The Countess and the Bunny

Lia rolled her eyes at the maid as she walked off and then gave a few quick steps to follow Violate before matching pace with her. Lia's jaw tightened a bit as Violate spoke, She LIKES being around Lukretia. Of course. Still, Violate was still a bit more pleasant than the German. Lia gave her a polite, but guarded, smile as she took her arm and began to lead her. "Really? Lukretia seemed to me more the sort who collects people as though they were accessories."

"And the maids," Lia added with a hint of reluctance, "I don't think I've seen a group of servants who quite so toe the line between fetish-wear and housekeepers." Lia whistled softly at the grandeur of the back yard. "Fancy." Lia nodded politely as Violate bade her through the gate. She walked slowly through, turning around and allowing Violate to take the lead again before getting too far from the gate. "Very nice..." Lia commented at the garden, "Is this all your domain, I presume?" Lia smiled, having a seat at the table, "This isn't something you see in Japan every day. I must be moving up in the world..." Lia looked around at the flowers a bit more before turning to Violate, "You mentioned the other bodyguard earlier? I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting her..." Lia offered idly, fishing for a bit more information.

Violate smiled at Lia's words. "Oh?" She said. "Maybe the maids but they desire to be collected so that doesn't really matter." She said as she waved her hand dismissively. "All of the people like myself have had more personal dealings with Lukretia. I assure you despite being her employee she does not look at me like a maid. That would most definitely be her folly." Violate said as she slid her gloved fingers along her top hat and bent it so as to cast a sinister shadow over her face, making her smirk look devilish for a moment. "Lukretia is a beast that one cannot tame or reason with. You merely get out of her way or meet her head on with an equal amount of force." Violate pursed her lips for a moment. "Though the kind of force used depends on the person I suppose, fufufu." Violate chuckled and nodded to Lia as though she had just offered her a nugget of wisdom.

Violate smiled at Lia's compliment. "Thank you!" She said as she outstretched her hand. "Welcome to wonderland!" She exclaimed. "Yes, this is my world. Lukretia is particular with the landscaping and while I don't mind because her tastes are good enough, I insist that as part of my salary I am to be given a plot of land to do as I please. This usually means the backyard garden, aside from what is cultivated for eating. Lukretia understands that there is nothing better than the taste of nature's bounty right from the loins of that exquisitely beautiful woman." Violate smirked. "Mother nature, I mean, fufufu." She said. "Have you ever had a meal prepared entirely from freshly picked vegetables and freshly caught fish? With Xenia's skills, you absolutely wish you would die right after so that you could fly to Heaven and tell them that you have already been witness to its splendor on earth, fufufu."


As Violate spoke, Macha returned with a tray. A tea pot and cup, steaming with a sugar pot, a pitcher of water and a bowl full of lemons. A knife, two cloth napkins, some glasses and a few small bowls of various other things. She set the tray down and bowed her head. She began to place the items in front of them, starting with Lia's glass which she began to fill with a scoop of sugar. She then began to cut open the lemon meticulously and deftly squeezed lemon juice into it. She followed by pouring ice water into it about a third of the way. She then repeated the sequence until there was a full glass of fresh squeezed lemonade in front of Lia. She then bowed and turned her attention to Violate, pouring the tea and putting in the appropriate amount of sugar cubes. She also set before them come cracker looking things. "Biscuits." And a small bit of leaves. "Some mint to cleanse your palate." She said, mostly to Lia. "I shall be nearby if you need anything else, mistresses." She said as she bowed and stepped away, taking some of the tray with her.

Violate then brought her tea cup up and took a sip. "That will be the best lemonade you have ever had. I guarantee it." She said with all seriousness. She then addressed Lia's next question. "The bodyguard?" She said. "Pleasure? Most people would certainly not agree with you that anything about her is pleasurable." Violate grinned. "Fufufu, I kind of like her myself. She's very interesting. Though most of the information I get from her is about my little helper, her roommate and the household poolboy.

