Isabelle

Puzzle painting

Behind the many walls of the mansion stood Lord Cyrene’s study room. He sat behind his desk letting out his suggestions to Arnold, his.
“I couldn’t agree more milord”. Arnold responded looking stern as usual, not a single relaxed muscle could be seen on his face.
The lord was looking for reasons to throw a party and it seems as though he found one.
“To welcome Isabelle”. He said and smiled at his idea for a party. He couldn’t find a perfectly good reason to throw a party until Isabelle came along.
After the awkward breakfast everyone have had that morning, Jia wanted to scold Cassandra some more. He was on his way to the maid’s quarter when he faintly heard Isabelle’s name, the voice of whom he heard, he knew of and responded while opening the door.
“I hope it isn’t a grand one?”
On seeing Jia, Cyrene’s smile fell. 
“You know my parties are always grand.” Cyrene responded and proceeds to take a sip of the crane berry juice offered to him in a silver cup, the intricate design on the side of the cup he took notice of after taking a sip.
“I was hoping this one isn’t, Isabelle doesn’t do well with the crowd Cyrene”. Jia let the name of the lord out his mouth slowly which only agitates the lord himself making him return the cup in his hand to its former position rather harshly. Sensing his anger, Arnold quickly excuses himself.
“The only reason I’m tolerating you is because of Nya, she has ben of great help to me, so I’d rather you treat me with respect.”
Jia walked out of the lord’s room without uttering another word, he had unfinished business that needed to be dealt with.

“That maid sure have the nerves” Thought Isabelle as she walked out the dining room.
“So, what plans do you have for today?” Kia walked up behind Isabelle, his question catching her attention as she turned over to look at him.

Nya made sure she had eaten her breakfast rather slowly, so she would be left behind, she watched everyone exit the dining room one after the other.
Her eyes slowly watching Isabelle and Kia until they were out of sight. Heaving a heavy sigh, she looked at her empty plate.
"Its time" Nya stood from the  chair with her eyes closed, inhaled deeply . Her green eyes turned blue and her black locks of hair turned gold. Her nose reshaped itself and same goes to her dress, voice and figure. In a twinkle of an eye, she vanished.
Kia was quite aware of what Nya planned on doing and his intention was to keep Isabelle busy not to notice Nya's absence.

Nia appeared on the stem of an ever green willow tree, she heard a familiar voice singing behind the rose bush.
"Oh Mrs clare, your obsession with the rose tree is making me a bit worried" She smiled.
"Oh Isabelle" Mrs Clare chuckled. "You still not done with the book I see" she eyed the book in Nya's hands.
"It is quite an interesting book". Nya replied heading towards the mansion.
Nya made her way up the spiral stairs but stopped in her tracks as soon as she was called.
" Miss Isabelle, Miss Ronnie called again".
She turned to reply " And what did she say Mr Orlando? "
"She asked if she could come over so you could take your violin lesson. But I told her you were busy, like you've always instructed me to".
Not knowing what to say, Nya puts on a smile and resumed climbing the stairs.
Kia noticed Isabelle's eyes fixated on one particular painting hunged up on the walls of the hallway.
" That painting tells the story of the forbidden creatures ". Kia said softly, his words caught Isabelle's attention, she was interested.
" The creature whose name was kuma lived in the heart of the southern forest, pretty far away from here. It was called the forbidden creature because of the powers it possessed. In other stories, it was referred to as 'the beast of destruction'. Some say it got its powers from the devil itself, others say its just a legend"

"How was such a creature discovered?" Isabelle asked fascinated by the story.
"According to what I was told, the southern forest was a no go area due to one of the many visions the priestess had. She was able to convince the then ruler to put a ban on the entrance to the forest making the occupants of the southern parts to also comply. According to her vision, the beast laid at the heart of the forest hibernating and waking it up was the biggest mistake anyone could make, Kuma, she named it kuma"
"I suppose there Is a meaning to that name?" Isabelle asked.
"Beast or weapon of distruction"
"Or?"
"Or meaning if the beast was ever to be controlled by anyone, it will become a weapon of  destruction.
Back to my story, a group of dumb individuals took Kuma as nothing but just a fairytale. They chose to pay no attention to the warnings of the priestess .
The villagers heard a loud roar followed by stomping that affected the land and beyond. The king, gripped with so much fear ran to his window to see millions of birds scatter away from the trees in the forest, he suddenly turned very pale. The beast had been awoken"
As Kia finished his story, he saw Jia from the corner of his eyes. After the injuries Jia had inflicted on him, he maintained a safe distance for the mean time and knowing Jia would want to speak to Isabelle, he had to quickly make up something. An excuse to leave.
"Oh! I forgot Isabelle I have something to do, I'll just leave you to the paintings now and remember, don't touch anything. Excuse me". Kia left without sparing Jia a glance.
After Jia had scolded Cassandra to his utmost satisfaction, he instructed every other maids not to be stupid enough to do what Cassandra had done. They knew better than to cross Jia.
" Learn how to mind your business". He said sternly and left without another minute to spare.
"Now look what you've caused Cassandra! You couldn't just stop poking your nose into other people's businesses"
Eliza, one of the maids scolded Cassandra with a cup of tea she had prepared for Lord Cyrene in her hand.
She was about to leave for Lord Cyrene's room when she was held back to watch Cassandra getting scolded.

"I wasn't poking my nose, I just happened to have found them in the room together when I came to prepare Lord Jia's bath". Cassandra retorded ignoring the death glares she was receiving from other maids in the kitchen.
Nobody enjoyed being scolded and having someone raise their voice at you because of someone else is quite unpleasant.
" And how sure are you she slept in his room? ". Eliza couldn't help but ask, she was getting tired of Cassandra's childish behavior.
" She was still in her nightie when I got there and she was speaking really close to the Lord's face and that proofs.........

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing cadsandra" Eliza interrupted and walked out of the room, the tea was getting cold and the conversation was a complete waste of time.