FOUR

ALINA

Madam Zak assigned me to the tent of one warrior. She repeated everything I heard about the warriors. I was to clean, mop, serve and run errands for my master as long as I still had breath in me. Those were not my problem because I have been taught to clean and mop as a woman since I was born on earth and I have done nothing but cleaned and ran errands at the Marquis' mansion for three years, but the thought of messing up sent shivers down my spine. Imagine making a mistake on a task assigned by an emotionless warrior. I was not even allowed to talk back when they talk. After giving me all the rules and tasks, she sent me over to perform my first task which was to serve the meal to my master.

I went to the kitchen where most of the cooks scurried away on seeing me, but the courageous ones stood since Quan was leading me. He introduced me to them and told them that they would be seeing more of me and that they should comply in giving me my master's food. A large heavy tray was handed over to me by one of the kitchen staff and I swayed with it, trying to maintain my balance so that the weight of the tray won't weigh me down. Quan turned to leave and I followed him, dragging my feet as I went and as their murmurings followed me.

He pointed me toward one of the large tents and urged me to go. To be honest, I got used to Quan walking beside me, leading me because he seemed like the only one who wasn't afraid of me or who didn't think I looked weird. The Tibians have paler skin which was almost blue, they were taller than humans and had monolid eyes which are grey, so when they see a tan-skinned, smaller person like me, they tend to get scared. I carried the heavy tray, wondering what it was made of and what was making it so heavy. Was it the covered plate or the food in it?

I was aware of the eyes of the relievers and servants on me as I walked across the camp. But I decided to keep my head high, after all, I came here to survive. I got around the tent Quan pointed me to and heard funny sounds coming from it, it was as if the people inside were laughing, but I knew what that sound was, I have heard it more than once since I was brought up here. I have heard it from Lady Claire's room several times when one of the nobles f*cked her. I knew that whoever my master was, was f*cking a reliever.

It wasn't my business though; my business was to drop the heavy tray I was carrying because it seems my arms would soon wear off from their joints. I didn't know if I should drop the tray, speak or just stand there and wait for him to finish. But what if he finishes and misunderstood my waiting outside as prying into his privacy? The thought of what might follow after made me speak up.

"Uhm...mas...master, your food is here," I spluttered.

"Wait outside there, I am busy," came the reply, his voice was more of a loud growl and the thought of seeing the face behind that voice made me shiver. I stood there with the heavy tray of food in my hands, waiting for my master to finish his business. I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice the footsteps behind me.

"Do you want to ride?" the voice asked behind me. Ride was the word they used for sex in Tiba.

"No," I replied casually, but tensed up when I snapped back to reality. That voice wasn't just an ordinary Tibian voice. It held more power and command to it and I was supposed to answer with respect. I also became aware of that nagging feeling behind me that someone was standing close to me.

In my shiver, I spun forgetting that I had a heavy tray in my hand and the weight of it made me topple, spilling the content on his feet. His well-polished sandals. I paused for a while, tears stinging in my eyes instantly as I stared at the mess I have done. This was going to be my end on earth and Tiba. I just stared at his feet, where I have emptied everything, and waited for him to lift it and match me to my death.

"What is this?" he asked. His voice was even deeper than the voice of my master.

I didn't understand if he was asking what I am or what I have done, but I did the thing that was probably going to be my last one being alive. With a quivering body and a shaky voice, I began to apologize.

"I am sorry...sir...I am so... so... sorry..." I started to wipe at his feet with my new dress from my Lady Claire.

"Commander," someone called from behind me. The voice was breathless.

I knew instantly that it was my master who must have heard the commander's voice— Wait! COMMANDER?! At that moment, I started trying to concentrate on what the word Commander meant. I must have died because I didn't believe my head still sat on my neck.

"What is wrong with this little human?" the man I have come to know as Commander asked. "Why is she vibrating?"

"I don't have such an idea," the other warrior said.

All this while, I didn't know what their faces looked like. Their voices were already cold and deep to detect their emotions.

"Rise to your feet, human," the commander said.

Uncontrollable tears were streaming down my cheeks. Losing two jobs in a day? What kind of a curse was I under? I manage to get up to my feet, but my eyes were still on his feet and my body still spasmed with fear. I felt my legs could give away at any time.

"What's your name and what business do you have here?" he asked.

No matter how present I was, his voice still startled me, and I cringe at the thought of two mighty warriors standing in front and behind me.

"I...I... I am... Alina...Ali...na ." I took in a deep breath before proceeding to the next answer. But the deep breath didn't help me, and I was clearly wasting the time of these warriors. From what I heard; they were impatient men. "I am the new servant."

"You must be the servant that spoke about my meal?" the other warrior asked from behind me, making me almost jump.

Looking at the food and the tray now on the floor, I nodded my head, trying hard not to sniffle loudly.

"Ehis, there is no more time to waste. I won't go about your tents calling you out when it's time to keep watch. You have been trained for this."

"My apologies, Commander," my master whom I just found out his name was Ehis said.

"The afternoon troops are returning already, and the boundaries shall not be left empty. Quickly gather five thousand footmen and three thousand horsemen and keep watch."

"Aye, Commander."

I stood there, still like a tree. They were discussing and I was completely forgotten, it was as if I was not even there. Of course, they had no time to waste on a silly creature like me, they had more important things to do, and I was not their business. I could feel my bladder swelling, but I can't just walk away when I have not been dismissed. Ehis left and I was left alone with the Commander. My head was bent, but I could feel his eyes on me, and it made me want to shrink smaller than I appeared. What was he doing now? Was he thinking of the best way for me to die? The simplest and easiest way to kill me?

"You are dismissed, human." He turned and walked away with his food-soiled sandals.

I sank to the floor when he left and released my breath that I only realized then that I was holding. I tried to remind myself that I was still alive and that I should continue breathing, my bladder was almost going to burst and I needed to go somewhere and take a pee. As I managed to stand to my feet and pack up the plates and tray, before going to pee, I heard my name.

"Alina!"

The pee I was holding in poured and soaked my underwear and the skirt of my dress. Nice! this was the only cloth I had that was clean and I had hoped to wear it in two days, although it dragged on the floor when I walked, it was only the hem that would get dirty, I could still wear it for a couple of days. My other clothing was still wet and the other one was soiled with mud from my fall in the city. I felt the pee soaking me as I jerked up to answer Madam Zak who looked like she was going to rain fire and brimstone on me. Maybe, it wasn't the Commander and warriors I should be scared of, something told me that the real terror was her.

"You terrible little creature!" she yelled and charged at me. With the rage she felt, she forgot I was a creature she couldn't even touch a few minutes ago. She grabbed my ear and squeezed it and I yelped in pain. She dragged me by the ear. "You are causing chaos just a few minutes of your arrival!"

"I'm sorry, Madam Zak...it won't happen again," I pleaded, but they fell on deaf ears.

She dragged me across the camp, I could hear some relievers snorting and covering their nose like I smell—oh, I'm sure I was reeking of my urine now. She dragged me to the front of her tent and kept me outside, then hurried inside and brought a heavy metal bucket filled with water and placed it on my head.

"Since your master is going to keep watch tonight, why not keep watch with him and for starving him, no food for two days!" She yelled and went into her tent.

I couldn't find tears anymore to shed. I just stood there carrying a heavy bucket of water on my head with the thought that I was not sleeping that night at the back of my head. But it was better than removing from the four Tia, I will be paid by the end of the month.