The Queen's Maid

Four

A soft hand places on top of mine, stopping me from stacking the dishes and my eyes shots up to look at my mom's light blue eyes in confusion.

"Anne, I'll wash the dishes." Her voice was firm, I would thought she was angry at me if I'm not looking at the soft look on her face.

Dad didn't beg me for it, but now mom did. And I'm not going to let her.

"But—"

"It's okay, Anne." She stares at me softly with a light smile placed on her face.

I guess I can't argue with her this time.

A sigh comes past my lips and a my lips curve upwards at the look of her. "Okay."

I turn on my heels, feeling a slight of regret inside me as I walk toward the door of the kitchen. A thought that I never thought would cross my mind comes into my head and make me freeze on my track.

"Mom?" I turn around and see her fixes on the dishes she washes.

"Yes?"

"Can I go to the lake?" She spins her head around and give me a smile.

"Sure. Be careful." I give back a smile, feeling happy in a sudden.

"Okay, I will."

I make my way out of the house, smiling to myself. Few minutes walking down the quiet street, only few people I pass on my way to the lake.

I walk deeper into the woods, watching every step I take on the dirt ground. The sounds of birds chirping and winds blowing lightly at my way accompany me all the way to the lake. Figure of a young man, perching down on the old wooden dock steal my attention.

I move my feet closer to the figure, my gaze fixes on him as I get closer and closer to him in every step I take. His features getting clearer as I stand meters away from him.

Connor.

Unconsciously, I smile at the view as my eyes keeps focused on him. I walk closer toward him, still having the smile on my face. I stop beside him and go down to sit beside him.

I turn my head around seeing him already looking at my way with astonishment, little smile showing on his face.

"Hey."

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

Curiosity takes over my mind as I keep my eyes on his, smiling at his astonished face. He slightly shake his head, blinking a few times and smile back at me.

"Just enjoying the view. In here is so quiet and peaceful. Not crowded like the town."

Right. He's from the town. He told me about that before.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Yes. 2 brothers and a sister." I took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh.

"My older brother, he sent off to the war." I look at my lap as I fiddle with my hand, heart aching from remembering him, mostly my heart. Like someone squeeze my heart with their hand. I keep staring at my lap until I can feel him, staring at me.

Jake, I miss you so much. Where are you now? Why you have to be chosen to be a soldier? Why not just chosen to be a palace guard or an officer?

"How long he's been sent off?"

"It's been 3 years. I haven't got any news about him since the day he left." I sigh, trying to hold the tears from falling down my eyes.

"I'm sorry for asking. He sounds like a person who meant a lot to you."

"It's okay. He does mean a lot to me. To my family." I let a little smile shows on my face. I took a deep breath and sigh.

"So, how about your sisters? Can you tell me about them?"

"They're just having their birthday last week. They're 16 now."

He look at the lake, smiling as he probably remembering them in his head right now.

Now I'm wondering how are they look like? Do they look like Connor? They're definitely as attractive as Connor.

"Oh. I wish I can meet them someday."

"You're going to have a lot of fun with them."

"So, what are their names?"

"Elizabeth and Elena."

"I guess I have to go now." The sun begins to set in front of us. We've been sitting and talking for hours and don't realize it's almost nighttime.

Wow, time is passing so fast when we talk with someone with the same interest as us.

"We both have to go." He stands from the wooden dock and hold his hand out for me to take. I put my hand in his and stand on my feet with the help of him.

We walk through the quiet woods side by side in silence. Only dry leaves and branches cracking can be heard. We get to the side of the road and face each other.

"Do you want me to walk you home?" He offers.

"You don't need to. My house isn't far from here."

"I'll see you soon, I guess." He smile.

"I'll see you soon, too." I wave my hand at him and walke away.

"Anne, what's taking you so long? I thought something happened to you." She rushes towards me, worries cover her face as she wraps her arm around me tightly. After a few moments, her arms loosened and she steps back.

"I'm sorry for making you worried. I just spending my time at the lake, like what I said before. And I just talking to someone." The last word said, and her grin grows wider and wider in each seconds.

Here it comes again.

"Really?" I nod. "Yeah."

Mom in her thought: God, my daughter finally have a boyfriend. I'm so proud of her. *squeals*

Me in my thought: *sigh*

"Is it that young man from the Service Office?" She wiggles her eyebrows.

"Uh, yeah." I say awkwardly as I avert my gaze away from her. And then she squeals, jumping up and down excitedly.

Here it is, the other side of the loving mother is coming! The teenager side of her! Ladies and gentleman, this is my mom, a mother with teenager soul inside her who loves to talk about boys.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so happy!" She whisper–yells, wide grin spreading on her face. Maybe afraid she'll get others up, I guess. She squeals again, with her hand covering half of her face.

"What did you guys do?"

"Uh, we just talked. That's it." I shrug.

"That's it?" She gasps dramatically and look at me with disbelief as she lifts her hand up to cover her mouth.

Yeah mom, that's it. What did you expect me to do, mom? Kissing him? We just met for a few days for goodness sake!

"Yeah."

"Oh. I thought you guys just kissed or something like that." She shrugs, pouting slightly. And her grins came back to her face.

"Mom!" I groan.

"I'm joking." She laugh a little. "If you want to eat, your dinner still on the dining table."

"Okay."

After I finish my dinner and wash my dirty plate, and walk up to my bedroom. I pass my siblings room quietly, afraid I might woke them up. (Even though I know they're still awake. Like, very wide awake).

I step into my room,closing the door. I slip my clothes off and got changed into a pair of shorts and shirt. I lay on my bed and turn the lights off. After staring at the ceiling for god knows how long, my eyes getting heavier and heavier. And my consciousness begins to leave my body.