That fateful morning, Emily abandoned her sacred community for the first time in her life. She followed her new masters towards the nearby road. A sumptuous carriage was already waiting for them. She finally managed to take a better look at the couple. Despite being both imposing and elegant in their appearance, the difference in their demeanors was outstanding. While Lord Leandre was more entitled and assertive, probably due to the fact that he belonged to the religious council, Lord Arthur seemed younger and more approachable. For instance, he treated his assistants very warmly. Emily's dejection grew as soon as they left the orphanage behind. Shortly after, the rural, wooded hills of her childhood were gone, and all she could distinguish were vast avenues, busy markets, and unscathed facades. So far, she had only learned about Rosetta's organized streets and painstaking architecture through her books. Suddenly, Lord Arthur's friendly tone disrupted her thoughts.

–You like this place, right, Emily? We are now approaching Rosetta's center. You can find most of the realm's merchants in this area. If you look to your right, you will recognize the religious council headquarters, our most important house of prayer. You may also make out the royal place at the eastern end.

–Very beautiful indeed, master.

Emily admired the distant constructions, including the headquarters' magnificent golden cupola, gleaming underneath the morning sun. She also stared at the families roaming the main streets. Many men walked around the stores, while a few cautious females followed them, carrying shopping bags or pushing strollers. Emily saw a couple of them laughing, breastfeeding their babies, chatting and enjoying a steamy cup of tea. She wondered if she could ever become one of them, if she could manage to accept the gods' providence, whatever that may mean, and live a happy life in her current situation.

–You will love the house – Lord Arthur continued – We have a remarkable view of the valley, including the countryside. Perhaps Leandre could show you his fields on one of our horses…

His husband was reading a book, disengaged from the conversation. He lifted his gaze slightly to the sound of his name. Emily intuited that he was annoyed by his husband's initiative.

–We do not have time for that, and it is not necessary either. I paid a lot of money for her, so I want her to start working right away. Let the housekeeper handle everything.

Lord Arthur simply nodded and remained silent, as if he was afraid to contradict his husband. Emily was not surprised. She had read that Rosetta's marriages were usually hierarchical as well. The man who came from a lesser rank or stratum was expected to please his partner's demands. In addition, righteous and domineering men like Lord Leandre were considered superior on the social spectrum. Emily resented his disdain but decided to step in regardless.

–Tell me more about my duties, master Leandre.

–You will clean the house, assist the cooks and the gardeners, I assume. But I need you to be our personal servant occasionally. The inspector told me you had a way with numbers. Who knows, perhaps you could even help me manage some registers.

–Of course, Sir. I used to assist with the accounting at the community orphanage. I also took care of the library and the holiday planning for three years in a row.

Lord Arthur's eyes widened with amazement.

–Impressive. We can tell you are very intelligent, Emily, way more than many so-called professionals out there.

His sincere compliment took Emily by surprise, making her smile for the first time in days. Unfortunately, Lord Leandre promptly put an end to their interaction.

–She better be worth the small fortune I spent… Praise the gods.

*

Emily finally reached her new home: a rich mansion in the outskirts of town. The property was built with the finest materials, including stone, wood, marble and stained glass. It was surrounded by lush fields, a private farm and a clean pond. The main garden was also astonishing at first glance. Emily had never seen such a large variety of fruit trees and fragrant flowers before. Her masters abandoned the carriage and walked towards the entrance, while she was sent to the backdoor with the horseman. A small entourage of maids were already expecting her arrival. Jade, the housekeeper was the first to greet her.

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–Welcome to your new family, Emily. We are very pleased to have you. Praise the gods.

She handed Emily a welcoming basket full of sweet delicacies, basic consumer goods and even some lavish items, such as colorful shawls and perfume. The welcoming basket was a mandatory tradition for every entrusted woman in Rosetta; however, the content usually varied depending on the master's wealth and disposition.

Emily accepted the presents and her fellow coworkers' warm reception. Afterward, she met Jenna, the young maid she would be sharing rooms with. She was tall, blonde and plump. Fortunately for Emily, she was also an adorable and committed hostess. She kindly showed her around, starting with the kitchen, the warehouse and the laundry room.

–Oh, dear, I know all these protocols and changes must be overwhelming to you… I remember the day I arrived. I was so nervous, I couldn't even take a sip of broth! Do not worry. Everything gets better with time. This place is wonderful.

