Catching little words || Donna x Fem!OC

Chapter I: Any thrill will do

Silence. At first, there was silence. Then, the roar of the waterfall sitting behind the mansion, the rush of trickling streams that flowed so fervently, so full of life and longing. The gentle whistle of the wind, haphazardly blowing itself against the building, howling through the thick boards, stopped short on its path by warmth from inside. It rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, swaying them from side to side, bent the grass over from the sheer force that it carried with itself. The pitter and patter of rain came after. Drops of water quenched the thirst of the ground and grass, the flowers, the little bugs. They hit the mansion's windows like small bullets, disorganized patterns littering the glass and slowly making their way down, sliding off the ledge and back to the soil.

Crina's lids fluttered open lazily, her eyes adjusting to the dim night, a peek of light coming from the clouded moon and twinkling stars. She stared into the pitless depth of the ceiling, body unmoving, except for the heaving of her chest, her even breaths rhythmic, a beat in her breast ticking away, similar to the tap of the clock on the wall. Her head turned to glance at it, its long hands reading to her an hour of late midnight. She'd been trying to fall asleep for a good few hours now, but everything was distracting her, inside and outside. Her pesky thoughts drifted off to life before starting her work at the mansion…

Life was simple, to say the least. She lived in a nice house with her parents and younger brother. Her mother, Miruna, owned a flower shop that both of them worked at. Day in and day out townspeople visited them to buy plants and other things that they may have needed. Her father, Sorin, worked for the people of the village, aiding them with menial, everyday tasks, using his limited knowledge to gather coin and put a bit more bread on his family's table. Her brother, Ioan, aided him and their mother when help was needed, be it to deliver some potted plant to an old lady or to chop some wood for a fire. And that's how every day went by, despite her efforts to make them more interesting.

Crina's memories end there, abruptly interrupted by a sound from outside, a particularly strong gust of wind swooshing around and not letting the aged wood of the mansion rest. Her mind comes to a stop then, leaving her with a question and an otherwise blank space. How did she end up in this place?

Crina woke early, when the first golden rays of light hit her bedroom's wall, painting it a vivid, gleaming hue and rousing her from slumber. It was a pleasant summer day. The sun shone brighter than any other time, the sky had no grey shawl covering its vast blues. Chirping bird songs called the children out to play that morning, their joy evident in the merry laughter they shared. She had no work that day, dismissed by her mother the moment she made herself present in the shop. She wasted no time stepping outside, an immediate warmth enveloping her. Crina headed straight for the village centre and to the community notice board, aiming to find a new poster for work, an open spot that was looking for new people. Her eyes searched the endless board and, to her luck, she found the place she was looking for. House Beneviento was in search of someone who could take care of the garden, which fit right into her skillset. Glancing at the poster once more, she turned on her heel and headed back to where she came from to write a letter to Lady Beneviento.

The young woman wasn't ever too wary of the lady and the rumours surrounding her. She wasn't frightened by her or saw her as dangerous, mostly because her parents had the same views as her, growing under their care and all. The lady seemed like no threat to them, an opposite of what was told about her in the many stories written to scare children. They saw her as a nice, albeit lonely woman, left with no family, no one to turn to.

Miruna had close relations with the mother of the lady as a trusted friend and, after her and her spouse's death, she took care of the then-young Donna for a short time before she was taken under Mother Miranda's wing. The older woman wasn't particularly fond of the separation, having heard of some less-than-pleasant things about the adoptive parent. She desperately tried to contact the Beneviento daughter, but alas, nothing worked. Left with a bitter memory, she wouldn't forgive herself if something happened to the daughter of her late friend.

Several years had passed, no news was announced, hope for Miruna was little. However, her hope burned bright, and its flame was stoked once more when the Lady of House Beneviento was declared a lord, said to take up the responsibilities of such, accompanying the other three preexisting. While not much changed, upon discovering the announcement from gossiping whispers of the women, the mother was relieved to know that the girl was alive.

Once she came back home from a rather uneventful, though exciting trip, she wrote the letter and sent it to the lord, though her hopes in getting the job were fairly low, regardless of the surety she had at the moment she saw the poster. Oh, that damn overthinking of hers was going to end her one of these days. Fortunately for her, she got a response in a few days, informing her that she was to be evaluated in a meeting.

And, of course, she was accepted and got the job. So here she was, several months later, tucked in bed, unable to lay for a night's rest. Crina wasn't sure what was keeping her awake, but it was getting damn annoying. Thinking of every option that could've led her to this, she came up with nothing every single time. Her mind roamed the possibilities for what felt like hours on end. She cannot tell how long she stared at one spot, but eventually, she was lulled to sleep by the melody of rain, the rippling surge of the waterfall, and fatigue.

(AN: Yes, I am aware of the fact that what I have now is merely the bones, no skin yet, but I assure you that the next chapter should hopefully be here soon.)