Story Hub: [link]
Serena casually swept the royal tearoom. The modestly sized chamber (which, by the Celene family’s standards, meant it was the size of a large luxury apartment) was an absolute mess. The countless candy wrappers and smuggled-in bags of junk food took up almost as much space as the carpets. Not to mention the numerous tea stains that Orion currently busied himself with cleaning. Today’s teatime had undoubtedly been an eventful one, resulting in Princess Irene being banned from sugar for the next month.
Serena was grateful she had this moment to think and do her job. Both princesses were currently in Lady Aphros’s care. As far as Serena was concerned, it was the noble’s responsibility to chase Irene for the next couple of hours. Work was, for once, peaceful and uninterrupted. Which meant that it couldn’t last for long.
The door to the tearoom slammed open. Lady Aré stomped inside, her bright green eyes scanning the entire room before centering on Serena. The maid instinctually tensed up. She’d seen the noble glare at someone like that before. It was the same look she gave Aphros before scolding her relentlessly.
“This room is an absolute mess. What’s taking you so long?” Aré snapped at Serena. “People who don’t work don’t eat. You know that, don’t you?”
“We started only fifteen minutes ago, Lady Aré,” Serena replied honestly. Usually, one might be terrified by a superior singling them out like this. However, after almost being run over by a giant cow last week, Serena was unfazed by such pointless management harassment. Besides, the young maid knew what true fear felt like, and Lady Aré’s anger was nothing compared to the Queen’s.
“That doesn’t matter,” Aré jabbed her finger at Serena, “A fully trained Diane maid should be able to clean this room in ten minutes flat.”
“But I’m not a fully trained Diane maid,” Serena pointed out. “According to Lady Ze, I still have another year of her accelerated training course.” Despite the maid’s logical replies, Aré’s face seemed to grow redder and redder until steam practically vented out her ears.
“Oh, I see we have a wise one here,” the noble brushed back a lock of her incredibly dark red hair.
“No, Lady Aré,” Serena shook her head, “I’m far too young to be considered wise.”
“That’s it, silence that witty lip of yours,” Aré commanded. “Now then, you two will be a disgrace to the Diane name if you can’t finish cleaning this room in the next ten minutes, you hear me?”
Serena simply nodded, while the panicked Orion, who had watched the whole exchange, could only mutter a “Yes, My Lady.”
“I said, you hear me!” Aré shouted.
“Yes, Lady Aré!” Orion shouted back, but Serena just nodded again.
“I said, you hear me!” Aré practically screamed in Serena’s face, but the maid remained unflappable and nodded. “What’s wrong with her now?”
“If I may, Lady Aré,” Orion squeaked. Aré glared at him but gave him the okay. “I believe she is merely keeping silent, as you requested.”
At this, Aré’s expression rapidly shifted through several extremes, restrained only by the noble’s desire to keep her composure. Finally, she turned toward Serena and exclaimed, “Just get your work done. I’ll be back in ten minutes!” She turned back out the door, slamming it behind her.
“Serena, have you gone mad?” Orion frantically asked. “How could you possibly be so flippant towards Lady Aré?”
“I did no such thing. I was perfectly respectful, as expected of a woman of my station,” Serena replied. “Besides, she was clearly in a foul mood. There’s only a 50% chance she actually returns here in ten minutes.”
“That may be so, but you’ve also been awfully disrespectful to Lady Aphros recently,” Orion pointed out. “This pattern of behavior can’t reflect well on you.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’d never disrespect Aphros,” Serena claimed. The two dropped the conversation and got to work swiftly cleaning the room on the off-chance Serena was wrong.
\\~~~\\
II //~~~//
Despite Serena’s claim that Lady Aré was only in a “foul mood,” the noble began to repeatedly single out Serena as a target for criticism. For an entire week, it felt as though every day, if not every other hour, the young maid was yelled at by the noble. Serena soon found her own patience wearing thinner than the fuse to Aré’s temper.
