Dakyres of Ardor | BoyxBoy ✓

9 | A Dress You Must Wear

FALDREY

Faldrey was awake long before the loud waking bell in the servant's quarters began clanging. Since his arrival at the Tal Dane's castle he never had to respond to the bell, but today was the first day he would have to get up and respond to the bell of duty. Just as his earth Dakyre friend had informed him the previous night, he was to begin his maid duties today.

Sleep did not elude him completely the previous night, he had to force his eyes shut because he knew he would need all the strength and energy he could muster for the work ahead.

Walking to the general bathroom in the servant's quarters, Faldrey took a hot dip in the not-so-hot water. The firewood burnt out before he could finish, making the water run cold. He quickly washed the stains of herbs, medicine and food off his body before drying himself up. He had visited the bathroom only once since he arrived at the castle, and that was right after he was accepted into the castle as maid servant. He reeked of death and misery, so three maids were ordered to clean him up while he just sat there motionless and shameless.

But what could he do? He could barely lift an arm without inciting a ripple of pain all over his body, even blinking hurt his eyes. He just sat there quiet as they soaped his long hair and brushed his soft skin which had dirt soaked deep into it, commenting on how his hair rapidly took another hue the second it got wet. They tried washing it off but later figured it wasn't some kind of hair dye. He honestly found their struggle with his hair amusing, but he was too tired to even chuckle or explain why his hair turned blue when they tried to wash it.

Clearing his head of these memories, he got into the khaki shirt and trousers Aphrodite had brought him earlier in the morning. The light brown fabric with a yellowish tinge was the uniform of servants in the castle. Drying and brushing his hair, he let it hang freely behind his head, before rushing out of the servant's bathroom. Saying a silent prayer to Zaal as he rushed to towards the kitchen.

On getting there, he realised there were a number of not-so-friendly servants, here and there going about different activities. Some cut vegetables, some washed and stacked the plates while the rest took care of cooking. Scanning through with his eyes for Aphrodite, almost everyone in the room sent glares his way.

"Byron!" Aphrodite saw him first, calling out his name and getting his attention, she walked across the room, navigating through the incredibly huge kitchen tables. "You're the only boy I know who has managed to look beautiful in these ugly khaki shirt and trousers." She smiled at him when she got to where he was standing just by the entrance.

"It could be because I just took a bath, I won't be allowed to take another one until a week or two. Let's see what I look like inside this awful colour by then." He replied, smiling back her.

"Byron, trust me, you could wear rags and still look so adorable."

"You flatter me Aphrodite," he brushed it off, "but it's good. I'm a bit tensed so maybe your words can help me."

"You shouldn't be," she pressed her lips into a line, reconsidering. "Okay you should be, but only a little. Hopefully the Young Mistress will be mild with you because you're still recuperating."

"That's so thoughtful of you, but I don't think she would give a care in the realm." Faldrey doubted. "What do I've to do today?" He sighed, getting ready for his new life.

"Well you're a maid servant, so you've no business with cooking or chopping vegetables." She grabbed him by the hand, pulling him out into the long, wide stone hallways that housed the laundry room and various other castle servant services. "You only have to come here when the Mistress requests for a treat or asks to have her food brought to her chamber-room, that's one. Secondly, and the one duty you should dread the most, the Mistress asked that you come see her the second you are back on your feet." She finished with a reassuring smile on her face.