After a day of rest in the attic of the Garden I sat in front of the polished mirror. I looked at my unadorned face. My hair pulled into a loose no nonsense bun with strands framing my face loose and reaching down to my shoulders. I looked closely at my eyes, making sure I didn’t have any bags or anything unbecoming from exhaustion there. Happy with myself I looked down at my plain black dress with white neckline with lace at the collar. My flat comfortable shoes clad on my feet and bareful visible under the low hemline of my skirt.
Walking out the back door so someone wouldn’t recognize the garb of a castle attendant coming out of a well known brothel. That would raise unneeded questions. For the next few weeks I would be living in the castle as a servant. Sharing a room with a rather obtuse and grumpy woman that had been separated from her husband since she had the opportunity to work for the royal family.
Making my way through the streets and to the entrance to the royal grounds I curtsied to the half dozen guards. Their armor shining and light in the morning as the sun rose. The gates were just now being opened for those that would be seeking a royal audience with any of the various members of the royal court.
“Ms. Seams, how was your time off work? Can’t believe you chambermaids get a rotating few days off. Guard duty is all the time.” Reginald was a nice man. His gambling problem was well known amongst the staff though and the man was constantly scraping for more coin for a few more hands in some tavern somewhere. His luck was questionable as he always seemed to be able to get something in return for a good deed done.
“Reginald,” Walking up to him I smiled gently, feeling a sense of relaxation now that I was in the royal grounds and was finally not the prostitute I was outside the castle. “Say hello to the wife for me. She should be due to pop any day now. I pray you have a son.”
“Thank you Ms. Seams. Indeed she is with a birthing nurse at all times right now. Though it takes a bit of my coin I want only the best for my darling.” His chin raised into the air as he puffed out his chest.
“Stay away from those cards now. You have to save for a proper education now.” The other guards chuckled as Reginald flushed. I waved innocently and walked towards the side of the grand castle where the servants would be welcomed inside.
The wings of the castle stretched back in its directional wings. Each full of rooms for purpose, two whole wings had to be dedicated to the royal family. The main bulk of the life there was held in those wings, with only the most important of things requiring people to congregate inside the hub of it. Slipping through the door I was met with the hustle of the western wing. The entrance going straight into the housing for the servants that lay under the basements. Sure it made the rooms a little chilly and damp but it was better than having to use my body to earn my keep.
I waved to passing women, all of us tasked with cleaning and making the rooms for each of the royals above. Making my way to my room I tucked away my small bag of spare clothes and one secret helper should I find myself in more agreeable company. I felt a little battle inside myself. One part of me was convinced that being in the especially “good” graces of a noble princess would maybe get me elevated to a handmaiden where I could dedicate my life to the purpose of only one person. Even if that meant satisfying their deep desires. To have one lover, even when she married I could be her dirty little secret when she slept apart from her husband. It was a better thought than risking my reputation all the time.
Finally ready I readied myself to help turn bedrooms over from the morning chaos of nobles waking up and being primped and prepped for the day. I was in uniform, demure, and able to blend into the background of the castle. I slipped into the hallway and grabbed the first set of linens to change the first room. The eldest princess at twenty three years of age was always the first to wake up. Even before she was married off to a king in a neighboring region.
She was nicknamed the early bird back when she stayed, or so that is what the rumors were stating. She was officially home to birth her third child. Her first two being a daughters she birthed in her new home. The fellow king sent her to sit within her own realm in hopes that Crownbearer land wasn’t cursed. It was also a thinly veiled excuse to set aside the third wife of said king.
I walked the hallways with two other chambermaids at my heels. I watched as the heavily pregnant woman stepped from her chamber. Her hand braced against her belly as she waddled despite years of etiquette lessons. She was in fine but relaxed garb. The fashion of those that had nothing important to do than just existing.
Her handmaidens fussed all about her. Some of them took an arm while the other stepped forward like the blow of a boat ready to part the waves.
Like clockwork I slipped inside the now abandoned room and looked about with a curious eye. The thick smell of perfume filled the air. Incense and fragrances were strong. The great four poster bed, suitable for a dozen peasants to sleep pressed together. The great nest of pillows and blankets sat in the center of the bedding. No doubt every attempt to make the poor girl comfortable.
