Esther^^^
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My body was shaking with anticipation as I tried to sneak across the old, creaky floor boards.
'Waking Ian up would be a nightmare. He'd want me to stay and be his little arm trophy for the rest of the day.' I think with an exaggerated eye roll.
I opened the door praying to the gods it doesn't creak. I slowly closed the door with a 'click' then hastily slid my black mary janes on.
I ran.
Or tried to.
crowded places were difficult to run in. I ended up settling for a speed walk. I was heading straight for the castle. I ignored the aching in my stomach and the dryness of my throat. I could worry about all of that after I got a job.
'I said I would work any job, but I'm gonna be pissed if they make me clean the stables.' I thought somewhat fearing that they were gonna make me work outside, I heard their winters got below the negatives.
In the southern continent we only had 2 seasons summer and sall. Summer was hot and dry. Most days, I thought I'd melt. Sall is warm and the sun caresses your skin perfectly, but there's a cold breeze in the air that'll chill you to your bones if you're not careful.
I'll miss that about home. The never varying seasons and the warm skies. I miss my home already. I'm here for a reason though, and if i don't get this job my family is going to starve. I'm willing to do anything. Anything to give them a better life.
I was slightly out of breath when I reached the castle. The grand black gates and guards clad in silvery black uniforms were the only things keeping me from barging in and demanding I get a job.
Before I could take a step closer, the garuds crossed their swords over the gate in an 'X' shape.
"I'd like to see the head maid. I want to ask for a job." I said firmly. I was not about to let some dumb power-hungry guards get in my way.
"We do not need anymore maids." The guard on the left stated in a bored tone, glaring in my direction.
"Let her in, and stop being so rude to possible applicants." Someone from behind the gates scolded.
"Uhm... hello?" I said unsure of who was back there.
The guards sighed and swung open the gates with a grunt . The guard on the left glared at me as I walked through. I turned my head and stuck my tongue out in a playful manner.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed him roll his eyes. I couldn't contain the small smirk that made its way onto my lips.
"Hello miss, I heard you were looking for a job? Good. Because we have some openings in the maid quarters. Some of our older maids retired and with the banquet coming up we need all the help we can get. Follow me please." The scrawny older women rambled on and on.
I smiled at her gently and nodded. Her face had gone slightly red from saying so much in one breath.
"What's your name?" She asked, curiously glancing to me.
"Elide..... Elide Asp." I said quickly forming a fake last name.
I had no issues with people knowing who I was, but if i got into trouble here i didn't want anyone to be able to track me back to my family. Not that i was planning on getting into trouble, but just as a precaution.
"Pleasure to have you here Elide. I'm Rusè, the head maid." I nodded towards her and smiled. "I overheard you saying you were looking for a job, correct?"
"mhm, I'm willing to do any job you give me. I'm good at cleaning and baking, but i'm also good with animals and children. I could learn how to garden, and... and-"
"You will work as a maid. I'll show you where the kitchen is and where your room is. You start tomorrow. If you ever need help, ask another maid." Rusè cut off my rambling.
I nodded at her.
"Thank you, I won't disappoint."
"I sure hope not." Rusè mumbled under her breath.
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Rusè had shown me the main kitchen, the greenhouse, the laundromat, the garbage shoot, the maid quarters and my bed, the banquet rooms, and the dining halls. This castle was huge. I had tried to make a mental map of everything, but i'm sure i'll get lost.
I was now sitting in the maids quarters on my bunk bed. I hadn't brought anything with me except my satchel and the clothes I'm wearing now. That's going to be the first thing I do when I get paid, buy new clothes.
The castle provides maids with their everyday uniform and a formal uniform plus shoes to go with each, they provide the maids with housing and food as well. If I ever wanted to leave the castle, I would need different clothes.
I sighed thinking of how I'm going to divide my paycheck between my family and myself. I don't need to worry about food or housing. Only clothing. I could give most of my paycheck to them, and save a few coins for myself.
I bit my lip.
'What if the money isn't enough for me and them? What if there's only enough money for one person? I'll take the money for the first paycheck and get myself new clothes, every paycheck after that is going to them. I don't need any extra money to treat myself. If i want something that badly, I can pick up extra hours.'
I sighed once again. This is tiring.
My eyes widened when I realized.
'I can finally shower!'
I had made sure to keep myself looking presentable enough to get a job on my journey over here, and before going to the tavern last night I bought some more water to clean up a little more. My mother had even made a mixture of flowers and tea leaves to rub on myself once I got here.
I swiftly climbed off the top bunk, almost falling a few times as a skittered off to the place Rusè had shown me earlier.
The bathing area was connected to the sleeping quarters by a plain oak door. I opened the fort to be met with rows of showers divided by horizontal pieces of polished stone. I cringed realizing there were no doors on the shower stalls. Everyone would be able to see me naked.
I wasn't insecure about my body in the slightest. In the southern continent I had the ideal body, but these were women I had never met before. I didn't exactly want them to see me naked when I don't even know their names.
I decided to bask in the fact that I was the only one here right now. If i got my chores done early, I could take a shower before anyone else and I wouldn't have to worry.
I slowly peeled away my dirty dress making a mental note to ask the laundry maid to wash it with my maid uniform. I turned on the water and let out a yelp as the cold drops assaulted my warm skin.
I had at least hoped for the water to be warm.
I hadn't been under the water for more than 5 minutes and my teeth were already chattering. Rusè had told me there would be soap in the shower stalls, she was right.
