Risa was preparing for marriage, yet Alice, her maid, harbored a secret affection for her—a feeling she tried hard to bury but struggled to ignore.
-&-&-&-
"It's past midnight, and Madame Risa is still calling me," Alice muttered to herself, irritation mingling with a sense of duty. She sighed, adjusting her nightgown before making her way to Risa's room, her heart pounding with a mix of dread and longing.
Alice knocked softly before entering. The door creaked open, revealing Risa sitting on the edge of her bed, her expression a blend of vulnerability and unease.
"I thought you'd never come," Risa said, her gaze intense, almost searching, as she took in Alice’s presence.
"It's late, Madame. I was already asleep when you called," Alice replied, crossing her arms defensively, though her eyes betrayed a softness—a longing she wished she could hide.
"Never mind that. Just lie down beside me. I had a nightmare," Risa insisted, her voice tinged with desperation.
Alice hesitated, feeling the familiar ache of her hidden affection for Risa, yet keeping her composure.
With a resigned sigh, she moved to the bed, settling beside Risa, her warmth an unspoken offer of comfort. The faint scent of lavender and roses from Risa’s hair drifted toward her, making Alice’s heart flutter.
As they lay together, the room fell into a tense silence. The only sounds were their soft breaths and the faint ticking of the clock on the wall, each tick amplifying the unspoken tension between them.
After a long silence, Risa’s voice cut through the quiet, soft yet loaded with meaning. "What is it women want?" she asked, almost as if talking to herself.
Alice blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Pardon, Madame?" she replied, trying to mask her surprise.
"I mean... after marriage. At night," Risa clarified, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush that made her look younger, more innocent.
Alice hesitated, torn between the urge to say something honest and the need to stay within her role. Finally, she shrugged, feigning innocence.
"How would I know, Madame? I'm practically a child in these matters—with no one around to teach me."
Risa looked thoughtful, almost troubled. "I suppose they... kiss? And then...?" Her voice trailed off uncertainly, her brow furrowing in innocent confusion.
Alice suppressed a smile, amused by Risa’s curiosity. "They might... hold each other," she offered gently, her voice barely above a whisper.
"While standing up?" Risa asked, a small frown forming on her brow, as if she were piecing together an unsolvable puzzle.
Alice couldn’t help a quiet laugh. "If there's no bed, perhaps. But usually, it’s… on a bed. Just let yourself go without overthinking, Madame—it tends to work itself out."
Risa’s gaze softened, and her brow furrowed in thought. "Without thinking? Are there women who feel nothing, like blind people don’t see?"
Alice paused, a daring thought flickering through her mind. "I could show her one thing," she mused, her heart racing as a bold idea took shape.
Reaching into her pocket, Alice pulled out a small piece of candy, letting it linger on her tongue before lightly rubbing it across her lips. She leaned in and pressed her lips to Risa’s, the sweetness mingling between them in a quiet, forbidden exchange.
Risa gasped softly, her eyes wide, but she didn’t pull away. Her lips parted slightly, accepting Alice’s kiss, tasting the sweetness and warmth that lingered as Alice deepened the kiss, savoring the closeness, the gentle, yielding response of Risa's lips against her own.
