A Young Man's Summer (Version 2.0)

“What? Charlotte? Again? Ah!” James managed to croak out as he woke up to pleasure.

“Am I causing you displeasure?” Charlotte asked after she removed James’ morning wood from her mouth.

“Of course not!” James answered immediately. “This is much better than waking up to my regular alarm. I’m just surprised you’ve been able to make time for me these last five days.”

“Let’s just say I’m good with making time,” Charlotte said with a smile before she returned to sucking and stroking James’ cock. She moved her free hand to cup his balls.

“Shit!” James said euphorically. He sat up and took hold of Charlotte’s head, taking the liberty of moving her himself. He came shortly after, fulfilling Charlotte’s wish as he flooded her mouth with his first load of the day. He could see the pleasure on her face as he felt her swallow with each of his convulsions.

“That was delicious!” Charlotte said excitedly. She eyed James’ member, noticing it was still hard and not fully satisfied. Charlotte wasted no time and began to undo some of the laces on her outfit. “Ready for more?”

“Do you even have to ask?” James said as he reached up and buried his face in her breasts. He nuzzled into them, enjoying their warmth.

“Such a spoiled boy,” Charlotte said tenderly. “I haven’t even gotten them out yet. Be patient.”

James ignored her, taking hold of the laces on the back of her outfit and undoing them himself. When he had loosened enough, he took hold of the collar and pulled the top down, allowing the fabric to hang lazily around Charlotte’s stomach. James pressed on and quickly took one of Charlotte’s gigantic breasts into his mouth.

“Ah! Spoiled and naughty!” said Charlotte. “Play with them for as long as you want.”

James nodded his head and continued to assault Charlotte’s soft flesh with both his mouth and hands. A strong perfume and womanly scent emanated from her chest that only served to fuel his lust. After a little more foreplay, James could wait no longer. He suddenly took hold of Charlotte and threw her down on his bed so that she was on all fours. James put his hand firmly on her back and forced her to arch it in an extremely tantalizing way, causing her hips to rise and face him directly. Without any hesitation, he pulled her short skirt up and her panties down, eliciting a smile and giggle from Charlotte.

“You’re on fire today!” she teased. Her expressions became sultrier as she put her hand on her lower lips. Using her fingers, she spread them apart, giving James the perfect view. “Go right ahead. Put it in and satisfy us both.”

Once again, James said nothing. He simply lined his cock with her alluring pussy and was inside of her within moments. Charlotte let out a throaty moan as she felt all of him enter her at a rapid rate. She felt his hands grip either side of her hips, causing her to smile as she readied herself for the pleasure to come. It came in powerful rhythmic strokes that invaded her body as James rammed himself into her. With each thrust, she felt a little more of her senses fade away. Instead, all she could focus on was the pleasure that conflagrated inside of her. Every inch of her body reverberated with pleasure with each of James’ powerful movements. She could feel herself tighten, surprised that she was already reaching orgasm in just a few minutes. As she continued to be fucked like an animal, her vocalizations increased. “Ah! Ah! Oh, God! You’ve definitely gotten better! I was a fool to ever think you wouldn’t!”

“You always tease me. Now it’s my turn to punish you,” said James with a confident smile. He was happy that he had finally reached a point where he could keep pace with the blonde beauty. He was even happier with how tightly she clenched around his dick. The sensation of her flesh engulfing him was different from any of their previous sessions. With how snuggly they felt, not only did James receive immense pleasure, he knew without any doubt that Charlotte did as well. He could sense that her orgasm was near, but he endeavored to try something new. James focused his efforts on making sure that he could give Charlotte multiple orgasms before he would have his own. He felt the first one arrive as she tightened even more, her voice echoing through his room. Rather than stopping, James sped up. He felt the need to take advantage of her heightened sensitivity post-orgasm. Though he knew it would cause trouble for him, he knew that this would be the easiest way to trigger another orgasm from Charlotte. “I’m not done yet!” said James as he continued his methodical thrusting. He leaned in, taking hold of each of Charlotte’s breasts and lifting her up by them.

“AH! OH! MY! GOD! You’re driving me crazy!” Charlotte exclaimed hysterically. A little bit of drool escaped from her massive grin as she shut her eyes to fully embrace the sensations.

“I’m glad to hear it,” said James as he continued to violently impale her on his organ. With his chest against her back, he leaned in, planting kisses up and down her neck. James felt her womanhood convulse in an assortment of ways with each kiss he planted. The sensations were growing too strong for him to last much longer. He realized that this is where his gamble would either fail or succeed. Summoning every ounce of his sense to hold the pleasure back, James closed his eyes and continued with his actions as best as he could. Luckily for him, Charlotte let out her distinguishable moan that signified she had reached orgasm. He quickly put his hand on her mouth as the volume of her voice grew to dangerous levels. With his goal met, James did a few final thrusts before releasing his contents inside of Charlotte. He let out a guttural moan as he felt himself empty into her. He could feel his own warmth as it leaked out of her. He released an uncanny amount even though it was his second. When he believed he could release nothing more, James freed his dick from the clutches of Charlotte’s pussy. He quickly fell on his back as Charlotte fell on her stomach, both of them lying on his bed, completely exhausted. “Fuck!” he cursed between breaths. “That felt better than the last four days combined.”

“That it did,” Charlotte agreed. She snuggled up next to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. After a short moment, she took hold of James’ member and locked her lips with his, surprising him. With a few good strokes and a little bit of passionate kissing, she got him hard again. “I’m all sweaty because of you. Why don’t we take a bath?”

“If you’re joining me, then I have no complaints,” said James.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” asked Charlotte with a smile.

James got Charlotte to stand as he sat at the edge of his bed. He motioned for her to sit on him and she quickly understood. Charlotte quickly did so, impaling her womanhood once more on James’ turgid rod. He stood up, his arms around Charlotte’s thighs to support her. She assisted him by wrapping her arms around his neck. James used his strength to lift her up and down on his cock. They quickly locked their lips and kissed vigorously as James walked and carried Charlotte into his bathroom.

XXXXXXXXXX

“Put on the black V-neck. They’d look great with your dark blue denims,” said Charlotte as she lay naked on James’ bed.

“Whatever you say,” said James as he slipped it on. “Anything to complete the look?”

“Put on that dark blue buttoned shirt,” answered Charlotte. She sat up as if she was posing for a photo shoot. “Keep the shirt unbuttoned and you look perfect. You look absolutely dashing!”

“I’m not so sure how good fashion advice is from a naked woman lying on my bed,” said James as he laughed. “But I guess it must be good advice since the woman is so beautiful.”

Charlotte stood up and hugged him. “You know exactly what to say to me, don’t you?” she said playfully. She picked her clothes off from the ground and began to dress. “I’m still wondering what’s gotten into you. Between what we did in the bed and in the bath, if somebody had recorded us, the video would be a bestseller. There’s something you haven’t told me yet. Am I right to assume?”

“Have you gotten a chance to speak to either Eleanor or Elizabeth?” James asked.

“Goodness me! You took their virginities! I knew it!” said Charlotte.

“I question how you piece things together so quickly sometimes,” said James genuinely surprised.

“I just knew from how they were acting. With how you’ve been recently, I can only assume that you made it very memorable for them for all the right reasons,” Charlotte said mischievously.

“Don’t talk about it so openly!” said James blushing. “I just did what you taught me. I actually have you to thank.”

“You’re just full of flattery today. Say anymore and I’ll want to go another round!” joked Charlotte.

“Stop that!” said James. He laughed as he sat down on his couch. “I swear, you’re always so eager.”

“Fine, fine. But can I say one final thing?” Charlotte asked.

James saw the look on Charlotte’s face and felt a little suspicious. “Okay… go ahead,” he said.

“You’re going to need more than stamina,” said Charlotte. “You need a lot more confidence and an even better technique if you want a chance with her.”

“What? What are you talking about?” asked James.

“Don’t play dumb. Did you think I didn’t notice how hard you tried to make sure I finished a few times before you? You’re trying to build up your endurance and I know the reason why. You want a shot at Reimi. Lovely Miss Walters.”

“What?!” James blushed furiously. “No! I mean… well… maybe…”

“There’s no shame in admitting it,” Charlotte assured him. “Just be prepared to sacrifice substantial amounts of everything, Young Master. If I were you, I would probably just give up.”

“I… I’ll keep that in mind,” said James.

“Anyway, I should return to my post. I’m sure my subordinate that I got to cover for me must be getting worried,” said Charlotte. She pointed at James before she continued. “And you should carry on with your day. Unless that is… you want to spend more time with me and keep me company at my post?”

“Sorry, I can’t do it today either, Charlotte,” said James. “I’m planning to spend the day with Cecelia.”

“Oh, again? Well… maybe next time then,” Charlotte said with a smile. She hid her disappointment as best as she could.

“Thanks for understanding,” said James obliviously. He led her out of her room and they went their separate ways.

XXXXXXXXXX

“I truly do not approve of this…” Cecelia said with pressing concern.

“Just tell me what to do already!” said James impatiently.

“Young Master…”

“Relax! Just tell me what to do.”

“Well… you should remove the garments inside and transfer them to that machine over there,” Cecelia said worriedly as she pointed at the dryer. She paused and took a deep breath. “Afterwards, you must separate the lights from the darks and place them in their respective washers.”

“Done and done!” said James. He put himself to the task, allowing Cecelia to spectate. “How am I doing?”

“Excellent. Now will you let me finish the rest?” asked Cecelia.

“No.”

“But…”

“No buts! Think about it, Cecelia. What if something were to happen to my father’s wealth? These are things I should know if I want to survive in the absence of servants,” said James. He finished packing clothes into the washers and closed them. “I push this button right?”

“Not yet,” Cecelia said as she made her way to one of the cupboards. She handed him some detergent and softener. “Pour these in the appropriate places on the machine. I would say about halfway from the maximum line with the amount of clothing you put in. Afterwards, you must put the proper settings for the wash. Then you may press the button.”

“Got it,” said James. He did as he was told and pushed the button. Once both the washers started, he leaned against one and faced Cecelia. He smiled before he spoke. “Not bad, huh? And to think you were so concerned.”

“You being incapable of operating the machines was not my concern,” said Cecelia. The look of worry faded from her face and was slowly being replaced by her usual apathetic look. “If your mother had walked in, I would have been severely punished.”

“Oh, damn. I didn’t think about that at all,” said James regretfully. “I’m so sorry.”

“It is quite alright,” said Cecelia. “You have been ordering me to teach you the commoner’s labors and I have been refusing. In truth, I am the one at fault.”

“Where does it say anywhere on our non-existent contract that you have to obey every order?” asked James. “If you don’t want to do something, then don’t. Besides, some orders can be completely absurd if the master just wants to toy with their servant. What if I asked you to go to town and get me a slice of apple pie in less than five minutes? It’d be impossible!”

“I suppose you make a valid point,” Cecelia contemplated. “But this red chocker I wear is our contract. As long as I wear it, I am sworn to do everything you ask. I follow the rules and never deviate from them. Denying you was quite difficult. On the other hand, acknowledging you would mean that I am bringing you to my level. You put me in a difficult position.”

“Don’t be such a downer!” said James. “You've got to loosen up or you’re going to stress yourself out. Let me help you.”

“How so?”

“Turn around.”

“T-turn around?”

“Yes, just turn around,” said James.

“O-okay…” said Cecelia a little worried. She turned around, unsure of what was going to happen. Suddenly, she twitched a little as she felt James’ hands rub her shoulders.

“Man, you’re really stiff!” said James. “Goes to show what I didn’t notice when I harassed you a few weeks back. When’s the last time you relaxed? I thought the beach outing would have at least helped a little.”

Cecelia spun around and pushed James back. She pushed him back with enough force that it caused him to lose balance. “Get away!” she screamed. Her breath was heavy and her face had a look of dread. When she finally noticed that she had pushed James against one of the washers, the look of dread was replaced by concern. “Oh my… My deepest apologies, Young Master. Please… please forgive me.”

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” said James equally concerned. He pushed himself off the washer and took hold of Cecelia’s shoulders. He pointed her head up to face him. James took a long look into her eyes and noticed that she was trembling in his hands. “What happened?”

“Your… your mother would always rub my shoulders and give me a sense of relief before she would beat me,” she said. Her breaths came quick and shallow. “I… I apologize for pushing you. You are not hurt, correct?”

“No, I’m fine,” said James. “The question is, are you fine?”

“I… I will be okay,” said Cecelia finally calming down a little.

“Thank goodness,” said James. He let out a sigh of relief before he backed away from Cecelia. “See? There. I won’t approach you or do anything to you without asking if you’re comfortable with it from this moment on. I promise.”

Cecelia felt the sincerity in his voice. The look of concern and seriousness on James’ face caught her off guard. She could sense the goodness in him that she did not notice before. Her heart skipped a beat, swaying her thoughts about what Reimi said. Maybe she really did like him, but she was still uncertain. She felt her body temperature rise, causing her face to flush. She did not know what to say, but she felt that she needed to speak. Making up her mind, Cecelia thought that there could only be one thing to say. “Young Master, I…”

“James?” a voice called out from the entrance of the washroom.

“Father?” James said as he saw him at the entrance of the washroom.

“There you are!” Master Sorrowsworn said happily. “I’ve been so busy that I haven’t gotten a chance to speak to you. Honestly, I spent a good chunk of time looking for you. This is the last place I expected you to be at, and with Miss Cecelia nonetheless! How have you two been?”

“We’ve been great!” said James. “I’m getting Cecelia to teach me how to do laundry.”

“Teaching you to be less hopeless, I see?” Master Sorrowsworn said with a loud laugh. “Miss Cecelia, you truly are a wonder. Has there been a more angelic woman than you?”

“I have given you my answer to that question multiple times. Yet every time I do so, you say that I am incorrect,” answered Cecelia.

“Ha! The sense of humor on this woman is impressive, is it not?” Master Sorrowsworn asked James. “I see you two are getting along much better than when you first met. You two remind me of Catherine and I many, many years back. Ah, to be young again.”

“Wait, Catherine was your personal maid?” James asked curiously. A few ideas surfaced into his head that got him thinking. “Is she still your personal maid?”

“It’s a story that I doubt you’ll find any interest in,” said Master Sorrowsworn. “Anyway, I came to speak about the business. You’re an adult now; I’d like you to join me in the business as a spectator and learner. Then, once you get the general idea, I want you to manage one of the many branches of the business. You’re a smart man and you learn quickly, so I’ll let you choose what branch you want to observe.”

“I see. When would we start?” James asked.

“When you feel ready,” answered Master Sorrowsworn. “I will not push you into my business if your heart is not in it. I support you, son, no matter where you go in life.”

“Don’t be silly, Claudius,” another voice came from the hall. A woman appeared from the entrance. “He’s a Sorrowsworn. Of course he’ll become a part of your business. One day, he’ll even take over it. For that reason, I will make the decision for him. He will join you in whatever branch he chooses by next week. Will you not, James?”

“Of… of course I will,” said James. “I’d be more than happy, Father. As mother said, I will join you at the start of next week.”

“Well, its Saturday now, so that would give you only tomorrow for free time. How about the Monday after? That’ll give you a little bit more time to enjoy your vacation,” said Master Sorrowsworn. “Will that be okay Emilia?”

“I care not,” answered Lady Sorrowsworn. “I came here to fetch Cecelia. I need her to do something for me.”

“Surely you could find someone else,” said Master Sorrowsworn. “Miss Cecelia is James’ personal maid.”

“That doesn’t concern me, Claudius. No one can do business charts as effectively and quickly as Cecelia. I would like to put one of her good skills to use,” said Lady Sorrowsworn.

“You make a valid point,” Master Sorrowsworn agreed reluctantly.

“Good. Come with me, Cecelia, no time to dawdle,” Lady Sorrowsworn motioned.

Cecelia looked at James with an expression of defeat. She quickly composed herself and kept her face as emotionless as possible. “As you wish, Lady Sorrowsworn.” She walked out with her, giving James one final glance and leaving him behind with his father.

“Well, I’ve said what I had wanted to say,” Master Sorrowsworn finally broke the long silence between them. “I must be off to run the business. I don’t know when I’ll see you again, James, but I’ll know we’ll be seeing more of each other eight days from now.”

“Yeah,” said James as he waved to his father goodbye. “We will.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“That bitch!” said Reimi as she sewed away at an outfit. “So she just stomped all over your father and took Celia from you?”

“Yeah, I was shocked by how powerless he was,” said James. He sat down on the chair next to the table that Reimi was sewing on. “Though I was happy that I learned something about him. It actually got me thinking.”

“Oh yeah? What’d you learn?” Reimi asked without removing her attention on the outfit.

“I learned that head maid Catherine is my Father’s personal maid. Weird, right?” said James.

“You just learned that? You’re quite oblivious, aren’t you?” Reimi chuckled.

“What do you mean?”

“The way she’s always by his side. They way they’re so friendly with each other,” said Reimi. Anybody with a lick of sense could have pieced that together. In fact, I bet you didn’t know…”

“Didn’t know what?” James asked curiously.

“Never mind. Best we don’t talk about it. Anyway, why’d you come to bother me? I’m really busy,” said Reimi She motioned Rosalind to come close to her. “Will you grab me all of the green threads?”

“At once,” Rosalind finally spoke.

“You being in the tailor room counts as being busy?” James asked with a smirk. "What does sewing a dress have anything to do with you being busy?”

“This isn’t just some random dress, you moron,” Reimi said irritated. “This will be the new maid uniform we will be wearing very soon.”

“Wait, you make the uniforms?” James asked surprised.

“Well, Catherine used to make them. Then, she taught me,” answered Reimi. “Lady Sorrowsworn demands that we should have a change of attire every few months. It keeps an air of exoticism around us which she says is what keeps us beautiful. Without that exotic touch, she claims we might as well be women with no worth.”


