A Servant Lost (Alys Book #1)

Chapter 5

The journey to the prince's palace was long and torturous.  Alys shared a jailed wagon with twelve other servants that had been sold into the same fate as her.  At night, when they stopped for the day, the thirteen of them were lead into the inn that they had stopped at, and they all shared a cheap room together, paid for by their purchaser.  They were given small meals, just enough to keep them alive.  In the two weeks of travel to the palace, Alys's weight dropped more than she thought possible.  She had always been thin, but now she looked as if her bones were too big for her skin.   Her eyes were like big craters in her face.

Most of the servants traveling with her talked during the long rides.  Alys spoke to no one.  Not even when she was spoken to. 

When they finally rolled into the castle's side courtyard, specifically for servant entry, Alys felt numb and dead.  They were pulled from the jailed wagon, their hands and feet were cut loose, and they were guided into the castle's basement.  Alys barely paid attention to the brief tour they were given of the chambers in the ground.  There was a main kitchen meant for preparing the meals of the important people in the palace.  All Alys remembered about that was that it was huge.

Under that, next to the castle's dungeons, were small, cold rooms that had damp floors and walls.  They were each assigned a room and were informed that they would be sharing it with another servant that knew the ways of the palace.  They were then told to wait for further instruction. 

Alys looked around their room.  It was small, and two benches made out of rock were on either sides of the room.  These were the beds.  Because they were underground, there was no window, and the only source of light was from a burning torch on the back wall. 

The only thing that Alys could think to be thankful for was that there were plenty of blankets piled on each stone bed.  By the chill in the air, she guessed that it got very cold during the night.   The man who had brought her to this room had told her that the girl she would be living with, and who would be showing her what to do, would be back in the evening. 

Alys sat down on the stone bed that had its blankets unwrinkled, guessing it was to be hers.  She was too tired to worry.  She lay down and fell into a fitful sleep.

Alys numbly ate the porridge that her new roommate brought to her.  It was no longer warm and did not taste like much, but it was better than nothing.  Alys was aware of the young woman sitting across from her and watching her eat.

When she was done, she put the bowl down on the stone floor and lay back down under the blankets.

"What's your name?" The other girl finally asked.

"Alys."

"That's a pretty name."

Alys did not reply.  After a few minutes, the girl broke the silence again.

"My name's Esme."

Alys nodded.  The girl had her long blond hair pulled back into a messy bun.  She wore a worn grey dress with a white apron on top.

"How old are you?" Alys finally spoke.

Esme smiled, seeming relieved that Alys was speaking to her.

"Almost twenty," Esme beamed, "Been working at the castle here for the last two years. How old are you?"

"Around nineteen, I think." Alys replied.  She stared straight ahead of her at Esme's rock bed.

"You think?" Esme laughed, "How could one not know what age they are?"

Alys shook her head, indicating that she did not wish to discuss it.