Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Growing up in the village was not like you imagined it. You always thought it would be peaceful. You thought you’d help your family care for their farm, attend the local school, and meet new, friendly faces. Life in the village was all but peaceful and friendly. People were scared to leave their homes at night, scared to go fishing in the reservoir, scared to visit the waterfall and admire the scenery, and were scared to be anywhere near the factory.

You didn’t care much for your life in the village, but you didn’t have anywhere else to go so what could you do? Your family owned a farm and supplied meats and crops to a portion of the village, including the castle. You were never allowed to help them, though you’d always offer. Your parents… weren’t the best. Being the youngest of 6, they didn’t care for you the way they cared for your siblings. You knew they didn’t want you around, as they’d often express that their lives would be better if you hadn’t been born. To them, you were a burden. You don’t even know if they’d given you a name; you were always “child” or “brat”. You gave yourself a name when you were young, but even as an adult, your parents don’t address you by it.

Everyone in the village worshiped the Four Lords and the mysterious deity, Mother Miranda. Your family worshiped them as well, but you couldn’t understand why. You’d heard stories of the horrors that occurred with each lord from people in the village. The doll maker, Donna Beneviento, would lure people towards her estate using hallucinogens only to murder them and use their bodies to fertilize her garden. The supposed doctor, Salvatore Moreau, was a grotesque creature who did nothing to benefit the village. He’d do whatever it took to please Mother Miranda. Karl Heisenberg owned a factory. You’d heard that the men in the village would go to work in the factory, only to be experimented on and turned into cyborgs or lycans. Lastly, there was Lady Dimitrescu, the winemaker and the most feared lord. The stories you heard of her were horrible. Young women were taken from their families to ‘work’ as maids for the Lady and her daughters, but they never returned. The rumors were that their blood was drained and made into wine. All the lords served Mother Miranda, a self-proclaimed goddess. You knew that she used her powers and the element of fear to control the villagers; they either worship and obey her, or they die. You had to keep your disdain for the rulers of the village a secret, or you’d be sure to meet the same fate as the fools that publicly expressed their hatred.

This year’s harvest was quick to approach, your family was doing everything in their power to make sure they met the demands of the villagers. The weather hasn’t been kind, and a lot of the crops were destroyed due to the constant rainstorms. They prayed and prayed, begging Mother Miranda for the rain to stop, but in the end, their prayers weren’t answered. The day to deliver everything was upon the farm, but there wasn’t much to deliver. There were no issues with the livestock, but the food from the crops that were to be delivered to the castle was destroyed in the storms. It would take a whole year to replenish everything. Your parents sent what they could, hoping that it would be enough to meet the demands of Castle Dimitrescu.

That night, you were awoken by the sound of a crash coming from the living room. You grabbed the ax you keep under your bed and made your way toward the source of the commotion. When you peered in from an adjacent room, you saw a woman in the center, holding your father in the air by the neck. The woman donned a cloak made of black feathers, gold talons on the ends of her fingers, and an ornate golden mask that seemed to come together at the end almost like a beak. You recognized her from the pictures your parents have on their altar dedicated to the rulers of the village. Mother Miranda was in your home, about to murder your parents.

“Please, Mother Miranda, we beg you. Have mercy on us! The storms destroyed our crops, we promise next harvest season will be plentiful!” Your mother exclaimed, tears streaming down her face. Mother Miranda’s grip on your father’s neck only got tighter.

“I care not of your pleas for mercy. You have angered my child and it shan’t go unpunished.” Miranda says, digging her talons into your father’s neck.

“M-Mother Miranda, please. We’ll give you anything you want, just spare us, please!” Your father cries out, struggling to breathe as Miranda’s hold on his neck crushes his windpipe.

His body goes limp, and Miranda drops him to the floor. Your mother is quick to prevent his head from hitting the table. You step into the doorway, ax at the ready, but Miranda’s presence prevents you from taking another step. Miranda notices you immediately, looking you up and down with an intrigued expression.

“And who might you be, young maiden?” Miranda asks, stepping toward you.

“She is our daughter.” Your mother says, holding your father close to her. Miranda grabs you by the jaw and begins turning your head, observing you.

“She’s a delightful looking specimen, and she would be of great use to my Alcina. Perhaps a nice vintage.” Alcina. That’s Lady Dimitrescu’s first name. “Give me the girl, and I’ll spare your lives. However, should this happen again, I won’t be so forgiving.” Miranda turns to your parents, who are cowering in fear next to the sofa.

“You can have her! You can have anything you want! Just please, spare us.” Your mother says quivering. You drop your ax, and you stare in disbelief that your parents didn’t even try to save you.

“Very well, I shall deliver her to the castle to serve as a maid. What will happen to her, however, is not within my jurisdiction.” Miranda says with an unapologetic tone. You didn’t think your parents would give you up so easily, but it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. They feared Mother Miranda more than they loved you.

“In life and death, may we give glory.” Your father says weakly, coughing between words.

Miranda leads you out of your home and to a horse-drawn carriage outside. The carriage is black, with gold detailing, and the horses are large black Clydesdales. The footman opens the door and Miranda steps in. You reluctantly enter, sitting opposite the mysterious deity. Miranda taps the roof of the carriage, and the coachman urges the horses to take off toward the castle.
The beginning of the journey to the castle was… interesting. Miranda was a very reserved woman, only asking you questions about your life on the farm. It was odd considering you were being sent to die. Why strike up a conversation with someone as insignificant as you?

“Have you any other family?” The deity asked.

“I have three older brothers and two older sisters.” You respond, timidly. You tried not to let your hatred for the woman seep through in your responses.

“They were not on your farm, have they died?”

“No… they’re all married and have their own families.”

“Ah, I see. Why have you not been wed? You’re still a maiden, surely the young men in the village are eager to have you.”

“The young men in the village know not of my existence. Surely, I’d be wed to one of them had my parents treated me more like their child and less like an inconvenience.” Your response was honest, but the truth was that you’d always been fond of the fairer sex. Marriage between women was not common in the village.

“So that is why they gave you up so quickly. Worry not child, you will be an inconvenience no longer upon your arrival to the castle.” Miranda says, nodding to the fact that you’ll most likely die as soon as you’re inside the castle walls.

The rest of the ride was silent, with the exception of crows cawing when the carriage rode by. You didn’t feel nervous, or excited, or anything for that matter. You just waited patiently for the inevitable. Will your siblings ever be informed of your death? Will they care? None of that matters, you suppose. They felt the same about you as your parents did.

Upon arriving at the castle, you peer out the window, silently admiring the scenery. The castle was larger than you imagined, and the illumination of what you assumed were candles cast a warm glow through the windows. The carriage stopped at the front gates. The footman opened the door, helping Mother Miranda out, then you. You weren’t expecting Miranda to personally escort you to the castle, but you suppose it was her idea of a kind gesture before you met your untimely demise. Perhaps she was playing her role of the benevolent goddess the villagers so often claimed she played. Either way, you knew death was upon you once she was gone.

The large castle doors opened, the sound of the screeching metal hurting your ears. Mother Miranda entered the castle – you follow close behind – and was greeted by two of the maids.

“Good evening, Mother Miranda.” The maids said in unison. Mother Miranda gave them a curt nod as the two of you stepped into a hall with four statues.

Two doors were on either side, a large staircase leading to another room to the front of you. Three clouds of insects appeared in the room, quickly taking the forms of three young women. A blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. They each had similar clothing; long black robes with hoods, ornate necklaces with different colored gems, and each woman had a sickle strapped at the waist. At the top of the staircase stood an incredibly tall woman. She wore a floor-length, cream-colored gown with three black roses to the left, a large-brimmed black hat, and a pearl necklace with a golden pendant in the center. You conclude that the woman must be Lady Dimitrescu, and the three women dressed in black must be her children. She descends the staircase into the room, stopping a few feet away from Mother Miranda

“Good evening, Mother, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” The Lady asks. Despite your hatred for her, you can’t help but admire her strange beauty and elegance. Damned accursed heart.

“I paid the farm that failed to meet your demands a visit. I was going to punish the owners when I found this hidden gem, a maiden.” Miranda pauses, pulling you forward. “I made a trade with them, their lives for their daughter, and they were quick to agree to the terms. I think she is going to be of much use to you. Whatever you want to do with her, you may.” With that statement, Mother Miranda vanishes in a plume of black feathers.

“A maiden… let’s take a look at you.” Lady Dimitrescu says as she grabs you by the wrist and lifts you into the air. She uses her free hand to cup your jaw, tilting your head from one side to the other. “What a beauty.” She pauses, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply “You smell absolutely divine, let’s see if your taste is as delectable as your scent.” The Lady says as she lets you down.

She holds her hand out and the blonde girl presents her with a knife. She extends the arm that she was holding and slices into your hand. You wince in pain as the Lady brings her lips to the wound, drinking your blood as it flows into her mouth. Lady Dimitrescu takes one final sip before lapping at the cut with her tongue, stopping the bleeding. She pulls a handkerchief from her dress and wipes the corners of her mouth.

“Delicious, you would make the perfect vintage.” The lady states, handing the knife and the soiled handkerchief to the blonde daughter.

“Shall we take her to the cellar Mother?” The brunette asks, stepping forward.

“Yes, let’s drain her quickly before she goes stale!” The red-haired one exclaimed.

“Now, now daughters, I will decide her fate. Leave us, I would like to speak with her.” Dimitrescu says with a wave of her hand. The daughters quickly disperse, leaving you to your doom. You’d be shaking, had your body not been paralyzed by fear.

“I apologize for my daughters; they can be rather… ill-mannered. What is your name girl?” The Lady asks. You’re taken back a bit by the question, blinking as you try to compose yourself.

“My parents did not give me a name, but I call myself Y/N.” You respond softly.

“Y/N… a fitting name for a creature such as yourself. Tell me Y/N, why hadn’t your parents named you?” You weren’t entirely sure how to answer this, but you were going to try your best if it meant living a few minutes longer.

“Well, um, my parents they… they didn’t love me. They viewed me as a burden, as an inconvenience as… as a nuisance. They resented me, wished I was never born. I was the only child they didn’t want. I suppose now they are overjoyed that I’ve been brought here.” You explain. The Lady’s expression changes quickly to a more sympathetic look.

“I am sorry that you had such… hellacious parents.” Dimitrescu pauses, pondering the decision of what to do with you. “I would have preferred you in a bottle, but I will make you a maid. You will be of use to me yet.” She finishes. With a swift gesture, the maids that opened the castle doors now stand beside you.

“Catalina, Mara, take her to the servants’ quarters, find uniforms that will fit her.” She says to the maids before turning to you. “You will begin tomorrow at breakfast; Catalina and Mara here will teach you everything you need to know. Do not disappoint me, or you will be hanging in my vineyard. You are dismissed.” The two maids bow with a quiet Yes, my Lady, and you follow suit. If you’re going to be a maid, it’s best you do whatever they do. The Lady smiles faintly before taking her leave.

Catalina and Mara begin leading you through the castle to the servants’ quarters, pointing out different rooms along the way.

“You are extremely lucky; the Lady does not spare girls like you often.” Catalina states.

“Yes, maidens are the Lady’s favorite ingredient. Their pure blood is a taste she enjoys most.” Mara adds

“Maidens… pure blood… Do you mean virgins? Is that why she tasted my blood?” You question.

“A maiden is an unmarried woman, but they are most commonly virgins as well. She tasted your blood to determine your worth. Every girl that has ever entered the castle has been sampled by the Lady or the Lady’s daughters.” Catalina explains, showing you the scar on the palm of her hand.

“Her daughters… can you tell me about them?” You ask.

“Miss Bela, the eldest, is the blonde. Miss Cassandra, the middle child, is the brunette, and Miss Daniela, the youngest, is the red-haired one.” Mara states.

“They will give you a rather hard time; do not provoke or anger them. Miss Bela is quiet and reserved, much like the Lady. Miss Cassandra is a bit aloof but will try to get under your skin. Miss Daniela, is a bit playful, like a child.” Catalina says. You simply nod at the new information, not sure of what to ask or talk about.

When the three of you reach the servant’s quarters, you are shown to a room with four beds, one of them conveniently unoccupied.

“This is where we sleep, along with Olivia, another maid. There are other bedrooms, but our room was the only room with an extra bed. The fourth maid, Tania, recently passed due to illness. Why don’t you go in and rest while we fetch your uniforms?” Mara says, urging you into the room.

“Thank you, I appreciate your kindness.” You say as you take a seat on the edge of your bed. It was not extravagant, but it was much more comfortable than sleeping in the stables as you often did on the farm. Mara and Catalina leave the room, closing the door behind them. You fall back and stare at the ceiling, wondering how you ended up in this situation. You were sure you’d die but now you’ve been employed as a maid, to serve someone you hated.

Mara and Catalina return with a third girl, whom you assume is Olivia, and piles of clothing. You sit up as they all but throw the clothes onto your bed.

“These should fit you until you have more uniforms made. There are normal outfits and nightwear too, you can’t be expected to wear a uniform all the time.” Mara says, pointing out which outfits are which. She hands you a few pairs of shoes as well.

“Thank you, Mara. Can you show me where the bathrooms are?” You ask, standing up from your bed.

“The communal bathrooms are down this hall and to the left. You should shower and get changed. We have to be up bright and early tomorrow.” Catalina informs as she hands you things to shower with. “I picked these up from the supply closet. It should hold you over until you are granted visits to the village. If you survive long enough that is.” She finishes softly.

You exit the room, closing the door behind you as you head toward the bathrooms. As you journey through the castle halls, you can’t help but look around and admire the interior. Portraits of young women, large porcelain vases with ornate gold detailing, expertly milled crown molding on the ceiling and floors. The small portion of the castle that you’ve seen thus far was stunning. Had it not been for the fact that you abhorred the family that inhabited the castle, you likely would have been elated to be a maid.

You reach the communal bathrooms which were empty, leaving you to take a quiet and peaceful shower. It took a few tries to figure out how the plumbing worked, as you were used to hosing off in the stables or washing off your daily grime in the river. Your family wasn’t poor, but they would deny you access to certain things because they felt you were undeserving. Perhaps being a maid will be better for you.

You finished up and quickly dressed for the night. On your way back to your room, you heard a faint buzzing noise. It grew louder with each step you took until a cloud of flies appeared before you. It took the form of Cassandra, the second eldest of the Dimitrescu daughters.

“Good evening, Miss Cassandra.” You said with a slight bow. It is taking everything in you to be professional.

“Good evening, human. You must have had quite the story for Mother to keep you alive. What did you tell her?” Cassandra asks, eyes narrowing as she steps closer to you.

“I told her my name, and about my parents.” You respond, your voice growing softer toward the end.

“What about your parents?”

“I mentioned that they hadn’t given me a name when I was born, and the reason.”

“What was the reason? Parents can’t just not give their child a name.”

“They wished me dead from the moment I took my first breath. As to why they didn’t just do away with me when I was a baby, well, I’ll never know.” You pause with a sad chuckle escaping your lips. “I gave myself a name when I was young as an act of rebellion.”

“Your sob story must have made Mother feel sorry for you. Your name, human, what is it?” Cassandra asks, expressionless.

“Y/N.” You reply. Cassandra lets out a small hum, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, human, I must be off. Good luck staying alive, you’ll need it.”

“Good night, Miss Cassandra.” You say with a bow. Cassandra’s body dissolves into a swarm of flies and darts through the castle halls. You return to your room to begin organizing your things. Hanging up your uniforms, folding and putting away the normal clothes the other maids had given you. You settle into your bed and are fast asleep.

It was the morning of your first shift. You open your eyes groggily as the sunlight spills in through the window

“Good morning, Y/N.” Catalina says as she draws back the curtains, letting the blinding sunlight illuminate the room.

“Good morning, Catalina.” You respond, sitting up and wiping the sleep from your eyes.

“It’s almost time for breakfast, get dressed,” Mara says, brushing the wrinkles out from her uniform.

You’re hesitant to leave your bed, but you were determined to stay alive after hearing the doubtful words of The Lady, Cassandra, and Catalina. You open your closet doors and grab everything you will need for your uniform. You change beside your bed, turning your back away from the other girls that lingered in the room. You run your fingers through your hair to detangle it before plaiting it. You tie the end in a loose knot to keep the braid secure.

“All dressed and ready?” Catalina asks. You give a quick nod before the girl takes your hand and leads you out of the room.

“All of the servants dine together regardless of who works what shift. Since you’re shadowing us for the time being, you work mornings and afternoons.” Mara says as she leads you toward the servants’ dining room.

When you arrive, every pair of eyes in the room turn in your direction. Most of the staff turned their attention back to their meals shortly after you walked in, but there was a table of maids that trained their gazes on you as you walked about the room. When you sat down, you felt a bit self-conscious. One of the girls from the other table made her way over to yours.

“Hi, are you new?” She asked with her hands clasped behind her back.

“Um, yes. Today is my first day.” You answered hesitantly.

“My name is Irina, what’s your name?”

“Y/N…”

“What do you want Irina?” Olivia asked, seemingly annoyed.

“Calm down Liv, I was just introducing myself to the new girl. I’m allowed to do that right?” Irina questioned, feigning ignorance.

“No, she doesn’t need any distractions today. Wait until she’s gotten used to everything before you offer your warm welcomes.” Mara added, sounding equally as annoyed as Olivia.

“Hmph, have it your way then.” Irina scoffs before turning to you. “It was nice meeting you Y/N, good luck.” She says with a sly grin before returning to her table.

“Don’t pay her any attention. As a matter of fact, ignore her completely.” Catalina says, biting into an apple.

“Why? She seemed nice.” You ask, moving around your oatmeal.

“Ever since she became the Lady’s new favorite snack, she’s been arrogant and self-centered.” What did Olivia mean by favorite snack?

“What do you mean ‘favorite snack’? Is she…” You trail off, leaning in close as your voice lowers. “Is Lady Dimitrescu sleeping with her?”

Catalina lets out a hearty chuckle. “That and feeding on her whenever she gets tired of her special wine.” You stare at Catalina with a shocked expression as your appetite leaves you.

“Have any of you…” You begin, pointing at your roommates. They all shake their heads and you let out a silent oh.

You finish your breakfast (or at least, as much of it as you could stomach) and return your dishes. You join Catalina and Mara as you leave the dining room to begin today’s duties.

Your daily tasks start with serving breakfast to the Lady and her daughters. You watch them closely, studying and taking mental notes of everything they do to prepare their ‘meal’. Their diet of raw meat (from what, you have no clue) and blood is unsettling. It’s cut to resemble uncooked steaks. Catalina and Mara prepare a pot of tea and retrieve a silver flask from the refrigerator. For an old castle, they seem to have a lot of modern appliances.

You hear a bell ring from the other room, signaling that the Mistresses of the castle were ready for their meal. It’s placed onto a cart and wheeled into the family dining room. You were on tea duty, as it was the easiest of the tasks at hand. As you didn’t know much tea etiquette, you were coached in the kitchen beforehand. The Lady gets her tea first, along with the flask. Bela is second, then Cassandra, and lastly, Daniela.

Lady Dimitrescu trains her gaze on you as you serve everyone their tea, making you very nervous. You return the teapot to the cart and Catalina wheels it back into the kitchen. She returns to join you and Mara in the corner of the room as the three of you patiently await any orders that were to be given. Mara and Catalina were called upon more than you were, as they had more experience. You were only called upon once the table was cleared, and the daughters had departed to attend to their business for the day. Catalina and Mara were dismissed to wait in the kitchen, leaving you alone with Lady Dimitrescu.

“I messed up and now I’m going to die.” You thought as you waited for the silence that had fallen upon the room to be broken.

“Y/N, you did a wonderful job with breakfast this morning. You learn quickly.” The lady says, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag from it. You didn’t realize you were holding your breath as you let out a silent sigh of relief.

“Thank you, My Lady.” You respond with a slight bow of the head.

“Have Catalina and Mara been kind to you thus far? I want to make sure all of my staff feel welcomed.” The Lady’s statement takes you by surprise. Just last night you were close to becoming a bottle of wine, now she wants to make sure you’re comfortable?

“Yes, they’ve been very kind and welcoming. I appreciate them greatly.”

“I’m pleased to hear that. That is all I wanted to speak with you about, you are dismissed.” Dimitrescu finishes as she brings the cigarette holder to her lips. You exit with a bow into the kitchen.

“Well, what happened?” Catalina asks.

“She told me I did a good job with breakfast and asked how you two were treating me.” You explain to your roommates.

“Oh, is that all? We were sure you were done for.” Mara adds.

“I might be new, but you could have a little more faith in me. I’ll get better as the days go by, don’t count on me dying just yet.” You say teasingly as you help Catalina dry off the remaining dishes.

“We’re just teasing. We can tell you’re determined to do a good job. Whether it be to stay alive or otherwise, determination is an admirable quality.”

“Thank you, Catalina. It’s something I learned from an early age.”

“Because of your parents?” You nod. “I’m sorry they treated you that way. I don’t know if you want to share anything about them with us just yet, but… you can confide in us if ever that time comes.” Catalina says with a small smile as the two of you work in tandem to clean the remaining dishes.

The rest of your shift didn’t require you to interact with Lady Dimitrescu or her daughters, which you were thankful for. The three of you did laundry, polished the silverware, dusted the library, etc. All relatively easy tasks for you.

It was the end of your shift, and you were changing into something casual to eat dinner. Tonight’s dinner was cabbage rolls, polenta, and sweet bread. You sat at the table with Catalina, Mara, and Olivia, and the three of you ate silently until you noticed every person in the room turn toward the door. In walked Irina, looking a little worse for wear. She had marks similar to bruises on the small portion of her neck that was exposed by her uniform that she poorly concealed with makeup. She got her food and sat down with a triumphant look on her face. It seems as if she’s proud of looking like a worn-out ragdoll.

“How could anyone be proud of looking like that?” You murmur. Your roommates shoot you looks of confusion.

“You’d be surprised at the number of maids that wish they were in Irina’s shoes.” Olivia says with a shrug.

“But why? Don’t they know the kind of person Lady Dimitrescu is? She’s… a monster.” You look down at your food, quietly letting the last part of your statement escape your lips. All three girls at the table look at you with shocked expressions, as if you’d committed a capital offense.

“Never, and I mean never say those words again unless you have a death wish.” Mara says, Olivia and Catalina nodding in agreement.

“I’d run toward death with open arms then.” You push your dinner around, not feeling bothered to eat.

“Do you… not like the Lady?” Catalina quietly asks.

“Honestly, no, not one bit, and I’m sure she can sense it. She’ll do away with me soon, I’m sure. I’ve heard about the things she and Mother Miranda will do to people that don’t worship the very ground they walk on.” You respond nonchalantly.

“Hey, don’t talk like that. I don’t know the reason she kept you alive, but I’m sure she wouldn’t just kill you after employing you.” Olivia says with a reaffirming hand on your shoulder.

“Miss Cassandra did mention that she might have felt sorry for me after telling her about my parents. It’s strange, she doesn’t strike me as the sympathetic type.” Mara and Catalina share a look before turning to you.

“You can’t believe those stories you heard. Just… try to stick around for a while. You’ll see that the Lady is nothing like that. Neither are her daughters. Give them a chance, yeah?” Catalina asks with furrowed brows and a downturned smile. You sigh.

“I suppose.” You stand from the table and grab your plate. “I’m going to head to bed. I have… I’ll see you all in the morning, goodnight.” You return your plate and leave the dining hall toward your room.

You take a quick shower and change into your nightclothes. As you lie in your bed, you recall what Catalina asked of you at dinner.

“Give them a chance, yeah right.” You scoff before closing your eyes and letting sleep overtake you.

Chapter Text

A little over a month has passed since you started as a maid in Castle Dimitrescu, which is longer than you initially thought you’d last. You were formally fitted for your uniforms; and now that you knew your measurements, you could buy your own clothes once you’re granted village privileges. You’d taken on more tasks; sometimes doing the work of two, even three maids. You knew that you were likely being taken advantage of by the other maids, but you didn’t mind. You liked keeping busy to avoid any interactions with the Lady or her daughters. However, that did not stop them from seeking you out to bother you.

It was mid-morning, and you were polishing the silverware following breakfast. You worked diligently and silently, that was until the Lady’s youngest decided you pay you a visit.

“Hello, human, hard at work I see.” Daniela chimed as her body materialized.

“Good morning, Miss Daniela. Yes, nothing out of the ordinary for me. Is there anything you need?” You ask, not taking your eyes off your work.

“I’m bored, my sisters are busy, and I needed something fun to occupy my time.”

“I doubt watching me polish silverware could be considered fun. I don’t mean to sound rude, but I’m sure there’s something else you could do that is more exciting.” Daniela folds her arms as a pout appears upon her face.

“Sounds to me like you don’t want me around.”

“That’s not what I meant Miss Daniela. I’m merely suggesting that a simple maid like me is not worthy of your time.” Which wasn’t the truth. You didn’t care how she spent her time; you just didn’t want Daniela to spend it with you.

“But what if I think you are? What if I want to be friends?” Daniela asks with a hint of sincerity in her voice. You still loathed the Lady and her daughters, so becoming close with them was not on your agenda. Unsure of exactly how to respond, you let out a deep sigh. You stopped your task momentarily to look at the youngest Dimitrescu sibling.

“I appreciate the sentiment Miss, but I would make no better a friend than I would a maid. Catalina, Mara, and Olivia are better suited to be your friends.” You continue polishing the silver. Daniela opens her mouth as if to say something but quickly shuts it. The redhead quietly exits the kitchen, leaving you to finish your work.

How you wished they’d just leave you be, let you blend into the background. Had you come to work at the castle under normal conditions, you suppose you would not be facing this conflict. Either hide your hate, and live; or be truthful, and die.

~~~

It’s been approximately half a year since you’ve started your service as a maid to Castle Dimitrescu. You’ve done well thus far to not bring any unwanted attention to yourself. You were nothing more than a fly on the wall, and you were okay with that. Irina has kept her bugging to a minimum; occasionally teasing you about still doing the work of three maids. You paid her no mind as you assumed she’d be drained dry any day now. Your “relationships” with the daughters have gotten somewhat better as well. You can tolerate talking with them for more than thirty seconds and have even had rather pleasant conversations with Bela.

You don’t see Lady Dimitrescu much during the day after she and her daughters have their breakfast. Occasionally, she’d be gone from the castle for days at a time to tend to her duties as one of the Four Lords. You found that when she or her daughters are away, the maids seem less tense and fearful. The things that occurred in the castle still repulsed you, but you’ve quickly grown accustomed to it.

It was time for dinner. You showered and changed into your nightclothes before heading to the dining hall. You decided that you were going to tell your roommates about your parents – if they were willing to listen. You sat down with your plate and waited patiently for them to join you.

“Catalina, do you remember when you told me that I could talk to you about my parents when I was ready?” You ask, looking to the girls as they sat down. The three nodded, waiting for you to continue.

“Well, I want to try to move on, to forget everything they did to me. The thing is, I don’t know where to begin.” You sigh.

“Just share what you feel is important, you don’t have to tell us everything.” Mara says with a reassuring smile.

“I… My parents didn’t love me, they didn’t care for me. Hell, they cared for the farm animals more. My parents gave our horses names but not their own child.” You pause, chuckling at the thought. “They wouldn’t let me play with my siblings, and eventually they grew to hate me too.”

“You have siblings? Wait, did you say they didn’t give you a name?” Olivia asks.

“Yeah, three brothers and two sisters; I’m the youngest. And no, they didn’t name me, I started calling myself Y/N when I was a kid. I was always called names like “brat”, “child”, “the kid”, but I got used to it. I was nothing more than an inconvenience to them. That continued pretty much up until I was brought to the castle by Mother Miranda.”

“She mentioned visiting your farm, what was that like?” Catalina asked, leaning over the table.

“I thought she was just a random intruder until I saw her holding my father in the air by his neck. She offered to spare my parents in exchange for me, and they didn’t hesitate to take her up on it even though they didn’t know what would happen to me. They worship her and the Lords; I never did but that’s beside the point. They feared Mother Miranda more than they loved me and well, that’s the end of it.” You explain with a shrug of your shoulders.

“But don’t you hate them for that? For the way they treated you all these years?” Mara questioned.

“Of course. That’s why when the Lady decided to make me a maid, I made it my goal to stay alive. To see me alive and well would hurt them more than they could ever hurt me. I should find Lady Dimitrescu and thank her; the six months I’ve spent here have been far better than my life on the farm.”

“Do you still not like the Lady or her daughters?” You paused for a moment to consider Olivia’s question. Did you still think that they were monsters? Yes. Did you believe that what they do to people, especially maidens, is wrong? Absolutely. However, you were grateful for the new life your Lady had given you. You would much prefer to die in the castle than to die on that wretched farm.

“I can tolerate her daughters; Miss Bela is actually quite nice to me… but I haven’t had many interactions with the Lady to know if I still dislike her. She and Mother Miranda more or less saved me from living out a miserable, meaningless life on my family’s farm. I’m eternally thankful for that, no doubt, but I still feel that what they do is wrong.”

“I don’t know if this will change your mind but think of it this way. The only thing that differentiates us from them is their means of survival. They rely on people for their sustenance the same way we rely on animals and crops for ours.” Mara states matter-of-factly. She has a point, and you know this, but it’s too much to comprehend right now.

“You’re really smart, Mara. Shouldn’t you be off at an academy somewhere and not working as a maid?” You ask, hoping to change the subject.

“I used to study at a science academy, but it was boring, so I came here.” You look at Mara in bewilderment. Not at the fact that she gave up studying to be a maid, but that she studied science.

“You studied science?! We’ve been roommates for nearly two years, and you never told me this!” Catalina exclaimed, equally as shocked as you.

“I didn’t think I needed to. If I wanted to bore myself to death talking about my studies, I’d have stayed at the academy.” Mara scoffs. Catalina hits her on the shoulder playfully.

Once dinner ended, you were in your bed, thinking about what your roommates said to you. This happened often, lying awake at night, pondering life’s questions. Would you eventually warm up to the Lady and learn to like her?

~~~

Another six months have gone by, making it one year since you became a maid. In that short year, you’ve had more wonderful experiences than you could hope to even dream of having back home. Going into the village on your off days with your roommates, staying up to play card games or sharing a drink, or even spending time with the Lady’s daughters has been more meaningful than your old life. New maids have even come and gone but you were still alive, you’ve made it farther than you thought you would. And… you were happy, for once.

You still worked hard and had taken on more tasks around other parts of the castle as well. Whether that be helping to butcher meat in the kitchen, or dust off the bookcases in the library, or even taking care of the horses in the stables. You quickly rose to be one of the most reliable maids in the castle, being only second to the Lady’s personal maid. This did not sit well with the other maids that have been at the castle longer, Irina in particular.

She hadn’t been to the Lady’s chambers for quite some time, but she was still as arrogant as ever. If you crossed paths in the halls of the castle, she’d make it her business to berate you and call you a “suck up” or a “kiss ass” out of fear that you’d be the one to replace her. It was worse during meals. You continued to pay her no mind which only hurt her ego more.

A meeting was called this afternoon before lunch, and all of the castle staff had to be in attendance. You didn’t know what this meeting was for, and you figured it couldn’t be to welcome a new maid. There you stood, in the main hall next to your roommates, not knowing why the Lady needed to address all of you.

“I’ve called you all here today to inform you that my former lady’s maid has retired. She’d grown too old to serve me and thus I will be appointing one of you.” Your lady spoke with an air of elegance and regality. You let out a small sigh of relief as you thought the reason for this meeting was something worse than a maid’s retirement.

“Though I am not always around, my daughters tell me everything, who does their tasks well, who does them poorly, and whose work is exceptional.” You look around the room and spot Irina with an idiotic grin on her face.

“I’ve given this quite a bit of thought and there is but one person whom I know I can trust…” The way the Lady speaks causes you to sort of zone out. You’re only brought out of your daze when Catalina elbows you in the ribs.

“Y/N, your answer?” Lady Dimitrescu asks, looking at you with a raised brow

“I’m sorry?” You question.

“I asked if you’d like to be my lady’s maid. If you don’t want to accept the position, all you have to do is say so and you’ll continue your usual tasks.” Your Lady’s statement takes you by surprise. When had she even noticed you? You hardly ever saw her around the castle.

“Oh… I’m honored, My Lady, but surely a more experienced maid would be better suited for the position. I’ve only been here a year.”

“Ah but my dear, you have proven that time and experience matters not when it comes to promotions. In the year that you have worked here, you’ve proven that you are worth three, if not four maids. My daughters tell me of your hard work, and I’d like to reward you for it.” You look to your roommates who are all making small gestures as if telling you to accept the position. You shoot another glance at Irina, who looks to be on the verge of tears. You’d feel sorry for her, had it not been for the fact that she gave you trouble from the moment the two of you met.

“I’ll accept. Thank you, My Lady, it is an honor.” You respond with a bow. For a year you tried to blend in with the background, but so much for that.

“Excellent. The rest of you are dismissed, I wish to speak with Y/N privately.” The Lady says with a wave of the hand. Every maid in the room exits with a bow, your roommates shoot you a smile before exiting.

“Girls, you too.” Lady Dimitrescu says, glancing sidelong at her daughters. Cassandra lets out a groan as Bela drags her and Daniela from the room. Once they’re gone, Lady Dimitrescu takes a seat in one of the lounge chairs. She gestures for you to approach her so that the conversation is a bit less formal. You approach hesitantly, as your nerves haven’t quite settled

“You can relax, my dear. There is no need to be nervous around me.” The Lady speaks, obviously having picked up on your timid demeanor

“My apologies, I’m just… a bit shocked is all. I didn’t think I’d be chosen to be your lady’s maid.” You respond softly.

“And why ever not?” Your Lady questions, her facial features twitching in slight confusion.

“I was sure you would have picked someone like Mara, or Irina. They’re both far more experienced than I am and-”

“As I stated before, that does not matter. I chose you because I thought you were the better choice. You should be proud of yourself, you earned this.” Pride is something you rarely felt, you never had a reason to. Unsure of what to say, you simply nod as you fidget with your hands behind your back. The Lady gestures to another lounge seat beside her; you walk over and sit, crossing your legs at the ankles.

“As my lady’s maid, you will have to attend to me whenever I need you to. Most of your tasks will be simple and will be things that you already do. Other tasks include helping me dress or running my baths. It will be less work than you usually do, but you will still be plenty busy. Do you understand?”

“Yes, My Lady.” You respond with a bow of the head.

“Good. Now that you know what will be expected of you, why don’t we have a little chat, yes?” If you had a thousand lei for every time you’ve been taken by surprise in the past year, you’d have enough to buy a house.

“Oh, um, alright. Is there… anything you’d like to know?” You ask. You’re severely conflicted at this point. Part of you wants this conversation to be over with so you can be sent on your way, but the other part is almost aching to converse with the Lady.

“Yes.” Lady Dimitrescu starts, turning her body toward you, signaling that you have her full attention. “What was the reason for you to take on more tasks than you were assigned?” You had to take a moment to think, do you tell her the truth? Or do you lie through your teeth?

“I like to keep busy to avoid interaction with other people. I’m not a very sociable person so working was a way for me to stay to myself.” Which was half true. The “other people” you wished to avoid were the Lady and her daughters, but you’d never admit that.

“I see. You are a lot like my Bela in that regard. Have you not felt like other maids were taking advantage of you by letting you do their work?” Of all the people to compare you to, why Bela? You had to suppress the scowl that tried to creep its way onto your face at the comparison. You were nothing like them.

“At first, yes, but I didn’t mind it. I like to help as much as I can.” You say with a small smile. The Lady offers you a warm smile in return, making your cheeks heat up. You weren’t blushing… were you?

“You’re a very kind girl. If you don’t mind telling me, I’d like to know a bit more about your parents. I’ve received their goods from the farm for this year; ten wagons of meat and crops.” Ten wagons? Your Parents usually only send 5; they must really want the Lady and Miranda’s forgiveness.

“Is there anything, in particular, you’d like to know about them, My Lady?” You ask, still in shock at the number of wagons that came from the farm. You didn’t want to think about your parents, let alone talk about them, but something about the Lady is compelling you to speak.

“Yes, why had they given you up so easily? I cannot fathom why any parent would give up a child in exchange for their life.” Lady Dimitrescu says with furrowed brows. Her tone is genuine, caring, and borderline sad. As sick and twisted as she is, she’s also a mother.

“My parents… would have done anything for Mother Miranda to spare them. When she said she wanted me, to bring me to the castle…” you trail off, eyes falling to your lap. “I suppose my parents saw that as an opportunity to finally get rid of me. I never meant anything to them but, that’s all in the past. I try not to think about it too much.” You finish, looking up to meet your Lady’s gaze.

You’d heard that she wasn’t an easily readable person, but her face told you everything. She looked pained, as if your story was tugging at her heartstrings (if she even had them.)

“I’m… sorry for bringing it up,” The Lady pauses, sincerity in her tone. “I hope you are happier here.” She finishes. For the first time in your life, you didn’t feel hatred or disgust toward Lady Dimitrescu. You felt… warmth.

“Thank you, My Lady. I’m much happier.” You say with a genuine smile. Perhaps being her lady’s maid won’t be as terrible as you had thought.

“I’m pleased to hear that. I have but one more thing to add before I will dismiss you for the day. As my lady’s maid, you are required to sleep in a room adjacent to mine. You will not be needed much during the night but having you close to me is convenient. Ask Mara or Catalina to assist you in moving your things.” You’d never been near the Lady’s chambers, so you weren’t entirely sure how to get there.

“Yes, My Lady.” You say as you stand.

“You may take the rest of the day off to get situated, you are to start tomorrow morning. You may go now.”

“Yes, thank you again, My Lady.” You say with a bow before exiting the main hall toward the servant’s quarters.

You hope Mara, Catalina, and Olivia won’t be upset that you won’t be sharing a room with them anymore. After all, they’re the ones that urged you to accept the position.

Upon entering your room, you found your roommates all chatting about the meeting. Once they’d noticed you, they grew silent, shooting each other glances and stifling laughter.

“Was I interrupting something?” You ask, closing the door behind you.

“No, we were just talking about the meeting. None of us expected the Lady to choose you.” Olivia says, shuffling to the edge of her bed.

“I wasn’t either. I had no idea she knew about all the extra work I did, but I guess her daughters must have told her.” You say as you sit on your bed, facing your roommates.

“So, why’d you accept the position? You’re not exactly the fondest of the Lady.” Mara says, hinting at your negative feelings toward Lady Dimitrescu.

“I accepted it because I couldn’t stand the dumb look on Irina’s face. Grinning like she was so sure the position would go to her. Then her look afterward was even better.” You let out a chuckle at the thought.

You paid no attention to Irina when she’d tease you, but you thought she needed to humble herself.

“Watch out for her, she probably thinks you’re replacing her.” Catalina adds.

“Oh, she doesn’t need to worry about that. Never in a million years would I ever let something like that happen.” You respond, grimacing at the idea of being used in the way Irina is… or was.

“How are you going to be the Lady’s personal maid when you… you know, don’t like her?” Catalina asks, lowering the volume of her voice at the end of her question.

“That’s a very good question, Cat. The truth is, I have no idea. I don’t even know if I still dislike her.” You fall back onto your bed and stare at the ceiling. Your conversation with the Lady just minutes prior left you feeling conflicted.

“How’d your conversation with her go? None of us have ever spoken to her more than thirty seconds so it must have been nerve-wracking.” Olivia questions.

“It was nerve-wracking, at first, but her voice was oddly soothing. She told me what’s expected of me as her lady’s maid, asked me why I worked so hard, and she asked me about my parents. She said she couldn’t fathom why they’d just give me up the way they did.”

“Well, what did you tell her?” Catalina asks, anticipation having her nearly falling from her bed. You sit back up and sigh.

“I told her why they let Mother Miranda take me, and that I try not to think about them anymore.” You add, fiddling with the hem of your uniform. “After I told her that, she apologized for bring up the subject and she said she hoped I was happier here. She sounded genuine, like she cared about me.”

“She does care about you; she cares about all of us. She’s not the kind of person you grew up believing she is.” Olivia says softly.

“Maybe you’re right, Liv, but I’m still unsure. Anyways,” You pause, looking between Catalina and Mara. “She told me to ask either of you to assist me in moving my things to the bedchamber adjacent to hers. Part of being a lady’s maid is staying in a room close to hers if she ever needs me during the night.”

“So, you’re not gonna be our roommate anymore?” Catalina asks, saddened.

“Unfortunately, no. But I’m sure we can still have our game nights or stay up and chat like we always do; it’ll just have to be in my room.” You say in hopes of comforting the girl.

You stand from your bed and open your storage chest. You grab your uniforms from the closet and fold them neatly inside, you follow with your casual clothes and your personal belongings. You didn’t own much, so everything fits in the chest. The only struggle would be getting it to your new room. You push the chest to the door and all three of your roommates help you lift it. You smile at each of them as Mara leads the group to where you’ll be staying.

After much struggle, you and your roommates successfully made it to your new room. You open the door, and your jaw drops. This room was much larger than your old room. There was a large canopy bed toward one wall of the room, a lounge seat, a desk, a fireplace, and even a window seat. It seemed too luxurious for a maid. The sheets and canopy above the bed were made from some of the finest silk, the canopy has a red and gold floral design. You opened another door within the room and found a decent-sized bathroom with a claw-foot bathtub in the corner.

“Shit.” You say breathlessly. You go back into your room and all of your roommates are piled up on your bed, visibly enjoying the feeling of the silk bedding.

“Y/N, I am so jealous of you right now.” Catalina says, putting one of the pillows over her face. You grab it and hit her with it playfully.

“There’s no way this is a room for a maid. This had to have been a guest bedroom, or something.” You say as you toss the pillow back onto your roommate.

“You are correct.” You jump, startled at the new voice. You recognize it as your Lady’s.

Your roommates are quick to stand and adjust their uniforms. The Lady enters, ducking under the doorframe. As she stands to her full height, you and your roommates greet her with a bow.

“Good afternoon, My Lady.” The four of you say in unison before straightening your posture.

“Good afternoon girls. Enjoying your new room, Y/N?” The Lady asks, a slight smirk on her face.

“Yes, it is quite nice. May I help you with anything?” You ask nervously.

“That won’t be necessary, dear. I gave you the rest of the day off. Relax, you deserve as much.” Your Lady says with a rather charming smile. It’s enough to make you avert your gaze and look toward the floor. Whether you hated them or not, a smile like that from any woman makes you nervous. You give a small nod as you look around the room.

“Do you need our assistance with anything, My Lady?” Olivia asks, gesturing to the other two girls.

“No, thank you. I heard a bit of commotion and stopped by to see if Y/N has made it here without any trouble. I shall be off now.” Olivia, Mara, and Catalina bow as the Lady takes her leave. Once she’s gone, they simultaneously let out deep sighs of relief. You catch a glimpse at Catalina’s facial expression out of the corner of your eye. She had a wicked grin on her face.

“What’s so funny?” You question with a scoff.

“I couldn’t help but notice you look away when the Lady smiled at you. Does she make you nervous?” Cat asked, poking you in the shoulder.

“She makes anybody nervous.” You say in defense, taking a seat on the edge of your bed.

“That’s not what I meant. You like her, don’t you?” Mara and Olivia look between you and Cat with dumbfounded expressions.

“No.” You say flatly. “She just… makes me nervous, that’s all. There’s nothing else to it.”

“You say that now, but when I end up correct, don’t be mad at me.” Catalina joins you on the bed, continuing her poking.

“You won’t end up right, Cat. Nothing she says or does will ever change the way I feel.” You respond, poking her back.

The four of you sit in your room and chat until Mara, Catalina, and Olivia eventually have to go back to work. You’re left alone, in your new room. You decide that now is as good of a time as ever to unpack your chest and make the room feel a little more like your space. You hang up your uniforms and put your casual clothes away neatly in the drawers of the closet. You place a few of the books you owned on your desk and placed the one you were currently reading on your nightstand. You were done quicker than you imagined. It felt weird having your own room, but you were enjoying it.

You ate dinner in the servant’s dining with your old roommates. Irina kept shooting you hateful glances throughout your meal, but never approached you or said anything. Catalina continued with her teasing about your reaction to your Lady smiling at you, Mara and Olivia engaging as well. That teasing you did mind, as it was very uncharacteristic of you to like someone you hated after them showing a little affection.

You said your goodnights and made your way to your room. You bathed in peace and settled in bed with your book. Just as you were opening to the page you last read, you heard a knock on your door. You close your book and begrudgingly leave your bed to open the door and found Lady Dimitrescu on the other side of it. Your posture straightens and your eyes widen out of shock.

“Good evening, My Lady. May I help you with anything?” You ask, clasping your hands in front of you.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, my daughters are visiting my brother and I fancy a bit of company. My former lady’s maid would often oblige on such nights. You are free to say no if you wish to rest.” You really should say no, but just like earlier today, something about her compels you to say yes.

“Of course, My Lady. Shall I get you any tea or wine perhaps?” You ask as you exit your room, closing the door behind you. The Lady had taken a step back to allow you enough room to exit, but you were still very close to her.

“Not at all. I won’t keep you long so, do follow me.” Lady Dimitrescu says as she leads you to a room which was quite literally next to yours.

You silently pray that the walls were thin, you’d hate to hear one of her… interactions with Irina while you were trying to relax or sleep. She unlocks the door with a special key and opens the door, letting you enter first. You take a seat on the chaise lounge as she enters, bending over so her large frame fits through the door.

Her room was similar to yours, though larger and more extravagant. Her bed was massive, as it would have to be to accommodate her stature. Instead of a desk, she had a vanity that had makeup and jewelry strewn about haphazardly. Candles illuminated the room, giving it a warm glow.

“Have you settled in alright?” Your Lady inquires as she sits in a large chair opposite you. She takes puts a cigarette into a long holder and lights it before taking a long drag from it.

“Yes, the room is lovely. Thank you again, My Lady.” You say with a nod. The Lady lets out a pleased hum as she ashes the cigarette in an ashtray.

“I am glad you enjoy it dear. I seem to have made the correct decision a year ago when I made you a maid.” Lady Dimitrescu’s statement causes you to remember what Cassandra told you a year ago, how she must have felt sorry for you.

“My Lady, can I ask you something?” You question to which Lady Dimitrescu responds with a nod.

“When I first arrived, Miss Cassandra asked me what I told you to convince you to make me a maid. When I told her, she said you must have felt sorry for me. Did you?”

“Truthfully, yes, I did. Mother Miranda likely expected me to… do away with you. But, after hearing the way your parents treated you, my heart ached for you.”

“Do you regret it at all? Letting me live?”

“Not one bit. I don’t know all of the details but dying after living what I assume was a horrible life would have been unfair to you.”

“I… thank you, My Lady.” You respond, looking at your lap yet again. You weren’t used to people being kind do you, it was strange.

“Of course. Y/N, I meant it earlier when I said I hope you’re happier here. I care for and appreciate all of my staff.” Your Lady says as she looks to you with a familiar warm smile. The nervous feeling was coming back. Unsure of how to continue, you smile and nod in return.

The next few moments were very awkward. You sat in silence with Lady Dimitrescu until the sound of the phone ringing cut through the air. You quietly let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding as your Lady walks over to the vanity to answer the phone. You look around the room to avoid eavesdropping until the phone is hung up with force. The Lady lets out an exasperated sigh before turning to you.

“My apologies dear, but I must send you on your way. I have some business to take care of.” Saved by the bell, or phone rather. You stand from your seat and walk toward the door, you open it and turn toward the Lady

“Thank you for your company this evening.” She says with a slight smile.

“Of course. Goodnight, My Lady.” You respond with a bow.

“Goodnight, dear.” You give one last smile before exiting and returning to your room.

Once in your bed, you can’t be bothered with reading, so you place your book on the nightstand and blow out the candle that had been providing your reading light. You settle under your soft, plush blankets and are fast asleep. The thoughts of the conversations you had during the day carrying over into your dreams.

Chapter Text

Today was the day you started your new job as a lady’s maid. You were nervous, but not about performing your tasks well; you were always good at that. No, you were nervous about being in the presence of Lady Dimitrescu from the moment you wake up, to the moment you go to bed (although last night proved that that won’t always be the case). As you showered and got ready for the day, the thoughts of your awkward conversation with your Lady played back in your mind. She seemed so genuine and caring.

It was odd.

Perhaps your perception of her was wrong, maybe some of what you heard just wasn’t true, maybe… you had no reason to continue to dislike her.

You went to the dining hall and found that your former roommates hadn’t arrived yet, but you didn’t have the time to wait for them, so you settled on an apple and a banana for breakfast. You ate quickly and exited the dining hall in haste. You wanted to make a good impression by arriving early to the Lady’s chambers.

You knocked on the door gently, twisting the knob when you heard an “enter” from the other side. Hesitantly, you stepped in, closing the door behind you.

“Good morning, My Lady.” You greet her with a bow. The Lady hadn’t yet gotten ready for the day and the sight of her was definitely one to behold.

She was elegantly seated on the chaise with her legs to the side, wearing a matching black silk nightgown and robe. Her hair was down, loose curls falling over her shoulders, and her face was free of makeup. She held a book in one hand and her cigarette holder in the other. She stubbed out the cigarette in an ashtray on the end table and closed her book, placing it to the side.

“Good morning, Y/N, you’re early. How did you sleep?” The Lady asks, giving you her full attention.

“I slept well, thank you. Is there anything I can help you with this morning?”

“Oh, no, I usually get ready in the mornings myself. Thank you, though. I see you’re eager as ever.” Lady Dimitrescu says with a small smile.

“My apologies, I didn’t know when I should arrive. I assumed I should be here early to assist you.” You respond honestly. Lady Dimitrescu didn’t tell you when to arrive or where, but you figured since you had to tend to her, that helping her get ready was something you were obligated to do.

“No need to apologize. It has occurred to me that I did not tell you all the details of this position. You can start your days when my daughters and I eat breakfast. If I need you before that, I will find you.”

“Yes, My Lady. Should I go help prepare your breakfast then?” You ask, pointing with your thumb toward the door.

“No, it’s alright. We didn’t get to finish our chat last night and I would like to use this time as an opportunity to know you a little better. Have a seat at the vanity dear.” Your Lady says, bringing her legs to the front of her and crossing them at the ankles. You nod, walking over the vanity and taking a seat, facing her.

“Is there anything you’d like to know, My Lady?” You ask nervously, folding your hands in your lap.

“I know you don’t wish to speak about your parents, but did you have any other family?” You wondered why she was so interested in you all of a sudden. Yesterday at this time, you were an insignificant maid, now she wants your life story. And yet, you still didn’t know a single thing about Lady Dimitrescu outside of the rumors you’d heard.

“I have five siblings.; three older brothers, and two older sisters. I’m the youngest.”

“Did they treat you the same way your mother and father did?”

“At first… no, they didn’t. We were all close when I was very young, but as I got older that changed. They most likely don’t even know that I’m still alive.”

“You poor thing. Again, I am terribly sorry.” Lady Dimitrescu says with a sympathetic tone. You didn’t care to talk about your siblings either, but it was less painful than talking about your parents.

“It’s alright. That’s all in the past and I’ve moved on. I must ask, did Mother Miranda not tell you any of these things? I gave her the same answers the night she brought me to the castle.”

“No, she did not, I would assume she did not think it mattered. What else did you tell her?”

“Well, she asked why I wasn’t married like my siblings or other women my age. The answer is rather… ignominious.” You respond, nervously. Mother Miranda and your roommates were the only people that knew you liked women (what an interesting bunch to come out to), but you didn’t know how your Lady would respond.

“Oh? And why is that dear?” Why did you have to bring it up?

“I don’t… I’ve never liked men. Marrying a man was never an idea I could entertain.” At this point, you were beyond nervous. Your heart was nearly beating out of your chest.

“I see…” Lady Dimitrescu pauses, raising an eyebrow. “There’s no need to be so worked up dear. There are plenty of us at the castle that are attracted to women.” Your Lady responds with a shrug of her shoulders. Your brows quirk at her choice of words.

“Forgive me if I’m being rude, but did you say ‘us’ as in… you like women too?”

“Yes, I do, and if it puts your mind at ease, you will not be judged for it. I don’t allow such judgment to happen in my domain.” Lady Dimitrescu says seriously. You felt a sense of relief, and an odd sense of attraction, at the tone of Lady Dimitrescu’s voice. Knowing that other women in the castle were like you meant you weren’t alone.

“It’s a relief to know that there are other women here like me. Is there anything else that you would like to know? It’s almost time for breakfast, My Lady.” You say, hoping to change the subject.

“No, and though I would like to keep talking, I do not wish to bring you any more discomfort so early in the morning. My daughters are returning from my brother’s today and I must get ready to greet them. You are dismissed, thank you.” You nod as you stand.

“I will see you at breakfast, My Lady.” You say with a slight bow before walking to the door. You give a final bow before exiting the room and making your way to the kitchen to begin the preparations for breakfast. If every conversation with the Lady was going to be that awkward, you might die.

You enter the kitchen to find Mara and Catalina preparing everything for this morning. You greet them with a smile and a wave before walking over to them.

“Where were you this morning? You never skip meals, and you weren’t in the dining hall.” Catalina pauses, her expression turning to that of shock. “Oh god, did something happen?!”

You hit swat at her with your rag. “No, nothing happened. I woke up early and had a small breakfast so I could begin as early as possible.”

“Ooh, I see. Trying to make a good impression? Trying to catch the Lady’s eye, hmm?” Catalina asks with an idiotic sly grin.

“Cat, can you be serious for once in your life?” Mara chimes in. “If you’re to be with the Lady, why are you here? Shouldn’t you help her get ready for the day?”

“She said I don’t have to and that instead, I should start when I usually would.” You explain, spooning loose tea leaves into a porcelain teapot.

“So, what were you doing all this time?” Mara asks, preparing a kettle of water to boil.

“Well, um, we were talking about a few things.” You respond softly, recalling the things you revealed to Lady Dimitrescu.

“A few things like what? How you’re a nervous wreck whenever she speaks to you? Or how you secretly like her no matter how much you try to deny it?” Cat says, teasingly.

“Again, I don’t secretly like her, and you would be nervous too if you were me. But since you must know, she asked about my family again and I told her more details. She apologized… again for the way my parents and siblings treated me. I also told her that I- oh you know what, that part’s not important.” You deflect. Catalina would not let you live if she found out you told your Lady you liked women and knew that she did as well.

“Oh no, you brought it up. You have to tell us now.” Mara says, glaring at you. It was one thing for Cat to demand answers but when Mara demanded answers, you had to tell them.

“I… told her I liked women when I brought up Mother Miranda asking why I wasn’t married. That’s all.” You smile, feigning innocence. You didn’t want to tell them everything.

“And what did she say?” Mara asks, crossing her arms and raising a brow at you.

“She um… well she said that…” You fumble over your words, a familiar nervous feeling building inside you.

“Y/N, what did she say?”

“Alright fine, I give up. She said there were plenty of women here that found other women attractive, herself included.”

“Oh, is that all? That much was painfully obvious.” Mara says with a shrug, returning to her tasks.

“Wait, what? Am I missing something?” You ask, looking between your two friends.

“Oh sweet, little, clueless Y/N,” Catalina says sympathetically, placing her hands on your shoulders. “You’re probably the only person here that didn’t know that. Did you think she just bedded maids out of boredom? Or to feed on them?”

You don’t answer. You were genuinely under the impression that your Lady slept with maids just to drink their blood.

“Y/N, all of the staff are women. The groundskeepers, the vineyard workers, the cooks – all women.” Mara says. You continue to stare dumbfoundedly at the two girls. A year in the castle and you never paid any attention to those details.

“I pray for you, Y/N. Now come on, it’s time for breakfast.” Catalina says as she loads the meal onto the cart.

Breakfast went by smoothly as always. You served the Lady her meal and her tea while Mara and Catalina served the daughters theirs. They sat around the table discussing the details of the daughters’ visit to your Lady’s brother, but you tuned that out. You were not needed much during breakfast, but you were still required to be present.

Eventually, their meal came to an end, and you helped clear the table. Cat and Mara took their leave, and you remained with the Lady and her daughters.

“Girls, Lady Beneviento and Angie will be here this afternoon for tea. I want you three on your best behavior as their last visit cost me one of my vases. Can I trust that you will not do anything foolish or irresponsible?” Your Lady asks, addressing her children.

“Yes, Mother.” The three siblings respond in unison.

“Very well, you may go.” Lady Dimitrescu finishes, and the girls disperse into swarms of insects.

You walk around the table and push in each of their chairs, earning an endearing smile from the Lady. Once you are finished, you walk over and stand beside her chair, awaiting instruction.

“Is something the matter?” Lady Dimitrescu asks, tilting her head down to look at you.

“I am awaiting your orders, My Lady.” You respond, your hands clasped in front of you.

“Ah, my apologies Y/N. You are to accompany me in my study; I have several things that need to be sorted and filed away. When Lady Beneviento arrives, we will have tea in the opera hall. I do not anticipate her staying very long but if so, take Angie to play with the girls.” Lady Dimitrescu says as she stands from her chair.

You pull it out, so she has enough room to walk away from the table and push her chair in before joining her near the door. “Yes, My Lady.” You respond with a nod.

###

You spent virtually the entire morning helping to sort through files and medical logs. You were under the impression she just made wine, but it made sense to have these medical logs since the wine she made contained human blood. The Lady’s nonchalance about the whole situation disturbed you, and it reminded you of the reason you loathed her your entire life. Whether it was of her own accord or due to an order from Mother Miranda, you could not help but feel that what she did was vile. Then again, it was in her nature to consume the vital essence of humans.

--

You ate a brief lunch with your friends at your usual table. They continued asking you questions regarding the Lady. Asking you what she was like, if you liked your position, Catalina asking if you were nervous. All to which you answered honestly. You told them about your interaction last night in the Lady’s chambers, and they playfully warned you about Irina. It amazed you that despite not returning with marks all over her body in months, Irina still thought she had the Lady’s favor.

“Don’t let Irina get the wrong idea, she might think you’re replacing her.” Catalina says teasingly.

“Oh please, I’d have to be unconscious to ever be taken to bed and fed from by the Lady.” You respond, rolling your eyes.

--

You returned to the study to continue overthinking while sorting and filing things away. Your thoughts (and internal moral conflict) were interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Lady Dimitrescu let out a loud ‘enter’, not looking up from her work. The door opened and a maid stepped in, bowing before speaking.

“My Lady, Lady Beneviento and Miss Angie have arrived.” The maid spoke frankly. Your Lady gave a deadpan ‘thank you’ before waving the maid off. She exited with a bow and closed the door.

“Y/N, let us go. I do not wish to keep my sister waiting.” Your Lady says, standing from her desk and heading toward the door. You rush over to open it for her, allowing her to exit first. At the mention of Lady Beneviento being her sister, you wondered if the Four Lords were siblings.

When you arrive to the main hall, a woman in a mourning gown and veil with a terrifying doll in her arms is sitting in one of the lounge seats. She stands when she notices the Lady enter the room.

“Hello Donna, dear. I apologize for keeping you waiting, I was caught up in my work.” Lady Dimitrescu says, bending at the waist to give the mysterious woman a quick hug.

“Well, are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna say hi to me too?” You heard a shrill voice ask. You didn’t know where the voice came from, and you prayed to whatever god there was that it wasn’t the doll.

Your Lady sighs, “Hello Angie. How could I possibly forget to greet you as well.” Lady Dimitrescu says sarcastically. Angie folds her little wooden arms and lets out a displeased grumble.

“Oh, so the doll is sentient – because that’s not creepy at all.” You think as the two lords – and doll – make small talk. Lady Beneviento said very few words, most likely communicating through Angie in some way. You were expecting Angie to be a child, what with the way it was mentioned that she plays with the Lady’s Daughters.

“Alci, where’s blondie? She owes me a rematch in checkers!” The doll exclaims, cackling wildly. The Lady pinches the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger before letting out a deep, exasperated sigh.

“Her name is Bela, Firewood, and you can play with the girls in a bit. I will escort you both to the opera hall and my new lady’s maid will bring us our tea. Come here, dear, introduce yourself.” Lady Dimitrescu says, gesturing you over. You had to suppress your giggle at the Lady’s nickname for the doll before moving to stand beside her.

“Good afternoon, Lady Beneviento, Miss Angie. My name is Y/N, it is an honor to meet you both.” You say as you greet the two with a bow. It would only be an honor to meet someone you despised when hell froze over.

“You’re that maiden girl Alci told us about. When she lets ya go, why don’t you come be our maid?” Angie asks, jumping from Lady Beneviento’s arms and walking over to you. Her owner quickly scoops her back up and flicks her on the shoulder. The doll lets out a yelp, making Lady Dimitrescu chuckle.

“Come now, dear sister, follow me to the opera hall. Y/N, prepare the Darjeeling and something sweet to go with it.” Your Lady says, turning her head to the side as she and Lady Beneviento make their exit.

“Yes, My Lady.” You respond with a bow.

You prepare a pot of tea and a tray of different cookies and pastries to take to the opera hall. You placed them in a basket so you could carry everything up the stairs (you learned that trying to carry a cart upstairs wasn’t a very good idea a few months ago). Moving from place to place so quickly in this large castle definitely wasn’t easy. When you made it to the opera hall, you had to pause for a moment to catch your breath. You knock on the door and when you are given the word, you enter.

You place everything on a side table in the opera hall to get it set up. You place three teacups and saucers on a small table in between Lady Dimitrescu and Lady Beneviento; one for your Lady, one for Lady Beneviento, and one for Angie (if she can even drink tea). You pour each of them their tea, Angie asking for milk and extra sugar. After the tea is served, you place the tray of sweets on the table. After a few emptied cups of tea, your Lady gestures for you to come to her.

“Is there anything else I can get you, My Lady?” You ask, standing beside Lady Dimitrescu with your hands behind your back.

“No, thank you. Will you escort Angie to the library? That’s where she and the girls spend their time when Donna visits.” Your Lady requests. You walk to stand beside Lady Beneviento, reaching your arms out to pick up Angie.

“Of course, My Lady. Would you like me to return afterward?”

“No, that’s quite alright, I have things to discuss with Lady Beneviento. Keep them company and make sure nothing gets broken.” Your lady responds with a hint of annoyance in her voice. You respond with a bow and exit the room with Angie in your arms. Thankfully, the library is a few rooms away, so you don’t have to spend that much time carrying such a creepy ass doll.

“Are you gonna play with us Y/N?” Angie asks, fiddling with the cuff of your sleeve.

“If that is what you’d like Miss Angie, I would be happy to.” You lie through your teeth. Truth be told, you wanted to hide in your room and be as far away from Angie as humanly possible.

“Yay!” The doll squeals excitedly. “How good are you at checkers?”

“Not that good, I’m sure Miss Bela would beat me.”

“Well, that sucks. What games are you good at? I wanna give those three bug brains a run for their money.” You almost laugh at Angie’s choice of words for the Lady’s daughters… almost.

“I’m good at different card games, solitaire being my best.” You say proudly.

“Duh! Solitaire is your best because you play by yourself!” Angie exclaims. You reach the library doors and knock gently. When you are permitted to enter, you push the door, but it doesn’t budge.

“HEY BUG BRAINS, OPEN THE DOOR!” Angie yells. You hear laughter emerge from inside the room and the door opens. Daniela steps to the side to let you and Angie enter. You let Angie hop from your arms and she skitters over to Bela.

“I brought Miss Angie here to play with you three as per your mother’s request.” You say as you walk with Daniela back to the center of the room, underneath the skylight.

You spend the afternoon playing board games with Angie and the Lady’s daughters. You’re horrible at chess and lost every single match you played against Bela. Angie helped you win one match of checkers against the blonde and considered it a successful rematch (even though that’s technically cheating). You hate to admit it, but you were having fun chatting and playing games with all of them.

You all eventually got tired of playing board games, so you suggested a change of pace.

“I have a deck of cards in my room so why don’t we play a king’s court style gin-rummy game?” You question, looking between the daughters and Angie.

“What do you mean king’s court style?” Daniela asks.

“Well, since it’s a two-player game, two of us play, and whoever wins moves on to play someone else. Each of us will go in order playing the winner until we get bored, I guess. I used to play this way with my siblings when I was little.” You respond.

“Sounds good to me!” Angie exclaims. You look to the sisters and each of them give you a nod. You exit the library and make your way to your room. When you arrive, you run into Irina, who appeared to be leaving the Lady’s chambers.

“Oh, hello Irina, Lady Dimitrescu is in the opera hall if you’re looking for her.” You say with a polite smile. Irina rolls her eyes in response.

“Oh, don’t give me that. You think you’re so special, huh? You think that you can just waltz in here and suck up to Lady Dimitrescu so you can be her new favorite? I’ve been here longer, I am her favorite, not you, me. You’re just a doormat that everyone took advantage of.” Irina says, narrowing her eyes at you.

“Gee, Irina, if you’re her favorite, why weren’t you promoted? I mean, the Lady herself said that experience didn’t matter, and that effort did. Perhaps if you focused on your job instead of being used, you’d have gotten this position. I get that you’re insecure but I’m not here to be her ‘favorite’, I’m here to work.” Irina’s brows furrow as an angered expression paints her face.

“I’m warning you, Y/N, watch your back. I won’t let you replace me.” Irina finally says before leaving.

“Oh no, I’m so scared.” You say expressionless as you enter your room. You grab your cards, a pen, and some paper, and leave for the library once again.

“What took you so long?” Cassandra asks, lounging on one of the seats.

“I ran into Irina-” Your sentence was interrupted by groans from the sisters.

“I hate her, she’s so arrogant.” Ditto, Daniela, ditto.

“What did she want?” Bela asks.

“She wanted to ‘warn’ me about stealing her spot as your mother’s favorite. That’s the furthest thing from my mind, I don’t know where she got that idea from.” You explain, shuffling the cards.

“It’s because Mother has taken a liking to you and promoted you, but Mother wouldn’t use you in the same way she’s using that blood bag.” Daniela explains.

“And she was never Mother’s favorite, Mother just knew that she was easy and quick to submit. That’s why Mother kept summoning her. If not for Mother’s rules about us harming maids, my sickle would have found a home in her stomach already.” Cassandra adds. That was disturbing, to say the least, but Cassandra was the most violent of the three.

The five of you continued talking about Irina and playing cards. It was nice to have something in common with the Lady’s daughters, even if that thing was mutual hatred for someone. Cassandra took to the rules of the game quickly, claiming the spot as king after her hand with you. No one beats you at your own game, and you were determined to win again. When it was your turn to face her again, you had an unbeatable hand, reclaiming your spot as king. Angie found it hysterical that the girls were finally losing something. Besides your friends, you had the most fun playing with Angie and the girls.

You didn’t know how much time the five of you spent playing cards, but when Angie stretched her little wooden limbs, you knew it was time to escort her back to the opera hall. You stretched your arms out her and she climbed up them, sitting on your shoulders. She was still very creepy, but you didn’t mind. You gathered your cards and placed the deck in your pocket.

“Shall we get going, Miss Angie?” You ask, craning your head up to look at the doll.

“Yep, I’m sleepy! We’ll continue this next time I’m over to play, bug brains.” Angie says, pointing to the Dimitrescu girls.

“I hope you’ll be ready to get beat at checkers again Angie.” Bela says nonchalantly.

“In your dreams blondie! With Y/N as my partner, I’m never gonna lose!” Angie exclaims, cackling. That’s not how checkers works, and you and the daughters know that, but none of you want to upset Angie.

“We’ll be off now, goodnight, Misses.” You say with a slight bow as to not drop Angie. Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela all say their goodnights to you and Angie as the two of you exit the library. The walk back to the opera hall was more pleasant as you were more comfortable with Angie.

“I had fun today! Did you see the look on blondie’s face when you beat her at checkers?” Angie asks, kicking her feet.

“I did, she looked shocked. I guess she never expected to be beaten; she’s very good with strategy games like chess and checkers.”

“But not good enough! Once you get good at chess, you’ll give her a run for her money!” Angie exclaims. For her to be sleepy, she certainly is spritely.

“Thank you, Miss Angie, you make a very good partner.” You say as you approach the entrance to the opera hall. You knock, as always, and enter when you are given permission. You help Angie down from your shoulders and hand her to Lady Beneviento, who offers you a quiet ‘thank you’.

“Donna, you’ll never guess what happened. Y/N helped me beat Bela in checkers!” Angie says excitedly. You can’t help but smile at the way Angie describes your time with her and the Lady’s Daughters.

“It sounds like you all had a good time. Nothing is broken is it, Y/N?” Lady Dimitrescu asks, raising a brow at Angie.

“No, My Lady. I made sure that Miss Angie and your girls did not damage anything.” You respond, switching back to your more professional demeanor. The Lady gives you a nod of approval before turning to Lady Beneviento.

“Thank you for joining me Lady Beneviento. Allow me to escort you out.” Your Lady says as she stands from her chair.

Lady Beneviento stands with Angie in her arms, and you walk over to the door to open it for them. Lady Beneviento gives you a nod as she and Angie exit first, Lady Dimitrescu looks down at you with a smile before bending through the doorway. You close the door and follow the two Lords to the main hall.

The journey is silent, leaving you to think about your conversation with Irina and the warning both she and your friends gave you. Irina had you severely misconstrued. You didn’t even want to be noticed by the Lady, let alone do what Irina does with her… well, did with her. Eventually, you’re going to have to set the record straight with her, because you fear that she’s letting this jealousy get out of hand.

Lady Beneviento and Angie say their goodbyes as they exit the castle and get into their carriage. Only when you eye the clock on the wall do you realize that you missed dinner. You must have lost track of time when you were in the library.

“They must be mad at me.” You say, thinking out loud.

“Who’s mad at you, dear?” Your Lady asks, looking down at you confused.

“Oh, I was thinking out loud, I’m sorry. I missed dinner and I usually join Mara, Catalina, and Olivia.” You explain bashfully.

“If you’d like, I can have something sent up to your room.” Your Lady says as she begins walking toward her bed chambers.

“That’s alright, thank you, My Lady. I have some tarts in my room that I bought during my last village visit. Those will be enough for tonight.” You give a courteous smile at the Lady’s offer, following her.

“Alright, but from now on, do not skip meals.” You respond with a nod. “I see that Angie has taken quite a liking to you. You brought her back on your shoulders and usually, that is reserved for Daniela.” Lady Dimitrescu says with a slight chuckle.

“Yes, well, Miss Angie is delightful. I will admit, I was a bit hesitant when I first saw her – because I’ve never seen a sentient doll – but playing games her and the girls was pleasant.”

“I am pleased to hear that.” The Lady pauses when the two of you reach your room. “Will you join me in my chambers? I’d like to discuss your first day as my lady’s maid.” You look past her to see Irina leaning against the wall, waiting by her door. Did she come back after she stormed off earlier? Seeing you enter the Lady’s chambers would further confirm her suspicions and as much as you want to say no, the Lady is asking you with the expectation that you’ll say yes.

“Of course, My Lady.” You respond, smiling slightly. Your Lady leads you next door to her room and Irina stands straight, correcting her posture.

“Good evening, My Lady, may I speak with you about something?” Irina asks, seeming annoyed by your presence.

“Not tonight, dear, there are matters I wish to discuss with Y/N regarding her position. Is it important?” Your Lady asks and you could have sworn you saw Irina’s eye twitch.

“No, My Lady, I’m sorry to bother you. Good evening.” Irina finishes with a bow before walking away.

Lady Dimitrescu unlocks her door and allows you to enter first, bending through the doorway once you are inside.

“You may have a seat on the lounge, I need to take off my makeup.” Your Lady says, sitting at her vanity. You nod before walking over to sit on the chaise.

“Do you need my assistance with anything, My Lady?” You ask. you knew that she most likely would not need your help, but you still felt you had to ask.

“No, thank you. I wanted to tell you that I am pleased with your work today. Lady Beneviento was also quite pleased with how you cared for Angie. While Angie is her own being, my sister can communicate through her, and see everything she sees.” You were correct in your assumption that Lady Beneviento communicated through Angie. It seems that you’ve made a good first impression with both of them.

“Thank you, My Lady. When will Lady Beneviento and Miss Angie be returning?”

“We didn’t discuss that, but I will call her tomorrow to ask. Eager to have another play date?” Lady Dimitrescu asks with a smirk, meeting your gaze in the reflection of her mirror. You look away as you start fidgeting with the cuffs of your sleeves.

“Well, it’s just that we were playing a card game that we didn’t get to finish.” You respond nervously.

“I see, I’ll let Lady Beneviento know that you girls would like to continue. Tomorrow, I would also like your assistance in my study again. Afterward, I have things to take care of in the cellar. During that time, feel free to do as you like, just do not venture outside the castle grounds and do not go into the cellar.”

“Yes, My Lady.” You’ve heard about the cellar and the things that happen down there. You’d wake up in the middle of the night plenty of times to the sounds of screams. It didn’t take verbal instruction from Lady Dimitrescu for you to know not to go down there.

“Good, you never disappoint me. I can tell you are going to be excellent.” The Lady’s words take you by surprise. To be honest, anytime you receive a compliment from anyone comes as a shock. You can’t help but blush (here comes that internal moral conflict again). The sound of your stomach rumbling stops your thoughts from spiraling, but in turn, making your blush deepen.

“I will take that as my cue to let you go. Goodnight, Y/N, marvelous work today.” Your Lady says, turning from the mirror to look at you with a smile. You stand from your seat and walk over to the door

“Thank you again, My Lady. I will be off now, Goodnight.” You say with a bow before exiting.

You bathe and change into your nightclothes. You scarfed down a few of the tarts before settling into bed with the book you tried reading last night. You made it a few pages before your eyelids grew heavy, signaling that you should rest. You set the book down on the nightstand and turn off the light. You’re fast asleep, and luckily, there were no screams from below to disturb your peaceful slumber.

Chapter Text

Your second day as lady’s maid was less stressful than the first. You started your day as you usually would, joining your friends for breakfast in the servants’ dining hall. They grow nosier by the minute, constantly asking you questions regarding the Lady.

“So, are you ready to admit you like her yet?” Catalina asks.

“Yeah, when hell freezes over. And for the record, I do not like her; I just work for her.” You respond, rolling your eyes.

“Did the two of you have another  chat  last night?” Cat is like a teenager sometimes. It was cute but borderline annoying.

“I wouldn’t consider it a chat. She just gave me an assessment of my first day and she said that Lady Beneviento was also pleased.” 

“What’s she like, Lady Beneviento?” Olivia asks, tilting her head to the side almost like a puppy.

“She was really quiet and reserved, but Miss Angie – my god, she is the complete opposite.” It was still weird knowing that such an introverted woman possessed a very extroverted doll.

“I’ve only seen Miss Angie once before and it was probably the most horrifying thing I’ve ever witnessed. I knew that Lady Beneviento carried a doll around, but I didn’t know she could talk and move on her own.” Mara adds, shivering at the thought.

“Once you get past her appearance and the fact that she’s sentient, Miss Angie is actually fun to be around. We were in the library with the Lady’s Daughters playing cards all afternoon and well into the evening.” You say, pushing around your breakfast. Today was mămăligă cu lapte and you weren’t a fan of the version with salt instead of sugar. 

“So that’s why you missed dinner last night? Don’t tell me you’re replacing us?” Olivia asks dramatically, pretending to be on the verge of tears.

“Of course not! No one could replace you guys. I was just ordered to keep Miss Angie and the Misses company and to make sure they didn’t break anything.” You reassure Olivia with a gentle rub on her shoulder. 

“Good, just checking.” She responds with a silly grin. 

The four of you finish your breakfast and head off for your daily duties. Olivia is part of the afternoon shift, so she doesn’t start until after lunch. 

The Lady’s breakfast was over quickly, and you joined her in her study for another day of sorting through files and medical logs. It seemed like the piles were never-ending and if you knew that this would have been your fate, you’d have just been a secretary. You did the bulk of the sorting while Lady Dimitrescu sat at her desk quietly observing you. It seemed to tire you out more than doing manual labor. 

You took a break to eat lunch – the Lady ordered you to not skip meals – and returned to the study to continue. When it was time for Lady Dimitrescu to head down to the cellar, you were given the rest of the day off. The Lady and her daughters didn’t have their regularly scheduled meals, as they were busy downstairs. Having downtime wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you needed something to keep you occupied. Doing what you do best, you spent the rest of your day helping other staff around the castle. 

You were in the kitchen during the evening helping prepare everything for tomorrow when in walks Irina with a basket of produce.  Fantastic.  Since last night, you didn’t want to be around her until you could figure out what to say to get her to drop this narrative she’s created. 

“I see you’re back doing everyone else’s jobs. What happened Y/N, did the Lady get bored of you so quickly that she demoted you?” Irina says, feigning sympathy.

“If you must know, and I’m sure you must, Lady Dimitrescu is in the cellar. I offered to help because I had some free time today.” You respond, aggressively kneading bread dough. 

“I’m shocked she didn’t take you with her, but of course if she did, well… you know the rest.” The girl says with a snicker. You have two choices, ignore her, or stoop to her level. Ignoring proved to be ineffective in the past year, so you settle for the latter. 

“You know, Irina, I wonder what goes on in that head of yours. I’ve told you time and time again that I don’t want to be in your place. Is it that hard to believe that I work simply because I enjoy it?” Irina’s mouth turns down into a scowl as she grows annoyed both with you and the vegetables she had to peel. 

“I don’t buy it. Do you think I don’t know what you’re doing? I know that when you were brought here you begged for the Lady not to kill you.” She couldn’t be more wrong.

“Is that what you’ve heard? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I was spared because the Lady showed me mercy and felt sympathetic. I didn’t even know how long I’d live and I sure as hell I didn’t beg anybody for anything.” 

“Bullshit.” Irina murmurs. You sigh defeated, it’s obvious that talking to her in a civil manner isn’t going to work either.

“What is it going to take for you to get it through your thick ass skull that I don’t want to be her favorite? You can keep your self-proclaimed title; I don’t want it.” You put the dough you’d been kneading in a bowl and place it covered on the counter to proof. You then turn to face Irina and await her response.

“Quit. That’s all I want.” Irina shrugs. “Ever since you came, all of the attention has been on you, the poor, lonely maiden. So, either you quit, or I’ll have no choice but to get ugly.”

“ She’s saying that as if she isn’t already ugly. ” You think as you watch Irina ruin the vegetables. 

“And do you honestly think that my quitting is going to solve your problems? If Lady Dimitrescu finds out that you’re the reason I quit, she won’t treat you any better.” You walk to the door to find another area of the castle to keep busy. “I’ll leave you with this, either you come to your senses, or  I’ll have no choice but to get even uglier. Nothing you say or do could be worse than what has already happened to me.” You finish as you leave the kitchen.

You hope that Irina will finally get the message, otherwise, you’re going to have to defend yourself, or involve Lady Dimitrescu. You didn’t really want to do either, but you certainly didn’t want to involve anyone else. 

~~~

It’s been about two and a half weeks since you’ve started, and you were certainly worn out. Being a lady’s maid took a toll on your mind and body. You constantly had head and body aches, your muscles were sore from moving things around, and you felt weaker because you accidentally skipped meals (oops). You worked longer shifts than when you were a regular maid, having to tend to the Lady from early in the morning, to well past midnight. So much for the standard 9-5. In addition to working hard for your Lady, you were also actively avoiding Irina. 

It was the start of another gruesome day and you had to find the strength to get out of bed. Halfway through your shower, you had to turn the water cold as the steam was making you lightheaded. Still, even though you knew you weren’t well, you got ready and left for breakfast. You barely ate, and barely made any conversation. You tried to pass it off as ‘not getting enough sleep’, but your friends knew something was wrong.

“You’re overworked and you barely eat. Just what is the Lady putting you through?” Mara asks, concern painting her face.

“I’m telling you, I’m fine. I just need to go to bed earlier.” You respond, waving your hand to dismiss the concerned feelings your former roommates shared.

“I don’t know, Y/N, you don’t look fine. You look half-dead.” Catalina says, earning a swat on the shoulder from Olivia.

“On top of you having to work so hard, you’re also going out of your way to avoid she who shall not be named. You need to take a break.” Olivia adds. Your friends all nodding in agreement.

“It’s not that easy. I have to be of service practically all day and night, the only breaks I get are meals and when I sleep. Even then, I’m still woken up sometimes. I don’t know, maybe I should have turned down her offer.” At the time, you accepted the position out of spite and wanted Irina to suffer, but you’re the one who ended up suffering.

“Maybe you  should  quit; it might be better for your health if you do.” Mara, the almost scientist says with a reassuring hand on your back.

“And give Irina that satisfaction? As tempting as it sounds, I’m not going to let her, or the demands of the Lady get the better of me. I’ve made it this far, why quit now?” You scoff. True, quitting sounded nice, but you knew you’d get better. You always get better when you’re sick.

Later that day, you were carrying cleaning supplies back to the atelier – thinned-out oil paint had spilled on the rug. Everything felt heavier than usual, weighing you down. You were struggling to breathe as you dragged your feet along the halls of the castle. When you finally made it, you knocked on the door. When given the word, you pushed open the large doors and practically dropped everything you were carrying. Your Lady noticed your labored breathing and increased heart rate and her expression turned to that of worry. She stood from her stool and was beside you in the blink of an eye.

“Are you alright? You look ill, have you caught something?” Lady Dimitrescu asks as she places her hand on the center of your back for support.

“I’m alright, My Lady,” You pause, your lightheadedness from earlier returning. “I just wanted to hurry back to clean up the paint spill before the stain sets.” 

“You should not have rushed, dear. If the carpet stains, I can replace it. Would you like to take a break?” 

“No, no, that’s quite alright. I just… need to… sit.” You say before your head drops and you collapse. Your body hit the floor with a loud thud and the last thing you remember seeing before your vision went dark was the deeply concerned expression that painted Lady Dimitrescu’s face. 

When you came to, you were surrounded by the feeling of plush fabric, and you weren’t in your uniform. You weakly opened your eyes to try and scan your room, but your vision was blurry. You tried sitting up but were gently guided back down by a large hand on your chest.

“W-where… what happened?” You call out, your voice thin and hoarse. When your sight cleared up, you could see that you weren’t in your room. You were in Lady Dimitrescu’s chambers, and she was seated beside you in a large chair. Wait, was she taking care of you?

“You collapsed in the atelier, dear.” Your Lady says softly, pouring a glass of water and bringing the cup to your lips. You lift your head to take a few sips, wincing from the pain in your neck. 

“How long was I out?” You ask, your voice full of worry.

“Three days.” The Lady responds, placing the glass on the nightstand. Your eyes widen in shock.

“Have you been here the whole time?”

“Yes, you had me quite worried. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” You didn’t expect to hear those words. Especially not since you’d assumed that if you showed any signs of sickness, you’d be in the cellar. You felt terrible knowing that Lady Dimitrescu stayed with you all this time instead of working. 

“I’m so sorry; you’re probably disappointed in me. I never get sick like this, My Lady. I don’t… I don’t know what happened.” Tears began stinging the corners of your eyes. You tried to blink them away to avoid your Lady seeing you cry. You were… afraid. Afraid of disappointing her, of losing your position – afraid of being insignificant again. 

“Shh, it’s alright little one, I am not disappointed in you. I am just glad that you’re awake.” Your Lady says, smiling softly. It was genuine and you could tell that she really cared about you. 

 Your stomach rumbled loudly, ruining the sweet moment (as it always does). If you had the energy, you’d be blushing profusely. Lady Dimitrescu stands from her chair and walks over to the door.

“I’ll be back with something for you to eat. I had to find out from Mara that you’d been skipping meals after I ordered you not to.” Your Lady says sternly with a raised brow. She opens the door and is almost out when you call to her.

“Lady Dimitrescu?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Thank you.” You say with a soft smile. You were thanking her not only for looking after you the last three days but for being one of the few people that cared about you. 

You knew you had to come clean about how you initially felt. You knew you owed her an apology. You sat up and rested against the headboard, waiting for your Lady to return.

When she came back, she opened the door and in poured your friends, Catalina crying hysterically. 

“You idiot! I thought you died!” Catalina exclaims, throwing her body over yours. You groan in pain as your body is still aching.

“Cat, get off her! Are you trying to  actually  kill her?” Mara asks as she pulls the girl in hysterics off of you. Catalina wipes her tears on her sleeve and apologizes softly.

“I’m glad you’re okay Y/N, you had us all scared.” Olivia says, handing you a tray with a bowl of soup, bread, and fruit on it.

“I’m sorry I worried you guys. I should have taken a break as you said.” You say with a weak chuckle.

“I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Now eat, we’ll be waiting in your room for you.” Mara finishes as she drags Cat by the collar out of the room. Olivia gives you one last smile before following the other two girls out of the room. Lady Dimitrescu closes the door and returns to her seat in the chair. 

You practically inhale the food you were brought, instantly feeling rejuvenated. Lady Dimitrescu takes the tray and sets it aside on the nightstand.

“Thank you again, My Lady. I’m already feeling much better.” You say as you dust the breadcrumbs off of you. 

“Good. You are still in no condition to go back to work, so I’m going to give you some time off to recover. About a week should be enough.” 

“That is very generous of you, My Lady, but who will cover for me?” You ask, your brows quirking in confusion.

“Do not worry about me. A week is nothing when you’ve lived as long as I have.” Exactly how long has she lived? And what in the world were you supposed to do in a week?

“I have to help somehow. A week off is, well, I just know what to do with that much time off.” You admit as you gaze around the room, avoiding eye contact. 

“Rest, spend time with my girls or your friends; I just ask that you do not try to work. Your health is more important than your job right now.” Lady Dimitrescu says, giving you an awkward, reassuring pat on the shoulder. 

“Thank you again. No one has ever taken this much care of me when I was sick before.” You respond, meeting your Lady’s gaze. 

 “Of course, Y/N. When you are well again, I will make sure to give you less work and more time to rest. I realize that I was keeping you awake well past the time everyone else has gone to bed. For that, I apologize.”

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I should be the one apologizing.” You look down at your lap, mentally preparing yourself for the conversation you’re about to have. 

“Apologize for what, dear?” Here goes nothing.

“Well, I was wrong about you. My whole life, I thought you were, and please forgive me for saying this, but I thought you were a monster. My whole family revered you except for me. I’d heard so many rumors and stories from villagers about the castle that I grew up believing. Even after I became a maid here, I was so certain those rumors were true that I kept busy to avoid you, and your daughters. I realize now that my perception of all of you was false. You and your daughters have shown me nothing but kindness, and you’ve cared for me more than my parents have in my entire life. You’re not at all like the woman I believed you to be and for that, I sincerely apologize.” 

At this point, you were nervously gripping the covers, your knuckles almost turning white. You look up and expect Lady Dimitrescu to be angry with you, but instead, she looked at you with an apologetic expression.

“Y/N, I don’t blame you for what you believed, nor am I angry. You are not the first person that had that view of me – of my daughters – but you are the first person to admit that your views have changed. I do what I do because it is in my nature; I am but a product of my circumstances. I am no saint, but I am not the monster you heard about either. I have done regrettable things in the past, but I believe I’ve since then changed. Or at least, I am trying to.” Lady Dimitrescu pauses, clearing her throat. “I would like to start over. Your introduction to the castle is not what I want your first impression of me to be.” 

“I would like that. Hello, my name is Y/N. I’m here for the position of lady’s maid.” You say extending your hand to the Lady. It felt odd redoing your first meeting since you were in her bed, but it’s the thought that counts, no? She takes your hand in hers and plants a chaste kiss on your knuckles, which is enough to cause your heart to race.

“Lady Alcina Dimitrescu. Welcome to the castle, Y/N.” She says, smiling softly, placing your hand back down and not letting it go. You felt at ease knowing that the internal conflict you faced for the last few weeks had been resolved. Perhaps now, you won’t feel so bad for blushing the way you are. 

“I should um,” You pause, your voice cracking from being nervous. “I should probably go back to my room. Mara said they’d be waiting for me in there.” You pull the covers off and turn your body so that your legs hang over the edge. Her bed was considerably higher than yours, which made you feel small.  

“Very well, I won’t keep you. However, I would like to check on you later if that’s okay.” Your Lady says, offering her hand to help you down. 

You take it and hop down, your legs feeling a bit weak. The two of you walk toward the door and she opens it, letting you out. She offered to walk you to your room, but you refused as it was only next door. The two of you exchanged smiles as she watched you enter your room. Once inside, you found your friends all gathered on top of your bed. Catalina was quick to jump up and help you over. You gave her a small nod as a thank you. Your friends then turned to look at you with anticipation in their eyes.

“Why are you all staring at me like that? I told you that I was sorry.” You say, chuckling nervously.

“Oh, come on, don’t act like we didn’t you smiling when you walked in here; you’re blushing!” Cat says a bit too enthusiastically for your liking. “What happened?” The cheery girl asked. 

“Nothing happened! Why do you always think that something happens when I’m alone with the Lady?” You question, your tone a bit defensive.

“Y/N don’t lie, you know we can see right through you.” Mara adds. 

“I agree, so please tell us. We’ve been in here dying the whole time.” Olivia says with a tired groan. Must you fill them in on everything that happens?

“Whole story or a summary?” You ask, giving in to their wishes.

“Whole story.” Your friends say in unison.

“Well, when I woke up, I asked what happened and how long I’d been out, and she told me. When I asked if she stayed with me the whole time, she said she did because she was really worried.” 

“How romantic!” Catalina interrupts, Mara and Olivia shushing her right after.

“Anyways…” You continue. “After that, I apologized for getting sick and I was almost crying, and you all know that I don’t cry in front of anyone.” You pause as your friends nod, confirming their knowledge. “She said it was okay and that she was just glad I was awake. Then my stomach growled, and she left to bring me some food.”

“That’s where we come in.” Mara chimes in.

“We all know what happened then so skip to the next part after we left.” Olivia adds, making a gesture with her hand to speed the story along

“After I ate, I thanked her again, to which she responded with giving me a week off.” You explain.

“Ugh, lucky! I wish I got a week off.” Catalina groans.

“Get sick and you will.” You sneer. “Moving on, I asked about who was going to cover for me and offered my help because I need to keep busy, but she insisted I do other things with my time like spend time with you or with her daughters. After thanking her for the third time, she apologized for overworking me and said that my shifts would be shorter.” 

“Surely that wasn’t enough to make you blush, what else happened?” Mara asked, inching closer to you. 

“I um, I told her that I should be the one apologizing. When she asked for what, I told her that I was wrong about her. That everything I grew up believing about her and her daughters was wrong. They’ve all been so kind to me that I knew it was wrong to keep those hateful feelings toward them in my heart.” 

“So, is that when you admitted that you liked her? Did she kiss you and that’s why you came back blushing?” Catalina asked, wiggling her brows at you. You cover her mouth with your hand to keep her quiet.

“Would you shut up?” You ask (though it was more of a command) through clenched teeth. “Her room is right next door, and she can probably hear you!” Catalina bites your finger, and you pull your hand away. “I don’t like her that way. Now, if you would please keep the remarks to a minimum, I’d like to continue.”

“Fine, fine, I won’t bother you anymore… today.” Catalina finishes, laying down on your bed.

“As I was saying... after I came clean about everything, the Lady told me she wasn’t angry with me for believing those rumors and that it’s in her nature to do what she does. She proposed that we start over because my first night in the castle isn’t how she wants me to remember her.” You look down at the area of your hand your Lady kissed, brushing your thumb over it. There was a faint amount of lipstick still on it.

“Please tell me you agreed?” Olivia begs.

“I did. I reintroduced myself and extended my hand for her to shake it and um, well, the next part is embarrassing.” You explain, scratching the back of your neck.

“You can tell us; we won’t tease you for it.” Mara says, smiling softly.

“Speak for yourself.” Cat adds. To which Mara responds with a glare.

“Lady Dimitrescu took my hand and kissed it, like how gentlemen do when they meet ladies. She reintroduced herself but she didn’t let go of my hand. Then I came back here and well, that’s the end of it.” You say, smiling softly.

“What do you think that meant? It’s obvious that she cares a great deal about you so, what are you going to do?” Mara asks.

“I don’t know, keep working? I’m sure it meant nothing, so there’s no need to jump to any conclusions. Now, how about a game of cards? If I’m gonna have time off, I don’t want to be bored.” You ask, kneeling beside your bed to open your chest. There was a knock at the door which startled all of you.

“It’s open!” you shouted as you searched around for the deck of cards. The door opens and on the other side are Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela. 

“Mother told us you were awake, how are you feeling?” Bela asks as she and her sisters enter your room. They take seats on the floor as your bed was currently occupied.

“I’m better, my body is still sore, but I have a week off to get better. Do you want to play cards with us?” You ask, shuffling the deck.

“Are we playing the game that you showed us?” Daniela asks.

“No, this game is called bullshit. The goal is to get rid of all of your cards and you can lie about what cards you’re playing during your turn, but if someone calls bullshit and they’re right, you have to pick up the whole discard pile. If they’re wrong, they pick up the cards.” You respond as you begin dealing everyone their hands. 

“Is it alright for us to be playing cards with the Lady’s daughters? I mean, won’t we get in trouble because we’re supposed to be working?” Olivia queried as she looked through her hand.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head off about that. If Mother asks, we’ll cover for you.” Cassandra says, shooting a wink at Olivia. You look at Olivia and a deep red blush paints her cheeks, and it doesn’t take long to put two and two together. But that’s something you’ll have to ask her about in private.

The seven of you begin playing your card game, Bela going first since she was the oldest in the room. It took a few tries, but after several explanations, the Lady’s daughters eventually got the hang of it. It probably wasn’t wise playing a game where lying is used, because, for terrible liars like Catalina, it was easy for anyone – human or not – to call her bluff. Surprisingly enough, Daniela wasn’t that great of a liar herself. Cassandra and Bela seemed to be the best at bluffing; they didn’t have any tells that you could pick up on, meaning they were your biggest competition. 

You played for hours, only stopping when it was time for dinner. You asked your friends to bring you something because you didn’t want to eat downstairs. Daniela goes with them, offering to bring your food back for you and let your friends stay down in the dining hall. Daniela returns swiftly, bring you tonight’s dinner.  More soup, yay.  You finish it quickly as the girls sit in silence. Once you are finished, you place the empty bowl on your nightstand.

“Good soup.” You murmur, closing your forefinger and thumb in a circle to make an ‘okay’ gesture. “I figured we should wait until the others return to finish our game. In the meantime, can I talk to you three about something?” You ask, drumming your fingers against your lap nervously. You figured you might as well apologize to the girls too.

“What do you need to talk about?” Bela asks, raising a brow.

“Well, earlier today, I told your mother about what I thought of her before I became a maid. I told her that I believed all the nasty rumors about the castle and all of you. When I started working here, I kept busy to avoid all of you because I harbored such negative feelings toward you.” You look down, not wanting to face any of them. “I realize now that you’re all incredibly good people, and that you only do what you have to in order to survive. I should have told you all sooner and I’m really sorry. I hope this doesn’t affect our friendship in any way because I really like having you as friends.” 

“You think we didn’t know that you were trying to avoid us? All of the maids try to avoid us, that’s why we love bothering them.” Cassandra says flatly, which wasn’t the reaction you were expecting.

“You consider us your friends?” Daniela asks, her brows quirking upwards in surprise.

“I know it’s unprofessional but aside from Mara, Cat, Liv, and occasionally your mother, you three are the only people I talk to.” 

“I knew you were a hermit but that’s just pathetic.” Cassandra teases, earning a glare from her older sister. Cassandra’s teasing was her odd way of showing affection. 

“So does that mean we’re still friends?” You ask, looking between the sisters. 

“Yes, we’re still your friends. And all of us, even Cassandra, are happy to know that you don’t think of us that way anymore.” Bela responds with a soft smile. 

You all wait in comfortable silence for your former roommates to return. About ten minutes pass when there’s another knock heard from the other side of the door. You stand to answer it, expecting three girls to be on the other side. You tense slightly as it is not your friends but rather the Lady of the castle.

“G-good evening, My Lady. Is there anything I can do for you?” You say out of habit.

“I told you, no working.” Your Lady says sternly, only to soften her expression right after. “I’m here to see how you are doing; I hope my daughters aren’t giving you any trouble.” 

“Oh, no, they’re fine. I’m fine as well, we’re just waiting for Mara, Catalina, and Olivia to return.” 

“Very well. Have you eaten?” 

“Yes, I have. Da- Miss Daniela brought my dinner to my room for me.” Your Lady chuckles softly at the accidental informality.

“Good. I will be off now, but if there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask. I’ll only be next door. Good evening, Y/N.” 

“Good evening, My Lady.” You say as your Lady walks off to her chambers. She’s likely going to stay in there for the remainder of the night in case you do actually need something.

When your friends return from dinner, you resume playing bullshit. On occasion, Cassandra will join Catalina in teasing you about various things. Your reactions to Lady Dimitrescu, Irina, or anything that will get a rise out of you. You didn’t mind because it was nice to spend time with all of them for once. Being the Lady’s personal maid kept you from being able to relax and have fun. 

As the night dragged on, you decided that it was time for you to get some much-needed sleep (as if three days wasn’t enough). Your friends said their goodnights and were on their way back to their rooms, the Lady’s daughters being the last to leave. Once they were gone, you had a relaxing bath to soothe your muscles. After changing into different night clothes, you settled into bed and thought about your interactions with the Lady earlier today. The way your heart raced when she kissed your hand, the smile on her face when she didn’t let it go; it was enough to drive you mad. 

The need for sleep outweighed the need to replay those few moments and soon you drifted off into a comfortable slumber. 

Chapter Text

You woke up the next morning feeling refreshed; the bath you took last night really helped to alleviate the pain in your muscles. You couldn’t even tell that you were sick in the first place. You started to get ready for the day, grabbing one of your uniforms when you remembered that you were given the week off. You felt healthy enough to work but your Lady ordered you not to and you couldn’t really argue with that. So, instead of your usual drab maid’s uniform, you settled for plain black tapered slacks, a black turtleneck, and simple black shoes. You owned dresses and other feminine clothes, but you preferred an androgynous or almost masculine look. You left your hair down and simply tucked any loose strands behind your ears. One last look in the mirror and you’re ready for the day.

You head down to breakfast and join your friends at your usual table. A few heads turned toward you as you entered but you paid it no mind, as always. Once you were situated with your breakfast, you began eating. It was obvious that you were still quite hungry.

“Slow down, Y/N, you’re going to choke.” Catalina chides.

“At least close your mouth. You’re eating like you were raised with pigs.” Mara adds as a disgusted expression paints her face.

“I was. Did you forget that I was literally treated like a farm animal growing up?” You ask with sarcasm in your tone.

“No, but you don’t have to continue to act like one.” Cat continues.

“Sorry, I’m just hungry. Try being unconscious for three days without food and see how you feel afterward Cat.” You raise a brow at your friend before washing down your food with water.

“Speaking of which, please don’t ever get do that again. I thought you were going to die.” Olivia adds, finally breaking her silence.

“I’m sorry Liv. I promise that I’ll never scare any of you like that ever again. I didn’t say this yesterday but thank you for caring about me.”

“Don’t mention it. Just… from now on, take better care of yourself. You deserve it.” Mara says, gently rubbing your shoulder. You nod before digging into your food once again. Self-care was never something you bothered worrying about but after everything that’s happened, you now knew just how important it was.

You finish your breakfast and return the dishes to be cleaned. You follow Mara and Cat as they set off to do their daily duties. You’d offered to help them prepare the Lady’s tea, but they shooed you away.

“Making tea isn’t even considered laborious!” You pause, pouting. “At least let me boil the water.” You take the kettle over to the faucet and begin filling it with water.

“No, Lady Dimitrescu ordered you not to work. Orders are orders. And if we get caught letting you work, we’re going to get in trouble too!” Mara says, taking the kettle from you.

“But-” You start but you are interrupted by your aggravated friend.

“No ‘buts’. Now go relax and enjoy your week off. We’ll see you at lunch.” Mara says as she pushes you out of the kitchen. There’s really no point in arguing so you try to find something else to occupy your time.

You wander around the castle for some time before you eventually settle on the library. You search through the shelves for something interesting. You come across a book in the fiction section that you’ve heard the title of a few times. Carmilla was what it was called. You didn’t know what it was about, but it must be good if it’s in the Lady’s library. You take the book from the shelf and sit down on one of the lounge seats to begin reading.

You were completely immersed in the story and had spent the entire morning reading it. It wasn’t a very long book, but you had to take breaks because to your surprise, Carmilla was a female vampire that made romantic advances toward the narrator, also a female. It seemed almost cliché for this book to be in the library as your Lady shared some similarities with Carmilla. By lunchtime, you were almost done with it, so you decided to take it with you.

At the table, you were nose-first in the pages when vigorous tapping on your shoulder brought you back to reality.

“What are you reading?” Olivia asks from across the table.

“Oh, Carmilla. I saw it in the library earlier and it looked interesting.” You respond, placing the book down with the cover up to give your friends your full attention.

“Ooh, I love that book. I used to reread it all the time on my days off.” Cat says enthusiastically.

“What’s a book like this doing in the Lady’s library anyways?” You ask, quirking your brows in confusion.

“Why wouldn’t a lesbian vampire romance be in her library? She practically is Carmilla.” Mara chimes in. She’s read this too?

“You’ve read this too? You never struck me as the romance type, Mara.” You close the book completely, folding your arms on the table afterward.

“I’m not. Cat used to read it out loud, and I’d be forced to listen.”

“Ah, so it’s not just me that she enjoys torturing.” You say with a chuckle. Catalina rolls her eyes in response to both of you.

“Have you spent all morning in the library reading?” Olivia asks.

“Pretty much. I tried to help with making the Lady’s tea this morning, but Mara kicked me out of the kitchen.” You respond.

“You’re not supposed to be working, she did the right thing.” Liv says with a shrug. It’s just tea, you don’t see how making tea could be considered working.

“How is making tea working? It’s not like I wanted to serve it too, the Lady wouldn’t have known that I helped a little.” You defend. Surely Lady Dimitrescu wouldn’t have been cross with you or your friends for just making tea.

“But you wouldn’t have stopped at just helping with tea. You would have tried to work in any way you could because that’s who you are. It’s not a bad thing, by all means, but working so much is how you got sick.” Mara has a point, and you hate to admit it. You cross your arms over your chest and turn to your friend with a pouting expression.

“Why do you have to be right all the time? It’s not fair.” It really was unfair that Mara was always right, but she had your best interest at heart. She’s a good friend.

“I’m not right all of the time, just most of it.” Mara says with a pleased grin.

For the remainder of your lunch break, you and your friends ate quietly. Only making light conversation. Once lunch was over, you made your way back to the library to finish your book. Upon your arrival, you found the Lady and her daughters all sitting near the fireplace. Had you known they were in here, you would have knocked.

“I’m terribly sorry for the interruption. Good afternoon, My Lady. Girls, good afternoon.” You say with a bow. It felt weird greeting them like this since you weren’t in uniform.

“Well, if it isn’t our favorite human; what brings you to the library?” Cassandra asks as she lies on the floor with her chin in her palms.

“Oh, I had come to continue a book I’d been reading, but I can finish it in my room.” You respond as you turn to leave.

“Nonsense, come join us!” Daniela pauses, turning to her mother. “Is it alright if Y/N sits with us Mother? After all, she’s not working.” Lady Dimitrescu gives the redhead a nod and Daniela beams with excitement as she rushes over to you.

She pulls you by the arm over to the little seating area she and her sisters had set up. Unsure of where to sit, you stand awkwardly with your book pressed to your chest.

“Aren’t you going to sit?” Bela asks as her brows furrow. The only available seat was on the small sofa next to your Lady, so you opted to sit on the floor. You were about to open your book when Lady Dimitrescu addressed you.

“There’s an open seat next to me. I assure you; I don’t bite.” Your Lady spoke with an almost flirtatious tone, winking at you in the process.

You reluctantly stood and took a seat beside the Lady. You angled your body slightly, turning away from her. It’s not that you didn’t want to be near Lady Dimitrescu, if anything, you missed following her around all morning. It was just that the scent of her perfume and the way she looked today made it hard for you to focus on your book.

She wore an off-shoulder, navy dress and her hat was abandoned on an end table, revealing her silk-like raven hair as loose curls fell elegantly over her shoulders. The Lady’s makeup was no different than the usual, but the red color that painted her lips was the perfect complement to the navy-blue color of her dress.

You open your book to the page you left off on when a finger pulls it down. You look up and see Cassandra standing before you.

“What are you reading?” The brunette asked with a sly grin, most likely already knowing.

“Just a romance book, Miss. It looked interesting.” You respond timidly.

“What’s the name of your romance book? I might want to read it when you’re done.”

“Oh, the name? Um, it’s not- well, I don’t think you’d like it.” You deflect, hoping that the middle Dimitrescu sibling would let you off the hook.

“Ooh, tell me the title, I love romance.” Daniela says excitedly. There was really no winning this fight.

“Carmilla…” You trail off, training your gaze to the pages of the book.

“Ah, the classic lesbian vampire romance story. Decided to feed your imagination, Y/N?” Cassandra teases, earning a glare from her mother.

“Cassandra, that’s quite enough.” Lady Dimitrescu says, reprimanding the brunette.

“It was just something I picked off the shelf. I didn’t know what it was about before I read it.” You defend. Had you known what the book was about (and the way you’d react to it) you’d have never opened it.

“What do you think about it?” Bela asks.

“I like it. I just wish it wasn’t as short as it is; I’m nearly finished.” You place the book in your lap as it seemed that you’d be talking more than reading. Not that you were complaining.

“Do you enjoy reading, Y/N?” Your lady asks, a slight smile on her face. You turn your head and look up to meet her gaze. The warm glow of the fireplace reflected off her golden eyes in an almost mesmerizing way.

“Yes, My Lady. I spent a lot of time at the library when I was younger, the old librarian taught me how to read with the different books I picked out.” You were rambling, which was not something you usually did, but you hoped a change of subject would take your mind off of Mara’s comparison between your Lady and Carmilla.

“Well, you are welcome to browse my collection. Might I give you a recommendation?”

“Yes, please. I have a hard time choosing good titles.”

“The Price of Salt is a very good romance novel. I think you will enjoy it.” You were probably overthinking it, given all of you were already on the topic of romance novels, but Lady Dimitrescu recommending one for you to read causes a faint blush to appear on your cheeks. Why were you blushing so much around her anyway?

“Thank you, My Lady. I’ll start it once I’m done with this book.” You say as you turn your attention back to the book that was currently in your lap.

You had just a few chapters left, and they took no time to read – or at least it felt that way. You closed the book and stood to place it back on the shelf you got it from. It was then when you noticed that the Lady’s daughters were no longer in the library. How long had they been gone? And more importantly, why was Lady Dimitrescu still here?

You browsed through the romance section for the book your Lady recommended. When you found it, you returned to sit in one of the now-vacant chairs. The two of you sat in comfortable silence as you began reading your new book. To avoid the same thing happening with Carmilla, you decided to ask about the plot before you got too far.

“What’s this book about?” You ask, lifting your head from the pages.

“It’s a love story between two women set in the 1950s. That’s about all I can say, I don’t want to spoil it.” Lady Dimitrescu replies.

You nod and continue your reading. Though, the thought of why she would recommend this particular book lingered in the back of your mind. Unable to properly focus, much like earlier, you close the book and place it on your lap. You inhale deeply and let out a quiet sigh; you’ll continue it when you turn in for the night.

“Is something wrong?” Your Lady asks, having picked up on the slight change in demeanor

“Oh, no.” You shake your head. “It’s just that I’ve spent most of my day reading and need a break.”

“I see, and how are you feeling, my dear?” Her question takes you by surprise. Not because of the question itself, but because of the term of endearment she used. My dear… that’s a new one.

“I’m fetter- I’m bine,” You pause, taking a moment to breathe and gather yourself. Your Lady looks at you with curiosity as a low chuckle reverberates in her chest. “I’m better. I feel fine; as if I was never sick.” You manage to say without fumbling over your words. Your heart was beating a little faster, which likely didn’t go unnoticed.

“Very good.” Lady Dimitrescu starts, turning her body toward you. “I’ve been thinking about this since you stepped in the library and I must say, you look marvelous today.” The Lady’s tone was low and almost sultry. It sent an unfamiliar heat through your whole body, and you knew from the burning sensation in your cheeks that you were blushing profusely.

“T-thank you, My Lady. You look great today too…” You trail off, looking anywhere in the room but directly at Lady Dimitrescu.

“Just great? Well, I’ll have to put more effort into my appearance, yes?”

“What? No! That’s- that’s not what I meant. I’m just used to seeing you in your gown, with your hat, and your gloves. I’m also not very good with compliments.” You answer nervously.

“I’m just teasing. It is good to see you in such high spirits.” Lady Dimitrescu says, offering a warm smile. She then looks at the clock on the wall and places her hat on her head. “I must be off; would you care to join me for tea later this evening?” You should refuse, but since yesterday, you found yourself missing being in the Lady’s company.

“Yes, tea sounds lovely, My Lady.” You nod, smiling at your lady as she stands from her seat and makes her way toward the library door.

“Excellent, I will see you then.” The Lady says before finally exiting the library. Once the doors are closed, you let out a deep sigh, falling into the back of the chair. You cover your face with your hands and groan. Just why is the Lady acting so different toward you now?

The rest of the day was a little less nerve-wracking, you’d taken your dinner up to your room instead of sitting at your usual table. You explained that you were just feeling a little fatigued and that was a believable enough excuse for your friends. You had really just wanted to avoid being interrogated. You knew the type of questions they’d ask if you mentioned the afternoon in the library.

You took your time eating your dinner as you read your new book. There appeared to be common themes between Carmilla and The Price of Salt, the obvious being lesbian romance, and the other being that the main characters are always an older woman, and a younger woman. In a way, you related to these books. Your crushes were almost always on older women; you very seldom liked a girl your age.

When you were done with your dinner, you took your dishes back downstairs to be cleaned. On the way back to your room, you run into Cassandra.

“Hello, Miss Cassandra.” You say, greeting the brunette.

“You don’t have to keep calling me Miss, just Cassandra is fine, or Cass even.” She responds, letting out a small sigh.

“Are you sure? Isn’t that unprofessional?”

“Yes, but I don’t care, and neither should you. Make sure you don’t address me informally in front of my mother though, she’ll think you’re disrespectful.”

“And what about your sisters? Won’t they care?”

“Dani definitely won’t. You’ll have to test the waters with Bela though. She can be uptight just like Mother.” You fight back a giggle as Cassandra insults her sister. You knew she meant no harm by it, it’s just who she is.

“Thank you for the advice. Can I… ask you a question?” You question timidly. Cassandra raises a brow at you.

“For a price. I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine.”

“Deal.” You respond, not really giving it much thought.

“What do you want to ask?”

“The book your mother recommended, The Price of Salt, it’s about a romance between two women. Does she only read books like that?”

“Not all the time. She reads all kinds of books, though, most of her favorite authors are women. Now, for my question. You were nervous earlier, why?” You should have seen this one coming.

“Well, I uh, when I was eating lunch earlier, I asked why the Lady would have a book like Carmilla in the library. One of the girls compared your mother to Carmilla, and I’m sure they didn’t mean any harm by it but couldn’t really stop thinking about it.” You respond, scratching the nape of your neck.

“That so? Do you think she’s anything like Carmilla?”

“There are some similarities, but I haven’t seen your mother pursue anyone romantically so I can’t really answer that.”

“Give it a couple more weeks, then answer that for me again.” Cassandra says with a wink before dissolving into a swarm of flies. You call out to her, but she’s gone in an instant. What exactly did she mean by that?

“Weird.” You say quietly with a shrug as you continue toward your room.

When you return, you pick up the book from where you left off. You really liked this Carol character. About an hour into your reading, you hear a bell chiming. Has there always been a bell in your room? You try to remember what the bell was for and recall a brief memory of your Lady mentioning that it was to summon you. You place your book on your nightstand and leave your room. You knock on the Lady’s door and a quiet enter is heard from the other side. You open the door and step inside, closing it behind you.

“I heard the bell, is there something you need, My Lady?” You ask, forgetting that you aren’t working.

“Don’t be silly. Come sit with me; I had some tea sent up.” Lady Dimitrescu responds with a slight grin, patting the empty spot next to her on the chaise.

You walk over and sit at the opposite end, placing your hands in your lap. Lady Dimitrescu pours tea into a teacup and hands it to you.

“Would you like any milk or sugar?”

“No, thank you.” You speak with a nod. Your lady pours herself a cup and opens a small flask, pouring a dark thick liquid into it. Blood, you assume.

“How are you enjoying your time off, dear?” You can’t really formulate an answer seeing as it’s only been one day, but you were going to try and answer honestly.

“Though it’s only been a day, it feels odd having so much free time. By the end of the week, I imagine I’ll have read through half the library.” You sip your tea and wince slightly, having burned your tongue. You’re going to have to let it cool.

“Do you have any other interests besides reading?” The Lady asks, sipping her tea like it was as cool as tap water.

“I enjoy games, music, and if I’m being honest, working.” You answer. A hearty chuckle from Lady Dimitrescu reverberates throughout the room, but you didn’t think anything that you said was funny.

“You are a peculiar girl. I have never met a maid that wanted to work when she was given a break.” The Lady’s seemingly snarky statement left you feeling emboldened. You decided to respond with some wit of your own.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything, My Lady.” You blow on your tea before bringing the cup to your lips

“Well, of course, life is full of firsts. Your first love, first kiss… your first time in bed.” There was a dangerous look in Lady Dimitrescu’s eyes. Your breath hitches, causing you to choke on your tea.

“Um, yes, exactly. That’s… not exactly what I meant but you make a good point.”

“What did you mean then?” Your Lady asks, smirking.

“I meant meeting a maid that enjoyed working and wanted to work when she didn’t need to. A normal person wouldn’t want to work when they had time off.” You explain, trying to avoid a conversation on such a touchy subject.

“I suppose that’s true. Do forgive me for making such a remark, I had no intention to make you uncomfortable.”

“Oh, it’s fine, My Lady. You didn’t make me uncomfortable. I just don’t have those conversations often, that’s all.”

“So innocent. Have you ever thought about it?” It seems that your hope to avoid talking about your maidenhood has been shattered. You were about to have possibly the most awkward conversation of your life and with your employer. Because that’s not weird at all.

“Thought about what?”

“Being in love, sharing intimate moments with a woman you care about, the many firsts that have yet to happen for you?” What was she getting at with these questions?

“Not anymore. I’ve come to terms with the fact that some things will just never happen for me.”

“You can’t be so sure of that. Don’t give up the hope that it will happen; I can assure you it will.” Lady Dimitrescu smiles softly, to which you respond with a nod.

“We’ll see. However, I have to ask. Why the sudden interest in my love life?” You question, angling your body slightly toward the Lady.

“Well, you read romance novels, correct? Do people that enjoy romance not want one of their own?”

“You have an expansive collection in your library, do you wish for a romance story like the ones in those books?”

The classic answering a question with another question. The Lady pauses for a moment, letting out a small sigh.

“I don’t have the time for it. Though I’ve found a particular maid to be quite interesting as of late and I’d be willing to adjust my schedule.”

“Do you mean Irina? Because she’s certainly made it clear that she doesn’t want me getting between you two.” You roll your eyes as you continue sipping your tea. Your Lady laughs loudly, practically cackling.

“Heavens no,” Lady Dimitrescu pauses to calm down. “I am by no means interested in pursuing that girl romantically. And what do you mean by her not wanting you to get in between us?”

“She believes that she is your favorite and has even gone as far as threatening me. When I asked what would convince her that I had no ulterior motive, she suggested I quit.”

“Had you considered quitting? Because if you had, I would have simply found you and brought you back home.” Hm, home… the Lady considered the castle to be your home now.

“I wouldn’t dream of quitting.” You smile. “I didn’t want to involve you, but since the truth is out, will you talk to Irina? I don’t think her resorting to violence is very wise and maybe if she heard it from you, she’d finally leave me alone.”

“How long has she been messing with you?” Your Lady questions. Though you didn’t mind the teasing at first, it did go on for the entire year you worked at the castle, and that was long enough.

“Since I started… last year.” The Lady’s brows furrow as anger paints her face.

“Since last year? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I paid her no mind at first. I figured she’d eventually stop but she hasn’t.”

“I will handle it, thank you for informing me of her behavior towards you.”

The next few moments were very awkward. Why did Lady Dimitrescu get so angry when she heard about Irina messing with you? What was she going to do to Irina? All of these thoughts roamed your mind, and you weren’t brought out of it until you could hear knocking on the Lady’s door. When she’d given whoever was on the other side permission the door opened and you spotted your friends on the other side.

“We came to see how Y/N was doing and she wasn’t in her room or the library so- oh?” Mara starts, then pauses once she sees you.

“Ha, I told you! You owe me a hundred lei.” Catalina exclaims, jumping up and down.

“You bet on where I’d be?” You ask, slightly offended.

“Now, before you get angry, it wasn’t my idea.” Mara defends.

“I already know it was Cat’s idea. I’m not angry, but come one only a hundred lei? Ye have little faith.” You chuckle, setting your empty teacup on the end table. You stand and brush the wrinkles out of your pants.

“Thank you for the tea, My Lady. As much as I’d like to keep talking with you, I should probably go and fill them in on how I’m feeling.” You say with a small sigh.

“Very well, thank you for a lovely evening. Rest well, Y/N.” Lady Dimitrescu says softly. She almost sounded sad but the smile that appeared on her face told you otherwise.

“You too.” You respond, returning the gesture. You exit the room with your friends and as soon as the door closes, you can tell that Catalina is ready to say something.

“Don’t start Cat; I know what you’re thinking.” You place a hand over the girl's mouth, preventing her from speaking. You walk to your room and enter and find Olivia waiting there for you.

“So where was she?” Olivia asks.

“She was having tea in the Lady’s bed chambers, where I said we should have looked in the first place.” Cat says, side-eyeing Mara. You walk over to your bed and flop down on it, your made-up fatigue finally making its appearance.

“Are you okay, Y/N?” Mara asks, ignoring Cat’s attempt at bickering

“I’m fine, I’m just tired. I had a long day. I’m assuming it’s time for your nightly interrogation.” You answer as you kick your shoes off.

“You guessed it! So, how was the tea? Did you talk about anything, or did you sit there in silence?” Catalina asks as she joins you on your bed. Mara takes a seat at your desk, turning the chair to face you.

“The tea was fine, and yes we talked. Who has tea with someone and doesn’t talk?” You question sarcastically.

“You would.” Mara states, very matter-of-factly.

“What did you talk about?” Olivia asks. It seems that she’s the only one that isn’t insistent on teasing you.

“Well first, we talked about my health, about the things I enjoy, Irina, and… other stuff.” You say the last part quietly, not wanting to go into detail about your whole conversation.

“You talked with the Lady about Irina? What did you tell her?” Mara asks.

“I told her about how much Irina bothers me and about how she’s both threatened by me and has threatened me.” You answer.

“What did she say?” Cat asks.

“She said she’d talk to her. She seemed really upset that I didn’t tell her sooner, but I didn’t know she cared that much.”

“Are you kidding?” Olivia questions.

“What do you mean, why would I be kidding?”

“She’s so obviously interested in you. Can’t you tell when a woman likes you?” Catalina queries. You double over in laughter. There’s was seriously no way that the Lady was interested in you.

“What makes you so sure?” You ask, still giggling.

“She let you, a maiden, live,” Cat starts.

“She felt sorry for me.” You interrupt.

“Let me finish. Despite only being here one year, she promoted you to lady’s maid. There are maids here that have been here for decades,”

“She said years of experience didn’t matter.” You interrupt again.

“Okay, well what’s your excuse for why she took care of you while you were unconscious? Maids have fallen out before and the Lady wouldn’t bat an eye. She barely left your side.” Catalina had a point, but you still didn’t see how it meant Lady Dimitrescu liked you.

“Maybe it’s because I’m her personal maid. Although, when Cassandra asked me if I thought the Lady was anything like Carmilla and I couldn’t answer her, she told me to give it a couple more weeks. Do you think she meant the fact that Carmilla was passing romantic advances at the narrator all the time?”

It was all starting to make sense, recommending romance novels, asking you about your love life, telling you that if you quit, she’d find you and bring you back home. By god, she liked you, didn’t she?

“You look like you’re thinking about something deep. Are the gears finally turning?” Olivia asks.

“Oh man, our conversation earlier makes so much sense!” Your eyes widen in shock.

“What about it makes sense? You have yet to tell us what the ‘other stuff’ was that the two of you talked about.” Mara adds.

“She’d recommended another romance novel for me to read earlier today when I was in the library with her and her daughters. When we were having tea, she asked me why I read romance novels if I don’t want to experience it myself. I told her that I accepted that it wouldn’t happen, and she assured me it would. She was talking about herself; I feel so stupid.” You let your head fall into your hand at the realization.

“You should, but did you just say you were in the library with her and her daughters earlier?” Mara asks.

“Yeah, after lunch I went back to finish reading Carmilla, but they were all in there. I was going to leave when asked me to stay. At one point, her daughters left, and it was just us two in there for a little while.”

“Were you nervous? You have a habit of being nervous in her company.” Olivia says.

“Very, and I imagine I’ll be nothing but nervous around her now.” You sigh. You’ve never known another woman to be interested in you, let alone that woman be Lady Dimitrescu.

“Don’t think too much about it. And if you ever find that you like her too, just be yourself.” Mara advises. With that statement, she stands from her seat. “Come on, let’s let Y/N get some sleep.”

Catalina and Olivia nod, standing and following Mara toward the door. You bid them farewell for the night and once your door was closed, you let out a loud groan. Once you were over your moment of distress, you undressed and entered the bathroom to run a bath. You sank into the water and began thinking about your realization. You found that since being promoted, you were thinking about your interactions with the Lady a lot. Did she really do and say all of those things because she liked you? You were sure you’d have to ask her at some point, but when?

You sat in the tub thinking about your conversation with your friends until the water was cold and your skin was pruned. Deciding that it was a good time to get out and change into your nightclothes, you did as much. You opened your book with the hope of distracting your ever-wandering mind. Eventually, your eyelids began to droop so you closed your book – folding the corner to bookmark the page – and placed it on your nightstand. You pulled the covers over your body and drifted off to sleep. Hopefully, the rest of your little vacation won’t be too awkward now.

Chapter Text

You started the next day of your week off by dragging yourself out of bed. You hadn’t gotten much sleep as your newfound knowledge plagued even your dreams. The first dream you had was like the book Carmilla, only you were the narrator, and your Lady was the book’s namesake. The next dream you had, however, was almost sinful. You awoke from it in the middle of the night drenched in sweat and… aching. You decided a cold shower would do your body good, even though you’d already bathed.

You leaned your forehead against the wall as you recalled what happened in the dream. The way the Lady’s hands roamed your body, the way she looked at you as she… never mind. You needed something, anything else to think about. You turned off the water and changed back into your nightclothes. You grabbed your blanket from off the bed and sat on the window seat as you looked out. You spent many nights in the stables at home stargazing, admiring the beauty of a night sky that was free of light pollution. Perhaps before it got too cold, you’ll spend an evening out in the courtyard or in the garden, looking at the stars.

Eventually, the sun began to rise. The warm rays spilled through the window and nearly blinded you. You got up and walked over to your bed to make it. There was no use in trying to go back to sleep; you’d slept so much already in the last few days. You got dressed, opting for grey slacks similar to those you wore yesterday, and a navy-blue blouse. You tied your hair up into a high ponytail, leaving a couple of face-framing strands out, and put your shoes on. It wasn’t quite time for breakfast yet, so you decided to head to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.

You sat and conversed with one of the cooks – Ylenia, an older woman – as you drank your coffee. Before your promotion, you often helped her in the kitchen preparing meals or washing dishes.

“I heard you were sick, how are you feeling, dearie?” Ylenia asks as she peels potatoes.

“I feel fine, and I’d like to go back to work but I was ordered not to. Not for another five days.” You explain, staring into your mug.

“You shouldn’t be in such a rush to get back to work. You may feel fine, but your body will need that time to recover. Take an old woman’s word for it.”

“You seem to know a lot. How long have you worked here, Ylenia?”

“Twenty-five years. I started as a maid, much like you, but I’m better in the kitchen. Would you be a dear and pass me the salt, it’s just above you on that shelf.”

You look on the shelf and find a jar labeled ‘salt’; incredibly convenient, you thought. You handed it to Ylenia, and she began sprinkling it on the potatoes she finished peeling.

“You’re the only person that has let me help. Yesterday, Mara and Cat wouldn’t even let me boil water to make tea.”

“They only care about you dearie, don’t be cross with ‘em for it.”

“I’m not. I appreciate them greatly, but Mara didn’t have to kick me out of the kitchen. She treats me like I’m her child sometimes.” You pout. Ylenia lets out a chortle as she places a pot on the stove.

“Sometimes headstrong kids like you need to be treated as such. I used to treat her the same way.” Ylenia says, grabbing spices from the shelf above you. Your eyes widen in shock.

“I see where she got it from.” You say with a smirk. Ylenia swats your shoulder with a rag, earning a chuckle from you.

“When did you get to be such a brat?” Ylenia asks playfully.

“Somewhere between passing you the salt and finishing my coffee. Do you want me to wash the mug?” You question as you walk it over to the sink.

“Just place it in there dear. Breakfast is soon so you should head to the dining hall, I’ll sneak you in an extra pastry or two.” Ylenia winks as she waves you off. You smile as you exit the kitchen, making your way to the dining hall to have breakfast with your friends.

You walked leisurely along the halls of the castle, stopping to look at paintings or sculptures. The castle was stunning, and even before you’d warmed up to the Lady, you always admired the interior. You arrived at the dining hall and found that you were the first one to your table and regretted not bringing your novel with you. Still, you got your food and sat down, waiting patiently for your friends to arrive. You looked around the room and saw some maids still in their nightwear, and some in their uniforms. This made you feel out of place as you were the only one wearing casual clothes. You drummed your fingers against the table until you spotted Catalina entering the room. She looked shocked to see you already there, and from her look you knew you were about to be questioned.

She sat opposite you with her breakfast and a silly grin on her face. Always so bubbly.

“What has you up so early?” Cat asked as she raised a brow at you.

“I had trouble sleeping. I was just in the kitchen with Ylenia, having some coffee for a little bit of a pick-me-up.” You looked up as Mara and Olivia joined the two of you, smiling at them as they took their seats.

“Thinking about Lady Dimitrescu all night, were you?” The girl teased, earning a glare from you.

“For your information, no. I had an unsettling dream and couldn’t go back to sleep afterward.” You explain, beginning to eat your food.

“Nightmare?” Mara asks, with a mouth full of food. And to think she said you ate like a pig.

“No, just unsettling.” You shake your head, not wanted to go into detail.

“Do you have any plans to spend time with the Lady today? Another tea, perhaps?” Olivia asks with an expression matching Catalina’s.

“No, I figured I’d just read some more. Maybe take my book out into the courtyard.” It was true that you didn’t know if you’d be in your Lady’s company, not that you wanted that… or anything. But you didn’t really know what else to do besides reading. You could play games with her daughters, but not for an entire day.

“Do you plan to do nothing but read for the rest of your week off? That’s so boring.” Catalina says with a roll of her eyes.

“What do you suggest I do? Mara, what would you do if you had all this time off?” You ask, turning to your friend.

“I’d read too, so there’s no point in asking me.” Mara says.

“Okay, well, what would you do Liv?”

“I’d visit my family for a few days, but I know that’s not something you wish to do.” Olivia says apologetically.

“Alright,” You sigh, “Cat, what would you do?” You reluctantly question.

“Well, if I were you, I’d try to spend as much time as I could with a certain lord and her daughters.” Cat says smugly.

“I didn’t ask what you would do if you were me. Can you give me a real answer?” You ask, annoyed.

“That is my real answer. Come on, Y/N, you know she likes you, and deep down you know you want to spend time with her. So why don’t you?”

“You don’t know what I want. I don’t even know what I want.”

“Just try, please? I have a lot of money riding on you.” Catalina admits, quickly covering her mouth after. Mara and Olivia glare at her with displeased expressions.

“You seriously bet on me again? How much is at stake and what are the conditions this time, huh?” You look between your friends as an annoyed look paints your face. Olivia sighs, giving in to your stare.

“It’s a pool of 750 lei. We bet on how long it would take during your time off before you gave in to the Lady’s advances.” Liv admits.

“I want in.” You deadpan.

“What?” Mara asks, shocked.

“I want in. I’ll put 250 lei in and bet that I won’t give in to Lady Dimitrescu. Do we have a deal?” You ask as you extend your hand, narrowing your eyes at Catalina.

“Deal.” The girl says as she shakes your hand. “But if you lose, I will never stop teasing you.”

“Then it’s a good thing I won’t lose.” You were now filled with determination. You wanted to win this bet and prove to your friends that you weren’t as predictable as they thought you to be.

The four of you finished your breakfast before returning your dishes. You decided not to follow Mara and Catalina because you knew you’d only get sent away. You returned to your room and grabbed your book, ultimately deciding to read outside today. You needed the fresh air.

You walked over to the gazebo and sat on the bench. Opening your book to the marked page, you began reading. The two characters were well into their relationship – if that’s what it could be called – but by the fifteenth chapter, it was very clear. The intimate moment that was written on the page was not terribly explicit, but it was enough to make your whole body warm. Your reading was interrupted by a little green fly landing on the corner of the page.

“Hello Miss Daniela, have you come to see me?” You ask, smiling at the insect. A larger swarm appeared before you, turning into the redhead. She always knew how to find you.

“Mother wants you to join us in the opera hall. My sisters and I have been practicing a piece and Mother mentioned that you enjoyed music, so… we want to show it to you. If you’d like to come.” Daniela says timidly, a faint blush creeping up on her cheeks.

“That sounds lovely. Miss Cassandra even agreed upon it?” You ask. Normally, Cassandra is closed off and doesn’t discuss her hobbies much.

“No, but majority rules. Come on, I’m getting cold.” Daniela says as she pulls your harm, dragging you off the bench. You close your book and follow the youngest Dimitrescu back into the castle.

As the two of you walk to the opera hall, you mention that Cassandra wished for you to drop the Miss and just address her by her name. You ask Daniela if that was okay with her, and she nods.

“Bela won’t really mind either. You’re more Mother’s maid than you are ours so it’s fine.” The redhead says as the two of you approach the doors of the opera hall. She steps in first and you follow behind.

You opt to take a seat in one of the empty chairs closest to where the girls’ instruments were set up. There was a violin, a viola, and a cello. Your eyes wander across the room and land on Lady Dimitrescu. She wore white slacks today and a red blouse that was similar to yours and had you known that you’d have chosen different clothes. You’re sure to be teased by Cassandra or Daniela for dressing alike. The Lady offers you a smile and gestures for you to sit in the empty chair beside her. You walk over and sit down, greeting her as you do so.

“Good morning, My Lady.” You say with a smile.

“Good morning, dear. I’m glad that you decided to join us.” The Lady says, returning the gesture.

“How did you sleep? I hope your friends didn’t keep you awake too long.”

“They didn’t stay long but I’ve had better nights.” You sigh.

“What do you mean?” Your Lady asks with a puzzled expression.

“I had a weird dream, and I couldn’t go to sleep afterward. I was awake well before sunrise.” You explain, Lady Dimitrescu humming in response.

“What piece will the girls be playing?” You ask, changing the subject.

“They’re playing the third through fifth movements of Beethoven’s Serenade in D Major opus 8. It’s a beautiful piece and my girls play equally as beautiful.” Lady Dimitrescu says proudly, looking to the girls in adoration as they finish setting up.

After some endpin adjustments and putting rosin on their bows, the Lady’s daughters were ready. You turned your attention to them as they began playing. As their melodies and harmonies reverberated through the opera hall, you were reminded of when you used to listen to your siblings play. That was how you grew to love music. Tears stung the corners of your eyes as you reminisced, but you blinked them away. You didn’t want your emotions tearing you from the moment.

You leaned forward to listen more intently, resting your chin in the palm of your hand. You noticed just how focused the sisters looked when they played, and it was the most serious you’d seen Daniela.

With a final flourish of their bows, the music came to a halt. Your Lady emerged from her seat, clapping. You did the same as even though the girls only had an audience of two, they deserved a standing ovation. The girls placed their instruments down and rushed over to their mother, beaming with excitement. Lady Dimitrescu opened her arms wide, welcoming the girls into a warm hug. You smiled at the moment.

“What did you think Mother?” Daniela asks enthusiastically.

“It was flawless as always daughters. Wonderful job.” Lady Dimitrescu says with a wide smile.

“Y/N, what did you think?” Bela asks.

“I loved it, thank you for inviting me. I’d always wondered why I’d hear music coming from here, but I never knew it was you three. I thought it was a recording.” You chuckle.

“You like music, do you play anything?” Daniela questions.

“No, my siblings did but I never learned anything.”

“You should let us give you lessons!” The redhead exclaims.

“I’ll pass.” Cassandra says, walking away to put her cello in its case.

“Come on Cassie, it’ll be fun!” Daniela says with a pout.

“It’s alright Miss Daniela, really. I imagine I wouldn’t have much time for lessons given I have my work.” You say apologetically, Daniela’s pout only growing.

“It’s alright Dani, don’t be too upset. Why don’t you girls pack up your instruments?” Your Lady asks, comforting her youngest. Daniela nods as she and Bela join Cassandra.

“Will Miss Daniela be okay?” You ask, looking past the Lady.

“She will be fine, don’t worry. However, should you want to learn an instrument, I’ll allow you the time to do so.” Your Lady says with a slight shrug.

“Thank you, My Lady.” You respond, smiling.

“If you do, perhaps you will play something for me?” Lady Dimitrescu asks with a smirk. Had you not known of her interest in you, you wouldn’t have recognized her flirting with you. Your cheeks turn the fainted shade of pink as you think of a response.

“I don’t think it would be nearly as enjoyable as listening to your daughters.” You deflect.

“Nonsense, if you played something as simple as a scale I’d enjoy every moment.” Your Lady replies with a smile, making you blush harder.

“You flatter me, My Lady. I’m not used to someone being so kind to me.” You look down, averting the Lady’s gaze.

“You deserve it, my dear. You deserve kindness and so much more.” Lady Dimitrescu pauses, placing a hand on your shoulder. “Would you care for a walk? It’s a lovely day out, and fresh air might be good for you.” Did Daniela not tell her that you were in the courtyard? You decided not to mention that you had already been outside and nod.

“A walk sounds great, My Lady. I just have to grab my book.” You respond before walking to your initial seat and collecting your novel.

“Girls,” Your Lady turns, addressing her daughters. “I’m going for a walk; I will see you all at lunch. Try not to get into too much trouble.” She then turns back to you as you approach her. “Let’s be off then, shall we?”

You nod as the two of you exit the opera hall. As you walk through the halls of the castle, you pass by Catalina, who was cleaning a vase. She sends a smirk in your direction, to which you respond with a glare. You face forward as you continue walking. You noticed that Lady Dimitrescu slowed her pace to match yours, her usual gait being much faster. You thought it was a nice gesture, but you couldn’t help but smile a little at her consideration.

The two of you walk past the courtyard to the garden. You inhale deeply, taking in the crisp morning air.

“Thank you again, My Lady, for inviting me to the opera hall. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the girls play.” You say, striking up a conversation.

“Of course, I am glad you enjoyed it.” Lady Dimitrescu smiles. “What was on your mind; you looked to be in deep thought earlier.” Had she noticed you tearing up?

“I was just reminiscing. I used to listen to my brothers and sisters play when I was little. When my parents’ influence got to them, they wouldn’t play when I was around.” You respond quietly, your tone somewhat sad.

“I’m sorry,” Your Lady pauses, her expression softening, “do you ever miss them?” She asks, looking down at you as you walk through the garden.

“Sometimes, though I’m sure they don’t even think of me. You mentioned that Lady Beneviento was your sister, do you have any other siblings?” You ask, craning your neck to look up at the Lady.

“I as well as the other lords are considered siblings though not related by blood. We all serve under Mother Miranda.” Lady Dimitrescu explains.

“I see. Lord Heisenberg and Lord Moreau, what are they like?” The Lady seemed off-put by your question, the corners of her mouth immediately turning downward.

“Heisenberg is nothing but an arrogant, reckless man-child… but my girls adore him. Moreau is a pathetic soul, hiding away in the reservoir, constantly trying to prove his worth to Mother Miranda.” The way Lady Dimitrescu described them sounded nothing like what you’d heard growing up. Maybe all of those rumors were false. Though, you’d have to meet them to be sure.

“Are you the eldest?”

“Don’t you know it’s impolite to ask a woman her age?” Dimitrescu says playfully, her mood seemed slightly improved. You stop walking as you formulate a response.

“I didn’t. I’m sorry if I offended you, My Lady.” You respond nervously. Your Lady lets out a slight chuckle which helped to calm your nerves.

“Again, I’m only teasing. It’s rather fun seeing you so flustered, I’ll have to tease you more often.” The Lady says with a sly grin, only making you more of a nervous wreck. You see where Cassandra gets her love of teasing from. Lady Dimitrescu continues to guide you through the garden. She places her hand on the small of your back and it sends a shiver down your spine.

The two of you stop walking when you reach an enormous rose bush. It was bigger than any that you’ve seen on the castle grounds. You walk up to it and take in the scent of the flowers; it was lovely.

“These roses are beautiful. I should have come out to find this sooner.” You say, looking over each flower.

“They are very special to me, I planted them myself with the help of my daughters. Every year the bush gets bigger and more flowers bloom.” Your Lady says, smiling at the fond memory. She walks up to the flowers and extends a… claw? (You had no idea she even had claws) She snips one of the roses and trims the thorns before her claw retracts. Your Lady then extends her arm to you, handing you the flower.

“Thank you, My Lady.” You take the rose from her, placing it behind your ear. “How does it look?”

“Beautiful, just like you.” Your Lady says, causing your cheeks to turn red.

“T-thank you. So, this maid you’re interested in, have you told her yet?” You ask as the two of you continue your walk through the garden. At the rate Lady Dimitrescu is going, you might lose your bet.

“No. Tomorrow, I will be going away for three or four days, and I plan to tell her when I get back.” The Lady’s statement leaves you feeling a mixture of anxiety and sadness. You were sad to hear that she would be away but anxious to finally hear her say that she liked you.

“I’m sure that she will be over the moon with joy. I wish you luck, My Lady.” You say with a genuine smile. Your Lady returns the gesture.

“You may call me Alcina when we are in private.”

“Are you sure? Do any of the other maids address you by your first name?” You ask.

“Just my former lady’s maid. But you’re different from her, I’ve never taken her on a walk through the garden.” The Lady starts, looking at you with a smirk. “How goes your reading?”

“I’ve about eight chapters left; I read quickly. It’s a very good book and I really like Carol.” You say as you run your fingers across the cover of the book.

“More than me? Well, it seems I have some competition.” The Lady says softly. She always knows what to say to get a rise out of you.

“What would your maid think when she hears that you’re jealous of a fictional character?” You ask, your brows raising in suspicion.

“I imagine she’d be looking at me like you are now.” Lady Dimitrescu says with a soft chuckle. Had you known a year ago that you’d be having these moments with the Lady, you’d have thought you were insane. But as each day passes, and the two of you grow closer, you realize that hating her was what was truly insane.

The rest of your walk was silent, as you and the Lady were both just enjoying each other’s company. You ventured back through the courtyard to the gazebo where you both sat. It was nice to be out of the sun and in the shade. Sitting next to Lady Dimitrescu wasn’t as intimidating as it was in the library or the opera hall, as it was just the two of you, so you scooted a little closer to her.

“How do you plan on telling the maid that you like her? You also never told me her name.”

“Those things are secret. I don’t want you telling her or her nosy little friends.” So, she agrees that Mara, Cat, and Liv are nosy. She’s likely heard them interrogating you in your room several times.

“Well, how long have you had feelings for her?”

“You certainly are inquisitive today, why the sudden curiosity?” The Lady asks, ignoring your question.

“I just wanted to know, My Lady – sorry, Alcina. I’m so used to answering everyone else’s questions that I hardly get to ask any myself.”

“Be patient, dear, you will have your answers soon. Now,” Alcina pauses, turning her body slightly toward you. “Care to answer a few of my questions?” You nod.

“Is there anyone in the castle you have eyes for?” Ah, so that’s the game she’s going to play.

“The obvious answer would be Carol, but she’s not real. Though, there is one person that I’ve grown fond of as of late.” Alcina tenses up a bit after hearing your answer. Perhaps you were not the only oblivious one.

“Really? Who?” She asks, her brows rising.

“It’s a secret.” You respond with a smirk. Two can play that game, Alcina.

“Tell me about her. If I can’t know her name, I want to know what she is like.” Who’s the inquisitive one now?

“Well, she’s very intelligent, caring, artistic, and very kind. She’s a little taller than I am and incredibly beautiful.” You answer, looking down at your book. You assume (and hope) that Alcina knows that you’re describing her.

“She sounds lovely. Are you going to tell her how you feel?”

“Um, I was going to wait. I still get very flustered around her sometimes and I tend to fumble over my words. Though, she seems to enjoy seeing me blush.”

“Does she now? It appears we have that in common.” Alcina says. You knew by her response that she was aware you were talking about her. You see her relax as she lets out a quiet sigh of relief.

A few awkward moments pass before you decide to break the silence by asking about your job once your week off is over. Alcina mentioned that she wouldn’t keep you awake as long as she had been and that you’d be doing less to avoid falling ill again.

“When I resume working, what will my schedule be like?” You ask.

“Well, I am going to adjust mine and won’t be working as much. You will have more time off to rest and enjoy your new budding romance.” She did mention adjusting her schedule to allow more downtime to spend with her love interest, who turned out to be you.

“Will my pay decrease? It’s fine if it will, I don’t spend much money anyway.”

“Your pay will not change; you needn’t worry about that.” Alcina responds. You nod and look out into the courtyard, unsure of how to continue the conversation.

The sun was directly over the castle, meaning that it was close to lunchtime. This gave you an excuse to end the pleasant turned uncomfortable day you were having with Alcina. She walked with you into the castle and the two of you went your separate ways.

You ate lunch with your friends at your usual table. You evaded all questions regarding the Lady and instead turned the attention to each of your friends and their day. They knew you were dodging their questions but indulged you, nonetheless. The only questions you answered were those regarding your book, and if Lady Dimitrescu had spoken to Irina yet. You hadn’t asked her about it, but you assumed that she’d bring it up if she did.

After lunch, you retired to your room and settled into your bed. You were never the type to take naps, but the lack of sleep from last night left you in desperate need of one. You slept most of the afternoon, and you would have stayed asleep had it not been for Mara waking you for dinner.

Following the same routine as lunch, you dodged all questions that were about your Lady’s obvious courting. You wanted to talk about it, but you knew that Catalina would never let you live it down if you did. You recalled the statement the Lady had made earlier about them being nosy and though it offended you slightly, she was right. They were nosy. Mara always seemed indifferent, but you knew that she wanted to know every detail, just like Cat. Olivia was truly indifferent and never questioned you about anything unless Mara and Catalina did.

After dinner, you went back up to your room to get ready for a night of hopefully uninterrupted sleep. Showering, getting dressed and reading a couple more chapters of your book before you were too tired to keep your eyes open. You went to sleep overflowing with excitement and anxiety for when Alcina returns.

