NOVEL WEB Chapter 9
“You’re Lena’s friend.”
I froze. Rosetta’s eyes stared into mine, a clear spark of recognition lit within. Camilla still stood behind me, silent and hopefully unsuspecting.
“I—umm, yes. Thank you for offering to teach me!”
Panicking, I circled the maid’s arm with my own, pulling her backward out the door and ignoring her shout of protest. Turning quickly, I gave a quick bow toward Camilla before hastily closing the door behind us. I wanted to stop there in relief, but it was too soon. There was a good chance that Camilla might hear us through the door.
Instead, I turned back to Rosetta and said, “Let’s eat, I’m starving!” before pulling her further forward.
“Hey!”
Several feet away she managed to pull her arm away from mine and turned to scowl at me.
“Sorry, sorry,” I apologized. This was a terrible way to treat a girl, but… My eyes flicked toward the door once more. We were still too close for comfort.
“You look so different,” she said, entirely too loudly. My finger went to my lips in a shushing motion, desperate for her to keep quiet. A bit softer, she said, “I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Can we go to the kitchen?” I stared at her pleadingly. She gave a small nod and began finally moving forward. I walked up beside her on her left.
“What are you doing… here with the sorceress?” she said quietly, the underlying question of why I was dressed as a girl and maid heavily implied.
“It’s a long story,” I mumbled back, quietly enough that I wasn’t sure if she could hear. “I… decided I wanted to be her maid.” My stomach flipped at the words. I was surprised I could even say them. But I didn't know what else to tell her.
There was no way I could trust the girl with the full truth about my curse and spying. I would have to defend this clearly ridiculous decision on wanting to be a maid until I could get her to promise not to tell anyone who I really was. It wasn't going to be easy, I figured.
Her gaze tickled my skin as she stared at me. I refused to look over, my eyes looking strictly ahead of us. This would be where she would tell me that I couldn't be a maid, that I was a boy and was being silly. Maids were girls; it was just the natural way of things.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see her slowly nodding, as though my declaration made any amount of sense.
“I see,” she said, as though she understood: as though my words weren't utter nonsense. I was a boy; why would I want to be a maid? I mean, the dresses were cute, and I liked dressing in cute things when I was younger, but that didn't mean I could just be a maid.
Rosetta was a peculiar girl, I decided.
We made our way through the servants’ corridors and to a small dining area with a table and several chairs that seemed to be adjacent to the noisy kitchen.
“Alright,” she said with a nod, apparently coming to some kind of decision. Her mouth curved up into a happy smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll fully support you in this. I’ll have your back no matter what.” She gave me another nod.
“Okay,” I replied with a hint of confusion. She wasn't going to argue with me about it? But why, when I was so clearly a boy?
“We’ll turn you into the cutest little maid the Empire has ever seen.” Her bright smile developed an edge of determination.
A foreboding shadow cast itself ominously over me. I suddenly had the feeling that I'd gotten myself into more than I'd realized.
— — — —
I stood with my back straightened, not daring to move an inch. Rosetta circled me like a predator encircling their prey. She had a smile on her face still, but I didn’t let that deceive me. I knew better.
A small riding crop smacked into my right arm. “You’re tilting your head to the side.”
I winced and moved my head over. Moving forward in front of me, Rosetta adjusted the small bow now pinned in my hair before taking a step back. I held my breath.
“Perfect!” she exclaimed in delight. “You look absolutely adorable.” Her eyes trailed up and down my figure, examining her handiwork.
I exhaled, and the sting of the crop hit me once more. “Keep standing straight. Do you want to make your lady look bad? I don’t even want to imagine how a sorceress might punish her servants. Best to get used to standing properly now rather than later.”
I had a feeling that Camilla might not care about such things but kept those thoughts to myself in fear of being struck again.
“Now, give me one more curtsy,” she commanded. My legs shifted as I bent forward, holding out the skirt of my dress. Rosetta bit her lip, but thankfully the riding crop didn’t move. “It’ll have to do. Next time, position your hand here.” Her fingers gripped mine, sending the increasingly familiar thrill through my body as she adjusted my technique. The strange tingly sensation had only been getting slowly worse. As she let go of me, I couldn’t help but notice how it lingered.
Rosetta gave me one last look over, fretting briefly over my appearance one last time as she tried to straighten out a small crease. “We’ve got to go, or we’ll end up being late. Go ahead to your lady’s room. You remember everything I’ve told you, I hope?”
I gave a hesitant nod, and my mouth parted before closing with a snap. All the previous times I’d voiced something, she’d smacked me in response, saying that proper maids were silent until asked a question that required them to speak. I suspected that she was trying to give me stricter training than was perhaps truly necessary. Camilla had seemed nice so far, and more importantly, uninclined to sticking strictly with etiquette. I appreciated Rosetta’s effort, regardless. It could be useful, I thought.
