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Moonlight shone past the rows of golden framed windows on the side of the wide, marbled halls. The polished floors reflected the cold glow of the winter moon, casting a shadow upon the expensive antiques that lay deliberately around the grounds of the East Wing's second floor. There was a large mirror, just before the room of the youngest Lady, an arched mirror that mimicked the people who passed by. Tonight, however, against the darkness of the cold and empty halls, there was only Allie - the only maid of the youngest daughter, Lady Ciana Evrian, whose small steps were the only sound that echoed against the delicately polished floors of the Wing.
Miller, Allie. 18, female. Those were the first words she had ever heard during the first time she had ever set foot inside the manor. At 18 years of age, young Allie Miller had just left the orphanage she grew up in after she became of age. She grew up as an only child in an impoverished household. At the age of 12, an epidemic struck their village in the western part of Edaria that ended up taking both her parents' lives. The orphanage, though poor they were as well, managed to feed her until she became of age and finally left to find a job and fend for herself. At 18, after travelling to the South for better job opportunities, Allie was hired to be the only maid of Ciana Evrian, the youngest and illegitimate daughter of Duke Evrian.
18 years old Allie Miller, met the 19-year-old lady after her interview with James and had only one impression of her - hauntingly beautiful, yet cold as the winter ice.
Admittedly, when Allie first got the job as Lady Ciana's maid, she only had one thing in her mind. Do not screw up, and just do your job. She never really cared enough to know or get closer to the Lady, it paid well and that was more than enough for her. Lady Ciana herself could have cared less for the servants and Allie noticed the servants gave her the same treatment. But Lady Ciana has never been cruel towards them, just indifferent, and extremely distant.
The first rumour Allie had ever heard from the servants were the Lady's roots - an unknown prostitute mother who died from causes they didn't even know. The other servants often gossiped about it, finding enjoyment in their mundane lives as they spoke about the employers they served.
"Oh, you're Lady Ciana's new maid, right?"
"Um, yes"
"You've got it good, she doesn't make any sort of fuss at all, that's why Sir James only hires one maid for her"
"She's right, Lady Ciana is the daughter from an affair that His Grace had with a prostitute - it's a well known tale around here"
She knew the Lady's mother had died suddenly, resulting in Lady Ciana to live with the Duke. But Allie never really dug deep into the details of what really happened. She never really cared for gossip, she only did her job - to take care of the Lady. It was a vow she made to herself that she'll not allow herself to get involved in the affairs of the nobles before she was officially hired for the job.
Lady Ciana wasn't difficult at all.
She was never difficult.
Some of the older girls who left the orphanage often visited them. And through them, Allie was able to hear the horrors of caring for an aristocratic Lady - entitled, unreasonably demanding, condescending, dramatic, and even manipulative, those were the qualities she often hears a noble lady possessed. But she could never use those words to describe Ciana, a Lady unlike any other.
She was quiet, gentle, and reserved, and sometimes melancholic, like a person who lived for the sake of being alive. She never says anything, and even spoke about anything with the servants. She would only speak to express her gratitude during the cold meals that James sent her, or when she would choose a hairstyle for the day. But most of the time, Allie finds that Lady Ciana does everything by herself.
Bathing, dressing, and even wearing her oils and perfumes was all done by the Lady herself. The only thing Allie was sometimes permitted to do was put on Lady Ciana's shoes. For the whole year that she served the lady, Allie has never seen Aina's bare body, a detail that was unusual as the maid of the Duke's youngest daughter, illegitimate or not. Sometimes, she was even dismissed early from her job, as the Lady wanted to be by herself, or she'd want to roam the outside grounds of the manor alone.
Of course, Allie had her questions, it was only natural.
Why does the Lady refuse to be bathed? To be seen naked? Why does she have no guards assigned to her? Wouldn't the Duke be afraid of any danger that could befell her?
Why does she seem so tired lately?
Why does she often look lonely?
Why does she never speak or meet with her father and siblings? Do they hate her?
Does she hate them?
Why was her scarf stained with blood when she returned with Duke Fremont?
Allie had her questions, but she knew better than to ask them.
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The first time Allie noticed it was two months ago, she was doing her usual duties. Mainly, she was serving the Lady cold soup - as instructed by James, a bastard that he really was. The Lady was outside her balcony, with a shabby, brown shawl around her shoulders as she watched the autumn scenery of sunset leaves falling outside the comforts of her room. The fireplace was left unlit despite the growing cold, as James had prohibited Allie to use the oak woods in the shed, reasoning that they were saving up for winter. But Allie knew that was utter bullshit.
Duke Evrian was rich enough to supply wood for the entire country; he wouldn't have needed to save up for anything,
Just when she called Lady Ciana, she saw her slowly turn, and quickly stumble, barely holding herself upright against the railings of the balcony.
"My Lady?"
Allie stares at her Lady who had her fingers resting on the side of her head, she seemed dizzy. For a moment, to her own surprise, Allie feels a flicker of worry for the distant woman she'd been serving for a year.
The second time Allie noticed it was just a day after Lady Ciana's tumble in the balcony. She came down with a fever.
Allie entered Lady Ciana's room, expecting the Lady to be awake, as she always was in the early hours of the morning - she knew the Lady had troubles sleeping. When Allie walked towards the bed, she instantly saw it. Shallow breaths, cold sweat, and a reddish hue across the abnormally pale face of her Lady. She has a fever, Allie could see. She knew without even needing to touch the skin of the Lady, she felt more than familiar with it after caring for her parents just before they succumbed to the symptoms of the epidemic.
