"You know what to do, don't you?" Josephine asked her maid, confirming to ensure she makes no mistake.
"Yes, my lady" the maid answered with a bow of head.
With satisfaction, Josephine motioned with her hands towards the door, "now, run along"
After the maid left, she rubbed her hands over her protruding stomach, she had already imagined raising her kid in the Manor and if destroying her brother-in-law's family is the way, then she'll do it.
Josephine knew how Aliona yearned to be a mother, she had seen the brief painful look on her face when she saw her stomach, even if it had appeared just for a second, she had seen it. She intended to use what Aliona wished for, to destroy her and her husband.
Everyone knows that tainted witches are not to be trusted, they are witches who dabbles with dark magic hence they're referred to as the tainted. There are also the untainted ones who strictly deal with white magic, while the tainted engaged in dark magic which usually corrupt their minds. Using dark magic for too long changes one's physical form. The extent a witch uses dark magic can be seen from how badly formed the person has become.
The signs are not visible at first since the transformation usually starts from their scalp and other places that are easy to cover. This is like a signal of warning for anyone who unintentionally does it to refrain from it but when a witch starts showing deformity in visible places like the face, then such witch had been dealing with that magic for a long time and had been corrupted with no remedy.
Josephine laughed with contentment as she remembered her plan. She had set up a plot to lure Aliona make a deal with one of the tainted witches with the false promise that the witch will help her get pregnant. She knew her brother-in-law didn't trust her and her husband which was why she had set the plan in motion now that he is busy at the Upper House.
Aliona was too guilible to suspect her, "such a foolish woman" she sneered, how dare she treats her human servants like they were equal to the vampires, not to talk of the purebloods!
It irritates Josephine a lot whenever she sees Aliona smilling at the servant or sometimes assisting them with little chores. "Just so you wait, Ali. All what you have will be mine soon." She promised herself with a grim look.
She had instructed her maid to cook the thought of seeking a witch for a child in her mind, hinting that her mistress had sought the same witch for hers, which will make Aliona gradually consider using one too or seeking her out for guidance.
She will bid her time to let her plan brew and simmer and when the time comes for dishing her work of art, Nickolai will be away as usual at the Upper House meeting.
She needed to be careful and alert not to be under the watchful eyes of Nickolai nor his right hand man, she will look for a way to prevent Aliona's maid from following her around for a while and then lure her to the Argonark woods when the watchful eyes are occupied.
The Argonark wood is known to house different species, especially one that has been rejected by their people. The densely filled woods was close to the witch kingdom which was why majority of the rejected species in that woods are the witches.
Only people who are up to no good, seeking tainted witches to help do their evil deeds venture into the woods. Humans dare not walk along its path while other species warn their kind to be careful.
******
"Have you heard from your men about any recent movements by the Demon king?" Aliona kissed the knuckles of her husband, the one which was playing with a handsful of her locks moment ago.
Nickolai shifted on the bed where they lay to pull her closer, with her back to his chest as he buried his fingers in her hair.
"I know for a fact that my brother has been in contact with him and I'm sure that his coming to the Manor when I will be the presiding officer just in few days is not a coincidence. He wants to take my place at the Upper House. How he wants to do that is what I'm still trying to figure out"
"Has he been meeting other members?" Knowing the kind of vampire her brother-in-law was, with the horrible memory at the party years ago still etched in her brain, she knew he was not afraid of anyone.
"He has but it has been subtle, hiding under the deceit of forming a business alliance with them."
Nickolai kissed his wife and stood up when he heard the faint heartbeat of Vivian, his wife's maid approaching, "I'll go over some papers while you tend to your garden."
Few seconds later, Aliona heard it as well and stood to get ready for Vivian to dress her. If not for Nickolai who had insisted on spending some time with her, she would have gotten up and dressed before she showed up.
She smiled as she remembered an insignificant detail about the party where she first met her husband years ago.
"Remember the human maid your brother abused the night of the ball?"
Nickolai's brow shot up as he recalled the incident, "I do." He turned to her.
"I just remembered now that her name was also Vivian. It's quite amusing I remember such tiny details after so many decades"
Nickolai shrugged, "perhaps she was reincarnated as the Vivian we know now to repay you for your kindness" smiling playfully as his wife threw him a weird look. He walked out while pondering over something as insignificant as the girl's name.
"Good morning, my lady" Vivian bowed, used to her mistress quick way of doing things, she hurriedly straightened and got ready to dress her.
"Are the children gone?"
"no, my lady" Vivian smiled, knowing how her mistress enjoys watching them play and listening to their chatter as she tends to her garden.
Aliona was surprised to see Josephine's maid in what looked like a serious conversation with one of the human servants, wondering what they could be discussing, she passed them by and they quickly stopped their discussion. They both lowered to acknowledge her and scurried off in separate ways.
A cheerful smile settled on Aliona's lips as he watched the kids play, one of the human child jumped continuously, feeling good with himself for successfully catching up with his older ones in a game of race.
Suspicious of Josephine's maid and what she could be telling the servant, she informed Vivian to call the girl first before questioning Vivian.
Ali looked at the servant in question, she looked down, out of habit like all lesser vampires and humans act in the presence of their masters or mistresses.
"Vivian was telling me how to get pregnant easily. She said it was the same thing Lady Josephine did" fumbling with the buttons of her dress, she narrated.
"And what was that?" Walking away from the kids while the two maids followed.
"She didn't tell me everything, she described a place where I would meet a woman who would tell me how it's done"
Aliona listened to the description, wondering how she hasn't heard of such before if indeed the woman exist. She dismissed her and called on Vivian.
"I know milady has a potion she usually drinks whenever she comes back after a long walk. And she mentioned it one time that its purpose was to aid pregnancy. Forgive me my lady, I was just concerned for her, I don't mean to gossip about Lady Josephine."
"You shouldn't disclose everything that goes on in your mistress's household to people. Even if you witness anything, you're suppose to keep it to yourself." Ali scolded her, disappointed that Josephine's maid dared talked about her mistress pregnancy. "A good maid conceal the deeds of her mistress."
She nodded frantically and went on her knees to ask for forgiveness, "forgive me my lady, such will never happen again" she promised as she lowered her head. Clearly confident that Ali couldn't see her face, a tiny tug of her lips lifted. Her task had been accomplished, she had planted the curious tree on lady Aliona's mind just like her mistress wanted.
Unbeknownst to her, Vivian, whose keen eyes hardly misses anything saw the slight pull of her lips. She had never like Lord Nickolai's twin brother and his wife and the dislike she felt for the couple extended to whatever is related to them and right now, their maid was included. knowing how soft-hearted her mistress was, she decided to keep it to herself and watch the maid closely, concluding that the maid is up to no good.
Ali thought of the piece of information Josephine's maid revealed, she knew Josephine shouldn't be trusted but that didn't lessen her curiousity. She concluded to find out more about the mysterious woman in town but first, she needed to confirm subtly from Josephine if there was any truth to what her maid said.