It took a moment for Amelias eyes to adjust to the brightness of the room as they entered. It was consideribly more lit than the rest of the manor to an extent that was almost jarring.
The warm light eminated from rows of rustic looking chandeleers that were suspended above a series of long wooden tables, each of them set with large servingplatters of food as well as with an abundance of wine and ale.
Even though the room was larger than any she'd previously seen in the estate it was also rather humle looking in comparison. The floorboards looked worn and the wallpaper was faded. Amelias theory that it must be a space intended for the servants was confirmed by the view of the servant quarters through the sizeable windows that extended nearly all the way to the ceiling.
The moment they took a step into the room the chatter fell quiet and the crowd that was gathered around the tables rose to their feet, a treatment that she thought she could never fully get used to.
Dario was leading her towards two empty seats at the edge of a table in the furthest end of the room. As she walked past the sea of people she felt a bit nervous. When she'd asked Dario to only invite the servants she'd never expected that there would be so many.
Glancing into the crowd there were faces that she recognised very well, though it was initially hard to spot them out of their usual uniforms. Near one of the two windows stood a handfull of maids that had previously attended to Amelia, among them Sofia and Flora who both looked beautiful in their formal dresses and done up hair. A group of familiar male servants were gathered further down that same table and in the back row she spotted Paul's head of chestnut brown hair among the knights.
The crowd only took their seats again after she and Dario had comfortably taken their position, though the silence still remained the same.
Dario cleared his throat next to her.
"As you all are aware it is the lady's birthday this evening. Miss Ainsworth has asked to invite you all as a thanks to everyone's hard work. Although the harshest months of winter is still ahead of us, know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed."
As Dario spoke she couldn't tear her eyes away from him. With a firm tone and unwavering positioning his aptitude for leadership was truly undeniable. Although she had since long known of his prominent role in the civil war this side of him still felt foreign to her.
Looking into the crowd and seeing the evident positive reception to his words she was thankful that he had managed to frame things in a way that didn't make it painfully obvious that she didn't have anyone to invite. At the same time though, she was both surprised and ashamed of her vanity.
"Now please be at ease and let us give a toast to the person who suggested this night's fiest. To lady Ainsworth."
As Dario raised his glass so did all the others' and his last words instantly resounded throughout the hall.
"To lady Ainsworth."
***
The atmosphere that had remained somewhat formal at first had started to ease up by the time a second batch of ale was brought in. Even the people who had seemed adamant to maintain their rigid postures when they first arrived had started to let up, freely letting out heartful laughter.
The alcohol had started to make itself known to Amelia as well despite her full stomach, and she suspected that it would only get worse. Even though people had initially kept their distance the servants had begun to approach her with a newfound drunken courage. Each and everyone would insist to fill up her glass and or plate as they gave their congratulations, and it quickly got to a point that Amelia couldn't keep up.
When her glass was once again filled to the brim Dario chuckled next to her and reached for it.
"At this point I won't have to refill my glass either" he whispered over her shoulder before taking a sip.
Amelia grinned.
"Thanks for helping out. At this rate you'd have to practically carry me back to my room in the end of the evening."
She realised the inproprarity of her suggestion as soon as it left her mouth but in her hydrated state she wasn't ashamed of it.
Thankfully her yapping was cut short by a loud bang coming from the other end of the room. It looked like two men had dropped a barrel of wine while refilling the assortment.
"I think I've worked my men hard enough for one evening, better go help them" Dario said and put down his glass.
She hummed and motioned for him to go ahead. As she watched him walk away however, a bittersweet thought hit her.
'Is this the life his future duschess will lead?'
It was an ungrateful sentiment. To envy the woman who would be Darios wife after their agreement had come to an end and to desire more instead of simply being happy for what he had given her.
Against her better judgement Amelia refilled her glass, had another sip of wine and anxiously twirled the pendant between her fingers.
Just as she was about to sink deeper into the unpleasant thoughts she spotted Olivia standing in the back talking to a couple other maids. Despite helping Amelia before the celebration she had somehow manage to change out if her uniform in that short time. She was wearing a lovely blush gown with fur lining which beautifully complinted her cool complexion, and the hair that had prevoisly been clipped up into rollers now cascaded down her back in playful blonde curls.
When their eyes met Olivia lit up and happily waved for she to come over. Among the maids Amelia only recognized a few of them, though compared to the option of wallowing in her negative thoughts the choice was easy. Amelia swiftly left the alcohol and half filled plate of food behind
"You look so pretty Olivia!" she exclaimed when she reached the group. "How did you possibly have the time to get ready?"
"Thank you. Well, fortunately I had help" Olivia grinned and motioned towards a maid that stood next to her.
"This one really helped me out even though we both almost wound up being late."
Olivia must have noticed the lack of recognition on Amelias face, because she continued:
"This is Julia, we share a room in the servant quarters. She mainly works with the laundry so I don't think you've met eachother much before."
"I don't think we have, but it is nice to meet you" Amelia smiled.
Julia who had previously laughed heartfully before her arrival now looked tense.
"It is an honor to meet you miss Ainsworth. Thank you for the invitation" she mustered, then glanced nervously around the room.
"Have you been working here long?"
"I think it has been about a year since I came here, so not that long. If you excuse me, there is something I must tend to. I hope you all have a pleasant evening. And happy birthday, miss."
Although the greeting was adequate it was clear that the girl couldn't wait to leave throughout.
"I apologize, it seems that I have disrupted you" Amelia said after Julia had disappeared in the crowd.
"Oh no, you certainly did not, miss!" A familiar readheaded maid exclaimed, and Olivia hummed in agreement.
"Julia is just shy. She acted similarly to me as well in the beginning, I thought she really disliked me before I got to know her."
"And surely your position does not help her nervousness" Sofia chimed in.
"Yeah, tonights fiest has surely only fueled the rumors" Olivia added.
Her words were disrupted by a pull of the sleeve from the redhaired maid, but Olivia persisted.
"The miss won't be angry over something so petty as people speculating. Besides, it's nothing negative. She knows that."
Amelia gave the girl a reassuring nod which seemed to ease the tension slightly.
Olivia had told her of the escalating rumors a few days prior. The whispers of her being the future duschess had evolved into open gossip soon after the celebration was announced. Word was that her and Darios engagement was merely being postphoned until the incident involving her father faded from public memory.
Looking at it from an outside perspective it was a reasaonle assumption to make. They didn't know the true nature of their relationship after all.
Amelia wished that she too could be oblivious of the truth and partake in the delight, if only for the night.