The downside was that somehow all this training had only increased how nervous I was. From learning how to stand, to how to greet people and curtsy, on top of all the rules on being a proper server, I couldn’t help but fret I was about to mess things up tremendously.
With the training time ending, the both of us left the small servant dining area and went our separate ways. My stomach rumbled as I moved. We’d thankfully eaten something, but it was quite a small portion, apparently meant to just tide us over until later. Something about looking our best and in ‘proper form’ is what she’d said.
Despite the food being filling enough, I had the peculiar sensation of feeling starved. Forgetting to eat wasn’t foreign to me. Too often I found myself realizing that I’d missed a meal or two when I got caught up in something.
This feeling was different, however. I could tell that I wasn’t particularly hungry. The small meal had been filling enough. It was as though there was something else my body was craving. My mind drifted to my curse, and I shivered, fearing the worst. What madness would I have to deal with next? One terrible possibility after the next flew through my mind. Would I be able to live with myself if I started craving something like blood or flesh? Or something even worse?
I smacked my face with my hands. No, no, I’d get through this. I’d stop the curse before it came to something like that. With a determined nod, I marched forward.
As I passed by a mirror, I couldn’t help the urge to stop and look at myself. Or rather, at the unfamiliar maid looking back at me. It was clearly still me, despite the curse having changed my my face slightly, and yet… How was it that I could pull off looking like a girl so well? Had the curse somehow increased my ability to pull off disguises? Was I simply imagining it?
I looked at the girl’s light brown hair, the light waviness and way it was parted making it look quite cute, I felt. Rosetta had done quite well in styling it. The large white bow on top instead of the bonnet just seemed fitting. My cheeks warmed as I realized it was my own appearance that I was calling cute, and I watched the cheeks of the unfamiliar girl in the mirror redden with me. Her face looked soft and smooth, appearing to almost shine and sparkle, likely due to the cream that Rosetta had insisted on rubbing into my face and neck.
The reflection still looked like me, but... Was it possible that this curse was making me more… feminine? My mind struggled to even think it.
I shook my head. No, there was some trick here. There had to be. Nothing else really made sense. Yet as I stared at the reflection, I couldn’t imagine what that trick might be. Unless perhaps by giving me what I desired, the curse somehow intended to undo me. A promise of what I most desire so that I won't dispel the wretched curse when the time for it comes. I bit my lip, and the girl in the mirror made a nervous contemplative face. It was ridiculously adorable.
I huffed and turned away, refusing to be flustered and undone by my own reflection.
I wouldn't let something like that happen. I was a boy. It was obviously the curse attempting to weaken my will in some way. Or maybe it was just the clothes and hair. Regardless of the cause, it was working in my favor for the moment, and perhaps that’s what mattered. Camilla hadn’t questioned whether I was a girl, Rosetta had been strangely accepting, and even my father had for whatever unknown reason gone along with me becoming a maid. He hadn’t even questioned why I looked different. I’d have to figure out a way to make it up to him when all this was over.
I took one last glance toward the mirror, watching the delicate sway of my hair as it brushed against my face, and then moved forward once more. Camilla was probably waiting for me by now. I’m sure it wasn’t proper to keep her waiting. She didn’t seem particularly strict, but that didn’t mean I should give her reason to be angry. She was still one of the Cursed.
My nerves increased as I approached her door. Would Camilla like my look now that it was styled differently, I wondered? Would she find me cute?
I shook my head. What did it matter if she liked it or not? What mattered was that she didn’t suspect anything. Softly, I tapped against the wooden door before remembering that I was allowed to simply come in, as her maid. As I entered, I did the best curtsy I could manage, trying to remember everything that Rosetta had told me.
When I looked up again, Camilla was staring intently. I couldn’t help but fidget and knew my new maid friend would be disappointed. The sorceress flashed me a grin and sauntered toward me. Her hand reached out, grabbing my own. She raised it to her lips. Heat and lightning rushed through my body, even more intense than in previous times.
“You look beautiful.”
Her voice was as sweet as honey, and I was the fly she’d managed to catch.
My mouth did its best impression of a fish as I tried to think of what to say. She gave a devilish grin in response.
“We should go,” she said. “Else we’ll be late.”
I nodded as she released me, and tried not to fall to the floor. A warmth rolled through me in continual waves, not letting up. Somehow, that touch had been worse than the first time, one even more enticing than normal. How did a single kiss have such a big effect on me?
Camilla turned toward me, waiting at the door, and I realized that I’d become distracted. I scurried after her, certain a faint blush resided on my cheeks. As we left, me trailing just behind her, the sorceress’s countenance and posture became what I could only describe as much more regal. She moved with a smooth grace, her head held high as though everyone else was beneath her. Meanwhile, my legs seemed to only wobble forward, barely staying stable enough to keep me upright. The warmth residing in me, like a hungry wave from the core of my stomach, wouldn’t go away. The sense that I was lacking or drained of something was only getting worse. I took a steadying breath. I hoped that more food or rest later would fix this. Otherwise, I wasn’t sure what to do.
