1 Chapter 1 Waking Up In An Unfamiliar World.

I hastily walked down the street, the cold wind hitting against my face. I wouldn't have preferred nothing more than to sit close to a warm fireplace reading a book or having a cup of coffee.

"Elle!" Christine's voice boomed through my cellphone, jolting me from my thoughts.

"Umm... yeah, what were you saying?" I asked absent mindedly. I could tell Chris was obviously rolling her eyes.

"Duh, I was asking if been listening to the news lately, stupid!" she snapped.

"The news?" I asked "What's with the news?"

"Like seriously Elle, there's a typhoon approaching and the news has been everywhere" she said " Even the kids next door know, they've been giving me a headache with all the excitement"

I suppressed a giggle "Well, you can't blame me" I said climbing up the stairs to my apartment.

"Well, how's Kenny?" I asked trying to fit in the right key to open the door.

Chris chuckled " He's been here and there, I guess, I even have a date with him tonight." Chris said dreamily "He's a really nice guy Elle"

" Aww, look who's in love" I teased. I turned the doorhandle and pushed. The door opened heavily and sluggishly: but it opened. The hair at the nape of my hair stood immediately and I could hear the sound of my heart hammering against my chest loudly.

"Chris..." I stammered " I think there's someone in my apartment"

"What?" Chris asked patiently "Why would anyone be in your apartment?"

"I don't know, the light's on and I remember switching it off before I went out " I said breathing rapidly.

"Elle, calm down" Chris said. "Maybe there's no one..."

"There's someone" I panicked cutting her off "I'm sure! I felt it when I was opening the door!" I said firmly.

'What if I get hurt or maybe kidnapped or worse killed?' I thought.

I wanted to run but, my legs were betraying me. I staggered backwards trying to run before I felt a strong grip on my hair yanking me back and throwing me hard against the wall. Something very hard and heavy hit my shoulder, driving the air out of my lungs: a blow aimed at my head which would have sent me to sleep for a long, long time if it had landed.

I fell on my hands and knees. Legs brushed against my sides, fingers groped up my arms, touched my face and shifted to my throat- lean, strong fingers that sent a chill up my spine. I lifted my leg and kicked him on his groin- not that it helped but it kept him at bay for a few seconds.

I quickly scrambled to my feet and ran towards the door. There was a grunt, followed by heavy footfalls, then a weight that could be around fifteen stones dropped on top of me driving me flat into the floor. The fingers dug into my neck, drawing the life out of me. I struggled for the most horrified moment of my life before the man flashed up a shiny object and stabbed it into my side making me gasp in pain.

"Minelle, are you okay?!" Christine's voice boomed through my cellphone.

I laid in a pool of blood feeling life drain out me before noticing a shiny transparent object like a door beside me.

The knife flashed up again as I reached out my hand to the door feeling it pull me in. I took one last horrified look at the man's face before everything went blank.

****

I opened my eyes slowly, I was feeling light-headed and dizzy. I tried to recall what happened but I couldn't.

As soon as I opened my eyes completely, I completely shut it back because was blinded by the sharp rays of sunshine that was shining through the window.

' Why am I feeling cold despite the hot sunshine?' I thought. Then, it suddenly dawned on me that I was soaked in water.

My memories came flooding back and I remembered getting stabbed and groping at an object. 'Am I dead? Or maybe I'm in the afterlife' I thought.

I instantly became aware of the voices around me.

" Milady's really pretty" One voice said.

'Milady? Where am I?' I thought. I could have opened my eyes at that moment but, in most of the thrillers I've read the protagonists always study their environment before taking actions. Those who didn't never ended up nicely.

" She has a really nice skin" another said.

" I wish my skin was like hers..." The voices kept floating in .

It dawned on me that, I wasn't just in water but, in a bubbly water-- I was having a bath and worse, these ladies were the ones bathing me.

I suddenly stood up as if I was electrocuted.

" What are you guys doing?!" I screamed.

" Why are you bathing me? How did I get here? What am I doing here?". I threw in so many questions.

