Fixation (Cardia vs. Lukretia aftermath)

Cardia gasped in awe at the house as she stepped in. Once again, Lukretia brought her back down to earth, "I... uh... I think it is beautiful. I used to dream about houses like this." She stammered nervously, looking at both the sisters, trying to get a read on what to do. Lukretia's temper made it feel like Cardia was walking through a minefield.

"Do you want to go see the pool house, Cardia?" Hilde said softly smiling to Cardia and touching her arm in a friendly manner. Lukretia turned and glared at Hilde who cleared her throat. "I mean.. Ms. Waters..." She redacted her previous statement but turned to Lukretia once more. "It's just the three of us here, why do I have to be formal with her too?" She said.

Lukretia let out a sigh. "I've been over zis vith you before." She said with an annoyed tone. "If you can act like a lady ven no one is looking zen you von't even think about it ven it really matters. I suppose zat is asking too much from an oaf like you though." She said and waved her hand. "Fine... I don't care..." She said. "As long as you are proper vith me I don't care if it keeps zat pitiful look off of your face." She looked at Cardia. "I suppose we should have a look at it as vell. I've seen enough of the house to know vat ze rest of it looks like. She stepped forward and walked through the house and out to the back lawn. There was massive pool in the back. Behind it there was a small one story building that was about the size of a small normal house. "It's tiny..." Lukretia said simply. She then looked at Cardia. "But I suppose it vill probably be big to you."

"Cardia is fine," she responded to Hilde almost under her breath, as intimidated by Lukretia as Hilde was.

The sight of the pool house elicited a gasp from Cardia, "Oh... oh my. I... It's wonderful. I expected... like a shed or something."

Lukretia couldn't help but allow herself a small laugh at Cardia's words. "Oh my..." She began. "You silly girl.' She began. "It is a shed." She stepped forward with her hand on her chest, beaming with a smile. She stepped to the door and stopped. Quickly Hilde rushed up and opened it and let Lukretia and Cardia pass into it.

It had a nice front room and there was an open kitchen. The room s were split by a half wall.There was a hallway that led down one side where there was a bathroom a bedroom and a spare room. "You vill not think it is so tiny ven you have to clean it." Lukretia said simply.

Cardia was overcome with joy. The bedroom alone was bigger than her entire apartment. She was almost breathless, "Oh... It's so wonderful."

Lukretia's words did give Cardia pause, but she just resumed smiling, "It wouldn't be so bad. I'm used to cleaning up after myself."

Still admiring everything it had, she turned to Lukretia and asked shyly, "Uh... Lu-Lukretia... Hilde calls you Mistress von Creuzfeldt. D-do I need to, too?"

Lukretia looked at Cardia carefully. "Ven you are living in zis house..." She said. "You vill address me as the mistress because I am ze mistress." She paused. "But Ven ve are together outside of zis estate then..." She sighed knowing that it would probably get a positive reaction from Cardia. "You can call me vatever .... I don't like it though." She added.

Cardia nodded thoughtfully, "I... I understand, m-mistress." She mumbled nervously. Lukretia was doing so much for her. It was all so overwhelming. She smiled at Lukretia, "But didn't you not want me to address you by titles outside the ring... because of your... er... count...ship?"

Lukretia ran her hands through her head. "Didn't ve go over zat?" She said. "I don't vant ze AFW to know zat I am a countess." She said. She looked at Hilde who had opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it. "See vat you do to people." She said to Hilde. "She's only been around you for a few minutes and your stupidity is already rubbing off on her." Hilde slunk into herself.

She looked at Cardia. "Und remember ze pool is to be maintained as vell. Zat is ze condition for living in ze house. She paused. "Und if things get busy enough I may need you to help vith ze inside." She paused. "But most likely I vill not have to call upon you for zis." She seemed to be thinking it over out loud.

Cardia nodded quietly, glancing with a sorrowful look at Hilde, "I understand... mistress. I'll be happy to take care of the pool."

After a second's thought, she added "So... uh... how many people are going to be living here? And will you be throwing parties for it to get so busy or...?" She trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

Lukretia put her finger to her lips thoughtfully thinking about what Cardia said. "Myself, of course." She said. "Und I vill bring in some of ze maids und butlers from back home. Ze chauffeur und perhaps Ms. Von Creuzfeldt." She said giving a glance to Hilde. "Und peraps a pet or two." She added. "A few dozen perhaps at most. Small stuff."

"Und I may have a gathering or two... I don't know how big something vill be here. don't know zat many to have a grand ball." She added.