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There was a small smile appearing on her lips as she bowed her head respectfully. “It’s a pleasure Sir Arthur,” Aliyaha told him, her voice was still very soft. Her arms were still linked behind her back. She raised her head a little to glance at him before quickly looking back down. She was raised well. Both of her parents had seen to that. How many fifteen year old servant girls were quite polite as she was? Aliyaha bit down on the inside of her cheeks to stop herself from blushing at that thought. It was just mere foolish. Servants had to be polite by nature no matter how the person was individually. That’s what she had thought at least anyways. That was how the servants were when she lived in the mansion. Aliyaha sighed softly to herself a wistful look in her eyes but she managed to push that out. It was replaced by her usual faraway glance. There was no need to dwell on such memories. Those were things of the past now. As far as she was concerned, Aliyaha was heading towards a new future. Now how she was going to get there that was of another matter. There was a worried look in her eyes now as she wondered how she would managed to afford a modest room in an inn.

She supposed she could earn her keep while staying there for as long as was needed. The mere thought didn’t comfort Aliyaha at all. She shook her head slightly as she raised it again in time to hear what Arthur had to say. The worried look was replaced by a bright glint in her eyes. She was glad that he had managed to cross her path. In a…most unusual circumstance when she was concerned. Aliyaha hoped that Arthur would be able to guide her around. She perked up a little when he told her that he had lived there his entire life. Maybe he knew someone that could take me in! Aliyaha thought to herself. Hope was rising in her as her eyes sparkled. The spark dimmed down when he asked if she knew anyone in the city. Her cheeks turned a little bit crimson as she shook her head. “No sir,” she replied. Then she frowned. Did she have any family members in the city by some lucky chance? That was unlikely. Her parents did not talk about other family. Well as long as she remembered anyways. She wondered if they had any friends that managed to make a living in the city. Pulling herself from her thoughts Aliyaha found herself telling the other.

“I don’t think I have family this far. My parents didn’t talk about them if I remember right,” a rather sheepish look was starting to appear. She ducked her head to hide her redden cheeks. Aliyaha felt that she was being of no help in that matter. The young girl finally managed to get herself under control and looked back up at him. “How much of a walk?” She wanted to know, a look of curiosity was starting to show in her eyes. Aliyaha blinked several times as she slowly took the water pack with a quick thank you. “I probably need to fill up my food store,” there it was again. The sheepish tone. “Before I left my previous owners made sure that I had enough food and water. I think it’s going down the last time I had checked,” She think? Or she wasn’t sure? Thank goodness she was keeping her mouth shut. She didn’t know why she was feeling a bit…ignorant was the word that she was looking for. The look she kept on her face was blank right now. It didn’t show what she was thinking which was a good thing right now.

It was such a relief to Aliyaha that the bandits were gone. She could relax a little but she wasn’t foolish enough to let her guard down. Not after what she had been through. And besides, it was dangerous for her to be in the woods without any type of weapon. Not for the first time did Aliyaha wished she knew the basic fighting moves for defending herself. It would have made her life a little bit easier perhaps. Bringing herself back to the present Aliyaha still wondered who he was. The blonde haired young man that was standing in front of her. The bandits certainly thought that he was of some importance. Or maybe they were delusional perhaps. Whatever it was, Aliyaha knew it wasn’t the latter. “Thank you sir,” her voice was rather soft as he said he was sorry about her parents. While it was the typical response she somehow found it comforting. When her father had died in battle Aliyaha was too young to be told the cause of it. Her mother and the master and the mistress had said that it was during battle. When her father was fighting for the freedom for her and for the rest of the people. She remembered asking for him every morning only to be told the same thing. Then her mother had died and she was left to be raised by the master and the servants. It was a good home. Her owners were very generous people.