“Damn, that just seems so shallow,” said James.

“Tell that to your mother,” replied Reimi. “Seriously though, why are you here?”

“My mother took Celia from me and I don’t know when I’ll see her again,” James confessed. “I was wondering if you’d want to be her replacement.”

Reimi reddened furiously and almost pricked herself with the needle. “No! The thought offends me!” she stammered. "B-besides… just… just because you find my company pleasant doesn’t mean I find yours pleasant. G-go ask Charlotte or someone. I’m sure she’d be more than happy to do it.”

“Charlotte’s been taking care of me for the last five days. If my mother were to find that she’s been using her subordinates to hold her post, she’ll get punished,” said James. “Besides, your work isn’t to take care of household chores and sanitation like Charlotte. You don’t have to stand at post when you’re finished like her. You schedule and supervise events. It’s a job that once you’ve given the orders, not many will care if you take a leave of absence.”

“That’s a valid point…” Reimi sighed. “I guess… I guess I could do it. If you really want me to, that is. It’s sad watching you look so desperate.”

“Sweet! Maybe I’ll get my next chance,” James joked.

“In your dreams!” Reimi yelled as she threw a spool at James’ forehead.

“Ow! Damn, Reimi!”

“You don’t decide when you get your chances, James,” said Reimi. “I do. And for that joke, I regretfully deny your request. Find somebody else to serve you.”

“Seriously?! What do I have to do?” James asked.

“Well…” said Reimi. “Maybe if you apologize.”

“That’s all? I can do that,” said James with a smile.

“That’s all?! Then forget it! I don’t want to be with a man who won’t take my feelings seriously,” said Reimi in frustration.

“But you did want to be with me?” James asked before ducking as Reimi threw the pincushion at him. “Shit! I could have gotten hurt!”

“Stop looking into things!” exclaimed Reimi. “Now you just ruined all your chances!”

“Well, damn,” James sighed as he leaned against the chair.

Reimi saw the look of disappointment on James’ face. She felt the same after she realized that she had just driven him off. “Rosalind” she finally spoke. James looked at her curiously as Rosalind approached her.

“Yes, Miss Walters?” said Rosalind timidly.

“Take good care of the Young Master until Celia comes back,” she said.

“Hold on,” said James. “Rosalind, we’ve only had a handful of conversations. Don’t you feel it’s a little strange? If you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to.”

“What better way to feel less awkward around each other than to have another handful of conversations?” Reimi said with a slightly devious smile. “I trust you can take care of him, Rosalind?”

“Um…” said Rosalind as she eyed James. She nodded her head and looked at Reimi. “I’ll… I’ll do my best.”

“Perfect! Then it’s decided,” said Reimi.

“Oh boy…” James said with a sigh as he drove his palm into his forehead.

James paced back and forth in an attempt to cool his nerves. He recalled his one conversation with Rosalind as he did so. Though it was not unpleasant, he remembered that there was a sense of tension. It was as if she had to muster all the courage in the world just to produce a few words. He remembered her efforts also made him nervous. He was unsure how he should react. At that moment, he was afraid that he might have hurt her confidence if he had said anything unreasonable. He wasn’t even quite sure what would be unreasonable to Rosalind. In the end, their conversation went without a problem. He however, knew that that was only a short conversation. Now, he had to spend a whole day with her. That would mean he would have to converse with her for much longer periods of time. He also knew that if he didn’t it would result in plenty of uncomfortable silent moments. James asked himself how he could avoid this. He would hate to spend most of the day without conversation. He pictured a scenario where they sat on opposite ends of a table, looking at their feet and twiddling their thumbs without a word being said. He also managed to picture one of them trying to initiate a conversation that lead to a dead end. “Oh, God,” said James as he shook his head. “That’ll make the silence even more awkward. “We’re going to spend the entire day doing nothing! It’s going to be like a really bad blind date.”

“Y-young Master…” a voice accompanied by a knock caused James to focus his attention at the door.

“I’m coming,” said James. He took the slowest stride he could towards his door to prolong their meeting. The strides were all too short as he reached his door. He shakily raised his hand, pausing inches away from the doorknob. He felt even tenser than the first time he met with Charlotte in her quarters. At this point, James knew that there was no turning back. Reimi had put him in a situation where all he could do was move forward. He took a deep breath, allowing his hand time to steady itself. When it did so, he grasped the knob and turned it. With one pull, he opened his door and met Rosalind with a smile. There she stood in her maid outfit, looking up at him. At six feet and one inch, James knew he was fairly tall, but he didn’t realize how tall Rosalind was until now. She was probably just a few inches shorter than Charlotte who was only a few inches shorter than him. On most days, Charlotte was almost the same height as him because of her raised footwear that was a standard of the current maid outfit. “Hello,” James spoke after his observation of her height. “Come in, Rosalind.”

“O-of course!” she said as she hurriedly let herself in. “I… I am ready to serve.”

“Why don’t we start with you taking a seat,” said James. He noticed her sit on his couch. She took as little space as possible, placing her hands on her lap. It gave James a perspective of how large his room truly was as he stood at the entrance. Other than the couch, there was a large table positioned in front of it. It was one of those storage tables and it held most of his games and movies for his electronics. In front of the couch was a large wall mounted television. It took up most of the wall, so there wasn’t much room left save for his closet which was a large polished mahogany drawer and cabinet combination that stood next to the entrance of his lavish bathroom. The wall opposite where he stood had a very intricate window with cashmere drapery. Not too far from this window was his king sized bed. It was covered in high quality sheets with an assortment of sleeping and decorative pillows. Right of the bed between it and the window was a small desk with a lamp. Left of the bed was a much more intricate desk that housed his computer as well as his laptop. “And I tell myself I don’t have enough stuff…” said James as he looked. He didn’t even take into account all the other decorative furnishings that littered empty looking spaces in his room. When he finished observing his own room, James didn’t realize how long he had stood in one place. When he finally looked at Rosalind, she hastily put something way, something James barely caught. He didn’t have enough curiosity to ask about what it was and rather opted to sit on his bed. “So… you don’t have to be here,” said James. “You look quite bored and tense.”

“I’m… I’m fine…” said Rosalind. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, lighting up her slightly freckled face. “I will… I will entertain m-myself until you have an order.”

“Well, alright,” said James before they returned back to absolute silence. He pulled out the chair that rested in front of his desk and swiveled it to face him before sitting on it. James rolled himself towards the desk and booted up his computer. He put a pair of headphones on and was greeted by the startup noise of the machinery. “She probably doesn’t want to be in this situation just as much as me. If I leave her be, she’ll leave me be. If she can keep herself entertained all day, I can try to do the same,” James thought. He begged with all his might that the rest of the day would go by smoothly.

As hours passed by, James had all but forgotten that Rosalind sat no more than a few feet away from him on his couch. He had spent all the time browsing the web and playing games. There wasn’t much time left before he would leave to use the estate’s gym to workout. He felt relieved knowing this. Unlike his room, there was at least something for Rosalind to do if they were in the gym. He felt a little guilty with just letting her sit on his couch for the past few hours. He hadn’t even taken the time to look at her and observe what she was doing. As far as James was concerned, he wanted to keep awkward interactions to the bare minimum. As he looked at his clock, he saw that he only had a little over an hour before his routine workout session. He was surprised how quickly the time passed. One o’clock was fast approaching and he even considered heading to the gym early for both his and Rosalind’s sake. But, wanting to stick to his schedule, James continued with his actions on his machinery. It caused another hour to fly by in the blink of a moment. At this point, James removed his headphones and powered down his device. As he got up, James made his way to his closet and grabbed some workout clothes before changing in his bathroom. “I’m going to work out for an hour or so,” he said as he exited his bathroom. He noticed that Rosalind had a small notebook in her hands and that she was enthusiastically scribbling something down on it. She seemed to have been deep in her own world since it seemed that she did not even hear him. “Rosalind?” James asked.

“Oh!” she gasped as she looked up at him quickly. It made her glasses crooked and she quickly fixed them. “I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t hear…”

“What were you doing?” James asked curiously.

“N-nothing… nothing in particular…” she answered with a timid tone.

Though he didn’t want to, James used his authority card. “Let me see what it was, please?” he demanded in a way that seemed undemanding.

“I… I c-couldn’t possibly,” said Rosalind. “I’m… I’m sorry…”

“Why not?” James questioned as he approached and sat next to her. “Is it something personal?”

“N-no… but… but it’s quite… quite embarrassing,” said Rosalind.

“I promise not to laugh or to criticize,” James assured her. “Now may I please see what that notebook was?”

Rosalind sighed, her blush even more prominent than before. She said nothing and simply pulled out the notebook from one of her large pockets. She handed it to James and looked away.

“Thank you,” said James as he took it from her. Upon closer inspection, James realized that it wasn’t a notebook, but a sketch book. He opened it to see multiple sketches of both the surrounding scenery of the estate and the many maids that lived in it. James smiled at the quality of the penmanship. Rosalind seemed to use pen for most of the sketches, using hatching and crosshatching to great affect for different shades. James’ joy only heightened when he came across a picture of him. It was rough and quick, as if she only had a few moments to draw it, but it was still very impressive. He realized it was when he was standing and observing his room earlier today. When he flipped to the next page, he was even more astounded. The next image was him on his computer. Unlike the previous one, this one was very well done and masterful. James only assumed it would be, given the hours she had as he sat in front of his computer. “Wow…” James said almost speechless.

“I… like art,” said Rosalind.

“Rosalind, this is amazing!” said James excitedly. “Some of these sketches look better than what you see Art University students submit to museums! Who taught you?”

“I… I t-taught m-myself,” Rosalind answered. “M-miss Walters caught me sketching her one time while she was working out. Ever… ever since then, she’s been encouraging me to keep doing it. She says natural talent should never be wasted.”

“She’s completely right. You should submit some of your works! I bet you could make some easy money. Do you only work in pen and pencil?”

“N-no… I work in all s-sorts of media. I… I have a few hand crafted carvings and sculptures in my sleep area.”

“And I see that you really enjoy this don’t you?” James asked.

“Y-yes… I-I do,” Rosalind answered sheepishly.

“No need to be so timid about it, I saw how much passion you put into it. You were so enthralled that you didn’t even notice me speak. I can see how you kept yourself entertained for so many hours. It’s because you really like your hobby!” said James. He laughed happily. “You’re amazing, Rosalind. Don’t ever let my mother tell you otherwise.”

Rosalind was speechless for a moment. She could only sit in utter disbelief at what James had said. It took her a moment before she smiled and started to laugh softly. “Thank you, Young Master. Your kindness is… refreshing.”

“Thank you for making me look better than I actually do!” said James. He stood up with a smile. “If you wouldn’t mind, would you like to join me in the gym? It’ll give you more opportunities to sketch me.”

“Th-that would be terrific,” said Rosalind. James could feel the tension melt away between them as he gazed at her smile. “B-but… but would you consider waiting a moment? I would… I would love to sketch you on something larger than this sketchbook. I… I could sketch you on canvas and paint it.”

“I won’t be exercising for long,” said James. “I know sketches can be quick, but will you have time to paint me as well?”

“M-my memory with colors is… is almost unnatural,” said Rosalind. “I just need a sketch. I will be able to paint it any time after.”

“I never thought I’d see you so confident,” said James. “Well, if you believe you can do it, I’m more than happy to be your model. You have to show me the end results though, deal?”

“It’s… it’s a promise.”

“Then go grab you’re stuff and I’ll meet you in the gym.”

XXXXXXXXXX

James did one final pull up before he sighed in relief. “I… I couldn’t possibly do anymore. Did you… did you get what you needed?” he asked Rosalind out of breath.

“I did,” she said. “W-would you care to… take a look?”

“Of course!” said James. He wiped some of the sweat off of him and approached Rosalind. It was a rough sketch, but he drew her in the middle of doing a pull up. “I can’t even begin to fathom how you do it. Can I see the others? I know you made four all together.”

“S-sure,” said Rosalind as she handed him the other sketches.

What James saw continued to baffle him. He was extra impressed with the sketch of him on the treadmill. “Rosalind, you’re out of this world! I was in motion in all of these sketches, yet you managed to narrow them down to a single position. The fact that you managed to draw me in a single motion while in motion is something that I’m just having such a hard time wrapping my head around. And you claim you can paint these with no reference other than your memory?”

“I… I d-dislike boasting, b-but yes. It… it shouldn’t be too hard…” Rosalind answered.

“So, when do you plan on painting them? I want to see this magic in action,” James asked another question.

“If…if you want, I can paint them now. I… I j-just need to grab some more things from my footlocker and drawer,” Rosalind answered.

“Sweet!” said James. “That’ll give me some time to take a quick shower. Where do you usually paint?”

“Um… well, Lady Sorrowsworn w-would have my head if I sullied anything inside the mansion, s-so I usually paint at one of the pergolas outside of the estate. M-my favorite one is the one on the northeast side of the mansion just a little ways from one of the swimming pools.”

“Then that’s where I’ll meet you,” said James. He gave Rosalind one final goodbye before he made his way towards his room. James practically flew into his shower in a frenzy to get himself clean. Watching Rosalind work was so mesmerizing to him. As he washed away the sweat, he wondered why watching Rosalind was so refreshing. He had seen art before, but he never truly knew any artists. With Rosalind, he saw firsthand what it meant to watch one at work. It was something he had never seen before and Rosalind’s skill was uncannily impressive. He just wanted to continue and watch her work. In the process all his support really brightened her mood and made the awkward tension between them disappear. In the end, he realized that what might have made him so excited was the fact that he formed another bond with another person. He felt similar to the first time he met the twins. He remembered the joy it brought him when they spent the whole afternoon speaking to one another. Even after everything that happened, he made a lasting friendship with both of them. He wanted to do the same with Rosalind.

In his hurry to finish, James stepped out of his shower and put on the first set of clothes he could grab. He bolted out of the mansion directly into the backyard. He stared at the large amount of land that the mansion was located on. The mansion and the part of the backyard that housed the two pools were on the plateau of the raised hill that the estate rested on. As for the rest of the backyard, it expanded into a lovely grassy field that had a very slight slope. Patches of natural flowers and tended gardens littered this field. About a quarter mile away was the host’s living quarters. Unfortunately for the butlers, they didn’t have the privilege of living in the mansion unlike the maids. To say that they were not as well off would have been a lie, however. They’re living quarters was practically another mansion itself. James eyed the northeast and spotted a figure at one of the pergolas. As Rosalind stated, it was one of the ones that was closer to the pool. As he made his way towards it, he noticed that this particular structure was slightly raised and had a good view of the entire estate. It was a perfect place for landscape art. It even had a view of the fence that signified the end of the estate and the forest beyond it. James stepped up onto the wooden deck that resisted the incline of the hill. James stood behind Rosalind, watching her work as she skillfully painted. “Sometimes I forget how beautiful it is out here,” he spoke to give Rosalind knowledge of his presence. “What kind of paint are you using?”

“I-it’s oil paint,” said Rosalind. She turned her head to acknowledge him and smiled. “I… I love painting and drawing out here. I a-always find it so serene. I often don’t get many chances to come out here, p-probably no more than a few hours at a time a few times a month.

“Take what you can, right?” said James with a grin. He noticed that Rosalind had taken one of the chairs from the table in the middle of the deck. He did the same, taking one and sitting next to her. “I remember when I was younger. My sister and I would often talk about having a picnic on every gazebo and pergola my mother or father had built out here. With how big the estate is, I’ve lost count of how many of them are out here. I remember eating lunch at this particular one with her when I was ten.”

“Th-there are nineteen, if I remember correctly,” said Rosalind. She dipped her brush into the turpentine before she coated it with a little bit of thalo blue. “Was it a fond memory?”

“Of course, I loved my sister,” said James. He stood up to rotate his chair so that he could rest his chest on its backrest. “Most of my fond memories came from her. To this day, I still don’t know why she left.”

“She’ll come back one day, I… I just know it,” said Rosalind. “I am unsure what you know about oil paint, but it dries very slowly. I-it can take hours, sometimes even days with how heavy a coat is.”

“I know how it works,” said James. “That’s why you usually put a primer on first then paint in the colorful details the next day. I see that you like to use thalo blue as your primer.”

“I… I’m impressed you know that, Y-young Master,” said Rosalind.

“I might not be the most talented person, but I’m pretty informed,” said James with a laugh. “I graduated second in my class after all. I don’t know if you’ve met him, but my friend Vince graduated top.”

“Master Irons… I see,” said Rosalind. She finished up with a few final strokes and presented it to James. “How does this primary coat look?”

“Wow…” said James. He continued to be awed. I can’t say for sure because everything is currently a shade of blue, but it looks really good! I can’t wait to see it colored.”

“Th-thanks,” said Rosalind. “Now I just have to do the other three. I… I’m sorry you couldn’t see me actually paint.”

“No need to apologize, I’m far from disappointed,” James assured her. He twisted his chair once more and noticed Rosalind’s pack next to her easel. Since it wasn’t zipped up, she noticed that she had two sketchbooks inside that accompanied all the art supplies. “May I take a look at these sketchbooks?” he asked her.

“O-of course, Young Master,” answered Rosalind as she painted.

James took the liberty of taking both of them out to inspect. He started with the one that had a black plastic cover. As he flipped through, most of the sketches in this particular book were of landscapes. There were a few of people, but it was still to a predominant backdrop of a landscape. Most were done in pencil, but some were done in ink. There were definitely not as many pen sketches as there were in her pocket sketchbook. When he finished admiring her skill, James placed the sketchbook back into her pack. He quickly switched his attention to the sketchbook made of leather. This one even had a tie that prevented easy access. It almost seemed as if he was invading Rosalind’s privacy as he undid the simple knot. When he finally leafed over the pages, what he saw stunned him. All of the pictures were of various maids and hosts in the estate. The quality and realism behind every figure was otherworldly and all of them were done in colored pencil. It truly made James realized how much of a hidden talent Rosalind had. “How old are you, Rosalind?” James asked.

