34 A change of clothes

Bring the place to me? What does he mean?

"So, where do you want to go to?" Azrael said as he got off of his stool and took our plates to the sink. I think I ate about 5 pancakes before this though.

"Five pancakes later..."

What? *Shrugs shoulders* I was hungry. I mean, come on... you think I'm going to say no to pancakes? They were right next to me... of course I'll be tempted to eat them.

Look, I may have been kidnapped by this weirdo but I'm not going to go on a hunger strike just because he kidnapped me. So yeah I ate. What? You think I'm going to starve myself to death? Cause that would just be stupid (what a waste of pancakes) but on the plus side I'm hoping these pancakes give me the energy I need to... one, win this bet or two, escape before I even get the chance to win. Yeah, I guess you could say I'm over confident putting it like that but oh well.

*Sarcastic voice mumbles* Then why are you so keen on escaping?

Because I'm not sure if I can do this conscience.

"I'm the definition of contradiction right now."

"Wait, a minute..." I said furrowing my eyebrows, well after thinking and seemly confused, "what do you mean bring the place to me?"

"Exactly what I said." Azrael said, a smart look on his face. "Where do you want to go and I'll make it happen... right here, right now."

"So what is this exactly?" I said still confused as I fiddled with me fingers.

"What do you mean?" He said, his eyebrows furrowing now, he seemed confused? Or was he just playing dumb? I guess he just likes giving vague answers? I could be wrong. *Shrugs*

"Well, nothing that's been happening to me lately has been "normal" so..." I said normal making the quotation marks with my fingers as I spoke, "what I mean to say is..." I continued, "is this like what? A portal? Something magical? You are an angel, right? You going to fly me there?"

"No..." Death? Azrael said with a laugh, his smirk appearing soon after. "It's not a portal and yes, I am an angel but there's no way I would fly you there, people would notice. I guess," he paused as if he were thinking, "you could say it's a form of magic. If that answers any of your questions?" He continued, vaguely, very vaguely might I add.

I know, I know... I'm being a nag but he never gives me any straight forward answers (nobody does. I'm very demanding, aren't I? A tad bit too much?) but hey, at least it's something, right? At least he actually bothered to answer me without avoiding the whole question in itself *Long pause* this time. So... at least I know it's magic? Well, obviously it would be since everything that's happened so far has been anything but normal.

"My overbearing pushover personality."

"U-uh? You done daydreaming?" Azrael said standing by the sink as he brought me back to reality once again, a place I didn't really want to be, to tell you the truth. He looked at me oddly and I did feel a bit weird about the fact that I had been staring into space and thinking, probably for the last 30 minutes.

"Thirty minutes later..."

He then walked over to sit by me after he placed the dishes in the sink. "So it's your call." He said, looking over at me as he raised his eyebrow with his usual "signature" smirk. "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know?" I said but it sounded like more of a question, honestly. I didn't really know where I wanted to go. I know "home" is what should come to mind but if he's bringing the place to me, is it really home? Or is it just an illusion? If I said home does that mean I'd see Felix?

"Ahem." I fake coughed, this was my attempt to change the subject. Honestly, I don't know why I wanted to change the subject but nonetheless I did it. "So... are the dishes just going to wash themselves or..?" I said now focused on the dishes in the sink with Azrael giving me a "did you really just go there" look on his face. *Cough* *Cough* *Mother figure* (Oh would you look at that, this seems like something my mother would say so... Why the HECK am I saying it?!)

"Well, I guess the dishes could do themselves?" Azrael said confused? Making it sound like a question and shrugging his shoulders. The next expression to then make it's appearance on his face was... that of being "utterly" annoyed? And raising his eyebrows? Yeah, he was most likely annoyed with me.

*Face palm*

"It couldn't be more obvious, really."

I was still looking at him and not to mention feeling like a complete, total and utter idiot but hey, whatever.

He snapped his fingers and just like that, as my eyes swiftly drifted towards the sink, the dishes were clean and placed neatly on the rack and did I mention that they were sparkling? Shiny beyond compare? He didn't even do anything, he just clicked his fingers. What? No. This is so so... unfair, really. The perks of having powers.

"Ahem." Azrael coughed in order to get my attention as he gave me a genuine smile with his eyes seemingly focused on me like... "now that I have your attention" which he did, I'm not gonna lie (I'm being as honest as possible), he spoke. "Now that, that's out of the way, where do you want to go?"

"But I don't have anything to wear." I now said. Brace yourselves, it's time to activate excuses 101. I really don't know why I'm doing this anymore. Let's just win that bet and get this over with. Then maybe I can get back to my old life? Oh, who am I kidding. Like that's ever going to happen.

"It's official, my life will never be NORMAL again."

Well, Felix at least made that clear to me.

I still miss him.

But somehow... I feel sorry for Azrael.

