She loves him….. Who's this "him" she's talking about?!

Angry tears streamed down my cheeks as my hands scrubbed away at the floor. A million thoughts raced constantly through my mind- all of them bitter and negative. What am I doing here? Why am I wasting valuable time on such a menial, pointless task? I could be researching about Westalis right now. I could be figuring out how I'll buy the ticket without an exit visa. I could be searching for my father! Instead my stuck here, doing what felt like the opposite of working towards my goal. I was angry….. I was enraged. For the first time since I can remember, I was properly irate. I HATED Madame de Bossé, and I wanted nothing more than to tell her so. That stupid, vapid, heartless woman….. I know she also despised me, but to treat me so poorly….. I hated her. I loathed her. I couldn't wait until I got the hell away from her and out of this god forsaken country.

I must have had a horrible look on my face since Raul immediately froze under the kitchen door's threshold. My head shot up at the sudden and unexpected noise, surprised to see him there. He was looking down at me with such sincerity and dismay….. His hand rested on the wood of the doorframe beside him as he didn't move for a minute, continuing to stare down my way.

"What are you doing here, miss?" He eventually broke the silence; I was in no hurry to start a conversation. Hissing a little, I turned back to my furious scrubbing. "Madame sent me down here." There was another pregnant pause. "I mean what are you doing here, working as a maid for the Desmonds." This made my hand stop moving and I alarmedly- and confusedly- gazed back up to his deep, soulful eyes. They lowered on me a little, with so much tenderness that it almost made me cry more…..

"You came from Eden Academy; you must have somewhere else to go. I'm sure the headmaster would take you back if you wanted." My lips parted a little when he said this, but nothing came out right away. My back straightened up, revealing my nearly bloody knees to him. His eyes widened a bit more now in horror, but he patiently waited for me to reply. My hands took a moment to rest on my upper legs.

"Yes, he would… Mr. Henderson would welcome me back with open arms if I decided to return." "Then why don't you? Why stay here and be subjected to all this? You shouldn't if you don't have to." "It's not so bad. Things are pretty good for me here…. when Master Desmond's home," I finally let myself grin a little. Raul watched me another minute before getting on his knees on the floor opposite me. Now I beheld him with more confusion and alarm. "What are you…..?" "You've helped me out so much before. It's my turn to help you now," he responded with a faint smile. Our eyes met and my shoulders relaxed slightly, but I shook my head while maintaining eye contact. "You don't have to do that….." "You're right; I don't. Now let's finish up before dinner." "I don't think we'll be done by then. There's still a whole lot of floor left to scrub." "Well four hands work faster than two," he quipped back, sending a smile across my lips. We both picked up the brushes and began cleaning the floor together. As we were doing so, I felt Raul's eyes occasionally wander over onto me from his side of the room.

"Really though, miss, why do you stay here? If Henderson would take you back, why stay? Even if Master Desmond isn't the worst of masters….." The hand scrubbing began to slow a tad. My gaze wandered out into space thoughtfully as I reflected on his question. "Why do I stay…..?" I repeated aloud to myself, just to hear it again. I was literally thinking the same thing right before he showed up.

But I didn't have to think long. Soon enough my lips pursed together, and my hand started scrubbing away once more. My stare was now locked onto the floor again. "I stay because I love him. I love him….. and I have to get back to him as soon as I can. We've been apart for so long; so long that I'm starting to forget how features of his face looked in the sunlight, or the soft way he used to say my name. I'm here, Raul, because there's someone out there in the world that I love, and I need to see him once again, to hold him in my arms. I love him…. I love him."

By now Raul had stopped working so he could listen to me without interruption. When I glanced up, I caught him staring right at me, not bothering to hide his distinct awe. It made me stop too, as it began to dawn on me what I'd just said to him. Neither of us uttered a word, but simply, effortlessly stayed there looking at one another in a sort of disbelief. A noise from outside was the only thing to interrupt the scene, and Raul's head tilted up slightly. A presence had appeared at the doorway just in time to hear me repeat my declaration of love that final time.

We both glanced to see Damian standing there, unmoving, shellshocked, and gaping down at me.