“Um… I’m twenty,” she answered. “Why do you ask?”

“You’re only two years older than me. With how young you are, your art still has a long way to go. That means these amazing images will just get better as the years go by,” said James. “Why are you here? I know you get paid a ridiculous amount for being nothing more than house help, but you could make so much more if you submitted your art.”

“We… we all have our reasons for staying in the places we stay, young Master,” said Rosalind. “M-much like many of us, Master Sorrowsworn found me in a rundown orphanage. He took me in and gave me a second chance. Th-there’s no better way to repay him than to help his family prosper. B-besides, as you have just said, I’m pretty well taken care of here and my wages are far above average.”

“That’s as good a point as any, I suppose,” said James. He continued to flip through her sketchbook until he reached a certain page. His eyes widened as he did everything in his power to prevent the blood in his body from reaching his lower half. It was a picture of Reimi in the gym lifting a pair of weights. James could see how muscular her arms were as she wore nothing more than a sports bra and spandex shorts. Her bright red hair was tide back into a high ponytail and her scowl was ever present. Her spandex shorts were hugging the curves of her legs and looked as if they never wanted to let go. James got an eyeful of Reimi’s stomach from the position she lifted the weights. Her hourglass abs were so appealing that James couldn’t help but ogle them. After a few minutes of anxious observation, he flipped the page to only be met by even better pictures of Reimi. She boasted the same outfit, but it was her doing an assortment of workouts. James found the one where she was practicing her forms on a punching bag to be the most appetizing. Rosalind spared no detail down to the beads of sweat traveling down her beautiful face and splendid body. When James flipped the page once more, there was no force in the world that prevented him from pitching a tent. While Rosalind was busy with the paintings, he took the time to twist his chair once more so that he could lean his chest against the backrest and hide is painfully obvious erection. The next set of pictures was of Reimi dancing. It was her practicing her many dances on and off the pole in her room in an assortment of outfits that only made James imagination restless.

With all the pictures feeding his Libido, James took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He closed his eyes and tried to lose himself in his surroundings. “Hah…” he sighed.

“Is… is everything okay, Young Master?” Rosalind asked with a little concern.

“Yeah… it’s just that… Reimi likes to be drawn, doesn’t she?” said James. He laughed a little to ease her concern.

“Um… yes, Miss Walters does love to be sketched ever since she saw the first image I made of her. N-now it’s just become a habit of mine. Whether she asks or not, I draw her an awful lot. It’s usually when she’s working out,” said Rosalind with a soft laugh. She continued to finish priming the last painting she had of James.

“Yeah, and these ones of her dancing are also wonderful,” said James as he flipped through the pages.

“N-no, wait!” said Rosalind jumping out of her chair.

“Why?” James asked as he continued to sort through the pages. Upon finally facing Rosalind, he saw the look of horror in her eyes with every page he passed. He noticed that her hand was extended as if she was trying to stop him from looking any further. Time seemed to slow as James questioned why Rosalind was so adamant on him not looking at anymore. His questions were soon answered when he flipped to the last page in the sketchbook that had an image. James’ eyes widened to the point where they would have fallen out of their sockets. It was a picture of Reimi in nothing more than panties. She lay sideways on her bed and the look on her face said it all. James knew that this was a picture she was very much aware of that Rosalind was sketching. “Holy shit…” said James. It was all he could truly say.

“Sh-she… she wanted to model for me,” Rosalind said immediately. “Sh-she insisted that I draw her naked like a true model, but she was too embarrassed and opted to cover he lower area at the very least. I… I forgot that it was in that sketchbook. I d-didn’t want you to see it because it could cause problems between you two.”

James slammed the sketch book shut and handed it to Rosalind immediately. “I didn’t see anything,” he said. “I didn’t see anything. My hands never touched that sketchbook, got it?”

There was a moment of silence between the two before Rosalind took the sketchbook from James. “Understood,” she said. She quickly began to laugh afterwards. James felt the joy in her laughter and he began to laugh as well.

“I bet I looked just as terrified as you did,” said James while he laughed.

“A-as a matter of fact, you did,” said Rosalind who continued to laugh as well. “Miss Walters truly is terrifying if she can get both of us to feel so much fear without her even being around.”

“You said it,” said James. They continued to laugh and James realized that the distraction it caused allowed his member to return back to its flaccid state. After the laughter, the two opted to return back to the mansion after Rosalind finished off the last painting. She made James dinner upon their arrival and James insisted she eat the meal she made for him with him. Though she was reluctant, Rosalind agreed and they had another pleasant conversation about her art as they ate. By the time they finished, the sun had set and they were walking down one of the halls that led back to James’ quarters. “This was definitely one of my better Sundays,” said James. “Thank you, Rosalind Summers, for giving me the pleasure of your company.”

“Th-thank you for finding my company acceptable, Young Master Sorrowsworn,” Rosalind said with a smile as she bowed to him. “If you’ll excuse me, I must retire to my quarters for the night.”

“You’re excused. Have a pleasant night,” said James as she departed. Rosalind had left him with a feeling of elation as he hurried back to his quarters. He looked at his watch to see that it was already close to eight o’clock. When he reached the door to his room, he heard familiar voices inside. Before he could open it, the door swung open and he was greeted with a hug from a familiar face. “Lizzy?” he asked.

“Hello, Master James!” Elizabeth said joyfully as ever. “Eli’s here too!”

He looked inside to see that what Elizabeth had said was true. Her sister was sitting on his couch with a joyful smile. “Hello, Master James,” said Eleanor.

“Hey, Eli,” James managed to respond in his confusion. “Uh, what are you two doing here?”

“Sissy said she can’t take care of us until Wednesday since she’s helping your mother,” said Elizabeth as she clung to James like a leech. “She said we should stay with you since you make us happy. She also said that she was sure that that would make you undoubtedly happy too!”

“It does, actually,” James said with a smile. Though he felt some concern for Cecelia, he didn’t want to worry the twins. He walked into his room and shut his door all while Elizabeth continued to cling on to him.

“We brought everything we need so that we don’t have to go back to our quarters,” said Eleanor. “I hope you don’t mind us using your bathroom. Also, we didn’t bring any sleeping bags or the like even though Sissy told us to, so I hope you don’t mind us sleeping with you in your bed.”

“Not in the slightest,” James assured them.

Pillows flew through the air in both directions as the battle continued. Elizabeth popped her head out over the bed and quickly retracted it, narrowly avoiding a pillow. “He’s got three more shots!” she popped her head over the bed once more and avoided another projectile. “Make that two! He’s got two more!”

“That’s all it’ll take to finish us! We need ammo!” said Eleanor. “Lizzy, do you think you could reach the pillows near the window?”

“I’ll be out of cover from the bed, but I think I can,” Elizabeth answered. She crawled her way towards the window, staying as low as she possibly could. Her breaths came in heavy bursts as she knew that these could be her final moments. When she looked back, she saw the enemy staring her down from the other side of the bed. Eleanor had rolled underneath the bed to avoid getting caught, leaving her in the open as the only target. The menacing man stepped onto the bed, making his already towering figure even more imposing. Elizabeth reached the pile of pillows that earlier attempted to rob them of their life. Even with the ability to fight back, she froze at the sight of her adversary lifting up his arm. He was going for the kill. Elizabeth grabbed two pillows, throwing one right at the monster that stood atop the bed. To no surprise to her, he dodged it with little effort and threw one back with much more force. Elizabeth had no other option than to go for broke. “El!” she screamed as she slid the other pillow as best as she could on the carpeting. “Ugh!” she grunted as the pillow directed at her connected with her face, knocking her down into the soft pile behind her.

“Lizzy! No!” Eleanor screamed. Though she felt nothing but fear, the thought of vengeance boiled inside of her. She bolted out of the bed, taking hold of the pillow that her sister threw at her. It was the only shot she had. Eleanor made sure that her sacrifice would not be in vain. As she grabbed her weapon, she spun around and threw it right at her sister’s vanquisher. It connected with his gut, causing him to drop his own weapon and fall flat on his back atop the bed. “Die, you monster!” Eleanor screamed as she took her opponent’s weapon and mercilessly beat the face of her dying nemesis.

“Okay, okay!” James finally spoke. “I’m dead! You guys win!”

“Yes!” Elizabeth exploded out of the pile that rested near the windows. “Another victory for us! That’s five in a row!”

“Yes it is,” James said as he effortlessly threw Eleanor off from on top of him to the side of the bed. “You guys take your pillow fights seriously! Considering how close you two are, I never would have thought that sacrificing each other would be in your game plan.”

“Do anything you can to win. That’s what we believe. For pillow fights at least,” said Eleanor. “We’ve only ever lost one pillow fight.”

“To Cecelia, I assume? James smiled as he lay down on his bed. He grabbed one of the many pillows strewn around and used it to prop his head. As he closed his eyes, he felt a twin snuggle up to either side of him. He made no effort at stopping them, letting them do what they please.

“Nope!” said Elizabeth with arms tightly wrapped around James’ arm. “Sissy’s never beaten us, but I doubt she’s trying.”

“I agree,” Eleanor concurred as she wrapped her arms tightly around James’ other arm. “There have been so many opportunities where she could have, but she would hesitate. I think she just likes seeing us happy.”

“Then who did beat you?” asked James curiously.

“Miss Walters beat us,” Eleanor answered.

“Yeah, she came in one day to speak with Sissy,” added Elizabeth. “So while they were talking, Eli and I snuck up on her and tried to surprise her. We threw our pillows at the same time. We were sure we had her!”

“But we were wrong,” Eleanor took over. “She quickly spun around and caught both of them. In the same motion, she threw them back at us and took both Lizzy and I out with precise shots to the head. She gave us a stern talking to that about not interrupting important conversations between adults.”

“We were both so scared that we started crying!” Elizabeth admitted. “Luckily for us, she couldn’t stand the sight of us crying. She quickly comforted us after.”

James had a look of entertainment on his face. He laughed for a moment before he spoke. “That sounds exactly like her!” he said. He looked at each twin before pulling them in tighter. “So what do you two want to do now?”

“Oh, do you have any scary movies? Eli and I have never seen one before!” said Elizabeth.

“I’ve got a few. Do you want to watch one?” James looked at his clock as he asked. “It’s getting close to midnight though. They say all the monsters come out at midnight. Do you really want to be watching a scary movie when that happens?”

“Yes!” said Elizabeth before her sister could say anything.

“Um… I’m not sure that’s a good idea…” Eleanor said a bit terrified.

“Don’t worry so much, Eli. Master James is here!” Elizabeth assured her sister. “He’s strong enough to stop any monster!”

“That might be so, but some monsters are really, really strong!” said James. “There’s no guarantee I’ll be able to stop them.”

“Then it’s a risk we’re willing to take!” said Elizabeth.

“I… I don’t like this!” said Eleanor as she tightened her grip around James’ arm.

“It’ll be fine, Eleanor,” said James to ease her. “Now why don’t the both of you get changed into your sleep clothes?”

“What? No way!” said Elizabeth rebelliously. “I want to watch now! Changing can wait!”

“Look at it this way, Lizzy: chances are, it’s going to be late after the movie,” reasoned James. “We’re probably going to be tired and want to go to bed right after it’s over. Wouldn’t putting on your sleep clothes while you’re not tired be a smarter idea?”

“He makes a good point, Lizzy…” said Eleanor still a bit terrified.

“Tell you what, if you change into your sleep clothes, I’ll give both of you a kiss,” said James. “How does that sound?”

“Okay!” they both answered immediately. They grabbed their packs and rushed into James’ bathroom.

“Well, that was easier than I thought,” James chuckled. He got up and squatted next to his table, searching the army of Blu-ray discs he had for an appropriate movie. Though they wanted to watch a scary movie, he didn’t want it to traumatize them for life. James opted to show them one that was a little bit tamer. Due to their childish nature, he assumed that even a cheesy horror movie would have elicited some frights out of them. “This is a classic,” said James as he found one that he remembered he thoroughly enjoyed. He also remembered that it scared the living daylights out of him when he was younger. It wasn’t anything special and was your typical college trip to a cabin in the woods. “Amazing how so many scary movies have the same concepts presented in different ways…” James told himself as he took the disc out of its case. He grabbed one of the many remotes on top of his table and turned on the television. He grabbed another and turned on his Blu-ray player, opening it so that he could put the movie in. “I should really get a universal remote,” he said as he walked over to the switches on his wall to turn off the lights “It’d save me having to juggle half a dozen of them.”

“We’re done!” said Elizabeth just as James loaded up the movie.

“I can see that,” he said. He felt a little restless after seeing their attire. Elizabeth wore a green hoody that stopped halfway down her thighs. She had undone her braid and her hair flowed tantalizingly. James noticed two small bumps in the chest portion of her outfit, making him realize that she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath. Though it looked like all she was wearing was the hoodie, James noticed that she had a pair of grey boy shorts on underneath as her outfit rose up and down with her movements. Whether she was wearing panties or not underneath it was anyone’s guess. Her boy shorts were criminally short, stopping high on her thighs.

Switching his attention to Eleanor, she had a different outfit on. It actually surprised James considering how similarly they usually dressed. She wore grey sweat pants to cover her legs. James noticed that she had tide the lace to keep them from slipping off, but it was still loose around her waist. Eleanor sported a blue tank top that hugged her upper body perfectly. It wasn’t tight, but it was by no means loose. James could trace the contours of her body, and much like Elizabeth, could see two small bumps on the chest portion. This suggested to James that she wasn’t wearing a bra as well. Just like her sister, her braid was also undone. James noticed that unlike Elizabeth who seemed comfortable, Eleanor appeared a little flustered upon him seeing her attire. “You two look cute!” said James.

“Did you here that Eli? Master James called me cute!” Elizabeth said joyfully.

“Y-yeah…” was all Eleanor could say. Unlike her sister, she had a furious blush on her face.

James approached them, smiling at both of them as he reached them. He pulled Eleanor close and planted a kiss on her forehead. She gasped from the many emotions that took over her body and quickly hid her beat red face in her hands. The amount of heat she produced out of both happiness and embarrassment could have powered an engine. Her reaction made James feel even more restless. He turned his attentions to Elizabeth both to give her a reward and to distract himself from Eleanor’s irresistible actions. As James planted a kiss on Elizabeth’s forehead, she hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Master James,” the words exited her lips.

“You’re welcome. Let’s watch this movie and head to bed,” said James. James led them to his couch, sitting down in the middle with both girls quickly cuddling up to either side of him. James reached out for his remote control and started up the movie before wrapping his arms over both their shoulders. As the movie started, James felt them press into him, only causing him to hold them tighter.

The movie went one with people dying left and right. Not only was James holding back his laughter at how he thought it was scary when he was young, he was also holding back his laughter at how Elizabeth and Eleanor seemed genuinely scared. With every scare, one, the other, or both would press themselves harder against him and more often than not, would let out a frightened shriek. Whereas James knew it was out of fear, he saw their reactions as quite childish and cute. He knew that they were all the same age, but Eleanor and Elizabeth were the prime examples of people who did not look their age. It reminded him of a certain actor who played a teenager in an old kid’s show who was actually thirty. Even with their childish nature, James had no complaints. After all, it resulted in him having two women pressing their magnificent bodies against his. When the final moments of the movie neared, the last climactic scare surfaced before the credits played. “So, what’d you think?” James asked with a smile.

“Is… is it over?” Elizabeth peered over the pillow she had been hiding her face behind with wide eyes.

“I feel… defenseless,” Eleanor said as she wrapped her arms around James. “You weren’t scared even a little bit, Master James?”

“Uh… not really,” said James cautiously. He didn’t want to play the tough guy act because he believed it was overused.

“So you were scared a little?” Elizabeth asked curiously.

“I mean… uh… well…” James paused. He was unsure of what to say without looking like he was putting on an act to look overly macho. “It did scare me quite a lot when I was younger, but I learned that it’s just a movie. Does that mean there’re no monsters in real life? Who can really say? What I do know is that what we saw is a movie. More specifically, this particular movie is not based off on any real events.”

“That’s a relief,” sighed Eleanor. “I’m still a little shaken though.”

“That tends to be the case in most horror movies,” James assured her. “Anyway, we should head to bed. It’s well past midnight and the last thing I want to do is wake up late and waste a beautiful day.”

“But…” Elizabeth started.

“But?” James looked at her curiously.

“But…”

“But what?”

“The movie really scared me. And… and I’m not tired at all because of it.”

“Me too…” Eleanor admitted.

“You’ll get tired,” said James. “Just give it a try and close your eyes. I promise to you both that you’ll fall asleep.”

“We… actually have a better idea…” Eleanor said daringly with flushed cheeks.

“Uh-oh…” was all James’ head could process before Elizabeth pulled his head from looking at Eleanor to kissing her. James’ body reacted on instinct as he wrapped his arms around Elizabeth. They shared a passionate kiss, losing each other as they locked eyes. James felt Eleanor wrap her arms from behind him. She pressed her left cheek against his back before she began to kiss down his neck, sending shivers throughout his body. It caused him to take a break from kissing Elizabeth so that he could kiss Eleanor. Much like their time in his limousine, he began to alternate kissing both of them. With every switch, he felt himself harden as each lip lock seemed to become a little more aggressive. “If we do this, there’s no doubt you two will get tired. Promise me we’ll go to bed after?” James asked.

“Y-yes…” the twins said in unison.

