#too bad my sister and I naturally turned out decently and were well behaved growing up

[theamazingannie]

These last two weeks I have completely stopped parenting my brother because my parents have made it very clear that I am not allowed to be a parent figure to him and since my mom lost her job I have pushed everything I did onto her because it’s HER job to take care of him, not mine, so why, when my brother overslept and missed his PSAT testing today, was *I* the one who was blamed???

[saturnsstufff]

Hear me out, imainge Techno raiseing a little girl and she just brings home her first boy friend or something. Techno being Techno just reacts to this in a "hurt her and i'll kick your ass" kinda way.

This idea wont leave my head and I have no idea why.---

Also hope you have a great rest of the weekend!! :D

-🐼😐

Oh my god he would be the best/worst dad ever. Best because he would be so loving and supportive. But worst because he was so terrifying.

Also! Apologies before hand I got a little carried away (I love domestic dad techno, what can I say)

Athena- Technoblade

Warning: none, maybe protective dad Techno?

   When you first had children Techno was pretty hesitant. He wasn't sure if the child would like him or despise him. He also wasn't sure if he would even be a decent father. Of course being his loving and supportive wife, you already knew Techno was utterly amazing with children. So when you announced you were pregnant, you swiftly eased Techno's nerves about fatherhood.

   When your baby was born he cried, he was so over joyed at the sight of your little darling within his arms. Phil, having known the lengths and dangers of pregnancies, was glad that you had safely delivered a healthy baby girl. Almost a exact replica of you to be precise. With little ruby eyes she looked at you both with wonder. Quickly finding comfort with her Mother, Father and Uncle. Techno upon seeing her, knew she would grow to be strong. Whether she choose to be delicate as a flower, or as fierce as a warrior. He would be there to support his little girl. With that said, he only found one name, perfect enough to fit his little darling.

   Athena.

   Like her name foretold, she became a elegant warrior. From a young age she was driven to make her father forever proud. Of course he was naturally proud of her. But that didn't stop her from picking a bow, and sword up to challenge her father.

   When she was a toddler, she found amusement and love for the little things. Athena and Steve had even become inseparable. Her father was gushing over the idea that his daughter had a love for large animals similarly to him.

   Of course you were also close to her. She was your daughter, made of your flesh and blood. While Techno taught her everything about combat, you often shown her the gentle side of things.

   Between You and Techno- and the rather occasional help from Phil- you guys had taught Athena to be fierce, yet gentle and loving. Something you were all very proud of.

   As Athena aged she became rather beautiful, growing to look a lot more like Techno then you first had perceived. With her father's strong gaze and jawline she became a heartbreaker without even knowing it.

   You and Techno both knew she was gentle and loving. But due to Technoblade being her father, many boys and women alike tended to shy away from her. Fearing of upsetting her or her father.

   Techno felt bad at the idea of his daughter being alone. He knew what it was like to be shunned by most people. It wasn't something he wished his little girl to face.

   You, having been the more positive person in the marriage, knew that it would just take time for her to find the right person. Sure enough, you were right.

   Athena had found friendship with a hybrid Ender boy named Nathaniel. Although rather tall he was in fact timid. Athena waisted no time in telling you about her long adventures with Nathan by her side. Soon the name "Nathan" and “Nate” had become a house hold name for your family.

   Of course you had met Nathan occasionally. Having seen him when you would walk with Athena to the nearby village. He was a kind and loving boy towards you, and all those he encountered. When he started bringing Athena flowers, you had more then a well known hunch of where it would lead to. As always, you were indeed right again.

   One morning Athena was a bit restless in her seat at breakfast. While you fed your young toddler, you couldn't help but wonder if she was ok. You were the type of mom to let your children come to you with their issues on their own terms. Figuring to wait until they were comfortable with bringing things up, then being pushed to tell you. It worked with your sixteen year old daughter and your twelve year old son. So you planned to roll with that for your soon two year old son as well.

   Soon enough she did budge. "Mom?" She asked softly. You turned to her, showing she had your full attention. She cleared her throat and poked at her egg a bit. "I invited Nathan over for today... I hope that's ok..." she asked a bit shy. Something was up, but you weren't about to pry.

   "Of course that's ok Thena, he’s your friend" you smiled softly to her wanting her to feel at ease. Her brother narrowed his eyes a bit. You watched your son from the corner of your eye. He knew something. Your middle child took after Techno expression wise. The look he was currently giving his sister, was the same look Techno gave you when he knew you weren't telling the full story. With your youngest in front of you asking for more food, you slowly moved your attention away from the eldest children.

   "Will dad be coming home today?" Your son asked curiously. You herd the bemusement lace his tone. You hummed and put a spoonful of oatmeal into the toddlers mouth.

   "I believe so. Phil and Your Father said they wouldn't be long with the Mansion run" you said looking over to him. With your youngest now almost two Techno started up his usual runs again. When you had a baby in the house he was always hesitant to leave for too long. Of course you always told him you would be fine. Thankfully your children were well behaved and easy to keep track of- that is unless your oldest son felt the urge to annoy his sister of course.

