Art by Luke Grbelja Fischer
To say you are disappointed is an understatement, you wake to an empty bed but warmth lingers in the imprint behind you. The room faintly smells like vanilla, it must have been Daniela that cuddled with you all night. After your usual morning routine, you pull open the doors to your closet to find another outfit. The suit from yesterday, and your spare clothes are still there but now there's a black frock coat, a matching vest and pants, a blood red tie, and a freshly pressed button up. As you put on the ensemble you're plunged into a sea of lavender, you run your hands over the linen coat, feeling the bits of frayed material and places that were patched.
At least this one fits you better, although you imagine if you move too fast or too much that it'll rip in half like paper. Being careful not to create any further damage to the outfit you hurry your best to the dining room. Lady Dimitrescu is already there when you arrive, her face looking more irritated than usual, the ice in her glare gives you goosebumps.
"Good morning my lady." You say to break the tension.
She purses her lips in contemplation of what to say to you, her look of anger not dissipating. She brings the glass next to her to her lips, her eyes never break contact with yours as she swallows the thick liquid then places the glass down. You sit down in your usual seat, tapping your fingers anxiously against your thigh.
"I am disappointed in you Y/N." The Lady finally says.
Your eyes widen at her, everything runs through your mind of what you did wrong to make her feel this way. From the moment you stepped foot in this castle to this very moment, you analyzed every word you've muttered, every task you've done, every mistake you've managed to hide wondering what could have set her off. She hasn't sliced you open yet, so either it's not as bad as you think or she's holding back simply to toy with you.
"I had such high hopes for you. It is no secret my daughters fraternize with the help but you had lasted this long without any of them showing interest. They begged me to save you, I do not know why but I decided to take a chance, thinking that you could be a fine addition to House Dimitrescu. How I am unsure, but none of that matters now, for even you have fallen for one of their games. It would seem I have been too lenient with you, and you have forgotten where you stand."
Lady Dimitrescu stands from her seat to tower over you, forcing you to crane your neck up and sink down into your chair. She leans over you, planting her hands on the table for support as she fully shades you with her shadow.
"When she becomes bored with you, and she will, I will not have you killing off whomever she turns to next to fulfill her needs. You may think she loves you, but I assure you she does not. I admire your loyalty but you are nothing more than a servant to the House Dimitrescu, you will never be anything more. I only tell you this to prepare you for the inevitable. Do I make myself clear?"
"Transparently, my lady." You reply quietly.
"I will not kill you for gallivanting with one of my daughters. I have wasted precious time and resources to keep you alive, and you risked your life to save my dearest Bela; so consider this act of kindness a repayment for that."
"Understood my lady." You whisper.
Lady Dimitrescu lets out a sigh when she walks around you toward the main hall the double doors close with a hard thud that shakes the walls. Her words sinking in with the silence. Deep down the voice inside your head knows every nerve to strike, the sinking feeling inside the pit of your stomach grow. Maybe she's right, they use you for their own lustful needs, so what would happen when they grow bored of you?
Things would go right back to how they were, of course. They would find another to satisfy their needs and you go back to putting your feelings into your work. So why did they save you? If they don't have at least some feelings for you then saving you would have only been a hinderance, unless, they only saved you because of their personal needs. You wanted to bawl your fists, cry, scream, anything but you know you must go to work and cannot let any of the Dimitrescus see you cry. Instead, you suck in a sharp breath and dig up your old ways.
In the main hall you hold the neutral face you have perfected over the past year; you stand next to Lady Dimitrescu until she orders you to sit. You eat in silence, and avoid looking at the daughters or Lady Dimitrescu, your jaw clenches every time one of them laughs or jokes. When Freia clears the dishes from the table Lady Daniela jokes about playing with her later, the anger boils inside your chest and causes your nose to twitch but you choked back the growl. Lady Dimitrescu finishes the meal by dismissing everyone but you, she says she has something special for you today.
"You will be working with me today." She states.
"Yes, My Lady."
You follow her to her chambers located near your own by the Hall of Ablution, and stand silently like a shadow along the wall. Lady Dimitrescu sits by the phone and dials a number to whom you presume is Mother Miranda, then she makes a few more calls about the celebration in a couple days. When she finishes, she hangs up the phone with an irritated slam, and pinches the bridge of her nose from stress. On que you walk over and hand her a box of cigarettes with her holder, she takes one silently, strikes a match and lights it. After a long breath in, then a long breath out, she glances down at you, her eyes scanning over your body.
"Which one was it?" She asks.
"Which one what, my lady?" You clarify.
"Which of my daughters managed to obtain your heart?" Her voice is venomous, you step back in self-preservation.
How are you to tell her that it's all three of her daughters and not just one? She will most definitely kill you or cut off every piece of your body that you didn't need to live. A knock from the door catches her attention, a different maid enters and informs Lady Dimitrescu that a shipment has arrived and needed her approval. With a sigh of relief, you and her walk from her chambers down to the carriage gate where she signs for multiple packages in large crates. She orders you to help bring them into the kitchen then to join her in her study. You did exactly as she asked without a word, the other maids avoid you as if you are radioactive, frankly you don't want them anywhere near you anyway.
You shed the coat halfway through carting the crates, you can carry an entire crate yourself while the others have to use the buddy system. Sweat drips down your forehead as you slam the last crate down into the back of the kitchen. You look up toward the entry to the cellar, imagining what it looked like to stumble upon Bela nearly frozen to death and you drowning in blood. During that entire time, your only thought was to get to Bela so she could survive, not caring about your own. Perhaps you're only alive so House Dimitrescu wouldn't have to owe you anything. With that on your mind you straighten up, wipe away your face, get a drink of water and recollect your coat.
On your way back to the lady's chambers you are grabbed by the shoulders and yanked into the supply closet, the smell of green apples mixed with cleaner makes you want to gag. Two hands forcibly push you against the only wall not decorated with mops or brooms and a nose finds its way to your neck. She sighs contently and rests her body against your own, a low chittering coming from her.
"Mmm, have you been avoiding me, pet?" She purrs.
Daniela leans back to look down at you, her eyes glowing even in the darkness, you can make out the silhouette of her head leaning toward you. At the last moment you turn and her cold lips plant against your cheek, a whimper stuck in your throat from the feeling. The threat of tears become very real and it takes everything to keep them contained. Daniela leans back again but you keep your face turned away, you can't look at her.
"Do you hate me?"
You choke back another whimper at the sheer sadness in her voice, you can feel your heart physically break. You cover your face with your hand, subtly wiping away the tears that leaked from the corner of your eyes.
"No."
"Then why won't you kiss me?"
"Dani-"
The sound of your name being yelled make both of you freeze, you avoid looking in her eyes; you can't face whatever emotion is on it. You shift around her and out of the closet then hurry down the hall to Lady Dimitrescu who is standing in the main hall, her eyes narrowing at your tardiness. She didn't say anything and you refuse to look up at her unless she orders so; the rest of the day goes similarly. Each daughter tries to pull you away from their mother but her words still burn in the back of your mind and you can't face any of them. Instead of giving into your feelings, you swallow them back and create as must distance between yourself and them as you can. Toward the end of the evening, you help Lady Dimitrescu ready for the night, she has gotten out of a bath and dries her hair while she sits in front of her vanity.
"Y/N."
"Yes, my lady?"
"You may be able to hide your emotions but you cannot hide your mannerisms. If you are going to act like a heartbroken child and shirk on your responsibilities, then I will send you off to Mother Miranda." She states coldly.
"Understood My Lady." You say barely above a whisper.
"You can go now." She orders.
The walk to your room is eerily silent, the only noise being the echo of your shoes against the wood. Strangely there's no other sounds either, no buzzing, distant voices, or heartbeats, even the wind outside is quiet. Thankfully it isn't a long walk to your room because you don't know how much longer you can bottle up everything up. The second your door closes you slump against it, dropping to the floor and unleashing every pent-up feeling; anger, sadness, remorse, guilt, heartbreak, back to anger. Tears stain your cheeks and blur your vision; you stand up and settle on taking out your anger on your clothing.
"So, fucking stupid." You yank the coat off and toss it to the side.
"I should've known better." You throw your shoes.
"How I could I let myself fall for that?" Next, your socks.
You toss one article at a time, cursing yourself, cursing them, cursing Lady Dimitrescu until you stand in the middle of your room in only your shirt and trousers. Clutching the top of your head you flinch from your claws digging into the skin but not enough to break the skin. You crouch into the fetal position, resting your head against your knees to muffle the sounds of your sobs. The door opens with a soft creak, the wood gently scraping against the floor where it's uneven before the door closes and the lock clicks.
The position you're in feels safe, as if your body magically turned into armor and no one can harm you. It's obvious why they're here, their angry pacing only increases your guilt and you tighten your hold on yourself. A hand pushes you back onto the floor and the impact unravels you from your containment of safety but you keep your arms held over your head.
"You've been avoiding us all day." Bela spits.
"Yeah. You moved away when I tried to kiss you." Daniela adds.
"You didn't even react when I made comments about your outfit. That always gets a reaction from you, or at least a blush." Cassandra huffs.
"You have a lot of explaining to do."
You open your eyes, drop your arms, and see all three sisters looking down on you, their hair dangling outside of their hoods. Upon seeing your puffy eyes and the tears streaming from your eyes, their glares turn into concern. Daniela kneels next to you, she pulls her glove off and strokes the side of your face to wipe it clean.
"Are-are you okay?" She asks.
That's the next tipping point, you clench your jaw and use your wrists to shield your face, your claws digging into your head again. Choking back the sobs only partially worked, each one is violent and makes your shoulders jerk every time you hold them back. You start to hiccup. The other two kneel next to Daniela, they place their hands on your shoulders simultaneously until you pull your arms away from yourself.
"Do you three even like me?" You whisper through the hiccups.
"Of course, we like you-" Daniela starts.
"I mean more than just your little toy." You abruptly sit up, the three of them flinch back from surprise, "am I just a bone for you three to fight over until you're done with me? Am I...just another plaything to you?" You choke out the last words, a sob caught in your throat.
The three of them look at each other before they land back on you, Daniela chews on her bottom lip while Cassandra and Bela squeeze your shoulders. Daniela shifts to put her legs on either side of yours then puts her hands on your face to force you to look at her.
"You're not just another plaything. I can't speak for Cassandra or Bela but I thought you were cute since you first arrived. I'll be honest, I was a little scared to approach you because you always looked irritated or annoyed." Says Daniela.
You chuckle lowly, your lips twitching into a half smile.
"While you were unconscious, we sort of admitted that we all liked you for some time, and nearly losing you solidified those feelings." Admitted Daniela.
"It wasn't right for us to come in here defensive, we-" Cassandra pauses when Bela clears her throat, making her look away sheepishly, "-I thought you didn't actually like us and were only going along with what we wanted because you felt like you had to. I'm sorry." Cassandra tells you.
"We're not going anywhere, and we certainly don't want you to go anywhere either. Only if you want though." Bela adds.
"Mother said something, didn't she?" Daniela asks.
You sniff back some snot nodding your head, diverting your eyes to look away from Daniela. Her thumbs caress your cheeks soothingly, the comfort relaxes your shoulders and you sigh heavily.
"She told me that you guys would never love me. I'm just a servant, and I'm no different than all the other maids you've had relations with in the past. She even threatened to send me to Mother Miranda if I continued to be distracted by you three."
The three of them fall into you, their arms tangle around your body as you are surrounded on all fronts with their bodies. Your head slumps against Cassandra's shoulder, you take deep breaths of her calming smell and bury your face against her.
"We won't distract you at work until you're back in good graces with our mother. You captured our hearts and we didn't even see you lay out the trap." Bela teases cautiously.
"If it makes you uncomfortable, I'll stop joking with the other maids. I want them to know I belong to you and you belong to me." Daniela giggles.
"Does...our mother know about us?" Cassandra asks hesitantly.
"She asked me which one of you I was in love with, and I didn't get to say. She knows I have a relationship with one of you, but not all three." You answer.
"You're in love with us?" Daniela whispers after a pause.
You bury your face further into Cassandra's neck making her giggle from the sensation. Heat burns your cheeks all the way to the tip of your ears and you know that your face is entirely red. They cuddle against you tighter as your temperature rises, all three of them start to chitter and purr from the new warmth.
"We'll take that as a yes." Bela teases.
"We love you too." Cassandra whispers.
You all sit there in silence for a moment, exhaustion wrapping its hands around your body from the rollercoaster of emotions you went through today. The heartbreak is still fresh but each moment they hold you adds another patch. Lady Dimitrescu's words are fires in your mind, but they put them out just by being with you.
"Will you all stay with me tonight?"
"Absolutely." They say in unison.