“And another thing, you hold Irene’s hand too tightly when you walk through the gardens,” Lady Aré’s ranted. “Measure your grip strength better, or you’ll risk wrinkling her sleeves. And another thing…” The redhead’s spiel continued on and on.
“Lady Aré, if you don’t mind me asking?” Serena asked in between the noble’s rants.
“What?” Aré seethed.
“Orion does all the same things I do, and you have raised no complaints against him,” Serena pointed out.
“He’s a lost cause,” Aré declared. “As are all those exclusively trained by Aphros. You, on the other hand, I expect to know better.”
‘And there it is,’ Serena tried hard not to roll her eyes. ‘It’s nothing to do with me. It’s all about Aphros. The stupid politics around here strike again. Except it’s not even really politics. They don’t have different ideologies or motivations. It’s just some petty personal BS.’
“Now, where was I?” Aré wracked her brain. “Oh yes, the socks of your uniform are 2 centimeters taller than they should be. You need to-.” By some miracle, a loud beeping filled the room, cutting off Aré’s rant. Serena fished into her pocket and pulled out a device that looked like a wristwatch but was actually a communicator, the same kind Aphros used during the Graviton Ray incident.
‘Speak of the devil,’ Serena thought. “If you’ll excuse me, Lady Aré,” the maid curtsied, “Lady Aphros is calling me.” Without giving the noble a chance to reply, Serena sped away.
\\~~~\\
//~~~//
On her way through the palace halls, Serena was quickly intercepted by Aphros. She directed the younger girl to an open side room. After checking that the coast was clear, Aphros sat Serena on a plush chair before sitting across from her. The maid and noble locked eyes in silence for a brief moment, the former with her eyebrows raised and the latter with an innocent smile.
“So,” Serena began, “when did you slip this into my pocket?” The maid presented the wrist-mounted communicator.
“About an hour ago, I had the feeling it’d come in handy to bail you out of Aré’s latest rant,” Aphros explained. “Do you like it? It has great reception, can do conference calls, and supports all the same apps your phone does.”
“Right,” Serena just accepted the gift. “So, why did you call me here? I assume it has something to do with Lady Aré?”
“Hmm, yeah,” the blonde admitted. “I notice she’s been giving you a hard time lately.”
“Lady Aphros,” the name rolled bitterly off Serena’s tongue. “Would it be rude of me to announce my suspicion that Lady Aré’s recent treatment of me has something to do with you?”
“Well, I guess it’d technically be rude,” Aphros looked away, “but you’re right. Let’s just say the two of us have had our disagreements in the past…and present…and probably in the future, too. Oh, boy, have we had our disagreements before, the number of times Ze had to knock some sense into us…”
“Are you going anywhere with this?” Serena dropped her politeness.
“My point is, Lady Aré is a very important person,” Aphros got back on track. “She’s the Queen’s closest confidant (among other things), acts as the head of faith, and is basically my equal politically.”
‘Doesn’t seem to hold herself like a woman of faith if you ask me,’ Serena thought.
“It would be terrible for your long-term career if you made an enemy of her,” Aphros advised. “So, it would be best if you just ride out her current wave of criticism and slip quietly off her radar.”
“And if she continues to seek me out?” Serena inquired.
“Hmm, good point,” Aphros drummed her chin. “You know what? I’ll go talk to her. Aré might be a hothead, a bit of a jerk sometimes. She’s also really loud and overly critical. Plus, she doesn’t always…heck, she rarely acts appropriately for her station…”
‘You’re one to talk,’ Serena rolled her eyes but paused when she spotted something alarming in the hallway behind Aphros.
“Frankly, I don’t even know if I’ll be able to talk her down. When she gets mad like this, whew, you’d think you peed in her cereal or something,” Aphros laughed. “You know, if she finally pulled that rod out of her ass, one of her relationships might last for more than a couple of months.”
“Lady Aphros,” Serena squeaked. Usually, she’d be more than happy to let the noble dig her own grave, but that didn’t apply when she was also in the firing line.
