The soft twittering of birds stirred Seraphina from her sleep, their cheerful melodies weaving through the fabric of her dreams. With a tired sigh, she reluctantly emerged from beneath the covers, the morning light filtering through the curtains to illuminate the room in a soft glow. Seraphina sighed pulling a pillow over her face. The feathers tickled her nose. She had stayed up too late and thought too hard about today. Her stomach rumbled and she turned to her side. The thought of breakfast being the same as dinner made her groan. A few minutes later the door opened and Seraphina turned to see both Eve and Susan enter the room. 

As the door creaked open, Seraphina's attention was drawn to the figures of Eve and Susan, their presence signaling the start of a new day. "Good morning, your grace," Susan's voice rang out, punctuating the quiet stillness of the room. A groan erupted from Seraphina’s chest. She turned and curled on the bed burrowing underneath the blankets. “I was able to talk to Elijah the red haired man from yesterday. He seemed...perplexed about your request for breakfast,”

With a sudden surge of curiosity, Seraphina cast aside her drowsiness, sitting up to peer through the now-opened curtains. The morning light bathed the room in a soft golden hue, casting shadows that danced across the walls, as if heralding the promise of a new day filled with possibility.

"Will breakfast be ready soon?" Seraphina's voice bubbled with anticipation, her stomach already rumbling in anticipation of the forthcoming meal.

"He mentioned heading to the kitchen," Eve replied, a hint of excitement in her tone. Seraphina's thoughts immediately drifted to the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked empanadas, her mouth watering at the mere thought. Oh or what if it is an omelet, imagine with spinach and mushrooms. She couldn’t help her thoughts drift towards her favorite meal.

"Then let's not keep him waiting," Seraphina declared, a mischievous grin playing on her lips as she bounded out of bed. With eager steps, she made her way to the bathroom, her senses greeted by the familiar scents of potions and soaps. Amidst the array of fragrances, she selected a few that evoked the refreshing essence of salted grapefruit, a delightful prelude to the morning ahead.

Susan moved with practiced precision, deftly handling the heated stone and lowering it into the waiting tub. Seraphina observed with fascination as wisps of steam began to rise from the water's surface, creating a mesmerizing dance in the air.

"Does the stone ever run out?" Seraphina inquired, her curiosity piqued as she peered into the depths of the tub. Upon closer examination, she noticed a crimson ring adorned with intricate symbols pulsating on the stone's surface.

"The heating stone is replenished once a month by a mage who charges it with new fire spirits," Susan explained. She fished for a ladle underneath the tub and deftly removed the stone from the water, cradling it in a protective bag adorned with similar symbols. 

"Spirits?" Seraphina eased into the warm water, feeling it's comforting embrace as it surrounded her. The concept of mana and elemental spirits was familiar to her through the fantasy books of her youth.

"Yes, they are the essence that flows through all things. We refer to them as spirits, categorized into four elements: water, fire, air, and earth," Susan explained, her voice carrying a wealth of knowledge as she continued her work preparing a warm towel, her back turned to Seraphina.

As Seraphina began to lather herself with the soap, she pondered the origin of the heating stone and its connection to the fire spirits. "So, we imbue the spirits into it because of the symbols?”

“No, the stone is from the Volcanoes of Phuia with fire spirits already imbued. The circle keeps the magic there and helps strengthen them.” Thoughts of little creatures stuck in a cage working against their will filled her thoughts.

“Are they alive?” Her voice quivered a bit at the thought, it seemed like an awful thought forcing these creatures to be stuck far from their home. Susan paused and turned to her a small smile playing on her lips.

"No, think of it as being a smaller piece of a bigger picture. The stone harnesses the natural energy of fire spirits, and the magic circle enhances their connection, ensuring a steady and efficient source of warmth for our baths," Susan clarified. They sat in silence as Susan turned, finishing warming the towel and moved to wash Seraphina’s hair. “You have strange thoughts today?” She murmured and Seraphina looked up at the maid.

From this close proximity, Seraphina could discern every intricate detail of Susan's face. Her maid's eyes, a glacial shade of blue akin to a frozen lake, held a depth that seemed to reflect the mysteries of the icy depths. The contours of Susan's oval face tapered gracefully into a defined jawline and chin, reminiscent of the classic English jawline. Her cheeks weren’t as hollowed as her sisters but instead she had a puckered fresh scar underneath her chin as if something sharp was poked repeatedly there. As their gazes met, Susan quickly averted her eyes, immersing herself in the task of preparing the hair oils. Seraphina couldn't help but wonder about the thoughts swirling behind Susan's cool exterior.

“Sometimes asking what’s on your mind is the only way to know?” She closed her eyes as Susan finished with the oils allowing Seraphina to dunk her head again and stand. She dried herself and slipped on a robe. 

"Sometimes, asking what's on your mind is the only way to truly understand," Seraphina mused softly, her words hanging in the air as Susan finished with the oils. Seraphina submerged her head once more before rising from the bath. With a gentle pat, she dried herself off and slipped into a robe, heading to the closet.

As they walked out Susan grabbed at the outfit laying on the bed. It was a simple lavender skirt with a petticoat and a button up shirt tied at the neck. Seraphina smiled as it reminded her of a Edwardian cosplayer. Her stomach grumbled, prompting her to get dressed quickly.

“I’m famished,” Seraphina took one last look around her room and saw the letters poking out underneath her pillow. With a quick flourish she pocketed them into the pouch around her waist and they walked to the kitchen.