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Slight warning: Google translate is used in this chapter. If anyone notices any mistakes, please let me know and I'll correct them :)

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Akira sat at her oak dressing table, a slight frown on her face. It wasn't sitting right with her how her grandmother reacted yesterday, how her grandmother managed to swallow her pride and apologise which Akira thought would be as frequent as a blue moon. If anything, it definitely suggested that Grandmother had some ulterior motives. As to what they were, she wasn't quite sure yet.

Akira would have to look into that too. It was just all too suspicious to ignore. As she fluffed her hair up, she sighed. There just seemed to be a never-ending circle of secrets and she didn't like for her life to be out of her own control.

Glancing at the clock in the mirror's reflection, she noted it was almost time. Time for a test of sorts. Grandmother wanted to see if she was socially eloquent or not. Whilst a large part of her was tempted to act like a bumbling fool, it would be seen as a lack of education from her parents part and tarnish her mother's name even further so she would have to be perfect. Faultless. Flawless.

Just as she was going to open her mouth to call her maid, her maid appeared, knocking on the door.

"My Lady, it is time to leave for your lesson", the maid's voice called out from behind the door.

Akira clutched her chest as she flinched backwards, grasping on to the edge of the dresser.

"How?" She muttered under her breath. Akira looked around frantically but there didn't seem to be any cameras watching her. How did the maid always know when to come in? She cast one more suspicious look over the room before heading towards and opening the door.

"Thank you, uh, do you mind telling me your name?" Akira asked, hesitantly.

The maid looked at Akira, incredulously as if it was very unusual to ask for someone's name.

"My- my name?" The maid stuttered, the first of any emotion Akira had seen from her.

"Well, I don't see anyone else here" Akira responded, looking around as if to exaggerate her point. The corridor was empty aside from herself and the maid.

"It's- It's Jane, My Lady", she whispered, scuttling back as if she was trying to blend in with the wall.

"Well, thank you Jane", Akira said. A small little blush covered Jane's cheeks and she lowered her head to avoid eye contact. The way Jane stood reminded Akira very much of a small brown mouse. It seemed at any moment, Jane would scurry away to a little mousehole and hide there until the coast was clear. Had she never had any social interaction before?

"Someone will escort you at the end of the corridor", Jane blurted out before rushing away in the opposite direction.

Akira gazed at her retreating back thoughtfully. First of all, she was right. Jane had run off - possibly out of shyness - which was very out of character for a maid who is supposed to never leave until their master does. Secondly, it was as if no one had ever asked for her name before and Jane was devoid of any kind treatment. Perhaps Grandmother was mistreating her servants?

That thought lay heavy on her mind as she was escorted down to a large unfamiliar room big enough to house the huge fireplace stockpiled with logs which took most of the space on one of the walls. The polished floorboards shone under the natural sunlight pouring in from the wide glass panelling, highlighting the swirling patterns in the floorboards to the shining polish. The room, however, was scarcely decorated aside from a taped line on the floor, some bookshelves and a small circular table with a meal for two laid out. Seated already was a woman wearing spectacles, peering down at an ornate silver pocket watch, her face prim and her attire proper. She looked to be about Akira's mother's age - had she still been alive - and her youthful looks and strong brown eyes seemed barely affected by the passage of time.

"Just on time", she said, snapping the watch shut and slotting it back into a discrete pocket on the side of her dress. "But, one should strive to be early".

She stood, uncrossing her legs as she did so and closed the gap between Akira and herself, her cream knee-length dress sweeping out from behind her.

"Hmmm", she said to herself as she circled around Akira. "You're in good shape - lift your arms up - and seem to have taken care of yourself. No unruly damaged hair", she said. She placed a hand on Akira's chin, tilting Akira's head at an angle "And a well cared for face. This is excellent news".

"Pardon me", Akira said, using a finger to lower the woman's hand down from her face. "But who might you be?"

"I am Lady Matilda Brunswick but you can call me Madam Matilda. The esteemed duchess requested my services so that you will be prepared for your debutante next week", she said, an eyebrow raised. "Her Grace had told me not to expect much and that you would require a lot of work so I truly was prepared for the worst".

"Well", Akira said with a faux sweet smile. "It appears she was wrong. Forgive my poor grandmother, she has only known me for a while and her memory is not up to par".

Madam Matilda gave her a hard look as if to say that she could see behind the fake care in her words. Akira only smiled further in response. Seeing as Akira would not back down, Madam Matilda tutted instead, shaking her head slightly.

"Let us not dilly-dally. Take a seat and we are to eat lunch together. The starter has already been served", Madam Matilda said as she walked back to the table, the ground seeming to roll for her as she smoothly glided back.

Akira took a seat in the amply cushioned chair and looked down. A small vibrant salad was arranged neatly on her plate, topped with ruby red pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of a salad sauce. Next to her plate were an arrangement of various cutlery. This was, without a doubt, a test of her knowledge of eating etiquette.

Akira looked up to see Madam Matilda staring down at her, her food untouched. She was obviously going to refrain from eating until Akira started as to not give anything away.

Smiling, Akira picked up the small salad fork and gingerly took a mouthful, chewing slowly and discretely. The food was delicious, she would have to give the chefs that. Seeing that Akira knew her salad fork from her dinner fork, Madam Matilda gave a small smile and started to eat too.

Akira didn't know why her grandmother thought she would have no knowledge of this basic etiquette but it felt good to prove them wrong. Madam Matilda was obviously going to report everything back to her grandmother so Akira was going to make sure Madam Matilda would be singing her praises.

