Recovery for noble Tiffaney had taken a long time, and after which the noble regrated thinking that maid Jac was even a remotely warm caring person.
She was a demon in human skin!
Dressed in her proper maid uniform, long black skirt, black leggings, white shoes. There was a white cloth belt and a frilly head piece which completed the simple work uniform. Getting to the point of putting it on was where maid Jac, should have been called demoness Shax!
"Try this one, with this shirt!"
"What if we put these pants on you? It would match that blouse."
"Let's take your hair and put it up in tails!"
"You have to try this one on next, I picked it just for you!"
Abused as a dress up doll for hours, this person was quickly becoming her most effective tormenter. Crying silent, invisible tears, the noble child had no choice but to follow along with it, they had things that launched people into oblivion. That was not a place the child wished to visit at all!
"Now that this is settled, we will start with lunch, then a tour!" More excited than the kid, maid Jac led her down several corridors, point out various things as she went. The corridors were large for servant corridors, several half columns of brick were spaced along with lights embedded into them.
"If it's by a landscape picture, odds are its lethal. Portraits are gag traps, when there is people plus tables, but if there are empty chairs, may or may not end you slowly." Tiffaney was uncertain on the may or may not and wanted to find a window to jump out of. As an interior passage, it was only pictures, no escape routes.
"Ah the rolling stone trap, this was installed when I joined, I was a few years younger than you." As the two passed the furrow in the stone where the giant ball boulder had rolled down, the older maid smiled nostalgically.
"If it's got a gear in the picture, there is a mechanism there, no way to tell which one. It's ok we made a list that we pass around for those that are unfortunate enough to trigger them."
For a brief instance Tiffaney wondered if her last family was really that bad when she arrived in the cafeteria. In the smell of fresh bread rolled over the entire room. Soft, grainy, with hints of clouds and delightful sunshine. Grills sizzled, and a thick sticky smoke filled with char and grilled meats whispered that it was here to.
"Let's get a plate!" Without waiting Miss Jac dragged the girl to the front, snagging two light wooden trays for the two of them.
"Get what you want but try not to get what you won't eat. This is part of your wage, so don't skimp out!" When most children who were starved found they could eat what they wanted and not pay, they went hog wild.
"Take your time to pick something good." Leaving the girl to her own devices, she trusted that instinct would take over, and helped herself. Poultry with herbs, and a side of rabbit food. Most meals here were healthy to a standard not known to its residents. The Dyne family wanted to be everything the royalty and nobles were not, so they were very conscious of ensuring the needs of their workers were sufficiently accommodated.
Having collected her items, she looked back to see how her charge was doing and was surprised to see, the noble girl had remained unmoved. As someone new a few glanced at her curiously but said nothing. Most had tough backgrounds, it was considered polite and helpful to let them adjust first, before working to include them.
Instead, the girl couldn't move, there was nothing here for her. Meat was not allowed; she didn't deserve it. Bread had to be at lest two weeks old before she would have even a chance to get some. Most meals consisted of leftover, leftover, stock, no longer usable for the noble family and their servants. That was even tempered by what was taken to give to the less fortune, what remained were scraps of scraps of scraps. It was all the girl ate.
Jac hadn't realized it was this bad. She knew the girl was mistreated, but one didn't become so mentally scared so quickly. Stuffing her tray one of junior's hands she walked over and knelt beside the frozen child.
"I don't believe there's anything that I would be allowed to partake in these…offerings." Jac was stunned once more, a bit unsure. She wanted to say something but was searching for words when the noble continued.
"If I could get what the pigs get or what has already been thrown out, I believe that would be fitting for me." Those who had heard the girls' soft words stopped dead in their tracks. Uncertainty gave way the longer they looked at the somber nervous form. Downcast eye, trembling if expecting to be harmed at any moment for having the audacity to ask for slop. For the first time maid Jac's heart broke. No one here had any illusions about how harsh life was, but to be treated as less than pigs? To be so far removed from the right to eat that you asked for trash?
"I see that here I am not even worth that, I will wait outside for Lady Jac to finish her meal." Bowing she returned the tray and left the room. For a moment no one in the vicinity could move, there was a pause as if that hadn't occurred. It was clear that the maid outfit she wore was a tent on her. That she probably hadn't eaten more than two meals in the last three days or worst, yet she felt she was not even worth that?
"Anyone who doesn't have anything they absolutely must do, find Sir Octave Bandersnatch, and Miss Aroura." Maid Jac wasn't a person who held any real seniority, nor was she someone who was aloud to give out orders. No one questioned the words she had said, having watched a tiny girl attempt to protect herself at a price that no one should have to pay.
"When you find them tell them to put a rush on the genetics and that the lady of house Dyne should be made aware of maid Tiffaney."
Several people dispersed shoveling food in their mouths as they went. Others simply left the crowed room without a care, searching for the elusive head butler and maid.
"As for the rest, find a soft soup, and the fluffiest bread we have, make a request if you have to." Even in such straits the anger and rage could not overcome the wave of anguish and sorrow. Grieving silently, tears slowly fell from maid Jac's eyes without any attempt to hide or stop them. Slowly stood, her knees screaming an ignored protest the maid wished she had said a dozen things instead of being stunned.
Sized for several dozen the dinning room had many tables and chairs scattered about. Contemplating for a moment the maid picked table in the corner. She went over and tossed her mob cap onto it, to show that was taken before she proceeded in the direction the noble left.
"Have them bring the food when they get it. I'm going to drag her back here and make her eat something delicious!"