Beauty and A Beast

Part 5

A week had passed and Chidori had yet to see the Master. Mr and Mrs. Brinewald were back and she knew that the master had company almost every other night. She now knew to stay away those days and even then she somehow avoided him when she utilized the library.

The morning after she had stumbled across him interlocked with a brothel worker, his tray had been taken and eaten, the book she had left as well was gone.

Days had gone by and she had fallen into a routine of where she served him and when he had fallen ill was the last that she had seen of Master. She was not relieved but quite the opposite as she felt hurt. She couldn't explain it as she felt lonely and sad that no one would have the Master so he had to resort to paying women for their company.

While Edna had been saying something to her, she gave her a parcel as Chidori quickly opened it. Inside was a brand new hearing box. And it was a newer version. She looked at Edna who had a stern look on her face but she had become accustomed to the looks. Edna only had two facial expressions, distaste and anger. Her distaste face meant that she approved and her anger face was when Chidori had done something wrong. Right now she had a mix of distaste but her mouth twitched and Chidori tried the box on. She could hear once more and smiled brightly as she turned to Edna.

"I take it the Young Master got it correct?" She asked Chidori and she smiled brightly at the other woman. When her hearing box had broken, she knew it would be costly to purchase a new one as hers had been years old. She was lucky enough her father had saved the money to buy her one and the fact that she clumsily broke the item, she had to think twice.

"I believe you ought to thank the Young Master." Edna said as she gave Chidori a tray of tea with snacks. It was close to supper time and she knew supper was the Master's version of breakfast. Nodding her head at Edna, she took the tray and made her way to his study. This day, she knew he should not have company and found the door as she knocked twice, before entering.

The young master was at his desk as he was looking over papers, his mane of hair covering his face as he did not glance up. She placed the tray on the desk and poured him a cup of tea and he still did not glance up. She stood in front of his desk, watching him as he was so in tune with his paperwork, he did not spare her a glance as she tried her best to say, "Thank you."

He froze, his hand pausing as she could see the motion of his head move and knew that he was looking at her from the dim light and him hiding behind his hair. His jaw clenched and mouth twitched as he glared at her and Chidori smiled at him as she had done the sign for Thank you.

His lips were moving and she couldn't catch what he was saying as he whispered. When she smiled at him instead, he said in a louder voice, "I thought I forbade you from coming in." He said, the hearing box picking up his voice.

Chidori played with her fingers as she nodded at him and continued to smile, not letting him see her flinch. She wouldn't let him scare her or bully her into submission because she understood. She had never been one to disobey anyone that she had worked for but with Master, she defied him and she wasn't quite sure why. He was her Master and he could have let her go if he wanted but she knew he most likely didn't have many options as well.

It was like they were having a battle of wills as they watched each other and Chidori was not planning on breaking their gaze as she had trained herself to smile and challenge others. With years of having a disability she let others insult her and let them bully her as they found ammunition to try and hurt her with words. She had taught herself to smile because she let that become her armor as she wouldn't give those people the satisfaction in hurting her. Sometimes it did, but she would not let them know that and in that instance she may have been afraid a bit but just like she had her armor, he had his.

Master broke their gazes as he dismissed her and she left his study, feeling a satisfaction in knowing that he just learned that he couldn't bully or scare her just like he most likely did with everyone else.

On the way back to he duties she passed by Mr. Brineweld who have her a curt nod of his head and she smiled back at him. 

***

Mama, Papa, Ken,

It has been two weeks working at the Manor and I am doing well. The Master here takes care of us and I am well fed if I do my duties. The head maid though she is stern is very kindhearted and has two sons who are currently serving in the Army. Are the Amerins afraid of another war, I do not know but I hope they are safe. Soon, I would be back home and I awfully miss you all. Please tell Ken I will be home soon. Stay well and take care.

Sincerely,

Your Chidori

In the two weeks that she had been at Vanderpool Manor, she had made an unspoken friendship with Edna and she saw her as another stern mother. Though she had only many facial expressions, she always chided her when she had gotten the few things wrong. But when she had things right, she chided her regardless and Chidori was starting to wonder if that was just how the older woman expressed her feelings. Just like the residents of the manor, everything was dark and brooding yet it still had its charm.

Chidori continued on with leaving Master's food on the cart outside his study and she was getting used to the fact that he wasn't hiding from her any longer and he was actually up and about as soon as the sun had set. She wanted to talk to Master but he was adamant on her not bothering him and she had to remind herself that he was her employer and they weren't friends. Though she was used to those often shunning her or pretending someone who looked as healthy and normal as her didn't have a disability, she disliked when others judged her based on the fact that she was partially mute and was hard of hearing. That didn't stop her from getting what she wanted or what she needed done. And that was why she was refusing to back down when her employer seemed to undermine her. She would show him that she was as normal as they came.