[Beruthiel]

Shumita had been scrubbing the floor hard for hours. Her hands were getting wrinkly from her hands being wet so long. She looked up and groaned loudly, there was still a lot more cleaning to go. Her knees were aching and the girl yawned and stretched before turning back to the bucket of water. She hummed quietly to herself until she heard footsteps behind her. Afraid it might be the queen again she fell silent and scrubbed even harder before daring to look back at the person.

To her surprise it was one of the servants, she had seen her around the palace usually looking after the cats. The woman approached Shumita, "Hear dear, let me help you with that." Shumita felt relieved but shocked at the same time, she had thought the woman had come to tell her off for something. "My name is Habeth" Shumita automatically outstretched her hand and the woman took it but Shumita had forgotten that her hand was soaking wet. Quickly pulling it back she grinned, feeling quite embaressed but Habeth simply picked up another brush and began scrubbing and Shumita did as well.

Habeth and Shumita managed to finish cleaning the hall just before supper time where Shumita was needed in the kitchen. Thanking Habeth again and again, she waved goodbye to her and turned back to the kitchens. When she reached there all the servants were chatting loudly and just starting to cook. Relieved that she wasn't late, she took her spot on one of the tables near the sinks where she started to shop up some vegetables. The ladies in front of her were talking in hushed voices but Shumita was able to hear what they were saying quite clearly.

"Someone told me that the King's nephew is comin' here soon"
"Nonsense, there would have been a big announcement already if that were the case
"
"Oh no, the letter just got here today. Leah was in the Queen's chamber cleaning out some of the papers that were lying around and she saw one that was lying on top of it all. A message addressed to the King from his brother. Well thats what she told me anyways..."

But the ladies were interupted when another maid spilled water over their table. Shumita turned back to her vegetables and began chopping much faster. 'Why would a letter to the King be in the queen's room?' She thought to herself. She began to drift off into her thoughts again before the head cook knocked her out of it. "Come on, get a move on girl!"