Of Soot And Cinders

VIII

SOOT

I'm a quicker learner now than I was when I was six.

Father had ordered Jamie (and paid him my life's worth in gold) to train me into a "proper slave". Which meant Jamie trailed me around as I went about my chores, a whip wrapped in his hand. I knew people watched as wondered  at the giant following the hearth cleaner with a whip. I knew though that they would be more excited than appalled if they saw if fall across my back.
Jamie, to his credit, reminded me of slip ups once. But if I did it a second time he was forced to bring the lash down. He followed without complaint at my slow pace as I led him to the stream, and then back again. Though he didn't offer to carry my bucket. And he leaned against the wall by the fireplaces I was scrubbing (ones in the infirmary) and didn't talk.

The splinters were still in my cheek and they stung with each movement of my face. I hadn't been allowed to remove them, though the bigger ones had broken at the places where they disappeared into my cheek, loose ends falling away to leave the other half's burrowed deep.

And as it approached midday I watched longingly as Jamie was brought bread, meat and cheese by a pretty kitchen maid who batted her eyes at him. My stomach growled in anger but I ignored it and scrubbed on.

It was getting late when Jamie and I were moving from the infirmary to the public dining hall when another young maid came running up to Jamie. I looked down, not daring to meet her eyes and I could hear Jamie's soft "good." Towards my behavior.

"Are you, Jamie, sir?" The girl chirped.

"I am."

"Sir, I am a chambermaid for Lady Madalena. She has made a request for the slave Soot's assistance tonight. She wants us maids to have some time off in preparation for the festival, but needs help with her nightly routine. She says she met Soot when he was standing in for Sara, she says he seemed pleasant enough." The words flooded out of her mouth, and from where I was still looking down at the floor I could see her feet shift with nerves.

"She asked for Soot?" I could hear the underlying question in Jamie's voice, the threat.

"Yes sir."

"Soot. What do you know of this?" I could hear the leather of the whip groan under the tightening of fists.

"N—Nothing sir. I swear it." I kept my gaze lowered. My fingers wouldn't grip tighter on my bucket handle, it's weight pulling at my shoulders, making my knees ache.

Earlier I might have jumped for joy at the thought of Lady Madalena remembering her promise, at keeping at. At seeing Grimm. But my fathers visit made me want to do nothing but curl up by the stream and sleep forever. I didn't want to be pulled around more, I for once just wanted to be in bed at a reasonable time, wanted to have one full meal in my stomach. To obey enough to not be beat or starved again.  I knew that wouldn't happen though.
I shifted a little, trying to move some of the weight off my ankle.

"Please, Jamie, sir. I have a letter from Lady Madalena, she wondered if there might be doubt." The maid held out a letter and as I briefly glanced up I caught a red seal on the back.

I sighed and hoped this wouldn't get me into more trouble.

—————

It was late when the maid showed up at the slave quarters. She came in blushing and looking around, and I could guess she probably was looking for Jamie. Whe she didn't find him her gaze turned to where I was sat next to the other slaves on the floor.
One of the servants had given Benji—the oldest of us slaves— an old chipped pair of dice. We didn't know any games. I couldn't remember any from my childhood and everyone else likely had never been taught any. So that left us with guessing over which numbers would land right side up.