Three

If windows could talk, the window Elaine had been cleaning for the past 15 minutes would beg her to let go.

It was a regular day at the palace and she was cleaning the windows as she usually did only for her to go crashing to the ground. Unfortunately as it seemed, right by the king's feet.

It was embarrassing but luckily the king didn't have too much to say. He only complimented her which though was weird, she read no meaning to it and then he asked for her name which she also read no meaning to.

Aware of everyone's gaze on her and her cheeks flushed red, she began to space out. The king uttered a few words, she could see his lips moving and the queen said more than a few in return. Then Madame Betty came to her rescue and dragged her out of the situation that was becoming very threatening to her brain.

Damn the little blue bird she was staring at through the window.

It was just an accidental fall, nothing more. Why was everyone making a mountain out of a mole hill?

She had noticed the stares she attracted and whispers that followed her whenever she walked around. Initially, she thought they were just making fun of her for being clumsy until her closest friend, Lacy, who was also a maid told her they were all probably jealous or curious about her. 'The servant the king was interested in', Lacy said she was being referred to as now.

It had to be madness. Why would the king be interested in her? Except he was interested in getting her kicked out of the palace for poor execution of her duties. Other than that, she couldn't think of a reason he would be. Crickey, she couldn't even remember if she pronounced her name correctly when he asked her.

Suddenly, she hoped she pronounced it wrongly. That way if the king's plan was to get her out of the palace she'll deny the accusations saying the name didn't belong to her. And instead of walking and receiving the stares and whispers, she'd just join to stare and whisper at whoever seemed just as clumsy as she was.

She was making no sense and she knew it.

She finally freed the window from an unwanted 20 minutes long wipe as she got down from the ladder she was on, careful not to trip again. She dropped the wet cloth into the wooden bucket she used for water, her eyes meeting Lacy's as she ran towards her.

  "Elaine!" Lacy almost yelled as she cut up to Elaine. "I've been searching everywhere for you."

"Oh, why?" Elaine replied her, rather taken aback. "What is the matter?  For heavens sake, calm down. You're panting."

"Okay fine i'm calm," lacy said, not calming down. "Where have you been? I'd have come earlier but things got hectic in the kitchen."

"Okay it's fine," Elaine grabbed the wooden bucket on the floor and began walking with lacy by her side. "So, what is it?"

"Guess."

"You know i never guess right when it comes to you. You're the most unpredictable person in the whole palace."

"Fine, fine. I admit that," Lacy nodded. "Okay, guess what?"

"Lacy-"

"It's about you this time," Lacy was literally pleading. "Just take a guess. Though i really doubt you getting it but just try."

Elaine shook her head, shifting the bucket to her right hand so she could drape her left arm around Lacy's shoulders. "Fine.  I'm in trouble, am i not?"

"Far from being in trouble," Lacy's voice was laced with enthusiasm. "Except you mean a positive type of dramatic trouble then that would be great."

"Sorry to say this Lacy but honestly, you're beginning to make no sense," Elaine admitted. She loved her only friend but she honestly needed to do more of cutting the actual grasses in the bush than just beating around it uselessly.

"Okay. Fine," Lucy exhaled, dramatically. "I'll say it. I finally found out the cause of all the drama."

"The drama?"

"The stares you've been getting. The whispers you've been attracting," Lacy replied her in a tone that immediately made Elaine know what she was talking about.

"Oh? What was it then? Definitely not the king thinking of throwing me out, is it?"

"Well, he definitely has plans on throwing you out," Lacy said with a mischievous grin on her face.

Elaine's face and heart fell. "What? Really?"

Lacey laughed making Elaine wonder what was so funny. She was about to get kicked out and the closest person to her was laughing. Laughing hard.

"THE KING HAS PLANS ON GETTING MARRIED TO YOU!"

Elaine couldn't even laugh or smile or even give a reaction. She slowly unwrapped her arm from Lacy's shoulders and continued walking.

"I'm being serious, Elaine," Lacy tried to catch up with her. "I'm serious, Elaine. The king is interested in you. He wants to get married to you."

"Are you insane?" Elaine stopped to reply lacy. "Listen to yourself, will you?"

"Seriously, Elaine," Lacy grabbed Elaine by the shoulders, Elaine's expression changing on noticing Lacy's.

"What?"

"I know. Apparently, the king fell in love with you at first sight and declared his wish to marry you at that spot too."

"That makes no sense."

"It does," Lacy smiled. "Come on. Let's think about it. You are very pretty, my friend. So, why not."

Elaine was confused. The king? How? It made no sense to her. Why would the king be interested in her of all the maidens? She was nothing more than an orphan maid.

"What are you thinking about?" Lacy gently stroked Elaine's golden brown hair. She was biting her lips and her cheeks were ready to change colours. "Do not be nervous, Elaine."

"I'm not nervous," Elaine replied, doubting her own words. "I don't believe it.  It's just another palace rumour."

Lacy watched her laugh nervously. "Okay. Let's believe that."

"Yes, please."

"Now to why i ran all the way to find you," Lacy wasn't done talking. "According to the rumours, as you chose to believe, the prince is not really pleased with the idea."

"What? Why?" Elaine asked before thinking. "Crickey, what am i even saying. There's no marriage going on.  Snap out of it."

"And because of that," Lacy continued as if Elaine hadn't spoken. "He might be coming to meet you. I literally met him on my way here and he was not smiling. I'm not saying he was definitely on his way here, i'm just giving you a heads up."

Elaine couldn't help but begin to feel nervous. It was unreal yet was beginning to sound real. The king interested in her? Truly, she was beautiful, she was aware of that but that didn't seem like a good enough reason for the king to take interest in her. She might have been a beauty but there were even more beautiful ladies scattered all around France.

