At Your Service, Master

Chapter Six

Mikaela was woken up by Mildred at 4 AM, without a word  as she led her into the kitchen and together they prepared the morning meals for the Hawthorne's. The sun wasn't up yet but a thin glow outlining the distant hills showed that the sun was in no hurry.

"Mikaela, as a servant to the Hawthorne House we usually teach this to newcomers after they've worked here for a month..." Mildred explained slicing the cabages with a knife.

Mikaela gulped and nodded in understanding as she sliced the tomatoes. "I heard..." she sighed exasperatedly.

Mildred shot her a glare and swiftly whacked the girl on the hand like a whip. Mikaela yelped, surprised a raggedy old woman could do so much harm. "Rule #1: Speak respectfully to your master, in all circumstances whether it be out of anger or sadness. It doesn't change the fact that you are a servant, you will never be on the same level as your master so don't act as so" she lectured her.

"Yes..." Mikaela growled through gritted teeth, as she rubbed her hand.

"Servants of the Hawthorne House have been trained to protect their Masters for generations" she continued. "Unfortunately, it is an occupational hazard and we haven't recruited a maid to protect Master Nicholas. I'm coming to an age where I can't protect both Master Nathaniel and Nicholas, so it is evident that we hire someone soon"

To tell the truth, Mikaela was wondering how the old hag could protect them from anything besides dust seeing how she looked like just some old maid and not some highly trained bodyguard. Mildred had a slim scrawny frame. Her hands and legs were speckled with sun spots and her veins were clearly seen. Her hand looked rough from hard labour in the laundry and kitchens. The dark circles that sagged aorund her eyes looked like she could barely stay awake.

Her hair was completely gray and was tied in a tight bun, her black maid outfit was long, and hung loosely on her body, it looked almost like the wind could blow right through her. She looked like any other fragile old woman.

Mikaela cocked a brow. "So what you're saying is that...I'm going to be the brat's bodyguard??"

That remark rewarded Mikaela with another strike on the hand. "Rule #2: Always address your master respectfully"

Mikaela waved her burning hand in the air to cool her hand. "You didn't address him respectfully before!" she pointed out.

Mildred had a playful smile on her face. "Well, that's because Master Nathaniel is my master" she said simply. "Today I shall teach you the art of the knife" she smiled as she held up the knife she was using to dice the cabages.

Mikaela's left eye twitched, the woman looked like she had just said 'Today I'll teach the art of baking sugar cookies' like on Betty Crocker's morning TV show. "You mean...Are you teaching me how to kill??" Mikaela said with wide eyes.

WHAT ON EARTH HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO???

Mildred laughed as if Mikaela said they were going to sell kittens on the black market. "No dear of course not...I'm teaching you how to protect your master" she said smiling so brightly that her eyes disappeared. Suddenly her expression darkened, for only a glimpse of a moment. "But it may come to that..." she mumbled.

"WHAT?"

"Oh nevermind that honeybunch~!!!" a voice insisted and Mikaela spun around catching a short girl with cotton candy pink hair. Her large glossy chocolate brown doe eyes, captivated her with a look. Her polka-dot pink dress brushed right above her knees. One of her knee high socks were lime green and the other was orange. Her sparkly red buckle shoes shimmered in the dim light of the kitchen.