Later that afternoon…
In the library of Castle Dimitrescu, the air was rich with the scent of old books. Stacked across the shelves in an unorganized manner, they offered a unique aroma that could not be found anywhere else. Delia moved gracefully as she tended to the stands, dusting the boards as best she could. Her footsteps echoed softly on the floor as she navigated the circular formation of each one.
Not too far away from the maid, Daniela Dimitrescu laid down on her longue seat, the redhead's attention orbiting the book in her hands. But her dry throat quickly became a distraction, and she ordered Delia to break from her routine so that the problem would be remedied. The auburn-haired servant abandoned her feather duster and traded it for a large wine bottle that stood nearby as soon as she heard the call.
It was bound to be cracked open sooner or later. Delia was a little surprised that it had taken this long. Once the cork was popped off, the scent of blood immediately filled her nostrils. It was nothing new to the maid, but it still made her want to vomit. The women of this castle were such bloodthirsty folk. It seemed like their thirst would never be quenched.
Delia couldn't help but wonder just how many of her fellow maids had been concentrated in this mixture. Would she one day join them as well? It sounded like a likely outcome, but that fate could possibly be averted if she simply kept up the positive performance. No mistakes, or at least substantial ones, nowadays.
That was the golden rule.
Setting down the now-filled chalice, Delia bowed her head respectfully. "Your wine, Miss Daniela."
Daniela glanced up briefly, her amber eyes setting on the young lady with a hint of gratitude as she accepted the glass. "Thank you, Delia."
As she took a sip of the crimson-infused liquid, her gaze drifted back to the pages of her book. Delia stood nearby, ever attentive, awaiting any further commands.
After a moment of silence, Daniela spoke again, her tone light with a sort of friendliness. "Delia, have you ever read a fairy tale book before?"
Delia paused, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It was a question she had heard from Daniela on numerous occasions, yet each time, it was as if the redhead had forgotten their previous conversations. It was a quirk, to say the least; one that the maid had grown accustomed to over time.
"Yes, Miss Daniela," Delia replied softly. "I used to read them a lot when I was a child."
Top of Form
As a… child?
Daniela's irritation then began to rise, with the sound of Cassandra's mocking laughter ringing in her ears. It was nothing but a constant reminder of her sister's disdain for her interests and how she always went out of her way to dampen her youngest sibling's happiness. "Are you suggesting they're just for children?"
Delia's composed demeanor faltered ever so slightly as the question caught her off guard. Yet she maintained her professionalism, offering a calm response. "No, Miss Daniela."
"Do not lie to me!" Daniela screamed, flies beginning to erupt from her form. She was a volatile creature, ready to harm anything around her at the slightest provocation.
Delia's breath caught in her throat. She struggled to find the right words, highly aware of the dangerous territory she was treading on. "N-No, Miss Daniela," Delia stammered. "I-I just meant..." But before she could finish her sentence, Daniela interrupted, her frustration boiling over.
"Enough!" she snapped, her amber eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and hurt. "I don't need your condescension, Delia. Who are you to even make such a remark?"
Delia recoiled slightly, her eyes downcast in submission. She knew better than to argue with Daniela when she was in this state. "I'm sorry, Miss Daniela," she murmured. "I didn't mean to offend you. I used to read them a lot when I was younger, and I still find enjoyment in them. Unfortunately, as I grew older, I didn't have many opportunities to read them. You have the chance to, and I am happy for you."
Daniela's expression softened slightly at Delia's apology, a fleeting moment of remorse passing through her. She took a deep breath, attempting to reel back her temper. "It's fine, Delia," she replied with calmness, though the tension still lingered in the air. Then, after a moment's hesitation, the redhead gestured toward the empty seat beside her. "Please, sit."
It was like a light switch had been flicked, and now the rage inside her had vanished.
Reluctantly, Delia nodded, her apprehension rising as she settled into the seat beside Daniela, setting aside her tasks for the time being. She kept her posture straight and her expression neutral, though her nerves continued to send signals left and right.
Being in such close proximity to Daniela was always a dangerous situation. But she dared not disobey a direct order. Compared to the rest of the maids inside the castle, it seemed as though she had grown into the one best-suited to deal with this noblewoman in particular and her unstable emotions.
It wasn't an easy journey. Hell, she had heard all the stories from the previous maids before her, some of whom were no longer alive. Daniela was a terrifying creature. While Cassandra often embraced the most sadistic aspects of the human mind, Daniela could snap at a whim. Delia had a few lasting scars on her body that could attest to that, but for some reason, the noblewoman had spared her death.
It may have been due to the shortage of staff that this castle had witnessed in the last year. Lady Dimitrescu had explicitly ordered that none of the sisters kill or substantially cripple any of the servants without her expressed consent. That wasn't to say that beatings and cuts were off the table, but a severed hand or a slit throat were off-limits. Times were tough, and this winter was already forecast to be an especially rough one.
