Contract from Hell (MiakisSawada x Vena Sera)

[Vena Sera IV]

It was quiet in the estate, as it always was this early in the morning, though it didn't bother Nathaniel one bit. It was welcoming, allowing him to focus on work without the nusiance of humans running amock, and it gave him more than enough time to prepare things for his young master. His final stop was complete, the study cleaned through and through, not a speck of dust anywhere in the room. It was his sworn duty as a butler to provide the pinnacle in service, and damned if he wasn't providing that right now. Content that everthing was in check, he went off to his master's bedroom, opening the door silently and shutting it again. She was still asleep, much to his amusement. With no need to rest he always found it amusing how long she spent in bed. Beauty sleep is at it's end young master. he thought with a small smirk, drawing back curtains and letting the dim sunlight flood the room, shooting across her face.

"I'm sure you'd like not to awake so soon, but I can't allow you to sleep in as you did yesterday." Nathaniel said teasingly, tying back the blinds before going to his young master's bedside, awaiting her to come to. Such a curiosity, humans, they seemed so irritable if deprived of sleep, an issue he had never known. No doubt his master would snap, perhaps curse or throw something, all in a fuss over having to begin a new day. Amusing, to say the least he thought, keeping his crimson eyes trained on her frame, waiting for it to move.

[MiakisSawada]

"Argh..." Aranea murmured, pulling a pillow over her head. The dark, seductive voice of her butler rouse her from her sleep. She sat up, her eyes still closed and her scowl ever-present. Drowsily and angrily, she opened up her eyes, the demon's mark still existing upon the right one. "Nathaniel... you know how I hate to be awoken early." She grit, reaching for her hairbrush on her bedside table. She began to drag the brush through her ebony locks, bringing her bangs over the eye with the mark, successfully covering it.

Once complete with the work done on her hair, she yawned and returned the brush to its spot. "Please, tell me what business I have to do today." She asked, resting her chin in her hand, watching her butler with a smirk on her lips.

[Vena Sera IV]

"Quite, young master. However, it's necessary if you wish to complete your schedule on time." Nathaniel replied, bowing ever so slightly, his hand over his heart as he did so. Looking at his young master with amusement, he continued. "First we will continue your studies on ancient Rome, particularly covering their engineering. After that you shall be having lunch with Mr. Stratford, one of the managers from our Venice branch. I believe he wishes to negotiate terms of his contract. After that, your studies on arithmetic, and finally we'll be going to town for supper with Sir Corland Wade, writer for London Daily. He desires to compose a short article on our business. Aside from that, the day is yours." Bowing once more, he moved to the armoire by the opposite wall, opening it for her and waiting patiently. She always fussed over his choice of clothing for the day, and as much as he'd rather set the clothing out for the day, he'd decided it was easier to wait for her to make her choice. "And what shall we be wearing today my lady?"

[MiakisSawada]

"I see. The blue gown, with the tan exterior corset and the rose hairpiece. You're aware of that outfit." Aranea yawned, pulling the sheets off of her and stretching. There it was revealed her choice in nightclothes - a black silk nightgown. She stood up, bending over to pop her back and then straightened back up, making sure her butler took out the correct outfit. Sure, he was a demon and made sure that all of his orders were fulfilled, but he almost wore the same thing every day - he knew nothing of fashion, and Aranea was heiress to a fashion empire. She definitely knew best, in her own mind.

[Vena Sera IV]

Smirking, Nathaniel gave a curt nod, picking the article of clothing in question and setting it on the bed beside Areana before carefully helping her out of her nightgown. Setting that aside he easily helped his master dress, it only taking a few short minutes for her to be completely clothed and ready to tackle the day ahead of her. Standing upright, he draped the nightgown over his arm, looking at her curiously as he made sure his handiwork was complete, not wanting a single wrinkle or loose strap in her outfit. He was nearly to the point of obsessive with perfection sometimes, especially concerning matters of his master's. "That will do. Now then, would you like breakfast in the dining room, or shall I bring it up to your study?" He couldn't help but frown as he overheard the other servants scrambling to their duties, no doubt to try and impress him. He knew they had their uses, but normally found them to get in his way more than anything. How bothersome, but there was nothing he could do about it for now.

[MiakisSawada]

"I shall have it in my study this morning." She said, turning to her mirror before fixing her hair into a braided bun, tucking the hairpiece into the bun before giving a flourish of her dress and turning to face him again. "You haven't seen my makeups, have you? I seem to have misplaced them again... I need to learn to keep up with my things..." she chuckled softly before smiling at him.

[Vena Sera IV]

Nathaniel sighed, rubbing his forehead before giving his lady an amused glance, chuckling softly. "They're in your vanity my lady, right where I always place them. Really, do you keep track of anything on your own?" he teased, going to the vanity and retrieving a small white clothed box for her, setting it in her hands before standing by the door, hand on the knob with an expectant look on his face. His raven black hair was cut to medium length, combed back neatly and tucked in behind his ears. His black overcoat and trousers fit is tall and modest build well, with his beige shirt contrasting against it, being slightly darker than his near pale skin. "If there is nothing more you need young master, I'll be off to prepare your meal."

[MiakisSawada]

"Thank you, Nathaniel. That shall be all." She nodded, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. She then began to "dress her face", as she called it, with various makeups - this time with a royal blue eyeshadow, mascara, and a dark red lipstick. As she finished, she blinked slightly, pushing her ebony bangs back in front of her eye and sighed. She rose before sliding on her lace gloves and, folding her hands in front of her, opened her door and made her way to her study.

[Vena Sera IV]

Nathaniel left before Aranea had begun putting on her makeup, readily getting to work on the meal at hand. Doing his duty as butler, he was working on no less than the best for his young master, using only the best available ingredients available to them. He worked casually on an omelette, throwing in diced up, sparsely seasoned ham, fresh grown onion and green pepper, grated cheddar cheese and a hint of spice to give it a small kick with every bite. First bit down, next to do. Rolling up his sleeves, he began to mix together hot cake batter, laying them out on the oven top, each one precisely the same in size and thickness. He added a few fresh blueberries to the batter, letting them cook in with the rest of it. Finally, he took from the cupboard fresh lemons, in which he began to squeeze into a pitcher, straining it in the process to keep seeds out. After that he added a bit of sugar in which to contradict the tart of the lemon, and he set the entirety of the food onto a platter, smiling smuggly at his work. In all, it took him naught ten minutes to prepare the meal, just slightly under his predetermined time. Nathaniel wasted no time bringing it up to the study, knocking before entering the room.

"Today's breakfast features a ham omelette with an assortment of fresh vegetables from the market, seasoned with a small amount of black pepper grounds and cheddar cheese added for flavor. We also have blueberry hot cakes, the blueberries are from a local farm, just in yesterday afternoon. And lastly is homemade lemonade, and don't worry, I took your suggestion from last time. It's a good deal sweeter than before."

[MiakisSawada]

"Ah, thank you, Nathaniel. Can you give me more detail on when Stratford will arrive - I want you in here with me while he's here, by the way - so I may be prepared for his arrvial? The cheeky bastard is most likely going to spring a surprise on me by saying "Oh, I'm early" or "Oh, I'll be late"." Aranea murmured, taking a bite of the breakfast prepared for her as her butler set it down in front of her.

"I can't stand him - but we don't need to let him know that, ne?" Her eyes peering up at her butler seemed to say everything that she didn't.