STRANGE THOUGHTS

The room was becoming dimmer. Some of the maids who had finished their meal were beginning to get up to leave. I simply sat there taking one at a time horrible bite at my porridge, slowly eating my food in order to gain more time that would enable me to feast more on their conversation. It was getting more interesting as well as scary considering the subject of their discourse. 

'But how could Sasha wish such for herself. It was totally nonsensical to me. Who wishes for death on a silver platter?'. I thought.  'Such a fellow as the king whom I feel is a psychotic bastard is totally undeserving of any form of human companionship'. I reasoned as they continued their conversation. 

'To think that Sasha would wish to be in the same perimeter with him simply beggars belief'. I mused, taking the last nite of my porridge.

Just then, Madam Fegor walked in and quickly have us two minutes to be dissolved and dismissed for the night. Then she stepped out again. I shut off on their conversation and drank my soup in a hurry. 

Carol and Sasha had long finished their meals and immediately rose to leave as soon as the head maid walked in. Others who were still eating began to hurry up as well. No body wanted her to meet them still eating.

No sooner had the head maid stepped out than she returned again, standing at the door with a scorn on her face.

"You must now dispatch off to your quarters.. But then, ensure you do your dishes before 10 pm. Have I made myself clear?". Madam Fegor said, with a tone of authority, and a look of disdain stare in her eyes.

"Yes ma'am". We echoed in unison as we stood up.

With one last look of contempt at us, she walked away. I quickly stood up to leave with the other maids. I joined them to wash the dishes and carefully arranged them in the old, worn out dish rack. In about ten minutes, we had retired to our various chambers.

My room was one that managed to give me warmth. As soon as I walked, I removed the slave uniform I had had on for the most part of the day. I loved sleeping naked because I had no other clothes except the maid uniform given to me as well as the rest of the slaves. I walked over to the bowl of water and with a puff of a breath of relief, washed my face, before returning to the bed. No soon had my hit the rocky bed than I drifted into the land of sweet sleep. 

But was it really sweet?

Waking up to a brand new day was usually met with a whole lot of mixed feelings of pain, sadness and disgust for life itself. I simply wondered when all of these unpleasantness would cease. 

I could hear the sound of the morning bigle. It was the bigle of summon. I could tell the time was between 5 and 5:30 am.

Quickly, I put on my uniform, slid my feet into my flip flops and scurried upstairs to the hall where the other maids were already gathering in haste. A few of them came racing in. They all knew the consequence that would befall them should Madam Fegor walk in before any of us.

A deafening silence pervaded the entire hall as I queued up in line, strapping my hands tightly behind me.

We were all expecting the arrival of the head maid. Heart palpitations were high. I could tell very many of the maids did not sleep well judging by the heavy, drooping eyes I was seeing as I scanned around the hall.

It was long anymore before we heard the elephanting, gallant strides. We were used to her footsteps, but this time, it seemed like she was coming with some other persons. The sound and intensity of the footsteps was not that of an individual. 

The closer the footsteps approached, the more terrified I became. My heart beat pounded harder and I clenched my hands the more behind me.

'What the heck is wrong with you, Latifah?!'... Shouldn't you be used to this?'. I thought, presumably though. But my reality was negating my reasoning.

Madam Fegor entered the hall, with so much air of pride and superiority.  However, I realised my instincts didn't lie to me afterall. She had come with two hefty looking men and a lady. The three of them stood gallantly behind her, as she scouted across every nook and cranny of the room, looking at everyone present with contempt and spite. Perhaps, she was trying to do a quick head count in the hopes of finding that scapegoat who dared allowed her to walk in before her. I guess she found none disappointedly.

Then, steadily she began to walk around, doing her routine inspection, nodding occasionally, while the lady behind her followed closely, and jotting down some things without any form of verbal communication.

I was quite surprised at this, but then, I realized that Helena had mentioned it to me that werewolves were also gifted in telepathy.

Sometimes, I wondered how she knew so much about them. I guessed she spent so much time around them, studying their way of life,  so much so that you would think she was one like them.

Oh!.. I miss her. So much for her memories I guess.

Their presence heightened the tension in the room, largely because neither of them was saying anything. Quietly she returned to face us with her company standing solidly behind her.

"Heads up". She ordered authoritatively.

In unison, we obeyed, as though we were some kind of robot. I guess she was now ready to address us. 

"Yesterday.. I mentioned to you that there would be another routine change today". She said, taking simple back and forth paces, her cold, stern looking eyes hitting us at different times as she spoke.  "Now, some of you would remain here and continue your old jobs". She continued.

'Oh my god!.. Oh mother nature!.. Just for one time again, let me remain here'. I thought, amidst the beatings of tensed heart. 

"The other lucky and privileged few would be reassigned to the King's Palace". She added.

'What?!'. I exclaimed inwardly, with a raised brow.  'Did she just say lucky?.. What a sarcasm?!'. I adjudged. 'How could she describe such reassignment as ''Lucky''?'. I asked thoughtfully, screaming inwardly in rage and resentment.

Everyone knew it was a den of death to be sent there.  

We all knew that only a few people make it past the first day, while some others end up commit suicide. It was that horrendous.

So, how does she stand there, look into out faces and spew thrash and expecting us to gratefully grovel and giggle at the sound of that death sentence.

My head was bowed all the while since I heard that nonsense, and then, gradually, I began to lift my face to look at her, only for my eyes to meet hers. 

She glanced at me intently for a while, and I could literally say that I froze as I couldn't get my breath out. 

'Could she have read my thoughts?'. I asked myself, unable to wrap my head around anything. Sweat had already drenched my hands still clasped behind, and gently, I disengaged them, deliberately fighting the urge to rub off my sweaty palm on my dress.

Her gaze snapped away from me to the room. Clearing her throat, I knew she wanted to resume her speech, so I paid rapt attention.

"The decision is yet to be made as to who will be reassigned to the Palace and who remains here. However, that would be concluded before the end of today's business. In the meantime, you can carry on with your task. When the time is right for the announcement, you will be summoned again. You are dismissed". She stated with a tone of finality, and briskly walked away, with her escort trailing closely behind. 

Once we were sure she was out of sight, there was a huge breath of relief across the room, as some maid began to form pockets of chit-chat group, discussing, analysing and conversing the moment. 

And once again, I stood alone, transfixed at my spot, staring at the maids communicating their fears and worries regarding the possibility of being sent to the King's Palace.

I stood there wondering and wearing my heart out in worrisome thought at everything I had heard and seen as well as the reactions of all the maids. 

The maids numbered into their hundreds across the room, if not a thousand. So, I might as well debunk that assumption that I would be selected. My chances were extremely slim. All these years I had served as a slave, from the day of my childhood up until now, I had never been selected.

So, why now?. A soothing calm seemingly came over me as I gently took some strides and left the hall. I decided it was time to have breakfast, and I would not bother myself anymore about the issue of been reassigned to the King's Palace. 

'It certainly cannot be me'. I thought assuredly. Let the others worry about their fate. I was rock sure I would not be selected. I told myself that, and decided to calm my nerves.