DISCLAIMER: I actually do own the most of the characters because they are original, but the world they live in do not own. Props where props are due i.e. Michael and Bryan and Nickelodeon.
"Now, Meiling, I know this is your first day here and you have already completed most of your training, but we need to go over some ground rules." Miss Chun slammed down her hand on her desk for emphasis, "Number one, you are never aloud to speak directly or conversationally to any member of the Hamara family or their guests unless spoken to.
Secondly, you must always obey your orders from either myself or Mister Wei. If we see that you are continuously slacking off, you will suffer the consequences. And thirdly, and this especially applies to you, earthbending is strictly prohibited in the house or on the grounds. Any evidence of such actions will be followed by immediate dismissal. Is that understood?"
Meiling let out a little sigh, but promptly responded with a somewhat defeated, "I understand , Miss Chun." She shifted uncomfortably in her chair in the head housekeeper's study.
"Good," barked Miss Chun. She always liked to act more like a general than a housekeeper. "And please try to remember, that you are working for one of the most esteemed families in the former Earth Kingdom. So be grateful for your good fortune. Now, off you go. If you have any questions, ask one of the staff." Miss Chun shooed Meiling out of the study and Meiling went back down to the servants quarters in the lower part of the basement.
"'You should be grateful for your good fortune'" Meiling said mockingly under her breath. "Yeah, how can anyone be grateful for slavery?" In a sense, Miss Chun was right. This was a highly coveted position and one of the best jobs in town, especially for Meiling . Not many people wanted to hire earthbenders, unless it was in the mines or in the quarries.
As much as everyone would like to think that the world was better since Avatar Aang united the four nations, there was still much animosity between the four nations, especially in the former Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom. It was in the former colonies that old Fire Nation families, like the Hamara, still ruled only not under the Fire Nation flag. The world was still shattered, in more ways than could be helped. As much as Meiling hated working as a maid in the Hamara house, she needed the money and the work was better and safer than the quarries.
Meiling straightened out her uniform in front of a old, cloudy mirror and tucked a stray, wavy lock under her cap. She would get it if Miss Chun caught her like that. She could see from the little window below the ceiling that the sun would be up within the hour, which meant that she was already behind on her schedule. First up, stalking fireplaces, followed by some general tidying of the drawing rooms and the library. The house was enormous, but she was only one maid of two that the house employed.
The second maid was Emi, a far more experienced maid, ten years her senior, who had been working in the house for almost fifteen years, since she started off as a scullery maid at fifteen. She had only known Emi for a week or so, but she felt as though she had known her for years. She seemed strict on the outside and was diligent when it came to work, but she also seemed like the kind of person who would always look out for you when it came down to it.
Meiling was fluffing a pillow off of a couch, when she glanced out the window again. The sun had already risen which meant she was late. She quickly grabbed the firewood pail and rushed down the servant stairs down to the kitchen. Emi had already prepared the morning tea trays and gave Meiling an irritated glance.
"Meiling, I know this is your first day, but you have to be down here right before the sun comes up to help me with the trays. They have to be there before any of the family wakes up, even if they never touch the trays. Now you grab one tray and Mister Wei will grab the third. And follow me." They climbed back up the cramped servant stairs all the way up to the second floor. Meiling nervously tried to balance her tray and not drop the undoubtedly expensive porcelain tea set. Who knew a life of servitude could be so difficult? Sure, she could lift a boulder the size of a cow, but she couldn't even balance a tray? She prayed to the spirits she would get better.
They reached the top and Emi turned her head to her and whispered, "Alright. Mister Wei is bringing his tray to Master Makoto and I will bring mine to Master and Mistress Hamara at the end of the hall. You are to bring your to Master Takahiro. He is in the chamber just to the right of the servants entrance. Now do you remember what to do?"
Meiling gave Emi a curt nod and they both went to their separate destinations. She balanced the tray carefully on one hand and opened the door. The room inside was shadowy and she could barely see a thing. Her foot caught on something on the floor, but luckily she regained her balance without spilling a drop. She finally made her way over to the bedside table by the light of the hallway and set the tray down with a slight clinking of the cup against the saucer. She could still barely see in front of her hands and all she could hear was a soft snore coming from the bed next to her. Turning to the window, Meiling cast open the heavy drapes to let in the sunlight coming directly from the East, but was startled by a lethargic moan from the bed.
"Uh- Good morning, Master Takahiro." She glanced around to the now fully lit room to see a young man tangled in the sheets of his bed with a pillow pulled over his head. Ashamedly, Meiling blushed a little. To be honest, it was not how she imagined her first meeting with the youngest of the two sons of the Hamara family.
"I hope you slept well, sir, " she said, pouring the tea, to which she was met with a sleepy grunt. On her way out, she picked up some crumpled garments off the floor, most likely the culprits that had tripped her only a few minutes ago, and neatly placed them on a chair in front of the large, ornate wardrobe. Filled to the brim with expensive, fancy clothes, no doubt, Meiling thought in disgust. She had lived her whole life having to fight for what she had and people like the ones she worked for just had everything handed to them, including tea in bed on a silver tray, which she had to serve. With a forced smile she knew he would never see, she asked, "Would you be needing anything else before I go, sir?"
