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She nodded. “She was unaware of how to decorate your room over the years and as such has left it bare for you to design when you arrived.”
That did not seem like the woman I had met downstairs. Wait? “All these years?”
Once again, she nodded. “S
he first knew of you on July 1st, 1920. This room was cleared out and cleaned the next day in preparation for your arrival.”
I glanced around at the large, empty room, which was much bigger than my old apartment before facing her again. “Why?”
“Why?” she repeated, blinking like a computer that didn’t understand code. “Why this room? Because this wing belongs to Master Theseus, and his room is through there.”
That was not the why I was questioning. But nevertheless, I looked at the double-sliding doors, wondering what his could possibly look like when again I replayed her words.
“This wing as in the hallway we walked through?”
She nodded, and I guessed that was going to be how she started every reply. “Master Theseus created it himself.”
If I were mortal and needed to breathe, I would have stopped and just fell to the floor. He painted all of that? The skill of it—I couldn’t even begin.
“Is that all of your questions, mistress?” she asked calmly.
“Mistress?” It felt with each passing day that my name or title was changing. “Please, don’t call me that. Druella is fine.”
“Impossible,” she declared in chilling coldness. “You are a member of the Thorbørn family. You will be called mistress by all of us who work and live here if no other female family member is present. When the rest of the family is present, we shall call you Mistress Druella. To the mortals who know us and in other nations, should you be alone, you would be titled Lady Thorbørn or Princess Druella, as you represent the Thorbørns. The only ones who may call you by your given name are your family, and of course, those ignorant of your position, such as the mortals.”
“Wait.” I smiled only to calm myself and to make sure I didn’t make the same mistake of insulting their traditions as badly as I did in Montréal. “I have not mated Theseus yet, so all of these titles are premature, don’t you think?”
“I don’t think. I don’t question,” she stated, the blankness of her gaze unwavering. “I state what is true only. I follow the words and commands of my masters, mistresses, lord, and lady. Lord Thorbørn has declared you family; thus, you are family.”
Frowning, I couldn’t help but say, “That sounds like slavery. Are you happy just following words and commands without question like that?”
“Yes.” And for the first time, a tiny lift of the mouth that had to be a smile appeared on her lips. “It is not slavery. I chose to be here because here is where we are free.” She was genuine, and I was confused.
I didn’t understand that. But I didn’t want to push it. My mind was overloaded as it was. Brushing the hair from my face, I stepped forward, moving into the room.
“Lady Rhea—”
“You are to call her Mother, or Rhea, but preferably Mother,” she corrected, not moving from her fixed place by the door.
“Rhea.” I definitely wasn’t going to call that woman, Mother. “Does not seem like she likes me enough to even give me a closet, let alone clear out a room.”
She didn’t answer. Then again, I didn’t ask a question.
“She knew I was coming and doesn’t like me. Why didn’t she just shove everything back in here?” Seeing as the woman had the whole place turned into a ghost town and even pushed me; she seemed petty enough.
“I cannot speak of the intentions or desires of Lady Thorbørn, which are not offered to me. Thus, I do not have the ability to answer such a question.”
Okay...then I’d ask a different one. “Did Lord...Did Sigbjørn explain why he wanted me to get away from the rest of the family? Or better yet, why you were picked to take me here?”
“Lord Thorbørn does not need to explain himself, nor does he normally. However, he knew you would ask, and so he directed me to explain. I was chosen because I cannot lie, nor do I bend protocols, regulations, or etiquette. I will never be your friend, for I am at the service of this nation and family.”
“So...” I thought carefully about what that meant. “You are here, so I learn protocol, regulations, and étiquette? You will not change for anyone or anything, so I would need to act accordingly?”
She nodded. “He said you would understand partially, and I was telling you that you may be who you are, but you must also be more than that. For a family is a sum of all parts together. For as long as it takes you to digest and accept that, you may remain in this room.”
“What?” I panicked. “So, this is jail? I can’t leave until I agree to follow the rules?”
“You must stop thinking as a mortal, mistress,” she stated, and at that point, I wasn’t sure if it was her or Sigbjørn speaking, but I was confident she would not say it if it weren’t the truth—at least truth to her.