A small sad smile was starting to spread across her lips as she took a deep breath. She pulled out of her thoughts before glancing up at him, in time to hear what he was saying. Her eyes suddenly held a bright, hopeful look. She frowned, a little taken back but smiled a bit shyly. “I would never forget that you saved me sir.” Aliyaha had a surprised look and she immediately jumped at the chance. “I would love that sir. It would save me the help of asking for directions,” she added the latter as an afterthought. Her cheeks were turning slightly crimson as she returned her look to the ground. She still didn’t know what his name was. It would be nice to have been told but Aliyaha immediately pulled that out away from her mind. He had taken the time to save her. When other people would have walked by and let the bandits continue with their attack and possible assault. Not to mention selling her for money as well. The thought made Aliyaha paused a little. She was sure they were bluffing when they were fighting over the possibility of selling both her and the young man for money. Then again the looks on their faces weren’t at all too reassuring. The thought terrified her. It would have made her life more harsher. Her arms were still linked behind her back. Her curiosity didn’t keep her from being quiet. “Pardon me sir. But I do wish to know your name. The name of the person that saved me,”

She wondered what his response would be. Her curiosity was always seen as a weakness to the young girl. It had gotten her into trouble when she let her guard down as well. Soon Aliyaha found herself asking him questions. “Do you live in the city? How is the city? Do you…do you know anyone that might need work?” She felt her cheeks turning even more crimson at the last question. Aliyaha was always worried about the little things. She had noticed that ever since losing her parents within a month apart from each other. The young girl had thought of life as being unfair in certain times. There were times that she wished that her father had survived the battle. She wished that she was in the mansion, in the home that she grew up in and loved. Aliyaha knew that most servants didn’t have the good things in life that she did. Most masters were cruel and harsh to them. Starving them and not giving them any food until the work was complete. Beating them until they learned what not to do or whenever they felt like it. It wasn’t the life for her. She was fortunate to have grown up the way she did. Silence stretched between the two and Aliyaha was too deep in her thoughts to noticed. After a few minutes she shook her head a little to get rid of the thoughts and memories.

“How far is the city from here?" she wondered out loud. It seemed as if she was thinking out loud but she was looking at the young man with her head tilt to one side. A curious look was starting to show. While born in the outskirts of Camelot, Aliyaha had never ventured any further than three miles from the mansion. Her parents had insisted on keeping her close. She wondered what possibilities the city of Camelot had to offer. Surely it was a lot if not more. Aliyaha looked at him shyly, blushing for her slight ignorance. She grew quiet again, not wanting to make him angry or possibly offend him by asking such questions. She shifted a little anxiously as she waited for him to speak.

Aliyaha rose up with the dawn again. She was used to getting up early, ever since she was eight years old anyways. When the mistress had said that she was ready to start working. The young girl sighed a little as she made her bed, smoothing out the wrinkles and trying to make sure that everything was straight. She was lucky, extremely lucky to be a matter of fact, to have gotten a job in the castle of Camelot. And she had Prince Arthur to thank for it. He was the one who had gotten her a place to stay. A place where she can earn her keep. Her days have been long and busy but she didn’t mind to be honest. It was a place for her to live and she had protection as well. Well or so she thought. She had not been here for that long to wonder what the guards’ views were on the servants. Aliyaha bit down on her lower lip, a worried look in her eyes. She suddenly feared for her protection. The fear gave way to foolishness. She shook her head to herself her cheeks turning a bit crimson. She was being foolish. That was what she got for having too much imagination. She smoothed out the last bit of wrinkle and straightened up her room in the servants’ quarters. Aliyaha changed into a baby blue dress. Like everything else she had been given, the dress was plain.

She would love to get little decorations on the fabric or be able to do that on her own. But she knew she would have to go to either Arthur or the king. And she was afraid to do that. Shaking her head, Aliyaha pulled her hair back into a half ponytail, letting the rest of it down. It won’t bother her that much anyways. And if it did she could always pull it back into a full ponytail. She took a long good look at the room and left, closing the door behind her with a gentle snap. She spent most of her morning the way she usually does. Running errands and making sure everything was going good. Aliyaha had a little lunch today. She was more focused on getting everything done and making sure it was to her satisfaction. The morning and the afternoon seemed to have gone by fast for Aliyaha since she was busy. She was surprised that she wasn’t nodding off. It was in the late evening hours as she was making her way back to the quarters. A little worn out but otherwise still wide awake. She would have to be wide awake anyways. She would never know when she was being summoned to do whatever she was to do. She shook her head a little to herself, biting down on the inside of her cheeks and lost in thought like always. She made sure to keep a close watch to her surroundings.

