The servants' quarters

Rosalie entered the room and sat down and breathed a long sigh of relief before standing up and going to the medicine cabinet, she soon found a small bottle of medicine which she put on her bedside cabinet to use in the evening before going to bed to help the pain in her head. She sat on her cold bed and the thin blanket on top and started to drift off but stopped herself knowing she'd get in worse trouble for sleeping on the job but her body argued with her mind and eventually her eyelids became to heavy and she laid on the bed and drifted off to sleep.

The door was flung open and slammed as Kyando entered. She had a red mark on one of her arms, an injury. She flung herself down on one of the better quality beds reserved for the soldiers, and she buried her head deep in the pillow. Small sobs could be heard, stifled in the linen. Something seemed to have happened to Kyando.

Rose slowly opened her eyes and saw Kyando. She slowly and quietly went to where Kyando was crying. "Are you ok, miss" she asked timidly sitting down on the bed next to her. She looked at Kyando not saw what to do and smiled sadly, until she saw the red marks on her wrists. Rose stood up and went to the cabinet and got a small pot of cream and went back over to Kyando and offered her the cream/ "It'll soothe the..." she gestured at her wrist.

Kyando quickly wiped th tears away from her eyes using the pillow before sitting up, hurridly, anger shown clearly written on her face. She seemed to be enraged by Rosalie's sympathetic expression. She snatched the cream and put it on a nearby table.
"Don't look at me like that, servant!" she snapped. "I'm not some poor little puppy or something here for you to sympathise over. My problems are no concern of yours! I'm absolutely fine! Just a little shocked, that's all." she turned her back on Rosalie.

"Sorry, miss" Rose muttered looking at floor, she left the cream on the bedside cabinet. And took a few steps back standing looking at a spot slightly below Kyando as she didn't dare look at here in the eyes. Rose was regretting her actions she took a deep breath and swallowed. "Is there anything you wish me to do, ma'm?" she asked standing facing the bed, shuffling her feet in a nervous manner.

Kyando picked up the cream again and began using it. It was plain that her arm hurt at least slightly more than she made out.

"If you value your life, don't go near Sir Shisui." she muttered. "He's really angry." she paused. "He was out in the wastes hunting wizards with me when we were given the runaround by a young mutant sorceress." she slammed her hand down on the bedside desk. "We found this girl wandering around near a wizard's shop. She was a complete freak, what with purple hair and feline ears."

She turned to face Rosalie. "We managed to find out from her conversations to someone in the shop that she was linked to a wizard that we particularly need to do away with." she sighed. "Somehow she realised we were following and she lead us all the way out into the wastes before somehow making Shisui and his part of the army burst into explosions and flames. My part were unscathed, but we were helping Shisui's side out, and amidst the turmoil, the girl easily got away."

Kyando looked down at her arm. The swelling was starting to go down thanks to the cool effects of the cream. "Shisui was so angry that he left the army and dragged me back to the palace holding my wrist before beating me. 'We let a girl run us in circles', that's what he said. Everyone's keeping away from him. He's already pushed you down the stairs, and murdered one of the other servants in a bid to calm his fury."

Rose nodded. "Thank you" she muttered quietly. Rose felt slightly happy and sad at the same time, happy because someone for the first time in years had spoken to her like she was a human, not just a piece of dirt but also miserable becasue she had known that servant who had went missing, she was told that he ran but she didn't believe them, but now she knew the truth that it was Shisui who had...killed him, a shiver past through her spine. "I'm sorry" she muttered quietly , so quietly she wasn't sure Kyando had heard her. "I hope you wrist will get better" she smiled slightly, "I best be going soon" she said after and awkward silence. "I need to prepare the table for dinner, unless is there anything else?" she asked.

Kyando nodded.
"I already notified Shisui and Madame Solomon that I would not be joining them at the table tonight. I have told Madame Solomon that I will need one of the servants to fetch and carry my own dinner for me to this room. I didn't dare tell Shisui, of course. Since you're the first servant who's not been already occupied or mauled by Shisui, I'd appreciate it if you could do that for me. Of course, this means it will not be necessary for you to help prepare the tables for dinner. Madame Solomon can get someone else to do it."
She sighed deeply. "Thanks for letting me vent all that before." she muttered. "What's your name? If you're helping me tonight, I'd best know it, shouldn't I?"