They needed every living body they could to maintain order and get through it. That wasn't to say that the future may one day see a change in staffing to the point where everyone would be sent down below for the smallest mistake, but for now, Delia could operate with a little more hope that she would see tomorrow.
Still, even if she did fear Daniela so rightfully, there was a part of her that somewhat admired the youngest of the three. Though Daniela towered over her by several inches, Delia often tried to imagine her as a younger sibling of her own. Some of the laughs that she responded with toward Daniela were genuine, which came as a surprise to the maid. Maybe it was just her making the best out of an already horrible situation, but she would be lying to herself if she said that she didn't wish to see the redhead smile and be happy.
It was hard to tell. Things would have been easier to decipher without all the death that surrounded her.
As Delia settled into her seat beside Daniela, the noblewoman gestured toward the open book in her lap. "Would you care to read with me, Delia?" she asked.
Delia's apprehension blossomed, fearful of what might happen, but she knew better than to refuse her master's request. "Of course, Miss Daniela," she agreed with feigned happiness, trying her best to keep the woman pleased.
Daniela kept the book set square on her lap, which caused Delia to have to lean in and peek over just to get a better view of the words. It was like Daniela was absent-minded about her presence there, not even taking in the social cue to move the book closer for her partner to read along.
But Delia would not allow herself to fail. She peered as hard as she could, sharpening out the words as she focused her vision.
Daniela continued from the point in the story where she had left off. "The dark city was a haven of nightmares, but the light that the princess held in her hand guided her through the cobblestone streets. Her eyes could not get away from the monsters that surrounded her. Each citizen of this once-great city had been reduced to a grotesque being of decay and rot. She wanted to close her eyes, but she needed them to remain open. The clock tower was just on the horizon."
We're getting to the good part!
Delia followed after a moment of silence. "The witch in the sky circled her endlessly, watching her every move, waiting for her to slip up."
Daniela's face then morphed into one rife with annoyance. "You're reading too fast," she groaned.
Delia's heart skipped a beat. She slowed her pace, hoping to appease Daniela's growing agitation. "The queen of darkness hungered for the blood of the princess, but the light kept her at bay." Despite the adjustment of her speed, Daniela's complaints did not cease.
"Now you're reading too slow," the redhead declared in frustration. "Get it right, Delia."
The maid struggled to find balance. "I'm sorry, Miss Daniela," she responded promptly.
But Daniela's patience was wearing thin, her delusions taking hold as she imagined Delia's hand clutching onto the book even though, in reality, it was far from it. With a sudden explosion of wrath, Daniela lunged forward, her fingers wrapping around the young woman's hand in a vice-like grip.
"You're not to touch my belongings!" Daniela screamed, her voice echoing off the walls of the library. "Do you hear me, Delia? You're not to touch anything without my permission!"
Delia winced as she felt the immense pressure envelope her extremity; her only response a plea for forgiveness. "I am sorry!"
As Daniela's grip tightened around Delia's hand, the maid couldn't suppress a sharp intake of breath as pain shot through her fingers. It radiated across her bones, diving down to the nerves in her wrist. She cringed, her teeth gritting against the discomfort, but she dared not utter a word of protest. It felt like her hand could implode at any given second. The strength that the daughters exhibited was extraordinary.
It would take nothing for Daniela to tear her to shreds.
"Miss Daniela, please." Delia finally managed to choke out some additional words, strained with pain. "You're... you're hurting me." Daniela's grip only tightened further, her delusions clouding her judgment as she failed to register the extent of the agony she was causing.
But even as she spoke, Delia's words were laced with apology, her instinct to pacify her master overriding her own well-being. Pride meant death in this castle. The Dimitrescu family was always right, no matter what. Defending her case was nothing more than a shortcut to slaughter.
"I'm sorry I touched your book, Miss Daniela," she said with a fragile weakness. It was what the daughter wanted to hear.
In a blink, Daniela snapped back to reality, her eyes widening with a sudden glimmer of realization.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Delia," Daniela murmured, releasing her hold on the maid's hand then and there. Delia withdrew her arm, cradling her bruised wrist against her chest as she suppressed a whimper. Even though she was now freed from her hold, this was no time to embrace the emotions that she felt inside. She still had to be an obedient maid.
"It's... it's okay, Miss Daniela," Delia replied. "I was just too excited to read the story."
Daniela sighed heavily, her displeasure evident as she returned to her book. "I need to get it together," she muttered to herself with regret. This was another addition to the massive collection of evidence that she had against herself. The redhead sometimes imagined that she was this worthless waste of a body, unfit for love.
