A shiver runs through me as I stir in the morning. I hug the soft bedsheets close to my body, savoring their warmth. The chill alone is enough to remind me that I am no longer home. I have left the warm, humid country of Landiani behind for a much chillier Esterpool.
I rise from bed and pull the curtains from the window, allowing sunlight to stream through. The window affords a pleasant view of Esterpool. A fine mist has settled over the green hills as the morning sun rises. It is hauntingly beautiful, but I already feel a pang of homesickness inside me. While I may have slept peacefully, I do not look forward ot the day ahead.
One of the chefs delivers a plate of hot breakfast to my bedroom shortly after I wake. I pick at it its contents, not very satisfied with the flavor, though I suppose my meager appetite does not help its case. I suppose learning to enjoy Magnuvian food will be one of the hardest adjustments during my time in Esterpool.
I exit my bedroom and run a bath for myself. It is yet another new experience for me, being able to bathe so easily here. Normally, I am used to fetching water from the well back in Landiani and heating it, but hot water pours out of the faucet with ease here. Once filled, I sink into the bathtub slowly and let out a sigh of content. I take the time to wash all the grime and dirt that I acquired from the long journey here. I find it ironic how mournful I am when I watch the dirt dissolve in the bathwater. While hikes through the Landiani Jungle were never my favorite, I am slowly losing everything that once tied me to my homeland.
After drying my body, I stare disappointedly at the outfit in front of me. It is just as Taika described; a long dark gown that covers my arms and legs almost entirely. I finagle awkwardly with it at first, praying I won't need to ask for Alba's assistance when she comes to retrieve me. I am supposed to be Fe, a former maid from Magewell. I cannot afford to reveal my weaknesses this early into my mission. Thankfully, I figure out how to successfully tie the white ribbons and apron, and after I pin my hair back, I am able to successfully situate the bonnet on my head as well.
I return back to my bedroom to stare at myself in the mirror. It appears Taika's lessons did pay off. I look like a proper maid. Although, as I turn my body, I begrudgingly pull at the sleeves and tuck a few stray strands of hair back into my bun. I'm not used to wearing such tight, restrictive clothing, and I've rarely not kept my hair down. It'll be an adjustment, for sure.
A knock at my door causes me to jolt.
"C-Come in," I stammer.
The door creaks quietly, revealing Alba at the doorway. "Good to see you awake and ready for the day, Fe. Have you had something to eat?" she asks.
I turn around to face her, hoping she can't sense my discomfort. I may look like a maid, but I certainly do not feel like one, and I am even more nervous about playing the part than keeping up the appearance.
"Yes. The cooks brought by something this morning," I explain.
"Good. Are all your belongings gathered? I'll take you to the maid quarters so you can receive proper introductions from the other young ladies. Your room is finally prepared, so you may set your things down there."
I reach for my leather pack seated beside my bed. "I'm ready," I tell her.
"Then follow me," Alba instructs.
I nervously walk beside her. We head back down the same hallway we walked the day before, except this time, we continue walking west, past the main entrance to the estate. I try not to linger like yesterday, though the portraits of the royal family on the walls and the various vases of blooming flowers gather my attention at every second. At one point, we pass by a window that outlooks onto a sprawling garden. I'm only able to sneak a quick glance; Alba walks too quickly for me to get a proper view. Finally, Alba opens a side door leading to the outside. A rush of cold air hits my body. Though springtime, the morning air is still rather chilly in Esterpool. I suddenly wonder how Lagi will survive the treacherous winter temperatures in the Kilneu mountains if the early morning air of Esterpool is enough to make me crave the warm beaches of Tetoa again.
"The quarters are not adjoined to the estate's main building?" I ask.
Alba shakes her head and points directly toward a smaller brick building beind the main estate that looks as if it could hold a large family or two smaller ones. It lines up against the iron gates of the estate, and to the left, I can see another small gate that must allow an additional entrance and exit into the estate. I glance to the side; lush gardens make up the western side of the estate. The hedges block my view of any flowers, but I am comforted to know that I'll at least be near some nature, as artificial as it may be.
"Those are her Highness's gardens," Alba explains when she sees my gaze fixating on the bushes. "She specially requested them to be put here. The gardeners have done an excellent job maintaining them over the years. We will stop by on our tour later today. For now, it's time for you to meet the other maids."
I nod, following Alba down the cobblestone pathway to my new home. Alba opens the door to the maid's quarters slowly, with the same commanding presence she did when she entered my room earlier this morning. I trail behind her, trying to calm my racing heartbeat. Whoever these new maids are, I will need to convince them of my allegiance to Magnuvia. A good first impression will be crucial.
