Just Another Day By: Lisa Cooper
Valerie sighed as she looked around her mistress's bedroom. One would expect a noble born lady to have a neat and tidy room, with everything in its rightful place. Of course, one would quickly throw that notion out upon meeting the Lady Portia Kaida Dmitri, daughter of Lord Nikolas Dmitri and Lady Rhaison Dmitri and seeing how much of a mess her room was. Rolling her eyes and pushing her sleeves up, Valerie slowly walked around the room, picking up clothes and straightening leaning towers of books as she went.
All day she went around Portia's room, picking things up, putting things away and straightening things up in general. She had only barely made a dent in the mess by six o'clock at night and was fairly sick of looking at everything when she finally stopped to catch her breath. Wiping sweat from her brow with a handkerchief from her skirt pocket, Valerie was about to dive back into her cleaning spree when she was interrupted by something barreling into her legs.
"Ah!" She yelped as she wobbled and promptly fell on her bottom. As she looked up to see what had made her fall, she found a black snout and a warm, wet tongue being pushed into her face. "Silver you rotten scoundrel! Get off of me!" She struggled to push the heavy dragonet off, twisting her face away to avoid getting licked by him.
"Ahaha! Silver! Come here!" The voice was full of laughter and Valerie had to grit her teeth to not snap something at her lady. She straightened her dress as she sat up, watching as the dragonet ran to the red headed woman that stood in the doorway. "My apologies, Val. I didn't mean to let him interrupt your work."
"No, no. It is quite alright, madam!" As she stood up, she was careful to keep her eyes averted. True, Portia may not have been one of those noble women that always insisted on formalities, but Valerie still at least liked to practice them. "Madam, what would you like me to do with your knife collection?"
"Val!" The lady laughed, removing her fur stole from her shoulders and throwing it on the bed that Valerie had just made up. "Slow down a bit on your cleaning spree! Have you eaten anything yet today? And don't you dare try to tell me that you have to finish cleaning! You know as well as I do that this can wait. Besides," She looked around with a small smile on her face as she paused, "You know that as soon as you get this place all sparkly and shiny clean that everything will be everywhere again. So why don't you put up for today and come down to the kitchen? I'll even enlist Gustav's help in cooking you some dinner!"
Valerie laughed at the thought of the tall man trying to help the impetuous young woman before her cook. That would definitely be a sight to see, and was something that one didn't pass up. Clutching her sides, she looked up at Portia and smiled. "Alright," she said, laughter still riding on her voice. "Go get Gustav and I'll meet you both down in the kitchen. And I'm not doing this so that I can stop cleaning in here!" She frowned a bit as she pointed a finger at Portia and added, "I'm doing this because I think it will be rather entertaining to see you and Gustav try to cook something."
"Fine by me!" With a big smile on her face and laughter in her eyes, Portia rushed out of the room with Silver right on her heels, his silver tipped wings flapping wildly as he ran. "Gustav! Come on! We're going to make Val some food!" She yelled as she ran down to the kitchen; grabbing a protesting Gustav and dragging him along when he stepped out of his room.
Valerie laughed again and shook her head as she walked slowly behind them. To anyone that had never been inside Castle Erae or did not know these three, this would be a very odd sight indeed. But to them, it was just another day.
All day she went around Portia's room, picking things up, putting things away and straightening things up in general. She had only barely made a dent in the mess by six o'clock at night and was fairly sick of looking at everything when she finally stopped to catch her breath. Wiping sweat from her brow with a handkerchief from her skirt pocket, Valerie was about to dive back into her cleaning spree when she was interrupted by something barreling into her legs.
"Ah!" She yelped as she wobbled and promptly fell on her bottom. As she looked up to see what had made her fall, she found a black snout and a warm, wet tongue being pushed into her face. "Silver you rotten scoundrel! Get off of me!" She struggled to push the heavy dragonet off, twisting her face away to avoid getting licked by him.
"Ahaha! Silver! Come here!" The voice was full of laughter and Valerie had to grit her teeth to not snap something at her lady. She straightened her dress as she sat up, watching as the dragonet ran to the red headed woman that stood in the doorway. "My apologies, Val. I didn't mean to let him interrupt your work."