The hallways were almost empty of people except for the guards that were patrolling the hallways making sure that everyone was safe. And for that thought the fifteen year old felt even more safe. She didn’t know if she liked the castle during the day time or the night time. A small smile was starting to spread across her lips as she continued to walk. There was a little skip to her steps as her eyes twinkled a little. She bumped into someone. Aliyaha flinched a little as she took several steps back. “S-sorry sir,” The young girl stammered a little as she slowly raised her head to look up at him. “I wasn’t watching where I was going,” She tried to managed a small, shy smile at him but it failed as she glanced to the ground, her arms linked behind her back. She felt her cheeks turning a bit crimson as she started to study the floor. Silence fell between the two.

The past few days has been the most busiest days Aliyaha would have ever guessed. But here she was in the castle of Camelot and she had Prince Arthur to thank for. The prince of Camelot and the only heir to the throne! She knew that he was someone important, a lord perhaps or a higher ranking noble. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would encounter him. Nor did she think he would give her a job in the castle. A member of the royal family. She took a deep breath, the excitement over that day was still fresh in her mind. She wouldn’t forget it. Aliyaha would be forever in Prince Arthur’s debt. Only if her parents were still living. But would she have gone to Camelot then? Would the events from the past few weeks still happened? She bit down on her lower lip as she walked down the hallway, a load of fresh blankets in her arms. She was carrying them to the noble quarters. Aliyaha had been up since dawn to make sure the rooms were well prepared for the noble families that were arriving. Before she had left the servants’ quarters one of the elder servants had told her what she would be expecting for the next couple of days. There would be a tournament for the knights and Arthur would be in it, he had told her. Noble families would be coming in to watch the event and Aliyaha was expected to wait on them.

Excitement filled her as she started to clean the quarters. Maybe she would get a chance to watch the tournament. If she wasn’t so busy, Aliyaha frowned a little. Her father, a guard working for their previous owners, had often told her stories about the tournament. It was something for the knights to improve, or prove, their skills. A small smile started to spread across her lips as she stared around the room, satisfied that it looked the way she pictured it. She hummed tonelessly a little as she skipped down the hallways, her next destination was the kitchens to see if she needed to do anything. Her eyes brightened slightly as she thought back to the day that she had almost burned the food that she was cooking when she was with the master and the mistress. The mistress had thought she was ready to be in the kitchen as well as her mother. They were ever so wrong. A small giggle escaped from her at the memory and the look on their faces. Aliyaha was in high spirits as usual. Her ears pricked forward as she heard her name being called. She frowned a little as she turned, her eyes widen a little as they sparkled. Arthur was heading her way. “Prince Arthur,” Aliyaha greeted politely as she curtsied. “It is always nice to see you up and about,”

She was well mannered for a servant. Well any servant would have to be. Aliyaha nodded to his question. “Before I left the servants’ quarters a servant told me that I would be waiting on the noble families that would be coming in for the tournament. But that’s all he said before he left.” The fifteen year old rose from her curtsy and linked her arms behind her back. “What would you be doing sir?” she inquired. “I know the prince would be expected to participate in it but that’s all I know,” her cheek s turned slightly pink at her question. It was a simple question but Aliyaha couldn’t help but to feel a bit ignorant. It wasn’t her fault though. Her curiosity sometimes get the better of her. Plus she always loved to learn about anything. She considered it a good thing that Isabel had taught her how to read and write. She had learned it from her father after all. Her eyes glimmered a bit sadly at the thought of her parents. Aliyaha wanted them to be here. She knew they would enjoy it as much as she did. She sighed softly to herself as she raised her head to look up at him. Her hands brushed against her dress, which was a dark grey today and plain as usual. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and braided to keep it out of her face when she worked. Aliyaha bit down on the inside of her cheeks as she waited for the prince to speak.