One of the ladies suddenly held my hands and tried to pull me into the water but I quickly fled and grabbed one of the towels that was held by one of the ladies.

I suddenly became shy. The ladies were all dressed and, I was only tying a towel.

" Milady, we're only giving you a bath as instructed by the king"

"What... King?" I asked.

" King Adrienne of course" one of the ladies replied.

I felt my head spin around.

" What century are we?" I asked.

" Twentieth century, Milady"

" Twentieth century?" I asked.

" Yes Milady"

" Stop calling me Milady! I have a name" I yelled "It's Minella"

Just then, I heard a male voice behind me.

" What's happening?" the voice demanded.

All the ladies immediately knelt down.

"Greetings sir Leonard" they greeted.

" I just asked a question" he demanded.

" My Lo..Lord" one of the ladies stammered" I'm afraid Milady might be having a mental problem right now"

" Mental problem?!" I screamed" Well, you should be ashamed of your choice of words"

Well, I wouldn't be surprised if I was mentally unstable- or else, how could I explain all this?

"Minelle, what's wrong?" a male voice asked.

'Huh? how did he know my name?'

I recalled that I had been screaming earlier that my name was Minelle.

I turned to look at the man who was speaking. He was very dashing and had hazel eyes. His hair was swept back and they almost reached his shoulder. But, his eyes were what captivated me. There was something in them, he was staring directly at me.

"Minelle,what's wrong?" he asked again.

I tried to break his gaze but I couldn't.

" Mr Leonard..." I began and the ladies chuckled and began murmuring.

" She called him Mister"

" What's Mister?"

" I have no idea..."

"...me neither"

" Silence everyone" Leon commanded. And, facing me he said softly.

"Minelle, I asked you a question"

I suddenly found the strength to speak.

" Leon...I can call you Leon right?" I asked.

When he nodded, I continued rushing my words. "Please, I don't know what's happening to me. I was attacked and stabbed in my apartment. I thought I was dead and...boom! I passed out."

A thought dropped into my mind ' The door! I had completely forgotten about it' Whatever was going on now probably had something to do with that door.When Leon gave me a questioning look, I continued.

"... I remember this door, it was transparent and shiny. I remember reaching out to the door and the next thing I remember is waking up in this strange room with a bunch of ladies bathing me." I realized I was blushing as I said those words.

' Focus Minella, this is not the time for that' I thought ' remember how protagonists who normally feel to relaxed end up'

I wondered if I could use the' gentle approach' on this man but I wasn't sure.

"Sir, please can you help me get back to my house?." I asked batting my lashes"I need to see my best friend and tell her I'm still alive I promise to pay you generously for your kindness. Please, just help me" I thought about how Chris would probably feel right now. She would probably be crying out her eyes thinking I've been kidnapped or worse dead.

The man looked at me quizzingly. He had a devlish smirk on his face.

" And, how would you pay me?" he asked.

I hadn't thought of this before.

" umm, I don't have money but,there's this necklace my grandma gave me. It's really beautiful, infact it's my most treasured jewelry- not that I have a lot hehe" I tried laughing to ease the tension in the room but seeing that, nobody laughed, I continued"Although it's my most precious jewelry I'm ready to give it to you that's generous enough right? Just take me home and, it's all yours"

"Well, we'll think about that later. For now, you need to get ready. Now, go and get ready, allow the maids to take care of you"

Maybe it was his powerful aura or his eyes but, I found myself following his orders without complaints.

" Milady" he called.

" My name is not Milady, it's Minelle!" I said firmly.

"Little one" he said softly, patting my head "I said go and get ready, the king is waiting" His eyes flashed brightly and, I felt my head spin before I quickly obeyed.

I turned immediately and started walking towards the maids so fast that, I didn't know when I bumped into an object.

" ouch"

I pressed my stomach feeling sick and wanting to throw up. I was expecting to find some patches on my skin but it was very smooth and I realized that I had no injuries.

"Wait... wasn't I stabbed or am I hallucinating? why aren't there any injuries on my skin?" I asked staring at Leon who was staring at me with an interested look.