Ires Of Iron Coast

Chapter 3 - Leaving The Shed

"1...3...5..." Ires counts the steps of the crowd coming her way. "...7...8...now."  Leaving the shed she slept in the previous night, she merges herself amongst the crowd, camouflaging without notice.

The crowd was full of excitement, as they made their way to the palace garden, to be addressed by a slender woman in her late 50's. She's clothed in navy blue conservative housekeeping uniform and appeared graceful yet unapproachable—the same woman Ires saw in the palace kitchen a day earlier.

"Gentlemen and ladies!" she said with a stony countenance.

"Gentlemen and ladies?" Ires whispered, looking away in confusion, then back up at the woman.

"Welcome to royal boot camp. My name is Madame
Ohnorreé the head housekeeper." She continued

As the woman gave her introduction speech, Ires made an attempt to get closer in front of the crowd to hear her. When suddenly, she was shoved out of the way.

"Ouch!" she let out.

Hovering over Ires was a lanky girl with silky black hair down to her waist. Without saying a word, the girl with piercing dark eyes sized her up and down, with a condescending smirk on her face. Ires looking back at her from the ground realizing she would not apologize, slowly got up from the ground.

The instructor walked quickly over to Ires, upon seeing her on the ground.

"Are you okay? Ummm....." ask the woman in a French accent with a concerned look on her face. She looked through her folder to identify Ires. "Amanda Creek?" she said with uncertainty.

Unbothered by what took place, Ires replied with a big sigh.

"Yeah, I'm, okay." with a quick look at her name tag she continued, "Madame Honoray"

"Non!" she said in annoyance. "Iz madame Ohnorreé!"

"Madame Honore?"

"Non. Madame Ohnorreé."

"Oh wow, what a beautiful name," Ires said being over the back and forth.

Raising her right hand to her temple in irritation, Madame Honoré, with an eye roll, subtly shakes her head. She continues on with her arm bent upward with two fingers in the air motioning back and forth, leading the crowd inside the palace.

"You will have two days—two!" she said turning back at the crowd with two fingers in the air. "To prove that you are worthy to work here—worthy to serve the King and the royal family."

As she went on with the tour an aura of competitiveness filled the room, as each man and woman exchange dirty looks with each other.

"Don't choke girlies" said the girl with long black hair.

After the tour, the new employees were given a task to complete for the day. Ires had to prepare tea for the King for his meeting with a foreign leader. Placing her pocket knife and phone on her right side on the counter she begins looking for the materials to prepare the tea.

While completing her task in the kitchen with the other girls. She notices the female servants all began to sprint to the windows to catch sight of the Prince, who was pacing in the courtyard. He had, one hand in his pocket while on the phone.

"Oh my goodness, he's coming, he's coming, he's coming!" they squealed as they sprinted back to their post as if they were there all along.

In walk the prince and heir to the kingdom, with a refreshing scent. With every movement, he gave away his strength. No one feature made Prince Bacchus attractive, his dark umber hair glistens from the rays of the outdoor light, as he made his way across the room. His sunkissed skin complimented his mesmerizing warm brown eyes framed by his bristly eyebrows.