Story Hub: [link]
\\~~~\\ 0 //~~~//
In a possible future, in a world not
unlike our own, one single kingdom rose as the dominant and only power. It was
an ethereal realm with castles made of gemstone and technology so great it was
indiscernible from magic. A land where humanity had advanced so far that to
live in comfort and excess was the standard, and a life of hard labor and
servitude was a rarity. It was known as the kingdom of Celene.
To be a worker, a servant, or a
laborer in this kingdom was seen as a mark of honor. They were the 1% who slaved
their lives away so others may prosper. Alas, to be a worker was not a simple
choice but a burden granted at birth. Grand worker families spread their
branches across the domain. To be born in one meant a life of hard work and
labor, no matter your personal opinion.
However, their best and brightest
were chosen for the highest of honors. To be personal servants for the eternal
royal family that ruled this ethereal kingdom. Among those best and brightest
exists one family, the Diane. For generations, the Diane has held the grandest
honor of being the only ones allowed to attend the Queen and her daughters.
However, such an exclusive honor can create odd results in exceptional
circumstances. Such abnormal results greatly influenced the life of a certain
young woman who knew naught of what her family history truly meant…
\\~~~\\
I //~~~//
Antherós 11th 758
Serena stared at several mountains
of laundry before her as they towered over her with their filthiness. They were
haphazardly sorted into a half-dozen piles of servant and noble clothing. It
wasn’t all the palace’s laundry, but it was still an absurd amount of dirty
clothing. Enough to fill the average laundromat three times over. Thankfully,
the palace’s laundry room was basically a massive laundromat, with two rows of
washers and dryers that stretched out for what seemed like forever. The maid
tried not to cry as she imagined the long and tedious day ahead of her.
“Don’t worry,” a hand was placed on
Serena’s shoulder. “It’s not nearly as bad as it looks.”
“Hm?” Serena almost jumped as she
looked behind her. “Ah, Ms. Penth. I’m sorry, I just feel I’m in a little over
my head.”
“Don’t apologize,” Penth smiled,
“and there’s no need to be so formal with family.” Penth was a tall woman who
looked to be in her mid-30s. Her long silver-blue hair was tied in a bun and
complimented her deep blue eyes. The woman wore the same maid uniform as
Serena, although the royal crest on her collar was far more ornate.
‘I still don’t know what to make of
this woman,’ Serena thought. It was only a few days ago she learned the older
woman even existed, while today would mark the first time they’ve worked
together. As a result, for once, Serena was on her best behavior. She’d rather
not make an enemy of the Queen’s personal maid, who just so happened to also be
the head maid of the entire palace. ‘Anyone who can do both jobs at once is
either crazy or the most well-rounded human in existence. Not someone I want to
piss off, and unlike with Aré, I’m not beneath her notice. So, let’s tune the
sass down for today.’
“I’m sure you’re intimidated by that
absurd amount of laundry,” Penth commented. “Don’t be. I have a system that’ll
make this quick and easy.” The head maid stepped forward. “Now watch closely,
and don’t blink.”
‘What’s she-?’ Serena thought before
a gust of air whipped through the room. When the dust settled, one of the piles
of clothes was gone, and suddenly, a few dozen of the washers were running.
“I told you not to blink,” Penth
chuckled. “Sorry, I sounded like I was joking, didn’t I?”
“No, I think I caught a quarter
second of that,” Serena shrugged. “It was mostly a blur, but…”
“Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to
do it in half a second like I do,” Penth shook her head. “It’ll probably take
you that long just to gather and sort all the laundry.”
“Right,” Serena felt her heart sink.
“I’m just kidding,” Penth laughed.
“At your skill level, it’s not a matter of time, but balancing such a large
mass of loose items.”
“Yeah, haha,” the raven-haired girl
let out a hollow chuckle. “Why are we doing this again?”
“Well, normally, I wouldn’t bother
with such a task,” the older woman nodded. “But I promised the laundry maids
I’d handle this on their day off. Besides, this will be good training for you.
A Diane maid must be ready and able to handle all duties of the household…er,
palace.”
“Right,” Serena sighed. “So, you let
the entire laundry staff take the day off?”
“Yes, they went skiing. Why, is that
a problem?” Penth looked back at the younger woman curiously.