“Perfect,” James picked up Elizabeth and carried her effortlessly onto his bed with Eleanor in tow right behind them. He laid the younger sister on her back, taking hold of her head with his hand and kissing her. She gasped in delight to his gentle handling. James looked to his left, noticing that Eleanor seemed content with just watching for now. It eased his mind that they would be patient with him. After all, he was just one man. Pleasing one woman was already a great feat to surmount. Two was a challenge he was quite unsure that he was up to the task for. But whether he was ready or not, he found himself in the situation. James reached down, Grasping at Elizabeth’s green hoodie. He pulled up and was surprised by the amount of bare skin he saw. Elizabeth wore nothing underneath other than the boy shorts that covered her delicates. James got Elizabeth to raise her arms, allowing him to remove her hoodie and leaving Elizabeth with nothing more than a delicious pair of boy shorts on. Her tight compact body never ceased in making him more restless then he already was. He trailed kisses down Elizabeth’s neck, leading them down to her sternum and pausing at her chest. His hands reached out to knead her lovely colored flat chest. Though her breasts were small, they still had quite the spring. James lavished at their texture and took one of her nipples into his mouth, triggering an array of noises from Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, Eleanor had begun to slip her hand down her sweatpants. She could feel her cotton undies slowly getting soaked with her own juices as she watched her beloved master treating her younger sister. She bit her lower lip as she began to feel it more, kneeling on the bed so that she could get a better angle. Her other hand moved to squeeze one of her breasts, using the sight of her sister’s pleasure to fuel her own.

“Ah!” Elizabeth moaned irresistibly as James bombarded her chest with soft touches from his hands and mouth. He continued to kiss lower, his pecks slowly leading down to her stomach and finally meeting up with the fabric of her boy shorts. He looked to Elizabeth a final time to see her give her consent to him. James nodded, taking hold of her boy shorts and slipping them off of her. She wore yellow cotton panties that were soaked with her feminine contributions. The erotic sent that it produced only served to fuel his libido. As he slid her panties off, James felt a hand take a hold of his left arm. He looked towards Eleanor to see that she had placed his hand on her crotch. James could feel a slight dampness on her sweatpants, causing him to reach out and untie the simple knot that kept it around her waist. They quickly slid off, dropping around Eleanor’s knees. James could see a few drops trickling down her thighs. She was even more eager than her younger sister. “Master James?” Elizabeth voice echoed through his ears to inquire of his absence.

“Sorry, Liz,” said James. He kissed around her lower lips, teasing them so that they would be even more eager for his touch. Finally, when he had done enough, his hand pulled back the skin on her clitoris. He began to lick and kiss at her delicate nub, causing her to moan in between the sharp waves of pleasure she felt. While this continued, James’ other hand began to tug at Eleanor’s panties. He pulled then to the side, allowing his finger access to rub her womanhood directly. As he continued to eat away at Elizabeth, her sweet taste engulfed him in bliss. James truly believed that he would never get tired of either of their juices. His pleasure gave him the idea to finally slip a finger into Eleanor’s wanting pussy. She gasped in delight as James wiggled his digit, making his finger adjust to her intense warmth. When it did so, James slid another finger in, causing an even more pleasurable sound to escape from Eleanor’s lips. Her noises urged James to eat out her younger sister more fiercely. His tongue lashed away at her entrance, even going as far as penetrating into her and writhing inside. He savored the flavor of Elizabeth, making him work his fingers more rhythmically in Eleanor. James realized that his actions were feeding off of each other and encouraging him to pleasure the twins more. He could tell that they both enjoyed it as their volume increased. It signaled to him that they were both approaching climax. James worked his magic, making a few final movements to push both women over their final hurdles. They came almost in unison with Eleanor being the first to cave, leaning back and supporting herself on her shoulders. Elizabeth quickly followed, and she arched her back from the sensations. James could feel the tightened grip of their orgasms both on his fingers and tongue. When they both finally calmed down, James removed what he had inserted into them.

“Hah…” Eleanor sighed as she fell on her side and crawled up to her sister. They curled up in unison and smiled at each other with a satisfied breath. “That felt wonderful.”

“I’m glad it did,” said James. “Now that you two are plenty tired, let’s finally head to bed.”

The twins giggled to each other as James finished his sentence. “We’re even less tired than we were before,” said Elizabeth now sitting up.

“Now it’s our turn to take care of you,” said Eleanor.

“That really isn’t…” James’ sentence was cut short as Elizabeth practically attacked him with a kiss. In the background, he saw Eleanor remove her panties as well as her tank top to join her sister in complete nakedness. The sight made James’ semi erect penis fully hard. Though he was kissing Elizabeth, James gave his full attention to Eleanor, who was now slowly crawling her way towards him. When she was next to him, Eleanor took hold of James’ pajama bottoms and pulled them down. A smile appeared on her face at the sight of the bulge that strained against his boxers.

“It must be so painful. Let me alleviate it,” said Eleanor as she took hold of his boxers. She had them off of James in an instant, persuading him to lift his legs one after the other in his kneeling position to fully take off everything he wore from the waist down. With the sight of James’ mighty rod right in front of her, Eleanor couldn’t help herself from wrapping both her small hands around it. Her soft palms pumped his shaft, causing James to sigh as he locked lips with Elizabeth. Speaking of Elizabeth, James realized that her hands were actively trying to lift his shirt off of him. James complied, lifting up his arms to allow Elizabeth to do so. With his shirt gone, Elizabeth placed one of her hands on his chest. She loved how strong and defined his muscles felt. Her other hand moved down to join Eleanor’s as she continued work James’ shaft. “How’s that?” Eleanor said before planting a kiss on his dick.

“Since when were you two this naughty?” James managed to ask between his kisses with Elizabeth. He allowed their hands to roam and simply continued to kiss Elizabeth who was more than willing. His make-out session with the younger twin was cut short when he felt Eleanor’s soft lips engulf the head of his cock. The warmth and wetness of her mouth was a welcome and missed sensation. He noticed Elizabeth’s coy smile as she watched her older sister play with his member. Without warning, Elizabeth pushed him down, forcing him to lie on the bed with his head hanging of the edge. James grunted once again as more of him disappeared into Eleanor’s mouth. He reared his head back, getting an up-side-down view of his room before closing his eyes. It only lasted for a moment as he felt arms wrap around his head, cradling it so that he would be more comfortable. It was Elizabeth, and she pulled James towards her chest. He happily complied, taking hold of one of her nipples. He sucked on it as if he was being fed all while Eleanor continued to fellate him. James halted his actions as he felt Eleanor grab hold of his sack. She stopped her sucking and moved on to lick and play with his balls. He questioned the action, but his questions were quickly dashed as he realized that Elizabeth now straddled him. He felt something being rolled over his rod like a sheath, realizing that it was Eleanor’s delicate hands putting a condom on him.

“Me first,” said Elizabeth as she moved down a little to allow her lower area to touch James’ tip.

“Ugh!” James grunted at the sensation of his cockhead entering Elizabeth’s unbelievably tight pussy. He swiftly sat up, taking hold of Elizabeth’s thighs and easing the rest of his organ into her. She moaned in ecstasy with every inch that entered her. Once he fit all that he could, James moved his grip from her legs to her ass. He lifted her up, feeling his member exit her. It was greeted with a cool sensation before being engulfed in nothing but warmth as he dropped Elizabeth to enter into her again. James got into a steady rhythm, lifting Elizabeth up and down on his shaft. He gritted his teeth, doing his best not to cum so quickly with how tight she felt. Her cries of bliss were a sound that did not help in his endeavor to try and last longer. To make it even worse, he felt Eleanor approach him from behind. She pressed her body against his back, turning his head so that she could kiss him. It only served to speed up James’ movements as he pumped Elizabeth at a higher pace. Each thrust felt better than the last, and with Eleanor wrestling his tongue with a kiss, James knew he didn’t have long. The final straw came when he felt Elizabeth’s pussy grip his dick like a vice as she came. It triggered his own orgasm, forcing James to dump one ropey strand of cum after another into Elizabeth. He moaned into Eleanor’s mouth with each release as they kissed passionately. When the last finally left him, James pulled out and repositioned himself, slumping into the pillows that were piled at the head of his bed. “Holy shit…” he gasped. He didn’t have time to do much else as he felt hands on his unsatisfied member. Looking down, he saw Eleanor removing the filled condom and tying it as Elizabeth put a new one on him.

“Me next…” Eleanor said much more shyly than her sister.

“Of course,” said James. As Eleanor straddled him, he took hold of her hips and slowly buried himself inside her. Much like her sister, she let out an assortment of pleased noises. Unlike her sister, she pressed her hands on James’ chest to get a little stability before moving on her own. James was surprised by the way she rocked her hips. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought that Eleanor had ridden plenty of men before him. Her movements were quick and precise, allowing James’ member to spread her walls the way she wanted.

“Ah, ah!” Eleanor moaned. She grinded her hips on her master, loving the feel of his rock hard erection pummeling her womanhood. Each stroke down sent a jolt of pure bliss that electrified her body. If she could, she wanted the feeling to last forever. Even with the pleasure she felt, Eleanor was still able to look at her younger sister who stared in amazement. She motioned Elizabeth to act.

“What are you…” said James before he felt Elizabeth crush her lips on his. They kissed with a passion unlike any other, moaning and sighing into each other’s mouth. Though his eyes were closed, they quickly opened as wide as they could as James felt Elizabeth pinch his nipple. It was the trigger he needed as he grabbed hold of Eleanor’s hips and began thrusting himself.

“Master James?!” Eleanor said in surprise. “Ah, ah, ah!”

“You two feel too damn good!” James exclaimed as he thrust into Eleanor. He kissed Elizabeth with renewed vigor, delighting her with the surprise. It wasn’t long before Eleanor collapsed, resting her chest on his as she came to a mighty orgasm. James bit Elizabeth’s lower lip firmly as he himself exploded. He didn’t think it was possible, but he came even more than earlier. His semen rushed out of him, liberally coating the latex sheath that protected Eleanor from pregnancy. “Fuck…” James sighed as he dropped his hands to either side of him, gasping for air as his member finally went dormant. “Let’s… let’s head to bed,” he managed to croak out.

“But… we want more…” the twins said together.

“Excuse me?! Ugh!” James grunted as he looked down. Elizabeth was enthusiastically stroking his dick, slowly getting it hard once more as Eleanor removed the filled condom. She produced another and began to role it down his shaft.

“How… how many of those did you bring?” James asked.

“Eli and I each brought a whole box,” said Elizabeth. “We took them from Charlotte’s room. There’re a dozen in a box.”

“We know you’re not satisfied, Master James,” Eleanor said as she finished with putting the condom on him. “You are just concerned that if you let your lust control you, you might end up hurting us. Please don’t think such things.”

“Yeah, Eli and I want you to be rough with us as much as you do,” added Elizabeth. “So as long as you’re unsatisfied, so are we. Ravage us to your heart’s content. There’s no doubt we’ll enjoy it as much as you.”

Their words were like poison. James’ mind was now being infected with every dirty thought that he could conjure. They released his restraints and gave him full reign of both their bodies. He rose from his back quicker than any time he ever had before. Without warning, he pushed Eleanor onto her back and impaled her with his pole. “Let’s keep going until the sun comes up,” he said with a smile before thrusting into her with reckless abandon. She could only smile at his enthusiasm. Elizabeth continued to pleasure him in the background, kissing a multitude of places on his body as he thrust into her older sister. When he finished Eleanor off, James wasted no time and switched to Elizabeth. He pounded into her, relishing her sweet moans with every ace into her cunt. James was manic, losing track of which twin he was inside of in his frenzy.

Several hours later and over two dozen orgasm between all of them, James continued to pound away at both of them. He had them both on their knees, leaning against his bed so that he could fuck them doggy style. As he pounded into Elizabeth, he felt her tighten up once more as she reached yet another orgasm. The stench of bitter smelling sweat permeated through the air as James thrust a final time to unload another salvo of his baby batter. When his orgasm petered out, he pulled out of Elizabeth and sat against his table. “Hah… hah… that was our last condom,” he said. He looked around to see that the rubber prisons that held his contributions littered the room. “What are you two doing?” James asked as the twins moved from their positions to lick his member. They toyed with it with their mouths, causing him to sigh in both pleasure and pain. His little guy was close to spent, but he still felt a little unsatisfied. “Charlotte said it should be fine if you pull out,” said Eleanor.

“Yes, can we please keep going?” Elizabeth asked with longing eyes.

“How could I say no?” said James. He began anew, vowing not to stop until all three of them were well satisfied. More hours passed and the sun was already rising and filling James’ room with light. With one final motion, James pulled out from Elizabeth’s convulsing cunt, letting his dick unleash a final torrent of cum on both twins. They were soaked from head to toe in his seed, and it was a sight to behold for James as they heaved with baited breath. He collapsed in between them looking to his left and right to see the satisfied expressions on their faces. His room looked like utter chaos with signs of naughty activities on every corner imaginable. “I think we can all agree that some sleep sounds nice right about now,” James said jokingly.

“Yeah…” the twins managed to say. They both kissed him on either cheek and snuggled up to him, giggling as they did so.

“I’m glad you two are happy,” said James. “Whenever we wake up, do you two want to do something?”

“I’d love to go shopping,” Elizabeth admitted.

“Elizabeth…” Eleanor protested much more calmly to her sister’s words. She was too tired to get upset.

“Shopping it is,” said James. “Anything else?”

“Well… there is one thing…” said Elizabeth.

“What is it?” James asked curiously.

“Can we do this again? Tonight?” Eleanor asked for her sister.

“And maybe the night after?” added Elizabeth.

“I can do that,” said James. His room smelled of sex and sweat, but it did not bother him in the slightest. James pulled up his blanket to cover all three of their naked bodies. Then with one final deep breath, he closed his eyes, falling asleep flanked by two of the most beautiful women he ever had the pleasure of meeting.

As the door to his room slowly opened with a creek, James suddenly opened his eyes and ran towards it. He put his weight on the door to have it reveal no more of his room before swearing under his breath that he forgot to lock it. James peered out of the tiny crack to see the culprit. To no surprise, it was Charlotte. “Hey, Charlotte,” said James. He laughed a little to lessen his stress.

“Is today not a good day either?” Charlotte said with a coy smile. “I was so devastated when you told me †˜no’ yesterday,” she added with a pout. “Imagine how surprised I was to see that you spent the whole day with Rosalind while I was forced to stand at my post. You sure know how to break a woman’s heart.”

“You’re funny…” James replied to her teasing. “And to answer your question, today isn’t a good day either. I haven’t been asleep for more than a few hours.”

“What?” Charlotte asked curiously. “Did you and Rosalind… Oh my goodness! You did, didn’t you?”

“What? No!” James denied. He swore in his head once again, cursing the fact that he made the “no sleep” comment. “I just suffered a little insomnia is all, nothing a few hours of morning sleep can’t fix.”

Charlotte took a deep breath. “I see,” she said. “I knew I came over later than usual, but I was surprised when I noticed no †˜out and about’ noises in your room. Well, it’s getting close to noon, so I’m guessing your eyes must have finally given out sometime around ten o’clock.”

“That sounds about right. So I hate to refuse your services, but maybe tomorrow?” James questioned with a little bit of relief. He was happy to see the end of this crisis.

“As you wish, Young Master,” Charlotte smiled. “Would you like a kiss? For the very best wishes that you sleep soundly?”

“I’m never one to refuse anything from you,” James smiled as well. He leaned in to kiss her, cherishing the feel of her juicy lips. Charlotte made sure that it was a kiss that would send him to sleep as he felt her wrap her arms around his head. However, James quickly realized it was nothing more than a ploy as Charlotte abruptly broke the kiss and swung his door open. James’ heart sank as she took in the sight of his room. In a panic, he pulled Charlotte in and closed the door behind her in fear that any passerby help might see. “What the hell, Charlotte?”

“Oh my… I smelled it the moment you opened the door, but I expected it was with Rosalind with how quickly you denied my question,” she said. She looked at the twins, huddled under his blanket both peacefully asleep. Afterwards, she moved her attention to all the condoms that littered the room. “I see you guys were busy…” she said with a smirk. She looked at James with an extremely naughty expression. “When did you start?”

“Hah…” James sighed. He was a little upset that he fell for such a simple trick as a kiss. “We started a few minutes after two in the morning. Can… can you please leave now?”

“That’s about eight hours…” Charlotte covered her mouth in disbelief. “Oh, you’ve really been working on your stamina, haven’t you? Care to test some more of it on me? Right now?”

“Charlotte, no…” James sighed. “Look, if you finish all your duties, you simply have to stand on post, right? If you want to spend time together, how’s about you join the twins and I when we go shopping downtown later today? I’m sure you can find someone to hold your post like usual. Just give me a few more hours and we can be good to go at around four or five in the afternoon. I’ll even treat you guys to dinner. How’s that?”

“Hmm…” Charlotte said as she curled a finger over her lips and looked towards his ceiling in deep thought. “Okay, I’d love to go on a date with you and the †˜kids.’”

“Is there ever going to be a moment where you take something seriously,” James chuckled. “Anyway, it’s a deal. Goodnight †˜dear.’”

“I think good morning is more appropriate,” Charlotte said with a smile before letting herself out and closing the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

“Here, girls,” said Charlotte as she put a pair of headphones on both twins. She plugged both of them into a two way adapter which she connected to her phone. Then, she typed her password in and went to her playlists. Charlotte played something she believed would be appropriate for the twins to listen to. “What do you think?”

“We like it,” they both said with similar elation.

“Good,” said Charlotte. “You two just keep listening to the songs until we get to the city, okay?”

“Okay!” Elizabeth spoke for both her and her sister. They bobbed their heads with the song, causing a smile to appear on Charlotte’s face as she observed their happiness.

“Precious,” she said before walking back to the seat opposite the twins. There, James sat and looked out the window. He appeared to be in deep thought. Charlotte sat next to him, tapping his shoulder to get his attention. “So…” she started with a mischievous smile. “What took you so long to get ready?”

