Maid–In–Waiting

My dearest Mistress,

I am writing this to you because I cannot bear to deliver you the news in person. I have been recalled indefinitely back to the Primol headquarters where I will be working under the direct advisement of the board of directors as an assistant. I would have protested my position, but I understood that my options were simple: Take the promotion or take my severance package.

Although we must part, I do not consider this to be the end of our relationship. I am bound and determined to find a way to be able to come under your direct employ once more and I know that one day we will be reunited, even if that day is when you finally take over the reigns of the Primol Empire for good.

Although I wanted to tell you in person, I knew that it was unbecoming of a servant to lose her composure, especially in the face of such dignified beauty as your own. I did not want my last impression of myself to be a blubbering mess. However, I have not left you without making as many preparations as I could. Including leaving detailed instructions of your daily regime, budget allocations, and your entire itinerary throughout the rest of the year under the care of the rest of those under your employ.

I assure you that from my position back headquarters, I will not only be rooting for you but doing my very best to make sure you succeed in every way possible. Even if my influence cannot directly reach you, know that I will always remain your most loyal and obedient servant.

Faithfully, dutifully yours,

Yayoi U-

"Of all the most...horrendously...inopportune times to..." The frazzled heiress mumbled out while exaggeratedly crumpling up the parting letter of her eternally faithful right-hand employee, Yayoi Uno. Gwendolyn not entirely sure where to direct her teeming frustrations from having lost her most loyal subordinate...towards the conniving board of directors who usurped her chain of command by undermining her authority over her employees...Yayoi herself for not being dedicated enough to Gwen's cause to risk such a trivial setback as mere termination...or towards the cowering entourage huddled around her dressed in their Primol tracksuits alongside the heiress in her blue and white sleeveless dress ensemble. The color-coordinated group all standing in the adjoining hallway that was a stone's throw away from the nearby locker room entrance.

"Just when that loathsome harlot of a General Manager is rightfully ousted from her position...when that detestable Dojo has shuttered it's doors forever...the board of directors decide now just so happens to be the perfect time to plunder, pilfer, and pillage my staff!!" Gwen shouted out while chucking the crumpled ball of paper over the heads of her whimpering entourage to land at the locker room entrance. "This ramshackle establishment is practically rudderless with numerous power vacuums ripe to be filled, and now I have to concern myself with the menial task of...ugh...employment interviews." Gwen scoffed and folded her arms across her chest, clearly more peeved with losing such an invaluable tool and a key cog in her infrastructure then whatever bothersome companionship Yayoi was yammering on about.

"...*sigh*...Very well. Until such time we that we may find a replacement for our departed Yayoi, I will serve as your illustrious guide into the ruthless world of corporate culture~..." Gwen elegantly imparted in grandiose fashion, her head tilted high with the utmost confidence she could use her wealth of knowledge to guide and nurture her lowly rabble into an efficient cadre of dutiful personnel.

"Now...I expect you've all memorized the 40 page Primol business itinerary and 80 page handbook detailing the intricate dealings of our beloved corporation. Shareholder's meetings are arranged every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00am on the first and third weeks of the month. Wherein I expect pickup at my humble abode at precisely 8:15am with Darjeeling tea awaiting inside my limousine. Furthermore, I expect hourly updates of our stock portfolio every day, and my spa treatments are to be handled exclusively by my beautician Alexia every Wednesday and Thursday from..." As Gwens whirlwind of words meticulously detailed her byzantine daily life, her overwhelmed entourage would clearly struggle to keep up. Fumbling over each other while scribbling on notepads to catch what they could while others furiously swiped at their tablets to find the the shareholders meeting schedule before...

"So...any questions before I delve into the more complicated matters?~..."

"...umm. Wh-Who's Alexia again?" One of them meekly responded.

Gwen pinched her nose and turned her back to her woefully inept employees, needing to a few seconds to herself...

Enough was enough was enough was far too much for Maiden Sakurazaki to take.