Aliyaha continued to glance around the kitchens, wondering if she should ask the cook for a snack to hold her over until later on. She glanced up at the cook, an old grandmotherly woman, and quickly glanced away. She was feeling rather shy as she looked around at the kitchens some more. She took a deep breath and walked over softly asking her for something to eat. The cook glanced down at the fifteen year old and smiled as she tore a loaf of bread in half and handed it to her. She smiled shyly as she gave her a quick thank you before breaking off a tiny piece and chewing it. Her ears pricked forward, hearing the sounds of footsteps. She turned around to look at another girl that was walking towards her. The cook raised an eyebrow at the other girl before looking away, a small smile was starting to spread across her lips. Aliyaha shook her head when the other girl asked if she needed help with something. “No thanks. I was just coming in for a snack,” she glanced down at the ground for a few seconds before raising her head back up. “I just arrived to the castle not too long ago and I’m still learning my way around.” Aliyaha smiled a little. She was never the one for conversations. Not the way that she used to be anyways.

She bit down on the inside of her cheeks at the thought but took a deep breath. “My name is Aliyaha. Most people call me Ali though,” A strand of her blonde hair managed to break away from the ponytail, falling into her eyes. She pushed it away. “May I ask who you are?” She marveled at the fact that she used to be out going and talkative, something that wasn’t in the general personality of a servant but her parents didn’t mind and neither did the master and the mistress. As long as her chores were done and done right did she had time to herself before the next set of chores. I miss that, she thought to herself with a small sigh. Aliyaha shook her head again at herself. She was quiet as she waited for the other girl to respond while slowly eating the bread. “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind showing me around the castle.” She wanted to know as she started to pick at the bread. “When you have the time. I mean…” Aliyaha let her voice trailed off as her cheeks turned slightly pink. She shifted a little as she was starting to become slightly anxious over who knows what. She was never this way before. But that was before the death of both of her parents.

The one event in her life that had caused her to change. Aliyaha sighed a little, a wistful look in her eyes as she glanced down at the ground rather shyly. When her mother had died she thought her whole world had collapsed. She started to withdraw into herself. She was no longer trying to be the center of attention, which was probably a hard thing to do when one was a servant. It was like that old saying, servants are to be seen and not heard. It was something that Aliyaha wouldn’t even think of trying to do. She had been grateful for everything and how she was raised. She wouldn’t trade that in for nothing. A small sigh escaped from her lips as she forced herself out of her thoughts, raising her head to look at the other girl. She noticed the silent for the first time and Aliyaha forced herself to smile.

It was possible that she could have gotten lost in the castle. Aliyaha frowned a little as she looked behind her, on her way down to the gardens. She had followed the directions given to her by another servant. Or so she had thought anyways. The fifteen year old girl hesitated a little as she looked around at the passing nobles and servants. A part of her was scared to ask for directions to the gardens. She didn’t want to get yelled at for disturbing their time. And she was scare to ask the other servants because she knew they had other things in their mind and to do. An hour later Aliyaha was growing tired of getting lost. She walked up to a servant and hesitantly asked her for directions to the gardens. With a motherly smile on her face, the servant told her and she had Aliyaha repeated back to her until she remembered. The young girl politely thanked her as she turned and walked off, trying to keep the directions in the back of her mind as she looked around. Goodness. Aliyaha was still wrapped up in how big the castle of Camelot was. She raised her head to stare at the window. The mid-morning sun was slowly rising. She hid a yawn as she continued on her way. She had risen earlier than many of the servants. A couple of hours before the crack of dawn.

She was excited, there were no words that could put it. She also knew first hand at how long a day as a servant was. She was born and raised as a servant until she was only twelve years old. Her hours then were average for a young girl her age. Her previous owners had treated the servants with respect. They listened to their problems and tried their best to make it right. Aliyaha herself didn’t work until both the mistress and her mother decided that she would. Even then it wasn’t that much. She had followed her mother around while she was doing her daily chores. Her mother had explained what she was doing and the correct way to do things. Aliyaha would often get it wrong but her mother was a patient woman. There was a wistful look in her eyes at the memories. There wasn’t a time when she wished that there had not been a budget cut. The master and the mistress were getting old and they had to limit their finances as best as they could. Unfortunaly, that meant cutting off some of the servants since they couldn’t afford to pay half of them. And that meant Aliyaha as well. A small sigh escaped from her lips as she shook her head to get rid of those memories. She didn’t need them. Not right now anyways. She was happy here.

