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The other maids loved to gossip, which made Violet's job easier, but also annoyed her on occassion.
That afternoon was one such occasion, as she washed blankets by the river behind the estate. It was possible that she was simply in a bad mood; it had been months since she started working at the Lillevere Mansion, and she had yet to come across their renowned heiress.
Her name was Gwendolyn Lillevere, colloquially known as Winnie the Shrew. She was well-known and talked about in high society, but not for the reasons one would expect of a noble lady. Unlike the sweet, silly, bear that inspired her namesake, Winnie was neither sweet nor silly. As the last heir of blood magic, the most feared of Old Magics, common portrayals of her were: an old and bloodthirsty vampire, a bratty, spoiled heiress, and a hedonistically corrupt noblewoman.
Violet didn't care much for rumors; she never had. She only ever cared about how much money she could con from her wealthy marks. And Winnie Lillevere was among the wealthiest.
The morning chores were wrapped up fairly quickly and so Violet decided to head to the kitchens next. A bite to eat would do her well to tide her over until dinner. One cushy benefit of the job was that kitchens were open to all for most of the day. Had Violet not already had a lucrative career in thievery, she might have put serious thought into continuing her contract for this alone.
Perhaps by professional habit, her footsteps were quiet as she snuck into the kitchen. It was why she didn't notice when she bumped into a dark-haired young girl. The girl nearly dropped the plate of cake she was holding. Violet's fast reflexes caught it before it could hit the ground.
"I'm so sorry!" she apologized immediately. Before she could hand it over, the girl snatched the plate away like Violet had robbed her of a valuable possession. The thought amused Violet; she had long since graduated from idle pickpocketing.
"No harm done," sighed the girl after a beat. When Violet took in her outfit, she froze. It was absolutely not the kind of clothing the average worker could afford even with a generous salary.
Thoughts swirling rapidly, Violet changed her tone from casual to polite. "May I inquire as to your name?" she asked. "So I might make amends for the scare I have caused you." The girl's gaze sharpened and her chin raised. With such an expression, it was easy to see how she had earned her title as a shrew.
"You must be the new maid," she snorted. "No one else would ask such an obvious question." Violet quickly curtsied.
"My apologies, milady. I only wished to make up for my earlier lack of etiquette."
"Not too stupid, then." Silence fell, and for a second Violet was unsure how to proceed. She had too little information about the young lady beyond the rumors she had collected prior to taking up post. "I allow you to join me."
"Pardon?"
"For lunch, I mean. Keep up, newbie." Winnie turned and exited the kitchen before Violet had time to react. Slowly, Violet followed after her. She had to tread carefully. The bigger the pie, the more risks were involved.
They walked until they reached the dining hall. It was an area taken care of by an entirely different set of staff from those of the laundry room. Thus, Violet was unfamiliar with it. As she followed behind the lady, she took in the exits, the entrances, and finally, noted things of particular worth. The chandeliers were made of diamond, the tables and chairs rimmed in gold. It was opulent, yet understated to the unlearned eye. A wave of gratification washed over her as she realized her intel was correct. The estate indeed housed a sizable fortune.
This was good news. It meant chances of her target being here was high.
Violet sat down with Winnie's permission, and bit into her sandwich. Was the lady expecting a scintillating afternoon conversation to pair with her cake? She couldn't have brought her here for nothing. Would the purpose be interrogation or intimidation? Whichever it would be, Violet was prepared.
Instead, Winnie opened with an entirely unexpected question. "How is your sandwich?"
"It's… good," replied Violet. Winnie smiled, and her face transformed into a blooming flower. Seeing her like this, the rumors could hardly be trusted.
"That's good, then," she said. Was her food poisoned, wondered Violet, unwilling to let her guard down. She knew it would be incredibly impolite to stop eating at that moment, and continued to chew even as the succulent pairing of meat and vegetables lost their flavor.
The dining hall was silent save the sounds of their mutual dining. To pass the time, Violet mentally listed every poison she knew of, and it was only after she had finished her sandwich for a good while that her muscles finally relaxed. On the other hand, Winnie took her time savoring each bite of her cake. Between each one she engaged Violet in polite conversation. Violet returned the dialogue, subtly probing her about the estate.
"It must be very interesting to people who haven't lived here their whole lives, but alas, I am not among that cateogry, " said Winnie. "My favorite room for evening snack time would have to be the attic, however. The way the sunlight reflects off the Bloodrose Heart makes for quite the spectacle. And quite they reading light, I must say."
"What's the Bloodrose Heart?" asked Violet, her tone pitched towards innocent naivety. Winnie beamed with pride.
"Why, only the most beautiful gemstone in the country! It's our family's treasure. I just know there are several nobles that wanted to purchase it from me, but I don't need their money." Information about a valuable gemstone was exacty what she was looking for. She pressed forward.
"Don't you worry about it being stolen if you display it out in the open like that?"
"Precaution is a must, of course. But its location and possession is common knowledge among the aristocracy. Yet none have even come close to stealing it. Which is because it's protected by our family's magic. To get past it, you'd need immense magical ability. Not even the royal family could accomplish that." Violet frowned.