“Huh? Oh, well… we… we had some distractions in the shower…” James admitted as his attention returned to Charlotte. He panned his head to the twins, noticing that they were distracted by Charlotte’s music. He then focused his attention on her, realizing that she had created a private moment for them before they arrived at downtown Sorrowsworn. James eyed Charlotte up and down as she sat. She looked beautiful in everyday clothing. Charlotte wore a pair of blue denims that hugged her marvelous long legs. As he traced them down, her feet were exposed as she wore a pair of brown sandals. Looking up, Charlotte sported a yellow top with short and slightly frilled sleeves. The frill design was also present on the v-shaped collar. James also noticed that she had done her hair so that two braids flowed down with her shimmering golden locks. He learned from Eleanor that Charlotte did their braids, but he never quite believed it until now.

“Distractions? What kind of distractions?” Charlotte asked with a naughty smile.

“Please don’t make me explain in detail…” James sighed.

“How many times?” Charlotte leaned towards him. Her smile had not dissipated.

“Twice,” James said quickly. His face reddened with his answer.

“Twice? One for each is impressive after last night.”

“Twice… for each.”

“Twice for each?!” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “How come I’m never around when all this happens? You’re making me jealous.” She leaned in, placing her hand on James thigh and pressing her chest into his shoulder. She rubbed his leg slowly, getting ready to plant a kiss on his cheek as she moved in even closer.

James pushed her away, surprised that the twins didn’t notice what almost happened. He smiled before he spoke. “Really, Charlotte?” he asked. “Can’t you wait?”

“But it’s been so long!” she teased. “When am I going to get some of your love?”

“Enough with that,” James sighed once more. “What’s really on your mind? You wouldn’t just distract the twins to give us a private moment unless you have something serious you wanted to talk about.”

“You catch on quick,” Charlotte admitted. Her smile did not disappear, but it no longer appeared to be a playful one. Though she was rarely without a smile, having been around Charlotte for a fair amount of time had allowed James the ability to pick apart what her different smiles meant. He knew that she had a pressing concern before she even spoke. “I haven’t seen Sissy since Saturday. That was the day your mother took her from you when you were spending time with her. Not only that, but when I saw the twins in your room today, I can only assume that it’s because she’s not back. Sissy would never let the twins sleep without making sure they felt safe. That’s why they were in your room, correct?”

“Yeah,” answered James. “Minus the part where I spent all night having sex with them… I was babysitting. The twins told me that she’ll be back by Wednesday.”

“I’m concerned for her,” Charlotte said with a worry. “Believe it or not, Young Master, I don’t know how much more Sissy can take. The body can heal, but the mind is a different story.”

“What do you mean?” James looked at her with confusion. “You think my mother’s beating her again? If she can take the abuse, I’ll be there to comfort her when she comes back.”

“That is far from my concern…” Charlotte sighed. “As I said, the body can heal, but the mind is a different story. Even if you nurse her back to health from her physical injuries, you will not be able to do so for her mental ones. Every day I see her, I swear it gets worse. She used to be so happy. When she first arrived at this house, I remember quickly becoming friends with her. She said an unfortunate thing happened to her family, but that she would be fine because Master Sorrowsworn would take care of her. I saw the look in his eyes. He wanted to take care of her, but there was guilt as well. It was as if he knew something that she didn’t. It turned out I was right.”

“What is it?” James demanded. “Tell me everything. This is what I need to know.”

“I can’t say anymore without betraying my friend by sharing her secrets,” said Charlotte. “But if I left you with nothing, that would also be unfair. Let me just say that after some years, the Sissy of the past was replaced by the Sissy of today. It was some years later, when she was twelve. Lady Sorrowsworn invaded her life like a wildfire. As time went by, she smiled less and less. The once charming Cecelia Estheim became nothing more than a shell of her former self. My friend now is not the friend I knew from so many years back. She is but a pale shadow. All that I have left of her are memories. But even so, those memories will disappear.”

“But why Cecelia?” James asked with irritation. “Why her specifically? Can’t she pick on someone else?”

“If you knew why, then you would understand,” said Charlotte. “But it is not my place to tell you. That is for her to share with you if she ever chooses to. All I can do is beg or pray to whatever God or force is out there for Sissy to not lose hope. Every day I see a little bit less of the woman I knew inside of her. She is close to breaking and it tears me apart that there’s nothing I or anyone can do. Even your father is powerless.”

“God…” James rubbed his head with both his hands. “There has to be something I can do. Not just for Cecelia, but for all of you. I have to find an answer. Something that can break my mother’s grip on everyone.”

“I hope you will find your answer in time,” said Charlotte. She leaned against James, connecting them shoulder to shoulder. “Even if I were to tell you everything, you would not find a solution to stopping your tyrannical mother.”

“What can I do…?” James repeated to himself over and over again. His thoughts stopped with the car as they arrived at their destination.

“We’re here!” Elizabeth said enthusiastically as she ripped the headphones off of her. “Let’s go. Let’s go!”

“Alright, alright. Hold your horses,” said James with a smile. They all stepped out of the limousine, being greeted by the rays of the setting sun in the heart of downtown Sorrowsworn. James estimated that there would be a few more hours of daylight before it turned dark. “Alright, we can shop until it’s dark. Afterwards, we can eat and head home. Don’t worry about using your wages, I’ll pay for everything.”

“You’re the best, Master James!” Elizabeth hugged him. “Come on, Eli!”

“O-okay…” Eleanor said reluctantly as she was dragged off by her sister.

“If it’s okay with you, I’m going to try and enjoy this night,” James said with a weak smile to Charlotte.

“Me too…” Charlotte said after a short moment of silence. “Hold my hand?”

“Sure,” James agreed. He stuck his arm out and Charlotte draped herself around it. They made small conversations with one another as the twins led them to a variety of places. Every conversation James had with Charlotte helped lighten his mood, and after a little while, he was smiling and laughing away with his company. Most of the stores they visited were reasonably expensive. Elizabeth bought dozens of trinkets from bracelets to earrings. She did not leave a store without something new that she had James buy for her. Eleanor on the other hand, was a little bit more reserved. Unlike her sister who voiced what she wanted and got it, Eleanor had to be asked by James if she wanted something. Every time James noticed she had her eyes fixed on a particular object for a long period of time, James would ask her if she wanted it. Though she never said it confidently, she always answered yes. Since James had to observe her, he missed a few things that Eleanor wanted, severely lessening the amount of things she had bought compared to her sister.

Then, there was Charlotte. She refused to buy anything unless she was allowed to use her own wages. Though it did not result in an argument between her and James, he knew that must have been part of the reason why she bought nothing. Charlotte seemed to detest hostility. It made James realize that he had never seen her angry. It made him wonder what she would be like if she was. He thought about it in even greater detail, realizing that even Charlotte’s criticism was kind. When she told him that he was not good at sex a few weeks back, she said it in a way that insulted him in the smallest amount it possibly could. In fact, James realized that their conversation on the ride here was the most serious one they had. It concerned him even more about Cecelia’s well-being if even the upbeat Charlotte was worried. “Are you okay?” her voice pierced his thoughts.

“I’m fine!” said James as he flashed Charlotte a smile. He paid for what the twins wanted in the store and headed out. With Charlotte still wrapped around his arms, they received a few happy expressions from the passing crowd.

“Now there’s a happy family! Ah, young love!” and old man said to James and Charlotte as they passed a bench.

James halted at his comment. He turned to face him before speaking. “Excuse me?” he asked with a smile.

“You’re Young Master Sorrowsworn, correct? No need to hide it boy, I’d say ninety percent of the people who’ve passed you recognize you! They’re just a little intimidated is all,” said the old man. He took of his fancy hat to reveal a nearly bald head as he took a few puffs from his pipe. “What I didn’t expect was for someone as young as you to have a wife and kids!”

“What?!” James choked in air. “You’re making a mistake, sir, those twins aren’t my kids. They don’t look more than a few years younger than me! Plus, this woman isn’t my wife.”

“Oh? She’s not?” The old man asked genuinely surprised. “I’d thought a man of your stature only deserved the most beautiful and intelligent wife. What is she then, your fiancée?”

“No she’s…” James paused. He wasn’t really sure what Charlotte was to him. Did she love him? Did he love her? These were both questions he was unsure of what the answer was. Though they shared many lustful moments, he wasn’t quite sure if it was the same for love. The question truly made him wonder what his relationships were with all the maids he knew.

“I’m his girlfriend,” Charlotte answered to save James from the man’s curiosity and his own silence. “He’s such a sweet guy to choose such a normal woman like me. The two you see walking ahead are my sisters. Though I found it funny you thought we were a family.”

“Ah, that clears it up!” the old man said with a smile. “I shouldn’t keep you two distracted on your date then. Pay no mind to me.”

“Thank you, sir,” Charlotte said sincerely with a smile of her own. She tugged at James arm, getting him to move so that they could catch up with the twins. “Come on, dear.”

“Thanks for that,” said James. “I didn’t know what to say. I hope… that didn’t offend you.”

“It didn’t,” Charlotte assured him. “Though… I wouldn’t mind if… I was your girlfriend…”

“I don’t know… if I feel the same way…” said James. “I’m sorry.”

“As I said, I wouldn’t mind,” Charlotte hugged his arm tighter. “I’m happy with how we are now. But will you consider me if things don’t turn out for the better? I mean that regarding Sissy.”

“Yeah… yes, of course,” said James. No matter how happy he became, something always brought him back to the grim situation. He poured all his efforts into forgetting, focusing all his attention on trying to keep the twins happy. When he looked at Charlotte’s smiling face, he assumed that she did so as well. They visited a few more shops, leaving little left for the sun to illuminate as it approached its final descent. “We have time to go to one more place,” said James. “Any place you guys had in mind?”

“We have yet to but any actual clothing. How about there?” Eleanor pointed to a shop. Her action shocked both James and Charlotte who were both expecting Elizabeth to once again decide where they should go.

“Clothes sound like a great idea!” Elizabeth said with glee. “I want a bunch of cute outfits like Reirei!”

“Then that’s where we’ll go,” said James. He let the twins lead, hanging back with Charlotte. Even with her arms wrapped around his, the silence between them explained it all. Neither of them felt particularly happy. Their conversation in the limousine as well as their encounter with the old man left a bad taste in their mouths. “So…”

“Master James! Do you want to see me try this on?” Elizabeth interrupted James’ sentence. She held up a cute green sleeveless dress. Judging by how thin it looked, it was most definitely a summer dress.

“Sure…” he said. “Let’s go to the dressing rooms. Will you look after Eleanor for me, Charlotte?”

“Did you even have to ask?” she asked James. A devious smile appeared on her face and she approached James to whisper something in his ear. “They’re getting bold. Don’t take too long, okay?”

“What?” James asked before he followed Elizabeth to the dressing rooms as she continued to beckon him. Though he wasn’t quite sure of what Charlotte meant, he had a slight idea. He passed an arch that lead into a small private area. There were six shutter doors, lining each side of the walls in threes. At the end of the short hall was Elizabeth. “That one’s not taken,” said James as he pointed to the one on the left of Elizabeth. “Try on the dress and I’ll wait out here.”

“Actually… I was hoping… I was hoping you’d put it on me,” Elizabeth said shyly. Her cheeks flushed with her words.

“Wait… what?!” James managed to say before Elizabeth took him by the hand and dragged him into the changing room with her. She quickly shut the shutter door and locked it.

“I said… I was hoping you’d put it on me,” she said before turning around and raising her arms up in the air. She looked back to face James. “Will you take off my shirt?”

“Uh… sure,” James complied. He didn’t really know what else to do. When he approached Elizabeth, he looked down at her blue denim jeans. Now that he paid attention, he realized how succulent they made Elizabeth’s legs look. James shook his head, placing his attention back on her shirt. James took hold of the bottom part, lifting up to remove it. To James’ surprise, Elizabeth wore no bra underneath. The lovely line on the middle of her back curved with her beautiful figure, causing James to run his finger on it.

“Ah…” Elizabeth stifled her moan. “A… a dress would look weird with pants. Could you… remove those as well?”

“Gladly,” said James. Though Elizabeth’s back was facing him, the mirror that she stood in front of did more than a good job of exposing her front to him. He reached around her, unclasping the button to her pants and pulling down the zipper. James pulled down, leaving Elizabeth in nothing more than a pair of white cotton panties and brown strapped sandals. As he looked at her both from behind and with the mirror, he felt his body grow restless as he slipped the dress on Elizabeth. When he finished putting it on, James backed away immediately to prevent himself from attacking her. He buried his hands in his pockets, destroying any possible options he would have. To his dismay, he felt a foreign object that he did not remember being in his pockets before. He pulled it out, learning that it was a condom. “Really, Charlotte?” he thought as he realized that she must have slipped it into his pocket when she whispered something to him. “Damn…” said James. He pushed Elizabeth against the mirror, causing a yelp to exit her. James pressed his chest against her back, bringing his hand to the bottom of the dress. He slipped his hand underneath and lifted up to grab one of her breasts, revealing a good amount of Elizabeth’s flesh as the dress lifted up with his arm. His other hand moved to caress her ass before taking hold of her panties and sliding them down to her knees.

“Oh! Please, Master James! Do it quickly!” Elizabeth whined impatiently.

“With pleasure!” said James. He undid his pants and pulled out his obviously hard dick from the confines of his boxers. He hurriedly put the condom on before burying himself into Elizabeth as far as her sopping wet pussy would allow. “Ugh!” he grunted from the pleasure of her sudden tightness and scalding warmth.

“Ah!” Elizabeth’s scream was muffled as James placed his hand on her mouth. Tears of pleasure appeared on her eyes as she felt her master begin to thrust. With every push, she felt her walls separate. She felt every corded vein of his member as he vigorously pushed into her. Elizabeth’s eyes practically rolled back as James’ grip tightened around her hip and mouth. His thrusts came in quick powerful bursts that electrified her body all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes. He was surprisingly vigorous to Elizabeth’s surprise, but she believed she knew why. She assumed he was trying to end their little session quick to lessen their chances of getting caught. Luckily for Elizabeth, she didn’t mind if it was quick, only if it was good. With how he pounded her, this was definitely good. She came shortly after, her walls convulsing and massaging James’ cock to trigger his own orgasm.

“Shit…” James cursed as he felt himself release. He thrust rhythmically into Elizabeth, timing his movements with each offering he unleashed inside of her. As it subsided, they both rested their remaining weight against the mirror, breathing heavily at their almost simultaneous orgasm. “I… I never expected either of you to get this naughty,” James panted.

“Does… does it displease you?” Elizabeth asked out of embarrassment.

“Not in the slightest.”

“Is… is the dress okay? Did it… get dirty?”

“It’s fine,” said James as he observed the dress. “Do you still want it?”

“Yes…” answered Elizabeth.

“If we stay here any longer, your sister’s going to get suspicious,” said James. “Let’s pay for it and head to dinner.”

XXXXXXXXXX

There was a palpable tension that emanated around the dinner table as the company ate. Charlotte had an ear to ear smile on her face as she observed the three younger people who accompanied her. It made her remember how her life was when she was eighteen. To her disappointment, it wasn’t as easy going as any of theirs. She thought how she would have killed to have a life with as little drama as her companions. It really made her think back of how much has happened in the seven years since she was eighteen. Though it should have saddened her, being in the presence of the current situation kept her happy. She directed her gaze towards Eleanor, who had a permanent scowl fixed on Elizabeth. When she turned her head to observe the little sister, she giggled on the inside. Elizabeth was doing everything in her power to not look her older sister in the eyes. Her action only made her noticeable guilt even more obvious as he sister continued to assault her with her gaze. Charlotte focused her attention right across from her. James had a worried look on his face as he eyed both twins back and forth “So… how’d that dress fit?” Charlotte asked in a way that suggested a double entendre.

“Yes, Lizzy,” Eleanor said with hostility. “How did that dress fit? I’d love to hear about it since you were gone so long with Master James.”

“Yes, Young Master, you were the only one who saw her in it, how did she look?” Charlotte asked with her persistent smile.

“Damn it, Charlotte…” James thought to himself. “If fit fine! It looked great. She was just a little embarrassed to step out for me to see it is all. That’s why it took so long.”

“Yeah!” Elizabeth quickly agreed. “That’s the exact reason. I… I felt embarrassed! There was nothing more to it.”

Eleanor said nothing. She simply took another bite from her plate and continued to beat her sister down with her gaze. Charlotte enjoyed the envy that Eleanor had for her sister. “I’m going to the little lady’s room. Anybody want to join me?” she asked.

“I will!” Elizabeth stood up without hesitation out of fear towards her older sister. She even hurried ahead of Charlotte.

“Don’t’ leave me behind,” said Charlotte. She approached James once more and whispered into his ear. “Fix this problem you’ve caused.”

“I’ve caused? You caused this, you damn deviant!” James said annoyed.

“I’m just spicing up their lives,” said Charlotte. “That was a privilege Sissy, Reimi, and I never got when we were their age. Just enjoy it yourself.”

“Hah…” James sighed as he watched Charlotte walk away with Elizabeth towards the restrooms.

“We were supposed to share you from now on…” Eleanor said with the most genuine look she could give.

James’ heart wrenched at Eleanor’s expression. The look she made felt like he was being poisoned with guilt. Eleanor knew how to make him feel like a terrible human being with her puppy-dog eyes and slight pout. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry,” he said.

“Make it up to me,” said Eleanor.

“I will. Just stay still a bit, okay?” James said as he looked back and forth. He assessed the length of the table cloth and realized that it reached all the way to the floor. After this inspection, he scanned the restaurant. Since it was quite the high end restaurant and it was a weekday, there weren’t more than a quarter of the tables filled with guests. “Unlike your sister who was wearing jeans, you’re wearing a skirt correct?” James asked.

“Yes. Why is that important?” Eleanor’s question fell to deaf ears as James continued to scan the room. He suddenly disappeared after a few more minutes of looking back and forth. Eleanor gasped and covered her mouth as she felt a pair of hands part her legs. “Master James?!” she asked in a panic.

