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The Challenge:

Forget everything that has transpired with your characters... Forget everything you once knew.

And start over.

So many people have come and gone... their existence have forever changed our story. So let's go back, to the very beginning, and see where it goes from there.

Silence is golden

In a time where war is the normality of every day life, a little silence goes a long way. In fact, the silence was the very first thing Ella noticed about the castle grounds. It was quiet, peaceful, and with the entire landscape beyond the graying building covered in lush grass and flowers, it felt like gold. “It seems so strange to see such loveliness when war is abundant else where...” breathed the servant girl, a light breeze playing with her hair.

'If you are just going to stand there then I am leaving. Take your own bags inside or call someone else to help. I cannot wait for you to stop gawking at the sky and scenery.'

Startled by the sudden gruffness breaking the peace, Ella turned to look at the coachman, a middle aged man who was mostly skin and bones. “Oh yes, please, go on ahead. I am certain I will be fine.” The man grunted, happy to be leaving and returning home, back to the Kingdom of Hubris.

Hubris. Ella turned back to the structure in front of her, thinking of the castle back in Hubris that she was forced to call ‘home’. It seemed so much smaller compared to this one, and perhaps maybe not even as grand as the God’s castle. This thought made Ella look around nervously, as if her thoughts could be heard by all, including the royals of Hubris. Now that the carriage was gone, it was back to being quiet, lovely and just Ella with her belongings.

“I do wonder where everyone is though. I thought people were supposed to be arriving here for safe keeping….which makes me wonder why I am here….”


.:.Two days earlier….:.

With a war raging on outside the castle walls, a goodbye dinner seemed unnecessary and even a little silly. But that’s what the servants were preparing for and Ella was no exception as she kneeled on the floor, scrubbing the marble of the grand dinning hall. Other servants were around her, working hard and burning holes into the white marble with their eyes while an old lady with a riding crop stood nearby, watching her charges. While trying to scrub out some dried up wine stains, a fellow servant made a clicking sound with her tongue. This action caught Ella’s attention instantly; a sign used among servants to announce a royal was coming. Not looking up but eyes trained off to the side, Ella and the others listened to the people coming into the dinning room. It was King Rodric and a few of his right hand men. As per usual the King was screaming orders, arguing over this and that while his orderlies tried to calm him and suggest courses of action. Apparently the topic of today’s conversation was who to send with the children of Hubris to this Veritas’s palace. Unfortunately for the servants in the dinning room, this was not something worthy of eaves dropping on. The topic of sending the Princes and Princesses away to another plane had been going on for moths now, and since their departure was one day away (tonight being their final dinner with their parents), the conversations had become more urgent but not exciting.

As the King breezed past the dinning room, a small wave of relief washed over those cleaning. When the King was around, anyone could be summoned or yelled at. Thankfully his mind was on other things today. Everything continued as normal for another half an hour before the cleaning was officially interrupted.

‘You there!’

a voice yelled, making everyone in the room jump. Ella jerked, dropping the rag she was holding. The servants looked up and noticed that the large woman with the riding crop was striding over toward the head of the table. She was on a mission, and the room was now alive and buzzing as servants scurried out of the woman’s way, while others merely coward as she passed.

‘I said you there! Are you daft?! Answer me!’

Three servants in the vicinity all stood suddenly, one of them being Ella. They were all in various stages of nervousness, the man on the far right almost in tears while the two women merely stood shaking in their shoes.

‘When I say something to you, you answer back!’

The riding crop came down with an audible crack as the leather made contact with Ella’s shoulder. She let out a small screech before slouching a bit, a hand instinctively covering her throbbing shoulder.

‘You’re wanted in the Throne Room. The Gods only know what you did now but it cannot be good. GET MOVING!’

Another blow landed on Ella’s back as she ran from the room, leaving her discarded rag and bucket behind. From the hallway Ella heard the woman shouting at everyone else to get back to work.

A soldier waiting just outside the Throne Room opened the large wooden doors, allowing Ella to walk in. She had quickly wiped away any tears forming in her eyes before entering, so as not to be scolded by the King. Trying not to look directly at his Majesty, Ella noticed that there were a few other servants and orderlies in the room with her. All of them were lined up in front of the King and all were on their knees. Panic flooded Ella’s mind as she took a place next to another servant girl, who also seemed to be panicking. They all looked like they had been gathered for a somber purpose, and Ella wondered if she was going to die today.

After Ella had settled on her knees in front of the King, head down and eyes fixated on the floor once more, the King rose, pacing in front of his throne. He began a speech about how times were tough, that the war was taking a heavy toll on everyone in the Kingdom and that his children’s safety was at risk. To this he mentioned the heirs going off to another plane, to a God’s castle where they would all be safe. And while there were probably more than enough staff to handle the new influx of residents, he wanted servants from Hubris to be there as well. He also wanted them to know that this was not something to be joyous over; they were going to serve and protect the royal family members being placed in the care of Veritas. This was not a vacation…

.:.Present….:.

King Rodric had made it very clear that this wasn’t a vacation but he had not specified why Ella was going, or why any of the others chosen were going. Either way, the King’speech felt distant and the servant girl felt like she was on an adventure, a vacation if you will; Ella was out of Hubris, something she had been dreaming of for three years now. It felt more like a miracle than a dream. Ella had even had a thought on the way there; maybe someone from Fortitude would at the castle, and maybe, just maybe, they would know about her parents. It was a grand dream for the little servant woman, and while it gave her hope it also made her long for her home Kingdom of Fortitude. Looking down at the two canvas bags by her feet, Ella realized she was probably farther away from home than Hubris has been.

‘Are you lost?’

Ella looked up to see a man peering at her from the front steps of the castle. He was wearing clothing that looked to be made out of the finest cloth, and his hair was neatly combed back and into a pony tail. Feeling rather under dressed, even for a servant, Ella smoothed out her black skirt. “Oh um, no I do not think so. This is the castle of Lord Veritas, yes?” the man nodded, walking down the steps and grabbing the bags. “I am Ella, Ella Farell, a servant from Hubris." She clasped her hands in front of her, giving a small bow at the waist. In Hubris women servants did not curtsey, they gave small bows from the waist like the male servants did. The man smiled but did not give his name, only turned and began walking into the castle. Surprised that the man did not say more, Ella trotted after him, wondering what the servant’s quarters looked like.

‘You are but a servant so Lord Veritas probably will not be down to greet you. He probably will not even greet the royals, he is a very busy man you see.’

Ella nodded, having a hard time keeping up with the servant because she was too busy ogling the brilliance of the castle’s interior.

‘You will be in the servant’s quarters. It is located on the first lower level. There are several entrances throughout the castle, one being in the kitchen, another being on the side of the grand stair case here. Just be careful, our servants come and go frequently so watch your step.’

Ella noticed a door handle peeking out of the wood on the side of the stair case. It was almost invisible, probably a feat that was meant to happen to keep guests from caring about where the servant’s entrances were.

While the two walked and for the first time, Ella felt completely and utterly out of place. She was no longer in the Hubris castle and she would soon be in a strange bed, surrounded by strange people and dealing with strange things. The girl felt rotten as they entered the first level of the basement from the kitchen.

It was dark, the stone hallway and floor lit by torches that never extinguished. The man told Ella to watch her step, which she didn’t listen because as soon as they entered Ella tripped, landing knees first onto the hard floor. She winced, the man turning around only to sigh and make sure Ella could get up alright. He repeated that she should watch her step and then continued down the hallway.

‘All of the servants live down here, even the ones from the visiting Kingdoms will be here. You are first from Hubris to arrive, I suspect more of your friends will be joining us later today.’

Another nod, more gawking. Even though they were underground, the space was large and lit well with the ever burning flames. Ella would find out much later that the first corridor she entered was in the shape of a large circle centered under the main rooms of the castle. Several doors lead to the inside of this circle where you could enter the castle from under the grand staircase, into the kitchen, dinning room, parlor, and ballroom. The ballroom had two different servant entrances because it was so large. On the outside walls of the circle were doors as well, and these lead to different hallways where the actual rooms were. After entering the man took Ella down two doors before opening the third and stepping inside. This hallway was straight and not quite as long for Ella could see the end where a large mosaic depicting a grand landscape hung.

‘This will be your room.’ Her guide said while opening the second door on the right.

“I have my own living quarters?” she asked, stunned. The man nodded, entering so that she would follow.

The room was not large by any means and it did not even look like they were underground. The walls had been built with stone while the floor was made of a dark wood. Hand crafted metal candle holders lined the wall, each sporting three white candles that burned furiously to give off maximum light. A wooden wardrobe stood against the wall where the door was while a wooden chest sat at the foot of the bed. And oh, the bed! Ella almost ran to the bed to jump on it the moment she saw it; It was made for one person, a mattress stuffed with sheep’s wool and with blankets and sheets made out of soft cloth. She even had a pillow! A pillow! Ella had not used a pillow in three years. A little ways from the bed was a full length mirror encased in the same rich dark wood as the wardrobe, chest and floor. “Oh my…” she breathed.

Another smile crossed the man’s lips. He was enjoying Ella’s reaction and at the same time felt pity for her, thinking they must treat their servants awful in the other Kingdoms.

‘Lord Veritas knows that a happy servant is a hard working servant. This room is to your liking?’

Ella stopped staring at herself in the mirror. She turned to look at the man, mouth open, eyes wide. “No one has ever asked me that.” She said quietly, looking a little ashamed that she had been having so much fun with her new room.

‘It will not happen often. While you are a guest you are also a servant. You will be expected to help with the chores around the castle while assisting the royals of not only your Kingdom but the others as well. Dinner will be had in the kitchen and at the end of this hallway, that mosaic picture you were admiring, opens up into a community bath. Men have one side, women have the other. You simply have to stand in front of the picture and it will open on its own. Do you have any questions?’

Ella shook her head, a little speechless.

‘Good. Be advised that this castle is old, decrepit and crotchety just like its owner. The corridors move from time to time and magic is quite abundant here, always watch your step and enjoy this day while you can. As soon as more people arrive all of the servants will be at work.’

With that he left, closing the door behind him. Once the footsteps had left the immediate area, Ella giggled and flung herself on the bed, bouncing happily before curling up and snuggling into the soft fabric. It wasn’t glamorous, nor was it big enough for any royal who had ever lived, but for a servant girl it felt like a mansion, and Ella was in heaven.

After almost falling asleep on the bed (it had only been ten minutes mind you), Ella got up and decided to explore the castle. If not many people had arrived yet, maybe she could get away with wandering the castle without someone barking orders at her.

Leaving her room and the hallway of rooms, she poked her head into the circled corridor, wondering what door to take. Standing before one just outside the hallway she wondered where it would take her and if she should be walking up these steps or not. The man DID say they were all servant entrances, so why not? Grabbing the handle Ella twisted the knob and felt a rush of cool air hit her face. She blinked for a moment, the cool air a surprise but not a deterrent. In fact, it made her even more curious as to what was above and when she reached the last step, pushed open another wooden door, she found herself in the dinning room. The servant’s entrance was toward the back, popping out of a wooden panel below a painting of a vineyard. “How mysterious.” Ella whispered. This castle was turning out to be like a maze, and the servant found herself enjoying the day despite the fact that once night fell, she would more than likely be put to work.

Out Of Character: Not sure if the Challenge Arena is still open or not, but I've been wanting to post here for forever. If felt really good to just write like no one cared about what I was doing. My apologies for the length and content of the post, but again, it felt great to just write. ^_^

I am also sorry for assuming what the servant quarters looked liked. There was no description in the maps thread so I just kinda went with what I pictured in my head. If anything is wrong or not to a mod's liking I am more than happy to take this down.