"Lacy, are you-"

She was cut short by Lacy's gasp. She turned to the direction in custody of Lacy's gaze to meet a figure she had secretly begin to dread.

It wasn't an unfamiliar face. It was a face she had seen more times than she'd seen her period. Dress in exquisite clothes as always with his hair falling loosely, Prince Louis Darius was walking towards her.

She barely had enough time to look at Lacy one more time and register what was going on before he appeared in front of her.

"Hello," he spoke in fluent royalty. "Which one of you two might be Elaine?"

Elaine swallowed, slowly raising her hand to signify. "Um, your highness. That would be me."

"Oh, it's you?" his face immediately  screamed disgust.

"Yes, your highness," Elaine bowed her head. "Um, may I be of any help to you?"

"I doubt that," he eyed her. "Just wanted to know what you looked like."

"Your highness," Elaine was trying to stay calm. The rumors were either totally true or had an ounce of truth in them. "I don't understand, your highness."

"What is this?" His voice was getting louder and like ants getting attracted to sugar, it was attracting stares and whispers. "Are you trying to play dumb now?"

"Your highness," unlike his, her voice was getting lower. "I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."

He spat. "What exactly did my father see in you? Tell me. Ah, I can see you're quite a beauty. Was that it? Did you-"

"Your highness," she cut him off, her voice unable to remain under the covers. She looked at the maids lurking around, the whispers getting louder. It was true. There was no other reason the prince would be interested in getting to know and obviously hating her.

  She had unintentionally gotten involved with the members of the royal family.

She might have still being young but she'd been in and involved with the royal palace and family for long enough to know that getting involved with them or their matters would definitely bring more harm than good.

"Could your highness please stop causing a scene here?"

Her words that came out as a result of both suppressed fear and overtested patience attracted a lot of gasps.

"How dare you!" The prince's voice was the loudest it had ever being. He looked around him and grabbed her by the arm. "Fine. I guess you still have a little shame in you."

He grabbed her by the arm, aware of everyone's gaze on them as they walked out to a more secluded area. As they got to the prince's preferred location, he let go of her arm not bothering to apologise for the pain he inflicted on her arm during the short period of his grip.

"Your highness-"

Before she could speak, he cut her off. "So you really want to get married to my father?"

"Your highness," she didn't even know what to say. "All these is new to me. I promise i-"

"Stop pretending, will you!" he yelled. "Me and my father's relationship might not be the best but I know him to an extent. Why? I guess you took advantage of the fact that you're a mere servant thus you're able to get first hand information about the king and queen's relationship and knowing how amazing it is, you decided to use it an an opportunity isn't it?"

"Your highness-"

"Tell me," his voice grew harsher with every word. "What did you do? How did you do it? Did you seduce him?"

"Your highness!"

"Don't even try to act like a decent person in front of me!" he yelled in return. "Was that it? I know I shouldn't expect much from a maid but did you perhaps sleep with him?"

"Your highness!" Elaine could no longer keep quiet. "I might be nothing but a mere maid but I shall not be insulted or tolerate having my honor dragged in the mud."

"What did you just say?" He smirked, taking steps towards her having her move backwards. "What did you just say to the prince? The thought of my father getting married to you  must have gotten to your head and Your honor? I can't even believe you said that. You-"

He stopped to sigh. He looked at her. Her head bowed and her hands behind her. He could spot tears on her cheeks and that only irritated him.

"Look," he continued regardless. "I don't know what you're thinking or whatever your reason might be but you'll never be able to break our family so you'd better stay away from my father. It's a warning."

Without another word, he left Elaine trembling with tear stained cheeks.

---

Only two people had the habit of coming into the prince's room without knocking. The prince needed to guess not who it was this time as he watched the door to his room fly open.

"Louis!"

"Good day, father," he greeted the king, getting up from the sofa he was seated on. "To what do I owe your unexpected presence?"

"You know very well why I am here, Louis," the king's voice was cold.

"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty."

The king sighed in an attempt to calm his nerves. "I heard you created quite the scene at the maids quarters today."

"Oh," the prince replied, already aware of what his father wanted to say. "I guess she had the guts to tattle to you."

"Good heavens, Louis," King Philippe was rather astonished. "You are not even trying to deny it or make it look reasonable but rather you are taking pride in such foolish behavior."

"Why should I deny it?" The prince talked back. "Definitely you aren't here to have me confirm what your little lover said to you, are you?"

"Mind your words, Louis!"

"And why should I?!" Louis replied his father in an equally loud voice. "Isn't that what she is? Is she not nothing but your little lover or should I say, the maid you sleep with? Your little mistress?"

"Louis," disappointment laced the king's voice. "I cannot believe you are having such thoughts about a maiden that has done absolutely nothing wrong. I believe I raised you better than that."

"Oh, please," Louis let out a sardonic laughter. "You didn't raise me to be anything."

Philippe knew Louis well enough to know he wasn't going to calm down any time soon.

"Fine, Louis," he finally said after few minutes of silence. "I didn't come here to argue with you. All I'm saying is for you to get your acts together and act the way you should be seen acting. You're the prince for heavens sake, please behave like one."

"Oh?" The prince was obviously irritated by the king's words. "When it comes to your little mistress I'm suddenly no longer prince-material? I suddenly need to start acting like a proper prince? Why? To please your mistress?"

"And I'll prefer you stop calling Elaine that," the king's voice was now calm. "She's going to be your stepmother very soon. Not just your stepmother, she's going to be the younger queen and I think you need to get yourself ready to treat her as such."

Louis shook his head and returned back to the sofa. "Never."