A group of murmurs were heard as Vinoria made her way down the stairs. She could only guess the topic was political as usual, and wondered what it was about this time. Taxes? Elections? Immigration? When she reached the first floor, the yelling was clearly about the government. She didn’t wish to be in the conversation, but she had a job to do.

The servant took a deep breath, braced herself and approached them. “Pardon me for interrupting.” Vinoria spoke softly as she bowed before the family members, all relaxing in the living room. “The children have been put to sleep.”

“Finally!” Thiago, the second eldest to Frederick, sighed, throwing his hands up into the air. “Hey, Vinoria, come here.” The moment he said that, a lot of the other family members groaned in frustration, knowing what was about to be said.

“Just leave her alone,” complained Athenia, one of the youngest of the siblings. She was trying to stand up for Vinoria, knowing that servants don’t have much of a say in these types of situations.  

“Let’s take Vinoria as an example for what’s happening,” Thiago continued on. “Good work ethic, that is what stops these homeless people from actually getting and keeping jobs! She made it out of poverty and actually works!” 

“It’s not all about just working for the job,” Marcus, the eldest of the three, added. He sat up and leaned forward, looking at his younger brother. “It’s the government that is keeping them down. Not giving them a chance to get out of where they are. Why else do you think poverty never gets fixed? If we really wanted them off the streets, then we have to look at the government. Just give them a chance!” He had a dead serious expression on his face, constantly tapping his finger on the table loudly, trying to get his point across. Thiago was obviously unhappy with Marcus’ counter-argument, and the two began to argue loudly about this topic. This happens every single year. 

“Vinoria should know that more than anyone; wasn’t this stray cat homeless at one point?” Pola, Thiago’s wife, chimed in. Trying to get a reaction out of the servant. 

“Now, there is no need to call her a stray,” Nicholas, husband to Athenia, spoke up in Vinoria’s defense while giving her a comforting smile, “and like Marcus said, ‘give them a chance.’ I bet her family would have benefited well with some help from the government.”

“Why should we be the ones paying for their problems?” Thiago stood up, speaking louder than before. “Their families put them in that situation to begin with, it isn’t our fault. They should get themselves out!”

“How is that fair? I’m sure Vinoria didn't have a choice when she was a kid!” Marcus raised his voice as well, but stayed right in his seat. “Her family probably didn’t have a choice at all! Many families like that don’t!” Marcus’ tapping grew louder and faster, making Thiago even more annoyed. “After all the help you got from Dad, why shouldn’t they get help from their own government.

      Frederick noticied the tension rising as some of the other family members spoke up about the heated topic. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Vinoria, you may step out if you like. I don't think we'll be requiring anything at the moment." 

Vinoria turned to the old man and stared at him for a split second as her mind was trying to process what was being said to her. She hadn’t noticed that her fists were balled up this whole time. Realizing that, she took a breath and swallowed her anger. “It’s alright, sir, I can stay here if that’s what’s needed.” She spoke very softly, controlling her voice so her tone wouldn’t leak out any negative emotions.

“I thought you were a daughter of some farmer.” Pola uttered, once again trying to get a reaction out of Vinoria. “How do you mess that up? A family of farmers going homeless, that is new to me.” She gave a slight chuckle at the idea, which only made it harder for the servant.

“My parents… passed away when… when I was young.” Vinoria mumbled, still trying to control her negative emotions. As memories of her childhood came flooding back, her voice became less firm than usual. She was reminded of how she ran away at the age of 16, having to roam the streets, begging for food, until she was hired as a maid by a rich family. “I didn’t get to finish my… basic education and had to try to find work, and-…” She was then cut off by Lucindia, Marcus’ wife.

“Well, when that happens to us, I am sure Marcus will take care of everything. Seeing he is the oldest, and probably the first on the will.” The proud wife firmly suggested, with a mocking smile towards the rest of the siblings.

“Don’t say stuff like that.” Athenia chimed in, “Dad is fine. Besides, I’m sure he would be fair to all of us and give it to the one who’ll benefit from it most.” She hinted at herself, as they were the youngest family.  

