A soft and elegant girl was dusting a smooth wooden surface. Her motions were precise. Not a single movement was wasted. Once that surface was left with not one speck of dust, she walked down the great hallway to the next table. She first dusted off each item resting on the table and then gently picked each of them up with her delicate hands. She moved them all to one side and then dusted the free space. She then moved the items to the now clean side and dusted the left side. She repeated this a couple of times until she was satisfied with the cleanliness of the table and the items.

Her green eyes looked down to the feathers of the duster. She cutely frowned, furrowing her eyebrows. The feathers were littered with dust, or at least to her standards. This was not sufficient for cleaning the next surface down the hallway. She pivoted around like a ballerina and began to nimbly stride down the hallway. She eventually reached a small closet door and opened it.

THUD!

“Ah come on! There’s no way you found me that fast!”

A girl, a tad bit older, fell out of the closet onto the floor. She seemed to have been hiding in the top shelves. She was now sprawled out on the ground, her green cloak covered most of her body. The girl looked up with a single eye, her other was covered with an eyepatch.

Oh!

It was Shellorn.

“Wait, Yu-yu, why are you here?”

She had a tendency to come up with not so creative nicknames for other people. Nayu was graciously blessed with “Yu-Yu”.

She looked down at the ground to the confused girl and replied just as confused.

“I-I was grabbing some cleaning supplies. Ms. Van-Drighten, why were you in the closet?”

Loud footsteps could be heard coming from around the corner.

“Please,” she sprang up, grabbing the inside handle of the closet door, “You never saw me here, got it?”

“Uh- Ms. Van-”

“Ok cool.”

She quickly closed herself into the supplies closet once again. Just as she did this, those loud footsteps turned around the corner, revealing Stronwen.

“Good afternoon little Nayu.”

“Oh, good afternoon sir.”

She gave her master’s husband a curtsy that she practiced and perfected.

“Say, you haven’t seen Shelly around have you?”

“Uh…”

“We’re playing hide and seek, but she seems to be a bit too good at hiding… Or maybe I’m just poor at seeking.”

“Oh,” she thought about Shellorn’s request, “I-I haven’t seen her in this hallway, maybe try checking somewhere else?”

Does that count as lying? I can’t lie to my mistress’ husband, can I?

Lying was not something she liked to do. She did her best not to. She even told Tirany not to tell her certain things she would have to keep from others. That’s why she said she hadn’t seen Shellorn in this hallway. She saw her in the closet. The withholding of information didn’t count as lying in her opinion.

“Rats,” Stronwen put a hand to his chest, “That Shelly, she’s so talented. It makes me so proud, as if she were my own daughter,” tears began to well up in his eyes.

“Here sir,” she grabbed a handkerchief from the pockets of her maid uniform and offered it to him.

“It’s ok little one,” Stronwen looked down to the duster in her other hand. “Oh, sorry for holding you up from your responsibilities. I can help you dust if you would like.” he stepped towards the supply closet.

“I'm alright!” The words sprang forth from her mouth, much louder than she anticipated, “Um, I mean these responsibilities are my own. I can take care of them by myself. Thank you for your generous offer sir.”

She didn’t know why she was trying so hard to prevent him from opening the door and finding Shellorn. It wasn’t like it was a part of her job to support these childish games, but she had been asked a favor and she couldn’t let her down. She had to do everything in her power to support and serve her. It was only natural to do so as a maid.

Stronwen’s hand stopped just before the handle and pulled back.

“ I probably don’t say this enough but thank you, for all you do around here.”

“Thank you for providing me with this job. It has been a blessing.”

He sighed, “I better be off to find Shelly, I can’t leave her alone for too long. Who knows what will happen to her. I should be there to protect her.”

As Stronwen departed, she dipped her head in a small bow. After he was out of sight, Shellorn emerged from the supplies closet once again.

“That was close, I owe you… big time.”

“Ms. Van-Drighten, you don’t owe me anything. It is my duty to serve those who reside in the Vassage’s mansion.”

A wild smile spread across Shellorn’s face.

“Well thanks anyways. I’m going to see how close I can get to being caught, that was so exhilarating!”

She began to skip down the hallway after him, leaving Nayu standing by herself. She sighed then gave a small laugh.

Ms. Lee and Ms. Shellorn have only been here for a handful of weeks, but they make this place so much more lively.

She turned to the open supplies closet. Brooms and other cleaning supplies had fallen out of it.

They also make this place much more messy, well at least she does.

With a faint smile, Nayu reorganized the supplies closet, putting everything back in place. Even if it was more work, she still enjoyed their company. She grabbed a new clean duster and with that in hand she happily continued her duties.

###

“Nayu my dear, may you please grab my satchel for me.”

“Yes lady Vassauge.”

She stepped out from her position by the door to a nearby table, grabbing the requested item. She began walking towards Tirany who was working at a desk in a large office room.

“If you could just grab the stack of paper in there for me. That would be grand.”

“Yes lady Vassauge.”

