“Do not even bother to cry! This is only the beginning! You are to remain right here, sitting—and do not stand for respite or I will discipline again—until I return with the head maid… I will be unspeakably surprised if you are not expelled before day’s end… Be glad that you are both a daughter of mankind and not a slave, for your tongue would have been cut out! I dare say it should be anyway!” thus such shouts were hurled with such fury.

“…alrightly…” Blossom simply acknowledged, not even turning behind to face, her eyes averting down…

Without any further words, the door behind was harshly opened…and the next sound to reverberate throughout the room…was that of its loud shutting slam, stomping heels echoing beyond…

Blossom sighed… She remained seated upon a chair situated in front of a desk of sorts, as if she were a student in trouble. “Tsk… Owie…” her breaths muttered as she resisted the urge to caress her buttocks, trying to tolerate…the sharpest of stinging pains ever felt…

She wanted to cry; she so very much did… Yet not a single tear was permitted to fall.

Indeed, those furious shouts were hardly the scope of the disciplinary actions she had received. Her face had been slapped around a bit, but the worst came when her overseeing maid brought out a wooden paddle; one that was hardly ever used on junior staff; one more befitting a slave than an employed maid…

Though, truly… what even was the difference between slavery and this. She had neither choice nor consent whatsoever…in everything that had so transpired, both now and time before; she felt shackled and unfree… “Might as well just…sell me around… What difference would it make…” her thoughts bled out…

Her jaws…began to quiver…

She sniffled as the irritated pain only became more intense the longer she sat… Unable to contain, a few drops of tears began to drip from her eyes, their presence stinging her still sore cheeks… She sniffled again, rubbing her eyes… With a deep breath, the tears stopped as… “Whatever…” indifference took hold.

Time passed and flowed…as she remained seated in place, the stinging pain no longer as pronounced, either going away or…being tuned out… Eventually, walking heels approached before that door behind finally sprung open; those same walking heels stepped in, one pair far angrier than the other.

“Uncommitted, disrespectful, lazy, I have never seen a worse…anyone in my entire career! And I have only been their lead for but not a full week! Unbelievable!” the overseeing maid…was yapping away, complaining.

“Yes, yes… You have made your point clear.” thus such words from…a familiar voice were heard from behind… Blossom could not bother to look and see…

The head maid sighed before stepping forward, the door shutting behind. She approached the desk in front…though did not sit; she simply stood before it… “You may leave.” thus she said, though not to Blossom; her eyes were staring at her overseeing maid…

“Huh?” The overseeing maid was confused…

“You may leave. I will handle this matter now. Go attend to your encharged group. They have been left alone long enough.” the head maid stated.

The overseeing maid…nodded; “Rightly…” she acknowledged; “I trust you will make the correct decision.” She respectfully took her leave…

The door opened; heels stepped out; the door closed.

Now it was just her and her… Blossom was not looking forward to this…

Moments of silence passed as the head maid lingered in front before finally taking her seat. She let out a certain grunting exhale; “Oh, what have you done already?” she thus interrogated, bewailing.

Blossom’s eyes remained avertive, unable to look at the head maid straightly. “I have not been sleeping lately…” she simply replied, her voice rather lowly and…mellowly dreary.

“Excuses, girl. You know that.” the head maid rebuked coldly; “Out of everything you could have possibly done, this was…” her mind was struggling to articulate… “I have to know… What had possibly whispered into your soul to cause your mouth to open in such a way to a Berrybottom?!” she raised her voice.

“I was not thinking… It escaped my breaths; I did not mean to say it out loud” Blossom replied…

The head maid grumbled. Blossom could not see the eyes glaring her way, though could infer their pierce, nevertheless.

“You should not have been even conceiving of such words to begin with!” the head maid lambasted, her emotions moving faster than her mind.

Blossom’s defensive apathy only grew in scope; she was feeling ever-more numb, despite the emotions so flaring within. “Why? We all have judgements of others, judgements we never speak… It is impossible to not have them…” Blossom countered.

The head maid’s grumble became more of a snarling growl; “Do NOT… try me… right now, Blossom! Absolutely do not.” her suppressed voice warned, threatening in effect.

