The Dollmaker's maid

Chapter 10

POV: Athena

I wake in Daniela's arms in same position than when I fell asleep, I look up at her, she is reading.

- Hi sleepy head, slept well?

She smiles at me and caress my head.

- Yeah thank you Daniela, and you? Good reading?

- Yeah, it's a pretty good book, it's a story between a witch and a girl who get lost in the witch's forest and then... you know what? Take it, I read it a lot of times, I know it by heart.

- Are you sure?

- Yeah it's a gift, but be careful, it's the most precious book I have.

- So why do you give me this one?

- Because you make me think about my old friend, the one who gave me that book. shy, gentle, lost, always overthinking, sweet and oh gosh your eyes. She was like a sister to me... Anyway, take it already.

- But-

- No buts, I have other books she gave me don't worry...

She gives me the book, I take it and read the first page "Enora Marylène Dimitrescu to Daniela Amina Dimitrescu".

- She has Dimitrescu's name.

- Mother adopted her.

- Where is she?

- You're too curious, you don't have to know, not now...

- Your second name is Amina?

- Yeah, It's mother's sister name, she always say "you're like your aunt". I never met her... But mother say she was kind, protective but crazy and always had her head in her books.

- I can agree, you're very kind.

- Thank you little wolf.

- Little wolf?

- Yeah, I love wolfs. Oh I almost forgot, your maid uniform.

I let go of her and sit up, she goes to a closet and takes a half long black dress, fine black gloves, a black and silver corset, a little silver chain, a little silver padlock and a medallion with Beneviento's symbol.

- It's the personal maids outfit.

- Why the chain and padlock?

- Don't worry it's for your own good...

She sits next to me, puts the chain on my neck like a collar closes to the neck, she puts the medallion with Beneviento's symbol in the padlock and locks it around my neck.

- Isn't too tight?

- No It's okay, thanks Dani. But why?

- Miranda's decision, for avoid the harassment, some of the maids are not nice, not at all... Nathalie have trouble to manage it... And we can't fire them because we train them to be Miranda's ones. They think they are superior especially with new ones like you. But with it they know they must stay away from you, Donna is not the stronger one but her power are the most dangerous...

- That much? I know she was powerful but I didn't excepted that.

- Oh yeah that much, she is not a lord for nothing trust me. Now please get dressed, Nathalie wait you for your firsts tasks.

I nod and take the dress, I'm about to go to the bathroom but she stops me.

- Do it here, I need to see if you are injured or something.

- I have a scar on my chest that all.

- It's not a request, it's an order.

I don't feel comfortable, I look at her confused. Where is the soft Daniela I met earlier?