   It was about a little after noon before Techno and Phil had returned home. Your toddler was the first to see them from the window of course. Calling out "daddy" and insisting that you all go out to meet him. With no hesitation you scooped up your baby and wondered out with your kids. Athena was smiling brightly. But you could also tell she was on edge.

   When Techno rode up to the house your toddler was thrashing for him. Only easing up when he was handed to Techno. Your husband had the largest smile as he took his son in his hands. Asking if he was missed. You gave Phil a warm welcoming smile. Hugging him when he dismounted from his horse.

   While you stood by Phil talking about the trip, your youngest children were hugging there father when he came down. Happy to have him home once again.

   Athena, although overjoyed that her dad was home. Found her attention drawn to the young Ender boy approaching from the tree line. The two hugged happily when he met up with her.

   Techno had traded your toddler to Phil. Making room within his arms for you. With your body pressed up to his, you turned your head to give him a warm welcoming kiss. But instead paused to see Nathan and your daughter hugging. Techno, expecting a nice kiss started to pout. But he soon stopped when he saw a unfamiliar boy with his little girl.

   You had previously met Nathaniel, however, Techno has not. He’s only herd about this boy. So he was a bit skeptical.

   Athena didn't hesitate to bring Nathan over to your little family. With Techno and Phil in full armor, you felt a bit bad that shy Nathan had to meet them this way. Your sons stood with Phil, your youngest within his arms. You stood in front of Techno, your husband towering over you with only his hand on your shoulder.

   "Who is this?" Techno asked, his eyebrow slightly raised in question. Athena smiled hesitantly. Nathan quietly looking Techno over.

   "Dad... This is Nathaniel... That boy I always talk about" you smiled warmly at the boy. Saying it was nice to see him again. He gave you a shy, but warm smile in return. Techno's eyes lingered over Nathaniel. Almost summing him up. "Nate.. this is my Dad and Uncle..." she said pointing. Nathan stepped away from Athena's side. Slowly stepping up to you and Techno. With a hesitant arm he held his hand out to Techno for a handshake. When Techno shook Nathan's hand, the size difference was easy to spot. Where Techno had strong calloused hands, Nathans were limber, long, and soft. Easily one of his Enderman traits he possessed.

   Techno didn't make direct eye contact. Having remembered when Ranboo stayed with you two years previously. Ranboo had off hand mentioned making eye contact was seen as a hostile move to Enderman.

   "Its very nice to meet you finally, sir..." Nathan said rather quietly. Techno although on the fence. Didn't choose to try and be intimidating. Instead he kept his normal monotone voice.

   "It's nice to meet you too"

   Nathan ended up staying for dinner that night. Athena and Nathan mostly stuck together, but both were a bit nervous you could tell. But again you didn't push it.

   After dinner Phil took the kids outside for a late night walk. Figuring he would leave you and Techno alone for a bit. Of course you weren't fully alone. Athena and Nathan stuck about. With the two sat together on the couch, Athena ended up falling asleep on Nathans shoulder.

   Well you and Techno talked in the other room at the table, the last person you expected to see was Nathan. He quietly walked in and waited for you two to finish talking before he began. "I... I uhm, have something to ask you s-sir" Nathan began uncertain. You gave him a kind smile and motioned for him to sit.

   When he sat he looked between you two. Mostly looking for reassurance from you so he could address Techno. Techno didn't push, he just calmly waited for the boy to speak. "A..Athena really cares about your opinion... And.. I... I know I want to do this right..." he was stumbling over his words. You could tell he was nervous. Quietly you just told him to take a deep breath. He nodded and did so. Waiting a moment before continuing. "W...with your permission as her Father... Could I please date your daughter?... S-she means the world to me... all I want is her happy..." Nathan was shying away from Techno. Almost expecting him to yell or something.

   Techno watched a bit and thought on his words. Truthfully Techno was proud of this boy. Everyone was terrified to date his daughter, yet a shy Ender boy had purposefully stepped aside to ask him for permission. "I suppose I'll let you..." Techno said slowly. Nathaniel's shoulders visibly relaxed at Techno's words. Of course techno narrowed his eyes after, becoming serious "just know I was your age. If she ends up pregnant anytime soon, I'm coming for you" Techno meant it. Nathaniel went red and swallowed thickly before slowly nodding.

"Y-yes sir...."

[zabrak-show]

Back to School

The Greatest Love I've Ever Known series

Pairing: dad!maul x gn!reader

Summary: 2 nightbrother OC's Grim and Dire, reader and Maul's adopted children on Dathomir. It's the first day of school and Maul is nervous for his precious ones due to his past trauma with schooling as well as the history of Dathomir. Even though it is now peaceful between the brothers and sisters, he is apprehensive.

Based of this prompt from @creativepromptsforwriting

Warnings/Tags: domestic fluff, kid talk, possible ooc for maul given the nature of the fluff and softness here xD, school talk, not really proofread, and no beta reader

words: 869

AO3

gif not by me: but is accurate representation of maul packing his kids' lunches

The first day of school. You hadn’t expected Maul to handle it with ease, but you also hadn’t expected him to be the ball of nerves that he was.

