*Lady Funda*
"This has to be some joke. "As she looked back at it, Lady Funda could feel all the blood drain from her cheeks.
The letter was from the very King Alexander himself. It even bore his royal stamp in Dawny's blue wax. It was official.
No worse, It was addressed to her very niece.
"Why now?" Funda couldn't even begin to spin her head around it.
The man had not taken any interest before. So why? What changed?
What if the King started to pay attention to her? Worse, What if he did? Would this mean they need to change tactics?
No, This was not good. Not at all.
Funda needed to speak with her husband at once.
"My lady, is there anything else I need to do?" The postmaster's voice brought Lady Funda back.
"No, you may go." Lady Funda dismissed, holding the letter. Her fingers lightly scratched at the wax seal.
How easy would it be to open it here? It was so very tempting.
But not enough to cause her to lose her head. Tampering with the mail, especially that of the Empress, was punishable by death, and not even she dared to do it.
But what could the King write after so long of silence? Funda needed to know. And the easiest way was just a walk.
With that in mind, Lady Funda went directly to the Empress's wing.
Upon approaching, Funda found the door closed. That was unusual by itself.
But even more unusual was that Funda could hear animated voices coming through the door.
What are they talking about? Curious, Funda leaned close to listen through the door.
"I can't believe you would make such an error, Maddie!" Ana exclaimed.
"But it smelt so delicious. How could I resist?."
"It's hair oil, Maddie. But, of course, it's going to taste bad in a salad."
"I didn't know, but I do now." someone laughed.
"Maddie, no-" but someone laughed despite themselves.
What? Aunt Funda blinked, dumbfounded. What was that she just heard?
No, more importantly, was that Aba laughing?
Since when did she ever laugh?
Funda clenched up at the thought. She suddenly did not want to finish hearing the conversation. It was too outlandish for her ears to be exposed to.
"Empress Anastasia?" Lady Funda gave a hard knock on the door. "It is your aunt." In a moment, the door opened to have her step in. She passed Maddie, who bowed her head respectfully.
"My Lady, come in"
Aunt Funda lifted her eyes to look past her. It may have been over a month, but Funda was still sore from losing the bet.
And she got her petty revenge where she could.
"Mrs. Bustlier," Funda greeted with a fanged smile.
Maddie rolled her eyes, getting tired of her antics. But Funda was well past her and making her way to Ana.
"Your Empress," Funda bowed with her hand over her heart. She purposely turned her back on Maddie.
"Sore loser," Maddie scuffed. Funda sneered.
"Aunt Funda," Ana, meanwhile, greeted up from her book. "What brings you here?"
"Maybe she's come to visit?"
Visit? Funda nearly laughed outright.
"You have a letter, your Empress."
"Letters?" Ana looked on expectedly. "The usual?"
Lady Funda's smile stretched thin at the question. She handed the first of the three.
"You have correspondence regarding the western and southern colonies."
Ana opened and read the letter quickly.
"The southern colonies are rebelling."
"Again?" Funda shook her head.
"Your Uncle will have to send more reinforcements, then. Such a costly colony."
"They seem to keep having rebellions," Ana noted. "Are the conditions bad?"
"I wouldn't know." Funda shrugged. "Your Uncle sees to that."
"But this isn't the first time they've rebelled. Something must be wrong. Perhaps we should hold some council with their representatives to address this."
"And There is also a letter from the Governor of Duncy." Aunt Funda cut over. She pushed up the next letter.
"Oh," Ana shrank a little but opened the next one to read.
"He's requested a loan for another summer home. Says it will boost the economy in the nearby village."
"Such a man to ask for more." Aunt Funda shook her head. "We shall turn him down."
"No," Ana frowned, looking at the letter. "He may be onto something."
"Oh?" Funda had to cock a brow. "Why's that?"
"Y To build a house will mean jobs to the carpenters and loggers. And after, to the servants and gardeners to keep up the manor." Ana looked up.
"I think you should consider-"
"You're still too young to direct such things, your Empress."
"But-"
"I will take your words into consideration when speaking with your Uncle, your Empress."
