Setting Boundaries

We make our way through the house hoping and praying we didn’t run into anybody, unfortunately Ciara sees us as we reach the bottom of the stairs and zips over to greet us. Shit.

Instantly I note eyes her scan over our attire and her expression harden. “Master Jacob, Mistress Beatrix, going out again?”

As I grasp for some story to assuage suspicion Trix just blurts out the truth. “Yep! Jake’s taking me out on a date.”

I cringe. She might as well had said it straight to dad. “We’re just going to town.” I say as if it was no big deal. “Trixie wanted to meet some friends.”

I go to lead us past but Ciara flits over to block our progress. “Perhaps you should tell your parents. They will be expecting you at dinner this evening.”

“Tell them we’re eating out tonight.” I say as I move to the left.

She matches our movement. “Should I tell them to expect you at a certain time?”

“Nope.” I say curtly and veer right.

Again Ciara flies into our path, this time moving up so that we had to stop. “Respectfully sir, after what has happened with you and Master Lucian perhaps it is not such a good idea to…date?”

I was already on edge with Ciara and this just put me over that edge. I was not going to let her ruin tonight.

“Perhaps you should mind your place and your own business Ciara.” I say sternly as I stare her down. “Get out of our way!” The pixie’s eyes widen at my hard tone and she drops a few inches before hovering back up to eye level.

“Jake!” Trixie tugs me then tries to lighten the mood. “We’re just going out Ciara. It’s no biggie.” But she is ignored as Ciara and I were locked in a silent contest of wills.

“Master Jacob.” She says in her usual polite tone, but with a new unease just below the surface. “If I may suggest…”

“You may not.” I say bluntly. “Move. Now.”

There is a pause. “There is no need to be rude Master Jacob.”

“I wouldn’t have to be rude if you listened. Around here we expect the hired help to do as their told.”

“Jake!” Trix says.

In Ciara I see a just a flash of that warrior I had seen that night last week. “Hired help? Is that how you see me sir?”

“It is what you are. A maid, nothing more.” I was purposely goading her now, in my mind her attacks against Vespera playing over and over again.

“Respectfully sir, I was a member of this house before you were born.” She says. “I changed your diapers, I helped you with…”

“You did your job.” I interrupt. “You are not a Devlin. Now move aside, servant.”

Our housekeeper holds my steely gaze for a few long tense moments. I could only imagine what she was thinking about this upstart human bossing her around. After seeing her in action I had no doubt she could kill me where I stood, but I knew she would never do that. I continue staring at her, silently daring her to disobey me. Eventually she slowly bows her head in subservience and flits back and to the side to get out of our way. “Apologies Master Jacob.”

I step forward, not to move past our servant but directly toward her to loom over her and cause her to shrink back. “I’ve been meaning to tell you. I don’t want you in the West wing attic anymore. I don’t want you near my sister. You are not allowed up there any longer.”

“Sir?” Her face remains downcast but her eyes glance up.

“Did you not hear me?” I stare down into her eyes until she averts them again.

“I heard you Master Jacob but…”

“Then you are being disobedient.”

“No Master Jac…”

“Will you obey?” I lean in to bear down on her tiny form. “Answer me Pixie.”

There is a strained pause as she hovers with her head bowed before she finally says. “Yes Master.” She bows even lower, almost to the point of grovelling. “I will obey.”

“Good.” I wanted to say so much more but not at the expense of ruining the mood of the date more than I already had. I back off and without a backward glance continue on with Trixie on my arm as we make our way toward the garage.

“We love you Ciara!” Trixie calls back to her.

“Have a good evening Mistress.” The maid’s voice says back, audibly shaken.

“What was that all about?” Trix whispers.

“Setting boundaries.” I answer.

Right away I could sense something was wrong. Just the way Trixie fell quiet and how she carried herself. Trixie’s pace begins to slow and as we reach the garage entrance she stops altogether.

“Hey.” I pat her hand. “Sorry you had to see that. Come on, let’s not worry about family stuff tonight.” I go to pull her forward but she holds me back.

“That wasn’t very nice Jake.” She says in a very low hurt voice. She looks back with worry for our maid. “I should go see if she’s okay.”

