A Different World part 2

The scrawny figure of a young girl stood at the entrance of her room. From her outfit of black and white, the submissive set of her shoulders and the way she kept her head bent downwards, Patricia guessed she was a maid.

She pulled the short towel around her body tighter, feeling uncomfortable. The way the maid kept standing there unmoving made Patricia think that she didn't realize she was making her uncomfortable. She cleared her throat, thinking maybe that would draw the maid's attention to her face from the nondescript carpet but there was still no response.

She finally gave up, throwing her hands up and walking inside the walk-in closet. She grabbed the first simple dress she found- well, relatively simple. They were all so beautiful and glamorous that it was hard to find one that had less frill or gems on it. She dressed quickly and looked at herself in the mirror, feeling strange wearing such a long and tight dress for a simple one on one dinner with her father. She sighed. She would have to get used to the traditions and ways of a whole different world with just the help of a simple maid who wouldn't even look at her, it seemed.

After she had wrapped her slightly dried hair into a neat bun, she walked out of the closet to find the maid still standing where she had left her, not having moved from her place. Even her eyes were on the same spot on the floor. She cleared her throat yet again to no response.

"Umm, hi," she finally said.

The maid didn't reply. She only bowed her head, indicating that she had heard her. Patricia spoke again, "what's your name?"

Still, the maid did not speak. Could it be that she could not speak? Patricia decided to try once more,

"Why aren't you answering me? Can you speak?"

The maid finally replied, "I...i am not allowed to speak, my lady."

My lady? Why was the maid calling her that?

She then remembered. She was the duke's daughter. Of course everyone would talk to her with titles...or not talk to her at all. She didn't think she could handle that though, at least so soon.

"Nonsense, you can talk to me. Do you understand?"

The maid hesitated before nodding, probably only to agree with her mistress in case she upset her.

"Good, now tell me, what is your name?"

There was stunned silence as if she had asked something forbidden, but the maid answered nonetheless, looking unsure,"Ar...Aria, my lady."

Patricia noticed that Aria was standing straight as a toothpick whilst still looking at the red carpet underneath her feet. Her hesitance and tenseness made her wonder about the way servants were treated in the manor, or Clandestine in general. What had made her act so submissive and scared?

"Don't you think you've examined the carpet enough?" Patricia asked, smiling, trying to make her feel at ease.

Aria finally lifted her head-only slightly- and looked at her warily. She had brown eyes like a human's, Patricia realized. But she was surely not a human. If she had been, her father would not have sent her to her room, given her recent transition and-she suddenly became aware- burning thirst for blood.

A compulsion made her sniff the air. Smells from all around wafted into her nose, yet to her disappointment, there was not a trace of human blood amongst them. Her disappointment at not finding human blood made her feel guilty. How could she think of humans and their blood as food when only a day ago she had been one herself?

She shook her head to get rid of the strange thoughts. "So, what are you doing here Aria?"

"I was sent by the Duke to orient you with your closet. So that you would know what to wear, when to wear. He also asked me to inquire if there is anything you need."

"Oh uh- I don't think I need anything. You can show me the closet though, I have no idea why I would even need so many dresses," she said, laughing.

Aria looked at her strangely as though she couldn't understand her. She walked into the closet, urging her to follow. The next hour was spent in the company of a flurry of colorful skirts and Aria's boring lecture about them. By the end, Patricia still didn't understand why she could not wear simple pants for a day out.

She voiced out her confusion, only for Aria to reply disdainfully, "This is not the human world, my lady. Here pants are worn only by men and lowly ladies who cannot afford dresses."

Okay? She wasn't sure if the disdain in her voice was over her questioning or the mention of humans. Either way, Patricia didn't like her attitude. Are all vampires this way? Haughty and thinking they were better than other species.

"I think we're done here. You can go now," she said to Aria. She left after a stiff curtsy.. At least it showed she had obviously gotten over her initial frightened reaction to her. Did she decide I'm not scary?

She went to stand before the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her from dull violet eyes. Yet on the other hand, she thought, I shouldn't be so comfortable with the people here that their attitude borders on hostility and rudeness.