One more folder in the cabinet. It would be presented to her during her day in court, or at least the court of her own mind. She was the judge, jury, and executioner of her mental state. The biggest problem was that the verdict in this court could change on a whim, but the punishments could never go away.
Delia hesitated for a moment, her gaze uncertain, as she debated whether to speak further. But in the end, her sense of duty prevailed, and she addressed Daniela with a confident voice.
"What would you like me to do now, Miss Daniela?" She asked cautiously as she awaited the noblewoman's response.
Daniela glanced up from her book as she considered Delia's question. "Get back to dusting." She gestured toward the shelves that surrounded the library walls. "Everything is so dirty in here. I just hate it."
"Yes, Miss Daniela." Delia rose from her seat, her hand still throbbing with pain, as she set about her tasks once more. As she moved to dust the shelves, her mind could not escape from the latest close call that she had just had with the woman she served. Every day in this castle was like walking in a field of landmines. She was wise to watch her step, unless the next explosion mutilated her beyond all recognition.
Swabbing the duster across the shelves with her hand that was not vibrating in distress, Delia inhaled a small breath to calm herself. It did nothing to prevent the inevitable tear that fell from her cheek as she went about her duties. If she were alone in this room and far away from all prying ears, she would easily just break down and cry.
Oh, she thought, how great it would be to be offered a moment to release her pent-up despair.
But the only ones who were privileged enough to embrace their emotions were the noble daughters of this horrid castle. They were allowed to scream and cry whenever they pleased. Such is the hierarchy of the world, they say. Servants like her were nothing but objects, bereft of humanity, save for the blood inside their bodies.
It was a great violation to be eyed as cattle, but years of living in this village and months of employment in Castle Dimitrescu made it easy for one to accept such limitations. After all, everyone in this place served one purpose and one purpose only: Mother Miranda and the all-powerful Black God.
Not everyone can be a ruler. Some had to tend to the livelihoods of those in charge instead.
Someone such as her.
As Delia continued working, Daniela found herself unable to focus on the words of the story. Instead, her mind drifted, consumed by thoughts of the man that the princess in the fairy tale searched for. It brought up the notion of romantic love, something that she had yet to experience.
To the redhead, it was as if love was nothing more than a distant dream, a fantasy that danced just out of reach. She often envisioned herself as the princess, swept off her feet by a handsome prince, his lips meeting hers in a tender embrace. It inspired a longing within her, as she yearned hopelessly for such a day like that to come.
But as she dwelled on her fantasies, Daniela's thoughts inevitably turned to her own experiences with men, her memories tainted by the gruesome acts she and her sisters had committed. She recalled the taste of flesh on her tongue and the sensation of tearing through skin and bone with savage hunger. Yet she could not conjure the same feelings of passion and desire that she imagined the princess felt.
During those feasts where a deceased man lay on the castle floor, she and her siblings would descend upon him like wolves to an elk. She would go for the face, stealing the moment to savor a bite of his lips. She would even plant a kiss whenever Bela and Cassandra were too busy enjoying the blood, but it was not the same.
A dead man's lips were motionless, devoid of all life that would have pushed them back against hers. There was no breath to warm her skin. No tongue to brush across her teeth that wasn't her own. It just felt like skin. Dead skin. Her kisses would end with a sigh, right before she would bite down on the corpse's face and return to her dinner.
The books she read described such passionate romance. It electrified her soul to imagine that it was possible. She wanted a man's arms to wrap around her waist and push her against the wall, all while her long legs cradled his hips so lovingly.
Their mother was adamant that no man would ever be able to lay a finger on her precious girls. It elevated the daughter's status in each of their eyes, as it made them feel scores above the normal mortal. Something that could never be touched, no matter how hard one desired to do so.
The desires of men were something that Alcina warned them about incessantly. Even if neither of the three feared any man, their mother could not take her thoughts away from what a man's will encompassed. She shuddered to think about any of the noblewomen being poisoned by the male touch.
Bela and Cassandra never had any inclination to find love, especially the brunette. However, it was the redhead who wanted what the others did not. It was a part of her that Alcina could never overcome, no matter how vocal she was about her disapproval. Nevertheless, the tall lady still found a smile at her youngest child's ramblings, seeing them as playful delights.
Daniela, on the other hand, saw it as an opening to a possibility. She thought that the day might come when she could finally be introduced to a man worthy of her status. And when that day came, so would her mother's walls find themselves lowered.
Until then, she would save herself for the man of her dreams. Her body would remain her own temple, and there would be no visitors to worship it. But sometimes the temple demanded such worshippers, and that was something that she could not escape from.
What does it feel like? I wonder and wonder, but I just don't know. These books don't go into much detail, and I know that Mother hates us reading about anatomy. Ugh, she sure gave Bela quite a lecture that one time. I kind of wish she still had that textbook.
