Chapter 5: The Help, Less than Helpful

From the first moment since I arrived here, I felt uncomfortable. One instance, I'm talking to Finny, the next, I'm walking down these god-forsaken halls with the man who might as well be the devil. If you were to ask me why I don't like Sebastian, I wouldn't be able to tell you why, but he just gives me a bad feeling. Despite this, I was a servant, and he was the head of the servants apparently. I followed submissively, regardless of my opinion on the matter. We walked past door after door, down the endless hallway.

"ho, ho, ho," came a voice behind us suddenly. I spun to find a…man? He definitely didn't look like a man I had ever seen before. He was a mere three feet tall, small eyes, a mellow smile, grayish hair, very elegant looking, he seemed like a doll, yet strangely enough, he seemed kind of friendly.

I stopped and turned towards the man.' He was a man right? Not just some decoration?' He was sipping herbal tea from the smell of it.

Sebastian took notice of my sudden halt.

"Ah, Tanaka!"

The small man looked up, his expression never changing. I watched Sebastian, whose expression actually looked a little shocked. His expression kind of caught me off guard. 'He can show emotions?!'

"And who might you be, young lady?"

I turned around to find an elderly man standing in the place of the previous doll-like man. He looked like the previous figurine in his place, same hair color, same outfit, even holding the same tea cup.

I curtsied to him, smiling at him. I already liked him, better than Sebastian, not like that was hard.

"Sofina…" I began.

"Michaelis," Sebastian finished.

I shot a dire look in his direction. He was so not going to claim me.

"Excuse me, but I did not agree to such a jest," I began.

"This is no joke, my dear." He pressed a finger to my lips and bent to my eyelevel. He made sure to look directly into my eyes, no my soul. When I tried to look away he grabbed my chin and focused my attention to him. He leaned forward trying his best to make me uncomfortable. Unfortunately, he was very good at it. My heart jackhammered against my rib cage. He leaned in closer, letting out a satisfied sigh as I whimpered. My entire face felt hot. The blood running through my veins turned to ice.

"Ho, ho, ho," came a slight noise from where Tanaka was. I looked to the side to find Tanaka was a small form again. I took a moment before claiming control myself.

"Can you please let me go?" I asked coldly.

He smiled and backed away.

"What a haughty little cat you are," He rumbled walking away.

"What did you call me?" I asked pursuing after him.

"A cat, a feline, a kitten, I can go on forever, my sweet." He smiled.

I followed him into the kitchen, where a petite woman was retrieving plates from a glass cupboard. As soon as we walked in the women's balance gave way and she came barreling down with the plates. Sebastian made a move, which I thought to catch her, but instead caught the plates. She fell flat on her back.

"Oh, Sebastian!" she said in a thick English accent. It was far more noticeable than Finny's and Tanaka's. She clumsily bowed to him before she even stood.

"Please do be careful with the good china, Mey Rin ," He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sebastian, I was just trying to get all the plates down for dinner." She fixed her glasses to her face. That's when she noticed me.

"Oh, you must be the new maid, I'm Mey Rin!" She hurried to shake my hand, tripping over herself in the process, and knocking me and her to the ground.

I fell in the must awkward position, my skirt falling over my head revealing the lacy black panties I had on.

I let out an embarrassed shriek, throwing Mey Rin off of me, and quickly fixing my skirt. When I looked up there was a blonde man, probably the cook judging by the apron he was wearing, who was bright red. Next to him Sebastian was silently snickering. I blushed brightly. When the man took notice of my gaze towards him, he turned even redder.

"I-I-I'M SORRY, MISS!" He sounded kind of Australian with a slight hint of English, "I DIDN'T MEAN TA SEE!"

"Bardroy, shouldn't you be preparing dinner?" Sebastian pushed him toward the stove. "Miss Sofina, I did not bring you in here to flash our cook, this way please."

'Did I see I smirk right there?!'

I furiously stood, extending my arm to help Mey Rin stand. She took it, bowing apologetically.

"S-sorry for knocking you down, miss." She pleaded.

"It's ok, just an accident." I spoke calmly. 'Annoying, yet still better than Sebastian.'

I turned and walked towards Sebastian, past Bardroy, who tried to avoid my gaze. We walked into the pantry.

"Getting comfortable with our help, are you?" Sebastian said seizing something from the shelf. He handed it to me. I examined the box to find it was a box of tea leaves.

"What is this for?" I asked.

"I believe its tea leaves, Miss Sofina" He responded.

"I know that," I said crossly," I meant what are they for?"

"Calming the nerves, nourishing the soul, replenishing the chi, there are many uses for it, drinking included," he teased.

"I hope you choke on your own words one day," I hissed.

"Allow me the privilege of robbing you of your first time before that, my love," He cooed.

"That was low, even for you." I growled.

He brought me out to the kitchen where Bardroy was hopelessly searching for a way to light the stove. He suddenly pulled out a flame thrower but was stopped abruptly.

"Mey Rin,"

"Yes, sir?" she saluted to him.

"Take Sofina to the maid's corners with her things, Sofina when you are settled come back to the kitchen so I may teach you how to make tea."

Before I could speak, Mey Rin dragged me from the room down the hall to the foyer, where my stuff had been placed. 'I don't remember bringing my stuff in?'

"Are there other servants here?" I asked, wondering who brought my stuff in.

"Well there's Finny, he's really nice you'll like him, Bardroy, he's the cook, Tanaka, he's been here longer than anyone can remember, and Sebastian, he found us all."

"That's it?"

"All that's left is you 'n me."

"So who brought my stuff in? Bardroy? Finny?" I asked.

"Couldn't been Bardroy he was with me and we didn't know when ye all were coming, and Finny was in the garden in the back, and Tanaka doesn't do much. It must have been Sebastian!"

"I doubt it," I growled.

"He's a lot nicer than you think," She sighed.

"Of course, he is" I breathed.

"You'll like it here, Miss!"