Chapter 4

James spent the morning in the kitchens, avoiding trouble and the head cook. He stayed busy, clearing tables and washing dishes mostly. The cook ignored him when he was busy so James liked it to stay that way. He heard the head cook mention to one of the other cooks that it was time to begin preparing the midday meal. He hurriedly dried his hands and took a tray and began stacking dinnerware on it. Just in time also.
“James!” he heard his name being bellowed.
“Here,” he replied. The cook came around a corner of the kitchen, glaring. When he saw the tray already stacked with clean dishes he nodded.
“Go to the dining hall and set it, the master and his family are going to be eating soon. Don’t mess anything up!” he ordered. James nodded and left. He enjoyed setting the table. It was quiet in the large dining hall before the master and his family occupied it. James knew better than to dawdle though. He took his time setting the table carefully and to the preferences of the master. He knew the correct amount of time to stay in the hall before heading back into the hot noisy kitchen. The cook sent him back to washing dirty dishes, a job that never seemed to end, and said he would be called when it was time to serve the mid-day meal. When his pile of clean dishes threatened to topple over he stopped and put them away. After a while James heard his name being called again. He left the dirty dishes and hurried to find who was calling him.
“There you are boy!” the cook said hitting over him over the head with a clean ladle when James came near. James saw the ladle coming but knew better than to duck, he closed his eyes waiting for it. He winced as it cracked against his head.
“Get a tray, you are serving them their drinks, through the whole meal,” the cook ordered. James obeyed and brought it back, one of the other cooks loaded his tray and he waited in the line of other servers, ready to move the moment the doors opened. The head cook opened the door a crack and peered into the room. The cook opened the door and the servers moved out, careful not to spill anything. James went to the head of the table first, where his master was sitting. He  set down a glass and starting to pour wine, carefully watching it and not making a drop fall onto the tablecloth. He moved around the table, to his masters wife, and then their son. James struggled to not pour the wine on the masters son. The son always found something to do to make James’ life more miserable when ever he could. For no apparent reason, just for fun. James kept his head down while he served them. Once he was done he stepped back into the shadows, waiting til someone summoned him for a refill. The other servants finished laying out the food and quietly left. The family set about eating. The master and his wife spoke in quiet tones, their son just ate his food with out saying a word. After a few moments into the meal the son snapped his fingers at James, and gestured lazily at his glass. James stepped silently up and refilled the young man’s cup. As he was stepping back the son moved suddenly and hit James in the side. James gasped and stumbled, accidentally sloshing some of the red wine onto the table, a small amount landed on the son. He jumped to his feet angrily.
“You clumsy fool!” he shouted, his fist smashed into James’ face sending him sprawling, the pitcher and tray went clattering to the floor, sloshing red over the floor.
“Did you see that father?” the son shouted.
“Quiet down Conrad, I did see it,” James’ master said calmly. “He’ll be punished I’m sure.”
Conrad smiled coldly
James got to his feet slowly, keep his head down, shoulders hunched slightly.
“I’m sorry my lord,” he said hurriedly, bringing over a cloth, trying to wipe up the wine from the table. The son snatched the cloth from him, wiping off his sleeve. Suddenly he backhanded James across the face, this time James kept his footing, only stumbling slightly, his face smarting and bringing tears to his eyes. Conrad sneered at him and took his seat again, after throwing the cloth back to James.
“Clean up the mess fool,” the master said. James swiftly cleaned up the mess.
“Soren, how are you punishing him?” Soren’s wife asked, addressing James’ master.
Soren kept his eyes on James as he cleaned up the mess and set the pitcher on the tray.
“Boy,” he snapped. James looked up, fear flitting across his face. He got to his feet, holding the wine soaked rag in one hand, and balancing the tray and pitcher in the other.
“Yes, master?” James asked hesitantly.
“Come here,” Soren replied impatiently. James moved towards him. Conrad watched James move towards his father, a satisfied smile twisting his lips. James stood to the side of his master. He swallowed hard and looked at the ground, he could feel Soren’s eyes glaring.
“What is your name, boy?” he asked.
“James, sir,” James answered.
“Good. Now, why did you slosh wine over Conrad?” he asked. James clenched his jaw, knowing if he tried to argue, what ever punishment he was getting would be worse. He didn’t answer fast enough for Soren.
