| A New Maid Written by Sofiechick |
| I woke with a start. I was grimy and sweaty, the bed covers sticking to my legs in the most disgusting manner. It seemed that even the bugs were too hot to move because the air was quiet, lacking the usual sounds of the night. I sat in bed for a moment, wondering why I had woken. Shrugging I tries to return to sleep, but it was of no use. I turned and tossed, threw the blankets in every possible position, then threw them off. I laid my hair over the pillow, and turned them over several times, trying in vain to get a colder side than the one I had just pressed to my face. Finally, I got out of bed, and walked outside. I was surprised; it was much later in the morning than I expected it to be. There seemed to be only one or two more hours until the blood-red sun would rise above the wooded horizon, and my "most generous" mistress would stop her ungodly snoring to shriek at me to prepare her bath. Wiping the sweet off my face, I began the short walk to the near-by stream, slapping my arms to kill the occasional misquito. The path I took was well worn; it had been used by my grandmother, my mother, and now myself as I came daily to fill buckets with water to keep the manor in full supply. I tested the water with my foot and found the water cool and refreshing. I took this as a wonderful opportunity to have the stream all to myself. It was usually over laden with immature boys during the daytime (the sons of the older servants and gardeners), so this seemed to be the best of times to take a quick dip. I searched a nearby tree by touch (and with the help of a few fleeting rays of moonlight), and drew out my bag of treasures from a hidden area in the entwined roots. I squinted at the bag in the bad light; it had been a week or so since I last drew it from its hiding place. The rough potato sack contained my only meaningful possessions. Aside from the clothes on my back, the thin strips of leather on my feet that called shoes, and the cot I slept in every night. It was in that bed I dreamed of the day when I would be a stunning noble girl instead of a meager servant. Surprisingly I was Tangeline’s most important servant. I alone saw her unmade in the morning and was trusted enough to fix her wig in the mornings. I also issued the orders given by her. She claimed I kept my mouth shut and didn’t gossip. I dreamt also of the day when I could gossip, for you see my position made few friends of other servants. I hid things from my mistress (who never had enough money), and of course the treacherous children who stole money to buy sweets. I had the largest chunk of second-rate soap I could smuggle unnoticed from our stores, while really my lady and his grace’s stores. Second-rate was the best that could be gotten since the first rate was carefully counted and recorded. It smelled of fragrant herbs and flowers, and was tough enough to remove all grime, but leave the skin soft. I had rescued several dusty books from the ordering hand of Lady Tangeline. While re-organizing the book selves, she pointed out the most ragged books, and claimed that she "could not stand the look of them." Instead of disposing them, I kept them in secret because I knew books were quite valuable and read bits of the ones in the library when I could. There were three: one on the uses of herbs for things like medicines and potions, another on how to sew and make clothing, and the last on etiquette and how to look like a proper lady. I also had a good cloak in an emerald green color. It had been incrusted with dirt when I bought it for cheap, and after a good wash it was like new. Last of all I had a necklace made of glass beads that I found in the market place. I never wore it because I loved it; it reminded me of the shimmering magic in the demonstrations on holidays. Last of all was a slightly heavy pouch with all my wages from the past year or so and a course scrubbing brush. I scrubbed my ragged clothes, and hung them up, letting them dry while I washed myself as well. Hurrying, I almost ran back to the large mansion in time to here Lady Tangerine scream my name. I filled the bath and helped her ease herself into the hot tub of water. There was a rapping at the door before my lady got dressed, so I dressed her into a temporary slip before hastily answering the door. There was a stranger there or at least a man I had never met before, and he seemed to stare at me as I showed him into the main sitting room. I returned back to lady Tangeline and after she sported many layers o heavy silks, she daintily steeped in to meet her unexpected quest, me trailing along behind her like a baby duck. **WHO IS THIS MYSTERIOUS GUEST?? WHAT WILL HIS ARRIVAL BRING??** |
| ** ToRtaLLaN TaLeS2 ** |