"Surely the Lillevere family themselves would want access to it."
"Let's just say, we have our ways, and leave it at that." Winnie ate the last bite of cake on her plate. "All this to say, the estate welcomes you and has more than enough resources to guarantee you a comfortable life, if you wish for it. Don't forget that, Violet." Winnie left with all the confidence of someone who had no more to say.
So it was a long winded intimidation after all. The realization made relieved Violet of her worries. It was only when things didn't go as expected that she had cause to worry. Ultimately, Gwendolyn Lillevere was no different from any other noble aristocrat. Violet had conned many people like her before.
Soon enough, another name would be added to that list.
Violet felt she had gained a lot from her first meeting with the master of the house. It motivated her so much that a week later, when her training period was reaching its end, she applied to be transferrred to kitchen staff. It took some persuasion, but the Head Maid agreed to her request after she got someone from kitchen staff to replace her.
Winnie wasn't as bratty as people had said, but she was definitely more gluttonous. Violet planned to use that to her advantage as part of kitchen staff. It turned out to be the right bet. The very next day, Violet was called to serve Winnie's dinner.
"Enjoy, milady," Violet said, placing the hefty steak on the table. Her expectations of Winnie's food intake was far exceeded. Violet suspected it had something to do with her magic. Those with magic, the wealthy, and the elite loved to pretend their magic had little to no side effects, but that was far from the truth. Those at the bottom rung of society, like her, had learned early on to capitalize on those weaknesses when they could. It was only fair, after all.
"This pudding is delicious!" Winnie exclaimed. Violet snapped out of her thoughts.
"Thank you, my lady. It's a regional recipe from my hometown." The lady gaped at her.
"You made this?" Violet didn't know why that was so surprising. Surely it was normal for servants to cook for their master? She nodded. "That's wonderful! I've never met someone who's loved desserts as much as I do. Those old fogies in the kitchen consider it beneath them. But sweets can bring so much happiness, as I always say!"
Truth was stranger than fiction. If Violet told anyone that Winnie the Shrew, a so-called vampire of House Lillevere, had a passion for crafting desserts—she'd be laughed out of town. Luckily, Violet was both speedy and forward-thinking.
"Desserts are so fun to make and require much more skill than people give them credit for," she said. Winnie nodded vigorously, expressing her agreement with hre whole body.
"Exactly! And there are so many ways to express creativity! I'm partial to red frosting myself. Strawberries, cherries, raspberries— the flavor profiles are endless!" Typical of a blood magic wielder. Everything had to be the color of their element. Violet rolled her eyes in her heart, but outwardly concurred.
"Actually, when we first met, I had snuck to the kitchen to make myself some black forest cake," Winnie admitted. "The chefs don't like me going in there, but what they don't know while they're on lunch break won't hurt them." A laugh escaped Violet before she could stop it.
"Apologies," she apologized. "It's just—I could relate. If you need any help next time, let me know." The way Winnie's eyes sparkled almost outshone any gem. Almost.
In the months that followed, Violet used her status as kitchen staff to improve relations with the lady of the house, and her relationship with the lady of the house to rise in the ranks of kitchen staff. It was a win-win situation, she reminded herself even as her guilt grew with every passing day.
The more she got to know Winnie Lillevere, the more she realized she was leagues away from the likes of nobles she had encountered thus far. For one, the herarchical structure of the estate itself was based on merit. If Violet hadn't absorbed a lot from baking sessions with Winnie, she would have struggled to get promoted even with her impeccable sleight of hand. The estate followed its own rules, like a small pocket of paradise within the hellhole of the royal capital.
Violet almost felt reluctant to face the inevitable day she would leave. And it was inevitable that she would abscond with the Bloodrose Heart, because she had to. It was the best way she could pay back the Organization for taking her in as an orphaned child and make a clean break from her life of crime.
So even as her true emotions leaked into her relationships with the people at the estate, she doggedly hunted for any scraps of information she could get. She befriended a man from the security team, who liked to drink. It was easy enough to fetch a bottle of premium wine in exchange for the security details of the Christmas Ball.
Winnie decided to hold a party that year to show off her baking talents. She wouldn't reveal right away that the pastries and cakes were made by her until the end of the ball, she told Violet.
"I'll shock them into silence!" she declared. Violet was certain it would be a grand reveal. "I couldn't have the confidence to do such a thing without all your help, Violet. Thank you so much." Winnie's sincerity was growing increasingly difficult to juggle.
It was all Violet could do to avert her eyes before replying. "My pleasure, your grace." Later, alone in her room, the rational part of Violet's brain had started working again and she realized that it was the perfect opportunity to pull off the heist of her life.
With ample foot traffic, and relaxed security in the private parts of the estate, Violet had to bet all her chips on that single night. It had taken months to prepare the information and the promotions she needed to freely wander during ball, evade the guards, and steal the gemstone.
She would not betray her own efforts. When it was time for action, she would be ready.