~~~

It was the last day of your week off. You’d spent the last four days in the library reading with the girls or in your room playing cards with your friends. You tried not to show it, but you missed Alcina. She was returning today; you found that out through a letter attached to a package you received this morning.

“I will arrive later this afternoon. Please, join me for dinner tonight at 6 out in the garden and wear this.

, Alcina”

When you opened the box, you found a simple, yet gorgeous, black off-shoulder dress, and a gold necklace with a rose that had a small diamond in the center of it. She was really going all out for you.

It was also the day you and your friends agreed your bet would end so you joined them at lunch prepared to collect your winnings.

“Victory sure is sweet.” You say with a content sigh, earning glares from your friends.

“You only won because the Lady wasn’t here to flirt with you. That’s hardly fair.” Catalina says with a pout.

“All is fair in love and war, dear Cat. Now, my winnings?” You ask, making a gimmie gesture with your hands. Each girl hands you a small bag of lei. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you. I hope this taught you all something. From now on, no bets.”

“Lesson learned.” Olivia says apologetically.

“Oh, I won’t be able to join you for dinner tonight. I’ve been… called back to work early.”

“Is it work or is it work?” Catalina asks, wiggling her brows.

“I guess we’ll have to see.” You respond with a chuckle.

“So, are you finally ready to admit you like her?” She questions as she leans in. You sigh, finally having to admit the truth.

“Yes, I am. If I’m being honest, it’s kind of scary how quickly I came to like her.” You say, looking down at your food.

“There’s nothing to be scared of Y/N, especially not your feelings. Like I said before, just be yourself even though… you’re a nervous wreck sometimes.” Mara says in her attempt to comfort you.

“Gee, thanks so much, Mara.” You respond, rolling your eyes.

After lunch, you returned to your room. Your dinner with Alcina was not for another 6 hours, so you had some time to kill. A few games of solitaire never hurt, and since it was what you played best, you decided it was a good way to occupy your time and calm your nerves.

You ended up playing solitaire virtually the whole afternoon, only stopping when you saw that you had an hour left until dinner. You hurried to the bathroom to take a shower. Had you stopped your game earlier, you’d have drawn a bath. After your shower, you ran some conditioner through your hair and left it to air dry in its natural texture. You put on the dress Alcina had sent you and paired it with black low quarter pumps you’d purchased during one of your village outings.

You secured the necklace around your neck before going back to the bathroom to apply a small amount of makeup. You don’t normally wear makeup, but tonight was a special occasion. A touch of blush and a small amount of lipstick will do. One final look in the mirror and you were ready, with almost ten minutes to spare. Anxious to start your evening, you left your room. Without looking ahead as soon as you closed your door, you bumped into someone and fell to the floor. You didn’t know who it was until you looked up and saw three figures. A blonde, a brunette, and a redhead.

“Y/N!” Daniela exclaims, extending a hand to help you up. You grab hold and stand, brushing your dress out afterward.

“Off to dinner with Mother?” Cassandra asks.

“Yeah, how did you know that?”

“Who do you think had to set everything up?” The brunette replies.

“You knew about it?” You ask as the four of you begin walking through the castle.

“Of course we knew, Mother tells us everything.” Bela adds.

“And you three aren’t mad? I mean, she’s your Mother and I’m well… me.” You respond, looking down toward the floor.

“Why would we be mad? Mother likes you and so do we. Besides, we had to practically beg her to make a move.” Daniela says with a giggle.

As the four of you continue through the castle, your nerves begin to stir.

“Calm down, we know you’re nervous.” Cassandra says. You approach the door to the courtyard and Daniela pushes it open.

You’re met with candles and lanterns that were lit along a path. Before you take your first step, you turn to the girls.

“Thank you, I truly appreciate it. Do we follow these into the garden?”

“Not we; you.” Bela says, giving you a nudge outside. “Good luck, Y/N.” The blonde says with a smile before closing the castle doors.

You follow the path through the courtyard and into the garden. With each step you take, your body was filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement, much like the night before Alcina left. At the end of the path was the rose bush you were shown that day in the garden. It was beautifully illuminated with the candles and lanterns that were on the path. In front of the bush, there was a table with two chairs, and Alcina, waiting patiently for you.

She wore a black dress similar to yours, though hers was floor-length, long black gloves that went up to her elbow, and her necklace was different. It looked like yours but instead of one rose, there were three. She looked amazing (as always). She stood from her chair as you approached, looking you up and down. You turned away to avoid her seeing the deep red color of your cheeks. Alcina grabbed your face by the chin and turned it toward her, making you look up. You’ve made eye contact with her before, but when your eyes met, your heart skipped a beat. The candlelight and setting sun reflected in her golden eyes, and she looked at you with nothing but admiration.

“You are stunning, my dear; and you wore the necklace.” Alcina says softly, smiling at you as her hand moves from your face to graze the charm.

“Thank you, you look amazing too.” You respond timidly. “I can’t believe you did all this for me, it’s beautiful.” You smile.

“I can do much more for you, should you want me to. Let’s sit, shall we?” Alcina says as she ushers you to the table. She pulls out your chair and pushes it back in once you’re seated before returning to her seat.

“I don’t know what to say I… is wow acceptable?” You ask, earning a soft laugh from Alcina.

“Just you being here is enough. I’ve had some exquisite dishes prepared that I hope you’ll like. Ylenia, dear,” Alcina pauses, addressing the cook. You didn’t even notice she was out here. “Would you bring out our dinner and drinks please?”

Ylenia nods and wheels over a cart. She places one cloche in front of you and the other in front of the Lady followed by two wine glasses. She then pours each of you wine from different bottles. You assume yours is normal wine and that the Lady’s is blood wine based on the difference in color and viscosity. Ylenia removes the cloches and reveals two plates of a type of cuisine you’ve never seen before.

“It’s French.” Your lady says, having sensed your curiosity.

“It looks delicious, thank you Ylenia; and thank you, Alcina.” You say to each of them before digging into your dinner. This was your first time having French cuisine and it was quite possibly the best thing you’ve ever tasted. You noticed Alcina eating too, but you didn’t know she ate human food.

“You can eat human food?” You ask, dabbing your mouth on a napkin.

“I can, but I don’t need to. I eat for the taste, but it is not enough to sustain me.” Alcina says as she sips her wine.

“I see. How did you come to be this way? Were you like this your whole life?”

“No, I was human once. I had a blood disease and when I was in my forties, it progressed to the worse stage. I was knocking on death’s door when Mother Miranda found me and offered me a cure. Her ‘cure’ was a different type of infection and through it, I was given immortality but also continued growth and the need to consume humans. That’s why I’m so tall.”

“So, you’re in your forties?” You ask, completely ignoring everything else Alcina said.

“Technically yes, I’m 44 but I don’t age. Are you asking because you like older women?” Alcina asks, smirking. You take a big sip of your wine for a little bit of courage.

“You know me so well. So, tell me Alcina, this maid of yours, why’s she not out here having this fancy dinner with you?”

“She’s sitting right across from me. Why are you not with your woman of interest?”

“Because she’s fictional.” You deadpan.

“I don’t mean Carol, Y/N. If I were this woman you’re interested in, I wouldn’t take too kindly to you pining over a fictional character. Surely she’d be jealous.”

“Well, why don’t I ask her? Are you jealous that I’m pining over a fictional character? Scared she’s going to take me away from you?”

“I have not a doubt in my mind. But now that you’ve more or less said that you were mine, there’s something I’d like to tell you.” Alcina says as she leans forward, placing her hands on the table. You reluctantly reach for them, placing your own hands underneath hers with your palms up. She holds them gently.

“I want you to be my companion, officially. I was drawn to you the moment I laid my eyes on you and during your time here, my affection only grew. I’m not asking for an answer right away, I know that this is all new for you, but I have been meaning to tell you since you woke up after collapsing.” Finally hearing her confess threw you for a loop. She’s wanted you this whole time.

You look down at your hands and take a moment to gather your thoughts.

“My answer is yes.” You say, looking back up to meet Alcina’s gaze. A warm smile paints her face as she squeezes your hands. “I have one question though.” You say, causing Alcina’s smile to drop slightly.

“Ask away, my dear.”

“Will I still be working?” You ask. Your question causes Alcina to burst into laughter, the sound of it is like music to your ears.

“Would you like to continue working?” Alcina asks as her laughter calms.

“Yes, I would. I don’t like being unoccupied.”

“We could always find other things to occupy your time.” Alcina replies with a flirtatious tone, shooting you a wink. Your cheeks begin to burn.

“I should have never said that.” You admit as your nose scrunches.

“I’m just messing with you. But should you ever want to, I could always-”

“I don’t want to hear the rest of that sentence. Let’s not ruin the sweet moment, yes?” You interrupt.

“But there will be plenty sweet moments, my dear, and hopefully plenty passionate ones too.”

“And the moment’s ruined.” You sigh, defeated. “Will it always be like this?”

“No, not always. But I have teased you enough this evening, let’s have dessert.” Alcina makes a gesture toward Ylenia, and she comes over to remove your plates.

She refills your glasses before placing two plates of chocolate cake in front of you. You take a bite and much like your dinner, it’s one of the best things you’ve ever tasted. You eat your cake quickly as you’ve always had a sweet tooth.

“Everything was so good, and the cake was delicious.” You say as you wipe your mouth. Alcina chuckles as she’s not yet finished with hers.

“I’ll have Ylenia wrap the rest of it up for you.”

“Thank you. This evening was lovely, I’m really glad that you asked me to dinner Alcina. I had no idea you were such a romantic.”

“I’ve read my fair share of romance novels to know how to impress a woman. But I don’t think anything that I’ve read could have prepared me for a dinner with someone like you. You are truly special, Y/N.”

“You flatter me.”

“You deserve it. The night is still young, would you care to take a walk?” Alcina asks, standing from her chair.

“As much as I’d love to, I should sleep. I have to be up bright and early. You see, I’m returning to work tomorrow, and my employer is very strict when it comes to being on time.” You grin, standing from your chair as well before pushing it in.

“I see. Well, I would not want to make her angry. I’ll walk you inside to your room.” Alcina says, extending her hand to you. You take it and the two of you begin walking back toward the castle.

She takes you down a different set of halls and stairs, most likely to avoid any maids that were still awake. When the two of you arrive at your room, you stop before entering.

“Thank you again, Alcina, I had a wonderful time.”

“Of course, my dear. I will see you in the morning, goodnight, Y/N.” Alcina says before bending down to place a kiss upon your cheek. As she straightens out, you fight the urge to pull her back down so your lips can finally meet. You’re still out in the hall and you never know if there’s a maid nearby.

“Goodnight.” You say before you enter your room smiling. Your smile quickly fades as you see the three Dimitrescu sisters and your friends all in your room, waiting for you.

“Just when I thought I’d have a peaceful end to my night.” You sigh as you walk over to your bed.

“How did it go?” Daniela asks, beaming with excitement.

“It went well. Ylenia cooked some really good food.” You respond, taking off your necklace and placing it on your nightstand.

“We don’t care about the food! We want to know what happened between you and the Lady.” Catalina says.

“We ate, had some wine, and we talked. Satisfied?”

“No, I’m not satisfied, did you finally confess? Who confessed first?” The girl asks, grabbing you by the shoulders.

“Yes, and she did, sort of.” You respond, a wide grin appears on Catalina's face as she bounces up and down.

“What do you mean sort of?” Mara and Bela ask in unison.

“Well…” You trail off before explaining how the conversation went. How you both pretended to have other people you were interested in. “After that, she asked me if I wanted to be her companion.”

“What did you say?” Cassandra asks, nearly falling over after leaning forward in your chair.

“I said yes, but then I asked if I could continue working.”

“Why would you do that? You won’t need to work now, are you insane or just plain stupid?” The brunette asks with a scoff.

“I like working, and there’s nothing wrong with getting paid. Even if the woman paying me is also my… girlfriend… now. That’s weird to say.”

“What happened after that?” Olivia asks.

“We just continued talking and eating. Nothing too exciting.” You respond, omitting the portion of your dinner where she kept bringing up other things to occupy your time.

“I’m glad this is all over with. It was getting annoying watching Mother drool over you for a year.” Cassandra says with a roll of her eyes.

“I thought it was cute. Mother’s never acted like this over a maid before.” Daniela says with a warm smile.

“So, Y/N was the first person the Lady has ever acted like this toward?” Mara asks.

“She probably wasn’t the first, ever, but the first that I’ve seen.” The redhead responds.

“I’m happy for you, Y/N. I hope she makes you happy too, you deserve it.” Olivia says as she hugs you briefly.

“Thank you, Liv.” You respond with a smile. “Now, as much as I want to continue talking, I’m sleepy. I love you guys, but you have to get out.” You stand from the bed and walk over to the door, opening it.

Everyone stands from their seats and exits your room. You say your goodnights to each of them before closing the door. You take off your dress, hanging it up next to your uniforms, and change into your nightwear. You didn’t bother taking off the little makeup you had on and crawled into bed. You turned off your light and pulled the covers over your body, eventually falling asleep with a smile on your face.

Chapter Text

You awoke the next morning full of energy and excitement. You were finally going back to work! You exited the bathroom after your morning shower and quickly dressed, putting your hair up into a bun. You felt an odd sense of comfort when you fixed your necklace under the collar of your maid’s outfit, it felt good to wear it again. Maybe you were peculiar. You’d only been out of commission for a week, but you felt like years had passed since you last worked. One last look in the mirror to check your appearance and you’re good to go. 

You joined your friends at your usual table. Once you four were seated with your meals, almost all the eyes in the room were on the door as Irina entered. She was practically seething with rage as she took her seat. She must have heard of you and Alcina’s courtship, word travels in fast in the castle.

“She does not look happy.” Catalina says with an audible exhalation through her mouth.

“I know, be careful Y/N. Do whatever you can to avoid her.” Olivia says with concern painted across her face.

“I will. I have to see if Alcina has spoken to her yet, maybe that’s why she’s so angry.” You say, pushing around your breakfast. 

“What exactly did she say to you when she threatened you?” Mara asks.

“I don’t remember everything, but she mentioned leaving me alone if I quit, and if I didn’t, she’d get ugly.” You respond. 

“As if she isn’t already ugly.” Catalina scoffs, rolling her eyes.

“I thought the same thing when she told me that.” You say with a chortle. “But if she does try to do anything to me, I’m sure Alcina will stop her before anything bad happens.” 

“Speaking of the Lady, are you going to continue to work for her?” Olivia asks, tilting her head slightly.

“Yeah, I made that decision last night. I genuinely enjoy working and though I know I could get literally anything I wanted if I asked, I like doing my share.” You respond with a shrug of your shoulders. The week you had off was long enough to know that you needed to work. 

“Just don’t overwork yourself like last time. If you die, I’ll kill you.” Catalina says kicking your leg under the table. You wince, shooting a glare at the girl.

“Cat, that makes no sense, but thanks for the sentiment. I guess.” You roll your eyes, standing from your seat to return your dishes. Once your friends had returned their dishes, You followed Mara and Catalina to the kitchen, while Olivia went in a different direction.

Once you entered the kitchen, you greeted Ylenia with a big smile.

“Back in the saddle huh?” Ylenia says as she and the other kitchen staff prepare the Dimitrescu’s breakfast. 

You collect the items you need to prepare the Lady’s tea and give the silverware an extra polish. You place the kettle on the stove to boil the water before putting the tea leaves in the teapot. As you wait for the water to boil, you help Mara and Catalina load the cart with all the food for this morning. The food looks surprisingly normal, making you wonder if there’s any blood or flesh in today’s breakfast. Once the water’s boiling, you pour enough into the teapot and let it steep. You grab sugar cubes, and milk and place them on the cart next to the tea. The three of you wait for the signal to enter the dining hall to serve the first meal of the day. Once you hear your Lady clap, you hold the door open and allow Mara to wheel the cart into the other room.

As soon as you enter, Alcina’s eyes are on you. She watches your every move as you place teacups in front of her and her daughters, before pouring them all tea. The daughters all give you knowing glances as they watch the silent interaction going on between you and the Lady. After you’re done pouring the tea, you place the teapot back on the cart and make your way to your usual corner. 

“Y/N?” Alcina gestures you forward. You approach her and stand to the side.

“Yes, My Lady?” You ask with your hands clasped behind your back.

“Would you be a dear and fetch my wine? I’m not particularly in the mood for tea this morning.” 

“Of course, My Lady. I will clear this for you.” You pause, grabbing Alcina’s teacup before turning to her. “Are the girls having wine as well?” You turn to each daughter and they’re looking to their mother with pleading eyes. Alcina nods, earning wide smiles from each daughter. “Very well, allow me to remove the teacups from the table.” 

You collect each teacup and place them on the cart. You step into the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine and four glasses. Once back in the dining room, you place one glass in front of each Dimitrescu before popping the cork out of the wine. You pour Alcina’s first, then the sisters’ in order of oldest to youngest. You stand next to Alcina with the bottle in your hands as you wait to see who will need their glass refilled. Your eyes land on Alcina’s lips as she sips her wine, and you begin to wonder what they would feel like against your own. Warmth begins to creep up your neck, traveling to your ears. You force yourself to stare at the wall to calm your wandering mind (and eyes). 

“Y/N, why are you still working if you’re Mother’s companion?” Daniela asks, pointing her fork in your direction. That seems to be today’s hot topic. 

“I like working Miss Daniela. I was given the option to stop working but I much prefer having something to do.” You answer with a soft smile.

“Is Mother not something to do? Or are you a ‘saving yourself for marriage’ kind of girl?” Cassandra asks, causing Alcina to choke on her wine mid-sip. Your face immediately warmed up at the middle child’s question and you’d wished that Mara and Cat weren’t in the room. You were sure to be questioned or teased later.

“Cassandra, where are your manners!?” Alcina asks, anger in her tone. This causes the brunette to sink in her hair.

“Sorry, Mother.” She says with a small pout on her face.

You look over your shoulder to see Catalina with a smirk on her face. Rolling your eyes, you face forward. For the remainder of breakfast, you refill wine glasses as needed as Alcina and the girls eat. Once they’re finished, the daughters are dismissed, and they dissolve into swarms of flies. You work with Mara and Catalina to clear the table and you turn to exit with them when you’re stopped by your Lady.

“Y/N, I apologize for Cassandra’s remarks. If she made you uncomfortable at all, please let me know.” Alcina says with an apologetic look in her eyes.

“It’s okay, Alcina. I wasn’t uncomfortable, just… I didn’t know how to react. Usually, it’s Cat who teases me about intimacy. Or, you know… you.” You respond, casting a glance off to the side. Alcina lets out a chuckle, causing you to look at her in confusion. 

“Just out of curiosity, have you ever thought about it, being intimate?” Alcina asks, taking your hand in hers. She looks down at you with half-lidded eyes and a raised brow. 

“M-maybe once or twice after I finished Carmilla and the novel you recommended. H-have you thought about it?” You ask, swallowing thickly as a familiar heat starts in the pit of your stomach and spreads throughout your body. 

“Yes, I have. But… I don’t want to rush into anything with you and if the teasing gets to be too much, just tell me to stop and I will.” Alcina says, stroking your knuckles with her thumb. You nod, feeling a little more at ease.

“I will,” You pause, thinking of what to say next. Your brain defaults to work, and anything work-related. “What are my tasks for today? I’ve been thinking about work since I woke up.”

“I have things to take care of down in the cellar today so I will leave you to do as you wish. However, if you are feeling inclined, the bookcases in the library need to be dusted. But no extra tasks, if I find out you’re working more than you need to, there will be consequences.” Alcina says, leaning back in her chair with a devilish grin.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Alcina.” You respond with a wink. You figured you’d try to match Alcina’s flirtatious energy.

“Where’d this brazen attitude come from all of a sudden? Just a minute ago you were just stammering at the thought of being intimate with me.” 

“What can I say, you bring out a different side of me.” You respond with a shrug. 

“Well, I like it. I do hope I can see this Y/N more often.” Alcina pauses, smirking. “I hate to cut our conversation short, but I must be off. Thank you for a pleasant start to my day, my darling.” Alcina says with a smile, making your heart skip a beat at the term of endearment. You were her darling. She stands from her chair, still holding your hand.

“Of course.” You smile as your cheeks turn a soft pink color. “I’ll be in the library if you need me.” You finish as you finally pull your hand away from Alcina’s. She bends at the waist and plants a soft kiss upon your cheek before exiting the dining room. 

You return to the kitchen to help Mara and Cat clean the dishes from breakfast. Upon entering, the room goes silent, save for the sounds of running water and porcelain crashing together in the sink.

“What?” You ask, eying your friends suspiciously.

“I wish I could have seen the look on your face earlier. I was trying so hard not to laugh.” Catalina says, doubling over as her shoulders shake from stifle laughter.

“You and Cassandra are a match made in heaven; both incredibly irritating.” You retort as you grab a rag to begin drying the dishes.

“I’ll ignore the insult, but you think we’d be good together?” Cat pauses, taking a second to ponder the suggestion. The faintest shade of pink paints her face. 

“Why do you ask? Unless…” You trail off, coming to a realization. “You like Cassandra?!” 

“It took you over a year to realize the Lady liked you, but now it takes you less than ten seconds to realize Cat likes Miss Cassandra?” Mara asks, handing you dishes that needed to be dried.

“Listen, I’m no expert when it comes to these things. Some realizations happen sooner than others.” You respond to Mara before turning your attention to Cat. “You should tell her Cat. Be upfront with her, she’ll appreciate that.” 

“I don’t know, Y/N, what if she doesn’t feel the same?” 

“You’ll never know until you try. Mara, if you liked one of the sisters, what would you do?” You ask, placing the dry dishes in the cupboards.

“I would get to know her or try to spend time with her first. For instance, I know that Miss Bela likes reading, and I do too. I would try to connect with her over that shared interest.” 

“Do each of you like one of the sisters?” You ask, looking between your friends. 

“My situation was completely hypothetical.” Mara says with a defensive tone. 

“Yeah, and I’m the fifth lord.” Cat says, rolling her eyes.

“Does Liv like Daniela? If so, I have a lot of matchmaking to do.” You chuckle, putting the last of the dishes away.

“I’ve never heard Olivia mention Miss Daniela in a way that would indicate any feelings, but she’s not very talkative.” Mara had a point, but you’d have to talk to all of them to be sure.

“I’ll talk to Liv about it later, I’m going to the library. I’ll see you guys at lunch.” You say as you approach the door leaving the kitchen. Mara and Cat nod before continuing their tasks. 

On the way to the library, you stop by a supply closet to fetch a duster and a clean rag. When you arrive, you immediately get to work on dusting the shelves. You probably should have brought a ladder with you.

About an hour into dusting, you hear the library doors open. Assuming it’s Alcina, you don’t bother turning around.

“Finished in the cellar?” You ask, wiping your hands on your uniform.

“What? Why would I be in the cellar?” The other person speaks, causing your body to tense. You recognize that voice anywhere. Irina was in the library, not Alcina. 

“Sorry, Irina, I thought you were Lady Dimitrescu. Can I help you with something?” You ask, finally turning around to meet the girl’s gaze. The same angered expression from earlier paints her face. She approaches you, pinning you against the bookcase.

“I. Hate. You. From the moment you walked in the castle, the Lady has been paying less and less attention to me, now you’re her companion? She was mine, and you took her away from me.” Irina says, poking you repeatedly in the shoulder.

“Wait a minute,” You pause, swatting Irina’s hand away. “Lady Dimitrescu was never yours to begin with, and you’re sadly mistaken if you think you can just claim her like that. You were a snack – a quick bite to satiate her hunger – nothing more.” You say, pushing past Irina to move on to the next bookcase. 

You’re stopped when her hand catches your wrist. You snatch it away only for her to grab it again and pull you to the floor. Before you can get up, you’re met with a sharp pain in your abdomen, near your ribcage. Irina had just kicked you. You didn’t have enough time to register what just happened before another painful kick meets your ribs. You double over, coughing and clutching your side. She’s about to kick again but you roll out the way before her foot can make contact. You manage to stand, your legs shaky and your side throbbing. 

“What the fuck is your problem?” You ask, your voice hoarse as you struggle to breathe.

“You’re my problem. I told you that if you didn’t quit, I’d get ugly.” Irina responds, cracking her knuckles. 

You take a moment to breathe as you distance yourself from the angry maid. You’d never been in a fight before, but if there’s anything you learned from having three older brothers, it’s that the heel of your hand to the center of the face is an instantly broken nose. But you didn’t want to fight, not when it could have been avoided. You had to get Alcina. You make a beeline for the door, but you’re not able to leave when Irina blocks the door.

“Move.” You say through gritted teeth. Irina pushes you backward and you stumble over the leg to one of the chairs. 

You fall to the floor once again but instead of kicking you, Irina moves to straddle your body. You try to push her off, but she punches you square in the jaw. You try to dodge her fists, moving your head from side to side. Blow after blow, you found that she wasn’t relenting.

“You ruined my life… I hope you die… I hate you.” Irina kept repeating in between swings

You stop one of her hands but the other makes contact with your nose. You felt a crack before warm liquid began to spill down the side of your head. Irina pauses once she sees the blood pouring out your nose, giving you an opening to swing back. You connect with the side of her face which was enough to knock her off of you. You climb on top of her and wrap your hands around Irina’s neck. All the pent-up anger of the past year surrounding her began to boil over, sending you into a blind rage. You begin applying pressure as the blood from your nose spills onto Irina’s face.

“S-she’ll only… get rid of you… when you’re no longer… a maiden.” Irina struggles through strangled breaths. 

“You’re wrong. Alcina wouldn’t do that to me.” You scoff, squeezing harder.

“She just wants… your blood… pathetic virgin.”

“You’re wrong!” You exclaim, your voice raising.

“She doesn’t care… about you. She’ll cast you aside just like she did me!” Irina exclaims, practically spitting in your face.

“YOU’RE WRONG!” You scream, putting all your weight into your arms. As Irina struggles less and less under you, you realize you were killing her. 

You release her neck and climb off Irina, retreating to sit against a bookcase. You pull your knees to your chest as your pulse quickens. You hear Irina gasping for air, but the sound soon fades as an anxiety attack sneaks up on you. Your whole body begins to tremble, you start hyperventilating, and you wished more than anything to be held by someone. You haven’t had a panic attack since you were a teenager, and it was not a feeling you missed. 

You felt a sense of calm wash over you when you saw Alcina burst through the library doors. Irina had scrambled over to her, tugging on the bottom of her dress.

“My Lady, Y/N tried to kill me! Please help me, I don’t want to die!” Irina pleads. It was true that you tried to kill her, but not before she tried killing you. Anger paints Alcina’s face as she finally sees you curled against a bookcase, bloody and shaking. She pushes Irina away as she rushes over to kneel beside you. She pulls you against her, rubbing the back of your head gently.

“Y/N, dear, you’re okay, I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay.” Alcina murmurs, using her dress to wipe the blood from your face. 

“Alcina…” You trail off, the vibrations of your voice traveling through your broken nose, causing you to wince.

“Shh, I’m here my darling. Can you tell me what happened?” Alcina asks, helping you stand.

You honestly explain everything that happened between you and Irina, every word and detail. If you lied, Alcina would know. When you finish your explanation, Alcina turns to Irina, extending her claws to their full length. You grab the back of her dress, stopping her.

“Please, don’t. I don’t think she deserves to die.” You plead.

“What do you think should happen to her? She made it very clear that she wanted you dead, and for that, I cannot forgive her.” Alcina says, her expression twisted to that of intense anger.

“Fire her, ban her from the castle, anything. Just… please don’t kill her.” Alcina sighs, finally retracting her claws. 

“You’re full of shit, you know that Y/N?” Irina says, earning a slap across the face from Alcina.

“I want you out of my sight and out of my castle. If I ever see you within these walls after this morning, I will slice you to ribbons!” Alcina exclaims. This is the first time you’ve ever seen her so angry. Irina rushes to the door with tears in her eyes. 

“My Lady please, I-” Irina starts

“Get out NOW!” Alcina interrupts, the sound of her voice reverberating through the library. It was likely heard throughout the whole castle. Irina leaves the library, and her sobs can be heard on the other side before they eventually fade. 

“Thank you, Alcina.” You say as you take her hand in yours. Alcina’s expression softens as she looks at you with concern.

“You don’t need to thank me, dearest, I am just glad that you’re okay. We need to get your nose looked at. Is there anywhere else you might have been injured?” 

“My ribs, she kicked me really hard.” You say, cradling your side. Alcina picks you up suddenly, and you let out a yelp, wrapping your hands around her neck. She holds you close to her as she walks toward the door. She pushes it open with her free hand and exits with you in her arms. The two of you walk through the halls of the castle and you can tell that Alcina is troubled by something. 

“I will have Bela look at your wounds. I’m sorry she did this to you; I didn’t think she’d resort to violence because of jealousy. I neglected to speak to her before you became my companion.” 

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. I’m just glad you came when you did. Before you showed up, I… I almost killed her. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did.” You respond, burying your face in Alcina’s neck. The scent of her perfume calms you even more.

“I know, dear, you made the right choice. She won’t be able to hurt you anymore, I won’t allow it.” Alcina says, rubbing your back.

Alcina walks you to her chambers and rests you on the bed. She calls for her daughters and within seconds, there’s buzzing and knocking on her door. Alcina opens the door and in pours her daughters. They see you on the bed looking worse for wear and rush over to you. 

“Mother, what happened?” Bela asks, looking over your body.

“Irina attacked Y/N in the library but she’s already-”

“Where is she, I’ll kill her.” Daniela interrupts, angered.

“Calm down, Daniela, dear. Per Y/N’s request, I fired her and banned her from the castle. After almost killing Irina herself, Y/N felt she didn’t deserve to die.”

“Whoa, you almost killed someone? Holy shit, I didn’t know you had it in you Human!” Cassandra exclaims, earning a glare from her mother. 

“Her nose looks broken, but I can easily reset it. Does she have any other injuries?” Bela questions, tilting your head from side to side.

“Her ribs, Irina kicked her in the abdomen. Thank you, Bela.” Alcina says, smiling at her eldest. 

“Y/N, I need to remove your uniform. Can you sit up?” The blonde asks. You use your arms for support as you push yourself off the bed. 

You undo the buttons of your uniform, taking your necklace from underneath the collar, and let it fall off your shoulders. You try to fight the blush that appears on your cheeks as you stand in the middle of Alcina’s room in nothing but your underwear. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too much trouble to ask for uniform pants instead of the dresses. You sit on the edge of the bed and let Bela examine your body. She presses into your side a few times, and you wince. 

“There’s going to be some bruising, but nothing is broken. I’m going to go get some supplies then I’ll be back to reset your nose.” Bela says, handing you your uniform. You stand to put it back on as the three sisters swarm out of the room. 

Once they return, you’re back in your original position in Alcina’s bed, laying with your shoulders against the headboard, fully clothed.

“This is going to hurt Y/N, are you ready?” Bela asks as she sets up gauze and bandages. You nod.

“Here, hold my hand.” Daniela says, extending her arm out to you. You grab her hand and take a deep breath. 

Bela places her hands on either side of your nose. She begins to gently push it in one direction, earning another wince from you. 

“Okay, on the count of three…” Bela pauses, taking a deep breath. “One… two… three.” On three, Bela pushes your nose in the correct place. 

You let out a string of cuss words and swears at the pain, but it quickly subsides. Bela then holds some gauze to your nostrils as more blood pours out. She grabs your hand and makes you hold the gauze while she tapes more over the bridge of your nose. The blonde replaces the gauze under your nose with some fresh ones before securing that with medical tape. 

“Your nose will heal in a few weeks. Until then, don’t do anything that could irritate or damage the area. Change your bandages every other day unless they get wet; if that happens change them immediately.” Bela explains, cleaning up her supplies.

“That means no rough, passionate make-out sessions with Mother.” Cassandra adds, obviously having not learned her lesson from this morning.

“Cassandra, one more remark from you and I’ll take your sickles” Alcina chastises. The brunette gasps and shakes her head vigorously. You can’t help but laugh at the interaction.

“Thank you, Miss Bela, I don’t do anything that will stop my nose from healing properly.” You smile at the blonde. You let go of Daniela’s hand as she and Cassandra stand, joining Bela as they exit the room.

Alcina closes the door after they leave and moves to sit beside you on the bed. You remember what Irina said to you about your blood, but you knew that it couldn’t be true. You bled all over Alcina’s dress and bled even more just a few moments ago. If she only wanted you for your blood, she would have done something. 

“Miss Bela seems very knowledgeable when it comes to medicine.” You say as you reach up and pull your hair out. You shake your head to loosen it up a bit.

“She’s always been interested in science and medicine. She’s read so many books about it that she could practically be a doctor.” Alcina responds with a fond smile.

“She’s a lot like Mara, she used to study at a science academy before working at the castle.”

“Yes, I’m aware. Bela has asked me about her before, she seemed to show interest.” Your eyes widen at the statement and Alcina looks at you with a puzzled expression.

“Is something the matter dear?” Alcina asks.

“It’s just that, I think Mara might like Miss Bela. We were talking about it after breakfast because Catalina likes Miss Cassandra.” You mentally curse yourself for having admitted your friends’ feelings to their crushes’ mother (that’s a lot to think about).

“Well, that is exciting news. Perhaps we will have to set them up, no?” Alcina asks. You look at her face for any signs of anger and you find none. She was being serious.

“Uh, I think we should let their relationships form organically. We shouldn’t intervene too much because it could go wrong.” 

“A wise decision. Very well, we’ll stay out of it.” Alcina smiles taking your hand in hers. “Is there anything you need? I know today was supposed to be your return to work, but it would make me feel better if you stayed in here. I’ll have your meals sent up and inform your friends of what happened.”

“Will you stay and… hold me?” You ask as you look off to the side. 

“Of course, dragă mea.” Alcina says before climbing into the bed next to you. You turned to face her as you nestled into her side. Alcina wrapped her arms around you and placed a sweet kiss upon the crown of your head. She began gently stroking your hair as she held you close. 

You felt content. You felt safe. Eventually, you drifted off and slept for the majority of the day. You were only woken up when it was time for you to eat your lunch and your dinner.

Later that evening, your friends had stopped by to check on you. You were still cuddled into Alcina’s side and while it was incredibly embarrassing to be seen like this, you were comfortable and that mattered more. You explained to them what happened between you and Irina, and you could see each of them growing angrier as the story progressed.

“I can’t believe she actually attacked you. I mean, I knew she was crazy but not  that  crazy.” Catalina says, making animated facial expressions as she spoke.

“I’m just glad you’re okay, Y/N. Now that she’s gone, you won’t have to worry about avoiding her.” Olivia says, smiling softly.

“Thank the gods for that.” You chuckle. 

“How long before your nose heals?” Mara asks, looking at your bandaged face.

“Bela said a few weeks, she’s the one who treated me. She’s really into science, just like you Mara.” You respond, wiggling your brows at your friend.

“That’s um, that’s good. We should probably go to bed, right guys?” Mara asks, turning to Catalina and Olivia as her cheeks turn red. 

“But I wasn’t done talking, we barely-” Catalina starts

“It’s getting late, Cat. Y/N needs her rest.” Mara interrupts, pulling Catalina away by her collar. Olivia stands and gives Alcina a bow before following your other friends out of the room. 

“Are you going to your room darling?” Alcina asks.

“I was hoping I could stay in here with you tonight. I don’t really want to be alone.” You respond, readjusting your position so you can meet Alcina’s gaze.

“You’re more than welcome to stay, my dear.” Alcina replies with a smile.

“Thank you again, Alcina. I just need to change my clothes first and I’ll be right back.” You finish before sitting up and getting down from the bed. 

You leave Alcina’s room and walk next door to your own. You remove your uniform and throw it on your bed. You didn’t bother to hang it up as you looked through your things for your nightwear. You settle for a nightgown and throw it over your head before letting it fall down your body. You exit your room and return next door to Alcina’s. Before you can knock, you hear  ‘enter’  from the other side. You open the door and find that Alcina has already changed and has begun to remove her makeup. 

You crawl into the bed and pull the covers over your body as you wait for Alcina to finish. You can’t help but admire the way her silk nightgown hugs every curve of her body (and imagine what it would look like off), how the moonlight bounces off her pale grey skin, and how her unpinned curls fall over her shoulders. Alcina was absolutely beautiful. You pull the covers up over your face to hid your blush as Alcina makes eye contact with you through the mirror. 

She stands from her vanity and makes her way over to the bed. You feel it dip as she takes a seat and swings her legs over. She joins you under the covers and reaches to your side to pull you close. Still hiding under the covers, you settle into her side, much like earlier. Alcina pulls the cover down, revealing your fully flushed face.

“I can hear your heartbeat, what has you so worked up?” Alcina asks, caressing the back of your head.

“I was just… thinking.” You respond, looking away.

“Thinking about what, my dear?” 

“How good you look in your nightgown, and… how good you’d look  out  of your nightgown.” You say softly, practically whispering the last part. 

“Perhaps when you are healed you’ll get an opportunity to see. For now, you need to rest.” Alcina says, adjusting her position so that she’s laying down with you. Just how were you supposed to sleep when she says something like that?

Alcina throws her arm over your side, being careful not to irritate your ribs. You rest your head on her chest as you lay your arm across it. The sound and gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathes is enough to calm you down and you’re able to sleep once more. In the comfort of your companion’s arms. 

Chapter Text

You awoke the next morning with a throbbing headache. You let out a tired groan and tried to roll over when you felt a large arm firmly holding you in place. You open your eyes to find Alcina peacefully sleeping next to you. She was breathtaking even when she slept. You blink a few times; stunned that you weren’t dreaming. You didn’t remember much of what happened yesterday, but you somehow ended up in Alcina’s bed. Did you two… no, that can’t be it. Your body would have remembered if you did.

You reach up to rub the sleep from your eyes and felt the bandages that covered your nose.

“That’s right, I had that fight with Irina yesterday.” You say softly. Alcina shifts next to you before her eyes flutter open. You're met with a warm smile as the Lazy gazes sleepily into your eyes.

“Good morning, my dear.” Alcina murmurs, her voice low and groggy.

“Good morning, Alcina.” You respond, returning the gesture. You use your arms to push yourself into a sitting position, wincing at the pain in your side. It wasn’t nearly as bad as your head, but it wasn’t pleasant. 

“You shouldn’t be moving; you’re hurt. Rest some more.” Alcina says, looking at you with a face full of worry. 

“I can’t stay in bed. I just went back to work, and I’m sure my boss wouldn’t be happy if I missed any more days.” You chuckle weakly. Alcina withdraws her arm and moves to sit up, letting out a small groan as she stretches her limbs.

“I spoke to her; she’s encouraged you to take all the time you need to heal.” Alcina says, placing a hand atop your thigh. You lean against her, sighing. 

“You know I can’t do that. Who’s going to make sure your files are organized, and your bookcases are dusted?” 

“The bookcases could collect a thousand years’ worth of dust before I let you work while injured.” 

“So, you’re saying you’d keep me around for a thousand years? You like me that much huh?” You ask with a smirk, looking up to meet Alcina’s gaze.

“You have no idea, darling.” Alcina sighs softly, smiling at you.

“Well, according to Miss Cassandra, you’ve been drooling over me for a year.” 

“How could I not? I wanted you from the moment I found out how delectable you tasted.” Alcina smirks, her voice lowering in pitch and volume. Normally, you’d react by blushing, but after the things Irina said to you, you were only worried.

“What’s wrong dear? You usually blush when I tease you like that, should I stop?” Alcina asks, her facial expressions contorted with worry.

“No, it’s just- Irina said you just wanted my blood and… that when I was no longer a virgin, you’d cast me aside.” 

“Y/N, initially, that is what I wanted from you. But…” Alcina trails off, her eyes glazing over. “when I saw how much my daughters adored you, how much happier you seemed, the reason I wanted you changed. Virgin or not, I would never cast you aside. You are worth more to me than just a quick rouse in the sheets and a few sips of blood. It is your heart that I want. Though, I suppose allowing me to drink from the source would be a bonus.” She lets out a light chuckle and you can’t help but smile. Irina was wrong about everything, and now you don’t have to worry about her ever again. 

“Alcina?” You ask, fiddling with the sheets as your nerves begin to stir.

“Yes, my dear?”

“May I… may I kiss you?” You bite your lip as you look away, not wanting to see the expression on your Lady’s face. Especially if she was angry.

You feel the bed shift and look to see why. Alcina had adjusted her position so that her face was level with yours. She reaches over and cups your cheek, and you lean into the touch. You meet her gaze, her golden irises illuminated by the light of the sun. Her eyes flicker between your own and your lips before she leans in. As the distance between the two of you decreases, your heart begins to pound. When your lips finally meet, it’s everything you’ve ever wanted. Tender, sweet, languid… full of feelings that neither of you expressed. You wrap your arms around her neck to bring her closer. Her hand moves from your cheek to the middle of your back before she pushes your body further into hers. Your mouth opens in a gasp as her hand dips lower and Alcina uses that opportunity to push her tongue into your mouth.

You’re not sure how much time has passed, you didn’t care. Your nose and side were hurting, you didn’t care. All that mattered at that moment was Alcina and the way she held you as the two of you kissed; like she’d never let you go. But alas, a moment like this could only last so long as there was knocking heard from the other side of the door. Alcina pulled away begrudgingly, and you whined at the loss of the sensation of her lips against yours.

“Mother?” Daniela’s voice called from the hallway.

“Come in.” Alcina responded, seemingly annoyed. You rested against her shoulder, breathing deeply to calm your wildly beating heart.

The door opens and Daniela enters the room, followed by her sisters.

“Good morning Mother- oh!” The redhead pauses when she sees you. “Hi, Y/N! I didn’t know you were in here.”

“Good morning, Miss Daniela.” You respond timidly, could she not hear your heartbeat? 

“Good morning, girls. What brings you three here so early?” Alcina asks as she removes her arm and folds her hands on her lap.

“Go on Cass, tell Mother why we’re here.” Bela says with a smirk as she nudges the brunette. 

“Bela, I will kill you.” Cassandra responds coldly, glaring at her older sister.

“Cassandra wanted to come to see how Y/N was doing. She was so worried.” Daniela says, flashing a devilish grin at Cassandra. Cassandra growls as she corners the redhead, but their soon-to-be sibling spat is quickly put to an end with a reprimand from Alcina.

“I appreciate your concern, Miss Cassandra. I’m much better than I was yesterday, but my face is unfortunately still broken. Too bad I can’t heal instantly as you all can.” You chuckle. Though she didn’t show it often, you knew Cass cared for you as much as her mother and sisters.

“I was not concerned. I knew you’d be fine because Mother would see to it that you were.” Cassandra deflects with a huff, most likely to hide her embarrassment.

“By the way, Mother, a letter arrived for you from Uncle Karl yesterday.” Bela says as she hands Alcina a folded note with a wax seal on it. The wax seal looked like a horse head and horseshoe, which you assumed was his crest. Alcina opens the letter and as she reads it, her brows furrow with annoyance. She crumples the letter and places it on the nightstand.

“What does it say?” Cassandra asks.

“‘Coming over for lunch tomorrow at noon sis’. The nerve of that man-child   to assume he can just show up here whenever he wants.” Alcina scoffs.

“Um, to be fair Mother, he did send word beforehand.” Bela adds in defense.

“This is  my  castle, Bela. I did not extend him an invitation, nor do I want to be bothered with the likes of him today. I have more pressing matters to attend to.” 

“And those would be laying in bed all day smooching your precious companion?” Cassandra quips. You blush furiously and try to hide it by covering your face with your hands. The pain from your broken nose prevents you from doing so. 

“Cassandra, I’m warning you.” Alcina growls.  

“We can keep him company, that way you can stay and look after Y/N.” Daniela suggests. 

“It would be impolite of me to do so. A guest is a guest and no matter how much I may detest them, I won’t be a bad host.” Alcina sighs. It is obvious that she doesn’t want to leave you. 

“Can I come with you?” You ask, looking up at Alcina.

“You should rest, I don’t want you working.” She responds, her tone having less edge than earlier.

“I won’t try to work, I promise. I would like to meet Lord Heisenberg. Please, Al- My Lady?” You ask, quickly correcting yourself. Your eyes shift to the daughters, and they all give you knowing looks.

Alcina takes a moment to ponder your request before eventually giving in. “Very well,” She starts, swinging her legs over to sit on the edge of the bed. “If accompanying me is what you wish, then you may.”

“Thank you, My Lady.” You respond with a wide grin. You were somewhat excited to finally meet another Lord. You had a brief interaction with Lady Beneviento and Angie, and something in you knew that your assumptions of them were wrong. You hoped that you would be wrong about Lord Heisenberg too. 

Alcina stands and moves to sit at her vanity. She rummages through one of the drawers and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. She places one in the holder and lights it, taking a long drag from it. 

“I will be down shortly. Will you send for a maid to bring Y/N something to eat?” Alcina asks, dismissing her daughters. 

They respond in unison before swarming out of the room, closing the door behind them. A brief uncomfortable silence falls upon the room while you think of something to say that could ease Alcina’s tension. 

“What should I wear?” You ask, tilting your head to the side. 

“What?” Alcina asks in response, turning in her seat to face you.

“What should I wear to meet Lord Heisenberg? When I met Lady Beneviento and Miss Angie, I had on my uniform. Since a certain Lady won’t allow me to work, I want to look nice. Dress to impress, you know?” You say as you move the covers from over your legs. You slowly get down from the bed, being careful not to make any sudden movements, and walk over to the vanity. 

“You always look amazing, my darling. However, since you asked, you looked positively ravishing in your black slacks and turtleneck. Will you wear that ensemble for me again? I would very much prefer to look at you than that fool Heisenberg.” Alcina places her cigarette holder on the vanity. She smirks as she takes your hands in hers. She pulls you into her lap, cradling your back and side with her arm and placing her other hand on your lap. From the way your cheeks are burning, you knew that you were blushing again. 

“If you like the way I look in pants, can I start wearing them for a uniform? I don’t mind the dresses but having to completely strip to be examined was nerve-wracking. With pants, I can be comfortable, and you have an excuse to ogle me.” You respond with a wink. 

“I will have some new uniforms tailored for you. I should warn you though, I will have a hard time keeping my hands to myself.” 

“Lacking self-restraint is very unbecoming of you, My Lady. Am I that irresistible?” You jest, your tone full of sarcasm.

“You’re becoming quite the tease. Are you sure that it is a wise decision?” Alcina asks, raising her brow at you.

“Are you going to punish me for it?” 

“Not until you’re fully healed. Afterward, I will show you a true lack of self-restraint, my little minx.” Alcina says as she cups your face, running her thumb over your lips. She knows the game you’re trying to play, and she knows that she’s just won. The smirk that appears on her face as you shudder is conformation of that.

“I should- I should probably- what is taking them so long with my breakfast?” You quickly change the subject to which Alcina responds with a deep chuckle. 

“Don’t dish out what you can’t take, my dear.” Alcina says as her hand moves back to your lap. 

“You don’t play fair.” You pout, crossing your arms over your chest. 

“I’ve been doing this far longer than you darling. I know just what to say to make you crumble.” Alcina says, placing a kiss on your forehead.

The two of you sit in comfortable silence until another knock is heard on the door. Alcina permits whoever it is to enter, and Catalina comes in with a tray of food for you. Alcina ushers her over and she sets the tray on the vanity. 

“How are you?” Catalina asks, furrowing her brows in concern.

“I’m fine, Cat. I won’t be with you to serve breakfast today though; I’m not allowed to work.” You say with a mock annoyed tone, glaring at Alcina.

“It’s for the best. What if you dropped a book on your face or something? You can never be too sure.” 

“Exactly Catalina, Y/N will try to work against her better judgement. Will you and Mara make sure that she doesn’t?” Alcina asks, smiling at your friend.

“Yes, My Lady, I will inform Mara of your request.” Cat says with a bow.

“Thank you, dear. You are dismissed.” Alcina finishes. Cat gives another bow before taking her leave. As she closes the door, she shoots you a wink. You know you’re going to be teased later.

“You know, I don’t exactly like the idea of you teaming up with my friend like that.” 

“They know what’s good for you, and they know you will try to work if I’m not around. We only care about you, dragă mea.” Alcina says, grabbing a fork full of food and bringing it to your mouth. You sit upright and take the fork from her. You turn around so you can eat your breakfast. 

“I know, I know. It’s just… having people care for me is weird.” You sigh.

“You’re very independent, I understand that, but let us- let me take care of you.” 

“It’ll take some getting used to, but I’m willing to make a compromise.” You respond as you shovel a forkful of food into your mouth. 

You eat the rest of your breakfast on Alcina’s lap and when you’re finished, she helps you down. You feel a sharp pain in your side and wince, grabbing at the area. Irina really did a number on you, and you’re starting to regret not finishing her off yourself. Alcina notices you grabbing at your side and turns you around to face her. 

“May I take a look?” Alcina asks, concern showing in her features. You nod and slowly lift your nightgown. You look down and see that a large bruise covers almost half of your abdomen. It didn’t look good, but Bela told you nothing was broken so the pain was only on the surface. Alcina looked angry as her eyes wandered your body. She grazed the area with her fingertips, making sure not to hurt you. 

“If I ever see her again, I will make her suffer.” Alcina growls. 

“Alcina…”

“I hate that she did this to you. If only I’d have spoken to her sooner she would have never hurt you. I’m so sorry, Y/N.” You let your nightgown fall and take Alcina’s face in your hands, forcing her to look at you.

“It’s not your fault, Alcina. Even if you had spoken to her, she still would have done this. She’s delusional, don’t blame yourself.” Alcina sighs, placing her hands over yours.

“You are right, my dear, I am just glad that you’re okay. If she’d have taken you from me, I- I don’t know what I would do.” 

“It’ll take more than a bat-shit crazy maid to take me out of commission.” You chuckle before your eyes widen at your use of profanity. “Sorry.” 

“It’s alright, Irina is ‘bat-shit crazy’ as you say.” Alcina smiles. You pull your hands away and place them at your sides.

“I’m going to go get ready for the day. Where will I find you when I’m ready?” 

“Come to the opera hall, we’ll have tea and I’ll send for the girls. Then, at noon, I suppose we’ll have lunch with Heisenberg.” Alcina says, grimacing at the mention of her brother. You nod and lean forward to place a kiss on Alcina’s cheek.

“I’ll see you later.” You say before turning and leaving Alcina’s chambers. You lucked out having a room right next to hers because it doesn’t take you long to get there. 

You undress and grab the clothes Alcina had asked you to wear, setting them down on the bed next to your discarded uniform. You’ll clean up tomorrow. You remove your necklace and place it on top of your outfit. You enter your bathroom and run the shower to get it to temperature, you take off your bandages, and prepare fresh ones. Bela most likely left them in there. You step into the shower and the water feels amazing against your skin, soothing the pain in your side to a dull throb. 

After your shower, you dress and let your hair stay down, styling it a bit before you were happy with the look. You change your bandages and try to replicate how Bela had done it. Once you were dressed and your hair was done, the last thing you needed was your necklace. 

You exited your room and traversed through the castle toward the opera hall. Along the way, some maids had given you passing glances, but you paid them no mind. You didn’t care about what anyone thought of you, you never did. When you arrived at the opera hall, it was empty. You figured Alcina and her daughters were still having breakfast. Unsure of what to do, you sat down at the piano. You didn’t know how to play but still pressed down on the keys regardless. Maybe you’ll take lessons so you can play something for Alcina and the girls. Had your parents treated you like the rest of your siblings; you’d have chosen the piano. 

A fair amount of time had passed, and you were still seated at the piano, filling the room with your broken melodies. The sound of the door opening startles you, and you shoot up from the bench. The first thing you see coming through the door is a large black hat, followed by the signature off-white sleeves of Alcina’s dress. She stands to her full height before moving aside to allow her daughters to enter. Daniela’s eyes widen when she sees you at the piano and she rushes over to the piano, beaming with excitement.

“Are you going to play for us?” The youngest Dimitrescu asks, practically buzzing. 

“No, I don’t know how to play the piano. I was just sitting here because I was bored.” You answer. Daniela’s shoulders drop and she pouts for a moment before her eyes are wide again.

“Let me teach you a song!” Daniela suggests, quickly moving to stand beside you. You look over at Alcina with pleading eyes but she’s talking with Bela and Cassandra.

“Please teach me something easy.” You say as you take a seat.

“Here, put your fingers here and play these notes,” She pauses, guiding you through the song. It seems easy so far. “It’s called chopsticks because you use your index fingers to play. Keep playing those notes that I taught you and I’ll handle the rest.” You nod, playing your part. Daniela begins playing further down the piano to accompany you. Hearing how the two of you sound makes you really want to start learning. Maybe then you’ll play with all the girls.

As the song ends, you look over at Daniela with a wide grin. “That was really fun! Will you… continue to teach me, as in giving me lessons?” You ask as you stand from the bench. Daniela bounces up and down, nodding furiously. “Thank you, Miss Daniela.” You say as you begin to walk away from the piano.

“Oh, just Dani is fine.” The redhead responds as she begins to play another piece. 

You walk over to the chaise lounge Alcina is seated on and pull up a chair next to her. Before you’re able to sit, you’re lifted into the air. You let out a yelp as you’re placed into Alcina’s lap, much like earlier. Cassandra makes a gagging sound and Bela just smiles. You look up and see a smile on Alcina’s face as well.

“Is what Miss Daniela said alright? Can I call her by just her name, My Lady?” You ask, leaning against the arm of the lounge.

“You may call all the girls by their names. I’m sure you’ve already dropped the formalities in my absence.” Alcina says with a knowing grin. What isn’t she aware of? You nod as Bela walks over to the two of you.

“How’s your nose?” The blonde asks, scanning your face with her eyes

“It hurt a little earlier, and I saw bruises when I changed my bandages, but overall, I think it’s fine.” You respond.

“Good, just remember not to do anything that would cause more damage, that includes kissing.” Bela says with a smirk, causing your body to stiffen. 

“I um- I won’t, thanks, Bela.” Bela returns to her seat, and you all listen to Daniela play. A knock is heard on the door and Alcina gives word to enter. A maid walks in with a small cart with a teapot, a dark bottle, and five teacups. She serves each of you tea and bows before taking her leave. 

The five of you spend the morning in the opera hall listening to Daniela, chatting, and enjoying each other’s presence. You didn’t take your usual lunch, as you’d be having lunch in a few moments. When the clock struck twelve, Alcina placed you down and stood from her seat. Her features instantly hardened as it was time for Heisenberg to arrive. You all left and made your way to the main hall. 

As you walked through the door, you spotted a dingy-looking man with a brown hat and dark sunglasses sitting in a chair with his feet up on the table. On the floor beside him was a large weapon full of gears and cogs that resembled a hammer, and he had a lit cigar in his mouth. 

“Sis!” He exclaimed when he noticed Alcina. He didn’t bother to stand or even extinguish his cigar, which is really impolite.

“Heisenberg, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Alcina asked sarcastically. Her hands were balled into fists so tight they could burst the seams of her gloves.

“Just thought I’d drop by and see my big sister and my favorite little bugs.” Heisenberg laughs, placing his feet on the floor to stand. The girls all swarm past you and envelop him in a cloud of flies.

“Uncle Karl!” The daughters exclaim as they materialize into their human forms. They all wrap their arms around him in a tight hug, completely dwarfing him. Not only was he rude, but he was also short.

“Who’s the kid with the banged-up face? What happened, you break a teacup and Lady Supersized over here deck you?” He asks, gesturing to Alcina.

“I’m Y/N, the Lady’s personal maid, and no, Lord Heisenberg.” You respond, trying to stifle the laughter at Lord Heisenberg’s nickname for Alcina. 

“You’re that maiden Bird Brain dumped here. She’s always asking Alcina ‘bout you.” 

“Bird Brain?” You question. Did he mean Mother Miranda?

“Miranda. In case you couldn’t tell kid, I’m big on nicknames. What happened to the nose?” Alcina was correct in her judgment of him. Lord Heisenberg didn’t respect anyone, not even Mother Miranda. You aren’t sure if you like him or dislike him.

“Y/N got into a fight with a maid. She almost killed her too.” Cassandra adds as she tries – but fails – to pick up Heisenberg’s hammer.

“No shit? Sounds like you’ve got some fight in you kid, I like you. If you ever decide to ditch this place, you’re more than welcome at the factory.” You give a weary nod out of respect and look up to see Alcina seething with anger.

“She will not be leaving, and she certainly won’t be going anywhere near your hovel.” 

“Oh, I see what’s going on here. You’re fuckin’ her ain’t ya sis? How’s that work, what with your size and all?” Alcina approaches Lord Heisenberg. She casts her gaze downward as she towers over him. You can see this afternoon taking a turn for the worse.

“Watch your tongue, you ignorant man-child. You are in my house, and I will not let you disrespect me or my companion. I was kind enough to allow you to stay for lunch, but I will not hesitate to slice you to ribbons. Take your pick.” Alcina snaps at the shorter lord. 

“Yeah, yeah I know, your house, your rules. No need to bitch about it. So, we gonna eat or what? I’m starving.” Heisenberg says as he makes his way toward the dining room. The girls follow him, leaving you and Alcina in the main hall.

“That was… a lot.” You say sighing. Alcina sighs in response, pinching the bridge of her nose. 

“If it were not for Mother Miranda and the fact that my girls are so fond of him, I’d have disposed of him long ago.” Alcina says as she walks toward the dining room. Her pace is quick and you’re struggling to keep up. 

As you enter, Heisenberg is already seated at the end opposite Alcina’s chair, reclined, and with his feet on the table. The girls are all seated close to him, Cassandra and Bela to his right, and Daniela to his left. Alcina pulls out a chair for you near her own and gestures for you to sit. Before you sit, you pull out her chair to return the favor.

“I told you earlier, no working.” Alcina says as she takes her seat.

“I’m not working, just being nice.” You say with a smile as you take your seat beside her. Alcina claps her hands and maids burst into the room. They place plates in front of each of you and Alcina stops the maid before a plate can be placed on the table in front of her. 

“Just wine for me.” Alcina says. The maid nods and returns with a glass and a bottle of wine with silver embellishments. She uncorks the bottle and pours your Lady a glass. You recognize that bottle as the Sanguis Virginis wine, maiden’s blood. The rest of you are served steak and potatoes cooked to various degrees, the daughters’ being the rarest. Wine is poured for Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela, and whiskey for Heisenberg. One of the maids stands next to you and stares, nervous to speak.

“What, do I have something on my face?” You ask, feigning ignorance. The maid shakes her head before finally speaking up. 

“What would you like to drink?”

 “Water, thank you.” You answer as you cut into your steak. It’s good but not as good as that French food Ylenia made. The maid walks off and returns with a pitcher and a glass, she pours your water before setting the pitcher down on a cart. 

“So, sis,” Heisenberg starts, taking off his gloves and picking up his steak with his hands, taking a bite. “what’s new, besides having a personal heater now?” The Lord finishes with a mouth full of food. There’s not an ounce of decency in this man, and he’s nothing like what you’d heard growing up. He’s more or less like the gross uncle you don’t want to invite to a family gathering. Very fitting. 

Alcina sighs for what seems like the hundredth time today before taking a big sip of her wine. “Nothing that concerns you. I am fine, the girls are fine.”

“Woke up on the wrong side of the bed today?” Heisenberg asks before turning his attention to you. “Y/N was it? What about Queen Kong here made you want her? Why not go for someone, I dunno, human?” 

You furrow your brows in confusion before ultimately dismissing what you assume is another jab at Alcina’s size. 

“Well, Lord Heisenberg, she’s incredibly kind and caring, and it matters not to me whether she is or isn’t human.” You answer with a bit of edge to your tone. Even if Alcina was mortal, you’d want her all the same. Heisenberg lets out a loud boisterous laugh as if there was something untrue to your statement. 

“Kind and caring, good one kid. I want to hear more about this maid you almost killed, why didn’t you finish her off?”

“I couldn’t. Even though I ended up with more injuries, I didn’t want her to die. I asked Lady Dimitrescu to ban her from the castle and so she did. I don’t know where she is now.” 

“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and you’re the one that’s still here. If you scar, wear ‘em like a badge of honor, and if anybody fucks with you, let ‘em know that you’re just as scary as Alcina.” Heisenberg says, tearing into his steak. This was the first thing he said that was actually nice. Even Alcina noticed. 

“Thank you?” 

“No problem, kid.” 

The rest of lunch was tolerable. Heisenberg started using a fork and stopped making fun of Alcina as he talked with the girls. The way their faces light up at anything he said made you a little sad. You wished you could’ve had moments like this with your family. You’ve been thinking about them recently, and though you still didn’t care for any of them, you hoped they were all okay. Heisenberg wasn’t so bad to be around, and maybe it’s because of your change in perspective, but you kind of liked him. 

“What’s wrong dear?” Alcina asks quietly, picking up on your mood.

“Oh, I was just thinking.” You sigh, pushing around your potatoes.

“What’s troubling you? You can tell me if you want.”

“I was… thinking about my family. Seeing the girls with Lord Heisenberg made me wonder what my life could have been like if I had a caring family. But if I did, I suppose I wouldn’t be here…” You trail off. Alcina reaches over and takes your hand. 

“You have me, you have the girls, you have your friends, you are surrounded by people that care about you now, and that will never change.” 

“Thank you. I don’t know if I’ve told you yet, but I appreciate everything you’ve done and continue to do for me.” You smile, trying your best to intertwine your fingers with Alcina’s. Alcina returns the gesture.

“You two done sucking faces over there?” Heisenberg interrupts, downing his whiskey and ushering a maid over to pour him more. He downs the second glass before he stands. “Thanks for lunch sis, I’d stick around but I don’t want to witness whatever it was you two were about to do.” 

Alcina rolls her eyes as she takes a deep breath and exhales audibly. “Please, let me escort you to the main entrance.” Alcina says as she stands from her chair. 

You stand from your seat and follow her to the door. You hold it open as she ducks through. The girls exit, and then Heisenberg. He tips his hat at you as he exits, and you follow behind. Heisenberg exits the castle and rides away in his carriage toward his factory. Once he’s gone, all of Alcina’s features and muscles relax. It must have been nearly torturous for her to endure a meal with him. The girls all swarm off, leaving you and Alcina alone again. She begins walking through the castle and you follow, her pace much slower than earlier.

“So, now that you’ve met my idiot brother, what do you think?” Alcina asks.

“He’s more ill-mannered than I imagine he’d be. He acts like my brother Andrei did when we were young, he’d often say things to anger my sisters. I think it’s a common trait amongst boys that have sisters.” You answer as you walk with your hands behind your back. You begin to recognize the path you two are taking, the path back to yours and Alcina’s chambers. 

“Ill-mannered is not the word I would use but you are correct. I’m sorry for the way he disrespected you, he doesn’t know when he’s crossed a boundary.” 

“I can tell,” You chuckle. “He’ll take some getting used to, but I’m glad I finally got to meet him, he seemed nice.”

You reach the door to Alcina’s chambers, and she opens it, allowing you to enter first. She ducks through the door frame before closing the door behind her. Alcina takes a seat at her vanity, discarding her hat and gloves, and places a new cigarette in the holder, taking a long drag as she lights it. She blows the smoke into the air and gestures for you to come closer. You approach the vanity and lean against it. 

“Now that we’re alone, might I say that you look even better in that outfit than when you first wore it.” 

“What makes me look better?” You ask as a faint blush creeps on your cheeks.

“The fact that you’re mine.” Alcina says as she grabs you, pulling you closer. She lifts you for the third time today and places you into her lap. Only this time, you’re straddling her so that you can face her. Alcina begins to pepper kisses along your jawline and the bit of your neck that is exposed. You shudder as her hands rest on your thighs, just before your ass. 

“Bela said no kissing.” You say as you place your hands on Alcina’s shoulders.

“I’m not kissing your face, so this is okay.” Alcina whispers in your ear. The warmth of her breath sends shivers through you and heat begins pooling in your core. 

She takes one hand and lowers your turtleneck so that her mouth can travel lower. You stifle the small moan that tries to escape as Alcina bites down on your neck before sucking and lathing her tongue over the mark she’s just created. You should have worn a lower-cut shirt. You take Alcina’s face in your hands and she looks at you with lidded eyes. 

“What Bela doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” You say before closing the distance in a heated kiss. 

Alcina pulls you against her, and you wrap your arms around the base of her neck, tangling your fingers in her hair. If it weren’t for the fact that you were injured you were sure that kissing is not all that you would do. You wanted her. You wanted her bad. 

Your nose bumps into hers and you pull away, placing a hand over your nose wincing at the pain. Perhaps Bela was right.

“I will take that as a sign to stop.” Alcina says breathlessly. 

“Good idea.” You respond with a nod. Your other hand leaves Alcina’s hand and moves to rest on her shoulder. 

“For a maiden with a broken nose, you’re not a bad kisser.” Alcina says, smirking at you.

“I may be inexperienced in other things, but I’ve had practice kissing.” 

“Oh? And with whom?” Alcina’s brows quirk upwards as a mock shocked expression paints her face.

“When I was a teenager, there was a girl that would always come to the village library whenever I was there. We’d hide in one of the sections and kiss, but then one day, she stopped coming.”

“Y/N I’m shocked, how naughty of you.” Alcina teases.

“Oh no, I see what you’re doing. You’re not teasing me right now, not when I’m in such a compromising position.”

“Well, what position would you prefer? I can think of a few that you’d look rather delightful in.” Alcina chuckles. You walked right into that one. You roll your eyes as you climb off of Alcina’s lap before moving to the bed. You take off your shoes, climb in, and pull the covers over your body.

“Are you sure it is I who is naughty? You seem to make a lot of lewd remarks, My Lady.” You say as you glare at Alcina. She stands from the vanity and saunters over to the bed with a wicked grin on her face. She gets in beside you, sitting with her back against the headboard. 

“Well, it is as you said, I’ve had practice. Do you care to tell me about this girl you often kissed in the library?”

“I don’t remember much about her, just that she was very pretty and enjoyed reading too. Why do you ask, are you jealous?” You ask with a smirk.

“Hardly darling. Was she better than I am?”

“Hardly, darling.” You answer, giving your best attempt at mocking Alcina. She laughs as she wraps your arm around your shoulders. 

You nestle into her, turning on your side, and a tired feeling instantly washes over you. Having lunch with Lord Heisenberg took more out of you than you thought. You yawn as Alcina rubs slow circles in your upper back. Eventually, you fall asleep against her.

You were woken up by your friends and Mara placed a tray of food in front of you. You must have slept the entire afternoon and it was time for dinner. Alcina was adamant about not skipping meals. When your eyes adjusted to the light of the room, all of your friends were looking at you with idiotic grins. You noticed that Alcina was not in the room. 

“Why are you all staring at me like that?” You ask, as you wearily ate your food.

“You have um, lipstick on your face… and jaw… and neck.” Olivia says and your eyes widen in shock. 

“If there is a god, strike me down now.” You plead, looking up to the ceiling.

“You kissed! Oh, this is so exciting!” Catalina exclaims, quietly clapping her hands.

“Please, I’ve already endured enough teasing today.”

“You know that’s my thing. As your friend, I am obligated to make you very uncomfortable. Now tell me, Y/N, why were you on the Lady’s lap this morning?” Cat asks, causing you to choke on your food.

“I was helping her calm down. She was stressed about having lunch with Lord Heisenberg today.” You answer. It was mostly a lie, but you decided to leave out the part where the two of you were teasing each other back and forth. 

“So, you met Lord Heisenberg? What is he like?” Olivia asks.

“Annoying, kind of gross, and really disrespectful. I can see why Alcina doesn’t like him.” 

“I heard from one of the maids that he ate with his hands.” Mara adds.

“Did he disrespect you?” Cat asks. Her demeanor changed from playful to serious.

“He tried, but Alcina threatened him, and she’s scary when she’s angry.” 

“Trust me, we know.” Olivia says as she nods furiously in agreement.

“Once you get past the rudeness and the fact that he eats like a wild animal, he’s not that bad to be around. The girls adore him, and it was cute to see how excited they were to see him.” You smile at the memory of their elated faces. 

You spend the rest of dinner conversing with your friends, enduring the occasional witty remark from Cat. When you were done, Olivia took your tray and you all stood to exit. When you opened the door, Alcina was on the other side. She was in the middle of reaching for the doorknob.

“Ah, good evening girls.” Alcina says with a smile. The four of you enter into the hallway and your friends all greet the Lady with bows before taking their leave. “Are you sleeping in your room tonight?” Alcina asks.

“Trying to get rid of me already? I’m hurt, My Lady.” You respond, pouting.

“I would never. I was simply asking if you’d prefer to spend the night in my chambers, I enjoy your company.” 

“I’ll think about it.” You finish with a wink as you enter your room. You change into your nightwear, opting for pants and a shirt this time, and clean your face before you leave your room to head next door. The door is cracked, and you take that as a sign to enter without having to ask permission first. 

Repeating your actions of the previous night, you climbed into Alcina’s bed and waited for her to finish removing her makeup. Once her makeup was off and her hair was taken down, she grabbed a red nightgown and robe and retired to the bathroom to bathe and change. When she returned, you were already asleep. The feeling of the bed dipping stirred you awake, and you turned over to face Alcina. She kissed you sweetly before pulling you close. You cuddled into her and let your eyes close.

“Noapte bună, dragul meu.” Alcina says, wrapping her arms around you.

“Goodnight, Alcina.” You murmur, half asleep.

Chapter Text

A fair amount of time has passed since the incident with Irina – two and a half months to be exact – and winter has fallen upon Castle Dimitrescu. You had a love-hate relationship with winter. While you loved the aesthetics and beauty of the season, you hated the cold, much like the Dimitrescu siblings (though you stood more of a chance of surviving if exposed). As the temperature dropped during the night, you made sure to stoke Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela’s fireplaces before you go to bed. It’s not part of your duties as lady’s maid, but since you care about them, you want to make sure they’re warm and comfortable. More often than not have they sought you out to use you as their personal heater. You didn’t mind, of course, but the girls tend to fight over who sits or lays where. And you’re usually in the middle of their quarrels which can sometimes turn violent. 

You had begun taking piano lessons from Daniela after that day in the opera hall. And since you had the free time while your nose was healing, you spent a lot of it practicing. You learned quickly, and by the time you were healed, you could play the accompaniment to a few of the girls’ trio pieces. You were, by all means, no master, but you were skilled for a beginner. Music was a new way to occupy your time if you weren’t working, and you enjoyed it a lot. On nights where you couldn’t sleep, or you didn’t want to read a new novel, you’d venture to the opera hall; occasionally joined by Alcina or Daniela. Yes, Alcina would reprimand you for not sleeping, but because she’s soft for you (as Cass describes her), she let it slide. 

Since you’ve officially become Alcina’s companion, your relationship with her has grown significantly. It hasn’t been that long, but your feelings were far beyond that of simple infatuation. It may be too soon to say that you’re in love with Alcina, but you certainly couldn’t picture being with anyone else but her (God forbid Catalina finds that out). 

Mara, Cat, and Olivia had become closer with the Dimitrescu daughters, and they even spent time together without you (the audacity). You were happy for them, however, and teasing them about their respective friendships was the payback you needed for all the relentless teasing the six of them plagued you with. 

~~~

It was the start of a new day. You woke up before sunrise and left your bed to bathe and get ready for the day. Alcina stayed true to her word and had different uniforms tailored for you, and though it may be special treatment, you were thankful as the pants kept you warm. You also looked really good in a blazer. You showered, got dressed, styled your hair, and the last thing you needed to do was put your necklace back on. You seldom took it off unless you were in the bath or the shower. You wore it with pride, after all, it was a gift from Alcina. Once you were ready, you left your room and made your way to the servants’ dining hall for breakfast. 

You got your food and waited patiently for your friends to arrive. As they approached your usual table, you could tell from the look on Mara’s face that Catalina had begun with her antics. Mara sat with a groan as Cat continued to giggle.

“Cat, I don’t know what’s going on, but leave Mara alone.” You say to your friend with a smirk.

“When did you become such an autocrat?” Olivia asks, rolling her eyes.

“Auto-what?” You question with a hint of annoyance in your tone. It’s too early for big words. 

“Bossy, domineering – you know what, never mind. Mara didn’t come back to our room last night.” 

“Oh? And why is that? If you care to share.” You raise your eyebrow at Mara. You’d expect Catalina to be the one that didn’t return, Mara is a surprising twist.

“I slept in Bela’s room. We were um, cuddling while I talked about my time at the science academy, and she fell asleep. I didn’t want to wake her, so I decided to stay there.” Mara says softly as her cheeks turn a faint shade of red.

“That’s adorable. I’m glad you and Bela are getting along fine, you two are a great match.” You say with a genuine smile.

“Thank you, Y/N, I’m really happy when I’m with her.” Mara smiles.

“Cat, Liv, what about you guys?” You ask as you look between your friends.

“Cass has been bugging me about showing me her collection of sickles, that and she’s always poking fun at me.” Catalina says with a shrug.

“Doesn’t feel so good to be on the receiving end huh? You’ll get used to it though, it’s how she shows affection.” You respond between chewing your food. “Liv?”

“I think I might want to ask Daniela out. I know she can’t leave the castle but maybe for a nice dinner in the library. Would she like that?” Olivia asks with a nervous look on her face.

“She’d love it. I’m proud of you Liv, way to be bold and make the first move.” You say with a raise of your eyebrows.

“Thank you, how are you and the Lady?” Liv questions, tilting her head slightly.

“We’re okay, not much has happened since the whole Irina incident. Things are going at a comfortable pace, but I think I might be ready for more…” You trail off

“You don’t mean-” Catalina starts.

“I do mean. I just- I don’t know when the right time would be. We haven’t talked about it yet and I don’t know how to bring it up.” 

“There’s no shame in being straightforward about it. Tell her that you’d like to take your relationship to the next level, I’m sure she’ll know what you mean.” Mara advises. You take a moment to consider her suggestion. You were sure that if anyone were to be your first, it would be Alcina. 

“I guess you’re right. I’m just a little scared, what if I make a fool of myself?”  

“It’s okay to be scared, and if you feel like you want to stop or you aren’t ready, just tell her.” Catalina says, which takes you by surprise. You were expecting a quip from her but since it’s a sensitive topic, perhaps she kept her remarks to herself.

“The Lady will understand, so long as you tell her how you feel.” Olivia adds. 

“You guys are right. I’ll talk to her at some point, but for now, we have work to do. Let’s hurry up and finish, I’d hate to be late.” You say as you dig into your breakfast.

The four of you continue the rest of your meal in silence. Once finished, you set off with Cat and Mara to begin your duties for the day. In the kitchen, the three of you are greeted by Ylenia who is busy preparing the Dimitrescus’ breakfast.

“Good morning girls,” The old cook says, peeling carrots. “Mara, dearie, can you give me a hand with these?” Mara walks over and washes her hands before grabbing a paring knife to assist Ylenia with the bunches of root vegetables. 

You wash your hands and begin setting everything up that you need to make your Lady’s tea. You tried your hand at cooking once, but it didn’t end well. Maybe Ylenia can teach you a thing or two sometime. The most you’re allowed to do in terms of preparing food is handing over various spices and seasonings. Tea was one of the only things you didn’t mess up, and Alcina seemed to prefer when you made it. During your free time, you read about how tea is prepared in some parts of the words and adopted some techniques used in preparation in Southeast Asian countries. 

The last thing you had to do was wait for the water to come to temperature. When the kettle started to whistle, you used some of the water to warm the teapot before pouring it out. You did the first steeping of the tea leaves and discarded the pale-colored liquid. Now that the leaves were open, more flavors would come through. Just as the food was being put on the cart, you poured more water over the leaves for the second steeping. When breakfast was ready and loaded, you waited for the signal to enter the dining room. Upon hearing Alcina clap her hands, You, Mara, and Catalina pushed through the doors that led into the adjacent room to serve breakfast. 

After Mara and Cat had served the Dimitrescu women their food, you walked around the table and served each of the ladies a cup of tea. A delighted hum was heard from Alcina as she sipped from her teacup.

“This tastes lovely, is this the usual blend?” Alcina asks, looking over her shoulder to address you.

“Yes, My Lady,” you give a slight nod, “I just prepared it differently.” 

“How so?” Alcina asks as she gestures you forward. You move to stand beside her chair, and she looks down at you with curiosity.

“I used a multi-steeping process that is found in different Southeast Asian cultures. I learned about it in a book I read.” 

“And how does that process go? I have never had tea that tastes this exquisite.” The corners of your lips turn upward as a faint blush appears on your cheeks at the compliment.

“First, the teapot is warmed with boiling water, then the water is discarded. Tea leaves are placed into the pot and water is poured over them for an initial steeping. The first steep allows the leaves to open, but the tea isn’t consumed, it’s poured out as well. The second steep releases a wider depth of flavors from the leaves and that’s what is served.” You answer eagerly. Making tea might be one of your new hobbies.

“Very impressive, I see you’re becoming quite the tea enthusiast. Please continue to prepare it this way, it is quite enjoyable.” Alcina says fondly, making you blush harder. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Cassandra as she looks as though she’s preparing a witty remark.

“At the rate you’re blushing, you’re going to pop a blood vessel.” The brunette says with a smirk.

“Yes, well, I take pride in making tea. I imagine it’s how you feel about your sickle collection, Cassandra. Have you shown it to Cat yet?” You ask, feigning innocence. Now it’s Cassandra’s turn to blush as she sinks into her chair.

“You made Cassie blush! Oh, this is grand!” Daniela squeals, earning a swat on the shoulder from her older sister. The two of them start bickering, as they usually do, and Bela rolls her eyes.

“Girls, enough.” Alcina says with finality, making her daughters quickly quash their dispute.

“Daniela started it.” Cassandra grumbles. 

“Cassandra,” Alcina says with warning. The middle Dimitrescu sibling lets out a huff as she begins to eat her breakfast. You turn to take your place in your usual corner when you’re stopped by a light grip on your wrist. 

“Stay here, I’d like to hear more about what you learned.” Alcina says just loud enough for you to hear. 

You remain by her side for the rest of breakfast, telling her what you know about preparing tea in different ways. You told her everything, from the type of tea to how important water temperature is. Alcina seemed genuinely interested in your new interest and that made you feel good. Once breakfast was finished, Mara and Catalina cleared the table. Bela and Cassandra continued to stare at them as they exited the room similar to the way Alcina looks at you. The girls were given the rundown of today’s schedule before their dismissal, exiting the room in swarms of flies, leaving you and Alcina as the only ones remaining. 

“We’ll be in my study for most of the day, I have new logs and reports to sort for Mother Miranda. You may take breaks whenever you need them.” Alcina says as her fingers brush over a particularly ticklish spot on your neck. Your head juts forward involuntarily as you let out a stifled giggle. “Is something amusing to you darling?” Alcina asks.

“No, sorry, I’m just a little ticklish right there.” You respond sheepishly. 

“Just a little?” Alcina starts, her eyebrow raising as a sly grin appears on her face. “I barely touched you.”

“Maybe more than a little. My neck is one of the more sensitive areas.” 

“Oh, so there’s more? Care to elaborate?” You pause, as you know where this is going. You take a large step away from Alcina’s chair before you answer. 

“My stomach, sides, and the back of my knees.” You respond. As Alcina rises from her seat you begin to walk backward toward the door that leads into the main hall. She walks toward you slowly, her eyes flashing something dangerous.

“Why are you backing away dear?” 

“B-because if we want to get through your work in a timely manner, we should probably head to your study.” You say as your back hits the door. Before you can exit, you’re picked up and pinned with your back against Alcina. Her fingers dance over your abdomen, causing you to burst into laughter. You squirm and struggle to break free which only eggs her on. It’s nothing short of completely embarrassing to be tickled but it didn’t make you uncomfortable. The interaction was sort of endearing; you’ve never seen Alcina quite this playful. 

“Okay, okay! I surrender!” You say as you cease to struggle. Alcina relents and lowers you to the floor gently. You straighten out your uniform, still giggling. 

“Do forgive me, darling, I simply couldn’t help myself.” Alcina says with a smile.

“I see you’ve not been practicing your self-restraint, My Lady. I must say, I’m shocked.” 

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about your punishment, brat. You’re not injured anymore, so there’s nothing to save you.” Alcina says as she bends down, taking your chin between her thumb and forefinger. “The more you toy with me, the more relentless I will be. Are you sure you’re ready for that?” From this angle, her chest is in your direct line of sight. You tear your gaze away, your breath catching in your throat as you try to form a response. 

“I-I um…”

“Have you suddenly forgotten how to speak, or are you now aware that you have to face the repercussions of your actions?” Alcina asks as her thumb grazes your lower lip. There’s a stark contrast in the playful Alcina you had experienced just moments ago. This was the powerful and domineering Lady Dimitrescu that stood before you.

“No, My Lady, I have not forgotten. Whatever punishment you have for me, I will accept it.” You say with a shudder. You’re not sure if it’s fear, or excitement, or arousal, but something is bubbling up inside you.

 “Good girl.” She says before standing to her full height and exiting the dining room. You definitely had to have that talk with her soon.

You follow Alcina out of the dining room and through the castle to her study. Atop her desk sat a decent-sized stack of folders and loose papers. You work diligently alongside Alcina to sort through everything and about three hours in, there’s a knock on the study door. 

“Enter.” Alcina commands, not looking up from her work. The door opens and one of the new maids, Lydia, enters with her gaze trained to the floor.

“My Lady, there’s a young woman downstairs who is seeking employment.” It was odd for women to actively seek out employment here. It’s not like there were job postings throughout the village. Most of the maids that worked here had some type of debt to pay and were used as an exchange, much like you were.

“What is her name?” 

“I… She didn’t say, My Lady.” 

Alcina lets out a displeased hum. “Very well, you may go.” Lydia gives a bow before exiting. 

“Do you want me to go? I can bring one of the girls with me.” You suggest, moving to stand beside Alcina.

“Thank you, I will send for them. They will meet you in the hall of the four.” Alcina says as she looks at you with a smile. You return the gesture before walking to the door and exiting. 

As you walk through the castle, you can’t help but think about how weird it is for whoever this woman was to show up here and not give her name. Was she someone that had something against Alcina or the girls? Maybe Mother Miranda had sent her as some sort of weird test. You couldn’t be sure of anything regarding this stranger and that worried you. When you reached the top of the staircase, you found the woman leaning against one of the sculptures. She had on a hooded cloak so you couldn’t see her face. You descended the staircase to approach her and get a better look.

“Hello, I’m Y/N, Lady Dimitrescu’s personal maid. I was informed that you’re here for employment. May I get your name?” You ask with your hands clasped behind your back. Something felt off.

“I know exactly who you are.” The woman says. You immediately recognize the voice and your entire body bristles. 

“Irina…” You murmur as you stand frozen in place. 

“Did you miss me? I certainly missed you, how’s the nose?” Irina asks as she removes her hood. She looked even more deranged than when you last saw her. A wicked grin paints her face as she stalks toward you. 

“My nose is fine. You shouldn’t be here, Irina, you’re making a big mistake. Leave before the Lady catches you.” You say quietly, trying to reason her. 

“Why do you continue to try and save me? I would rather die than live with the fact that you took Lady Dimitrescu from me. You, a pathetic virgin bumpkin whose own family didn’t love her. Do you think that Lady Dimitrescu will love you? Is that what you believe? She’s using you, and when she gets what she wants, you’ll be nothing but an afterthought. I pity you, Y/N, really I do. And because I care, I’ve come back to save you from the same hurt that I felt. I hope you said goodbye.” Irina says before she pulls a knife from under her cloak. 

You make a beeline for the staircase but before you can get too far, Irina pulls you back by your hair, slamming you to the floor. She pins you underneath her and draws back her knife. You prepare for the moment of impact when the tip of a sickle is pierced through Irina’s harm. She drops the knife as she screams in pain which allows you to scramble from under her. Bela helps you stand and quickly checks you for any wounds. You find that the daughter that drove the sickle into Irina’s arm was Cassandra, she withdraws it and is preparing to drive it into her neck.

“Wait!” You shout. Cassandra halts her movements and Irina tried, albeit failing miserably, to break free from her grasp. The brunette looks at you with a disgruntled expression. 

“Why are you stopping me, after everything she’s done to you?” Cassandra asks.

“She doesn’t deserve a quick death, no, she deserves something slow, and painful. Your mother wants her to suffer, and I think she should be the one that sees to it.” You finish as you approach the bottom of the staircase. Daniela lingers behind with Cassandra to drag Irina to the cellar. Another blood-curdling scream reverberates through the castle as Dani and Cass simultaneously drive sickles through Irina’s legs. They warm off with Irina in their grasp as Bela joins you on the journey back to Alcina’s study.

“I wasn’t expecting that from you. What did she say to you that made you decide she needed to be left alive for Mother to deal with?” Bela asks, staring into your blank expression. 

“I’m fed up with her. Since I came here she’s been nothing but a nuisance, constantly trying to ruin my life. I gave her a chance when I asked your mother to spare her the first time, but that was a mistake. I hope all the pain she’s caused is inflicted on her tenfold. I’ve suffered enough because of her and now, it’s time for her to suffer as well.” You say with darkness in your tone that even Bela is shocked by. 

“Whoa, I didn’t know you were capable of being… well, like us.” Bela says, bewildered. You, however, weren’t shocked. The people who were supposed to love you were cruel to you your entire life. Nothing that Irina said or did could ever compare to how you were treated. 

You continue to walk in silence toward Alcina’s study, but she was already in the hallway going in the opposite direction. She was most likely coming to find you after she heard Irina’s screams.

“Y/N, are you alright? I heard screaming, who was it that entered the castle?” Alcina asks, bending at the waist to look at you. She cups the side of your face and the anger that you were feeling immediately melted away. You place your hand over Alcina’s. 

“I’m okay, honestly. It was Irina, she came here intending to finish what she started but Cass intervened before she could harm me.” You say, watching Alcina’s expression quickly contort to that of rage.

“Where is she?” Alcina asks through gritted teeth.

“In the cellar, Mother, waiting for you to finish her off. Y/N made sure that Cass and Dani left her alive for you.” Bela adds. 

“You’re too kind to me, my dear.” Alcina says as she stands to her full height. “Why don’t you wait for me in my chambers, Bela, will you find her friends and send them up with something to eat for Y/N as well? It’s time for her lunch.” Bela gives a nod before swarming off in her cloud of flies. Alcina gives you one last smile before heading off toward the cellar.

You walk to Alcina’s chambers and collapse on top of the chaise. You let out a huff as you stretch your legs across the furniture. Not long after, Bela returns with your friends as they carry their lunches in the room. Catalina scrambles over to you and bombards you with questions.

“Bela told us what happened. Are you sure you’re okay?” Catalina asks, concern written all over her facial features.

“I’m okay, Cat, really. She didn’t do anything to me.” You give a reassuring smile which immediately calms her down. Bela walks over your lunch and hands it to you. You sit upright to allow Mara and Olivia to sit beside you. Bela brings a chair over for Olivia and she takes a seat to start eating her lunch.

“I can’t believe she came back. Didn’t she know what would happen to her if she returned?” Olivia asks.

“She knew, but I guess she wanted me to go down with her. Cass stopped her just in time.” You answer as you begin to eat your food. You didn’t have much of an appetite, but you ate anyways to avoid upsetting Alcina.

“I’m glad the Lady is finally getting rid of her. She’s been nothing but trouble since she came here.” Mara adds, breathing a sigh of relief.

“You were here before her?” You ask, looking at Mara with a puzzled expression.

“Yeah, I arrived two months before she did. As soon as she started going to the Lady’s chambers during the night, she became a huge ass.” 

“Became or already was?” Catalina asks with a chuckle. 

“Good point.” Mara says with a smirk. 

“So, she’s in the cellar now? I wonder what the Lady is doing to her.” Olivia says, staring off into the distance.

“Hopefully something painful, she’s screaming a lot.” Bela murmurs and the four of you look to her with raised eyebrows.

“We don’t hear any screaming; how do you know that she is?” Catalina asks the blonde.

“Heightened senses. My mother, sisters, and I can hear everything that humans can’t. Speaking of which, why were you laughing so much this morning, Y/N?” Bela asks with a smirk, moving to sit on the arm of the chaise.

“If I tell you, I’ll never hear the end of it from Cat.” You answer as you look to Bela with pleading eyes.

“Oh please, do tell, Y/N. I promise I won’t say anything.” Catalina says. 

“I don’t trust you.” You glare at your friend.

“If she teases you, I’ll tell Cassandra and she’ll handle her. You have my word.” Bela says as she places a hand on your shoulder. You trusted Bela to keep her word more than you trusted Catalina.

“Fine,” you sigh, defeated “Your mother found out I was ticklish, and… tickled me.” You say just above a whisper, your cheeks turning bright red. You look over at Catalina and see her shoulders shaking in silent laughter. You huff in annoyance and shovel food into your mouth.

“That’s… not what I expected you to say. She just started tickling you?” Bela asks, bewildered.

“Sort of. Her hand brushed over a sensitive spot on my neck and when I told her why I was giggling, she asked me to tell her where else I was ticklish. After I told her, I tried to back away and leave the dining room but before I could, she picked me up and started tickling me.” 

“Where else are you ticklish?” Catalina asks, poking different places on your body. 

“Oh no, I know what you’re trying to do. I’m not telling you anything, and if you try to tickle me, I’ll tell Cassandra about how you used to sleep talk.” You chuckle. 

“She still does.” Olivia chimes in. Catalina immediately withdraws her hands from your body and silently eats her food. Bela stands from the arm of the lounge and walks toward the door.

“I’ve got to go; Mother is calling me. I trust that the three of you will stay with Y/N until Mother returns, and don’t bother her too much. She’s had a rough morning.” The blonde says with a sympathetic tone. Your friends all nod before she exits the room.

You all finished eating an hour or so ago and were now just conversing amongst each other. Your friends didn’t poke fun at you as Bela requested which made you feel at ease. It was nice to have a break from being teased or someone trying to kill you. Being with your friends after the events of this morning was what you needed. Sure, being with Alcina was always nice, but you felt a different sense of comfort when you were with them. Not to mention, you can’t share the same stories with Alcina as you do with them. 

They eventually had to return to their duties – though you assured them it was fine – which meant you were left alone. You paced around Alcina’s room, not sure of what to do. You could go to your room, but if Alcina returned and you weren’t in there, she’d come looking for you. She hadn’t exactly ordered you to stay in her room, but you felt that if you left, she’d use that as an excuse to ‘punish’ you more. That’s actually not a bad idea, you thought, but then shook your head. You obviously knew she wouldn’t hurt you, but you didn’t know what else she’d do. 

Eventually, your pacing stopped, and you decided to lay down, though you weren’t all that tired. You took off your shoes, your blazer, and unbuttoned the first few buttons of your shirt before climbing into Alcina’s bed. You spent many nights in here while you were healing just letting Alcina hold you. You wonder if she’ll eventually let this be your room too, you already live in her castle so why not? Plus, her bed was a thousand times more comfortable than yours.

You laid with your hands behind your head as you stared up at the canopy above the bed, your eyes tracing the intricate patterns. You were brought out of your daze when the bedroom door opened. You saw Alcina bend through and close the door once she straightened to her full height. Her face, dress, and hands were covered in blood, most of it still fresh and dripping down the front of her dress. You sat up and looked at her with something similar to awe. You were used to seeing the daughters covered in blood, but it looked good on Alcina. Red was certainly her color. 

She discarded her hat and gloves on the vanity before grabbing a robe and moving toward the bathroom, most likely unaware of your presence. When she returned, her face and body were free of blood and her hair was down, cascading over her shoulders. She faced her wardrobe and let her robe fall to the floor, exposing the back of her naked body. Your jaw dropped. You had no idea how muscular she was; she could quite literally snap you in half if she wanted to, and you’d let her. Your eyes raked over her body as she looked through the different outfits that were hanging up. Once she decided on what to wear, she closed the doors to the wardrobe and began getting dressed. Alcina bent over to put on her underwear, giving you a full view of what lies between her legs. Your mouth waters as you imagine what it would be like to be nestled in between them, savoring the taste of your Lady. Your heart rate increases as heat spread from your core to your whole body. 

“Like what you see?” Alcina asks, pulling you out of your reverie. You blink a few times before averting your gaze, your face and neck turning bright red.

“Sorry, Alcina, I didn’t mean to stare.” You say softly. Alcina finishes getting dressed and moves to sit beside you on the bed. She reaches over, placing her hand on the side of your face to turn your head. Your eyes lock before hers trail down to the open part of your shirt, eyeing your exposed cleavage. You try to button your shirt back up, but her hand stops you. 

“I’ve taken care of that little pest. She can’t do anything to you ever again.” Alcina says as she forces her gaze upwards, once again looking into your eyes. 

“Unless she decides to haunt me, and knowing her, she would.” You say with a roll of your eyes. Alcina lets out a light chuckle as her hand moves from your face to the ticklish spot on your neck. You place your hand on her wrist as you fight back a giggle. “Are you going to tickle me again?”

“I ought to for staring at me while I was nude, but I won’t. I’ve stared at you plenty of times, so consider us even. However, if I catch you again, you’ll pay for it greatly.” Alcina says, her voice dipping into her lower register. You swallow thickly as the same excited feeling from earlier returns.

“No more staring while you’re naked, got it. But can you blame me? You’re incredibly beautiful.”

“Flattery will not save you, darling. You’ll have to try a lot harder than complimenting me.”

“It was worth a shot.” You say with an innocent grin. Alcina stays silent as her eyes move from your to your lips.

“May I kiss you, dear?” She asks.

“You don’t need to ask, Alcina. You can kiss me whenever you want.” 

“I need your explicit consent; I know that I have not asked in the past, but I should have.”

“You will always have my consent. If there’s ever something I don’t want to do, I’ll tell you.” You say as you place your hand over hers. 

Alcina leans forward and her lips meet yours in a heated kiss, but before you can relish in the feeling, she pulls away and stands. You let out a whine as your lips form a pout. Alcina laughs heartily at your expression before walking to the door.

“Come, dragă, I still have work to do.” You hop down from the bed and put your shoes back on. You only button one of the buttons as you join your Lady. She opens the door, letting you exit first before closing it behind her. You walk in silence as the two of you journey to the study.

You absolutely had to have that talk with her.

Chapter Text

The next day started off very uneventful. You ate breakfast alone because Mara, Catalina, and Olivia decided to ditch you, not that you cared or anything. After breakfast was another usual morning of serving tea for the Dimitrescus. Except Alcina wasn’t there. She’d set off early for a meeting with the other lords and Mother Miranda. You hated when she had meetings now more than ever because she usually didn’t return until late in the day and you missed her. In addition, you had nothing to keep you occupied. You thought about doing other duties around the castle, but ultimately you decided not to. Wouldn’t want to collapse in the atelier again, would you? 

So here you are, lying in your bed staring at the ceiling, simply waiting for lunchtime to arrive. You were in a funk, solely because Alcina wasn’t here. Meeting days were the absolute worst. You toyed with the charm on your necklace as you recalled the things that happened yesterday with Irina. Why wouldn’t she just leave when she had the chance? There was a part of you that was relieved now that she’s gone, but a very small part of you wished she’d have left and moved on. But c’est la vie, it’s over with now so there’s no need for you to continue to stress about it. 

You didn’t want to continue laying around doing nothing, so you got up from your bed and set off toward the opera hall. Hopefully to practice and take your mind off of the fact you’re like a sick puppy waiting for its owner to return home. When you approached the opera hall, you heard the sound of the piano being played and decided to peek inside. You saw Daniella at the piano bench and Olivia seated beside her. Olivia looked at the redhead with nothing but adoration as she played. You pushed the door open slowly and entered as to not startle the two women.

“Hi Y/N!” Daniela beamed as her piano playing came to a halt. 

“Hi, Dani, Liv, what were you playing?” You ask as you approach the piano.

“Just one of Mother’s old songs, I needed a break from classical music.”

“What do you mean? Your mother’s a composer?”

“She used to be in a jazz band. I’m shocked she didn’t tell you about it.” Daniela answers with a confused expression. You look to the youngest with wide eyes.

“She used to be in a jazz band?! She never mentioned anything to me about making music. What instrument did she play?” You ask as you squish yourself onto the piano bench with Olivia and Daniela.

“She was the lead singer; her band was called Miss D and the Pallboys. When she was human, they performed all over Europe and America. After our rebirth, Mother would sing for me and my sisters at the end of our music lessons. I’m sure if you ask, she’ll sing something for you.” Daniela explains, lightly fingering the keys of the piano.

“When she returns later, I’ll be sure to ask. How should I bring it up?” 

“You could ask her about her favorite genres of music.” Olivia suggests. You nod, considering it.

“Or you could start calling her Miss D. Cassandra used to do it whenever she wanted to annoy Mother.” Daniela adds. Your lips form a tight line as you shake your head at the suggestion.

“I don’t think I’ll be doing that. I want to know her, not annoy her. Annoying her is you guys’ job.” You say with an innocent smile that earns a laugh from Olivia. 

“If only we got paid,” Daniela sighs, “we’d probably be swimming in lei.” 

“Do you and your sisters not get allowances or anything?” Olivia asks, seemingly shocked that Daniela is talking about lacking finances.

“No, but we never really needed them. Mother gives and buys us anything we ask for, and we don’t go into the village that often, so we don't need money.” 

“So, you’re essentially all spoiled rich kids, must be nice.” You chuckle.

“Except we’re not kids. I’m probably older than your grandparents and I’m the youngest!”

“If you were human, I’d say you’d be no older than sixteen.” You say, rolling your eyes.

“Are you saying I act like a teenager?” Daniela asks, annoyed.

“Well, that’s not exactly what I said, but yes. You remind me a lot of myself when I was sixteen, minus the family trauma and stuff. I had a bright personality much like yours.” 

“You say ‘had’ as if it went away. I mean, I obviously didn’t know you back then, but your personality is still bright like Dani’s is. I think that’s why we all get along so well.” Olivia adds, earning a smile from both you and the redhead.

“I get along with you way better than Y/N does.” Daniela says confidently, making Liv’s cheeks turn a faint shade of pink.

“Hey! I was her friend first!” You say, playfully tapping the girl on the shoulder. 

“Aw, don’t be upset Y/N. We can share, though, I don’t think Mother would be too keen with the idea.” Daniela smirks, making you grimace and Olivia blush harder.

“On that note, I think it’s time for me to dust a lamp or something.” You say as you stand from the bench. “I’ll see you two later, try not to get into too much trouble.” You finish with a wink as you walk away from the piano toward the doors of the opera hall. As you exit, you hear Daniela poking fun at Olivia for the way she’s blushing, and it brings a smile to your face. They were an unexpected pair, but a nice match. Olivia’s quiet and sometimes introverted and Daniela was a ball of energy and excitement. They balance each other out. 

You didn’t feel like reading today, and you didn’t want to be in the library alone with Alcina gone. Yes, Irina was dead and couldn’t harm you, but who knows if anyone else was crazy enough to attack you. You could handle yourself, that much was obvious, but it was better to be safe than sorry. You absentmindedly wandered through the castle and wound up in the kitchen, being greeted by Ylenia as you entered. The other kitchen staff gave you weird stares as if you were an intruder.

“Hello, dearie. Lookin’ for something to do while the mistress is away?” The old cook asks, elbows deep in dishwater. 

“Yes, and no. I don’t want to overwork myself again, but I don’t want to sit around and do nothing until she returns.” You say as you take a seat on a stool by the kitchen table.

“When I’m done with these dishes here, how’s about I teach you something? I know your cooking skills are god-awful.” Ylenia laughs, making you frown.

“Thanks, Ylenia. I’m guessing Mara and Cat told you about the time I tried cooking something.” 

“Yep, said you almost set the kitchen ablaze. Had I known you wanted to learn, I’d have taught ya sooner. You can help me make lunch, and I’ll let you do more than pass me the seasonings.” Ylenia says and your face lights up. You’ve been wanting to learn how to properly cook since you started, but never had the time to ask. 

You waited for Ylenia to finish the dishes before you washed your hands. She handed you an apron and you secured the ties behind your back as you waited for her instruction. 

“Today’s lunch is simple, sour cabbage rolls. They’re a castle favorite.” Ylenia wasn’t wrong, the cabbage rolls she made were to die for and were certainly on the list of your favorite dishes.

Ylenia walks you through each process of making the rolls. Boiling the rice, dicing the onions, mixing the different meats and ingredients, and how to roll them. Yours didn’t look as good, visually, but you knew they’d taste great once they were cooked, the best part was the bacon. After they’ve been sautéed, and arranged in a pan, they have to boil with some of the liquid from the sour cabbage juice and tomato sauce. While you waited for them to fully cook, you helped Ylenia and the rest of the kitchen staff with the dishes. A wonderful aroma filled the kitchen as you cleaned and it made your mouth water. You couldn’t wait for them to be done so you could try your cooking. 

When you finished helping the kitchen staff, you returned your apron and left toward the servants’ dining hall. Ylenia had offered you a taste of the rolls you made and when you told her you wanted your friends to try them as well, she said she’d set them aside and serve them to you for lunch. You waiting in the dining hall for your friends to arrive with an excited look on your face. As they piled in, they looked at you as if they were skeptical of something.

“What’s got you in such a good mood, has the Lady returned early?” Mara asks with a smirk, taking her usual seat.

“No, though I wish she would. I helped cook lunch with Ylenia today! She said she’d set aside our portions so you can try what I made.” You beam, practically bouncing up and down.

“You’re letting her serve us burnt food? When have we ever been cruel to you, Y/N?” Catalina asks with a mock sad expression. You scoff. 

“It’s not burnt! I mess up one time and you’ve already lost faith in me? And you call yourselves friends.” You say with a roll of your eyes.

“To be fair, you did almost set the kitchen on fire when you tried cooking.” Mara adds.

“Well, I didn’t this time. It’s going to be delicious and when you two eat, I’ll be right here to rub it in.”

“What did you help her make?” Olivia asks with a curious expression.

“Sour cabbage rolls. After I left the opera hall, I went to the kitchen and Ylenia offered to teach me how to make them.” You explain with a smile.

“And you promise they’re not burnt?” Cat asks with a raised brow.

“Swear to Mother Miranda, Ylenia made sure they didn’t burn.”

“Well, then I can’t wait to try them.” Mara says with a smile. 

The four of you stand and make your way to the serving line to get your food. Ylenia gives each of you a nice helping of the cabbage rolls and you return to your seat with enthusiasm. You break off a piece with your fork and take a bite. You let out an excited squeal as you chew and watch your friends closely to read their expressions. They all look pleasantly surprised as they take their first bites.

“These are really good! You did such a good job!” Olivia says with a wide grin.

“They are. I’m impressed, Y/N.” Mara adds, nodding in agreement.

“Ask her to teach you how to cook breakfast foods. I know tea is your thing, but Mara and I could use a little more help in the mornings.” Cat suggests, to which you quickly refuse.

“I need one hundred percent of my focus on the tea. It’s not as easy as it looks to make tea as good as mine.” You say as your brows quirk upwards.

“Boil water, steep tea. How hard could that possibly be?” Catalina asks, rolling her eyes.

“There are levels to the process. If the water isn’t the right temperature, it could completely ruin the tea. Not to mention, different types of tea require different preparations.” You say in defense.

“We get it, you’re a nerd.”

“Tea enthusiast.”

“Same difference.” 

“You just don’t wanna mess up your girlfriend’s tea.” Catalina says with a smirk.

“Would you? What if you messed up one of Cassandra’s favorite things?” 

“Cassandra’s not my girlfriend!” Catalina quietly exclaims, her cheeks turning red. 

“Not yet at least.” You murmur as you finish your cabbage rolls. 

After you’re finished with your very filling lunch, you return your dishes and set off toward your bedroom. You take off your shoes and climb into your bed, feeling full and very tired. The events of yesterday were catching up to you and given that you had no duties, you decided to take a nap. When you woke up, you found that you couldn’t move, as if you were trapped under your blankets. You looked around the room for a sleep paralysis demon but found none. As you became more aware of your surroundings, you found that what was holding you in place were three sleeping siblings, with the youngest sprawled out across you and her older sisters. You nudge her awake so you can at least sit up and eat the dinner they brought up for you. 

“Dani, wake up, you’re crushing me.” You groan as you struggle to push the sleeping redhead off of your body. Bela stirs next to you before her eyes open. She lets out a yawn as she stretches her arms legs. 

“You’re not going to wake either of them up by just talking to them, you have to hit them.” 

“I’ll leave you to that, I don’t want them fighting me because I woke them up.” You answer, letting your head fall back on your pillow. 

Bela kicks Daniela in the side, causing her to jump as she wakes. The blonde then reaches across your body and slaps Cassandra square on the cheek. The middle Dimitrescu awakes with a start which causes her to fall out of your bed. You hold back your laughter as she struggles to get her bearings. Now that they were all awake, you could climb out of bed to use the en-suite bathroom before eating your dinner. When you returned, the sisters were in a dogpile on top of your bed throwing punches at each other. 

“Alcina, if you can hear me, please come back soon.” You whisper as you take your dinner over to your desk to eat. 

You were used to the fighting now, so you paid it no mind. But your bed was a mess, and you were certain they weren’t going to make it for you. You sigh, not feeling the energy to put up with them. You didn’t eat most of your dinner as you were still full from your lunch, so you stood and walked toward the door with your dishes. You left the room and on your way, you passed by Olivia.

“Hi Y/N, why weren’t you at dinner?” She asks, with a hint of concern in her voice.

“I fell asleep. I guess I was low on energy after what had happened yesterday. Where’s Mara and Catalina?” You ask in response.

“Looking for Bela and Cassandra, have you seen them since you woke up?”

“All three of them are in my room. They must have brought me my dinner and ended up falling asleep too. Why don’t you go over there, I’ll find Mara and Cat.” Olivia gives you a nod before heading in the direction of your room. 

You drop off your dishes and search the few places you knew Mara and Cat usually spend their time. First, you searched the servants’ quarters, then the opera hall, and lastly, the library. They weren’t in any of the rooms you looked so you decided to head to Bela and Cassandra’s rooms to find them. And lucky you, there they were waiting outside each of their doors. When they spotted you, they came over to where you were standing.

“Y/N, have you seen Bela?” Mara asks. 

“In my room. Cassandra’s in there too so you don’t even need to ask, Cat.”

“What are they doing in there?” Catalina asks, her brows furrowing in confusion

“Hopefully no longer fighting. And let’s pray that they remade my bed.” You answer with an eye roll. You start walking back toward your room; Mara and Cat walking beside you.

“Is Daniela there too?” Mara questions.

“Why were they fighting?” Cat questions as well.

“Yes, and they were fighting because Bela hit each of them to wake them up so I could eat my food. They were all asleep in my bed and Dani was practically crushing me.

“Such is the life of a personal heater.” Catalina quips.

“Oh, hush. Why don’t you offer to be their warm body? I could use a break.” You chuckle as the three of you walk back toward your room, laughing and joking about everything you can think of. When you made it back, the sisters had stopped fighting and Dani was sitting in your window seat with Olivia. 

You knelt near your bed to pull out the deck of cards you keep in your chest. You hopped up on your bed and began shuffling them. Once they were shuffled, you held the deck up and raised your eyebrows.

“Care for a few games of cards?” You ask. You didn’t need to wait for an answer as the five other women in your room were pulling up seats or sitting in your bed with you. This time, you’d be playing ‘bullshit’, or ‘cheat’ if you’re proper. 

You spent a couple of hours playing cards. You’d gotten better at lying, and at reading the expressions of your friends. You really should have bet money because you won almost every game. You only stopped playing when you heard Alcina’s door slam, startling you all and signaling her return. Bela, Cass, and Dani stood up abruptly before rushing out of the room to see what was wrong with their mother. You crawled to the end of your bed and pressed your ear to the wall to see if you could hear anything.

“What are they saying?” Catalina asks, speaking well above a whisper. You shush her before she can finish her question. 

You try to make out each voice, but you don’t hear anything but mumbles. After a few minutes, you decided to check on Alcina as well. You got down from your bed and walked to the door. When you open the door, Cass and Dani are on the other side, looking visibly defeated. 

“Mother’s not in a good mood right now. Bela went to retrieve her wine to hopefully calm her down.” Daniela says as she and Cassandra enter your room. 

“Do you think it would help if Y/N talked to her?” Mara suggests.

“It’s risky, Mother’s not necessarily the kindest when she’s angry. Wait until Bela comes back with the wine, then try talking to her.” Cassandra says, taking a seat on your bed. 

You stand near the door anxiously, biting your nails as you peer down the hall to see if Bela is on her way back. When you see her, she hands the wine through the door, and it closes immediately after. That was never a good sign. You stand outside your room as Bela walks over.

“Is she okay?” You ask, concern written all over your features.

“She didn’t slam the door this time so I’m guessing she feels a little better. Are you going to see her?” The blonde asks in response.

“I’d like to. I want to talk to her, maybe that will calm her down some more.” 

“Okay, we’ll be in here.” Bela says as she enters your room. 

You walk a few feet down the hall to Alcina’s room and knock on the door. After a few moments of no response, you decided to knock again. This time when there’s no response, you twist the knob and enter yourself.

“I did not give you permission to enter my chambers.” Alcina says as she stares out her window, taking a long drag from her cigarette and blowing the smoke into the air. 

“I’m sorry. The girls said you were in a bad mood, and I wanted to see if you were okay.” You say with your hands clasped in front of you and your gaze trained to the floor.

“How I’m feeling is none of your concern.” Alcina says cold

“What?” Your head snaps up as you stare dumbfounded at Alcina. “I’m your companion, the way you feel is  absolutely  my concern.” You say harshly. A little too harsh as Alcina’s head whips in your direction. 

“Watch your tone, child.” Alcina growls. You take a deep breath to calm the anger that’s starting to rise in you before speaking.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you. I just want you to be okay because I care about you, that’s all.”

“I did not ask you to care about me, nor do I need you to care about me. You are a maid; it is not your job to care.” Alcina says through gritted teeth. 

“Is that all I am to you? Just a maid? Why don’t you allow people to care about you? Not me, not your daughters, it’s… it’s like you’re afraid to be cared for.” You say as tears sting the corner of your eyes. Alcina doesn’t respond as she turns back to face the window. 

“Is that what it is? Are you afraid? Are you not used to having people care about you, just like I was?” 

“Don’t you dare compare yourself to me. You don’t know a thing about me and what I have to go through. We will never be alike.” Alcina’s words cut through you like a knife and the anger that you tried to repress is now back.

“That’s the problem! I don’t know anything because you don’t tell me anything! You know damn near everything about me, Alcina. Hell, I practically told you my life story the night I was brought to the castle. I’ve been here over a year and most of what I know about you, I had to find out from other people. So, I’m sorry for wanting to know you better so that I can help you when shit like this happens. I’m aware that we aren’t alike, we’re the furthest thing from alike, but that isn’t going to stop me from trying to understand you.” 

“Mind your tongue when you speak to me you insolent child,” Alcina says through gritted teeth as she turns to face you fully. “or so help me-” 

“Or what? Are you going to cut it out and have your daughters drag me down to the cellar? That’s your solution for everything? To have people be dragged to the cellar when they’ve done nothing wrong? When you know that you’re wrong?” 

“Get. Out.” 

“No. I’m not leaving until you-” Your words are cut off when you’re picked up and thrown against Alcina’s vanity. 

The mirror broke on impact and small shards of glass were now embedded in your skin. Before you have any time to react, Alcina takes you by the neck and holds you in the air. She tightens her grip, restricting your airflow. You grabbed her wrist in an effort to get her to release you, but she was much stronger than you were. She slams you against the wall which causes the glass to burrow deeper into your skin. You let out a strangled scream before Alcina brings her face close to the crook of your neck. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of your blood.

“The blood smells so sweet when they’re wracked with fear.” Alcina said in a low, hungry tone. When she pulled away to look at you, the signature golden color of her eyes was nothing but a dark void. Tears began to pour down your cheeks as the kind, gentle Alcina you knew was no longer in there. She released her hand from around your neck to pin your arms above you while the other held you against the wall by your sternum. Holding you firmly, she buried her face into your neck again.

“Alcina, please. I’m sorry, don’t do this.” You breathe out, between coughs and sobs. 

You felt her breath against her skin as her mouth opened. She bit down, hard, and the searing pain you felt afterward caused you to scream. You struggled against her as she drank your blood. 

“Alcina… please stop… I’m so sorry.” Was all you managed to say as you began to feel lightheaded. 

The door burst open as swarms of flies filled the room before materializing in the forms of Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela.

“MOTHER!” They shouted in unison, which seemed to cause Alcina to break out of whatever trance she was in and pull away from your neck.

When the color returned to her eyes, she looked as though her world shattered as tears welled up in them. She released you, letting you fall as she covered her face, and her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Bela caught you and began applying pressure to the wound on your neck to stop the bleeding. You groaned weakly from the pain. Alcina slowly approached you, her makeup now running from the tears she shed.

“I can’t believe I… did this.” is all Alcina could say as she watched in horror. 

“I thought you cared about her, that you said no harm would come to her.” Bela says as she held you up to remove the broken pieces of mirror from your body. 

“I do care about her! I- I never meant to hurt her; I swear. I don’t know what came over me she… she just made me so angry that I lashed out. I’m so sorry girls.”

“Don’t apologize to us, Mother. Apologize to Y/N, she’s the one you hurt.” Cassandra says coldly, blocking Alcina from coming any closer to you.

“Girls, I-” 

“No, nothing you say now will justify what you just did to her. You just better hope and pray she forgives you.” Cassandra growls. 

“I’m going to take her back to her room and get her cleaned up. I got the bleeding to stop, and it doesn’t look like she’ll need any stitches from the glass.” Bela says as she carries you toward the door. “Cass, Dani, do what you can to keep Mother away from her.” Cassandra and Daniela nod as Bela exits Alcina’s room. 

She lays you on top of your bed before moving to your bathroom and returning with a wet cloth, some type of liquid in a green bottle, and gauze. She removes the top half of your uniform and cleans your wounds with the cloth, and you hiss from the pain. Once your wounds are clean, she pours the liquid from the bottle onto the gauze and swipes it over cut before pouring a generous amount of it on your neck. Your skin heals almost instantly, but you can still feel the pain in your neck from Alcina’s bite.

“Why didn’t you use any of that stuff on my nose?” You chuckle weakly, causing you to cough afterward.

“It doesn’t work like that. Y/N I’m… sorry for what my mother did to you. We thought you’d be able to calm her down.” The blonde in an apologetic tone.

“It’s not your fault, nor is it your sisters’ fault. The only person at fault here is me. I was dumb enough to believe that she cared about me and wouldn’t hurt me.” You say, your voice was hoarse from the strangulation. Bela stayed silent, as did your friends. “I know none of you probably want to leave me alone, but I need some time to myself at the moment.”

“Are you sure?” Mara asks. You nod in response.

“Okay, we’ll leave you be. You’ll be fine by the morning, but if you need anything, or if Mother tries anything, call for me or my sisters.” Bela says as she walks toward the door. Mara, Catalina, and Olivia follow her and before they exit, they all look at you with similar worried expressions. You give them a weak smile and a thumbs up for reassurance as they leave your room.

You should have known better than to provoke Alcina; you were warned of that on your first day. Yet here you are, having almost died at the hands of the woman that you trusted. The same woman who nursed you back to health after collapsing, and after getting beaten to a bloody pulp. The same woman who promised you that no one would hurt you, who said you had people that cared for you, herself included. The same woman who said she didn’t want you for your blood. The same woman that you let yourself fall for. Gods, you were a fool.

Hurt wasn’t the word to describe what you felt. No, you felt betrayed, lied to, like your heart had been ripped from your chest and crushed before your eyes. Maybe Alcina should have sent you to the cellar when Miranda brought you here. Maybe Miranda should have just killed you and delivered your dead body. Anything would have been better than what just happened. You should have just left Alcina’s room when she told you to. You don’t know how you can stay here now, how you can just lie in bed in the room right next to the woman that tried to murder you. You had to do something to get as far away from Alcina as possible, stay in a different room, anything. You just had to. You… You…

You’re supposed to go into the village tomorrow…

Chapter Text

You didn’t sleep during the night and had nothing but the pressure from your arms to bring you comfort as you sobbed silently. Every touch, kiss, sweet word… everything felt like a lie. The one person that brought you the most happiness took it away from you in the blink of an eye. Yes, you shouldn’t have provoked her, you knew that was a dumb thing to do, but someone had to be upfront with her. You thought she’d just talk to you; let you take care of her the same way she wanted to take care of you. You couldn’t put your trust in Alcina after that, and you were done giving people the benefit of the doubt. Had her daughters not come to your aid, you’re sure she would have killed you. She had the look of a predator that had finally caught its prey in her eyes. She scared you. And you’d be damned if you continued to stay here living in fear. 

It was now Sunday, your usual village day. You’d bathed and dressed as you usually would on mornings you went into the village. Only this time, you wouldn’t be returning. Not today, maybe not ever. You didn’t know where you’d go, but you certainly weren’t coming back here. You threw your cloak around your shoulders, and put on your winter boots, as you’d likely be doing a lot of walking. You took the bags of lei you’d been saving and shoved them under your cloak to keep them hidden. You left your necklace and a note on your desk, should anyone come looking for you, before setting off toward the servants’ exit. It was still very early, the sun hadn’t risen, and everyone was likely still sleeping. 

I’m going into the village to grab a few items. I promise I’ll be safe. Save me some food.

-Y/N

With your note, at least your friends wouldn’t suspect that you won’t be coming back. You managed to sneak out without anyone seeing you, and you gave one last glance at the closed door before turning to the path you were to follow. 

“I’m sorry for leaving all of you, but I have to do this.” You whisper as you walk along the snow-covered trail. The icy, winter air hurt your face and your lungs, but the pain was still less than what was in your heart. 

You walked through the village, stopping at a bakery and one of the shops to buy some food and a few changes of clothes. You weren’t sure how long you’d been walking but the sun was now just above the castle. Your legs were tired, you were out of breath, but you kept going. You passed by your house, and part of you wanted to just go back to the farm, but you knew you wouldn’t be welcome. You stopped walking when you heard a voice calling out to you.

“You’re a long way from the castle. What has you so far away from home, young one?” You turned to see where the voice was coming from and saw an old, decrepit-looking woman. She had silver hair, clouded eyes, rotting teeth, and a walking stick with… were those human skulls? 

“The castle isn’t my home. I have no home.” You answer coldly. You didn’t mean to snap at the old woman, but there was something off about her. How did she know you came from the castle?

“Ah, a runaway. It will not be long before you are found and taken back.” 

“They’ll have to deliver my dead body before I let anyone drag me back there.”

“Your heart is broken and that is the reason you ran away. Who has hurt you, young one?”

“That’s not important. Now please, I’d like to get out of the cold and someplace warm, you should as well.” You say as you slowly resume your walking.

“Very well. In life and death, we give glory.” The hag says as she walks in the opposite direction. That saying was the same thing your parents said the night Mother Miranda came.  

You continued walking until you reached an inn just outside the village. You clambered up to the door. You were cold, your feet were aching, and your joints felt stiff. It would be a miracle if your fingers and toes weren’t frost-bitten. You entered and saw a burly-looking man at the front desk. You approached him to inquire about possible lodgings.

“Hello, sir, are there any rooms available? And perhaps any job openings?” You ask. It seemed like the part of you that enjoyed working came with you.

“We got a housekeeping job if ya want it. The pay ain’t great but we feed ya and give ya a place to rest your head.” You breathe a sigh of relief. Anything was better than nothing.

“That’s fine, perfect even. Is there anything you need from me?”

“Just your name, sweetness. I’ll get your keys and give you a rundown of what you gotta do.” The clerk says. You try your best not to vomit at the greasy way he called you ‘sweetness’ 

“Y/N.” You tell the man as your lips form a tight smile.

“Ain’t got a last name? You can take mine if ya like.” The greasy clerk says with a smirk. It reminded you of the interaction you had with Heisenberg, him having offered you a place at the factory seemed completely vanilla compared to this. You didn’t know your family name, so making one up seemed to be the best bet. 

“Maier, my last name is Maier.” You say. The surname you chose for yourself meant ‘farmer’ and while you were far from one, you grew up on a farm so that counts right?

“Alrighty then, Y/N Maier, here’s your keys,” the clerk places the keys on the desk, and you take them, “what ya gotta do is simple. Keep the place lookin’ decent, and when guests leave, clean the rooms afterward. Replace the bedding and stuff, maybe fluff up the pillows, we don’t get many people so it’s all light work. Supply closets are at the ends of each hall, the little silver key unlocks all of ‘em. You can start next week.” You respond with a nod and thank the man before heading off toward the room number that was engraved on the brass key. 

“203…” You murmur as you climb the stairs to the second floor of the inn. You unlock your door and enter the room. 

It wasn’t as nearly as nice as your chambers at the castle, but it’ll do. You set your things down on your bed You take your money out from under your cloak and slide it under the bed, making sure that it was well hidden. You hang your cloak on the back of a chair and sit on the edge of the bed to eat the food you bought. At least you wouldn’t have to worry about acquiring food. If someone from the castle saw you in the village, they’d surely report it back to Al- Lady Dimitrescu. 

The effects of not sleeping and walking for hours weighed heavily on your body. After you ate, you went into the bathroom to take a look at your wounds. You saw that the wounds from the mirror had healed completely without scarring. The wound on your neck, though fully healed, left a nasty scar. If there was a higher being out there, you suppose they left there to mock you, or perhaps to serve as a lesson. You exited the bathroom and crawled into your bed, letting your eyes shut so the gentle arms of slumber could finally whisk you away.

~~~

You weren’t sure how much time had passed since you left, a few months maybe? All that you knew was that the sun rose earlier each day, and the snow had melted. Flowers and weeds began to bud so you at least knew winter was over. No one had come searching for you so either they forgot about you, or assumed you died. You’d settled into a comfortable rhythm of work and rest, and there were never many guests in this inn so the most you had to do was sweep, dust, or mop the floors. 

The time you spent away allowed you to reflect on what had happened between you and the Lady. You were wrong to anger her, and you knew that, but she should have never put her hands on you. Hopefully, this time allowed her to reflect on her actions as well. You didn’t forgive her, nor were you obligated to. She was also not obligated to forgive you, but given her offenses were far worse, it would be foolish of her to hold a grudge. Despite everything, you missed the castle. You missed your friends, you missed the girls, Ylenia, you missed your music lessons with Daniela, you missed being teased by Catalina, you missed the good memories you made there. Though you did not want to go back, if you did, you wanted to at least try to work through everything and perhaps start over… for a second time. 

You were downstairs wiping down the front desk when the door opened. You had your back turned so you didn’t see who walked through.

“The clerk will be back in a few moments, please wait here until he does.” You say, not looking up from your work.

“Y/N?” A familiar voice calls to you, one that you’d recognize even if you’d lost all your memories. You freeze, tears immediately pricking the corners of your eyes. You dropped your rag and turned around, three pairs of eyes meeting your gaze.

“Hi… Cat.” You say softly, with a small wave. Your friends blink a few times before rushing over to you and enveloping you in a bone-crushing hug.

“We thought you died!” Olivia says, sobbing into your shoulder.

“We searched everywhere for you when you didn’t come back! We… we had a funeral for you.” Mara adds, wiping away her tears.

“How could you leave us like that and not say anything?” Catalina asks, hitting your other shoulder. They pull back and have started to calm down now that they know you’re alive and well.

“I’m sorry, really, I am. I never meant to hurt you three. I should have told you but I just- I couldn’t. I needed to leave.” You respond, blinking back your tears.

“Have you been here this whole time?” Olivia asks.

“I have.” 

“And you couldn’t have sent us a letter or anything to at least let us know you were alive?” Catalina glares at you as her tone turns angry

“I didn’t want anyone to look for me, and I still don’t want anyone knowing where I am. It will be better for all of you to continue believing I’m dead.”

“I don’t want to believe you’re dead; none of us want to! Everyone, even the Lady has been miserable since you left. She still blames herself for everything that’s happened and hasn’t taken a meal or even had her wine in weeks.” Catalina says, trying to guilt-trip you.

“She made it very clear that it was not my responsibility to care about her. I’m sorry but I’m not going back. Please, forget you ever saw me.” 

“What’s going on out here sweetness? These friends of yours? They getting’ rooms?” The clerk chimes as he returns to the desk. You roll your eyes with a grimace. He hasn’t dropped the pet name since the day you walked in here and every time he says it makes you feel ill. 

“Yes, and no. They were just about to leave.” You say with a curt nod. Catalina lets out a huff as she’s the first to exit the inn, Mara follows, and Olivia looks at you with new tears forming in her eyes before leaving. It hurt you to make your friends feel this way, but you knew that it was for the best. 

You took your rag and the rest of your cleaning supplies back to the supply closet before retiring to your room. You paced back and forth thinking about everything they said to you. So, they thought you were dead – that confirmed your suspicions. They held a funeral for you though, and as long as you’ve been there, no one that’s died has had a funeral. Was it your friends’ idea? The daughters? The Lady? She scarred you for, possibly for life, yet she’s practically starving herself because she’s grieving you? It didn’t make sense. None of this made sense! If you would have gone back, would everything go back to the way it was? How would everyone react to knowing you weren’t dead? 

It was too much to think about, and frankly, you didn’t want to think about it.

~~~

Week after week, Mara, Cat, and Olivia kept coming to the inn to see you. The flowers were blooming, and the birds began to sing in the mornings. Your friends mentioned not letting anyone know where you were, or that you were alive, and you were grateful for that. They were just happy to see you, happy to be able to talk to you again. The clerk never minded when they visited, as it only gave him more women to hit on. Gross. At one point, Catalina asked how you put up with him, and you told her you just tune it out. It still bothers you, but there isn’t much you can say, or do about it if you still wanted a job. Just grin and bear it. 

One day, when your friends came to visit, you didn’t know that the Lady’s daughters tagged along with them. It was warm enough for them to leave the castle, so they wanted to accompany them on their village visit.

“Now, don’t be mad, but we had some unexpected company.” Catalina says nervously.

“Define unexpected.” You say, narrowing your eyes at your friend. 

“The Lady’s daughters wished to accompany us. They were curious to know where we go every week and came with us. I swear we didn’t tell them anything, they’re still in the carriage.” Mara says quickly, possibly to confuse you.

“Mara, speaking fast isn’t going to stop me from figuring out what you said. Why hadn’t you convinced them to stay in the castle? If they see me, they’re going to try to take me back.” You say with disappointment in your voice.

“We’re sorry, we tried, but they were insistent on coming with us. They haven’t been out of the castle in months!” Catalina says, trying to ease the situation.

“And so, you brought them here? Seriously, what were you thinking?” You ask, pinching the bridge of your nose. You knew what they were thinking. They likely thought that if you saw the girls, you’d be more inclined to return. But what if they didn’t want you to? That’d be a very awkward situation you didn’t want to be a part of.

“If they see you, we promise to get them not to say anything. They can keep a secret.” Olivia says.

“Not Daniela. As soon as she gets excited her mouth will never close.” You say.

“We swear on everything we love; we’ll convince them not to say anything.” Mara adds. 

“Oh, but you couldn’t convince them not to tag along with you? You three need to get out before my cover is blown. Go on now, shoo, shoo.” You say making a shooing motion with your hands.

“Who are you in here talking-” Bela says as she enters the inn.

“Shit.” You whisper. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, Cassandra and Daniela have entered as well.

“You… you’re… we…” Daniela stammers as tears form in her eyes. Cassandra walks over to you with a blank expression before slapping you across the face. You grab your cheek as you stare back at her. Was she angry, or was she expressing a different emotion?

“What was that for?!” You ask, your cheek stinging.

“For making us believe you were dead. How could you do that to us?” The brunette asks, the hurt evident in her tone.

“Look I’m sorry, that was not my intention. I needed to leave, I needed to be away from the castle if I wanted to learn to move on.” 

“You could have sent a letter!” Cassandra hisses.

“That’s what I said!” Catalina adds. You shoot her a glare and she shrinks behind Mara.

“The three of you knew she was alive?” Bela asks, her breath quick and shallow, her eyes glossing over with unshed tears.

“Yes, but she asked us not to tell you.” Olivia responds. Daniela approaches you and wraps her arms around you in a tight embrace.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, I missed you so much.” The redhead says, her shoulders shaking in silent sobs.

“Shh, Dani, It’s okay. I missed you too.” You say softly, rubbing the youngest sibling’s back to soothe her. 

“Mother is going to be so happy to see you.” Daniela says in a hushed tone. You pull away from the hug and sigh, rubbing her shoulders.

“I’m sorry Daniela, but I’m not returning. I just don’t think I can, I don’t feel safe there.” You say in an apologetic tone.

“So, we’re just supposed to be okay with not seeing you for almost five months, finding you, and you not returning?” Cassandra asks, the hurt in her voice now replaced with anger. Despite her words, there were tears in her eyes as well. 

“It’s been almost five months?” Your eyebrows raise in shock at the amount of time that’s passed. 

“Four months and twenty-three days, to be exact.” Bela says, blinking back her tears.

“I’m sorry, truly, I didn’t know it had been that long. Still, I need more time. I- I don’t want to be hurt again.” 

“What will it take to get you to come back home? Please, Y/N, the castle isn’t the same without you – Mother isn’t the same without you.” Daniela says with pleading eyes.

“Truthfully, I don’t think anything can convince me. I know my apologies aren’t enough for the pain I’ve caused all of you, but I need to all to understand that I did what I thought necessary. I won’t say no to you visiting me, but I don’t want the Lady finding out. As I told Mara and the others some weeks ago, it would be best if you all continue to act like I’m actually dead.” 

“Why don’t you want Mother to find out?” Cassandra asks.

“I don’t know, I thought I’d have my feelings sorted by now but, I guess they aren’t.” 

“And those feelings are?” Bela questions.

“If I can forgive your mother, if she should forgive me, what would happen if I returned… I just don’t know if I’m ready for all of that yet. All those memories flooding back to me.” 

 “I can respect that. I just- I hope you will be ready soon. We need you back home.” Cassandra says before walking toward the door. Bela and Daniela give you one last hug before following their sister back out to the carriage. 

And so, the girls did visit, every day. With your other friends coming with them every week. 

Everything was going well; it was nice to be able to spend time with the girls again. You never had anything against them, so you didn’t see any reason to continue to shut them out. If anything, the girls had saved your life, more than once. You had to show them your gratitude somehow. The clerk didn’t bother you as much when the daughters were around, almost as if he were scared. You didn’t blame him because the way Cassandra can glare at you is like being buried alive. 

One day, when you were getting ready to start your afternoon duties, there was a knock on your door.

“Maier, you in there?” The clerk called from the other side.

“Yeah, just give me a second!” You responded as you were in the middle of pulling your shirt over your head. You opened your door and saw that the clerk looked angry, almost fuming.

“How come you ain’t say your little friends were from the castle?” 

“I didn’t think it mattered, why?”

“Because they ain’t welcome here, and I don’t like the way the brunette one looks at me.” The clerk's words angered you. It wasn't like they harmed anyone by showing up here.

“I’ll tell them not to come back if it bothers you so much. You can fire me, whatever, I have enough money to pay for a few weeks until I figure something out.” You say as you pull the bags of lei out from under your bed. 

“I don’t want your money girl; I got a better idea of what you can give me.” The clerk says as he enters the room, closing and locking it behind him. He approaches you, slowly, and for each step he takes forward, you take one step back.

“What? If you want me to work for free, fine. I don’t care about pay.” 

“Don’t play dumb, sweetness. Livin’ around murderers stop your brain from workin’ or somethin’? Just open those pretty legs of yours for me and I’ll let those Dimitrescu bitches come here whenever they want.” Oh, so that’s what he wanted. He wanted to use your body. 

“I’m sorry, but I- I don’t like your kind. I don’t like men.” You say as your eyes dart between the clerk and the door. 

“Even better, I like fixin’ women like you.” He was inches away from you now so you did the only thing you could think to do and swiftly kick him between the legs. 

The clerk doubled over in pain, so you used that as an opportunity to get away. You didn’t get far. Because one moment you were upright, then the next you were face-first on the floor, being dragged by your ankle toward him. He easily overpowered you and kept pulling you under him. He held your arms by the wrists with one hand and pinned them against your back. The other hand making quick work of undoing his pants and pulling yours down. You tried kicking and wiggling away, but he straddled your thighs, hindering your movement.

“Someone, help me! Please!” You screamed as you continued to struggle.

“Screamin’ ain’t gonna help you, sweetness. Ain’t nobody here but you and me.” The clerk chuckled as he palmed your now bare backside. You cried out in pain when you felt his hand come down with force. 

“Please, please stop! I’ll leave! You can keep my money just please don’t-” Your words were cut off by another scream when the clerk pushed himself inside you. 

You were writhing under him as your sobs cut through the sound of his grunting. He took his free hand and pushed your face into the floor, muffling your screams and cries. He was taking your innocence from you, defiling you, ruining you. And there was nothing you could do but cry, shake, and hope that someone, anyone would come save you. You hated yourself for letting it get this far, everything that had happened to you was your fault. You ran your mouth and got attacked, you trusted a random stranger and now he was raping you. Everyone in your life, save for six people, has hurt you in some way. All you wanted now was to go home, to go back to Alcina. To climb into her lap and just cry. Cry and cry and cry about your miserable life. Maybe she would come back here and kill this man, or maybe she wouldn’t care and have you drained into a barrel. Anything, even death, would be more tolerable than what was happening to you right now. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the darkness in your mind began to swallow you whole.

You were pulled from your thoughts when the hands that were pinning you down were now gone, and you felt something warm dripping onto you.  Was he finally through with you?  You thought. As you turned, you saw that it was blood and that there was a sickle in his neck being wielded by a furious Cassandra. You felt hands pulling you off the floor, scrambling to pull your pants up before they held you close. You curled into their embrace and let yourself just sob.

“You’re okay, you’re safe.” Daniela’s voice echoed through your mind as she began rubbing your head to soothe you.

“Dani… he… he was…” You stammer in between sobs. 

“Shh, it’s alright. We’ve got you now, he can’t hurt you anymore.” The redhead spoke in a calming tone. 

“Cass, how does he taste?” You heard Bela ask with a serious tone.

“Bitter and stale. Not worth bringing home to Mother.” Cassandra said as she wiped her sickle off on her dress. She walked over and joined Daniela in embracing you, her breath quick and heavy as she tried calming herself down.

“I’m so sorry we didn’t get here sooner.” Cassandra whispered to you.

“It-it's okay. You’re here, that’s what matters. How did- how did you know what was happening?” You ask, your sobs turning into jagged breaths.

“The scent of your blood changed.” Bela says softly, as if ashamed of the fact that she could smell your blood. 

“Oh…” You trail off. Now that you weren’t a virgin, would it even be worth it going back to the castle?

“I can tell you’re worried about something. What are you thinking about?” Daniela asks. 

“If I’ll be able to go back to the castle. I’m not a… I’m not a virgin anymore.” You say with a defeated sigh.

“Are you ready to go back to the castle?” Cassandra asks as she pulls away, her eyes wide in shock.

“Yes, I want to go home.” 

~~~

The ride back to the castle was short. The girls let you lay across their laps as a way of comforting you in the small carriage. You stayed silent for the most part, occasionally laughing at a joke one of the daughters would tell to lighten the mood. They’d saved you for the third time. Though this time, you were certain you’d never be able to forgive that disgusting clerk for his wrongdoings. You could forgive Alcina and your family, hell, you could even forgive Irina for the things she did to you. You just wanted to forget that it happened, completely erase the memory from your brain. 

The girls helped you up to your room when you returned, before leaving to find your other friends. Everything was exactly how you left it; the note and necklace on your desk, your unmade bed, the different piles of playing cards strewn about in the room. It was as if time was frozen, taking you back to that night many months ago. However, you felt different than back then, and despite something very traumatic happening just hours ago, you were happy. Happy to finally be back in the castle, back in your home. Now, however, was not the time to reminisce. You needed to bathe to rid yourself of the stench of that inn, and the deplorable clerk. 

You drew yourself a bath with no fancy additions, and just let yourself sink into the water. The water turned a faint shade of pink as the blood that spilled from the man’s neck, as well as the blood between your legs, started to rinse off. You pulled your knees to your chest as you let yourself cry once more. The fresh memories of your assault replaying in your mind made you dig your fingernails into your skin, scratching and clawing as if it could be removed. It wasn’t enough to draw blood, but there were sure to be marks left. Thankfully, your mind didn’t have enough time to retreat into the darkness because you could hear your bedroom door opening followed by several footsteps.

“Y/N?” You heard Olivia’s voice call from the other side of the bathroom door.

“I’m in here. You can come in if you want, I don’t mind.” You say just loud enough for your friends to hear. It was silly to try and keep quiet, if Alcina were here, she probably heard you already. 

The door opened slowly as Mara, Cat, Liv, and the daughters entered. They went to cover their eyes, but you shook your head to let them know it was okay.

“How are you?” Mara asks softly.

“I don’t know… angry? Tired? I feel a multitude of things yet nothing at all. Everywhere I go, something bad happens to me that I’ve just become numb to it all.” You respond with a shrug.

“If you ever need to talk to any of us about anything, please come find us. We don’t want you going through these things alone.” Mara says as she places a reassuring hand on your shoulder. 

“We’re happy you came back. Ylenia is going to bring you up something to eat soon.” Olivia says with a warm smile.

“Good, I missed her cooking; everything I ate at that dingy inn was bland.” 

“You missed a lot, there’s supposed to be a new maid arriving next week. Apparently, she was sold off by her husband to pay a debt.” Catalina says. You were curious who this new maid was and why her husband would be so cruel as to sell her off. Men are truly the scum of the earth. 

“Well, let’s hope she does well. I want to finish bathing; will you guys wait in my room for me?” You ask. 

Your friends and the girls nod before they exit the bathroom. You wash your body and your hair, making sure to scrub everything thoroughly to get any trace of that man and that musty inn off of you. Once you were finished, you wrapped your body in a towel and exited the bathroom, and walked into your room. You picked out your black slacks and turtleneck (because you knew that was Alcina’s favorite outfit), underwear, and socks and retreated into the bathroom to change. When you came back out, you took the necklace Alcina gave you and clasped it around your neck. Daniela’s eyebrows raise as she looks at you with curiosity.

“You’re still going to wear the necklace Mother gave you?” The redhead asks as her lips form a wide grin.

“Yeah… I thought a lot about what happened, and I realized that I was wrong to anger her. I was warned not to provoke her or the three of you when I started working and did it anyway. She had every right to be mad at me.”

“But she had no right to hurt you. What she did to you wasn’t because she was angry with you, it’s because she’s not used to people calling her out or holding her accountable. You did the right thing.” Bela says firmly. It was reassuring to know that the girls weren’t mad at your behavior toward their mother.

“Is she here? I’d like to speak to her.” 

“She’s at Aunt Donna’s, she’ll be back soon.” Cassandra adds, not looking in your direction as she examines her sickle. 

“Has she… how is she doing?” You ask, twiddling your thumbs nervously.

“She’s better now. At first, she had such a hard time accepting that you were gone that she wouldn’t eat or even drink her wine. She also never hired a new lady’s maid because she felt that if she did, it would mean that you were truly gone. When other maids suggested clearing out your room after your ‘funeral’, she would shut them down in an instant.” Bela explains with a saddened expression

“I had no idea. I’m so sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone by leaving. I was acting so selfishly at the time that I didn’t consider anyone else’s feelings. If you ever find it in your hearts to forgive me, I swear I’ll make it up to all of you.”

“You don’t have to; you came back and that’s all we wanted.” Olivia says with a warm smile.

“Speak for yourselves,” Cassandra scoffs, “I want an apology cake. Chocolate with cherry filling, preferably.” 

“She only knows how to cook cabbage rolls.” Catalina quips, “If you ask her to bake, she might actually burn down the kitchen.” Ah, it was so nice to be teased again. Normally you would be mad, but you couldn’t help but laugh with your friends.

“It’s just cake, how hard can it possibly be?” You ask as your laughter subsides.

Spending time with your friends and the girls made it feel like you’d never left. It felt right. It felt like home. It was a good way to keep your mind distracted. At some point, Ylenia had brought up your lunch and proceeded to smack you upside the head a couple of times before she left your room. You knew she had good intentions, and you could hear how hurt she felt when she reprimanded you for leaving the castle. Ylenia was slowly becoming like a mother figure to you, a role that you desperately needed in your life. You thought you’d never have a family that cared about you but your friends, the girls, Ylenia, they were your family, and you wouldn’t trade them for the world.

As you were mid-sentence, Daniela perked up with a beaming smile.

“Mother’s home!” She exclaimed before swarming out of your room through a space at the bottom of the door. Bela and Cass followed her, exiting similarly. Your nerves began to stir, and your heart was beating rapidly. 

“This is it huh? After almost five months away, I’ll be seeing the Lady again.” You say as you wring your hands together.

“If you’re not ready, you don’t have to.” Mara says as she places her hand over yours.

“I want to, I just don’t know how she’s going to react. Maybe she’s still angry with me and I’ll have come back for nothing.” 

“She’s not going to be angry. If anything, she’ll be overjoyed to see you. Your absence was harder on her than any of us.” 

“You’re right, you’re right. Why am I so nervous then?” 

“Because you’re Y/N and you’re always nervous.” Catalina states very matter-of-factly. You gave your friends a nod before exiting your room. 

You stood outside and watched as the girls buzzed by you and back under the space in your door, their mother not in your sight yet. If she heard your heart, she’d know you were here, but maybe she confused it with another maid and thought nothing of it. You decided to walk over to her room and wait outside her door. You had your back turned as you were admiring a vase, so you didn’t hear her approaching you. 

“Y/N?” Alcina asked in disbelief. You turned to face her and looked up to meet her gaze and all of the nerves you felt just moments ago were gone. Her eyes were glazed over with unshed years as they roamed your figure from head to toe. 

“Hello, My Lady.” You say, your voice already thick with emotion.

“Surely, my eyes are deceiving me. Y/N, she…” Alcina trails off as a single tear falls down her cheek. You reach out and grab her hand, rubbing your finger across the leather of her glove.

“I didn’t die. I’m right here, see?” You say, taking your hand and placing it over your heart to show her that it was beating. 

“Iubirea mea, te-ai întors la mine? You’ve come back?” Alcina asks, you nod in response You didn’t know what the first part meant, as you only knew English, but you could tell that she had called you a pet name

“Yes, I came back, and I’d like to speak with you. Is that alright?” You ask, taking her hand and placing it back by her side. Alcina nodded before unlocking the door and opening it, letting you enter first. Her vanity and several pieces of furniture were gone, and it left a baren feeling in the room. The only things that remained were her bed, her wardrobe, and her chaise. She ducked through the door and left slightly ajar, likely to allow you to exit should you need to. Alcina then walked over and sat on the chaise, her posture remaining stiff. You remained by the door as you stood with your hands clasped in front of you.

“My Lady, I-”

“Y/N, I-” 

You had spoken at the same time, interrupting each other. 

“You go first.” Alcina says, nodding her head to let you speak.

“My Lady, I would like to apologize,” You start, Alcina’s eyes widen in shock. “I was wrong to anger you. I should have never disrespected you the way I did, nor should I have ignored your wishes. And for leaving, making you think I died… I never meant to hurt you. I offer you my sincerest apologies and I hope that you will be able to forgive me. You don’t have to, of course, and I will respect that.”

“Save your apologies, Y/N. I don’t need them. It is I who should be apologizing. What I did to you was far worse than anything you said to me. I realize now that I needed to hear those things, I needed someone to humble me. I know it will take more than words to earn your trust and forgiveness, but should you choose not to, I understand.” 

“I accept your apology… and I forgive you. May I sit with you?” You ask. You were going to tell her about what the clerk did to you, and you wanted to be near her, for her to hold you. Alcina nods and you walk over to sit beside her. As you try to find the right words to say, fresh tears sting the corners of your eyes.

“Are you alright?” Alcina asks as her features show deep concern.

“I was- I was working and living at an inn just outside the village. My friends and the girls would often come to visit me and today the owner found out who they were. He c-came to my room and he… I’m so sorry, I’m not a virgin anymore.” You say as your face falls into your hands. You felt ashamed, like you wouldn’t be worth anything now that you weren’t a maiden. 

Alcina took you into her arms as you cried. Her hands were shaking as she held you close.

“Look at me, Y/N,” Alcina says, her voice was soft yet firm. You look up and wipe your tears away. You searched her features for any traces of anger, but you found none.

“I told you that it mattered not to me. I did not ask you to be my companion for your blood, and despite my actions, it still does not matter. I’m terribly sorry for what that man-thing has done to you, and I will see to it that he suffers.”

“Cassandra killed him. The girls came today, and they brought me back. I’d like to stay… if you will allow it.” 

“All I’ve wanted was to have you here in my arms. To feel you, to see your face. I was lost without you here. I’d lie awake every night waiting for the moment I would hear the sound of your heart again. You are always welcome here.” 

“Thank you, My Lady.”

“Please, call me Alcina.” 

“Okay, Alcina,” You pause, smiling when you hear her name fall from your lips again, “there are a few more things I’d like to talk to you about.” 

“Go on.” 

“Well, you see, I quit my castle job without any sort of notice. I’m sure my boss wasn’t very happy about that, but I’m currently unemployed and was wondering if there were any positions available. In addition, if you happen to run into my ex-girlfriend, she’s really tall, has golden eyes, and always wears a hat, will you tell her that I’m sorry for leaving her and that I miss her?” You ask, giving Alcina your best puppy-dog eyes. Alcina throws her head back in laughter.

“Ex? So, you two are no longer together?” Alcina asks with a hint of sadness in her tone.

“Technically, she thought I died, but we didn’t break up. After five months away, I think it’s safe to say that we probably aren’t together.” 

“And you said she’s tall, has golden eyes, and always wears a hat, what else does she do?”

“Well, she runs a winery, she was apparently in a jazz band and didn’t tell me anything about it, and she liked to tease me.”

“You’re easy to tease.” Alcina says with a smirk

“I could say the same about you, Miss D.” You respond, returning the gesture.

“There’s the Y/N I missed.” Alcina smiled as she placed her hand over yours. “You can resume your duties as lady’s maid as soon as you’d like. After the things you’ve experienced, I want you to take as much time as you need to heal, don’t use work to distract yourself.”

“I promise I won’t.” You know Alcina will protest you returning to work tomorrow, so even though it kills you inside, you’re going to take enough time off. Maybe during that time, you’ll learn how to bake so you can make Cassandra the cake she wanted. 

“Good. There’s one final thing I’d like to ask you.”

“Yeah?”

“If you will have me, will you be my companion, again?” Alcina asks with a hopeful expression. You take a moment and pretend to ponder her question. Her body tenses as if she’s expecting you to say no. 

“If not, I-” Alcina starts, but before she can finish her statement, you cut her off as you lean forward to press a kiss to her lips. You pull away and press the palm of your hand to the side of her face.

“Is that an okay answer?” You ask softly. Alcina turns her head to leave a kiss on your palm. 

“It is more than okay, my dear. Thank you, for forgiving me and allowing me into your heart again.”

“You never left.” You say as you move your hand down to Alcina’s lap. 

“I’ve missed you terribly, and I swear to Mother Miranda that I will never hurt you again. I will do anything you ask to make sure that it doesn’t happen.”

“The only thing I ask is for you to just talk to me, to allow me to help you the same way you’ve helped me. We both have things that we go through, but neither of us should have to go through them alone. A companion can be a friend and confidant as well as a romantic partner. I want us to be equals.” 

“And so, we shall. I will give my best effort to communicate. It has been… ages since I last let someone know me intimately and I was hurt as a result of that. I closed myself off and began to push people away. You are the first person in many years, besides my daughters, that I will allow myself to be open around. But the things we talk about have to stay between us.”

“Of course, my lips are sealed. Thank you, Alcina. It means a lot to me that you are willing to try.” 

“May I kiss you again?” Alcina asks. You nod, before leaning up to close the distance between the two of you. Alcina reciprocates tenderly, using her hands to cup your face. You place your hands over hers as you breathe a sigh into the kiss. When Alcina pulls away, she leans her forehead against yours. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” You smile. “I should probably go find my piano teacher; I need to talk to her about continuing my lessons.”

“Yes, she was quite cross with you when you didn’t show up.” Alcina says before releasing you. You stand and readjust your turtleneck. 

 “I can imagine. Would you like to have tea later?”

“Yes, I’ve missed your tea immensely.”

“Okay, I’ll be back soon.” You say with a smile as you exit. When you reenter your room, the first thing you see is Daniela practically vibrating in her seat with excitement.

“How did it go?” The redhead asks with a cheerful expression.

“Good, it went good.”

“And you and Mother? How are the two of you?” Cassandra asks.

“We’re good, we talked about a lot. After a couple apologies, I told her what happened at the inn. After more “I’m sorry-s”, I asked about my old job here, the status of our relationship, and then there were even more apologies.”

“So, did you two make up? Can I go back to teasing you?” Catalina asks. You sigh, you should have known that was coming.

“Yes, Cat, you can. As much as I hate it, I… kind of missed it.” You admit “But before you do, Dani, I have a question to ask you.”

“You have to ask me a question? What is it?”

“When is my next piano lesson?” 

“Yay! I thought you’d never ask! There’s a lot we need to go over so the sooner we start, the better. How does right now sound?” Daniela asks, swarming up to you to take your hands in hers.

“I’m supposed to have tea with your mother, I can’t right now.” You respond, Daniela lets out a defeated sigh and her shoulders drop before the bubbliness instantly returns.

“Bring it to the opera hall, we can all have tea then I can give you your lesson!” 

“I can’t say no to that, Dani. There’s just one more thing I want to do before I go to prepare the tea.”

“Yeah? What?”

“Well, now that I’m officially back, group hug?” You say as you hold your arms out wide. Daniela is the first to latch on, followed by your friends, and Bela. There was still someone missing though.

“Come on Cassandra, I know you want to join in.” You say as you wave her over. The brunette begrudgingly walks over before wrapping her arms around you and your friends. 

It felt so good to be back in your room, back in the arms of your friends, back home. You wouldn’t trade this feeling for anything. 

“Okay, alright, too much. I don’t want to cry again.” You pull away and straighten out your clothes. “I’m going to go make the tea, I’ll see you in the opera hall and after my lesson, how about we finish that card game?” You ask as you step into the doorway. Nods were given in response from your friends, and you set off toward the kitchen. 

“I missed this.” You murmur as you journey through the halls of the castle.

Chapter Text

Emotional recovery was tricky to navigate. It’s not like you could take that stuff Bela brushed on your cuts and pour it directly into your brain. No, it was much more complicated than that. What happened at the inn left you feeling broken inside—like a shell of your former self. Initially, you thought you would be fine, that being back in the castle, back in Alcina’s arms, would make it all okay. But it wasn’t okay, nothing was okay. Every day was like a battle, and every night was a war. As your first few nights back progressed, you would jolt awake, a panting and sweaty mess from the recurring nightmares. More often than not, would you find yourself knocking on Alcina’s door for comfort. You didn’t want to sleep because you knew you’d just have another nightmare. So, Alcina would lie awake with you, letting you cry and shake as much as you needed to until you tired yourself out. You hated depriving her of sleep, but she refused to let you stay awake with nothing but your thoughts. Your mind would constantly replay everything that happened to you, it haunted you. You couldn’t escape it no matter how hard you tried. And you were tired, so very tired. During the day, you spent most of your time with other people, just being in their presence to keep you centered and grounded. Body doubling is what it’s called. Daniela had mentioned it to you one day after your piano lesson when you were getting lost in your own head. On the particularly hard days (which were most days), you wanted to be near Alcina. Her presence, her aura, was the most comforting thing to you. She was so soft, so caring, so understanding, so… everything you needed. 

Today, you were in Alcina’s study with her. She was working on revenue data, while you were analyzing a piano score. It was silent for the most part, the only sound being you humming along to the music you were reading. However, the silence was nice, it was comfortable. Body doubling was working for you, it helped to keep your mind from wandering off into the darkness. Eventually, you would need a way to combat this trauma and overcome it. But for now, this was okay. The new maid was to arrive today, and you wanted to be there to meet her. Sure, a lot of maids get sold off to work in the castle, but this woman was sold off by her husband, and that intrigued you. A few knocks on the door to Alcina’s study pulled the both of you from the immersion of your tasks and a voice rang from the other side.

“My Lady, the new maid has arrived.” 

“Very well, I will be down shortly.” Alcina said as she took off her reading glasses. She turned to you with a silent question of if you were coming with her, to which you responded with a nod. You placed your score down on a table and stood from your seat. You exited the study after her and you both made your way toward the main hall.

“What piece are you working on?” Alcina asks.

“It’s a surprise, but the only hint I’ll give you is that it’s a Paganini arrangement the girls created themselves.”

“Paganini already? I see you’re becoming quite the piano virtuoso.”

“Hardly. The strings play all the difficult parts, the piano is just there for moral support.” You chuckle. 

“When will I be able to hear it? I’ve been looking forward to hearing you play.”

“It’s almost ready, it just needs to be cleaned up. Do you not listen in on my lessons? I know you all have enhanced senses.”

“No, I want to hear you only when you are ready for me to. When I know you’re in a lesson, I focus my hearing on other things, like the sounds of the birds, or whatever commotion is happening elsewhere in the castle.” Alcina says. You look up at her with a smile.

“That’s very thoughtful, thank you.”

“Of course, darling.” 

The two of you continue walking until you reach the main hall where the new maid was. She had a suitcase and her head hung low, so it was hard to see her face.

“Hello, I assume you are the new maid. I’m Lady Dimitrescu, though you may refer to me as “ma’am”, “My Lady”, or “Lady Dimitrescu”. What is your name?” Alcina asked. The woman lifted her head and all the color drained from your face upon seeing her. Stefana, your older sister. You hadn’t seen her since she went to live with her husband. You glanced off to the side, not really wanting to be present for this interaction. 

“Stefana, My Lady. It’s nice to meet you.” Your older sister said nervously. 

“Likewise. Stefana, I know you are nervous, but I can assure you, you have nothing to worry about. There are but a few simple things I require of all my servants, honesty, respect, loyalty, and that you adhere to the rules of the castle. The other maids will brief you on those rules.” Alcina said in response, ushering a nearby maid over to where Stefana was standing. You recalled being told that Alcina sampled all the new staff, but she didn’t sample Stefana. Was it because she already knew she was your sister or had she stopped doing it since the incident? 

“Yes, My Lady.” 

“Good. This is Y/N, my lady’s maid.” Alcina says, Stefana’s eyes widening in response. 

“Hello.” You said as your lips formed a tight smile.

“Hello, it’s good to see you again.” Stefana said with a sad smile.

“Again? You two have met before?” Alcina asks with a raised brow.

“Something like that. I used to know her when I was young.” You explain, glossing over the fact that you were related.

“It’s more than that, My Lady, she’s my little sister. Who, apparently, isn’t so little anymore.” Stefana says with a light chuckle. You found nothing about this exchange amusing, and it angered you how she’s just pretending like she as well as the rest of your family hadn’t treated you like shit for most of your life.

“That’s why you smelled so familiar,” Alcina murmured. “Very well, Stefana, I will leave you to get settled, you’ll start tomorrow morning. Lydia will train you during your first week. She’ll also find uniforms for you until you can get measured.” 

“Thank you, My Lady.” Stefana says with a bow of the head. 

Alcina turns to leave, and you follow, sparing no glances at your sister. You just wanted to be away from her. When you return to the study, you fall into your chair and let out a deep, heavy sigh. Alcina approached and knelt beside you, taking your hand in hers.

“Are you alright, darling?”

“No, that whole interaction made me want to peel my skin off.” You grumble.

“Well, I’m certainly glad you didn’t. Had I known I would be receiving your sister, I’d have never taken her on for employment here.” Alcina says with sadness in her voice.

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. I just hated how she acted so cordial with me; as if she had no part in making my life hell. Why didn’t you taste her blood, was it because she smelled familiar?” 

“No, I haven’t done that since you left. There are several things that I am trying to change, to be better at for you, but we will discuss that another time. Would you like for me to pay Stefana’s debt and dismiss her? I know it is probably hard for you to be around her.” 

“You don’t have to do that. As long as she doesn’t continue to act like everything is fine and dandy between us, then I don’t have a problem with her being here. I don’t need the added stress of trying to heal from even more past trauma. I’m already having a hard time.”

“I know, dearest,” Alcina says, gently stroking the top of your head. “I will keep her on the same schedule as Lydia, that way, you won’t have to see her much. And if you’d like, you can have your meals with your friends elsewhere in the castle, or you all can join me and the girls. I imagine it would make them happy to dine with their girlfriends.” 

“And be teased by seven people until my whole body is the color of your wine? I think I’ll pass on that one.” You laugh. “Thank you for the offer though, I appreciate it.”

“Of course, my dear. Although it is a shame I won’t get to see the beautiful shade of red that paints your face.” 

“I walked right into that one. Will there ever be a day where I won’t be subjected to relentless teasing by you?”

“No.” Alcina says as she stands to her full height. She walks over to a larger chair and gestures for you to join her. As she sits, she helps you up into her lap and you settle into her arms. You sigh, still feeling conflicted. “What’s the matter, dragă?” Alcina asks. 

“I just don’t know how to feel about Fana being here. As much as I resent her for the way she treated me, she’s still my sister and… I don’t want anything to happen to her. Shouldn’t I be apathetic or something? I mean, I feel like it’s wrong to care about her.”

“There is nothing wrong with caring about your family, nor is it wrong to worry about her. You were once close, correct?”

“Yeah, I was close with all of my siblings at one point, but I was closest with Fana and my brother Andrei because they’re not much older than I am.” You respond with a hint of sadness in your tone. 

“Would you like a word of advice, dear?” Alcina asks, you nod. “You told me that your parents’ influence was the reason your siblings began treating you harshly. You’re not children nor do either of you have to listen to your parents. There is no one to stop you from reconnecting. You miss your siblings, and it’s okay to miss them. It’s okay to want to forgive them. You’ve forgiven me, have you not?” 

“Yeah, but-”

“No buts, I could have killed you. Yet you found it in your heart to forgive me, to give me a second chance. You don’t have to forgive her right away, or at all if you don’t want to, but you should speak with her.” 

You sigh, defeated. “Alright, I’ll speak with her at lunch. If it doesn’t go well, I will never let you kiss me again.” You say with narrow eyes.

“Oh, don’t do that to me, dear. It will kill me to never feel your lips against mine.” Alcina says as she makes quite possibly the cutest pouting face you’ve ever seen. 

“In that case, I hope you wrote a will.” You smirk. 

“Brat.”

“Don’t act like you don’t like it, Miss D.” 

“You know, Y/N, it’s been quite some time since I’ve gotten to tickle you. And here you are, in the perfect position.” 

“Please don’t tickle me, I won’t call you Miss D anymore.” You say blinking rapidly with an innocent smile plastered on your face.

“Such a beautiful smile, too bad it isn’t working.” Alcina says as her fingers begin gliding over the sensitive areas of your abdomen. 

“I call a truce! I’m waving my white flag! You can kiss me as much as you want!” You say as you stop the movements of Alcina’s hand.

“Surrendering so early? That must be a record.” 

“Yeah, yeah. So, are you going to kiss me or what?” You say, rolling your eyes. Alcina doesn’t answer. Instead, she places her finger under your chin to tilt your head upward. She leans in, and her face is millimeters away from yours when her hand lowers back down to your stomach. 

“Or what.” Alcina whispers as her fingers frantically move across your body. You begin laughing and flailing against Alcina. So much so that you almost fall off of her. Your laughter dies down and you settle into her arms once more.

“That was a dirty move, and you know it.”

“Yes, but I’ve missed the sound of your laughter. It is music to my ears.”

“You couldn’t tell me a joke?!” 

“I don’t know many jokes, and I doubt you would laugh so boisterously at the ones I do know.”

“Let’s test that theory, tell me a joke.”

“Very well, what is the opposite of irony?” 

 “I don’t know, what?” 

“Wrinkly.” Alcina says with a chortle. Your lips form a tight line, and you shake your head. 

“Was that not funny?”

“Not in the slightest.” You deadpan. 

“Well, I for one thought it was hilarious.” 

“Yeah, let’s stick to tickling.” You say as you turn your head to look at the clock. “I’m going to eat lunch. Where will I find you when I’m finished?”

“I will remain here; I still have figures to adjust, and I doubt I will be done by the time you are finished.” Alcina says with a sigh. Owning a business sounds incredibly tiring—and boring.

“Okay, I’ll let you know how it goes with my sister.” You say as you hop off of Alcina’s lap and head toward the door.

When you exit, you’re immediately met with an anxious feeling. You really didn’t want to talk to Stefana, but you knew that you’d have to eventually if she were to be working here. It’s better to do this now than to wait and avoid her, you learned that much from Irina. Hopefully, you will be able to forgive her, to forgive all of your family. You want to be able to. You want to put everything behind you and be truly happy. It was as Alcina said, neither of you had to listen to your parents anymore. They have no power over you or your sister. Or any of your siblings for that matter.

You entered the dining hall, got your food, and sat at your usual table as you waited for your friends to arrive. It was a simple lunch today, sandwiches, homemade potato chips, and fruit juice. As your friends entered, they got their food and joined you at the table.

“Hi Y/N, how are you feeling today?” Mara asks as she takes a bite of her sandwich.

“Oh, a lot of things, primarily anxious.” You answer, picking apart your food.

“Is it about that new maid? She isn’t another Irina is she?” Catalina asks, already on the defensive.

“No, she’s not like that at all. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“That’s vague,” Olivia says with furrowed brows.

“And cryptic.” Mara adds.

You look up toward the entrance of the dining hall and see your sister entering with Lydia. Stefana says something to her before walking toward the serving line. When she approaches your table with her food, you can tell that she’s just as nervous as you.

“Hi, Y/N, is it alright if I sit with you and your friends?” She asks, biting her lip.

“Sure, pull up a chair.” You shrug. Stefana finds an empty chair and places it beside you.

“Stefana, this is Mara, Catalina, and Olivia.” You say as you point to each of your friends. “Mara, Cat, Olivia, this is Stefana. My older sister.” Your friends’ eyes grow wide, Catalina nearly spits out her food.

“The new maid is your sister?!” Catalina exclaims.

“Yes, Cat, it’s almost like I just said that.” You answer, sarcastically. Catalina scowls at you before continuing to eat her food.

“But I thought that you didn’t…” Olivia starts before looking over at Fana and closing her mouth.

“It’s alright, I’m sure you’ve all heard some not-so-nice things about me.” Stefana says, saddened.

“Not just you, everyone in your family. I’m letting you know this now; I don’t like you.” Catalina says as she glares at your older sister.

“Cat!” You say through gritted teeth as you hit your friend on the arm. “I’m sorry about her, they’re just protective of me, that’s all. So, why do you want to sit here? Why not sit with Lydia?”

“I actually wanted to talk to you. Is it okay if we move to an empty table?” Stefana asks. 

“No, whatever you have to say, you can say it here.” You deadpan. Stefana lets out a huff before clearing her throat.

“Alright, I wanted to start with an apology. I’m sorry for the way we treated you when you were younger. I swear that we never meant to hurt you.”

“So why did you?”

“Because father would hit us for spending time with you. He didn’t want us to go near you and we were scared of him. He would hit mother too.” 

“On second thought, I think we should go to another table.” You say as you stand. Stefana follows you as the two of you sit at an unoccupied table. You give your friends a thumbs up to let them know that you’ll be okay. “Continue.”

“It hurt us as much as it hurt you to have to treat you that way. We loved you, Y/N, we still do.” 

“Is that why you all moved out as soon as you got married?”

“Yes, and I wanted to bring you with me, but father threatened to tell my husband of my affliction if I did.”

“Affliction? What’s wrong with you?” You ask with a tilted head and raised brow.

“I have no attraction toward my husband whatsoever, or any man for that matter, but father insisted I marry a strong farmhand to ‘cure’ me.”

“You’re like women?” 

“Yes, that’s why I’m here. My husband needed money to file for divorce and I was sold off to pay his debt.”

“That’s… wow. I’m sorry that happened to you. If it makes you feel any better, our parents gave me to Mother Miranda in exchange for their lives.”

“Father mentioned that to us when we last visited them, I gave them a piece of my mind for that. How could they do that to you?”

“It’s mother and father we’re talking about, they didn’t even name me.”

“It’s still horrible, no amount of devotion to her would ever make me give you up to in order live.”

“Do you mean that?” You ask as your brows furrow.

“Of course, you’re my baby sister, you mean the world to me. I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me, or our other siblings, but I’m truly sorry.”

“Thank you. I didn’t know that father used to hit you, but now that I know that it was father that made you all act the way you did, I can’t find it in my heart to be angry with you. I forgive you.” You say with a soft smile.

“Thank you, Y/N. I missed you, so much.” Stefana says with tears in her eyes.

“I missed you too, Fana. Lucian and the others, what did they have to say about our parents handing me over to Mother Miranda?” 

“Lucian just about lost it, Teo and Ana left immediately, and Drei just cried so much because he thought he’d never get the chance to see you again, to apologize to you. We know the rumors about what goes on in the castle and… we assumed the worst. I was so relieved when I saw you standing next to Lady Dimitrescu.”

“Yes, well, I can assure you that the Lady won’t let anything happen to me.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Lydia hasn’t told you?” You ask. Stefana shakes her head in response.

“I’m her companion, her girlfriend if you will.” You respond nonchalantly. Stefana chokes on her sandwich.

“You like women too?!” 

You nod, “There are several people here that do, The Lady and her daughters included. My friends are in relationships with the daughters.”

“Wow, it’s like you’re the main character in a romance novel. What is it like, being in a relationship with Lady Dimitrescu, is she anything like what the villagers say?”

“In all honesty, no. She’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and she makes me so happy. Despite her not being human, everything about her is just that, human. Of course, there’s the height, the need to drink blood, and the claws, but you get used to those things.”

“She has claws?” 

“Yeah, big ones too. She can grow them and retract them at will, it’s so cool.” 

“But, you used to hate her, you used to hate all the lords.”

“Yeah I did, but the more time you spend with them, you’ll find that they’re no different from you and me. I haven’t met Lord Moreau yet, but I know that I won’t feel the way I used to about him.”

“You’ve changed so much Y/N. It’s a good change, don’t get me wrong, but you’re certainly not the baby sister I remember.” 

“I’m also not a baby anymore, Fana.” You say as you roll your eyes.

“No matter how old you are, you will always be my baby sister.” Stefana says with a chuckle, earning a groan from you.

“Come on, let’s go back to the other table.” You grumble as you stand.

The two of you return to your usual table and your friends seemed to have calmed down a bit.

“How did your talk go?” Mara asks as you take your seat.

“It went good, we cleared everything up. I’ve forgiven her as well as the rest of my siblings.”

“What about your parents, are you going to forgive them?” Olivia asks.

“My mother is on thin ice, but my father doesn’t deserve my forgiveness. I didn’t know just how terribly all of us were treated, I thought it was just me.”

“Y/N may have forgiven you, but I’m watching you. If you hurt her in any way, I’ll have your hide.” Catalina says as she glares and points at your older sister. 

“She’ll come around.” You say to Stefana.

The five of you continue to eat your lunch as you make light conversation. Stefana started telling your friends embarrassing stories from your childhood and Catalina warmed right up to her. She claimed it was 'new material' to tease you about. Oh, joy. After your lunch, you leave your friends to their duties, and you’re about to return to Alcina’s study when Stefana stops you.

“Where are you off to?” She asks.

“I was returning to the Lady’s study; she’s been keeping me company the past few days.”

“Have you not been working?”

“No, I was… something traumatic happened to me and she asked that I take the time to properly heal.”

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“It’s a long story…” You trail off as you begin walking.

You slow your pace so that you have enough time to tell Stefana everything that happened. Alcina attacking you, leaving the castle, working at the inn and what the clerk did, and your nightmares. 

“I’m so sorry Y/N. I imagine seeing me earlier only added to your stress.”

“Yes, it did, but the Lady advised me to speak with you and I’m glad that I did. I feel much more at ease.”

“Good, I’m glad. Do you think she’ll mind if I tag along with you? I want to spend more time with you before I have to start working.” 

“I can ask.” You say as the two of you approach the study. Before you can knock, you hear the bid to enter from the other side of the door. You enter and close the door behind you before walking over to Alcina.

“How did speaking with your sister go?” Alcina asks, looking up from her ledger.

“It went well, we cleared up a lot of things. She’s actually outside and wanted to know if it was okay for her to sit in here with me. We won’t bother you, I promise.” You say with a hopeful expression. Alcina purses her lips as she ponders your request.

“I will allow it for today, but do not make this a habit. I much prefer for it to be just us in my study.” 

“You have my word, thank you.” You say with a smile before walking back toward the door. You open it, grab Stefana’s hand, and bring her into the room. She stands by the door with her hands clasped in front of her.

“Good afternoon, My Lady.” Stefana says softly.

“Good afternoon, Stefana. Have you gotten situated yet?” Alcina asks.

“Yes, Lydia has been very helpful thus far.”

“I am pleased to hear that. I will leave you two to chat while I finish my work. I’m just about finished, and afterward, we can move to the library. For the time being, if you are anything like my daughters, try not to be too loud.” 

“We won’t, My Lady.” You say as you usher Stefana over to the chair that you were sitting in earlier. You bring an empty one over for her to sit in and she takes a seat, still visibly nervous. 

You continue with your score while Alcina finishes her work in silence. Occasionally, you look over at Stefana who seems upset about something.

“Fana, you okay?” You ask quietly.

“Oh, yes, I’m fine. I’m just… still angry at mother and father for giving you up.”

“That makes two of us.” You say with a shrug.

“Three of us, actually.” Alcina says as she closes her ledger; she must be finished with her work. 

“She knows?” Stefana whispers.

“Of course she knows, it’s like, one of the first things I told her.”

“You trauma dumped to her the first time you met? And she still wanted you?” Stefana asks with a chuckle.

“You know what Fana, I rescind my decision to forgive you.” You tease.

“What? No! You’re the only one here that I know! I’ll die if you don’t speak to me.” Stefana pleads. 

“Odd, I had a conversation similar to this earlier. And to quote said conversation, I hope you wrote a will.” You say with a smirk.

“Have you forgotten how the conversation ended, dear? Or shall I remind you?” Alcina asks as she moves to stand behind your chair. You can’t see her expression, but you can hear the smirk in her tone. 

“No, that won’t be necessary, My Lady. I was just teasing you, Fana. I’m not actually taking back my forgiveness.” You say as your cheeks grow hot from embarrassment. Stefana raises an eyebrow as she looks at you inquisitively while making a lewd gesture with her hands. You shake your head aggressively in response.

“Oh, I like you!” Stefana laughs “Whatever it is that you did to her earlier, please do it more often My Lady.”

“Seeing as how it controls that mouth of hers, I most certainly will. Now, shall we move to the library?” Alcina asks. Stefana nods as she stands. She then walks over to the door and holds it open. Alcina bends through the doorway, exiting first, you follow, and Stefana is last to leave the room. 

Before Alcina can even open the doors, you hear bickering from inside the library. There were only a handful of people you knew that argued like that, and three of them were working, so the only logical explanation was that the voices you heard belonged to the daughters. Alcina let out a deep sigh before she pushed the doors open and bent through them. 

“Enough, you three.” Alcina says firmly, which immediately causes the girls to stop fighting. Daniela moves to steady a wobbling vase to prevent it from falling before flashing a wary smile at her mother. The daughters all return to their seats as they share glares amongst each other. 

“Hello Mother, Y/N. Is this the new maid?” Bela asks.

“Are you showing her around, Y/N? I thought you were still taking time off?” Daniela questions as she looks at you with a confused expression. 

“I’m still taking a break Dani, don’t worry; and no, Lydia was showing her around.” You respond.

“But why is she with the two of you?” The redhead asks.

“Eager to make new friends? I’m going to tell Cat you’re trying to get rid of her.” Cassandra quips, earning an eye roll from you.

“Cassandra” Alcina warns as she takes a seat on the lounge. “This is Stefana, she starts tomorrow.”

“I’m not ‘getting rid’ of anyone; Fana is my older sister. And before the three of you say anything, we made up.” You say as you move to sit beside Alcina. Stefana sits beside you with her hands folded in her lap.

“Are we allowed to scare this one, Mother?” Cassandra asks with a smirk. 

“No, the last thing I need is a jumpy maid and more broken vases.” Alcina clears her throat, “Stefana these are my daughters, Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela.” Alcina says as she points to each of the girls.

“It’s nice to meet you, My Ladies.” Stefana says, offering small nods to each of them. 

“Fana, you don’t have to be so nervous; the girls are cool.” You say, smiling softly at the daughters.

“If she’s anything like you, she’ll be nervous for at least a year.” Daniela says with a giggle.

“It’s not my fault I was always nervous. You all made me that way.” You respond with a glare.

“You should have seen how red she would get whenever Mother was around. She looked like a tomato!” Cassandra adds.

“Hey Cass, remember that cake you wanted me to make? You know, the chocolate one with cherry filling?” You ask with a saccharine smile

“Yeah, why?” Cassandra questions with a slight scoff.

“Do you want me to burn it?” Your facial expression drops. Cassandra opens her mouth as if to speak but then shuts it.

“I didn’t know you could cook, has Ylenia been instructing you?” Alcina asks, casting her gaze downward.

“Yes, she has, though I only know how to make cabbage rolls. Cassandra asked me for an ‘apology cake’ so I told her I’d learn to bake so I could make it for her.”

“What reason do you need to make an apology cake? You have nothing to apologize for.” Alcina says with furrowed brows.

“To be fair, My Lady, I left without any explanation and let you all believe I was dead for five months.”

“You would owe me a lot more than a cake.” Stefana murmurs.

“And what do you suppose you owe me, Fana? You’d be baking for the rest of your life.” You respond with a chuckle, which wasn’t well-received by your older sister as she hits you on the leg. You shove Stefana and she falls over dramatically. 

“Girls, do I need to treat you two as I would my daughters?” Alcina says as she glares at you and your sister.

“No, My Lady.” You and Stefana say simultaneously. Daniela’s head falls back as she begins to laugh maniacally. 

“They’re both like trained puppies! Although, Y/N’s training goes a little differently.” The redhead says, smirking and wiggling her eyebrows at you.

“Dani!” You exclaim through gritted teeth as a flush rushes to your cheeks.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of Y/N, we all have our kinks.” Stefana says softly with a smirk. You press your forehead into your head to partially shield the deep red color of your face.

“I should have left you with Lydia.” You groan. 

“So I could miss out on an opportunity to make my baby sister uncomfortable? In your dreams!” 

“I’m an only child in my dreams.” You say as you cross your arms over your chest.

“You two are a lot like Cassandra and Daniela. They used to argue like that when we were reborn.” Bela says with a fond smile.

“Reborn?” Stefana questions.

“It’s a long story, but to summarize it, we aren’t human like you and Y/N.” The blonde responds.

“Oh cool, so are you like, immortal?” Your older sister asks with wide eyes.

“Yes, we are.” Bela answers. You expected your sister to be afraid of Alcina and the girls, as the vast majority of new maids are, but you couldn’t detect a hint of fear in her expression.

“I just realized something,” Daniela starts, “I thought you weren’t close with your siblings. It looks like you and your sister are getting along just fine.” 

“Well, I wasn’t but Fana explained everything to me, and it turns out that our father was just as cruel to them as he was to me. It made it easier to forgive her and the rest of my siblings.” You say in response. 

“Don’t you have another sister?” Cassandra asks. Though, you don’t remember mentioning much about your siblings to any of them.

“Yeah, and three older brothers. I’m the youngest of six.” 

“Mother, can we have brothers? Don’t get me wrong, having sisters is great but I’ve always wanted the experience of having a brother.” Daniela says with a small sigh. 

“Absolutely not, you three cause enough trouble as is.” Alcina says, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

“If you want to know what a brother is like, imagine Lord Heisenberg being here all day, every day, pushing every single one of your buttons, and going out of his way to make you angry.” You say.

“Not to mention, how completely messy they are. They’re essentially pigs that are capable of speech and coherent thought.” Stefana adds.

“Couldn’t have said it better, sister.” 

“Well, there goes all my hopes and dreams.” Daniela sighs with a pout.

“Aw, don’t be upset, Dani. You have two of the greatest older sisters anyone could ask for.” You say with a soft smile. 

“They’re alright.” The redhead says as she rolls her eyes.

The five of you continue to talk amongst each other until the girls eventually get bored and swarm out of the library. This takes Stefana by surprise, so Alcina explains to her that it’s a result of their transformation. Stefana eventually leaves the library so that Lydia can continue to show her around before dinner, so you’re left in the library with Alcina.

“So, what did you talk with your sister about during lunch, if you don’t mind me asking?” Alcina asks, relaxing into the back of the lounge.

“She told me the reason I was isolated by my siblings is that my father would hit them and my mother if they were around me. None of them ever really wanted to do that, but they were so afraid of my father that they had no choice. They didn’t know I was at the castle until my siblings all visited my parents. My brother Andrei… thinks I’m dead.” 

“I’m terribly sorry, darling. If ever you would like to contact them, I will help in any way I can.” Alcina says as she wraps her arm around you to pull you in close.

“Thank you, Alcina. I’m glad you convinced me to talk to her; if I hadn’t, I would have never known how they truly felt about me.”

“Yes, well, I’m glad it went well for you. I suppose this means that I am still allowed to kiss you. If my memory serves me correctly, you said I could whenever I wanted to, yes?” Alcina asks with a smirk.  

“I did indeed say that.” You respond. Alcina pulls you into her lap before placing a hand on your cheek.

“May I?” Alcina asks as she gazes at you fondly. You nod before leaning up to close the distance. You sigh as Alcina kisses you languidly. It was just what you needed after an emotionally distressing morning. You enjoyed your sister and the girls’ company but being alone with Alcina was a different type of peaceful. When it’s just the two of you, you don’t have to worry about being mercilessly teased or bringing up old, painful memories.

Alcina places her hand on your outer thigh and begins to gently rub, but not too high as to avoid triggering you. You appreciated how careful and attentive she was and that brought a smile to your face, causing Alcina to break the kiss. 

“What has you smiling, dragă mea?” Alcina asks as she brings her hand back up to wipe off the smudged lipstick. 

“I was just thinking.” You say as you rest your head against her chest.

“Thinking about what; something pleasant I assume?”

“Yeah, just… how good you’re treating me, how caring you are. It really helps me to be at ease.”

“It brings me joy knowing that I am able to make you feel that way. I made a vow after you left that should you return; you would never have to doubt that I cared for you. I will do everything in my power to ensure that you’re happy, no matter what it is.”

“So, if I said I wanted a thousand dogs, you would get them for me?” 

“I will do almost everything. I don’t quite care for animals, they’re much too small.”

“Okay, fair. Instead of the dogs, can you tell me another joke?” You ask.

“I thought my jokes were unfunny.”

“They are, but your little giggle after you told me was perhaps the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. To quote a certain someone, it’s music to my ears.” You say with a soft smile.

“Very well, since you enjoy the sound of my laughter as much as I enjoy yours.” Alcina pauses as she thinks of another joke to tell you. “Did I ever tell you that before I was a jazz singer, I wanted to clean mirrors?”

“No, you never mentioned that. Why did you want to clean mirrors?” 

“It was a job I could really see myself doing.” As the realization of the punchline came to you, your shoulders shook with silent laughter. When you went to inhale, you snorted which caused both you and Alcina to burst into loud laughter. Once you’d both somewhat calmed down, you reached up to wipe a tear from your eyes.

“That one was good, I’ll give you that. Consider that your redemption.” You say as you try to stifle more giggles.

“Thank you, dear. I learned that one from Daniela, but I added my own twist to it.”

“I see. Very clever, My Lady. Thank you for humoring me.”

“Anytime my darling.”

Sometime after that, you left the library to have dinner with your friends and sister. It was less stressful than earlier, and Catalina had in fact come around. She seems to bond with people that enjoy teasing you, and teasing you was right up Stefana’s alley. After dinner, you retired to your room to shower and change before walking over to Alcina’s chambers. She was in a phone call with Mother Miranda that must have gone well into the night as you ended up falling asleep in her bed. She’d woken you up to ask if you’d prefer sleeping in your room, but you told her that you would rather be with her. So, after she’d changed into her nightwear and gotten comfortable, she held you close as you drifted off back to sleep. Being with her helped to keep the nightmares at bay, and this was the first peaceful night of rest you had since returning to the castle.

Chapter Text

Another week or so has gone by (you weren’t counting), and you were slowly, but surely getting better. Having a strong support system helped a lot when you found yourself getting lost in your thoughts. You weren’t having as many nightmares, and that was mainly because Alcina had insisted you spend your nights with her. Being with her, being held in her strong arms, hearing the kind, reassuring words she’d say as you drifted off to sleep seemed to be at the forefront of your mind when you slept. On the occasion you did have a nightmare, Alcina was right there to calm you down. You would have to thank her for how she’s been helping you, but you felt that words weren’t enough. Maybe you’d bake her a cake too, you’re due for another cooking lesson with Ylenia soon anyway.

Today, however, was not that day. Alcina hired a carpenter to replace her broken furniture and they were set to arrive after she has breakfast. You were less than enthused as it meant that Alcina would likely be busy, and you would need something to do. It was getting warmer so perhaps you would spend your free time out in the garden and have a picnic with the girls (maybe you could butter up Alcina to convince her to let your friends and sister join you). You thought of a decent plan of action as you got ready for the day. It’s been a while since you wore a dress, and you thought it would be the perfect outfit to welcome in the spring. It was a delicate floral print with an open back— perfect. If you wanted this plan to work, you needed your looks to cause Alcina’s brain to short-circuit. After you got dressed, you put your necklace on followed by a touch of makeup. Just blush and a little lipstick, nothing too extravagant. Once you checked your hair and were ready for the day, you set off toward the servant’s dining hall for breakfast. 

When you walked in, you saw your friends and sister with their food, already waiting for you. You got your meal and as you sat down, all the eyes around the table were on you. 

“What are you all staring at?” You ask as you eye your friends suspiciously.

“You’re wearing a dress, and you have on makeup.” Catalina says with a slight chuckle.

“Yeah, and?”

“I thought you liked masculine clothing, you even had new uniforms tailored because of it.” Olivia says, tilting her head slightly.

“I do like masculine clothing, but I also like feminine clothing, it just depends on how I’m feeling. I was feeling like wearing a dress today, so I chose a dress. But it was also a strategic choice.” You say with a slight smirk.

“You must want the Lady to do something that she probably wouldn’t otherwise.” Mara says with a smug look on her face.

“You know me so well.” You reply with a grin.

“She literally does everything you ask her; you don’t need to get all dolled up. She’s already whipped.” Stefana says as she makes a whipping sound.

“Fana, you’ve been here like, a week, there’s a lot you don’t know. What I want involves the order of the castle and I know she wouldn’t go for anything that would disturb it.”

“What is it that you want?” Olivia asks.

“Well, the new carpenter is arriving today, and I’m assuming they’ll be busy discussing wood, or whatever. I’ll need something to do so, I wanted to have a picnic out in the garden with you four and the girls. That would require the four of you to shirk your duties though.”

“You say that as if we haven’t done it before. Cass always pulls me from my work without the Lady knowing.” Catalina says. 

“You think she doesn’t know, but she probably just hasn’t said anything about it. Nothing goes unnoticed by her, believe me, I tried to for a year.” You say, waving your fork around to add emphasis to your words.

“I can’t argue with you on that one, fair point.” Catalina says.

The five of you continue to eat before each of you sets off to go about your day. You decided to tag along with Catalina and Mara because you wanted to brew tea for Alcina. Technically, it was your job, but you haven’t made her any tea since you’ve been back. When you walked into the kitchen, the three of you were greeted by Ylenia.

“Good morning dearies,” the old cook started, “Y/N, ain’t seen you in here in ages. Heading back to work in that getup?” She said as she gestured to your dress.

“Morning, Ylenia, I’m not returning to my duties just yet; I’m here to make some tea for the Lady.” You say as you grab the kettle to fill it with water. You were thinking of Lady Grey tea this morning, which was different from the standard Earl Grey as it contained lemon peel and orange peel. The flavors from the citrus are a perfect match for the fresh spring air. 

As everyone works around the kitchen, you grab a lemon, and orange and shave off a bit of the zest with a paring knife. If your picnic plan goes well, you’d infuse the fruits in water to drink so that they wouldn’t go to waste. You go through your usual process of warming the pot and steeping the leaves once before you add the zest and steep everything together. You placed the tea along with sugar and honey on the cart and wait for the signal to enter. As you enter the dining room, four pairs of golden eyes are staring back at you in what seemed like shock.

“Y/N, you look so pretty!” Daniela exclaims with a beaming smile.

“Thanks Dani.” You say, returning the gesture.

“Is there a special occasion? This is quite different from your style.” Alcina said as her eyes roamed over your body.

“Nothing too special. The weather’s nice today and I wanted to wear something that said ‘spring’. It’s a lovely day for a picnic.” You respond as you place teacups around the table.

“I’d love to, dear, but the carpenter is arriving today, and I imagine much of my day will be spent discussing plans.” 

“That’s okay.” You say much too quickly. “I was thinking that maybe the girls, my friends, and my sister could join me; with your permission, of course.” 

“You know how I feel about servants shirking their chores. I’ve let some instances slide,” Alcina pauses, glancing sidelong at her middle child, “but I don’t think I can allow four people to abandon their duties. I’m sorry, darling.” You figured that would be the outcome. You were about to say something else when Mara stepped up beside you.

“My Lady, if I may, I think what Y/N meant was that we could take our lunch outside today. That way, no chores would be abandoned, and Y/N can have her picnic.” Mara says. You blink a few times because you genuinely hadn’t thought of that. 

“Is that what you meant, dear?” Alcina asks, turning to look at you. You nod as you knew Alcina would catch on to the fact that you didn’t mean that if you vocalized your answer. 

You begin pouring Alcina and the girls their tea, starting with the countess and moving around the table.

“This tea smells marvelous; Earl Grey?” Alcina asks as she brings her teacup to her nose.

“Lady Grey, actually, it’s essentially Earl Grey with the addition of lemon and orange peel. I thought the brightness of the citrus would be a nice way to start the day. Would you like honey or sugar?”

“What do you recommend? You seem to know a lot about tea.” Bela says, mirroring her mother’s actions.

“For this particular blend, I recommend using honey. It will add a subtle floral essence to the tea.” You respond, walking around the table with the honey jar. You drop a bit of the golden liquid in Alcina and Bela’s teacups and copious amounts of it in Cassandra and Daniela’s. You tried to advise them that too much sweetener will ruin the flavor, but you can’t argue with their sweet tooths. When you’re done, you place the jar back on the cart and stand by Mara and Catalina in your usual corner. 

“Join us at the table Y/N, you’re not working so there’s no need for you to stand over there.” Daniela says, pointing to the empty seat by Alcina. You look at Mara and Cat and they nod in agreement with Daniela. You walk up to the chair the youngest Dimitrescu pointed to and are about to pull it out when Alcina rises from her seat and stops you. She walks behind the chair and pulls it from the table before gesturing for you to sit. You give her an appreciative smile as you take your seat and allow her to push it back in. 

Though you’ve already shared a meal at the table with them, you still felt uneasy. Yes, Alcina had given you the choice to eat with them if you weren’t comfortable around Stefana, but that wasn’t the case so, you really had no reason to be seated at the table. Alcina looked at you with concern as she sipped her tea; it was as if she could sense how you were feeling at that moment.

“Are you alright, dear?” The Countess asked as she placed her teacup back down.

“Yes, I’m alright, My Lady. How is the tea?” You ask, trying to deflect.

“Splendid, your tea never disappoints. The honey was an excellent suggestion.” Alcina says with a small smile. 

“Thank you, My Lady. I’m glad that you’re happy with it.” You say, returning the gesture.

“What was your phone call with Mother Miranda about the other day?” Bela asks, tilting her head at Alcina.

“She would like to have dinner, all of us. In two days, the other lords are to arrive, then Mother Miranda will arrive the following day. I’m not sure as to what prompted this, but I wish she would have given me more time to prepare.” 

“Does that mean Uncle Karl and Aunt Donna are staying the night?” Daniela asks excitedly.

“Yes, and unfortunately so is Salvatore. It will take ages to get the stench of rotting fish out of my castle.” Alcina says with an exasperated sigh. Hearing the way she talks about Lord Moreau saddens you slightly. You know they aren’t siblings by blood, but it shouldn’t be viewed as unfortunate that Lord Moreau will have to stay.

“Would you like for me to resume my duties when they arrive, My Lady?” You ask, trying to distract yourself from your budding sadness.

“Only if you are ready; otherwise, don’t trouble yourself. I would rather you continue to take time off; it’s only been two weeks since you’ve returned.”

“Besides, you don’t wanna be around Uncle Sal anyway. I barely want to be around him.” Cassandra says with a slight chuckle. 

“Don’t listen to her, Uncle Sal is very nice, he’s quiet and stays to himself.” Bela says.

“But he reeks, the man lives surrounded by water but never takes a- OW!” Cassandra squeals as Bela swats her on the shoulder. 

“Bela, Cassandra, cut it out.” Alcina chastises. Bela places her hands in her lap while Cassandra glares at her as she rubs her shoulder.

“I still want to help in some way. Won’t Mother Miranda be angry at the fact that an able-bodied servant isn’t working?” You turn to Alcina with furrowed brows. You know that Mother Miranda is not one to allow even the slightest thing to pass. Your brief interaction on the farm told you that much. 

“Her words were that I may do with you as I please. As of right now, it would please me to know that you are taking care of yourself. You do not always have to put the needs of others before your own, the other servants will handle it. Do not fret, darling.” Alcina says as she places her hand over yours, completely encompassing it. 

“Okay, I won’t, Al- My Lady.” That’s the second time you almost called her by her first name in front of the girls, and you can feel the grin that’s plastered on Daniela’s face.

“Forgive me, Mother, but shouldn’t the two of you be past the formalities? I mean, technically speaking, you’ve been courting for almost 7 months, and you’ve been interested in Y/N pretty much since she arrived.” Bela says to which Alcina responds with a sigh. 

“Since I arrived huh?” You ask with a smirk. 

“Yes, my dear, since your first month of being in the castle to be exact. Regarding addressing me informally, I will allow it, even in the presence of the other lords.”

“What about Mother Miranda? You know how she gets when she thinks you’re being disrespected in any way.”

“I will have to test the waters with her. She may not like the fact that you’ve become more than a servant to us. However, regardless of how she feels, I will not allow her to disrespect you.” Alcina says with such conviction, it makes your heart skip a beat. No one has ever dared to defy Mother Miranda, but Alcina would for you. 

“Thank you, Alcina.” You say with a smile.

For the remainder of breakfast, you made light conversation with the Alcina, the girls, and your friends. Though, most of the conversation was teasing remarks about your outfit choice for the day. At some point, Alcina had requested Mara to inform Ylenia about your picnic and to prepare a lunch for you all. After breakfast, you followed Alcina to her study to wait for the carpenter to arrive. You wanted to try something new and sit on her desk, but it was much too high for you. So, you opted to bring a chair next to hers and sit with your legs crossed over one another.

“If you’ve been interested in me for close to two years, why hadn’t you mentioned it sooner?” You question, tilting your head to look up at Alcina.

“Because if I’m not mistaken, you hated me. I wanted you to be comfortable around me before I ever sought your affection. That was one of the reasons for your promotion.”

“Hate’s a strong word, though not entirely incorrect. I did have very strong feelings against you, but part of me was also very attracted to you.” 

“Is that so? Why hadn’t you mentioned  that  sooner?” Alcina asks with a smirk.

“Because if I’m not mistaken, I hated you. But alas, you’ve won me over.” 

“I see you still haven’t learned to control that mouth of yours.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever learn, not when it’s so much fun to tease you. I can see why everyone else enjoys it.” 

“And is the dress and makeup a part of you teasing me?”

“No, my outfit along with my feminine wiles” you pause, using your hand to gesture from your head to your toe, “were to be used as a means to get you to agree to my picnic, but I didn’t need to use either because Mara came up with a solution.” Alcina throws her head back in laughter.

“Wherever did you come from dragă mea?” 

“From a farm, in the village. Is something amusing, My Lady?” You ask, quirking a brow at Alcina.

“The fact that you think you have to use your “feminine wiles” to get something from me. If I didn’t have much I needed to prepare for, I would have allowed your friends and sister to join you today. I know you don’t want to be alone, confined to the walls of this drab castle.” 

“If you think the castle is drab, you should visit the inn I worked at. That was downright depressing. The castle is wonderful, and would you like to know what makes it so?” 

“Yes, I’m quite curious to hear what you’re going to say.”

“It’s wonderful because the people I love and care for most live here. The castle is my home, and while you may think it dull, I think it’s the best place anyone could be.” You say with a soft, genuine smile.

“Such sweet words fall from that devious tongue. Are you trying to get something else from me?”

“I’m being serious! Really, all I could think about before I returned was how I’ve grown to love it here; how much I missed everything about the castle, even the drab walls.” You stand from your chair, walk over to Alcina, and take her hand in yours. “And I love it even more now that I’m with you.” 

“You have brought so much joy to our lives, iubirea mea. The castle felt truly desolate without you here.”

“What does that mean? Not desolate, the Romanian.” 

“It is a term of endearment. Think of it as… my darling.” 

“So, then what does draga mea mean?”

“It’s pronounced dragă mea, it means ‘my dear’. Do you not know Romanian? Your siblings, whose names I’ve heard, all have Romanian names, I’d assumed you knew what I was saying.” Alcina says, furrowing her brows.

“I don’t understand a thing, I grew up only knowing English. Do you think you could teach me?” 

“I’d be delighted to. However, we will not be able to start lessons for some time. I’m a busy woman, after all.

“Understandable. Whenever you have the time is more than okay with me. It sounds like such a pretty language, and it’s even prettier when you speak it.” You say with a wink. 

“Such a cheeky little thing you are. Is there another reason for this brazen attitude that you aren’t telling me about?” Alcina asks with a quirked brow.

“Do I need a reason other than the fact that teasing you is becoming a new favorite pastime?” You respond with an innocent smile. Alcina removes her hand from yours to pick you up and place you on her lap with your back to her. You shudder when you feel her breath on your neck.

“I don’t believe that is a wise decision, my dear. Too often do you bite off more than you can chew.” Alcina whispers as her lips ghost over your shoulder. 

“H-how do you know how much I can chew?” 

“The rhythm of your heart tells me everything. It quickens with each kiss—each touch—that is how I know.” Alcina says as she sits back in her chair, leaving you short of a panting mess.

“You’re so unfair.” You say with a huff as you lean back into Alcina. She wraps her arms around you and plants a kiss on the top of your head. 

“It’s not unfair, I just know what makes you crumble.” 

“Yeah, and that’s unfair. I don’t know what makes you crumble, but I’ll find out.” You say as you look up at Alcina with narrow eyes.

“It may take you a while, there’s a lot of things other women have tried that didn’t work.” 

“Yes, well, I am not other women.”

“Indeed, you are infinitely better than they were.”

“You flatter me, My Lady.” 

The two you spend some time in Alcina’s study before a maid knocks on the door; a familiar routine, you found. Alcina bids the maid to enter and in walks Lydia.

“My Lady, the carpenter has arrived.”

“Very well, thank you, Lydia, you may go.” Lydia exits with a bow and Alcina places you back on the floor before standing.

“Do you have to go?” You ask with a pout

“I’m afraid I do, dear. The girls and I need our furniture replaced and it isn’t going to build itself. It’s not easy doing my makeup in the mirror of a compact.” Alcina says, stroking the back of your head affectionately.

You sigh, “Fine, but I’m going with you. I’d like to meet this carpenter of yours.” You say with narrow eyes.

The two of you exit the study and traverse through the castle toward the main hall. When you arrive, you descend the stairs and are met with the sight of a person with short curly hair and a case that appeared to be full of woodworking tools.

“Good morning, Lady Dimitrescu.” The carpenter said with a bow.

“Good morning, Sam, correct?”

“Yes, My Lady.” 

“Sam, this is Y/N, my companion. Y/N, Sam was a recommendation of Lady Beneviento, they have created marvelous pieces of furniture for her.” You look at Alcina with a confused expression, what did she mean by her use of they? 

“They?” You question.

“Yes, I use singular they/them pronouns. I’m nonbinary.” Sam says.

“What does nonbinary mean? I’ve never heard the term before.” 

“It means I am neither a man nor a woman.” At their explanation, you give them a slow nod.

“Well, welcome to the castle, Sam.” You say with a smile.

“Thank you, Lady Y/N.” You’re taken back a bit at the title, Alcina hadn’t mentioned that you were her lady’s maid, so Sam probably assumed you were also a Lady of the castle.

“Oh, I’m not- I mean- I don’t hold a title.” You say, stammering.

“Oh, forgive me, Lady Dimitrescu introduced you as her companion, so I had assumed…”

“It’s alright, I’m her lady’s maid as well.” You say with a light chuckle. “Well, I’ll leave the two of you, I have a picnic to prepare for.” You turn to leave toward the kitchen when you’re stopped by Alcina’s hand on your wrist.

“I will see you later, Lady Y/N.” Alcina says with a wink, causing you to become flustered. 

When you arrive at the kitchen, the red color that painted your face hadn’t faded. You see Mara helping Ylenia with the food for your picnic.

“You’ll never believe what just happened to me.” You say as you wash your hands. You’re going to slice the lemon and orange and make fruit-infused iced water.

“If it’s gross, I don’t want to hear it.” Mara says with a scowl.

“It’s not gross. I just left from meeting with the carpenter, they addressed me as ‘Lady Y/N’ and Alcina just went with it. I was the one that ended up correcting them. Then, as I was leaving, Alcina had even addressed me as ‘Lady Y/N’.” 

“Is the carpenter not a woman?”

“No, they used the term nonbinary. Which means neither man nor woman.” 

“I remember reading about that in a gender studies course at the science academy I went to.”

“I knew that a man could be born in a woman’s body and vice versa, but I’ve never heard of someone being born as neither.” 

“Well, gender expression and biological sex are different. But I don’t have time to talk about that, help me with these sandwiches.” Mara says as she hands you loaves of bread to slice. You’d think that with all the money Alcina has, she’d just buy sliced bread. 

You make quick work of the bread before moving on to the citrus fruits. Once they’re sliced, you drop the pieces into a decanter of water and place it in the refrigerator to chill. A while later, Mara had finished the sandwiches and prepared some fresh fruits to go along with them. 

“So, Lady Y/N, everything is just about ready but there’s still a lot of time before lunch.”

“I see, and you have your duties to attend to so… Ylenia, how about another cooking lesson? I can assist you in making the other servants’ lunch today.” You say, craning your neck to look past Mara at the old cook.

“Fine by me, I hear you’re supposed to make Miss Cassandra a cake. I can help you with that and you can have it for your picnic.” Ylenia says, passing you an apron.

You secure the apron around your body and wash your hands again. Mara then leaves the kitchen to do her other tasks. 

“Ylenia, can I ask you a question?” You ask.

“What’s on your mind, dearie?” 

“Well, you’ve been here a long time and so you probably know Alcina well, do you think she meant anything by calling me Lady Y/N?”

“I can’t say for sure, but she was probably just teasin’ ya. I will say this though, you’re the first in many years that she’s grown so attached to. When you left, it was like you took a part of her with you. So don’t you ever think about leaving again unless you want a good beatin’.” 

“I won’t, Ylenia, I promise.”

The old cook takes you through the steps of making the cake and making the filling. Instead of one large cake, you prepared individual ones in ramekins with the filling already inside. That way, you wouldn’t have to worry about making a mess with slicing it. Hopefully, Cassandra will be happy with it, you want her to know just how truly sorry you are. At the time, you thought leaving was the best thing to do, and while you don’t regret being gone, you regret hurting the people you loved. 

“I want to apologize for leaving. I know I probably hurt everyone more than I’ve been hurt, but I swear that was never my intention.”

“I’ve made peace with it, you’re back now so there’s no need to keep apologizin’ to everyone.”

“You always know the right things to say. What would we ever do without you, Ylenia?” You ask with a smile.

“You kids would all go hungry, that’s for damn sure. Half of these maids don’t know salt from pepper.” Ylenia says with a hearty chuckle. Being in the kitchen with her was nice, it was like you were helping your mother cook. And though you never had that experience, it still felt like you were reliving a nostalgic moment. 

When the cakes were done, you took one and left the others to cool on the kitchen counter. You grabbed a clean plate and flipped the ramekin over to release the cake. You broke off a piece with your fork and ate it. It burned all sides of your mouth but rather than spitting it out, you inhaled sharply as you chewed. It tasted amazing, but you now had burns because of your lack of patience. 

After helping Ylenia prepare the lunch for the other servants, and cleaning up, it was now time for lunch. So, you grabbed everything you help prepare and placed it all into a large basket. You left the kitchen with a wave before you made your way out of the castle and toward the courtyard. You inhaled deeply to take in the temperate spring air, it was nice to be outside. On your way to the garden, a crow crossed your path. It perched on a branch and eyed you curiously as you walked by. Something about the way its icy blue eyes stared at you felt familiar; as if the soul of someone you once knew inhabited the creature. You reached into your basket and broke off a piece of bread from one of the sandwiches before extending your arm to the bird. 

“Are you hungry friend?”

The crow flew down and landed on your wrist, startling you a bit.

“What a pretty bird you are. You know, you’re the first crow that has allowed me to see it this close.” The bird coos before pecking at the piece of bread pinched between your fingers. Once it has had its fill, it returned to the branch it had claimed. You continued walking on the path until you reached the garden. As you approached, you saw that your friends, sister, and the girls were already waiting for you on a blanket under the sun.

“What took you so long? I’m starving!” Daniela said as she scrambled up to you. She eyed the items in the basket before taking a sandwich and virtually attacking it. 

“I was talking to a crow.” You answer, taking a seat between Stefana and Bela.

“You were talking to a crow? Is everything okay up there?” Fana asks, knocking on your head. You swat her hand away with a grumble.

“Yes, everything is fine. It was watching me, so I offered it some bread and it landed on my wrist. 

“You’re like Snow White!” Daniela exclaims with a mouth full of food.

“We might not be at the table with Mother, but you still need to mind your manners, Daniela.” Bela chastises. You place the basket in the center of the blanket so that everyone can get their food.

“What’s in these little dishes?” Cassandra asks, examining a ramekin.

“It’s an individual portion of the cake you wanted me to make. There are spoons in the basket if you want to eat it, though, it may spoil your appetite.” You say, reaching for a spoon to hand it to the brunette.

“Dani’s already done that for me. But, I asked for a whole cake,  not  a tiny one.”

“There’s plenty more in the kitchen. I figured individual ones would be less messy than trying to slice a whole cake out here.” You take a bite of your sandwich when the crow that passed by you earlier swooped down to try and steal your food. When its attempt was unsuccessful, it landed on your shoulder and squawked at you.

“I see your little friend has returned. It’s giving me weird vibes.” Catalina says with a slight shudder.

You break off another piece of bread to hand it to the bird and it receives it with delight. “I felt that way too, its presence is oddly familiar.” 

“Maybe your souls were close in a former life.” Olivia suggests.

“You believe in that stuff, Liv?”

“To some extent. I like to think that some souls go to heaven, some go to hell, and others return to earth as new life.” 

“Hm, poetic.” Cassandra says as she starts on her second cake. 

 “Are you going to eat any of the actual food I helped make for all of you?” Mara asks.

“Cake first, food later.” The brunette answers, shoveling a spoonful of cake into her mouth.

The eight of you… well, nine including the bird, enjoy food and friendly conversation for the remainder of the staff lunch break. Your friends and sister leave but the girls decided to stay outside with you. The crow that had perched on your shoulder was now nestled beside you. 

“Have you had a chance to meet the new carpenter yet, Y/N?” Bela asks.

“Yes, I have. Their name is Sam and though our interaction was brief, they’re very polite.”

“Why are you referring her like that? Mother’s only ever hired women.” Daniela says with a confused expression.

“Because they use different pronouns than we do. Sam is nonbinary.” You answer.

“What does that mean?” The redhead asks.

“It means that they’re not a woman, but they’re also not a man.” Bela adds, to which you silently thank her with a smile.

“Oh, that’s cool I guess. Can you pass me one of those cakes?”

“Get your grubby bug hands away from my cakes. Y/N made them for me.” Cassandra says with a growl.

“I actually made them with the intention of everyone getting one. Cassandra, you can share with your sisters since you’ve eaten the majority of the ones I brought out here.” 

“I don’t recall Bela or Daniela asking you for an apology cake.” The middle Dimitrescu says with narrowed eyes.

“But not sharing is unfair to your sisters. If I’d have made one large cake, would you eat the entire thing yourself? Here, Dani.” You say as you pass Daniela a ramekin and a spoon. 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I would. If they wanted an apology cake, they would have asked.” 

“You’re the only one that’s childish enough to ask for a cake instead of accepting her apology. What are you, twelve?” Bela asks as rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, twelve inches deep in your girlf-”

“Cassandra, enough, you’re going to share with your sisters. Bela, apologize for insulting Cassandra.” You say, narrowing your eyes at the two eldest girls.

“I’m sorry I insulted you, even though what I said is true.” The blonde says, folding her arms.

“Bela.” You warn.

“You spend way too much time around Mother.” Cassandra scoffs.

“Agreed.” Bela grumbles.

“I don’t think we spend enough time together, wouldn’t you agree, darling?” Alcina says, startling all four of you. She moves into your field of view with Sam standing beside her. “Girls, this is Sam, they will be replacing the furniture we’ve damaged.” 

“Hello again, Lady Y/N, hello Misses.” Sam greets with a bow. The daughters all turn to you with wide eyes and you laugh nervously.

“Hi, Sam. Just Y/N is fine, really. I’m not a Lady, so you don’t have to address me as such.”

“Right, apologies.” They say with a nod.

“Would you care for a sandwich, Sam? We have a couple extra if you’re hungry.” You say, pointing to the basket.

“No, thank you, I ate with the servants. I’m going to set up my workshop near the stables, I’ll be off now.” They say with a final bow before taking their leave. Alcina joins the four of you on the blanket and reaches for the decanter and a glass, pouring herself some water. The glass looks ridiculous in her hands.

“How was your picnic dear?” Alcina asks, drinking down the water.

“I think it was decent, we had a nice time.”

“And the crow?” Alcina questions, pointing to the bird beside you.

“I saw this little one on my way to the garden, I think it likes me.” You say with a chuckle.

“Can we keep it, Mother?” Daniela asks, looking to her mother with wide eyes and an equally wide grin.

“No, I don’t want a bird flying around my castle.” Alcina says and Daniela visibly deflates. Your crow friend caws before flying away, likely to the tree it was in earlier. 

“I think we need to address the elephant in the room, or garden, rather. Lady Y/N?” Cassandra asks, gesturing wildly with her hands.

“Yeah, I think it was just a misunderstanding. Alcina forgot to mention that I was her lady’s maid this morning, that’s all.” 

“I did not forget. I simply didn’t feel the need to mention it seeing as you’re not working at the moment.”

“But I’m still your lady’s maid, right? Unless between breakfast and meeting Sam, you fired me and just didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t fire you, nor would I have neglected to tell you if I did. Do you not like the idea of being a Lady?” Alcina asks with a smirk.

“That’s not what I said. I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but it’s just not my reality and I don’t want my place in the castle to be misconstrued.”

“So, you’re saying you’d want to be a Lady? That can be arranged.” Alcina is completely glossing over what you just said but you know she’s doing it to get a rise out of you. You sigh defeated and reach into the basket to pull out the cake you packed for yourself. Before you can bring your spoon to your mouth, Alcina takes it from you and eats what you had removed for yourself. She pulls the spoon from her mouth seductively slow whilst never taking her eyes off you. 

“I feel like something gross is about to happen so, I’m outta here.” Cassandra says before swarming off toward the castle. Bela and Daniela follow suit, so they don’t have to bear witness to how their mother acts with you.

“I would have shared if you wanted some.” You say reaching for your spoon. Alcina holds her arm high above her head, causing you to have to stand and walk over to try and grab it. When you’re within her space, Alcina takes her other hand and places it under your chin to tilt your head toward her. “If you don’t mind, My Lady, I would like my spoon back.” You say with a noncommittal tone. You try to jump for it, but you stumble and fall into Alcina’s lap, how cliché.

“Still want your spoon back, Lady Y/N?” Alcina asks as she brings her arm down and holds the spoon in front of your face.

“You’re not going to let me live this down, will you?”

“No, I don’t think I will. The title is very becoming, and you have all the beauty and elegance to match.” 

“I’m going to have to disagree with you on that one, Alcina. I won’t deny that I’m drop-dead gorgeous, but I’m far from elegant.” 

“What makes you think that?”

“It’s not like I’m you, or Lady Beneviento. I don’t come from nobility, I used to sleep in stables and wash my body in a river. Nothing about my upbringing is noble or elegant.” You sigh.

“But you don’t have to be born a noble to be of the nobility. Your association with me means you are more than deserving, and you would make a fantastic Lady of the castle. You are respected, the staff, my daughters, and I all adore you, you would fit right in.”

“I suppose, but it’s not something that I’ve thought about. And I didn’t think I’d have to think about it for a long time. In addition, I’m pretty sure we’d have to be married for me to assume a title as such, and god knows I’m not ready for marriage yet. It's too much to think about right now. For the time being, I’d just like to be a lady’s maid and your girlfriend, not a lady. Is that okay with you?” You ask, looking up to meet Alcina’s gaze. She looks… hurt?

“Anything you want will always be okay with me.” Alcina says, planting a chaste kiss on your forehead.

“Can I keep the bird?” 

“No.”

“Well, I tried.” You shrug. 

You take your spoon back and continue to eat your cake, occasionally sharing it with Alcina. For the remainder of the afternoon, the two of you sit in the sun, talking and staring at the clouds. You didn’t know where Alcina’s sudden want for you to be a Lady came from, but you didn’t want to think about it. There are still so many things the two of you have yet to talk about and do – half of them you aren’t even ready for – so becoming a Lady was out of the question.

Chapter Text

The moments leading up to the arrival of the other three lords left the castle in a state of panic. Maids scurried back and forth trying to prepare rooms for each lord. It was rare that they were at the castle, but even more rare that they stayed overnight. Everyone wondered why Mother Miranda wasn’t arriving with the rest of the lords, but no one questioned it. No one ever dared to question Miranda’s reasoning for anything, lest they wanted to have their heart ripped out. With everyone being so busy, that meant you were left to your own devices. Unsure of what to do, you strolled outside to visit Sam in the workshop. It was really the only thing you could do that wouldn’t disturb the castle staff.

“Hi, Sam, I figured you’ve been busy working so I brought you some water and a light snack.” You say placing a satchel of items on a corner of their workbench. 

“Thanks, Y/N, I appreciate it. Why aren’t you up in the castle?” Sam asks, setting their tape measure and pencil down. It seems that they remembered you aren’t a lady.

“Oh, you know, I figured some fresh air would do me good.” You say with a dry chuckle.

“Didn’t wanna get in the way?” 

“Nope.”

“I don’t blame you; I’ve never been in a place so busy. When I was working for Lady Beneviento, she only had a handful of servants, so, it was quiet and rather peaceful most of the time.”

“Even with Angie?” You ask, tilting your head to the side.

“Even with Angie.” 

“There’s never been a dull moment in the castle. Though, I was gone for five months so I don’t know what went on during that time.”

“Lady Beneviento mentioned a maid that left the castle after talking with Lady Dimitrescu on the phone a few months back. That was you?” Sam questions.

“Yeah, it was a pretty stupid thing to do.” You say with a sigh. “But all that happened then isn’t even the craziest thing to happen to me. The same maid tried to kill me twice.” 

“Twice?”

“Yep,” you nod, “The first time, Alcina banned her from the castle per my request. The second time, she came back under the guise of a woman seeking employment. She fooled one of the new maids then and when I went down to retrieve her, she pulled a knife on me. It’s safe to say she’s long gone.”

“Can I ask you a question about Lady Dimitrescu?”

“Sure, I don’t know everything about her, but I’ll try my best to answer what you want to know.

“How does being in a relationship with her work? Aren’t you afraid you won’t have long with her because she’s immortal?” 

“After escaping death four times, I’ve learned to cherish each moment as it happens. I never know when I’ll go and that helps me to live in the present and not worry so much about the future.”

“That makes sense, one more question then I should really get back to work.” Sam says as they hold up a single finger.

“Ask away friend.” You say with a smile. 

“Did I make you uncomfortable when I referred to you as Lady? The second time it happened, Lady Dimitrescu put me up to it.” Sam admits. Your eyes widen in shock.

“She put you up to it?! I’m going to have some words with her later.” You grumble, “And, no it didn’t make me uncomfortable; it was just a small shock, that’s all. I don’t want new staff thinking I hold the same power as Alcina or the girls and in turn, avoid me. I’m in the same boat as everyone else that works here.”

“Thank you, for clearing it up. And thank you for coming to talk to me, I could use some human friends. Back at the Beneviento estate, I held most of my conversations with dolls.” Sam says with a chuckle.

“I can’t imagine how creepy that must have been. Well, I’ll head back into the castle, don’t be a stranger.” You say with a smile as you exit Sam’s workshop. It was nice to finally talk to someone who was levelheaded and didn’t want to tease you every chance they got. Sure, Ylenia and Mara were also levelheaded but that didn’t stop them from teasing you. 

As you walked back toward the castle, you spotted a familiar black carriage pulling up to the entrance. Lady Beneviento was the first to arrive and you wasted no time walking up to greet her and Angie. You waved off the coachman so you could open the door to the carriage instead.

“Lady Beneviento, Miss Angie, it’s a pleasure to have you back at the castle.” You say with a small bow as the woman in black stepped out with the wooden doll in her arms. You grabbed a small bag from the footman which likely contained Lady Beneviento’s belongings.

“Y/N, YOU CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD!” Angie squealed as you walked with them toward the entrance.

“I never died, Miss Angie. I made the mistake of leaving and not telling anyone, they all thought I died and were hurt terribly because of it.”

“Yes, Alcina was arguably the most distraught.” Lady Beneviento said. Her voice was quiet and hoarse from not being used, a stark contrast to Alcina’s. That was also the first time you’d heard Lady Beneviento’s voice being spoken above a whisper.

“I know,” You said with a sad sigh, “but I’m never making that mistake again.” You pushed open the metal doors, the hinges screeching in the process. You walked Lady Beneviento into the main hall where the two of you awaited the arrival of Alcina and the girls. A few minutes passed without any of them showing so you decided to take matters into your own hands.

“Girls!” You called out into the halls of the castle and within moments, three clouds of flies appeared before you all before turning into the human forms of the Dimitrescu siblings.

“Aunt Donna, Angie!” The girls cheered in unison with beaming smiles. 

“Hey, Bug Brains!” Angie exclaimed.

“Girls, where does your mother want the other lords to convene?” You ask, looking between the three sisters.

“In the parlor room next to the opera hall, I’ll escort her and Angie so, don’t worry about it. Dani, will you take Aunt Donna’s things up to her room? And Cass, will you inform Mother that they’re here?” Dani and Cass nod before swarming off to do what their sister asked.

“What should I do? I’m just kinda… here.” You say, awkwardly shifting back and forth.

“If you need a task that badly, why don’t you keep Aunt Donna company until Mother comes down?” 

“Okay,” you nod, “I think I can do that.” You follow Bela as she escorts Donna and Angie to the parlor room. She leaves you with the Lady and her doll as she sets off to handle other business. 

“Would either of you like anything while you wait? Some tea perhaps?” You ask, nervously standing by the door as Donna takes a seat with Angie still in her arms.

“No, thank you, I would like to speak with you though. Is that alright?” Lady Beneviento says quietly, gesturing to the chair beside hers. Your brows shoot up; you weren’t expecting that at all.

“Oh, um, yes. That’s- that’s fine.” You say as you take a seat next to Lady Beneviento.

“Alcina tells me you’re now her companion.”

“Yes, I am.”

“WHAT?! Big sis didn’t tell  me  that; I’m hurt.” Angie says, folding her little wooden arms.

“If you don’t include the time I’ve been away, we’ve only been courting for two or so months.” 

“What happened between the two of you why you left?” Lady Beneviento asks with concern in her voice.

“She came from a meeting one day angry. I thought I could get her to talk to me, but it escalated and turned physical. I thought that it would be better for everyone if I left; if they got on with their lives like I never existed.” You say, ashamed of the reason for your actions.

“Why would ya do that ya big dummy? We all thought you kicked the bucket!” Angie says, flailing her arms wildly.

“I’m sorry Miss Angie, and I’m sorry to you as well, Lady Beneviento. I know we aren’t close, but I hurt your sister and I never meant for that to happen.”

“I know you didn’t, and I know you are a good person, Y/N. Please be kind to Alcina, she deserves so much love.” Lady Beneviento says with firmness in her voice that you haven’t heard before.

“You have my word, Lady Beneviento.”

“Just Donna and Angie is fine.” The Lady says with a nod. You smile, nodding in response. 

As you and Donna make light conversation, Alcina entered the parlor room. Instead of the usual cream dress, she donned a knee-length black pencil skirt, with a small slit in the back, a cherry red low-cut blouse, and black heels with red bottoms. Her hair was pinned in a low bun and her makeup was a simple smoky eye and matching cherry red lip. By Mother Miranda, she looked amazing, and you couldn’t stop staring at her as she moved across the room and took a seat beside you. 

“Y/N, are you alright dear?” Alcina asked, snapping you out of whatever trance her outfit had you in. Heat immediately rushed to your cheeks and the tips of your ears.

“Huh? U-um, yeah, w-why do you ask?” You question. Your voice cracks as you speak so you have to try and fight the urge to bolt out of the room.

“You had zoned out. Is something on your mind?”

“No, not really, just-”

“Just those honkers! She was looking at you like Karl looks at steak!” Angie says, cackling wildly. Donna flicks her on the arm and the doll squeals while you let your head fall into your hands.

“It may not be winter, but that doesn’t mean I do not need firewood. Watch it, two by four.” 

“Angie’s right,” you sigh, “well, half right.” You lift your head to face Alcina. “I was staring at you, but not in the way that you think. I just… you look really good today.” 

“Just today? Well, then I should make an effort to wear an ensemble like this more often, no?” Alcina asks with a smirk. 

“That’s totally your call. I know where this conversation is going, and I’m not falling into your trap.” You say with your head held high.

“Alci, I’m bored, and I don’t wanna watch the two of you flirt all day.” Angie says, falling dramatically over Donna’s arm.

“When Heisenberg and Salvatore arrive, you may play games with Y/N and the girls. Until then, rub your arms together really quickly.” Alcina says with an eye roll. “By the way Donna, I have received the carpenter you recommended. They’ve set up a workshop out near the stables.”

“How is Sammie? My cute friends miss them.” Angie says, jumping excitedly on Donna’s lap.

“They’re fine, the furniture I have asked them to build will be no problem. Afterward, should they wish to return to the estate, they may.” 

“I was just out with them not too long ago; we had a nice talk. They even admitted that you put them up to the title mishap at my picnic the other day.” You say, narrowing your eyes at Alcina.

“Whatever do you mean? I’ve done no such thing.” Alcina says, feigning offense.

“Uh-huh, sure.” You fold your arms and lean back in your chair. 

“Is it always like this with you two?” Donna asks with a soft chuckle.

“Not all the time. There are some sweet moments, but most of it is Alcina trying to get a rise out of me.”

“She lets you call her Alcina? That’s like... second base for Big A!” Angie exclaims. You let out a snort at the doll’s nickname for your companion.

Right as Alcina goes to respond, the doors fly open, and in walks Heisenberg in all his glory (if it can even be called that). He looks no different than when you last saw him, but the scent of wet dog, machine oil, and cigar smoke violates your nostrils. How you wished your nose was still broken so you wouldn’t be subjected to the odors that were quickly filling the room. Alcina smelled of lavender and vanilla, Donna of pine and cedar, but Heisenberg was just fowl; and you still haven’t met Lord Moreau yet.

You stood and greeted the greasy lord with a bow as he walked further into the room.

“Hello, Lord Heisenberg. It’s good to see you again.” 

“Kid! I ain’t seen you in ages, word got around that you left and bit the dust. How’s the schnoz?” The grungy Lord asks, pointing to his nose. He wastes no time to get comfortable, reclining in a chair and kicking his feet up on the coffee table. 

“Fully healed and fully functional.” You respond, sitting down.

“The latter is rather unfortunate, I’m sure.” Alcina adds as if she were reading your thoughts.

“I didn’t recall asking the Eiffel Fucking Tower for her input. Why’d you come back to this hell hole anyways, Kid? Tell the truth, did she drag ya back kickin’ and screamin’?” 

“She came back on her own volition, you ignorant man-child.” Alcina says, angered. You can see today and tomorrow being nothing short of torture. For all of you.

“I can’t believe you brainwashed the poor girl.” Heisenberg says, shaking his head as he lights up a cigar. You look over at Alcina and see her hands balled into fists so tight that her knuckles have turned white. You place your hand over hers and she opens it up for you to hold, instantly relaxing. 

“Lord Heisenberg, I wasn’t brainwashed, and I didn’t need to be dragged. I wanted to come back.” 

“Yeah, you greasy mutt! Y/N wanted to come back.” Angie says, not really contributing anything to the conversation. 

“Darling, would you accompany me to my study? I’m having trouble locating something and would like your assistance in searching for it.” Alcina says, standing from her chair with a sense of urgency. 

“Sure, lead the way.” You say, following suit. Alcina exits the parlor with you trailing behind. When the two of you are within the comfort of her study, Alcina lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Forgive me, dear, I don’t really need your help finding anything. I just needed to get away from Heisenberg and that damned doll.” Alcina says as her shoulders slump. You take her hand and brush your thumb over her knuckles.

“It’s okay, I understand. I needed a break myself.” You say with a huff. 

“I don’t know why Mother Miranda insists we all have dinner together. She’s aware that I do not care for Heisenberg, yet she demands that I treat that riff-raff as my sibling. The man-child comes into my castle and disrespects me every chance he gets, but I would be in the wrong if I severed his limbs.”

“I would kind of agree. Wouldn’t you reprimand one of the girls if an argument resulted in one of them losing body parts?”

“Well, yes, I would but-”

“No buts, Alcina. Try not to let what he says get to you, be the bigger person, and walk away. Sorry if that came across wrong.” 

“You’re fine, dear.” Alcina says, moving her hand over to cup your cheek. You turn your head and place a kiss on the palm of her hand before smiling softly. “I suppose we should return to the parlor room. I can only imagine the trouble Heisenberg is causing.” 

You nod and follow Alcina out of the study and back to the parlor. Upon your arrival, you are both met with the sight of Angie chasing the girls around the room with a mini wooden sickle. Alcina sighs heavily before crossing the room to take her seat. The movement stops before three pairs of golden eyes, and one pair of wooden eyes are on you. Cassandra approaches you with a devilish grin.

“Oh no, whatever it is the four of you are doing, I want no part of it.” You say shaking your head. Cassandra’s expression drops and you could have sworn you saw her pouting.

“Cassandra, might I ask why the doll is chasing you with a wooden weapon?” Alcina asks, raising a brow.

“It wasn’t my idea, I swear.” The brunette says, throwing her hands up. 

“Yet you still went through with it. Where did Angie even get a wooden sickle anyway?” You question.

“It was in her things. I guess Sam made it for her when they were still with Aunt Donna. If you want, I can get you a real sickle and you can play with us.”

“I think I’ll pass. I don’t really think it’s wise for a human to run around with a weapon.” Cassandra shrugs her shoulders and swarms back over to her sisters and Angie. 

Moments later, Alcina and the girls perk up as if they heard something. You look between them with a confused expression. It must be nice having heightened senses because you can’t for the life of you figure out what they’re listening to. It’s only when Alcina gives an order to the girls that you know what has suddenly caught their interest.

“Girls, Lord Moreau has arrived. Retrieve him and escort him here, please.” Alcina says.

“Yes, Mother.” The three sisters say in unison before swarming out of the parlor. 

Before Lord Moreau makes it through the door, the scent of rotting fish immediately fills the room. It takes everything in you to force down a gag. You were informed that he smelled bad, but you didn’t know he smelled this bad. It made Heisenberg smell like a field of flowered.

Still, being the well-mannered woman you were, stood and bowed as he entered the room. 

“Good morning, Lord Moreau.” You say with a slight smile. 

Alcina stands from her chair and walks over to the timid man and he almost recoils when she approaches. Now that you’ve seen him, you can see why the village rumors painted him as grotesque. He had bulbous masses growing on his front and who knows what was on his back that caused him to hunch over the way he was. He didn’t wear shoes and his webbed fingers and toes had very long nails at the ends of them. He had slimy discolored skin, jagged teeth, and wore tattered clothing. 

“Salvatore, so nice of you to finally join us. How was your journey from the reservoir?” Alcina asks, ushering the Lord toward an unoccupied chair in the farthest corner of the room. 

“It was okay, v-very bumpy.” Lord Moreau says, taking a seat. 

Alcina sits back down and continues conversing with Donna. For a better portion of the morning, no one in the room acknowledges Lord Moreau, not even sparing him a glance or two. It reminded you of how your siblings were forced to treat you, but the other lords aren’t being forced to treat Lord Moreau this way. They all must genuinely think he’s less than they are. In a way, you empathize with him. You were the outcast sibling, and you want to extend a friendly hand to him— as you wished someone would have done to you when you were young. Standing from your chair, you nod over to Lord Moreau to let Alcina know that you’re going to speak with him.

“Hello, Lord Moreau, my name’s Y/N. How are you today?” You ask, stopping a few feet away from him. 

“H-hello, Miss Y/N. I’m o-okay, no one is talking to me though. If Mama was here, I wouldn’t feel so alone.” Lord Moreau says with sadness in his voice. This prompts you to sit cross-legged on the floor in front of him.

“I’ll talk to you, that way you won’t have to feel lonely. Any topic in particular that you’d like to talk about?” You ask as your rest your chin in the palm of your hand.

Moreau goes on several tangents about fish, cheese, and his favorite television programs. You found that his mannerisms and the way he speaks are almost childlike and it makes you wonder if he was a child when Miranda infected him, or if the infection caused his mind to regress. Nonetheless, he was very pleasant to talk to, though the smell took quite a bit of getting used to. Lord Moreau didn’t ask you about your relationship with Alcina, or anything about why you left. No, he just wanted to talk about himself, as he rarely gets the chance, and you listened to every word. You wanted Lord Moreau to recognize that he isn’t as lonely as he thinks he is. Or at least, he doesn’t have to continue to be lonely.

“Thank you for talking to me, Miss Y/N.” The Lord says with a distorted, yet cheerful grin. 

“Anytime Lord Moreau, oh, and just Y/N is fine. It was a pleasure getting to speak with you.”

“C-call me Sal. You’re very nice, Mama will like you a lot. She’ll be glad to hear that I made a friend.” 

“I’m happy you consider me your friend, Sal. How about I talk to Alcina about arranging a trip down to the reservoir sometime soon? I would like to visit you every once in a while.”

“Really? Y- you’d come to see me? No one comes to see me beside Mama.”

“Well now, you have another visit to look forward to.” You say with a smile. You stand up and stretch your muscles, a few of your joints popping in the process. You glance at the clock and realize that it’s almost time for lunch, so you walk over to inform Alcina that you’ll be heading off.

“Have you been talking to Salvatore this whole time?” Alcina asks, turning from her conversation with Donna.

“Yeah, though it was more of him talking and me listening. He seemed happy that someone was finally speaking to him so, I just let him talk.” 

“Come with me, dear, I will walk you to the dining hall.” Alcina says as she rises from her chair.

“These two must be off to suck faces again.” Heisenberg says with a scoff. Alcina’s head turns sharply as if she is about to retort.

“Be the bigger person, remember?” You whisper, tugging on the sleeve of her blouse. Alcina faces front as she walks toward the door. “Excellent job, My Lady.” You say teasingly as Alcina bends through the doorway. You close the door behind you and let the Countess lead you through the halls of the castle.

“What were you talking with Salvatore about?” Alcina questions as the two of you walk gingerly.

“He talked about fish, what he likes to watch on TV, the kinds of cheeses he enjoys, and I just listened. I could tell that’s what he wanted.” You respond, your hands clasped behind your back.

“There is sympathy in your voice. Do you feel sorry for him?”

“Yeah, I do, but I empathize with him too. I know what it’s like to be the sibling no one wants to be around. The only thing that sets us apart is that my siblings didn’t have a choice, you all do. Why do you all ignore him?” You ask, stopping in your tracks to look at Alcina with a saddened expression. For the first time, the Countess was too stunned to speak. 

“It’s more complicated than you think, darling.”

“Maybe it is, but he sounded so sad when he mentioned that no one visits or talks to him. I can understand if you can’t tolerate the smell, but a phone call wouldn’t hurt. Or I can go down to the reservoir and see him every so often. You wanted me to talk to my sister, and now I want you to talk to your brother.” You say, grabbing Alcina’s hand. You could tell by her expression that she wasn’t angry with you but rather saddened by your words. 

She sighs, “You are right, dear, I will put forth more effort to ease Salvatore’s loneliness. Next, I suppose you’re going to ask me to get along with Heisenberg.”

“I thought about it, but Lord Heisenberg does not seem like the type of person who is easy to get along with.” You say with a chuckle as you continue walking.

“He isn’t. Thank you, though, for being kind to Salvatore.” Alcina says, smiling warmly

“You don’t need to thank me, I wanted to talk to him. And it was actually kind of nice, he didn’t bombard me with a thousand questions about our relationship or try to make me feel bad for leaving.”

“The other lords tried to make you feel bad?”

“No, I don’t think that was their intention, but just constantly bringing up the fact that everyone thought I died reminds me of how much my actions hurt you all. I was hurting too, but almost everyone, not just Donna and Lord Heisenberg, seems to gloss over that part.” 

“Would you like for me to say anything? If they’ve made you uncomfortable in any way, please let me know and I will make sure that it doesn’t happen again.” Alcina says with a steeled expression.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. Once the shock of me being alive or me being your companion wears off, they’ll find something else to talk about.” You say as the two of you approach the door to the servants' dining room.

