The next morning
629 Words
She awoke to a heavy rapping at the door. It felt like rising from the bottom of the ocean waking and leaving the most comfortable sleep she had in her life. The rapping he the door started again as she dragged a hand to try flatten and tame her hair which felt softer than clouds, and had dried to a dark honey color after her bath last night.
She opened the door to the sight of the serious and dark haired maid, who she had seen when she first came to these rooms. She carried a basket on one arm, and a fabric bundle in the other. Melia greeted her with a bright smile, but got only a suspicious look in return.
“Good morning”, she girl said briskly “I have things for you as demanded by our lordship,” her voice was tougher than her small frame suggested. Melia opened the door wide,
“Please come in,” As the let the girl past. The maid set the basket down on the table and then unrolled the bundle in her arms. Out flowed a bouquet of ruffles, lace and white trims. Melia still wearing her tattered dress from last night, now with extra rumples from sleeping in gasped at the bundle of new clothes.
“Sir Tristen requested we set you up with some clothes today, the girls will come by with some finer things later but this will have to do for today I’m sorry my lady.” The girl said bluntly, her face still sour. Melia raised a brow at her words.
“These are beyond words, thank you very much.” Melia said taking them from her. “Though I don’t think I am worthy of your kind words, I’m no lady.” A small bark of a laugh came out of the girl as she unpacked the basket to reveal sweet smelling fresh fruit and breads.
“My lady I can tell that for how you turned up dressed in dust and rags yesterday, but Sir Tristen is telling us that’s what you are, so for fear of life and god everyone will be calling you that.” There was something about this girl that Melia liked and she couldn’t help but smile at her irreverence.
“What is your name? You make it seem like everyone is as scared of him as your fiend was yesterday” She asked quickly as she snuck behind a screen to strip of her layer and slip on the smooth and soft white undergarments.
“I’m Farrah, and you should believe they are. Most of them are waiting for him to turn them into little lizards or slithering snakes.” Melia laughed as she struggled to do up the buttons at the back of the undershirt. She was surprised by Farrah's face coming round the screen with her hands on her hips. As Melia jumped to cover up, the girl knocked her hands away and skillfully clicked the buttons into place then helped to pull her dress over it all.
“Don't you laugh, he has been known to do worse to those that cross him. The last new girl lasted a week before she tried to get a little light-fingered, we don’t know exactly what happened to her but we didn’t see her again after he dragged her into his study. But this dress of hers definitely looks better on you.” She had expertly done up the dress as her mouth nattered on. Melia craned her neck to the small mirror on the wall and admired how the high neckline on the sky-blue dress covered the scars about her collarbone.
“Thank you Farrah, I really appreciate it. Can I ask you a favor? Will you show me about the place today?” she asked as the girl bustled her over to the table laden with breakfast. Shedding all the formality she had entered the room with Farrah sat down opposite her.
“Sure,” she shrugged and finally showed a ghost of a smile on her face.
- Writer
