Visha

It was just after lunch and for some reason all the servant's in the palace had been called down to listen for instruction, for what though, I had no clue. We we're all crammed into the kitchen, apparently this was the only place all us would fit without getting in the way of the masters. 

There were far more people in here than I originally thought there would be though, an endless sea of white clothes. Both male and female, all entirely human, that was the only thing that made me feel comfortable, was knowing that there was at least more people like me in here. I was pressed between Sky and another women I had no interest of getting the name of.

"So what do you think this is about?" Sky asked me, looking around. She was taller than I was so she was able to see over some of the people around us, "I don't see anything. No, wait- Ah nevermind."

"Maybe we're all about to be fired," I grumble unhappy to be so close to random people. I had a minor issue with personal space, I hated when people I didn't know touched me even if it was just a brush of contact. The overwhelming need to scratch or even peel my skin off soon followed any contact with my body, I don't know why it just did.

"Oh calm down it'll be over before you know it." Sky tried to reassure me.

A quick hush fell over the room and Bria could suddenly be seen over all, by my guess she must've been standing on top of a table so we all could see her. "Attention all, preparations' for the 1000th year anniversary celebration must be done soon. The Emperor has a special request for this one which you all will find out soon enough. Everything must be perfect and done without fault, the Emperor is not an easy man to please." Bria began, she held power in her voice.
"You all will receive an assignment, some different than last year, as we have more help and newcomers as well. We have three weeks to prepare and a lot must be done." She continued. Scanning over the crowd she looked at all of us, seemingly asking for help not just demanding it. 

She was clearly a born leader, she would've done great things in another life. Or perhaps she'll do them in this one...

I glanced over at Sky next to me, three weeks was a lot of time and yet it was nothing at all. Me and Sky would have a lot of things to do in the shadows. Later tonight, me and Sky would be going around planting cameras and listening devices anywhere we could. It would help us cover more ground, since there was no possible way we could be everywhere we needed to in this damn Castle.

"You are all dismissed, we need to get ready for dinner." Bria finished and gently stepped down from the table.

Something snagged my attention during Bria speech, I wonder what was the emperor special request?

The celebration Bria was telling us about has been a sacred ceremony for the masters since well, forever basically. The only humans ever allowed to attend were the ones serving food, or they were the food.
It was only 100 years ago that the masters were still regularly eating humans... or they were kept as slaves or pets. Some still are till this day, but it's only because they were purchased so long ago, the sale of humans hasn't been a thing since my mother was born.

A lot can change but not much.

But as i've seen lately they actually prefer to be with their own species. Though how you can tell the difference between the two I'll never know!

I had a few questions, more like requests for Bria so I waited for a majority of the room to clear out before walking up to her. She was in the middle of a conversation with another older women, she I gently tapped on her shoulder to let me know I wanted to speak with her. Only instead of turning my way she practically jumped out of her skin, she turned around with a complete look of horror.

"What?" She asked completely infuriated.

"Sorry-"

"What. Do. You. Want?" She gritted out.

"I was going to ask you about something but I can see your busy, so I'll just leave. Is there anything specific you want me to work on?" I asked trying to change the subject at the last moment.

"Go cut up some vegetables or something," Bria dismissed me with a wave of her shaky hand.

I walked over to one of the counters and pulled down a cutting board and started working on my task. My mind began wandering off to those gorgeous golden eyes that had practically pierced my soul earlier today. I couldn't believe that I was actually thinking about one of those monsters, I hated myself that evening knowing all that I did I still wanted to see those eyes all over again.
They had so much raw emotion behind them, something I'd never before.

"The emperor requested a maid for his evening bath," Bria said startling me.

"Bria you scared the crap out of me!" I scowled, I was in the middle of cutting up vegetables for the stew tonight. She's lucky my reflexes didn't kick in while I was holding a knife. "I could've killed you,"

"That's payback for earlier," She snapped and I couldn't tell if she was joking or if she was actually mad.

