Lost In Underland(Complete)

1: To Become A Maid

She was ecstatic about reaching her destination. As the smaller, bland-looking cottages behind her gradually blurred and grand ones came into sight along the river, she knew she was close to the part of the village occupied by the affluent. The kingdom of Upland exhibited a marvelous cerulean sky, vivid as her simple dress made vibrant by the host of colors in mixed pieces of cloth, patched together to form the dress that flawlessly covered her beautiful figure.

Favored by youth, she tenaciously rowed forward, drifting past trees, grasses, paddling ducks, folks on horses as well as feet and birds flying over the river until finally, her destination, admirable, appeared closely before her.

It was a stone-walled one-story cottage that proudly overlooked the river and had a wooden dock protruding from its shore, its jutting edge, welcoming. Wrapped around the house was a short sturdy-looking wooden fence with medium post gaps. The fence housed an orchard with climbing vines resting across it in haphazard positions so that amidst different flowers with varying heights around in the yard, the house gave off a pleasant presence.

Amber beamed, admiring the sight even as she aimed the tail of her canoe at the dock. As the dock drew closer, she maneuvered the canoe to a slow cruise, rose, and moved close to the bow seat where she slowly brought the canoe to a side of the dock. With little impact, it collided side by side with the dock and she hastily slipped the paddle underneath the seats before grabbing the free end of a rope attached to the stern. Securely, she tied the free end of the rope to one of the anchoring poles at the dock and climbed onto it in the plain sunburnt catapult sandals that encased her feet.

Without much ado, she sauntered forward, heading towards the house. At the entrance of the fence, she pushed the gate open and let herself into the yard, seizing a moment to admire the compound. It had an immaculate lawn with lavender flowers marking a clean walkway that ran directly to the porch stairs which led to the brawny front door of the house.

Amber was beginning to feel some awe. As a result, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves, exhaled, and continued forward, straight up to the front door. The knock she gave returned a faint sound, hence she knocked again with more power but it was the same. Amber stepped back and noticed the pull cord doorbell made of brass.

Mentally chastising herself for not noticing it earlier, she reached for the cord and pulled it, ringing the bell which emitted an unpleasant chime that had her protecting her ears with her hands.

A few seconds passed with no response hence, she reached for the cord again but was interrupted by a squeak from the door as it was slightly opened from the inside by Cressida, a young frustrated-looking woman of about 30 with sharp features. Cressida poked her head through the slightly open door and saw Amber who was giving her a friendly smile.

"Hello," Amber said, "my name is Amber and I am to be a new help."

"A child?" asked Cressida, eyeing Amber from head to toe.

Amber couldn't tell if Cressida really expected a reply or if she was just wondering out loud.

"A girl," she replied since they were the only words that came to her.

Cressida's brows shot up, not expecting that.

"Smart mouth? Too bad it will be humbled here."

Amber threw her a puzzled look, wondering what she meant but without another word, Cressida pulled the door wide open and stepped aside. Amber then noticed a packed box standing somewhere adjacent to her and before she could try to contemplate what was going on, Cressida introduced herself matter-of-factly.

"I'm Cressida, ex-maid as of now."

"Oh, I see," Amber said, "but wait a minute, you had to live here?"