I stood before the temporary housekeeper and looked forward as she pulled out her safe key and opened it. There sitting amongst everything were the confiscated items for the staff. I could see some more aether crystals. A journal of some kind, and various other items that seemed of little importance to me.
“I’m only returning this to you under the strict understanding that you keep it in your room while working. If we catch you with it again it’ll be a whole month before it is returned.” I bowed my head as I received it from her and tucked it into my apron.
“I’ll return to my room now to store it away while the family attends to their morning lessons. Thank you so much m’lady.” Turning I hurried to the room. My roommate was lying on the bed, snoozing in the short time between when we would be busy. She was an eternally tired and grumpy woman. Her own crystal was set aside on her nightstand. No doubt having used it to communicate with her husband.
I pulled out my crystal quill and signed the front of my own and let it make sure it was me. After a moment it faded and out came a string of transferred messages. All of them from Alice it seems like.
Ellen,
It’s not like it is important or anything but you said you were going to write me. Not like I really care but still. Your word is only worth when you keep it. So, just reminding you that you said you would write me. I’ll try to read whatever you send me in due time. But I have very important things to do that are separate from our arrangement.
Write me,
Alice Mender
Smirking at the sweet woman’s message I laid back and opened up the next, it seemed to have been sent a few hours later. Maybe after she was done working.
Ellen,
Once again, it is up to me to make sure you are in your place. It is galling that you are not keeping your word. You write me often enough that I know when I’m being ignored and I’l letting you know that it does not in fact bother me. I have a very busy life so that is that. Just remember, it’s not like I care but you said you would write.
Alice
I opened up a new letter and addressed it to her name. Debating I tapped the quill to my lips as I looked down at the blank sheet. She was such a coy and silly girl. Trying to play like she didn’t care when it obviously bothered her immensely. What would I write to make her realize I knew she was playing games.
Alice,
I missed your sweet lips these past few days. That our rendezvous was cut short brought me nearly to tears. That we had been separated, even for such a short time was nearly unacceptable. If not for the master of your establishment I’m sure our time together would have been sweeter than any honey on this earth. I long to kiss your petals and send you into the heavens in our moments together.
Think of my hands fondly, think of how I treat you and then. Then you can tell me if you truly care for me or not. I will not chase after you any longer if it truly bothers you when our lives are so different. Send me forth into the snows of loneliness if you must. I shall shiver in perpetual want of your warmth.
Ellen Seams
Her other messages I perused where all the same. Some of them sounding more and more desperate as if she believed she had wronged me in some way. Then they would switch to a tone of a much less enthused person over the course of a day or so. In only a week she had written me over a dozen times. I looked fondly on her clumsy calligraphy. “Silly girl.”
A new message popped up a few minutes later as I leaned back and relaxed on the top of the bed. I looked at it expecting a message from Alice when instead it was from my mother. My lips curled into a painful frown as I thought about just wiping it from the crystal and not looking upon it. Slowly, I opened it.
Dearest Ellen,
It has come to my attention that you have sought to give your services out without recompense to the Garden. That you would be intimate with another does not bother me, but to give out the skills I have taught you and not return to me some form of repayment bodes poorly for your standing here at the Garden. I will warn you now, and only now. That should you use the tools of this brothel you will need to repay it in some way. For now I’m docking your work wages by five marks. I’ve deposited your adjusted payment from our esteemed friend Lady Silverstein into your account with the Garden. So that next time you are in town you can withdraw your funds from our coffers.
I will be charging you a cleaning and use fee for the supplies you brought out. After the removal of the eleven marks it cost me to treat the leather and clean the rod you have the following. A balance of three hundred and twenty seven marks. If you would like me to procure you anything of value while you are indisposed with your fool’s errand of a job then write me back the specifics and it will be waiting for you.
Madame Elvira Seams
Sighing I thought of anything that I might need and had nothing come to mind. Only the roof mattered to me most days. Maybe next time I would be able to get into Alice’s bed. But that was weeks away and I didn’t need to worry about that now.