There was white vanilla scented soap in a clear bottle in the right corner of the shower. I tired as quickly as I could to wash and rinse my body. I don't want to be under this freezing water longer than I have to.
I got out wrapping a rough towel around me as I made my way back to the maid room to get the pajamas provided by the castle. They were a washed out blue color. The pants were long and a size or so bigger than needed to be, the shirt was baggy and made me too like I was drowning.
I wasn't short nor overly skinny. I was around 5"8 and I weighed like 190 pounds. I could only imagine what these clothes must be like for the really skinny girls. I felt bad, couldn't they just get pajamas in all sizes?
When I finished putting on my pajamas, the moon was high in the sky and shining through the skillfully crafted glass windows of the maid quarters.
I crawled back up to the top bunk knowing that the other maids will most likely be finishing up their chores by now and heading back. I hoped they wouldn't be too noisy and I would be able to sleep through them.
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"Elide...? That's her name right?"
"Yes. Just wake her up. I don't care how you do it, but try to play nice Esther."
"Eliiiiideeeeeee! You're gonna miss your shift!!! Rusè doesn't like late people! ELIDE!"
I jolted awake startled by my name being screamed out.
"Esther you're going to wake the entire castle!" A taller woman with light brown skin and brown hair hissed towards the girl who had woken me.
"Sorry Aven!" The short red head, or Esther sheepishly mumbled back. A slight smile adorning her face.
"Get ready. you're going to be late. well wait for you, but don't take long." Aven said with little emotion.
I nodded and pulled away the covers. Esther jumped down the ladder and followed Aven out of the room.
I pulled out my maid uniform from the drawer. The plain black dress with some white accents almost touched the floor. The shoulders puffed out very slightly at the elbow, and became skin tight along the rest of the sleeves. there was white lace detailing around the waist area up to the shoulder area where the lace flared out.
Next to the drawers there were shiny black combat boots. I slipped my feet into them and rushed out the door, hoping I hadn't taken too long.
Aven and Esther were waiting for me, as soon as they saw me they started walking right, towards the kitchen. Rusè had told me yesterday that we meet there everyday to get our list of chores and breakfast.
Esther pushed open the kitchen door letting it swing, unlike Esther, Aven held the door for me.
I flashed Aven a smile and walked through the door. I had only been shown the kitchen briefly, and holy shit. It was huge. There were maids bustling around already and cooks making breakfast. The aroma of the food had my stomach grumbling loudly. Loudly enough that Esther started laughing.
"How long has it been since you ate? Rusè wasn't at dinner last night so i'm assuming you were with her?" Esther says between laughs
Aven rolls her eyes at Esther's cheery mood.
I smile and nod, "Yeah, she was showing me around, but I still don't have a clue where stuff is."
Esther snickers, "I've been here for 8 years and I still get lost."
"8 years?" I gasp shocked
"Yep, Aven's been here even longer."
I look to where Aven once was to see she had left. I look around to find her conversing with another maid.
She's average height with dark brown eyes and wavy blonde hair. Her hair was styled to be half up half down which nicely complemented her slightly tanned skin. She was laughing at something Aven had said.
"That's Cade, she's Aven's girlfriend. Or at least that's what everyone says. I've known Aven since I was here and she always avoids the topic." Esther huffs obviously upset about her friend lying to her.
"Maybe she just didn't want people to know?" I say trying to lessen Esther's glare towards Cade.
"Where's Rusè? She's supposed to give us our chore list right?"
"Yeah she's supposed to. But she doesn't." Esther rolls her eyes. "She leaves them on the table and tells us to start our chores at seven."
"Why? What's she doing?" I furrow my eyebrows
"Well, she says she's going into town, but she never specifies what. she could be doing anything!" Esther yells, throwing her arms into the air.
Some people turned to look at her, trying to find the source of the noise.
Esther's face heated up and I couldn't help the laugh that slipped out at the embarrassed look on her face.
I was about to tease her when the kitchen door was aggressively flung open.
"Elide!" An older woman who closely resembled Rusè yelled my name.
I looked at Esther to see she had the same confused look on her face that I did.
"Yes?" I say walking towards her, "I'm Elide, what do you need?" I started to get nervous. I had only been here for a few hours, what did i do?
"Rusè wanted me to inform you that the maid who was originally going to clean the kings' rooms had become deathly ill. She says that since it's your first day, you don't have many chores. The rest of the girls are too busy. You have to clean the kings rooms and bring them their breakfast." She finishes in a flat voice.
I look back at Esther and notice how everyone else in the kitchen had stilled as well.
"Ok. Where are their rooms?" I said confidently, in all honesty, I'm confused as to why everyone looks nervous.
"When you leave the kitchen keep walking right, you'll know which rooms are theirs. When you go in, be quiet and don't wake them up. Don't turn on a light or open the curtains. Set their food on the kitchen table and clean. Then leave. Be as quiet as possible." She speaks flatly like a robot.
"Ok...." I don't exactly know how to respond to what she's said.
She scans the room then turns around to leave.
I turn around to look at Esther. I notice Aven is standing next to Esther again.
"What just happened?" I ask, stunned. My eyes were blown wide.
"I-I don't know?" Esther's brows furrowed as she tries to think.
"Quick question...." I trail off, "Who are your kings?"
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TYSM FOR 4 READS! IK ITS NOT A LOT BUT IT MEANS SM TO ME!!!
Word count: 2,383
Thank you for reading! What do you think abt this chapter? i feel like there could be more talking. I feel like it was a little bland too.....