Frustration welled up inside Daniela. She longed for something more, something that she could never quite grasp. And in her desperation, her gaze fell upon Delia, who was still immersed in her cleaning tasks.
Men are just people. People are all the same, right?
For a fleeting moment, Daniela's twisted mind began to consider Delia as a sort of "placeholder" for a prince, someone who could provide her with the affection and intimacy that she craved. She wondered what it would feel like to kiss somebody, especially someone who was alive and would return the act.
She didn't hold a natural attraction to Delia, but her desires and her urges compelled her to consider what the maid had to offer, if only for the moment. Could she derive the same kind of satisfaction from experimenting with her? Would a kiss give her an idea of what a man's would be like?
Had Delia been a man, the choice would have been easier to make, but Daniela's hesitation grew. In the end, she opted to leave it as what it was—a thought.
As Daniela watched Delia move about the library, a pang of jealousy twisted in her chest, a bitter reminder of the love that she could never possess.
As Daniela's mind swirled with conflict, she couldn't help but feel a sudden urge to break the silence that hung between them. "Delia," she began, her voice cutting through the quiet air, "have you ever kissed someone before?"
The question caught Delia off guard, causing her to pause in her cleaning for a moment as she turned to face Daniela. The redhead was no stranger to random conversation, and after what had just occurred, the last thing the servant wanted to do was tick her off again, somehow.
Internally, Daniela hoped that Delia could shed some light on what it was like to experience such intimacy. But even as the question left her lips, a surge of rage boiled up from within her. The thought of Delia experiencing something that she herself so desperately desired filled her with an overwhelming sense of resentment.
I bet she has! Argh! Why?! Why her? Why can't I ever get the chance to kiss someone?!
"Um, no, Miss Daniela," she replied hesitantly, unsure of where the conversation was leading.
And just like that, as quickly as the anger had come, it vanished, replaced by an immediate sense of relief. "Good," Daniela muttered under her breath, satisfied with what she had heard. "And have you ever fallen in love?" she asked.
Delia's gaze dropped to the floor. "No, Miss Daniela," she finally admitted, sighing against the brown apron she wore against her white gown. She did not want to speak about this anymore, but the conversation was not in her control. She awaited the daughter's next question, but after a dozen or so seconds, she noticed that Daniela was now engrossed in her reading.
With a frown, Delia turned away to resume her dusting. The particles filled her lungs, nearly causing her to sneeze. Daniela peeked over her shoulder, though her hood obscured any glimpse of her face.
"Make sure you dust this couch before you leave," she told her. "I can see specks all over the bronze."
"Yes, Miss Daniela."
I wish Delia would sit down and read this story with me, but she reads too fast! Besides, she has work to do. Mother always complains that this library is such a mess. I don't want to have to start hitting Delia again, but if this place doesn't get cleaner, I fear that I am going to have to. Hmm, enough of that. I might as well enjoy this book. It's so good!
Her moment of reading was only cut short again by Alcina's booming voice. "Daughters! To me!"
With a long whine, Daniela laid the book down and leaned her head back. The heel of her foot kicked against the ground softly in a display of pouting, but she remained mostly silent. As she stood, her body began to dissolve into its usual mass of bugs, which Delia then glanced over at.
"Delia," Daniela commanded, "you are to continue cleaning until told otherwise, starting with this seat!"
"Yes, Miss Daniela!" Delia hurried over to the fixture that Daniela had just been sitting on, quickly applying the feathers in a zig-zag fashion across the top. As the dust was brushed off the surface, Daniela's horde of insects barreled out of the room with haste, knowing that her mother was best not to be kept waiting.
...
As Daniela descended the grand staircase onto the marble floor below, her form shifted to her solid figure. Waiting there, she found her mother standing tall before Bela and Cassandra, flanked by some of the other servants.
Standing nervously beside the lady of the castle was a slender brunette, whom neither of the three daughters had ever seen before. Daniela already knew what was going on, and when she glanced at the expression on Cassandra's face, the answer was all the clearer.
Cassandra looks so hungry. I guess this girl is our next meal!
With delight expressed across her smile, Daniela happily clapped her hands as she took her spot next to Bela. "Oh, goody! Food!"
The woman that Alcina had brought in only grew more alarmed as soon as she heard what the redhead had to say, but as soon as she gazed at the daughters some more, her emerald eyes became fixated on the blonde.
Huh, why is she looking at Bela like that?
Alcina addressed the gathering, her loud voice echoing through the hall. "My daughters, I present to you our newest addition to the castle staff. She is an outsider."
Cassandra tilted her head, chuckling as she squinted her eyes at the new girl. "From where, Mother?"
Alcina rolled her eyebrows as she bared down on the quiet girl. "I do not know, nor do I truthfully care."
