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Sightless [Sigr / Raina_Reader]

Alexandra held her arm in the air, waiting. The only sounds that could be heard were the distant ones of nature and the ruffling of the women's dresses fabric as they fidgeted. Alexandra's cheeks were still rosy, as her blush wouldn't die after being called cute, making her feel even more embarrassed but still curious about that gentle woman. The pause started to feel a bit too long, as Alexandra heard Evelyn's breath change a bit, the smell of chocolate disappear from her nose, but most obviously, Lady Rosewind's arm leaving that curious protective hug of her.

The girl's hand trembled, faltered, the strength of her body still not enough to maintain the position. Had she said something wrong? Had she took too many liberties? Maybe not the questions but asking to touch her? It was something innocent, specially after being bathed and dried by Evelyn, but maybe Alexandra wasn't aware of some common manners to be observed away from Ravenwood. It was somewhat weird to think of it when it was Evelyn the one feeding her with those gentle hands, so Alexandra couldn't find as much as she thought about it, a reason for that silence to happen.

With her tired hand returning to the other around the cup of tea, Alexandra was about to ask what was wrong, what had she done, when Lady Rosewind started to talk as if nothing had happened. No, not exactly. There was something absent on her voice, that slight melody, that... song, yes, the song that almost seemed to sound when she talked to Alexandra. Evelyn talked about how her hair wasn't as pretty, how her eyes were her best feature, and even if Alexandra detected no ill intent, no scorn on her voice, that sudden change caused her to feel agitated. She did feel that soft fur on her dress here and there, making her wonder how the dress was, but she couldn't focus on that as Evelyn finished her sentence telling her how had she been leaning against her.

Alexandra was confused. The gentle Evelyn that bathed her, dressed her with care, fed her with tender hands seemed to have disappeared back into the darkness, leaving her cold and alone. Now there was only dark in that garden and not even the sun seemed to warm her face the same as before. Now the only one that was there with her was a Lady Rosewind that even if she had answered her questions knew even less than before, not understanding what happened. Was she really disgusted with the contact, the familiarity showed until now and it just overwhelmed her and couldn't act like it didn't matter any longer?

"I'm sorry... I understand..." Alexandra tried to sound cold, regal, but her voice faltered. "I've been too close, too clingy, too familiar... you have done your best to indulge me, but everyone has their limits" trying not to make a show, Alexandra held the tears at bay with her breath, feeling weaker and slightly dizzy. "I'm sorry... I'm not feeling well..." she said, leaning back on her chair, resting with her eyes closed, leaning back on her chair and trying to still her fast beating heart.
 
It was as if a chill and entered and blanketed the garden, the mood had shifted from pleasant, joyous affectionate and now all of it was gone. Evelyn had suspected her momentary lapse was noticible by the girl but had not realized the extent, nor had she noticed her own melodious cheer in her voice had left her when speaking about herself, but Alexandra's sudden coldness and withdrawal was very apparent. Eve shifted in her seat to look upon the girl who had leaned back, closing her eyes as if shielding herself from something. That icy regalness of her words almost stung, leaving her feeling like she was the common whore she was, and not the friend she was becoming to this girl. Somehow in one small moment she had managed to ruin the bond that was so quickly developing between them and it hurt.

"I--no that's not, where did you get that idea?" She bit her lip, fighting the instinct to wrap her arm around her again or gently touch her cheek in that affectionate gesture like she had earlier, noting by Lady Ravenwoods posture that it would be unwelcome. "I didn't mean to give you that impression, nor did I ever intend to make you feel bad in any way. I--It's just I was reminded of something, a bad memory, it doesn't even have anything to do with here or you, sometimes past trauma's can haunt us even when at our happiest." She needed to fix this, things had been going so well, she didn't even care about the job anymore, she liked the bond they were forming, it felt wholesome, real, something she had been missing for so long.

Her heart sunk lower as Alexandra claimed to feel ill. Now she had done it. Things had been going so well before that the life and color was returning to this girls face and in an instant it was falling away. "Please don't be sorry, you have nothing to be sorry about. You haven't been clingy, I initiated the touching, perhaps I was at fault for being preusmptious but it is the way I am, and I don't regret it, if you want this to be more professional I can oblige you of course, but in our short time of knowing eachother, I've enjoyed being with you and wouldn't want to change how we've interacted so naturally."

She reached out, gingerly touching the top of her hand, giving her ample time to withdraw if she chose to. She attempted to lift her hand up, closer to her face. "Please, I have no problems with you touching my face, I did not mean to imply otherwise nor do I want to alter this...what I hope to be a friendship, again maybe I am being too presumptuous." Her voice was soft, friendly, but fearful that she had destroyed a good thing like everything else in her life in one moments of hestiancy. "If you are unwell though, I can escort you back to your room if you prefer, but what ever you decide, as I said before, I'm here for you."
 
Distancing from Evelyn hurt, but Alexandra slowly started to feel better, even if she was still weakened by her sickness and their back and forth was stressing her. As Evelyn talked about more bad memories and misunderstandings, it would seem that nothing was simple in Alexandra´s life anymore, that without visual clues she was lost, cursed to be blind in more than one sense. Why was so fast to judge Lady Rosewind? Why did she close back? Well, how she had reacted hurt Alexandra, but that was just it?

"I'm a mess..." Alexandra sobbed, cleaning her eyes dry with a hand, opening them back. "It was fine how it was, please don't get away from me..." she answered to Evelyn's doubts about a more professional behavior, wanting none of that. She felt alone and scared, and there was no servant that could rescue her from that. Maybe a mother, maybe a friend, maybe someone else, but not a servant, not just a servant. Alexandra's world had a spark of light back on it, as she felt Evelyn's hand on hers, lingering, gentle.

Feeling how she took her hand upwards, Alexandra listened to Evelyn with attention. "Friends..." she muttered, not as if the concept was foreign to her, but feeling the need to say it out loud, to savor it as she had been doing with the chocolate. Sensing Evelyn's breath, Evelyn's warmth close, Alexandra moved her hand, cupping Lady Rosewind's cheek, smooth and soft. "Friends can fight, can argue... but they never go too far from each other. I won't pry, I won't ask, but even if I'm the weak one, you already talked about bad memories twice" she commented, trying to feel how Evelyn reacted while she kept her hand there, unmoved on her face.

"Just know that being friends doesn't just mean that you have to shoulder with my pain as you have been doing all morning" Alexandra showed Evelyn her heart, her education, pushing herself to say what she had to say, even if it could be embarrassing, improper or too intimate. "It goes both ways. Please do not think that because I'm a sick girl you can't count with me as support" she begged, the thumb of her hand slowly caressing Evelyn's face without thinking of it. Alexandra was now more or less sure, having formed a tale of sorts in her head. If Lady Rosewind was able to leave her state to tend her, it meant that she had no one waiting for her there, and those bad memories probably were of a dead husband. She wasn't going to ask, as everyone opened up at their pace and even if in her situation Alexandra had bared herself almost whole, she didn't quite expect that from Evelyn.

"I'm still weak, so much agitation made a bit of a number on me" Alexandra admitted. "But can we stay a little bit more?" she asked, almost like she begged for permission, trusting Evelyn to be able to see if she was fine enough or not. "I'm still a bit hungry..." she said, a faint blush coming back to her cheeks.
 
The apprehension during the silence had been thick but when Alexandra started to cry, admitting she preferred what they had and wanted to return to that, Evelyn sighed a breath of relief. How odd was it that someone she knew for no more than half a day, was already the only friend she had. They had bonded so quickly, she did not even consider that their physical closeness could be seen as questionable given the time they knew eachother. Evelyn didn't see it like that however. Physical touch was familiar to her, and a common form of expression, one she was used to given her last profession. It seemed natural here to touch and hold a lonely sick person who could not see, how else would she feel warmth or security in knowing someone was looking out for her?

"No, you're not, it's okay. I didn't mean to--I'm sorry for making you feel this way. I guess I take sight for granted. I was lost in my own thoughts, my past, and I didn't think to consider how that small moment could be viewed from your end.." She shook her head, before smiling, a soft laugh escaping her lips as she raised her hand to her face, allowing Alexandra to explore the contours, to touch her skin, to feel the dimples in her cheeks as she smiled toward her. As Lady Alexandra used her fingers to visualize what Evelyn looked like, slowly she wrapped an arm around the girl again, gently at first so not to alarm her, before pulling her close into a half hug as they sat facing the table.

"Hm, you're right, friends do look out for one another, but you don't have to--I mean it's not--" She paused, glancing down again in silence, Alexandra's hand still upon her face, but this time, having learned from her mistakes quickly looked up again. "I feel like I shouldn't have to burden you with such things, but you're right, we're friends, and I promise if you're willing to listen, that I'm willing to talk to you about it sometime, but for now, let's shift the mood back to something nice." She chirped melodiously, reaching down with her free hand to pluck up a piece of cake once more, bringing it to Lady Ravenwoods lips. "Here, some more cake if you still have an appetite."

Her spirits had lifted and warmth had returned to the garden. This proved to Evelyn that communication was important. There was no sense in allowing simple misunderstandings to fester. Did that mean she'd have to tell her the truth about who she was? Would sooner be better than later? Quickly she rid herself of this thought for now, returning her focus on feeding her friend the cake, and resuming their conversation.

"Since It's true you still don't know too much about me, and considering how much I know about you, that's not fair, so I'll share a little. I'm nearly twenty four summers old, I've never married and have no current family to speak of, it can get lonely, but, well now, here I am, I look forward to the days to come, Lady Alexandra."
 
As Evelyn returned to wrap her with that gentle arm and agreed to the point of talking with each other, sharing with each other, Alexandra felt like a weight had been removed from her shoulders. Sure, she was still a bit tired, but as her hand felt Evelyn smile, as she heard the music return to her voice, her laugh, she felt safer, confident. "Mhhp, chocolate..." she mumbled, her mouth fuller of cake than decorum would normally allow, not to mention talking while eating. "You should-" Alexandra paused, gulping the sweet with warm tea. "You should also eat, strawberries or anything else. I know that your hands are busy, but maybe you can alternate feeding us" she continued with her mouth free of food, a small smile creeping on her face as an idea popped in her mind. "I mean, I could try to do the same and feed you, but it would be a mess" she giggled at the idea.

With another pinch of cake, Alexandra returned to listen, stopping her chat while she enjoyed the food. Twenty four years were quite some to be unmarried, somewhat of an oddity, but as she talked of having no family, Alexandra assumed that such was the issue. Nobles that had been deprived of their lands wasn't such a rarity that it was unheard of, as in times of conflict there could be a number of reasons for that to happen, from falling off the favor of the king to losing their lands in a conflict with a neighbor. A landless noble had the pride to not accept a marriage with a commoner, but not the riches to secure one with another noble, specially if she was a woman without a dowry. Alexandra didn't want to jump to conclusions, as her theory of the dead husband had just been debunked, but her mind couldn't help but wonder.

"Thank you" Alexandra quietly hummed, seeing that Evelyn was starting to trust her with her past, noticing something. It was true that if her parents had sent her here was for a reason, and that made Alexandra prone to trust her, but now that she was partially in her arms, eating from her hand, the young girl marveled at how fast she had trusted her life to that woman. Maybe she should be wary? As the head of the house she shouldn't be that naive, but as Lady Rosewind came by her parent's choice and the service didn't say a thing, even if Martha was a bit grumpy, Alexandra had just put her trust in her. What if such a person had ill plans for her? Not that she thought so of Evelyn, but as a thing that could happen in the future.

A state run by a blind girl was like a ripe fruit, and all kinds of black hearted people could try to get advantage of her. It wasn't like she was afraid, not with Evelyn's warmth close to her, but Alexandra knew that she couldn't easily trust anyone that came to her from then on. Luckily she had Lady Rosewind to help with that, as the more experienced woman would be her eyes, advising her. Shifting a bit so she was slightly closer to Evelyn, Alexandra continued to enjoy the sweets ending with her hunger and how Evelyn enjoyed the food around the table.
 
A soft, pleasant laugh escaped her lips as Alexandra spoke with a mouthful of chocolate cake, leaning against her gently, as Evelyn caught the crumbs falling from her mouth before they could land on the girls dress. Like magic, everything was right again. The two young women were laughing and eating as if the moment of awkward misunderstanding had never happened, yet still she wondered how long could it last before the next time everything comes into question? The moment she has to read a letter for Alexandra, the ruse would be over.

Swallowing her guilt and anxiety, she took a moment to pick up another strawberry. "I'm going to take another bite, one moment." Her teeth sunk into the fresh ripe fruit, overwhelming her with flavor. "Mmm~" Quickly she picked up another and held it close to Alexandra's lips "You should try one, I know how much easier it likely is to keep eating cake, but the fruit might be good for you, atleast try a bite, if you can." As Alexandra leaned closer, her heart skipped briefly. It was amazing how much trust was being put in her, to be alone with this sickly girl, after such a brief meeting, and even the girl herself who after a short time had opened up and become close. It made her feel warm, wanted , but the guilt returned as well. How would Alexandra react to learning she was a whore? She seemed mostly unphased by the fact that she was unmarried, would the knowledge of her caretaker bedding many men over the years, including even a couple women, disgust her to know end? Especially given how close they were becoming.

While waiting to see if Lady Ravenwood would accept the fresh strawberry, she continued the conversation. "Arranged marriage seems so frightening, While I've had my share of misfortune, I think I prefer being unmarried over being unable to choose." Whether this was a topic appropriate to bring up, she was unsure, but she had always been curious how some of the highborn women felt about such matters. After all she had her fair share of noble patrons who would visit her with their wives left at their estate, with the children. It seemed like a terrible deal for the wives.

"If I'm out of place, do say so, I don't want to overstep, but had your parents already set your marriage in motion?" The idea of Alexandra being wed to some selfish lord who would take advantage of her blind state, boiled her blood to no end. "If they have, hopefully he's a kind man, you deserve the best, you're too sweet to end up with someone who wouldn't care about you, but then I suppose the love you hear in fairy tales is just that isn't it?" Evelyns perspective on love, sex and romance was likely very different, as she had witnessed all the deceptions, and oaths lords broke when they bedded her. The concept of love seemed surreal when all she ever experienced was the lust in a selfish mans eyes.
 
Alexandra liked how Evelyn worried about what could be good for her, and suggested that she should try a strawberry. It wasn't like she fed just on cake before her sickness, but she was indulging herself at the time. Either way, even if she had soft curves here and there, the sickness had left her a bit thinner than she was before, although part of that was her still growing body. As she cleared her mouth with a sip of tea, getting ready to take a bite out of the strawberry, Evelyn surprised her talking about marriage, the matter of choice. Before answering anything else, Alexandra started with the fruit, the vibrant taste of the berry being lovingly different from the sweet cake. "Juicy..." she said, a small, slow trickle of red going down her chin.