“Shh!” James pleaded. “Push your chair in more. It’ll make it look less conspicuous.”

“Okay,” Eleanor complied. She pushed her chair in, pressing her stomach softly against the table. Her breaths came in deep and quick as she tried to keep a straight face. Even with all her effort, she knew that she must have made a few awkward expressions as she felt James rub her legs. She gripped the table cloth when she felt something warm and wet touch her thighs. Eleanor could only assume that it was James’ tongue expertly licking the inside of her firm thighs. She quivered in delight as she felt James’ tongue make its approach towards her moist folds. “Ah…” a quiet moan escaped from her lips as she felt fingers rubbing her woman hood through her panties. Her deep breaths intensified when she felt her panties being pulled to the side. Eleanor’s eyes widened to the sensation of something rubbing the nub that rested atop her vagina. She knew it was James thumb circling her clit. The sensation only grew as a pair of fingers split her lower lips open. Before she could even react, the warmth of James tongue was already invading the inside of her privates. He expertly lashed it in and out of her all while stimulating her clit. “Ah!” Eleanor let another quiet moan escape as she closed her eyes and began to softly bite her lower lip.

“Are you okay, miss?” a voice scared Eleanor to death. It was from their waiter.

“I’m… fine!” she said shakily. The shock caused her entire body to tighten, making her vaginal muscles push against James’ tongue even more. It only made the pleasure that much more unbearable.

“Where are your companions, miss? It’s strange to only see you,” said the waiter. He looked back and forth with genuine confusion.

“They… restroom…” Eleanor struggled. “They… they went… to the restroom.”

“Okay…?” the waiter raised his eyebrow. “Is there anything you need? More water perhaps?”

“No!” Eleanor said in a way that seemed odd to the waiter. As he left, she slammed her palms into the table in a method that produced as little noise as possible. Eleanor grabbed her napkin, squeezing it hard enough to leave permanent wrinkles. Her eyes watered as she came with incomparable force. She rested her head on the table, breathing heavily as James popped back up and sat on his seat as if nothing happened. He took a sip of water before using his napkin to wipe his lips.

“You’re drooling a little” James informed Eleanor with a smile. She lifted her head from the table and used her napkin to wipe the single drop of spit that escaped her lips. She continued to take deep and exhausted breaths to James’ pleasure. “How was it?”

“I do not approve,” Eleanor said with a face that rivaled the reddest rose. “But… it felt fantastic.”

“Does this make you and your sister even?” asked James.

“Yes,” she said as she noticed Charlotte and Elizabeth exiting the restrooms. “Yes it does.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“How are the girls?” Charlotte inquired James as they stood outside his room.

“Their fine,” James answered. “They’re just waiting for me to join them. I think they want to watch another scary movie. Though I think we’ll probably just sleep since we got home so late.”

“It’s not even midnight yet!” Charlotte argued. “Watch a movie with them! I’m sure they’re far from tired after how long the three of you slept in.”

“You make a good point,” James nodded his head. “But I’m mentally exhausted after that crap you pulled today. That was really dangerous, you lunatic!”

“No matter how dangerous it was, you enjoyed it, didn’t you?” Charlotte asked playfully.

“Hah… I hate to admit that I did,” James sighed. “Plus, it made them happy too, so it turned out okay in the end. I guess.”

“Just keep them happy until Sissy comes back this Wednesday,” said Charlotte. “Make sure you’re happy too. You start in your father’s business next Monday, right?”

“I do. That gives me a week.”

“You best make the best of it then,” Charlotte said before bowing. She walked away, making her way towards her quarters.

“Charlotte,” James called from down the halls.

“What is it?”

“Cecelia will be okay. I just know it. But if she’s not, my mother will have hell to pay.”

“Ugh!” James grunted as he clenched Charlotte’s curvaceous rump and pushed it against the glass. He repeatedly buried himself inside of her, eliciting moans of delight from Charlotte with each stroke. “Are you happy now?”

“Without a doubt! Ah!” Charlotte moaned. “What took the twins so long to leave?”

“They had to help me clean up my room. Plus, they wanted to go one more round before leaving today. I don’t know where they kept getting condoms,” said James. He leaned in, kissing either side of Charlotte’s neck.

“Ah! Well… Ah! Let’s just say they owe me… Ah! A few boxes,” said Charlotte. She wrapped her legs around James, entrusting him with being able to support her weight. “It feels much better not having to use one though. Am I right?”

“Of course!” said James as he lifted Charlotte by her ass until only the head of his cock was inside of her. He quickly relaxed his grip, letting gravity do the rest to impale Charlotte on his rock hard erection. James felt as if he was working out at the estate’s gym, lifting barbells. The only difference was that Charlotte was the barbell and that it felt much better. “When we ran out of condoms, it was the first time I ever did the twins raw. It felt so good that I was afraid I wouldn’t want to pull out. I had to constantly remind myself that I didn’t want an early child.”

Charlotte took hold of James’ head so they looked at each other eye to eye. “You won’t have to worry about that with me,” she leaned in towards his ear. “Come inside me as much as you want.”

James said nothing, simply ravaging Charlotte with more force. His arms and legs felt a heated pain as they supported both his weight and Charlotte’s. Luckily for him, the water running from his shower helped alleviate some of the stress on his limbs. The fact that it felt incredibly pleasurable was also a welcome aid in relieving some of the pain. “I’m… going to come soon!” James grunted.

“Then what are you waiting for?” Charlotte smiled as she tightened the hold of her legs around James’ waist. She grinded her pelvis against him, timing her movements with his powerful strokes. Charlotte kissed him passionately as he neared his final moments, forcing James’ tongue into a wrestling match with hers.

“Fuck…!” James moaned into Charlotte’s mouth without breaking their kiss. He unleashed everything he could into Charlotte’s eager womanhood. With each convulsion, James felt the warmth of their juices travel down his member until it leaked out of Charlotte. Judging from how tight she suddenly felt, James knew that his orgasm must have triggered hers. The grip of her legs tightened as if to split him in half. James broke their passionate kiss and pulled out of her. “Holy shit… you really are the best,” James smiled at her.

“Merci, mon amour,” said Charlotte. “Êtes-vous prêt à repartir?”

“If you’re trying to turn me on, it’s working,” said James. He spun Charlotte around, pressing her front against the glass. Whether it was from the front or back, Charlotte’s body was a thing of beauty to look at. He placed both of his hands on either side of her ass, rubbing and squeezing it into different shapes. James squeezed her lovely cheeks together, burying his dick in between them. He trapped it there for a few moments, thrusting up and down and admiring how his member looked like a hotdog in a bun. “I could come from just doing this,” James teased as he continued to rub himself off.

“You’ve yet to put it in my last hole,” Charlotte looked back towards James with a daring expression. “I’ve been cleaning it every now and then, waiting for when you’re ready to feel a little bold.”

“You can’t possibly mean…”

“That’s right,” said Charlotte. “Put it in my ass.”

James halted his stroking and took hold of his member. This would have been a first for him. A hundred different thoughts were rushing through his head as he stared at Charlotte’s snug looking asshole. Was he even going to fit? And if he did, how tight was it going to be? The thoughts just made him harder as he lined up his eager rod with her back entrance. The tip made contact, sending a different sensation pulsing through James as it touched the foreign flesh.

“Ah!” Charlotte giggled. “Sorry, it’s been so long since I’ve done anal that it felt really strange. I might as well be a virgin all over again!”

Charlotte’s joke triggered an animalistic response in James. He quickly inserted inch after inch of himself into Charlotte’s ass, causing her to moan in surprise. James clenched his jaw; the feeling was unlike anything he felt before. There was nothing he could compare the texture to. It was also much tighter than anything he had ever entered. It was easily tighter then the twins’ pussies when he first took their virginities. The heat that emanated from Charlotte’s ass was also different from her vagina. James wasn’t sure if it felt better, but it definitely felt different. He began to move, pulling out slowly and pushing back in. James noticed there was a strong grip that was absent from a typical vagina. Though it was very different from a woman’s usual hole, it felt fantastic in its own right. As he adjusted to the new sensations, James started to pound into Charlotte at his usual pace once again. He began to feel the familiar pleasure that accompanied all his sessions with Charlotte. With his eyes being closed for most of his adjusting, James opened them to see a sight he had never seen before. Charlotte’s face was riddled with pleasure, but something about it was different. She looked as if she was helpless and completely out of control.

“S-slow down…! It feels… too good!” she stuttered. Her eyes were closed, she bit at her lower lip, and her hands fisted against the glass. After such a long time since her last anal session, Charlotte’s body was suffering from sensory overload.

“I don’t think so…” James said deviously. This was his chance to be in control of Charlotte. It motivated him to move as best as he could. Charlotte was making all sorts of noises that he had never heard from her. It was truly a sight to see and hear. “God, you’re even hotter than you usually are!” James growled as he took hold of one of her breasts. James tweaked her nipple, causing Charlotte to open her mouth wide. Her eyes were delirious with lust as she began to drool. James moved his free hand to her dripping snatch. Even with the shower water washing over their bodies, Charlotte was so turned on that she was still producing enough fluids to keep the area between her legs sticky. He had never seen the blonde goddess so helpless. It really turned on James’ sadistic side. He was hammering his fingers into her longing womanhood all while rubbing her clit with his thumb. He felt Charlotte’s body buckle as she continued to move and moan sporadically. James enjoyed this hidden side of Charlotte as long as he could. He knew that he might never see it again once she finally adjusted. But like all good things, James felt this particular moment coming to an end as he approached orgasm. “I’m going to come again,” he said to Charlotte. He turned her head to face his, kissing her with everything he had.

“Do it!” Charlotte begged. She put one of her hands over James’ hand that was playing with her womanhood, urging him to be a little rougher. Charlotte came shortly after, her entire body locking up from the pleasure. She felt as if she was going to pull a muscle with how hard she froze. “AH!!!” she wailed in absolute delight.

“Fuck…!” James said once again with feeling as he came in Charlotte’s ass. The amount felt like even more than his first. Much like before, it began to leak out before James pulled out. He rested his weight against Charlotte, both of them leaning against the glass. “Why’d I wait so long to do that?”

“You tell me…” Charlotte surprised herself that she was still able to speak. She smiled as she felt James’ dick resting on her backside. “It’s still hard. Do you want to go again?”

“As long as you do,” said James between deep breaths. He lined himself up with Charlotte’s ass, wanting to go another round with her newly introduced hole. “Is it okay if we go again with this hole?”

“That’s fine,” said Charlotte. As she felt James about to penetrate her, the blissful feeling was cut short when she heard a slam from outside of James’ bathroom.

“What the hell?” James managed to ask before his bathroom door suddenly opened. Pieces of the lock that kept it closed flew through the air before bouncing and scattering all over the ground. A woman with fiery red hair stepped inside the bathroom. It was Reimi, and she had a look of absolute wrath on her face. It looked like she was intent on killing someone. With her gaze fixed on them, James assumed they were the target. “Reimi, I can explain…”

“Chaaaarlooootte!!!!!!” Reimi yelled at the top of her lungs. “Charlotte… Celia… Celia’s…”

Charlotte pushed James off of her and exited the shower in a heartbeat. She grabbed one of James towels and covered herself immediately. She looked at Reimi who was on her knees. Her expression of pure anger was now one of hopelessness. Tears were constantly pouring out of her eyes. Charlotte crouched down next to Reimi. She tilted her head up and stroked her cheek. “What is it?” Charlotte asked in a completely serious tone.

“Reimi, are you okay?” James asked as he stopped the water and stepped out of the shower as well. He followed Charlotte’s lead and wrapped a towel around himself.

“Talk, Reimi…” Charlotte urged her friend. Unfortunately, all Reimi could do was whimper. Charlotte pulled her hand back and slapped Reimi across the face with considerable force. “Talk, Reimi!”

“Holy crap, Charlotte,” James was stunned by her action. He could see that Charlotte hit Reimi hard enough that it made her face swell almost instantly.

“Quiet for a moment!” she demanded of James. Even so, she was still very polite about it. “Take a deep breath and calm down. Or do you need me to slap you again?”

Reimi’s eyes continued to water, but her breaths became more controlled. Her body stopped shaking and she took hold of Charlotte’s hands. She looked Charlotte in the eyes with an expression of powerlessness. “Celia… Celia’s back,” she started. “The twins came to me… they were crying… I… I knew something was wrong.”

“Yes, today’s the day she comes back,” said Charlotte. “But why are you crying?”

“The twins said a host carried her back when I entered her quarters,” Reimi whimpered. “Charlotte, she’s unconscious. She’s just lying in bed. The only reason I know she’s alive is because she’s breathing. The worst part is the fact that the twins saw it all.”

“What?!” said Charlotte. She took Reimi by the hand and stormed out of the bathroom. She didn’t even bother putting her clothes back on.

“Charlotte, wait up!” James yelled from his room as Charlotte continued to stamp down the hall. He quickly ran to his closet and threw on the first pair of clothes that he grabbed. James ran into the hallway, realizing that Charlotte was no longer anywhere in sight. Even so, he knew where to go. James made a beeline towards the East Wing Maids’ Quarters. When he arrived, he saw a host with a look of regret on his face right outside the entrance. With the door opened James saw a handful more hosts and a few dozen maids inside. There was a very big commotion happening that he could only assume involved Cecelia. “I need to get inside,” James told the host that stood at the entrance. He jumped in fear at James’ words.

“Please don’t punish me, Young Master!” he pleaded with a look of fear. “I didn’t do anything to her, I swear! I only brought her back since she was unconscious! I only did as I was commanded!”

“I believe you. I just want to get inside,” James comforted him. The host relaxed a little before bowing. He stepped out of the way to let James in. He had to push through a sea of people before he reached Cecelia’s quarters. There, she rested in Charlotte’s arms. A few of Cecelia’s subordinates were falling apart, including the twins. They huddled together in a hot mess on the floor next to Charlotte. Some of the hosts were even crying while others held back their tears. What truly shocked James was seeing Rosalind desperately trying to comfort Reimi. Though Rosalind herself had a few tears, Reimi looked like an absolute disaster. Everyone in the room was completely demoralized with the exception of Charlotte. “Excuse me,” James said as he waded through the crowd. He stood beside the bed right next to Charlotte. She had lifted Cecelia so that she was cradling her in her arms.

“Sissy? Cecelia, it’s Charlotte. Can you hear me?” she shook her gently, doing her best to not hurt her. “Cecelia, you’ve got to wake up, dear. If you sleep anymore, you might never open your eyes again. Wake up!”

“Uh,” Cecelia groaned. Every noise that filled the room disappeared. She opened her eyes ever so slightly and tilted her head towards Charlotte. “I… am… fine. Just a few… bruises and… cuts.”

“Cuts? Bruises?” Charlotte asked with a look of sheer concern. “I thought it was just the bruised eye and the cut lip?”

“Oh… did I? That is… that is… what I meant… is…” Cecelia did her best to speak.

“Young Master, support Cecelia,” Charlotte commanded.

“Of course,” James said as he sat next to them. Charlotte carefully placed Cecelia so that she was leaning on James. “There you go. Just take it easy,” James said as he rested Cecelia’s chest against his so that Charlotte could inspect her back.

“Please let there be nothing, please let there be nothing…” Charlotte repeated as she undid the first layer to Cecelia’s maid outfit. She sighed with irritation as she slipped the dark blue layer off of her. The white fabric underneath was stained red, causing everyone in the room to gasp. James lifted his head over Cecelia’s shoulder to see the gruesome marks. Charlotte immediately undid the lacing on the white undershirt. When she split it open, she saw several gashes on Cecelia’s back. Charlotte stuck her hand under her shirt and felt Cecelia’s stomach and chest. Her flesh felt irregularly soft. “She was whipped against a wall,” she spoke to everyone’s horror. “That’s why her front is slightly bruised. She probably kept slamming into the wall when she recoiled in pain. There are six lashes, but that doesn’t mean she was only hit six times. It could have been more.”

“Why was she whipped?” James asked. He could feel his anger boiling. He laid Cecelia as gently as he could on her bed, making sure she was on her side. “Why?!”

“Who’s to say?” Charlotte asked. Charlotte looked around the room and assessed everyone’s mental state. “Now isn’t the time for crying. If you want Cecelia to get better, listen up. I need someone to get some bandages from the bath’s first aid cabinet. Now!”

“At once!” a few maids stood up and headed to the wing’s bath.

“Someone find something to support Cecelia on. We can’t have her lying directly on her wounds until she’s nice and bandaged up. Even then, try to keep her on her sides as much as possible,” Charlotte ordered. “Rosalind, you’re coming with me to downtown Sorrowsworn.”

“Me, Miss Charlotte?” Rosalind asked. She was taken by surprise that Charlotte addressed her.

“Yes, you. We need to pick up some of that ointment Sorrowsworn Pharmaceuticals has made from whatever infirmary might be selling it,” said Charlotte. “It numbs the pain and prevents permanent scars. The last thing I want is for Cecelia’s back to constantly remind her of some kind of tragedy. Plus, it’ll keep rumors of the Young Master beating his servant from spreading.”

“To hell with that!” James yelled. “Didn’t I say there would be hell to pay? I’m going to see my fucking mother.”

“Don’t do anything that might cause more problems,” said Charlotte. “Everything will be okay. Reimi, I need you to be strong. Though she woke up, she didn’t even recognize it was me. She’s a little delusional right now. I need you to be here when she comes back to her senses. I don’t want her waking up to an empty room. Isolation is the last thing she needs to think about when she comes to.”

“But…” Reimi sobbed. “I can’t possibly look after her. Seeing her pain only makes my own heart wrench.”

“That’s a selfish thing to say,” Charlotte stood up and approached Reimi. She sat down next to her on the floor. “It’s not about how you feel right now, it’s about how Cecelia feels. You need to be here for her. You’re in no condition to get the medicine, so you need to fill this role. Got it?”

