Voyage Of The Villainess

"Hi, My name is Kiana, it's nice to meet you. And I would love to be friends with you if that's alright. Blue lady?"

"Blue lady?" Malaya tilted her head.

"Ah! Is that making you feel uncomfortable? I apologize for calling you like that. I didn't mean to make you feel in a certain way." Kiana said a bit panicky. "I'm really sorry about that anyway, is that not your name? I thought that was your name since everyone here on the island is calling you that."

'Oh, it looks like I'm well known to this island huh. Well, there is no doubt since I'm not from here besides I was the enemies before and now I'm one of the slaves here trying to gain their trust' Malaya just moved her head up and down as a sign of understanding. 'Now that I realized everyone was calling me blue missy, blue girl, or anything that has blue. Well I guess, it's my own fault for making them confused about my real name since  I haven't really introduced myself properly to anyone and I'm just busy running errands here and there. Now I understood how it felt being a busy individual because even presenting my own name I neglected it.'

Malaya glanced back to the fidgety girl. "I see. No, It's alright you don't need to feel bad besides it's my fault for not introducing myself to all of you properly." Malaya gave her a friendly smile. "You can now call me  Malaya, nice to meet you too Kiana." She lent her hand for a handshake.

Kiana tilted her head as a sign of confusion, staring at Malaya's extended hand. Then she bowed in front of it. Malaya was startled by this. 'Are they not aware of shaking hands?'

"What are you doing?" Malaya said. "You don't need to do that. Please raise your head."

"Eh! Did I do something wrong?" Kiana panicked once again. 

"No, you don't and it's alright. This custom might be unfamiliar to you. This,'' Malaya shows her hand in front of them. But Kiana just looks at it like an innocent child trying to figure out what needs to be done. "It is what we usually do when we meet someone new. We hold our hands." Malaya slowly grabbed Kiana's right hand. "Then we shake it."  Kiana looks amazed and looks at their both hands that now are shaking 

" Wow! That's so cool"

"Is that clear? Let's repeat that again. I'm Malaya and nice to meet you, Kiana." Malaya said with a smile.

"You really look so pretty that it was almost so annoying." 

Malaya's eyes widened as she glanced back at Kiana. 

"Wait, what?" Malaya simply asked.

"Nice to meet you too, Malaya! You're so pretty! I'm so happy to be your friend." Kiana said with all smiles as well.

'What's that? Am I hearing things or something?' Malaya stared back at Kiana and there was no sign of any odd behavior. 'Hmm, here we go again for another illusion inside my head. Maybe due to overwork, I'm hearing such things. I think I truly need some rest after this.'

"Thank you. Though I can't see your face, I know you're pretty as well." Malaya answered back.

"Thank you!" Kiana said with delight. "Then since we are friends now, will it be alright, if I help you in your errands?" Kiana said.

"Yes, Sure! " Malaya answered right away which startled Kiana once again. "Oh! Sorry about that! To be honest, I truly need help right now, I need to get everything on this list from the grandma living here. But oh well, it seems she hated me for some reason." She said a bit troubled. Then Malaya glanced up when Kiana started giggling.

"I don't know but I think  you are not just pretty but funny as well Malaya." Kiana kept giggling. Seeing that Malaya looked confused, Kiana started to settle down her giggles. "You're pretty straightforward. I thought you are still going on like with the lines, 'don't worry it's alright, I can handle this by myself, or I don't want to trouble you.'"

"Ah I see," Malaya also giggled as well. "Being pretentious for the sake of being polite, well I also do that with people but when it comes to my friends, I don't really need to pretend right?" 

Kiana stared at Malaya blankly as if she was surprised by something. 

"Kiana?" Malaya waved her right hand in front of Kiana. "Is there something wrong?"

"Ah. Nothing." Kiana said. "Then about Elder Hashna, let me apologize for her behavior. She just is not really in favor or comfortable with any outsiders. You know, she just wants to keep everything at peace and safe because before there were some people who betrayed them at a young age. So that is why she is so protected on the island."

"Oh! I'm so sorry to hear that! And no worries," Malaya said with all smiles. "It doesn't bother me a bit since now I understand her because  I know her reason. And it was acceptable besides the only thing I want is to finish this errand."

"Thank you, Malaya! Hmm, That can be tricky, perhaps I can ask it in your stead instead?" Kianna said. 

"No," Malaya said. "Although I did need some help, this errand needed to be done with me. Perhaps you can give me some advice or any information on how I can woo the elder?" 

"Hmm… okay give me a moment to think." Kiana held her chin and thought for a while. "Well, I don't know if this could help but other than what I tell you, Elder Hashna's has a deeper story as to why she hated outsiders is well known in our village. Do you want to listen to it?"

"Her story," Malaya replied. "I would love to, but kindly summarize it since I don't have much time."

Kiana giggled once again to Malaya's response. "Then alright, I will tell you but don't worry it won't be long either."

After a few hours of talking...

"Ah I hope it does not get too long for you and the story helps you to navigate with Grandma and look at the time," Kiana said. "I have to go now. See you again Malaya, I enjoy talking with you. " She waved goodbye to Malaya.

'Well, that is so long.' Malaya sighed inwardly.

"So do I. Thank you Kiana and hope to see you again some other time." Malaya said as she waved back. Malaya watched the retreating back of Kiana until she could not really see her anymore. 

Then she glanced back at the house of the elder. "Ah, I guess this is it already. I failed this errand huh. I am not really the type to force someone that hates me. And besides with a story like that, well, I guess this errand is hopeless."

The sun was already setting down and Malaya decided to just retreat for the day and go back to the guard. 

After a few moments of walking, when the cook saw her, though he had a mask on, his brows kneaded, seeing Malaya empty-handed.

"Blue Missy!"

Malaya raised her hand. "Well, the elder seems to hate me and even shut the door on my face." She explained.

The cook hearing her nonchalant excuse sighed. "I said that you will not come back here empty-handed. Get those materials even if it takes a long time or else I will slice you into pieces."

Malaya this time was the one who sighed next. "Just go get it yourself and go slice me. I'm not afraid to die either," she handed back the list to the guard.

"This kid! It seems you are forgetting that you need to do this right now." The cook demanded with haughtiness.

"And it seems you forget that the elder hated foreigners like me. To begin with, this errand is already impossible. If you need that supply that badly, then just go get it yourself." Malaya said then walked away. 

"Wait!" The cook tried to grab Malaya. But to his surprise, Malaya quickly evaded him.

"I'll go find other residents tomorrow to ask for an errand. Not all the time will you see your grandmother. So go see her instead of forcing someone that she will hate."

"How did you know that she's my grandmother?" The cook said surprised.

"If you want things to sort out with her, don't use people that could only aggravate her," Malaya said as she walked away. 'Hah. I wasted half of my day doing nothing. Well, it's alright. I just need to rest now and have a bath where I truly needed.'

---⚓⚓⚓---

Beneath the shadows from one of the huts that Malaya passed on, Kiana appeared. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Malaya going away.

"How is she? Did you accomplish what I asked you to do?" 

Someone appeared behind Kiana. A girl taller than her and was wearing a grey-colored mask. "Milady, don't worry. Master Oliver will see her true colors soon."

"Make sure of it," an aggravating voice came out from the grey masked girl. "I will make sure that Oliver will see me as the only girl for him and not that blue b*tch."

"Of course, Milady," Kiana said as she gave a short bow.. Then the grey masked girl disappeared in front of her.