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Crafty Little Bird...
Rachel Roth was very accustomed to doing chores around the house, she was a maid after all. She was employed by the Ander's family, but she a new one who was not needed.
Which was why she was now fresh off the boat and here to work for the Wayne family. Her uncle's war friend, a now butler to a prestigious American family, Alfred Pennyworth, had penned her uncle about needing help, and her father penned back saying how she needed a real job. It sounded like her uncle was kicking her out but he wasn't, Uncle Jack Williams was very kind to her, but money was getting tight. Rachel couldn't blame them for needing her out of the house, she was a spinster in the making. Her one suitor, a stable boy, Garfield Logan, had fallen hard for the hat shop keeper's daughter, Terra, and there were no prospects of marriage in Rachel's future. Also, her uncle had three children of his own to feed. She could not fault them for needing her gone, and she had graciously accepted Alfred's offer in exchange for half her wages to go to her uncle and family.
Rachel was the bastard child of a rape, her mother had died giving birth to her. Her father had been killed when she was fourteen by her hand when he came to take her away in the night and Rachel fought to live.
Rachel was really lucky her Aunt Alice had stepped in and taken her in, despite the village's claims of her being a witch child, and taken her in. But it was time Rachel left the nest, she was twenty-three, a spinster becoming, and Mary-Beth, Billy, and Jessica were coming of age and would need to be set up in good marriages. She would pay her uncle back for his kindness for everything he hadn't had to do, and accepted the job in the States at Wayne Manor.
Which was why she was walking off the boat, with her simple grey dress, and her hefty trunk of her measly belongings, and the family insisted essentials, and looking at a man older than her Uncle Jack dressed in a fine Butler suit.
"Miss Roth," he said.
"Mr. Pennyworth," she greeted.
"I am pleased you accepted the posting I had listed," Mr. Pennyworth said as she helped him load her trunk up.
"It's a wonderful opportunity, and everyone knows that the Wayne home is a good home," Rachel said as she sat on the carriage bench with Alfred.
"Yes, now, Mr. Wayne has four sons. Do not expect to see much of them, they are active young men. The eldest is Master Richard, the second is Master Jason, the third is Master Timothy, and the youngest is Master Damian," Mr. Pennyworth filled her in and Rachel listened attentively the entire ride from the Gotham docks to the Wayne Manor.
Rachel was to be the only maid for the family's private wing. None of the other servants, other than Mr. Pennyworth entered the area, and she was instructed to be as quiet and as invisible as possible in the care for the young Masters' rooms. Rachel had only obtained the position because of her uncle and the Ander's butler, Victor Stone, praising her ability to do her jobs without being seen. And Rachel frankly did not want the attention, she held no interests in courtship or marriage anymore, and she wasn't one to dally.
And thus, cleaning became her life, a life of silence as she cleaned up after the mysterious men she only caught glimpses of in passing.
Master Richard was a messy man, his clothes were often scattered about his room, and Rachel cringed at finding molding fruit beneath his bed. Also, his drapery was a tangled mess all the time, no matter, Rachel found that a thorough cleaning of his room, usually her Saturday was in order. She beat the rugs, scrubbed his floor, aired his mattress, cleaned his sheets, did his laundry, polished his shoes, and washed his drapes. His massive four post bed railing and the chandelier in his room were always covered in chalk for whatever reason and she found herself cleaning it every day.
Master Timothy was a hoarder, of all manner of things, from rubbish to books. He had countless notebooks scattered about the room and stacks of books. Rachel often times found a return trip to the library to return all he hoarded in order. Also, his room needed a thorough cleaning every three days, and not once a week. The only rule was she could not wake him, Master Timothy was an odd one who did not sleep all that much or eat, the number one rule of the Wayne house was one must never wake him wherever he was sleeping. If he fell asleep in the hall then one was to use another hall, if one found him in the library, or study, or parlor, they were to leave silently and immediately. Rachel knew him to go days without sleep before cashing and she usually just draped a blanket over him and left him be.
Master Damian was a hoarder as well as his brother, the only difference was Master Damian hoarded animals. The first time she walked into his room and saw a tiger cub on his bed she'd just about screamed before slamming the door shut. Immediately she spoke to Mr. Pennyworth about this, and soon Wayne Manor had a zoo for Master Damian's 'pets'. The tiger cub was not the last animal Rachel found hoarded away in Master Damian's room, in the first year she dealt with everything from rats to an elephant calf (she was still trying to figure out how Master Damian had smuggled that in without anyone noticing). She found a thorough cleaning of his room in order, daily.
Master Jason, the wanderlust child of Master Wayne's brood, was frequently gone. However, Rachel took out much time to clean and air his room. Even when Master Jason was home his room was always orderly and clean, as if he cleaned it himself. Rachel liked his room the best to slip into for a breather because so frequently it was empty, and no one would come looking for her in his room. His room was also filled with exotic books, journals, charts, and weapons, all very fascinating and she wondered where he went to, to get these.
