the start of servitude

The day was quick to pass and when she was finally in a room that she was assigned to, she heaved.

She was now finally alone and weirdly, she felt lighter than she usually did.

The night stretched long and silent, save for the occasional howl of wind against the stone walls of the servants quarters. A lone candle flickered on the wooden night stand, casting restless shadows that danced across the crampled room.

Larissa sat on the edge of the narrow cot, her hands resting on the rough woolen blanket. The straw mattress beneath her was lumpy and thin, but here, she was at peace. She did not feel anxious because her family was not here with her.

The small space - just wide enough for the bed and a wooden trunk , a wobbly stool - felt more of a cage than a sanctuary, yet it was the first place she had ever been assigned to that was solely her own.

No one would barge in without a warning. No one would demand she fetch water or scrub the floor at their feet in the middle of the night.

Still, she could not sleep.

Her mind drifted to the house that she had left behind.

Had they noticed? Had aunt Miriam spat curses at the empty space where she should have been standing ? Had uncle Joseph sighed and gone back to his newspaper? Had Marielle even cared?'

She doubted any of them had spent more than a passing thought on her absence. If anything, they were probably relieved that they would no longer have to feed another mouth.

She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, shivering as a draft slipped through the cracks in the stone. The grand estate of senior Hamilton was nothing like home - ornate halls, heavy velvet drapes, and golden chanderliers. She felt out of place, as if she were an intruder trespassing where she did not belong even if she was just a servant.

She was now a servant in a vampire household.

Her fingers curled into the blanket as she exhaled slowly. She had accepted the position without truly considering what it meant. She had grown up hearing stories of creatures like him - monsters who lurked in the dark, waiting to feast on the foolish. Yet, senior Hamilton had been neither cruel nor unkind. His words had held a weight she did not understand.

Still, unease settled deep in her bones.

Outside her door, footsteps echoed in the corridor - slow, but deliberate. Her breath hitched as she sat frozen in one place, listening. The footsteps halted just beyond her door.

She did not move.

The flickering candle cast her shadow against the wall, it's glow too weak to reach the corners of the room. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

And then - silence.

Whoever had been outside had moved on.

Larissa let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

She reached out for the candle, her fingers trembling slightly as she pinched the flame out. The room plunged into darkness leaving only the distant wail of the wind beyond the estate walls

Tomorrow, she would begin her service in full.

The first rays of dawn crept through the small, barred window, casting pale streaks of gold against the stone walls. The cold air of the morning pressed in, sharp and unrelenting, urging Larissa from the restless sleep she had managed to grasp.

She sat up slowly, her limbs stiff from the unfamiliar mattress. For a brief moment, she had forgotten where she was, but as her gaze settled on the small trunk at the foot of the cot and the neatly folded servant attire draped over it, reality returned.

"This is my life now." She whispered. Her words barely audible.

Pushing the blanket aside, she moved to the wooden basin tucked in the corner of the room. A metal jug of water sat beside it, the surface of the liquid still as glass. She dipped her fingers in, and a sharp chill rushed up here, stealing her breath. Clenching her jaw, she tipped the jug, pouring enough to bathe.

The water sent a shudder through her as she washed away the remnants of sleep, rubbing briskly to chase away the cold, she had bathed in far worse conditions before.

Once done, she dried herself with the thin cloth she had been given and dressedbin the uniform that marked her as one of Hamilton's servants. The fabric was plain, dark blue with a white apron, the sleeves slightly loose around her wrists. A simple ribbon was included to tie her hair. As she stood before the cloudy, mirror nailed to the wall, she barely recognized herself.

Gone was the girl in faded dress, her appearance now crisp, orderl - yet no less a servant.

A sharp knock startled her from her thoughts.

"Are you up?" A firm voice called.

Larissa opened the door tonfind a maid whose different colour of the attire indicated her superiority. She was an older woman with severe features and dark hair pulled into a tight bun. Her gaze swept over Larissa, taking in her appearance with a slow nod.

"Good you're dressed properly. Follow me."

Larissa obeyed, falling into step behind the woman as they moved through the dimly lit servant's corridor.

"You will be cleaning senior Hamilton's chambers every morning." The head maid stated without a preamble. "The master does not tolerate ildleness. His room must be spotless and you are to disturb nothing of his belongings."

Larissa nodded, though the thought of stepping into senior Hamilton's chambers unsettled her.

Reaching the supply closet, the head maid handed her a bucket filled with cleaning rags, a dusting cloth, and a brush. " Do not linger. Do your work and leave and if he's inside, do not speak unless spoken to."

Larissa tightened her grip on the bucket. " Understood."

The maid cast her a final look before leading her up the grand staircase, the air growing heavier with the weight of lavish estate. The contrast between the corridors that belonged to servants and the main halls was stark- Where one was dim and narrow, the other was vast and opulent. Large windows draped with thick curtains lined the hall, golden sconces flickering against the dark, polished wood. The carpet beneath their feet muffled their steps.