The next morning, Ember was startled awake by noises in her room. She sat up suddenly and opened her eyes. A woman stood by her vanity table, holding brushes and cleaning supplies.
The woman gasped at Ember’s sudden movement, pressing a hand to her chest as she caught her breath.
“I’m sorry, Luna. It seems we startled each other,” the kindly, middle aged woman said, smiling respectfully. “My name is Dorothea. I’ve been assigned as your personal maid.”
She shuffled over to the bed and bowed low.
“Oh,” Ember said in surprise, momentarily at a loss for words. “Okay.”
“I will clean for you, serve your meals, dress you, and attend to any errands you have. All you need to do is ask,” Dorothea said, wiping her hands on her dress.
“Thank you. I may not need much attending, though, I do almos
