We are still Sisters
Five years, it had been five years since Marguerite de Ghent had been stripped of her nobles titles and belongings. Five years since the spoiled and haughty aristocrat had been send to work in the palace laundry. Five years since her entire life had come crumbling down around her.
When Marguerite thought back to those days today it did little more than provoke a sad smile. The girl humiliated in front of the entire royal court, the girl who had done little but cry and throw temper tantrums in the first weeks as a maid, she seemed to have been almost a different person. Almost someone she had only read or heard about, but not herself.
For much had changed that day, in her life, in her family, in the kingdoms and most importantly inside herself. The first weeks had been a living hell, made even worse due to her mother belittling and insulting her and everyone else.
Rodmilla de Ghent had never even made a small effort to adjust to her new life, but instead continued to protest and raise trouble. Eventually seeing herself transferred away from the palace, as none of the other servants could tolerate being around her any longer.
Marguerite didn´t knew where her mother now was, did they send her to the Americas after all? Or had she been put into another nobles household as a serf?
If she wanted she could probably find it out, but after all she had gone through she didn´t care anymore. When her mother was gone it was as if she had awoken from a bad dream, only to find herself in one that was still bad but at least gave her some room to breathe.
For the first time in her life Marguerite had been both forced and able to truly think for herself, and she had began to realize that now insults and demands would improve her lot in life. So she had begun to befriend some of her coworkers.
At first, simply so they would stop mock her, then to have someone to talk to, someone to share a bitter laugh with, to complain about their higher ups, someone she could call a friend...
This new life, of hard work and showing kindness to others had opened her eyes more than anything else in her life, had showed her what a shallow and cruel person she had been. How bad she had treated those in her life previously.
For a while she had blamed her mother, but in the end she had realized that, while Rodmilla might have brought her on this path, she had to blame herself as well. The guilt and regret had weighted heavy on her, and might have broken her, if not for Jacqueline.
Marguerite let out a sigh as she thanked god for having a sister such as her. Her betrayal had hurt, and early on Marguerite had probably killed her if given the chance, but now she knew she had caused this herself.
In the first months after she had been send to the laundry neither Jacqueline nor Danielle had even considered seeing their spoiled sister ever again. But then after a few months Jacqueline had, in her kindness decided to pay her a visit. Marguerite had first assumed she was just there to gloat, to laugh at her miserable sister, but instead Jacqueline had wanted to talk. They had talked about their new lives and Marguerite had admitted how glad she was to be outside of Rodmillas shadow. But it was only during their second meeting about a week later that she had broken down, crying, apologizing to her sister. A sister who still showed her kindness despite all she had done.
They had met several times in the following months and during them the sisters had reconciled. Marguerite had learned to accept her new life, and for the first time in her life made genuine friends. She had begun to see her punishment as a chance to become a better person than she had been, than she would have become had her mother succeeded in her schemes.
In the end, Jacqueline had even succeeded in convincing Danielle to give her evil stepsister another thought. As with her sister Marguerite had broken down crying as she had begged the woman she had mistreated for so long for forgiveness.
It had taken a while and several weeks but eventually, seeing how Marguerite had took her punishment and how she genuinely tried to be a better person, she had begun to reconcile with her as well. Since then Marguerite had seen her sisters on a somewhat regular basis, whenever they where around the palace, sometimes sharing a meal together.
"Are you seeing them again today?" Maria one of the other servants asked Marguerite as they hung up another batch of clothing to dry.
Maria was the first friend Marguerite had made down here and was still closest with.
"Yes, we will have a dinner together," a smile appeared on Marguerites face.
"Will see if I can smuggle some candy down here from it." Well smuggling was probably the wrong word, as her Jacqueline usually gave her sister something as a present whenever they met, which Marguerite in turn would share with the other maids down here.
"Looking forward to that," Maria said with a grin. She was a peasant girl and for her it had been a great honor to be chosen to work in the royal palace, being kind, helpful and always open for a laugh she had been one of the first to reach out to Marguerite, who in so many ways had been her complete opposite.
"Marguerite, glad you are okay," Jacqueline said as she hugged her sister. They met in a small private room in the castle, that included a small dinner table and four chairs.
"Doing my best," she said before bowing her head in respect to her noble sisters. When they met she wore one of her old dresses, that Jacqueline had returned to her, yet Marguerite still felt utterly underdressed to them. As they sat down Marguerite couldn´t help but be overwhelmed by thankfulness towards them for making this possible. The food was better than what the servants usually got and that was nothing to say of the wine Danielle had brought.
