This is set between sometime during the time Ivy met with Conall had while Ciel and Sebastian were in Germany and the beginning of the Celestial arc, but will carry through to the future. Think of it as important-filler, it will be mentioned but it isn't in the timeline. This is what Ivy would be doing if she wasn't alongside Ciel and Sebastian all the time, but this still does happen in the main story line.
In summary: This is canon, but the time may not be exactly accurate. It will go a bit into the future, even if the normal storyline isn't that far yet.
1888, Dunton, England
"So, this is what I have to work with, eh?" I mutter to myself, wandering around the Taylor residence in Dunton. Since I was technically the heiress selected by Conall to act as the Queen's Owl, I was to have a 'perch,' if I was to speak in owl puns. No, I didn't make the pun myself, Conall did. Since I was technically a Countess now and my residual home would be in Dunton, I had to personify it since the Queen wants to introduce me officially to the Court in the next Season as 'Ivy Taylor' instead of Ivy Adams. I suppose that would be alright, since Adams is a fake last name and I've always been referred to as Ivy Taylor in 2016. Though the farm was technically mine, it was founded by Conall, so I suppose it could be my cover business.
Rubbing the ring on my pinkie, I smile softly. I would make this estate great...but I didn't have any cash.
The funny thing about magic is that it has to be fair in the universe, every action has a reaction. Most magic spells take a toll on the user by making them slightly more tired, which is understandable. But magicking up money to create a house is different, since transfiguring objects to money is a skillset of its own because it has to be exact. So, magick users summon money, which randomly flows from a different spot each time. I could be robbing a rich man of pennies or a poor man of their life savings, and they wouldn't know what hit them.
I could ask Sebastian to build the house for me, since he did it to repair Ciel's mansion, but I would feel in debt to him; which he would dangle in front of me, essentially making me feel guilty and stressed. Besides, I'm riding off Ciel's savings anyway, while the other Evil Noblemen at least have a public or private profession. Lau's a trader and dealer of opium; Madame Red is a doctor at a hospital, but an underground abortion surgeon; Ciel owns a company with the dealings of candy and toys, but in reality he deals with the scum of the Underground London. And I? People simply identify me as an American, but I could be so much more than that!
Exiting the humble cottage, I look at the fields of cows, grazing over the hills that overlook the small town. I had met with the man, James, and his son, Carson, who had tended to the cows while Conall and I are away from the ranch (which is often.). James was an older fellow, around 50, who had a grey full head of hair with a scruffy beard on his jolly round face, twinkling eyes of brown accompanying it. He was on the rounder side, obviously making enough to feed himself well, alongside his son. His son was closer resembling their mother, with pale blonde hair and light green eyes, porcelain skin as pale as the lazy clouds that hung under bright blue skies. He was slightly plump with his rounded cheeks dotted with freckles, but he was tall for a 12 year old boy.
I had overlooked the affairs of the town and had discovered that on the opposite side of Conall's land was a free space of land double the size of ours for a cheap price, but no one bought it due to the fact they believed it to be cursed when all the wheat in the field had mysteriously burnt down 10 years ago. I had investigated the affairs of the field and found out a drunk teenager and his pals were travelling by lantern on their way home, when they sloshed jugs of their alcohol in the fields as they made their way back home as a short cut. One tripped and fell, dropping the lantern, which quickly spread the fire and burned down the whole field. James and Carson had transferred over the cows to the land space. I had used the materials present and others I purchased to build them a nice house in which they could both, alongside the mother and 4 other siblings, could live comfortably.
I wish I could do that with the estate I wanted to build, however the house I built for them had easier materials to manipulate and afford. The magick for that house made me sleep for a few days, so if I was to build this estate I would sleep for weeks on end, which I cannot afford the time for when I believe the Celestial Arc was to begin eventually.
I met with Madame Red for tea the other day when the idea struck me: prostitutes. You can never tell how many they've bedded, or how sick and disease-ridden they are. They're found in shady alleyways, and usually come from the worst situations.
That can become my side business: a fancy brothel. Tying my coat around myself, I quickly apparrated to London, gears churning in my head at high speeds.
"Hello, I've noticed that this estate is for sale." I look at the large manor set a little off from the heart of London, paint peeling from it. The front half of the manor had crumbled with black and brown ashy wood, eaten away by time and the flames that had been set upon it. The sky-blue paint revealed dark wood underneath, eaten by ticks. The windows had been either broken or smashed, and the 4 chimneys was far from where they should've been.
"Oh! Yes, of course it is!" The saleswoman replies, nodding frantically. "It was a tragic event that occurred a couple months back, yes it was. A man named 'Matthew Dame' came in and set the manor ablaze, because he was madly in love with the daughter of Duke Durlington, Jessica Durlington. They were having a secret affair, the two of them, but Duke Durlington had promised Jessica to marry a rich aristocrat, Kenneth Pobmane, a French man! Who would ever want to marry a French man?"
"I don't know. Now, about the estate-"
"So, Matthew had found out that Kenneth and the Duke had planned to make preparations for Jessica's wedding. Jessica hated her father, so she and Matthew had escorted all of the staff off the grounds before setting the manor ablaze, with Kenneth and the Duke inside. The two ran off, never to be seen again. But..." she lowered her voice to a whisper, "a maid told me that they set sail for America!"
"You don't say. How much is the manor going to cost?" I ask, and she arches a brow. "It's haunted by ghosts, for Christ's sake! We were going to tear it down next week and bring in an exorcist. Do you still want to purchase it?"
"Of course." That's why I sat through your dreadfully tragic story, you bimbo! I can't be seen crying about 'ghosts'! If there were ghosts I would have sensed it the moment I set foot in this territory.
"Well, it'd be a 500,000 pounds," she answers, as I shake my head. "This manor is in a state of disarray! I am not going to pay more than 100,000 pounds!"
Was she overselling it? Yes, of course. Was I asking for an extremely unrealistic price point? Of course.
"No way in heaven! 450,000, no lower!"
"Fine, I'll raise it to 200,000. No higher!" I argue back, and she crosses her arms.
"300,000. That's the lowest."
"250 and we have a deal."
She pauses a bit, before pushing up her rounded glasses. "Fine. I shall ring up the paperwork and we shall collect the money."
Grinning, I put my hand forward to shake it. I had taken some of the 'family fortune' given to me, alongside funds the Queen has given me for my work. I have 750,000 left for this project, which should be enough to renovate the manor so it becomes at least habitable.
After paying her the due amount, I looked up at the manor, a grin making its way to my face. "This will become a great place once more, I know it."
12 bedrooms, 6 baths, it wasn't even half the size of Ciel's mansion, but I didn't care. This wasn't going to be a place of my residence, it was going to be a classy business venture.
Apparating back to Ciel's manor, I quickly order the supplies to be at the manor in 3 days to rebuild it, before hanging up the phone. That was 500,000 on its own, which was double the price of the manor, damn it! But, it'll be more modern and sturdy, which I believe will be helpful. All I had was a measly 250,000 left to collect protection, permits, workers and employees, but I know I can do it!
The next day, 3 in the afternoon.
