When Angels Fall

Chapter 39 - A Question of Love

Alina

High tension filled the kitchen, where only the clanks of chopping knives disturbed the ominous silence. Alina could sense the envious stares and sneers aimed towards her. Especially the murderous glares coming from Maggie and her friends. But she didn't blame them. It was no secret that Alina had spent the night with Tristan. Something that no servant had ever managed to achieve.

"Is it true?" Mira whispered as she stood close next to Alina, her green eyes round with shock. "Have you... and Lord Tristan..."

"Yes," Alina whispered back. "Can we just not talk about it?"

"How can we not talk about it?" Mira shook with excitement while her lips curved into a wide smile. "Was he gentle? Did it hurt?" Mira kept asking while Alina rolled her eyes.

"It's not really something to be proud of you know," Maggie's voice came from across the kitchen table. "Being just another whore. Sooner or later he'll tire of you just like he did with Virginia, and he'll find another prettier whore to replace you."

"Maggie!" Abby gasped at Maggie's words, and so did most of the girls.

"Maggie dear, you are mistaken," Alina turned to Maggie with a cold smile, doing all she could not to get provoked by her insults. "I am not just another whore, and Lord Tristan will never tire of me. Because simply, Lord Tristan is in love with me."

A long moment of shocked silence followed Alina's words. Alina herself was surprised by her own confidence. She wasn't even sure if Tristan was indeed in love with her. But it was the only thing she could think of to spite Maggie. And it worked, for Maggie turned to her with a dark scowl, her eyes burning with jealousy.

"Lord Tristan cannot be in love with you," Maggie sneered. "You are just a plaything."

"And you are just a jealous bitch," Alina retorted.

"What is going on?" Klara suddenly appeared at the kitchen entrance, putting an end to the ridiculous argument. "And what are you doing here?" she turned to Alina with cold grey eyes. "Off to the entertainers' chamber at once."

"The entertainers' chamber?" Alina repeated with a frown of confusion.

"Yes, what did you think? If you are sleeping with Lord Tristan then you are no longer a servant," Klara said and Alina blushed at her bluntness. "You are joining the entertainers as of today. Now come along."

Side whispers broke after Klara's announcement, and without thinking, Alina had turned around and pulled Mira in her arms.

"Oh Mira, I am going to miss you," Alina said, while Mira looked up at her with teary eyes, her lips quivering.

"Stop this nonsense at once," Klara interjected, taking Alina by the arm and pulling her away from Mira. "You're not moving to another town."

That was true at least. She was only moving to the entertainers' chamber. She could still see Mira every day.

"Good luck Lina!" Mira called out amid the rising gossip that filled the kitchen, while Alina gave her a temporary farewell look as Klara dragged her outside.

Alina's heart raced as she followed Klara, unable to contain her excitement. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was no longer a servant. She would no longer serve dinners and scrub floors. She would no longer wear this ugly olive green dress. But most importantly, she was sleeping with Lord Tristan. She held back a chuckle as she imagined how appalled she would have been had this happened only a few months earlier. How she had despised the mere idea of becoming an entertainer, let alone becoming Tristan's mistress. But now, after she had a taste of what it meant to be with Tristan, she never wanted anything else.