"Thanks to you two," Marguerite said as they began their meal.
First they talked mostly about Danielle and the Price who had gone on a state visit to the Italian states and even met the Pope in Rome. Marguerite smiled a bit as she thought that that could have almost been her life, but she bore no ill will about having lost it anymore. Danielle had deserved her happy life, while she, Marguerite well... she had at least got a chance to become a better person and make up for her mistakes.
After that Jacqueline talked about her life, now married for four years to Captain Laurent and mother of two children.
Marguerite was happy for both of them and when it was her turn told them about the newest gossip amongst the palace servants which made both of her sisters laugh.
Then after they had finished their dinner they sat a bit together and talked about the world and god, Marguerite being as always a little sad that their meeting would soon be over. She was glad for each and every one they had held over the last years, but sometimes wished to spend a bit more time with the two women who she had once lived with.
"There is something else," Danielle said after a moment of silence, before exchanging a glance with Jacqueline.
"Lady de Conte has died," Jacqueline said. Marguerite had to think about this for a moment, but then she remembered. Lady de Conte had been an old noble widow, living in a small mansion not too far from the Manor de Barbarac. She had in her long life lost her entire family to war, famine and diseases over the years and had been considered something of a hermit in her later years. When she had still been a noble Marguerite had paid her no thoughts but now she felt some sadness inside of her.
"Sorry to hear," she addressed Danielle. "She knew your father?"
"A bit, before she lost her children he would visit her now and then." Danielle responded. Then she took a deep breath.
"Has taken quite some time but now the mansion her found a new owner, a distant relative of hers."
"A minor noble," Jacqueline added. "The younger son of a younger son, but he wants to make something out of the place, restore it."
Marguerite nodded, this wasn´t unreasonable, though she wondered why her sisters told her about this.
Again there was a moment of silence between them.
Then Jacqueline said, "thing is, he is seeking someone to head his servant staff, someone who has experience with the inner workings of a noble household. Someone he can rely on, and who knows the region."
Marguerite said nothing to this for a moment, as she realized what her sister was suggesting. "Me?" She asked, shocked about the proposal.
"Yes," Danielle said. "If you think you can do it."
Marguerite thought about it for a moment. She had mostly worked in the laundry for the last five years but on occasion been send to help in other places of the palace as well.
"I... I think I could do it," she said carefully. It would be a considerable step up from her current position, she would still be a servant but...
"The pay is pretty good, and you would have more free time then down here, it's a small household." Danielle said, allowing herself a smile.
Once she had hated Marguerite and wished nothing but humiliation onto her, but now she had begun to consider her as a sister, a flawed sister who would never be as close to her as Jacqueline but a sister nonetheless.
"And you would live close to us, so we could see each other more often," Jacqueline reminded her older sister.
Marguerite wasn´t sure what to say, she had tears in her eyes. "You... you have been very good to me, better than I deserve."
Danielle and Jacqueline exchanged a glance.
"You have learned your lesson Marguerite," Danielle then said after a pause. "You are no longer that the spoiled selfish cow you where. I for my part hope we can consider each other sisters."
"Me too," Jacqueline said, as she laid a hand on Marguerites shoulder.
For a moment the three of them just sat together in silence.
Then Marguerite said, "thanks, to both of you. I´m glad you still consider me a part of the family."
She took a deep breath, "I accept your offer."
There was just one thing holding her back, if she left she would have to say goodbye to Maria and some of the other friends she had made in her time here.
"Great," Jacqueline said with a smile. "Your first task would be to make a list, of three servants from the castle you want to take with you, as your new staff." Then with a twinkle she added. "Bet the King and Queen will find some spoiled cruel noble girls to fill their places in no time."
The three sisters shared a laugh at this.
They continued to talk about the details of Marguerites new position a bit, before saying goodbye for now.
Marguerite was smiling as she made her way back to the servant quarters, when she had been first send her, it had been the beginning of a new life, a harsh and exhausting life, but one that had turned her into a better person. She had been accompanied by her mother, a person she had finally left behind. Now, as she would leave the laundry she would have friends at her side. Friends like Danielle and Jacqueline who she would now be able to see more often, and like Maria, who became utterly excited as Marguerite told her of the new life awaiting them.