long wooden spoon about as wafts of her curry rose

eluctance, the emptiness was welcome. She moved about her business dutifully, cleaning, washin

r master's

spent it in elation, gliding about the mansion clean

tains and replaced them with clean heavy dark drapes. Rolled out the Pers

favorite meal. It was hard to pinpoint which her master

s from master. The slight tilt of his full flushed lips as he bit into a soft vanilla loaf, the

ed book, but sometimes the outer

e, hammering meat until tender— then the preparations began. She choppe

cheese, warm baked bread still soft from the oven, charred vegetables,

clean before dawning the white dress he preferred her to wear.

evere ponytail, as he always liked, then pinched her cheeks

towards the mansions entrance, slo

lde w

. It was so loud, Mathilde leaped up, startled. Reaching for

ines. And so she stepped back, resorting to

ds one end, Mathilde clutched the wooden beam and held

alted then dissolved, eyebrows pinching at the realization that

omeo

It was a gi

tened on the nape of a girl's neck. She was small and rather petite, bare

uddy brown eyes now red from crying and her hair a mess. At the sight of

er master of being something, that had her flinching away. M

punished, s

ead lowered in deference and submission. "My master, " she whispered as

ance as he released the girl and dismissively shoved her. She

ass table and twisted a bottle of whiskey, pouring hi

s throat, muscular jaw ticking as ice cubes crushed bet

ass down and for the firs

ered and sent

nal words, he

with a substantial amount of effort, dragged her ey

, "your filth is ruining the carpet." Which was true. The girl

low. Fortunately for her, she was larger than the girl. A good inches tall and heavy

, dragging her down the long hallw

library, dining room, kitchen and art room. The servants quarter

been Mathilde and maste

ad a third

d the girl and shoved her into the bathroom w

w her eyes towards Mathilde, still terror strea

en the girl didn't move, Mathilde reached for her

e was lightning first. She tugged it down to her ankles and fo

the girl. The water was cold, and she allowed herself a small know

ai

he yanked the girl closer and like a child, proceeded to scrub her raw and clean. "

ing away the mud and dirt from her hands, stomach, back, thighs, using a

ving the frustration of knowing h

her out, quickly wiping her down with a thin towel. She was sti

anded and the girl ti

her hair, scowling at

whispered as Mathilde guided her d

gure. "Never speak to me or him unless instructed to do so. If you dare try and esc

then nodded but

mansion, towards the east wing where

the door before opening it. Her eyes lowered i

e, Mathilde shut the d