The Beast of Rose Castle

-= 12 =-

A/N ~ This chapter is more of a two parter! That being said, I will update tomorrow with another chapter so I don't leave you feeling too upset! <3

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Annelie snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of someone sniffling. Her eyes moved up to the maid once more, who looked to be fretting on the inside about something. Light watery lines marked her face and gave away the emotions that were fighting on the inside. 

Before she could stop herself, Annelie walked forward to the girl who was stumbling around trying to find a cloth to clean up the watery mess. "May I help you?" she asked her softly. 

Her eyes widened as the maid jumped and shook her head rapidly. "N-no! I-I- I am going to- to handle," she began stuttering out. Wild hand movements accompanied her instantly denial in needing help. 

Annelie's eyes softened and she turned to walk away. Except, she didn't walk very far away. Instead, she turned into one of the rooms that had been closed off. Inside were rooms that looked derelict; abandoned. In one of these such rooms, Annelie dug out a large cloth or two that could easily soak up the water that had spilled so haphazardly across the pristine stone flooring. 

Rather than asking herself why the rooms in that hall were so neglected, she decided to focus on helping the poor maid. When she left the room, she could see the girl with wide, watery blue eyes looking every which way. It seemed that she was still stunned by what had happened and that her brain couldn't figure out what she was supposed to be doing. 

With a shake of her head, Annelie crossed to the girl. Before the girl could wave away her help once more, Annelie knelt on the ground. There, she began to soak up the water in the cloth she had gathered to help. 

The girl fell to her knees next to Annelie, quickly taking the second cloth and soaking up the water with it. Silence filled the air as the two worked together to try to clean up the mess. When the work was mostly done and the cloth in Annelie's hand was soaked, she took the bucket. Her mouth parted open and she finally spoke once more, "I'm terribly sorry for having startled you." 

"No! Honestly- it's fine," the girl quickly inserted with a shake of her head. 

Annelie smiled widely, moving to twist the cloth over the bucket so that she could use it some more. "So, everything is fine now then?" she asked the girl calmly. 

"Of course! I was just- surprised. The master, he hasn't let anyone in the castle for such a long time- it was strange to find him kissing a girl in the hallway. It was especially hard to accept because he blends so easily into the shadows- and all at once I noticed you two were," the maid's voice drew off and a flush lit up her cheeks in a deep red. 

The maid's hands trembled as she motioned for the bucket with a bowed head. "Please, don't act so formally with me. Call me Annelie, and just demand the bucket when you want it," she exclaimed with a light laugh. Annelie's green eyes sparkled as she watched the doe eyes of the maid shoot to her face once more, wide and confused. 

"You are- you are with the master. It would be wrong of me to treat you so informally," she insisted, though there was a slight hope in her expression that made Annelie wonder. 

"One, I am not with anyone. Honestly, what happened just then was a mistake. Two, if it is really needed, I command you to call me Annelie and treat me just anyone else," Annelie explained with a shrug of her shoulders. It was a light and careless movement that caused one side of her dress to dip down and show off her pale skin. 

They both went quiet for another moment longer. Both were consumed in their task of cleaning and in what they were both quickly learning about one another.