Somewhere in Wall Rose
Siegfried was brought unto the carriage besides the massive man with the bushy moustache named Fritz, still experiencing the shock and bewilderment to the fact that the people he was just running from that morning and been given a few scars by that afternoon, was now thinking of hiring him as a servant.
"Maybe they're followers of the martyr?" Sieg thought to himself. Yet as he looked at the clothing of his cart companion he has yet to see the recognizable upside down cross that he knew so well, same with all of the other cart drivers at the back most looked like ordinary servants with bodyguards holding rifled muskets besides each one of them, two more bodyguards flanked the cart one on each side, also carrying the rifled muskets.
They've been riding for around 3 hours or more, riding out of the main city of Wall Sina and entering the larger more rural land of Wall Rose. Sieg looked around thinking of escaping again, trying to find the shortest and most ideal route with his current deficiency, but knowing that he's still malnourished and injured from the beating by the MPs he could probably run at most a few hundred meters before collapsing and that's the most positive outlook.
Fritz saw the long haired child looking around said to him "I know you're scared kid but this is the best case situation"
Sieg, briefly shocked by the sudden conversation, looked at Fritz and asked "How?"
Fritz looked forwards at the execessively ornate carriage and said "The madam is pompous and runs her servants ragged, but compared to the whole noble lot she at least gave us living wages, she'll also treat you right if you do your duties right, she rewards accomplishments and loyalty, it could be a jump start to your life"
Sieg, although knowing the life of a noble's servant was to be sought, his beliefs in the martyr still makes him have prejudices against the concept of "servitude"
Sieg looked at Fritz and said "Easy for you to say, all you do is stand and watch while i'll be doing their undesirable work for the better part of my life"
"Most work are undesirable" Fritz said "If it were up to all of us we would prefer to drink and lay about in the fields for the whole season, but if we did that we'd be no better than titans, just walking around not doing anythin besides eating, we need to kep our minds sharp and we need to earn our keep"
"I know you disagree with me, but with time you'll come to like the Mecklenburgs, besides not like you have any other choice, unless you want me to bring you back to the sewers" Fritz said and smirked at Sieg.
Sieg stayed silent for a few minutes before asking "Who are the Mecklenburgs?" Fritz thought whether to answer him or not but he'll probably know it one way or another after being employed so why not tell him now?
"The Meckleburgs are responsible for the governing of a small but not insignificant part of Wall Rose, as with most if not every noble families in Wall Rose at least in this part of the district, they largely specialized in weapons manufacturing"
"I thought nobles weren't allowed to produce weapons by the king?" Sieg asked.
"Right now yes, but back when the walls was founded industry had just started so the then king Fritz Needed help, but in recent times things are being more and more centralized and the king is starting to clamp down on dissent" Fritz answered.
"Then why have the Mecklenburgs not have their priviledges taken away? Surely if the king wanted to stamp down on dissent he should hav-" "Well here's the thing, the Mecklenburgs produces Sabres and some common outdated armor, so they were given leniency"
"For a kid that was just beaten you sure do talk a lot" Fritz said, Sieg immediately shut up and stopped questioning. Fritz felt amused and a bit gulty said to him "You'll get to know more after you are more acquainted with the family and have some working hours, for now you should rest it's still an hour away before we reach the manor"
Sieg already feeling tired having not rested for the good part of the day immediately fell asleep still worrying of his future.
Mecklenburg Manor
Sieg wakes up from his slumber when the cart halted suddenly, almost falling frontwards from the sudden stop he was only saved by Fritz who held onto his shoulder "Watch your step lad" Fritz said smirking, as he climbed down the cart and stepped on filth. Sieg in turn smirked and held in a laugh and said "Watch yours old man"
Sieg then climbed down the cart and seeing the current state of Fritz's shoes walked more carefully, especially when his own shoes could barely be called one with the amount of holes it had. As Sieg turned around he accidentally almost ran into another servant that was unloading the flour.
