yet. Please, do tell me any information you find out. It's really very important. Take care of yourself, Athrun."
"Likewise, Chairman Zala."
"Athrun, we're at home, you can stop being too formal."
Athrun merely smiled and bowed.
"Ow. Ow. OUCH!" Cagalli tried to pull her wrist from the painful grip of Kisaka. They didn't stop walking until they came across the last room in the long dark hallway. Erika, who was walking in front, opened the door and let them pass. Cagalli heard the door being closed and locked as she felt herself being flung on the bed. This is going to be bad.
"Ok princess. Explain yourself and the said runaway dangerous 'person' they were talking about." She heard Kisaka's hard voice.
Cagalli glanced at Erika first, who had switched on the lights, and took a deep breath.
"Yeah, it's me. But it's not my fault!"
Kisaka's accusing look said otherwise.
"I swear! I was kidnapped at father's ball! He had me tied, but I escaped him though, and I went in the nearest shelter! Truth is, I was supposed to contact you, but I didn't know where you were. Until now. What ARE you two doing here?" Cagalli's eyes narrowed.
"Do not switch the topic, hime-sama." Erika's soft voice came from the far corner.
Kisaka's voice then boomed.
"Do you know how careless what you did was! You ENTERED an unknown mansion, and bickered with an unknown person, the OWNER of the mansion,--and yes, princess, he is really the owner of the mansion---inside his BATHROOM while he was taking a bath! Do you have any idea what COULD have happened?"
"Heeeey! I wan't bickering with him! I didn't even know it was the bathroom's window I was entering. And I didn't know who he was. In case you've forgotten, I was the 'escapee'. I didn't have time to consider my actions. You're a little overacting, Kisaka."
Then there was silence.
"You know, she IS right, you're a little exaggerating, Kisaka-san." Erika said softly.
Kisaka stared at the princess before he sighed.
"I'm sorry. Maybe I was just panicking, I was just concerned about you hime-sama...Cagalli, you ARE the princess. Please take care of yourself. You would be taking over your father's position after a few years you know."
"Kisaka-san..Uhm...Thank you..."
"Well, I guess the main problem here now is how to get Cagalli back to Orb. The kidnapper is probably still near here. But still, returning the princess is the top priority." Erika sat beside the princess and glanced up at Kisaka.
"She mustn't leave the house... Or the kidnapper might find her again." Kisaka closed his eyes in thought, but opened them after a few minutes. "I think...the best solution would be for her to stay here for a while I contact Orb. Sir Athrun wouldn't suspect her. She's safer here, with the both of us to protect her. But Cagalli..."
Cagalli looked up in question.
"You'd...er...have to be a maid."
"What! But...but...why? Can't I just hide here somewhere?"
"No. Being part of the staff would be less conspicuous. Sir Athrun has already seen you tool Besides, what do you think would happen if you were to be caught hiding?"
Cagalli sighed. No use arguing with Kisaka.
"Just...Stay here for a while. I believe Sir Athrun specifically told me to report to him." Kisaka started for the door. "Oh and please call us Saka-san and Rika-san for now. You'll pass off as Kagari, my long lost niece."
Before he and Erika left, Kisaka poked his head in the room again for last words " Princess, please behave now. We wouldn't want to cause a ruckus nor catch the attention of the people in this mansion."
She just couldn't believe it! It was just her luck to be assigned to work upstairs, and worse, as 'Sir' Athrun Zala's personal maid! Kisaka told her he couldn't do anything about it. Yeah right. He just wanted to punish her.
Cagalli sneezed for the nth time. She was allergic to much dust. The room wasn't that dirty, but it probably hadn't been used for months. Her first assignment was to make Sir Zala's room look new again. Her first job. And she wasn't enjoying it one bit. At least, she had managed to finish the job after hours of agitated cleaning. The wood was polished, and the curtains and bed sheets changed. Everything looked brand new. That fact seemed to lessen the frustration.
"I see you've been doing a good job." A deep baritone voice spoke up from behind Cagalli, causing her to jump.
"You gave me a fright!" Cagalli barked at him.
"Is that how maids are supposed to speak to their masters?" Athrun raised an eyebrow, his eyes piercing through hers.
Cagalli glared back. She was getting pretty good at this.
"What in the world are you glaring at!...Sir" Cagalli said the last words through gritted teeth.
Athrun laughed and tilted her face up to look at him.
"Very interesting. Very interesting indeed."
Cagalli pulled away from his gaze walked around him.
"I am NOT a specimen...Sir. I have finished my job and I'll be going back down to my room now, If you...ahem...need anything, just ring for me." Cagalli tried hard to prevent herself from vomiting. It was what maids were supposed to say, one of them told her a while ago.
FLASHBACK
"Anoo..." A small voice piped up from the door. "You're the new maid?"
Cagalli looked up to see a young girl with straight black hair and deep cobalt blue eyes. She entered the room and laid a tray on the bed. Probably her lunch.
"My name's Yume. Saka-sama told me to teach you the basics..."
Cagalli raised an eyebrow.
"I—I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!" The girl suddenly started bowing.
"H—Hey! Stop doing that! We're just the same..." Her words started trailing away when a thought struck her. "You---you—"
"Hai. Hime-sama. I am also from Orb, there are 4 of us here."
CAgalli stared at Yume first then smiled.
"Hey. I'm sure you know that I'm supposed to be the new maid right? So you should stop being so formal on me. Starting now, we can be simple friends."
Yume blinked and looked delighted.
"HAi!"
END FLASHBACK
"The uniform looks really good on you." Athrun said, pulling her from her reverie. He was eyeing her from head to toe and back again, his emerald orbs darkening.
Cagalli made a stuffed sound before walking briskly out of the room, her heartbeat growing faster by the minute. He had this really bad habit of flustering her. And Cagalli didn't like being flustered. She stopped at the top of the stairs, taking a deep breath before heading down back to her room. This was going to be hard work
Athrun stared at the closed door, eyes twinkling with mischief. She surely looked fascinating in the maid's uniform. The tight black and white knee-length dress clung to her every curve. And she looked cleaner now. He finally saw how she really looked like, which was quite attractive... Her messy blonde hair was tied in a tight ponytail at the back of her head. And her skin was actually rosy white without the dirty smudges.
'Kagari...Kisaka's niece, huh?'
He knew the girl certainly aroused him. And she was truly interesting. He wanted to know her better. And hopefully, accomplish his other desire. What harm would that do anyway?
+End chapter+
A/N: Hope you like it as much as I do!
Go click REVIEW please:P