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Thinlómien's post
The morning had been a pleasant one for Modtryth. She enjoyed the new place. The new home, she corrected herself. She wondered how everything would turn out and how would their little family settle in the lifenof the eorl's hall. Cnebba at least had found his place, and was clearly enjoying the new place and the new company. Everything will settle as it will, no need to fret over that, she reached the same conclusion as always. She was confident their little family would find its place in the hall, in one way or another.
Modtryth watched the two children, Lčođern and Garmund, run to Cnebba. She had no reason to hide her smile. She turned to her husband. Stigend was smiling too. Oh, he doesn't look anxious, Modtryth remarked to herself half-seriously.
Then lady Saeryn caught her attention. The lady called Modtryth to her. She gestured Modtrth to sit opposite to herself. "Yes, my lady?" Modtryth asked. "I'm to give you your duties", Lady Saeryn answered. She looked at Modtryth thoughtfully and asked: "What kind of work you are used to do? What would you like to do?"
Modtryth didn't except the last question. Maybe it showed in her face, for Lady Saeryn smiled. "I have mostly done cleaning, cooking, looking after children and such. I'd be pleased to do it in the eorl's hall too", Modtryth answered simply.
"We have two cooks, Kara and Frodides, already, so I doubt there's need for kitchen staff", Lady Saeryn said. "We don't have very small children here so that rules out the babysitting... So I guess that leaves us with cleaning." Modtryth nodded. The work was familiar for her, and so were the words. She was about to open her mouth to tell the Lady that she was fine with her new duties and to thank her, but something in the Lady's expression made her not. There was something strange in her eyes and Modtryth could not imagine what was she thinking about.
Then lady Saeryn smiled again. There was a shrewd glint in her eyes. "But surely cleaning is not all you can do. And besides, there's not enough work for a person who only cleans. Kara and Frodides clean the kitchen and the tables in the hall and I do some cleaning myself. Have you ever done shopping for a big household?" At first Modtryth thought she had misheard the lady's words. She was offering her, a half-dunlending and a newcomer, a position of trust.
"Well, have you?" Lady Saeryn repeated her question seriously, though there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. Modtryth nodded. "Yes, my lady. I've done it twice. In the place I was born in and I worked in for many years, Lord Godhere's household in Western Wold. The second such job was in Field Marshal Laudwine's household." She didn't add that in both places she had had to work at least for months to achieve the position.
"Good", Lady Saeryn replied. "Then I can trust you with it." She looked at the dark-haired woman. Her face was serious. "Thank you, my lady. I'm honoured to receive such a duty", Modtryth replied, still wondering if it was really happening. "I won't prove untrustworthy."
"I am the one to oversee your work, both cleaning and shopping", Lady Saeryn told her. "The household doesn't need anything from the town today. I think you could start with the laundry. Come, I'll show you", she continued.
Modtryth rose to follow the Lady. She had heard only good of her, but now it was proved. Unlike so many, she managed to gain my respect in a very short time, Modtryth thought, wondering if it was good or bad.
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