The Phoenix's Maiden

The Royalty

Amber wakes up from her sweet slumber in this new room of hers. The kings were too generous to give her this luxurious room for royals. The fact that she belongs to a royal blood doesn’t make any difference on how she is feeling, except for the special treatment that the creatures give her. She isn’t too comfortable in these kinds of treatments and she prefers to serve others than to be served by others. She is feeling guilty by simply thinking that she is just a nuisance to them, but the truth is that they are treating her with their utmost respect and gratitude, but Amber seems not noticing these things.

She is too familiar with these two creatures that delivered her breakfast into her room. They just knocked and even without her permission they entered the room, which shocks her. They don’t value privacy that much, she asked herself. These two diwatas are like the maids in this castle. She suddenly remembered the three that bullied her during the banquet. She doesn’t want to get back at them but to remind herself which creatures to avoid, and not causing more conflicts inside this kingdom.

“Just put it in the table,” she asked them. Their attentions were shifted to Amber and when they saw that she is awake now, they bowed their heads to show respect. “There is no need to do that,” she felt shy after witnessing how they treated Amber. “I am not that important,” she added. This is how Amber sees herself right now.

“It’s your meekness and the great good deeds of your ancestors that we respect milady,” one of the diwata tried to boosts her confidence. “In this kingdom, even you are not a royal we respect each other for having a good moral,” the other diwata responded. Amber felt awe in her heart, hearing the diwatas words to strengthen her mental state.

“Thank you for the kind words, you can leave the foods in the table. I will eat it later,” she responded to them. Right now she feels at least more comfortable knowing that the creatures here are mostly kind hearted. She experienced the bad ones early on but she feels that she will experience more of their hospitality. How she wished that the humans back then when she is alive are this kind hearted. Maybe she will not die in that accident and will have a happy life. The diwatas bowed to her again and Amber just threw a soft and sweet smile at them and then they walked outside the room.

She stands in her bed and walks towards the closed window and by the time she reached the windows she opened it, causing the sunlight to pour into her room, transforming her gloomy room into a bright and happy looking place. The fresh breeze air seems to love her as it meets her every time she goes outside. She really loved this feeling unlike her apartment back in the human world without windows, at least now she can ease her stress anytime.

When her vision adjusted on the sudden brightness, she witnessed humanoid creatures at the distant minding their own businesses in life. She guessed that these people are engkantos, and they are the most commonly known guardians of the forest in human world. They are feared due to their s****l desires and the people that they want are never to be seen again. They are known to be related to diwatas but they are the higher forms of creature. They are also known to be fallen angels due to their disobedience to God. Male engkantos are called Engkantados, and the female engkantos are called Engkantadas. In other countries they are the equivalent of the elves but she seen an elf when she first finds herself in this place. Their features are distant to each other. While they both have the same long ears, the other physical features are different.

 She wonders if the people are making up in their stories because from the looks of it, these creatures cannot do such things. The thrill of learning more about them rushed into her veins. But, she needs to work herself on social interactions.

She now noticed the change in her clothing; she doesn’t remember a thing about changing clothes. She now wears a red gown instead of her fitted jeans and t-shirt. She hoped that the two godly kings didn’t sexually assault her, because if they did they will never witness the prophecy again. Amber is too confident in her skills at running away. She then observed the sky where varieties of mythological birds fly in the sky.

“Is that a Sarimanok?” she blurted her thoughts out, because she cannot hold back her excitement seeing one. She really thought that these creatures cannot fly because they are portrayed as chickens, a species of flightless birds. They really do look like chickens but they have their wide wings that enables them to fly unlike the chickens. They are too beautiful to observe.

*The Sarimanok is a legendary bird of the Maranao people who originate from Mindanao, a major island in the Philippines. It comes from the words “sari” and “manok.” “Sari” means cloth or garment, which is generally of assorted colors. Manòk, which makes up part of its name, is a Philippine word for chicken.*

After pleasing her eyes she then went to the table where the diwatas put her food. She then takes her breakfast; meanwhile Arthur is busy doing his early routine with the royal army, debriefing them about their duties after they go to their personal duties. After the debriefing they then went on with their daily set of exercises.

After his meeting with the soldiers he then decided to pay Amber a visit, since of his abilities is his unnatural speed, he then quickly reached her room. He knocked at the door and then he hears a spoon clanking at the floor. Without the proper courtesy he then pushed the unlocked door to enter. Their sets of ethics are different than the humans. He then witnessed the lady panicking what to do.