The fifteen year old girl blinked, rather startled as she entered the gardens of Camelot. Her eyes widen in awe slightly as she stared around. It was beautiful. There were no words to describe it. She wandered through the path a smile on her face. It quickly turned into a frown as voices reached her ears. Aliyaha hid into the shadows as she walked towards the source of the voices and frowned even more. Two young noblemen were arguing slightly. She hesitated slightly, knowing it would be in her best interest to leave. Aliyaha started to turn around, trying to make as little noise as possible when the elder of the two boys raised his head. “I think I saw something Geoffrey,” Aliyaha froze. The youngest rolled his eyes. “You’re always thinking that you’re seeing things Richard,” he barked. “Back to the matter at-Geoffrey!” Her heart was thumping rather hard as she quickly turned around again, but somehow losing her balance and falling to the ground. Geoffrey reached down and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet and dragging her to the other boy. “Look what I’ve found.” Richard glared down at her as Aliyaha shrank back a little. “Didn’t anyone teach you not to listen to conversations?”his voice was a little deadly. “Now it looks like we have to teach you a lesson.”

Tag: Morgana
Words: 701
Time Line: Mid Morning. A few days after Valiant

Of all the places for her to work at, Aliyaha thought it was a dream when she was hired on as a servant in the castle of Camelot. She still needed to know the going ons but it wasn’t as if she was new to the servant life. She was born in it and her previous master and mistress were like second parents and she knew how rare that was. Even when she had lost both of her parents at twelve they still kept her around. Until they had to be forced to make cuts because they couldn’t afford any more servants and they were getting old. Unfortunaly Aliyaha was one of the servants who had been cut. She remembered the mistress crying as the master had told her with a grief stricken look on his face. The fifteen year old girl wondered what they were doing right now. She also wondered if she would ever go back if they need her. A part of her would go back in a heartbeat. That was, after all, the home that she had grew up in and learned what she needed to know. She was thankful that she had a wonderful and loving owners and not many servants could say the same thing she was sure of that.

Aliyaha had been keeping her story to herself. She sighed softly to herself as she walked around the city market, in search of something that she wasn’t too sure right now. She enjoyed the city and the many things to see. It almost made her wished that she was born in it but she knew she couldn’t do anything about it now. And besides, she loved her life the way it was. Slowing down past a fruit stand, her ears pricked forward hearing the people gossiping about something that had happened earlier. She shook her head as she continued on, but stopping to look at a cloth that was on display. She ran her hand over it and felt…silk? The blonde haired girl frowned as she continued to run a hand over the cloth. She wanted to learn more about it but movement caught the corner of her eye. Aliyaha snapped her head up and winced as a big burly man glared at her. She took a step back after stammering that the cloth was lovely. He grunted to himself as he looked away and Aliyaha quickly took the chance and ran, not wanting to find out what would have happened if she had stayed there a minute longer.

Well wasn’t this fascinating, she wondered to herself as she quickly made her way back to the castle, purchases in a basket to make dinner for that evening. I always manage to get in trouble no matter where I am. The corners of her lips twitched into a small smile as she smoothed out her pale, blue dress. It was nothing fancy, just something that was suitable for her status. She had long since dreamed of wearing the type of dresses that the noble girls and women wore in the court. That would be just simply lovely now wouldn’t it. She scuttled through the square and bumped into someone. “S-sorry!” Aliyaha stammered as she took a step back.

The forest was quiet this time of day as usual. Light wind ruffled through the trees, making them sway only a little. It moved pass a young blonde haired girl, making her waist length hair stir. A smile crossed her lips as she raised her head to stare at the sky with blue eyes. Aliyaha managed a small smile before she continued on her way. She was heading to Camelot. Aliyaha was born in the outskirts of the city and had lost both of her parents when she was only twelve years old. She had hoped that the two people that her parents were working with would keep her there until she was of age to move out and get work on her own. Apparently that didn’t happen. They were having trouble with their money problems and they couldn’t afford to keep the handful of servants. At least they had good intensions. They didn’t want to let her go. She remembered walking into the master’s study, looking up at him with a curious look on her face. The mistress was crying softly and the master was grief stricken. Aliyaha remembered having a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She remembered thinking that something wasn’t right. It was the master who had eventually told her the bad news.

