i hear we might be going to war

[Fae]

The titanic had sank three years before, the world-- had changed. But the great estate hadn't yet. It was six in the morning and the kitchen maid was lighting the fires, rousing the house maids as she passed. The Footmen were needed but none of the lords and ladies were going to be up for hours.

Breanna O'Shae sat up in her bed and looked over at the bed next to her at the pounding on the door, echoing it was time to get up. She rubbed her hand across her face and got up. "C'mon time to get up." She tossed her feet over the side of her bed and sighed. "Never gonna have a day when we wake up natural are we?" Never, she knew it too. They were the house maids and they had beds to turn down and things to prepare for the day. Even if the rest of the house wouldn't be up for hours.

[Pie]

Breanna's roommate and fellow housemaid Beatrice sat up and made a face at the door. "It always feels too early to be time to get up," she mumbled groggily, rubbing her hands over her eyes, then climbed out to bed, making a noise of protest at the cold wood floor under her feet.

Downstairs, Nick Melas, one of the lower footmen of the household, was already in the kitchen with a pile of shoes to polish. Beside him, the butler was ironing out the day's newspaper, and Nick frowned at the grim headline that was splashed across the front page. "Rumors of War," it said in big black letters.

[Fae]

Breanna sighed, rubbing her hand over her face before she jumped up out of bed and sighed, "Best get to work," The young woman replied running her fingers over her auburn braid. "Oh for the love of pete.." Another day another days pay, at least she had a roof over her head.

Jane Tanner, the kitchen maid had already lit the fires upstairs and and had made her way down, ending in the parlor before turning to the kitchens. There were murmurs, the blue eyed young girl avoided the eyes of many though the look on Nick's face. She saw it when she passed. "What is it, then?"

"Get on girl," The gruff Butler, Mr. Aimsworth usherd her on. He wasn't a terrible bloke but he tended to look more sever than he let on. He was a servant of the highest calibur, his life was their lives and that was just how it was. His eyes turned grim and he shook his head, "Best get the daily's up to his lordship, Mr. Melas."

[Pie]

Beatrice hastily washed her face and hands in the frigid basin of water, then threw on her uniform and twisted her hair up into a bun. "Bree, can you tie my apron?" she asked as she stuffed pins through her hair.

"Yes, sir," Nick said to Mr. Aimsworth, casting Jane a quick wink to make up for her chastisement as he picked up the morning tray with the master's breakfast on it.

[Fae]

Bree tugged her hair up into the bun that was for their uniform and came over, tying her roommates apron, before she chuckled. "Think we're going to end up like Ms. Castle?" The cook, who was never married and chances were she never would be how she screamed at everyone. How Jane wasn't constantly in tears no one knew, but she was a tough one.

Jane smiled at him and moved into the kitchen, dodging Ms. Castle's flying ladle as she moved to get things and pointed where they needed to go. Putting things in the oven around the hysterical and cursing cook.

[Pie]

"You certainly won't," Beatrice said as she smoothed down a couple of Bree's flyaway red locks. She smiled at her conspiratorially. "I heard that Dominic was sweet on you." Dominic, the head groom, had been caught several times watching Bree as she moved through the courtyard of the house -- it was something of a running joke in the household now.

Nick hoisted the tray up into his arms and carefully ascended the stairs to the master's room, giving a quiet knock on the door before stepping in and nodded to the valet, who was brushing out a suit for the day.

[Fae]

Bree flushed and shook her head, "Oh stop it, he is not." The young woman was flustered by the attention but she normally just chuckled and shook her head at the teasing, trying to hide the blush that she couldn't hide on her porcelain skin. "He is handsome though, you seen his eyes..." She could appreciate eyes like that.

His lordship was ready, or at least was making ways to get out of bed, "Jones." he called to his valet, though it was a very somber tone. He was a nice man truthfully, it was his fortunate birth that made him a Duke.

[Pie]

"He's very handsome," Beatrice agreed as she looped her arm through Bree's and started downstairs. "And he has very lovely eyes. But he's so very serious all the time!" Dominic was rather intense, and he tended to scare off or anger most of the girls of the house. Though it seemed he only had eyes for Bree.

Jones dutifully brought over the suit for the Duke, while Nick carefully set the tray down on the table, watching out of the corner of his eye as Jones began his morning routine. One day Nick would be a valet -- he was sure of it, and Jones was the best to learn from.

