The Fires of Spring

Chapter Three

Lilith awoke the next morning to the sound of Mary's voice. It roused her from a dream in which she had been soaring high above the earth on a pair of broad wings. As she woke, the warmth of the sun on her feathers changed the the snugness of the blankets and the cool breeze that had sprung up to the robotic fingers prodding her shoulder.

"Madam, it is six thirty am," the android was saying, shaking Lilith's arm as she bent over her. The android was having to be a bit more forceful than usual, as exhaustion made sleep very unwilling to release Lilith. With some effort, Lilith opened her eyes to see sunlight making its way weakly into the room, stealing in through the wide window, muted by the clouds.

"Thank you, Mary," she said, and pushed herself into a sitting position. Mary was by her side in an instant. She slipped Lilith's silk dressing gown - a fine piece of fabric in red - over her mistress's shoulders. Then she followed close at Liliths elbow as she circled across the room and glanced first out the window and then, tracing her steps back with precision, towards the bathroom.

Lilith made her way to the enormous bathtub and stood with her back to the android. Lilith could feel the long digits on the end of Mary's seven-fingered hand brush her back as the android maid slipped the silk dressing gown off of Lilith, leaving her standing naked on the smooth tiles.

Lilith rolled her shoulders and stretched until the sinew of her back ached. While she rolling her head slowly, trying to work out a particularly stubborn knot in her neck, she held out her hand and Mary placed a small cup full of oral cleaning fluid. Lilith downed it, rinsed her mouth, and spat into the basin Mary was diligently holding out for her.

"Thank you," said Lilith.

"A pleasure, madam," said Mary, inclining her featureless head.

Lilith nodded and stepped into huge white bathtub across from her. It was already full of water, filled so high that it reached even Lilith's knees when she stepped into it.

"Give me today's news, Mary, if you would," said Lilith as she slipped into the hot water. Immediately, she closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the water curl about her, sinking through her skin and into her flesh. She gave a soft sigh, pleasure at the sensation of that warmth leaving her breathless for a moment.

While the android began to recite the day's news in her pleasant, flat, voice, Lilith reached for the soap Mary had laid out along the edge of the tub. While she was scrubbing her skin, she listened to the news.

After that Lilith stood and allowed Mary to towel her dry, holding her arms out and standing naked with no shyness before the maid as she rubbed the moisture from Lilith's skin. Once that was done and Lilith clad once again in the silk dressing robe, she turned to Mary. The android was standing at attention beside her, the towel thrown over her forearm.

"Lay out my black and white Dior, please," she instructed Mary, who bowed her head. "And my matching hat. I'll also need Simon to fly me to Ascot today."

"Right away, madam," said Mary.

"And have Peter meet me in the drawing room," she added. Lilith was nearly certain that she would have to dispose of young Mr. Crowley today. Based on Christopher's mood the previous night, Lilith suspected that Aidan would be joining the miserable ranks of Christopher's discarded lovers.

"Yes, madam. Is that all, Mrs. Farrar?" asked Mary.

"Yes, thank you. You may go," replied Lilith, waving to the android.

"Yes, madam," said Mary, and she left Lilith alone. She, like the other servants, moved absolutely silently and so Lilith watched as her android maid ghosted her way out of the bathroom and out of Lilith's room altogether.