"Oh, how many times do I have to apologize I didn't mean to scare you-"

"Besides, the reasons I came over here was to tell you that the Emperor has requested a maid for his evening bath, something he rarely ever does usually one of his concubines or whores does it for him. But tonight he explicitly requested a maid, preferably one with black hair and black eyes. And you, my dear, I think, are the only maid who fits that exact description." Towards the end tone changed and I felt a bit like a child being scolded by their parent.

I blustered over what to say, this morning must've been implanted into his mind. Maybe this was punishment maybe he was planning on drowning me? Or something far worse...

I pushed down the scream that was threatening to be released, and instead said "What time should I be there?"

"9 on the dot know later not any earlier. Understood?"

"Yes." I said without hesitation.

"Good, now what the hell did you do!?" She whisper shouted at me.

"I dont know!" I sighed exasperated at this whole ordeal.

"Well whatever you did make sure you never do it again, I agreed to help you and Sky because I believe in your cause, really I do. But even I can only do so much if you piss off the Emperor, and I don't feel like burying any other friends." Bria says, her voice trialling off towards the end.

"I'm sorry, truly I don't know what I did but i'll do my best to fix it." I rushed out wanting to soothe her fears and worries.

She glared at me for a moment, I guess debating on whether or not she wanted to believe me or not. Ultimately she closed her eyes and sighed, then nodded, "Alright, alright I'll meet with you beforehand to discuss the proper etiquette when dealing with the Emperor."

"Okay..."

The moment Bria walked away I immediately went to find Sky, I had to let her know about this. Any new thing that either of us had found out we were supposed to immediately tell the other one. And I figured this would count as pretty big news, I mean I'd barely even been her for a day and already I had caught the attention of the freaking Emperor!

I quickly found Sky over by the ovens. She was busy with the bird that was on tonight's dinner menu, though I had absolutely no clue what it actually was. It was massive and requires four people at least to pick it up.

And the eggs it laid were massive but the second you opened one up you wished you hadn't because it just smelt so bad.

Sky saw me and quickly walked over towards me, I apparently looks more terrified than I thought, because the second she was next to me she quickly asked " Hey what's wrong?"

Without wasting another second, I practically word vomited everything that I had just learned. By the time I was finished, her eyes were as big as mine no doubt.

"Ok, ok let's not panic," Sky said worry clear as day in her voice. "Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves, maybe this is all just one big misunderstanding. I mean after all, what could you possibly done at the emporor would've taken notice upon you?"

" I know you meant that in a comforting way, but for some reason I'm oddly offended by it," I gently scolded.

"Now is not time to get offended and lose our heads," Sky tried to reassure.

"Brilliant choice of words," I remark. "Anyway Brea is supposed to show up later tonight to explain proper etiquette when dealing with the Emperor. Because apparently there was a big ass rulebook that you had to follow any time someone spoke to him."

"Yeah and you're going to see him naked, one can only imagine what you're gonna need to do,"

I shot her death glare mad that she was taking shots at what could potentially be my life on the line. I hated masters with a passion, just being in the same room with them me tremble.
It would be as if my own body was rejecting itself I would start sweating, but it would be a cold sweat and then I wouldn't be able to hold my hand still, I would keep looking around the room until my vision would turn blurry.

I hate it. One of the main reasons I didn't want to come on this mission in the first place was because I would have to be in the same room with a bunch of masters constantly.

I kind of wish arrow hadn't screwed up so much , because then he would be on this trip with Guy, and not me. I could be back at home resting are going out. Another scout missions were doing literally anything else.

I could be sleeping I wouldn't have to wake up early, but no! For the greater good of humanity here I was risking my life and waking up at the ass crack of dawn just so I could finish making breakfast for bunch of monsters, that with no doubt, would rather eat me than whatever the hell I make.

"Just try to keep it together for a little while longer. I'm sure once Bria explains what you need to do tonight. I won't be that bad."

"But what if it is?" I toss back out.

"Then you just have to get through it." Sky said I had read between the lines. I need to get my shit together and stop acting like a scared child. I could handle this, I've handled everything life has managed to throw at me for 19 years. What's one night?