Donning my most professional attire, I pulled my hair back into a strict bun, placing a top hat over it. I had shrunken my chest with magic and had donned a fine suit from Ciel's closet, and planned to go out into the East Side of London today to find skilled workers to repair the manor. I didn't want to be a complete man so I could still be a strong woman, but I would attract less shady men in the East Side if I appeared as a man. If I was appearing as a woman, they would talk shit back to me or not take me seriously.
Quickly apparating into town, I hold my suitcase close to my side as I walked through the streets, entering a pub. All eyes turned to me as I withdrew a paper from the inner jacket, walking towards the job board and pinning the paper to it.
"I am looking for employees," I announce, causing the room to go silent. "Skilled builders, people who'd get the job done."
"Go find a professional, you rich bastard!" A drunken slur flies across the room, causing the room to laugh.
"All who work for me and do well shall be paid 300 for their time. The best workers shall receive 50,000 pounds." I finish, causing the room to go silent.
"Stop yankin' our tits! You can't be serious!" A cockney accent declares, and I arch a thick brow.
"Are you sure?" I respond, holding open my suitcase to reveal stacks of pounds, each bound by thin black ribbons. Snapping the suitcase closed after making sure everyone got a good look at it, I locked the suitcase to make sure no sneaky fingers invaded it.
"If you wish to work for me, meet at the address on the paper on the exact time. Do not show up drunk, or else you shall not receive pay nor shall you get the job."
Turning to the bar, I put 100 on the table, sliding it to him. "Another round, sir."
He nodded at me, depositing the 100 quickly as the room erupted into cheers. I went to 3 more bars after that, promising the same things, giving the same amount to each bartender. I had 249,600 pounds left now, and I was going to put every last drop to good use.
Walking towards the heavier Indian population of the East Side, I entered their popular bar, muttering a quick spell to allow me to speak fluent Hindi. The room smelt like hookah unlike the cigar-smell in other bars, but it still made my eyes water.
"Hello!" I greet, causing all eyes to turn to me.
"Englishman! Leave our bar at once!" A voice crows, as everyone cheers alongside it.
"I have a proposition for you all that you shall want to hear!" I announce over the ruckus, "Including a hefty pay you will find interest in!"
The voices quieted and I grinned. "I am rebuilding a manor in 2 days time at this address," I withdraw the paper, sticking it to the 'job board' with a tack, "and I need as many employees as possible. I know that the East India Company refused to give many rides back to India, which sucked a lot. So, if you come and work with me until the manor is fixed, I will give you all a free passage back to India, alongside your families!"
The room went silent before it erupted into questions.
"Are you serious?!"
"Deathly, I have the funds to take well over a thousand back over to India, and I will have multiple ships come to take you all if needed."
"How can you afford this?!"
"I own a business," I reply, not eager to tell them its a cow business. Half the cows we milk, the other half we slaughter for meats.
"What's the catch?" A voice asked, and I shook my head.
"There is no catch. I expect that rumors about this will quickly spread, and I encourage it, too."
I quickly tossed a hundred pounds to the bartender for everyone to have a round, then left the bar.
2 days later, 7 am
"Good morning, everyone! I am excited to see you all here on this lovely morning!" I shout, standing on a table over the crowd gathered in the fields of the manor, supplies laying out only a few feet away. Well over 500 men showed up, with the majority being of Indian descent. I repeat what I said in Hindi, looking at the Englishmen. Most of the Englishmen seemed hungover, which was no good for me.
"Before we begin working, you must make it past me so I make sure you're not drunk or hungover, if so you shall be let go as soon as possible. Remember, the sooner we get this done with, the sooner you all receive your payments."
The crowd nods, eager to begin working.
"Now, form a line and come forth!"
I hop off the table, checking each person. Only 10 Englishmen weren't drunk, while only 5 Indians were, who were all quickly let go. I don't want injuries or mistakes occurring in the building process.
"Now that everyone has finished," I start again, standing on top of the table, "I shall split you into groups. There are 5 different helmets in different colors, so those shall be your groups. May 75 people take a green helmet, and they will begin reworking the structures of the house?"
People rushed over to the green hard helmets, as I directed 75 to the purple hard helmets so they could fix the flooring. 75 others with yellow helmets were wreckage removal (who will later do electrical and plumbing). 75 with pink helmets had to install or repair features (repair walls, fix the floorboards) and the other 75 with red helmets were to fix the fallen front.
"50 remaining, huh? I never suspected we'd have this many remaining," I mutter to myself, before a grin went back onto my face as I pulled out a box. Closing my eyes as they flash blue, I opened the box to show off orange helmets inside it.
"You guys will be fixing and repairing the roof and doing the chimneys, alright?" I tell them, "The youngest of the group, those under 21, aren't allowed to do roof-work, so please run around the estate and help people with whatever they need."
10 or so people stayed behind, each lankier than the last. They all went off to help people and I grinned. Everyone seemed so eager to work, I'm glad I was able to provide this opportunity for them.
The next day, 1888, 6 AM
"We have completed lots of work yesterday thanks to all of you doing such great advancements! Good job! Green, purple, red teams should work on what they did yesterday. Yellow, if you haven't finished wreckage removal, please try to finish that today so we can get that finished with so you can move onto electrical and plumbing work. Pink, I know yesterday you repaired all the floorboards and began to repair the walls, so please do that. Orange, make sure the chimneys are sturdy, and once they are go work with green."
"We are almost done, what do we do?" A green team member asks, raising their hand.
"Awesome! Can you begin plastering the wall, then? Materials will be in those crates," I point to the stacks of crates near me. "Let's have another great day today! Lunch break will be at 12:30 again today."
For the next 5 days, we continued this until we built the house, and we took the final day to paint it a light yellow (the only color I could afford in a large bulk) and making sure the house properly functioned.
"Thank you everyone for your hard work!" I bowed to the group, giving them a wide smile. "I don't have words to express my gratitude! Tomorrow morning, please come to collect your reward. Englishmen, here is your 300," I hold up a stack of 300 pounds, giving it to the Englishmen as they scurried off.
"Others, if you don't want tickets to India, please step forward now and I shall give you 300 pounds, which is equivalent to the ticket amount." I called out, causing no one to step forward. I nod, "I see, then. Green, purple and red teams, please bring your immediate family to the gates tomorrow, and show me your helmet to prove you worked. I will have 1000 tickets available tomorrow, so if you don't get your tickets tomorrow, please come the day after with orange, yellow and pink."
"You cannot fit all of us onto a ship, though, so what are we going to do about that?!" A voice asks, and I smile.
"There are 5 ships sailing out every 3 days for the port of Mumbai. I will be grouping tickets based off of family, so no one will be separate in your immediate family."
After answering a few more questions they all left for the day, eager to get their hands on the tickets.
2 days later, night time
Adjusting my loose dress and tightening my jacket, I put on the straw hat before apparating to London. I had only 110,000 pounds left, which I suppose will be sufficient enough since I had already purchased basic bedding for all the rooms. The bedrooms were unnecessarily massive, so when reconstructing it I had split all the bedrooms in half so they became 12x10, which is still pretty large. Every room had electricity, a bell, and all three floors had a telephone. The final manor was a beautiful, three-storied and basemented estate with white stone pillars. The garden was just grass, but later I plan to install a variety of flowers.
