Chapter One

The House on the Hill

The tightly knotted rope scratched my fingers, as I twisted the loose end roughly around my little finger. It wasn't a permanent thing, I knew, but still I worried. Mother and Father were proud of me, but they had little time to show it. I was proud, also; the house on the hill was the best job I could hope for. Granted the boss was a kind man, I would be well looked after for my work, and able to send sufficient funds back home.

I wandered up the long, winding pathway, clutching my blanket, knotted at the top to make a satchel, containing my meagre belongings. Shadows watched the daylight, waiting to come out and play. The hill to the house was only a gentle incline, but it was forest trails most of the way up. Shivering, I clutched the makeshift bag closer, and hurried forward. My feet were hurting, but I had to press on. The forest scared me. I could see the looming house on the horizon. It seemed like a relief, a saviour, in the current situation, but it really was an ominous looking house. Tired, I paused, feeling the burn on my bare soles. A sleepy sigh escaped my mouth, turning into a mist before my face. I slowly turned, looking to see how far I'd travelled, if I could see what I'd left behind. I couldn't see the village, and definitely couldn't see my family home.

I turned back, facing the dark house, and jogged forward. Mother would be in the shop, cooking meals for locals, or preparing food for tomorrow's service. Father would be at the factory, along with my brothers. I needed to be here. If I were successful, I would stop being just another mouth to feed, and start bringing money to the family, even if it meant just the guarantee of a meal a day. I was now in the shadow of the house. The forest had faded away, shadows crawling away from me in the presence of the new danger. The air had become cooler, despite the burning sunlight. It was like the atmosphere had been sucked away, leaving the air empty and cold. I carried on jogging, my legs shaking from the long travel. I expected to have to wait for my new master to answer the door, once I got to it, but instead, I could see the vast wooden door jerk open, long before I reached the steps. A tall, imposing man stood in the doorway, his hands clasped neatly behind his back. Long, dark hair rested on his square shoulders, and a stony pale face watched me critically as I completed the last leg of my trek. Steely silver eyes followed me like moons, old and wise. Feeling pressed for time, I sped up, my feet howling in protest.

Reaching the steps, I slowed, turning words over in my head. What should I say? "How do you do, I-" I started.

"You're late." He said crisply, looking down at me frostily. His dark voice made me freeze, and I lowered my head obediently.

"I – I apologize," I stammered. "I must have left late, it's a fairly long walk and-" He turned around and walked away into the house, leaving me where I stood. "Shall I come in?" I asked awkwardly, still keeping my eyes averted, out of respect, but mostly out of fear.

His footsteps stopped, and he turned around. "How do you expect to clean the inside of the house from outside?" He questioned, his voice berating. He turned around again, and disappeared into the house. Shivering, I walked up the small steps, and through the doorway. And into a new world.

I had never been in a house so grand, so elaborate, in my life. It was more of a castle, a paradise. A luxurious, polished staircase stretched out in front of me, leading to heaven. Shimmering golden brown metals twinkled down at me – it couldn't possibly be gold? Paintings peppered the walls, and expensive furniture glittered in my eyes. My family would never own such items – even if we could afford one of the cheapest things here, it would be a waste, we wouldn't be able to afford to look after it, or ourselves.

My new boss appeared in a doorway, leaning against the frame carelessly, unappreciative. My throat felt thick with envy, like swallowing against tears. "Are you coming?" He sighed, raising his eyebrows. I nodded, looking down at my feet sheepishly. Brown with dust and dirt from the trail, red with scratches and blisters, they made me feel terribly unclean. My loose, rags of clothes were equally mucky, stained from years of use, by both myself, and my older brothers. Cautiously, I stumbled forward, and followed him into the parlour. He reached a dark, polished wooden desk, and neatly plucked a feather from its surface, and dipped it in a black inkwell. I watched curiously; feathers were old fashioned, surely he used pens, or pencils? "Your daily duties. I'm sure you won't mind starting this Monday? That gives you tonight to rest and…clean," He said, wrinkling his nose slightly. "And then tomorrow to get to know the place, and for me to set some common rules. I'm sure the place won't go dirty between now and then." He handed me the sheet he'd written on, thick black letters swirling over it, like an unkempt garden. I blinked at it, waiting for it to make sense.

And I realized I would have to walk back home. I was not suited for the job. I would surely be cast away – I couldn't be stupid to work in such a house. And I clearly was. I could feel water in my eyes. It was difficult to believe that after getting such a chance in life, I had fallen short. My family would be so disappointed. I'd have to beg. Or worse. I didn't look up from the sheet; willing myself to understand it all. The words seemed so coarse, so violent on the page, my head began to hurt. A tear splattered the page, reawakening the ink, making it run down the page. "I can't." I whispered, never looking up.

"Pardon?" He said, his voice so shocked, it could have been anger.

"I can't… I can't read." My voice shook, but I was calming down. I could accept it. I was accepting it. I heard a frustrated sigh, and glanced up quickly. Suddenly, he snatched the sheet from my quivering hands.