"So you're the new kid aye?" said the servant "Yes" answered Sieg "Yes Sir, get used to the honorrifics you'll be using them everyday now. Now as your first task help me with this" he pointed towards the large bags of flour "Lay off him Andres, Lad's haven't even eaten yet. Let me help you with it instead and Sieg, go to the side door over there, there'll be a woman with a maid's dress black clothing and white frills on her head"
Andres looked at Sieg with a slight laugh and said "Won't be as lucky next time" as he went with Fritz as they picked up the bags of flour. Sieg immediately did as ordered and went to the pointed side door and seeing a old maid with grey hair holding a candle, and a thick blanket to protect herself against the late night weather.
Siegfried went straight ahead to the maid, the maid seeing a skinny child with long reddish brown hair walking straight for her was scared a bit, thinking she saw the manor ghost, but she recollected herself quickly and met the lad "You the new lad? The lady's told us there'll be a new one here but my lord, look at the state you are in" The maid looked at him with apprehensiveness because of the stench and filth covering Sieg's whole body but trying her best to be accommodating.
"Anyways my name's Bow let's get you inside away from the cold aye?" Siegfried already felt comfortable with the old woman yet he's still apprehensive, his apprehensiveness then increased when he entered the hallway and seeing almost around 20 or more maids and servants gawking at him wide eyed like he was an animal, they were whispering about the state he was in, Sieg then felt the need to run, his breath starts to quicken and his heart starts to beat. Remembering a similar scene happening back in the orphanage.
"Now why are you all still on and about gawking with yours wide eyes at a child? Never seen one before?! Get back to work!"
Old maid Bow screamed at the maids and servants and they scattered in all directions, Sieg seeing this calmed down a bit before being pulled again by Bow "Dorothye, Enede! Come and help me clean the poor lad and call missus Engel to prepare him some hot food!"
One young maid with dark blonde hair came in and ran towards maid Bow with two buckets and another maid with black hair ran to the other side of the hall and started calling for missus Engel. Old maid Bow plopped him down on a stool in the bathroom and took off his clothes while the other maid with dark blonde hair poured the water from the buckets into the tub.
Old maid Bow took off his clothes so quickly that he didn't even get to react because of his exhaustion "Now no need to be embarrassed lad, Dorothye be a dear and throw the rags out and fetch some nice clean clothes for the lad" Bow said to the dark blonde maid "Yes madam" the girl then took the clothes that Sieg had been wearing and speedwalked out the bathroom.
Sieg being fully naked besides the brooch and sword of the martyr necklace felt uncomfortable, Bow tried taking the brooch and necklace when Sieg pulled away panicked. "Don't you worry now i'll put it in your line of sight and we also can't clean you well with the things blocking your neck can we?" Sieg apprehensive for a moment then relented begrudgingly taking off his necklace and brooch, Bow took it and put it on the shelf right over her shoulder so he could always see them.
"Now let's see about getting rid off that mess of a hair and cleaning that body of yours" The old maid said
Upper Floors of The Manor
Madam Katerina was just done changing out of her ornate dress and wearing another dress less ornate yet still exessively is, her hair had been let down from the powdered wig into her more natural tied up grey hair. She entered the dining room and seeing the dinner already underway said "My oh my, i didn't realise my grandchildren were so gluttenous as to forget their own grandmother"
The children seeing her enter the room, ran towards their grandma while their mother and father stood up slowly, smiling "Now now be proper now children i was just gone for a month" she hugged and kissed each one of the three kids.
"Dear Albrecht how i missed you, how is your horse riding lessons going?" Katerina said to the tallest and seemingly oldest child in the trio "Fine grandma how was business?" Albrecht said "My oh my, straight to business like your father? It's a bad habit to have dear" Katerina smiled warmly at Albrecht as he blushed, Albrecht then walked back calmly to his seat and continued eating.
Katerina moved to the second son "Ludwig my dear how's the music lessons?" "It was great grandma!" "Was? Have you hopped unto other ventures?" "Yes, i've been joining father's hunt while you were away and i believe i became interested in hunting, can i be allowed to participate in more grandma? I'll continue my music lessons of course" Ludwig said, with his green eyes glowing at his grandmother, Katerina glared at the boy's father for a moment, causing him to gulp and accidentally cough on the wine he was drinking "Of course my dear i'll allow it"
Ludwig jumped and hugged his grandma tightly before coming back to his seat.
