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Daniela had been having a perfectly enjoyable night. She had finally managed to figure out which of the staff had taken such care with ironing her hose. She hadn’t been entirely sure who it was, as the laundry duty rotated often, and she wasn’t entirely sure the timing of the ironing to her wearing the hose worked out.
Of course, it was entirely optional as to whether one ironed nylon hose. It was very difficult besides, as according to her aunt Donna, nylon must not become too hot to avoid melting the fibres beyond recognition. The iron must be kept cool, and the hose pressed precisely to avoid wrinkling. It was beyond complicated, and neither Daniela nor her sisters expected it to be done. Even uptight Bela was alright with it.
The fact that someone had been going to the trouble to iron her nylons… that might as well have been a proclamation in front of the entire castle.
Quickly excusing herself from dinner as she felt part of herself whisper of movement back in her room, Daniela sprinted upstairs. The door to her chambers was ajar, and the laundry trolley was waiting. She slammed the door open.
“I wish to inspect my hose!” Daniela cried out. The maid almost jumped out of her skin, and Daniela couldn’t help but internally smile. She had been so stealthy.
“Lady Daniela, of course!” The maid said as Daniela walked into the room. The maid stood back from Daniela’s chest of draws. The unsorted clothes sitting on top.
Daniela grabbed the top handful and flung it aside, uncovering the inky black hose. From just a glance, one could see that they had been ironed. Daniela felt her face split into a grin. She gripped the hose delicately, her heart singing.
“Miss, who is responsible for the washing of these?” Daniela asked the maid. The maid shook slightly. “And where could I find them?”
“Frieda, I believe, miss.” She said in a quavering tone. The little dear almost seemed scared to say it. Did she not realise that she would be part of the story of loves’ first meeting? “The servants’ quarters.”
“Thank you. Oh, thank you, miss.” Daniela said, and she clutched the maid’s hand through the nylon. “I’ll see to it you are given a bonus next pay packet.”
Without waiting for the girl to respond, Daniela let herself dissipate. Her lookout fly re-joining the swarm as she flew from the room. The servants’ quarters her destination, she flew as quick as she could.
Solidifying her boot against the cold wood of the door to the basement off the kitchens, Daniela pushed it open.
“Frieda?” Daniela shouted, desperate to see the woman who had taken such as shine to her. The one who was possessed with such talent and zeal for her as to iron nylons. There were yelps from some of the cots. Daniela reformed her body and set along the row. She ripped off the covers of the first. “Are you Frieda?”
She shook her head.
“Do you know where Frieda is?” Daniela grabbed her nightgown.
“Oh, Mother Miranda, please forgive me.” The woman squeaked.
“You don’t answer to Miranda, you’re answering to me.” Daniela said, she fingered the sickle at her hip. Why wouldn’t this worm tell her where Frieda was? “Now don’t make me ask again.”
“She’s bringing me a chamber pot.” A voice squeaked up from the corner, and Daniela looked up at her.
It was the pregnant maid. Daniela rolled her eyes. Of course. It was so obvious. Frieda was obviously a very giving person, from the little Daniela knew about her (she had ironed her nylons). Of course, she was the sort of person to volunteer to fetch a chamber pot for the gravid woman.
“Ooh, she’s so generous.” Daniela said. She dropped the first maid’s nightgown and she thudded to the bed. Daniela glanced back at the pregnant maid. “Make sure to call for my sister straight away when contractions begin.”
Then, just as suddenly as Daniela had entered, she left the servants’ quarters.
Daniela entered the main hall as a swarm. She nearly missed the little mousy woman carrying a chamber pot, but when she did see her…
“Frieda!” Daniela cried joyously, reforming behind her. The maid whipped around and nearly dropped the porcelain dish. Daniela, despite being nearly a foot and a half taller than her at 6’5, caught it. Daniela straightened up slowly and handed the pot back to her. She winked down at her cheekily. “Careful, mother is on the lookout for a new vintage.”
“I’m sorry, Lady Daniela. You startled me.” Frieda said. “Did you need some assistance?”
“No… I…” Daniela said. Curse this nervousness. She always got tongue tied at this very moment. She could feel her cheeks turning red. “I just wanted to thank you for ironing my nylon.”
“Oh?” Frieda said. “Well, you’re welcome, Miss.”
“And i…” Daniela said. She felt her hand go up to touch the scar on the side of her head from Mother Miranda’s gift. “I just wanted you to know… I was truly touched by it.”
“Miss?” Frieda asked. She was looking at Daniela with something like concern.
“I may not know you very well just yet, but you’re obviously a kind and generous young woman.” Daniela said, she was absolutely lit up with what little blood she had. “And I’d like to see where things go.”
“Oh great, another one.” Cassandra’s voice came from the dining room doorway. “I wonder if it’ll take a week this time?”
“You shut your damn mouth, Cassandra!” Daniela shouted back at her sister. She pivoted to stand next to Frieda and put a hand around her shoulders. “You just wouldn’t know love if it grew wings and pecked you on the nose!”
The sound of shattering porcelain filled the main hall of castle Dimitrescu.
Daniela looked down. The chamber pot had smashed into pieces from where Frieda had dropped it. Daniela looked up. Frieda was looking at her with something akin to horror. Daniela allowed her hand to be shrugged off, and Frieda backed away.
“Oh Miranda… it’s true.” Frieda said. “You are… you’re homosexuals.”
“No crap.” Cassandra snorted derisively.
Daniela was just staring at Frieda. That shock. The derision with which she said it. As if the word itself had somehow done her a disservice.
“You mean you don’t have feelings for me?” Daniela asked. More to herself than to Frieda.
Frieda seemed to have realised what she had done. She stumbled backwards.
Daniela felt her face go slack. Her hand instinctively closed around her sickle. Cassandra vaguely mumbled something about a record.