the circle [winnie x marygold]

[MaryGold]

marigold

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If Mari shut her eyes tightly, drowned out the outside world noise and thought hard enough, she could imagine herself outside of the house she currently stood in. She'd picture herself somewhere very far away, with lots of flowers, an ever going field of all kinds. There would be little puppies, running through the long grass and kittens too. Maybe there'd be music playing too, she could sing and rest her head without any fear. In a place like that, she'd be safe, far away from her Master's home, far away from the entire city, the capitol slice.

However, this was only a dream that would never come true. She was forced to face the harsh reality everyday since she had entered the Badgeley home. They were one the most powerful and high class families of their slice, and they would be the wealthiest in any other slice too. Not to mention one of the cruelest too. It wasn't as if the selected outsiders chose who they were to serve, but they sure did hope and pray it wouldn't be some big name or horrid place. Marigold, had done the same, but her prayers weren't answered and she was thrown into the frying pan of the Badgeley's.

That was years ago, though. She was only a child when it happened, now she couldn't picture the life she once had outside of the one she lived. Frankly, she didn't want to either. Multiple times, she had saw the other servants with over weighing sadness, missing their old homes and family. She had it better, though, many may beg the difference, it was better. You can't miss anything you don't remember, right?

"Marigold!" hissed the chef, he was an older man who was of spellcaster descent but nothing more than a feeble human. If he had powers, perhaps he'd have a better position in the household, alas, he did not. He was just a mean, old frumpy man who picked on her every chance he had.

His voice snapped her out of her thoughts, making her jump slightly. Quickly, she regained her composure, refusing to become undone by him. She said nothing as he shoved a tray into her hands, holding the tea set and snacks. The smell of the prettily frosted cookies, biscuits, cake slices, crackers with cheese and fruity tea was enough to make her mouth water. Not even once had she had a bite of it, the servants weren't even allowed to eat the no longer water leftovers.

"Take it to the sitting room and set up the table. The Mistress and Master will e there soon with Miss Flo and her nephew." He grumbled and turned away, going back to his cooking."And don't touch any of it."

Marigold nodded, making sure to put on her nonchalant face as she exited the room and headed to the sitting room. The foyer was just as busy with servants running around just as the kitchen had been. But of course they would be, it was that time around. They were nearing the anniversay date The Circle had been made. It was a holiday that lasted weeks on in.

And each time, the Mistress invited her cousins, who, in Marigold's opinion, were just as bad as her masters. The nephew wasn't so bad, though She had never talked to him, why would she? She was just a serving girl, a slave. But she had been watching him carefully, it was impossible not to when she knew he was a halfbreed. They were rare and hated in almost every slice to her knowledge.

When Marigold entered the room, she paused at the sight of the nephew. Carter, she believed. "Oh," she said, gripping the ends of the heavy tray tightly. "I wasn't a aware anyone was here yet. I can come back later."

No she couldn't. She had to set up the table.

august

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The holidays were rolling in. The anniversary of The Circle which was preceded by the day the peace treaty had been signed. Which meant his father would busier than usual, and probably not making any appearance at home. This knowledge was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, his father wouldn't be around to nag him about everything possible. While on the other, he would again not be with his father for the holidays. It was suppose to be something that families spent together.

The streets were already loud and busy in the city, even the neighborhood was awfully merry. The sight of children and their parents decorating around. When he had been in school, the doors before they'd spend time decorating the classrooms and held culture festival to kick things off. Oh, how lucky he was to have graduated.

And he had no plans on going to college a fact that annoyed his father relentlessly. The old man had expected him to follow in his footsteps, the only reason he was sure the man didn't strangle him was because of his mother. Despite the two being divorced, anyone could tell they still loved each other. His father never wanted to do anything that would upset his mother, including killing their only son.

At the moment, instead getting all giddy and excited about the holidays, August leaned against his window and watched his neighbors. "Oh, look how happy they are. The day we were all entrapped inside these walls is just round the corner. How exciting." He smiled at his own dry humor and pushed himself off of the window.

There was no fun in it all without his best friend, Alex, putting in his two cents too. While Lizzy was at school, he was utterly bored and needed some form of entertainment. So, it was only natural that he found Alex and bothered the boy while he worked. And he would be working hard with the holidays coming, the whole house would, after all, his father an official government worker. Therefore, they would be a model for the whole slice and even the outer sectors too.

August strolled easily into the servant quarters, knowing he probably wouldn't be there but it was the best place to start. The quarters was unsurprisingly practically empty. Of course it was, everyone was empty. He did see a few people, and though he didn't recognize their faces, he knew exactly who they were. They were the new batch of servants sent in from the other slices.

A small smile made it's way to his face as he decided to play with them a little , seeing how Alex was no where around. "Hello," he greeted them. There was no way they could tell who he was, he wasn't dressed like high class vampire, quite the opposite, in fact. He could have been mistaken for any one of them.

"So, what are you?" he asked the dark haired, short woman, acknowledging how pretty she was despite not being dressed up. "A dwarf or something?"

 

[winnie]

carson

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Honestly, Carson hated going anywhere with his horrid aunt, and meeting other relatives of his own family just made matters even worse because they were just as stuck up though probably not as cruel. No, Carson was sure that his aunt would forever hold that title and now, she wanted to try and take another person under her wing. Another slave. The mere term made Carson want to vomit but he had to keep up appearances of course. If he didn't, he'd just get banded again with a hot iron rod. How lovely.

"Remember," his aunt reminded him as they made their way up the stairs of the mansion where his aunt's cousins resided. "Nothing of your heritage. Stay quiet and only speak when spoken to. Don't make me regret bringing you, or you'll be the one regretting it even more." Her words were sharp yet she managed to keep a smile on her face the whole time. Honestly, Carson wondered if anyone else could possibly come close to mastering that ability.

As he was told, Carson stayed quiet, only smiling in the direction of family. Carson had his own subtle ways of rebelling though, like with the way he blatantly ignored any handshake that came his way.

Okay, not so subtle.

Nevertheless, his aunt had gone off into the study with her cousins to discuss which of their slaves she could take and Carson had been -- fortunately -- told to wait outside. He wandered the house, stepping into what he assumed was a lounge of sorts. He was merely looking around when he heard light footsteps and turned, coming face to face with a fair girl. She was very pretty, and Carson remembered seeing her from time to time when they visited, but he never really spoke to her other than sparing her apologetic glances for his aunt's horrid behavior toward her. He prayed his aunt wouldn't choose her. It wouldn't be nearly as bad as what she would be enduring in this household. His aunt's cousins, while rude, merely looked down upon slaves but didn't punish them unless absolutely necessary. His aunt, however, enjoyed any chance she got.

"Oh, no," Carson shook his head and shoved his hands into the pockets of his blazer. "Don't let me come in the way," he assured her before moving aside to leave the way free. He decided to be a little risky and so he spoke further. "What's your name?"

armelle

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Armelle hated the place already. But honestly, who wouldn't? She was relieved by the fact that she had taken all attention away from her younger brother who could have been there in her place instead, but that didn't mean she was completely happy with where she was.

Now that she had been sent there, her uncle said she could be someone on the inside. Like a spy of sorts. After all, since discovering she had the most powerful ability among most of the slices, unusual for someone coming from the lowest, least liked slice, she had been sent straight to one of the most important vampire households in the land. Her master was someone that worked with many of the other leaders, leaders that put this whole system into place. Her number one enemy.

So of course, Armelle had done her due diligence. She may come from the poorest slice, but she knew a thing or two from working with her uncle and as a result, information was not so hard to come by as long as she knew where to look and how to speak.

This was why, when a good looking blonde stepped into the servants quarters as she was getting settled in, she knew already who he was. Her uncle had already found out most info on all the leaders and their family back when she was home, so she had memorised most of the faces, in case she was to ever encounter them.

She raised an eyebrow when he strolled in casually, acting like he belonged. "Is that supposed to be a crack on my height?" Armelle asked him back, her thick British accent clinging to her words. "Because it's not very good," she scoffed and turned back to her things. She was very aware of who she was, but she also couldn't care less. She would rather see how things went with this, and maybe she could interpret what kind of household she was in that way. Plus, he was under the impression that they all had no clue who he was, so she was merely playing along.