The day of the ball arrived faster than Violet could swipe a watch from an unknown passerby. All staff worked overtime the week prior to prepare for it. She hadn't realized before that there was so much work to be done to host a ball, but she was intimately aware after the fact. Combined with nights poring over maps of the estate, fatigue took over her body for most of the seven days.
It was night before the ball when she headed to bed early. She couldn't risk inhibitions on her mind, wine and insomnia included. It didn't stop her from staring at the ceiling for an hour in silence before sleep finally took her.
The next evening, guests began to arrive right on time. The sun had begun to set beyond the horizon. Violet, for her part, laid low until the hall was bustling. When she saw Winnie occupied in speaking to guests, she moved.
The first few steps felt like lead, but slowly they became easier and easier, until Violet was running.
Security was laid out exactly as her friend had told her. It was almost too easy. Violet's guilt surged like a tide at this thought. Of course it was easy, she chided herself. Everyone in this estate had shown her nothing but kindness. It was she who would be letting them down.
Violet dodged past the maids, slipped through the guards, and finally made it to the door of the attic. This was where the difficulty significantly increased. The attic was locked with magic; the only key a physical one Winnie kept in her bedroom. It was a small blessing that no magic was necessary as long as one was in possesion of the key. Violet had nicked it one afternoon when Winnie was out.
The door opened with a click. Violet made her way inside.
The layout of the room was as Winnie described; a comfy louge with soft chairs and crumbly remnants of whatever snack Winnie had been munching on the previous day. On the wall hung a long mirror. It would have been unremarkable in this estate of abundance, save the way the top of its gilded frame sparkled a red light in the evening sun's glow.
Violet immediately identified it as the Bloodrose Heart, embedded in the mirror's frame. So that was what Winnie had meant; an ordinary magicless person would find it difficult to remove the gemstone from its frame. However, Violet was raised to take advantage of her lack of magical ability, and what was difficult for others would be quick work with her tools.
Violet gingerly carved the gem from its throne. As she held it in her hand, she found it to be sticky. Taken aback, she turned it over only to find it melting. A few minutes later, all that remained in her hand was a red juice, that smelled of…. fruits? A quick lick test confirmed her growing suspicions: cranberry juice.
She'd been had.
Before the thought of escaping could even enter her mind, a magical array triggered, trapping her in place. Violet sighed.
"So you knew all along. Didn't you, Winnie?" A familiar face emerged from behind a bookshelf through what was almost certainly a secret passage.
"Surprise! And it's only fair; after all you've been lying from the start as well." Violet contemplated this in silence.
"Then why did you hire me?" Winnie shook her head with a wry grin.
"My spies found out your background. I felt for your unfortunate upbringing, and had hoped that a few months here could change your mind about working for the Organization. They don't care about you, or any of their agents, really." Violet knew this.
She simply had nowhere else to go. Her time at the Lillevere Estate was wonderful, but a part of her couldn't fully trust in it. A lifetime of subterfuge had taught her pretty things almost always had an invisible price. Now that both of them had their plans laid bare, Violet felt relieved the other shoe had finally dropped.
"You want me to betray the Organization?" she guessed.
"Not exactly. Though I agree you'd do much better working for me instead. Its just that my spies have always had trouble infiltrating the Organization's upper ranks. The Saffron Swindlewoman would be a powerful ally to have on my side. Alas, it seems as if that plan has failed completely."
So Winnie was even aware of her moniker within the Organization. The Lillevere Family's spies were not to be underestimated. Gwendolyn Lillevere herself even less so. She had calculated almost everything perfectly—except the human heart.
"I agree to your request. I'll work with you." In response to Winnie's raised eyebrow, Violet only laughed. "Is it that surprising? In truth, I'm not as unaffected as you assume. This place has been both generous and kind. I don't think I've ever been somewhere so peaceful." A pause. "And I value my friendship with the lady of the house. Provided that none of it was part of the falsehood."
"It makes me so glad to hear you say so! And no, everything you've experienced here was authentic for the most part. My only lie was the existence of the Bloodrose Heart."
"Does such a gem even exist?" Now it was Winnie's turn to laugh.
"That's just what I call one of my favorite creations. You simply must try a bite next time." Violet smiled back.
"It would be my pleasure, milady."
"This is wonderful! I'll have someone bring the papers right away. "Violet tilted her head in confusion. "The marriage papers, that is." Now Violet had completely lost the thread of conversation. When she said as much, Winnie responded, "I can't have you do such dangerous work without benefits. We'll get married, and then you'll have a legal right to half my property in the future, no matter what happens to me."
Violet was flabbergasted. "You would do that for me?"
"Of course I would! I'm not afraid to admit I've been moved by your company as well. So why not make it official? How about it, are you willing to be my eternal test subject in all matters related to baking?"
"This is the strangest marriage proposal I've ever witnessed. So maybe I'm even stranger for agreeing. But yes. I'll marry you."
In the light of the setting sun, a new moon began to arise. Two young ladies formed a pact that would change both of their lives forever.