“How much food should we pack for them? I don’t want them to go hungry. What if someone steals their lunch? Maybe we should pack them each a back up lunch. And snacks. Do they have all the supplies they need? I went scavenging yesterday to get them more ingredients for potions. I don’t want them falling behind because I-”

You set your hand on his exposed forearm stuffing a lunch box so full of rancor meat it was almost bursting at the seams.

“Relax darling,” you cooed at him, easing his hands down to a relaxing position, “Brother Viscus is the headmaster, he won’t let anything bad happen to them.”

“Yes, but the sisters-” he started and you cut him off.

“The sisters will behave themselves. It’s all in the treaty that you helped write with them.”

“I know it, I just… the thought of them having to endure anything like myself or my brothers had to, it’s more than I can stand.” He growled out the last words, stuffing the overfull lunch bags into the kids’ backpacks. You knew all too well the treatment of Nightbrothers in the past, and even though Maul was not raised a Nightbrother, he’d had it no better.

“I understand, let’s just get them to school for their first day and take it from there.”

-------------

Grim and Dire held hands as you walked them both to school with your arms around your husband. The air was warm and humid, only to get warmer as the day grew long as was typical for Dathomir this time of year.

“I bet we get to ride a rancor on our first day!” Dire exclaimed, his soft yellow eyes bright with enthusiasm.

“Yeah right! You’re too little even if we could.” Grim jeered at his little brother.

“Not uh,” Grim unclasped his hand from Dire’s and flexed his arm muscles. “See, I bet my muscles are bigger than yours even.” Dire rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

You grinned at Maul, watching your boys bicker in a playful sense. He smiled back and you wondered if a moment could get more pure and blissful.

The path was worn and heavily treaded on through the years. It widened as you got closer and closer until at last the durasteel archway leading into the entrance of the school grounds.

“Alright, boys, we’re here. Let’s go talk to Brother Viscus and find out where your classes are.” You took Dire’s hand into your own as you spoke.

Maul grabbed Grim’s hand and you walked into the big brick building. It was just off the edge of the swamp lands with a lot of vegetation growing all around, and a small flat area cleared out for play and training. The building itself was 3 stories high with large windows. It had been a school for the Nightsisters originally. But now things were different on Dathomir. The nightbrothers and nightsisters coexisted in peace.

Brother Viscus greeted them from outside his office. The halls were bustling with students and parents roaming around, the sounds of everything from laughter to crying rang through the drafty halls.

“Grim and Dire!” Viscus smiled wide. He kneeled down to hug the brothers together, one in each arm.

“Hi grandpa,” they both squealed out in his arms.

“Alright boys, let’s see where your classes are.” He rose and pulled out a clipboard hanging on his door and rifled through some papers.

“Ok, Grim, you’re going to be on the third floor. Sister Ventress is your teacher. She’s tough, but fair, so be on your best behavior.”

“And let’s see here, Dire,” he tapped the pen to his mouth as he searched the directory. “Ah yes, that’s right, you’ll be with Mr. Ohnaka this year. He’s on the first floor here, all you have to do is go down the hall and turn left at the end.” He pointed with the pen in the direction of the hall.

A loud crash was heard from the other end of the hall along with some raised voices.

“I’d better go check what that is. You boys be good!” He closed the office door behind him and rushed off in the direction of the crash.

Maul squatted down to eye level with the brothers.

“Ok boys, it’s your first day. Do be good, but don’t follow orders if it hurts you or someone else. Let me know if anyone, teacher or student, is mean to you.” He looked past them both with a scowl as he thought about them in a bad situation. “They will be dealt with by me, if anyone harms a horn on your heads.”

“We’ll be good, daddy.” Dire leapt forward to hug Maul around the neck.

“Yeah, dad, it will be ok.” Grim looked around before also succumbing to the hug.

You knelt down to hug both of them too. “Ok, one of us will be here waiting for you when you get out of school to walk you home. We love you both so much”

---------------------------

a/n: honestly i debated not sharing this because it's a bit silly, but ahh well! i hope someone out there enjoys it. I also am working on a sketch of the brothers and if i can get it to look somewhat decent I'll post that too xD

reblogs and comments super appreciated!

dad maul taglist: (message me to be added or removed)

@savagesbonergarage @always-on-tatooine @cobb--vanth @dinsbeskar @thundershield @subbing-for-clones @andreamaul @lestrange2703 @mock-ing-bird_ing_bird @notvalidblogname @maulieber @botherbother-blog @emissarydecksetter @wolfpack-arts-industries99 @a-dorin @spookiifi

[purplesurveys]

891

Could you live without power for a week? I wouldn’t die, but it would really suck because then I’d have to watch out for my phone’s and laptop’s battery life, plus it would be incredibly uncomfortable without electric fans and aircons...I wouldn’t die, but I’d hate it. When was the last time you slept on the floor? The day before I got sick. End of May.  Have you regretted anything you said today? No. I haven’t talked to anyone; it’s only 7:59 in the morning. What do you think about airport security? I think it’s essential. I understand why they have to be rigid; better that than not at all. How many doors are in your house? I just answered this on a recent survey, how interesting lol. 13.