 

[MaryGold]

marigold

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Marigold was unable to hide the shock that surely displayed on her face when he asked her name. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped open in both confusion and fear. His simple and innocent question completely startled her. Unconsciously, she took a step back and nearly dropped the heavy try, before regaining control of herself. The fine china clattered against the metal tray before she decided to set it down on the table, fearing if she held any longer she really would drop it.

She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't help staring at Carson. She had been taught staring was rude and a lowly person such as herself especially had no right to stare at a high class person such as Carson. But he had asked her name and no one of his status had ever done that before. She was just the serving girl, what would they need her name for? But who was she to deny him an answer?

"M-m-my name, uhuh?" She stuttered and immediately felt stupid for opening her big mouth and stuttering like a fool. Her cheeks flushed a pale pink and she sighed through her nose, trying to still her ragged nerves. "My name is Marigold." She finally answered, no longer stuttering, but voice dropped to a whisper.

Mari held her hands and dropped her eyes, no longer able to look at him. Obviously, she was still scared and confused but she didn't dare to ask him any questions, it wasn't her place. She risked another glance at him, though.

Without thinking, she added, "my friends call me Mare or Goldy. That is ... If I had any friends, which I don't." She mentally reprimanded herself for speaking further and embarrassing herself more. As if to make it better she blubbered on. "But if I did, I like to think they'd call me that."

It didn't help, and she shut her eyes, wanting to disappear. She was flustered. "Can we pretend the last ten seconds never happened." She whispered more to herself than to the young master in the room, being the nervous wreck she was.

august

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"No, it wasn't, was it?" August agreed, leaning against the wall, suddenly very piqued by the short girl. He tilted his head to the side, not so subtly examining her every feature, nor caring if he got caught doing so. He wanted to know just who this girl with the gumption was and wondered how long she'd be able to keep it. Most of the slaves lost a bit of themselves after working without hope of any freedom, and he had no reason to believe she wouldn't be the same.

Luckily for her and the whole lot of them, they were positioned to work in the Smith household. Meaning they'd obviously have an easier time than they would in any other household. August father was barely around to make them work properly, his mother was no longer around to manage them and August and his younger sister, Lizzy, weren't ones to use slaves too much or at all. His father had complained he sympathized with them too much and it was shameful.

So, he had instilled a higher servant to be the head of them. It made it easier, but if they screwed up, they'd still be punished. He remembered when Alex was whipped for accidentally breaking a tea set. August had nightmare for days.

He hoped nothing like that happened to this new girl.

"Seriously, though, where are you from? What are you?" He asked, very much curious as he watched her every move. "Don't make me guess because my next one will be gnome? Or maybe a smurf?" He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Then again, you aren't blue."

August smiled, seemingly very amused. "You have to help out here. Throw me a bone, I beg of you. I can't think of anymore short creatures." He teased, pursing his lips and meeting her eyes with his own.

 

[winnie]

carson

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Carson instinctively moved forward when the tray moved in her hand, seeming like the fine china was about to fall, but he stopped after taking a step, seeing that she had regained her composure and held the tray steadier. He could tell she wasn't used to being asked such questions, especially not by someone like him. Though she probably didn't know what he truly was. How could she? it wasn't like this was something easily visible physically.

Marigold. "That's a pretty name," he commented. He would have smiled but he had a feeling doing so would actually cause her to drop the tray. If she had never even been shown decency such as being asked for her name, he doubted she had ever seen a smile that was actually directed at her.

"If you like I could call you one of those two," he added when she commented further, stating her nicknames, or rather, names she coined for herself should she have any friends. Carson could relate. He didn't really have many friends of his own. Just one, and he rarely got to see him anyway. "Goldy sounds like it could catch on, I think." His aunt always forbade him from speaking to the servants, but Carson had always been a bit of a rebel.

"I don't really want to forget the last ten seconds," Carson continued, a small smile tugging at his lips but not really showing itself. "Because that would mean I didn't have a conversation with an actual decent person," he scoffed and ran a hand through his hair, just thinking about what his aunt and the owners of this establishment were speaking about in the room two doors down from them.

"My aunt is currently thinking about having your brought to our place," Carson told her after a short pause. In all honesty, he didn't wish for that because his aunt was ten times worse than whoever she was living with now, but he felt she had a right to know.

armelle

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Armelle couldn't understand why this guy was even making conversation with her. She knew already who he was, so she was conditioned to believe the worst. "What does it matter what I am? A servant is still a servant at the end of the day and still treated the same." Although that wasn't entirely true. Coming from the lowest of the low, Armelle knew this first hand, like when she was brought in for questioning initially. One could say that most officials were more than surprised that someone like her dared to speak back with such gusto and not a care in the world. Armelle would not go down without a fight.

Unfortunately for her, people seemed to sense this, and were just punishing her more without ending her suffering. They wanted to prolong it.

"Why are you here anyway?" she asked further, raising an eyebrow at him and crossing her arms. He easily towered over her small frame, but she didn't feel intimidated in the slightest. She rarely did these days. "Because if it's to think you can have your way with me, you're grossly mistaken," she continued, turning away. "I won't have that happen again." She muttered, though mostly to herself and in a softer tone.

It had been shortly after they decided she was going to live with a higher up. She had been kept in confinement till they settled on the other servants that were to join her in the Smith household and because she couldn't keep her mouth shut, the guards had decided to punish her themselves. Considering she was small, she was easily overpowered, but the next day, when they came back, she was prepared. Needless to say, neither guard had a beating heart anymore.

"But honestly? A smurf?" she turned back to him, looking unimpressed. "I honestly thought you lot were smarter. If it's anything to you, I'm a nymph." Maybe that would make him leave her alone.

 

[MaryGold]

marigold

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The fact that Carson actually continued to speak to her was just as unnerving as it was baffling. This time around, she was able to hide those emotions from her face as she had learned to do years ago. It was not only a skill that every servant should have but a survival skill. It was best not to let anyone know what you were feeling because then they'd know what you're thinking and if it wasn't anything that you should have, you'd be prone to punishment. But it was proving hard to keep a poker face up as she listened to him.

Honestly, she had no idea if he was being honest when he complimented her name, calling it "pretty". She had sure thought so, being very proud of her name for it was the only thing her parents had given her and the only thing no one could take from her. No one else had ever commented on it and never so sweetly either. For a moment, her chest swelled with pride, until she remembered not to read into it because he probably didn't mean it.

Though she wasn't sure of the reason why just as she didn't why he was still speaking to her. Marigold only remained quiet until he indirectly and directly answered her question both with his statement about her being an "actual decent person". Again her feeling of surprise was expressed on her face.

There wasn't much time to dwell on it or decipher what he meant by that or if he actually meant it all. It was a rather brave thing to say but she wouldn't have imagined a vampire to say it and to a servant no less. But her attention was drawn to the fact that she may be leaving.

"Really?" Marigold perked up in interest at the very concept of leaving the household she resided in now. The very thought of it was both scary and exciting. On one hand, she would be able to escape her mistress and master's hands both. While on the other she would be entering a new and foreign home where things would be different and unfamiliar. And it could even be worse then it was in the house she stood in now.

But what could be worse than being touched by the grimy hands of the very man this house? And she had heard a rumor that servants in higher officials houses had it easier. Honestly, anything would be better than the house she lived in now.

"I think I would like that, " she hoped she didn't sound too ambitious. She also hoped that he didn't mind her continuing to speak. "I wouldn't doubt that they'd send me away. The mistress doesn't like me very much." And the master liked her a little too much.

"I'm a fairy, and I've been here since I was five so I know just about everything there is to be a serving girl," Marigold added, looking up to think of all her greatest qualities as a servant. She knew she was valuable, one because she was a fairy and it was rare that they were ever thrown into the selection pool because of their small population. Many desired their power and skills.

That was the only reason the mistress hadn't got rid of her. Marigold was sure she would now though. "And, um, I am pretty good at everything." Everything a servant could do.

august

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An eyebrow of Gus's shot up when he heartd her mumble. He could only assume what she meant by that. And while it was disgusting as it was angering he had heard it happened every once in a while while the seleted was held captive. Despite being from a family that had so much power, he could do nothing about it.