"I'm weak I know, don't rub it in."

The flaws of being nice.

Yet, at the same time I don't want to get too close to him but I can't help but want to help him either.

What was the nightmare he had the other night?

Why do I feel like I met him way before this?

Who is Eden?

He always compares me to her.

"Don't worry..." Azrael said breaking me out of my daze as usual. Yes, I think a lot and daydream, don't bite my head off now. Well, you know what they say, right? "Bad habits die hard..." It's my bad habit... sue me. "You won't be needing an outfit." He continued nonchalantly.

"What?!" I yelled out loud. My mouth agape, I got the fright of my life. "I'm going to be naked?"

"Ugh, I never said that..." Azrael said looking directly at my bewildered expression, it was a combination of fright, embarrassment and I somehow also found it just a tiny bit funny? He was trying to keep a straight face but he seemed rather annoyed and was probably face palming mentally but nonetheless a naughty smile soon appeared on his face which followed by a laugh. "But if you want to walk around naked, who am I to stop you." And he just had to add more fuel to the fire. "By all means be my guest." He said raising his eyebrow and smirking. One word... Pervert.

My face turned super red after this, remember this is me assuming, mainly because of "embarrassment" but I laughed too. "Well..." I said still laughing, "next time don't say it like that, just say... you don't have to change or something else but not that."

"Well, I made you laugh, didn't I?" He said trying to seem somewhat cool about it as his smirk came into view and then a chuckle. We laughed together for a while before he noticed the blush from my previous embarrassment. "That's another strike for me..." he said, "because I made you laugh."

What is this? Baseball?

"Damn, I forgot we still had this bet thing going."

Does he just see this as a game? Or is it more than that?

I'm just surprised he didn't tease me about the fact that I was blushing.

"But since you want to change into something fresh maybe Alicia can help you..." Azrael now said after realising what I meant by "needing something to wear." I slept in these clothes and I will admit that I smell pretty unsavoury, I was in need of a good soak in all honesty. Not exactly what I would call ideal for a date or whatever you call this. Wait a minute, I thought as I went back to what Azrael had said, who's Alicia?

"Alicia!" Azrael exclaimed not long before ringing a tiny bell as we waited for the person to make their appearance in the dining room. Where did the bell come from? I have no idea.

A few minutes later a fair young lady with rose red lips, golden brown hair and sparkly green eyes tinged with yellow and orange appeared in a black and white maids uniform. "This is Alicia." Azrael announced as he gestured towards her in order to make her introduction, to which she bowed graceful. Oh, so she's the maid? I thought. "And this is Alice." Azrael said now gesturing to me. I just nodded politely, greeted her and smiled.

"It's nice to meet you." She said as she looked at me and then her eyes shifted to Azrael. "What do I have the pleasure of doing for you today Sir Azrael?" Alicia spoke up politely as she waited for Azrael to give her, her instructions.

"Sir Azrael?" I said smiling as I furrowed my eyebrows in disbelief and slight amusement.

"What?" Azrael said looking at me as he shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "I didn't want her to call me Master because that would have sounded wrong on so many levels and I think Sir works just fine, don't you think? It makes me sound like the knights back in the dark ages. Those were the good old days."

"How old are you?" I said looking at him completely astonished with my eyes wide open. I was pulling a face. He is ancient? How the heck does he look my age? Must be the fact that he's immortal?

"I don't think you want to know..." Azrael said with a smirk.

"Try me..." I said with a devious smile and raised both my eyebrows.

"No..." He said. I didn't expect him to just cut it like that, I thought he would have at least told me. Wait, is he sensitive about his age? (Hey some people are actually sensitive about their age. I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt here).

Oh, how sweet... Death is sensitive about his age.

This is an assumption but it seems like something fun to tease him with, don't you think?

*Sarcastic voice* Alice stop messing around. You got a bet to win.

I have to focus... I can't risk losing track of the reason I'm here. I still have to beat him no matter what.

He's not that bad though.

But Felix?

"Ahem." Alicia coughed politely as she put her hand in front of her mouth to get our attention. "Sir Azrael?" She said as if she was reminding him that she was still there.

"Oh? Yes." Azrael said now looking over at her and thinking. "I would like you to take Alice to the baths and then get her a fresh change of clothes."

Wait, a bath?

Can he smell me?

I know I smell maybe a bit unpleasant but is it that bad?

"Is that all Sir?" Alicia confirmed as she waited for his response.

Azrael looked at me now and then he looked at her. "Yes, that will be all." He then walked off leaving me alone in the dining room with Alicia who seemed to be looking around to check if the coast was clear. Was she making sure that Azrael had really left?

"Okay... righty..." Alicia said in a cute tone of voice as she looked over at me. She seemed excited? "Alice would you please follow me." She said in a rather jolly tone. She smiled politely and then began walking? Walking at a pace that I could at least follow.

