The Dance of the Keepers

Chapter 4 Dinner Preparations

I flopped back on the couch and gave Vienna a hard stare.

"I'm supposed to be the emotional train wreck, you're the solid one."

Vienna only looked down.

"Now, I want you to tell me exactly what's bothering you. What all this mess has you thinking. I knew you were upset, but that outburst was uncharacteristic."

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine."
She said wiping her nose with a tissue.

"Yep, nope. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on in that head of yours. So unless you want a permanent house guest..."

Vienna sighed heavily and stared out the window.

"I don't expect you to understand Astrid."

"Maybe give me a little credit for trying?"
I suggested.

"Alright,"
She began but was rudely interrupted by a knock on the door.

I swore and stormed over, flinging it open.

"I thought told you to get- oh hi."
I changed my tone abruptly, as I found not one of the three annoying competitors, but a woman dressed sharply in the black and white attire of a servant.

She was holding a rather enormous trunk that seemed far too large for her stature.

"I'm here to assist Miss Warren in dressing for dinner this evening."

I glanced at the clock on the wall.

"It's only 3:30?"

"Exactly, hardly enough time for a proper makeover."

Seriously? That didn't bode well for me.

"I'm assuming you are Miss Coften?"
She questioned.

I nodded.

"Nina is waiting to help you in your own suite."
The woman said, brushing past me.

Well, that was a dismissal if I ever saw one. I hated to go when I had just convinced Vienna to share her thoughts with me, but the moment had been effectively ruined.

"We'll finish this conversation later."
I assured her before stepping into the hall.

There was an older woman with graying hair standing in front of my suite door with her hands on her hips. She couldn't have been more than four feet tall and was equal in width to her stature.

"You must be Nina?"

"Been her for sixty-seven years."
She replied, turning to face me.

"Blimey girl, your hair's whiter than mine!"
She exclaimed.

"I was born this way."
I replied, a little colder than what I meant to.

She eyed me up and down critically.

"It suits you."

I was taken back by the compliment.

"Um, thanks."

"Well since you must be Astrid Coften, why don't you open this here door so we can get you primped, plucked and prepared for this evening."

I made a face but pulled my key card out of my pocket and slid it in. This time it only took me two tries to unlock the darn thing.

Nina marched in and motioned to her own very large trunk.

"Be a dear and haul that in would you?"

I shrugged and leaned down to grasp the bulky wooden box.

"Umph!"
I groaned.

"What have you got in this thing? Half a ton of bricks?"