● Amber Erin Anderson ●
"Is your brother. . . . okay?" I managed to ask, my eye wide and still looking at the mess around me.
Ember wasn't as shocked as I was. For him, it was as if it was a daily normal sight to see his brother's room in a condition that screamed self-destruction and I didn't find that okay at all. Ace looked like he needed help and I doubted he was getting it.
"In this dysfunctional family of mine, Ace is the most okay person," he said, looking at Ace whose gaze was still outside.
"Wow," I mumbled, after picturing his other family members but failed, because I honestly didn't have any idea about them and their personalities.
"Ember," Ace called, his voice still weak and fragile. Ace knew he was listening so he said, "I'm feeling empty again."
Silence. That's all it was for the next few minutes. Ember didn't say anything to him and after this deep silence, Ace spoke again, and what he said broke my heart albeit we didn't even met yet and I didn't know him at all.
"Another season is coming to an end and I think I'll be still feeling empty and hollow."
Ember sighed and strode tworads the cupboard which was placed across the room and opened it. Ace heard the rummaging caused by his brother who just happened to go through someone's cupboard without their permission.
As he turned around, I finally saw the first Prince of the Elysian Kingdom and also the elder Elysian brother. He was a mixture of both Ember and Ira as most of his facial features were present in Ira and Ember.
He had the same higher cheekbones, straight nose, angular shaped eyebrows as Ira and the same sculpted jawline, long eyelashes as Ember, making me think: if these brothers are this much perfect, then how are their parents?
Their mother should've given birth to more children. Might have enjoyed more beauties.
I shook my head at my thoughts and returned my gaze at the pale guy in front of me. Although Ace was a complete mixture of his brothers, there was still something different about him. His soft soul fully deep brown eyes.
While Ember and Ira's showed different kind of emotions which were deep anger and hatred towards each other, Ace's ones showed kindness. His kind eyes were like as if they were ready to welcome warmly anyone with a bright smile.
Despite his dark circles and his messy raven black hair which looked liked it hadn't been brushed for days, he still looked beautiful in his own way.
Ace's eyes landed on mine and his eyes went wide and his eyebrows rose. "Ember, is that the girl you've been waiting to see?"
He looked at Ember who was still looking for something in the cupboard, his head ducked inside the cupboard and while still rummaging, he said: "How did you figure out?"
Ace observed my appearance and said, "Well, you aren't someone who will share clothes with just anybody."
I looked, smiled, and nodded (Just like Ember told me to.) at Ace cluelessly, my brain still trying to register the fact that he knew me and remembered me while I forgot every single thing.
"Ember was right," The muscles of Ace's cheeks twitched and soon it turned into a heart-warming smile. "Your eyes and name--both match perfectly." I never thought dimples could be this much adorable until I saw Ace's ones.
I still smiled and nodded, praying for Ember to tell me that I could talk other than just smiling a total idiot.
"Found it," Ember sighed in relief and closed the cupboard, completely oblivious of what Ace just told me. In his hands, there was the same vest as the one he was wearing.
He handed it to Ace and said: "Here, go and change. Fast,"
Ace raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Oh, let me guess. You don't even know what's going on." Ace nodded at Ember's guess.
"Father is making an important announcement and he wants his sons to be present but unfortunately, his first two sons are already fifteen minutes late. And I'm sure he doesn't want to see the crown prince showing up in the court room wearing. . .this" Ember sighed and gestured to Ace's clothing, which was, a ruffled shirt, its half of the buttons opened, revealing his chest.
Ace looked down, gripped his shirt, analysing what was wrong with his shirt. When he didn't find anything wrong about it and was about to speak, Ember threw the vest to him, making him instantly catch it.
The great Ember finally landed his great eyes on me and using his great mouth, he finally uttered the great words that I greatly wanted to hear. "Oh, you can speak now." I scoffed and sighed in relief.
"Father wants us to be present in his announcement? All of us? Including me?" Ace rose his eyebrows in disbelief. "Now that's something new," he jutted his lips and observed his vest.
"So, what is his daft announcement about?" he asked, folding his vest and draping it on his arm.
Ember closed his eyes in exasperation, calming himself down and wetting his lips, he said: "The daft announcement is about me!"
Ace realised what he just said and opened his mouth to say something but instantly closed it. "I- I'll get change. Forget what I said." And with that being said, he marched off towards the restroom, not letting Ember say anything else.
I tried my best to hold my laugh and succeeded by looking here and there and placing a first in my mouth while Ember huffed, patting his foot on the ground.
"So, will I be accompanying you both in your way to the throne room?" I asked, breaking the silence between us.
"Although I'd say no, but I'm sure you'll make me say yes somehow-- because as much as I know you, you aren't someone who'd stay in a room for thirty minutes without doing anything reckless, right?" Ember faced me with an eyebrow raised.
"Precisely, Your Highness," I smiled cheekily with a tad bow and he nodded.
"You can't just come with us--not when you're not a maid or guard as that will make everyone suspicious about you and the guards might just throw you out of the palace for trespassing. So, I've something for you which will not make you suspicious at all and you can accompany us without any fear," Ember explained while I paid no attention to him.
"Just get to the point, will you?" I yawned.
"In other words, you can't accompany us without a disguise."
"Disguise, hmm? Sounds exciting!" I exclaimed.
"Exciting? If they find out who you are or your whereabouts, you might get a death sentence for violating the rules and I can't help you then," Ember shrugged.
"That's what it makes exciting!" I threw my hands in the air. "So what kind of disguise will I be in?" I smiled at him but seeing him smirking for the first time made my smile disappear and it turned into a frown.
"A guard?" I guessed, knowing the fact it wasn't right.
"A female guard is highly infrequent in this palace and it'll only draw more attention to you which we don't want." Ember pointed out, his smirk deceased.
"Then a Dame?" I guessed again.
"Same goes with Dame. Most are Knights." Ember reasoned.
"Then what?" I was losing my patience and was getting mad.
"A maid." My mouth hung open after hearing what he just said.
"A maid!?" I practically yelled while grimacing.
"Yes, a maid. My Special Maid." He gave me his previous smirk and I grimaced more.
Ember bobbed his head for some unknown reasons and I demanded an explanation of why. "Well, nobody really cares about the maids here, how they look like, how many are there and if you were to dress up as a maid and accompany us, nobody will notice and will just take you as a simple maid who serves the Royals." Ember explained and the fact that he made sense made me huff.
"If you want, you can just stay in my room with Keith until we finally find out-"
"Alright, I will do it," I sighed. "A maid it is then. But what's with the 'my special maid'?" I asked, frowning.
"Special Maids are suppose to serve a particular Royal subject; be it the Prince, Princess, King or Queen. Only one. They are to only follow their master's order. Also, you're the first Special Maid in this palace, so don't mess up," Ember explained and honestly, it was all too much for me to take in but still, somehow I understood what he said.
"Aren't all maids suppose to serve the Royals even if they're Special Maids?" I inquired.
"No, all maids are suppose to serve all Royals while Special Maids are suppose to serve one," he said and continued.
"So, Special Maids are actually maid but are in a higher rank?" I guessed.
Ember nodded and said: "You could say so. It's just that while other maids are to follow every Royal person's orders, Special Maids are to follow only one's."
I hummed and just when I was about to ask a question, Ace appeared, looking handsome with his vest on, his black hair pulled back and a few locks falling upon his eyes, dangling. He smiled when he saw both of us, his dimples drilling holes into his cheeks.
"Shall we go?" Ace inquired as Ember shook his head in denying.
"Erin is coming with us."
Ace's eyebrows rose up as he said: "Won't that be a problem for her?"
