Getting ready, Eve stepped out of her room with a yawn escaping from her mouth. Though she wasn't a human but a mermaid, she needed some rest, which she couldn't have as she had been out with Vincent till late midnight, and after that, she had to make sure to wake Rosetta up.
As she walked in the corridor, she heard the door to Allie's room open, and out stepped the little vampiress and a maid who had helped the small girl in getting ready.
"Miss Eve!" Allie turned excited, seeing Eve there.
"Good morning, Allie. Did you sleep well?" Eve asked the little one, who nodded but stared at her. Feeling Allie's stare, Eve wondered if something had happened. "Everything good?"
The maid offered a bow to Eve and walked away from the corridor, leaving the two of them alone in the corridor. Allie looked enamoured with the way her governess looked. In the small girl's eyes, the woman looked no less like an angel, not to mention she even had powers to heal. She complimented, "Your hair is beautiful. You look beautiful, Miss Eve," and then blushed for being so straightforward about it.
Eve returned Allie's compliment with a kind smile and touched the crown braidings on one side of her head, "Thank you very much, Allie. You look lovely yourself."
The small girl fiddled with her fingers before meekly asking, "Can you—Can you do that for me too?"
Slightly taken aback, Eve confirmed with the girl, "You mean the hairstyle?" And Allie enthusiastically nodded. "Sure. Would you like me to do it now or after breakfast?"
"Now…" Allie replied shyly.
"Alright then, let us get you back to the room," Eve led Allie to her room and made the young girl sit on the bed and she sat next to the girl.
Eve noticed how excited Allie appeared to be with the thought of having the same hairstyle as her. Seeing this, it warmed her heart that the small vampiress held that innocence without getting lost in a mansion like this.
Taking the comb, Eve combed the vampiress's hair, moving it one section at a time before braiding the two sides of her head and secured it with pins. Eve made sure not to make it too tight and keep it slightly loose so that the little one would not feel her hair strands pulling her scalp. Once done, she pulled two pieces of her hair near the temple before letting it rest.
Allie's eyes shone with excitement and she turned to Eve and hugged her tightly, "Thank you, Miss Eve. It looks as lovely as you."
"I would say it is much better than mine," Eve hugged the little girl back, gently stroking Allie's small back.
Allie closed her eyes as she continued to hug Eve. The little vampiress didn't know why, even though they weren't blood-related, there was something very warm about her governess. Her parents were busy attending and catering to the people of the high society, while her brother was busy with work, and her sister, she didn't spend time with her like this. Slowly pulling away from her governess, she looked up at Eve to meet her eyes and asked,
"Miss Eve?"
"Yes?" Eve gently asked with a question in her eyes.
Allie looked slightly troubled, but she tried to get her thoughts out and asked, "Can I… call you as my sister?"
Eve was taken aback by the small girl's request, as this was something she hadn't expected. She stared at Allie before replying, "I don't think your family would appreciate it." By family, she was referring to Marceline, who had built hate towards her that she didn't know existed.
Allie's shoulders slumped and said, "Brother Vince told me that, there are important relations, more than the ones that tie you with blood. Some that are connected by heart, and if I feel it is important, then I must treasure them…" Her small voice trailed before it picked up, and the small vampiress said, "When I grow up, I hope to be like you… like sister Eve," she looked at Eve with her big red eyes.
Eve knew she had her shortcomings but hoped she would be better at things than she was yesterday. She smiled at Allie and said, "You can call me your sister."
Hearing Eve's words, Allie beamed. Soon they left the room and made their way towards the dining room.
When everyone arrived at the dining room to have breakfast together, most of them appeared happy for different reasons.
Eve had a good time with Vincent the previous night. Though she was sleepy, she couldn't help herself from yawning, her chest felt full after Vincent had uttered the three beautiful words to her. Before him, she had believed that she would die all alone while trying to protect herself from being found out.