Walking into the deep alleyways of London, I stumbled into the place where the Jack the Ripper murders occurred, where prostitutes swarmed around in hopes to catch a man for the night. Smirking to myself, I looked at the woman who stood in front of a doorway, looking me up and down. Her gown smelt of sweat, her hair had knots and tangles in it, and her smile seemed awfully fake and stretched over yellowing teeth.
"Hello, I made an appointment," I greet, and she arches a thin, black brow, her blue eyes confused. "Are you Ivan?" She asks, cockney accent swarming through her mouth.
"Well, my name is Ivy Taylor, but I made an appointment under Ivan, so yes." I offer my hand forward, which she hesitantly shakes. "Y'know, I'm usually not into this kind of stuff, but twenty pounds is still twenty pounds."
"That's what I would like to talk to you about, Miss. You see, I'm a business holder and would like to employ you. May you lend an ear for a few minutes?" I ask, as she hesitantly nods.
"Alrigh', let's go inside."
We entered the dingy room and sat on the creaky mattress as it sunk under the both of us. The room was dark, with shifted wood floorboards and the smell of rot. One of the windows was shattered with what looks like a rock, and there was a cockroach under the bed that scuttled back under there.
"You sleep here too, correct?" I ask, and she nods. "Yes, I both operate me business and sleep here," she replies.
"Do you ever get hit or abused for not conforming to something a man says or does? Or have you ever been stalked, but couldn't take it to the police because you're afraid of being arrested for prostitution?" I dig, as she looks down at her hands, fidgeting her thumbs.
"I suppose..."
"Have you received education previously?" I ask, and she shook her head. "Sadly, no. My ma' was a prostitute too, and tried sendin' me to school. She couldn't afford it after a while, then she got sick and...and..."
"I see. Well, Miss, I have a proposition for you. If you come and work for me, you will be able to live in comfort for your services."
She laughs, "That's impossible for a woman like me in a business like this, Eillee."
"It's Ivy Taylor, and trust me, it's possible. I have set up a few more appointments for the night, but if you don't believe me come to this address tomorrow at noon," I respond, passing her a note. "Can you read it?"
"Err, barely. I can read the letters individually." She flushes slightly, blue eyes squinting at the lettering. "4351 R-i-d-g-e-v-i-e-w W-a-y, L-o-n-d-o-n."
"It's a pale yellow estate, it's not hard to miss it. Well, I shall hopefully see you later, Miss-?"
"Miss Ella Munford," she responds, and I nod. "Alright, Miss Ella, goodbye."
I talked to 11 more girls, each different in one way than another, before I headed to the central London area once more. Looking at my pocket watch, I noticed it was 9 o'clock, now. Heading to the fountain in the center, I noticed a disgruntled looking boy, his brown hair dirtied but slicked back underneath a flat cap, white button up with a dark red stain covering the front.
"I'm not dying, I promise," he laughs, "a customer splashed red wine at me after their 'unsatisfactory' meal."
"Are you a chef?" I ask, and they shake their head, a twinkle in their black eyes. "I wish, I'm a waiter. I got the job because I'm a friend of the head chef."
"You like to cook?" I questioned and they frantically nod. "Extremely so! It's so much fun, I would do it all the time if I could."
A light bulb mentally flashed above my head. "Well, I have a proposition for you, then, good sir. What if I offered you a position as chef?" I ask, and his eyes widen.
"Are you a restaurant owner?" He asks as I shake my head. "No, sorry if that burst your bubble. I plan on opening a new business venture, though, run out of a newly renovated manor, and I need a chef."
"Oh, like a bed-and-breakfast?" He continues, causing me to smirk. "I suppose you could say that. I'm Ivy Taylor," I offer my hand, which he shakes excitedly with his tanned hand.
"Simon Ferns, pleasure to meet you!"
"Likewise, Simon. Here, can you come to this address the day after tomorrow at 10:00? I shall pay you 300 pounds a year, with bed of course." I inform, passing him a piece of paper from my pocket as his eyes eagerly scan over the paper.
"Didn't that estate burn down a couple months back?"
"Yes, but I've recently purchased it and renovated it, so it's up to standards. I don't have ingredients right now, but if you can come in the day after tomorrow you can start right away."
"I'd love to! Thank you so much, Miss Taylor!" He bows quickly, and I smile, standing up. "No problem, Simon. You should turn in for the night, I hope I'll see you again soon."
"Of course!" He stands up, only a few inches taller than me. "Goodbye, Miss Taylor!"
Smiling at him, I wave at him as he runs off, practically bounding in happiness. Grinning to myself, I apparate back to Ciel's house, going to the checklist I had created.
Alright, so I've acquired a chef. Depending on the need I may need an assistant chef, but for now it shall do. I'll acquire myself a set of maids soon, maybe 5-6. I can have some up during the night to change the sheets and others during the day who tend to the more generic tasks. Then, the most important person: a governess or two. Picking up the newspaper next to me, I flick to the ad page and see a few maids, a couple butlers, a gardener or two...ah, there it is! A governess, just splendid.
Sprinting over to the phone, I quickly dial the number, waiting for it to connect.
"Hello, this is Jane Frank, may I help you at this hour?" A groggy voice muttered, and I nearly drop the phone. Damn me for calling so late!
"I apologize for calling so late, but I saw that you have advertised for a governess."
"Oh! Y-you've seen my ad? I never knew someone would call so quickly," she replied, and I smiled. "I am looking for a governess who can teach a group of possibly anywhere from 10-24 girls of different educational backgrounds, and I was wondering if you are up to the challenge. I shall have a place of residence for you there, of course, and you shall be payed around 500 pounds a year, and shall be given three meals a day."
"A-alright! Uh, what would I teach them?" She asks, and I grin. "The three R's for a bit, then when you decide to you'd teach them larger things. Of course, I don't plan on having most of them learning 'key accomplishments' currently, but I hope you enforce good social conduct on them through your teachings."
"O-of course! If I can ask, what do you plan on implementing instead of those skills?"
"Self-defense is a first, which is very important. Most of these girls have basic skills such as sewing, drawing, but those won't save yourself from a rapist, would it?" I ask as I hear a gasp on the other side.
"Oh, uh-"
"I'm afraid I am very blunt, Jane Frank, I apologize. But a woman needs to know how to properly defend herself, correct?"
"Yes, I suppose-"
"Good. And don't worry, you don't have to worry about teaching those things. After they learn self-defense basics, you can teach them other skills." I laugh, and she nervously titters. "Alright, Miss Taylor."
"Well, if you're still up for the challenge, please come to 4351 Ridgeview Way in London 3 days from now at 2:00, please. Goodnight, Jane."
"Goodnight, Miss Taylor."
I hung up the phone, before walking to my bed and sitting criss-cross on it, checking governess of the list. Most governesses make 100 pounds less a year than what I plan to pay, she won't be able to resist the offer I've made.
For maids, well, it seems like I'll be visiting the underground sooner than I thought. Butlers can do house tending purposes, too. I know I probably won't be able to recruit any Sebastian Michaelis-like butlers anytime soon, but I can certainly recruit strong employees who can protect the household.
