Pink rose

Meanwhile in the village of Soren.

Itri and Samantha sat beside each other as they eat their lunch silently. Occasionally, Itri would glance at her friend, making Samantha stare at her in confusion. Nobody noticed the two girls' weird behavior as the other servants and maids were busy hogging the food in front of them while they whispered along with their friends.

Samantha could no longer tolerate it when Itri looked at her one more time. "What is wrong with you? Why are you sneaking glances at me?" She whispered, trying not to attract anybody's attention.

"Sammy, what happened to you? Why did you fall sick?" Itri finally asked the question she wanted to since morning. After leaving Young Master Bradford's room, they had reached the hall immediately after cleaning themselves up. They had not had an opportunity to speak to each other as they got busy with work. Only now, did they have some time for a chit chat.

"What are you even talking about? When did I fall sick?" Samantha asked confused by Itri's absurd questions.

"Sammy, are you still sick? You must be. Wait, let me fetch Madam Lily to have a look at you." Itri stood up suddenly gaining everyone's attention before they averted their eyes from her.

Samantha immediately pulled her friend's hand before she could actually leave to being Madam Lily. She did not know why her friend was behaving this way. "Itri, please sit down and what is wrong with you? Why do you want to bring Madam Lily here?"

Seeing her friend's confused face, Itri assumed her to have forgotten about the things that had transpired in the room. So, she decided to refresh her memory.

"Samantha, don't you remember anything that happened yesterday night?"

"What happened yesterday night?" The girl blinked trying to recollect what her friend might be talking about. But nothing came to her mind.

"You fell sick, Sammy."

"What?"

"Yes. When I came to call you, you were lying unconscious on the bed and your face was as pale as a ghost. You scared me to death yesterday." Itri recapped all that had happened yesterday. 

"That's not possible. I don't remember falling sick at all." Samantha refuted immediately, unable to believe whatever she was hearing. 'If I had actually fallen sick, why can't I remember a thing about it?' She wondered.

Now even Itri was perplexed. She stared at the girl beside her dumbfounded and believed Samantha to have lost her mind, especially because her body had gone cold the last night. 'Is this the reason why Sammy cannot remember a thing? Maybe her brain froze when her body went cold.' She deduced, but the next second Itri shook her head when she realized that how ridiculous her thoughts sounded.

"What was the last thing you remember then?" 

"I was in Young Master's bedroom filling his jug and then..." Samantha stopped suddenly. She racked her brain trying to remember what had happened next. But in vain. She could not recollect anything and the fact started to frighten her.

"And then?" Itri prompted her.

"I cannot recall a thing after that." Samantha stared at Itri blankly, her mind muddled with what she was experiencing.

"Don't you remember anything after that?" Now even Itri was stunned and she could not help but worry more for her friend.

Samantha shook her head, her tongue unable to form any coherent words.

"What's the next thing you remember then? 

"Getting up on Young Master Bradford's bed with you beside me," Samantha answered honestly as that was what her mind showed her next.

"Weird. Although you would not be knowing what happened after you fainted, you should at least know you fainted, right? But why can't you recollect it?" Itri questioned, and now both girls went into deep thoughts. However, they came out of their reverie when they heard Madam Lily's voice to finish their lunch and get back to work.

The two girls decided to talk about the issue later and focused on their lunch before they got back to work. However, Samantha could not get over the weird feeling she was having in her heart and tried to take a trip down memory lane. Just like before, she could recall nothing. Instead, she started to have a mild headache and her vision blurred making her feel light-headed. Shaking her head, Samantha gave up for now and concentrated on her work.

However, her friend could not get the thought out of her mind. She could not focus on her work properly and Madam Lily observed her state of absent-mindedness when she came over to take a look. Itri was cleaning the same spot for over half an hour now and it had become spotless.

"Itri, focus on your work." She reprimanded loudly breaking the poor girl's chain of thoughts. Itri's eyes fell on the wet rag in her hand and then on the floor that seemed to be shining after being rubbed for long.

"I apologize for my mistake, Madam Lily " Itri bowed before she started to wipe another spot on the floor.

Instead of being contented by her apology, Madam Lily was taken aback. The girl who usually came up with reasons and tried to defend herself for her carelessness and laziness had apologized to her on her own. This was something unexpected. "Itri, is everything alright, child?" Lily's voice softened considerably and she asked her, seeing the anxiety in her eyes.

"Yes, Madam. Everything is good." Itri lied but Lily did not believe her.

"Don't lie to me, child. I know you better than you do. Tell me what is wrong?" 

Seeing Lily's questioning gaze, the girl knew she could not hide it any longer. "It is about Samantha, Madam."

"What happened to her? Is she still sick?"

"She seems to be fine right now, Madam Lily. But what worries me is that she cannot recollect what happened to her the previous night."

Lily's brows furrowed hearing Itri's words. "What do you mean, dear? Does Samantha not know that she fainted?"

"Yes, Madam. She only remembers that she was in Young Master Bradford's room yesterday and then nothing."

"How could it be?" Lily pondered, her eyes falling on the maid who passed by them with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. She observed the girl as she arranged the flowers in the vase before she left the area.

"I'll look into this matter, dear. You don't have to worry about her. She will be alright." Lily assured her with a smile and Itri relaxed a little hearing her words.

"Thank you, Madam." Itri bowed at her grateful and resumed her work. She seemed to be visibly focused now and Lily left her alone after supervising her for some time.

Lily went in search of Samantha to speak to her but she had no idea where she was. So, she stopped the servant who shifting the goods from the carriage that had arrived from the market. "I just saw her going towards the garden, Madam Lily."

The boy replied and Lily dismissed him with a nod. 'Perhaps, she is in charge of the garden today.' 

Lily followed the path that led to the garden where she noticed the girl she was looking for, caressing a withered pink rose with a gentle smile on her face before she dropped it in the wooden basket. She then picked up the broom and started to segregate the dried leaves on the lawn.

The girl was alone and now was the perfect opportunity to speak to her. So, Lily's feet took her to Samantha automatically and she stood behind the girl who was busy at work.

Before she could speak a word, Lily's eyes fell on the basket beside her and her eyes widened automatically. Inside it, laid a lone fully-bloomed beautiful, pink rose.