“I will be having tea this afternoon with Donna under the gazebo outside, would you care to join us?” Alcina asks, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“Is that your way of asking me to brew it? I know how much you just love when I make you tea.” You say with a smirk. 

“What can I say? I’m biased.” Alcina responds, patting you gently on the upper back. “Go enjoy your lunch, we’ll still be in the parlor room when you’re finished.” 

You give Alcina a nod as you head into the servants’ dining hall. You found that your friends and sister were already waiting for you, along with new additions to the group. It looks like Sam and Lydia have decided to eat with you all as well. You might need to push two tables together; one is much too small for seven people. Before you sit down, you place your food on an empty table and begin to push it toward the one you usually sit at. As it is too heavy for just you alone, Sam rushes over to help you carry it over, instead of pushing it. You give them a small smile as the two of you set the table down and adjust its position. Once seated comfortably, you begin eating your lunch.

“So, we hear you were in the company of all four lords this morning, Y/N. What was it like being in the same room as all of them?” Catalina asks.

“It wasn’t anything special, and some may think that it was intimidating, but it wasn’t anything like that either. I spent most of my time talking to Sal.”

“Sal, who’s that?” Lydia questions.

“Lord Moreau, he’s shy and stays to himself. Although, his mannerisms and the way he speaks are almost juvenile. I felt like I was talking to a young version of myself.”

“How could young you possibly be anything like Lord Moreau?” Stefana asks with a hint of annoyance in her tone.

“Because much like young me, Lord Moreau is also ignored by his siblings. He doesn’t have anyone to talk to, no one visits him, and the poor man is lonely.” 

“So, you related to him in a way. Well, what did he talk about?” Olivia asks, tilting her head slightly,

“Fish, cheese, and television, all completely thrilling topics, I know.” You say with a hint of sarcasm in your tone. “But as much as I didn’t care for any of them, I let him talk because the more he did, the happier he seemed. He said Mother Miranda would be glad to hear that he’s finally made a friend. Now tell me you guys wouldn’t feel bad for him after hearing that.”

“You’re a good person, Y/N.” Sam says with a warm smile.

“Thanks, Sam.” You say, returning the gesture.

Throughout your lunch break, you notice something happening between Lydia and your sister. If you didn’t know any better, you would pass it off as a friendly interaction, but you could recognize flirting from a mile away now. After all, you’ve endured so much of it from Alcina that you’re essentially an expert on the matter. You make a mental note to ask Fana about how she and Lydia are getting along when you have time. For now, you don’t want to draw attention to it.

After your lunch, you stop by your room just to have a moment to yourself. You weren’t expecting to feel so down but after your conversation with Lord Moreau, all you could think about was your adolescent life. Maybe you were projecting, but you can’t help but see yourself in Salvatore. Everything from the nervous stuttering to the way his mood shifted when he finally had someone to talk to just reminded you so much of yourself. Never in a million years would you have believed that you would have something in common with the same people you used to hate. Though you still don’t know what you have in common with Heisenberg, maybe that’s for the best. You thought about the moment Alcina didn’t respond with a quip or anger and just walked away and that lifted your spirits slightly. She was willing to change and do so many things just for you. You truly didn’t deserve her. The more you let your mind wander, the more tired you were. You had accidentally fallen asleep and when you woke up, it was well into the afternoon.

“Shit, I have to make tea!” You exclaimed, practically bolting out of your room toward the kitchen. 

You decided on cherry hibiscus tea, the combination of fruity and floral are sure to bode well with Alcina and Donna. When the tea is ready, you prepare a few cookies and other pastries to go along with it and place everything in a basket. When you approach the gazebo, you see Donna and Alcina already seated and waiting for you. Angie and the girls are playing tag out near the garden, and you know that sooner or later, you’ll be joining them. You serve each lord their tea before pouring a cup for yourself.

“What kept you? I was getting worried that you’d forgotten.” Alcina says, sipping her tea.

“I’m sorry about that, I was, um, preoccupied and lost track of time.”

“You sound unsure. If it is private, I won’t question you further; I can see  and hear  that you’re quite worked up at the moment.” Alcina says, hiding her lips behind her teacup. But because you know her, you know that she’s smirking. You gasp at the realization of what she just implied.  

“It is not like that! I fell asleep and had to run to the kitchen to make the tea.”

“You ran through my castle?” Alcina questions with a raised brow.

“No?”

“Then why is your heart beating so quickly?”

“I speed-walked?” 

Alcina makes no further comments and continues to drink her tea, You know that she didn’t buy a word of what you said, and you were in for some type of punishment. She doesn’t tolerate running in the castle as it has cost her many priceless vases. 

“I think the running was worth it, Y/N makes a nice cup of tea.” Donna says, lifting her veil slightly to bring the teacup to her lips.

“I shall overlook it this time, but should I find out that you’ve been running in my halls, I will have no choice but to punish you. And if I catch you, be prepared to pray.” Alcina’s words send shivers down your spine and an odd sense of dread washes over you. So much so that you can’t even formulate a response, only nod.  

As the afternoon progressed, the air got a little stiff. Because Donna was also with you, you didn’t feel comfortable engaging in the normal banter that you have with Alcina. Plus, you were sure she was upset to find out that you had run through the castle. You were silently hoping and praying for anything or anyone to cut through the tension that surrounded the three of you. And as if your prayers were answered, up walks Heisenberg to the gazebo with a lit cigar hanging from his mouth.

“Hey kid, Donna, Mount Everest.” Heisenberg greets with a tip of his hat. You were beginning to get annoyed with his constant jabs at Alcina’s height. It would be different if it were something she could control, but she can’t, and you can see that what he says hurts by the expression on Alcina’s face. 

“Hello, Lord Heisenberg.” You say with a blank expression.

“Why so formal? We’re pals, ain’t we Kid? Drop the title and call me Karl or somethin’.”

“As if she would want to be friends with you.” Alcina says with a roll of her eyes.

“So, you choose fish breath but not me?” The disgruntled Lord asks.

“Lord Moreau is actually quite nice if you gave him a chance, and I don’t think I could be friends with someone that constantly makes fun of something my companion has no control over.” You say before an idea strikes you and a devilish grin paints your face. “If you truly want to be my friend, I think you should apologize to Alcina.” As you finish your statement, Alcina throws her head back in a fit of boisterous laughter. 

“If you think this man-child is going to apologize-” Alcina starts.

“I’m sorry for making fun of your height.” Heisenberg interrupts throwing all of you for a loop. Even Donna seemed surprised, though you can’t see her face.

“You can’t be serious.” Alcina says, her voice full of mirth.

“I’m dead serious. All of you get to be friends with the kid so I want to too.” Heisenberg says with furrowed brows. Now you’re nothing short of stunned. In less than twelve hours, you managed to stop Alcina from engaging in Heisenberg’s petty arguments, as well as get him to apologize for his remarks. You were on a roll.

“Well, I, uh, that was definitely unexpected.” You say, your eyes still wide from shock.

“And tell you what, I’ll keep the comments to a minimum, and I’ll even be nicer to her and Sal. He told me about the little chat the two of you had and how nice you were to him.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Heisenberg?” You question with a raised brow.

“It’s still the same old me. I just don’t like how all of you get to be buddy-buddy and I don’t.” Heisenberg says with a scoff.

“I’m simply astonished. How you managed to pull that off, I will never know.” Alcina says, shaking her head slightly.

“To be honest, I don’t even know how I did it. I thought he would have picked up on the fact that I was joking, but since he’s apologized and is going to be nicer to you and Salvatore, I say why not? Welcome to my dysfunctional friend group, Heis.”

“Heis, huh? S’got a nice right to it.” 

You were hoping that if you’re to interact with Miranda tomorrow, that it would go as smoothly as today. The last time you were in the Priestess’ presence, she was handing you off to die most likely. You wondered if she would be approving of your relationship with Alcina, and what she would do if she wasn’t. Alcina said she wouldn’t let Miranda do so much as disrespect you, and you trusted her, but you couldn’t be certain of what the other lords would do. Sure, you were now friends with the other lords, but if Alcina tried stopping Miranda from hurting you, would they intervene and side with Miranda? You knew Moreau only wanted Miranda’s approval so however she felt, he would feel the same. That rules him out. Heisenberg and Donna though, you didn’t know much about their devotion to Miranda, so it was hard to ascertain what they’d do. 

You guess you’d just have to wait for when that time comes. Maybe you’ll stay up in your room and pray that no one mention’s you during dinner. Yeah, that may work.

Chapter Text

It was the following day, and Mother Miranda was set to arrive later that evening for dinner. You thought the castle was busy yesterday, but nothing could have prepared you for just how frantic everyone was today. Your friends and sister barely spoke during breakfast because they wanted to set off for their duties as quickly as possible. Olivia didn’t work in the mornings so there should have been no reason for her to rush, but she offered to help Ylenia in the kitchen today. A lot of preparations had to be made to ensure that the meals the lords and Miranda (later on) were to be having today were absolutely perfect. Though, you’re sure that if you gave Heisenberg a dish full of kibble he wouldn’t complain. 

So, there you were, in your room laying on your bed staring at the ceiling. You wanted to be with Alcina, but you didn’t want to come off as clingy or needy, especially on a day like today. No, today, you wanted to lay low and try to fly under Miranda’s radar. You most likely won’t be able to achieve that, but at least you can say you tried. Even if you didn’t want to be seen, or heard, you still wanted something to do so you left your room to venture through the halls of the castle. The one place that never fails you is the library, so, that’s where you decide to go. That was clearly a mistake because as soon as you approached the door, you heard the familiar cackle of a sentient wooden doll. You sighed heavily and turned to go back to your room when a cloud of flies appeared from under the door and turned into Daniela.

“Where are you going?” The redhead asked, holding onto your wrist.

“Oh, I was headed back to my room.”

“Don’t you want to stay and play games with us? Angie challenged Bela to another game of checkers and wanted you to help her.” 

“I’d love to but… I’m trying to fly under the radar today, be invisible; a fly on the wall, if you will.”

“It’s a little late for that, Angie has been asking about you all morning. Why do you want to be invisible?”

“I don’t want to be noticed by Mother Miranda. I figured by limiting my interactions with people today, my name won’t be brought up during dinner.”

“That’s kind of inevitable. If anything happens, Mother will protect you. But everyone likes you so, there’s no reason why Mother Miranda wouldn’t as well.”

“I can think of a few reasons.” You say with a scoff as you push the doors to the library open. If being brought up during dinner was inevitable then you might as well have some fun before your demise.

Inside the library were the other three Dimitrescus along with Donna and Angie. As you stepped through the doors, Angie floated over to you with her arms crossed.

“I’ve been asking for you all morning! I need your help beating Blondie at checkers again.” Angie says as she floats around your head to rest on your shoulders. Daniela gasps dramatically.

“You’re riding on her shoulders?! I thought that was our thing.” The youngest Dimitrescu says with a pout.

“Y/N helped me defeat Bela, something that you have yet to accomplish, red!” Angie says with a maniacal laugh. It seems that she has nicknames for the girls based on their hair color, it leaves you wondering what her nickname for Cassandra is.

“Hmph, I see how it is. You may be Angie’s favorite now, Y/N, but I will get my rightful title back.”

“Oh lord, you sound like Irina. Are you going to break my nose and then try to kill me again months later?” You say with a chuckle.

“I didn’t find that to be all that funny, dear. She tried to end your life… twice.” Alcina says with furrowed brows. What better way to cope with traumatic experiences than to make jokes about them?

“Tried and failed. Honestly, I don’t know why she thought it would be a good idea to come for me when she knew what would happen to her.” You say taking a seat beside Alcina on the chaise. Angie climbs down the front of your body and jumps down to skitter over to Bela for their game of checkers. 

“The girl was delusional, stuck in some fantasy narrative that she created in her mind.” Alcina replies, returning her attention to the book she was reading.

“Who’s Irina?” Donna asks quietly.

“She was a maid I would occasionally have in my chambers during the night. I’m assuming the girl had feelings for me and that was what fueled her hatred for Y/N.” Alcina explains to which Donna responds with a nod.

“Y/N, get over here, I need your help!” Angie calls from the other side of the library. You stand from your seat and give Alcina a small smile before making your way over to Angie and the eldest Dimitrescu.

“What are we looking at here, Angie?” You ask, eyeing the pieces on the checkerboard. 

Bela was doing a little bit better than Angie was, but you could pull through and win for her. Bela made her move and jump one of Angie’s pieces. Angie wailed loudly as if she were about to lose, but Bela left herself open for Angie to jump two of her pieces and be kinged. Angie went to move one of the pieces, but you stopped her, picking up the piece that would hopefully ensure her victory. When the doll saw you take her piece and jump two of Bela’s, she squealed and moved to the side to allow you to see the board from the chair opposite Bela’s. Strategy games weren’t your forte, but you thought long and hard about each move because you wanted to win. You and Bela were going back and forth moving different pieces away from any that got too close until you saw that you could jump the three remaining pieces Bela had and end the game. After you made your final move and won, Angie clung to your neck, and you jumped up to spin her around in excitement.

“Celebrate while you can.” Bela starts with a smirk, “I want to play you in chess— where I excel.” Hearing Bela say she wants to play you in a game you know nothing about causes your excitement to come to a screeching halt.

“I don’t know how to play chess.” You say, gently placing Angie back down. Bela removes the checker pieces and replaces them with chess pieces.

 You watch Angie as she floats over to where Donna and Alcina are sitting and shares the story of her victory along with something else that you can’t hear. With your attention turned back to Bela, you didn’t realize that there was another spectator to your match until you felt a familiar hand on your shoulder. You look up and are met with Alcina’s intrigued expression.

“I hear that you’re to play my Bela in chess.” Alcina says.

“I might as well concede the match now. I don’t know how to play chess.” You respond as your shoulders slump.

“Then why don’t we use this match as practice, and I shall teach you. How does that sound?” The countess asks as she eyes the board from over your shoulder.

“That’s hardly fair, Mother. If you’re helping her then I’ll never win!” Bela whines.

“I’m merely assisting her to teach her the rules, my sweet. When she has an understanding of how to play, I will leave her to choose the moves she wants to make.” Alcina says with a comforting tone.

Alcina first teaches you each piece – the pawns, rooks, knights, bishops, king, and queen – and how they move. It’s already so much harder than checkers and she hasn’t even gotten to how to actually play. However, when you did get to the rules of the game, they only seemed to make your head hurt with how confusing they are. You always have to think one step ahead of your opponent, but with an opponent like Bela, it’s hard to know what she’ll do next. God forbid Alcina challenges you. You had tuned out what she was saying when she started talking about “gambits” – whatever those are. You’ll just stick to cards.

“Y/N are you paying attention? I’ve been explaining this to you for ten minutes.” Alcina says, seemingly frustrated.

“You lost me at ‘gambit’. Chess just isn’t me, it’s too sophisticated and requires too much thought. If you want to challenge me at anything that I won’t immediately lose, pick a card game.” You say with a sigh.

“Yes, the girls tell me that you fair quite well against them in cards. Very well, I will teach you to play chess another time. Then, when you have learned, I would like to play a match with you.” Alcina says with a smirk, knowing that you’d lose in an instant.

“You’re on, Miss D. What do you say, Bela, are you up for a hand or two?” You ask, looking across the game table at the blonde. She rolls her eyes before taking the chess pieces off the board and putting it away.

“Fine, but I get to pick the game.” Bela says with a huff. Angie waddles back over to where you were, and you pick her up to place her on the table.

“Is the chess match already over?” The shrill-voiced doll asks.

“No, we didn’t play. We’re going to play cards instead; would you like to join us?”

“You bet I would! What are we playing?” Angie asks, rubbing her little wooden hands together. You look over to Bela, awaiting her answer on the game you’ll be playing.

“I was thinking poker, but that would be too easy for Y/N. What was that one game you taught us where we have to lie to win?” Bela asks.

“Bullshit.” You respond, quickly covering your mouth with your hand at the realization that you just cussed in front of Alcina.

“A game where you lie? That should be interesting. I would like to join in if you don’t mind, darling.” Alcina says with a sly grin.

“I don’t mind at all. Pull up a chair, I’ll go get my cards.” You say before standing. 

You exit the library and head over to your room to find your cards. Once you find them, you make your way back to the library. You gave a quick explanation of the rules to Alcina, and she caught on quickly. You knew that both she and Bela would know if you were lying, so that made it significantly more difficult. However, you were determined to beat them. Card games were your domain. You sat furthest from Alcina, as you knew she would try something to reveal any tells that you had. You lied about your feelings for the woman for a year, so how hard could lying during a game of cards be? 

As it turns out, easier than you thought. You were good at schooling your expressions and keeping your heart rate steady, so you knew you had at least one hand in the bag. The first hand went to Bela, the second to Alcina, and once you were used to their playing styles, you won every hand after that. Still, you felt bad that Angie wasn’t winning anything despite her best attempts at calling everyone’s bluff. So, on the last hand, you threw the game and let Angie call bullshit, effectively making you lose. You flashed the doll a wide grin as she cheered about how she managed to call your bluff. It was sweet, and because you knew that Angie was an extension of Donna, you thought that a little of her excitement was showing as well. You let Angie and Bela have their moment of glory while you walked back over to where Donna was with Alcina.

“Did you throw that last hand on purpose?” Alcina asks as the two of you sit.

“Yeah, I did.” You say with a content sigh.

“Why, you would have won.”

“Because I felt bad that Angie hadn’t won any hands. She gets excited when she beats someone at their own game, so I let her beat me. My siblings used to do the same for me when I played cards with them.”

“How did you know that about Angie?” Donna asks, turning her veiled head in your direction. No doubt she was looking directly at you.

“I could just tell. She was so happy the first time I helped her beat Bela and checkers, and earlier when I helped her win again. I can tell that she’s very competitive and likes to win.” You answer with a small smile. Donna nods and turns her attention to the doll, who is trying to build a house out of your cards.

You chat with Alcina and Donna for some time until you have to go eat your lunch. It went the same as breakfast, with your friends and sister being in too much of a rush to converse while you ate. After your meal, you decided to stop by your room for a little bit of a wind-down before returning to the library. You sat in your window seat and stared out onto the castle grounds. From there, you could see Heisenberg and Salvatore out in the courtyard. So far, he was staying true to his word of being nicer to him. Salvatore deserved it, he deserved to be treated with kindness. All the lords did, really, though Heisenberg was on thin ice. You were summoned from your daydream by a familiar black bird landing on the windowsill. You slid the glass up to allow the bird to inch closer toward you. 

“Hello, friend, I’ve missed you.” You say to the bird. You slowly bring your hand up to pet the back of its head, and it coos at the contact.

“I don’t have any bread today, I’m afraid. The cooks are busy preparing everything for dinner with Mother Miranda later.” The crow tilts its head at the mention of the priestess.

“Curious about Mother Miranda? I don’t know much about her; I’ve only seen her once… on the night I was brought to the castle. She spared my parents in exchange for me and as twisted as that may sound, I’m thankful she did that. Because of her, I met Alcina. I don’t know how she’ll react to the fact that I’m Alcina’s companion, but I hope she approves. I want her to like me, but who wouldn’t want their girlfriend’s mom to like them?” You ask with a chuckle. The crow caws before flying away and you shrug. You figured it got bored and decided to spend its time elsewhere, but it returned, and it had something in its beak. The bird pecked at your hand to get you to open it up before it dropped a shiny gold coin in your palm. You knew that crows gave gifts to people that fed them, so the thought made you smile.

“Decided to bring me a gift? Thank you, little friend. Is it alright if I name you? I was thinking of Blue, after your beautiful eyes, is that okay?” You ask the bird with a grin as you place the coin in your pocket. Blue coos as it flaps its wings.

“Then it’s decided, I’ll call you Blue. Thank you for coming to see me today, next time I’ll have some bread for you.” You finish, giving Blue a final head pat before your friend flies away. You close the window and decide to head back to the library to spend some more time with (almost) everyone before Mother Miranda shows up. When you make it back to the library, you’re eyed suspiciously by the girls and Alcina, and you approach them warily. 

“We could hear you up in your room; who were you talking to?” Cassandra asks with narrow eyes.

“You remember that bird that crashed our picnic?” You ask to which Cassandra responds with a nod. “Well, I was sitting in my window seat when it visited me. I expressed some concerns I had, and it brought me a coin.” You say taking the coin out of your pocket and presenting it to the Dimitrescus.

“It seems like it likes you quite a bit. Have you given it a name?” Alcina asks with a small smile.

“I name it Blue because it has pretty blue eyes. It didn’t seem to have any oppositions to the name so that’s what I went with.” You say, taking a seat on the floor next to the chaise.

“And where is Blue now? Surely you don’t have a bird stowed away in my castle.” Alcina says with a raised brow.

“I thought about it, but it flew away so I closed my window.” You say, shrugging.

“Crows are a sign that Mother Miranda is watching, do you think that Blue is one of Miranda’s crows?” Donna asks, her voice riddled with worry. Your eyes widened at Donna's words; you had no idea that crows were a sign of Miranda.   

“I’ve never known any of Mother Miranda’s crows to interact with a human, let alone befriend one. Perhaps Blue is just a normal crow.” Alcina says.

“Maybe…” Donna trails off. You pause for a moment to think about what she said. What if Blue was a crow sent by Mother Miranda to watch you? What if she knew this whole time about your relationship with Alcina and wanted to spy on you before she decided to do away with you. 

“Would that be a bad thing; if Mother Miranda was watching me through Blue?” You ask, looking up at Alcina with a worried expression.

“She could be watching you for a multitude of reasons, the most likely being our relationship, but I doubt she is using Blue to watch you. I will have to ask her tonight.”

“But Mother, Y/N doesn’t want anyone bringing her up during dinner.”

“Is that true dear?” Alcina asks with a sympathetic tone.

“Yeah, I figured if no one brought me up, then Mother Miranda wouldn’t ask about me. I saw what she did to my parents, and I’m afraid she’ll do the same to me.” You respond, looking down at your lap, and twiddling your thumbs nervously.

“We won’t let Mother Miranda hurt you; you’re our favorite human.” Bela says with a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“Thanks, Bela, I still would like it if no one mentioned me. I guess you can say I’m stuck in my old ways because I don’t want to be noticed.” You say with a chuckle.

“Yes, well, old habits die hard.” Alcina says, gently stroking the back of your head.

For the majority of the afternoon, you sat in the library talking with Alcina and Donna. Most of your conversations were centered around the crow that came to visit you and any possible connections to Mother Miranda that Blue might have. The only connections they could think of are that Blue is a crow— the harbinger of Mother Miranda— and they shared an eye color. You’ve encountered that icy blue color a few times in the village. The first time was when you were handed over to Mother Miranda and you saw her eyes behind her mask, the second time was the hag, and the most recent was your new friend Blue. You wanted to believe that it was just coincidental but now, you weren’t so sure.

When you all left the library, you’d ventured to the servant’s dining hall, to eat yet another silent meal, while Alcina and the others set off to await Mother Miranda’s arrival. You were back in your room, sitting in your window seat when you sensed a shift in the air. It had suddenly become colder, causing you to shiver. Mother Miranda must be here. The cold feeling soon faded, and Blue had returned to your window. You opened it and allowed the bird inside to sit comfortably in your lap before closing it again.

“Came back to see me, Blue? At Least you’ll be able to keep me company while Alcina and the others are having dinner with Mother Miranda.” You say, petting Blue on the head. 

“Are you a girl crow, Blue? If Alcina found out you were a boy, she might not let me be friends with you.” You let out a slight chuckle, Blue coos and you figure she’s letting you know that she’s a girl.

You spend some time up in your window seat, petting Blue and voicing your concerns to her. You know she can’t reply but at the moment, she’s the only being you can talk to. Maybe Olivia was right when she said your souls may have ascended lifetimes and met again because Blue was just as comfortable with you as you were with her. She eventually fell asleep in your lap, so you stopped your senseless rambling. When Blue woke up, she pecked at the window to be let out so, you did, waving her goodbye as she flew away. You moved from the window over to your bed and went to take out your cards when you realized you’d left them in the library. You wanted your cards, but you also didn’t want to leave your room should you run into someone on your way to retrieve them. Afraid of taking any chances, you flopped down and stared at the ceiling, much like you’d done earlier today. 

Not that much time had passed when you heard a gentle knock on the door. “It’s open.” You called from your bed, not bothering to look and see who it was that was entering. 

“Your presence has been requested downstairs.” Bela says with a hint of something in her voice. You couldn’t quite place it, but she sounded worried. You sighed before sitting up to face the blonde, her expression showed deep concern.

“Is it bad?” You ask, almost wincing at the thought of what may happen.

“I couldn’t tell, there was nothing I could hear or see that gave away Mother Miranda’s intention. If it goes awry, Mother, my sisters, and I are ready to protect you.” Bela says firmly. You suppose all you can do now is follow her downstairs and come to terms with the fact that you may meet your maker tonight. 

When you entered the dining room, all heads were turned in your direction. Cassandra, Daniela, and Alcina all shared the same concerned expression Bela had earlier. Sal looked rather nervous, as he always does, Angie was unusually quiet, and hell, even Karl looked worried.

“Ah, there you are. I was wondering why you weren’t present at the start of dinner.” Miranda says with a saccharine-sweet tone. Your nerves began to stir as you were unsure if she was using her tone of voice to hide any ulterior motives she had.

“Good evening, Mother Miranda.” You greet with a deep bow before clasping your hands in front of you. “I ate dinner with the other servants and retired to my room afterward.”

“Oh? You don’t take your meals with Alcina and the girls? I’d assumed you would since you’re her companion.” Miranda says with a smirk. Your heart rate quickens. it becomes a little harder to breathe, and your mouth suddenly feels like a desert. You can see Alcina’s jaw clench tightly as her eyes widen in shock. 

“H-how did-” You start.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on you since I found out Alcina let you live. Until recently, it was rare that she let maidens live. However, through my quiet observation, I could see that you were quite special to her, and she to you. We crossed paths the day you fled the castle, and even then, I still watched over you.”

“Were you…”

“The hag? Yes, I was. I can take on the forms of many.”

“If you were still watching me, then you know…” You trail off as the memories of what occurred quickly occupied your mind. 

“Yes, I do, and I’m sorry that happened to you. Though, I think it would please you to know that I’ve turned that man into a lycan.” Miranda’s words take Alcina the girls, and you by surprise, she sounded incredibly genuine.

“I… thank you, Mother Miranda. So, were you still watching me when I returned?” You ask with a shaky voice.

“Yes, up until just a few minutes ago I was watching you; and you may not have known it at the time, but you were speaking to me.” As Miranda finishes her statement, Blue flies around the dining room before landing on your shoulder.

“Y/N, I thought you said the bird wasn’t in my castle.” Alcina says with warning in her tone.

“She wasn’t, she’d flown away before I came down, I swear.” You answer with wide eyes, shaking your head before turning your attention back to Mother Miranda. “Blue is one of your crows?”

“Yes she is, though, I’m not very fond of the name you’ve chosen for her. It lacks originality.” Well, shit… because that doesn’t hurt. Blue flies back to Mother Miranda before disappearing completely. “I don’t want you to fear me, Y/N. If I was at all angry about your relationship with Alcina, rest assured, you would not be standing here.” All the tension in the room had quickly dissipated and you were able to breathe a little better. 

“I t-told you Mama would like you.” Salvatore says with an expression that resembled a smile. You returned the gesture, smiling warmly at the lord.

“Yeah, she’s real soft on you, almost as soft as Cina is.” Heisenberg says with a chuckle.

“I’m not soft.” Mother Miranda and Alcina say in unison, and you can’t help but laugh a little.

“Is something amusing, darling?” Alcina asks, raising a brow at you. 

“No.” You respond, casting your gaze to the side as warmth spreads across your cheeks. 

“She’s a cute one, Alcina. Come, little chick, sit with us.” Mother Miranda says warmly. There’s an empty seat between Heisenberg and Salvatore, so you take it, greeting each lord as you sat. Both of them must have bathed for quite a long time because you couldn’t smell either of them (either that or you lost your sense of smell). 

“OOOH, YOU EVEN GET A NICKNAME!” Angie exclaims, her voice becoming shriller with each word. 

“Oh, I cannot wait to tell Cat about this.” Cassandra says with an evil-looking smirk. 

“Please don’t, I will never hear the end of it from her.” You grumble, casting a sidelong glance down the table at Cassandra.

“You’ll never hear the end of it from me either, little chick.” Cassandra replies, her chuckle turning into full-blown laughter as your cheeks turn bright red. 

Mother Miranda, may I ask you a question?” You inquire, leaning over the table to look at the priestess.

“Yes, what is it that you wish to know?”

“Blue brought me a coin earlier, was that also your doing?” 

“No, it wasn’t. I don’t control everything that my crows do so, she must genuinely like you.”

“Mother, can we please keep Blue? I’ll even help Y/N take care of her—pretty please, Mother?” Daniela asks whilst giving her best attempt at puppy-dog eyes. 

“No, dear, I don’t want a bird flying haphazardly around in my castle. My decision on the matter is final.” Alcina says with a steeled expression.

“But-”

“No buts. Do not ask me again, Daniela.” Alcina says with such finality in her tone that it makes her youngest sink in her chair.

“Have something against birds, Alcina?” Mother Miranda questions with a raised brow. 

“No, that’s not what I said. Whatever way you’ve been sending the crow to Y/N has worked perfectly fine and I would much prefer if that was how their little visits continued.” Alcina says, slightly annoyed.

“Sounds to me like you’re jealous. Scared you’re gonna lose the kid to a bird?” Heisenberg asks, chuckling as he downs a glass of whiskey.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” You whisper just loud enough for Karl to hear. He lets out a deep belly laugh at your comment before ushering a maid over for another glass of whiskey.

“What are you two over there giggling about?” Alcina grumbles.

“Nothing.” You respond, flashing an innocent smile at the disgruntled Countess. 

You felt an immense amount of relief after finally meeting Mother Miranda again. While the domineering, village cult leader was still very much a part of who she was, she was also surprisingly soft, and tender (and apparently soft on you since you were with Alcina). You were so wracked with nerves yesterday and today that you thought you were going to go mad. However, you weren’t the only one that was worried. You could feel the concern and fear radiating off Alcina and the girls when you stepped into the dining room, but once Mother Miranda had given her approval of you and Alcina’s relationship, the dynamic shifted to that of an almost normal family dinner. That is until Mother Miranda brought up the conversation you had with Alcina out in the garden the other day.

“Alcina, I understand you’ve expressed your interest in having Y/N become a Lady?” Miranda queries, quirking her brow at the castle matriarch.

“Yes but Y/N has also expressed her desire to move at a slow pace; one that is comfortable for her. I do not want for her to be overwhelmed or to do anything she isn’t yet ready for. Why do you ask?” 

“I simply wanted to know if I were to soon be a mother-in-law, but I see that I will have to wait; no rush.” Miranda says with a small smile. 

You buried your face in your hands and wished more than anything to be up in your room. Angie and the girls had all burst into boisterous laughter and Heisenberg nearly choked on his drink. You cannot believe  Mother Miranda was so casually talking about you marrying Alcina, but you suppose you can’t put it past her. Mothers are just… like that for some reason.

“May I be excused? I feel like I’m going to die from embarrassment.” You say with your face still buried in your hands.

“That makes two of us. You may go; enjoy the rest of your evening, darling.” Alcina says with a tired sigh and a soft smile. 

“Good evening, little chick.” Miranda says with a small wave.

“Yeah, evening, little chick.” Cassandra repeats. 

Happy to finally get away from a table full of people that only wanted to tease you, you shot up from your chair and exited the dining room in haste, but not before saying your goodnights to everyone. Instead of returning to your room, you stopped by the servants’ quarters. You wanted to see your friends and talk to them after whatever it was that just occurred moments prior. 

You knocked on the door and when you heard Cat say that it was open, you twisted the nob and let yourself in.

“Y/N? Why are you in the servants’ quarters?” Mara asks with furrowed brows.

“Oh no! Did Mother Miranda make the Lady demote you?” Catalina asks with a sympathetic tone.

“No, it’s not like that all. I just wanted to come to say hi; I feel like I barely saw you guys today.” You say, taking a seat on your old bed. You made a lot of memories in this room, but your old bed sucked.

“Aww, did you miss us?” Catalina’s tone goes from that of sympathetic to teasing in a matter of milliseconds; you don’t know how she switches up so fast. 

“Would it be a crime if I did? I had to play cards with Angie, Alcina, and Bela earlier and you know how I am when I play cards.”

“You probably couldn’t curse them out when you lost a hand. That must not have been fun.” Olivia says.

“Not at all, then there was the dinner with Mother Miranda.” You let out a huff as if you were  so  exhausted from just having a conversation.

“Oh yeah, how did that go?” Mara questions. You want to tell them everything, but you know Catalina is going to rip you to shreds over how affectionate Mother Miranda was with you.

“Before I tell you, where’s Fana?” You ask, looking between your friends.

“She’s… busy.” Catalina answers.

“Doing what? You should all be done for the night.”

“Lydia.” Your friends all say in unison. It takes everything in you not to vomit in the middle of the room. You had to take a moment to reel yourself in from the shock before continuing your story.

You recounted the events that led up to your awkward meeting with Mother Miranda. From Blue visiting you again to your conversation with Alcina, the girls, and Donna, to when Blue returned, and when you were summoned to dinner. When you had gotten to the part where Miranda gave you a nickname, Catalina didn’t hold back her laughter or her incessant teasing. All of your friends just about lost it when you told them about Miranda wanting to be your mother-in-law.

“So, if that were to happen, would you still call her Mother Miranda or Mother-In-Law Miranda.” Catalina asks, stifling a giggle.

“I’m pretty sure I’d just call her Mother Miranda.” You deadpan.

“I’m relieved to hear that she liked you though, I could tell that you were stressed.” Olivia says with a sweet smile. 

“What about Blue, do you think she’ll come back?” Mara asks.

“I’m not sure, though, if Miranda is going to continue keeping an eye on me I’m sure Blue will be making an appearance every once in a while.”

Catalina was going to speak when the door opened and in walked a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. They looked just as surprised to see you in here as you were to see them.

“It’s odd seeing you here.” Bela says, taking a seat behind Mara on her bed and wrapping her arms around your friend. Cassandra lays on Cats bed with her head in the latter’s lap, and Daniela sprawls out in Olivia’s bed, completely disregarding your friend.

“Mother is looking for you, she’s up in her chambers.” The redhead says, the sleepiness evident in her voice. 

You stand from your old bed and wish your friends a goodnight before exiting and making your way to Alcina’s chambers. You didn’t even need to knock because as soon as you approached the door, Alcina had permitted you to enter.

“You were looking for me?” You ask, closing the door behind you.

“Yes. First, I wanted to apologize for how overbearing Mother Miranda is. Second, I wanted to say that I am elated knowing that she is so fond of you; knowing that  everyone  is fond of you.” Alcina says with a warm smile.

“I am too. I was so scared, Alcina, I thought that she might hurt me, or worse, hurt you and the girls if she didn’t approve.” You cross the room to sit on the edge of Alcina’s bed when she shoots you a glare, effectively stopping you dead in your tracks.

“Do not sit on any of my furniture, you reek of Salvatore and Karl’s stenches.” Alcina says before her expression softens. “I would not have let Miranda hurt you or my daughters, and it makes me immensely happy that you were worried for our safety.”

“Of course, I was worried. I care about you all so much that I don’t want anything to happen to any of you, ever.” 

“Such a sweet little chick, you are. Why don’t we continue this conversation in the bath, yes?” Alcina asks as she stands from her vanity. You look at her with a bewildered expression.

“You w-want me to bathe… with you?”

“If the thought makes you uncomfortable, you may go first then I’ll draw another for myself.”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just… we’re gonna be… naked, and our bodies are gonna…” You trail off as your brain short-circuits. In the next moment, you feel something warm trickling down from your nose.

“Darling?” Alcina starts.

“Hm?” 

“Your nose, it’s bleeding.”

“Shit, sorry.” You say as you scramble to wipe your nose. Alcina hands you a handkerchief and you pack it inside the nostril that was leaking. “I’m sorry, I was- I had thought about having to be naked in the bath with you.”

“That’s how bathing works. It is alright if you don’t want to; as I said earlier, I don’t want to overwhelm you, or have you do anything you aren’t ready for.”

“I want to try it, but it’s pretty intimate, don’t you think?”

 “We don’t have to do anything other than cleanse our bodies if you don’t want to. I wanted to have a nice relaxing night with you after the stress of the past few days. So, I will ask you again, are you sure you want to bathe with me?” Alcina asks in a serious tone. You knew she was big on consent, especially now since everything that’s happened to you.

“Yes, but since all of my skin will be exposed, absolutely no tickling.”

“You have my word, dragă mea. The bath has already been prepared for us so I will allow you to enter first.” You give Alcina a nod and move to the en suite bathroom. 

You strip completely and discard your clothes into the laundry basket. You sink into the water and let the bubbles from the lavender-scented bubble bath cover your body. You hear her bedroom door opening, then closing again not long after and you wonder what Alcina did. When she enters the bathroom, she’s carrying one of your nightgowns and a fresh pair of undergarments.

“I grabbed these for you, and I realize now that I should have asked your permission first.” Alcina says as she places your nightwear down to take off her dress. You train your gaze to the bubbles in the water to avoid another staring mishap.

“It’s okay, but, how did you know where I keep my nightclothes?” You asked.

“When you’d collapsed in the atelier, I was the one who bathed and changed you so, I already knew where everything was.” Alcina responds. 

You hear the faint snapping of the hooks on her bra before the sound of it falling to the floor echoes through the bathroom. You try not to pay attention to what is about to happen, as you know that you’ll be red within seconds. You feel the water shift as Alcina enters the tub, sitting behind you. 

“Is it alright if I pull you onto my lap? I won’t try anything; you have my word.” You nod and Alcina places her hands under your arms to pull you closer, almost like one would do a child. 

You hugged your knees to your chest to shield yourself. You could tell that Alcina was worried if you were uncomfortable, but you assured her that you were fine. In fact, you were more than fine. Her skin against yours felt amazing. It was cool in contrast to the hot water. You were closer to her than you’d ever been, and you didn’t feel anxious or triggered by anything. You trusted Alcina completely. Even as she washed your body, there was not a single moment where you felt afraid, or that she would repeat the actions of that disgusting clerk. Being cared for this way made you realize that your feelings for Alcina ran deep, deeper than you’ve ever felt for anyone. You loved her. You wanted this moment to last forever; it was what you needed to get over another emotional hurdle, to break through another mental barrier and move toward the only thing that was keeping the two of you from becoming one. 

After your bath, you had changed into your nightclothes and settled into bed with Alcina holding you close. As soon as your head hit her luxurious pillows, your eyelids were heavy. It must have been the crash from all the stress that you were feeling surrounding Mother Miranda’s visit. Exhaustion hit you like a truck and your need for sleep far outweighed the need for your brain to think about the events of today.

Chapter Text

It was almost summer now. The trees were full of lush leaves that provided ample shade from the harsh heat of the blinding summer sun. You spent most of your time outside, reading, or having a chess lesson under the Gazebo with Alcina. Miranda sent Blue to the castle every day to see you, and it was nice knowing that Mother Miranda still wanted to keep an eye on you. You hadn’t returned to work yet, but you’d recovered more with each day that passed. Realizing your feelings for Alcina was one thing that helped, but you didn’t tell her. No, you were worried that it was still too soon and that she wouldn’t be able to reciprocate. You were patient as patient with her as she was with you. Nothing significant happened since you’d bathed with her; she kept her word when she said she didn’t want to overwhelm you. You were grateful for that. She gave you the time and space you needed to overcome your trauma and be able to move past it. You were back to where you were before the events at the end caused you to regress. You were at a point where you were ready physically and mentally to give yourself to Alcina. You trusted her with your life, and you knew that she wouldn’t hurt you the way you were in the past.

Today was another day being spent in Alcina’s study. You laid across a chair staring into space as she processed the sales from the winter and adjusted her figures. Running a business sounds utterly exhausting and if you ever become a Lady, you don’t want any part of the wine business. That’s all  Alcina. You’re perfectly content with being the trophy wife and letting Alcina be the breadwinner. Listen to you, thinking about marriage when just over a month ago, the thought made you anxious. Recounting your progress made you chuckle; you’ve come a long way in such a short amount of time.

“What has you over there laughing, dear?” Alcina asks, looking over the edge of her glasses at you.

“I was just thinking about something silly. It’s nothing.” You answer, waving your hand in front of your face to dismiss the topic.

“It’s something if it was enough to make you laugh, tell me about it?” Alcina questions, placing her massive ledger down on the desk. 

“I was thinking that if I do ever become a Lady, I want no part of the wine business. Just let me sit around and look pretty.” 

Alcina lets out a sigh as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “Is that not what you’re currently doing?” 

“So, you think I’m pretty?” You ask with a smirk. 

“I think your beauty rivals that of Aphrodite herself.” Alcina says as she waves you over. You right yourself before standing from the chair and walking over to her. Alcina hooks one arm under yours and the other behind your legs so she can pick you up and place you sideways on her lap. All standard procedure by now.

“I didn’t know you were into Greek mythology.” You say, tilting your head as you look up at Alcina.

“It is not an active interest of mine, but I have read up on it on occasion. I have, however, read the works of Sappho; she wrote lyric poems.”

“Lyric poems?” You echo.

“Poems that are sung to a musical accompaniment.”

“So, essentially, she wrote songs.”

“Essentially, yes. Though, Ancient Greek lyric poetry is much different from modern lyric poetry and song lyrics. Would you like to know why?”

“If you say they’re different, I’ll take your word for it. 

And right on schedule, there’s a knock on the door. You’ve learned that around this time is when the mail comes and Alcina receives a letter from one of her many business partners. You try to climb down from Alcina’s lap before she permits the maid to enter but she stops you. You were usually allowed to get down, but maybe she just wanted to hold you close today. Alcina permits the maid to enter, the door opens, and in walks Stefana. She had such a devilish grin on her face when she saw the position you were in but quickly schooled her expression when Alcina shot her a glance.

“I’ve brought you your mail, My Lady.” Stefana says with a bow, holding the letters in front of her.

“Thank you, dear. Hand it here.” Alcina says with an outstretched arm and open palm. Stefana walks over and places the letters in Alcina’s hand before her own fall to her sides.

“Y/N, are you doing anything next week Saturday?” Your older sister asks.

“No, why do you ask?” You weren’t sure why Stefana wanted to know if you were free. You see her every day, if she wanted to hang out, all she had to do was find you. 

“Because I wanted to spend the day with you. Now, what’s your favorite cake flavor?” You take a moment to think about why she’s asking you these questions all of a sudden, then it clicks. Next week Saturday is your birthday, but you planned to keep it a secret. You didn’t like celebrating your birthday because you always ended up alone.

“Is there something special going on next Saturday? Another picnic perhaps?” Alcina asks, the realization of what next week is not yet settling in.

“Next Saturday is my sister’s birthday. Did she not tell you?” Stefana asks, looking up at Alcina, who narrows her eyes at you.

“No, she didn’t. In the near two years she’s been here she hasn’t said a word, care to explain why dear?” Alcina asks you with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m pretty sure I was just a maid this time last year, that’s one reason why I didn’t mention my birthday. The second reason is that I don’t like celebrating it. It’s just something that happens when you have to be alone every year. I haven’t even told Mara, Cat, and Olivia, and I would like to keep it that way.”

“But you’re not alone now, you have me, the girls, your friends, and your sister all here with you.” Alcina says with slight sympathy in her tone. You let your head fall back as you groan—you hated when people were right about things like this,

“You know she’s right, Y/N. But, if you don’t want to celebrate your birthday, I can’t force you to.”

“However, should you want to, the girls and I would be more than happy to plan something special for you. How old will you be turning?” Alcina says with a warm smile.

“My Lady, don’t you know it’s rude to ask a woman her age?” You ask, feigning offense to Alcina’s question.

“Brat.”

“Your brat.”

“Okay, this just got awkward.” Stefana’s face shows slight disgust at your display of affection with Alcina. “Um, Y/N, is it okay if I steal your girlfriend from you for a few minutes? I need to talk to her about something regarding my debt.” Stefana says, twiddling her thumbs nervously. 

“Sure, I’ll go make some tea in the meantime. Is that okay, Alcina?” You ask, looking up at the countess. She gives you a nod and you climb from her lap. “I’ll be back soon but if you still need some more time, Fana, just shoo me away.” You say with a smile before exiting the study.

You make your way to the kitchen to prepare a pot of mint lemon tea. You thought about making iced sweet black tea to combat the encroaching heat of the upcoming summer season, but you weren’t sure if Alcina was a fan of iced tea. She loved any type of hot tea you made, that you were certain of, but you can’t recall ever seeing her drink any cold beverage besides water. A while back, you’d asked Alcina for different blends of teas to expand her palate, and she happily obliged— putting in a special order with someone called The Duke. Now, you were able to serve her a wide variety of different blends and flavors. 

You’d approached the study with the tea and every addition on a tray when you saw your sister exiting with a pleased smile on her face. It seemed her talk with Alcina went well.

“Hey, did you get everything handled?” You ask, stopping just outside the door.

“Yeah, I managed to set up a payment plan that was better than just sending my whole paycheck to my husband every week.”

“Good, I’m glad it worked out for you… and I’m sorry that you’re the one that has to pay for everything. If you ever need my help, just ask.” You say with a smile as you open the door to the study.

“I will.” Stefana returns the gesture as she walks down the hall to return to her duties. You let the door close on its own as you walk the tray over to a small table in the center of the room. You pour Alcina’s tea first and sweeten it to her liking before pouring a bit of blood into the cup. Instead of bringing the tea to Alcina, she comes to you, taking a seat in one of the chairs by the table. She takes the tea from you and relaxes into her seat. 

“Aren’t you having any? I see that you’ve only brought one teacup up with you.” Alcina says, sipping the hot liquid.

“Oh no, I don’t like mint.” You respond, taking a seat in a chair beside Alcina’s.

“If you don’t like mint, how do you know how the tea tastes?”

“You seem to be enjoying it, that’s all the confirmation I need.” You smile.

You spent the remainder of the morning talking to Alcina. She’d taken a break from her work to make sure that you weren’t bored. Of course, if you were, you were allowed to find something to occupy your time, but you enjoyed being in her company. Even if you sat in silence while she worked, and the only sound in the room was the sound of her pen gliding across the paper.

“You never told me how old you’re turning dear.” Alcina said with a faint smirk.

“I’ll be twenty-four. I’d just turned twenty-two a few months before Mother Miranda brought me to the castle.”

“Were you all born relatively close to one another?”

“Yeah, the age difference between myself and my oldest sibling, my brother Lucian, is only seven years.”

“Six children in seven years… that must have been harsh on your mother’s body.” Alcina says with a hint of sympathy in her tone. You suppose she felt bad because she’s a mother herself.

“Yeah… I remember hearing that the worst of it was when she had my brother Teodor and my sister Sorana. They’re twins.”

“Did she have Stefana and you after them? I recall you saying that she was closet to your age.”

“No, after the twins came my brother Andrei, then Stefana, then me.

“And you haven’t seen most of them since you were young?” 

“Nope.” You sigh “I think I saw Lucian last when I was thirteen, Teo and Sorana when I was fourteen, Drei when I was sixteen, and Fana when I was Nineteen. They all left as soon as they got married, and because they did, it was just my parents and I for a few years until I was brought to the castle. I assume they all left because of how cruel our father was.”

“You sound like you miss them.” Alcina says as she looks to you with a saddened expression.

“I do, and sometimes I think about how nice it would be to see them again, but I don’t know where any of them are in the village, nor do I even know how to begin looking for them.” You say with a shrug. Alcina simply hums as she continues to sip her tea.

~~~

You had your sister’s big mouth to thank for the fact that everyone in the castle that you were close to figured out that your birthday was soon. You got a serious lecture from Mara because you neglected to tell them about your birthday, and you almost got a beating from the sisters. You kept it a secret because you didn’t want people making a fuss over you. Especially not last year when you were trying to actively avoid Alcina and the girls. Another excuse you had was that your birthday fell on a workday, and you wouldn’t have gotten the time off to celebrate it. Of course, no one bought these excuses because you received an earful during your lunch the Monday before your birthday.

“You know that we could have celebrated on an off day, right?” Mara asks with a less than pleased look on her face. 

“None of us had the same off days though. It probably would have been weeks before we all had the same off day.” You argue.

 “We still could have done something to help you celebrate your birthday. How could you keep a secret like that from us for nearly two years?” Catalina questions, the hurt evident in her voice.

“Why are you two making such a big deal over it? I don’t recall either of you celebrating  your  birthdays nor do I know when they are, so you have no right to be angry with me.” You say, turning your attention to your food.

“My birthday is November 2nd.” Says Mara.

“Mine is August 4th.” Says Catalina.

“And Mine is October 3rd.” Says Olivia. 

“Commit that to your memory because from now on, we’re celebrating our birthdays.” Mara adds, pointing her fork in your direction. 

“Okay fine.” You grumble. 

~~~

In the days following, there was a shift in how everyone was acting. If people were talking before you walked in the room, they’d quickly scramble back to what they were doing before or change the subject completely. Often times they’d glance at you over their shoulder and would keep the volume of their conversations at a whisper so that you wouldn’t hear. Your friends complained about secrets being kept from them, but now they were the ones keeping secrets from you. You’d see them carrying boxes to the servants' quarters and when you’d ask about it, they’d just answer with “oh you know, the usual”, but you didn’t know the usual. During your year as a maid, you never had to carry delivery boxes to the servants' quarters and you practically did every duty there was. It was getting frustrating, and you just wanted answers. You marched to the garden toward the rose bush. You knew Alcina would be there because this time of year is when the flowers need to be maintained. You slowed your gait as to not appear angry with the countess as you approached her.

“Alcina, I hate to interrupt your gardening, but can I ask you a few questions?” You ask, nervously biting your lip. Alcina stands to her full height before looking at you with a mixture of confusion and concern in her features.

“Is something troubling you dear?”

“Yeah, ever since everyone found out that my birthday is on Saturday, they’ve been acting strange. Whenever I walk into a room, it goes quiet as if whoever is in there is talking about something I’m not meant to hear. I’ve seen Mara, Cat, and Olivia walking boxes of stuff to their room and when I ask, they just say it’s ‘the usual’. They got mad at me for keeping a secret and now they’re the ones keeping secrets from me, do you know anything about it?” You ask, looking up at Alcina with furrowed brows.

“Honestly, no I don’t. Perhaps it’s things they’ve purchased from the shops in the village.”

“You’d tell me if you knew something, right?” 

“Of course, I would, and if I hear or see anything suspicious, I will let you know.”

“Thank you, Alcina.” You say with a smile.

“You’re welcome, darling. As much as I would like to continue chatting, I need to finish weeding the area around my roses.” Alcina says, gesturing to the ground around the gigantic bush. You nod and as you turn to walk away, you hear Alcina breathe a deep sigh. You weren’t sure what it meant, and the fact that you were already paranoid wasn’t helping. You wanted to believe Alcina more than anything but given that she was just as upset as your friends and the girls when they found out about your birthday, you figured she was also hiding something from you.

You returned to your room and began pacing around the space. It was getting harder to keep your cool when you didn’t know anything. If this was everyone's way of getting back at you for keeping them in the dark, you didn’t like it all. You wanted—no you needed to know what was going on so you could finally have some peace of mind. 

~~~ 

It was Friday, the day before your birthday, and you were determined to always be in the presence of at least one person that you were close to. You started your day in Alcina’s study, carefully observing her as she worked. You saw that she was replying to several letters she’d received in the postage today. You don’t know how well business operates during the summer months, but there were more letters than usual for a Friday. Most of that stuff is usually handled within the first three days of the week. Strange.

After you ate lunch with your friends – and sister – and were positive they’d returned to their duties, you spent some time in the library with the girls playing cards. Of course, you knew that they could hear what else was going on in the castle, and you wanted to ask, but you also knew that they’d likely tell you something that wasn’t true. You’re going to get to find out exactly what it is everyone is keeping from you and when you do, oh boy, you will rain hellfire on them. 

Your afternoon with the girls was pleasant. Thanks to the chess lessons you’ve been taking, you could play a match with Bela that lasted more than a minute. You lost horribly, but you were getting better.

Your evening following dinner was actually very relaxing. You had once again voiced your concerns to Alcina about the possibility that something is going on that you didn’t know about. She assured you that you had nothing to be worried about, and after some breathtaking kisses, you were starting to believe her. Maybe you were just being paranoid, and the fact that your birthday is tomorrow was getting to your head.

“Are you positive that there’s nothing sneaky going on behind my back, and you’re not just covering for everyone?” You ask with narrow eyes, straddling Alcina as she sits at her vanity.

“You have my word, there’s nothing sneaky going on behind your back. You’ve been with me all this week and you know firsthand that I’ve had no part in whatever it is that your friends are doing.”

“You promise?” You ask in a singsong tone.

“I promise, dragă mea. Now, I believe we were in the middle of something that you decided to interrupt.” Alcina says with a smirk.

“Apologies, My Lady.” You respond before leaning in and closing the distance between the two of you. Each kiss that you shared was a little more passionate than the last, but never going as far as to make you uncomfortable. It wasn’t that you didn’t want Alcina—because you definitely did—you just wanted the timing to be perfect. You wanted your first time with her to be special; slow, languid, tender… not fast, and heated. That can happen afterward. 

Eventually, Alcina did need to finish removing her makeup and to get ready for the night, as did you (besides the makeup part). You opted to shower in your room as opposed to bathing with Alcina because you just wanted to stand under the water and let your thoughts run wild. If you’re proven right tomorrow… if they were planning something behind your back though you’d expressed your discontent for birthday celebrations. It was childish, yes, that you’ve been so paranoid and frustrated throughout the week, but you’ve never known anyone to be so adamant about doing something for your birthday. If that’s even what was going on. If it wasn’t, then you may owe everyone a massive apology.

After your shower, you changed into your nightclothes and walked over to Alcina’s room for the night. It was kind of becoming a habit. You hadn’t slept in your room since the nightmares started, and you haven’t had one in a long time so there was really no reason for you not to sleep in your room (that was slowly becoming a storage space). You were about to knock on the door when you heard Alcina’s voice through the door. She sounded like she was talking to someone on the phone.

“No, she doesn’t… We started a correspondence last week to set everything up… The Duke… No… You as well, goodnight.”  

The next sound you heard was the sound of Alcina placing the receiver on the base, letting you know that she was done with the call. You knocked on the door and when you were permitted to enter, you pushed open the door and walked into the room. When you closed the door, Alcina was looking at you with narrow eyes.

“What?” You ask, looking around the room nervously.

“Eavesdropping, darling?”   

“No, I…” you trail off, trying to come up with a believable excuse. “I was um… okay fine. I was listening to what you were saying. How did you know?” You sigh, walking over to the vanity.

“I know the sound of your heartbeat. I could tell you were outside my door, waiting for me to finish so you could enter.” 

“Are you upset? I swear I didn’t mean to listen, I-” your sentence was cut off by Alcina placing her index finger over your lips.

“I’m not upset, you don’t need to apologize.” Alcina says with a warm smile, you nod.

“Who was calling this late anyway?” You ask, climbing into your usual spot on Alcina’s bed. 

“Mother Miranda. She was inquiring about one of my new distributors— a woman in France.” Alcina says, standing from the vanity to walk over to the bed. She gets in and pulls you close, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. You cuddle into the side of her abdomen as you wrap an arm around her torso. 

“I didn’t know she took part in your wine business.” You say with a tilted head.

“She has to in order to keep any information about the village from spreading. We’re very much closed off from the outside world, and if the wrong people knew about our existence, we’d all be in danger.” 

“Is that why the villagers don’t take kindly to outsiders?”

“Precisely, and not many people leave this village. They don’t know what awaits them in the outside world, so they stay.”

“Have the girls ever been outside the village?” 

“No, and I’m afraid they will never get the chance to experience what the world has to offer them. We’re confined to the walls of the castle, so I try to make their lives as enjoyable as possible.” 

“Wow, that’s… I’m sorry.”

“It is not your fault, iubirea mea. We’ve all come to terms with the fact that there are just some things that we cannot do, so we try to make the most out of the liberties we do have. Now, why don’t you get some rest, darling? Word around the castle is that a very important person’s birthday is tomorrow.” Alcina says with a grin.

“Hm, I wonder who it could be.” You say as you turn so that your back is to Alcina. You feel her shift before she pulls your body into hers, wrapping her arms around you in a warm embrace. You loved sleeping like this.

~~~

It was finally Saturday, the day you’d wished would have been normal. But of course, with a sister that doesn’t know when to stop running her mouth working in the castle, it was only a matter of time before everyone found out when you’re birthday was. You wonder what she’s gonna say next, probably that you slept with Lucians old stuffed lamb doll until you were seventeen. God forbid Stefana actually knows that much about you.

You awoke to the feeling of an empty bed. You looked around the room for Alcina, but she was nowhere to be found, and you couldn’t hear anything coming from the bathroom either, so where was she? Judging by the time, it was still relatively early, and you knew Alcina wouldn’t be up at this time on a Saturday. Saturday’s were her leisure days, as she calls them. Leisure means sleeping in and cuddling until someone comes to drag you out of bed. So why on earth were you not being cuddled right now? Just as you were about to get up from the bed, Alcina had walked in carrying a tray of breakfast food, and tea.

“Ah, good morning, dear.” Alcina says with a warm smile.

“Good morning,” you smile, “what’s on the tray?”

“I thought I’d bring you breakfast this morning. I helped prepare it so, I hope it is to your liking.” Alcina says as she brings the tray over to the bed. You place the tray over your lap and eye the things Alcina and Ylenia cooked for you. Sausage, bacon, eggs, toast, and fresh fruit sat on the tray as well as a cup of freshly brewed tea. 

“Everything looks delicious, I didn’t know you could cook, Alcina.” You say, digging your fork into your breakfast. You let out a small moan at the flavor, it tasted just as good as it looked.

“I have many skills.” Alcina says with a smirk.

You make light conversation with Alcina as you eat your food, occasionally telling her how good it is, or that you were shocked at her cooking skills. When you were done, she’d taken the tray and set it aside.

“What would you like to do today?” Alcina asks with a grin.

“I’m not sure, why?”

“I want to focus on you. It’s your birthday and I know you don’t like celebrating it, but I want you to be happy. You deserve it.”

“But I’m already happy. Just knowing I have people that care and want me to be happy is enough for me. All I want today is to spend time with the people I hold dearest. I don’t need some extravagant function, or fancy party, being with my family today is what will make me happy.” 

“I thought you had no way of contacting your siblings.” Alcina says with a quirked brow.

“I didn’t mean them, I meant you, the girls, my friends, Ylenia… you’re all just as much my family as my siblings.” That was the first time you’d admitted to seeing Alcina and the girls as family, but it wasn’t as if it weren’t true, they are your family. 

“Oh, Y/N…” Alcina trails off as her eyes glaze over. 

“Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep any boundaries. I was just-” you were cut off midsentence by a pair of crimson lips meeting yours. Alcina had kissed you with such passion, such urgency, that you had to pull away and catch your breath. “So, what I said was okay?” You ask, breathlessly.  

“It was more than okay, my darling girl. You know not just how happy you’ve made me. To hear that you consider the girls and I family brings me so much joy.” Alcina says with a shaky voice as she pressed her forehead against yours and caressed the back of your head.

“If that kiss was anything to go by, I would say you were over the moon.”

“That and then some, dragă mea. Come, let’s get ready for the day.” Alcina says, lightly tapping your leg. You climb down and stretch your limbs. A whimper escapes at the popping and cracking of your joints, leaving you embarrassed and red in the face. 

“That was a cute little noise, I do so look forward to the other noises you can make.”

“As much as I would like to entertain whatever fantasy you have going on in your head right now, I would like to get ready for the day. I’m sure you probably have some surprise waiting for me.” You chuckle.

“That reminds me, I did get you something,” Alcina says as she stands and moves toward her wardrobe. She pulls out a large black box and a small one. “Happy Birthday, my dear.” Alcina says handing the boxes to you with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation in her features.

You open the larger box first and in it was a very expensive-looking black suit with tapered pant legs (just how you like them), a simple white bustier, and black heels.

“This is… wow. Thank you, I love it!” You say with a beaming smile, which seemed to calm whatever nervous feeling Alcina had because you could see her shoulders relax.

“I have a matching outfit but in the opposite colors. Would you mind wearing it this evening? I have a lovely dinner outside by the rose bush planned for just you and I. If you’d like, of course.”

“It’s a date.” You respond with a smile. You open the second box and it’s another necklace, except unlike the first necklace Alcina had gifted you, this one had the House Dimitrescu crest in the center of three strings of pearls. It was exactly like Alcina’s, and you couldn’t stop yourself from tearing up as you inspected the piece of jewelry. “You want me to wear the house crest?” You ask with a quiet and wavering voice.

“Yes, you will officially be recognized as a member of House Dimitrescu, a member of my family. I know you do not wish to hold a title right now, so I thought that the necklace would be a good way to recognize that you are someone of the utmost importance.”

“Alcina, I… I don’t know what to say.” You continue to stare at the house crest, the sunlight reflecting off the flower and two swords. The tears that had welled in your eyes finally spilled over the moment you clutched the necklace to your chest. “It is such an honor. Thank you, Alcina.” 

You make no effort to get her to bend so you can hug her, instead, you just latch on to the side of her hip. You only let go when you can feel her bending down. Alcina wipes your tears before cupping your face. You gaze into those golden eyes fondly, and you wished you could take a picture of this moment and store it into your memory forever. For it was at this exact moment, that you knew Alcina was who you wanted to spend the rest of your days with. It may have happened too fast, but you didn’t care. Everything she does only makes loving her easier. The way she’s taken care of you the past few months, the way she let you control the pace of your relationship, the trust that she has in you— it just wouldn’t make sense if you didn’t love Alcina.

“Thank you for being a part of my life.” Alcina says, planting a chaste kiss to your forehead “Now, go get dressed and meet me here afterward. I’ve given your friends and sister the day off so that you may spend time with them.”

“Thank you again, Alcina. Just, one question before I go.”

“Ask me anything, dear.”

“Will I still be your maid?”

“Would you like to continue your service? You know you don’t have to.”

“I know, but I have the hots for my boss, and I don’t want to quit just yet.” You say with a wink before pulling away and exiting the room to go into your own. 

You’d be wearing a suit later so you decided on wearing a dress, picking a color that would complement your skin tone the best. You put your hair up into a high ponytail before clasping your new necklace around the base of your neck. You gave yourself one final glance in your bathroom mirror and began tearing up again. Adorning the house crest was… something you never could have imagined in such a short time. On this day last year, you were just another maid who denied her true feelings. So caught up in the need to avoid Alcina, because of the internal conflict that you faced, that you hadn’t realized you were attracted to her the whole time. Look at you now.

After staring at yourself in the mirror for longer than you needed to, you left your room to return to Alcina’s. You didn’t bother knocking, Alcina knew your heartbeat from everyone else’s and could always tell when you were outside her door.

“You look lovely, darling.” Alcina says with a warm smile. When she sees that you have the necklace on, her eyes widen. “You put it on?”

“Yes, I did. I thought about waiting until tonight to wear it with the suit, but I want everyone to see the wonderful birthday gift my girlfriend got me. Do the girls know about the necklace?”

“No, they don’t know about the necklace, but they do know of my desire for you to be part of our family. The girls were thrilled, after all, you’re their favorite human.”

“I’m so rubbing that in my friends’ faces.” You chuckle. 

Alcina ushers you out of the room and the two of you walk through the castle to the courtyard. It was still early in the day, but apparently not too early for Daniela and Cassandra to be bickering about something probably nonsensical. You could practically feel  Alcina’s eye roll as the two of you approached. “Those daughters, I swear.” Alcina murmured as she pinched the bridge of her nose. The two youngest Dimitrescu siblings ended their quarrel when they saw you.

“Y/N!” Daniela squealed as she buzzed up to you. She threw her arms around you in perhaps the tightest hug you’d ever felt, and you couldn’t breathe… at all.

“Dani… air… need air!” You choke, frantically tapping the redhead on the shoulder to get her to release you.

“Sorry, I’m just so excited! We rarely get to celebrate birthdays in the castle and-” Daniela’s sentence cuts off when she sees the necklace Alcina gave you. “De ce poartă un colier cu blazonul casei, mamă? Te căsătorești? Va fi și mama noastră?!” You had no idea what just came out of Daniela’s mouth other than the word “mama”, which you assumed meant mother. But judging by the wide grin plastered on her face, she wasn’t angry. Upon hearing Daniela speak Romanian out of nowhere, Bela and Cassandra had joined the three of you.

“What is Dani talking about?” Cassandra asks with a raised brow.

“Yeah, she mentioned Y/N wearing the house crest?”

“Look at Y/N’s necklace!” Daniela exclaims, pointing at your neck.

“It’s just like yours, Mother. Is this what you meant when you said you wanted to make her an official member of House Dimitrescu?” Bela asks.

“Don’t you need to be like, married for that? And last time I checked, there’s no ring on Y/N’s left hand. You know what they say, Mother, if you like it, then you should have put a ring on it.” Cassandra says with a smirk.

“Literally no one says that.” Bela says with a roll of her eyes. Alcina sighs, this is going to be an interesting day for her.

“Darling, would you give me a minute to talk to the girls? I would like to clear up some misconceptions.” Alcina says with an annoyed tone. You nod and leave the quartet to travel further into the courtyard. When you actually make it to the gazebo, you see your friends and sister already waiting there for you.

Your sister was the first to greet you and give you her gift. She’d gotten you a pocket watch with a picture of the two of you in it when you were children. You didn’t even know that your family had pictures of you, let alone pictures of you with your siblings. Stefana explained that it was a picture Lucian took with a camera an outsider dropped trying to run out of the village. It was one of those cameras that printed the picture as soon as you took it. You felt warm, in a good way, when you observed the picture. It was so long ago, and everything was so different; you couldn’t help but cry a little before you thanked her. Catalina gave you her gift next, it was a poker set that she’d ordered from The Duke. How he even managed to get his hands on this, you’d never know. Everything about it from the case to the chips felt luxurious, surely, Cat spent a fortune on it. Mara was next, she’d gotten you a book all about tea, from growing to brewing. Turns out that your friends knew you better than you thought. Olivia was last to give you her gift. She’d gotten you a tea set that she also ordered from The Duke. You really couldn’t believe how thoughtful everyone was with their gifts, you were about to cry for the third time today when your braid was redirected by Cat asking questions about your necklace.

“Why are you wearing the Lady’s necklace?”

“It’s not the Lady’s necklace, it would look a lot bigger than that on Y/N.” Mara says, being the voice of reason your friend needed.

“You’re right… it is smaller!” Catalina says with a grin.

“Did she get you this?” Mara questions. 

“Yes she did, she wants me to be an official member of House Dimitrescu. Just… minus the marriage.” You respond.

“Are we going to actually have to start calling you Lady Y/N? If so, I may vomit.” Catalina quips.

“No, you’re not. This is so people know not to fuck with me unless they want to be on the opposite end of Alcina’s claws. I’m still just Y/N, it just so happens that my girlfriend is also a lord.” You chuckle.

The girls swarm back over after clearing up Daniela’s misunderstanding. Apparently, she thought that you and Alcina were getting married. If the two of you ever did, it was nice to know that at least one daughter approved. Bela had gotten you another book, while Cass and Dani offered you various body parts as gifts (mainly because they keep forgetting what your hobbies are) and you politely declined, claiming that you couldn’t possibly accept gifts as “priceless” as body parts. You knew they meant well, so you still thanked them.

~~~

It was time for your dinner with Alcina. After spending all day outside, playing games with your friends and the girls, you were well in need of a shower. But before you did, you grabbed the suit you’d left in Alcina’s room this morning and took it over to yours so you could get dressed. And when you were dressed… damn! You’re not one to brag but you looked so hot in this suit, you could make a dragon retire. The last thing you needed was to put your necklace back on before you walked out of your room to head to the garden. 

Much like your first dinner with Alcina, followed along the garden path to the rose bush where you saw Alcina waiting. She did say that her outfit was the same as yours, just in opposite colors, but good lord did she look amazing. You thought that the pencil skirt was the best thing you’ve seen her wear, but this definitely takes the cake. You approached her quietly, your jaw never leaving the ground. As it turns out, the feeling was mutual. When you reached the table, Alcina just stared at you with her mouth open wide.

“My, my, you look absolutely ravishing. I could just devour you, dear.” Alcina says with a tone so low, so sultry, that it had you going weak in the knees

You cough to stop your voice from cracking as you speak. “I could say the same to you. The pencil skirt was my favorite article of clothing you owned, but this outfit has rightfully taken its place.”

“I have half a mind to say let’s skip dinner and move to dessert, but if we did that, you wouldn’t get your other gift.”

“You got me something else?”

“It was a collaborative effort between your sister and I, but I will not tell you what it is. Shall we eat?” Alcina asks as she pulls out your chair. You oblige and take your seat, letting Alcina push you in before she sits across from you. 

The two of you were served the same courses from your first date. Seeing as how you compared everything you ate to the French food Ylenia made, and nothing was ever up to par. You ate your food slower than you normally would as you didn’t want to ruin your outfit. Although, if you did ruin it, Alcina could take it off of you… that’s a thought for another time. Yes, now you just wanted to enjoy the lovely dinner Alcina had planned for you. As you and Alcina talked, your eyes kept wandering to her… assets, which made it hard to focus on what she was saying.

“My eyes are up here, darling.” Alcina says, reaching across the table to tilt your head up. How inappropriate would it be to sweep everything to the side, climb up on the table, and… why were you thinking like that? You weren’t quite ready for that yet… right? 

“Sorry, I was just um- you know I have a staring problem.” You say with a nervous chuckle as a deep red color appears on your face.

“That you do. I might truly have to start punishing you for ogling me so.”

“Please do…” You trail off, lost in a haze until Alcina’s shocked expression lets you know that you said something she didn’t expect to hear. “I mean don’t! Please, don’t punish me for staring. I’ll try not to.” The thumb that was resting on your chin as Alcina tilted your head was now brushing across your lower lip. The look on Alcina’s face was dangerous, but the predatorial countenance wasn’t one to be feared. No, this was the face of someone who was most likely thinking of dominating you.

“You are crossing into dangerous territory, darling.” Alcina says, releasing your chin to sit back in her chair. “It is a good thing you corrected yourself, otherwise, your other gift would have to wait until tomorrow or perhaps even next week.” You didn’t know what Alcina meant by that, so you didn’t offer a response to it. Instead, you decided to shift the focus to your other gift.

“This other gift you and Fana got me, what is it?”

“It is a surprise. If you are ready, I can take you to it, but you will need to wear a blindfold.” Alcina stands from her chair and reaches into her blazer to hand you a sleep mask. You stand, put on the mask and hold out your hand so she can lead the way.

From the sound of your footfalls and the fact that you heard doors opening and closing, you could guess that Alcina had led you back into the castle. You couldn’t tell exactly where you were going because though you have a map of the castle etched in your memory, you were too excited to find out what your other gift was. You’d gone through another set of doors before coming to a halt. Based on the lingering echoes of voices, you assumed you were in the opera hall. When Alcina removed the sleep mask, it took your eyes a few seconds to adjust to the change in lighting, but you were in fact in the opera hall. When your eyes landed on your other gift, you were immediately overcome with so many emotions it was hard to keep track. The commonality between these emotions was that they all had tears forming in your eyes.

“How did you…” You trail off, afraid that if you speak, what you were seeing was going to vanish. 

Chapter Text

“How did you…”

You couldn’t believe your eyes. You blinked, wiped them, blinked some more but the image in front of you stayed the same. Standing in the middle of the room were your siblings, who stared back at you with tears in their eyes. It had been so long since you’d seen them, and they looked so different! Lucian was bulky and had facial hair, Teodor was starting to look a lot like your father, Sorana like your mother, and Andrei… Andrei changed the most. His hair was long, he had a scruffy beard, and was now the tallest out of all of you. How did Alcina and Stefana even manage this? It was quite possibly the best gift anyone could have ever gotten you. 

“Y/N…” Andrei said quietly as he slowly approached you. You remember Stefana saying that Andrei thought you’d died when your parents let Mother Miranda take you, and the way he was looking at you… moving so carefully as if you were a hallucination. 

“Hi, Drei.” You greet with tears clouding your vision as you moved further into the room. 

As soon as your brother heard you call out to him, he rushed over to you, pulling you into in the tightest, warmest, most comforting embrace you’d ever experienced. Even in heels, he was still a head taller than you. As Andrei sobbed into your hair, your other siblings joined in, trying their best to wrap their arms around you in any way possible. It felt so good to be in the arms of your siblings—as if the years you spent apart were mere minutes. You felt the love that radiated from them as all of you just stood and cried, holding each other like none of you ever wanted to let go. You were glad you hadn’t worn any makeup tonight because it would surely be ruined. Your tears, however, did leave stains on Andrei’s shirt as you pulled away.

“We’re so sorry, Y/N.” Lucian said, his voice thick with emotion.

“It’s okay, Lucian, Stefana told me everything and I’m not mad at any of you. I’m just glad that you were all able to get away from Father.” You respond, blinking away the few lingering unshed tears.

“That doesn’t make leaving you with him okay. We should have taken you with us.” Sorana says, her expression showing deep regret.

“You all did what you thought was necessary, and sometimes what’s necessary and best for you is all that you can do. I’ve… been down that road before.” You say, casting your gaze toward the ground as you recall what happened between you and Alcina.

“We’re so happy you’re okay. Father told us he let Mother Miranda take you, then, when I got Stef’s letter about celebrating your birthday, I thought, well…” Teodor starts.

“You thought I was gone. She didn’t tell any of you that I was okay?” You ask, looking between your siblings with a confused expression before your eyes landed on Fana, who was looking off to the side, trying to seem innocent and unaware of the conversation. Nice try. “Dear sister, why didn’t you tell any of them I was alive?”

“If I told them, they’d have been looking for you the moment they arrived. Wouldn’t want to ruin your date, would you?” Stefana asks with a slight shrug.

“You were on a date? Why didn’t you bring him to meet us? Afraid we’re gonna scare him off?” Lucian asks, trying his best to sound authoritative.

“Don’t get mad, but I’m not… seeing a man. And no, you couldn’t scare her if you tried.” You say, wringing your hands nervously.

“You have so little faith in your older brothers. Andrei’s height alone could scare any of the maids that work here.”  

“I never said she was a maid, Lucian.”

“If she isn’t a maid then who else could you have possibly been on a date with?” Andrei asks with a scoff.

“Me.” Alcina says with a pleased grin as she comes up behind you and places her hand on your shoulder. 

“Guys, meet my girlfriend, Lady Alcina Dimitrescu. Alcina, meet my siblings, Lucian, Teodor, Sorana, and Andrei.” You point out each sibling to Alcina and she shakes their hands, laughing slightly at Lucian and Andrei’s slacked jaws. Teo and Ana looked like they were about to pass out; it was honestly pretty hilarious. 

“Why don’t we sit, and allow you all to catch up?” Alcina asks, ushering the six of you over to the sitting area in the opera hall.

As soon as you all sat, and your siblings were comfortable, they flooded you and Stefana (but mostly you) with a million questions. What is it like working in the castle? Have you met any of the other lords? What were the other lords like? What is Mother Miranda like? Do you and Stefana share a room? So many things were being asked that you barely had time to keep up. Luckily for you, Stefana was able to answer some of the questions, while you handled the rest.

“So, not only have you met the other lords, but they’re your friends?” Teodor asks with a confused expression.

“Yes, they are. It probably wouldn’t have been that way if I wasn’t with Alcina, but I digress.”

“I can’t believe how grown-up you are, Bean. Seems like yesterday you were saying my name for the first time.” Andrei says, faking a sniffle. He called you “Bean”, a nickname you haven’t heard since you were a child. Cassandra perked up when she heard and rushed over to you. She didn’t swarm, most likely to avoid scaring everyone away.

“What an interesting nickname, but it doesn’t beat little chick.” The brunette says with a smirk. You let your head fall into your hand as you sigh. Even on your birthday, Cassandra won’t leave you alone.

“Cass, it’s my birthday. Have mercy, please.” You plead

“Mercy isn’t my thing. You should know that by now,  Bean .” Cassandra laughs as she draws out the final consonant of the word.

“Who call’s you little chick?” Sorana asks.

“The nickname was bestowed upon your dear sister by none other than Mother Miranda herself. She’s quite fond of her, you know. Even keeps tabs on her through a bird.” The brunette says, easing onto the arm of the chaise you and Alcina were sitting on.

“You’ve earned Mother Miranda’s favor? How did you manage that?” Lucian asks with a shocked expression.

“I wouldn’t exactly say I earned her favor. She just.. really liked me, that’s all.” You respond with a shrug.

“Yeah, she liked you so much that she wanted you to be her daughter-in-law.” Daniela says with a chuckle, quite literally appearing out of nowhere and startling all of you. The redhead hops on the chaise and lays her body across your and Alcina’s laps, curling up and getting comfortable. 

“Wait what?! You said Lady Dimitrescu was your girlfriend, you didn’t say that you were married!” Andrei exclaims, to which you and Alcina respond with a synchronized sigh.

“We’re  not  married, soup for brains!” You say through gritted teeth. “Mother Miranda wants us to be, keyword  wants .” As much as you loved your siblings, if they continued asking you questions like this, you’re going to throw them out. Technically, you can’t, because it isn’t your castle, but you had a feeling Alcina would make an exception.

So much time had passed since you’d last seen your siblings, yet, sitting here and conversing with all of them made you feel right at home. Well, not your real home, because the farm would never feel like home to you. But home in a sense that nothing was awkward, you didn’t feel uncomfortable, and you even managed to joke around with Drei and Fana. Just like old times. You glanced up at Alcina and caught her looking at you fondly as you spoke. You have to properly thank her after your siblings leave because the gift of a reunion was something you never expected to get. You couldn’t even be mad that it was being kept a secret. Well, you could, but you’re not going to. No, you’re going to thank everyone for the way they care about you, for the way they want to see you happy, and for the way they love you. 

Your brothers and sister couldn’t stay long, they had families to get back to and their carriage ride back into the village would take some time. You were standing in the main hall saying your goodbyes to everyone and thankfully there were no tears or sniffles. Lucian was the first to wrap his arms around you as you said goodbye, but his hugs were almost as bone-crushing as Daniela’s. When he pulled away, you inhaled sharply.

“I’ll see you soon, Bean. Until then, I’ll write to you. Okay?” Lucian asks. You nod in response.

“You all better write to me—and visit too.” You probably should have asked Alcina before basically commanding your siblings to visit. You suppose it’ll just have to wait until they leave.

“Let me know when the wedding is.” Andrei says with a smirk.

“For the last time Andrei, we aren’t getting married.” You say through gritted teeth, hitting Andrei on the arm. He laughs at your distress before ruffling your hair.

“I’m just messing with you. You know I had to for old time’s sake.” 

“I see you still haven’t changed. You know who you remind me of? Heisenberg. And you kind of look like him too what with the beard and the long greasy hair.”

“What an honor.” Andrei says puffing his chest proudly.

“Andrei, that’s not a good thing… like, at all.”

“But I thought Lord Heisenberg was your friend?”

“He is, but that doesn’t mean he’s the most pleasant to be around. Much like you, he too enjoys poking fun at his sister.”

“Andrei come on; you know we don’t have all night!” Sorana says, pulling Andrei to the side by his sleeve so she and Teo can hug you. It must be a twin thing because everything they did, they did it simultaneously. 

“It was so good seeing you again Y/N. Please, keep in touch with us. You and Stefana.”

“We will, I promise.” You say with a smile.

“Good, I’m glad you’re okay and that you’re happy. I love you, Sprout.” Teodor says, wrapping his arms around you once more.

“I love you too Teo. Thank you, all of you, for spending my birthday with me. It really meant a lot.” You say, a little misty-eyed now that your siblings were leaving. Well, except Stefana, you’re stuck with her.

“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world. See you around.” Lucian says with a sad smile as he ushers the rest of your siblings out the castle doors and toward their carriage. 

Stefana had gone back inside when the carriage drove off, but you lingered in the doorway for a few moments. It was still so surreal, and if you truly were dreaming, you never wanted to wake up. You finally had the relationship with your siblings that you always longed for. No one but the six of you knew just how long you had to endure being isolated. No one but you knew the pain of not being able to be loved by your siblings for seventeen years, and without a reason as to why. No one but your siblings knew the pain of not being able to love their little sister lest they wanted a beating. You never understood why it had to be you, why you had to be the one your parents didn’t want. And maybe you’d never get those answers, but that’s okay. Your siblings wanted you to be in their lives again, and that was all you ever wanted; even if you didn’t realize it until Stefana showed up at the castle.

You continued staring out into the night sky, your eyes glazed over with unshed tears. You were replaying the moments just prior to this in your head. Only when you felt Alcina’s large hand on your shoulder was when you were brought out of your daze.

“How are you, darling?” Alcina asks softly, looking at you with concern.

“Overwhelmed, happy, sad… a bunch of things. I feel like this evening was a dream, and I’m afraid I’ll have to wake up. Do you know how old I was when my siblings stopped coming around me?” You ask, your voice trembling slightly as you reach up to hold the hand that was sitting atop your shoulder. 

“No, you never told me.” 

“I was seven. I was just a little kid, and for the longest time, all I could ask was if there was something wrong with me. I thought I had done something to my family that made them mad and that’s why they didn’t want me. I still don’t know my father’s reasoning, but knowing that my siblings didn’t have a choice, knowing that they still love me, knowing that they  do  want me—it just seems too good to be true.” You say weakly as the tears you’d been holding back finally escape down the front of your face. Alcina crouched down next to you, reaching a hand up to wipe your tears. You lean into her touch as more threaten to spill out. “Thank you, Alcina. Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do any of this, but you did.”

“Of course, iubirea mea, I just wanted you to be happy on your birthday. You’ve been through so much pain and hurt in your life, and you deserve nothing but love and happiness.”

“I have plenty of people to surround me with it.” You smile. 

“There’s one more thing I wish to give you, would you accompany me to my chambers?” Alcina asks, standing to her full height and taking your hand to lead you back inside the castle.

“You don’t even have to ask, but why didn’t you give it to me this morning?”

“I wanted to wait until the day was over when I could have you to myself.” 

You and Alcina walk hand in hand through the halls of the castle, not paying attention to the passing glances from lingering maids. When you arrive at Alcina’s chambers, she retrieves the key to unlock the door. As you reach for the knob to open the door for her, you’re swept up in a bridal style hold as Alcina carries you into the room. She sets you down on the edge of her vanity and sits down on the seat, placing herself between your legs. You’re more or less at eye level with her this way. 

“Should I close my eyes?” You ask, anticipating the next give Alcina was going to give you.

“What I wanted to give you is… a confession. Something I should have told you long ago.” The hesitance in Alcina’s tone makes you nervous. You were having such a wonderful day, surely she wouldn’t ruin it with bad news. Alcina takes your hands in hers and stares deeply into your eyes. Those golden iris flashing with worry. “You have become such an integral part of our lives that I can’t recall what the castle was like before you arrived. You’ve brought so much light, so much joy. You’ve shown the girls and I kindness as we’d never experienced. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t thank the heavens for sending you to my doorstep. You are my angel, my muse, my light in a sea of darkness. I love you. I love you with every fiber of my being, and I will love you until my last breath. Ești totul pentru mine, dragă.” 

Alcina loves you… 

Alcina loves you… 

She- no, that can’t- you? Alcina loves you, she said it. She really said it! She finally said it! Every word that came from her lips, those gorgeous red lips, filled you with so much happiness that you broke down in tears. You really thought that this night couldn’t get any better but hearing the woman you loved admit that she loved you too has made this a night beyond your wildest dreams. You could see that Alcina’s nerves were getting the better of her as each moment passed. To ease her worrisome mind, you crashed her lips into hers. Meeting them in a heated kiss, filled with emotion. You were sobbing, but you were so happy. So very, very happy. The love you felt for Alcina as the two of you kissed was all-consuming, and you would happily let it devour you whole if it meant that Alcina’s feelings would never change. You thought you needed more time to tell her, that she wouldn’t reciprocate if you told her now, but you didn’t need to worry about that. She was yours. And you wanted to be hers in every way. You broke the kiss, but your eyes remained closed as you pressed your forehead against hers.

“Alcina… I love you too, so much. I just didn’t know when the right time was to tell you. But I knew since the dinner with Mother Miranda that I wanted to be wholly yours. You’ve shown me a love greater than any romance novel, and I am so, so lucky to have you. I’m so happy that you chose me, that you wanted me when I thought no one else did. I may not have been in love before, but I know that I love you with all my heart and my loyalties will forever lie with you.” 

At the end of the profession of your love for the Countess, you opened your eyes and saw the tear stains running down her face, causing streaks in her makeup as she stared at you with her mouth slightly agape. You peppered kisses on each cheek, taking the tear stains with you. Alcina and stood from her seat and bent down as she cupped the back of your head to bring your lips to hers. It was her turn to sob as the two of you shared another kiss. Only it didn’t stop when her tears did, no, she pressed her body into yours, having to place her hand on the edge of the vanity for stability. Her leaning over you caused you to have to lean back and place one arm behind you for support. When Alcina’s free hand found the small of your back and continued to push your body against hers, you gasped into the kiss. Alcina’s tongue traced your bottom lip before it began to explore the inside of your mouth. 

The hand that wasn’t keeping you up was tossing Alcina’s hat to the side and finding purchase in her silky raven locks, fisting the hair, and tugging slightly. The action earned you a groan from Alcina that sent heat and electricity through your whole body. When Alcina broke away from the kiss, you let out a whimper which was quickly replaced by a strangled moan when she began to leave a trail of open-mouthed kisses over your jaw and down your neck. She buried her head in the junction between your neck and shoulder and her lips latched on to the skin. Every gentle bite was followed by suckling or her tongue lathing over the mark she’d just made. You wanted to be covered in her marks, you wanted Alcina to finally claim you as hers. Alcina had pushed your suit jacket to the side so she could leave kisses and marks further down your body, eliciting lewd sounds from you until you couldn’t bear it any longer.

“Alcina… take me to bed, please. I want you.” You say breathlessly. Alcina pulls away to look at you with a steeled expression though her eyes were lidded, her pupils nearly blown out from desire. 

“Are you certain that you’re ready? I don’t want you to feel forced into this because of the heat of the moment.” Alcina says as her voice fills with worry. You lean in to ease her tensions with a sweet kiss before pulling away and smiling.

“I’m certain. I want to be yours—body and soul. You have my consent; I trust you.” You knew explicit consent meant a lot to Alcina, so you didn’t wait for her to ask for it. You needed her to know that you had the utmost faith in her and trusted her completely. 

Alcina picked you up from the vanity in the position you were in, and you wrapped your legs around her waist as best as you could as she carried you over to the bed. She lowered you onto your back and let go so she could discard her suit jacket, pants, gloves, and shoes. Alcina climbed onto the bed and situated herself in between your legs. She helped you sit up slightly so you could remove your clothes, starting with the jacket. Next were your pants, and you couldn’t fight the blush that appeared on your face as you lifted your hips to allow Alcina to slide them off completely. Your bustier was next to go and though Alcina had seen you naked before, and even bathed you, you still felt inclined to cover up. This was your first meaningful sexual encounter, so you were embarrassed. You had to lift your hips again so Alcina could remove your underwear and now you were fully naked and in her bed. Alcina moved your arms out of the way gently, taking a moment to admire your body.

“So beautiful…” 

“T-thank you.” You said, looking off to the side. You were all of a sudden feeling bashful, but you still wanted to do this with her. Alcina reached up to cup your cheek and turn your head toward her. Nothing but love and adoration was shown in her features as she looked at you with a warm smile. 

She adjusted her position so that she could be comfortably on top of you without crushing you (though you wouldn’t mind, what a way to die). Continuing her ministrations from earlier, she kissed you sweetly before making way down to your collarbone and leaving a trail of kisses. Her right hand crept up your front and settled in the valley between your breasts. You could tell she wanted to be gentle and slow with you, and you appreciated that. Her lips trailed down further until she reached a breast. She swirled her tongue around your pert nipple before latching onto the supple flesh. A loud moan escaped from you and reverberated through the room as she bit down gently. You couldn’t press your thighs together for the friction you desperately craved. Her right hand caressed the other breast, giving it the same amount of attention as the other. The feeling of her hands on you set off fireworks in your brain, your body felt like it was on fire, and the temperature never stopped rising.

Your core began to clench around nothing as you were growing more aroused with each second that passed. Alcina released your breast with a pop and shifted so that she could focus on the other one. Before her mouth met your skin, she looked up at you with a smirk. 

“You smell absolutely divine, my love.” 

“Alcina… please. I need you.” You say through breathy moans. 

“I do so love it when you beg.” Alcina doesn’t break eye contact as her now free left-hand glides down your body. She traces patterns on your inner thigh before running a finger through your slick folds, coating it in your arousal. “Already so wet for me.”

You let out a whimper as she takes one more pass through your slit with a second finger and finds your clit with the now sufficiently lubricated digits. She starts rubbing in painfully slow circles which draws out a mixture of whines and moans from you. She begins to suck on your breast as her pace quickens ever so slightly. It wasn’t enough to bring you any closer to an orgasm, but it was enough to keep you on your toes. Your pleasure didn’t climb but it also didn’t decrease. Everything Alcina did was calculated as if she knew your body like the back of her hand. She was playing you like you were a well-tuned violin, and she was Paganini. When she saw that you had adjusted to the comfortable rhythm she set, her pace quickened suddenly. You let out a loud cry as you entangled your fingers into her dark curls. She released your breast and moved up so that her mouth was by the shell of your ear.

“I love hearing you whimper and cry out for me.” Alcina whispered, her warm breath making it harder for you not to fall over the edge. Her lips found purchase just below your jaw where she began lathing her tongue over your heated skin. “The sounds you make are beautiful.”

You were getting closer to your release. Your breaths were becoming quick and shallow. Your thighs quivered as your back began arching off the bed. Your moans rose in pitch as you began to feel tightness in your abdomen. Your hands left Alcina’s hair to fist the sheets. Your toes were curling. 

At its limit, your body twitched and convulsed as you came undone by Alcina’s hand. You covered your mouth to muffle the scream that left your throat as you fell over the edge of orgasm. Alcina had slowed the pace of her fingers to allow you to ride out your high. When you finally came down, Alcina had moved to lay beside you. You felt thoroughly spent and were a panting, sweaty mess atop Alcina’s bed. You let out a small whine when she withdrew her fingers, but a new fire was lit within you when she brought them to her mouth and began cleaning your arousal off them with her tongue. To say it was hot was an understatement. When you thought that you could form coherent sentences, you propped yourself up on your elbows. It was the best you could do as your muscles felt like jelly. 

“Did you enjoy yourself, darling?” Alcina asks softly, reaching up to brush the hair away that was plastered to your forehead with sweat.

“Yes, I did. Thank you, Alcina.”

“I’m glad. Were you ever uncomfortable at all?”

“No, never. I enjoyed every minute and would do it again, but my body won’t be able to keep up.” You chuckle weakly.

“Not to worry, we can always work on your stamina.” Alcina winks, “Come, let’s get you cleaned up.” 

“But what about you? Don’t you want me to touch you now?”

“Don’t worry about me, darling. It’s your birthday and I wanted to please you.” Alcina says, scooping you up in her arms and walking with you to the bathroom.

The two of you bathe to get the scent of sweat and sex off of you and you settle into her large bed, completely naked and bodies pressed against one another. You. Were. Exhausted. You wasted no time getting comfortable and snuggling into your lover. When she confessed, you thought the night couldn’t get better, but this was truly the icing on the cake.

…

 Cake!

 You shot up; your eyes wide. You didn’t have any cake today!

“Is everything alright, Y/N?” Alcina asks, having been startled by your random jolt.

“I didn’t have any cake today.” You say with a pout. Alcina lets out a sigh that is both of relief and exasperation.

“You can eat all the cake your heart desires tomorrow. For now, you need rest.” Alcina says, wrapping her arm around you and pulling you back down. Fighting it wasn’t worth it; you were no match for her strength.

“But-”

“Rest, little love. Your body will thank you.” Alcina interrupts by placing a finger over your mouth. You give in and get comfortable beside her, closing your eyes to try and sleep. “Goodnight, Y/N, I love you.”

“Goodnight, Alcina, I love you too.” You yawn, once again feeling the comfort of a good night’s sleep beckoning you. 

Today was a good day, and it’s safe to say that you’ll always celebrate your birthday if it ends like this.

Chapter Text

It was one thing to sleep through the night in Alcina’s arms, but it was another thing to share a bed after something so incredibly wonderful. You dreamt about how tender Alcina was, how comfortable she made you, how safe you felt. It took you a long time to get here, but you could finally say you’ve moved on from what happened all those months ago. Last night, you’d done the one thing that you feared most. It was a hurdle that you never thought you’d be able to make it over, but Alcina had shown you so much care; she helped you every step of the way. She never judged you or looked at you any differently and though you truly felt like you were less than a woman for being used, Alcina helped you realize just how strong you really are. You’ve been through  so much  in the twenty-one months that you’ve been away from home. So much pain and suffering and now, you could finally say that you were okay. You and Alcina were in love and okay. You hope and pray that it stays that way. 

You awoke to the feeling of Alcina’s arm around you, her large, slender fingers splayed across your stomach. You were almost startled by your lack of clothing, then you quickly remembered the night you had with your companion who was sleeping peacefully behind you. If her quiet snores were anything to go by, she must have expended a lot of energy yesterday. It was well-deserved rest, so you’re not going to wake her. At least, you weren’t trying to. Alcina’s eyes fluttered open when you shifted from lying on your side to lying on your back. She nestled her head in the junction between your shoulder and head and planted a chaste kiss, smirking slightly when she noticed just how many marks she’d left. 

“Good morning, my love.” Alcina says with a groggy voice.

“Good morning, Alcina, how did you sleep?” You ask, shifting a bit so you can sit up.

“Quite well, and yourself?”

 “Like a baby. The nightmares have finally stopped; I haven’t had one in almost three weeks. Thank you, for helping me get through everything.” You smile. In the position the two of you are in, you have to actually look down at Alcina. Seems that she was beautiful from every angle.

“No need to thank me, darling. You said yourself that just because we go through things, it doesn’t mean we have to go through them alone. We’re partners; whatever we go through, we will do so together.” 

“Can we  go through  the castle into the kitchen and see if Ylenia made any cake? If I recall, and I do, you stopped me last night when I wanted some.” 

“It’s six in the morning and you’re thinking about cake? You’ve spent too much time with Daniela and Cassandra, dear.” 

“You think their sweet tooths rubbed off on me?” You ask, raising a brow at Alcina.

“Why else would you want a dessert food before you’ve had your breakfast. You will ruin your appetite that way.” 

“You sound way too much like a mom, and not like my girlfriend.” You scoff, folding your arms across your bare chest.

“I’m simply saying that it is not wise to eat cake first thing in the morning. I’ve seen it happen plenty of times with my daughters. Eat first, and you can have cake as a snack.” Alcina says with a calm tone and expression.

“ Yes, Mother. ” You say in a mocking tone. “Or do you prefer mommy?” You see Alcina’s eye twitch slightly before the most sinister look paints her face. You’ve just dug your own grave, it seems.

“I prefer Mistress since you must know. But I must warn you my darling, using such language with me brings out a side that I don’t think you’re quite yet ready for. When we work building your stamina, you will be screaming for your Mistress all night and well into the morning. Shall we begin with a brief introduction?” Alcina asks, her voice low and sultry as she begins to leave a hot trail of kisses up and down your neck. Her words sent electricity through your body, and you could feel the throb of your heartbeat between your legs. 

Alcina inhaled sharply as the scent of your arousal filled her nostrils. You let out a shudder as her hand began to travel further down your body, stopping on your inner thigh, just above your knee. She gives it a gentle tug toward her body, encouraging you to open your legs. You oblige and Alcina lets out a pleased hum. Her hand creeps up toward the apex of your thighs, stopping just inches away from where you needed her to draw lazy patterns on your skin. You were still a little sensitive from last night, so each touch caused the muscles in your thighs to twitch.

“I can tell you’re quite excited, your scent is intoxicating.” Alcina whispers, her breath tickles your skin, and you squeeze your eyes shut. It was getting harder and harder to think about the cake you wanted. Alcina’s hand crept further upward toward your core, stopping where your leg and hip met before pulling away completely.

“W-why’d you stop?” You ask looking at the Countess with furrowed brows.

“I do believe it’s time for you to eat breakfast. We will continue this later after a discussion.” Alcina says, turning over to rest on her back.

“Please, Alcina? You can’t get me all riled up and then just stop.” You whine.

“Oh, but I can. When I am in the role of your Mistress, I control your pleasure. I am free to start and stop whenever I please, even if you beg. But…” Alcina pauses, shifting to sit up. She looks at you with a softer expression before sighing, “even though I thoroughly enjoy when lovers submit to me, if it is something you do not want, I will respect that.”

“I… I’ll have to think about it. Relinquishing control over my body after what happened is… scary, however, I’m willing to try everything at least once. I know and trust that you wouldn’t hurt me but I’m not ready to get adventurous just yet.” 

“I understand, and I respect that. When you are ready, we will have another talk. Now, I believe you still need to get ready for the day.” Alcina says, patting your leg. 

You smile before hopping down from the bed. Your clothes were scattered all over the room, so it was a little embarrassing to have to look for them while completely naked. Once they were collected, you put on just the pants and the bustier. You gave Alcina one last smile before exiting the room and walking next door to yours. The moment the door shut you let out a deep sigh and scrambled to get your clothes and necklace off. You were still very turned on and needed to take care of it before you started your day. 

You bolted to your bathroom and turned your shower on, making sure that it was cold enough to lower the rising heat of your body. You got in, leaned your head against the wall, and spread your legs wide enough so your hand had enough room. Your fingers immediately began moving around your clit in quick circles, building you up toward your release. You’d masturbated a few times after particularly heated moments with Alcina that left you very frustrated, but none of those times were quite as bad as this. You could barely contain the sounds of your pleasure. You covered your mouth with your free hand to muffle the moans that you were failing to choke back. Mother Miranda forbid Alcina or the girls hear you indulging in the shower. You needed to support your weight as your legs were getting weaker, so, the hand that was covering your mouth was now pressed against the wall to keep you up. Your top teeth clamped down on your lip to stop yourself from being too loud, but that wasn’t working very well. 

“Fuck… oh god, Alcina.” You moan, a little louder than you’d have liked. You couldn’t be bothered with volume control now that you were teetering on the edge of your release. Your legs were shaking, your breathing quick and shallow, you were so close to getting the release your body ached for. To aid in the process, you began thinking about Alcina’s hands on you, the way her mouth felt on you, and how it would feel further down your body. God, you wanted so badly to feel her tongue raking over every inch of your body, to feel it swirl around your clit the way it had around your nipples before plunging deep inside you. Just the thought of it is enough to send you over the edge. Your knees buckled and you slid to the floor as you came—and you managed to stay quiet for the most part. It took moment for you to gather yourself; you had no intention of starting your morning this way, but Alcina made it incredibly difficult. 

You kept the water running cold to further calm yourself as you cleanse your body. When you were done in the shower, you wrapped a towel around your body and your hair and entered your room to get ready for the day. You decided that now was as good a time as ever to go back to work. You haven’t worn this uniform in months, but it still fit perfectly (and it covered your hickeys). To be honest, you were starting to get used to not having to work, and technically you no longer needed to, but you wanted to be of use to everyone, not just Alcina. You secured both necklaces under the collar of your shirt, the crest on the pearl necklace resembling a broach, and you set off toward the servants’ dining hall. Your friends and sister were already seated and waiting for you. When they saw you walk in with your uniform on, they went bug-eyed and continued to stare at you even as you sat with your breakfast.

“You’re wearing your uniform again, I thought you’d never return to work!” Catalina exclaims, hugging you tightly.

“It’s Y/N you’re talking about. She was probably going stir crazy.” Mara says with a light chuckle.

“So, you’re finally feeling well enough to be working again?” Olivia asks.

“Yeah, I really feel okay. And to be honest, I’d gotten used to not working, but I missed wearing my uniform.” You sigh. It really did feel great to be back in the garments.

“How come the two of you get to wear pants but we have to be stuck wearing these frumpy dresses?” Stefana asks with a frown as she points to you and Sam.

“Sam works outside, and I’m more comfortable in pants. If you want, I could talk to Alcina about getting different uniforms for you.”

“No, that’s okay. I already owe her for arranging everything for yesterday.” Stefana says with a shrug. 

“Speaking of which, how did it go with your siblings? We would have been there, but we helped Ylenia clean everything up.” Mara says, pushing her food around with her fork.

“It went better than I ever would have imagined. It was like we’d been close all our lives.” You say with a small smile as you think of the time you spent with your siblings.

“How did the Lady act with your brothers? You know she’s pretty notorious for hating men.” Catalina says, letting out a small chuckle.

“She didn’t say much. She just let Y/N and I do most of the talking.” Stefana says in response to Cat’s question.

“Did you see the look on Lucian and Drei’s faces when they learned that I was with Alcina?” You ask— your eyes wide and full of mirth as you looked at your sister.

“It was priceless! You all should have been there; they looked scared shitless.” Stefana says before imitating the faces your brothers made last night. You throw your head back in laughter and everyone around you lets out a gasp.

“What? Did something happen?” You ask, slightly on edge as you look between your friends.

“Your neck is covered in bruises! You’re not hurt, are you?” Olivia asks with a face full of concern. You, in turn, become extremely flustered.

“Oh um, these? They’re um- they’re not… bruises.” You respond softly, keeping your head low and your gaze trained to your plate.

“They’re hickeys! Did you and the Lady finally go all the way? A little birthday sex? Please tell me, I’m dying to know!” Cat begs, tugging on your arm. You shake her away and fold your arms over your chest. 

“Cat, will you please shut up? You’re gonna traumatize Sam and Lydia, they’re not used to how obnoxious you are yet!” Mara chastises.

“Thank you, Mara.” You say with an appreciative smile.

“But did you?”

“Oh my god,” you pause, letting out a defeated sigh as your head falls into your hands “yes, we did.” You mumble.

“What’d you say? It’s hard to hear you when your hands are covering your face like that.” Lydia says, leaning in a little closer to hear you more clearly. You uncover your face and let out a huff before speaking.

“Yes, we did,” You see everyone’s face light up except for Sam and Lydia as they don’t know the excitement of you finally having sex with Alcina. “but that’s not all that happened.” You say, holding up your hands as if to stop everyone from saying anything further.

“What else happened? You have to tell us everything.” Stefana says with a bright smile.

“We confessed to each other. She told me she loved me, I told her I loved her. Y’know how that goes.” You say with a shrug. 

“This is so exciting! My baby sister is in love!” Fana squeals loud enough to garner the attention of several maids in the cafeteria. She smiles nervously at them, and they continue eating their food.

“You didn’t tell any of us that you were gonna confess to her, are we not your friends?” Catalina asks, feigning offense.

“It just… happened. I wasn’t expecting her to say it last night, I had this whole elaborate plan and everything for when I wanted to tell her. But when she told me… she said some of the most beautiful things I’d ever heard.” You stare ahead of you with a dreamy expression as you recall the things Alcina said to you last night. She said you were her angel, her muse, her light in a sea of darkness. She spoke as though she was reciting a Shakespearean sonnet.

“So, if you and Lady Dimitrescu are serious about one another, why work?” Lydia asks.

“I enjoy it. Having something to do, even if it’s just sorting through files, keeps me sane. There was a time where I only had a week off and I was going mad.”

“How’d you manage to get a week off?” Sam asks with a raised brow.

“I fainted and was out cold for three days.” 

“You  WHAT ? You never told me this.” Stefana says, the upset evident in her tone.

“There are a lot of things I haven’t told you, and I’m sure there are some things you have yet to tell me. So, consider us even. I  will  tell you, however, that it is time for us to head into the kitchen to start the day.” 

You returned your dishes and set off toward the kitchen with Mara and Catalina. For the entirety of the short walk, Catalina kept bombarding you with questions regarding last night. You answered her when she asked about your family but dodged any questions about you and Alcina. You could answer them later—when you weren’t passing by nosy maids. You’ve stated before that you didn’t care about what anyone thought because if they caused any problems for you they’d have to answer to Alcina. No, the reason you didn’t want maids hearing your business is simply that they aren’t your friends. Hell, you weren’t sure if you even wanted  them  to know. They don’t share much about their relationships, but you never asked because you don’t like meddling in peoples’ personal lives. You figure it’s time to set some boundaries with your friends. You weren’t angry with them for wanting to know nor did you care that they knew, but there’s a time and a place to ask you such personal questions, and the servants’ dining hall certainly wasn’t one of them.

You entered the kitchen and found that your favorite head chef wasn’t there. That explains why breakfast wasn’t as good as it usually is. Still, Ylenia wasn’t the time to miss work during the week. Oh! It’s not a weekday! It’s Sunday and you’re typically off most Sundays back when you were working. Since you and Ylenia share an off day, perhaps you’ll catch up with her and share a drink. The old cook has become more or less like a mother to you, and you were grateful for that. If there was something you needed to hear that no one else around you was able to say, Ylenia would be the one to say it. She was a bit blunt, maybe even a little mean, and she never sugar-coated anything. Ylenia was someone you’ve really come to trust and rely on. Perhaps you’ll bake a cake for her or make her some cabbage rolls (since that’s all you can do).

You worked around your friends to prepare everything you needed for this morning’s tea. Thanks to your wide variety of different blends, you could create the perfect pot for any type of day. Today’s blend is raspberry, lemon green tea. It’s different; Alcina usually drinks black tea, but she lets you experiment every once in a while. If she doesn’t like it, you’ll just make her another pot. You measured out the leaves and set them aside while you waited for the water to boil. You went through your usual process of warming the pot, steeping the leaves once, and then a second time before the tea was ready. A blend like this is best consumed without any milk or sugar (milk would likely be unpleasant anyway), but you still included sugar and honey on the cart with the rest of the Dimitrescu’s breakfast. The last thing you needed to do was grab a flask of blood from the fridge and let it come up to room temperature. Blood would alter the flavor but it’s how Alcina always took her tea.

The three of you entered the room when permitted and while Mara and Cat were busy setting the table and serving the food, you were preparing to serve the tea. 

“You didn’t inform me that you would be returning to work today, darling.” Alcina says, looking at you with narrowed eyes as you brought her teacup to the table. 

“I meant to tell you after I got ready, but I was running late for breakfast. Would you like sugar or honey?” You ask, hoping that Alcina won’t question you further. It was safe to assume that she probably heard you, but whether or not she’d bring it up in front of the girls was something you couldn’t be sure of.

“Neither thank you. Why were you running late for breakfast?” Shit, there might not be any getting out of this one.

“I just took a little longer to get ready than I usually do. I’d lost track of time.” You say as you go down the side of the table to make the girls’ tea.

“Hm, was it your prolonged shower that held you this morning?” Alcina asks, hiding her smirk behind her teacup. You nearly drop the sugar bowl at Alcina’s words. So, she definitely heard you. You spare a glance at Alcina as you’re spooning sugar in Daniela’s tea and her eyes are narrow, but not from anger or annoyance. She was messing with you.

“Y-yes, it was. I needed to um, wash my hair. It was really gross.” You respond, chuckling nervously at your obvious lie. You moved to stand in your usual corner when a large hand on your bicep stopped you. Alcina cast her gaze downward and you could see faint traces of desire in her eyes.

“It didn’t  sound  like you were washing your hair.” Your face instantly burned at Alcina’s words. You wanted to run up to your room and hide from everyone in the castle for the rest of your life because of how embarrassed you were at this moment.

“Mother, you listen to her shower? That’s a little creepy.” Cassandra says with a slight grimace.

“And we don’t really want to hear about what you were listening to either. Can we start breakfast now?” Daniela groans. She and Cass were total foodies, and this conversation was stopping them from enjoying their meal while it was still hot.

“Girls, excuse us for a moment,” Alcina says, addressing her children. “ you , come with me.” She turns her attention back to you as she stands from her chair. A lump forms in your throat because you don’t know exactly what she wants but it must not be good for her to interrupt breakfast. 

Alcina leads you out of the dining room, walking hastily to the second floor of the castle. You try to keep up, but her gait is much too quick for your human legs. You don’t recognize the room she brought you to; the door had a figure of a woman on it with two maroon eyes. You didn’t know why she brought you here and were about to question it when Alcina picked you up and pinned you against the closed door. You wrapped your arms around the base of her neck and your legs around her waist as best as you could, your chest heaving as you anxiously wait for what she’s going to do.

“Alcina?” You question, catching your reflection in her lust-filled gaze.

“Oh, the things you do to me, my dear. Did you intend for me to hear your little performance in the shower?” Alcina asks, her voice just above a whisper.

“N-no, that wasn’t my intention.” You swallow thickly.

“Am I who you always think about when you touch yourself? Did you wish it was my hand instead of your own exploring you, my fingers filling you up? Is that what you desired?” 

“Yes.” You answer breathlessly, heat pooling in your core. 

“Do you want to know what I did when I heard you moan my name?” Alcina questioned as she leaned in close beside your head; you nod. “Use your word, dear.” She commanded. You were used to taking orders from her but in your current situation, it sent electricity through your whole body. 

“Yes, w-what did you do?” You ask, closing your eyes when you feel her lips ghosting over your ear.

“I leaned back against the edge of my vanity and touched myself while I listened to you. Your sweet voice calling out for me filled me with so much want and desire, I would love to hear it again while I’m devouring you whole.” Alcina growled, her breath hot against the shell of your ear. You shudder as you feel the hot wetness of her tongue against your skin. 

“Alcina… please.” You whimper, squirming in her hold. At this point, you’re going to need a change of underwear because her words already have you dripping like a leaky faucet.

“If you are comfortable, I’d like for you to call me Mistress. Nothing different has to happen, I just want to hear it out of that gorgeous mouth of yours. Will that be alright?” Alcina asks, turning her head to leave a trail of kisses on the underside of your jaw.

“Yes, M-Mistress.” You say softly. If every inch of your face and neck wasn’t already red, it surely would be.

“Such a good girl.” Alcina purrs, awakening something in you that causes you to roll your hips into her. The inseam of your pants was pressing against you right where you needed, and you had to bury your face in Alcina’s neck to muffle a small moan.

“Mistress… please… I need you.” You whisper. 

“Do I have your consent?”

“Always.”

“Good.” Alcina walks with you further into the room and sets you down on the edge of a high tea table. She kneels in front of you to remove your shoes, untuck your shirt, and help you remove your pants. She spreads your legs apart to examine the now wet state of your underwear before chuckling softly. “Someone is  clearly  very excited.” She says, hooking a finger under both sides of your underwear and tugging on them. You shift from side to side so Alcina can slide them off. She pulls them off completely along with your pants and discards them somewhere in the room. 

Alcina gets straight to it, leaving trails of kisses and love bites on the skin of your inner thighs. She still has her hat on, so you settle for gripping the edge of the table as she inches closer and closer to your core. You shudder when you feel the air go cold as she scents you. Her pupils dilate, almost completely swallowing the color of her irises. She takes your legs and places them top her shoulders, hooking her arms around your body. You scoot forward and rest on your elbows to give better access. Alcina’s head dips forward, and you have to lay down completely so you can cover your mouth as she lathes over you with a flat tongue before centering in on your clit. Alcina groans as she gets a proper taste of you, flexing her tongue to swirl around your sensitive bud. Alcina moans into you as she begins to suck and nibble on your clit. It reverberates through your body, adding to the immense amount of pleasure her mouth is already giving you. You truly had to work on lasting longer because your legs began trembling and a knot formed in your abdomen. You were getting close, and Alcina seemed to be able to sense that as she suddenly pulled away. 

You whined at the loss of contact and were going to put your hands down when Alcina had plunged her tongue inside you. It caught you off guard and for a mere second, you were reminded of the inn. You relaxed as more of Alcina’s moans, grunts, and growls rang through you. You felt dreamy... like you were floating. Your attention was grabbed when one of Alcina’s hands snaked around and began swiping at your clit. You had to bite down on your hand to stop from screaming as her tongue and hand worked in tandem to bring you to the edge of your release. The hot, wet muscle made the lewdest squelching noises as Alcina pumped it inside you. You truly tried to last as long as you could, but you could feel yourself giving in. Your breaths came in fast and shallow, your heart rate picked up, your muffled moans turned into cries of pleasure as the pressure built up. Your walls tightened around Alcina’s tongue, and your body began to tense.

“M-mistress, I’m going to…” You start. Your sentence was cut off by one final scream as you came. 

Alcina began to slow the pace of her fingers and tongue to help you come down from your high. As it was your second orgasm in the span of an hour, it took a little longer to cool down. Alcina pulled out of you, and you whined at the emptiness. The whine was replaced by a soft moan as Alcina lapped up the remainder of your arousal, quite literally licking you clean. Alcina stood and smiled at you, your wetness coating her lips and chin. She helped you up into a sitting position so you could put your clothes back on. 

“That was certainly better than any breakfast I’ve ever had.” Alcina says with a smirk as she dabbed her face with a handkerchief she pulled from her bosom. You simply nod as you’re still unable to form coherent sentences at the moment. You hopped down from the table and your legs nearly gave out. Alcina placed her hand on the small of your back for stability.

“Thank you, Mistress.” You say softly. You weren’t sure if Alcina still wanted her to address you as such so, better safe than sorry.

“You don’t have to continue with the title but thank you for indulging me. I rather enjoyed myself.” Alcina smiles warmly while she assists you in gathering your clothes. 

“I enjoyed myself too. Maybe I’ll do a little more self-indulging every once in a while since this is the outcome.” You chuckle.

“This will not always be the outcome. Someday, I may decide to punish you for always teasing me.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Mistress.” You wink as you pull up your pants.  

You couldn’t walk around with soiled underwear on all day, so you decided not to put them back on. You balled them up into your hand so you could return them to your room and get a new pair. Once your clothes were tidy again, and you both were free of any smudged lipstick. you and Alcina left the room and were out in the hallway heading toward somewhere that wasn’t the dining room. The two of you walked through what appeared to be a secret passage and within a minute, you were outside your bedroom door. Alcina waited for you as you changed your undergarments and when you were ready, you set off through the secret passage once again. On the way there, Alcina had pulled out a small vial and handed it to you; it was a rollerball perfume tube. She instructed you to apply it to your pulse points and it would mask the scent of sex, so you did. 

As you approached the dining room, you could hear bickering from the other side of the door. You went ahead and opened the door for Alcina. She ducked through and sighed heavily when she saw the state of her dining room. The girls had thrown food at each other and had somehow managed to get a blood-covered omelet stuck to the ceiling. 

“I leave for a few minutes and you three decide upon yourselves to behave like wild animals? There is egg and blood coating my ceiling,  how  did you even manage that. I want an explanation, now.” Alcina commands. The dominating, lust-driven Mistress was now replaced by the stern, domineering Mother. 

“Dani started it.” Cassandra says, pointing to her younger sister.

“I did not!” The redhead squeals. “Cassandra and Bela were making fun of me because I like to put ketchup on my eggs, so I threw my knife and fork at each of them.”

“Then it devolved into a food fight. I normally would have had no part in it, but Daniela almost took my eye out.” Bela says, calmly folding her hands on the table.

“I ought to take all of your eyes out for the way you three behave.” You’ve never heard Alcina threaten the girls this way and it shocked you Mara and Cat. “I’m retiring to my study. I will return in an hour, and I want this room absolutely spotless. If I find so much as a speck of dirt, you’ll redo the  entire  room. In addition, The three of you each get a month of cleaning the cellar.”

“But Mother, it wasn’t even-” Daniela starts. 

“No buts, Daniela my word is final. You three are mature enough to be civil when I’m gone for a few short minutes, yet none of you act like it. Soon enough, I’m going to have to require your girlfriends to babysit you. None of you want that, correct?” 

“No, Mother.” The girls say in unison, their heads hanging low.

“Mara, Catalina, do not assist them with cleaning. This is a mess that they made, and they are fully responsible for cleaning it.” Alcina says, turning her attention to your friends.

“Yes, My Lady.” Your friends say simultaneously with a slight bow.

“Now, I will be off. Come, Y/N, we’ve much to do today.” Alcina says as she once again leads you out of the dining room, only this time, you’ll be going to her study.

~~~

 Later that evening when you’d finished your work for the day, you were reclined in Alcina’s bed, snuggled into her side while she read a book. 

“Do you think I might have been too harsh on the girls?” Alcina asks, turning her attention from the book to you.

“Why do you ask?” You question, perking up slightly.

“I just think I might have gone overboard with what I said to them. I threatened to take their eyes and I’ve never spoken to them that way.” Alcina sounds severely troubled by this morning. You’re by all means no expert on parenting, but you were going to try and help her regardless. 

“I think it was just a slip-up.   In the heat of the moment, you probably said it because it was the first thing that came to mind after Bela said Dani almost took her eye out. The girls know you’d never do anything to hurt them and that you love them. They’ll understand that it was just what was at the forefront of your mind at the time.” 

“Thank you, my love. I just hope they’re not too angry about having to clean the cellar. It’s the only way I have to punish them. I can’t ground them because they are already confined to the castle, and I haven’t the slightest idea of what to take from them.” Alcina says, leaning her chin against her knuckles.

“You discipline them however you see fit, though some of your methods are unconventional compared to what you read in a parenting book. If it works, it works; and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Though the girls are significantly older than I am, they’re merely teenagers partaking in the joys of life. If I had a hundred lei every time my brothers would get into food fights. I’d have at least a thousand lei. You’re doing the best you can to provide a safe and comfortable home for them, don’t be ashamed if you say something a little too harsh.” You say with a soft smile, running your hand across Alcina’s abdomen.

“You know, you’d make an excellent mother.” Alcina says, returning the gesture. 

“That’s weird, considering I barely had one.” You scoff.

“There’s always Mother Miranda. After all, you’re her little chick.”

“Please don’t bring that nickname up.” You grumble. “I don’t really need Cassandra bursting in here because she heard you using it.” 

“Alright, dear.” Alcina chuckles. “Why don’t we get some sleep, yes? We’ve both spent enough energy today.” The Countess places her book on the nightstand before adjusting her position and getting comfortable on her back. 

You stay tucked into her side as you begin drifting off to sleep. Then you remember something you’d forgotten to do this morning.

“I forgot about the cake… again!” You exclaim, obviously angered by your lack of cake.

“I will personally bake one with you tomorrow if  you rest. Since you have returned to work, you’re going to need more energy to make it through the day, and occasionally during the night”

“Ugh fine.” You say, closing your eyes and trying to sleep once again. 

You were gonna get that damned cake. 

Chapter Text

The following day, you were woken up by the rays of light that spilled into the room through a small opening in Alcina’s curtains. Of course, it would be you that is blinded so early and not your still sleeping companion. You took great care not to wake her as you freed yourself from her hold so you could get ready for the day. It was still early, so you had plenty of time to cleanse your body and change. You’d bathed with Alcina last night, though, most of it was spent not bathing. You had nothing to complain about, however, because you were able to sleep peacefully after your little conversation about Alcina’s parenting choices. 

That among other things occupied your thoughts as you bathed. You kept a close eye on the clock in your room through the bathroom door as to not be late while you struggled to wrap your head around exactly what Alcina meant last night. She said you’d make an excellent mother. Did she mean that your advice was good or was it something deeper? Maybe she wanted to have children with you, or maybe she thought you’d be a good mother to the girls. But how would you ever be able to do either of those things when your days are numbered? Ever since the day Sam asked you about your feelings toward being mortal, you’d been thinking about the future. You didn’t want to hurt Alcina and the girls by having to leave them behind, but living forever? Doomed to watch everyone you love pass on while you’re frozen in time? It sounds terrifying. You wonder if that’s how Alcina feels toward you; that there’s this lingering fear of losing you due to the fact that you’re mortal. This was yet another addition to the list of things you need to discuss with her.

You exited the bathroom when you were finished and went into the main part of your room to change into your uniform. You followed your usual process of getting ready—clothes, necklaces, then hair. All finished. You took one last look in the mirror to inspect the marks on your neck and some of the more noticeable ones were beginning to fade. Should you end up throwing your head back in laughter again, no one would be able to see anything. You opened your door and were already stepping out when you ran into something firm but not hard like a wall. When you collected yourself, you were looking ahead at a familiar black silk nightgown. You craned your neck upward and found a bare-faced Alcina looking at you with a displeased expression. You stepped aside to allow her to enter your room, to spare her of any stares from nearby maids, and closed the door once she was inside.

“Good morning, Alcina. Is something wrong?” You ask, unaware of any problems you may have already caused.

“You left this morning. I expected to wake up with you by my side but when I did, you were gone.” Alcina says, folding her arms over her chest.

“Aw, did you miss me?” You tease.

“As a matter of fact, yes, I did. I’m going to be frank-”

“Nice to meet you, Frank.” You say with a chuckle, extending your hand. Alcina didn’t find your little joke the slightest bit amusing.

“I’m serious, Y/N, you should have woken me up. I thought… well…” Alcina trails off, her serious expression now showing hints of pain.

“Did you… did you think I left again?” You ask, taking Alcina’s hand in yours and brushing your thumb over her knuckles for a bit of reassurance. Alcina looks down at your hand and sighs, her eyes closing for a moment as her worries vanish.

“I know it’s foolish, and you’re probably thinking I don’t trust you, but I’d just woken up and couldn’t focus on the sound of your heart right away, so I got worried. I don’t think I’ve quite taken the time to fully process your returning, even though you’ve been back for months.” 

“It’s okay, Alcina, it’s not foolish and I know you trust me. However, I think it would put you at ease to know that I’m never leaving again. I’d have to be thrown out or dragged out—kicking and screaming. You, Miss D, are stuck with me.” You lift Alcina’s hand to your mouth and plant a kiss on the back of it. 

“How unfortunate.” Alcina says with sarcasm in her tone, her mood having improved significantly.

“And here I thought you wanted me to stay,” you chuckle, “do you feel better?”

“Much, thank you. I’m sorry to have troubled you so early in the morning.”

“Don’t be, I did say what we should work through our problems together. No matter the time, if there’s something you need to talk about, please do. I want to help you.” You say, letting go of Alcina’s hand to open the door. You allow her to exit first before you step into the hallway.

“Thank you again, Y/N. I will see you at breakfast.” Alcina says, returning to her room. You give her a little wave as you turn and set off toward the servants’ dining hall.

You were still running slightly early, so you walked a little slower to think about what Alcina said. She was worried you were gone when you weren’t next to her as she woke up. You weren’t mad at her because you did wake up next to her every day since you’ve returned. You could probably afford to sleep in a little bit if you don’t spend so long in the shower like you did yesterday. You’ll figure something out eventually. For now, you needed to eat.

You walked into the servants’ dining hall and unlike yesterday, you were the first one there. You sat down with your breakfast and waited for your friends and sister. When they entered, Catalina was teasing Stefana and Lydia about something—no surprises there. They sat down with their meals and Stefana looked to you for help, but you shrugged and turned the other cheek. Cat probably had a good reason, which meant that you wouldn’t be able to save Fana.

“Cat, what are you getting on Fana and Lydia for now?” You ask.

“These two love birds got stuck with library duty together yesterday and were caught smooching by Cassandra. According to Cass, Stefana’s face turned just as red as yours when you get embarrassed, Y/N.” Catalina says, giggling at your sister's angered expression.

“Is it normal for Catalina to tease  everyone  she meets?” Lydia asks, wrapping her arm around Stefana to calm her down.

“Of course. If she’s not teasing someone, then we’d have a serious problem.” You say with wide eyes.

“Is that how you all know I’m okay? If I’m teasing one of you?” Cat asks, her brows furrowing as she looks around the table.

“Yeah, that’s how we know you’re in a good mood. You’re always in such high spirits when you’re poking fun at us that we’d know immediately if something was wrong.” Olivia says with a small smile.

“Oh, that’s- I didn’t know you guys knew me that well.” 

“I think we all know each other pretty well—with the exception of Stefana, Sam, and Lydia.” Mara says.

“There’s a lot none of you know about me.” You say confidently.

“Oh yeah? Try us.” Catalina says with a smirk.

“What’s my favorite color?”

“Trick question, you have more than one favorite color.” 

“Okay, then what are they?”

“The shade of red the Lady uses for her lipstick, the color of her eyes, and cerulean.” Olivia says, to which you respond with a scoff.

“Lucky guess.” You say, rolling your eyes. “I’m willing to bet money that none of you know this, why did I spend a lot of time at the village library when I was a teenager?” You’re secretly hoping they agree to the bet because the only person that knows the reason is Alcina.

“I’ll bet two hundred lei, shake on it?” Catalina asks, extending her hand.

“I want no part of this.” Mara says, lifting her hands to surrender. 

“Ditto.” Olivia adds. You shake Catalina’s hand and wait for her to answer your question.

“You spent a lot of time at the library reading, obviously. It’s one of your favorite things to do.”

“Wrong!” You say, laughing triumphantly.

“Wrong?” Catalina questions.

“Yep! I spent my time at the library to make out with a girl in the young adult section. I’ll collect my money during lunch.” You say with a bright smile. That was the easiest two hundred lei you’ve ever made.

“Is that why you would always leave at the same time nearly every week?” Stefana asks. You didn’t even know she paid any attention to something like that. 

“Yeah, pretty much. Up until now, no one knew about it besides Alcina.” 

“Speaking of, where did the two of you go yesterday morning? Mara asks, tilting her head slightly as her brows furrow.

“Just to a spare room. Alcina um, wanted to talk to me about my time management. That’s all. 

“Oh, so it had nothing to do with what she heard while you were showering?” Catalina asks, wiggling her brows at you.

“She can hear things like that?” Lydia questions.

“Yes she can, though, she mainly focuses her hearing on me because she likes to listen to the sound of my heart.” You explain.

“You still didn’t answer my question.” Cat says.

“Even if it did have to do with what she may or may not have heard, I wouldn’t be telling all of you,  especially  not my sister.” You respond with a slight grimace. No, Stefana didn’t need to know that Alcina was listening to you pleasuring yourself, or that her breakfast was you. 

“Ah, I see. She heard you having a little too much fun in the shower.” Catalina smirks, “You shouldn’t be ashamed talking about something like that, it’s part of human nature. In fact, do you wanna hear about the time me and Cass-”

“No, I don’t, thank you.” You interrupt, silencing Catalina with a finger pressing over her lips. 

“So did she talk to you about it, or did she  talk  to you about it?” Mara asks, tilting her head down and looking at you through her lashes. You don’t dare ask about their sex lives, so why are they so adamant about knowing about yours? The thought of sharing the details of intimate things that happen between you and your companion just weirds you out. You weren’t as blasé as they were about it because you were still very inexperienced. To avoid further questioning, you stand with your dishes in your hands.

“I’m going to end this conversation here so do with that what you will.” You return your dishes to be cleaned and leave the dining hall toward the kitchen. You were really going to have to set some boundaries with your friends. You weren’t angry with them, but for the sake of your sanity, they needed to know when and where to ask you those kinds of questions.

You enter the kitchen and find Ylenia along with the other kitchen staff already hard at work preparing the Dimitrescu’s breakfast.

“Hello dearie, finally back to work I see. What took ya so long?” The old cook asks, seasoning different cuts of… meat.

“I wanted to return sooner but recovering from trauma isn’t linear, so it took longer than I expected. How’ve you been, Ylenia?” You ask, taking a seat on one of the unoccupied kitchen stools.

“Oh, you know, nothing I can complain about. I’ve got air in my lungs and that’s all I need. Happy birthday by the way, sometime soon let’s have a drink to celebrate. I’ve got some good stuff stashed away we can sip from.” Ylenia says with a chuckle. You smile at the thoughtfulness and kindness the woman is exhibiting.

“Thank you, Ylenia, just let me know when and I’ll be there.” 

“Do me a favor and bring me the caraway seeds will you?” Ylenia asks, nodding her head to the shelf above you. You grab the labeled jar and walk it over to her. “Good, now, open it and sprinkle some of them on this here. I’ll tell you when to stop.” 

You nod, opening the jar and grabbing a decent pinch of the seeds. You scatter them on the meat and wait for Ylenia’s instruction. “More.” She says, so, you grab another pinch and repeat what you just did. “A little more.” Once Ylenia was satisfied, she gave you a nod to put the jar back where you got it. 

“Ylenia, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure dearie, what’s on your mind?”

“Why do you season and cook their food? If the meat comes from… well, people, wouldn’t it make more sense to leave it raw?” 

“It’s mainly for looks, I don’t cook it very long. I season it because all food deserves some flavor, even if the meat came from some unlucky bastard.” Ylenia says, looking away from the food for a brief moment. Her eyes immediately find the house crest sitting in the middle of your collar and they widen. 

“The Lady get you the broach for your birthday? It looks nice with your uniform.”

“Oh, this? It’s not a broach, it’s a necklace. It matches Alcina’s.” You respond, lifting the collar of your shirt to expose the strings of pearls that were hidden underneath.

“Ah, it’s serious huh? What are the chances of you being my boss soon?” The cook asks with a slight smirk.

“Higher than they were, but still slim. I know Alcina wants me to truly be her equal, but there’s still a lot of things I need to talk to her about. When the time arises, I’ll discuss with her exactly what it is I want for our future.” Ylenia nods and you return to your stool, sitting and waiting for your friends to arrive.

Every morning was like a routine, and you followed it to the t. Making tea, serving it, accompanying Alcina to wherever she’d be working in the castle that day and today, it was the atelier. You recalled the first day you’d worked with her in here, how you were struggling to carry cleaning supplies back to the room because she’d knocked over her palette. That was when you collapsed, and when you found out that Alcina cared about you. You, who she barely knew anything about. She stayed with you while you were unconscious for three days, abandoning her work to nurse you back to health. She’s shown you time and time again just how much she cares about you, and you wanted to be around long enough to return the favor. 

“Alcina?” 

“Yes, darling?” Alcina asks, looking past her canvas at you. 

“This is coming out of nowhere, but have you had past companions that you’ve outlived?” Alcina paused the movements of her brush and her eyes glaze over as she ponders the question you’ve just asked

“There was one… her name was Elisabeta, a maiden Miranda wanted me to experiment on. At the time, she was my everything. She was with me for the creation of my daughters, but she had an illness that was slowly consuming her and did not survive long after. The pain of losing her was unlike any pain I’ve ever known. Since then, I haven’t loved anyone until you and when I thought I lost you as well, I couldn’t bear it.”

“Is it hard falling in love with someone human? Do you ever have any doubts or regrets?”

“Are you saying you doubt my love for you because you’re human? Unfortunately, I cannot choose who I love. My heart wants what it wants” Alcina says, her brows furrowing and her tone defensive. 

“That’s not what I meant. I just meant that I don’t want you to have to go through that again.”

“What prompted this discussion, Y/N?”

“I was thinking about what you said last night when you said I’d make a good mother. I couldn’t wrap my head around what you meant; if you somehow wanted more children, or if you wanted me to be the girls’ mother. How can I do either with you when I’m on borrowed time? I don’t want to leave any of you behind, but I also don’t want to go through the pain of watching everyone I love and care about leave me.”

Alcina had opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock on the door to the atelier. 

“What is it?” Alcina asked with a bit of an edge to her tone.

“My Lady, Lady Beneviento and Miss Angie are here. They are requesting Y/N’s presence.” The maid says from the other side of the door. You couldn’t make out her voice, but it almost sounded like Lydia. Alcina looked at you with a confused expression and you looked back with one equally as confused. 

“Thank you, you may go.” Alcina says, turning her attention to the closed door. You assume she heard the maid walk away because she let out a deep sigh. “She did not say she would be visiting. I would expect something this bold to come from Heisenberg, but not Donna.” 

“Why do they want to see me? Do you think you can guess?” You ask, following Alcina to the door. 

“I haven’t the slightest idea. Whatever it is better justify this unannounced visit.” Alcina says, slightly angered as she bends through the door. 

As you walked through the castle, you tried to think of all the possible reasons why Donna and Angie would be here for you. They could just be visiting you, that’s what friends do right? They visit each other. What if they were here for another reason? What if Mother Miranda had put them up to something because she knew they were fond of you? Would Mother Miranda do something like that after she went through so much to earn your trust? Of course, she would, but you hoped that wasn’t the case with Donna and Angie’s visit. 

When you made it to the main hall, you were greeted with the sight of Donna, a jittery Angie, and several medium-sized trunks. This day just continues to get more confusing.

“Donna, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” Alcina asks, painting her face with a saccharine smile as if she wasn’t just annoyed moments ago.

“We had to find out about Y/N’s birthday from the bird lady. Why didn’t you invite  us  Big A?” Angie asks, her shrill voice echoing through the main hall.

“I only invited her siblings so they could be together on her birthday. What is in all these trunks?” Alcina asks, completely disregarding the doll’s nickname.

“I’ve made a few things for Y/N. I was going to have them delivered but Angie insisted we bring them ourselves.” Donna says, speaking slightly louder than usual, and with more confidence in her tone.

“Just a few?” Alcina chuckles.

“Well, um, I-I didn’t know what she liked to wear so I made a bit of everything.” 

“You made me clothes?” You ask, walking up to one of the trunks and opening it. You looked through the assortment of clothing; there were dresses, shirts, pants, skirts, anything you could think of.

“Yes, I hope you like them.” Donna says with a small nod. You give her a wide smile as you look through the other chests. 

“How did you make all of these so fast? My birthday was only two days ago.” 

“Me and my cute friends helped! We work fast!” Angie exclaims with the excitement of a small child. In one of the chests, you found a doll that looked exactly like you. Everything from the texture of your hair to the color of your skin was exactly the same. Attached to the doll was a tag and a folded piece of paper. The tag read  “To: Y/N, From: Angie”  and the picture was a stick figure drawing of you and her beating Bela in checkers. It was so sweet of the two of them to do this for you and you wanted to show them how appreciative you were. You squatted down and stretched your arms out at Angie. The doll climbed out of her owner’s hold and skittered over to you. You wrapped her up in a tight hug and hoped that both she and Donna could feel it.

“Thank you, Angie, for the doll and the picture, I love it. And thank you, Donna, for everything. You really didn’t have to do this.” 

“I wanted to.” Donna says, lifting her veil slightly to show you her smile. That was the first time you’d seen part of her face, and she had a soft jawline, not as angular as Alcina’s, and her lips were smaller.

“How did you know my measurements to even make all of these clothes? Could you just tell by looking at me because you’re a doll maker?” 

“She makes the uniforms for the staff and the outfits I commissioned for you to wear during our dinners.” Alcina says, coming over to you to glance over the chests.

“Who made the necklaces?” You ask.

“I had a jeweler make them.”

“Are you two gonna stand there and talk or are we gonna do something fun? I want birthday cake!” Angie shouts, crossing her arms over her little wooden chest.

“It’s funny you mentioned that Angie. Alcina is supposed to bake a cake with me today, would the two of you like to join us?” You ask with a smirk. You look up at Alcina who is sporting a not-so-amused look. 

“That doesn’t sound very fun, I don’t want Big A barking orders at us the whole time.” 

“Well, let’s make it fun with a contest, me and you against Alcina and Donna. We bake the same flavor cake, I’m thinking chocolate with chocolate ganache filling and white buttercream, and the cake that tastes better wins. Winner gets whatever they want.” 

“YES! IF I WIN I WANT A REAL SICKLE!” Angie says, cackling wildly.

“Donna, Alcina, are you up for a little challenge?” You ask, looking directly at Alcina because you know her competitive nature won’t let her turn you down.

“Who will judge this little contest of yours?” Alcina asks, resting one hand on her hip.

“Someone unbiased, like Ylenia, or Lydia. None of my friends would be fair judges, and neither would the girls.”

“What about Sam?” Donna asks, wringing her hands nervously.

“I believe they may be a little biased toward you Donna.” You answer with a slight raise of your eyebrow.

“Then it’s settled, whoever makes the better tasting cake will get whatever they want.” Alcina says with a confident grin.

The four of you set off toward the kitchen and when you enter, all the kitchen staff except Ylenia scatter away when they see Alcina bend through the door.

“Afternoon, My Ladies, what brings you lot to the kitchen?” Ylenia asks, her demeanor around Alcina and Donna bordering on impolite. This doesn’t faze Alcina, as the old woman’s been here long enough to have a more relaxed attitude toward her.

“Good afternoon Ylenia. We’re here because Y/N wants to have a cake-baking contest.” Alcina says, grabbing a very large apron from by the door.

“You agreed to it? She’s changed you, m’lady.” Ylenia says with a smile.

“That she has,” Alcina pauses, smiling down in your direction, “Will you be our judge?”

“Sure, saves me from dealing with these brats all afternoon.” The old cook chuckles.

“Excellent.” Alcina says with a smile.

The four of you get to work preparing everything you need for your cakes. Ylenia provided a recipe for both of you to follow to level the playing field before she left to wait in the family dining room. Angie decided to rest on your shoulders and let you do the work, which isn’t a problem. She’d do more to hinder the two of you than help you. It would appear that both teams had some disadvantages. For Alcina’s team, it was her height and none of the kitchen equipment was suitable for her size. For your team, it was Angie distracting you. You already knew how to make chocolate cake, so this should be easy You laid out all your ingredients after they were measured and began preparing the batter. You wished you had muscles like Alcina because it was hard mixing this batter by hand.

You and Alcina had placed the cakes in the oven at the same time, and while they baked, you and Angie began the preparations for the ganache and the frosting. While the cream was coming to temperature, you chopped the chocolate, and Angie was measuring the powdered sugar for the frosting. She was actually a great help and the two of you were able to work quickly to get everything ready. You whipped up the ganache and frosting faster than you made the batter and set them in the fridge to chill while you waited for the cakes. 

“You seem rather confident.” Alcina says the ingredients for her frosting together in a bowl. Even in the heat of the kitchen, there wasn’t a single bead of sweat to be found. She was graceful, her clothes didn’t have a single stain. She was the perfect image of domesticity, of the life you wanted with her.

“Hey, quit gawking at her and check on our cakes, I wanna win!” Angie says, pulling you out of your daze. You shake your head to clear your thoughts, Alcina may be your lover, but right now she was your competition. You walk over to the oven and check on your cake… not quite done yet.

“They’re almost ready. By the time they’re out and cool, the ganache and frosting should be cool enough to assemble the cakes.” You answer, picking Angie up and placing her back on your shoulders.

~

When the cakes were out of the oven and cooled, you leveled them, spread the ganache on one of the layers, and stacked them. All that was left was to frost them. You’re lucky appearance wasn’t one of the determining factors, because your cake was… well, it was something. As long as it tastes good, you should be okay. You tasted some of the scraps you cut off, and it tasted just like the cake you made for Cassandra, maybe even a little better. You tasted the leftover buttercream and that tasted okay too. You may have a chance at winning. 

“Well then, I do believe it’s time for the taste test.” Alcina says, which prompts Donna to slice their cake and plate it. Their cake looked fantastic, so now you’re really glad that looks didn’t matter. You cut a slice of yours and plated it for Ylenia to taste.

You popped your head through the door to call Ylenia back in the kitchen. The old cook groaned as she stood from her chair and walked into the kitchen. She looked over each slice and chuckled when she saw yours and Angie’s. You tried not to let your embarrassment show, but from the slight exhalation you heard leave Alcina’s nostrils, you knew you were probably blushing. Ylenia started with Alcina and Donna’s cake, taking a forkful and smacking a bit as she swallowed.

“Eh, that one’s alright. If presentation alone was what determined the winner, that one would win. Taste-wise, it’s a little bland, and on the dry side.” Ylenia says. You had to bite the inside of your cheek to stop a smile from forming at her critique. Next was yours. Ylenia took a forkful and let out a pleased hum when she tasted it. “That one’s pretty good but doesn’t look the greatest. What determines the winner?”

“Taste alone, Ylenia.” You answer, looking at Alcina with a confident grin.

“Then this one wins,” Ylenia points at your slice with her fork before taking the plate and leaving the kitchen. You and Angie cheer at your victory, only stopping when you see Alcina and Donna with their shoulders sagging.

“What’s the matter Miss D? Can’t handle losing a harmless bake-off?” You ask, taking Angie off your shoulders and handing her to Donna.

“So, you won, so what? I assume you’re going to tell me what it is you want now?” 

“I just wanted some cake, and now I have two. So, even if I would have lost, I still would have gotten my cake.” You slice another piece for you to eat and it really isn’t that bad. If it looked like Alcina and Donna’s, you could be a pâtissière. You gather another forkful and extend your arm, offering Alcina a bite. “Taste it, it’s really good.” 

Alcina bends down enough to eat the cake off the fork, and her eyes widen in surprise. “This is very good, darling. You and Angie make a great team.” Alcina says with a smile.

“Thanks, Big A.” Angie says.

“What would you have asked for if you two would have won?” You ask, bringing your fork back down to finish your slice of cake.

“I’m afraid I cannot share that information in front of my sister.” Alcina says with a smirk.

~~~ 

After you cleaned everything up, you spent the rest of the afternoon and the evening playing games with Angie, the girls, your sister, and your friends. The remainder of the cake was happily eaten by Cassandra and Daniela after you had all that you wanted. Today was nice. There wasn’t a lot of tension like there was yesterday when Alcina had punished the girls, and it wasn’t like Saturday, full of emotion. No, today turned out to be quite fun even though it didn’t start that way. 

Perhaps when you have the time, you’ll be able to finish the conversation you were having with Alcina in the atelier. It was a conversation you definitely needed to have if you were to ever assume a title and spend the rest of your days as a Lady. Then there was the matter of if you were to remain mortal. Forever with Alcina and girls sounded fantastic but having to watch everyone else you loved die was something you don’t know you’ll be able to do. Especially after hearing Alcina describe the pain she was in when Elisabeta died. If only there was a way for all of you to live forever, you could truly have the happy ending you now wanted.

Chapter Text

Things have been relatively calm since your birthday. It was reminiscent of the time just before you left—calm, peaceful, and serene. Only this time, you were sure there was nothing that would drive you away. You were happy and very satisfied, Alcina made sure of that (sometimes multiple times a night). She always took great care in making sure you were okay, both in and out of the bedroom. Your happiness and safety were most important to her. 

You sat in the servants’ dining hall during lunch feeling incredibly nervous. Last week, you and the girls set a day to play the Paganini piece that you’d been working on and today was that day. The girls were ready long before you were, but they were also far more skilled on their instruments than you were. You wanted everything to be perfect if you were to be playing alongside them, so you spent longer practicing and making adjustments where you needed. Mistakes weren’t an option if you were going to play in front of Alcina. You wanted to show her that Daniela’s lessons were paying off. 

“Y/N, we know you’re worried about something. Your leg won’t stop bouncing.” Mara says, placing her hand on your knee to stop the bouncing.

“Sorry, I’m just- I don’t want to mess up later. Alcina and the girls are making such a huge thing out of it. and I’m scared that I’m going to mess up and play a wrong note or something.” You say with a sigh.

“You’ve practiced, right?” 

“Right.”

“And you know your music, right?”

“I have it memorized.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about. We’d only know that you messed up if you made it obvious.” Mara says with a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“Just pretend we aren’t there, or since you’ve memorized your music, close your eyes.” Olivia suggests.

“Or imagine everyone in the room in their underwear.” Catalina adds.

“I’d rather not. There’s only one person that I want to imagine in her underwear.” You say with a chuckle.

“Oh, but we’re the ones that need to tone down the inappropriate conversations.” Catalina says, scoffing and folding her arms.

“Correction, you are the one that needs to tone it down, Cat. You bring up my sex life when it’s completely uncalled for at times.”

“Please don’t ever say you have a sex life in front of me ever again.” Stefana says with a slight grimace.

“Just be happy I don’t go into detail. I’m sure none of you want to hear that, especially not the three of you,” you point at Mara, Cat, and Olivia with your fork “considering I’m in a relationship with your girlfriends’ mother.”

“Yeah, I definitely don’t want to hear it, and neither would Dani.” Olivia says.

“My point exactly. I’m not saying you can’t ask me questions. It’s just that there’s a time and a place for it, and meals are not either.” You stand with your dishes to be returned after you’ve finished your lunch. You’d finished before everyone else because you wanted to go to the opera hall to practice more before this evening came. 

~

You and the girls were gathered in the opera hall to do a final playthrough of the piece before Alcina, your friends, and your sister joined you. Originally, it was supposed to be just Alcina, but the girls insisted on inviting their girlfriends and your sister. Now, instead of an audience of one, there would be an audience of five. To say you were nervous would be an understatement. Your heart hammered in your chest and your stomach felt like it could fall out of your ass at any given moment. Performance anxiety was arguably one of the worst feelings, and the breathing exercises Bela tried walking you through didn’t help at all.

“Why are you so nervous?” Cassandra asks, tuning her cello.

“Why wouldn’t I be nervous? Weren’t the three of you nervous when you played in front of Alcina for the first time?” You ask in response to Cassandra’s question.

“No, we weren’t. We never get nervous when we perform for other people.” Daniela adds.

“Must be nice, Dani. Must be real nice.” You say, rolling your eyes.

“Just pretend that there’s no one else in the room besides us. Treat it as if it were another one of your lessons with Daniela, you’re never nervous during those.” Bela suggests. It was easier said than done. You knew they’d be in the room, and you can always feel Alcina’s gaze on you, so just pretending they aren’t there isn’t something you’ll be able to do.

You kept your eyes on the clock, watching the hands as they ticked with each second that passed. You wished that 7 o’clock would just hurry up so that you could perform this piece and be done with it. In an effort to calm your nerves, you reclined in one of the seats, closed your eyes, and just breathed. You’re going to be okay, it’s just music, you’ve done far scarier things. There’s no point in being so nervous, but you can’t help it. It was just who you were, always nervous.

You were forced to open your eyes and collect yourself when the doors to the opera hall opened. In walked Alcina, followed by your friends and lastly, your sister. You sat up and as you made eye contact with Alcina, your nerves dissipated for the first time all day. Maybe all you needed was to think of her. It was then that a rush of excitement hit you. After months of working with Bela, Cass, and Dani on this piece, other people were finally going to hear it, Alcina was finally going to hear it. She said that she wouldn’t listen to the sound of your heart when you were in your lessons because she didn’t want to spoil anything for herself, and she remained true to her word. This will be the first time she’s hearing you seriously play the piano.

“Hello, darling.” Alcina says as she walks over to you with a warm smile.

“Hi,” you smile, craning your neck up to look at Alcina, “was everything okay in the cellar?”

“Yes, Bela did a nice job cleaning it. She has just two more weeks left in her month, then it will be Cassandra’s turn. Perhaps I will make cleaning the cellar a regular thing for them.” Alcina murmurs, taking a seat in a large armchair.

“Who usually cleaned it before they did? I know the staff members aren’t allowed down there so was it just left as is?”

“Yes, it was. I would venture down and tidy it every so often when Mother Miranda would visit to oversee my experiments. It’s been so long since then though, that I just left it.” 

“What’s down there?” You ask, furrowing your brows in slight confusion.

“Things that no human should ever hope to see or encounter. That is why no staff are allowed down there unless they are sent.” 

“Y/N, I know the cellar is interesting and you just  love  talking to Mother, but we’re ready to start and can’t without you.” Cassandra says, peering over her music stand with an annoyed expression. 

“Let’s get this over with.” You sigh, standing from your chair. Alcina grabs your hand before you walk away and offers you a warm smile.

“You’ll be amazing, I so look forward to finally hearing you play.” Alcina says just loud enough for you to hear. The corners of your mouth turn upward in a small smile as you give Alcina a nod. She lets go of your hand, leaving you free to walk over to the piano and take a seat on the bench. 

You take a deep breath and play the girls’ tuning note. Their instruments were still perfectly in tune, but Daniela has drilled the importance of tuning every time you play. It was more so if you were playing with them because pianos don’t need to be tuned as often. Once they were all set, you looked between each other for the visual cue to start your piece. The arrangement the four of you are playing is of Paganini’s Caprice no. 24, with each of you playing a different section of the melody and accompanying one another. You took all of the slower sections, as they were easier. Daniela and Bela had more dexterous fingers and could easily navigate through the faster, more technical passages. Cassandra played with a lot of passion and ferocity so the passages with loud dynamics were all hers. You all blended perfectly and hearing how well the four of you sounded made you feel good. It felt rewarding to hear it all come together (even though you’d played through the piece at least five times). You didn’t need to close your eyes, you didn’t need to picture anyone in their underwear, and you didn’t need to pretend there was no one else in the room. The music just flowed through you, it flowed through Bela, it flowed through Cassandra, and it flowed through Daniela.

The piece was nearing its end, you all had looks of intense concentration on your faces as you shared glances with one another, silently communicating. Daniela began her big flourish and as she held out the last note as long as she could, you, Bela, and Cassandra played the final four chords, bringing the piece to a close. With their bows high, the girls all sported the proudest smiles. You were proud of yourself, yes, but you were more proud of them. You suppose this is how Alcina feels whenever she watches the girls perform; immense amounts of pride, adoration, and love. Applause erupted in the room, and you looked around and saw everyone standing. Your sister rushed over to you and wrapped her arms around you in a tight embrace. 

“That was amazing, I’m so proud of you, Y/N.” Stefana says just above a whisper. Her voice is shaky as if she’s fighting back tears.

“Thank you, Fana. Hey, are- are you crying?” You ask, pulling away from the hug to look at Fana’s face. Her nose was red, and her eyes were glossy.

“What? No! I just… have a cold.” Stefana says with a pout

“You were totally crying!”

“Okay fine, so what? You used to cry when you listened to us play.” 

“I was a child, what’s your excuse?”

“Ugh, whatever.” Stefana grumbles, walking away to plop down in her chair. 

You began reorganizing your music when your friends walked up to you, the first one to speak obviously being Catalina.

“What in the world were you so nervous for? You guys sounded fantastic!” Your friend exclaims, making wild gestures with her hands.

“She’s right to ask you that. With your skills, you had no reason to be nervous.” Mara adds.

“You all know that it’s not within my capabilities to be calm. Most situations make me nervous.”

“Like a chihuahua.” Catalina says with a snicker.

“Sure, if that’s how you want to think of it.” You say, leaving your friends to walk over to Alcina and the girls. None of them notice you approach, so you just gaze at them fondly, admiring the interaction between a mother and her daughters. It was clear just how much Alcina loved them, and how much they loved her. 

“Y/N, we did it!” Daniela exclaims, finally becoming aware of your presence.

“That we did. Great job with the ending Dani, it sounded great.” You say with a bright smile, reaching up to ruffle the redhead’s hair.

“Well, if it isn’t my little Liszt,” Alcina pauses, turning to face you, “when were you planning to tell me that you were so proficient on the piano?” She asks bending at the waist to meet your gaze. From this angle, you had the perfect view of her cleavage and you found that it was getting increasingly difficult to formulate an answer to her question.

“Huh?” That is all you manage to say as your eyes remain fixed on the exposed pale grey skin. Alcina takes your chin between her thumb and forefinger and tilts your head up to look at her… her face, that is.

“I asked when you planned to tell me about your piano skills, but I see that you’re still having trouble controlling where your eyes wander.” Alcina says with a smirk causing your cheeks to darken.

“Well, when you bend in front of me like that, it isn’t exactly easy.”

“Shall I pick you up instead?” Alcina asks as she stands to her full height, extending her arms down as if she were reaching to pick up a child.

“You don’t need to do that either. Did you enjoy the performance?” You ask, looking up to actually meet Alcina’s gaze.

“I loved every second. I knew it would be perfect because the four of you are perfect.” Alcina says, smiling warmly at you and her daughters. 

“Don’t lump me in with a beginner.” Cassandra scoffs, her playfulness showing in her eyes.”

“Last time I checked, this beginner can play Paganini alongside three string virtuosos.” You say confidently. 

“Yeah, because we made it easy for you.” The brunette teases.

“Cassandra be nice, you’ve all worked hard, and it came together beautifully. Do not discredit Y/N, the piano was one of the most important parts of the arrangement.”

“Thank you, Alcina. At least someone in the castle appreciates the work I put into this piece.” 

“Mother’s just saying that because she likes you.” The middle child says, rolling her eyes as she begins to pack away her cello.

“Correction, dear Cassandra, it’s because she loves me. You know Cass, you ought to start being nicer to me, I could be your stepmother someday.” You chuckle and for the second time ever since you’ve been working at the castle, you saw Cassandra blush. Only you were able to bear witness to the rare occurrence, so you decided not to bring it up to save the middle Dimitrescu from being teased by her sisters.

“Were you saying that just to tease her?” Alcina asks, looking at you with a slightly worried expression.

“Well, yeah but… I didn’t think she’d have that reaction. It makes me wonder how the girls think of me... if they see me as a friend or otherwise.”

“I wouldn’t spend too much time worrying about it, just know that they love you just as much as I do. Though, Cassandra would never admit that.” Alcina says, smiling fondly at her still blushing middle child. You can’t recall many instances where the girls had outwardly expressed their love for you, but you knew that it was there.

“There are a lot of things she won’t admit, like how I’m skilled enough to play with them. Hell, I could probably play both Bela and Daniela’s passages if I wanted to, I would just need to work on my fingering.” At the mention of the word, you could see a smirk tugging at Alcina’s lips. She wanted so badly to make an innuendo or to say something to get you riled up.

“I know a way you can do that, and you don’t even need a piano.” 

“Really? Can you show me?” You ask, your enthusiasm completely overpowering your critical thinking skills.

~

You thought Alcina was going to show you a way of practicing without using the piano. Yet, here you are lying underneath her, a panting and sweaty mess as you come down from your second orgasm of the night. Alcina held true to her word when she said she would help you build your stamina, and you were barely given time to recover as Alcina’s hand and tongue worked in tandem to bring you to the edge of your release for the third time tonight. A long, slender finger pumped and curled inside you as Alcina’s lips wrapped around your clit, suckling, and applying the most delicious pressure with her tongue. You were supposed to be showing her what your fingers could do. You wanted to pleasure her just as much as she pleasured you. She deserved to feel good too. You didn’t know how you were going to do that, but you’d be damned if you didn’t try tonight.

The third time you came was less intense than the first two. It was quick, and the recovery from it even quicker. As Alcina kissed her way back up your body, your hands roamed hers. Your hands found her ample breasts and kneaded them gently. You pulled your head back slightly so you could look at her and gauge her reaction to your touches. Her eyes were half-lidded, her cheeks were the most delightful shade of rose and her breath was labored.

“Alcina… I want to please you.” You say through an exhalation of air as you plant kisses wherever your mouth will reach. 

“Are you not tired, dragă? Three orgasms in a row would have you spent by now.” 

“I’m not tired. I want to hear you moaning for me, to feel you around my fingers, to taste you. Please, Alcina, let me make you feel good.” You say, rolling one of her nipples between your thumb and forefinger. This elicits a loud moan from Alcina. 

She doesn’t give you a definitive answer but instead, rolls onto her back and places you on top of her. Alcina looked breathtaking from this angle. Her dark curls splayed across the pillow, the small beads of sweat gathering on her brow, the reddish hue of her cheeks that matched so perfectly with the cool grey of her skin. She is  stunning.  You wanted all of her in every way imaginable right now. But, this moment is about pleasing her and making her feel good. 

You start slow, lowering yourself to leave gentle kisses along her jawline and further down her neck. You reached the junction between her neck and shoulder and lathed your tongue over the skin before biting down with force. Alcina groans, her hands that had been resting atop your thighs were now gripping them tightly. You bite, suck, and lick over the area to draw out more sounds from the Countess. You wanted to hear her; you wanted her voice to echo through the room just as yours was moments prior. Your lips trail down the front of her body, stopping when you reach the expanse of her breasts. You shift over to one side and begin kissing and licking the area around one of her nipples while your hand massages and rubs the other. 

“What you’re doing is nice and all, but I need more. I want your mouth elsewhere.” Alcina says breathlessly. 

You stop what you’re doing and move further down the bed until you’re resting in between Alcina’s legs. From here, you can see just how wet Alcina is. The scent of her arousal fills your nostrils and a new surge of heat spreads through you. Alcina’s fingers tangle in your hair as you plant kisses along her inner thigh, inching your way up toward where she needed you. At this point, you were relying on instinct and the memories of what she’d done to make you come. Your tongue glides through her slit and you moan at her taste; it was reminiscent of wine. Fitting for her. The fingers that were tangled in your hair began to tug when your tongue swirled around her clit. A guttural moan rang through the room when you took her clit into your mouth, sucking and nibbling on the swollen bud.

“Right there, dragă…” Alcina moans, letting her head fall back against the pillow. Your head bobbed as you continued to suck, but just the attention on her clit wasn’t enough for Alcina. She needed more and you knew that.

You ran your fingers through her folds, coating them in her wetness. Two fingers teased her entrance before you slowly pushed them inside her. Alcina’s back arched off the bed as you curled your fingers upward, pressing against the spongy tissue of her upper wall. Alcina’s hips bucked when you began to thrust, slow and steady.

“More.” Alcina groaned, pressing your head firmly against her. You withdrew your fingers and lined up three at her entrance. You pushed deeper and harder, earning a loud moan from the countess. Her hips began to move to the rhythm of your thrusts, and a mixture of wet sounds and loud moans filled the room. Hearing her, feeling her clench around your fingers, seeing the way her eyes screwed shut and her mouth agape, inhaling her intoxicating scent made your entire body heat up. 

You looked up when you heard a ripping sound and found that Alcina had been gripping the sheets so hard that her claws tore them to shreds. This only spurred you on, it encouraged you to thrust faster and deeper into her, to curl and twist your fingers, to suck, nibble, and lathe your tongue over her clit to bring her to orgasm. Alcina’s thighs began to twitch, her chest heaved and her back arched off the bed with every breath she took. You could tell she was close by the way her moans rose in pitch. You pulled your hand out for a brief moment and before Alcina could react, you thrust four fingers into her. That seemed to have sent her over the edge because her whole body tensed, and her walls clamped down on your fingers as she cried out. You slowed your pace and languidly lathed your tongue over her to help her ride out her orgasm. When her breathing evened out, you released her clit and slowly pulled your fingers out. You ran a flat tongue over her to collect all the fluids she released, causing the Countess to shudder. Once she was clean, you left a kiss on her inner thigh and sat up, resting on your calves. Alcina propped herself up on her elbows and stared you down as you looked at the way your hand and arm were glistening. Those golden eyes widened as you ran your tongue over your fingers and down your arm before popping the digits in your mouth, cleaning them as well.

“Delicious.” You whispered. You climbed back up her body and rested your head on her chest, just underneath her chin. “How… how was it for you?”

“Amazing…” Alcina breathes, “no one has made me feel like that in quite some time. And you’ve never pleasured a woman before?”

“Never, unless pleasuring myself counts.”

“Well, you certainly have a knack for it. I’ve ruined my sheets because of you.” Alcina says with a chuckle.

“Well, why don’t we get cleaned up and I’ll replace them for you afterward?”

“Nonsense, I’ll have a maid do it. You needn’t worry about it.”

“But that’s my job... unless you’re firing me.” You say with a smirk, resting your head on your folded arms.

“I would only fire you on one very special condition.”

“And what would that be?”

“I think you know.”

“Hm, I don’t. Care to enlighten me, My Lady?” 

“I will only fire you when you agree to assume a title. You would not need to work if you are a Lady. What’s mine would be yours.”

“Except the winery. I don’t want any part of that, remember?”

“How could I forget?” Alcina asks, sitting up slightly and resting against the headboard. “Shall we get cleaned up?” You nod and climb off of Alcina so that she can stand. Her legs are a little wobbly, but not enough for her to fall. She bends and picks you up to carry you bridal style into the bathroom.

After a relaxing bath, you were lying in Alcina’s bed wide awake while she was sleeping peacefully beside you. You don’t know why you weren’t tired, but if you didn’t get to sleep soon, you wouldn’t be able to work later. You sighed, pressing the heels of your hands into your eyes. Perhaps holding them closed would help you sleep. You tossed and turned trying to get comfortable, but nothing was helping. You haven’t had a restless night like this since you’d started working at the castle. All your stirring caused Alcina to wake up. She blinked a few times to let her eyes adjust to the lighting in the room before addressing the fact that you were also awake.

“You should be sleeping, why are you still awake, iubirea mea?” Alcina asks, her voice groggy.

“I couldn’t sleep. It’s just one of those nights, I guess.”

“Why couldn’t you sleep? Surely you’d be tired after all the energy you’ve used tonight.”

“I don’t know, I just couldn’t. I was thinking of taking a walk, but I didn’t want you to wake up and I’m not next to you.” 

“Would you like me to take a walk with you? I can show you what I used to do for the girls when they couldn’t sleep.”

“If you think it will help, sure. What about you though? I don’t want to keep you awake.”

“I don’t need to sleep; I simply do because it is relaxing. Come, let’s go for a walk, and afterward, we’ll both go back to bed. I’m also going to give you tomorrow off so you can properly rest.” Alcina says, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She stands, walks over to her wardrobe, and grabs two silk robes. One for her, and a smaller one for you. 

“Normally I’d protest, but I’m starting to like having time off.” You put your robe on and hop down from the bed to follow her out of the room. You begin walking with Alcina through the halls of the castle. Where she’s leading you is still unknown.

Further along on your walk, you recognize the path she’s taking you down as the path to the opera hall. When you reach the doors, you can hear the faint sound of the piano, but you don’t know who could be in there at this hour. Alcina pushes open the doors and you can see red hair over the piano’s music stand. Daniela perks up when she hears your footsteps as the two of you move further into the room.

“Mother? Y/N? What are the two of you doing here this late?” The youngest Dimitrescu asks, her face contorted in confusion

“I couldn’t sleep, what are you doing here?” You ask in response.

“I also couldn’t sleep. I come here and play my favorite songs when it happens. When we were younger, Mother used to sing for us.”

“Is that what you were going to do for me? You were going to sing?” You ask, tilting your head up to look at Alcina.

“Yes, and since you are both here, why don’t I sing for the both of you? Daniela, please have a seat with Y/N on the chaise.” Alcina says, ushering her daughter away from the piano. The Countess takes a seat, adjusting the piano bench to accommodate her height, and fingers the keys to get a feel for them. You take a seat on the lounge while the redhead opts to lay across the seat with her head in your lap. You gently stroke her hair as Alcina begins playing a light melody on the keys.

“I think I’ve heard this before.” You say softly.

“This is one of the songs on Mother’s album, it’s called Orange Colored Sky.” You knew you recognized it somewhere. The old librarian used to have a vinyl record player near her desk and would play this and another song on repeat. You don’t know if at the time it was Alcina’s record she was playing, but it wouldn’t be completely unheard of if it was.

You were lost in the sound of Alcina’s voice. It was velvety and smooth, rich, and soft like luxury chocolate. The sound of her singing voice pulled you in and wrapped you up in a warm feeling. During one verse of the song, Alcina had made direct eye contact with you as she sang, and it felt like it was only the two of you in the room.

I was walking along, minding my business 

When love came and hit me in the eye.

Wham! Bam! Alakazam! 

Out of that orange colored sky

If the last thing you ever heard was Alcina’s singing voice, you’d be content. You thought you couldn’t love this woman more than you already did but hearing her sing just made your heart swell. The song wasn’t very long, and neither you nor Daniela were remotely tired. You closed your eyes and hummed along to the tune of the other jazz song you knew while Alcina continued to play random chords.

“Y/N?” Daniela asks, turning her head to look up at you.

“Yeah, Dani?”

“Can you sing? I can hear you humming.”

“Are you asking if I’m any good?” You question, to which Daniela responds with a nod.

“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve never seriously tried singing anything.” You say nervously.

“What was the song you were humming? I can try and play it and you can sing the lyrics.” Alcina suggests.

“It’s called Stella by Starlight, but I doubt me singing would do it any justice.”

“Please, Y/N? Even if it sounds bad, I want to hear you sing.” The redhead pleads; you let out a defeated sigh before clearing your throat. 

It takes a moment to recall the lyrics, but when they appear in your mind you begin singing them softly. Alcina fiddles with the keys to find the right chords to play and when she does, you sing a little louder. Daniela turns back over, and you resume running your hand through her copper locks. The further into the song you get, the more you notice Daniela’s breathing slow. By the time you get to the phrase "that's Stella by starlight, the moon in her hair", Daniela is out like a light. You didn’t think your singing would be what put her to sleep, but here she is, lightly snoring in your lap. When you finish the tune, you look over to see Alcina staring back at you with an astonished look on her face. You’re just as flabbergasted as she is.

“Your voice must have been very soothing to her.” Alcina says softly as she leaves the piano.

“It must have. I didn’t think she’d fall asleep so quickly.” You respond, your hand coming to a stop as to not wake the youngest Dimitrescu.

“Are you still feeling restless, would you like me to sing another song for you?”

“No, that’s okay. I think once we get back into bed I should be able to fall asleep.” You say with a soft smile. Alcina scoops the sleeping redhead up in her arms and cradles the back of her head.

“I will take her back to her room then join you in ours in a moment.”

“Why not just bring her with us and- wait. Did you just say ou, as in our bedroom?”

“Is that a problem? I figured it was only right considering you’ve not slept in your bed since you’ve returned.”

“No, it’s not a problem at all. I want half the wardrobe space though if I’m moving in your room.” You say with a chuckle.

“Or I can move yours into my room.” 

“But yours is fancier.” You protest.

“And it serves the same purpose. Now, are we returning to bed or are we going to continue to debate over clothing storage?” 

“Mamă, nu te mai certa cu mami și pune-mă în pat.” Daniela says, half-sleep. Alcina looks at her briefly with a shocked expression before schooling her features and returning to the playful state she was in.

“What did she say?” You ask.

“She just insisted that we stop arguing because she wants to lay down.” Alcina says as she walks with her youngest in her arms toward the door. You rush over and open it for her, allowing her to exit before you.

The walk back to Alcina’s – wait – back to  your  room is relatively quiet. The only sound being the sound of Daniela’s snores, which have gotten heavier, and your quiet humming. You couldn’t get Orange Colored Sky out of your head. The sound of Alcina’s singing voice was becoming one of your favorite things to replay in your mind and the circumstance in which you finally heard it filled you with warmth. Alcina at the piano, Daniela lying comfortably in your lap; it was a picture-perfect moment and it only made you realize a few things. The first was that you wanted to have moments like this for the rest of your life, the second is that you wanted a long, long life with Alcina and the girls, and the third is that you all definitely needed to hold jazz performances.

Once you made it back to your and Alcina’s room, Alcina placed the soundly sleeping redhead in the bed and she then climbed in beside her, wrapping an arm around her to pull her close before pulling the covers over the both of them. 

“I want to sleep in the middle.” Daniela murmured, and Alcina shifted so that she was on one end and there would be enough space for you to get in beside Daniela. 

You climbed in facing Alcina and Daniela and got comfortable under the covers. Daniela had rolled over to face you before she cuddled into you, nuzzling against the junction between your neck and shoulder. It was awkward given that she’s at least a half-foot taller than you, but you made it work. Alcina turned on her side to face the both of you and draped her long arm over the two of you. 

“Noapte bună, mame.” Daniela said softly. You looked at Alcina and mouthed the question “ does that mean goodnight?”  to which she responded with a nod.

“Goodnight, my darlings.” Alcina whispered, kissing the crown of Daniela’s head. 

“Goodnight, Dani; goodnight Alcina.” You respond, closing your eyes and trying your best to fall asleep. 

Alcina begins to softly hum the melody to a song that you didn’t know, and it soothes you. So much so that you begin to drift off. When she was sure you were both asleep, the humming stopped. You couldn’t tell if you were dreaming or not, but you heard her saying something to herself.

“I wish you knew just how much the girls want you to be their mother. Daniela already calls you mom, but you’re unaware. No matter how long it will take, we will wait for you. Goodnight, my love.”

That’s never come up in any of your conversations before so surely you had to have been dreaming. Where that dream may have come from, you didn’t know, and maybe that’s all it was… a dream. A dream that you were sure would never come true, no matter how much you may have wanted it to after tonight.

Chapter Text

Hunting. Of all the things the girls wanted to do with you, it just had to be hunting. You suppose you couldn’t complain because it was an opportunity to spend more time with the girls, but why hunting? You don’t even know how to hunt like them—if you even know how to hunt at all. And to make matters worse, Alcina had agreed to tag along on your trip out into the forest. So here you were on this fine summer Sunday, waiting in the main hall for Alcina and the girls to finish getting ready. You had a picnic basket with you full of food and drinks for when they finish. That was the terms you all had agreed on: you’d go hunting if afterward you could all sit down and have lunch together. Of course, with that came remarks from Cassandra and Daniela of eating like a “proper family” should. It was ironic because just last week, Cassandra was blushing when you mentioned being her stepmother and when you brought it up, she simply tried to pass it off as “character development”. 

You were on the verge of falling asleep from waiting so long when a familiar voice could be heard ringing through the halls. You looked in the direction of the voice and found a cheery redhead swarming down the hall in her usual dress, and her sickle at the ready. Followed by Daniela was Bela, dressed similarly, and Alcina who- good lord… who looked amazing. She’d abandoned her signature cream-colored dress in favor of riding gear that hugged every curve of her body deliciously. Attached at her hip was a riding crop and your mind wandered straight into the gutter as you imagined the leather meeting your skin. You had to shake those thoughts away because you could feel the heat rising in your body. Straggling behind Alcina was Cassandra who in one had carried a sickle and the other a rifle? Neither of her sisters nor her mother had any ballistic weapons so why did she? The brunette approached you and extended the hand that was holding the gun toward you.

“What is this for?” You question, not yet taking the weapon from Cassandra.

“It’s so that you can hunt with us. Did you just expect us to do all the work while you sit around and look pretty?” Cassandra counters.

“It’s what I usually do.” You shrug, “Where did you even get this from?”

“From the armory. I have a bunch of weapons from the war up there, but I stole Tassa here from a man-thing.” 

“You named the gun?” You ask, reluctantly taking it from the middle child’s hands.

“I name all my weapons, most of them after the maids we’ve had to drag down to the cellar.”

“Great… Does your mother know you’re trying to give me a gun?”

“I’m not sure, let me find out.” Cassandra pauses, turning in the direction of Alcina and her sisters. “Mother, I gave Y/N a rifle. That’s okay right?” 

As soon as the words “Y/N” and “rifle” leave Cass’s mouth, Alcina lets out a deep sigh. The countess walks over to the two of you and stands with one hand on her hip.

“No, Cassandra, it isn’t okay. I told you about those weapons, but it appears that I also need to tell you about giving them to my companion. Did you even ask if she knows how to fire a gun?” Alcina asks, raising her brows slightly.

“No, I didn’t but let me find out. Y/N, do you even know how to fire a gun?” The brunette asks, mirroring what she’d just done.

“No, I don’t, so there’s no need for me to have this. I’ll just sit around and look pretty like you suggested.”

“Nonsense, I’ll teach you how to use it so you can join in on the fun!” Cassandra says with a grin before running off to join her sisters. You look up at Alcina with a raised brow, asking her the silent question of what in the world just happened.

“If you didn’t know by now, Cassandra is arguably the most… violent out of the girls. She’s fascinated by weaponry and anything that has to do with fighting.” Alcina says, walking with you in the direction of the main entrance.

“I knew that much already, but guns? Don’t you ever get worried she might hurt herself? I mean, the way she was handling it… the barrel was aimed right for her head.” You say, your voice full of concern.

“I worry every time I see her with one of these things, but I trust her. It is endearing that you were worried for her.” Alcina says with a small smile.

“Of course, I was worried, I worry about all of them. Call it motherly instinct but I want them to be safe. If anything were to happen to them… or to you…” 

“Do not get so worked up, dragă, the girls and I will be alright. There is not much that is a threat to us.” Alcina says, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“I guess you have a point. I just… I sometimes forget that you’re not human and that you’re not fragile like we are.” You admit, your head hanging low. Alcina stops walking and kneels in front of you. Her hands cup your face as she looks at you with a steeled expression.

“Humans are not fragile; you are not fragile. You’re strong, you’re ferocious, passionate, you pour your heart into everything you do. You, my love, are far from fragile.” Alcina says with conviction. If she hadn’t sounded so determined, so… right, you wouldn’t have believed her. You’ve let far too much happen to you to believe you were strong. Yes, you’ve recovered from it (for the most part), but there was still a lingering part of you that felt that everything was a façade. Every smile, every time you said you were okay… sometimes it felt like a lie.

Your eyes glazed over as you stared past Alcina, once again getting lost in your own head. Alcina had noticed this change in demeanor and tilted your head so that your gaze was on her. “Are you alright, dragă?” she asked, her brows furrowing in concern. You blinked a few times to reel yourself in.

“Hm? Oh, yes, I’m alright. I was just thinking…” 

“Thinking about what, my dear?”

“It’s… not important. We probably shouldn’t keep the girls waiting; you saw how excited Cass was when she said she’d teach me how to fire that thing.” You say with a chuckle, pointing at the rifle Alcina had placed on the floor. She scanned your features for any signs that you weren’t okay. You’d dismissed her concerns and changed the subject when you usually open up, and that was something Alcina seemed to notice as she continued to stare you down. You began fidgeting under the scrutiny of her gaze and you could tell by the way her brow raised that she was going to say something. 

“Hey! Are you two done eye-fucking over there?” Cassandra asks from down the hallway. She’s waving her arm around as if to get your attention.

“That child-” Alcina growls, rising to her full height and facing in the direction of her disgruntled middle child.

“Don’t be mad at her, Alcina, she’s just excited.” You say in an effort to calm Alcina down. She inhales deeply and exhales with a huff as she continues her trek down the hall. Her gait is a little fast from the irritation that is Cassandra, and you have to speed-walk just to keep up. If you were to fall behind at any point, the butt of that rifle would surely hit you in the face.

The five of you head outside toward the stables and you see Alcina pulling the reigns of an abnormally large black horse. It’s been mutated—that much was evident due to the unnatural glow of its eyes. That explains why Alcina had on riding gear, but you didn’t see the girls going into the stables at all. She secures the gun Cassandra gave you and the basket to the side of the saddle and puts some feed in a small bag. 

“Are the three of you not riding into the forest?” You ask.

“No, we’re going to swarm. It’s quicker that way.” Bela responds.

“Girls, we will reconvene for our meal near the edge of the river in an hour and a half. And remember, if something happens, call for me.” Alcina says as she mounts her horse. The girls respond with a unison “yes, Mother” before swarming off into the trees. Alcina then extends her arm down to you, inviting you onto the back of the massive steed. You grab her hand and try your best to climb up but the foot… rest thing is too high and you’re not flexible enough to reach it.

“The foot thing is too high; I can’t get my leg up there.” You say as you continue to struggle.

“The ‘foot thing’ is called a stirrup. Have you not ridden a horse before?” Alcina asks, dismounting the animal to help you. She picks you up and places you sideways on the horse.

“Never. I just used to sleep outside and talk with the horses my parents owned. I don’t even think my siblings know how to ride.” 

“Well, the first thing you should know is the way you’re sitting is called side-saddle. Your legs should be on either side of the horse if you don’t want to fall.” Alcina says as she climbs back up and positions herself behind you. You swing one leg over to the best of your ability and when you’re on the horse the proper way, Alcina presses one hand against your abdomen, holding you close to her while the other grabs hold of the reigns.

“You wouldn’t let me fall no matter how I was sitting.” You say with a smug grin.

“You are correct, but when you get your own horse, I won’t be able to hold on to you like this.” Alcina says as she kicks the horse into a trot, following the direction the girls went.

“ When  I get my own horse? Don’t you mean if?” You question, holding onto Alcina’s hand for dear life. If her horse was a normal size, you wouldn’t be so afraid of falling, but you’re at least nine feet off the ground.

“No, I mean when. If you’re going to continue to accompany us on hunting trips, you’ll need a horse to ride. The girls and I usually travel by air, and you can’t ride Elena, she’s much too high for you.”

“By air? Does that mean you can swarm like the girls can?” You ask, turning your head to the side slightly.

“No, I have another, far more grotesque form that I wish you will never have to see.” Alcina says with a tone so melancholy that you instinctively squeezed her hand. “I don’t fully transform when I hunt because it is incredibly painful, but I do grow my wings.”

“Alcina, no parts of you are grotesque. No matter what you look like, you will always be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. You could have a thousand eyes and ten thousand arms, and I would love you just the same.”

“Oh, iubirea mea, you do not know how much it means to hear you say those words.” Alcina whispers, her breath slightly shaky. 

The two of you continue to ride in silence into the forest until you’re able to see three clouds of flies circling high in the air above a mob of deer grazing in a meadow. You can tell which swarm belongs to which daughter based solely on how they fly. Bela’s swarm is calm and collected, much like she is. Cassandra’s swarm is slow, the way it moves is very calculated. Cassandra’s swarm when hunting is vastly different from her swarm any other time. Daniela’s swarm is the most chaotic, circling above the mob in a frenzied manner. 

Alcina brings Elena to a stop and dismounts. She ties the reigns to a tree before helping you down. You stretch out your muscles, the ones in your inner thighs feeling the most relief. Alcina then begins removing her riding gear, well, the top half of anyway. You stare with your jaw nearly reaching the ground as Alcina strips down to nothing but her bra and riding pants in the middle of the forest. Her clothes didn’t do her muscles any justice. Alcina’s upper body was perfectly sculpted, her arms looked as though they were carved from the finest marble in existence, and her back, God, her back was divine. Alcina’s shoulders were a little broad and curved beautifully into her waistline. You’ve seen her naked plenty of times before, but you could never get enough of the way she looked.

“I know you like staring, but I ask that you look away for this part.” Alcina says, rolling her shoulders back. 

“Why? Is growing your wings something you don’t wish for me to see? Is the process a secret?” You ask, furrowing your brows.

“No, it isn’t a secret, but it can get… ugly. I don’t want you to bear witness to that.” You walk up to Alcina and take her hand in yours before you begin to rub your thumb over her knuckles.

“Please show me. Everything that makes you Alcina Dimitrescu is beautiful, and I want to see and know every part. Will you allow that?” Alcina had seen the bad and ugly parts of you and still loved you despite them. You wanted her to know that no matter how ugly or grotesque she may believe parts of herself to be, you will never love her less or think her any less breathtaking. You want to help her be confident in every part of herself the same way she’s helping you.

“I will, but please stand further away. It’s been some time since I’ve done this, and I don’t want to cause you harm.” 

“I’m staying right here. I trust you, Alcina, I know that if I get hurt that you didn’t mean to. And if I do, you can just kiss it better.” You say with a wink. Alcina lets out a light chuckle as she kneels in front of you. 

“Is that your remedy for everything?”

“Yep. In fact, my lips are in a lot of pain right now if you want to take care of that.” 

“Later, my love. The girls are waiting on me and they will get restless.”

“Understood. Do what you need to.” You say with a nod. 

Alcina takes a deep breath and closes her eyes to concentrate on her partial transformation. She groans, falling onto her hands as the skin on her back begins to bulge. A cracking sound can be heard as the smooth skin breaks and the leathery skin of her wings emerge. Alcina wails and blood begins to trickle down her back as the skin rips further. Bones pop and crack and adjust when the wings unfurl. It wasn’t ugly, not at all. Watching the transparent skin stretch and take from was perhaps one of the most magnificent things you’ve ever seen. Alcina’s breathing evened out as the skin on her back began to heal. You walked around her and ran your hand over each wing. They were smooth and supple and twitched ever so slightly when you came in contact with them.

“Fascinating.” You whisper, admiring the extra appendages that were now coming from your companion.

“That’s… not the reaction I’d expected. You’re not repulsed by the wings?” Alcina asks with wide eyes.

“Not at all! That was the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long time! I can’t wait to see the rest of your transformation.” You respond with a smile so wide that your eyes are nearly closed. Alcina stands up straight and flaps her wings a few times to get them adjusted. She looks down at you and smiles before bending her knees and taking off into the sky. You would think her an angel if you believed in that sort of thing. 

You imagine the reason Alcina and the girls take to the air when they hunt is to get a better vantage point. It may be harder to stalk your prey when on land, but for apex predators like them, it shouldn’t hinder their hunting abilities at all. You watch in awe as Alcina and the girls descend on the mob, taking them all out instantly. Bela, Cass, and Dani had all bagged one deer while Alcina had bagged four by skewering them with her claws: two on each hand. You flinched slightly when you saw the girls begin tearing into the flesh with their teeth, and grimaced when you heard them letting out pleased noises as the blood poured into their mouths. You weren’t so much grossed out by their nature as you were by their messy eating habits. Sure, it didn’t make sense to use a knife and fork, but they could at least use the sickles to slice the neck and drink the blood that way. Alcina was a little more poised when she fed, she simply bit the neck of the first dear and began to drink from it. It reminded you of the time she’d bitten you and you subconsciously rubbed your hand over your neck. This time though, as you watched her, made eye contact with her, you weren’t afraid. If anything, you were turned on when you saw the blood trickle down the front of her body. You began to wonder what it would feel like if she drank from you while she—never mind. 

Alcina stood up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before leaving the slain deer in the middle of the grass. She walked over to you, smirking with blood smeared on her face. You felt your cheeks heat up and your heart started to beat a little faster, but before you let yourself imagine anything lewd, you shifted your focus to the deer Alcina left.

“Why’d you hunt down four if you were only going to drink the blood of one?”

“The other three are extra for the girls to bring home. Though we are healthiest when our sustenance comes from humans, we can get by with other mammals. However, it cannot be cooked.” Alcina says as she walks toward Elena and reaches into one of the saddlebags for a handkerchief. Alcina wipes the remainder of the deer's blood from her hands, face, and upper body before collecting her shirt and riding jacket and putting them back on. She unties Elena’s reigns and begins to lead her out of the forest while the girls finish up their meal.

You’re walking alongside Alcina and Elena through the trees when a thought comes to the forefront of your mind

“I can have a horse, but I can’t keep Blue?” You ask, looking up at Alcina with furrowed brows.

“Yes, and do you want to know the reason for that, my dear?”

“Do tell,  my dear .” You respond in a mocking tone.

“The horse does not need to be in the castle to be cared for. Like any small animal, it would have to be kept indoors, and to be honest, I don’t quite care for birds.

“Aha! I knew there was another reason! I’m telling Mother Miranda you don’t like birds the next time Blue visits me.” You say with a giggle. Alcina rolls her eyes before accidentally bumping into you, causing you to stumble. “You did that on purpose.” You murmur.

“I did no such thing; I simply lost my footing.” Alcina says with a stately tone.

“Uh-huh, sure.” You roll your eyes, “Where are we going anyway?” You ask, looking up toward the sky to watch the clouds through the leaves.

“We’re going to the river to wait for the girls.”

Alcina continues to lead you and Elena through the forest until you reach the edge of the river. She takes the saddle and all of the other extra things off the horse and lets her roam the area to graze or do what it is horses do. You take a seat on the ground underneath a shady tree and begin rummaging through the picnic basket for the lunch Ylenia packed for you. It was a simple chicken sandwich, some cucumber salad, and water. Alcina sat down next to you, and you leaned against her as you began to eat your food. You wanted to finish before the girls got back because you knew that Cassandra would be on you about learning how to use that rifle. 

And right on cue, as you were drinking down your water, three swarms of insects appeared before you and materialized into the forms of the three sisters. You’re lucky they showed up after you ate because seeing their faces and bodies covered in blood would have surely made you lose your appetite. They gathered around you and Alcina and laid across your laps in whatever way they could find.

“Hello, daughters, did you enjoy the deer?” Alcina asks as she begins to stroke the head of her eldest.

“Yes, Mother, and we’ve prepared the other three to be brought back to the castle.” Bela says with a nod.

“Are you three still hungry? Ylenia packed some extra food for you guys.” You say, pointing to the picnic basket. The girls all shake their heads and Cassandra hops up to her feet with a wide grin. 

“Y/N, come on, let’s go get Tassa and shoot some stuff!” The brunette says, grabbing your hand and pulling you up. She grabs her rifle and leads you to closer to the river. 

“Okay so first…” Cassandra begins explaining how the rifle works, how to hold it, load it, etc. Why she wanted to teach you all of this and not her girlfriend is something you suppose you’ll never get the answer to. It was nice though, that Cass wanted to share her hobby with you. Even if that hobby was dangerous. 

It was time for you to take a couple practice shots, so you held the gun up, looked down the scope, and took your first shot. The recoil wasn’t expected, and it took you back a little bit, but your next shot was cleaner. Shooting a gun honestly wasn’t as hard as you thought it would be, and it was even fun once you got the hang of it. The next step was shooting a target. If she’d have taught you how to shoot before they hunted, you could have helped with the deer (though they didn’t need it). 

“Okay, Y/N, do you see that other deer across the river?” Cassandra asks, pointing into the forest.

“No, all I see are trees.” You way with a look of confusion.

“Here,” Cass starts, taking the rifle and positioning it so that you’re ready to shoot, “look through the scope.” You nodded, closed one eye, and looked through the scope across the river. Sure enough, there was a dear. “Wait for it to stop moving so much, line up your sight where you want the bullet to enter, and shoot.”

You did as Cassandra instructed and waited for the deer to stop moving as much as it was. Once it was still, you aimed for the middle of its head, but it must have sensed something because it turned its head in your direction. It didn’t run away so that gave you the perfect opportunity to land your shot right between its eyes. You lowered the gun and started ahead in disbelief. You did it, you hunted! Cassandra broke into her swarm and flew across to the other side of the river. You let out an incredulous chuckle as you saw her fly back with the dead game wrapped up in her flies. She dropped the buck in front of you before turning into her human form.

“Nice shot, human!” Cassandra says with a proud grin. “I’ve taught you well.”

“Thanks, Cass, but what are we going to do with a fourth deer?”

“We could just leave it here.” The brunette shrugs.

“That would be wasteful. I’ll give it to Ylenia; she’ll think of something to make with it. Here,” you pause, extending your arm toward Cassandra to give her the rifle back. “I don’t think I need this anymore.”

“Don’t you want to shoot something else? Maybe a rabbit or a bird?” Cassandra takes the gun from you and looks to you with furrowed brows. 

“Next time. I think the deer is enough for today. Thank you for teaching me how to shoot, I enjoyed spending time with you, Cass.” You say with a smile. You start walking back toward Alcina, Bela, and Daniela when Cassandra grabs your hand and stops you.

“I, um, I had fun. I like doing stuff like this… doing stuff with you, I mean. I hope we can continue to spend time together. It’s nice… when it’s just us. But if you tell my sisters I said any of this I’ll break your hand.”

“You would hurt your stepmother?!” You gasp, “Cassandra Dimitrescu I am shocked.” You finish with a chuckle that you quickly have to stifle when you see Cass sporting a frown.

“Were you being serious in the opera hall that day… when you said you may be our stepmother?” 

Your smile fades and you let out a sigh, “At the time, I was just joking, but only because I thought it was something you wouldn’t mind me teasing you about. Seeing the way you reacted made me wonder how you three viewed me. Is that… something you and your sisters would want?”

“I don’t know about Bela, but Dani and I know that no one has fit so perfectly into this family since Elisabeta. My mother hasn’t loved anyone the way she loves you since my sisters and I were reborn. All that talk about you becoming a Lady isn’t to tease you, it’s what we want. Saying that we’re a family isn’t to get a rise out of you or to see you turn red, it’s because we are. That’s why Mother gave you a necklace with the house crest.”

“Cass I… I don’t-”

“If that’s not something you want now, or maybe ever, that’s okay with us.” Cassandra interrupted you before you could find the right words to say. So, instead of saying anything, you pulled the brunette into a tight hug. 

“I would have expected this to come from Bela or Daniela but to hear it from you means so much. I will have to talk to Alcina about it, but it makes me happy to know that you and Dani think of me that way. I may not measure up to Alcina, but I will try.” You say with tears stinging the corners of your eyes. 

It would seem that Cassandra wasn’t the only person that had significant development, you did too. The day you made that cake with Angie, you had begun a conversation with Alcina about your mortality and how you thought it wouldn’t be possible to be a good mother to the girls because of it. Now more than ever did you need to finish that conversation. It was important to know what Alcina was going to say now that you have Cassandra and Daniela’s want for you to be their mother to factor in. You also need to think about where you stand when it comes to living forever. That, however, will have to wait. You want to enjoy the rest of your afternoon.

You pull away from Cassandra and give her a soft grin, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill. “Until I talk to your mother and sisters, this will stay between us, okay?” You ask. 

Cassandra nods before dissolving into her swarm to gather the deer you shot. 

~~~

You were seated at your usual table in the servants’ dining hall for dinner, thinking about your conversation with Cass. You weren’t going to tell your friends or sister about it, but you were going to ask their opinions on you outliving them. You didn’t want to leave Alcina and the girls behind, not after they’ve suffered losing Elisabeta, and almost losing you once. You wanted to be certain that they would have enough time with you, even if it just meant slowing down your aging.

“Can I ask you all a serious question?” You start, looking around the joined tables at your sister and friends.

“Uh-oh, trouble in paradise? Have things gone awry with you and the Lady?” Catalina asks.

“No, it’s not like that at all. I’ve just been thinking about the whole “Lady Y/N” thing and every day something happens that makes me want it more. My only problem is that I don’t want to remain mortal and end up dying on Alcina and the girls, but I don’t want to become immortal and watch all of you go. If any of you have a clue on what I should do, please tell me.” You say, letting your body slump forward as you await any responses.

“There’s no guarantee when any of us will die. We could be gone within the next week, month, year, we could live so long that we’re old and grey, or we could be gone within the next minute. Death always comes when you least expect it. Don’t you want to be certain that that won’t happen?” Sam asks. You give them a shrug and turn your sister.

“Fana, what do you think I should do?”

“I agree with Sam. As your older sister, I expect to go before you. But after hearing about the near-death experiences you’ve had, you could very well go before me. I want you to be happy for as long as you possibly can, even if that means forever.” Your older sister says with a sad smile.

“Mara, Cat, Liv? You’re in the same boat I am so, what do you think I should do?”

“Bela and I actually talked about this during the first few months of us being together. We agreed that when we’re both ready for serious commitment, she would ask the Lady to turn me with the same cadou that’s in her and her sisters. So, I think that if it’s something you want, then do it.” 

“Cadou, what’s that?” Lydia questions.

“It’s a parasite that gave the Lady and her daughters their immortality and abilities.” Mara explains to which Lydia responds with a nod.

“I didn’t talk to Cass about it yet but if I do live forever, it sure as hell wouldn’t be as a maid. An eternity of servitude is  not  for me.” Catalina says, causing you to chuckle. When you posed the question to your friends, you hadn’t thought about what they’d do with their lives.

“I haven’t thought about it yet, but since you asked, I think I would choose immortality. I don’t like the idea of “‘til death do you part” because I won’t want to part from Daniela, ever. If the opportunity presents itself, take it.” Olivia says. 

Hearing what your friends and sister had to say really put into perspective what you should do. It also made it easier to accept the reality that you may outlive the people you’re closest to, whether it be the fact that you can’t die or just that their lives ended before yours. You knew what you wanted, now the only thing you had to do was talk to Alcina and the girls. 

After dinner, you returned to your assigned room (not the bedroom you and Alcina now share) and showered so you could get ready for bed. You didn’t take too long; it was more so to just calm your body down after a very long day. Once you were dressed, went over to your and Alcina’s room and entered without knocking. A bold move that would result in a severe punishment if it were any of the other staff. When you walked in, you found Alcina sitting on the chaise with a teacup in her hand. 

“I had a pot of tea sent up for us, care to join me?” Alcina asks, gesturing to the empty spot next to her on the lounge. You nod and take a seat beside her; she pours you a cup of tea and hands it to you. You offer a small smile and a nod as thanks as you take the teacup from her.

“Who made this pot? You don’t often drink tea that isn’t mine.” You say, taking a small sip from the cup.

“Ylenia did. She’s the only person beside you whose tea I enjoy.” Silence falls upon you for a moment before Alcina opens her mouth to speak. “I… heard your conversation with Cassandra this afternoon.” She says with a tone of voice you can’t quite make out.

“Oh uh… oh.” 

“You don’t have to worry about measuring up to me, darling. The way you love and care for the girls is enough.”

“So, you’re not upset by what you heard?” 

“Of course not. If anything, I’m elated that this is something you want. When you left, the girls told me it felt like when Elisabeta had passed. That was when I knew just how they saw you. Elisabeta was like a mother to them, no, she was their mother. Daniela… she’s been calling you ‘mom’ in Romanian since the day you went away.” Alcina pauses and places her hand atop your thigh, “I know it is probably not a commitment that you are ready for now, so we will wait for you.”

“I want to talk to all of you about it first. There are many things I need to discuss with you about my future here. A lot of our desires are the same, but there are still some things that I desire that are different from what you and the girls want.” You place your hand over Alcina’s and give it a squeeze. “So, sometime soon I propose we have a family discussion to properly talk about everything we want and come to a decision together. The one-on-one conversations helped me learn a little bit here and there, but we all need to know everything.” 

“I agree, dragă mea, that would be the wisest thing to do. I will not mention to Cassandra that I overheard you two. I know you wished for the things you said to remain between the two of you.”

“Thank you, Alcina. I’m glad we had this talk.” You say with a smile. You place your teacup back on the tray and stand from the chaise. You talk Alcina’s hand in yours and gesture toward the bed with a head nod.

“You’re ready to go to sleep this early?” Alcina asks with a raised brow.

“No, but I know my conversation with Cass wasn’t all that you probably heard. I saw that smirk on your face when you got done feeding, you heard my heart rate quicken, didn’t you?” 

“Indeed I did, would you care to enlighten me on what naughty thoughts you had stirring in your mind?”

“There were a few,” you pause, letting go of her hand to saunter over to the bed, “But the first thought I had was how I couldn’t wait to get you back here.” 

“Why hadn’t you said anything sooner? We could have returned early and had some time to ourselves.” Alcina says as she stands. She walks toward you and stares at you with a lustful gaze.

“We were having such a lovely afternoon that I stopped thinking about it. But you bringing up how you heard Cass and I talking reminded me of what else you may have heard. So what do you say, Mistress, would you like to have our first riding lesson?” You ask with a smirk.

It’s going to be a long night. 

Chapter Text

Dear Y/N,

I hope this letter finds you well. I hope Lady Dimitrescu is taking care of you up there in the castle. If she isn’t, then I have a few choice words for her. If you’re allowed out in the village, why don’t you give your big brother a visit? There’s so much I want to share with you. My wife and daughters want to meet you. My oldest is named after you and she always used to say “Papa, when can I meet big Y/N?” so, now that I know where to reach you, let’s set something up. 

I went back to the farm… the day after your birthday. I confronted Mother and Father. They didn’t even care that you were alive. They didn’t even know Stefana was working at the castle until they asked about her. I asked them how they could give you up like that, how they didn’t even try to protect you. All they had to say was that they wanted to live. I’d come close to putting my hands on Father, but I didn’t because I knew that wouldn’t solve anything. If I were in Father’s shoes, I would have never given you to Mother Miranda. I’m sorry that none of us were there to help you.

Mother and Father also wish to see Stefana, they want to know why she’s divorcing her husband. “Do you know how hard it was for me to convince him to marry her?” and blah blah blah. “I’m Constantin and I’m ranting about how I fucked up my kids’ lives”, he’s absolutely ridiculous. I can’t believe we used to be so afraid of him… Anyway, I’ll stop my rambling. Think about what I said, about coming to visit us if you can. It was nice being in the castle, but your girlfriend is incredibly intimidating. I miss you, Beansprout. Love you.

All the best,

Lucian 

That was the first letter you’d received from any of your siblings since your birthday. They’d all promised to write to you and Fana, but maybe they were just busy. You didn’t want to conclude that they’d forgotten about you—you weren’t  that  insecure. You’re going to give the rest of them the benefit of the doubt, and hey, at least Lucian wrote to you. He said he’d have a few choice words with Alcina if she wasn’t taking care of you, as if he’d ever stand a chance against her. He named his oldest daughter after you… you, who’d chosen your own name because your parents didn’t give you one. Through his letter, you could tell just how much he cared about you, how much he loved you. He confronted your parents for giving you up, for not thinking about Fana. Lucian is really being a great big brother to you now. 

Your parents… know that both you and Stefana are here, yet they only want to see her. Any parents that had two children working in the infamous Castle Dimitrescu would want to see both of them, right? So why don’t they want to see you? Why, even after they got rid of you, do they continue to exclude you? Isolate you? What did you ever do to them besides be born?

You placed the letter on the table in Alcina’s study and leaned back in your chair with a huff. You began to rub your temples as a headache came on—all that thinking made your head hurt. Alcina had placed her ledger on her desk and looked at you with a concerned expression upon seeing your current state.

“Are you alright, dragă?” Alcina asks, leaning over to get a better look at you.

“I’m fine, I just have a slight headache. This letter Lucian sent me made me think about some things.”

“Would you care to talk about it?”

“I don’t want to get in the way of your work. That book looks big.” You sigh.

“Don’t be silly, darling. I said I would adjust my schedule to make time for you and that includes impromptu adjustments. Now, tell me what’s on your mind.” 

“Can I come to sit with you? I get a feeling that I’m going to need a hug afterward.” You say, looking over at Alcina with your best puppy-dog eyes. She nods with a small smile and pats her lap. You walk over to her and climb up, once you’re comfortable, you rest your head in the crook of her neck. 

“Was the letter that upsetting?” Alcina asks, rubbing lazy patterns over your thigh.

“Most parts of it were okay, but then Luc brought up our parents. They don’t care that I’m alive. He confronted them for giving me up and their best excuse was that they wanted to live.” 

Alcina stays silent to let you continue speaking. 

“They know that Stefana is here, that we’re both here. Yet, they only want to see her. They really…” you trail off as tears begin to well in your eyes, “why don’t they care about me? Why do they continue to treat me like I don’t exist? Why… don’t they want me? I loved them… what did I do to make them hate me?” By the time you finish your question, tears are steadily pouring down your cheeks and onto Alcina’s shirt. She holds you closer as you sob; not offering a response to let you feel the emotions you’ve kept bottled up for so long. 

 When your shoulders stop shaking and the crying has dissolved into jagged breaths, Alcina pushes you away slightly so she can meet your gaze, her own eyes a little misty. She reaches up and wipes away the few remaining tears that are still on your face before cupping the side of your face. You lean into her touch and stare back at her with red, puffy eyes.

“You did nothing wrong. You did nothing deserving of hate and neglect. Your parents have wronged you and are not deserving of your tears, of the love that you still have for them in your heart. They are truly monstrous for the way they treated you and your siblings, but especially you. No child should have to go through what you went through, and your parents do not deserve such a kind, caring, and loving daughter.” Alcina says, her voice shaky yet determined. 

“Thank you, Alcina. I’ve been holding those feelings in for so long… I really needed that.” 

“Of course, my love. I will always be here when you need a shoulder to cry on. I, unfortunately, know how you feel. The desire to be wanted by a parent despite how cruel they’ve been to you… it’s damaging.”

“You’ve been in this situation before?” You ask, sniffling as you tilt your head.

“Yes. When I was first given the cadou by Mother Miranda, I was her first successful experiment. I was perfect. That was, until I started getting larger, and needed to consume more blood and flesh. In order to remain her favorite, I began to starve myself, and that was how we both found out about my other form. It was all downhill from there. One by one she created the four lords, and we were all deemed failures in her eyes. For years, I did everything she asked of me just to be back on top. I resented my siblings because of the divided attention. I’ve killed so many just because I wanted her to love me.” It was your turn to be Alcina’s shoulder to cry on, so you reached up and swiped away her tears with your thumb. She grabbed your hand and planted a kiss on your palm.

“What happened that repaired your relationship with her?”

“An outsider attacked the castle. It took all of our manpower to stop him, and he didn’t go down that easily. It turned out that he was infected with a type of mold and could heal any parts of his body as well as come back from the dead. I delivered him to Mother Miranda after dispatching him and that allowed her to further her research and lead to new discoveries that would help her revive her child. She has not done it yet, but she continues her praise for the things I’ve helped her achieve. It may be naivety… but staying in Mother Miranda’s good graces is something I long for.” Alcina sighs. It was rare she opened up about Mother Miranda to you or anyone for that matter, but you were happy she did.

“I wouldn’t say you’re naïve. A mother’s love is something everyone craves no matter how terrible the mother may be. I didn’t know you’d gone through so much with her, and I’m so sorry that you did. You’re not a failure, you’re perfect.”

“As are you, little love. It is nice to talk with you like this. I’ve not allowed myself to be vulnerable for quite some time and to be open and honest with you is like a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

“I’m glad you feel better and I’m glad that you opened up to me.” You say, leaning up to place a kiss upon Alcina’s cheek. 

“And I am glad that you are allowing yourself to feel your emotions. I am no poster child for positive mental health, but I know just how harmful it can be when you bottle up your feelings. No matter the time of day, if there’s something that is troubling you, please talk to me. I want to help you as much as I can.” 

“Okay,” you nod, “the same goes for you, except… maybe not when I’m asleep. Mara, Cat, and Liv have all faced my wrath when my sleep is interrupted.”

“You would challenge me over not getting enough sleep?” Alcina chuckles, her mood having improved from just moments ago.

“You wouldn’t?”

“I do not need to sleep, so no.” 

“Hmph, lucky.” You shrug. You and Alcina sit in comfortable silence for a bit while you trace the neckline of her shirt with your finger before you speak again. “Can we stay like this? Do you have to finish your work today?” 

“Not if you don’t want me to, darling. I will move to a different seat, and we can both be comfortable.” Alcina says, standing with you in her arms. She moves across the study and settles in a large armchair, seating you sideways across her lap. 

As soon as you’re both comfortable, there’s a knock on the door. You try to move to avoid being seen in such a… intimate position but Alcina stops you by throwing an arm over your legs. She bids whoever is on the other side to enter, and the door opens. In walks Stefana with a somber look and a piece of paper in her hands. When her eyes land on you and Alcina, her expression changes and the corners of her mouth twitch upwards.

“Good morning, My Lady, My Sister.” Stefana greets with a bow. You roll your eyes at how formally she addressed you. 

“Good morning Stefana, dear.” Alcina says with a slight smile.

“Did I come at a bad time? I needed to talk to Y/N, but I can come back later.” Your older sister says, pointing toward the door. Alcina shakes her head and gestures to an empty chair.

“Please, sit. I hope you do not mind me being here. Should you require some privacy, I will leave the room.”

“Oh, no. It’s okay, Lady Dimitrescu.” Stefana says before turning to you. “Did you get a letter from Lucian yet?” She asks.

You nod. “I did, I got it this morning.”

“Did he mention anything about Mother and Father wanting to see me in the letter?”

 “Yeah.”

“Did he say why?” Stefana asks, raising a brow.

“They want to know why you’re getting a divorce. What else did Lucian have to say about them?” You question.

“He… included what they said about you after he told them you were still alive. I don’t think you want to know what they said. Just reading it broke my heart.” Stefana says with a pained expression.

“You’re right, I don’t. I’ve already had my share of emotional turmoil for one morning. So, what are you going to do? Are you going to go see them?” 

“I don’t want to, and even if I did, I don’t have village privileges.” Stefana says with a shrug. She may not have wanted to see them, but you did. You deserved an explanation as to why they act the way they do toward you. You wouldn’t call it closure – because there was no comfort in knowing why they hated you – but it would allow you to put any feelings of yearning to rest. Kill their image as they’ve done yours.

“If I wanted to go and set the record straight, and wanted you to come, would you do it then?”

“Well, yeah, of course. I’d want to be with you to see Mother and Father get their asses handed to them.” Stefana says, gasping and clamping her hand over her mouth when she realized she’d used profanity. She looked at Alcina with a deeply worried expression and the Lady simply waved her off, excusing the small offense. “But like I just said, I don’t have village privileges yet.”

“Well, Y/N, if you’re serious about this, I would be willing to give your sister permission to leave the castle this once. But only because you are accompanying her.” Alcina says.

“Well, Stefana, I guess it’s settled. We’re going to go pay Mother and Father a visit, come on.” You say, moving to get off of Alcina’s lap.

“Wait, you mean today? Like, right now?”

“Yes. You’re off today and I won’t know peace until they hear what’s on my mind. Oh, and cover your arms, it’s breezy today.”

~

Alcina had requested that The Duke take you and Stefana to and from the farm by carriage. It was quiet on the way there. Even Duke understood the gravity of the situation and hadn’t uttered a word until he’d dropped the two of you off. He informed you that he’d be waiting outside to take you back when you were done, and you assured him that you wouldn’t be long. Neither you nor Stefana wanted to be in there longer than necessary. You had to take a few deep breaths to mentally prepare yourself for what may happen. Stefana could tell that you were nervous as the two of you walked up to the door, so she grabbed your hand and squeezed, letting you know that you weren’t alone. You stood to the side and behind her slightly as she knocked. Within moments, the door opened, and in the doorway stood your mother. Her eyes widened when she’d seen Stefana and went to pull her into a hug when Fana held her arm out, stopping her. That’s when your mother saw you, and her expression soured, but there was something hidden behind her eyes. It almost looked like shame, or regret, or… something.

“Mother.” Stefana says curtly.

“Hi Fan, how are you doing? They’re not hurting you up there, are they?” Your mother asks, looking over Stefana’s body for any signs of physical harm. Stefana wouldn’t be dumb enough to let herself get hurt or sent to the cellar, and Alcina nor the girls would hurt you by harming your sister. 

“I’m fine, Mother, never been better. Lucian said you and Father wanted to talk to me about my divorce, why?”

“Why don’t you come in, I’ll go get Constantin and we can talk.” Your mother opens the door and stands to the side to let you and your sister in. You don’t spare any glances or speak because you know that it’ll only fuel the fire that is your emotions. Stefana stands in the middle of the living room to wait for your parents to return but you keep walking toward your room (which was actually Lucian’s old room that you’d taken after he left). There were a few things you wanted to grab, and you wanted your sister to have as much time with your parents as she needed. 

Much to your surprise, your room remained untouched. Nothing was out of place, and your axe was even back in the same spot. You had to chuckle when you saw it, because what was an axe going to do against Mother Miranda? Her gaze alone is enough to tear someone in two. There wasn’t much here besides clothes that you could no longer fit, a box full of bracelets and drawings that you’d made for your family when you were a child, your favorite book, and your stuffed lamb. You picked up one of the drawings and examined it, a feeling of sadness washing over you when you saw the contents. It was a stick figure drawing of you, your siblings, and your parents and you all were holding hands and smiling. You’d written something down in the corner, but it was faded, and your handwriting was so bad that it was hard to read. The next picture you looked at was what you assumed was a self-portrait (when in reality it was a giant frowning face with scribbled hair.) This one also had text, and it was more legible than the last.

“My mama and papa don’t like me and my brothers and sisters don’t like me too. I think I made them angry at me. This makes me sad and cry sometimes. When I get bigger I hope they like me, because I like them.”

You got a little misty-eyed when you put the picture back and closed the box. Thinking back on how naïve you were, you felt sad not for the adult you, but for the child you. How you wanted to just wrap her up in your arms and let her know that she didn’t make anyone angry—or hurt them. You wanted to tell her that her brothers and sisters  did  like her, they  did  love her, they just couldn’t show it all the time. 

You took the box, the book, and the lamb in your arms and left your room to join Stefana. When you got back to the living room, your sister and parents were sitting in silence just glaring at each other. It was obvious that they had said things that none of them wanted to hear and to walk into the middle of whatever it was they had going on was extremely awkward. Your father scowled when he caught sight of you and turned to your sister with a quizzical expression.

“What’s she doing here? I didn’t invite her.” Your father, no, Constantin, said.

“She’s here because she has every right to be. This is her home as much as it is mine.” Stefana says, crossing her arms over her chest.

“This ain’t been her home since Mother Miranda took her to the castle. She’s not welcome here.” Are they going to continue talking about you like you’re not standing right in front of them?

“If the rest of us can come back then so can Y/N, though I don’t see why she would ever want to come back here.” 

“To add on to what you said Fana, I’m also acting as her escort. See, Lady Dimitrescu doesn’t allow new maids to leave the castle but because I have a high position, Stefana was allowed to come with me.” You say, crossing the room to stand by your sister.

“So, Lady Dimitrescu let a waste of space like you live? I guess even the lords have lapsed judgment.”

“Be careful with what you say to her, Father. She holds a lot of power.” Stefana says with warning, to which Constantin responds with a cackle. Your mother has remained silent, shrinking in on herself to avoid the argument that’s brewing.

“You think I’m scared of her? A no-good, brat who isn’t worth more than horse shit? I couldn’t give a rat's ass what “power” she holds because she ain’t no lady. All she can do is run away and cry about why mama and papa don’t love her because that’s all she ever did.” Those words could have come from anyone’s mouth, and you would have been fine, but hearing them from Constantin’s mouth caused something in you to snap. You started laughing; you were about to tear this man a new one and nothing is going to hold you back.

“I’ve waited a long time for the moment I could finally stand up to the two of you. I’m not going to run away and cry. No, I’m going to say and do much worse. You and mother treated me like I was some goddamn disease and avoided me like the plague. Who the fuck does that to a child? I used to cry because I had to learn how to survive on my own as soon as I could fucking walk. I had to raise myself, give myself a name, find my own food if it wasn’t being snuck to me, wear Stefana and Sorana’s old clothes that you would have rather thrown away than hand down to me. The librarian had to teach me to read and write because you didn’t give me any schooling.”

With each sentence you spoke, your voice would get louder as you’re anger rose to the surface. You were nowhere near done with them yet. This was twenty-two years of hurt that you were finally letting out. 

“I had to take care of myself when I was sick, I used to sleep out in the stables in piles of hay and horse shit because you would only let me stay in the house when it got cold. I don’t even remember having my own fucking bedroom until Lucian left. If raising me was something you couldn’t handle, you didn’t have to treat me the way you did. You could have given me to a family that had the ability to love a child. You kept me for what reason? To abuse me? What type of fucking psychos do that? That’s what the two of you are, psychos. You’re sick, lowlife, scum who didn’t deserve to be spared by Mother Miranda.” At this point, you were seething, but you still hadn’t said all that you needed to say. You still needed them to hear your feelings about exchanging you for their lives, the way they treated your siblings when they wanted to be close to you, for marrying off your sister to a man because she’s attracted to women. So many things needed to be said.

“Don’t even get me started on the shit you pulled the night Mother Miranda came here. I was ready to fight Miranda until you said she could take me.” You pause, looking past Constantin at your mother, who was looking down at her lap. “Don’t think I forgot how you said she could take me if she spared you. Any normal parents would lay down their lives for their child, but being the cowards you are, you let her lead me to what you thought would be my death. But that is the one thing I have to thank you for. Because of you, I have a family, I have friends, I have people that love me. I’m doing better than either of you could have ever dreamed. Not to mention, every night I get to lay in the arms of the very woman you thought would be my end.” 

“I knew there was something wrong with you, you’re a freak just like your sister.” Constantin spits with his hands balled into fists and hate in his voice.

“The only freak here is you, Constantin, and that’s putting it kindly. You’re nothing but a sniveling, old, bitter, pale imitation of a man. I’ve been raped and he was still more of a man than you will ever be. What kind of man beats their children and his wife because they want to bond with their sister and daughter? What kind of man marries his daughter off to some village idiot just because she loves differently? You’re both fucking pathetic. I have half a mind to ask Mother Miranda to pay you another visit.” You finish calmly, though, by the way your chest was rising and falling, it was clear that you were boiling with rage. Your father approaches you and draws his fist back. His hand connects with your jaw, and you fall back from the impact. Your mother stands to help you but when he glares at her, she sits back down, and tears begin falling down her face. Stefana stops him from harming you further by grabbing hold of his arm, but he shoves her, and she ends up tripping over the leg of a chair and falling backward. He moves to stand over you and you begin having flashbacks of the inn. You cover your ears and clamp your eyes shut to stop the panic that is now replacing your anger.

“You think Mother Miranda would answer the prayers if some dyke bitch blasphemer like you? You think you can just come into my house and speak to me and your mother like that? Have you lost your fucking mind? You think that just because you're whoring yourself out to Lady Dimitrescu that you have some kind of authority? You have nothing, you are nothing, and you will always be nothing. I wasn’t done talking to your sorry excuse for a sister, now get out of my house!” Constantin shouts, spraying your face with saliva. He steps over you and exits into the kitchen. Both your mother and Stefana rush to your side but you only turn to your sister for aid. Your mother sat like a coward the entire time and now she wants to help you?

“Don’t you fucking touch me!” You scream, causing your mother to flinch. She returns to her chair and stares ahead with a blank expression. There’s no sadness, no anger, just emptiness. 

“Are you okay?” Stefana asks as she helps you to your feet. When you stand up, you move your jaw from one side to the other. Nothing feels broken, good.

“I’m fine, the crazy-ass maid that tried to kill me hits harder than him. If you wanna stay and talk to him, you can. I’m going to walk back.”

“I’ve said all I needed to say. Are you sure about walking back? The castle is pretty far.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I think a walk will help calm me down.” You say as you walk toward the door. “I’ll see you when I get back.” You exit and walk down the path to where Duke had stopped the carriage. You let him know that you’re walking and that your sister will be returning with him, to which he responds with a nod. You give one of the horses a rub on the cheek before you set off on the path back home—back to your real home.

~

Walking back did nothing to calm you down. You kept replaying the things you said over in your mind and thought about the things you could have said differently or wanted to say but didn’t. Then you thought about how you felt when Constantin was standing over you. You felt weak and small. You were supposed to stand up to him and give him what he finally deserved but in the end, he still won. This infuriated you and when you got back to the castle, you were walking so fast that you were practically running.

You stomped through the halls ignoring any glace or greeting from the maids in the halls. You didn’t look for your sister, your friends, Alcina, or the girls. You stormed all the way to your room and slammed the door shut. You threw the box with the drawings and bracelets across the room and the contents flew out. Your anger only grew as the images on the paper flashed before your eyes. One that caught your eye was one that you drew of you, your mother, and Constantin. You knelt over the image, ripped it in half, and began hitting the drawing as if your father could actually feel it. You wanted him to feel every punch. You wanted him to feel your pain, your hate, your suffering. You screamed and cried; blood smudged on the paper with each punch to the thin parchment on the marble floor. You were probably breaking your hands, but you didn’t care. You just needed some way to let all of your emotions go. When your hands couldn’t take anymore, you crumpled up the torn paper and threw it somewhere in the room. You let your forehead press against the floor and intertwined your fingers on your head as you sobbed—as your inner child sobbed—as the emotionally damaged teenager sobbed. You didn’t care if anyone that was passing by your door heard you wailing, or if they were alarmed by your screams.

Your door burst open with force, nearly coming off the hinges from how frantic Alcina was. When she saw the blood on the floor and the state of your hands she rushed over to you and pulled you into her arms. You held onto her for dear life as you continued to sob.

“Shh, it’s okay, you’re okay. I’ve got you.” Alcina whispered, cradling the back of your head. Her embrace was calming, it was a safe haven for you. It allowed you to calm down enough to speak, though your breath was still jagged. 

“I hate him, Alcina, I hate him so much. Mother Miranda should have killed him.” You spat. 

“What happened?” Alcina asked softly, gently grabbing your hands to examine your knuckles. Your hands were already swelling.

“I stood up to him, told him everything I’ve been wanting to say for twenty-two years. It felt  so  good to finally let it all out, but I didn’t get to say everything I wanted to. He hit me…” You trail off. Alcina’s features harden and her hold on you turns from comforting to protective.

“Stefana did not tell me he laid his filthy man hands on you. Mother Miranda won’t have to kill him; I’ll do it myself.” Alcina growls. 

“Death would be the easy way out; he isn’t worth easy. Not to mention, Irina hit harder than he did.” You say with a scowl. “After he hit me, I fell, and he stood over me. He started shouting at me and it triggered flashbacks from the inn. I felt so powerless, all the confidence and fight in me I had up until that moment was just gone. He made me feel so small with such little effort, my mother cowered in the corner of the room, and it made me so angry.” New tears began to sting the corners of your eyes, but you blinked them back, you weren’t wasting any more tears on your father.

“Why are your knuckles bloody? Why have you hurt yourself like this?” Alcina asks, her brows furrowing and tears forming in her eyes.

“I was punching a picture I’d drawn with I was a kid. I thought that if I continued to hit, he would feel it. He would feel all the pain he cause me from the moment I was born.”

“Darling… I did not know that your anguish ran this deep. I’m so, terribly sorry for everything you’ve gone through.”

 “It’s okay, Alcina. You didn’t put me through it, if anything, you saved me. You continue to save me, save me from drowning in all this pain and anger, help me off the numerous ledges I’ve found myself on. I think this will be the last time that you have to, though, I’m done wasting my breath on people that are worth less than horse shit.” You reiterate the words Constantin had said to you. Maybe to him, that was what you were worth, but in the eyes of your companion, in the eyes of your, hopefully, soon-to-be daughters, you were worth so much more.

“No matter what life throws your way, I will always be there. You do not have to worry about ever going through anything alone for the rest of your life.” 

 “That sounds an awful lot like a proposal.” You chuckle. “But thank you, for always helping me. I know it’s probably tiring having to listen to all my shit. Do you want a cake? That’s about all I can do to make it up to you.” The tension has eased up a bit because now Alcina let out a small chuckle.

“You don’t have to make anything up to me, darling. I help you because I love you and because I want you to be happy. I’ve said this before and I meant it every time, you deserve to be happy. You deserve the world.”

“I already have the world; you and the girls are my world.” You smile, reaching up to cup Alcina’s face only then noticing the red and severely swollen state of your hand. “And now the moment’s ruined because I need to get my hands bandaged.”

“Come, let’s get your hands cleaned up, and then you and Stefana can join the girls and I in the library.

Alcina carries you over to the bed chambers you share and sets you on the edge of her vanity. She exits into the en suite and returns with a wet cloth, familiar green bottle, and bandages for your hands. She takes a seat on her stool and gently takes hold of your hands.

“Can you bend your wrists and fingers?” She asks. You bend both wrists back and forth and give your best attempts and opening and closing your fist. Your fingers moved fine on your left hand, but on your right, it hurt to do so much as twitch. You wince at the pain that was now shooting up your arm. “Your right hand is broken but not severely; your left will just have a lot of bruising. This will not heal the fractures, but it will heal the surface wounds.”

“How long do you think it will take to heal?” You ask as Alcina begins dressing the wounds on your knuckles.

“A month, two at the most. I’m sure you know now that you will be out of commission and unable to work until then.” Alcina says, assuming that you will have a remark about not being able to work.

“I actually don’t think I’m going to go back to work after this. Constantin, my father, said a lot of cruel things to me today, but what stuck out to me was when he said he didn’t care about what “power” I had because I wasn’t a lady and that I shouldn’t think I had any authority just because I was “whoring myself out” to you. I want to make him eat his words, to rue this day for the rest of his life.” 

“How dare that sorry excuse of a man speak to you that way!” Alcina exclaims “I am finding it increasingly difficult to abide by your wishes and not disposing of that man. Such scum should not be allowed to continue living after treating you the way he did.” 

“It’s fine, baby.” You freeze, staring at Alcina with a baffled expression. You’ve never called her “baby” throughout your whole relationship, and you can’t fathom why your brain decided to start doing that now. Maybe it’s because she always calls you pet names to calm you down and darling and the Romanian pet names don’t roll off the tip of your tongue that easily. Alcina stares back at you, mirroring your expression.

“Baby?” She repeats, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink,

“Sorry, i-it slipped. I-I didn’t mean t-”

“No, I… quite like it, actually. Why hadn’t you called me a pet name sooner?”

“I never pegged you as a woman that would like being called anything but “darling”, “dear”, or in some cases, “mistress”, so I just settled for Alcina.”

“I like the sound of it. Say it again, please.” Alcina says, leaning in.

“Baby.” You repeat, meeting Alcina halfway in a quick kiss.

“Again.” She softly commands.

“Baby.” Another kiss. 

“Again.” 

“Baby.” Another kiss. 

“Can you two stop being gross in there? Y/N’s sister wants to talk to her!” Cassandra shows from the other side of the door, causing the both of you to jump slightly. You both lean away from each other and simultaneously roll your eyes. You notice you’re beginning to mirror each other’s actions and you chuckle while Alcina continues wrapping your hand.

“Come in Cassandra.” Alcina says in a dour tone. The door opens and in walks the girls followed by your sister. Stefana’s eyes immediately dart to your hands and a deep frown paints her face. Cassandra also notices but her eyes light up as a grin paints her face.

“Who’s the unlucky soul whose face you broke?” The brunette asks enthusiastically.

“The floor in my room. I was throwing a temper tantrum and started punching the floor.”

“It wasn’t a temper tantrum. Your feelings are valid and shouldn’t be reduced to something as childish as a tantrum.” Alcina chides.

“Is it because of Constantin?” Stefana asks, taking your wrapped hand in her own as Alcina begins tending to the other. Following the events of this morning, she’s since then stopped calling him father. You nod.

“Who’s Constantin?” Daniela questions. 

“Our father.” You and Stefana speak at the same time. 

“I found the drawings I did when I was a kid. There was one of Mother, Constantin, and me. I tore it in half and started hitting it his image as if he could feel it.”

“Is that why I smelled blood and heard screaming? That was you?” Bela asks with a sad expression. 

“Yeah,” you sigh, “but I’m okay now. I’ve let it out, cried, screamed, bled… I’m tired of letting people like him cause me pain.” You respond, shaking your head. 

“Are you sure you’re okay, Beansprout? The things he said to you, what he implied…” Stefana trails off. Your eyes widen for a brief moment when you hear your nickname—your head would fall into your hands right now if they weren’t so banged up.

“I was okay until you called me by that nickname. I’m not six anymore.” 

“Bean is short for Beansprout?! Your nicknames just keep getting better, Y/N.” Cassandra says as she nearly doubles over in laughter. You give your sister a look as if saying “See what you caused?”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re six or ninety-six, that’s your nickname until you die. But really, are you okay? You know you can tell me, right?” 

“I’m okay, Fana, I promise. How are you? I saw you trip over the leg of a chair; you didn’t get hurt, did you?” You ask, furrowing your brows. Stefana shakes her head and relief washes over you. Alcina finishes bandaging your other hand and plants a sweet kiss on your knuckles, making you blush as the display of affection in front of the girls and your sister. 

“Girls, would you find Y/N and Stefana something to eat and take it to the library, please? They’ve both had an emotionally taxing day.” Alcina says. Cassandra scowls and crosses her arms over her chest. 

“You know you employ people to do that?” The brunette asks. When she poses the rhetorical question, both you and Alcina look at her with matching deadpanned expressions, once again mirroring each other’s actions. “Alright fine! You both don’t have to look at me like that, it’s creepy anyways.” The middle child grumbles before exiting the room, her sisters following behind her. 

“Y/N, when Constantin was talking all that nonsense about you not having power and authority… why didn’t you say anything back?” Stefana questions.

You sigh, “I didn’t say anything because some things were correct. I’m not a lady so I don’t hold as much power as some may think I do. I don’t have any command over the staff or the villagers; I’m ultimately powerless. But that’s all about to change.”

 “What do you mean?” Alcina and Stefana question in unison. 

“I would like to become a Lady, an official Dimitrescu if you will. Constantin is obsessed with having power over us, I want to prove him wrong. I want him to be so full of regret that he’s on his knees begging all of us for forgiveness.” You say with determination. Alcina and Stefana look at you with shocked expressions, though, Alcina’s eyes have glossed over.

“You’re… you’re sure?” Alcina whispers, her chest rising and falling as if she were afraid what she heard was not real.

“I’m sure. Today has made me realize a lot of things, the main thing being that I want the life I deserve to have, and that’s a happy life, with you, forever.” You say, placing your less severely injured hand over Alcina’s and meeting her gaze. She stares in disbelief, blinking a few times before crashing her lips into yours. You lose your balance and almost fall of the vanity, so Alcina pulls away and presses her forehead against yours. 

“You have no idea how happy you have just made me. I-I could cry.” Alcina says softly with a shaky voice as she reaches up to cup your face. 

“Save the tears for when I tell the girls, I think it’s time we had that family discussion.” You turn your head, giving your sister your attention. “That includes you, Stefana.”

“Right! Right—um—of course, it would. So, does that mean I have to call you Lady Y/N now?” 

“Not if you don’t want to.” You say with a chuckle.

“The girls have just entered the library with your meals. Come, you two will eat, then we will talk, and later,” Alcina pauses, leaning over to whisper in your ear. “You and I will celebrate.” 

Constantin is going to forever regret saying you had no power because soon, you’ll have nothing but power, nothing but authority.

Chapter Text

You and Stefana followed Alcina down the library, walking in comfortable silence. Alcina offered to carry you there, but you politely refused when you saw the smirk that painted your sister’s face. You should really get used to showing affection with Alcina in front of other people if you’re to be a Lady now. Shit… oh shit! You’re actually going to be a Lady; the realization had just now dawned on you. The castle is going to be yours, the girls are going to be yours, you’re going to be a Dimitrescu. Y/N Dimitrescu… it has a nice ring to it, and now, you’ll finally have a last name. Would it be truly official though? Growing up in the village, you’ve only ever seen marriage between a man and a woman, but maybe you and Alcina can find a way around that. You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t realize Alcina and your sister had come to a halt in front of the library doors, and you collided face first with Alcina’s backside. You fell on your rear and looked up at the countess with a flushed face.

“Darling, I get that you’re excited but do pay attention.” Alcina says with a smirk as she opens the doors. She allows your sister to enter before extending her hand to you to help you up. Realizing you can’t grab hold of her, she crouches and picks you up by placing her hands under your arms, as one would to a child. It made you feel like a child and so you averted your gaze and brought a hand up to hide the deep red color of your cheeks. Back on your feet, you entered the library following your sister and crossed the room to join her and the girls at the game table to eat but… you can’t use your hands. Great.

You sink in your chair and let out a huff of annoyance. “What’s wrong? The food we got isn’t good enough for you or something?” Cassandra asks with a scowl.

“No, it’s—it’s fine, thank you. I can’t eat it though because of my hands.” You sigh.

“Well, no one told you to have a boxing match with the floor and lose.” The brunette quips.

“I did not lose,” you pout, crossing your arms over your chest, “I simply conceded the match because I didn’t want to shatter my bones.”

“Do you feel better though? Now that you’ve let all your anger out?” Cassandra asks, her voice dipping low, and her tone concerned. 

“Quite better, actually. However, I’m not finished with Constantin yet.”

“What are you planning on doing?”

“That’s a story for another time. There are more pressing matters that I need to attend to, like figuring out how I’m going to eat.” 

“Just use your left hand. Your right one is the only one that’s broken, right?” Bela asks. You hadn’t thought about using your left hand. You do so little with your non-dominant hand that you’d forgotten it wasn’t as messed up as your right.

“Oh, right, duh. Thanks, Bela.” You take your fork in your left hand and begin eating your lunch. You glance over at your sister who is pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing. “Fana, you okay?”

“And you chose her why?” Stefana deadpans looking at Alcina as she begins eating her lunch as well.

“I may be involved with your sister, Stefana, but I am still your employer and as such, I can give you a month of bathroom duty for being unkind to her.” Alcina says, bring her large armchair over to sit beside you. Stefana’s body stiffens, and she looks down at her plate.

“I apologize, My Lady, it won’t happen again.” Stefana says apologetically.

“It is alright, dear, and you may call me Alcina when we are in private like this.” Alcina says with a nod of her head.

“Hypothetically speaking, would I be able to give her a month of bathroom duty?” You ask with a mischievous grin.

“If she’d done something that earned her a punishment as such, yes, but if it is just because you want to then no. You cannot pick on your sister.” 

“Well, that’s no fun. Maybe I’ll just remain a maid.” You say sarcastically, giving Alcina a look to let her know that it was sarcasm.

“Are you not going back to work after your hands have healed?” Bela asks.

“No, I’m not, and that’s something I wanted to talk to the three of you about.”

“Why do you need to talk to us about not going back to work? You’re the one that’s going to be out of a paycheck.” Cassandra says with a light chuckle.

“Well, I’m not just resigning.” You pause, taking a deep breath to steel your nerves, “I was thinking of assuming a title, you know, becoming a Lady. Theoretically speaking, becoming her wife. I just felt that before I made such a serious commitment that I needed to talk to the three of you. I know how much the three of you love Alcina, so your approval is very important to me.” You say in a single exhalation. The girls stare at you with wide eyes before sharing looks with each other, silently communicating. They each place their elbows on the table and join their hands together in steeple shapes. The look of shock they shared was now replaced with narrowed eyes and single raised brows.

“We have to ask you a few questions to see if you’re truly worthy of our mother.” Cassandra says.

“Girls, is this really necess-” Alcina starts.

“Hit me with your best shot.” You interrupt.

“First, do you love our mother?” Bela asks.

“Yes, I do.” 

“Would you die for our mother?” Cassandra asks. An oddly dark question, but you knew the answer to it immediately.

“That’s kind of disturbing to ask, but yes, I would.”

“To follow up, would you kill for our mother?” Again, dark, but you knew the answer.

“I didn’t know I was interviewing for the position of castle knight, but yes I would.” You respond. Cassandra nods and hums in approval, looking to Daniela for her to ask her question.

“Now that Cass is done being weird, do you love my sisters and I?” Bela asks, taking the reins of this interrogation.

“Yes, I do. And Cassandra before you start, I would both die and kill for you as well. Anything else?”

“I have a question,” Daniela starts, “how does my hair look today?”

“Dani, please be serious.” Bela says, rolling her eyes.

“Your hair looks beautiful; I see that you cut it shorter and shaved the side again.” You respond, earning a bright smile from the redhead.

“I have no further questions.” The youngest Dimitrescu says, content with your answers thus far.

“Daniela is that seriously all that you wanted to ask?” Cassandra questions, smacking her teeth.

“Yep, Y/N’s had my approval for months, you two are just late bloomers.” The redhead giggles.

“Anyway, this is the last question I have.” Bela leans forward and her confident demeanor changes as her shoulders sag. “You’re human, and you won’t be here forever… but if we wanted you to, would you accept?”

“Bela…” Alcina trails off, looking to her oldest with a sorrowful expression.

“If you’d asked me that just days ago, I wouldn’t have been able to answer you. It’s something that has wracked my brain since my birthday. I couldn’t choose between the possibility of living forever, forced to watch my friends and siblings leave me behind, and staying mortal, where I would eventually have to leave all of you behind. But the conversation I had during dinner the day we went hunting made me realize something, I don’t know when I’m going to go or when anyone else is, and I don’t want to die feeling like we didn’t have enough time together. So, if a mutation is something you would want me to have, I’d gladly accept it. I want to be happy with you for as long as I possibly can.”

“Are you sure, darling? There are risks that come with a mutation such as ours, you… you may not survive.” Alcina says, her brows furrowing as she places her hand atop your thigh.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I’ve come toe to toe with death on several occasions and I have yet to back down; you know that as well as I do.” You say with a steeled expression. Alcina nods as she averts her gaze. She’s upset by something; you can tell by the way the muscles in her jaw clench.

“I will have to inform Mother Miranda then. I’m sure this is not something you wish to go through with right away, correct?” 

“Yeah. I want to take the time to get used to all the social changes before I make any physical changes. When I’m ready, I’ll let you know.” You say with an apologetic expression. 

“Your sister’s been kind of quiet. What do you have to say about all this, Auntie ?” Cassandra asks, drawing out her vowels to tease Stefana.

“Never call me that again,” Stefana responds, cringing at the sound of the title. “I have no thoughts other than I want my sister to be happy. I think your mother is good for her and in the few months that I’ve been here, she’s helped Y/N grow a lot. I’ve never seen two people as in love as they are.”

“I know, it’s so gross.” The middle child scoffs with a roll of her eyes.

“I think it’s cute. They’re like the main characters in Fingersmith.” Daniela says, referencing your favorite book. Your eyes go wide when you hear the title but quickly narrow at the comparison.

“I’m not looking to take your mother’s money then lock her away in an insane asylum. I’m also not a thief, Dani.” You respond, raising a brow at the redhead.

“But you are, you’ve stolen something very valuable. Don’t you know?” Alcina says, sending you into a panic. Your eyes dart around the room before settling on Alcina as they fill with worry. You didn’t steal anything, at least, you don’t recall stealing anything.

“No? I’ve never stolen anything in my life and if I did it definitely wouldn’t be from you or the castle.” You plead your case with all your might and Alcina reclines in her chair, throwing her head back in boisterous laughter. Is she laughing at you for what you said, or because you may be telling a lie? What does she know that you don’t?

“You’ve stolen my heart, my darling.” Alcina pauses, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. You deflate, letting out a huff as you glare at Alcina through your brows. “You should have seen the look on your face. Did I scare you that much?”

“Yes, you did. I know of the type of punishments maids get for stealing and quite frankly, I don’t wish for that to happen to me.”

“Oh, you would be receiving a different kind of punishment, my dear.” Alcina says with a smirk, earning retching sounds from the girls and your sister. Your mouth begins to run autopilot and your brain forgets that it isn’t just you and Alcina in the room. 

“It’s funny, you always say you’re going to punish me, yet you never act on it. Don’t tell me you’re all bark and no bite, Alcina.” 

“You’re lucky you’re injured, you little brat.” Alcina grumbles.

“Don’t act like you don’t like it.” You chuckle.

“For the love of Mother Miranda, can you two please stop being so gross? We’ve been put through enough torture for one day.” Cassandra says, covering her ears with her hands and screwing her eyes shut.

“Oh, shut up Cass, don’t act like you’re not always all over Catalina when she’s with us.” Daniela scoffs.

“You’re one to talk! Every word that comes out of your mouth when you’re with Olivia is a line from a romance novel. Don’t you know women don’t fall for cheesy shit like that?” 

“At least I can be romantic, you’re idea of romance is making fun of someone or showing your sickle collection that you named after dead maids.” 

“It’s romantic in its own right!”

“No, it’s not! You wouldn’t know romance even if it hit you over the head!” 

The girls continue their spat and luckily it has not escalated to a physical fight… yet. Alcina taps your shoulder and leans down close to your ear to whisper something to you.

“Since they are soon to be your daughters as well, why don’t you try disciplining them?” 

“Oh no, no thank you. When they fight, they’re yours.” You whisper in reply, shaking your head as your lips form a thin line.

“I’ve seen you do it before; they will listen if you’re firm enough. I don’t plan on saying a word to them so, unless you want this to escalate, you need to say something. You can do it.” Alcina says with an encouraging smile. You’ve disciplined the girls once, and they only listened because it reminded them of when Alcina does it. However, when Cassandra reached for your fork and was going to stab Daniela, you felt the need to intervene.

“Girls, enough!” 

“But M- huh?” Cassandra asks, staring at you with a dumbfounded expression.

“Hard of hearing all of a sudden? I said enough. You were about to stab Daniela with a fork.”

“But she started with me, she’s lucky it’s not a knife.” The brunette grumbles, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I don’t care who started with who, no stabbing in my presence. I want the two of you to apologize to each other.” You say, mirroring her actions. “Go on.” Your brow arches as the middle Dimitrescu glares at you. 

Cassandra groans, “I’m sorry, Daniela.”

“Apology accepted, sister.” Daniela says with a pleased grin.

“Daniela.” You say with warning. The youngest rolls her eyes and her head falls into the palm of her hand.

“I’m sorry too, Cassandra.”

“See, now was that so hard?” You ask with a saccharine-sweet tone and smile to match. Cassandra rolls her eyes for the umpteenth time today and pushes her chair from the table.

“Ugh, whatever.” The brunette says before dissolving into her swarm and fleeing the room. A sly grin appears on Daniela’s face before she too dissolves into her swarm and exits. The last sister in the room is Bela and with a sigh, she stands and follows her sisters out of the room on her feet.

“How did you do that?” Stefana asks, laughing incredulously.

“It’s funny you ask that because I don’t know. This is only the second time that I’ve done that.”

“And they just listen to you?”

“Apparently.” You chuckle.

“You should have had kids sooner, you’re a natural.” Stefana says, standing and collecting yours and her plates. 

“That she is.” Alcina smiles, “Stefana, dear, thank you for joining our discussion. Though you did not have much input, it is still very much valued. If there’s ever a time where you would like to just talk casually, feel free to do so.”

“Thank you, My Lady.” Stefana says with a slight bow. “You know, growing up and learning about you from my parents made me believe you were this notoriously intimidating woman that had no humanity, but now that I know you, you’re perhaps one of the nicest, most human people in this village. Thank you for taking such good care of Y/N, I’m glad she has you.” Your older sister offers Alcina a warm smile as she crosses the room toward the exit.

“Thank you, Stefana. I am glad to hear that you no longer view me in such a negative light. Y/N has changed me in many ways, and I am forever grateful for her. Enjoy the rest of your day, dear.” Alcina says, returning the gesture. Stefana exits the room with a nod leaving you and Alcina.

“That turned out better than I thought it would.” You say, pleasantly surprised as to how well the girls and your sister took your announcement.

“Were you worried?” Alcina asks, furrowing her brows.

“A little, yes.” 

“Darling, you had nothing to worry about. The girls adore you and this is something they, as well as myself, have wanted for quite some time now. We did not want to drive you away by pressuring you to do something you weren’t ready for, the girls especially.” 

“Thank you, Alcina. I’m so excited to truly be a member of this family, to be able to say “Hello, I’m Lady Y/N, this is my wife, Alcina, and our daughters.” Doesn’t it sound lovely?”

“Is that all I am, just the wife? What happened to my title?” 

“Is that really all you heard? Sometimes I wonder just how mature you are.” You scoff. A small smile appears on your face immediately afterward to let Alcina know you’re just joking.

“I am only teasing, iubirea mea, it sounds wonderful.” Alcina says, leaning down to plant a kiss on the crown of your head.”

~

After you left the library, Alcina returned to her room to make a phone call to Mother Miranda to inform her of your decision, and you went to the servants' quarters to find your friends. Based on the time, Mara and Catalina should be returning from their duties and Olivia should be getting ready to start hers. Or they could all be off today. Either way, you would be able to catch the three of them in this weird layover period between morning/afternoon and afternoon/night shifts. You stood outside their door, nervously drumming the fingers on your left hand against your thigh. You took a deep breath to calm your nerves and knocked on the door. It opened slowly as if whoever was answering it was apprehensive. When you saw a familiar eye peeking through, the door opened fully, and you were greeted by a confused-looking Olivia.

“Hey, Liv, where are Mara and Cat?” You ask, leaning your shoulder against the door frame.

“They’re fixing some snacks in the kitchen. This morning, the Lady gave us the day off in case you needed us. Did something happen?” The young woman asks, furrowing her brows in a mixture of worry and confusion.

“Yeah, me and Fana visited our parents today. It… it didn’t end well.” You respond. Olivia nods slowly before her eyes trail down to your wrapped hands.

“What happened to your hands? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I was frustrated earlier and started punching the floor. Not a very wise decision on my part,” you chortle, “but it helped me release a lot of stuff that I was bottling up. Can I come in?” 

“Of course.” Olivia responds stepping to the side to let you in. “This is still your room; you can always come here.”

“Thanks, Liv. You guys haven’t been up to my room in a while, why don’t we play cards one of these nights when my hands heal?” You ask, taking a seat on your old, unused bed.

“That sounds great.” Olivia pauses, returning to her spot on her bed. “I know we see you during meals and all, but I’ve missed you. We used to have a lot of fun in here.”

You sigh, “We did, but we can still have fun. I’ll have plenty of free time to hang out with you guys now.” 

“Oh no, did you get demoted? Did you and the Lady break up? Please tell me you didn’t break up!” Catalina exclaims as she and Mara step into the room. Mara hands Olivia a couple of plăcintă that have been wrapped in parchment paper before sitting at the foot of her bed. She holds out her hand, offering you one but you shake your head to refuse.

“We didn’t break up, and I didn’t get demoted. Is seeing me here that shocking that you thought I got demoted?”

“Well, no, not really. But I worry that if you keep the Lady waiting any longer you may end up back here with us.” Catalina says playfully as she jumps on your bed beside you.  

“Oh please. Alcina would never demote me, I’m her favorite employee.”

“Is that it? Or is it the fact that you’re the one she’s boning every night? It would be quite the walk of shame, coming from her room back here.”

“Shut up, Cat.” You roll your eyes, nudging your friend. “If she’s listening to the sound of my heart, which I’m sure she is, she just heard what you said.” You say with a smirk, causing your friends' eyes to widen. 

“My Lady, if you can hear me, know that I mean no harm by what I said. I’m just teasing Y/N, honestly. Please, don’t punish me.” Catalina pleads, looking toward the ceiling as if Alcina was some god that she was praying to. You fall back on the bed, holding your stomach as you burst into laughter. Catalina glares at you and is preparing to hit you when she notices your hands. “What happened?” She asks, her voice now full of concern.

“My right hand is broken, and my left is just a little busted. I was hitting a hard surface out of anger when I got back from my parents’ farm today.”

“You went to see your parents?” Mara asks, her eyes widening in surprise.

“I did. Alcina allowed Stefana to accompany me and we went together. I gave my parents a piece of my mind, yet my father was completely unaffected by what I said and still acted terribly toward me. I came back here and had a breakdown because I was angry—I was fed up.”

“Your father… he didn’t hurt you did he?” Olivia asks, her brows furrowing with worry.

“He did—punched me square in the jaw and pushed Stefana to the floor. It didn’t hurt though, Irina’s hits hurt more than his did. But calling me essentially a powerless whore is what stung.” You shrug. “But that’s over with now, I said what I needed to say so now I don’t care what happens to him. My mother though... she looked like she wanted to help, she even tried to, but I didn’t want her to touch me. I think she feels remorse, but with my father around, she can’t express it.” 

“So, if he died, you wouldn’t feel anything?” Mara questions.

“Nothing at all.”

“And the Lady, how did she react?” Catalina asks with a mouth full of food. You grimace at her lack of manners but, it’s Cat so you settle.

“She wants to kill him, but I told her that death would be the easy way out for him. Constantin is going to regret the things he’s said and done. When my left and heals, I’m going to pay him another visit to truly set the record straight.”

“How are you going to set the record straight?” Olivia queries.

“That’s actually what I came here to talk to you all about. I’m assuming a title; I will officially be a Lady and my father will no longer be able to say that I have no power or authority.” When you finish your sentence, your friends’ eyes widen, and Catalina nearly falls off the bed.

“The Lady proposed?! When?!” Catalina exclaims.

“It wasn’t a formal proposal, I kind of just told her when she was cleaning my hands. Under different circumstances, I would have told her over dinner. She and the girls were waiting until I was ready, and I am.”

“Oh, this is so exciting! I’ve always wanted to go to a wedding!”

“I don’t know if there will be a wedding, Cat, it’s not really common for two women to be married.” 

“But it’s happened before, my aunt is married to a woman.”

“Just because you can’t have an actual wedding, doesn’t mean you can’t have a party or some type of celebration. Something as monumental as this requires at least a dinner.” Mara suggests. You give a small shrug as you consider the woman’s words. At the time, you hadn’t thought about celebrating with anyone other than Alcina… in your bed… again, and again, and again. You start thinking about just how you’re going to celebrate and the ongoing conversation fades into background noise. You’ve become somewhat insatiable after experiencing real pleasure for the first time. It was a good thing that Alcina was just as driven as you because your hunger would always be sated. 

“Hello? Earth to Y/N.” Catalina says, snapping her fingers in front of your face to pull you out of the daze you’re in. You blink a few times before sitting up and looking at your friends with a confused expression (which didn’t exactly match the red of your cheeks at the moment).

“Huh?” You ask.

“We asked you what you’re going to do to celebrate if you don’t have a wedding.” Olivia says, giggling at your flushed state.

“Well, Alcina and I are going to celebrate tonight, and probably well into the morning too.” You say with a smirk, earning a pillow to the face from Catalina.

“If I can’t talk about you and the Lady boning then neither can you. Besides, it’s gross when you do it.” Catalina says, folding her arms over her chest. You’ve noticed that she and Cassandra have picked up a lot of mannerisms from each other. It’s cute, how alike they are.

“You sound a lot like Cassandra.” You say with a small laugh.

“You say things like that in front of your children?! They ought to be taken from you.” Catalina says, feigning disgust.

“I don’t say things like that in front of the girls,” you pause, rolling your eyes, “and they’re not my children just yet. We still have to run everything by Mother Miranda and get her approval.”

“You know she likes you; she keeps tabs on you through Blue. Hell, she probably watched you go to your parents’ farm and back.” Catalina says as she continues to hit you with the pillow. You can’t grab it and pry it from her because your hands are still very much injured, so you’re just going to have to endure the torture.

“I have no doubts that she likes me, it’s if I’m fit for experimentation that worries me. I want to be sure that I’ll have a long life with Alcina and the girls, the thought of leaving them behind worries me. I know they’ll be okay, but they’ve suffered loss once already with Alcina’s companion before me.” 

“She’s had a companion before?” Olivia question.

“Yes, when the girls were reborn, but her story is not mine to tell. I imagine she wouldn’t be happy with me for running my mouth.”

“So, you’re going to be mutated? Do you know when?” Mara questions, her tone soft and sad.

“No, but I’m not ready to be changed yet. It’s scary… I may not survive.” You say, sitting up and placing your hands into your lap. “When the time comes, if something happens to me, will you promise to be there for the girls and Alcina?” You look around the room, studying your friends' expressions as the tone shifts from playful to serious. You didn’t want to continue discussing the likelihood of you dying in front of Alcina and the girls for the fear of them trying to convince you not to go through with your decision.

“I can’t promise that,” Catalina pauses, blinking back unshed tears. You look at her in bewilderment, what did she mean? “I can’t promise that because you’re not going to die, nothing is going to happen to you, and you’re not going to leave them behind.” 

“Still, Cat, the cadou infection is unpredictable and my body may not be able to withstand it. When I agreed to receive it down the line, I spoke with confidence that I no longer have and now I’m scared. So please, if something happens, take care of them and Stefana.” 

“We’ll do our best,” Mara starts, steeling her gaze and speaking with determination, “but you’re not dying. You’re strong, Y/N, and I know that when the time comes, you’ll come back to us.”

“Thanks, Mara.” You smile, “Well, I should probably go find Alcina. I came down here when she left to call Mother Miranda. I’ll keep you guys posted when something else happens.”

“Alright, Lady Y/N, or… do we call you Lady Dimitrescu as well?” Catalina asks with a stupid grin on her face.

“You call me by my name. Nothing is changing between us, I just won’t be having meals with you or making tea with you in the mornings. I’m still your best friend.” You say standing from your bed and heading toward the door. “Don’t be afraid to come up to my assigned room when you want to talk. Until Alcina hires a new lady’s maid, the room is still mine.” You exit with a smile, closing the door behind you. Now you just need to find Alcina. You wanted to spend time alone with her where you’re not crying or getting wounds dressed. You were having a moment like that earlier but were interrupted.

The only places you knew she could be were the study or the bedroom as those were the only two locations with a telephone. Based on the direction she went when the two of you parted ways, you decided to head back toward your shared room. Before you entered, you could hear her voice, she appeared to still be talking. 

“Mother Miranda, you have to understand, she wants to wait. I cannot give you a time frame of when she will be ready, nor can I persuade her to be ready any sooner. Please trust her… No, Mother Miranda, I don’t… No… We haven’t discussed it yet… A civil ceremony, I’m assuming… I would prefer it if that fool Heisenberg did not show but they are friends… Yes, Mother Miranda, I will… You as well, Goodbye.” 

When you hear the receiver slam down, you open the door, acting as nonchalant as possible.

“Hey, baby, how did the phone call with Mother Miranda go?” You ask, stepping into the room and closing the door behind you. Alcina must not have been expecting you to enter with that kind of greeting because her head snaps in your direction.

“It went well, she’s quite excited. I… spoke to her about giving you the cadou as well.” 

“And? You don’t sound so thrilled.”

“All of her experiments are done with the intention of finding a vessel for her daughter’s soul. If you are a suitable candidate, your body may be possessed by Eva, Miranda’s daughter. You would be gone completely… and I don’t know if will be able to handle that.” Alcina says, placing a cigarette in her holder, lighting it, and taking a long drag.

“What about the process to create the girls? What if I’m implanted with the same cadou as the girls?” You ask, furrowing your brows. You needed some way, any way possible for this to work. You didn’t want Alcina and the girls to be without you.

“I’m afraid I no longer have the cadou I used to create them; Miranda will have to perform the procedure. Are you sure you want to be infected? I know you fear your life will end before you’ve had enough time with us, but if I lost you to the mutation…” Alcina trails off, her eyes glazing over as she takes another long drag from her cigarette. You approach her and place your hands on her lap for reassurance.

“That won’t happen. If I have to fight off a child in my subconscious then so be it, but I want the opportunity to be with you forever. When I have the procedure, I’ll come back to you. Nothing, and I mean nothing will keep me away from you and the girls.” You say with a determination in your voice that renders Alcina speechless for a brief moment.

“Do you promise?” She asks, her voice almost at a whisper.

“I swear on my life. I meant it when I said I’m never leaving you again, no matter what. I’ll fistfight the angel of death if I have to.” Your words earn a short laugh from Alcina. She places the holder down on the vanity and holds her arms out to you. You raise yours so she can pick you up in perhaps the most humiliating way you’ve ever been picked up, but you currently can’t use your hands to aid in climbing.

“You never cease to amaze me, darling. I am truly lucky to call you mine, My Lady.” Alcina says, smiling down at you.

“You know, that doesn’t sound bad at all when it comes from your mouth.” You respond, smirking as your eyes flicker between golden irises and blood-red lips.

“If that sounds good, then how does Lady Y/N Dimitrescu, wife of Lady Alcina Dimitrescu sound? That is your official introduction when you greet people.” 

“It sounds like a dream. I can’t wait to see the look on Constantin’s face the next time I visit that hellhole.”

“You’re going to go back? Why?” 

“I want Constantin to know that I’m not one to be trifled with. I was thinking that you could come with me; he won’t believe me unless you’re there. If he’s still not willing to treat me with respect and dignity, then I suppose he will have to be made into wine.”

“What of your mother? How shall we deal with her?”

“I think we need to talk. I could tell that there were things she wanted to say, and she wanted to help Fana and I when Constantin put his hands on us but she’s so afraid of him that she didn’t try to help until he was out of the room. He forced her to treat me how he treated me, and I think she regrets it. Her eyes… looked as though they were screaming to me how sorry she was. The only way to know the truth is if Constantin is out of the picture.”

“I see, and if her showing remorse is not the case?”

“Then both of them deserve to die.” 

“You certainly are not the same passive girl that started working here two years ago. More parts of you are like me now than there were the night Miranda brought you here.”

“What can I say? You’ve changed me. I don’t believe in giving second chances to those that don’t deserve it. My father has proven time and time again that they are irredeemable and I’m willing to give my mother the benefit of the doubt, but I will never forgive her.”

Silence falls on the two of you as Alcina rubs lazy patterns over your arms. Anxious for a change of subject, you look up at Alcina and begin speaking again. “You didn’t hear my conversation with Catalina by any chance, did you?”

“I heard every word.” Alcina says, causing you to stiffen. “However, I wasn’t giving it much thought as I was on the phone with Miranda.”

“So, you heard-”

“I heard her comment about us boning every night, yes. You’re going to have to explain it to me though because I’m not sure what she meant. It’s not a term I’ve heard outside of the jazz realm, and we don’t own trombones.” As Alcina expresses her confusion, you have to bite the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from laughing in her face.

“Boning is um… it means having sex. She thought I got fired and when I assured her that you would never fire me because I’m your favorite employee, she quipped back and claimed that it’s because of our relationship. I’m not mad at her though, I know she didn’t mean anything by it.” You explain, chuckling nervously.

“Cassandra is a bad influence on the girl. Doesn’t she know that if we had sex every night that your hands wouldn’t be the only thing you couldn’t use? You walking to the servants’ quarters should have been proof enough of that.” Alcina says with a smirk. You choke on your breath as you stare back in shock.

“My Lady, how vulgar!” You exclaim, faking a gasp.

“You’ve yet to see vulgar, my little Countess,” Alcina says as she takes your left arm and begins leaving a trail of kisses over your clothes toward your shoulder. “I do believe I said we would be celebrating after we had our discussion. However, given the state of your hands, I understand if you don’t wish to… engage.”

“Oh u-um, r-right now?” You ask, your cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

“If you wish, or if you would like to have dinner first, I can wait.” 

“I’m not hungry right now anyhow. Allow me to bathe first, and then we’ll celebrate.”

“Why don’t we begin our celebration in the bath and bathe together? I find that the heat of the water increases sensitivity and intensifies your climax. Afterward, we can continue our celebration all night and well into the morning, as you mentioned earlier.” Alcina suggests, reiterating the words you said to Catalina in the servants’ quarters. You swallow as you feel your mouth and throat drying up, almost as if your body is thirsting for what Alcina is describing. 

“Will we get any real sleep?”

“No.”

Chapter Text

Adjustments. By definition, it’s the process of adapting or becoming used to a new situation. 

So far, you’ve found that adjusting to life as a Lady was easier than you anticipated. There wasn’t much for you to get used to. Not much has changed from when you were a maid, other than when you woke up, and when you ate meals. You had no problems with a day that started later than everyone else because that meant you could spend more time in bed with your wife. On paper, you and Alcina weren’t married, but it felt good to be able to call her your wife, so you went with it. However, it didn’t need to be on paper. The two of you were married because you said so, and no one would be foolish enough to object to it. The two of you are planning to have a small celebration in the winter; you’ve extended invitations to your siblings, and Alcina to the other lords and Miranda. Nothing too extravagant, just a nice dinner and maybe an exchange of vows. Most of the changes were being made to the castle staff. Now that you’d resigned, both you and Alcina needed lady’s maids. You, however, protested to having one because you did not need anyone to assist you in getting ready. Lydia had taken over your breakfast duties, though, you’d still prepare a pot of tea on occasion. Sam, who was due to return to the Beneviento estate soon, now had to extend their stay to build furniture for you to go in your and Alcina’s room—a vanity, a wardrobe, a desk, and another bedside table. 

You weren’t expected to do much as a Lady, and because of your need to be of use, you offered time and time again to help with the winery or with Alcina’s work for Miranda. Yes, you said you wanted nothing to do with the winery, but you felt bad for letting Alcina handle everything herself. You two were a team and you wanted to pull your weight. 

~

Today is the first day in a long time that you’ll be able to take a break from being Lady Y/N Dimitrescu and just be Y/N. You’re going into the village with the girls so they can buy some things before it gets too cold. You’ve been looking forward to this day all week and you’re so excited. Then, in two days, You and Alcina are to visit Donna to discuss “village leader business” as they’ve described it. You probably won’t join this discussion and just take Angie somewhere to play games. But that’s for you to worry about later. Now, you just wanted to have a relaxing morning before you set off on your trip with your daughters. 

You rolled over and stretched your arms high above your head as the sunlight spilled into the room. Holding your right hand at eye level, you inspected it for any signs of remaining injury. It healed faster than you expected it to, taking just three weeks, and now it looked as though it was never broken. There were no scars or blemishes indicating your scuffle with the floor, and all the bruising was gone. You rubbed your eyes before placing your arms at your sides to push yourself into a sitting position. Your movement caused Alcina to stir, turning on her back as her eyes fluttered open. A small smile painted her lips when her eyes found yours staring back at her.

“Watching me sleep? Has your staring problem gotten worse?” Alcina asks, her voice groggy and soft.

“I can’t help but stare when I’ve got such a gorgeous woman lying beside me.”

“I’m hardly gorgeous without my face on.” Alcina says as she turns over, her back now facing you. You lean over, place a kiss on her shoulder, and reach over to caress the side of her face and turn it toward you.

“You’re gorgeous no matter what you look like, no matter what time of day it is. You’re gorgeous in the morning, at night, in the middle of the day. You’re gorgeous with or without makeup. You’re gorgeous when your eyebrows furrow and your mouth hands open as I please you. And you’re hot as hell when you’re angry.” You say with a wink. Alcina turns back over onto her back to push herself up, pressing her back against the headboard.

“Is there a particular reason for the slew of compliments this morning, my love?”

“No, I just don’t like when you talk bad about yourself. You’re beautiful, Alcina, end of discussion.”

“But-”

“Nope.” 

“Will you just-”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Y/N-”

“Alcina.”

“Fine, I give up.”

“Good girl, I knew you’d see things my way.” You felt Alcina’s body stiffen at your use of praise, and maybe it was the sunlight playing tricks on your eyes, but you could have sworn you saw her cheeks turn pink.

“What… did you just say to me?” Alcina asks with a baffled expression.

“I called you a good girl. Was- was that wrong? Did I make you uncomfortable?” You question, your brows furrowing as you scan Alcina’s facial features for any signs of discomfort.

“No, it’s just… it’s different. I’m not used to being called that sort of thing.” Alcina says, averting her gaze as her face turns a deeper shade of pink.

“You’re not used to being praised? Is that something you… like?” You had to tiptoe around this subject with Alcina. You know that due to Miranda’s treatment of her, she strives for perfection, to always be in her good graces. But when was the last time anyone told her that she was going a good job or that they were proud of her?

“I enjoy it, yes. It makes me feel better about myself.” Alcina admits, wrapping her arms around her body as if she were hugging herself.

“Do you want me to praise you, Alcina?” You ask, to which Alcina responds with a curt nod. “Okay, and is this a sexual thing for you as well?” No answer. You could see in Alcina’s expression that she was nervous, but she had nothing to worry about. She wouldn’t be the first person to like being praised in bed. “You can tell me, baby. I’ll never judge you for anything, ever.” You say, lowering your voice to almost a whisper to bring Alcina some comfort in the situation.

“Only certain words elicit a sexual response from me; that’s why my body tensed when you called me a good girl. I’ve only ever let Elisabeta call me that in bed.” Alcina says, embracing herself tighter.

“Thank you for sharing this information with me. Liking praise is nothing to be ashamed of, and if I’m being honest, any time you would praise me for my work left me a little weak in the knees. Praise makes people like us feel good.”

“People like us? What do you mean?”

“People pleasers. And I know it sounds like I’m making harmful assumptions about you, but I promise I’m not. After you told me all that you did to be Miranda’s favorite, it kind of reminded me of my first few weeks as your lady’s maid. I overworked myself to the point of exhaustion all because I wanted to live up to your expectations. When I got sick, I was more scared of you being disappointed in me than being sent down to the cellar. Sound familiar?” Alcina turns to you with a quizzical expression as she pieces it all together. You and she were more alike than you were different, even though back when she attacked you she claimed you were nothing alike.

“Sounds too familiar, darling. I find that we are more alike than I believed us to be. I thought that you could never understand some of the things that I’ve been through, but it turns out that you’ve experienced some of the same things, just in different ways.”

“Yes, I have, and I think that’s why we’re perfect for each other. We’re able to lean on one another because of our similar experiences.” You say, smiling warmly at the older woman as you tuck a piece of stray hair behind her ear. She grabs your hand and pulls you close, nearly on top of her. 

“My perfect little countess, you are truly a blessing.” Alcina whispers, leaning in to capture your lips in a sweet kiss. 

It quickly deepens as you swing your leg over one of Alcina’s thighs, straddling it. Alcina’s fingernails rake over the skin of your thighs, sending little jolts of electricity through your body before they dig into the flesh of your ass. Your mouth opens in a breathy moan as Alcina begins kneading and squeezing, applying just enough pressure for a familiar heat to course through you. 

“Alcina, w-we should probably s-start getting ready.” You say, fumbling over your words as Alcina’s mouth trails over your jawline and down your neck.  

“You’re the one that climbed on top of me, darling.” Alcina states matter-of-factly as her tongue lathes over the junction between your neck and shoulder. If you weren’t on top of her, you’d be able to press your thighs together to provide the friction your body is desperately craving. 

Your hips buck involuntarily when Alcina bites down on the sensitive spot on your neck. One hand tangles in her raven curls, and the other flies to your mouth to muffle a moan. Alcina’s hands venture under your nightgown, lifting it as they gingerly roam over your skin. You, however, had no time for gingerly. You didn’t need to look down to know that you were coating her skin with your arousal. You could feel it coating your inner thighs as well. 

“Someone’s very excited.” Alcina says. Her pupils dilate, completely covering the gold of her irises as your scent fills her nostrils. Your whole body heats up at her words and you tug on the lapels of her robe to bring her close to you again. Her hands that had come to rest on your sides were now moving over your ribcage and close to your chest. Her thumbs ghost over your nipples, and they harden from the slight contact. 

“Alcina…” You murmur, squirming when her warm breath tickles just under your jaw.

“Yes?” Alcina questions, leaving light kisses near your jawline and ear.

“I want you to touch me.” 

“How do you want your Mistress to touch you?” The countess asks, her hands leaving your torso and landing on your hips. She pushes you forward, making you grind down on her thigh. You arch into Alcina, the front of your body now pressing against hers. She continues to move your hips back and forth, and you moan as your clit rubs against her.

“I-I want your fingers inside me.” You respond, burying your face in Alcina’s curls to muffle a loud moan when she begins moving your hips faster. You could come just from this, but you needed to feel her filling you. Your body yearned for her touch. Alcina stops the movement of your hips, holding them firmly in place as you try to grind them yourself.

“Lie on your back.” Alcina commands. You nod, a blush creeping on your face when you see just how much of your slick has coated her thigh when you climb off of her. You lie down with your knees together, panting as the anticipation causes your heart rate to elevate. 

Alcina moves to kneel by your feet and places her hands on your knees, slowly pushing them apart. “Beautiful…” The Countess breathes when she gets a full view of your core. You turn your head to the side so that Alcina could not see the deep red of your face. “Look at me, Y/N.”

You turn your head and see Alcina looking back at you with a serious expression. Her eyes were still full of hunger, but when she took her hands off of you, you began to worry. “Mistress?” You question.

“I want you to let me take the reins, to take control. I need you to put your trust in me.” 

“I trust you—I know you won’t hurt me, Alcina. I’m giving you control; you have my consent.” You speak with an affirming nod.

“If ever you need to stop, say nu mai, that is the safe word you’re to use. It means ‘no more’ in Romanian. As soon as I hear it, whatever it is we are going in that moment will end. Do you understand?” 

You nod, “Yes, I understand.”

“Repeat it back to me.”

“Nu Mai.” 

“Good girl. Now, arms above your head. Cross them at the wrists.” You do as Alcina commands, placing your hands on the pillows above you and crossing them. 

Alcina hooks her arms under your legs and pulls you further down the bed, closer to her. She lets go of your legs and lowers herself over you. One hand is resting beside your head for support, the other rakes over your body; gliding over your abdomen, passing over your outer thigh, moving agonizingly slow up your inner thigh toward your center. The countess leans in, her breath hot against the shell of your ear. You squirm underneath her, whimpering as she kisses down your neck and over your collar bones. The fingers on her free hand slide through your folds, becoming slick with your arousal before they begin circling your clit. You groan at the slow pace Alcina’s set and roll your hips to encourage her to speed up. You whine when her hand stops completely.

“W-why’d you stop? Keep going, please.” You try moving your arms, but she has them firmly held in place and her strength is unparalleled.

“Stop moving, and I will give you what you want. The longer you squirm, the longer it will take for me to please you. Have you forgotten that you gave me control?”

“N-no, I didn’t forget, but we don’t have all morning.”

“Oh, I see. Since you’re in such a rush, perhaps we should continue this later, yes?” Alcina says, smiling as she sits up on her heels. You don’t want to move, but you also don’t want Alcina to leave the bed completely. 

“No, no wait. Alcina please. I’ll be good, I’ll stop moving, please.” 

 “Ah, but it was you who said we should get ready for the day, was it not? Come, I think we’ve dawdled enough.” Alcina says as she stands from the bed. You let out a very exaggerated groan before you sit up. “Oh, and darling, while you’re bathing, no touching yourself. I’ll know.” Alcina saunters over to the bathroom and before she enters, she shoots you a devious grin. 

~

You couldn’t focus on your meal or the conversation around you as you sat at the table with Alcina and the girls. You knew your mouth would one day get you into trouble with Alcina, but you thought she’d spank you or not let you reciprocate, or something. You didn’t think she’d just stop in the middle of pleasuring you. You couldn’t finish yourself in the shower so now you’re squirming in your chair, trying to create as much friction as you possibly could.

“Are you okay, Y/N?” Bela asks, looking down the table at you.

“I’m fine, Bela.” You reassure the eldest Dimitrescu with a smile before turning to Alcina and glaring at her. “I just had a rough start to my morning.”

“A marital spat already? It’s been what, three weeks?” Cassandra questions, laughing at the staring contest that’s now occurring between you and Alcina.

“No, it’s not like that at all. Y/N is just in a bit of a mood because I wouldn’t give her what she wanted this morning.” Alcina says, hiding her smirk behind the edge of her teacup. 

“Do I want to know what it is?” The brunette asks, her eyes flickering between you and Alcina. 

“No, Cass. I don’t think it’s a table-friendly topic. Why don’t we change it to something more lighthearted?” You smile sweetly and intertwine your fingers atop the table; leaning in to give the girls your full attention, and hopefully distract you from the dull throb between your legs. “What do you three want to do while we’re out in the village today?” You ask.

“I want to visit the library and the bakery.” Daniela says with an excited grin.

Bela pulls out a small piece of paper and begins reading the text scribbled on the page. “I need to pick up wood stains for the chessboard Sam is making.”

You look to Cassandra as you await her answer, but she instead stares into her plate with a slight pout. “Cass?”

“None of the stores in the village have what I want.”

“What is it that you want?”

“A new sickle and Mother won’t allow me to visit a blacksmith.”

“Because you already have enough sickles. What do you possibly need with more weapons?” Alcina asks, the volume of her voice rising slightly.

“Every sickle is different! The feel of the handle, the curve of the blade, the weight… I need a new sickle that isn’t like the ones I already have.” 

“Cassandra, I said no. My word is final.” 

“But-”

“No buts, you’re not getting another sickle.” Alcina says, interrupting the middle sibling.

“Well, how about we get you some pastries from the bakery instead? Whatever you want, my treat.” You say, hoping that Cassandra agrees to your alternative.

“You can’t just solve my problems by buying me food.” Cassandra says, rolling her eyes. 

“I’ll get you those chocolate tarts you like.” You raise a brow at the middle Dimitrescu, knowing that she can’t resist anything with chocolate in it.

“Deal.” 

The remainder of breakfast was spent conversing with Alcina and the girls, and occasionally, you and the Countess would have another staring match. Which in reality was just you glaring at her. However, you did manage to calm down and no longer felt the need to wriggle in your seat. As long as Alcina didn’t say anything that ticked you off, you could enjoy the morning with your family. The girls had dissolved into their swarms to get ready to leave once the table was cleared, leaving you and Alcina in the dining room. Now that it was just the two of you, the air around was stuffy and awkward.

“Darling,” Alcina says, drumming her fingers against the table.

“Yes?”

“I couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong by the looks you were giving me earlier. Have I done something to that upset you?” The countess asks with an innocent-looking smile. She doesn’t need you to answer that question, she knows exactly what she did.

“Nothing at all. I’m just peachy.” You respond through gritted teeth, faking a smile.

“Don’t lie to me, Y/N.”

“You just love seeing me suffer, don’t you? You got me all worked up earlier and then just stopped like you were closing a book right before the good part.” 

“It’s called edging, dear, and the longer you wait, the more intense the climax. You’ve been doing so well, holding out this long, I’d hate for your mouth to ruin it again.” Alcina says, feigning sympathy.

“What do you mean by that?” 

“Why, it was your remark about “not having all morning” that got you into this. I told you I would punish you for your smart mouth, and you’ve finally given me consent to do so.” 

“So, you being all bark and no bite was really just you waiting for me to give you consent?” 

“Correct, you submitting to me, giving me complete control, is something we both have to want. I’ve never forced a partner to submit, they’ve all done so willingly. Your body is yours and I won’t encroach on your right to bodily autonomy.” That makes a lot of sense. Alcina is a very respectful woman and though she’s always claimed she was going to punish you, she’s never done anything that you didn’t want her to do. 

“I see, and if I wanted to switch up the roles, be the one in control, would you be willing to indulge me?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it every once in a while.” Alcina says in an indifferent tone, earning a nod from you.

“Back to the topic of punishment, how do you do it in that context? I would hope it isn’t the same type of punishments the castle staff gets for not doing their job properly.”

“No, I keep the two in very separate categories. While all of my punishments serve the purpose of teaching a lesson, the way I punish a sexual partner is meant to be enjoyed. Some of the things past partners have enjoyed included impact play, edging, overstimulation, breath play, and degradation.” Alcina explains, her tone as nonchalant as it is when discussing a normal topic. Edging, overstimulation, and degradation were all self-explanatory, but impact play and breath play are lost on you.

“What’s impact play and breath play.” You ask, furrowing your brows as you look quizzically at the Countess seated at the other end of the table. 

“Impact play is any form of striking. It could be spanking, slapping, et cetera, and it can be done with a multitude of things. Some of the things I’ve used in the past included my hand, a riding crop, a flogger, switches…” Your brain tuned out the rest of what Alcina was saying as soon as you heard the words “riding crop”. You began imagining Alcina bending you over her knee, hitting your bare backside with an open palm or with that leather riding crop she owned. The thought of it was very much appealing to you and was enough to reignite the dying embers of desire in the pit of your stomach. The thought of  everything  Alcina mentioned appealed to you, and though you weren’t paying attention to her explanation of breath play, you would probably be into that too. Alcina has turned you from an innocent virgin into a kinky mess and you weren’t all that upset about it.

“Y/N?” Alcina asks, bringing you back to reality.

“Yes, Mistr- Alcina?” You clear your throat and hope that she didn’t catch your slip up. However, the smirk on her face lets you know that she did, in fact, hear it.

“What has occupied your thoughts that you cannot pay attention when I’m speaking?” Alcina asks, leaning forward slightly, her chest resting atop the table. She was doing this on purpose as she knew the exact effect she had on you. You swallow thickly, averting your gaze to keep your focus on the conversation.

“I wasn’t thinking about anything important, what is it you were saying?” Underneath the table, you were wringing your hands together—a nervous habit.

“I was saying that we are going to have to finish this discussion later. The girls are almost ready to leave.” Alcina says with quirked brows. You stand from your seat, making sure to push your chair in and walk toward the door that leads into the main hall. Alcina’s eyes never leave your body as you walk past her, and this makes you wish you knew what she was thinking.

“We’ll be back in a few hours, and I’ll make sure to keep them out of trouble.” You say, standing with half of your body out the door.

“Very well.” Alcina says, standing from her chair as well, “If anything happens, return home immediately.” You nod, smiling at Alcina before slipping out of the room. 

‘Almost ready’ had a different definition for you than it did for the girls. Being almost ready for you meant throwing your cloak around your shoulders and your satchel over your arm. For Bela, Cass, and Dani, being almost ready meant arguing over who got to sit by who in the carriage, or where they’d go first. Fifteen minutes had passed after you got your things and decided to wait by the bottom of the staircase. If you’d have known they would be taking this long, you would have continued your talk with Alcina. Maybe it’s for the best though that you didn’t continue because Alcina would have to start demonstrating some of the things she was describing. Then, you definitely wouldn’t have been able to go into the village with the girls. You were almost getting lost in your thoughts again when the sound of bickering filled your ears. About time.

“Are you three ready?” You ask, standing from the bottom stair and stretching. Multiple joints in your body pop and crack as you move around… you should probably start stretching more.

“All ready.” Bela says, leading her sisters down the stairs.

The carriage ride into the village was surprisingly quiet. There wasn’t much conversation aside from you laying down a few ground rules. No scaring the villagers, no swarming off, and definitely no dragging people off with their sickles. After said ground rules were laid out, you did receive some grumbles from Cassandra but as soon as you threatened not to buy her any chocolate tarts, her lips were sealed. 

The first stop was the general store for Bela’s wood stains, and you figured while you were there, you could grab a few things for yourself. You eyed a lavender shampoo made with safflower oil in a similar-looking bottle to what Alcina uses. You don’t know if it’s exactly what she uses, but you were willing to try it. You also wanted to try out another handful of tea blends because the tea you were receiving now that you weren’t preparing it was more or less awful. In the next few aisles, the aisle with the books the village library doesn’t carry, you saw a detailed guide on different kinks. Your cheeks flushed as you flipped through the pages—you saw examples of what Alcina had described as well as a plethora of other things. This… could potentially be useful information, so you decided to add it to the assortment of items you were buying from the general store. You wanted to check out before the girls saw the book, God knows you can’t handle the embarrassment that would come with that. At the counter, you placed your items up for the shopkeeper to tally up the total.

“You don’t look like the type of girl that’d enjoy what’s in that there book.” The old woman says, giving you a once-over as she places the items in a bag. 

“It… seemed interesting. How much for everything?” You ask, not really wanting to engage in this kind of conversation with the old woman.

“130 lei for everything, dear.” The shopkeeper says, you fumble through your bag for your money and hand it to the woman, your lips forming a tight line as you do so. 

When everything is paid for, you wait outside the general shop for the girls. You know they’re going to question you about what you bought, at least Daniela will, so you take the book and shove it into your satchel. They don’t need to see that. The girls finish their shopping after what felt like an eternity and the four of you come to the consensus of visiting the bakery next. As promised, you bought Cassandra a half dozen of the little chocolate tarts she likes, chocolate cakes for yourself. Bela got herself a single plum tart, and Daniela couldn’t decide so she got virtually one of everything. you wanted to get something for Alcina, but you weren’t sure exactly what she liked.

“Hey, Cass, what kind of pastries does your mother like?” You ask. The brunette turns toward you, her mouth full with half a tart.

“She doesn’t eat a lot of sweets as we do, but if you want to get her something, get her the cherry pie. Mother loves cherries.” You take Cassandra’s words into consideration and add a few of the cherry pies on too your order. You hand the bakery clerk the payment for the goods before he bags everything up. The four of you exit the bakery, extending your thanks as you carry out bags full of baked goods. Any longer spent in there and Daniela would have cleaned the bakery out.

The last and final stop is the library. The reason Daniela wanted to go to the library was unbeknownst to you and her sisters—there’s a massive library in the castle—but it will be nice to visit the place you essentially grew up in. As you entered, you inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of old books, sandalwood, and pine. You loved this library, and it felt good to be back here. You and the girls broke off to explore and you found yourself in the romance section. There weren’t many titles here that piqued your interest, and a multitude of them were already owned by Alcina. However, there was a book that caught your eye,  The Well of Loneliness . You read the back cover for a synopsis and much to your surprise, it’s about a woman that falls in love with another woman, which is right up your alley. It was odd that the village library would have titles like this, the only other sapphic love story that you’ve ever seen here was  Fingersmith , and you may have taken it and never bought it back. You took the book up to the front desk to check it out, expecting to see the old librarian that taught you how to read and write. Instead, at the desk stood a young-looking man, maybe in his twenties, who looked less than thrilled to be working at the library.

“Where’s Florina?” You ask, handing the man the book so he can write down the call number.

“My grandmother? The old bat died a couple years ago, and my parents and I had to take over the place.” The librarian says, handing you the book back. You look at him in bewilderment; Florina wasn’t that old when you used to come here, and she always seemed healthy.

“Oh, that’s um, I’m sorry for your loss. She was an important person to me when I was growing up.” You say softly.

“Don’t be sorry. She was old and crazy… it was time.”

“Crazy?”

“Yeah, kept asking about her ‘little girl’. Some kid she said she taught how to read and write; all crazy talk.” The young man says with a shrug. Florina remembered you and asked about you before she died. Knowing that she thought about you was heart-wrenching.

“She wasn’t crazy.” You snap at the librarian, “I was the little girl she was talking about.” Before the man could say anything else, Daniela and Bela walked up to the counter with enormous stacks of books. Cassandra trailed behind them, dragging her feet and slouching. 

“Look at all the books we found!” Daniela says, poking her head out to the side of the tower of literature.

“Are these all titles that aren’t currently in the castle library?” You ask, looking over the spines of the books.

“You’re from the castle?” The librarian asks, disdain evident in his voice.

“Yes, is that a problem?” Bela asks in response.

“Yeah, it is. I don’t take kindly to the likes of you. These books aren’t leaving this library if you’re the ones taking them.” The man spits.

“What do you mean by “the likes of us”?” Cassandra questions.

“I mean monsters. I know what you do up in the castle,” the librarian pauses, turning his attention to you, “and you’re probably one of them too. Leave the books and get out.”

“The old woman had no issue with us getting books from here.” Bela says, holding an arm out to stop a now growling Cassandra from attacking the man.

“Well, the old crone isn’t here anymore. She probably didn’t have problems with you lot, but I do. Now either you get out, or I get ugly, and you don’t want me to get ugly.”

“You’re already ugly.” Cassandra says with a snarl. You take your book and toss it at the librarian. You wanted to throw it at his head, but as you’ve told Alcina months ago, you’re going to be the bigger person and walk away.

“Girls, drop the books. We’re leaving.” You say with finality in your tone as you walk toward the door.

“You’re just going to walk away after the things he said about us?” Cassandra asks, quickly crossing in front of you to stop you.

“Yes, Cassandra. We don’t need to waste our time on miserable people like him, and no amount of protesting will change the fact that that’s just what he is. I’m sorry, girls, but we’re returning to the castle. I’ll place an order with the duke for the books you wanted to make up for it.” 

After you exited, Bela and Daniela dropped their stacks before following you out the door to where the carriage had stopped (but not without glaring at the librarian first). The ride back to the castle was much quieter than the first ride. Occasionally, you’d glance over at the girls, who all opted to sit on the same side, and study their expressions. Cassandra was obviously still angry, but you don’t know if it was with you or the librarian. Bela looked indifferent, as she always does in these situations. Daniela… she looked the most visibly upset. Her cloak covered her face as she stared out the window, and every so often, you’d hear a sigh escape her lips. You hated seeing them upset, especially someone so bright and cheery as Dani, and if you’d have known this is how the day would turn out, you would have just gotten the books for them. That whole encounter put a damper in all of your moods, and you just wanted to be back home.

When you made it back inside the castle, Alcina was already there to greet you. She didn’t get the opportunity to, however, because Daniela swarmed right by her toward her room. Bela and Cassandra followed suit, as expected, to perhaps talk her down and comfort her. You approached Alcina, who was still standing at the top of the stairs with a confused expression painted on her face.

“I assume your outing did not turn out how you’d all hoped. Nothing serious has happened, has it?” Alcina asks, choosing her words carefully. 

“No, at least I wouldn’t say it was serious. Dani however seems pretty hurt by the events of today.”

“What happened, if you do not mind sharing?”

“The new librarian wouldn’t let me or Bela and Dani check out our books.” You say, beginning to walk with Alcina toward Daniela’s room.

“There’s a new librarian? Is the elderly woman no longer there?”

“No, she passed away and her grandson took over. He said some pretty nasty things to us that you probably would have gutted him for, and trust me, Cass wanted to. But I believe in practicing what I preach and decided to be the bigger person and just walk away. In retrospect, that may have been the wrong choice.” You sigh.

“What did this filthy rat say to you?” Alcina asks, her tone even but her nostrils flaring with anger as she breathed.

“He called them monsters, and said I was “probably one of them too”. I know it hurt Daniela significantly, I haven’t seen her this upset since the day they first saw me at the inn.”

“She did love going to that library. The old librarian, Florina I believe was her name, always used to greet her with a warm smile. She never made Daniela feel odd or like she didn’t belong.”

“She was a great woman; I wish would have visited her before she died.”

“You knew her?” Alcina asks, turning her head to look down at you.

“Yes… she was the one that taught me how to read, write, and introduced me to jazz. She had a record player and always played the same two songs.”

“Daniela was quite fond of her as well. It is a shame that she’s passed and now the library is being run by some man-thing.”

“It is, but I told Bela and Daniela I would order the books they wanted from Duke. I know he’ll be able to procure them.”

“That may be what we will have to do from now on. Thank you, for trying to make them feel better.”

“No need to thank me. I love the girls and I don’t like seeing them upset. I want to make them happy in any way I can.” You respond, shaking your head slightly. 

Alcina nods instead of offering a response as the two of you approach Daniela’s room. You look to Alcina, who is hesitantly raising her fist to knock on the door.

“Daniela, darling, may I come in?” Alcina asks, keeping her voice low.

“No! I don’t want to talk to you Mother, go away!” The redhead shouts from the other side of the door. Alcina deflates and backs away, looking defeated. You know you should honor Daniela’s wishes, but you want to make sure she’s okay.

“Dani, I’m sorry about what happened at the library today. If you won’t talk to Alcina, will you at least talk to me? Maybe we can sort through what you’re feeling together.” You say, pressing your ear up to Daniela’s door

“You don’t understand how I’m feeling.”

“Maybe I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t help you. How many times have you and your sisters helped me out? May I return the favor?” When you hear the locks clicking you back away from the door. It opens slowly to reveal a teary-eyed Daniela, her eye makeup smudged and running down her face. She grabs you by the arm and pulls you inside before closing the door, keeping Alcina outside. “Why don’t you want to talk to your mother?”

“She always tells us the same things when we’re upset. We’re “just a product of our environment” and we’re “not monsters”. Everyone in the village seems to think we are, so it must be true, right?” Daniela says, flopping face-first onto her bed.

“No, it isn’t true. The villagers, they fear what they don’t understand. I was like that once, but I’ve seen you and your sisters show more humanity than most of the humans I’ve encountered in my life. Do you remember when I first started working at the castle, and you came to me when I was in the kitchen because you wanted to be my friend?” You ask, sitting on the edge of Daniela’s bed and taking her hand in yours.

“Yeah, you kept insisting that you wouldn’t be a good friend.”

“Do you know why I said that?” Daniela turns her head to face you, staying silent to allow you to continue talking. “I said it because I was still completely blind to the fact that you and your sisters are good people. At the time, I would have only hurt your feelings by trying to be your friend.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” Daniela asks as she grows impatient.

“I’m telling you this because once I got to know you and your sisters, once we’d gotten closer, I knew that I was a fool to have ever thought anything bad about any of you. Daniela, you’re the kindest, most cheerful person I know. You’re a beautiful woman with the ability to light up a room with a single smile. If the villagers knew who you and your sisters truly were, they’d love you just as much as I do. Monsters don’t worry about if they’re monsters.” As you finish your statement, Daniela bursts into tears. Your features drop as concern washes over you—you hope you didn’t say the wrong thing. 

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time, aside from Mother.” The redhead says with a sad chuckle as she sits up to rest on her haunches.

“Do you feel a little better?” 

“I do,” Daniela says, pulling you into a tight embrace, “Thank you, Mamă.” You know Daniela has been calling you mom in Romanian for quite some time but hearing it for the first time in English left you very emotional. You wrapped your arms around her as tight as you could, cradling the back of her head and pressing a kiss to her temple.

“No need to thank me, Dan. I don’t like seeing you and your sisters upset and I’ll do whatever I can to make you guys happy. Now, what do you say we eat our snacks from the bakery and play some cards?” You ask, pulling away from your youngest. Daniela nods, using her cloak to wipe her eyes. The two of you stand from the bed and walk toward the door. You weren’t expecting to see Alcina, Bela, and Cassandra on the other side when it opened, nor were you expecting to see Cassandra nearly fall over when the door was no longer there to support her weight. When she righted herself, both she and Bela wrapped their arms around you tightly. Your eyes trailed up and saw Alcina looking back at the four of you fondly. When they pulled away, you saw that their eyes were red, which is indicative of shed tears.

“What was that for?” You ask.

“It just felt right.” Cassandra says before her gaze falls to the floor. “We um… we heard what you said to Dani – about how monsters don’t worry if they’re monsters – no one has said anything like that before to us.”

“It’s true, Cass. Do you think my father ever stopped to worry about the way he treated my sibling and I? I can assure you that he hasn’t once thought about the things he said and did to us. The fact that you three think about what you have to do to live, and how others will view you for it just proves that you’re not inherently bad people.” You say, leading Alcina and the girls toward the library.

~

After a day of spending time with your family, eating delicious baked goods, and playing different games in the library (you’re still bad at chess), you and Alcina retired to your bed chambers. As soon as the door was shut, Alcina hoisted you up and had you pinned against the door. You did your best to wrap your legs around her for support as her lips crashed into yours in a deeply heated, passionate kiss. You had to break away to breathe, and immediately Alcina began hungrily sucking and nibbling at the flesh of your neck. You had to fight the moan that tried to escape when Alcina bit down in order to speak.

“Al-Alcina, I need to bathe.” You say, covering your mouth with your hand to silence the mewls and whimpers that were sounding through the room when you felt Alcina’s tongue lathe over the mark she just made.

“May I join you, darling?” Alcina asks, pulling away from your neck. Her lipstick is smudged, her eyes are half-lidded, and her pupils have nearly swallowed the golden color of her eyes.

“Of course, you know I’d never say no to a little company.” Alcina places you back down on the floor, and you exit into the en suite to draw a bath for the two of you. You take the shampoo out of your bag and place it at the edge of the tub. It turns out that it’s the exact product Alcina uses. It did wonders for your hair and now that you know what it is, you’ll be buying it more often. 

When the bath is ready, you remove the clothes you wore today, discard them in the laundry basket, and take your hair down. You stand against the sink as you wait for Alcina. She enters the bathroom having already removed her clothing, and you can’t help but stare at her figure. Broad, muscular shoulders, ample breasts, and a cinched waistline that flows deliciously into full hips, thick thighs that lead into toned calves. Alcina’s statuesque body was a sight to behold. You’ve seen her naked several times before, but each time was like a new experience for you. Each time, you have to pick your jaw up off the floor. You don’t think you’d ever be able to get enough of her. The dimples on her lower back, her hip-dips… everything about her was simply so magnificent. She was a goddess among men, and you want to worship every inch of her until the day you die.

“Darling,” Alcina says as she saunters over to the tub, lowering herself below the water. Your eyes never left her body.

“Yes?”

“You’re staring again.”

“I can’t help it when I’ve got such a gorgeous woman sitting right in front of me.” You respond, nearly reiterating the words you said to her this morning.

“You flatter me,” the Countess pauses, extending her arm in your direction. “join me, my love.” 

You walk over and take Alcina’s hand so she can guide you into the bath. When you’re fully in the water, Alcina pulls you into her lap, your back pressing against her chest. You shudder when her arms snake around your abdomen to hold you close. She rests her face in your hair, planting a kiss on the crown of your head.

“Why so cuddly all of a sudden? Just moments ago, you looked like you wanted to devour me whole.” You say with mirth in your tone.

“Oh, I still do, I just wanted to hold you first. I’m trying to recount how I got so lucky.”

“What do you mean?”

“The way you spoke to Daniela earlier… You were able to calm her quicker than I could have ever done. Your tone never wavered… you meant everything you said.”

“Of course I did, and I’ll mean it every time. None of you are monsters.” You say, leaning and turning your head to the side to meet Alcina’s gaze. “I don’t love monsters; I love four amazing women that have given me a life worth living.” Alcina doesn’t respond, instead, her lips meet yours in a slow, languid kiss. A stark contrast to when she’d pinned you to the door earlier. She pulled away and have you a quick peck before speaking.

“I believe I owe you an orgasm, or two… or three.” Alcina says, kissing down the side of your neck to the junction where it meets your shoulder. 

“What about my punishment?” You ask, shivering when Alcina rakes her fingernails over the skin of your abdomen toward your breasts.

“After today, I don’t have it in my heart to punish you anymore. However, should you want me to, I have no issues with it.”

“No, no, that’s quite alright. I learned my lesson.” Your words come out faster than your brain takes to process how desperate you sound. Alcina’s large hands cup each breast, kneading and squeezing the supple flesh. You let out a moan when she takes your now hardened nipples in between her thumb and forefingers, pinching and rolling the buds to draw out more sounds from you. Her touches… her lips on your skin… the fire from this morning has been reignited and if you weren’t in the tub, you’re sure you’d be dripping from how turned on you are right now.

“Are you going to be a good girl for me this time?” Alcina asks, slowing the movement of her fingers to a near stop.

“Yes.” You answer breathlessly.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Mistress, I’ll be a good girl.”

“Excellent, turn around and face me, dear.” Alcina commands, her voice soft yet stern. She releases her hold on you to allow you to turn, now, you’re straddling her, staring her in the face with flushed cheeks and lidded eyes. “You look absolutely ravishing like this.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” You say, averting your gaze. Alcina takes your chin between her thumb and forefinger and turns your head so that you are facing her again.

“Eyes on me, sweet girl. I’m would like to hold your arms behind your back, is that alright?” Alcina asks, her tone no longer as authoritative as it was. 

You nod, “Yes, it’s alright,” and fold your arms behind your back. “I trust you.” 

Alcina grabs hold of your wrists with her free hand while the one that was holding your chin pulls you forward into another kiss. You gasp when her hand drops down atop your breast, Alcina’s tongue pushes past your lips and she groans while she licks over the area of your mouth. Your moans are swallowed by her as she pinches and rolls your nipple, your hips buck, and you can feel the want bubbling up inside you. Alcina peppers kisses over your jawline, down your neck, over your sternum, and around the neglected breast before taking it into her mouth. You arch into her, a loud moan resonating throughout the room when she bits down.

“Mistress, I want you… please.” You whine as you begin rolling your hips, your clit coming in contact with the skin of her stomach,

Unlike earlier, Alcina does not stop your hips from moving. Instead, her hand leaves your breast, and she wedges it between the two of you as it dips below the water. Her fingers immediately find your clit and begin rubbing in slow circles, matching the rhythm of your hips. As the pleasure begins to build, your hips start to move faster, and her fingers continue to match your pace. The only sounds that fill the room are the sounds of your moans, and the water thrashing about. You’ve waited all day for this, and it was  definitely rewarding. It didn’t take long for you to feel the muscles in your stomach tighten, your moans rose in pitch, your hips frantically bucked against Alcina’s hand. You couldn’t grab onto anything as your arms were still firmly held in place behind your back, so you balled your hands into a fist—your nails digging into your palms. Alcina released your breast with a pop and brought her mouth close to the shell of your ear.

“Are you going to come for Mistress?” Alcina asks huskily.

“Yes… can I please? I-I’m so… close.” You moan. Alcina’s teeth grazed your ear as her fingers sped up to match the pace of your hips. Your breathing became shallow, your legs began to quiver, you clamped your eyes shut and stars danced across the inside of your lids. You cried out Alcina’s name as you finally teetered over the edge. She was correct about it being more intense the longer you held out because it took twice as long as it usually does for you to come down from your high. You sat atop Alcina twitching and panting as she helped you ride out the orgasm, slowing the pace of her fingers before they came to a complete stop. She released your arms and they fell to your sides when your body collapsed on top of her. Alcina wasn’t getting more than one round out of you tonight; you were thoroughly spent. 

“Are you alright dragă?” Alcina asks softly as her hands draw lazy patterns over your back.

“Mmhmm.” You nod, still too out of it to speak. This continues for a few moments until you can muster the strength to sit up. The lustful gaze Alcina had was replaced by a warm, tender one. “I’m alright,” you say through a yawn, “and sleepy.”

“Giving in already?” The Countess quips.

“Yes, if I come like that again I may just knock out in the middle of it.” You chuckle, reaching behind Alcina for the soap and a cloth so you can wash your body.

Alcina takes both from you and begins lathering you up. “Very well, the water is beginning to run cold anyhow.”

After a relaxing remainder to your bath, you were now dry and snuggled up against Alcina in bed. Today has been more tiring than you anticipated, and though it was still early for you, you were exhausted. Who knew that venturing out into the village when three immortal, pastry obsessed, daughters would be so draining? All-in-all, you had fun, and you’d do it again as many times as they liked.

“While you were out with the girls, Mother Miranda called.” Alcina says, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen upon the two of you. You were half-sleep but hearing Miranda’s name caused you to perk up slightly.

“What did she call for?” You ask, raising an eyebrow.

“She wants to start collecting blood samples from you to begin testing for affinity with the cadou.”

“How soon does she want to start?”

“In the next five days. I have all the instruments necessary for the collection and they will be sent to her via Blue. Once she’s done all her tests, she will be able to synthesize a cadou that won’t try to form a connection with Eva or potentially… kill you” 

“She’s… very smart. Has she always been this smart or did it come with her infection?”

“She was a biologist before the infection, but it did gain vast knowledge from it.”

“And you think she’ll be able to help me?”

“I can only hope. While I do not doubt her abilities, it is still incredibly risky.” Alcina sighs, wrapping her arms around you tighter. “We cannot lose you.” The Countess says with a shaky voice.

“You won’t lose me, baby, I promise. As I’ve said before I will fistfight the angle of death if I have to so I can return to you. You’re stuck with me, for a long time, believe me.”

“I do believe you, darling, and I love you so very much.”

“I love you too, Alcina. Now, can we sleep, please? I’m exhausted.”

“Alright,” Alcina chuckles, “goodnight my sweet little Countess.”

“Goodnight, my gorgeous and statuesque Countess.”

“Statuesque?”

“Alcina. Sleep.”

Chapter Text

The days in between your outing with the girls and your visit to Donna’s were uneventful. You spent most of your time in your room, or in the library reading with Bela and Daniela. You still felt bad about the other day, and though they’d received the books that you ordered from Duke, you kind of left Cassandra hanging. That filthy librarian insulted all of them, and if it were Alcina that had accompanied them instead of you, he would have been skewered right then and there. Perhaps he should have been. It’s just… you’ve never been the type of person to resort to violence unless you were truly at your wit's end with someone that has wronged you. You’re not a violent person, and you always try to walk away from a conflict. Levelheadedness and maturity are two things that you think the girls need to learn when it comes to conflict resolution and that’s why you walked out of the library. It’s why you left the farm after what Constantin did to you and your sister. 

Maybe you’re just too kind to terrible people. Maybe you need to be terrible too. 

You started your morning as you usually do; wake up, stretch, stare at Alcina until she wakes up. A routine that you didn’t mind one bit. It was this morning though that your thoughts raced amidst your staring, and you found yourself looking past Alcina rather than at her.

“Good morning darling,” Alcina says as her eyes flutter, her voice groggy and low. “Is everything alright?”

“Hm? Oh, yes, everything is fine. I was just thinking about the other day—with the librarian.”

“Did something happen that you haven’t told me about?” 

“No, it’s not like that. I just can’t help but think that maybe I shouldn’t have walked away. Maybe I don’t need to be the bigger person all the time. Cassandra seemed really let down when we were on the way back to the castle.” 

“Yes… she did express her… discontent while we were in the cellar the following day.” Alcina says with a sigh. So, Cassandra  was  still upset by what happened.

“What would you have done in that situation?” You ask, pushing yourself up against the headboard.

“I would have sliced that man-thing to ribbons,” Alcina seethes, fisting the sheets as she takes a moment to collect herself, “but it matters not what I would have done because I was not there. You have far more patience than I have, and you are a lot kinder than I. You did what you thought was right and none of us can fault you for that.”

“I guess you’re right… I just don’t want the girls thinking that violence is the answer to everything. I want them to be able to handle things civilly and maturely. Every fight they have nearly turns physical and more often than not have I been caught in the middle.” You admit with a dry chuckle.

“And I think the things you want to teach them are very valuable. It will take some time for the girls to learn when to walk away, but they will learn it nonetheless.”

“So, my decision to walk away, do you think it was right? I don’t want Cassandra to be angry with me because it didn’t end the way she would have liked it to.” Your head hung low at the end of your statement. The last thing you wanted was for any of the girls to be upset with you.

“She’s not angry with you. Cassandra knows that you like to avoid conflict as much as you can and respects that. If she did not, she would have gone against your orders and ended that man right then and there.”

“Can we visit that library after we leave Donna’s today? There were some things that I wanted to say but I was focused on getting the girls back home before something worse happened.” 

“If you wish, dragă. Would you like for me to come in with you?” Alcina asks as she pushes herself up into a sitting position.

“No, but if things turn south, I’ll call for you. Promise.” You say, holding up your hand and extending your pinky finger. Alcina looks at your hand, and then back up at you. Her head tilts slightly and her brows furrow—she must not know what a pinky promise is.

“Why are you holding your hand out like that? Is it injured?” You had to bite the inside of your cheek when Alcina questioned you to avoid laughing. It was cute that sometimes she was more clueless than you were, but it was also hilarious.

“No, it’s a way to make a promise. It’s said that whoever breaks the promise gets their finger cut off and so the promise would never be broken.” You explain, using various hand gestures for a visual depiction.

“And you’re going to put your finger on the line? Darling, your hands have already been injured enough. Do you like to be in pain?” Alcina speaks as though you offended her by suggesting to cut off your finger, but she couldn’t have made a more incorrect assumption.

“That’s a conversation for another day… but the terms of the promise are completely figurative now. No one is actually chopping off their pinkies for breaking a promise.” You say, laughing softly at the look of complete bewilderment on Alcina’s face.

Alcina was about to retort when the door burst open and in walked three very tired-looking siblings. They waste time greeting the two of you and instead climbed in the bed with you, laying over and around you and Alcina in different, and incredibly uncomfortable ways.

“Good morning girls, you’re up rather early.” Alcina says softly, stroking Bela’s hair as she nuzzles her neck.

“We didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” Bela says through a yawn.

“If it was because of noise, it wasn’t us.” You murmur, earning a glare from Alcina and a snort from a half-sleeping Daniela.

“It wasn’t the noise that kept us awake, it’s the fact that you two are going to be gone all day today and you’re not bringing us. We’re going to be bored to death.” Cassandra says as she stirs next to you, digging her elbows in your side.

“You three have gone several days at a time without your mother here and you had no trouble entertaining yourselves. What makes it any different this time?” You ask, adjusting your middle child so that her bony joints aren’t nearly impaling your skin.

“Mamă, you were our entertainment.” Daniela says as she sits up and rubs her eyes. The redhead obviously wanted to sleep longer, but her body demanded she be awake.

“Oh, I see, you three can’t pick on me now so you’re bummed about it.” You say, the right side of your mouth turning upward in a slight smirk.

And yes, they were considerably upset about the fact that you were leaving with Alcina today. Even as the two of you boarded the carriage, Daniela and Cassandra could be seen sporting frowns before they watched you and Alcina ride off toward Donna’s. It was silent for the most part, save for the sound of the horses’ hooves meeting the ground, the crows cawing as the carriage passed, and your occasional quiet gasps when you saw some striking scenery. You’ve never been to this part of the village, so you were excited to finally see the waterfall behind Donna’s house. One thing that caught your eye, was a large tree surrounded by dolls that had what looked like a headstone at the base. It intrigued you, and you wanted to know more about it. 

“Is someone buried at that tree?” You ask turning to Alcina.

“Yes… Donna’s sister, Claudia Beneviento. She passed when she and Donna were children. That and the death of her parents led to Donna’s introversion and anxiety; she’s been alone for so long.”

“And Donna’s parents, how did they die?” 

“Miranda… she pushed them off the waterfall before infecting Donna.”

“How do you all have such a good relationship with her if she’s traumatized all of you? Hearing about your pasts… I don’t know if I trust her to infect me. Should I?” You ask, your brows furrowing with worry. You know some of what Mother Miranda is capable of, yet there’s still so much you don’t know. To trust her with your life… you may not be able to do that.

“Mother Miranda has done unspeakable things to us, yes. But just as I did with you, she’s made an effort to repair the broken relationships we have with her. Of course, there were times when I found myself questioning my devotion to her, but it was not because of who she is now. It was because of who she was then. I can assure you, my love, Mother Miranda does not want to harm you. If I had any doubts or suspicions, I would not have consulted her. I trust Mother Miranda and I know that she is trying to do right by you because she cares about you.” Alcina says softly, leaning forward to the side of the carriage you’re sitting on to place her hand upon your knee. If Alcina trusts Mother Miranda with you, then you had no reason not to trust her as well.

~

The visit to Donna’s was, well, a visit. You didn’t take part in any conversations regarding their work as lords of the village, so you spent the entire time playing games with Angie and her ‘cute friends’ around the estate. It turns out that these friends were dolls. Many, many dolls were scattered around the estate, and had it not been for the fact that Donna is a doll maker, you would have been very creeped out. Donna had rules similar to Alcina regarding her estate; don’t go down into the basement or the workshop. You tried asking Angie what was down there, and her only response was that it was a ‘big baby’… interesting. Still, you abided by your friend’s rules and didn’t go anywhere near those two areas. Now, you and Alcina were back in the carriage heading back into the village to visit the library. You don’t know what to expect, so you’re just hoping that the male librarian is there and not either of his parents. If you’re going to spend your days as a lady, you might as well exercise your power.

The carriage stopped just outside the library and the footman hopped off to open the door for you. You stepped out first, then Alcina. You looked at her with a quizzical expression as you couldn’t understand why she’d gotten out.

“I will linger nearby, it’s better for me to hear you if I’m not in the carriage. The padding on the interior dampens the sound.” Alcina says, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. You nod, and hold up your pinky, mimicking your actions from this morning.

“You never made the pinky promise with me earlier. I wanted to remind you that I’ll call for you should anything happen.” You extend your arm as high as it can go while looking up at Alcina. She takes her glove off and hooks her pinky together with yours. Before she lets go, Alcina bends at the waist and quickly pecks your pinky; it’s not part of the promise, but you weren’t complaining.

You smile before entering the library, mouthing to Alcina that you’ll be out soon. When you walk in, you expect to see someone waiting at the front but there was no one there. You walk up and ring the bell a few times to get someone’s attention.

“Hello? Excuse me, I’d like to speak to the young man I met the other day.” You speak out into the empty room. An older woman pops up from behind the desk and covers your mouth with her hand as she shushes you. You swat her hand away, shooting her a glare. You did not know this woman, yet she had the audacity to put her hands on you.

“Be quiet, Lady Dimitrescu is outside the library! My idiot son insulted her daughters and their maid that day and I don’t want to be the one to pay for what he did.” The woman whispers. You had to chuckle at what she said because it was just so ridiculous. “What’s so funny?”

“I’m not their maid.”

“Y-you’re from the castle?” The woman asks, her eyes widening in shock. You nod while pointing to the crest that sits in between your collar bones. “If you’re not their maid, t-then who are you?”

“Their mother. Well, stepmother if you want to be technical.” All the color drained from the woman’s face, but you did not care to speak to her. You wanted to speak to her son. “Where is your son? I wish to speak with him after he so rudely chased my daughters and I away.” You say, giving your best attempt at sounding authoritative like Alcina. The woman nods as she turns toward a door to her left side.

“Florin, get out here and fix the mess you made!” The woman shouts. It’s ironic that the boy is named after Florina. She adored you and apparently the girls as well, but her grandson was the complete opposite. The young man steps out of the room, grumbling as she slings a rag over his shoulder. So, he was rude and stupid. 

“I told you I already cleaned up the tomat-” Florin stops when he sees you and his expression drops, “oh. You again?”

“Florin, yes? Hello again.”

“If you want the books, they’re still behind the desk. You can take them, but I don’t want any of those other demons from the castle in here.”

“Florin, would you stop runnin’ your mouth for once? You’re diggin’ your own grave by mouthing off to her like that!” Florin’s mother exclaims, taking the rag off his shoulder and hitting him with it.

“What’s some maid gonna do? She’s the one diggin’ her own grave by working in that damned castle.”

“She’s no maid, boy. Look, just apologize to her and let those girls come back and get their books.” The older woman says.

“I said she could take them, but those monsters ain’t allowed in here.” Florin spits.

“They’re not monsters. They’ve never been monsters. They will never be monsters. When you insult them, you insult me, and you insult Lady Dimitrescu, and you don’t want to know what happens when you insult Lady Dimitrescu. I saved your life by walking out that day, but you are continuing up a dangerous path.” You warn. Your patience was thin, and you could no longer tolerate the way he was speaking about your family. Florin isn’t aware that Alcina is outside, so you’re hoping to negotiate with him before you have to call her. “If you allow the girls to come back whenever they want, I might be able to convince Lady Dimitrescu to let you live another day.”

“I’d rather die, it beats living in a village full of monsters and people like you.”

“That can be arranged…” You murmur, “Alcina, can you come in here please?” Within seconds, Alcina is bending through the library doors and standing to her full height in the most intimidating of ways. You peer over at Florin and his mother and find them cowering behind the desk. 

“Is there an issue, darling?” Alcina asks, eyeing the pale-faced librarians. 

“I tried reaching an agreement with Florin here and he said he’d rather die. I was hoping that you might be able to talk some sense into him.” You say, walking up to Alcina and wrapping an arm around her legs to send a message.

“What were the terms of this agreement?”

“He gets to live if the girls can come whenever they want to get books. I figured it was an easy choice considering how much he’s insulted us.” You shrug.

“Pity, you should have agreed. I am not one for negotiation.” Alcina says, feigning sympathy. She approaches the desk, and bends slightly at the waist, casting a shadow over Florin and his mother. In a moment of panic, the young man reaches under the desk, pulls out a handgun, and aims it at Alcina. Your eyes widen and for a mere second, you worried for Alcina’s safety. You knew it would take more than a few little bullets to harm her so instead, you ducked behind her in case the idiot librarian misfired. 

“Come any closer and I shoot.” The librarian says with shaky breathing. Alcina chuckles darkly and with a flick of her wrist, her claws emerge from the tips of her fingers. You couldn’t see what happened, but you heard one shot go off, followed by horrified screaming from Florin and his mother and a loud thud as you assumed Florin’s body fell to the floor. Standing to your full height, you saw two severed hands still wrapped around the gun now lying on the desk and Florin’s unconscious body by his mother’s feet, sans hands, bleeding out onto the floor. It should gross you out but living in the castle has desensitized you to things like this.

“It will take ages to get the blood out of this blouse.” Alcina says, the slight pout evident in her tone. Her claws retract and she pulls a handkerchief from one of her pants pockets to wipe the blood from her gloves. “Now, where was I? Ah, yes! I was just about to ask if you two would like to rethink the terms of my wife’s agreement before your son decided to shoot me. So, what will it be, are my girls allowed to return and take out books at their leisure?” 

“T-they can come whenever they w-want. Please, just spare us.” Florin’s mother says, dropping to her knees to put pressure on the young man’s wrists to stop the bleeding. It reminded you of your mother, cowering by the sofa and cradling your father when Miranda almost killed him. It’s a shame she didn’t finish him off anyway. 

Alcina smiled, “I’m glad you could see things my way. I hope I won’t have to return for you next time, you seem like a smart woman.”

“Y-you won’t, Lady Dimitrescu, I’ll make sure that your wife and daughters are treated kindly whenever they visit. I’ll sew the boy’s mouth shut if I have to.” Florin’s mother says, wrapping his wrists up with the rag he brought out. 

“No need for that, I’m sure he won’t be saying anything else from now on.” Alcina finishes. She grabs the severed hands along with the gun and bends through the library doors once more. You follow behind, turning back before you’re completely out of the library.

“I’m sorry it had to end this way, but for your sake and Florin’s, remember this. Alcina and the girls are not monsters and most of the rumors you heard aren’t true. I used to be like your son until I got to know them, and if you’re anything like Florina stay open-minded. They really are the loveliest people you may ever meet.” You exit the library without giving the woman a chance to reply. You wanted her to think about what you said, you wanted the consequences of her son’s actions to weigh heavily on her conscience. You tried not to resort to violence again, but you’re tired of people disrespecting you and your family. It needs to stop. The villagers need to know that the lords are not who they think they are. Maybe the rapport with the villagers is something you will work to improve as Lady. 

You got in the carriage and opted to sit beside Alcina who was busy draining what little blood remained in Florin’s hands. She wore a frown the entire time, letting you know that the taste was likely fowl.

“So bitter for a man so young. He couldn’t have been any older than twenty.” Alcina says, shaking her head as she cleans the corners of her mouth with the handkerchief.

“Hatred will do that to you.” You respond, resting your head on Alcina’s bicep.

“I tasted your blood when you first arrived, and it was much sweeter. You hated me then did you not?”

“I did, but that’s also when the admiration and attraction started. I can’t resist tall, beautiful women.”

“You’d better resist them if you know what’s good for you, my dear.” Alcina says, wrapping the hands in the cloth and setting them on the bench across from you. 

She taps the roof of the carriage, and the coachman takes off in a direction that wasn’t toward the castle. The further out you got, the less sure you were of where you were going.

“This isn’t the way back home.” You say with furrowed brows.

“Quite an astute observation, my love. I thought that I should pay a visit to your father to inform him that I will no longer require goods from his farm. The harvest season is approaching and his treatment of you and your siblings has become the dealbreaker. I do not want anything from someone who makes it his life’s mission to hurt his children.” Alcina scoffs. She accepted goods from the farm in exchange for protection and a decent payment but now that you and your sister were working at the castle, there was nothing on the farm worth protecting for Alcina.

“May I suggest an alternative?” You ask, tilting your head up to look at Alcina.

“You may.”

“I believe Lucian lives on a farm… it may do him some good to have our protection.”

“I will send a letter to him then. If you’d like, I could offer protection to all of your siblings. I wouldn’t require anything in return from them, only their loyalty.” 

“That’d be no problem for them. They’ve always been devoted to the lords and Mother Miranda; I was the one that never saw the appeal.”

“Well, I am glad that you are able to see things differently now.” Alcina says as a smirk tugs at her lips.

The rest of the ride was silent, much like the ride to the Beneviento Estate. Alcina says that she was just going to inform your father of her decision, but you knew it wouldn’t be left at that. Alcina still very much wanted your father dead and so you were just mentally preparing yourself for the moment you see him and possibly your mother lose their lives to your wife (which is not something you hear often). You were grateful that Alcina told you of this impromptu visit before you pulled up to the farm because now your nerves were under control. You could face your father again and not freeze up like before.

As the two of you walked up to the door, a thought popped into your head.

“Alcina?” You ask, stopping the Countess in her tracks as she prepares to knock.

“Yes, dear?” 

“Can I be the one to break the news to Constantin? I want to see the pain and fear in his expression when he realizes that the child he hated most is now his worst nightmare.”

“My, my… aren’t you quite the little sadist? Very well then. As a Lady, you may have plenty of these discussions so this will be an introduction.” Alcina says as she places her hand at her side. You raise yours and knock a few times on the door. Some moments pass without an answer, so you knock again and like last time, it is your mother who opens the door. Her eyes widen in shock when she sees Alcina, and your mother’s posture immediately straightens.

“Lady Dimitrescu? It… is an honor to finally meet you. Is there anything I can help you with, My Lady?” Your mother asks, bowing deeply. 

“Yes, actually, is your husband around? We have important matters to discuss with him.” Alcina says with a polite grin.

“We?” Your mother questions, most likely not having noticed your presence yet.

“Yes, we; I’m here too, Adela. Where’s Constantin?” You ask, looking past your mother into the house.

“He’s… out n the back. I’ll go retrieve him, please, come in.” Adela says, stepping to the side to let both you and Alcina inside. The ceilings aren’t quite high enough to accommodate Alcina’s stature, so she has to bow her head in order to stand somewhat comfortably. Your mother returns with your father trailing behind her with a deep frown on his face. He sees Alcina before he sees you and his body goes rigid. You can see the sweat beginning to form on his brow already.

“L-Lady Dimitrescu… what brings you to our humble home?” Your father asks, fumbling over his words.

“Humble is not the word I would have used but I digress. Mr. Vacarescu, we’re here to discuss the terms of our deal.” Vacarescu is your family name, in twenty-four years you’ve never heard it. Dimitrescu is infinitely better.

“Is that why you brought her back? I knew it would be a matter of time before she was of no use to you anymore. I apologize for her incompetence; I raised her better than that, My Lady.” Constantin bows his head and if your eyes could roll any further back into your head they’d go missing. He’s truly deplorable. 

“Do not dare claim you had any part in raising her. I know of the terrible things you’ve done to your children and for you to lie so blatantly, I’m insulted.” Alcina sneers. “Now, my wife, Lady Y/N, has something she wishes to say to you. Darling, if you would be so kind as to inform Constantin of the reason for our visit.”

“Very well.” You nod, “Castle Dimitrescu will no longer require goods from this farm, ergo we will no longer be offering you protection and payment. We’ve found a more reliable, and respectful source.” Your mother’s eyes widen as they flicker between you and your father as she awaits his reaction. His face turns red with anger and his hands ball into fists, but he doesn’t move an inch. He knows that if he tries hurting you, it won’t end well for him.

“My… Ladies,” Constantin says through gritted teeth, “surely we can reach a new agreement. There has to be something, anything, I can do to get you to change your mind.”

“Our minds are made up—as this is something Lady Dimitrescu has been considering for quite some time now. And considering your disdain for me, it’s only natural that I cut all ties with you completely. Continuing to accept goods from this farm, protecting you after everything you’ve done to me all while knowing you hate me… it’s a conflict of interest. You can’t be devoted to one Lady Dimitrescu and hate the other.” You say with a slight smirk. It felt far too good to be able to truly put your father in his place. There was nothing he could do, he’s powerless.

“You damned brat! You’re doing this to spite me!” Constantin exclaims as he charges toward you with a raised fist. Alcina stops him before he can touch you by grabbing his wrist. You hear the leather of her gloves creak as her grip tightens. She lifts your father into the air, before slamming him back down, knocking all the air from his lungs. Much like Miranda’s visit, your mother is doing nothing but cowering in fear by an armchair. Part of you doesn’t want your mother to intervene for the fear that she may end up like Constantin. “Please, Lady Dimitrescu…” Your father begs.

“You insolent knave! When you disrespect Y/N, you disrespect me. I am not as kind as your daughters, I will end you.” Alcina says, bending at the waist and hovering over Constantin as he struggles to breathe.

“I’m… I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You can break the deal just please, spare me.”

“What do you think, Y/N. After everything your father said and done to you, do you still think he deserves to live?” Alcina asks, looking to you with a steeled expression. If you walk away again, Constantin will only think you weak and undeserving of his respect. It’s the type of man he is. You had no trouble letting Irina and that innkeeper die, so why were you having trouble letting your father die? Someone so terrible… so irredeemable. Why does your conscience want you to be such a good person all the time?

You took a deep breath and cornered your resolve. You’re done letting people like him commit heinous acts against you and your family. “No, he doesn’t” You respond with an expressionless face and tone. Constantin crawls over to you and kneels by your feet, sniffing and shaking as his strangled sobs begin filling the room.

“Please, Lady Y/N, please don’t let me die! I’m sorry for everything I’ve ever done to you! Please forgive me! I’ll be a better father to you, I swear! Someone needs to take care of Adela and the farm, please!” For the first time in your life, Constantin used your name. He used your name amidst him crying and begging you for forgiveness. This moment was not how you’d imagined it. There was no instant gratification, no satisfaction, no joy. It only made you hate him more, it made you hate how pathetic he is. He’s no different from when Mother Miranda came, and if he had another child to use as a bargaining chip, you know he would. 

“I’m sorry, Father.” You say quietly as a single tear streams down your face. You crouch down beside him and wipe a few of the tears away from his face. “Don’t worry about Mother, or about the farm. I’m sure Teo or Andrei will make sure she’s okay.” With that, you stand and wipe your hand on your cloak before turning to Alcina. “Are you going to bring him back to the castle and deal with him there?” 

“I had not planned to, however, I’m sure the girls would enjoy it immensely. I will walk him out to the carriage and restrain him. Mrs. Vacarescu, it’s been a pleasure.” Alcina says with a polite grin as she picks your still sniveling father up by the neck and walks out the door with him. He kicked and screamed and continued to beg you for mercy, but you knew that if you spared him, he’d never change. When Alcina was far enough away, more tears stung the corners of your eyes and you let them fall. For most of your life, you just wanted your father to love you—to actually be a father to you—and the only way he would was if you didn’t let him die. 

You stood in the center of the living room, unable to move your feet to walk out the door. Your mother walked up to you and wrapped her arms around you, cradling your head as she sobbed into your shoulder.

“My baby girl… you’ve freed me. Thank you so much, Y/N.” Adela cried. You didn’t know what to make of this sudden display of affection and gratitude. Why was she thanking you? Why after all this time was she referring to you as her "baby girl"? Why was she holding on to you so tightly? Didn’t she hate you just as much as Constantin did?”

“Wha… What are you doing?” You ask, still in a state of shock as you push your mother away from you.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N, I’m sorry for everything. I never wanted Constantin to treat you and your siblings the way he did. I swear to Mother Miranda, I love you and your brothers and sisters more than anything.” She’s lying… she has to be lying. She doesn’t get to do this. She doesn’t just get to apologize and think everything will be okay.

“No, no. You can’t do this; you don’t get to do this! This is a trick, you’re playing me! Do you think I’ll just forget everything you allowed Constantin to do to us? You let him treat me like an animal! You let him beat on you and your children until they were adults. You gave me to Mother Miranda in exchange for your lives. You- you- you didn’t even give me a name. You can’t expect me to just forgive you by telling me you love me. You don’t deserve it! You don’t deserve to be forgiven by me, by Stefana, or by anyone!” The volume of your voice rose with each sentence. Your mother’s audacious behavior made you so angry… so why were you still crying? Why did part of you want her to hold you again like she just was?

“I’m not asking for your forgiveness; I know I don’t deserve it. There are no excuses for what I’ve done, or for what your father has done. He never allowed me to be the mother I wanted to be, the mother you deserved. I know you probably won’t let me into your life, but I am asking for a chance to repair our relationship. Let me do one good thing in my life.” Your mother please, taking your hand in hers. You look down at your intertwined fingers, then back up at your mother. Tears are traveling down her face, her eyes are the most apologetic you’ve seen, but you know you can’t fall for it. She has to show you that she’s worthy of your forgiveness, of your love. 

“There are a lifetime of things that you need to make up for. Not just with me, but with Lucian, with Teo, with Ana, With Drei, and with Stefana. You owe it to all of us. Constantin abused all of us, I just got the worst of it. I’ll let you figure out what it is you need to do, and when you do, send a letter. Goodbye, Mother.” You pull your hands away and walk toward the still-open door. When you’re halfway out, your mother speaks up again, stopping you.

“I gave you a name… after my mother’s younger sister. She worked in the castle just like you did, but she was sick… and ended up dying there. You’re just like her, strong, compassionate, sees the good in people…”

“What was it—my name?” You ask, not facing your mother out of the fear that you may break down when she tells you your given name.

“Elisabeta…”

“I see…” You inhale deeply and take a moment to collect yourself before speaking again “please never call me that. My name is Y/N, and it has been since the moment I chose it.” You had the name of the woman Alcina loved before you, the woman that was there for the creation of Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela, your great aunt. It’s weird in a sense, but you didn’t want to dwell on it. There were already too many things tearing your brain apart today. You closed the door and made your way back toward the carriage. You saw your father, restrained and with a sack over his head on the back of the carriage. He was out cold and had claw marks on his body. The coachman let you in, and you climbed over to Alcina, clinging to her as you rested your head on her bicep. She didn’t say anything, only reached up to caress the side of your face. It’s been a long day for both of you…

When you arrived back at the castle, Alcina summoned the girls to the hall of the four to take your father’s body and those severed hands down to the cellar. He was beginning to wake up and kept murmuring your name along with more pleas for mercy. You tuned out the sound of his begging, and the sound of his screams when the girls impaled him with their sickles as you ascended the stairs. You needed to find your sister and tell her everything that happened. You walked slowly, taking the time to completely process everything that happened. You didn’t walk away from any conflict that presented itself to you today, and for that you were proud. However, you now have to explain to your siblings that your father is dead, and you are the reason. You will have a lot of letters to write. You found your sister already waiting by your and Alcina’s door. You just got back so there was no way for her to know what happened.

“There you are! I was waiting for you all day, I need to talk to you ab-” Stefana pauses, noticing the empty look on your face. “Are you okay? Did something happen while you were out?” Your older sister asks, scanning your face and body for injuries.

“He’s gone, Fana, father is gone.” You whisper, closing your eyes and inhaling deeply as the words register.

“Did you-”

“No, he was taken down to the cellar.” You interrupt, shaking your head.

“And mother?”

“Fine, she thanked me for freeing her. Whatever that means.” Stefana doesn’t answer. She instead pulls you into a tight embrace and begins sobbing into your shoulder. Unlike with your mother, you reciprocate, wrapping your arms around her as the two of you cry together in the middle of the hallway. 

“Finally.” Stefana whispers. Yes… Finally. You pull away when the two of you have calmed down, both of you now red in the face with tear-stained clothes.

“So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?” You question.

“It’s not important. What else… did mother say to you?”

“She loves us more than anything and wants to repair our relationships with her. She even swore to Mother Miranda. As appealing as that sounds, I don’t know if I believe her.”

“Believe her. The only thing that never wavered was Mother’s devotion. If she swears to Mother Miranda for any reason, she means it. Was that all she said to you?”

“She… told me she gave me a name, but I left before she had the chance to tell me what it was. I didn’t care to know what it was because it’s not who I am or who I grew to be. I’m Y/N.” You say, casting your gaze off to the side. You decided to lie because you’re never going to go by Elisabeta, and it’s better if fewer people know.

Stefana nods, turning her attention to Alcina. “Thank you, My Lady. I’ll come to see Y/N in the morning, to make sure she’s okay.”

“Very well, dear. I know you did not care for your father, but should you need the time to mourn, feel free to take as much time off as needed.” Alcina says sympathetically

“I don’t believe it will be necessary but thank you. I’ll be off now.” Stefana says, bowing slightly before taking her leave. 

Alcina walks ahead of you to unlock the bedroom door and stands to the side so you can enter first. Once the door is shut, Alcina drops to her knees and wraps her arms around you before kissing you on the temple. “I’m proud of how you handled yourself today. How are you feeling?” The countess whispers.

“I thought retribution would have felt better than this. I’ve fantasized about the moment Constantin was on his knees begging for forgiveness since the day Stefana and I visited the farm. I finally got what I wanted and yet, I don’t feel joy, or relief, or anything. Is something wrong with me?” You ask with a shaky voice.

“Nothing is wrong with you, darling. Something like this, having to put a person to death, is never easy, especially when they're someone you grew up with. It won’t feel good at first, but as the days go by, you will realize that that man can harm you and your siblings no longer. He cannot force your mother to treat you as he’s treated you.” Alcina says as she pulls away. She cups the side of your face with one hand, and you lean into her touch.

“I wish I could be more like you, Alcina. I wish I didn’t feel bad when terrible people die.”

“You don’t need to be like me, dragă mea, and the reason you feel bad is that you’re compassionate, you’re kind, you see the good in people.” You nearly flinched at the end of Alcina’s statement. She almost said verbatim what your mother said to you. “I will return shortly, my love, the girls need my help downstairs. Call for me if you need anything.” Alcina finishes, extending her pinky toward you. You mirror her actions from earlier, interlocking your pinky with hers and kissing it before you let go. Alcina stands to her full height and walks toward the door.

“I promise to call you. I think I’m going to bathe and get ready for bed while you're down there, or maybe get started on the many letters I need to write to my siblings.” You say with a huff, removing your cloak and hanging it on the handle of the wardrobe.

“Alright, darling, I will see you in no longer than an hour.” Alcina says, opening the door and bending through it. 

Now that you were alone, you allowed yourself to feel the emotions that you were keeping bottled up throughout the course of the day. Anger, immense amounts of anxiety, sadness, regret… they bubbled up until they overflowed, and you were on the floor silently sobbing. You kept repeating to yourself “we’re free” as you cried, hoping that it would make you feel a little better. 

When you finally calmed down, showered, changed into your nightclothes, and climbed into bed so you could stare into space. However, the events of today sapped all of your energy and you were feeling incredibly tired. Alcina still hadn’t returned, and you wanted to wait up for her, but you couldn’t fight it. You dozed off, having only woken up to the feeling of the bed dipping when Alcina climbed in. You turned to face her when your eyes fluttered open and found her freshly bathed and smiling fondly at you.

“Watching me sleep, My Lady?” You ask, your mouth opening wide as you yawn.

“I can’t help it when I’ve got such a gorgeous woman lying beside me.” Alcina scoots back on the bed until her back is against the headboard. “Come, let me hold you.” She says as she holds her arms open for you. You shuffle over to her and nestle into her side, inhaling the scent of her soaps to further relax you.

“Alcina?”

“Yes, dragă mea contesa?” 

“My darling Countess?” You question, to which Alcina responds with an affirming nod.

“Your Romanian is improving. Now, what is it that you had to tell me.”

“I wanted to thank you… for today. I also wanted to tell you my name… I lied to Stefana.”

“I know, dear.” Alcina starts softly, “I simply figured it is not something you wished to share so I did not question you. You still do not have to share it with me if you don’t wish to do so. I know and love you as Y/N.”

“I wish to tell you; I feel like it’s something you deserve to know. Not because it’s my given name, but because the woman I was named after worked here; my great aunt.”

“Perhaps I have a record of her, what was her name?” Alcina asks with furrowed brows.

“Elisabeta… my mother named me Elisabeta. And… I believe your Elisabeta was my great aunt.” You say, keeping your gaze trained to the sheets so you didn’t have to see the look on Alcina’s face. You could feel her chest rising and falling at a quicker pace, and you could hear the way her breath shook and got caught in her throat as if choking back a sob.

“My Elisabeta was the only one to ever work in the castle. I can’t… I don’t know what to say…” Alcina says, her voice at a near whisper. You were expecting her to push you away so she could collect her thoughts, but instead, her hold on you only tightened.

“Does this change anything between us? It must not be easy knowing that, well, that-”

“Nothing will change.” Alcina interrupts, “The Elisabeta I once loved died decades ago… she was my past. You are my present and my future, and as I stated earlier, I know and love you as Y/N.” She finishes, planting a kiss on the crown of your head.

“Do you think she knew that we were what each other needed and brought us together?”

“I think so, darling, but let’s not think too deeply about it. What matters is that you and I are together, and we’re happy. Shall we get some rest? I imagine you’re quite tired after such an emotional day.”

“I am, I just wanted to tell you my name.” You say with a small smile.

“Thank you for sharing, my love. Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight, Alcina.”

Chapter Text

In the weeks following the death of your father, you got a slew of letters from your siblings that you struggled writing the responses to. So, they sat – opened and read – in a pile atop the desk that Sam made for you. You expected them to feel some anger toward you, but it wasn’t like that at all. They were thankful—and borderline elated that Constantin was finally gone. Andrei wrote that you did what none of them had the strength to do… but you didn’t kill your father. Alcina did. If they should be thanking anyone, it should be her. You paced back and forth by your desk as you tried to come up with an opening response to the letters that taunted you. You didn’t want to seem like a bad sister for not replying, but the words just wouldn’t come out. You sat at your desk, opened a journal to a blank page, and began writing.

Dear Lucian,

I’m sorry for just now getting back to you, a lot has happened in my life that I’m sure you’re aware of…

No, that isn’t going to work.

Dear Lucian,

How are you? I hope you’ve been well. Things certainly have not been easy here at the castle so I’m just trying to tackle life day by day…

Too bland.

Dear Lucian,

I’m sorry for the delayed response, I’ve been dealing with a lot since the day father passed. How are you, though? How are your wife and children? Perhaps before the temperature drops too much you can visit the castle and your daughters can meet my stepdaughters; maybe play some games with them as well. Before you start, you didn’t miss the ceremony, I’ve just adopted these titles and roles so that I’d be comfortable in these positions by the time everything is official. I know you and the others think it happened too fast, but Alcina and I have been through so much together… I know that every day for the rest of my life, I want Alcina to be there. I can’t imagine my life without her.

Now… on to the real topic of this response, Constantin. I know you and the rest of our brothers and sisters are happy that he’s finally gone, but I can’t help but feel… I don’t know, guilty, I guess. Part of me believed that father could have been a good person if he really tried. I know it sounds ridiculous and incredibly naïve of me, but I wanted him to actually be a father for once. I didn’t want the prospect of death to be the only thing to spur him on. But alas, I can’t want for that now, can I? Have… you or anyone else checked on Mother since then? I told her that when she figured out what it was she needed to do to repair our relationship to send me a letter, but she hasn’t (no real surprise there). Do you think I’m foolish for wanting loving parents? Did Mother ever tell you she loved you? I didn’t get to hear her say it until Alcina was dragging Constantin to the carriage. Now that he’s gone, do you think she’ll say it more often? 

I don’t want to keep being depressing and a spoilsport, so let’s change the subject. I have news! We’re getting a couple handfuls of new maids today because a lot of people got moved around when I resigned. Not to mention, Alcina has been floating around the idea of hand servants for the girls, as well as  two  ladys' maids. And even though I don’t need one, I’m sure that’s why she’s taken on more new staff than what we currently need… listen to me, sounding all ladylike. I’m sure you’re also aware of our decision to have you take Father’s place as one of the providers for the castle and parts of the village in exchange for protection and payment. It was my idea; you can thank me later. But besides that, Alcina offered to extend protection to all of you. That includes Teo, Ana, and Drei. The only thing required from the others is their loyalty and they better be loyal to their sister… otherwise they will never be invited to another Castle Dimitrescu function ever again. Anyway, I’ll stop my rambling and try to do something productive before I’m broken up with and demoted to maid (you can laugh, that’s a joke). I love you, Luc, I’m always thinking about you and the others.

Best regards,

Lady Y/N Dimitrescu

P.S. fancy, right?

Well, that was one down, now to just write three more. You just hope the journal has enough pages left in case you make another mistake and rip out more pages.

The letters following didn’t take that long to write. Once you knew what you wanted to say, the words flowed from your brain to the tip of your pen like the water that coursed through the river. Your letter to Andrei was arguably the lengthiest as you went on several tangents about your broken relationship with your parents. You felt you could be a little more open and vulnerable with Drei because of how close you were when you were young. Sure, there were things you shared with Teo, Ana, and Luc, but you shared the most with Andrei. (Well, there’s Stefana but she works in the castle, so she doesn’t count.) You contemplated telling them your name – your given name – but you didn’t know how they’d react to it, so you figured it’s something best kept between you and Alcina. Replying was a lot easier now that you’d gotten over the mental block that caused you to leave the letters unattended for almost three weeks. By the time you were done, it was time for lunch, so you placed each letter into an addressed envelope to bring downstairs with you. 

You took the sealed envelopes to the mailroom and placed them in the outgoing box before you joined Alcina and the girls in the dining room. For once, you were the last one to arrive at the table and four pairs of golden eyes stared back at you as you made your way to your seat. You, however, did not notice them looking at you—as your brain was too occupied on the letters you’d just finished writing.  

“Hello, darling. You’re never the last one to arrive, are you alright?” Alcina asks, her voice dripping with concern when she notices your frazzled state.89

“I’m okay, it just took me a little longer than I would have liked to write responses to my siblings.” You sigh, taking your usual seat at the table.

“If you’d like, I could appoint someone to transcribe letters for you. Your sister perhaps—if the contents are personal.”

“Is this your way of getting me to agree to having a personal maid?” You deadpan, having caught on to the stunt Alcina is trying to pull. Alcina is the type of person that can easily hide her true intent in what she says, but you know her well enough that it doesn’t work on you.

“It’s simply a suggestion, dear, one person cannot serve the both of us.” Alcina says, sipping from her teacup.

“One person won’t have to serve the both of us. I’m with you most of the day, and when I’m not, nothing I do requires me to have someone waiting on me hand and foot.” You say with a shrug.

“Yeah, what  do  you do when you’re not clinging to Mother?” Cassandra asks, the corner of her mouth turning up in a smirk.

“I do not cling,” You pause, rolling your eyes, “and to answer your question, I spend time with you three, or with my friends and sister, or sometimes I read.”

“During the day when she’s with me, she’s helping me with my work, or with my art. Much like before she stepped into the role of a Lady.” Alcina adds.

“So, you’re doing the same things as before, just without pay. That wasn’t a very wise decision, Mamă.” Daniela says, shaking her head slightly as her lips form a thin line.

“Getting paid never mattered to me, I still try to do some of the things I used to do simply because I enjoy it. I want to help your mother as much as I can and if that means doing the same work without getting paid, then I don’t mind.” 

“You’ve got to be the only person in the history of the universe to like working.” Cassandra says with a snicker before turning her attention to Alcina, “Is that why you initially promoted her? So, she could work, and you could be near her?”

“Cassandra, I’ve told you before, I promoted Y/N because I was impressed with her work during her first year.”

“And because you liked me.” You add as a smug expression appears on your face.

“Guilty as charged.” Alcina responds, sipping on her tea.

A moment goes by where just the sounds of forks and knives scraping against porcelain fill the room. The air was a little stiff, but not uncomfortable. In order to keep your focus on something other than the letters you wrote earlier, you decided to ask about the new maids arriving.

“So, the new hires, how much do you know about them?” You ask, dabbing the corner of your mouth with a napkin.

“We’re receiving twelve new servants. Most of them have been sent by their families or spouses to pay off debts they owe as opposed to having them work in a brothel. The others have been sent for various reasons; carrying out sentences, or because they don’t have anywhere else to go.” Alcina explains. It was normal for women to be sent here to pay off their debts, but you didn’t know Alcina also took on criminals.

“Carrying out sentences?” You question.

“Yes, it’s an alternative for women that do not wish to rot away in a jail cell. We typically receive those that have been sentenced to life for crimes such as murder, and most of the time, it is because they were fed up with someone that has abused them. We have taken on those that have committed lesser offenses, but it doesn’t happen often.”

“And the ones arriving today that are carrying out sentences, do you know what for?” There’s a bit of hesitation in your voice and you know that Alcina can hear it. Before she answers, her eyes narrow ever so slightly—as if she were asking you why you wanted to know.

“One for theft, and one for attempted murder.” Alcina starts, causing your body to tense for a brief moment. “You needn’t worry yourself with the thoughts of criminals being in the castle though, I will let them know that one wrong move will earn them a trip to the cellar, and whether they return or not will depend on what they did.”

“There are members of the staff that have actually survived being sent down to the cellar?” You question with wide eyes, your hesitation from earlier having dissipated.

Alcina goes on to share the instances where women have survived the cellar. The longest someone has spent down there and managed to come back in more or less one piece was a month, and her horror stories put immense amounts of fear in the other staff members. Since then, no one that has been taken has come back alive. You wanted to know what was down there, and maybe now since you’re no longer a worker, you’ll get a chance to see it.

Sometime after lunch had ended, you joined Alcina and the girls in the entrance hall as the five of you waited for the transport to arrive with the new staff – the transport being Duke. The metal of the doors screeched as two maids struggled to pull them open. One by one, the twelve women lined up outside before being ushered in by a thirteenth. Most of them looked terrified, the color was completely drained from their faces, and they shook with fear. However, there was one who appeared as calm as a placid river. Something about her was different. She had a scar that ran down the front of her face – from her hairline down to the corner of her mouth – she was average height, quite stocky, short hair, and she had a necklace with a symbol you’ve never seen around her neck. Perhaps she’s a farmer, though, her hardened expression told you otherwise. There was something else about her, something familiar, that you couldn’t quite put your finger on. As they walked in, the scary-looking one’s eyes darted around the room before landing on you and remained there for longer than you were comfortable with. 

You shifted from one foot to the other, standing awkwardly next to Alcina as the woman that brought in the new staff approached the two of you.

“Lady Dimitrescu, lovely to see you again.” The woman says, bowing slightly.

“You as well, Vanda. I see you’ve found some good ones, thank you.” Alcina says with a small smile.

“Of course, My Lady. I’m always eager to serve.” Vanda says. Her eyes widen slightly when she catches sight of you, and more importantly, the house crest sitting high on your chest. “And who might this little beauty be? She’s wearing your crest so clearly, she’s someone important—another daughter, perhaps?” 

“Please, we have enough trouble with three as is—there’s no need for more. Vanda this is Lady Y/N, my wife.” In your peripherals, you see the burly servant’s eyes snap in your direction, widening slightly at the mention of your name and title. “Y/N this is my good friend Vanda, she finds women in the village to work in the castle for a small fee.” Alcina says.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Vanda.” You say with a small smile, extending your hand for the woman to shake. Vanda takes your hand, turns it so that your palm is facing the floor, and bows until her lips meet your knuckles.

“The pleasure’s all mine, Lady Y/N.” The woman says as she stands upright and releases your hand. “I must say, Lady Dimitrescu, you’ve found yourself an absolute gem. Quite frankly, I’m a little jealous.” Vanda and Alcina both laugh lightly at the former’s comment. It’s a good thing Alcina found Vanda’s flirting amusing because if it were anyone else, they’d probably be on the end of her claws.

“I technically did not find her, Mother Miranda did. I’m sure if you pray enough, Mother Miranda will be able to scrape someone up for you.” Alcina says, chuckling softly. “Thank you again, Vanda. I will be contacting you again should I need more help finding staff.” Alcina smiles, walking with Vanda toward the door. You follow behind, glancing at the women standing in the hall as you pass by. 

“And I will always be glad to help you, My Ladies. I’ll be off now, good afternoon!” Vanda says, waving as she exits the castle toward the carriage.

“Now, shall we introduce ourselves to the new staff?” Alcina asks, looking down at you with a smile. You nod, following her as she moves to stand in front of the line of women. Eleven of them keep their heads bowed as Alcina walks from one end of the line to the other. The only one that didn’t was the one with the scar. She kept her gaze forward, training it to the large portrait of Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela that was behind you.

“Let’s not prolong this introduction any further, I am Lady Dimitrescu. You will refer to me as such, or you may refer to me as Ma’am and My Lady. Standing next to me is my wife, Lady Y/N, and you will refer to her as Lady Y/N, Ma’am, or My Lady as well. Behind us are our daughters, Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela, you will be referring to them as Miss, understood?” Alcina asks, to which the eleven timid new maids respond with a quiet “Yes, My Lady.” The odd one out, the one with the scar doesn’t answer. Alcina notices this and quirks her brow at the woman. “Will you all introduce yourselves, starting with you.” Alcina says, pointing to one end of the line.

Going down the line, the maids introduce themselves one by one. Their voices are shaky and soft, but they still speak up enough for you to hear.

“Ingrid, My Lady.”

“Luiza, My Lady.”

“My name is Cristina, My Lady.” 

“Gabriela.”

“Alina, My Lady.”

“Maria.”

“My name is A-Alizandra.”

“Alicia.”

“Em- Em- Emilia, My Lady.”

“Sorina.”

“Z-Zoe.”

The girls walked along the line, flashing the women bloodied grins to scare them—all the way down to the last, the one with the scar. Everyone looked down the line at her expecting her to say her name, but she did not answer. Alcina moved to stand in front of her and bent slightly at the waist to get her attention.

“Your name?” Alcina asked the last woman. She didn’t answer and kept her eyes locked in front of her. It won’t benefit her to be as stubborn as she’s being, and the longer she takes to answer, the quicker she’ll be sent to the cellar. Alcina grips the sides of her face and tilts her head up, forcing the woman to look at her. “Know your place and speak when you’re spoken to. I’d hate to have to punish you before you’ve even made it into the castle. What is your name, child?”

“Mihaela.” The woman grumbles. That name… her face… they’re so familiar to you. You’ve never had trouble remembering people, but why was it so hard to remember this woman? 

Alcina releases her hold on Mihaela’s face and stands to her full height. “I will overlook this because you are new, but should this happen again, I will not be so kind. Girls, will you show them around the castle and afterward, take them to the servant’s quarters?” Bela, Cass, and Dani all nod with excited grins on their faces. You stopped them before they could usher them out, as there were a few things you wanted to say as well.

“It will do you all good to follow the rules, perform your tasks well, and stay out of trouble. It would also be in your best interest not to provoke any of us. We haven’t had to seriously discipline any of our staff in quite a while, don’t be the reason we start again. That’s all I have to say to you, good luck. Bela, Cassandra, Daniela, they’re all yours.” You say, stepping to the side to allow the girls to lead the new staff on their tour through the castle. 

The girls led the women out of the entrance hall, showing them the sickles attached to their hips as an incentive for them not to try anything while they’re walking through the castle. You craned your neck, looking up at a visibly angry Alcina, and reached for her hand to calm her down.

“There’s something about Mihaela that rubs me the wrong way.” You say, leading Alcina out of the entrance hall.

“She’s got a rough exterior and is not easily shaken like the others, but her lack of respect will be her downfall. She seemed particularly interested in you, I’m not sure if I like that.”

“I think I know her. I felt an odd sense of familiarity when she stepped into the entrance hall, and her name sounds familiar as well. I’m not sure where I know her from though.” You say, furrowing your brows as you try to recall where you might have crossed paths with Mihaela. 

“Perhaps it’s for the best that you don’t remember. If I were you, I wouldn’t want to be associated with the likes of her. I imagine she will not last long here.”

You kept walking in silence with Alcina through the halls of the castle, only to part ways when you approached the library. Alcina walked toward her study to make some phone calls, and you remained by the entrance to the library. There were still several hours before your friends and sister were done with their duties for the day, Alcina was likely going to be on the phone all day as well. So, with everyone busy, that left you with a lot of time between now and dinner for you to kill. Reading a good book has always been a guaranteed way to make time go by faster. Becoming fully immersed in a story, the words coming to life and painting vivid pictures in your mind, going on an adventure without moving an inch—you’ll never tire of it. You browsed through the different sections trying to find a good title; you’ve been into horror lately and decided to glance through one of Cassandra’s favorites, Pet Sematary. 

About an hour and a half into your reading, the library doors opened. Assuming it was one of the girls, you didn’t look up from the pages of the book.

“Finished with the tour already? That was quick.” You say flatly. 

“To hell with that stupid tour.” The voice rang out in the library, forcing your gaze to shift from the book to whoever was in here with you. You had to turn to face the door, and when you, you found Mihaela with an unimpressed look on her face.

“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be with the other new hires.” You say, standing from your seat to fully face the woman.

“I heard the blonde one say you were in here when we passed by earlier, so I came back to find you. What are you doing here, Y/N?” 

“It’s Lady Y/N to you. I don’t know who you think you are, but you will not address me so formally. If you don’t want anything, I suggest you leave before one of my daughters drags you away.” You say with a scowl, holding your head high, and looking down your nose at the woman.

“Oh, come on, you really don’t recognize me? I couldn’t have changed that much from when we were teenagers.” Mihaela says with a slight scoff.

“I haven’t the slightest idea who you are, and even if I did, that does not give you the right to speak to me as though we’re the best of friends. You will respect me.”

“So, you really don’t remember all the times we’d hide in the stacks down at the library and feel each other up until that old woman kicked us out?” 

“That was you? You look nothing like you did back then.”

“Uh duh. I know I look a little different, but I still have the same memories. You, me, and the old bat were the only people that knew. But that’s not why I came to find you, I want to know why you’re here playing house with someone you hate. She’s not forcing you to do this, is she?” Mihaela asks, her lip twitching as she fights back a snarl.

“I’m not “playing house”, Mihaela, I’m happy. It would be wise for you not to make assumptions about someone you’ve not seen in a decade.”

“You know, I liked you because you weren’t brainwashed like the rest of these village idiots. What happened to that Y/N?”

“She died, a long time ago. Things change… people change, Mihaela, and you must recognize that I’m not that girl anymore. I am your Lady.” You say, folding your arms over your chest and turning away from the woman.

“Right, right, my apologies, Lady Y/N.” Mihaela pauses, emphasizing your title, “It’s a shame though, here I was thinking that we still had the same views of the four lords, but they’ve turned you into another one of their sheep. How long until you're experimented on and made into a monster like the rest of them? Or maybe you already are.” Your head snaps in Mihaela’s direction and you stare incredulously before approaching her. You stand about half a head taller than her, so you cast your gaze downward. Your hand comes up to grip her face much like Alcina had done earlier. 

“Don’t you ever say those words about my family again. I don’t know what type of hotshot you were before you got sent here, but in these walls, you are nothing but a servant, do you understand? Try anything like this again or say anything to anger us and you’ll be leaving this castle in a bottle.” You spit, practically seething at the way she so brazenly walked in here and insulted your family. You released your hold on her, but you didn’t trust Mihaela enough to just dismiss her, so you decided to call for a little backup. “Cassandra, come here now!” 

Flies swarm around the library as your voice rings out into the air before materializing in the form of Cassandra. “Yes, Mămică?” The middle child asked. 

“Mihaela here broke away from your tour group and got a little lost. Will you see to it that she gets back? Relay the message to your sisters not to let  any  of the new hires out of your sight.” You command, returning to your seat and continuing your reading. 

“Will do.” The brunette nods, grabbing your old “friend” by the collar of her shirt and pulling her out of the library. You recline in your chair, letting out a groan. Life keeps throwing things at you that you weren’t properly equipped to handle since you’ve become a Lady—and while it wasn’t a decision you regretted, it was one that definitely left you considerably more stressed than when you were just an employee here. You see why Alcina smokes so much. 

You spent the next couple of hours re-reading the same three pages because you just couldn’t focus on the words in front of you. You were on high alert and reading wasn’t something that was proving efficient in calming you down. You needed something else. You used your usual dog-ear bookmark method on the page you left off at, closed the book, and held it under your arm as you exited the library. Hopefully, dinner will be able to take your mind off your interaction with Mihaela. You had a feeling she was the one that was charged with attempted murder, and you didn’t know what to do about her. Though you weren’t certain, your gut was telling you not to trust her… at all. 

You entered the dining room and took your usual seat at the other head of the table. The girls had yet to show up, but Alcina was already seated. She noticed your unusual demeanor and looked at you with a concerned expression from the moment you walked in, to the moment you sat down.

“Are you alright, darling?” The Countess asks, lines forming on her forehead as her brows furrow.

“I’m okay.” You respond, keeping your gaze off to the side.

“Don’t lie to me, Y/N, I know when something is amiss with you.” Alcina softly commands. “Would you like to discuss it before the girls arrive?”

“That new servant, the one with the scar…”

“Mihaela.” 

“Yes, her. I figured out where I know her from.” You say, looking forward to lock eyes with Alcina. 

“Oh? Do tell.”

“Do you remember when I told you about the girl that used to come to the library when I was a teenager?” You ask to which Alcina responds with a terse nod.

“Who you would hide with in one of the sections and kiss? I recall this story; is Mihaela the girl?” 

You nod. “Yeah… that’s why she was staring at me so much earlier. She recognized me but I didn’t recognize her.”

“I must say, my dear, I would have never imagined a woman like her be your type.” Alcina says with a smirk.

“She didn’t look like that back then; she was dainty and feminine and had long hair. Now she looks like she eats a bowl of nails every morning for breakfast.” You say, mumbling the last bit. As Alcina opens her mouth to respond, three clouds of flies burst through the door and take the shape of your three daughters, who were happily taking their seats.

“What has you in such high spirits, girls?” Alcina asks with a smile on her face.

“It feels so good having fresh meat to terrorize.” Cassandra responds, her eyes shining brightly at the mention of near psychological torture.

“Those new maids are so fun to scare! The little one, Zoe I think her name was, kept squeaking like a mouse whenever me or Cass would appear next to her.” Daniela says with a beaming smile.

“I’m glad you’re already having fun, sweetheart. Bela, how was the tour?” Alcina claps her hands, alerting the kitchen staff that you were all ready to be served. Maids emerge from the kitchen with carts fully loaded with food and drink ready to be served.

“It was fine, Mother. We showed them most of the important areas like the kitchen, the servant’s dining hall, the communal bathrooms, and just passed by the library and the opera hall before coming back around to the dining room. We ended the tour and took them back to their living quarters when one of them got lost.” Bela explains, her voice getting soft toward the end of her statement.

How did one of them manage to slip away? Were you not paying attention?” Alcina asks, the volume of her voice rising slightly.

“It was the one with the scar on her face; she’s stealthy and none of us noticed she was gone until Mamă called for Cass.” Daniela says as she shovels forkful after forkful of food in her mouth.

“Daniela, mind your manners,” Alcina says with a grimace before turning her attention to you and Cassandra. “Why did you need to call for Cassandra, dear?” 

“She snuck into the library and Mămică was in there reading. When I got there, they both looked angry with each other, what happened?” The brunette questions.

“Let’s just say we have history.”

“Ooh! The ex-girlfriend enters the fray!” Cassandra exclaims.

“She would have had to have been my girlfriend to be my ex. She thought that she could be chummy with me, and I had to set the record straight. I informed her that should she continue to disrespect any of us, the only way she would be leaving this castle is in a bottle.” You say with a shrug, crossing your arms over your chest. Your words seemed to have flustered Alcina, and maybe it was the trickery of the candles’ flames, but you could have sworn you saw a faint dusting of pink upon her cheeks.

“You’ve learned well.” Alcina says, smirking. “However, I don’t think “brute” would make for a palatable flavor profile. I will make sure to monitor Mihaela for her first few weeks and should anything happen, she will be disposed of.” Alcina says, taking a sip from her wine glass. You’re inclined to ask for a glass yourself, but you know that it sneaks up on you and you may say something that will land you a spot over Alcina’s knee. If it were a different day, you wouldn’t be opposed to that at all…

After dinner, you had the girls send your friends and sister up to your old room for a few hands of cards, and to discuss the new staff.

“I feel bad for those new girls, they looked like ghosts when they came into the dining hall earlier.” Mara says, shuffling the cards to deal them out.

“I remember when I was taken on a tour of the castle, it was like walking through a haunted house.” Catalina states, Olivia nodding in agreement.

“I didn’t get a tour.” Stefana grumbles.

“Neither did I.” Sam adds.

“If it makes either of you feel better, I didn’t really receive a tour either. Mara and Cat showed me the servant’s quarters and the bathrooms and that was it.” You shrug, cutting the deck and handing it back to your friend.

“Was that really all we showed you? I could have sworn we did a better job than that.” Mara says.

“Back then, we’d have probably been sent to the cellar for being terrible tour guides.” Catalina says, chuckling softly.

“Well, then it’s a good thing I was never asked about it.” You respond. Mara begins dealing the cards as your friends and sister recount the things they heard during dinner today.

“I’m hoping those new servants do well. I overheard one of them saying she agreed to work here because her brother is sick, and her parents can’t work to afford treatment. The poor girl is only fourteen.” Lydia says

“Fourteen!? She’s just a child!” A frown paints your face as a feeling of guilt washes over you. “Did you happen to catch her name? I want to inform Alcina so we can make sure she’s okay.”

“It began with a Z. We’ve had young staff before; do you want to look out for her because you’re a  mother  now?” Catalina asks, the corners of her mouth turning upward in a smirk.

“Can you blame me? No child should have to carry such a heavy burden. What else happened during dinner?”

“The new hires that weren’t afraid to open their mouths kept talking about the short, muscular one with the scar. Apparently she disrespected Alcina as soon as she arrived this afternoon.” Stefana says, earning a shocked look from Catalina.

“How did you get to be on a first-name basis with the Lady before us?” Your disgruntled friend asks.

“Because I’m her sister-in-law, but that’s not what I was talking about. Y/N, you were there right? What happened?” Stefana asks. You groan at the thought of having to talk about Mihaela—you didn’t even want to think about her let alone talk about her.

“You don’t seem so enthusiastic. Did something terrible happen?” Olivia asks.

“I wouldn’t call it terrible, she just forgot to leave her bravado at the door when Alcina had the new girls introduce themselves. Everyone answered immediately except for her which earned her a warning from Alcina. But that wasn’t the only time today she almost caused trouble. She broke away from the tour to come find me because she’s still stuck on the version of me she knew nearly ten years ago.”

“Wait, you know her? How?” Stefana questions.

“She was the girl I used to make out with in the village library,” You say with an indifferent tone, “we used to harbor the same negative feelings toward the leaders of the village, but I got over myself. Mihaela, however, did not. I don’t trust her, and I don’t think any of you should either.”

“She hasn’t even started yet, what if she comes around like you did? And who knows, she may warm up to all of you faster than you did because someone she’s familiar with is here and can prove that the lords aren’t that bad.” Mara says.

“I guess, but that still doesn’t change how I currently feel about her. She insulted us and I don’t take kindly to people that do.”

“What did she say? She’ll have a matching scar on the other side of her ugly mug when I’m done with her.” Stefana says through gritted teeth.

“She called us the ‘m’ word.” You answer.

“And she’s still alive? The Lady must not know that she said it.” Olivia says, nodding in understanding.

“No, she doesn’t know it yet. I’ve been trying the whole “be the bigger person” thing but people keep trying my patience. She has one more time to say something disrespectful or rude to any of us before she wins a one-way ticket downstairs.” You say.

“Wow, big sis is really rubbing off on you. I like it.” Stefana says with an idiotic grin. 

“Please never call Alcina that ever again.” You chuckle.

“Wait, wait, what’s the ‘m’ word?” Sam questions causing your brows to raise slightly. They must not know what you mean because they’ve always been accepting of the lords. You couldn’t fight the smile that appeared when you saw the curious look on their face.

“Monster, dear carpenter, the ‘m’ word is monster. It’s the one thing Alcina and the girls hate to be called.” You explain.

“Oh, right, Donna is the same.” Sam replies.

“Donna? I see you’re on a first-name basis with the doll maker.” You say with a smirk.

“Um, y-yeah…” Sam trails off, averting their gaze to hide the blush that has crept up on their cheeks.

Amidst your card laying, there was a knock on the door. When Mara stood to answer it, you raised a hand to stop her. “Enter.” You said, permitting whoever it was on the other side of to come in. The door swings open and Alcina bends through, bracing herself on the frame with one hand and holding her hat in place with the other. Once inside, she stands to her full height.

“Hello girls, hello Sam, playing cards?” Alcina asks, looking over the current state of the room. 

“Yeah, do you want to join us?” You point to the spot on the floor next to you, to which Alcina responds with a shake of her head.

“No, thank you. You know, darling, you’ll not be able to use this room once I appoint a new lady’s maid.” 

“Not if you promote someone currently in the room.” You respond, smirking. “Is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine, dear. Could I actually steal you away for a moment? I won’t keep you long.” Alcina says, clasping her hands in front of her. You notice the way she’s wringing them, she only does that when something is worrying her.

“We actually should be heading back to the servant’s quarters anyway. We could always continue the game tomorrow.” Mara says as she begins collecting the cards. She, the rest of your friends, and your sister stand from wherever they’re sitting and move across the room toward the door. “Goodnight, My Lady.” Your friends say, bowing in unison.

“It is alright to call me Alcina when we are in private like this, friends of Y/N are friends of mine. Have a good evening.” Alcina says with a smile as they exit the room. The two of you follow suit and go next door to your actual bed chambers. 

Once inside, Alcina closes the door and takes a seat at her vanity. She places a cigarette in the holder and brings it up to her mouth, taking a long drag from it as she lights it. 

“You’re stressed, are you sure everything is okay baby?” You ask, your tone dripping with concern as you approach Alcina. Your hand comes up to gently stroke her back and you can see her visibly relax under your touch. Her gaze meets yours, and she smiles warmly.

“I’m alright, my love, today has just been hellish from start to finish. It’s been ages since I encountered a woman like Mihaela. She will be difficult for us, but I’m sure that with time, she won’t be so unruly. I am trying to hold off on my punishment, to be the bigger person as you say, but I don’t know how long that will last. I heard you telling your friends what she called us… you are a better woman than I because I would have ended her. I  should  have ended her.”

“I’m hoping that she’ll come to her senses and realize that she won’t get far if she keeps acting the way she is. I think it’s a good thing that you’re going to monitor her behavior because I don’t trust her. Something about her just seems dangerous.”

“I did not sense any danger this afternoon, however, I will say that her brazen attitude will end up landing her in a dangerous situation. I heard that there was another you would like to monitor, which one was it?” Alcina asks, turning her body slightly to face you.

“Zoe, the little one that Dani said squeaks like a mouse when she’s scared. Lydia overheard her explaining why she’s here and the reason is to pay for her brother’s medical treatment because her parents can’t work. She’s only fourteen and I don’t think a child should be responsible for something like that. Is there some way we could help her?”

“I… will see what I can do. It is not often a girl that young is sent here, so, I understand your concern. Let’s get ready for bed, and we will continue this conversation in the morning, yes? How does a relaxing bath sound?” Alcina asks, butting the cigarette and standing from her stool.

“That sounds lovely.” You say with a warm smile. “Do you think you could have someone bring up some wine for us? I could go for a glass.”

“Of course, darling. Why don’t you start the bath, and I will go pick something from the wine room. Any preference for flavor or type?”

“Just bring whatever is strongest.”

Chapter Text

The days were getting shorter, the nights were getting colder, and the castle was preparing for a long, long winter. It was a good thing that Alcina hired a dozen people because the extra hands came in handy when things needed to be weatherproofed, and as much as you hate to say it, Mihaela has also been a great help. She can actually lift a decent amount of weight. That’s about the only good thing you could say about her though. Since that day in the library, you’ve done your best to avoid the woman as much as possible, and yes, you shouldn’t have to avoid your own staff, but she’s a special case. Alcina has been lax in her supervision of her, claiming that her “behavior has improved significantly”, but you know it’s a façade. You could feel it in the deepest depths of your soul that Mihaela is trouble, yet no one else feels that way. While she hasn’t exactly  done  anything to prove that she can’t be trusted, you would rather be safe than sorry. You’ve been trying to see what everyone else sees, but you can’t, not when you know she hasn’t changed any from when the two of you were younger.

You had a dream last night, or maybe it was a memory that your mind kept you from thinking about until now. You remembered a time when both you and Mihaela were young, ambitious, and for the time being, extremely close. She had big dreams and plans for you both and had she not disappeared, you probably would have helped her realize those dreams. What you relived as you slept also helped you remember the kind of person Mihaela really was, she always hated the lords and Miranda, she always talked about wanting to hunt them down. And of course, you would entertain it because no one would ever be powerful enough to take down the rulers of the village. 

“Did you hear about what happened to old man Bogdan’s niece?” Mihaela asked, pressing her back against the bookcase and sinking down next to you.

“No, what happened to her?” You question, tearing your attention away from your book to look at the girl now seated beside you.

“She was sold off to the castle by her dead husband’s brother… and she’ll probably die up there. It may just be rumors, but no one that gets sent to those freaks ever returns.” Mihaela says with a slight grimace.

“Calling them freaks is putting it lightly. They’re demons, all of the lords, and how my family worships them is beyond me.” You let out a dry chuckle as you roll your eyes.

“So, you’re really the only one in your family that doesn’t believe in that junk?”

“Yep, none of them ever cared about me enough to shove their religion down my throat.”

“I guess that’s one good thing then because if you were one of those cult weirdos, we couldn’t be friends—no matter how cute you are.” Mihaela says as one corner of her mouth turns up into a smirk.

“Oh, so that’s what we are now? Friends? Last week you were telling me your big plan to run away with me. “Oh, Y/N, let’s leave this drab village and live happily ever after!”,” You pause, falling dramatically, your head landing in Mihaela’s lap, “or whatever it was that you said.”

“You’re always so dramatic,” your friend says, rolling her eyes, “We’re obviously more than friends, dummy, but we can be so much more as soon as we take down the lords and Miranda. Our first target, the castle.”

“And how do you suppose we do that? We’re just normal girls, we’re not… I don’t know, hunters or something.” You laugh lightly, bringing your book back up to continue reading. Mihaela takes two fingers and presses the book against your sternum and keeps it there, so she has your full attention.

“But don’t you want to be free? Don’t you want to see the rule of the four lords come to an end? To see Miranda lose her control over this village?”

“Well, yeah, but… we won’t be able to accomplish that as we are. How could we possibly go up against them? We’re human and they’re… whatever they are.” 

“We’ll figure it out eventually. The bottom line is, we’re going to get out of here and we won’t have to worry about the lords anymore, I promise.”

The dream left you a little bewildered and you woke up far earlier than you usually would. On early mornings like this, you’d head down to the kitchen to have a cup of coffee and talk to Ylenia while she and the rest of the kitchen staff prepare breakfast. However, you couldn’t move much because you were trapped under Alcina’s arm. You tried just going back to sleep, but your mind was racing, and it didn’t seem to be calming down any time soon. Not only did Mihaela make you extremely uncomfortable in your own home, but now you’re losing sleep over her. Alcina says you can’t fire her because “past grudges are not a valid reason for termination”, or something like that. Seeing that you have no power in this matter, you’re just going to watch Mihaela, (from a comfortable distance, of course) and when she says or does  anything  out of character for her, she’s gone.

You stared into the embers of the fireplace for who knows how long and sighed heavily when your head began to ache from the amount of thinking you were doing so early in the morning. You know you should talk to Alcina about the dream, but you don’t want to trouble her with any more of what was going on in your mind. You just had to get used to Mihaela working here and used to the fact that she likely hated you now. She wouldn’t be the first. The bed shifted and you heard Alcina inhale deeply as she stretched her arms and legs. Your back was to her, so you couldn’t see the way her brows furrowed as soon as her eyes opened.

“Good morning, dragă, are you not going to stare at me as you usually would?” Alcina asks, her voice crackling as she speaks. 

A small smile appeared on your face as you turned to face your lover. She always looked amazing in the soft glow of the morning sun. “I didn’t want to wake you by turning over, good morning, Alcina.” You say, meeting the Countess’s tired gaze.

“I would not have been cross with you for it. Waking up to the sight of you is worth losing a few minutes of sleep.” Alcina says as she wraps her arm around you once more to pull you close. You nestled into the junction of her neck and shoulder and brought a hand up to run your finger along Alcina’s exposed collar bone.

“You would have lost more than a few minutes, and probably give me the silent treatment for the rest of the week.”

“How long have you been awake?” Alcina asks.

“I don’t know, I never looked at the clock. I started staring at the fireplace when the wood still had an orange glow to it, now it looks like just ashes.” You say with a sigh.

“Are you not sleeping well? Have your nightmares returned?” You need to see Alcina’s face to know that her features were awash with concern. You could hear it in her voice and could feel it in the way that she held you. 

“No, it’s nothing like that. I did, however, have weird a dream that caused me to think about some things. I don’t want to trouble you with it though, so I’ll just have to do some quiet introspection.” 

“Don’t be daft, darling. If there’s something that is bothering you, don’t be afraid to tell me.” Alcina says as her hand moves from the center of your back to cup your cheek. You close your eyes as you lean into her touch. There was something so warm, so comforting about the way her thumb brushed over your cheek and ghosted over your lips. Alcina wanted to reassure you that no matter what, she would always be there for you. 

“I… dreamt about Mihaela and I when we were younger. Or maybe it wasn’t a dream. What I saw and what I heard… it actually happened.”

“A flashback?” Alcina asks, sitting up slightly with you still in her arms.

“No, or at least I don’t think it can be called a flashback. We were down in the library, talking about what two nonbelievers usually do. I made fun of her for saying we were just friends because she always talked about running away and leaving the village with me. I don’t know why I’m remembering this now.” You broke out of Alcina’s hold and pushed yourself up into a sitting position, pressing your back against the headboard as you cast your gaze downward.

“I… wish I had an answer to give you. In most cases, when an individual dreams of past events it is due to trauma. Truthfully speaking, it may just be your mind’s way of helping you remember the relationship you had with her.”

“But I don’t want to remember it, I don’t want to think of Mihaela even when I’m sleeping. I want to forget her and forget the fact that the only friend I had when I was young is someone I can’t even trust now.” 

“If the reason you do not trust her is because she doesn’t like me, then there are several people in this castle that you should not trust. Not everyone is going to like us, and I’m okay with that because I do not need the love and adoration of everyone. I only need you, and the girls. No one else matters.”

“You’re right,” you nod, “you’re right. I don’t need to worry about who likes us and who doesn’t, I just need to worry about the quality of their work.” 

  “Good girl, now you’re catching on. When you let go of the worry surrounding the opinion of insignificant people, you’ll feel much lighter.” Alcina says, giving your thigh a reassuring pat.

“I’ll try not to be such a worrywart. I imagine it isn’t fun listening to me ramble about everything.”

“Hearing you ramble is enlightening, it allows me to know your thoughts and how you process them. Your vocabulary is also interesting. Most of the women your age aren’t as well-spoken as you are.”

“Well, I doubt the women my age spent most of their lives reading books. They probably learned everything they know from their parents, whereas I learned everything from a page or from the old librarian.”

“She taught you well…” Alcina trails off, and a moment of brief silence passes before she speaks again. “Darling, I was thinking of taking the day off to spend some quality time with you and the girls. I’ve been consumed by my work and haven’t had a moment's rest.”

“I’m supposed to help the girls prepare their rooms for the winter today. I don’t think watching Bela quadruple check the seals on all the windows is the exact definition of quality time.” You respond with a short chuckle.

“Any time spent with the four of you is quality time,” Alcina smiles, “but I will leave you to help the girls today while I compare last summer’s sales to this summer’s. Tedious work, but I must do it to make sure the winery is successful.”

“Sounds like torture to me,” you say with a huff, “but you have fun with that. I’m going to start getting ready.” You shuffle over to the edge of the bed, swing your legs over and hop down to start your daily routine.

~

Bela didn’t quadruple check the seals on the window like you thought she would. No, she checked them at least twenty times… each. It was a miracle that the blonde was satisfied with the work you and her sisters had done because Bela was far more anal-retentive than Alcina—maybe it’s an eldest child trait. When you were done helping the girls, you returned to your room to freshen up and relax your muscles after the strenuous work you did in their rooms. You took a quick shower and changed out of your sweaty clothes into something a little lighter and more comfortable. When you were done, you stepped out onto the balcony to get a closer look at what was going on in the courtyard and to allow the cool fall air to further relax your muscles.

The groundskeeping staff were hard at work clearing trees and chopping wood for the fireplaces. You said you weren’t going to worry about Mihaela anymore, but you paid close attention to her as she got to work on the logs the other staff left her to split. So far, she was doing her job, occasionally taking breaks to catch her breath or wipe sweat from her brow. Your eyes narrowed when you saw a bird land on her shoulder. You could see that it wasn’t a crow, the fact that its body wasn’t all black made that obvious, but the only birds in this area that you’ve seen are crows and flightless birds. What you saw next had you nearly falling over the railing. Mihaela reached into her pocket and handed the bird something—it was small, and you couldn’t identify it. The bird flew away, leaving Mihaela to resume her log splitting. It was odd, but it wasn’t something that couldn’t happen. She worked outside, and birds bother people sometimes.

When you got tired of watching the staff cut down wood, you returned into the room and headed toward the door. As you opened it, you startled the maid on the other side who had her hand raised, preparing to knock. You didn’t remember all of their faces but this small, freckle-faced girl looked young—younger than the other new hires.

“Zoe?” You question. The girl lowers her hand and clasps them in front of her as she bows her head. 

“Y-yes, My Lady. Lady Dimitrescu asked me to r-retrieve you for tea.” The young maid says, keeping her gaze trained to the floor. You could tell she was nervous by the way her hands shook. 

“Okay,” you offer Zoe a warm smile in an attempt to calm her nerves, “why don’t I come with you, and we can prepare the tea together?” You ask, stepping out of the room and closing the door. Zoe nods, turning on her heels as you lead her from the south wing of the castle. You walk slower than usual and look over at Zoe to hopefully strike up a conversation with the young girl. She stays quiet, and her head never turns in your direction. “Tell me, Zoe, what’s a girl your age doing working in the castle? You’re just a kid.”

“I have to work… my little brother is sick, and my parents can’t get jobs to pay for his treatment.” Zoe says, finally mustering up the courage to look you in the eye.

“How old is he?”

“Three, my Lady.”

“I see, and is it just the two of you?”

“Yes, and forgive me for asking this, b-but why do you want to know? I was under the impression that the Ladies did not care about the staff.” Zoe admits.

“Nonsense!” You laugh, “We care about you and want to ensure that you are all happy and well. I know the circumstances in which you came to work here are not ideal, and I want to help in any way I can. Your younger brother, what illness does he have?” 

“He has a blood disease. We don’t know exactly what it is, but he’s always in pain. It hurts to see him like that, and Mama and Papa don’t know what to do. They didn’t want to let me come here because they don’t want to lose us both, but it’s the only thing I can do.” Zoe says, sniffling as tears threaten to spill down her cheeks. 

“Don’t cry, Zoe, I promise I’ll find a way to help your family. How much is the treatment?” You ask softly, tilting your head.

“45,000 lei… he needs five rounds of the treatments, and each is 9000. If he gets them soon, he might be okay.” Zoe says, to which you respond with a nod. 

“I’ll see what Alcina and I can do. How have you been adjusting to everything? No one’s been giving you trouble, have they?” You asked that question for two reasons. The first is that you genuinely wanted to make sure Zoe wasn’t having a hard time as her situation could be very overwhelming for her. The second is that you had no idea what went on in the servants’ quarters other than what your friends and sister told you, and even then they didn’t share anything that didn’t pertain to them. You don’t have enhanced hearing like Alcina and the girls, so there was no way for you to know what was going on around the castle.

“No, my Lady, everything’s been okay so far. Thank you for your concern, you’re very kind.” The young maid says with a small smile. You could see that her hands had stopped shaking and that she looked a little more comfortable to be around you.

“Of course. I know you’re scared, I’ve been there, and I want you to know that it’ll get better over time. When I was a maid, Daniela and Cassandra used to try and scare me every hour that I worked, but I got used to it during my first year.” At your confession, Zoe’s eyes widen, and she stops dead in her tracks.  

“You used to be a maid?” Zoe asks as she shuffles to catch up to you.

“Yeah, so I know exactly how you’re feeling, and I can assure you that you don’t have to be afraid of us—especially not me.” You say as one corner turns upward in a half-smile. 

“Thank you again, my Lady.” Zoe says, bowing slightly as the two of you continue walking.

When you reach the kitchen, Zoe opens the door to allow you to enter first, and when you cross the threshold, nearly all of the staff tense except for Ylenia who greets you with a smile.

“Lady Y/N, haven’t seen you around these parts in quite some time! Which one of these brats are you after?” The old cook asks. Out of your peripherals, you saw the other staff in the vicinity looking at the woman nervously, as if she’d overstepped a boundary.

“No one today, Ylenia, and you don’t have to call me Lady Y/N all the time. I’m still the same woman that you used to swat with the kitchen rag. I’m actually here to show Zoe how to brew tea.” You say as you look through the cabinets and shelves for the supplies you need to make the tea the way you Alcina likes.

“Ah, I see. You’ve taken the baby of the bunch under your wing,” Ylenia pauses, turning her attention to Zoe, “don’t get distracted while she’s showing you the ropes. Poor girl would spend all morning brewing a single pot of tea.” Ylenia says with a hearty chuckle. A pout forms as you walk the kettle to the sink to fill it with water.

“I wouldn’t spend  all  morning, and besides, brewing a delicious pot of tea is like painting a portrait. It can’t be rushed, otherwise, the quality will be ruined.” You place the kettle on the stove and light the flame to begin heating the water. Afterward, you look through the cabinets and assess the different varieties of tea the castle has available. None of them pique your interest, so you settle for loose black tea leaves and various spices, for mulled tea.

You show Zoe every step in the process of brewing a delicious, mulled tea, which includes warming the pot, toasting the spices, then adding the spices along with orange peels to the pot to steep. It was quicker and simpler than how you used to make tea, and you figured it was a good place to start for someone like Zoe. When the tea and all of the additions were ready, you and Zoe exited the kitchen, saying your goodbyes to Ylenia with smiles.

“Where are we bringing the tea to?” You ask, taking the tray from the shaking young maid.

“To the lower level of the opera hall, my Lady.” Zoe says. You nod as you begin walking in the direction of the opera hall. When you reach the doors, Zoe holds them open for you as you enter with the tray. You find Alcina and the girls all doing various things around the room. Daniela is asleep at the piano, Bela and Cassandra are working on what you assume is a new arrangement, and Alcina lounging in a chair with an unimpressed look on her face as you and Zoe walk toward her.

“It should not have taken you this long to find Y/N and bring her to me. The next time this happens, you will be punished.” Alcina says sternly. Zoe looks to you with a panicked expression as her whole body begins to shake with fear.

“You don’t have to punish her, Alcina. I wanted to talk to Zoe and show her how to make mulled tea. She didn’t do anything to warrant punishment.” You say as you place the tray down on a nearby table. You pour her a cup and point to both the sugar and the honey, silently asking if Alcina would like either. The Countess shakes her head and gestures to the silver flash on the tray.

“You needn’t explain further, I know all too well how long it takes you to make one pot of tea.” Alcina says with a huff, causing you to scoff. You unscrew the top of the flash and pour the dark red contents into the teacup before handing it to Alcina.

“Ylenia said almost the exact same thing. Do I really take that long to make tea?”

“Yes, you do, but you also make the best tea I’ve ever tasted.” Alcina says with a small smile as she brings the porcelain to her lips.

Alcina dismisses Zoe and the young maid nearly presses her head to the floor in repeated bows as she takes her leave. At the sound of the door closing, Daniela’s head pops up and she notices you’re now in the room. The redhead insists that you have a piano lesson with her and so that is what you spent most of your time doing. After lunch, you returned with the sibling trio to the opera hall to begin orchestrating the new arrangement your two eldest had started. Luckily, it wasn’t Paganini, it was Delibes’ Flower Duet. Still, a tricky piece to arrange for a string trio and piano, but you knew the girls could do it.

After dinner, you were finally able to get away from the siblings and enjoy the rest of your night with Alcina. You loved them dearly, and they kept your focus on other things, but their energetic natures left you feeling drained. After another relaxing shower, you changed and got in the bed while you waited for Alcina to finish removing her makeup and taking down her hair.

“Earlier, you said you wanted to talk to that young maid, what did you two discuss?” Alcina asks as her gaze meets yours in the reflection of the vanity.

“I asked her if she was okay, and about her younger brother.” You say with a sigh. “The bright side is that no one has been trouble for her, but what she told me about her brother broke my heart.”

