Head Maiden of Castle Dimitrescu

3

Something heavy held my body down. My eyes fluttered open. The room I was in was dark. Only the moonlight from outside flooded the room in a silvery glow. My head turned to the side. Lady Dimitrescu laid there beside me. Her eyes were closed as she snored softly. I bit my lower lip. Her arm and leg laid against my body and held me in place. I tried to slip out of her grip, but she nuzzled herself closer to me in response. Her eyelids slowly cracked open. Her eyes glowed gold like a wolf in the night. A small smile fell on her face.

"You woke up," she whispered sleepily. My heart fluttered at the sound of her husky voice.

"I did."

"You should go back to sleep," she commented as she nuzzled into me more. "Please, let me have this hope for a little while longer." My brows furrowed as her eyes closed again and her head fell on my shoulder. I laid there awake as I heard the soft snores of her sleep again. She was so warm. The blankets that covered us were soft and comforting. My mind spun in twenty different directions. Sleep slowly succumbed my brain again. I fell back asleep moments later.

"Elena, you have to wake up now." The words cooed into my ears as I was shaken gently by the shoulders. I woke up to golden eyes smiling down at me. Lady Dimitrescu's warm smile gave me a new sense of warmth throughout my body. I liked looking at her first thing in the morning. I slowly got up. A plate of fruit laid at the edge of the huge bed alongside some clothes. "I had a maiden bring something up for you. I hope you do not mind."

"No, no, of course not."

"That's good." I rubbed at my eyes as a yawn escaped my lips. "Oh, and your job is being changed starting today." I tilted my head as I slowly crawled out of bed.

"To what, my lady?" I asked.

"My personal maiden," she replied quietly. I froze for a second before I snapped my attention to her.

"Your what?"

"You will be my personal maiden. Instead of cooking and cleaning, you will be tending to my little whims from grabbing books to bringing wine and fixing the room in the mornings." My mouth gaped slightly. "Your duties will be put onto someone else. Since you are my favorite flavor, I want to keep you rather close." I had no words that made sense.

"Yes, my lady," I said mechanically. I shook my head and pinched my arm. Am I really awake? A hand gently gripped the forearm I pinched. My head whipped up to her as an amused smile graced her face.

"What do you think you are doing?" I blinked at her.

"I.. I was just making sure I was awake." She chuckled in reply as she let me go.

"I can assure that you are indeed awake." She stretched as she got up from the bed. "Oh, and you will be wearing a new attire as well. Something a little more...tasteful. Try it on! I want to know how it fits you." Her hand delicately waved toward the clothes at the edge of the bed.

"Yes, my lady," I mumbled tiredly as I grabbed the fabric. It was soft and felt like velvet. I walked over to the bathroom door at the edge of the room and changed quickly. It was a velvet dress that hugged my curves and fell gracefully against my legs. When I stared at myself in the mirror, I gasped slightly. It looked too nice on me. I no longer looked like a maiden. I looked more like a patron of this castle instead of a worker. I bit my lower lip. Why? Why would she have me dressed like this?

"Are you done, yet?" I heard through the door. I jumped a bit as I walked out of the door. Lady Dimitrescu's eyes grazed over me approvingly. Her steps were slow and certain as she made her way over to me. "Well, well, you look stunning in that. How do you like it?"