Roots and veins

Chapter one

It's dark. I was supposed to arrive about two hours ago but the snow made it damn near impossible for the coachman to see. But nonetheless, me, my suitcase, and the tired horse all blow in to the unnamed village unharmed.
I'm booted out of the carriage at the bottom of a mountain with a gate door with torches on either side in front of it.
"Wait, you're leaving me here??"
"I'm sorry miss, but men aren't permitted beyond this point."
What does he mean 'Not permitted'??
"But I have no idea where I'm going?!"
"I am truly sorry, just follow the path, you'll be able to see the castle. here-"
He throws me a blanket from the drivers section of the carriage.
"*Sigh* How much do I owe you?"
I hand him my travel fee and take the blanket.
"Thank you sir."
And with that he drives off and leaves me at the base of the mountain. I wrap the blanket around myself, pick up my suitcase, and begin my trek.
It's dark, I can only be guided by the moonlight as I struggle to walk through the heavy snow. The trees are ominous, tall towering black figures in the night. There's little to no sound other than my heavy breathing. I'm rather on edge, all of this feels quite unsettling.
I'm at the point where I can see the castle in the distance, but it's about now that I feel as if something's watching me.
I stop walking, looking around me. The hair on the back of my neck stands up. I almost feel the need to call out 'Hello?' But that would be silly, it's most likely an animal of sorts. I go to continue walking, but a sound stops me in my tracks. Before I'm able to make sense of what it might be, something launches itself out from behind a tree pushing me to the ground. The thing snarls in my face, it's hot rancid breath filling my nostrils. I can't see what it is, it's too dark. I scream and kick it off of me. I begin to make a run for it, but the monster grabs at me. It rips off my blanket and continues to tear at my back. I whip around and kick it to the ground. I lift up my skirts, abandoning my case, and run as fast as I can in the rocky, snow covered terrain (screaming like a banshee all the while). The thing chases after me, it too, screaming.
Finally, I break out of the woods and onto the castle grounds.
"Holy shit..." I say breathlessly.
I can see the monster in the light of the torches.
It looks almost human, however it's skin is rotten and it behaves what can only be described as animalistic.
I frantically pound on the door.
"PLEASE!! PLEASE LET ME IN!!"
My ankle is grabbed and I'm pulled off my feet.
The creature drags me down the stone stairs.
"NO, PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP ME!"
I claw at the ground trying to pull my leg free as I sob.
The door opens, light spilling out onto the castle entrance. A young lady in a Victorian maid dress peeks out from behind the door.
"HELP ME PLEASE!!"
"Oh my!"
She hurry's over to where I'm laying.
She pulls a small knife from her collar and drives it into the back of the monsters neck. It screams and releases me. I quickly get up and stand behind the woman.
She twists the knife inside of its neck digging it deeper, and eventually, it quiets. She sighs, removing her knife and wiping it clean on her skirt.
"Nasty things those are. Mistress won't be happy when she finds out one wandered onto the property. *she looks up at me* What's your name, why are you here?"
"Julia . I came to accept the maid position I applied for a little over a month ago."
"Oh, right. You're late."
"I know... but I-"
"Mistress doesn't appreciate tardiness, and won't accept your excuses. Come. I hope for your sake she's feeling apologetic."
She turns on her heel and leads me through the door.
"Close and lock the door will you? We don't need any lycans wandering into the castle."
"Lycans? Is that what they're called?"
"Yes. It's a pretty direct name."
The main hall is rather impressive. The floor is shiny black and white tiles, practically reflective. A large glittering chandelier hangs from the ceiling, illuminating the room among several candle stands. A wooden staircase curves up to the upper floor balcony which wraps around the room. A red velvet couch sits by the fireplace atop a Persian rug. And in the center of the hall under the chandelier a large compass like star design is painted on the tile.

