Chapter 9: The maid
Vivian arrived home and her mother almost jumped on her, filling her with tons of questions she was not interested nor having the heart to answer at that very moment.
"Mama, might I just rest a little bit?" She asked and as she seemed quite pale, Lady Aleena ended up agreeing.
"You are not sick, are you?" She asked, when Vivian entered her room and just let herself fall on the bed.
"No, mother, I am not sick." But she felt as if she was. "I just didn't sleep well and now, I just want to do it, right now."
"Sure, sure, my dear. I will ask someone to call you when it is time to eat."
Aleena was out and Vivian finally could breath a little. Her mother was not very caring, normally, but since she started to see her daughter as the new Crown Princess, things changed.
Vivian thought it was almost funny, if not tragic, on how many women would treat their daughters that way: a meaning for an end. Women were not to be heard or seen, they were nothing more than coins of a bargain between families, in order to obtain more prestige and power. Not a person.
Looking up at the ceiling for a long time, Vivian ended up drifting to sleepless. She woke up with a loud bang and within dizziness, she sat up in bed, her eyes trying to focus. Another bang. That one helped her to wake up for good.
"But what…?" She started to ask for no one in particular.
Vivian got up and approached her door, confused but at the same time, curious. Worried too. It must not be forgotten. She was very worried and uneasy about what could be happening.
The moment she peeked outside, her heart almost stopped by the vision before her: one of the maids was on the floor, and two of the paintings on the wall made company with the young employer.
The girl raised her eyes at Vivian and instantly, they were full of water.
"I-I'm so s-sorry, milady." The girl said and by the way she called Vivian, it was clear she was new and not used to addressing nobles.
"It is okay. Don't worry." Vivian said and gave the girl a gentle smile, kneeling down to help.
"No!" The girl said and almost held Vivian's wrist, but retracted her own hand immediately. "Milady must not worry about it. It is my job!"
The desperation in the maid's eyes made Vivian feel as if her breath was caught in her throat.
"There is nothing for you to say sorry. And my hands won't fall if I help you." Vivian said with a sweet, but resolute tone. "Are you hurt?"
"No.'' The girl shook her head and got up, helping with the second painting.
"What is going on here?" Lady Aleena asked, climbing up the stairs with a scowl. She saw Vivian near the maid and nothing more was wrong, but the disheveled appearance of the girl.
"Mother!" Vivian said and when her mother glanced once again at the maid, with judging eyes and a wrinkle of the nose, Vivian decided to do something. "In my clumsiness, I tripped and ended up falling, bringing with me the two portraits. This maid helped me to my feet and to put the paintings back to their places."
"Y-you knocked those portraits of your ancestors down?!" Lady Aleena asked, her eyes wide open as if she could eat Vivian through them. "Have you lost your mind?"
'I'm… I'm sorry, mother!" Vivian asked, her head down, while Lady Aleena passed by her in order to verify if everything was fine with the portraits.
"Sorry? Look at this!" Her mother yelled. "I… Sincerely, Vivian, I thought you were starting to give me reasons to be proud, instead of disappointments."
That was like a knife through Vivian's heart. Even though she should be used to hearing those words from her progenitor who should be her best friend, everytime it was like the first time.
The made was about to speak, but Vivian, who was close enough from her, held her hand and gave a little squeeze and a slight movement from her head. The maid understood and remained silent, because the young Lady probably knew better than her.
Lady Aleena left in a fuss, still furious.
"Milady…" The girl started, but Vivian shook her head.
"No… My mother would be hard on you. It would cost you your job, trust me. And not only here. She has a certain influence among the other ladies." Vivian said, thinking that now the Crown Prince was visiting Vivian, her mother was probably more entitled.
"But, Milady… It was my mistake."
"It is alright. What's your name?" Vivian asked and the girl raised her cerulean eyes.
"Susan, Milady."
"Susa, I am Vivian. And…" Vivian sighed. "It is My Lady. That is how you must say it. My mother demands this."
Susan was startled for a few moments, but then, she opened a beautiful smile with sparkling eyes.
"Thank you, My Lady!" The girl said with enthusiasm and Vivian couldn't help but feel happy. "I promise you I will be loyal to you! Anything My Lady needs, Susan, will be helping!"
And Susan was not lying. The next day, she was following Vivian all around, ready to receive an order.
"Susa, if I need, I'll call for you. Don't worry."
"I have to be ready, My Lady!"
They were in the parlor destined for Vivian and when Lady Aleena's footsteps could be heard approaching.
"Vivian, you have a visitor! Get yourself together! Look at that dress! At that hair!" She was panicking and Vivian had to fight the urge to roll her eyes.
"Who is this, mother?"
Lady Aleena gave her a confused look.
"Who else? The Crown Prince! He arrived with your father!"
Even though Vivian was a bit uncomfortable with the situation, since she didn't like to lie, she felt her heart skipping a beat. And the notice that her father was arriving together was like Brian Baskerville could give light to her life.
A blonde man, who despise having his forty-five years old, looked very juvenile and not so much older than his thirties, appeared and Vivian's eyes gleamed.
"My dear!" He said and opened his arms. Heinrich was not one to hold back his affections towards his daughter. Having the Crown Prince at his house could make him not run to Vivian, but it was not enough to keep him from hugging her with all his might.
Brian watched that and smiled. Normally, men would pretend they were cold and indifferent to their family, just to prove they were not weak, but Heinrich Astley was not one of those.
"Dad!" Vivian was smiling so brightly that Brian decided he had to make her smile like that always. She was a beautiful woman, but when she smiled like that, it was as if the world had only light and no darkness could reach him.
'What a strange feeling…', he thought, but then, as strange as it could be, it was welcome.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone