“Coming, Ms. Somerset?” Serenity and her too-young-and-too-long legs had already gotten her up the next flight of stairs.
“Umm, yeah, sure.” Trying not to sigh in sheer exhaustion, Willow forced herself to climb the stairs, which was made tortuous by her three-inch stilettos. She had worn it just to make sure she’d make the right professional impression on the royal family. But if she had known she’d be facing off with a blonde robot – the real kind, it seemed, and not a fake one like Ashley – then she’d have worn good old sneakers instead. Why bother compete when you’re up against perfection?
By the time she reached the landing, Serenity was twiddling her thumbs, a bored look on her too-pretty face.
“Elsa, meet your evil doppelganger,” Willow mumbled under her breath.
The younger woman blinked. “Pardon?”
“You look so much like the girl from Frozen,” she said brightly.
“Oh.” Serenity’s upper lip curled ever so slightly. “Such a compliment.”
I take it back, Willow thought. She was doing Elsa a disfavor.
“If you’ll follow me, Ms. Somerset?” But the other girl was already walking, leaving Willow to catch up with her. Turning around the corner, she gestured to the hallway, which had several doors on each side. “This is your floor.” Serenity took out a card key from her pocket and handed it to her. “Originally, this floor consisted only of two conference halls. Five years ago, however, the royal family decided to divide each side into five separate rooms, to provide more quarters for visitors. Each room is appropriately 50 square meters in size, quite small compared to other rooms in the palace, but it does come equipped with its own en-suite bathroom, kitchen, and living room.”
Willow was busily scribbling down the details on her notepad. “Do all floors reserved for visitors look like this?”
“No. Compared to other rooms in the palace, these ones possess a far more understated décor, and more attention had been given to provide amenities. If I have to describe the rooms in this floor with one word, I’d say they are by far the most functional.”
Willow pushed the notepad and pen back into her pocket. “Got it. Thanks.”
“Your room is the last on the right. 502. You have any other questions, Ms. Somerset?”
Yes, one. How long do your batteries last? Because in the three hours they had been walking and going up and down stairs, Serenity hadn’t ever appeared out of breath or even broken a sweat.
But out loud, Willow said, “None at all.” She was Willow 2.0, and she was determined to make this new version even more tactful than the snow ogress.
“Then I wish you good night. We shall resume the tour tomorrow at five.”
“In the afternoon?”
Serenity slanted an odd glance towards her. “In the morning, Ms. Somerset.”
Willow tried not to look horrified. She knew it. This girl was a robot.
“Would that be a problem, Ms. Somerset?”
“No, no, not at all.” Dragging herself out of bed at four in the morning would be as painful as having her molar pulled out, but it would not be a problem.
“I shall take myself off then.” As Serenity spoke, the door next to Willow’s room opened, and the sound of throaty feminine laughter floated to them. It was an I’m-about-to-go-to-bed-and-I-won’t-be-alone kind of sound, and Willow glanced apprehensively at her companion. Was the blonde robot old enough to see things like this? What if her program could only handle PG data?
An awkward look flittered over Serenity’s face. “Ms. Somerset…” She paused, her expression turning into acute frustration, as if she was suddenly having a hard time putting her thoughts into words.
Thinking it was because the sound offended the girl’s delicate sensibilities, Willow said reassuringly, “I don’t mind it at all. What they do is their business.” Sexy breathy moans floated towards them, and Willow frowned. Okay, that was being a little too PDA, wasn’t it? Didn’t they know there were children around?
Intending to tell the moanaholic to tone it down, Willow turned around just in time to see a woman back out of the room as she tried her best to make her micro dress appear more respectable, pulling it up to cover more of her cleavage and then pulling it down to cover her butt. And so the cycle went on.
“Ms. Somerset,” Serenity said again, her tone more insistent this time.
“Relax, I got this,” Willow said. “She should know it’s not proper to act like that here. It says so in the palace’s code of conduct for guests.” She winked at Serenity.
But Serenity only looked even more frustrated. “No, Ms. Somerset. You misunderstand.”