“Do not use my freaking name if you are going to be so loud…” yet Blossom so replied…

Silence…

Before, once again, such a stinging pain rushed throughout her cheek as a such a sudden force lashed out upon her face… So hard and harsh the slap was, Blossom fell out of her chair…

“Be silent. Be SILENT! You have not the…the slightest idea of the situation you have caused yourself to be in! If you were anyone else, you would be expelled right here and now! If the Berrybottoms were of any higher stature, you could be thrown into chains!” the head maid shouted in castigation; “The young sir has yet to levy a complaint, but if or once he does…”

“Fine, fine… Fine.” Blossom interrupted, her hand pressing against the recently struck cheek…as she tried to lean herself back up; “Throw me into chains… What difference would it make? What…difference…does it truly make for me?” She was so clearly trying her best to not cry. “This is not working for me; I cannot stand being around these people, and you cannot stand me either, so just… just… let whatever is to happen, happen… You tried… My mother tried… But I was condemned the very day I was born, so it does not matter!” Blossom breathed in and out, her emotions…elevated.

A silence ensued… These words heard, the head maid’s temper…began to cool. She pinched her forehead, letting loose a sigh… “You are so effortlessly difficult…” thus remarked her escaping breaths, before her eyes gazed down at Blossom who still had yet to get up… It was evident Blossom’s mind was falling astray yet again…

The head maid…stood up and stepped around the desk, approaching Blossom. She helped her back up… “Take a seat, sit… I apologize for my…rash temper” she apologized.

Blossom mumbled lowly as she…once again sat down upon that chair, the head maid returning to hers.

“You were behaving finely enough after your first day, and it has only been a few weeks… What changed?” the head maid simply asked…

“Everything around besides me… I haven’t changed, but we get a new bitch in charge of us, and…and…” Blossom was replying, now far less caring about the formalities of her speech, yet…she began to stutter, struggling to articulate… “I have a friend… I made a friend…” thus she finally said…

“I am aware… Miranda, rightly? That Spring’s rising junior” the head maid remarked, voice now calmer.

“How did you know?” Blossom…finally looked at the head maid, curious indeed… “We haven’t spoken since… uhm… the last time I pissed you off, so…”

“As I just said, Miranda is rising as if new Spring… Her exceptional performance aside, in the short while she has been here, she has charmed her way amongst many of the propers and seniors. She is well-liked, even by those who otherwise do not particularly…fancy elves” the head maid replied; “I myself have talked with her too, and she has spoken of you, quite”.

Blossom…tilted her head lightly; “Spoken of me…? What do you…mean? What… what…d-did…she…speak of?” On one hand, she was very curious, yet on the other…she was equally terrified… What things were Miranda speaking of her? Was she…talking behind her back? Or…?

“That you are an intelligent girl far smarter than meets the eye; that you are shy and nervous despite being confident; that you are rebellious and strong, though vulnerable within… And that she is your friend” thus the head maid replied, specifying.

“…oh, I see…” Blossom…abruptly became…shyer… Though… “Hmm…” her eyes looked at the head maid, perhaps a bit…skeptical. How much of such were truly Miranda’s own words? Indeed… “That sounds more like my mother’s words…” she mumbled aloud… “So, you spoke to Miranda, and she happened to start talking about me? You’re lying… That seems stupid…”

The head maid…delayed slightly. “I was not lying, though maybe I was omitting… I did not speak to her as much as she spoke to me—she initiated it” thus she stated, before exhaling an admitting breath; “I admit… I did want to know how you were…doing, so I asked her about you, and those were amongst her words—that was no lie…” The stern head maid had been worried about Blossom, it seemed.

“Oh… Alrightly, that… that makes sense…” Blossom again became shyer…

“She also remarked that you have a quote, ‘babble-mouth’, to which I would certainly concur” the head maid added.

“…yeah…that sounds…more like her…” Blossom’s doubts receded… She suddenly felt…weird, indeed… Though, she did not know if such was a ‘good weird’ or ‘bad weird’… Regardless, she sighed; “Yeah, so… Miranda, she… she was early promoted to a proper…”

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“I am aware of that; she along with many others, and I would hardly say ‘proper’ as much as an intermediate between junior” the head maid interposed.

“Yeah, so… We have not spoken for a few…many days…” Blossom continued, her voice becoming more lowly; “I know that is…stupid, but…that is the truth… These few days have felt…never-ending, and…I don’t like them… The only one who has kept me company has been my own thoughts, which is…exactly the problem…” thus she admitted.

The head maid sighed; “Oh of course, everything is sensible now… Miranda was akin to a leash on you and your mouth, then? She kept you regulated and proper…”

“Maybe, I don’t know… But she made everything more bearable, I suppose…” Blossom…replied.

“Oh, girl… Had you come to see me regarding this…before things happened in this way, I could have arranged something to…help you. But now… Well, there is only so much I am able to do… You are supposed to be punished” the head maid replied, forthright in her voice.

“I was slapped around and paddled on my ass… Was that not enough?” Blossom stated…now more antsy in voice.

“Your present language is not helping your situation.” the head maid quite sternly stated.