Quickly falling asleep, I prepare for the next day.
Waking up, I find my hair to be longer than it usually was. Yanking on the curls, the purple fades to a normal brown as I pull it into a bun. I had to appear professional, I suppose.
The port of London, where the assassins meet. They believe themselves to be sneaky or whatnot, but if you shadow them for a few hours it's obvious what they do.
They get up at 5 am at various spots on the port, each believing that they've claimed the port as their information-spot. Going to the warehouse, I fall into the shadows, listening to the deal of the assassin by the name of 'Nightshade.'
"Alright." Their voice says, followed by the crinkling of paper, "I accept it. But first, you pay."
"What if you're tricking me?" A hushed voice replies, followed by a low chuckle. She had a deep, husky voice inflated with forced arrogance.
"You can cut off my pinkie finger, and I'll no longer be able to use my hand. Deal?"
"Deal." A jingle of coins sounded, before it became muffled.
The pattering of feet alerted me that she was going to commit the deed. Slipping behind her, I cast an invisibility spell as I followed her around. She followed the target, a blonde woman with a stern face, all day, writing down her movements. At 7 at night, the blonde slipped inside her moderate house, heading to her room.
The assassin, head to toe in black, tied a rope around her waist, looping it around the chimney. She slowly lowered herself down to the window on the third floor, blending in with the dark shadows. She has smarts, I'll give her that.
Observing the woman, we saw her take her corset off and I choked in a gasp when I saw her baby bump. The blonde sighs, placing her hand over her stomach.
"Hopefully Gerard won't find out about this," she mumbles, "he'll be furious that this occurred."
I suppose that Gerard was the person who hired Nightshade, then. Just as I thought this, Nightshade quickly smashed the window, and before the woman could scream for help Nightshade put a carton of milk in front of the gun, before pulling it, muffling the sound as the bullet entered through her head.
Taking it as my cue to enter, I slipped into the room, sitting on the bed as I let the invisibility fall.
"Milk muffler, very smart on your part," I vocally applaud, and Nightshade looks at me in shock, before taking her gun and quickly swiveling it to my head. Her finger twitched on the trigger as I moved slightly, causing her to miss her shot.
"What do you want?" She growls with a voice void of the arrogance I heard previously, and I smile. "I would like to offer you a position working for me. You have incredible intuition skills, it's clear as day. Room and board are included, obviously."
"Don't fuck around," she threatens, pulling out a knife and whipping it towards my hand. Holding out two fingers, I grasp the knife between two fingers.
"Listen, I'll teach you everything you need to know. You can leave this position of murdering and come to a household."
She looks up at me, dark purple-blue eyes stormy beneath a black mask. "What's the position?"
I smile, setting the knife to my side. "A maid. You'd be paid 300 pounds a year."
"And if I reject?"
"You'd be on the run for life, as you are now. Always lurking in the shadows, never being fully free from the Underworld. This is a chance to liberate yourself, all I ask is you pledge your loyalty to me and work for me as a maid."
She paused, before pocketing her handgun. "Fine, but let's get out of here."
"Of course," I reply, standing up and brushing off my dark black trousers, "please, follow me."
Heading to the window ledge, I shimmy up the rope, before running from roof-to-roof towards an alleyway. Checking to make sure she was behind me, she was lagging behind a few feet and I paused, reaching into my bag and pulling out two detachable skirts.
"Put this on," I advise, tossing one to her as I slip mine on over my pants. She does so, tying the bow around her waist so it stays.
"Why are we doing this?" She asks, and I sigh. "Girls in trousers aren't normal yet, it's odd."
We slip down the alleyway, and I point to her mask. "Take it off, I can't have you walking through the streets wearing a mask, it'll draw suspicion."
"Do I have to?" She asks, unsure of my question.
"Yes."
"Fine..." she takes off the mask, revealing pale porcelain skin, complimenting her eyes. She had small, pouting light pink lips, alongside a dainty nose. A small mole was under her right eye, but other than that her skin was clear of all blemishes. She unpinned her hair from its black wrap, revealing unusual light purple hair pulled into a ponytail that flowed down to her waist. She truly resembled the human version of nightshade, I suppose.
"Well, nice to finally see who I'm employing. Follow me," I state, as we begin our way down the street. "I need your help preparing for everyone coming tomorrow, so can you go and get your stuff tomorrow so we can get everything ready?"
She nods as we turn the block, walking up to the yellow manor. The tall, iron wrung gates hung overhead, and I took out the key, unlocking them as we walked up the gravel driveway. Turning back, I locked the gates and we went to the house, unlocking those doors.
Inside was a beautiful front room, with a split marble staircase heading upstairs. "We have 12 rooms upstairs with bare beds, which need to be dressed," I inform, walking over to a box on the table, passing her a box. "You know how to put sheets on a bed, correct?"
She nods, and I point at the right staircase. "You can do the beds on that side, and I'll do the beds on the other side. Then, we can do the main-level's six bedrooms. We have two bathrooms on each floor that needs to have towels placed and ready to go, but we can take care of that later."
"Where will I be staying?" She asks, and I gesture for her to follow me. Beneath the main staircase was the staircase down to the basement.
"There's 3 floors plus a basement, and down here is where you will be staying. It's not a 'total' basement, because this house was built on a semi-hill on the front leading to the back, so from the back it looks like there's 4 floors."
We walked down the staircase, and came to a 3 way split hallway. If you continued to walk straight it lead to a large glass room, with a large, circular table and another set of glass doors that led to the side.
"On the left is where the servant utilities," I inform, leading her to the left and opening the Lower Left Wing's double wooden doors, revealing 3 doors in the hallway.
"On the left door is the kitchen," I inform, opening the door to reveal the large kitchen with a service elevator inside. "The service elevator is for staff use only to get the meals up and down the stairs with ease."
Closing the door, I open the door on the other side of the hallway to reveal a utility closet, alongside the boiler. The other door was the servant's door to get into the servant's kitchen and closet from the outside.
"This requires a key, which I'll give to you later. Now, let's go to the servant's quarters." I usher her to the other hallway. "The men's rooms will be on the left of the hallway, and women's on the right. This'll be your room," I point at the last door, "You will be staying there, and you can see the room tomorrow. Since you are the head maid, you won't be sharing, and you shall be having fire-place accessibility."
After putting all the sheets on the bed, I give her a wide grin. "Do you want to continue working here?" I ask, and she pauses, before a determined, serious look etches onto her face.
"Yes, I believe I do. And I'll be the best maid possible."
"Great! Tomorrow, come around 10 am to help me prepare for the others coming," I inform, as we walk to the front door and I lock up the manor.
"Others?" She asks, and I arch a brow. "You didn't know? I'm running a brothel."
Her dark purple eyes widen and I laugh.
"It's going to be classier. Trust me. I plan on teaching these women how to become young ladies, so in a year or so they can leave the business and get a job, or be able to acquire skills to do things other than being prostitutes. I guess you can call it a rehab?"
She laughs slightly, "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard, but it might just work. See you, Miss."
"My name is Ivy Taylor," I offer my hand forward, which she accepts with her smaller, paler hands.
"Ariel..."
"What's your last name?" I ask, and she shakes her head. "It's been long forgotten."
