CHAPTER 10
The next couple of days were busy for the servants, and Mrs. Prast informed us at the beginning of the week that the family was planning another party.
This time, the party would be held outside to celebrate the Black Moon.
I wasn’t even sure what a black moon was or why we were celebrating it, and whenever I tried to ask someone, they were either too busy to answer or just shrugged me off.
I didn’t even attempt to ask Jane about it because I knew how well that would go over.
The day of the party finally rolled around after a week of preparation, and I found myself walking behind Jane to a small storage area.
Each wall was lined with shelves, and a wooden rolling ladder leaned near the doorway.
Rows of wicker baskets filled the shelves, stacked in neat clusters, storing decorations, plates, glasses, and cutlery.
Jane was still not talking to me and spoke only when something needed to be done.
I was not complaining; it was nice not having to listen to her nagging, high-pitched voice all day.
We gathered everything we could find labeled ‘black moon’ and had a large pile of baskets set just outside the doorway.
“Carry them outside.” She ordered and walked away, leaving me to do all the heavy lifting, not even taking one basket.
Bitch. I looked at the piles we made, picked up a couple of baskets stacked on top of one another, and headed outside.
I dropped the final stack of baskets, and Jane was already pawing through the other ones I had brought out.
She pulled out black linens and silver table runners that glittered in the sunlight.
She took a handful of them and began to drape them over the iron tables that had been arranged on the grass area of the gardens.
Unlike the last party, there was no designated dance area.
Instead, the servants were building a large fire pit in the center of all the tables.
They strategically placed each log to stand against one another, creating a triangle shape that reached towards the sky.
The logs were huge, taller than me, so it took multiple people to carry and prop them up.
The tables were situated a good distance from the fire pit to ensure no one got hurt or any of the linens caught fire.
Lining the edge of the dining area was a forest, adorned with strings of lanterns.
The lanterns were made of metal and glass, and inside each one was a single white candle.
At the center of each table sat a larger replica of the lanterns that adorned the trees; it held three white candles inside, arranged from smallest to tallest. Ivy wove around every lantern; its tendrils spilled from the table and kissed the ground.
Each leaf on the ivy strands had been dusted with an iridescent powder, making it shimmer in the afternoon light.
The rest of the afternoon was spent setting up the tables and checking that they matched perfectly.
The plates were crafted from a dark, flat stone, smooth and heavy to the touch.
They were set on silver service plates and had matte-black utensils on each side.
The most impressive piece of décor was the goblets.
Each one was handcrafted to have the same mountain range and wolf with a moon settled behind them, exactly like the design I saw on the Prince’s sword last week.
Jane informed me that every detail must be perfect as the Queen herself picked out the décor for this party, and she didn’t want to disappoint her. Suck up.
After everything was set up, I went to my station, a small beverage area by the King and Queen's table, to take stock and see if I needed to grab anything else.
“You’ll need a lot more than that, Avyn. Grab more bottles from the cellar. They will all be drinking like fish tonight.” Mrs. Prast came up from behind me, taking note of what I was doing.
“Thank you ma'am.” I said while smiling at her. “Ma'am, may I ask a favor?”
She had already started walking away, heading to complete the next task on her list, but stopped to look back at me. “What is it, girl?”
I shouldn’t be scared to ask, and I know she was always busy, but I haven’t had a moment alone with her all week, so I took my chance. “I’ve been getting these headaches daily, and I was curious if there was anything you knew of that I could take for them?”
Worry crossed her face, “Daily headaches? I will arrange for you to see a healer; they would know best what to do.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” I said graciously, and hurried off to the cellar to retrieve more bottles of refreshments.
It seemed whoever ordered the wine had considered this as well; all the shelves were fully stocked, and there was even a basket on the floor overflowing with wine and mead bottles.
I grabbed a large, empty basket with handles and filled it, fitting as many as I could, hoping it would be enough to start the night at least.
The party was set to start at nightfall, so we all went inside to grab a quick bite to eat before the long night ahead of us.
I overheard the other servants discussing the last party and how it went until the wee hours of the morning.
Everyone had changed into a different uniform, and panic set in.
I went through all the instructions Jane had given me earlier and couldn’t remember anything about a different uniform; I was still wearing the black-and-white one I normally wear.
Mrs. Prast must have noticed the panic and confusion on my face as my eyes darted from one servant to another, because she came over to me and said, “Your uniform is on your bed. Jane was supposed to tell you.”
A concerned look crossed her face as she glanced over at Jane, who was taking a bite of bread, clearly avoiding looking this way, but was close enough she could hear the conversation.
“She did, I must have forgotten, I will go change now.” Not wanting to ruffle feathers with Jane, even though she deserved a good tongue lashing.
“Quickly! Quickly now. We will meet you outside. Oh, and please do something with your hair.” With that, Mrs. Prast turned and shooed all the other servants outside; a bunch of them shoving the last little bits of food into their mouths as they made their way to the door.
Jane followed the large crowd but shot me a sneer of a smile before leaving the room.
One day, I will knock that smile right off her face.
I ran into my bedroom and found a glittery black dress lying on my bed, and a pair of satin lace-up slippers on the floor.
I changed into the dress as fast as possible and sat down to put on the shoes.
Running to the bathroom to get a quick glance in the mirror to attempt to fix my hair, I tied a second ribbon around the cluster, hoping to prevent the disaster that happened at the last party from happening again.
Just as I was tucking a fly-away piece of hair into the bun on the top of my head, Mrs. Prast swung my door open.
“Good, it fits. I was worried it would be too big on you.”
I stood there for a second before asking, “Are you sure this is my outfit? It seems a little more glamorous than everyone else’s?”
“Yes, girl, the family has decided that you will be their designated beverage server tonight. You are to look your best and stand out; it will help them find you in the crowd, as they will not be sitting at a table all night. I highly advise you to always keep an eye on them and know where they are at all times. Being prepared and ready to fill their glasses before they need to find you will help you win them over.”
Designated Beverage Server? I had only been here a couple of weeks, and this did not make any sense. “Shouldn’t Jane be their server? I have only been here a couple of weeks?”
“We do not ask questions, young lady; we just do what we are told. Now, hurry up and make your way outside to your station.” She yelled at me while scurrying out of my room and down the hallway.
Ugh, the Prince probably did this, another tactical move in his game.
Night was falling outside, and the sun was almost gone by the time I stepped back out into the garden.
Guests were slowly trickling in; it was less formal than the first ball, and everyone was dressed in loose-fitting cotton in shades of grey and black.
The ringmaster, who normally introduced everyone, was making his way around to the different groups, having animated conversations as he bounced from one group to another.
I stopped for a moment, taking in the beautiful scenery and the décor that we had worked tirelessly on all day.
Every candle was shining, illuminating every piece of décor throughout the garden; a butler was lighting the large fire in the middle of the tables, and I watched as it erupted into waves of orange and red.
The flames danced off every surface, complementing the décor.
It was a spectacle to see; I had never seen anything close to this before.
At the far end of the yard, the willow tree was alight with lanterns, and piles of oversized black pillows were placed under its branches, creating a calm and inviting environment.
I let go of a breath that I didn’t realize I was holding and made my way across the lawn to my beverage station by the main table.
Party guests were starting to flow in more frequently now, and I waited for the King and Queen’s grand entrance.
Once everyone had arrived, the King and Queen made their entrance, and to my shock, Prince Zendryk was not with them.
Was that really any different from any other time I had seen them?
I don’t know why I was so shocked, although this seemed like an important party for him to miss. Oh well, that was none of my concern.