“I want to do your hair.” Isabella didn’t turn her head as she spoke but continued on with the request anyway. “After you’re done with mine, of course.” Despite the sudden declaration, Violet continued working the wine-colored hair into a braid while sitting behind Isabella on the bed. Despite the intricacy of the pattern, her fingers deftly maneuvered the gathered strands into place to leave a neat plait behind. One on each side.

Violet started doing this for Isabella each morning and found herself looking forward to it as a part of their routine. Or Amy, rather. As she’d recently come to find out. However, despite this revelation, she continued to use the name she’d come to know the woman by and Isabella hadn’t expressed a desire to change that. In the end, it didn’t matter to Violet what she called her. Isabella, Amy, her friend was her friend and that was it as far as she was concerned. The lie was been necessary to protect Taylor, after all. Violet had done far worse to protect those she’d cared about so who was she to judge? She wished lying was the extent of her actions.

“My hair? That’s kind of you, Isabella. However, I should do it myself since I’d hate for you to be late.” 

Violet would be lying if she said wasn’t intrigued by the offer, though. Still, hoping that was the end of the discussion, she returned her attention to the task at hand. As soon as she finished, and her hands dropped away, Isabella’s head whipped around. The movement almost caused the newly formed braids to reach up and smack Violet in the face but she reacted just in time.

“But…I want to be the one who does it! Like I used to do Taylor’s hair.” 

In addition to the plea, Isabella’s expression transformed into something akin to pouting. Complete with a long frown and sad, green eyes behind her glasses.   Violet didn’t respond immediately and silently held her gaze for a few moments while considering. Once again, Isabella invoked the name of her adoptive sister, which always made denying anything that much harder. The story from the other day was still fresh on Violet’s mind and it made her heart ache whenever she thought about it. No wonder Isabella had acted the way she did when Violet first arrived. That kind of loss was difficult to carry with you.

“Come on, I’ll be quick! I’m quite good.” Isabella continued to poke and prod at her defenses and under such an assault there could be only one answer.

“Alright, but we mustn’t be late.” Violet told herself that it would simply be easier to let Isabella have her way instead of continuing to argue but the budding excitement in her chest may have betrayed another reason.

“Alright!” Isabella’s face immediately lit up at being granted permission, and she wasted no time trading places by crawling on hands and knees around Violet, messing up the bedding in the process. “You won’t regret it. Now, brush please.”

Violet hoped she wouldn’t but turned at the waist and complied anyway. Subsequently, she turned forward and straightened her back while doing her best to keep still. A moment later she felt the bristles start to fall through her hair, removing the knots and tangles that built up during the night.

“Did you do Taylor’s hair often?” Violet asked. Since they were here, they may as well talk a little too.

“I did when she let me. Usually nothing elaborate, it mostly depended on how much time I had in the morning.”

The brush continued in long, steady strokes. Leaving no strand untouched as it glided along without faltering while they chatted. Considering their limited time, Violet didn’t know which style Isabella would choose. Maybe the one she wore every day? It was more than suitable, after all. A good mix of ease, practicality, and elegance. 

“You really did everything for her, didn’t you?” Bathing and now this, there were no doubt various other chores she would’ve had to attend to. Cooking and cleaning, if Violet had to guess. Not to mention working to get them money to pay for everything they needed. That was already a lot to do for a teenager completely on their own but with a child too? One that didn’t even have any blood relation? It was all rather impressive. 

“I tried. Everything I could do to make sure we’d live to see the next day and hopefully give Taylor a little joy at the same time. When I could afford it, of course. Which wasn’t often.”

The more she listened to Isabella speak about the young girl, the more Violet came to appreciate the bond between them. Now that she had shared this secret, Isabella started to talk more openly about her and Taylor’s time together. There was a genuine warmth in her voice each time she did, alongside a fondness in her eyes that shone so brightly it was infectious. Not that Violet could see it now, but she didn’t doubt that joy was currently plain on her face. It was a look Violet had seen on so many others in the past. Sometimes mixed with the pain of loss, other times pure in its expression. 

“I’m sorry, that must have been very stressful.”

“Don’t be, I wouldn’t have it any other way because it was worth it. Just one smile from that girl could fuel me for days. There was one time I managed to get enough ingredients for pancakes and her expression when I set them down on the table is one of my fondest memories. I still think about that day often. Her eyes were bulging so much I thought they might pop out of her head.”

Violet couldn’t help but laugh a little at the story and her lips settled into a small smile once she calmed. There was an undercurrent of sadness sure, one could hardly expect otherwise, but there was something else in Isabella’s voice. Love. The kind that filled a person so completely they couldn’t help but feel joy for having experienced it at all. Even through less-than-pleasant times. Which there were no doubt plenty of. However, Isabella’s love for the girl must’ve shone through it all. It still brought a smile to her lips and provided a cheerful lilt to her voice where otherwise there would only be pain and sorrow at their separation.   

