Chapter One:
Feferi
Feferi
A young maid pulled on the stays of a full busted, brown haired girl. The girl squeaked, gasping painfully.
"Tighter Aradia!" The girl wheezed through gritted teeth, clutching the mahogany post on her bed for support as her girth was squeezed.
The maid obliged,pulling as hard as she could without slipping in her heeled work shoes. As Aradia tied the ribbons on the corset, the brunette scrutinized herself in the glass on the wall, gasping and clutching at her waist, which had not quite been able to reach the desired hourglass shape.
"How small is it?" The girl exclaimed. The maid pulled a length of measuring tape from her apron pocket and pulled it around the other girls midriff.
"66 centimeters."
"Do you think that it looks small enough?" She asked, worrying her lower lip.
" Yes miss."
"Please, Megido, tell the truth."
The maid smiled and rolled her eyes "I am."
"Even so, I don't think that I can fit into the dress mother bought for me." A note of panic peaked in her voice "Aradia, what if I look like a fool? What if mother..." She trailed off, her girl's kelp-green eyes brimmed with worry, threatening tears. Aradia's sharp eyes caught this and she led her mistress over to the dark green settee.
"Your mother cannot force you to be skinnier, Miss Feferi. And frankly, you don't need to be." Feferi swallowed and nodded, looking gratefully into Aradia's warm brown eyes. "Now, why don't we try that dress on? And if it doesn't fit, you have a wide selection of dresses to choose from!"
~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~
"Um, Miss Peixes?" a rather nervous young man's voice, with a New York accent, called from outside Feferi's door just as Aradia finished securing the last pin into her hair.
Both of the girls jumped a little. Feferi cleared her throat "Oh, yes? What is it?"
"Um, well, it's just that the guests will be arriving soon. Your mother wants you to come down and greet them! If you don't mind, that is."
"Of course, I'll be right down!" She called. Feferi patted her hair and smoothed her dress anxiously, glancing at Aradia and worrying her lip again.
"You'll be fine." Aradia said "Come, where's the cheerful girl I'm so accustomed to?"
The girl didn't answer, but got up and strode to the door.
Feferi floated down the polished marble stairs, petticoats rustling sweetly under her light pink gibson girl dress. She met her mother by the tall, oak double doors. Mrs. Peixes wore a dress of the deepest fuchsia.
"Ah, Feferi." Her pair of sharp bottle-green eyes settled sternly on her daughter " I want you to mind your manners, and only speak if you are spoken to. First impressions define a person, and I want my friends to think highly of you. Especially tonight..."
As her thoughts drifted off, her gaze focused on her daughter's dress.
"By God, what are you wearing?!" She exclaimed.
"Th-the dress that you had made for me."
"It looks awful!" The woman said scornfully, just as the sound of hoofbeats came up the drive. Feferi's mother shot a hot, disdainful look at her daughter, and sighed "Well, nothing can be done about it now. If you weren't so dreadfully fat... besides, your maid should've laced you tighter, you look as though you barely fit!"
"Mother, she laced it as tight as it could go, I-"
"Don't defend her! That Megido- She's been making too many mistakes... And in light of that condition that she possesses-"
"Mother please, can we just drop the topic?" Tears stung the girl's eyes as she cut through the woman's words
Mrs. Peixes just glared at her daughter. Then she turned, visibly beating back her fast growing annoyance. "We should go greet them. Come Feferi."
Without another word, she strode to the door. Feferi blinked, drawing back tears and swallowing the golf-ball sized lump in her throat. Her face felt as though it was radiating heat and her skin prickled unpleasantly. She closed her eyes. Slowly, she smoothed out her skirts again, petting the soft satin fabric and bringing her thoughts back to the visitors and the dinner.
She raised her head, plastered on a demure smile, and hurried after her mother.
The first visitors stood in the entrance way, a tall woman and a lanky girl about Feferi's age. The woman wore her hair up in a slightly disheveled, but not unbecoming, bun. Her dinner dress was deep blue and pleated in the back. Her eyes were a cobalt blue color, and darted around the room, noticing everything. For some reason, she donned a long, black and blue, tailed mariner's coat. The girl beside her had her hair in an extensive braid bun set with jeweled sapphire pins. She wore a simple sapphire blue dress with a black sash around the middle. Her eyes were the same color of blue as the woman (who Feferi assumed was her mother) but they were sharper they held a mischievous glint.
