Chapter 1: A Day in the Life of a Slave

Caleb's life was alright he worked part-time, and for free as the local school's janitor where the teacher's allowed him to attend lectures and gain knowlegde that most slaves shouldn't know. It was here he met his best friend, and those that would track

Aldrayas Chapter 1:

A Day in the Life of Servants

 

          It had begun to snow lightly as a skinny boy in patched clothing poked his head out the door of the old school building checking to see if everyone had already gone home for the day. Satisfied with what he saw he picked up his dust brown, patched rucksack from the ground beside his feet. He slung the pack over his right shoulder and began walking down the stone steps of the building praying Holden and Brent had gone home as well. Turning left at school yard gate Caleb noticed all to late that today was really not his day as Bret and Holden were just a few yards away from him at the end of the street. Trying to avoid them he crossed the street and speed up his pace slightly. The boys just snickered to one another and then the torment began.

           ”Holden my dear friend I do believe that Caleb is coming this way, and what do you know he is breaking with tradition. Wouldn’t you say t’would be improper to allow such a travesty?” Brent said mimicking their etiquette instructor.
           

“Come now Brent we cannot allow that can we?” Holden said with wicked smile crossing his handsome face.

          “I do whole heartedly agree my friend we should reinforce todays lesson.” Brent stated returning the smile.

          ”Yes we should teach him not to forget tradtion. Shall we?.” Holden snickered as he mocked bowed and held out his hand like a butler would to let Brent go on ahead of him.

          Once they can caught up and managed to get 20 feet of him Brent bent down and picked up a rock. He stood squareing himself and pitched the rock at the back of Caleb’s head who had continued his brisk pace so not to attract any attention. He stummbled and nearly hitting the high stone wall beside him. He regained his steps and continued a little faster to to be brought to the ground by a second rock being thrown at his knees. Clutching his right knee he glared at Brent and Holden and muttered under his breath.      

 

          “What did I do now Masters?” Caleb gritted through his teeth as they walked up beside him.

          ”You were breaking traditions Caleb you can’t leave until you’ve had you daily beating you know that.” Brent said matter-of-factly “Besides we know you are late Caleb. Your master will have you beaten again just like last week.” This time both boys laughed obviously pleased with themselves.

          Holden then added “Oh are you hurt Caleb? You should call your girlfriend Alexiel bet  she has the money to take care you both of you for the rest of you lives.” He snorted

          ”Yeah,” agreed Brent, “ya gonna cry now fairy boy?” He started laughing again Caleb by this point had stood very slowly with both fists clenched unnoticed at his sides.

          ”Come now we all know that he could never truly have girl like Alexiel she’s of Noble blood and he wallows in dishwater.” They had tears running down there faces when Caleb finally turned to face them as snow started to fall swiftly to the ground around them.

          ” Al-alexiel would never marry him he’s only good for serving...and punching around.” He laughed out loud as he spoke bending over at the waist.

          Caleb then took a meaningful step forward, as the sky opened up and began a downpour of snow and hail littered the already thin, frozen layered ground beneath their feet, and before he knew what he was doing he swung at Holden hitting him square in the jaw knocking him to ground. Brent, who quickly stopped laughing leaned his weight over Holden to see if was alright as Caleb turned and began swiftly running as fast as he could to his master’s rod iron gate entrance thinking, “Why me? Why must I deal with such morons all the time? And how come Alexiel has to put up will at his crap just because we are friends? That’s not right.” Caleb thought to himself, “Maybe I should just stop seeing her after school that way they would leave her alone, and she could go on with her life.” He shook the idea from his mind and pulled the rod-iron gate closed behind him locking it. Knowing that for now one problem was off his mind he turned to another.

 

       

       “Maybe he hasn’t noticed that I am late yet...” he said to no one hopefully as has rubbed his fingers on his right hand a little. “Man he’s hard headed, No wonder he can’t think for himself he’s all cement up there.” He chuckled to himself.

 

         

        Turning the key in the golden keyhole the solid oak doors opened silently before him as he pushed them. He wrinkled his nose in disgust not from a foul smell but from the harsh rants and yellings of his master. He crept by his master’s office a ndup the oak stairs to the room the master provided for him. Silently he put is rucksack down next to his cot on the floor and crept down to the kitchen where a woman was making dinner.

 

       “Heya Ma!” he called as he entered the room. The small woman wearing tatter blue dress and soiled apron walked over to him. “Hi baby, your late again where were you? And what happened to you hand this time” She said hers eyes glaring at his red knuckled hand.

          ”I...uhhh well I got in another scuffle at school Ma...do I really have to go...I don’t fit in...” he whined.

