Chapter Text
The snowball fight had given you and Donna a wonderful new memory to cherish, given that it was something neither of you could have predicted, yet something both of you had much enjoyed. Especially because Angie had made a fuss about it afterwards.
What had been less fun was the aftermath, as you were currently sat on the couch, stuffed in a ball of blankets. You’d gotten sick the day after, most likely due to the snow shower Angie had given you, which was something that seemed to cause quite the concern from your Lady.
She had forbidden you from working for a couple of days, having used the same stern voice with you that she uses with Angie whenever the doll was causing trouble. The kind that made you not want to argue with her. Yet most of all, she just seemed worried for you, fussing over you more than usual.
A hand appears in the corner of your vision, making you look up at Donna who had come to stand next to you, bringing a bowl of soup from the kitchen, the third one that day. You give her a smile, though it ends up looking a little pathetic due to your flushed cheeks and sniffly nose.
“Thank you my Lady.”
“Of course.” Her tone was incredibly soft, much softer than you had heard it before, not that you were complaining. It felt good, knowing she cared for you, even if you weren’t aware of the full extend of her feelings quite yet.
She gave you a little head tilt, which you knew to be a smile, though it didn’t compare to the smile underneath her veil. While she was worried for your health, she also couldn’t deny that you looked.. quite cute. Sat rolled up like a burrito with those rosy cheeks, she would have enjoyed the sight if it wasn’t accompanied by your sick sniffles and occasional sneeze.
She didn’t linger for too long however, as the responsibility of doing the household chores was hers now that you were temporarily out of service. Not that she minded, it just meant that more of her time was spend on those tasks rather than her craft or spending time with you.
As you watched her walk off you couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Of course you knew she was quite capable of doing her own housework, she had done so long before you got there, having lived pretty much on her own. However, it didn’t sit well with you that she had to. That was your job after all, and you actually didn’t mind doing it now that it was in service to someone you liked.
Aside of that, it also made you feel like a bit of a burden, not that you’d tell her that. You just didn’t like not being of any use, just sitting there being fussed over. While you didn’t mind the extra attention, you never would when it came to her, it was clear that she was worried for you and you didn’t like seeing her in that state.
You were shaken out of your thoughts before your self-deprecating spiral could continue though as Angie, who unlike Donna was not fussing over you in your current condition, plopped herself down onto the couch next to you. Grabbing part of your blanket for herself, making you raise an eyebrow.
“Miss Angie?” Your voice sounds a little weaker than normal as your throat was dry and itchy, despite Lady Beneviento’s constant offerings of soup and other drinks that were supposed to help it.
“What.” Her shrill voice sounds close to you as she acknowledges your words, seemingly not caring that she’s taking up part of the blanket you were using.
“Can you even feel warmth?” You ask, a little dry, both out of slight irritation that she took your blanket as well as some genuine curiosity.
“Are you suggesting I’m some cold hearted monster! ‘Can you feel warmth’, Pfft.” She mocks you slightly, turning away from you like a pouting child.
You shake your head, pulling the blanket slightly more towards yourself. “Well can you?”
“Hmpf-! Of course not DUMMY!” She responds instantly, looking at you as if you asked such a silly question and she hadn’t just pretended to be offended. Snickering at her own supposed joke.
You let out a small huff, not even surprised at the doll’s antics anymore, a little amused. Even if she had a terrible sense of humour at times, it did help that she was distracting you from your current state of well being. You could appreciate her for that at least.
It wouldn’t last long however, as the phone rang, meaning you’d have to get up to get it and talk to whoever was at the opposite end. Of course, you knew Donna would probably scold you for it later, but you’d rather endure that than miss a call from Mother Miranda or Lady Dimitrescu. And so you stand up, sill wrapped in the blanket, making Angie fall to the side with some indignity and a muttered ‘I’m snitching’ as she floats off.
It didn’t take you long to get to the phone, taking a breath to calm yourself and the headache you were dealing with before picking up the phone.
“Beneviento estate.” You announced yourself, waiting to hear from the person on the other end. After a moment you were met with a familiar voice on the other side.
“I see. It’s you.” You recognize the countess’ voice immediately, having served her many years before she had told you to extend your servitude to Lady Beneviento.
“Lady Dimitrescu, what can I help you with?” You respond, not taking her words personally. You knew she wasn’t exactly fond of you as a person, seeing as she had not hesitated to threaten you before sending you off to the Beneviento estate. But she considered you useful so long as you kept Donna happy.
“You can get me Lady Beneviento.” Her voice sounds a little impatient, making you not exactly excited for her reaction to your response.
“Lady Beneviento is busy at the moment, it would take a while to get her, I can take a message if you need.” You prepare for whatever the countess had in store for you in her disappointment, yet you’re taken out of the conversation by a hand landing softly on your shoulder. Making you miss whatever words were spewed at you through the phone.
