“As a maid?” Ludwick failed to contain his laughter. “Sorry miss, but not only do I not remember hiring anyone for the position, I highly doubt someone who looks like she’d slept on a cargo train would be a good fit.”

I angrily brushed off specs of sawdust from my clothes.

“A person should be judged by their abilities, not their appearance. You of all people should know that.”

I immediately regretted my words, as the man's smile vanished.

“Listen, I was willing to play along because frankly, I was bored. But you are getting dangerously close to crossing a line-”

“What’s going on?” A female voice called out.

It was her. She wore travel clothes, and a long coat, a few sizes too big that had slid off her shoulder. She ran a hand through her purple hair, which shimmered with reflections of pink and blue in the sunlight, bushing back the few stray strands that had fallen over her eyes. Words in ‘Summer Flowers’ had failed to encompass the full extent of her beauty; she was the goddess Aphrodite herself, and I was Paris, hopelessly in love and ready to give my life for her.

My eyes wandered lower, to the fitting of her trousers. But it seemed that karma had gotten to me before I had had the time to make any inappropriate observations, as I suddenly felt the ground disappear beneath my feet. I had taken a few small steps back when Ludwig had started threatening me, and it seemed I had gotten too distracted to stop.

It was all happening in slow motion, perhaps because this was my second time on death’s door. I had to pull my eyes away from Lady June to look at the train rushing towards me. It whistled at me, promising me a swift death with its wordless song. But that was fine. I was at peace now, as even though I hadn’t been able to save June, I was at least blessed with her sight before my second death.

But the train never hit me, nor did I hit the rails.

I was violently yanked back onto the platform, and pressed against my saviour, as I felt the metal (and perhaps somewhat disappointed in its failure at murdering me) beast, rush past behind me.

My saviour smelt nice, like an autumn forest, with the faintest hint of expired alcohol-rich cologne underneath it. Her breasts were soft, like – I didn’t have anything romantic to compare them to, but once the threat of falling under a train had become somewhat less imminent, I did allow myself to press further into them.

“Don’t make yourself too comfortable.” The voice of my saviour snapped me back to my senses.

That moment of lucidity did not last, as the second I lifted my eyes, I was greeted with the face of the most beautiful woman in the world; by poor Lady June.

“I won’t let you die, I promise,” I swore, quietly enough for only her to hear.

“So far it looks like I’ve been doing most of the saving.” She replied with a smile.

An amused smile, not the soft smile one would share with a lover or even a friend. But that was alright, I was going to get there with her, as having seen how that simple flexure of her lips illuminated the whole world, I was going to make damn sure it would remain on her face.

“That is because you have not hired me!” I attempted to jokingly save the situation.

“Oh?” Lady June raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

“Yes, and we are not going to do so. So be on your way.” Ludwick gestured in the opposite direction of the mansion.

Lady June looked like she was going to agree with him. So, I had to put my foot in the door, figuratively speaking:

“Let’s not be rash, you’ll need aids – I mean helping hands around the house. And I know for a fact that his majesty Basil Harvard has not sent any. How do you plan on cleaning-”

“And how do you know that?” Ludwick asked his expression once again becoming menacing. Although, not as much as before, perhaps as he tried not to show his bad side to June.

Lady June observed the scene with great interest, her scarred hand, hidden by a glove, over her hip. I needed to prove myself to her, I knew that if she saw me stand up to her childhood friend and one of the strongest people she knew, she would believe in me. I did have one card up my sleeve in regards to his true identity, which of course Lady June knew nothing of, but I was not going to use it so soon. I needed to earn more of her trust first because although I had a solid way of proving what he was to her, I needed to make sure we could still remain by each other’s side after the reveal.

“You do not need to know the details, but I have intercepted a communication from the king to the duke.” I proudly stated.

“What duke?” Ludwick wasn’t buying it.

“You ask as if there were multiple.”

“Well, lady Volgrad is married, and who knows, perhaps you have also intercepted information about another, secret, duke?”

Lady June smirked, and I frowned. It almost sounded as if he knew something I didn’t, which was impossible considering how many times I’ve read ‘Summer Flowers’. No, I realised, he was trying to trick me.

“There is no secret duke, the same way there will be no staff to help you around the house unless you hire me,” I stated.

The people unloading the crates gave me a weird look as I pronounced those words, but resumed work as soon as Lady June raised both eyebrows at them, encouraging them to get moving. I realised all too late I should not be disclaiming the state of disarray this dukedom was in. But I could only move on from there.

Yet, there was a lack of response from both parties. I needed to take more decisive measures, measures that I had only dared to take once when I got hired at my current working place.

“Hence, I declare myself your new maid.”

Lady June chortled, and Ludwick looked at me in disbelief.

“Then, where will my quarters be?” I pushed the boldness even further.