Do you keep a journal? This is it. What was the last thing you wished for? A tray of baked sushi. Do you pray? No. Do you like it when your date pays, or do you feel bad? I feel bad, but I’m also appreciative. I only let her pay when I’m short, or when I’m craving a certain restaurant but don’t have the budget for it that day. Most of the time we prefer splitting the bill. Do you spoil your friends? Just my girlfriend.  Are cramped places scary? Not for the most part but my anxiety will sometimes get triggered. But what happens and what sucks about it is that it gets set off at the most random times, so I never really know when I’m bound to get scared. Would you ever consider riding in a trunk? If it was a dare and I’d be paid handsomely for it then I don’t see why not. Does it irritate you when a fellow passenger brings lots of luggage? No. Their business shouldn’t bother me. Ever been leeched by a leech? Nope. Have you ever lied to make someone dislike you? Why would I actively make someone dislike me? Ever had a fear of mirrors? No, I find them fascinating. All four walls in the elevators of the hotel that my mom works in are mirrors, and they’re fun to take photos with haha. What song can you not stop listening to? Right now it’ssssss no song without you - HONNE. Do you take vitamins? Yeah we take vitamin C tablets every night, but sometimes I’ll forget. What's the longest you've stayed at a hotel? A week. Do you buy your music or download? I stream them on Spotify. I used to either buy CDs (usually if I was a big fan of the artist/band) or convert YouTube audio to MP4 to transfer it to my iTunes. Do any of your friends grow weed? No. Not that I know of, at least. Do you like arguing? I don’t like fighting, but if by arguing you mean having a respectful and civil debate then yes, those are fun. Does it bother you when people don't say goodbye before hanging up? It doesn’t really bother me? It just confuses me haha. I need a verbal cue to know when I can hang up. If the person on the line doesn’t say bye I’ll just linger on the phone waiting until it starts to feel awkward and I go initiate the bye instead. Have you ever owned an unlucky object? I don’t believe in those. Do you think voodoo works? No but it’s funny to think about sometimes, in a childish way. What habit do you find most disgusting? I really hate seeing people spit in public. Usually it’s truck drivers or their co-drivers. I always encounter at least one spitter while driving everyday, and it has never failed to make me shudder. Do you often feel ignored? It’s not a strong feeling, no. Can you read music? This is on every survey lately... no I can’t.

Are you optimistic? Sometimes. I think I’m a healthy balance of that and pessimism. Does it scare you to walk over sewer vents in the street? Yes. I always avoid them or skip over them, especially the ones that are already obviously unstable and wobble when someone steps on them. Is your lifestyle healthy or unhealthy? Unhealthy. I don’t watch what I eat and I’ve never entered a gym. But idk, the genes on my mom’s side are impressive and all of us have decent physiques and never get sick – my grandma is 74 but can honestly pass for 50 – so I must’ve taken after that side of the family. Is it easy for you to remember stuff? Yeah, very. Except for numbers. Last electronic object you drowned? That has never happened to any of my gadgets, fortunately. How well do you handle responsibility? Depends how comfortable I am with the task at hand and how much I already have on my plate, if ever. But I never not get anything done. I’m very deadline-driven and everyone who knows me knows I turn in everything asked of me at the end of the day, even if I don’t think I did well enough. Are you afraid of getting old? Sometimes I’ll start to get scared at how short life actually is and what can possibly happen after it, but these are fleeting thoughts. I like living in the present. What's something you wish you could start over? College. Just so I can do my freshman year the way I actually wanted it to go. Are you a loud person? In certain situations. I love being loud with my friends in a bar or when we’re at an amusement park, but I prefer that we don’t make a ruckus at the mall or at a restaurant. Do you believe in guns? No. I honestly don’t understand those who buy it for themselves when they can get other weapons if they’re really hell-bent on self-defense. But idk, I guess I’m speaking from a place (like, a literal place lol) where it’s extremely uncommon for ordinary people to get themselves guns. Are porcelain dolls attractive, or scary? Neither. I just find them a little unsettling, but not scary. Are you friends with someone because you feel bad for them? Not currently. But one time I did try to befriend someone who would be considered a loner, but I realized we had different personalities and interests so I stopped talking to her after a while. Oops. Do you like back rubs? No, I’m ticklish. Do you give good ones? No.

Which of your friends provides the most stimulating conversations? All of them do, to tell the truth. I guess I’m just automatically drawn to intelligent people haha. Do you wish to go to London? It’s not high up on my list but eh, sure. Have you ever felt like you were in a movie? No. I feel that movies are outlets for situations that would never happen in real life, so I’ve never felt as if I was in one. Do you drink enough water daily? I don’t drink the ~recommended~ amount but I still the drink the most in my family. Is burning things fun? I’d rather watch other people burn things. I’m scared of fire, so.