After Gwendolyn turned around and had her much-needed moment to gain composure, the sound of a sharp slap rang through the air, quickly followed by a yelp from the ignorant, impudent servant who’d spoken a moment ago. All eyes turned towards the noise and backed away from it, revealing a new figure in their midst, standing next to the employee as she furiously rubbed her aching head.

The woman was dressed as a maid - or, given the way she carried herself, she was a maid. It was a little hard to tell, really. There were several wrestlers in the AFW who wore maid outfits, but this one seemed to have the whole look down - the frills, the skirt, the shoulders all of it. A Japanese woman by the look of it, she looked over at the employee with a stern gaze, tossing her purple, curled hairs back before she spoke.

Most of them didn’t know her, but some of the more wrestling savvy among them recognized her right away: Misaki ‘Maiden’ Sakurazaki.

”Pay attention.” She turned her nose up at the lowly employee. ”As an employee of Primol, you are to take the words of Lady Gwendolyn. Burn them to your heart, commit them to memory. Time spent correcting you is time she could be spending in far more fruitful endeavors.”

”What the heck?” The employee spun around, staring at Maiden, wide-eyed. ”Did you just slap-”

Maiden slapped her again. ”Yes, Mercedes, I did.”

The employee just looked back again, rubbing her cheek. ”How do you know my-”

Maiden slapped her again, and the employee backed off, clearly not wanting another. ”I know who you are because it is my business to know. As it should be for all of you.” She started to spin about, looking the whole group over, taking in each and every face as she wheeled around. ”You are here to prove your worth to Lady Gwendolyn, not the other way around. As such, you need to be fit for the task, and that means heeding her every word and acting together, becoming the unit she needs you to be. You are her tools, and tools must stay sharp and pristine, lest they be discarded.”

Maiden stomped her foot as if it were the period of her sentence, then looked about with a sharp, narrow gaze. ”Am I clear?”

There was some - understandable - confusion among the rabble, but by and large, Maiden was hearing a good swell of ‘Yes ma’am’s. Encouraging. This flock had potential, but they needed a good shepard.

Suppressing the migraine festering in the back of her head, Gwen turned her back to her woefully inept employees and exhaled deeply to help regain her wavering patience. The gaping hole in her infrastructure left from Yayoi's absence was apparently going to be more...troublesome, to fill than Gwen had anticipated.

*slap*

Gwen flinched from the emphatic smack sounding off just behind her and swiftly turned in place to witness the corporal punishment being doled out to...Mercedes, apparently. Gwendolyn never taking the time to memorize half the names of her hundred plus member entourage. Even Gwen was perplexed as to how this fancifully dressed hand maiden ascertained that bit of information...

What Gwen wasn't confused about was the most fortuitous turn of events unfolding before her. Her hazel eyes darting between the purple-haired maiden and her inept entourage snapping to attention from the nigh awe-inspiring speech. Eloquently spoken words that exalted Gwen's magnificence and appropriately described their role in Gwen's employ. *Hmph...who says it's hard to find good help these days~...* Gwen thought to herself, smirking haughtily while approaching the hand maiden from her side. Gwen's exemplary knack for finding talented personnel all on her own once again presenting herself with a golden opportunity.

"Words I could not have spoken any better myself, though that's never quite stopped me from trying...*giggle*...Normally I refrain from associating myself with the uncouth rabble in these horrendously dated exercise facilities. However, on certain rare occasions, I just so happen to stumble across individuals who simply demand my attention~..." Gwen eloquently spoke before beginning to casually waltz down the hallway, intending to walk and talk with the handmaiden. The flummoxed entourage waiting on the maid to move before they would start following her. The majority of them gazing at her in trembling fear and admiration, already latching onto their newfound general to Gwendolyn's higher ranking President.

"You to seem to harbor some knowledge of me and my glorious exploits, though I'm afraid to I can't say the same of you, Miss?..."

When Gwen started talking, Maiden stopped talking. Not a peep. Not a word. Not a cough. She had studied the heiress intently, ever since her debut in the AFW, and knew she was not one to brook such things as interruptions and unsolicited questions. The relationship between them was to be one of obedience and servitude.