“No, but how many of them are there
normally?” Serena inquired.
“About twenty, give or take,” the
head maid answered.
“Of course,” Serena desperately
tried not to roll her eyes. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”
“That’s the spirit,” Penth patted
the younger woman’s shoulder. “I have neglected my duty to provide your
training for too long. I have desperately wished to take you under my wing
since you began here, but for some reason, Lady Aphros insisted that she would
train you personally.”
“Oh, really?” Serena was genuinely
surprised. “Why? Not the Lady Aphros part, but why me?”
“I heard such great things about you
from Lady Ze. You see, we have a long history, and she’s spoken volumes of your
quick progress in her training,” Penth explained.
‘Oh boy, I finally see how Lady Ze
set the bar for her training regiment,’ Serena could feel a comically large
sweat drop forming.
“Alright, show me what you can do,”
Penth gestured to the massive laundry piles.
“Right,” Serena stepped forward and
reached towards the still massive pile of servant’s clothing. She did her best
to imitate Penth’s lightning-fast washing method but wisely took only a quarter
of what the more experienced maid did. In a blur of about twenty seconds,
Serena completed her first attempt at the laundry. “How was that?”
“Not bad, but a little slower than I
would have liked. Next time, you should…” Penth’s voice trailed off as her gaze
suddenly laser-focused on Serena.
“Is something wro-?” The maid tried
to reply.
“You’ve got some detergent on your
uniform!” Penth boomed but did not yell. Suddenly, the older woman was all over
Serena, wiping her down with a handkerchief. “You have some on your cheek, too!
That just won’t do!”
“Waaaaah!” Serena instinctively
tried to scramble away. However, Penth’s grip on her was iron, like a
smothering mother with vises for hands.
“There, much better,” Penth let out
a prideful huff.
“Yes, ma’am,” Serena’s head was
spinning.
“What did I say about being formal?”
Penth put her hands on her hips.
\\~~~\\
//~~~//
Serena sighed as she and Penth
exited the laundry room. Their job was complete at the cost of one of the
longest hours of Serena’s life. They would have gotten done sooner if Penth
hadn’t stopped every five minutes to clean Serena’s uniform. Serena was thinking
about how to best excuse herself for a few minutes of sanctuary away from the
smothering woman when she spotted Orion coming down the hall. The butler seemed
to have gotten a more menial job than her today. He carried a small bucket with
bathroom cleaning utensils and looked positively filthy.
“Good day, ma’am,” Orion bowed as he
passed the head maid.
“Orion,” Penth replied with a formal
nod, her eyes scanning his person. “You’ve got some grime on your uniform. Be
sure to clean it before you walk into the eyesight of any nobles.”
“Sorry, ma’am,” the blonde
apologized. “Since the Princess has locked herself in her room – again – I’ve
been tasked with alternative duties. Which includes scrubbing the palace
toilets in Jace’s steed.”
“And why are you doing his job?”
Serena asked.
“Because no one can find him today,
for some reason,” Orion shrugged.
“Alright then,” Penth accepted his
explanation. “However, do not allow being forced to perform such an unpleasant
job let you forget your duty or position. You represent the Diane at all times,
even when scrubbing toilets on your hands and knees. Understand?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Orion bowed and
continued with his work.
“Hmm?” Serena watched her friend go
on his merry way while trying to shake off an uncomfortable sensation she got
from the conversation.
\\~~~\\ //~~~//
Antherós 12th 758
The next day, Serena was assigned
another unusual task: retrieving a vehicle from the royal family’s garage. The
sprawling complex was located half-underground on the far side of the palace.
The maid thought her day would consist of being hopelessly lost until she
encountered another unusual member of her extended family.
He was a man in his late thirties
who wore the same uniform Orion did, but it was colored red. His hair was a
sandy brown, and he had the same sky-blue eyes all the Diane family seemed to
share. An ornate flute was sheathed at his side like a sword.
“You must be Orpheo,” Serena
assumed.
“Tis my name indeed,” Orpheo said as
he whipped his hair to the side. “Then you must be Serena. Lady Aphros has told
me all about you.”
“I’m sure she has,” Serena chuckled.