Do you like morbid things? Some. Can you sew? Nope. Have you ever just sat and read a dictionary? Oh my god yeah... after I watched Akeelah and the Bee for the first time I wanted to start joining spelling bees too, so I’d whip out my dictionary almost everyday and start reading the words. There were never any competitions to join here, but from 4th to 7th grade we would have spelling quizzes in our English language class and I aced all of those. Whose cooking do you most despise? No one’s. I love the cooking of all my loved ones. When you were little, did your parents make you sit in the corner? No but in school they made me do it once, for something that wasn’t my fault. My parents didn’t have any methods to discipline me because I was mostly a well-behaved kid anyway. Red roses, or black roses? Red. Do you blast your music concert-loud? I used to. Don’t really do it anymore. Do any of your exes bother you? Nope. Do you like taking pictures of yourself? Hell no. The camera has never been my friend. How about just taking pictures? I like taking photos of my dogs, my best friends, the food I eat, and new places I go to. So to an extent, I do. I don’t dabble in photography though; I just like taking snapshots.

Is cheaper really better? Sometimes, especially when you’re naturally good at hunting down that kind of stuff. My sister will sometimes find Zara jeans or jackets for like ₱80 at an ukay-ukay lol Last thing you ordered from Amazon? I’ve never ordered anything off of Amazon. Or do you prefer ebay? Never ordered from eBay either. Are you good at writing cards for people? I love writing letters for my loved ones. I never buy cards that already have text in them as I want the whole thing to come from me. Do you like camping? I’ve never tried it so I wouldn’t know. I want to go camping at least once though, and with my best friends. Last place you were stranded? The highway. Do you like dragonflies? Omg no they freak me outtt. How many pages is the novel you're currently reading? I’ve started to reread Little Women because I’m planning to watch the 2019 adaptation, but I’m not sure how many pages it has. What's something everybody's never heard of? The sound of a tree falling in the middle of the jungle that no person is currently in. Hahaha that was my philosophy professor’s favorite example to use. Are your talents recognized? I think they are, yes. Can you handle silence for long periods of time? Only if I need it. Otherwise it tends to make me uneasy. Do you do well against temptation? For the most part, yep. But if food is involved I usually fail lol

[artificialqueens]

Diamonds In The Rough, Chapter 4 - Fannyatrollop

a/n: The Mary Poppins AU is still a thing! This is more of a relaxed project for @fannyatrollop and I, so that’s why updates are so infrequent - but it’s a good time. Fic under the cut <3

The Liaison-Mattel family had been on fairly good terms with the Minj family for some time now, their status as neighbours practically forcing them into socialising. Trixie and Pearl were good friends with Ginger, a girl close to them in age who was the youngest member of the family. She was a robust little thing - a strong, solid form, filled with forceful beliefs and opinions. Pearl had always attributed Ginger’s nature to her flaming red hair, a feature she had always found rather becoming, but one her elders seemed to shun.

Adults were funny in that way, she supposed.

Quite often, she and Trixie would pay a visit to Ginger during the day - be it for tea or for play - and they felt it the perfect opportunity to introduce their dear friend to their delightful Miss Dela.

“They have been expecting us for some time, Miss Dela,” Trixie said as she trotted alongside Miss Dela, tugging on her indigo skirts. “We’d be so happy if you came along - I’m certain Mrs. Minj would be delighted to meet you.”

Miss Dela hummed at the thought, and both Trixie and Pearl took her silence as a sign she needed more convincing. This time, Pearl stepped up to speak.

“And you might get to see Miss Tammie. We’ve heard you muttering about how irresponsible she is, so perhaps you could check up on her?” Pearl suggested. “Make sure she isn’t causing any trouble.”

“Well, if I am to be your caretaker it would be strange for me not to accompany you wherever you go,” Miss Dela remarked, and this was her rather wordy way of saying ‘yes’. “When are the Minjs’ expecting you?”

“Half past eleven,” Trixie replied, her answer quick so she could talk over her sister. Pearl shot her a small glare, which Trixie received with pride.

Miss Dela pulled her pocket watch from her waistcoat, and her eyebrows raised when she looked at it. “Good heavens, that’s in fifteen minutes! At this stage, my dears, you’re not fit to be seen by a scullery maid, let alone Mrs. Minj! Come along to the nursery, we must get you looking decent.”

“A scullery maid!” Trixie gasped. The last time she’d seen Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo was when the girl was on her way home from market. Trixie had been at her window, practically sticking half her body out so she could see her, until Miss Dela pulled her away. Pearl had laughed at her for that.

Pearl rolled her eyes, sighing at the stupidity she was so closely related to. “Don’t tell me you’re looking forward to calling on the Minjs’ maid!”

“I’ll tell you what I like!” replied Trixie, with a huff.

Pearl stuck her tongue out at her. Miss Dela sighed.

“Come along , girls!”

***

For Christmas, Trixie and Pearl had each been given a sixpence. It was a simple little tradition they had in their household, the real coin hidden amongst others made of sweet chocolate in a small velvet pouch, wrapped up in ribbon. Pearl and Trixie would spend their whole morning searching for their gift. In her mind, Pearl found hers the sensible way, by squeezing on the coins until she found one that didn’t melt under her fingers. Trixie found hers the only way she knew how - by eating all the rest.

