Suleiman paid no more attention to the agitated Roslyn and Lushen or the stiffly frozen Bryn. He was already fed up with the strange visions and bizarre dreams filling his mind like riddles from the Riddler.
He turned to Vir and the other women. "Come in, all of you."
Evelyn had decorated the Lord's Hall to look imposing and gloomy, filling it with an oppressive atmosphere. The blood-red Black Lion banners hanging from the raised platforms on either side made the place feel unsettling and eerie.
The women stood nervously in the middle of the hall, not daring to look up at anything.
"From today on, you are the maids of the Lion's Den." Suleiman's voice echoed through the hall. "Your job is to serve me personally."
He pointed to the floor, the chairs, and the distant walls.
"You'll be responsible for cleaning the rooms in the inner keep, washing clothes, and handling the kitchen chores."
"Vir."
Vir answered at once. "Yes, Lord Suleiman."
Suleiman thought for a moment, then looked at the women and spoke.
"You'll be their supervisor. You'll assign everyone's duties and report directly to Maid Evelyn."
"You'll receive a monthly wage. Good work will earn you a reward; slacking off will bring punishment."
"Does everyone understand?"
The women froze. They looked at one another, their eyes full of disbelief.
They had thought they were coming to do hard labor for the lord. After all, they knew what they looked like.
But they had never expected to be offered a paid job with dignity, one they could even speak of with pride: becoming the lord's maids.
"U-understood!" Vir was the first to react, her voice trembling with excitement.
The others nodded one after another, their faces breaking into genuine, heartfelt smiles.
Suleiman waved his hand, signaling that