"We'll see to that tomorrow. The room you will stay is on the first floor, the second door on the left side of the corridor. You will find your uniform in the cupboard, and there is a bathing room across the hall. The kitchen is next door to this room. That should be all. Please, hesitate to ask me if you need anything." He said dismissively.

I took that as my cue to leave.

I couldn't stop staring as I walked up to my chambers. Everything was luxury. I could hardly comprehend the amount of riches required to have such a place. It was going to be terrifying looking after the place. What if I broke something? I could never afford to replace it. What if I were accused of stealing? What if I did steal? I had always been a moral person, but with such temptation glittering everywhere, how hard would it be to want to take things and run?

I got to my assigned room, and decided it was not the right one. The room itself glistened and gleamed, and the items inside were the height of comfort. Certainly it wasn't…? Numbly, I walked to the window, and peeked outside, looking for the servants' quarters, or stables. Nothing. And then I looked in the large, oak wardrobe, and found my proof. Basic grey clothing hung within, formal yet comfortable, perfect for a maid. There were three of the uniform hanging up, but more clothing neatly waited beside them. Stylish, floor length gowns graced the wardrobe, various colours in lavish materials. It was difficult to imagine wearing them, they were so beautiful. Self-consciously, I lifted my hands from the wood of the wardrobe, and wiped them on my soiled clothes, feeling unclean. Lightly, I closed the cupboard and out of the room. I wanted to mention to my new boss, tell him that the dresses could not be for me to wear. But he had told me not to ask him questions, not until tomorrow came. That meant I would have at least one night to admire them, even try them on, once I had washed.

The washroom was equally as perfect as the rest of the house. I turned the tap on, pleased when hot water instantly rushed out. I waited for it to reach a sufficient level, then tested the temperature. Very hot, but just what I wanted. Throwing off my clothes, I leapt into the bliss.

Later, feeling almost completely refreshed, I was sat in my room, watching the last of the daylight disappear. It was far better than home… but I missed my family. They provided a different sort of comfort. I wondered if I would be allowed to visit them, after a while living here. Or if they could visit me. I wondered what they would feel about such a place. Such beautiful items… Speaking of which. Having tied up my dark, damp hair, I looked through the wardrobe once more, and oh-so-gently flicked through the magnificent gowns. The one at the end, an exquisite amethyst dress, made of satin, glowed into my vision. Clasping it like a fragile butterfly, I lifted it out, and prepared it to try it on. It was by no means a modest dress – the sleeves were non-existent, and the neckline was a lot lower than I'd seen before. It was dark, the same shade as my eyes, and ruffled at the bottom, the very end trailing off into a darker shade of shimmering mesh. A single line of black ivy design twisted around it, from the top left, lazily spinning around it to finish at the bottom. I had never been very interested in material items, not until now. I had fallen in love with the dress. Gingerly, I stepped into it.

It was perfect. Tight around the stomach, its own corset effect, and tapered off around the hips flatteringly. Also, it pushed my breasts up so they appeared shockingly… feminine. For the first time in my short life, I cared about my appearance, and I felt beautiful. I spun in front of the full length mirror, admiring the dress, admiring myself. It complimented my violet eyes perfectly, and suited my pale skin and black hair, making my hair almost appear navy. Simply put, I looked like I belonged.

And that was when I heard giggling in the corridor. Female laughter. Horrified, I looked around the room. The large, soft bed couldn't be just for me. And I couldn't be the only maid hired to clean the house. They were staying in here, with me. All at once, I scrambled to get the dress off. Too soon, the door swung open. The dress was halfway down my stomach, indecently exposing me. Squealing weakly in shock, I pulled the dress back up and tried to hide in the cupboard. "Oh!" A loud, feminine voice laughed, spying me instantly. "Occupied room?" A tan, voluptuous woman stood in the doorway, her long brown hair neatly curled down to her waist. She wore a very tight fitting scarlet dress, and spoke with a thick accent. Her face was plastered in flamboyant make up; rosy apples of cheeks and crimson lip colour. Slowly, nervously, I pulled the dress back over me, and stepped out of the wardrobe. "Oh, très belle!" She remarked, smiling. "Monsieur has picked a beauty." She eyed me speculatively, her eyes darting back to the doorway.

On cue, a ragged voice called out from upstairs. "Marie?"

We stared at each other for a moment, and I suddenly realized who – what – she was. My face flamed in embarrassment, and I wanted to climb back into the wardrobe. "Oh! Have to go," She said, slipping back out of the room unashamedly. Shakily, I removed the dress, and hung it back up in the wardrobe. The bed was calling out to me, so with great relief, I fell on it, and instantly slipped into sleep.

Little idea i've been thinking of recently, hope you enjoyed so far! :D
Please review, means a lot. With questions, criticism, whateverr :)
I have also posted this on my wattpad account.. though it's getting very little interest there. It's not as easy to use as this is, in my opinion..
But if you like this first chapter, you can have a cheeky sneak at the next chapter. Mail me about it, or wait, or whatever, next chapters will be up here soon, given the interest.. hah.

Thanks for readingggggg (: x