"Don't Judge Me. You'll Get It Wrong."

 “Samire, thank the lord, I have been looking for you an…”

 She immediately lifted her hand, startled by the figures movement. She stopped what she was saying, as the figure in front of her turned around. But, unexpectedly, Meredith was not met with those friendly honey eyes she was so familiar with but, the cold piercing blue detached eyes of a stranger that shunned her away.

 “I…I’m….sorry, I thought you…you were someone else. I didn’t mean to bother you” she stuttered, trying to explain.

 The figure, a peasant, looked at her up and down and just turned away. Meredith walked away, she could hear them laughing at her, but she decided not to care. The sun was starting to fade in the background. Her mother would be furious at her. What would the neighbours and their friends think? A young lady unescorted in the evening is unacceptable, as her dear mother would often say.

 Her feet were starting to hurt her now, as they ached in her narrow heels. She forced herself to walk onwards to her house, but she had this gut wrenching feeling in her stomach about all the disgraceful things Samire would be vulnerable to. Meredith wanted to go back, but she knew better than to put herself in danger.

 Finally, she had made it home. Meredith took of her light pink gloves and used them to wipe the sweat beads that had formed on her forehead. She squinted as she made out a petite person standing on her porch. It waved back at her, sighing with relief and soon she realised. The two girls ran towards each other, standing on the front porch of the house.

 “Samire!” Meredith exclaimed, hugging her life long friend, thankful for her safety. Both ladies were out of breath and were laughing.

 “M’lady, I was so worried about you. I turned my back for one second and you were gone. Please, Meredith never go astray again, you almost gave me a heart attack!” replied Samire.

 Meredith grabbed her friends’ hand, and squeezed it lightly, and looked at Samire straight in her eyes.

 “I promise,” She said, meaning every word of it.

 The two girls smiled at each other and hugged once more. They made there way through the gardens and stood outside the door to the servants’ quarters.

 “We will have to inform Lady and Lord Van De Valanche of today’s incident and…” began Samire.

 Meredith stopped Samire in her tracks and put her hands over her delicate shoulders.

 “We cannot Samire. You know as well as I do, you will loose your job. I cannot bear to lose my dear friend too,” She explained with urgency, as the thought of losing Samire was too hard to accept.

 The maid contemplated this. She stared into Meredith’s hazelnut and teal eyes, wondering if she was being sincere. Her and Meredith had been life long friends, however the word of her mother still echoed in her mind.

 Never trust one of them.

 But, maybe this time things were different, she wondered in the back of her mind. Meredith would never lie to her-this she believed truly. Or would she? She took one more look at those recognizable turquoise and hazelnut eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.

 “Well, only if you are sure m’lady,” replied Samire. She smiled warmly at her dear friend and received a friendly smile back. This comforted her.

 “I am,” answered Meredith confidently. “Remember, I said call me Meredith,”

 “Yes m’la…Meredith”, said Samire, with a grin on her face.