Trouble’s coming Elizebeth edition (1)

There's a lot to do once she rises from her bed. Starting from facial care to the whole body massage. Then, her hair care as well. Half of her day was finished inside her room with maids herded together making her a dress-up doll. 

"I think this hair suits her the best." 

"You think so? How about we straighten her hair but put a minimal decoration?" 

"Blasphemy. Our Lord is the sole lady from the most powerful duke house and also the sole princess from royal. She needed a crown for very least." 

"You think so too?" 

"How about we sprinkled a glitter small flower around her hair?" 

"Oh, we should make her loose braid hair, putting her side dripping with flowers along the way?" 

"And a floral crown to boost her status?"

"Yes!" The unison answered concluded the hair department maids. 

"The dress. We need the most glittering and expensive clothes. All the clothes here are painfully plain." Another maid from the dress department freaked out.

Elizebeth threw a glance at the so-called 'painfully plain' gown hanging around the room. The gowns were everything but painfully plain to her eyes. The sight almost made her turn blind. It's blinding and she was ashamed to say she was the owner. 

"Can we call another designer?" 

"Should we?"

"I doubt it. We don't have enough time to make another dress. We should settle with this only. Gosh." 

"There's no good dress among this expensive ugly little shi- piece of fabric." 

Elizebeth wanted to interfere but Emily quickly gave her a small shake for her eyes only and asked her to let the maids choose everything without interference. So, she gave up and opened the book to distract herself from making any unneeded opinion. 

"We can't have our lovely princess to have a plain shoe. We need soft and comfortable but PRETTY AND GLITTERING FOR HER! GIVE US THE GOLD SHOES!" Another maid going insane while searching for the right shoes for her. 

"I think I found some good shoes." 

"Where?"

"At the Claire Private Shoe." 

"Those shoes? THAT SHINY MIDNIGHT SKY BLUE ALLURING SHOES?" Another hollered. 

"Yes." 

"But I thought Lady Susan booked the shoes?" 

"Booked? Lady Susan the daughter of Marquis Zefran? Nonsense. Our Lord deserves it more. Steal the shoes. Now!" 

"Roger that." One of the maids in the mix ran towards the door hastily without giving a second glance to any of them with a mission in the head. 

Elizebeth snapped her neck to Emily's calm face. They resolved to steal.

Hello!!!! 

But Emily smiled at her subordinates in pride.

Elizebeth's eyes bulged, jaws dropped. She never viewed Emily as that savage. She decided to feign ignorance while reading her book back as Emily gave the look to her. 

The maids apparently were busy with their works in front of her. They fiercely discussed her whole presentation for the debutante in a few days. They started to get busier than her. And she couldn't interfere in the discussion at all. 

"My Lord, you may leave the room for a while to take a breather." Emily came to her like a hunting prey. Careful, silent, and deadly. 

She turned her head to see the polite Emily was rather smiley creepily while eyeing the accessory section. "I'll take my leave first," she took the offer without thinking twice. Leaped towards the door without looking back anymore.

"My Lord." Derrick bowed to her as soon as she came out in a loud panting and pale face. "What-" he cut himself off when Elizebeth gestured to him to walk without opening his mouth any further. 

"It's a jungle over there. Jungle! Madness! Upheaval!" She almost fainted to see the sight. All the maids were coming for blood for the upcoming debutante.

Derrick chuckled. "The selection of the dress sounds fierce." He agreed. 

"Dress is a small portion. I'm talking about the whole picture." Her indifferent face answering the greeting of the other maids. 

"Where are we going now, My Lord?" 

Elizebeth wanted to have time alone or probably off sleeping somewhere else and wanted to just make up an excuse to muddle through, but when she saw Derrick's anticipated eyes, she knew she couldn't rest for long. 

SREEP! 

She opened the dark color painted with all paint paper fans and covered half of her face from the nose and below. "I believe your heart desires a similar place as your master."

Derrick beamed, his smile almost blinded her. "I understand, My Lord." 

"Elizebeth?" 

Both of them turned towards the voice with different reactions. Whilst Derrick bowed to the voice, Elizebeth simply ran towards it and jumped into the hug. 

"Greeting to the Duke of Shar city, Duke Brice." 

