"You, pick my outfit for the day." I pointed to the maid with the timidest looking posture.
"y-yes!" she said, and I recognized her voice as the one that had stammered outside my door.
The girl had long brown hair held in such a tight bun that I was almost sure it would peel right off her scalp. Her outfit was so stiff, it was like she had starched it for longer than the recommended duration. She looked like a walking box.
-I don't even think the wind would affect the dress.-
Was it her first day here?
Or is she acting like this on purpose?
"Stay here till I come back from my bath, you alone shall dress me," I said, and the rest of the maids had stiffened.
"Yes, my lady." They replied nonetheless, but they each sent her an apologetic look.
The 'new' maid's green eyes filled with tears, as though she had truly expected the worst. But I didn't comfort her after all, I didn't know her side.
"Let's go." I said to the t
I had worn the spiceberry coloured gown that Mary had picked out, and then afterwards, I had forced her to change out of her ridiculous box!We were now about to leave the estate but not before she had shown me Vivanna's office.It had been a gorgeous space; the walls were literal bookshelves while her desk sat in the middle. There were two golden furnished couches at the centre of the room. The couches sat opposite to each other and between the couches, was a globe alcohol holder with in-built cooling stones that produced a cold mist indicating the degree of coolness. On the opposite side of the room from where Vivanna's desk sat, there was a wide and lavish golden fireplace with a large beautiful painting of the dutchy sitting above it.I know that the duchy is going bankrupt, but I don't think that I would be willing to part with anything in that room. The clothes and jewels were fine, but that room. I would leave it like that.Speaking of jewels, I co
The town looked vibrant, and the people themselves looked cheerful. But that was probably because I was looking from a distance. The route to the club was not at the heart of the dutchy; it was on the hill that overlooked the town.I could see why the club failed, who in their right mind would like to travel up a steep hill when they were pissed drunk? No noble would bother with such a club, but perhaps it had been tailored to suit the townspeople.The road winded up the hill, a route which had way too many potholes. Each time the carriage shook, my body was forced against Erden's rock hard frame.I had to grip the seats at some point for stability but this, in turn, caused my hand to continuously graze his muscular thighs.For my last stunt, I stood in the jerking carriage wanting to sit next to Mary, so that I could successfully re-recite my celibate vows, without too much stimulation. But the driver had hit a pothole so deep that I smacked my hea
He had pushed her too far.Erden sighed.He hadn't had a choice, she was acting differently, and he hadn't known why. Ever since morning, had she lost her mind? Or was it a new drug this time?Still, he had expected her to tell him to see him in her 'office' or rather, her playroom.The pain she usually inflicted did very little to Erden, he didn't mind it. Hell, maybe she even allowed him to hate her. It was oddly relaxing.It was an odd feeling. Erden had never met anyone that he could hate more than himself, but…Vivanna always surpassed his expectations.Erden swore his loyalty to the prince because he admired him. The prince shone in Erden's eyes, his ideas were bright and revolutionary, but in the shadows there lurked too many corrupt nobles who thrived in the old system. He needed hands and legs, and Erden had vowed to be them. Especially to their most significant threat at political stability, Portburgh.The prince was n
"You look uncomfortable, Viva," Bea said my name as though it was a weapon."Do I?" I asked straightening my posture. "I wonder why?""Me too, your family saved a life, you know." She smiled. "As I'm sure you know, twins are akin to taboo among the nobility, and so one of the twins lived her life in a wine cellar, among rats and smelly water. Fed stale bread twice a week, on good days.""Should we name the girls?" Bea asked then plopped her legs on her desk in the most unladylike manner.-Seriously, she behaves just like Milo…- I gawked. -I should probably leave though…-I turned my gaze to the door, uncomfortable by the conversational direction."My lady, it's storytime. Don't leave." She smiled. "I desperately need to hear your answer because that will depend on the level of partnership.""Partnership?" I frowned, and she stilled."I want to help you, and in the same way I need your help.""Yet I am the o
"The more the girl read, the more Beatrice brought books, until finally, she brought her homework books, on politics, economy, you name it. The girl read it and summarized its contents to Beatrice, who in the evening would recite to 'mama' and 'papa'. Fun things really." 'Beatrice…Milton?' Said."The girl loved the books, and Beatrice loved the attention she received from her parents. So when the girl in the cellar said that she wanted to go outside. Beatrice's first response was… 'Don't! There are monsters out there'…"I had leant forward in my seat, following every word 'Beatrice?' Uttered."So Beatrice expected the girl to go, 'Monsters! Oh no!' but instead the girl asked, 'what's that?'.""Beatrice began explaining what monsters were, but they were not enough words to convince the girl to stay in the cellar. Well, except one phrase. Beatrice looked at the girl in the cage and whispered. 'You', 'you are the monster. That is w
"That sounds completely nuts!" I stood and paced the room. Bea joined me in the pacing act."Think about it, Portburgh is already far from the mainland of Envia, it's practically an island, only instead of the ocean we are surrounded by fresh lake water.""Geography? Your reason for treason is geography?""No, not only geography." Bea continued."Oh, there is more?" I asked, shocked that she could even continue."Oh! For goodness sake, Viva, look out there. In the villages, how many street children did you see just wandering aimlessly, we don't have schools here. The only schools available are in the capital, and they are what, a boat ride away? It's three hundred and fifty fauna for a boat ride, and that's not even adding tuition costs." Milton insisted.I hadn't seen any street children, but perhaps the coachman had intentionally avoided the town."What about employment? The Prince sends in people from the capital. So much so that o
The ride was quieter than I had anticipated. Mary had asked for permission to stay behind and visit her siblings. She had insisted that she was fine bringing herself to work tomorrow.I did not mind; In fact, the quiet ride had helped me process my emotions about my conversation with Bea better.I had asked the driver to pass through the town, but he had panicked at my suggestion."My lady, let us not! Please! They will throw rocks, and I have nothing to cover me! Please, my lady, consider."So, I did, but was the situation really that bad to warrant rock throwing?Can extra's really hurt a character that is being saved for a 'grand finale?'Erden, on the other hand, had been quiet the entire ride back. He was still and calm during the whole ride until our uphill ascent to the estate where he finally spoke."My lady, I will take any punishment you offer," Erden said in such a quiet voice that I had almost missed it.The evening
I sat on the dining table, in the most un-dutchess like manner, but did etiquette really matter now?"From now on, if you want to live, you'd better be careful." I turned to the maid on the floor. "Make sure the meal that you oversee is not tainted. Now, you are dismissed for the evening."The rest of the staff looked around, and I cleared my throat."Just the maid on my floor is dismissed for the evening. I'm still hungry."I said, patting my stomach.Rorei ManorWest wing."Have you ever thought that we need a close-by physician, like a personal one? The way most nobles have." Isaak muttered as Erden paced restlessly in the room."Isaak can you focus!" Erden replied, and then the patient on the bed groaned.A female physician was looking over Ophelia, administering fluids and checking her response to the medicine. Apparently, the meal had been tainted with a