Now, that coin was tucked safely into the pocket of her little coat, kept warm by Trixie’s constant fiddling with it. Miss Dela had scolded her for shoving her hands in her pockets as Mrs. Minj lead them through to the parlor where they were to take tea with young Ginger. The adults were talking of awfully dull things as they walked, and for once Trixie found her boredom matched by Pearl’s.

“Ginger, sit up straight, there’s a good girl,” Mrs. Minj snapped at her daughter the moment they entered the parlor, and the slight frown creasing Miss Dela’s face did not go unnoticed by her young charge.

“I’m sorry, Mama,” Ginger replied from where she was seated at the table, thoroughly chastened. “Hello Trixie, hello Pearl.”

The twins gave their greeting before being guided towards their seats surrounding a table decorated with plates of little sweet cakes and a tea set. It was all very lovely, and Trixie eyed the cakes with eager hunger. Pearl, ever the prissy one, simply sat up straight and waited until she was given permission to eat. Mrs. Minj turned her attentions to Miss Dela, peering at her through little half moon spectacles.

“Now, Miss Dela, is it?”

“Yes, that is correct,” the woman said with a short nod.

“Shall we take our tea in the other room? I can’t say I was expecting your company, but I’m sure we can accomodate you.”

Miss Dela glanced down to the girls at the table, seemingly reluctant to leave them unsupervised. Although she was growing rather fond of her delightful yet strict nanny, Trixie did feel a touch suffocated under her constant watchful gaze. “Please, Miss Dela, go and enjoy your tea with Mrs. Minj. We’ll be quite happy here, won’t we?”

Ginger and Pearl’s nods in unison had the nanny convinced, and she turned to Mrs. Minj. “Very well, it seems the girls have spoken. Lead the way?”

The older women said their goodbyes to the girls, and after Mrs. Minj gave a strict warning that Ginger behave herself, the two quit the room, leaving the girls in relative peace. Ginger breathed out a sigh of relief, her posture loosening and relaxing.

“Gosh, I thought they would never leave,” she huffed, making Pearl frown and Trixie giggle.

“Aren’t you supposed to be behaving?” Pearl asked, reaching out to start pouring tea into their little china cups. Trixie had already started piling her plate with cakes.

Ginger nodded. “Well, yes, but you’d never tattle on me, would you, Pearl?”

“Only because I wouldn’t want to be a snitch. Milk or lemon?” She sounded so snooty as she served the girls their tea, sounding more like Miss Dela than anyone else. Trixie found it rather funny - Pearl did so often try to imitate those above her in an attempt to sound more impressive. Trixie never believed it, because she knew that Pearl was as silly a girl as Trixie was herself.

Trixie swallowed down a bite of victoria sponge before speaking. “Ginger, have you seen much of that new scullery maid of yours?”

“Good grief, here we go again,” Pearl grumbled before drowning her disapproval with a sip of tea.

Taking a moment to think, Ginger stirred her tea and let the spoon clink against the china. “A little bit - she comes in to light my fireplace in the morning. Why do you ask?”

“I saw her when she arrived the other day,” Trixie explained. “And I thought it was so sad when your mother called her by the wrong name. I should quite like to meet her.”

“Katherine? But that is her name, isn’t it?” Ginger asked, cocking her head.

Trixie shook her head enthusiastically. “No, no, no. It’s Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo. I heard her say so myself.”

“Yes, so did I,” Pearl said. “And then I heard it a thousand more times from you, Trixie.”

Irritated by her sister’s lack of compassion, Trixie poked her tongue out before continuing. “I want to see her so I can call her by her real name! She always looks so sad when I see her - I thought, perhaps, it might cheer her up.”

“I suppose it might, if Mama has been getting her name wrong,” Ginger considered, bringing a chubby hand to her chin in thought. “Perhaps we should try and find her.”

“Oh, I’d be so happy if we could!” Trixie cried, clasping her hands together and brightening her face with a cheery smile.

Pearl widened her bright blue eyes, looking thoroughly scandalised. “We most certainly are not! Do you two really want to get involved with a scullery maid? Why, it’s just bad taste.”

“Being a nice person isn’t ‘bad taste,’ Pearl,” Trixie snarked back, folding her arms across her chest. “Where might we find her, Ginger?”

“In the servants quarters, I imagine. I’ve never seen her around the house at this time of day.”

Trixie bounced up in her seat, forgetting her meal entirely. “Well, come along then, let’s go find her!”

Ginger, who seemed more than happy to join in on the adventure, hopped out of her seat with a grin. Pearl, however, remained seated with a sullen, pouty look on her face. “You can’t make me go with you. I’m not spending my time with dirty little scullery maids, and that’s that.”

“Suit yourself. But you’ll be so disappointed when I’m the one with a new friend and you’re not,” Trixie remarked, feeling rather proud of herself. She was going to have an adventure, and Pearl wasn’t! How wonderful was that? “Let’s go, Ginger! I want to meet Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo!”

Giddily, the girls fled from the room, leaving Pearl to sulk all on her own. Oh well, if those two got in trouble it wouldn’t be her fault, and she could impress Miss Dela by saying how well behaved she’d been.

