This was not what I had in mind for the day.
"You want me to do WHAT in front of the king?"
"Oh, hush. You're doing what any other servant would in your place: doing whatever I say. So be quiet and don't worry about the stares. Now that the question comes to my mind...who picked out the dress that drags?"
"'Oh hush.'"
"Your falsetto does not impress."
"Good thing, because that's not its job."
I immediately drew silent as Hachi threw the double doors into the dining room open. I was holding the tail of her dress, protecting it from dragging on the floor, and I walked behind her as she marched in. Hachi's other servants were scurrying into seats around the edge of the grand table.
I was getting so defensive about carrying the tail of Hachi's dress because it was a duty reserved for the highest maid. It was an absolute honor to do such a thing. I was the new girl and it would be considered very odd for me to be chosen in such a matter. I would be skewered by gossipers.
The hall was made of dark wood and stone. The King and Queen sat next to each other at the head of the table. Flanking them on the sides were the princes. There were six princes present, Cain, Sibley, Declan, Lafayette, Jathan, and Eamon, which meant that Sebastian Octavian wasn't here. Sebastian Octavian worked for the Psi Alpha Theta, so he was never supposed to be around anyway, but still...I wanted a chance to get to see him in person once. The man was the most mysterious legend of the island.
The other servants, who worked for either the king directly or one of the princes, were serving breakfast. I realized quickly that Hachi's servants were kept from doing menial labor for anyone but her. This explains why I don't have to do much of anything unless she tells me so. I was surprised though that they got to eat breakfast at tables next to the king and be served by the other servants.
The others of Hachi's servants were staring though, as I held Hachi's dress tail, as I guessed they would. Many were envious and I say "envious" from how Hachi defined the word. I met Pinky's eyes and she looked at my position with such longing that I just had to turn my eyes from her, not wanting to cause her such anguish. Pinky is completely in love with Hachi. What had happened in that jungle?
There was a certain table that Angel was at that gave me the strongest of envious glares. There were seven in all and although all of Hachi's servants were beautiful, they seemed to be some of the most gorgeous. Some were tall, some were short, some had long legs, some were girly, some were butch, and all gossiped to each other as I continued with Hachi. They've got to be the Favored.
We reach the royal table and even they are looking at me too. The King looks with kind interest, the Queen looks like she tasted something sour, Prince Cain made the hand gesture of, "You two girls should bang," under the table, Sibley eyed my skinniness that was of lack of food, Declan eyed the palms of my hands for calluses of hard work, Lafayette sniffed the air in seeking the scent of the salty brine about me, Jathan peered for evidence of ink stains across my hands, Eamon searched for paper cuts, and I have NO idea how I just did that. It seemed...instinctual.
Hachi sat down and I turned to head towards the rest of Hachi's servant tables, being no longer needed. Suddenly, a hand was on my shoulder, so I whipped my head around to see that it was Hachi's hand. She grinned at me and pulled out the seat next to her. I diverted my gaze to the ground and quietly took the place that shouldn't even be mine.
Hachi's servants let out audible gasps and a steady buzz of rumors started. It had been only stares with some gossip at the favored table, but now it was on. I think Hachi just marked my head for bullying.
"Welcome, welcome!" The King's voice boomed over and the clamor grew quiet. "Nice to meet you, new staff member. Rennie, correct?"
"Yes, your majesty." I chirped politely. I knew to do this even if Mother hadn't told me.
The Queen leaned over the table and sneered at me, "Did you sleep with her?"
"WHAT?" I was intimidated by her forwardness.
The Queen shouted at me, as the room went completely silent, "DID YOU HAVE SEX WITH MY DAUGHTER?!"
"No...I'm a virgin." I was trembling slightly under the Queen's gaze.
The Queen thundered at me, "ARE YOU A LIAR?!"
"Mom, she's telling the truth." Hachi explained evenly. I'm a little jealous now that she's not about to pee herself like I am.
The Queen sat back in a huff. "Did she tempt you?"
"Yes." I managed to calm the shaking a little.
The Queen narrowed her eyes at me. "How is it possible that she didn't get to take you?"
"I don't know." I mumbled in emptiness. I'm so socially screwed in friendships with the other maids. Hachi gave me special honors for no reason, the Queen chewed me out...