Rachel's other charges were the Master's elderly parents, Master Thomas and Martha Wayne. A sweet elderly couple who often ignored her as she went about her duties. Though Mrs. Wayne sat Rachel down once a week for tea, because she was an old lonely woman. Rachel was drafted as Mrs. Wayne's hand maid more often times than not when the Waynes decided to host a party.
As to Rachel's final charge, that was Master Bruce Wayne, and he was a kind, scholarly man who was of keen intellect. Rachel thought him interesting, but she frequently found herself cleaning up after his dalliances the morning after parties. Rachel handled it with ease. All of Master's Bruce's sons were adopted or bastards, and no one in society breathed a word of it. Especially not when the family portrait of the Waynes showed four young men who looked a bit like Master Bruce, sharp blue eyes, and handsome features with thick black hair.
Rachel found herself busy in her new job from before dawn to past midnight, however she was paid handsomely for her discretion not to gossip about the family. Also, Rachel, a taught literate from her uncle, penned her family about her adventures in America once a week. Not that they were much in adventures, but life was never dull in the Wayne Home.
And for over a year that was her life, a life which ran her ragged, and had her falling asleep with her feet still in her shoes and propped on her room's stool as she lounged in a batter chaired she'd bought after her first wages.
The other servants of the house treated her with scorn but Rachel honestly did not care, she would spend her rare days off at a book shop in Gotham not too far from the Manor and read in her room by her window. Her attic room was rather cozy compared to what she had had, and it was the largest servant room aside from Mr. Pennyworth's.
But that brought her to her second year in America, and it was her day to clean the private library, she was standing on the top of a ladder as she dusted, her black hair pulled up, and her dusting tarps laid out as she worked on organizing the books properly as she went. No one was home today, it was Sunday and the Wayne family had a standing obligation with the city's orphaned children, they'd be gone all day. Which was why she picked today to clean.
Which was why the sound of the door bouncing open had her jumping as she spun on her ladder, wobbling as her ladder teetered, and gasped as she fell to straddle it so she didn't fall off.
"Sorry! Are you alright!?" a voice asked as she felt her shaking ladder still.
"I'm fine," she squeaked, refusing to look down, well aware that he could see her undergarments; whoever he was.
"Alright, why don't you come down from there little bird," the voice coaxed.
"I can't," she said primly as she scrambled to hold onto her minimal dignity. Still refusing to look down at the man. "And you should not be in this library, this is the family's library!"
"Um… I'm the family," the voice laughed which had Rachel looking down then and finding herself staring at Master Jason's laughing face.
"I apologize Master Jason," she said.
"No problem, now seriously, get down, you're going to break your neck, little bird," he said firmly.
"Oh, well if it's an order from the Master then I must comply, but I am warning you I will only be right back on this ladder after you leave the library," she smartly replied, paling at her audacity to let her tongue loose rather than hold it. Still, she obeyed and stopped a few steps from the bottom. "If you'd be so kind as to move, Master Jason."
"Here," he offered her a hand and Rachel reluctantly accepted it as she hopped down and now dusted off her skirts as she looked up at Master Jason.
"What can I do for you Master Jason?" she asked as she bobbed her head and wiped her hands with her rag.
"Well first, you can introduce yourself little bird," he smiled.
"How rude of me, I'm Rachel Roth, the maid of the family quarters," she said simply as she finished cleaning her hands and clasped them before her.
"So you're the little ghost Al hired," Jason chuckled.
"Yes, if you do not require something, Master Jason I must insist on getting back to my duties as your family should be returning in exactly four hours and I need this room spotless for Madame Wayne," she said.
"I'll help," Jason shrugged. Raven stiffened as she felt the blood drain from her face. "I can't leave a lady to do the dirty work on a rickety ladder on her own now can I?"
"Yes, yes you can, Master Jason, I'm certain you are exhausted from whatever journey you were on, I will prepare you a bath, but I will then resume my cleaning, alone," Rachel stated.
"Hold up, sunshine, I'm not tired, and you are not cleaning in here, on that, unsupervised," Jason snapped.
"And the Master of the house should not clean," she retorted.
"How about a compromise, I've brought home tea, we share a cup of that, and then I hold the ladder, because you will fall and break your neck, and I don't think Grandmama would handle a dead body in the library very well," Jason stated.
"Very well, as you are apparently not leaving."
"Glad you see it my way," Jason smiled.
"I don't, I merely have tasks to finish and if humoring you will allow me to compete them sooner I will," she omitted. He laughed and she found herself being herded out of the library and to the kitchen as he made himself the tea. Rachel just sat there stiffly as she waited for him to complete his task, then he sat as he waited for the water to boil.
"So little bird, tell me about yourself," Jason said.
"There is nothing to tell," she replied.
"I doubt that, everyone has a story," he said.
"And for what purpose would you wish to know my story, Master Jason? It is a dreary tale anyway and not one worthy of being told," Rachel dismissed and he smirked.
