Chapter 9 - The Horror of Chamber Pots

The next morning:

The screaming pressure on her stomach woke Eloise up. Her head was throbbing like someone was knocking on it. "Agh, I really should have been careful." Slowly she pulled herself off the side and strode over to the end of the room, but to her expectation there was no bathroom on the side.

"Odette did say that there is no bathroom. But how do I relieve myself?" scratching her tussled up hair, she slowly walked out to her mother's room. The little maid was busy changing the wet cloth on her mother's forehead. "How is she?" she held her mother's warm hands.

"She is doing good today, miss. Her condition is improving and her fever broke last night," Odette said with a wide smile.

Eloise glanced at her under eyes bags and sighed. "Go rest, I'll take care of her,"

"No, miss, this is my duty," she refuted immediately.

"It is your duty to listen to me as well, right? Go take a good nap, I will find you when mum wakes up," she caressed her auburn hair and smiled.

Reluctantly, the maid walked out.

Only then did Eloise remember her purpose for coming to her. "I forgot to ask where the restrooms were!" sighing she crossed her legs, holding back her urges to pee. "I guess I can hold on... nope, it snot happening. She ran out the room just in time to catch her maid leaving their suit. "Wait!!"

"Miss, what's wrong?" wordily Odette ran over and held her shoulders.

"I—I…."

"Is something wrong with madam? I will take care of it," she ran past her but Eloise gripped her hand, stopping her half way. Seeing her master's awkward expression, Odette frowningly whispered, "What is it miss? Are you feeling okay? Is something wrong with you?"

"No... it's just that.... I—I need to.."

"You need to? What is it miss, you can confidently confide in me,"

"I need to pee," Eloise whispered with her eyes closed. "Where is the restroom?"

"Oh little miss, have I replaced your chamber pot somewhere else. Let me get it for you," Odette smiled and rushed into her room.

"Wait, what chamber pot? Don't tell me...." a weird fear gripped Eloise's heart. She slowly walked over to her room step by step, fearing the reality she had been thrown into.

By then Odette ran out with a small porcelain pot. It had a wide opening and a stout appearance. "It was where I last left it miss. Did it miss your sight?"

Just The sight of it made Eloise's eyes blow wide open. 'No.. No way... a chamber pot!! I have to pee and poo in a pot!!!' closing her eyes tightly, she tried to control her turbulent mind. 'It's... just a pot. Nothing to worry about.' She plucked it from Odette's hand and ran to her room. "I will do mu business then," she closed the door behind tightly.

"It's just a pot. I can do it, what's there to be afraid off?" silently convincing herself she removed her belchers and did her business. It was quite awkward, but she was able to pull it off. "ahh finally..." she cleaned herself with warm water in her chamber. "Now I will get rid of evidence," she carefully picked up the closed pot and opened the door.

Odette stood in the same position, waiting for her.

"Oh, why are you here? You should go tend to mother," she said and brushed past her, but Odette ran and stood in front of her again. "What is it?"

"Why are you carrying that miss? You could have left it in your room. I could have cleaned it for you"

"NO! No, no, no, I can do it myself," Eloise confidently gripped her pot.

"Miss, it's a maid's duty to attend to master. So please hand it over," Odette friendly said.

"You can't make me!" Eloise stepped back a little, watching her little maid's intimidating expression. "I definitely will not give it to you,"

"Miss," Odette stepped forward and gripped the pot.

"Odette!! Let go!" Eloise was too afraid to pull in fear of spilling its contents. "Don't pull so hard, you miss break it!!"

"Then hand it over, miss." Odette suddenly pulled hard and took it for her. "Why are acting weird miss, just yesterday you were leaving your pot in your room, now you are insisting to clean it yourself? It's not ladylike at all," she chided.

The little maid ran out while Eloise watched her, petrified. "..... This is the most embarrassing moment of my life. And I have to relive it every morning...." she woodenly walked over to her mother's room and sat beside her. "Mum, this chamber pot thing is so inconvenient and annoying. If you get up, I will build a toilet tub for you," she whispered and caressed her hand.

The sudden idea stuck. "Why don't I create a toilet tub? Yeah, that might make a good business," she ran over to the bedside table and pulled out few papers and a feather. "There is no pen in this pace as well. I guess I have to introduce that as well," she sat next to her mother and started drawing initial plans for a toilet.

The design itself was simple. A small seat with a hole, but the pipelines was the most complicated. "I have no idea if this new duchy will have a well developed sewer system though? Otherwise all of this is for naught," sighing she played around with the feather.

The little maid Odette came in with a hamper of dirty clothes and started sorting through them. "miss, whose is this?" she suddenly said.

Eloise barely glanced up. "Oh, it's an annoying guy's robe,"

"Why is some guy's robe with your clothes miss? 'gasp' miss..... I don't mean to intrude but if you are meeting a man, it's only proper to meet him in daylight along with madam or me..."

"Hey, hey, don't go to your imaginary world. Last night I was cold and wet in the rain and some guy took pity on me and gave It." silently she glared at the offending piece of clothing. 'Why did I even keep that annoying guy's clothes? I should have burned it last night,' she gritted her teeth. She held out her hand. Odette passed the robe to her. Eloise took a good look at it. It was actually a velvet red robe with some red stains on its lapels. She gently scratched them. 'This looks leak blood.....no, nope, what am i thinking. It's most probably wine,' she tossed it at Odette. "You can very well toss it out," she said, gesturing to the window.

"But miss, it's not proper. We should wash it and return it to the kind gentleman,"

'Gentleman?! That guy called me a shameless seductress, and you call him a gentleman. Shit, I should not tell her that or else she will start nagging again,' nodding her head Eloise agreed with her plan.

"And you should also write a thank you note. I will deliver it to him for you," Odette happily whispered.

"Huh! That's not necessary,"

"But it is!"

And so Eloise was forced to write a thank you note. Gritting her teeth, she scribbled something and neatly folded the paper. "Pass it to the gentleman who lives in the second deck facing the bow,"

Odette nodded and respectfully left with the clean robe.

After she left, Eloise laughed out loud. "Oh, I really wish to see his reaction when he reads the letter," she happily watched the birds out the window.