“Let’s see, I do like your everyday look, of course. But, let’s try something different, hmm?” So, something different than what Violet was accustomed to? Well, that was alright. Isabella was quite good, or so she heard. The simple repetitive motion was comforting and by the time Isabella partitioned her hair into two equal parts, Violet’s shoulders had relaxed somewhat. 

“I have an idea, so you just sit tight,” Isabella commented while reaching for one of the red ribbons on the bed beside her.

With half the hair held in place, Isabella took the ribbon and tied it so it would remain up. Satisfied, she shifted slightly on the bed, moving to Violet’s other side. She gathered the remaining half and set about repeating the process, putting it up, and then securing it with the second ribbon. A few moments later Isabella’s hands dropped away, a pleased huff of air following soon after. More shuffling saw Isabella appearing with a mirror in hand so Violet could see what style she’d chosen.

“There, all done. What do you think?” Isabella asked, excitement apparent in her voice.

Violet took the mirror and then eyed her reflection for a few moments, her eyes narrowing in appraisal. “Two ponytails?”

“Yeah! They look so cute!”

Cute? No one had ever accused her of being that before. People had called Violet beautiful in the past but she usually didn’t pay it any mind. At least not until Isabella had told her after placing the flower in her hair a few days ago. The same flower that now sat in a small cup of water on Violet’s side of the bed. And this newest compliment? She wouldn’t have believed it if she’d heard from anyone else but coming from Isabella it felt genuine.

“Cute…” Violet reached up and touched one of the bunches, brushing it forward until it ran through her fingers and fell back down.

“Yup, cute,” Isabella reaffirmed.

The style was plenty popular and Violet saw it plenty back in Leiden and on her travels. Usually on children, though. Which, considering who Isabella had primarily done this for, made sense. While she looked on, Violet shook her head to test the security of the knots before stilling and trying to look to either side with just her eyes. Only to have her peripheral vision blocked.

“It’s nice, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to perform my duties to their fullest. Especially in an emergency.”

“An emergency? Really? You sound like a guard and not a handmaiden.” Isabella chuckled but soon shrugged as if resigning herself to the answer. “Well, if you say so. Let’s try something else then.”

“Isabella, we really need to get going soon…”

“Oh hush, you said it yourself, this style won’t do. I won’t be long so just be patient.”

Violet subsequently sighed but otherwise remained motionless. Isabella had a remarkable talent for taking her words and using them against her to get what she wanted. Perhaps that’s why Violet went along with the requests so often.

Even though they were moving onto the second style of the morning, and were no closer to leaving, Violet felt a calm wash over her once more. So, she closed her eyes to fall deeper into its embrace. Isabella’s fingers in her hair were soothing and the laughter they shared still tingled on her lips. For a moment, Violet almost forgot she was here on an assignment. Forgot that they were handmaiden and lady, student and teacher. Well, they weren’t here, right? In this room, they were Violet and Isabella, two friends getting ready for the day. 

In the back of her mind, Violet couldn’t help but wonder what it might be like if they could keep doing this beyond their required time. It felt like each day the pair grew closer and each day Violet looked forward to how that might come to pass. Would she learn something new about Isabella? Would they share a brief touch? So many little things that all added up to something…wonderful. She hadn’t ever had someone like this in her life. Sure, she had the Major or President or any one of her friends; however, it wasn’t the same. It was more a feeling than anything she could rationally describe. Like, she was always happy to see her friends but her heart didn’t start to beat faster like it did when she locked eyes with Isabella. 

A few more minutes passed then, each woman content to sit in this comfortable silence. For the next choice, Isabella twisted the blonde hair until it came neatly together. After which she rolled it back on itself until a bun formed on the side of Violet’s head. Similar to the ponytails, she then used the red ribbon to secure it in place before moving on to the next.

“This looks so good already, I hope you’ll like it!”

All Isabella received in response was a subtle hum of agreement while Violet waited for her to finish. Another minute or two and the second side was done and secured and she once again found herself staring into the mirror in her hand, assessing the latest choice.

“Well, I can see better this time. It’s a very interesting shape though.” Violet’s head tilted this way and that, once again testing the security. As always, her expression remained placid.

“I think they look like cinnamon buns!” Isabella’s obvious excitement brought out another small smile from Violet before she ultimately shrugged.

 “It is; I’m just not sure it suits me?” Not that it was bad, simply…different. However, the two women needed to be on their way so this would do for today. Unfortunately, Violet was too slow in voicing her decision. In the pause, Isabella reached up, grabbed hold of each ribbon, and then tugged them both free. Without the ribbons to hold it tightly, the blonde hair untwisted and spilled out all along her back.

“Isabella.” Violet tried to lace her name with a hint of displeasure but it was hard to manage when she was enjoying herself. Clearly not as much as her friend but still. She was apparently quite amused at this point and shrugged before attempting to move behind the doll once again.

“Oh well, now I’ll just have to do another!” 

Another? Oh, no, no, no. That wouldn’t do.