The first time he saw her , he was hypnotized.

There had been rumors going on about this handmaiden, about her elegant beauty and youthfulness. He only heard it in passing, driving the commander and his wife around. You could clearly hear the edge in her voice as she casually brought it up. The jealousy. The malice. She wanted to bait him, see what he would say, judge her husbands reaction. He always responded neutrally, but he was a man, and I bet it was no accident getting her. Mr. Waterford had a lot of influence in the community, swaying people to give him the handmaiden would have taken no effort.

Who was he to judge. He was a driver and bound by fate, he worked hard and kept his head down in hopes to be granted a woman. Disgusting, he knew. But he too was a man, with needs that hadn't been satiated in years. Most of the time it was bearable, the urges seemed to gradually lessen over the years. That is, until she came.

He had been working in the hot sun regarding the drive way with small stones. He was drenched in sweat, his grey quarter sleeve shirt sticking to his taught muscles. He wished he was aloud to take the damn thing off, by that was forbidden. He suppressed a harsh laugh, that would have been punishable by death. Grabbing the hard rake he began to even out the gravel, head down with a blank expression on his face.

Hearing a car pull up into the drive way Nick paused from what he was doing and looked up. This must be the new Handmaiden. The door opened from the house and Mr. and Mrs. Waterford were standing there, awaiting the Maidens appearance. Mr. Waterford, a tall, slender man that was always meticulously dressed, stood with a neutral expression by his wife. His wife, a blonde beauty by many standards, had a calm but malicious demeanor.

Nicks observation was a mere second, it was impolite to stare, and it was one of his business. Not wanting to continue on the driveway until it had cleared, he waited patiently by the stone wall, with his head down.

The door opened and red fluttered into his peripheral gaze. It was quiet, and he could have sworn he heard a small gasp escape Mrs. Waterford. Out of curiously his glanced up as he heard her begin to walk up the drive way. She was adorned with the red dress and over throw that all handmaidens were issued. She also donned the white bonnet as well, with her head slightly down he had yet to see her face. He was by the wall near the house, standing in front of her , and slightly to the left. As she was ten feet away her posture straightened and her face was revealed.

Beauty.

Pure beauty graced his vision. The bright scenery seemed to fade before his eyes and only her face was present. Bright green eyes sent a thrill down his spine, they were intense and calculating. She had high cheekbones and an angular jaw that seemed to be delicate and fierce all at once. Her light tan skin and facial features seemed so exotic , it sent a fire all throughout his body. Her hair was mostly hidden perfectly behind her bonnet, thought he saw a honey colored blonde.

He knew he shouldn't be staring but he was, he couldn't help himself. She looked subtly at him as she passed and nodded with a ghost of a smile on her full pink lips. He grew hot and looked down immediately. As she walked up the rest of the way the car pulled out of the drive way and he got straight back to work. Nicks heart was pounding and he tried to concentrate as hard as he could on the task at hand. He couldn't help hear her name , well the one they assigned to her at least, as they were exchanging pleasantries.

Marie