"Yeah," came a muffled voice from underneath the pillow, "Close those drapes." Meiling stifled a growl and crossed back over the room and forcefully closed the drapes again as instructed. "I thought I told you I don't like it when you do that, Emi."
Meiling rolled her eyes, not that he would notice. Putting on her most polite voice she said, "Yes, sir. My apologies." And with that, she bowed her head and hurried out of the room and down the servant's stairs where she was met by Emi, who graced her with a smirk.
"How'd you like Master Takahiro? He's a real charmer in the morning, isn't he?" Emi joked as she folded some linen.
"I daresay," Meiling said, fanning herself with her hand, "What a gentleman, as I have ever met!" They both let out a hearty laugh and Meiling decided at once that she was going to enjoy working alongside Emi.
"Okay, now I need you to go upstairs and help Mister Wei set the table. Usually, as the butler, he attends to the family during meals, but I want you to go upstairs and learn how things are done anyway, just in case. Afterwards, he and I will go upstairs and assist in dressing the Master and the Mistress. Meanwhile, I want you to ready the bed linens for when we make the beds while they eat breakfast.
Meiling did as she was told and went upstairs to observe Mister Wei prepare the table for breakfast. The aromas from the kitchen drifted up the stairs and as she made her way back
down, the smell of sizzling pork and freshly baking bread quickly hit her like a wave, more delicious smelling than anything she had smelt before. She passed Emi on her way down and made her way to the linen store room, which was lay at the bottom of the stairs situated between the servants dining hall and the kitchen.
Calculating the amount of towels and sheets that would be needed for the rooms, Meiling started to gather the resources she required. The last thing she needed were some pillow cases. She looked on every shelf, under every stack of sheets, until she saw their golden embroidery peeking off of the utmost highest shelf. With a frustrated sigh, she put her hand on her hip and began to assess the situation. If only I could earthbend my way up there, Meiling thought, it would be so much quicker and easier than trying to look for a stool. She looked cautiously around her and surveyed outside the linen closet.
There was no one in sight. Mister Wei and Emi were upstairs and no doubt Miss Chun was in the kitchen overseeing breakfast. She smiled to herself, thinking of how she was already breaking the rules. Meiling went to the shelves and with one last glance over her shoulder, she bended two of the tiles up under her feet and used them as stilts to elevate her to the pillowcases. She flipped through the cases and picked out the ones she needed.
"Good thinking," she heard a voice say behind her. She spun around to see a young man standing with his arms folded, leaning in the doorway. Meiling let out a startled gasp and lost her balance, sending the pillowcases flying. But instead of falling to the ground like she had expected, she was caught by a pair of strong arms.
"That was close!" he said, letting out a little laugh, but her wide eyes told him she wasn't in the mood to laugh. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." He let her down and she scrambled back into the corner of the closet.
"Oh my goodness," she said as she could feel her cheeks growing two shades redder. She leveled the tiles, as if he wouldn't notice, and frantically tried to pick up the pillowcases strewn across the room. "I am so sorry. I am going to get it now." She couldn't meet his eye.
"Oh, no," he said with an amused expression, "Don't worry about it. I swear I won't tell a soul." He started to help her pick up the pillowcases and let out a little chuckle, "You are the new maid, right? I'm afraid I was a little rude to you this morning."
Meiling couldn't help but let out a little gasp, almost dropping the pillowcases she had just picked up. "You're Master Takahiro?" She was even more humiliated.
"Ha, yes. But you can just call me Hiro." Meiling blushed. She really had no idea. He certainly wasn't dressed like a member of an elite, aristocratic family. He was wearing a simple pair of breeches, darned in a few places and the shirt was old and far too big for his tall, lean physique.
"Um-" Meiling stuttered, "If you don't mind me asking, but what brings you down to the basement, Master Hiro?"
He handed her the pillowcases he had just picked up, putting on a face like he had just been caught stealing sweets from the cabinet. "Please, just Hiro," he ruffled his mussed dark hair, "Well, I like to get up early to ride Feng." He flashed her a smile, "He's my eel hound. Cook usually gives me something before I go out. And then I saw you. You should show me some more earthbending moves sometime. I know I'm a firebender, but you can really learn how to improve your own style by observing others."
"You really mean that?" Meiling asked eagerly "But we are not allowed to earthbend." she said looking down at the floor.
"Hey," Hiro said, trying to catch her eyes again, "I am not like my parents and I never follow their dumb rules. We can find a way. And besides, how often does a guy have a pretty earthbending maid bringing his tea every morning? Anyway, gotta go. Nice to meet you... uh..."
"Meiling."
"Meiling." He smiled one last time and left, leaving her utterly dumbfounded with an armful of pillowcases.