Her carefree words immediately caught Emily's attention. Jenna seemed like a smart and hardworking woman. Moreover, she sounded confident in her statements.

–Didn't you miss your fellow sisters?

–Of course I did. It was hard for me to leave them behind. But I write to them very often. And I usually run into a couple of them at our religious festivals. We always have a blast.

–What about the workload? Is it tough here?

–Not really. We can consider ourselves lucky in that aspect. Also, most of the women working in the house are very caring and supportive. That is no surprise, though. Lord Leandre is very wealthy; he can afford to recruit the most distinguished maidens in the realm.

–He does not seem like a merciful master, to be honest.

Jenna raised an eyebrow. For a second, Emily wondered if her comment could cause any type of commotion. She realized she had to be more careful with her words from now on. Nevertheless, Jenna simply burst out laughing.

–How could a master ever be merciful? They will never understand what it is like to be one of us. And it is not their fault, entirely. It is just the way we all have been raised. It is just the world we live in.

Emily nodded in silence. She should not have underestimated Jenna's sagacity. It was impossible to assume a master could truly care about his bond servants. If he really did, he would advocate for their freedom in the first place. She felt embarrassed of herself for marveling at Lord Arthur's apparent kindness.

–I feel you, sister. Although, I heard some masters are particularly hard to please.

–Right. Lord Leandre can be harsh on us. I bet that is no surprise. He comes from a prominent family. He owns lots of land and businesses in the realm. Also, since he is an honorific member of the religious council, even the king of Rosetta is forced to listen to his advice. Lord Arthur, on the other hand… I have not gotten to know him well yet. He just moved in. I think he used to be a merchant.

Jenna finally led Emily towards the women's dorm, a more modest building in the left wing. Just like the community orphanage, it was equipped with shared bedrooms and common amenities, including a dining room, a placid garden, a library and a well. The housekeeper was in charge of the general organization, but everyone was allowed to take part in the dorm's administration and management. According to Jenna, most of the women there spent their free time studying or praying, although they could engage in pastimes or request permission to explore around. Emily was partly relieved to join such a considerable and cooperative group. From what she had heard before, many women entrusted to poorer households would often be completely alone in their new homes. She tried to convince herself that she would get used to her routine, that she would eventually learn to accept and even cherish her position, just like Jenna.

–You were right; this place seems wonderful. Praise the gods.

*

Emily began her duties with renewed spirits. She had always been a diligent worker, and house chores were nothing new to her. She would wake up early in the morning to assist with the cleaning and the gardening. She was also sent to perform small tasks, like fetching water or feeding the animals. Once she was down with her labor, she would meet Jenna back at the dorm and drink tea by the fountain. After all, they were both avid readers and enjoyed commenting on books. Most of the texts they could get their hands on were usually religious tales or traditional poetry. Emily was hoping to run into some clandestine titles, but was too afraid to ask any of the girls in the house, including Jenna. Sneaking forbidden books into a community orphanage was a relatively common practice, especially for teachers. Nevertheless, living under a master's custody was entirely different. Emily assumed she had to give up on that possibility, at least for the moment. She never expected to find one of her favorite and most scandalous stories hiding ignominiously in her masters' house.

She made the shocking discovery a few days later, right at dusk, when she was cleaning Lord Leandre's lavish study. The room was empty and the fireplace was beaming. She was almost done with her usual chores and was getting ready to leave. However, she suddenly noticed an old cabinet full of parchments in the corner. Judging by the dust collected, no one had been attentive enough to deep clean the area recently. She started to remove the parchments and pushed the furniture aside. To her bewilderment, a small book quickly collapsed at her feet. It must have been hidden behind the cabinet all along. As soon as Emily lifted the sample, her eyes widened. It was a copy of Rosetta's Lonely Maiden, one of the most outrageous stories ever written. Emily had read it multiple times. It depicted a forbidden affair between a peasant and his bond servant. It also featured plenty of desirous sexual scenes and even erotic drawings. Although many Rosettan men enjoyed that type of lecherous content, what made the book particularly problematic to the religious council was its audacity to claim true love was possible regardless of your partner's gender.

Emily's cheeks flushed as she recalled the first time she ever traced the book's worn out pages, the curiosity it stirred up in her and the unprecedented sensations that pooled between her legs. She felt so immersed in the suggestive images, she did not realize Lord Arthur's tall shadow was now standing right behind her.

–Emily? What are you doing with that?