She sighed as she turned away from the mirror. She felt exhausted, both mentally and physically, after the day she had had. The only thing she wanted to do was eat, and then pass out for days. She didn't doubt she would.

She walked out of her room as she tried to remember where she had seen the dining room when Anthony showed her around. Ending up twice in the wrong room, she finally found it, and her father as he sat waiting. She greeted him before taking a seat on his right.

"I'm sorry for taking so long, I got lost a couple times. I can't seem to get used to all the different hallways and rooms."

Anthony glanced at her in amusement before gesturing for a servant standing nearby to get the food. "You will get used to everything with time. Our residence is nothing compared to the grandeur of the royal castle and its grounds." Seeing her nonplussed expression, he said, "you might not believe me now but you will see for yourself when we travel to the capital."

As the food was set down before them, her previous hunger was suddenly forgotten and she glanced at him in alarm. "We're going to the capital? The castle? For what?"

He laughed at her surprise. "Well, of course. We need to introduce you to the court and the nobles. I understand it could be overwhelming for you so I am trying to ignore my obligation to take you to court as much as possible. You can have some days to get used to everything here-And learn what you need to- before we go."

Multiple thoughts whirled in her head as she tried to come to terms with what he said. Having just been taken to a different realm while leaving her whole life behind, she wasn't sure she could get accustomed to any more change. And meeting the court? Dozens of nobles who might as well give her an inferiority complex as she was put on a pedestal before them. Being judged for who she was and who she had been. No thank you.

But apparently, she had no choice.

Seeing the multitude of expressions play across her face, Anthony started piling food onto her plate in a clear attempt to distract her. It worked because she was starving after her transition and her gums strangely throbbed with the itch to bite onto something. Hard.

She immediately dug into her food. It was only when she was halfway through devouring her plate that she felt her father's gaze on her, his food untouched as he regarded her in amusement.

"What?' she asked through a mouthful of stew.

"Hungry, are we?"

She just shrugged, any inhibitions she had forgotten by her hunger, "who knew turning into a vampire could make your stomach so much bigger?"

Her father only laughed, before continuing with his meal. Soon, Patricia was finished with her dinner and so was he. Servants came in to get the dishes and put dessert in place of the empty bowls of food as her father spoke again.

"What do you think of the house? Did you like your room? I sent the maid to explain the clothes for events to you. Was your wardrobe to your liking? If not, you could go to the market yourself and buy some m-"

"Dad," she interrupted him. If she hadn't, god knew how much longer he would have continued to babble. "Don't fret. You don't need to worry about me not liking anything you give me. I'm your daughter. Besides, everything is amazing. I love the house, my room and the clothes are-" She wanted to say unusual, but held her tongue, "-lovely. Thank you."

He beamed at her, pleased with her response. "You don't need to thank me. As you said, you're my daughter."

She nodded and smiled back. As Patricia was about to get up and excuse herself to catch up on some much needed sleep, servants once again came into the room to serve a thick red liquid in goblets.

At first, she thought it was red wine. But when one glass was put in front of her, she realized from the odor and the sharp pang that went through her gums to her teeth that it was blood.

She looked at her father who was watching her closely and he nodded, urging her to drink. A strange burning overwhelmed her throat and her vision became hazy until all she could do was focus on the dark fluid. She grabbed the glass with trembling hands and raised it to her lips. She half expected to feel revulsion which would give her a reason not to drink. But for the life of her, she could not remember why she should not drink blood- the very essence of life, which was probably taken from a helpless human.

Her first sip was exhilarating, urging her to continue drinking. It was delicious as it ran down her throat, coating her mouth and taking control of her senses, making her feel high. She took another sip and before she knew it, the goblet was empty. Yet, her thirst- and strangely, hunger- was not quenched. Her father asked for another goblet and she nearly leapt at the servant who brought it in her haze of red. As she drank more and more, she started feeling invigorated. Her senses sharpened to the point of being unbearable, and her previous exhaustion disappeared. She felt like she had only just been born. Life from before was nothing compared to this.