We turn into a hall and walk for awhile.
I notice the crest that was on the door sits on many of the furnishings.
"What does the symbol on the door represent?"
"That's the Dimitrescu crest."
Dimitrescu? I suppose that's the family the castle belongs to.
After a few more minutes of no talking, we halt in front of a door.
"Luckily for you she's still awake. Mind your manners, and show upmost respect. Refer to her as mistress or my lady. Choose your words carefully."
The more I hear the more I wonder who this woman really is.
"Um, okay, uh, what's your name?"
"My name is Lydia."
"What do you do here?"
"I am the purification marshal. I oversee the cleaning, polishing, and preservation of the many surfaces of the castle."
"Huh, so you're in charge of all of the people cleaning the castle?"
"Yes, there's approximately 967 women under my supervision."
"So, will you be my boss?"
"That depends where mistress places you. There's purification, cuisine, seamstressy, and grounds keeping; you'll be given your position tonight and will be expected to report there tomorrow morning. That is if our lady takes well to you."
"What do you me-"
"Who is that jabbering outside my door?"
A rich feminine voice floats from the other side of the door.
Lydia straightens her back and folds her hands in front of her.
"It's Lydia my lady. The new maiden has arrived. I have her here."
"You may enter."
Lydia turns the door handle and pushes open the door. She glides in and gracefully places her arms in front of her, folding her hands.
I still can't see the origin of the voice as I stand in the doorway.
"You too dear."
I nervously step into the room.
A massive chair sits by a desk. The room is lined with bookshelves and more priceless relics.
The back of the chair is so tall I can't see who's behind it.
"What's your name?"
"Julia, uh, my lady(?)."
She laughs, a deep throaty chuckle.
"Come here."
I look over to Lydia, she nods at me.
I carefully walk over over to the desk. I stand behind it, I fold my hands as Lydia is.
A very large gloved hand places a quill on the desk atop some paper.
The chair scoots back, scraping against the floor with a screech.
A head of black hair rises from behind the chair.
As the woman stands up, I am bewildered.
She towers over me, her silhouette casting a dark shadow across the room.
"O mój Boże..." I whisper to myself.
"So you're Russian? Or is that polish?"
She must have heard me
"Polish my lady."
"Hm. Lydia, you're excused."
"Yes my lady."
Lydia strides from the room and shuts the door behind her, leaving me with the lady of the castle.
She turns around. I almost jump out of my skin.
Yellow, glowing eyes bear into me.
While terrifying, she is exceptionally gorgeous.
Her face is framed with sleek black curls. Her silky white gown drapes her body accentuating her curves; the neckline dips low exposing her cleavage.
In one hand she holds a long cigarette holder, and in the other a massive wine glass filled with a thick red liquid.
Her pearly white teeth peer at me behind her red painted lips.
I feel ashamed by my appearance in her presence. My dress is tattered and dirty,and my hair is stringy and wet from being full of snow; all thanks to my encounter with the lycan.
"You're late."
"My apologies my lady."
She stares at me for a moment
"How can your employment benefit my castle? What are your skills per-say?"
"Um, well, I'm pretty versatile. I can cook, clean, sew, and garden, everything you offer, really whatever you want me to do."
"Whatever I want you to do?"
She says it with a tone that if I'm not mistaken, sounded slightly seductive.
"Y-yes my lady."
"Hm. Well we are slightly understaffed in grounds keeping...you said you could garden?"
"Yes, I was part of a local gardening community back home."
"Very well. Amelia will be your instructor, I'll ring for her to show you to your bed."
Reaching down onto her desk she picks up the receiver to an old rotary phone.
She turns the dial and lets it ring three times before it's picked up.
"Good evening Amelia dear. I have our newest maiden here and she needs to be shown to her bed...yes...I'm in my office...alright then, we'll wait for your arrival."
She puts down the receiver and turns back to face me.
She smiles, bearing her teeth.
"Come here."
She gestures with her finger for me to come closer.
Cautiously I cross the space between us.
She stands smiling at me for a moment before crouching down to face level with me.
I smell her cigarette on her breath. Tobacco mixed with something else. Herbs I assume. I feel slightly loopy, never having been in such close proximity with such intense aromas.
Here I can observe her face more closely.
She has distinct smile lines on either side of her mouth, crows feet in the corners of her eyes; but she also has frown lines in between her eyebrows.
Her eyes are slightly frightening. Swirling amber pools, almost catlike.
"Give me your hand."
Completely intimidated, I begin to reach up my hand.
She snatches my wrist, holding it up to her nose.
I feel my heartbeat quicken.