She followed along with Gwendolyn and the other maids moved along with her, keeping up like a herd of sheep to their dutiful shepherd. They were a bit too disorderly for her tastes, however, so Maiden spun about and got them in line with a few quick hand signals, divvying them about in three rows, so they moved in an orderly fashion. The stagehands were given space to move around them, and they imposed a sense of unity.

Order. Always order.

With that done, she spun back to Gwendolyn, eager to answer her question. ”Misaki Sakurazaki, though I was more commonly known as ‘Maiden’ during my time with the Wrestle Angels. You may, of course, refer to me in either way, or perhaps in a new one that you might suit your tastes.”

She made sure to stay close to Gwendolyn, but never to her side, and never ahead of her. Always slightly back.

”I took the liberty of sending my resume to your email address, but to be brief, I have extensive training in domestic services. I speak three language - English and Japanese, of course, but French as well, so I should be able to assist you on multiple fronts. Also,” Maiden held up a finger. ”Perhaps most importantly, I am a trained professional wrestler with a decade of experience.”

The whole time Maiden spoke, she never let her volume grow too loud, making sure Gwendolyn and only Gwendolyn could hear her, but never to the point she would have to strain to listen.

Gwen took subtle notice of Misaki's properly coordinated foot work as they casually strolled down the expansive hallway with her rank and file entourage now marching behind the authoritarian maiden. There was a genuine artform to servitude that Misaki was adhering to quite well, including maintaining the appropriate distance from the heiress and never raising her voice beyond Gwen's earshot. All of the boxes for being a refined handmaiden were being checked off in Gwen's mind as they continued their trek forward.

Misaki's mentioning of her e-mailed resume compelled Mercedes to fumble through Gwen's attaché case and hand the heiress her tablet from behind without Gwen sparing the lowly employee even the faintest of glances. Mercedes returned to her place in line and gulped heavily in fear of Misaki slapping her again for breaking file...

"Hmm...most impressive~...Though perhaps not quite as impressive as to how you were somehow able to ascertain my private email address." Gwen uttered with a smirk while speed-reading Misaki's resume, absorbing the information with little issue considering that reading detailed business reports came hand in hand with her daily morning breakfasts.

"...*giggle*...Not to worry. I ,for one, can certainly appreciate the initiative. Such persistence and zeal is rather critical for the position, actually. I'm sure an individual with your substantial experience in servitude is aware of how crucial it is for me to have someone with such sticktoitiveness  under my employ. Someone whom I can delegate to. Someone whom I can entrust with both menial and monumental tasks whilst acting in my stead. Someone who can help alleviate me from the burden of micro-managing so I can concentrate on expanding our illustrious corporate brand towards the spectacular grandeur of the loftiest heights~..." Gwen elegantly mused to herself while extending her hand to the ceiling, her knack for the poetically theatrical causing a few awkward stares from the passerby's in the hallway before she came to an abrupt stop beside a pair of double doors. Gwen then turning to Misaki and standing authoritatively with her arms folded in front of her swelling chest.

"Still, "a trained professional wrestler with a decade of experience", you say? Fancy that. You see, your predecessor, while immensely talented with aspects of the job, was a bit...lacking...in terms of her skills in the ring. Considering my ongoing ventures in this league, such unique talents could very well be what's needed to tip the scales in your favor, my dear Misa. And I just so happen to know the perfect way to put such skills to the test~..." Gwen eloquently uttered before turning place to dramatically kick open the double doors. Revealing the adjoining weight room that housed the exercise machines, a few startled wrestlers...and several empty wrestling rings.

"Plus I could use the workout..."

On the outside, Maiden kept her demeanor stoic, unimposing and calm, not wanting to betray any weakness or disrupt her potential employer. Inwardly, she could help but curse her own overzealousness. Bribing certain people to obtain Gwendolyn’s email had been a bit too much, she could see that now, but she liked to have as much information as possible in all circumstances. For the sake of convenience.

