Lysanda's choice

The day flew by so quickly, Lysanda didn't realize how close to making the decision she was. With the Lady Laile business, all the servants where swept off their feet trying to appease the pompous peacock. Lysanda walked down the servants stairs with her pail of water and cloth, remembering her encounter with Finnian this morning. "You can think for yourself, but that's not always a good thing." she pondered hopelessly on what he had said. She didn't really understand what it meant, it seemed like he was trying to warn her, but why would Finnian warn her against something. Only this morning, he had slammed her head against the marble fire place in his bedroom, then turn around and act almost protectively with her. Lysanda gingerly touched the side of her head, which was still sore and bruised from this morning. Nobody had said anything because violence against grotesques was so frequent it had become 'normal'.

She entered the kitchen, and set down the pail and cloth by the closet. Hermida and Apollinia where already sitting at the heavy table, eating slowly. As Lysanda sat down next to Apollinia, across from Hermida, the cook handed her a bowl of bubble and squeak and mashed potato. 

"So, Lysanda, decision time." Apollinia stated, smiling. Lysanda choked on her food and slapped her chest to ease the food down. She had completely forgotten about the decision she had yet to make.

"I told you. When we go to bed. Walls have ears you know, if we get caught we'll get lynched and crucified like Hera." Lysanda hissed at Apollinia, she didn't like to be rushed on things like this.

Apollinia paled a little(if that was even possible), remembering this afternoon's incident. Apollinia glanced at Hermida, who'd been surprisingly quiet this whole time.

"Hermi, back me up here." Apollinia snapped. When Hermida didn't respond, they knew something was up with her. Hermida was the nosiest, most obnoxious of the grotesques working for the mistress. If she was quiet, something was definitely different.

"Earth to Hermi." Lysanda called, clicking her fingers in front of Hermida's face. Suddenly Hermida snapped back to attention, and looked at the other two with a face of surprise.

"What?" she said, looking at them curiously.

"Why are you so quiet? You're never quiet." Lysanda asked quietly.

"Oh. I was thinking about someone." Hermida replied.

"What?" both Apollinia and Lysanda exclaimed in unison. "What happened?" continued Lysanda.

"Well I was helping Minerva unload this week's groceries from the cart. I was walking along the path with a box of strawberries when I tripped. One of the gardeners caught me and the crate. He said I was very pretty and we should maybe talk again some time." Hermida explained to the other two.

"Hermida, you're so gullible. He most likely doesn't think you're pretty, he just wants your body. We all know the gardeners have slept with all most all the female servants here. What they want, they most often get." Apollinia scolded.

"Whatever." Hermida snapped, picking up her empty bowl and putting it in the sink. Apollinia and Lysanda also did likewise and followed to the sleeping quarters. 

All the other house servants where already in the sleeping quarters when the trio arrived. When Lysanda sat down on her straw mattress, everyone gathered around in a semi-circle. 

"I have decided." Lysanda stated, and everyone silenced. " I think, we should not stage a revolution here. Not yet at least." A few dissenting murmurs echoed around the room. 

"Please let me explain," Lysanda pleaded. " The revolution is still in its early days. We could revolt, but if the fires of the revolution die out before we've had a chance to get very far, we'll all be crucified. But also this; even if we manage to gain the right of freedom, segregation is still going to happen. Even if we're free, that doesn't mean normals will hire us. We'll have no jobs, w'll all be homeless. At least when we're servants, we get a bed, food and a roof over our heads."

From the looks on everyone's faces, it seemed Lysanda had played her cards right. Everyone scrambled into their beds, content yet slightly unsure about the answer Lysanda had given. But they all knew she was the most intelligent, and were willing to follow her advice.

Lysanda undressed and pulled the sheets up as the light was turned off. She looked up at the black ceiling and thought once more about what Finnian had said.