"It's not like I'd be able to choose to stay single, so there is that" Alexandra muttered. It seemed that Evelyn was fine with her current condition, even if being married to a nobleman would bring her stability and safety, she preferred to be by herself. "Being with someone that's not good... it's frightening as you said. But being alone? That is also scary on its own" she commented, finishing the strawberry and making a pause. "As far as I'm aware, they haven't done so, but with what happened... it would be no surprise if they took advantage of their trip to secure a groom" Alexandra stated, resignation and acceptance on her voice. "If I had any healthy siblings to inherit the title, perhaps I could be left alone to my own devices, the poor blind girl with no husband" she said, a sad smile on her face. "But something went wrong with mother during my birth, and she doesn't seem able to bear children no more, so I'm the sole heir of the Ravenwood Barony" Alexandra sighed.

"Yes, I hope for kindness as well" Alexandra nodded. "But being a sickly girl of a Barony far away, I don't expect for a charming prince, a gentleman out of a fairy tale that would return the light to my eyes with a kiss..." she added, familiar with the concept from her books, where the kiss of the right man could bring many miracles. "But I really hope he's gentle. Not rich, not handsome, just... gentle" she finished, letting her hands rest on her lap for a moment. The nuances of serving a husband were a mystery to her, as no books of the house's library spoke of that, and the servants always smiled mischievously and fell silent when she walked in while they talked about the topic. Perhaps advice from an older woman would be nice, but since Lady Rosewind had never been married, she wouldn't have much knowledge about the matter.

"Can I have another strawberry?" she wondered, having finished the first one and wanting to taste the invigorating ting of it again. "My parents will find someone nice, even if it won't be easy. They found you after all" Alexandra smiled, trying to be positive. "Although even a tender man feels like a scary prospect to me..." she admitted. Men felt like a rowdy and mysterious lot, so the thought of sharing her life with one, bedding one, bordered on the unthinkable.
 
"It is juicy!" She laughed, quickly picking up a towel to dab away some juice dribbling down her chin. She did it instinctively, affectionately wiping her face, in no way was she treating her like an infant, but simply ensuring, her dress remained somewhat clean and she appeared proper. "That one was even juicier than mine.!" She continued to giggle softer now as she listened to what Alexandra had to say. The conversation set her at unease, especially when she mentioned not being able to choose to remain single. Even Evelyn knew this, This was merely the politics of the wealthy and the price they paid, mostly the women. As far as she knew the men always seemed to have a selection and even after marriage it didn't stop them from visiting the whore house, while Alexandra was doomed to be stuck with whomever she was matched up with for better or for worse. The wrong man could take all the wealth and power her house had and leave for Alexandra to wither away in a locked room. The very thought of it made her skin crawl. It was strange how protective she was becoming for this girl she knew for no longer than half a day.

"Gentle..." She echoed Lady Alexandra's words absentmindedly as she recalled her own experiences. "It's a rare thing for a man to be, I've met some who have been, but they are so few compared to the countless others who haven't a gentle bone in their body, women on the other hand, the handful I've encountered, it seems to come naturally to them...." Evelyn trailed off, a second strawberry dangling from her fingers inches from Alexandra's lips as she realized what she had just said. "In my travels, ofcourse and at court, is what I mean, those within my inner circles of the past that I've met, in observation, I noted that so few seem gentle." She stammered, her entire face an embarrassing shade of pink. She had become so comfortable speaking with Alexandra, it seemed natural to share anecdotes like it was nothing, but she had to be careful, lest she outed herself for what she truely was.

"Oh right, here's another!" She forced a laugh, before rising the ripe, bright red berry to Alexandra's lips, all the while reeling back her awkward moment and leveling herself once more. "I'm sure they will find you someone wonderful." She admitted, after all her parents did seem to care about their daughter tremendously, but if they could mistakenly hire a whore to look after their daughter, couldn't that mean they may marry her off to the wrong man, possibly a violent one? Maybe their judgement wasn't as good as Alexandra thought it to be.

If She had stopped blushing before her cheeks would have reddened at the final compliment. "I'm not so wonderful." she admitted with a sigh, but quickly elevated her tone as she added. "I wouldn't fret about it my lady. When that time comes, yes it can be frightening, after all, you're expected to give your trust to them completely in a very personal, intimate and private setting, giving yourself over to them, but what you have to remember is, it isn't exclusive to them, you too get to explore and touch and take. When the acts are mutual, consensual, it can be invigorating and exciting, like lightning in a fresh rainstorm, it's when it's not consensual that things can be...less so..." Her rather poetic and detailed description of intimacy hung in the air as she trailed off, once more realizing she may have said too much, but the subject was important to her, and she felt Alexandra needed to hear it, for she doubted she ever learned of such things from her parents.

"This tea is quite lovely, I do enjoy it."
 
Alexandra was about to bite into a second strawberry when Evelyn talked a bit more about her life, about the people she had met. It seemed that despite her lack of a dowry that Alexandra had imagined filling the gaps on Lady Rosewind's story, Evelyn was able to travel here and there and meet many kinds of people. The curious girl figured out that such trips were due to services similar to the one she was offering to her, being a helping hand of class and distinction, and she knew that Evelyn would not give her details about those even if she asked. After all, Alexandra wouldn't want Evelyn talking about her to others as well, so she was sure that the woman was discreet.

"There must be some decent ones out there, or so I hope" Alexandra observed. "But yeah, I guess that we are naturally tender" she shrugged slightly, giving it no further thought, wanting to indulge herself in the music of Evelyn's laugh and the delicacy she was offering. Evelyn was certainly right, strawberries were amazing that time of the year. Perhaps some other day they could get some peaches, although Evelyn would have to peel them for her. Alexandra almost choked on the juicy berry as Lady Rosewind kept speaking, not expecting from her to broach that subject, even if she was being subtle.

Personal, intimate and private. Explore, touch and take. Mutual, invigorating, and exciting.

Evelyn's every word made Alexandra blush more and more, and by the time she was speaking of lightning and rainstorms Alexandra's face had the shade of the strawberry she audibly gulped down. Did all that mean that she...? Was Lady Rosewind suggesting that...? But if she hadn't been married, that was highly unbecoming of a noble woman! Scandalous and unbefitting! "Evelyn!" Alexandra managed to utter, sounding like a little yelp even if she was hushing Lady Rosewind's name, the first time she called her by her first name. How the woman went from such a topic to compliment the tea made Alexandra chuckle though, Evelyn's attitude making her heart beat faster.

"Ah, I'm sorry Lady Rosewind..." Alexandra apologized for calling her by her first name, a ridiculous concern if one was to compare it with the topic the woman just broached, but manners were still deeply ingrained in the girl. "I didn't expect you to talk with that candor about... that" she added, unable to even mention it. It was specially odd, given that Evelyn didn't really say anything too crude or detailed, but such allusions weren't to be found even in Alexandra's romance books, stories where love wasn't a physical thing besides a kiss at the end of it. Alexandra took a last sip of her cup, finding it less hot than she liked. "Is the tea warm enough or is it just my face the one that's burning?" she admitted, trying to fan her blush away with one hand, her heart calming down a bit.
 
As Alexandra nearly choked on the strawberry, Evelyn gasped, patting her back gently. "Are you alri-" At first she assumed that Lady Ravenwood simply swallowed the fruit the wrong way, or choked amidst her laughter, but as she called her out by her first name once she had regained her breath, it became clear that she had been stunned by Evelyns inappropriate conversation. "W--What!? Oh!" She blinked, looking positively stunned at first, which fortunately went unseen anyhow, but she quickly followed it up with musical laugher. "Don't apologize dear, you may call me Evelyn, I don't mind at all, infact I'd almost prefer it, Lady Rosewind sounds so formal."