"Ladies," Alba calls. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."
We turn the corner of the hallway, and I am given my first view of the living quarters. The walls are cream-colored, decorated with floral wallpaper. To the left, there is a primary living space with long couches seated around a fireplace. The maids must regularly congregate here. A large, square window allows light to pour into this space. To the right is a small kitchen and sitting table that do not appear to be in much use judging by how clean they appear. Ahead, there is another hallway that joins the living space, which an influx of young women begin to pour out of.
Immediately, I realize I stand out. The other maids all appear to be Magnuvian natives. They are all taller than me with freckles and fair skin. Though thankfully, they all appear to be around my age, within a decade of me or so. I dryly gulp, awaiting introductions.
"We have a new maid joining our ranks today," Alba states. "Meet Fe. She traveled far from Landiani to join us."
The new maids eye me suspiciously. While the doors and windows are shut, it certainly feels like a cold blast of morning air has entered the room. Thankfully, a young woman on the right, who appears to be the same age as Kiana, greets me with a smile. She is fair and freckled with brunette curls that peek out of her bonnet.
"You're my new roommate, then!" she exclaims. "I've been waiting to meet you!"
"Fe, meet your bunkmate, Maria Morgan," Alba says.
Maria reaches out to shake my hand. "Nice to meet you, Fe. I'm still new around here, too. I'm sure we'll be great companions in no time."
I immediately plan to stick close to her, given she is the only maid thus far who has greeted me with a smile. I am thankful suddenly that she is my roommate, rather than the remaining women who stare at me. Their facial expressions are empty, reflecting no emotion that I can quite decipher.
Alba first gestures to the woman standing beside Maria. She is by far the oldest out of the four maids standing in front of me, although Alba most certainly is double her age. The maid's dirty blonde hair is pulled so tightly into a bun that it looks like her facial features are being painfully stretched. I hope that is the reason she stares at me like a bug that must be squashed.
"Josie Powell," she says before Alba can introduce her. "I've been here the longest, second to Alba, of course." She gives me a flimsy handshake before returning her gaze back to anywhere else in the room but me.
"And this is Zofia Carter," Alba says, pointing to another woman standing in the line-up. Whereas Josie's hair appears as the color of straw, Zofia's is more like a warm sunshine, slightly orange-tinted. She gives me a similarly weak handshake and also returns to saying nothing, just as Josie does beside her.
"And finally, this is Arabelle Riley," Alba says, her gaze landing on the brunette young woman standing at the farthest end. She looks most similarly to my age, no doubt in her early twenties. I realize her facial features are slightly different from the other woman, and she stands a few inches shorter than them, closer in height to me.
"Arabelle is also from the colonies," Maria notes.
"Yes. Flumensia," Arabelle says simply.
Arabelle and I briefly make eye contact at this comment. I am relieved to that another maid from the colonies is serving the princess, although I worry at the same time. She knows firsthand the pain of living in a country colonized by Magnuvia. She will no doubt be more wary of my actions as a result.
"Maria, why don't you show Fe your room?" Alba suggests. "I need to go over today's duties with the other maids."
Maria nods eagerly at this suggestion. "This way, Fe," she says. We depart from the main living area down a separate hallway lined with bedrooms. "Josie sleeps in this room here," Maria says, pointing toward the first door on the left. She turns toward her right, pointing to another shut door. "And Zofia and Arabelle share this room." Her feet continue to clack against the wooden floor of the hallway until she stops at the final bedroom in the back of the hall. "And this is where we'll be staying!" she exclaims.
Alba is right; my permanent bedroom is certainly a step down in luxury from where I stayed the night before. There is a single bunkbed, a closet space, a desk, and a few dressers. The walls are white and barren. The only touch of decoration in the room are the pale silk curtains covering the window that allow small amount of sunlight inside. I hide my displeasure as best as I can. Thankfully, Maria is eager to continue speaking.
"I emptied the top dresser drawers for you," Maria explains. "And I left some space in the closet as well," she says, opening the closet door to reveal to me the empty racks from where she's moved some of her belongings over. "I hope you don't mind having the top bunk?"
"That's fine," I say, although if I have any plans to sneak out in the middle of the night, that will be a problem. I set my things down on the dresser and begin unpacking the few of my belongings.
"I'm excited to have a roommate again," Maria says happily.
"Did you have a former roommate?" I ask.
"Yes. She was from Landiani too," Maria explains. "We both became maids to Princess Asteria at the same time, just about a year ago. She went back home after a few months."
