The Maid & her Lady

[Backstory for Elissa and Francesca set in the early days of the Family.]

As the personal maidservant of the illustrious Lady Francesca, Elissa had the task of attending to her mistress’ every need. It was a purpose, even as the world began falling apart around them.

It started with rumours of a sickness in the nearly villages. Acquaintances fell ill, then family. Before she knew it, people were dying faster than they could be buried.

The master of the house had passed two weeks prior. Elissa and two of the other servants had the misfortune of dragging his heavy corpse out to the courtyard for a hasty burial. Within a week those other servants would join him in death, leaving only Elissa to remember that grim scene.

Lady Francesca appeared to hold up well with her husband’s passing. Elissa had never seen her shed tears, though she did mourn in her own way, wearing black and secluding herself away.

Meanwhile, the halls and passageways of the castle had never been more quiet, with Elissa now seldom running into any familiar faces. Most had either died or fled.

She ran into Hastings, holding onto all his meagre belongs. He was initially one of the young footmen, who with all the vacancies rose to the position of butler. Now it appeared he was trying to slip away.

“Where are you going?” Elissa asked.

“To find my family.”

“Then I bid you good luck.”

Hastings nodded in acknowledgment before going on his way.

Elissa appeared in her Mistress’ chambers that evening, eager to tend to her, fulfil her every whim if it meant brightening the rest of her day.

“Is there anything you need mi’lady?”

Lady Francesca turned. She looked more pale than usual, but considering all that she had been through as of late, Elissa could understand why. Simply from her presence, Francesca started to faintly smile, “Not at the moment, thank you.” Francesca answered, before Elissa could depart she added, “though you may join me here if you wish.”

Elissa would sit with her mistress as she had done many times before.

“How is everyone?” Francesca asked.

“As well as can be expected. Those few of us that are left have little to do.” Elissa sighed, “Hastings ran off. He said something about trying to find his family.”

To Elissa’s surprise her mistress merely said, “I do hope he is safe.” She looked band towards the window, “It only seems to be getting worse out there. I can see flames now. The village is burning. You can even see it in the distance.”

“Do you think this will all blow over?”

“I hope and pray it does… then life will slowly return to normal, though Sarracino will now be quite empty.”

“You will always have me.” Elissa stated.

Francesca took Elissa’s hand in her’s, “You have always been a great comfort to me. No matter what happens, I want you to be by my side as you always have.” Francesca tried to think of a more pleasant future, “I… we have a villa on the coast.” She knew for a fact Elissa had never been, “When this is all over, you and I are going to go there for a few months. How does that sound?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

Elissa would soon help her mistress into her nightgown and bid her goodnight, before returning to her room up in the attic. There were plenty of vacant rooms these days that she could occupy, but she would not dare to be so impudent. Not without her mistress’ permission anyway.

Despite horrific recent events, Elissa remained optimistic. Francesca was smiling again, not having done so frequently in weeks. She found herself thinking of what her life with Francesca would be like, just the two of them like when they were both young girls.

Elissa woke up early in the morning as she always did, dressed and began taking care of her duties. When it was time, Elissa arrived at her mistress’ chambers carrying a tray with her breakfast. Coming up to her lady from behind when she heard a light suppressed cough.

“Elissa stay back.” Francesca warned.

Elissa did as she was told, despite her first instincts to rush to her side and tend to her.

“Oh God…” Lady Francesca turned around, “I do not wish to go as he did.”

“You don’t know that you have it.” Elissa responded.

“We both know what this is, this is how it starts. I have felt it coming on. I hoped it was not the case but here we are… I have accepted it.” Lady Francesca paused as if she was working up the courage to say, “My grandmother once taught me to make a tisane that puts you to sleep… painlessly.”

“It is a sin mi’lady!”

“I have made up my mind… dear lovely Elissa.” Francesca would implore, “Do not make me jump from that window. It would be a most dreadful way to go, and I hoped to meet my maker intact. Help me with this, please.”

The thought of her mistress dying was unsettling enough, but to do so in such a way disturbed Elissa further, but worst of all was the thought of her suffering, coughing up blood and the inevitable death that came afterwards, just as the master did. These horrid images spurred her to answer, “You can’t die.”

“We all do sooner or later. It seems my time is sooner than I hoped. That cannot be helped now.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Over the course of the day, her mistress declined further, with the telltale signs of the sickness. Elissa could deny it no further. She could never allow what happened to the master to happen to her, “I will do it… I’ll help you.”

Lady Francesca gave a weak smile as she suppressed another hoarse cough, “Thank you… this is what you will need.”

Upon hearing her instructions, Elissa ventured outside the walls for the first time in weeks. Elissa trudged along a gravel road, alone with her thoughts. In the distance, the village still burned. She did not have to go far to find a bush. She held up a branch, inspecting it to see if it was truly what she was looking for. Only when she was certain did she pick berries from it into her basket.

It was with those berries and a few ingredients in the pantry, that she brewed a poisonous concoction for her mistress. She could only fathom serving it to her dear mistress by rationalizing, I’m taking away her pain. It’s all I can do for her now… then my duty will be complete.

Elissa would arrive in mistress’ chambers shortly afterwards with a single cup and saucer. Rather than leaving it at the door as instructed, she brought it inside.

Francesca turned to her with a concerned expression, “You should have left it outside for me.”

“I wanted to see you one last time.”

Francesca coughed once more before saying, “You do not know how much this means to me.”

“Anything for you mi’lady.”

“Please just set it right there and do not come any closer.”

Elissa did so, before stepping back.

Lady Francesca rose to her feet with a wince, then came over to pick up the cup and saucer. Channeling her remaining gracefulness, she delicately raised the cup to her lips and sipped her beverage as if it was anything else, “Thank you for everything… over all these years.” She downed the rest of the cup, “Now take the jewelry you can carry and leave this place.” Her voice became more desperate, “Take care of yourself. Please.”

“I am not going anywhere.” Elissa responded, “I took the poison as well.”

“What?” No!” Lady Francesca protested, “Why did you do that?”

“Even if I am not already ill, where else is there for me to go?” Elissa answered, “I have always lived by your side, I will die by it as well.” Elissa embraced her mistress, resting her head on her shoulder.

Francesca gave a wry smile, “I should have known you would do something like this. I suppose there is no point in arguing.”

Elissa pulled away, with Francesca taking her by the hand to her four poster bed, where they laid down together, looking into each other’s eyes.

Elissa broke the silence with, “It’s not fair, is it?”

Francesca could not help but draw parallels to the great tragedies. There was something undeniably romantic about it all. Fortune had struck them down right when they had a chance for true happiness. Now all that was left, was for the curtain to fall.

Francesca answered with, “No, but I will rest easy, knowing you are the last person I will see in this world.”

“As will I.” Elissa replied.

They laid there for some time, until they both struggled to keep their eyes open. Elissa stifled a yawn.

Francesca ran her hand through Elissa’s hair then kissed her forehead, “Just close your eyes, dear Elissa.”