After allowing a moment for them to catch their breath from the surprise mixed with laugher, she smiled and pulled Alexandra, back into a half hug. "I apologize, I realize now how--un-lady like it was to go into detail on such things." It was then that it occured to her, that her detailed knowledge made it obvious that while she was unmarried she had definitely made love in the past. There was no sense hiding it, atleast this way, once the truth came about who she really was it may be less of a shock to the girl. "The tea, has definitely cooled quite a bit, we've been lost in such wonderful conversation! But, Lady Ravenwood I will admit while we're on the subject as it is probably obvious to you, while I am unmarried, my past is complicated, as previously mentioned and so I have been involved in what could be described as scandalous for a lady such as my self. The point I wanted to make is, that such a subject shouldn't be so taboo. If you ever have questions or need someone to talk to about such things, I'm here. Men would prefer we didn't converse with other women, because if we did, we'd be wiser to things they normally get away with." She squeezed her shoulder playfully.

"Anyhow, we have been out here for some time, and I'm afraid if I keep talking about the subject at hand, you're face will get so red it will pop! I apologize again." Evelyn took her own tea cup in her left hand and sipped the cold tea slowly, still finding it quite pleasant compared to anything she'd have back home. "You needn't worry any such conversation like the one right now, and ones in the future can stay between you and me. Now, how are you feeling? If you're getting tired I can guide you back to your room, but if you decide that, I can still stay with you, I do quite enjoy our conversations, but I want you to be at ease and comfortable alright? So please, let me know."
 
"F-fine, but then call me Alexandra..." she mumbled, red as a tomato. "At least when we are alone?" she said, wanting to be friendly with the bold woman. Letting herself be pulled into Evelyn's proximity, back into that half hug, she tried to control her breath while the woman apologized and explained herself. "I guess it's nothing to be sorry about, just unexpected..." she mumbled, not wanting to interrupt her much if she had anything to say. It was embarrassing, but also fulfilled part of Alexandra's desires to know more, both about Evelyn and the world itself. Her words and how she squeezed her shoulder didn't do much to alleviate Alexandra's blushing, making her aware that her new helper did not only have experience in a field completely foreign to her, but also seemed to be willing to share her knowledge, unlike the rest of the service.

"Ah... err..." Alexandra had questions. Tons of them. But didn't feel with the presence of mind to ask them then and there, as flustered by the news she was. Without courage to delve into those scandalous activities Evelyn so nonchalantly talked about, the poor girl just nodded. "I'll do so, I'll need to talk about... that, b-but not today. Is that okay?" she asked, as if she wasn't the one in charge, now feeling even more young and naive when compared to that woman. "Some other day then, thanks, Lady Rose- I mean, Evelyn" Alexandra said, her voice barely a thread, still getting accustomed to calling her by her name.

"Yes, lets leave it for now and let me show you a bit of the house" Alexandra said. "Feel free to grab anything else to eat in a napkin or a plate for the walk, I'm feeling full but you shouldn't stop eating for me" she added. "I have the feeling that some walking, even if slow, will do me good. There is plenty to see, more than one small walk can cover, but there is a couple of places I want to show" Alexandra showed her more happy side, almost childish, as she wanted to share with Evelyn what she could no longer enjoy. Taking her by the arm for guidance, Alexandra slowly instructed the way around the house, listening to Evelyn's descriptions of where they were and instructing her on the path to take. Perhaps with time Alexandra would be able to move alone through the house, but as things were, her memories of how long corridors were or where did steps and such begin were a treacherous trap to her.

"This is the library" Alexandra announced what should be fairly obvious to anyone that could see. A few armchairs, small tables, chairs and oil lamps were the only furniture scattered through the room, as the rest of it was littered with tens of shelves full of hundreds of books. It was a dizzying view and one would be forgiven for thinking that there was a copy of every book that ever existed in there, a different yet fairly crazy form of riches, as not everyone could afford such a collection. "I've read most of them, but the boring ones" Alexandra confessed. "Well, even some of the boring ones too" she added, as sometimes there was no other past time, specially if the winter brought enough snow to block the lands for a couple weeks. "Of course you can make any use of it as convenient" she said, hoping that such a nice library would help Evelyn entertain herself when Alexandra didn't need her services.

"Do you want to see your room? Your things should be there" she asked, in case Evelyn wasn't particularly interested on the library.
 
"Alright, Alexandra." She replied with a smile. In truth, calling the lady of the house by her first name wasn't as much of a challenge to Evelyn who had no proper training informal ettiquette. A proper lady may have stumbled or even struggled to refer to the Lady Ravenwood as such, but not Evelyn, who took it as a sign that they were growing closer still, something she was quite pleased with. "When we are alone of course. I suspect judging by how this conversation has gone, that will become the norm I am sure. I will ofcourse show more restraint when we are accompanied by anyone else, my lady."

Slowly, she pushed away the plate of left over food and the remnants of her cold tea as the girl cuddled closer still. "There is no rush, Alexandra, I will do my best to answer any and all of your questions when ever you feel you are ready. I am sure there are many things people have refused to discuss with you for the sake of ettiquette." She wrinkled her nose. "Even...regarding myself, although my past is complicated, in our short time I feel we are developing a trust, and I want to be able to extend that same level of trust with you as you are with me."

She laughed softly "It's alright, i've had my fill, but thank you, you're sweet." Gently, she rose up alongside her, allowing the girl to put most of her weight on her as she remained propped underneathe her arm. "We'll go slow. I look forward to seeing what you want to show me." She added with a musical giggle. Nearly forgetting that she was here as an aid to Lady Ravenwood, as it felt more like spending time and being shown around by a friend she never had.

As they ventured through the halls, Eve took care to describe every turn, and every room, so that Alexandra knew exactly where they were. Each time she often added in a compliment or an awe-filled tone, to express how lovely she thought the place was. "Wow, i--it's big" Evelyn exclaimed in a breathless gasp as they entered the library, her head constantly shifting as she looked around, gazing upon the many shelves which seemed to be stuffed with books. She had never seen so many books in her life. It almost made her ill with stress. Reading had probably been a cherished past time for the girl before she lost her sight. Who knows how many of these books she had read, or how many she had hoped to read in the future. What if she wanted or even expected Evelyn to read to her today, or tonight? They had become so close in such a short time, but as evidenced by the brief misunderstanding at tea, all of it could fall apart at the seams so quickly.

A short, almost raspy breath of relief fluttered from her throat when Alexandra casually mentioned she read almost all of them, including the boring ones. "Ah-yes, thank you, I appreciate it." She said plainly, while jumping at the chance at the change of subject when she was offered to see her own room. "Oh right, my room!" She laughed softly, having slipped her mind, she'd be granted a room to call her own in this wonderful place. "I'd love to see it, if you're still feeling up to it, then we can take a rest if you prefer. You are a wonderful guide, but I don't want to exhaust you my dear, but please show me the way and I'll take us there." She squeezed her shoulder affectionately, something she had developed a habit of doing as she couldn't simply smile at her. It would take some getting used to emoting more with her voice than her expression, but she'd get used it eventually.

"Is it close to your room? I hope it is--I mean, atleast that way I can hear your bell if you need anything at any time, I'd want to be at your side when ever you need me, no matter the hour."
 
There was that word again. With Evelyn's musical voice and how she called her 'sweet' Alexandra felt better about herself. She still had a bit of trouble pushing the naughtier thoughts away, the ideas about what did Evelyn do. Alexandra imagined that a man would also call her sweet, with her naive demeanor and doll like features. Cute maybe. Adorable perhaps. But even if she didn't have her sight anymore, she wondered what names had Evelyn heard. Elegant? Gorgeous? Impressive? For her proximity to Evelyn she knew she wasn't as voluptuous a woman as her mother, but in all the things she didn't know about men it certainly was what they liked, what they wanted on a woman.

