Chapter 2: The Assignment.
"She wants you. Parlour room." A dazed, monotonous voice broke Iris out of her daydream. She was tiptoed on the tallest ladder available, dusting the chandelier in the opera room in preparation for the girl's singing lessons. Last week, Daniela had insisted that it was dust falling down from the ceiling that prevented her from attaining her higher notes, so mother dearest had demanded the entire room be cleaned top to bottom to prevent such an offence from ever happening again.
Two maids had died that day, as punishment for being so neglectful to her daughter's health.
"That's ok. I'm nearly done anyways." Iris quickly hopped down the ladder's steps, landing firmly in front of a grey young girl with a haphazardly bandaged neck that was more reds and pinks than white.
"You're bleeding through. Go change, eat some meat, and call Alma to finish your work." The girl wasn't the youngest maid currently on staff but was still new, about two weeks into the job and still making silly mistakes like using the main hallways for travelling between tasks, and being up past night time. She'd learn. Or die, Iris wasn't too bothered.
Girls came and went in the Castle Demetrescu, like the seasons. Only a handful managed to cling onto their positions and lives for more than a year or two, and Iris was one of them.
She slipped out of the opera room and through the courtyard, ignoring a bush rustling suspiciously loudly. The Moroaica had a habit of sneaking out of their cells at the moment, short staffing and reluctance of maids to descend into the lower floors of the castle meant that the soulless beings had started searching for their own food. Iris squeezed through a door into the main building, closing it as fast as possible. Rule number one in this place was to keep all doors and windows shut as much as possible. She'd witness a girl's arm being sliced clean off her body for opening a door too wide to go tend to the gardens, her hand still wrapped around the handle, dangling there.
As per routine, Iris checked her dress was smoothed, her prayer book secure, her hair tidy in a bun, and the buttons of her right sleeve opened up for easy access. She'd assumed her Lady had had a stressful day, whispers amongst passing maids hinted that Mother Miranda had arrived at the Castle unexpectedly, throwing the morning shift into a panic. Iris gave her customary three short knocks before gently opening the door to the parlour.
"My Lady."
She stopped still at the doorway. Instead of finding her Lady, lounging on the sofa with a goblet of Sanguis Virginis hung precariously from her large, manicured hand, she saw Mother Miranda.
The last time Iris had seen Mother Miranda she was wearing her custom silver, bird-like masquerade mask with her ceremonial robes. The norm for whenever she graced the common folk of the village with her presence. It was the first time Iris had ever seen the Mother's face. She was blonde, smooth pale skin, and the iciest, all-knowing eyes. Iris dropped to her knees in a smooth motion, muscle-memory from her younger years where pleading to her Lady or Mistresses feet ensured she survived another day.
"Mother Miranda, I am blessed."
"Rise." Iris did immediately, not too fast, not too slow, keep eyes low but not on the floor, hands in front clasped together. Mother gestured to the settee in front of her, it felt taboo to sit on the Lady's furniture. Maids weren't allowed. Even when Lady Dimitrescu fed from Iris she often sat her in her lap like a doll, dresses were much easier to clean after being exposed to "lesser beings" than furniture.
"You have been chosen to work at Lord Heisenberg's factory. As his personal maid. You start tomorrow morning and your time there will finish when I deem fit."
"Yes. Thank you Mother Miranda for this opportunity." Despite sitting she still bowed her head out of respect.
Out of her periphery, Iris could see the woman smile. It felt like a threat.
"Really? You won't miss your Lady? Maybe I should tell my Alcina about how eager her maids are to escape this castle."
Iris lurched forward then yanked herself back, snapping herself together. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve this sudden change, this interrogation. Her prayer book burned a hole into her side, where it was fastened tightly by her undergarments. Had one of the other maids peeked in the book? Had they ratted her out for humming unknown hymns? Impossible. She'd been so careful. So perfect all these years just to end up another husk to be thrown into the incinerator.
"No Mother! Of course I will miss my Lady. I've worked here since I was a girl. Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters have been so kind to me. But if you, Mother Miranda, deems me fit to move to a new position. I will go without question." She held her breath as Mother appeared to mull over this answer, beads of sweat trickled down her neck that soon, may no longer be attached to her body.
"You are a pious girl. This is why I have chosen you." Mother leaned forward, Iris didn't think anyone in the village had ever been this close to her. "I need you to do something else for me. Your Mother."
Iris nodded, unable to speak lest she squeak in fear or immediately start babbling in an attempt to save her life and get out of this damned room.
"I need you to listen to your Lord Heisenberg. To view his work. And tell me what you see."
She wants me to spy on a Lord? The request wasn't explicitly said but the meaning was there. Being stationed at the castle full time, Iris didn't have much exposure to the other Lords, but Lord Heisenberg had frequented the lower floors of the Castle several times, usually to mess around and find some young maid to "de-maiden". She'd been called multiple times by some frantic girl during the aftermath of their "meeting", leading to frantic scrubbing of the stupid girl, to get the scent of man off her before their Lady and Mistresses caught wind that a man had been in their home.
Once she'd even caught him pissing in the Sanguis Virginis. She'd walked back out of the room silently, leaving him none the wiser.
"Of course Mother Miranda. I would do anything you asked of me. I am blessed that you deem me fit for this position."
"Good. Leave."
Iris scuttled out after another bow to the floor, rushing back to the maid quarters where she sat on the cold stone floor and hyperventilated until one of the girls came back and slapped her.
What the hell had she been thrown into.