"How about 'Adams?' I tend to find that name works in situations like so," I respond, a playful grin on my face. She nods, before turning and walking out the gate.
"I'll be back!"
The next day
"You came back earlier than I expected," I greet, unlocking the gate at 6 am for Ariel, who held luggage in her right hand.
"It's a habit, I wanted to scout out the area and search for any dangerous activity."
"I see, is there any?"
"No."
"Good. Since you're here so early, I can teach you basic skills as we prepare for the rest of the day," I yawn, "though I'm not the biggest fan of it, I suppose I should teach you how to brew a good cup of coffee and tea."
"I know how to make tea already, can you show me coffee?" She asks, and I arch a brow, leading her down to the kitchen. "Alright, but I'll make sure you know your tea skills later. First, we must boil water."
I put a kettle on the stove with water, waiting for it to run as I show her where the china is, and soon the kettle whistled, and I grip it, getting the coffee filter paper under the glass pot.
"I had ground coffee the night before because I wanted to be prepared, but usually you grind it right before for the best flavor," I explain, placing the grind in the filter paper.
"Now, slowly you slowly pour it through the coffee dripper," I explain, "in a circular fashion, like so."
I do the actions, feeling her dark amethyst eyes observing my every move. "You always scale the amount, to make sure the coffee is never too weak. When doing this, always remember how many people you're making coffee for. You do one scoop of grind per person, then one for flavor.
When all the liquid was done pouring, I set the kettle aside, showing her where to wash it and get sugar and milk.
"Now, take a sip, but pour the coffee like so." I pour the coffee a bit higher than the cup. "You never want to rest the pot on the cup, as it may spill."
She nods, and then I slid her the cup. "Take a sip."
She does, and her eyes go wide. "This is good," she mutters, before chugging it down. My eyes widen to the size of saucers, she drank it black!
"You may have the rest if you pour it properly," I pass her the glass kettle, which she pours perfectly...then chugs the coffee. I then show her how to hand wash the china, then put it back.
"Seems like you're a pro at this, now, let's prepare the rest of the estate."
10:00
Walking to the front of the estate, Simon stood there, practically bouncing with excitement. Opening the gate for him I give a wide grin.
"Hello Simon, glad to see you again. Follow me, we have much to do. The other servant is inside, so you'll meet her soon enough."
"I'm glad to be here!" He beams, holding up his suitcase. "Where should I place my stuff so we can get going?"
"I'll show you to the chef room," I reply, as we enter the manor and Simon gasps.
"It's so pretty! I love the light blue colors!"
"Yes, thank you very much. Now, follow me," we head down the stairs, and I show him where his room was, 5 doors down on the men's side. He opens up the door, excited to see he had a window view.
"Just make sure to keep the blinds closed during the day," I respond, "or, at least when there are activities in the garden."
"Alright!" He cheers, "Can you show me to the kitchen, please?"
Nodding, I guide him to the kitchen where he fawns over all the equipment. My eyes pulse as I grip my temple, which went unnoticed by Simon.
The aura of Simon flickered to life in my vision, painted a daffodil yellow. But that's not what shocked me, it was the other color that followed behind him like a shadow.
A shape shifter, huh. Shapeshifters tend to stick to their tribes, so I was surprised to see one had broken away. But, something must've happened for him to do so. Blinking away the aura, I grin. "I need you to prepare an afternoon tea party for 15 guests, which we will have at 3:00. We will probably only have regular tea at 3:00 on normal days, but today I'd like to have pastries, too."
"Alright, Miss Taylor!" He beams, "I'll start right away."
"Good, and for dinner I'll need you to go collect ingredients from the store, I only have enough ingredients currently to bake pastries. Ariel shall serve the tea today while you go and get the ingredients."
"Of course, Misstress Taylor."
"I'll leave you to it, Simon."
Noon
"Please, stand behind me by two steps on my right hand side," I demand, smoothing out my skirts.
"Yes, Miss Taylor," she replies, taking two steps back.
"I'm sorry I'm acting so cold, but I am currently very stressed about this ordeal," I respond, "I'm usually not the boss in such situations."
"I see."
"But no matter! We shall be successful. Now, let us go outside and see what awaits us," I quip, as she holds the door open for me and I step out, gliding to the front gates. All 12 girls I had invited stood there, suitcases in hand as they looked at the grand manor in front of them.
"Welcome, ladies, to the Canary Estate. I am Miss Ivy Taylor, as you remember from our meetings," I greet, as Ariel steps out, opening the gates for them.
"Please, follow me, I shall lead you to your rooms. When you have put away all your items, meet me down stairs." Turning on my heel, I walked inside as the girls scurry in after me. I lead them upstairs, each one of them taking a room as their own, filling up the whole upstairs.
They trample down the stairs like a herd of elephants, and I facepalm. And I thought that I was horrible at being ladylike.
"Not like that, ladies! Glide down the stairs with elegance, no slouching nor running. From the top, go back up the stairs until I deem you have walked properly!" I lecture, causing them all to groan.
"Ladies, think of this manor as a renovation project. All of you will soon become ladies of high society," I inform, causing them to laugh.
"I highly doubt that," Ella snorts, "we're god-forsaken prostitutes! Most of us never went to a school."
"The plan is to have you ladies find what you're good at, then we shall amplify those talents after you learn the Three R's," I continue, ignoring Ella, "you shall work from 6 pm to 3 in the morning, and you shall sleep from 3:30-8:30. At 9:00 you shall have breakfast, and at 9:30 you shall begin your daily lessons. At 3 pm we do combat training-"
"Combat training?!" A girl shrieks, "We're not fuckin' soldiers!"
"But a woman needs to know how to protect herself." I grin, "Next, at 4:30 you have dinner for thirty minutes, and at 5:00 you shall practice reading. At 5:45 you go to the lounge room if you are to work that night, and if not you are to go to your room."
"Telly room?" Someone asks, and I nod, turning to Ariel. "Ariel, would you care to explain?"
Ariel nods, looking over at the girls. "I have installed 6 telephones in the telephone room, which is a room on the main floor next to the office. It has a desk next to the wall with a telephone on it, with people making appointments with the women working that night, or in a night. When they enter through the main door, the first place they go to is the telephone room, where they check in for their appointment and pay the amount due. That's when the telly-room worker pulls a bell at her desk, alerting the prostitute to come down the stairs and escort the man back to her room."
"That's actually a good system," a girl mutters, and another girl clears her throat. "What do we get paid?"
"You shall not be payed until deemed worthy," I reply, causing a gasp of outrage among the girls. "I am providing rooms, food, education and new clothing for you all, including the chance to climb out of this lifestyle within a year or so. Now, it is not to late to leave, but if you stay it means you have agreed to this. You can still go back to the musty holes you crawled out of."
They were silent, and I paused for a moment before nodding. "Good, I see you have all agreed to the terms of contract. Now, one by one I will interview you one more time, let us start with Ella."
I led her to my office, where she sat on the leather couch. "Lay down now, Ella," I state, and she complies. Putting my hand on her forehead, I close my eyes.
"Sleep."