Given how small the mansion was, it took no time at all to enter the dining room. My eyes flicked over to Lena, already sitting, with Rosetta standing nearby. The maid gave me a quick wink before averting her eyes. Reeve Dyere and his wife both sat at the end of the table. The Reeve was a short man with a large bald spot in his blackish-brown hair and a finely trimmed mustache. His wife conversely looked much like their daughter, with fiery red hair and firm emerald eyes. Despite how much time I’d spent with Lena growing up, I’d rarely seen her family. She’d been fairly intent on downplaying the amount of time we spent together, to the point where as far as her parents knew, we basically didn’t talk anymore. Keeping me out of their sight meant preventing them from questioning our relationship, or worse, locking Lena to the mansion.
Mrs. Dyere seemed to eye Camilla critically as we entered, and I couldn’t help but get the impression she wasn’t happy to have the sorceress in her home. Her husband meanwhile sat grumpily eyeing us. He looked ready to make a comment before glancing to his wife and thinking better of it. I was quite relieved when they both seemed to basically ignore me.
We approached the large fancy table, already set and waiting for food. With as much grace as I could manage, I shakily scooted the chair out, allowing Camilla to sit before sliding it back in.
They all exchanged greetings as I and the other maids stood by. ‘Other maids,’ I repeated the thought. Was I already getting used to the idea? I stared down at the floor, somewhat ashamedly.
My hands rubbed up and down my arms, sending small tingles of pleasure through them. There was definitely something wrong with me. Even my own touch felt electrifying. I shifted from one foot to the other, before I remembered once more that I was supposed to be standing straighter. Despite how soft the dress was, I couldn’t help but feel it was clinging too tightly and roughly against my skin. I felt like I needed some air, perhaps to change into something else.
The doors to the dining room opened once more, and I looked back up. Silas strolled in, his typical confident swagger heightened even further than the last time I’d seen him. He wore a fine red vest I’d never seen on him before. The light brown trim matched his scattered brown hair. He grabbed the chair next to Lena, his betrothed, and gave her a kind smile.
“Ah, the light in my eyes. You grow more stunning every time I see you.”
I tried to keep my face passive when all I wanted to do was scowl.
Lena coolly turned toward him with a nod of greeting and a small smile. “Thank you, Silas. I’m glad you could make it.”
“Of course, any excuse to lay my eyes onto your gentle beauty.”
I tried not to gag.
As Silas’s eyes scanned the room, I remembered to look away. I could only hope that he wouldn’t recognize me. There wasn’t much I could do to stop him from saying something if he did. And I was certain he would. Still, with how my looks have continued to change on top of the dress and styling of my hair and face by Rosetta, even I struggled to see my appearance as anything but a girl at this point. Perhaps I was safe.
“Good, now that everyone has arrived, dinner can begin,” the Reeve spoke.
On queue, the maids began to make their way to the adjacent kitchen. I turned, taking a step away from the chair, only for my dress to catch onto it. Fumbling in a panic, I turned the other way, and my left foot caught the side of my right. The dress pulled tightly against my sensitive skin as I tripped, and before I could stop myself, I was falling to the floor.
The sound of ripped fabric met my ears, along with a gasp as my hands caught my fall on the tiled floor. I heard footsteps running toward me, and my eyes glanced up to meet Rosetta.
“Are you alright?” she whispered.
I nodded, and her arms reached out to grab me, touching my skin and making me shudder. As she delicately brought me back to shaky feet, I realized what the ripping noise had been. The front of my dress had ripped, leaving a wide tear and nearly exposing myself. My arms moved in front of me to cover it and warmth flooded through me yet again, both from the touch and the embarrassment.
I couldn’t explain the strange temptation to move my arms, the desire for Lena and the sorceress to see my naked body, even if I didn’t want anyone else to. I shivered.
Rosetta shielded me as best she could and hastily escorted me out of the room and into the kitchen. As the kitchen doors closed she gave me a gentle hug.
“Come on, it’s alright. Let’s get you something to change into.” Her hand continued to rub my back, and I gave another full-body shudder as it left trails of crackling warmth. “That was terribly unlucky, but we’ll take care of you, alright?”
“I — I need to go to my room,” I muttered, trying to pull away from her and toward the exit.
It was clear she wanted to protest, but instead, the maid nodded. Another girl approached, a long rain jacket in hand. They wrapped it around me, and a swirl of confusing emotions ran through me. Part of me was happy for their care. Part of me wanted something else...
Rosetta led me back to Camilla’s room, her comforting embrace never leaving me. As I entered, I shrugged back off the jacket before handing it back to her. I gave her a gentle thanks and scurried away to my new room, wishing it had a lock.
