The Oracular Servant

Part IV: Aurelia

I awoke within the comfortable bindings of my covers that were on my resting place. The memories of last evening were somewhat hazy after the accident. I think I was probably asleep. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my arms above my head. I looked outside the window.

The sky contained a slight tint of pink in its color, but it was quickly turning to blue. I sat up and made my way out of my quarters. As I passed the long hallway I looked out onto the fields beyond the servants rooms. I saw Marcus hitching up his cart, ready to go to market and buy food for the day. I stopped and made my way towards him.

"Good morning, Marcus," I said. He turned towards me. He smiled and lifted his broad shoulders to look at me.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?"

I blushed, "Much better." Marcus turned back towards his work, I would have loved to talk more but I needed to be on my way. I had my duty, he had his. I wished he would stay a little longer. I turned away before saying anything more. I started back towards the house, when I heard Marcus behind me, "Aurelia..."

"Yes?" I said rather abruptly. He looked slightly off guard. Oh bother, and I was hoping it meant something.

"I was wondering if we could talk later? Alone."

I smiled, "That would be lovely, I shall meet you here again." Marcus smiled very wide, he pulled the reins and he and the cart thundered away to the market, kicking up dust as they went.

I ran back towards the house, giddy as can be. I was not quite sure why. All I could think about was his soft brown eyes and tanned skin. His smile that reached all the way to his ears.

But I shook my head, clearing those thoughts from my mind. I had work to do. I had to attend my Mistress. I wonder how Sybil fared last night. She had ran after that old man. I hope she had slept well.

I looked down the street to see a figure at the end. She was wearing a grey shawl wrapped around herself. It was Sibyl, and she did not look good. I slipped between two houses and watched as she came up to the house. Strands of her grey hair were askew, and her eyes looked a bit droopy. There were dark circles underneath them. She clutched her shawl tightly around her. She must have gone through something terrible in order to have that appearance. She always so strong, and it spite of myself I was growing to like her.

I ran to her and put my arms around her, "Sibyl! Are you all right?"

She looked up at me, her eyes unfocused, "Hmm? Oh yes, I'm fine."

She kept walking slipping through my fingers. She shuffled slowly into the servants quarters. I looked back at her, but I turned away to head back towards the main room, my Mistress would be waiting and one must never disappoint their master.

I walked into the room just as my mistress was being seated onto the long couch with red covers. Her hair was frizzed a bit, and dull in color, but nobody looks good in the morning. It was my duty to fix her up and make her beautiful.

I went about fixing up her hair into a tight bun, sticking pins made from cow bones into it, to make it stay in place. My mistress would always scrunch up her face in an uncomfortable way, but she knew what I had to do. I then put color on her face and washed her body in sweet smelling oil. I looked around at the sun dial in the courtyard out back, and noticed it would not be long before my meeting with Marcus.

Sibyl entered the room. She looked a little better, but there were still bags under her eyes. She was now wearing the traditional plain brown servants garb. I wonder where she went.

My mistress turned to Sibyl as she entered the room, "Good morning, Sibyl. How were the fights?"

"Fine, mistress. It was unfortunately you could not see them, despite how brutal they were."

"I am sure of that," My mistress replied. She waved towards me to leave. She wanted to speak with Sibyl alone.

I turned away as she began talking to Sibyl about the events of yesterday. I do not know why she could not have talked to me. I had been there as well. And yet I was happy as well. I could make my meeting with Marcus.

I rushed out of the building towards the fields outside. And there he was, looking positively radiant. He heard my footsteps and turned around, his smile wide and hopeful. I stopped and stared breathless at him. We both stood for a long time, awkward and shy. Marcus then turned towards me and said, "What shall we talk about?"