Vengeance and Betrayal

[Dab]

Izanami finished lacing up the front of her uniform just before the Steward, the servant director, came in. As she waited for him to inspect it and insure she was presentable her mind wandered. As scenes from the last few days cycled in her mind, she began to feel more and more depressed. She wanted nothing more than to go back to the way things were. Before the damn war that goaded her father into smuggling and spying in a vain attempt at revenge against Bretonia.

"It's acceptable." The Steward's words broke her thoughts. "Breakfast will begin soon, you'll be part of the serving team. Take them their food, don't speak unless spoken to, end every sentence with Sir or Madam, and follow the kitchen staff's orders. This is a test for you. Screw it up and we'll send you to the fields."

"Yes sir," she murmured. In truth she almost preferred the fields. The only thing holding her back was the faint hope of taking revenge on one of those who tore her world from her.

The Steward led her to the kitchens, where she was placed next to two other servants. She could feel their eyes on her, evaluating her, as if she were competition. She got the feeling that relationships between the house servants might not be as friendly as she thought.

---

[Evyn]

Evyn was sitting on the edge of her bed when someone lightly knocked on her door. "Come in." A servant girl of about sixteen slipped into the room, carrying something covered in plastic. From her accent and appearance, she seemed to be a native Maltan, and not one of her uncle's captured slaves. "Master Vincenzo requested you join him for breakfast madam." She moved over to a clothing stand and hooked up the object she was holding. "He also sent you this for you to wear." Evyn hadn't even thought about the fact that most of her old clothes probably wouldn't fit her after eight years. "Is there anything you need madam?"

"No, that will be all."
The girl bowed. "Yes madam."

Evyn stripped the protective plastic from the clothing the servant had hung up. He doesn't honestly think I wear stuff like this, does he? Hanging from the hook was a yellow sundress with a ruffled skirt. She sighed, cursing her uncle's poor senses, and started getting ready for breakfast.

--- --- ---

Evyn took a deep breath as she entered the dining hall, savoring an aroma she hadn't enjoyed for over a year. The Bretonia Armed Forces' food was good for keeping the body working on minimal cost. However, it didn't taste very good.

This early in the morning, there were only a few people sitting at the room's large table. Vincenzo, Zetsumai, her half-brother Vitale, and a woman she didn't recognize, who was the first to notice her arrival. Evyn moved towards the table while Vincenzo spoke to Vitale. As they reached a break in their conversation, she sat down across from Vitale and announced her presence. "Uncle, I'm never letting you pick out clothes for me again." This bought a laugh from Zetsumai.

Vitale was looking at her now. "Hey Ev. Vincenzo was just talking about what happened. Sounds like things didn't quite go as planned."

"I had some.. Troubles."
"Descriptive."
She shrugged.

The woman to Vitales left held out her hand, "Evie Knight." Evyn shook it, "Evelyn Dimitri." She had decided not to use her Bretonian name while here on Malta. It was taking some getting used to, after having used it for the last eight years. She took a closer look at the woman, "Bretonian?" Evie shook her head, "Liberty." She cocked her head and smiled, anticipating Evyn's confusion. "It's a long story, but I work for Zetsumai." Evyn glanced at the Kusarian, wondering about the absurdiness of it all. Herself a Bretonian-Maltan half-breed, her half-brother and uncle involved with a Libertonian and Kusarian respectively, and all of them eating breakfast in a villa on Malta.

Evie was still smiling at her, "and I hear you have your own long story." Evyn gave her a rueful grin, "yeah, something like that."

A servant opened the side door to the kitchens and carried a plate piled with pastries, breakfast cakes, and toast liberally smeared with thick jam. A typically sweet breakfast in her family coming from their old Pre-Sirius Italian traditions. It was a big change from what she was served in Bretonia, which usually consisted of a type of meat, toast, and fruit of some kind, depending on the availability. And none of it nearly as good as what she was being served now, if the smell of it was any indication.

It was a few moments before her attention shifted from the food to the person carrying it. What she saw felt like a splash of cold water.

The servant placed the food in front of her and withdrew to the kitchen, no hint of recognition on her face. When she was gone, Evyn saw Zetsumai looking at her oddly, apparently noticing her surprise. She averted her eyes and started fiddling with her food, trying to pretend like nothing was happened. Was that Uncle Eion's daughter?

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