The duty

The next day, I woke up feeling sick but I had no choice to stay silent about it. Because if I neglected my duties again , I will be scolded by that court lady and that's the thing I despised a lot .

After washing my face and getting myself ready , I went directly to the kitchen , I met with the other maids who were busily performing their duties . Washing dishes , cleaning the floor and cooking porridge but after noticing me , they stopped on their tracks and looked at me and then back to each other . I can hear them whispering.

One of my fellow maids came up to me , her name was Alice. I didn't know her well since I wasn't so close with everyone. They usually forms groups and sometimes fight over , backstabbing and nagging about each other . Their behaviors really disgusted me , they don't seem to get along all of the time . Sometimes I wondered if I lived with humans , they always live with animosity towards each other . I think this is happening because everyone wants to be the center of attention , to be the best among many and maybe getting the chance of being promoted to be the court lady , since the court ladies have less work to do and they are so close with the royal family , they have been respected and gotten paid for their works.

Since our relationship is only the workmates and nothing more , everyone has secrets and tend to be on their own or they choose those they can trust to be with. But to me , I wouldn't dare to engage with anyone and even if I tried to do so , I have to be more careful with them.

Alice came up to me .

"Where were you yesterday night ?" She asked smiling but her smile meant something.

I thought of explaining to her what happened but there is something about her that stopped me from doing so. I can feel the danger from her eyes even though she was brightly smiling.

"I didn't go anywhere last night , it's not like I disappeared from everyone's eyes ". I said after gathering so much strength to speak.

"Hide it girl but everyone here knows that you were with the prince last night , alone in his bedchamber " she added.

I swallowed , but I didn't feel well about it.

She continued , " But we are all curious to know what really happened between you two , did you seduce him to bed ?! "she laughed.

laughing?!

Her laughter disgusted me.

I clenched her dress , pulling her close.

"Say that again and..."

"And what !??. Will you beat me ?, I don't think if you are capable of doing that unless you forget about the rules"

I looked around and saw the other maids watching me , piercing me with their eyes like I'm the one who started a fuss from the first place.

My another hand clenched into a fist , I let her go . She rolled her eyes before she walked away.

Another maid came up to me and threw up the large pile of dishes beside me.

"it is your turn , wash them " she said with a mocking smile painted on her face , she strolled out of the kitchen , other maids followed her behind looking at me with the same expression.

Everything was dirty with the smell of grease and soot. it isn't the first time washing the dishes , I thought. I do it always and I could do even more like wiping the toilets and cleaning stools.

All thanks to that Court lady who raised me and taught me doing chores and more than that. she told me that if I wanted to continue to live in the palace peaceful as a maid I have to obey and stay silent. But sometimes I felt betraying her words because if only she could know that I am not interested in living at the palace anymore and sooner or later I will have to make that happens.

I decided to ignore everything and started doing my duties. Later , I cooked a herbal tea for relieving pain and headache , this will make me feel better , I drank it before I resumed back to the work. The day went by and it was the night . Fortunately I didn't meet the prince the whole day since he wasn't in his quarter . According to the guards information, the prince was in the training yard and the women were not allowed to be there, now only his guards will be serving him.

I slowly walked out of the maidens chamber , making sure that none heard my steps . I looked around the corridor and found out there were two guards at the doors which leads to the yard.

What should I say to them to let me pass through. Thinking of it , I came up with an idea.

"Excuse me , I...I forgot to lift the clothes from the yard "

"so?!" the one guard said after glancing at the other one.

"I will be quickly " I said.

"You better be " he said after scrutinizing me with his eyes for a bit before he opened the doors.

I walked out of the doors not looking behind me , my heart was pounding faster but I tried to stay calm and unafraid . I think that's the reason why they let me go easily because I tried my best not to look wavered and managed to look bold.

I jumped over the short stoned wall that act like a hedge connected to the garden , how do my life changed to this ?!.

Shoo! I succeeded to get out of the prince's quarter . I run towards the other way since the prince's quarter was not far away from the altar. I was early to arrive there .

I looked around to see if there's someone else at the altar but I found no one , I think that is why that soldier chose this place for meeting.It was calm and few people might walk here. I put the handkerchief at the place where he directed me the other day . On the way back to the prince's quarter , I wondered if that soldier will come to take the handkerchief and how will I come to know if he take it.