Content to sip her tea in silence, Pearl eagerly awaited the sound of Trixie and Ginger being scolded.

***

“Have you been in this business long, Miss Dela?”

Dela regarded Mrs. Minj with gentle distaste. She’d taken an instant dislike to her after seeing how she treated her daughter - really, little Miss Ginger’s posture wasn’t that bad at all, there was no reason to snap at her the way Mrs. Minj had. And she seemed all too eager to leave the children alone, which Dela could understand if Mrs. Minj had been more pleasant about it. For the most part, Dela stayed silent throughout their tea together, speaking only when spoken to and listening intently to what Mrs. Minj had to say about her daughter.

Apparently, Ginger was far too spirited for her own good. She spoke back, she had no sense of decorum, and wouldn’t know good taste if it yelled in her face. It was all the fault of her hair, apparently, her flaming red locks singled out as the only reason why she was so ill behaved. The way Mrs. Minj spoke of her daughter’s most distinctive feature was as though it disgusted her, and it made Dela wonder why in heaven’s name she’d chosen to name her daughter after the shade. She wasn’t necessarily impressed with Mrs. Minj’s attitude at all - one should not shun their loved ones because of a physical feature, and Dela knew that better than anybody. Tammie’s hair was just as red as Ginger’s, if not more so, and although it definitely contributed to her more outlandish personality, it was all part of her charm.

“Oh yes, quite a while,” Dela said in response to the question posed to her, lifting her cup to her lips and taking a small sip. “Children can make the most fascinating companions.”

“I wouldn’t be able to stomach it. I find them wholly irritating,” Mrs. Minj said with a shake of her head.

A touch offended, Dela took a deep breath before speaking. “In my opinion, us adults must pay children more respect. We expect them to respect us, but how can they learn to do so when we give them none in return?”

“Fascinating, although I can’t bring myself to agree with you. Children learn respect through fear and discipline.”

“I would never wish to inflict fear on any of my charges.”

Mrs. Minj set her cup down on its saucer, her lined face contorting with poorly hidden distaste. “Forgive me, Miss Dela, but it sounds as though you have had a rather privileged childhood. Would I be correct in saying so?”

“Not entirely,” Dela said, a mysterious smile crossing her smooth face. “I simply care very deeply for the children I look after, and I know how to walk the line between damage and discipline. You, perhaps, should learn to do the same.”

It wasn’t like Dela to be so standoffish, but somehow she couldn’t help it - Mrs. Minj’s attitude didn’t sit well with her at all. Quite frankly, she worried for young Ginger, being forced to live under the same roof as this bitter woman.

Mrs. Minj’s eyes narrowed as she stared Dela down, the crows feet around her eyes sticking out sharply as she did so. “Perhaps, but I’ve done well enough raising Ginger in my own way. I suggest you keep out of it.”

Dela smiled sweetly before sipping her tea. “Of course. My apologies.”

***  

Somehow, Trixie had the feeling that this wasn’t the first time Ginger had crept into the servants quarters when nobody was looking.

“They’re all out to market at this time of day,” Ginger explained as she lead Trixie through the mostly abandoned servants hall. It was empty save for the red faced cook, who was slumped over the rough wooden dining table and snoring like a foghorn. Trixie had to stifle a giggle at the sound of her when they’d first come in.

“But if they’re all out at the market, won’t Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo be there too?”

Ginger faltered, her mischievous smile falling. “Oh, I, um, I didn’t think of that.”

“You silly thing! What are we going to do now? We can’t go back to Pearl - she’ll laugh at us because we couldn’t find her!”

“We can still find her, don’t worry, umm…” Ginger hummed, glancing around the room for some source of inspiration. “Let’s find her room. We can wait for her in there.”

Trixie stumbled a little as Ginger took hold of her wrist and started dragging her towards a wooden door that was slightly ajar. “But what if someone comes in? Won’t we get caught?”

“What business would anyone have poking their noses into a scullery maid’s bedroom?” Ginger asked, her tone reasonable yet slightly condescending. Suitably chastened, Trixie followed along in silence.

Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo’s room was awfully small - Trixie was sure her own wardrobe had more space than this. It was strange for her, to think of someone living in such an unpleasant place, with no space and an uncomfortable bed. In all her fantasies about the little Russian princess, how she lived never factored into the equation. Trixie may be young, but she was smart enough to know that something wasn’t right about her future friend living in such a cramped little room.

“Gosh, it’s awful, isn’t it?” Ginger remarked, peering through the dirty window. “I could never dream of sleeping in here.”

Trixie hummed in agreement, fiddling with the thin blanket on the rickety bed. “It must be terribly cold…”

“I think you might be right, you know. She’s always shivering when she comes in to light my fireplace in the morning.”

The sudden sound of commotion from outside distracted them from any more discussion of the maid’s plight, their young attention spans rather limited. Ginger opened the door a crack and beckoned Trixie over to look as well. All of the servants were back from the market, and the whole room was filled with their colloquial chatter and rowdy behaviour. Trixie found it rather fascinating - she never mingled with her household staff much - but any interest she had in them quickly faded when she spotted a flash of blonde hair amongst the crowd.