I followed her up the stairs that were in the dining room and I eventually landed up in a wide passageway that seemed as though everything was made of marble. "It's been so long since we had a guest." Alicia said. She seemed beyond overjoyed about this. "Sir Azrael almost never brings people here. You must be pretty special." She said as she looked back towards me. We walked a bit further down the hallway and then we stopped at a huge wooden oak like door with carved leaf patterns on it. If only she knew I was brought here against my will, I thought to myself.

"I can accompany you no further." She said as the big doors opened, a thick mist dispersing into the passage we stood. The mist seemed so thick I could hardly see clearly as my vision was now hazy and clouded due to the thick mist the escaped the "great unknown" I was about to enter.

"U-uh? Is this a sauna?" I asked looking at Alicia and then to the great door that stood before me.

"No..." Alicia said as she too looked at the door now. "These are the ancient baths. Sir Azrael wanted you to wash here instead of the normal one in your bed chamber."

"Why can't I just wash there?" I said, my focus still on Alicia.

"Well, I suppose you could but the baths are way better. You see... oh I'm just so excited..." She mumbled. "I'm not supposed to tell you this but it's been ages since we had a guest and oh I'm just going to spill..."

"To spill? To spill what?" I was confused.

"Well, the water that fills the baths is not just any water." She continued, beyond excited to be telling me this. It's almost as though she were a tour guide. "Well, at least not here. It comes directly from the hot springs and one of those springs is the fountain of youth." She squealed in excitement.

"The fountain of youth?" I looked at her bewildered.

"Well, it doesn't really keep you young forever..." she said still thinking, "but it does heal almost everything, unless your leg was severed off or your head, it can't fix that but it can fix cuts, bruises, scars and it helps a bit with anti aging but it does not make you completely young." Why does this sound like a beauty ad? "And..." she continued, "the water's scented so you'll smell nice too."

Is she trying to say that I stink but in a nice way?

These were clothes from the night before.

Do I really smell that bad?

Is that why Death looks so young?

"The perks of having the fountain of youth."

And not to mention being immortal.

I shook my head a bit to get myself out of the daze I was in as Alicia's voice made its way to my eardrums. "I'll leave you be." She said putting her hands together. She was still excited?

It must be pretty lonely here then? I mean, she's this excited and I'm only one person. Imagine how she would react if ten people showed up here. "I'll see you in your sleeping quarters." She said cheerfully. She then curtsied and walked off leaving me to stand and stare at the now large and slightly ajar door that stood before me. She didn't even give me a towel. I guess, I'll just have to run through the passage naked and hope for the best. That was sarcasm. I'd never do that.

I entered the room. The door opening a bit wider to reveal more steam. Mist fogging up the place. I said fogging and that's all you need to know. My eyes clouded. Steam everywhere. It was almost impossible to see in the steamy room but eventually after what I assume was a few minutes of leaving the door open, the steam began to disappear. I closed the door that was behind me once I was finally able to see again and then I turned around, making my way to one of the baths.

Once I was done bathing in this huge, they should of just said it was a pool that you bath in because that's how big it was, the size of a pool, I managed to find a towel. Luckily they keep the towels near to the baths otherwise I would have been in trouble. I wrapped the towel around me, it was white and smelt like that of peaches. No, I didn't smell it but the smell was very fragrancy, it kind of just lingered around until it hit my nose and it just smelt so nice.

Finally done making sure I was fully covered with the towel I made my way to my room. Why didn't they just leave a bathrobe? Walking down a hallway with just a towel on is kind of awkward but it beats being naked. That would have just been uncomfortable. I walked down the cold marble passage until I got to my room, I say cold because I was walking barefoot. Luckily there was no one in the hallway I walked through, thank god. If there had to be someone in the passage I would have freaked.

I peeked in through the doorway of my room. The white door was slightly ajar. I was behind the wall as I peeked inside since I was making sure that the coast was clear for me to enter. I mean, imagine me walking in like this to find Azrael there. Just no. That would be beyond embarrassing but lady luck seemed to be in my favour today since the only person who was in my room was Alicia. There was also some clothes folded neatly on my bed, well, from what I could see from the doorway.

After making extra sure that the coast was clear and looking around a couple of times just in case I made my way into the room. "Welcome." Alicia said as she bowed again. She bows to greet and curtsies when she leaves?

"My introduction before was pretty formal..." she said, "but now that Sir Azrael isn't here I can be how do you put it... informal? So..." she put out her hand, "I'm Alicia and would you like to be my friend."

"Yes," I said without thinking, "I'll be your friend."

Her face lit up revealing none other than her excitement. "Cool! We can play dress up, talk, have sleepovers and do each others makeup." What is she five? Says my sarcastic voice. But she must be pretty lonely, I thought.

