Chapter 1
The rain hit the wood roof with a quiet pitter patter, lulling the tired occupants to a deep rest. All except a young scullery maid named Melody, who hummed an eerie tune while rocking back and forth in the window side rocking chair, watching the rain drops hit the muddy ground. It was a dark stormy night filled with life, but nobody noticed it except this young girl. The flicker of the candle light cast shadows on her pretty face, her dark forest green eyes seemed to glow. A pale hand held a threaded needle, going back and forth through a thin, pale cream colored piece of fabric, a rose slowly forming on it. She pushed a piece of her beautiful, dark brown hair out of her face. She set down her project and looked at the brick wall out the window. The wall formed a boundary that surrounded the city of Landle. You could see above it only from the roof tops, and even then only the taller ones. “I wish that I could be on the other side, free of the unknown instead of in this dull city scrubbing pots and sweeping floors.” She said quietly to herself. She lifted herself out of the chair, drawing herself to her full height, which wasn't that tall. She was seventeen but no taller then five feet five inches. She had a smallish, pixie like frame. She glided across the dark wood floors to the kitchen to finish washing the dinner dishes.
“Melody.” A gentle voice spoke through the heavy haze. “Melody.” It said louder, firmer. “MELODY!” It snapped. Melody jolted awake, noticing that she was sitting on the gray gray stone floors. “Finally the dead awakes.” Melody turned to see Anna, the cook, standing above her, her big hands on her waist. Anna was a tall broad woman with short red hair framing her face. Her bright blue eyes showed kindness, but she was one that you didn't fool around. Melody pushed herself off the cold gray floor, falling asleep while scrubbing the floor. “Sorry Anna,” she said in a voice that was groggy with sleep. “I fell asleep scrubbing, up late.” She brushed her skirt off. Anna just looked at her. “Looking at the wall again?” She asked, though Melody knew it was closer to a statement. Melody just smiled shyly and nodded. Anna nodded her head once. “I did that around your age, I got caught.” She looked down, but Melody knew the rest. The only room with a view of the wall was he family room, forbidden to all but a few servants. Got caught in there and your not supposed to be, you usually received a few hits, sometimes even fired. Anna got away with a beating, never going back again. Anna tried her best to keep everyone in line so they didn't get a beating, or fired, but she didn't tell when they did. “You know that there's no way you could get over there, don't you?” Melody just nodded, only one non-soldier got over it, but no one knew what happened to him. Soldiers were allowed over there though, but they never run off. “Time to start breakfast, you know how the masters and mistress don't like to wait for their food.” The mistress was a server woman. The master was kind, but if the mistress thought someone should be punished, then it was done, but the master never told her if someone did something she wouldn't like. Then there was the young master. He was kind, but only if it would get him something. So most maids stayed away from him.
Anna started some porridge in the pot over the fire, while Melody started to cut up some fresh light green and a few dark red apples. The work was quick but a little tiring in the hot room. A few servants entered the kitchen holding silver trays. But it wasn't the silver trays that caught Melody's eye, but their clothing. They wore dark rich colors with silver buttons. They made her feel plain and shabby. She wore a light cream blouse with a plain brown skirt and cheap brown boots. Her hair was arranged in a flyaway bun. The well dressed servants loaded the trays and turned on their heels and disappeared through the doorway without a word, a haughty look on their face and in their posture. Melody blew a stray hair out of her face, then started to scrub the porridge pot.
Melody was sitting in the rocking chair, facing out the window, looking at the gray wall again. It was a clear, steamy night, quiet. There was a loud banging sound, Melody jumped a little and turned to see the door wide open. She could see the silhouette of a man, but that silhouette told her who it was, the young master. He stepped closer, the moonlight through the window made his pale skin glow and his gold hair shine. His tall, broad figure loomed over her smaller, slight one. He smiled and an evil, mischievous glint entered his pale blue eyes. Melody stepped back, running into the wall. He grabbed her hand. “I won't tell my mother that you were here if you give my something in return.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her close to him. She frowned, a frightened look appeared on her face. She pulled her left foot back, then kicked him in the shin with all her strength. The young master let her go and grabbed his leg. He looked up, his face full of hate and anger. He raised his fist and it connected with her lip. Then his hand hit her cheek. “LEAVE ER ALONE!” A familiar voice yelled. Melody looked towards the door to see the large figure of Anna. Anna ran towards them, jumping on the young master. “Run Melody! RUN!” Melody ran, turning in time to see the young master hold up a lit candle, striking Anna's head. Anna went limp, forever.