Fortunately, the heiress seemed none too bothered by it, ignoring the subtle speed bump on their road to a possible pairing. From the looks of things, she was pleased with what she read, though Maiden did wish she would’ve taken the time to look at the fifty page Powerpoint presentation she’d made to highlight some of her better features.

In the future, though. There might be time later. For now, things were taking an interesting turn.

Her iron expression cracked for a brief moment, as Gwendolyn opened the doors and revealed their final destination, strongly implying they were about to have a wrestling spar. Fitting, as this was one of the main reasons she’d sought Gwen out with such vigor. Working with her would be the chance to bring her two great loves - wrestling and domestic service - together in a neat package.

”An excellent suggestion, Madame Gwendolyn DuPont Bettencourt.” She decided to go with the full name to start, and let Gwendolyn decide what she was comfortable with being called. ”As you have no doubt already noticed, my maid attire doubles as ring gear, meaning that I can assist you in such capacities whenever you might require them. With all due respect to my potential predecessor, I firmly believe that I can and should be an asset to you, in the ring and outside of it.”

She stepped back and politely bowed, before turning towards the other maids and letting her hardened gaze linger on them. Especially Mercedes. ”I could also take the time to train your other servants, if you would like, thereby increasing your effectiveness on a number of levels.”

After Gwendolyn's rather bombastic entrance, the majority of the startled wrestlers in attendance centered their attention on the heiress and her accompanying cronies. Her entourage jogging up and forming a human barrier around their billionaire scion and the maid beside her as they strolled right on in towards the nearest unoccupied wrestling ring. Considering that any appearance by the infamous heiress in the public weight room could best be described as once in a blue moon, their was already an underlying buzz in the room amidst whispered murmurs from the wrestlers there.

"Well, I'm afraid to say that I can't quite say the same for my attire..." Gwen cheerily replied while waving downward in front of her in regards to her fetching blue and white dress suit. "Though if you'll permit me but a moment, I'll change into something much more apropos for our spirited scuffle. Oh, and I do understand that my rather lengthy appellation can be quite the mouthful to pronounce. So please, do address me as Lady Bettencourt...or Madame Bettencourt...or Her Grand Exalted Eminence Betten-"

"...uh, muh, my lady? We cleared out the dressing room for you..." Mercedez sheepishly interrupted while meekly extending her index finger in order to grab Gwen's attention.

"Hm? Ah, so you have. If you'll excuse me..." Gwen eloquently uttered while turning in place to approach the now vacated dressing room with a few entourage members following her to guard the entrance while she changed. Though Gwen did turn back towards Misaki for one quick remark about the position she was vying for. "Oh, and should you get the position, you'll have free reign over my staff to whip them into shape as you see fit. Do note that I'll expect nothing less than perfection from them, and a subpar performance on their part may not look so well on your behalf~..." Gwen said before disappearing into the well guarded locker room.

...Mercedes would be left standing next to Misaki...tepidly taking occasional sidesteps away from the imposing maid to hopefully disappear into the crowd of entourage members at their side.

-----

After several moments, Gwen would emerge from the locker room now clad in her traditional and form-fitting royal blue and white wrestling attire on her way towards the wrestling ring. Striding their gracefully before stepping into the ring through the gap in the ropes that was widened by one of her employees sitting on the middle rope.

When Gwendolyn returned, she would find the locker room somewhat...altered.

Firstly, the ring was cleaner, having just been hurriedly scrubbed down. It was filthy before, covered with dust and sweat from those unworthy of Gwendolyn’s time. As such, Maiden devoted some of the maids to a quick cleanup, making sure they made the most of their limited time, getting it as immaculate as possible for the heiress’ return.

Secondly, the remaining maids had gotten the other wrestlers in the room to leave, and were now busy doing numerous exercises around the room, with Mercedes having a hard time at the squat machine.