Lia rubbed her still sore jaw thoughtfully, trying to get her mind off her even more sore breast, "That's... a lot of force." Never thought I'd miss the days where I could just meet those sorts' 'force' with a bullet and get a paycheck for my trouble... at least so soon. Violate's proud gleam at her thinly veiled display of force did not escape Lia, "I'm catching a distinct impression that the distinction between maid and gardener is not quite the conventional one here."

Lia grit her teeth to avoid overtly rolling her eyes at Violate's wit, such as it was. "Your metaphors are as twisted as your sense of humor." Lia thanked Macha for the lemonade, though the word 'mistress' caused Lia to pause briefly her move to take a sip from it, clutching the glass tightly for a few seconds before she could regain control over her arm.

Lia took a quiet sip of her lemonade to buy her a bit of time to find a way to express how unhelpful Violate was being, but her train of thought was quickly interrupted...

"What ho, darlings." Margaret Roderick Sinclair emerged from the hedges, nursing a cup of coffee, she gave Violate and Lia a dry smile, "Oh, Gardener, did you catch this one nibbling your plants? You know feeding them just makes them stay. You have to give them a sound bop on the head." Margaret smiled at Lia, extending her hand, "Margaret Roderick Sinclair, esquire."

Lia regarded the lawyer cautiously, but shook her hand. "Lia Cross. Just here for the carrots."

"Cute." Margaret smiled, turning back to Violate, "You're not boring your guest with tales of that... little runt of a pool cleaner, are you, Gardener?"

"Oh my, fufu." Violate said at Lia's words. "Indeed, indeed." She admitted. "Maid is a position that's given, gardener is a position that's chosen." She said. "Much like your own position, Ms. Body guard?" She said only hinting at the questioning tone. Violate then took a sip from her tea. "You dislike them?" She asked. "Are they too crass?" She said. "I believe that I may be too gentle of a woman to use such terms. Or maybe you believe that?" She said as she brought her hand up and removed one of her gloves before reaching over and taking a slice of lemon. She brought it up to her mouth and her fingernaisl began to dig into it, forcing a little bit of the juice the roll down her index finger and drip off the base of her palm. She then bit into it, never taking her eyes off Lia for a moment before pulling the lemon away, almost tearing the rind from the flesh of the citrus , letting a few splashes of juice fly off of it and letting another drop of clear liquid pour down her face before swallowing hard.

"It's like I just fucked Mother Nature's bitter tasting pussy with my mouth, Lia." She said as she looked at the bunny with a deadly serious look. "And it tasted fucking good. I can't wait until I can get to taste it again." She stared silently as she kept her gaze locked onto Lia for as long as she could before her lips twitched and suddenly a smile cracked through her facade. "Fufufufuf!" She suddenly began to laugh as her cheeks held a blush of embarrassment on them. "Oh!" She said as she snapped her fingers and tossed the lemon peel behind her shoulder where Macha practically made a diving catch for it.

Vioolate then dipped her hand in a small bowl of water and wiped it on a provided towel before taking a napkin and dabbing off her face. "Is that something you would prefer, my dear march Hare? Oh, it's dreadfully crass though. How embarrassing. We are not heathens, we are not savages. I am certainly nothing like Xenia. That is exactly how a barbarian behaves and we are dignified ladies, are we not?' She then slipped her glove back on and grinned at Lia. "I assure you, you will not have to see such a crude display like that from me ever again. Now, aren't you thankful for my tasteful metaphors, fufufu?"

At that moment, Maggie walked in and Violate beamed. "Ms, Lawyer." Violate said tipping her hat. "Please have a seat and indulge us with your splendid company. She then nodded to Lia with a smile. "This charming lagomorphic ragamuffin is the newest member to our delightful little family, fufufu." She said and then winked at Lia. "A bit reluctant to join our ranks though. But you know how Lukretia is with first impressions. It's our duty to make her feel warm and welcome, Ms Lawyer. That's why we're having this little tea party.

Violate then smirked at Maggie's question. "Fufufu, a topic that seems interesting only to myself. I have spared her the details. She is interested in a topic a little more curious to you, however. Seems she my be here to replace our favorite Finnish mercenary." She then paused. "Ah, if things go according to plan that is." She then looked at Lia. 'Or if Lukretia hasn't droven her off with her abrasiveness, fufu."

