The next morning, we were summoned into the courtyard were we were each given chores to do. Heather was given the task of sweeping the floor while Ivana was given the task of sweeping much to her dismay. I was tasked with reading the seven scrolls of childbirth and why it’s important to know the reasons why I’m bringing my child to this world. I consider the whole thing a chore to be quite honest.
I love reading, I can read a lot but when it involves ten paragraphs telling why it is very important to breathe deep during labor as it allows us to be able to connect with the earth’s soul and I swear if I had to read more about it, I was going to scream.
I adjusted myself on my math under a pink flowering tree whose petals quietly fell onto my lap as I held the fourth scroll in my hand and at the mont I was currently yawning while my eyes scanned the sa sentence over and over again too tired to read anything else.
"The bond between a mother and her son is so strong that her heartbeat is the first drum the child will dance too."
It was beautiful but I was still too tired and I could tell that I wasn’t the only one from the way Ivana complained. She claid that the sisters of the earth were giving her punishnt disguised as chores. She claid she was a high lady and doing this kind of thing was beneath her. Heather on the other hand seed very pleased as she humd tunes while plucking herbs from the garden.
"Okay this just sucks, I am tired of this!" Ivana said sharply as she threw her broom down on the ground, "What are you all looking at?" She yelled when so of the won turned to look at her.
I dropped the scroll I was reading and stared up at Ivana. "Look, don’t complain and just do the task you were asked to do. It’s not so bad really."
"Easy for you to say, you are the one who is busy reading a book." Ivana threw at and I arched a brow up at her, "And don’t even act like I didn’t see you closing your eyes a few tis. You are just as tired as the rest of us!"
I couldn’t argue with her on that since she was right after all. I was still reading one line for the past few minutes that I’ve been reading the fourth scroll. I was getting tired too and there were still so pregnant won that were seated few feet away from who looked just as tired as I was but still they pushed on and so of them were already on their last scroll.
I decided to put on a show of fake of pride and I straightened as I down at Ivana. "I am just conserving my energy. Reading is no easy task you know."
"Of course I know." Ivana said giving a pointed look, "It’s not easy because it isn’t about tall knights and damsel in distress!"
"Hey!" I protested sharply wondering what it was up with people and my books.
Heather looked up, deciding to chirp in. "I am not even tired!"
"Don’t even say anything!" Ivana said with an exaggerated eye roll.
Heather heaved out a sigh as she shook her head. "Rember Ivana we are all equal..."
"If you spew nonsense about us being all equal in the eyes of the gods, I swear I’m going to throw a rock at your head." Ivana said before she went to go and she went to go and take a seat sowhere in the garden. "When I ca here, I had assud it would be for so sort of relaxation, I didn’t know we would be doing so hard chores and I bla you for lying to Dahlia!" Ivana hissed at and all I could do was just stare at her in response.
"I didn’t lie, up until yesterday you were busy enjoying the whole hot bath and your warm bed." I mumbled under my breath.
Heather turned slowly to look at Ivana, "Hard chores you say?" She asked before she snorted in response, "You claim sweeping is hard chores because you haven’t done any hard chore in your life. You think sweeping is hard? Have you ever had to beat the dirt out of clothes by the stream while the harsh sun beats down your back? Have you ever had to scrub soot from a chimney with nothing but iye and a frayed brush until your knuckles bled? Have you ever had to carry firewood twice your sixe up a hill just so the nobles can stay warm for the night? Have you ever had fan the smoke on the stove or stir the pot while standing for hours while your stomach grumbled in pain but you can’t eat because you have to wait for the nobles to eat?"
As Heather spoke I can tell that there was no denying the dangerous edge in her tone, a simring contained rage burning beneath years of silent struggle.
Everyone was now already paying attention to what she was saying and they were now glancing at Ivana who now looked uncomfortable.
Ivana blinked at the sudden torrent of questions Heather threw at her. She glanced around only to see people watching her and so were even giving her judgntal looks. "Heather, look I didn’t an that..."
"Oh of course you did because that’s just the kind of person you are!"
"Heather," I called with a warning but Heather wasn’t having any of it.
"What? I am allowed to speak am I not?" Heather snapped at and I arched a brow up at her.
Ivana cleared her throat and I watched as she decided to try again. "Listen Heather, just because I said what I said doesn’t an..."
"It’s sothing, you ant sothing!" Heather interrupted bluntly. "It ans you do not understand anything Ivana. You do not understand what it ant to be to be soone like . You don’t understand how it feels to have to struggle. All your life you’ve had to live a life of comfort, so don’t stand there complaining about sweeping when half of us would’ve traded anything to have that ne the worst thing in our daily lives!" Heather finished and by the ti she was done Ivana already had tears streaming down her face.
There was a heavy weight in the silence that hung in the air. It was so uncomfortable and the judgnt in the eyes of the won around her did not make things any easier. No one uttered a sound, although they didn’t need to, their stares spoke enough volu. So tried their best to be neutral, others nodded their heads in agreent as if Heather had spoken sothing they had been holding back in for a very long ti.
Ivana sniffed as she stood up, rubbing at her cheeks furiously with the heel of her hand, she sniffed. "Well I didn’t an to hurt you, but if you are expecting an apology from that isn’t going to be happening. I just spoke my truth just like you’ve said yours." She said before she turned to look at Heather, "Although one thing I’m sure of right now, is that life’s a bitch. But anyway ladies, do have fun with your work. I’m sure I can find my way out of here, alone." Ivana finished.
"Ivana, I..."
Ivana didn’t bother to answer and instead she began walking down the corridor out of the exit. But just before she could reach the exit the two won who had greeted us at the entrance all of a sudden approached her. They said sothing I couldn’t hear to her before they walked away and I watched as Ivana went after them.
I wondered what they said to her but I could always ask her that later, I thought to myself before I turned to look at Heather. "You know it wouldn’t have killed you to be a little bit nicer!"
Heather turned to look at , "I just said my truth."
I snorted in response at that. "Your truth? You know if we were anywhere else you wouldn’t have dared to voice out that way without getting beheaded?"
"And perhaps that was why I said what needed to be said without fear!"
"Right." I said as I looked down, "But she is right though and you didn’t get the hidden ssage behind what she said. Just because you’ve had it hard, doesn’t an the nobles have it easy. So of us were just born into this life doesn’t an we chose it, and yes it may sound like a weak excuse but that’s simply the truth. Life’s a bitch isn’t it?" I asked her and went back to my scroll ending the conversation.
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