“Does the future look bleak regarding his illness?”

“I would assume. She mentioned that her parents didn’t want her to work here for the fear that they will lose both their children. From that, I could gather that the little boy’s disease is life-threatening.” Alcina remains silent, only nodding in response to allow you to continue speaking. “He’s three years old with a blood disease,” you pause when you notice Alcina freeze and her eyes widen, “the treatments he needs for it could save his life.”

“And the treatments, how much do they cost?”

“45,000 lei. He needs five rounds in total, so they come out to 9000 lei each. I told Zoe I would talk to you to see if there was a way we could help them. It will take her years of  no spending whatsoever in order for her to have enough money saved to pay for the medical expenses. By then, the little boy may be-” 

“I’ll pay for them.” Alcina interrupts.

“What?” You question, shocked at how quickly Alcina presented her solution to Zoe’s problem.

“I said I’ll pay for the child’s treatments. I know the horrors of having a blood disorder at an early age. Your body is wracked with pain from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep; it is agonizing. I might be “soft”, as Heisenberg would put it, because I have daughters, but a child shouldn’t suffer like that. I will call the Duke and send for a specialist.” Alcina says with a heavy sigh. Her voice is thick with emotion as she empathizes with a child she doesn’t even know. She’s a different woman from when you first met, even from when she promoted you. Alcina is kinder, softer, more compassionate toward those around her.

“And what will happen to Zoe? Are you going to send her home or have her work to pay off the debt?” You ask, crawling to the edge of the bed closest to the vanity.

“I will give her a choice. Should she want to stay, she may, but should she want to leave, she may do that as well.”

“Thank you, Alcina, for helping her, I know that she’ll be grateful to you. You’ve got a big heart, and you’re incredibly kind; I hope the people that don’t know it yet will soon realize it.” Your eyes meet Alcina’s in the reflection once more and you smile with you notice the faint pink color appearing on the apples of her cheeks.

“I am this way because of you, you’ve taught me how to be kind to others. You’ve taken this hardened shell of a woman and turned her into-”

“A big softie.” You interrupt, flashing Alcina an innocent grin that quickly fades as her expression drops and her eyebrow raises.

“Tread carefully, darling, or else you’ll be begging for soft after I show you how  hard  I can be.” Alcina says with a smirk. You felt heat course through your body, and you quickly scuttled to the other end of the bed to hide your reddening face under the covers.

“You tempt me, my Lady.” 

“I believe the term you’re looking for is  Mistress .”

~~~  

The days turned into weeks of you following nearly the same routine. Wake up, assist in winterizing the castle, watch the groundskeeping staff split logs. On occasion, that bird would come back and land on Mihaela’s shoulder, she’d give it something, and the bird would fly away. It was a very normal afternoon; you were out on the balcony monitoring the progress of the firewood the groundskeepers were busy making bundles of. The bird came again, and you saw very clearly that what Mihaela received from the bird was a small, rolled-up piece of paper. You wanted to believe it was just trash, but Mihaela’s actions immediately after led you to believe it was not. The bird flew away, and the woman dropped her ax before she entered the castle with haste. She’s up to something, and you’re going to find out what it is. The only people that you knew would entertain your nonsense were Catalina, and Stefana, so you’ll be taking a trip to the servants’ quarters at some point today.

You’re supposed to join Alcina in the opera hall for another tea, prepared by your tea sommelier in training, and you’re hoping it goes by quickly so you can find out why Mihaela abandoned her tasks right in the middle of them. It was odd, even for her. Among the new hires, she, Zoe, Cristina, and Alicia were the best workers. They always followed directions, stayed out of trouble (for the most part), and they did their tasks well. You were just about ready to give in and trust that Mihaela was safe, but not after what you just saw.

Luckily, Alcina didn’t keep you for long, and you left the opera hall toward your friends’ room to hopefully talk with them about what happened in the courtyard. On the way, you passed by the very person you didn’t want to run into as she was on her way back out of the castle. You kept your gaze forward in hopes that she wouldn’t speak to you.

“Lady Y/N,” so much for that, “good afternoon.” Mihaela says with a slight bow of her head.

“Good afternoon, Mihaela. How are you today?” Why are you making small talk? You shouldn’t be making small talk with someone you’re suspicious of.

“I’ve been better, I never worked this hard before I came here so my muscles are a little sore.”

“You know you can take breaks, right? We don’t expect you to chop wood for hours at a time with no breaks.”

“I know, my Lady, I just want to do a good job so I can hurry up and leave this place. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice here and all, but it isn’t really my thing.” Mihaela says, her lips forming a thin line.

“And what is your  thing ?” you ask, quirking a brow at the shorter woman.

“Oh, you know, a little bit of everything here and there. Nothing too special.” 

“And how’d you end up here?” You were growing wary of the woman. Mihaela wasn’t revealing much about her, and you know she’s doing it for a reason. She’s hiding something

“I got into a fight with a guy down at a brothel. He disrespected a friend of mine so I had to put him in his place, but I might have gone too far because that landed me behind bars. Instead of just letting me rot in my cell, they sent me here.” Mihaela chuckles. Well, that confirms one of your suspicions, so if that’s the real reason, you can’t really fault her for it. Alcina has definitely murdered people for disrespecting her and the girls.

“What would you have preferred?” You should really stop talking to her and set off to do what you originally had planned to. The small talk was slowly turning into a normal conversation, and you didn’t really have the time for one of those right now.

“I would have preferred the cell, but I do get to see you now so there’s a plus side to everything.” Mihaela says with a smirk, earning an eye roll from you.

“We can still send you back, but unfortunately you’re the only person that can split ten logs in an hour, so we have no choice but to keep you for now.”

“Ogling me while I work, my Lady? What will Lady Dimitrescu think?”

“Don’t you dare, Mihaela. I let you go with a warning the last time this happened, but so help me I will have you sent to the cellar faster than it takes for you to drop to your knees and beg for mercy. Now go finish your tasks before I change my mind.” You sneer, inching closer to the woman. For her to make such an assumption about you just proves that she has no respect for you as her superior. 

Mihaela backs away, holding her hands up in defeat. “Fine, fine. I’ll stop, but it’s so much fun seeing you angry. Have a good rest of your day, Lady Y/N.” She says as she walks past you with a pleased grin. She’s toying with you. You’re the only one in the castle that doesn’t like her, and she knows it. 

You continued walking through the halls of the castle until you reached the door to your friends' room. Out of habit, you knock and wait for whoever is on the other side to permit you to enter. You open the door and thankfully, Catalina and Stefana are both there. You closed the door with a groan as you made your way toward an unoccupied bed and slump down on it.

“You act like you just did a hard day’s work, it’s not even time for you to eat dinner yet.” Catalina says, coming over to join you on the bed.

“If stressing counts, then yes, I just got done with a hard day’s work.” You grumble.

“What are you stressed out about, trouble in paradise?” Stefana asks, moving to sit on the floor by the bed.

“No, Alcina and I are fine. I’m stressed out about Mihaela, I saw her do something odd earlier.”

“What did she do that isn’t already odd?” Catalina asks, chuckling lightly.

“She was outside splitting logs when a bird came down and landed on her shoulder. It wasn’t a crow because I know what those look like, but it’s not the first time this bird came to her. Every time it swoops down, she gives it something and it flies away. This time, when the bird came, she got a small rolled-up piece of paper from it and ran inside the castle. I want to know what she’s been up to with that damn bird.”

“Maybe it just brought her a gift, Blue brings you things sometimes, doesn’t she?” Stefana asks, shrugging her shoulders.

“If it were that, she would have just put it in her pocket and continued working. She abandoned her duties and ran inside. She hasn’t done that once since she started working here.” You explain, furrowing your brows and falling backward on the bed.

“You’ve been watching her work?” Cat asks.

“Someone has to, Alcina and the girls don’t listen for her anymore, but I still have zero trust in the woman. Which room is hers? I want to know what was on that paper.”

“You’re going to go through her things? Snooping is wrong, Y/N…” Stefana trails off, crossing her arms over her chest. “… her room is four doors down on the left side. We’ll cover for you, won’t we, Cat?” Stefana asks as she looks at your friend seated beside you. Her expression and tone leave no room for opposition to your shenanigans.

“I want compensation for the trouble you’re about to put me through.” Catalina says as she climbs off the bed and walks toward the door. She looks down both ends of the hallway for signs of nearby staff and when she finds none, she ushers you and Stefana forward with a hand gesture. You follow her into the hallway and in the direction of Mihaela’s room, making sure to stay alert and aware if someone notices you. You walked up to the door and knowing that most of the groundskeepers worked the same schedules and shared rooms, there would likely be no one in the room. 

You twisted the knob, and luckily, it wasn’t locked. Once inside, you scanned the area, and it was considerably messier than the other rooms. However, that’s not going to stop you, the mess will just be able to hide the fact that you were in here. You walked further into the room, kicking a few discarded uniforms out of your way in the process. You stopped by what you assumed was Mihaela’s bed and looked under it for anything. When you didn’t find anything, you turned on your heel and walked toward the closet. There was nothing in the upper portion, but you did find something in the drawers. What you found were several rolled pieces of paper, but you couldn’t stop there, you had to read them too.

The first one wasn’t anything useful to you, so you put it back, the next one just had a bunch of random words on it – again nothing useful. There were two more. The third one was a random set of numbers but the last one had you furrowing your brows. It was the only note you could understand and all it said was “when the snow first sticks, be ready to go”. The first snowfall would be soon, and it wouldn’t be long before it stuck to the ground. You didn’t know what to make of this note. Why did Mihaela have to be “ready to go”? You can’t bring it to her or anyone’s attention because that would mean revealing that you had gone through her belongings. 

You closed the drawer, making sure nothing was out of place, and asked Cat to open the door and check for anyone in the hall. Once the coast was clear, the three of you left and made your way back to your friends’ room.

“What did that note say?” Catalina asks, her voice just above a whisper.

“It said “when the snow first sticks, be ready to go”, I don’t know what it means.” You say, your hand resting against your chin as you try to piece together those notes. It was obvious that there was a message behind the ones you didn’t understand, but what that message was, you’d never know.

“Are you going to inform Alcina?” Stefana asks.

“I can’t, she likely already knows what I’m up to, but if I can avoid a fight with her over this then I’m going to keep this between us and ask that you do as well.”

“You have nothing to worry about. So, what do you think that note means?” Your sister questions.

“I haven’t the slightest idea, but I guess we’ll find out when the snow sticks.”

Chapter Text

You were going insane… that was the only explanation for it. You had this information that you didn’t really understand, and you had to keep it to yourself because you were afraid of what Alcina would do should she find out you were invading another person’s privacy. Although, technically speaking, she invaded yours when you were unconscious for three days so you two should be even. Still, you felt it was wrong not to say anything because what if what you saw was something potentially dangerous? You don’t know what it was Mihaela did in the time you hadn’t seen her. What if who she was communicating with was a threat to your family or the other lords? What if they know of the girls’ weakness? There were so many what-ifs and worst-case scenarios that flitted across your mind that you were growing more anxious with each day that passed. No matter the consequences, you’re just going to have to put on your big girl pants and admit to Alcina what you saw… while omitting several details.

After a bit of pacing back and forth, talking to yourself to come up with a plan, and shooting down everything you thought of, you ventured to Alcina’s study to finally have the conversation you’ve been putting off since the day you visited the servants’ quarters a week and a half ago. You raised your hand to knock on the door, and before your knuckles could come in contact with the wood, you heard a soft enter from the other side of the door. You pushed it open, expecting to find just Alcina in the study by herself. But of course, whatever higher power there is is always out to get you. Mihaela is standing on the side of the desk opposite Alcina, looking toward the door with a confused expression on her face.

“My Lady, how did you know Lady Y/N was on the other side of the door?” Mihaela asks with slight amusement in her tone. Why did she want to know that?

“I could hear her heartbeat. Though I hear most of everything that goes on in the castle, I focus on Y/N’s heart or the girls' voices.” Alcina says.

“That’s quite remarkable, my Lady. How far does your hearing reach… if you don’t mind my asking.” Why did she want to know that? 

Alcina quirks a brow at the woman, likely having picked up on her sudden interest. “You’re certainly inquisitive today, Mihaela. I can hear up to thirty meters beyond the castle walls, or one hundred feet if you use the godforsaken imperial measurement system. Now, what is it you were saying about the trees?” Alcina says with a soft sigh. Mihaela nods and turns her attention to the small paper in her hand.

“Um, I- right. I was saying that we should fell the oak and black locust at least 20 meters beyond the tree line north of the castle. We have plenty poplar and alder logs, but they don’t burn very long; the oak and locust will.”

“How do you know so much about wood, Mihaela?” You ask, closing the door behind you and taking a seat in your usual chair

“I’ve burned a fair amount of wood in my day, plus I picked up a few pointers from Sam, my Lady.” Mihaela says with a slight grin.

“In your day? We’re the same age, yet you speak as though you’re someone’s grandmother.” You respond with a chuckle. You’re doing it again… making small talk with someone you’re highly suspicious of.

“Actually, I’m a year older than you, but I’ve seen a lot, and I’ve done a lot. Those things catch up to you quicker than you think.”

“What exactly  did you do before you were arrested, Mihaela?” Alcina asks, looking over the edge of her glasses at the woman.

“I did a lot of freelance work. This is the first permanent occupation I’ve had in quite a while, my Lady.”

“I see. Very well then, I will give you the clearance to remove the trees. Until it is finished, you are to deliver a written report to me at the end of each week, understood?” Alcina softly commands.

“Yes, my Lady.” Mihaela responds with an affirming nod.

“You are dismissed.” Alcina says, turning her attention back to the ledger that sits atop her desk. Mihaela glances over her shoulder at you as she crosses the room toward the door. It was a look she would often give you when you were younger at the mention of any of the lords. It was a look that said “that was torture”, and you couldn’t figure out why she felt comfortable enough to express her discontent with your family. After she exited, you waited a few moments before you spoke. You were going to use Romanian even though you haven’t practiced it in quite some time.

“Ea a plecat? Nu vreau să mă audă.” You say, turning your head to look at Alcina. She places the ledger flat on the desk and her eyes widen as your words register in her mind.

“Te-ai îmbunătățit, micuță contesă. De ce nu vrei să te audă?” 

“Ea pune la cale ceva și nu vreau să audă ce vă spun.” 

Alcina looks off the side as she focuses on Mihaela to figure out where she is in the castle. “Ea a plecat acum. Now, what is it that you believe Mihaela is doing?”

“I have reason to believe she’s communicating with someone outside the castle. A little over a week ago, I had just left from visiting Catalina and Stefana when I found a note. I don’t know who it was from, or who it belonged to, but I assumed it was Mihaela’s because a bird has been landing on her shoulder while she worked, and she would give it something every time. I searched her room to see if I could find anything else but… I didn’t.” Deciding to omit the parts that are arguably the most important is probably a bad decision on your part, but you could be completely wrong about Mihaela and what you think she’s doing. If you’re wrong, then that would not only embarrass you but Alcina as well. 

“You’ve been watching her? Is that what you’ve been doing while you were up in our chambers?” Alcina asks, her brows furrowing as a low growl reverberates in her chest cavity. “I’m inclined to think that she meant more to you than you led me to believe. Why are you acting this erratic over a simple woman like her? From the moment she arrived, she’s occupied your thoughts. Is… is there something you’re not telling me?” Alcina’s voice softens as worry spreads across her features. Did she think you had feelings for Mihaela?

“What? I was watching her because I don’t trust her. I’m worried that she’s going to put us all in danger, Alcina. You don’t know the extent of her hatred like I do, or what she’s willing to do. Mihaela wants the lords and Mother Miranda dead, and she wants to start with you; that’s the one thing that hasn’t changed about her since we were young. I know it seems farfetched, but with winter coming, and what I saw on that note… I’m scared, Alcina.” You say with pleading eyes, standing from your chair to approach the Countess. You needed her to see eye to eye with you, not the other way around like it has been.

“What did you read? What did the note say?” Alcina asks, her emotions under control.

“It said “when the snow first sticks, be ready to go”. I don’t know what it meant, but I don’t want to take any chances. What if she somehow found out about the girls’ weakness?” You place a hand atop Alcina’s thigh as you watch her ponder what you’ve just told her.

“You said you searched her room and couldn’t find anything else, are you certain this note was hers?”

“I am, and though I cannot prove it was hers, I ask that you trust me.” You could prove it was hers but doing so would end in Mihaela knowing that you had gone through her things, and you don’t want the groundskeeper to know that you invaded her privacy. It was the only way to find out what she’d been doing because you knew she’d never admit to it if you asked.

“I do trust you, my darling, but what do you suppose I do about her? I cannot just send her to the cellar when she hasn’t given me a reason to.” Alcina says, placing her hand over yours. You want to argue that Mihaela’s presence alone is enough to send her to the cellar, but you know Alcina won’t buy that.

“So don’t send her. Let her think that we don’t know what she’s up to while we continue to monitor her activity, but I do think her tasks should be inside the castle. In the meantime, I suggest we also ask Heisenberg to have some lycans patrol the area in the case of someone trying to show up here unannounced. I know Mother Miranda sees all that goes on in the village, so I’d like to talk to her as well and ask if she’s seen anything unusual.”

“You want me to ask for Heisenberg’s assistance? Heisenberg cares for no one but himself; he wouldn’t help me no matter how much I asked.” Alcina grumbles, the corners of her mouth turning downward in a frown.

“Let me talk to him then, or let the girls speak to him. I know he’d do it for them if it meant keeping them safe. We’ll only need Heisenberg’s help until we know the castle is safe, afterward, he can let his dogs go back to the stronghold.” Sitting on the knowledge of that note for over a week also allowed you to think of a plan. You knew Alcina wouldn’t send Mihaela to the cellar; she did her tasks, followed the rules, and stayed out of trouble like the rest of the staff. It was easy for what she was doing on the side to go unnoticed, and it probably would have remained that way had you not watched her. But now that both you and Alcina had your suspicions, it was easier for her to agree to your plan.

“Very well, I will call them and let you explain the situation. Why didn’t you tell me of her true feelings? Why have you kept this information from me?” Alcina asks, closing her eyes as a soft sigh escapes her lips.

“Alcina, I tried. From the moment she stepped in the castle I had a bad feeling about her, but of course, I gave her the benefit of the doubt because that’s just who I am. I listened to other people telling me I should trust that she’ll change like I did. I knew that every time I would try and say something I would always be met with the same responses. I couldn’t fire Mihaela because of my “past grudges”, or I just needed to “lighten up”. Eventually, I gave up on trying to convince everyone that she was putting on a façade. It wasn’t that I kept information from you, it’s that no one ever listened.” You didn’t mean to raise your voice as loudly as you did, but you were angry. You were the only one that felt something was amiss with Mihaela. Her behavior turned around too quickly for someone that hated the village leaders as much as she did. Had Alcina just listened to you from the start, you wouldn’t be having this conversation with her. You took a moment to collect yourself, inhaling deeply and exhaling through your mouth. “I’m sorry for yelling, but I  did  try, Alcina.”

“Do not apologize, you’re right, I should have listened to you.” Alcina says, squeezing your hand slightly.

“You’re missing the point, I was- wait, what? You’re not disagreeing with me?” You ask as your brows furrow.

“No, I should have trusted your judgment. I just thought that… I thought you felt the way you did because you were once close, so I did not take you seriously. I’m sorry, iubirea mea. Would you like to call Heisenberg or Mother Miranda first?” Alcina asks, holding her hands out so she can help you into her lap. Once you’re settled against her, she takes the receiver off the base and hands it to you.

“Mother Miranda first, please. But before you dial, iubirea mea means “my love”, why did you tell me it meant “my darling” when I first asked?”

“I was scared you’d leave me again if I admitted my feelings too early. I’d known the way I felt months before you returned, but I didn’t want to scare you while we repaired our relationship, and you processed your trauma. It would have been too much for you.”

“So now that I know Romanian, you can’t keep secrets from me anymore.” You say with a light chuckle, the corner of your mouth twitching as a smirk makes its way onto your face.

“That’s not true, I also know Latin, Italian and French. And right now, Je ne veux rien de plus pour passer ces appels afin de pouvoir continuer mon travail.” You had no idea what Alcina just said to you, but the tone of her voice is just so… velvety. She could have been talking about the winery and it would’ve sent shivers down your spine.

“I haven’t the slightest idea what that means, but it was… very sexy. Can you dial Mother Miranda please, before I completely forgo these calls?”

Alcina begins dialing what you assume is Miranda’s number on the ornate rotary base. You hold the receiver to your ear when you begin to hear ringing on the other side. You’ve used a telephone maybe once in your life, so it was still made you jump when you hear the dial tone. It stops soon after and Mother Miranda’s voice buzzes through the receiver.

“Hello, Alcina, it’s rather unusual for you to call at this time. How are you?”  Mother Miranda asks, her tone seemingly concerned.

“Hello, Mother Miranda, it’s actually me. Alcina let me call you.” You respond, nervously biting your lip.

“Ah, hello my little chick, I have exciting news for you! The tests I ran with your bloodwork yielded promising results. You have a very high affinity for the cadou and yours will be ready for your operation within the next few months. There are still a few things I have to correct, but I am close to creating a specimen that is not in search of a vessel.”  Miranda says in a jovial tone. You haven’t been on the phone with her for a minute and can already understand why Alcina takes forever when she’s speaking with the priestess.

“That’s fantastic, Mother Miranda, but that’s not why I called. I have a question to ask.”

“I see. You are in need of some “motherly advice”, yes? What has Alcina done to you, little one?”  How can this possibly be the same woman that had your father in the air by his neck? Heisenberg was right when he said that both she and Alcina were soft on you.

“Um, nothing… and no. I wanted to know if you’ve seen anything unusual since we got our new servants. One of our groundskeepers has a bird that would land on her shoulder when she worked, and it wasn’t a crow. It seems as though she was sending and receiving messages by it, and I need a confirmation of that.”

“It was a pigeon; they’re known to be homing birds capable of traveling great distances to deliver messages. I’ve seen it flying in from the north and out to a location outside of the village that I am not capable of seeing. I can confirm that this groundskeeper is communicating with someone, but I cannot confirm what was contained in the messages. I will continue to watch for anything out of the ordinary.”

“Perfect,” you grin, “thank you, Mother Miranda.” 

“Of course, little dove. Now, one question before I let you go.”  Miranda says, earning a raised brow from Alcina. 

“Yes?”

“How do you feel about more children? A biological child perhaps?”  You almost dropped the receiver when the last word came through the speaker. If you were to find the word pushy in a dictionary, next to it would be a picture of Mother Miranda’s face. Too stunned to respond, you handed the receiver to Alcina, who was more than happy to continue the call for you.

“Hello, Mother Miranda. I- no… Three is enough… I can assure you Y/N feels the same… No, Mother Miranda…” Alcina sighs, letting her head fall into her hand. “I understand she’s still of “childbearing age”, how would she even have- absolutely not!... No, Mother, she is my wife… I refuse to have this discussion… You as well, goodbye.” Alcina places the receiver down on the base and immediately reaches for the case of cigarettes in her desk drawer. The countess lights a cigarette and brings the filter directly to her mouth to take a long drag, completely disregarding the holder she usually uses. She blows the smoke into the air, and you watch as the swirls fill the room.

“Is this what having a mother is like?” You ask, holding back your laughter at Alcina’s misery.

“It gets worse, I’m afraid. I’m sorry if she made you uncomfortable, I did not think she’d ask you questions like that.”

“It’s okay, I was just a little surprised. I didn’t expect to ever be asked something like that and by Mother Miranda no less. Does she ever ask you such outlandish questions when you’re on the phone with her?” You ask as your eyes follow the path of the end of the cigarette as Alcina brings it to her lips once more.

“All the time. Though I can say that the initial shock lessens the more you speak with her. Mother Miranda is predictable in that aspect and almost every call either begins or ends with a question that I am not prepared to answer. However, the child question is a first.” Well, that wasn’t comforting to know. Mother Miranda sure is taking this “mother-in-law” thing seriously… almost too seriously. If you and Alcina could have a child together you probably would—eventually—but you can’t, so there was really no reason for Miranda to bring it up.

“Well, um, why don’t we call Heisenberg now? I know it won’t be any better for your nerves, but at least we might not get questioned about our personal lives.” You suggest, reaching over to take the receiver off the base of the phone. Your arms aren’t long enough, so Alcina has to grab it for you. She dials Heisenberg and hands the phone to you once it starts ringing. As soon as he picks up, you can hear heavy machinery in the background.

“What do you want, Dracula? I’m working.”  Heisenberg says, annoyed at the fact that the person he assumed is Alcina is calling him.

“Is that any way to talk to your sister-in-law, Heisenberg?” You ask, stifling a chuckle.

“Kid! I haven’t heard from you in ages! How’s that overgrown leech treating you?” 

“It’s Lady Kid now, Heis, and I thought you said you’d stop making fun of Alcina’s height. What happened to that?” 

“You know I have to every once in a while.”  Heisenberg chuckles,  “Where is the vampire queen anyway? It’s usually her on the other end of the ol’ dog and bone.”

“I’m sitting with her; I’m using her phone to call you because I have a favor – of sorts – to ask of you.” 

“Sure, Lady Kid, what do you need from your big bro?"

“Please, never refer to yourself that way ever again.” You say, nearly snorting at how ridiculous Heisenberg sounds. “We need lycans, and lots of them, to patrol the area around the castle. One of our groundskeepers is up to something but we don’t know what, and we want the castle to be safe.”

“I can make that happen; I’ll send the normal lycans for now. If I notice things getting worse, I’ll let the vârcolac loose, and if things get real bad, I’ll send Uriaș your way. You sure you want just lycans though? My soldats could keep the area safe too.”

“We’re dealing with someone that wants to potentially harm all of you so see if Sal or Donna will need them.”

“It’ll take more than some human to get rid of us… but will do, Lady Kid, and give me a ring if anything else happens.”

“You got it, thank you, Heis. I’ll let Alcina know the details.”

“Alright, take care of yourself. Bye, kid.”

“You too, bye.” You hand the receiver back to Alcina so she can place it on the base. When you can give her your full attention, you’re shocked to find out that she’d only smoked an additional cigarette during your call. The conversation must not have stressed her out as much as any of her other interactions with Heisenberg would have. 

“You two certainly are the best of friends. “That’s no way to talk to your sister-in-law”, “it’s Lady Kid now”. Are you sure you ever hated any of us?” Alcina asks in a mocking tone.

“It sounds to me like you’re a little jealous,” You start, raising a brow at the older woman, “afraid I’m going to take your baby brother away from you?” You giggle as you see the lines that form on Alcina’s forehead when she pouts. 

“Is something amusing?” 

“No, you’re just cute… that’s all. Thank you for letting me make those calls, I feel a little more at ease now that I know we have a little more protection.”

Alcina buts her cigarette in the ashtray and brings her hand back to caress the side of your face, smiling fondly when you lean into her touch. You felt that you could finally relax a bit, you could finally enjoy the time alone with Alcina that you missed out on because you’d been watching Mihaela—you could finally breathe a little. It wasn’t over, and Mihaela is still very much a problem until the snow sticks, but now you can focus on other things.

“You’re welcome to make calls to anyone at any time, darling. I would like to apologize again for not listening to you… I understand now that you were trying to stop the problem before it was created. When we can trust that we will be safe, I will handle Mihaela accordingly. Whether she gives me a reason or not, she has a date with the end of my claws.” Alcina says through gritted teeth. Her jaw clenches, her nostrils flare, and for a brief moment, her irises flash red instead of the vibrant gold you’re used to. 

After the two of you left the study, Alcina informed the girls of what will be happening during the next few weeks. Of course, there were the usual complaints and grumbles from the middle and youngest of the sibling trio, but they knew that you and Alcina meant business. You didn’t know how big of a threat Mihaela was, who she was communicating with, or what those other notes meant. The only thing you’re sure of is that you all need to be prepared for anything. You wouldn’t be worried if it were summer, but it’s basically winter and the girls are vulnerable.

~

That following day was the start of a new work week and Alcina had called a meeting to inform the staff of “increased lycan activity”. Advising those with village privileges not to leave the castle grounds until the lycans are “dealt with” because there’s a possibility they could get hurt. The duke is going to set up a room on the first floor of the castle should anyone need to buy anything. You were essentially going into lockdown. You, Alcina, and the girls were bombarded with questions from the staff regarding what would happen if the lycans attacked the castle or why it was happening. The five of you anticipated questions like these and came up with all the possible answers.

“In the case of an attack, stay in your rooms; lock and barricade the doors until the threat is eliminated.” Cassandra says, responding to those that were already showing great levels of distress.

“Don’t stand near or open the windows.” Daniela says.

“We don’t know why this is happening, but we need to do everything we can to ensure the safety of the staff.” Bela explains, her voice soft, yet authoritative.

“If anything happens that jeopardizes the safety of the castle and its inhabitants, you’re going to wish it was a lycan tearing into you, because I can, and will do far worse.” Alcina says with warning. 

“Daily routines and procedures will continue as usual, with the exception of those that have had their tasks moved inside the castle. It says in detail on the schedules by the servants’ quarters who will be doing what and where. Don’t worry about what you have to do, just worry about doing it well. You’re dismissed.” You conclude, sending the staff away to continue about their days. 

The end of that meeting resulted in mixed reactions from the staff. Some were scared, some annoyed at the fact that they have to stay in, some didn’t care because they don’t leave the castle anyway. Then there was Mihaela, her eyes held so much anger, and you knew it was directed at you and Alcina. There was no way for her to continue communicating with whoever was outside the village. Mihaela knew that, and the look she gave you and Alcina as the staff exited the main hall was a look of pure hatred. You’ve seen that look several times before. Irina, the clerk, the librarian, your father… you were used to it.

Of course, after that, a separate meeting was held in your old room with your friends and sister to brief them on the real situation. Bela and Daniela joined you while Cassandra went to the armory and Alcina to your current room to make more phone calls.

“So, if the lycans aren’t an actual threat, why does everyone have to stay inside?” Mara asks.

“They’re still capable of attacking if Uncle Karl loses control of them, which is exactly why you still need to follow the rules we set.” Bela responds.

“What if Mihaela was just sending love letters or something? Maybe she has a girlfriend outside the castle, and they were setting up a date.” Catalina suggests and your eyes couldn’t have rolled further back in your head, otherwise, they’d be lost.

“Cat, you were there when I saw the note. You know just as well as I do that’s not what was happening. I need you to be serious for one moment and understand that Mihaela is here to cause harm. She wants the lords and Mother Miranda dead and while I don’t know for sure if that’s how far she’s willing to go, I’m not taking any chances.” Catalina averts her gaze and nods. She knows that now is not the time to question your resolve. 

Cassandra’s flies swarm in the room through the gap at the bottom of the door and form the brunette's human form. In one hand is your hunting rifle, in the other is a small case of ammo and a black revolver decorated with intricate gold patterns. Cassandra places the case on the bed and hands you both guns. You lean the rifle against the wall and inspect the revolver. There are golden filigree wolves on the grip and on the side of the barrel reads “Fiat Voluntas Tua”, something you don’t know the meaning of.

“Why did you bring me these?” You ask, raising a brow at a now grinning Cassandra.

“In case you need to pump someone full of lead. Tassa’s good for long distances and Mia here is special. She’s a magnum and one of the only weapons not named after a dead maid.” You knew Cass meant well, but she should know that Alcina won’t allow you to just carry guns around all the time, and keeping them in the bedroom was out of the picture. 

“You should take these back, you know your mother doesn’t like when you give me weapons.” You say in an attempt to hand the firearms back to the brunette.

“It’s not like I try to give you weapons all the time. If you don’t want Tassa, at least keep Mia with you. You never know if you’re going to need it.”

“Cass is right. With Mihaela working inside the castle now, I fear she may try to hurt you.” Stefana says, the worry evident in her tone.

“My thoughts exactly, and you wear blazers often so you can keep it inside.” Bela adds, Stefana and Cassandra nodding in agreement with her.

“Fine, fine, but if Alcina says anything to me about it, I’m putting all the blame on you, Cass.” You say, throwing your hands up in surrender.

“Mămică!” Cassandra gasps, “You’d blame something on your own child?” She lets her mouth hang open as she places her hand over her heart, pretending to be shocked. 

“If it means I don’t have to face Alcina’s wrath then absolutely I would. You three are all used to being scolded by here, I, however, am not. I’ll keep the magnum, but the rifle can stay in the armory. I doubt I’ll even have to use it.” 

Cassandra takes the rifle and swarms back toward the armory. Using the silence in the room as an opportunity to get back to Alcina, you dismiss everyone else, sending your friends and sister back to whatever it was they were doing, and the girls to supervise the staff. The only complaint had come from Daniela, who expressed her extreme discontent with having to babysit jumpy maids when she could be doing other “productive things”. You assured her that she’ll only have to do it until the castle is safe and when it is, you’ll make her a cake. Food always works with Cass and Dani. 

You took the revolver and the case with ammo and exited the room once everyone else was gone, only to go into the room right next door. Alcina had finished her calls and was just looking in the reflection of the vanity, seemingly in deep thought. You left the door close softly behind you, and you stood close by as you waited for Alcina to acknowledge you… an old habit that resurfaces every now and then.

“How did the talk with your friends go?” Alcina asks, turning her body toward you to give you her full attention. You approach the vanity and place the revolver and ammo atop it. Alcina’s eyes then wander to the weapon before they fall on you with confusion flashing in them.

“It went well. They know the actual reason behind the lycans and all of the other changes happening around the castle.

“I see, and have they been sworn to secrecy?” Your face drops the moment Alcina finishes her question. She didn’t mention the fact that they needed to swear.

“I- uh, no? You… you didn’t mention they needed to be.” Your response is met with a light chuckle from the countess which only leaves you more confused. 

 “I’m kidding, my dear, I know that they wouldn’t jeopardize our plan by revealing it to anyone.”

“Well, of course. They don’t talk to anyone but themselves, the girls, and us, and they’d never do anything to put us in danger.”

“I am aware, but that isn’t what I wish to speak about. Why is there a gun on my vanity?” Alcina asks, pointing to the magnum.

“Oh, right. Cass gave it to me should I need to “pump someone full of lead”. She had the rifle too, but I had her take it back to the armory because I don’t think I’ll need any weapons, she and Fana just insisted I have one.” You shrug. 

“I don’t believe you will need one either, however; I will keep it in the drawer just to be safe.” Alcina takes the gun and ammo and places them in the right-hand side drawer of the vanity. Internally, you’re hoping and praying to whatever is out there that you won’t have to use it. Not in the next few weeks, or ever. 

~~

The magnum stayed in that drawer, untouched as the weeks went by. Almost every day you found yourself staring out your bedroom window at random moments, watching the clouds roll over the castle or the murder of crows that stayed perched in the trees to act as surveillance. Nothing changed even when it began to snow, though, you were growing more anxious by the day. It would melt not long after it fell because the ground wasn’t cold enough, but you knew it would stick very soon because of the occasional chill that would run through the castle.

You haven’t noticed anything else about Mihaela that would cause for suspicion, and she must have gotten over her anger toward you and Alcina because she was nothing short of polite and respectful whenever she was around either of you. You all knew it wasn’t genuine, you were just wondering how long she was going to keep that act up for. A part of you wishes things could have turned out differently and your old friend could have changed her perception like you did. But… not everyone is capable of change. 

~

It was a cold night in the castle as you were getting ready for bed. Alcina was in a call with Mother Miranda, likely talking about the status of the castle from what you could hear. The phone would ring at the same time every night, and Mother Miranda would always ask the same questions. Were you alright? Were the girls alright? Has anything happened? To which Alcina would respond with the same answers each time. Tonight, however, the phone call lasted a little longer than usual and when Alcina got off the phone, a loud groan reverberated through the room.

“Everything okay?” You ask, pulling the bottoms to your sleepwear up around your hips.

“I can confidently say that I’m not sure. Mother Miranda says she spotted a large plume of smoke in the sky coming from the northwest, just outside the village. Her crows have a limited range much like my hearing.”

“But… she could see me when I was staying at that inn, that was outside the village.” You pull your shirt over your head and climb up onto the bed. Alcina joins you shortly after and wraps an arm around your side, pulling you closer.

“It was still within the borders of the village, just far past the residential areas. However, the source of the smoke is something she cannot see. Mother Miranda didn’t sound concerned, so I don’t think it is anything worth stressing over. Probably someone just burning the incorrect type of wood.” Alcina says with a yawn as she pulls the covers over both of you. You nestle into the crook of her neck as she traces small circles on your back.

“There are wrong types of wood to burn for fires?” You ask, your brows furrowing.

“Yes, trees that have needles provide little heat and produce more smoke than anything. And if you’re curious as to how I know this, I’ve learned a lot in raising three children that have a strong aversion to the cold.” Alcina says, followed by a sleepy chuckle.

“I wasn’t curious but thank you for sharing. It probably is someone just burning the wrong wood then, why don’t we get some sleep?”

“Good idea, darling.”

And so, you closed your eyes and listened to the soft pattern of Alcina’s breathing. It didn’t take long before you were both sound asleep. However, your inability to get comfortable prevented you from staying asleep. You didn’t know what time it was when you woke up, but you could see that the fire in the fireplace had gone out. You removed Alcina’s arm from around you and climbed out of the bed to throw in more logs. Once you were satisfied with the fire that was going you turned to climb back in the bed when you saw out of the window winter storm clouds filling the sky, and heavy snow coming down. You walked around the bed to the window for a closer look and could just barely see the inches, if not several feet of snow covering the ground. 

That’s when you heard the faint howling of the lycans in the distance. It went quiet after that, and that left you on edge. The snow was sticking. You turned back toward the bed and were about to take the first step toward it when the sound of gunshots pierced through the silence. 

One… Two… Five…

Twenty… 

Too many to count…

And they’re getting closer…

Alcina shot up and the moment she saw you she practically leaped toward you to check you for wounds. 

“Y/N, are you-” Alcina’s question was cut off by the sound of some sort of crash followed by a vibration that shook the castle from the north.

“I’m fine, Alcina. What’s happening?”

“We’re being attacked, and I think Mihaela has everything to do with it. I’m going to go see what’s going on, I need you to stay here, do you understand?” Alcina asks, cupping both sides of your face to look you square in the eyes.

You nod, “I understand.” With that, Alcina lets you go, crosses the room to put on a pair of shoes and a robe, and exits with haste. You grab the key off the hook near the vanity and lock the door.

“Please, be careful and keep the girls safe.” You whisper.

Chapter Text

Every second that passed felt like an hour. Each tick and tock of the hands on the clock felt like the countdown on a bomb that was about to detonate. You heard the countless gunshots, the howls from the lycans, the screams from the attackers. You felt each rumble every time an explosive came in contact with the castle. You were terrified, anxious, angry… a plethora of emotions clouded your senses. Your home was being attacked, and you can’t stay in here and let it happen. You turned on the light and immediately walked toward the vanity. If you’re going to leave the room, you need to be ready for anything. You grabbed the magnum, loaded the cylinder with as many bullets as it could hold, and put the gun in the waistband of your bottoms. You were never religious, but you said a silent prayer to whoever was listening that everyone would be okay before you exited the room.

You’re no expert on stealth, nor do you have any kind of experience with things like this, but if you learned anything from hiding in between the bookcases at the library, you know to stay low and be quiet. There was no one down this hallway, or in any of the adjacent rooms, so you decided to keep moving further toward the other side of the castle. You were nearing the north side of the castle near the library and as you got closer, you could hear the sounds of a fight. Metal clanging against metal, the maniacal laughter of one of the girls, strings of curse words from the poor man that has been cornered in the room. Confident in your daughter’s ability to hold her own, you began to pass by the library, only to stop dead in your tracks with you heard a blood-curdling scream that didn’t come from the assailant in the room. 

You pushed open the doors and were met with a gust of freezing air. The skylight had been opened and Daniela was hiding behind a bookcase, shivering as her body began to crystalize, and bits and pieces of her fell to the floor. You ran over to her, not paying attention to the man that was standing in the center of the room, constantly looking over his shoulder as he anticipated an attack from Dani. The skylight was beginning to close, but there wasn’t enough heat in the room for Danie to be safe. You need to get her back to your room and quick

“Daniela, stay with me, please. Hold on just a little longer and I’ll get you somewhere warm, okay?” You whisper as you scramble to wrap Daniela’s cloak around her body. 

“M-mamă… it’s s-so… c-cold. I don’t… w-wanna die.” Daniela stammers, hugging her knees to preserve the heat that was quickly leaving her body. 

“I won’t let that happen; I promise.” The wind that was continuing to blow through the room was loud enough to mask your voices. You gave Daniela an affirming nod and pulled the gun out from your waistband. You peered around the bookcase and aimed for the man’s head. Right as the skylight closed and he turned to reach for the crank, you took a deep breath, holding it as you pulled the trigger. It was just like hunting a deer. The bullet entered through one side of his skull and exited through the other and he dropped to the floor with a loud thud. You rose from behind the bookcase and let out the breath you were holding. Once you were sure he wasn’t getting back up, you put the gun back in your pants and crouched down beside Daniela with your back to her. “Do you have enough strength to grab on?” 

Daniela clambers toward you and loosely drapes her arms around your neck. You wrapped yours behind her as best as you could as you stood with her on your back. Your legs wobbled a little when you stepped forward, but you knew that you had to get Dani somewhere safe. When you exited the library, you looked around to make sure there was no one nearby and began moving in the direction of your chambers. You walked through the halls with haste, picking up speed when you could barely hear Daniela’s breathing.

“We’re almost there, Daniela, it’s just a few more steps.” You whisper, your breath becoming labored with you began to jog with the redhead on your back.

When you reached your room, you hurried and laid Daniela down on the bed so you could lock the door. You moved the chaise close to the fireplace, picked up Daniela, and moved her in front of the fire. You stripped the bed of all its blankets and covered your youngest in them, wrapping her up as tight as you could. You’d also thrown more logs into the fire to keep it burning long enough for Daniela to recover. This was the first time you’ve seen exactly what the cold does to the girls, and it scared you more than anything. You knelt next to the chaise and took the shivering redhead’s hand in yours, brushing your thumb over her knuckles.

“This should keep you warm while I look for your sisters. You’re going to be okay, Dani.”

“Bela… and Cass… they need m-me. They w-won’t… make it… alone.”

“I’m going to find them and bring them back here.”

“You can’t, M-mamă, it isn’t s-safe.” 

You wanted to stay with Daniela to watch over her and make sure that the fire didn’t go out, but you knew you had to find Bela and Cassandra. If the people that were attacking found out about their weakness and killed them, you wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself. They might not have come from you, but they were your daughters and you loved them with every fiber of your being. It was your responsibility to keep them safe.

“I have to know your sisters are okay, Dani. I’m going to lock the door and take the key with me. If you’re well enough before I return, don’t under any circumstances open the door for anyone unless they say “fingersmith”. It’s the title of my favorite book.”

“Please, don’t go.” Daniela says weakly as tears form in her eyes.

“I’ll be alright, I promise. Stay warm, okay? I love you.” You lean forward and place a kiss on Daniela’s forehead right where her rose tattoo is before you stand and walk toward the door. You turned and looked over your shoulder when you heard faint whimpers coming from her. It pains you to leave her like this, but you know you need to find Bela and Cassandra. 

You locked the door behind you after you left, and thankfully your pants had a pocket, so the key was easy to hide. You had no idea where to begin looking for Bela and Cass, and you didn’t want to make any noise if someone were to be in these hallways. You could start near their rooms, but if Dani was already out and fighting, you knew they would be too. If only you could hear as well as they did. As you walked through the halls on the second floor, the closer you got to the north side the colder it got. You heard another male voice and loud hissing as you were about to round the corner, so you stopped just before you turned.

“What the fuck is this thing?!” The voice exclaimed. You peered around to see the man kicking a frail creature wielding an old rusty cycle. It landed a hit, digging the metal into the man’s shoulder causing him to cry out in pain and drop the weapon he was carrying. The sickle was pulled out and embedded into the man’s skull in quick succession. You wondered if this creature is what roams the halls during the night, as you would often hear the same hissing. If there are more, you need to be careful. If it can’t discern the good people from the bad then it would mean trouble for you. 

You couldn’t stay and wait to find out if this creature knew you were good or not, you have to find Bela and Cass. You were so caught up in thinking about finding the girls, that you didn’t register running into someone going in the opposite direction. You both fell to the floor, but you were on your feet faster than the other person. You drew the gun and aimed it, only to lower it when you recognized who you were aiming it at.

“Zoe? What are you doing out of your room? The servants were ordered to stay in their rooms and barricade the doors. How did you make it all the way over here without getting hurt?” You ask, scrambling to help the young girl off the floor. 

“I came to find you, my Lady. We’re being attacked, and it isn’t the lycans! I-I’m scared!” Zoe says, holding on to you for dear life.

“Shh, it’s okay Zoe. I need you to calm down and listen to me, okay?” You rub the back of the girl's head while you pull her aside to allow her to collect herself. Once she’s calm, she nods and awaits your next words. You take the key out of your pocket and show it to her. “I need you to take this key and go to my room. Once you’re there you’re to lock it and don’t open it for anyone, not even me, unless they tell you the keyword.” 

“What’s the keyword, my Lady?” Zoe asks, taking the key from your hands.

“Fingersmith, remember that. Daniela is in there laying down by the fire, keep an eye on her but don’t disturb her too much, alright?”

“Yes, my lady. But… what about you? There’s a lot of bad people here and it isn’t safe.”

“I’ll be okay, there’s not a lot that I can’t handle.” You say with an affirming nod. As you were going to walk away, Zoe wraps her arms around you in a tight embrace.

“Please, be careful.” The young girl whispers before pulling away. 

You look at Zoe with a sad smile, “I will.”

Zoe leaves you and you continue on your journey to find Bela and Cass. The second floor of the castle is more or less clear of any intruders which means that they’re being held off downstairs. The couple that managed to get up here were dealt with and with these creatures roaming the halls, anyone that makes it past Alcina and the girls is sure to meet a quick death. You’d gone back through the library and the atelier, and now you were on the second floor of the castle near the wine room. The sheer amount of dead bodies that lined the halls was enough to make you sick. Humans, lycans that wandered in, more of the creatures you saw in the hall—there were just…  So. Many. Bodies.  You had to step over and kick the corpses in order to carve a path through the halls, and on each human body was the same necklace and charm that you noticed Mihaela wearing. Hunters. Mihaela has brought hunters into your home to kill your family.

If there were this many dead, you had no idea how many more there were alive and the four bullets you had left in your gun wouldn’t be enough. The armory isn’t too far, and hopefully, the door that leads to it isn’t locked, because you gave Zoe the key. You could hear the commotion happening on the first floor and outside. Incoherent shouting, howling, bullets flying through the air. It made your legs move faster than they ever have, and you were outside the dressing room that lead to the armory. You pushed open the door and could hear a gun being fired and the sound of buzzing in the distance. Cassandra had to be in there. 

The door that lead into the hall of pleasure was broken down, which meant it was locked and whoever came through here was broken down. You squeezed through the opening in the door and went to push open the doors that lead to the armory, but they were obstructed. There had to be another way in, if there wasn’t, there was no way you could get to Cassandra. You looked around the room for any other way to get into the armory when you noticed a pile of bricks in the fireplace. You moved them out of the way and managed to pull a few more from the back wall so you could fit through the small opening. When you made it into the armory, you could see Cassandra being backed into a corner by a man with a gun, and a woman with a crossbow. There were little holes in the wall allowing the cold air to seep through and lower the temperature of the room significantly. Neither of the attackers noticed you were coming in through the fireplace, their sole focus was getting Cassandra. You had to act quickly because the next thing you noticed was Cass lunging at the man, knocking him into the wall, and inadvertently knocking some of the bricks out. More cold air rushed in causing Cassandra to immediately retreat. You could see the gears start turning in their heads, and the next thing they did was kick more bricks out of the wall.

“What’s the matter bug bitch? Afraid of a little cold?” The woman sneered, aiming her crossbow, and pulling the trigger before you could react. Cassandra screamed when the arrow got lodged in her side, and the area around the wound began to crystalize. Your hands were shaking so violently as you drew your gun and struggled to aim it. You needed to calm down, they were going to kill her. Another arrow to the thigh, two bullets in the shoulder. The trigger to the gun was pulled a third time, the man aiming for Cassandra’s head, but nothing came out. When he looked down the barrel, you steadied your hands and fired, your bullet landing right between his eyes.

“CASS!” You shouted. The female hunter’s gaze snapped in your direction, and she aimed her crossbow at you. You kept the magnum up, pulling back the hammer and not once tearing your eyes away from the woman.

“M-mămică, what are you… doing?” Cassandra asked, groaning as she pulled the arrows from her body. 

“I came to find you so I could take you somewhere safe. Where’s Bela, can you hear her?”

“She’s… in the kitchen… we have to h-hurry.” 

“Good luck getting to her. What’s your weakness huh, is it the cold? Or maybe it’s fire.” The woman said to you with a smirk.

“ My only weakness is beautiful women and you’re one   ugly bitch .” You thought, tightening your grip on the magnum. A loud, distorted cackle could be heard from outside the castle, and you don’t know the source, but it almost sounded like Alcina. You didn’t let it distract you though, and the moment the woman broke eye contact to look out the hole in the wall, you fired the magnum. At a range this close, you nearly blew her head clean off. Blood and pieces of brain were splattered on your face and nightclothes, and the sight of it made you want to vomit. Your shoulders rose and fell with your erratic breathing and you were on the verge of a panic attack when the sounds of Cassandra’s groans brought you back. 

You rushed over to her, placing your arms around your back and under her legs to pick her up. She was lighter than Dani, but her body felt more like lead the more it went limp. You walked her over to the door and kicked the obstruction out of the way before turning and using your back to push it open. Running as fast as your legs would take you, making sure not to trip over the bodies, you ran back to the atelier so you could go through the library. The heat has since then returned to the room, so you had no trouble making it through with Cass. You slowed your pace to a jog out of caution should you run into anyone while you’re up here and took great care to scan your surroundings for any signs of the hunters. Once you knew you were in the clear, you ran to your room as fast as you could. Once you reached the door, you started kicking it because you couldn’t knock.

“Zoe, it’s me, I need you to open the door.” You say, leaning your head against the door so you won’t have to shout.

“What’s the keyword?” The young maid asks. Good, she remembered your instruction.

“Fingersmith.” Immediately as you answered, the door opened, and before you stood Zoe with Daniela’s sickle in hand, ready to attack in case you were being forced by someone. When she saw that it was just you and Cass, she lowered the sickle and stepped to the side to let you in, shutting and locking the door once you were inside. You wasted no time getting Cassandra to the fireplace and covering her in the blankets. You finally had a chance to look at the state she was in and your heart broke. She had blood pouring from her wounds and the skin and flesh around them was crystalized and falling from her body. Her face was incredibly pale, and she curled in on herself as she shivered.

“You’re covered in blood, my Lady. Are you okay? Will Miss Daniela and Miss Cassandra be okay?” Zoe asks, her voice dripping with concern.

“I’m fine, and I think the girls will be too… they just have to stay warm.”

“Blood… we need… blood.” Cassandra says weakly. You can see the fear rising in Zoe’s expression, but she had to have known that she would have been dead by now if they wanted to feed on her. Daniela had more strength than Cass and could have easily slaughtered the girl, but she didn’t because she knew that Zoe was important to you.

“Zoe, I need you to come to the library with me. There’s a body in there that I can bring back for them to eat, but I can’t drag it back here by myself.”

“Um, I… I don’t-”

“I know it sounds gruesome, but I can’t let the girls die. It would break Alcina’s heart… it would break my heart.” You say softly, tears stinging the corners of your eyes when you looked at the state of your girls. If saving them meant dying in the process, then you’d risk your life a million times. 

“I don’t want them to die either, Lady Y/N…” Zoe whispers, looking to the floor when her bottom lip begins to quiver.

“So, you’ll come with me? I promise I’ll keep you safe.” In the staff meeting you all had weeks ago, Bela said that everyone needed to do everything they could to ensure the safety of the castle’s inhabitants. Everything for you meant putting your life on the line every time you stepped out of this room. It was in your nature to protect… the night Mother Miranda came to the farm, you had no idea who had broken in, but you were still ready to defend your home; even if it meant you would die. This time is no different. 

You meet Zoe’s gaze when her eyes are no longer trained to the floor, and she gives you a firm nod. You nod in acknowledgment and walk over to the vanity. You take out the case Cassandra had put the ammo in and reload the revolver. When this is over, you’re going to pay duke to upgrade and customize it to its fullest potential. You’re not going to go without a weapon anymore and you’ll be prepared should something like this happen again… gods forbid. You held the gun firmly in one hand and approached the door. You unlocked the door, twisted the knob, and opened it so you could peek through and see if there was anyone in the corridor. You couldn’t see or hear anyone, so you opened the door wider to step out. You gestured for Zoe to follow you out and pointed to the doorknob so she could lock it again. When the door was locked, you started walking, nearly tiptoeing slowly down the hall. You were in a race against time and needed to move quicker. 

You began jogging, keeping your footfalls light to avoid making a lot of noise. You glanced over your shoulder to see if Zoe was keeping up and she was right behind you, copying the way you were moving. For her to be so young, she was brave, and you admired how she was just as willing to put her life on the line as you were. She reminds you a lot of yourself, maybe that’s why you became so attached to her… When you approached the library, you repeated the process of peeking inside and surveying the area for any hunters and when the coast was clear, you and Zoe stepped inside. The man’s body was still in the center of the room, lying in a large pool of his own blood. You’re hoping that he’s not completely dry because then the girls won’t have much to drink.

“You grab his legs; I’ll grab his arms.” You instruct as you stand with your feet on either side of the man’s body. You hook your arms under his near the shoulders and Zoe hooks hers under the knees. With a nod, you simultaneously lift and begin to carry the man toward the door. 

You managed to get back to Alcina’s room swiftly and you dumped the man’s body onto the floor by the chaise. You took Cassandra’s sickle, slit each of his wrists, and held them up to the girls’ mouths. Slowly, they began to suck and bite on the wounds, tearing little bits of skin, muscle, and tendons from the man’s bones. The color was returning to their faces the more they ate, and you felt more at ease. Daniela’s eyes shot open, and she was trying to get up when you held a hand to her chest, forcing her to lay back down.

“Dani, you shouldn’t be moving, you need to stay here and eat.” You say softly.

“Mamă, it’s Bela, she’s calling for us. She’s in trouble. Please, Mamă… please.” The redhead pleads with tears in her eyes.

“I’m going to bring her back safe, Daniela, I promise. If it’s the last thing I do.” You say with a sad smile.

“Mămică… if you die… I’ll kill you.” Cassandra says with a weak chuckle. It was good to see that she was starting to act like herself. It made you feel a thousand times better. Your sad smile turned into one of happiness as you approached the door.

“I’ll make sure I come back safe too. Zoe, will you please look after them for me?”

“Of course, my Lady.” The young maid says with a nod. 

When you were halfway out the door, a thought crossed your mind. “Oh, and Zoe… thank you for helping me. Your brother is so very lucky to have an older sister like you.” You didn’t have time to see the girl’s reaction because you were already out in the hallways and making your way toward the kitchen. The easiest way to get there is the way you’d normally take in the mornings to prepare breakfast. You knew that the path was clear because you had to pass by the library in order to get to the staircase. The only thing you weren’t sure of was if you had a clear enough passage to the kitchen. You could go through the main hall and dining room, or you could go around back. If the hunters came in from the north, then that would mean the backway wasn’t secure. You’re just going to have to go through the main hall then. When you reached the wine room, you peered over the banister to get a better look at the situation. There were bits and pieces of rubble scattered across the floor, bullet holes, arrows, claw marks in the walls, bodies on top of bodies, and so much blood. You hated that they came and caused so much damage to your beautiful home. When you get your hands on Mihaela, you’re going to do to her what you should have done to Irina. 

You descended the staircase and traversed through the main hall into the dining room. You pressed your ear against the door leading up to the kitchen to hear what was going on before you went inside. You couldn’t hear any signs of struggle, just the quiet sobs of a female voice. “ Cass… Dani… Mother… Momma… I’m sorry. ” The voice… it’s Bela’s… she’s dying… saying goodbye. No, no, no, no. Bela can’t be dying. Why can’t you push this door open? Why won’t it open!? Why won’t it allow you to save her? 

You kept pushing and pushing, hitting, and kicking the door until you managed to break the knob off. You pushed it open and saw ten, maybe fifteen dead bodies just in the kitchen alone, and in the corner was Bela, huddled into a ball trying to keep herself warm. There were bits and pieces of her crystallized form on the floor leading up to her body. You approached her slowly and carefully to assess the damage. The entire left side of her body was crumbling and falling off. You had to get her out.

“Bela… Bela open your eyes. Come on Bela, come back… please.” You whisper, your hands shaking as you try to pick up the blonde in a way that won’t hurt her further. Her right eye opened slowly, and you saw the golden color of her iris begin to fade. “I’m gonna take you to your sisters, and then I’ll find Alcina. You’re going to be okay, Bela.” You

“Tried to… protect you… I’m sorry… I c-couldn’t…”

“Shh, Bela, save your strength. I’m fine, your sisters are fine, and I’m going to take you to them.” 

You carried Bela out of the kitchen and through the dining room into the main hall, tears forming in your eyes when you saw the webbing from the crystallization spread toward the center of her body. Your arms and legs burned and trembled the closer you got to your room. You wanted to stop for just a moment’s rest, but for Bela’s sake, you were going to continue. You’d made it back upstairs and through the library without running into anyone else, and fighting couldn’t really be heard in the castle anymore… but you weren’t really paying attention to that. Your sole focus right now is getting Bela in front of that fire and getting some nourishment in her. Her grip on you was getting weaker by the second, the tips of her fingers were freezing against your skin, and a portion of her jaw, now crystalized, had a massive crack running through it. She was in the worst condition of the three and you knew you’d have to find another body for her. You came to the long hallway that connected the north and south sides of the castle behind the wine room when you heard someone calling out to you. You looked over your shoulder and saw your sister running toward you, so you slowed down to allow her to catch up.  

“Y/N!” Stefana shouted. You turned to face her fully when she stopped and she gasped when she saw the blood on your clothes, and the state Bela was in. “Are you okay? Is Bela okay? Where’s Alcina?”

“I’m fine, I need to get Bela back to my room to warm her up, and I assume Alcina is outside fighting the rest of Mihaela’s buddies. Why are you out of your room? You’re the second staff member I saw not in the servant’s quarters.” You say as you continue to walk briskly down the hall. You’re hoping Stefana will get the memo that you’re in a rush and not try to talk too much. You weren’t in the right headspace for a conversation right now.

“I had to make sure you were alive. I was your sister before I was your servant, and no job is more important than you.”

“I didn’t mean it like that, you shouldn’t… you didn’t have to risk your life to make sure I was fine.”

“Yes, I did. I’m seeing to it that my family is safe the same way you are. I wasn’t going to sit in my room while there are people here that are trying to kill you. I don’t care if I-”

“Well, if it isn’t Lady Y/N!” A familiar voice exclaims, the sound traveling down the hall. Mihaela, the very person that caused all this. It couldn’t have been coincidence that she was the only hunter alive in the castle right now. She must have hid while her friends did her dirty work.

“Shit,” You curse. You then turn your head to meet Stefana’s gaze. “Stefana, I need you to take Bela back to my room. Zoe is in there and she won’t let you in unless you tell her the keyword. It’s the title of my favorite book, do you remember what it is?” You ask, holding your arms out for your sister to take Bela. 

“You’re going to try to face her by yourself? Are you insane?”

“Stefana, please, if she catches us she’ll kill all of us, and I’d rather it be me than you and Bela. I don’t ask a lot of you, but I’m  begging  you, please get Bela to safety.”

Stefana was apprehensive, but she took Bela and continued walking in the direction of your room. “Please come back safely, Y/N, I love you.”

“I love you too, Fana. I promise I’ll be there soon.” You say with a small, reassuring smile. You watched Stefana as she walked on without you and took a deep breath before you turned back toward Mihaela.

She stood at the end of the hall closest to the library and to prevent her from getting any closer to Alcina and the girls, you met her halfway. You’re going to stop her here; you’re going to end her here. You took the magnum from the waistband of your pants, cocked, and aimed it. When the gun was in the air, Mihaela stopped and held her hand up in surrender.

“Don’t come any closer, Mihaela, or I’ll shoot.”

“What, I can’t come to talk to my old friend? Though, we’re not really friends anymore, are we?” Mihaela asks, tapping her chin with her index finger, you notice that she’s unarmed putting you at a greater advantage.

“Why don’t you answer those questions for yourself? I have absolutely nothing to say to you.” You sneer.

 “You wound me, Y/N. We used to be so close, what happened?”

“You disappeared. I didn’t see you for eight years and you’re asking me what happened?”

“I mean, why did you switch sides? We were supposed to do this together, but you went and laid in the bed of the enemy. We were going to run away… start a new life free from all this. How could you do that to me?”

“Cut the shit, Mihaela. How could you do this to me? My daughters almost died because of you.” You say through gritted teeth.

“Would you give up this noble act and get a grip on reality? They’re not your fucking children, they’re monsters. That big fucking vampire dragon outside is a monster. You’re human! You’re a poor farm girl from the village. Lady Dimitrescu will string you along for a little bit and discard you just like she did my little sister.” Mihaela says with a deep scowl.

“Your little sister? You told me you didn’t have siblings.”

“She was adopted before coming to the castle… she was a maid and died because that overgrown bloodsucking cunt found a new chew toy, you.” She couldn’t have possibly been talking about… no, that just can’t be true.

“You don’t mean- no, no, you’re fucking with me.” You say, holding the gun firmer in your hands.

“Oh, so you remember now? Irina went crazy when she got kicked out and all she talked about was how much she hated you, how much she hated that you replaced her. Then she came back to kill you and we never saw her again.” And now Mihaela is here to finish what Irina started… it seems that you just cannot win. 

“Killing Alcina and the girls won’t bring Irina back… killing me won’t solve anything. It’ll only be more blood on your hands. I never wanted to take Irina’s place, and I told her that, but she was delusional. I tried saving her life, twice, and she didn’t listen to me either time because she was crazy.” Despite it being cold in this hallway, beads of sweat formed on your brow when Mihaela began walking toward you, slowly and carefully with one foot in front of the other.

“Killing all of you might not bring her back, but it’ll feel  damn good  to know that I knocked off the big bad Lady of the Castle and her personal blood bag” 

“Mihaela, think about what you’re doing. All of your colleagues are gone or are currently getting ripped to shreds. You’re alone, you can’t win.”

“I won’t be alone in the afterlife,” Mihaela pauses, reaching behind her back to pull out a small explosive. She pulls something off of it, and drops it between the two of you, “because I’m bringing you with me.” 

Before you can react, the explosive goes off, sending both of you flying in opposite directions down the hall. You hit the floor hard, cracking your skull in the process. Several pieces of shrapnel were lodged in your skin, the bottom half of your right leg and your entire right arm were on the verge of falling off. And the pain… you were in an insurmountable amount of pain right now and couldn’t move. It was getting harder to breathe, harder to see, harder to feel, harder to hear, harder to stay alive. You knew you weren’t going to make it… it was only a matter of time before you bled out, and your heart stopped beating. Or maybe you would freeze to death before either of those things could happen. It was… incredibly cold. You were losing feeling in the parts of your body that were still attached.

You were dying…

Still, the only thing on your mind was getting back to your room and seeing the girls, seeing your sister, waiting for Alcina to return. You didn’t even get to tell Alcina you loved her, you didn’t get to tell the girls you loved them, and now you’re leaving them again. You promised them you wouldn’t. You promised your friends, Ylenia, Donna, Karl, Angie… you promised everyone important to you that you’d stay. You shouldn’t have left your room… but you had to, otherwise the girls would have died. Stefana and Zoe would have died. You hope they’re okay. You hope Stefana made it back with Bela and is helping her get warm.

You want to be with them. 

You gathered the remaining strength you had in your body and flipped yourself over onto your stomach. With your still functioning arm and leg, you began to crawl at a snail’s pace down the hall. Every movement you made sent waves of excruciating pain through your body, making you scream, but you had to keep going.

“I…’m… co…ming…” You said, your voice strained and barely above a whisper. 

You hadn’t made it far before the pain became unbearable and you were forced to stop. You laid on the floor with tears streaming down your face while you accepted the fact that you wouldn’t see your family anymore, and all you could do now is just wait for your heart to give up. Could Alcina hear it? Your heart slowing down? Could she hear the explosion? Your screams? Could she hear that you got Bela, Cass, and Dani to safety? Could she hear the repeated apologies that poured from your lips as you lie in the cold hallway? Could she hear you saying goodbye to her? 

“I… love… you…”

~

Alcina was outside, so engrossed in the hunt that she hadn’t been listening to what was going on in the castle. It wasn’t until there was another explosion that she tuned into the sounds inside the walls. She could hear Stefana telling Daniela and Cassandra they needed to stay by the fire. They were trying to leave the room to find you. Alcina could hear the servants on the first level whimpering and crying in their rooms. She heard the moroaice roaming the cellar and the halls. She heard you… heard your screams. Your heart struggling and pounding against your ribcage, fighting to keep beating. 

“I’m coming…” You said, but it was so quiet, so strained… something was wrong.

There weren’t many hunters left, but Alcina couldn’t waste any more time, so she left them to be finished off by the lycans. She’d begun to transform back. The dragon started crystalizing and crumbling in the courtyard while she peeled her body from the back of the beast. Grey tendrils remained attached to her back, she had not a stitch of clothing on, but she couldn’t care less about her appearance right now, she needed to get inside.

Alcina ran into the castle from the courtyard as that was the quickest way for her to get to your shared chambers. When she approached the door, she heard five heartbeats, one of them very weak, but none of them yours. She was too panicked to care that you’d left the room, she just wanted to find you. In that moment, she also picked up the scent of your blood mixed with gunpowder, and then she heard it again. Your heart. The familiar rhythm that was once so strong was now no louder than a pianissimo, no faster than a lento, and get kept getting slower… quieter with each second that passed. Alcina could hear your voice as she continued through the halls. She heard every time you apologized to her and to the girls. But why were you apologizing? Why were you saying goodbye?

Hot tears stung her eyes and clouded her vision when she came to the hallway that connected the north and south sides of the castle. It was split in two by an explosive. On the far side near the library was Mihaela’s mangled-up body, and on the other side was yours. Lifeless. A trail of blood leading up to a much larger pool under your body. Alcina didn’t believe what she was seeing. No, no, no… you weren’t dying, you weren’t leaving. You… you promised! Alcina stood in disbelief even as she listened to some of the last words to leave your mouth.

“I love you.” 

~ 

Alcina rushed over to you when the tears began to fall. Her sobs echoed through the halls as she dropped to her knees and pulled your body into your lap. She cradled you, stroked your head even as the blood kept spilling. You were fading, slowly but surely. You could barely make out the sensation of being in her arms, the sound of her voice. It all seemed so far away, unattainable though it was right in front of you. Alcina was right in front of you. You wanted to reach out to her, feel her skin under your fingertips. You wanted to kiss her. You wanted to see her smile.

“Al… ci… na…” was the last thing you said before your heart stopped beating. You had no fight left in you; you were tired.

Your worst fear had come true… you died before you got enough time with your family.

~

“Alcina…” That word, her name, held so much weight. It made her heart flutter every time it escaped your lips. She loved the way it sounded first thing in the morning, late at night, in the middle of the day, in the throes of passion. She could never get tired of hearing you say her name. It was different this time, it was the last time Alcina would hear it. It was the last time she’d hear your heart beating for her.

Thump…

… Thump…

… … Thump…

… … … Thump…

Then silence… a silence so deafening that it seemed like the world had stopped.

And just like that, the beautiful melody that is your life has come to an end. Alcina didn’t imagine you’d die like this, in her arms, covered in blood. She always imagined a peaceful end for the two of you, somewhere warm, surrounded by love. Alcina couldn’t believe you were taken from her so easily, that one woman could rip you right from up under her. She stole the time you were supposed to spend together, she stole the laughs, the tears, she stole everything.

The silence was finally broken by Alcina’s screams. The sound shook the castle with more force than any explosion could. She begged and pleaded for you to wake up, she cried that it wasn’t time for you to die, she prayed that you could hear her and that you’d open your eyes. But… she knew that you wouldn’t open your eyes, you couldn’t hear her, you weren’t going to wake up. Not this time.  

“Îmi pare rău, iubirea mea, dragul meu Y/N, my dearest Elisabeta. Te voi aduce înapoi. Nu era timpul tău.” Alcina said as she picked up your body and carried it back toward your room.

She stood outside the door, unprepared to face your sister, afraid to let the girls see the state you were in. 

“Whoever is in there… will you please open the door? There is no more danger, it’s just me.”

It seemed like an eternity passed before the door finally opened, and on the other side stood Stefana, whose eyes widened in horror when she saw your lifeless body in Alcina’s arms and your blood coating her skin. She fell to the floor, her hand covering her mouth to muffle her screams. Alcina bent through the frame to step into the room and moved to lay you down on the bed. She didn’t care about the blood that was getting on the sheets, or that she was naked. The only thing on Alcina’s mind was you.

“My sister… is she…” Stefana starts, too afraid to finish the question.

“I’m sorry, Stefana. I- I tried to get to her in time. I… by the time I got to her she was already… I’m so sorry, truly, I…” Alcina paused, her lip beginning to quiver as new tears formed in the corners of her eyes. “I will bring her back, I swear it.”

Chapter Text

Death was… not as people have described it. There was no white light, no tunnel. There was no heaven or hell. Death was a void, a pool of darkness that your spirit just floated in with no real destination. You thought the afterlife was supposed to be clouds and pearly gates, fire and brimstone, or somewhere in between. Not… whatever this was. On the bright side, if there even was one to dying, at least your spirit had its limbs still attached to its body. If you had to spend eternity with one arm and one leg, wandering around a sea of nothingness, you’d never be truly at rest. Death was odd. Your life didn’t flash before your eyes during your final moments. You didn’t get to see your first breath, your first step, first kiss… nothing. You were just… gone. 

In the realm of the living, dark days had fallen on the castle. That night you died, Alcina sat with you in her arms, staring into the fire for hours. She didn’t clean your blood off her body, didn’t put on clothes, nor did she send Stefana and Zoe out of the room. They left of their own accord when the pain of seeing you lying lifeless in Alcina’s arms because too much to bear and the tears could no longer fall. Stefana’s heart suffered irreparable damage, you weren’t supposed to die before her… she’s your older sister. She always anticipated going first. When Stefana and Zoe made it back to the servants’ quarters, Stefana stood outside the door to your friends’ room, contemplating whether or not she should knock. Alcina was in no shape to break the news to them, so Stefana knew it was up to her. 

“Who stays in this room?” Zoe asked.

“Our friends… mine and Y/N’s. I need to tell them what happened.”

“Oh. Um, do you want me to stay with you, maybe?”

“Would you? I can’t do this alone.” New tears were forming in the corners of Stefana’s eyes when she verbalized how she was feeling at that moment. She was alone now. Sure, she still had your friends, she still had Lydia, she still had your siblings… but they weren’t you. Nothing could replace the bond you two had, the love you shared. Even with Andrei being extremely close with the two of you, it still didn’t compare to you.

Zoe nodded and Stefana took a deep breath to calm herself before knocking on the door. A moment goes by without an answer, but Zoe and Stefana heard the sounds of furniture scraping against the floor before the door was finally opened. Mara peeked through the small slit, and when she saw that it was just your sister and Zoe, she completely opened the door.

“Oh my god, Stefana! Thank goodness you’re okay.” Mara says, pulling the woman into a tight embrace.

“Hi, Mara, can we come in?” Stefana asks, gesturing to herself and Zoe.

“Of course,” Mara says, stepping to the side to allow your sister and Zoe to enter. “hey, you don’t look so good. Is everything okay?”

“Is Y/N okay? Lydia said you went to go look for her.” Catalina says, rushing up to the pair that just entered the room. Stefana closed her eyes and clenched her jaw to prevent her from bursting into hysterics right then and there. When she opened her eyes, Cat could see they were bloodshot from the time she spent crying and fighting back tears.

“Why aren’t you answering? Is Y/N okay or not?” Cat asks, her brows furrowing in annoyance.

Stefana shook her head, her lip quivering as the tears began to fall. “No, Cat, she’s gone.” 

Catalina’s expression dropped and she stared at Stefana in bewilderment. “Gone? What? No, no, she can’t be gone. I don’t…” She trailed off as her voice grew softer, “please, say it isn’t true.”

“I wish I could, but I saw when Alcina carried her body into the room.” 

“So, that last explosion… and the screaming we heard… Alcina found her, didn’t she?” Mara asks.

“Yeah…” Stefana responds.

By that point, everyone in the room was in tears, mourning your loss. Servants like Mara, Cat, and Olivia were used to women in the castle dying left and right, but you were their best friend. You were like a sister to them. The hurt wasn’t the same as when you left the castle, and they simply couldn’t find you. Zoe, the youngest in the room, had not experienced much death in her life. And though she was merely your servant, she was very attached to you and felt like she’d lost someone in her family.

That’s what you were for several people in the castle, you were family.

At some point, before the girls woke up, Alcina had moved all three of them next door to your old room. Some of your things were still in here, like the lamb doll that you brought back from the farm, the pocket watch your sister got you for your birthday this year, all the little gifts and trinkets Blue brought you when she would fly to your window, and the first necklace Alcina had given you. Seeing it sitting atop the desk brought new tears to Alcina’s eyes. The pain of losing you was a thousand times worse than when the first Elisabeta died, but Alcina wasn’t going to let you slip through her fingers. She’s going to bring you back. After she lit a fire and tucked the girls in, she returned to her room to bathe and change. With every minute that passed, she’d glance over at your body for any sign of movement, any sign of life. She knew it was foolish, but one could only hope. She sat on the edge of the bed next to you and moved your hair away from your face. You looked peaceful… as if you were sleeping. 

“I’m… sorry, Y/N, that I did not find you sooner. I’m sorry that I was so enthralled by murder that I did not notice you risking your life to save the girls. I’m sorry that I did not listen to you. I’m sorry that I did not tell you I loved you before I left the room. I’m sorry that you died because of my negligence. It should have been me, not you. You didn’t deserve this. I hope that I can bring you back… the castle will never be the same without you in it. Until we meet again, inima mea.”  

Alcina then laid down next to you and held your body close, pressing her ear to your chest in hopes that she would hear your heart beating. After five minutes of deafening silence, the Countess sat up from the bed and left toward the tasting room. She returned with four bottles of Sanguis Virginis and proceeded to drown her sorrows until she fell asleep, hunched over at her vanity.

Back in the… void, your spirit was floating along in the darkness when you heard something in the distance. Whatever this sound was, it was getting closer, like it was trying to reach you. It was distorted, muffled, clear, quiet, and loud all at once. The blaring sound circled around you, pulling your attention in every direction.

“Elisabeta…” The sound is a voice… but whose voice?

“Elisabeta…” Is it your mother? Alcina? 

“Elisabeta!” When the sound finally stopped, a young woman appeared before you. She looked a little like your mother, almost like a younger version of her.

“Who are you?” You question.

“I’m you, well, I’m your namesake. I’m the first Elisabeta, your great aunt.” 

“I don’t go by that name. What is this place… and why is it so dark?” 

“I know, you go by Y/N. And this my dear, is the afterlife.”

“Afterlife? You mean I’m-”

“Unfortunately, yes, but it is far before your time. You need to return to Alcina, and the rest of your family.” Elisabeta interrupts. It’s easier said than done, it’s not like you can just hop back into your dead body.

“Um, I don’t think that’s going to work, I’m dead, in case you missed that part.” 

“You may not be able to now, but you will. You just have to be patient, Y/N. You shouldn’t be here, and we both know that. Were you ready to die?”

“No… I wasn’t. I wanted a little more time with Alcina and the girls before Miranda gave me the cadou. I don’t know if I would have lived through that, so, I wanted to make every moment count. Is there… can I see them? I know spirits are supposed to watch over people.”

“Not where we are currently, Your soul is still tethered to your body, and in order for you to be able to watch over them, you’d have to move on completely. You’d never be able to return if you did that.”

“So, there’s like, levels to the afterlife?” You ask, quirking a brow.

“More or less… this is where all souls come when they first die and they’re still attached to their bodies. Some see loved ones, some see animal spirit guides, and some see nothing at all. I’m here because I’m your guardian and am supposed to help you cross over, but I know that you are not meant to. I may be doing a poor job, but it could be worse.”

“Are you my guardian angel or something? I didn’t know those really existed.”

“Do you see a pair of wings on my back?” Elisabeta asks with a deadpan expression.

“Didn’t mean to offend you, Auntie. So, now what? Do we just sit here and wait until I’m “able to go back”?”

“First, don’t call me that, and second, yes. But I could show you your memories as a way to pass the time.”

“No thanks, most of my memories aren’t pleasant. I don’t know if you’ve watched me my whole life, but my good memories don’t start until I was taken to the Castle. What about your memories? Alcina told me about you, and I want to see what you two were like together.” You say, looking around the dark space for a place to sit, but you can’t really do that. Spirits can’t sit, can they? With a shrug, you let your body continue to float in nothingness.

“It wasn’t pretty at the start,” Elisabetta pauses as what seems to be a projection of her memories appears. “Alcina wasn’t the same with me as she was with you, I was a maiden that she was ordered to experiment on. I was afraid of her and would pray every day that she didn’t send me to the cellar.” You stay silent as you watch the memories play out, Alcina looked different, definitely smaller in size, but she also looked more sinister. Blood constantly stained her face and clothes, and the look in her eyes… you’ve seen it before on the night she attacked you. “I didn’t interact with her much for the fear that I would say something wrong and end up dead quicker than my sickness was killing me. But I noticed that she’d always be watching me if we were ever in the same room together.”

“So, what was the push that brought you two together?”

“I was terribly ill one day and she noticed.” Hmm, sounds familiar. “She insisted that I rest, but I didn’t want to because I knew I had my duties. I didn’t want to burden her or the rest of the staff because I couldn’t work.” That… also sounds very familiar. Maybe your mother was right in her comparison of the two of you. “One day, I was so sick that I couldn’t get out of bed and Alcina was there to nurse me back to health,” okay, now the situation is too similar, “and she confessed that she was interested in me and did not wish to use me for Miranda’s experiments. Back then, it was so unheard of that I turned down every advance she made. The more I denied her, the more I began to yearn for her, and I didn’t understand it. When I finally relented, she reported back that I’d died, and for a while, we were happy.” You see the first of Elisabeta’s memories where Alcina smiled. The familiar twinkle that was in her eyes when she looked at you or the girls was finally there. That was truly Alcina, not Lady Dimitrescu.

“One day, Miranda delivered three bodies to the castle and ordered Alcina to administer her own cadou to them,” this must be when the girls were created. You could recognize them by their facial features and hair colors, but it was so odd seeing them in civilian clothes, and without their rose tattoos. “Of course, Alcina obliged, and her experiments were successful, but the girls had—imprinted, so to speak—on Alcina and she knew she couldn’t give them to Miranda. She renamed them, Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela. With her having an A name, and myself having an E name, it just worked.” You could see the way the girls looked at Alcina, and it was an instantaneous bond between mother and child.

“You were a perfect family…” You trail off, lost in thought. You recall Cassandra saying that no one fit into the family like you did since Elisabeta, and you could see that. The girls were attached to her as quickly as they were to Alcina, and it saddened you a bit. You felt like you couldn’t compare to her. She was the original Elisabeta, and you were just a pale imitation. 

“I know what you’re thinking, and you don’t need to compare yourself to me, Y/N. Your experiences… the time you spent with Alcina, and the girls was, is, and will be different. You’ve given them so much, helped them in ways that I couldn’t, and I know that you’re not finished.”

The rest of Elisabeta’s memories were short after the girls were born. She’d been consumed by her sickness and passed in her sleep one night and that’s where it stopped. You knew a little bit about the pain Alcina and the girls felt when she died, and you’re glad you didn’t have to watch them mourn her. It would have only made you feel guilty for hurting them all again.

~

That afternoon, Alcina woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. The sound bounced around in her head and sent waves of pain through her skull. Groaning, she peeled her face up from the wooden surface and gave herself a look in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot, baggy underneath, her makeup incredibly messy and smudged. Wine and drool had pooled and dried on both the vanity and her face. She looked a mess, but she found herself not caring. Not about her appearances… or anything for that matter. She picked up the phone and managed to speak a quiet ‘hello’ to whoever was on the other side.

“Alcina, it’s me… how are you?”  Mother Miranda asked, her voice soft and sympathetic.

“I wish I could say that I’m fine, but I’m not… I feel so empty, Mother.”

“I’m sorry that I did not intervene… the smoke from the forest fire blocked my crows’ vision their hearing was damaged as well.”

“It’s… it’s fine, Mother, you don’t need to explain. We handled it, we’ve survived.” Alcina pauses to look at your body’s reflection in the mirror. Seeing you there, your eyes still closed and your chest no longer rising and falling made Alcina’s eyes gloss over. The once bright gold now a dull yellow from the pain. “I need your help, Mother Miranda.”

“What is it that you need, my dear?  

“I need you to bring Y/N back. She… that  bitch  Mihaela killed her, and I need her back.” Alcina says through gritted teeth, earning a soft gasp from Miranda at her use of profanity.

“Alcina, you know I can’t just-”

“Please, Mother, I am begging you. I was not prepared to lose her… will you at least try?”

“I will be over so we can continue this conversation in person. There are things I need you to understand, and I cannot explain them to you over the phone.”

“Mother Mirada, please I-” before Alcina could finish her statement, the phone was hung up and Mother Miranda had appeared before her in her room. The priestess’s first thought was of the deplorable state Alcina was in. By this time of day, she’d have been dressed and made herself presentable.

“Alcina, you look horrible.” Miranda says, chastising her daughter.

“Thanks so much, Mother. Do forgive me for not making myself presentable in the ten seconds between you hanging up the phone and materializing in front of me. Have you come to make me feel worse than I already do? Add insult to injury?” Alcina asks, taking the edge of her robe to wipe the dried drool and wine from her face. She reached into one of the vanity drawers and pulled out her pack of cigarettes, lighting one and bringing it to her lips.

“That was not my intention, you know that. I came here to tell you that Y/N’s cadou is not ready, I cannot operate on her before it is.”

“That’s never stopped you before. All of your experiments, including myself and the others, were rushed and incomplete. The four that were barely successful were pure luck. What makes this time any different?” Alcina’s tone was angering Miranda. She’d never spoken to her like this before, not even when Elisabeta died.

“It’s different because I don’t want to fail, I don’t want to ruin your chances of being happy with her. I want to do something right for once.” As Alcina sighed, a plume of smoke left her lips. It was rare that Miranda admitted to being a failure, so whenever she did, Alcina knew she was being completely genuine.

“How long will it take before her cadou is ready?”

As Mother Miranda prepared to answer, there was a knock on the door. Stefana, Zoe, Mara, Cat, and Olivia stood on the other side. They too had not gotten much sleep after learning that you’d died yet they still wanted to make sure Alcina and the girls were okay before they got to work cleaning up the castle. Such was standard protocol when someone dies. Continue working and grieve on your own time. A rather unfair policy and Alcina will change.

“P-pardon the interruption my Lady, we came to see if you and the Misses were okay.” Zoe said. The young maid is the only one in the group with enough strength to speak. They expected to be sent away or to not receive an answer at all, but when Mother Miranda opened the door, it took them all by surprise. The group had begun to kneel, but Miranda raised a hand, stopping them.

“Who might you be, little one? I don’t recall seeing you the last time I visited.” Miranda said, eyeing the girl.

“M-m-my name is Zoe, Mother Miranda, I’m fairly new.” She says, bowing deeply.

“And who are your friends?”

“Lady Y/N’s older sister and her friends… th-three of which are the Misses companions.”

“I was asking them, child.” 

“Of course…” Zoe trails off as she steps to the side, obviously too nervous to continue speaking to the Priestess. One by one, they introduce themselves to Mother Miranda and she nods in silent approval. She remembered their faces, but not much else about them. 

“Very well. Alcina is fine, the girls are fine, you may leave now.” Miranda says, waving off your friends and sister. They’re about to turn and leave when they’re stopped by Alcina.

“Let them in, Mother, I don’t care if they see me like this. The girls are still asleep in the next room if they’d like to see them, but Stefana should be in the room with us.” Alcina says, keeping her gaze on her reflection. Your friends leave and enter your old room where the girls are, while Stefana stays behind, under the heat of Miranda’s gaze. Miranda steps to the side to allow Stefana to enter the room but when she sees your body in the bed, she freezes. Stefana wanted to believe that you were just asleep, but the warmth of your complexion was gone. Your blood seeped into the bedding and was caked onto your skin. It was a harsh reminder of what happened just hours prior. Stefana took a deep breath to compose herself and keep her tears at bay while she stepped into the room. Miranda closed the door and watched as your sister approached the bed. 

“I can’t believe you’re gone. We could have made it back together… you didn’t have to sacrifice yourself. Why’d you do that, Y/N? How am I- how are any of us supposed to continue without you? Bela, Cass, and Dani don’t even know that you died saving them yet. What are they supposed to do?” Stefana whispered. She wanted to scream, she wanted to curse, she wished she could go back in time and kill Mihaela herself for what she did to you. But all Stefana could do, all everyone could do was cry.

“To answer your question, Alcina, Y/N’s cadou won’t be ready for the next four weeks. I still have tests to run and-”

“Four weeks!? Mother, I cannot wait four weeks, you need to-”

“I need to? Know your place, Alcina, you forget yourself. I don’t need to do anything, nor can you command me to. You serve me, it is not the other way around. It is obvious that you are not in your right state of mind, otherwise, you would not make the mistake of constantly disrespecting me. I would expect such behavior from Heisenberg, but not from you.” The air in the room had gone cold as the tension began to rise. Alcina gripped the edge of her vanity with so much force that the wood began to split. She couldn’t keep your body for four weeks, be forced to look at the now-deceased love of her life any longer than she already has. And your sister… she wanted to hear your voice again. She needed to hear it.

“Mother Miranda, if I may,” Stefana starts, her voice soft and shaky, “please do something. My sister wasn’t supposed to die, she held off Mihaela so I could bring Bela back here. I need her, Alcina needs her, the girls need her… everyone in the castle needs her.”

“Stefana, if I give your sister the cadou now, there’s a chance that it may try to use her as a vessel for my daughter. It would not be worth it if your sister is not in her own body. Or she may not come back at all—it’s too great of a risk. Surely, you can understand.” Miranda responds with a sympathetic tone. 

“Y/N will come back. I know my sister, and I know that she wouldn’t let anyone or anything stop her from returning to us. I believe in her, as much as I believe in you and the power you hold. Please, give her the cadou.” Stefana speaks with such conviction that Miranda is left unable to respond.

“Are you both sure you want this?” Miranda asks, looking between Stefana and Alcina.

“I’m afraid it is our only option, Mother, we don’t have four weeks.”

“Very well, I will return tomorrow to perform the operation. Stefana, I hope for everyone’s sake that there is truth to your words. If Y/N doesn’t return, there will be nothing I can do.”

“She’ll come back, Mother Miranda, thank you.” With a nod, Mother Miranda vanishes, leaving behind a plume of black feathers. With the priestess gone, Alcina could finally let out the anger she’d been holding in. She stood from her vanity, extended her claws, and sliced it cleanly into six pieces. It frightened Stefana, but she could understand Alcina’s frustration.

The sound of the door opening caught both of their attention, and Alcina knew before Stefana did that it was Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela on the other side. However, Stefana could see from the change in Alcina’s demeanor that another wave of sadness had overcome her. 

“Mother?” Bela asked as she and her sisters entered the room.

“Darlings…” Alcina trailed off. The girls ran up to her muttering countless apologies as they all enveloped the Countess in a sad embrace.

“We’re so sorry, Mother! We tried to fight them off, but it was too cold! Momma had to save us, we failed you.” Bela cried, burying her face in her mother’s side. She still hasn’t fully healed, the very edge of her face and the tips of her fingers and toes were still slightly crystallized. 

“You all did the best you could. It was I, who failed all of you.” Alcina says with a shaky voice as she tries to comfort the girls.

“We were too weak, Mother, we couldn’t do anything.” Cassandra says, her anger apparent in her tone.

“That is not true, Cassandra. You three are strong, much stronger than I.”

“Where’s… where’s Mamă?” Daniela asks, her voice breaking as she sobs.

“Girls I… I don’t know how to tell you this. Y/N, she… I tried to reach her in time, but I was too late. My loves, I am so sorry.” Alcina broke down at that. Letting down the girls was the one thing Alcina never wanted to do as a mother and explaining to them that she failed to save you was painful. She couldn’t look them in the eyes as they stared back at her in disbelief. 

“What? No, she promised. Mamă promised she’d come back safe. Why didn’t she come back safe?” Daniela asks. The redhead began to shake, her breathing quickened as she started to hyperventilate.

“It’s my fault… Mihaela found us, and Y/N stayed behind to allow me to get Bela to safety. I should have gone back for her, but she wanted me to stay with you.” Stefana says, training her gaze to the floor.

“Stefana don’t blame yourself. You did all you-”

“HOW COULD YOU LET HER DIE!?” Cassandra screams, interrupting Alcina as she charges toward your sister. “IT SHOULD BE YOU LYING THERE, NOT HER. YOU DISOBEYED ORDERS AND LEFT YOUR ROOM, YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE ALIVE!”

“Cassandra that is enough! You are angry and hurt and I get that We are all angry… but Stefana is not to blame. She and Zoe both made sure you and your sisters were safe, and I don’t want to ever hear you speak to her like that again, do you hear me? Apologize, this instant.” Alcina says with a firm hand on Cassandra’s shoulder to stop her from harming your sister.

“I’m not apologizing to her. If she hadn’t been out of her room, Mihaela wouldn’t have found them and Mămică would still be here.” 

“And all of you would be gone. Y/N gave up her life to save you, your sisters, Stefana, and Zoe. She disobeyed my orders to make sure her family was safe just as Stefana did. I know you three would have done it too if you were in their shoes, and you cannot be angry about that.”

“It’s not fair! She didn’t even care about her until she came to the castle, she didn’t even know she was alive then!” 

“That was not my fault, Cassandra, it was our father’s. I loved Y/N just as much as you did. Her loss affects me just as much as it affects you. I know that she died saving you, but I didn’t blame you for it because I know my sister loved you with every fiber of her being. Maybe I don’t deserve to be alive for disobeying orders, but my sister’s safety was more important, and I will not let you assume I didn’t care about her. I always cared about her, I always loved her even when I was being beaten and forced to pretend I didn’t. You’re not the only ones she broke a promise with, she promised me she’d return too. I lost her  too .”

Stefana’s voice cracked and broke as she expressed her feelings. It wasn’t supposed to turn into a competition of who cared for you or who loved you more. They were all suffering the same loss and it wasn’t right for Cassandra to place the blame on your sister, she and Cass both knew that. Really, the blame couldn’t be placed on anyone because everyone in that room and the next had something they wanted to go back in time and change. Alcina wished she would have listened to you, your friends wished they hadn’t dismissed you when Mihaela first came to the castle, the girls wished they had monitored her more closely… it was unfair to blame a single person.

“Girls, Mother Miranda is going to implant the cadou in Y/N tomorrow. I know it is a lot, but I need you to be strong. For each other, for me, and for Stefana. We will all need to support one another while we wait to see if she will return to us as it may take days, even weeks, for the parasite to work. If you don’t want to do it for me, do it for Y/N. She would hate to see the people she loves most fighting instead of coming together in a time as difficult as this.”

“Mother is right, Cass, and you know Momma would yell at you for the way you spoke to Aunt Stefana.” Bela says, reaching out to pull her younger sister away from Stefana and back into the embrace they held with Alcina. Cassandra began to sob, her wails muffled as she buried her head into her sister’s shoulder. Stefana takes a few steps closer to them and inhales deeply.

“Cassandra I don’t know what this is worth to you, but I’m sorry. I care about you, all of you, and I wanted to go back for Y/N, but she trusted Zoe and I to keep you safe. If any of you died it would have devastated her.”

“I’m sorry too, Auntie… I shouldn’t have said those things to you, and if Mămică can hear me, I’m sorry for yelling at your sister.” 

“Apologize when she comes back, I know she will. I’m going to prepare some food for all of you, all these emotions aren’t good on an empty stomach.” Stefana says, earning soft chuckles from the girls. It was a lighthearted moment that distracted them from the pain they were feeling. They believed Stefana, they knew you were going to come back. You always do. 

“Thank you, Stefana.” Alcina says with a soft smile. 

“Of course.”

The following day was when word got around the castle that you’d died. Throughout the morning, several servants would stop by the bed chambers to offer their condolences, some you’d never even met before. Of course, there would be the occasional bunch that were insincere and would question if you were really dead “this time” as they left that end of the hallway, but Alcina was too tired to care. She hadn’t gotten much sleep as she was plagued by negative thoughts. What if the cadou doesn’t work? What if it brings Eva back and not you? What if you turn into a lycan or end up like Moreau? What if nothing happens at all, and they’ll have to continue on without you? It was painful, but it was all Alcina could think about as she sat and watched the clock for hours. 

When Mother Miranda came, she arrived via carriage with a large case full of medical supplies. Everything was prepared for her to perform the procedure in a clean environment—fresh sheets, sterile supplies, and the parasite. Miranda ordered Alcina to wait in the other room, but the countess was insistent on staying and supervising the whole procedure. Though slightly annoyed, Miranda began. She turned your body over and cut away your tattered clothing before she cleaned up the area where she’d be implanting the cadou, right underneath your shoulder blades. Usually, it’s placed at the back of the neck but since you had fractures at the base of your skull, lower on the spine was the safer option. One by one, Miranda sliced through and pulled back layers of skin, and muscle tissue until she could see your spine. The cadou she brought with her has been fortified with your blood samples for a stronger affinity and increased chances of the parasite latching on. She took it out of the jar and placed it on your spine. Alcina looked on in slight disgust as the tendrils that were attached to the parasite began to intertwine themselves with the nerves along your vertebrae. It was different from when she created the girls, as their parasites have integrated with their brains. The tendrils began to climb up your spine and attach themselves to your spinal cord. Once Miranda was satisfied with the progression of the infection, she stitched up your incisions and turned you back over. Now all everyone had to do was wait and wait they would do. 

~

A few days had gone by without much change and worry was settling in. Alcina and the others thought that talking to you would bring you back sooner, but their attempts were futile. They weren’t ready to give up, so they kept coming back hour after hour, rotating who was in the room at the time. What they did not know, was that in your realm, you could hear their voices now, though it was extremely faint.

“Do you hear talking?” Elisabeta asked, pausing the same memory of her and Alcina she’d shown you for the hundredth time.

“I do… it sounds like-”

“Frumoasa…” The woman interrupts, looking up into nothing to follow the sound of the voice.

“Beautiful?”

“It’s what I used to call Cici… she’s speaking to you.” Cici… did she mean Alcina? Was Alcina speaking to you?

“Darling, I don’t know if you’re in there, but if you are, please come back to me. It’s been four days since Mother Miranda gave you the cadou and… I don’t want to lose hope. I miss you terribly. I miss your smile, your eyes, the sound of your voice, I miss being able to wake up to you staring at me. I miss the way you would light up a room whenever you’d walk in. I’ve been spending a lot of time with your sister, just listening to her stories of when you were young. I know you were such a sweet child, and the way you cared for your siblings is something I want the girls to learn from you. Thank you, for saving them. I would not be able to live with myself if I lost them as well. I am praying every day that you return so that I can make up for all that you’ve sacrificed. I love you more than words could ever hope to convey. You and the girls are my everything, and I do not feel complete without you here.”

“She really loves you…” Elisabeta says, trailing off with—are those tears? Spirits can cry?

“I love her… more than anything.”

“Mother Miranda has administered the cadou to you. You mentioned that you wanted more time before that happened, was there a reason you were waiting?”

“Yeah, Mother Miranda wanted to create one that wouldn’t try to use its host as a vessel for her deceased child, but mine wasn’t ready. Alcina must have asked her to do it anyway…”

“Are you angry with her for it? You’ve been operated on before you were ready, and without your consent.”

“Yeah, well, I also died before I was ready and without my consent so no, I’m not angry. I wanted it to be done sooner but you know how Miranda is with all her tests and wanting to be perfect.” You say with a dry chuckle, which wasn’t well-received by Elisabeta.

“Actually, no, I don’t know. I’ve never met Mother Miranda, but I’ve heard she isn’t the kindest woman.”

“She’s only unkind to people she doesn’t trust, or like, which is most people. She treats me like I’m one of her own, and has always watched over me since she took me to the castle. Miranda and the castle’s head chef are like the mothers I always wanted. I’m not close with my mother, in case there were things you didn’t see.”

“I know full well how Adela and Constantin have treaded you and your siblings. Does Mother Miranda like your sister?” 

“I hope so. They’ve never met so I don’t know how she feels about Stefana. It would definitely be awkward if she didn’t like her though.” 

There was no concept of time in this world, so you didn’t know how many minutes, hours, or maybe even days had passed since you began hearing the voices of your loved ones. There were some that didn’t say much to you, like Mara, and some that said almost too much, like Catalina. You could hear how tired they were, the pain they felt… you just wanted to tell them you were sorry. 

~

The following day, the fifth day since you were given the cadou, was when changes could be seen taking place. Your wounds mended themselves, your arm and leg healed completely, the skull fractures had fused and healed… the cadou was working. However, there was no brain function, and your heart wasn’t beating. The parasite was just putting you back together like a broken piece of furniture… would it stop there? 

No one noticed these changes as your body remained covered by the bedsheets. Little by little, Alcina and your sister were starting to lose hope and had been discussing funeral arrangements and where you should be buried. Alcina suggested you be buried on castle grounds, to which your sister had no objection. Though it pained them to talk about the probability of you never coming back, they knew they had to because waiting for you was a fruitless endeavor thus far. Burying you sounded more realistic, the more likely thing to happen. 

Alcina sat at the foot of the bed, her body facing away from you while she tried to compose herself in order to speak to you.

“Hello, my love, can you hear me? I hope that wherever you are, you’re alright. I am lost… I don’t know what to do should the cadou not work. Stefana and I have made funeral arrangements for you but I… well, I just don’t want to do that. I don’t want to bury you, I don’t want to say goodbye, I don’t want to live without you. You have to come back, darling, I need to be able to hold you again. I know you’re in there somewhere, please, return to us.”

With that, she left the room to sit with the girls. They’ve been her rock through all this. They gave her strength when she couldn’t find it anywhere else. 

~

“…please, return to us.” 

You wanted to, so badly. You wanted to tell Alcina you could hear her, you wanted to feel her warmth, to see the honey-like golden color of her eyes. Gods, you missed her so damn much. 

“Elisabeta, how do I go back?” You ask, turning to face the woman only to find a little girl standing where she once was. This girl had blonde hair, fair skin, and icy blue eyes. Eyes you’ve seen before. This child was the spitting image of Miranda… “Eva?” 

“How do you know my name? Who are you?”

“My name’s Y/N, I know your name because I know your mother, Miranda.”

“You know my mommy?” Eva asks, her eyes going wide. “Where is she? Where are… we?”

“I don’t know where we are, but I think we’re inside my body.”

“I don’t like it here. It’s dark and scary.” The young girl says with a quiet whimper.

“I don’t really like it here either, that’s why I’m trying to get back to my family.”

“I want to go back to my mommy! Can you take me to her?” 

You sigh, “I wish I could, but only one of us can return and, I’m sorry Eva, but I think it has to be me.” You were trying to let her down gently, you didn’t know if she had any kind of powers like Miranda and would try to stop you if you made her angry.

“But if you leave, I’ll be all alone… I don’t want to be alone.” Eva says, her head hanging low as she sniffles. You squat so you can be eye to eye with her—you’re not very experienced in calming down a crying child, but you’re going to try.

“Hey now, don’t cry. You’ll never be alone as long as you think of the people you love. I know you miss your mommy, and she misses you too. She’s been trying to find you for a really long time, and I know that she will. It’s just that now, she and your big sister Alcina are trying to find me.”

“I have a big sister?” 

“Two big sisters, in fact, and two big brothers that I know would love you to pieces. And when your mommy finds you, I’ll be your big sister too.” You offer Eva a warm smile to hopefully make her feel a little better about your unique situations. You were never meant to be a vessel for her… Miranda giving you the cadou this early was a last-ditch effort because you weren’t supposed to die.

“Can I think of you too? So, I’ll never be alone?” 

“Of course you can, and I’ll think of you too, Eva.” You reached up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear when you saw that the tips of your fingers had faded. You let out a gasp, startling the child.

“Your hands… what’s happening to them?” 

“I don’t know…” You trailed off, watching as the rest of your hands began vanishing, and then you heard it. A sound that you never thought you’d hear again.

Thump…

…Thump… thump…

… …Thump… thump… thump…

… … … Thump… thump… thump… thump…

Your heart was beating again, the cadou worked! The more your heart beat, the faster your body began to disappear. You looked at Eva with a sad smile as you wished there was a way for her to be reunited with Miranda. You don’t know how long it’s been since she died, but you knew that her soul’s been wandering, hopping from person to person with the hope of finally waking up to the sight of her Mother. 

“I guess this is goodbye…” Eva says with tears in her eyes. 

“It’s not goodbye, just see you later. We’ll meet again someday, and I look forward to the day we do.” The last parts of your body to disappear were your eyes and just like that, you were gone from this realm.

But something was wrong.

~

Your eyes opened slowly but everything was blurry, and you didn’t recognize any of the surroundings. Are you in a bed? Whose room are you in? Where are you? You could hear something, a female voice calling out to you. It was distant, but as you regained consciousness, the closer and louder the voice got.

“Y/N, is that you?” You turned your head in the direction of the voice, but your vision was still too blurry to make out who was talking to you. You reached up to rub your eyes to restore the clarity, but you shuddered when you felt how cold they were. Why were your hands cold? 

When you could finally see, you met a pair of wide eyes staring back at you.

“Where… what happened?” You asked, your voice hoarse and barely audible

“You came back… it worked! Mother Miranda’s operation worked!” Mother Miranda? What was going on, what operation is she talking about? Is that the reason for your back aching so much? Why is she crying? Did something terrible happen to you?

“What operation? Was I sick?”

“Y/N, you died. Mother Miranda brought you back.” Now that’s just preposterous, humans can’t be brought back from the dead.

“You mean I was resurrected? That’s… great, I suppose. Can I ask you a question?” You pushed yourself into a sitting position and that’s when you got a better view of your surroundings.

“Of course, you can ask me anything.” 

“Who are you?”

Chapter Text

“Who are you?” 

The question rang out in the room and rendered the woman in front of you speechless. You didn’t see anything wrong with the question, you didn’t know who she was but apparently she knew you. Come to think of it, you don’t know anything. You can’t remember anything that happened, this room, these clothes, you don’t even remember if your name is actually Y/N.

“You mean, y-you don’t recognize me? It’s me, Stefana. Your older sister?” This woman, this Stefana person, continued to stare at you in disbelief. You suppose you can understand where she’s coming from, you’d be upset too if your younger sister didn’t remember you. Do you even have a younger sister?

“I’m sorry, I… I don’t recognize you. Where am I? What happened to me?” You ask, looking down to see a large scar running down the length of your right arm. It didn’t look like it was stitched back together, rather, whatever happened to it just healed on its own. 

“No, no, no, Y/N, please… please tell me you’re just messing with me. Please say that it’s just a joke, you have to remember me, you have to. Do you remember Alcina? Bela, Cass, and Dani? Your friends? Our brothers and sister? Zoe?” Stefana asks, holding both sides of your face as she frantically tries to jog your memory.

“No… who are you talking about? Why aren’t you answering my questions? You’re starting to scare me.”

“Oh god… Eva?” Who is Eva? You thought your name was Y/N. 

“Who is- look, if you’re not going to answer my questions, I’m going to find someone who will.” You pushed the sheets aside and that was when you saw the scars that covered your right leg. There were several small pinpoint-like scars and one very large one that started at your knee and spiraled down your shin. You walked up to the door and twisted the knob. What greeted you on the other side were three women that were slightly taller than you were. A blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. They each had a rose tattoo on their foreheads and unnatural colored eyes. Before you could close the door, they all tackled you to the floor in… were they hugging you? You couldn’t tell if they were happy or sad from all the incoherent shouting and sobbing. The only phrase you understood was “You came back.” 

“What’s going-”

“Mamă, we missed you so much!” The red-haired one cried, holding you incredibly tight.

“Hey, come on, get off, she just woke up.” Stefana says, shooing the trio away from you. You were able to catch your breath for a moment, only for it to stop completely when another woman bent through the door. When she stood to her full height, you were paralyzed with fear. What type of place is this where humans come back from the dead and are apparently so tall they can’t fit through standard-sized doors?

“Dragă? Are you… is it really you?” The tall woman asked with misty eyes, a single tear trailing down her cheek. 

Your heart rate quickened as she began slowly stepping toward you. The three girls that were hugging you got up and stepped to the side. As soon as you could move you scrambled to hide behind your so-called sister, and this left the other women with dumbfounded looks. How did they all know you, who were you to them, why they were all so happy (?) to see that you’ve woken up.

“Stefana, will you please tell me what’s going on?” You ask, your voice just above a whisper. 

“You don’t remember what happened? You died, Momma.” The blonde one says, which only confused you further. There’s no way these three girls could be your kids, they all look grown, and you’re certain you’re not old enough to have given birth to them.

“Y/N, sit back down, let us explain everything to you.” Stefana says in a calm, even tone. How can she be calm when there’s a woman standing at least three meters tall in the room.

“There’s not enough explanation in the world that could help me understand what just happened. You thought I was joking but I think you’re the one playing tricks on me.”

“Stefana, what happened when Y/N woke up?” The tall woman asks, moving further into the room. She stood before both of you and her height from this angle was terrifying. “Why are you acting like you’re scared, darling?”

“Because I am scared! I don’t know who any of you are, why these girls are saying I’m their mother, why people can be resurrected, or why there’s an abnormally large woman calling me darling. You expect me to just be okay with all of this?” You wince when you feel a sharp pain behind your eye. There was so much going on that it was making your head hurt. 

“She’s scared because she doesn’t remember, Alcina. She doesn’t remember anything from before she died… it’s like she’s still gone.” Stefana says with a defeated sigh.

“Well, surely she remembers something right? She knows your name, and who you are so, that must be a sign she hasn’t completely forgotten about us.” The tall woman, whom you can safely assume is Alcina, says to Stefana with a shaky voice.

“She only knows because I told her. Has this happened before with the cadou?” With the what?

“Not to my knowledge… you don’t remember anything at all, Y/N? Not how you died, or that the castle was attacked?” Alcina asked, her brows furrowing.

“If I remembered, I wouldn’t be asking what’s going on. You all obviously know more than I do so will someone please just tell me what happened? How did I die? Who is Mother Miranda and why did she operate on me?” You just wanted answers, no one was giving them to you, and instead asked you questions you clearly couldn’t answer.

“Do you want to explain, or should I?” Stefana asks, turning to Alcina.

“I would prefer if you did, Stefana. I don’t exactly feel comfortable around someone so tall.” You say quietly. Alcina sighs and the three girls look at her with sad expressions, obviously upset by your words. 

“Very well, I… will call Mother Miranda. She will have an answer for why Y/N has lost her memory.” With that, the tall woman bends through the doorway and the three girls follow behind her. The redhead lingers for a moment before she’s pulled along by the blonde one. Stefana walks up and closes the door before taking her seat in the chair she was just sitting in.

“What the fuck was that? What type of place is this?” You ask, walking toward the window to look outside. You couldn’t see much beyond the snow-covered ground which didn’t do anything to help you figure out where you are.

“ That  was the Lady of the Castle, Alcina Dimitrescu, and her daughters, Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela.”

“And I’m their mother too? Did I have them or did the big Lady have them? Why is she so tall?” 

“One question at a time, please. You’ll only confuse yourself further if you don’t slow down. Come sit, I have a lot I need to tell you.”

You reluctantly sit on the edge of the bed, and that’s when you notice how large it is. This must be Alcina’s room, but why were you in here?

“The Castle was attacked about a week ago. There was a woman named Mihaela that found us and Bela in the hallway, you held her off so I could get Bela to safety and watch over Cassandra and Daniela. She set off an explosive in the hallway that killed the both of you, but Mother Miranda brought you—well, most of you—back. She gave you what’s called a cadou, and I don’t know what it does, but she gives it to people in hopes of finding a vessel for her daughter’s soul.”

“Is that why she gave it to me? To become a vessel?”

“No, that wasn’t the plan. She was creating one that wouldn’t try to use you as a vessel, but it wasn’t ready. Alcina and I had to beg Mother Miranda to operate on you because you weren’t supposed to die. You sacrificed yourself to make sure that the people you loved were safe.”

“Wow, sounds like I was some hero.” You say with a light chuckle. “Do you think Lady Alcina will make me a knight? I’ve always thought suits of armor were pretty cool.” 

“You’re getting off-topic, and no, I don’t think so. This village isn’t like that.” Stefana says with lips formed in a thin line.

“Why was the castle attacked?” 

“That’s a long story, and I don’t think you want to sit around and listen to all of it.”

“Okay, so, the castle was attacked, I died, and I was brought back by Mother Miranda. Who is she? Is she our mother?” You question.

“Mother Miranda is sort of like… one part goddess, one part human, one part bird. She’s the ruler of the village and people pray to her.” As bizarre as that sounds, you believe it. After all, you were just speaking to a woman that was almost as tall as the ceiling in this room.

“Okay, so bird goddess, got it. Can you tell me the kind of life I lived here? Or why you’re here?”

“Well, I don’t know a lot of what you did before I came here, but I know you used to work as a maid, then you were promoted to Alcina’s lady’s maid. When I arrived, you and Alcina were in a relationship.” Your jaw drops and you stare at Stefana in disbelief, now it was your turn to believe that your sister was joking with you.

“There’s no way… how would that even work I mean, she’s so much bigger than I am. Why wouldn’t she go for, I don’t know, someone her own size?”

“There’s no one else in this village that’s as tall as she is. This may come as a shock, but she’s not human, neither are Bela, Cass, and Dani. They were all implanted with the cadou, just like you were.”

“So, does that mean I’m not human? Have I ever been human?” You ask, looking down at the scars on your arms and legs. You still looked and felt human, but if you had the same thing that tall woman had, that meant you weren’t human.

“You’re human. At least… you still look human. Are there any more questions you want me to answer?” Were there? It wasn’t like you remembered anything to ask about it. All you knew was what you just experienced, and the little tidbits of information Stefana just shared with you. 

“Where’s the kitchen?” The question came from your lips before you had an opportunity to think about it. You must be hungry.

“It’s downstairs, but the castle is still in fairly bad shape, and it might be dangerous for you to leave the room. Do you want me to bring you something?”

“No, I don’t want to be left alone—you’re the only person I trust right now. Can’t I just come with you?”  

“Stay here and rest, I won’t be long. I promise.” Stefana says as she stands. You want to stop her, plead with her not to leave, but you didn’t want to leave either after seeing the type of people that may be beyond this door.

“Okay, well, come back soon.” You say, falling backward into the plush blankets.

They smelled like fresh laundry and there was an odd feeling of comfort in them.

You found yourself getting sleepy the longer you waited for Stefana to return and ended up dozing off. However, the sound of someone knocking caused your body to jolt and you sat up immediately. The door opened slightly, and you saw your sister enter the room with a tray in her hands followed by two, three, four… six people in total. You didn’t understand the need for an audience while you ate, but maybe that’s just something they did here. They all sat on the bed around you and continued to stare at you while you only had eyes for your food.

“Are any of you going to say anything, or are you just going to stare at her?” Stefana asks with a hint of annoyance in her tone.

“Sorry, Stefana, it’s just- we thought she was gone forever. I can’t believe the cadou worked” One of them says, her tone apologetic. 

“I’m clearly alive and well—I think. Is skepticism a common thing here, or is people coming back from the dead not something that happens often?” You ask with a mouth full of food.

“You said the cadou took her memories, why didn’t it take her eating habits instead?” Another girl in the group asks with a grimace.

“Do forgive me for not being prim and proper, I was just dead, you know? Stefana, who are these people?”

“She remembers you, but couldn’t remember us? I’m offended.”

“She didn’t remember any of us Cat. Y/N, these are our friends, Mara, Catalina, Olivia, Sam, Lydia, and Zoe.” Stefana says as she points to each person. “Sam is from Lady Beneviento’s estate, they’re her carpenter.” 

“But I have a feeling I’ll be here for a few more weeks. What happened to the Lady’s vanity?” Sam asks, pointing to the pile of wood and glass on the floor.

“Alcina may or may not have sliced it after Mother Miranda left last week.” Stefana says.

“Sliced, what do you mean sliced? Did she take a saw and just start cutting it out of frustration?” You question.

“Um… no. It’s hard to explain this in a way that isn’t going to scare you.” 

“Can’t be any worse than what I’ve already been through.” You scoff

“Alright then, Alcina has massive claws that come from the tips of her fingers.”

“That’s not scary, it just means that now I don’t want to be in the same room as her, ever.”

“Don’t say things like that, Lady Y/N, you love her.” The young one with the freckles says. Zoe, you think her name was.

Your eyes widen and you nearly choke on your food. “I’m sorry,  Lady  Y/N? When did that happen?”

“It happened somewhere between “I’m promoting you to lady’s maid” and “I want you to live with me forever with our three children and possibly another” but if you want an exact date, I can’t tell you.” Catalina says with a slight chuckle. At this point, you were staring at them with your mouth wide open. 

“What next, are you going to tell me the bird goddess is into me too or something?”

“No, she thinks of you as more her child. Her nickname for you is little chick.” Stefana says, laughing nervously.

“Alright, I’m leaving, you’re all insane.” You throw your hands up in defeat and place the tray on the bedside table. You swing your legs over the edge, hop down and walk toward the door. When you open it, you’re startled, and it felt like your heart did a hard reset. On the other side of the door were the very women you were just talking about. Alcina and the bird goddess. “Oh shit, you really are a bird. A big bird, too.” You mutter. The blonde woman in front of you quirks a brow at you and you look around nervously. You really hope you didn’t just anger her.

“My wings are glorious, aren’t they? I assume you know who I am, yes? Or do you need to be reminded?”

“No, you’re Mother Miranda, the bird goddess.” You say with a proud smile, and you can hear the groan that left your sister’s lips.

“Is that what Stefana told you I was, a bird goddess? It’s not the worst description of me that I’ve heard, but it still isn’t a good one. I’ve come to see why you have no memories, and to hopefully figure out how to restore them.”

“Can’t you just, I don’t know, give me another one of those cadou thingies to cancel out the effects of the one I currently have?” 

“I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that, little chick. Now, step aside and let us into the room.” Mother Miranda says, flicking her fingers in a shooing motion. You back up to allow Miranda and Alcina to enter the room. You almost want to ask Alcina to leave because you still can’t grasp the fact that you and this woman are together, but the sad look on her face sends a pang of guilt through you. It must have hurt, to have the one you loved die and then return with no recollection of your time together. It would have hurt you, that’s for sure.

“All of you, out.” Miranda commands, and your sister and friends all scramble out of the room. The little one, Zoe, taking the tray of food with her. “Have a seat and remove your shirt.”

“With all due respect, Mother Miranda, at least take me out to dinner first.” You sit on the edge of the bed and your soft laughter quickly died down when you noticed the looks Mother Miranda and Alcina were giving you. Maybe they’re more serious in nature. “Alright, I take it I should stop with the jokes.”

“A wise decision. And if you were serious, I’d have to let you know that you’re not really my type. That and the fact that you’re in a relationship with my daughter would be quite messy.” Miranda says, earning a small gasp from Alcina.

“Mother!” 

“What? I’m letting her down gently. Now, let’s see what the issue is.” Miranda says as she steps next to you. You lift your shirt over your head and bunch it up in front of you to keep your chest covered. You felt nervous almost, to have them see you so exposed, even though it’s just a medical examination.

“What are you looking for?” Alcina asks, crossing her arms over her abdomen. You found yourself staring at her hands, They were sleek, her fingers slender, and her skin looking soft and supple. You forced your gaze downward as a small blush crept up on your cheeks, you were terrified of this woman, yet you were intrigued by her.

“I’m looking for any signs of mutation, which there appears to be none, and I’m checking the back of her head. There were fractures at the base of her skull which led me to believe that she may have hit her head after the explosion. I don’t believe the cadou is the reason for her memory loss and rather it was the trauma to the skull. It’s a standard case of amnesia and it should remedy itself in time.” Miranda says. You shudder when you feel her hand run along your spine and when it reaches the bottom of your shoulder blades, a harsh throb followed by a sharp pain shoots up your back into your head. You wince, and instinctively grab the area.

“If I’m not mutated, then am I still human?” You ask, groaning as the pain worsens.

“For now, yes, your cadou is currently dormant. However, in all cases of this infection, there will be some changes to your body that will happen. Your body is reacting differently to the cadou than my previous recipients have, and by the looks of it, you will have a symbiotic relationship with the parasite.” Mother Miranda moves turns away from you to allow you to put your shirt back on. When you’re decent, she turns back toward you.

“Is that a good thing?” You question.

“It’s the most favorable outcome. In many instances, the parasite takes more than it gives to its host, and so far, it has given you life without taking anything from you. I also believe that your mutation won’t be severe. You might be perfect, Y/N.” Miranda says with a hint of astonishment in her tone. In your peripheral, you can see the sad look on Alcina’s face, almost as if Miranda’s words had an effect on her.

“So, I should just wait for my memories to return?”

“Exactly, and until they do, I recommend continuing with any sort of daily routine you might have had. Talk with your friends or spend time with Alcina and the girls. Do anything you think will help you find yourself.” Miranda says, walking toward the door.

“Allow me to escort you out, Mother Miranda.” Alcina says, joining the bird goddess.

“No need, do call me if anything else happens.” With that, Miranda vanishes, leaving behind a pile of inky black feathers. The action startles you, and you’re left staring at the spot she just stood, wondering how she just did that. If this parasite, the cadou, is what Miranda has as well, you wonder if you’ll get an ability like that. You’re pulled out of your silent reverie when a soft sigh escapes Alcina’s lips, giving you a harsh reminder of the fact that you’re alone with the woman you just said you didn’t want to be alone with. The silence is incredibly uncomfortable, yet, neither of you make a move to leave the room. Neither of you want to leave the room, and you both know that. 

“H-how are you?” Alcina asks, stammering slightly. You don’t know much—or remember, rather—about her but you can feel that stuttering is not like her. A woman with such a commanding presence as hers shouldn’t be nervous before a mere human.

“I’m… good. Yep, just peachy.” You say with your lips formed in a tight line as your legs swing back and forth. The air was stiff and the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife.

“May I sit?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. I mean, it is your room after all. You don’t need to ask me for permission.” You chuckle nervously, looking everywhere in the room but at Alcina as she pulls up a large chair and sits directly across from you. 

“Darling, – sorry, Y/N, – do you… truly not remember anything?”

“No, I’m sorry. I can only imagine the pain everyone must feel; waiting for me to wake up only for me to have no recollection of anything.”

“We will manage. Memories or not, I am just happy that you’re alive again, and…  I’m  sorry, for not being able to protect you.” Alcina says with a shaky voice. You could see the tears welling in her eyes and her bottom lip beginning to quiver which made your chest ache. It was as if the deepest parts of you, the parts that still remembered, wanted to reach out and hug her. To tell her that it will be okay because you’re back. But you’re not back if you can’t remember anything.

“You don’t need to apologize to me, I’m not mad that I died. And if I died saving your daughters like my sister says I did, then it was worth it.”

“You saved all of us… long before the attack on the castle. You saved us by walking into our lives with your bright eyes and beautiful smile. You saved us by showing us that we are not monsters, we’re capable of loving and being loved. You’ve saved us in so many ways, Y/N, getting the girls to safety was just one of those ways.” The way Alcina speaks to you, with so much emotion, you can feel it. You felt every word as they pierced your heart like arrows. You felt the comfort they brought you, the warmth. Your heart rate picked up again, only this time, it wasn’t out of fear.

“I… I don’t know what to say…”

“I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable or scared. There is just…  so  much that I wish to say to you.”

“I’m not scared, not anymore at least. It’s, um, it’s nice speaking with you like this. I feel comfortable—safe, even.” You say with a small smile, to which Alcina responds with one of her own and it made your heart flutter. You don’t know when your memories will return, but you hope they do soon. You want to remember Alcina and every moment you had with her.

~

The days following after you woke up weren’t as hectic. Everyone that hadn’t seen you the first day had been informed that you didn’t have memories and didn’t do anything to startle you. Though, the castle's head chef Ylenia insisted on swatting you with a dirty rag because “memories or not, you don’t just go dyin’ on people” then proceeded to make you your favorite dishes. It was definitely too much food for you to finish, but the girls were right there to fight over your leftovers. Their sibling squabbles were apparently something that occurred often in the castle and that surprised you more than seeing them burst into clouds of insects. With someone so calm and collected as Alcina was, how did she end up with three rambunctious daughters?

The headaches and back pains were getting worse, as bits and pieces of your memories were trying to return. Everything was jumbled, disconnected, but something was there. Your sister and friends would try to jog your memory by doing things with you like telling you stories from your childhood or from your first year in the castle, but nothing sounded true to you, especially not the part about you trying to desperately avoid Alcina. However, Alcina herself confirmed that part to be true. You also used to despise her, and you couldn’t even fathom that. 

Alcina let you stay in your old room while you recovered, as she knew that sharing a bed with her was still out of your comfort zone. Something about your room felt empty though, and maybe it was the fact that most of your belongings were in the next room, but something felt missing. Your bed felt cold and much too spacious. The window seat that you were told you often sit in felt foreign, and the closet full of uniforms looked and felt like they haven’t been worn in ages. You paced around the room, sifting through the things that remained. You found a small box of drawings and bracelets that you’d made when you were a kid and came across one that had been ripped in half. As you studied the childish image, your head began to pound, and you closed your eyes as a flashback began to play out. You were hunched over the other half of the picture, screaming and punching at the image of your father until your hands broke, and your knuckles bled. You could see Alcina rushing in and wrapping you up in her arms as you sobbed. You began to cry as you remembered the rage and the hatred you felt at that moment and you put the picture back in the box and tucked it away under your bed. 

You climbed into the window seat as your anger began to subside and a little crow flew up to it. It pecked at the window as if it was knocking to be let in. You were warned about opening the windows, but you did it regardless to let the bird in. It climbed into your lap and immediately got comfortable.

“We’re friends, aren’t we?” You question, narrowing your eyes at the creature. Judging by its body language, you could tell that if the bird could speak, it would say yes. You peered into its icy blue eyes and the throbbing at the base of your skull worsened. “Blue… that’s the name I gave you. You’re one of Mother Miranda’s crows that she uses to watch over me…”

The bird perks up as you become lost in thought, as if it were surprised at your recollection, and pecks at your hand to get your attention.

“Yes, little friend?” You question, only to mentally scold yourself for asking a question to an animal that isn’t capable of human speech. The bird nestled into your lap, and you gently stroke the feathers on its back. “Thank you for coming to visit me. I don’t remember much about our friendship, but you’re quite the lovely bird. Maybe I’ll ask Alcina to let me keep you.” 

“Y/N, who are you speaking to?” Alcina asks from the other side of the door, startling you. You open the window and slowly push the bird off your lap.

“Come see me again soon, friend.” You whisper, letting the bird fly away before you close the window. You cross the room and open the door with an innocent grin. “I wasn’t talking to anyone.”

“Was it the bird?” The tall woman asks with a deadpan expression.

“How’d you know that?”

“You used to spend hours in here talking to that bird—and before you ask, no, you can’t keep it.”

“You don’t know that I was going to ask that.” You say with a small pout, earning a chuckle from Alcina.

“Oh, but I do. You’d always ask to keep her, and I’d always tell you the same thing, I’m not fond of birds.”

“Is Mother Miranda not a bird herself? What would she think if I told her you weren’t fond of her?” Your pout turned into a smirk as you watched Alcina’s eyes narrow.

“I see you’ve not forgotten how to be an insufferable brat.”

“Well, some things just stick, you know? And besides, I think you like it.”

“No, I’m just not keen on punishing a girl with no memories.” Alcina says, leaning forward and bracing herself on the wall above the door frame. You stare blankly at her when the throbbing starts again. “What’s wrong, can’t find your words?”

“No, no, I… I think I just remembered something.”

Alcina leans away from the wall and kneels before you. She grabs both sides of your face and looks at you with hopeful eyes. “You did? What did you remember?” 

“Your empty threats. You’ve always been all bark and no bite.”

“Oh,” Alcina says, sneering, “I thought you might have remembered something a little more exciting.” She stands and brushes the front of her cream-colored dress to clean off the dust. “Come, the girls and I are going to have tea in the opera hall, and you’re more than welcome to join. That is, unless you’d like to stay and talk to a bird.”

“Her name is Blue, and she makes for great company. Much better than a certain Lady.” You say, closing the door and following Alcina down the hall.

“You will regret saying that when your memories return.”

“Oh no, I’m so scared.”

“Brat.”

“You like it.” 

Spending time with Alcina and the girls was not as daunting of a task as you thought it would be. Not that it was a task, per se, but you were still very unaccustomed to being with them as a family. You wished you were yourself again so that this empty, lonely feeling (and these goddamned headaches) would go away. Every so often throughout the day, your muscles would twitch, and it would feel like something was trying to break through your skin. When you’d inspect your back in the mirror, you’d notice giant red splotches on either side of your incision scar. 

~ 

Another couple of days went by and while your memories weren’t back completely, seeing and hearing certain things would trigger flashbacks. Things like your lamb doll that you kept after your brother left, or the necklace Alcina had given you the night she asked you to be your companion. As these memories resurface, you’re reminded of the way your heart would race every time she smiled at you or the joy you felt hearing the girls laugh. Even if they don’t return, just remembering these feelings is enough for you. Of course, with that, came an intense longing. A longing to be held, to feel Alcina’s arms wrap around your tired form, to listen to the rhythmic beating of her heart as you both fell asleep. The parts of you that remembered her ached for her more with each day that passed.

One particularly difficult night, you couldn’t sleep due to a severe throbbing in your head. You clambered off the bed and toward your bathroom for pain medicine. Disappointed to see that you had none, you left your room and went next door to Alcina’s. This had to have been a habit of yours, as your feet carried you the few feet down the hall without you even thinking about it. You knocked on the door softly, a brief moment of silence went by, and you contemplated just going back to your room to try and sleep it off. When you turned to leave, you heard a soft “enter” from the other side of the door. You twisted the knob and stepped in and found Alcina lounged on her chaise with a book in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. When she saw that it was you, she closed the book and set it aside. You stood nervously by the door with your hands clasped in front of you.

“It’s rather late, dear, are you alright?” Alcina asks, her brows furrowing with worry.

“I can’t sleep. My head’s been hurting a lot recently, and I don’t have any medicine for it.”

“Come sit, I will retrieve some for you.” Alcina says, patting the seat next to her on the chaise before standing. You sit while she enters the en suite bathroom and returns with a small glass of water and two little white pills. She hands them both to you before taking a seat beside you. “Take these. I keep medication on hand in case of an emergency.” 

“I wouldn’t call it an emergency, just an inconvenience.” You respond before tossing the pills into your mouth and sipping the water to wash them down. Alcina takes the glass from you and places it on a small end table next to the lounge. It was remarkable how quickly they work; within minutes, the pain had soothed to a dull throb.

“How long has your head been hurting?”

“Since I woke up. Not this morning, I mean—since I first woke up. You know… after dying.” 

“I know what you meant. You should have told me sooner, I would have contacted Mother Miranda and she could have helped you.”

“I didn’t want to trouble you. I’ve put you all through a lot and I don’t want to be an even bigger burden than I have been.” You look down at your hands that are folded in your lap when Alcina grabs your chin between her thumb and forefinger and turns your head to look at her. She bends down so her face is inches from yours and your eyes can’t help but flicker between hers and her lips as she speaks.

“You are not, nor have you ever been a burden. Not to me, not to anyone else in the castle, and not to Mother Miranda. I would do anything for you, no matter what it is. I would move mountains—travel to the ends of the earth on my hands and knees if you asked me to.” Alcina speaks with such conviction that you nearly swoon, and the realization that you loved her came crashing down on you faster than light. It wasn’t you remembering that you loved her, it was you without memories falling for her all over again. You reached up, placed a hand on her cheek, and stroked it with your thumb as you stared into her golden eyes, illuminated by the light of the fireplace.

“Alcina, I… memories or not, I love you. We can create new memories together if they never return, and if they don’t, I don’t care.” 

“I love you too, dragă mea, more than you know.” Alcina says as she leans her forehead against yours. You tilted your head and closed the distance between the two of you by pressing your lips into hers. You could feel every emotion she felt, her pain, her sadness, her love. It breathed new life into you. You only pulled away when you felt something wet hit your cheek and opened your eyes to find tears falling from hers. Worry quickly overtakes you and your brows furrow.

“Are you crying? Did I do something wrong?” You ask, reaching up to wipe Alcina’s tears.

She chuckles softly, “No, you did nothing wrong, my love, absolutely nothing. Lay down, I may have something that will help you sleep.”

“Ooh, I like where this is going.” You say with a smirk as you lay on your back toward the other end of the chaise. Alcina grabs your arm and pulls you in the other direction until your head is in her lap. You pout, but it quickly fades as she begins softly stroking your hair. “Not what I had in mind, but I suppose this works.”

“This was one of the many things I used to do for the girls when they couldn’t sleep. It always helped them, especially Daniela.”

“Do you still do it?” You question, sighing contently at the sensation of Alcina’s fingers running through your hair.

“On occasion, they hardly ever have trouble sleeping now. You’re the one that is often restless.” 

“Is there anything special that you do for me?”

“On a night like this some time ago, I sang to you and Daniela in the opera hall.” 

You turn so that you’re looking up at Alcina, “You sing?”

“I do, I sing jazz.”

“Sing for me?” You ask with a small smile. Alcina returns the gesture and when she takes a preparatory breath, you close your eyes so you can focus on her voice. A soft, sweet melody starts, and the sound of her voice makes you melt.

I was walkin’ along, minding my business,

When out of that orange-colored sky,

Flash, bam, alakazam,

Wonderful you came by.

I was hummin’ a tune, drinkin’ in sunshine,

When out of that orange-colored view,

Wham, bam, alakazam,

I got a look at you. 

It was heavenly, listening to her, feeling her soft gentle touches, you were content just like this. Her voice, these lyrics, everything was slowly coming back to you. You assume Alcina wasn’t expecting you start singing along, seeing as how she stopped singing when she heard you reciting the song word for word. You opened your eyes to find hers glossing over as tears threatened to spill, still, you continued to sing. And you sang until the song was over. 

“You remembered…” Alcina whispers. 

“I did… every word. I remembered your voice and the way you looked at me across the opera hall. And I-”

Your words were cut off when the pains had returned, only this time, they were the worse they’d ever felt. You felt as though your head was splitting, and the skin on your back was ripping open. Your back bowed as you cried out in pain, sending Alcina into a panic. Your hands balled into fists so tight that your nails broke the skin. You heard cracking, felt your skin tearing as something began to protrude from your back. All the bones in your body snapped and reset over and over again as you grew, sending waves of excruciating pain through you. Alcina sat you up, tipped you forward, and used a single claw to cut your shirt away from your body. From either side of the incision, two large, black, feathery wings emerged. As your body underwent its mutation, your memories flooded into you like a raging sea. Every moment, everything you’ve felt and experienced came back to you. It was like an instant replay of your life… and death. You saw it all, Alcina holding you as you took your last breath, Elisabeta, Eva… You were whole again. Then… you were out like a light, breathing heavily, and covering Alcina’s lap and chaise with your sweat and blood. But you weren’t in pain anymore. The headaches were gone, and your muscles no longer twitched. 

You’re not sure how much time had passed, but when you came to, you felt Alcina’s arms enveloping you. You sank into her and sighed contently as you didn’t want the feeling to go away.

“Y/N?” Alcina questioned, her voice soft and barely audible. You opened your eyes and saw the vivid golden color of her eyes, behind it, a pale blue-grey. Everything looked brighter and more defined—as if you were seeing through different eyes.

“Alcina? What happened?” 

“You mutated—I am assuming your cadou is no longer dormant.”

“I mutated? Do I look bad? Please tell me I’m not ugly.” You whine.

“You are as beautiful as ever, darling. The only visible changes to your body are the addition of a pair of wings, they look like Mother Miranda’s.” Your eyes widen, did she just say you had wings?

“I have wings!? I’m a bird!?”

“Bird is not the word I’d use. You are an angel sent from the heavens.”

“Yeah, yeah, flirt with me later, I gotta check these wings out.” You say, scrambling off of Alcina’s lap and into the bathroom. When you looked in the mirror, you saw that you were topless and rushed to cover your breasts before you turned so that your back was in view. And sure enough, there were wings, large black wings that were almost as long as your body. You couldn’t control them yet but damn do they look cool. Alcina walked up to you, and with a gentle hand, stroked the center of your back between the wings. This made you shudder as the area was extremely sensitive.

“Marvelous…” Alcina says, looking on in wonder.

“I know right? Say, did you get shorter?” You question. When you’re standing next to Alcina like this, you no longer come up to her just above her hip. You know stand at the middle of her bicep.

“I didn’t get shorter, you got taller.” Alcina responds, making your jaw drop.

“So that means I can’t fit any of the clothes Donna made me? She’s going to have to create a whole new wardrobe.” You say with a pout, earning a shocked expression from Alcina.

“You remember Donna?” 

“Oh, yeah,” you chuckle, “I was so caught up in the wings that I didn’t mention that I remember everything now. Even when I was dead, I remember hearing your voice… I remember you apologizing to me, and I want you to know that it’s okay. I died protecting the people I love the most, and I would die a million deaths to keep you all safe.”

Alcina pulled you in and crashed her lips into yours in a passionate, emotion-filled kiss. Tears streamed down her face as she held you impossibly close. You longed to feel this again, you ached to be in her embrace, to be consumed by her love. A love that now had a chance to last forever.

“Oh, dragă mea, I am so happy that you have returned to me.” Alcina says, holding the sides of your face in her hands. You place yours over hers and stare deeply into her eyes.

“ Te iubesc mai mult decât orice , and I am never leaving you again. Now if my memory serves me correctly, you were supposed to be singing me to sleep.”

“Always so quick with that smart mouth of yours. I thought it was working until you turned into a bird.”

“Hey,” you pout, “you just said I was an angel.”

“More like a little diavol.”

“That’s  big  diavol to you now, Cici.” You quip, winking at the baffled Countess.

“Where’d you hear that nickname?” 

“I’ll tell you later after you sing me to sleep. Now, can we please go to bed, I miss cuddling with you.” You say, taking Alcina’s hand to lead her out of the bathroom. 

“Join me in the bath, I don’t want to go to sleep covered in blood.” 

After a quiet, and relaxing bath, you climb into the bed, immediately feeling the familiar warmth and comfort of the bedding, and wait for Alcina to join you. She gets in beside you and wraps her arms around you, holding you close. You nestle into the crook of her neck, and she plants a kiss to the crown of your head before humming the melody to Orange Colored Sky. You tire quickly and yawn as you try to get even closer to her.

“Good night Alcina, I love you.”

“I love you too. Goodnight, dearest.” 

Chapter Text

Your body wasn’t used to the new changes, at all, and you woke up a few times during the night. When you got tired of tossing and turning, you climbed out of bed (making sure not to wake Alcina) and trudged toward the bathroom. You were too tired to notice if anything else had changed or mutated, you just wanted to get back in bed. You walked by the mirror you saw that your wings were gone, and at a second glance, everything about your appearance had changed. You don’t know how it happened, but you woke up in Daniela’s body. 

“Alcina!” You screamed, tugging at, and stretching your skin to see if what you were witnessing was real or not.

“What happened!?” Alcina asked as she bent through the doorway. When she stood to her full height, a confused expression painted her face “Daniela? When did you come in here? Where’s Y/N, is she okay?” 

“What? No, no, Alcina, it’s me. I think I switched bodies with Daniela.” 

“Daniela, it’s far too early for your games. Will you please just tell me where Y/N is?”

You assume your screaming alerted the girls, seeing as two swarms of flies came under the bedroom door and formed the bodies of Bela and Cassandra. 

“Mother, what’s wrong? Where’s Momma?” Bela asked, pushing past Alcina to come further into the bathroom. “Ugh, gross Dani, put some clothes on! Why are you awake so early anyway?” 

“Yeah, you’re never up at this time.” Cassandra adds.

Then, a third swarm comes under the door and materializes into a tired Daniela.

“Why are you making so much noise? The sun isn’t even up yet.” The redhead says, rubbing her eyes to brush away the residual sleepiness.

“There are two Danielas? I must still be asleep because there’s no way in hell I’m dealing with two of her.” Cassandra scoffs.

“Hey, what did I do? And what do you mean there’s two of me?” Daniela asks as she finally enters the bathroom and sees you. “Oh, so that’s what you mean. But why am I naked?” Daniela tilts her head in confusion. You look down and see that you had not a stitch of clothing on. Shocked and embarrassed, you grab one of the bathrobes and put it on to cover your—well, Daniela’s body. 

“There aren’t two Danielas, it’s me Y/N.” You say, looking each of them in the eyes. Cassandra starts cackling, nearly doubling over as she thinks that what you’re saying is a joke.

“Good one, what, did you learn how to clone yourself with your flies?” 

“I didn’t know we could do that.” Bela says, “Was that something we could always do, Mother?” 

“Guys, I’m serious. I woke up like this and I don’t know how to turn back into myself.” You respond, stomping your feet like a child.

“If you’re Mămica then prove it. What’s her oldest brother’s name?” Cassandra asks, folding her arms and raising a brow at you.

“Cass, that’s common knowledge, we all know his name is Lucian. Momma would never shut up about him.” 

“Where is Mamă anyway?” Daniela questions.

“I’m literally right here.” You say, pointing to yourself as your lips form a thin line.

“I’m not falling for your lies, Other Dani. Quick, someone give me a question to ask.” Cassandra says.

“I have one,” Alcina starts, surely she didn’t believe that you weren’t yourself. It must be the fact that she’s still tired. “a question I’m sure Daniela would not know the answer to. The day we visited Y/N’s farm, her mother told her that she gave her a name, what is it?”

“Mamă has no memories, you can’t ask her things she wouldn’t remember.” Daniela says. You hesitate, as you’re not sure how the girls will react to learning what your given name was.

“See? I told you Dani cloned herself. She can’t answer the-”

“Elisabeta—I was named Elisabeta.” You say, earning surprised looks from the girls. They were surprised at the fact that you remembered, the fact that you could now change your appearance, and at the knowledge of your given name.

“You got your memories back?” Bela asks with a shaky voice.

“I did, last night before I mutated.” 

The girls ran up to you with tears in their eyes before wrapping you up in a tight embrace. It was nicer than when you first woke up because you knew them, you remembered just how much you loved them. You felt a warm buzzing as you struggled to wrap your arms around the three of them. Then your body began to feel funny. It was almost like… a full-body tingle. You felt a tickle in your nose, causing you to sneeze. When you opened your eyes again, you couldn’t see the girls anymore, and you were eye to eye with Alcina. She stared back at you with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

“You can shapeshift…” She said softly as if she were speaking to herself.

“Oh no, who did I turn into now?” You ask, shocking yourself when your voice sounded just like Alcina’s. You turned your head toward the mirror and hand to bend down to see yourself. Now, you looked just like Alcina. The robe you had on was replaced by what Alcina had put on before the two of you went to bed, which was a simple silk nightgown. You used to wonder what it would be like to be Alcina, and now that you were, you poked and prodded at the parts of her body that were certainly larger than yours. 

“Ooh, now there are two of Mother! Turn into Cass next!” Daniela says with a wide grin.

“I can’t control it Dani, and I would very much like to be back in my own body. I don’t know how you carry these around all day, Alcina, I’m already having back problems.” You say, holding your chest as if they were two large melons. 

Alcina folds her arms and rolls her eyes, “You’re not funny. Girls, go back to bed. I’m going to phone Mother Miranda to see if she has any advice on how Y/N can control her… abilities.”

“But I don’t want to go back to bed, I want to see what Mămică looks like when she isn’t someone else!” Cassandra whines.

“Can we stay, Mother, please?” Bela asks, batting her eyes.

“I suppose you can stay, but if Y/N can’t shift back to herself, it’s back to bed for all of you.” Alcina says, bending through the doorway to exit the bathroom. The girls follow behind her, and you behind the girls. Only, you’re stopped when you walked right into the wall above the doorframe. You’re so used to being smaller, that you’d completely forgotten that you had to bend to get through the door as well. 

Alcina exited the room to go to her study (because she destroyed the phone in the bedroom along with the vanity) leaving you with the girls. They all sat cross-legged on the bed, staring at you with curiosity painted on their faces.

“So, Momma, how come you never told us your real name?” Bela asks.

“Her real name is Y/N, dumb dumb.” Cassandra says, rolling her eyes.

“You know what I meant. Why did you only tell Mother that your name is Elisabeta? You know that’s the name of Mother’s first companion, right?”

“I know, Bela, and I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know how the three of you would react. I was named after her and I didn’t want you guys to think that I was trying to  be  her.” You respond.

“We wouldn’t have thought that you were trying to be her, Momma. You’re not her, you’re you, and that’s why we love you.”

“The being named after her thing though, what’s that about? Did your mother know her?” Cassandra asks, tilting her head.

“I’m related to her… she was my grandmother’s sister. When I was dead, I spoke to Elisabeta, or rather, to her spirit. She showed me her memories of her time at the castle, of her relationship with Alcina, of the three of you… she really loved you guys.”

“Yeah, she did…” Bela starts, trailing off afterward. “It was hard when we lost her, but it was even worse when you died. Why’d you give up your life to save us?”

“I did it because Alcina and I would have been devastated if any of you died. You three are perhaps Alcina’s greatest gift, and if I’d have known I would be dying that night, I still would have left to find you.” 

“Well, that’s dumb. Humans really have no sense of self-preservation, do they?” Cassandra asks with a dry chuckle.

“The rational ones do.” Bela responds.

“So do the smart ones.” Daniela adds.

“Are you saying I’m not smart  or  rational?” You ask, feigning offense.

“You’re married to a woman that eats people and have three daughters that also eat people. Anyone in their right mind would turn and run away.” Cassandra says.

“Are you three not the ones that insisted Alcina pursue me? Also, we’re not married—at least, not yet.”

“No one said you had to fall for Mother.” Daniela says.

“I see what this is, you’re trying to get rid of me. And to think I was going to make a double chocolate cake soon. Well, I guess I’ll have to make it for someone else, maybe Angie will want it.” You say with a shrug. 

“Hey, wait, no! I want cake!” Cassandra exclaims, running up to you with pouting lips.

“I’m sorry Cassandra, but what’s done is done. I can’t make a cake for girls that question my rationality and insult my intelligence.” 

“Okay, we take it back! You’re super smart, totally rational, and not at all insane. Make us a cake, Mamă, please?” Daniela asks, giving you her best puppy-dog eyes.

“When did insane get added into the mix?” You ask, furrowing your brows.

“Just now.” The redhead responds with an innocent grin.

“She means insane in a good way. Right, Dani?” Cassandra questions, shooting daggers at her younger sister.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, of course I do!” Daniela beams.

You roll your eyes as you let out a deep sigh. It’s funny how they switch up as soon as you mention food. You began feeling the tickle in your nose again and started to rub it in an effort to find some relief. The more you rubbed, the worse it got. You don’t get sick often, so the reason as to why you always felt like you were going to sneeze was a mystery. The shapeshifting seems to only happen when you sneeze because when you did, you changed back into yourself. You only knew this because you saw the large scars on your arm and leg. However, you were once again, completely naked in front of the girls. They covered their eyes and shrieked at the sight of your bare body, causing you to return to the bathroom to grab another robe. You had the choice of wearing one of yours that wouldn’t fit your body as it is now because it would be too small, or wearing one of Alcina’s, which also wouldn’t fit your body because it’s too large. Settling for the wiser of the two choices, you put on Alcina’s robe and returned to the main part of the bedroom. 

“You can uncover your eyes now.” You say with an indignant tone and one by one, the girls all moved their hands from in front of their faces. Daniela was the first to notice how ridiculous you looked in Alcina’s robe and fell back on the bed in a fit of laughter.

“Why are you wearing Mother’s robe?” Bela asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

“None of my clothes are going to fit me anymore. Not only do I have two extra appendages now, but I’m also way taller than I was before.” You say, joining the girls on the bed. Normally, you’d be looking up at them, but with your new height difference, you had to cast your gaze downward.

“You’re taller than us now too? That’s so unfair.” Cassandra grumbles.

“What do you mean extra appendages? Did you grow more arms?” Daniela asks, her eyes shining brightly with the spirit of inquiry

“No, I don’t have more arms, I have wings now. I can’t move them on my own yet though, so they’re kind of useless.”

“So, you’re taller than us, you can shapeshift,  and  you have wings? Why do you get the cool mutation? All we got is bugs.” Cassandra says, her lips forming a pout making her look nearly identical to Alcina.

“Hey, don’t go comparing yourself to me. I turned out this way completely by chance. I could have ended up like Sal, or I couldn’t have come back at all. What matters most is not how I changed, but that I get to be with you all again. I heard you, all of you, while I was dead, and all I wanted was to come back and tell you just how sorry I was for leaving again and that I love you three more than words could say. The best thing that I got from the cadou was a second chance, not the wings, or the shapeshifting.” You say, reaching for the brunette and wrapping her up in your arms, much to her dismay.

“So then, did you hear me yell at your sister?” 

“You yelled at my sister?” You ask, pulling away and raising a brow at Cassandra. “What did you say to her?”

“I… may have blamed her… for your death. I also might have said… that it should have been her and not you because she left her room when she wasn’t supposed to.” 

“You said  WHAT !?” You exclaim, your voice practically echoing through the entire castle. You weren’t angry perse at Cassandra, but rather, at what she said to Stefana. 

“It’s okay! She vented, I apologized, she apologized, we hugged it out, and she brought us food. We’re good now Mămică, I swear!” 

“Cass was just upset, Momma, she didn’t mean those things. It’s just, it happened when we woke up and… saw you lying on the bed.” Bela says, offering a bit of reassurance to calm you down. 

You take a deep breath to center yourself for the fear that you may say something you don’t mean. “I’m not angry with you, Cassandra, just a little disappointed. Both Stefana and Zoe risked their lives to make sure that I was okay, and I trusted them to make sure that you three would be okay if the unfortunate happened. Stefana carried Bela back and protected her when I couldn’t. She may not say it often, but she loves you guys. However, if you  ever  yell at her again, you will never get another cake from me.”

“Yes, Mămică.” Cassandra says with a nod of her head.

“Can we see your wings now?” Daniela asks. Way to kill the mood, Dani. You had to let out a soft chuckle though, at the speed at which Daniela can switch topics. Sentimentality is usually something she loves but at this moment, she just wanted to see your wings.

You stand, take a few steps away from the bed, and drop the robe just enough to reveal your wings but keep your bottom covered. The girls scramble up to you, nearly knocking each other over as they try to get a closer look. You can hear their awe-filled gasps and feel their wide eyes as they rake over your back. Bela runs a gentle finger along the top of your left wing, Cassandra grabs the tip of the right and extends it, and Daniela glides her hand through your feathers. They marveled at how you’d changed, and it filled you with warmth to see the smiles on their faces (even though you hate being examined like this). You’d come so close to losing them, so just knowing that they’re okay is enough to make it through being poked and prodded at.

“Mother Miranda is going to love this.” Daniela says with a wide grin.

“How do you figure?” You ask.

“You have black wings, and you can shapeshift. All you need now is the ability to disappear into a bunch of crows and leave behind a pile of feathers.” Bela adds.

“If you thought she was bad before, she’s definitely going to be all over you now, little chick. You’re practically her clone.” Cassandra says with a smirk. You roll your eyes and pull the robe back up over your shoulders, loosely securing the tie around your waist. 

“If you three are all finished, I’d like to get some breakfast, and see my sister.” 

“You’re going to leave the room… dressed like that?” Bela asks, pointing at your lack of proper clothing.

“I have no other clothes I can wear, and unless you’d like to see me running around completely naked, then yes, I will be leaving the room dressed like this.” You say, making your way toward the door.

“I don’t want to see that ever again.” Cassandra says, shuddering.

“My point exactly. Now, come on.” You open the door and are shocked to see that you’re nearly as tall as the door frame. Hopefully, you’ll remain the height you are now and won’t have to bend through the doorways… not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course. Maybe you’ll talk to Alcina about having higher doors installed to make going into rooms easier for her.

You walk with Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela through the castle and that is when you saw just how much damage was done during the attack. The hallway where Mihaela set off the bomb was still in bad shape. The floors still needed extensive repairs, and the windows were boarded up and covered with spare linens to keep the cold winter air out. Blood stained the carpets. There were bullet holes and marks from swords in the walls that would take ages to fix. All of this happened because of Mihaela’s obsession. Why couldn’t she just let bygones be bygones and forget about the lords, forget about you, or the things that Irina brought upon herself? You almost feel bad, almost. She let her hatred fester and drive her to take both your lives and in the end, she still lost. 

Eventually, four of you made it to the kitchen and while Bela didn’t want to enter, she went with you anyway. You pushed the door open and found Ylenia hard at work, preparing the staff breakfast. Her eyes found yours before immediately moving to your choice of morning attire. She studied you, trying to put a finger on exactly what it was about you that was different and completely disregarding the presence of the girls.

“I know you lost your marbles, but surely you know better than to traipse around in the Lady’s clothes. She’ll have your head when she sees you.” The old cook says, turning her attention back to the meat she was seasoning.

“Good morning to you too, Ylenia.” You pause, letting out a light chuckle. “Unfortunately, I don’t have any clothes that fit me anymore. I’m sure Alcina won’t mind me wearing her robes until Donna can make me some more outfits. What’s for breakfast?” You ask, leaning against the counter next to the woman.

“Omelets with the works and I was thinking of whipping up some gogoși as a little something extra. I know how you four are with your sweets. I see more of your memories came back, how much do you remember now?” 

“You’re always looking out for me, Ylenia, and I remember everything now. My memories came back last night.” You say with a smile. Ylenia freezes and turns to you. You’re not used to the woman showing emotions, so it comes as a shock when she hugs you instead of hitting you with a rag. 

“You little snot-nosed brat! You had me so worried.” And there it is, the Ylenia that you know and love.

“I know, Ylenia, and I’m so sorry. I know I owe you a night of drinking and playing cards so, how about tonight? And if you get too drunk, you can blame it all on me.”

“You got a deal.” The old cook says with a wide smile. “Now get outta my kitchen, I don’t want you girls cleaning me out before I even cook anything.” Ylenia’s eyes find Daniela, who is currently raiding the refrigerator. The redhead turns with arms full of different foods and the end piece of a loaf of bread in her mouth. Bela grabs her by the hood and pulls her out of the kitchen and into the dining room, Cassandra following behind them. You give Ylenia one last smile as you approach the door.

“Thank you, Ylenia.”

“Don’t mention it, kid. It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back.” You say as you exit the kitchen. In the short time between the girls leaving the kitchen and you entering the dining room, Cassandra and Daniela are already fighting over a plate of leftover potatoes from last night. Bela sits at one end of the table, hanging her head in defeat. You lock eyes with the blonde and she just shrugs.

“I leave you for five seconds and already, you’re fighting.” You mutter as you walk around the table. You place your hands on either of the youngest two siblings’ heads and push them apart, which is a small feat, considering you would not have been able to do it before your mutation.

“Mamă, will you tell Cass to stop hogging the potatoes?” Daniela asks, flailing her arms to try and grab the plate from her older sister.

“You were hogging them first. If there weren’t people around to stop you, you’d eat us out of house and home!” Cassandra argues.

“That is not true! At least I don’t inhale my food like you do!”

“Girls, enough! It’s too early in the morning for you two to be fighting like this. Cassandra, give me the plate.” You say, extending your hand toward the brunette. Cassandra begrudgingly hands the plate to you before slumping down in her chair. You let go of Daniela and she reaches for the plate, making you snatch it away from her. “Not so fast, big red. Bela, how many of these did they eat?”

“Dani ate the most, plus all the other food she took from the fridge.” Bela says, earning an incredulous gasp from Daniela.

“Whose side are you on?”

“I’m not on anybody’s side, I’m just answering Momma’s question.”

“Thank you, Bela. Now, I’m going to give these back to Cass, then, I’m going to go see what’s taking your mother so long. God knows I’m  not  cut out for the whole parenting thing.” You mutter, placing the plate down in front of Cassandra. “Bela, I can trust you to make sure these two don’t start again, right?” 

“Yes, Momma.” 

You let out a heavy sigh at the screaming you heard as soon as you exited the dining room. There was no way Alcina couldn’t hear what was going on, and if she could, she better have the best excuse as to why she left you to handle it. As it was still quite early, you passed by barely any maids on the way to the study. You didn’t really want to be seen until you could get some decent clothing, you may be avoiding people for quite a while. When you approached the study, you knocked a few times before letting yourself in. Upon entry, you saw just how disheveled the room was. Furniture was thrown across the room, there were large claw marks on the walls, and heaps and piles of papers were strewn about on the floor. The room was a state, and there were probably several rooms in the castle that have been destroyed since you died. You walked up to Alcina’s desk and could feel the taller woman’s annoyance as she was still held up in a phone call. You mouthed the simple question “Mother Miranda?” to Alcina, to which she responded with a nod followed by an eye roll.

“I will let her know… Thank you again, Mother Miranda. I’m sorry to have bothered you so early… I look forward to your visit… Goodbye.” Alcina hangs up the phone with an exasperated groan and slumps forward on her desk before positioning herself upright. She looks at you quizzically when she sees that you’re wearing her robe.

“How did your phone call go?” You ask, placing a gentle hand on her thigh.

“About as well as any phone call with Mother Miranda goes. She’s very excited to see you later.” 

“Oh, joy.” You say sarcastically.

“Indeed. Hopefully, she won’t be trying to prolong her visit for any reason, there is much I wish to do with you today. That with which will start with finding you appropriate clothing. Is there a reason you’re wearing my bathrobe, darling?”

“It’s much more comfortable than mine.” You say with an innocent smile, to which Alcina responds with a simple quirk of her brow. “Alright fine, I have no other clothes, and I’m sure it would be traumatizing to everyone in the castle if I just walked around naked.”

“It wouldn’t be to me. Of course, you’re welcome to test that theory if you think otherwise.” Alcina says with a smirk as she toys with the belt of the robe, slowly undoing the knot you tied.

“I think you’re just saying that as an excuse to get me naked. With all due respect, my Lady, at least take me out to dinner first.” You say, reiterating the terrible pickup line you used on Mother Miranda.

“Why wait when my dessert is right in front of me?”

“And spoil your appetite before breakfast? I hear Ylenia is making omelets.”

“Omelets are tempting, but not nearly as tempting as you, my little dove.”

“If me just standing here is tempting, then you must have a lot of pent-up energy.” You say with a dry chuckle.

“Well, it has been over two weeks, and I finally have you back. Not to mention, you’re standing before me in nothing but my bathrobe.”

“What will I ever do with you, Alcina?” 

“I can think of a few things…” 

“How are you in the mood so early in the morning? We need to eat before your children kill each other over leftovers.”

“If you insist, darling. I just have one request before we go downstairs.”

“Sure, is there something you need?” You ask, tilting your head to the side.

“I would like to kiss you, that is all I ask. Afterward, I suppose we can join the girls and eat the omelets you speak so highly of.” Alcina says, wrapping her arms around your waist and pulling you closer to her. At your current height, your head is just high enough that all you have to do is tilt it up to kiss her. 

“You’ve got yourself a deal.” You say with a small smile, wrapping your arms around the base of Alcina’s neck and leaning in to close the distance between the two of you. 

Alcina’s lips met yours in a languid, gentle kiss. You take your time, letting your “new” body get used to the feeling of Alcina’s mouth on yours, the feeling of her hands as they grip at your sides, and the feeling of her body pressed against yours. You know you badgered her about going downstairs, but it’s getting harder and harder to pull away the longer you are entangled with one another. Her hands began to wander the more heated the kiss got, and they found the belt of the robe. You were too captivated by Alcina to notice that she’d untied the belt and was now caressing your bare skin. You shuddered when the palms of her hands found purchase on your breasts and her teeth grazed your bottom lip. You must have had a lot of pent-up energy as well because you could feel your pulse thundering between your legs. Alcina inhaled deeply, likely picking up on the scent of your arousal, and let out a low groan. You placed your arms on her legs and used them as leverage to climb up into her lap without breaking the kiss. You let the robe fall around your waist, exposing your back and the upper half of your wings. The tip of Alcina’s tongue brushed across your lips, and you parted them, allowing the muscle to enter and explore the inside of your mouth. The faint taste of cigarettes lingered on her tastebuds, indicating that she’d smoked at some point during her call with Mother Miranda. 

One of Alcina’s hands moved to the back of your head while the other began massaging your breast as she broke the kiss and trailed her mouth along your jaw and down the side of your neck. You let out a whimper and rolled your hips against her. Alcina bit down on the flesh of your neck, suckling, and lathing over the mark she’d just created. She then repeated the process as her lips moved to the other side, leaving behind a trail of love bites in their wake. Your hands came back up and tangled in her dark curls, tugging slightly, which only spurred Alcina on. With the tip of her thumb and forefinger, she pinched and rolled your nipple, eliciting a loud moan coupled with another roll of your hips. Every part of you felt more sensitive than when you were human and was responding to Alcina by sending waves of heat through your whole body. 

“Alcina…” you breathed.

“Yes?”

“Please, touch me.” 

“What about your omelets?” The hand that was at the back of your head descended down your neck and in between your wings. Slender fingers ghosting the area near your scar cause your back to arch and your wings to twitch ever so slightly.

“Alcina, don’t tease me, please. I’m begging you.”

“That doesn’t sound like begging to me. You can do better than that, my dear.” 

“Alcina, I-”

“Ah, ah, ah. Try again—and ask nicely this time.” Alcina says with a devilish grin, interrupting you.

“Mistress, will you touch me, please? I want to feel you…”

“Where do you want to feel me, darling?”

“I want to feel you inside me, Mistress.”

“Good girl.” Alcina whispers before kissing the shell of your ear. 

Her hand glides down the front of your body until it reaches where you need her most. You let out a whine when instead of touching you there like you’d asked, she rakes her fingernails up and down the skin of your inner thigh. You part your legs a little wider, silently asking for her to fill you and give you the pleasure that you’re now aching for. To hell with the omelets, you can eat later. After a few moments of gentle scratches, Alcina runs her fingers through your folds, coating them in your arousal. You let out a breathy moan when her fingers begin to circle around your clit, albeit painfully slow. You grind your hips faster than the digits are circling to send the message that you’re not in the mood for slow. Slow can wait. Alcina applies more pressure as her fingers match the speed of your movements, drawing a low groan from you. The Countess then peppers kisses down your neck and over your collarbones, over your sternum, and one on top of each breast before she takes one into her mouth. Her tongue swirls around your nipple, it flicks and laps at the bud while her fingers move from your clit through your wetness. She teases the entrance with the tip of her finger before she eases it in. Immediately, your walls clamp down around her and you let out a loud moan. You fist her hair as she begins to pump in and out of you, curling her finger, picking up the pace with each thrust. It doesn’t take much for you to become a wanton mess on top of her, the sounds of your moans filling the room as Alcina takes you.

A high-pitched whine escapes your lips when you feel her withdraw her finger, only to be replaced by a gasp when she lines up a second finger at your entrance and thrusts them into you with force. Your body eagerly accepts the addition and allows for Alcina’s fingers to glide in and out of you with ease. You rock your hips back and forth, matching the speed of her thrusts and she bends her wrist so your clit meets the palm of her hand. Jolts of electricity spread through you as you climb higher and higher toward your release. Different things were happening all over your body, inside and out, and they were driving you wild. The fast-paced pumping of one hand, the other hand clawing at your back, her mouth on your breast—every feeling and sensation was pure bliss.

Your body was nearing its limit as your pleasure built up toward release. You were trying your best to stifle the moans that were leaving you but every time you’d cover your mouth or bury it in Alcina’s hair, she’d bite down on your chest, dig her nails into your skin, or thrust harder to elicit more sounds from you. This went on until you were covered in dark hickeys and red scratch marks, which would be very hard to hide without clothing. You were extremely close now. Your heart began hammering in your chest, your breathing quickened, and your moans turned into strained cries.

“Mistress, I- I’m going to… I can’t hold on any longer.” You moan.

“Come for me, darling.”

“MOTHER, CASSANDRA KEEPS STEALING MY FOOD." Daniela screamed as she, Bela, and Cass burst into the study. Collectively, the five of you screamed in horror while you and Alcina scrambled to get your body covered. You’d reached the edge of orgasm, only for everything to stop abruptly when the girls came through the door.

“Girls, why didn’t you knock?” Alcina asks, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“We didn’t think you two would be in here taking each other to pound town. We never knock.” Cassandra says, her facial features contorted with disgust.

“That is precisely the problem, Cassandra. Unless it is an emergency, the three of you need to alert me before you just walk in. We could have been… well, there’s no need to continue that statement.”

“Cass, you can have everything on my plate. I’m not hungry anymore.” Daniela says, making an over-exaggerated gagging sound.

“I don’t think I’ll ever eat again after witnessing that.” Cassandra responds.

“You guys are being way too dramatic. It’s not the first time we’ve walked in on Mother in the act.” Bela says with a roll of her eyes.

“But this will certainly be the last. Downstairs, all of you. Y/N and I will join you for breakfast momentarily.”

“You mean you’re not already full? You seemed to be enjoying Mămică quite a lot.”

“Cassandra.” Alcina warns, a low growl resonating in her chest.

“Fine, fine.” Cassandra says, throwing her hands up in defeat. She’s the first to exit the study, followed by Daniela and Bela. When the door closes, you let out the breath you didn’t realize you were holding and climb off of Alcina’s lap. You adjust the robe to hopefully cover all the marks Alcina left on you, and there were several.

“I’m so sorry, dragă, I did not think to have you lock the door. I am to assume you are no longer in the mood to continue, yes?” Alcina asks.

You nod, “After that, I’m not sure if I’ll ever be in the mood again. I suppose this is a sign to not give in to temptation. I’ll freshen up and join you once I smell clean; I’m sure the girls won’t enjoy my scent violating their nostrils.”

“Don’t, let this be a lesson for them. They need to learn to knock before entering a room that isn’t their own.” 

“But I don’t knock sometimes.” 

“With you, it’s different. I’m not worried about you catching me with my fingers inside someone; and if that someone were myself, well, then I’d just have to put on a little show for you.” Alcina says, smirking as she leads you out of the study.

Breakfast was so very awkward. Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela hadn’t uttered a word, leaving you and Alcina to fill the room with uninteresting conversation. Every now and again, maids would come into the dining room to bring something and stare at you quizzically. No one besides Alcina, the girls, and Ylenia had seen you after your mutation, so the maids didn’t know exactly how your body changed, nor could they figure out what was different. Your eyes would shoot to the door each time it opened, in hopes that it would be your sister or one of your friends, but it was always staff you didn’t regularly interact with. The girls were quick to finish their food and exit the dining room, not wanting to endure the uncomfortable silence that had fallen on the family due to you and Alcina being interrupted. You’ve never walked in on anyone having sex but being walked in on is as equally mortifying. You wanted to leave too and hide somewhere until the massive feeling of embarrassment that plagued you vanished. From now on, you’re going to lock every door when you’re alone with Alcina.

“Did Mother Miranda say what time she’d be here today?” You ask, finishing the few remaining sips of tea you had left in your cup. It’s not as good as yours or Zoe’s, but it’s palatable.

“Later this afternoon, at 2 pm. Though, she may be here beforehand if she finishes whatever it is that she’s doing early.”

“Okay, in the meantime, can you call Donna and ask her about making me some clothes? If checkups are going to be a regular thing I’d like to at least have something to wear.” 

“I quite enjoy seeing you like this. Perhaps walking around scantily clad isn’t such a bad thing after all, darling.” Alcina says with mirthful eyes looking at you over the edge of her teacup. 

“You say that now, but when we get a new maid and she starts to ogle me the way you do, then you won’t want me ‘walking around scantily clad’ will you?”

“I don’t ogle, I admire. And if anyone would do so much as think about you romantically or sexually, they’d be sliced to ribbons.” Alcina says through gritted teeth.

“Easy there, Cici, I was just teasing. No one gets to admire me except for you.”

 “You never told me where you heard that nickname. I’ve not been called Cici since Elisabeta was alive.”

“When I was dead, she’s who was there to guide me to wherever it was I was supposed to go, but she knew I wasn’t meant to die. She helped me stay with my body so I could eventually come back. She showed me her memories of you and the girls and told me all sorts of stories. When I started to hear your voice, she told me she used to call you Cici.”

“You could hear my voice?” Alcina asks with wide eyes.

You give a short nod in response, “Not the entire time. I assume it didn’t start until Mother Miranda gave me the cadou. I think I also know the reason I woke up with no memories—aside from hitting my head, that is.”

“There’s another reason? What is it?”

“Eva… she was there as well, right before I came back. She might have tried to come back as well and couldn’t because my memories of you were more powerful than her memories of her mother. I know it sounds silly, but-”

“It doesn’t sound silly. In fact, it makes perfect sense. If the cadou healed you completely, it would have restored your memories. The headaches you were having… it was you fighting to return to us. The cadou lying dormant until your memories returned must have been its way of protecting you against Eva because you were not meant to be her vessel… I must phone Mother Miranda.” Alcina says, shooting up from her chair and swiftly exiting the dining room. 

You decided not to follow her because you know how long these phone calls can take, and instead set off to find Stefana or your friends. They should be awake and have had breakfast by now, and if they weren’t, then you’re just going to wake them up. You walked down the hall of the servants’ quarters and saw the gaping holes in the wall left behind by the explosives. It wasn’t as bad as the other corridors, but it still angered you nonetheless. You approached the first room you ever had in the castle and gently knocked three times. There was an odd nervous feeling stirring within you, as this would be the first time you truly saw your friends since you woke up. And now that your body is different, you’re scared of how they’re going to react. Will they think you some kind of freak, or will they love you the same as before?

When you heard the clicks of the locking mechanism in the doorknob, you took a deep breath to steel your nerves. The one to open the door was Mara, and she had to do a double-take when she’d seen how much taller than her you are now. You’ve always been the tallest amongst your friends, but now you tower over them.

“Uh, hi, Y/N. You’re… very tall. Are you okay?” Mara asked, looking up at you with a slack jaw. You bent down and wrapped her up in your arms, taking Mara by surprise.

“Hi, Mara, I missed you.” You whisper as tears begin to well in your eyes.

“Y/N, are you… do you have your memories?” Your friend questions as she pulls away from you. There are tears forming in her eyes as well.

“I do, they came back last night. Where’s Cat and Liv?” 

“They’re in Stefana and Lydia’s room. Your sister hasn’t been in the best shape, and we’ve been doing everything we can to console her.” Mara says, and you can hear the sorrow in her tone.

“I’m so sorry, Mara, I never meant to hurt any of you. I just… I had to make sure the girls were okay.”

“Don’t apologize, Y/N, you have nothing to be sorry for. Any of us would have done the same thing. Everyone is okay, and you have your memories back, that’s what matters. Now, the important question is, when did you get so tall and why do you only have on an oversized bathrobe?” 

“It’s a long story. Why don’t we go to Stefana’s room, and I’ll explain everything to everyone?”

Mara nods and you follow her down the hall to your sister’s room. You were expecting more of a reaction from her, but Mara has always been a coolheaded person. When the two of you approached the door, you could hear light laughter coming from the other side. It was nice to know that in the midst of everything that’s happened, people could still laugh and smile despite all the pain that’s been brought to the castle. It was also nice to know that though Mara still hadn’t seen your wings yet, she didn’t think any differently of you because of your other physical changes. You knocked on the door, and within seconds Stefana was swinging it open. She jumped back when she saw you looming over Mara, then her eyes went wide.

“Y/N… you mutated… you’re so tall now. I don’t like it.”

“It’s nice to see you too, Fana.” You respond, rolling your eyes. Another pair of hands grabs the edge of the door and pries it open further. Behind Stefana now stands Catalina, Olivia, Lydia, Zoe, and Sam. Convenient that they’re all in here.

“Did you just call me Fana?” Your sister asks.

“I did. That’s always been your nickname unless you changed it and just didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t change it, it’s just… what do you remember about me besides my nickname?”

“I remember everything. My memories came back last night before I mutated.” You say. The next thing you’re met with is a harsh tug on your wrist by your sister, several pairs of arms around you, incoherent crying, and muffled sentences. You lost your footing and toppled over, taking everyone else down with you.

“You got your memories and didn’t come see us until now?” Catalina questions.

“Would you want to be woken up in the middle of the night? The only person awake when it happened was Alcina.” You shoot back, standing up and adjusting the bathrobe.

“Hm, I don’t buy that, but I’ll let you off the hook this once.”

You shrug, “If you say so.”

“So, how did your memories come back? Did it just happen, or did something cause it?” Olivia asks.

You spend the next ten minutes explaining everything that led up to you remembering everything. The headaches, the flashbacks you’d get, even you telling Alcina you loved her without having hardly any recollection of her. You caught them up and the only thing you had to share now was the details of your mutation and everything that came with it.

“So, the Lady brought back your memories? That’s very romantic.” Zoe says, with a cheesy grin.

“Have you been reading Dani’s romance novels?” You ask, to which the young girl responds with a small nod.

“So how did the cadou change you? Do you have extra limbs? Maybe you can turn into a cloud of flies like the girls can. Do you have claws? Can we see your claws!?” Catalina asks, nearly bouncing off the walls with excitement.

“I don’t have claws, and I can’t turn into flies. I can’t show you what I can do because I don’t know how to control it, but I can show you how I changed besides getting taller.”

“Show us.” Stefana says.

You take a few steps back and turn away from your friends and sister. Before you untie the robe, you say a silent prayer for the nail marks on your back to vanish. If Catalina saw what Alcina had done to your body, you’d never hear the end of it. Much like how you’d done with the girls, you dropped the robe just enough to expose your wings and shuffled back and forth nervously when you felt seven pairs of eyes on your back.

“You have wings! Does that mean you can fly now?” Olivia asks.

“Maybe when I learn how to use them. Even if I don’t, just having them is pretty cool.” You say with a light chuckle.

“So, are none of you going to talk about the fact that Lady Y/N is over a foot taller?” Sam questions.

“Who cares about height when she has wings?” Catalina asks, “But what are these marks on your back, Y/N?”

Your body tenses, “Oh, um those? Well, it’s- you know what? Don’t worry about those.” You say, pulling the robe back up over your shoulders and securing it with the belt. Before you turn back around, you clutch the robe near your neck to keep the hickeys covered up.

“They look like scratches…” Mara says in not so silent thought.

“Y-yeah, I had an itch and I guess I dug too hard when I was scratching it.” 

“Y/N, you’ve always been a terrible liar, and why are you holding your robe like that? What are you hiding?” Stefana asks. They’re on to you now, and there might not be any getting out of it.

“I’m not hiding anything; I just don’t want to flash any of you. Don’t you guys want to know about my abilities instead of the marks on my back?”

“No.” Catalina abruptly answers.

“I want to know.” Olivia says quietly.

“Cat, I’ll grab her right hand, you grab her left.” Stefana says as she rushes toward you. She hooks her hand around your forearm and pries your hand away from the robe, causing it to open around your neck. You try to grab it with your other hand, but Catalina’s iron grip prevents you from doing so. Gasps can be heard from nearly everyone in the room except Mara, who likely figured out why you were holding the robe closed in the first place.

“Where’d all these marks come from?” Catalina asks. You’ve been down this road before; the same thing happened the morning after your first time with Alcina.

“Are those bruises?” Zoe innocently questions. Bless her heart.

“Zoe, why don’t you take a pot of tea to Alcina? She’s in her study.” You say with a saccharine-sweet smile. You know the series of questions that you’re about to receive, and she shouldn’t be in the room for that.

“Yes, my Lady.” The young girl says before swiftly exiting the room. Once she’s gone, you breathe a sigh both of relief, and exasperation.

“THOSE ARE HICKEYS!” Catalina shouts.

“Yes, Cat, they are, but did you have to scream it for the whole world to hear?” You snatch your hand away from hers and hold your robe closed. You don’t need any more reasons for people to stare at you.

“Just what did you and Alcina do last night when you got your memories?” Mara questions.

“These look new. They would have vanished if whatever they did happened last night.”

“How do you know that, Liv?” You ask, raising a brow at your friend. Olivia looks off to the side and scratches the back of her neck.

“Well, it’s just that hickeys usually disappear from Dani’s skin in a few hours…”

“You must have had an eventful morning then.” Lydia says with a smirk.

“Details now.” Cat commands.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” You say with a huff. 

“Why not? Did she tease you relentlessly or something?”

“Much worse, but again, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“It can’t be that bad, Y/N. This is a no-judgment zone.” Stefana says with an affirming grin.

“Alright, fine. Alcina and I were about to leave the study because Ylenia made omelets, then we started kissing, and one thing led to the next, which was how I got the hickeys and scratch marks. I was about to… you know… when the girls walked in on us.” You explain, letting your head fall into your hands. 

“Why didn’t you lock the door? You know they don’t knock.” Mara says, the corners of her mouth turning downward in disgust. 

“Because I was only supposed to see if she was still on the phone with Mother Miranda. It wasn’t in either of our plans to go to ‘pound town’ as Cass calls it.”

“Awe, Cassandra uses my lingo?” Catalina questions with a small smile.

“I should have known she learned that from you. I don’t know who’s a worse influence—you, or her.” You chuckle.

“Well, did you at least get to, um,  arrive ?” Olivia asks.

“No. I was too mortified to continue after the girls left the study. Now, Mother Miranda is going to be here later, and I have to find clothes to wear, but I can’t because-”

“Because you’re all hot and bothered and everything is too distracting?” Stefana asks, interrupting your statement.

“Not hot, just bothered. None of my old clothes will fit. The only things I can wear right now are Alcina’s bathrobes because they’re large enough to cover my body and my wings.”

“How do you think you are now?” Sam questions.

“Maybe a little over 200 centimeters, why?” 

“I might have a few things that can fit you now. I have a lot of my father’s old clothes and he’s about your current height. We’ll just have to cut holes in the back of the shirts for your wings.” Sam says as they walk toward their wardrobe and start sifting through outfits. 

“Sam, you’re a lifesaver.” You say, your voice dripping with gratitude.

“If you want, I can also take your measurements and send them to Donna so she can make more things for you.” Sam suggests, handing you a few pairs of slacks and some shirts. They’re not really your style, but anything would be better than parading around the castle half-naked.

“I appreciate you, Sam.”

“Why is Mother Miranda coming later?” Mara asks.

“Mama bird wants to check on her little chick.” Cat says with a teasing smirk.

“You know, Cat, I should hit you for that, but you’re right. She’ll be here to see the effects the cadou had on my body and to hopefully teach me to control this new ability I have.”

“What is it? You still haven’t told us what it was.” Olivia adds.

“I can shapeshift, but it only happens when I sneeze, and apparently while I’m asleep. I woke up and I was Dani, then I sneezed again and turned into Alcina. It confused the hell out of the girls this morning.”

“Were you the Lady when the two of you were…” Lydia says, trailing off at the end of her question.

“No, I was myself then.”

“I want to see you turn into someone; can I tickle the inside of your nose?” Catalina asks. Now it’s your turn to don a disgusted expression.

“That’s gross, and no, you may not. If Mother Miranda can help me control it better, I might be able to show you. For now, I really need to bathe and put on clothes. I’ll see you all later.” You say, gathering the clothes Sam gave you and walking toward the door. You can see the small pout Catalina is sporting as you close the door behind you as well as your sister’s shoulders shaking with silent laughter. 

You finally returned to your room and could enjoy a few moments of peace. Out the corner of your eye, you saw the bloodstains on the chaise from your mutation, and the tattered clothing Alcina had to cut off of you. Hopefully, that will be the last blood you shed for a while, perhaps even the last ever. You discarded the robe, tossing it onto the floor, and walked into the bathroom to prepare a bath. You turned on the water and let it fill the tub some before adding some of the fancy soaps and bubble baths Alcina uses. While that was going, you rummaged through the different medical items in the bathroom until you came across a pair of scissors. You cut two slits in the back of one of the shirts Sam gave you and tried it on to see if your wings fit through. The residual feeling of excitement when you first mutated has since worn off and now you were feeling… something else when you looked at yourself in the mirror. You were this immortal, shapeshifting, winged being now, and your life won’t be the same as it was before all this happened. You’re going to have to explain all of this to your siblings… maybe even your mother too before they see you at your and Alcina’s ceremony. What will they think when they see you? When they know that you died and have been brought back to life by a parasitic infection? How will they view you? 

All these thoughts flooded your mind and you almost forgot that you had the bath running. The sound of the water splashing brought you out of whatever funk you were letting yourself fall into. You walked over and sat on the edge of the tub to turn off the water before checking the temperature with your hand. You removed the shirt and swung your legs over into the water and let your body sink down. Instantly, you felt relaxed, and your wings spread out, providing you with a little support in the deep bathtub. You sat up and tried to spread them further, putting all your focus on moving the extra appendages. You thought of them as though they were just your arms and they began to move, making ripples in the water with each twitch. It wasn’t much, but at least you could move them now. 

You remained in the bath until the water turned cold. You didn’t intend to spend so long in there, but you enjoyed the calm feeling being alone brought you. You could finally breathe a little. You held onto the sides of the tub and pushed yourself up. Once the water stopped dripping from your body, you stepped out and walked toward the stack of fresh bath towels that were neatly folded in the corner of the room. You wrapped one of Alcina’s around your body and removed the excess water from your hair with a smaller one. After you got dressed, you started detangling and applying conditioner to your hair. Once you were satisfied with your appearance, you exited the bathroom and nearly jumped out of your skin when you saw Alcina and Miranda in the main part of the bedroom, waiting for you. You looked at the clock and saw that it was still morning, meaning Mother Miranda came far earlier than she said she would.

“Good morning, Mother Miranda. You scared me, I thought you were coming over later today.”

“Good morning little chick. I had initially planned for a later arrival, yes, but I finished my work early because I simply could not hold out any longer. I had to see you.” Mother Miranda says with a wide grin. And so, the doting begins. 

“What on earth do you have on?” Alcina questions with furrowed brows, making a gesture toward your outfit.

“Oh, the clothes? Sam gave them to me to hold me over until Donna can make a new wardrobe for me. They’re their father’s old clothes.”

“You’re a lady, you shouldn’t be wearing another person’s hand-me-downs.” Miranda scoffs, which offends you slightly. Does she not remember how you grew up? Almost everything you owned, you got from your siblings.

“With all due respect, Mother Miranda, I outgrew all of my old clothes in the span of about an hour, and I’d much rather wear hand-me-downs than walk around naked.” You defend, your tone coming off harsh and shocking Miranda. 

“Am I sensing the beginnings of a defiant streak, Alcina? It would be wise to get this attitude of hers under control before you both regret it.” Miranda warns, but you can tell she’s just trying to intimidate you. She’d never hurt you… right?

“I’m sure it is just another side effect of the cadou. My daughters all had hellacious attitudes when they received the cadou… and Heisenberg’s attitude is still fowl.” Alcina says.

“Well, let us both hope Y/N’s attitude doesn’t last. I’ll forgive the offense this once, but should it happen again, there will be dire consequences, understood?”

“Yes, Mother Miranda…” You say quietly as a mixture of dread and regret washes over you. Your emotions have been all over the place today, like a bad case of premenstrual syndrome. At least you didn’t hit on her again.

“There’s my polite little chick. Now, have a seat on the bed dear, let me take a look at you.” Miranda says with a smile. You walk over and sit on the edge of the bed and wait silently as Miranda’s eyes travel all over your body. It wasn’t like her previous visit after you’d just woken up, no, you could see the marvel in her eyes.

“How much did Alcina tell you on the phone?” You ask, tilting your head to the side.

“She told me the details of your mutation, your memories returning, of your ability to shapeshift, and of you… meeting Eva while you were deceased.” There was a shift in Miranda’s tone at the mention of Eva. It went from that of enthusiasm to that of longing and it reminded you of how badly Eva wanted to be reunited with her mother.

“I did meet Eva but was very brief. She’s been wandering around in the afterlife for a really long time and wants to come home. She misses you, Mother Miranda.”

“I wish she knew the extent of how much I miss her… but we’re not here to talk about that.” Miranda starts, shaking off whatever feelings were brewing inside her. “What have you learned to control thus far?”

“Not much. I can move my wings a little bit, and the shapeshifting only happens when I’m asleep, or when I sneeze. I don’t know if there’s anything else I can do yet.” You say, demonstrating what you’d been practicing in the tub. You were nowhere near Miranda’s level of control, but she was still impressed, nonetheless.

“You’re already leagues ahead of myself when I first mutated, and it will only get easier as the days pass. More abilities may awaken as well if your cadou has made you as similar to me as Alcina says. I assume you also have heightened senses now, yes?” 

“My eyesight is better, and parts of my body are more sensitive to touch. My hearing, sense of smell, and taste haven’t changed.”

“What about your dietary needs?” 

“Mother Miranda, if I may, I believe it is still too early to ask these questions. Most aftereffects of my cadou did not manifest until weeks later. I understand that you’re eager, but Y/N needs time to develop. 

If anything else happens, I will inform you.” Alcina interjects. Thank the gods above that she did because you were running out of answers to give Miranda.

“Thank you, Alcina. I don’t think your body will undergo any more physical changes, Y/N. Everything about you thus far is perfect except for your lack of control, but as I stated earlier, you will get better at it. I’m excited to see how you blossom.”

“So, can you teach me how to control the shapeshifting and the wings? You have ten and I only have two so that shouldn’t be that much of a hassle, right?” You ask, and behind Mother Miranda, you can see Alcina subtly shaking her head as if saying ‘no’.

“Of course not, I’d be delighted to teach you everything you need to know. Anything you want, little chick, do not hesitate to ask for it. Shall we start today?”

“Um, I guess today is-”

“Actually, Mother Miranda, Y/N and I have much that needs to be taken care of today. I’m afraid your… lesson… will have to wait for another time. We’re very sorry.” Alcina says, her lips forming a thin line.

“I know you’re lying Alcina, I can see right through you. However, I do understand that you wish to spend time with Y/N. I will not prolong my stay any further and leave you with some advice, dear fledgling. Don’t concentrate so hard on trying to move your wings; it will come as naturally as breathing. As far as the shapeshifting goes, see yourself as the person or thing you’re trying to become, think of their attributes, breathe, and don’t be afraid to let the changes occur. It may not work the first time, so don’t let it discourage you.”

“Thank you, Mother Miranda.” You say with a small nod and polite smile. 

“Of course. Now then, I will leave the two of you to your busy day and shall return in a week. Until then, little chick.” Miranda says before vanishing in her signature plume of inky black feathers. You could practically see every muscle in Alcina’s body relax as soon as Mother Miranda was out of the room. But before she could get too comfortable, Blue had flown up and perched on the edge of the balcony. Miranda is certainly fast when it comes to watching you, which totally isn’t creepy at all.

“I’m going to kill that bird.” The countess grumbles.

“You’re going to do no such thing. Blue is my friend. How would you like it if I said I was going to kill one of your friends?” You ask, folding your arms across your chest.

“I don’t have friends.”

“Well, sure you do. There’s Vanda.”

“Business partner.”

“The duke.”

“Also a business partner.”

“There’s me.” 

“You don’t count, dragă mea. You’re so much more than just my friend.”

“I better be.”

~

Later that evening, you were seated on the chaise in your room with a new novel when Alcina had come in looking visibly stressed. Immediately, you closed the book and gave her your full attention.

“What’s wrong?” You question.

“I’ve just finished calculating how much the repairs to the castle will cost and how long they will take. I severely underestimated just how much damage was done during the attack.”

“How bad is it?”

“Bad.” Alcina says with a sigh as she takes a seat next to you on the chaise. “The girls will have to stay in your old room until everything is finished, which means that they will likely be finding their way in here."

“Which also means no privacy, whatsoever, and we already have very little.” You respond, chuckling lightly. This draws a small smile from Alcina, and you can see the slight shift in her mood.

“Such is the life when you have children. Welcome to motherhood, my love.”

“Can I tell you something, Alcina?” You ask, suddenly remembering your thoughts and feelings as you roamed around the castle trying to find the girls.

“Of course, dragă, you can tell me anything.”

“When I left the room to go find the girls... and to bring back bodies so they had food, I was scared. Not for myself because clearly, I have no sense of self-preservation. I was scared for them. The need to save the girls was far greater than my need to stay out of harm’s way…” You pause, your features softening. “I was never loved by my mother, and never wanted children because I knew I wouldn’t know how to love them. But because of you, I’m able to love the girls as a mother should despite never having it myself.” 

“I thought it was impossible for me to love you any more than I do now, but you show me time and time again that there will never be a limit. I cannot wait for the day I get to officially call you my wife and mother of our children.”

“And Lady of the castle, make sure you don’t forget that part.” You say, letting out a small giggle.

“How could I ever? Do you still want no part in running the winery? It’s really not that bad.”

“Sorry, baby, but the answer is still no. I can, however, start coming to your four lord meetings as an honorary fifth lord.”

“And listen to Mother Miranda talk about absolutely nothing for hours? You’d be better off with the winery.” Alcina says with a roll of her eyes.

“I’m telling her you said that. We probably have some kind of bird telepathy now.” You say, placing two fingers on your temple and closing your eyes. You weren’t trying to accomplish anything by doing so, but a crow—one that isn’t Blue—flew up to the window and perched on the sill.

“Did you do that?” Alcina asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I have no idea… but I think it’s time to stop talking about Mother Miranda and go to bed.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Chapter Text

…I won’t be alone in the afterlife…

...Alcina…

…Îmi pare rău, iubirea mea, dragul meu Y/N…

…Until we meet again, inima mea…

You began to stir as the events of the past weeks replayed in your nightmares. Images of Mihaela, the girls crystallized bodies, and your own mangled body flashed in your mind. As the nightmare continued, the images and memories grew darker, more twisted than you remember. Your eyes shot open but instead of the comfort of your room, you were surrounded by complete darkness. 

“Alcina?” You question, your voice echoing in the distance. You closed your eyes once more and when they opened, you were back in your room, but so was Mother Miranda, and a defeated-looking Alcina. You tried calling their names, but there was no response. Beyond Alcina, on the bed, lay your dead body covered with a bedsheet.

“Mother Miranda, it’s been a week. Why hasn’t she woken up yet?”

“I’m sorry, Alcina. Y/N isn’t going to wake up. I’ve done everything in my power.”  What does she mean? You’re standing right here! You did wake up, the cadou worked!

“It’s not enough! Give her another cadou, perform the ceremony, do anything! Just… please bring her back.” Alcina says, her eyes filled to the brim with unshed tears.

“Alcina, I can’t. If it didn’t work this time, it won’t work again.” 

“Please, Mother. I cannot live without her.” 

“Alcina, I’m right here! I’m okay, see? Please, tell me you can see me.” You plead. You reached out for her, but your hand went right through her body.

“There’s nothing more I can do to revive her. She’s gone, Alcina.” 

With Miranda’s words, Alcina broke down. You didn’t understand why Miranda was telling her these things, you weren’t gone. You were perfectly fine. You closed and opened your eyes again to hopefully stop this nightmare, however, what you saw next was far worse. The castle was in near ruin. Everyone that you knew and loved laid lifeless on the floors in the halls, most of them riddled with bullet holes or their bodies blown to pieces. You’re seeing what would have happened if the Mihaela won. 

In the main hall, was the crystallized body of Alcina, beside her were the remnants of her dragon form, and three matching crystal torsos. You couldn’t see your body anywhere, and amidst your search for it, you heard footsteps. 

Approaching the top of the staircase was Mihaela and a few of the other hunters She was dragging your lifeless form down the hall by your hair. Seeing her, seeing what she’d done filled you with unbridled rage. You wanted to charge at her, to cut her head off with the sword her friend was holding, but you couldn’t move an inch. It was like something was keeping you cemented in place.

“…Y/N, wake up. You’re having a nightmare…” A familiar, comforting voice woke you from your sleep. You shot up and immediately clung to the warm body next to you. Your body shook as you sobbed uncontrollably and the next sensations you felt were long arms wrapping around you, holding you close.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” You exclaim, your repeated apologies only met with whispers of reassurance.

“You have nothing to apologize for, darling. I’ve got you.” Alcina calmly says as she rubs lazy patterns on your back.

“Alcina? You’re okay?” You ask, pulling away in disbelief.

“I’m fine, little dove. Whatever you saw was just a dream.” 

“Everyone in the castle they… you all died. I couldn’t do anything to stop Mihaela. I’m so sorry, Alcina.” 

“Shh, Y/N, it wasn’t real. We are all fine, I promise.”

“And Mihaela?”

“In a barrel. Nothing can harm us anymore, we’re safe.” Safe, you were safe. It was just a nightmare. You’ve had those before. 

“Nothing?”

“Absolutely nothing. Come, let me hold you—listen to the sound of my heart.” Alcina says, placing her hand on the side of your head and pressing your ear to her chest. Hearing her heart was not only calming, but a reminder that she was okay. Mihaela couldn’t hurt you anymore.

Once you were calm, you snuggled into Alcina and could relax. She continued rubbing your back and each time your wings would twitch, a small giggle would leave her. You found yourself getting sleepy again but fought hard against it for the fear that you would have another nightmare. You looked up and saw a warm smile painted across Alcina’s face. You returned the gesture before pressing your ear to her chest again.

“Thank you, Alcina, I needed this.”

“There’s no need to thank me, dear. Comforting you is the least I can do after all that you’ve gone through during your time here. I will do anything to ensure your happiness.”

“No, I need to. I feel like I don’t thank you enough for how good you are to me, or how patient you are. I don’t deserve you.” You sigh.

“Now, now, where is this coming from? Is something wrong?” 

“I just… you’re always taking care of me, but what about you? When did you last have time to take care of yourself? You’ve been through a lot too, so what about your happiness?” 

“My family is what makes me happy. I spent so much of my human life alone, unsure of whether or not I’d be able to have a family of my own. You and the girls have given me the life I always wanted and when you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“But don’t you ever want to be held, or given a massage or anything? You deserve the same amount of care you give to me. 

“All I ever want is you, and I have you, so there’s no need to worry about me. However, a massage every so often would be nice. I do so love the feeling of your hands on me.” Alcina says with a hint of mirth in her tone. You raise her head to find her smirking at you, to which you respond with an eye roll.

“You’re a pervert.” You say, letting out a dry chuckle.

“Only for you, my darling. Shall we get ready for the day?”

After a quick shower, you and Alcina made your way downstairs to have breakfast with the girls in the dining room. It was significantly less awkward than yesterday, and you were able to enjoy the banter that the siblings often engaged in at the table. They made a few chiding remarks about your clothes, but it wasn’t meant with the same level of offense as Miranda’s. You could easily ignore what they were saying, but one thing that stuck out to you was Cassandra’s comment about you being a “lesbian lumberjack with wings”. About halfway through breakfast, a maid came through the entrance that leads into the main hall with her head bowed. 

“My Ladies, there’s someone here that wishes to-”

“GOOD MORNING RESIDENTS OF CASTLE BIG BITCH!” Heisenberg screamed, his voice booming in the halls.

“Uncle Karl’s here!” Cassandra and Daniela exclaimed before flying out of their seats to greet the hammer-wielding lord. You looked over at Alcina and saw her holding the handle of her teacup so tightly, you thought it would snap. Alcina didn’t say Heisenberg would be here today, so this is definitely an unannounced visit. Before Alcina can stand, Heisenberg is bursting through the door just as loud and boisterous as ever.

“Heisenberg, why are you in my castle?” Alcina asks, shooting daggers at Heisenberg as he walks around the table to an empty seat.

“I heard you got a big construction project. I’m here to offer my services.” Heisenberg says with a deep chuckle, kicking his feet up and resting them on the dining room table. 

“I’m not in need of your ‘services’. You cannot just show up unannounced and then have the audacity to have your feet on my furniture. Have some decency, mutt.”

“Now, that wasn’t very nice. I’m just trying to be a loving brother and help my big sis out.”

“Oh please, you wouldn’t know love if it were welded to that hammer.” Alcina retorts, rolling her eyes.

“I think it would be good to have the extra help, and he has the ability to control metal.” You add, pushing your food around with your fork.

“See? The kid gets it! And besides, the more help you have, the quicker you get done, and the quicker you get me out of your hair.” 

“No. We are very capable of completing the repairs necessary ourselves.”

“Can Uncle Karl stay and help us, Mother? Please?” Daniela pleads, looking at Alcina as a child would. Bela and Cassandra join Daniela in begging their mother to allow Heisenberg to assist in fixing up the castle. 

Alcina’s head falls into her hand as she sighs “Fine, but the moment something goes awry, Heisenberg is going back to his factory.”

“What’s your definition of awry, Big D?” Heisenberg asks, planting his feet on the floor so he can begin eating the food a maid set in front of him.

“If anyone gets injured, if there’s more damage done to anything in my castle, or if there’s any mistreatment of any kind involving my family and staff.”

“Aw, you don’t gotta worry about mistreatment, Al. You’re the only one here I don’t like that much.” Heisenberg says with a grin. Upon seeing the death glare Alcina is giving him, Karl clears his throat. “Don’t give me that look, I’m just joking with you, you’re always so serious. Say, kid, when’s the last time Carmilla over here told you a joke?” 

“Um, I think when my sister started working at the castle. Alcina doesn’t know many jokes.”

“She doesn’t know many, or they’re just not good?”

“I’m not answering that.” 

“I’ll have you know; my jokes are hilarious.” Alcina says with a small pout.

“Hit me with your best shot, sis.” Heisenberg responds, leaning forward in anticipation.

“What do the cadou and the Eiffel Tower have in common?” Alcina surveys the room, awaiting everyone’s responses. When all of you shrug, a small smile paints her face.

“They’re both Paris sites. Do you get it? It’s because the cadou is a parasite and the Eiffel tower is-”

“We get it, Mother. Please, don’t explain it.” Bela interrupts.

A moment of awkward silence passes following Alcina’s joke. Not even Heisenberg, who is probably the loudest person in the village, made any sounds other than the grunting while he eats. You didn’t think Alcina’s joke was that bad, granted you didn’t really get it even after she tried to explain it. You took some time to process it, pulling from your tidbits of knowledge to piece everything together.

“Oh, I get it now! The Eiffel Tower is in Paris!” You exclaim, giggling at the play on words. 

“Yes, darling, you are correct. See, Heisenberg? Y/N likes my jokes.”

“Nah, I think she’s just scared you’re gonna break up with her if she didn’t. No one likes those jokes.”

“Do you think you can do better?” Alcina questions with a slight snarl.

“I got one for you. ‘I am’ is supposedly the shortest sentence in English, any of you know what the longest sentence is?” Heisenberg asks.

“No, what is it?” Cassandra asks in response.

“I do.” Heisenberg answers, cackling loudly immediately after. It seems that this time, only Karl and Alcina understood the joke, leaving you and the girls completely clueless. Alcina, however, didn’t find the joke to be as funny as Karl did, as she looked more annoyed than amused.

“Are we missing something?” Daniela asks.

“It’s a marriage joke, Daniela. Heisenberg is insinuating that being married to someone is a life sentence, but I beg to differ. He just hasn’t found his person yet; someone that can deal with his stench.” Alcina says with a smirk. 

“Person shmerson. And I don’t stink, I smell manly.”

“No offense, Heis, but machine oil, cigar smoke, and sweat isn’t manly. I wouldn’t burn a candle that smelled like that.” You say, looking off to the side and sipping your tea

“Says the kid that turned into poultry. Don’t you got a nest or something to take care of?”

“Don’t speak to her like that.” Alcina growls.

“It’s okay, Alcina, I know he’s only messing with me. It’s like I told you when I first met him, it’s sort of a brotherly thing to make fun of his siblings; I figured it was only a matter of time before he started taking jabs at me too. Just know this, Heisenberg, I’m not stopping Alcina if she decides to slice you up.”

“Awe kid, you think of me like a brother?” 

“Don’t push it.” You say, making a small waving gesture with your hand.

For the remainder of breakfast, Heisenberg mainly chatted with the girls while you and Alcina had your own side conversations. Most of which were about how insufferable Alcina found Heisenberg to be. You had to continue convincing her that he would be a great help when it came to fixing up the castle and having him around would free up time for both of you. One topic that came up was how you’re going to learn to control your abilities. Alcina could help you learn to control your wings, but the shapeshifting would have to be taught by Mother Miranda, which doesn’t sound as bad as Alcina is making it seem. You like when Mother Miranda visits.

After breakfast, the girls and Karl set off toward a warmer part of the castle to do god knows what, while you and Alcina left to clean up some of the rooms that had been messed up both during the attack, and during the time you were dead. You started in Alcina’s study, helping her reorganize files and papers, remove broken furniture, sweep, dust, etc. until it resembled what it looked like before you died. After the study, you cleaned in the library while Alcina cleaned the opera hall. The bloodstain from the man you killed has since been removed, but there were still books, bullet casings, and shards from the broken vases everywhere. There were even some of Daniela’s flies that had crystalized and died and seeing them reminded you of how scared she was… hiding behind a bookcase, huddled in on herself to stay warm. If you hadn’t found her when you did, she would have died. Alcina must have finished before you, because you didn’t notice her enter the library until she put a hand on your shoulder.

“Darling?” Alcina asks, her brows furrowing as you turn to face her.

“Yeah?”

“Are you alright? You’re crying.” 

“I am?” You question, startling yourself when you touch your face and feel moisture. 

“You didn’t know you were crying? Is something bothering you that you want to talk about?”

“I was just thinking about a couple weeks ago… I found Dani in here and it was the first time I ever killed someone. Being in here just reminded me of it I guess.”

“I’m sorry, my dear, would you prefer if I finished?”

“No, it’s okay, I’ll be fine. Will you stay though? I could use the company.”

“Of course.” Alcina says with a small nod. 

Alcina sat with a book in her hands while you continued cleaning. You were humming a random tune to keep your brain distracted as you returned the books to their respective cases. Your added height allowed you to reach the highest shelves with ease and when you placed some of the books back, you stirred up some of the dust that had collected. It got in your nose, and you could feel a sneeze coming on. Your whole body reacted to the sneeze. Your wings flapped, creating a powerful gust of wind in front of you making you fall backward… several feet away from the bookcase. You didn’t turn into anyone this time and hurried to pinch your nose to prevent that from happening. All the books that you worked hard to reorganize were once again on the floor and the bookcase was starting to fall over. There was a loud crash as it fell, likely alerting anyone in the vicinity as well as the girls and Heisenberg. Within record time, they were bursting through the library door with worried expressions.

“What was that noise?” Heisenberg asks, seemingly the most on edge out of the four.

“I sneezed and a bookcase fell over.” You grumble, wiping your nose on your shirt.

“What did you do, run head-first into it?” Cassandra quips.

“Her wings blew both her and the bookcase over. I had no idea she was even capable of that, but I suppose you learn something new every day.” Alcina says as she readjusts her hair.

“I didn’t know I could do it either until it happened,” You pause to stand. “but of course, I don’t know anything that I’m capable of because I hardly have any control over my own body.” You were annoyed, not with the fact that the bookcase fell over, but with the fact that you were the one that knocked it over. So far, your mutation has been nothing short of awful for you and it was becoming more of a hindrance than anything. You wished the cadou could have just brought you back and left you the same as when you were human. Even not having memories was better than what you’ve got to deal with now.

“Take it easy, Big Bird, you’re still a rookie. You know how many times I knocked myself over the head with steel bars when I was learning to control metal? The answer is a lot.” Heisenberg says, hoping to offer a bit of reassurance.

“Trust me, we can tell. Your lack of intelligence is the only answer we need.” Alcina says with a dry chuckle. “And don’t call Y/N Big Bird, you simpleton.”

“Don’t you got some necks to munch on, Dracula? Look, the point is kid, you’re not going to get it right away, and there’s nothing wrong with that. All of us had to struggle and learn but you’re different than we are. You have people that can help you when shit hits the fan; we didn’t have anyone, not even each other.”

You sigh, “I guess you’re right, for once, and you know what? I think your advice deserves a warm, sisterly hug.” You say, spreading your arms out wide. “Bring it in, Stinky.”

“Stinky!? What happened to ‘Heis’?” 

“You called me Big Bird. Alcina isn’t the only one that can go shot for shot with you.” 

“Y’know what kid? I’ll let this one slide because I like you a lot more than your overgrown fianceé.” 

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Don’t mention it.” Heisenberg says before taking his leave, the girls following behind him. 

You walk over to the fallen bookcase to collect the books that were now scattered all over the floor. You picked them up and placed them in stacks, huffing in annoyance with each stack that was created. Alcina could sense that you were still feeling disgruntled and walked over to rest a reassuring hand on your shoulder, stopping you from continuing your task.

“Leave them, darling, someone else can clean them. I don’t want you getting worked up over this.” Alcina says with a gentle tone.

“No, I got it. I knocked it all down so it’s only fair that I clean it up.” You respond, waving off Alcina’s concerns. You tried lifting the bookcase but couldn’t get it completely upright. “Could you help me with this?”

Alcina joins you, helping you to push the bookcase up so you can return the books to their respective shelves. Since they were stacked according to how they were organized on the shelves, putting them back didn’t take long. Before you do anything else, you’re going to dust the bookcases… or have a maid do it.

“Do you feel better?” Alcina asks, wiping her hands together to get the dust off of them.

“About the bookcase? Yeah, I do. I just won’t touch anything else until it’s been dusted.” You answer, chuckling lightly.

“Not just about the bookcase, about everything. Your feelings about not having control… talk to me about them.”

“What is there to talk about other than the fact that I’m starting to hate the way I am now?”

“Why do you hate it, my love?” Alcina questions, furrowing her brows.

“Because… what if I’m not perfect like Mother Miranda said I’d be? Everyone else seems to think that I’m just like her now, but I don’t think she’s ever sneezed and knocked over a bookcase.”

“You don’t have to be just like her. She did not give you the cadou to see what abilities you would have; she gave it to you so you could come back to us. It’s been less than forty-eight hours since your mutation, and I know that you’re frustrated, but things will get easier.”

“I hope you and Karl are right. Otherwise, you might have to start replacing the bookcases.”

“It’s a small expense, but I would spend all the lei I had to my name to keep you and the girls happy.” Alcina says with a small smile.

“And how much would that be?” You ask, smirking.

“A very, very large number… with several commas and zeros.”

“And you only gave me one raise? Some employer you were.” You give Alcina a playful eyeroll followed by a scoff.

“But you have me. Surely, that’s better than increased pay.”

“Hm, that’s debatable.” You shrug, but when you notice the expression on Alcina’s face as she approaches you, all playfulness is replaced with fear… and a little excitement. She places her hands on either side of your head on the bookcase behind you.

“Debatable, you say? Could money hold you at night? Could it wrap you up and envelop you in warmth? Could money give you the same pleasure I give you, porumbelul meu dulce?” Alcina whispers as she brings her mouth close to your ear, causing you to shudder. She called you her ‘sweet little dove’, and that alone is enough to send tingles all over your body. However, you’re not ready to back down quite yet.

“I’m sure there are things I could buy for that.” You respond, ducking down under her arm to free yourself. 

“If that’s how you feel, then I’ll refer you to the Duke so he may procure these items for you. Just don’t come begging when you’ve missed my touch.” Alcina says as she walks toward the lounge seat with her arms folded. The cold Countess sat to resume the book she’d been reading earlier when you walked over and sat beside her. She angled her body away from you, and you pouted in annoyance.

“Alcina, I was just joking. I didn’t mean to hurt you by what I said.” 

“Is that so? You sounded quite serious to me.” Alcina says, not looking up from her current page. You plucked the book from her hands, closing it and setting it aside before turning your body to face her. You then reached up and tucked a few stray curls behind her ear as you brought your face closer to hers.

“Of course I was joking. You know nothing I buy would ever compare to the way you make me feel, or to the way your hands make me feel… Mistress.” You’re hoping that calling her by her more intimate title would elicit a less harsh response. And it seems to have worked by the way her breath hitched.

“And how do I make you feel?”

“Happy, well-loved, and so very satisfied. Money couldn’t buy that.”

“I know it couldn’t, I just wanted to hear you say it.” Alcina starts, smirking. “Come now, we’ve other rooms to clean before we can start repairing the rest of the castle.” The Countess finishes as she stands and extends her hand toward you. You take it and stand, but not without sporting the same pout you had earlier.

“You’re a cruel, cruel woman.” 

“And you’re adorable when you pout like that. Shall we go?” 

“Tch, I guess so.”