Allie was excited with her new hairstyle, which elevated the small vampiress's mood, where she suddenly felt like she had turned into an adult. Rosetta was still giddy on the other side of the table that Eugene had sent her a balm to apply on her palms. His kind heart won her where he didn't judge how she looked or where she came from. She knew soon she and her beloved would set sail in the sunset. She blushed, remembering the time they had spent together as they worked.
Next to Rosetta sat her mother, Lady Aurora, who looked more arrogant than ever. After all, she had trapped Vincent Moriarty so that he would marry her daughter. With their alliance to Moriarty, their wealth and status would soon move higher than others in high society.
Then there was Marceline, who couldn't wait to catch the person who had healed her little sister's to regrow her fangs. Picking up the teacup next to her, she sipped on the blood tea. Marceline knew that it was only a matter of time when the sun's rays would touch Skellington, and the person would be exposed to her. Either through tea gossip, the physician, or worse, in the newsletter.
"Viscount Eduard," Lady Aurora started at the table, "About the soiree that I mentioned yesterday regarding the announcement of Vincent and Rosetta's wedding, have you chosen a date?"
Viscount Eduard pursed his lips, and his gaze shifted to his son, who was smearing jam on his bread and asked, "Vincent, have you picked a date?"
Vincent looked up from the bread and offered a charming smile to Lady Aurora, "I was guessing you already, considering you planned framing me and everything else."
Lady Aurora chuckled before it turned into a slight sneer. She replied, "I was thinking of holding it in two days. Why wait, when we have everything ready?" She turned to Rosetta and said, "Your dress will be brought here by the seamstress, make sure you see if the fitting is fine. As it is a combined soiree, it would be good to have the parchment scrolls sent out to the people with both our family's names on it. What do you think?" She asked the Moriartys.
Marceline was the most enthusiastic one, and she responded, "I say it is a very thoughtful thing to do, Lady Aurora. After all, our family is going to be unified."
Marquee Hooke turned to Viscount Eduard and Lady Annalise, "We don't want to cause any trouble, Viscount. A smooth soiree where we all are in agreement."
"Of course, Marquee Hooke," Viscount Eduard offered a business-like smile. After all, he was there when Vincent had sealed the deal with his blood.
Lady Aurora then looked at the lowly human, who continued to sit at the same table as her and her family for meals. She offered, "As Ms. Barlow is an esteemed governess and well educated, she can help write the invitation for the soiree. What do you think, Ms. Barlow?" She offered a cunning smile.
Eve stared at the Marchioness, "I have to teach Allie today, and I am sure you will find many others who will be willing to do the job," she offered a slight bow to the Marchioness.
"What a pity, Rose. Your friend isn't ready to help you in your wedding and you call her a friend," Lady Aurora softly harrumphed.
"A more important role before a friend is of a mother, Lady Aurora. I hope you will enjoy writing the invitations for your only daughter," Eve's words were polite, but this angered Lady Aurora glared at her.
"How dare you talk to me in such a tone? Your education makes you think you are superior than me," Lady Aurora stood up from her seat, not liking being disrespected and spoken back to. "I don't want to share meals with this lowly human. Either she leaves or my family will not have breakfast and I don't know what will come next."
The room turned tense, and Vincent remarked, "She might be no one to you, Lady Aurora, but she is still Allie's governess."
"My sister," Allie added, with her eyebrows furrowed.
Marceline rolled her eyes, "I am your only sister, Allie. Don't mix human blood into our family."
Allie pursed her lips and muttered, "You have it too." Vincent couldn't help but be proud of his little sister, while Marceline's face darkened because it was the truth she didn't want to accept.
Vincent then remarked with a cunning smile, "Lady Aurora, I may be getting married to your daughter, but that doesn't mean that we the Moriartys are going to follow every whim and word of yours. This is my house, and you will follow it without questions. Now, how about we enjoy the meal in peace. If not, I am sure you will find it more satisfying to have your meals in your home than to order in others' houses."
