Born to be a slave.

14

I watched my face on Edmund's dark shiny floor, while I cleaned it. This was one of the tasks I was to do for him every day. Also cleaning and sorting out his clothes, but that usually came with Fiona's help. I was not so skilled and I thought Edmund did not trust me with such an important job to be taken care of only by me - a child. 

As I look in my reflection I saw that I had gained some weight. My complexion was healthier-looking, with rounder and rosier cheeks. It had gained some color of liveliness. I felt better. More strength and energy seeped through me, all thanks to foods Edmund ordered me to eat. I didn't mind, but I always got those stares from servants around me, especially from Adele. Seemed like I was on her nerves, but I never remembered doing anything to her, to receive such a cold attitude. Month ago she got scolded pretty bad by Edmund for giving me a food fit for pigs.... or even worse. I didn't know what my Master told her then, but now she did everything she was asked in concerns of me. 

I was no part of their class, even though I did the same jobs. I was told, that only Edmund was allowed to order me around and no one else had a word over me. It was hard for me to comprehend my situation. I was a slave, but better-taken care of than a servant. I had more freedom than them, better food and clothing. What was I? In my head, a concept of a slave was totally different - someone who worked without a reward, endured the punishments for even minor mistakes, had no voice. What was I to Edmund - a slave?

I shook my head to dismiss the thoughts and continued to scrub the floor. My master was laying in a bed, relaxing and reading a book or something of that sort. Maybe those were his homework, that his teacher had given him? He studied every day. Edmund had his own teacher, who came to this property every day. I had not seen her. He left me by myself at the time of his studies. 

I heard his book shut loudly and it startled me. Unwillingly my body made a tiny jump. Edmund held a book tight in his palms and gave me a never-ending smile, corners of his lips slightly up. 

"I have decided that you have to get educated."

"Educated? How do you mean it?"

"You will have to learn things, broaden your knowledge about the world you are living in and of course learn to count and read."

"Why?"

"Because you are dumb as a sack of potatoes. You can't even count to ten."

"I...I am not dumb...." I said to myself.

"What did you say?" Edmund asked enthusiastically.

"N...nothing, Master." I continued my work on the floor.

"Master?" His voice sounded a little bit annoyed.

"E...Edmund....sorry."

He really didn't like it when I called him a master, but every time I said his name, I felt a little disrespectful towards him. Never in my life, I had dared to address my owner just by name. Even others around me gave glances hearing me calling him like that. Edmund, on the other hand, accented on it every time, when it was not done. It was his order and I should obey.

"After dinner, Thea."

"Thea!"

"THEA!"

"I am... s...sorry." I realized I have been zoned out again and had missed his words.

"After dinner we will go to garden and I will teach you something."

"Yes, Edmund."

He made a small smile and was back reading his book. 

"Will you be eating in your room, Edmund?"

"No. Today by the dinner table. And you too."

I did not answer him. I felt very awkward every time we had a meal in that room. His parents were always present and other servants were walking around and doing their job too. I was being served food just like my owners. It was not a pleasant feeling to feel all eyes on me, even his mother's and father's. But never they said a word about me nor objected my presence. But deep down I knew they wouldn't wish for me to be in place next to nobles.

"OK."

My thoughts went back to his parents. They were as strange as Edmund himself. I imagined that a real family spends lots of time together, enjoying each other's company. Nothing of it I saw from my master's family. They seemed to be cold towards his own son. Edmund rarely was having dinner with them and in those occasions, they kept quiet all the while they were eating. Sometimes his dad asked him about his day, but the mother was not batting an eye on him. Like he was not even there. 

Edmund did not remind me of any of his parents. Only his father a little bit. They both had the same colored hair, the shape of their eyes and those thick dark eyelashes. In later days Edmund might look like his father with the same kind of physic - broad shoulders, lean, sturdy body and quite tall too, but not now as a child.

His mother looked nothing like him. She had dark blond hair, wavy and always put up in fancy hairstyle. Her body was a lot smaller than her husband's. Edmund's mother was very beautiful with those light brown eyes and to my surprise her face looked rather kind. So I was not sure what kind of person she is..... very quiet and mysterious. She did not talk a lot...

But none of Edmund's parents haad those strange eyes. None of the humans seen in my life had ever had such a bizarre color. Maybe he was not the child of his parents? Maybe that's why they are so cold to him?

I didn't know what to think about it... I was a little afraid to just ask him, why no one in his family seemed to love him. What if he got angry?

Maybe someday I will know the answers.