Bela then joined in, wondering about the potential of this supposed intruder in the village. "Mother, she is awfully thin." It was a veiled comment on the expectancy of an unsatisfying dinner, but one that earned a prolonged glance from the captured soul, which even the eldest daughter soon took notice of.
"As she is, Bela," Alcina stated. "But we need the staff, especially for this coming winter." She adjusted the tilt of her large hate as she finished speaking, as if she couldn't wait to get the introduction done with and resume whatever activities the remainder of the day had in store for her.
But regardless, Alcina was a woman of tradition. Even if a servant were to survive for a single day, it was customary to introduce them to the castle.
Anticipation filled the air as the other maids nervously averted their eyes, fully aware of the fate that awaited the newcomer under the wretched heart of the towering mistress. If they could speak, they would take bets on how long she would last. The woman appeared weak and terrified, frozen in fear as she saw herself surrounded by vicious strangers.
As they had done with all the other women that had come before her, Daniela and her siblings smiled warmly and moved closer to the new servant, their giggles playing in like a foreboding melody of bad intentions. "Welcome." Daniela was the first to speak, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
"We promise not to bite," Cassandra remarked.
Bela was the final one who approached her, and the new girl's stare was back on her. "Hmm, curious, aren't you?" The newly-hired servant gulped as soon as their gazes met. "What is your name?"
"Kyia," she responded meekly.
"What a boring name," Bela remarked.
Kyia remained silent, breathing heavily as sweat began to appear on her brow. Despite her fragile appearance, she raged relentlessly on the inside.
How? How was this possible?
She remembered leaving Bela to die back in Serpenmoor. The wretched woman was injured on the ground amongst that massive heap of corpses when the portal to this world was opened. There was no way that she could have escaped. It betrayed the very fabric of reality.
Reality, she thought. That was the answer—and the problem.
This was Bela's world. Could it be possible that she had found herself somewhere in the past? Was this a point prior to when she and Ethan were plucked and brought to Serpenmoor? It had to be, Kyia figured. It was the only logical conclusion that she could reach.
Bela did not seem to recognize her at all. If so, then everything that she knew about her was not in play. To her, Kyia was not a powerful fawn who had killed Ethan, the man she loved, and unleashed a tidal wave of destruction across an entire world. She was just a hopeless servant woman and nothing more.
Not an enemy. Not a threat.
Not someone she would have benefited from killing.
Kyia felt a bit of relief as Bela and her siblings turned around, only for Alcina to ignite her heartbeat with a sudden remark. "I hope you enjoy this place. Many on the outside are dying to get here."
Gulping a second time, Kyia nodded vigorously as she stammered, addressing her by the name that she had been instructed to refer to her as. "T-thank you, Lord Dimitrescu. I will work hard."
"As I expect," Alcina said with amusement before she pointed to the oldest servant woman in the group. "Madelina, as the Grand Chambermaid, you know what to do."
"Yes, my lord," the woman responded, fast on her feet to walk over to Kyia and take her by the hand. The brunette did not get a say in the matter, nor did she plan to argue anything in her favor. She recognized danger when it was near, and this castle was full of it. In contrast to the way Narratha had acted in front of the other supposed rulers of this forsaken village, Kyia found it best to obey and play her role.
It had kept her alive throughout her nightmarish time in that other realm, and it would hopefully do so here.
"Come," Madelina said to her. "I will provide you with a uniform and show you the routines that will be expected of you." She pulled Kyia along as the two left the room, but against her better judgement, the slender fawn could not help but glance over her shoulder as they passed through the double doors that led out of the Main Hall and into the Hall of Four.
Her eyes caught sight of Bela one more time, still in disbelief that she had encountered her again. Kyia turned her head back before the blonde could have spotted her, but her mind was already made up. She was in another nightmare, and worse, there was nowhere to hide now.
She wanted to scream. The temptation was so great, but she kept her mouth shut. The doors closed from behind them, and the pair were gone from view.
...
As the rest of the staff moved on to continue their tasks, the three daughters remained in the Main Hall together. Cassandra's hands were at her stomach, the persistent feeling of hunger swelling up within her. Seeing the new servant brought her back to the older days, when maids were a dime a dozen. She missed being able to cut one down whenever she pleased, enjoying the fresh blood that exploded out of their lacerated arteries.
But the castle was still not there. Not yet. There would need to be a lot more maids before they could return to that lifestyle. The new girl would not be sent to the dungeons unless she messed up on a royal scale. Yet, the worry in her eyes was enough to enthuse the brunette, making her extra excited to torment her when the time came.
Bela hummed as she paced toward the fireplace, extending her hands toward the flames to warm up. Her amber eyes glowed above the flickering heat, her lids curling as the sweet embrace of heat soothed her skin. As if she could read her sister's thoughts, the blonde made mention of the castle's current predicament. "One is still not enough, Cassandra."
