Cinders [Completed]

Chapter 8: His Room

"Oh, I love the rain!" I hear one of the kitchen assistants exclaim.

I turn my head to the windows on the opposite wall. The clouds that were gathering this morning have darkened into a rolling storm and raindrops have begun peppering the cement. I try to keep a frown off of my face.

I like the rain, but it's not easy to walk home in. Hopefully, it would at least hold out until the end of the day.

And the smell makes me think of the Prince. Which I'm actively avoiding thinking about.

I absently finish the rest of the dishes from breakfast. In the past hour, it's stopped raining and the clouds are beginning to lighten, which gives me hope that the walk home won't be too bad. A girl in black clothes rushes down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her apron is definitely nicer than everyone in the kitchen, obviously more decorative than functional.

"Mrs. Blackwell!"

Blackwell turns to her with the same slightly irritated expression she always has. "Yes, Joanne?"

"Alice is sick today and it looks like we'll need some help to get all the rooms finished, do you have someone you could spare?"

Blackwell stares at her in exasperation before she points her wooden spoon in my direction forcefully.

"Clark." And with that, Blackwell returns to stirring the pot on the stove.

My face blanches. My plan definitely doesn't account for moving freely throughout the castle. What if the Prince caught my scent and found me out?

As Joanne moves towards me with obvious relief on her face, I try to think of some explanation that can get me out of cleaning the rooms.

"Hi, I'm Joanne. You don't mind, do you?"

Yes, I mind. Yes, I cannot leave this spot. My shoes are glued to the floor. I'm on my period. My uncle just suddenly died and I have to leave early. I have a deadly allergy to housemaids.

But instead, I say in a strangled voice, "I'm Lee. I don't mind."

Suddenly an excuse comes to mind and I explode with too much enthusiasm -

"But - I - I don't have the right clothes, or anything."

I smile slightly, proud that this sounds like a reasonable explanation.

"And I don't have any training."

To me, this seems like the end of the conversation, but Joanne merely perks up and gives me a smile.

"No problem, you can use Alice's gear and I'll walk you through the first few rooms, you'll get the hang of it." I now realize that Joanne has the slight twang of a country accent - maybe Georgia? It would be charming if this wasn't so stressful.

"Okay," I reluctantly reply as she tugs me along up the stairs.

She takes me to a part of the palace that I had never seen before, a hidden hallway that leads to a servant recreational hall. Joanne takes me through absently, leading around the ping pong tables and sofas facing large TVs to a door in the back marked "Ladies."

"What you're wearin' is just fine, just put this on instead!"

Joanne hands me a lacy, slightly frilly white apron with large pockets. A name tag with "Alice" in beautiful calligraphy is pinned to the right lapel.

I'm grateful, at least, that the housemaids don't wear full anime maid uniforms, with the short skirts and hats. Joanne is wearing a black t-shirt and pants, not unlike what I wear as a kitchen aid. I imagine the aprons are used as identification, so that the elite know that whoever is wearing it is a servant.