BELLRAM V01 - Ambivalence of Light and Shadow I

BP001-P30 - Pralines 12

Meia impatiently tapped the carpet repeatedly with the toe of her shoe. Now she was really starting to be late. The party officially began at 19:00. As she had seen on the pendulum clock downstairs, it was already after 19:00. The courtyard was already full of guests. As usual, Meia was the only one who was late, even though she had been the first to arrive. Mr Monet must have been waiting for her too, but instead of hurrying, she stood around waiting herself.

Meia still had Rujell's spherical lamp in her hand. She herself had the same one at home. If you turned a gear in the base, a spark would strike the wick and the lamp would light up. If you turned the lid, you could take it off and refill the oil. As Meia could smell, a vanilla scent was added to this oil. The lamp was a bathroom accessory. If you put it into the bath, it did not sink. If you accidentally pushed it away with your foot, it did not go out. That Meia had the same one meant nothing. It was a popular model. That Meia looked at it so closely meant nothing either. She just had nothing else to do at the moment.

After about a minute, the door opened again.

The two maids came back into the hallway.

Rujell stopped in front of Meia.

"Miss Arvis, I apologise for the inconvenience. My colleague will now attend to you immediately."

Rujell tugged Lijeux in front of her with a firm grip on her forearm. Lijeux followed with ponderous steps until she stood in front of Meia. Since she had been out of the door, she had hung her head and shoulders and looked sorely afflicted. At first she was silent and said nothing, but then she suddenly jerked up and straightened.

"Miss Arvis, my colleague explained to me clearly that it is necessary for me to behave in a manner befitting of the house towards you. I would like to apologise to you from the bottom of my heart for my past misbehaviour and hope that you will continue to allow me, as an apprentice, to be of service to you."

Meia was slightly shocked. She seemed changed. She looked like a child who had been forced by her father to apologise to the residents of this house because while throwing stones at the roof she had accidentally broken a window, which could not be denied because the housemaid had seen it, because she was always somewhere.

"It's all right."

"Would it be satisfactory for us to go to your room now to change your clothes, or do you have another wish you would like me to fulfil beforehand?"

"No, but can we hurry now?"

"Of course. Please follow me."

With an inviting hand gesture, Lijeux pointed in the direction they would walk, as if she had learned something from her colleague after all.

~What did she do to her?~

During her apology, Rujell listened attentively and nodded contentedly at several points, but every now and then also looked briefly as if she was considering whether she would have to take out the stick again after all. This impression, however, could also be due to her generally stern appearance. Meia was not sure.

In the end, Rujell left it at that. She said goodbye with a curtsy and headed off in the other direction, probably back to the trolley.

"Stupid cow." Lijeux grumbled, even before she had disappeared completely behind the corner. Still, it was not brave, for it was so quiet that even Meia could hardly hear it.

~Didn't last that long.~

Meia and Lijeux walked on in silence. After some time, they came to the strange corridor arch again. This time Lijeux behaved differently from the last time. She went straight to a particular door, opened it a little and leaned into the room.