Blind
By:Novicewriter
Sirri (ser-ree) is a slave at Galbatorix's castle, but has little worth there for she is blind. She lives a routine life, she has worked there for 9 years, and is now 16. Eragon told by the POV of a blind girl. Murtagh/OC
I ran down the familiar corridors of the maids quarters at the sound of mama's voice. "Girl! You are needed in master Murtagh's room. Deliver the towels and then come back and help fix dinner." Mama was not my mother, nor anyone's, she was a hired maid, she got paid for what she did. Quite truthfully, I didn't know her name, everyone, since before I could remember, has called her mama.
"Mama, you know I don't know the way. His room is to far off the main hall, I will never find it." I answered.
"You will just have to." mama said sternly. I could tell she was glaring at me, the tension always changes, you could call it my sixth sense if you wanted.
"Fine, I will go, but if I get lost and die it is the guilt that will hang over your head." I walked out again not paying mind to mama's faint screeches in the background. "Sirri, Sirri get back here." I continued walking not bothering to notice which staircase was where. I had never been to Master Murtagh's room,and just knew I would get lost.
Foot falls were approaching me, and I decided to ask for directions. These were not maid foot falls, those were always soft, but they were not the soldiers iron toed boots. "Excuse me." The foot steps stopped just feet away from me. "Could you please tell me where master Murtagh's room is?"
The laughter that followed was not that of happiness, the man before me was laughing bitterly. "Thats just like Galbatorix, send a blind maid to find a room in this maze."The voice did not sound angry to my ears, but I still had not idea who he was. "Follow me, I will lead you there,"the foot steps walked away, and I followed the sound of his boots softly hitting the ground.
"Sir, what is your name?" I asked this with little hesitation, but even with the short pause I heard made me immediately bow low to the ground. "I'm sorry, it is not my place to ask. Nevermind." I was still facing the ground, I would not even lift my head, not until I heard his foot steps again.
"I'm Murtagh, What is yours?" I was surprised at this, I was in the presence of one of my masters, and here I was following him silently through corridors without a bow.
"I-I'm Sirri." I said silently. I bowed again, I could not see, but I could tell he was staring, it was part of that whole 6th sense thing, he was staring kindly though, not like Mama, Mama glared.
"Nice to meet you Sirri."
"Pleasure sir." I finally lifted my head, some stray pieces of my dirty blond hair fell into my face, but I didn't dare move it away. I wish I could see him, I pictured him about 6 feet with shoulder length black hair. I had only heard him described once, he had quite a fan club amongst the women of the court.
He continued to walk forward, and I followed silently now wishing just to be able to be in and out quickly. Finally he stopped and opened a door. I walked in found the bathroom, every bedroom is the building, excluding the king's room and the maids quarters were the exact same.. I set the towels on the appropriate racks and then walked toward the door. The entire time his eyes did not leave my back. I stared in straight ahead. "Master Murtagh, would you please be kind enough to not stare. It is making me nervous," I said just loud enough for him to hear.
He quickly diverted his gaze, and the tension in the room stiffened. "Is there anything else you need master Murtagh?"I said softly once again praying he say no.
"I would like something, please don't call me master."
"I cannot do that master Murtagh."
"Why not?" Why are you so inquisitive? I thought. I was under orders to do anything he asked, but that was one thing I could not do.
"I just cannot. Good day." I walked out the door as though nothing strange had transpired in that room, but my mind was reeling with thoughts of this Murtagh. He was different than Galbatorix, so much different.
"Don't you need me to help you find your way back?" I heard him ask from the room.
"That will not be necessary, I've memorized the way." I couldn't help but realize how lonely Murtagh sounded. He sounded sad and forlorn, I could see the disappointment written on his face in my minds eye. I wondered if my picture of him was close to the real thing, but I would never know. I probably would never speak to him again.