"Marquise!" exclaimed, rushing forward and kissing each cheek lightly.
"Condesce." The woman said in a slightly french accent, and nodded stiffly, her spine becoming rigid
"Must we be so formal? We are friends after-" The Condesce began.
"Were, friends. Were." The woman corrected coldly, slicing through the other woman's words harshly. "I am simply here as a detached guest tonight."
The Condesce's face hardened, and a shadow crossed her face. When she spoke, her voice was dangerously sweet "We have long been friends. Have you forgotten that my dear?" She hissed the last word, clenching her gloved hand at her side threateningly.
The Marquise's eyes squinted. She wasn't stupid, and evidently sensed the danger in Mrs. Peixes's snakelike voice. She answered in an equally sweet tone.
"Of course not! I was only jesting" She smiled a wooden smile, and said through clenched teeth "I still prefer to be referred to as The Marquise."
Mrs. Peixes looked slightly offended, but she simply said "Very well" She turned to the girl at her side "And, who is this young lady?" The woman inquired.
Her mother started to answer, but the fair girl cut in.
"I am Vriska Serket." Her polite tone was coated in sardonicism as she held out a pale, ungloved hand, and shook the woman's formally
"Lovely to meet you, Miss Serket. This is my daughter." She waved Feferi over. The brunette walked forward, skirts swinging in time to her step. Feferi smiled her widest smile. This girl seemed quite nice! Vriska held out her hand, but the other girl bent forward and kissed her cheek in excitement "I'm Feferi. It's lovely to make your acquaintance!"
Vriska looked taken aback for a moment, but then she grinned wickedly "Agreed" she kissed the other girl's cheek in return, and as she pulled away, she whispered in a voice only the receptor could hear "That's quite a nice dress. Pity it doesn't suit your frame."
Feferi's kelp green eyes widened as a shockwave of hurt crashed over her. The blue eyed girl smirked just as the nervous young butler turned the corner "Let me, uh, show you ladies to the, um, dining room" The two blue eyed women followed, Vriska glancing back with a look of contempt on her face. How a lady could be so cruel to someone without bearing any previous acquaintance to them, the young Peixes could not imagine. She turned back to the door as the sound of hoofbeats came up the drive.
The double doors were opened by two smart looking footman, and the next guest entered. He wore a tuxedo, and would've looked smart if he didn't look so kept grasping at his collar and straightening his bowtie. As he rounded the corner into the foyer, his long purple cloak fluttering after him, Feferi gasped and stopped in her tracks. Her mother also stopped, a look of disgust on her face.
"Dualscar" Her dangerously sweet voice had come to the surface again "What a- Pleasant surprise" She seemed to be biting her tongue
"Surprise? I was invited" The guest's deep,cold formal voice filled the hall, causing a melencholy echo.
"Well yes, but I had heard that you could not attend tonight." said, smiling a bit too widely.
"Yes, but I changed my plans so I could be here. We have important business to discuss, ." He said, removing his cloak and dropping it on the floor. A young maid with dark eyes and short blonde hair rushed forward and retrieved it, scowling at the man's turned back incredulously, before scurrying away.
"Fair enough. Won't you come in?" She said, defeatedly.
"Happily" he gaze fell on Feferi, hand aloft delicately, hovering in his contemplation. "Is this the young heiress?"
"Indeed" The woman said coldly
"My lady" He bowed. "I am Earl Orphaner Dualscar, but my preferred title is Prince."
Feferi said nothing, but continued to stare at the man, mouth agape. The Condesce noticed, and stepped back onto her daughter's foot, crushing the girl's toes with the high-heel of her shoe. Pain shot through the brunette's foot and she bit her tongue in an effort not to cry out. Feferi extended her hand, and stopped staring at Cronus, but the feature she had been staring at was rather unusual.
His pitch black hair had a long, vivid stripe of violet through it. How he had managed to make it that color, she could never guess. Nevertheless, it was the most noticeable of his features. Panicking slightly, she tried to find somewhere else to look as her mother released Feferi's throbbing foot from the clutches of her heel. She found herself gazing into the man's face. He had a long nose, sharp, high cheekbones, and rather absent eyes that were as blue as ice chips.
"I'm Lady Feferi Peixes, Heiress to the title of duchess, and successor of the throne, should the need arise." She said formally, and with great care, just as her mother had taught her. "It is a pleasure to meet you" She curtsied, foot still throbbing, hand still within the clutches of the Earl's.
His eyes flashed as he smiled "The pleasure," he said, bending and bestowing a kiss on her lightly freckled hand "Is all mine."
They stood for a moment in awkward silence. The Condesce broke it.
"Well, Dualscar, we have a few more guests who will be arriving. We shall greet them, and you can wait with the others in the foyer."
The Earl nodded. "Very well."
"I shall have one of the butlers escort you." She turned to a young man with spectacles and slight buckteeth.
"John, take this man to the Foyer please."
"Of course, Madam." He turned to the Earl with a smile on his face "This way, sir." And they strode out of the entrance hall.
The Condesce stared after them, a killer look of hate in her eye that Feferi had seen time and time again
"Mama-?"
Mrs. Peixes's head snapped back to her daughter so violently that it looked as though it might've fallen off. Her trained, cold eyes cut into Feferi's like a knife.
"Don't call me that." She snarled "Ever."
"Y-yes, sorry" the girl stuttered, and she shrank under the fiery gaze. "M-mother."
"What is it?"
"Why-" she paused, wondering if this was appropriate to ask
"I'm waiting, Feferi."
"Why don't you like Earl Dualscar?" The girl blurted, unable to hold back curiosity.
"He's a fool." Her mother answered simply.
"Yes, but, why?"
"Feferi," The woman sighed "I do not want to talk about this right now. We'll have more guests arriving any minute and-"
"Only a party of two, mother, and they said that they'd be late. Remember?"
No sound but the ticking clock. A minute passed.
"Is he your brother?" Feferi asked, unable to withhold her inquisitive mind.
"No." The duchess said ferociously.
"But I just wanted to-"
"NO, Feferi Peixes!" The duchess growled "Mind your meddling questions and unquiet tongue, or it might just have to come out of that chubby little head of yours."
Feferi shut her mouth. The worst thing about her mother was when she made threats, they'd most certainly be made into reality if you disobeyed.
They sat silently, waiting for the next arrival. The minutes ticked by. The grandfather clock on the wall chimed the 6th hour.
"Seems we will just have to start without them." her mother said, turning and sweeping into the foyer. Feferi scurried behind her as gracefully as possible.
"Would everyone like to follow me to the dining room-?" the Condesce stopped and stared at the strange picture in front of her "What is going on here?!"
The table was flipped on it's side. The Marquise was holding a knife to Orphaner's throat. In return, he had a pistol pressed to her belly. Both were breathing heavily, but neither moved. Vriska lounged on the persian pink settee gracefully, watching the scene, face alight with amusement.
Orphaner smirked, diverting his eyes, from the knife, to their host
"We got into a little spat," he explained cooly "No matter. Although, I thought there would be more guests. Is this it?"
"I do not know. But, the Makaras tend to be rather late people. We might as well start without them." said dismissively, "Besides, what do you think you're doing? You vandalizedmy room!" her eyes were alight with dangerous fire, and Orphaner quickly looked back at the blade pressed to his throat, which was far less threatening. The woman snatched the blade from underneath the severe chin of the Earl, and tucked it into her bodice. She also took the gun, and tossed it to the side, breast heaving with fury, nostrils flaring.
"Condesce." The Marquise said stonily, with slight venom at the loss of her weapon. "I wasn't aware that Orphaner was going to be here tonight."
"Of course he'd be here." The host spat "The business we are to discuss tonight does include a large part of his life."
"But I-"
"I won't hear another word about it." The Condesce heckled, coming so close to the marquise's face that they were nose to nose "Stop your insesant whining. I thought that you'd be more respectful in my house."
The Marquise just rolled her eyes.
"Fine, I'll not speak another word of it." The Marquise answered, but she glared pointedly at Orphaner as the Condesce led them into the dining room.
The dining room was vast, large enough to accommodate 20 people easily. With the amount of guests the Peixes accumulated each week, it was needed, but the extravagance was a bit unnecessary. Every bit of the decor seemed to either pink or contain at least one hue of it. The tablecloth was a rose color, and the silverware on the table was set with pink glass that was made to look as though they were gems. The chandelier that hung from the ceiling appeared to be solid gold with pink candles to illuminate the guests, and the fine, velvet curtains were a dark fuchsia.
As the guests entered the room, Feferi caught them all smirk. Vriska, with a slight greed, and the two adults with amusement. The nervous butler, the young footman John, and Aradia entered and waited for the party to choose their chairs. The Condesce chose the large seat at the head of the table. The Marquise picked the chair across the room from her. Orphaner, caught in the middle, sat sulkily in the right hand center seat. Vriska seated herself next to the Condesce. Feferi, sat on the other side of her mother awkwardly.
"Tavros, you may begin serving." The condesce said, addressing the nervous butler.
"Y-yes, madam."
Feferi caught Vriska staring at Tavros, a hungry look in her eyes. She did not say anything to the blue-eyed girl, but did wonder at her taste in men. Tavros- a butler- how strange. Especially since she was a woman of refined taste.
The adults ate their meal in silence. Each course that arrived, bigger and more scrumptious than the last. The golden chicken was crisp and the beef, dripping in juices, satisfied everyone at the table. Vriska drank wine, and talked quite a bit. Although she was rude, sarcastic and scornful, she excited Feferi. Granted, the young heiress still disliked the fair girl's first comment about her body. She enjoyed the other's company and conversation though, and Feferi recognized that Vriska probably was not the best influence, but she liked the girl nonetheless.
As the meal ended, Mrs. Peixes led her guests to the parlor, and rang the bell for tea. Vriska and Feferi followed, but Orphaner cut them off, leaning against the door frame casually, blocking their way.
"Oy!" Vriska called (she, unlike her mother, had a slightly rough London accent.) "Out of the way, big nose!"
Feferi turned to her, eyes wide. That frankness was uncalled for, and extremely ill-mannered. She glanced at the duke, tensing up and waiting for the backlash. None came, the man just chuckled.
"I'm sorry ladies, but your not invited to this meeting." he smiled "Grown ups only!"
Vriska scowled "But I'm nearly 18, that is technically an adult. Let me through." she said, trying to push past. He caught her arm and pushed her back, and then slammed the door in their faces.
"Well!" Vriska huffed "That was rude!"
Feferi nodded, secretly wondering what business her mother (an esteemed lady) could have with that strange pair of ruffians like that. They almost reminded her of the tales she was told when she was younger- of pirates. Of course, it was impossible. Pirates were not so common anymore. And besides, the man was an Earl! A possible heir to the throne, just like her mother. The Earl could not be a pirate. But the Marquise- well, it was entirely possible. Everything, down to her coat had the look of pirate about it. But a woman could not man a ship. Still, it did seem odd...
Feferi's thought's were interrupted as Vriska took her hand.
"Why don't you show me around?" she asked, pulling her forward, "Your house is enormous! Did you know that it took us three hours to travel here from London?"
"It's actually a manor, and yes, we are a bit far from town. But my mother likes it out here. It's spacious, close to the sea, and a little mysterious. The Duchess likes things to be a little dramatic."
Vriska tittered "I noticed! The whole house is covered in pink!"
"Right, yes, she likes pink a lot as well." I giggled. The two girls laughed together. The laughed until it was hard to breathe. Finally they sighed and Vriska wiped her eye.
"Is your room pink as well?" she questioned, tittering again at her own joke.
Feferi blushed "A little. I really did my own thing with it. She never comes up to see me anyways. Lately, we only see each other at breakfast and dinner." Her eyes lowered and she felt herself becoming a small, demure girl again.
"You think that she would care about the decor in your room?" Vriska asked, smirk fading.
"She's always wanted me to be a good heiress. I understand that us being alike is important to her and important to the throne, if I ever inherit it."
"Well, I don't see the logic in that," the other girl said, shrugging "But it's your family and your business." she smiled "Well, are you going to show me your bedchamber?"
"Alright then." The brunette said, and led the girl up the stairs and down the long hall to an ornately carved oak door with a brass handle. She turned the handle and opened the door. Vriska's eyes widened.
The room was quite large, and could easily have housed to queen sized beds, plus the boudoir, wardrobe, sofa, chairs and the vanity that were already there, and there would still be plenty of space. Vriska entered, awed by the size and elaborate beauty of it all. The walls were covered in tapestries. One showed people enjoying the seashore. Another showed hundreds of different fish and sealife. One empty wall was solid wood, but it looked like someone had painted over the wood, making it a light pink color, ringed by seafoam blue wave designs. A small fire grate at the other end of the room had a couple of squashy chairs near it, and it looked scrubbed, but well used. The enormous bed was strewn in pink satin sheets, and the large floor to ceiling windows were draped in pink curtains. But the room wasn't as ornate as the rest of the house. Although it was fancy, it had a simple charm in the plain white furniture and few simple oil lamps that lit the room, casting a roseiel glow over everything.
Vriska picked up a tiny, porcelain dolphin on the boudoir, when there was a loud crash downstairs and someone screamed. Feferi's head whipped around, and she lifted up her skirts, running down the hall and descending the stairs, two at a time. Vriska followed, but not before stuffing the dolphin (and a string of pearls) into her bodice.
.
downstairs and someone screamed. Feferi's head whipped around, and she lifted up her skirts, running down the hall and descending the stairs, two at a time. Vriska followed, but not before stuffing the dolphin (and a string of pearls) into her bodice.
Feferi skidded into the parlour and stopped, petrified by the scene in front of her. Broken china was spread out before her on the light pink rug, as well as a steadily spreading stain of tea. Feferi's mother held Aradia by her hair, and was dragging the maid to the door. The girl didn't respond to the harsh treatment. Her body shook and she looked unsure of where she was. Her teeth were gritted as her body convulsed over and over again. While Orphaner sat back, amused, The Marquise was on her feet unsure of what to do, but seeming to want to defend the poor girl. Feferi shrieked and stepped back as The Condesce tossed Aradia into the hall.
"Mother!" Feferi screamed as Aradia slid on the slick floor. She continued to shake violently, eyes wide, pupils rolling back into her head.
"I've had ENOUGH!" The Condesce bellowed. She strode out out into the hall and raised her hand to strike the maid, Feferi clung grabbed her arm and held her back.
"Mother, please, what are you doing?" The brunette asked in a soothing voice. Her mother turned and glared at the girl.
"I've had enough," she repeated, violently ripping her arm out of her daughter's grasp, "Of incompetent servants that are all below the age of 25! And this one!" she gestured at Aradia "Her condition gets in the way of her work. No, I want her out. OUT!" Feferi gulped, and then stepped in front of the young Megido.
"No. She's staying."
"Feferi, she will not stay in this house! Get out of the way." The woman tried to reach around Feferi, but the girl pushed her away.
"You can't treat her like this, look at her!" she stepped out of the way so her mother could get a clear view of the spasming girl "She does her best, and she only gets these attacks sometimes. Please." Feferi pleaded "Please don't make her leave."
Her mother smirked "Your sentiment and friendship with the girl is touching, but she is not welcome under my roof any longer."
"No!" Feferi blocked the way again as her mother started towards the Aradia again.
"Feferi" The Condesce growled "Get out of the way!"
Feferi felt her mother's eyes burn accusingly into her skin, but she stood her ground.
"Fine." Her mother said, relaxing into her cool and refined self. "You'll stay together. Tavros, John!" The two servants came into the hall. John looked around at the seizing maid and the broken china "What happened in here?" he asked.
"Doesn't matter, I have a job for you two." She said briskly. "Tavros, take the maid," she said, turning and looking directly into Feferi's eyes "And throw her out of the house. John, take my daughter to her room."
"What?!" Feferi exclaimed as John caught hold of her arm "No get off John!" She shook him loose and turned on her mother. She felt tall and strong, and she knew that she would no longer be treated like this by her mother. And she certainly wouldn't allow others to be subjected to this-this beast of a woman.
"You are an unjust tyrant!" the brunette declared, clenching her fist "And I will not stay in this house if you insist to turn Aradia out."
There was an eerie silence as The Condesce contemplated her daughter.
"Fine. You can go. I have no need of a disobedient heiress."
Feferi was not expecting this, and stood for a moment, mouth hanging open. Aradia had stopped convulsing, and she lay on the floor panting. The young maid felt her burning scalp and pushed herself up into a sitting position. "M'lady? What's going on? I was serving tea and-" she murmured, trying to get a grasp on reality.
"I was just telling my dutiful daughter that you two" she said, pointing at the two girls "Are banished. Banished from this house, banished from the comfort of my food, money, shelter and care and most importantly, banished from my life."
"Right!" Feferi screamed, tears stinging her eyes; she never thought that The Condesce was serious. "Then we'll be going. But know this; you will never find a replacement for Ms. Megido, or for me."
snorted "I highly doubt that. Replacements for an epileptic serving maid and a disobedient heiress?" her face fell in mock contemplation "Where ever could I find that?"