The man in the dark uniform walked a few paces ahead of Zora, his boots crunching steadily on the dirt path as they approached the towering iron gates of the Duke's estate.
He signaled to the soldiers standing at guard, and Zora watched them closely. They were tall, broad shouldered men with sharp spears and swords and armor that looked heavy and expensive.
The man explained to them in a low, quiet voice that Zora was here to apply for a job.
As they spoke, Zora's mind began to wander. She realized that this man clearly worked here at the mansion, but she found herself wondering why he had been so far outside the gates when she first called to him.
It seemed strange for a servant of such a high house to be wandering the outer roads alone, far from his post, but his face gave nothing away.
After a brief conversation, the guards pulled the heavy iron gates open. The sound was deep and metallic, echoing against the stone walls.
Zora stepped inside, her eyes immediately moving across the landscape. She had seen the mansion from a distance, but being inside the walls was a completely different experience.
She was stunned by the sheer mass and beauty of the place. The white stone of the mansion seemed to sparkle in the light, and the gardens were so perfectly kept that they didn't look like nature at all.
Every hedge was trimmed to a precise height, and the flowers were arranged in colors that matched the stone of the house. As she was led toward the back of the mansion, she kept her head turning, trying to see as much as she could.
She was led around the side of the grand building, away from the front steps where the carriages arrived. They entered a wide, paved courtyard where the business of the house was done.
Zora noticed the efficiency of the servants here almost immediately. People were moving in every direction with baskets of laundry, trays of food, and bundles of wood.
No one was standing still or chatting; everyone moved with a purpose that impressed her. It was like a giant machine where every part knew its place.
Waiting for them in the middle of the back courtyard was a woman who stood with her back as straight as a board. She looked to be in her middle years, with a face that was calm and very steady.
Her hair was pulled back into a bun so tight that not a single hair was out of place on her head. This was the head servant, Lilian.
She had been notified of Zora's arrival, and she began to assess the girl the moment she spotted her. Lilian's eyes were sharp, looking over Zora's simple village dress and her travel-worn bag.
"I heard you are here looking for a job," Lilian said, her voice clear and formal. "This is a very busy house, and we only take those who are prepared to work hard. What are your qualifications?"
Zora stood up straight. She was a bit caught off guard by how quickly the questioning started, but she was a smart person and knew how to hold her ground.
"Yes, ma'am," Zora said easily. "I know how to cook and clean. I am a very fast learner, and I am efficient in all my tasks. I am also educated."
She said the last part with a sense of pride. In her village, it was rare for a girl to be able to do more than sign her own name.
Her human parents had made sure she knew how to read and write well, and she was very grateful for that gift. It was a skill that made her feel more capable than the average girl.
Lilian's expression didn't change much, but she gave a slow, thoughtful nod. She turned to a nearby maid and whispered something in her ear.
Even though they were a few feet apart, Zora's vampire hearing picked up the words perfectly. Lilian told the maid to go and call for a Mr. Gerald.
Soon, a man stepped out from one of the back doors. He moved with a stiff, formal grace and had an expression that was completely unreadable.
This was Mr. Gerald, the butler and the head of all the servants in the mansion. He was the one who held the real power over the staff.
He didn't ask Zora any questions about her home or her past. He gave her a single, passive glance, looking at her as if he were checking a piece of furniture for dust.
"You will start as a normal servant today," Mr. Gerald said. His voice was deep and carried a lot of authority. "But if you perform well in a week, you'll be going up to become an attendant."
Even Lilian was a bit taken aback by this news. She looked at Mr. Gerald with a confused expression, clearly wondering why this new girl would be given the chance to be promoted in just a single week.
To become an attendant was a significant step, as there was only one such position available for someone showing that level of skill and education.
It was an opportunity that most servants had to work years to earn. However, Lilian said nothing. Mr. Gerald was the head of the household, and his decisions were not to be questioned.
Mr. Gerald then gave the instruction for Zora to be settled in. He ordered that she be given the correct uniforms and that she be taught the basics of the house.
A maid led Zora away from the courtyard toward the servant quarters. Zora was surprised by how decent and large the building was.
It wasn't a dark or crowded place; the hallways were clean and well-lit. Two servants shared a room, and the room she was shown was very decent. It had two sturdy beds, a wooden chest for her things, and even a small washroom with a basin.
The maid told her that her roommate was out working and then left her to get settled. Since it was already late in the day, Zora was told to rest until the morning.
They asked if she was hungry and offered her a meal, but Zora refused. She wasn't sure she could stomach any human food right now, and she still felt the strength from her night in the forest. She just wanted to be alone for a few moments to think.
Once she was by herself, Zora went into the washroom to freshen up. The room was small but clean, with a ceramic basin sitting on a wooden stand.
Beside it was a large, heavy pitcher filled with cool water. Zora lifted the pitcher, feeling the weight of it in her hands, and poured the water into the basin.
The sound was a soft splashing that filled the quiet room. She took off her dusty traveling dress and used the water to wash the grime of the road from her face and arms.
The water was very cold, and it felt refreshing against her skin, waking her up. She found a small piece of soap and scrubbed her hands, watching the dirt disappear.
She looked at her reflection in the small mirror. Her skin was pale, and her blue eyes looked steady and determined. She dried herself off with a clean towel and put on a fresh shift, feeling much better.
By the time she came out of the washroom, the girl she shared the room with was inside.
She was sitting on her own bed, her shoulders slumped as if she were very tired. She looked at Zora for a long time before she stood up and walked straight toward her. There was no smile on her face.
"I heard about you," the girl said. Her voice was plain, but Zora could sense the subtle jealousy underneath it.
"You're the new maid who has the chance to be promoted in a week. Lucky you. Some of us have been scrubbing floors for a year and haven't even seen the inside of the main halls."
She assessed Zora one more time, looking at her hair and her clean face, before she turned away without another word.
She went back to her bed and began to organize her own things, ignoring Zora completely. Zora blinked, wondering why the girl was so upset already.
She shrugged her shoulders and decided not to worry about it. She was here for a job, not to make friends.
She went to her bed and lay down. Normally, vampires were creatures of the night, but Zora had been wired since she was a baby to sleep when the sun went down.
Her human parents had raised her that way, and she found it easy to follow the human cycle.
She could stay up all night if she wanted to, but for her cover to work, it was better to sleep when everyone else did.
The sleep came easily as the darkness filled the room. She shut her eyes and didn't allow herself to think too much. She just wanted to be ready for the work that started tomorrow.