Then, it dawned on August.

She knew who he was. There was doubt about it, he could tell with how she played her words. Yet, he didn't know how. For all, she could've known he could be a servant of the house. It wasn't as if he dressed like nobility even though he was, he could have been any lower class vampire at the very least. And neither were they introduced to the rules of the house or the faces of the household.

Suddenly, another thing came to mind. She knew who he was and yet she talked down to him, angrily, irritatedly. Honestly, August what have thought if anyone knew of his identity whether he pretended to be another or not they'd be treating him quite nicely, courteously. In fact, people had done it everytime they knew his status, obviously trying to gain some extra points or future favors.

This girl, this nymph, however, did the exact opposite! Gus had to applaud her, clapping his hands in a refined and slow manner. His smirk only grew on his face becoming more genuine as he really was impressed and intrigued both. He knew she'd have her share fair of trouble in their house, she was very headstrong.

"Now, now, you shouldn't insult the man you'll be serving," August wagged his finger at her and pushed himself off the wall, staring directly at her.

The room around the stirred at his revelation, he could feel the tension of the others. They must have terrified, nervous and confused. But he was sure the nymph girl only shared the feeling of confusion with them. In his head it was certain that his comment must have annoyed her, she obviously wasn't the type to listen to others, but if he was honest he wanted to annoy her.

She was the only one of them who actually showed a personality besides complete submission and quiet.

"Anyway, are all nymphs this short or is it just you?" He quirked a brow before waving it off. "Bah, nevermind that, I'm August Smith, and what is your name? I would like to call you something other than shorty."

 

[winnie]

carson

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Carson could tell that pretty much most of what he said was surprising this girl which led him to realise that she was barely spoken to on a daily basis, save for having orders barked at her probably. He was guessing that was a given, considering the fact that she seemed quite timid and didn't speak too much.

When she showed some kind of relief though, amid the surprise, to be leaving this household, he managed a small smile, however he knew that she had no clue what she was in for. His aunt was ten tines worse but perhaps with Carson around he could lessen some of that or take the attention away from her and maybe steal the blame. He had only just met the girl but he knew he didn't want her to be subject to his horrid aunt. It was why he was a part of the rebellion. If only he were more trusted.

Vaguely, he wondered it Marigold was a part of it. He would have to make note to ask her later. These quiet halls weren't safe and one could never tell when someone else was listening. It could even be another servant that may think they'd be rewarded for complaining about another servant. And Carson didn't want to bring that on Marigold. He'd have to ask her after he gained a bit of her trust because he expected tbat she would hold back from saying anything to him out of fear from tbe beginning.

"You don't need to convince me," he said with a sideways smile as he rested against the armchair of one of the regal looking sofas. "If it were up to me I'd take you away from here. My word doesn't mean much to my aunt though."

He didn't want to let her down though and he was pretty sure she was going to be leaving, so he cleared his throat and spoke again. "I'm pretty sure you've already been chosen though. My aunt can be pretty... persuasive." That was just putting it nicely. She was known even among other vampires to be cold and calculating and not to mention ruthless.

armelle

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Armelle turned her head lightly to look at the other male as soon as he began clapping slowly. She arched an eyebrow as she looked at him. What was he playing at? Did he still think she had no idea who he was? Probably, with her behaviour. But what he didn't understand was that she was the same with everyone. She honestly couldn't care less. She was just dialling it down a bit because her little brother had told her to do her best to not get killed. And she couldn't. She had a role to play in the rebellion. She had to be careful.

But something told her this guy, Augustus Smith, couldn't care less about her attitude. Which made him the first different vampire she had ever seen.

Armie scoffed at his words. "If there's anyone I should be insulting, it's the man I serve," she replied, only vaguely aware of the fact that the other servants in the room were now pretty much holding their breath. No doubt expecting a brutal punishment or something. She heard some of them gasp softly upon hearing her words considering Augustus had just revealed he belonged to the master section of the house and not the servant quarters like he had pretended to be.

"And seriously? The short jokes are getting old. I mean do you have some sort of height fetish?" She raised an eyebrow at him before grudgingly introducing herself once he had done so, and she had established that there was no real harm in it. He would probably discover it later anyway and she'd rather say it herself than be spoken for. She would not be silenced.

"Armelle," was all she said because nobody needed to know her last name. Her parents were known in all the slices for initiating the rebellion, even more so when they were caught and executed. Nobody knew that her uncle was continuing their legacy but just by knowing her last name, she could expect horrible treatment from all vampires, not just the family she was to work for.

 

[MaryGold]

marigold

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"Oh," Marigold nodded her head softly, unsure of what more to say. She more than less got what she had wanted; to escape the clutches of both her mistress and master. While it was comforting to know she'd no longer have to be in the same house as her tormentors, she had to wonder how bad her next mistress would be.

From her perspective, most, if not all, vampires were bad. And the worst lot of them were the wealthier ones, namely the Badegeley's. Unfortunately, she'd be still serving them one way or another. Knowing that her mind started to wander, thinking about Carson's aunt and what she was like. She didn't know much about her save for that she was in an even higher position than her cousins and that she raised Carson. The only time. Marigold had ever served her, it was the simple things and the woman had even given her a passing glance.

She knew nothing about her when it came down to it.

Really, the answer to all of her questions stood across the room from her. The nephew, Carson, rumored half-breed. Marigold chewed on the bottom lip, pondering whether to ask him anything after talking so much already without permission. She wasn't one to risk it, but it was her life in jeopardy, like it always was, seeing how she never got to make any decisions in it.

"If - if you don't mind me asking ... " The fairy paused, trailing off and searching for the right title. Because there was no way she would simply be allowed to call him by his name, it would be beyond disrespectful to someone of her status. Almost as much as it was to talk to him on her own accord. "What is your aunt like, young master Carson - er - Badgeley."

"If I may ask, I don't mean to step out of place," she clasped her hands and lowered her head. Her voice had of course gone softer as well. From the little conversation that had already, she knew he was kind of enough not to punish her for speaking out of line, but if any others walked in and witness it, she'd get punished anyway.

august

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August snorted back a laugh, his smile growing just a bit more at her acusations. "Height fetish?" He repeated slowly, tasting each letter carefully. His shoulders jerked upward as a shrug and is smile reformed itself into a teasing smirk at another chance to mess with her. "Maybe, I do. But I don't think you're speed so you don't have to worry about that." Really, she made it to easy to poke fun at her with her feisty attitude.

Armelle. That was her name, it was definitely unique. Though she audited her last name, he wondered why for a moment before realizing it didn't matter. In fact, it didn't matter if he ever learned her name or not. She was a servant and if he called her by her name as if they were on friendly terms was impermissible. They lived in two different worlds and it would always be that way. Whether he or she liked it that way or not. And she obviously didn't like it.

"That's a pretty interesting name," because pretty wasn't the word he'd used to describe it. But he would use the word to describe her, there was no denying that she was in fact a beautiful nymph. Though he had never met any nymphs before until today so there was no one to compare her to. However, he knew nymphs were common servants to get, unlike fairies who were the exact opposite.

"Well, Armelle, I do hope you will enjoy your stay here at the Smith house." He feigned politeness, uncrossing his arms and holding them behind his back. Gently, he rocked back and forth on his heels to toes. Oh, he was having too much fun. "Do let me know if I can do anything to make your stay here more comfortable, shortcake."

 

[winnie]

carson

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Carson wanted to tell her that she wasn't stepping out of place. That he had no problem telling her how vile she was with previous servants and how she might probably be the same and he wished she could have better. However, any thoughts to do so was eradicated from his mind when he heard a door open in the distance. Being part vampire had its abilities -- it meant he could hear a pin drop from a mile away. And right now, it allowed him to sense that the meeting was over and his aunt was returning with a decision having been made. She always had her way, so Carson had no doubt in his mind that one servant from this household would be returning with them.

He stood up from the armrest he was leaning on and gave Marigold a warning look before appearing uninterested and walking around the room to the doorway just as his aunt and the owners of the establishment came by.