Soon distracted from embarrassing thoughts by having to focus on the walk, concentrate into trying to replicate her environment in her mind. It was nice to hear her describe their environment, somewhat akin to seeing her own house through new eyes, giggling when Evelyn's surprise or admiration was specially sound. It seemed that for all her adventures and trips, her... flings, if Alexandra so dared to think of such a word, she had never been in a place so big. It was a weird thing to be proud of, but Alexandra loved Evelyn's positive reaction, as it was up to them to manage the house, the lands, the whole barony. For Alexandra it was home, it was about taking care of the only place she knew, of the people she loved, but hoped that Evelyn would also get to like the place.

"It is big, right?" Alexandra smiled. "It has been my refuge so many times..." she whispered. "But now I'll have things to take care of, things to handle... and a friend to talk to" she added. Despite the improved reputation of the Ravenwood family, with only the elderly remembering the cruelty that Alexandra's grandfather and the barons before him showed to the people of the land, there was still a distance between the nobility and the peasants. That was no surprise, and it was as things should be, or so Alexandra was taught even if her mother was a merchant's daughter, but that meant that she had no friends around her.

"I'm getting tired, but the walking is making me good" Alexandra admitted. It was true that with all the emotions of the day, all the events that went through, she had been feeling alive, renewed, but her body was still recovering from sickness. Feeling frail and weak, Alexandra wanted to rest, but not before showing Evelyn her room, specially when it was on their way after all. "You could say it's close, yes" she answered mischievously. "Do you remember the way to my room?" Alexandra asked, trusting Evelyn to guide them back without indications. They didn't stray too far from the core of the manor, so it wasn't a mystery to find Alexandra's room upstairs.

Once in front of the door, Alexandra knew perfectly where they should be. "Let me turn around..." she hushed, trying to do a perfect turn, even if it was quite hard to estimate if she had gone too far. "Your room is just in front of mine" Alexandra revealed with a small laugh. "I never had siblings so..." she paused, changing topics. "Go, open the door" the girl indicated, following Evelyn. The room lacked the decor and signs of belonging that Alexandra's had, without her trinkets, things and small stuff that made her room hers, but other than that, Evelyn's new bedroom was quite similar to Alexandra's. Showing signs that it had been recently cleaned and covers removed from the furniture, it's size and disposition were akin to the one just in front. Sure, her dresser wouldn't be chock full of clothes, and it seemed to lack a bathing room of its own, but other than that it was huge and full of potential.

"I hope you like it, your things should be around somewhere" Alexandra noted, having left the details to Martha and her army of servants. "If you need anything don't mind to ask Martha, she doesn't bite" she giggled. "So... how is it?" Alexandra asked, eager to know if Evelyn was happy.
 
"I think I remember." She said confidently as they left the library, relief flooding through her. She wondered to her self if Alexandra would accept such a truth that she could not read. After all she seemed rather accepting of her so far, even the hint that she had bedded men while unmarried had somewhat phased her, but not such in a way to make her angry or disgusted, it seemed she was more curious than anything. What if Alexandra taught her to read? Would that even be possible? The girl had said that she read almost every book in that library, certainly she'd remember how letters and words looked. The thought was rather pleasant to her, the pair huddled together quietly in the library for reading lessons, but no, even if it was possible, Alexandra would clearly consider it unbelievable that a noble woman couldn't read, and then her ruse would be over with.

"It's close?" She asked, noting the mischievious tone in the girls voice, stepping back to allow the girl to turn around, returning to her side soon after so that she didn't feel alone. "Huh--Oh!" She let out a gleeful giggle upon realizing her room was right across the hall. This was good, she could be there on a moments notice, but even more so, she never had her own room before.

Reaching out a hand, Evelyn pushed open the door, before carefully guiding Alexandra inside with her. Quickly she drank in her surroundings, her curious blue orbs, open wide in awe at the room she could call her own. "It's--it's so wonderful." There was an audible break in her voice as if she was going to cry, but she quickly regained her composure. "It will be nice to be so close, although I imagine I'll be spending a lot of time in your room." She laughed, realizing how that sounded and quickly added "I mean, on days when you feel too tired to get out of bed, I'd rather be there with you to keep you company. I can't imagine how maddening it would have been to be alone, especially shrouded in darkness. I mean, I can relate to the loneliness, I guess that's why I want to ensure you don't feel that way anymore..."

After taking several moments to look over the room, she spotted her things pushed neatly into a corner, noting to herself that she'd unpack later-not that it was much to begin with. only a few different articles of clothing she took from the brothel, a brush, and not much else. "Here." Eve said musically, guiding Alexandra to her bed, before turning them around and easing her to sit upon the edge next to her. "Ah! It's comfortable, wow!" She exclaimed with a giggle, leaning into her, her arm drapped around her, her golden tresses tickling the side of the girls cheek.

"La--ah-uhm--Alexandra." She started, tilting her head so as to speak softer, closer to her ear as they sat comfortably upon her bed. "Thank you." She added in an affectionate tone. "I mean it, and I know I'm here to help you, but thank you for making me feel so welcome. I haven't felt this happy in well-ever" She laughed, although it was mildly tinged with sadness. "I'm glad I'm here, I'm so lucky to have met you, and I'm fortunate you are my friend. It feels silly to say this on my first day, but I feel like I needed t say it, and I look forward to the rest to come!" She leaned in, offering a half hug, but careful not to overwhelm her.

"Now, how are you feeling, shall we return to your chambers? Good thing we don't have far to go!"
 
Alexandra was beaming, just listening to Evelyn admire the room made her happy, although she did frown a bit, hearing a discordant note in the song that was her voice. It was just fleeting, so perhaps it was out of emotion or something she misheard. Alexandra was more attentive to her other senses since she fell ill and lost her sight, but that also made her a bit paranoid, hearing things that weren't there, wondering about strange smells from time to time. Considering how Evelyn laughed and ensured she would be there to keep her company on the bad days, Alexandra knew that there was nothing wrong there, that whatever it was, she must had just misheard it. "I'm so glad you like it" she admitted, although the fear of the unknown lady not liking the place had been long dispelled as she got to know her along that day.

"I hope I'll get a bit stronger, a bit better" Alexandra said, following Evelyn through the room. "The doctor said that the only permanent damage would be my sight, heh, the only..." she shook her head. "But even him didn't sound sure at all, so there is the chance that I could get bedridden" Alexandra sighed. "But it's as likely as recovering my sight, so I'll try to not be afraid of one, but neither be hopeful for the other" she said, steeling herself. She may had grown sheltered and surrounded by books and loving parents, but Alexandra was still a Ravenwood and that made her of a stronger material than the usual young lady.

"It's as comfy as mine" Alexandra nodded, echoing Evelyn's sentiment with a lighter voice. She could feel her warmth as the woman leaned closer to her, not exactly knowing what to do with her hands so she rested them on her lap, unable to steer her natural curiosity about how much she knew, what kinds of men had she... met. Luckily for her, Evelyn's hair tickled her face, distracting her from such thoughts and making her giggle. "Thank you too, Evelyn" she echoed the sentiment, as the woman had enlightened her sorrow. It was still there, pushed down with all her might, but as long as she had Evelyn around to distract her, she could keep herself on the brighter side.

