The day of the party had the hallways buzzing with rush. Doris could hear the servants through her door as they hurried past, shouting orders to others along the way. Doris released a small sigh as she brushed her fingers through her long hair, at least she hadn’t been summoned by Melody yet. Her bruising had finally gone down and was easier to cover with whatever makeup she had at the bottom of her drawer.

Doris carefully dabbed each mark that could be seen when she wore her uniform, and then dotted a bit of rose onto her cheeks and lips. It helped her appear less pale and more…lively. Ever...