Sweet Songbird (G/T)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Seraphina sat with Maddie on the giant bed, the two of them playing Blackjack and talking what little bit they actually could. Maddie was the one doing most of the talking, her stutter gone and a smile on her face. Definitely different than before Sera's arrival. And Sera noticed this. She found it hard to believe she was the one to cause such changed in both the servants and the giant. "Hey, Maddie?" She spoke in her soft, hoarse voice as she looked at her cards that were lined up in front of her on her lap. 

"Yeah?" Maddie turned her silver gaze towards Seraphina with a gentle smile, her white hair pulled up into a bun to keep it out of her face.

Seraphina took a deep breath through her nose, preparing herself for the stinging that will take place in her throat. "I-I want to know what you, and the others were like before I showed up."

"Oh...well...you know what I was like. But Karen, Thompson, Kenneth, and Matthew were very different. Well, actually, Karen's always been really mean to me. Her and Thompson are a couple. They've been engaged for three years though. Thompson used to be a nice guy. Kenneth and Matthew are really nice guys too, but Karen has dirt on everyone. She's also really manipulative. So if she were to tell the Master something about someone, he'd always believe it. I've always been scared of her. Of what she could do. And to be perfectly honest, she always scared me more than the Master would."

"She sounds like a bitch," Seraphina muttered aloud, then clamped both hands over her mouth with wide, blue eyes. "F-Forgive my language!" She exclaimed, but her voice shredded and cracked painfully.

Maddie's face showed clear surprise, but that subsided as the maid began to laugh. "Yes, I suppose she is. Though I'd have never had the courage to say it out loud. That's why I admire you."

"B-But it was an accident!"

"You still had the nerve to think it.  That's way more than I'd ever do."

Sera stared at her, unsure if she was actually serious or not. Either way, she wanted to get back to the game. "Hit me."

"Hit you? Oh dear, I'd hope not." A deep voice rumbled from the doorway, and both girls looked to see Eric standing just in the room. 

"We're p-playing a game," Maddie spoke softly, her stutter returning as she tried to keep her composure in front of the giant.

"Eric, don't scare her." Sera choked out, picking up her glass of water that still sat on the tray beside her, taking a sip. The cold liquid felt soothing against her burning throat. Again, she fell silent and leaned into the large pillow set to prop her up.

"I found Kenneth. He's gone." Eric brushed off Sera's words and sat carefully on the bed. He didn't want to jostle the humans around too much. "Now all that's left is Matthew, Thompson, and Karen. Those last two I'll take pleasure in killing slowly." 

Seraphina stayed silent, looking up at the giant with a small frown. She wanted to tell him killing wasn't a necessity, but if she tried to talk again they might not even be able to understand her. But looking at Maddie, she could tell how unnerved the maid had become. 

"I know where a couple of them might be," Maddie whispered, hoping that neither Eric or Sera heard her, but soon both pairs of eyes, hazel and blue, were staring at her expectantly. Mentally damning herself, she looked upward toward the intimidating man that towers above her. 

"Where?" Eric ordered, reaching his hand out to grab the human maid when Sera's small arms suddenly curled around his fingers.

"D-Don't grab her." Sera's small, pained voice echoed in his ears, and his heart wrenched at the distressed look on her face to go with her voice.

"Fine." He mumbled, taking both his hands and scooping Seraphina off of the bed, scattering the cards everywhere doing so. "I'll hold you though." Leaning closer, he placed his lips gently against the side of her face, his lips covering the side of her head. 

Maddie watched the kiss, and albeit sweet that the giant seemed to have someone, it hurt her to know that she and Seraphina weren't ever going to be a couple. She doesn't want to stay in the room any longer and begins to gather the cards that were scattered about. "I'll go tell the other servants to prepare a meal." The white-haired maid muttered, keeping her eyes locked on the surface below her. 

Hurriedly she climbed down the ladder connected to the bed, running as fast as she could to get out of that room.

Seraphina could tell how upset Maddie had been and felt really guilty. "You need to be more sympathetic to the others, show some compassion." 

"The world showed no compassion to me! To my family!" Eric snapped, his hazel eyes filled with a sudden anger. 

"E-Eric." Seraphina started to talk then broke into a harsh coughing fit, her small hands grasping the closest giant finger.

His eyes softening, Eric mentally cursed himself for his temper. He could tell he scared the human he's grown fond of. Not only that, he caused her to cough from making her talk. "Forgive me." He murmured in as gentle tone as he could. "This is all still so new to me." And it is. He needs to get used to having someone care and to have someone to care about again.