"It is as I said. Twisted." Lia replied to Violate's questions about her metaphors. That did not stop the gardener's display. Lia's rabbit ears gave a slight jolt as Violate tore violently into the lemon. Her own eyes meeting Violate's in that unspoken challenge... or maybe it was not so much a challenge as an expression of the gardener's questionable sanity. They were not necessarily mutually exclusive...

When Violate opened her mouth to speak, it confirmed that the latter was more likely. Lia's jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed; she quickly brought the glass to her lips to try to disguise barely stifled laughter. She let out a chuckle finally as Violate did. "Yes... definitely dignified here."

After her arrival, Margaret gave a polite nod to Violate and Lia as she took her seat, "With pleasure, darling." She rested her hand atop Violate's playfully. Margaret smiled playfully at Vi and then Lia. "Oh, she's our new coworker..."

Lia nodded. The air was getting a little thick with playful smug crazy. Lia reflexively retreated from it to a more businesslike, but not cold, tone, "Pending a bit of contract negotiation, yes." These two women were definitely cut from the same crazy cloth as their boss. The casual distaste for the world around her in Margaret's eyes, and Violate's wild gaze... Lia had no love for this sort. Once again, it felt like the old days, allying with the sort of people who deserved a solid curb-stomping. Lia just could not get away with it.

Still, they would be MUCH more useful as allies than rivals, as untrustworthy as they were.

"Oh, well then, you will definitely want to get to know me," Margaret beamed. She produced a business card from her coat pocket. "Most people in Lukretia's line of work have ten or twelve man legal teams. Lukretia has me. I wear a great many hats around here. Lawyer, consigliere, sometimes accountant, sometimes PR flack..." Lia took the card and slid it carefully in her coat pocket as Margaret continued, "Keep a good hold on that card, Rabbit. Uncle Pennybags wishes he had a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card so potent. Just one of the perks of working here, my dear. Give me a ring if the law even so much as looks at you the wrong way." Margaret winked at Lia, "You look like a troublemaker, so we need to make sure you're taken care of."

Great, another deal with another devil... Lia nodded politely, "Thank you. I appreciate it." Suddenly, a cool smile formed on Lia's lips, "If you're the legal team, then I do need to talk to you. I'd like to report about thirteen cases of sexual harassment and six more of inappropriate workplace behavior." Lia pursed her lips as if in thought, "Ehh... Give or take ten or so."

Margaret brought her hand to her lips to stifle a chuckle, "Oh my... I think you'll do just fine here, don't you, my dear gardener?" She flashed a wry smile at Violate.

Continuing, Lia looked toward Violate, "You mentioned a Finnish mercenary. I presume that's who I'm replacing. Lukretia called her 'the best bodyguard in the world.' That sounds like a hell of a story..." Lia trailed off idly.

Margaret scoffed, "Hardly." For a second, she paused, and her face lightened, "But I should not try to poison the well here. You have not met her, right? It wouldn't do to gossip... And..." Margaret raised a finger to Lia, "I... I wonder if you could help me. You look like a warrior... A soldier." Margaret grinned, "I'm just a paper pusher myself." The self-effacing lawyer routine. Used sparingly, it could disarm even the most stand-offish types. "The Finn is a quandary to me. I... wonder... If you actually survive meeting her, could you share with me your impressions of her?" Margaret sighed, "As you can guess, the Finn and I are not on the best of terms. She's... not big on making friends. Any insight you can give would be helpful."

Lia gave Margaret a wary look, "This is not a condition for your phone number here, is it?"

Margaret placed her hand over her chest, "Oh, you wound me. I would never withhold my legal services from an employee here. I... merely think I need a different perspective on the Finn issue... That's all."

"Well... that really depends on how our first meeting goes... Speaking of which... you said 'if' I survive?" Lia arched an eyebrow.

