Chapter 47

Eva Lemuria

I wake up with my whole body sore and covered in bandages. I know I got hurt fighting Shadow, but I feel that these bandages are a bit excessive. I try to sit up, but a hand pushes me down. I look over and see Julie is above my while holding me down though I wish she wasn't getting a feel in while pushing me down. I knock her hand away and stay laying down.

“How long have I been out?”

“You have been out for about a day Princess. Since your body is a bit special I nursed you back to health myself. Don't worry I know how to take good care of you.” Julie

Damn it. Why would she be the one to do it? Surely mother could have done it or even any other shadow guard. I would rather one of them learn my secret instead of this damn pervert being the one to take care of me. While I was glaring at Julie she sits me up and put a few pillows behind me so I can sit up. Now that I can look around the room I notice that besides Julie there is only Anne laying against my legs and Munin is doing the same. I shift my legs because they are actually asleep from having Anne on them. Soon Anne and Munin wake up and they look at their surroundings. They spot me almost at the same time and Munin shifts to my shoulder and rubs against my cheek. Anne crawls next to me and sets up the pillows to match mine and she sits next to me while watching me. She really is a weird one.

“Where is Mother?”

“The queen should be returning shortly. She had some business to attend to.” Julie

Just as Julie spoke the door opened up and Mother walked inside my room. She looked very relaxed even with the events that just happened. Behind Mother was Saras in a maid uniform and a black metal collar with complex inscriptions on it. I instantly got a bad feeling.

“Shouldn't she be in a dungeon right now where she will never see the light of day again? Not in a maid uniform inside my room. Wheres my dagger and halberd by the way?”

“Don't worry about those things sweetheart. I have here a new maid that will be taking care of you. She will follow you everywhere and do whatever you say. And she has a nice little collar that will keep her in this size. Isn't this a nice present?” Mother

“Is this a joke? Why would I have her follow me around? She should rot in a cell instead of being around me. Why would you try and force this lizard to follow me around? How can you not hate her?!”

“Eva I am doing this for you. If you truly hate her then keep her as a slave and torment her to your heart's content or you can just ignore her existence while she follows you around. Either way, I don't want you being alone anymore and let us be honest there is no one else that can be with you. You won't accept any guards following you and no other maid will be willing to be with you no matter how much I try to make them accept you. Eva, you should know how much we have worried about you and to be honest, someone that disappeared years ago doesn't have a right to complain about this now.” Mother

“I was locked up for a couple of years. That's not my fault.”

“Yes, but would you have come back in that time anyway? Would we have even heard from you within that time? I bet that if you wanted the shadow guards wouldn't have even been able to find you in that time. Eva If the event had changed for you I don't think anything would have changed for us. We would have still missed you and wouldn't see or hear from you.” Mother

I try to sit up to walk away, but I feel my body hurt and then I get a strong hand on my shoulder that holds me down. I look at Julie and see that even though she is holding me down she is looking out the window to respect our privacy. That's probably the first time she's done that. Mother is looking at me with tears in her eyes and her entire face is pleading me. I don't like to see my mother look like that, but this is too much to ask for. I want to compromise with Mother but she’s asking too much this time since Saras had literally killed me.

“Mother this is too much. She has literally kill…”

Before I could finish my sentence my bedroom door burst open and Lora stormed into my room. She looks like a teenage version of Mother. She scans the room first looking at Saras who has kept her head down and has been silent this whole time. Then she looks at Mother who's tears have completely disappeared and now has a composed, but gentle smile on her face. She then looks at me in the bed and her face is instantly covered in tears. She runs up to the bed and practically jumps on me while hugging my waist. I grunted in pain when she landed on me, but it seems she didn't hear. She holds me tightly and I don't know how to react so I look around the room for help. Julie is still staring out the window ignoring the situation and Mother just looks at me with a glare that seems to tell me I better behave. I gulp and then reach up to rub Lora’s back with my left hand. I hid my right arm under the bed and am facing right with the right side of my face away.

“Big Sis I missed you. Where have you been big sis? No one has told me anything. I was just suddenly told that you reappeared a couple of days ago so I left the academy to see you. I am glad I was able to enter the academy now, but just thinking that that place made you disappear I can't help but hate it. Now you are back, so I can finally have my big sis back.” Lora

“Big Sis my Big Big Sis.” Anne

All of a sudden Lora was pushed a little aside and Anne took her place at my waste. I again grunted from the pain but was ignored. Anne and Lora start staring at each other with unhidden hostility and I can't comprehend why they don't hate me. Even Mother hit me when she first saw me. The staring contest ends when Munin shifts in-between them and puffs up her chest in pride for some reason.