“Speaking of Lady Aphros, she sent me here to find something called the Moon
Machine. She wants me to practice driving it in case of emergency or
something.”
“Ah, yes,” Orpheo stared wistfully
off into space. “A Diane servant must be trained in all matters of the
household, ahem, palace.”
‘Where have I heard that before?’
Serena thought.
“Allow me,” Orpheo pulled out his
flute and played a little tune. After a moment, a large automobile built like a
tank and covered in the royal family’s crest rolled into their vicinity on its
own.
“That’s an impressive trick,” Serena
gaped.
“If I could not do something that
simple, then I wouldn’t be worthy enough to be the royal valet,” Orpheo bowed.
“I guess,” Serena stared at the
vehicle, uncertain how to enter it. “I’m still surprised they only have one
person down here.”
“It is my duty, or rather
replacement duty, and I’ll do it with gusto,” Orpheo revealed a small key fob
that opened the Moon Machine with the press of a button.
“Wait, this isn’t your usual job?”
Serena asked.
“Well, my true position is as the
King’s personal valet,” Orpheo explained. “Alas, the King has become something
of a phantom these days, leaving me without a master to attend. Then Lady
Aphros recalled being a valet has had multiple definitions over the years, and
I’ve been down here ever since.”
“Oh, yeah, that sounds like Lady
Aphros,” Serena nodded.
“Do not be concerned for me. I’ve
grown to enjoy my new work,” Orpheo assured. “Now, would you like a crash
course on operating the Moon Machine before I hand you and it off to Lady
Aphros?”
“Sure,” Serena agreed.
\\~~~\\
//~~~//
After a harrowing ride, to say the
least, Serena took her first few clumsy steps onto the sweet, stationary
asphalt of the palace’s circular driveway. The maid stabilized herself on the
Moon Machine and took some well-needed breaths of fresh air. She looked back at
Orpheo, who casually stepped out of the tank-like vehicle no worse for wear.
‘Aphros wants me to learn how to
drive like that?’ Serena wondered. As the young woman waited for the ground to
stop shaking, she spotted Orion biking toward them.
“Good morning, Serena,” Orion waved
before spotting Orpheo and stopping. “Oh, good morning, Sir.”
“Orion,” Orpheo returned the
greeting. “Where did you acquire that bike?”
“It’s a long story,” Orion rubbed
the back of his head. “The princess wanted a bicycle. Not to ride but for some
other reason. She requested that I acquire it in a manner that did not involve
borrowing one from you, Sir.”
“Very well,” Orpheo closed his eyes
and seemed slightly annoyed. “Just remember to represent the Diane family with
duty and honor.”
“Of course, Sir,” Orion bowed his
head. “I must be on my way,” he biked off.
‘Twice is a coincidence, right?’
Serena thought to herself about the scene.
\\~~~\\ //~~~//
Antherós 13th 758
As another day came and went, Serena
found herself with Irene back in her care. Thankfully, this time, she would not
be alone. The maid was now situated in the royal nursery. A much more homely
and modest room than the rest of the palace. It was barely bigger than a small
apartment, with wooden floors and basic rugs. The furniture was also a little
odd, being more at home in the 1900s than a futuristic, fantasy palace.
At the center of it all was the
royal nanny, Dusa. Her sea-green hair was incredibly long, while her bright
blue eyes were covered with a small pair of glasses. She dressed like a
Victorian-era nanny in her 70s, complete with a plain white apron, bonnet, and
long dress. However, the woman looked no older than her 30s, yet her careful
and shaky movements implied she was far older.
“How is the little princess,
Serena?” Dusa inquired. The nanny’s smile and voice had a grandmotherly charm.
While she was taller than Serena, the older woman stood hunched, making their
eye levels the same.
“She’s,” Serena clutched the
princess, who wriggled like a small dog, “the same as she always has been.” The
young woman didn’t even know where to start with Dusa. The old nanny was a
walking contradiction in her eyes. ‘How could anyone be so kindly after putting
up with Irene for years? And heaven knows what Atlanta was like when she was a
kid.’
“Ah, rambunctious as usual,” Dusa
laughed softly. “And how are you, Little Princess?”
“Hi, Old Lady,” Irene replied.