“Yeah, it better be fairly distributed to the ones that’ll benefit from it the most.” Thiago responded, “In case you haven’t noticed, I work from my home, business isn’t booming, and I’m the one that checks on dad more often than anyone here.”

Everyone started to speak in an uproar, 

“Oh I see how it is, it’s our fault you chose a failing business to dive into?!” 

“Stop it with the ‘check on dad the most’, Athenia lives closer to here than you do and she’s the one that checks on dad the most, not you.” 

“Yeah, you don’t even help out with delivering the documents for dad’s studies.” 

“That’s what the younger professors at the universities are for! You’re just lazy! You don’t contribute shit!” 

''Oh look who’s talking!” 

“No, fuck you and your fancy little Ph.D! Just because you have a higher degree than most of us, you think you’re so smart and can talk over all of us?!” 

“I’m also the oldest, and the Ph.D doesn’t prove I’m the smartest, it proves I study the hardest. I put in the work to get things done!” 

“...I think,” As the aggression in the room was getting intense, with everyone at each other’s throats, a lighter, softer voice spoke up. Vinoria, with a gentle smile on her face, spoke to the family. “We should trust in Frederick. Trust that he will manage things properly. He’s done wonderfully so far, there’s no reason to believe that he wouldn’t do so for the will as well.” She bowed in respect of the family, lowering her head to show submission, hoping her words have not overstepped boundaries. 

Everyone agreed with that. Athenia complimented Vinoria on calming everyone down. Nicholas spoke up and insisted that the family should definitely keep this servant around, even after Frederick’s passing.

As the arguments settle with Vinoria’s intervention, Frederick lightly taps his cane on the floor. “Don’t worry about what my will says, just know that it is fair. For everyone.” He said, as he gave a glance at all of his children.

The late evening came soon enough for the Redcrown manor and the family within it. Everyone was asleep in their assigned guest room. Everyone but Frederick and Vinoria.

“Hey, relax.”  The old man told the servant. “You’re too uptight. If you were any more serious, I feel like you’d snap.” The two were sitting on the back porch with warm tea in their hands, looking at the woods and enjoying the sounds of the night. He placed his hand on her shoulder. 

Vinoria looked over and saw his comforting smile. She took a sip of her tea and huffed. Frederick took a sip as well. “Like a violin, with its strings too tight.” He gave an example and chuckled at his own words. The servant smiled, certainly feeling less on edge when it’s just Frederick. 

“Tell me, Vinoria, look to the stars and tell me, what do you see?” The old man gestured at the heavens above, pointing at the sparkling dots that hung over them.

“Stars, just floating there in the empty sky.” Vinoria responded. “I also see the moon, it’s just a big rock from what I remember learning.” She shrugged it off, not thinking too much about it. Frederick sighed a bit and shook his head, giving a light chuckle. 

“They’re not just stars, Vinoria,” Frederick started to say, “The stars were the inspiration for what I created, what everything was built on. They align in certain points in our lives from the day we are born, even to the day we die.” He pauses a moment, gazing into the night sky before continuing to speak. “Everything that we may do, live through, and anything that may happen to us, happens for a reason. They aligned when I made my success for the family, and they will align for you when it’s time as well.” 

Vinoria looked at the old man, with confusion written all over her face. “I am not sure I understand, sir....” But she would love to. She wanted to understand the old man’s work since the day she started working for him. Everything about his studies fascinated her, but she never felt like it was her place to ask him about it. Frederick chuckled when he saw the look on her face, and gave her a pat on her back before continuing.

  “You may not understand it now, but you will as you age or have more experiences in life.” Frederick explained, “Serious attitudes can sometimes cloud the mind from learning the lessons life may give. Don’t limit your mind, and instead allow yourself to learn from everything.”

Vinoria listened to the old man as he spoke, feeling this talk of the stars is more of a reflection of his age than anything. Perhaps he had a point, but the wisdom he presented was just too far beyond her understanding. Still, she took the kindness the man had to offer. 

“Vinoria.” Frederick muttered in a slightly more serious tone, “Thank you, for what you said at that ‘extremely loud debate’ of theirs this evening.” He turned to her, giving her a sincere look of gratitude. 

