Lead servant.
Dreams of exploring his world but decides to stay loyal to the kingdom.
has the job of going to different villages to deliver and receive info for the kingdom.
By me... Click for full size <3
at your serviceName: Astell
Gender: Male
--Head servant in Dulce's kingdom--
Spring Song :
Smile - Uncle CrackerPersonality
Works well under stress | Obedient | Altruistic
Constraining | Overthinker | Flustered easily
Story 1
“Of course, everything is prepared.” I said, bowing slightly to the messenger and staying so until he left. Straightening, I headed for the servants’ quarters, holding a scroll stamped with the king’s seal. Yes! The message was to Tennai, a lakeside town with resources important to the kingdom, and more importantly, Kalee’s hometown, a beautiful viscet whom I have a huge crush on.
Even hearing her name makes me smile., I thought, the corner of my mouth twitching as I knocked on the door before entering. “We’re going to Tennai! Up up, come on!” As lead servant, I served as a messenger, and as I carried confidential information, I travel with other servants. No one ever noticed travelling servants, not even bandits, as servants had nothing valuable.
“You’re always excited to go to Tennai.” A servant said, frowning as she grabbed her pack. “Why’s that?”
“And you always ask me this question.” I replied, pulling the strap over my head. “The view and air is why I love it. Anyway, we don’t have time for this, the message is urgent. It’s getting dark, but we can make it.” I added, glancing at my tail and smiling as I thought of Kalee’s reaction when it glowed. She was normally calm and collected, but her surprise when she saw my glowing tail was a memory that’ll be treasured forever. Shaking myself, I left the servants’ quarters with the others, and we headed towards the lakeside town that held someone close to my heart.
***
We arrived at the inn near dawn, and took a nap before going to the market for supplies. As they slept, I went to the town alpha and gave him the scroll, bowing deeply until I was dismissed. Now free to roam, I went straight to Kalee’s house, detouring to the market to buy a bouquet of flowers from my small pay, and making sure no one I knew noticed. Bluntly, servants were the possessions of the kingdom, and thus were forbidden to have a relationship, marry or have kits without the royal family’s permission. Relationships and family would only distract them from their duties. The punishments if caught…
I shook away these thoughts and tapped on her door, my heart in my mouth and feeling both worried and excited at the same time. My usual helpless grin appeared, and I double-checked my appearance, my accessories, paranoid there was a flaw and she would notice. The door opened, and, like every time I came to her house, I blushed and fumbled with the flowers, almost dropping them twice in the process, while stammering something vaguely like a ‘hello’. Kalee laughed then, sounding to me like a bell, and invited me in. Again, repeating history, I tripped over the doorframe and recovered just in time to halt before a side-table with an empty vase on top, holding the most random pose known to viscet as I tried not to break anything. Relaxing and coughing awkwardly, I placed the flowers in the vase, and hesitating, before deciding, I pulled a white flower out of the vase and turned to Kalee, placing it in her hair gently. She smiled in reply, and I grinned, as per usual, before saying something I had pre-prepared with pride. “You-you look fantastic! GoshIjustloveyou-I mean, I love your hair, a-and you…and...what, uh that wasn’t you, I don’t love you!
I! I mean! I
do love you, but like...like not love
love, like...friend love…yeah...friend...love...” Cursing my stammering, I turned away, head in my paws and thinking I’m stupid and how my life ruined and--
“Thanks Astell.” Kalee said, patting my shoulder. Dark thoughts forgotten, I grinned, nodding to her and walking confidently into her living room. “Let’s do something! We can make sandcastles, your favorite!” Kalee nodded, and I laughed in the most awkward, ridiculous way possible in reply.
Annnnnd there goes her impression of me. ***
No! It can’t be! Someone told Dulce, a viscet from the royal family, about Kalee, and now I was confined to the servants’ quarters, awaiting my punishment. I thought back to a time when I caught the servants whispering and glaring at me, though I never thought they were jealous and knew about my meetings with Kalee. But I don’t have time for this! Tomorrow is the day of the lantern lighting ceremony, and I can’t miss it for my life! Ignoring the voice saying that it wasn’t worth it, I planned my escape. My future can wait, Kalee is more important. The things I hated about the servants’ quarters suddenly became advantageous to me in my escape. It was rarely upgraded, despite the castle undergoing constant renovation, to the point where loose bricks and water leaks were common. There were no guards, as servants tended to be afraid of punishment, and would never escape. Even now there’s no guards, as Dulce likely believed that I’m too obedient to rebel.
I’ll show them.Removing some bricks and squeezing through the gap, I glanced back, for once happy that the servants’ quarters was located so far away from everything. With this view, likely my last of the castle as a servant, I ran away, gripping my bag, feeling excited and free.
***
We lit the lanterns together, and threw them into the sky, along with all our wishes and dreams. As Kalee gazed at the lanterns, the orange light illuminating her face, I inched closer, hoping she wouldn’t notice. Summoning up my courage, I inched my paw towards hers, every inch feeling like it covered miles.
Do it, come on Astell, you can do this! Throwing common sense out the window, I took her paw, and she turned to me, surprised, before smiling and keeping her paw there. Feeling like I was flying with the lanterns myself, I grinned back, and immensely pleased, I moved closer, so we could gaze at the lanterns together.
[1000/1000]
Extra 3
“Remind me why you’re lead servant again.”
I laughed nervously, shrugging at his question and glancing around. “I’m sure we’re not actually lost, maybe it’s just all these trees…”
“And that’s why we’ve been wandering for, oh, at least an hour now.”
“Well, everything tends to look the same once you’ve travelled for a while.” I replied defensively, before sighing. “Give me some time, I’ll get us out.” I turned around, using my glowing tail to check for recognisable marks. I must have looked ridiculous, and for the hundredth time I wished the glow was, say, on my paw. “Ah, look! It’s the mark we did before, which means we’re on the right path!”
“Looks like some animal scratched it Astell.” A servant said, unimpressed. “Your light just makes it look different.”
“It’s the same one we did.” I insisted, cleaning the mark. “See…” Dirt fell off the mark, revealing animal scratches, and I sighed, disappointed. “Let’s keep going then.”
“Going where? I’m tired of your vagueness; do you even know where to go?” I shot a look at the servant, annoyed. The other servants disliked me, I knew, and sometimes they really pushed my limits, probably because I was too bossy with them, but I was just stressed about the castle.
“I’ll find a way out.” I replied, before walking off, forcing them to follow. We never brought lanterns on the journey, simply because my tail glows. Bringing lanterns would be a waste if someone
was the light. We kept wandering, stopping often to check the trees. Finally, my light revealed the mark we were looking for, and rejoicing silently, I led the group out of the forest and back on the path. I made a noise of satisfaction, happy to be on the right path to the castle.
[300 / 300 words]
(Edit--- I needed to add that the stories were written by FluffieBirdie <:
