The afternoon dawned upon the servants as Georges Kippermann stepped through the doors of his massive estate, his murky brown eyes glued onto the petite chambermaid that stood before him, her hands folded down neatly in front of her.
“My Eloquent Flower,” Georges strode up to the maid and held her dainty hands in his course, large ones. “It's wonderful to see your exotic face after such a long morning!”
“We are all happy the Master has returned home safely,” Saika murmured, smiling up at the man.
“Marvelous!” Georges chuckled as he patted her hand once more before walking in deeper into his mansion. “Thomas! What has the Chef treated me with today for lunch?”
“An exquisitely roasted turkey marinated in buttermilk and French spices, along with silky mashed potatoes and a fresh garden salad with a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. You also have an option of roasted vegetables, stuffed mushrooms, and shrimp cocktail.”
“Sounds absolutely fantastic!” Georges chortled, his jolly appearance brightening more than ever.
“The party preparations are coming to a close soon,” Thomas informed the Master as they walked towards the dining hall. “After the interior, I will go and inspect the exterior of the estate to see whether the gardeners tidied up the place properly.”
“A wonderful butler you are, Thomas!” Georges laughed, walking through the door that Thomas had opened for him. “What would I do without you?”
Saika stood in the middle of the Great Room, her hands clasped together in front of her as she stared off at the Master. Her eyes watered as she took a shaky breath, and she disappeared upstairs to fetch Sylvester.
The small orchestra rested beside the grand staircase, tuning and tweaking chair and stand positions as their conductor frantically scoured through scores and scores of music, desperately trying to find the pieces Saika wished to rehearse. Two grand pianos were rolled to the side of the orchestra, as it would be needed earlier on in the party to perform before the soloist's piece. The servants dusted off the tops and propped the glossy black lids open full-staff before aiding the other musicians in their own needs.
As the girl made her reappearance at the top of the staircase, the orchestra members took their seats; the strings encircling the director in the front, the winds and brass placed immediately behind them, backed up against the wall.
Saika, now wearing an exquisite sleeveless black and red dress, shook hands with the conductor and the first chair violinist. The two men marveled at her youthful beauty, gazing at her dazzling face for only a moment before she turned around. The oboe gave the concert A, and Saika tuned her strings to the perfectly pure pitch. She tweaked the strings before turning her head slightly to nod at the conductor, who immediately started the orchestra in the introductory theme. The basses plucked a low note, and Saika crept into the piece with a mischievous air.
She glided her bow across the string delicately, releasing a rounded but passionate sound from the instrument. Her fingers shook expertly in her full vibrato, her eyebrows raising slightly as she finished the musical phrase. She pinched the string in the next sentence by putting a bit more pressure on the stick, but then released the sound and returned back to the soft, agitated melody that poured from her tormented heart.
Her chest soared as she flew her bow across the string, coming to an unaccompanied cadenza. The orchestra grew silent as everyone's eyes bore into her swaying figure, Sylvester singing pure notes as Saika's fingers pounded against his strings. The girl was lost in the music, and everyone else was mesmerized in watching her surrender to the haunting tune. The musicians barely had time to reenter the piece, the conductor frantically trying to get their attention back onto his baton.
The rehearsal lasted for a few hours, ending with just enough time for the musicians to go relax and back to the kitchen for some hors d'oeuvres and refreshments. Saika, on the other hand, had no time to do such things as lay back. With Sylvester and her bow in hand, she immediately went back to the dining hall, where Georges still sat, laughing profusely; his cheeks were slightly flushed in a rosy color, hinting he was already getting drunk. Next to him, a few of the other maids accompanied his presence.
"Saika, my Eloquent Flower!" Georges called over to her as he spotted her figure at the door. "You look so lovely! Come come, please come over here to me! Let me marvel at your rare beauty!"
"Master," Saika murmured to the man as she made her way over to him. "You mustn’t grow too intoxicated before the night even begins. You still have to welcome your guests in when they arrive!"
"There is never a time where a man shouldn't get drunk!" Georges boomed in laughter, tears beginning to bead at the corners of his bloodshot eyes. "Penelope here was talking about how her elder brother came home one night, dreadfully intoxicated, that he bent over on the side of the street to vomit. He hacked up his contents for ten minutes, and when he finally finished, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell face-first into the vomit! How hysterical!" The man proceeded to choke on his hard laughter, barely being able to breathe as he tried to collect is composure.
"Master," Saika said in a soft voice, her black eyes flickering over to the maids who giggled sheepishly with their master. "It's five o'clock in the evening, and the sun will be setting in about an hour. Shall I ready your bath?"
"Foolish child!" Georges slurred as he pointed a sausage-like accusing finger at her. "You're already dressed in your gown! I'll have Penelope do it tonight; I need you, my flower, to look your finest this evening! I need my guests to gawk at your elegance like mice! Only the highest of the Kippermann Company will be here, you know!"
"But sir," Saika protested, "if the personnel of your own company will be attending tonight's party, why would you need to...display me?"
"Why not?" Georges shrugged, chuckling as he took a swig of whisky from the bulky crystal bottle. "They need to know who is the best in the company, and showing such an exotic creature like you at a party would certainly have my opposing figures envy me even more!"
Saika opened her mouth to counter-argue the misconstrued logic, but decided to keep quiet at the last moment.
"Now go upstairs and clean yourself up; all of that rehearsing must have worked you to your bones! Aida and Gwendolyn are waiting for your arrival in the music room; I need you to look your absolute best in order for my message to get around through those thick employee skulls." Georges nodded at the door and look another large gulp from his glass bottle.
This man was going to get himself killed one day. This boastful, crude manner wasn't a popular personality in the Capital, but due to his extreme influence over in the firearms industry, Georges Kippermann was indeed a very powerful man. Saika knew better than to question his actions, but sometimes they seemed so illogical and rash she thought that the man wanted to get killed. Nevertheless, as a faithful chambermaid, she obeyed her master's orders.
Saika whisked away, her gown flowing behind her. She climbed up the stairs and to the music room, where the two said maids stood waiting for her by the windowsill. They greeted her with a fake warmness that irked her to the core; she pushed the feeling to the side though and proceeded to follow them into the dressing room, which was constructed within the music room.
The bath was already drawn, a clean porcelain tub filled with steaming water and pale pink foam. The mirrors sparkled like crystal as the bright lights above them burned like the hot sun. The two maids took the girl from her dress and helped her into the bath. Saika eased into the tub, her lips parting and letting out a soft sigh of relief as she felt her aching muscles sink into the hot water. The two maids then began to bathe her, drenching her hair and dousing it in various shampoos, conditioners, and oils. The long, thick hair was kneaded like dough, scrubbed and brushed down until it became a single silky black curtain. Saika was allowed to soak in the bath for a few more minutes before she had to climb out.
The maids dried her up with plush towels, lathering her up with lotion before wrapping her in a thin robe. They led her to the sink, where all of the pieces of her gown lay neatly atop the creamy marble counter. The red corset would be the first to be put on.
Saika held in her yelps as her body was being tugged, Gwendolyn seeming to enjoy seeing the girl in pain as she tightened the corset even more. The black strings were laced up in the back, Saika's long raven hair clipped up out of the way of the maids' work. The main black gown was placed over the top of Saika's head, the two straps at the top crossed and were tied against the nape of her neck.
The dress was lush, though dark. The torso part of it was tight against Saika's stomach, trimmed with gold thread and white lace. From the hip down, the gown flowed smoothly like a dark cascade. Rippling black and crimson fabric layered over the longest white lace that reached the ground, the dress was truly rich and dynamic. The arm covers were then slipped on, shielding Saika's pale forearms with a dark, disconnected sleeve, trimmed in the same lace that brushed against her feet. Lastly, the matching black silk and white lace choker was tied onto her long, slim neck.
Her hair was towel-dried, brushed stick straight with a soft brush, and was then separated into two layers. The thinner top layer was rolled up into a bun, held together with two golden sticks, their ribbons fluttering down her exposed back. The bottom layer was left alone, save for some extra brushing.
Saika was then sat down as the maids worked on applying her make-up and painting her nails a dark crimson. Saika pushed back the urge to slap away the hands of the girls who tickled her face with various brushes and power puffs, closing her eyes calmly the entire time as she pursed her full lips so they could paint them in a dark cocoa.
Finally, when the torture was completed, Saika's brown-tinted eyelids opened to see an exotic creature within the crystal mirror before her. Its shimmering obsidian eyes sparkled as it gazed at her in curiosity, its made up lips pursing in confusion. Its thick black lashes fluttered as it blinked twice, its eyes flickering over to see the breathtaking dress that rested on her slender body. It only took a few seconds for Saika to realize the beautiful maiden in the crystal was her own self.
There was a knock on the door, to which Aida answered. Professor Cynthia barged in without greeting the young maid and studied her pupil in the dressing room for only a second before grunting in a stern, deep voice.
"It's time."
~~~*~~~
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