THE REIGN OF WOMEN

S1 EP3: The Stableboy

502 AD, Nightfall, Eternos

  In the early morning, the Servants were awoken by Sümbüla. According to a Servant named Daliyah, once the initial bell rings, the servants are intended to be up and standing and making their beds.

By the time Overseer Bonner set foot in the Servant Quarters, they were meant to stand in front of their made beds and display neatness. Evidently, those who did not display neatness or cleanliness or exhibited no respect for authority were punished and reassigned to the Men's Quarters which according to Daliyah was the filthiest place in the Palace.

The Princes' Chambers were all located in the Men's Quarters and so were many of the Lords and High Ranking Horseman of the White Wardens and the Council. The Sons of the King held an entire ground to themselves and the rest of the Princes of House Stark, Lords, and Horseman right below.

Though the Princes' Grounds were relatively polished, the grounds below were sickening. The Men in White were not known for their cleanliness and the Servants shunned this chore for it is a Curse.

Sapphira had avoided being reassigned to the Men's Quarters by an instant. Unlike most days, she had taken longer to make her bed because Dilara had become a distraction. Distractions were crucial, especially considering her position. She was a slave, and slaves were disposable.

A mistake could lead to a cropped neck but a girl as beautiful as Sapphira was not so beautiful anymore without a head. People preferred women with heads as did history. If she were to lose a head, what would history care for?

Sapphira, Ayda, Dilara, and Emine were assigned to the Queen's Lounge, to clean until their hands fell off. The Queen liked the Lounge to be beaming, so much so that she could near see her own reflection. Some of the servants at court would whisper that the Queen was sensitive to dust so on occasion they would purposely leave a line of dust to specifically see her react to it. It was a vile, and cruel thing the women did.

Many of the Servants did not like the Queen, yet they never specified why. What had the Queen done to be despised by the same Servants who served her?

Sapphira had not met the Queen as yet, but she had heard so much about her since her forced coming to the Palace, so much so that in her head she had fabricated a false image of her.

Wiping the floors wet, Dilara purposefully walked over the wet floors that had been scrubbed moments earlier, to anger Sapphira. The first time it happened, Sapphira chose to turn a blind eye to it by looking over at her friend, Ayda who shook her head. Ayda knew Dilara wanted a reaction out of them, and if Sapphira allowed her to vex her, then Dilara would get just that.

"It is wet, Dilara, you may fall the next time."

When Dilara crossed the wet floors of the Queen's Lounge, a second time, Sapphira tripped her, using her mop, as she had enough of her pestering. Sapphira could only take so much before she either opened her mouth or reacted.

"You witch!" Dilara shouted upon hitting the cold and wet floors.

Sapphira had warned her she may slip but she turned her back to her. Actions always have consequences, as Simon Bala would say.

"What is this bickering I hear?" Overseer Bonner snarled as she walked around the corner of the Queen's Lounge and spotted one of her servants on the floor.

Emine stretches an arm out for Dilara to grab and eventually helps her stand up. Pointing a finger at Sapphira, Dilara responds to the question, "Ceyda tripped me!"

Continuously misnaming a girl, Ceyda, was ill-mannered, something Sapphira could not stand for. "There is no Ceyda here, my name is Sapphira!"

Turning to the Overseer Bonner, Sapphira proceeded by pleading her case, "I warned her the floors were wet and that she may slip, did I not? She turned her back to me and fell, I cannot be blamed for such stupidity,"