Like A Fairytale

Chapter 36

Flo

"Don't you have your own room?" Flo frowned.

"Yes. Yes." Alby smiled innocently at him. She lay on his bed, her face snuggled up to the wolf cat, and dangled her feet in the air.

Her light brown wool socks looked scratchy. Flo thought.

"Then please go to your bed. I'm tired." He sighed.

"Me too." After the end of their shift, Alby had followed him to his room. She grabbed Silverpaw without hesitation and made herself comfortable on his bed.

Silverpaw meowed indecisively. She didn't know if she wanted to be a pillow or not. The cub purred, but it looked imploringly at Flo.

"Then go to sleep in your bed." He stroked Silverpaw's little head. "There you have your own pillow."

"Your room has the better view! And a wolf cat!" grumbled Alby. "My room, on the other hand? Well, it's a little bigger but not this cuddly!"

"Mew..." Silverpaw had finally had enough and struggled free. "Waff!" She hopped off the bed and snuggled up to Flo's legs.

Pouting, Alby turned on her back. "We could have a pillow fight."

"I only have one pillow." Flo sat down next to her, took Silverpaw on his lap, and leaned against Alby's legs.

"I can get mine."

"Or you can stay in your room."

"No." Smiling, she nudged him. "And after the pillow fight, we'll tell each other scary stories! Really scary stories, so we can't sleep in the end!"

"That sounds terrible. We have to get up tomorrow morning!" Flo shook his head. "And in an hour there will be dinner."

"What does this have to do with my plan?" Alby frowned, straightened up, and sat down next to Flo. Her gaze wandered over his few personal belongings and then paused on the storybook. "Alternatively, we can also read fairy tales."

"Alby? What would our dear colleagues think when we leave my room for dinner disheveled? Together?"

"Well, what? That we had a great party!" Alby reached out for Silverpaw, but the wolf cat let out a low growl. "What? Don't you like me anymore? We cuddled so nicely!"

Silverpaw turned her butt and hid her face in Flo's waistcoat. "Meow!"

"Mean!" Alby stuck her tongue out at her. Then she nudged Flo. "Let people think what they think. Most people know that I don't just hook up with random guys! And my aunt knows that I adopted you as my best friend, so to speak."

Grinning, Flo nudged her back. "I'm actually not a fan of scary stories. I've experienced those twice."

"What?" Alby blinked.

"The first time I ended up getting a pet, the second time wet feet and a new home. A village was attacked, and Burgstadt almost sank. I don't need more scary stories."

"Oh." Alby wrapped her arms around him sympathetically. "Fine. Fairy tales? Or should I show you how to pick locks?"

"What?"

"Mew?"

"My aunt showed me." Alby let go of him again. "For emergencies, of course. We have a master key for all relevant rooms. Also, for the staff's rooms. Four, to be exact. My aunt always carries one with her, and the others hang in the laundry room. But if none of the keys are at hand, for whatever reason, we have to be able to pick locks. Some of the doors here are so massive that they are difficult to break in or kick in."

"One key for all doors?" Flo raised his eyebrows. "Even my room door?"

Alby nodded. "Just in case. Otherwise, opening the doors is strictly prohibited. Apart from cleaning work. Guests' rooms must be cleaned. And we don't get into the private rooms of the ruler with it. Well, not with the keys in the laundry room. Since the keys are openly accessible. There is a different key for these rooms. One has my aunt, one has the ruler's personal maid, and one has the head butler."

"Personal maid?" asked Flo.

"Yes." Alby nodded. "He personally selects who is allowed to clean for him."

"That sounds sensible. Could you open the doors to his rooms... um... pick them?" Curiosity had gripped Flo. "Well... Only out of interest", he quickly added.

"Sure." Alby winked at him. "Only for emergencies. Of course. Do you want to learn it?"

"Am I allowed to learn that?"

"No. Of course not. Strictly speaking, I am not allowed to teach someone THAT just like that. But my aunt said I should train myself to judge people. And act accordingly. I am allowed to break rules as long as it only serves the best." She laughed softly. "There are an incredible number of rules."

"I noticed that too." Flo glanced briefly at the notebook that lay under his storybook. All the house rules were listed in it. "What's the best?"

Alby rolled her eyes. "She said it was my job to find out. After all, I am also the one who has to stand up for my decisions. Later. If I take over her post. Now my aunt is still holding her head out if I do something very stupid because I thought it was for the best."

"That sounds harsh." And also a bit spoiled and unfair.

"It is. I think so too. Well, do you want to learn it?"

"Um..."

"I think it's best if someone else can open the doors without a key in an emergency. And I consider you a responsible person. And what if you return to Burgstadt? And something bad happens again? Or what if the main island is threatened by masses of water? The storms here can be dangerous." Alby shrugged her shoulders. "You could save lives."

Flo looked at her in silence.

He remembered the masses of water. The feeling of helplessness. And his savior.

Lena

"You want me to look for a boy with purple hair?" Annabella sat on a windowsill in the hallway in front of Lena's rooms. Her shift would start soon. A night shift. She was supposed to guard Lena's room when Samuel was sleeping.

This was her new task, and the soldier seemed more than happy about it. Probably because the two girls actually had time to chat now. Undisturbed. Until Lena retired to her room to sleep.

Lena's bodyguard had already withdrawn. Lena had dismissed him from the service earlier because he complained of headaches. At first, he pretended that nothing was wrong. But the girl noticed his discomfort. She asked him again and again until he finally told her.

"Yes, please." Lena had rested her arms on her friend's knees and looked up at her. "I couldn't find him, but he's here."

"Have you fallen in love?"

"Nonsense!" Immediately, Lena shook her head. "He just seems strangely familiar to me. Please. I couldn't find out anything about him. I even asked Mina, but she kept quiet. She didn't want to say anything! There is something fishy about it! And I want to know what. And why I think I know him. Please?"

"I don't know." Annabella grimaced. "If you're right..."

"Please!" Lena interrupted her. "I just want to know where he works. Nothing more. I don't ask for more. I would never put a friend in danger if there was one. Maybe it's nothing. Just kind of strange."

"Strange? Okay. I... Try", the soldier finally agreed. "I ask around when I have the opportunity. But when I run into a problem, I withdraw from your search. For your sake. If even the AI is silent, then maybe it's something tricky?"

"You're the best friend a spoiled brat could wish for!" Lena hugged her. "The best!"

Laughing, Annabella returned the hug.

(c: sasi)