Chapter 385: A renewed drive
Arabella marched so slowly, she was the last to reach the tributes’ quarters. By then and thankfully, the rattling of those chains linking their ankles had stopped.
The male tributes trailed behind Carlton and other butlers whereas the women followed the maids to their separate dormitory.
However, right as she’d been about to cross the threshold of the door, a familiar voice quickly followed by its figure hastened her way.
"I am so sorry for being late!" Ada bent out of shape to catch her breath in front of Arabella, "Rehearsals took a lot out of me yesterday and I didn’t wake up as early as I usually do,"
"What are you doing here?" Arabella’s brows furrowed at her sight.
"I came for... Support," Ada was very reluctant to utter her words, "Why?"
"You do not have to be here if you don’t want to. You are no longer a maid and therefore are no longer obligated to stand present when tributes arrive,"
"I know that," Ada pushed an awkward chuckle, "Nobody really wants to be here, but you are here and thus I am here as well," she spoke with a lot more confidence than before.
Arabella took a moment to absorb her words. To fully assimilate their meaning.
"Thank you, Ada," she murmured.
"Well, I also figured seeing humans that occupy other positions than maids would ease their worries," she smiled, "I mean there is you, but not everyone can marry their Masters so your position is a bit off the table, but an entertainer, on the hand? Now, that’s a tad more achievable," Ada nodded.
Arumina cleared her throat, garnering both of their attention in the process.
"Please, shall I begin? Or would you like to say a word, my Lady?" she bowed slightly, clearly addressing Arabella.
"Oh... My apologies, I did not mean to make you wait," the young woman quickened her pace and moved to stand by Arumina, "You may begin, please,"
There were only twelve female tributes and as such, their beds had been split into two rows of six, each facing one of their two respective walls.
The women moved not a muscle, huddled at the centre of the room and waited for further instruction.
Arumina cleared her throat once more before speaking, "Right then, you will each find new garments cut to your precise sizes which have been provided before your arrival," her eyes flickered from one woman to the next, "First, the chains at your ankles will be undone. I trust that what would happen to you should you venture outside of this property has been communicated with you," she half asked but waited for no response, "When I call your names you will step forward and be guided to your bed. Once that is out of the way, your next destination is the bath and care house. Now, do any of you have any questions?" she held her hands behind her back, chin high while facing ahead.
For seconds that felt like hours, nothing was said, not even a peep, but then those damned chains clinked together again, only lightly before the most sheepish and wispy of voices broke the silence in the room.
"Are you all... Human?" the woman looked between the maids and then Ada and Arabella.
"Yes, we are," Arumina gave her one, solemn nod.
"Them two?" still quite shy in her motions, she pointed straight at Ada and Arabella.
"Do not point at your Lady in such a diminishing manner!" the headmaid practically growled, "We are no longer in Lustris, but while the rules and laws are lot laxer here, you will do well to remember your places,"
Their already grim faces couldn’t have fallen any further, but it appeared Arumina was a miracle worker in her own category.
The tributes’ eyes locked on the ground and remained there until Arabella’s voice broke the tension that seemed to tug at their necks.
"There is no need for that, please," she took a deep breath, "You are all safe here and know that you are kept here for that purpose. Nightwalkers don’t usually ask for permission before taking what they want," her voice dimmed a tad around the end.
"So technically, they aren’t so different from mankind in that aspect," Ada scoffed.
"That is fair," the chuckle that came out of Arabella was quite light.
"How come you married a vampire if you are human?" a squeaky little voice came from the shortest woman in the bunch.
"Oh, my word! Please forgive her! She is of lowly birth and has not been in the presence of higher classes for all that long," A taller and clearly older woman than the previous hastened to remedy whatever cracks she believed the other girl to have made.
Before the stern looking Arumina could say a thing, Arabella beat her to the mark, "Do you two know each other?"
The older woman’s chin trembled as her lips parted for no words to come out in the end. Although some seemed to reach her mouth eventually, "We... We hail from the same village, my Lady,"
The woman’s traits were kind despite her disheveled outlook. Her motherly instinct and need to protect the younger girl came as no surprise to Arabella.
"It is quite kind of you to take care of your own, even in a place and situation such as this one. What is your name?"
"Aya, my Lady," she bowed respectfully, "And this young one is Renia,"
"Those are such lovely names,"
What surprised Arabella, however, was the ease with which she managed to speak with the woman.
Perhaps it was her warm and loving demeanor that softened it all.
In any case, the young woman was imbued with a renewed, much stronger drive to help those people to the best of her ability.
"Rest well tonight," Arabella’s voice rose again, "Tomorrow we will be seeing each other again. You will be able to ask me all of the questions that swirl your minds. Have no fear at all for you will be cared for and I dare say far better than you have ever been in your homes,"