Chapter 2 : Beatrice

"Psst...hey, Vivi, what do you think about the sudden visiting of the Duke?" Harriet nudges, while Vivian just shook her head as a reply.

"I don't know...does the duke rarely visit his own home..?"

"What do you mean his own home? He doesn't live here!" The maid with twin braids butted in, the red haired maid getting uncomfortable by the sudden close contact.

Vivian slowly backed away from the two, getting a decent space for her to speak. "The Young Mistress lives here..so why wouldn't he live under the same roof with his daughter?" she questioned, earning a look that said "who are you and why don't you know anything" from the two.

"Don't you know about the situation with the Duke's family?" The maid with twin braids shrieked, shock filled her face before walking towards her once more. "What Anne said!" Harriet said at the side.

"You see...The Young Mistress we currently serve is rumored to be an illegitimate child of the duke..and the duchess refuses to live in the same house with her...she even dragged in their son du--" Anne, the twin braid maid was cut off in the middle of explaining the situation by the one and only head maid.

"Anne, I think the reason why I sent you to these two was to get help for the kitchen...I don't remember ordering you to gossip with them." The Head maid coldly said, glaring at the three that made them shiver in fear.

"SNJSBDJSBSJ" Anne passed out in fear, Harriet catching her while her mouth foamed with bubbles...well not exactly.

'I can even see her heart pump in and out of her chest' Vivian thought, 'she must be that scared at the Head Maid'.

"Harriet, bring Anne to the kitchen and get her a glass of water. While you there, go prepare the Young Mistress." The Head maid ordered, Vivian curtly bowed at them before going to the room the child. The Manor wasn't that big but it was elegant and neat to be considered a noble's home...so that's why Vivian didn't have a hard time memorizing main parts of it.

"Geez...does she really dislike me that much to the point where she can just address me as 'You'?" The red head mutters, rubbing the back of her neck...she used to do this whenever she's annoyed or stressed back when she was still Adeleine.

'I guess old habits do die hard..'

Finally arriving upon the Young Mistress' bedroom, she softly knocked.

A few minutes of silence passed before a small come in was heard from the room, Vivian entered quietly, looking around the dark room with no servants residing apart from the owner herself.

"Young Mistress...I'll help you get ready for dinner." the maid said, earning a small hum from the girl that sat quietly on her bed. Perhaps she noticed her so-called father, is visiting.

Opening the lights, Vivian walked towards the child's wardrobe, looking at the plain dresses that hung in it.

"Young Mist-"

"Beatrice. Call me Beatrice instead." The girl suddenly said with a bitter smile. "Don't call me Young Mistress, it doesn't suit a commoner like me.." she continued...fidgeting with the hems of her nightgown.

Vivian pondered for a bit, hesitating whether she should do it or not.

"I-I will make sure that Maria won't hit you!" The child fumbles, her adorable cheeks tinted with red due to embarrassment.

Sitting next to the child, Vivian rested the dress she chose on her lap. "Why would you think you're someone of a lowly status?" she asked.

"W-well...the maids..talk about me being a bastard..child of the Duke...and..I'm much more lowly than dirt.." Beatrice explained, trying not to let the tears that's filling her eyes fall. Vivian frowned at the sight, feeling pity for the child that's experiencing something so crucial while she's still young.

Gently wrapping her arms around the child, she said, "Now now...don't think about the nonsense the maids are talking about..you're a precious jewel that will shine much more than them." making the child burst into tears.

'I admit that was something pretty cringey by me...but that was all that I could think of!'

Vivian slowly let go of Beatrice, no matter how much she wanted to comfort the child, they can't let the Duke wait for long.

...no matter how much of a bastard father he was...he could behead them right away if he wanted to.

'GODDAMN! If we we're in the 21st century I would've cut his [beep] into pieces!'

"So..Young-"

"Beatrice."

"I mean Beatrice...does no one usually help you dress yourself?" Vivian asked, neatly braiding the golden locks of the child. Styling hair was one of her skills she had acquired during the times she worked in a salon.

She had encountered all kinds of hair types yet not one can rival Beatrice's healthy golden hair that shone brightly.

'Golden Locks...and twinkling ocean blue eyes...reminds me of the Villainess from the novel I read before.'

Adding one final touch, Vivian proudly smile at her own creation.

"Woah! Vivi! It looks so pretty!" The child complimented, twirling her dress around, Beatrice then hopped off the chair. Smiling as if she didn't cry half an hour ago.

"Promise me you'll start doing my hair and pick pretty dresses for me!" Beatrice practically jumped around, like any normal six year old would do.

Vivian reached down to her level and held out her pinky, a small smile decorated on her face while the child looked at her curiously. "what's that?" the child asked, tilting her head a bit.

"It's a pinky promise, we used to do it back in our hometown whenever we're making promises at each other. Here.." The maid explained, clinging hers onto the child's pinky. "then we recite our full names and stick our thumb together to fulfill it." she added.

"Ooh...so..I, Beatrice Adora Amiel, promise to be a good kid to Vivian!" Beatrice said, understanding the concept quickly.

Vivien froze for a moment, as if getting soaked with a bucket full of ice water..she realized who the child is and what her situation was..

The child, Beatrice Adora Amiel, was the Villainess from the novel named "Wisteria" it told a story about the two lovers who met under the wisteria tree..

Beatrice, The Villainess, was fated to die under the hands of the male lead, while the servants from the manor she lived in was executed first before her eyes.

Vivian, was one of the unfortunate servants, that got executed..

"Huh? Vivian...? Are you okay..?" the girl asked, tugging on the Maid's skirt, getting no response. "Vivian!" Beatrice yelled, her voice echoing through the empty hallway.

If the Head Maid was with them, they would never hear the end of it..

"Oh? Huh? Sorry?" Vivian mutters, looking around. "You've been spacing out for a while now!" the child explained.

The Maid's hand gently held the girl's tiny hand, a small smile forced on her face. "I'm alright, it's just a small headache." she said, trying to reassure the worried child.