Violate threw Maggie a wink when she placed her hand over hers and lifted it up to nuzzle it against her cheek affectionately before kissing the back of it and setting it back down. Violate then grinned at Margaret's words. "Oh, do you think she is a mischievous merrimaker?" She questioned tilting her head a bit. "From where I stand she is just a knave looking to do her duty as efficiently as possible. I don't believe she has a mind to steal any tarts." Violate then turned and looked at Maggie with a wry smile. "Fufufu, as I believes she believes we have done." Violate continued to chuckle to herself as she lifted her tea and took a sip.

"But..." She aid and looked at Lia. "I think once she relaxes, she'll do just fine." Violate's smile drooped for a second. "If she isn't constantly looking at her pocketwatch and scampering off somewhere." Violate then perked up. "No, fufufu, she's perfect really."

Violate then tilted her head when Lia pressed the issue. "Yes." She said. 'Valkoinen Simo." She said allowing the name to roll off her tongue. "Short on talk, long on scowls, fufu. Though, she sometimes takes interest in certain people. The story itself is not very interesting, however. One day she showed up and she hasn't left since. Lukretia has been trying to get rid of her ever since but I think that Lukretia believes that putting up with her is a little better than having to deal with the end of her barrel. She's no fool and Valkoinen wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone of us if she thoguht she was getting paid for it. No one knows why she's here except we think someone hired her to take out Lukretia." Violate paused. "At least... that's what it seems like but Lukretia's still breathing so.. I really haven't a clue as to her reasons for being here. It's a difficult riddle indeed." Violate then smiled as she ran her gloved finger along the rim of her cup. "Shall you solve the mystery, Ms Rabbit?"

Lia definitely arched an eyebrow at the mention of 'Valkoinen Simo.' Her?! Here?!... No sense trying to hide THAT reaction. The pit of her stomach seemed to fall out at the implications. Valkoinen's confirmed kills list read like a who's who of badasses across all of the world's worst spots, and her unconfirmed kills list required several pages. Even the threat of crossing paths with her was a 'big thing' at Trans World Operations. Giving the 'White Death,' as she was called, even a hunch that the company was taking a shot at the bounty on her was something Trans World Operations sought to avoid.

And here Lia was, a private citizen, with no backup, on the White Death's bad side. Chesna, you better damn well hope I don't wake up tomorrow because I am going to snap your scrawny little neck. Lia took a deep drink of her lemonade, crunching down on a couple of the ice cubes.

Margaret simply folded her arms and scowled as Violate talked. "Oh, we both know who I think is responsible for bringing that little nutjob into our fair household." Margaret turned back toward Lia, "But, still, it's a baseless guess. Nothing more."

Lia eyed both girls carefully before continuing, "Valkoinen Simo? I think I've heard of her..." Lia pursed her lips, delivering the biggest understatement of her life, "Definitely trouble, that one."

Margaret shrugged, "Well, I am a busy woman. You have my card and my offer, rabbit." She stood up and smiled at Violate. "Gardener." She walked past Violate, trailing her finger lazily across Violate's shoulder, stopping to lean in and pull her chin up, giving Violate a quick upside-down kiss on the lips before releasing her.

"Get the feeling you two know each other." Lia quipped, rolling her eyes.

Margaret chuckled, "Oh no, of course not. Me, cavort with a lowly gardener? Perish the thought." Taking a few steps back, Margaret winked at the two, "Tatty bye!" She waved before leaving.

Violate chuckled at Maggie's words. "Oh, Ms. Lawyer." She said with a smile as she looked at Lia. "I personally don't think it matters. I like having the little chirr around, fufu. It matters not why she is or is not here. No one questions who lives in Wonderland except that jejune little Alice, fufu." Violate smirked and kissed Maggie deeply as she leaned in, bringing her gloved finger up to touch the lawyer's chin briefly and letting out a soft moan of pleasure.

As Maggie strode off Violate looked at her coyly. "That ambulance chasing charlatan and I? Fufu, I have standards you know." As Violate flashed a wink at Margaret she grinned at Lia. The two would most certainly be engaging in carnal chess in a fashion appropriate to Lia's animalistic alter-ego later on.

