Chapter Seven
1229 Words
Lisa was right. The room became extremely chilly a short while after I had slept. I woke up with my teeth chattering from cold. My breath came out in short pants and I wasn't told before I scrambled up to my bed with my blanket wrapped around me. Saying a silent apology to the former occupant of the bed, I fell back into an uneasy sleep.
A shrilly noise work me up from my sleep with a start.
Geez. What time is it? I thought to myself looking out the tiny window. It was still dark outside and the sun hadn't yet risen.
"Time to wake up" Lisa said in a singsong voice shaking me awake.
Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes."I'm up. Enough".
We head to the bathroom to freshen up but had to wait in a long queue before it got to our turn. Finally through, we headed back to our room and Lisa taps my shoulder.
"This is for you" she says handing me new set of clothes. These covered me better than my yesterday's clothes and I hugged her tight, thanking her.
After dressing up, we head to the servants dining room. The room was filled with tables and each table seated about 10 people. Lisa took us to our table and we were served a grey lumpy substance.Turning to Lisa, I ask "What is this?"
"Food"
Taking a bite of my 'food' I make a face.
"But I thought yesterday_" I trailed off at the look of alarm on Lisa's face.
"Look, Arya. Yesterday was only because you were new. Sam gave you some of the master's food. This is ours" she whispered.
I scrunched up my face with disgust. Even canned foods was better than this.
I could only keep down a few spoons of the food and I was still hungry by the time Lisa handed me a broom and dustpan. We headed to master Agyris chambers and found the room empty.
"Does the master get up this early?"
"Yes, I don't usually meet him in the mornings"
"Then when do you?"
"Only when he wants me to" she shrugged.
It took us hours to sweep, lay the bed, fold the clothes littered on the floor, wash and mop the floor. I was a panting mess by the time Lisa nodded her head in approval and said we were done.
We moved to the corridor and began dusting and cleaning the statues and windows. As I cleaned one window and breathed in the fresh air, I saw some servants with collars outside.
"Lisa, how come we can't go outside the palace but they can?"
"We are castle servants but they are servants of commoners"
I frowned wondering if it wasn't better to be a commoner's slave, at least I can walk outside and sit in the sun.
Excusing myself, I told Lisa I had to urinate and went in the direction of the servants quarters. Despite her directions, I was soon wandering around lost. This part of the castle seemed empty of people and only large portraits of past queens seemed to decorate the walls. The first portrait was of a woman with luscrious golden blonde hair cascading down her back, her black eyes shone brightly even through the painting and I wondered again why Drusus and this woman had black eyes while the rest had red eyes. A little golden crown was wedged in between dark horns on her head and her neck was littered in jewels. She wore a red gown with a long slit at the side revealing a black leather pants and a sword with jeweled hilt was strapped at her waist. The next portrait was of a man with the same sword strapped at his waist and the same crown on his head. I could see the resemblance to the previous woman and deduced her to be his daughter.
"That is Late king Lucin, my father" said a voice snapping me out of my thoughts. Turning to the voice I saw the same person in the portrait made to life except she was more beautiful in person but looked really pale and frail. Master Agyris had his eyes narrowed at me from behind the queen.
I try a courtesy as I had seen Lisa do but fumble with my courtesy and she laughs heartily.
"Get up now my dear, what are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry, your majesty. I was lost and then I started admiring the pictures"
"It's okay. Show her the way" she said smiling to a furious looking Agyris.
Bowing to the Queen, Agyris gripped my arm and dragged me away from the portrait hall.
"What were you doing there?" He demanded.
"I was lost just as I said to the Queen" At the narrowing of his eyes, I quickly added 'Master' smiling sheepishly.
"Follow me"
Just those two words sent fear coursing through me and I gulped loudly. I followed him to his chambers and as soon as the door closed, Agyris rounded up on me.
"Lisa has taught you nothing. You don't even know how to curtesy"
"Huh..I just got here yesterday, it's not Lisa's fault"
"You're even talking back. You are meant to look down when I'm talking to you"
"Excuse me but I'm not your servant"
"Yes, you are. I bought you, remember?" he smirked. With lightening speed, he crossed the room and had me pinned against the wall by my throat. "I do not condone any form of disrespect from anyone. This is your last warning"
Lisa comes running in at that moment and bows to Agyris.
"From now on, Arya reports directly to me. She's to do my quarters and serve my food all by herself." He lets go off my throat and I slide to the floor sputtering and coughing.
"Yes master"
"You can both go now" Agyris says with a wave of his hand.
I was seething inside. Only I and Lisa took hours to clean her quarters. How long will it take only me.
'Why did I have to run my mouth' internally beating my self up.
"What exactly happened, Arya?" Lisa asks and I explain in details.
"Well you shouldn't have talked back at him. He is your master and that was wrong" she shrugged.
You've got to be kidding me. It was like she had eaten a 'master can do no wrong pill'.
"You don't see anything wrong in making me clean his whole quarters?" I ask incredulously.
"You deserved it. He even let you off easy, he could have thrown you on the dungeon to spend the night there. You have to let it sink it that you're a slave here and he can order you to do anything"
Fuming, I ignore her through out the walk to our room and flop on my bed. A sharp pressure has me rushing to the toilet to relieve myself.
"Arya I am sorry. I should have taken your side, it's just that I can't help but be grateful to Master Agyris"
"Why? What did he do?" I asked my curiosity piqued.
"I was formerly Master Drusus's servant and he treated us badly, even worse than a breeder. We were beaten at the slightest mistake Master Agyris bought me from him and saved me"
Hmm..maybe he wasn't that bad. My hate for Drusus kept spiking up.
Finally understanding her loyalty, I hug her."it's okay".
"It won't be that bad. I'll help you in anyway I can" she says reassuringly.
The bell for dinner rang and we hurry to the dining room laughing and telling cracking jokes.
- Writer