While Lady Beneviento hadn’t heard the phone ring herself, Angie had been quick to fetch her, so she could take over the call from you. If you’d been able to see her face you’d see the slightly disapproving look at the fact that you had gotten up despite having been told to stay put and rest. But now was not the time to address it.
She takes the phone from your hands as she gently redirects you to the side, keeping her hand on your upper arm for a moment before gesturing for you to sit down again. “Alcina.”
She takes over the conversation from you, which you were quite honesty very happy with, as the countess had never been the most tactful with those she believes to be under her station.
You couldn’t quite follow the conversation, now back at the couch and therefore only able to listen along from a distance. So instead, you make yourself comfortable again, letting Donna deal with Lady Dimitrescu.
“Not much has changed then, you’re still smitten with her.” The countess’ voice sounds over the phone, making Donna’s eyes flick in your direction to check if you overheard. Luckily for her it seemed like you didn’t. Still, there had been no need for Lady Dimitrescu to say so at this volume.
“I am not smitten, Alcina.” Donna responds, keeping her voice down so you wouldn’t hear her say it, clearly more comfortable to speak her mind to the countess now that she was in the environment of her own home rather than within the walls of Castle Dimitrescu. Though her words still remain as untrue as they were before. Both her and the countess knew she had feelings for you, she just wasn’t ready to openly admit to it yet.
“Has she treated you well?” Lady Dimitrescu didn’t even bother to respond to the obvious lie as she continued taking the conversation where she wished it to go. Knowing full well that if the answer was anything but positive, she would personally pay you a visit in a less than civil manner.
“Of course she has. She’s been- She’s been wonderful.” She glances over at you again, seated on her couch, completely oblivious to the conversation at hand.
It remains silent for a moment at the other side of the line, as the countess undoubtedly takes some time to mumble her own opinions before responding. “I suppose that is.. sufficient.”
“You will tell me if anything is amiss, if she does anything untasteful.” Lady Dimitrescu continues, saying it as a statement, not a question.
“I will, of course Alcina. though really, there’s nothing to worry about.” Donna responds, trying to reassure her, knowing that if she did actually go to the countess about you, her reaction would most likely be out of proportion to whatever it was you could have possibly done, therefore making it a very last resort and something she would realistically not be doing at all.
“Very well.” Lady Dimitrescu’s answer was short, it was clear she had more to say on the topic but held back for now. Choosing instead to jump to another topic of conversation.
“I do have another, proper reason for calling today. The girls have been pushing me to try out something new, I was hoping you’d have some time free later this week to come over so we can discuss, have some tea?”
Donna couldn’t help but be a little relieved to have her drop the previous topic, instead giving her something she could work with without having to keep her own thoughts in check. However, she takes a moment to look over to you, noting how you probably still had a couple of days, if not more than a week of time you need to fully recover from your cold.
“I don’t think this week will fit in my schedule, but Friday next week will do.” She responds, hoping that the countess wouldn’t question it too much, as they were both aware that her ‘schedule’ mostly meant ‘working on her dolls’ so clearly there would be another reason why she extended the date another week.
The pause on Lady Dimitrescu’s end of the line indicates that she was indeed aware of that fact, however she refrained herself from commenting on it. “Next week Friday it is then, we will be ready for you at 2.”
“Until then Alcina.”
“Good day darling.”
Donna hangs up the phone onto it’s holder, giving herself a moment to get herself together and pretend like she hadn’t just talked about you to the countess. She always felt like a teenage, getting lectured about their recent crush whenever Alcina would speak to her about anything to do with you. While the countess’ intentions were no doubt good, she could be overbearing at times.
You were already looking in her general direction when she approached the couch, curious if there was anything important that had been discussed. Noticing that her mood seemed slightly different than before, but not commenting on it, allowing her privacy.
“I’ve been invited to Castle Dimitrescu next week, socially that is.” She quickly summarises for you, tucking one of her legs under the other as she makes herself comfortable on the couch next to you.
You smile as you hear the news, happy to hear that she was invited. Even if castle Dimitrescu wasn’t you favourite place, not by a long shot, it would do her good to go out and talk to someone other than you and Angie again. She hadn’t been in a while.
“That’s wonderful my Lady.” You respond, genuine. Your voice still a little rough, but clearly excited for her.
A comfortable silence falls between the two of you for a moment. She fidgets with her hands a bit, her common nervous habit, letting you know there was more to it. Though you don’t move to hold it this time in fear that you could potentially make her sick as well, which currently was the last thing you wanted to do.
“Would you accompany me?” She asks, somehow nervous even though she should really know by now that you were more than willing to do so, even if the castle was not your go-to place, nor were you technically invited.
“Of course, It would be my pleasure.”