#1: New Beginnings... Again

[Cyra]

I'm a selfish person.

I want everyone to look at me, but for no one to see my flaws. I want boys to fall over themselves to get my attention, and for girls to cling onto me desperately, but I have no desire to be tied down.

I need everyone to want to be me. I, above anyone else, understand how selfish I am- because this is a dream far beyond my standard of living. It's more to the idea of the Lady's I serve, or the countless Masters I've begged to hire me.

I plunge my head into the vat of water. It's several days old, murky and ice cold, but the only way to put out a fire is to douse it, right? Unfortunately, sometimes even a whole vat of water won't extinguish the underlying spark of a fire such as ambition.

I sigh, dragging the scratchy, ripped towel down my dripping face. I stare at my dull expression in the pane of glass hanging on the washroom wall. I harden the muscles in my face, trying to make my eyes match my boring features.

Damn it. My hair is all matted again. Can't it stay nice for just a few hours, after all that effort I put into it this morning?

Knock knock.

KNOCK BANG BAN-

"JUST a minute!" I call, scrambling to gather all of my washroom amenities into my bag. I've definitely exceeded the time limit. It would just be my luck if it's someone important outside the door.

I swing it open and come face to face with Tori. Well, it's the least important existence around here... and also the BIGGEST snitch. Fuck.

I only have one infraction left. I can't afford to be fired right now, there's nowhere left to work in this town and I don't have the funds to move again. Tori narrows her eyes at me, wagging a bony finger in my face. She's wearing a ring ten times more expensive than we could afford on months worth of our pay. I want that.

"You know it's ten minutes per person, right?" She mocks, popping her hip to the side, "I have no choice but to report this to the Master." Her nose is turned into the air.

I can feel my temper flaring as my eyes follow her accusatory finger. The nail is cracked and bitten down to the skin. What a bad habit, not that I can judge. I have a few bad habits of my own...

I consider taking a deep breath to right my head, and then her finger gets close enough that the top of it brushes against my cheek. Before I can practice any of my calming tactics, her finger is in my mouth. She screams, her finger crunches. She yanks it out and I gladly let go, she tastes awful.

I spit at her shoes, trying to get the taste of cheap soap out of my mouth, "Keep your hands out of my face, bitch." I hiss. She sobs and drops her bag, running off while cradling her finger to her chest like it's a precious baby, "Oh boo-hoo! Go cry to the Missus like the fucking telltale you are! THAT'S WHY EVERYONE HATES YOU!"

She disappears from sight, wailing harder as my words chase her from the corridor, "Whatever..." I kick the ground, scuffing the top of my new shoes. I lean back against the washroom door and sigh. Fuck.

"At least I got this," I spit a small gold ring with a tiny ruby gemstone centered around smaller diamonds into my palm, "maybe I can afford to move now." I smirk.

The spit in my hand is swirled with red, and trust me, it's not mine. I can't feel any injuries in my mouth. The color matches the ruby though, it's pretty. I think if I was a Noble Lady red would be my color.

I've served several Noble Ladies before, although most of my families have been wealthy commoners. Nobles can afford to be pickier with their servants, so why would they hire some flighty fool with a bad record?

I slip the ring into the pocket of my uniform. I kind of liked working here this time, this sucks. Pushing off the door I grab Tori's bag and sling it over my free shoulder. There's no need to wait around here for a potential beating and scornful looks. I hope the next place has a kitchen job open too. It's so much more fun than all my previous maid jobs.

What's the closest town to this place? Oh I guess there's that city. I've never tried a major city before.

What was the name again, oh yeah! Eldmiss it is.