“Trix.” I try to get her to face forward and leave this behind. “She’ll be fine. She’s dad’s servant really, not ours.”

“She’s not a servant to me.” Trixie says sadly. “She’s one of us.” She shakes her head. “We don’t treat each other like that.”

“Trix, come on.” I motion her forward. “Let’s have some fun and forget all about this.”

“Ummm.” I could see she was torn. “We can’t leave her like this.” Going out with me was something she had waited a long time for, yet this just didn’t sit right with her. She couldn’t let it lie. “I think you hurt her feelings Jake.”

I sigh. “Trix.”

Trixie looks up at me with a pleading pouting expression. “Could…could you go apologize to her Jake?”

“Trix…”

“If not for her, then for me?” She takes me by the hand and squeezes it.

“Trix…”

“Please?”

As I look at my little sister looking up to me I can see in her eyes that same adoring hero worship she had always carried for me. I might never live up to the ideal in Trixie’s mind it was rough to fall so short, especially with face of pure goodness looking up at me and wanting me to make it right. Though she would never say it she was disappointed in seeing me bully Ciara. In a flash I feel that same hurt she must have felt when I told her I was disappointed in her. It was terrible. And worst of all…she was absolutely in the right. When Ciara had attacked Vespera it was in the belief she was protecting our family and under the direction of my father. Also, Ciara really was as much a part of this family as any blood relation. She had helped raise us. Always there, always reliable, and never complaining. A hundred warm memories of Ciara in her human disguise come rushing back. Unlike with the others it was so easy to forget that the kindly buxom woman with the German-French accent that had been there my whole life was the same person as the tiny fey creature that she really was.

I take Trixie by the cheeks and look her in the eyes. “You are too good for this world.” I lean down to kiss her forehead. “Don’t you ever change.” I stand back tall. “I’ll be right back.”

She looks at me as if I were about to go heroically fight a dragon. The beaming proud smile on Trixie’s face gives me the courage to do what I knew I had to. Leaving my sister there I march back into the main hall just in time to see Ciara fluttering toward the kitchen.

“Ciara.” I say.

She stops and hovers there for a moment without turning around. “Master?”

“I’m…I’m sorry.” I say. “I didn’t mean what I said. You are a member of this family. Always have been, always will be.”

She slowly turns to face me. “You were angry at me. You have been since that night. I understand.”

“That doesn’t excuse it though.” I take breath. “Anyway, again, sorry.”

She studies me for a time, the expression on her angular face impossible to read. “You have a lot of your father in you.”

“Coming from you I will take that as a compliment.”

“Take it however you wish.” Her face then curls into a dark malevolent smile. “But do not waste your kindness on me young Master. A **** ought to be controlled with a firm hand.”

“Excuse me!?”

“We fey are not the innocent fairies of your picture books and cartoons.” Her eyes glow and she lets out a creepy high pitched giggle. “Go on your date Sir. Have fun. And thank you for reminding me of my place.” She bows her head low though her intense eyes remain fixed on me.

“Thank…me?” I mutter in confusion.

With that Ciara turns and flits toward the kitchen with an extra bounce to her bobbing flightpath leaving me standing silent and bemused. I return to my sister who waited anxiously for me near the garage door.

“Did you apologize?”

“Yeah.” I say distractedly, still processing the encounter.

“And?”

“I…uh…” I glance back over my shoulder. “I think we’re cool.”

Trixie smiles, her adoration and pride in me greater than ever. “I knew you’d do the right thing. My big brother always does the right thing.” She gets up on her tip toes and kisses my cheek. “You are the best!”

And in that sweet kiss the unpleasantness with our maid is forgotten and we are once more on our way. Trix was still a bit clumsy as she got used to the real clothes and sandals but I do not comment on it. I treat her like a real lady. I open the door for her and help her into the car. She takes my assistance appreciatively clearly tickled to the core by the old fashioned gentlemanly treatment, she tried to act classy in return but she just couldn’t wipe the silly grin on her face off to be taken seriously. I loved it. Before long the car is unplugged and I am settling into the drivers seat. We look at each other and share a very brother-sister laugh that fades into a long gaze.

Another minute later and we are on the road heading for town.