I didn't want to be bothered by the situation , I hurried back to the quarter .

After I arrived at the yard , I looked for the clothes that might be left by the other maids like rugs and towels. These will be the evidence for not being suspected.

I knocked at the door and the guard opened.

He didn't ask me if I was late or what , I thought I was too lucky to be left non scolded or suspected.

I walked back inside , sighed .

But before I climbed over my bed , someone called me behind.

It was Alice.

I looked behind to see she was already up like she was waiting for my return.

"shocked?" she asked while she played with her fingers.

I stumbled a little back like I was running away from her. I was really shocked but I thought I have to play dumb to make her doubt her own instincts.

"Yes of course , how wouldn't I be. To hear someone calling you by your name behind at night , unexpectedly well...you might be shocked for sure " I emphasized.

"Really ?" she asked.

I nodded nervously.

She chuckled "Well, good night then "

I was taken aback by her last sentence before she covered herself with a blanket . I turned my back towards the door and I let myself on the bed. The other maids were still asleep , gladly they didn't wake up by our voices.

I didn't know what will come to me after I decided to agree on the soldier's promise . I don't know if I ever promised him anything from the first place , I remembered saying that I will do anything just because of the suddenly instincts of wanting to escape the situation.

I blamed myself for being reckless on that day since I let that soldier see me. I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep since I didn't want to dwell on those thoughts. I let the fate decide for me maybe meeting him was the destiny.

Rain drops pounded on the window , I woke up from it's violating sound . I looked over the window and see the gloomy sky saddled over the castle. It was still morning and the rain seems to start even before that.

Three days have passed since it started raining every night . I didn't get to meet the soldier or find anything about him . The prince on the other hand was still on training with the soldiers . I saw him from afar the other day when he comes back to his quarter at night . He seems to be so busy with the duties , people in the palace started to talk about it.

" It's only two weeks since prince Asa comes back . He didn't even let himself rest for a bit . Look !! , he is outside training soldiers"

It was Queen Melissa who was complaining to the king . She deliberately wanted to provoke the king since she has her own agenda. She came all the way from her quarter to the king's room to nag about the prince's actions.

The king didn't say anything to her and ignored her concern , he demanded her to let him rest since he was feeling sick.

"I will let the doctor prepare your tonic" she told the king.

"There's no need of doing that , I'm too old for the tonic ".

"You are not old to say that , you are the king of this country. You have to be strong" she said while throwing her hands restless.

"Aren't you tired of me being the king " now the king turned and looked intently to the queen's eyes like he was searching for an answer.

She strolled closer to the bed where the king was laying , nearly bending over him.

"I'm tired of you pretending everyday to be sick ". The queen's face changed into serious expression.

"Bring the doctor here ! , His majesty is not feeling well " . She nearly shouted.

She looked at the king's face which was in full of rage before she strolled out of the room , her maids following her behind.

"Your highness !"

"yes..?"

"Your father wants to see you "

"Tell him not now "

"it's urgent "

"..."

"Your highness ?!"

"Give me a minute "

"Cosmos !?"

"Yes , your highness "

"Look at the soldiers for me . Make sure they don't skip the training until I come back "

"I will , your highness "

COUGH!! COUGH !!!

"Father ! , are you sick ? " prince Asa asked when he entered the room.

"Just a little cold , my son"

"You should take care of yourself father , does the ministers give you a hard time ?"

"It's not a matter of the ministers , it's about me my son. I'm becoming sick and weak everyday "

COUGH! COUGH!!

"Father "

"I'm happy to hear you calling me by that name again"

"Don't tell me you are going to die . Because I haven't forgiven you yet "

"Do you want me to still breath so as you can punish me ? "

"Yes. Exactly"

The king chuckled "Stupid...stupid boy ".

Asa's face painted a little smile.

"You are good , father. Stop exaggerating about your sickness"

The king laughed more to his son's comment.

"Come "the king said to the prince.

He stepped a bit forward.

"I'm listening , say it " The king turned himself to his son , now he stopped coughing . He dismissed all the maids and guards who were inside before he started talking seriously.

"I'm giving you the fully control of the royal army , no matter what happened even if it has to cost your life. You have to protect the people of your country"

"Yes , father " He knelt down to his father.

The king opened the verdict.

"Since I'm currently sick and I can't attend the court , gather all the ministers and inform them about this"

"Yes, father. Your command is my duty"