A couple of hours had passed since the green-haired maid had soothed me, and the world felt a little less suffocating, at least for now. I lay nestled in her arms, my mind hazy from exhaustion, the terror that had gripped me earlier fading into a dull ache. Her gentle humming had become a steady rhythm that lulled me into a sense of security, though the underlying fear of the Demons possible return never completely disappeared.

  The light filtering through the window had softened, casting long shadows across the room. The air was cooler now, and the overwhelming scents had dissipated slightly, leaving only the faint fragrance of flowers. I could almost pretend that I was somewhere else—somewhere safe, where the Demon couldn’t reach me.

  The maid shifted slightly, adjusting her hold on me as she moved to sit by the window. I looked up at her, my eyes heavy with the remnants of exhaustion and fear that began to dissipate. She offered me a soft smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes, but it was enough to keep the dread at bay. I reached up, my tiny hand brushing against her cheek, and she leaned into the touch, closing her eyes for a moment.

  For that brief moment, I almost felt normal. Almost.

  She spoke to me, putting a hand to her chest:

  "Amoriana," Then she poked my chest. "Lorena." But my eyes were wide as I stared at her. I knew what she had just said, even if it was so simple. Her name. The most beautiful sound I'd heard over the past week. Desperately, I tried to repeat it. I didn't even know why, but I felt I needed to.

  "aaammooo... amuuu... auuu." Damn this undeveloped body! The one word I found that didn't fill me with dread and I was unable to say it! Irritation had been written on my face, apparently, as Amoriana cradled my head and poked my cheek. She teased me, but she was patient, as she repeated her name. Amoriana. Amoriana... Every time she said her name my eyes relaxed and I could feel what semblance of a smile my face could make appear.

  Her name would be the first thing I said.

  ————

  Over the next several weeks, I found my birthday was at the start of what could be called winter, as snow began to fall on the eighth day. After the month had come and gone, I had begun learning words. Amoriana had begun to visit me daily, sometimes with the Demon watching, and other times without.

  When we were together, she came to me with a picture book with decently drawn depictions of animals and other things. There were houses, plants, a tree, the suns—which had the names Kahna and Khorok for the yellow and green suns respectively—and the moon whose name was Uphthup. Occasionally, I would point at Amoriana and try to get her to say her own name again, just so I could hear the wondrous sound of her name.

  "Aaaammm...ii...ma." I babbled, to which she corrected with a giggle. I hadn't thought anything could top what beautiful a sound her name was. But her laugh had sent shivers down my spine, and she noticed it. Looking to the window, she sighed.

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  "Sorry, My Lady, I —— window open." I had been able to piece together most of her sentences lately, and simply nodded as she moved to the window and closed it.

  In the meantime, I looked at the book, trying to find an authors name or some sort of title. I checked both sides, the spine of it, only to find nothing. I even checked the insides of it.

  Hearing Amoriana come back, I looked over my shoulder to her, and she adjusted her outfit before lifting me to her lap.

  "Are you ——— My Lady? I made this —— book." It took me a few seconds to parse it together, but if I was right, then... then she made this? I pointed to her before moving it to the book, and she nodded. "Indeed! I made this book for you, My Lady." I felt my heart practically sing as she said that, and I looked at it.

  I felt like I would cry at any moment, wiping my eyes to make sure there weren't any tears.

  "Tired, My Lady?" I wasn't, surprisingly, but it was getting late. Shaking my head, I pat the book with my hand. "Alright, My Lady. Just ———, okay?" Nodding, we went through a few more words, such as sword, shield, pen and a few other smaller items.

  I had begun to cherish these moments more than anything, lately. More than the air that I breathed, more than the breeze through the windows, and most certainly more than any living person in this god forsaken building.

  I had yet to leave my room once during the weeks I'd been alive. Right now, I was simply held captive. When I could move, if I was not given a reason to stay, I would run away as far as possible. Taking a breath, Amoriana took the book and shut it after a while. I looked back and up at her, meeting her eyes with my own. She smiled back and didn't flinch.

  That was something I had begun to notice as well. Servants, whenever they met my eyes, would flinch and turn away. Sometimes they would mutter something under their breath that I imagined was either a prayer or some insult. Quite entertaining, really. They didn't know that I was aware of everything they said. Even if I wasn't knowledgeable about the words.

  "Oh? Did something good happen, My Lady?" My eyes widened a bit. "You are smiling." My hands reached up and touched my face, but my face didn't feel different, nor like it was being stretched. So when I noticed that, I narrowed my eyes. Was she teasing me? Smiling? With this face? Unlikely. Seeing my expression, Amoriana giggled, and my eyes relaxed. Yes... that sound...

  Closing my eyes as she giggled, I felt that moment drag on for forever, and yet at the same time it was over so soon. No matter, I would listen to it in my sleep tonight.

  "Ammy." I said as she cradled me and stood up. And her smile brightened.

  "Yes, My Lady." Amoriana's voice itself was enough to calm any nerves in my body, making me relax. I suppose I shouldn't worry her, and should go to bed. But... seeing the crib, it made me anxious, like the walls of it were going to suddenly lurch out and grab me and pull me down and strangle me until the breath escaped me. But, surprisingly, Amoriana didn't put me in the crib. Instead, she laid me down on the spacious bed next to it.

  "My Lady always seemed —— with the crib. And you're strong enough to sleep on a —— now." She stroked the side of my head before draping a tiny but weighted blanket over me. "The Miss —— you to sleep safely since I —— to her ——." I reached for her instinctively upon her mentioning 'The Miss'. That was the demons title. Swallowing, my tiny hand grabbed her ring finger and that seemed to cause her expression to crack. Despite how much I grabbed her clothes and touched her face, I never grabbed her hand or fingers.

  "Amm... mmo..." Come on... work. Let me say it. "Ammoi—" No, damn it! I'm so close! "Amori...ana!"

  Briefly, I believed I saw a tear for at the corner of her eye, and perhaps I had, as Amoriana wiped her eyes with her other hand as she took a deep breath.

  "My Lady... you have made me so happy... you are a —— to this —— and I —— that you —— —— but joy..." She gently held my hand in her own as she shuddered out a breath. "It's time for bed, My Lady. Let me tuck you in."