“What is this? And why does it seem to be showing off for some reason? It’s very annoying. Big sis, what is this thing? Also, Anne, this isn't over.” Lora

“It's Munin a crow I picked up. I have raised her since she hatched and shes basically a baby still. She has been fighting with me for a while, but is still very weak compared to other beasts.”

“Oh, Big Sis why are you in bed still? Also, who is that?” Lora

Lora asks a question I honestly don't know how to answer. I don't know what I should say to her and I also don't know how to explain where I have been to her. I don't want to hurt her with the truth but I also don’t want to lie to her. She even asks who Saras is. I can't blame her for asking since only the family is in the room right now and she is a new face to Lora since Saras arrived here after Lora went to the academy.

“This is Saras and she will be Eva’s new personal maid. She is eager to help Eva in any way she wants. Also, Eva came home injured so you probably shouldn't be jumping around on her. You to Anne. Look how pale she is right now.” Mother

Crap. Mother has basically forced Saras as my maid at this point. Saras finally raises her face at this point and there actually a happy smile on her face, but she quickly turns away when she notices my glare. My little sisters finally get off me and I breathe a sigh. Munin stays where she is and actually starts to get comfortable on top of me, but she's light enough that I can deal with her. She also does well at ignoring my sister's glares.

“By the way Lora, how are you here when you should be in school?” Mother

“Uh um well, when I found out that Big Sis returned I quickly made my way to the central building and asked around for permission to leave. I didn't have much luck until I ran into the twin instructors Nana and Nala. They listened to me and immediately gave me permission to leave the academy to see Big Sis. They showed really painful faces for some reason.” Lora

I remember those two instructors. They are part of the reason I had left the academy in the first place. Instructor Nana had revealed my looks to the whole class and soon the entire academy found out about me. They tried to apologize and did seem sincere about being sorry, but I was still mad at them so I stayed away until I left the academy. Now that I look back I really shouldn't have blamed them. My looks would have been found out eventually and now I don't care since I walk around with my features out for all to see anyway.

“I should pack you up and send you back now, but it’s a special occasion so I will let it slide for now, but in a month you will definitely go back. Now, let us go so that Eva can rest. She has a maid to take care of her now so we don't have to worry. Since she has to stay in bed no matter what it would be a good time for Eva to get used to being taken care of.” Mother

My sisters and the perverted maid all start to make their way out of the room with reluctant looks. My mother is the last out the door but not before giving me a look that seems to say “Stay in bed and don't destroy anything.” The door closes and the room is filled with silence as I stare at my killer. I don't know what she is doing because she's not smart enough to come up with a clever scheme or anything. She walks next to a chair by the window and sits down with her hands folded in her lap.

“Eva I don't want anything other than to make up for what I have done to you. I know you hate me and I am ready to do anything. Even if you want to torture me so that you can feel better. Your mother came to me with this offer and I accepted no matter the consequences. She gave me this collar that prevents me from using my true form and to be honest I wouldn't be surprised if it could kill me anytime she wants as well. I willingly put this on so I can be of some help to you. Even if you want me to just follow you around and be your shadow. So please let me help you.” Saras

“For some reason my mother wants you to stay by me so I will allow it. When we are around others you will act like a normal maid, but any other time I don't even want to notice you. I want to forget about your existence. Do you even know what a maid does? I don't know what my mother is thinking allowing a naive princess like you to be my maid. I don't even need a maid I have been taking care of myself perfectly fine till now.”

“Well, I did prepare all your meals before and I have already taken care of you for a long time."I glare as hard as I can at her "Sorry I will just wait for you to need something here.” Saras

Saras quickly shut up after I looked at her. The first thing she will need to do is stop talking about the past. I don't want to think about it and I don't want her to slip and let someone know something that they shouldn't. I think I will go to the adventures guild later and officially test my strength to see what tier I am. I might even be able to use Saras as a shield against some beast. I am sure a dragons defense will be a great help even if they're in their human form. Saras suddenly started shivering when I looked at her for some reason. I look away from her and grab Munin to hug while sleeping. I quickly fall asleep after that.