Third
1562 Words
Maxine fought for her life. She applied what she had learned in swimming class yet, the strange powerful force tied to her legs kept pulling her down no matter how she tried to kick it.
Soon, her energy dropped to zero.
She closed her eyes, accepting her fate of dying when a woman who resembled her facial features appeared in front of her. Hair length and eye color were their only differences. It had green eyes while she had black.
The stranger held her hand and the unseen force dragging her down died. She indulged at this moment where she could swim like a mermaid.
“My Lady!”
A woman pulled her from the water. The first thing she did was cough.
“My Lady, how many times did I tell you not to sleep while taking a bath?”
Tears formed in the woman’s eyes.
“Excuse me, but who are you?”
The woman’s jaw dropped. She ran away and left the poor Maxine.
She stood, got out from the bathtub, and wrap the bathrobe hanging on the curtain rod around her body.
She inspects the tub. The woman she was with earlier vanished.
Her eyes and brain analyzed the interior of the bathroom.
There was indoor plumbing, however, the placement and the style of the bathtub, toilet bowl, even the absence of bottles of shampoo and conditioner convinced her she was in a different era.
The woman brought two more people. A man wearing a matching Cedar brown coat and high waist pants and another woman in a coral dress with a crinoline as if she would attend a royal ball.
“Maxine, do you remember me?”
“I’m sorry Sir, I did not know who you are.”
The three wept as if someone died.
“Honey, I’m your Mother and he was your Father.”
“I’m sorry if I forgot. Don’t you want to call the doctor?”
Honestly, all she wanted was to stop them from crying.
The doctor told them there were no serious injuries found. It added that her amnesia might just be temporary.
Maxine stayed inside her room crying under the blankets. She did not understand the course of events. What was the point of living if she won’t ever see her loved ones anymore?
She wished her amnesia were real so the wound in her heart would go away.
“Maxine... Wake up.”
A soft voice kept on whispering to her ears.
“You?!”
Her drowsiness disappeared when the girl she saw in her flooded room sat beside her bed. She even rubbed her eyes.
“Who are you?”
“I am you.”
“What?”
“That was true, please, help me.”
“How would I help you?”
“The wizard, he already said the answers...”
“What’s with the wizard?”
The woman’s image faded in her eyes.
That morning, she barely touched her plate. Three questions occupied her mind.
How did I get here? Who was this wizard? How would I return home?
‘Have I met the wizard she was referring to?’
A particular image flashed in her mind.
The old man she met yesterday met the criteria of a wizard. His philosophical words tickled her head.
She had a new goal.
To collect the spirits and fix her bad karma. For now, that was the only information she had, so she called her servants and asked for any history books related to this world.
It came back with three heavy books that were as thick as the encyclopedia in their school library.
First, she learned the world that this body lives in. And the tale went on like this:
Solar’s Daffodil, a heart-shaped diamond comprising the 8 greatest Emperor’s spirits. Without the artifact, this world’s sustainability would be in danger.
One day, there was an Empress who made vanity her priority. Time passed and wrinkles became prominent in her face, which made her mentally deranged.
“What if I used the stones?”
Yup, she stole the artifact from the Sacred Temple.
However, the spirits sensed it, left the artifact, and it scattered around the entire empire. As the result, the diamond’s brilliance lost, causing it to transform into a useless piece of coal.
After she read the history books, another question bugged her mind. How would she find the spirits?
She put the book on her bedside table when the knocks disturbed her and revealed a woman who introduced herself as her mother.
“I know everything seemed in disarray for you right now. Honey, can I ask you a favor?”
“Yes, what is it M-Mother?”
If she wanted to find the pathway back home, she must learn the truth, gain the trust of people, get used to living in the environment even though it was difficult.
“Your Brother’s marriage partner would have dinner with us. May I ask your support?”
“Of course, Mother.”
She prepared to look presentable and even asked for her servant’s help about the proper table manners, which started the new hot topic since the only lady of the Duchy didn’t bother to follow the rules before.
Six o’clock on her bedroom clock. In a messy bun and yellow tulle dress, matched with the scorching rays of the summer sun, was a modest woman this household has never seen before.
They said it was a miracle, but for the Duke and Duchess, the accident was a blessing in disguise.
“Good Afternoon Count and Countess Franklin,” she said.
Between them was a woman left by colors. The only thing which gave hue to her face was the cosmetic products applied to her lips, cheeks, and eyebrows.
One look at her and the strong wind could blow her away. This urged Maxine to make friends with her.
“Good Afternoon, you must be Lady Corrine. I’m Lady Maximilienne de Clare.”
She extended her hand. Though her smile sparkled, she categorized it as dull.
She can’t blame the poor woman. The eagles would slit her alive if a single member of the Duchy would show dissatisfaction towards her performance.
Maxine heard a familiar voice in her head.
“Maxine, you had to monitor her! Lady Corrine and your Brother both have Un’s spirit! You had to help them reach their goals and take away the sadness in their hearts.”
Un was the name of the first spirit.
The quiet dinner ended. Maxine shook her head when the parents were the only ones who were discussing the marriage plans.
All her brother did was nod his head.
Of course, how could Lady Corrine say no?
That night, she planned on how to make the two open up to her.
Greeting his brother was the very first thing she did the next day.
“What did you need?” Mason asked while he fixated his eyes on the documents.
“Let’s go to the market!”
“Why? Didn’t you see I was busy with my work?”
A frown formed on her face.
“If you didn’t play with me, I’ll die out of sadness. If I’ll die out of sadness, my ghost would haunt you even if already married and had 10 children!"
Mason dropped the documents and removed his eyeglasses.
“Your method of threatening your brother was very unladylike. And even If I have the vitality to have ten children, I would add another burden on my shoulders.”
“So?”
She blinked her eyes a few times, then clung to her like a koala on the eucalyptus tree.
There was no way tested strategy won’t work on him.
“Stop ruining my clothes. We’re only going today.”
Vera Market. The merchant’s dream where you could find varieties of products from fresh vegetables, meat to love potions or protection charm for the monsters.
His brother held her hands so she won’t go anywhere. He also turned his back to check if Maxine was still with him.
“Brother, let’s sit on the bench over there!”
Next to the market was a small park with lots of benches around. They chose the bench near the fountain.
“Here are your candied apples.”
All she replied was an enthusiastic ‘Thank You’ as she held the stick.
“Brother, what do you think of Lady Corrine?”
Maxine’s teeth fought with the sticky caramelized coating of the red apples. A sting spread on her molar; she hid the pain by smiling silently while slowly chewing the tough fruit.
She slid it back on the paper bag so she could cut it into small pieces.
“Brother, don’t you like her?”
“N-no... it’s just... she doesn’t hold a space in my heart.”
It was at this point she confirmed her hunch. Collecting spirits was a daunting task.
- Writer