As we had practiced dozens of times over the last year I had worked in the castle we stripped the bed and pillows of all their covers. Pulling them aside and filling the arms of our third member as she took all the linens without complaint.
I snapped the sheets out to the other woman with me. We pulled it taught as we could and tucked it into the mattress. I kept my mouth shut tight when I saw the rather scandalous book tucked under the head of the bed. “The willing tongue” was famous around the brothel. It was practically the primer on sucking a cock or licking a pussy right. Though the bookmarked areas were definitely pointed at pleasing a man.
Thankfully it was myself that saw it and not one of the more prudish and gossiping women that were with me. I fluffed the pillows and made sure they were plush and fluffy like clouds. Placing them properly we set all the blankets and sheets in place. Everything had sharp corners, pulled tight enough that it would take serious work to loosen it. Downy and soft enough that you could just sink into it and be whisked away into sleeping deeply for the night.
The temporary housekeeper who covered for my pseudo client walked into the room carrying something I was stunned to see. An aether light. The king was famously against the budding magical combination with technology. Utilizing the hardened aether in fabulous ways.
It looked like a bronze web of metal. In the center of it floating was the solid white crystal. The small engravings in it turning magic into purpose. She walked next to me and I stepped aside still holding the candle. “What a wondrous day. Look, we have the newest thing in the market.” She set it on the bed table and clicked a hard metal button down.
There was a crackle and hum as a wisp of energy wrapped around the crystal and it started to glow like a miniature star. With the curtains wide open though it provided little more than ambiance. The other maids clapped quietly at the display as the young woman smiled and clicked it off once more. The thing became dark and inert. She looked at the group of us. “Take all the candles out of the rooms, we have a full shipment to fit every bedroom in the castle with new aether lights.”
They all clapped while I looked at the new device. It was such a strange thing to change, especially for someone that particularly hated the idea of adapting to new technology. A cart was brought to the room as we pulled three more candles from the room and set a second aether light on the other side of the bed.
I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Why wasn’t there rumors of this? Did no one in the castle know this was going to happen before right now? I had been gone for a few days to take my leave when I could. Still that seemed like it would have been months in process to acquire enough supplies to outfit the entire castle.
Just as I was stepping out I turned and saw another one of the princesses standing outside her room as she was handed an aether crystal. The very thing that allowed communication across the lands without messengers. She hand her crystal quill and was scribbling on it with a wide smile on her face. Vaguely I could hear her call out, “So I get to keep this?”
“Yes your majesty. Now, please put it in your side purse while we make our way to breakfast. Just like a book it is very rude to have them out at mealtimes.” Her handmaid, a much older woman with graying hair. She might have been with that particular girl since she was but a child.
The princess smiled and tucked it into what looked like a new carrier and then crossed her hands primly at her waist. “So how do we…” They walked out of earshot as the princess talked animatedly to her companion.
Maybe this meant that I could get my own crystal returned to me. It would be nice to have when I could sneak out at night for some of my packed giggleweed. It was good to have after the harder days to make the body relax. I would have to be more careful about keeping it in my room though between my mornings and nights when I had free time.
We continued from room to room, installing lights, changing bedding, cleaning floors. I was in the youngest princess’s room at the end of the hall and felt my heart sink at the poor girl. She was so young but I could see her first blood on the sheets. I could hear the princess sobbing in her bathroom as no doubt her handmaid helped explain what was happening. It meant she had reached the age where she could potentially be sent to her betrothed house should her father wish it.
Vaguely I could hear the girl hiccuping while her and her handmaiden stepped out, “Don’t worry you miss. Your father is very protective. I’m sure that you won’t be sent away so easily. Not until he deems you ready for such a thing.” They were half hugging as the poor girl was dressed in the celebratory garb of the first sprout of womanhood. The whole castle would know by the end of day.
I hoped for her sake that it was indeed the case that her father would keep a close eye on her. This was very early for a girl. I turned to my fellows, “I’ll fetch the red sheets. Replace the lights while I’m gone?”
“Yes, and don’t forget a hot water bottle for the young miss. If she is anything like her sisters she will be very uncomfortable shortly.” I curtsied to my superiors and hustled away to get things prepared for the poor girl.