Aurelius

II. Elissa

"Everyone up!" one the older girls called, stepping through the thin walkways between the beds, hitting the still drowsy, unsuspecting girls where they lay.

Elissa came awake to a harsh slap, sitting up too quickly, hitting her head on the bed above her. With a groan, she swung her feet out of the bed, pressing a hand to her sore brow.

What time is it? she wondered, glancing at the small windows that lined the top edge of the wall. It was still dark. Turning to the side, she looked at the bunk next to her finding it empty. The sheets were pulled up tight and neat. Elissa wiped her face and leaned back as someone walked by her.

Reaching out she began to ask, "What is going on—"

"Elissa!"

Instantly, she was on her feet, pushing her unruly black hair into a half-hearted attempt of a bun. Bending down she fixed her sheets, as Merith walked over to her, his face already reddened and sweating for so early in the morning. With a sigh, he spoke down to her from his mental list of things to do. As he spoke Elissa nodded her head in time to his orders.

"You're in the western rooms today. I want them spotless, set, and ready before this afternoon." He started to say more but his attention was torn from Elissa when a set of wayward girls walked by, He turned to follow one of the younger girls, giving her orders for the laundry. With a sigh, Elissa straightened up as he disappeared. She reached up and massaged her temples.

It's too early for this.

With her place set, though, and her orders for the day taken and memorized, she hurried from the cramped chambers. She headed through the main halls of the mansion, slowly wakening with each step, still wishing for the comfort of her bed. In the kitchens, the other servant girls had already begun preparing food and cleaning out the old dishes, and Elissa waited no more than a moment before she caught her friend's presence.

Unlike Elissa's dark-tinted skin, Azami's skin was nearly as pale as winter's first snow. And yet, that was not the largest difference between the two- most people first noticed that while Elissa was reserved, Azami was one of the most energetic beings in existence.

"We've been given an important task, Lissa!" Were the first words Elissa heard as Azami neared, her hands flying in overdramatic gestures.

Elissa crossed her arms, stealing an apple from one of the baskets on the table. "I heard," she grumbled, taking a bite of her food.

"Then come on, you," she said, reaching up and adjusting Elissa's crazed hair. As she tucked strands of ebony hair behind the girl's ear, she set towards the door. Her voice became gruff and a pretentious accent lilted her words as she impersonated Merith. "We must prepare the bedrooms for the new owners of this grand establishment!"

Elissa barely refrained from rolling her eyes, concealing a chuckle at Azami's usual exaggerated manner. Then she stopped.

"Wait, what new owners? Woah!" But Azami did not hear her and had already grasped her hand, tugging her up the dusty stairs.

"I wonder who the new owner's going to be," Azami mused as they stepped out into the main hall, letting Elissa go to pick up a set of buckets, towels, sheets, and brooms already laid out for them by the doorway. Still confused, Elissa picked up her own pile.

"Azami," she called as the older girl began to lead her down the hall.

"Hmmm?"

"What new owners?" Elissa asked breathlessly, as she kicked the first door open slightly with her foot. Azami cocked her head before going inside.

"No one told you?"

Elissa followed after her. "I just woke up. I've barely eaten. The house is in chaos." With a sigh, she set her things next to the window. "No one told me anything." She turned around, taking in the empty bedchamber, as Azami threw her things down in the middle of the giant rug.

"Mirith was in a state of shock this morning when the messenger brought the letter. Dar Tarmel sold the lands and everything to one of the Dars from Ryvella."

Elissa's eyebrows rose into perfect arches. "But who did they sell to?"

Azami shrugged as she took one of her sheets, beginning to fit it to the lush mattress on the bed. Elissa joined the girl, tucking the fabric into the creases and sides of the bed.

"No one knows except Mirith," Azami said, "and you know him. The old cockel tells us all the dull tales and keeps the sultry details to himself."

Wiping her face, Elissa let a sigh past her lips. "I'm sure he won't disappoint the gossipers, Azami."

The other girl stood up and set her hands on her hips. "But it's just not fair. He hoards all the good ones—"

Elissa snatched up a pillow and sent it flying across the bed, straight into Azami's face. Shocked she stared, as Elissa threw a pillow case to her.

"We can gossip later when you wring that letter out of Mirith's hands. We won't see anything though if you talk through the morning."

And with that, they set to work.