A New Situation (Strangefate & Azayzal)

[Strangefate]

"Your guest has arrived, Mistress."

Susan gave no indication she had even heard the girl. Her attention remain rooted on her rose bushes, carefully pruning away the weak canes and cutting the healthy ones back to the size she desired. Snip! Clip! Snap! Holding one branch closer, she briefly examined the swollen red buds, before finally judging it unsuitable to her wants as well. The shears swiftly cut it away.

"Well," she finally answered, allowing just a hint of annoyance to enter her voice. "Why don’t you let her in? Take her upstairs to my study."

She nodded nervously and quickly scurried back to the house. Gabrielle, Susan thought, fairly certain that was the girl's name. She was one of the ones who seemed to clean up fairly well, sometimes allowing for duties outside the playrooms and kennels. It was a rare privilege, one easily revoked for poor performance. Susan wondered if her 'guest' would prove suitable for such services in time. She rather doubted it actually. She had other plans for this one.

They had been friends once actually, although that was a strong word. Acquaintances perhaps a better one. They had moved in the same social circles, or at least the same mundane social circles. Susan rather doubted she knew anything about the other ones, although that was an ignorance unlikely to last much longer. She'd been quite surprised when she'd heard about her friend’s recent misfortunes. How quickly life could change! It had presented such a delicious opportunity that she'd simply had to offer to help, swooping in like an angel of mercy. That was why her 'friend' was here today. Only Susan had neglected to explain the conditions. She had rather wanted the satisfaction of doing that face-to-face.

Removing her gardening gloves, Susan tossed them near the bucket containing the old growth. One of her other pets would clean up. Standing at her full height, she was an impressive woman, tall with sharp cheekbones and arresting blue eyes. Her thick black hair had been pulled back from her pale face while she'd been working, but normally swept down to her slim shoulders in dark waves. One of her Danes met her at the door, maneuvering its big head up under her hand in greeting. Allowing herself a small smile, Susan scratched gently behind its ears before starting towards the mansion's grand staircase, "Come along, we have a new friend for you to meet."

She was surprised just how much she was looking forward to this reunion actually. It was always so good to meet old 'friends', particularly those in new situations.

 

[Azayzal]

Hannah waited at the door, the same kind of expensive framework that Sasha had at her own home. sighing softly she raised her slender hand wrapping the Gothic style knocker, it was humiliating to have to come out here to finish up the deal that her "friend" Susan had offered to help bail her out of the debt her deceased husband had managed to wrack up and save her from the need to claim bankruptcy, she said there was just one last thing they needed to discuss together something very important.

"Hurry up" she was tapping her foot impatient wondering how Susan managed to get anything done with such lazy staff. Once the door opened to the fiery red head, a shy looking girl was standing before her "What's your name girl?" she asked in her usual temper but as the girl opened her mouth she raised a hand to her "You know what I don't need to know the names of Susan's useless help just show me where she is and be quick" she followed after the girl, her curly red hair bouncing as her business attire showed off her curvy figure well. She had heard rumors about Susan, but then again everyone in her circle had rumors floating about them. This particular one suggested Susan might not be the type to take male suitors, this did not bother Hannah one bit but she thought she might be able to use it too her advantage.

Spotting the woman, one hand on a great Dane, she looked up at Susan who had used the stairs to provide herself a feel of superiority as Hannah had to look up to her instead of at her level. The freckled face Hanna gave her warmest smile, one that had melted the hearts of many man and woman before, her emerald eyes rose up to meet Susan's "Susan! Ahh what a pleasure it is too meet you, I have come to settle the final term of your merciful take over of my past husbands business thank you for being so understanding and willing to help a friend, I know you could turn it around but I haven't the business knowledge nor the funds too" she lathered the woman up in compliments, it felt degrading to her but in her situation she sometimes had to suck up to people she would rather not.

Susan and Hannah both knew that if she was not bailed out soon she would have to file for bankruptcy, she would lose her house and her frivolous life-style. Hannah was certain she would not be able to adapt to living a normal life so she was forced to do anything that Susan requested, unaware of just who she was in the hidden parts of their social circle.

 

[Strangefate]

Susan barely acknowledged Hannah or her fawning compliments. Her gaze instead fell directly on Gabrielle, pinning the small girl in place with her captivating sapphire blue eyes. “I thought I told you to deliver my guest to the study?” Her voice was calm and measured but there was a heavy layer of frost on it, one that made the target of her soft-spoken wrath visibly shiver.

“I’m sorry, she just pushed her way in and didn’t give me time to say anything, I…”

She cut the girl off with a sudden swipe of her hand. “Enough. We are through for now. I will speak to you latter, be assured.”

Gabrielle bowed her head and hurried out of their sight with what almost looked like tears welling up in her eyes.

“I apologize for that,” Susan announced with a thin smile, finally turning to Hannah as if she’d only just noticed her arrival. “It seems it is impossible to find anyone who can follow even the simplest instructions. I so hope you are different, dear.”

As for what might be meant by that peculiar statement, it was left unclear as Susan motioned for Hannah to follow her up the stairs. The large black Great Dane fell in alongside them, taking interest in this new woman immediately, snuffling curiously around her legs, its large slimy tongue attempting to lap at her fingers. Before long they entered the study, a beautifully furnished room that matched the conservative Old World décor of the rest of the house. It might have been some eighteenth century baroness’s sitting room with its high book shelves and framed oil paintings, portraits and nudes from classic literature and myth, depicting withering mortal women and exalted goddesses.

Seating herself behind a large mahogany desk, Susan took a moment to study her old ‘friend’. Hannah’s fortunes may have been lost but her looks remained in tact. Her eyes swept over her body from head to toe, taking in her pretty curls and nice curves, imagining what she looked under those drab business clothes. That sort of outfit would certainly never do for one of her girls.

“I trust you had your lawyer look over the paperwork? Very good then.” Susan pushed the stack of papers across the tabletop, watching while Hannah signed it. Rather than putting down her own signature to finalize their deal, however, she neatly returned the pen to its holder with a slight smirk. “I shall sign…latter. Once I know you’re sincere. There is a small requirement I may have neglected to mention over the phone. Taking on your debts is likely to cost me a heavy loss, at least until I fix the damage done by your half-witted husband. So I like to know that I am buying something more for my money than a headache.” Her piercing eyes locked onto Hannah’s own. “Specifically, you my dear. A year of your time during which you will do whatever it is I may request, and I in turn will see that you're trained in all the skills you shall need to excel.”

From her tone of voice and the words she used, Susan might have been talking about teaching Hannah how to manage her business and finances herself, although she most certainly was not, whether or not the woman realized that. “In fact, not only will I take this burden off your hands, but I will see that you are well-situated in a manner that suits you once our term of service is up.” Her cat-like smile widened, as she extended a slim hand across the desk. “Do you agree? If so we will begin just as soon as you shake my hand.”