Housekeeping [Sienna]

[Dove Latimer]

Dove didn't often clean occupied rooms (she was normally only allowed in after a guest had left the castle entirely), but the girl who normally did was back in her own room clinging to a bucket for dear life. Dove didn't envy her in the slightest, but she couldn't help being a bit nervous at doing tasks outside her normal routine. One of the other maids had gone ahead of her and checked to make sure the room she was going into wasn't occupied, but it still felt a bit strange to be in someone else's bedroom while they weren't at home. 

Uncomfortable or no, Dove wasn't going to let that stop her from doing her job--if anything it made her work a bit faster as she worked to put the room back to rights. First step was the bed. She neatly stacked the pillows near the wall after removing the pillow cases, then stripped the sheets and blankets into her large basket to be taken down to the laundry room. With all the old bedding off, she set to putting on clean sheets and a lighter quilt now that the weather had begun to warm up. It was a bit tricky to get the sheets tucked nicely and everything looking crisp on her own, but she'd learned a few tricks early on in her time as a maid that made it slightly less impossible. 

As she worked, she let her mind wander. She'd been working on a story about a young woman who was a soldier in a land where some people were given the ability to change shape into animals. The girl could turn into an antelope (some kind of deer-like creature that Dove had only read about in books) and was able to run at immense speeds. In Dove's imagination, she was seeking to find the enemy general who had killed her father, so that she might avenge his death. She had been forbidden to take part in a battle where she knew that general would take part--her mentor and superior officer knew she was willing to put herself in a suicidal position in order to get her revenge, and was trying to protect her. Of course the character in Dove's story was too stubborn to listen. 

Lost in her own little world, the maid didn't realize that anyone else had arrived until she stepped back to admire her handiwork with the bed, and bumped straight into another person. She immediately whirled around and curtsied as low as she could, signing "Sorry" on her way back up instinctively. She realized a little too late that most people wouldn't recognize what she meant, but she hoped that her body language had made it obvious enough. 

[Sienna Rousseau]

Sienna had managed to make it to work today, she was still pale and felt horrid but she needed to at least make the exit over her cover seamless but she also had a friend in the castle that she cared about who saw through her 'deaf' facade rather easily. It made her smile at being called out but it also made her happy to be able to give Dove a friend to talk to rather easily.

She would be gathering up linens when she motioned around for Dove and someone wrote on the paper that she was tending to someone room. Oh boy, that was often out of Dove's wheelhouse and normally in her's, so she would take the extra towels and toiletries up to the room so Dove wouldn't have to make another trip.

Heading up with the cart, she had to stop a few times to just stop feeling so dizzy from walking but she made it up to the room and opened the door.

It seemed fate had a sense of humor of some sort since she walked in Dove accidentally walked into her and was quickly signing sorry before the girl saw who she had bumped into.

Reaching out, she rested a gentle hand on her arm, "It's ok. I heard you were taking care of a room and I wanted to help," Sienna signed to her, a tired smile on her face as she pointed to the cart while holding up a finger as well as she lifted up a cloth to show she also brought some hot cider for them from the kitchens to have- tis the season!

[Dove Latimer]

Dove relaxed with a sigh of relief once she saw it was only Sienna. The other girl was probably hiding a lot more than her hearing, but Dove didn't really mind. She was kind and helpful, and she didn't shirk her work, which Dove appreciated. Not only that, but she was a good friend all around. It was a blessing to have a friend she could really talk to around--she'd had no one but Trout for ages.

She laughed softly and shook her head at Sienna. They really weren't supposed to get into the food in the kitchens--she was sure this was for the upcoming ball--but she couldn't really argue because it smelled amazing. Besides, it wouldn't really hurt anyone, right? Just like Sienna's pretense of being deaf. Honestly, she was like a book character all her own. Maybe that was part of what made her so fascinating to Dove.

(You're lucky you didn't get caught sneaking that here!) Dove teased. (But thank you! I only just finished the bed,) she signed, then glanced over her shoulder at the bed again. (Is the quilt lopsided, or am I imagining it?)

[Sienna Rousseau]

Sienna offered her a kind smile, the girl was sweet and she really enjoyed working with her and getting to know her. True, Sienna was hiding a lot and not offering a lot in the way of her past to Dove but she hadn't wanted to lie to her either. It was hard leading this life and to make friends that lasted.

There was an impish smile on her face, (Oh come now, no one suspects either of us of doing anything wrong,) she countered with a smile as she gave her a drink and pulled the cart the rest of the way in and shut the door. Sienna would tilt her head some as she looked at the bed and held up a finger as she went to the other side and tugged the one corner where it should be.

(A corner was lifted, that's why but you great on it,) she told her, a smile on her face as she leaned over to smooth the blanket out, out of habit, wincing at the movement as she stood and took a breathe and smiled. ( Did you sweep yet or no? ) she asked curiously, walking around to pick up the towels to use to keep in front of her. Sienna was trying her best to hide the slight bulge of her stomach and how her body was moving differently to accommodate, (How have you been though? Sorry I've been gone for a short time.) Sienna signed to her before lifting the towels.

[Dove Latimer]

Dove took a sip of the steaming cider. She sighed involuntarily as the warmth of the drink washed over her, both from the temperature and from the spices it carried. She loved hot winter drinks like this, she always felt that they warmed her soul as well as her hands. Sienna was right, too, no one really would think that she and Dove were up to no good--they were probably some of the only maids who really did their work without getting distracted.

She signed a quick thank you to Sienna when the blanket was tugged into place, but Sienna's wince, and then the way she tried to hide herself caught her attention. Dove frowned and set her cup aside so she'd have her hands free to sign properly.

(Sienna, you're not feeling well. What are you doing working if you're sick? You should take care of yourself,) she scolded, giving her friend a stern look that her mother would have been proud of. (I can handle the room, you sit.) The real reason for Sienna's illness didn't even occur to her; she just caught the fact that her friend was hiding something that was troubling her. Dove may be quiet by necessity, but that had never stopped her from being bossy!

[Sienna Rousseau]

Sienna would place the towels down on the table before moving to pick up a broom and dustpan. She stopped though when Dove started to scold sign to her and couldn't help but give a small smile and sigh, shaking her head some.

(Because I like this work and because I'll be taking off more time starting tomorrow.) she told her. Well, she was quitting tomorrow but that she could explain later because she didn't want to nor wish to lie to Dove. She was too kind of a woman to lie to when she already was falsifying why she was working in such a place.

(I'll be ok and don't pull mom words on me missy,) Sienna told her, a playful smile on her face as she signed that to her. (Let me help, I will go slow, promise,) Sienna told her as she held the broom, leaning against it a little bit as she gave a sweet smile to her friend. It was sweet how she was so worried and too kind, more kindness than she felt she deserved given everything.