"Ah, there you are," his aunt said, hardly glancing to Marigold. "Good. I was afraid I was going to have to make the effort to find you." His aunt turned to the other two. "Pleasure to meet you again. We shall do it again some time soon." Something on their faces told Carson that they didn't wish for her to come by any time soon -- or ever.

She turned back to Carson. "Come along. You'll be riding in the back with her," she tossed her fingers toward Marigold who was still in the room before leaning in to speak so nobody else would hear. "Don't think that makes you any more fortunate. You still have to do all the work I give you."

And with that, she turned away from him and looked Marigold in the eye. "Come." She didn't say anything else with that same stern voice before she walked to the front door. Another servant was already there, opening the door for her. Carson glanced at Marigold apologetically before following behind his aunt, knowing now that Marigold wouldn't be far behind.

armelle

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Armelle could tell he was trying to annoy her, probably get her to act out in some way just so he'd have a reason to punish her. She had to assume the worst, given what she's been through so far. Not even transferred to the house she was to work in and she was already violated twice, so she just had to figure that everyone she met had a hidden agenda. Who knew what kind of sadistic people were out there.

"Rather you don't have to worry about me giving you the time of day because that'll never happen," she countered, keeping her arms crossed. Her irritated expression had left her face to be replaced by a more neutral one. This didn't mean she was getting comfortable -- she was just keeping calm and not giving in to whatever he was trying to achieve.

"You can never call me shortcake," she said finally when he suggested he could do something to make her stay more comfortable. He was messing around obviously but she wasn't really one to keep quiet. Ever. "Unless you want to wake up with roots from your nostrils. Be a shame to ruin that face," she commented, nodding toward him before she went to stand by the window for some fresh air. There was a small garden outside and just the scent of fresh earth made her feel a little better and less homesick. Now was not the time to get emotional though. She wasn't going to let her guard down.

Armelle turned back to face Augustus with a questioning look. She observed him, trying to read his demeanor to try and tell what exactly he was aiming to achieve here. Or did he act this way with all the servants?

Armelle was guessing not, judging by the still stunned looks of some of the others in the servant quarters.

"You never answered my question. Why are you here, right now?"

 

[MaryGold]

marigold

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Marigold had kept her head down, not making eye contact with either Carson, his aunt or her owners - well, previous owners now. She simply remained silent, holding her hands in front of her, only looking up wehn spoken too, but not uttering a sound. And she was only spoken to once, by Carson's aunt, her new mistress. Her voice that was directed at Mari made her jump, but only slightly, in surprise, for she hadn't expected to recieve orders so soon.

But she was quick to adapt, being an obedient servant girl. She hadn't expected to leave so soon though. She would have thought they'd stay a few days. Or she'd be able to grab her things - of course, she barely had anything at all-, say goodbye to her only friend in the house and just have a little more time in general. But she knew she'd be a fool to protest or refuse any order given to her. And to even make any sort of move of rebellion would surely resolve in punishment. Mari did not want to get on the bad side of her new mistress on her first day. This was supposed to be a clean slate for her.

So, she simply nodded and mumbled, "yes ma'am," before following the two vampires out the door. She bothered not to make eye contact wither either her previous mistress or master, but she could feel their eyes stabbing her.

Soon enough, they were out the front door and put into the car. Mari couldn't help but stare out the window as they passed by the only home she had ever known. She was left with an empty, hollow feeling in her chest as she held her own hands tightly, practically squeezing the life out of them. She was so nervous and terrified she couldn't even feel excited despite this being her first car ride since her being selected. In fact, it reminded her too much of being selected and she suddenly felt panicked.

Mari clenched the front fabric of her blouse and breathed in shallow breaths. It was the worst moment to have a panic attack by far, but she had less than half a mind to hide it and try to calm herself. Sh could only consider herself blessed that the mistress wasn't in the back seat to witness it.

august

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"Aw, so you think I'm handsome?" August said through a small, merry chuckle, his eyes sparkling with humor. Obviously, that was the only thing he had takn from her threat, completly disregarding the scary and disturbing components of her words and instead found a compliment in it. His smile could not be wiped of his face, it was impossible to be rid of it unless he wanted to stop smiling. "I'm flattered, really. You're not so bad yourself." He added the last bit, whispering as if it was a secret.

Taking a step back from her, he sighed wistfully when Armelle repeated her question. What was he doing there? He glanced around the room at the still very confused and equally afraid servants. Some of them looked a slightly roughed up and he had no doubt it must have happened during their captivity or when they were taken away. For a moment, he felt genuinely sorry for imposing on them and terrifying them even more. But he knew they would be fine.

"What am I doing here?" Gus asked himself to recall his reasoning. He had gotten so sidetracked by Armelle and her sassy attitude that he had forgotten. She was just so much more different than not only from the servants but even from vampires. It was impressive and admirable both. "I assure I came here for a reason, I only -"

As if on cue, "Gus - I mean - Master August!" Alex called from behind him through clenched teeth.

"Oh, now I remember," He smiled and turned around to face his best friend and servant, Alex. The other young man looked absolutely peeved to see August in the servant's quarters. "Alexander!" He replied in a singsong voice.

Alex rolled his eyes and grabbed August by the arm to drag him away."You shouldn't be here, Natalie is about come and assign the newcomers to their stations."

August did not budge, he refused to. Instead, he looked to Armelle and continued their conversation ever so casually. "Natalie is the head of the servants, she reminds me of you a bit, nerves of steel, no-nonsense, save for she actually knows how to be respectful." he tilted his head to the side slightly. "Oh, and this is Alex, Alex meet Armelle."

"Pleasure," he grumbled.

 

[winnie]

carson

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Carson was riding in the back, beside Marigold, but he knew, even though he noticed that she was having a little difficulty and possibly having a panic attack, that he could do nothing. It wasn't he that would be punished, but her, and that would sort of be punishment for him. He had lived with his aunt long enough so she knew that all she needed to do to get back at him was make it seem like things were his fault. If he did something, someone else would be punished, and she knew he would blame himself and feel horrible, as would the other person most likely. She had done the same with another servant. Though that one still resided with them, she was extra careful when it came to talking to Carson.

The drive was not too long. When they reached, Carson got out of the car to open the door for his aunt before following her up the stairs to the mansion she lived in. With her back turned, he quickly went to open Mari's door as well, beckoning her out and to follow him into the house.

Once the doors were opened, inside stood two girls, the only other servants that his aunt had employed. She was very picky, and she liked what she couldn't have. It was why one of them was a fae, while the other, a werewolf. They weren't that low among the slices, but were definitely loathed by vampires, which was why his aunt had done all she could to acquire one, merely to torture them with her mere presence, as if to tell them they would never be as important as the vampires. With each growing day, he grew to hate his aunt more and more.

The fae, a blonde girl named Dahlia, immediately rushed forward to take his aunt's coat while the other, a girl named Caitlin, came forward to present his aunt with an opaque black glass on a tray. Carson knew it was filled to the brim with blood. His aunt merely took it before looking at Carson. "Show the new one to her quarters," she said, dismissing him and retreating to her study.

armelle

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Armelle lifted an eyebrow when she saw another servant mistakenly call August by his first name. Apparently, Armelle was not the only servant August attempted to befriend. Well, in her case, annoy. She had no idea who this Natalie was because Armelle wasn't really in the mood to get to know anyone while she was there. Other's may think she was unfortunate, for being picked, but she looked at it as an opportunity. She was now up there with an elite member in the most prestige slice. She had to use this to her advantage.

As August turned to her, explaining who August is, she merely looked at him blankly. She was more interested in seeing where she would be stationed. High up under the master would work perfectly for her but considering she came from the poorest slice, deemed pretty much worthless, she had her doubts.

Being introduced to Alex, she merely nodded in response at him. She was going to spend a lot of time there so there was no need to make enemies out of other servants though she was curious how he had managed to befriend the son of a higher up. Armelle turned her gaze back to August. "Honestly if you expect me to be respectful, you're way in over your head," she responded simply before crossing her arms as she heard footsteps approaching, figuring that must be this Natalie.

