Chapter 3: Two Devils

I was busy all day preparing Ericka's dress for tomorrow. In the middle, Ericka has been making me run around like watering her potted plants, catching a cat that troubled me so much, killing a cockroach, climbing a tree, trimming her plants which is the job of the gardener, and so forth.

Doing all that makes me feel like I'm a headless chicken running around the territory.

Earlier, Ericka told me to go to the western gate and wait for someone there.

And goddamnit, I was here for eternity!

The twenty guards were making weird glances at me all this time.

"Why are you still here?" a guard asked.

"I'm waiting for someone," I replied while shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly.

The guards look at me weirdly.

"Why would you wait here? No one comes in here because this side was near the cliff and we are guarding here for beasts! You must be out of your mind or just trying to avoid doing work!"

My eyebrows furrowed. "How could that be? Miss Ericka clearly stated that someone would be here to give me something!"

"Miss Ericka?" The guards look at me puzzled.

"Girl, you got tricked! Don't you know that beasts often attack this side? No sane person would come here just to give you something unless they want suicide!"

"What?!"

No sane person...?!

I got tricked!

Ah! The pretentious girl is a big bully!

Why is she doing this?

Grrr...!

I was waiting here for nothing! It even takes me more than an hour just to get to this side!

"It's not safe for you here. You should go back!"

Of course, I wasn't planning on staying here longer so I hummed as a response. "Thank you for your kindness. I should get out of your skin now. Bye."

As I was about to turn around, the wind suddenly picked up and the falling leaves were suspended in the air for a split second.

Is it an enemy?!

The guards were all alert while looking outside the gate.

"Intruder! Prepare to fight!" someone yelled.

My eyes trailed outside the dark forest and I caught a glimpse of piercing red eyes glowing in the dark staring daggers at me which made me feel a sudden chills.

"Vampires! Don't let your guard down."

"Prepare the equipment!"

"Light up the forest!"

Suddenly, a light flashed toward the dark forest, and there we saw a huge beast.

A bear with red eyes. The bear growled but didn't advance further out of the forest and just remained standing.

Weird.

My eyebrows furrowed because it wasn't the same eyes I saw earlier.

The guards were even more confused than I was because they were also certain that it was vampires just now.

"Strange. Why did it suddenly become a bear?" someone murmurs in confusion.

"Those damn bats!"

"They tricked us!"

Pfft!

I couldn't help but laugh and say, "I got tricked and now you're tricked as well! Haha! Great!"

The guards squinted their eyes but then suddenly laughed along.

Just like that, I got along with the guards. They told me a lot about the territory and the Golden Family.

It turns out that the guards gossip more than the maids!

"Is the future Alpha ruthless as the rumor says?" I asked curiously.

"He is... but I think he's better than young master Rowan. When they come back, you must stay away from Young Master Rowan or you'll suffer in his hands."

"Huh? Why so?"

"Because he enjoys messing with the maids and doing things beyond inhumane. He's a... what do you call it?"

"Psycho?"

"Yes! He tortures someone who disobeys his orders. And he's a short-tempered man, so he lashes out at every little thing he finds annoying."

"Yeah, I even saw him mercilessly kill a butterfly when it only passed by him."

"Scary, don't you think?"

"I saw him torture a poor cat as well! The poor cat was only playing in the garden but he got annoyed by its purring so he lashed at it beyond recognition."

"He must be sick in the head!"

The guards continued giving me information about the pack until the sun was about to set.

Albeit reluctant to leave, I have no choice but to go back.

The way back took longer this time as I kept on walking on the wrong path. My stomach grumbling isn't helping my situation either.

Damnit!

My lips twitch thinking I got really tricked by Ericka.

That bitch better give me an explanation or I'll trash her to death!

I really couldn't help but fume while thinking about it.

After over two hours of losing my way, I finally arrived at the palace.

I knocked two times and pushed the doorknob open.

Ericka was standing at the window, staring outside while looking up at the dark skies.

I cleared my throat to announce my arrival and said, "Miss Ericka, I've been waiting for a few hours at the western gate but there's no one coming so I left."

Without turning her head to look at me, she said mockingly, "You were easy to fool. You're really dumb."

My lips twitched as I tried to calm myself or I would trash this bitch to death if I lost my temper!

"Yes, I'm a fool," I said sarcastically but pretended to look dumb as well.

It’s better if she thinks I was dumb so that she won't think I'm useful.

"Go back and come early tomorrow morning to help me prepare for Robin's arrival. Don't be late even for a second or else..."

"I get it, Miss Ericka. I'm going out now." I quickly said and hurriedly dashed out of the room like my butt was burning.

When I arrived at the servant's quarters, they were already eating. I joined them and they gave me a bowl of bland soup and a piece of hard bread.

I stared at the food dejectedly and chewed it slowly. Well, this would suffice for now.

"How was working beside the future Luna?" Mina asked.

My face contorted thinking all the things the bitch made me do the whole day. "It was hell."

"Oh? Tell us!"

I let out a sigh and told them what happened to me except what happened at the western gate.

"Omg! Did you get on her bad side?"

"I guess...?"

"Good luck, Arielle."

"Hey, I heard that the two devils are coming back tomorrow!" someone says.

"Oh, no! Our peaceful days would be ruined again!"

"Two devils?" I asked, puzzled.

"Yes, Robin and Rowan!" Mina whispered into my ears.

My heart sank. All the rumors I heard about them were all negative. And now I dreaded coming tomorrow with Ericka.

Ah, why must she want me to come with her?! Can't I just do something else like climbing trees or swimming in the pond, etc.?!

What if that bitch was planning something wicked again to make fun of me?!

Sigh...

"Whoa, that's heavy..." Rosie chuckled and patted my shoulder. "Just bow your head in front of them tomorrow and make yourself ugly so that the devil Rowan won't take a liking to you or else you'll suffer greatly!"

I nodded with a hum. "I'll keep that in mind, Rosie."

How bad is this Rowan they were talking about? Is he really like a devil in human skin as they say?

Well, I'm not afraid!

If he tries something funny, I'll cut off his future!

I smiled devilishly.

"You look scary when you smile like that, Arielle!" Rosie cringed.

I chuckled.

When we finished eating, we resumed working again until late at night.

The moment my back lay flatly on the bed, I felt exhausted and fell asleep right away.

"Arielle, why do you watch me die?!"

"Sure enough, you will only be a slave in this life!"

"Father? Mother? Aren't you dead?"

"Haha! It's your fault we died! You didn't save us at all! You ungrateful brat!"

I shook my head and yelled, "No! That's not true! If I could save you, then I would!"

Tears streamed down my face, and I kept sobbing.

Then blood spattered onto my face and Mother's pale face turned scary with blood all over. And then Father's head fell into the ground and his headless body was crawling towards me.

I gasped and slammed into the floor as he caught my feet.

I couldn't move even though I wanted to run away. "Get away from me!" I shouted in horror.

"You should have died as well! Why are you the only one alive?!"

I gasped for air and sat up while panting as I clutched my chest. My heart was pounding so fast it hurt.

A nightmare?!

Thinking about my parents' death had me burst into tears in the middle of the night.

"Mother... father... I'm sorry... I am very sorry...!" I mumbled while sobbing.

"Arielle...? Are you okay?" an arm wrapped around me and patted my back soothingly.

I hugged the person tightly and sobbed.

"Shh, it was just a nightmare. It's not real." Rosie's soothing voice somewhat helped me calm down like magic.

I pulled back while wiping my tears and gave her a faint smile. "I'm fine now, Rosie. Thank you..." I uttered in a hoarse voice.

"Glad to see you not trembling anymore." She patted my head with a smile and said, "Come back to sleep now. I'm just here if you have a nightmare again."

I nodded and laid back on the bed. She covered me with the blanket and went back to her bed across mine.

My heart was still heavy, but I forced myself to think of something else and slept peacefully.

When morning came, I quickly changed into my outfit and dashed outside towards Ericka's chamber.

I knocked two times and entered.

She was still sleeping soundly.

I entered the bathroom and filled the bathtub. Then I prepared her dress neatly.

However, when I saw her still sound asleep, I gritted my teeth as I had no choice but to wake her up. I'll just take the brunt later.

"Miss Ericka, wake up. Today is the day of Young Master Robin's arrival." I said while shaking her.

When I mentioned her fiance's name, she quickly opened her eyes and yawned.

Then...

"Quick! Help me take a bath!"

I nodded and assisted her to the bathroom. She stripped her nightgown and tossed it to me.

She entered the bathtub full of bubbles while I put her dirty nightgown away for washing later.

She glared at me and said, "What are you waiting for? Help me clean!"

This girl is really pampered! She can't even do a simple cleaning of herself.

I calmed myself down and took some cleaning tools for bathing of course!

I washed her hair reluctantly and cleaned her body with so much difficulty.

Ah, I didn't sign up for this!

The maid's job is tougher than I had expected!

An eternity later, I was sweating bullets while helping her dry her hair and dress up like a lady of the house.

I admit she looks stunning after being dolled up by me.

She should be grateful I didn't sabotage her gown! Hmph.

Since I don't know about make-up and such, she does the make-up herself and I just watched her do it.

While doing so, I made a mental note on how to do makeup.

It wasn't as hard as I thought. It looks so easy.

When she was done, we made our way out toward the main building to wait for the two devils' arrival.