It was only three days till the funeral. They had found Anna's body the next day. Melody had told them what had happened. Well, she told the master, who gave the mistress a different story, still including the young master killing Anna. The young master didn't get punished, people like him didn't get punished for killing their family servants. It was cruel, dark, and evil. Melody now knew that she had to find a way out, and soon.
---
“Melody.” A gentle voice spoke through the heavy haze. “Melody.” It said louder, firmer. “MELODY!” It snapped. Melody jolted awake, noticing that she was sitting on the gray gray stone floors. “Finally the dead awakes.” Melody turned to see Anna, the cook, standing above her, her big hands on her waist. Anna was a tall broad woman with short red hair framing her face. Her bright blue eyes showed kindness, but she was one that you didn't fool around. Melody pushed herself off the cold gray floor, falling asleep while scrubbing the floor. “Sorry Anna,” she said in a voice that was groggy with sleep. “I fell asleep scrubbing, up late.” She brushed her skirt off. Anna just looked at her. “Looking at the wall again?” She asked, though Melody knew it was closer to a statement. Melody just smiled shyly and nodded. Anna nodded her head once. “I did that around your age, I got caught.” She looked down, but Melody knew the rest. The only room with a view of the wall was he family room, forbidden to all but a few servants. Got caught in there and your not supposed to be, you usually received a few hits, sometimes even fired. Anna got away with a beating, never going back again. Anna tried her best to keep everyone in line so they didn't get a beating, or fired, but she didn't tell when they did. “You know that there's no way you could get over there, don't you?” Melody just nodded, only one non-soldier got over it, but no one knew what happened to him. Soldiers were allowed over there though, but they never run off. “Time to start breakfast, you know how the masters and mistress don't like to wait for their food.” The mistress was a server woman. The master was kind, but if the mistress thought someone should be punished, then it was done, but the master never told her if someone did something she wouldn't like. Then there was the young master. He was kind, but only if it would get him something. So most maids stayed away from him.
Anna started some porridge in the pot over the fire, while Melody started to cut up some fresh light green and a few dark red apples. The work was quick but a little tiring in the hot room. A few servants entered the kitchen holding silver trays. But it wasn't the silver trays that caught Melody's eye, but their clothing. They wore dark rich colors with silver buttons. They made her feel plain and shabby. She wore a light cream blouse with a plain brown skirt and cheap brown boots. Her hair was arranged in a flyaway bun. The well dressed servants loaded the trays and turned on their heels and disappeared through the doorway without a word, a haughty look on their face and in their posture. Melody blew a stray hair out of her face, then started to scrub the porridge pot.
---
Melody was sitting in the rocking chair, facing out the window, looking at the gray wall again. It was a clear, steamy night, quiet. There was a loud banging sound, Melody jumped a little and turned to see the door wide open. She could see the silhouette of a man, but that silhouette told her who it was, the young master. He stepped closer, the moonlight through the window made his pale skin glow and his gold hair shine. His tall, broad figure loomed over her smaller, slight one. He smiled and an evil, mischievous glint entered his pale blue eyes. Melody stepped back, running into the wall. He grabbed her hand. “I won't tell my mother that you were here if you give my something in return.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her close to him. She frowned, a frightened look appeared on her face. She pulled her left foot back, then kicked him in the shin with all her strength. The young master let her go and grabbed his leg. He looked up, his face full of hate and anger. He raised his fist and it connected with her lip. Then his hand hit her cheek. “LEAVE ER ALONE!” A familiar voice yelled. Melody looked towards the door to see the large figure of Anna. Anna ran towards them, jumping on the young master. “Run Melody! RUN!” Melody ran, turning in time to see the young master hold up a lit candle, striking Anna's head. Anna went limp, forever.
It was only three days till the funeral. They had found Anna's body the next day. Melody had told them what had happened. Well, she told the master, who gave the mistress a different story, still including the young master killing Anna. The young master didn't get punished, people like him didn't get punished for killing their family servants. It was cruel, dark, and evil. Melody now knew that she had to find a way out, and soon.
Melody continued her work, going in rooms where the young master couldn't, avoiding the family room as if death still lingered there. Little did she know that her escape was in there.
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