“Now, now, Princess, what have we
said about calling people such things?” Dusa gave the young girl a stern but
warm reminder.
“That I shouldn’t do it,” Irene
relented.
“Exactly,” Dusa patted the girl’s
head. She looked back at Serena, “I see you’ve done an excellent job keeping
the princess’s behavior in line. Child-rearing may seem like a strange skill to
master at your age, but as they say, a Diane servant…”
“Must be trained in all aspects of
the household, I mean palace,” Serena replied. ‘Lord, now they have me doing
it.’
“Precisely,” Dusa beamed, “you are a
quick learner.”
“Yeah, except,” Serena sighed, “we
just took our eyes off her, didn’t we?” The two looked down, and Irene had
vanished from Serena’s grip and was already halfway out a nearby window. “That
figures,” Serena prepared for their usual chase.
“Allow me,” Dusa stopped her.
“Princess…One…” Irene froze in her tracks. “…Two…” The princess turned around
with the fear of God in her eyes. “…Th-”
“I’ll be good,” Irene returned to
Serena’s side immediately.
“That’s nothing short of a miracle,”
Serena gripped Irene’s hand extra tight.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Dusa waved her
hand.
“But I’ve never seen Irene listen to
anyone,” Serena explained.
“Ah, don’t you worry. You’re not too
far from that point yourself,” Dusa assured. “Most servants don’t even make it
to the end of the first hour with her, and here you are half a year later.”
“You give me too much credit,”
Serena blushed. However, in her moment of weakness, Irene slipped away again.
“Oh, come on,” the maid exclaimed as she grasped the open air where Irene’s
hand was. The princess had already made it out the door and into the hall.
“Oh, little princess,” Dusa shook
her head. Her ridiculously long hair began to move and flow on its own. A
single long braid of her hair snaked its way across the floor, and out the
door, and after but a moment, it came back, tied around Irene. “Must we do this
every time?” The nanny scolded as Irene was held in front of her.
“No,” Irene looked away innocently.
“Tsk, tsk,” Dusa shook her head. “At
this rate, you’ll only get two treats with lunch instead of three. I know it’s
harsh, but that’s why it’s a punishment.”
“Ah, you’re no fun,” Irene pouted.
“Serena,” Dusa looked at the younger
girl and whispered. “Now’s your chance to learn something. I want you to send
Irene to the corner for the next hour. Remember to be stern, and don’t let her
puppy dog eyes get you.”
“I can send her wherever you want.
I’m more worried about her staying,” Serena replied.
“It’s the tone, Serena. Make her
understand she’s in trouble,” Dusa said before she leaned over to Serena.
“Irene is a simple child. She sees all punishments as equal. Which means she’ll
accept any punishment. The key is getting her to understand she’s in trouble.
It’s all in the tone.”
“Alright,” Serena nodded. She put
one hand on her hip, and the other wagged in front of her as she scolded the
princess. “Princess Irene, you must stay in the corner for an hour. You will
not move from that spot until I say so, young lady. Understand?”
“Hmm,” Irene puffed out her cheeks.
For once, she had heard Serena clearly and realized that she might be in actual
trouble. As Dusa let her down, the young princess walked over to the corner
without complaint and stayed there.
“Wow, that actually worked,” Serena
was shocked by her own success.
“An excellent start,” Dusa smiled.
“Now, you must prepare yourself for when she plugs her ears. By her logic,
she’s not in trouble if she can’t hear you.”
“Of course,” Serena sighed.
\\~~~\\
//~~~//
After a rather educational day,
Serena, Dusa, and Irene exited the nursery and headed towards the princess’s
room. After only a few hours, Serena had grown fond of the royal nanny and was
eager to learn more. However, in keeping with previously established patterns,
the three ran into Orion. The young butler was walking with care, clutching a
metal case that constantly rattled as though something very lively and very
angry was inside.
“Good day, Princess, Ma’am, Serena,”
Orion greeted the three.
“Orion,” Dusa greeted the young man
in turn. Her lips trembled as though she nearly stumbled over her words. “You
know I must ask why you’ve brought such a strange thing into the palace?”
“Oh, this? It was at Princess-” The
crate violently rattled in Orion’s hands, interrupting him for a moment before
he could regain his grip. “-Atlanta’s request. I promise to keep it contained.