With a click of her tongue, the middle daughter rolled her eyes with a mild groan. She crossed her arms, swaying her hips as she rotated to face Bela. "I wasn't talking to you."
Bela brought her hands closer to the fire. "No, but I'm just making sure that we don't have any more accidents."
"Is that all you think of me, Bela?" Cassandra squinted her eyes at the eldest, pursing her lips in a tight squeeze, just waiting for the opportunity to pop off on her.
But Bela would not grant her the opportunity to do so. She withdrew her hands from the fireplace, content with the temperature that had been transferred into her arms. Sighing as she turned her head toward her, the blonde shut her eyes and parted her lips. She was too tired to deal with this right now.
"One more servant means one less task for us to tend to." She turned around and began to disperse. "Make of that what you will."
"Hmph!" Cassandra looked the other way the moment her sister left the room, annoyed that she had been deprived of the chance to get some of her anger out. Maybe it had to have been the hunger piloting her emotions. She wasn't certain whenever it arose. "That's what I thought," she said, retaining a fraction of her pride in the process.
Standing not too far away from her, Daniela skipped over to her older sibling, smiling broadly as she raised her shoulders to pony up to her. "Dearest Cassandra, how are you doing on this fine afternoon?" She spoke like the fairy tale character that she always wanted to be, hoping that it would somehow soothe the brunette's negative attitude.
But a hefty grunt followed, which signaled that Cassandra was not in the mood for conversation. Still, that did not stop Daniela from trying again, anyway. "Since you're standing around, I was wondering if you had time to play?"
Another grunt. "Daniela…" Cassandra drew out her words slowly, like a rattlesnake rearing back as it shook its tail. It was a subtle warning that the redhead was beginning to tread on murky waters. If she wasn't careful, she would get swept up in the current and drown. "Do I look like I'm in the mood to play?"
Using a sliver of common sense, Daniela tilted her head and pressed her forefinger against her bottom lip. "No, I wouldn't say so."
"Then say no more… please." Cassandra was beginning to dissolve into her cloud of flies, only for Daniela to call her attention once again.
"But wait!"
The brunette did not reform, now nothing more than a torso and head floating amongst the army of buzzards around her. "What?!"
"I was wondering if you could spare the time to tell a story about some of your hunts that you've gone on?"
"Ugh!" Against Daniela's expectations, Cassandra was unwilling to delve into her most favorite of hobbies. "No, Daniela. In fact, how's about I tell you the story of the most annoying sister in this castle?"
She did not catch on to the insult, wholeheartedly believing that this was an honest alternative instead. "Oh, please do! What did she do that was so annoying?"
Cassandra gritted her teeth, ready to scream. She was hungrier than ever and thirsty for blood. Her dry throat made shouting a chore, but the upsurge in anger that had just been borne in her chest made the discomfort worth it. She raised her shoulders, pointing to the stairs as her glare fixated on the oblivious redhead. "Go!"
Why is she yelling at me?
"What? Why?" Daniela didn't understand what was going on. To her, Cassandra's outburst had seemingly originated out of nowhere.
"Argh!" The brunette's anger rose to high levels. "I'm talking about you!"
"Why me?" Daniela pointed to herself, visibly perplexed.
"Not only are you the most annoying sister, you're almost the dumbest!" Cassandra's flared finger jutted out toward the upper stairwell. "Just go back to your stupid little library and stop bothering me, especially when I'm hungry!"
"You're so mean!" Daniela shouted back, but Cassandra happily let out the contempt that was in her heart.
"And you're so stupid!" She fired back. "Stop with these little requests! When have I ever agreed to your pathetic games? It hasn't changed then, and it's not going to change now!"
Daniela stomped her foot, her fingers curling at her sides. The anger that Cassandra felt had now duplicated itself within her. She wanted to tear something apart, but the instigator of her anguish was not a suitable target. She could never be. As much as the sisters argued and fought, Mother strictly forbade them from ever laying hands on one another.
Seething through her pressed teeth, Daniela watched as Cassandra drifted away, likely on her way to the kitchen to steal some food before tonight's dinner. It was a common action from that starving woman. She practically lived there, but only when Bela and the servants weren't around. Alone in the Main Hall by herself, Daniela could not forsake the emotions that she now carried.
There had to be an outlet for them, lest they reside within her soul and rot it from the inside out. She had been insulted and dealt a disappointing outcome to her requests.
That only meant that someone had to pay.
...
Delia sat up on the library floor, her hand clasping her mouth. When she withdrew her arm, her lower lip continued to drip blood down onto the ground. She could taste the iron under her tongue and the influx of crimson building up around her gums. The punch to the face that Daniela had delivered had sent her teeth right into her skin.