~~~

The next few days were filled with as much excitement as when Heisenberg first arrived. What was unexpected, however, was the fact that he stayed in the castle and managed to get along with Alcina while he assisted with the repairs. It’s only a matter of time before the two of them are ready to murder each other again. So, for everyone’s sake, you’re praying that things will be fixed soon so Karl can return to the factory. There’s still much that needs to be done, but you’ve all made great progress thus far and as a result, the time it will take for everything to be completed has been halved. You hadn’t been helping out as much as you would have liked to—mainly for safety reasons—so you’ve been doing other things to keep you occupied. A lot of your time was spent trying to move your wings, or willingly shapeshift, but you’ve not made much progress with either of those things.

Today, Donna is supposed to stop by to take your measurements so you can have more clothes to wear. You were starting to get used to the clothes Sam had given you and were even beginning to like the more rugged, masculine look the old jeans and flannels were giving you. Alcina seemed to especially appreciate when you cut the sleeves off one of the shirts to allow for unrestricted arm movement… and maybe it was to show off your muscles too. Along with a completely new wardrobe, Donna has also offered to make custom outfits for your and Alcina’s wedding ceremony. You conveyed to Sam—who conveyed to Donna via letter—that you wanted matching dresses. A white, slim-fitting dress with the back cut out for the ceremony, and a similarly made, wine red dress for the dinner following.

You couldn’t contain your excitement as you peered out into the courtyard from your bedroom window, counting down the moments until Donna and Angie would arrive. Your ears picked up the sound of a horse-drawn carriage in the distance, signaling that the doll maker was close to the castle. You couldn’t hear things like that just a few days ago. You nearly sprinted out your bedroom door and through the halls of the castle to wait in the entrance hall. The carriage was drawing close, and you opened the door to peek through and see how far they were. When the carriage came to a halt by the gate, you stepped outside to greet Donna and Angie when they walked up. It was cold, and you probably should have worn a jacket, but your mind was elsewhere. Angie came flying up to you with open arms, shrieking as she got closer.

“Y/N!!! YOU’RE NOT DEAD AGAIN!!!” The doll exclaimed, wrapping her tiny, wooden arms around the base of your neck in probably the weirdest hug you’ve ever gotten.

“Nope! I’m back and better than ever Angie. How are you and Donna, is everything okay at the estate?” You ask, assisting the doll up onto your shoulders.

“It’s so boring! When is Sam coming home?”

“Soon, I’m guessing. When everything gets fixed up and all the broken furniture is replaced-”

“Again.” Angie interrupts.

“Right, again. We’ve agreed to let Sam return to the estate.” You respond with a small smile. Donna then approaches the two of you and reaches her arms out for Angie to return to them but the little doll refuses with a shake of her head.

“Back off, Donna! Let me be tall for once!” 

“Hello, Donna.” You greet the doll maker with a small nod of your head.

“Hello again, Y/N, It’s good to see you. You look well.” Donna says with a quiet voice.

“Thanks, you as well. Let’s go inside and get warm, I’ll make us some tea.” You say, turning to reenter the castle. A maid standing by the door holds it open for all of you as you enter, bowing three times as each of you passes by.

You lead Donna and Angie to the parlor room, which has been kept nice and warm with a roaring fire in the hearth. Not long after, a massive swarm of flies appears in front of you before separating into three smaller swarms and quickly taking the shape of the girls. The three of them are all sporting similar grins, though, Daniela seems to be bursting at the seams with excitement.

“Aunt Donna! Angie!” The siblings shout in unison as they rush over to the pair. They wrap Donna up in a warm, gentle hug before they scoop up Angie and squeeze her so tightly that her wood could splinter.

“Air! I need air!” Angie screams, grasping onto nothing as she tries to free herself.

“Angie, you don’t breathe. You don’t even have lungs.” Cassandra says with a slight scowl.

“But that doesn’t mean you get to try to kill me! Usually, it’s the other way around.”

“Mother didn’t say you were visiting today. Are you here to help us fix the castle too?” Daniela asks, smiling innocently.

“No, we’re here so I can take Y/N’s measurements for her new wardrobe and her wedding dresses.”

“Dresses? As in, more than one? What do you need more than one wedding dress for? You’re only marrying Mother once.” Cassandra says, dumbfounded.

“One is for the ceremony, and one is for dinner.” You explain, deciding not to elaborate further.

“Doesn’t make any sense to me but to each their own.” Cassandra shrugs.

“Well, when you and Cat get married, you’ll understand.” 

“I’ll pluck every feather from your wings.”

“Love you too, Cass.” You smile. “I’m going to make tea, will you find Alcina and ask if she’d like to join?” 

“She’s on her way here now. She didn’t want to leave Uncle Karl unsupervised.” Bela says with a slight giggle.

“Karl is here?” Donna asks, her interest in the conversation suddenly piqued.

“Yeah, he’s helping us repair the castle. He came on Wednesday.”

“He’s been here for three days and Alcina hasn’t murdered him yet?”

“It gets even better than that, Aunt Donna.” Cassandra starts, “They’re actually getting along.”

A small gasp escapes Donna’s veiled lips and Angie starts to cackle wildly as she can’t believe what she just heard. You often wonder if some of Angie’s reactions are what Donna wants to express but can’t due to her introverted nature.

“No way!” Angie exclaims.

“Yes way.” Daniela says in response.

“That’s certainly… surprising to say the least.” Donna says with a slight tilt of her head. Her attention is then turned to the door as Alcina opens it and bends through. She’s dressed in more casual clothing today with her hair tied back in a low bun. You don’t remember seeing her in that outfit, or maybe you do, and you were just too busy staring at her to register what she had on. 

“Sister, what a pleasure. How was the journey from the estate?” Alcina asks, smiling warmly.

“Hello, Alcina, it was fine, thank you. I see you’re in high spirits today.” Donna says, her grin audible though you can’t see her face.

“I’m just happy to finally be away from that fool Heisenberg.” Alcina says with a heavy sigh. The Countess takes a seat in a large armchair and stretches her arms out in front of her before resting them at her sides.

“Just a few minutes ago, you and Uncle Karl were laughing with each other, what happened?” Bela asks, raising her brows slightly.

“I realized who I was laughing with. When he isn’t being an insufferable pest, it is quite easy to forget who you’re in the presence of. I will be overjoyed when the repairs are finished because I will finally have some peace and quiet.”

You used the conversation Alcina was having with Donna, Angie, and the girls as an opportunity to slip out of the parlor room unnoticed. On your way to the kitchen, you ran into Lydia, your sister, and Sam who seemed to be coming from where Heisenberg was working on the castle.

“Y/N!” Your sister says, quickening her pace to catch up with you. “It’s odd seeing you roam the halls without Alcina. Did you have a lovers’ quarrel?”

“What? No! I’m allowed to walk around on my own. What are you guys up to?” You ask as Sam and Lydia meet the two of you.

“We just got done taking some things to Lord Heisenberg. What were you up to?” Sam questions in response.

“I was on my way to the kitchen to make tea. Since you three are free, can you help me?”

“And watch you take an hour to brew tea for two people? I’ll pass.” Stefana says, rolling her eyes.

“It’s not just for me and Alcina, it’s for Donna, Angie, and the girls too.” 

“Donna’s here?” Sam asks, their head popping up and their eyes wide with curiosity.

“Yeah, she’s here to take my measurements. I’m sure Alcina wouldn’t mind if you took a little break to have tea with us.” You say with a smirk which causes the carpenter’s cheeks to turn a deep red color. 

“Tea sounds… good.” Sam says as they avoid making eye contact with you.

The four of you continue toward the kitchen and you managed to make it during the time of day when it’s empty between lunch and dinner. Immediately, you get to work finding everything you need to make the perfect winter blend. You wanted to include some warm spices and a touch of chocolate in the tea to hopefully heat everyone’s bodies during this harsh winter.

“Does Donna like chai?” You question, sifting through the ingredients in the cabinets for what you need.

“There’s no tea Donna doesn’t like, especially when you make it, Y/N.” Sam says as they reach for the kettle. For chai, it’s better to simmer the ingredients together in a pot so with a small shake of your head you stop them. 

“I’m using a pot for this one. Fana, can you do me a favor and get the milk from the fridge for me?” 

“You know I work for you and technically can’t refuse, right?” 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get the milk, please.”

Once you had everything you needed, you began weighing the ingredients to make enough to serve eight people (though one of them is a doll and won’t even touch the tea). One teapot won’t be big enough so you’re going to have to use a second pot. Thankfully, you have assistance and won’t have to carry everything yourself. You filled a medium-sized pot with the appropriate amount of water and set it on the range to boil. When the water came to temperature, you moved it off the fire to add the tea and let it steep. Once that was done, you added in the other ingredients and put the pot back on the heat for a few more minutes. Milk, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and a pinch of salt all melded together to create the perfect chocolate chai. Before you strained it, you used a spoon to sample the tea and make sure that it tasted okay. Satisfied with how it turned out, you divided it evenly between the two teapots and set them both on trays along with several teacups. 

Your sister carried one tray, you carried the other, and Lydia carried a small basket with different pastries back upstairs to the parlor room. Sam held the door for all of you as you entered and when you’d set everything down, your friends greeted Donna, Angie, and Alcina with bows.

“SAMMY!” Angie screamed, freeing herself from Daniela’s hold to run up to the carpenter.

“Angie! I missed you!” Sam says as they hoist the doll up and wrap their arms around her in a warm embrace. 

“What smells like chocolate? Did Ylenia make a cake?” Cassandra asks as her head perks up.

“No, it’s the tea. I decided to try something new and make a chocolate chai blend. I hope everyone enjoys it.” You say as you begin pouring the cups of tea. 

“My Lady, if it’s alright, may I stay and have tea so I can catch up with Donna and Angie? It’s been a while since I’ve seen them last.”

“Of course, Sam. If you’d like, we can leave the three of you and have tea elsewhere.” Really Alcina? After you struggled to bring the tea to the parlor room?

“No, that’s fine. I can stay in here.” Thank the gods above for Sam. You don’t know what you’d do without them.

Stefana and Lydia depart. You finish serving everyone their tea and take a seat beside Alcina with a cup of your own. With Donna’s attention on Sam, and Angie’s on the girls, that leaves you to attempt a conversation with Alcina without your brain short-circuiting over her looks today. 

“How much progress has Heisenberg made today?” You ask, sipping your tea. It might be that your taste is also heightened now, but every flavor is perfectly blended together. Nothing is overpowering, not even the sweetness.

“Quite a bit. His control over metal enables him to place floorboards and remove metal weaponry with ease. I hate to admit it, but I appreciate him for helping us.”

“When are you going to come clean and just say that you actually like your brother?” You ask, hiding your smirk behind the rim of your teacup.

“It will be a cold day in hell before I ever confess such a thing. He’s a constant thorn in my side and he doesn’t know when to shut up.”

“But you love him and would kill for him if necessary, right?”

“Something like that.” Alcina shrugs, raising her teacups to her lips. You narrow your eyes at the Countess because you know that she feels the same way about her siblings as you do yours, though she constantly protests.

After Donna and Sam finish their tea, they stand, Donna pulling a tailor’s measuring tape from somewhere within her mourning gown. The timid doll maker approaches you with her hands clasped in front of her, silently bidding you to stand. You do as (silently) instructed and stand so Donna can begin measuring your body. Sam pulls a notepad and pencil from their pants pocket as if it were routine for them. 

“Arms out, feet shoulder-width apart, please.” Donna quietly commands. You assume the pose she asked for and she starts with your upper body, measuring your arms, chest, waist, and the area on your back where your wings now sit. Sam takes note of all the numbers Donna is muttering to herself. “Okay, now, can you spread your wings?”

“I can try, I’ve been practicing.” You move your wings a little bit and try to think of them as another pair of arms that you’re spreading wide. In one swift motion, your wings spread as far as they go, the feathers ruffling with the wind they’ve created. Donna measures your wingspan and instructs you to move them back so she can take into account how your body moves when you use your wings. It takes a little more effort, but you manage to get them fully spread out behind you. 

Once Donna is done with your upper body, she moves to your lower half. She takes measurements of your hips, inseam, outseam, and through your legs from front to back for crotch depth. It feels a little weird having someone else’s hands between your legs that aren’t Alcina’s, but you know it’s necessary so Donna can make you clothing that fits comfortably. The last things she measures are your feet, and once she’s done, she rolls the tape measure up and returns it to wherever it was she got it from. Sam folds back the pages of their notepad and places it in their pocket along with the pencil. You give a questioning thumbs up to ask if you’re done to which Donna returns with one of her own.

“Thank you for the tea, it was delicious. Now that I’m done with your measurements, I’m going to take a little walk with Sam. Will you see to it that Angie behaves herself?” Donna asks with a pleading tone. Alcina reassures her with a firm nod before she and Sam take their leave, the pair linking arms on the way out.

“They’re so cute.” You say with a soft smile, finally resting your arms and wings. 

“Indeed. Would you also like to take a walk, darling?” Alcina asks, raising her brow and standing from her seat. 

“What about Angie? Donna asked us to make sure she behaves.”

“Don’t worry about her, the girls know the rules when I leave them unsupervised.”

“Okay then. We’re just taking a walk right? There are too many ears around the castle and I could really go without the embarrassment.” 

“Yes, we’re just talking a walk. I’d like to offer you advice on controlling your abilities.”

“Alright, that’s fine.” You say as you start toward the door. Alcina follows behind and as the girls pop their heads up to question why you’re also leaving, it takes one look from Alcina for them to understand what she expects of them.

The two of you walk through the castle—well, the parts of it that aren’t currently undergoing reconstruction—and Alcina stays true to her word and gives you advice. She doesn’t give much input on the shapeshifting, other than to “not sneeze so much” and instead focuses her lecture on using your wings. She explains that you shouldn’t think of them as an add-on (which is kind of what they are, but okay) but as an extension of your arms. You control them, not the other way around. Being as well-versed in anatomy as she is, Alcina explains that your pectoral muscles control both the movement of your wings and of your arms. And that’s where you stopped paying attention. The sounds around the castle were growing louder the less you listened to Alcina and you stopped dead in your tracks when you picked up on Sam and Donna. 

“Donna, are you really sure we should do this here?” 

“Alcina won’t hear us, she’s with Angie and the girls.”

“Don- Donna we r-really- mmh.” 

“Do you remember what you said to me in your letters? How I’m the one on your mind every night before bed? You’re on my mind constantly, Samara.”

The sounds you heard next caused you to clamp your hands over your ears but that did nothing to stop your mind from imagining the rest. This coupled with the deep red color of your face alarmed Alcina, and she bent down to your eye level.

“Darling, are you alright? Are the headaches back?”

“No, it’s much worse.” You whisper.

“Worse? Are you ill? You’re red as a beet.”

“I can hear Donna and Sam.”

“What are they- oh. I see now.” Alcina says as a loud moan assaults both your hearing. “Come with me to the tasting room, I’ll put on a record to drown them out.”

Alcina leads you to the tasting room and places a vinyl record on the record player, turning the volume up all the way. You focus on the music and soon, the lewd sounds coming from whatever room they were in fade, and you hear nothing but the sweet melody being played by string instruments.

 You spent the rest of the day in the tasting room, listening to the same song on repeat while Alcina did other things in the castle. When it was time for Donna to leave, you could hardly speak to her without turning red. Of course, this did not go unnoticed by the girls but luckily they thought it was the excitement of having your dresses made. Later that night, your thoughts were plagued with disturbing images of your friend and sister-in-law getting freaky in the castle. Falling asleep was hard, but you managed after a while. Now to wake up another day and pretend nothing ever happened.

~~~

The castle was a few waxed floors away from completion, and you had plenty to keep you occupied during the four long weeks it took to complete. Between practicing your control on your own, practicing with Alcina and Mother Miranda, and planning your ceremony, you were also helping to run the castle. Donna sent outfits to the castle little by little until you had a full wardrobe again. The only things remaining were your dresses. Because you were so busy you were hardly able to spend any quality time with your family and friends, and you felt guilty about it. Several of them insisted that it wasn’t an issue since you don’t take any time to focus on yourself and your own needs, and you’ve been seriously neglecting them since your nightmares started again. You didn’t have a really bad nightmare since that day you knocked over the bookcase, but every now and again, an image or something someone said would appear in your dreams, instantly distorting them. 

The day the castle was finally done, you woke up with tears in the corners of your eyes, and you were breathing rather heavily. You looked over your shoulder to find Alcina sleeping peacefully behind you, her arm draped over your midriff. You placed your arm over hers and tuned in to the sound of her heartbeat to ground yourself. Not long after, Alcina had awoken and pulled you closer to her.

“Your heart is racing… did you have another nightmare?” Alcina asks, her voice groggy and hoarse.

“I did… it wasn’t as bad this time though. I think I’m finally coming to terms with what happened. I just wish it wouldn’t have taken this long.”

“What happened to you was extremely traumatic. Being killed isn’t something easy to bounce back from. I know you try not to let your feelings interfere with your daily life, but it’s okay to not be okay, Y/N.”

“Is it though when I’m only okay for a few weeks? Then, something comes along and sets me back? At what point does not being okay become an inconvenience for everyone around me? Hell, the castle got fixed up before I did.” You say with a dry chuckle, turning onto your back.

“Nothing about you needs to be fixed because you’re not broken. You’ve never let anything break you down, my dear. Nothing you feel, or experience is an inconvenience to any of us—especially not to me—and I don’t want you to think that it is. In a traditional Christian marriage, you vow to care for your spouse in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, till death do you part, and I intend to do just that.”

“So, you’re Christian?” 

“You’re deflecting.”

“Maybe… I just feel like I’m always bothering you, so I don’t like talking about what’s going on with me.” You sigh as you fold your hands over your eyes. Alcina uses one hand to move them away, and the other to turn your head toward her.

“You will never be a bother. I told you when Irina first attacked you that I wanted to take care of you, and I didn’t just mean bandaging you up when you break a bone or get a scrape. I love you, and I want you to come to me when something is troubling you. Please, don’t keep your feelings bottled up.”

“As long as you don’t start charging me for therapy, I won’t. I promise.”

“I accept  other  methods of payment if you so wish to reimburse me.”

“Must you make everything about sex? How naughty of you, my Lady. Here I am, pouring my heart out to you and you respond with an innuendo.”

“But I didn’t mention sex, you did. How naughty of you, Lady Y/N.” Alcina says with a smirk. Damn, you fell right into her trap.

“Touché.” You start, narrowing your eyes. “You can open up a tab, and when I’m ready to close it, you’ll get your payment.”

“Can the two of you wrap it up? We’ve been waiting out here for like… ten minutes.” Cassandra says from the other side of the bedroom door, her tone annoyed. 

Alcina sighs, “Come in Cassandra.”

Cassandra opens the door and shuffles in followed by her sisters, the three of them all wrapped up in thick blankets. The trio made their way into the bed, completely disregarding your need for personal space. Daniela snuggled into your right side, Cassandra wedged herself in between you and Alcina, and Bela laid at the foot of the bed. 

“What were you talking about?” Daniela asks through a yawn.

“Nothing, really. I just had another bad dream, that’s all.” You answer, giving the redhead a small smile.

“Still?” Bela asks to which you respond with a nod. 

“I didn’t know you three knew about them.” 

“You talk in your sleep sometimes and on some nights we can hear you apologizing. What do you have to be sorry for?”

“Oh, well,” you sigh, “a lot… dying, mainly.” 

“But we’re not mad at you for that, Momma. If anything, that just proves how much you love us.” 

“I don’t know, Bela, I think Mămică needs to make more of those little cakes.” Cassandra says, grinning into your shoulder.

“With how much I bake for the three of you, I could open a bakery.” 

“No, no, not for those two. Just me this time.”

“Don’t be greedy Cass!” Daniela exclaims, reaching across you to smack her sister. You sit up, not feeling the energy to be caught in the middle of one of their fights. Alcina lets Cassandra hit Daniela back, then quickly puts an end to their petty squabble.

“Since you have the energy to fight, there’s no need for us to stay in bed. Let’s get ready so we can send Heisenberg off.” Alcina says, sitting up and brushing the wrinkles out of her nightgown.

“Does he really have to go?” Cassandra asks, frowning slightly.

“Absolutely. A month is far too long.”

With simultaneous groans, the girls all got up from the bed as Alcina began to usher them out. Though, she was more-so shooing them away like, well, like bugs. Once they were gone, Alcina let out a heavy sigh and fell back into the comfort of the plush bedding. You stared at her, tilting your head and furrowing your brows.

“What?” Alcina questions.

“Shouldn’t you be getting up too?” 

“In a few moments—I’m not ready to get out of bed yet.”

“The girls could have stayed if you wanted to sleep in a little bit. What’s the real reason you kicked them out?” You ask, lying down on your side to face Alcina. Rays of sunlight peek through the small opening in the curtains, illuminating her golden irises. 

“I wanted some alone time with my beloved. We’ve both been so busy as of late that we hardly get moments like these.”

“I know…” you pause, casting your gaze downward, “do you feel as though I’ve been neglecting you?” 

“Of course not, dragă mea, I am content. If I ever think you’re not being attentive enough, I will let you know. For now, I just want to enjoy what little time we have before we have to deal with Heisenberg.”

“You mean before  you  have to deal with Heisenberg?”

“Yes, before  I  have to deal with him. Now, come closer, I want to hold you.”

You scoot over, closing the few inches of distance between you and Alcina. She drapes one arm over your waist, and the other she lets you use as a headrest. You closed your eyes as she began drawing lazy patterns on your back. Eventually, you both went back to sleep and at some point during your rest, the girls found their way back into your room and fell asleep alongside the two of you. You were only woken up when Daniela’s hand collided with your face. You pushed her hand away before bringing your own up to soothe the area. You tried to move but found that you couldn’t because you were currently trapped under all three of them, and Alcina’s arm. There’s no telling when they’re all going to wake up so you’re going to just have to wait it out. 

A delicious aroma began filling your nostrils; sweet, savory, and a little metallic. Ylenia must be making something good for breakfast this morning. You’d figured the metallic scent was just Karl, but you couldn’t hear him nearby, if he was even awake (that and he also reeks of cigars and exhaust fumes). Your stomach grumbled loudly, and you're surprised it didn’t wake anyone else. 

You heard a sniff, and soon, Cassandra’s head was popping out of her cocoon made of blankets.

“I smell food.” The tired brunette muttered.

“Food?” Daniela questions, turning onto her back and nearly suffocating you. 

“Dani!” You shout, your cries muffled by the mess of blankets on top of you.

“Who said my name? Was it you Cass?” 

“Nuh-uh.”

“It was me! I can’t breathe! You’re gonna kill me, Daniela!” 

Daniela gasps “Mamă?” The redhead asks as moves from on top of you, allowing you to take in a deep breath.

“I’m never sleeping in the same bed as the three of you ever again.” You groan.

“But we used to take naps together all the time.” Daniela says with a pout.

“Yeah and I would always wake up trapped under someone. Come on, it’s time for breakfast… and I want to get downstairs before Karl eats everything.” 

“We have to wake Mother up.” Bela says, stretching her arms out above her head.

“I got it, you girls just go get ready for the day.” You say, stretching your own arms out in front of you. The girls swarm out of the room in a mess of flies and blankets, leaving just you and Alcina again. “You’re not really sleeping, are you?”

“No, how did you figure that out?” Alcina questions, finally opening her eyes and smiling at you.

“Your breathing and your heart gave it away. When you sleep, your heart slows down and you breathe through your mouth. How long have you been awake?”

“Quite some time now. I didn’t wake any of you because you were all sleeping so peacefully; it was incredibly adorable.”

“Yeah, until I almost died.”

You climbed out of bed to start getting ready for the day. After taking a quick shower, you styled your hair and threw on one of the new outfits Donna made you, opting for a more feminine look today. Once you were ready, you raced down the stairs and into the dining room, nearly slipping and falling due to the fresh coat of wax on the floors. You normally stop in the kitchen to greet Ylenia and whoever is working in the morning, but the only thing on your mind was food.

You entered the dining room to find Heisenberg already seated with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Soon after, the girls materialized in their seats, yawning and rubbing their eyes. As soon as the aromas from the kitchen wafted into the room, they perked right up. Alcina came into the room and took her seat beside you before signaling for the maids to enter with breakfast.

Laughter and conversation filled the room, but you began to tune it out. You kept eyeing the girls’ plates and your mouth began to water. Normally, nothing would be appetizing to you about food covered in blood (or the fact that Ylenia often substituted livestock for humans), and the coppery smell would sometimes turn your stomach, but you wanted their food more than you wanted yours. Alcina noticed something off with you this morning, and her expression turned to that of concern.

“You’ve barely touched your breakfast, are you alright, darling?” Alcina asks, her voice just above a whisper

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”

“I’ve seen Cass make that look before, you don’t like your food, do you Momma?” Bela questions.

“It’s not that, I always love what Ylenia cooks, it’s just- I kind of want to try yours. It smells… really good.” 

The sisters all share similar questioning looks with each other before Bela scoops up a portion of her food on her fork and extends it toward you. Visually, it didn’t look the best because of the blood, but the scent had your stomach growling in anticipation. You took the fork from the eldest and put it in your mouth. You practically moaned when you tasted Bela’s breakfast; it was delicious. When you returned her fork, Bela offered to trade, and you happily accepted. The way you ate was borderline barbaric, like you’d been starved for months, and this was your first meal. Even the girls were a little off-put by your eating habits. You had half a mind to lick your plate clean, but you were sure to be chastised for having poor manners, so you decided against it. Breakfast following that was rather enjoyable now that you’ve eaten, You could actually focus on the conversations around you instead of the hunger that was becoming too hard to manage. No one had much to say about the fact that you can stomach what Alcina and the girls eat now, however, Alcina did bring up an interesting anecdote about Miranda and how it relates to you. Miranda can eat anything edible—including people—much like a crow can. It was fascinating yet scary how similar you are to her now that you’ve been given the cadou, and it left you wondering if Eva will be the same way.

After breakfast, you, Alcina, and the girls all gathered in the entrance hall to send Heisenberg on his way. It was a bittersweet farewell between Karl and the girls, but Alcina seemed indifferent, neither happy nor sad. An odd woman, she is.

“Thank you for your help, brother. I can’t believe I’m saying this… but. I appreciate all that you’ve done. It wouldn’t have been completed so fast if not for you.” Alcina says with a tight-lipped smile.

“Anytime. And look, I know we’re always at each other’s throats, but I genuinely like coming to visit. You should invite me to stay more often.”

“Over my dead body.”

“That’s a whole lotta body, Supersized. I’ll see you in a few weeks for your  big  day, make sure there’s plenty whiskey.” 

“I’ll see what I can do. Thank you again, Karl.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s been real, Big Sis. Take good care of Little Sis while she figures out how to control her bird powers.”

“For the last time, I’m not a bird!” You say, crossing your arms.

“Sure, and I’m the queen of England. I’ll see you soon, Kid.” Heisenberg says with a light chuckle.

“See you, Heis.” You wave as he exits the castle, and the maids close the doors once his carriage pulls off. The girls swarm off to enjoy a newly repaired and warm castle. 

“Well, now that everything is fixed, things can return to normal in the castle. The girls can return to your rooms, and I can go back to my work.”

“What about me? What am I supposed to do?” You ask with furrowed brows.

“Come join me in the study today. There’s a new lock on the door and I’ve purchased a radio to keep anyone from hearing or barging in on us.” Alcina says with a smirk.

“Lead the way, my Lady.”

Chapter Text

You started today as you would any day in the castle. Wake up, chat with Alcina for a bit, resist her advances so the both of you can have a productive day, shower, get dressed, have breakfast, and carry on with whatever it is you have to do. Though, there wasn’t much for you to do now. The castle has been repaired, and you have some semblance of control over your abilities, so all you can do is.. nothing.

The other day, you received a letter from Lucian. In his letter, he stated that he wanted to visit and bring your nieces, but the weather hadn’t been permitting him to do so. He doesn’t know about everything that happened, so maybe it was for the best that he didn’t visit. However, you would like for all your siblings to see you before your ceremony to ease the shock value of your transformation and to explain why you’re all of a sudden over thirty centimeters taller. However, it would be better to do all of this now rather than later, so you’re going to pay your eldest brother a long-overdue visit.

You set through the halls of the castle to find Stefana so the two of you could ask Alcina if she could leave the castle. You have the power to allow her to do so, but you still need to run it by the castle matriarch. Eventually, you find your sister leaving Catalina, Mara, and Olivia’s room.

“Y/N, I was just about to come find you. What are you doing in the servants’ quarters?”

“Looking for you. I was thinking about going to see Lucian today and wanted you to come with me.”

“You know I don’t have village privileges yet. I’d have to ask Alcina, and you know how she is about abandoning chores.” Stefana says with an eye roll.  

“Well, one, you’re my sister and I’m saying you can come with me. Two, she probably heard that. And three, I had village privileges before I even completed a full year at the castle so you must be doing a sucky job.”

“I’m not doing a sucky job! You were just Alcina’s favorite and that’s why you got village privileges so early.”

“Whatever,” you scoff, “just come on so I can tell Alcina we’re leaving.”

You walk off, Stefana following behind, and lead her to the wine room. You knew Alcina would be in there all day because she had to catalogue her wine or something. Either way, that’s where you found her. You didn’t bother knocking because Alcina could tell who was at the door by the sound of your heart and entered with your sister.

“Hello, darling, Stefana. What brings you two here?” Alcina asks, placing a bottle of wine into a cubby.

“I wanted to visit Lucian today and was going to bring Stefana with me, if that’s alright with you, of course.”

“But you said-” Stefana starts.

“No, I didn’t” You finish, interrupting your older sister.

“Are you sure you want to leave today? It’s rather cold out.”

“I’m sure. I want to visit all of them before the ceremony, so they don’t arrive and are all like “holy shit, our baby sister’s a bird” you know?”

“Language, Y/N.” Alcina warns, “Are you going to visit all of your siblings today?”

“No, just Lucian. I figure if I can dedicate one day to seeing each of them, then they won’t be so stunned by my appearance.”

“Well, can’t you just shift into the shorter, wingless version of yourself?” Stefana questions.

“I haven’t quite figured that out yet, Fana. So, do we have your permission to go?”

“You don’t need my permission, dear, but I will allow Stefana to go with you since she is working today. On her days off, she may go wherever she pleases.”

“So, I have village privileges now?”

“Yes, you’ve proven to be an excellent and trustworthy staff member, and it helps that I’m quite fond of your younger sister. Have a nice day, girls.”

“Thanks, Alcina. Come on, Fana, let’s go get ready.” You say with a smile as you leave the wine room with your sister. On the way to your room, you stop a maid in the hall and send her to prepare a carriage. When you were a servant, and even during the early stages of your courtship with Alcina, you had to walk everywhere, so being able to request a carriage on a whim is a major upgrade.

Once in your room, you rummaged through your wardrobe for the coat Donna made that could conceal your wings. You thought about leaving them out, but you hated the cold and wanted all parts of your body to be as warm as possible. As you left for the main hall to wait for Stefana, a thought crossed your mind of arriving with some kind of gift. It was too short notice to buy anything, so something edible should suffice. Back to the wine room you go.

As you stepped in, Alcina looked at you quizzically. “Back so soon?” She questioned.

“I was wondering if I could take a bottle of your wine to my brother. I don’t want to show up empty-handed but I don’t have time to visit a shop.”

“How thoughtful of you. What type of wine does Lucian prefer?”

“You’re asking me about wine? You know I can’t answer that. What do you recommend?”

“I recommend a sauvignon blanc or a pinot noir for starters. They’re both light-bodied and pair well with several foods.” Alcina was throwing all of these fancy wine terms at you and you hadn’t the slightest idea what any of them meant. You just wanted some wine.

“I don’t understand anything you just said but if you say so. Can I have a bottle of each? The sa-whatever blank and the noir one?”

“Sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, dearest.” Alcina corrects you as she grabs two bottles from their cubbies. “Here, send my regards to your brother and his family.”

“Will do.” You smile, “Kiss before I leave?” you ask, standing on the tips of your toes and puckering your lips. Alcina bends slightly to close the distance in a chaste kiss before returning to her cataloguing. You exit the wine room and head toward the kitchen to grab a few more things for Lucian.

In the kitchen, there are a few loaves of bread that have just come out of the oven, and you have to beg Ylenia to let you take one. One would think she’d be in no position to deny you because of your new status, but in her words, you were her brat before you were Alcina’s, so she can say no if she wants to. Of course, that could have been taken completely wrong, but you knew she meant it in a motherly sense. You wrapped the bread up and placed it in a basket along with some fruit, cheese, and wine before once again setting off to the main hall. There, you found Stefana dressed in warm clothing and ready to go. The two of you left through the entrance hall for the carriage gate and waited for the coach person to finish putting the reins on the horses. Stefana told them where the two of you would be going and together, you boarded the carriage to go to your brother’s farm.

Lucian lived east of the village square on a decent-sized plot of land. You could see his farm from the distance, and it looked prosperous. As the carriage drew closer, your nerves began to stir, and you started worrying about if things were to go south between you and your brother and his family. What if they’re afraid of you? You knew he was accepting of all other parts of you, but what if no longer being human is where he draws the line? What if things go wrong with all of your siblings? Your leg started to bounce from the anxiety your thoughts brought on, and not long after, the carriage was already coming to a halt at the door. You turned to your sister with a worried expression to which she immediately responded by placing her hands on your leg.

“Fana, I don’t think I can do this.” You whine.

“What changed? You seemed so excited to see Luc before we left.”

“What if they’re scared of me? What if Lucian starts hating me?”

“I know you’re scared, but you know Lucian could never hate you. You were always his favorite, even though he couldn’t always show it. Luc will still love you, his wife will love you, and their kids will love you. You have nothing to worry about.” Stefana says with a warm smile.

“You think so?”

“I know so. Now come on, I got you if anything happens.”

“Thank you, Fana.”

Stefana grabs hold of your hand to lead you out of the carriage and you instruct the coach person to return at 7 pm. This will give you plenty of time to spend with your brother’s family, and if things do go south, you could always walk back. Stefana never let go of your hand as the two of you approached the door. You took a deep breath and knocked three times. Each second that passed left you feeling more nervous, and every time your sister noticed you getting fidgety, she’d squeeze your hand to silently let you know that you were okay. A woman with caramel-colored skin and dark curly hair answered the door, furrowing her brows at the sight of you and Stefana. She must be Lucian’s wife.

“Can I help you?” The woman asked, her tone a bit pointed.  

“I’m Stefana and this is Y/N, we’re here to see Lucian. We’re-”

“His sisters from the castle; I’m familiar with your names. Nice to meet you both, I’m Relia. Please, come in, I can only assume you two are cold standing out there like that.” She says, opening the door wide enough for the two of you to enter. You step inside and admire the home. It’s simple, homey, and perfect for a man like your brother.

“Lucian is out back with the girls. I’ll go get them and you can make yourselves at home.” Lucian’s wife leaves the room and you let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. You set the basket on the table and when Stefana reaches for your coat after taking hers off, you refuse.

“I don’t want to take it off yet. I’m going to explain what happened to me first.” You say, sitting down on the sofa. Stefana joins you, her eyes constantly monitoring you. You can hear several feet shuffling through the snow on the way into the house and soon, the back door opens. Relia starts chastising Lucian and the girls for tracking snow inside the house before informing him that you and Stefana are here. This is when the nerves really kick in because now, there’s no time to turn back and run off toward the castle. When he and the girls enter the living room, he stops and stares, mainly at you. He can see the worried look on your face, so he sends his daughters into another room.

“Beansprout?” Lucian questions.

“Hi, Lucian, it’s been a while.”

“You look different, have you always been this much taller than Stefana?” Straight to the point. Well, it looks like you really have to do this now.

“That’s why I came. I have a lot that I need to tell you so it might be best if you sit.”

“Did something bad happen?” Luc asks, taking a seat in an armchair opposite you. Relia beside him in the other chair.

“Yes, but don’t worry, everything is fine now.”

“So, what is it that you needed to tell me?”

“Well, I’m… different now. I’m still the same Y/N on the inside, but my body is different. The castle was attacked almost two months ago, and I was killed. Mother Miranda-”

“So, the explosions and the roaring we heard… You died!? Shouldn’t you still be… Stefana, how come you didn’t tell any of us this?” Lucian asks in a mixture of anger and disbelief.

“I’m getting to that, Lucian. Please, let me explain. Mother Miranda gave me something called a cadou, it’s a parasite that Alcina and her daughters also have. It brought me back to life but my body changed as a result.”

“So this parasite, what did it do to you besides make you taller? Are you going to be as tall as Lady Dimitrescu is now?”

“I don’t think so, but my body is continuing to change. I tried thinking of a way I could put this that wouldn’t startle or confuse you, but I couldn’t, so I’m just going to lay it out flat.” You had to pause and take a deep breath to mentally prepare yourself for what you’re going to say next. “I’m not human anymore. I have these… new abilities if you will, and my life expectancy far exceeds that of the average person. In addition to the height, other physical changes occurred.” You stand and nervously fiddle with the buttons on your coat until all of them are undone. Lucian and Relia can’t see your wings when you take the coat off, so you spread them and tear your gaze away to avoid seeing what you assume were disgusted expressions.

“Y/N…”

“I understand if you want nothing to do with me now. I just…” tears began well along your waterline, and you were getting choked up. “I couldn’t keep this from you. I wanted you to see me before you came to the castle in a few weeks. I wanted you to be okay with the way I am now so you could give me away at my wedding..”

“Y/N I don’t care what you look like, whether you’re human or not, or that you’re going to live longer than the rest of us. All I care about is the fact that you’re safe and happy. I know that Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters aren’t human, the brunette one turned into a cloud of bugs when I first met her. You don’t ever have to worry about me not accepting you, Beansprout, I love you, okay? That’ll never change.”

“See? I told you that you had nothing to worry about. It’ll be the same with Teo, Ana, and Drei. None of us could ever hate you.” Stefana says, grabbing your hand to calm you down.

“Exactly, so sit down, relax, and I’ll call the girls back so they can finally meet you.” Lucian says with a smile.

You wipe your tears and return to your seat on the sofa. Lucian calls his daughters back and two young girls come bounding into the front room with wide grins on their faces. When they see you and Stefana, they stop and stare as all children do.

“Papa, who are these ladies?” The bigger one asks, walking over to take a seat on Relia’s lap.

“Y/N, Stefana, these are the girls—Izabela and Y/N. Izzy here just turned four and little Y/N is six. Girls, these ladies are my other sisters. You already met your auntie Sorana when she came to see you a few months ago. Well, they came all the way from the castle because they wanted to see you now.”

“You live in the castle? Is there a handsome prince?” The small one asks as she climbs up onto Lucian’s lap, her bright smile and excitable nature reminding you of Daniela.

“We do live in the castle, but there’s no prince. There’s a woman there and she’s kind of like a queen, and her daughters are kind of like princesses.” You say, smiling fondly at the young girl.

“Are they pretty?”

“They’re very pretty. One day, maybe your papa can bring you both to the castle and you can meet them.” You offer. You don’t know if Alcina has ever had kids in the castle before—or if she’s ever been around anyone younger than Zoe—but you imagine her response to your invitation would be that along the lines of  “The castle is no place for children.” 

“Ducky, do you remember me telling you about your aunt that has the same name as you? Big Y/N?” Your older brother asks, to which the child on Relia’s lap responds with a small nod. “Well, she’s the one sitting right there, and the one next to her is your other aunt, Stefana.” He points to you and Stefana, and you both give awkward waves to the girls.

“Papa, I thought Aunt Y/N was your little sister. She looks really tall.” Izzy says with confusion in her tone.

“Well, little doesn’t always mean shorter. Your Uncle Drei is taller than me, but I’m older. Y/N is still my little sister because she’s younger than me.” Izabel appeared to have understood Lucian’s explanation judging by the way the girl slowly nodded her head, but if she’s anything like you were at her age, the question of why you’re taller will be asked more often than not.

So far, your visit was turning out to be very awkward. None of you made any attempt at starting a conversation due to there being children in the room, so it was more or less silent. The girls didn’t seem to want to know anything else about you or Stefana, but the way they kept staring at the both of you told you otherwise. You haven’t felt this out of place since the first time you ever had a private conversation with Alcina.

“Oh, I brought you some things from the castle. I would have had more to give you, but we came straight here and didn’t stop in the village at a shop.” You say, reaching for the basket on the table.

“Don’t worry about it. Is it what’s in the basket?” Lucian asks.

“Yeah. I have a couple bottles of Alcina’s wine, a loaf of freshly baked bread, some cheese, and some fruit.” You stand with the basket in hand and walk it over for Relia and Lucian to examine the contents. You heard tiny gasps and wondered for a moment what would call for shock but forgot about the fact that you now had two extra appendages popping out of your back.

“Mama, Papa, look!” Izabela exclaims, pointing to your wings.

“Oh, these? They’re pretty cool, huh?”

“Can you fly like a bird?” Little Y/N asks as she climbs down from her mother’s lap and walks up to you. The young girl reaches her arms out to you, and you bend down to pick her up. She’s a lot lighter than you imagined she’d be, so you had no trouble resting her against your hip.

“I’m not very good at it yet, but I have been practicing.” You respond, chuckling lightly and the small “whoa” that leaves the child’s lips when she gets a closer look at your wings.

“How can a person have wings?” Izzy questions.

“It’s sort of hard to explain to little ones like you two. I didn’t always have wings; I was given a gift by Mother Miranda, and it made me like this. If you ever see a picture of Mother Miranda, you can see that she has wings too. But hers are  way  cooler than mine are.”

“Will Auntie Stefana and Papa get wings too?”

“Um… no, I don’t think they will.”

“Will I get wings?” Y/N asks with wide eyes and an equally wide grin.

“Girls, I get that you’re curious, but your aunt can’t answer all of these questions. Why don’t the two of you come help me get cleaned up so we can start dinner, yeah?” Relia says, standing and gathering Izabela up in her arms. Little Y/N clings to you as her bottom lip begins to quiver and Izabela’s head hangs low as neither of them wishes to leave the room.

“Aw don’t be upset, girls. Help your mama make dinner then I can tell you lots of fun stories about the castle. Sound like a deal?” You ask, gently rubbing Y/N’s back as you lower her to the floor. The girls follow their mother into the kitchen leaving just you and Stefana with Lucian. You return to your seat on the couch and peer out the window to see what the weather is like.

“Thank you for not scaring them. We don’t always talk about the non-humans that live in the village but sometimes the girls wake up to the sounds of lycans during the night. So, they know that not everyone or everything is normal here.” Lucian says with a sigh

“No need to thank me. I’m just relieved they’re not afraid of me… I don’t want what I am to be the reason I don’t get to see the people I love.” You respond.

“So, is it just the wings or can you do anything else?”

“As of right now, all my senses are heightened, I can make big gusts of wind with my wings, and I can shapeshift. And before you start, it’ll take ages to change back if I try to shift now.”

“Have you told Teo, Ana, and Drei yet?”

“No, you’re the first. I’m going to visit each of them and tell them too. I can only hope that it goes as well as it did with you.”

“You know Andrei isn’t going to want you two staying in the castle after hearing it got attacked.”

“Well, we’re both adults and can make decisions for ourselves. There’s not much Drei can do about it.” Stefana says, her tone defensive.

“I have to ask, was this the life you wanted?”

“Yes, it just happened sooner than I was anticipating. I didn’t think I was going to die the night the castle was attacked, but I was being reckless and put myself in danger. I was going to receive the cadou from Mother Miranda regardless but under vastly different circumstances.”

“So, how did you die? Why weren’t Lady Dimitrescu or her daughters there to protect you?” Lucian asks with furrowed brows.

“It’s not their fault, don’t blame them. The girls were on the verge of dying themselves and I did what I could to make sure they didn’t. There was an explosion… and I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Luci, is there more wood for the stove?” Relia calls from the kitchen. Luci… that’s a new one.

“It’s where it’s always been!” Your older brother shouts. “So, when Miranda brought you back, is this how you woke up?”