"I'm feeling a bit tired, truth be told" Alexandra said, oblivious to the afternoon sun starting to go down, red as ember. "But I'm unaware of the hour, and I'd like to start trying to have a more normal schedule now that I don't have to be all day in bed" she said. Alexandra was indeed weak yet, and she wasn't up to do any really strenuous activities, but it wasn't like she would have to do manual labor or work the fields, so as long as she didn't exert too much she should be fine until completely recovered. "Do you have a pocket watch?" Alexandra wondered. The house had of course a few clocks here and there, mainly in the main floor, but Alexandra didn't like having any of them close, as the ticking distracted her, specially since sick. "I'll need you to tell what time it is, and if you don't have one, I have a gift for you waiting in my room" she said, her smile betraying her thoughts, almost wishing for Evelyn to lack a watch so she could give her one.
 
"Ah--I don't" Evelyn uttered anxiously, before glancing out toward the window to observe the setting sun. Fortunately for her, she had learned to tell time, as it was something of a necessity in her line of work. Every room within the brothel was decorated with a large clock so that each whore would know exactly when their patrons time was up. Many paid till the next morning, where telling time was not as important, but there were many more who often could only shell out coin for an hour or two, and that was when it was important to read exactly when they had to stop and usher their patron outside. The fact she didn't have one, she thought for sure would be yet another sign that she wasn't the noble woman she claimed to be, yet when Alexandra followed up with saying she had a gift for her, she fell at ease once more and laughed.

"The sun is beginning to fall behind the horizon." She said reassuringly before grinning as she caught Alexandra's smile. "A present hm? I wonder what it could be." Her voice alight in mock cluelessness. "Well, let's make the extraordinarily long journey back to your room than shall we?" She teased, before rising up slowly, her arm remaining behind Alexandra's back so as to help her stand and remain steady. "What ever hour it is, it will be dark soon, so feel no guilt if you need to lay down. It's been an exciting day, for the both of us, and I'll keep you company till you fall asleep, if you want."

Slowly Evelyn guided Lady Ravenwood from her room, across the hall and into her own. "Your bed is here, we can sit for a moment, before you decide if you wish to sleep or not, we'll have to get you undressed anyhow." She said it so casually, despite having only dressed her once so far. It was amazing how natural it was becoming to her, how effortless it seemed to take care of this girl she was becoming so fond of.

She lowered her down at the foot of her bed, sitting next to her with a sigh. "Ah. There." She smiled warmly at her before giving her a gentle squeeze, her smile shifting to one of sadness as she considered what Alexandra said earlier about her health. The idea of her getting stronger would be wonderful, but the possibility of regaining her sight back? A fantasy at best, she knew this, and yet she hoped with all her might that it would happen one day.

"Tomorrow why don't you show me the piano and you can try to play something? I can sing for you, help guide you along to the right notes. Best way to learn is through feel. Sight will only mess it up anyhow."
 
Alexandra smiled with Evelyn's theatrics about the not so mysterious gift she had for her, and gladly accepted her help to get up and walk to her room. It was perhaps the news that it was so late or the small moment of rest in Evelyn's bed, but the activities of the day had started to take their toll in Alexandra's weakened body, now aware that she was indeed quite tired. "Ah..." Alexandra felt tempted yet somewhat embarrassed at the idea of Evelyn keeping watch while she fell asleep, making her even more vulnerable than she was now. "I don't mind the company, but I should be fine asleep" she honestly said. "You traveled today here, and helped me all around, you must be tired too" Alexandra added, soon letting herself sit on her bed with not only a tired sigh, but also the trust that the bed was there. No longer did she slowly down herself tentatively into the seat, as she trusted Evelyn enough to just let her weakened form fall into the welcoming mattress.

"Yes, we'll get to that, this dress is not too complicated though" Alexandra acknowledged, as it wouldn't take long for Evelyn to help her with the undressing. Leaning into the warm, friendly squeeze she felt tempted to just sleep there, but that would be embarrassing, as she was no child. "Trying to play the piano?" she whispered, uncertain, but the idea soon tempted her. "I'll be weird, but I'd love to try" Alexandra nodded, eager to not only delve into that new experience, but also wanting to hear Evelyn sing. Maybe that way she could do something new and at the same time perhaps Evelyn would make fond memories of singing that overlapped those old, bitter ones that she barely spoke of.

"Ah, but before I forget it!" Alexandra yelped, aware of how distracted and perhaps sleepy she was. "The gift should be on the top drawer of the nightstand over there" she made a vague gesture towards the nightstand beside the head of the table where the hand bell rested. Inside the drawer one could find an assortments of things and knickknacks, including a couple of ribbons that seemed destined to bind hair, a small ivory comb, a fistful of dry acorns, a small book with the word 'Diary' written on the cover next to a small bottle of ink and writing implements, and a little silver pocket watch with a chain dangling from it. "My watch should be there, take it with you so you are aware of the time and I can just ask you" she said with a smile, not really remembering what else did she had there. "Don't forget to wind it up once a day or so" she instructed.

"Hmm, I'm more tired than I expected" Alexandra admitted, feeling how Evelyn's warmth felt more and more tempting each minute. "Just helping me with the dress and the bedclothes should be enough" she said, hoping for a pleasant rest before a new day, full of possibilities and interesting moments. Would she rest well? Would she be able to play the piano? How would Evelyn sing? The questions about management of the manor and lands seemed distant at that moment. "Remember to ask Martha for anything you need" Alexandra slurred, sounding really sleepy now that she was about to get into bed.
 
"Top drawer?" she echoed curiously, while turning her head to glance behind them toward the nightstand, her long golden hair teasing Alexandra's face as she did so. "Ah right--One moment!" She stated reassuringly while rising from her seat next to the girl toward the nightstand, reaching out with her right hand to reveal the contents of the top drawer, curiously peeking inside. "Wow, it's very pretty." She said, slightly awed, while reaching in to retrieve the silver pocket watch, ignoring the other items. Evelyn had been unable to read the word written upon the book, but judging by the ink and writing implements, she assumed it was something Alexandra used to record her thoughts, regardless it was of little consequence to her.

She pushed the drawer closed and quickly returned tot he end of the bed, settling down next to her once more with a musical laugh. "Thank you, I will be sure to wind it daily." She reached an arm around her to pull her into a gentle hug, something that had quickly become an expected gesture from her, but she made certain to put more meaning into this one, to show she appreciated the gift, even if it was merely meant as a tool to aid her throughout the day.

"Yes, it's been an eventful day for the both of us, let's get you into something more comfortable for the nights rest yes?" She chirped, before rising up from the bed once more to sift through the wardrobe for a clean night gown. Once again she was reminded by just how expansive Alexandra's clothing options were, and before she got too lost in the dazzling array of fabrics, she pulled out a simple silken gown before turning to her, promptly placing the gown upon the bed next to her.

"Can you stand? Let's get that cute dress off of you." She held her arm out, in case Alexandra needed some support, and once she was ready, Evelyn began to gently slip the dress off. "Arms up." She suggested sweetly "Night gown incoming." She added after once the dress had been removed, the gown had been slipped on just as quick. "There, now take my arm." She whispered, with the intention of guiding her away from the foot of the bed and around tot he side where she lifted the blankets up, gently coaxing her onto the mattress and under the covers.

"Comfortable? Is there anything else you need?" Evelyn proceeded to sit upon the side of the bed, resting a hand upon her shoulder. "I can always stay a bit longer and just talk until you feel sleep coming on."

She couldn't imagine how lonely it must have been for Alexandra to be blind and have no one to talk to. She feared that by leaving her for the night, she'd begin to feel hopelessly alone again, so she wanted to do her best to ensure the girl knew she was no longer on her own, even if she couldn't see it for her self.
 
Alexandra was glad that Evelyn liked the gift, even if it was of a practical nature and to help her, so she happily leaned into the hug when it happened. Perhaps she should return the gesture, but it felt somewhat odd, even with the trust they had developed. She didn't want Evelyn to feel uncomfortable nor did she want to seem too frail, too powerless, her pride keeping her at bay even if most of it had been promptly discarded once the humbling sickness struck. Not that Alexandra had ever been too proud or arrogant, but she was not only a noble born young woman, but also a learned one and sometimes she couldn't help but feel like she knew better than most, even if the real world was a fuzzy notion out of the grasp of her academic knowledge.

"Ah, yes..." Alexandra mumbled, as Evelyn had her attention one more to change her into something more appropriate for the night. "So did you really like the dress? Did it suit me?" she said after Evelyn noted how cute her dress was. Alexandra surprised herself, as she noticed that she was fishing for compliments. She couldn't appreciate her own beauty anymore, nor was there anyone else to tell her anything positive with her parents gone, so with just the service around her it hardly seemed fair to want praise from those who worked for her, but Evelyn seemed different for her. She was different. "Sorry, I didn't want to... it's just..." Alexandra shook her head. "I wasn't seeking flattery. Well, I was, but I didn't mean to" she sighed. "You will be my eyes from now on, so even if you feel the temptation to cheer me up, to protect me... please, be honest with me. Don't sweeten up what you see for my sake" she asked.

Once those matters were settled and she was ready to sleep and tucked into her bed, Alexandra felt safe with Evelyn close to her. "Thank you but I'm fine..." her voice sounding heavy and drowsy, Alexandra was indeed really tired, but things should get better with the days and activity, or so the doctor had said. "After such a trip..." she mumbled. "You'll need... rest too..." even if blind, Alexandra closed her milky blue eyes, her breathing growing heavier and calmer as she talked. She really had been active that day to be her first out of bed, and now with most of the tension gone, fatigue was easily besting her into sleep.

...

It was later in the middle of the night when Alexandra's sleep came to a halt. Chased by a nightmare she was trying to flee from, the young girl rolled around the bed. She woke up flailing and gasping for air, knocking the hand bell from her nightstand into the floor, breaking the nightly silence with a clattering sound. Screaming startled at the sound she had caused herself, Alexandra couldn't identify it in her recently awoken state, causing her to panic and fall from the bed in her confused attempts to escape from the horror of her dream. Still terrified, Alexandra curled into a ball, her pale figure in the floor next to the bed, her blonde hair flowing free while the bell finished rolling to a halt.
 
"I really did, it's a lovely dress Alexandra." She said behind a warm smile as she brushed through the girls hair, gently smoothing out the knots and the curls, laughing softly as the girl spoke up again defensively. "It's alright." She soothed, before setting down the brush she had found on the dresser to cup her cheeks gently with both hands so that they were facing eachother, even if Alexandra couldn't see her. "You are a gorgeous young woman, even if you can't see it, you are. Sickness and blindness be damned, you were absolutely lovely in that dress, but I think you could make anything shine, even sick as you are, you have a positive energy about you that I am in awe of, and besides all of that." She paused now, gently carressing the girls cheekbone affectionately with her thumb. "It shouldn't matter what any one else things, I had to teach my self that. I think regardless of how you look, no matter what, you should embrace what fits you, what is most comfortable for you, make it you, and forget what anyone thinks. Why should it matter what some noble that you can't even see, thinks about your appearance, how is it fair for them to judge you? hm?"

Evelyn started to blush when she realized she may have gotten a little carried away and laughed again. "Look, all I mean is, you're beautiful, and while I promise I am and will be honest with you, just remember that it doesn't matter what others think...but that said...compliments do feel nice, I understand that, nothing to be ashamed about, I promise you, you'll have no short supply of them from me, I find you absolutely lovely." She was beginning to feel a bit afraid she was going overboard, so she ended it with a hug, before, helping the girl under the covers.

"We'll talk more in the morning alright? Get some rest, shed all your worries for now so you may rest easy-yes-yes I'll be getting some sleep as well, don't you worry. Good night Alexandra" She patted her arm gently while sitting at the edge of the bed to make sure she was resting comfortably. She was happy to find that Alexandra fell asleep quite promptly, and so she remained sitting there at the edge of her bed for some time, simply reflecting on the day, and at how it seemed so much happened. They had only just met but she felt a deep connection to this girl, where she felt she was already willing to do anything for her. Evelyn had never had such a bond with another person before, not one where they hit it off so well. Could things really work out for her here?

---

"Ah!" Evelyn cried out in response to the loud terrified cries of the girl following by a loud thump and the clattering of a bell. With a start, she sprung up in the air, lifting her hands to her face to rub her eyes groggily as she attempted to grasp her surroundings, peering sleepily in the dark. Several moments passed before she had remembered where she was and what was happening. Considering that there was absolutely no light shining through the windows, it had to have been late night, and with no candles lit, it was difficult to see in the dark, but once she had managed to shake the rest of the sleep off she realized that she must have fallen asleep upon he corner of Alexandra's bed.

"Alexandra, are you alright?" She whispered, slowly extending a hand to feel upon the bed for the girl when she heard a low rustling upon the floor. "Shh shh! it's alright I'm here, what happened?" Upon noticing that the girl had fallen from the bed, she carefully slid off, promptly dropping to her knees, feeling out until her hand touched the girls hair upon the floor. "I'm here, I'm here." She soothed reassuringly, quickly sliding onto the floor next to her and scooping her arms around her, pulling her into a embrace while they laid upon the floor. "Are you hurt?"
 
Alexandra weakly fought the embrace for a moment, until she started to catch on what was happening, Evelyn's musical voice serving as guidance. Evelyn was there, she had come to the house that day, she wasn't alone anymore. Alexandra did more than return the embrace, as she tightly wrapped her arms around Evelyn's waist, resting her face on the lap of the kneeling woman, hiding her scared face. The girl sobbed and trembled, relieved by the friendly presence, that touch giving her an anchor to hold herself, something to grab to and stop her drift into the darkness. "There was... something..." she mumbled between sobs, slowly calming down, noticing that she wasn't making any sense.

"I'm fine, I think..." Alexandra finally answered, embarrassed. "Maybe my posteriors are a bit tender, like my pride" she tried to make a joke to lighten the mood, but between how awkward the situation was with her voice coming out broken and muffled against Evelyn's lap and that she had been crying until a moment ago. It was clear that she was affected, and trying to hide it only made it all the more obvious. "I can't remember..." Alexandra said, slowly rising her face, voice sounding clearer. "Something took my eyes" she trembled between Evelyn's arms, "and didn't stop, wanted more..." she mumbled, rubbing her hands on Evelyn's back, as if she wanted to make sure she was there with her.

"I'm sure that I don't look beautiful anymore..." Alexandra commented, worried about the stupidest of things, but it was true that her face looked paler and her glassy blue eyes were tinted in red, product of uneasy sleep and tears. Or so they would if there was more light in the room, a situation that Alexandra naturally wasn't aware of, so she didn't take it into account. "It had been such a good day, I thought that I wouldn't have more nightmares..." she sighed. It had been a common occurrence as of late, but given that she had Evelyn now she had thought that she would be safe from them. "The floor is cold" Alexandra noted, letting go of an embrace than even if comforting had gone for awkwardly long, awaiting for Evelyn to help her get up, not knowing what to do with her hands now that they were idle.
 
"Shhh hush, it's okay, it can't hurt you, I'm here, you're safe." She cooed soothingly as she was clutched tightly. "Just a bad dream, it's not real." She couldn't imagine the kinds of things going through Alexandra's head, like the idea that something dark and sinister took her eyesight and was attempting to take more from her. She supposed, even though it was an illness, it was sort of like some dark thing that took something it had no right taking from her at such a young age. Despite the late night stupor, her heart broke for the girl who was so sad and scared. "Well you're not hurt, that's good."

She remained knelt down upon the floor holding the girl and being held in return, quite glad that she had fallen asleep within the room because if she hadn't she may not have heard the fall, after all it sounded like the bell had been knocked tot he floor and it was far too dark to locate it at the moment. "You've looked beautiful since I met you sweetheart, I doubt that's changed in so short of time." Although unseen, her expression fell at Alexandra's dismay about having nightmares despite the good day. "Such things can plague us even when we are at our happiest. Sometimes more so. The demons within ourselves revolt because to them such happiness is an outlier." Evelyn spoke like someone who had her fair share of nightmares, but her tone shifted as she laughed softly, leaping onto the conversation change nodding in agreement. "Yes, the floor is very cold, I agree, let's get you back up in bed."

She rose to her feet once the girl let go, reaching out to aid the girl to her feet as well before guiding her to the bed which she could just barely make out in the darkness, quickly pulling the cool covers up and over her until she was well bundled underneathe. "There, hopefully you warm up quickly so not to catch a cold." Alexandra would feel an indent upon the bed as Evelyn sat down on the edge next to her once more. "I'm sorry you had nightmares despite enjoying the day we had together, let's hope the rest of the night fairs better? I'll stick around just in case alright? I'll try to keep those demons at bay." There was no sense of mockery in her words, she seemed genuinely sincere and concerned for the girls fears.
 
"Ah, thank you..." Alexandra said softly, shifting a bit under the covers, finding a comfortable posture once Evelyn had tucked her in. Hiding under the covers not only served to scare the nightmares away, but also warm her body, shivering with both fear and cold. It was true that every time Evelyn called her beautiful, called her sweetheart, the bad dreams seemed to inch further, as a gentle warmth seemed to beat from inside her. She was so gentle and friendly, even if they had met in that same day, Evelyn certainly went beyond what her tasks demanded, and Alexandra was thankful for that. Of course that she needed everyday help, that went without saying, but what she really craved was company, a friend.

"But you need to sleep too..." Alexandra protested weakly. She didn't want Evelyn to go from her side, not much before having a nightmare, but certainly not after having one, and despite that she acknowledged that after her trip to the Ravenwood manor and the day they had both behind and in front of them, she would need to sleep for sure. "Maybe..." the blonde girl fidgeted nervous, bedsheets rustling as she moved. Even if she didn't see, her eyes still danced around expressively, specially if she was nervous. "It's not appropriate but..." Alexandra kept mumbling, pulling her bedsheets to cover her face. Sighing under them, she soon pushed them back a bit, her face coming back out from under them.

Alexandra didn't want to behave like a scared little girl, but at the same time she was aware that being in charge had responsibilities she couldn't just brush aside. But between them, only Evelyn and her cared, it wasn't a matter for anyone else to judge. "Could you... could you sleep with me?" Alexandra asked, not sure if it was the right thing to do, but it was the only way for both of them to rest, or so she thought. "I don't want to be alone and you need your rest so even if it's a selfish thing to ask..." she added, embarrassed. Then she finally became aware of something that was on the back of her mind.

Judging from her embrace, Evelyn was still wearing her dress, or so it seemed. Did that mean that she was around there all night? The idea made her feel warm and cared for, but also guilty for making Evelyn be on top of her all night. Maybe asking her for that wasn't a good idea? Maybe she should withdraw the request before she answered? No, Evelyn trusted her and she trusted Evelyn, or so Alexandra believed in that moment, so if she wanted to refuse she knew she was free to do so. Because she knew it, right? "Ah... if it's too unbecoming or childish... you can always refuse, it's no problem..." Alexandra said, honestly, even if the only thing she wanted on that moment was to feel again the safety of her embrace until the morning came.
 
Heat rushed to her cheeks as the question was posed. "Sleep with you?" She realized very quickly if not immediately what Alexandra meant, but given her past profession, the question certainly held different personal meaning to her. "Ah--right-Ofcourse." She finished quickly before placing a hand affectionately upon the girls arm within the darkness. "I did say I'd stay, didn't I? It's not selfish, I was after all hired to assist you, but forgetting all of that, I want you to feel safe, genuinely" Evelyn could sense the reservation in the girls voice, assuming by her tone that the request probably wasn't considered appropriate which in a way made her feel fortunate to have formed such a special bond with Alexandra so quickly.

Slowly she stood up from the side of the bed to lift the corner of the covers which had previously been neatly tucked in to keep Alexandra warm. With a shuffling motion she slipped under the covers, while maintaining a small space between them so not to push any boundaries. "It's not childish, don't you worry. Everyone deserves to feel warm and safe, and I appreciate the invitation for I likely would have just slept on the corner to ensure you were alright. This is much warmer." She giggled. "Feel free to lean on me if you need to, I just want you to know I'm here for you."

It was strange laying in the other girls bed, feeling the warmth of the other body near by. The last time she shared a bed with someone, the emotional energy had been very negative, and the person in question was so obsessive, that she risked being reprimanded by fleeing from the chambers. It had been such a godsend when she met the Ravenwoods the following day for she feared her next encounter with that specific patron, and now here she was in another persons bed but of her own choosing and she felt...happy? The situation was different ofcourse, this was not of a sexual nature but she felt very protective of her new friend, a feeling that was very new to her.

"Hopefully the nightmares stay away. Try to rest again, alright Alexandra? We have a long day ahead of us of music lessons and obligations." She attempted to sound serious but broke into a tired giggle, her hand shifting other the others to entwine her fingers with hers.

"Sleep well."
 
"Mhhh... warmer..." Alexandra agreed, almost completely covered under the bedsheets, like a little kid fleeing from an imaginary monster. She was safe now, she was safe there, Evelyn's warmth acting like a beacon of all that was good, a lighthouse that kept her from sinking. In the perpetual darkness Alexandra had been plunged into, those moments when her voice sung, when she accidentally brushed her body under the covers, were the moments that made her feel calm, safe. Her tired mind wandered, thinking about how it would be sharing the bed with your husband, would that feeling of safety be there? It would depend of how the man was, of course, but considering that husband and wife were to sleep together for the rest of their lives, Alexandra certainly hoped so.

The fabrics of the bedclothes and what they were wearing were the only sounds as Alexandra shuffled a bit under the covers, getting closer and closer to Evelyn, but without going as far as repeating the embrace that she surrounded her with when they were on the floor. "Bad dreams can't catch me here..." she answered, almost nested against the taller woman's body, able to share their warmth and smell her perfume. Evelyn's soothing presence did wonders to still her mind, and the blonde girl welcomed those entwining fingers on hers, that tender squeeze that would be there for her, even if she was scared.

"Good night..." Alexandra mumbled, falling asleep once more with surprising ease.

...

The morning sun broke into the room, a bit of early fog rendering its light silver, bathing the bed with an strange atmosphere, a sheen that would be almost ghostly if it was a bit darker. As of such it was just an eerie vignette to wake up to, although Alexandra wasn't nowhere near aware of it. Not only she was oblivious to how the morning looked that day because of her eyes, but mostly due to being sound asleep yet, small and faint snores giving her somewhat of a defenseless vibe. It was something that no one but the most intimate should see, should know, and yet there she was, sleeping peacefully thanks to the company of a woman she had met the day before.
 
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