Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Waiting for the Winter's Ball

The Winter's Ball had the distinct honor of being the only celebration Andan nobility held every year. As such, it required enormous preparation. There would be a feast of the rarest and most delicious dishes, a dance attended by every lesser noble and wealthy merchant in the kingdom, and, of course, enough wine and beer to drown a small village.

Everything needed to be cleaned. Everything needed to be prepared. Then, everything needed to be cleaned again. That process, on top of the regular chores, meant the servants had more work to do than they had time to do it in.

For my part, I fell back into step with the maids, trying my best to help wherever and whenever I could. After the trouble I'd caused the castle staff, I had expected to be met with cold shoulders and angry stares.

That was not the case.