While the Lady was delirious from the fever, Allie placed a wet towel on her forehead, before she left to call the Medic, Dritan.
"This fever is dangerous, it's unnaturally high"
"What?" Sudden dread filled Allie's chest.
"Don't worry, just continue to monitor her" the Medic gives a bottle containing a brewed green liquid. "It might be too bitter, so mix it with water"
Allie takes it. "Alright"
"Have the Lady drink it three times a - "
"Sir Dritan!"
The two turned their heads just in time to see Lady Ciana slump forward. There was a choked, wet sound that escaped her throat before she vomited onto the cold marble floor of the room. There was a tinge of dark red with bile, and when Dritan rushed over, knelt beside her, and casted a single glance on the floor, Allie's suspicion was confirmed.
"The Lady has vomited blood"
When Lady Ciana came to her consciousness after she was momentarily awoken to take her medicine, a day had already passed. Her pale, striking eyes met with the Medic, and she pulled away in disgust when he had taken off his gloves to assess her pulse.
"Don't touch me" she spoke, her voice raw with hoarse revulsion.
Allie almost flinches at her tone.
It was after two days since Lady Ciana's fever that Allie managed to have a real conversation with her after a year of service. Allie began to worry for her, and in a moment of defiance against the injustice her Lady faced under a mere butler, she stole beef from the kitchen, right under James' snotty nose, and braised the beef herself, finally serving the Lady a nutritious meal for the first time in what might have been years for her.
"Do you like it, my Lady?"
"Yes"
"I'm glad"
"What is your name?"
"Allie, my name is Allie, my Lady"
"Hm"
The small smile that rose from Lady Ciana's lips became a pleasant surprise for her. It was the first time Allie had ever seen a positive expression, much less a soft smile grace the flawless face of her Lady. A huge achievement, it certainly was in Allie's books.
The distant Lady might have been near all along.
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The winter moon outside the shuttered windows of the large hall felt like a silent witness as Allie walked through the halls of the East Wing, passing by the large mirror she often found to be eerie. Earlier that day, Lady Ciana had ordered for her to relay a short message to the Duke.
"Tell father I'm not feeling too well tonight, so I will not be joining them for dinner"
"Are you feeling alright, my Lady?"
"It's just a heartburn" the Lady insisted, her face paler than usual, and beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
Allie wasn't very convinced.
After recalling the moment her Lady vomited blood, Allie found herself unable to sleep, no matter how many times she tossed and turned in her bed. Eventually, she slipped out of her room, dressed in a thick cotton nightgown with a gray shawl wrapped around herself. Half her face glowed in the warm lamplight raised in her hand as she made her way down the corridor.
When she reached Lady Ciana's door, her fingers paused on the handle. For a moment, she didn't dare to move.
Outside the manor, the wind howled. It struck the manor walls with the fury of a thousand claws, sharp and unforgiving. The snowstorm still raged, as it had for days now - sealing the people inside the manor temporarily.
Silently, she twists the handle open and the door screeches so loudly Allie swore she awakened the spirits that lurked nearby. Regardless, as she entered the room, she heard the roaring hearth, and smelled the burning wood. The lamp knocked softly against the door. Allie winced.
"Shit" she muttered under her breath.
"Ngh…"
Allie hears something, a moaning sound that almost blended with the crackles of fire near her. With softened steps, she slips inside the room, placing the lamp on top of the nearby drawer. A sudden chill ran down her spine, raising the hairs on her arms. There is a draft, she comforts herself despite the feeling of being watched overwhelming her.
When she turns, she sees a window ajar. Allie breathes out a sigh of relief, but finds that the feeling never leaves. She walks towards the window, shutting it securely.
"Ngh - hurts…"
Allie was alarmed. She was certain it was her lady, who sounded in pain and writhing in the sheets of her bed. There was a loud rustling of fabric that made her panic. In an instant, she was near the canopy bed, and she pushed the shut lace curtains aside.
Lady Ciana's eyes were shut, her thick lashes wet with tears as she held the fabric against her chest tightly, creasing her nightgown as she scratched and scratched over it, like she wanted to tear off her own skin. Her face was crumpled in agony. Allie wasn't even sure if she was awake.
"My Lady?" Allie spoke gently.
"I-It hurts - !"
Lady Ciana groaned in pain once more, and she started scratching so harshly that Allie had to witness the tips of her fingers bleed from the continued friction against the fabric. - Disturbed by the sight of it, Allie lets her blue shawl slide from her body as she jumps on the bed, gripping both the wrists of her Lady in a desperate attempt to prevent her from hurting herself. Her fingers trembled around the fragile bones beneath her skin.
For a moment, she half-expected to be pushed back.
"Stop! You're hurting yourself!"
Allie shouted. Her voice clashed against the howling winds, and the crackling hearth beside them. For a moment, she was overwhelmed.
Lady Ciana jolts awake. Her pale eyes brimmed with tears as her vision slowly focused on the maid over her. As Allie kneeled over her - her hands gripped the wrists of her Lady as her blonde hair hung in waves, caressing the forehead of Lady Ciana, Allie had to watch panic slowly settle in her wide eyes.
"Wh-What"
"My Lady, please, you're hurting yourself!" Allie pleaded. The Lady's eyes were closed, but her body writhed like she was caught in a waking nightmare.
Once more, Allie slowly sees as Lady Ciana's eyes turn from confusion, panic, before going back to distressed.
"Allie, it hurts so much, I-I can't do this -!" In an instant, Allie tightened her grip even more, as the Lady started to fight back with force.
She needed to call the Medic immediately.