Petrified Maid

The morning started with the bright yellow light sneaking from the gaps of the curtains into the dark bedroom. Elle's slumber was quickly put into halt as the ray shone over her face which had laid on the soft bed. She wasn't one who sleep for a long time nor one who can sleep in presence of such bright light. Her golden eyes moved before her eyelid opened and when her eyes had turned bright, she could see the thin curtain that had shielded her bed. Her body moved forward as she questioned where and why she was in such a soft bed.

It took Elle a while to realize that she was in the manor of her father who she had just met for the first time of her eighteen years of life.

She pushed her fingers through her hair and let the information sink in as her heart felt somewhat heavier by seconds. She really is… the hidden daughter of a noble family.

If she told this to Timmy, perhaps he would laugh. But if she had told this to Grandpa John, she could tell he would chase her out, saying how dumb and stupid she was for letting go the opportunity of escaping the slum and living in a noble family.

Regardless, she had seen how that barbaric knight, Mikail had treated Timothy before and how Lady Gladys and the Carrot Girl despise her appearance, making her to doubt that staying in the manor would lead her to a happier life.

Now that it was time for her to go back home, her heavier heart felt so much lighter.

She didn't have to stay here in this manor and feel gazes constricting every moves she made. She didn't have to suffer under Lady Glady's hatred or her step sister. Nor does she have to be forced living a life without the family who had been there since she could remember.

In the end, everything worked out and nothing terrible had happened. For the first time, Elle felt that she could sincerely pray to the saintess for her gracious kindness in letting her to stay with her family. Perhaps this is the first miracle life had given her, something she was truly grateful of.

"Miss have you woken up?" A cold tone appeared that had startled Elle. When she moved her face forward and lifted her chin, she found the shadow of a woman dressed in funeral black uniform. Her hair that was as ravenous as her dress appeared to be tied in a tight bun and her pale skin stuck like a sore thumb. "If you do, we have brought you a water to wash your face."

Elle felt odd at how pointy the maid's tone was. It felt as if she was angry.

"Yes I have woken up," Elle replied politely and when she pushed aside the curtain, she saw the maid's face which as strenuous as she had imagined. There were wrinkles between her eyebrows that were striking as though the only facial muscle she had ever done in her life was frowning.

Although she was a beautiful woman in her fifties, she didn't seem to be the one who would smile ever.

Elle quickly pulled her eyes away from the old maid and looked behind, finding the other younger maid who had been whispering to each other. The way they had talked made it seem as if though they wanted Elle to know that she was the main topic of their conversation. She didn't mind it until they let out a chuckle when she held the entire basin with her own hands.

"Shush," demanded the woman before looking at Elle. "I will hold the basin for you. It is an etiquette."

"Oh that is alright I can hold it myself," Elle said but the woman wrapped her hands around the ceramic basin and pulled it away.

"A word if I could," the maid pause waiting for her allowance and when Elle noticed it she nodded. The woman then continued, "I humbly cannot imagine the sort of life you went through, Miss. however being a guest in this manor means you have to follow the rules in this place as well. The rule is, that a guest shall be treated as a queen and king. They shouldn't lift even a finger and be at most ease."

"But"

"And if you don't allow us to do so, then it would mean we have not done a great job in taking care of you. That would greatly upset Count Arthur."

Elle realized that by being stubborn she might be impending their work. Seeing the maid's strictness and her sternness to complete her work, she decided to give in and let the woman handle the basin. She whispered under her breaths, "If nobles can't even do small things for their own daily lives, their life must be extremely boring and mundane."

The maid's eyebrows raised high hearing this but she said nothing and went on to hold the basin for Elle.

Dipping her hand inside the water, Elle felt a sting. The water was quite cold, she thought. She then felt the gazes from the other maids apart from the eldest one staring at her with anticipation. Not that she cared about it but their gaze grew more and more demanding. As Elle had finished washing her face briefly, she turned to the two young maids, "What's the problem?"

"H- Huh?" They appeared perplexed as if she had walked on water.

The older maid frowned and as she placed aside the basin, she dipped her hand lightly to the water only to pull her hand away in shock as it was icy cold.

"Tatiana! Hannah!" The older maid yelled at the two maids at once. Her face was quickly squeezed together and a dark shade covered her upper half face. The anger was unspeakable and upon seeing her face the two young maids backed away to the wall in fear. Upon seeing the maid's eyes, Elle saw the bright silver glint that shone. "Have I not tell you to be in your best behavior today?! What have you two done!"

Elle looked back and forward. The frightened maids were afraid after being caught red handed while the older maid was angered. What happened? Why was she mad?

"M- Madam Val… we didn't do anything."

Madam Val had her eyes wide opened, "Then explain me this cold water you have prepared! This isn't any water or cold water. It is an icy water dunked with ice! Do you how this could affect Miss Elle?!"

The cold water? Elle turned her face to the basin. No wonder it was a bit colder…

"It wasn't us!" The other maid retorted, "I don't know why the water is cold but we only took the jar from the other maids, we weren't the one who had planned to do so on purpose!"

"You swore by your words?" Madam Val inquired with her eyes plastered wide. "Do you swear that you have nothing to do with the icy water?"

"M- Madam V- V—" the maid stopped talking at once as from the tip of her fingers, the once lively and peachy skin color turned grayish hue at once. The color continue to darken and while the maid screamed, trying to get away, the harder she tried to run away the worse it became as her entire body was engulfed by the gray hue turning her into a rigid unmoving piece of stone.

Elle's golden's eyes turned wide as she saw Madam Val's eyes that had turned oval like a snake. But by the time their eyes met, her eyes had returned normally, "My deepest apologies, miss. This should not happen again."

"W- What have you done?" Elle asked in fear as she realized the maid had became a stone. "It isn't necessary to punish her that harshly. Is she alright?"

"She is. I haven't killed her," said the head maid for Elle to breathe out in relief. "When the pétrification has been dissolved, she would be chased out of this house at once."

"Even so, that is too heavy of a punishment. I wasn't harmed so it's not necessary for you to do such thing—"

"It is a great offense to hurt someone who is a part of Vernon Family. You might think it is a light mistake but for us it is not. I will recall this mess as soon as now, this is your towel, miss."

"Even so," Elle cut her off as Madam Val seems to look at her as if she was a fly. "That isn't enough reason to hurt someone. It is a harmless action that should end with a mere scold. Treating others humanely is the basic of humanity, isn't it?"

Madam Val seemed to have chuckled listening to this and stared down at her as she uttered, "Perhaps but most of us aren't humans, thus we cannot relate to the emotion you feel right now. Not everyone deserves kindness, Miss. If you cannot learn this now, you will learn it the hard way in the future."