Ch. 48. Adjusting
Krissy was freaking out a bit.
Yes, Amelia told her they were nice, but she never mentioned they were crazy. Especially Master Dean and Mistress Joanna, they kept telling her to call them by their given names 'because they were slaves as well…' It was crazy!
Mistress Joanna was the one that tried the most to convince her she was a slave too, she cleaned, and cooked, and did a lot around the house but Krissy wasn't stupid, a slave didn't have a room for herself on the same floor the Masters did, or had nice clothes to choose from, or could make a written shopping list whenever they were running down on groceries.
Master Dean was trying to convince her too but he just couldn't pull it off either, even when he did cook and clean, he worked on his own office and shared his room with Master Castiel. They were boyfriends for God's sake!
Master Castiel was the sanest one. Well, sort of. He didn't try to trick her but he also didn't behave as a proper Master either, he told her she could share their table on every meal and he hadn't shouted or beaten her since she got to his house.
Of course, Krissy didn't give any of them reasons to discipline her. Or she thought she never did, they never explained her the house's rules so she did what she knew best, she kept quiet and did everything they ask of her, because maybe they weren't nice at all... maybe they were trying to make her slip, and, when she calls them by their names or sit at their table they could beat her for being disrespectful…
Yeah… Krissy was freaking out. A lot.
It was too twisted to be true, and their eyes never showed her anything but kindness, but she just wasn't sure about them, she just couldn't trust. She waited for them to show their true colors but, as time passed by, they just kept surprising her again and again.
Like, for instance, her clothes. Krissy wondered for a moment what the other slaves before her wore when she was told she would be the first one to wear the official uniform of the household. It was warmer and a lot softer than any of her previous uniforms and she was grateful for that. The colors resembled the ones the house was decorated in, and it was a few sizes bigger than what she needed but that was because Miss Jo told her it was originally hers. Krissy chose to not question the veracity of that. She felt like a princess or something when a few days later she was granted one on her size and the kind of underwear the Mistress wore. It felt weird at first, but good weird.
When Krissy was taken to the house there were construction workers fixing the slave's rooms so she had to sleep with Miss Joanna for a couple of days. At first she was a bit scared when the Masters told her she momentarily will be sharing her bed. As young as she was Krissy was well aware of what could happen if one of the Masters required her presence in their bed, so she barely slept at all the first night. Miss Joanna turned and tossed for a while in her sleep till she found her, then she curled by her side and remained calm the rest of the night. Krissy was startled when Miss Joanna wrapped her arm around her waist, but it looked like she just needed to be comforted a little, so she stayed still but relaxed, allowing herself to slumber for a couple of hours before the day started. The second night she slept just fine, she accepted the fact Miss Jo was a cuddler and just rolled with it.
After a few days, the construction workers finally left and she was given one of the new rooms for herself. She was calmer then, sleeping with Miss Jo was alright but she preferred her own bed. Krissy never had a room like that. It was near the kitchen but that was the only familiar thing about it. It was nothing like the cramped space she expected to have, it was airy, and had a nice window, and a stove to keep her warm at night. The architect asked Master Castiel when some iron bars were to be installed on the windows and he said next Tuesday, but they never came.
Krissy felt the most confused at the meals. Every time they gave her the choice to either share their table or eat in the kitchen, and she always chose the latter (she didn't like to eat alone but the option was too terrifying for her to consider). It all changed the first morning after the workers left though, Krissy had lit the fires around the house and was brewing the coffee when Miss Jo entered the kitchen. She greeted her and prepared some fruit like always. Minutes later, Mister Dean yawned his salute and started to prepare French toasts. Krissy was about to put together the tray to carry the breakfast into the small parlor or the study when Master Castiel came into the kitchen, kissed Mister Dean and sat at the table there. Next thing she knew Mister Dean was placing on the table the french toasts and fruit plate, and some buns and honey too while Miss Jo was serving coffee.
Krissy couldn't escape now, she had to sit with them or go hungry.
They were talking and laughing, and she was paralyzed, eyes fixed on her hands, not daring to move a muscle. Mister Dean winked at her, put a toast on her plate and told her to eat it while it was still warm. Miss Jo poured half coffee, half milk in her cup, and Master Castiel... Well, he just smiled at her and advised to eat some fruit as well to stay healthy. She reluctantly started to eat, slowly, trying not to make much noise, trying to be as invisible as she could, but it was pointless, they all waited till she was finished to leave the table. She, luckily, stayed alive after that. It wasn't that bad but she preferred not to make it a habit. They never forced her again to share a table, but whenever they ate at the kitchen she just sat with them.
First time Krissy went to Master Castiel's atelier she understood where all the art in the house came from. The beautiful paintings adorning hallways and rooms were made by her Master, it was marvelous. She approached him to deliver some correspondence and was immediately enthralled by one of the paintings. She gasped in surprise the moment she saw it, the flowers seemed so alive, she was sure she could lift them from the canvas if she wanted to. Her Master asked if she liked it and she nodded enthusiastically.
Latter, when she retired to her room for the night, she found the painting hanging over her bed. It was hers, her Master had given it to her. She felt overwhelmed and cried. Happy tears mixed with stressed ones and some strands of laughter filled her room.
It took her some time to adjust to them. As crazy as they were, she was grateful she belonged to them now.