A woman soon came into view. She looked older than Armelle but not by that much. She had bags under her eyes, making it seem as though she never slept, but her eyes still held a sort of kindness to them. A kindness Armella figured must have been wiped away by now.

"Master August," she nodded to him, clearly confused as to what he was doing there. Apparently though, August had been right. She knew when to be respectful, and she said nothing to get him going. Instead, she turned to the other servants as they gathered around. Apart from Natalie and herself, Armelle noticed that the other three servants, excluding Alex, were all males. Yippee.

She started to list off where each would be working primarily, after explaining that she herself was the head cook. One got a job in the kitchens. Two got cleaning duty. And Armelle?

"You'll be like a handmaiden. Fetch things for the master, serve things when guests come." She may not have said it but Armelle could tell from her expression she was mainly given this job because she was the only other female and had the looks for it, even if she was incredibly skinny. It was mostly to keep up appearances in front of guests, she assumed.

 

[MaryGold]

marigold

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Before taking a single step out of her door, Marigold swallowed the lump in the back of her throat, quieted her breathing and clenched her fist so hard her knuckles went white and her nails dug into the flesh of her palm. She had been grateful that Carson hadn't said anything about her panic attack and for the most part ignored it. Though, she wasn't surprised she had either, just because they talked to each other a little didn't mean they had become friends. And her attacks were a weakness she did not want anyone to see, not even the other servants. So, she braved herself and put on the poker mask she had learned to wear in the years she had been working as a servant.

Again, she was surprised by Carson's chivalrous attitude by opening her door. The faerie was a servant and she didn't deserve such treatment, at least to their society's standards. It could even be considered morally wrong. Still, she nodded her head as thanks and acknowledgment, but she did not spoke. A servant never spoke unless spoken to, it was a basic rule that kept you out of trouble.

Looking at the other girls, she immediately recognized one as a fae. Her eyes lit up at that. She had never encountered another fae in all the years she had been in the elite slice. They were so valuable and limited they were rare to have around. But of course his aunt had one in her house, she was an elite of the elites. And her stature and house showed that. Mari had to keep her mouth from going agape at the house. And she had that her previous owner's home was amazing!

Her complete attention was brought back once his aunt left them with orders. She shuffled her feet, not saying a word, but having many questions to ask. She only wanted to know what her stay with them would be like. The only people she could ask without any repercussions was the other two servant girls. Still, one question slipped out, though it was more of her wondering out loud. "Umm, it's not the basement, is it?" Mari was terrified of basements, but she wouldn't add that. Then another of her weaknesses would be revealed. And she wasn't supposed to be saying anything either.

"I will be content with anything."

august

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August quietly watched as Natalie stationed the new servants, though Alex was subtly tugging on the end of his sweater as an attempt to get him to leave, the Smith ignored it. He was still curious to see how it would all play out, especially with the eccentric young nymph they had in their household. He was certain she would add some spice of fun to his life whenever she passed by. The vampire would be lying if he said he wasn't already planning the smart comments he'd say to her when the opportunities presented themselves. How else was a guy supposed to have fun around the house of a leading figure who ruled with an iron hand and heart?

The mischevious smile on his face faltered on his face slightly when Armie was assigned her role. A handmaiden for the master ... "I didn't think my father wanted a handmaid .." He said slowly, with an almost awkward laugh. His father wasn't the type of man to want a personal servant at his side. However, he had talked about August having one. Though, he was sure it couldn't be true because he had made it clear how adamant he was about having one.

"She's for you," Alex said, confirming his suspicions.

The smile on his face had been completely wiped off his face. "No," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone than his playful one. The change in voice and attitude was scary not only for those who knew him but for even those he didn't. It meant that he meant business and it was rare to ever see that look on his face. August didn't want a servant and he was making it clear. "I don't want a handmaid and especially if it is her." He told Natalie, almost glaring at her, despite knowing it wasn't her fault. He didn't care.

"It was your father's idea," Alex intervened, directing August attention away from the head of the servants.

"Well, I'll tell him when he gets back then, so I don't want to see her until then." August huffed, sending one last glare at them all, but glaring longer at Armie, before marching out of the room.

Alex released a breath had been holding. "What a brat. Don't mind him, though." He smiled at Armelle. "And welcome to the family."

 

[winnie]

carson

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Carson looked over at Marigold once his aunt left. He took a moment to study her. Not in the way he had seen some men do to other good looking women. Not with a look that made him appear like a predator, and she, the prey. No, it was more of a curious look, as he tried to analyse her expressions and gather what she was thinking. he had gotten used to doing that over the years. His aunt was excellent at hiding her true emotions, she was damn near impossible to read. Everyone else in the elite slice however, was not the same. They all made it a habit to let people know what they were thinking, whether it was happiness or disgust.

And as he looked at Marigold, he sensed fear. Uncertainty. She didn't know what to look out for in this new household which was such a change from the house she had grown up in. More grand, yes, but that usually meant it would be more difficult to adjust too. Their last three servants had left. The remaining girls, the fae and the werewolf, had been the strongest. Carson hoped Marigold would withstand it all as well, because he intended to get her out before she would be sold like another item again.

"No, not the basement," he assured her, having sensed that she had some dislike toward the area in the house. Their basement was used for extra storage space. No, though his aunt abhored all the servants, she wouldn't have them living in filthy conditions because that meant they wouldn't be able to wait on her hand and foot, and not as efficiently either. Beckoning for her to follow, Carson led her down the corridor and down a floor, which was not to the basement, but to a floor above it, that still had daylight. It was quite nice in comparison to all other servant quarters he had ever seen in his life.

"That's your bed," he nodded to the one at the end of the room. Two other beds were vacant while two others were neatly made, belonging to the fae and the werewolf. They had entered the room as well and looked at Marigold kindly. The fae stepped forward with a smile, hardly hesitating. They knew Carson well enough now to know they didn't have to behave around him as they did around his aunt -- or any other vampire for that matter. "I'm Dahlia," she introduced herself with a soft smile. "This is Catilin."

armelle

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Armelle was clearly quite confused. She was fine with a position as some kind of handmaiden because that meant that despite the work she had to do, she was up close to the higher ranks, which meant she'd be more capable of getting info than any other role she would have otherwise been given. Whether it was working under August or his dad, she would still get some intel. But when the blond realised that she would be working right under him, she was a little surprised at the sudden change in his expression.

Raising an eyebrow, she listened to the exchange that happened between him and the other servant, Alex. She couldn't tell what on earth had made him so against this whole thing. Every higher up vampire she had met thus far was most pleased to have a servant of their own to have at their beck and call and here this guy was, seemingly livid that he'd been assigned a handmaiden of sorts.

Naturally, Armelle assumed it was her crass behaviour toward him and her bearing no respect for him whatsoever. But that just meant he could punish her as much as he wanted, which he failed to come close to. So she was just more curious. What on earth would have led him to react that way? He seemed to be enjoying picking fun at her so it couldn't just be that, if at all.

Glancing to Alex as he dismissed August and welcomed her, she nodded and bit down on her lip before speaking. "Was he tired of being slammed every time I opened my mouth to speak to him?" she asked, mainly in a joking manner, but her expression was straight and her words held a serious tone so it didn't sound as she had intended for it to. She merely shrugged and decided she would get the answers for herself. She was his handmaiden after all, right? that meant nobody could question her for going about wherever she wanted in the house, and right now, that meant finding this enigma of a blond and figuring out just what his problem was.

"If you'll excuse me, I have a brat to annoy," she said simply before brushing past, not bothering to listen to any words of protest as she made her way up and started to slink around, doing a bit of her own investigation at the same time. Hopefully, the master wasn't in, or she'd be in a world of trouble if she got caught snooping.

 

[MaryGold]

marigold

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To say she was relieved to know she would not be living in the basement was a huge understatement. A giant weight she hadn't been aware of lifted from her shoulders, making her step considerably lighter and her breathing more steady. Marigold could have smiled at the news if she didn't think better of it. Sure, the mistress was no longer in the room, but one could never be too safe, even more so since she didn't know the woman yet. What the Badgeley head like, what she disliked, what or what not to do in front of her. Marigold was starting her servitude with a new and clean slate, which was both terrifying and relieving both. Though, she knew she'd be safe, or closest to it, by following the basic rules. There was also the other two servant girls who could give her tips and help her out.

