It was hard to get used to it at the beginning and this way of life. When I woke up here the first time, everyone thought I was crazy as I was speaking English when no one there did; everyone there was French (luckily, I studied in France for my Master's). Screaming for help to let me go back home, the maid and her child tried to calm me down, telling me it was just a nightmare; I knew it was, but not what they were thinking. I asked about the date; their clothes did not look modern. It was certainly something people used hundreds of years ago. Their answer shocked me; it was the year 1705. I went to sleep that night hoping to return to my real body; the following day was a painful realization as I was still in this new world and body. It took me days to accept it until I started to notice how worry was the poor mother was as she saw me acting strange and with no appetite. I had to behave "normal" for her and the other child. Camille was my mother in this life, a skinny and short woman with a very regular and simple face, and she raised her children on her own. Louise, me, a five-year-old girl; Pierre, my sibling, as I said before, was a very super handsome ten years old boy. Mother said he got his face from our father. Pompous and athletic, not the best mix I could ever wish to have as a friend and even less as a family member. He didn't like me as he always complained about having a weird and ugly sister like me. I didn't like him either. I knew I was not ugly, but I wasn't pretty. It was evident that I got my looks from Camille.

Two years had passed since I transmigrated to this body, and it was hard for me to make friends as I was only seven years old, so everyone around my age was a little bit too childish for me even to have a good conversation. Lucky me, kind of, there's a small library in the village where I often went to find something new to read.

One month ago, my mother got a new job as a servant at a castle not so far from the village. She stayed there four days a week while my brother and I had to survive each other's stares. Good thing we had more and better food.

Camille invited me to go with her as she promised her friend to give her some fresh bread my mother had baked. I took a book and walked to the castle as she held one of the baskets she and I crafted. We were near the gates of the enormous and majestic building, and my mother asked me to wait for her as she entered the castle without me. Looking around to find somewhere comfortable to sit and read, I got lost inside the forest. I was afraid of dark and lonely places and started to feel anxious as I couldn't see the way back to the gates.

Crying and trembling from the fear of being lost, I screamed for help.

"Stop yelling! You're distracting me."

I heard a young boy's voice.

"Huh? Sorry! But... I'm lost, and I was scared."

I replied.

"Ugh... then why did you come?"

He complained.

I couldn't see him.

"Up here"

The boy was sitting on the top of a tree.

"What are you doing up there?! You'll hurt yourself!"

I scolded him, part of me was still an adult, and he was a kid.

"Don't be loud! I will help you after I'm done reading with one condition."

"Ok... What is your condition?"

"Be quiet."

As much as I found him irritating, I wanted to enjoy my reading too, and I was not afraid anymore, knowing I was no longer alone inside the forest.

Time passed, and he came down from the tree.

"You were reading too."

He said.

I finally had the chance to see his appearance. The boy was around eleven or twelve years old, like Pierre; he was tall, with blond hair, blue eyes, beautiful face that could make someone confuse him as a girl if it wasn't for his clothes. He could be from a noble family, but from the look of his clothes; he was likely the son of a servant.

"Yes, I lost my way while looking for a good spot to read."

I explained.

"You need to be cultured and smart, not cultured and dumb."

He pointed at my forehead.

"Hey! It's my first time here!"

That brat was making me angry.

"Yeah, sure. Well, I will get you out of here."

"Please, I was supposed to be near the gate."

And so he helped me.

"Just don't tell anyone about me; my father gets mad if I'm being... lazy."

He told.

"Ok, thank you very much for helping me. Can I know your name?"

I asked him; he looked troubled.

"Charles."

"My name is Louise."

Charles took me out of the forest while avoiding getting caught. Naughty boy. Camille was coming out of the castle when I got to the gate. Great timing.

"Sorry for making you wait, my dear. I had to do some errands."

Mother apologized.

There was something odd about her; her hair looked a bit messier than before she went inside.

"Don't worry, mother."

And so we went back home.