Rabecca.

A New Acquaintance.

"We are getting our furniture from this company and I believe that they may have what you are looking for." My auntie said as she openned up a company's website and began scrolling through the options.

"There, There! 3-D Wallpapers!" I directed her and she clicked on a tab to reveal  an array of images that were so pretty that it made making up my mind even more difficult.

"Hurry up, make up your mind. Meanwhile, I'll check on your brother to make sure that we are all ready to order. Then sooner we move in, the sooner we can begin with your school preparations."

The wicked woman!

I nodded at her, remarking secretly at how well she managed to dangle the carrot. Either way, I still loved her. Her affections for me were genuine and when she reprimanded me, there was a real cause for it, unlike a certain someone...

Well that someone was not here and therefore, she could not ruin the mood. Sighing happily, I pulled out a pad and a pencil and began taking notes.

Five minutes later, my auntie was back and I handed over the list of the choices I had made. I was quite happy with my selection and it reflected on my visage as I watched her browse through the listed options.

"This looks good. What about the furniture?"  she commented as she stared at my notes and compared them to the images that kept on popping up with every click that she made.

"White is fine. I prefer beige drapes though, with sheer linings for the windows."

"Whatever you say my darling." she smiled back at me as she walked out of the room, probably to begin making the order for the items that my brother and I had listed. I don't think she intended to remodel her personal space. I had seen it and it was already furnished probably due to her previous work engagements in this country.

I was not really sure what she and uncle Em did for a living. Well,  I knew that it involved supporting the Phaedra in a number of ways, but that was all I had. I could not even beginning to give their job description, not because it was profound but rather because every little tidbit I got from them was so vague I had almost given up on finding out. Almost. The word is almost. With this new opportunity presenting itself, I was sure I would soon find them out if I bid my time.

For now, Auntie seemed quite busy and I guessed, it was because her assistant was yet to be selected, but that did not concern me. Therefore, I pushed it out of my mind and looked around for something else to do.

I gazed at my laptop and shook my head. No, I had already spent to much time there and I need some variety in form of the things to do. Then I stared at my bedroom and yet again, I looked away. Yes, I loved my rest but not today. I was too excited for that. Bored even until I remembered that I was yet to explore the grounds.

I had already been taken around a tour of the house, otherwise that would have been the first thing. However, I was yet to tour the gardens. Therefore, I went straight to the backyard that I had previously observed from a bedroom window. A smile formed on my face as I came to before the garden entrance that I now observed was very much like that of grandma Lenton. Even the pond in midst of it was quite similar albeit a little smaller and I wondered if Auntie Mishpa had anything to do with it.

The grounds were also not as big, since this was a residential area in the outskirts of town. I notice, however, that the space was big enough to hold a staff quarters, a green house, this garden of course and an extensive car garage.

Apart from the layout, I noticed that the flora was quite different from the plants that graced Grandma Lenton's garden. Maybe it was because of the difference in climate. Where there climate in Urbe Civitas and in extension Veterum Prime was quite mild, Crayon City was founded in a mountainous region. As such, the environment was cooler and the winds more frigid as was expected of a higher altitude.

Still, I loved it here as well as my walk in this garden. Every once in a while, as I kept walking around though, I noticed that there were several security guards stationed all around the property. As I walked by, the would acknowledge me with a nod before speaking into their comms which I soon found quite irritating.

I cannot say that I was used to that kind of treatment, since I barely saw any guards back at home. However, I tried to forgive their behaviour by associating it with the new environment. This was not Veterum where Society had a tight leash on everyone's moral standards, not was it the Phaedra estate spanning hectares upon hectares of isolated land with a state of the art security. No, it was not and my uncle would be a fool to not take that into consideration.

"Are you excited to go to school next week?" A small voice asked me out of the blue and I looked around to find no one in the vicinity.

"Here," A girl that looked close to my age or maybe older stepped out from the bushes and extended out a gloved hand.

"Hi, I'm Gladys." She started before noticing the mud that was still clinging to the tips of the glove. "Sorry." she mumbled as she quickly ripped it out to offer me a cleaner looking hand. "Sorry about that."  She smiled sheepishly as I debated on whether to shake her hand or not. I was quite apprehensive at first not knowing many children my age, but recalling position and the reason why I was going to school in the first place, I threw caution to the wind and reach out to shake hands.

"Hi I'm Ra..."

"Rabecca! I know who you are. My mum has told me all about you. We will be going to the same school as well."

Same school? I lifted an eyebrow. Was a housekeeper's salary big enough to support a child through the school or was the school not as prestigious? The questions filled my mind even as I watched the dirty little thing jump around ecstatically; her red curls bouncimg as her blue eyes flickered with mirth.

"You will?"  I finally asked, my green eyes widening in my conundrum.

"Yes. I got a scholarship to attend the school since I am somewhat good at the pianoforte." Gladys said all in one breath and I have to admit that I was surprised that she was still standing.  "What can you do? Do you play?"

"Play?"  I asked in confusion.

"Yes, an instrument!" She answered as if that was something that even I was required to know. Her attitude vexed me and I frowned back at her before I remembered the purpose of everything.

Patience... I soothed my frayed nerves as I reminded myself that I had been trained for this.

"No. I like the pianoforte, but I am terrible at it. Auntie Min says that it is because my fingers are too stout and short for that." I answered as I inspected with my eyes, her long and graceful fingers that I took in with envy.

"They are not that short. Neither are they stout!" Gladys told me with so much conviction that I almost believed her.

"Regardless. I'd rather wrestle than play." I told her.

"You wrestle?"

"Not really ," I shook my head. "Wrestling is vulgar for one if my stature but, I am well versed in other forms martial arts, fencing and archery..."

"Yes! Yes! You're my new best friend!" the little imp had the gal to cut me off with a scream and flabbergasted, I could only glare back at her. Wasn't she intimidated by my position? I wondered until I remembered that my titles, for now, were being kept a secret.

"Gladys!" A woman called out from a staff house and the girl looked back at her.

"I have to go now. My mum is calling." She called out as she runoff in the direction of the staff quarter. "It was nice to meet you. See you around Becca!" 

"Becca???" I smiled to myself weirdly not sure whether to be pleased or annoyed. She had come out of nowhere and left like it was nothing. Worse still, she even managed to stick me with a nickname. "And I've been here for what? Less than two hours? What a crazy girl!" I laughed as I ran back to the house to find my Auntie Mishi.