I'm A Bender: Once Upon A Time

Ch.1: The New Guest

I brushed my hair straight and finally, after all the dressing progress, i was ready to go to breakfast. I looked my reflection in the full-body-size mirror one last time. I was - and can't deny it - looking pretty. My straight, thick, waist-length hair were neatly brushed; my face was as pale as ever and my lips, because i used a bit of lipbalm, were looking naturally pink. I was wearing my dark purple dress, with black laces and silk decoration and a black pair of leggings which matched with my hair color. I forced a smile before i moved out from the mirror, opened up my room and left for kitchen.

My name is - don't mind the strangness in it - Amortentia Black. Was three when my parents were murdered one, scary, thunderous night. I still have nightmares about that night. What i only remember is watching a dark shadow wandering outside my room while my room's door was ajar.

The morning after my parents were murdered, my aunt woke me up. It was hard to believe what she was saying when i was three, but i always remember that she was proud. She said something like, "Be proud, m'dear, Amortentia. Your parents are gone for good, after they performed good. The evilness didn't wanted them, so they tried to finish them. But oh, m'dear, they're not gone. Not at all. They still live in hearts of others. The hearts of people who know what they've done!"

But as i grew older, she talked less and less about my parents and finally she admitted that probably their death was natural and not a murder at all. That's what hit me. I can remember telling me to be proud that i'm daughter of two, excellent people who were murdered, and now she believes that they were just like any other human around.

My uncle, James, turned our grand mansion in to a guesthouse called, "Black's Guesthouse For Travelers". The business went pretty well. We have guests every other day, and they always leave pleased with the guesthouse. Nearly all bedrooms were turned in to guesthouse rooms. Except two. My room, and my parents' bedroom; the bedroom where they were murdered.

We have our mansion/guesthouse filled with servants. My uncle have his own office, where he keeps record of stuff going on and, checks in new guests. My aunt have an authority over the servants - just like me.

"Hey, George!" I said as i opened our huge kitchen's door open. George is the main cook in the kitchen - also one of my dear friends. His age is thirty-four, a year younger than my unlce, James. He is long, with messy black hair and deep green eyes.

"Welcome back to kitchen, Amortentia!" He greeted me happily.

"What our beloved princess would like to eat today?" Jane asked. She's another of the cook. She have short, neck-length brown hair and slightly dark complexion. She's another of my friends amoung the staff.

"I thought..." I said as i pulled open the giant fridge. "...that i'll help myself today."

"Oh no!" Esma, the kitchen servant, gasped. I knew why.

Last time when i tried to help myself, it didn't went good. I ate slice and butter and i managed to go half hour with that. But i made them cook special food for me before it was lunch time, so they had to work twice.

I giggled. "I'll try to survive till lunch."

"Promise?" George raised his brow.

"Promise." I smiled.

Because i have private tutors who come home to teach me, i'm always free. I took a week's break before we start to get in for my eighth grade course. So i'm totally free now. The meals are always in the dining room, with other guests. But i prefer having my breakfast in kitchen table, talking and helping the servants; lunch in my room and dinner with my uncle and aunt.

My aunt is not here right now. She went to Scotland to meet my cousin, Ellabeena. Or else i wouldn't have been free. Aunt Augustina is a lady. And she wants me as a lady too. That means: no sports, no hanging out with servants, no too much time spending in the library, no fast food, no sleeping till late, and all that stupid stuff. So, i'm happy to have a break from her.

***

I was walking in our enormous garden in the evening, bored. For once, i thought what it would be like if Aunt Augustina would have been here. I would have having dancing lessons with her, probably. Or learning why it is important to speak softly. I chuckled at the thought as i examined the garden.

It was as same as ever. The neatly trimmed garden was soft and was smelling like...the smell was natural. There was a stone path in the between, circaling the white fountain and going to the main gates. The corners of the garden was filled with willow trees. Right after the willow trees, there were red, white and pink roses. (There were Fire-Flowers before the mansion was turned in to a guesthouse). Then there were beautiful garden gnomes after about every three foot.

