Love in the Moonlight {PHAN}

Chapter 07

i.

The Office of Workers is a small section within the palace. It is located near enough to the kitchens that the workers can easily drop by for a light snack before reporting for work, but far enough so that the loud noises would be dulled down to soft hums in the silence. Chairs and desks of the head workers are located in a room with a door that connects to a slightly larger room with a platform in front. This was for meetings that will be held with workers and trainees, and that hall was filled with people early in the morning. Trainees were in their new grey (lined with green) uniform, in a perfect 5 x 5 formation. There was a total of 25 new workers, including Phil Lester.

Phil had woken up early in the morning and was able to catch up to the rest of the group as they made their way to the hall. Normally, Phil would be thinking of how he doesn't want to be there, but he was thankfully distracted by both Jack and Finn who continued to ask him what he did. Originally, Phil had thought that these two would be encouraging all sorts of mischief around, but he forgot the fact that these people willingly signed up to serve the palace. Phil was probably the only one who wasn't there willingly.

"Wait, why are we having a meeting?"

"Right, you weren't there this morning." Jack snapped his fingers when Phil asked the question. "Well, it's really just a briefing of what's expected of us as workers."

"Yup. Oh, and," Finn agreed and leaned closer to whisper, "we were also reminded to not ask stupid questions like 'What separates us from servants?' because last time someone did, it apparently didn't go well."

"Did they get kicked out?" An idea started to form in Phil's head.

"Nah, they just got shouted at really badly." Jack answered, unknowingly stomping on Phil's idea,

Phil inwardly groaned before asking another question. "Did they say the answer though? What does separate us from servants?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "In reality, not much. They're going to say workers are more important, in a way, but servants are the ones who do most of the hard work..."

"Basically, servants are more for the work around the palace and the workers like us are more for actually serving the people in the palace..." Finn trailed off. "Come to think of it, someone really messed up in the names, shouldn't it be the other way around because serve and servants, and work and wo-"

"Anyway," Jack interrupted, "that's the main gist of it, I suppose. But the thing is, we would constantly get assigned to help out in other areas that servants should be working on. There's a thin line between servants and workers and it's constantly being overstepped, but no one cares."

"Lester!" The three simultaneously flinched at the sharp tone calling out to one of them. Rotenberg approached them, still with a fan at hand and a glare just for Phil. "I do hope you've learned your lesson. Now, you and your friends," she pointed her fan at Jack and Finn, causing them to back away in fear, "have been gossiping endlessly while you walked here. I expect you to shut your mouth when you enter the hall, understood?" When the three nodded, she immediately walked away to meet with the other head workers.

"Terrifying," Finn gasped, "that's what she is."

"You have no idea."

ii.

"Workers have the most important role of managing the royal family's household affairs. You must work hard and you must do things right." The Chief Advisor, Emery Grace, said from the platform. Usually, they were told earlier on, it was the Royal Butler who gives the speech. Sadly, he wasn't around at the moment and they were stuck with having Lady Emery as the speaker for the day. "You must become one as the hands and feet of the King and his family, as the light that guides his path, and as the shield in case of danger. Everyone in the palace shares the duty of protecting the Royal Family, and should you do anything to disgrace their name or the name of palace workers, you must pay with your life. Am I understood?"