"Woah, woah, woah, I said friends, not bff's."

"Oh?" She said, her smile slowly fading a bit and her excited mood changing. She looked a bit sad. "It's just that," she said, "we don't get a lot of people here and sometimes it gets a little lonely. I'm sorry for being so pushy," she continued as she looked down, ashamed? "I'll just leave."

"No you don't have too..." I said as I looked at her, "I was just a bit startled from how forward you were, that's all. But I'll be your friend. Maybe not your best friend but I'll," I paused, "you know what? What do you want to do today?" I felt bad for her and maybe we could be good friends, who knows.

"I don't think I can do anything today." Alicia said looking down, she seemed sad. "Sir Azrael has planned a schedule for you and what you will be doing today so you won't have time."

I sat on the bed still listening to her with my towel tightly wrapped around me. My hair was a little bit wet but luckily it wasn't soaked and while I was thinking of what I could do to cheer her up I blew a piece of hair out of my face. And then *Light bulb* suddenly I had an idea. "How about you help me pick out an outfit to wear for today." I said as I looked towards her to see her face light up. Her sad expression went back to an overjoyed one and she was smiling again.

I looked around, my focus was now on the bed I sat on. There were some clothes neatly folded on the bed still. "Is this what I'm supposed to wear today?" I asked Alicia as I picked up one of the garments.

She then looked at the clothes on the bed. "No." She said. "I was busy repacking your wardrobe." She continued with a smile. She's so organised and I'm a mess.

Alicia quickly packed away the clothes that was on the bed and then she asked me to put on a robe. Well, she actually handed me one, finally. It's uncomfortable to sit on a bed in a towel knowing that someone can walk in at any given moment. The thought of Azrael just randomly popping up did come to mind and so did how embarrassed I would be if that did happen. Okay... in all honesty, I don't know what I would do but I do know that it would probably involve a lot of shouting and me running for the hills in a towel? Well, if I didn't get this robe anyway.

I put on the robe. Of course I put it over the towel though. Like I'm just going to drop my towel. That was sarcasm. I was about to walk to the closet to help Alicia out with getting clothes for me but instead she stopped me and told me to wait in the room rather and that she would bring out the options of clothes I could wear.

So... I waited on the bed and boy did she take long. I swear the closet ate her. Eventually I ended up fiddling with my fingers because of the abyss of boredom I was thrown into. I say thrown because I didn't think I'd have to wait this long. Did she get lost in there or something? I sighed and laid back down on the bed as I waited for what felt like an eternity. I was staring at the ceiling as time "slowly" passed by.

*Creak* The white closet doors finally swung open to reveal... Alicia. Well, what I assumed was Alicia with a dress? With a dress in hand. Or was it a couple of dresses? The dress or dresses were so stacked up that I could bearly see her face. It was like a mountain that was blocking my view. A mountain of dresses? Or it could be clothes? *Shrugs*

No wonder she took so long to get here, I thought, she could have just asked me for help. By the way she struggled to make her way towards the bed, it looked like the clothes or whatever she was bringing to me weighed a ton.

"Do you need some umm..." I paused awkwardly, "help with that?" I sat up trying to get off the bed to help her.

"No, no, no..." she spoke very fast, "I can manage." She didn't look like she could manage though. It looked like she was about to be crushed.

"Are you sure you can?" I asked her furrowing my eyebrows and holding my hand by my chin. "Because you look like you about to fall over."

"No, no it's fine." She said. "I got this." I know she was just being polite but right now the song that was playing in my head was... "Why you always lying, why you always lying."

I got up from the bed as she made her way towards me. Alicia tilted from side to side as she still held onto the mountain of clothes, then before I knew it... before I managed to blink an eye, she tipped over and landed flat on the bed, clothes scattered everywhere.

"U-uh..." I said as I looked at where she landed, I kind of predicted that was going to happen, "you know you could've just asked me for help."

"It's okay..." she said as she got up from the bed, dusting herself off, "I'm fine, I'm fine." Was she telling me she was fine? Or was she reassuring herself that she was fine?

I looked at her oddly... "Okaaay..." I said. I'm pretty sure she almost suffocated from all the clothes that landed on her.

"Phew," she huffed, yep she was most definitely exhausted, "now that, that's done, let's choose an outfit for you." She kind of reminds me of Eva? We only choosing an outfit now? This chapter is almost over. Where did the time go?

"How about this one?" Alicia said lifting up one of the garments from the bed. It was a puffy blue dress. Don't get me wrong it looked gorgeous but it was a bit overdone. I'm just a girl (even though I'm half Angel, half White Witch) not a princess. It was way too extravagant.

I kept quiet still looking at the dress and lost in my thoughts. "Well," Alicia said now looking at me, "go ahead. Try it on." U-uh, no? Is what I was thinking.

I'm going to have to get used to this.

To be continued...