Chapter Text
“Want a glass?”
“Please, I definitely need it.”
The other three girls smiled as the new arrival entered the room with a sigh, clutching her temples as to fight off an oncoming headache as she joined other girls in the sitting room, flopping down into an armchair and letting out a tired sigh before accepting the glass of alcohol offered to her by the blonde. She knocked it back professionally and let out a satisfied sigh as the burn of the alcohol tingled in her throat before held out her empty glass to the blonde.
“Another one Morgan.”
“Rough day?” She asked, smiling as she took the glass and poured another one before handing it back to the brunette. She nodded before knocking back her second drink, humming this time as the second short was much more pleasant than the first. She held her glass out to Morgan for a third one.
“You have no idea. While I don’t mind doing errands in the village for milady, it’s the dealing with asshole villagers and hearing their quips which makes it unbearable. The things that they say and do…it just makes you think that it will be easier to just run away to escape everything that they throw at you, figuratively and literally.”
The red head sitting next to Morgan let out a laugh, shaking her head before leaning on her hand to keep her head propped up to look at the brunette who was knocking back her third drink.
“While that sounds easy to do, it definitely is not. I don’t think Lady Dimitrescu will take well to you running away. She will probably send one of our girls to find you if not herself. Hell, she might even ask Heisenberg for your help.”
“She won’t ask that man for anything Raya. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“One will do anything to keep the one that they love by their side.”
The brunette rolled her eyes Raya’s words, the redhead sticking her tongue out playfully at the brunette which reminded her of the other redhead in the castle who happened to have a similar personality to Raya, albeit a little bit more on the extreme side. The brunette held out her glass to Morgan for a fourth drink, only to have the back of her hand smacked by the fourth occupant of the room, her raven locks falling in front of her face as she leaned out of her seat to smack the brunette’s hand.
“Don’t go too fast. You still have to tend to your lady for bed later tonight. She won’t appreciate you arriving drunk.”
The brunette pulled her hand back and rubbed the back of it while scowling at the black-haired girl, who just levelled her with a scolding look.
“I won’t arrive drunk. Besides, I hold my liquor the best out of all of us!”
“I actually contest that. The last time we drank together, you were completely plastered and I was the one that had to haul your ass back to your room.” Morgan said, pointing at the brunette as she recounted that moment which was both shocking and hilarious at the same time.
“Oh please, I don’t even remember that.”
“Exactly.”
“Oh shut it.”
The brunette got out of her chair to try reach for the bottle which Morgan left on the coffee table, only to have it snatched away by the raven who held it closely to her chest.
“No.”
“Oh come on Alexia, I need it after today!”
“No means no Isabella. And besides, turning to alcohol as a form of stress relief is hardly healthy. In fact, it is the one-way ticket to the basement where all the other maids who turned to alcohol to deal with their duties. You know how Lady Dimitrescu demands excellence from us, as well as sobriety.”
Isabella scowled, her glare intensifying as she glared at the raven-haired girl. Alexia wasn’t at all phased by the brunette’s glaring and placed the bottle on the side table next to the couch she was sitting on before tucking her legs underneath her.
“You know that I am right.”
“You will never hear me admit it. As of this moment, you are on my hit list.”
“Oh yes, and it is so hard to get off it.”
“Bela is rubbing off on you. You are sounding almost as sarcastic as she is.”
Alexia shrugged non-committedly and that just made Isabella sigh, placing her empty glass on the coffee table instead and slumping back into the armchair without another word. The crackling of the wood in the fireplace of the Maid quarters, as well as the sniggering conversation between Raya and Morgan, filled the otherwise silence in the room. The other maids are either finishing off their own chores or simply enjoying their leisure time in their rooms.
The four of them were the only ones in the common space provided for the staff leisure time. Although most preferred to spend their time in their rooms, which were the ‘safest’ place for the maids working in this castle, since its vampiric occupants preferred not to visit the areas which were deemed for servants. Though anything outside of their rooms were fair game and so the common space was not used as often as it should in fear of being sought out by one of the daughters of Lady Dimitrescu.
Isabella allowed her body to relax for the first time today and looked at the other three girls in thought, Morgan and Raya still snickering about something while Alexia was reading one of the many books that she borrowed from the library, no doubt lent to her by the oldest of the Dimitrescu sisters.
“…Where are the girls?”
“Hunting.” The three of them answered simultaneously, which made the corner of Isabella’s lips quirk upwards at the monotone of their answers. Alexia looked up from her book to look at her.
“And where is the Lady?”
“A late meeting with the other lords. She is expected to arrive later tonight.”
“And as always, I’m sure you have special plan to help to relax, isn’t that right miss paramour?”
Isabella instantly tossed the cushion on the armchair at Morgan, the blonde laughing as she caught it and slipped it behind her own back to add to her comfort. Isabella felt her cheeks flush as Morgan was not far off the mark with her teasing jab.
“Shut up, you know nothing.”
“Oh contraire my friend, I know much more than you think. Especially with what happened last week when you and the Lady-“
“Finish that sentence and I will tell everyone what I saw between you and Cassandra in her painting room.”
Almost comically Morgan shut her mouth, eyes widening while Raya grinned widely, excitedly looking between Isabella and Morgan with keen interest.
“Oooh, what happened between the two of you? Another erotic painting session?”
Morgan immediately shoved Raya, blushing brightly.
“None of your business!”
“You aren’t denying it-“
“I am not entertaining this!”
“Aww come on Morgan, tell us! We’re your friiiiiends!”
“No you’re not!”
“Ouch.” Alexia said monotonously, turning a page of her book which made everyone turn their attention to her.
