A Stolen Life

Chapter Eight: The First Day

As soon as we got into the castle I was shown to where I would be staying with the rest of the maids and then I was taken to a bath, scrubbed of every ounce of dirt off my skin and was given a uniform. After I got dressed I was shown to the girl who would be in charge of me.

"My name is Claire Rune and I'm your trainer," she said. She wasn't wearing what the other maids were and she smiled. "I also work fixing up the machines in this place, so I go half and half. I've been here all my life, so I know everything. Today you will be serving the breakfast for the royal family and the girls who have come for the Choosing. There isn't much training involved in that, watch what the other maids do. Stay out of the way of the nobles, go to them when they call, say nothing unless asked to, do you understand?"

"Yes," I replied.

"This is one hell of a day to start, how'd you get the job any way?" she asked as she started walking and I followed her.

"I'm not sure, they showed up at my house and told me to come with them," I replied.

"Who did?" she asked.

"Two guards and someone from the Alain family, a Royal Guard," I replied.

"Troy Alain, nephew of our great king and cousin to the princes. He's usually is with one of the princes, off he was sent to the town to fetch you," she said and then she stopped and turned to me. I stopped walking as well. Her eyes studied me, her eyes were very unusual, they were a deep red around the pupil but gold everywhere else. "What's so special about you?" she asked so quietly that I barely heard her, I assumed I wasn't supposed to answer. We stayed there for a little longer and then she tucked a stray strand of white hair behind her ear. "Well we can't stand here all day, let's go." And then she walked away. I rushed to keep up with her.

"You must have been here a long time," I commented after watching her walk through the castle without absolute purpose and no hesitation.

"My mother and older sister worked here and before that my grandmother worked here, spent most of my life here," she said. When she was talking about her mom and sister, she said 'worked' nor 'work', that meant something happened to them, but I wasn't about to ask, it wasn't my business. Finally she stopped walking in front of two double doors. "I have to fix the camera system, but I'll be by later to check on you and show you your other duties. For now watch the others and stay out of trouble."

"Yeah, okay," I replied, she nodded and opened the doors letting me slip inside. My eyes found the other maids and I stood next to them. There was people all over the dining hall, parents with their daughters. I saw the colors of the noble families, every person in this room was extremely powerful and could kill me if they wanted to.

"Stop looking so scared, they smell fear," one of the maids whispered into my ear. I glanced at her. "They won't do anything to us unless we give them a good reason to." I just nodded. I watched as maids would grab trays and head off to tables.

"How do you know when to go?" I asked.

"Get up to the front of the line, watch the crowd, hand goes up grab a tray and walk over, serve the nobles at the table come back set the tray down, go to back of line. Simple as that," she explained. I nodded. "Don't worry, just don't spill anything and move quickly and you'll be fine." We were getting closer and closer to the front. "Deep breaths new girl."

"What's your name?" I asked quietly.

"Callie, my name is Callie," she replied with a smile. "And yours?"

"Rose," I replied.

"Welcome to hell on earth Rose," she said before she took her place at the front of the line. She only waited a few seconds before grabbing a tray and rushing over to a table. My eyes searched the crowd waiting for a hand to go up. I saw one go up, I grabbed a tray full of drinks and walked over to the table, as soon as I got there I recognized the colors of who sat there, it was the royal family was sitting. There was four seats and one was empty.

"Well go on girl, serve the drinks," the woman, who I assumed was the queen, ordered and I jumped into action handing out the drinks. "I swear the servants get stupider every day." I wanted to say something, but I held my tongue.

"And where is my son?" the man, the king, asked.

"I am not his keeper, but he should be here soon. Maybe if you disciplined him more, he would be motivated to be on time, or perhaps it would do nothing, his mother was always late too," the queen said.

"Hold your tongue before you lose it Catarina," the king ordered and she didn't say anything else. I was about to leave.

"You stay here, you will serve us," a rather familiar voice ordered. I slowly turned my head and saw Al standing there. It was impossible. There was no way he was the prince, but his outfit and colors and crest stated otherwise.

"This girl is rather horrible, if you want just one server for us choose someone better Al," the queen instructed.

"She is already here," he replied simply before sitting down and smiling at me.

"Al don't tell me this is the Bronze you had hired," the younger boy asked. If Al was the son of the first wife that meant he was heir, that also meant that the other boy is Ignace Alain, son of the current queen. I looked at Ignace, he really looked nothing like his older brother while Al had black hair and charcoal colored eyes, Ignace had brown hair and teal colored eyes.

"She may just be Iggy," Al replied and his brother glared at him, apparently he didn't like the nickname.

"Oh Al please don't tell me you're meddling in things you shouldn't be again," the queen said.

"One day I will be king and it is my job to rule over my people, if I can help then I will," Al stated before standing up and walking over to me. "Tonight come to my room, we can talk then." After that he walked over to a small stage and addressed the crowd. What have I gotten myself into?