"Oh. Sorry to hear," I murmur. This bit of information concerns me. I wonder what could have compelled the former Landiani maid to leave so quickly. It will be a mystery I'll have to investigate during my time here. "You didn't stay with Josie afterwards? She doesn't have a roommate either, correct?"
"Josie is second-in-command to Alba, so she gets her own room," Maria explains. "This space does have the capacity to host six maids, but Princess Asteria prefers to keep a smaller number. Four to five has always been ideal, not including Alba."
"Have you met the princess?" I ask.
"I have! I'm not scheduled to care for her today, but I usually bring her meals on the days she does not eat in the dining room. I'm often in charge of her laundry, as well."
"What is she like?" I wonder.
Maria opens her mouth to answer, but Alba suddenly appears in the doorframe.
"Settled, Fe?" Alba asks.
"I suppose so," I respond. I look at my pile of belongings, realizing there was not much to unpack anyways.
"Then let's continue our tour. You'll have time to socialize with Maria and the other maids later this evening," Alba explains.
"I'll see you later, then," I tell Maria.
"Have a good tour, Fe!" she responds gleefully, waving as we depart. The other maids give me brief and courteous goodbyes, though their responses all lack the obvious enthusiasm Maria emits. I suppose I will have to wait to learn more about their dynamic until later this evening, when we are all in the living quarters together.
As Alba and I exit the living quarters to return to the main building of the estate, Alba turns to me.
"How do you find the other maids?" she asks.
"I-I've only just met them," I stammer.
"It is good you are here. Miss Morgan was most excited to have another roommate," Alba explains. "Tell me, did you serve with other maids in Magewell?"
I try not to falter in my answer. "Occasionally. I was the main maid for the Hollands and took on the majority of the responsibilities."
Alba nods. "I see. I hope you know that the maids here function best as a team. We have lost maids in the past for a poor attitude and an inability to conform with the standards here. Our common purpose is to serve the princess. Don't forget that."
"Of course. I see no reason for me to not get along with the others," I say.
"Good. Then I hope you will fit in well with the maids here. Of course, the princess's opinion on you will be the most important," Alba says. We re-enter the main building of the estate to resume our tour.
"When will I have the honor of meeting the princess?" I wonder.
Alba's chuckle in response makes me uncomfortable.
"Is something funny?" I ask.
"I conditionally approved your application to become a maid at Esterpool, but the deal is not yet solidified. Taika must not have provided you with all the details. The maids here must undergo a probationary period to ensure that they are completing the duties of a maid as diligently as possible. Once I can see that you've been working hard and fitting in with the other maids, you will be granted the opportunity to meet the princess and begin serving her," Alba explains.
"And that probationary period is how long?"
"A few weeks' time, possibly less if I am satisfied with your performance," Alba explains. "Now, shall we continue on the tour?"
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
I try not to let the shock shine on my face as I accompany Alba through the building. I do not think that Taika was deliberately keeping these details from me; rather, I am sure he was unaware. I worry how much this will set me back by – a week? Possibly months? I am sure my mother will be dissatisfied with that information.
"You are familiar with the dining facilities a little already," Alba says.
We resume our tour on the first floor of the estate. She has shown me multiple guest bedrooms, the meeting rooms where the royal advisors congregate with the princess, and now, we pass by where I slept the night prior to see the dining facilities. The kitchen is the largest I've ever seen, though I doubt it compares to the facilities in Magewell. I watch the chefs work diligently as they prepare meals much finer than I'm sure the other maids and I will ever eat.
We pass through the kitchen doors to a large dining area. A few servants sit and eat around the long rectangular table, although it is clear that the room is mainly intended for the princess when she eats her meals. Alba explains to me that I'll sometimes be expected to help the chefs serve and clean up after the princess has eaten. Of course, she reminds me that these are tasks that will become more applicable once I am past my probationary period, as I am not allowed any contact with the princess for the time being.
The upstairs is similarly laid out to the downstairs; there are numerous bedrooms – some for guests, some for staff – some sitting quarters, and finally, a balcony in the east corridor for hanging up the princess's laundry.
"The west corridor is where the princess resides," Alba explains. "My bedroom is adjacent to hers. However, due to the constraints of your probation, I will not be showing you that area today."
I am let down at this fact, hoping I could at the very least get an idea of the layout if I needed to sneak around sometime in the future, but I have no choice but to comply. As we make our way back out of the main house to head toward the gardens, Alba takes this time to run over some crucial logistics.
"You will be granted a few hours for visitors each week," Alba explains.
"I don't expect to have any," I honestly answer. My mother and Taika did suggest visits, but I am unable to say how often they would be.
"They are there for you, regardless," Alba says. "You will be given occasional days off as well, although do not expect the same days off each week, nor the same amount. Finally, you will be appropriately compensated every fortnight for your duties."