Faint snores followed after I said those words, causing me to chuckle slightly. Opening my eyes, I exhaled slowly, ready to do magical transfiguration. If these women ever wanted to debut in society, they'd have to change their appearance or else they'd be recognized as whores. Then they'll never stand a chance.
Her black hair slowly turned a dull copper, her once vivid blue eyes turned a dark brown. Her teeth whitened, her lips grew thinner and her brows thicker. A mole sprouted under her bottom lip alongside another one on the left side of her nose. Her hair shortened slightly, growing wavy. Placing my fingers on her forehead, I quickly withdraw her dark green memory whisps, as I look through each one.
"Oof, rough childhood. Mother was a whore, dad was a client who took a dip off the London Bridge, Mother moved to Ireland in the middle of the night. Surprised Ella doesn't have PTSD," I mutter, looking for any talents I could amplify. "I suppose Ella would be a wonderful dancer, so I'll implant a seed of musical talent...choreography...rhythm...alright, that seems good enough."
Shoving the whisps back into Ella's forehead, I shoved a pre-made card into her pocket. Her 'whore name' would be Petunia, and by using advanced American technology I changed her appearance. Ariel poked her head into the room, looking at Ella lying on the couch.
"Take her to her room by using the service elevator from my office, behind the bookcase," I demand, moving out of the way as Ariel slings Ella over her shoulder. "Make sure to not be seen by the other girls, I shall need you to do this for every girl, I am afraid, so you may have a sore back when done." I joke.
"Yes, Miss Taylor." As Ariel turns away, I suddenly remembered what I was going to tell her earlier. "Oh! And you shall be teaching the combat class everyday."
Ariel drops the woman in shock, causing Ella's body to thump to the ground as Ariel turns back to me. "What do you mean?"
"You shall be teaching these women combat." I answer, standing up and adjusting my skirts. "Once I am finished with this, please escort the women down to the dining hall for tea, I have a meeting with the governess."
"Yes, Miss Taylor." Ariel bent down, slung Ella back over her shoulder, and went on her way.
Turning from Ariel, I retrieve the next 11 girls, amplifying all their abilities and skills while changing their appearance. On the twelfth girl, I wiped away a bead of sweat and stood up.
I quickly walked to the front gates to see a young woman standing outside it, briefcase in hand. She was very plain looking, with light brown hair pulled back in a bun and a white barrette clip pulling back a short strand that didn't fit. She had round glasses on her perky nose, with light brown eyes behind them. Her lips were thin, her skin pale, and she wore a white button down with a long maroon pencil skirt.
"You must be Jane Frank," I greet as she snaps her gaze over to me. "Oh, yes I am. Are you Ivy Taylor?" She asks as I open the gate, letting her in the yard.
"Yes, thank you for coming on such short notice."
"It was no issue. I must say you have a lovely manor," she smiles at me, showing off pearly whites.
"Oh, thank you very much. I oh-so hope you accept this job, though it may be a bit tough the girls are willing to learn," I nervously laugh, opening the door as we enter the manor.
"I can be very strict at times. They are your daughters, correct?" She asks as I blush furiously, shaking my head. "I am only 16, Jane."
"Oh! So they're your sisters?"
"Um...not quite...please accept this job, Jane." I beg, stopping in my tracks as I give her a warm smile. "I'm sure you'll love it here, and the girls are very nice and willing to learn. Besides, you won't be paid higher for a governess position than here, I can assure you."
Jane scans my face, searching for any lies before she sighs. "Alright, I shall do it."
"Wonderful! I shall have Ariel show you to your room soon, for now let's go to the dining hall so you can meet the girls." I turn the corner, leading her down to the grand dining hall. It had a long, wooden table with 6 girls on each side, madly slurping from their cups.
"You will also teach them manners," I mutter, clearing my throat. "Ariel? If you see any out of line behavior again please hit the back of their knuckles with a ruler. Jane, you too."
"Yes, Miss Taylor." Ariel nods, pushing the tea cart to the side where she overlooked the table.
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Miss Frank, your governess. She will be starting with the three R's, and eventually move into more advanced classes."
"Hello, Miss Frank! Are you also a prostitute?"
Jane's face paled as she stumbled back. "W-what now?"
I sigh, looking towards Jane. "You see, these are prostitutes I plan on rehabilitating. You shall be their governess."
"Goodness gracious!" She proclaims shakily, looking out over the girls. "And why would you ever do that?!"
"Money!" They chorus, leading to her fainting into my arms.
Oh well, she'll get used to it.
1 week later
"Alright ladies, every-other day is A day with these girls working the telly room while the others work the bedrooms. On B day the roles reverse," I repeat at the breakfast table, hearing the occasional slap of the ruler against women's knuckles. "Classes shall presume as normal. I will not be here for the day as I have business, but if you slip up Ariel will punish you as if I was here."
Giving a look to Ariel, she nods, before coming to my side and standing there proudly. "If anyone was to cross Lady Taylor you shall deal with me."
Nodding at Ariel in thanks, I stood up from my chair. "Have a wonderful day, girls."
Quickly striding away, I went into the office and ripped off the skirt, revealing a pair of black trousers. Looking in the mirror, I quickly bind my chest before slipping on a button up white shirt, black vest and grey overcoat over it. I slip on the black loafers, before taking my curly hair and pulling some in a bun so some curls slip out of the hat messily. Grabbing a cane that doubled as a sword, I straightened my posture to one of a man's.
My eyes gleam a brilliant blue for a moment as I apparate to Weston College, a smirk on my face as I strode through the gates, making my way to the Scarlet Fox house. I was never technically kicked out, I just had suddenly 'gone back to America' due to my mother's health. Entering the front door, I was greeted with friendly smiles and 'hellos' as I made my way up to my old dorm, knocking on the door.
"Come in," a soft voice replied as I entered, giving Joanne a large toothy grin.
"Hello, Joanne. Miss me?" I greet, causing him to drop his book in shock.
"Ivan!" He jumps at me, enveloping me in a tight hug. "Where did you disappear off to?"
"America, my mother wasn't doing too well. She's better now, so I took the next ship back to London," I lie, and he grins. "Wonderful!"
We spent the next 30 minutes on catching up, before we head down to the Swan Gazebo. "I'm a fag of the head prefect now, can you believe it?" He asks, "He's away right now, so I can't introduce the both of you, but I'm sure you'd get along merrily!"
"Good job, Joanne!" I respond as we enter the gazebo.
"Everyone, Ivan is back!" Joanne cheers, causing everyone's gaze to snap towards me. Edward dropped his tea cup on the floor, causing it to shatter.
"No way in bloody hell!" Cheslock swears, causing me to nervously laugh. "Yes, it's me in the flesh."
"But aren't you a-" Clayton starts as Cheslock puts his hand over Clayton's mouth, cutting off his speech.
"Eddie, how are you? You don't look glad to see me at all," I pout, causing Edward to flush slightly. The celestial arc is yet to happen, but oh my! He is acting like an adorable child right now!
"I-it's not that-" he stutters, and I smile lightly. "Regardless, I am glad to see you all again. But I have a reason for my visit. Do any of you know where Jacob Lincoln is?"
Jacob Lincoln was one of the only gang-members at the school. He was in the Red House and I tutored him in English occasionally, and his parents were in a gang involved in protecting noblemen, sort of like a samurai for hire, but more English. But there was always rascals in the gang who rough-housed around.
