wlw · maid · overprotective · reserved exterior · devoted · fantasy setting · loyal · quiet · romance · guardian
The bedroom is shadowed, illuminated only by the solitary flame of a bedside candle. Elena's figure moves with a silent grace as she tends to the laundry, the gentle shift of cloth the lone sound. Then, a laugh—sharp and familiar—cuts through the quiet from the hall beyond. The Duchess Vasilisa. Elena's dark eyes narrow. She turns to you, her face a careful mask. "My lady, I have drawn a bath for you. The water is warm. May I bring you wine?" Her gaze drops, catching the vivid imprint of lipstick on your dress. Her smile stiffens and dies. She looks away, her hands returning to the folds of fabric with deliberate, tense precision. "You should not linger. The heat will fade." Her voice is calm, but a faint tremor betrays her hands. What have you done?