Short stories

A servants tale

*This is a servants life set in the Shakespearean play Macbeth. I don't speak Shakespearean and I'm not even going to attempt to, so the dialogue is in modern English. Enjoy*

The castle was abuzz with life, servants were running around with masses of cleaning supplies and outfits; preparing for the arrival of our master. He was a kind man, who served our great king Duncan and fought with a fierce attitude that could scare even the most fearsome of foes into retreating. I had run into the master only a few times but the way he treated both me and the other servants showed me how kind of a man he was, if only we had known what he was really like.
I was busy helping prepare the castle for the feast, it was ordered by our Lady since king Duncan was visiting master Macbeth to commend his efforts in battle. The results were as expected with our master earring himself the title of the Thane of Cawdor as a reward. However the masters return was a short lived joy as word of his actions spread through the castle like wildfire. By the time the rumours had reached me they had been modified to the point of being unbelievable, however the common theme in the seemed to be the fact that the master was acting different from how he usually would. He had been far more erratic and tense, apparently he had entered the Lady's room in his arrival with a letter and left later in mumbling to himself with a grim expression. My friend, a lady in waiting called Annabella, came hurtling towards me; nearly knocking the cups I was holding out of my hands.
"I just came in from the church, and guess who I saw?" She babbled.
"Who did you see?" I questioned, curiosity bubbling through my body.
"Lady Macbeth herself!" She whispered, leaning in close to my face.
"Why would she be in there?"
"I don't know, but she was mumbling something about evil spirits" Annabella trembled; worry spreading across her features. I was about to speak again however I was silenced by my mistress herself as she drifted to my side.
"My Lady, may I be of assistance?" I bowed my head.
"Yes, please help set the tables for the feast- oh! And I'll take those." She muttered, gracefully removing the tray of cups from my grasp and gliding over to the tables to hand them out, however I noticed her pouring something into three of the cups before handing them to king Duncan and his two guards. She quickly left the room and as I was about to follow his majesty announced his leave and retreated to his tent.
I searched for many minutes before finding my master and mistress residing by a tent nearby his majesty's chambers. Master Macbeth stood holding bloodied daggers and wearing a bewildered look upon his face, my mistress stood scolding him for returning with the daggers. She took them from him and began walking towards his majesty's chambers; time stood still as her eyes locked on to mine, cold and unforgiving. I turned and ran to the stables, I left my belongings and fled to one of the nearby towns. I didn't need to be told of what had happened that night, I knew from that single glare. The king was dead...