She opened up the satchel. It was plain, but very nicely made. Inside were different colored folders with books stacked along with them. A loose stack of paper was crammed on the side. She grabbed them, taking care not to crumble them any further, and then handed them to her mistress.

“Thank you. I’ll be out of the house today and seeing that you have already completed all of your duties, how about you take the day off.”

“That is a very generous offer, but I cannot take you up on it. It is a part of my contract to serve you, whether you are here or not and whether there are tasks to be done or not.”

Tirany contorted her lips mumbling, “We ought to amend that contract then,” then she directed her attention back to the maid, “Well, if you insist on serving me today, then may you watch over Lee for me? I’m afraid she’s been overworking herself in the library. She reminds me of someone else who constantly overworks herself serving me…”

Nayu bowed her head obediently, not comprehending the not so subtle point Tirany made at the end towards her.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“I promise to take the utmost care of Ms. Lee.”

“You are always so serious Nayu. You don’t have to be so formal all the time.”

“Sorry Lady Vassauge.”

“Make sure both of you take breaks and are well fed.”

She stood up, grabbing the papers she was handed. As she passed by Nayu, she reached out her hand and patted her on the top of her head.

“You’re a good girl Nayu, never change.”

As Tirany left the room, Nayu kept her somber expression. As soon as the door closed, a smile stretched across her petite face. Her eyes lightened up.

“Lady Vassauge is so kind to me. I truly have been blessed with the best job.”

###

With a single hand Nayu carried a large tray. It had a cover on, but she knew what was under it. She knew because she prepared it. She prepared it especially for Lee, who her mistress had told to serve and take care of today. Although it had only been a few weeks since the damsel duo started living in the mansion, she made sure to note their likes, interests, dislikes, quirks and other such notable information. She held pride in her attention to detail. It was a necessary and important skill for a maid to have if one wanted to excel at their work.

The mid-afternoon snack Nayu had prepared contained several small sandwiches, most being able to be eaten in two to three bites. She remembered Lee talking to Shellorn about how cute these sandwiches were. Along with the mini sandwiches, she had prepared several small cups of bennoberries. Although she didn’t know if she liked them plain, Lee enjoyed a dessert that Chenwore prepared where the main ingredients were bennoberries. She had also prepared some tea for her to sip on. Warm beverages help stimulate the brain and her work dealt with a lot of reading and problem solving.

Nayu looked up to the large library doors. She brushed off the wrinkles in her maid uniform with her off hand and then gently knocked the thick wooden doors.

“Ms. Lee, may I come in? It’s Nayu, I’ve prepared an afternoon snack for you.”

The quantity of snacks she had prepared would be better described as a dinner for a large family.

“...”

There was no response, but it wasn’t uncommon for there to be no response.

She cracked open the door. Her youthful eyes peaked into the room. Countless open books and papers cluttered the tables that sat in the middle of the first floor of the library. The chairs were empty, showing no signs of Lee.

Her vision naturally went to the second level that overlooked the first. Even though Nayu was looking up from the first level, she could see most of the second level. The rows of smaller shelves on the second level looked empty.

She stepped into the room and walked towards the messy tables. She hesitated to move the books and papers to make room for the platter in her hand. The papers on the table were each covered in ink. Most looked like random scribbles and notes. Probably not important, but she always erred on the side of caution.

“Hey Nayu. Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.”

Lee emerged from the jungle of shelves on the first level. She sparkled with an aura of confidence. Nayu hesitated before replying. Even after all this time, Lee’s brilliant violet eyes always caught her off guard.

“Ms. Lee, it is no problem. I have brought you an afternoon snack. Where would you like to have it?”

“Thank you. You can just set it anywhere.”

Lee sat down and grabbed a book resting on the table in front of her.

Nayu looked back down to the tables. There was no uncovered place large enough to set the platter down. Lee must’ve noticed this as she reached over and pushed a bunch of books and papers to the side.

“None of this is important, you can set it right there.”

She obediently set down the platter, taking the lid off and revealing the spread she had prepared earlier.

The sandwiches were in a neat line, each slightly resting on top of each other creating a jagged pattern. Pretty cups of bennoberries surrounded the sandwiches, like a picket fence. On the other side of the platter was a simple teapot with a single small cup resting on a couple of small plates.

She began gracefully preparing a plate. She put two sandwiches on a plate along with a cup of berries. She then put a small napkin under the plate and set it down next to Lee who was nose deep in a book.

“Thanks.”

Lee instinctively grabbed a berry while reading and popped it into her mouth.

“Wow, that's really sweet.”

She continued grabbing and eating them at a fast pace.

The ends of Nayu’s mouth crept up as she turned to begin preparing a cup of tea. As she poured, not a single drop splattered out of the cup and onto the table. She filled the cup just below the brim, allowing her to carry it without spilling. She set the cup right next to the plate and received another thank you.

She took a step backwards and presumed her natural position. Her hands crossed in front of her as she looked on from behind.

After a few seconds of silence, Lee looked over her shoulder to her.

“Uh, do you need something Nayu?”

“No Ms. Lee, I am not in need of anything.”

