Disclaimer: I don't own RHPS
A/N: Here's a short little story. Hopefully it's well-written enough . The quality of my work is getting worse and worse, I fear.
By the way, the thing about selling your children into slavery to help pay debts is something I stole from the Romans. It's actually not as awful as it sounds. And the idea of Romans buying Greek slaves to tutor the children or be the family doctor is sort of what inspired Riff Raff's situation in this story.
It was, of course, a dark and stormy night.
Thunder crashed and lightning lit the dark sky. Only a touch of the full moon's light could be seen through the gloomy clouds. All the castle's pictures shuddered in their frames, windows leaked, furniture wobbled, the front garden flooded...
Magenta liked this. Somehow the chaotic weather was comforting. It was better than a chaotic household. The Master was oddly calm for some reason. Though what really mattered and her brother basically had the evening free. Such a thing was rare indeed.
"It's astounding," Magenta muttered, smiling darkly.
Currently she sat on the staircase and spun that silly old feather duster around in her hands. Dressed in her usual maid's uniform she looked very much like the tired, overworked domestic she unfortunately was. This life could've been avoided if only her family hadn't gone into debt. Selling the children as slaves was a standard thing when one couldn't pay the bills. Usually they'd get bought back... but Magenta (then 12) hadn't been.
At least she'd been reunited with her very clever elder brother. When he was about five he'd been sent to a specialized school for those who'd excelled in science. For many years the two siblings hadn't seen each other. Now they were lucky enough to be together on a very strange mission. Riff had more power than many people because he was a scientist that Crown Prince Frank systematically took ideas from. Like debtors selling their children into slavery, wealthy people paying middle-class scientists to take credit for their ideas was a standard thing. Everyone knew the ideas weren't actually the Master's.
Though Magenta tried to avoid thinking about all that. Especially during a lovely thunderstorm. It was very exciting, that.
After sitting on the staircase for quite a while she decide to go find her brother. They shouldn't waste this precious time. So rarely were the two given much time to be alone together.
It only took a few minutes of somewhat random wandering through the castle's winding hallways for Magenta to find her brother. He'd been lurking ominously in the shadows - as he often did, being something of an Igor - and she'd nearly walked right by him.
"Hello, darling," she said sweetly.
"Hello," was his simple, monotone reply.
"Lovely weather we're having."
He stared at her for a moment. As usual his face displayed practically no emotion. But those blue eyes were alight with amusement, Magenta could see. So he wasn't annoyed at her. Not that he really ever was.
Finally he spoke: "I was hoping... dear sister... that you've nothing to do this evening. Judging by that duster in your hand you've got to... work."
That's when Magenta realized she still held the feather duster in her hand. With a strange laugh she threw it on the floor. This seemed to make her brother even more amused.
"I'm not busy, darling. Though I could find something to go clean. This castle is always a dreadful mess."
He knew she was teasing him. It was terribly obvious, as she meant it to be.
"My room?" she said softly.
"The Earthling is busy entertaining the Master, so... of course."
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