“Orion told me how smart you got with her the other day,” Aphros was too enamored with her one-sided conversation to listen, “I wish I had been there to see it. I always like to see someone get under her skin. I can give you some good material. You know if you ever wanted to really drive her mad, and she’s right behind me, isn’t she?”
“Oh yes,” Lady Aré practically radiated fury yet spoke with an absolute calmness.
‘Well, this is the end,’ Serena tugged at her collar, feeling the temperature in the room rapidly rising from the tension. ‘No, wait, it is getting hotter in here,’ the maid could see the air around Lady Aré distorting as though the noble were a walking geyser of flame.
“So, this is what you do in your spare time, eh Aphros?” Aré hissed. “Setting up the workers to insult me. If it were anyone else, I’d consider such an idea blatant paranoia, but with you, one can never tell.”
“Aré, buddy, pal, friend,” Aphros turned up the charm, putting her hands behind her back. “We were just talking about you and how wonderful you are-.”
“Zip it,” Aré roared, her voice suddenly deep and booming. “I see how it is now,” the noble’s voice became normal again, “and two can play at the public humiliation game.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Aphros feigned ignorance. Serena noticed the noble fiddling with something behind her back nervously.
“Considering how empty that hollow shell you call a skull is, I believe you,” Aré jabbed. “Let me clarify then. I challenge you to a duel,” she pointed right past Aphros, directly at Serena. The two stared at the noble in shock.
“My apologies, Lady Aré. I think I misheard you,” Serena tried to play it cool. “Did you just say you challenge me to a duel?”
“Apology accepted. Hanging around Aphros has clearly been detrimental to your well-being, so I don’t blame you for mishearing me,” Aré scoffed.
“Thank you for clarification,” Serena nodded. “As for my last will and testament. I guess I’ll donate most of my old stuff to charity. My watch will go to Orion because his is still broken. Can I be buried with my training halberd?” Serena began to rattle off.
“Whoa, whoa, Serena, slow down,” Aphros tried to soothe the maid. “You’re overreacting. Aré wouldn’t…” Aphros glanced back at her equal. The fire in the other noble’s eyes burned bright as ever. “Um, just slow down. We can figure this out.”
“Yes, we can,” a new but familiar voice entered the conversation. Everyone turned to see Queen Celene, in all her glory, standing in the hall. Her pearl white and silver dress flowed gently despite the fact they were indoors, and there was no wind. “I see you’re having another disagreement, my dear Aré.”
“Your majesty, how long have you been here?” Aré’s fury died on the spot, replaced by mild panic.
“Long enough,” the Queen smiled softly and entered, or rather, glided, into the room. “Aré, it would be improper, impolite, and cruel to force a maid to duel you,” Celene patted Serena’s head. The maid felt a sudden, motherly warmth spread through her body.
“I-I didn’t mean physically. It could be any type of duel,” Aré clarified hastily.
“Very well,” the Queen shut her eyes and thought deeply. The room went silent as all waited for her to reach a decision. “How about,” the Queen smiled as she clasped her hands together, “a pancake baking competition. I’m in the mood for something sweet.” And like that, Her Majesty’s air of grandeur popped like a balloon.
“Of course, why not?” Aré rolled her eyes. “If that’s what you wish, your majesty, who am I to deny you?” Her words were respectful, but her tone was anything but. Serena noted this and felt a smidge of kinship with the noble briefly.
“Aré, I knew you’d understand,” the Queen chirped. “I’ll be the judge, of course. See you both in the grand hall this Saturday at…hmm, let’s say noon.”
“My Queen, that’s when your formal dance rehearsal is supposed to occur. In the same hall nonetheless,” Aphros pointed out.
“Not anymore,” the Queen replied before skipping back into the hall and vanishing behind a nearby pillar.
“Well, you heard her majesty,” Aré sighed. “Maid, I challenge you to a pancake-baking competition. Let this humiliation be redirected at you and Aphros tenfold, and let the winner bask in the Queen’s favor.” With that, Aré spun on her heel and marched away.
