It was that night, everything changed for everyone. The Trancy manor was decked out for its latest ball. The night was beautiful. But not as beautiful as her
In the morning
"MALANCIA!" The curly haired bouncing twelve-year-old screamed.
Malancia's scarlet eyes looked up from the soapy dirty water, away from the mess at hand. She didn't think demons could physically be tired but she sure felt like it. Gloria rubbed her eyes.
"Por favor nada más haz la feliz"
"Don't worry. My lady. A venomous bite and a childish hell are all part of a snake demons enveloping spell" she gives her employer a tired smile. She flips the embroidered wet crimson towel over her shoulder and ascends the twisting stairs, shaky wet hands clinging to the ebony railing. It was a simple manor. It was smaller than most but still clean and elegant, with diplomas and portraits all around the wine colored walls. She sighed, and turned the golden doorknob. She dodged a flying vase, then caught it with ease, she spun around and placed the vase on a nearby shelf. Abelia pouts
"That's not where that goes."
"What do you wish for, going mistress?"
"I need help picking out an outfit." She had something of a passion for clothing and fashion. She scans the selection and gestures to a green dress, one that was evergreen and had a black lace about it.
"What about this?" She asks politely.
"I hate dresses." She grunts
"It's the norm for women to wear dresses. Do you want to be a deviant?"
"Yes."
"Fine. Here." She picks up a goldish sweater, matching with black slacks. "This brings out the color of your eyes and-"
"Stop it!"
"Stop what?"
"Your voice. It's too high pitched. Change it."
"One does not simply change their voice, young mistress."
"LEAVE." She ordered. Abelia had been a difficult girl from birth. Always crying, whining, never satisfied and irritated by the smallest of things.
In the afternoon
A butler's afternoon starts, well making sure the master is satisfied as always. Which was. For Malancia, quite a difficult task. She had several tutors trained in the finest of arts to assist her but even then. She made very slow progress. One of her parents many aspirations, was for her to become a proper lady. So, Abelia was occupied with musical instrument lessons (they still had not found something to her liking. Her parents wanted a light, woodwind instrument like the flute for the daughter. She preferred the tuba). Malancia took the opportunity to clean the manor. She switched out her normal casual attire for something much rattier. Not that she planned on spilling anything or making a mess but a Butler is always prepared for the unexpected. She pulled out the rubber gloves and grabbed a rose colored bucket, then filled it with hot soapy water. Grabbing a brush, she dipped it in the water, enjoying the slight sting she felt from the hot water. It would have injured most humans, but she was at an advantage. The pain reminded her she was alive. And she was grateful for that.
The floor was black and white tiled, and encrusted with dirt from the last day. She scrubbed, putting effort into each stroke as if she were scrubbing a masterpiece. When. The floor was all soaped up, she grabbed a new pinkish bucket of hot water, and wiped the floor down. She was almost finished, when she turned around to see the floor once more encrusted with filth. She wonders for a moment what could have happened, then the realization hits her. She simply sighs as Abelia snickers, moving on to her next task. She stood on the edge of the balcony, extending her arms as far as she could, dusting away the cobwebs that had formed. She appears to be just an ordinary Butler taking quite the risk if she fell. But she had confidence within herself and her balance was impeccable. Until Abelia came along. She knew it would happen. So when the little girl pushed her, she more so jumped, grabbed the chandelier and swung to the next balcony, then silently resumed her dusting. She quietly hummed to herself, destroying the webs that had accumulated in the corners of the household. This was how it went. All her cleaning for the day was for naught. Eventually the manor was filthier than when she began. She sighed, and as Abelia laid down for an afternoon nap (she was an early riser). And began to do all her chores again, this time with much more speed. The manor was spotless in a matter of an hour.
In the Evening
Malancia prepared the evenings dinner around 5 o'clock sharp every day. It was always ready to eat by six. But today as she splashed the final juices over her braised chicken with peppers, sided with an array of steamed vegetables, something went wrong. She went to go check on her mistress only to find missing. She does not panic, not even when she hears the sound of dog's chop licking or the sound of the food she had made being devoured. For a butler, she knew that she could fix any conflict that arose. So when she heard Abelia running away giggling and the dogs on the counter, she did not even break a sweat. She simply shooed the dogs away, into the family room where they usually napped and whipped out a slab of meat. Thirty minutes later, the meal was perfectly prepared once more on time as usual. Malancia never ceased to amaze Abelia.
