Memory Lane 9...!

"You weren't present today at my birthday party...!"

Stopping dead in his foot tracks, the King slowly turned his to look down at his son, who seemed to have already dissipated all his confidence and bravery to ask his Father that question...

Because once he asked that question, he knew his Father would turn to look at him...

And he knew what kind of trouble he was going to be in...

So he prepared for the worst...

But to his surprise, his Father nether said anything nor looked down at him...

At least that was what he thought as he didn't have the guts to look up at his Father...

But all what he knew was that he couldn't feel his Father's presence beside him anymore...as his eyes were closed...

So slowly opening them, he foumd out that his Father had alreafu disappeared form his side and was already walking down the hallway...

Alone...

And without even looking back...

With tears in his eyes, and sighing in frustration, watched as his Father walked to the end of the hallway, and opening the large door in front of him, he entered the room at the end, without even turning to look back at is son..

Using his hand to wipe the tears away from his eyes, little Andrew sniffed back the urge to cry as he just turned around and slowly walked away...

When his mother saw him, she ignored what she was doing as he hurried toward him, bending down and using her hands to wipe the tears rolling down the eyes of her son, she asked what happened...

But he had refused to tell her...

But the question he asked, had her silent...

"Mother...?" He called.

"Yes little one...?" His mother answered.

Sniffing as he asked;

"Does...Does Father love me?"

But before his Mother could give a reply, he went on to say;

"Because I don't think he does...!" He said with his voice sharp...

His Mother's mouth that had been open as she had wanted to say something, now slowly closed up as she only stroked his brown hair...

Although, he did not say anything, his eyes revealed the desire that he had...

To know whether his Father loved him or not...

But as he stared into the eyes if his Mother...

And his Mother, the same, he couldn't help but cry as he knew the answer...

Or so he thought...

If your Mother couldn't give you an answer on a topic like this, you'd also assume the answer too, right...?

Yes...

And that's what little Andrew did...

He assumed the answer...

And then shedding some more crocodile tears, he slowly leaned on his Mother's shoulder and began to cry all the more...

Attracting the attention of all the maids in there...

For they were in the kitchen...

All the maidservants present couldn't help but stop working as they looked at him, with tears in there eyes...

Though, it was none of their business, they couldn't go but wonder what kind of a King wouldn't, at least, have time for their own children...

Their sons to be precise...

Some that had been brought form neighboring lands recalled how their various Kings treated their children as they shared it with their fellow maids...

"I remember so vividly, like it was the previous day...!" One said as she began.

"I was bringing in food for the King and all his family...!" She began as she smiled bitterly.

"As I entered the hall with the food in my hand, I could see the King playing with his son...!"

Her smile broadened as the bitterness disappeared, revealing a bright grin and glistening eyes.

"I don't know what kind of game it was, but I think it was a card game...some sort of card game...!" The maid said.

"Once I served the food...!" The maid went on to say.

"I went and stood by the entrance of the dinning hall...watching them as they played...!"

All the other maids gasped as their hand a raised to their mouths, covering them...

"What did you say, Marie...?" One asked.

"You stood and watched them?" Another asked from behind the first.

"Are you mad...?" A third asked.

But the maid named Marie smiled as she lowered her head and continued.

"I knew that it wasn't the appropriate thing to do...I knew it, but I still went on to stand there anyway...!"

"You're a brave for thinking that, you could have gotten yourself killed...!"

"Why don't you try it on this King...?" Another said, half-joking.

Although Marie was smiling, once the maid said this, the smile disappeared as she raised her head up to glare at the other maid...

Her glare, made them laugh....

"Can you try that with this King...?" One asked half jokingly.

Glaring at that one, Marie said;

"Martha, you had better watch your mouth...!"

Her tone serious.

Martha laughed.

"Calm down Marie, it was just joke, you don't have to take it too serious...!" Martha said.

"I know, Martha, but I'm just telling you, the fact that I tried it back home and it worked doesn't mean, if tried here, it'll work...!" Marie said.

What she said made sense as the other ladies all nodded in agreement.

"...Besides...!" Marie said as she played with her apron.

"You're welcome to try...!" She said.

Martha that was washing the plates paused as she looked at her confused.

"Try what...?" She asked.

"Help the little Prince...!" Marie said.

"If you think that it was that easy, why don't you try it...?" Marie asked as she turned to face the kitchen pans that was hung on the walls...

"Marie, come on, she was only joking...!" Another maid said, as she joined the conversation.

"Yes...not that she meant it...!" Another said.

"She was only joking, fooling around, pulling your leg...don't take it too seriously...!" Another said as she chipped in from nowhere.

Once that was said, the other maids turned to glare at the maid that had said that...

Once the they turned to look at who had said that, the looks on their faces (i.e the glare), had her shy her mouth as she pretended to be cooking...

She knew that they were still glaring at her, so she avoided their face for a long period of time.

One she avoided their glares, her mind immediately got into her work...

Then after sometime, she remembered that she had avoided their glares and that they were not talking again...

Thinking that what she had said must have made some sense and shut them all up, she subconsciously smiled and then raise her head up to look at them...

Raising her head up to look at them, the plates in her hands dropped as she met them still glaring at her...

Realizing what she had done, she quickly bent down to pick up the broken plates, murmuring and grumbling as she did so...

"Why were you all still glaring at me?" She grumbled as she bent down to pick the broken pieces of plates...

Even the person that she had was defending, Martha, was also glaring at her, bit for a different reason...

Picking up the broken pieces of plates, the little girl grumbled...

She was the youngest amongst the other maids...

And her attitude, was so unacceptable.