Admittedly, she was especially interested in the fae. After all, she hadn't met another fae in years. Marigold was more than a little enthusiastic to meet kin. Her eyes had been following Dahlia until her focus was brought back by following Carson to their living quarters. She descended the steps two paces behind him, keeping a respectful distance. Going down a floor unnerved her only slightly. For a brief moment, she had thought he lied to her until she realized how silly that would have been and soon enough they were standing in her new room. Her gaze shifted to bed he pointed at. The bed, the room, it was all so much better looking than her old ones.

A small smile came to her face and grew just a little when Dahlia and Caitlin entered. Holding her hands behind her back, her head lowered before remembering they were servants like her. It was strange how casual they acted in front of Carson. The sight made her realized he must have talked to them just he did her.

"It's nice to meet you two, I - I - I'm Marigold," the fae was unsure of what to say next. Making friends had never been her strongest point, but she wanted to befriend these girls. They seemed kind enough, unlike her old fellow colleagues. She lifted her head higher, so she was looking them in the face. "So, we're the only three servants here?"

august

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Anger and absolute annoyance were the emotions that the young Smith heir was experiencing at receiving a handmaiden. He couldn't believe his father would do that to him, go against his wish after he had directly and openly said he did not want a personal servant of any kind. Then again, it was William Smith, after all. He wasn't exactly one to let anyone's emotions get in the way of his decisions, that included his son's as well. Honestly, August loved his father but sometimes the man made it hard to love him. He knew it was the same thing with his mother, despite them divorcing, they were still very much in love. Which was another reason he was annoyed with his father and mother. In fact, Agust had more than one reason to be annoyed with his father and mother both and they all started lining up in his head in his angry state.

August grabbed the house phone and dialed his father's number. He called the man's office number first when there was no answer he moved on to his cellphone. It went straight to voicemail. It was a fruitless effort to call anyway. His father never picked up his phone when at work. But his cellphone was always on, the man purposely must have shut off knowing that August would call him until he answered after getting a handmaiden. The bastard! His father would get an earful when he returned, August would make sure of it. In the meantime ...

Turning on his heels he decided to go to his room, that was, until his eyes caught Armelle. Sighing heavily, he pinched his nose and attempted to shrug his annoyed feelings off. There was no point in letting her know his disapproval, was there? He doubted she would care anyway. At least, that was what he had deducted from their previous conversation.

"So, what do you want?" While he was less upsetting sounding, his voice was flat, losing the playfulness it once held. Instead, it was apathetic. He was apathetic. August had his mood swings here and there. Something the others were used to, he wondered if she would get familiar with it with the attitude she had. "Do you need some chore to do? If so, there is plenty laundry in my room. And I thought I told you I didn't want to see you until my father returns." His head tilted slightly, his blonde curls falling over the other.

 

[winnie]

armelle

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Armelle had to admit that since arriving and being appointed as a slave to a higher, she had never been worried or nervous or even scared, up until today. She hadn't had much contact from her uncle or her brothers. Things were still hush hush because nobody could risk her being found out as a rebel. But, she was strategically placed, right in the home of a leader, and beside the home of other important higher ups. And now she was getting the chance to meet up with another rebel, and considering the celebration that was around the corner, plans needed to be made.

Granted, the rebel she was stuck working with wasn't really the most ideal candidate. He was half vampire, and had yet to earn people's trust, including Armelle's. But, she would take what she was given and she couldn't operate alone. Even she knew that was a stupid thing to do. Someone else needed to be in on this in case anything went wrong. That way if she wasn't able to report back, then someone else would be there to convey the message and maybe pick up what she had started.

For now, she couldn't think of that though. As she waited outside the office of her 'boss', she thought about how to go about this. There had to be some way she could get to meet with the guy in the house without going down to the servant quarters. She would be found too easily. He most likely knew she was coming though so maybe he would do something to keep himself visible for a while. Since it was an important letter being delivered, Armelle had to assume that whoever she was delivering it to would write a response immediately, which meant she would have to wait. That could just be her opportunity. It was a small window but it would have to do.

In seconds, the door to the study opened, and Armelle was faced with the man of the house. He said nothing as he handed her a letter, followed by a box. She had no clue what was inside, but she knew better than to ask questions. She merely took what she was given and proceeded to leave the house with the items in hand.

carson

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Carson was slowly feeling a little better about himself, though only because he was finally being involved in some work by the rebels. He had tried long and hard to be accepted and while there were people yet to accept him, this would definitely be the first step. He was working alongside a girl that was way deeper into it than he could ever be but that made it better because if he gained her trust, then he may, by default, gain the trust of others as well.

It was a long shot but it was all he had to go on.

Around the time he expected her to arrive, he was waiting in the living room. For the past few days, he had kept a close eye on Marygold, not wanting anything bad to happen to her. He didn't know why, but he just felt protective of her. More so than the other two servants in the household. Perhaps because they knew the way things worked already. Fortunately though, Marygold hardly experienced anything of what his aunt was like so far because she was immensely busy planning for the annual celebration that was coming up. It was why this delivery was so important. Every year, a higher up was given a glass box that contained a contract. It was the first decree made, that put the whole system of slices into place. It was important that it be presented each and every year at the annual celebration, and one person was always chosen to house the box for the year, and speak of it at the celebration. It was his aunt's turn this time, and she was getting it from whoever did it last -- and that just so happened to be August's father.

Carson tried not to think about the family that lived next door as he heard footsteps enter the house. The door had been left unlocked because his aunt had said she didn't want to be disturbed, except for the box to be delivered right into her hands -- she wouldn't trust any of her own servants to leave it lying around the house. No she had to see it physically so she could keep it safe.

Carson made his way to the front door and he saw the dark haired had made her way further into the house and she was peeping around a corner. Towering over her small frame, Carson approached her before tapping her on the shoulder.

Bad move.

The girl turned around with a start, and because of this, the box in her hand crashed to the floor. Carson winced as he heard the sickening sound of glass breaking and his wide eyes lifted to meet the scared gaze of the girl before him.

This wasn't good.

 

[MaryGold]

marigold

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"A package is being delivered, I won't be here to take it, so, set it on my study desk. That's all."

Those were the instructions that Marigold had been given and while they seemed simple enough she knew it was an important task. From what she had heard from the other girls, it had to do with the fastly approaching anniversary of the Circle. That information had been more than enough for her to know the significance and seriousness her task held. Which also meant if she couldn't complete this one job she'd surely be punished and not with a light punishment either. And that was something that the young fae girl was hoping to avoid at all cost. She had yet to run into any trouble in the household knew her and sure as hell wasn't going to now.

Her stay in the Badgeley home so far was, dare she say it, enjoyable. In her last household, Marigold could hardly go a day without worrying or staying up late every night in fear. Fearing that her master would say day come to her room. Or that her mistress would even kill her. There were no other servants who liked her much, they all looked out for themselves. Every day had been a whole and complete struggle for the girl, she had often hoped that the morning would never come and the empty night would never end. Now, she had less to worry about, she had other servants who were kind and befriended her. Her mistress could never be bothered with her and her nephew…

Carson had probably been the best part of the house. He was kinder than all the others and she was sure he was looking out for her. It was strange, she had expected the young family member raised by the highest class of vampires to be worst than all the others. But he was the exact opposite. Marigold was very fond of him, and the other girls and she didn't want anything to ruin her stay, her security. So, she was determined to do things right. Especially this task, if it meant her wellbeing.

When she heard glass shattering, she jumped in a start, nearly knocking over the bookshelf she was dusting. It wasn't her! Whatever it was. The small fae balled her fist and pulled ten into her chest, nervously clutching her duster as she made her way to the source of the noise. When she came to the door, she noticed the small girl first, who was she? Then Carson. Seeing him instantly calmed her rapidly beating her heart, that was until she followed their gazes to the mess on the floor. She didn't know exactly what it was, but she had a good idea what. Dread filled her insides. "Oh no," Marigold whispered. "What are we going to do?"

august

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August hadn't exactly enjoyed the past few days. Having a handmaiden was possibly the worst thing that happened to him. Of course, that was an exaggeration and even he knew it because worse things had already happened to the shaggy-haired blonde. However, he chose to ignore those horrid memories and live in the here and now, though, every day was a struggle and he often found it difficult in finding a reason to get up and start his day. His father was rarely around and even more so now that he was working on the fastly approaching holiday. And he wasn't the only one!

