Tell no lies

As it was typical for Arabella, she set aside the dirty dinner dishes while the untouched ones were left on a different side.

Heart threatening to sink, it merely hung in place by a thin thread as her mind swarmed with thoughts and questions pertaining to her near future visit to Silas.

Lady Persephone had assured her that her body could withstand feeding twice a week, but could it handle more than that? Though what say did she truly have in the matter? Was refusing even an option available to her?

That night, Arabella waited for no one to escort her and instead walked there on her own. Her knees seemed to carry her weight better than the first time she'd ventured towards Silas' room while the swaying shadows upon every surface no longer conveyed warnings of doom. 

Right as Arabella was about to turn the last corner to the hallway leading to her destination, a humanoid figure suddenly popped in front of her from behind the wall, coming so close their bodies only nearly avoided collusion.

Immediately, both women stiffened into a standing position, drawing sharp breaths out of sheer surprise. 

The look of shock quickly faded however, when each realized who the other person facing them was. 

Edna's eyes narrowed; lips clasping shut to further lock her hardening features in place earning her demeanor a crumpled glare. 

A glare that only lived to haunt Arabella who'd averted her eyes away from the maid, knowing full well the blond would never leave her be without some sort of name calling or vitriol. 

"And where does her highness think she's going?" Edna crossed her arms over her chest.

Not that Arabella owed Edna any answer, the young woman very rarely wished to raise situations around herself to higher levels of aggravation. 

Eyes on the ground, Arabella attempted to walk around Edna, "I've been summoned by the Master," 

But of course, had the maid simply stepped aside, it would've made Arabella's life easier. Why would Edna ever want to do that? 

The blond wrapped her slender fingers around Arabella's arm, digging her nails into the woman's flesh so deeply, the action had wrenched an audible moan out of her, "Don't lie! The Master had his fill less than two weeks ago! What other use could he have for you?" she sneered closer to Arabella's face while her hand squeezed the young woman's arm tighter. 

The grimace wouldn't leave Arabella as she tried to peel Edna's fingers off herself, to no avail.

"Please, let go of me!" fearing she'd attract more attention onto herself, Arabella maintained a hushed tone, "I've got no reason to lie," 

"Do you, now?" the blond yanked on Arabella's arm harder, "Then what business do you have with him?"

A sudden wave of scalding heat washed over Arabella, imbuing her with a physical power she never knew breathed within her. 

Out of patience, the woman shut her eyes and inhaled as much air into her lungs as allowed then, with one brisk tug, jerked her arm free from Edna's hold.

"That's enough! Why don't you go on and ask him yourself, if you refuse to believe me?" 

Without breaking eye contact that time around, she, too, glared back at the maid to further cement her position. 

"There it is! Is that your true nature surfacing?" Edna smirked, "It's quite hard to hide ugly, isn't it?"

"What in the name of Lord Ambrogio is happening here?" Katherine's voice blared from one end of the hallway.

The vampire quickly cut the distance between herself and the two humans before stopping by Arabella's side.

After a rapid glimpse at Edna's uniform, Katherine raised an eyebrow, "Sundown happened over an hour ago, you are no longer on duty, human," she stated firmly, "What brings you around these parts?" 

With the same glower, Edna cast her eyes down. Although she took more time to consider her words towards Katherine than she did with Arabella, "I was heading back to the maids' quarters," her audacity had dimmed down a notch. 

"Well, be on your way then," said Katherine while stepping to the side and ushering past herself, "Nobody is standing in your way," 

If Edna had seethed harder, blisters might have appeared all over skin. 

She threw one last glance at Arabella, bumping her shoulder when walking by, despite there being enough space between Arabella and Katherine for her to thread through comfortably, and therefore no need to even graze the young woman. 

The moment Edna had disappeared behind the wall, Katherine turned towards Arabella, "What happened here?" 

"Nothing," Arabella shook her head, looking at anything that wasn't Katherine. 

"You can't lie to me, I heard your exchange from beginning to end, you know!" Katherine placed both hands on her hips.

In the meantime, Arabella's hands flew to cover her reddened cheeks, "You've heard everything? then that must mean everyone around the manor heard it! Was I-"

"Simmer down," Katherine set a gentle hand or Arabella's shoulder, "I was actively seeking you and when I couldn't find you in your room, I started listening in for you," the vampire's eyes traveled in the direction Edna had taken, "Was that the Edna you've mentioned back in KasselMoon?"

"The same," 

"Well, we'll have to deal with this later. The Lady has summoned you," Katherine paused, eyebrows furrowing, "I've heard you say that the Master has summoned you. Did I hear correctly?"

"Yes!" Arabella practically leapt with the answer, as though afraid Katherine wouldn't believe her either, "It was during the day. We've crossed paths and he's asked me to come by his chambers after dinner,"

"Alright, alright," Katherine rubbed Arabella's shoulders in a comforting manner, "I shall communicate it to the Lady. You go on where you were heading,"