Blossom’s eyes averted, her voice…going quiet.

The head maid went quiet in kind; her fingers tapping away, she began to cogitate…as to how she could even handle this situation… She exhaled deciding breaths…

“As I have said over and over, under any other…ordinary circumstances, this offense would be grounds for…dismissal if not persecution… However, given your…specific position, I will opt for…mercy; though, I cannot guarantee anything if…the young sir makes this incident a greater problem with his father… Although, Sir Berrybottom, for everything he is, is an…understanding man; so, I will attempt to persuade leniency in such a case” thus she stated; “However, I am not usually lenient, and…I will be given quite the mindache over this…‘change of heart’, especially by your group’s lead who was very adamant that she never be allowed to see you again.”

“I understand…” Blossom acknowledged, hoping that such would be the end of this…

“However,” the head maid continued, “this is not to be imply there will be no disciplinary actions levied.”

“…I see…” Blossom mumbled, her eyes…evading down… “What is…to be…levied?”

The head maid…deliberated… “For now, you may consider your junior status and probation period to be extended, and for the remainder of this month and the next, you are to be working extra hours—from dawn to midnight—and you will be required to be in the company of an assigned other who will monitor your conduct, performance, and words, and who will reprimand as needed.” thus was so levied.

“I…understand…” Blossom acknowledged, her voice…quite lowly.

“However, to reiterate… everything frankly depends on what happens next; there might be more to come…” The head maid sighed; “Understand, we have been doing our upmost best to keep…who you truly are…discreet. But incidents like this…truly test both patience and capability; they make your…special treatment…evident and make it more than likely questions will be levied to explain why. Especially by those who envy my position…”

“I know…” Blossom acknowledged…

“I have said this before, and I will say this again: our standards would not have allowed for someone like you to have even been picked to be among our ranks. I am stern, but I am not cruel, but please…do not make me do something cruel… You know as well as I what could happen if I toss you out, and I promised your mother…of your safety… But there is only so much I can do…and that I am willing to do…” the head maid…finished.

Blossom…nearly sniffled; she felt suffocated deep down inside, despite keeping herself firm on the outside.

“Now, you may leave… Although you should return to your group, it might be better to return to your dorm and…remain there, to await what is to come tomorrow… I will speak to your lead in regards to…my decisions, with which I already know she will be…disagreeing… She is an exceptionally conservative one, to speak leastly” thus Blossom was dismissed.

With an acknowledging nod, Blossom stood herself up, her eyes remaining down. With a respectful bow, she turned herself around and…began to depart off.

Yet she paused in front of the door, running heels echoing beyond…

Contemplating, comprehending, her ears could hear her own breaths and beating heart. With a deep breath, Blossom turned around; “I am really sorry…about…everything…” she said solemnly…

“I am not the one to whom an apology is required, Pink.” the head maid…bluntly stated.

Blossom…nodded somberly… She turned around and…finally exited the room; stepping out into the halls of this manor-estate, she began to simply…walk away, her eyes unable to look forward. She did even bother to check where she was walking. She did not care. She just kept walking…

Although she had felt suffocated prior, now she felt utterly crushed by the weight pressing within. She felt so wrong and guilty, despite the fact…deep down inside…she truly did not believe that she had done anything wrong whatsoever, at least…morally. Now more especially, she stood by the words she had so blurted.

Blossom remained within her head as she walked and strolled, inattentive to any of the details around, might they be visual or auditory. But turning a corner and walking forth, she suddenly felt a sharp…yet gentle enough…yank to her arm. She immediately paused lest she trip…

“Huh?” she blurted, startled. Turning around to see, Blossom saw…

A familiar face… “Hey, Pink.” And a familiar voice… Though, not the familiar face nor the familiar voice she was perhaps…hoping to see and hear…

It was Moon, standing there quite rigidly.

“…oh…hey…” Blossom…greeted, rather lowly.

“I did not mean to startle you. Sorry.” thus Moon spoke.

“It’s alright…” Blossom lowly replied. She did not even notice Moon’s approachment… It was as if she had just…appeared, to be honest…

“Whither are you heading, anyway?” Moon simply inquired before casually pointing her thumb to the hallway behind; “the manorial exit is that ways, just so you know.”

“Oh, no… uhm… just our room, not… I haven’t been…expelled or anything… Just disciplined…” Blossom…answered, the sores still evident.

“Hm.” Moon’s…rather shiny eyes narrowed; “I see. Well, I am very surprised that you have not been thrown out. That you are allowed to keep walking these halls after those awful words you said to the young sir Swordstaff. That you have been allowed to remain despite being one of the worst of us all.” Her voice was quite cold despite the formalities, indeed.