As her tongue glided across to size up the wound, her teary eyes could only look up at the redhead above her.
Daniela stood like a tower, her chest heaving with ferocious anger. "You call this clean?" she shouted, gesturing angrily at the shelves around them. "I told you to dust this room properly! Why didn't it get done?"
Delia's eyes fell as soon as she heard that. Deep in her heart, she knew that she had tried her best. Daniela's outbursts like these were usually the byproduct of some outside agitation. It always came back to her in the end. This wasn't the first time the maid had been subjected to a spontaneous episode of battery. "I'm sorry, Miss Daniela," she said as confidently as possible, even though her voice trembled along the way.
Daniela's eyes narrowed as she glared down at Delia. She wanted to lash out again, to make Delia pay for everything that Cassandra had said to her. If she couldn't confront her sibling, she sure as hell would allow the worthless servant to bear the brunt of the flame. There was still so much hatred that coursed through her veins.
She just had to get it out.
I want to hit her! I want to hit her so badly! Why can't Mother just let us kill these pathetic, stupid little women again? I just hate it! I hate these rules!
Amidst the flurry of wrath that cooked up in her soul like a merciless storm, Daniela's eyes turned to concentrate on those bloodied lips that Delia now wore. As the maid's breaths caused the crimson to bubble and slurp, the redhead's revolving mind shifted gears to the thought of how great the substance tasted.
She craved a bowl full of the sanguine mixture. It stimulated her senses, driving her primal nature to consume every living thing in her path. There was nothing else in this world like the blood of humans. It was the elixir of the heavens, in her eyes. The idea that another strike could yield more of the delicious liquid tempted her to swing at Delia again.
But when that thought materialized, so did the concept of Delia's lips. Daniela recalled her earlier thoughts about what it would be like to kiss a living person. She reminded herself of how she had momentarily been open to possibly practicing on the maid who worked for her, now with the bonus of the blood to quench her undying needs.
It would taste so good! I just want to tear her lips off! The blood would be everywhere! Oh, I should still take the time to see what a kiss would be like! Maybe it would be...
But just as the idea of going forward with that plan formed, another memory surfaced. It was the story of the prince and the princess, her favorite fairy tale. In that story, love was pure and gentle, not tainted by anger and violence. None of the scenes between the prince and the princess involved a punch to the face. How could a kiss in that scenario give her any idea as to what real-world romance would be like?
It would be nothing but a disappointment, and at the same time, she realized how much she had cherished Delia's commitment. The redhead was no stranger to acting out toward her, but compared to all of the staff in this castle, the young lady was someone special to her. Daniela felt like there was a genuine sense of friendship to be had, as abnormal as things would seem.
She couldn't define 'friendship' completely, but if Delia was willing to partake in things with her that her beloved sisters would not, then there was something worth preserving. That was when Daniela recalled a notable line from the story she read.
A powerful line.
"No one who loves someone would ever hurt them."
"I'm sorry, Delia," Daniela said with remorse. "I shouldn't have done that to you. But the library is still dusty, and I needed to make sure you understood the importance of your duties." It was the only way that she could convey how she felt. The anger was still there, and it would not leave the party without making its presence known, but she understood what she had done, and she was thankful that the damage did not appear to be irreversible.
"I understand, Miss Daniela," Delia said quietly. "I will resume my tasks immediately." She was hesitant to make eye contact with the youngest daughter for a second, but she did so briefly to avoid further argument. This wasn't the first time that she had heard this sort of apology, but she took it for what it was worth. The acknowledgment of one's mistakes took some of the sting off this unfortunate event.
She stumbled a bit as she stood, still a little dizzy and unsteady on her feet. Pulling a cloth out of her pocket, Delia carefully wiped the excess blood off her face and handed the soaked rag to Daniela. She knew the noblewoman would want to enjoy what was to be had in the meantime.
But, to her surprise, Daniela declined the offer.
"Huh?" Delia's eyes widened a bit, surprised that the wildest of the trio would have ever passed up the chance to indulge in someone's blood. But she did not contest the decision, nor would she ever. "Of course, Miss Daniela." She rolled the cloth up, ensuring that the crimson would not soak through and stain her garments. Placing it back into the pocket of her gown, she picked up her duster and returned to dusting the shelves.
Daniela slowly walked back to her lounge chair, slumping down onto it as her eyes set on the book that she loved so much. She wanted to pry it open and ingest the text written inside, but the weight of what she had just done soured her sense of enjoyment.
Why should she enjoy the story of the princess if that was how she behaved?
The redhead couldn't shake off what she had just done, feeling Cassandra's scornful words replaying in her mind over and over. It fueled her self-doubt, amplifying her distress in the process. She was trapped in this endless loop, spiraling further and further with no clue as to what the center of this despair would look like. Perhaps Cassandra was right about her after all.
