username: OrangeSocks
name: Erica
gender: Female
story:
The droning voice of his lordship had filled the room nearly three hours, and Erica’s attention stance was tiring. To become a full-fledged handmaiden she had gone through training for these situations, but the thickness of summer paired with boredom made the whole thing unbearable. The young kalon stole a glance at her supervisor, whose eyes were locked on the dining table. Could she let her attention wander a little bit? Erica counted to 20, her body locked in position. When time was up and the women had not paid her any attention, Erica loosened her shoulders and tilted her head upward. Despite the various gatherings she was forced to watch in this room, she did like being there. The ceiling had decorative carvings smeared across its pale marble, small protrusions of golden sculptures lining the edges of where it met the walls. She had loved coming to clean and being allowed to use a tall stick with a rag tied to it to carefully clean each nook and cranny when she was little.
Through the years, it felt like she had gotten to know each character and pattern. From the gold armored swans guiding the spirit’s boat through the river of time to the cherry blossom tree where the first king of Orestokrah had been found. Erica loved that story. He had not been born to a wealthy family. After being found he grew up in a farming family where he learned humility and hard work, leadership and empathy. These were the traits that helped him to later bring the nation together and to make difference in their broken land. Everyone knew the stories of his adventures, find and convincing each sect to consider peace. Erica liked that he was just a normal guy, like her. Erica herself had been found and taken in by a palace maid, but unlike the first king, she had not gotten anywhere. She had a head full of fantasies, no way to bring them to fruition. Maybe... she just was not brave enough. Erica imagined her mind like that decorative ceiling, dreams of flying cities and magical blue flowers that were said to line the edge of the territory always following her footsteps. She desperately wanted to go on an adventure! The palace was stifling. Erica grit her teeth, familiar frustration crawling up her spine, itching to explode and push her to run, fast and far. THWAP!
A stinging slap from her supervisor’s tail hit Erica in the thigh. She didn’t need to look to know that her daydreaming had to come to an end. Taking a soft breath, Erica pulled her gaze away from the ceiling… from her desires. Yet… Erica let her paw tighten into a fist ever so slightly. She would get out of there one day, and she would explore. Not today, not even next year, but she wouldn’t let herself be trapped as a servant forever. She would see those cities and flowers. Erica would make it happen.
(500/500)