"But Aunt-"
But Funda was not going to give an inch.
"Let us, your regents, take care of it."
"That," Ana said, sitting back in her chair and swallowing. Her lips fell into a small pout, but she said nothing after.
Funda smiled at the victory.
"Is that all?" Maddie was the one to speak.
"It-" Lady Funda was too slow and Maddie too quick.
"Wait, there is one more!" The letter was plucked right from her hands.
"You!" Funda dropped her jaw. But, it was too late to stop her. The maid was handing over the letter with a great grin.
"It's got blue wax."
"A letter from Dawny?" Ana dropped her jaw. "Is it really?"
"What did I say, Ana? Didn't I say he'd write back!" Maddie jumped with a clap. Her arms lifted as she rushed to Ana's side. She grabbed for the girl's shoulders to give her an exciting shake.
"Ana?" Lady Funda bulked at the name. She didn't even call her that out loud.
Since when did they become familiar? How? It was unfathomable.
Lady Funda gave a deep glare, but Maddie overlooked it. She seemed just as excited.
"Open it, your Empress!"
"I- oh yes," Ana fumbled at the paper before giving it a good tear. A double-sided piece of paper was pulled out. No space was missing.
"What does it say!" Maddie shook her. "Tell me!"
"Yes, Please-" Lady Funda almost yelled before covering her mouth. Maddie smiled up at her with a curious brow. But Lady Funda managed her face.
"I mean, if you please, Your Empress. I am curious, too."
"Right," Ana nodded, going to skim over the words.
"Oh!"
"What?" Maddie and Funda moved in. Both for different reasons.
Ana looked to both. Her eyes wide and mouth open. The words came out slowly as if unsure if they made sense.
"I…have been invited to stay a fortnight?"
"A- "Funda held her throat as a sudden scream nearly ran out. Her eyes blinked rapidly, processing it.
"A fortnight?" The words finally came out before she could make sense of the two.
"Oh, Ana! I'm so happy for you! " Maddie cheered and hugged her. Just hugging the girl voluntarily was enough to make Funda recoil, but the two were beyond reproach now.
Maddie was up again with her hands on the desk.
"You know what this means, right?"
"What?" Both vampires asked in unison, clearly not following. But Maddie just laughed.
"We got to get ready!" And Maddie started to list things off with her fingers. "You'll need new clothes, maybe a gift or two-"
"A gift?" Ana perked up at that. "Should I bring a gift?"
"Well, sure." Maddie shrugged." You got to give something to your brother, right?"
"My-" Ana opened her mouth before giving a small squeak. "Yes, I should, shouldn't I." And now she was just as excited
"Your Empress?" Lady Funda only watched the two in growing disbelief. How were they taking this all in so easily?
"Your empress, You don't really mean to go-"
Maddie picked Ana up to start dancing around the room.
"We're going to Dawny,"
'Maddie, what are you-" Ana looked about, unsure.
"Dawny, Dawny." Maddie sang and spun her. The twirl brought up her silver hair to fly free.
"Ah, Maddie!" Ana cried, but the sound ended in laughter.
"Maddie, I'm getting dizzy." The laughter grew louder.
"What are you two doing?" But Funda wasn't heard over their laughter. The two of them were giggling and dancing like fools.
"Your Empress-" But it was clear she was wasting her time here.
There was somewhere else she had to be now.
"I shall take leave then, your Empress." Funda curtsied but again went unnoticed. Ana was laughing and smiling like a normal child. She didn't notice Funda leave for the hall.
"What is all this?" The scene had shocked her deeply.
In the four years her niece was with them, Funda had never seen her act in such a way. To be happy and smiling like some average child? Was that really her niece?
She is changed! And The sudden development bothered her.
When did this all start?
"That maid" Funda dug her nails into her clenched fists.
That damn human- It was her fault.
She was doing something to make Ana change. And Funda didn't like that one bit.
This could get in the way of our plans.
"Husband!" Aunt Funda bellowed, setting off down the hall. Her feet were quick as she screamed again.
Where was her damn husband when she needed him?
"Husband!"