I walked back down to the maids quarters and was welcomed by Mama's yelling and nagging. "Lazy girl, get dinner cooking, the king will not be happy if it is late, and so I walked back out the door and to the kitchen's where I helped prepare the meal that I would never be able to enjoy. I was handed a tray where food was placed, and walked out into the dining hall where the king would sit, normally surrounded by company, today he was with only one other.
I placed the tray of food where I was directed and then walked out, but not before I could catch the conversation thats Murtagh, and the king had not even paused when their meal was brought, no thank you, none needed, none wanted.
"The Varden are recruting men quickly, we will have to attack before they are able to train anymore or recruit anymore." The king's voice seemed very distant in my ears, I tried mostly to block him out.
I walked toward the corner of the room where a chair was waiting, and I took the seat, ready to wait for the meal to end so I could clean and then go to bed. I didn't really listen to the conversation, until I heard Murtagh's voice break a long stretch of silence. "My Lord, I was wondering who that maid was?"
"The blind one, she is no maid, she is a slave, she had worked here since a young age or something. Why do you ask?" The king seemed to be in a polite mood, rare, but whatever Murtagh was thinking, it was a good time.
"I was wondering if she could live in the maids quarters closer to my room, I will be wanting her near me, she will be of much use."
"Fine by me, I only use her for meals and laundry, there are always more people to do them."
"Thank you sire, Excuse me, I am going to retire early." I could hear the legs of his chair scraping against the floor, and I rushed to grab the plates, I did not want to be talked to by the king. I did not want to change quarters, or help Murtagh, something about the young man bothered me, maybe because his voice would not match the picture of him in my mind.
I grabbed Master Murtagh's plates and tried to hurry off to the kitchen, but was stopped. "Girl! You heard Murtagh, you are to move to the quarters across the castle, closer to Murtagh's room, I am sure he has great plans for you." The way the king had said this made me cringe, this was not going to be pleasant, I knew it. I had to hold back my retort as well, I could imagine telling him this one day, 'I have a name and it is Sirri,' but I was sure that day would never come to pass.
I walked back to the maids quarters where I had lived for the past 9 years. I had grown up in these rooms, and with Mama, I did not know any of the maids in the other quarters. I grabbed my clothes and a few small posessions, and started toward the other end of the castle. Tyrranie led me there, she was about my age but as always, I only had my picture of her. I saw her with cherry red lips, brown hair, pale skin, and freckles. I told her this once, and she just laughed and told me I was as close as she wanted me to be.
She stopped, and opened the door. "It is built just like ours was, I made sure your bed was in the same place. If you need anything just call." She then did something that hadn't happened to me in years, she reached down and gave me a hug. "It will be alright, I promise."
"I know." Truthfully it was as far from the truth as I could get, I did not know at all. The fact that she was telling me it would be okay and hugging me was less than comforting.
"Bye Sirri, see you at dinner tomorrow." Tyrranie walked away then, and I walked into the new maids quarters. I put my stuff away in a sort of daze, just as Tyrranie had promised everything was the same.
"Sirri, you are the new one right?" I turned quickly, it was a young voice, but not younger than I was.
"Yes, I'm Sirri." I emphasized my name, she had said my name like a dish. She made it sound like some kind of fish or other meat.
"I'm Caelia (See-lia)," she laughed a bubbly laugh then stopped abruptly. "Your blind."
I laughed, "Yes, I know." I could picture her embarrassed expression. "How old are you?" I asked trying to bring up conversation.
"I'm 15."
"You siound older than you are. What do you look like?" I asked again casually.
"I have light brown hair, brown eyes, am 5 foot or so, and have tan skin." she answered still sounding very nervous.
"Please don't be nervous." I hated it when people acted weird around me.
"Sorry, you are wanted by Master Murtagh, would you like me to show you the way?" She asked politely enough.
"Sure, thank you." So I followed her down the hall memorizing the way.
Okay, please help me out and review. Tell me what I need to change, and ya. R/R