The decorations had now had been put up all around town from what he could tell. Their house too, his father had instructed the servants to put them up and they had done a wonderful job of it too. As one of the heads, of course, his father had to show is joy and spirit in the anniversary. Though, August suspected he could have cared less about the celebrations. Did he wonder how the servants felt about it? After all, they would be celebrating the day that their fate had been sealed as servants to the most powerful slice. More than that, he was curious about the nymph girl, she had an attitude but she had been good at not 'causing any trouble so far. That had surprised him. And to both their benefit she hadn't need to do a lot for him.

Today, she had been given a job by his father. So, August was free to do what he liked without having the assistance and follower of the nymph girl. He was sure she was just as happy about it. Now that he was free … he did nothing, as usual. It wasn't a school day, not that he ever went to his college anyway, but that meant Lizzie was home. It had been a while since the two of them had played together. She was his little sister, but she was just as good as a best friend to August. When he couldn't talk with Alex, he did with her.

"Lizzie~!" He called, opening her room door, "Let's go out into the garden, I saw a hummingbird out there." However, the room was empty. Where did that girl go?

Frowning, August began wondering the house fruitlessly until he left it. As soon as he exited the door he saw Armelle going over to the Badgeley's house. August snorted at the sight, not at her but the mere thought of Carson. His aunt was a cold woman, colder than his father, but Carson was just annoying. He knew the feeling of distaste with mutual between them. Still, curiously got the best of him and he quietly followed her, keeping out of sight. Once she entered the house, he hung outside until he heard a shatter from behind the cracked door.

Why did he have a bad feeling about this?

Without thinking, he headed inside, not bothering to knock or ring the doorbell. His eyes caught the mess on the ground first. Why was he not surprised? Then he looked to Armelle, following after Carson, ugh, and another small girl who looked on the verge of panicking. He blinked his eyes when she squeaked like a mouse after seeing him. "Eek!"

"Well, well, well, looks like you got yourselves in quite a jam here, huh?" August raised an eyebrow. "I knew you were going to sooner or later, but I never thought it'd be this big." The young man walked over and brushed the glass away from the papers with the tip of his shoe.

 

[winnie]

armelle

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Way too many thoughts went on in Armelle's head. She envisioned all the different ways this could go, and none of them really ended well. She was aware of the sudden presence of someone else and turned to see another girl, probably the same age as herself, and Armelle induced that she was another servant, much like herself. The look of terror in her eyes made Armelle feel worse. Something told her she felt she would be punished for this.

Well, she isn't the only one, at least.

No, Armelle was determined not to let anyone else take the fall for what she did. In such a situation when it could end up with someone getting seriously injured as punishment, she wouldn't dole that out on anyone just because she couldn't clutch onto a package tight enough. Normally, she had stellar reflexes, but they had failed her this time.

To make matters worse, August showed up.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She seethed through her teeth while the other boy, Carson, bent down to try and assess the damage. Like there was any point in that. It was broke, clear as day. They couldn't fix it. Certainly not before Carson's aunt came back. "You're not really making any of this easier. If you're here to gloat, you can leave." There was no tone of malice in her voice, unlike usual when she spoke to August. Right now, though she wouldn't admit it, she was afraid and nervous, and definitely worried. How was she going to get out of this?

And if she didn't think it was worse yet, she heard Carson's aunt walking into the house, her heels clacking against the marble floor.

Great.

carson

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Carson looked at Marygold once she appeared and he wished he could have given her a reassuring look. All this time, since she joined their household, Carson had done his best to prevent any harm from coming to her. It was odd, but he found that he cared for the girl now, probably more than he expected to, but he knew that this incident could lead to something bad -- not just for her, but for them all. Carson may be related by blood, but he received punishment just as bad as the other servants, if he was directly to blame. In this case, he was sure his aunt would find a way to put all the blame on Marygold. How were they supposed to get out of this.

Carson's expression soon shifted to one of annoyance when August appeared from next door. Wonderful. If only things couldn't get worse. Carson wanted to say something to the other male, to berate him for coming to laugh at them when he knew what was likely to happen now. His aunt was the least forgiving person on the planet, and everyone in the near vicinity knew how harsh she was when it came to doling out punishments.

His posture went rigid when he heard the sound of his aunt's heels though. He stood up straight and looked to the corridor, and his aunt happened to turn the corner before walking up to them. her expression was curious, for a moment. "What's going on?"

Nobody replied. Or, before they could, she already connected the dots. her gaze went to the broken pieces on the floor, and since she knew a package was being delivered, it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

Her eyes went straight to Marygold.

"No," Carson muttered softly before clearing his throat to raise his voice. "It's not her fault." Carson was kind of stuck. part of him wanted to defend Marygold and absolve her of all blame, but he couldn't directly plant the blame on Armelle either. he didn't want anyone to get hurt. His aunt was lifting a hand and he knew she was not listening, she was just ready to strike Marygold. Carson was about to interrupt, to say he had done it, when Armelle stepped forward in front of Marygold.

Her body hardly shielded the other girl, but it was enough because she got hit across the side of the face.

The area was silent for a while. Nobody even moved, till Armelle lifted her head, holding a neutral, but tight expression. "I dropped it. It broke. I didn't see anyone nearby so I thought I would deliver it myself," she said slowly. Carson felt like cursing her -- she was making it worse on herself by addressing his aunt so informally.

 

[MaryGold]

august

no-lightbox

It was bound to happen. Armelle being punished, the other serving girl whose name he was ignorant of, too. Even if they weren't directly involved, they were there and it was their job to take care of the business. And they failed, horribly. Being punished was a given, with punishment came motivation to do better, they had to better in order to survive. They pale look that had been in the other girl's face told him that she knew it too, that she herself must have been through it one too many times. It was a grim and horrid thing, even for August who was the son of a wealthy higher up official. He was too sensitive, as he had been told one to many times by his best friend when he was cleaning his bloody wounds.

To lighten the mood, to ignore the fear and pain, they joked about it. No one in the group of four at all amused though. Of course, they wouldn't be, only Alex would get it. More importantly, they were scared as they all should be, including that irking Carson. Maybe he should have been afraid too, but out of the three of them, he was the one who would most likely get away scot-free. He also wasn't too attached to any of the people of the room, maybe that was why he was more at ease than the rest of them, more open to joking.

Yet, Carson's aunt entered the room and slapped Armelle the humour in him washed away instantly. The air was heavy and only now did he recognize it. Once again, he realized there wasn't a thing he could do. But he surely had no intentions of sitting by and allowing this woman, no matter who she may be, hurt Armelle. Why? He couldn't stand watching anyone being hurt, least of all someone he knew.

"Shut your mouth, girl." August hissed, glaring at the petite girl. How fast his mood had changed what they must have been thinking, and they were right. However, his anger was not directed at Armelle, this was the only way he could think of to get her out of trouble with the woman in charge. "You don't speak unless spoken to and especially not so disrespectfully to Ms Badgeley." He spat through gritted teeth.

Sighing, he looked to Carson's aunt, facial expressions softening despite the woman being the source of his anger. "I am terribly sorry, I came here after noticing she was missing. Please, go easy on her, she's very new. I'll see to it she is punished at home." His fist clenched at his side, hoping she'd let Armelle go. His father would hear about it and then she really would be dealt with at home. But he would handle that when it came.

marigold

no-lightbox

Marigold had been waiting for the strike of the slap. As soon as Carson's aunt approached her, she froze and knew what was to come next when her angry eyes were set on herself. She had seen that look in Ms. Badgeley's look before. It was the same look that her old Mistress had when she was about to hurt Marigold. She shouldn't have been surprised, after all, it was to be expected. How could she have been deluded to think that she wouldn't be hurt sooner or later in her new household with such a cold woman?

