11/18

I got a new duty today. I suppose it really just fits under 'assisting the princess'. At tea time today I was called in to chaperone the princess and prince at tea. Apparently they cannot be together alone. Even though the prince can be with ANYONE else including the servants. If I was her I would dress as a servant to meet him. Not because they want to do anything bad, just to have some privacy. I mean my goodness! It was rather embarrasing being the chaperone too.They were each seated in large armchairs, tilted slightly but not completely towards each other. My chair was placed in the middles of those two, and slightly behing, so my legs were between them.
  At least the Prince didn't seem to hate me today. He merely nodded and gave me a friendly smile. The Princess was atrocious. First she complained about the temperature of the tea, and ordered me to go get some that was warmer. When I (calmly) explained how I wasn't allowed to leave the room she started screaming about the uselessness of servants! When the Prince finally got her calmed down he asked her how the wedding dress was going. This set her into a tirade on how the dressmakers here are nothing as good as the ones in Kayn, and how we should be having the wedding there. The Prince then said that the wedding could be moved to Kayn, if she really wanted that, and he would see to it immediately. She seemed dumbfounded by this, and it took minuted before she started throwing another fit about something else.
  It continued like that for another 30 minutes. By the end of the hour I was exhausted, and the Prince didn't look much better, but he gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her he loved her and that he would see at lunch the next day. When he left she collapsed on the chair and told me to leave. But she also told me to come earlier than I usually would tomorrow when I helped her get ready for lunch, as she has something to tell me. I cannot imagine what.

~Karlie

11/17

Tired. Cold. Glad for the fireplace. Glad when this week is over.

~Karlie

11/16

A cold I do not have, but another exhausting day I did. (man I am getting tired of writing that.) There are no adventures here, mother, just hard work. I pray that Tayla was right about it only being a 'First month' thing. aye aye aye

~Karlie

11/15

I believe I am getting a cold. I have almost completely lost my voice. Today was another completely exhausting day. Tayla says the first three weeks, or first month is the hardest. She says they work you to see how much you can take. I won't quit, but I am honestly not sure how much more I can take.

~Karlie

11/14

More exhaustedness. On the weekends we have extra work, helping serve and such, so it is even more tiring. Nothing new today...

karlie

11/13

Same today as always. I talked some more to Marina. I currently cannot keep my eyes open, so I don't have much to say. Goodnight.

~Karlie

11/12

We met the new girl today. Marina-Quilla Saillon. She is gorgeous, with almond brown eyes, black hair, and an adorable smile to boot. She got assigned to mopping, which means following me around as I sweep. She told me that she came from Jante, a village about a days walk from mine, right at the edge of the kingdom. She has a younger brother, and that's it.
   She asked me what it was like here and I told her I hadn't really formed an opinion yet. She told me that I took far too long to form an opinion, as she had already decided that the accommodations were rather nice, for servants, the castle was surprisingly warm for a stone building, the Queen didn't particularly like receiving duty, and the Prince was quite handsome. I responded that I HAD in fact noted all of these things, but that I just didn't feel them worth mentioning.
  She is rather amusing. She has quite a lot of opinions and insists on making them known. She is rather bossy, and yet quite sweet at the same time, and a good listener! I can tell we will be good friends.

~Karlie

11/11

Nothing new today. So far I was right about Tayla. We ate lunch together, and she was quite kind. I am rather tired, as I also scrubbed the mirrors today. There are 63, and this is to be added to my list of daily duties, though this will be the thing I skip when I must assist the princess. I heard a new girl arrived tonight, I suppose we will meet her tomorrow.

~Karlie

11/10

As I had suspected, I was put on sweeping duty again today. I met a new woman, Tayla-Sariya. She is the headmistress of all scrubbing and that sort of stuff. She is the nicest woman I have ever met (save my mother) and quite stereotypical (I am finding a lot of things in castle life stereotypical...). She has long brown hair which she keeps in a bun, she is pleasantly plump, and she has a way of speaking that makes you want to confide in her your whole life's secrets yet warns you to beware of being on her bad-side. All at the same time. Also, she insists that we call her Tayla, or Tay (though I cannot see her as a 'tay'!) I can already tell we will be good friends!!