Whatever ‘it’ is.”
“Oh, Orion,” Dusa muttered quietly
enough that only Serena heard her. “Do you intend to stake your honor on all
the Princess’s whims?”
“It’s nothing,” Orion shook his
head. “It’s hardly the most difficult task I’ve been assigned.”
“That’s not…” Dusa started before
sighing. “Never mind, just remember.”
“I represent the Diane family at all
times,” Orion saluted before quickly realizing his folly and regripping the
steel case. “I’ll be off before this becomes an issue,” he bowed and left with
haste.
“Poor boy,” Dusa shook her head. “If
only he wasn’t…No, I must not,” Dusa mumbled.
“Is something wrong?” Serena
inquired.
“Nothing you need worry yourself
with, deary,” Dusa shook her head.
‘Alright, three’s a pattern,’ Serena
thought to herself. ‘There’s some touchy subject floating around here, and I
doubt any of the servants will tell me anything. But I know someone who can’t
shut up to save her life.’
\\~~~\\ II //~~~//
That night, Serena went to find the
one person who’d blow the lid on the Orion situation. The maid had always
suspected the Orion wasn’t a particularly well-respected person, considering he
once complained that rumors about him would be spread in earshot. Serena had
always assumed that had something to do with his connection to Aphros and her
reputation to court everything that moves. However, the maid quickly realized
that the same was true of her, and she wasn’t being treated so coldly. Speaking
of Aphros…
“I request an audience with Lady
Aphros,” Serena curtsied to one of the guards standing before the noblewoman’s
room.
“Oh, it’s you,” the man recognized
her. “Go on in.”
‘I don’t know how to feel about his
casual reaction,’ Serena thought as she entered the room. Aphros’s quarters
were as gaudy as ever. The chandelier was new, and so was the collection of
different colored domino masks on the wall. The woman herself was lying lazily
on her bed in a loud yellow nightgown, reading some trashy magazine. ‘The
second most powerful woman in the world, everyone,’ Serena rolled her eyes.
“Lady Aphros,” the maid called out.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll get to it,” Aphros
didn’t even look up. “Ah, it’ll never last. Everyone knows she’s a
shapeshifter,” the noble laughed at some celebrity article.
“Lady Aphros,” the raven-haired girl
grew a little annoyed.
“I promise I’ll do it later,” Aphros
rolled to the side. “Ha, I remember that photo. Lord, I look so fat in that
dress.”
“Lady Aphros!” Serena snapped.
“Come on, Aré, chill out I’ll…Oh, hi
Serena,” the blonde became sheepish. “How long have you been here?”
“About five minutes,” Serena
replied.
“What brings you to my quarters so
late at night?” Aphros chucked the magazine behind her bedframe, leaped out of
bed, and straightened her hair.
“I have a question concerning
Orion,” Serena explained.
“Well, you see,” Aphros began,
“young men his age have certain needs. Now, it’s up to you if you feel the need
to help him fulfill those needs. You are fairly distant cousins, so it should
be okay. But, at least wear some-.”
“Stop, stop, no,” Serena interrupted
the noble. “I don’t want to know what gross thing you’re talking about, but my
question has nothing to do with…whatever that is.”
“O-oh,” Aphros blushed. “Ahem, what
is your question?”
“Well, I’ve noticed the other
servants are rather cold towards Orion, especially the Diane family,” Serena
pointed out. “They trip over themselves to help me, but they act so detached
with him. Then there are all the nasty rumors they spread about him while he’s
in earshot. Oh, and the fact Jace and Medy have some kind of violent hatred
towards him.”
“Oh, that,” Aphros laughed. “I was
wondering when you’d bring that up.”
‘Heaven forbid I avoid an obviously
touchy subject,’ Serena resisted the urge to roll her eyes again.
“You should have had your suspicions
from the start, Serena,” Aphros leaned towards her smugly. “Remember when I
first introduced you two? I said he was your
distant cousin, but that’s the simple version. It’s a bit of a complicated
narrative, but long story short, his parentage is…mixed.”
“What do you mean?” Serena leveled
her gaze at the noble. She was in no mood for Aphros’s games today.