Still, she closed her eyes and braced herself for what was next. The noise of the smack was loud and clear but, she felt no pain, in fact, she felt nothing. She only opened her eyes when Armelle began to speak. The dark haired and unfamiliar girl was standing in front of her, taking all the blame. Had she taken the hit for her?

Marigold couldn't believe it. No one had done that for her before. Taking her punishment, that was new. It terrified her before she began to appreciate it. Armelle did not know her, why would she take on all of the punishment herself. Even if she was new and didn't know anything everyone knew to avoid trouble. Yet, Armelle walked right it. Willingly.

She wanted to do something too, anything. Even more, now that she knew the other boy was one of her superiors. She fell to the floor of glass and scrambled through the mess disregarding the cuts she gathered on her hands and held it out to her Mistress. They were not allowed to speak unless spoken to, Marigold knew that, but for once, she didn't care. "It's still here, the - the documents aren't damaged."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she held back tears and added. "I'm sorry, I should have done better."

 

[winnie]

armelle

no-lightbox

Armelle felt anger swelling up within her at August's words because in her eyes, he was just making things worse and revealing his true self to her now. He had been friendly and dandy up until now, but his loyalty remained with his kind. Or did it? Could it be that he was putting on a facade because if he didn't, this shrewd woman might make things worse for all of them? It was impossible to tell but Armelle wasn't about to believe the explanation that August was trying to prevent more pain from befalling her. She didn't trust that anyone would do that for her, especially not the boy who was the son of her master.

She said nothing as he spoke to Mrs. Badgely, but her eyes were burning a hole into the woman because Armelle refused to back down or look away. Mrs. Badgely didn't seem to want to break her stare either, and she could tell that the woman was disappointed that she could do nothing more to Armelle since she was not her servant. And because Armelle served a very important person in the richest slice.

"Next time, I don't care if you have someone to vouch for you or not, I'll make you sorry you ever stepped foot in here," she spoke after a few moments of silence and then glanced to August. "Take her away. And be a good boy and tell your father exactly what happened here, or he'll be hearing it from me later. And I tend to exaggerate sometimes," she added, giving Armelle a malicious look.

carson

no-lightbox

Carson was frozen in place and had so many thoughts running through his mind. This situation was definitely not an ideal one but August seemed to know what to do by stepping in. He was the only one that could, really, since he was the son of an important person and because he was a pure vampire, like his aunt and his father. Carson could tell that Armelle didn't quite believe it was all an act from August's side but that was for them to deal with. Right now, Carson did his best to suppress a small sigh of relief because it seemed that for the time being, Mrs. Badgely was done.

After she spoke to Armelle and August, Carson gave the boy a small glare, as if to tell him to take Armelle and leave before things escalated any more. Then his aunt turned on him and Marigold and he instinctively stepped closer to her because he didn't want her to experience punishment. There was no need for it now because it had been dealt with.

His aunt sure looked like she wanted to slap Marigold too, but held back, and instead barked at her. "Clean all this up. Now. And set the documents on my table within five minutes. I don't want to see either of you for the rest of the day."

And with that, she just stormed past them, shoving Marigold out of the way with her shoulder and disappearing down the corridor.

 

[MaryGold]

august

"Of course, Ms, Badgely," August nodded his head, being sure to lower it a tad bit as he did so that it would look as if he was partially bowing in respects. To his relief, his big talk apparently worked because she was no longer focused on Armelle, or even himself any longer. The shaggy haired blonde couldn't stop himself from slowly and subtly releasing a sigh of utter relief. Carson's aunt was no doubt more terrifying than his own father. She wasn't just intimidating to her own slaves and but to her fellow citizens and peers. It was obvious that she clearly saw herself above them all. How on earth did Carson manage to live with her all these years and yet be so unlike her.

The glare he received from Carson snapped him out of his thoughts and reminded of the situation and who's home they were in. It also reminded him that Carson was still obnoxious, but he would think about that later. For now, he took Armelle's hand and hurriedly led her out the front door and trudged back to their own household without saying so much as a word.

Instead of taking her inside, August led her into the garden and to the glass hut where the terrain was different. It stood between the regular garden and the water garden. August led her inside and shut the door before he realized he was still holding her hand, which he observed to be quite small. It was easy to forget how small Armelle was when her personality was the exact opposite.

With another sigh, he released her hand collapsed onto the sofa within the room. "Holy shit. She is a major bitch." He groaned now that he could speak his mind freely without any repercussions. "Okay, now, we need to come up with a plan to confront my father. Knowing that witch, she will not let this slide." Under normal circumstance, his father would give her a simple punishment. But since Ms. Badgeley was involved, he couldn't afford to look "soft".

marigold

If Marigold had just been alone, taking the harsh words and treatment of this woman, she'd be shaking, struggling to speak. But she was still all too shocked about how the other servant girl stepped in and took the blame, even if it was her fault after all. Her actions were foreign, shocking and all too admirable. Certainly there had been plenty of other spunky servants who had come in, but they broke just like Marigold had been a long time ago. Something about Armelle was different and that something told Marigold that she would not be broken.

It was was then that Marigold decided that she liked the Smith's new serving girl. There was no doubt in her mind that'd she would cause trouble. The Smith's had two troublemakers on their hands it seemed.

"Yes, Ma'am." Marigold said just as she was shoved by the taller and larger woman's shoulder. She waited until the sound of her clacking heels grew distant and could no longer be heard before she exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. At that moment, she could have fallen into a seat and not get up for hours, replaying all that transpired in her head over and over again. But there was no rest for her kind.

"I was sure she'd hit me anyway," Marigold mumbled to Carson as she crouched in front of the glass and began to pick out the biggest pieces. The rest would have to be swept up. "That new girl … I can't believe she took the blow." A servant taking the punishment of another they had just met, crazy! And yet, it was kind.

 

[winnie]

armelle

Armelle was beyond confused with August's reaction to this whole thing. Of course, she had realised back in the house that he had been acting like an ass to prevent things from escalating further, because that wouldn't exactly keep his family in good name, especially considering who his father was, but what she didn't understand was how August could be so like that, when the environment around him had been so hostile toward other creatures, and especially hers, the most disliked of them all.

She said nothing as August tugged her away from the Badgely household and, instead of into his own house, to the greenhouse in the garden instead. Armelle took a moment to admire how it looked inside, which was the only reason she didn't notice her hand was still in August's once they had reached and stopped to stand still inside. When he sighed was when she realised and she began to fiddle with her hand, mainly because she wasn't sure how she felt right now.

"Why did you do that?" she asked. Her voice was not demanding as it usually would be with August because god knew she was annoyed by him by the time she got there. Now though, her voice held only curiosity. "Why did you soften the blow back there? And why are you about to do it again now?" She just couldn't understand it. "If your family finds out, or if god forbid, that horrid bitch finds out you're being soft on us, that won't exactly help you." What was in it for him? She just couldn't comprehend it because that's not how she was raised to view the vampire species.

carson

Carson watched the other two leave, and he was grateful that his aunt decided against doing anything else for the moment. It was only when she was gone that he felt like he could breathe properly and woudn't get slapped for doing so. The sound of the one she gave to Armelle still rang through his years and he was in awe as much as Mari, at how she would jump in front and bear the brunt of it for a person she didn't know. Carson knew immediately knew that whoever she was, she had to be a par of the resistance.

He had heard all about it, but had never really been able to help out much since he still wasn't exactly trusted for the fact that he was half a vampire, but maybe this could be his second chance to try and do something to help those form the lower slices. To end this horrid rule once and for all. "I know," he murmured softly, nodding in agreement with Mari's words before he went to go fetch a broom and bring it back to sweep up the smaller pieces of glass that couldn't be picked up by hand.

"I'm still very confused about August though," he said, eyebrows furrowed. He showed slight annoyance but also slight confusion. The history they had wasn't exactly pleasant but even he was surprised at the way he kind of 'came to their rescue'. Carson knew that, had he not been there, his aunt might have remained angry and beaten every single one of them to a pulp, but August had some pull, considering who his father was.