The Maiden

Chapter 6

*Freya's P.O.V*

I woke up the next morning with exhaustion overwhelming me. I had woken up several times throughout the night and had to keep putting myself back to bed. It was hard to not get out of bed and go wander around but I had slipped out of my regressed state which allowed me to have the self control to remember that I could run into Lady Dimitrescu who was terrifying.

I went through the same shower routine I did everyday, a part of me wanting to just take a bubble bath and skip breakfast to relax. By relaxing I totally did not mean regressing and sitting in the bathtub until the water was freezing just to pop bubbles. That wasn't my plan at all.

I threw my hair up in a bun, knowing that I could just say it was a messy bun if anyone paid close attention to it. I sat next to Taylor at breakfast, nibbling on the pastry that was on my plate. I finished most of it before I pushed my plate away and focused on Taylor who was talking to me about a date she was going on with one of the village guys.

I was distracted from the conversation by the dining hall doors opening and I frowned in confusion when Daniela entered the room. Bela followed close behind, stopping the doors from slamming shut behind Daniela. Daniela made her way to me and leaned down right next to my ear.

"We need to talk, now," she said as she grabbed my arm as I stood up. The other maids had fallen silent and I felt their eyes on me as Daniela practically dragged me out of the room and down the hall.

"What's going on Daniela?" I questioned as she stopped pulling me along. Bela, Daniela, and now Cassandra were all standing in front of me. I was confused as to what could possibly be going on to make them need to speak to me this early.

"Mother knows about your regression," Cassandra said, making me blink in shock. "She was in the library last night the whole time, we only found out after Daniela had taken you to bed and started to go into detail about her caregiving for you," she stated.

"Hold on a moment?" I asked quietly as I took a few deep breaths. "Lady Dimitrescu knows about me regressing?" I questioned.

"Yes, Mother made me tell her all about it," Daniela said apologetically. "She's going to ask you about your regressing today and I figured that you would need time to prepare yourself," she said with a small smile.

"Regressing? Never heard of it, never done it. You all must have heard about that from a dream," I said as I smiled innocently.

"Are you trying to gaslight us?" Cassandra asked as she furrowed her eyebrows. "You know that won't work on us or our mother right?" she questioned which made me roll my eyes.

"It was worth a shot," I sighed as I shrugged my shoulders. "I think playing dumb is my only option at this point, that or faking amnesia," I said as I leaned against the wall. "Which one of you wants to push me down the stairs?" I asked to which Cassandra immediately volunteered.

"No one is getting pushed down the stairs, Cassandra put your hand down," Bela said as she glared at Cassandra. "This is serious Freya, Mother's really taken an interest in this whole age regression thing," she informed me.

"Well I have taken a serious interest in finding the nearest bridge to jump off of," I replied, sticking my tongue out at Bela when she raised an eyebrow at me. "Theoretically, how painful would a trip to the cellar be because I earned a trip there last night for being out of my room after curfew?" I questioned.

"I knew I liked you," Cassandra whispered as Bela glared at me. I shrank under her gaze and hid behind Daniela who turned around to hug me.

"What if I slip when she's asking the questions? Do you know how embarrassing that would be?" I questioned as I clung to Daniela. "Oh no, no, no. That wouldn't end well at all," I muttered to myself.

"Why wouldn't that end well little fairy? It seems that being regressed would help you answer her questions," Daniela questioned as she held me, rocking me slightly. I pulled back, my face aflame from my embarrassment as I looked down at the floor.

"Sometimes when I'm regressed, I think about having a caregiver like full time and sometimes Lady Dimitrescu..." I answered, trailing off about halfway through my sentence.

"I'm sorry, you imagine my Mother as your caregiver sometimes?" Cassandra asked as she raised an eyebrow. I flushed as I nodded my head, looking down at the floor with a small frown. "Oh baby, you're screwed," she laughed.

"Cassandra shut up," Daniela hissed out as she wrapped her arms around me. "Even so, what does you potentially slipping and you sometimes thinking of our Mother as a caregiver mean? What do you think will happen?" she questioned quietly.

"Well if I regress then I usually have no filter for that type of stuff especially because your Mother is very scary sometimes and so sometimes I just say things on accident," I admitted. "And what if I tell her that I sometimes think of her as a potential caregiver when I'm regressed? She'll surely send me to the cellar then," I whined.

"You're scared you're going to call her Mommy or something aren't you?" Cassandra teased as I glared at her. "That's adorable," she said as she pinched my cheeks, ignoring the fact I kicked her legs.

"Well just try not to regress," Bela said which made me stare at her deadpan. "You can do that, can you not?" she questioned.

"Most of the time I regress are involuntary, if I end up regressing then I end up regressing there will be no stopping it," I answered honestly.

"Well let's hope you just don't regress then," Daniela said. "Why don't you go do your other duties for the day until you have to go serve Mother, that will hopefully keep you from slipping," she suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds good," I nodded as I felt a pit form in the bottom of my stomach as I went to attend my duties. There was no way this could end well, I just knew it.