The Queen cast a bitter thought to herself aside. "My daughter will eventually. She always does. She will never settle for a wife one day, not when she has a following of unofficiated concubines."
"Dear, don't be so cross about it. Hachi is your one daughter; be proud that you have the one you always wanted. Wasn't there visitors one day who told of a mother and father who cursed their seven sons? Their one daughter was all they had left and she too, left, but to one day hope to bring her brothers home. You have both handsome sons and a beautiful daughter. There's nothing to be disappointed about in either of them. Let them do what they please and sit back, so we may both enjoy our old age, which we barely earned." The King advised.
The Queen sighed and pecked the King on the cheek. He smiled and clapped his hands. The servants directly to the King began to serve breakfast.
There was music and laughter. The hall was bright with golden light and sweet-smelling food. I ate apples, ham, toast, eggs, yummy eggs! Hachi daintily nibbled off a cantaloupe slice, but it still left her with juice across her lip. I took my napkin and wiped, only to find a smirk underneath the cloth after I was done. I huffed and turned to the meal once more, but Hachi offered a spoon of steaming grits. I couldn't resist, so I opened my mouth. Hachi carefully fed me, making sure to blow the offering cool enough to not burn me, which made me laugh and her chuckle at her own silliness. I was the maid here; she was the one supposed to be taken care of like a little girl.
Most of Hachi's maid tables were happy and as bustling as the royal table, but the Favored were sulking at theirs. I wondered if any of them had ever been invited up here. I noticed that Angel wasn't the leader of their group, in fact, it was this one girl who had ridiculously wild hair. It was dyed bright crimson, that shade of fresh blood, and had electric purple streaks. I noticed that as I looked at her hair color, what was purple in her hair and what was red in her hair would change places. Her eyes were a muted green though and she talked energetically to the sullen others. Her hands were large and waved fast enough she could probably fly.
Hachi traced my gaze. "I call her Butterfly."
"Why?" I wondered if it was because of her vivid colors.
Hachi murmured, "She's bi and flits around from girl to guy. She's slept with more of the servants than me, on account of the guys. Butterfly's an easy-going girl in bed, she takes bottom often, but if she senses any hesitation, she'll get on top and rock your world. I walked in on her humping the heck out of a screaming Sugar, but Sugar liked it, don't worry. Butterfly's sweetly aloof of anyone she doesn't trust, but she's pretty deep when it comes to talking about anyone's past, especially hers, and she's an amazing storyteller. If you're lucky, you'll hear her tell the tale of the scholar's nook she grew up in."
"She lived in a teaching town?" I asked.
Teaching towns are the only ones where the children go to school. In other towns, such as mine, the children are apprenticed or work around the house. I did chores and tended our small vegetable plot with mother growing up, as well as fed the animals, which is how I developed my eternal tan, working under the sun. Squealer was always so nice to me, never charging me and running me over as he did to any of my brothers who fed him or to my parents, whom he charged at equally as hard.
Hachi began to talk freely. "Oh yes. Her parents were professors and she was a punk. Her parents knew all about being tolerant of gays, because we can't help it, but they never were to her, and she's been out her whole life. They always thought she was sleeping with any of the girlfriends she brought home, which was never true, because when I met her, she was a virgin. I digress, but Butterfly wanted to grow up and be an artist. She wanted to paint, draw, graffiti, and tattoo from her heart. She's a brilliant girl, with a photographic memory, but she adores that right-brain-side, if you know what I mean. She used to be very weepy, very openly emotional, wore her heart on her shoulder, but when she saw me, the princess, she got very quiet. She'd seen artwork and pictures of me, but seeing me in person made her fall in love. She used her photographic memory ability to make some of the best work about me nowadays. Most well-known paintings of me are by Butterfly. My mommy and daddy started buying her works and invited her to have a gallery on permanent display in an art town. I came to see it while she was first showing, and she pulled me aside for a second. For a minute, we just stood there staring at each other, the painter and her muse. She sat me down and started on a sketch with colored pencils. I watched, transfixed at her skill. No one's ever seen that sketch, because she gave it to me. I went to daddy and begged him to let me keep her as my servant. He laughed at me and asked why I felt I had to ask him, for it was my decision all along, so I went from him and swept Butterfly to my castle. I had to beg for her to sleep with me, but in the end I won. It cost me though, because Butterfly no longer paints of solely me, but anyone she sleeps with now. She hardly paints of me at all or anyone at this point. I don't know why it's died."
"Are you sure her story will be so good now? I mean, you just told me it..." I nudged her shoulder in teasing.
Hachi shook her head. "No, no, I barely touched upon it, compared to the tale she can weave. You'll just need to get to know her, if she decides to open up to you though."
"What can you tell me about the rest of the Favored?" Hachi was making me wonder who else there was to meet.
Hachi chuckled. "You can ask them yourself, breakfast is winding down. One last thing though?"
"Yes?" I implored sweetly.
Hachi leaned over and grabbed my face. She kissed me fully and I was too shocked to push her away or kiss back. Hachi pulled away, laughed, and got up. She snapped her fingers at Butterfly, who trotted over and picked up Hachi's dress tail. Hachi and Butterfly strolled out and all of Hachi's servants were filing out after they had left. I slipped into the crowd and went to find Pinky. I saw her for a second, but as a tall person passed between us, she disappeared.
I stopped walking and paused. Where could Pinky have gone? A group of several girls came up to me and stopped to talk, ruining my thought processes.
"Hey, new girl." The tall leader of the girls winked at me. She had dark brown hair that was tied in a ponytail back.
I innocently met her gaze. "Hi."
"What's your name?" asked another, a girl with black curly hair and blue eyes.
I told them, "Rennie."
"Guys, ask her if Hachi's given her a nickname yet, because we all know that no one uses original names after we get nicknamed." A Favored walked up to us.
This Favored was tall and built solidly. She had tanned skin that was maybe light orange in dim light and she had light brown eyes. Her hair was light brown, lighter than her eyes, and so long that braided back, it stretches to her waist.
The girl smirked. "I'm called Faun and no one can remember what my name once was, after all."
"I think Princess Hachi keeps calling me 'Pet.'" I mumbled.
Faun started circling me, checking me out. "'Pet,' huh? She must really like playing with you. But as was loudly announced earlier, you didn't have sex with her. You're very interesting, Pet, to all of us...tell me, will you play a game with us?"
"Which game?" remarked the dark brown haired girl aside to Faun. Faun seemed surprised that the brown-haired girl was talking to her at all, but quickly answered her anyway.
Faun grinned. "The sacrifice game. It's already been set up, we're just going to watch."
"Heck yeah, let's go!" exclaimed all the others in the group. I meekly followed them, conforming.
We exited the castle out to this outdoor area. There was an arena with bars over the top, but people could still easily slip into the pit below. There were cages in the shadows on the sides.
There was a girl standing in the arena. Her hands were tied high above her head to the bars by a long rope. She was scared and quivering in her still position. I realized the girl was Pinky.
I ran to the side of the arena, right before the drop off. I saw lots of servants, mostly Hachi's, cheering around the edge. Beasts started slinking out towards the tied-up Pinky.
I grabbed Faun by her collar and pulled her down to face level. "Stop! What's going on here?!"
"Sacrifice is the game we play when we put a servant in the arena and sacrifice them to the corihor wraiths that the castle keeps in case of invasion. They need to be fed live human meat, so...we're allowed to feed them from within our ranks. We make it entertainment." explained an uncaring Faun.
I threw her back from me and jumped into the arena. There were gasps as I hit the sandy ground and sprinted towards Pinky. I closed my eyes and imagined the family sword in my hands that Hachi had stored away for safe-keeping. I sure needed it now.
I felt a weight at my side and in my hand. I opened my eyes and noticed that I was now wearing the belt and sheath that I had been given. The short sword was in my hand. Um...weird.
I cleanly sliced the rope holding Pinky's hands in two. Her hands were still bound, but she wasn't being held nearly in place. A wraith lunged at my side and I beamed it on the skull with the broad side of my sword. Another leaped directly at my face and I stabbed it through the throat. I ripped my blade out as the wraith collapsed to the ground, dead. Pinky's eyes were wide with horror.
The crowd was screaming and roaring, which merely fed my bloodlust. I cut and ripped through wraith fur. They slumped at my feet. When the last one had died, I was breathing heavily and about ready to drop the sword on my own foot.
I looked over at fearful, traumatized Pinky. She'd almost gotten eaten alive by beasts. I met her eyes and realized that I liked my friend just a little bit. There was something sweet and beautiful about her. I sheathed my sword and kissed Pinky's sweet lips. She moaned and leaned into the kiss. I walked her into one of the walls and started making out with her. I pushed her legs against the wall and grinded Pinky. I grabbed her bosom and fondled her left side through the dress. Pinky took all of this in stride and tried to reciprocate, which she couldn't really because her hands were still tied.
Figures jumped into the arena and I whipped around to face them. They were muscular male guards of the king, not just other servants of Hachi. I snarled under my breath and moved to protect Pinky.
One demanded, "You killed all these corihor wraiths?"
"Yes."
"In protecting her?"
"Yes."
"Whose sword is that?"
"Mine. I inherited it and offered it to Princess Hachi, who locked it away for me. I...don't know how it got out of its storage basin."
"Mmm. You've been requested to go see her. She saw it all from her room."
"Okay, but how do we...get out of here?"
The second guard pressed a certain brick in the wall. Stairs started popping out of the wall and I dragged Pinky along with me up the stairs. When we reached the top, the crowd parted to let us through in silence. I'm never going to fit in, not when I'm so weird, making swords appear in my hand and ruining their social games.
I started heading along my way, when I felt Pinky get dragged out of my arms. I yelped in surprise, when the guard cut me off. "Head to Hachi's room. She's going to be taken to her own."
I sighed and headed in towards a room which I was getting well acquainted with.
I entered and shut the door behind me. I turn around and Hachi is sitting on her bed, underdressed. She has a see-through white night dress on and her legs are crossed towards me. Hachi smirks in amusement at my awkwardness.
"You defied social norms to save a friend." Hachi noted to me.
I glared at her. "Did you order Pinky sacrificed into that pit because she likes me? I mean really, the girl adores you and you try to kill her? How selfish."
"What? Of course not! I never order anyone sent into the pit. It's always a group collaboration to expel one of the members for entertainment. Some of you servants are quite...bloodthirsty. I don't like it, but I never say anything because everyone seems to go along with it. I simply watch and mourn whoever dies. I like all of you, I really do." Hachi grew upset.
I snapped at her, "Are you spineless?! You're the princess of the castle and you can't fight to order the game stopped, even to save lives?! I thought you were brave! I thought you were fearless! You're the one they say can choke snakes to death with your bare hands in the jungle, beat any male or female in jousting on Iron, and weren't even frostbitten when those of your non-royal party in the arctic almost all died from being frozen when stranded at the iceberg-crossing! And you simply can't say 'no?!'"
"Yeah. I'm weak. I get it. But my weakness is overblown in your eyes, because you're the bravest person I ever met. You jumped into an arena, at a height that breaks most ankles to, and killed wraiths single-handedly to simply save a life, of someone you just met. How am I supposed to compete with that? You're fearless, Pet, you're the one who's brave." Hachi told me.
I shook my head. "I just do what needs to be done, fight what needs to be rightfully fought for. Now what? Why do you want me here?"
"Well, I'm going to bed, so I wondered if you would join me..." Hachi scooted backwards and offered a space on the bed next to her.
I stepped away. "No."
"All right then. Elegance?" Hachi clapped her hands loudly.
A seven-foot tall blond came in and shut the door. She reminded me much of Angel. Her hair was silky and tied up high on her head. Her eyes were a prideful-looking green and she was thin but well-nourished. She had short shorts and a sports bra on, so I could see a highly toned chest. Elegance slipped off of her shoulders a bathrobe that was very similar to the one Angel'd had.
Elegance brushed past me as if I wasn't there and she knelt at Hachi's side. Elegance kissed Hachi's hand and murmured loyally, "My master."
"Elegance." Hachi helped Elegance into the bed and started kissing her all over, her face, her lips, her neck. Elegance rubbed Hachi's back, even for clothing getting in the way, and started untying Hachi's dress strings.
"You...are...dismissed, Pet." moaned Hachi through their affection.
I turned on my heel and promptly left before things got any more heated.