That night, Gloria was going through the mail, delivered by the gardener, Carlos. He was their only servant besides Malancia, named gardener but his real tasks had evolved into other task such as assisting Malancia in whatever endeavor she wished. It was a small manor, so it only needed one or two servants to satisfy its needs. Carlos had had a rough life back in America, his family had been split up and he and a couple friends had had to survive off of what they could until he eventually got a job offer from Malancia. She too used to live in America, working as a nurse. She respected those who lived a fulfilling life, and took much pleasure in taking part in the balance between life and death. She was actually the one who delivered Abelia, when Gloria went into labor during vacation. Two years later, everything changed, and the contract was made. Malancia met Carlos in the Emergency room after a kidney transplant, and had enlisted him as a servant in the Parvuli family.
"For you, sweetie." Chirped Gloria, handing Dominic the sealed letter addressed to the Earl Parvuli. "It's from Lord Trancy?" she asks.
"Goodness, we haven't heard from them since…" he trails off, everyone "So his son is the one inviting?"
"We better bring Abelia! She could use some friends at this age. They're around the same age, yes?"
"He's about a year older, if I remember correctly."
"What if I don't want to go?" pouts Abelia.
"It's either go, or stay home with Malancia."
"I'll go." She decides.
"Malancia, will you accompany us as well? I doubt we can handle Abelia on our own. "
"Of course, my lady. I would be much obliged."
The next day was a tragic mess of everyone running around, preparing for the ball that was taking place that night. Malancia had to wake up Abelia early in the morning since they had a long ride into town to buy her a new dress. She complained the whole way, groaning about how it was too early for a child like her and how she didn't even like dresses. After about an hour she fell back asleep, much to Malancia's relief. She hummed to herself, steadily using this time to draw a picture of the garden back at the Parvuli manor. It was just beginning to bloom and at its peak of attractiveness, in her opinion. They arrived at Madame Blackwood's Dress Emporium around its opening time, eight o'clock. When they entered it smelled thickly of perfume and makeup. It was the perfect place to go if you were in need for a ball. Which they were, and had no time to spare. Lady Blackwood greeted them pompously, and tittered about how if they needed anything at all not to hesitate. Malancia smile and nodded like a good, polite butler, but was in reality, she was really quite annoyed with this woman's façade. Squeezing her master into a bodice was quite difficult, even for Malancia. It was mostly the complaining and squirming that got her. The array of dresses had various complaints, too tight, too big, too showy, etc. It was so difficult to find something that suited her young mistress, that her mistress actually liked! But eventually she found a small knee length dress, the color of plums. It had two thin straps and a silky texture. As soon as Abelia was satisfied, Malancia hurried her to undress and paid a pretty penny for it, just in case her master would change her mind. She did not want to go back to square one. After another long carriage ride filled with cantankerous Abelia, they finally arrived. Carlos tended to the horses. Usually it would have been Malancia; she loved to work with animals of all sorts but she knew she had to hurry, for the ball was mere hours away and she had to make Abelia presentable. She made her immaculate, emphasizing her barely developed curves, much to her disliking, dusting light shades of makeup across her face, and squeezing her into the new dress. She put her bouncing blond curls in a high ponytail.
"It's okay I guess." Was her reply to seeing herself fin a mirror. Malancia merely sighed again and let the girl run off to her parents. It was time for herself to get dressed as well. She searched through her closet filled with dresses for balls and for casual wear. She chooses a simple black dress that emphasized her hips and took a dip around her chest. She left her azure hair down, straight and plain and applied a smattering of eyeliner and lip gloss to her face. Her wedges had a small bow at the ankle and ere never previously worn. After all, this was a rare occasion; the service is hardly ever allowed to attend a ball. But she was more or less a babysitter and had a duty to fulfill. The ride to the Trancy manor was relatively short in comparison to the mornings expedition to the emporium. They arrived shortly after five o'clock, and were greeted by a butler in almost all black and a pair of rimless spectacles. His raven hair stuck out at several angles, but he was so professional you knew it had to be on purpose, his skin was unblemished, and mostly covered except for his face. She took his hand gently, not really relying on him to help her out.