Morgan was blushing red and Isabella couldn’t help but smile as Raya turned to look at Isabella with curious eyes and a teasing smile.
“Come on Isabella. You can’t open a can of worms and not go fishing. Tell me what you saw.”
“She will do no such thing if she knows what is good for her!”
Morgan turned to Isabella sharply, a warning look in her eyes which made Isabella raise her eyebrow at her, a challenging glint in her eyes.
“Is that a threat Morgan?”
“No, it is just a warning that if you blab, I will blab too.”
“You are the one who started this.”
“I did not!”
“You did.” The other three answered simultaneously, which just made Morgan gasp indignantly as she tried to defend herself.
Smiles appeared across all three of the others faces, Raya’s ever increasing while Alexia’s lips quirked upwards in a small smile as she turned the page. Isabella felt light for the first time today, the day’s events with dealing with the villagers slowly melting away. The four of them have been through a lot together and have just gotten closer with their time in the castle. They can really only depend on each other given that the other maids can less than a friendly attitude towards them because of their place in the castle.
The walls have ears in the castle and each one of them have heard the sharp words which the other maids whispered about them and others, each getting worse and worse as time passed on. Nothing is kept a secret in the castle and it quite well known what all four of them are deemed in the eyes of the other maids.
Bela’s toy.
Cassandra’s bitch.
Daniela’s freak.
And Lady Dimitrescu’s pet.
The four of them were aware of their standing with the other maids and while it was most disheartening, they were at least able to turn to each other for friendly support. Their friendship was bizarre, but it worked. It worked for them. Isabella sighed and clicked her neck, freeing herself of some tension before speaking.
“Would you say we are lucky or unlucky?”
The three girls lifted their heads to look at her, slight confusion on their faces at the question. But Alexia closed her book and shrugged as she placed it on the side table.
“It depends on the situation.”
“Our situation.”
“Hmm, then it depends. We are all in the same boat.”
“Can’t deny that.” Raya said, leaning back into her seat and moving her feet to place them on Morgan’s lap. Morgan scrunched her nose at the sight of Raya’s bare feet but didn’t push them away.
“I’d say we are pretty damn lucky. We’re alive and we definitely have something which the others don’t have.” Morgan said, a smile crawling along her face as she began to think of a certain brunette whom she paints with and spends many nights cooped up in her room.
Every seemed to follow the same line of thinking as Morgan as they all began to think of the Dimitrescu who managed to capture their hearts. Alexia thinking of the blonde vampire whom she reads books with and plays piano. Raya thinking of the fellow red-head who tackles the two of them flying through the castle as a cackling duo. And Isabella thinking of Alcina, the lady of the house who holds power over everyone, even her daughters, ruling with an iron fist and yet treats her with gentle caresses and soft kisses behind closed doors where it is just the two of them.
“I concur.” Alexia said, her features soft as she smiled.
“What she said.” Raya agreed, her grin as wide as usual when she thought of Daniela, making all of their smiles widen.
“Agreed.” Isabella smiled widely at them before motioning at the bottle of alcohol still standing on the side table next to Alexia.
“Now come on, let me have another. I’ve settled now.”
“Just because you’re used to Lady Dimitrescu drinking wine doesn’t mean that you should.” Alexia scolded, frowning at the brunette. Isabella rolled her eyes.
“How does Bela love you? You’re so uptight.”
“I am not!”
“Oh you so are Lex, you’re as tense as an iron nail. I do wonder how Bela deals with you.” Raya said teasingly. Alexia turned to glare at her.
“And I wonder just how Daniela is able to love an energetic, oversized puppy.”
“Hey don’t use puppies as an insult!” Raya immediately argued, shooting up straight and actually glaring at the black-haired girl this time. Morgan couldn’t help but snort at Raya’s indignation and that turned the redhead’s attention to her quite quickly.
“Don’t laugh at me. You’re not an easy girl either! I’m sure Cassandra struggles with you!”
“Ha! More like I struggle with her!” Morgan argued, smacking Raya on the leg which caused the redhead to yelp at the sharp sting.
“How do I have the patience to deal with all of this?” Isabella asked herself out loud, which caused the other three to shift their attention to her.
“Oh don’t act like a Saint. Lady Dimitrescu certainly must have bumped her head when she met you because I just wander how she can tolerate a bratty person like you.” Morgan quipped, but Isabella just raised an eyebrow.
“You make it sound like a bad thing. She quite likes my bratty side.”
The three girls immediately scrunched their noses up in disgust, not appreciated the TMI which Isabella just provide them. But then again, they all know a little intimate details about each other which they have solemnly sworn to never tell any of the other maids in the castle. But Isabella smiled and indicated for the bottle again.
“Okay how about this. We will drink on it and tell each other just how obvious that our ladies adore us and show it just to prove to each other how lucky we are in our situation.”
“That just sounds to me that you are finding a reason to have some more of the drink.” Alexia said, raising an eyebrow at the brunette. Isabella shrugged and flashed a smile.
“Maybe, but it does make it more fun.”
“…That is true.” Alexia said, sighing as she untucked her feet and grabbed the bottle and uncapped it to pour in Isabella’s glass, along with Morgan and Raya’s eagerly waiting hands holding out their own empty glasses. Morgan grinned as she held her glass up as if making a toast.
“To an interesting night then.”
Raya aggressively clang her glass against Morgan’s, almost spilling it.
“Cheers!”
Isabella laughed at Raya’s enthusiasm and Morgan’s annoyance at the red head, along with Alexia’s willingness to humour her suggestion. She raised her glass in the air as well and smiled.
“Let’s get started then.”