blueteamnovel Chapter 13: As Perfect As Can Be
Chapter 13: As Perfect As Can Be
An eery sensation clung to my skin, wiping away the moisture and leaving me dry and cold; even as the aurora shone down upon my face, I felt...Frowning, I shook my head.
Yet, I couldn't help but bite my lips;
Agonising over something I can't quite put my finger on is only going to send me into an unhealthy, downward spiral. Lightly slapping my face, I finished my routine morning stretch and went to the bathroom.
Clicking my fingers once inside, I observed the crystal light magically turning on; Something akin to magic was at play, but I'm not too familiar with this world's structure and systems to comment.
Ignoring the shattered mirror shards lining the bathroom tiles, I went to the toilet, washed up in the bath, and got changed into a fresh pair of long-sleeved white shirt and pants.
My routine is simple: toilet, wash, change, breakfast with mother, education, garden time, repeat.
Simple.
Shaking the incoming thoughts away, I smacked myself in the face again, rubbed the faint scars on my neck, and exited the bathroom. I made sure to tiptoe around the mess of glass shards I created on the floor.
With that thought drifting to the back of my mind, I exited the bathroom only to be met by the sight of...
"Hello, maid."
The dark-blonde-haired maid.
"Greetings, Young Lady. The Mistress won't be available for today's schedule. Therefore, I will be taking over temporarily."
Inwardly sighing at my luck with announcing schedules and then having them promptly shattered, I nodded at her.
"Understood."
-----
I'll give credit where credit is due;
While the mere sight of her aggravated me into wanting to rip her face apart;
Today was a session on etiquette. How should you enter a room when facing an equal, a superior, an inferior, a subordinate, a comrade, or an enemy? In what manner should you initiate a conversation, and when should you start eating?
How should you pour a drink? In what order should you pour the drinks?
Many surprisingly simple tasks, but once you combine them, it becomes an incredibly complex labyrinth of procedures.
From what I can tell...
In what way is etiquette useful in a dead world like this one? In this Dark World?
I shrugged;
"Tuck your belly!"
A light stick smacked my abdomen, sending shivers of tingling shocks up my spine and into my tired mind. I had no issues with the teaching methodologies;
Till punishment arrived.
Another flick of the stick sent me curdling into the ground like a ball;
"Do not disgrace yourself when walking."
My frustration was rapidly compounding;
And.
When that happens;
A stick whipped the back of my head, so I lifted it;
And out of my mouth came:
The maid's face twisted. The strictness bubbling in the depths of those inky eyes faltered with disgust.
"Silence, you thing."
And I aligned with her command.
I shut my mouth.
And followed her teachings.
With my brain agitated;
My mind stretching far beyond where it should;
My emotions sinking to where they should not...
I smiled.
---
Beyond the veil, she watched.
Her gaze observed far beyond where the mortal eye could possibly perceive.
Yet in her eyes was a single girl.
The Mistress gently smiled.
She listened to the numbers.
To the count;
Her lips opened with pleasure and endless love;
She tapped the armrest beside her, pondering for a moment, then continued;
Then, her vision twisted to the right;
Her smile stretched further, crinkling her eyes with tender emotion;
-----
Sometime later, amid the scintillating gardens.
Basking in a white haze, I methodically consumed the ever-present fog. The mind-clearing effect was no longer as potent as I remembered, but it aided me nonetheless.
Swivelling and dancing between flowers, bushes, and low-hanging trees ripe with fruit, the white fog trickled cyclically about the garden. And I sat in the middle of this cycle of white fog, absorbing as much as I could through my nose and mouth.
Meaning I didn't have to optimise breathing through the nose and out the mouth like oxygen; I could absorb it with reckless abandon.
I smiled whilst ignoring mother's piercing gaze.
For what reason am I doing this?
Yet.
I am here.
I am consuming it.
And mother is allowing me to do so.
Is the fact that I'm permitted to consume it a positive or negative sign?
But.
I have a faint feeling that, even if it's a negative sign...
A facet of this white haze is attractive to me. I sense a not-so-clear palpitation in my chest whenever I gaze upon it, a palpitation of intrigue, or perhaps...
I pondered upon this emotion inwardly.
What is it?
What attracts me to this white haze so much that I've made it a routine to absorb?
Why do I have to do this?
It feels like...
But then, it clicked.
Food, water;
Neither is a want.
They are needs; they are necessary to my existence, my survival.
My eyes further observed this ever-present white haze, this beautiful, picturesque fog quaintly aligning itself between the shrubbery and flowers, dripping from leaves.
An inevitable curiosity arose.
A curiosity that was likely to remain unanswered for a long time to come.
"Having fun, sweetie?"
Mother's voice came from the side. She was still resting on the grass with her arms placed beside her and legs overlapping to the side; her loose, flowy dress blended well with the scenery, being composed mostly of natural colours except for the gold leaf embroidery.
Pausing my breathing for a moment, "Yes, mother."
"Good!" Her smile outshone the flowers' vibrancy.
The smooth swaying of her chestnut-coloured hair flapped elegantly in the wind, forcing her to tuck it behind her ears with a simple, dignified movement.
This day had been peaceful so far, a normal day with no abrupt changes.
And not just today either, the past 5 days had all been like that;
However.
Alora;
For what reason does she deserve peace?
Alora;
For what reason is she allowed to exist in this world?
Alora;
For what reason was she born?
Thus.
The few days of relaxation.
The few days of learning, exploring and coming to understand this world.
"Unfortunately, sweetie, I won't get to be with you tomorrow..." Mother abruptly stated with a melancholic tone.
I tilted my head in response.
She wouldn't have said that for no reason; she didn't warn me of her departure last time, so why this time? What changed?
"Oh... Are you curious, sweetie?"
I didn't nod to her;
"You're curious,
I nodded.
"Yes, mother."
Mother smiled, "Good!"
Gently clapping, mother stood up and patted her clothes off. Looking down at me, the familiar tender emotions oozed outwardly, filling her eyes to the brim with familial love and...
Regret.
"You see..."
I held my breath.
"Your sister..."
My heart tightened; sweat unknowingly lined the back of my neck and chillingly dripped.
"She did an oopsie."
"And girls who have an oopsie..."
Memories overwhelmed my brain; emotions scattered my thoughts; only those dampened, restricted memories came shooting back up.
I stepped forward towards mother, and as she stared down at me with curiosity, I raised my fingers...
And clenched the hem of her dress.
"No."
Mother tapped her chin at that word, "What do you mean, no?"
But I.
"Nonononononono."
I repeated.
"No punishment, you mean?"
I flinched, bit my lips, and nodded.
I couldn't let her be punished—never, not her, not my sister, not the one I love;
A hand gently smothered my head, a warm hand.
"But, sweetie, bad children must be punished."
I pulled harder on her hem.
As I did so, she crouched down to my eye level; her stern, yet loving blue eyes stared worryingly into mine.
"Surely you don't think bad girls shouldn't be punished?"
...
I should nod.
To say yes, they shouldn't be punished.
But I...
I shook my head.
"See? You also think they should be punished, "
...I nodded.
"Then why don't you let go?" She moved her spare hand over mine and gently tugged it, she began plucking my fingers off, one by one.
But I tightened my grip; I couldn't let go.
"Sweetie?"
But I didn't stop.
Staring straight into mother's eyes, my quivering, fearful voice cracked with utter terror;
And I-
I-
"Sister is my twin."
I-
"So, her oopsie is my oopsie."
I-
"Let me take her place."
And mother pulled me into her arms, her arms embraced me, pulling me into her peaceful, loving arms...
Then;
Into my ears she said;