𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 ❀ 𝙏. 𝙁𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙤 ❀

IV - The Maid

"This is an extra bedroom you can sleep in for the night, the bathroom is right over there. I will come to retrieve you in the morning." Another servant says. It made you curious on why the lottery even existed. He already had servants galore. Why does he need another. You assume it has something to do with time. These servants only work for a certain amount of time and then are replaced by their young. They are allowed to leave as they please, and they are paid for their work. You on the other hand get none of those privileges and are more of a prisoner than anything.

You made your way to the bathroom and noticed how nice it was. You wasted no time getting into the shower and bathing the dirt and muck from your body. It felt so good to be cleaned under hot water. You were able to wash your hair and skin. When you got out your skin was oddly supple and smooth. With the recent events you would have expected your skin to be breaking out in rashes and hives. Perhaps mud was beneficial to the skin, you wondered.

Once you were clean and fresh, you wrapped your body in a soft towel and looked in the mirror. There was a toothbrush and toothpaste already on the edge of the sink. You cleaned your teeth and rinsed out your mouth- making it back over to the main bedroom to put on the pajamas that were awaiting you. The bed was large and plush, you pushed your hand down onto the mattress and watched it sink in.

You allowed your entire body to fall down into its warmth. It was the best you'd felt in your whole life really. It was like being wrapped into one large warm ball of clouds and fluff. As the feeling surrounds you, the drag of sleep sunk its claws into your skin. Dragging you off.

That night you dreamed. A good dream.

-

There was a loud knock at your door. You got out of your bed, rather groggily. You were never a morning person, and sleeping so peacefully made waking up to reality much worse.

"Good morning Miss Y/n!" A chipper brown-headed woman greets you. Her hair was cut into a short bob and she was clothed head to toe in a standard maid outfit. It consisted of a long dark skirt with a matching long sleeve top. The underskirt was white and frilly, and over top, was a white apron. Though her tone was chipper her overall attitude seemed pretty shitty.

"Morning..." You drag. She tilts her head as she looks at you carefully. "Are you ready?" She asks. "For?" You question. "Today is a little thing we like to call 'picture day'. You will go to the king's personal artist and be painted. It is done with every servant!" She explains. "Will I wear this robe? Or will I be given a maid-wear as well?" You ask.

"Oh god no, before you are sent off to the Artist we will pay a visit to the grand closet so you can pick out a Kimono. Each day you will dress according to the king's wishes but as for today you may pick out your own." She says.

All you did was nod quietly. "Aww don't look so glum. I hear the king's taken a liking to you. He carted you to the palace himself, and he even let you through punishment without a scratch!" She says, reminding you of the week you just spent in the forest.

If that was a liking you would hate to know what would happen if he didn't like you.

The maid took you around the castle, showing you all of the rooms, the wings, the sections. All things you would have to know, and memorize. She told you all of your duties and expectations, they all were centered around the king. You were to stay by his side at all times. Anything he asked of you must be done and done well at that. You were his servant and would be his servant until you or he died.

After the tour, just as promised, the maid brought you up to a grand closet. She called 'The Wardrobe' you were stunned to see it was lined with clothes, shoes, purses, and every accessory in the world. You could tell because your people made most of the things in the closet. "When you find your favorite come out, I will be waiting." She says.

Looking around you were able to select one pretty easily. Only one of them was on a different shelf. It looked special. The white cloth paired beautifully with your skin tone. The maid did say it was a special day so it seemed fitting.

Your tribe weren't the.. kimono type. They were only worn at extremely special festivals and events. Even then it was rare. And when those times did occur, your mother always dressed you. So in short.. you'd never actually put on a kimono. You'd seen it done numerous times so after about 40 minutes of struggling in front of a mirror you got it on correctly... or as correctly as it was about to fucking get.

You stepped out into the hall as you were told and the woman looked over at you in shock. She complimented the way it looked on you and her face was washed with shock. "Hold on.. let me fix it." She says turning you around and properly dressing you.

You thanked her and turned back away. "Are you ready?" She asks. You nod and follow her to another room in the castle. Every step you take the palace gets larger. It's as if it were never ending, as if there was no escape. You had forgotten how to get out. The door had absorbed itself into the elaborate maze of the palace walls.

You were so lost in thought you hadn't even realized that you were standing in front of the artist door. With the maid waving at you as she walked down the hall.

You stepped into the room.