"That was all, now I'll announce your designated works. Your duties were based on your magics and abilities" a guard handed her two separate pieces of paper.
She frowned upon hearing the remark of the old woman, baffled by the instructions.
"All of us here have magic or abilities at least as it is one of the requirements of the capital. There were no Megens here. As far as I know people whose magic was useful can pass as a servant" a plump woman with brown eyes and black hair beside her said "It sounds very dignifying right? Knowing that we are one of the few who passed the criteria of being a servant for nobles and the palace"
"Oh" is all she managed to say to the woman who was now looking at the front with a radiant smile on her face.
She thought her day would be somewhat better. Well it starts good but it ends in a rather disappointing phase but the new information she gathers made her day shocking and energy draining. First, Ms. Cora revealed that her name was not on the list but she still needed to work as a servant for one month. Second, the servant should have a magic or any ability at that but here she was, the only Megen standing in the hall. Her ability or whatever is that, was not magic or something the palace of parliament considered existing—at least that's what she knew.
"Emma Brown?" A woman raised her hand. She looked to be in her age "Kitchen duties"
"Kyle Johnson?" A man in mid-thirties raised his hand "Stable work"
Ms. Cora continued calling name after name.
Seira anticipated hearing her name every single time but every time she was not called, her uneasiness spiked up. There were seven main jobs in total. Kitchen, Stable, Gardening, Cleaning in the West and East Wing of the palace which she prayed she'd get, Laundry, and being a personal servant for the prince.
She was listening intently when someone pokes her arm.
"You're not called yet right?" said the plump woman earlier.
"Yeah"
"You'll be so lucky when you happen to be a personal servant for the prince" the woman claps her hands while giggling.
"I don't —"
"Seira Lacresia?"
Seira took a deep breath before raising her hand. Here we go.
"Personal servant for His Royal Highness Prince Kyrian Azrael"
Everyone went silent that she thought they could hear her heartbeat that was pounding loudly. Seconds passed and the shuffling noises of her being lucky, undeserving echoed in the room. She even received glares from the women in the room. The plump woman in her right hugged her to the side.
"Congratulations! Oh my god! I really have a feeling that it would be you!" the woman beamed at her.
Seira blankly stared forward. She suddenly felt difficult to breathe. Her hands became cold and clammy. This can't be. Of all the people in the room, why does it have to be her? The crowned prince was rumored to be cold-hearted and vicious. He is known by an alias of 'Prince of Death'. The name itself was dangerous. And why does he need a personal servant now? Shouldn't he have one already?. But most importantly, why was her name assigned to the crowned prince if Ms. Cora just made a decision an hour ago.
Her train of thoughts stopped when Ms. Cora wasn't calling out the next name and busy squinting his eyes to the pieces of paper. Maybe even she thinks that something was wrong or she called the wrong name perhaps.
After a while Ms. Cora looked in her direction and adjusted her eyeglasses again before shifting her attention to the crowd in the room.
"Group yourselves based on the duties you're in. These guards and Bella here will show you around the palace and after that, your first day as servants will start" Ms. Cora pointed to the maid that escorted her to the servant's Hall.
Then it slowly sank in. She was really assigned to the prince and she has no choice but to accept the task. It never comes to her mind that she will serve the prince but here's the universe, giving her something that she didn't want. Her life was completely messed up now. The prince was said to be ruthless and cruel. Even if it was a rumor, she believed it. He was not labeled as the Prince of Death without any basis.
The people in the room lined up and began leaving the room with the guards on the front as their guide.
"Follow me, young lady," said Ms. Cora, walking towards her.
She held the old woman's wrist; stopping her from walking. "Why am I….. suddenly assigned to the crowned prince when you just said an hour ago that my name was not on the list? Not to mention that I don't have any magic in me"
Cora glanced at the woman. Sighing, she removed Seira's hand on her wrist "The request was also sudden. I had no choice but to put your name on it and….. I am also aware that you don't have anything special in you. Unfortunately for you, that's the criteria, a personal servant of the prince needed" the old woman paused "It is only for one month until his butler arrived"
"So, that's the reason why I am suddenly forced to work here? Someone requested" she said, certainty was in her voice.
"We choose our priorities and in these place, the people with royal blood is our prime concern regardless of any reasons"
The old woman gave her a sad look and started to walk away. She pursed her lips in a thin line. She didn't need an exact answer to know that what she concluded was right. The response of the old woman was enough for her to grasp the message, even when she presents a life and death situation, no one will care as long as they fulfill all the needs of the royalties. The inequity in its finest.
She walked still in trance from confusion, fear, denial and mostly frustration.
She was brought back from her reverie when she hit someone. Her eyes widened. Ms. Cora, back with her ever-strict demeanor, was looking at her. She wanted to say sorry but she cannot make herself do it when she thinks that in the whole situation, she was at a disadvantage.
"I know that there a lot of things going in your head and the duty given to you shocked you but you need to shake it off and instill in your mind all the rules that I am going to give you as a personal servant of the prince"
She shut her eyes; sighing deeply and nodding defeatedly.
Moments pass and no one speaks between them until they turn on another hallway.
"At exactly 8 in the morning, you must be in his room with his breakfast that you will collect in the kitchen. But you still need to wake up at exactly 6 in the morning and help the others while waiting. You have to wait until he finishes his meal in his room. After breakfast, you will wait for the prince to leave before you start cleaning. There must be no single speck of dust. A woman will be coming every Saturday to arrange the closet of the prince.You don't need to worry about that. You need to prepare and hand his clothes to him. You must be near anywhere the prince is in case he calls you unless he tells you to not follow him. Change the bedsheets every day even though he didn't come. And for the last, you need to comply with whatever he needs and asks you to"
All the tasks were fine with her but the last made her a worrier than she already was.
"Ms. Cora, why…. why does the prince doesn't have a personal servant?" she bravely asked. It was going on in her mind since she was still in the hall.
Ms. Cora faced her, holding her shoulders while staring intently at her. More like a warning stare.
"She did something against the rules I forewarned you about, so please don't do anything unless necessary and remember what I told you in the hall? No matter what you discover, you should shake it off and do your duty diligently in one month"
"Starting from now, learn to control your emotions and be content with what was given to you. Don't ask anything and endure everything that will happen or befall into you in one month. Until then, you will be set free" added Ms. Cora.
Seira bit her lower lip; dropped her head and nodded in understanding.
When the retreating footsteps of Ms. Cora echoed in the hallway, she eased in her position; silently followed her.