He looked at her with amusement in his eyes wondering if the humans are all like these. Arthur is a natural born myth, with the bloodline of the well-known human legend, King Arthur. His parents decided to name him after their great ancestor, in hopes that he will soon take the glory that they once possessed. With his parents’ greed in power, he surprisingly turned out to be a loyal and patriotic knight, serving the kingdom wholeheartedly while wielding the legendary blade called “excalibur”.

“Good Morning,” he greeted the startled Amber but she looked at him with angry looks in her eyes.

“I think your parents taught you to wait for permission before entering someone’s room,” Amber snapped at Arthur.

“I apologize for that but it is our practice in this kingdom,” Arthur reasoned out.

“What if, what if, what if I am changing clothes?” she questioned him.

“Oh I am pretty sure that you are not after hearing that spoon fell on the floor milady,” he smirked at her and he is starting to get on Amber’s nerves.

“You are invading my privacy!” she shouted emphasizing the word privacy.

“I apologize if I offended you milady,” he sincerely said sorry to Amber.  “But I have come here to offer you a walk to the town,” he added, offering Amber to be his guide. Amber thinks about what Arthur said and this is an offer that she cannot deny. She’s dying to see what other creatures that she may meet in the town and she wants to encounter the sarimanoks up close. Their colorful feathers stunned her eyes and she wanted to touch their enchanted feathers that is said to believe may bring luck into someone’s lives.

“That may be possible BUT,” she leaves the guy hanging on her condition.

“But what?” the young knight asked.

“I may allow your company if you respect these three conditions of mine,” she said. “One, respect my privacy and personal space,” she walked around Arthur. “Second, you may not treat me specially, ESPECIALLY around the other mystics to avoid jealousy from other female mystics,” and then she stopped at Arthur’s back. “Finally, you will be my personal tutor,” she whispered at him. She intends to ask every question that comes into her mind, but in Arthur’s mind this hits different.

“I have no complaints milady and will humbly accept your conditions,” Arthur accepted Amber’s three demands to the young knight. Amber smiled widely at him and her excitement was filled again.

“If you may excuse,” Amber guided the young knight outside the room and after he gets outside, she quickly closed the door. The young knight was left dumbfounded outside the room as he did not expect the actions of Amber.

“Why?” he asked.

“CONDITION NUMBER ONE!” she shouted and wandered her eyes inside the room to plan her next actions. “And if you may please wait outside until I gave you the permission to come inside the room,” she added and the young knight frowned as this is his first time experiencing this kind of treatment and even the two king never treated him like this. Humans sure are mysterious, he thought to himself. He then sat against the door to wait for the maiden until she comes out. He agreed to her conditions and he can’t tarnish his pride as a gentleman, even a little bit. She sure has guts tricking the fearsome knight among his enemies and respected by the citizens.

Meanwhile, Amber wandered towards the wardrobe inside her room in hopes of finding comfortable clothes for her to walk around in the town. She sure feels itchy inside this red dress. She checked if there is a bathroom inside this room and Amber is thankful that there is one. She entered the bathroom to check what is inside it. She was impressed that this bathroom was installed with a modern technology shower system despite the whole kingdom is still at medieval times. There is a towel inside for her to use and soaps to clean her body.

After she took a shower she then closed the window to give herself privacy in clothing her n***d body. She chooses between the clothes that the wardrobe offered to her. Mostly of the outfits stored inside it are gowns if not her undergarments. She searched carefully for the clothes that she wanted and soon she finds a blouse with a vest that pairs with it. It’s better than the gowns, she thought. Then she finds pants for her to wear. She gets the clothes and proceeds to wear them. After finishing wearing her clothes she emptied the plates to waste no food and then proceeded to clean the room. Satisfied on how tidy the room is right now, she decided to meet with Arthur outside and telling him the she is ready for a stroll.

She opened the door and the young knight was shocked making himself off balance as the doors that he pressed his back against was pulled. Amber chuckled because of her amusement to Arthur’s clumsiness, but he is not happy with this. He gathered his composure and reminded himself that Amber is not a like them and that she is unique, so he need to understand her situation more. He needs to understand.

“Condition number two,” she said. “No special treatments,” she reminded him. “Especially around them,” she pointed at the passing diwatas delivering something.

“I will always remind myself milady,” he then bowed to Amber.

“I just said no special treatments,” Amber said with frustration.

“Oops, I apologize, it’s a habit,” he apologized for his actions. Amber nods at him to show Arthur that she understands.

“Got that,” he just smiled.

“Much better,” Amber commended his actions. “Shall we?” she asked him.

“I’ll lead the way milady,” he then offered his guidance and lead to Amber. She just walked towards him and they started their walk around the town.

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-

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