"So, Madam Matilda, I hope your journey here was comfortable", Akira said as they ate. This was another crucial part of the dining etiquette, small social interaction. Saying nothing would be considered rude and make the atmosphere awkward and uncomfortable and judging by the glint in Madam Matilda's eye, she was correct.

"It was very comfortable. The views were extraordinary", Madam Matilda said with a slight smile.

"Yes, I thought as much when I came here not too long ago. It is a refreshing break from London". Akira took a small sip from her water glass as she thought of what to ask next. "How far did you have to travel?"

"Not very far at all. I came from York so it was a pleasant two hours at most". Madam Matilda clapped her hands sharply and a serving trolley was wheeled in. Waiters whisked away the empty starter plates and laid out steaming mains with a flourish. In the blink of an eye, they were gone, the door shutting behind them.

A portion of smoked salmon sat atop a bed of leaves with charred asparagus and a drizzle of fine oil on top. Akira picked up the dinner fork and knife and cut out a piece of salmon, her knife sliding right into the tender meat. The fish was just as succulent as it looked, an explosion of warm flavours in her mouth.

"I've heard York is very beautiful but I've never had the fortune of travelling there myself yet", Akira said with a smile. Social politics were something she hated but it was an armour she would have to wear. Words were like swords and manners like a shield. Anything she said or did would be ripped apart and scrutinised to find faults. But she would not allow them to find faults.

"Well, if you do decide to visit, we would very much enjoy your company at my family home".

That was a lie. An uninviting invitation. These invitations were as common as can be but no one would ever accept them, it was just social etiquette. Akira smiled prettily and thanked her anyway, offering the same.

As lunch was finally over and the table cleared away, Madam Matilda led her to the fitted bookshelves with a vast arrangement of works, sorted by the alphabet. Madam Matilda gave Akira a secretive smile and ran her fingers of the spines of the books until she pulled one out suddenly,

"Ah, Jane Eyre. An old-time classic", Madam Matilda said, examining the first edition brown cover. "Are you familiar with it?"

"I would like to think so. A favourite of mine during my teenage years", Akira responded. That was true. Her mother had always encouraged her to read the classics and her tutor would require pages of analysis of every book that Akira ever read. She hated it as a child but if it came in handy now, she would be extra grateful towards her overbearing tutor.

"What did you think about Bertha Mason and what happened to Mr Rochester?"

"I think Bertha was instrumental to Jane and Mr Rocherster's healthy relationship. After the fire that Bertha started, I felt a sense of despair at the physical state of Mr Rocherster but it led to a stronger relationship with Jane now caring for him due to his fire-related disabilities''.

"Interesting... I take it you are a hopeless romantic?" Madam Matilda said with an arched brow.

"Not hopeless but a romantic", Akira corrected. Her answer was awarded with another smile, this one bigger than the last.

"你的普通話怎麼樣?" Madam Matilda suddenly said, turning around.

("And how is your Mandarin?")

"有人告訴我，我去香港時很好", Akira replied fluently, without missing a beat.

("I was told it is very good when I visited Hong Kong").

"क्या आप कभी इंडिया गए हो? बहुत खूबसूरत देश है।".

("Have you ever been to India? It's a very beautiful country").

"हां में गई हूं।", Akira said, switching between dialects. "હું બોલીઓથી પણ પરિચિત છું".

("Yes, I have. I am familiar with the dialects too").

"هذا جيد جدا للأخبار" Madam Matilda said, her eyes shining in acknowledgement. "لا يمكن للمرء أن يعرف الكثير من اللغات".

("That is very good news. One can never know too many languages").

"أنا موافق", Akira said, agreeably.

("I agree").

"How many languages are you fluent in altogether?" Madam Matilda asked curiously, back to English.

Akira internally sighed in relief - she was running out of languages that she knew. "I am fluent in Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Spanish and Urdu".

Her father had insisted on her knowing as many languages as possible and the moment Akira had mastered one, she was sent to learn another. Then her father would take her abroad and test her pronunciation with the locals. If she did well, she was awarded a regional desert which would always keep her motivated as she loved to eat different kinds of food.

"This is my evaluation thus far", Madam Matilda said after a moment of silence. "I think you are a well educated young lady and you will fare well in society. However, I am guessing you do not know much about the important figures that will attend this social season, correct?"

"I guess so as I am most familiar with those from London and with my parent's social circles".

"Those people will not come into use here. You must know all the families and figures who are attending as to avoid embarrassment. You must never ask someone who they are, you should know naturally. Also, you need to know a brief summary of everyone to attend. There should never be a moment of awkwardness or discomfort".

"How many people will attend these events?" Akira asked. It couldn't be that bad-

"At least one hundred. Maybe more, maybe less".

"I have less than a week to learn the family histories of that many people?" Akira asked, incredulously.

"I do not think that is very much to ask from you", Madam Matilda tutted. "Younger girls learn this sort of information from the moment they are able to walk".

Akira sighed quietly and accepted her fate. There was not much she could do except comply.

"Her Grace's reputation rides on this. The duchess personally vouched for you which is a great honour in itself", Madam Matilda said kindly. "And personally I think that you are not too bad. A little more shaping and a bit of polish and you'll be fit for society".

"Thank y-"

"Do not let that praise get to your head. You still have a lot to learn so do not lose your focus".

Even though Madam Matilda was a little strict, for some reason, Akira felt a sort of bond with her. Maybe it was her motherly smile or maybe it was the strangely warm way she looked at Akira. Either way, Akira had possibly found her first ally in all of this mess and that relieved some of the heavy burden weighing Akira down.

Any thoughts?

Question for today:

Would you rather have the ability to travel to the future or to the past?

That's all from me :)

Xx