“Well, I could just tell you, but
I’d rather add the dramatic flair the story deserves,” Aphros whipped her hair
for emphasis. “Let me tell you a story of love, agony, and horrible tragedy,
but enough about my honeymoon.”
“You’re married?” The maid’s eyes
went wide.
“Nope,” the noble smiled. “Now, this
is the story of how Orion was born…”
<~\\~~~\\
III //~~~//~>
Decades prior, there came a young butler
Agemen he was, the king’s attendant be
Tis’ he and Orpheo, the king’s two hands
An eager boy, Agemen he was, yes he
A life duty bound, his everything
Until one day, his eyes met a young maid’s
Twas’ the palace’s other side she, Ria, came
Their love was at first sight, unmatched by others
Before long, a romance blossomed right there
Butler and maid, together in secret
Agemen, Ria, every moment of free
In the other’s company spent
Their work, they switched til’ times synched
At one another’s side, they’d always be
The palace watched in awe of their love
But for reasons not good nor pure
Envy and jealously, their two families
To tear the couple apart, they sought
For no other reason than resentment…
And mayhaps, something else, something worse…
The two in love, they would not falter
When their own blood barred their way as one
Secret meetings returned as their way
Beneath the palace, those halls they loved
Twas’ their secret love ground, their sanctuary
They met until proof their love produced
This act Agemen’s family could not deny
Ria was reluctantly welcomed
For Ria’s family, the greatest affront
Ria’s sister, most offended of all
Swore did she, her own child, would be greater
The newly-minted couple did not care
They were together, they were finally wed
Their new child they named Orion
After the constellation in the sky
\\~~~\\
//~~~//
“Alright, alright,” Serena
interrupted. “Please stop for a moment.”
“But I was just getting to the good
part,” Aphros whined. She had retrieved a small harp from somewhere and was
preparing a serenade for the next leg of the tale.
“First off, what’s with
the…everything?” Serena gestured wildly. “Why are you reciting it like that?”
“It’s in iambic pentameter,” Aphros
beamed.
‘No, it wasn’t,’ Serena thought, but
her glare said everything. “That’s lovely. It really is,” Serena lied. “But I
feel like I’m missing some important details.”
“Fine, ruin all my fun,” Aphros
sighed and discarded her harp. “I was trying to find a fancy way of saying
this, but the other family was the Regas. That’s why their relationship was a
problem. A Diane and Regas in love, while not unheard of, it was never believed
to last.”
“That’s,” Serena was taken aback.
“Well, I get that they’re rivals, but why do they have to vent their
frustration on Orion? He didn’t ask to be-!”
“Ah,” Aphros held her finger to
Serena’s lips, shushing the younger girl. “Let’s not go there. I know it’s
unfair to him, Serena, but I don’t think the Regas care. And the Diane…well,
we’ll get to that.”
“Fine,” Serena huffed. She hated it
when Aphros treated her like this, but the noble did have a point. A stupid
point that’s ridiculous and unfair, but a point nonetheless. “What about the
sister? What was the point of that bit?”
“Oh, she was Jace’s mother,” Aphros
explained as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“What!” Serena was floored for a
moment until she took a second to think. “You know, I can actually see the
resemblance. So those two are cousins, huh? What about Medy?”
“Second cousin,” Aphros replied.
“Okay, that answers that. Please
continue,” Serena nodded. But, as Aphros began to open her mouth. “Without
poetry, please.”
“Fine,” Aphros rolled her eyes. “But
I’m still going to make it dramatic.”
<~\\~~~\\ //~~~//~>
Orion, for that was the boy’s name, grew up among the
rest of the palace’s future staff, as all Diane’s are expected to. Alas,
shunned he was by his own peers. The Regas gave him nothing but hatred, and the
Diane had little sympathy for his plight. Tried as he might, to fit among the
others. Rejection was all he faced for daring to be born of two feuding
families.
His parents were there, in the early years at least.
Alas, as one of the king’s own hands, Agemen was often called away. Ria did her
best, as much as one could without the support of their family. That was until
duty called. Agemen had to leave for a long-term venture, twas part of working
so closely with a phantom-like king. He would be gone for years and many more.
