The Cultivated Girl

Chapter 18 - Back to Lessons

"In order to lead you need to learn how to serve."

"Isn't that handy," thought Simone as she laid out Lady Alva's morning tea and fruit.

"Yes Lady Alva," she said demurely. "But what if you don't want to lead?"

Lady Alva fixed her with an arched eyebrow. "Then it is even more important you learn how to serve."

She ate the fruit delicately, spearing each piece with a tiny copper fork with two twisted prongs. Simone stood a few steps away as instructed. She hated standing still and her leg still twinged, making it hard to keep her back straight. Simone let her mind wander, her eyes travelling over the strange artifacts in the Hearth Mother's chambers; squat stone sculptures with pregnant bellies and sagging breasts, rubbed against pottery shards and metal plates. A magnificent aquamarine, feathered headdress hung in the corner as if about to take flight. The room was slightly larger than the Snug and decorated in cornflower blue, white and yellow. Not what Simone had expected from Lady Alva.

"You'd do well to pay attention," said Lady Alva. "You never know which detail in any setting could save your life. This instrument for example." She speared a fuchsia cube of watermelon and paused to chew and swallow.

"It's from the world of Metta. If you eat with royalty you use your left hand, with commoners, your right. With someone who is neither one nor the other your status dictates which hand you use. Which hand would you use now?"

Simone swallowed nervously. She wasn't in the mood for guessing games. It was her first day out of the infirmary and she'd just remembered today was the day of Lady Brody's examination; an unknown test with a high level of points and privileges attached. Watching Lady Alva dining had also made her ravenously hungry but she couldn't leave until dismissed.

"Quickly child."

"Um, my left."

"Correct, as I significantly outrank you. Do not say 'um'. It's vulgar."

"Yes Lady Alva".

"Stand up straight dear."

"But I'm in pain!"

"That's even more reason to stand tall. It's easy to look good when there's nothing wrong. You have to learn to stay confident when the world is falling down around you."

Simone straightened.

"Much better."

"Lady Alva," she burst out. "Why do you all contradict each other? Lady Miriam says knowledge is the key, to what I don't know; Lady Hazel says to always focus on your inner beauty..."

Although her lips pursed Lady Alva heard her out. "It's good that you receive differing opinions. You need to learn to think for yourselves despite what some of my colleagues counsel. We all serve the Goddess and she speaks through us. That is what is important. Remember that one day if you're in a difficult position."

"Think for myself, stand up straight, look confident and listen to the Goddess?"

"Precisely. That will be all. Make sure you eat something on the way to class."

She dismissed her with the slightest wriggle of her elegant, manicured fingers.

In her head, Simone gritted her teeth but all she said was: "Yes Lady Alva".

I must be exhausted. That or they've started taming me, she thought, more than a little resentfully.

Simone bowed briefly but respectfully before she exited the hearth mother's chamber and moved to class as fast as her tender leg would allow. It had already started.