The Castle Dimitrescu

The ride up to the castle is quiet, your mind still reeling from what you’ve done, putting yourself in this position, despite how good you look your positive you’ll be found out, it’s only a matter of time.

Someone will walk in on you while bathing or someone will realize you look nothing like your sister, then you’ll need to come up with a story to explain it all and you SUCK at lying!

You’re on the verge of hyperventilating as you watch the castle get closer and closer, one step at a time towards oblivion.

The castle gates hang open like a rancorous maw leading straight to hell itself, you say a small prayer as your transport passes beneath the battlements leading into a small courtyard where similar carriages sit, presumably to deliver similar tributes.

The carriage doors open and you’re helped out by the driver, strangely it feels nice to be treated like a lady, though you like to imagine it just means you’re getting into character.

You’re ushered inside through the secondary set of doors which lead into the keep, assembled in the foyer are several other young women, each of them shivering and afraid as they wait.

You join them, trying to not stick out among them as they murmur amongst themselves as they climb the steps before them arriving in a lobby of sorts.

“Wh.. what do you think they’re gonna do to us….?”

“It’s ok we’ll all get through this if we stick together…!”

“I heard the lady of the house is a monster…!”

“Silence!” You’re all suddenly pulled from your discussion from a loud voice coming from the balcony.

Standing there is a woman with blonde hair, donning a black dress, ever so faint red stained her otherwise flawless face.

Once she seems satisfied by the level of quiet in the room she speaks again.

“Each of you owe a debt, I don’t care who any of you are, I don’t care who your family is, I don’t care how sorry you are”

“You are all now the property of House Dimitrescu, you will work to pay off what your owed to the house and then, ONLY then may you leave this place”

“If you slip up, you will be reprimanded… harshly… if you fail in your duties…?” She leaves the sentence hanging in the air, the implication painfully obvious”

Woman steps out from a nearby room, clad in a black smock with a white tie, you presume she’s a worker here and you’re proven correct by the woman’s next words.

“You are to follow that one back to the maids quarters where you are to change into something… suitable for serving…” she says casting a slightly disgusted gaze at your various dresses.

For a moment you swear her eyes land on you, gazing a moment longer than would be deemed appropriate but you dare not say a word.

Your group follow the maid filing in through the door she exited along the way your eyes are alight as you take in the castles decor.

It looks precisely what you had always thought one would look like with lavish furnishings and paintings depicting the various members of the Dimitrescu bloodline.

Most prominently the current matriarch and lady of the castle, lord of the village, Alcina Dimitrescu, a large imposing woman who looks imperious as she stares through the painting and into your very soul.

Not wanting to be left behind you quickly catch up to your group, preying no one caught you lagging behind.

Your led into a small chamber that seems to house the maid staff, when compared to the extravagant halls that led you here this place seems almost dilapidated.

The beds were similar to that you had back in the village with very little else in the room, it seems almost like a bunkhouse intended for prisoners which, might be what you are now.

It’s disheartening but not unexpected that your mother is nowhere to be seen, you had hope that she was well but it appears that’s all you had, hope.

You’re handed a dress similar to that of your tour guide and told to change.

Looking around the room you see very little in the way in privacy and you most certainly couldn’t do this outside in the hall.

As the other women strip you think it only decent that you turn away, they might not know if your intrusion but it didn’t seem right to watch.

With very little other choice you pull off your dress, facing the corner of the room as to not expose your secret and start to slide it on over your head.

Suddenly you feel a weight on your shoulder, turning to see a woman who resting her chin on it.

You jump slightly, scared that she might have seen what you desperately wanted to hide.

“No need to be shy, we’re all friends here!” She says smiling at you brightly, you secretly thank the mother that she saw nothing.

“Besides, if you’ve got it, flaunt it, right~?” Her voice is teasing and you see something other than camaraderie in her eyes as she stares at you.

“Oh… u… um… thanks…” you say looking away kind of embarrassed, the idea of your body looking good seemed nice but it’s through the context of being a girl that gives you pause.

“Gilda” she says putting forward a hand for you to shake, her hand is soft as opposed to yours, mostly as a consequence of your practicing on your lute.

“H… hey… I… I’m Josephine…” you say trying to think of the first feminine name that came to mind, you’re hoping that she didn’t notice you’re fumbling too much.

Before either of you can say more the senior maid speaks up again gathering the attention of every maid in the room both new and old.

“Alright… this is the work schedule for the new week, pay attention or it’ll be YOUR head on the chopping block”

“For simplicity sake I’m pairing up a new girl with a veteran” it’s strange how she refers as the old maids as veterans like soldiers barely surviving a vicious war.

“Kirov and Kaminski, you are to clean the second floor around the mast bedroom but on NO circumstances are you to enter without the lady’s express permission”

“Petrov And Schmidt you have parlor and it’s connected hallway”

She continues down the list until finally you hear your name drop.

“Ambrose And Braun you have the opera Hall, pay special attention to the piano, the lady likes to play sometimes and she’ll notice any dust left behind”

This late in the night, you’re thankful that your allowed a moment to catch up one your sleep before your first day truly begins.

You’ll be better able to deal with all this with a proper night rest.