Ada placed the basket full of soiled clothes near the stream, at a short distance away from the Monroe Mansion. Five more maids accompanied her as they were assigned to wash the clothes by the Head Maid, Mrs Smith.
The other maids— all young human females— were quick to huddle together. They sat down on the other end of the stream, across from Ada to make sure they were the farthest they could be from the young girl.
She sighed and picked out a cloth to wash; immersing it in the water while making sure that her eye does not stray far from the cloth and fall on her reflection.
This was one of the chores she detested the most. In a way, indeed, an ideal punishment.
There were no mirrors in her room. She was always able to avoid looking at the ones that were placed around the mansion. But as she washed the clothes, she would repeatedly find herself staring at her face. The remnant of the once untainted one, staring back at her with a hollow eye.
Exactly like now.
Ada sucked in a sharp breath, hastily averting her tear-brimmed eyes away and continued washing the clothes, as quickly as possible; her jaw clenched.
Don't think about it. She prompted herself.
Don't think about it.
Don't cry.
It's not worth it.
Don't cry.
It's not worth it.
Be strong.
No tears.
Be strong.
No tears.
N—
Ada yelped and fell into the cold water stream as a hand shook her shoulder.
"Oh my God, Ada!" One of the maids who had accompanied her, Amy, clutched her arm and helped her come out of the water as she gasped for air, her blonde strands sticking on her cheeks.
"Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.
Ada was quiet for a few seconds, her sensitive ears detecting the sound of the other four maids chuckling among themselves.
Her jaws clenched. Times like these made her want to cling to Sarah and Misa all the more. They were one of the few who were nice.
"Yes," She answered after taking a deep breath.
It's okay.
It's okay.
You are okay.
She hastily turned around and sat down to wash the clothes again; her soggy clothes making her feel heavier. This was another headache. Her dress was wet. It will not take less than a day to dry, and this was the only one she had.
Her eye patch was wet too. Jerking her hand to get rid of some water, she raised her hands and went to untie the knot behind her head which held the eye patch in place. Then stopped.
Will that make everyone uncomfortable?
Rarely could she endure the sight of our burnt eye, unshielded by the eyelid.
How could anyone else not find it revolting?
She let her hands hesitatingly fall down to her sides before she started rubbed the clothes aggressively to get rid of the dirt.
I will wait till I am done.
"I— uh..." Amy started from behind her.
Ada twisted her head to look at the young maid.
"You were not listening, I guess. Mrs Smith had come. We are to gather in the backyard as of right now. It's urgent."
"Oh," She breathed out, her eyes downcast.
The maids did not try concealing their amusement this time as they laughed loudly, looking at Ada with deriding stares and walked away taking Amy along with them. Ada frowned.
Did I miss something? What was there to be laughing about?
Perplexed as she was, Ada silently followed after them nevertheless, but not before taking a look in the pond water.
A shiver raked down her spine and she quickened her steps.
------
Mrs. Smith was already present as Ada reached the gate which led into the backyard of the mansion. Slowly, tentatively, she made her way into the backyard beautified by several flowers and statues.
Avoiding any eye contact, she stood there ponderously, alone, near a sculpture of a young woman carrying a pot on her head. She hoped no one would bother throwing a glance at her direction. Even so, she noticed everyone taking a quick peep at her direction and then laughing quietly among themselves.
Her eyes searched for Sarah and Misa, but the brunette duo were nowhere. She did found Amy and the other maids, however. They stood near the Head Maid, whose stern blue eyes scanned the crowd. They finally zeroed on Ada's wet figure, narrowing slightly.
Among the cacophony of noisy servants, the slitted eyes remained stuck on her figure, as if asking- 'What happened?'
Ada was the first one to break the eye contact, trembling slightly as a soft breeze passed by. She busied herself with drawing invisible patterns on the statue with her roughened fingers instead.
"Ada, come and stand closer." She suddenly heard the Head Maid speak up, her voice gravelly and authoritative.
She quickly bowed and rushed towards where the other maids and male servants were standing. A hand wrapped around her forearm.
"Come here." Sarah, newly spawned out of thin air of the backyard, dragged her far away to the back where Misa stood alone.
"Mrs Smith told me to stand in the front." Ada looked around.
"Because you made a face," Misa huffed, "And why are you drenched head to toe?"
"I fell into the lake. What face?"
"Face of the widow whose husband died at the sea." Sarah shrugged, then froze. She glanced at Mrs Smith and sighed upon noticing her attention was elsewhere.
"Your shoulders would not be cut off. Don't take Mrs Smith's words to the heart," Ada mumbled to her.
"Should I ask her?" Sarah hummed. She raised her hand. "Mrs—"
Misa clamped her mouth shut with her palm and pulled her back as Ada shushed her, chanting 'no, no, no' in panic.
"Girls at the back," Mrs Smith shouted from the front, "Something is troubling you?"
"No ma'am," Ada squeaked out, "Sarah saw a bee."
"I— I didn't—"
Misa pinched her back to shut her up. Mrs Smith gave them an annoyed look and let out a huff of frustration.
"I would rather not take much of your time," she said loudly and looked away from the troublesome trio.
"Tomorrow, in the afternoon, Young Master Paris' fiancee will be visiting us—" she continued.
Ada's eyes widened.
Oh.
Paris Monroe, eldest of the three children and sole son of the Monroe family was famous in and around the town of Johannes. A handsome red headed, pure-blooded vampire aristocrat. An eligible bachelor through and through. He had completed his academics from a renowned institution in Wredia, a werewolf territory in the West. He was the one who had brought her here—
"Ada, penny for your thoughts?"
Oh, Goddess, no.
Startled, Ada looked around her, finding everyone watching her.
Mrs Smith had an eyebrow cocked up at her, her lips set in a thin line, grey hair pulled back in a tight bun behind her head.
"I— I am sorry, Mrs Smith," Ada apologized with flushed cheeks.
"Pay attention, young lady." She didn't wait for Ada to respond before she started speaking once more. "So you all, make sure you are undertaking the assigned duties properly."
She assigned the duties! Ada bit her tongue.
"You heard where I am assigned to work?" Sarah asked Misa.
"I would have if it weren't for you munching the cookies right beside my ear. Where did you even got those?" Misa groaned.
"Kitchen, of course," Sarah replied, wiping the crumbs off her face.
No point asking these two.
"Dismissed." Mrs Smith waved her hands in the air, and everyone started leaving.
Ada was about to go after and call out for the elderly woman, who was walking towards the door when the woman herself turned around and called out for her.
Ada rushed towards her.
The Head Maid stared at the drenched girl for few seconds, her eyes still narrowed, greying eyebrows knitted together, slightly wrinkled lips set in a thin line.
"You were not listening," she scolded at last, making Ada lower her head in embarrassment.
"None of us was," Sarah chimed in from behind.
"Do what you are assigned for today." Mrs Smith pinched the bridge of her nose and Ada flinched upon seeing her clenched fists. How come Sarah is still breathing?
"Tomorrow, you will assist me, Ada. Off you go, now," Mrs Smith continued. "Sarah will be on dishwashing duty and Misa will be in the kitchen. Ruth is the kitchen in charge so better not forget to report to her, Misa."
Giving a quick bow, Ada and the two dashed back to their respective duties. Unbeknownst to what the future held in it's womb for them.
A/N: Sarah may or may not be my favorite character to write