~Karlie

11/09

I began my work today. Monday, a fitting day to begin. I was told to sweep the halls. This may sound rather simple, but there are 47 halls in the castle. The Employment Mistress, or Mistress Elenoure as is her name, is a nice but firm woman. She is not cruel, but she will not stand for laziness, and being more than a few minutes late for roll call in the morning is grounds for removal, or at least suspension of pay. Luckily I believe in arriving early for at least the first day of work. She was pleased to see that this was the case, and so gave me this 'easy' assignment.
  When I finished that, at 11:00 (am), I went to go meet the Princess (Latrina-Tonyela). The Crown-Princess is rather interesting. She is pretty enough to look at, with straight blonde hair (that the servants swear she dyes), green eyes, and an average size mouth. She has a small spattering of freckles, but she covers these up with makeup. She is very much the stereotypical princess. She has a rather small brain, or so the servants think. She is petulant, and does not treat servants well. Her home country, Kayn, is almost as tolerant and respective of servants as Belmar is, but she herself cannot stand them. She is prone to raging hissy fits when she doesnt get her way, and she believes everything is hers to have.
  I helped her get ready for lunch with the royal family and then went to lunch with her, in case she needed anything. I could tell the King & Queen didn't like her much, but the Prince seemed all right with her. The luncheon was nice, even though the Prince seemed puzzled with me and never spoke to me. The King asked if I was enjoying my work so far and I replied yes, and the Queen asked which village I was from and about my family.
  After lunch I swept the rooms, all 54 of them. Mistress Elenoure hinted that this would be my permanent job. I don't mind, as I like sweeping. I am quite exhausted after that day though!

~Karlie

11/08

Oh my! I got my job today. Early this morning Ro & I got up and went to the castle, and got in line. The line was a bit longer then I thought it would be, but I was in by midmorning. The throne room is magnificent. The walls are stone, but they are covered in gold threaded tapestries and somehow, even with the stone, the room is warm & inviting.
  There is a long red carpet leading from the doors to the thrones. On either side of the carpet there are nice comfortable chairs & in these sit courtiers, sipping sweet cider served by servants roaing the room. There is a window on either side of the thrones, offering a spectacular view of the the lake. They are covered in light gold, tulle curtains, though the curtains are almost always pulled back, to allow for more light. The thrones are incredible. They shine brighter then the sun through the windows. The Queen's is on the left. It is small, made of gold-leaved wood & gold upholstery. The King's, in the middle, is the biggest. and most intricate. It is also gold-leaved wood with red upholstery. The Crown-Prince's, on the right, is bigger than the Queen's, but smaller than the King's. It has the same gold-leaved wood, but it's upholstery is blue.
  When I was let in my name was announced by the door gaurd. The way he said it made me sound like a courtier or something, and I was quite self-concious. I curtsied, and walked down the carpet towards the thrones. It honestly was one of the longest walks of my life. I surveyed the royalty as I went. The Queen (Her majesty Faylie-Quilla Verlay) was a thin woman, with a kind face and wispy brown hair. She looked rather bored, but not in a mean way. The King (Ewean Commenus Verlay) was a tall strong man, very much in his prime. He had thick black hair and a face that could be jovial or deadly. When I got to the Crown Prince (Cameron Ewean Verlay) I nearly stopped walking, he looked so much like someone I had known. He also had a stricken look on his face, which he quickly hid when he saw I was looking at him. I frowned and continued walking, looking back at the King & Queen. When I got close enough to be heard I stopped and curtsied again.
"What is your need, Karlena?" The King asked.
"I am in want of employment, Your Majesty" I spoke as respectfully as possible. He nodded as if this was what he had expected, and motioned for a gaurd to show me the way to the employment office. Before I left I looked back at the Prince, and he was frowning deeply.
  The Employment Mistress set me as a palace servant, and maiden to the Crown Princess Latria (She is betrothed to the prince). I got a new dress and apron, and a small but nice bedroom. It is occupied by a thin bed, blanket, table, & fireplace (which is the best part). I begin tomorrow!!

