The butler swiftly leads me to the servant quarters where I am instructed to take a bath and change into another dress. After bathing and changing into the new set of clothes, I am led to the royal quarters.
The butler is quite short, but his footsteps are swift. I pant as I try to catch up with him, as he moves through hallways and stairs. He finally slows his steps when we arrive at a long wide hallway which I presume is the Royal quarters owing to the exquisite paintings, portraits, and statues that adorn the walls and corners. He slows his step a little more and I catch up with him, and he begins ;
"Rule No.1, as a servant you're not allowed to run through this passage. You're meant to walk slowly or fast but certainly don't run! It's considered disrespectful.
Rule No.2, Don't let your inquisitiveness get the better of you. Don't peer into any room here. Get your chores done, then leave. And don't stand to admire any portrait, painting or whatever it may be.
Rule No.3, the last but certainly not the least. Don't steal. Theft is a highly punishable act among servants. The Queen's former personal maid was caught stealing to fend for her sick sister and you don't want to know how she was killed."
He stops in his footsteps and turns to glance at me, turns around and gently knocks on a door. It's a large one with intricate designs on it.
We stand for about ten seconds before a 'come in' is heard. The butler walks in while I stand outside. He walks in, says a few words with his head bent low and walks out gesturing that I go in. He bows briefly before closing the door and leaves.
Filled with fear and anticipation, I take slow steps with a bowed head like I saw the butler doing.
"Name?" A soft commanding tone asks but I dare not look up.
"Griselda Capell."
"Capell?" She laughs and I can see her elegantly place her right leg over the left one and leans back in her seat.
"Look up!" She says, more like commands. I look up to just notice the glamour before me. She's lean wearing a red flowing gown which suits her pale skin, her lips are splashed with a bright red colour and she is seated on a white sofa which her dress sprawls over covering most of the space.
Elegantly, she swirls her glass whose contents are red in colour. I guess it's wine but seeing her take a drink from it, and seeing the thickness of the drink as it slowly slides down, I immediately understand what the content is and I control my sudden urge to purge my guts out.
Immediately, I shift my gaze to the bedroom, to the queen-size bed which is covered with a plush purple duvet.
Light white curtains cascade down to the bed covering a part and not far from it, is a large full-size mirror, next to the wardrobe. Her dressing table is filled with several tiny bulb-like glasses, which I guess are perfumes, or whatever they may be.
Unconsciously my eyes are still roaming over the place when I hear a teasing voice right behind me which startles me.
"Plotting to take something?" I turn around swiftly to have my mouth form an 'O' shape which I quickly close. He walks over and takes a seat a little farther from the Queen.
It's the man from the carriage earlier. He has this amusing look on his face while chuckling as I immediately comport myself, with folded hands and a slightly bowed head, I face the Queen.
She laughs derisively, "Paupers like her surely don't let go of the opportunity to ogle at things they'll never get in life."
I feel angry at her remark but keep calm. I was only admiring the room but I think I should've kept the butler's rules in mind, 'don't look at or admire anything at all'. I thought it ended there but she continues.
"Paupers who are so consumed with their poverty mentality that they won't spare a thought to sell out one of their own." She scoffs, "Goodness gracious. Their stench reeks of poverty and unfortunately those who get attached to them get it too. I can imagine how poor her father is, to decide to sell her off as your mistress or anything she's deemed fit. His nerves… giving out as a pauper as a Prince's mistress." She says, looking at my body.
"Aidan, do you imagine yourself getting hooked on this?" She asks, chuckling while obviously finding my looks amusing.
I'm shocked, the man with me on the carriage is the... I decide not to spare it a thought as I'm saddened and angered by her words, my eyes brim with tears but I decide not to let them out in order not to anger her or look weak. I shouldn't be angry at her, no I shouldn't… that anger should be directed at my father who decided this life for me, and my mother who did absolutely nothing to shield her daughter from this life.
I notice a pair of eyes and look up to see his intense gaze peering deep into mine with an expressionless look. His eyes seem to convey some words at a point, but I immediately avert my gaze considering it disrespectful to stare back at him.
I take a deep breath and silently pray that the unshed tears in my eyes dry up quickly.
"Griselda, you should go to your room. Your work will begin tomorrow before sunrise. But…."
Before she's through with her speech, the door opens to reveal a man about Aidan's age. He has the same honey brown eyes as the queen, with dark brown slightly ruffled hair. His appearance is overwhelming and charming but just not as particularly striking as Aidan's.
He walks past me, walks to the queen, grabs her hand and kisses it while muttering a greeting.
"Maverick." She mutters.
He stares briefly at Aidan and sits beside the queen. Aidan acts indifferently as though he doesn't exist, he doesn't even spare him a glance which makes me question their relationship.
He sits and roams his eyes over me which makes me feel totally uncomfortable. I silently pray that I'd be asked to leave.
"Who's she?" Maverick asks which is obviously directed to the queen.
She chuckles and says in a berating tone, "She's the daughter of the pauper who sold her to the royal family as Aidan's mistress or whatever we may find her useful for."
"Interesting." He chuckles and roams his eyes over me continuously.
"So, Prince Aidan, are you interested in taking her as a mistress or ... Mother, if Aidan has no use for her then I certainly do."
I grip my palms together as trepidation fills me over his words, I can certainly guess his use for me owing to his constant roaming of eyes. I slowly glance at Aidan trying not to be as obvious as possible but immediately meet his intense gaze with furrowed eyebrows. I avert my gaze immediately.
"Keep your eyes and thoughts to yourself because she's already the queen's personal maid." He says in a cold voice as he stands.
I relax at his words but tense again when the queen adds, "Temporary… just temporary."
"Till then." He says in a calm voice and leaves the room swiftly.
Maverick scoffs, "Till then indeed…. Wait till I have her in cuffs in my chambers let's know your reaction." He says angrily and storms out of the room.
I shudder at his words but try to hide it. I am certainly unprepared for this life. I've constantly heard stories of the royal family, how servants who were sold to them and had no freedom were dealt with. If you're employed to work here without being sold, you'll have certain rights but that isn't the case with being sold to them by anyone. You have no say in any treatment meted out to you.
"Griselda right?" She asks.
I nod twice.
"You'll start working here as my personal maid tomorrow. You'll meet Aine outside now who will give you a heads up on my schedule."
"Yes, my queen," I answer with a bow.
" Leave," she says calmly and I rush to the door, shut it and lean on it while heaving.
"Exhausting right?" I turn to see a young girl of about thirteen years staring at me while smiling.
"It's totally exhausting and uncomfortable talking to the Queen for the first time, but you'll adjust in no time. It was so with me here my first time. She laughs. I'm Aine by the way, you?"
"Zelda, Griselda." I say totally comfortable talking to her.
"I'll call you Zelda, it's a nice name." She says.
"The Queen said that you'll…."
"Yes, yes, yes." She cuts me off.
"I'm aware of that, but first I'll show you your room, then we'll discuss that and put it in writing before you rest. Your room is located here in the royal quarters, at the end. It's a special room for the Queen's personal maid, considering your status which is automatically above every other maid except the head maid. It's also to enable you to be swift in responding to calls without running. It's forbidden in this quaters, you know..." She says while walking.