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A Maid's Tale	By : tealover Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Het - Male/Female Views: 886 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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�Did ya hear? Did ya hear?� a young red haired maid in a
fine black uniform and white apron skipped her way into the laundry room
carrying a huge bucket of dirty linens. The room was filled with maids who were
busy hand washing and drying long stretches of fabric.

��ear whot? Yew ladies bet�a get a move on with them linens.
Master won�t be wanting any delays fer t�night�s presentation.� bellowed a
large woman in an all white uniform and whose face was red from the physical
labor of stirring linens in a large vat of soapy water.

�We�re soon to have a new Housekeeper! I hear she�s from
Trepe Manor and is reeeeeally nice!� the young girl jumped on top of a pile of
hot linens and rolled around in them, avoiding any work.

�New Housekeeper ay? Do hope she�s nothing like that old
coot Edea. Working in this here place can make anyone go mad.� Said a brunette
whose hair was tied up in pigtails. Her voice shook as she washed the grime off
a dirty uniform shirt that must have belonged to one of the butlers.

�I can�t wait to meet her! I bet we can become friends and
do all sorts of things that Madame Edea would never have allowed!� the
red-haired girl said as she began folding the linens with an excited smile on
her face.

�Selphie dear� ye would�na want t�get mixed in with them
folks who become Leonhart Housekeepers.� The large woman shook her stirring
stick at the young women as she spoke. �I �ear she�s got the spark like Edea
did. That�s why they�ll be takin� her in. So you best get to folding and not be
thinking of any foolery.�

�Oh �ma, you always ruin our
fun!� Selphie stuck her tongue out at the large woman and got back to work.

Elsewhere in the chateau, Rinoa had already begun learning
the ropes of working as a Leonhart Housekeeper. She had her own Leonhart style
maid uniforms and aprons tailored to fit, while at the same time her figure had
begun to fill out with all the food she had been able to eat. The color in her
skin and shine in her hair had also returned with her new health.

�It�s been two weeks and I still get lost! I�m so sorry,
sire! I�m so sorry�!� Rinoa raised one hand apologetically as she closed the
door. She had found herself in the wrong wing once again after a long day�s
work. The maid�s wing was at the opposite side of the chateau but it looked
exactly like the butler�s wing.

Once Rinoa got inside her own room proper, she kicked off her
heels and undid her braid. It was late but she felt compelled to walk towards
the window and listen to the sounds of the sea.

Lady Quistis Trepe had worried about Rinoa for weeks and she
had become physically ill. After much coaxing from Nida to put her mind at
rest, she spent her nights and days praying that Rinoa was still alive and
well. Even though Rinoa was just a servant to the family, the Trepe family held
a responsibility towards her. Quistis� mother had been an acquaintance of
Rinoa�s mother, Tifa, long ago. They used to go to balls and operas together
with their husbands, living the lives of average socialites before the Witch
came to power and the recession began.

Tifa had found Rinoa at her doorstep 26 years ago and nobody
knew where the baby came from. It was normal for babies to appear on doorsteps
of wealthy households at the onset of the recession. Tifa and her husband Cloud
happily raised the child but financial despair and ruin had taken hold of their
family. Eventually they had to sell their home and find a means to get more
money and keep up their expensive lives. Cloud had joined the army and died
during Galbadia�s war with Esthar, while Tifa died of despair when Rinoa turned
22. It was written in Tifa�s will that Rinoa would be taken care of by the
Trepe family.

Lady Trepe subconsciously walked towards her bay windows and
felt the cool breeze of the evening gently flow in and through her long blonde
hair.

�I hope you�re alright Rinoa. Please be alive.� Quistis
closed her eyes and sighed.

Rinoa, holding the ring on her necklace closed her eyes and
held back her tears. She missed being home with everyone at the Trepe family
and wished she could speak to them more than anything that night. The only
thing she had to remember her past life was her necklace, a silver clip that
once belonged to Quistis and the brown dress she wore to the chateau. Most of
the people in the Leonhart household were cold and avoided her. They gave her
odd looks and sometimes seemed afraid of her. Still, the beauty of the
household had captured her and the peaceful sounds of the sea would calm her
nerves each night.

�Lady Trepe, I wish you could see me now. I wish you could
know somehow that I�m doing well. I want so much to tell you that everything
here is so beautiful and peaceful. You need not worry about me.�

As if in answer to her pure and heartfelt desire to reach
Quistis at that moment, the wind picked up and swallowed her words. It carried
the sound. South it traveled through Galbadia fields, over Monterosa Plateau,
past Galbadian streets and decorated gardens eventually reaching the
fair-haired Lady Quistis Trepe.

You need not worry about me.

�Rinoa?� Quistis� eyes snapped open, as she was suddenly
fully aware of her surroundings. Immediately Quistis closed the windows shut
and pulled the drapes to cover them as much as possible. Her breathing became
shallow and rapid while sweat had begun to bead on her forehead. Gathering her
skirts she ran out the door, calling for anyone to make her some tea in the
hopes to calm herself. I must be losing my mind. Quistis� mind was
something she treasured and she had always seen the world through cold and
logical blue eyes. There was no logical explanation for what had just happened
in her room and it chilled her to the bone. She resolved to herself that she
would no longer spend time alone in Trepe House wallowing in pity. She would
move on with life.