"Compensated?"
"Yes. This is an employed position. Did Taika give you the impression this was volunteer work? I imagine the Hollands paid you nicely as well."
I bite my tongue for making such a comment. Of course I am being paid for my duties! Why would I think otherwise?
"I was so distracted about the prospect of serving the princess that I failed to think about compensation," I answer. It is a weak answer, and Alba only seems to partially buy it judging by her suspicious facial expression, but she makes no further comment.
"There is not much to do in Esterpool besides visit some farms and stroll through the meadows. The nearest city is Arkford, which is a half's day journey. Should you need anything you can't find in Esterpool, you will find it there," Alba explains.
"Thank you," I say.
We finally turn to head toward the garden. The hedges naturally part in an opening, and as I step inside, I am in awe at the blooming flowers and delicately trimmed bushes. I spin around slowly, trying to take in as much of the view as I can."It is much larger than I imagined," I admit. The garden is like a twisted maze. I worry about walking too far in it, for fear of getting lost.
"It is not too difficult to navigate. The garden is nothing more than one large square. You'll have time to explore it later," Alba explains. "For now, let's go over some of your duties."
We spent the rest of the morning and into the afternoon discussing what my main duties will be during my probationary period. As expected, many of them, while still serving the princess in some capacity, do not allow me the opportunity to come into contact with Princess Asteria. I hide my disappointment hearing this and instead listen dutifully. If I want to make it past the probationary period, I will need to begin impressing Alba immediately; otherwise, my mother's plan has no chance of succeeding.
In the evening, I arrive back to the living quarters, exhausted. As I enter, I find only Josie and Zofia inside, eating at the kitchen table.
"How was your tour, Fe?" Zofia asks.
I take delight in her asking me a question, hoping it means the other maids want to get to know me.
"Alba was very informative," I answer. I peak into the hallway, listening for the sound of the others, but I hear nothing.
"Maria and Arabelle are helping the princess with her evening duties tonight," Josie explains. "We rotate regularly."
"I see," I say.
Not wanting to head into my bedroom just yet, I take a seat alongside them. While Alba allowed me to eat my supper from the chefs in the kitchen, it seems Josie and Zofia are only now just eating their evening meal.
"Did you cook that yourself?" I ask. It appears they're eating some type of porridge, different from what I consumed earlier.
"Don't be ridiculous," Josie says. "The kitchen here is functional, but we're often too busy to cook. The chefs do an adequate job. They delivered our meals a few minutes before you arrived."
I nod in response.
"Do you have a last name, Fe?" Zofia asks out of curiosity. "Alba normally refers to us all by our last names. It was strange hearing her address you directly."
"Oh, um, last names aren't as customary in Landiani," I admit.
"Our last maid was from Landiani," Josie explains.
"Yes, Maria mentioned that earlier."
"She didn't last long, of course," Zofia says. She blows on her spoonful of food before taking a bite. "They never do."
"Have there been other Landiani maids before me?" I ask.
Josie counts her fingers on her hand. "Four. In the time I've been here. None of them last longer than a few months."
"But why?"
"The maids that get along best in Esterpool are those who grew up in Magnuvia," Josie says simply. She eyes me up and down as she speaks. The difference between us has not been made more apparent than in this moment. I try not to feel threatened by her words.
"Arabelle is from the colonies as well," I state.
"The adjustment from Flumensia to Magnuvia is not as difficult," Zofia says. "At least from what she has told me."
"Well, I hope to stick around as long as I can," I say firmly. I try not to be threatening in my speech, but it is apparent already that Zofia and Josie do not expect me to stick around and that they are most likely only tolerating my presence for the time being. I cannot let them see me as someone dispensable. Alba emphasized the importance of teamwork. I will need to get along with them as best as I can.
Josie opens her mouth, as if to retort back, but at that moment, the door opens, and Maria and Arabelle enter.
"What a day! I'm beat!" Maria exclaims. Her eyes light up as she sees me. "Oh, Fe! You're back! How was your day?"
"Good. Tiring though. I think I'll start preparing myself for bed. Excuse me," I say to Josie and Zofia as I rise from the table.
"We'll have to catch up later," Maria says.
I nod and leave the maids to return to my bedroom. I step inside and turn on the lamp, staring around the room. While not as horrendous of a first day as I imagined it could have been, I still feel out of place. No part of Esterpool feels like home, and the stakes have been made higher with the probationary period Alba has put in place.
Once I change into my nightgown and settle comfortably in my bed, I make a promise to myself that the following day, I will work tirelessly to impress Alba with all my might.