Lady Dracula (CURRENTLY EDITING)

Chapter 1

"My lady, it's time to wake up."

A finger plucking a soothing tune from a guitar filled through the haze of sleep as I opened my eyes. The moon's shine peeked through the velvet covers of the window and met with the friendly glow of the fireplace, a yawn escaped through my lips as I rubbed my eyes and stared at the smiling elderly gent standing on my bedside. "Good evening, Gardien." Sitting up, I scan around my grand bedroom until my eyes landed on a mannequin adorned in an exquisite gown. The bodice black as night and studded with many shimmering diamonds, the skirt was of similar color sans the fine jewelry and the sleeves skin tight lace. Glancing back at the old man dressed in a flawless suit, he nodded. "For the ball tonight. It's already starting and your parents are expecting you." He said. A knock on the door caught both of our attention and a dainty voice came out. "My lady, have you awoken? We are to help you be dressed."

He strutted towards the oak double doors and grabbed the golden handles as he opened and met two young girls dressed in a simple maid's outfit, the women bowed as he gave them orders and start to head to where the lively music blared from. "Oh and more thing, your seat is near Lady Emilia's side. Hurry along, my lady." And with that, the doors closed and the maids flinched, they smell faintly of rosemary.

"Are you new? I don't recognize any of you?" I asked, they circled around me as they started undoing the strings that held my simple white nightgown to my body. "U-Uh, yes, Lady Limier! We just got hired yesterday!" The blonde one said, her fingers fidgeting slightly as she instructed me to lift my arms to remove the nightgown. "I see, what are your names?"

"O-Our names?"

"Of course, I can't simply call you maid, now can I?"

"Oh! Um! My name is Josie and she's Rosie..."

"Your names rhyme...are you twins?"

Josie giggled as Rosie lightly nodded, focused on putting me in the dress rather than the conversation. "Yes, we are. Uh...how could you tell?"

I hummed. "Well, aside from the names? Your demeanor, you two stood closer than friends would when Gardien addressed you earlier."

Rosie drew a long, 'Ooooh' as she finally found interest. "You could tell all that just from a glance? You're amazing..."

"Lip service won't make me raise your salary but, thank you, young one."

AS they finished dressing me in the ball gown, I was going to bid them goodbye but Josie cut me off. "We are to accompany you to the party, my lady." Rosie nodded as she met my eyes, her stance stiff. "Accompany me? Gardien never mentioned any of that while he was here..." Josie sputtered as she blinked several times, looking at her sister she sighed and place her palm at her panicking sister. "Lord Dracula himself gave us the order, to get to know you better, he said." Her voice leveled, she awaited my reply. Josie blinked once as she started to relax, but Rosie still kept her hand firmly stuck on Josie's mouth to prevent her from talking.

"My...father did?" I raised a brow. "Strange, he doesn't usually tell newly hired maids to do that." Rosie's eyes slightly widen; I could practically hear Josie's heart thunder against her chest when I said that, are they hiding something? Or do I misunderstand? "But then again, it is a special occasion..." I muttered. I cleared my throat as I look at the twins, they both stood with such stiffness that one could mistake them as painted statues. I guess I should give them a break, it hasn't even been a week and I'm already cruel to them. "Very well, let us depart." Their relief was left unabashed before me, Rosie sighed as her shoulders relaxed while her sister did so but with no subtlety. I walked ahead of them with my head held up high, just as what my instructors would tell me when Wednesday comes. I giggled at the memory of me flailing my head as the stacks of book fell to the shining floors because someone neglected to dust the books so a spider snuck upon my head and waved hello during posture training.