~Karlie

11/07

We reached the city today, as Rowan predicted. We could see the gates as early as noon. We are staying in an inn tonight, as we arrived in the city at dusk, and Ro says it is better to go to the castle in the morning. I am not feeling too well, so I don't have much to write. I wish to get enough sleep to feel better in the morning. Goodnight,


~Karlie

11/06

Nothing to report today. More traveling. Of course, when people say 'nothing to report' you wonder. What if they did something you would want to read about, but that they thought was boring. Then you are consumed with curiosity and wonder. At least, I am. So please believe me when i tell you there is NOTHING to report. Just riding in silence. allllll day.
  We did reach the edge of the forest this evening, and Ro decided to camp there.  I found this rather frightning, camping on an 'edge', even if it is the edge of a forest. Edges, no matter the land, never seem safe to me. But Ro said that it is the safest place to be, the plains scare away the forest animals, and the forest scares away the plains animals. What about the 'in-between animals' is what I wonder, but I won't ask Ro that, because he would think I was quite dumb. There ARE animals that like both though!!
  Anyway, we should reach the city tomorrow night, hopefully before they close the gates at nine. Until then,

~Karlie

11/05 - as I previously stated, I am one week behind...

This morning we set off, and tonight we are camping in a pretty clearing. You think places like this only exist in fairy-tales, and such, but they are quite true. Rowan says that we will leave the forest tomorrow (Rowan is my brother).
  I suppose I should speak of my family. My mother & father are forest villagers, as their families have been for generations. They got married young, and thus did not go into service for the king. My older brother, Rowan, served in the army from when he was 15 until when he was 22. He just got home a few months ago, actually. I am the next oldest, at 18. Then my brother Vernon, he is 15, but he does not wish to join the army. He wants to be a stable-master for the king, and intends to go apply for the position when he is 18. Next is my sister Rianna-Lasia, she's 12. The youngest is my sister Amenia-Elyse, at 9.
  I love my family, of course, but I feel a spurt without them will be good. Plus, Mama gave me this journal, to write letters to them in and to document my 'adventures' so that she can read them all every year. It won't be that exciting, I said, but she insisted. And this morning she gave me a new pen, so I wouldn't have to worry about carrying ink. This one she made out of a knife handle, and it carries the ink inside. She is quite the clever inventor!!

Sincerely

~Karlie

11/04 - (as I am one week behind)

Today was quite the exciting day. You see, today was my last day in the village. Tomorrow I shall set out for the castle, as most people do when they turn 18. They've been doing this for generations, ever since a king decided to start his own vegetable garden, and hunt his own game. Just like that the two most lucrative forest buisnesses were gone.
  Families suffered... until they realized that the king didn't know how to grow his own veggies or hunt his own game. They discovered that the king would pay quite nicely for a gardner or hunter, or a number of current jobs that his servants were not good at. Eventually, servants grew to be respected, to be treated as members of society. They were definitely still servants, but they were payed, and they were seen as equal to peasants, villagers, forestmen.
  So the oldest children of the families set out to earn money, to send back to their families. They would see their family once a year, for feast-day. The trip from forest to city took about 2 or 3 days. When they got to the castle they had to swear seven years of servitude, at the end of which time they were given a bonus sum of money and allowed to go on where they wished, or stay if they so chose. 18 was the youngest they would accept servants, though boys 15 and older were allowed to join the army.
  I am leaving tomorrow to journey to the cast and be employed in whatever serving job is currently available. I must admit, I am excited to leave this quiet village, but I am sad to miss my family, and I am worried about declaring 7 years of servitude. What if I hate it? Ah, my brother is telling me to go to sleep. He says that even if I don't care, we have an early start in the morning & my pen scratching is keeping HIM awake.

Goodnight,

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