To Be A Lady

Rule One: Always Be On Time Cherry’s POV I’m late. I’ll be disciplined for sure. I couldn’t help it. I’d lost my shoe, but they’ll never accept that. Darn it. I’m late, I’m late, I’m late. Rule One Cherry, you’ve broken it. I swear, I always mess up somehow. I’m late.  “Ms. Bigote, you are late.” “Yes ma’am, I know ma’am.” “Why?” Well, as I said before I lost my shoe. You see, I can’t tell Mrs. Hobbleton that though. She says I’m lazy. I just ran to my lesson, lazy. Me, lazy.  “I lost track of time, ma’am.” “What were you doing, to lose track of time?” Well, there’s another hard question. I was around. I was only, well, for the love of all ladies, I was only dancing. Oh, but that isn’t for a lady. No, not at all. That is left for the men. Anything fun is. The men get to dance, to sing. The men get to eat all they want, and as messily as they please. They get to run and jump, and well they can do anything. Do you know what a lady can do? Clean, oh, and tend to the children, even though we didn’t even want your bloody children. We get to do anything the men don’t want to do. I’d be slaughtered for thinking this way. At least my mind is private, it’s the only thing I have.  “I was tending to the deck, the outside one, outback?” “Were you?” “Yes?” “Well then, I expect you to finish it up when your lessons are done.” Darn it. Extra work. I scurry to my desk before she can add more to my workload. “Now, can the class tell me what rules Ms. Bigote has broken?” Evelynn raises her hand proudly. Of course, little Miss Know-it-all knows what rules I broke. It’s hilarious how much she wants to be a lady. I’d rather be a Rogue. “Yes, Ms.Crown?” “She broke rules 1, 36, and 42. Never be late, answer quickly, and never use excuses.” “Yes, that is right.”  Evelynn Crown. She is somebody. Her family, well her father is King of this dreadful land. Her elder brother will take over soon. I’m sure he’s as arrogant as his sister. You see, since she’s so royal she gets special treatment and privileges. It’s sickening. She still has to be a lady, but she gets to pick her courter, she gets to be seen publicly, and speak publicly, but most of all, she gets to dance and sing. As I said, it's sickening. Not to mention, she hates me. I am lower than the commoners. My father, well, let’s just say he wasn't a good man. In turn, my mother was prosecuted just for being his wife. I live with my Papa, he’s my mom’s father. We are looked upon in shame. The only reason I’m allowed at this school is because of Ollie, well Oliver. He’s my best friend. His father was insistent on my coming here, for his son could never be seen with a Rogue.  Rogue’s, they don’t have colors. Colors mean everything in the world. Purple is for the royals, the somebodies, the needed, the rulers. Evelyns a Purple. Then there is Green. Meant for Lord Flockidd. His son is Styx, he doesn't know it, but his name means greed, which is funny or ironic because my Papa says green was used to show jealousy or greed in the Forbidden Days. Then we have Yellow. The Duke of Reeburr is Yellow. I don't know much about them. Orange is for Duke of Harld, they are a nice family. Their daughter is homeschooled. They disagree with the laws of a lady. They get away with it because the king is the Duke's brother. Anyway, then we have Sir Dandle with Blue. That’s Ollie’s color. They’re a sweet family, but reputation is everything with Sir Dandle. Then we have Black, they’re pretty high up but they don’t exist. I mean, the family died out. They tried to assassinate the King and were executed. Now Black is just a color of mourning. A reminder. We have Pink, house of nuns. Then we have White. That’s my Papa, his family was, and all commoners are. Then there’s Red. I’m Red. Born to a criminal. Criminals are Red.  Your color is and means everything. How you’re looked at, how you dress, how much you make, what foods you're allowed to eat, where you learn, and who you marry. We all wear our colors. So I stick out like a sore thumb with the commoners. Not so much with the Lords, and Dukes, and Sirs, because I have a color and they do too, I don’t blend in, though. I’m a Red. My outfit consists of the Red bandana that holds my redder hair, my light Redshirt, underneath my blood Red overalls. I go barefoot most of the time. Reds aren’t allowed shoes. I only have two outfits, the daywear, and the nightwear. It’s just a long red nightgown.  Evelynn wears these beautiful Purple gowns. She’s spoilt. Right now she’s wearing a lilac one. It comes off her shoulders and her hair, she has beautiful black hair that holds her Purple-jeweled crown.  “Cherry, are you listening?” Mrs. Hobbleton startles me out of my thinking.  “Yes ma’am.” I gulp after seeing her glare.  “Then what did I ask?” Evelynn giggles. She is allowed to giggle. “Um, what is rule 67?” I whisper out. “No, Ms.Bigote, that is not what I asked. You will sit with Mr. Freehold for lunch today.” “Yes ma’am.” Mr.Freehold. He’s a p*****t. Not just any p*****t, an old one. He’s messed with me sexually many times, but he is a man, so, therefore, he’s done no wrong, especially since I’m a Red.  “Now, I asked what is the proper way to serve up lunch to a man?”  “Well, you set out the appetizer plates first. The main dishes should be in the middle of the table and dessert in the kitchen. You’d serve the appetizers, given that the man wants it. You then wait for permission to eat your own, if not permitted to within three minutes, you kneel to the side of the room and await his requests. When he is almost done with appetizers, you then bring his plate and serve everything on it except the meat, a man will always get his meat. Then, if given permission, you fix your own. Never touch the meat. For it is only for a man. Do let a man pick off of your plate if he wishes, but you may not touch his. If not given permission you will return to the side of the room and await requests. When he is finished with his meal, you will clear the table and bring out dessert. After serving the man you will bow, and retire to the kitchen to start the dishes. Then when they are finished, you clear the table, finish the dishes, and tidy up the house.” “Well done, what did you forget though?” “I don’t know ma’am.” I look down at my desk. I didn’t know. I thought I had hit every step. “I know what she forgot. May I?” Evelynn speaks up with a giggle. She is granted permission with a nod. “Well, after you serve dessert you didn’t say how ladies aren’t allowed dessert, and before the dishes, you didn’t go and set out his sleepwear.” “That is right Evelynn.” She got a small smile and class went on. I don’t remember most of it, to be honest. I wasn’t paying attention. I mean, we learn this stuff because we have men to serve. After serving your father, well you get married. Your husband pays a hefty price for you. If you don’t get bought, you help serve your brothers, but I don’t have any brothers, and you probably could pay someone to marry me. As I have said before, I’m a Red. The only Red. Born of a criminal, worse off than peasants. Even the nuns look down on me.   Anyway, I think I’ll skip over lunch. Let just say Mr.Freehold didn’t keep his hands to himself. I wish I was a man.   Now it’s chore time. My fun schedule. First, wake up, prepare breakfast for your section.  If you have permission to eat, well eat. Then you do morning chores. I have to make all the beds and clean all the rooms in my section. That’s 56 rooms, 54 bathrooms, and 168 beds. When you’re done cleaning, you get presentable for a man. That means nicely dressed, hair combed and up, light make-up, and for me, my mother’s necklace. Then you go to class until lunch. In class, you learn how to sit still, shut up, and look pretty. Then you make your lunch if given permission. After lunch, you do your chores. I go shopping on Sundays, and not the fun type Evelynn brags about. I clean all the windows on Mondays, it takes a good five hours to wipe them down until they disappear. I tend to the animals on Tuesdays, that's scooping the litter, cleaning the horse stalls, freshening up the fish tanks, and clearing the grass of any dog doo. On Wednesdays, I stalk up on basic needs, new towels, soaps, hygiene needs, and any other odd tasks for the men of the school. On Thursdays I do laundry. Any bedding and clothes get washed, hand-washed, and shoes get shined and polished, along with jewelry and any accessories. On Fridays, I tend to the children. I burp, feed, and put to sleep the tots of the school. The boys get stories read to them by the men, girls and ladies don't need to read through. Saturday is Picnic Day. I spend half the morning making the picnic for Sir Dandle, Lady Dandle, Ollie, my papa, and I. Then Lady Dandle and I serve the picnic together. Ollie and I bid farewell to our families after and I clean and put away everything used for the picnic. At the end of every day I set out sleepwear for the males I'm assigned to and heat their bed warmers. Then I make a glass of their requested drinks for the night, do any dishes from that day, and finally retire to my room. Today is a Friday, so I’m on my way to the nursery. A boy starts his training to be a man at the age of nine. Girls, however, start their training at the age of three. Any girls under three and boys under nine are in the nursery. The nuns take in orphans, so that's where the babies come from, and the children are starting their schooling. A girl is learning how to curtsy and talk and a boy is learning how to read and write.  “Cherry, Cherry, I learned how to curtsy today. See, see Cherry.” “I see little one, I see.” Her name is Elliot. She's one of the orphans. She’s two and a half, almost ready for training.  “Henry cut all of Bella’s hair off. They won’t let me have another. They said a lady has no use for dolls.” I hate that. A two-year-old has to give up her doll because she's required to become a lady.  “I’m sorry Ellie.” “Miss Jasmine says I'll get a live doll when I’m grown and married. Do you think a man would want to marry me? Do you Cherry?” It's sad to think a two-year-old is already thinking about marriage.  “ Any man would be lucky to have you, Ellie. You are very beautiful, and kind, don't lose your kind, Ellie. It's all you got in this world.”  “ It's not all I got Cherry, I got you don’t I?”  “As long as I can, baby.” She doesn't know about Red yet. She doesn't know my color.  “Maybe one day when you get married, I can go home with you.” She doesn’t know no one will marry me, and that after a while I'll be deemed worthless. I'll lose head then. She doesn't know that, but how do you tell a hope-filled child that she can't be with you cause you'll only drag her down. You can’t. “Of course, baby.”  “ You're a Lady Cherry. You're a Lady.” “If I'm a Lady then you’re a princess.”  “ Lady Cherry.” “Princess Elliot.”  She falls asleep pretty easily. After tucking in all the children, I finish out my day and finally fall asleep. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lucca’s POV Searching for a bride is absolutely exhausting. Meeting all the high ladies of color that are looking for a suitor is insane. Oh, the pain of it all. I don’t want a girl who will listen to any man, I don’t want a quiet girl. I want her to speak her mind and not look at me as a Master, but as a husband and as a friend. I want her to defy me and fight me, and put me in my place. I want to be able to hold her and reassure her that everything’s okay. I don’t want to marry for convenience. I want to marry for love. This is a foolish thought for a prince. My sister is lucky, she’ll get to marry for love if she wishes, but I have to marry for what’s best. My father is pushing toward Lady Reebur, house yellow. I don’t know her much. She's distant. I have to meet her tomorrow. Lucky me.  “Brother, I'd like a visit.” It’s Evelynn. I can’t right now, I’ll snap at her. My patience is already running thin.  “Visit tomorrow.” “But it is important.” “Fine, hurry.” She scurries in the door and turns to me with a grin on her face. “You're moving. To the west wing, you could end up in Styx’s section. Wouldn’t that be nice?” Styx, my sister has liked him since they’d first met. How sad considering he doesn’t want to settle down.  “Yes, yes.” “Oh and Lady Reebur runs his section.” “Yes, that’s nice.” “You know why you're moving?” “No, do enlighten me.” “Father thinks you’ll take interest in a female if you live close to them. So you have to choose a lady soon.” “Yes, yes maybe I will find a lady I like.” “Okay, that is all I wished to visit about.” “Then go.” “Goodbye.” “Goodbye.” Moving, more ladies. Sounds interesting. Exhausting too, I should head to bed. I really should. I won't. My mind is too busy. I'll go visit my friend instead. I slowly make my way to the nursery and sneak in. "Hey Little El, you up?" "Yeah, I'm up, what are you doing here tonight?" "Couldn't sleep, I have a busy mind." "You're silly, Mr. Sir." "Oh yeah? How?" "How can your mind be busy?" I forget she's so young sometimes. She seems ladylike already, but I don't know if that's a good thing. "Well, your mind can be busy when you have a lot of thoughts, for example, the King's mind is busy when he's thinking about his country and what's best for it, you understand?" "Yeah, kinda. It's alright though, if it's important the teachers will teach me." "Yeah, I guess so." "Can read me a book, Mr. Sir?" "What kind of book do you want me to read?" "The one about the prince who saves his princess, and they live happily ever after?" "The Story of Prince Guthorn and his Lady Kisty?" "Yeah. Have you found your Lady?" "No, I've met a lot of Ladies, but none of them are right for me, they want to be, but they're not what I want in a wife."  "Are the bad Ladies?"  "No but you see that's the problem, they're too good, they're not real with me, they just want to please me, you see, I want someone who will tell me when I'm wrong, not let my ego get too big. That girl doesn't exist in today's society though." " I hope you find your Lady, Mr.Sir." She lets out a yawn and drifts off to sleep. "I do too." I place a kiss on her forehead and cover her up. I make my way back to my room, and soon fall asleep imagining my perfect woman, My Lady.