“Ginger, look! There she is!” Trixie whispered, pointing through the crack in the door.

Ginger narrowed her eyes as she glanced around, but they lit up the moment she found Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo. “Goodness, look how much she’s carrying!”

The young Russian’s arms were filled with all manner of goods, from sacks of flour to bags of vegetables. Trixie was sure she’d never seen even an adult carry so much, let alone a girl as young and skinny as Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo. Yet the strangest thing about it was not the quantity and weight of what she was carrying, but the fact that she didn’t seem to struggle with it at all. It was almost as if her strength was superhuman, and Trixie would be the first to say how thoroughly impressed she was.

The cook, now awake, barked at the poor thing to put her goods in the right place, threatening her with a beating if she didn’t do so quickly. Trixie frowned up at Ginger. “What an awful woman!”

“She’s always like that, even to Mama,” Ginger explained, and Trixie wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I don- wait, Trixie, look! Here she comes!”

Sure enough, Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo was coming closer, having suitably disposed of her goods from the market. Trixie and Ginger scurried behind the door so they’d be out of sight when the scullery maid opened her door - the last thing they wanted was to get into trouble for their snooping. The door creaked as it opened, and Trixie waited with baited breath to finally speak to the girl she’d been so obsessed with.

Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo let out a tired sigh before turning around, and she let out a cry when she saw the two newcomers. “Благость!”

“Oh, no, don’t be scared!” Trixie reassured her as the young blonde raised a hand to her quickly rising chest. “I only wanted to talk to you - I’ve been looking forward to meeting you since the moment I saw you arrive. Your name’s Yekaterina Petrovna Zamo, isn’t it?”

“Yekaterina…” she murmured, and then the brightest smile lit up her dirty face. “Katya! You call me Katya.”

“Is that your name?” Ginger asked, cocking her head. “Not Katherine?”

“No, not Katherine. Katya. Is small for Yekaterina.”

Ginger didn’t need to introduce herself - they must have met before. Trixie assumed Katya and Ginger had some degree of familiarity between them, seeing as they’d been living under the same roof for a while. With that in mind, she dove right in to making herself known to the curious little princess maid.

“Well, I’m Trixie. It’s… small for Beatrice,” Trixie explained, holding her hand out for Katya to shake it. She saw Papa doing it all the time when he met people - why shouldn’t she?

Katya was hesitant to take it. “No. Not proper.”

“It’s proper if I say it’s proper,” Trixie replied, and she took Katya’s hand and shook it whether she liked it or not. Katya smiled again, and Trixie was impressed with how shiny and white her teeth were. “You have a very pretty smile.”

“Thank you.” Katya raised a hand to her mouth and lightly touched it. “You, um, you have nice hair. Yellow. Pretty.”

As Trixie beamed under the praise, Ginger stepped forward, fed up with being left out of the conversation. “Kath- uh, Katya, do you like living in this room?”

She hung her head. “Not allowed to say.”

“It’s alright, I won’t tell Mama,” said Ginger, in a gentle tone Trixie often forgot she was capable of speaking in.

Katya looked sheepish as she answered. “No, I do not like. Too dirty and small. I used to have big house, like you.”

“Why are you a scullery maid then?” Trixie asked, cocking her head.

“I… I do not know. Aunt say I be taken care of here.”

Ginger posed another question, not seeming to notice that Katya was getting overwhelmed by them. “Is your aunt the woman who brought you here?”

“Yes. She took my watch. I wish I had it now.”

Trixie frowned, her heart going out to the poor girl. Abandoned in a foreign country, her precious possessions taken from her, forced to work under cruel mistresses and cooks. It was much too horrible to imagine, and Trixie hated to think how it would break Katya’s spirit terribly. Her hand drifted into her pocket to fiddle with her coin as she thought of how she could remedy Katya’s situation, and it was then that an idea came to her.

Granny always said she could buy anything with her Christmas sixpence…

“Your watch, was it very special to you?” Trixie asked, and Katya gave a sad nod.

“Very. It was precious, made of gold. Father gave me.”

Trixie took her little sixpence between her fingers and pulled it from her pocket, then held it out towards Katya. “I want you to have this. It’s a coin, and you could spend it if you liked. You might be able to buy a new watch to replace your old one, or something else that’s nice.”

Most of Trixie’s words seemed to go over Katya’s head, but she could recognise a gift when it was given to her. She was reluctant to take it at first, but when Trixie encouraged her to pluck it from her grasp, Katya did so eagerly. For a moment she simply stared at it, admiring the engraving on both sides and the slight glint of the metal. She then hastily stuffed it in the pocket of her apron, and she flashed another one of her dazzling smiles.

“Thank you, is very kind.”

“It’s quite alright,” Trixie said, her blonde curls bouncing as she nodded. “I should quite like to be friends - may I visit you again sometime?”

“I don’t know how often I’ll be able to sneak you down here, Trixie,” Ginger whispered, tugging at the pink sleeve of her dress.

But her comments went ignored by the two blondes, who were so enamoured with their newfound friendship that nothing else in the world could ever be more important. Not even the kerfuffle brewing upstairs.