“Y-yes…” Reimi answered meekly.

“Everyone else, get back to work,” said Charlotte with a sigh. “I hate to kick you out, but if Lady Sorrowsworn saw us all here, we’d be crucified. Don’t make the situation any worse.”

Though they were reluctant, everyone left in just a few minutes. A few of Cecelia’s subordinates took the twins to comfort them somewhere else. Charlotte noticed that James was no longer in the room, suggesting that he must have gone to confront his mother. She swore under her breath that he did not listen to her. “Miss Charlotte?” Rosalind’s voice made Charlotte realize that she was still in the room. “When do we leave?”

“When I put some clothes on,” Charlotte partially smiled as she rubbed her forehead with her hand. She was so caught up in the moment that she had forgotten that all she had covering her was a towel. “Could you fetch me some outdoor clothes from my quarters, Rosalind?”

Rosalind nodded. “At once.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“Dad? Dad!” James yelled as he made his way towards his parents’ quarters. He took hold of the double doors and swung them open. “DAD!!!”

“Young Master?” a familiar voice spoke from behind him

James turned towards the entrance, realizing that the voice came from Catherine. “Catherine!” he barked. “Where’s my father? I need to speak to him about my mother.”

“You have just missed him,” Catherine answered. “He left not too long ago for a business meeting.

“When will he be back?”

“I don’t know. His business meetings usually run for varying lengths of time,” Catherine answered. She let herself into the room. “Now will you please excuse me? I need to tidy up your parents’ quarters before Lady Sorrowsworn complains.”

“You too?” James asked. “Why is everyone afraid of my mother?! I’ve had enough! She’s in the estate, right? I’m going to give her a piece of my mind.”

“You mustn’t!” Catherine pleaded.

“Why not?!”

“Because she has information that can destroy your entire family! Don’t provoke her!”

“What could she possibly have?!” James exploded. “She’s not even originally part of this family! What can she possibly say or do that could ruin my father’s great reputation?!”

“He doesn’t love your mother, he loves me!” Catherine screamed. “He loves me…”

“What? What are you talking about?” James asked. His temper subsided as it was replaced by confusion. “What do you mean?”

“A man of your father’s power with as clean a reputation as him is what the world calls an anomaly,” Catherine explained. “Not a single person on this earth is without some sort of dark secret. With your father having such a clean slate, all Lady Sorrowsworn has to say is that he sexually assaults his servants to tarnish his name.”

“But… you said it yourself,” said James. “He loves you. He would never do anything like that. No one would believe my mother’s lie.”

“You are so very young and naïve,” Catherine smiled at James. “Lady Sorrowsworn is of the upper class. People will believe in what she says. I am but a humble servant. Even if I were to say that your father loves me and has not assaulted me, they will simply assume that I was ordered to say so. All it takes is one false fact to destroy this house. A name as clean as your father’s being tarnished would result in the end of this family.”

“But… but it’s just one false fact…” said James. “How… how can it have so much power?”

“Because this world is cruel,” answered Catherine. “The moment your mother was arranged to be married to your father so many years back, this house was doomed. His parents forced him into a relationship with the devil herself. And for what? All because his parents saw that she was an heiress of a once mighty family. Becoming part of this family was part of your mother’s plan from the beginning. She’s wanted nothing more than the wealth of your mighty house. And she will do anything to be rid of your father and all those related to him by blood. Even if you were to destroy this one false fact, it would not be enough. Your mother has used your father’s wealth in many illegal affairs. Do you honestly think that all the help are orphans? Some of them were brought here through human trafficking. Your father has done his best to give them lives in an attempt to console them. If the public were to learn that his money has been used to buy human lives, it would truly be the end.”

“This is a disaster…” James said as he fell to his hands and knees. “I see it now. She can tarnish my family name while keeping her own clean by not being a part of the family. She can just deny any knowledge of all of her illegal doings and blame it on my dad.”

“Now you understand,” said Catherine. She kneeled down and patted his head to comfort him. “Your father is tirelessly looking for a way out of the situation. If you question why he is rarely around, he is always attempting to find a solution. So is your sister.”

“Jessica?” James looked at Catherine. “Jessica knows?”

“That is why she left,” answered Catherine. “She pretended to not know and claimed that she no longer wanted to be a part of the family. It was all a ruse to fool your mother into thinking she ran away. As we speak right now, she continues to search for answers just like your father. But much like him, her efforts have yet to result in any evidence. Your Mother is the last of a once wealthy family. Her history is so obscure that it is almost impossible to find any information that can be used against her.”

“Then I’m going to do the same,” said James. He stood up with renewed purpose. “I’m going to help my family. And together, we’ll bring my mother down.”

“That’s the spirit,” Catherine smiled. “Just because you have her blood does not mean you are her. I am so very proud of you, Young Master. I have raised you and your sister like my own children from the very moment Lady Sorrowsworn gave birth to you. My only regret is that the two of you aren’t my children. Please continue to reject all the ideas she gave you as you grew up. Please become a good human being.”

“As far as I’m concerned, you were more a mom than she ever was,” James hugged Catherine. “I will make you proud.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“Reimi,” Cecelia spoke to the redhead that slept beside her bed.

“Celia?” Reimi shook her head and propped herself up. Her body ached after having fallen asleep on a chair that rested close to Cecelia’s bed. “Celia, you’re awake!”

“Where… where am I?” Cecelia asked.

“You’re in your room,” Reimi answered. “Don’t make any sudden movements. We propped you up on some pillows to put as little strain on your scars.”

Cecelia groaned. She felt the unbearable pain on her back. A few tears began to exit her eyes. “It hurts…” she said.

“I know it does, but Charlotte will be back soon with something to help,” Reimi assured her. “It’ll even keep your back from being permanently scarred! Isn’t that neat?”

“It’s not my body,” Cecelia’s tears intensified. “It’s my heart. Pain. All I feel is heart wrenching pain.”

“Cecelia…”

“Have I committed an unspeakable crime in a past life? Have I done something so malevolent that I simply did not notice in this life? Is this early punishment for some great sin I will commit in the future?” Cecelia sniveled. “What… what have I done to deserve this? Am I truly such a waste of flesh?”

“Cecelia… stop…”

“No! I must ask!” continued Cecelia. “What reason was there for me to be born if my only purpose is suffering? I must be a mistake. That is most likely the reason why I suffer.”

“Stop, damn it! Stop talking like that!” Reimi began to cry once more. Her cheeks were still quite puffy from all the tears she shed earlier.

“I am a mistake. I suffer because I was not supposed to be born. I am unwanted,” Cecelia continued. Though her expression had returned to its usual apathetic self, her tears did not stop. “An unwanted person like myself deserves nothing more than death.”

“If you truly are unwanted, would Reimi be crying?” Charlotte said as she opened the door with Rosalind in tow. “If you were to die right now, do you know what would happen?”

“Charlotte? What… what do you mean?” Cecelia questioned.

“This whole place would be in chaos if you died,” said Charlotte. “Your subordinates idolize you. They think you are an angel with how kind you are. They would fall apart if you disappeared. And what about Eleanor and Elizabeth? You are the closest thing they have to a parent or guardian. Do you think they will be okay without you to care for them?”

Cecelia said nothing. She simply looked at Reimi as she continued to weep before focusing her attention again on Charlotte. She saw that Charlotte’s eyes were shaking. Cecelia could tell that she was holding back tears. “Charlotte…”

“And what about us?” Charlotte asked with her voice cracking a little. “Do you know what Reimi and I would do if you were to just disappear? I’ll tell you what we would do. We’d kill ourselves. A life without you is not something we could survive. Don’t you see, Cecelia? You aren’t unwanted.”

“They're right,” another voice came from the entrance. The women all turned to see that it was James. “Don’t leave us, Cecelia.”

“Young Master?!” Charlotte asked. “Did you speak with your mother? Please tell me you didn’t.”

“It’s okay, I didn’t. You won’t have to worry about me confronting her anymore,” James assured them. “I can see clearly now. I know what needs to be done.”

“And what is that?” Reimi asked.

“We need to pool our strength and knowledge,” said James. “It’s the only way we can stop my mother.”

“You’re not making this up?” Vincent asked James as they walked down the hall.

“No! Why would I?” James asked back. “I wouldn’t joke about anything so serious.”

“Have you told anyone else?”

“Of course not! Are you crazy?” James looked back down the hall before looking forward once again. “I told you because I trust you.”

“Does your father know that you know?”

“I think that’s why he wants to talk to me,” James answered. The two turned into another hall, continuing their stroll towards the atrium of the mansion. “He’s probably going to ask about how much I know and what I plan to do.”

“This is crazy, James,” Vincent admitted. “But if you trust me with such vital information, that means there’s more to this, isn’t there? Do you need my help?”

“Perceptive as ever,” said James. “Thanks to my mother, I start my first day of work tomorrow. I want you to come with me as my partner.”

“Me? Why?” Vincent asked a little surprised.

“Because you were the smartest student,” James answered. “I need your help with some information gathering. It’s simple, really: I do the actual family business and you dig around the family archives and any other places that might have information.”

“And look for what?” said Vincent as they reached the atrium. They took a seat at one of the many couches that overlooked the backyard. “Am I supposed to just search day and night in every little nook and crevice of the city for information that doesn’t exist? From what you’ve told me, you’re mother is completely clean!”

“No one is clean. Everyone has made a mistake at some point in their life. My mother should be no different,” James believed. “I’m sure we just haven’t looked in the right spot.”

“You said Jessica is out there trying to help your dad, right?”

“Yeah… I never expected my sister to be playing such a big role in all of this. Maybe I can get in contact with her now that I know she’s trying to help the family.”

“When was the last time you talked to her?”

“It’s been years…” James sighed as he leaned back on the sofa. “This revelation might be what finally gets us together again.”

“You miss her, don’t you? Vincent looked at James with a little sympathy.

“Is that a joke? Of course I do,” said James. “I loved her so much. She and I did just about everything together. I felt so lonely when she left.”

“That much, huh?”

“You make it sound like I’m incestuous,” James said with irritation. “Look, when you live in such a big house, you start to feel lonely. Even with all the help, they don’t really interact with you unless you need something from them. My family was and still is always busy. We rarely ever see or even speak to each other. Between my dad always being in a business meeting or my mom ignoring I existed unless she wanted to show me off like a trophy, Jessica was the only real company I had.”

“You had us too, you know?” said Vincent. “Granted, the other guys might not always be the most reliable, but we’ll always be here for you.”

“I know. Thanks for that,” said James. He checked his watch and looked towards one of the other halls that lead to the atrium. “My father will be here soon. You know, you don’t have to be here when he arrives.”

“If I’m going to be your partner, I need to be with you in every situation,” Vincent said with a smile. “You know, this whole thing still has me wondering about something.”

“What is it?”

“Why Cecelia? If your mother hates you and your family, why is she always picking on Cecelia?”

“I don’t know…” James groaned. He shook his head as Vincent brought up the subject. “That’s something I’ll have to ask her. There’s obviously some bad blood between them, or at the very least, from my mother.”

“Do you have any clue what might be the cause?”

“Not a one. Charlotte and Reimi seem to know, but they said I should ask her about it myself,” said James. “As of right now, that’s kind of out of the question. She spends most of the days asleep. Charlotte’s been awfully busy taking care of both her wing and Cecelia’s.”

“As head maid, shouldn’t that be Catherine’s duty?”

“She’s busy with the business. I never even knew that until recently,” James admitted. “I thought Catherine was just your typical maid, but now I know she isn’t. The reason she accompanies my dad on all his meetings and trips is because she helps him run the business. She arguably has more work to do then Charlotte, Cecelia, and Reimi combined.”

“Wow, I had no clue,” Vincent said with surprise. He turned to see a figure that appeared to be James’ father approaching from one of the halls. “He’s here.”

James turned as well to see for himself. He let out a heavy sigh. “This is going to be interesting…”

XXXXXXXXXX

“Reimi, I can feed myself,” Cecelia insisted.

“You can barely move!” Reimi replied. “Now open wide and just let me feed you without arguing.”

“But…”

“Shut up!” Reimi cut Cecelia off before she could even start. She took a scoop of the porridge and blew at it to cool it down. “You know that I rarely cook. Charlotte says that when I cook, Hell freezes over. For that reason, just eat!

Cecelia sighed. Her face reddened a little at the thought of how Reimi had been spoon feeding her for the last few days. With a little hesitation, she opened her mouth for Reimi. The red-haired maiden smiled and delivered the food into her mouth. Cecelia savored the flavor as it made contact with her taste buds. Reimi’s cooking was exceptional. She always thought it was a shame that she did not cook more often. “It is… delicious.”

“Was there even a doubt in your mind?” Reimi said confidently. She fed her friend until the bowl was empty; satisfied that she enjoyed her food. “Seconds?”

“I am quite satisfied with the amount I have had,” answered Cecelia. She twitched a little as she readjusted on her bed.

“Alright, don’t do anything crazy,” said Reimi. “I’m going to wash these and I’ll come right back. You still need to take a bath and have the ointment reapplied on your back.”

“Thank you,” said Cecelia. “I know how much you dislike doing all this, yet you do it nonetheless.”

“It isn’t a problem at all,” Reimi assured her. “I’m just happy that I don’t have to replace bandages anymore. That was a really big hassle.”

“I apologize…”

“As I said, Celia, don’t worry about it,” Reimi stood up and approached her. She leaned in to kiss her forehead. “Just relax and you’ll be better in no time.” She left Cecelia’s room with the bowl in hand. Reimi made her way towards the closest kitchen, wondering about whether or not James had spoken to his father already. Her thoughts were answered when she passed one of the T-shaped intersections in the halls. As she looked down the hall, she saw James with Vincent on the opposite end. They were walking towards the atrium. Whatever they were discussing, it must have been serious. Reimi assumed this because there was no way they would have missed her otherwise. The opposite hall from where they came wasn’t too far from the one that she was in. “I’m guessing he’s telling Vincent everything…” Reimi thought. She finally reached the kitchen where she made the porridge. Reimi put the bowl and other utensils into the sink. She put on a pair of gloves, making sure the water would not dry out her skin. The very thought of the imperfection made her shudder. As she washed the dishes, Rosalind entered the kitchen. “Is it time for your report already? How’re the others doing?” Reimi asked her.

“Th-they… they seem to be fine,” Rosalind answered. “I… I am still unsure whether I am qualified to lead them while… while you nurse Miss Cecelia back to health. Also… the twins… they can be a bit much at times…”

“If they become too problematic, just tell me and I’ll set them straight,” said Reimi. “You’re doing a fine job, Rosalind. If something ever happens to me, I’m glad the others trust in you.”

“I… I don’t deserve their… love,” Rosalind said timidly. “I don’t understand it. I… I am so plain and… and they are all so beautiful. I don’t… don’t deserve to be in their company…”

“You’re fine,” Reimi assured her. “My girls aren’t so shallow that they’d toss you out because of something so trivial. They love you. I promise.”

“Th-thank you, Miss Walters,” Rosalind smiled. “I must return to them for now. I hope Miss Cecelia gets better soon. Even with your lavish quarters, I’m starting to miss my own bed and solitude.”

“She will, I just know it. Just bear with it for a bit longer. Trust me, sleeping on a futon on the floor is no better,” Reimi said. Rosalind departed as she finished off the dishes. She took off the gloves and leaned against the sink for a moment, taking a deep breath to take in everything that has happened. Reimi exited the kitchen soon after, making her way back to Cecelia’s quarters. As she passed the T-shaped intersection again, Reimi paused for a moment and peered down it. She looked towards the hall that led to Cecelia’s quarters, wondering whether she could take a detour. In the end, she opted to take the detour. Reimi made her way down towards the other hall and journeyed to the atrium. She could hear the two young men’s voices as she neared the area. Their voices disappeared as they took notice of her. With the hall having no windows to provide ample lighting, it made it hard for the boys to ascertain it was her. When she finally exited the small bit of concealment, the two boys had a look of surprise. “Hello,” said Reimi.

“Miss Walters,” Vincent said. “I was expecting Master Sorrowsworn.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be taking care of Cecelia?” James wondered. “How is she, by the way? Is she feeling better?”

“Much more than before,” answered Reimi. “I decided that I wanted to be present when you spoke with your father.”

“And I am glad that you are,” a powerful voiced echoed from one of the halls and caused the three to jump. The source came from James’ father. “There was a matter I wish to discuss with James involving you.”

“M-master Sorrowsworn,” Reimi bowed instantly. “I live to serve.”

“Is that how I raised you, Miss Walters?” Master Sorrowsworn raised an eyebrow. “Don’t call me by that title. It always makes me feel so old. I’ve barely broken fifty!”

“My apologies, I thought you wouldn’t want me to address you how I normally do in such a professional atmosphere,” said Reimi.

“It’s fine, Miss Walters, we are far removed from an atmosphere that requires professionalism,” Master Sorrowsworn said with a smile.

“Claudius, then,” said Reimi as she finally raised her head. “What was the concern regarding me?”

“Dad,” James spoke before his father could answer. “I didn’t know… about mom… about Jessica… I’m sorry…”

“Relax, son,” said Claudius. “Catherine has told me everything. It seems you understand the situation.”

“I do.”

Claudius looked at Vincent before smiling. “I am glad you are here with him, Vincent. You always were my favorite,” he joked.

“Uh… thanks, Master Sorrowsworn,” Vincent stood and bowed.

“No need for that,” Claudius motioned Vincent to sit back down. He motioned Reimi to join them before he sat on the couch on the opposite side of them. Claudius looked each one in the eyes, gauging their strength and worth. “It seems I have two new members to add to my army. Let me start with an explanation regarding your mother. Though she is hated by most in the estate, that is not to say that she does not have allies.”

“Who, exactly?” James asked.