I simply returned my mothers message with Understood. Signing my name on it once more the crystal darkened and I tucked it away into my apron and stretched my arms. There was bound to be something to get up to and keep myself busy so I stood and left my sleeping roommate be.
Grabbing a mop and bucket I headed to the often neglected chambers for guests. It wasn’t too rare to catch another chambermaid risking taking a nap in such well appointed places but that wasn’t my goal for the day. I just wanted to stay somewhat busy. Getting too into using the crystal would spell trouble for me.
A thought occurred to me. If I could get the contact of one of the princesses I could worm my way into their circle that way. I would have to be careful about it though. And would have to make sure they were old enough to be able to take carefully worded messages as what they were. Sighing, I entered the East wing and went into the first room that hadn’t been used in some time.
These guest rooms were not nearly as well equipped. A snub in the nose for anyone of true standing to be staying in them. Though, I was sure that most provincial nobles wouldn’t have rooms as nice as these ones. I looked at the dust on the floor and all the accouterments of the place and sighed. I would have to fetch the new lights as well. The bulk of the supply was in the secondary wing where the princes stayed.
It would be easier to snag a prince in a web of desire. Even be elevated to a mistress if they weren’t sent away so early. That and how unskilled most men were in the art of intimacy. Often just thinking that ramming it hard and forward would be suitable enough. And they weren’t very tamable. Not so easily wrapped around one’s finger.
My crystal chimed and I paused. The door clicked open and someone rushed in. Face flushed and I startled slightly. There, stood someone I was unfamiliar with. In a wonderfully pink dress, fit almost for a ball, was a princess I didn’t recognize.
A visiting noble? Could this be my chance?
Closing the door hard the girl whipped around. Face flushed, almost androgynous in its appearance. I tilted my head before finding a moment of realization. “And what are you doing here young miss?”
The girl started whipping around to look at me with wide eyes. Her long blond hair in a braided bun with wonderful ribbon wrapped around it. I stomped up to the questionable young woman and thrust my finger in her face, “I asked you what you were doing here? The guest wing is closed at the moment.”
Panic filled her eyes as she looked at me with worry, with a soft, somewhat deeper voice she choked out, “Please I am-”
I slammed my hand right next to her face as she floundered in her inexperience. I grabbed her face and looked deep in her eyes. “Hush, I think I’ll have to drag you straight to the housekeeper.”
She shook her head vigorously. “No please, I can’t be caught.” She was shaking like a leaf.
“Why shouldn’t I? What would you give me if I made sure you weren’t caught?” I leaned close, pinning her with my body against the door as she shivered. Her submission to me made me wet.
“I-I’m promised to prince Allguard and I was going to visit him. I didn’t want anyone to know though as he… he hasn’t told his family.” She looked deep in my eyes with hope, “I’ll reward you if you help me get to his room unnoticed. Anything you want.”
I looked down at her kissable lips and felt my heart thunder, “Do you have a crystal?” At her nod I pulled my own out and held it to her, “Hold it against this.” She pressed her own crystal to my own and each of them glowed. “What’s your name?” I pulled out my quill.
“Uhhhhh, princess… petal.” She sounded so unsure I knew it was a lie. I still wrote the name on my crystal.
“Write, ‘My Mistress’ in your tablet right now. That’s what I am to you now. Do you understand?” She nodded as fear passed from her face. I shoved my face into hers until she was pressed tight, “You’ll do exactly what I want or I’m going to bring you to the housekeeper myself. Then, when you’re done visiting the prince you’ll write me.” I held up my crystal once more. “Beg me to come get you from his room and I’ll come fetch you and sneak you out of the castle. For a price.”
She nodded, following my words closely. “Anything.”
“Remember you said that later. You lie, you cheat, you do anything I don’t like and I’ll bring you in.” I sighed and looked at her, “You are never going to get through the castle in the clothes you are in now. Not when I’m dressed as a chambermaid. I’m going to fetch you a dress like mine and then I’ll sneak you to his room.” I pulled away just enough to look in her eyes and pierce her with my stare. Her own were wide, something hungry in her I saw in all the submissive people I had played like this with. “Stay put.”
“Yes, anything to get to the prince’s room.”