Sofie’s husband had fallen ill while she was working in administration. She worked hard to support the family and cover the expensive medical fees, but then her husband’s parents passed away in an accident. The couple had just opened a shop and taken out a loan to do so, and with them gone, the repayments fell to the next of kin—their son. The shock of their loss, together with the illness, was more than Sofie’s husband could take—he passed away, leaving Sofie with his family’s debt.
She was a single mother with two children and nowhere to run. Sorrow threatened to consume her, but she stood strong and took the only option left to her—she went to battle. She had moved to the front lines out of necessity, but it put an end to her career in administration.
At first, I was a little uncomfortable with Elena opening up to me in such detail about the tragedy of Sofie’s life, but Elena assured me that Sofie was very open about her past. So open, in fact, that Elena had heard all about it over drinks. Everybody who knew Sofie relatively well knew the story...because Sofie told them herself.
“I don’t go telling just anybody, of course, but I wanted you to know that Sofie’s not the sort to easily quit. She’s spent years in the thick of battle, but she’s smart, she’s quick-witted, and thanks to her experience across the continent, she’s well-versed when it comes to regional areas too. She’s sure to work hard, and you can trust her with anything confidential too.”
Elena’s recommendation inspired confidence, but most important of all was how well Sofie would get along with Whateley. At present, the brain of our family operations was under strict orders to take things easy. The doctor gave the steward quite the thorough scolding for his ongoing cough and ailing condition. This meant that the rest of us took on his responsibilities outside of the house while he acted as overseer and prioritized his own health. Whateley had also been complaining of pain in his old wounds, all of which had healed long ago. We assumed it was stress-related, but either way, it was not a good sign.
“I appreciate the recommendation, Elena,” I said, “but if I might ask—what is Sofie doing for work at present?”
Elena chuckled.
“Well, I suppose I should come clean and let you know the other reason I’m recommending her...”
Sofie had injured herself on a mission, and it had left her handicapped. While it was nothing you would notice at a glance, running proved largely impossible, and so she’d chosen to resign from military service. It hadn’t been an easy decision, but working the front lines was physically demanding. There was also the fact that returning to clerical work almost guaranteed that she would be assigned to a regional area, which meant she’d be separated from her children again. After spending so much time outside of the empire, it was the last thing Sofie wanted, so she resigned.
“I think the tears of her children were what did it, ultimately. They only have each other in terms of family, and I think Sofie had to consider what would become of her children if her next injury happened to be fatal.”
Sofie knew she would be taking a pay cut wherever she ended up next, but all the same, she chose her family over money. But she was still a single mother with two growing children, and she needed to visit the doctor regularly about her own injury too. Elena had tried to make sure that Sofie would be okay, but she worried about her friend and what might become of her if she ran out of money.
“The hubby and I told Sofie that we’d lend her money if she needed it, but she refused. She didn’t like the idea of money getting in the way of friendship. We tried introducing her to a number of different job openings, but she didn’t meet the requirements for most and was summarily turned away.”
“She was so strong when I last saw her,” I said. “I never imagined she’d ever find herself in such circumstances.”
“You don’t have to go far from the imperial capital to find a whole host of dangerous work. There’s a lot of bloody conflict that is still ongoing, and even that’s the more peaceful side of things.”
“Well, seeing as we’re already acquainted—albeit briefly—and she’s got your seal of approval, then I’d be happy to meet with her if she’d be open to visiting. I can’t guarantee her employment, however.”
“Of course! But I promise you she’ll be a good fit! I’m more than happy to bring her for an interview!”
And so it was that Sofie found some time in her schedule to visit. It was then that I realized the likely reason she’d been turned down for so many other jobs—she had the air of a soldier about her, and not even her outfit could hide the fact that she had spent time in the military.
That said, I didn’t have any issues with buff ladies. You could always work around muscles with hairstyling and outfits if necessary, and in my opinion, exuding strength just meant you were less likely to get pushed around. When I discussed it with Whateley, he was ready to sign her contract immediately.
Sofie might not have been a good fit at the previous places she’d applied for, but Whateley believed that turning her down for a minor disability was simply a waste of good talent. She was exactly what we were looking for.
Elena was so happy she was practically in tears. Martina had seen how overjoyed Elena was, and she seemed to remember it at the mention of our new secretary.
“That you would go so far to vouch and recommend your friend says a lot about both her and you, Elena. Your friendship is something I’m truly envious of.”
“We really can’t thank you enough.”
But there was a reason for Elena’s delight, and I was thinking of what Haring had told me about it when there came a knock at the door. It was Louisa who let Martina and me know that a guest had arrived.
I distinctly recall telling the staff to turn away anybody who doesn’t have an appointment...
The mere mention of said guest’s name, however, snapped me out of my drowsiness in an instant. I leaped from my chair so suddenly that Black Bird—the creature’s name for now—tumbled from the windowsill. I prepared myself for two most unexpected guests, both dressed rather extravagantly.
“I apologize for arriving uninvited, but do you mind?” said one. “His Highness will prepare a gift for the intrusion on your time, so I do hope you’ll forgive us.”
“Eek!” shrieked the other. “It’s really you! It’s you, Lady Conrad! It’s been so long!”