Spring Cleaning

[Dream Loxley]

*She threw open another set of windows and breathed in the fresh air....the dust from the cleaning carried through the corridors and she could not help but sneeze. A lock of hair let itself loose from where she had fixed it up with pins....and to all accounts she looked as a servant would. Millie chuckled and pointed to the Chatelaines face....grinning to see a smear or two of dirt there, and all the girls giggled as they set to work again.

Much to be done....windows....floors and walls....the tapestries would have to come down and be beaten with care before being replaced....the hearth emptied and swept of the many months burning logs. She smiled as she looked forward to seeing the Castle shine in the Spring sunshine. Then there was the stables and courtyard.....even the guard house would nae be spared a good cleaning and many hands made light work.

Many of the village girls and lads had come to help...paid a fair wage, they were eager to earn an extra coin and mayhaps gain a foothold in the Castle proper. There was always work to be had for those willing.

Mollie took away pails of dirty water and behind her emily was ready with new ones..filled with hot water. The air was clearing as the windows allowed a gentle breeze to waft through into the Hall. The banter was jolly and filled with the promise of new days to come...busy busy....no idle hands here for a while.*

[Lady Alexandreania (Andrea)]

~Coming from her quarters on the fourth level, Andrea skipped lightly down the stairs barely recognizable from the Lady that usually came down this stairway, her hair completely bound up in a scarf and wrapped about her head, dressed only in a chemise, petticoats, homespun skirts and bodice that laced up the front and a pair of good sturdy shoes. If one did not take a good look at her fair features, they would just take her for an other of the village lass' that had arrived to help out with the cleaning.~

~Walking into the great hall, she went right over and began helping to put the benches up on top of the long tables and then cover them over with the drop cloths. Working quietly and methodically, as the tables were all moved over to one side by the men brought in for the heavy lifting. She glanced up and saw that the tapestries where being taken down very carefully and folded and then carried out side to be strung up and beaten to get the dust out of them, thankful it wasn't her that had that job to climb up and take down the lovely works of art.~

~Grabbing up one of the skuttles and shovels, she went over with several other girls and together they began to dig up the months of ashes and refuse that had been built up on the floor of the hearth. They worked well together, and Andrea listened the the happy chatter and gossip that the girls went on about for she knew as soon as she spoke a word they would realize that she was not truely one of them and would begin to feel awkward around her. Bucket after bucket exchanged until finally the floor of the hearth was clear, and the andirons were removed to be wire scrubbed and polished. ~

~Her hands were black as a moonless night from the work and she didn't even want to think what her face must look like, because she really didn't care. The hard work and happy companionship was more than enough payment for it. Now as she looked around, watching as Lady Dream directed her forces like a general laying out his troops for battle, she knew that truely spring had arrived and that there was everything to look forward to.~

[Dream Loxley]

*All was going well....it was good to be busy....to feel she had found her place once more. She held each and every servant in high esteem, for it was not her way to distinguish between classes......she knew hardship and poverty, both sides of life and would never forget such.

As she wiped her face with a kerchief, she could not help but smile when she finally recognised the good Lady Andrea and moved towards the hearth chuckling. With one hand she tucked more stray hair behind her ear and with the other .... a simple gesture...one meant with a good heart as she leaned forward.

Wiping gently with the cloth, she grinned and took away some of the soot ash from the beautiful face.*

"A grand job ye be doing there lass.......methinks a nice hot bath will be ye just rewards aye."

*She did not give the lady away, but within her heart she was so pleased to see her enjoying the work. It showed that she too understood the way of things......and mayhaps treated all as equals. Indeed..the work went well and she was content.*

[Halethala]

*She'd awoken before the sun that morn, set out to greet it's rising in the darkened mists with a walk to the stables. Too early to chore, she merely sat tucked and wrapped tightly against the chill on one of the stone benches that dotted the grounds, the communing with such beauty a nourishment to her soul. As soon as it had made it's appearance, and chores were completed, she headed back in . . to find the halls bustling with activity! Cleaning, it seemed! Well, perhaps here was some way she could finally make herself useful!

Never one to find delight in such work as some women seemed to, once she had plunged into the work, there was great satisfaction in doing the tasks that so nicely brightened one's world. She would make no fuss, but simply pitch in where there seemed to be greatest need.

Since so many seemed to be concentrating in the Great Hall and kitchens already, she'd seen the Ladies Dream and Andrea hard at it already in there, she filled 2 large wooden buckets, one with stinging hot water and a strong smelling disinfectant cleansing soap and one with clear water. Climbing to the top of the staircase, working her way down, she scrubbed at the stones with a stiff brush, rinsing them down with the clear water . . it would take many buckets and much hauling. Her muscles would scream at the end of the day, but it was a small price to pay for all that the Castle and the inhabitants within had meant to her.

She hummed softly away as she set her shoulders to the task, a tune of spring and the promises it held forth . . not as prettily as sweet Beren's lovely voice, but good enough to pass the hours . .

[Lady Alexandreania (Andrea)]

~Wearing a dust covered match to the clothing she had worn yesterday for cleaning, so again, She wore just the chemise, petticoats and sturdy home spun black skirt with bodice that laced up the front and the sturdy shoes needed for the constant walking back and forth over the hard flagstones for buckets of water as she washed down the walls of the room she was now working on. All the shelves had been cleared of their inventory and it was written down to be handed over to Lady Dream later before being stacked outside in the corridor in the same manner as she had the other two storage rooms she already finished that day.~

~ Having just finished the third, and using the wrist of her left hand she rubbed at her scarf covered head at the itch that begun under the scarf that reminded her why she hated to have her hair dressed in the elaborate manner many ladies wore theirs instead of the simple if not common way of just letting her long tresses drape down along her back. As she brought out her bucket and moved aside as the workmen began loading the room back up neatly with its contents, Andrea pocketed the 3 parchment list of inventories for the three rooms to give to Lady Loxley later. Looking up she can see Emma at the end of the corridor having been working on scrubbing the corridor and grinned to her, not calling out to her but stepping over to and speaking quietly~ "Good greetings Emma," ~looking about keeping her voice low.~

~So far she had managed not to have it known that she was not just a common girl just brought in for helping out during the cleaning. Tho yesterday, she had thought she'd had it when Lady Dream had come over to her while cleaning out the Great Hall hearth and with a merry smile and a bright twinkle in her eye had wiped Andrea's cheek free of the black soot and mentioned something about needing a bath to ease tired muscles. Looking up to her Andrea had gone completely bright scarlett under the coating of soot at having been found out by the Lady but could not help falling back in laughter. Andrea sent her a grateful glance for keeping her secret from the girls she was working with.~

~She began to say something else but saw that Emma was asleep and as Andrea looked about, noticed that the Great hall floor had been scrubbed throughly and more than once by the look of it. She looked from Emma to the Hall floor and back again now understanding why the short nap. Waking Emma up she got her into the Kitchen and together they enjoyed talking softly together while enjoying a quick meal. By this time the sun had set and darkness was coming over the Castle. Lady Dream and Lady Edfeil had come and joined them in the kitchen and Andrea had handed the scroll inventories to Dream for her records.~

~After all the others had gone off to seek their rest and enjoy quiet time with members of their family, she asks Polly to have a bath readied in her chambers so that she may clean up the collection of dust and soot she had been collecting all the day long and left the kitchen. Made her way up the stairs to her chambers and to her room to wait for Polly. Entering her room she sees the set of clothing from yesterday clean and sitting upon a chest ready for tomorrow. she came down to sit before the small hearth upon the bare flagstones not wishing to dirty the newly cleaned furs with her clothing and waits for Polly to arrive with the tub and hot water.~

[Sinold Bragasson]

Once he had taken care of some urgent business, stretching and yawning extensively, Sinold went to the kitchen to see if he could find anything to eat. He felt famished, the alcohol in his blood seeming to have taken away all nutrients form his body. Thank the gods, he found some ham and bread and devoured that in one quick sitting.

Then he looked around – people were busy… awfully busy cleaning. What for, Sinold had no clue, and to him the business of all the maids and ladies of the house seemed a bit excessive. However, he was part of this house, and if cleaning was the order of the day, then clean he would. It would take him mind off Letha a bit…for his mind was ON the fair maid for quite of bit nowadays. Maybe, he argued, he could impress her with some cleaning skill, and so went to the stables.

He would busy himself cleaning all boxes and the whole building housing the horses, and if it would kill him. Taking a fork, he set to work, finding a cart to shovel all the dirty hay and manure onto, then taking one of the horses and dragging the cart over to the moat. Could he drop his load there, since the way to the nearby fields was quite a ways?

For the time being, he simply stood and pondered where to place his load, then simply dumped it in front of the gate for the time being. Returning to the stables, he loaded his cart up again and repeated the process. The workout was good for him, being in the fresh air and feeling useful. Something he had felt lacking a bit lately. Maybe he *should* talk to Hawkmoon after all, about joining the guards. But for the time being, manure had to be shovelled and horses be driven to the water soon to give them a good washing.

[Lady Laurestina]

walking into the main hall and seeing all the commotion ...stands with her hands on her hips:

" Well, I am ready to work, and if thee wish anything to be thrown about or out, I am here to do it. I fear I need something to do, to get rid of this pent up flustration and pacing the floors day in and day out will not get me anywhere, so give me work , Please?"

* smiles*

[Lady Edfeil]

She was nae used to being idle. But the Lady Dream had been clear... she was nae to scrub hearths or the like. After all... she was the kings daughter.
Seeing the amount of work her father did each day, she nae thought that exempted her from hard work, but still...
In truth she too could nae really think Queen Nicole should be scrubbing hearths, nor Queen Caera Ann. But they were... well... different. They were born to the blood of royalty. And... and... well... they were high nobility.

She knew however the arguments would nae sway any in the castle. She would have been taking inventory instead. Trying to see what still was available in the storage rooms and the stables after the harsh winter. The lady Andrea however had beat her to the task.

Instead, she now took the Lady Dreams sugestion and aided by giving directions to the servants in how and where to hang the tapestry she had made two years ago, feeling a slight pang of guilt that she nae had worked on the next one at all this winter.*

[Dream Loxley]

*She smiled..... standing still...hands clasped together in a gentle but triumphant manner. At this rate the Castle would be ready for the up and coming Festival and whatever else the residents might plan to enjoy during the better weather.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she witnessed the loyalty from the ladies...and also heard of the Viking's help, allbeit, she would have to have a word about his way of watering her plants.

Indeed.....all was well...and although there was still so much to be done, between them all they had made a wonderful start.*

[Lady Alexandreania (Andrea)]

~Spring cleaning, a time for sweeping out the old and letting the new breeze in. Everywhere one looked signs of spring were becoming visible. The branches of the trees were well on their way to donning their new greening after the drab of winter. Every direction one looked, new colors were bursting into bloom. ~

~All about the castle, servants and workers hired especially for the this time scurried about like ants foraging and removing the debris of the past season. All that could be heard was the softly spoken words of groups of people enjoying what they were doing because it, was not a chore but a chance to visit with those they had not seen during the short days of the past months and to catch up on news.~

~Andrea smiled as she worked along with a group of young girls listening to their gossip. Which girl had tossed her cap for the Farmer Millers oldest son, and he had asked the girl to meet him at the up coming festival. From there the talk turned to what each would wear and how what they earned here at the Castle would go to get this cloth or that pattern from the seamstress.~

~When one young girl turned to Andrea and asked what would she be wearing she froze for a moment wondering how she could explain then it came to her, using the water from the bucket and wrapping a cloth about her finger, she quickly sketched out a design on the flagstones they had been working on scrubbing. This started the other girls to doing the same and each was able to help add a few ribbons and bows to each others designs. After this short interlude with wide smiles on everyones face the scrubbing had resumed with renewed ferver. Yes, indeed new things were in the air for all to enjoy.~