She slowly turned back to her book, but just a mere few seconds later she once again spoke up.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is alright Ms. Lee.”

“If it isn’t a bother, may I ask why you are standing behind me?”

“It is no bother at all. I am standing behind you because Lady Vassauge tasked me with taking care of you today. She wanted to make sure you weren’t overworking yourself and that you were well fed.”

Lee looked at the half eaten mini-sandwich in her hand.

“Oh. Well you can sit down if you would like, there's no need to stand behind me.”

“That is very generous of you but I must always be ready to accommodate your needs.”

“What if my needs were for you to sit down next to me?”

“Uh-”

She opened her mouth, but no words came forth. It was as if she were being asked to do something that would go against her programming whether she did it or not. She needed to always be prepared to help, but she also couldn’t refuse an order. A lose-lose situation for a maid.

“C’mon,” Lee patted the seat next to her, “There’s no way I’ll be able to eat all this food by myself. Join me.”

“But-”

A smirk crawled across her face, “I guess you aren’t adhering to my needs so well after all.”

With that jab Nayu promptly took a seat next to her. Her small stature seemed to be a lot more noticeable sitting down.

She observed for the next few hours from the adjacent chair. During which, she had been convinced to eat a couple berries and even a mini sandwich. She was of course resistant, but Lee used some manipulative logic to convince her like she did before.

“Hey Nayu.”

She quickly sat straight up attentively.

“Yes?”

“After I finish this, do you want to take the dog for a walk with me?”

“If that’s your request, I will follow it.”

“No” she sighed, “I mean do you want to go with me? Like if you want to or not. You don’t have to if you don’t.”

“What I want is not important. My duties are to look after you and that is what I shall do.”

Lee only mumbled in response.

“Whatever, You’ll loosen up eventually.”

###

From a proper distance, Nayu observed. Lee was playing with the dog with a smile on her face. This had been quite rare when she first arrived, but now she often looked out the window to witness this. Now she had the pleasure of only being a few feet away.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a shift in Lee. When she first arrived, she was quite hesitant in all of her actions. She was also quiet, almost similarly to Nayu. She was often overshadowed by Shellorn’s loud personality, but as the days progressed, she became more confident. This change in her almost didn’t feel like a change, it just felt as if the real her was coming to the surface. Lee was a small flower bud when she first arrived and now she has blossomed into a beautiful flower. Nayu was glad to have witnessed this bloom.

“Hey Nayu, you want to pet him?”

Nayu had been reminiscing, looking off towards the mansion. Next to it was a small shed. It had a nice little house attached to the shed outside. The dog was leashed when unattended, but had many visitors throughout the day. Nayu, along with Chenwore, would sometimes be tasked with feeding it when Lee or Shellorn were too busy.

“I am ok Ms. Lee, you may pet him.”

Lee was crouched next to her dog. It was playfully headbutting her shoulder, quite hard actually. It almost seemed to want to knock her over.

Lee tipped over a bit and had to balance herself with a hand on the grass.

“What if I request that you pet the dog?”

“Then I would be obliged to follow your request.”

“Well… Nayu, please pet the dog for me.”

“As you wish Ms. Lee.”

She walked over to Lee and the dog. She bent over. Its fur matched Lee’s raven black hair. She looked into the dog’s dark eyes. They were mostly black, but she thought she could see a hint of deep purple in them. The dog looked back at her, tilting its head.

It was quite adorable, for Nayu, a fifteen year old girl, it was borderline irresistible to not pet it, but that wasn’t for her to do. Now though, she was requested to pet the dog, so she adhered to the request as she would any other. She started with gentle strokes on top of its head, but it slowly turned to rough scratches behind its ears. A smile took control of her face and a question slipped from her mouth. A question that had bothered her for some time, but she never asked due to it not being her place to ask such a question.

“Why doesn’t it have a name?”

Nayu quickly clasped her mouth.

“I am sorry for my impertinence.”

Shame flushed her body in the form of heat as her cheeks and ears tinged red. Her embarrassment was only eclipsed by her shame for asking a question out of line.

Lee giggled. Almost similarly to how Shellorn would. The giggle slowly turned into a full on laugh.

“You don’t need to be sorry. I want you to ask me questions,” she took a few quick breaths, recovering from her laughing spell, “I’ve often wondered why I haven’t named it too. I’ve just gotten so used to calling it dog that I haven’t put much thought into a name. Do you want to give it a name?”

Nayu’s eyes widened, “Oh, I could never be trusted with such an important decision-”

“Don’t be so down on yourself. I can promise you whatever you come up with is better than Shelly’s ideas. ‘Cutey McCuteface’ was the best she could come up with.”

She looked back at the dog. Even if it was Ms. Shellorn’s idea, she couldn’t let its name be ‘Cutey McCuteface’.

Its face, although showing youth, seemed to also have a hidden tranquility to it. It calmed her, putting her almost in a trance-like state. She quickly snapped out of it and came up with a name she thought would suit it.

“Mmmm, how does Dacchi sound?”