I'm all hers

Chapter One

Lady Dimitrescu, the lady of the house, sits proud in her lounge chair within the library. Her fingers idly flipping pages of a book she was paying no attention to. Unfortunately for me, she was watching me while working as I dust her bookshelves.

It was a comforting thought that I was her Lady's maiden and servant, tending to her needs personally such as drawing her a bath, cleaning her room etc. While the other maidens focus on the whole castle, I was exclusively for her, and only her.

'Be a dear,' she starts, one leg crossed over the over, cigarette in hand. 'Can you set up the main hall? My brother Heisenberg is visiting us in a couple hours.'

I turn to her, my arm which held the duster falling to my side. 'Of course, my lady.'

She hums in content as I turn back towards the bookshelves, removing dust from each one and making sure all the books' spines are in perfect condition. 'Would you like some wine, Lady Dimitrescu?' I ask, the last of the dust falling to the floor in which another servant will clean later today. Luckily Lady Dimitrescu had forbidden me from cleaning floors, explaining that I can spend more time making sure her surroundings are to her satisfaction.

The woman lifted her head, her hat creating a shadow on her face as she looked at me. Smiling gently, she shakes her head. 'No thank you,' she replies. I nod and step off the stool and pick it up, placing it beside the door when she speaks again. 'However I would like some tea, my lavender one.'

She turns her head to face me, watching me as I nod in reply. I don't like to talk too much in order to avoid messing up and angering her. I've seen what she does to people who anger her, and I would like to not experience it seeing as the outcome ends with piercing screams and blood which run through the halls.

'Once you bring it to me you may leave to set up the main hall,' she adds, turning her attention back to her book.

Without replying, I exit the lounge area and head down the hallway towards the kitchen and I'm met with Merva - a servant who resides in the kitchen - busying herself with preparing her lady's lunch.

'Good morning, dear.' she greets, nodding her head towards me as I enter.

'Good morning, Merva. What's for lunch?' The woman smiles in my direction, clearly happy to see me.. With Merva, I never have to worry about saying the wrong thing, ever since I was taken in as new staff five months ago, she has treated me with respect and care unlike other maids who had arrived with me.

After the mishap with a man named Ethan Winters, the Lords had added extra security, the beasts that walked the paths of the village terrified me. When Lady Dimitrescu demanded more staff after Ethan Winters had caused a lot of damage to the castle which resulted in deaths of servants, I volunteered knowing it would take pressure off my parents. In return, they were angry. Ever since I was a child I had been told stories of the House of Dimitrescu and it's secrets, they didn't want to lose me.

Anyways, here I am, still alive and well and have recently been given permission by the lady of the house to visit my parents once every two weeks. I first saw them four weeks ago after four months and they were shocked, believing that I had died.

We thought Lady Dimitrescu had turned you into wine, they had said. Honestly, when I arrived, I even believed I was going to be turned into wine.

'Some popular Romanian dishes such as Mici with a side of Ciorbă de burtă and it will be paired with one of her lady's best wines,' replies Merva. 'Miss Dimitrescu always aspires to outshine her brother. She believes the best way to do it is to excel in how orderly the House of Dimitrescu is.'

I hum, reaching forward to quickly snatch a piece of bread from the bread basket before Merva can smack my hand away. 'Doesn't that woman feed you enough? She always asks me if you've had supper.'