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Errol and the other two servants ca servants to Princess A

"Why so early?" Roden asked

"You may have been clean orphans this week," his servant told hi up to make you worthy of the betrothed princess"

"Have you seen her?" I asked

If he had, the servant wouldn’t acknowledge it But while he gathered my clothes, Errol whispered to me, "I’ve seen her She looks as beautiful as any princess could You should feel lucky to be able to serve her tonight"

I was too tired to feel lucky, or to care what the princess looked like I told Errol he could take ht, which he said was fine if I’d do the laundry in his place That was the end of our bargaining

Making us worthy servants included tri the uneven ends of our hair so that it would tie back neatly, filing our nails, and lecturing us on the iht around anyone we served

Unfortunately for Errol’s best efforts on my behalf, the shorter side of ave up and told me to keep it pushed back whenever I was around the princess We both knew I probably wouldn’t

When ere finished, they placed us in front of mirrors Our white undershirts were cut closer to the ar any of the food as it was served The vests ore over them were simple, earth-colored, and laced up the front, and the boots were low and secondhand

I snorted a laugh "Everything here is about costu servants, but they’ve certainly dressed us for the part"

"This is my part," Tobias mumbled beside me "Now"

"I like them" Roden twisted in an attempt to see how he looked from the back "It’s easier to move in these than the clothes Conner has had us in all week"

Mott entered the room and surveyed each of us I wondered if he’d polished his bald head It looked shinier than usual, and he wore clothes nearly as fancy as Conner’s He was to be distinguished tonight as soh still not worthy to sit at the table With a very stern voice, he said, "As long as none of you does anything stupid, I believe tonight will be successful Here are sos each of you must remember Never address a master first and never look the specifically to you You follow my directions and never take any initiative with the princess unless I order it" Looking straight at uise The worst thing that could happen would be for the princess to reht after you are presented at court That cut is still evident on your face, Sage"

"It’ll be healed by the tien once served us with a bruise on her cheek, so this should only help me fit in better with the other servants"

Mott didn’t rise to my remark "And how are the wounds on your back, specifically the one caused by the … ?"

"If I’d hadfaster"

Mott sns of infection, sir," Errol reported

"That’s good," Mott said "Because I’d expect a dirtyto have caused infection I did hear that a knife was ht, one of the chef’s sharpest blades Those are kept very clean"

"Only one knife was lanced at me and then quickly looked ahen I tilted my head in response to his silent question He whispered so under his breath, I’m sure some sort of curse aimed atcurses with my name on them