Ria was left at a crossroad herself. Go with this man, her love, and her life,
or stay with her boy, who was not even six. Orion could not come. Where they
would be was no place for a child. Decisions had to be made, and irreversible
they’d be.
That was until a beautiful noblewoman came to the boy’s
aide. She looked at the boy and the potential in his eyes that was stifled by
his peers. To Agemen and Ria, she promised she’d care for their boy in their
steed. The two joined hands and left, knowing their progeny was in the best of
hands. The beautiful noble, with hair like the sun, took the boy under her wing
to train him to be a butler worthy of a princess…oh and Jace too…
\\~~~\\
//~~~//
“Please hold up,” Serena held up her
arms in an x. “You trained Jace, too?” The maid asked. ‘And was the emphasis on
the beautiful noblewoman really necessary?’
“I mean, at first, but I’ll get to
that in a minute,” Aphros assured.
“Okay, so where are Orion’s
parents?” Serena inquired.
“Well, they’re still off on their
special assignment,” the noble explained. “They’re probably helping General
Chrona right now as we speak.”
“I thought you said Agemen was
helping the king?” Serena was confused.
“I mean, he is…er, was,” Aphros
scratched the back of her neck. “Ah, it’s a long story, and I don’t want to
bore you with the details.”
“Right,” Serena groaned.
“You see, normally, workers are
raised and trained collectively by their family, leading to strong familial
bonds. However, Orion was in a tight spot because neither family wanted to aid
in his upbringing. Even the Diane only provided those two lovebirds safe
harbor. That’s where I came in,” Aphros explained. “My goal was to heal the
rift between the two families by raising those boys side by side. Even the
bitter rivalry between the two families could dissolve through their eventual
brotherhood, and the palace would be a much more peaceful and cooperative
place.”
“But,” Serena raised an eyebrow.
“If you hadn’t noticed, Jace is kind
of a pompous dork,” the blonde shrugged. “He did some things he shouldn’t have,
and I dumped his ass to focus on Orion. Jace has had it out for him ever since.
Well, he already did, because of his mom, but more so.”
‘So much for healing the rift,’
Serena discovered a new way of looking disappointed. “What did Jace possibly do
that was so terrible?” The maid asked. ‘Since attacking me in the middle of a
crisis situation is apparently only worth a scolding and a few months of
military-style punishments.’
“Jace did,” Aphros considered her
next words. “Something incredibly stupid, foolish, and shortsighted that I will
refrain from repeating here for the sake of the innocent (and Jace).”
“I see,” Serena reluctantly accepted
the answer. ‘If Aphros doesn’t want to gossip about it and even abandoned her
own long-term plans over it, he must have screwed up big time.’
“Have I answered all your questions,
Serena?” Aphros leaned forward with a prideful smile.
“Not exactly,” Serena admitted, “but
close enough. Just one thing.”
“Shoot,” Aphros nodded.
“Why are the families rivals again?”
Serena asked.
“Did I never tell you that?” Aphros
tapped her lip thoughtfully. “Well, it’s nothing special. The Regas had a
chance to be the direct attendants to the royalty, but the Diane were chosen
instead. That was the start of their grudge, and it’s only grown ever since.”
“Oh right, politics,” Serena
remembered.
“Honestly, Jace attacking you was
the first openly hostile action between the two families (against someone who
wasn’t Orion) in quite a long time,” Aphros revealed. “But that’s mainly
because Jace is an idiot, and Medy probably intended him to take the fall.”
“What was the about Orion?” Serena
franticly inquired.
“But really, it’s nothing to worry
about,” Aphros ignored her. “While the families are bitter rivals, it’s nothing
more than passive-aggressive workplace politics. Sure, the Regas get a little
snippy every time the Diane get yet another honor bestowed upon them, but they
get over it quickly.”
“Yeah, but about them attacking
Orion,” Serena tried to redirect the conversation.
“You look tired, Serena. Maybe you
should turn in early,” Aphros grabbed the maid by her shoulders and began to
push her out the door.
“But Aphros, Orion,” Serena
insisted.
“Don’t worry about it. I have it
completely under control,” Aphros assured. “Just…tell me if you see anyone
making suspicious moves towards Orion. Kay, thanks.” The noble shoved Serena
out of her room and shut the door.
