ATTENTION: I'm looking for a new beta! I don't need much for grammar or spelling, but someone to give me input on characters and such. Send me a PM if you're interested. Thanks!
Sorry it's taken me so long to get this up, but I've had some difficulty in contacting my beta. Anyways, I'm hoping I'll get back on track here soon. I've got a lot going on, too, so I ask for a little patience. Having a 2.5 month old baby is hard work!
A/N: So, I thought that I'd first share a couple songs that I've been listening to as inspiration. Maybe you will like them, too.
*Deadlock - Code of Honor
*Dry the River - Weights & Measures
*HIM - Cyanide Sun
*Adam Lambert - Better Than I Know Myself
She was slumped over the foot of the bed, hiding her naked breasts against the comforter. She had grown numb to the pain in her back and couldn't even feel the warmth of the blood anymore. This demon, this butler, sat next to her, tending her wound. It was hard to believe that only moments before, she'd been dead. Rosalina had heard a voice. It was such a beautiful voice and it had belonged to this handsome demon.
Though the skirts of her dress still hung from her hips, he had cut the corset from her torso. She cursed the bitch that had ruined it, her favorite dress. Its deep purple color was now stained with blood, not to mention the gaping hole where the knife had sliced so deep into her spine. Oh, she would pay for it; that was certain. It wasn't just the dress, though. Her life had been ruined because of this girl. She may not have murdered Rose herself, but she had paid the mercenary who had.
The year was 1509. Her title was a blessing and a curse. Her childhood friend had just become King of England. Of course, most girls had been jealous of her relationship with Henry, but one had gone too far. Yes, she was a duchess, but that didn't mean that she wanted Henry in that way. Sure, if their parents wanted it that way or if he would ask her, yes, it would've been done. You can't deny a king what he wants, but he was just a friend and he had married Catherine.
Thinking back over the past couple of weeks, she realized that she probably shouldn't have provoked the Queen. Granted, Rosalina was naïve to think that the relationship between her and Henry wouldn't have to change just because he was married. Obviously Catherine thought differently. "Stupid," she laughed into the sheets.
"What is, Miss?" the demon said as he began applying the medicine.
"Me. I should've suspected. Even if there are no romantic feelings between Henry and me, I should have further limited our relationship. She's made my life a living hell because of that."
"Are you blaming yourself?" he asked lightly.
"Absolutely not! Just because I have a closer relationship to the King than the Queen does not provide the proper justification for murder."
"A closer relationship?" he smirked.
"Hold your tongue," she snapped. "I understand what it is you insinuate. Minus their sharing a bed, we have a closer relationship," she corrected him.
They were silent for a few moments more as he completed dressing her wound. "If the Queen's concerns were to become realized, I wonder exactly how that would affect her. Do you think that her desperation would cloud her judgment?" She sat up, covering her breasts with her arm.
"It is possible," he said, helping with her skirts.
"I will return the favor and make her life a living hell…just as she did mine. I suppose the first way to do that is for the King to find her suddenly unfavorable," she said as her mind schemed.
The butler pulled a cotton nightgown over her head. "Indeed," he agreed with a sly grin.
Morning had come and gone by the time Rosalina had returned to the manor. She had left early in order to procure some things. While she was out, she had bought a coach and horses to draw it, full wardrobes for herself and her company, food and other necessities for their new household, acquired the deed to the manor under a false name, and had hired a coachman and stable boy; Sebastian could handle everything else.
She took the hand the coachman had offered and stepped out of the coach in her new day dress. It was the same hue of purple that she so loved and it was of the latest English fashion. "Thank you," she said to the short man. "You may bring in those trunks and just leave them in the foyer. Someone will tend to them there." He nodded as she walked through the front doors.
Rose noticed the spotless floors and guessed that Sebastian had been very busy. Taking off her overcoat, made of a lovely charcoal wool, and hat, she felt an approaching presence. She turned to see him in his stiffly pressed uniform.
"What's all this?"
"New wardrobes," she answered the butler. "I also am having food delivered; it should be arriving any minute." She pulled a freshly sealed envelope from her purse. "Here's the deed to the manor." He gave her a questioning glance upon seeing the name scrawled across the front. Rosalina Vaughn. "I gave a false name. I can't have any Tourmaline descendants knocking on our door."
"You're staying," he said, to confirm.
"Well, I can't go back, now can I?" Grabbing a handle on the larger trunk, she lifted it easily and started up the stairs.
Sebastian watched as she ascended the stairs, the pleated trim of her bustle skimming each step. It was a little unusual for him to see her doing these menial tasks. He remembered her as a lady of very high standing, after all.
Rosalina had pressed and hung every dress in her wardrobe. Now, she sat at her vanity releasing her hair pin by pin. It fell against her back in soft waves. Although it was only the afternoon, she picked up a brush and began her nightly ritual. A deep and spicy smell caused her to stop. I guess he took the hint.
The food had been delivered and unpacked. The butler had been pleased to see such well selected items; among them were a couple of rabbits that must've been killed only that morning. He set about preparing them for supper as well as creating a midday meal for his master. Sebastian grabbed a select few ingredients for the rabbits. He smirked; he'd made it countless times.
"Good morning, Miss," he said, opening the curtains across from her bed. "How did you sleep?"
She sat up, blinking at the morning light. "Fine, thank you."
"What can I get for your breakfast this morning?" he asked as he helped with her slippers. Opening her wardrobe, he pulled out an elegant day dress of a deep green color along with all the necessary undergarments.
"Just some porridge and coffee will be fine." Rose pulled off her gown and quickly pulled on a plain shift, careful not to expose herself too much.
Sebastian set to lacing her corset. "Any particular additives?"
"I take my porridge in milk with sugar and cinnamon; my coffee is always with a splash of milk and a spoonful of honey."
After her dress had been donned completely, she set down at her vanity and began adding a bit of color to her cheeks and lips as the butler quickly pulled her hair into a polished up-do of cascading curl. "I'm impressed. I wouldn't think a butler would know how to deal with a lady's hair so well," she noted, appraising his work. She'd only ever had a lady's maid tend to her dress and hair.
"It's only natural for a butler of the Tourmaline household to do such a thing," he said before leaving.
Making her way downstairs, she noticed the decorated table. Crisp white linen covered the table; at one end was her place setting. Her newly acquired butler held her chair out for her as she sat down. The meal looked delicious…
She finished her breakfast, executed perfectly. "Sebastian," she began, "I believe it's a favorable day for a stew." Rose had been admiring the barren trees through the windows all morning. Though she hadn't been outside, she guessed the air would have a cold, but pleasant bite. She did love this season.
"Yes, my lady."