Violate leaned in when Margaret finally left. "Is it exciting?" She quipped. "You look as though you're straining just to be polite with us but stop and take a look around. Doesn't this place have a thrilling atmosphere? All the excitement of live combat without all the dangers of being blasted to pieces." Vilate then leaned back and took a sip of tea. "Well.. almost no danger, fufu."

Lia's ears drooped a bit. I'm that obvious? Damn. I really am out of practice. "I'm just a bit nervous. This place is... different. A bit outside my comfort zone, really." Lia set her lemonade down, leaning in, "Now, are you talking about this household or Friction? I wonder." The zeal that Violate had speaking of this only reinforced Lia's assessment of the gardener.

Lia set back, "The... the old bosses were real big on 'combating trafficking in persons,' and this place reminds me of that training for all the wrong reasons, if you catch my drift."

Lia decided to give Violate a bit of a concession. She had to make friends and she was doing a piss poor job of it so far, if Margaret walked off with the same idea Violate just confessed. "Gotta say though, I see where you're coming from." Lia glanced around the gardens, "This is a heck of a place. There's not a lot like a good fight." Lia gave Violate a wry grin. "So... does the White Queen there always have a chip on her shoulder?" Lia leaned in, resting her chin on her hands, "And, it may make me the boring Alice, but I like to think it's just my rabbit nose," she wiggled her nose to punctuate the quip, "sniffing out a good story. You both can see how I ended up here... That rape attorney? Her story writes itself. Yours though... You do not seem like the sort of gardener you find in the yellow pages. Nor do you seem like the sort who routinely meets countesses... How did you and the Kraut hook up?"

Violate raised a curious eyebrow at Lia's words. "Oh?" She said taking a sip of tea. "Fufu." Violate said. "I assure you that this place is far more exciting than that little stadium with all those seats and drooling fans." She said. "In here, you can be a woman. No one going to use you to fulfill their most base desires unless you let them or want them to." She said with a flutter of her eyes, emphasizing the last bit with a soft chuckle. "And..." She began, adding to the point Lia had maid about this being a slave pit of some sort. "I assure you that the door is always open. No one is forcing anyone to stay here and if you think the big bad wolf is coming to get you, then you can run back home to grandma's house, fufufu." She then tilted her head. "As can anyone hear, so how about we vanquish that nasty little thought?" She said with a smile.

Violate was as sadistic as they came but she didn't like the idea of her work being associated with something so seedy as all that. She had sadism down to an art form and common slavers and users of others had no clue how to make it look as good as she did. Violate sighed when Lia seemed to finally relax. She eased up as well, rolling her shoulders back a bit and letting her hat become askew. "She does." She began. "Even when we are engaged in fancy free behavior, she keeps that austere countenance. Somehow..." Violate said, tipping her chin a bit. "...the sensual proclivities are still delightfully pleasant. I think the fascination of it all keeps me coming back." Violate winked at Lia. "Among other things, fufu."

Violate then grinned at Lia's words. "Idneed." She said, nodding to the rabbit and laughing pleasantly art her joke. "You are such a darling lapin." She mused. "Are you sure we can't find some way to keep you in my pocket?" She chucked. "But you're right. I am no mere gardener. I do, however, have extensive training and an accomplished business woman myself. I enjoyed the success of my own business in Germany. I am not sure what drew me to the Queen of Hearts but my skills were wanted by those of a certain sort, thanks to my charms, my skill with the silver tongue and silver spade respectively. Perhaps it was because as an owner I still demanded to do as much of the work myself as was able. I was able to take a vision and make it reality. The lawn of an aristocrat is the first impression they have when entertaining guests. Though I do not mean to be a braggart, I will not excuse my talent.

Lukretia is a woman who desires the best. She understands how important it is to have the best surround her if one is to be the best themselves. If you think act and adorn yourself with all the best things, then you will most certainly be the best." She tilted her head in thought. "So I was eventually contracted. A match made in Wonderland if I do say so myself, fufu."

Violate took another sip from her tea. "And that, My dear March Hare, is why you should turn those whiskers upside down. Lukretia must see something in your skills so walk proudly around here, fufu."