THROUGH THE SCHEMES OF FATE

LONG WAY TO GO

"Achoum!", The slight low sound of sneezing trembled in part of the room where Louisa had sat by the window with several laboratory apparatus lined in front of her on the study table. She had gloves on her hand, while she held a beaker looking at it closely with concentration, but another sneeze caused her to almost drop the volumetric flask she had been holding.

"Miss, did you catch a cold?", Ermine asked in panic as soon as she entered Louisa's room through the back door. But her sudden presence didn't seem to bother her, neither the sneezing earlier because she soon returned to what she was doing.

"It's early summer and the climate here is rather hot, rather than my body feeling awfully chilly, it's more like I'll get sweaty due to the temperature rising high"

"I was a bit worried you might have caught a cold."

"I'm fine, there's likely to be some cursing me, which caused me to sneeze."

Usually Louisa didn't believe in such superstition as a sneeze or two caused by a hidden curse from someone, but with what she went through she wouldn't mind such believes.

She was very concentrated at what she was doing and Ermine who was watching was rather curious what she was doing, but she seemed to have concocted some few fragrant creams and other liquids she was unsure of. She could only watch her clear moves as though she had done that all her life and wondering where she had learned how to concoct such things.

Earlier when she had been asked to purchase laboratory apparatus she found it rather weird but didn't hesitate to purchase it along with other things she found weird in the list as well.

She even helped to prepare some of the liquids that had been placed on the table. She barely knew what she was doing back then in the kitchen, but she didn't bother to ask. However, she became more curious as she watched Louisa seriously working on the study table.

"Rather than staring curiously at me, you might as well directly ask your question."

"Ah!"

Ermine exclaimed as a thief being caught in the act, but she couldn't blame herself. She didn't expect Louisa to be so alert , as if she had ready made eyes glancing her surrounding in awareness, while her other eyes kept her hands focused.

"Ah, sorry for prying into your matters miss, it's just that I'm a little curious. In the past I was aware of your talents in design, but not in medical knowledge. How...how did you learn all these ?"

"What do you think?"

Answering a question with another, this was definitely another personality that Louisa had suddenly had when she woke up from her coma. Though it never annoyed Ermine, it only increased her curiosity, but she couldn't ask any further if Louisa didn't intend to say a word.

"Do you think I trust you?", Ermine's back stiffened at Louisa's next question, then she watched her stand from her say and delicately remove her white gloves. It was likely that she had finished her work, but Ermine wasn't sure.

However, that wasn't the question at the moment, it was about her trust towards her. If it had been in the past before everything had happened, she would definitely not hesitate.

"I dare not give you a conclusive answer.", Ermine replied with a slight sadness in her eyes, making her unable to look at Louisa who suddenly stood in front of her.

"Why don't you dare?"

"It was my pleasure that Miss still accepted me ,even after what I did. With that only, I know I still have a long way to go. It doesn't matter how long it would take, I surely would devote my life to you and win back your trust."

"Good.", Louisa barely said and had lifted her hands and lightly pinched Ermine's chin and brought her head up. Though they were both women, Ermine slightly blushed at Louisa's action which caused her to look directly into her violet pair of eyes that seemed to have hidden treasures. It made one want to look into the bright stars that shun in it.

Though Ermine had been with Louisa for years, she had never actually closely looked at her, at least not this close when her breath could almost reach hers.

'Louisa was indeed the goddess of beauty'

"Your eyes are almost white, you seem to be in lack of enough blood."

"What!", Ermine exclaimed as soon as she realized the reason for Louisa's sudden close approach. She was actually worried about her health. It was also true that she indeed lacked enough blood, one of the maids who was once a nurse had actually told her but she didn't expect Louisa to realize it as well when it wasn't clearly visible from afar.

"You should take care of your health. If not how would you be able to live pass to know if you gained my full of trust."

"Yes, sure Miss."

Ermine said, almost tearing up, at Louisa's words. Others would think she was stupid to cry for so little, but she had reasons to be touched. Louisa hinted that she didn't fully trust her, which meant she was beginning to well up her trust towards her. There was nothing than could make her happier than her words at that.

"OK, stop whining like a baby.", Louisa waved her hands as she walked towards the bath room.

"My body feels a little uncomfortable, I'm going to take a bath, make sure to prepare what I had requested."

"Sure !", Ermine hurried to accomplish her task while Louisa went to take a bath, this would make her of fourth bath of the day, but she felt that it was the only thing her body needed right now.

When she had been locked by Sara for God knows how long she had never been given a bath and had to keep a stinky body day and night. Since from that moment her body had become extremely sensible to dirt. If her body was sweaty she felt as though her body was stocked with dirt and she has to take a bath to feel fresher.

Louisa untied her bath robe and comfortably dipped herself in her bath tub which had been filled with few essence made by her. She had been an expert in pharmaceuticals but she was also aware of her talents in cosmetic products. It was sad that in the past only Sara benefitted from this talent, she even convinced her to forget about creating beauty products and concentrate only in pharmaceuticals.

At that time she had thought it was because Sara was worried she would exhaust herself, but now that she was clear about things. She definitely won't repeat those mistake, maybe this talent of hers would take her closer to her goal. She just needed to find a trusted person to make it known as a means of advertisement.

~Louisa sighed

"Definitely a long way to go.",Louisa closed her eyes in the bath tub and relaxed her body.

'A long way, surely...."