(no subject)
I am speechless, Bella. Speechless. I am sitting in Dreena's room. Or what was Dreena's room. You remember my personal maid, don't you? She was dismissed an hour ago. Sent packing back to her parents. And I was given no time to say goodbye, no warning as to what was to come.
This is to be my bedroom from here onward. Instead of sharing the second largest room in the manor, Tegan shall retain the one and Lona will have her things moved into mine when they choose to return on holidays from their school. Lady Leela sent them to a finishing school notorious for turning out the flirts, harlots, and mistresses of the royal court. I do believe that she herself is an alumni. Whereas Mother, and a number of the royal Princesses of the various nations can claim the same of Miss Dallin's. I am forever grateful that Father never listened to her when she asked to have me sent there as well. I should have been miserable to have been sent away from you. Such as I am now. Even Zel and her obsession with making sure everyone's hair was picture perfect before letting them leave our dorm would be a welcome distraction at this moment, as I have a brand new position in this household.
I am to be a maid of all work. I wash dishes, mainly. But I also fetch, carry, scrub, scour, and whatever else needs done. I fear I might have worse in store for me were the cook not a friend of my mother's from long ago, her mother having served Grandmere. But even with her kindnesses I will be expected to light the fires through out the household each morning, including the kitchen fires, wake the under maids, bring in the water, the milk, the eggs, and any vegetables that are ready to be cooked and eaten, and then, once everyone else is working and doing their daily tasks I have my worst of the day: emptying all of the chamber pots from the night before. Beginning with Lady Leela's so that she may watch as I accomplish the lowliest of chores while she is readying for her daily bath in the beautiful tub, given to my Mother on the first anniversary of she and Father's wedding that had just this last birthday been gifted to me. Today that has been my only task as it took me all day to even find where most of them were kept. When I finished my things had been divided, moved and a few of the more expensive pieces of jewelry that I have been given or inherited had been locked up in Lady Leela's cabinet. I am certain that those will never be seen again.
I was never aware of just how much work went into a household. I've been taught how to make sure one is running and running well, but never how much work actually goes into each and every detail. Honestly I think that I was far to harsh on my maids. From Dreena down to the girl who lost her position so that I could take her place as the scullery maid at no charge to Lady Leela. I do wonder if they would accept my honest apology for all of the extra work and trouble that went on in my behalf.
The only good thing about all of this is that I am now as far away from people as I can get. My room is at the top of the highest staircase, in the back most part of the house - the portion of the house that is beginning to fall into disrepair. I suppose Dreena was moved here to inconvenience me. But the view is spectacular. Father's beloved green rolling hills for as far as the eye can see. The king's palace ever so slightly visible in the distance. I can grieve or do as I please if I am not exhausted from my work each day.
Before writing this I set up a small place in his memory. A single candle in a window overlooking his hills. It was the least that I could do for him. It was all that I could do for him.
I cannot imagine what my life will become if this is the beginning of how things are to be.
Keep good thoughts coming my way. And write to me soon via Magdelea Conriks. Any distraction would be a welcome one.
Cinde
This is to be my bedroom from here onward. Instead of sharing the second largest room in the manor, Tegan shall retain the one and Lona will have her things moved into mine when they choose to return on holidays from their school. Lady Leela sent them to a finishing school notorious for turning out the flirts, harlots, and mistresses of the royal court. I do believe that she herself is an alumni. Whereas Mother, and a number of the royal Princesses of the various nations can claim the same of Miss Dallin's. I am forever grateful that Father never listened to her when she asked to have me sent there as well. I should have been miserable to have been sent away from you. Such as I am now. Even Zel and her obsession with making sure everyone's hair was picture perfect before letting them leave our dorm would be a welcome distraction at this moment, as I have a brand new position in this household.
I am to be a maid of all work. I wash dishes, mainly. But I also fetch, carry, scrub, scour, and whatever else needs done. I fear I might have worse in store for me were the cook not a friend of my mother's from long ago, her mother having served Grandmere. But even with her kindnesses I will be expected to light the fires through out the household each morning, including the kitchen fires, wake the under maids, bring in the water, the milk, the eggs, and any vegetables that are ready to be cooked and eaten, and then, once everyone else is working and doing their daily tasks I have my worst of the day: emptying all of the chamber pots from the night before. Beginning with Lady Leela's so that she may watch as I accomplish the lowliest of chores while she is readying for her daily bath in the beautiful tub, given to my Mother on the first anniversary of she and Father's wedding that had just this last birthday been gifted to me. Today that has been my only task as it took me all day to even find where most of them were kept. When I finished my things had been divided, moved and a few of the more expensive pieces of jewelry that I have been given or inherited had been locked up in Lady Leela's cabinet. I am certain that those will never be seen again.
I was never aware of just how much work went into a household. I've been taught how to make sure one is running and running well, but never how much work actually goes into each and every detail. Honestly I think that I was far to harsh on my maids. From Dreena down to the girl who lost her position so that I could take her place as the scullery maid at no charge to Lady Leela. I do wonder if they would accept my honest apology for all of the extra work and trouble that went on in my behalf.
The only good thing about all of this is that I am now as far away from people as I can get. My room is at the top of the highest staircase, in the back most part of the house - the portion of the house that is beginning to fall into disrepair. I suppose Dreena was moved here to inconvenience me. But the view is spectacular. Father's beloved green rolling hills for as far as the eye can see. The king's palace ever so slightly visible in the distance. I can grieve or do as I please if I am not exhausted from my work each day.
Before writing this I set up a small place in his memory. A single candle in a window overlooking his hills. It was the least that I could do for him. It was all that I could do for him.
I cannot imagine what my life will become if this is the beginning of how things are to be.
Keep good thoughts coming my way. And write to me soon via Magdelea Conriks. Any distraction would be a welcome one.
Cinde