Chapter 16, 1970 : Black Wings

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With a knowing smile the daughters welcomed their mother and Melisande into the dining room for breakfast. It was unusual for their mother to be late, but they knew it would happen since they had heard quite well what was going on between them last night.

Not that Melisande was loud enough to be heard in the west wing of the castle, but as curious as she was, Daniela had persuaded her sisters to come with her and listen at the door of their mother. She had been curious what they did behind closed doors.

Bela had been the one to nearly die out of embarrassment. She had looked through the keyhole when Melisande had undressed herself and when she had seen this she had jumped right back from the door, covering her face which had been a bright red. Cassandra on the other hand was so fascinated that Daniela had to force her sister to make some space for her to get a glimpse of what was going on. "My God they're really doing it...", Bela had whispered while her sisters looked through the keyhole grinning from ear to ear.

"Do you think she would do this with us too?", Cassandra had asked her sisters when they made their way back to the west wing. The middle sister had something like an obsession with Melisande since the day their mother introduced them to each other. She often watched Melisande work and got jealous when she was with their mother. Daniela and Bela knew that and they believed it was dangerous. For the both of them Melisande was a tabu, because she clearly belonged to their mother and now they had not only heard, but seen it. "Are you tired of your life?!", Daniela said and Bela thought that this was most likely the most reasonable thing her younger sister had said the last six months. "Mother would kill you if you try to touch Melisande.", the youngest added. "Not if she never finds out that something like this happened." Bela and Daniela stopped walking and looked at their sister in disbelief. "Don't you dare.", the two of them said in unison. Cassandra lifted both hands, looking innocently. "Hey, don't worry. Just a little joke."

Now Melisande sat at the dinner table, dressed in a gown made of white brocade interwoven with gold threads which created a flowery pattern on the skirt of the dress. It was long sleeved. Around her neck she wore a delicate golden necklace with the flower of house Dimitrescu, similar to the necklace the lady of the house was wearing. Her golden hair was open with light crules. The three of them looked at each other, thinking the same. She looked every inch like a Countess or , more apt, like a bride.

Alcina looked lovely as well with her ravenblack hair, the flawless white skin and her white dress and of course her black hat. She looked loving at Melisande, who reached for the honey standing on the table. The golden liquid suited her just perfectly. It is like a dream, Alcina thought. It is impossible that something is so perfect. "Why are you eating with us?",Daniela asked Melisande,"Didn't you say that a maiden does not eat with the ladies of the house?" Melisande chuckled while Alcina glanced sternly at her daughter. "Have you forgotten your good upbringing?", she asked, "This is an impolite and unfitting question for a lady." Daniela looked at her plate. "I'm sorry, mother." Alcina nodded. "Well, but you are right. I should explain this.", she placed her cup of tea down and then looked at Melisande with a tender smile on her ruby red lips. "She is no servant anymore.", Lady Dimitrescu started, "From now on she is a Countess as well as the second lady of house Dimitrescu and I want you to encounter her with the exact same respect as you do to me. Her word is your command. Understood?", she looked at each one of her daughters. Bela looked excited and happy, Daniela happy, but a bit confused and Cassandra looked neutral and a bit disbelieving, but all three of them bowed slightly to Melisande. "Yes mother."

"To be honest mother, this sounds like you proposed to her.",Bela said and closely looked for the reaction of the two. Melisande chuckled lightly and Alcina began to laugh. It was a warm laugh. After that she laid her hand on top of Melisandes and looked her deep in the eyes. "Maybe I will." This answer made Daniela clapp her hands in delight. "You have to, mother! I want her baby to be our sibling." "That would be wonderful!", Bela agreed. Melisande leaned forward. "Of course my child will be your sibling.", she said with that beautiful voice of hers. Alcina watched the scenery while she drank her tea, thinking about something. "What do you think about a picnic?", Alcina asked her daughters, "Today is an especially warm day, so you may have the chance to take a bath in the local lake if you want to." Within seconds the three were so excited that it was no longer possible to enjoy a calm breakfast, but Melisande did not bother. She was happy to see the girls like that. Too often they seemed so neutral, sad, crazy even. She knew that they were just normal girls inside despite what they were and she loved that childish side of the three sisters.

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