Rule the World

*Recap:"Miss Solyss! You are expelled!"

~~~
I froze.

Expelled? No!

"Headmistress!" I pleaded. "You do not understand!"

"There is nothing to understand," she hissed, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the common room. She led me to Rosin and I's room and shoved me towards the door. "Pack your things. Now!"

I glared at her before storming into my room and throwing what I had into my bag. It wasn't much. I looked around the room one more time and a dark cloud settled over me. There was no coming back here...

I hated it here!

I stomped out of the room, seething at the Headmistress. She took my arm again; I tried to shrug it away, but she had a biting grip. We quickly walked down the main hall, the great iron doors approaching.

"A shuttle will escort you back home," she said.

"You're in a hurry to get rid of me," I said lwoly.

"We don't need violence in this school," she replied brusquely. "The sooner we're rid of you, the better."

"You can never rid the world of violence," I said. "Its going to happen. But you're to dim-witted to figure that out apparently."

Svart stopped short, her face turned red, and she rose her hand. I didn't flinch away.

"Headmistress, you know the rules of striking a student, don't you?"

We both turned at the sound of his voice. Lord Khan was standing there, arms crossed, looking at the two of us quizzically.

Svart dropped her hand as though it'd been slapped. "O-of course, Your Highness. I never intended to!"

Lord Khan arched an eyebrow. "What is the problem?"

"Another violent outburst," Svart reported. "I'm ridding this school of this..."

"Young woman?" he finished for her.

"Yes...that." By her tone, it sounded like that was the last thing she wanted to say.

"Must she leave though?"

Svart blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

He turned his eyes on me. "Perhaps...if Mrs. Svart isn't willing to reinstate you..." Svart grunted in disapproval. "You would like to be employed at the castle. You will be paid."

"I don't think--" His glance silenced Svart's interference.

I bit my lip in contemplation. A job. If I worked, I could send my pay back to Gram and Dax...That would help them out so much.

I nodded in answer. "I would be honored to work for you."

Lord Khan kept his face passive. "Wonderful. Come with me."

I stepped away from a fuming Svart and followed him to the castle. Elena was walking across the entry hall.

"Elena!" Lord Khan called and she turned and bowed.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"I have employed Seraphine. You will be willing to show her what she is to do?"

"Yes, Milord."

Lord Khan nodded to her, then me. "Good luck."

When he began to climb the steps, Elena smiled and took my hand. "Come."

She led me down the direction I had not been before. I could smell food cooking and it was warmer than in any other part of the castle. Elena pushed open a door, bringing the kitchen in to view. A fire roared on one side of the room and a food-covered table stood in the center. People were rushing around, working away. Elena brought me over the sink that was bigger than a bathtub and filled high with dishes.

She nodded to the pile. "After every meal, you come here and clean the dishes from the school and the castle. After you clean them in the morning, help Nadar feed the horses and whatever else he needs. After dinner, in the evening, you'll scrub the floor. Any other open time, you'll help me with what I need. Sound good?"

I nodded vigorously. I would rather work than be stuck behind a desk all day.

She smiled. "Good. Follow me."

Past the kitchen was a line of doors and she opened one. It was a very narrow room with two beds that had been built into the wall. Farther into the room were cupboards for storage. If I stretched out my arms, I could touch each wall.

"This our room. The maid that stayed with me before had to return home. I know its not like where you stayed in Sætre, but it'll do."

"Its like what I sleep in back home," I said.

"Alright then!" she exclaimed with a smile. "Drop your bag and get to working on those dishes!"

|

By the time I'd scrubbed the floor that night, it was close to two in the morning and my hands had been rubbed raw. I was exhausted, but content.

"I don't mean to be rude, but you worked harder than I thought you could," Elena told me as she rubbed balm on my sore hands.

I shrugged and smiled. "I'd rather be doing this."

"Me too," she said, returning my smile. She wrapped my hands with a cloth. "There. That'll keep you 'til morning."

She climbed into her own bed and I laid down in mine, sleep not far away.

It seemed my eyes had just closed, when Elena's voice carried through the darkness. "Good morning, sunshine! Up and at 'em! We got a busy day!"

I groaned and sat up, rubbing my eyes. "Already?"

"Yep. Its already five. We're running late."

Three hours of sleep...Wonderful.

I got dressed in what Elena offered me. Our uniform consisted a skirt that came above our knees with leggings, with a short-sleeved shirt and soft soled shoes that came to our shins. Everything was black. It was very fashionable and surprisingly easy to work in.

After we ate breakfast, I cleaned the dishes and then went to help Nadar. For a rather rough, scary looking little man, he was pleasant company. He had a very good sense of humor and told me more about horses that I didn't know.

Several days went by and I found that I was happier than I had been in a long time. I was working at something I loved and getting paid. Everyone was friendly even if the castle never did lose its malevolence. I was sleeping better. Lord Khan came often to see how I was and we'd talk in the stable until Nadar ordered me to get back to work. At one point, Roy(as I was getting used to calling him. Slowly.) helped me with feeding and cleaning the horses. He seemed completely at home there. Just like me.

I dumped another wheel barrow load of horse manure down the hatch in the floor and brushed the loose hair from my pony tail back from my face.

"Are you ready for a break?"

I turned and saw Roy standing behind me. It was uncanny how he moved so quietly.

"I'm fine. This really isn't work for me."

He gave me a small smile. "I'd like to show you something."

My eyebrows shot up. "What?"

His smile grew a little. "Its a surprise."