Shizu was raised by the family who owned the barn where her mother gave birth to her. The only thing the lady told them was the baby's name before she died, and the only thing she left her was a wooden locket that had been warped shut by sea water...
Shizu woke with a start, her current position did not lend itself to easy sleep. After she witnessed that event in the barn she had known it would not end well for her. As the foster daughter she was not as believable as their own precious girl. So of course they believed the blood on the straw was hers. Now she was just waiting on the verdict.
Shizu knew as well as anyone in the area that this year had been bad for crops and this was just the excuse they needed to get rid of her and earn some money to keep them thru the coming autumn and winter. As such she had no surprises when they dragged her out of the small wood shed where she had spent many nights in punishment for wrongs unjustly laid on her shoulders. She saw the slave merchant handing several copper coins to the man she had never thought of as a father. In just five minutes she was in the cart watching the place she spent the first sixteen years of her life disappear in the trees.
She looked at her hands and thought about all those years and knew there was only one person she would miss, Hallie the herbalist. She had cried out all her sorrows to that kind woman and been taught how to care for her many scrapes and bruises along with those kind words that eased her heart. She was also the one who gave her the locket that had been the only possession on her mothers body that she had been able to save from that family's looting.
The slave trader glanced back at the young girl in his wagon. He had seen enough children in near identical situations to have a good idea of her story, he decided that he would inquire to see if a certain noble's household was looking for a new maid. She would be free and safe there, but asking was the most he could do.
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Nearly three months later Shizu sat in her room waiting to be interviewed by a person the merchant had gone to recommend her to as a general maid. She had not been waiting long when she heard his voice along with an unfamiliar woman's polite speech. The door opened and she stood in time to see a woman about ten or so years older then her walk into the room. She curtsied as the merchant had taught her then waited with her head bowed.
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"Look at me, I am to be your superior not your master." The woman's voice was cool but gentle. She did as the woman bid and looked into her face, as calm as a still lake. "My name is Selia and I am the head maid and house keeper to my lord count Calray. I have already been informed that you are still learning our tongue and as such I will be setting aside some time each day to further instruct you so that by the time my lord returns from court you will not make any mistakes in your duties due to misunderstanding your instructions."
She looked Shizu over quickly and gave a few more directions and advice's before stopping and held out her hand. "You have yet to tell me your name so let us introduce ourselves properly once more. My name is Selia, what may I call you?"
Shizu looked at her hand and spoke in halting, slightly accented, words as she gripped it in return. "My mother... name me as Shizu."
In just a few minutes she was bundled into a cart and on her way to her new home where she would be given work and food that she did not have to snatch from the grip of others. And her first lessons began on the four hour trip to reach the count's home where she would have the first of the many wonderful meals she would have for the rest of her life.
