Mitzi finished the eggs last so they would be hot, the yolks like putty as Darius said he’d like them.She had already stacked the blueberry pancakes so that they would not get cold and finished them with pure maple syrup, freshly completed only that week by the slaves.Thankfully there were enough maple trees on Darius’s many acres of forest to keep him and his guests satisfied indefinitely.Nothing but the best…Mitzi grimaced as she blotted the grease off of the bacon, poured a small glass of orange juice, and filled a mug with coffee, then set everything on a gourmet style platter, along with a small decanter of fresh cream and a tiny cup of pure cane sugar with a silver spoon set beside it.Since Darius wished to eat in his atrium this morning, Mitzi chose silverware with blue marble handles and cobalt blue plates. She then covered the platter and walked through the rooms and halls until she met Darius in his atrium.
Darius was sitting at the bistro table with its tiny smoothed stone tiles, his chin in his hands as he gazed out the large windows that spanned the two outside walls.Low clouds could be seen racing by through the glass ceiling.The day was chilly and gray and a few drops of rain were spattered on the glass. Mitzi just stood and looked out at the scene. The leaves of the trees were being tossed about in the wind and the lawn below was a deep shade of emerald green. She wondered how any humans that were free out there in the wilderness could survive in this kind of weather. Then she remembered her life with Brady.They had survived fine.When she thought of him, her stomach became sick and her soul felt a chill like no other.That is when Darius turned to look at her. “Why are you just standing there while my food gets cold?”
Mitzi quickly walked over to him and placed the domed platter in front of him, then she, as gracefully as she could, lifted the dome off of it.She waited while Darius inspected his breakfast.He then turned to look up at her. “Steaming hot.Wonderful.Perfect.I guess I won’t have to have you for breakfast after all.”Darius turned his head up as if in thought, then looked casually over at Mitzi, who stood with her hands together in front of her apron, her head down. “Then again, maybe I will.”
Mitzi gasped and shot her gaze up to him, her eyes wide with terror. When Darius laughed, she cowered slightly.When he commanded her to sit with him, she began to cry.“Mitzi,” Darius laughed a little again, “I didn’t mean that I would eat you, I meant – join me.”
“Join you?” Mitzi stuttered, “But, I am just a slave.”
“Sit.” Darius looked at the chair on the other side of the table. “I assume you haven’t eaten?”
“No, not since I came here.About two days.”
“Well, good then.” Mitzi nervously sat down in the chair opposite Darius. “We’ll talk, I’d like to get to know you better.”
Mitzi then looked at Darius expectantly. “Uh, may I be excused to get myself a plate and some silverware?”
“No.” Darius then began to dig into his breakfast. Once he finished a few bites of food, he continued. “I said join me, I didn’t say you could eat with me. When we are finished, I will have some bread and water brought up for you.” He looked up at Mitzi from under his brow as he devoured another bite of his delicious breakfast that she had made for him. “Don’t complain or I will have stale, moldy bread brought up instead.”
“I didn’t complain, I mean I won’t.” Mitzi looked away, one single tear falling off of her cheek. “I am thankful for what you give me already.”
Darius froze and looked at her as she looked out the window.“What is it I give to you?”
“Look outside, the weather.” She then turned to look at him while he continued to eat. “You have given me a room that is dry.”