Maybe something wasn't right with her head. That was probably why she always missed the mark, causing her sister to loathe her at every turn.
Delia stood nearby, overhearing the restrained sniffles that came from behind that hood. She knew the sound of them very well, and though she was still dealing with the aftermath of the assault, her heart ached to see someone else in sorrow. The droplets of blood continued to fall from her cut lip, but her natural desire to spread kindness into this cruel world summoned her courage to look past them.
She carefully set down her duster and approached Daniela, making her movements audible so she would not startle the violent noblewoman. "Easy now," she whispered softly as she took a seat beside her, reaching out to offer an otherwise non-existent comfort.
Daniela said little, only whimpering as her amber eyes wandered aimlessly around what was in front of her. Delia knew the danger of this situation, but she had been in this position before. Gently, she extended her dainty hand and laid it on Daniela's robed shoulder, her fingers nestled under the folds of that wide hood.
Cassandra? Is that you?
In her disorganized state, Daniela then addressed the one who held her, firmly believing that this was indeed her older sister. "Cassandra, I know that you're always so unhappy. Mother yells at you more than she does to me or Bela, and it must be a lot for you. You don't deserve it. But all I want is for you to just be happy. It hurts to see us drifting apart."
Though Delia knew Daniela was not in the right mindset, she continued to offer her support. Even though she had to play the part of Cassandra, it also felt like she was speaking from her heart. "I understand," she said with genuine empathy. "I wish things could be different."
Still looking away and believing that she was speaking to her sibling, Daniela had a request to make. "Can you please sing me a song?"
I know you hate singing, Cassandra, but you have such a wonderful voice. I just want to hear it.
With a slow inhale, Delia began to sing, channeling a classic lullaby, a melody from her childhood that carried her throughout her roughest nights. Her mother would tuck her in, smiling at her like she was the happiest woman in the world. In truth, she must have been, because that wasn't the kind of smile that anyone could fake, nor could it be found anywhere else other than between a parent and their beloved offspring.
"When I wait in the fields," her voice glided like a stray flower floating in the breeze. "I will wait for you, always." Delia caressed Daniela's shoulder, ensuring that her master did not feel as weak as she did. "Even when the skies turn grey, I will wait for you for all my days."
Cassandra has such a lovely voice. I wish I was like her.
Delia allowed a tear to fall from her cheek, crashing into the blood that remained glued to her skin. She missed her mother so much and would have given anything to just have one more day with her. "A winter flower blooms so sweet. A field of love lays at my feet. And when my toiling is finally done, I will lay down on my back."
She shut her eyes, as did Daniela. Two women in two very different mental worlds, but who found themselves in the same room. A broken and tarnished relationship.
"I will gaze up at the sky." Another tear fell from the maiden's eyes as she blinked. "But you never passed me by. My little flower, oh, so sweet. Won't you be my flower now? My sweet, my sweet."
NOTES:
Welcome back!
I wanted to shine some more light on Delia, who will be playing a sizeable role in this story. I'm sure most of you don't remember; she (as well as Madelina) was first introduced in chapter 19 of Fragmented Flies, but for only a brief bit. Safe to say, nothing really good happened to the maids in that one...
However, this is a new timeline, and I plan to develop her character. For those of you who have been through this series, the relationship that the daughters have with the maids is as canonical as possible, which means that those poor women aren't treated well at all. Delia has managed to forge somewhat of a bond with our redhead, but it isn't an easy one to navigate.
Sometimes things happen.
As for Daniela, she's not quite right in the head. Immortality is one thing, but a degrading conscience is another. The thoughts that she was having about Delia, in my mind, really put this into focus. There is no romance at play here. The way she viewed the maid as a surrogate for what she truly wants is more akin to pure apathy and objectification, I guess. It just shows that she bounces around seeing Delia as a human and then, at times, just an item.
In canon, none of the daughters were ever good people. Daniela is perhaps the most vulnerable one, and she leaves so much storytelling potential here. Her relationship with Delia will play into her redemption, and speaking of redemption (or lack thereof)...
It looks like there is a new maid in the castle.
Kyia may be weak and skittish, but we all know by now how looks can deceive. What awaits this fawn in servant's clothing on her first day? You'll see next week, on the 31st.
Until then, I hope you are all enjoying this story so far and doing well! Also, feel free to check out Fragmented Flies: Flickers, which is a spin-off of the first installment. A mix of an alternate timeline and a prequel, it's planned to be a short but dark adventure that focuses on Lia, the fawn who aided Cassandra throughout her journey. It's still canon to this series, so for you lore-hounds out there, enjoy! Follow this story on Archive of Our Own to check out the artwork!
I hope you all have a safe weekend, and I'll see you soon! 😊