"No, no. It is quite alright, madam!" As she stood up, she was careful to keep her eyes averted. True, Portia may not have been one of those noble women that always insisted on formalities, but Valerie still at least liked to practice them. "Madam, what would you like me to do with your knife collection?"
"Val!" The lady laughed, removing her fur stole from her shoulders and throwing it on the bed that Valerie had just made up. "Slow down a bit on your cleaning spree! Have you eaten anything yet today? And don't you dare try to tell me that you have to finish cleaning! You know as well as I do that this can wait. Besides," She looked around with a small smile on her face as she paused, "You know that as soon as you get this place all sparkly and shiny clean that everything will be everywhere again. So why don't you put up for today and come down to the kitchen? I'll even enlist Gustav's help in cooking you some dinner!"
Valerie laughed at the thought of the tall man trying to help the impetuous young woman before her cook. That would definitely be a sight to see, and was something that one didn't pass up. Clutching her sides, she looked up at Portia and smiled. "Alright," she said, laughter still riding on her voice. "Go get Gustav and I'll meet you both down in the kitchen. And I'm not doing this so that I can stop cleaning in here!" She frowned a bit as she pointed a finger at Portia and added, "I'm doing this because I think it will be rather entertaining to see you and Gustav try to cook something."
"Fine by me!" With a big smile on her face and laughter in her eyes, Portia rushed out of the room with Silver right on her heels, his silver tipped wings flapping wildly as he ran. "Gustav! Come on! We're going to make Val some food!" She yelled as she ran down to the kitchen; grabbing a protesting Gustav and dragging him along when he stepped out of his room.
Valerie laughed again and shook her head as she walked slowly behind them. To anyone that had never been inside Castle Erae or did not know these three, this would be a very odd sight indeed. But to them, it was just another day.
Hold Strong By: Lisa Cooper
Music blared in the background as Portia left the ballroom behind in her search of fresh air. She’d never liked the parties her parents had made her attend when she was a child and this was no different. And yet… it was. This party was supposed to be for her, she was supposed to choose a suitor tonight, but she couldn’t. How could she tell her family that she didn’t want to marry any of the handsome young men that had come to ask her hand in marriage? How could she tell them that the person she wanted to marry, was someone that Society frowned upon?
“Portia?” She jumped as light shivers ran down her spine, making her hyper aware of her surroundings. Why was he out here? Had she interrupted him while he was romancing a lady friend? “Portia?” His voice, so calm and soothing, gave her chills. I guess I’d better turn around and see what he wants, she thought, sighing softly.
“Yes Gustav?” She asked, her voice soft and her eyes on the ground in front of her. She didn’t –couldn’t- look at him right now. If she did, he’d see everything that she was trying to hide. Everything that she wanted to tell him, but couldn’t.
“Are you alright, m’lady?” Portia winced at that last word. She hated it, hated the sound of it, hated the way he said it. It sounded so wrong, so horrible coming from his mouth; like someone dragging sharp metal against glass.
“Y-yes.” Her voice quivered a little, tipping him off to the fact that she was lying. She’d never been able to lie to him before, but now, on this night, she had to. It was expected of her to lie to him, to lie to her family, and to herself. Swallowing, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her jittering nerves. If he came any closer than he was, he’d see that she was trembling slightly and that just wasn’t allowed. She had to be strong in the face of despair. “Yes, I’m alright. Why would you ask such a silly question Gustav?” She finally responded, looking up with a forced smile on her face.
“No reason.” He frowned, studying her face to see if she was lying. “Listen Portia, I-“
“Gustav dear, are you out here?” A woman’s silken voice interrupted whatever he was going to tell her. Portia looked over Gustav’s shoulder at the woman that had spoken, noting with dismay how good her blonde curls looked falling loosely around her shoulders and how well her strapless blue gown fit her body, outlining and accentuating her figure in all the right ways as it did. I could never compete with someone like her, she thought, cringing inwardly when the woman walked up to Gustav and kissed him.
“Gilly! What are you doing out here? I told you I would be right back! Go back to the ballroom and wait for me, please.” He gawked at the woman who now stood by his side, pressing against him in a way that suggested possessiveness. Blushing, he glanced back at Portia, expecting to see her fuming but surprised by her rather resigned expression.
