The Royal Maid And The Lost Kingdom

CHAPTER SEVEN

I walk briskly to Madam Teresa’s office, the head maid’s room. I know that absolutely no one likes a confrontation with Teresa but I guess it could not be avoided any longer now. Why would she station me to the prince’s quarter, not anywhere but there?

I would gladly be the chamber pot cleaning maid than go to that prince’s quarter, I hate him. I mean I always find everything in my power to avoid him. Does she think that she is doing me a favour by raising my stats? I know that those in the prince’s quarter tends to behave more superior than the rest of the maids.

But I most certainly do not want that at all, I am good with blending into the background with none the wiser, I do not want to face a man with blonde hair and his annoying smirk that makes most ladies want to throw their selves at him on a platter of gold.

I could live my whole days in this palace without having to go to this office, the only time most maids come here is to receive their punishment. Yet here I am in front of her door praying within my heart and soul that she would grant me the request of her returning me back to my former station.

I knock twice, and before I can briefly organize my thoughts and how to make my request known, she opened the door.

“Alice, what a pleasant surprise.” She said so in her usual monotone voice, as usual her regal self-stood like no one will be able to shake her and not a strand of her hair could be moved even if there is chaos.

But on a closer look it seems like I’ve awoken her, her face is quiet puffy.

“Please, come in.” She said again after some few moments passed.

“Ohh hmmm no Madam thank you, but I would not be staying long. I just wanted to request for clarification as to why my station was changed and I formally would like to make another request to have a change of station returned to the former, that’s all.” I rushed out, my cheek flushed a bit but I stood my ground. Madam looked at me, raises her eyebrows and suddenly doesn’t seem as sleepily as she did moments ago almost like it was replaced with someone who does not liked to be questioned about her decisions.

“You do know that you have been stationed to the Prince’s quarters right?” She questioned me. I am guessing she thought that I had no idea where I was stationed to.

“Yes Madam, I’m aware of that.” I gave her my reply, she looked beyond puzzled.

“And you want to be stationed elsewhere? Why be so forlorn and what are you fussing about? the Prince’s quarters have the least work quota of the entire kingdom and I do know quite some maids who would do anything to be in your position.” She gave me a straight forward reply, guess it is not every day that someone would see a golden opportunity and reject it.

“It’s … a bit personal Madam. Please, I request of you.” I responded standing straight as best as I could, she looks at me with squinting eyes, full of interest. No doubt that my very unusual request would be the hot topic for gossip for a while around the palace but I really do not care at this point.

“Alright then, I would love to help you but I do not have the absolute authority. I will discuss with the Prince, since he was the one who had requested that you should be transferred to work there.” She answered.

“Thank you so much Madam, that means a lot to me.” I responded with gratitude evident in my eyes.

I looked around and I could see the forest burning, I smell the smoke and a lot of blood. I felt frozen in my body not being able to do anything as I watch the gore and people fighting right in front of me. I was about to scream but I felt a hand cover my mouth, the fear that invaded me was more than I could bear, I was kicking and trashing just to get away from the owner of the hand I need to get away, away from…

The rapping on my door instantly wakes me, I sat abruptly on my bed and I was gracious for whoever it is from pulling me from my dream. This will be the second time that I would ever had such a dream, and this one was even more vivid than the first one, nothing more confusing that I have never been in that situation before and I had no idea where the origin of this nightmare comes from.

From what I have been told since I was able to read in the orphanage is that I was abandoned before I could walk, so how then would I be able to have been in these situations.

“The door is open come in.” I said, I looked around and realized that I was sitting in the common room as my room was no longer my own and also there is the fact that most maids are in their stations. Teresa walked in with her usual air of dignity and superiority.

I wonder how she always manages to keep that up, seeing that she is still a maid in the palace, no matter how many promotions she’s decorated with. I was initially surprised when she walked in yet I sat up right, I do not want to admit it but I am curious as to where my new station would be.

“Hello Madam. Might I require where is to be my new stati…” I stated but was interrupted

“You shall resume your duties where you were previously stationed.” She said after she cut short my words, she looked right into my eye almost daring me to refuse.

“But I came to you this afternoon and requested… I requested.” I spoke but my voice was hardly above a whisper.

“The Prince, in all his selflessness, wishes to keep an eye on you. He has informed me of your… vices and how you came to be in the palace as a maid.” She said, sending me a furious glare and also a disgusted look than usual my heart logged in my throat, I almost could feel the walls closing in on me. I knew that one day it would be known about what brought me to the palace but I just did not even put it in my mind that the gracious prince would be so selfless that he would tell her this.

“I wish to here no more of this stationing business. You should be thankful to the Prince. Alice, I know a lot of women who would kill just to be in your place right now.” She spat out with some venom I had never encounter even when I was in the street, she threw me one last dirty look before leaving.

In a way I knew that what she said was right and a lot of those people in the street would really want to be in my position. If the generous and selfless Prince wants me a common thief to work in his quarters, then so be it. I should be extremely thankful that I still have my head on my neck after my attempt to rob him before.

I knew that I only have two options right in front of me and those are to either go to his quarters and resume my duties or I should pack up my loads and get out of the palace to return back to the street, and honestly I have gotten used to sleeping in a good bed with the fears gone. So I would rather take my chances with the vicious Prince than to go back to the cold.

I made my way to his quarters and just like that I was told to get my cleaning utensils, now I do know that he is after all a prince in all his glory but who really do have that much silverware and it just was so ridiculous how many armour he had. Just sitting there and fully unpolished, I got to the door with my arm full of my work tools.

I mean if I must serve here then I should do it to the best of my abilities that I had promised myself earlier and also to make a good impression to him, if given the chance then I would actually be given the chance to apologies to him latter in the future. I was so engrossed in my thoughts.

“Oh God.” I shouted out loud before I was close friends with the floor. I rubbed my forehead because I had hit something hard, I looked up and I almost swore out the moment I saw what caused me to fall.

There it was, the good Prince Edward in all his glory, I looked at him before turning my gaze to the floor to see the polish and all my tools which had scattered all over the floor. I felt his gaze briefly on me before he walked all over my tools and walked away as if nothing happened at all.

I sneered in myself, I mean what exactly do I expect from typical royals. They are always so entitled and proud, he did not even stop to at least acknowledge the fact that he had hit someone, I mean I do have a life even if I am just being a maid. I bent down and started to pack up the shattered polishes, muttering angrily beneath my breath.

“Let the armour rust after all, not a big deal. He could just throw them away. It’s not like he uses them anyways”. I continued rambling softly as I packed up.

And like that time passed me by, I started dreading the fact that I had to work in that sly devil’s quarters every day, yes the Prince Edward’s quarters. He spared no effort in making me notice and feel the fact that there was no love lost between us as he made his contempt known to me every day.

I could not stop my thoughts from rushing in, why would he have asked for me to be stationed in his quarters if all he wants to do is to make me feel irrelevant? I also knew that today would be no different from the ones gone.

I remembered that I brought my small sack to the palace with me which housed everything that I had ever had. Although I came out of the orphanage with just a small box, over time things were stolen from it till I

decided to carry around everything of mine on my person.

I had moved to the room in his quarters just so I would be able to be more effective in the execution of his duties for me which are just bunch of nothing but to keep me running around the palace, for today in the palace we were given the grace to wear anything we wanted just for a day.

I brought out one of the few dresses that I had stashed in, it was stolen from one of the most unsecure merchant who visited the markets in the kingdom. A part of me wanted him to regard me but not as a maid but as a lady too so he would stop with his annoyance.

From what I have heard from the maids, they had said that a pretty lady would make a man calm down his anger. I am not confident in my beauty but I do know that a clean lady would still be more appreciated if she dresses up nicely.

I dressed up as quickly as possible, positive and excited for the new day. Also thinking of the positive outcome of the day. I turned the corner to see him standing alone by the courtyard. From the way he was standing he looked to be observing the fountain.

I summoned all my courage to approach him, determined to at least speak to him today. I felt my heart beat faster yet I stilled my heart. Closer and closer I got to him, gathering my luck to summon courage.

I was almost upon him when I saw the ground getting closer with a splat, I was initially confused for a second before I realized that I was tripped. Apart from the Prince there was no one else in sight.

He tripped me, and made me fall into the fountain. I was angry but he was a fucking royal, he ruined my one and only beautiful dress, I looked at him and Prince Edward just walked straight ahead, like I was invincible. Damn Royals.

After the incident, I’ve decided to treat indifference with indifference, so the Prince can have a taste of his own medicine. Today, I don’t even look at him as I pass him a glass of water. But soon enough, I looked at him alright cause the sound of a glass hitting the floor was heard, I was startled because he made a mess.

“You careless maid. Is your head made of water? You gave me a slippery glass.” Prince Edward spoke angrily, casting accusing eyes on me. Oh, so he can actually see me and I was not invisible, and what is this about slippery glass. He is the one with water for a brain. Does he not know that there is no such thing as a slippery glass… even though the sneer is visible on my lips, I knew that Madam Teresa is here.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

I looked up and I saw her disapproving stare boring right into my mind. Oh great, Just perfect.

“You do play with serious matters, Alice. how could you be so careless, do you realize what could have happened, what your clumsiness could have caused? The glass could have cut him; Royal Blood could have been spilled all because you still want to maintain the attitude of a street girl.” I sat down in the kitchen, staring at the slowly bubbling pot of porridge all because I do not want to meet Madam’s furious stare.

I resisted the overwhelming urge to defend myself not only would I just make the matter worse but it would just have made me look guiltier and maybe kicked out. It’s obvious that the Prince is out to make my life hell and he’s succeeding really well from the way things are going.

I knew that I had to go apologize for my so called carelessness or I could kiss the palace goodbye, we both knew that I needed this job to be able to survive even though I would love nothing more than to shove a punch down his throat and slap that smug look off his face.

It was night already and I made my way silently to Prince Edwards bedroom. The last thing I wanted now is to be caught by palace guards and cause more trouble since it is a bit past curfew and I needed him to be in his room so I would apologize. I was almost upon his room when I saw that the door was ajar, finally, odds are in my favour. It looked like lady luck dropped a bit of luck for me, I stayed back a bit and gave myself enough time to rehearse my speech in my head hopeful that it sounds genuine.

I opened the door, I completely froze with what I saw, I looked to see the ice Prince Edward in bed, with a half-naked maid.