“The families of your friends,” answered Claudius. “They help run the business and were promised equal share once they have taken over. Think about it, son. When was the last time any branch of our business wasn’t handled by our family? Emilia recruited them for the purpose of being enforcers to her plan.”

“If that’s true, how come I have never been told of this?” Vincent pondered. “My family has made no mention about usurping yours. In fact, all they’ve done is encourage my friendship with James.”

“Yours is a different case, Vincent,” answered Claudius. “You two have known each other since you were little children. Your family felt apprehensive when they saw the friendship you formed with my son. Their conscience turned them from Emilia’s plans. They provide me information all while making Emilia believe that they are on her side. You can say that your parents are my †˜people on the inside.’ They are the reason I have been able to combat some of the new ideas and rules Emilia has established. Unfortunately, they have yet to find any information that can be deemed of worth to use against her in a court. They most likely haven’t told you because most of the families haven’t told their children. In other words, do not utter a word of any of this to any of your friends, James. All it takes is a loose tongue for Emilia to figure out and take action. That goes the same for you, Vincent.”

“Yes, sir,” the two young men said in unison. “With that out of the way, tell me what is your plan regarding your first day of work tomorrow?”

“It’s simple really…” James started. He explained to his father how he would work while Vincent would snoop around. After he finished, James waited for his father’s criticism.

“It is a good plan,” Claudius assured them. “But I am unsure what Vincent might be able to find even with the vast amount of information that travels throughout downtown Sorrowsworn.”

“I thought it would be a good start,” said James.

“Also, if you’re planning to work in downtown Sorrowsworn, that means you’ve decided to be a serious part of the business. It’s the center of commerce and where our family makes a substantial amount of our money. You’ll be working with Tiberius.”

“I will be,” said James. “I already called uncle and he said I can stay at his place. He’ll show me the ropes and said we can talk about different courses of action regarding finding information about mom.”

“Wait, we’re going to be living in his hotel?” Vincent asked a little surprised. “You never told me this.”

“It would be best, yes,” answered James. “It’s a half an hour drive into and out of the city. It’d just be more convenient than driving back and forth every day. Besides, you and I loved that hotel when we were young. Remember how much we abused the room service?”

“Don’t remind me,” Vincent started to laugh. Claudius couldn’t help but smile as well at the memories as Reimi stood in the dark regarding it. “I guess living in your uncle’s hotel for a few months wouldn’t be so bad.”

“I expected you’d want to stay with Tiberius,” Claudius said while still smiling. He looked towards Reimi before speaking once again. “I’m sorry, Miss Walters, we’ve been ignoring you. May I finally speak about the matter regarding you?”

“Of course,” said Reimi in a slightly tense manner. “But… you don’t have to address me as Miss Walters, Claudius. Reimi will be fine.”

“You ask everyone to call you Miss Walters,” James said. “What makes my dad different?”

“He’s an exception, now shut up,” Reimi snapped.

“Such fire in this one!” Claudius laughed. “Anyway, let me discuss my matter. James, I want you to take Reimi as your temporary personal maid.”

“What?” James asked a little flustered. He looked to Reimi who shared a similar feeling which she expressed through her facial expression. “Why?”

“Emilia really did a number on Cecelia,” Claudius sighed. “She can’t really accompany you if she’s too injured to move. As I said though, it will only be temporary. Cecelia will resume her rightful position once she is healed.”

“Even if she is healed, I wasn’t planning on taking her,” said James. “She’s been punished one too many times for the stupid things I’ve done. Mom might calm down if I saw her less often.”

“That is very considerate of you,” Claudius was surprised by James’ reasonable thought. “Nonetheless, please take Reimi with you.”

“Why?” James asked curiously. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Claudius looked at his watch and stood up. He patted his vest and addressed them. “Just do as I say and don’t deny your father a simple wish,” he said with a smile. “I must be off for a business meeting, so I will talk to you about this once again sometime in the future. I suggest calling Tiberius again. Makes sure everything is set and ready to go.”

“Of course, dad,” said James as Claudius walked away. He looked to Reimi and Vincent with a furrowed brow. “Did either of you find that a little suspicious?”

“There’s something he’s definitely not telling us,” said Vincent.

“Well, we can’t go against his orders,” added Reimi. “I’ll speak to Cecelia about the matter. You go talk to your uncle.”

“Understood,” said James. “What are your plans, Vince?”

“If we’re leaving tomorrow, I might as well head home and start packing,” answered Vincent.

“Alright, I guess this is where the three of us part ways,” James said with a smile. They all stood up and bade each other farewell before going their separate ways.

XXXXXXXXXX

Cecelia winced as Reimi gently rubbed her back with a soft sponge. She turned to face the redhead, admiring how she tied her hair back and wore nothing more than a towel. The alluring beauty continued her careful cleansing of her back, doing her best to cause as little pain as possible. Even with her delicate touch, Cecelia couldn’t help but grunt in pain every so often. “How do they look?” Cecelia asked.

“They’ve gotten much better,” answered Reimi. “They should be completely healed and gone in another week or so. This stuff Charlotte got works like magic.”

“Thank you, Reimi,” said Cecelia. “I am blessed to have such a good friend. The Young Master will be more than pleased. You are an excellent replacement.”

“You make it sound like you’re never going to be his personal maid again,” said Reimi as she dipped the sponge in the tub to soak it with water. She squeezed it over Cecelia’s back, washing away the soap. “It’s only temporary. I’m more concerned about Rosalind. I hope she can handle taking care of the wing for a while. Plus, me giving you a bath doesn’t make me any better of a friend than anyone else can be.”

“I can never fathom why you cannot accept compliments,” said Cecelia.

“Look who’s talking? You’re the only girl I know who refuses to be treated like a human being.”

“I… have my reasons…”

“I know,” said Reimi. She leaned in and hugged Cecelia from behind. Reimi moved her hand down to press her fingers against her stomach and chest. The water made it hard to see, but Cecelia’s flesh described it all. “The bruising’s gotten much better too. Does it still hurt?”

“Not at all,” Cecelia answered. “All that is left is the odd coloration.”

“Good to hear,” Reimi let go of Cecelia. She moved her legs back and forth in the herbal water. “This feels really nice. Maybe I should join you.”

“Did you not already take a bath this morning?” Cecelia questioned.

“Yeah, but when was the last time we bathed together?” Reimi questioned back. “This water’s a special mixture similar to a milk bath. It won’t destroy my skin if I soak in it for a few minutes. Yup, I’ve decided.”

“Decided what?” Cecelia asked before being stunned. As she struggled to look behind her, Reimi had already removed the towel that draped around her. She blushed upon seeing the crimson haired beauty’s body as she walked into the tub. Reimi leaned against the edge, submerging herself until only her head was visible from out of the water. She exhaled happily at the feel of the water.

“This feels fantastic,” Reimi said with contentment. She looked to her left and smiled at Cecelia. “One of these days, I’m going to start charging you for staring.”

“I cannot help my eyes from performing certain actions,” said Cecelia. “You have a body many women would be envious of. It is shapely, yet firm and defined. Your muscle tone makes my body look unhealthy.”

“Stop kidding yourself,” said Reimi with irritation. “Your body’s pretty defined too. Maybe nowhere near as defined as mine, but that doesn’t change the fact that you look good. Don’t be like Charlotte and complain that you have an imperfection even though you look fine. I hate that girl. I can’t wait until her metabolism catches up with her. She’s going to be nice and plump in all the ways she won’t like.”

“I sometimes question the amount of hate in your jealousy…”

“Relax, it’s not like I’m going to kill her because she looks the way she does without exercising. Why do we always have this conversation?”

“I do not know. I do know that it always begins with me admiring your body,” Cecelia said as she leaned forward. She felt her core buckle as she fell face first into the water.

“Cecelia!” Reimi panicked before catching her and leaning her against the tub’s edge. “What are you trying to do, kill yourself?!”

“Of course not,” said Cecelia. “One of my wounds tingled a little in pain. I opted to lean a bit forward to lessen some of the stress. It just so happens that I could not support myself. It will not happen again.”

“That’s why I said to not make any sudden moves! If you need help, tell me!"

“I am not helpless. There are things I do not need your help with.”

“Stop being so damn stubborn!” Reimi took hold of her shoulders and yelled. “Please… I… I don’t want anything to happen to you. I love you, after all… so very much.”

Cecelia eased into Reimi’s arms as she hugged her. She felt so strong and delicate all at the same time. “I… I am sorry that I worry you and Charlotte,” said Cecelia. “But know that there are things neither of you can help me with.”

“I know,” Reimi hugged a bit tighter, taking care not to put strain on Cecelia’s scars. When she finally let go, she planted a kiss on her forehead. Reimi saw the slight blush appear on Cecelia’s cheeks. She first noticed it when she kissed her in her quarters, but she didn’t pay close attention to it until now. She smiled as she caught notice of the look on her eyes. “It’s been that long huh?” Reimi teased. “You went red from a kiss to the forehead. Did it feel that good?”

“What… what are you talking about?” Cecelia feigned ignorance.

“Don’t act dumb,” Reimi shook her head as she spoke. She smiled at Cecelia and cherished her innocence. “The twins are always sleeping and bathing with you and you’re always busy with one task or another. You haven’t gotten any time to yourself in a very long time. When was the last time?”

“I do not feel comfortable with this subject…”

“Just tell me, will you? I haven’t had girl talk this saucy in a while,” Reimi said excitedly.

“It… it has been… a few months…” Cecelia answered. She was so embarrassed that she couldn’t even muster the courage to look up.

“A few months?! I can barely go a few days!” Reimi said completely stunned. “I applaud you! I’d have gone crazy.”

“It… causes discomfort…” Cecelia admitted. “But I am not one to abandon my duties and responsibilities all for a few moments of self-pleasure. That would be utterly selfish.”

“You’re precious,” said Reimi. “How about now? The twins aren’t around and you have a moment to yourself.”

“I would not call this a moment to myself with you being present.”

“You should consider yourself lucky!” said Reimi. “You’re too weak to move too much anyway. But with me here, I can do it for you. You’ll owe me though.”

“Did you just offer me…?”

“What, do I have to spell it out?” Reimi rolled her eyes. “If you're horny and need to masturbate, I can do it for you.”

Cecelia went silent at Reimi’s words. Her flushed cheeks became pale at Reimi’s directness. “But… but…” she struggled to speak. “That… aren’t you… even a little… concerned?”

“What’s the big deal?” Reimi shrugged. “As far as I can tell, I’m just doing what I’d do to myself on you. It can’t be that difficult. Look, do you want help or not? It’s not healthy to bottle up your libido.”

“Hah…” Cecelia sighed. She looked at Reimi and noticed how serious she was. It made Cecelia realize how good of a friend she was if she was willing to help her with her more †˜intimate’ problems. “Yes…” she said both quietly and reluctantly.

“R-really?” said Reimi. It was now her cheeks’ turn to flush. “I w-was… kind of joking. I didn’t… I didn’t expect you to… to say yes.”

“Then why did you offer?” Cecelia asked even more embarrassed.

“I don’t know, I thought it sounded like a good idea! I was just being a good friend!” Reimi tried to defend herself. “Let’s just forget about it, okay?”

“Can… can you at least try? Even a little…?

“Are you insane?! Do you know what you’re saying right now? It’s got to be this water! It’s not making you think straight!” Reimi reasoned. “Let’s get you out.”

“Please… Reimi…”

“You’re serious aren’t you? Can’t you wait a few more weeks and do it yourself?”

Cecelia shook her head and said nothing.

“Damn it…” Reimi sighed at the situation she put herself in. “I’ll do it. But don’t you dare tell anyone!”

“O-okay…” Cecelia said under her breath.

Reimi leaned in, narrowing the gap between her and Cecelia. She looked at how timid she looked as she waited. “Close your eyes and think of something. I’ll take care of the rest,” said Reimi.

“As you wish,” said Cecelia. She began to picture a naughty image in her mind, allowing her body to grow restless with anticipation. She let out a pleasured sigh as she felt a hand caress her leg from underneath the water. It touched her gently, pressing against her flesh and inching its way towards her crotch. With every motion, the fingers travelled closer and closer to their target. Cecelia could feel the heat on her cheeks become stronger as she began to take deeper breaths. “Ah…!” she squeaked when one of Reimi’s fingers finally reached her spot.

Reimi blushed violently upon hearing Cecelia let out such a moan. Something bubbled up inside her as she continued to touch her friend. There was a different texture to the liquids around her fingers even though they were in a tub. The warmth was also incomparable. Everything about this very warmth triggered a warm response in Reimi’s body. The look of pleasure on her friend’s face as she rubbed the borders of her lower lips was intoxicating. Her thoughts of awkwardness were slowly being replaced by her usual thoughts. It didn’t take more than a few minutes before Reimi started to smile at Cecelia’s pleasured movements. Before she knew it, she leaned in and started kissing her friends neck.

“Ah!” Cecelia moaned. “Reimi?!”

“Keep those eyes closed,” she said as she got Cecelia to lean her head back over the bath’s edge, resting it on a towel she placed on the tiled stair that led into the tub. She took hold of another towel and placed it over the upper half of Cecelia’s face. “Just in case you open them,” she said deviously. She started to playfully tap a finger on Cecelia’s folds, taking care not to do more than just that. With every tap, Cecelia released an appropriate noise of ecstasy. Reimi continued to kiss her neck. She was happy that Cecelia could not resist in her current weakened state. “Do you like that?” she asked.

“Reimi!” Cecelia shuddered. “St-stop! This is not… not what I imagined would happen. Please… stop!”

Reimi leaned into Cecelia’s ear. She used her free hand to partially lift the towel and expose it. “Do you really want me to?” she whispered sultrily. “I haven’t even done anything more than tease you.”

“Then… stop teasing me and… and finish what you started already!” Cecelia gasped. “I… cannot take much more…”

“I started? You were the one who wanted this,” Reimi teased. She placed her hand on Cecelia’s left collar, tracing her finger down towards her sternum and stopping at her breast. Reimi took hold of her sizable mound, enjoying the look of desperation on Cecelia’s face as she kneaded it. “I’ll stick my fingers in,” said Reimi. “If you say please.”

“P-please…”

“You’ll have to be more convincing than that, Celia,” Reimi joked. “†˜Please,’ what?”

“P-please… please insert your fingers in me!” Cecelia pleaded.

“Good girl!” Reimi congratulated. She lined two of her fingers to enter Cecelia. Before plunging them in, Reimi took a deep breath and held it in. With her lungs full of air, she sunk underwater, leveling her head with Cecelia’s breast that she fondled. Simultaneously, Reimi took Cecelia’s nipple into her mouth and buried her fingers inside of her. “What the fuck is wrong with me?! Why the hell am I enjoying this so much? I thought I only like making men squirm?” she questioned herself in her thoughts. Her pace quickened as she softly hooked Cecelia’s overly stimulated honey pot. Reimi placed her thumb on her victim's clit, rubbing it lightly in a back and forth motion. Though she wasn’t very active, Reimi could feel Cecelia’s body tense up to her treatment. She halted with sucking her friend’s breast and popped back out of the water. She was greeted by a myriad of subtle noises that all signified Cecelia’s ecstasy. “How is it?”

“I am… I am going to…” Cecelia fought to speak coherently.

“You’re going to what?” Reimi asked devilishly. She slowed the pace of her fingers to calm Cecelia down a bit. “If you’re not going to be more specific, how will I know?”

“I am… going to come! P-please! K-keep going and… and make me come!” Cecelia said shamefully. It was at that instant that she knew this was a moment that would never leave her mind.

“Was that so hard?” Reimi asked. She sped up once more, causing Cecelia to moan softly. Even though she was riddled with pleasure, Reimi noticed how she still disliked conveying too much emotion. It irritated her, making her think that she wasn’t doing a good enough job for Cecelia. “You stubborn girl!” Reimi complained before planting her lips on Cecelia. She vigorously fingered her friend until she was moaning into her mouth. With the moan, Reimi took advantage and stuck her tongue into Cecelia. They’re tongues coiled with each other as Reimi felt Cecelia’s walls tighten around her fingers. As she watched Cecelia come, Reimi couldn’t help but feel her own libido slowly going out of control. She moved her free hand to finger herself as Cecelia continued to quake from the pleasure of her orgasm.

“Reimi, are you here?” James’ question fell to deaf ears. “They said you were in the bath with Cecelia. Are you decent? I need to talk to you about a few more things regarding tomorrow,” James continued with no response. The steam in the bath was thick, and he wondered why there was no reply. As he approached the tub, he managed to make out two figures. It looked as if they were in the middle of an intense make out session. “Reimi?” he asked as he was finally close enough to view the two figures unobscured. James’ felt some of his blood rush out of his nose while the rest pooled into his dick. “What the fuck?!” he yelled loud enough to alert some of the maids that were currently in the wing. James placed his hand on his nose to control the blood rushing out. “What the hell are you two doing?!”

Reimi practically jumped off of Cecelia to look at James. She was absolutely horrified that he saw the last moments of what they were doing. Her face flushed to match her hair as she grabbed the sponge and threw it at James. It hit his face with a resounding thud, knocking James off of his feet and on his ass. “What the fuck are you doing walking into the baths?!” she said furiously. “Forget whatever you saw! NOW!!!”

Cecelia cried a little. It wasn’t out of depression, but out of pure devastation. “I crossed a line today,” she said. “What have I done?” She peeked over her shoulder to see Reimi now in a towel, slapping the life right out of James. Rather than staying worried, she began to laugh softly.

“You! Didn’t! See! Anything!” Reimi repeated over and over again as she slapped James back and forth with the wet sponge. She straddled him so that his arms were locked against his sides as he lay helpless on the floor.

“I didn’t! I swear!” James assured her. Unfortunately for him, Reimi continued to assault him. He looked during moments where he wasn’t getting hit to see the happiness return to Cecelia as she giggled at their theatrical display. To James, seeing her joy was worth the pain.