Hello everyone!

This is the 1st chapter for this that I acctually wrote in my own home.. yay!

It took longer to write because I kept talking to Ho-Do-Sempai... lol. YukinaHikaHime is an epic person, and I really do love her stories ^.^

Anyway, please enjoy!

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Chapter 3

The first thing Retsu did was try to show Ichigo how to wash up.

"Here, you just put the thing in the first sink, scrub it and then put it in the second sink to rinse it, and then dry it with the towel. Okay?" Ichigo nodded, and attempted to copy what the green haired girl had just done.

Ichigo picked up the china cup from the breakfast tea, and went to dip it in the water. The second her fingers touched the liquid; she recoiled sharply, dropping the cup, which promptly shattered upon contact of the counter.

"Ouch!" cried Ichigo. "The water is hot!" She brought her hand up to her face to examine it. A small, red blister had started to form on the back of her middle finger. Retsu grabbed her hand, and looked at it.

"Don't worry. It's just a small blister. Here, I'll pop it, and then wrap it in a little cloth." Ichigo held her hand against her chest while Retsu loudly searched for cloth and a needle to prick her blister with. Once she had found the items, she took back Ichigo's hand.

"Now, this may hurt a little…" She said, dipping the needle into the hot water to sterilise it before quickly but gently pushing it into Ichigo's blistered skin. Ichigo let out a startled cry of pain, and then it was over, and Retsu was wrapping her finger in cloth.

"That hurt…" Mumbled Ichigo, holding her hand again.

"Well, maybe we won't try you with washing up again. Have you never had a hot bath?"

"Well, no, not really. My maid always made sure that it was a temperature that wouldn't burn my skin…" Ichigo fell short as she thought of her best friend, who she would probably never see again.

"Wow," replied Retsu. "Well, here the females all get thrown into the big baths, and if it's too hot you will have to lump it. This morning you were aloud to sleep in Prince Ryou's bed, and use his bath, but tonight, you will be sleeping in the maids' quarters with me and the other girls. Okay?"

Ichigo nodded. She had felt kinda dirty sleeping in the same bed as an older man.

"Anyway, I will show you how to make bread, since the started for dinner is a soup." Retsu walked over to a large counter in the middle of the room, and started gathering the ingredients to make it.

She then showed Ichigo how to do it, first putting in the ingredients, and then telling Ichigo to mix, and then knead it.

"But my finger!" Cried Ichigo.

"Yeah, but if we don't make it, we will be killed. It sounds a bit extreme, but it's true."

"So whether I live or die depends on this bread?" Asked Ichigo, looking down at the pile of flour, oil, salt and yeast.

"Well, put that way, pretty much yes." Retsu replied, smiling at Ichigo.

Ichigo nodded, and went back to kneading the dough, wincing at the pain in her finger at first, but then getting used to it.

While Ichigo kneaded, Retsu leaned up the broken cup, and continued washing the cups, plates and cutlery.

"Hey… Retsu?" Asked Ichigo.

"Mm?"

"How long does it take to knead?"

"Huh?"

"How much longer do I have to do this for?"

"Oh, about ten minutes."

"Okay." Ichigo went back to kneading the dough.

"Retsu?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Everything."

"Okay then."

"And Retsu?"

"Yes?"

"Should we make lunch as well?"

"Oh, yes."

"Okay."

The two girls worked in silence, the sounds of clinking china, water and dough being kneaded filling the room.

After about ten minutes, Retsu was done, and she went to go rescue Ichigo.

"Now, we just cover it with this," Retsu put a towel over the bowl "And leave it to rise for about half an hour. The you can knead it all over again!" Retsu's laughed at the face Ichigo made. "Anyway, we should start lunch."

Ichigo nodded, and the two girls started to prepare the simple lunch: Cold meats, with some toast, a few cheeses, and some fruits. Kind-of like a picnic.

After half an hour, Ichigo kneaded the dough again, and then Retsu helped her put it into the bread tin, and they put it in the oven to bake.

When the clock struck one, they two girls put the meals onto the food cart, and went out to put the meals down in front of there respective person. Retsu then took Ichigo to stand at the left-hand side of the master (Prince Ryou's father) with 3 other girls, who were obviously Minto, Pudding and Zakuro. She decided the blue-haired one was Zakuro, because she had a snooty look, the orange haired one was Pudding, and the purple-haired one was Minto.

The five girls stood together, with two male butlers (On the right hand-side), Prince Ryou's father at the head of the table, Prince Ryou's older brother on his left-hand side (He looked like the Prince, but he looked older, and more mature.) and then Prince Ryou was sitting opposite his brother, on his Father's right-hand side.

Ichigo looked up at Prince Ryou, but quickly looked back at the floor when he glared at her. 'He must really hate me after this morning…' She though, and tried not to let the tears that threatened to spill out.

The 3 men finished there meal, and left. Zakuro, Pudding, Minto and the two butlers left shortly after, leaving Ichigo and Retsu to take the dirty dishes back to the kitchen to wash.

The two girls put all of the dishes and cutlery on the cart they had used to bring the meals in, and left, back to the kitchen.

Ichigo took the bread out from the oven, and set it to cool. Under Retsu's instructions, she started preparing the vegetables and beef for the night's meal.

"My lord, when do I have a break?" Ichigo exclaimed, smiling at Retsu.

Retsu just laughed back.