          ”Yes you do its on the King orders that all servants will be educated to earn their wages. I want you makin more then me baby.” she said sweetly, “Besides I want you to make you real parents proud honey you are worth so much more then this. Your Ideas are beautiful it’s to bad that status is something we have to live under. Good thing the King is such a noble man. She said the last part in a barely audible whisper. Now the master got a new shipment of rare books in today I want you to go and file them properly.” She said smiling acting as though she had said nothing

 

          ”Yes Ma, but the master says the King is unjust even cruel at the best of times. You dare question him?” Caleb looked at her almost petrified that she could end up getting hurt over her rebellious attitude. 
        

 ”Caleb I used to work for the king, he...is more just then our master is you must know that he is a good king what the master says is not always law understand?” She said sternly turning back to the stew she had been making.

 

          ”Yes ma’am.”He said reluctantly turning and heading back out the kitchen door and went up the next flight of stairs to reach the library and began unpacking and shelving the new book in alphabetical order. fifteen minutes passed and suddenly the door burst open to the library Caleb looked up shocked only find his master there glaring at him.

          “Where have you been boy?” His master yelled in a drunken stupor.

          “I was here your Lordship,” Caleb stood up only to bow, “Almost and hour I have been at your home lordship working.”

          "Good you have then finally learned the importance of being timely then?” He asked quieting down a little from his outburst of the anger.

          ”Yes mi’lord, sir, when is her lordhop due to b3 be home ?” He inquired shyly as he looked to the floor.

         

          "At six o’clock this evening why?’” His master spat at him cruelly

          "I just wanted to make sure that her bath is ready, when she gets home is all.” He said confidently.

    

          "So you finally learned to be observent did you?" The Master said taking all credit for Caleb actually doing something right.

 

        "May I be excused now sir I need to help Ma with dinner." Caleb said timidly

 

       "Yes you may." The master walked away as Caleb turned towards the kitchen

 

       "Ma are we almost ready? Master is going to get antsy soon." Caleb said as he walked through the door

 

      "Almost love but why don't you go work on the Master's new books? He got a shipment in today and I'm sure that he'll want to show that off if he has guests for dinner as he usually does, and don't forget the Mistress' bath, either." Ma reminded him as she tasted the soup from the pot with her look of satisfaction on her face she pointed to the water on the stone with her woonden spoon. Caleb walked over grabbing the huge ten gallons of hot water turning he headed back out the door and down the hallway. Stopping in the mistress' room he placed the water on the floor and retreatex from the room. As he made his way he overheard the Master and man talking about a plan and a boy named Teirney.  "Whatever that was about." Caleb muttered to himself as he walked into the bathroom and began the library and began to shelve the new books on the hundreds of shelves that lined the room before heading to his room to begin his homework.

       

         As he left the library he heard the main door open as the mistress came home from her trip. Caleb quickly made his way to foyer to meet her. Bowing he asked, "Good evening Mistress would like me to frave your bags from the carriage?"

 

      "Yes caleb I see that my son had taught you to be more responsible, while I was away, along with some manners." Smirked the Mistress

 

     "Yes ma'am he did." Caleb said looking at the floor as he remmeber what happned just over a month ago.  If he thought about it long enought he could still feel the pain of the master's punch to his stomach. "Your bathe is ready Milady, when you are."

 

    "Thank you Caleb he really did do do a wonderful job with you!" She said clapping her hands together. Once Caleb got her set up in her room he ran out and retreived her bags from the carriage and stabled the horses.  Once back in the house he knocked the door where the Master and his guest were still speaking, "Excuse the interuption miLord but your mother is home and dinner is almost ready.  When she is done Bathing I will serve dinner would like your guest to join you this eveing?"

 

       "Very well Thank you Teir...Caleb." The master corrected himself quickly.

      

       Caleb bowing turned and headed up the stairs to the room that the master provided for him. Caleb began to wonder about the sanity of his master.  "Calling me by another name? How akward." He muttered to himself, "I wonder who the hell Teirney is. But yesterday in school we did learn about hte Prince Teirney had not that named been banned in the country after teh Prince was kiddnapped a few hours after he had been born.? Could the master know something about the child?" Deciding that all of it was none of his business he shook the thoughts from his head.  ONce he entered his room he changed in to more casual clothes.  Opening his bag he pulled out his school books and put them on his desk.  Just before he sat down he walked over the window and opened it all the way and noticed that is was starting to snow and hail. A few moment later there was noise at the window and he turned and smiled as a young girl about his age entered his room through the opened window.

     "Hey, Alexiel,  Would you shut that window when you get in here its freezing out there." He asked her still smiling as he turned back to his homework.