She remembered feeling hollowed. Surely this couldn’t be happening! Not when she had lost both of her parents already and at such a young age to. Aliyaha shook her head, trying to get rid of those thoughts as she looked away from the sky and to the area in front of her. She took a deep breath as she pushed back a strand of hair that had managed to fall in her eyes. She would find some work in Camelot. Or she hoped anyways. The fifteen year old hoped she would find work in the lower city, or perhaps in the castle. Wouldn’t that be grand? She thought to herself with a small sigh. She wished that one of the guards, Matthew, were here. He would have lighten the air with one of his jokes. The small smile grew a little bit bigger. There was a wistful look in her eyes as she continued to walk on foot. If she had, Aliyaha would have ridden a horse. But she didn’t know how to and she didn’t even think to ask. Well that was late on that, she mused slightly to herself. She made sure to keep one eye on her surroundings. Who knows what would have happen to her. She had heard stories about bandits catching people off guard when they were lost in their thoughts like she was.

Hopefully that wouldn’t happen, Aliyaha thought. Not now anyways. Her main goal was to reach Camelot and find work. She had what little money she had earned stored away. But that wasn’t enough. She bit down on her lower lip as a worried look crossed over her expression. Aliyaha shook her head again. She was being foolish. The fifteen year old would, with luck, find work in the city. Being raised as a servant, and two years on her own, anyone would have taken her in at some point or another. Only if they could afford it, a tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered. Aliyaha blinked away tears that had managed to gather in her eyes. She took a deep breath and was about to walk on when her ears perked up, hearing the distant sound of yelling and hooves. “There she is!” A voice snapped. It sounded like a captain or someone with higher authority, she noted before running. How long had they followed me? She asked herself with a panicked look. “Let’s get her and bring her back home. We would surely get a bundle with her being young.” They were talking, or rather yelling, about selling her? Dear God help me, she thought as she ran. “Ha ah! Gotcha you little brat!” Aliyaha screamed as the bandit in charge suddenly caught up to her, grabbing her by the hair. She continued to scream, hoping that someone would hear her.

Tag: Arthur
Words: 693
Time Line: midmorning to late afternoon-The Dragon's Call

A young blonde haired girl snapped awake, her eyes were wide with fright as she stared at the ceiling to the room that she was assigned to. It was nothing fancy like the nobles and the royals had but it was a room nonetheless and it was also a home for however long she choose to stay here. Aliyaha knew that she will always remain in the castle of Camelot doing whatever she needed to do for today. She wasn’t a kitchen maid or a stable hand or a personal maid servant or anything like that. She was just a servant. Aliyaha was born a servant and a servant she should remain until something happens. That thought was far off. A small sigh escaped from her lips as she slowly sat up. Her blue eyes sparkling with held back tears. She had been dreaming about being told her father had died fighting for the kingdom. It had been hard on the young girl as people always commented on the fact that she was a daddy’s girl. And it was true, Aliyaha thought somewhat rebelliously.

She was always trailing after her father when she wasn’t with her mother. Or when her mother was focusing more on the household chores that got done. She sighed again shaking her head as she slipped silently out of her bed. The one good thing about being in the castle was that you had gotten your own room, even though if it was in the servants’ quarters. It still held a ‘homey’ feeling and look to it. Glancing out the window Aliyaha was taken aback by the time. It was still late! Judging by the blackness of the night sky and the amount of twinkling stars it could have been late in the night an hour before midnight. She sighed softly to herself again as she forced herself up from her bed. She wouldn’t have the time to get to sleep now. Not when she would wake up around dawn and who knows how long that would be from now. She ran a hand through her hair, a little sleepily as she raised herself from the bed and yawned.

She made her way silently to the closet that held her dresses. They weren’t the dresses that she wanted them to be, but plain and sensible for a young girl of her rank. Not for the first time did she wish that she could wear the dresses that the nobles wore. The glamor and the decorations sewn on it and the feel of the skirts flapping around the ankles. Aliyaha sighed with envy as she changed into a light blue dress. Her blonde hair went up in a ponytail again as she turned and slipped out of her room quietly. The young girl was wide awake and she wasn’t planning to sleep any time soon. A small smile started to spread across her lips as she bounced through the hallway of the castle, something that was odd for a girl of her rank but she didn’t care. She supposed that a lot of servants did something like that one way or another. Lost in her thoughts, Aliyaha didn’t even hear footsteps that were coming her way.