An invitation from Archduchess Windsor (1)

''Your majesty, please stretch out your shoulders.''

''Your majesty, please stand straighter.''

''Your majesty…''

In the empress's bed chamber, Valerie could be seen taking and noting down the measurement of rose's body. Her gaze was serious and burned with fiery flames of determination.

''For this, this empress wants the sleeves to be a bit lengthy and very free….'' While the pumped up seamstress was taking the measurements, Rose was staring at the sketches on the papers held up by a maid.

''As your majesty wishes. Is there anything else your majesty wants to add to the other sketches?'' Valerie probed, hanging the paper strip around her neck, finished with the measurement.

''No, everything is perfect.'' Amethyst eyes flashed in approval. To think she had found a real diamond soiled in the dirt of soil and mistaken as a rough one.

These sketches that Valerie had done for were very unique and more to her liking. Rose also noticed the little similarities between them and styles of her modern era.

Perhaps this was the reason that she found the sketches pleasing to the eyes.

 ''Then have a good day your majesty.'' Seeing that there was no issue with the sketches that she had drawn for the empress, Valerie withdrew respectfully from the bed chambers with her lips silently quirking up.

'I must make her majesty very proud.' Outside the bed chamber, the young lady inwardly pumped her fists, determined to make the empress more and more satisfied with her. She didn't want the empress to regret ever taking her in as her seamstress.

''Her majesty has a good insight. Long sleeves fits this more…'' She murmured to herself, looking at the sketches in her hand. These were from inspiration and some were just mindless sketches yet the empress seemed to like them more than she imagined.

To think the empress preferred dresses like these. Valerie recalled how the red-haired had outrightly told her that she hated wearing corsets and crinoline daily. These were undergarments that noble ladies loved as it would give them that perfect tiny waist and figure. However, the empress seemed to hate them for some reason.

'I should look for more inspiration.' Valerie planned, unaware of someone purposely coming her way.

''Ugh…''

''Hmph! You can't even watch where you're going. This shows how much the imperial palace isn't for lowly commoners like you.''

''....'' Wordlessly, Valerie watched how the rude maid walked past her with her nose stuck up in the air. The latter didn't even apologize for purposely bumping into her.

''We're both commoners though…'' She mumbled to herself. The maid was at a distance unable to hear her words.

Ever since she and her family started to live in the empress palace a few weeks ago, Valerie had always told herself that she must not cause any trouble for the empress. Though her eyes had noticed somethings, she did not put her nose where it belonged and kept her opinions to herself.

Her duty was to make dresses for the empress.

Nothing more and Nothing less.

Even if a particular maid had always been causing her trouble like this. It was the same maid that had yelled and laughed her on the day she presented her handmade dresses to the empress.

''Elder sister….''

''Vance!'' At the sight of her younger brother, Valerie's eyes lit up and she hastened her steps towards him. If there was one thing she appreciated the empress, it would be the tremendous help she had given to her family.

Valerie could never imagine that her younger brother would be wearing fine aristocratic clothes looking so neat, impeccable and handsome.

He had also gained a lot of weight on his sunken cheeks and Valerie could have sworn that his height had increased once again. At this rate, her younger brother would soon surpass her height, and it has just been a few weeks since they had started to live in the empress palace.

''I just finished from her majesty….''

''Elder sister, are you okay?'' Her words were cut off by the question from her brother.

''….Why do you ask?'' Detecting a certain edge in his voice, Valerie carefully asked, observing the changes on his face.

''You have been enduring that maid's bullying since we started to live here.''

''Vance….''

''I remember writing to you that I had gotten a job as a gardener in the baron's family. Why didn't you believe my words? Because of me and father, you had to leave the village and find your way to the imperial capital. Father and I had not heard from you for months and we had been very worried.''

''Vance….'' Too stunned to speak, Valerie watched as her younger brother expressed his frustration with tightly fisted hands.

''I am happy that you got employed here, Elder sister. But this is the imperial palace. We will be in the public eyes and a little mistake can risk our lives. What if the empress doesn't find your dresses appealing anymore? What if we offend those nobles? You know how the baron always looked down on us in the village…..''

''Vance.'' In a clipped tone, Valerie called out, hoping that her brother would say no more.

''But….''

''Vance, this is the imperial palace.''

''....'' Feeling unreconciled, Vance bit his lower lip, lowering his gaze in anger. This was one of the reasons why he did not like his elder sister working here.

No matter what, they would have to be more restrained and careful of their actions because they were now closer to the emperor and the empress.

A single mistake could also cost their lives, and Vance hated how the feeling of death always hung around him.

''Vance, I know this new phase of our lives might be frustrating, but haven't you noticed how father has been smiling more since we started to live here?''

''....''

''Even though he works as a gardener, he seems to enjoy the job and I want to keep that smile on permanent on his face.''

''....''

''And her majesty isn't like what you think, Vance.''

''...''

''You are officially starting your duties as her majesty's butler today correct?''

''…..Yes.''

''Then let me know what you think of her majesty.'' Valerie said with a smile. ''I have a lot of work to do for her majesty. We will more talk more of this at home, Vance.'' Saying this, Valerie patted his shoulder like a goodbye and walked past him down the hallway.

She understood what her younger brother was worried about. Ever since he was young, he had always talked about he would be the one to change their lives from poverty. He always fantasized loudly how he would make a lot of money and bring them out of that village.

When she had taken the decision to travel to the imperial capital and find a job, her brother had been vehemently against it. However, she had gone against his wishes and left him all alone to take care of their father.

It would have been hard on a ten-year-old, but Valerie had always known that her younger brother was more capable than his age

This decision had greatly soured their sibling relationship, but Valerie had hoped that he would have understood why she had to do this.

Their mother had died from starvation during the great wars. She didn't want the same to happen to their father who had started showing symptoms of an illness.

'I hope you won't be ungrateful, Vance.' Sighing to herself, Valerie prayed that her brother wouldn't do anything that would anger the empress.

****

'My face has been stung so many times….' Taking a sip of her tea, Rose sensed the familiar unwilling stare of her new butler named Vance, the younger brother of Valerie.

'It's almost like raising a vigilant cat.' She compared the little boy to a stray brown cat that had injured her back when she was living in the orphanage.

The cat had always stared at her so vigilantly like she had done something very wrong against it. Even when she had wanted to give the skinny animal food, it would have rather gnash his claws against her than to eat her food.

''Is your majesty in need of more tea?''

''No, this is empress is full.'' Rose denied his question , putting down her tea cup and relaxing her body on the soft cushions of the chair. With eyes on the beautiful sight of nature, she enjoyed the sensation of the wind caressing her face in the pavilion situated in the heart of the garden of the empress palace.

Closing her eyes in satisfaction, rose took the smoking pipe on the table and started her daily dosage of smoking.

'Perfect.'

Rose was very pleased with the silence around her. No disturbing murmurs of maids, No sight of the main characters.

Just herself and a vigilant cat.

''Your majesty.''

''....''

'I spoke too soon.' With a subtle frown, her eyebrows twitched at the voice of Leanna. The maid knew better than to disturb her peace. Leanna would only come for her when something was in dire need of her attention.

''There is a letter from Her excellency, Archduchess Windsor.''

>Enjoy!<