1

Ella creaked open the window of her friends apartment. She inhaled the fresh air of Narlands with a beaming smile. 

Her eyes fluttered in awe of the magnificent view before her that looked like a picture in a painting.

"Wow. This city is beautiful," she muttered to herself, inhaling the purified air.

She had never thought of leaving her home town to work anywhere else but the money she was to get by taking up the job of a maid in Narlands would earn her double the amount she'd get in her home town in six months.

"It's lovely, Dominique,"  Ella squealed, taking a look at the hand crafted houses opposite hers and the people loitering around.

"I told you, it's one of the best kingdoms in the entire world, it's like paradise too," Dominique said to her best friend. "I'm so glad you finally agreed to come," she added.

When Dominique left her hometown, a small kingdom known as Agric, she invited Ella along, but Ella refused to follow her; she was sticking to her fruitless search for a job back in Agric believing she'd get a good one soon.

Back in their Kingdom,  Agric, they did more of fishing, rearing of cattles for a living, and just twenty percent of farming. The kingdom was named on the basis of Agriculture.

When Dominique told Ella of the job she found for her in Narlands and the amount she earn from it, Ella took the offer instantly, finally deciding to leave her kingdom where she got little amount from whatever she did.

Earning over 10,000 Nars was a huge amount of  money compared to what she'd earn in her Kingdom. Nars was the highest currency in the world and when converted to her kingdom's money, she'd earn up to half a million Rees.

She wondered the work maids of Narlands did that warranted a huge pay. 

"Thanks for having me in your home. I must say it's really nice," Ella complimented her friend.

"Compared to you, I earn just 3000 Nars a month. But it's fine, it's  a bountiful sum here. I must warn you though to be very careful," Dominique stated, throwing Ella into a state of confusion.

"I don't get you." Ella frowned.

"Being a maid for the prestigious royal mansion is a huge deal, gossiping and lurking around aimlessly could lead to..." Before Dominique could complete her statement, the sound of gun going off made them lay on the floor, their hands placed at the back of their head.

Ella's eyes darted here and there, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. Why were they shooting guns and who were they shooting? She pondered.

"Shh," Dominique said to Ella. "It's going to be fine, it's nothing, it's just the way it is everyday in Narlands," she explained.

"What? It's...it's...it's a daily routine?" Ella asked, stuttering.

"Not really, but here in the Narlands, guns are like outfits. Dominique answered.

"Wait... What?" Ella cuts in.

"I'd explain later but for now, you have to lay low so as not to loose your life recklessly," her friend warned.

Ella was shaky, she wondered what the kingdom was like. Back in her hometown, a small kingdom that wasn't really known to the world, it was peaceful—nothing as a gunshot sound to disrupt the quietness of the place.

She heaved a sigh, wanting to know all there was about Narlands.

Soon, everywhere became calm, and both friends stood upright. Ella placed a palm on her chest, calming her frightened heart.

"It's really scary here Mimi," Ella said to Dominique, calling her by her nickname.

"As scary as it is, it's still one of the safest places in the world, ironically," Mimi said.

Ella furrowed her brows, "Ironically? Tell me all about this place, tell me how it's like, I want to know, Mimi," Ella's spoke, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Although Narlands was known to be the richest kingdom in the world, it was also known to be a kingdom where not just anyone moved with ulterior motives and survived. It was a kingdom ruled by a particular family who passed down the position to their generations and have relentlessly improved the kingdom, making sure to attend to every area that needed it.

"You are to be a maid in the royal mansion, the mansion where the ruler of Narland resides. Anyone who works in the royal mansion is paid higher than any other place in Narlands. The lowest amount of money given to a worker of the royal mansion is 10,000 Nars," Mimi said.

"But, there is more. The ruler is also known as the Death lord, whose pocket knife is faster than a bullet. His actions speak louder than his words and he shows no mercy to anyone other than himself."

"Narlands isn't like any other kingdom, it is one of the safest yet the most dangerous place in the world. The law is the Death lord and likewise. Once you commit an offense, you are killed and even if you are given a second chance at survival, you must loose a part of your body."

Ella gasped. She couldn't believe her ears, she had never heard such and didn't pay much attention to anything other than her kingdom. She had no idea that something like that existed and now—she was more frightened, somehow wondering if she made the right decision coming to Narlands. 

"Do not let him catch you lurking around as he is always on guard. He isn't loved by all and has been attacked a lot of times but none lived to tell the story and those that did feared to cross paths with him. There are still kingdom trying to attack Narland and overthrow the Death lord, but none has been successful. Enemies that try to gather information ended up going back to tell the story of their fate in the hands of the Death lord!"

"It's...it's...so scary. How do you survive?" Ella asked Mimi.

"Like I said, it's the safest in the world yet the most dangerous. And the gunshot you heard earlier are from the parade group, warning and sending fear to infiltrators, that they are alert," Mimi concluded.

Ella took a deep breath, trying to understand all Mimi had told her and asking herself if she wanted to take on the job, knowing it could lead to anything.