[Fae]

Bree was the soft one, she was caring and kinder than she needed to be. It was one of the reasons that the young ladies trusted her with their secrets. Not just the maids but the Lords daughters as well. "I don't mind how serious he is-- he won't lie." It was the truth from Bree's point of view and she smiled at Beatrice. "Oh Bea.. you want someone that will make you laugh."

The duke turned and inclined his head in thanks to Jones, reaching for the paper as soon as it was set on the table. He didn't wait for his news in the dining room, he liked it up in his room first thing so he knew what to expect from the day. "Dear God.." He had known it was brewing and he knew it'd only have been a matter of time.

[Pie]

"Though that's hard enough to find, what with all the rumblings about Germany these days," Beatrice frowned. As they came down into the kitchen, she unhooked her arm from Bree's and went over to Mr. Aimsworth, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek. "Good morning, Mr. A!" she chirped. She knew he thought it was improper, but he'd been as much of a father to her as an employer, and she adored him.

Nick hesitated as he set the breakfast things out before the Duke. He shouldn't interrupt, but his curiosity was intense -- the war would affect him, a young man of good health, much more than most others in the house. "Is it true, milord?" he asked quietly, furrowing his brow.

[Fae]

It was true and Bree sighed, shaking her head once against at the idea. She walked over and moved to the table to break her fast, chuckling under her hand. Bea could get away with so much more than just about anyone.

Mr Aimsworth had become used to it, over the years. Patting the young woman on the shoulder, "Good morning, Beatrice." He inclined his head to her with a ghost of a smile, about as much of a smile that ever crossed his face.

His lordship looked at the young man and nodded his head, "I've had word that it is, very likely to be true." He wasn't going to deny the young man, he'd received a letter earlier that he might be reenlisted.

[Pie]

Beatrice beamed up at Mr. Aimsworth, then hurried over to take a seat at the table across from Bree, cutting pieces of bread for them both. "What do we need to do today?" she wondered aloud as she passed a piece to Bree. "The floor in the library needs scrubbing, and the carpets are due a beating." She flicked her eyes up at Bree and grinned impishly. "I ought to make you do the carpets, dear -- that way you'll spend all morning in the courtyard, and Dominic will be most appreciative."

Shakily, Nick nodded his head and straightened. He'd be going to the front for certain, then. The farthest he'd ever been from the estate was to London -- now he'd be going across the channel into France, and Germany.

[Fae]

(( XD and I'm wathcing Downton right now and doing inane girly squeeling -_- oh dear Kimmi)

"Oh Bea!" Bree chuckled and her cheeks blushed, truth she kind of wanted to do the carpet beating anyway. The house needed the fair share of decent cleaning. They didn't have any guests arriving or anything it would be the perfect time to get it taken care of. "Aye well.. I'll do what I can. Since I do have a stronger arm, my brother always said I was a cricket natural."

They would wait for the others, Franklin, the other footman-- came into the room with a cigarette hanging from his mouth before putting it away. His brows raising to Mr. Aimsworth before he sat down next to Bree and reached for some bread. "What they saying true?"

"Yes.." Jane came in and sat down. "My brother delivered the milk this morning.. said he heard it all down at the village. Most everyone who's ever been in service is being called back to the service."

"That's mostly nobleman, Jane." Bree replied though she knew it wans't true, she glanced at Franklin who smirked and tilted his head back.

"Is it?" he wondered.

[Pie]

((OMG I was totally going to say this is very Downton-esque!))

Beatrice frowned at Franklin's cigarette, then turned as she heard Nick slowly coming back down the stairs from the Duke's room, the empty tray in his hands. He looked as if the world was crashing down on him as he slowly took each step, the silver dishes clanking slightly.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs and quietly put the tray next to the sink, he noticed everyone sitting at the table. Beatrice frowned first, getting to her feet. "Is it true?" she asked him.

"It's true," he mumbled in answer. "Master said it himself. We'll be going to war."

[Fae]

((YES! I'm so incredibly obsessed with that show >>))

Jane moved to set her hand on his shoulder, her soft eyes on his face. "Maybe you won't have to go?" she asked, looking up at him with an almost confused and saddened look. She didn't want him to go he was one of her closest friends in this place.

Bree took a breath and looked at Franklin, reaching across and snatching his smoke from him before she headed outside. The young woman needed a breather and she headed outside to the back, for a moment.

"Oy! Breanna!" Franklin near reached for her but cursed instead and straightened when Mr Aimsworth looked at her strange. He shrugged his shoulders and looked down the table. "Well guess it means that's all we've got then."