"It will be, indeed. That's why we need your help--oh, we don't, actually." Ember's gaze landed outside Ace's room where a woman wearing fancy maid's clothes was passing by.
I instantly hid myself behind Ember and Ace--not trying to show myself when Ember dragged me from behind and said: "No need to hide. She isn't a danger,"
"Hey!" That's all it took for Ember to get the maid's attention.
She craned her head and noticed the three of us. Not wasting any time, she entered Ace's room, but not before curtsying both of the brothers-- which Ember replied with a monotonous nod and Ace with a smile.
"Your Highnesses, how can I help you?" She asked politely, her head bent down, causing me to see her brunette hair which was tied in an elegant bun, not even a strand of hair coming out.
I examined her appearance and saw she was dressed in a white and golden dress with button and bow decoration which had detailed designs, turtleneck, layering ruffle lace detail which showed how much majestic they were and their maids, trumpet sleeves, flattering side ruched detailing.
As she lifted her head up, Ember said: "Do you know where's the maids' clothing room and where are the clothes kept?"
"P-pardon, Your Highness?" The maid looked taken aback with his bizarre question as she opened and closed her hazel eyes a few times.
Ember sighed through his nose, clearly being impatient by the passing seconds.
"This is the Special Maid I've hired. Show her where the room is and make sure she looks like a Special Maid." Ember ordered and gestured me to follow the maid.
The maid continued looking at Ember, as if he'd lost his mind and blinked, until Ember spoke again, his voice harsh. "Well? Make haste! We are getting late!"
The maid shook her head and then apologised. She gave me a look from head to toe, frowning when she noticed my clothes while I passed her a cheeky grin. "Follow me, miss." The maid told me sincerely as I nodded before waving my hand at Ember which, he returned by looking away, suddenly absorbed in deep thoughts.
As both of us got out from Ace's room and were walking down the long hallway, I decided to start a conversation so I could know this place a little more. "Do you know what's the announcement about?" I asked as I tried to walk with her pace but alas, this girl was walking faster than Ember!
She stopped in her tracks, craning her head. "I believe the announcement is about the second Prince,"
Very helpful.
I groaned mentally. "I know that! Anything else?" She denied by shaking her head and I sighed, failing at making the conversation. After a good few minutes of me trying to get words out of her mouth about this bizarre place and her replying with answers that I already knew, I gave up and just decided to know things by myself.
Fifteen minutes later, the maid, whose name was apparently Zinia and I were in Ace's room--Ember and Ace scrutinising my appearance, me trying my best to breath in these suffocating clothes and Zinia's finger crossed--hoping Ember wasn't displeased.
I was dressed in the same way Zinia was and my hair was also tied in the same bun--just that it wasn't as elegant as Zinia's one but it was better than before. The only difference in my dress was that it was long sleeved because Ember wanted it that way and the top part.
While Zinia's turtleneck had detailed designs, mine had the same but there was a pendent placed on it as well--which indicated that I was a Special Maid at the Elisora Palace. Yes, that was the name of the Palace I was living in. Elisora.
The pendent I was wearing was circled shaped, big, was made of blatic amber and was shining gold sparkle. Ember noticed the pendent and observed it for a while. Then, he came closer to me and said: "Your pendent should be same as your eye colours and I think it's perfect."
"You look fine, you always do."
My eyebrows rose after hearing this and Ace cleared his throat, making Ember shake his head and look away.
"Shall we leave?" I broke the awkwardness which was filling the atmosphere.
Ember nodded and gestured Zinia that she could leave. She looked happy for being able to do her work properly-- which was dressing me up and I must say, she did a great job. With a quick bow, she left, leaving with Ace and Ember.
After she left, Ember's sour face turned into a smirk and said, "Now, let's see what the King has to say about me."
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I'm literally in the middle of online class and am publishing this chapter-
Hope you like it? What do you think of it and the characters here? Any favourite moments? Would love to know!
Thank you so much for reading. Means a lot to me.
*hugs*
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