Joanne's face fell, "I'm sorry to say, Ivan, but Jacob dropped out last year. He had to go help his family run their business."
I nod in understandment, "I see, I suppose I'll have to go visit him there. Farewell, everyone, I shall be back, soon."
"Wait! Don't go yet, my fag, Jackson, can take you to him," Cheslock offers, and I grin. "Really?"
"Yeah, I owe you one for every time you've helped me out." Cheslock's cheeks turn a light pink, "Just don't always expect favors."
I laugh slightly as I join in on the other P4's conversation, until a boy came with a violin in hand. Dark red hair was combed over in a 2007-emo style over dark brown eyes, with freckles dotting his pale skin.
"Jackson!" Cheslock greets, "Can you do me a favor?"
"Sure," Jackson nods, as Cheslock gestures over to me. "An old friend of mine needs to talk to Jacob. Can you talk her- him to Jacob?"
Jackson nods, giving a short bow to Cheslock. "I'm off, then. Come, friend of Cheslock."
"I'm Ivan Taylor," I offer a hand forward to Jackson, who dully shakes it. "Follow me."
I followed the ominous Jackson to a carriage, and took a 30 minute ride until we reached a large manor. "This is our family home," Jackson explains, "Jacob has been here ever since then."
Jackson led me through the house, as we passed multiple open doors showing gang members inside. Some were just drinking, others engaging in sex with a prostitute, etc.
"My father has an open door policy," Jackson mutters, leading me to a closed door. Jackson opens it to reveal a boy huddled under covers, squinting his eyes at a book.
"Jacob?" I ask, causing his head to turn to me. He throws the sheets off him, revealing pajamas as he stands up. "Ivan? What are you doing here?"
"I've come to ask you for a favor-"
"Jacob, you have a friend over?" an older voice asks, causing me to turn my head to see a man in his mid-forties. He was slightly wrinkly, with a tuft of a brown mustache.
"Hello, I am Ivan Taylor," I greet, putting my hand forward.
"Gerrick Lincoln," he shakes my hand, looking at Jacob with a look of dismay. "I apologize, my son is like a slug, currently. Sloth is a sin, remember, Jacob."
"Dad..." he whines, causing me to chuckle slightly. Jacob was a handsome boy with hair similar to Viktor from Yuuri on Ice, but it was a dark red, similar to his brother, Jackson. Jacob's eyes were an icy blue with big lips and some freckles scattered on his nose. He was tall, around 5'10", but currently carried himself in a slouched appearance.
"No whining! Now, Mr. Taylor, why did you come?" Mr. Lincoln turns his gaze to me.
"Well, I'm running a new business, and I just need some promised protection. Like if something were to happen, I'd need your word to go after them. I'd pay your business some money-"
"I am interested, but I need to change the deal." Mr Lincoln immediately answers, and I nod. "What is it?"
"Jacob is to work at your business as whatever you deem, and you shall not pay him until you deem he is worth it." Mr. Lincoln grins at a gasping Jacob.
"What?! You can't do this to me Dad-"
"You are 18 now, and should've long been out of the nest. After your mother died at the end of the school year you've been nothing but a baby!"
"But-"
"No buts! You are to work for Mr. Taylor now." Mr. Lincoln looks at me, giving me a white grin. "If that works with you, of course."
"Oh, I already have an idea how to employ Jacob," I grin, whispering something into Mr. Lincoln's ear, causing him to giggle. "Oh, that is just the right thing. Son, pack your things, you are leaving today. And Jackson, summon a carriage."
"Yes, father." Jackson scurries off and Jacob crosses his arms. "I don't have to do anything!"
"If you don't work for Mr. Taylor for at least a year I'm disowning you, and you'll be on the streets."
Jacob puffs out his cheeks as they turn bright red in anger. "Fine! I'll work for you, Ivan-" he spits out, and I grin. "Amazing, I'll have Ariel teach you what to do."
Jacob hastily shoved objects into a suitcase, then we walked outside, entering the carriage. It quickly sets off for the address.
"So, what am I supposed to do for a year," he grumbles, as I grin. "You are to be a butler at the manor."
"A WHAT?!"
"Oh! And another thing, which I should probably tell you, I've been lying to you and everyone at Weston College. Please keep this a secret, but," I remove the top hat, taking out the ponytail and causing my curls to unravel to my shoulder, "I'm a girl. My name is Ivy."
"WHA?!"
"Ariel, this is the newest butler, Jacob Lincoln," I introduce, as Jacob turns bright red, sticking his hand out.
"N-nice to meet you, A-Ariel." He stutters, as Ariel sticks her hand forward. Jacob bends his face down to kiss the back of her hand, and she punches him in the nose, sending him flying back.
"Ariel?" I ask, and she holds her hands up guiltily. "I thought he was going to bite my fingers off, it happened before. My apologies, Mr. Lincoln."
"C-call me Jacob," he stutters, clutching his nose, "and it's fine."
"Ariel, can you go get some ice for Mr. Lincoln and show him to his room? It's next to Simon's." I inform, taking off my overcoat and passing it over to Ariel, who folds it over her arm. "You are also in charge of showing him a butler's duty in the household, since you've done both positions for the meantime."
"Yes, Mistress Taylor," she gives a short bow, before walking over to Jacob. She grabs the back of his suit, pulling him up to his full height as he towers over her.
"Follow me." She clucks, turning on her heels and strutting off. Jacob gulps, glancing over at me.
"She's pretty strong."
I chuckle slightly, "Yes, I suppose she is. Don't ever cross her, alright?" Jacob hurridly nods, before speed-walking after her.
I don't currently have a gardener for the estate, but I suppose I could do some work now. Checking my watch, I note that it's currently 3 PM and the girls are out running laps today, so I'll have time to work on the garden without arousing suspicion.
Rolling my shorts up to my ankles, I stride down the staircase two-at-a-time, walking through the hallway to the glass patio, then to the backyard. Since we were just outside London's heart, the backyard wasn't the biggest compared to country manors such as Ciel's, but it still was a good few acres. Cracking my knuckles, my eyes glow a brilliant blue as they surveyed the landscape. It was patched with dull grass here and there, dust in other spaces. It was a flat, bland landscape in desperate need of floral life. In my home in California while growing up, we lived in a fairly dry area, so we had a cactus garden in our backyard. We never really played in our backyard, but it was still fun to look outside our window and see the sun set behind the cacti each day.
But, this is England, which has a far different climate than California, if you didn't know yet. Raising my hands up, the grass wiggled slightly as the dust blew around it, as more and more grass began to grow, filling up the patches. The dead and dusty grass turned a vibrant green, evening out.
Slashing my hands up and to the sides like a band conductor, a split formed in the middle of the courtyard, peeling grass flecks away to reveal cobblestone, which built upon itself to form a large circle in the center, with 5 steps leading up to it from 4 sides. Clenching my fist, a large tree slowly emerged from the spot, growing at a slow rate. I suppose I'll work on that in a moment...