“But I was getting bored waiting for you!” Gilly pouted, blinking big brown eyes up at Gustav. “Come back with me? I wanted to show you something, and besides, I don’t think your friend will mind.” She glanced quizzically at Portia, who had remained still and silent throughout the whole exchange.
“B-but-!” He started to protest but Gilly was already dragging him away towards the ballroom, ignoring his plea to be left where he was. Finally realizing that arguing with her would get him nowhere, he looked over his shoulder at Portia. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed, turning back towards Gilly a second before a single tear rolled down Portia’s left cheek.
“It’s alright.” The words were whispered, and so filled with pain that it sounded almost like she was choking on them. “It’s alright, even though I wish it wasn’t.” Tears streamed from her eyes as she whispered the words again, pained noises being torn from her trembling body. She was glad that he’d left, couldn’t see her like this. She was supposed to be the strong one, was supposed to show bravery on all fronts.
“I wish we could fall in love.” Her whispered words and pained sobs went unheard as the party continued, music rising above the sounds of the night and a breaking heart.
“Portia?” She jumped as light shivers ran down her spine, making her hyper aware of her surroundings. Why was he out here? Had she interrupted him while he was romancing a lady friend? “Portia?” His voice, so calm and soothing, gave her chills. I guess I’d better turn around and see what he wants, she thought, sighing softly.
“Yes Gustav?” She asked, her voice soft and her eyes on the ground in front of her. She didn’t –couldn’t- look at him right now. If she did, he’d see everything that she was trying to hide. Everything that she wanted to tell him, but couldn’t.
“Are you alright, m’lady?” Portia winced at that last word. She hated it, hated the sound of it, hated the way he said it. It sounded so wrong, so horrible coming from his mouth; like someone dragging sharp metal against glass.
“Y-yes.” Her voice quivered a little, tipping him off to the fact that she was lying. She’d never been able to lie to him before, but now, on this night, she had to. It was expected of her to lie to him, to lie to her family, and to herself. Swallowing, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her jittering nerves. If he came any closer than he was, he’d see that she was trembling slightly and that just wasn’t allowed. She had to be strong in the face of despair. “Yes, I’m alright. Why would you ask such a silly question Gustav?” She finally responded, looking up with a forced smile on her face.
“No reason.” He frowned, studying her face to see if she was lying. “Listen Portia, I-“
“Gustav dear, are you out here?” A woman’s silken voice interrupted whatever he was going to tell her. Portia looked over Gustav’s shoulder at the woman that had spoken, noting with dismay how good her blonde curls looked falling loosely around her shoulders and how well her strapless blue gown fit her body, outlining and accentuating her figure in all the right ways as it did. I could never compete with someone like her, she thought, cringing inwardly when the woman walked up to Gustav and kissed him.
“Gilly! What are you doing out here? I told you I would be right back! Go back to the ballroom and wait for me, please.” He gawked at the woman who now stood by his side, pressing against him in a way that suggested possessiveness. Blushing, he glanced back at Portia, expecting to see her fuming but surprised by her rather resigned expression.
“But I was getting bored waiting for you!” Gilly pouted, blinking big brown eyes up at Gustav. “Come back with me? I wanted to show you something, and besides, I don’t think your friend will mind.” She glanced quizzically at Portia, who had remained still and silent throughout the whole exchange.
“B-but-!” He started to protest but Gilly was already dragging him away towards the ballroom, ignoring his plea to be left where he was. Finally realizing that arguing with her would get him nowhere, he looked over his shoulder at Portia. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed, turning back towards Gilly a second before a single tear rolled down Portia’s left cheek.
“It’s alright.” The words were whispered, and so filled with pain that it sounded almost like she was choking on them. “It’s alright, even though I wish it wasn’t.” Tears streamed from her eyes as she whispered the words again, pained noises being torn from her trembling body. She was glad that he’d left, couldn’t see her like this. She was supposed to be the strong one, was supposed to show bravery on all fronts.
“I wish we could fall in love.” Her whispered words and pained sobs went unheard as the party continued, music rising above the sounds of the night and a breaking heart.