"Not interested." Duke waved him away while holding Elizebeth inside his arm. 

'You may go.' 

Elizebeth mouthing the order to Derrick for necessary preparation to depart. 

"Where are you going, Elizebeth?" He patted her head as Elizebeth pushed him away. 

"Father, I'm going out to fresh up my corrupt mind." 

"Meeting the teacher at Dark Alley inn again?" He accurately guessed her intention.

She covered her face with the fans, her green eyes stared at her father in circumspect. "I need to prepare thoroughly for the trip for my own convenience, father." 

"Pretty sure I heard the same excuse before." 

"Uh, I need to validate our new companion…" She stammered, her eyes looking around tried to find an excuse. 

"Heard that one too." He called her out again. 

"Well- well I just want to make sure my trip will be smooth sailing." 

 The stoic duke arched his brow. His eyes showed he saw that coming. 

"Dada…" She whined, putting down her fans. 

"Much better." The duke stretched his straight-line lips in an attempt to form a sincere smile. "Please return before dawn." He kissed her forehead. 

She beamed and wrapped her arms around her father. "Thank you, Dada." They hugged again. 

"The kitsune…" He mumbled so suddenly. 

"The Kitsune? Jihoon? Yes, he will follow me. I have faith in his ability and I need his ability. Kitsune is not a regular werefox. They were the ancient powerful mythical beast that overpowered some of the beastmen. We need him on the team for emergencies." Explained to her for quite a long to make her father understand the role of the kitsune in the group.

"You have Dante, the fire and water elements in the group." He argued back. The kitsune was insanely handsome and fully interested in Elizebeth. But he couldn't let himself rejoice because kitsune is a sly fox. Who knows what's really inside their black heart. 

"Brother Dante is stronger inside the forest or water but weak on the city land. The fire and water elements were not made for a battle and the two opposite elements were too proud to cooperate. I'm not surprised if one of them backed down before the journey." She sighed. Her eyes turned at the shade under the tree. 

Duke rubbed his palm around her fingers, a worried gesture. 

"I'll be fine. I'm collecting the finest to follow me around. Dada doesn't have to worry." She stretched a smile to her father. "I need to go now." 

"Be careful." 

"Okay," she waved at her father and walked past her father to meet Derrick at the entrance door.

She walked straight without looking back even when she felt the eyes still on her back until she completely disappeared from the duke's side.

"Both of you have promised me to reveal yourself soon. I believe today is not soon you were talking about." She spoke after sometimes. Her cute voice changed unfriendly and sharp. The demeanor utterly changed into dark and unpleasant. 

"Awww we missed you. You don't miss us?" The sparrow chirped above her head before landing on her shoulder. 

"I don't care." Said an indifferent face. 

"Do you want to meet your master again?" The sparrow initiated the conversation again. 

"Yes." 

"So kitsune's tailing you?" The crow that flew high on her head, flew closely behind her shoulder. 

"We call it accompanied. He accompanies me while both of you are tailing me." Her voice was still monotone. 

"Tailing? We are protecting you." The sparrow chirped loudly at her ears. 

"Been years. The script is getting old." 

It was a few years back after she discovered the dragon and phoenix in disguise. They were the responsible party that sneaked inside her room and peeked at her sleeping face.

They came in with sparrow and crow appearance but which normal sparrow and crow hanged out together for no reason and sneaked inside the girl room like a flipping thief? 

They became bold ever since. Stalking her in the open. Watching her every move like a hawk.

And apparently, her mother knew their existence too.

Ironically, she was pleased to hear Elizebeth received their protection. Hence, they always hung out together with the duchess too. Acting like a friend or whatever. 

"We act like a grown-up okay, Fariz?" She turned and glared spitefully at the dragon. 

The crow suddenly acted as if he didn't understand human language.

"Certainly refrain yourself from spitting 'Elizebeth is my bride.' I'm not." The crow looked effectively bothered. "At least not yet." She added, mumbling. 

"Hey!" 

"Woe me if you want me. Is that right, Eve?" She giggled with the sparrow. 

"True." The sparrow chirped in the same manner. 

"Huh," the grumpy crow just huffed annoyingly.