Alice groaned as she stirred, her hands gripping the mattress tightly and her chest rising and falling at a quick pace.
It felt like she was being choked to death, she couldn't breathe. What is this?
Alice could hear a faint voice calling out to her. Strange though, her mind was trying to respond to the voice but it wasn't her name the voice was calling.
Who the hell is Eury?
"Quick, get the physician over here! My lady is convulsing!!" The voice screamed out orders
The sound of shuffling feets and mumbling voices filled the room.
Alice tried to pick out a familiar voice but was immediately drowned into another round of the breathless feeling.
"Follow the rope." An eerie voice rang in her head
"What?"
"You must! His fate depends on you." The voice continued more like a warning than an advice
Alice's eyes snapped open and she sat up gasping hurriedly for breath.
The wild eyed maiden rushed to her, rubbing her palm soothingly over her Mistress's back while she muttered encouraging words to her.
"Where's the physician?!" She yelled demandingly at the other young maid who stood some feet away from her
Before she could answer, the door burst opened and a man walked in. From his attire one could tell his profession.
He bowed in respect before coming closer.
All this while, Alice just kept gasping, her mind trying to make out the face of the voice who spoke in her head but it was futile.
Who was that? And what rope were they talking about? She thought as she frantically tried to catch her breath
The physician approached the bed and immediately brought out the equipments he would be needing for the examination.
"Calm down My Lady, the physician is here." The maiden spoke again
Alice turned to the unfamiliar face and squinted like she was trying to make out her face.
Who is that? She thought inwardly just as she felt a slight prick on her arm and she jolted, her eyes snapping to the physician who had put something like a needle on her wrist.
She tried to talk, to say something, to ask what the hell was going on but the words could only form in her head for her mouth refused to open.
She kept quiet and watched, occasionally wincing as the physician administered his treatment while the maid remained by her side.
After several examination, the physician stood erect and bowed before speaking.
"My Lady is out of danger, the poison has been removed from her system." He said calmly
Alice's eyes widened in alarm.
Poison?!
"Are you sure?" The maiden asked, her face filled with worry
The physician nodded in response, he reached into his bag and brought out two little bottle which he placed on the table close to the bed.
"These medications should be taken for the next ten days, morning and evening. She shouldn't miss it." He said and zipped up his bag, bowed and walked out.
The maiden immediately went into action as she began issuing orders to the other servants in the room.
"Get My Lady something to eat quick. You, get the hot bath ready. Don't just stand there dimwit, relay a message to the royal farm and have some fresh fruits brought here quickly. Go go go."
The servants went to work hurriedly and in an instant the room was empty leaving only the dumbfounded Alice and the maiden who stood beside the bed.
"How do you feel My Lady? Does it hurt anywhere?" She asked
Alice stared at her but the more she did, the more she found it hard to recognize the young girl. Not only that, what was this strange looking room like she was living in the 80s or something.
"W....w...." She tried to speak but was rewarded with a dry cough.
The maiden immediately passed a cup of water to her and Alice gulped it down in a second.
The maiden refilled the cup and Alice swallowed quickly to wet her parched throat.
"My Lady....."
Alice stared at her
"Wh...where are we?" Her voice came in a whisper
The maiden was delighted to hear her Mistress's voice again and immediately answered.
"I know what you're thinking My Lady, but we had to change your room after what happened two weeks ago. We're at the annex Palace." She said with all smiles
It felt like a brain cell sparked in her head. What the hell?
Palace? Two weeks ago?
"Wh...what are you t.. talking about...? W..what happened two w..we..eekks ago?" Alice asked, her tone now sounding desperate and panicked
The maiden sat beside her and held her hand as if doing so would calm her down.
It didn't, it only made her panic more.
What the hell was happening all of a sudden? Why would her parents bring her here to this awfully decorated room and then hire a crazy girl to watch over her?
"You don't remember?" The maiden stared at her Mistress like she was seeing her for the first time.
Remember? Dude, I don't even know who you are!
Alice's mind screamed but she simply just shook her head.
The maiden looked even more alarmed, her grip on Alice tightening.
"It was a disaster..... I....I thought you were gonna die. I thought you were happy, I thought you would be elated over your wedding news but it turns out you weren't happy after all..... I should've known your smile was just a cover up of the pains you were feeling....I should've...." The maiden's voice shook as tears flowed down her cheek
Alice just stared at her with an eerily blank expression, it took a while before her brain could process all the girl had just said.
"Wait, what? What wedding!! Did Aunt match me up with another stupid chaebol?!" Alice's voice rose in anger.
She should've known. Maybe that was why she was sent down here. Judging from what this weird girl had just said , it seemed like she had rejected the proposal.... Knowing she had some loose screws, Alice was sure she had caused a lot of trouble that would've made her Aunt and probably her father exile her to this place.
But the strange man who came earlier had said something about poison....were they talking about her allergies? Maybe she had gotten dead drunk and had done something senseless.
Yeah, that was it....that was the only sensible explanation to this bizarre situation.
Alice chuckled, it sounded almost like a relief. She laid back on the bed groaning slightly. Eventually, she began to laugh.
The maiden looked stricken. Didn't the physician say her Mistress was okay now? So what was happening to her all of a sudden? She thought
"How much did I drink....gosh no wonder my head hurts?" Alice rubbed her forehead but then her eyes suddenly snapped open.
"Di...did you say Palace?" She asked in an almost tiny voice.
The maiden nodded and Alice squinted suspiciously.
"Where are we?" She sat upright and bolted to the big curtain which was closed
The maid tried to stop her but Alice beat her to it and swept the curtain to the side. Sunlight illuminated the room immediately, it's rays almost blinding her, she had to shield her eyes.
When her eyes adjusted to the light, she looked out the window and the first thing she saw made her eyes widened.
A huge bird flapping its wings close to the window.
Its large wings, terrifying claws and pitch black feathers weren't the only thing that freaked her out, what scared her more were its eyes.....they were three. The bird seemed like it had been waiting for her cause immediately it saw Alice it screeched loudly.
Alice's face paled, the light in her eyes dimmed out and her arms dropped weakly to her sides.
A loud scream tore out of her throat