“Answer me boy!” Soren said angrily.
“It was an accident, sir, I’m sorry,” he said trying to placate the man’s anger.
“You are going to be,” Soren said. James’ shoulders slumped.
“Go,” Soren said, flicking a hand at him. James stepped backwards and moved to the door leading to the kitchen. He ducked into the kitchen, trying to keep a low profile, not wanting to attract the head cooks attention. He moved over to the girl in charge of the wine and beer. He tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around suddenly. She smiled at him.
“Conrad hit me and I spilled some wine on him, and he hit me across the face, I fell and spilled the wine all over the floor, can you refill this?” he asked, looking pleadingly at her. She nodded and took the pitcher from him. She disappeared down into the basement. James flinched and cried out in surprise as he felt a wooden ladle smash against his head. He whirled around and saw the head cooks angry face inches from his own.
“What are you doing in here?” The man raged.
“I-I needed more, uh,” James hesitated.
“What did you do?” The cook asked before he could finish.
“I didn’t do it!” James protested. The cook hit him again.
“What happened this time?” the man asked.
“I fell,” James said finally.
“Clumsy fool,” the cook said, he raised his ladle to hit James again, James flinched away. The cook laughed shortly.  
The girl came back up with a full pitcher and handed it to James.   
“Don’t spill this time!” the cook said and walked away. The girl gave James a sympathetic look and headed back to work. James went back into the dining hall and was immediately called on to fill the family’s glasses. He kept a wary eye on Conrad and filled his drink quickly and stepped away, not wanting to repeat before. James stepped back into the shadows and with one hand reached up and touched his face. He could feel it swelling up. Conrad didn’t attempt anything for the rest of the meal and the three of them finished the meal not long after.  As they left James moved forward to the table and placed the pitcher and tray on the table. He heard a commotion in the kitchen and went to the door. He opened it silently and his eyes widened as he saw Soren talking firmly with the head cook. James shoulders slumped, he figured they were talking about him, there was no other reason for Soren to talk with the cook. James snuck in and took a large tray and went back into the dining hall, starting to clear off the table. The benefit of clearing off the table was that whom ever was doing it, they could take food, and the cook wouldn’t know. James loaded up a tray quickly and brought it into the kitchen. He set it down on one of the counters where a few of the other kitchen staff would clean off the food and then put the dishes in James’ dish washing station. James saw the cook coming towards him and he quickly ducked out into the dining hall again before the man could reach him. He knew that the cook would be waiting for him as soon as he reentered the door, but he decided to give himself a little more time in the silence of the hall. He loaded up another tray but didn’t take it into the kitchen, he put all the remaining dishes in one spot on the long table, making for an easier loading. When he was done he sighed and picked up the tray. He opened the door to the kitchen and was surprised not to see the cook standing there. He looked around but didn’t see the man anywhere. He shrugged and put the tray down on the counter, unloading it. He flinched as a strong grip suddenly latched itself to his ear, his head was yanked around til he faced the red angry face of the cook.
“You didn’t fall you liar,” the cook said.
“I did, I didn’t lie!” James said.
“Was that before or after you poured wine all over Master Conrad?” the cook asked, tightening his grip on James’ ear. James grimaced and tried to move his head to let up the pain. The cook just yanked his head down.
“It was after, Master Conrad-” James was cut off.
“Master Conrad what? Huh? You going to try and get out of your punishment by blaming it on your master?” The cook asked. James shook his head.
“No, sir, just explaining, I know I’m getting punished,” he said his voice flat. The cook laughed and let go of his grip on James. James just stood there, staring at the floor, shoulders slumped.
“What is my punishment, sir?” he asked.
“I’m to find all the work I can for you, you won’t be leaving til late,” the cook said. James nodded.
“Clear?” the cook pressed.
“Yes, sir,” James answered.
“Good, now, you will be washing all the dishes, no one else is taking a washing station, you had better get all of them done. Get started,” the cook said shoving him towards the dish washing station.
“Sir?” James said as the cook was walking away.
“Should I finish clearing the dining table?” he asked. The cook glared at him for a moment, annoyed that James wouldn’t be starting right away. He narrowed his eyes then shook his head.
“No, I’ll have one of the other staff do it, get to work, nice try though,” he said. James didn’t reply, just rolled up his sleeves and began washing dishes.