Vinoria turned her head towards him. Before the servant could speak up about it, Frederick started to get grumpy about the family. He always does when the topic is brought up. It’s not that he wasn’t proud of his children and what they’ve accomplished, but he always knew that they could’ve done better in terms of kindness and contribution.

He wished that he spent more time with them during their childhood, so that they could live and lead them by example. They had their mother that took care of them most of the time, but managing a family was always a two-person job, and Frederick felt like he didn’t pull his weight. 

Eventually, the man stopped after he felt like he rambled enough. Frederick thanked the servant again for being there for him, as he should’ve for his kids. 

“It’s nothing, really.” Vinoria smiled a little as she stared down at the remaining tea in her cup. “I’m just doing my job.” 

“Yes, you are doing your job,” The old man agreed, nodding as he looked into the distance. “But you also help me out quite a lot. In many ways, too. Not just today.” He then looked at her with a cherishing expression, though the servant was too busy looking down to notice it. 

“Whenever I needed to let out some steam, or just… talk to someone. You’re always there to listen.” He said, now patting the servant’s shoulder lightly. “And unlike everyone else that pretends to listen to me, you actually take in what I say, and give me your thoughts and opinions about it.”

Vinoria shrugged and smiled back shyly. “Well, it’s just the thoughts of an ignorant farmer’s daughter. Nothing worth considering.” She dismissed her opinions on the matter.

“Still,” Frederick leaned back and took another sip of his tea, finishing it in one gulp. “You went beyond the requirements of a servant.” His voice was gentle. A few moments passed and the night started to grow cold, too cold for the old man. 

“Enough of this silly talk from an old man.” Frederick brought up, “I think it’s about time I went to bed, wouldn’t you say?” With a slight chuckle, the old man used his cane to get up. “I mean, we have to face my family one more time before this is all over. I would rather be well rested when we kick them out.” He then chuckled once more, before he started to head towards the door, waiting for Vinoria to follow. 

“Or shall we just party til the sun rises? I heard that’s what all the kids are doing nowadays with their alcohol and drugs.” He smirked playfully. “Blasting loud music and annoying their neighbors that live across the streets.” He then turned to the servant. “Are you into that, Vinoria? Do you secretly have fun while I’m out like a light?” 

The woman huffed and shook her head, smiling as she guided the old man to his room. “I don’t party.” She replied, trying to be serious while looking away to hide her wide grin. 

“You do! You do sneak out to party!” Frederick whined. “So that’s where all the money I’ve paid you has gone! You could’ve invited me, I’d pay for that as well! At least let me pay for the drugs!” 

“Let’s get you to bed, sir.” Vinoria replied, huffing as if she was annoyed, but truth be told, she was enjoying this little playful tease from the old man. The two made their way to the master bedroom where Vinoria helped the man change into his sleepwear and tucked him into bed. 

“Before I sleep, let me ask you one thing.” Frederick tried to act serious, but Vinoria has been around enough to see through it. “Who do you go out to parties with? It’s that nurse, Jazmee, isn’t it!?” His smile and laughter came out like a flood, unable to control it anymore. “I knew there was something going on between you two!”

Vinoria rolled her eyes. “Good night, sir.” She smiled and turned towards the door, leaving the old man to rest in his room. 

The woman then made her way down the hallways, heading to her own room. The further she was away from the old man, the more her smile faded, and the more of that negative emotion came rushing back into her mind. All that was echoing in her head was the comments the family made about her and her situation during that heated debate. 

“Their families put them in that situation to begin with, it isn’t our fault. They should get themselves out!”

"Wasn’t this stray cat homeless at one point?"

“I thought you were a daughter of some farmer. How do you mess that up?"

It was infuriating that she couldn’t stop hearing their criticisms repeating in her head. By the time she had passed the servant’s office and was standing in front of her bed, her irritation had grown so much, she had a burst of violence pour out of her. Without restraint, she punched the softest thing on the bed, her pillow, and made a deep dent in it. In that one blow, she released all her anger, but it also made her alert.

Thoughts of the events leading to the debate rushed through her head, only stopping at one moment of the night. The story of the vengeful servant. A shiver fell down her spine as she quickly looked over her shoulder. The feeling of someone watching nearby loomed over her. She looked out her window, and felt safer if it was locked with the curtains closed for the night.