Mothers came to collect the other girls after school, but Ruth left alone. She ducked out quickly, unwilling to let anyone see her by herself. Would Samantha, Cillia, and Ananda consider walking alone lower class behavior? Most likely, they would not be impressed to hear she had a job. Ruth wondered if she could manage to hide her after school activities.

She didn't entertain that thought for very long. Other concerns seemed much more important just now. What would Gregor be like, for instance? Would he be a kind boss?

Her worries carried her to Gregor's front door and she knocked softly, balancing her new primer and her lunch pail in the other hand. No matter what she'd find inside, she had to admit the outside of this place had beauty. Gregor had a lot of land and the patches of crops dotting the landscape reminded her of home. In the distance, she could see another building. A few soldiers made their way down a well-worn path, towards it. But she didn't have time to wonder, because just then the door swung open.

From behind a pair of spectacles, Gregor sized her up. He stood tall and firm, made strong by years of farm work. But his overalls and red shirt showed no signs of wear and appeared quite new. Abruptly, he stepped aside to let her in. "You'll do."

"Thank you, sir." Ruth stepped carefully across the threshold, not sure what else to say.

But Gregor wasn't even listening. "Leave your things by the door. You won't need them."

"Yes, sir."

"When you arrive next time, come right indoors. Don't bother knocking because I haven't time to let you in. Then you'll come in here - see that tray there? And the jugs beside it? Take the tray down to the stables. Did you see the building when you walked here? The soldiers pick up their dinners there. And fill the jugs with water from the well. Give them to the soldiers as well. When the soldiers are done, bring the empty tray and jugs back up here. Fill another one of the jugs with water and check the ice box. Your dinner will be there, staying cold. My wife's dinner will be there as well. Bring both dinners upstairs. You'll dine with her, to keep her company. Then you'll go home when she's finished with you. Understand?" Only when he'd finished the order did Gregor turn to make sure she was listening.

"Yes, sir." Ruth struggled to commit it all to memory.

"Feed the soldiers, then feed my wife. It's simple." he eyed her, sternly.

"Yes, sir." she repeated, trying to appear confident.

"Get to it then. I've things to do." With that, Gregor stalked from the kitchen and left his new servant to her tasks.

The work itself wasn't too difficult, except that the trays and jugs were heavy. Ruth's arms burned in protest and she rubbed them after setting the final jug down. She'd found two wooden tables in front of the stables and she set up there. Soldiers were already milling about when she started bringing the food down; by the time that she'd finished, their number had grown significantly.

But they didn't approach the food. They simply stood there, watching her. Ruth faced them, nervously, and gave an embarrassed shrug. "Dinner's ready."

A few nodded and came towards the table. But one soldier scowled in her direction and said loudly, "Use some respect for your betters, girl!"

"I... I'm sorry, sir." Ruth flushed.

"You should be." the soldier glared. "Now say, 'dinner is ready, sirs.'"

Ruth opened her mouth to comply when another voice spoke. "Leave her alone, Seth."

"What's it to you?" Seth turned to challenge Mir, who had walked to the front of the crowd.

"I'm hungry and bored of your nonsense." Mir replied, mildly. He strolled forward and accepted dinner, rewarding Ruth with a smile. "Thank you."

"Thank you." she answered, relieved.

Once Mir, clearly a high status soldier, had eaten, the others followed suit. Seth took his meal sullenly, but offered no more taunts or insults. After pouring himself a glass of water, he stalked off, apparently too embarrassed to eat with the others.

"Don't mind him." Mir took a casual bite from his sandwich as he spoke. "He talks too much."

"I'll remember that next time." Ruth smiled.

"Is everything else going well?" her soldier friend wanted to know.

Ruth hesitated a moment, then told him about her experiences at school that morning. She didn't bore him with tales of sums and penmanship, but explained the situations with the slave girl. "And they dumped my pail and left garbage all over for the slave girl to clean up."

"Don't worry about it." Mir shrugged. "It's important to keep slaves busy. Otherwise, they get to plotting."

"She seemed nice. I can't imagine her plotting anything."

Mir fixed her with a firm stare. "Don't go getting friendly with the slaves, Ruth."

"What's wrong with being nice to them?" she wanted to know.

He shook his head. "It doesn't look right."

"I don't care." Ruth told him, petulantly.

"You did care when your little school chums were about." he grinned.

Ruth knew he was right and immediately felt guilty again.

"Listen." Mir had finished eating and devoted all his attention to her. "The slaves are used to the work load by now. It doesn't bother them. And a greeting or compliment from some silly schoolgirl will only embarrass them. Let the slaves do their work and leave them be. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir." she said it sarcastically, angry that yet another person was giving her orders now.

"I mean it, Ruth." the soldier said, sternly. "Leave the slaves alone."