Chapter 25

Arya felt like an outsider even in the royal palace.

She was a princess yet an outsider as well.

The only person she truly felt close with was Myna and Ezekiel. Oh, and of course, Baron Pax, Catalina and Elijah.

Ezzy's mentions and hints about Myna's past also triggered her curiosity.

But she didn't want to seem rude or insensitive.

Myna begins to pack up the unused plates and teacups and put them back inside the box.

"Hey, little princess, what his highness said back there….is true. I'm not just a maid servant. I used to be a lady and noble in my own right. My real name is Myna Primrose Neverall and I was the only daughter of a fallen noble household."

Arya snapped her attention to Myna.

Myna used to be a noble but….why was she reduced to being a maid servant now?

Myna tucked in a strand of Arya's hair behind her ear.

"It's a long story, my princess. Do you want to hear about it?"

Arya nodded.

My mother and father were not a loving or happy couple. Their marriage was one of convenience and benefits. My father was a noble but he had fallen into hard times with mountains of debt to pay off from reckless spending and gambling while my mother was not a noble, but rather the daughter of successful merchants, she had money-something my father desperately wanted and needed. A marriage was arranged for the benefit of both parties: My father would get the money he needed to pay off his dues and save himself from ruin while my mother would gain a noble status and a position in high society. I was born from their wedding night. I was a disappointment to them-a daughter was not what they wanted. 

My little brother was born two years later much to their delight. I, their daughter, was pushed away and forgotten about in favor of my younger brother who was showered with love and attention while I could not even get my parents to look at me.

My ability was not a very powerful one compared to my younger brother's. I was born with the ability to be able to turn living beings into stone. I was named "Myna" after the she-monster who had the same ability as I did from the myths and legends of the old. It wasn't even my parents who named me-it was my nanny who did. She heard about the tragic story of the she-monster Myna as a little girl and she thought the name suited me: same power and same tragic life of neglect and abandonment. 

I was nothing but an embarrassment and burden to both my parents who left me in the care of nannies and servants until I turned 14 years old. That was when my father tried to marry me off to a man three times my age for his own benefit in order to secure the alliance with the merchant.

When I refused to marry that fat and ugly old man, my father got furious and he started to beat me. That was the first time I ever used my ability on another living being since the time I accidentally used my ability on a stray dog when I was six years old.

My father was turned into solid stone and that was the day I was kicked out of my own family.

It was hard at first to get used to living a life outside of comfort and luxury but I adapted and adjusted. I never looked back and I was able to secure a job in the royal palace thanks to my former nanny who happened to have connections with servants of the royal household.

When I heard that my family became ruined and fell into hard times from numerous bad investments along with the discovery that my father was operating an illegal human trafficking ring, I felt nothing and it was as if I was a stranger reading about this from a newspaper.

I was once a lady and I still am but I'm only a noble in my own mind.

Myna finished telling her story and Arya pulled her into a tight hug.

"Myna, I didn't know that you suffered through much and that you were a lady herself. I think being able to turn living beings into stone is a cool ability."

Myna shook her head.

"It is not. People shunned me and feared me for that power of mine. They said I could turn people into stone with just one look and that I'm a monster."

Arya shook her head.

"No, you're not!! Why would they say such things? You're the nicest person I have ever met and you will never be able to harm a rat, let alone another person! It's not what your ability is, but how you use it. A sword is just a weapon-it can be used for both good or bad depending who its owner is. Same thing with abilities."

Myna smiled. Arya had such a sweet and kind heart that Myna would gladly serve her for the rest of her life.

"Yes, you're right. Absolutely right, my princess. Thank you for your kind words."

"No, thank you, Myna, for everything you have done for me."

….

Arya saw servants bow to her and pay her respect as she walked past them.

On her way back to her new room in the royal palace with Myna guiding her since Arya was still not able to find her own way around the labyrinth of the royal palace right now, Arya didn't feel like training right now since she already sparred enough today with two people. A bath and a nice book were in order, Arya thought.

Servants rushed about, cleaning, dusting, chatting with each other as they did their chores. Servants washed the windows and removed dust from the carpets. They placed fresh roses into vases and kept the castle in tip-top condition.

But Arya saw that some servants bowed to her reluctantly and with hostility in their eyes. She may have been a princess but her position in the royal palace was still unclear and shaky at best. The servants looked at her with curiosity or disinterest while some didn't bother to hide their disrespect and animosity towards her.

They gawked and whispered about her right in front of her. 

Arya gritted her teeth.

She wasn't asking them to kiss the ground she walked on.

She wasn't going to let it slide. Since she wanted to make sure no one questioned her position in the royal palace, she couldn't such disrespect go by unpunished.

She stopped and made sure everyone heard her loud and clear. Everyone stopped and looked at her.

"I know you may not like me right now or that I just became a princess but such disrespect towards me is not allowed. I'm not the kind of person who likes to boss others around or bully others. I want to show respect and treat you like an equal but I can't since you won't show me respect. I can see you whispering about me and talking about me behind my back. I see the disrespect in your eyes for some of you. I won't call you out but remember that I'm not like the other princes and princesses who will punish you harshly for what you did right now. I'm a princess, Princess Arya, and you better remember that. Thank you.'

Arya gave off an air of calmness and dignity as she continued on her way, leaving the servants stunned and in awe.