‘She could just order me to stop
asking questions,’ Serena murmured and returned to her room.
\\~~~\\ IV //~~~//
Serena returned to her room, but
before stepping inside, she walked next door and threw open Orion’s door. The
young man was patching a hole in his uniform, completely unbothered by Serena’s
intrusion.
“Good evening, Serena,” Orion didn’t
even look up but still managed to jab his finger with a needle. “Ow.”
“Orion, I have some questions about
your family situation,” Serena stated.
“What did Lady Aphros tell you?”
Orion looked up at her.
“Everything, I guess,” Serena
shrugged. “I’ve always known you to be a fairly positive guy, but how can you
when everyone treats you so coldly or worse?”
“It never really bothered me,” the
blonde admitted. “Sure, both sets of my grandparents don’t talk to me. I’m
never invited to anything, and I’ve had to work on my own for the most part.
But, I still have Aphros and, more recently, the princess and you, so I’ve
managed.”
“O-oh,” Serena felt a little warm
and fuzzy inside. Hiding her blush, she continued, “I’m just concerned. After a
childhood like that, you don’t have anything eating at you? No grudges or
trauma?”
“It’s in the past, and Lady Aphros
said I should rise above such things,” the butler explained. “I never really
think about it that much. That’s just how things were.”
“That’s incredibly mature of you,”
Serena relented. “Have a good night, Orion.” The maid excused herself and
returned to her room. As she changed and laid in bed, her thoughts still
refused to settle.
‘I hate getting so invested in
situations like this, but dammit, Orion is my best friend. And, honestly, my
only real friend around here,’ Serena admitted to herself. ‘He did try to save
my life once, too, despite his other screwups at the time. Besides, this family
rivalry is stupid, and the only thing more stupid is that they’re taking it out
on poor Orion. If this goes on any longer or gets any worse, I’ll have to do
something about it.’ After that last thought of conviction, the raven-haired
girl slipped right into sleep.
\\~~~\\ V //~~~//
Unknown to all, deep within the
palace’s halls, the Regas family’s innermost circle met. The gathered group
held all their prominent members. Even Jace and Medy found themselves there. At
the head of the table sat a single woman, perhaps a little too young to be the
head of an entire family, but here she was. With a passion in her eyes and
carrying decades of grudges on her back, she made a furious declaration.
“The Diane will finally know our
humiliation. By the end of the month, we will stand at the Queen’s side, not
they,” she slammed a poster on the table. A grand event approached, one where
all hands would be on deck, and all the greatest eyes of the palace would be
upon a single place.
“But how?” One voice raised an
inquiry.
“That’s simple. We use the bastard
they so carelessly invited into their ranks,” the woman smiled. “Jace, you’ll
be on point to ensure this is all achieved. Think of it as a way to redeem
yourself, not just in our eyes, but the entire palace, nay the kingdom.”
“It will be done,” Jace grinned
smugly, “Mother.”
May This
Fantasy Continue A Little Longer…
Next Time: Chapter XVII: Maid
for Family Part 1
Or was it?...No, not really…
>>>~~~~<<<
Navigating around long-standing workplace rivalries is an important
skill. It would be poor form to trigger a moment of hostility through
lack of awareness of the situation, so always work to prevent such
moments by studying the underlying politics of your office. Better yet,
work with management to address such tensions and come to a peaceful
resolution, thus improving morale and output.
Author's Note: Another chapter down, and another one I didn't change too much. Honestly, the biggest thing I changed between this and the following chapters was the timescale, having hard and fast dates rather than vague ones. Other than that I've been mostly pretty happy with what I've written before and just adjusted it to be in line with the current continuity.
I like this chapter, if only for Aphros's bit in the middle, because who doesn't love an excuse to write all fancy. When I first wrote it I did try to write in iambic pentameter, but I realized I couldn't quite get it well...right. So I just made that part of the punchline.
You know despite this chapter ostensibly being about Orion, I feel this and the following two chapters are more relevant for Serena's development. We'll see how she operates outside of the rules and what lengths she's willing to go for a friend. But we also find out that despite being the straight man of this comedy, she's not a super genius or some clever mastermind, she's a teenager who can make rash decisions.
Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.
