Inayah moved about the kitchen in a state of mild shock and hyper-awareness.
Kade.
Sin’s brother.
Salem had a brother.
She did not think it possible for such a man to have siblings, then again she barely knew him. Having only served for three days in his household. Yet Inayah could not help her state of numbing shock.
In the dining room, Kade’s laughter rings out deeply. There is a certain mirthful melody to his voice, much as there is to those mischievous pine green eyes that danced with secrets only he knew. Secrets she found herself wanting in on as well.
Something sharp nudged her ribcage, Mathilde’s scowling face dropping into view as she stared at the girl in impatient displeasure. “Hurry up, girl. They wait.”
Obediently, Inayah reached for the tray of golden baked turkey with stuffings. The sight of it was mouthwatering and her stomach whined as the warm, decadent smell wafted through her nostrils. A painful reminder of the meal she ate; plain porridge in the morning and cold oats for dinner. Hardly satisfying. Bland.
Inayah squared her shoulders as Mathilde walked into the dining first, balancing her own trays of roasted herb potatoes and stir friend vegetables with rice. Pea soup and garlic buttered bread.
Her heart pounded as the table came to view; Kade was sitting on the opposite end, pouring himself a generous amount of whiskey whilst Salem stood by his throne like seat, he had discarded of the velvet coat and remained in a white dress shirt folded at the sleeves revealing tanned forearms with markings. But upon closer inspection, Inayah realized they were scars.
“A feast,” Kade exclaimed mildly, raising a glass to his brother, “if I knew how eager you were to have me over I would’ve arrived earlier.”
Despite Kade’s looseness, there remained a certain stiffness to Sin. His mouth was friendly but a hardness lay on those devastating calculative eyes that only shifted from his brother’s face to Inayah’s as she placed the food before them.
“The food smells wonderful,” Kade’s mouth curled into a charming smile as he regarded both of the maids, more so Inayah.
Mathilde curstied, smiling broad and proud.
She’s much like a peacock, Inayah thought snarkily, save for the beauty.
“Thank you, m’lord.”
Inayah’s gaze remained fixated on the floor. She simply nodded, conscious of Sin’s cool attention on her.
“Please,” the brother waved a dismissive hand, cupping his chin, “call me Kade. I do not do well with titles.”
Mathilde seemed flabbergasted by the notion. An aristocrat opting for the mere name of normalcy, claiming it as though it were more precious than ‘lord’ or ‘master’. Her lips shut, a small blush blooming— in that moment, Inayah spotted the fair, perhaps even pretty woman beneath.
“I—okay, Kade.” She tested and the man grinned with a nod of approval, then regarded Inayah with an arched brow.
Inayah seemed floored then, she glanced at the table then back at him, suddenly beneath the scrutiny of three pairs of eyes. Her mouth grew bone dry and she struggled to form the words. “Thank you,” she paused, licking her teeth and as a last resort, unconsciously sought Sin’s gaze.
He was tracing the mouth of his wine glass with a finger, sterling silver rings winking wickedly back at her. His expression revealed nothing but she saw slight disapproval that dissolved just as fast.
Inayah held her tongue.
“Thank you for the meal.” Salemdisrupted, his tone hinting at their dismissal.
Inayah nodded briefly, muttering something intaginble even to her own self before scurrying into the kitchen. There was not much to accomplish for she had scrubbed everything clean. Inayah opted to sit on a small stood by the dying fire hearth, knees pulled up to her chest beneath the Oscar dress and chest resting atop.
Somewhere behind her, Mathilde yawned. “I will be retiring. Once they finish, wash the dishes and pots.”
Inayah nodded, gaze fixated on the embers that sparked and rose before dying. Her loathing for the woman simmered within but she was far too fatigued and hungry to bother saying anything.
The kitchen was large in that moment of lonesome. In that silence with the faint conversations happening two walls down, and the faint warmth of the hearth reaching forward— Inayah felt something cold trail down her cheek.
She did not bother raising a hand to wipe the tears which clouded her vision, brimming and spilling past her long lashes. Now that the tide had settled, she realized just exactly where she was— and how much she missed her family and friends and Oscar.
The ache came all at once, forcing a sob which she muffled into the dress on her knees. Inayah hugged herself tight, perhaps an attempt at stilling the violent tremors that wracked through her miserable figure.
She missed her Papa and Mama. She missed her home. She missed familiarity. She missed love.
“Where is that slave girl of yours?”
Kade’s inquiring voice snapped her out of the crumbled state and she scrambled to her feet, hurriedly palming cool water and splashing it over her face.
“Calm down, calm down,” Inayah whispered to her thunderous heart, she pinched her cheeks and quickly dried her eyes, cursing at the thought of them looking swollen. She sniffled hard, sucking back her leaking mucus before straightening her dress.
Had they finished dinner already?
Hands clasped before her submissively, she lingered by the dining entrance, waiting to be recognized.
“She was beautiful, Sin, I must admit. That honey golden hair… my god just thinking of how tight she was whilst I took her—” Kade glanced over his shoulder at Inayah, “ah there you are, be a doll and fill my whiskey please… anyway as I was saying, she was perhaps the most exotic slave I had ever seen aboard that star trek ship. From Europe! A true Greek goddess.”
Whilst pouring him whiskey, Inayah chanced a curious glance at Sin. The man sat regal on his chair, spine tall and vibrating something offensive. He had not touched his food, but the wine had subsided.
“... Enough, my love.” A hand touched her wrist and she jerked in response as though he had burned her. Inayah stared at the whiskey glass now almost full.
“I apologize, sir,” she murmured, cradling the bottle of whiskey to her abdomen as though it were something precious.
Kade smiled, “Not to worry.” And then lapsed into more talk.
Inayah took it as dismissal, curtsying, she began to exit when Sin’s voice halted her; “Inayah.” She turned briefly as he gestured at the food before, “clear the table.”
“Yes, master.” Still the word felt thoroughly foreign and distasteful yet she knew with time she would grow to it. One by one she began to clear the trays of untouched food, walking back and forth until her arms ached.
In the kitchen, she listened to their talk whilst staring at the fleshy meats and pale white fluffy rice, seasoned vegetables and fleshy potatoes… a feast even rare for her own family.
Inayah swallowed the collecting saliva, fighting off temptation yet just as fast as she began to reach for a slight turkey skin that hung off its back.
It’s just skin, she thought lifting the skin to her watering mouth, no one would notice.
The food was even better than she expected. Salty, sweet, seasoned, crispy. Inayah tore off a leg without thought and quickly sunk her teeth into the tender moist flesh, ripping it with ease from bone. She ate quick, cleaning it down to the marrow which she sucked before tossing of aside and picking a random spoon, shoveling a mouthful of rice then potato. She did not breath amidst her hunger rage, opting to chew first then sip from a glass half full of wine.
Far too concentrated on the me before her, Inayah did not hear the faint footsteps behind.
Nor did she see the figure.
“Inayah.” Sin’s calm, sonorous voice spoke stillness into her being.
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