Rose smiled "Rosal... I mean Rose" She smiled, she hated her full name. "Thank You" Rose smiled. "I'll run and fetch your dinner now, I also need to get mine" Rose smiled before running down to the kitchens.

Rose returned with two trays, she handed the first to Kyando, she managed to add some extra meat from the cook's chopping bored. Rose sat on her own bed and started eating her bread and soup, enjoying something warm at last. "Is it ok?" she asked Kyando looking at tray, "I don't mind getting something else, I didn't know what you'd like"

Kyando looked at the sausages and bacon on the tray with satisfaction.
"Thanks, Rose." she said, with a small smile. "It's just what I need." she searched around for the knife and fork and finally found the silver cutlery hidden under the rim of the plate. She picked them up and began to eat, hungryafter everything that had happened. She glanced across at Rose with hidden curiosity. She was pleased when I ranted at her. Why wasn't she upset or worried? Does she LIKE being ranted at? she smiled to herself. Well, I'm glad she let me, anyway. I needed to get that off my chest.

Rose quickly finished her soup, she picked up her tray, "I'll bring your tray down, then I've just need to get the queen's drink, then I can have some sleep" she muttered half to herself half to Kyando, she quickly ran down the stairs to deposit the trays and ran back upstairs to bring the queen's special drink to her room, it was a special concontion that only the queen had and she had to have it every night.

Rose walked back in and looked at Kyando and gave quick smile before lying down on her bed after a few minuted she sat up and looked at Kyando. "Are you ok?" she asked quietly smiling. Then she turned to her bedside cabinet and started shuffling in one of the drawers until she found what she was looking for. The paper, servants weren't meant to read it as they thought servants had no need to know what was going on outside the palace, and most couldn't read anyway but she had taken this paper after breakfast when she was cleaning up the plates and she picked it up and hid it in her apron as she did most days when somebody had forgotten and left it on the table. She layed it on her bed and started reading, "What" she said louder than she had intended, on the front page there was an article about the capture of wizards and witches and a a shiver ran down her spine.

(How many lines is this for you its 5 and a bit for me?)

((10 and a half.))

Kyando sat up, her mahogany hair all tousled from when she had buried it in the pillow earlier. Her wine-coloured eyes fixed accusingly on Rose with the paper.
"Hey, Rose, you shouldn't have the paper-" she syopped short as she glanced over the girl's shoulder and caught sight of the article. She gave a sad little laugh which nonetheless sent a shivering aura around the room.
"Wizards and witches captured?" she said. "So that's what they're telling the public?" she put her hand to the desk and picked up a silver ink pen belonging to one of the messengers. She drew a huge, blue, inky cross over the faces of soem wizards pictures.
"You know what they're covering up? Do you know?" she asked Rose, her red eyes narrowing into slits with venom. "A bunch of wizards tried to murder the queen. Since then, all witches and wizards aside from Madame Solomon are to be captured and murdered by order of the monarchs." she lay back on the bed.
"That's why Shisui was so cross. We were going to catch Howl this morning, too. That elusive wizard, arch-enemy of the palace and all within. But that idiot witch girl took us on a wild goose chase and all our one hundred-strong army could do to her was scratch her shoulder." she snorted and paused.

"They're not catching wizards. They're mass murdering them."

Rose suddenly felt sick, she was in danger, a witch right under the nose of the queen. She didn't want to think about it she closed her eyes for a bried moment carming herself down and she felt like she might faint. She looked at the paper again, at the pictures of the witches and wizards, who might have already fallen, an anger welled up inside her. She ripped the newspaper in half and threw it to the floor. After a few deep breaths she turned to Kyando and took a deep breaths to calm herself.
"Do you actually think that's right?" she asked slowly.

"It's only witches and wizards who live in small towns and in the wastes. People in the palace who know a little magic but wizardry is not their first occuption don't count, like me." Kyando remarked, as if she had read Rose's mind, but probably because she knew a little magic and wanted to mention it. She held up a handgun.
"I use magic to poison my bullets and improve my magic. Shisui knows magic. Some other people in the palace do, too. But the only wizardry expert in the palace is Madame Solomon. At least I, among others, are safe. But that girl who attacked us this morning, and certainly Howl and his apprentice, will die."

Rose sat down, and shook her head. "I think Shisui only using this as an excuse to harm people, soon everybody even with a drop of magic blood will be in danger, unless you work with Madame Solomon," Rose took a moment before adding "I hope" and she closed her eyes and breathed deeply again trying to think what do, she just had to be more careful. Rose just sat there in silence for a few minutes thinking about what she had read and what Kyando had said until she thought of something and turned to Kyando again. "What actually has that wizard umm.. Howl done?" The name rung a bell in her head though she couldn't remember exactly where from.

Kyando narrowed her eyes.
"You might be right, but there is certainly nothing we can do. Just try not to use magic around him, if you know any." she paused. "Madame Solomon certainly isn't going to help. She hates Howl more than any other user of magic, and usually the only reason why she lets other wizards live is so she can drain their magic in the wizard room. That's why Shisui and I take wizards and witches ti the wizard room first, so their magc powers aren't wasted. Madame Solomon is indeed in full favour of the operation."
She sighed. "And Howl... used to be Solomon's apprentice, though he quit halfway through when his heart was stolen by a demon. when his heart was returned to him by someone he met on his travels, according to her, he's grown more powerful and even threatens the monarchy. She says he could have easily had a hand in trying to murder the queen."

Rose swallowed. "The wizard room, it drains thier powers... why?" Rose paused "Never mind" Rose thought about what she was going to say but she knew she had to say it. "But... I'm not siding with Howl or anything like that but that's a bit wrong to kill all magic people, some might have never met Howl and just because he might have something to do with trying to murder the queen, is it right to kill him, lock him yes... but kill him, he might be innocent" Rose quickly stated "I'm not siding with him or anything I'm just trying to understand what's going on" Rose rushed, she knew Kyando wouldn't be happy with what she just said but her curiousity had got the better of her.

Kyando gave Rose a strict look, her red eyes nonetheless reflecting with a strange look that implied that maybe Rose was a little too young to understand. "That's enough, Rose. We shouldn't question the monarchs. You might end up with your tongue cut out." she warned her. "Best throw that paper away, too. If they find it, you'll probably be sent to the dungeons for days on end. Even theft of paper if bad in this..." she mad a disgusted noise. "...place." she couldn't bring herself to say the word 'castle'.

"Sorry" Rose said, not regretting what she said but the impact it had on Kyando. She stood up and kicked the paper under her bed, "I'll put it in the fire in the kitchen in the morning" she explained before going back to bed. Things were racing through her mind, Howl, the death of wizards and wtiches, Kyando, The wizard room and Shisui, she didn't feel a bit tired as her mind was buzzing with all the information she'd just recieved, for once her body was active, after a while, or could have been only a few seconds Rose have up on trying to get to sleep she turned to Kyando. "Just good Shisui didn't here that I guess" before lying on her back, thinking.

Kyando gave a cold laugh.
"You watch out for him. He's got a sick mind. He might get you into a corner and assault you, and that's just on his good days. That lout wouldn't hear what we're saying he's eating off golden platters with Solomon." she ended with a disgusted snort, before she went to her own bed and lay on it, reading a book.

Rose laid down on her bed and tried to get some sleep after a while she fell into a restless sleep.

Rose was running down a corridor, an armed man behind her, she carried on running until she came to an ornate door, she tried to open it but it was stuck, the man was nearing her, the door opened and she ran into the room and looked around, then she heard a laugh and then she screamed and the pain came.

Rose awoke with a jolt, she was breathing heavily and there were drops of sweat on her forehead, "Just a nightmare" she muttered and sat up, she guessed it was about four in the morning a it was still dark outside, she would have to go down in two hours to sort out the breakfast. She laid down again but whenever she closed her eyes she saw the nightmare again, like it was imprinted on her eyelids, she gave up trying to get to sleep and unearthed the paper from under her bed and started reading it.

Most of the servants were now in their beds too, their black and white maid uniforms laid over the sides of the beds, their frames slowly rising and falling under the cheap white sheets. The better quality beds were occupied by a few soldiers including Kyando but mostly Solomon's apprentices. Only two or three were empty. Some of the servants were covered with injuries, some worse than others.

Rose heard the gong siganlling it was six in the morning, the time where all the servants get up, Rose was already in her uniform and hurridly hid her newspapers as all the other servants woke up to get ready for one of the officers to come in and give them thier tasks, Rose looked around her at the soldiers still in bed, they didn't have to get up until later. Rose sat on her bed as the other maids had finished getting ready and were standing ready to recieve there tasks. Rose quickly made her bed and joined the other servants, waiting for the offical.