"Welcome, Earl and Countess Parvuli, to the Trancy manor." He greeted. His pupils dilated slightly when he saw her hair. She turned away as the parents exited, but could feel his eyes burning into the back of her. He was interested in something, he knew there was something off about this woman, but what was it? To tease him, she ran her hand down his arm as if feeling his biceps. Her long black nails just grazing his hand as she let go. He almost shivered from the contact; what was wrong with him? She was not the first woman to express any type of interest in him, so why did this one get to him? He turned around to find her heels already clicking away. Abelia did not take his hand, just hopped down and ran after her butler.
The ball fared fairly well, it entailed everything that a butler was used to by this point; serving appetizers and glasses of wine, making small talk guests, and doing anything and everything that their masters ordered. Alois was making sure to give Claude hell as usual, but he completed each task flawlessly, the servants were doing the same. While all the guests were up and dancing, Claude stood behind the Earl Trancy, who sat smiling as if he was really enjoying himself.
"Claude, come here." Commands Alois. Claude leans downward, as if he was bowing.
"You need to get laid." Whispers Alois.
"Pardon?"
"You hear me, loosen up, and get some."
"Young master—" Abelia stole a seat next to Alois.
"Who are you?" asked Alois, not unkindly.
"The future Countess of the Parvuli family. So you better be nice to me." She adds with some thought.
"I'll do what I want."
"Well you better not be a little bitch, because I was told to make friends."
"Abelia watch your language!" berated Malancia, right behind her with a glace of wine in hand. Claude was beside her, by his master ever so dutifully.
"You're not my mother, you're my butler. Go get me a drink." She orders. Malancia's mouth forms a straight line of disapproval and she huffs, walking toward the kitchen.
"I like you. Claude, like the dog you are go and fetch e something to drink." His expression does not change at being called a dog, not even in public.
"Yes, your highness." Claude goes into a deep bow, and then exits the room as well. There is no one in the kitchen besides them. She pours a glass of juice for her master, then sips her wine, leaving a smudge on the glass. Claude watches her out of the corner of his eyes, her movements are elegant and not without purpose.
"So your master is a little bitch too?" she asks. He is taken aback; he had never heard someone speak so plainly about their master before.
"I suppose; he is most irksome." He admits. And she hops on top of the counter, right in front of him. He tries not to stare at her bare legs, or the birthmark on it, or how silky smooth they looked. She takes his hand and he finds himself not resisting. As she places his hand on her knee, he leans in and she does as well. Their lips touched softly, he smelled of roses. She melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and making the kiss deeper. He didn't know what it was about this woman, whether it was her blue hair or her intriguing personality, but something about her got to him. She tasted of cherries, and smelled of lavender. Something in his chest felt tight, which definitely was not normal but it felt good in way. She wrapped her legs around his waist, he picks her up and carries her into the walk in pantry that Lord Trancy owned. Closing the door, her barely covered crotch rubbed up against his abdomen, making the butler grow stiff. She ran a hand through his hair making it even more messy, she licked his mouth and he, in surprise slowly opened his mouth. Their tongues collided, battling for dominance and exploring the others mouth. She sucked on his tongue, a most pleasurable experience for Claude. He slipped down a strap of her dress and broke apart their kiss. Lord Trancy's words came back to him, he presses his cold lips to her shoulder, the warm skin feeling pleasurable to him. He kisses up, leaving a trail of kisses on her neck. She pushes him against the wall, and resume their kiss, hands on his hips, a small bit of pain awakens Claude, she bit his lip lightly. They lock lips again, feeling absolute lust. She moves to his neck, sucking vigorously, trying to find his sweet spot, leaving little love bites all over his neck. She does, sucking on the bit of flesh and even nibbling a little; he groans in response, pushing up his spectacles. He is about to lower his hands to his belt, when a sudden yell interrupts him.
"WE ARE LEAVING!" shouts Abelia. They exchange lustful looks, his golden pupils almost illuminating pinkish red in the dark. She sighs, pecks his lips and pulls up her straps before quickly leaving. The ball was just getting started as the large grandfather clock struck midnight in the main hall. As she runs down he realizes, he has no name for the mysterious, exciting, woman. Or anyway to contact her. He smirks a little. His very own Cinderella.