9: The New Servant

"Blood Moon pack." I mumbled after seeing their base.

"Except for the members, you are the only one who knows this place." She's pertaining to where we are standing. "We can see the whole area right here," I guess she's saying that I need to shut my mouth and never leak what she trusted in me.

I smiled. "My eyes are open but my mouth will stay closed." She then looked at me again with those eyes, like the first time we met.

"This is the fastest route. I just could no longer wait to see my home. Don't ever think I trust you now." I nodded my head. I know what she meant after all since I, too, need to be careful of what I am trying to do. "Follow me." After saying those words, she didn't hesitate to jump off the cliff. I was shocked for a moment but when I heard her calling me, I looked down and saw her standing in a hanging stone.

So this is what it takes to reach their base. They were really trying to keep the pack safe. Just by moving to their pack, it could take your own life. You can go, but it's not guaranteed that you will be alive or dead. I wonder what trick they used on other routes, if this is the fastest one to reach this place, is this the hardest or not? I will wait to see that.

After calculating the distance between the cliff and the hanging stone, I jumped. She's waiting for me when I landed. I almost broke my leg, I did not realize it would be that deep. Even my calculations almost failed. One wrong move and I will fall to death. I think they also used a hallucination trick here. What you can see isn't always right. As for Diane, she is mostly aware of that, she can easily do whatever she wants here.

While we were at the hanging stone, Diane mouthed something I did not hear and the stone started moving. I stood steadily and balanced myself, the stone can carry two persons at a time because of the space. I watched it moving until it got connected with the edge of the cliff, then a door opened. I looked at what's inside and there's a cave.

"A cave?" I asked and entered it. The lights lit up before I could think about it, then there I saw what's inside. There's a pond and three doors. "Which one?" I asked her.

"It depends on what you think is safer. It's not always the same door to enter." She told me. It puzzled me that I frowned looking at those doors.

I tried feeling each one of them but I can't sense anything but danger. "One wrong move and you will die." Blood Moon pack is really something. I thought the hanging stone with hallucinations is the only way, but here I am standing in front of these doors.

"Which door do you think is safe?" She asked. I am certain she can easily tell, but for me who just went in here for the first time. I could not just pick quickly.

I went in front of each door and tried listening to what's behind it. I can hear some strange noises on every door, noises that I never heard before. But there's one door I could feel is safe. I just feel it, and there's no explanation why.

"Which one?" She asked, crossing her arms while waiting for me to decide. Is this really the fastest way? I asked myself.

"Third door." I told her then pointed my finger at it.

"Then try going inside." She looked at the door without emotion.

"Did I chose the right one?" I asked her.

"We will see after you enter." I nodded my head. Maybe I should give it a try. I guess she's not wanting to kill me. I walked towards the door and slowly opened it, my arms extended and my body got swallowed by the energy of that door. I fell non stop in the dark until I felt the gravity pulling me. When I opened my eyes, I saw Diane beside me. The force slowly put us down, then there I saw a beautiful garden full of flowers.

"Don't touch anything, they are poisonous." She told me. Even these beautiful flowers are dangerous. What more to expect from the Blood Moon pack?

"So tell me, did I choose the right door?" I asked her. I am not really that sure about that door earlier.

"To tell you the truth, there is only one door. It's just the human eye can see three doors. You can enter any of them. However, the door will decide where to take you. The door saw you don't have any bad intentions going inside so it let you in." I blinked fast when I heard it from her.

"So what if I have bad intentions?" I asked out of curiosity.

"It can take you to the jail right away, the guards will kill you after three days, or worse to the dungeon where monsters are hunting for food. You can be eaten the moment you step your foot there." After saying that, she walked and I just followed her. I looked behind me and there's no door anymore but a high wall. Blood Moon pack is really something.

I stared at her back, she tested me. She knew the trick behind the doors and wanted to see my intentions of going inside their pack. Because if not, she should have tried to kill me on our way here.

While I was trying to look around, I realized we were in a maze and Diane kept on turning around. The wall maze was made of grass. I tried recalling the way until we got out of that place.

I was busy wiping the leaves on my clothes when I heard a voice.

"Lady Diane!" It was a kid, maybe he's 16 years of age. And he is coming to us.

"Lady Diane! You're back!" He smiled at her, while she patted his head. The boy looked in my direction and frowned. It's a natural reaction since he doesn't know me. "Who is she, Lady Diane?" He asked.

Diane looked back at me and gestured to me to go nearer. "She's Analisse. Prince's new servant." I almost forgot that's going to be my role here.

I smiled at him and waved my hand. "Hello, I am Analisse."

He smiled at me at last after looking from head to toe. "Hello, nice to meet you sister Analisse. I am Inueh!" He joyfully exclaimed.

I touched his shoulder. "Nice to meet you too, Inueh."

"But Lady Diane, she doesn't look like a servant. I would be happier to serve her instead." I smiled because of what he said.

"Stop fooling around Inueh, go back to your class." He pouted his lips and waved his hands at me.

"Okay. See you around, sister Analisse!" After that he ran away from us.

"Who is he?" I asked her.

"Son of one of the officials." She answered. I nodded my head. I am starting to meet the people here.

"I see."

"Let's go." We continued walking and passed by a group of men practicing swords, some of them were dueling." So they also fight with swords and just not mere fangs and claws.

I also saw Inueh there, but he didn't notice me since he was busy practicing. So they have a class here.

Diane walked towards a small gate of a house, I don't think she lives here. She entered the house, and I just followed her. "Where are we?" I asked. This house is old, the classical design of every area is rare to see in a pack.

"Servant's ward." I nodded my head. So this is it. Am I going to live here?

An old woman approaches us, she bowed her head to Diane. "Greetings, Lady Diane." When she raised her head up, she saw me and a smile plastered on her face. "You brought a guest."

"She will be Prince Sebastian's servant, give her new clothes and let her take a bath. We will wait for the Prince to decide, for the meantime let her stay here."

The old lady smiled at her. "I understood."

"Go and follow her." Diane told me.

"Thank you." She just nodded her head. I smiled before following the old lady.

She entered a small room. "Stay here, you will find all the stuff you need in this room." Once I saw the room, I somehow felt I was in my former pack. It's just cozy and comfortable. Sure they have a life here.

I thanked the old lady and she held my hands. "I am Theresa, you can call me Manang. What's your name?" She asked.

I smiled and held her hands back. "Hello Manang Theresa, I am Analisse." I miss the person who's taking care of me at the Silver wolf pack back then. But I heard she died while I was away. I did not have the chance to visit her grave since I could no longer stay there.

"Take a bath and rest for now, Analisse. The food will be ready for a while so you can eat." I smiled while she checked on me. "You don't look like you will be a servant." That's what Inueh said a while ago too.

"I just want to say something." I nodded my head at her and focused on what she would say. "I don't know where you are from and I will not ask about your background anymore. It's not my job. I trust Young Master for bringing you here. Although, I want you to be careful around here. It's not like what you think. There's more than that."

"What do you mean, Manang?" I asked.

"You will see it." And she left me wondering after that.

What worst could it be?