I had created four grassy sections in the garden, so I suppose I'll work on those. Swirling my hands around the grass, I realized that the fire that had burned down the previous mansion might've buried some remnants of the past flowers. Rooting my fingers into the dirt, I feel aura flow through my fingers and into the ground. A small vibration occurs as small leaves began to emerge from the ground. Forcing more aura to flow through my fingers, soon a bush sprouted with little buds.
Removing my fingers from the ground as to not be pricked, I grin, looking around me to see 3 other bushes had formed in the other grassy patches. I'm no flower expert, but I suppose these were rose bushes, but I have yet to tell what kind they are. Looking at the large tree that had formed, I stride over to it, placing my hand on it.
Bark began to peel off of it, clunking down at the base of the tree as branches fell off, thunking onto the cobblestone floor. I had a power to create and take life so easily, so the world should be glad witches are neutral in the grand scheme of things. It hollowed out, soon forming pillars of wood, blanching itself ivory as a gazebo formed. Delicate patterns carved themselves into the woodwork as the roof tiled itself over, turning wood to stone tiles. Soon the gazebo was all done, and I stepped back from all my work to examine what I have done.
It certainly looked better now, but there was still work to be done. Snapping my fingers, stone paved itself alongside the edges of the pathway, leading to own areas. Striding to my left, I noticed there was a cluster of wood that had been left unused from repairing the house. With the quick flick of my fingers I created a large archway, weaving twigs in and out of patterns. With the extra I made a quick bench, once again blanching its wood and creating a delicate and ornate pattern. Behind it was the fence leading to the neighbors yard, and I peaked my head over it to see some dying Larkspur. I suppose that the members of that household are only here during the Season, so they won't mind if I take some seeds.
With the flick of my hands, seeds remove themselves from the flower, floating over to me as I multiply the seeds, planting them in a neat line around the whole fenced perimeter. After all was said and done, I looked over the fence to notice that a large number of their flowers were dying. Rolling my eyes, I take those seeds and make two more layers of violets and pansies, making a sort-of ombre from Blue to dark purple. Taking the last of the seeds, I intertwine white and purple daylillies into the arch, implanting the roots into the wood, which I then connect to the soil. Touching the wooden bench, it quickly changes to metal under my touch, almost as if I had a variation of the Midas touch.
I continued to put in grassy bushes and hedges, a bird fountain or two, some trees, and then I moved to the front yard and fixed the grass, and put in some new flowers, including some English Roses, which had bloomed in the back from the previous home. When all was said and done, I gulped down practically a gallon of water, before rolling my shoulder. I don't use this spell too much since it's takes up lots of energy, but I suppose I can just take a nice nap for a day or two after this.
But the part I hate most about this spell is that it was written in medieval times after a heart broken witch was feeling all mushy about her love life. Okay...so what am I angry about? I'm upset about Alois and Ciel being brats, Claude trying to eat my soul, Sebastian being a gross flirt...
Alright, pull these emotions to the front of my mind, be angry, Ivy! My eyes blazed blue for the final time of the day, as I lifted up my hands.
"Pour the contents of one's heart into this spell, of which the contents are found in a wishing well. Feel the pinpricks of water hitting your skin, falling and sliding, gliding down your face and off your chin. Let all see it down their window pane, causing his and her garden to be wet again. Come forth clouds!" I chant in Latin, causing the once cheery blue skies to be darkened with a sudden influx of grey, stormy clouds, "Put forth thy liquid life, cure me of my strife. Pour rain for 3 days to release my emotions, until then pour out an ocean!"
A single raindrop hit my left hand, before it began to pour. My knees felt weak as I pulled myself inside, Ariel waiting for me there with a heavy wool blanket.
"You were outside for a long time," she notes, wrapping it 'round my shoulders as I nod, shivering.
"Prepare a hot bath for me, please." I ask, following her as we go to the bathroom connected to my office.
"Did you train Jacob all day?" I ask, looking at my watch and noticing it was 5 o'clock. It seems the girls should be home within half an hour. Jane Frank had taken them running as they held books upon their head for posture and recited grammatical rules. Ah, Jane Frank was the strictest teacher I've ever met, but very kind outside of her position.
"Yes, he has quickly learned of his position, eager to 'get the hell out of here,'" she recites, causing me to chuckle as I strip of my clothes, save for my intimates, passing them to Ariel.
"Thank you, Ariel, I shall be fine bathing myself. You can have until 9 off after you receive the girls and help them get into their duties. Since they are easily getting used to it, you probably will be done assisting them after this week with their duties. Of course, you are still to patrol the facility in case there is any...mistakes."
She nods, "Thank you, Mistress Taylor. I shall see you later."
With that, she closes the door behind her. Where the girls had previously worked there was always risks of being hurt or forced to do things they don't wish to do, and there was always the brothels they used to work at where other girls would be hurt or be threatened. So, from 9-3 at night Ariel roamed the halls and made sure nothing happened, which nothing usually did. Then she slept until 11:00, doing her daily duties until she taught combat lessons. Jane Frank had joined the class so she as well would have protection, and she had the coordination of a duck on two left feet.
Relaxing in the tub, I stayed there in thought until the water ran cold, which I got out and wrapped myself in a towel, heading into my office, pulling out a cabinet and withdrawing some pajamas. Pushing aside the desk to the wall, I opened the wardrobe door and pulled out a bed, and unfolded it. I was so tired I practically dragged myself around the corners of the bed to put sheets and a comforter on it. Waddling over to the light switch, I clink it off, locked my door, and hopped into bed. Whenever I locked my door, everyone knew I was to not be disturbed until I emerged from the room. Most thought I was doing work or having my own affairs in this room, but in reality I was recovering from all the magical energy I expelled.
Snuggling into the pillow, I closed my eyes and dreamed of pure nothingness.
A/N
Hey guys! So this was something I wanted to put out since I can't update to the main storyline because I'm up-to-date on the manga.
This year I am in English Honors once more, and it actually seems I will be learning grammar rules this year! WOW! So, hopefully my writing skills will improve in future chapters. But, I am doing harder classes this year (two math classes, APUSH, English Honors, and I am working a lot more this year.) Every-other-day I have 1-2 hours of homework, so I'll do all my writing on the weekend because I have after school sports too.
Yeah, a shut-in-introvert is actually busier than you supposed. But back to the main issue: the manga updates.
Because of this, I plan on going back to earlier chapters and revising them, most likely changing some lines here and there, adding details as such, and I will put out an update saying when finished ;) so don't worry if you're confused by the sudden change. My plans are to make Ivy less 'silly' and 'foolish' on the outside, because the lines she's currently saying may or may not have thrown her into jail. I'll probably make these into inner-thoughts and make the outer-thoughts more witty and applicable to the time period, as to make more sense.
I appreciate all the positive and feed-backed reviews I have received, and I'm so thankful! This is my most-read story on , beating Vines and Roses by 2,000 reads! Oh my stars!
If you are craving more Ivy Adams action, please check out my other story 'Eternitarian,' which is a four-chaptered unique arc starring Ivy in the 1920s, rather than the 1880's, with many new characters I'm sure you'll enjoy reading as much I had in creating them.
Until I update next time, have a wonderful school/work year, and make sure to always be passionate about what you do.
-TheMangoYeti, 9/7/17