She brings her other hand up to my wrist and strokes it with her index finger; the corners of her mouth raising.
"Don't scream, it's not worth the trouble."
"Wha(?)-"
Before I can finish my sentence, with the hand she's holding my wrist with she extends her index finger and drags her nail across my skin. I feel a searing pain as she does; It's then that I realize that she's sliced my wrist open.
I squeeze my eyes shut and whimper through my teeth, but I don't scream.
I can barely believe what I see next.
She plants her lips above the cut, soothing the wound with her tongue.
I gasp at the feeling.
Then I feel the pulling sensation and I register what's going on.
She's sucking the blood from my wrist.
She's drinking my blood.
My breath quickens, but as it does so does my heart, pumping my blood into her mouth quicker.
I try to pull my wrist away but she has a firm grasp on it.
Adrenaline fogs my mind, but strangely, another feeling arises within me.
The sight of her lips pressed against me, her eyes fluttering, the deep breaths she takes as she takes another mouthful; I feel my cheeks flush.
She opens her eyes and slowly pulls her mouth from my wrist, licking the cut one more time before rising.
"Hm, interesting reaction. I've never had a maiden respond in such a way."
"What way my lady?"
"Oh nothing dear. Run along, Amelia should be here now. I'll see you in the very near future."
She turns around and sits back down at her desk, dismissing me.
I take my leave shutting the door behind me quietly.
Standing right outside of the door is a tall girl with a messy auburn bun atop her head; this must be Amelia. Her attire  is simple, a white white linen shirt with sleeves that she's rolled up to her elbows. She has brown pants with muddy knees that are pulled up to just below her knees, and leather boots on her feet.
The shirt buttons all the way up the neck, seems off given the rest of the outfit, but I brush it aside.
"Hey, I'm Amelia, I'll be your supervisor. What's your name?"
"Uh, hi, I'm Julia."
"Great! I'm exited to have you on the team. Come on, I'll show you to your quarters."
"So what's the job like? What will I be doing?"
"Well, since you've been assigned to groundskeeping, there's a lot of stuff you could be doing. I mean there's tending to the gardens and flower beds, trimming hedges and trees, keeping the greenhouses clean, not letting anything get too overgrown, keeping the soil fresh and fertile, cleaning the outside of the castle, and of course lycan control. It's our job to terminate any lycans lord Moreau has allowed to wander onto the property."
Huh, Lord Moreau.
We come across a tapestry that showed a picture of three women bent over a flower bed, holding baskets with rose clippings, wearing similar outfits to Amelia's.
Amelia pulls back the tapestry to reveal a wooden door with metal accents of flowers and vines.
She pushes open the door and a long stone staircase leads into the darkness.
We continue down the stairs, careful not to trip and fall all the way down. The stone smells old and wet with earthy tones.
We reach another door just like the first one with torches on either side.
Amelia unlocks the door.
"Alright be quiet, the other maidens are sleeping."
The walls of the large chamber are lined with small beds. Each bed had a nightstand with a lantern and a large chest at the foot of the bed.
On one wall a fireplace sends light shadows over the room. On the far side is another door with a lantern hanging over it. The room is positively frigid given the only heat source is the singular fireplace.
"This is the grounds keeping quarters C. As you spend more time here you will be moved to B, and then A. I'll show you your bed."
We walk the length of the chamber to the very end. She stops in front of a bed with a three sets of clothes folded atop it.
"You have two work uniforms and a pair of sleep clothes. In your chest is your work shoes, gloves, tools, corset, socks, undergarments, and hat. The bathroom is in the door to your right. Wash up every morning and report to breakfast at 5 am. I will wake you, and the others up at 4 o'clock tomorrow to begin your day. Please tie your hair up in a high bun to go under your hat, and make sure your collar is buttoned. Goodnight, get plenty of rest, you have a big day tomorrow." She winks and with that she leaves me, walking back down to the other end of the chamber.
I sigh and unpin my hair. I move over to the bed to look at my uniform. I pick up one of my work shirts and I notice something hard in the collar. I turn the shirt inside out to see what is might be. And to my surprise, it's a small metal sheath.
"Interesting..."
I go through the rest of my uniforms and move to the sleep dress. I pick it up to feel the material and something catches my eye on the bed.
I put down the dress and pick up whatever the small thing on the bed was.

It's a knife, just big enough to fit in the neck sheath.

(Okay yeah, soooo, that was that. If you came from my Steven universe stuff, I also write resident evil smut so...that's cool.
Okay, bye)

-JR💗