Rozin watched the king walk away and then turned on his heel. He ignored the other nobility milling about and slid into the servent’s passages. He ran his hand along the wall as he walked, the scowl coming down onto his features. A bath, of course. The king hadn’t even offered any useful information either. Like whether he liked cold baths or hot bather, whether he like lemon verbena or jasmine. He ran his fingers through his hair, curling them slightly and giving a small tug to the onyx strands. He tracks his way down to the kitchens, turning his body out of the way of a few passing humans and giving small smiles.
As he got closer to his destination, the bustle of the plane could be heard with his sharp hearing, a ’gift’ from his father. He pushes the door open and steps out. His gaze slides about the room and he perches against a wall, looking for someone who might be able to help him. After a few moments a portly woman, holding a wooden spoon came at him, “What’s your business here, boy?” Her voice was naturally loud, and her presence filled the room.
”Just looking for a little assistance.” He murmurs, his slight northern accent clashing with the woman’s southern one. So she was from down south, no wonder she was, what seemed to be, the head chef. The southerners were well known for their taste of fine food. “The king want’s a bath. He gave me no indication as to how he likes it.”
”And that’s what has your pretty face permitted with a scowl? Aye, the king just expects things. The girls who were taking care Of everything from the shadows ought to be around here somewhere. They’ve been making sure the king has everything he needs for a few years now, without the king seein’ them of course.“ The woman turns back to a pot, stirring whatever was inside it. “Just look around for Annalise or Jamyah. They’re twins, green eyes and bobed black hair.”
Rozin nods, trying to clear the scowl from his face and smiles in thanks, “Thank you. . ?”
”Freya. Miss. Freya.”
Rozin nods and turns away, moving away from Freya and looking around the kitchens in pursuit of one of the twins. Not seeing them in the kitchen, Rozin heads back into the passages and wanders amongst them for almost ten minuets before he comes across one of the twins and smiles, “Hello.” He greets, nodding his head slightly.
The girl smiles and tilts her head, “I heard someone was looking for either me or my sister, was it you?”
News travels faster here at the palace than it does at my father’s manor. Rozin thought to himself and smiled at the girls, “Yes, it was, I’m Rozin. I just had a few questions regarding the king. I was assigned to give him a bath and he didn’t tell me anything that he likes. I was told you would know?” He leans against the wall, motioning for the girl to do the same And stay out of the way of others who may need to pass.
“Ah, yes. . . Bath, he likes almost hot baths, just enough to add the slightest bit of pink to his skin. And lavender oil in the water, just a drop or two, as the soap he prefers is lavender. Then for his hair, jasmine soap and he has an unscented oil for it.” She smiles, “I’m Jamyah, by the way. t was nice to meet you, but I have to get these towels to the laundry.“
At his nods, Jamyah rushes away and Rozin turns, making his way through the small halls And up flights of stairs to the kings bedroom. He slips inside silently and moves through the sitting room, exploring the two doors. They were both as he guessed, one leading to a small, but neatly decorated private dinning room and the other to an extravgant bedroom. A large four poster bed in the center, it looked it could hold three people who would never have to touch. He looks around for a moment and then goes to the other two doors in this room, one to a large closet, filled with elegant garments. The other d’or was the bathroom, with a copper tub in the center, engraved with roses, and strangely, they even had the thorns.
He turns the tap on, running the water over his finger and testing the temperature. ONce he deems it just hot enough, he plugs the tub and watches it slowly fill with the steaming water. He swirls his hand in the water, hissing sftly at the heat and pulling his hand out. He did not like the temperature, but if it was what the king wanted. . . He sighs and straightens, going to a cabin ate and opening it. He surveys the array of bottles, all different shapes and colors, reading the labels.
Most slaves couldn’t read, he was sure most would be picking up bottle after bottle and sniffing them and testing a bit of what was inside on their fingers to figure out what it was, but Lord Calmae had insisted Rozin get a decent education in reading and writing, and that put him ahead of many other slaves out there. He located the bottle of Lavender oil and grabbed it, opening it up and sniffing it to cheek. Satisfied, he walks back to the tub and drops exactly two drops into the water, and starts mixing it with his hand. After a moment, he got up and then put the bottle away, grabbing the bar of lavender soap, the jasmine shampoo, unscented hair oil and a washcloth. He sets the bottles onto a small table beside the tub and folds the washcloth neatly, laying it beside the bottles.
After he finishes setting up the bath, Rozin moves to the corner and stand there, quiet and waiting for the king to show. He wondered for a moment if the bath wouldn’t be to the king’s liking, but he knew that he never got a detail wrong, and if Jamyah had given him the wrong information. . . He shakes his head, closing his eyes and clasping his hands behind his back as he waits.