The stone path was leading from the main gates to the main entrance door. The first things our guests see is our garden, that's why my aunt says that it's important to let our garden look beautiful. If they like the first thing they see, they'll probably like everything else.

The garden was empty, because almost every visitor was having their evening tea. And i decided to come out in fresh air and relax under a tree without anyone else to make noise. Because it was getting dark, the fountain looked less attractive.

I was just deciding where to sit when i heard the main steel gates open behind me. I turned around to see that the doorman have opened a gate for a tired visitor.

Once, from my aunt, i heard that evening visitors are special. And i don't remember to directly meet an evening visitor as soon as they entered the territory.

As the visitor came closer, i saw his face. He was a tall guy, an inch taller than myself. From his face, he looked almost of my age (15) or an year elder. He was wearing a plain black shirt, sky blue jacket and black jeans. His bag was of black color itself with little sky blue polka dots. He was pale, with hard, brown eyes. His hair were of the same color as his eyes: creamy brown. He looked tired. His hair was all messed up and he needed a hot bath and a warm mug of coffee.

He was walking slowly, but when he reached the fountain (where i was standing), he looked at me. He was going to say something, but i interrupted him.

"I'll show you the way to check in. Come on." I insisted and took him inside the mansion. The main hall was quieter than it used to be. I took the left corridor and the first door we saw was of my uncle.

"There we go. Check-In Room." I told the guy, a smile forming on my lips.

I got one in return, too. "Thanks" He mumbled before opening the door and closing it behind him. I was about to leave when i remembered that i haven't met Uncle James all day long, so i waited for the guy to come out so i can go and talk to him.

After three minutes, he came out. He didn't even glanced at me second time before going out of the corridor, a key clutched in his hands. I wondered if he even knows where his room is.

I knocked Uncle James' office two times before going in, closing the door softly behind me. Uncle was working busily on his journal, and he didn't even noticed me. That made me smile wide. Then i cleared my throat and said, "Good Evening, uncle."

He looked up, and his eyes softened. "Ah, my dear. Sit down."

I sat across him obediently. "May i bring you some coffee?"

He smiled. "No, thank you, my dear. But i would like to talk to you."

"Sure. So, how's the business going?"

"Pretty good. New visitors every day. Only ten more rooms left. Two people will check-out tonight. So, we'll have twelve room in total." He told me, not stopping writing in his journal.

I 'hmmed'. I watched him carefully as he worked tirelessly, and after two minutes i decided to told him something. "Uncle, i guess you should take a break, you know. Working like that...you'll get old more quickly."

"Hard-working is my thing." He smiled and went back to work. But suddenly, he looked up - stopping all the work he was doing. "Oh my! Hard-working made me forget things these days. Can you please go up to Mr.Rutherford and tell him the dinner will be ready in two hours?"

"Of course, uncle."

"Thanks. Also tell him that dinner will take place in dining hall. His room number is Room No. 123." He told me as i stood up.

The rooms between 100 and 150 are in the corridor right beneath my corridor, on the second floor. So it was easy to find it. I took the lift to second floor, and walked straightly to Room No.123. I knocked the door twice and the door opened immediately.

The one who opened the door was the same guy whom i showed the way to Check-In/Out Office. It looked like he was going to have a bath when i interuppted him. He wasn't wearing his blue jacket, but his full-sleeved black shirt and black pants was still on. There was a towel in his hands, and he seemed annoyed at whoever knocked the door.

"Um, sorry to interuppt you but - the dinner will be served in dinner hall after two hours." I said it all in one breath.

He nodded. "Thanks." His accent was foreign. Not English, but some other i can't recognise.

"You're welcome." I said and turned on my heels to go back to the lift. As soon as i reached the lift, the door of Room No.123 slamed shut.

***
I checked the time. 7 O'Clock. I stretched my arms wide before getting up from my bed, making my way outside the door. The corridor was empty as always. No one was allowed to come up on the third floor - where my and my parents' room is. I closed the door softly behinnd me and made my way towards Uncle James' office. He wasn't there, so i went up to his room. He wasn't there either, so i made my way towards library where i finally found him. He told me that he's sorry he can't have dinner with me because of being dead busy.
I told him it's okay. I didn't wanted to go to kitchen and have dinner on my own, so i went to Dinner Hall. The dinner hall was full of visitors - eating and chatting. There are more than 20 tables in dinner room; each table with five chairs. The marble floor was shining because of being polished yesterday and i could smell the lovely scent of Chicken Enchildas which made my mouth water.
I made my way to the counter.
"Hey, Amm." Jane said from behind the counter, smiling broadly. "Chicken Enchildas today."
I made a thoughtful gesture. "I guess i would like some."
She laughed softly. "Sure." She said and took a tray from the stack of gray trays which was placed in corner of the counter. She placed a plate of Chicken Enchildas, a spoon, knife and fork, a regular bottle of water and a tissue. That's how they serve food to visitors. I grabbed the tray from it's handles and muttered a 'thanks' before spotting out an empty table and placing myself there.
I was more thristy than hungry, so i opened the water bottle and drank a few gulps before closing it and putting it on table. I was about to grab my fork and start eating when i heard an accent familiar to Scottish say, "Can i sit there?"
I looked up and saw the same Rutherford guy. But he looked so different now! He was wearing a blue shirt, which's sleeves were rolled up and jeans. His face was now free from tireness and dirt, his hair were clean, too. Looks like he had a bath and some sleep.
"Sure." I responded and grabbed my fork.
He placed his tray on the table while he sat down. "I'm Alistair. Alistair Rutherford."
I nodded, smiling. "Nice to know you, Alistair."
He smiled and opened up his bottle of water. Meanwhile i took a bite of Chicken Enchildas. It tasted so good! The meat was juicy and spicy...it was amazing to eat it.
"So, where are you from?" I asked Alistair.
"Scotland." He said in his same Scottish accent.
"You're traveling from Scotland?" I asked, surprised.
He grinned. "Well, yeah."
I shook my head. "You must have been traveling a lot."
"Mm-hmm." He said before filling his mouth with chicken.
I took another bite. "You're staying till?"
"Till tomorrow." He said. "Anyway, you didn't tell me your name."
I chuckled softly. "My name is..." I trailed off. Should i tell my name?
He raised a brow.
"Amortentia. Strange name. I know." I said it all very fast.
"It's not strange!" Alistair said.
"It's not beautiful either. I don't like it." I said.
"You know what it means, Amortentia?"
"Probably it doesn't mean anything." I muttered before taking a sip of water.
"It does, actually. 'Amor' means love, and 'Tentia' means held or hold. Together, the word means that the person who's name is Amortentia holds love. And that's not all why the name is excellent. There are other reasons too. Some reasons which i can't tell you right now." He filled his mouth with more chicken in the end of his speech.
I just nodded and kept eating. We talked about a few other things, and i told him James's my uncle. He was surprised, but then changed the topic and we were talking about the cities of Canada. He told he want to go to Ontario, that's why he was traveling from Scotland. When i asked why he's going to Ontario, he just shrugged and said it's nothing important.
I finished my food and went to my room, feeling very sleepy after the amazing dinner. I read the book called, Wrinkle In Time before falling asleep, dreaming the night when my parents were murdered...again.......

A/N: All i want to say is this story is going to be amazing - more than i told about it in the description. It's like another harry potter and the sorcerer's stone again. My story have nothing to do with Avatar or any other book/movie. All ideas are my own. And one more thing: this story doesn't take place in 2016. It takes place back at some time when normal people can't afford to go in planes.
I'm surprised. I wrote 2532 words in just one chapter (which means 7.1 pages in Quotev). Whoa.
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