“…oh” Blossom simply replied, her voice still quite dimly low… She was very exhausted by now and could not be bothered to be antagonistic or…anything with this fellow of hers, besides shy and…depressed.

Moon, words moving ahead, ahemed; “Well, since you are still here, you might as well make yourself…useful. See, I was on my way to fetch…a few others—I need help with something… So, mind if I borrow you?” thus she requested.

“I was…told to wait…in the dorm until tomorrow, though…” Blossom replied.

“I know, yes. But I am a newly promoted proper” Moon was saying…

“I heard you’re ‘intermediates’…” Blossom mellowly interposed…

“Tch. Sure. But I am still allowed to borrow juniors who are without duties, such as you, to help with my own…tasks… I would not be asking you, Pink, if I did not believe that I needed the help…” Moon so explained.

Blossom sighed; “Fine…whatever… Let’s get this done with, then…” she acquiesced, unable to be bothered to care anymore. Though, maybe helping could…make some amends for earlier and all the other…things prior… She wanted to make amends, maybe…

“Yes. Let’s.” Moon thus began to walk; Blossom began to follow behind, eyes remaining averted down.

It was an utterly silent and momentless walk… Hmm… Though, something about Moon’s voice had seemed…different than usual… No…not just her voice, something seemed a little…different in general… Yet Blossom could not ponder too much.

Eventually, Moon halted and thus so did Blossom… They were next to their dorm; waiting outside already was Burgundy and two other fellow juniors… They were talking, seemingly, yet something about it seemed…hollow.

“I need help with something. Can you I borrow you three?” Moon asked…yet…not really.

“Of course. Certainly.” Burgundy replied, though her…shiny eyes seemed fixated on Blossom…

Though, Blossom could not look any of them in the eyes.

“Great. Follow me. I shall lead… I hope you do not mind her” Moon said, eyeing Blossom… “Fortune made me bump into her…”

“Not at all.” a junior replied.

Moon began to walk once again; Blossom began to trail along, now joined by those three others…

So lost in her own astray thoughts, once again Blossom was hardly attending to the details around, let alone where she was even going. She simply heard the steps in front and maintained pace, not pondering whatsoever.

Though, after some time, Blossom began to notice… “This is taking awhile… Where are we going?” she asked, eyes finally retracting away from the floor.

“Antique room and library.” Moon answered; the rest remained silent.

“Oh… No wonder…” Blossom looked to the sides and around, seeing that the light piercing through the noticeably fewer windows around…was clearly indicative of emerging evening, and thus… “Huh… Wait… Isn’t it supper time? Why are we doing this now?” she inquired.

Moon did not reply… They all eyed each other, as the distance between her and the others became…less that she was following and more that she was being lead. Indeed, everything felt so…cold.

Not that any of such mattered, for Moon soon halted; before them was a closed double door leading to one of the quietest and most secluded areas of this manor-estate: the personal library of the Berrybottoms, situated right next to and connected with…the antique room.

“You will discover soon.” Moon merely said, stepping forward and towards the double door. She opened one of the two doors, though only…barely, peeking her…eyes… “Good…” she mumbled, smiling…as if things were falling in place.

This done, she proceeded to open the door fully and widely, holding it in place. Burgundy and the other two promptly stepped in without any words.

“Go on in.” Moon gestured to Blossom…

Blossom instinctively stepped in, though only at the door’s edges… All she could see within in this chamber of books and scrolls…was Burgundy and the other two…standing, staring at her, waiting for her to enter… And the way they were now…looking at her…

And their eyes…

She finally noticed… Something was not right with their eyes… As if they were outlined in a brightening glow that bled with utter malevolence.

Although Blossom should have surmised what this truly was before this point, now most especially she should have realized. Yet…she really did not want…the truth to be real. Maybe if she continued to naively pretend that nothing was going to happen, that nothing would happen…

“So… Uhm… What…did you…require…help with…anyway, Moon…?” Blossom…so shyly asked, becoming timid…

Yet… “Say,” Moon began to speak, her frigid eyes glaring behind, that strange outline once masked by her eyes’ lunar color…growing in evident potency; “Why is the head maid pulling strings to keep you here so? And why did I hear ‘Blossom’ initially, and not ‘Pink’?”

“…huh?” Blossom’s eyes…widened… Such a strong dread pierced her heart…

Indeed, someone had been seemingly…eavesdropping…

But before any further words could be exchanged, Moon immediately shoved Blossom into the library and onto the ground… Those doors promptly shut closed behind, with no other ears around to hear any struggling pleas.