Katerina then moved to the youngest, her granddaughter "And Mathilde my dearest how's the dancing lessons with you're mother?" "It's going well grandma i've been able to do so much more now because of mother, would you like to dance with me to see?" Mathilde smiled and shined her white teeth at her grandma "My, excited aren't we? Maybe tomorrow dear i am still tired but i promise you you'll have the whole day with me" Katerina smiled warmly at her.
After that meeting katerina went to her seat at the head of the table and talked to her daughter "Theresa my dear how's the house while i'm gone? any exciting news about our neighbours the Steinfurts?" "Besides the news that the steinfurt boy lost his leg after a hunting incident" Theresa said the losing legs part louder as to discourage her son from pursuing hunting, but knowing that he'll still do it no matter her say she sighed "Nothing has been happening in the house, oh and two of our maids just had gotten married, one married to a farmer out in Wall Maria so she sent a resignation letter and the other married a garrison soldier that guards Wall Rose" Theresa said as she cuts a piece off her nice juicy steak "Which of the maids if i may know?" Katerina said that as a servant came by and served her food.
"Gertrude is the one that married a farmer she'll be gone by next week, and Lyanna is the one that married the soldier" "My, that's shame about Gertrude she's been with us for almost two decades now, i'll meet her later and say my good wishes. And give Lyanna some nice luxuries and two weeks off i'll congratulate her the day after when everyone's fresh and awake" Katerina said, not forgetting the promise to her grandaughter. Theresa nodded and told a nearby servant to prepare the luxuries and a leaving party.
"What about you Rudolf? how've you been since i've been gone, not teaching my grandsons about undesirable things are you?" Katerina said to tease him "Of course not mother" He said almost choking on his wine once more "Business is going well and the nearby town of Freudenstadt's is slowly but surely growing" "Hmm, i see all is well?" "Yes but i am still suspicious about the Balthasar family, they've been too silent" Rudolf said to Katerina closening their distance and whispered to her so as to not let the children and servants hear.
"I'll order Fritz to keep a high awareness for any movement of the Balthasar's" "Yes i agree" "Granma, Father What are you whispering about?" Mathilde the youngest said "Ah it's a secret my dear we're talking about the present for maid Gertrude" Rudolf smiled comfortingly at her "Yes it truly is such a sad thing to happen we'll be sure to meet her departure with a happy one!" Katerina replied smiling "I'll miss maid Gertrude i loved playing with her" Mathilde said suddenly bringing down the whole room's mood.
"Anyways! Speaking of servants i heard you brought a new lad grandmother" Albrecht said trying to lift up the current mood "Ah yes, yes i did his name is Siegfried Bauer, i met him while conducting business in Sina, he should be around Ludwig's age" Katerina answered "A new friend?! When will i get to meet him?" Mathilde said with a beaming smile already forgetting the brief sadness she experienced by Gertrude's departure "A few weeks dear you'll soon meet him, don't worry, he just need some training and a probationary period where he'll be mentored, after that we'll meet him" Katerina said smiling warmly happy her granddaughter regained her usual happy mood. Her family watches the interaction with curiosity as to who this new servant would be.
Servant Quarters
Siegfried was cleaned up thanks to old maid Bow he looked at himself in the mirror finding his more gaunt face shocking to say the least, his reddish brown hair had been cut from the old dirty and messy shoulder length hair, is now styled into a short formal slick back making it easier for him to see and be more comfortable, he wore the clothes the old maid gave him which is a basic long sleeved green shirt and brown pants, with brown shoes. He then put the martyr's sword into his clothes and wore the bright green brooch as a necktie.
He walked out the bathroom feeling as a completely different person, old maid Bow accompanied him to the servants dining room and told him to eat slowly, he sat down and looked at the food in front of him, hot honeyed chicken porridge and a loaf of bread besides him. His hands trembled as he took the wooden spoon next to him scooped up the porridge and ate it, he started crying, partly because of the hot burning porridge in his mouth and also because of the fact that this is the first time he has ever tasted food like this.
He continued to devour the whole meal almost choking a few times as the old maid watches, after finishing the whole meal the old maid held his hands and told him "you're safe now". Sieg immediately felt sleepy and is brought to his own private room, after laying to bed he thought to himself "maybe this isn't so bad, maybe the martyr answered my prayers" as he closed his eyes and falls asleep.