Maiden was overseeing it all from the ring, but she brought it to a halt when Gwendolyn entered the room. ”Attention!” She gave a hard clap and the servants all scurried about like trained ants, moving into neat row at Maiden’s command, looking on straight towards the ring.

Not bad. Room for improvement, but she saw potential with this lot.

That was a thought for later, though, as Gwendolyn entered the ring. Maiden made her way to the center and gave her employer a solemn bow, honoring her presence. ”Lady Bettencourt.” She liked that title. Carried more of a regal air, while nice on the tongue. ”I am, of course, ready to proceed at your leisure. Before we begin, might as I ask what rules you would prefer, and what sort of intensity you would like me to proceed with?”

Despite the orderly and efficient manner in which Misaki had assertively commandeered her inept entourage, Gwendolyn nonchalantly strode through the now practically emptied weight room as if no changes had been made. Taking care not to react as she passed by her rank and file subordinates on her way towards the ring where her potential future assistant humbly awaited her arrival.

Rather she felt right at home amidst all the pomp and circumstance of everyone standing at attention for her presence. Not to say Gwendolyn wasn't earnestly impressed with Misaki's eagerness and general aptitude for the position. Even dear Yayoi never seemed to command this level of respect in such a record time. But Gwen obviously knew better than to let her prospective maid/assistant know of that. For now, the true test as to whether or not Misaki deserved the position was about to unfold...

"Hmm~...What say we keep matters as legit and aboveboard as possible. A standard affair as if we were dueling competitors vying for dominance in the ring just like any other night, should suffice..." Gwen elegantly stated while gracefully waltzing along the ring with poised footwork. She traced her index finger along the top rope before studiously examining it's tip for any traces of dust, dirt, or grime. None to be found.

"But in order for such an arrangement, we'll need a volunteer to act as our steadfast referee..." Soon after Gwen mentioned a volunteer, Mercedes would be shoved out of her line to stumble at ringside. She gulped down her nervous reservations, rolled under the bottom rope and walking dejectedly with slumped shoulders next to the heiress and maid. All while wondering just how rotten her luck was this day...

"Let's keep the festivities going until pinfall, submission, or until I conclude it myself, of course. Oh...and I hope it goes without saying that I expect you to give me no quarter and show me your very best. This exercise would lose all validity if you were to do anything less, and I would take it as a personal insult if you did. What's more, the last trainers under my employ who took it easy on me...well, let's just say finding new employment was the least of their worries..." Gwen had a grim inflection when she mentioned the fates of those woeful trainers, then extending her hands for an amicable lockup with the maiden.

‘Very rotten’, seemed to be the answer to the question Mercedes was pondering.

Misaki made sure to give her the evil eye as she made her way into the ring, staring at her as she tepidly came between them and took the role of referee. Slouching, too. Utterly unacceptable.

Gwendolyn, of course, had Misaki’s attention as she spoke, commanding the master maid’s eyes towards as she spoke with iron temper. However, while she spoke, Maiden reached over and made a few quick adjustments to Mercedes, working her body like a doll’s.

Stand up straight.

Arms at the sides.

Mouth closed.

”Better.” She threw a quick whisper from the side of her mouth, just as Gwendolyn gave her dark warning. Maiden appreciated the note - it was good that they both be clear on the terms, leaving little doubt - but it was unnecessary. If Gwendolyn had been the sort to want Maiden to hold back, Maiden wouldn’t have wanted to work for her.

Besides, if truth be told, Maiden was a tad rusty. She’d trained for a comeback, but she lacked actual competition to spar against. This would make up for it.

”Understood, Lady Bettencourt.” Maiden gave Gwendolyn a solemn, respectful bow, then moved into position, mirroring her potential employer’s pose. ”Let us begin.”

Without another word, Maiden moved forward and engaged Gwendolyn, locking up with her and pushing back. She didn’t exert her full force, though it wasn’t an attempt to make her mistress look stronger than she was. Maiden liked to approach her matches like she cleaned her houses - methodically, carefully, intricately. It would be best to hold back, get a feel for what she could do firsthand, before she shaped a proper strategy.