It was the third day of Rinoa�s real work schedule. She had
spent the months before familiarizing herself with etiquette, rules and
schedules for the Leonhart household. She even made a few new friends,
including a young boy who was not a day older than 10 years yet working at the
stables. Rinoa had to work directly for the Master and make sure everything was
to his favor. It was not an easy task seeing as the Master was an eccentric
man.

Rinoa gathered very little information about him from the
other gossiping maids. The most informative and friendly of them was Selphie, and
Rinoa began to look forward to the time they spent together, even if they were
busy cleaning. While dusting the banisters one quiet evening and when nobody
else was in sight, Selphie decided to inform Rinoa much of what she knew
regarding the Leonharts.

�I am not really sure why I got the job. I�m honestly
just so happy to even be here that I never thought twice about it.�

�Is that so? That means you probably don�t know��

�Hmm? Don�t know what?�

�Nevermind that boring stuff, hey! Don�t you have any dreams
or desires other than being a Housekeeper?�

�I don�t know. There really isn�t much of a choice when
you�re not a noble� besides, I stopped dreaming years ago.�

�Well, I�ve got a dream! A rich and HANDSOME prince will
fall in love with me and carry me away on a white chocobo. I�ll become his
princess and we�ll be stinkin� rich!�

�Well, that�s quite a dream you got there, Sefie!
Speaking of �stinkin rich� what do you know about the Master?�

�Let�s see� Master Leonhart is an artist who was Knighted
by the Witch Queen. That�s why we have to call him �Sir�. The Leonhart family
is really famous for their musical works among the rich folk. I wouldn�t really
know, since Master himself spends most of his time alone and not a one of us
have seen his face or even know his first name.�

Since then Rinoa confirmed the family history as she
recognized a few paintings in the halls as those of the famed composer Squall
Leonhart, an old man who looks very much like some of the extremely ancient
butlers.

Rinoa was passing some of those paintings for the third
time, as it was the breakfast routine. Master had his breakfast delivered and
served directly to his bedroom by the Housekeeper as he was too lazy to get up
and eat at the proper rooms. Only the Housekeeper was allowed into this
extremely large room, which was constantly guarded by a butler. Rinoa never
questioned this oddity or his laziness, it would not be in her place. Bringing
his breakfast was not an easy feat by any means. It required four trips from the
kitchens to bring all of the courses and his morning newspaper upstairs, among
other things necessary for his work.

For the past two mornings she saw nothing more than a tuft
of light brown hair buried in pillows when she brought his breakfast. This
morning however, was different.

�Your breakfast, Sir Leonhart.� Rinoa quietly said as she
put the final silver tray of scones stuffed with strawberry jelly beside his
bed. She adjusted her glasses as she made sure the courses and utensils were
all in order.

The Master groaned in response and moved, which caused Rinoa
to look in his direction. Rinoa gasped, as his body was mostly uncovered.
Figuring he was still asleep, Rinoa allowed herself the guilty pleasure to
stare. I�m just going to look for a moment. Only a moment! Her large
brown eyes trailed down his perfectly toned chest, which was moving up and down
rhythmically with his breaths. She found herself leaning over him and
subconsciously reached out with one of her hands inching towards him until he
suddenly groaned again and stirred. Rinoa jumped away with a squeak, her heart
leaped into her throat as she rushed outside the room. She closed the large
door behind herself, breathing as though she just ran ten miles. I could
have got fired for that! The butler outside gave the woman a strange look
as she staggered her way down the hall and towards the kitchens.

As soon as he heard her heels clicking down the halls,
Master Leonhart uncovered his face to show he was sporting a small grin.

Well, that was fun.

Master Leonhart was a young man of about 20 years of age.
His sea blue eyes were rarely ever seen by anyone other than himself, as most
of his time was spent alone composing music. Often it would take months until a
piece was finished to his liking, and then it would be presented to a member of
the Witches� Government for approval. The Master had grown up in Balamb but
when his father and last remaining relative had passed away, he moved back to
the Galbadia estate and took up composing full time.

Not much is known about the Leonhart family�s inner workings
but the most famous Leonhart, Squall Leonhart, had many rivals. The news most
often compared him to Seifer Almasy as they both were esteemed pianists and
composers who studied in Balamb during their youth. Their constant competitive
spirit is part of what kept the upper class entertained but Leonhart�s refusal
to give public piano performances outside of his chateau made it hard for
anyone to judge their piano skills. The only means of judgement were the
successes of their Operas, which were performed at Deling City.

Swinging his legs over the bed, Master Leonhart grabbed a
white shirt that was carefully ironed and folded on a stool beside his bed. He
buttoned it on as quickly as he could and began to eat his breakfast.

�Rycharde?� as soon as the Master shouted, the door to his
room slowly opened and a tired looking butler stood at the doorway.

�You called, Sir Leonhart?�

�Yes. I need the six string quartets planned for the Queen
ready for delivery to Deling.�

�It will be ready by this evening, Sir.� The butler began to
make his way back out.

�and��

�Yes, Sir?�

�Tell those maids that if anyone dares look at my face they
will be hanged.�

�Understood, Sir� the butler contorted his face as the words sank in. He
shook his head as he closed the door the rest of the way. Requests such as
those were nothing out of the ordinary�
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A Maid's Tale