"And why wouldn't I wish to know the tale about what made a maid so certain in her position in the house to dare to sass a Master of the house?"
"Oh, that is simple, no other maid would ever willingly work in the Wayne private quarters," she stated primly and he laughed.
"You seem quite sure of that," he mused.
"I am, no other maid would handle Master Damian's assortments of pets, or Master Timothy love of sleeping in the most unnatural of positions in the oddest places in the house, or Master Dick's mysterious need to tangle his drapery and have chalk all over his room and foot prints on his ceiling," she said with a straight face.
"You raise a fair point," Jason mused. "And what peculiarities would you mention of me?"
"Oh, those I dare no say, that would be gossiping," Rachel said as he handed her a cup of tea.
"And discussing my brothers with me isn't?"
"It isn't, in fact I figure you know a great deal more about your brothers than I, and therefore have learnt of nothing new from my information," she replied.
"Crafty little bird," he cheered her.
"But if I may, what is you do to acquire such a… unique, and exotic assortment of weaponry, and books," she said as she sipped the tea.
"I'm my father and grandfather's international agent for the family business," Jason said with a smirk.
"Is that so, must be a very interesting job," she mused.
"Well I have a natural gift for languages so it's a good job for someone of my skills," he said.
"I see," she nodded and sipped her tea.
"You don't want to know more?"
"I do, however I'm trying to finish this delicious tea quickly so I may return to my duties, I do not have time to discuss your job with you, Master Jason, when I have my own to attend to," Rachel said.
"At least your honest," he chuckled.
"Of course, I am, lying is tedious, and quiet exhausting," she sighed. He laughed.
"Careful little bird, I might like you," he warned.
"I doubt it, I am very dull compared to all the high bred ladies you no doubt know, and to all the exotic people you must meet," she replied.
"You'd be surprised at how dull it all gets when everyone has a double meaning."
"That would be exhausting."
"As oppose to what you do?"
"I am a shadow, Master Jason, a very good little shadow who does her job and enjoys her days off to read," she confessed. "I am content to spend my days with books, who never lie as opposed to people who never say what they mean."
"You could teach the world a thing or two little bird," he said.
"Please stop calling me that, my name is Miss Roth," she said.
"I'm afraid I can't, sunshine, you see you look like a little bird, and I still see you wobbling on that ladder looking ready to fly," he said.
"I thought it was snap my neck," she dryly commented.
"Well that's if you had actually taken flight, but you're tiny enough I'm sure you could have flown."
"Well, the tea has been lovely Master Jason, but I must finish my chores." She informed him as she downed the last of the tea; wishing she could have savored it for it had been good, but she had work to do.
"Alright then, lead the way little bird," he gestured as he stood.
"You aren't…" she stared at him in horror.
"Oh, I am," he smiled. "And as Master of the house, you have to comply, let's go."
"You are the oddest of your peculiar brothers yet," she huffed and walked briskly back to the library where she resumed her work. the afternoon moved swiftly, Master Jason was excellent company and had thousand of book suggestions as she continued rearranging the books. It was when she finished and she was moving her supplies out that Mr. Pennyworth appeared.
"Ah, Master Jason, I was unaware you were coming home today," Mr. Pennyworth said.
"Sorry about that Al, however, I have had a wonderful afternoon with little bird here," Jason gestured to her and Rachel felt her cheeks heat a bit at the compliment.
"Master Jason I do not believe you've ever praised anyone so highly," Mr. Pennyworth announced.
"Of course not, which is why tomorrow, Miss Roth will have the day off and be accompanying me on my various errands," Jason smirked.
"I am?" Rachel blinked.
"Of course," Jason nodded.
"You are up to something Master Jason," Rachel warned as she glared at him.
"Of course I am, I'm going to have a wonderful day tomorrow with your exquisite company," he said.
"I'm afraid I cannot spare Miss Roth tomorrow, Madame Wayne will require a handmaid and Miss Roth is currently fulfilling those duties until I can find a suitable replacement for Miss Lane," he said.
"Tell Grandmama I'll make it up to her, and I got those pearls she loves," Jason smiled.
"Very well," Mr. Pennyworth said and gave her a smile, Rachel just sighed as she finished moving her equipment to the attic again. Jason helped her.
Okay, so... I get a lot of requests for this particular Historical AU. So I'm going to explain how this particular story works.
1. It is not one of my priorities. It was a drabble that has continued, and is likely to continue and as requests for it come I will add on to it.
2. It will be mainly posted and worked on through requests, via tumblr.
3. It's not a full fledged plot story, I'm making it up as I go. I manage the Hopes for a Bastard Series, I have resumed Never Be the Same, and the Until the Day I... Series, so I'm focusing on finishing those up.
4. If you want more of this particular little AU, please make a request on Tumblr. Don't be shy about it, I don't bite. And it might take me a long while, but I will; in time, get to whatever request is in my inbox. So seriously, don't be shy, if you desire more of this story put in the request.
That's all for now folks!
I hope you enjoy Birds of a Feather! =)