“She doesn’t even remember my name, does she?” Serena facepalmed before glancing back at Aphros, who seemed very pleased with herself. “What did you do?”
“Well, the Queen does appear wherever she wants,” Aphros explained, “but let’s just say her presence was no convenient coincidence.” The noble gestured to her communicator. “See, there’s a little button specifically for Aré’s tantrums. The Queen is usually the only one who can calm her down when she’s like this.”
‘Well, normally, I’d make a witty remark, but she did just save my bacon,’ Serena acknowledged. “It seems I have nobody to thank but you for this, Lady Aphros,” the maid bowed. ‘Crud, that still came out pretty sassy.’
“You’re welcome,” Aphros beamed.
‘Just smile and nod,’ Serena suppressed the urge to look incredulous.
\\~~~\\ III //~~~//
Aphros brought Serena to a more private chamber of the palace, one where Aré wouldn’t overhear and yell at them again. The maid was still in a generally foul mood over the whole situation, while Aphros was chipper as ever. The noble pulled out a pen and paper and began scribbling vague plans related to pancakes.
“Lady Aphros, I assume you have a plan?” Serena asked, convinced of the contrary.
“Like I keep saying, don’t you worry,” Aphros assured. “This simple competition will come and go, and Aré will forget you even existed,” the noble explained. “Unless you win, then you’ll have made an enemy for life.”
“Then why don’t I just throw the competition?” Serena proposed.
“Nope, that will only make Aré even angrier,” Aphros shook her head. “She’ll think you’re not taking her seriously, and you’ll make her your enemy for life.”
“Then I just won’t give it my all,” Serena suggested. “I won’t be exactly throwing the competition, but I’ll still certainly lose.”
“Nope,” the blonde crumpled up and discarded a piece of paper, “Aré will know if you give 100% or not. It’s one of her more esoteric talents. Also, she’ll think you’re not taking her seriously and-.”
“I’ll make her my enemy for life,” Serena finished.
“Now you get it,” Aphros made a finger gun. “Regardless, you must give it your all, no half-measures.”
“Okay, so there’s a risk If I win,” Serena acknowledged, “but she’s a high-class and talented noble (I assume), so she’ll probably win no matter what. Besides, you said the Queen and her were close, so obviously, she chose a competition Aré had an advantage in, right?” Serena looked to Aphros, who was currently biting her lip in an attempt to stifle a laugh. “Oh, Lord.”
“Well, Aré is a good…er decent cook,” Aphros admitted. “She’s no master pastry chef, though. She puts 100% into everything she does, but she also tends to overcompensate and screw herself.”
“So, you’re saying there’s a 50/50 chance I win?” The maid asked.
“Eeeeeh,” Aphros looked away, “more like 70/30, in your favor.”
“I thought you said there was nothing to worry about?” Serena fumed.
“I lied to make you feel better,” Aphros made a ‘silly me’ gesture.
“Enemy for life, here I come,” Serena sighed. The raven-haired girl contemplated her minimal options for a moment before her eyes went wide. ‘She said I had to give 100%,” Serena grinned widely, ‘but who says it has to go towards winning?’
Aphros looked back at the maid quizzically. She sensed mischievous intent but dismissed the feeling. ‘Serena would never do such a thing,’ she affirmed to herself.
To Be Continued…
>>>~~~~<<<
Conflicts with upper management are best remediated quickly with all
parties coming to an understanding. Letting it fester or worse, boil
over, shall only foster a hostile working environment.
Author's Note: And now we move into Heavenly Hotcakes, which upon reflection, might be my favorite arc in the original set of chapters. It's also the furthest tonally from where the story started, becoming a straight up action comedy versus the politics and thriller elements of the earlier chapters.
I mostly remember creating this pair of chapters on a whim to properly introduce Lady Aré, before shifting back into something more dramatic (but we'll focus on that in a couple chapters).
As for this current chapter, it has the Queen, Serena being snarky and Aphros actually being helpful for once, so it's a win in my book (although in a sense this literally is my book...there's a pun in there somewhere...).
Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment