Part 8

Despite her curiosity, Celina managed to avoid going out onto the balcony during the night for the entire week. The maid didn't go out there during the day either, thinking that the remnants of that distress and vulnerability will cling to her the moment she set her foot in. The Prince did walk away from her without any explanation and that stung. More than she thought.

As if that wasn't enough the Prince went away. For a while it seemed judging from Beths somber expression and lack of interest in ordering around. No one knew where but only that he would be returning after few days. The housekeeper kept staring at the door, barely acknowledging others around her. Maybe she's missing the Prince more than she thought.

It was the same with Celina. The past seven days passed by in a flood of work and learning more about cooking. She was all nervous energy, the cooking recipes sparking in her veins and flickering behind her lids but nothing interesting. The maid always let the stress get to her, no matter how many times Flora convinced its not much of a deal.

Oh and Flora and her managed to establish a perfected routine of moving around each other and trading half-frazzled and half-affectionate glances when they passed each other in the hallway before heading off to work they each have to do, two people stuck in an endless rotation of eating, cleaning, doing chores and sleeping. In between they also talked and giggled.

Its not all that bad.

***

December weather crawled over the hills of Dark Castle like a beast, enveloping them in occasional snowfall that stuck to the tips of the pines and fell over the hilltops. Gone were the clear days. The air was crisp only because of the bitter wind and the dark clouds, hovering above them like a warning.

Celina hissed when the chill hit her, creeping under her leggings and white shirt and pressing against her skin. By the time she's ducking under the roof of the pathway to the one of the building, protected by brick walls, she's shivering and ready to get back to the castle.

After endless grovelling Beth allowed her to take a day off but only till her evening shift. More than enough. Celina wanted to find the nearest library in the town which happened to be on fifteen minutes walk. Better than the distance she walked back in her village.

Celina's so lost in her thoughts, rubbing her hands up and down her arms vigorously, that turning around the corner the maid bumped into a stranger. Instinctively, she reached out to latch on to whoever it was, her hands flailing to stop from toppling over, and the solid chest she's bumped into did the same. The two of them letting out a startled shout.

There's a clatter of noise as the stranger dropped their belongings while the eighteen year old managed to steady herself. Tilting her head up she glanced at the person.

And. Oh.

Its a man. A very handsome man.

"Sorry, sorry," The maid stuttered, holding her hands out in alarm.

"Hey, it's alright," He chuckled, a little breathless. "All good."

Celina sucked a sharp breath.

He's tall, a good inch or so on her, towering over her so easily she blushed. The stranger had milky white skin, a few freckles here and there dusting on his nose, big brown doe eyes behind square, brown rimmed glasses, lips bitten red in the cold and a deep hinge of a jaw. Jet black hair spilled across his forehead, the loose strands coiled tight at his ears and wavy and loose.

"Sorry," She repeated softly, averting her eyes. Its rude to stare.

Kneeling down the maid tried to gather his things into her arms, trying to make this whole thing less awkward. He joined her slowly on the ground. There's paper everywhere, some of it already damp from the chill in the air and the residue of ice on the ground.

Come to think of it, there's piles of stuff on the ground. Who even carried that much stuff in person? She thought, raising her head to glance up again. The man managed to collect most of his items and secured it in his one arm.

"You new, here?" The man asked tentatively, closing a folder.

Was it that obvious?

"Oh, um, yeah," She answered, a little nervously, a little embarrassed, with a closed lip smile. "Guess I got lost in the hills?"

"Well," The man held up a finger and ruffled through his things before he pulled out a piece of paper.

A laughter bubbled out of her lips when she stared at the paper. It's a 'map' of the hill, of some kind, hand drawn and done by someone with a very steady and neat fingers. Celina tucked the sheet in her pocket just in case.

"Ah, Thank you," She licked her lips.

As the man gathered up another bundle of paper, she froze spotting the book that was buried underneath it. The cover of Canterbury Tales stared back at her. Celina let out a sigh of relief, blinking her lashes at him.

"Love that book," The maid breathed softly, her mouth curling into a half smile. She thought no one read anymore considering how everyone's interested in radio and theatres.

"Me too," The stranger answered with a gleam.

There's a moment, then, suspended, where his eyes were a little too intense for her liking, his glasses flashing, and she looked away quickly to avoid it.

"Uh oh" He made a sound, standing on his feet after he gathered everything, a tiny smile on his lips. "That’s so rude of me. I'm Abel, by the way."

"Celina"

Abel smiled again, gentle, his hair hanging over his glasses a little, which he attempted to brush away with an odd shake. "It's nice meeting you, Celina and I'll see you around, I guess."

"Yeah-. I mean," She started to walk past him, the two of them angling their bodies so they're still facing each other. "I'll see you."

A frown replaced his smile but then he nodded his head. "Umm...Goodbye," He wiggled his fingers in a tiny wave and turned away.

As the maid steered away, back to the castle she blinked her eyes together hard, pinching at her skin to try and remove the flush from her cheeks. A stranger talked to her about books, a man at that and didn’t shame her.

Its a big deal.

***

Celina shouldn't be surprised when she woke up late at night, dreamless.

Still, the familiar burn of disappointment and hopelessness spread through her veins and she sighed, blinking. It's even colder tonight than it had been the past week, so cold that she kept her velvety blanket wrapped tightly around her body. The maid slid out of the bed, hissing at the cold wood of the floor. No matter how cold it got, Celina refused to sleep with her socks on. That's atrocious. How do people consider that?

Celina initially planned on creeping out to the kitchen for a warm glass of milk, memories from her childhood resurfacing where her mother swore it was the best way to fall asleep again. It was a huge effort for her sleep-addled limbs and also the knowledge that she'd have to walk all the way to the kitchen located on the other side of the wing were enough to dissuade her.

Except her feet didn't stop moving in that direction, nor any direction close to it. Instead, the maid found herself heading for the living room, breathing ragged and stomach crawling with anticipation. Her fingers twitched at the frigid door handle but the eighteen year old tugged anyway, shivering against the sudden rush of wind. Though she's half-asleep still, shes not stupid.

Celina didn't want go outside, in fear of getting abducted or weirdly bitten by something, just dropped to the floor and leaned up next to the wall, eyes shut and mind whirring, not quite fully awake.

That's when the first crisp notes of the piano hit her.

Celina gasped, slapping a sound over her mouth as to not let Javier know of her presence, just curled tighter into the blanket and let herself listen. When did he come back? The question kept swirling in her mind.

Time passed in an incomprehensible sludge, nothing but music to mark its passing. Celina let every melody sink into her, fill her ears, lungs and her aching heart. The maid let everything else fall away - loneliness, and her longing to get away and find someone to live with.

Nothing mattered in that moment but just soaking in the tunes echoing around the hall.

It's only then that the playing halted, last notes from the chords fading out in the clear air. Celina exhaled sharply, a small puff of air falling from her lips. Her toes and fingers feel frozen, but there was a warmth settled deep in her chest. She stood up slowly from the floor, tucking the blanket around her before walking back to her bedroom door.

It didn't take her a minute to collapse on the bed and let sleep consume her.

***